Author: Movie Geeks

GLEASON – Review

In this Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, photo, former New Orleans Saints NFL football player Steve Gleason watches as his four-year-old son, Rivers, plays on his father's tablet as his wife, Michel, answers a question during an interview in their home in New Orleans. “GLEASON,” a feature-length documentary that gives an unfiltered look at his life with ALS premieres at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman) ORG XMIT: LAJB107

Review by Stephen Tronicek

GLEASON  is simply an incredible documentary. As a film it’s shot well, it has a purpose, and its exploration of the football stars fight with ALS is fascinating and engaging.

Not too much can be said from a critical standpoint about the film, though. There aren’t actors so there are no  performances to judge. This isn’t written so there’s no writing or plot or structure to judge. There’s just real life, and the strength Gleason takes from it. The feelings of bubbling nostalgia, and unwanted fear that come with the passage of time,  also representing the idea that hope and self-fulfillment will come in life. Gleason as a film holds the simple purpose of showing the audience what it’s like to live in Steve Gleason’s shoes and luckily that is enough to analyze the previously mentioned themes of life.

Steve Gleason is a good person, an almost endlessly positive man-child that inspires in his simple resilience. He’s also an incredibly smart person, who in his speech reveals a well-read and philosophical mind. His musings without pretense may have seemed pretentious, but that’s the benefit of a documentary. Coming from a written character this might all come off as clunky, but coming from a real man everything is poetic. In his shoes and the shoes of his family, we watch his confrontation with the religious aspects of his life, and the personal aspects of his life and all of this is wrenching because it’s authentic and so is Steve Gleason. His wife, Michel Varisco-Gleason, and his son, Rivers, are also big players in the documentary as snippets of a video log that Gleason made to teach his son about life becomes a paramount framing device for the film. Michel and Rivers, like Steve, make for interesting characters as Rivers is born and grows into a boy only vaguely understanding the situation that his family is in and Michel powerfully keeps her family together. The overall effect of hanging around Steve Gleason and his family is one of warmth, but also stress and that brew of emotions make for a cathartic effect.

That’s all GLEASON , as a film, needed to do. It needed to tell the story. Put us in the place of Steve Gleason and let us bask in his delightful personality and the hardships this personality,  and his family, help him deal with.  It was nice to go along with Steve Gleason, hardships and all.

4 1/2 of 5 Stars

GLEASON is playing in St. Louis exclusively at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater. 

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WAMG Giveaway – Win A Signed Copy Of The INDIGNATION Soundtrack

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Nettwerk Music Group has released the INDIGNATION – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.  The album features the original score by Jay Wadley (THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING, DOCTOR WHO, TRACKTOWN). In addition to the score, Jay Wadley and director James Schamus collaborated on an original song for the film titled “Is it Love?” featuring two-time Grammy nominee, Jane Monheit.

INDIGNATION premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year and was released in US theaters by Roadside Attractions and Summit Entertainment on July 29th. The film, set in the 50s, is based on Philip Roth’s novel (2008) and is Oscar-nominated James Schamus’ directorial debut, starring Logan Lerman (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, FURY) and Sarah Gadon (DRACULA UNTOLD, ENEMY, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2).

“Indignation is a dedicated, unadorned drama of ideas, but Schamus has filled the picture with subtle artistry, from his exacting period detail to his judicious placement of Jay Wadley’s looping, foreboding score. From far away, Indignation may seem simple, a coming-of-age chamber piece that dutifully hits well-stablished beats. But peer in closer and the film reveals a bounty of delicately coaxed insight and an emotional clarity that comes as welcome relief at a festival of evasiveness disguised as artsy ambiguity.” – Vanity Fair

‘The film is a class act in every department. […] the filigreed string score by Jay Wadley brings a classical feel without becoming old-fashioned.’ – The Hollywood Reporter

Set in America in 1951, Marcus (Logan Lerman), a working-class Jewish student from New Jersey, attends a small Ohio college, where he struggles with sexual repression and cultural disaffection, amid the ongoing Korean War. At Winesburg College, Marcus becomes infatuated with a fellow student, Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), a survivor of a suicide attempt.

