Whistleblower’s comments a risk given his sanctuary in the country since 2013
National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has delivered his most trenchant criticism yet of the Russian government, describing it unequivocally as “corrupt”.
His comments mean the proposed US-Russia summit in Helsinki on 16 July is potentially risky for him if Donald Trump was to request Vladimir Putin to hand him over.
Continue reading...In industry where one-third of workers are immigrants, Ice’s largest raid at an Ohio plant strikes fear in local communities
Meatpacking has never been the safest, or the most pleasant, job. Now, under the Trump administration, workers are facing another hazard – the threat of deportation.
“We were working in the plant and the agents showed up with machine guns and started taking everyone outside,” 20-year-old “Carlos”, a meatpacker at the Fresh Mark meatpacking plant in Salem, Ohio, told the Guardian.
Divided response to the Sarah Sanders incident is ‘a microcosm of what’s going on in the country’, say local residents
Last Friday night, when Stephanie Wilkinson, the owner of the Red Hen, decided to eject the White House press secretary from her small restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, she could not have had any idea of the row she was about to ignite. Sarah Sanders, who was already midway through her meal, was asked to leave after Wilkinson’s staff voted to eject her in protest against the president’s policy of separating children from their parents at the Mexican border.
Since then the rustic farm-to-table eatery has been at the centre of a national debate about civility and politics. And the reaction has overwhelmed the restaurant. It has been forced to close, having had eggs – and excrement – thrown at it, and it has been besieged by angry protesters. Another business in Lexington, with no connection to the Red Hen, received a bomb threat. On Saturday, scores of “Bikers for Trump” are planning to gather outside.
Continue reading...Demonstrators sat on floor of Senate office building to condemn treatment of migrant families, with more rallies planned
Continue reading...President’s remarks were confirmed by European officials, adding to jitters among allies about what will happen at July Nato summit
Donald Trump trashed Nato, saying it was “as bad as Nafta”, the North American free trade agreement the US president openly despises, European officials have confirmed.
Related: Trump is hellbent on destroying the Nato alliance | Martin Kettle
Continue reading...Singer faces $100m lawsuit over claims Thinking Out Loud copied 1973 hit Let’s Get It On
Ed Sheeran has been sued for a second time over allegations that his song Thinking Out Loud rips off Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On.
A company called Structured Asset Sales, which owns part of the copyright of Gaye’s song, is suing Sheeran for $100m (£76.4m), alleging that his 2014 single copies “the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping” of Gaye’s 1973 hit.
Continue reading...Toronto’s Nai Kids choir makes decision to stay home in wake of Trump’s travel ban and says it’s ‘not something we wanted to risk’
A Canadian children’s choir made up mostly of recently arrived Syrian refugees has turned down an invite to perform at a prestigious international festival in the US over fears of crossing the border under the Trump administration’s travel ban.
Related: Trump's travel ban: what does the supreme court ruling mean?
Continue reading...My award proves many Americans know how essential immigrants are to our society. If only this understanding reached the White House
I’m not a loser per se, but the truth is I never win anything. Just this week my dental insurance wrote to tell me I didn’t even win a root canal that my dentist nominated me for. So I’m shocked to realize that this Saturday I will be sashaying along under the great domed ceiling of Federal Hall in downtown Manhattan to collect an award. An “Alexander Hamilton Immigrant Achievement” award for my “outstanding contribution to Lower Manhattan and New York State”.
The award is presented by the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, an organization that honors multicultural diversity and celebrates “the dynamic cosmopolitan optimism that defines so much of the American spirit”.
Continue reading...A recent Gallup poll showed that, at the 500 days mark, Trump was the second most popular US president among his own constituency. How is that possible?
In the past two months I have been traveling through Europe, talking to academic and non-academic audiences all across the continent about populism. And from Norway to Italy and Hungary to Ireland, people have been asking me the same question: how is it possible that Americans still support President Donald Trump?
Related: Hillary Clinton: 'What is more uncivil than taking children away?'
Continue reading...The creatures we feared our grandchildren wouldn’t see have vanished: it’s happened faster than even pessimists predicted
It felt as disorienting as forgetting my pin number. I stared at the caterpillar, unable to attach a name to it. I don’t think my mental powers are fading: I still possess an eerie capacity to recall facts and figures and memorise long screeds of text. This is a specific loss. As a child and young adult, I delighted in being able to identify almost any wild plant or animal. And now it has gone. This ability has shrivelled from disuse: I can no longer identify them because I can no longer find them.
Related: A world without puffins? The uncertain fate of the much-loved seabirds
Continue reading...What do ice skating coaches, organists, public defenders and property managers have in common? The government has sued them all for trying to organize
Over the last several decades, American big business has led a sustained assault on unions. And its mission to undermine worker power has had a quiet but important ally: the government.
What do ice skating coaches, organists, public defenders and property managers have in common? They have all been sued by the US government for attempting to raise their incomes through collective action.
