Amazon MGM Studios have landed rights to Benjamin Percy’s novella “American Criminal,” with Gavin O’Connor negotiating to direct.
The film, which Hidden Pictures and NeoText will produce, follows a professional thief who, after being apprehended by an FBI agent, is coaxed into infiltrating a violent Midwestern gang with the goal of dismantling them from the inside. However, what the FBI agent doesn’t know is that the thief is also orchestrating the largest – and last – heist of his life.
O’Connor has directed a number of popular and critically acclaimed works, including “Warrior” with Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy, “The Accountant” with Ben Affleck, “Miracle” with Kurt Russell, and “Tumbleweeds,” which featured an Oscar-nominated turn from Janet McTeer. He most recently retimed with Affleck on 2020’s “The Way Back,” the story of an alcoholic basketball coach.
Percy is the author of seven novels — including “The Sky Vault,” published this...
The film, which Hidden Pictures and NeoText will produce, follows a professional thief who, after being apprehended by an FBI agent, is coaxed into infiltrating a violent Midwestern gang with the goal of dismantling them from the inside. However, what the FBI agent doesn’t know is that the thief is also orchestrating the largest – and last – heist of his life.
O’Connor has directed a number of popular and critically acclaimed works, including “Warrior” with Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy, “The Accountant” with Ben Affleck, “Miracle” with Kurt Russell, and “Tumbleweeds,” which featured an Oscar-nominated turn from Janet McTeer. He most recently retimed with Affleck on 2020’s “The Way Back,” the story of an alcoholic basketball coach.
Percy is the author of seven novels — including “The Sky Vault,” published this...
- 10/20/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Summering Review — Summering (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by James Ponsoldt, written by Benjamin Percy and James Ponsoldt and starring Lia Barnett, Sanai Victoria, Madalen Mills, Eden Grace Redfield, Lake Bell, Sarah Cooper, Ashley Madekwe, Megan Mullally, Dale McKeel, Yolanda Stange, Colleen Baum, Nick Mathews, Lu Prickett and Camrey Bagley Fox. Summer’s not [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Summering (2022): Director James Ponsoldt Returns with a Watchable Story of Four Young Friends...
Continue reading: Film Review: Summering (2022): Director James Ponsoldt Returns with a Watchable Story of Four Young Friends...
- 9/11/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
Summering depicts the story of four girls the summer before they enter middle school as they face what it means to grow up.
Director and co-writer James Ponsoldt recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers for a conversation about why he wanted to make a “coming-of-age film” for young girls.
“I’m a parent of three kids,” Ponsoldt shared. “Being a parent effected inevitably the way I look at stories and movies, and specifically stories that are anchored from the subjectivity of a child’s experience. Over the past few years, as we’ve all been dealing with a lot of anxeity and change, I am in conversation with my kids about traumas that are personal like the loss of a pet or a grandparent and things that are at a much more macro level. I’ve been facinated by the ways in which we all might experience the...
Director and co-writer James Ponsoldt recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers for a conversation about why he wanted to make a “coming-of-age film” for young girls.
“I’m a parent of three kids,” Ponsoldt shared. “Being a parent effected inevitably the way I look at stories and movies, and specifically stories that are anchored from the subjectivity of a child’s experience. Over the past few years, as we’ve all been dealing with a lot of anxeity and change, I am in conversation with my kids about traumas that are personal like the loss of a pet or a grandparent and things that are at a much more macro level. I’ve been facinated by the ways in which we all might experience the...
- 8/17/2022
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
You just know you’re in for a horrible weekend at the box office when six new movies open in over 250 theaters — two of those into more than 1,500 theaters — along with a major nationwide expansion and a 40th anniversary re-release of a beloved classic, and only two of those eight movies make it into the Top 10.
We’ll get into each of those in a bit, but first, we start with Brad Pitt’s action-comedy “Bullet Train,” which remained in first place for a second weekend with 13.4 million, a pretty substantial 55 drop from its opening last week. It has grossed 54.4 million, so far, with no guarantee it might join this year’s 100 million club.
The animated “DC League of Super-Pets” maintained second place with an estimated 7.2 million, but with one major caveat. According to estimates, the Dwayne Johnson-Kevin Hart animated vehicle only made 20,000 more than Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick” in its 12th weekend.
We’ll get into each of those in a bit, but first, we start with Brad Pitt’s action-comedy “Bullet Train,” which remained in first place for a second weekend with 13.4 million, a pretty substantial 55 drop from its opening last week. It has grossed 54.4 million, so far, with no guarantee it might join this year’s 100 million club.
The animated “DC League of Super-Pets” maintained second place with an estimated 7.2 million, but with one major caveat. According to estimates, the Dwayne Johnson-Kevin Hart animated vehicle only made 20,000 more than Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick” in its 12th weekend.
- 8/14/2022
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Lionsgate thriller Fall will make an estimated 2.5+ million this weekend at 1,548 locations for a PSA of about 1,618. The audience was broader than it might have been after a company founded by director Scott Mann swapped dozens of f-words, moving Fall from an R to a PG-13 rating.
The firm, called Flawless, launched last year to specialize in foreign-language “vubbing,” for visual dubbing, which uses artificial intelligence to subtly shift lip and facial movements to match words spoken. But in Fall, its first project, the urgency was around English-language expletives by English-language actors during a stressful high-altitude shoot in the middle of Covid. Costly reshoots weren’t an option, nor really were cuts.
Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner play best friends and expert climbers stranded 2,000 feet up atop a rickety, abandoned TV tower. Mann shot Fall independently. “We ended up with a film we were very excited about,...
The firm, called Flawless, launched last year to specialize in foreign-language “vubbing,” for visual dubbing, which uses artificial intelligence to subtly shift lip and facial movements to match words spoken. But in Fall, its first project, the urgency was around English-language expletives by English-language actors during a stressful high-altitude shoot in the middle of Covid. Costly reshoots weren’t an option, nor really were cuts.
Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner play best friends and expert climbers stranded 2,000 feet up atop a rickety, abandoned TV tower. Mann shot Fall independently. “We ended up with a film we were very excited about,...
- 8/14/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
If you don’t build it, they won’t come. With no new major titles this week, audiences chose to stay home this weekend — and for the next two months, that could be our new normal. “Bullet Train” (Sony) dropped 55 percent in its second week, but led the top 10 with a gross of 13.4 million — the lowest figure for a #1 film in over six months. Similarly, the 65 million weekend total for all films is the worst showing since early February.
