2017 has been a strong year for horror—indie or otherwise—which means it has been tough keeping up with everything that has been released over the last eight-plus months. Here are my thoughts on a pair of films that I recently had the opportunity to watch, Michael Walker’s meta slasher Cut Shoot Kill and the zombie-themed It Stains the Sands Red from Colin Minihan.
Cut Shoot Kill: The biggest thing I look for whenever I go into any movie is whether or not the director at hand has any surprises in store for me as a viewer. And while Cut Shoot Kill may not seem all that revolutionary upon first glance, I must tip my hat to writer/director Walker, who did an admirable job subverting my expectations with his “movie within a movie,” often finding clever ways to blur the lines between fact and fiction for his ambitious story.
Cut Shoot Kill: The biggest thing I look for whenever I go into any movie is whether or not the director at hand has any surprises in store for me as a viewer. And while Cut Shoot Kill may not seem all that revolutionary upon first glance, I must tip my hat to writer/director Walker, who did an admirable job subverting my expectations with his “movie within a movie,” often finding clever ways to blur the lines between fact and fiction for his ambitious story.
- 8/31/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Freestyle Digital Media will release Devilworks’ meta horror Cut Shoot Kill, from writer-director Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room), on Digital On-Demand tomorrow, August 8, 2017. The film stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks) and Phil Burke (Hell On Wheels) in the story of an ambitious young actress who signs on as the star of a horror film. […]...
- 8/7/2017
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Arriving on VOD on August 8th courtesy of Freestyle Digital Media is writer/director Michael Walker’s intriguing movie-within-a-movie (one of this writer’s favorite cinematic sub-genres), Cut Shoot Kill, which follows an up-and-coming actress named Serena Brooks (Alexandra Socha) who gets more than she bargains for when she accepts the leading role in a low-budget horror movie helmed by underground director Alabama Chapman (Alex Hurt), who takes the violence in his films to disturbing levels.
Daily Dead recently spoke with Walker about his latest film, and he chatted about creating an unusual narrative to Cut Shoot Kill, collaborating with his film’s leads, the challenges of being a filmmaker, and more.
Congrats on the unique approach to this story. I enjoyed that you did an interesting concept here, in terms of a horror movie that's getting made but you don't quite know what's happening because you’re not sure...
Daily Dead recently spoke with Walker about his latest film, and he chatted about creating an unusual narrative to Cut Shoot Kill, collaborating with his film’s leads, the challenges of being a filmmaker, and more.
Congrats on the unique approach to this story. I enjoyed that you did an interesting concept here, in terms of a horror movie that's getting made but you don't quite know what's happening because you’re not sure...
- 8/4/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Devilworks secures deal ahead of Cannes.
Freestyle Digital Media has acquired North American rights for horror-thriller Cut Shoot Kill from sales company Devilworks.
The movie will debut on VoD on August 8, and the deal with Freestyle - the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios - has been inked ahead of Cannes.
The script follows a young actress who signs on to do a horror film with a group of backwoods filmmakers, but must truly embrace her role when the crew starts to go missing.
Cut Shoot Kill is written and directed by Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room) and stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks).
“Filmmaker Michael Walker and I are very happy to be in business with Freestyle Digital Media and our international sales agency Devilworks on Cut Shoot Kill,” said Producer Alfred Sapse.
“Cut Shoot Kill offers a gruesome, yet witty take on the dangers of being on a film...
Freestyle Digital Media has acquired North American rights for horror-thriller Cut Shoot Kill from sales company Devilworks.
The movie will debut on VoD on August 8, and the deal with Freestyle - the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios - has been inked ahead of Cannes.
The script follows a young actress who signs on to do a horror film with a group of backwoods filmmakers, but must truly embrace her role when the crew starts to go missing.
Cut Shoot Kill is written and directed by Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room) and stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks).
“Filmmaker Michael Walker and I are very happy to be in business with Freestyle Digital Media and our international sales agency Devilworks on Cut Shoot Kill,” said Producer Alfred Sapse.
“Cut Shoot Kill offers a gruesome, yet witty take on the dangers of being on a film...
- 5/9/2017
- ScreenDaily
Sales outfit is bringing six market premieres to Berlin.
Ahead of the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), genre sales specialists Devilworks has revealed more detail about its slate of films.
The company’s full slate features six market premieres, including sci-fi thriller Incontrol from director Kurtis David Harder (Cody Fitz). Starring Levi Meaden (Aftermath, Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Rory J. Saper (The Legend Of Tarzan), the film tells the story of a group of university students who discover a device that allows them to take control of other people.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first trailer:
[Click here to watch on Youtube]
Also on Devilworks’ slate is meta horror Cut Shoot Kill [pictured top], from writer-director Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room). The film stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks) and Phil Burke (Hell On Wheels) in the story of an ambitious young actress who signs on as the star of a horror film. On the set...
Ahead of the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), genre sales specialists Devilworks has revealed more detail about its slate of films.
The company’s full slate features six market premieres, including sci-fi thriller Incontrol from director Kurtis David Harder (Cody Fitz). Starring Levi Meaden (Aftermath, Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Rory J. Saper (The Legend Of Tarzan), the film tells the story of a group of university students who discover a device that allows them to take control of other people.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first trailer:
[Click here to watch on Youtube]
Also on Devilworks’ slate is meta horror Cut Shoot Kill [pictured top], from writer-director Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room). The film stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks) and Phil Burke (Hell On Wheels) in the story of an ambitious young actress who signs on as the star of a horror film. On the set...
- 1/20/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Sales outfit is bringing six market premieres to Berlin.
Ahead of the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), genre sales specialists Devilworks has revealed more detail about its slate of films.
The company’s full slate features six market premieres, including sci-fi thriller Incontrol from director Kurtis David Harder (Cody Fitz). Starring Levi Meaden (Aftermath, Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Rory J. Saper (The Legend Of Tarzan), the film tells the story of a group of university students who discover a device that allows them to take control of other people.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first trailer:
[Click here to watch on Youtube]
Also on Devilworks’ slate is meta horror Cut Shoot Kill [pictured top], from writer-director Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room). The film stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks) and Phil Burke (Hell On Wheels) in the story of an ambitious young actress who signs on as the star of a horror film. On the set...
Ahead of the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), genre sales specialists Devilworks has revealed more detail about its slate of films.
The company’s full slate features six market premieres, including sci-fi thriller Incontrol from director Kurtis David Harder (Cody Fitz). Starring Levi Meaden (Aftermath, Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Rory J. Saper (The Legend Of Tarzan), the film tells the story of a group of university students who discover a device that allows them to take control of other people.
Screen can exclusively reveal the film’s first trailer:
[Click here to watch on Youtube]
Also on Devilworks’ slate is meta horror Cut Shoot Kill [pictured top], from writer-director Michael Walker (Chasing Sleep, The Maid’s Room). The film stars Alexandra Socha (Red Oaks) and Phil Burke (Hell On Wheels) in the story of an ambitious young actress who signs on as the star of a horror film. On the set...
- 1/20/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
In honor of NYC Pride, Joel is re-airing 'RSVP,' his original musical about a closeted science fiction writer, set in the 1970s. 'RSVP' - a chamber musical. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Joel B. New. Directed by Lori Wolter Hudson. Cast Greg Etling as 'Michael Walker,' Jenny Neale as 'Susan,' Scott Guthrie as 'The Stranger.' 'RSVP' was recorded live at Ripley-Grier Studios in NYC on March 16, 2013. Sound design by Emily Auciello.
- 6/25/2016
- by Something New
- BroadwayWorld.com
It’s capable of transforming loved ones into relentless killers, and the deadly infection featured in David Cronenberg’s Rabid (1977) will find new life in a newly announced remake that’s set to be directed by Jen and Sylvia Soska.
Variety reports the Rabid remake news, revealing that Somerville House Releasing has teamed up with Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker to finance not only a film based on Cronenberg’s Rabid, but a TV series as well.
It’s unclear how involved the Soskas (American Mary, See No Evil 2) will be with the TV series, but filming on the feature-length remake is expected to start this summer in Canada. Here’s what the Soskas had to say about joining the project (via Variety):
“The work of David Cronenberg is legendary and ‘Rabid’ is much more than just a horror movie. The real message of his film is powerful,...
Variety reports the Rabid remake news, revealing that Somerville House Releasing has teamed up with Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker to finance not only a film based on Cronenberg’s Rabid, but a TV series as well.
It’s unclear how involved the Soskas (American Mary, See No Evil 2) will be with the TV series, but filming on the feature-length remake is expected to start this summer in Canada. Here’s what the Soskas had to say about joining the project (via Variety):
“The work of David Cronenberg is legendary and ‘Rabid’ is much more than just a horror movie. The real message of his film is powerful,...
- 2/26/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Variety has learned that David Cronenberg's Rabid is getting the remake treatment. The site is reporting that John Vidette’s Somerville House Releasing and producers Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker have tapped American Mary directors Jen and Sylvia Soska to helm a feature film update of the Cronenberg flick, as well as a TV series based on the 1977 horror movie. The Soska sisters other... Read More...