Continue reading...Republican president who is eager to build a clear, conservative majority on the United States supreme court – and too sure of his political ground – overreaches. He picks a rightwing zealot for the open seat created by the retirement of a justice. At stake in the subsequent political battle over his nomination is the constitutional right of American women to have an abortion.
Related: Anthony Kennedy: US supreme court justice to retire
Continue reading...US law allows children to work for wages in toxic tobacco fields. We urge the tobacco industry to raise the minimum age to 18
It’s no surprise that working in tobacco fields is dangerous. Smoking tobacco kills 6 to 7 million people a year, according to the World Health Organization. The same nicotine that makes tobacco so dangerous – and addictive – harms workers in tobacco fields. What is a surprise to many is that child workers are among those harmed and the United States allows 12-year-olds to work for wages in toxic tobacco fields where children are exposed to nicotine and toxic pesticides.
Related: How we can fight child labour in the tobacco industry
Continue reading...Minnesota United midfielder Collin Martin announced he is gay, making him the only active male athlete in the major professional sports leagues to come out.
Martin made the announcement on social media Friday before the Loons were to host a Pride Night at home against Dallas. He said he’s been out for years with family, friends and teammates and “received only kindness and acceptance from everyone in Major League Soccer”.
Continue reading...Disgraced ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar and a former trainer were charged with sexual assault Friday following an investigation involving an elite gymnastics center in Texas.
A grand jury indicted Nassar on six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, Walker County prosecutor Stephanie Stroud announced during a news conference. She said a former trainer, Debbie Van Horn, was charged with one count.
Continue reading...As Gareth Southgate knows, the draw in any sporting tournament matters most to those with least chance of winning it. To lift the trophy, the best sooner or later have to beat the best, be it on day one or in the final.
Yet the hidden drama in Friday’s women’s singles draw for Wimbledon was unavoidable from top to bottom – most obviously with Serena Williams’s return to the All England Club on Monday, after two years (one tournament) away, against the world No 107, Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands.
Continue reading...The NBA’s best player could be on his way out of Cleveland (again) after declining his player option on Friday, but there’s something hollow about his thankless pursuit of Michael Jordan’s six titles
LeBron James, who declined his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers and became a free agent on Friday, is a superstar in a predicament of his own making. He essentially created the culture of NBA stars teaming up to win championships, one that allowed Kevin Durant to make the Golden State Warriors a dynasty at his own expense. The unfortunate thing for James is he gets no credit.
While Durant is hailed as a selfless hero who stifled his ego to win two titles with the Warriors, LeBron is forever measured against a player from another era, a man who found the perfect team and the perfect coach. The cloud that shrouds LeBron’s legacy at age 32 is that he hasn’t become Michael Jordan.
Continue reading...Podcast appears to include conversation with the president in which comedian poses as a senator
Donald Trump appears to have returned a prank phone call from a comedian pretending to be the senator Robert Menendez on Wednesday as he was returning to Washington DC from a rally in North Dakota aboard Air Force One.
John Melendez, a veteran performer on Howard Stern and Jay Leno’s shows, published a podcast episode Thursday that includes a recording of a three minute conversation between himself and what sounds to be the president.
Continue reading...President announced he has five finalists, including two women, and may interview two contenders this weekend
Donald Trump said on Friday he plans to announce his nominee for a forthcoming vacancy on the supreme court on 9 July – a lightning-quick move to replace the retiring swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy, 81.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to his private golf club in New Jersey on Friday afternoon, the president announced that he has five finalists, including two women, out of the shortlist of 25 names that had been previously circulated.
Continue reading...Car giant, which employs 180,000 people worldwide, follows Harley-Davidson in warning Trump that tariffs policy is mistake
General Motors warned on Friday that expansive US tariffs on imported vehicles being considered by the Trump administration could lead to “a smaller GM” and risks isolating US businesses from the global market.
Related: Biggest US trade groups warn Trump of 'serious negative impacts' of tariff plan
Continue reading...Mass events, spurred by immigration policy and supreme court, urge unity in trying times: ‘It’s not about red or blue’
Organizers of demonstrations expected to take place across all 50 states on Saturday are calling for Americans outraged by Donald Trump’s immigration policies and the prospect of a supreme court swinging sharply right to put aside party differences and protest with one voice.
“This is an all hands on deck, stop the madness moment. It’s not a red or blue thing,” the national protest organizer, Ai-jen Poo, told the Guardian.
Continue reading...Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google have so far dodged impact of trade war
They are just five companies but they are together worth more than the huge international businesses that make up the entire FTSE 100, more than the companies that comprise Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index, and more than Germany’s Dax and France’s Cac 40 put together.
They are the US technology giants collectively known as Faangs – Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (owned by Alphabet these days) – and their stellar stock market performances of the past few years has continued in the first six months of 2018 despite a number of serious headwinds.