WAMG is giving away a signed copy of the soundtrack from the film INDIGNATION by composer Jay Wadley.

For a chance to win:

ENTER YOUR NAME AND E-MAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WE WILL CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE A WINNER.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

No purchase necessary.

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Win Passes To the Advance Screening Of BEN-HUR (2016) In St. Louis

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BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption. Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Also starring Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro.

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, BEN-HUR opens nationwide on August 19.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of BEN-HUR on Tuesday, August 16 at 7:30PM in the St. Louis area.

Answer the following from the 1959 version of BEN-HUR:

There is a scene between Hugh Griffith (Sheikh Ilderim) and Charlton Heston where the two discuss the infamous chariot race and Ben Hur is introduced to four white horses. What were Sheikh Ilderim’s four horses’ names?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWERS AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

PG-13 — Parents Strongly Cautioned

Visit the official site: www.benhurmovie.com

Toby Kebbell plays Messala Severus and Jack Huston plays Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures.
Toby Kebbell plays Messala Severus and Jack Huston plays Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures.

Photo credit: Philippe Antonello
© 2016 Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of HELL OR HIGH WATER In St. Louis

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HELL OR HIGH WATER is a modern action drama set in West Texas where the distinction between honest men and outlaws has blurred beyond recognition. Featuring a cast that includes Academy Award®-winner Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart,” “True Grit”), Chris Pine (“Star Trek,” “Into The Woods”), Ben Foster (“3:10 To Yuma,” “The Messenger”) and Gil Birmingham (“The Lone Ranger,” “Twilight”), HELL OR HIGH WATER is produced by Sidney Kimmel, Peter Berg, Carla Hacken and Julie Yorn and executive produced by Gigi Pritzker, Bill Lischak, Michael Nathanson, Rachel Shane, John Penotti and Bruce Toll.

A story about the collision of the Old and New West, two brothers — Toby (Chris Pine), a straight-living, divorced father trying to make a better life for his son; and Tanner (Ben Foster), a short-tempered ex-con with a loose trigger finger — come together to rob branch after branch of the bank that is foreclosing on their family land. The hold-ups are part of a last-ditch scheme to take back a future that powerful forces beyond their control have stolen from under their feet. Vengeance seems to be theirs until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless, foul-mouthed Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) looking for one last triumph on the eve of his retirement. As the brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their plan, a showdown looms at the crossroads where the last honest law man and a pair of brothers with nothing to live for except family collide.

CBS Films will release HELL OR HIGH WATER in select theaters on August 12th and nationwide on August 19th.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of HELL OR HIGH WATER on Tuesday, August 16 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

Rated R

Visit the official site: hellorhighwater.movie

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Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS In St. Louis

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Set in a fantastical Japan, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS follows the journey of clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson), a young boy whose relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (voiced by Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (voiced by Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey) and sets out on a thrilling quest to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.

The voice cast also includes Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro, and Rooney Mara.

Kubo’s quest begins nationwide August 19, 2016 from animation studio LAIKA and Focus Features.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS on Monday, August 15 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

Answer the following:

Which animated feature film won the Oscar this year at the 88th Academy Awards?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images, action and peril.

Visit the official site: www.kubothemovie.com

For more information, please follow on: FACEBOOK I TWITTER I INSTAGRAM

#KuboMovie

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

 

NINE LIVES – Review

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Review by Stephen Tronicek

NINE LIVES is offensive on an intellectual level, which is kind of clichéd to say, but it’s resoundingly true. It’s only understanding of a film for kids is to pander to them. Now, sometimes a pandering attitude of an exaggerated happiness in the world is a good thing in a kids film. It’s what makes the lows of those films seem low, and the highs seem so high, but there’s a difference between taking the real world and filtering all the tougher emotions that it presents through a happier lens, and simply making everything happy and fake as you can be for the sake of appeasing the children. The latter just seems disrespectful. That, of course, doesn’t stop NINE LIVES from pulling the worst version of that ever, especially since this tone doesn’t actually work with the rest of the movie.

