Slick Woods – Rihanna's Muse and Supermodel – Shines in 'Goldie'
Fenty model and Rihanna muse, Slick Woods, makes her acting debut in the low budget, highly eccentric art house film, Goldie.
From 20th Century Studios and Vice Films, Goldie tells the story of a financially struggling and unsupervised teenager whose aspirations of becoming a model/dancer are thwarted after her mother gets arrested and she is left to support her two young sisters. A gritty coming-of-age film that also includes vibrant crayon mixed media animation, director Sam de Jong creates a unique slice of life film whose artistry bursts at the seams.
Goldie (Woods) is 18-years-old and recently unemployed when her drug-dealing mother is unexpectedly locked up. With the threat of Child Protective Services looming, Goldie temporarily puts her dreams of landing a role in an upcoming music video for local legend Tiny (A$AP Ferg) to the side as she steps into the role of guardian for her two younger sisters. Desperate for financial stability - yet falling in love with a beautiful fur coat she feels will change her life - Goldie resorts to a 'Do what it takes to survive' mentality and enlists the help of her friend (George Sample III) to help her push drugs for a quick payday. As luck would have it, the music video opportunity also comes back around, which forces Goldie to question if her idea of fame is worth risking her ability to support her family.
Sam de Jong seems to take visual inspiration from the Safdie brothers, capturing Goldie's Bronx neighborhood with an unrelenting grit and colorful charm. Adding to the film's DIY aesthetic is the cast, which is a mixture of professional and non-professional actors. The lines of reality vs fiction feel blurred, but intentionally so. Sam De Jong uses Slick's amateur actor status to his advantage; the camera lingers on her in scenes with few cutaways, which authentically highlights her emotional reaction. It's a directorial choice that could've felt forced, but in this case, it feels organic and right. Goldie is a bold expression of creativity both in front of and behind the scenes; supporting a film like this is paramount to showing the industry that art films matter.
Starring Slick Woods, George Sample III, Danny Hoch, A$AP Ferg
Directed by Sam de Jong
Written by Sam de Jong
Distributed by Film Movement. 88 minutes. Opening this Friday at Laemmle Glendale and On Demand.
Zoey Deutch is a Teenage 'Jordan Belfort' in Satirical Comedy 'Buffaloed'
Zoey Deutch is the teenage "Jordan Belfort of Buffalo, NY" in the new comedy Buffaloed from director Tanya Wexler.
A fresh and energetic watch from start to finish, Buffaloed can best be described as a hybrid between The Big Short meets The Wolf of Wall Street with the added charisma and charm of Booksmart. And to keep the movie references going, this film could have very easily been named Hustlers, as that's exactly what's at the crux of our protagonist's pursuit for financial freedom and the very questionable way she sets out to achieve her dreams.
Peg Dahl (Deutch) lives at home with her mother and brother, who are both supportive yet skeptical of her wild ambition to leave her hometown in search of bigger and better things. Since she was young, Peg has always excelled at creating financial opportunities, despite her family's lower-class status. With sights set on attending an Ivy League school followed by a job on Wall Street, escaping Buffalo - the debt capital of America - proves more difficult than originally planned. Tuition costs are too much, and Peg begins to see her life dreams dying in front of her. Down on her luck, a chance phone call results in an idea; using her street smarts, quick wit, and financial chops, Peg takes the business of delinquent debt collecting into her own hands.
Buffaloed is a satirical money movie that should be on your radar for many reasons, including the premise that a young female entrepreneur uses her brain, rather than her body, to get ahead. It's a refreshing comedy that relies on the stellar performance from Zoey Deutch to convey the film's tonality. Deutch isn't afraid to play "The Man's Game," and her attitude is admirable. With Buffaloed hitting theaters on February 14th, it makes for the perfect Valentine's night out.
BUFFALOED (2020)
Starring Zoey Deutch, Judy Greer, Jermaine Fowler, Noah Reid, Jai Courtney
Directed by Tanya Wexler
Written by Brian Sacca
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures. 95 minutes. Opening this Friday.
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2020
The morning before Oscar Sunday, the Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrate the best of films that are independently produced and made outside of the typical "Hollywood" studio system.
Many films honored this year were largely ignored by the Academy - including The Farewell, Uncut Gems, Booksmart, and Honey Boy to name a few – but that made their presence here all the more special. Despite their countries of origin, budgets, and talent attached, all of the films recognized at the Spirit Awards have one thing in common: they all embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision.