Continue reading...The president says he is surprised that the motorcycle firm will shift production, in response to Trump’s tariffs
Harley-Davidson plans to shift the production of some of its bikes out of the US in response to Europe’s new tariffs on motorcycle imports.
In a stock market filing, the company said the EU’s reaction to Donald Trump’s steel tariffs, which will add $2,200 (£1,657) to the average cost of a motorcycle exported from the US to Europe, will result in up to $100m of extra charges over the next couple of years.
Continue reading...Epidiolex set for autumn launch after US Food and Drug Administration gives approval
A treatment for childhood epilepsy developed by a UK firm has been approved by US regulators and will become the first cannabis-based medicine on the American market.
Epidiolex, made by GW Pharmaceuticals, is set to be launched in the autumn after being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome, for patients from the age of two.
"There's a serial killer on the loose! What else could possibly be this exciting?" Right?! Gunpowder & Sky has released the full-length official trailer for filmmaking collective RKSS' new film Summer of '84, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. This is the film that has been described as a mash-up of "Stranger Things", Stand By Me, and The Goonies, set in the 80's about a group of kids trying to figure out who a local serial killer is and stop him. The cast is lead by a group of four young kids, and the film stars Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Shauna Johannesen. The reviews for this from Sundance weren't as great as expected, but it still looks like it might be an entertaining film to watch later in the fall.
Here's the full-length trailer (+ quad poster art) for RKSS' Summer of '84, direct from YouTube:
You can watch the first teaser trailer for Summer of '84 here, to see the original festival introduction.
After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence, but as they get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous. Summer of '84 is directed by the filmmaking collective known as "RKSS" from Montreal, made up of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell. Their first feature film Turbo Kid debuted at Sundance in 2015. The screenplay is written by Matt Leslie and Stephen J. Smith. The film first premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year in the Midnight category. Gunpowder & Sky will release Summer of '84 in select theaters starting on August 10th, followed by a VOD release. Who's in?
"Some people say I'm unstable, and I snap." Netflix has debuted the trailer for a comedy titled Father of the Year, one of the latest cringe-worthy Happy Madison productions from Adam Sandler's deal with the streaming studio. Surprise surprise, this one looks just as bad. Father of the Year is about two fathers who get into an epic fight of sorts after their college graduate sons challenge them to a showdown. David Spade and Nat Faxon star as the dads, Joey Bragg and Matt Shively star as their kids, and the also includes Bridgit Mendler, Bill Kottkamp, Dean Winters, and Kevin Nealon. This really looks terrible. If you want to watch a better fight movie, Fist Fight is a good choice. And if you want to watch a much better film about a father, Bobcat Goldthwait's World's Greatest Dad is an underrated gem. Just skip this and move on.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Tyler Spindel's Father of the Year, from Netflix's YouTube:
When a drunken debate between two recent college graduates (Joey Bragg & Matt Shively) about whose father would win in a fight is taken seriously by their idiot dads (David Spade & Nat Faxon), jobs are lost, relationships ruined, futures destroyed, and best friends come of age as they come to grips with who their fathers really are. Father of the Year is directed by American filmmaker Tyler Spindel, a former producer for "Chelsea Lately" who made his feature directorial debut with the film Deported in 2017. The screenplay is written by Brandon Cournoyer and Tyler Spindel. This is produced by Allen Covert and Kevin Grady for Happy Madison. Netflix will release Spindel's Father of the Year streaming exclusively starting July 20th.
"Promise me you'll stay nine forever." The Orchard has debuted the first official trailer for an indie film titled We the Animals, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, won the NEXT Innovator Award, and earned a whole bunch of acclaim and rave reviews from critics all over the world. The film sort of reminds me of Beasts of the Southern Wild, about a group of young kids who create their own worlds and live in poor conditions with their parents. The film stars Sheila Vand and Raúl Castillo as the parents, and the story focuses on one specific young boy named Jonah. He also has two other brothers, Manny and Joel, and the three of them are played by Evan Rosado, Josiah Gabriel, and Isaiah Kristian. This is an outstanding trailer for a really wonderful, special film about these kids and how they survive in tough times, supporting each other with imagination and love. I hope this film finds an audience, it deserves to be seen.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jeremiah Zagar's We the Animals, direct from YouTube:
Manny, Joel, and Jonah tear their way through childhood and push against the volatile love of their parents. As Manny and Joel grow into versions of their father and Ma dreams of escape, Jonah embraces an imagined world all his own. We the Animals is directed by American filmmaker Jeremiah Zagar, director of documentaries In a Dream and Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart, as well as a number of great short films previously. The screenplay is written by Jeremiah Zagar and Daniel Kitrosser. This first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the NEXT Innovator Award. It also played at the Tribeca, Montclair, Seattle, and Sydney Film Festivals this year. The Orchard will release Zagar's We the Animals in select theaters starting August 17th later this summer. Who wants to see this?