Over the last four months, when studios release major films theaters respond with encouraging results — sometime spectacular, in the case of “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount). Five films passed 300 million domestic, similar to 2019 (although today’s higher ticket prices made it easier).
Grosses for the year to date are about two thirds of 2019 through the same date, but that result could prove to be the high water mark for some time — and...
Over the last four months, when studios release major films theaters respond with encouraging results — sometime spectacular, in the case of “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount). Five films passed 300 million domestic, similar to 2019 (although today’s higher ticket prices made it easier).
Grosses for the year to date are about two thirds of 2019 through the same date, but that result could prove to be the high water mark for some time — and...
- 8/14/2022
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
In Summering, James Ponsoldt‘s return to cinema following several years of episodic television work, four young girls, best friends about to enter different junior high schools, find their final moments of group bonding upended by a shocking discovery: a dead body. Encountered near a secret spot they dub Terabithia (after the YA novel and film Bridge to Terabithia), the gruesome find turns into a challenge. What if rather than calling the police or telling their parents these friends could actually solve the mystery of this deceased middle-aged man’s identity and cause of death? It’d be both a kind of end-of-summer […]
The post “We Wanted the Film to Feel Like a Memory, a Dream of Childhood…”: Director James Ponsoldt on His Coming-of-Age Neo-Noir, Summering first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Wanted the Film to Feel Like a Memory, a Dream of Childhood…”: Director James Ponsoldt on His Coming-of-Age Neo-Noir, Summering first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/12/2022
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
A handful of smaller films will start to test audience enthusiasm for movie theaters without big tentpoles. It’s been a rocky summer for specialty releases, and an uphill climb as arthouses emerge from Covid jitters with franchise films sucking up oxygen and screens. But superheroes are on hiatus.
“There isn’t giant competition from tentpoles,” said Howard Cohen, co-president of Roadside Attractions. “On balance, it’s good. Obviously, if you have Top Gun, it sucks the air out of the marketplace. It’s still better — for the specialty market — to have three or four indies than one giant release. Exhibitors are antsy about the sudden dearth of new wide releases this month and next, but they’ve also been asking for more box office breadth.
“We have seen signs of life in our sector,...
“There isn’t giant competition from tentpoles,” said Howard Cohen, co-president of Roadside Attractions. “On balance, it’s good. Obviously, if you have Top Gun, it sucks the air out of the marketplace. It’s still better — for the specialty market — to have three or four indies than one giant release. Exhibitors are antsy about the sudden dearth of new wide releases this month and next, but they’ve also been asking for more box office breadth.
“We have seen signs of life in our sector,...
- 8/12/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Summering depicts the story of four girls the summer before they enter middle school as they face what it means to grow up.
Lake Bell and Sarah Cooper recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers for a conversation about what makes the movie stand out from other “coming of age” films.
“James Ponsoldt, the director and co-writer, he’s coming at it from a parental standpoint,” Bell shared. “He’s an independent filmmaker and he has children now and thought, ‘Gosh, there’s the Stand by Me, there’s a multitude of films that we could talk about that have a young man’s journey on adventure. Little girls don’t have that.’ It’s refreshing, and kind of needed in a way, to think about all the anxiety we’ve gone through in this past two and a half years and children are all feeling that. It becomes universal in the thematics.
Lake Bell and Sarah Cooper recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers for a conversation about what makes the movie stand out from other “coming of age” films.
“James Ponsoldt, the director and co-writer, he’s coming at it from a parental standpoint,” Bell shared. “He’s an independent filmmaker and he has children now and thought, ‘Gosh, there’s the Stand by Me, there’s a multitude of films that we could talk about that have a young man’s journey on adventure. Little girls don’t have that.’ It’s refreshing, and kind of needed in a way, to think about all the anxiety we’ve gone through in this past two and a half years and children are all feeling that. It becomes universal in the thematics.
- 8/12/2022
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
Click here to read the full article.
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Never Have I Ever, Beast, Day Shift and Secret Headquarters.
Beast premiere
Idris Elba premiered his new film alongside producer Will Packer and costars Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries at MoMA on Monday.
Idris Elba, Sabrina Dhowre, Heather Hayslett and Will Packer Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley, Leah Jeffries and Idris Elba
Secret Headquarters premiere
Owen Wilson, Jesse Williams, Michael Peña and Jessie Mueller walked the red carpet on Monday in NYC for the premiere of their Paramount+ superhero family film.
Jesse Williams, Owen Wilson, Michael Peña, Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost and Jessie Mueller Paramount CEO Bob Bakish and Owen Wilson
Five Days at Memorial premiere
On Monday, Apple TV+ celebrated the premiere of Five Days at Memorial...
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Never Have I Ever, Beast, Day Shift and Secret Headquarters.
Beast premiere
Idris Elba premiered his new film alongside producer Will Packer and costars Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries at MoMA on Monday.
Idris Elba, Sabrina Dhowre, Heather Hayslett and Will Packer Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley, Leah Jeffries and Idris Elba
Secret Headquarters premiere
Owen Wilson, Jesse Williams, Michael Peña and Jessie Mueller walked the red carpet on Monday in NYC for the premiere of their Paramount+ superhero family film.
Jesse Williams, Owen Wilson, Michael Peña, Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost and Jessie Mueller Paramount CEO Bob Bakish and Owen Wilson
Five Days at Memorial premiere
On Monday, Apple TV+ celebrated the premiere of Five Days at Memorial...
- 8/12/2022
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on Wbgr-fm on August 11th, reviewing “Summering,” the latest from co-writer and director James Ponsoldt. The film is in theaters beginning August 12th.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
The film is a quasi-reimagining of the “Stand By Me” story … but this time it’s four girl pre-teens that discover a dead body, while at the same time celebrating their long grade school bond right before transitioning to middle school. Instead of going to the authorities regarding their find, they decide to investigate on their own, leading to the last adventure of their summer. The cast includes Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell as their mothers.
“Summering” opens in theaters on August 12th. Featuring Lia Barnett, Sanai Victoria, Madalen Mills, Eden Grace Redfield, Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell. Written by James Ponsoldt and Benjamin Percy.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
The film is a quasi-reimagining of the “Stand By Me” story … but this time it’s four girl pre-teens that discover a dead body, while at the same time celebrating their long grade school bond right before transitioning to middle school. Instead of going to the authorities regarding their find, they decide to investigate on their own, leading to the last adventure of their summer. The cast includes Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell as their mothers.
“Summering” opens in theaters on August 12th. Featuring Lia Barnett, Sanai Victoria, Madalen Mills, Eden Grace Redfield, Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell. Written by James Ponsoldt and Benjamin Percy.
