Film-Forward

American

The Kings of Summer

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts Produced by Tyler Davidson, Peter Saraf & John Hodges Written by Chris Galletta Released by CBS Films USA. 95 min. Rated R With Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Marc Evan Jackson, Erin Moriarty, Alison Brie & Mary Lynn Rajskub The Kings of Summer open with a […]

Much Ado About Nothing

Written & Directed by Joss Whedon, based on the play by Shakespeare Produced by Mr. Whedon & Kai Cole Released by Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions USA. 107 min. Rated PG- With Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz, Jillian Morgese, Sean Maher, Reed Diamond, Clark Gregg & Tom Lenk With the recent conversations surrounding the merits […]

An Oversimplification of Her Beauty

Music, Art Direction, Animation Direction, Edited, Written & Directed by Terence Nance Produced by James Bartlett, Andrew D. Corkin & Nance Released by Variance Films USA. 84 min. Not rated With Terence Nance & Namik Minter The tender opening credits appear as hand drawn overlays over a beautiful sequence shot in the tunnels of the […]

Violet & Daisy

Written & Directed by Geoffrey Fletcher Produced by Fletcher & Bonnie Timmerman Released by Cinedigm USA. 88 min. Rated R With Saoirse Ronan, Alexis Bledel & James Gandolfini The idea behind Violet & Daisy is intriguing. Two young women, who love ordinary things like pretty dresses and bubblegum pop stars, happen to be deadly assassins […]

Frances Ha

Directed by Noah Baumbach Written by Baumbach & Greta Gerwig Produced by Mr. Baumbach, Scott Rudin, Lila Yacoub & Rodrigo Teixeira Released by IFC Films. USA. 86 min. Rated R With Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Patrick Heusinger, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen & Grace Gummer Frances Ha is yet another story about a white 20-something woman […]

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Directed by Mira Nair Written by William Wheeler, based on a screen story by Mohsin Hamid & Ami Boghani & the novel by Hamid; Produced by Lydia Pilcher Released by IFC Films USA/UK/Qatar. 128 min. Not rated With Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi & Martin Donovan At heart, […]

What Maisie Knew

Directed by Scott McGehee & David Siegel Written by Nancy Doyne & Carroll Cartwright, based on the novel by Henry James Produced by William Teitler, Charles Weinstock, Daniela Taplin Lundberg & Daniel Crown Released by Millennium Entertainment USA. 98 min. Rated R With Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan, Alexander Skarsgard, Joanna Vanderham & Onata Aprile What […]

Mud

Written & Directed by Jeff Nichols Produced by Sarah Green, Aaron Ryder & Lisa Maria Falcone Released by Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions USA. 130 min. Rated R With Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon, Joe Don Baker, Ray McKinnon,  Sarah Paulson, Sam Shepard & Michael Shannon Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland, and yes, […]

Arthur Newman

Directed by Dante Ariola Written by Becky Johnston Produced by Alisa Tager, Johnston, Mac Cappuccino & Brian Oliver Released by Cinedigm USA. 101 min. Not rated With Colin Firth, Emily Blunt, Anne Heche & Lucas Hedges Mistaken and reinvention of identity is a longstanding theme within popular culture, from North by Northwest to Mad Men?the […]