Composer Alex Weston Talks Electro-Surrealness in 'Wander Darkly' [WATCH]
Composer Alex Weston, who's perhaps best known for scoring the 2019 breakout 'The Farewell,' chats with Morgan Rojas before the world premiere of Tara Miele's Wander Darkly.
Starring Sienna Miller and Diego Luna, Wander Darkly tells the story of new parents Adrienne and Matteo who are forced to reckon with trauma amidst their troubled relationship. They must revisit the memories of their past and unravel haunting truths in order to face their uncertain future.
In our exclusive interview, Alex Weston talks about creating the sounds and his inspiration for this pseudo-surreal drama.
Composer Tamar-kali on the Supernatural Sounds of 'Shirley' [WATCH]
Composer Tamar-kali chats with Morgan Rojas after the world premiere of Josephine Decker's Shirley at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
Starring Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg, Shirley tells the story of a famous horror writer who finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple. In our exclusive interview, Tamar-kali talks about creating the dynamic and layered sounds that make up the hauntingly magical realism of Shirley.
'The Assistant' is a Gripping Thriller for the #MeToo Era
A day in the life of an overworked and under-appreciated production assistant plays like a silent horror film as she becomes increasingly aware of her boss's inappropriate transgressions – and the company's feigned ignorance – in Kitty Green's Sundance-selected feature, The Assistant.
The film's protagonist, Jane (Julia Garner), is a reserved yet whip-smart young woman who endures verbal and emotional abuse within the culture of an unnamed NYC production company. As the film opens, it's immediately clear that she is the backbone of the company, keeping the office running in a timely and orderly fashion. Despite her dedication to her position, the office environment is very much a "Boy's Club." She deals with the disparity by keeping to herself and excelling where she can, usually in solo office projects and menial tasks. But when water cooler gossip circulates that the boss is engaging in inappropriate acts with the company's newest intern (Kristine Froseth), Jane is faced with the reality that speaking up for what's right could risk her dreams of "making it" in the film industry.
Julia Garner (Ozark) quietly commands the film as Jane, her performance is steadily impressive and authentic. Co-star Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) plays the intentionally ignorant HR representative with his signature "nice guy" demeanor despite sneaky intentions. In a unique display (and much to my delight), The Assistant is very ASMR heavy. It's a fairly quiet picture and largely dependent on setting up scenes with ambient sound and sound effects during Jane's solitary moments. The deep cleaning, office equipment, and buzzing of florescent lights all add to the hyper-realistic nature of the story, really placing the audience in the office with Jane. Bare and constrained, the film's soundtrack is also delicate, much like our protagonist. Composer Tamar-kali uses sparse piano sequences and strings to convey a sense of fragility. Director Kitty Green's dedication to the ASMR aspect and absence of a large orchestral score is subtle and the perfect choice for this type of film.
The takeaway from The Assistant is a subtly gripping and timely portrait of power in the #MeToo/ Harvey Weinstein exposé era. But as the workplace culture of The Assistant shows, there is still a long way to go before toxic masculinity and improper balances of power are halted and support is given to those brave enough to bring powerful predators to conviction. Kitty Green's defiant drama is the encouragement we need right now.
For more resources to delve deeper into the issues of workplace discrimination and abuse of power, please visit www.nywf.org/
THE ASSISTANT (2020)
Starring Julia Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, Makenzie Leigh
Directed by Kitty Green
Written by Kitty Green
Distributed by Bleecker Street Films. 85 minutes.
Opening in select theaters Friday, January 31, 2020.
Five Films to See Before Sundance 2020
Thursday marks the start of Sundance 2020 and we've studied the film slate for weeks in preparation for this very moment.
Ryan and I have narrowed down our top 10 films and while doing so, noticed a lot of our favorite Sundance alumnae returning with new projects. Beasts of the Southern Wild's Benh Zeitlin and Beach Rats' Eliza Hittman are just a couple of the names we're excited to see again on the big screen. In anticipation of the festival, here are five films to see before Sundance 2020.
Before you see Downhill, check out Force Majeure
Swedish director Ruben Östlund's award-winning Force Majeure is getting an American makeover thanks to directing partners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. The duo, who collaborated on The Way, Way Back in 2013, have strong comedic roots as both directors and writers- which makes Downhill all the more an interesting project to tackle. Östlund's film is predominately a drama with sparse dark comedic moments, and I can't help but wonder if the casting of Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus indicates an emphasis on more of the story's comedic elements. I'm a bit skeptical going into Downhill as the original will be hard to top, but I'm hopeful that Faxon and Rash's remake will be a fresh and welcomed watch.