- 8/12/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
James Ponsoldt is expecting this question. Why did the guy who made films like “Smashed,” “The Spectacular Now,” and “The End of the Tour” — dark, knowing dramas about messed-up adults, typically with substance abuse problems and a host of neuroses — turn his attention to “Summering,” a film about four tween girls in the waning days of their favorite season?
He’s got the answer in hand: He’s a parent of three kids, his wife Megan works in the public-school system, and this is the stuff he wants to share with his family.
But the real answer? It’s still a James Ponsoldt film. It’s not as dark as its predecessors, but the filmmaker is still using his craft to ask some very deep questions. “Summering” is, after all, about a group of girls who discover a very dead body and must grapple with what to do next.
“Those...
He’s got the answer in hand: He’s a parent of three kids, his wife Megan works in the public-school system, and this is the stuff he wants to share with his family.
But the real answer? It’s still a James Ponsoldt film. It’s not as dark as its predecessors, but the filmmaker is still using his craft to ask some very deep questions. “Summering” is, after all, about a group of girls who discover a very dead body and must grapple with what to do next.
“Those...
- 8/12/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
If movies have taught us anything it’s that childhood is a magical time where, if you’re doing it right, you befriend space aliens, rescue orcas, inherit chocolate factories or play every sport imaginable with an omni-talented Olympian dog.
Or, if you’re more of the melancholic type, at least you find a dead body in the woods. That’s the bare minimum anyone can ask for.
James Ponsoldt’s “Summering” is a direct descendant of “Stand By Me,” films about youngsters peppered with wispy nostalgia, in which the innocence of their youth is challenged by a corpse tucked away where only children are likely to find it. But whereas Rob Reiner’s classic coming-of-age film romanticized a decades-bygone era, Ponsoldt finds the same magically complicated mash-up of naiveté and depth in a contemporary setting. Childhood, he seems to argue, is always magical and horrifying in equal measure, no...
Or, if you’re more of the melancholic type, at least you find a dead body in the woods. That’s the bare minimum anyone can ask for.
James Ponsoldt’s “Summering” is a direct descendant of “Stand By Me,” films about youngsters peppered with wispy nostalgia, in which the innocence of their youth is challenged by a corpse tucked away where only children are likely to find it. But whereas Rob Reiner’s classic coming-of-age film romanticized a decades-bygone era, Ponsoldt finds the same magically complicated mash-up of naiveté and depth in a contemporary setting. Childhood, he seems to argue, is always magical and horrifying in equal measure, no...
- 8/11/2022
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
After a pretty successful summer season, it’s officially the dog days at the domestic box office.
Without a major studio movie on the horizon, theater operators are banking on a smattering of smaller, lower-budgeted horror stories, comedies and dramas to take advantage of the lull in blockbusters. Basically, the next few weeks will cater to the rare ticket buyers who have been dying to return to the movies, but aren’t fans of comic book adventures or action tentpoles.
This weekend will be particularly quiet with Lionsgate’s action-thriller “Fall” and A24’s satirical slasher “Bodies Bodies Bodies” as the only new nationwide releases. According to tracking estimates, “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” which is expanding to 1,200 locations, is aiming for 2 million to 3 million in domestic ticket sales. Meanwhile “Fall,” which is debuting in 1,548 North American venues, is estimated to bring in 1 million to 2 million between Friday and Sunday.
With those single-digit projections,...
Without a major studio movie on the horizon, theater operators are banking on a smattering of smaller, lower-budgeted horror stories, comedies and dramas to take advantage of the lull in blockbusters. Basically, the next few weeks will cater to the rare ticket buyers who have been dying to return to the movies, but aren’t fans of comic book adventures or action tentpoles.
This weekend will be particularly quiet with Lionsgate’s action-thriller “Fall” and A24’s satirical slasher “Bodies Bodies Bodies” as the only new nationwide releases. According to tracking estimates, “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” which is expanding to 1,200 locations, is aiming for 2 million to 3 million in domestic ticket sales. Meanwhile “Fall,” which is debuting in 1,548 North American venues, is estimated to bring in 1 million to 2 million between Friday and Sunday.
With those single-digit projections,...
- 8/10/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
This is going to be an epic weekend at the box office, and yes, I’m being about as sarcastic as I can be in this intro, because this weekend is what we call in the biz… “a complete mess.” Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview to see what movies will be competing against Brad Pitt‘s latest hit “Bullet Train” as it enters its second weekend.
I honestly have no idea studios were thinking when not one of them said, “Hey, this might be a good weekend to release something we originally planned for later in the year.” Instead, we’re getting a slew of new movies opening moderately – nothing in more than 2,000 theaters – while A24 expands its Gen-z horror comedy “Bodies Bodies Bodies” into roughly 1,200 theaters to make a concerted play into the softer box office.
SEEBox office: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ passes ‘Titanic’ to become...
I honestly have no idea studios were thinking when not one of them said, “Hey, this might be a good weekend to release something we originally planned for later in the year.” Instead, we’re getting a slew of new movies opening moderately – nothing in more than 2,000 theaters – while A24 expands its Gen-z horror comedy “Bodies Bodies Bodies” into roughly 1,200 theaters to make a concerted play into the softer box office.
SEEBox office: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ passes ‘Titanic’ to become...
- 8/10/2022
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
There’s a moment within the first few minutes of Summering — James Ponsoldt’s delicate, affectionate tribute to the wonder years (or more specifically, the seasonal wonder months) between childhood’s end and teenage riots — that captures the blurred, giddy adrenaline rush of youth in full bloom. Four girls are goofing around, hiding in bathtubs and scaring each other with masks. Someone’s mom shoos them all out of the house. And then the quartet begins to sprint across a front lawn in slow motion, screaming and giggling as they...
- 8/9/2022
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago – Filmmaker James Ponsoldt has earned the moniker “veteran” in front of his name, after notable hits like “The Spectacular Now,” “The End of the Tour” and “The Circle” (with Tom Hanks). He’s back with a seasonal film called “Summering,” featuring four girls going through their own “Stand by Me” moment.
Ponsoldt’s latest film was co-written with Benjamin Percey, and it’s possibly his most romantic. It’s a quasi-reimagining of the “Stand By Me” story … but this time it’s a group of girl pre-teens that discover a dead body, and are celebrating their long grade school bond right before transitioning to middle school. Instead of going to the authorities regarding their find, they decide to investigate on their own, leading to the last adventure of their summer and the path to whatever is coming next. The cast includes Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell as their mothers.