"Do you really feel no pain?" This looks like a must see. An official trailer has debuted for an indie film from Russia titled Jumpman, which is the third film from Russian filmmaker Ivan I. Tverdovskiy (Corrections Class and Zoology). Jumpman stars Denis Vlasenko as Dennis, a boy who grew up in an orphanage and has a very rare illness - he is immune to pain. This makes him popular among other boys, who take bets on how long he can endure cruel physical games. One day his mother returns and takes him in, forcing him to become a "jumpman" - someone who jumps in front of cars to blackmail the drivers for money. "Reunited with his mother, Dennis' feels that this new life is a dream come true until one day… he starts feeling pain again." The cast includes Anna Slyu, Danil Steklov, Pavel Chinarev, and Vilma Kutavičiútë. This is premiering at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival this week, it's one of my top priorities to catch during the fest.
Here's the first trailer (+ poster) for Ivan I. Tverdovskiy's Jumpman, from YouTube (via ScreenDaily):
Young Oksana put Denis in a baby box when he was an infant. Sixteen years later she steals him away from a children’s home, intent on making amends for her neglect. Denis, however, has no idea of the heavy price to be paid for his mother’s favour: the fragile boy has one unusual quality which Oksana has no qualms about exploiting. Jumpman is both written & directed by up-and-coming Russian filmmaker Ivan I. Tverdovskiy, director of the films Corrections Class and Zoology previously, as well as a few short films. The film will be premiering at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival starting this week. The film is still seeking US distribution, so no release date is set yet. Stay tuned for updates. First impression? Who wants to see this?
"Do you think there's any way back for me?" Roadside Attractions has released the first trailer for an indie comedy titled Juliet, Naked, adapted from Nick Hornby's novel of the same name. This premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, but feels much more like a mainstream comedy than an indie flick. Rose Byrne stars in this film as a woman in a relationship with a chummy guy, played by Chris O'Dowd, who is obsessed with one particular band. When their relationship falls apart, the band's lead musician re-appears after 25 years and connects with Byrne, who falls into a relationship with him, making things extra awkward with her ex. Ethan Hawke stars as the musician who is tired of attention, and the supporting cast includes Megan Dodds, Jimmy O. Yang, Lily Newmark, and Azhy Robertson. It's a sweet little film, basically a comedy about "life's second chances", but it didn't win me over at Sundance. Still worth a watch.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jesse Peretz's Juliet, Naked, direct from YouTube:
Annie (Rose Byrne) is stuck in a long-term relationship with Duncan (Chris O'Dowd) – an obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). When the acoustic demo of Tucker’s hit record from 25 years ago surfaces, its release leads to a life-changing encounter with the elusive rocker himself. Juliet, Naked is directed by American filmmaker Jesse Peretz, of the films First Love Last Rites, The Château, The Ex, Our Idiot Brother previously; as well as some TV work including HBO's "Girls" and Netflix's "Glow". The screenplay is written by Phil Alden Robinson and Evgenia Peretz, adapted from Nick Hornby's novel of the same name. This first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Roadside will release Peretz's Juliet, Naked in select theaters starting on August 17th late this summer. Who's interested in this?
"Look - it's not important which direction you go, what's important is that you commit." Great Point Media has released an official trailer for an indie ensemble comedy titled A Happening of Monumental Proportions, the feature directorial debut of beloved actress Judy Greer. The film is set over the course of one wild, wacky day, about a group of students (and their parents) at a school in Los Angeles who find themselves caught up in a plot of sex, lies and dead bodies. Sounds fun, right? The impressive ensemble cast includes Allison Janney, Common, Jennifer Garner, Bradley Whitford, Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Storm Reid, Anders Holm, Rob Riggle, John Cho, Nat Faxon, Marla Sokoloff, Mary Birdsong, and yes, even Keanu Reeves. I just want to see this to see all these people together in one film. I haven't heard anything good or bad about this yet, but it looks weirdly amusing for sure. Might be funny.
Here's the first trailer for Judy Greer's A Happening of Monumental Proportions, from YouTube:
The all-star cast finds Daniel, an account manager (Common) with a boring job gearing up for Career Day at his lovely daughter's elementary school, while dealing with the fallout of an intra-office romance with his assistant (Jennifer Garner) and his nasty new boss (Bradley Whitford). The boss's unfortunately nerdy son finds himself instantly entranced with Daniel's daughter (Storm Reid), seeking advice from their school's hip shop teacher (John Cho) and depressed music teacher (Anders Holm), without success. The teachers' principal team -- Allison Janney and Rob Riggle -- spend their day trying to hide the school's dead gardener from not only the staff, but also the students and their parents, who experience a Career Day they likely will never forget. A Happening of Monumental Proportions is directed by American actress-turned-filmmaker Judy Greer, making her feature directorial debut with this. The screenplay is written by Gary Lundy. The film first premiered at the Bentonville Film Festival last year. Great Point Media will release Judy Greer's first film in select US theaters starting August 24th this summer. Your thoughts?
