Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ (Photo by: Katalin Vermes / Starz Entertainment)
You’ve got to feel sorry for the fine folks at the San Diego Comic-Con. The Covid-19 pandemic shut the popular convention down in 2020, and it was forced into holding a much smaller convention – the “Comic-Con Special Edition” – in November 2021 after being unable to host its normal summertime pop culture event safely. Sdcc returned in 2022, but with strict Covid protocols in place.
2023 was thought to be the year the San Diego Comic-Con would spring back to life. But that wasn’t in the cards. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike, which meant many panel participants wouldn’t be able to attend. And then complicating matters, the Screen Actors Guild voted to authorize a strike if they couldn’t come to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion...
You’ve got to feel sorry for the fine folks at the San Diego Comic-Con. The Covid-19 pandemic shut the popular convention down in 2020, and it was forced into holding a much smaller convention – the “Comic-Con Special Edition” – in November 2021 after being unable to host its normal summertime pop culture event safely. Sdcc returned in 2022, but with strict Covid protocols in place.
2023 was thought to be the year the San Diego Comic-Con would spring back to life. But that wasn’t in the cards. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike, which meant many panel participants wouldn’t be able to attend. And then complicating matters, the Screen Actors Guild voted to authorize a strike if they couldn’t come to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion...
- 7/12/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Before sitting down with writer-director David Russo, I was already well aware of my fondness for his film The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. Learning about the actual event that inspired this bizarre story in no way effected my opinion on the piece, but it certainly made me appreciate it in a new way. Little Dizzle chronicles the events after Dory (Marshall Allman) loses his desk job and takes a position at Spiffy Jiffy Janitorial Services cleaning up an office building. It may sound like a dismal gig, but Dory's new co-workers know how to get the job done fast, efficiently and have some fun while doing it. Their routine is disturbed when cookies are thrown into the equation, self-warming cookies nonetheless. The gang becomes addicted to the tasty treats, so much so that they completely ignore the strange effects the food is having on their bodies. And that's not...
- 5/14/2010
- cinemablend.com
See The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle at Tribeca Cinemas May 12-18. Not in NYC? Watch it On Demand! TribecaFilm.com: Tell us a little about The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. David Russo: It is a spiritual story about men who give birth to a little blue fish, which they love, out of their assholes. The creatures are short-lived and totally harmless. Through their mad visions, mood swings and eventual births, the guys have to pull together to be midwives for one another and to deal with the loss and loneliness of what is essentially miscarriage. So basically it is really about male miscarriage out the butt. TribecaFilm.com: What inspired you to tell this story? Dr: Being a janitor for 11 years and generally feeling like an invisible, marginalized human being among my own culture and species. This is a janitor movie par excellence. Janitors are like those...
- 5/12/2010
- TribecaFilm.com
See The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle at Tribeca Cinemas May 12-18. Not in NYC? Watch it On Demand! TribecaFilm.com: Tell us a little about The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. David Russo: It is a spiritual story about men who give birth to a little blue fish, which they love, out of their assholes. The creatures are short-lived and totally harmless. Through their mad visions, mood swings and eventual births, the guys have to pull together to be midwives for one another and to deal with the loss and loneliness of what is essentially miscarriage. So basically it is really about male miscarriage out the butt. TribecaFilm.com: What inspired you to tell this story? Dr: Being a janitor for 11 years and generally feeling like an invisible, marginalized human being among my own culture and species. This is a janitor movie par excellence. Janitors are like those...
- 5/12/2010
- TribecaFilm.com
The lineup at the 2009 Downtown Film Festival-Los Angeles will range from Jeffrey Jay Orgill's "Boppin' at the Glue Factory," a dark comedy about a junkie nurse working the night shift of a convalescent hospital, to Barbara Ettinger's doc "A Sea Change," about the acidification of the oceans. The fest runs from Aug. 12-22 at the At&T Center Theater.
"The year's feature film line-up reflects themes of personal discovery and societal angst -- perhaps a sign of the times. How the individual films tackle these broad themes is wildly divergent, from illuminating nonfiction to dark comedies and unconventional dramas," festival programming director Roger M. Mayer said.