Ponsoldt’s latest film was co-written with Benjamin Percey, and it’s possibly his most romantic. It’s a quasi-reimagining of the “Stand By Me” story … but this time it’s a group of girl pre-teens that discover a dead body, and are celebrating their long grade school bond right before transitioning to middle school. Instead of going to the authorities regarding their find, they decide to investigate on their own, leading to the last adventure of their summer and the path to whatever is coming next. The cast includes Sarah Cooper, Megan Mullally, Ashley Madekwe and Lake Bell as their mothers.
- 8/9/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
July 2022 generated 1.133 billion in domestic gross — the best month’s gross in the Covid era, and it represents 88 percent of the take in July 2019. The majority came from two 300 million+ grossing releases with “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (Universal) edging out “Thor: Love and Thunder” (Disney) as the biggest film. “Minions” opened a week earlier, but it should edge out the Marvel film that many believed could be the summer’s biggest grosser.
At best, “Thor” will end #4 for the season, with a respectable but not-sensational 340 million domestic, and a little more international. That’s down from “Doctor Strange in the Multi-verse of Madness” (Disney) at 411 million domestic, 543 million foreign (#2 summer domestic gross with “Minions” taking third).
Shoring up July was “Top Gun: Maverick” adding 112 million to the 541 million it already amassed. The month also showed some strength for original films with Jordan Poole’s “Nope” (Universal) and “Where the Crawdads Sing...
At best, “Thor” will end #4 for the season, with a respectable but not-sensational 340 million domestic, and a little more international. That’s down from “Doctor Strange in the Multi-verse of Madness” (Disney) at 411 million domestic, 543 million foreign (#2 summer domestic gross with “Minions” taking third).
Shoring up July was “Top Gun: Maverick” adding 112 million to the 541 million it already amassed. The month also showed some strength for original films with Jordan Poole’s “Nope” (Universal) and “Where the Crawdads Sing...
- 8/5/2022
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Bleecker Street has snapped up U.S. rights to Alice Troughton’s feature directorial debut The Tutor, which will star Oscar nominees Richard E. Grant and Julie Delpy and Daryl McCormack. Bleecker Street is planning a 2023 release in cinemas.
The project, billed as a high-class thriller examining social status, follows an aspiring young author, hungry for recognition and success, who takes a tutoring position at a legendary writer’s estate. Soon the young tutor realizes he is engulfed in his hero’s complicated family legacy which holds a deadly past and threatens his own future. Alex MacKeith penned the screenplay.
Poison Chef’s Camille Gatin, Jeva Films’ Cassandra Sigsgaard, Egoli Tossell Pictures’ Judy Tossell and Constellation Productions’ Fabien Westerhoff are producing the film. Bleecker Street’s Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson will serve as EPs, with Miranda King serving as an associate producer and overseeing for the studio. London and...
The project, billed as a high-class thriller examining social status, follows an aspiring young author, hungry for recognition and success, who takes a tutoring position at a legendary writer’s estate. Soon the young tutor realizes he is engulfed in his hero’s complicated family legacy which holds a deadly past and threatens his own future. Alex MacKeith penned the screenplay.
Poison Chef’s Camille Gatin, Jeva Films’ Cassandra Sigsgaard, Egoli Tossell Pictures’ Judy Tossell and Constellation Productions’ Fabien Westerhoff are producing the film. Bleecker Street’s Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson will serve as EPs, with Miranda King serving as an associate producer and overseeing for the studio. London and...
- 5/19/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sony Pictures’ Stage 6 Films has acquired international rights (outside of China) to the dark comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies, from director Halina Reijn (Instinct).
The film is billed as a fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong. It watches as a game goes awry, when a group of rich 20-somethings arrive for a hurricane party at a remote family mansion. Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Myha’la Herrold (HBO’s Industry), Chase Sui Wonders (HBO’s Generation), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire) and Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island) star.
Bodies Bodies Bodies premiered to critical acclaim at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival and is slated for release in the U.S. on August 5th via A24. The film is Reijn’s second on the heels of the thriller Instinct, which was...
The film is billed as a fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong. It watches as a game goes awry, when a group of rich 20-somethings arrive for a hurricane party at a remote family mansion. Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Myha’la Herrold (HBO’s Industry), Chase Sui Wonders (HBO’s Generation), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire) and Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island) star.
Bodies Bodies Bodies premiered to critical acclaim at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival and is slated for release in the U.S. on August 5th via A24. The film is Reijn’s second on the heels of the thriller Instinct, which was...
- 4/27/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Former Paramount Pictures head Kyle Davies has joined Bleecker Street as President of Distribution. In his new role, the veteran distribution executive will be responsible for spearheading the company’s theatrical distribution strategies, planning and execution as well as managing the wider distribution team.
Upcoming wide releases from Bleecker Street that he will oversee include Infinite Storm with Naomi Watts on March 25th; Montana Story with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13th; Emma Holly Jones’ Mr. Malcolm’s List with Freida Pinto on July 1st; James Ponsoldt’s Summering on July 15th; Dale Dickey’s A Love Song on July 29th; Abi Damaris Corbin’s 892 with John Boyega on August 26th; and Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv’s Golda starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, which has been slated for release later this year.
Davies was previously at Paramount Pictures, where he most recently served as President of Domestic Distribution.
Upcoming wide releases from Bleecker Street that he will oversee include Infinite Storm with Naomi Watts on March 25th; Montana Story with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13th; Emma Holly Jones’ Mr. Malcolm’s List with Freida Pinto on July 1st; James Ponsoldt’s Summering on July 15th; Dale Dickey’s A Love Song on July 29th; Abi Damaris Corbin’s 892 with John Boyega on August 26th; and Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv’s Golda starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, which has been slated for release later this year.
Davies was previously at Paramount Pictures, where he most recently served as President of Domestic Distribution.
- 3/2/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Release slate includes Guy Nattiv’s upcoming Golda starring Helen Mirren.
In a coup for the company Bleecker Street has hired former Paramount executive Kyle Davies as president of distribution.
In the new role Davies will lead the company’s theatrical distribution strategies and manage the wider distribution team. He most recently served as president of domestic distribution at Paramount and worked across A Quiet Place, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Bumblebee, Rocketman, Arrival, Fences, Daddy’s Home 2 and Annihilation, among others.
Bleecker Street’s upcoming releases include Infinite Storm with Naomi Watts on March 25; Montana Story with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13; Emma Holly Jones’ Mr.
In a coup for the company Bleecker Street has hired former Paramount executive Kyle Davies as president of distribution.
