We Are Movie Geeks

Sasha Alexander And Clark Gregg Announce Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations Dec. 11

Sasha Alexander, star of the TNT original drama “Rizzoli & Isles,” and Clark Gregg, star of the ABC series “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” will reveal the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® nominations on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The nominations announcement will be telecast live on TNT at 9 a.m. (ET) / 6 a.m. (PT) and webcast live on tntdrama.com and tbs.com. Prior to the announcement, this year’s stunt ensemble nominees will be unveiled during a live webcast at 8:50 a.m. (ET) / 5:50 a.m. (PT).

Alexander has also been named social media ambassador for this year’s SAG Awards. During the six weeks leading up to the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony – which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at 8 p.m. (ET), 7 p.m. (CT), 6 p.m. (MT) and 5 p.m. (PT) – Alexander will serve as the online face for the awards. Through posts on Twitter and Facebook, she will give viewers access to behind-the-scenes moments, including updates on the production, presenters and fashion. She will also be posting from the red carpet on awards night. Follow twitter.com/sagawards for all of Alexander’s #sagawards updates.

In TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles,” which is set to return with new episodes in February, Alexander plays brilliant and eccentric medical examiner Maura Isles, who works closely on cases with Boston Police Detective Jane Rizzoli (Harmon). Prior to her role on “Rizzoli & Isles,” Alexander played Special Agent Caitlin Todd in the first two seasons of the popular drama “NCIS.” She was also a regular on the critically acclaimed drama “Dawson’s Creek,” as well as “Presidio Med” and “The Nine.” In addition, she has had guest-starring roles on such popular shows as “Friends,” “House” and “Greg the Bunny.” She most recently was the romantic lead opposite Rhys Darby in the movie “Coming & Going,” which premiered on TNT in July 2011.

On the big screen, Alexander was part of the all-star cast of the hit film “He’s Just Not That Into You” and co-starred with Jim Carrey in the movie “Yes Man.” Her other feature film credits include “Mission: Impossible III,” “Tenure,” “Love Happens,” “The Last Lullaby,” “Play Dead” and “All Over the Guy,” as well as the upcoming “The Girl from Nagasaki,” a modern adaptation of “Madame Butterfly.”

As a mother, Alexander has been a passionate advocate of sustaining an environmentally healthy household. She’s a supporter of Healthy Child, Healthy World, an organization that empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals. Additionally, Alexander is heavily involved with the UN Foundation and their amazing programs for empowering and educating young women around the world, including GirlUp and the Shot@Life Campaign.

Clark Gregg currently stars as Agent Phil Coulson in the ABC hit series “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” a role he previously played in the movie blockbusters “The Avengers,” “Thor,” and the “Iron Man” films. Gregg co-starred with Julia Louis Dreyfus on the comedy series “The New Adventures of Old Christine.” He is also known for recurring roles on “The West Wing,” “Sports Night,” “Will & Grace,” and “Sex and the City.”

Clark began his acting career as a founding member and former artistic director of the Atlantic Theater Company in New York. He moved to Los Angeles in the mid-‘90s to pursue film and television work and has since appeared in such films as Joss Whedon’s adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The To Do List,” “Trust Me,” “Labor Day,” “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “500 Days of Summer,” “Choke,” “In Good Company,” “Spartan,” “Magnolia,” and “The Human Stain.” He earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for his work in Tod Williams’ “The Adventures of Sebastian Cole.”

Also an experience screenwriter and director, Gregg wrote the screenplays for such films as “What Lies Beneath” and the Sundance Special Jury Prize winning “Choke,” which also marked his directorial debut. His second film, “Trust Me,” which he directed from his own script, stars Gregg, Amanda Peet, Allison Janney, and Felicity Huffman and premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. “Trust Me” will be released in May 2014.

Visit sagawards.org/about, “like” on facebook.com/sagawardsofficialpage, follow on twitter.com/sagawards, follow the SAG Awards on Google+ at google.com/+SAGawards, on Instagram by following @sagawards, and on Tumblr at sagawards.tumblr.com.