As for the plot, Kevin Spacey stars as Thomas Brand, a man who ignores his family and when his daughter’s birthday comes up decides he must grudgingly get her a cat. Christopher Walken plays the owner of the store and he decides that Brand, being such an ignorant person, needs to be taught a lesson. So, Walken puts Brand’s consciousness in a cat, “comedy” ensues, and Brand must save the company and skyscraper that he built while being a cat.

The premise is trivial, but the real insult here is the world that NINE LIVES creates. The pandering sense of everything being so nice doesn’t actually work well with the characters, who all but undercut the main conflict of the movie.  Brand is an idiot, and a horrible father, but everyone here is. Each character is so thoroughly unlikable that Brand simply comes off as one of the many people who deserve to get some sense tortured into them. And tortured it is. The whole way that each person is turned into a cat is something out of a horror movie. Actually, this movie deserves a horror movie version. That would at least be watchable.

But, the focus here is less on any of the plot or scary cat transformations. The real focus is the number of early 2000’s slapstick jokes having to do with cats  that can be crammed on screen. It’s like the film thinks that the Garfield movie is still relevant and funny, and much like the characters of the film, most of the jokes approach the level of just being mean rather than funny. This kids movie makes a joke about someone bringing an uzi to an office building, and makes a joke at the expense of child labor.. This is unacceptable for this movie, and just uncomfortable.

NINE LIVES is the type of film that makes one with it had more fangs. With an “R” rating and a right to give into the more horror-ish aspects of its premise, Nine Lives would be a weird type of incredible, but now it just seems like it’s either too nice for the mean-spirited characters at its center or to mean for the niceties that the world of the film compromises to take. This is a sickening piece of work (quite literally), and you should skip it.

0 of 5 Stars

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This Week’s WAMG Podcast – SUICIDE SQUAD, NINE LIVES, Movies For Foodies, and more!

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This week’s episode of our podcast WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show is up! Hear WAMG’s Jim Batts and Tom Stockman talk movies. Our guest in the studio this week is Chef Liz Schuster from Tenacious Eats . We’ll discuss the weekend box office  and we’ll review SUICIDE SQUAD, NINE LIVES, ANTHROPOID, and FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS. We’ll then talk to Chef Liz about her Tenacious Eats events including this weekend’s ‘Movies for Foodies’ screening of JULIE & JULIA (details for that event can be found HERE)

Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:

The Top 21 Movies of the 21st Century……So Far!

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It’s one thing to come up with a list of the best movies in any given year, but the best movies of a century that’s just in its 16th year? We Are Movie Geeks polled a group of 30 carefully-selected (and mostly St. Louis-based) movie critics, movie bloggers, movie academics, movie promoters, and just plain old movie fans and asked for a list, in order of preference, of their Top Ten Favorite Films so far this century. Somewhere among the endless superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels, some really great movies have come out in the last 16 years. And some of them were indeed superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels! The 21st century has another 84 years to go, and there’s no doubt that these choices will change as the years go by, but since it’s doubtful any of those polled will be around when the century ends (unless Stephen Tronicek – born in 1999 – makes it to 101), we might as well do this now. To come up with our top 21, a super-scientific algorithm was generated….just kidding! We simply scored each movie based on its rank in any given list. If a movie was #1 on any list, it received 10 points, #2 received 9 points, and so on (a movie ranked #10 received 1 point – get it?). Of course, all of these lists are highly subjective and some favorite titles will be omitted, so prepare to argue with the selections of these 30 film buffs (and yes, we’re naming names!).