In the new role Davies will lead the company’s theatrical distribution strategies and manage the wider distribution team. He most recently served as president of domestic distribution at Paramount and worked across A Quiet Place, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Bumblebee, Rocketman, Arrival, Fences, Daddy’s Home 2 and Annihilation, among others.
Bleecker Street’s upcoming releases include Infinite Storm with Naomi Watts on March 25; Montana Story with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13; Emma Holly Jones’ Mr.
- 3/2/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Bleecker Street has named Kyle Davies, a former executive with Paramount, as its new president of distribution, the company announced Wednesday.
Davies will lead Bleecker Street’s theatrical distribution strategies, planning and execution and manage the wider distribution team. He starts effective immediately and is based in Los Angeles.
He’ll be responsible for Bleecker’s upcoming release slate, which includes “Infinite Storm” with Naomi Watts later this month, “Montana Story” with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13, and James Ponsoldt’s “Summering” on July 15, among others.
Davies joins Bleecker Street from Paramount Pictures, where he most recently served as president of Domestic Distribution between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, Davies was responsible for distribution strategy for films such as “Rocketman,” “A Quiet Place,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” “Bumblebee,” “Arrival” and “Fences.”
“Kyle has unparalleled relationships with exhibitors and a stellar track record in the theatrical distribution space. His perspective is very much...
Davies will lead Bleecker Street’s theatrical distribution strategies, planning and execution and manage the wider distribution team. He starts effective immediately and is based in Los Angeles.
He’ll be responsible for Bleecker’s upcoming release slate, which includes “Infinite Storm” with Naomi Watts later this month, “Montana Story” with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13, and James Ponsoldt’s “Summering” on July 15, among others.
Davies joins Bleecker Street from Paramount Pictures, where he most recently served as president of Domestic Distribution between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, Davies was responsible for distribution strategy for films such as “Rocketman,” “A Quiet Place,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” “Bumblebee,” “Arrival” and “Fences.”
“Kyle has unparalleled relationships with exhibitors and a stellar track record in the theatrical distribution space. His perspective is very much...
- 3/2/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
A24 has greenlit “F*cking Identical Twins,” an R-rated musical comedy that puts a subversive spin on “The Parent Trap.”
Comedians Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp are adapting the film from their two-man stage show, which premiered at Manhattan’s Upright Citizens Brigade in 2014. In addition to writing the script, Jackson and Sharp will co-star as the eponymous identical twins. They will be joined by a star-studded ensemble includes Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, Bowen Yang and Megan Thee Stallion. It is not clear who those actors will play.
Featuring original songs by Jackson, Sharp and composer Karl Saint Lucy, “F*cking Identical Twins” takes inspiration from Hallie and Annie’s mischievous exploits in “The Parent Trap” and follows two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers. They decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents and become a family again.
Larry Charles, who previously directed...
Comedians Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp are adapting the film from their two-man stage show, which premiered at Manhattan’s Upright Citizens Brigade in 2014. In addition to writing the script, Jackson and Sharp will co-star as the eponymous identical twins. They will be joined by a star-studded ensemble includes Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, Bowen Yang and Megan Thee Stallion. It is not clear who those actors will play.
Featuring original songs by Jackson, Sharp and composer Karl Saint Lucy, “F*cking Identical Twins” takes inspiration from Hallie and Annie’s mischievous exploits in “The Parent Trap” and follows two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers. They decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents and become a family again.
Larry Charles, who previously directed...
- 2/17/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Megan Thee Stallion, Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally and Bowen Yang are set to star in a new R-rated musical comedy called “F*cking Identical Twins” from A24 and Chernin Entertainment that is a subversive spin on “The Parent Trap.”
Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp will both write the script and star in the film as two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers and decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents and become a family again.
“F*cking Identical Twins” is based on Jackson and Sharp’s two-man stage show that premiered at the Upright Citizens Brigade in 2014. They are adapting the show for the screen along with original songs by Jackson, Sharp and Karl Saint Lucy.
Larry Charles, the director and producer known for “Borat,” “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is on board to direct “F*cking Identical Twins.” The film is in production now.
Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp will both write the script and star in the film as two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers and decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents and become a family again.
“F*cking Identical Twins” is based on Jackson and Sharp’s two-man stage show that premiered at the Upright Citizens Brigade in 2014. They are adapting the show for the screen along with original songs by Jackson, Sharp and Karl Saint Lucy.
Larry Charles, the director and producer known for “Borat,” “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is on board to direct “F*cking Identical Twins.” The film is in production now.
- 2/17/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Showtime and Bleecker Street have struck an exclusive three-year output deal for the distributor’s movies.
Under the pact, which is effective from March, Showtime will carry Bleecker Street movies on air, on demand and via its streaming services within five months of their initial release.
The announcement was made by Kent Sevener, executive VP of content acquisition at Showtime, and Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen.
The agreement will span up to 12 films per year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street. Movies included in the deal are “Infinite Storm” (releasing March 25), “Montana Story” (May 13), “Mr. Malcolm’s List” (July 1), “Summering” (summer), “892” (summer), “Golda” (first quarter of 2022), and “Mafia Mamma” (2023). (More info on these titles follows below.)
Recent films from Bleecker Street include “Mass,” which won the Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, “I’m Your Man,” “Together Together,” “Dream Horse,” “Supernova” and “The World to Come.
Under the pact, which is effective from March, Showtime will carry Bleecker Street movies on air, on demand and via its streaming services within five months of their initial release.
The announcement was made by Kent Sevener, executive VP of content acquisition at Showtime, and Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen.
The agreement will span up to 12 films per year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street. Movies included in the deal are “Infinite Storm” (releasing March 25), “Montana Story” (May 13), “Mr. Malcolm’s List” (July 1), “Summering” (summer), “892” (summer), “Golda” (first quarter of 2022), and “Mafia Mamma” (2023). (More info on these titles follows below.)
Recent films from Bleecker Street include “Mass,” which won the Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, “I’m Your Man,” “Together Together,” “Dream Horse,” “Supernova” and “The World to Come.
- 2/10/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Films go on-air, on-demand, on streaming within five months of initial release.
Bleecker Street has signed an exclusive three-year output deal with Showtime Networks, effective in March, that includes an initial wave of theatrical releases including Sundance entries 892 and Summering and Naomi Watts survival thriller Infinite Storm.
Showtime will carry Bleecker films across its on-air, on-demand and streaming premium services within five months of initial release. The deal comprises up to 12 films a year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street.
Initial titles include Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert’s Infinite Storm (March 25); Scott McGehee and...