"You have no idea how evil my government is." STX Entertainment has launched an intense, action-packed new red band trailer for Mile 22, the latest action movie collaboration between director Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg (who have made Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day together). Wahlberg plays a top secret, high level CIA agent in their "least understood unit", tasked with finding and transporting an asset to "Mile 22" for extraction. The title refers to the place where the person can be safely extracted, and Wahlberg's characters encounters "some very evil people" along the way. This was filmed in Colombia so it seems to take place around South America. The cast includes John Malkovich, Ronda Rousey, Iko Uwais, Terry Kinney, Sala Baker, Alexandra Vino, Poorna Jagannathan, and Lauren Cohan. This movie looks very cool, especially with The Raid's Iko Uwais kicking some serious ass. Fire it up below.
Here's the second, red band trailer for Peter Berg's Mile 22, direct from STX's YouTube:
You can still watch the first trailer for Peter Berg's Mile 22 here, to see more footage from this movie.
In a visceral modern thriller from Peter Berg, Mark Wahlberg stars as James Silva, an operative of the CIA's most highly-prized and least understood unit. Aided by a top-secret tactical command team, Silva must retrieve and transport an asset who holds life-threatening information to Mile 22 for extraction before the enemy closes in. Mile 22 is directed by American filmmaker Peter Berg, of the movies The Rundown, Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, Hancock, Battleship, Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, and Patriots Day previously. The screenplay is written by Lea Carpenter and Graham Roland. STX Ent. will release Berg's Mile 22 in theaters everywhere starting on August 17th this summer. Who's down for this?
"Hungry for some romance, novels, and a slice of potato peel pie?" Then watch this new US trailer for a film titled The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, based on the book of the same name, arriving on Netflix in the US this August. This is the latest film from veteran English director Mike Newell, who hasn't done much since his 2012 adaptation of Great Expectations. The always-impressive Lily James stars in Guernsey as a young journalist who forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island (Google Maps) in the aftermath of WWII when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war. The title is a reference to the book club that she befriends on the island. The cast includes Jessica Brown Findlay, Matthew Goode, Michiel Huisman, Katherine Parkinson, Glen Powell, Tom Courtenay, and Penelope Wilton. This looks emotional and charming, perfect for a nice cry watch.
Here's the new official US trailer (+ poster) for Mike Newell's Guernsey, direct from Netflix's YouTube:
You can watch the original UK trailer for Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society here to see more.
Lily James plays free-spirited journalist Juliet Ashton, who forms a life-changing bond with the delightful and eccentric Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, when she decides to write about the book club they formed during the occupation of Guernsey in WWII. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, also titled just Guernsey, is directed by veteran English filmmaker Mike Newell, director of the films Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco, Pushing Tin, Mona Lisa Smile, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Love in the Time of Cholera, Prince of Persia, Love in the Time of Cholera, and the latest Great Expectations previously. The screenplay is written by Thomas Bezucha and Don Roos; adapted from the novel of the same name by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer. Studiocanal already released Guernsey in UK cinemas in April. Netflix will release the film streaming exclusively in the US starting August 10th.
"It's about something bigger than just her revenge." Have an intriguing look inside a "world we have never seen." Universal has released a new behind-the-scenes featurette for the sci-fi adaptation Mortal Engines, based on a popular book series. This adaptation has been in the works for years, in development by Peter Jackson and the LOTR/Hobbit team including Weta. This featurette video includes interviews with Peter Jackson and director Christian Rivers, as well as some of the main cast, including the young woman who plays Hester. The fantastically eccentric ensemble cast includes Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, and Stephen Lang. I very much enjoy featurettes that include plenty of actual behind-the-scenes footage, and this one has tons packed in it. I'm honestly looking forward to this movie, but I know it's a hard sell for most people. Maybe this will help?
Here's the new behind-the-scenes featurette for Christian Rivers' Mortal Engines, direct from YouTube:
You can still watch the first teaser trailer for Mortal Engines here, or the impressive full-length trailer here.
Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan)—who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London—finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future. Mortal Engines is directed by Kiwi filmmaker Christian Rivers, a former VFX supervisor and storyboard artist from Weta now making his feature directorial debut. The screenplay is written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson (of The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings) adapted from Philip Reeve's book series of the same name. Universal will release Mortal Engines in theaters everywhere starting on December 14th later this year. Your thoughts?
"You'll see, it's quite different here." Universal has released a fun second trailer for Eli Roth's The House with a Clock in Its Walls, an adaptation of the children's horror classic. This magical horror adventure and "spine-tingling tale" is produced by Amblin Entertainment and is described as being in the "tradition of Amblin classics where fantastical events occur in the most unexpected places." Owen Vaccaro stars as Lewis, a 10-year-old boy who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. The full cast includes Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sunny Suljic, and Kyle MacLachlan. So this looks really, really good, perhaps one of Eli Roth's best films? It definitely has that Amblin feel to it, and I'm looking forward to diving into this magical world of horror and haunts. Enjoy.