New Trailer For Hayao Miyazaki’s THE WIND RISES Is Gorgeous

Watch the brand new trailer for Hayao Miyazaki’s THE WIND RISES.

In THE WIND RISES, Jiro dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes, inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni. Nearsighted from a young age and unable to be a pilot, Jiro joins a major Japanese engineering company in 1927 and becomes one of the world’s most innovative and accomplished airplane designers. The film chronicles much of his life, depicting key historical events, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan’s plunge into war. Jiro meets and falls in love with Nahoko, and grows and cherishes his friendship with his colleague Honjo.

Writer and director Hayao Miyazaki pays tribute to engineer Jiro Horikoshi and author Tatsuo Hori in this epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.

THE WIND RISES was released in Japan in July 2013, topping the Japanese box office and the $100 million mark.

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most influential and admired filmmakers and a major figure in the Japanese cinematic landscape. His films have inspired moviegoers and colleagues around the world, from Pixar’s John Lasseter to fantasist Guillermo del Toro to Chinese director Tsui Hark, and consistently top the box office in his native Japan.

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Hayao Miyazaki has directed eight feature films, including the Oscar®-winning “Spirited Away” (2001), as well as “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988), “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004) and “Ponyo” (2008), among others. “The Wind Rises” marks his last film as his retirement plans were announced in 2013.

The title THE WIND RISES comes from a novel of the same name by Tatsuo Hori, who took a line from Paul Valery’s poem, “Le vent se Leve, il faut tenter de vivre” – The wind is rising. We must try to live.

From Studio Ghibli, THE WIND RISES is slated for limited release in North American theaters on Feb. 21, 2014, and expanded release on Feb. 28, 2014, under the Touchstone Pictures banner.

The film will also open for Academy Award qualification engagements in New York and Los Angeles Nov. 8-14, 2013, showcasing the original film in Japanese with English subtitles.

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WAMG Interview – Holly Hardman: Director of GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN – SLIFF 2013

Holly Hardman’s documentary GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN explores the complicated world of evangelical Christian belief and culture set against a backdrop of coastal devastation and apocalyptic fear.   In the years following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Hardman focused her lens on a fundamentalist cross-carrier, a fervent youth choir leader, a mother of eight who lost her home to Hurricane Rita, and a fascinating collection of their born-again brethren along the Gulf Coast. All believe that God sent the hurricanes of 2005 to punish Americans for their unrepentant and sinful ways. And all share a desire to prepare themselves and the world for the End Times and the rapture. Unnervingly authentic, GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN analyzes the deep, and often desperate, reasons evangelical believers have for embracing their religion. The result is a film of stunning candor and vital insight into the paradoxical world of evangelical compassion, fear, love, and intolerance.

Holly Hardman will bring GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN to the St. Louis International Film Festival on Tuesday, November 19th. The screening is at the Tivoli Theater at 7:15pm. Ms Hardman will be in attendance and answer question about the film after the screening.

For ticket information, visit Cinema St. Louis’ site HERE

http://cinemastlouis.org/good-people-go-hell-saved-people-go-heaven

We Are Movie Geeks caught up with Holly Hardman and asked her some questions about GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN before her appearance here.

Interview conducted by Tom Stockman November 19th, 2013

We Are Movie Geeks: What is your religious background and did any of your own religious upbringings come to play in the making of GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN?

Holly Hardman: I grew up in a fairly non-religious household. I thought I was Christian. I have an 11-year old daughter . When she was younger, I introduced her to what I thought was the Christian church. At the same time I had started this film and I was interested in pursuing the difference between Christianity as a whole and this group called Evangelical Christians. Where I come from there were not many Evangelical Christians, at least when I was growing up. I did not know what that meant. I could not understand why there was a group of Evangelical Christians electing George Bush president. I couldn’t understand why religious group could put a candidate over the top in an election. Of course I’ve learned a lot since then. I was interested in why a religious group could be so tied to a political outcome. I thought I grew up in a country where I thought there was separation of church and state! That’s how became interested in the polarization of our country on a religious basis.