Bleecker Street has signed an exclusive three-year output deal with Showtime Networks, effective in March, that includes an initial wave of theatrical releases including Sundance entries 892 and Summering and Naomi Watts survival thriller Infinite Storm.
Showtime will carry Bleecker films across its on-air, on-demand and streaming premium services within five months of initial release. The deal comprises up to 12 films a year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street.
Initial titles include Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert’s Infinite Storm (March 25); Scott McGehee and...
- 2/10/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
“A Love Song,” a drama that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival starring Dale Dickey and Wes Studi, has been acquired by both Bleecker Street and Sony’s Stage 6 Films.
The two distributors together took the film’s worldwide rights, with Bleecker handling the domestic theatrical rollout for a release later this summer.
“A Love Song” is the feature film debut of writer and director Max Walker-Silverman, and it will next screen at the Berlin Film Festival in the Panorama section.
“A Love Song” follows Faye (Dickey), who stations herself at an idyllic lakeside campsite in the Colorado Mountains – cooking simple meals, retrieving crawfish from a trap, and scanning her old box radio for a station. But Faye is also awaiting the arrival of Lito (Studi), a childhood sweetheart she hasn’t seen in decades. When Lito arrives, the two widowed companions spend an evening reminiscing about their lives,...
The two distributors together took the film’s worldwide rights, with Bleecker handling the domestic theatrical rollout for a release later this summer.
“A Love Song” is the feature film debut of writer and director Max Walker-Silverman, and it will next screen at the Berlin Film Festival in the Panorama section.
“A Love Song” follows Faye (Dickey), who stations herself at an idyllic lakeside campsite in the Colorado Mountains – cooking simple meals, retrieving crawfish from a trap, and scanning her old box radio for a station. But Faye is also awaiting the arrival of Lito (Studi), a childhood sweetheart she hasn’t seen in decades. When Lito arrives, the two widowed companions spend an evening reminiscing about their lives,...
- 2/2/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to “892,” a thriller starring John Boyega and Michael K. Williams that made its premiere in competition at Sundance.
Abi Damaris Cobrin directed the film that won the Special Jury Prize for an Ensemble Cast at Sundance. Bleecker Street is planning a theatrical release for the film later this summer.
“892” is based on a true story of a former U.S. Marine Brian Brown-Easley, who after his disability check failed to materialize from Veterans Affairs and he found himself on the brink of poverty, went into a Wells Fargo Bank and announced “I’ve got a bomb.”
The film also stars Nicole Beharie, Connie Britton, Olivia Washington, Selenis Leyva and London Covington. And “892” is the last film for Williams, who died last year.
Corbin co-wrote the film along with Kwame Kwei-Armah, who is the artistic director for the Young Vic in London.
Abi Damaris Cobrin directed the film that won the Special Jury Prize for an Ensemble Cast at Sundance. Bleecker Street is planning a theatrical release for the film later this summer.
“892” is based on a true story of a former U.S. Marine Brian Brown-Easley, who after his disability check failed to materialize from Veterans Affairs and he found himself on the brink of poverty, went into a Wells Fargo Bank and announced “I’ve got a bomb.”
The film also stars Nicole Beharie, Connie Britton, Olivia Washington, Selenis Leyva and London Covington. And “892” is the last film for Williams, who died last year.
Corbin co-wrote the film along with Kwame Kwei-Armah, who is the artistic director for the Young Vic in London.
- 2/1/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Distributor plans late summer theatrical release.
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to Sundance drama 892 starring John Boyega as Brian Brown-Easley, the former U.S. Marine who walked into a bank claiming to have a bomb after his disability cheque failed to materialise.
Abi Damaris Corbin directed the film which also stars the late Michael Kenneth Williams in what was his final film role, Nicole Beharie, Connie Britton, Olivia Washington, Selenis Leyva, London Covington and Jeffrey Donovan.
Bleecker Street plans a late summer nationwide theatrical release for the film, which won the special jury award for ensemble cast in U.
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to Sundance drama 892 starring John Boyega as Brian Brown-Easley, the former U.S. Marine who walked into a bank claiming to have a bomb after his disability cheque failed to materialise.
Abi Damaris Corbin directed the film which also stars the late Michael Kenneth Williams in what was his final film role, Nicole Beharie, Connie Britton, Olivia Washington, Selenis Leyva, London Covington and Jeffrey Donovan.
Bleecker Street plans a late summer nationwide theatrical release for the film, which won the special jury award for ensemble cast in U.
- 2/1/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Paramount+ is heading to the honky tonk.
The streamer has put in development a series adaptation of teh John Travolta-Debra Winger feature film Urban Cowboy.
The project, based on the 1980 romantic Western, comes from James Ponsoldt, the writer-director behind Tom Hanks-Emma Watson film The Circle, and Benjamin Percy.
The pair are behind 2022 Sundance film Summering, the story of four friends on the verge of middle school entering that strange phase of uncertainty about the notion of getting older.
Ponsoldt will direct and co-write Urban Cowboy with Percy. Paramount Television Studios produces.
Paramount+ Renews ‘Seal Team’, ‘Mayor Of Kingstown’, ‘The Game’
The film, which was directed by James Bridges, followed the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan “Bud” Davis (Travolta) and Sissy (Winger) and is centered at Gilley’s Club, a large honky tonk in Texas.
The series will go “deeper” into Bud’s journey from farm to the big city in...
The streamer has put in development a series adaptation of teh John Travolta-Debra Winger feature film Urban Cowboy.
The project, based on the 1980 romantic Western, comes from James Ponsoldt, the writer-director behind Tom Hanks-Emma Watson film The Circle, and Benjamin Percy.
The pair are behind 2022 Sundance film Summering, the story of four friends on the verge of middle school entering that strange phase of uncertainty about the notion of getting older.
Ponsoldt will direct and co-write Urban Cowboy with Percy. Paramount Television Studios produces.
Paramount+ Renews ‘Seal Team’, ‘Mayor Of Kingstown’, ‘The Game’
The film, which was directed by James Bridges, followed the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan “Bud” Davis (Travolta) and Sissy (Winger) and is centered at Gilley’s Club, a large honky tonk in Texas.
The series will go “deeper” into Bud’s journey from farm to the big city in...
- 2/1/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount+ is doubling down on its ’80s nostalgia, announcing a new series based on the John Travolta film “Urban Cowboy” and setting a director and writer for its upcoming new take on “Flashdance.”