HERE ARE THE RESULTS!:

21. GLADIATOR (2000 – Ridley Scott)

20. UP (2009 – Pete Docter)

19. THE LEGO MOVIE (2014 – Phil Lord)

18. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007 – The Coen Brothers)

17. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013 – Steve McQueen)

16. THE REVENENT (2015 – Alejandro Innaritu)

15. INSIDE OUT (2015 – Pete Docter)

14. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOLESS MIND (2004 – Michel Gondry)

13. O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (2000 – The Coen Brothers)

12. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009 – Quentin Tarantino)

11. THE AVIATOR (2004 – Martin Scorsese)

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10. SYNECEDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008 – Charlie Kaufmann)

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9. MEMENTO (2000 – Christopher Nolan)

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8. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS  (2001 – Wes Anderson)

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7. BOYHOOD (2014 – Richard Linklater)

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6. LORD OF THE RINGS  RETURN OF THE KING (2003 – Peter Jackson)

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5. THE DEPARTED (2006 – Martin Scorsese)

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4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (2015 – George Miller)

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3. PAN’S LABYRINTH (2006 – Guillermo Del Toro)

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2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD  (2007 – Paul Thomas Anderson)

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1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE  (2001 – David Lynch)

Directors Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers each had two films on this list, as did writer Charlie Kaufman and Pixar director Pete Docter. Nothing from beloved directors Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Darren Aronofsky, Woody Allen, Cameron Crowe, Alexander Payne or David Fincher, but the all of them were well-represented on the individual lists, all of which are presented here:

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 Tom Stockman  (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE AMERICAN (Anton Corbijn)

9. BLUE JASMINE (Woody Allen)

8. GRAN TORINO (Clint Eastwood)

7. THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (Rob Zombie)

6. CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles)

5. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)

4. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

3. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. LIFE OF PI (Ang Lee)

1. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

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Andrew Wyatt   (St. Louis Magazine, Gateway Cinephile)

10. UNDER THE SKIN (Jonathan Glazer)

9. THE TURIN HORSE (Bela Tarr)

8. OF TIME AND THE CITY (Terence Davies)

7. ZODIAC (David Fincher)

6. CERTIFIED COPY (Abbas Klarostami)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

3. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

1. CACHE (Michael Hanake)

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Stephen Tronicek   (FilmAnalyst)

10, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

9. BIRDMAN (Alejandro Innaritu)

8. CLOUD ATLAS (Tom Twyker, The Wachowski Brothers)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. A SERIOUS MAN (the Coen Brothers)

5. INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn)

4. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

3. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

2. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

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Dana Jung

10. SIN CITY (Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller)

9. THIS IS THE END (Evan Goldberg)

8. AVATAR (James Cameron)

7. DISTRICT 9 (Neill Blomkamp)

6. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

5. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

2. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miler)

1. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

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Mathew DeKinder   (Suburban Journals of St. Louis)

10. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

9. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

8. MAD MAX FURY ROAD ROAD (George Miller)

7. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

6. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

5. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (Quentin Tarantino)

4. ANCHORMAN (Adam McKay)

3. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

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Jim Batts   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (Judd Apatow)

7. CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER (Joe Johnston)

6. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

5. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING  (Peter Jackson)

4. GHOST WORLD (terry Zwigoff)

3. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

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 Lynn Venhaus   ( Belleville News-Democrat, Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. NEBRASKA (Alexander Payne)

8. 28 DAYS LATER… (Danny Boyle)

7. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

4. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher)

2. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

THE REVENANT Copyright © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. THE REVENANT Motion Picture Copyright © 2016 Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. and Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l. All rights reserved.Not for sale or duplication.