Here's the second trailer (+ poster) for Eli Roth's The House with a Clock in Its Walls, from YouTube:
You can still watch the first trailer for Roth's The House with a Clock in Its Walls here, to see more footage.
The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead. The House with a Clock in Its Walls is directed by infamous American horror filmmaker Eli Roth, of the films Cabin Fever, Hostel I & II, The Green Inferno, Knock Knock, and the Death Wish remake previously. The screenplay is written by Eric Kripke, based on the beloved children's classic written by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey. Universal will release Roth's The House with a Clock in Its Walls in theaters everywhere starting on September 21st this fall. Visit the official site. What do you think? Want to see it?
"You have to keep an eye on me…" An official trailer has debuted for an indie drama titled To the Night, which went under the title We Are Sisyphos while in production, the latest film from Austrian filmmaker Peter Brunner (My Blind Heart, Those Who Fall Have Wings). This film is premiering at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czechia starting this week, and I plan to catch this. Caleb Landry Jones stars as Norman, who survived a horrible fire as a child that took the rest of his family. As an adult he is still struggling with the resulting trauma, and he finds it difficult to start a new life with his girlfriend and little boy. The film features "an oppressive atmosphere, subtle hints, and spectacular images playing upon the subconscious." This also stars Eléonore Hendricks, Jana McKinnon, Christos Haas, and Abbey Lee. Take a look.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Peter Brunner's To the Night, direct from Deadline:
Norman (Caleb Landry Jones) has never come to terms with the fire that, in his childhood, took away all those closest to him. His inner sorrow and feelings of guilt prevent him from starting a new life with his girlfriend and son. Although the fire took everything, it now becomes a path to dealing with his trauma. To the Night is both written and directed by up-and-coming Austrian filmmaker Peter Brunner, director of the films My Blind Heart and Those Who Fall Have Wings previously. This film is premiering at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czechia starting this week, it will likely play at other festivals before release. No distributor or any release date is set yet - stay tuned for updates. First impression? What do you think?
"Why aren't you recording this, Don? This is part of the narrative." Netflix has debuted a full-length trailer for indie comedy The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter, the latest film from filmmaker Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way, Observe and Report, "Eastbound & Down") in collaboration with his friend Danny McBride. The descriptions for this only say that it's about a great hunter named Buck Ferguson who takes his trusted cameraman Don on an epic weekend adventure to reconnect with his young son. "Buck sets out for what soon becomes an unexpectedly epic adventure of father-son reconnection in the great outdoors" Josh Brolin stars with Danny McBride (who co-wrote the script) and Montana Jordan. This looks like a nice bit of comedy and satire, making fun of all the serious father-son hunting trips. It's perfect for Netflix.
Here's the full official trailer for Jody Hill's The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter, from YouTube:
The great hunter Buck Ferguson (Josh Brolin) and his trusted cameraman Don (Danny McBride) set out for an epic weekend adventure to reconnect with Buck's young son (Montana Jordan). The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter is directed by American filmmaker Jody Hill, director of the films The Foot Fist Way and Observe and Report previously, and the creator of both "Eastbound & Down" and "Vice Principals" on TV. The screenplay is written by John Carcieri, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride. This is premiering at the SXSW Film Festival this month. Netflix will be releasing Jody Hill's The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter streaming exclusively starting on July 6th next month. What do you think? Who wants to watch this film?
"I was born and raised in these woods… I'll be just fine." Dark Sky Films has released an official trailer for a horror film titled Dead Night, which is the feature directorial debut of a producer on John Dies at the End. The film features two different storylines about a terrifying night in the woods. Here's the quick synopsis for this: a caring mother loses her sanity, setting off a chain of events resulting in tragedy and murder. The story of Casey Pollack unfolds from two very different perspectives when one night in the woods culminates in absolute terror. Dead Night stars Brea Grant, 80's horror icon Barbara Crampton, plus AJ Bowen, Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman, and Joshua Hoffman. I'm digging the snowy setting for this film, and it looks like it has some very gnarly, freaky twists. Another intriguing horror film to add to your watch queue.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Brad Baruh's Dead Night, direct from YouTube:
James and his wife Casey load up their two teenage kids and head out to a remote cabin in Oregon for a weekend trip. When James heads into the snowy forest in search of firewood, he encounters an enigmatic woman passed out in the snow. Bringing her back to the cabin for help, the family has no way of knowing that the woman’s presence is the catalyst for a series of events that will change their lives forever. Dead Night is directed by producer-filmmaker Brad Baruh, making his feature directorial debut after producing John Dies at the End and Phantasm: Ravager, as well as a few behind-the-scenes docs previously. The screenplay is written by Brad Baruh and Irving Walker. This first premiered at Fantastic Fest last year. Dark Sky Films will open Baruh's Dead Night in select theaters + on VOD starting July 27th. Who's interested?