Other films on tap include Mickey Blaine's "Commit," David Russo's "The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle," Richard Sears' "In the Drink," Gabriel Sunday's "My Suicide," Philippe Diaz's "Now & Later," and Nina Menkes' "Phantom Love."...
"The year's feature film line-up reflects themes of personal discovery and societal angst -- perhaps a sign of the times. How the individual films tackle these broad themes is wildly divergent, from illuminating nonfiction to dark comedies and unconventional dramas," festival programming director Roger M. Mayer said.
Other films on tap include Mickey Blaine's "Commit," David Russo's "The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle," Richard Sears' "In the Drink," Gabriel Sunday's "My Suicide," Philippe Diaz's "Now & Later," and Nina Menkes' "Phantom Love."...
The 13th edition of Montreal’s Fantasia film festival wrapped up its frighteningly successful run this week, with movie highlights aplenty and 40 percent of the screenings selling out. Now the jury and the public have spoken on their favorites, and the fest has revealed their award winners in all categories. Check ’em out below!
Jury Prizes: Feature Films
Best Feature Film: Breathless (Yang Ik-june) Jury Special Prize: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) Best Male Performance: Yang Ik-Jun, Breathless Best Female Performance: Hikari Mitsushima, Love Exposure Best Director: David Russo, The Immaculate Conception Of Little Dizzle Best Screenplay: Nicolas Alberny and Jean Mach, 8th Wonderland Best Cinematography: Hideho Urata, The Clone Returns Home Technical Prize: IP Man Special Mention for Best Direction of Child Actors: Tom Shankland, The Children
Jury Prizes: First Features
Best First Feature: White Lightnin’ (Dominic Murphy) Special Mention: Debut performance of actress Eline Kuppins, Left Bank Jury Prizes:...
Jury Prizes: Feature Films
Best Feature Film: Breathless (Yang Ik-june) Jury Special Prize: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) Best Male Performance: Yang Ik-Jun, Breathless Best Female Performance: Hikari Mitsushima, Love Exposure Best Director: David Russo, The Immaculate Conception Of Little Dizzle Best Screenplay: Nicolas Alberny and Jean Mach, 8th Wonderland Best Cinematography: Hideho Urata, The Clone Returns Home Technical Prize: IP Man Special Mention for Best Direction of Child Actors: Tom Shankland, The Children
Jury Prizes: First Features
Best First Feature: White Lightnin’ (Dominic Murphy) Special Mention: Debut performance of actress Eline Kuppins, Left Bank Jury Prizes:...
- 7/31/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
- Ioncinema.com's Remains of the Day (Monday to Friday) is a look at eight and 1/2 news items that we didn't have enough time to cover but are worth mentioning here. For July 30th we have Goats, Pumas and Foxes. 1. I'm F**king Jennifer Aniston The actress will topline CBS Films' romantic comedy Pumas (this is probably a Blacklist nom for 2009). Wayne McClammy - a hot director (who made the famed Jimmy Kimmel vids) is attached to a trio of projects. Forget Diablo, the female scribe to watch out for is named Melissa Stack. 2. Still Thinking Green Beloved Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi (Offside, The Circle and the seminal work Crimson Gold), his family and other filmmakers got arrested and released. Variety reports. 3. Goat Delivery Date The Men Who Stare at Goats gets released November 6th (Overture Films).4. In Need of a Boost Russell Crowe will topline Paul Haggis' remake of French film Pour Elle.
- 7/30/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
[Our thanks to Matthew Grinshpun for the following review.]
On paper, David Russo’s The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle comes off as a cult classic in the making. A comedy about the waylaid lives of a motley crew of building custodians pregnant with a Day-Glo blue “semi-animate mound,” it bears the hallmark absurdity of many of the Fantasia Film Festival’s greatest triumphs. But a sterile sense of humor and sloppy story-telling make for a film that never lives up to on its promise. In the end, where Dizzle should dazzle it dawdles and fizzles.
On paper, David Russo’s The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle comes off as a cult classic in the making. A comedy about the waylaid lives of a motley crew of building custodians pregnant with a Day-Glo blue “semi-animate mound,” it bears the hallmark absurdity of many of the Fantasia Film Festival’s greatest triumphs. But a sterile sense of humor and sloppy story-telling make for a film that never lives up to on its promise. In the end, where Dizzle should dazzle it dawdles and fizzles.