- 2/26/2016
- by Jesse Giroux
- JoBlo.com
Sister directors Jen and Sylvia Soska ("American Mary," "See No Evil 2") have come on board to helm a remake of David Cronenberg's 1977 Canadian zombie thriller "Rabid" for Somerville House Releasing.
Porn star Marilyn Chambers played the lead role in the original of a woman injured in a motorcycle accident who undergoes experimental plastic surgery and develops a stinger that she uses to feed on people’s blood - triggering an outbreak of a rabies-like epidemic that turns its victims into bloodthirsty zombies.
One of Cronenberg's earliest works, the filmmaker went on to the likes of more well-known terror tales like "Scanners," "The Brood," "Videodrome" and "The Fly".
John Vidette, Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker will produce. Filming will take place in the summer in Canada.
Source: Variety...
Porn star Marilyn Chambers played the lead role in the original of a woman injured in a motorcycle accident who undergoes experimental plastic surgery and develops a stinger that she uses to feed on people’s blood - triggering an outbreak of a rabies-like epidemic that turns its victims into bloodthirsty zombies.
One of Cronenberg's earliest works, the filmmaker went on to the likes of more well-known terror tales like "Scanners," "The Brood," "Videodrome" and "The Fly".
John Vidette, Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker will produce. Filming will take place in the summer in Canada.
Source: Variety...
- 2/26/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The Cannes Film festival was an exceptional edition for French films this year. A focus on the rising generation of French actors and directors that have been highlighted in Cannes and will most certainly be the stars of tomorrow was compiled by Unifrance chief Isabelle Giordano.
They are a force to be reckoned with. Unifrance films is ready to bet that you will certainly hear about these ten talented people. They represent the French cinema of today and will soon be on the screens worldwide.
Emmanuelle Bercot
An actress and a director, Emmanuelle Bercot began by enrolling at the Cours Florent drama school and taking dancing lessons after her baccalaureate. She graduated from Femis in 1998, after winning the Prix du Jury at the Cannes Film Festival for her short film "Les Vacances," in 1997. After her first few roles in the films of Jean-François Richet and Michel Deville, her career as an actress took off when Claude Miller gave her one of the main roles in "La Classe de neige" (1998). The following year, she made the headlines with the medium-length film she directed called "La Puce," presented in the selection of Un Certain Regard at Cannes. This film tells of the love affair between a 35-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl, played by Isild Le Besco.
Her first feature-length film, "Clément" (2001), is about the life of a troubled woman who has one adventure after another with various men until she meets a 14-yearold boy. Her second film, "Backstage" (2004), continues to explore teenage angst through a relationship between a hit singer and a young obsessional fan. She earned her first critical and public acclaim with "On My Way" (2013), the third film written by the director for Catherine Deneuve, in which the star plays a woman who has decided to leave everything behind and hit the road in France.
She was indisputably the most talked about person during the Cannes Film Festival 2015, both as an actress and a director. Thierry Frémaux surprised everyone by announcing that "Standing Tall," Emmanuelle Bercot’s fourth feature-length film would open the 68th Cannes Film Festival. Emmanuelle Bercot says that she has rediscovered the social fiber of her beginnings with this tale of juvenile delinquency. After the enthusiastic and unanimous reception of her film, she won the Best Actress Award for her role as a woman under the influence of love in the film "Mon Roi" by Maïwenn, with whom she co-wrote the script for "Polisse," which won the Prix du Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012
Thomas Bidegain
Thomas Bidegain may well be one of the best known French screenwriters in the profession today, but it took him ten years to achieve this status. His career path in film is anything but ordinary. He started out in the 1990s by distributing and producing independent American films: "Ice Storm" by Ang Lee and "Chasing Sleep" by Michael Walker. He came back to France and joined MK2 where he became director of distribution. In 1999, he returned to production for "Why Not." In 2007, he told the story of his attempt to stop smoking in "Arrêter de fumer tue," a personal diary that was turned into a documentary, then a book.
In the meantime, he began screenwriting and worked on several projects. In 2009, he wrote the screenplay for Jacques Audiard’s film, "A Prophet," alongside Nicolas Peufaillit and Abdel Raouf Dafri, which won the Grand Prix du Jury in 2009. He participated in Audiard’s next film, "Rust and Bone" and "Our Children" by Joachim Lafosse. He was also the co-writer for "Saint Laurent" by Bertrand Bonello. Winning a César for the best original script and a César for the best adaptation, he presented "Cowboys" at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes this year, his first film as a director. He is also co-writer of "Ni le ciel ni la terre" by Clément Cogitore, presented during the Semaine de la Critique, as well as co-writer of the script for Jacques Audiard’s latest film, "Dheepan," which won the Palme d’Or.
Louise Bourgoin
Louise Bourgoin attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts for five years, during which she began her career as a model. After she graduated from art school in 2004, she radically changed direction and became a presenter on cable TV. She was Miss Météo in Le Grand Journal on Canal + from 2006 to 2008. Her slot became essential viewing and attracted a wide audience, including the attention of the film industry.
She began her acting career in "The Girl from Monaco" by Anne Fontaine, and her performance earned her a César nomination for Most Promising Actress. This recognition led to a whole series of roles and launched her career in film. She headed the bill of several films in 2010 ("White as Snow" by Christophe Blanc, "Sweet Valentine" by Emma Luchini, and "Black Heaven" by Gilles Marchand). The same year, Luc Besson selected her for the leading role in "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec."
Since then, Louise Bourgoin has played in film after film, and has taken her first steps in the international scene with her part in the American film "The Love Punch" by Joel Hopkins. She attracted attention at the Cannes Film Festival this year with her unusual role in Laurent Larivière’s first film, "I Am a Soldier," presented at Un Certain Regard.
Anaïs Demoustier
Her passion for acting started at a very young age and rapidly pushed her to take drama classes. She auditioned, when still a teenager, and got her first role alongside Isabelle Huppert in "Time of the Wolf" by Michael Haneke. After this, her career was launched and she played in a series of films among which "L’Année suivante" by Isabelle Czajka, "Hellphone" by James Huth, "The Beautiful Person" by Christophe Honoré, "Sois sage" by Juliette Garcias, "Sweet Evil" by Olivier Coussemacq, "Dear Prudene" by Rebecca Zlotowski, "Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Robert Guédiguian, "Thérèse Desqueyroux" by Claude Miller, "Quai d’Orsay" by Bertrand Tavernier, "Paris Follies" by Marc Fitoussi, etc.
A filmography rich of 30 films for an actress who isn’t 30 years old yet. In 2014, the press talked about the blooming of Anaïs Demoustier because her face and poise became essential to cinema. Present in "Bird People" by Pascale Ferran, "Caprices" by Emmanuel Mouret, "À trois on y va" by Jérôme Bonnell and "The New Girlfriend" by François Ozon, she is Marguerite in the last Valérie Donzelli’s film, "Marguerite et Julien" screened in Official selection in Cannes.
Louis Garrel
The son of actress Brigitte Sy and the director Philippe Garrel, he began his career in film thanks to his father, who started filming him at the age of six in "Emergency Kisses," alongside his mother and his grandfather, Maurice Garrel. He went onto study drama at the Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique. He made his real cinema debut in 2001 in the film "Ceci est mon corps" by Rodolphe Marconi. Two years later, he played opposite Michael Pitt and the future Bond girl, Eva Green, in "The Dreamers" by Bernardo Bertolucci.
He then starred in another of his father’s films, "Regular Lovers". His performance earned him the César for the Most Promising Actor in 2005. Since then, he has played alongside the greatest, such as Isabelle Huppert in "Ma mère" by Christophe Honoré. This marked the beginning of a long collaboration between the filmmaker and the actor. They worked together in the film "In Paris" with Romain Duris, then in 2007 in "Love Songs" with Ludivine Sagnier, in "The Beautiful Person" with Léa Seydoux, in "Making Plans" for Lena with Chiara Mostroianni and, finally, in " Beloved" with Catherine Deneuve. He also topped the bill with Valéria Bruni Tedeschi in "Actresses," whom he worked with again in 2013 in "A Castle in Italy."
In 2010, he directed a short film, "The Little Tailor," in which he directed Léa Seydoux. He performed once again in one of his father’s films, "A Burning Hot Summer," followed by "Jealousy." In 2014, he starred in Bertrand Bonello’s film "Saint Laurent," a role which led to another César nomination, but this time in the best supporting role category. His first feature-length film, "Two Friends," presented at a Certain Regard, was applauded by the critics. He also starred in "Mon Roi," Maïwenn’s fourth feature-length film, alongside Emmanuelle and Vincent Cassel, presented as part of the official selection.
Guillaume Gouix
After studying at the Conservatoire in Marseille and the Ecole Régionale d’Acteur de Cannes, Guillaume Gouix began his career in television. He played the male lead in "The Lion Cubs," by Claire Doyon, in 2003. Noted for his performance, especially the highly physical aspect of it and his intense gaze, he then played a series of supporting roles as a young hoodlum in "Les Mauvais joueurs" by Frédéric Balekdjian and in "Chacun sa nuit," by Jean-Marc Barr and Pascal Arnold. He featured in the 2007 war film "Intimate Enemies" by Florent Emilio Siri, thus confirming his taste for complex characters.