"What makes you so sure you're interacting with your parents?" IFC Midnight has debuted a trailer for an indie sci-fi horror film titled Our House, the feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Scott Burns, a former visual effects artist now getting into directing. Our House is about a young genius who accidentally invents a device in hopes of bringing back the spirits of loved ones. But it also brings back things far worse. This is a cool concept and I like seeing how they play with the idea, and just how freaky it gets once they get into the horror side. The film stars Thomas Mann, Percy Hynes White, Nicola Peltz, and Kate Moyer. This looks quite good, I'm curious about it. The scares aren't overly cheesy and the sci-fi twist seems interesting.
Here's the official trailer (+ two posters) for Anthony Scott Burns' Our House, direct from YouTube:
A machine that can bring back dead loved ones seems like a great idea — until you unleash the wrong spirits. A young genius accidentally invents a device that amplifies the paranormal activity within his family's house, possibly bringing back the spirits of loved ones, and unleashing things far worse. Our House is directed by Canadian filmmaker Anthony Scott Burns, making his feature directorial debut after a number of short films and a segment of Holidays previously. He has also worked as a visual effects artist. The screenplay is written by Nathan Parker, based on the 2010 film Ghost From the Machine. IFC Midnight will release Our House in select theaters + on VOD starting July 27th this summer. Is anyone interested?
"Listen Judge, if he wants a divorce, just give it to him." Janus Films has debuted a new trailer for the re-release of a film titled Wanda, an art house success from 1970 that opened in US cinemas in early 1971 after premiering at the Venice Film Festival. Wanda is the first and only film written & directed by model & actress Barbara Loden, who also stars in the film as the title character, Wanda Goronski. The film is about a "listless young mother" from Pennsylvania coal country who leaves her husband and family behind and goes on the road with a drifter outlaw named "Mr. Dennis", played by Michael Higgins. Loden's Wanda is "an extraordinary clear-eyed expression of dead-end despair, a life-marred document of a scuffed, sad, left-behind working-class world." Described as "one of the greatest American films of the 1970s" that I'm sure most have never seen, let alone never even heard of before. Now is your chance to finally catch up with this.
Here's the new re-release trailer (+ new poster) for Barbara Loden's Wanda, direct from Vimeo:
In grim, rust-belt Pennsylvania, Wanda is down and out. She works sporadically, has abandoned her husband and children, sleeps on her sister's couch, drinks and smokes too much, and goes home with men just to have a roof over her head. One night she walks into a bar after closing and finds a nervous Mr. Dennis pacing. She takes up with him, and he proves to be a criminal. They go on the road, visit his father, and he plans a robbery. He's rude and demanding; Wanda accepts his abuse docilely. What future does she have? Wanda is the first and only film directed by actress-model Barbara Loden, who was married to legendary producer/director Elia Kazan. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 1970 and won the International Critics Prize, then went on to show at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971 after opening in US theaters that year. Janus Films will re-release Loden's Wanda in cinemas starting July 20th this summer.
Get ready for this slice of madness. RLJE Films has debuted the official trailer for Mandy, the latest film from filmmaker Panos Cosmatos (Beyond the Black Rainbow). You may have heard about this because it's totally nuts and totally crazy and so gnarly and bloody and badass. And there's a chainsaw fight! And freakin' demons from another world! And Nicolas Cage getting pissed off! Oh yes. This film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight category, then went on to play at Directors' Fortnight in Cannes. Mandy stars Nicolas Cage as Red, with Andrea Riseborough as the love of his life. The cast includes Linus Roache, Bill Duke, Richard Brake, Ned Dennehy, and Olwen Fouere. Featuring an amazing score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, one of his last before he passed. I highly recommend this film, as long as you can stand bloody violence, because it's so awesome and unlike anything else out there. Fire it up below.
Here's the first official trailer (+ festival poster) for Panos Cosmatos' Mandy, direct from YouTube:
Somewhere in the primal wilderness near the Shadow Mountains in the year 1983, Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) has fallen deeply for the deceptively charming Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough). However, the life he has made for himself comes crashing down suddenly and horrifyingly, when a vile band of ravaging cultists and supernatural creatures desecrate his idyllic home with vicious fury. A broken man, Red now lives for one thing only—to hunt down these maniacal villains and exact swift vengeance. Mandy is directed by one-of-a-kind Italian-Canadian filmmaker Panos Cosmatos, director of the film Beyond the Black Rainbow previously. The screenplay is written by Panos Cosmatos & Aaron Stewart-Ahn, from a story by Panos Cosmatos. This premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it also played in the Directors' Fortnight sidebar at the Cannes Film Festival and at the New Zealand Film Festival. RLJE Films will release Cosmatos' Mandy in select theaters starting on September 14th this fall. Who's down for this?