Force Majeure is available to watch on Hulu.
Before you see Shirley, check out Madeline's Madeline
Shirley director Josephine Decker's last feature film, Madeline's Madeline, premiered at Sundance in 2018 and went on to win multiple Film Independent Spirit Awards. In a breakout performance from Helena Howard, and also starring Molly Parker and Miranda July, Madeline's Madeline tells the story of a young girl's experience of being accepted into a prestigious experimental theatre troupe and the growing struggle to identify between reality and make-believe. Decker's signature style of euphoric imagery and female protagonists in control is what draws us to Shirley, plus the phenomenal ensemble cast: Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg, Odessa Young, and Logan Lerman.
Madeline's Madeline is available to watch on Amazon.
Before you see Never Rarely Sometimes Always, check out Beach Rats
This is the third feature from writer/director Eliza Hittman that has been selected to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and it's easy to see why she's the indie darling on the rise. Her critically-acclaimed films Beach Rats and It Felt Like Love approach the coming of age theme with sensitivity, compassion, and love, and it sounds like Never Rarely Sometimes Always will follow suit nicely. Hittman also re-enlists Beach Rats cinematographer Hélène Louvart and longtime editor Scott Cummings to lend their signature styles to what is sure to be another breathtaking film.
Beach Rats is available to watch on Hulu.
Before you see Wendy, check out Beasts of the Southern Wild
Director Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild is arguably one of the most impactful films to ever emerge from the Sundance Film Festival. Premiering in 2012, the heart-rendering drama was nominated for 4 Academy Awards and had an additional 92 wins & 125 nominations. It launched then-unknown six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis into international fame and continues to be an inspiration to filmmakers everywhere. Zeitlin's sophomore feature, Wendy, has the potential to just as successful and has already been acquired by Searchlight Pictures.
Beasts of the Southern Wild is available to rent on Amazon.
Before you see Dick Johnson is Dead, check out Cameraperson
Documentarian Kirsten Johnson is back with another personal film about family and connection, and this time the subject is her father, in Dick Johnson is Dead. Her last film Cameraperson – which was shortlisted for an Academy Award – is an eye-opening homage to the human spirit and is comprised of footage captured over her twenty-five-year career as a documentary cinematographer. Johnson's superpower is her camera, and there is no doubt that with a film as personal as Dick Johnson is Dead, there will be no shortage of memorable moments.
Cameraperson is available to rent on Amazon.
Valgeir Sigurðsson Crafts Airy, Ambient Sound for 'The County'
Pulling inspiration from the beauty of their surroundings, it's easy to see the otherworldly influence in the work of Icelandic composers. Some of the country's most recognizable names include the late Golden Globe winner Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything), recent Golden Globe winner Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker), and Atli Örvarsson (Pirates of the Caribbean). Quickly joining their ranks is Valgeir Sigurðsson, whose eerily beautiful and scene-setting melodies fuel the soundtrack to Grímur Hákonarson’s Icelandic comedy, The County.
Cinemacy is excited to exclusively premiere the track "The County (Revisited By Paul Corley)," which premiered at TIFF 2019. The film tells the story of Inga, a middle-aged dairy farmer who rebels against the omnipotent local Co-Op to live life on her terms. In this sneak peek of Sigurðsson's 8-minute-long title track, we're immediately transfixed by the airy and moody ambient sounds from nature coupled with a beautiful mixture of string violins and other experimental electronics.
Sigurðsson explains, "I watched the film a few times, and then I turned off the screen and just wrote music in response to what I had seen. I often do this because I want to make a score that flows with its own narrative. On Grímur’s suggestion, we used a lot of synths and electronic textures and also used some of the real sounds from the film for the score... In the final mix, I think we cut about 50% of the score that I had completed, or more even, we agreed fully on all the cuts. But, on the soundtrack release, I keep many of these elements because they informed my process and I feel that they are integral to the music and necessary when it is stripped of the images it was created for.”
The 15-track album is now available on Sigurðsson's Icelandic music collective/record label Bedroom Community, which he formed in 2016 with composers Nico Muhly and Ben Frost.