The following year, he was applauded for his performance in the film "Behind the Walls" by Christian Faure. In 2010, he starred in "22 Bullets" by Richard Berry and in 2011, he established his reputation with roles in "Nobody Else But You" by Gérald Hustache-Mathieu, "Et soudain, tout le monde me manque" by Jennifer Devoldere, and "Jimmy Rivière," Teddy Lussi-Modeste’s film debut.
He also appeared in "Midnight in Paris" by Woody Allen. He more recently starred in "Attila Marcel," by Sylvain Chomet, in which he played the lead role, in "French Women" by Audrey Dana, and "The Connection" by Cédric Jimenez with Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lelouche. He performed in three films presented at Cannes this year ("Les Anarchistes" by Elie Wajeman, which opened the Semaine de la Critique, "La Vie en grand" by Mathieu Vadepied, which closed the week, and in "Enragés" by Eric Hannezo, screened at the Cinéma de la Plage). He also directed his first short film "Alexis Ivanovitch, vous êtes mon héros" in 2011 and will soon start on a feature-length film, which is currently being written. He will be topping the bill in 2015 with "Braqueurs," a thriller by Julien Leclercq.
Ariane Labed
Born in Greece to French parents, Ariane Labed has always navigated between her two countries. She studied drama at the University of Provence and began her acting career treading the boards. After setting up a company combining dance and theater, Ariane Labed returned to live in Greece where she played at the National Theater of Athens. 2010 was the year of her first film, "Attenberg," directed by Athiná-Rachél Tsangári. "Alps" by Yorgos Lanthi-mos, the following year, confirmed the talent of this strangely charming actress. Two years later, she starred in "Before Midnight" by Richard Linklater where she played the role of Anna. The follow-up to "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset," this third part of the saga was a great success, making Labed known to a wider audience.
In 2014, she played a young sailor in "Fidelio, Alice’s Odyssey," who is torn between faithfulness and her desire to live her life. Winning the best actress award at the Locarno Film Festival and nominated for a César, the French actress gives a brilliant performance in Lucie Borleteau’s first feature-length film. She joined Yorgos Lanthimos in Cannes in 2015, where he won the Prix du Jury for his film "The Lobster."
Vincent Macaigne
Vincent Macaigne is the leading light in young French cinema. He joined the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris in 1999, appearing on stage and assuming the role of director. His free adaptations of the great classics of literature and drama earned him public and critical acclaim. He directed "The Idiot" by Dostoïevski and presented "Au moins j’aurai laissé un beau cadavre in Avignon," inspired by Hamlet. He also rapidly made a name for himself in demanding art-house films. In 2001, he was seen for the first time in "Replay" by Catherine Corsini. In 2007, he starred in "On War" by Bertrand Bonello and in 2010, in "A Burning Hot Summer" by Philippe Garrel.
Since 2011, Vincent Macaigne’s presence in short, medium and full-length films has gradually increased. Faithful to his directors, he has starred in several of their films. As is the case with his friend Guillaume Brac, who directed him in "Le Naufragé," "Tonnerre" and "Un monde sans femmes." He was awarded the Grand Prix and the Prix Télérama at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and the Prix Lutin for Best Actor in this film. Under the direction of Vincent Mariette, he played in "Les Lézards" then "Fool Circle." In 2013, we find the funny and touching thirty-something in "La fille du 14 juillet" by Antonin Peretjatko, "Age of Panic" by Justine Triet, and "2 Autumns, 3 Winters" by Sébastien Betbeder.
He was discovered by the general public at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Considered a figurehead of the revival of French cinema, Vincent has drawn the attention of the Cahiers du Cinéma, and even the British newspaper The Observer, which referred to him as the “new Gérard Depardieu”. In 2011, he directed "What We’ll Leave Behind," a very well-received medium-length film which won the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. He also starred in Mia Hansen-løve’s 2014 film "Eden." He plays one of the main roles in the actor Louis Garrel’s first feature-length film, "Two Friends," presented during the Semaine de la Critique. He also featured in his 2011 film, La Règle de trois.
Vimala Pons
From the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique, where she attended drama classes even though she wanted to be a screenwriter, to circus tents, Vimala Pons is an acrobat in all senses of the word. The 29-year-old actress has established her physical and poetic presence in French art-house films. She began her career in film with Albert Dupontel in "Enfermés dehors" in 2006. She then starred in "Eden Log" by Franck Vestiel in 2007, then in "Granny’s Funeral" by Bruno Podalydès in 2012.
Since then, we have seen her cross France in a little blue dress in "La Fille du 14 juillet," (she plays the girl) by Antonin Peretjatko, and changing into a lioness in "Métamorphoses," by Christophe Honoré. The impetuous muse of French independent film, Vimala Pons played in "Vincent" by Thomas Salvador this year. The actress has made a name for herself in 2015, in particular with "Comme un avion" by Bruno Podalydès, "Je suis à vous tout de suite" by Baya Kasmi, "La vie très privée de Monsieur Sim" by Michel Leclerc, and "L’Ombre des femmes" by Philippe Garrel (presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs this year in Cannes). She has also begun an international career, with a leading role in Paul Verhoeven’s latest film, "Elle."
Alice Winocour
The director Alice Winocour started out at Femis. After going into law, she returned to film and won three prizes for her short film "Kitchen: Prix TV5" for the best French-language short film, best international short film and the Silver Bear at the Festival of Nations (Ebensee). For "Magic Paris," she was awarded the jury prize at the St. Petersburg International Documentary, Short Film and Animated Film Festival.
She continued her career by writing the script for the film "Ordinary," by Vladimir Perisic. At the Cannes Film Festival 2012, Alice Winocour made a marked entry in the international arena with a film by a woman about women and the unchanging way of looking at them. In the film "Augustine," we are told the story of a professor and his patient, played by Vincent Lindon and Soko respectively. In 2015, she brought out her second feature-length film, "Maryland," which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. She is also the co-writer of "Mustang," by Denis Gamze Ergüven, presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs.
They are a force to be reckoned with. Unifrance films is ready to bet that you will certainly hear about these ten talented people. They represent the French cinema of today and will soon be on the screens worldwide.
Emmanuelle Bercot
An actress and a director, Emmanuelle Bercot began by enrolling at the Cours Florent drama school and taking dancing lessons after her baccalaureate. She graduated from Femis in 1998, after winning the Prix du Jury at the Cannes Film Festival for her short film "Les Vacances," in 1997. After her first few roles in the films of Jean-François Richet and Michel Deville, her career as an actress took off when Claude Miller gave her one of the main roles in "La Classe de neige" (1998). The following year, she made the headlines with the medium-length film she directed called "La Puce," presented in the selection of Un Certain Regard at Cannes. This film tells of the love affair between a 35-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl, played by Isild Le Besco.
Her first feature-length film, "Clément" (2001), is about the life of a troubled woman who has one adventure after another with various men until she meets a 14-yearold boy. Her second film, "Backstage" (2004), continues to explore teenage angst through a relationship between a hit singer and a young obsessional fan. She earned her first critical and public acclaim with "On My Way" (2013), the third film written by the director for Catherine Deneuve, in which the star plays a woman who has decided to leave everything behind and hit the road in France.
She was indisputably the most talked about person during the Cannes Film Festival 2015, both as an actress and a director. Thierry Frémaux surprised everyone by announcing that "Standing Tall," Emmanuelle Bercot’s fourth feature-length film would open the 68th Cannes Film Festival. Emmanuelle Bercot says that she has rediscovered the social fiber of her beginnings with this tale of juvenile delinquency. After the enthusiastic and unanimous reception of her film, she won the Best Actress Award for her role as a woman under the influence of love in the film "Mon Roi" by Maïwenn, with whom she co-wrote the script for "Polisse," which won the Prix du Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012
Thomas Bidegain
Thomas Bidegain may well be one of the best known French screenwriters in the profession today, but it took him ten years to achieve this status. His career path in film is anything but ordinary. He started out in the 1990s by distributing and producing independent American films: "Ice Storm" by Ang Lee and "Chasing Sleep" by Michael Walker. He came back to France and joined MK2 where he became director of distribution. In 1999, he returned to production for "Why Not." In 2007, he told the story of his attempt to stop smoking in "Arrêter de fumer tue," a personal diary that was turned into a documentary, then a book.
In the meantime, he began screenwriting and worked on several projects. In 2009, he wrote the screenplay for Jacques Audiard’s film, "A Prophet," alongside Nicolas Peufaillit and Abdel Raouf Dafri, which won the Grand Prix du Jury in 2009. He participated in Audiard’s next film, "Rust and Bone" and "Our Children" by Joachim Lafosse. He was also the co-writer for "Saint Laurent" by Bertrand Bonello. Winning a César for the best original script and a César for the best adaptation, he presented "Cowboys" at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes this year, his first film as a director. He is also co-writer of "Ni le ciel ni la terre" by Clément Cogitore, presented during the Semaine de la Critique, as well as co-writer of the script for Jacques Audiard’s latest film, "Dheepan," which won the Palme d’Or.