Kent Tentschert   (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. THE DESCENDANTS (Alexander Payne)

9. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

8. BIUTIFUL (Alejandro Innaritu)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. THE READER (Stephen Daldry)

5. NIGHTCRAWLER (Dan Gilroy)

4. INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan)

3. THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan)

2. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

1. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

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Rob Garica  (HEC-TV)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. OVERNIGHT (Tony Montana)

8. BAMBOOZLED (Spike Lee)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MAN (The Coen Bothers)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. CITY OF GOD (Fernanso Meirelles)

4. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

3. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

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Sam Smucker  

10. WINTER SLEEP (Nuri Ceylan)

9. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Kar Wai Wong)

8. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

7. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

6. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR (Abdellatif Kechiche)

5. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

4. THE LOOK OF SILENCE (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. THE PAST (Asghar Farhadi)

2. SILENT LIGHT (Carlos Reygadas)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

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Robert Hunt   (The Riverfront Times)

10. AMERICAN SNIPER (Clint Eastwood)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guilermo del Toro)

8. THE TRIP (Michael Winterbottom)

7. SITA SINGS THE BLUES  (Nina Paley)

6. NOTRE MUSIQUE (Jean-Luc Godard)

5. 2046  (Wong Kar-Wai)

4. WHAT TIME IS IT THERE? (Ming-Liang Tsai)

3. I’M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes)

2. WENDY AND LUCY  (Kelly Reichardt)

1. CARLOS (Oliver Assayas)

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Sam Moffitt  

10. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

9. WHIP IT! (Drew Barrymore)

8. THE BABADOOK (Jennifer Kent)

7. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

6. SLITHER (James Gunn)

5. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

4. BLACK SNAKE MOAN (Craig Brewer)

3. MOON (Duncan Jones)

2. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

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Michael Haffner   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

8. IN BRUGES (Martin McDonagh)

7. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sophia Coppola)

6. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

5. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

3. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only Mandatory Credit: Photo by c.Miramax/Everett / Rex Features ( 508110r ) 'THE AVIATOR', Leonardo Dicaprio 'THE AVIATOR' FILM STILLS - 2004

Renee Hirshfield   (Webster University, Southwestern Illinois College)

10. AMERICAN SPLENDOR  (Shari Springer Berman)

9. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

7. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

6. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

5. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

4. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (Andrew Jarecki)

3. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

1. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

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Sarah Hirshfield   (Mount Holyoke College)

10. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller)

9. ELEPHANT (Gus Van Sandt)

8. SNOWPIERCER (Bong Joon Ho)

7. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Ana Lily Amirpour)

6. 4 MONTHS 2 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS (Cristian Mungiu)

5. SUPER 8 (J.J. Abrams)

4. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

3. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Davis Fincher)

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Kathy Kaiser   (Matinee Chat)

10. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

9. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

8. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

7. IRON MAN (John Favreau)

6. CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis)

5. THE IMITATION GAME (Morten Tyldum)

4. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

3. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

2. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

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Melissa Thompson   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. BILLY ELLIOT (Stephen Daldry)

9. A MIGHTY WIND (Christopher Guest)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX  (Wes Anderson)

7. HAIRSPRAY (Adam Shankman)

6. ELF (John Favreau)

5. SPIRITED AWAY (Hayao Miyazaki)

4. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

2. MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann)

1. LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

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Pete Timmerman   (Webster University)

10. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

9. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

8. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

7. PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuaron)

5. TROPICAL MALADY (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

4. THE ACT OF KILLING (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. DOGTOOTH (Yorgos Lanthimos)

2. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (Don Hertzfeldt)

2. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Wong Kar Wai)

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Michelle McCue  (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. GRAVITY (Alfonso Cuaron)

9. FANTASTIC MR. FOX  (Wes Anderson)

8. AN EDUCATION (Lone Scherfig)

7. THE LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

6. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

5. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

4. THE LORD OF THE RINGS FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Peter Jackson)

3. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola)

2. MOON (Duncan Jones)

1. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

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Tim Venhaus  

10. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

9. SUPERBAD (Greg Mottola)

8. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

7. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

6. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

5. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain)

4. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

3. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM  (Darren Aronofsky)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUM’S (Wes Anderson)

1. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

there-will-be-blood-daniel-day-lewis
Travis Keune   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

8. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

7. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

6. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

5. THE WRESTLER (Darren Aronofsky)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

3. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

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Cate Marquis   (We Are Movie Geeks, The Jewish Light)

10. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

9. A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

7. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

6. THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski)

5. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

4. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

3. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

1. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

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Matt Myers  (Allied Advertising)

10. LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson)

9. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

6. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

5. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

4. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

3. AMÉLIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

2. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

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Max Foizey (ZekeFilm)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU (The Coen Brothers)

8. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

7. ATONEMENT (Joe Wright)

6. UP (Pete Docter)

5. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

4. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

3. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

beasts
Sandy Olmsted

10. THE FAIRY ( Dominique Abel)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. PARANORMAN (Chris Butler)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

5. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ( Jonathan Dayton)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler)

2. HOCOLAT (Lasse Hallström)

1. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

Lego-Movie_612x380
Carl Middleman (KFTK – 97.1FM)

10. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

9. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

8. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

7. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

6. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

5. UP (Pete Docter)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (The Coen Brothers)

3. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

2. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

tree-of-life-movie-image-brad-pitt-04
Jim Tudor  (ZekeFilm, ScreenAnarchy)

10. BUBBA HO-TEP (Don Coscarelli)

9. HOLY MOTORS (Leos Carax)

8. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

7. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

6. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

5. HER (Spike Jonze)

4. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

3. STAR WARS EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (George Lucas)

2. TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)

1. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

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Dane Marti

10. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

9. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

8. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

7. MINORITY REPORT (Steven Spielberg)

6. THE REVENANT (Alejandro  Iñárritu)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD  (Andrew Dominik)

4. LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg)

3. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

2. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

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Ian McDonald  (Allied Advertising)

10.THE LIFE AQUATIC (Wes Anderson)

9. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

8. CABIN IN THE WOODS (Drew Goddard)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro)

6. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

5. HOT FUZZ (Edgar Wright)

4. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

 

 

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of WAR DOGS In St. Louis

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From director Todd Phillips (“The Hangover” trilogy) comes WAR DOGS, starring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Moneyball”) and Miles Teller (“Whiplash,” the “Divergent” trilogy).

Based on a true story, WAR DOGS follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghan Military—a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people, not the least of which turns out to be the U.S. Government.

The film also stars Ana de Armas (“Knock Knock”) and Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper,” “American Hustle”). The screenplay is by Stephen Chin and Todd Phillips & Jason Smilovic, based on the Rolling Stone article titled “Arms and the Dudes,” by Guy Lawson. Mark Gordon (“Steve Jobs”), Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper are the producers, with David Siegel and Bryan Zuriff serving as executive producers.

WAR DOGS reunites Phillips with several of his collaborators from “The Hangover” trilogy, including director of photography Lawrence Sher, production designer Bill Brzeski and editor Jeff Groth. Joining the team is costume designer Michael Kaplan (“Star Trek,” “Star Trek: Into Darkness”). The music is by Cliff Martinez (“Drive,” “Traffic”).

WAR DOGS opens in St. Louis, Friday, August 19th.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of WAR DOGS on Tuesday, August 16 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

Answer the following:

What two movies did Miles Teller star in with Shailene Woodley?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

R for language throughout, drug use and some sexual references

Visit the official site: wardogsthemovie.com

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Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of SAUSAGE PARTY In St. Louis

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Sausage Party time!

Here’s the scoop:

  • Screening is on Monday, August 8th
  • The screening starts at 8PM
  • Cocktail reception in the bar area at 6:30PM
  • Every winner gets a free drink courtesy of the film!

For a chance to win, enter your name and email address in our comments section below. Easy Peasy!

No Purchase Necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

Life is good for all the food items that occupy the shelves at the local supermarket. Frank (Seth Rogen) the sausage, Brenda (Kristen Wiig) the hot dog bun, Teresa Taco and Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton) can’t wait to go home with a happy customer. Soon, their world comes crashing down as poor Frank learns the horrifying truth that he will eventually become a meal. After warning his pals about their similar fate, the panicked perishables devise a plan to escape from their human enemies.

Visit the official site: SausagePartyMovie.com

The film is rated R: Strong crude sexual content, pervasive language and drug use.

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