- 7/16/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
Must Love Death Directed by Andreas Schaap *** The first feature by director Andreas Schaap has had made some big impressions amongst Fantasia movie-goers. Clearly one of the more surprising and original films of the festival, it blends two seemingly opposite genres, the romantic comedy and extreme horror. These are the horror films one expects to see at the festival. Simultaneously good-natured and mean spirited, the film boasts some excellent and professional production values considering its film school origins. A brave, unapologetic and truly independent achievement. The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle Directed by David Russo **** A strange and oddly charming film which openly refers to itself as toilet humor but also toilet tragedy, toilet inspiration, etc. You can call it an acid-vision experimental art house feature or a zany pseudo-subversive gender farce or you can simply sum it up as brilliant. It's a moving exploration of gender while touching on topics like commitment,...
- 7/14/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Comedies are a tricky genre to critique because it all boils down to whether the film in question makes you laugh or not. There is nothing more subjective than comedy, and it is almost impossible for us to break down a joke and tell you why we find it funny; comedy is a serious business, though, so on Episode 135 of Sound On Sight, we will review three of the most unique and bizarre comedies to see recent release. First up is Sacha Baron Cohen's much-anticipated Bruno; second, a bizarre romantic comedy / torture porn hybrid, Must Love Death; and finally, David Russo's South By Southwest indie favorite, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. (Those last two both premiered here in Montreal at the Fantasia Film Festival.) On this hour, Rick and Simon are joined by recurring guest Chrystina Benyo. listen now [1] Download the show in a separate window [2] Listen...
- 7/14/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
The Immaculate Conception Of Little Dizzle USA Dir: David Russo This ingenious outsider comedy that features pregnant male characters giving birth to marine creatures following their addiction to experimental cookies may very well turn out to be this generation's Repo Man! Decked wall to wall with unique performances from a cast that's likely to attain immortality, Little Dizzle could almost be an unlikely 4-way love child between Richard Linklater, Judd Apatow, Dan Clowes and William S Burroughs, balancing toilet humour with spiritual ponderings, body horror/metamorphosis and explosive gender grenades. A quasi-intellectual gross-out youth comedy and one of the most refreshing films you're going to see anyone this year, Dizzle is coming to Fantasia hot off flooring audiences at Sundance and SXSW.
- 7/9/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Oh c’mon – you know deep down inside (in places we only talk about on Friday nights and sometimes during a Wednesday matinee), you really have a thing for Blue Man Group. Sure, they may not be as trendy as they were 10 years ago, but they’re blue and funny and their music ain’t half bad. So why not give them a movie? Variety says the IMAX 3D movie featuring the Blue Man Group will be directed by David Russo and star the blue men as, um, blue men who take over some poor dude’s brain. Yup, Russo said it’s about "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside." Okay....
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- 5/21/2009
- by Fandango
- Fandango
Oh c’mon – you know deep down inside (in places we only talk about on Friday nights and sometimes during a Wednesday matinee), you really have a thing for Blue Man Group. Sure, they may not be as trendy as they were 10 years ago, but they’re blue and funny and their music ain’t half bad. So why not give them a movie? Variety says the IMAX 3D movie featuring the Blue Man Group will be directed by David Russo and star the blue men as, um, blue men who take over some poor dude’s brain. Yup, Russo said it’s about "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside." Okay....
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- 5/21/2009
- by Fandango
- Fandango
Oh c’mon – you know deep down inside (in places we only talk about on Friday nights and sometimes during a Wednesday matinee), you really have a thing for Blue Man Group. Sure, they may not be as trendy as they were 10 years ago, but they’re blue and funny and their music ain’t half bad. So why not give them a movie? Variety says the IMAX 3D movie featuring the Blue Man Group will be directed by David Russo and star the blue men as, um, blue men who take over some poor dude’s brain. Yup, Russo said it’s about "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside." Okay....
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- 5/21/2009
- by Fandango
- Fandango
Are you feeling blue? Well you should, because the Blue Man Group will soon deliver a colorful show in 3D on the big screen, with David Russo ("The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle") set to direct. Lisa Robinson is writing the script for the IMAX project, which is scheduled for release in 2011.
As Russo told Variety, "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside."
Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman, known as the original Blue Man Group, will star in the film, which I admit I'm excited to see. I never saw the Group live on stage, but those awesome commercials and other video footage of some of their shows really sparked my curiosity.
As Russo told Variety, "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside."
Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman, known as the original Blue Man Group, will star in the film, which I admit I'm excited to see. I never saw the Group live on stage, but those awesome commercials and other video footage of some of their shows really sparked my curiosity.
- 5/20/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
John Malkovich might have thought it was creepy to have random strangers in his head, or get ruled by a puppeteer, but I bet that's nothing compared to this. Variety reports that the Blue Man Group is getting its chance to jump inside a poor soul for IMAX 3D.
This first feature, which will be directed by David Russo (The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle), has the original Blue Men -- Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman -- getting slipped inside some poor schmuck's head. Basically, they're entering the noggin of "a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside." Wink says this will be a simple vaudevillian film: "we're not here with deep messages," but then Russo says it's very important to have "solid" science.
This first feature, which will be directed by David Russo (The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle), has the original Blue Men -- Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman -- getting slipped inside some poor schmuck's head. Basically, they're entering the noggin of "a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside." Wink says this will be a simple vaudevillian film: "we're not here with deep messages," but then Russo says it's very important to have "solid" science.
- 5/20/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
A story of Sundance success right here. As announced last year, Blue Man Group is making an IMAX 3D movie, not of a live concert, but a musical with an actual story. Hired to direct the movie is newcomer David Russo, who broke out at Sundance earlier this year with his directorial debut The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. The script is being written by Lisa Robinson. The original Blue Men - Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman - will all star. Visual development on the film is currently under way and will continue for several months. Production is scheduled to start in 2010 for a release in early 2011. Russo explains that "the Blue Men entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his ...
- 5/20/2009
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Well dip us in paint and throw marshmallows at us! The Blue Man Group are headed to the big big screen, with a 3D Imax comedy film planned and director David Russo lined up to direct the story.The film will see the azure weirdos "entering the brain of a socially and creatively congested person and observing his neural patterns and his habitual brain functions and memory and altering it in a way that helps him bring his inside life outside," said Russo to Variety. The Group's therapeutic methods will almost certainly involve throwing stuff about.The film's visual development is already underway, with production due to start early next year for release in 2011. It will be the Group's first big-screen appearance, and only the second feature for Russo, who directed this year's Sundance debut The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. Original Blue Men Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman will star.
- 5/20/2009
- EmpireOnline
Summer Hours
France, 2008, 102 minutes
Director: Olivier Assayas
Using the story of a grieving family as the driving narrative, Summer Hours at first feels like a collection of painfully unbearable and pretentious bickering by members of a bourgeois-artistic French family. Upon looking closer, its real protagonists—the ones who change and experience conflict—are the objects around the house.
It’s a touching meditation on the value of art in its function and sentimentality, rather than the intrinsic monetary worth. The film’s sob-worthy finale involves not a performance by an actor, but a shot of a desk displayed in a museum.
Details
My Suicide
USA, 2008, 105 minutes
Director: David Lee Miller
What turns out to be one of the more divisive films of the festival is also one of its best. David Lee Miller's My Suicide is the story of a teen who wants to film his own suicide as his school project.
France, 2008, 102 minutes
Director: Olivier Assayas
Using the story of a grieving family as the driving narrative, Summer Hours at first feels like a collection of painfully unbearable and pretentious bickering by members of a bourgeois-artistic French family. Upon looking closer, its real protagonists—the ones who change and experience conflict—are the objects around the house.
It’s a touching meditation on the value of art in its function and sentimentality, rather than the intrinsic monetary worth. The film’s sob-worthy finale involves not a performance by an actor, but a shot of a desk displayed in a museum.
Details
My Suicide
USA, 2008, 105 minutes
Director: David Lee Miller
What turns out to be one of the more divisive films of the festival is also one of its best. David Lee Miller's My Suicide is the story of a teen who wants to film his own suicide as his school project.
- 5/8/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
One of the films I saw at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival was a twisted little indie titled The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. By far, the strangest film I screened at the fest, the film is directed by first time feature director David Russo, who as I wrote in my Sundance review, “uses his experience in animated short films to create a cinematic acid trip, which might be so strange and different that it might alienate.” Little Dizzle tells the story of a young man who is forced to join a group of misfits who clean office buildings during the night time hours and become addicted to chemically-altered cookies which have some strange side effects. It only gets stranger, but I think that explaining exactly who Little Dizzle is might be revealing too much. A trailer for the film has been released online, and...