Louise Bourgoin
Louise Bourgoin attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts for five years, during which she began her career as a model. After she graduated from art school in 2004, she radically changed direction and became a presenter on cable TV. She was Miss Météo in Le Grand Journal on Canal + from 2006 to 2008. Her slot became essential viewing and attracted a wide audience, including the attention of the film industry.
She began her acting career in "The Girl from Monaco" by Anne Fontaine, and her performance earned her a César nomination for Most Promising Actress. This recognition led to a whole series of roles and launched her career in film. She headed the bill of several films in 2010 ("White as Snow" by Christophe Blanc, "Sweet Valentine" by Emma Luchini, and "Black Heaven" by Gilles Marchand). The same year, Luc Besson selected her for the leading role in "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec."
Since then, Louise Bourgoin has played in film after film, and has taken her first steps in the international scene with her part in the American film "The Love Punch" by Joel Hopkins. She attracted attention at the Cannes Film Festival this year with her unusual role in Laurent Larivière’s first film, "I Am a Soldier," presented at Un Certain Regard.
Anaïs Demoustier
Her passion for acting started at a very young age and rapidly pushed her to take drama classes. She auditioned, when still a teenager, and got her first role alongside Isabelle Huppert in "Time of the Wolf" by Michael Haneke. After this, her career was launched and she played in a series of films among which "L’Année suivante" by Isabelle Czajka, "Hellphone" by James Huth, "The Beautiful Person" by Christophe Honoré, "Sois sage" by Juliette Garcias, "Sweet Evil" by Olivier Coussemacq, "Dear Prudene" by Rebecca Zlotowski, "Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Robert Guédiguian, "Thérèse Desqueyroux" by Claude Miller, "Quai d’Orsay" by Bertrand Tavernier, "Paris Follies" by Marc Fitoussi, etc.
A filmography rich of 30 films for an actress who isn’t 30 years old yet. In 2014, the press talked about the blooming of Anaïs Demoustier because her face and poise became essential to cinema. Present in "Bird People" by Pascale Ferran, "Caprices" by Emmanuel Mouret, "À trois on y va" by Jérôme Bonnell and "The New Girlfriend" by François Ozon, she is Marguerite in the last Valérie Donzelli’s film, "Marguerite et Julien" screened in Official selection in Cannes.
Louis Garrel
The son of actress Brigitte Sy and the director Philippe Garrel, he began his career in film thanks to his father, who started filming him at the age of six in "Emergency Kisses," alongside his mother and his grandfather, Maurice Garrel. He went onto study drama at the Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique. He made his real cinema debut in 2001 in the film "Ceci est mon corps" by Rodolphe Marconi. Two years later, he played opposite Michael Pitt and the future Bond girl, Eva Green, in "The Dreamers" by Bernardo Bertolucci.
He then starred in another of his father’s films, "Regular Lovers". His performance earned him the César for the Most Promising Actor in 2005. Since then, he has played alongside the greatest, such as Isabelle Huppert in "Ma mère" by Christophe Honoré. This marked the beginning of a long collaboration between the filmmaker and the actor. They worked together in the film "In Paris" with Romain Duris, then in 2007 in "Love Songs" with Ludivine Sagnier, in "The Beautiful Person" with Léa Seydoux, in "Making Plans" for Lena with Chiara Mostroianni and, finally, in " Beloved" with Catherine Deneuve. He also topped the bill with Valéria Bruni Tedeschi in "Actresses," whom he worked with again in 2013 in "A Castle in Italy."
In 2010, he directed a short film, "The Little Tailor," in which he directed Léa Seydoux. He performed once again in one of his father’s films, "A Burning Hot Summer," followed by "Jealousy." In 2014, he starred in Bertrand Bonello’s film "Saint Laurent," a role which led to another César nomination, but this time in the best supporting role category. His first feature-length film, "Two Friends," presented at a Certain Regard, was applauded by the critics. He also starred in "Mon Roi," Maïwenn’s fourth feature-length film, alongside Emmanuelle and Vincent Cassel, presented as part of the official selection.
Guillaume Gouix
After studying at the Conservatoire in Marseille and the Ecole Régionale d’Acteur de Cannes, Guillaume Gouix began his career in television. He played the male lead in "The Lion Cubs," by Claire Doyon, in 2003. Noted for his performance, especially the highly physical aspect of it and his intense gaze, he then played a series of supporting roles as a young hoodlum in "Les Mauvais joueurs" by Frédéric Balekdjian and in "Chacun sa nuit," by Jean-Marc Barr and Pascal Arnold. He featured in the 2007 war film "Intimate Enemies" by Florent Emilio Siri, thus confirming his taste for complex characters.
The following year, he was applauded for his performance in the film "Behind the Walls" by Christian Faure. In 2010, he starred in "22 Bullets" by Richard Berry and in 2011, he established his reputation with roles in "Nobody Else But You" by Gérald Hustache-Mathieu, "Et soudain, tout le monde me manque" by Jennifer Devoldere, and "Jimmy Rivière," Teddy Lussi-Modeste’s film debut.
He also appeared in "Midnight in Paris" by Woody Allen. He more recently starred in "Attila Marcel," by Sylvain Chomet, in which he played the lead role, in "French Women" by Audrey Dana, and "The Connection" by Cédric Jimenez with Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lelouche. He performed in three films presented at Cannes this year ("Les Anarchistes" by Elie Wajeman, which opened the Semaine de la Critique, "La Vie en grand" by Mathieu Vadepied, which closed the week, and in "Enragés" by Eric Hannezo, screened at the Cinéma de la Plage). He also directed his first short film "Alexis Ivanovitch, vous êtes mon héros" in 2011 and will soon start on a feature-length film, which is currently being written. He will be topping the bill in 2015 with "Braqueurs," a thriller by Julien Leclercq.
Ariane Labed
Born in Greece to French parents, Ariane Labed has always navigated between her two countries. She studied drama at the University of Provence and began her acting career treading the boards. After setting up a company combining dance and theater, Ariane Labed returned to live in Greece where she played at the National Theater of Athens. 2010 was the year of her first film, "Attenberg," directed by Athiná-Rachél Tsangári. "Alps" by Yorgos Lanthi-mos, the following year, confirmed the talent of this strangely charming actress. Two years later, she starred in "Before Midnight" by Richard Linklater where she played the role of Anna. The follow-up to "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset," this third part of the saga was a great success, making Labed known to a wider audience.
In 2014, she played a young sailor in "Fidelio, Alice’s Odyssey," who is torn between faithfulness and her desire to live her life. Winning the best actress award at the Locarno Film Festival and nominated for a César, the French actress gives a brilliant performance in Lucie Borleteau’s first feature-length film. She joined Yorgos Lanthimos in Cannes in 2015, where he won the Prix du Jury for his film "The Lobster."
Vincent Macaigne
Vincent Macaigne is the leading light in young French cinema. He joined the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris in 1999, appearing on stage and assuming the role of director. His free adaptations of the great classics of literature and drama earned him public and critical acclaim. He directed "The Idiot" by Dostoïevski and presented "Au moins j’aurai laissé un beau cadavre in Avignon," inspired by Hamlet. He also rapidly made a name for himself in demanding art-house films. In 2001, he was seen for the first time in "Replay" by Catherine Corsini. In 2007, he starred in "On War" by Bertrand Bonello and in 2010, in "A Burning Hot Summer" by Philippe Garrel.
Since 2011, Vincent Macaigne’s presence in short, medium and full-length films has gradually increased. Faithful to his directors, he has starred in several of their films. As is the case with his friend Guillaume Brac, who directed him in "Le Naufragé," "Tonnerre" and "Un monde sans femmes." He was awarded the Grand Prix and the Prix Télérama at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and the Prix Lutin for Best Actor in this film. Under the direction of Vincent Mariette, he played in "Les Lézards" then "Fool Circle." In 2013, we find the funny and touching thirty-something in "La fille du 14 juillet" by Antonin Peretjatko, "Age of Panic" by Justine Triet, and "2 Autumns, 3 Winters" by Sébastien Betbeder.
He was discovered by the general public at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Considered a figurehead of the revival of French cinema, Vincent has drawn the attention of the Cahiers du Cinéma, and even the British newspaper The Observer, which referred to him as the “new Gérard Depardieu”. In 2011, he directed "What We’ll Leave Behind," a very well-received medium-length film which won the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. He also starred in Mia Hansen-løve’s 2014 film "Eden." He plays one of the main roles in the actor Louis Garrel’s first feature-length film, "Two Friends," presented during the Semaine de la Critique. He also featured in his 2011 film, La Règle de trois.
Vimala Pons
From the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique, where she attended drama classes even though she wanted to be a screenwriter, to circus tents, Vimala Pons is an acrobat in all senses of the word. The 29-year-old actress has established her physical and poetic presence in French art-house films. She began her career in film with Albert Dupontel in "Enfermés dehors" in 2006. She then starred in "Eden Log" by Franck Vestiel in 2007, then in "Granny’s Funeral" by Bruno Podalydès in 2012.