James Ponsoldt (“Sorry For Your Loss”) will co-write and direct the “Urban Cowboy” series based on the 1980 film starring Travolta and Debra Winger. And Justin Simien of “Dear White People” fame is on board to adapt and direct his own contemporary take on “Flashdance.” Both updates were unveiled at ViacomCBS’ Television Critics Association Winter Tour presentation Tuesday, and each series will debut for the Paramount+ streaming service.
Ponsoldt will co-write “Urban Cowboy” along with Benjamin Percy. The series will dive deeper into the story of Bud and his journey from living on a farm to the big city in 1980s Houston. The series will also feature iconic music from the era. No casting details were unveiled.
“Urban Cowboy...
James Ponsoldt (“Sorry For Your Loss”) will co-write and direct the “Urban Cowboy” series based on the 1980 film starring Travolta and Debra Winger. And Justin Simien of “Dear White People” fame is on board to adapt and direct his own contemporary take on “Flashdance.” Both updates were unveiled at ViacomCBS’ Television Critics Association Winter Tour presentation Tuesday, and each series will debut for the Paramount+ streaming service.
Ponsoldt will co-write “Urban Cowboy” along with Benjamin Percy. The series will dive deeper into the story of Bud and his journey from living on a farm to the big city in 1980s Houston. The series will also feature iconic music from the era. No casting details were unveiled.
“Urban Cowboy...
- 2/1/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
“Summering” is a tender coming-of-age story that follows four best friends, Daisy (played by Lia Barnett), Dina (played by Madalen Mills), Mari (played by Eden Grace Redfield) and Lola (played by Sanai Victoria) who try to solve a mystery the last weekend before they start middle school and their lives — as they know them — change forever.
The girls find a body, and while searching for clues to figure out the man’s identity, they let their anxieties, worries and deeper feelings spill out to each other.
Director and writer James Ponsoldt and actors Lia Barnett, Lake Bell, Sarah Cooper, Ashley Madekwe, Eden Grace Redfield, Megan Mullally and Sanai Victoria sat down for interviews at TheWrap’s virtual Sundance studio to discuss the film.
Ponsoldt said the “biggest thing” that drove him to make this children-centered and driven film is the fact that he himself became a parent to three young kids.
The girls find a body, and while searching for clues to figure out the man’s identity, they let their anxieties, worries and deeper feelings spill out to each other.
Director and writer James Ponsoldt and actors Lia Barnett, Lake Bell, Sarah Cooper, Ashley Madekwe, Eden Grace Redfield, Megan Mullally and Sanai Victoria sat down for interviews at TheWrap’s virtual Sundance studio to discuss the film.
Ponsoldt said the “biggest thing” that drove him to make this children-centered and driven film is the fact that he himself became a parent to three young kids.
- 1/29/2022
- by Aarohi Sheth
- The Wrap
The IndieWire Sundance 2022 Bible: Every Review, Interview, and News Item Posted During the Festival
Film and Television Reviews
‘Emily the Criminal’ Review: Aubrey Plaza Is Riveting in a Pitch-Black Heist Thriller
‘Am I Ok?’ Review: Dakota Johnson Charms Her Way Through a New Kind of Sex Comedy
‘Jihad Rehab’ Review: A Provocative Look Inside the Spa-Like Saudi Facility that Tries to Re-Educate Terrorists
‘Navalny’ Review: CNN’s Thriller-Like Doc Goes Inside Putin’s Failed Attempt to Assassinate His Rival
Sundance Indie Episodic Program Looks to the Past to Escape a Grim Present
‘Blood’ Review: ‘Wetlands’ Star Carla Juri Grieves Through a Meandering Soul Search in Japan
‘Dos Estaciones’ Review: The Owner of a Tequila Factory Struggles to Stay Afloat in Sobering Docudrama
‘My Old School’ Review: A One-of-a-Kind Alan Cumming Performance Undone by Shrug-Worthy Hoax
‘Happening’ Review: Captivating Venice Winner Takes a Clear-Eyed View of Abortion
‘Palm Trees and Power Lines’ Review: Breakout Lily McInerny Boosts Painfully Honest Coming-of-Age Tale
‘The American Dream and...
‘Emily the Criminal’ Review: Aubrey Plaza Is Riveting in a Pitch-Black Heist Thriller
‘Am I Ok?’ Review: Dakota Johnson Charms Her Way Through a New Kind of Sex Comedy
‘Jihad Rehab’ Review: A Provocative Look Inside the Spa-Like Saudi Facility that Tries to Re-Educate Terrorists
‘Navalny’ Review: CNN’s Thriller-Like Doc Goes Inside Putin’s Failed Attempt to Assassinate His Rival
Sundance Indie Episodic Program Looks to the Past to Escape a Grim Present
‘Blood’ Review: ‘Wetlands’ Star Carla Juri Grieves Through a Meandering Soul Search in Japan
‘Dos Estaciones’ Review: The Owner of a Tequila Factory Struggles to Stay Afloat in Sobering Docudrama
‘My Old School’ Review: A One-of-a-Kind Alan Cumming Performance Undone by Shrug-Worthy Hoax
‘Happening’ Review: Captivating Venice Winner Takes a Clear-Eyed View of Abortion
‘Palm Trees and Power Lines’ Review: Breakout Lily McInerny Boosts Painfully Honest Coming-of-Age Tale
‘The American Dream and...
- 1/28/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Chicago – The 2022 Sundance Film Festival heads into Day Five after the Opening Weekend Offerings reflecting Life in Our Times. Like last year, the festival is virtual and online, meaning anyone/anywhere with a ticket or a pass (link) can indulge in the film offerings throughout the festival, which runs until January 30th.
One of the elements that cinema does best is to reflect back from the screen, as a mirror to our era. That’s the type of films that Sundance presents best, finding voices who will reflect back to us in inclusiveness, subject matter and storytelling. Films also create empathy, as Roger Ebert once observed, and it is these reflective films that increases understanding in our current circumstances.
Lucy and Desi
Photo credit: Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual event organized by the Sundance Institute – an organization founded by actor Robert Redford in 1980 – and dedicated...
One of the elements that cinema does best is to reflect back from the screen, as a mirror to our era. That’s the type of films that Sundance presents best, finding voices who will reflect back to us in inclusiveness, subject matter and storytelling. Films also create empathy, as Roger Ebert once observed, and it is these reflective films that increases understanding in our current circumstances.
Lucy and Desi
Photo credit: Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual event organized by the Sundance Institute – an organization founded by actor Robert Redford in 1980 – and dedicated...
