“When we leap into the unknown, we prove that we are free,” says Cesar Catalina, the futuristic architect at the beating heart of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis (to give it its full title), a mad eco-sci-fi blockbuster some 40 years in the making. Catalina says it several times, and it’s one of the more succinct aphorisms that he spouts in a script that is stuffed with seemingly random literary allusions from the likes of Petrarch, Crassus and Marcus Aurelius to Goethe, Shakespeare, H.G. Wells and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Watching Anthony Mann’s The Fall of the Roman Empire and eating cheese afterwards would be the only way to replicate its fever-dream grandeur, a series of stunning images, carried along by the loosest of plots, that pontificate on the self-destructive nature of humankind, the only species capable of civilizing itself to death.
True to the advance gossip, Megalopolis is something of a mess — unruly,...
True to the advance gossip, Megalopolis is something of a mess — unruly,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
"Sweetwater", the new biographical sports feature about 'Nat Clifton', the first African-American to sign a contract with the 'National Basketball Association' ('NBA'), is written and directed by Martin Guigui, starring Everett Osborne as 'Clifton', with Cary Elwes, Eric Roberts, Jeremy Piven, Richard Dreyfuss and Kevin Pollak, now streaming on Prime Video:
"....'Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton' was originally the main attraction of the entertaining 'Harlem Globetrotters' team, showing superior and amusing ball-handling skills, under the guidance of owner and coach, 'Abe Saperstein'.
"Then in 1950, during the early days of organized sports, before the ease of crowd-pleasing online casino betting, 'Ned Irish', a 'New York Knicks' executive...
"...and their coach, 'Joe Lapchick', take the initiative and integrate their team with the support of 'NBA' President, 'Maurice Podoloff'...
"...allowing Sweetwater to be the first black man signed to the NBA, creating a historic moment...
"...delighting millions of fans worldwide.
"....'Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton' was originally the main attraction of the entertaining 'Harlem Globetrotters' team, showing superior and amusing ball-handling skills, under the guidance of owner and coach, 'Abe Saperstein'.
"Then in 1950, during the early days of organized sports, before the ease of crowd-pleasing online casino betting, 'Ned Irish', a 'New York Knicks' executive...
"...and their coach, 'Joe Lapchick', take the initiative and integrate their team with the support of 'NBA' President, 'Maurice Podoloff'...
"...allowing Sweetwater to be the first black man signed to the NBA, creating a historic moment...
"...delighting millions of fans worldwide.
- 1/17/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Not researching much about Nat Sweetwater Clifton and his heroics before watching the movie was a conscious decision I made, as I wanted to have a better movie experience without knowing what happens at the end. The challenge about adapting a true story of any kind to the big screen is making it exciting enough for the audience to sit through the journey despite being aware of the ending. And the thing that is an absolute necessity for that is innovative, razor-sharp, Sorkin-esque writing.
Of course, the sports biopic sub-genre has the advantage of dazzling the viewer with grand, triumphant moments, which always work out if they are properly designed with ample cinematic value. The Sweetwater biopic, which goes by the same name, has plenty of such moments that work in its favor. In fact, the basketball part of the movie looks very realistic and not at all artificial. Where...
Of course, the sports biopic sub-genre has the advantage of dazzling the viewer with grand, triumphant moments, which always work out if they are properly designed with ample cinematic value. The Sweetwater biopic, which goes by the same name, has plenty of such moments that work in its favor. In fact, the basketball part of the movie looks very realistic and not at all artificial. Where...
- 5/10/2023
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired domestic distribution rights to “Sweetwater,” a recently completed feature about Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, the first African American to land an NBA contract. The drama is written and directed by Martín Guigui and stars newcomer Everett Osborne as Clifton. The ensemble includes veteran actors such as Kevin Pollak, Cary Elwes, Jeremy Piven, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Ri’chard. There are also special appearances by Gary Clark Jr., Jim Caviezel and NBA champion Bobby Portis Jr.
The film follows Clifton (Osborne), who is the star attraction of the Harlem Globetrotters, led by owner/coach Abe Saperstein (Pollak). When New York Knicks executive Ned Irish (Elwes) and Knicks coach Joe Lapchick (Piven) decide it is time for the Knicks to integrate, with the support of NBA President Maurice Podoloff (Dreyfuss), they come together with the other team owners of the league to make history. Briarcliff will give the film a...
The film follows Clifton (Osborne), who is the star attraction of the Harlem Globetrotters, led by owner/coach Abe Saperstein (Pollak). When New York Knicks executive Ned Irish (Elwes) and Knicks coach Joe Lapchick (Piven) decide it is time for the Knicks to integrate, with the support of NBA President Maurice Podoloff (Dreyfuss), they come together with the other team owners of the league to make history. Briarcliff will give the film a...
- 10/11/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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