Since then, we have seen her cross France in a little blue dress in "La Fille du 14 juillet," (she plays the girl) by Antonin Peretjatko, and changing into a lioness in "Métamorphoses," by Christophe Honoré. The impetuous muse of French independent film, Vimala Pons played in "Vincent" by Thomas Salvador this year. The actress has made a name for herself in 2015, in particular with "Comme un avion" by Bruno Podalydès, "Je suis à vous tout de suite" by Baya Kasmi, "La vie très privée de Monsieur Sim" by Michel Leclerc, and "L’Ombre des femmes" by Philippe Garrel (presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs this year in Cannes). She has also begun an international career, with a leading role in Paul Verhoeven’s latest film, "Elle."
Alice Winocour
The director Alice Winocour started out at Femis. After going into law, she returned to film and won three prizes for her short film "Kitchen: Prix TV5" for the best French-language short film, best international short film and the Silver Bear at the Festival of Nations (Ebensee). For "Magic Paris," she was awarded the jury prize at the St. Petersburg International Documentary, Short Film and Animated Film Festival.
She continued her career by writing the script for the film "Ordinary," by Vladimir Perisic. At the Cannes Film Festival 2012, Alice Winocour made a marked entry in the international arena with a film by a woman about women and the unchanging way of looking at them. In the film "Augustine," we are told the story of a professor and his patient, played by Vincent Lindon and Soko respectively. In 2015, she brought out her second feature-length film, "Maryland," which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. She is also the co-writer of "Mustang," by Denis Gamze Ergüven, presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs.
- 7/5/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire
Remember when the North East was a football hotbed? Remember when all you had to do to summon potential first team players was to go to the alleyways and playing fields of Walker and Byker and watch ten minutes of football? Okay, so it was never that romanticised, but that was the stereotype of the region that once produced talents as impressive as Beardsley, Gascoigne, Shearer and Waddle (yes, Wearside had its moments too) and it is massively removed from the perception of the region now.
Youth players from the North East tend to be the most roundly cheered – they are seen as a point of pride more than anyone signed from other clubs or who was born abroad, simply because their development says something about us as a region. We want Geordies to play and to succeed because of that forgotten dream in every Newcastle...
Remember when the North East was a football hotbed? Remember when all you had to do to summon potential first team players was to go to the alleyways and playing fields of Walker and Byker and watch ten minutes of football? Okay, so it was never that romanticised, but that was the stereotype of the region that once produced talents as impressive as Beardsley, Gascoigne, Shearer and Waddle (yes, Wearside had its moments too) and it is massively removed from the perception of the region now.
Youth players from the North East tend to be the most roundly cheered – they are seen as a point of pride more than anyone signed from other clubs or who was born abroad, simply because their development says something about us as a region. We want Geordies to play and to succeed because of that forgotten dream in every Newcastle...
- 10/22/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
During the editing (which is when I really start to see the film), I saw that it was Hitchcock who had guided us through the writing and Lang who guided us through the shooting: especially his last films, the ones where he leads the spectator in one direction before he pushes them in another completely different direction, in a very brutal, abrupt way.
—Jacques Rivette on his Secret défense (1998), fro http://www.jacques-rivette.com/
Long before the much-vaunted, high-concept ‘mind-game movies’ like Memento (2000), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) or Inception (2010), there was Fritz Lang’s Secret Beyond the Door… (1947). The film is like a broken puzzle at every level, virtually begging us to rearrange its pieces and find its key. Indeed, one almost needs to formulate a ‘hypothesis of the stolen film,’ Ruiz-style, since the movie we have before us is not quite the one Lang and his talented writer Silvia Richards (Possessed,...
—Jacques Rivette on his Secret défense (1998), fro http://www.jacques-rivette.com/
Long before the much-vaunted, high-concept ‘mind-game movies’ like Memento (2000), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) or Inception (2010), there was Fritz Lang’s Secret Beyond the Door… (1947). The film is like a broken puzzle at every level, virtually begging us to rearrange its pieces and find its key. Indeed, one almost needs to formulate a ‘hypothesis of the stolen film,’ Ruiz-style, since the movie we have before us is not quite the one Lang and his talented writer Silvia Richards (Possessed,...
- 9/1/2014
- by Cristina Álvarez López & Adrian Martin
- MUBI
Title: The Maid’s Room Director: Michael Walker Starring: Philip Ettinger, Paula Garces, Bill Camp, Annabella Sciorra, John Brodsky, Stefanie Brown, Herman Chavez, Bonnie Dennision, Remy Auberjonois Running time: 94 minutes, Rated R, In theaters August 8th and on iTunes/VOD Drina (Paula Garces of the Harold & Kumar trilogy) is a Colombian immigrant who lands a job as a live-in maid in the Hamptons. Her employers are the Crawford’s- Alcoholic wife (Annabella Sciorra) and her elitist husband (Bill Camp). Their son Brandon (Philip Ettinger) arrives home from college unexpectedly and Drina is forced to clean up his disgusting leftover food that attracts hordes of ants. Unbeknownst to Drina, Brandon has developed [ Read More ]
The post The Maid’s Room Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Maid’s Room Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/17/2014
- by juliana
- ShockYa
Maid of Honor: Walker’s Thriller Uneasily Navigates Issues of Class
Serving as a portrayal of unsaid attitudes amongst the elitist denizens of the Hamptons that seems to ring true even when drowning in its over-the-top pronouncements, Michael Walker’s third feature, The Maid’s Room is a mixed bag of interesting ideas lost in a sea of underdevelopment. It’s never quite smart enough to be thrilling and hopelessly overwrought when its fragile examination of class issues necessitates more subtlety for success, but its fine for a late night cheapie that’s pretending to convey morality through martyrdom.
Recently emigrating from Bogota to the Hamptons, soft spoken transplant Drina (Paula Garces) accepts a position as a housemaid for the prosperous Crawford’s (Bill Camp and Annabelle Sciorra). The estate is more of a vacation or summer home for the wealthy couple, so they leave for distant climes while...
Serving as a portrayal of unsaid attitudes amongst the elitist denizens of the Hamptons that seems to ring true even when drowning in its over-the-top pronouncements, Michael Walker’s third feature, The Maid’s Room is a mixed bag of interesting ideas lost in a sea of underdevelopment. It’s never quite smart enough to be thrilling and hopelessly overwrought when its fragile examination of class issues necessitates more subtlety for success, but its fine for a late night cheapie that’s pretending to convey morality through martyrdom.
Recently emigrating from Bogota to the Hamptons, soft spoken transplant Drina (Paula Garces) accepts a position as a housemaid for the prosperous Crawford’s (Bill Camp and Annabelle Sciorra). The estate is more of a vacation or summer home for the wealthy couple, so they leave for distant climes while...
- 8/7/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
There must be a compelling thriller to be made about immigration and domestic servitude, but The Maid's Room isn't it.
Writer-director Michael Walker's dreary film begins with the doe-eyed Drina (Paula Garcés), a recent Colombian immigrant, being driven by her boyfriend to a wealthy family's isolated summer home. She gets a brief, patronizing tour from Mrs. Crawford (Annabella Sciorra), accepts a live-in position, and that's about the last coherent thing that happens.
When Drina hears the couple's son Brandon (Philip Ettinger) arrive home drunk one night, the front of his banged-up car having been conspicuously cleaned, she begins to suspect a hit-and-run. It's a thin setup for suspense, so Walker shifts the film's tone to that of a cheap morality play, w...
Writer-director Michael Walker's dreary film begins with the doe-eyed Drina (Paula Garcés), a recent Colombian immigrant, being driven by her boyfriend to a wealthy family's isolated summer home. She gets a brief, patronizing tour from Mrs. Crawford (Annabella Sciorra), accepts a live-in position, and that's about the last coherent thing that happens.
When Drina hears the couple's son Brandon (Philip Ettinger) arrive home drunk one night, the front of his banged-up car having been conspicuously cleaned, she begins to suspect a hit-and-run. It's a thin setup for suspense, so Walker shifts the film's tone to that of a cheap morality play, w...
- 8/6/2014
- Village Voice
Some of the best psychological thrillers of modern times have come from obscure directors working with unknown casts on tiny budgets. Take Nacho Vigalondo’s Timecrimes, Ben Wheatley’s Kill List and Alex R. Johnson’s Two Step as some recent examples. Next month will see the release of The Maid’s Room, from Price Check director Michael Walker. Whether it will be added to that list of unexpected gems remains to be seen, but the tense clip that We Got This Covered is exclusively debuting for you today is a very promising indicator.
In the clip, live-in maid Drina (Paula Garcés) discovers a newspaper clipping related to a recent hit-and-run, then overhears a conversation between her affluent employer Mr. Crawford (Bill Camp) and his teenage son Brandon (Philip Ettinger). The bits and pieces of what she hears sparks her realization that Brandon is responsible for the accident. It’s a brief,...
In the clip, live-in maid Drina (Paula Garcés) discovers a newspaper clipping related to a recent hit-and-run, then overhears a conversation between her affluent employer Mr. Crawford (Bill Camp) and his teenage son Brandon (Philip Ettinger). The bits and pieces of what she hears sparks her realization that Brandon is responsible for the accident. It’s a brief,...