- 2/3/2009
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
SXSW is one of my favorite festivals of the year as it showcases some of the best and most innovative real independent films, and with this host of world premiers, it's also playing alot of Sundance material as well as genre fare from all over the world, many of which we've covered heavily in these pages.
From the Sundance lineup, we have films like Moon, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, You Won't Miss Me, Grace, and Humpday, among others.
For the world genre material we've covered, there's Lake Mungo, The Square, Zift, and Awaydays.
I think you get the point that lots of great looking film will be playing. I'll leave a bit of the exploration to you..
Lineup after the break.
Narrative Features Competition
Artois the Goat
Director: Kyle Bogart. Writer: Cliff and Kyle Bogart
Lab technician Virgil Gurdies embarks on an epic quest to craft the greatest...
From the Sundance lineup, we have films like Moon, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, You Won't Miss Me, Grace, and Humpday, among others.
For the world genre material we've covered, there's Lake Mungo, The Square, Zift, and Awaydays.
I think you get the point that lots of great looking film will be playing. I'll leave a bit of the exploration to you..
Lineup after the break.
Narrative Features Competition
Artois the Goat
Director: Kyle Bogart. Writer: Cliff and Kyle Bogart
Lab technician Virgil Gurdies embarks on an epic quest to craft the greatest...
- 2/2/2009
- QuietEarth.us
The Sundance Film Festival had it's first major deal go down Saturday night as young distributor Senator Entertainment (in a co-venture with Sony Pictures Worldwide) picked up North American rights to Antoine Fuqua's admittedly unfinished Brooklyn's Finest for a price tag of less than $5 million (with a marketing commitment of $10 million). Other acquisitions made just before and since the festival began include the following: Visit Films purchased worldwide rights to Ry Russo-Young's You Won't Miss Me, N.C. Heikin's Korean War documentary Kimjongilia and David Russo's comedy <a href=" ...
- 1/19/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- Spout
The Sundance Film Festival had it's first major deal go down Saturday night as young distributor Senator Entertainment (in a co-venture with Sony Pictures Worldwide) picked up North American rights to Antoine Fuqua's admittedly unfinished Brooklyn's Finest for a price tag of less than $5 million (with a marketing commitment of $10 million). Other acquisitions made just before and since the festival began include the following: Visit Films purchased worldwide rights to Ry Russo-Young's You Won't Miss Me, N.C. Heikin's Korean War documentary Kimjongilia and David Russo's comedy <a href=" ...
- 1/19/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- Spout
Editors Note: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling dramatic and documentary competition and American Spectrum directors who have films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. From the Sundance catalog: “Dory, a computer programmer experiencing a crisis of faith, is laid off from his suit-and-tie job and must resort to cleaning toilets with a brown-collar band of janitorial misfits. Unbeknownst to him, he is made …...
- 1/16/2009
- indieWIRE - People
First off, the best news, as I predicted (in private) Duncan Jones' Moon will be premiering, yay! The comedy Adventureland starring the talented Bill Hader is playing. The sweet kid soldier film Johnny Mad Dog is playing in the spectrum section, and the Jesco White story White Lightnin' which we reported on earlier is in the Park City at Midnight section.
But where the hell is Stingray Sam?
Full list after the break.
Premieres
* "Adventureland," directed and written by Greg Mottola, stars Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds and Bill Hader in the story of a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. A Miramax release.
* "Brooklyn’s Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin, a drama about three Brooklyn cops who come together at the same deadly location. With Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle and Ellen Barkin.
* "Earth Days," directed by Robert Stone,...
But where the hell is Stingray Sam?
Full list after the break.
Premieres
* "Adventureland," directed and written by Greg Mottola, stars Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds and Bill Hader in the story of a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. A Miramax release.
* "Brooklyn’s Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin, a drama about three Brooklyn cops who come together at the same deadly location. With Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle and Ellen Barkin.
* "Earth Days," directed by Robert Stone,...
- 12/4/2008
- QuietEarth.us
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