- 1/24/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
“What’s going on with our girls?” asks the emotionally drained mother of a tween girl in James Ponsoldt’s Summering. As any parent (or relative) of a pre-teen can attest, that’s a complex question with no simple answer. The manner in which Ponsoldt answers said question is ultimately what sinks Summering, a ho-hum coming-of-age dramedy. Summering does not trust that its characters will hold the attention of its audience—a crucial miscalculation that derails this Sundance entry that is certainly promising on paper.
That miscalculation is the decision to force a murder-mystery subplot into a sweet story of four friends’ final days before the start of middle school. No surprise seeing that type of useless diversion wedged into the film. What is a surprise, though, is the degree to which that mystery takes over and ultimately dominates Summering. Perhaps this film, scripted by Ponsoldt and Benjamin Percy, is...
That miscalculation is the decision to force a murder-mystery subplot into a sweet story of four friends’ final days before the start of middle school. No surprise seeing that type of useless diversion wedged into the film. What is a surprise, though, is the degree to which that mystery takes over and ultimately dominates Summering. Perhaps this film, scripted by Ponsoldt and Benjamin Percy, is...
- 1/24/2022
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
On a balmy Labor Day weekend, four best friends find a dead body in the woods, the discovery marking an end of innocence as adolescence beckons. If you think you’ve seen this one before, “Summering” makes no apology for the resemblance. Right down to a stolen pistol shoved in a backpack, James Ponsoldt’s unhurried, sun-kissed coming-of-age drama plays as an all-female homage to Rob Reiner’s “Stand By Me” — a reference that won’t mean much to the pre-teen girls at whom it’s aimed, but may make some of their parents a little misty-eyed. Yet nostalgia may be the strongest emotion engendered by this breeze-blown dandelion seed of a film, which nods to the bittersweet complexities of growing up and confronting adulthood, but never gets as far as fully dramatizing them.
As such, “Summering” is a pleasant enough watch for patient, thoughtful children and their elders alike,...
As such, “Summering” is a pleasant enough watch for patient, thoughtful children and their elders alike,...
- 1/23/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
I might be tempted to call writer-director James Ponsoldt’s new coming-of-age film about four young girls who discover the dead body of a man on the last summer days before starting middle school Stand By She. Okay I will. Its actual title is Summering and it is a sweet and sincere attempt to give young girls the kind of edge-of-turning-teen story of a last summer of no worries with your friends that has mostly been reserved for boys in classic Hollywood films in the genre. With a screenplay Ponsoldt, with co-writer Benjamin Percy, was inspired to create coming out of the pandemic, and new questions about life presented to our youngest members of the planet, they land on a somewhat dark situation. Four carefree young girls come face to face with death, and some special bonding in this unusual entry into the Kids section of the Sundance Film Festival where it is premiering today.
- 1/23/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
James Ponsoldt is having the kind of career that future students of the business of film may study with some confusion. He made his name by turning out three indie dramas in four years – “Smashed,” “The Spectacular Now,” and “The End of the Tour” – all well-received, all running the Sundance-premiere-to-boutique-distributor pipeline. But he fumbled on the next step, an adaptation of Dave Eggers’ “The Circle” starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks, and he’s spent the past five years directing for television.
Continue reading ‘Summering’ Review: James Ponsoldt Makes A Pleasant But Lightweight Coming-Of-Age Tale Return [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Summering’ Review: James Ponsoldt Makes A Pleasant But Lightweight Coming-Of-Age Tale Return [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/23/2022
- by Jason Bailey
- The Playlist
Taking place online and in person, the Sundance Film Festival will return for its 2022 edition January 20th through 30th and now the main lineup has been unveiled. With 82 feature-length films representing 28 countries, these films were selected from 14,849 submissions, including 3,762 feature-length films.
Notable titles include Ramin Bahrani’s 2nd Chance, Lena Dunham’s Sharp Stick, Riley Stearns’ Dual, Ricky D’Ambrose’s The Cathedral, two Dakota Johnson-led films, Cha Cha Real Smooth and Am I Ok?, the Bill Nighy-led Ikiru remake Living, Sierra Pettengill’s Riotsville, USA, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead’s Something in the Dirt, Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane, W. Kamau Bell’s We Need to Talk About Cosby, Jesse Eisenberg’s When You Finish Saving the World, Kogonada’s After Yang, James Ponsoldt’s Summering, and more.
“The online dimension of the festival was something that after, having done it last year, we valued greatly,” says Tabitha Jackson,...
Notable titles include Ramin Bahrani’s 2nd Chance, Lena Dunham’s Sharp Stick, Riley Stearns’ Dual, Ricky D’Ambrose’s The Cathedral, two Dakota Johnson-led films, Cha Cha Real Smooth and Am I Ok?, the Bill Nighy-led Ikiru remake Living, Sierra Pettengill’s Riotsville, USA, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead’s Something in the Dirt, Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane, W. Kamau Bell’s We Need to Talk About Cosby, Jesse Eisenberg’s When You Finish Saving the World, Kogonada’s After Yang, James Ponsoldt’s Summering, and more.
“The online dimension of the festival was something that after, having done it last year, we valued greatly,” says Tabitha Jackson,...
- 12/9/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: As the American Film Market kicks off this week, Deadline has learned about some executive changes at Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Stage 6 Films.
Jon Freedberg has been promoted to EVP Content Strategy & Operations of the division. He began with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions in 2008 and has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of the group’s slate of more than 25 titles per year. Using innovative deal structures, he has helped Stage 6 Films land rights to commercial successes such as Greyhound, starring Tom Hanks, and Arrival, starring Amy Adams. He has also handled prestige titles such as the Oscar-nominated Sound of Metal and the acclaimed Ammonite. Freedberg will oversee Marketing, Business Affairs and Finance for the label in his expanded role.
Additionally, Katie Anderson has joined the team as VP Worldwide Acquisitions and Daniel De Boulay as manager of the division.
Anderson previously served as VP Production at 30West,...
Jon Freedberg has been promoted to EVP Content Strategy & Operations of the division. He began with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions in 2008 and has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of the group’s slate of more than 25 titles per year. Using innovative deal structures, he has helped Stage 6 Films land rights to commercial successes such as Greyhound, starring Tom Hanks, and Arrival, starring Amy Adams. He has also handled prestige titles such as the Oscar-nominated Sound of Metal and the acclaimed Ammonite. Freedberg will oversee Marketing, Business Affairs and Finance for the label in his expanded role.
Additionally, Katie Anderson has joined the team as VP Worldwide Acquisitions and Daniel De Boulay as manager of the division.
Anderson previously served as VP Production at 30West,...
- 11/1/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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