- 8/4/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
The Maid’S Room Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes Grade: B+ Director: Michael Walker Screenplay: Michael Walker Cast: Bill Camp, Philip Ettinger, Paula Garcés, Annabella Sciorra Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 7/9/14 Opens: August 8, 2014 Recall this recent news item. A family in California hired a maid/nanny to take care of their house. She was fine for a while, but soon she began to act like Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener, the guy whose boss asked why he stopped working and would not leave the firm and getting the reply “I prefer not to.” This nanny, who scammed many people before, refused to leave the [ Read More ]
The post The Maid’s Room Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Maid’s Room Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/4/2014
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Twitter
Niall Quinn has sensationally revealed that he tried to appoint new Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal when he was Chairman at Sunderland Afc, as well as revealing in a new book called Up There by North East reporter Michael Walker, that he tried to secure Roberto Mancini after discussions with the owner Ellis Short.
Quinn said: “We’d always had Steve Bruce on the list. Maybe some would say we’d delusions of grandeur but we had good feedback from Louis van Gaal.
The former striking legend and well-liked chairman also confirmed that he had an unlikely ally in his pursuit of Van Gaal – who would have been the kind of manager to turn Sunderland back into a major power in England if he had been snared:
“I spoke to him personally a couple of times on the phone at home. One time his wife answered and told me: ‘Keep working on him,...
Niall Quinn has sensationally revealed that he tried to appoint new Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal when he was Chairman at Sunderland Afc, as well as revealing in a new book called Up There by North East reporter Michael Walker, that he tried to secure Roberto Mancini after discussions with the owner Ellis Short.
Quinn said: “We’d always had Steve Bruce on the list. Maybe some would say we’d delusions of grandeur but we had good feedback from Louis van Gaal.
The former striking legend and well-liked chairman also confirmed that he had an unlikely ally in his pursuit of Van Gaal – who would have been the kind of manager to turn Sunderland back into a major power in England if he had been snared:
“I spoke to him personally a couple of times on the phone at home. One time his wife answered and told me: ‘Keep working on him,...
- 7/29/2014
- by Gary Johnson
- Obsessed with Film
Paladin will release the Hitchcockian thriller "The Maid's Room" in theaters and on digital platforms in the spring, company president Mark Urman announced today. The film, which was written and directed by Michael Walker ("Chasing Sleep," "Price Check"), had its world premiere last fall at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Set and filmed on Long Island, "The Maid's Room" follows Drina (Paula Garces), an immigrant who takes a job for the season as live-in maid to the Crawfords, a privileged New York family who maintain a splendid home in the Hamptons. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford spend most of their time in the city, but their teenage son, Brandon, spends the summer on the beach, and Drina must look after him and his spoiled friends. The maid’s room is next to the garage, and Drina overhears Brandon when he returns late one night, noisily and obviously drunk. The next day,...
- 2/6/2014
- by Max O'Connell
- Indiewire
Michael Walker’s film [pictured] premiered at last year’s Hamptons International Film Festival.
Paladin has picked up Us rights to Michael Walker’s The Maid’s Room, which new London-based sales company Devilworks is introducing to buyers at the Efm.
The Maid’s Room premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year and explores the tension between a Latina maid and her morally bankrupt employers.
Paula Garces, Bill Camp, Annabella Sciorra and newcomer Philip Ettinger star. Paladin plans a spring theatrical and digital launch.
Paladin has picked up Us rights to Michael Walker’s The Maid’s Room, which new London-based sales company Devilworks is introducing to buyers at the Efm.
The Maid’s Room premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year and explores the tension between a Latina maid and her morally bankrupt employers.
Paula Garces, Bill Camp, Annabella Sciorra and newcomer Philip Ettinger star. Paladin plans a spring theatrical and digital launch.
- 2/6/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Paladin has acquired The Maid’s Room and will release the Michael Walker-helmed thriller theatrically and on digital platforms this spring, per the company. Pic played the Hamptons Festival and was shot in that resort area. Paula Garces of Devious Maids, plays that role again, caring for a spoiled family and gaining leverage when the son of her employers comes home with a bloodied car after a hit and run. Devilworks, a new London-based sales agency, has pacted for international rights and is launching the title at the current European Film Market in Berlin.
- 2/6/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Paladin has picked up Us rights to Michael Walker’s The Maid’s Room, which new London-based sales company Devilworks is introducing to buyers at the Efm.
The Maid’s Room premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year and explores the tension between a Latina maid and her morally bankrupt employers.
Paula Garces (pictured), Bill Camp, Annabella Sciorra and newcomer Philip Ettinger star. Paladin plans a spring theatrical and digital launch.
The Maid’s Room premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year and explores the tension between a Latina maid and her morally bankrupt employers.
Paula Garces (pictured), Bill Camp, Annabella Sciorra and newcomer Philip Ettinger star. Paladin plans a spring theatrical and digital launch.
- 2/6/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Spotlight Pictures has picked up international sales to Sundance 2012 entry Price Check.
Parker Posey stars opposite Eric Mabius in the tale of a beleaguered family man who works for a demanding boss.
Michael Walker directed the comedy from his screenplay. Dolly Hall produced and negotiated the deal with Carlos Rincon of Spotlight Pictures.
IFC Films distributed Price Check in North America last November and released on DVD in March.
Parker Posey stars opposite Eric Mabius in the tale of a beleaguered family man who works for a demanding boss.
Michael Walker directed the comedy from his screenplay. Dolly Hall produced and negotiated the deal with Carlos Rincon of Spotlight Pictures.
IFC Films distributed Price Check in North America last November and released on DVD in March.
- 6/18/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Not the Bargain It Appears To Be
Price Check, director Michael Walker’s sophomore feature, coming twelve years after his 2000 debut, Chasing Sleep is a complete 180 from his first film. Whereas Walker’s first foray was in the psychological art house, this latest feature is a comedic character study that has one delectable asset that is both the sole reason to see the film, and also, sadly, what viciously outshines every other aspect of the film; and that’s a wickedly perfect role for Parker Posey.
Eric Mabius stars as Pete Cozy, a disinterested employee in regional pricing and marketing for a flagging grocery store company in Long Island. Having given up a career in producing music, Pete’s job supports his stay at home wife and their new child. When his boss suddenly leaves for bigger and better things, his replacement is a super motivated force of nature, Susan...
Price Check, director Michael Walker’s sophomore feature, coming twelve years after his 2000 debut, Chasing Sleep is a complete 180 from his first film. Whereas Walker’s first foray was in the psychological art house, this latest feature is a comedic character study that has one delectable asset that is both the sole reason to see the film, and also, sadly, what viciously outshines every other aspect of the film; and that’s a wickedly perfect role for Parker Posey.
Eric Mabius stars as Pete Cozy, a disinterested employee in regional pricing and marketing for a flagging grocery store company in Long Island. Having given up a career in producing music, Pete’s job supports his stay at home wife and their new child. When his boss suddenly leaves for bigger and better things, his replacement is a super motivated force of nature, Susan...
- 11/20/2012
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Not having a large amount of money, and continuously learning how to cope with limited resources is a universal theme in the new comedy-drama ‘Price Check,’ which is now playing in select theaters. Not only does the movie’s main character, Pete Cozy, have to contend with not being able to provide for his family as much as he’d like, but the film’s writer-director, Michael Walker, also had to cope with a limited budget while shooting. But Walker took whatever measures necessary to ensure his film would get made, and infused that determination into Pete. ‘Price Check‘ follows Pete (played by Eric Mabius), who has found himself a house in the [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Michael Walker Talks Price Check appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Michael Walker Talks Price Check appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/18/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Title: Price Check Director: Michael Walker (‘Chasing Sleep’) Starring: Parker Posey, Eric Mabius (TV’s ‘Ugly Betty,’ ‘Resident Evil’) and Annie Parisse (‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,’ ‘National Treasure’) People often strive to find the right balance between having a successful, meaning career that makes them happy and being able to provide for, and spend time with, their families. This is certainly the case with thirty-something Pete Cozy, who is still aspiring to make it in the music business, while working for a supermarket chain so that he can provide for his family, in the new comedy-drama ‘Price Check.’ When his new boss challenges his beliefs and views, [ Read More ]
The post Price Check Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Price Check Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/17/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Title: Price Check Director: Michael Walker Price Check wants to be funny and present a moral point. The 91 minutes flirts with both of its respective goals, but it can never fully cultivate them to really capture one’s entrancing attention. Pete (Eric Mabius) was once in the music business but after starting a family with his wife (Annie Parisse) and popping out a kid, all while the music industry vanished, he had to put aside his passion and enter the dreaded corporate American lifestyle. Just making ends meet as a fledgling middle-class family, his marketing job gets turned upside-down when his company places a new regional manager at the helm [ Read More ]
The post Price Check Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Price Check Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/16/2012
- by Joe Belcastro
- ShockYa
Editor’s note: Sundance premiere Price Check hits limited release tomorrow. Here’s a re-run of our Sundance review of the film, originally published on January 26, 2012. Michael Walker‘s feature directorial debut, Price Check, starts off innocently enough, sort of a twist on Office Space if Lumbergh was actually a nice guy who wanted his unmotivated employees to succeed. Eric Mabius stars as Pete, who lost his dream job in music and is now forced to work in a regional pricing and marketing division for a failing division of a multi-brand grocery store company. Like most people these days, Pete is concerned about finances – he’s the only breadwinner in the house, and he and his wife have credit card bills to pay and a three-year-old to raise and probably a new car to get – and the recent departure of his beloved boss isn’t helping matters much. Who is going to replace him? And...