"Madeline got the part! She's going to play the lead in a theater piece! Except the lead wears sweatpants like Madeline's. And has a cat like Madeline's. And is holding a steaming hot iron next to her mother's face – like Madeline is." Oh my goodness, this trailer is amazing. Oscilloscope Labs has released the first trailer for a film titled Madeline's Madeline, the latest feature from filmmaker Josephine Decker (Butter on the Latch, Thou Wast Mild and Lovely). The film premiered to rave reviews at the Sundance & Berlin Film Fests earlier this year, and hits theaters in NY & LA this summer. Decker's one-of-a-kind performance piece film gets a one-of-a-kind trailer as well, made by artist Winston Hacking. They wanted to "create a trailer that dispels with the notion that trailers have a formula" and they have certainly made exactly that. Newcomer Helena Howard stars, with Miranda July and Molly Parker. It's hard to describe - you have to see it.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Josephine Decker's Madeline's Madeline, from YouTube:
Madeline (Helena Howard) has become an integral part of a prestigious physical theater troupe. When the workshop's ambitious director (Molly Parker) pushes the teenager to weave her rich interior world and troubled history with her mother (Miranda July) into their collective art, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. The resulting battle between imagination and appropriation spirals out of the rehearsal space and rips through all three women's lives. Madeline's Madeline is directed by talented American actress-filmmaker Josephine Decker, of the films Butter on the Latch and Thou Wast Mild and Lovely previously. The screenplay is co-written by Josephine Decker and Donna di Novelli. The film first premiered at the Sundance & Berlin Film Festivals this year, and played at many other fests. Oscilloscope will release Decker's Madeline's Madeline in select theaters starting August 10th this summer. Thoughts?
"I will warn you, though, it gets pretty graphic…" Neon has released an amusing teaser trailer for the film Assassination Nation, one of the breakouts from the Midnight category at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. From writer/director Sam Levinson, the film is about the town of Salem, Massachusetts and how everyone loses their minds when a hacker releases the entire internet history of everyone in the town. The film totally won me over (read my full review), it's way way smarter than you think and features some incredible filmmaking, not only with the performances but the cinematography and everything else. The cast of rowdy youngsters includes Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra, Anika Noni Rose, Colman Domingo, Maude Apatow, Kelvin Harrison Jr., with Bill Skarsgard, Joel McHale, and Bella Thorne. This is a cool teaser trailer but it's also just a short clip from the opening of the film. Hopefully the full trailer drops soon so everyone can get a better look at how stellar this little indie film is.
Here's the new teaser trailer (+ poster) for Sam Levinson's Assassination Nation, direct from YouTube:
You can still see the original festival teaser trailer for Assassination Nation here, for another quick tease.
This is a one-thousand-percent true story about how the quiet, all-American town of Salem, absolutely lost its mind. Description from the Sundance guide: "High school senior Lily and her crew of besties live in a haze of texts, posts, selfies, and chats—just like the rest of us. So when a provocateur starts posting details from the private digital lives of everyone in their small town of Salem, the result is a Category 5 shitstorm. We’re talking browser histories, direct messages, illegal downloads, secret text chains, and way, way, way worse. People get angry. Like, “rampaging murder posse” angry. And Lily finds herself right in the middle." Assassination Nation is both written and directed by American filmmaker Sam Levinson, director of the film Another Happy Day previously. This premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year in the Midnight category. Neon will release Assassination Nation in select theaters starting on September 21st in the fall.
"I thought we were close, I thought we were closer than most fathers and sons… Why?!" Amazon Studios has released the first official trailer for Beautiful Boy, an adaptation from director Felix van Groeningen. This looks like a very tender, intimate, heartbreaking but also somewhat uplifting film about a family and the challenges they have with a son addicted to methamphetamines. Beautiful Boy stars Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet as father and son David and Nic, dealing with their experiences of "survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years." The full cast includes Maura Tierney, Christian Convery, Oakley Bull, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Ryan, Stefanie Scott, and Julian Works. This looks really wonderful, and like an emotional rollercoaster, but it has that tiny bit of hope that makes me smile. I love the way this trailer starts with such a strong scene, letting it play out. This is a must watch.
Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Felix van Groeningen's Beautiful Boy, direct from YouTube:
Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David Sheff and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years. Beautiful Boy is directed by experienced Belgian filmmaker Felix van Groeningen, director of the films Steve + Sky, With Friends Like These, The Misfortunates, The Broken Circle Breakdown, and Belgica previously. The screenplay is written by Felix van Groeningen and Luke Davies, adapted from both David Sheff's memoir "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction" & Nic Sheff's memoir "Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines". This has yet to premiere at any film festivals, but is expected to show at a few in the fall. Amazon Studios will then release Beautiful Boy in select theaters starting October 12th early in the fall. First impression? Who wants to see this film?