- 11/16/2012
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Often times in life, people struggle to find the place where they belong, and try to figure out what’s best for themselves and their families. They often have to overcome a conflict with other people to figure out what matters most to them in the world. That’s certainly the case with the main character, Pete Cozy, in the new comedy-drama, ‘Price Check,’ which hits select theaters tomorrow. In writer-director Michael Walker’s second feature film, Pete strives to find a more financially stable job, and when he finally does, it comprises his family life. ‘Price Check’ follows Pete (played by Eric Mabius), who has found himself a house in the suburbs [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Eric Mabius Talks Price Check appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Eric Mabius Talks Price Check appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/15/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
While gearing up for the release of the Parker Posey starring indie comedy "Price Check" this week, filmmaker Michael Walker also celebrates the forming of a new production company with producer collaborator Dolly Hall. The new banner, dubbed Fog Cutter Films, has begun casting and will start shooting its first film "The Revolution of Jenny Speck," a psychological thriller about the numbing effects of pop culture. Hall has over 20 producing credits to her name, with titles including Lisa Cholodenko's "High Art," Gary Winnick's "Tadpole," and Griffin Dunne's "Lisa Piscard is Famous," and Walker is the writer and director of the Jeff Daniels starrer "Chasing Sheep," "Price Check," and the forthcoming "The Maid's Room." The two have collaborated on the last two.
- 11/15/2012
- by Eric Mattina
- Indiewire
Producer Dolly Hall and filmmaker Michael Walker announced today they have formed a narrative feature company, Fog Cutter Films. Their first project will be The Revolution of Jenny Speck to shoot in 2013 in New York. Barden Schnee Casting is currently casting the film. A psychological thriller, The Revolution of Jenny Speck revolves around Jenny Speck, a recent hire as the .teen editor. at a women.s magazine. When Jenny discovers that the magazine is part of a global conspiracy of thought control, she joins .Bruce Willis. in his fight against the innocuous, mind-numbing effects of pop culture. Hall and Walker have collaborated on two previous films, Price Check starring Parker Posey and Eric Mabius to be released by IFC Films this month, and the upcoming feature The...
- 11/15/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Price Check, a new film by writer-director Michael Walker, is being billed as a comedy about the “high price of a middle-class life.” It stars Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty) as Pete Cozy, a husband and father who works a 9-to-5 gig in the pricing department of a midsize supermarket chain. It’s not the most glamorous of jobs, but it’s almost enough to support his wife, Sara (Annie Parisse), and their young son. Though the bills are piling up, Pete and Sara make due with what they have. (And don’t pick up the phone when the creditors call.)...
- 11/14/2012
- Pastemagazine.com
Watch new video clips from IFC Films' Price Check comedy, starring Parker Posey and Eric Mabius! It's almost never a pricey venture with Parker Posey who manages to frequently shine in indie films. Check out these new videos from the IFC Films release which opens in theaters on November 16th. The Michael Walker comedy also includes Matt Servitto, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Victor Cruz, Amy Beth Schumer and Josh Pais. Price Check is a smart and honest comedy that examines who we think we are and what we're willing to do for the life we think we deserve. Onetime indie music marketer Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) has settled into a suburban home and a job in the pricing department of a middling supermarket chain. His job is banal but stable, and allows him to spend quality time with his wife...
- 11/8/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Watch new video clips from IFC Films' Price Check comedy, starring Parker Posey and Eric Mabius! It's almost never a pricey venture with Parker Posey who manages to frequently shine in indie films. Check out these new videos from the IFC Films release which opens in theaters on November 16th. The Michael Walker comedy also includes Matt Servitto, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Victor Cruz, Amy Beth Schumer and Josh Pais. Price Check is a smart and honest comedy that examines who we think we are and what we're willing to do for the life we think we deserve. Onetime indie music marketer Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) has settled into a suburban home and a job in the pricing department of a middling supermarket chain. His job is banal but stable, and allows him to spend quality time with his wife...
- 11/8/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Many film websites published “decade’s best horror films” lists in late 2009/early 2010. While these lists collectively provided a rough snapshot of the genre’s ups and downs during that time, with more time to reflect, it becomes increasingly clear what an important period the 2000’s were for the horror genre on a global scale.
Not only did this decade easily and obviously eclipse the comparatively arid 1990’s in both volume of production and overall quality, the 2000’s can also be looked at as a crucial one for horror cinema despite the justified outrage about the American film industry’s widespread strip-mining of classics and foreign films for remakes/re-boots and its saturation of the market with teen-friendly PG-13 rated horror films.
While by no means as groundbreaking as the 1970’s or as sentimentally regarded as the 1980’s, the 2000’s will be recalled as the decade that, despite well-founded criticisms...
Not only did this decade easily and obviously eclipse the comparatively arid 1990’s in both volume of production and overall quality, the 2000’s can also be looked at as a crucial one for horror cinema despite the justified outrage about the American film industry’s widespread strip-mining of classics and foreign films for remakes/re-boots and its saturation of the market with teen-friendly PG-13 rated horror films.
While by no means as groundbreaking as the 1970’s or as sentimentally regarded as the 1980’s, the 2000’s will be recalled as the decade that, despite well-founded criticisms...
- 11/4/2012
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
See the trailer as well as images and the poster from the gallery for Price Check, starring Parker Posey, Eric Mabius, Matt Servitto, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Victor Cruz, Amy Beth Schumer and Josh Pais. Michael Walker directs and rights the film which can currently be seen on SundanceNOW. If not, then catch it in limited venues from November 16th via IFC Films. Price Check is a smart and honest comedy that examines who we think we are and what we're willing to do for the life we think we deserve. Onetime indie music marketer Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) has settled into a suburban home and a job in the pricing department of a middling supermarket chain. His job is banal but stable, and allows him to spend quality time with his wife and young son; although they're drowning in debts they seem happy. Everything changes when Pete gets a new boss: the beautiful,...
- 10/12/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
See the trailer as well as images and the poster from the gallery for Price Check, starring Parker Posey, Eric Mabius, Matt Servitto, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Victor Cruz, Amy Beth Schumer and Josh Pais. Michael Walker directs and rights the film which can currently be seen on SundanceNOW. If not, then catch it in limited venues from November 16th via IFC Films. Price Check is a smart and honest comedy that examines who we think we are and what we're willing to do for the life we think we deserve. Onetime indie music marketer Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) has settled into a suburban home and a job in the pricing department of a middling supermarket chain. His job is banal but stable, and allows him to spend quality time with his wife and young son; although they're drowning in debts they seem happy. Everything changes when Pete gets a new boss: the beautiful,...
- 10/12/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The first photo of Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth in The Railway Man, a photo of the inside of the 'Ark' in Darren Aronofsky's Noah, set photos of Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio shooting The Wolf of Wall Street, and a bloody James McAvoy filming Danny Boyle's Trance
Two one-sheets for Identity Thief, a mosaic poster for Life of Pi, a teaser poster for The Smurfs 2, character posters for Argo, seven banners for Cloud Atlas, and sales art for Paul Haggis' Third Person.
"Walt Disney Studios has confirmed that the next film from their Disneynature label will be "Bears" to hit screens Spring 2014. The project follows the brown bears who call Alaska’s stunning coastal mountains and shores their home…" (full details)
"Michael Mitnick has been set by Universal Pictures to adapt the Oliver Jeffers novel 'The Incredible Book Eating Boy'. The story is set in the...
Two one-sheets for Identity Thief, a mosaic poster for Life of Pi, a teaser poster for The Smurfs 2, character posters for Argo, seven banners for Cloud Atlas, and sales art for Paul Haggis' Third Person.
"Walt Disney Studios has confirmed that the next film from their Disneynature label will be "Bears" to hit screens Spring 2014. The project follows the brown bears who call Alaska’s stunning coastal mountains and shores their home…" (full details)
"Michael Mitnick has been set by Universal Pictures to adapt the Oliver Jeffers novel 'The Incredible Book Eating Boy'. The story is set in the...
- 9/26/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Parker Posey portrays the type of new boss that most employees want to avoid like the plague… unless of course one of those employees happens to be sleeping with the new boss, which is exactly what happens in Price Check.
Director Michael Walker’s Price Check screened earlier this year during the 2012 Sundance Premieres line-up, and the trailer has finally appeared online to give moviegoers a look into the life of price checker Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) as his life spins out of control after Susan Felders (Parker Posey) becomes his new boss.
Mabius seems a little lost in this peek of the movie but that could just be credited to his acting skills because being lost actually works for the character that gets caught up in the out-of-control events that take over his life. Pete Cozy seems to just be gliding through life, happy (or at least content) to...
Director Michael Walker’s Price Check screened earlier this year during the 2012 Sundance Premieres line-up, and the trailer has finally appeared online to give moviegoers a look into the life of price checker Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) as his life spins out of control after Susan Felders (Parker Posey) becomes his new boss.
Mabius seems a little lost in this peek of the movie but that could just be credited to his acting skills because being lost actually works for the character that gets caught up in the out-of-control events that take over his life. Pete Cozy seems to just be gliding through life, happy (or at least content) to...
- 9/26/2012
- by Marty Shaw
- Movie Cultists
Among the many delights within Louis C.K.'s Emmy-winning comedy, “Louie,” the most surprisingly delightful has been Parker Posey's two-episode arc as a deceptively perfect romantic partner. Somewhat scarce on the film/TV scene in the past few years, Posey has nonetheless re-emerged recently in a smattering of interesting projects, including the Grace Kelly biopic “Grace of Monaco,” and now a glimpse of her latest independent comedy, “Price Check” appears a solid continuation of the actress' recent comic streak. Starring Eric Mabius, Cheyenne Jackson, Annie Parisse and Josh Pais alongside Posey, the Michael Walker-directed film was picked up by IFC Films following its Sundance premiere earlier this year. Posey plays the over-exuberant boss to Mabius' debt-ridden underling at a supermarket pricing department, and after she expresses interest in raising him up to the executive level, both their professional and home lives...
- 9/26/2012
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
The trailer for Michael Walker’s (Chasing Sleep) latest comedy, Price Check, starts off looking like it’s going to be an ironic-in-tone workplace comedy along the lines of things like Office Space or The Office, but then, halfway through, there’s a shocker of a line that puts a whole new spin on the story and probably shouldn’t be given away. So we’re not going to talk much about what this movie is about here in this trailer write-up. What we should talk about though are the performances on display, and, more specifically, how fun Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty) and Parker Posey (Waiting for Guffman) look like they’re going to be in this. Price Check debuted this year at Sundance, where our own Kate Erbland saw it and called it “laughably uneven,” but also made clear that it “features a solid comedic performance from star Posey.” If...
- 9/26/2012
- by Nathan Adams
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Deals are still closing for Sundance 2012 films. IFC Films announced Tuesday that it has locked down all North American rights to writer-director Michael Walker’s comedy “Price Check.” The specialty distributor will release the film on VOD October 11 and in theaters November 16. Parker Posey, Eric Mabius, Annie Parisse, Josh Pais, Cheyenne Jackson and Edward Herrmann star in the story of a family man working at a supermarket chain who gets an unexpected boost from a new manager who pushes him up the corporate ladder. Dolly Hall produced. Read More: Parker Posey on 'Price Check,' Sundance and the State of Independent Film “Michael Walker has made a thoughtful and impressive film featuring a return to the screen by Parker Posey that is a gift to her fans and one of her most hilarious, nuanced performances,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring. "We're also happy to be working with our long time friend.
- 9/25/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
After a lengthy hiatus from filmmaking, writer-director Michael Walker, who made his debut with the Jeff Daniels thriller Chasing Sleep in 2000, has returned with the biting office comedy Price Check. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, stars Ugly Betty's Eric Mabius as an average family man named Pete Cozy, who once held dreams of working in the music industry, but now focuses on making the best out of his mid-level job at the offices of a Long Island supermarket chain, carefully carving out time for his wife (Annie Parisse) and son (Finn Donoghue). But Pete's track to suburban bliss is derailed once he meets his new boss Susan Felders, a foul-mouthed sparkplug played by indie mega star Parker Posey. With an easy bravura, Susan gives Pete a major promotion, throwing his delicate balance of work and home all out of whack. But that's...
- 9/25/2012
- cinemablend.com
IFC Films has debuted the trailer for writer/director Michael Walker's Price Check . Check it out in the player below, courtesy of Yahoo! Movies . The comedy stars Parker Posey, Eric Mabius, Annie Parisse, Josh Pais, Cheyenne Jackson and Edward Herrmann. In the November 16 release, Pete Cozy (Mabius) has found himself a house in the suburbs and a job in the pricing department of a middling supermarket chain. Pete.s job allows him to spend quality time with his wife and young son and, despite the fact that they are drowning in debts, they appear happy. Everything changes when Pete gets a new boss, the beautiful, high-powered, fast talking Susan Felders (Posey). With Susan.s influence, Pete finds himself on the executive track.something that both surprises and excites him. The...
- 9/25/2012
- Comingsoon.net
I can't remember a time I went to the Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) press launch and looked over the list of films and saw so many I was interested in seeing. The claim to fame for over the years is to call it the largest and most-highly attended festival in the United States. This is a fact I've often taken issue with as I don't equate quantity with quality. Granted, there has been a large number of quality features to play the fest over the years, including Golden Space Needle (Best Film) winners such as Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), My Life as a Dog (1987), Trainspotting (1996), Run Lola Run (1999), Whale Rider (2003) and even recent Best Director winner, Michel Hazanavicius's Oss 117: Nest of Spies in 2006. That said, looking over this year's crop of films I see a lot of films I will be doing my absolute best to see.
- 4/27/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Price Check
Written and directed by Michael Walker
2012, USA
Parker Posey is undeniably fun to watch as the mean and conniving Susan Felders in Price Check. Her one liners have real sting and lost to her is an awkward but amusing inability to actually connect to others without unabashed self-promotion. The problem is that she embodies the worst stereotypes of a woman in power out there. She is ball crushing yet sexually available, jealous of women with families and motivated purely by what power she can grab. It is hard to get past this and how her lust for money rubs off on everyone else to the point where they become even more empty and detestable versions of herself.
Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius of Ugly Betty) is our protagonist, a guy who has switched careers from a dream job as a representative in the music industry to promoting sales in grocery stores.
Written and directed by Michael Walker
2012, USA
Parker Posey is undeniably fun to watch as the mean and conniving Susan Felders in Price Check. Her one liners have real sting and lost to her is an awkward but amusing inability to actually connect to others without unabashed self-promotion. The problem is that she embodies the worst stereotypes of a woman in power out there. She is ball crushing yet sexually available, jealous of women with families and motivated purely by what power she can grab. It is hard to get past this and how her lust for money rubs off on everyone else to the point where they become even more empty and detestable versions of herself.
Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius of Ugly Betty) is our protagonist, a guy who has switched careers from a dream job as a representative in the music industry to promoting sales in grocery stores.
- 2/20/2012
- by Lane Scarberry
- SoundOnSight
Price Check Click here to read the review! "Price Check, director Michael Walker’s sophomore feature, coming twelve years after his 2000 debut, Chasing Sleep is a complete 180 from his first film. Whereas Walker’s first foray was in the psychological art house, this latest feature is a comedic character study that has one delectable asset that is both the sole reason to see the film, and also, sadly, what viciously outshines every other aspect of the film; and that’s a wickedly perfect role for Parker Posey."...
- 2/6/2012
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago – “Art is not a competition. But if it were, these would be the winners,” quipped filmmaker Mike Birbiglia at the Jan. 28 awards presentation for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Birbiglia’s deadpan humor would’ve made him an ideal host for the event, and his appearance was one of the few bright spots in a rather disappointing ceremony.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, stepped in to replace Indie Queen Parker Posey, whose inspired comic turn in Michael Walker’s “Price Check” garnered positive buzz among festivalgoers. The show opened in tears and solemnity as Cooper paid heartfelt tribute to the late film executive Bingham Ray, who suffered a fatal stroke during the festival.
One of the evening’s big winners was Benh Zeitlin’s visually arresting drama “Beasts of the Southern Wild” about a six-year-old girl (Quvenzhané Wallis) who embarks on a search...
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, stepped in to replace Indie Queen Parker Posey, whose inspired comic turn in Michael Walker’s “Price Check” garnered positive buzz among festivalgoers. The show opened in tears and solemnity as Cooper paid heartfelt tribute to the late film executive Bingham Ray, who suffered a fatal stroke during the festival.
One of the evening’s big winners was Benh Zeitlin’s visually arresting drama “Beasts of the Southern Wild” about a six-year-old girl (Quvenzhané Wallis) who embarks on a search...
- 1/29/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Parker Posey is clearly no stranger to the Sundance Film Festival. Over the years, films like "Party Girl," "The House of Yes" and "Broken English" all made their debuts in Park City, helping Posey gain her unofficial title as the "queen of indie." She's back again this year with Michael Walker's "Price Check," where she takes on a monster of a character in Susan, an intensely ambitious new boss in the marketing department of a grocery store chain. Susan wreaks havoc on the life of Pete (Eric Mabius), a family man struggling to balance work and home while making enough money to support his wife and son. It's yet another great role for Posey, who characteristically nails the film's mix of dark comedy and of-the-times drama. The ever-charming actress sat down with Indiewire the day after "Price Check" premiered to talk about the film, her relationship to Sundance, the state of independent filmmaking.
- 1/27/2012
- Indiewire
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