WAMG: Where does the title come from?

HH: That’s a direct quote from the film. That seems to be the credo of most of the people we interviewed. This particular guy summed it up in one simple statement as he called it out at an outreach rally in New Orleans post-Katrina.

WAMG: How long after Hurricane Katrina did you go to New Orleans?

HH: We went in November 2005. We were the first group in Cameron Parish after Hurricane Rita. They were just starting to let people in to see their homes. We were the first outside press to be allowed in.

WAMG: What were some of the more shocking things you witnessed in New Orleans?

HH: There was so much that we filmed, but a lot of the stuff that we filmed that was the most shocking we didn’t use in the film because it went down a different avenue. Our story is not a 9^th Ward story but when we were finished with an interview, we would go over there and interview others. We wanted to get into the scandal of what had gone wrong with Katrina and this forgotten population in areas like East New Orleans and the 9^th Ward. I found some of those stories shocking in a way you would when you saw them on the news, but personally with the journey and adventure of making the film, statements like “Good People Go to Hell, Saved People Go to Heaven” seemed the most shocking. I just didn’t think a Christina could, in such a blanket way, be so judgemental about other people. The anti-gay rhetoric I found horribly upsetting as well as the taking away of the rights of women. To me, that was the horrific stuff.

WAMG: Were there people who refused to cooperate in the making of the film?

HH: People were cooperative. I think one of the reasons why is that, despite my shock and dismay at things that were said, I was very clear in my determination not to judge them. I just wanted to lay out that world and it’s up to the audience to make up their minds. There are many sections of the film that are very beautiful that are about love and compassion and people sacrificing for others. Then there’s the flip-side, the side that I still find very disturbing.

WAMG: Do you think any of them regretted being in your film? Do any think they were treated unfairly?

HH: I don’t think so. I think one of our main characters, this matriarchal character, decided that she didn’t want to be filmed anymore. She was very mercurial, very unpredictable in a lot of ways, so it was always tenuous. I think there was something in the film that really disturbed her so she has cut ties. She does not want to communicate with me anymore. It’s understandable but I don’t think she feels betrayed. It’s just that there was information that I could not ignore. I was very up front about telling her that I was going to tell the story of her family and I was going to tell it in a short, 90-minute work. There were many avenues I could have gone down that were even more scandalous. My goal was not to hurt or expose people. It was to reveal a world that I thought was fascinating. I liked everybody who we filmed. They were nice people. They meant well. If you look at an overview of the religious doctrine, I find it disturbing but these people, on an everyday level, they tend to be wonderful, hard-working, compassionate people. Then there was this disconnect between who I saw they were on a day-to-day basis and the judgments they would make and the prejudices against other, especially in the voting booth.

WAMG: Have you revisited any of the subjects of your film lately to see how they are doing?

HH: Yes, I’m in touch Lance Roe and his family, especially his daughter Heather. The film has been reviewed on Amazon and people see the title and basically review the film based on the title, which is unfortunate but it happens and it’s something you can’t control. So Heather and I were both upset because some reviewer on Amazon, someone who did not watch the film carefully at all, posted a sloppy review. Then Heather was upset, because in this review, this guy made some disparaging comments about her and her family. Very judgmental and off-base comments. She was upset and we did have an exchange talking about how we can’t control what people think and we were both hurt for different reason so we commiserated on something like that. But I’ve been in touch with that family. I would like to be in touch with the Mitsy Taylor family but I think she has instructed her family to keep a distance from me at this point because she’s a very controlling person and what she says, goes. I’ve had some good communication going with her daughter-in-law. They are all such different people from who I am, but it’s been eye-opening. I do feel the film is very much about the country, not just this segment but the whole red state-blue state divide. I’d like to think that by understanding each other, we can progress to something better.

WAMG: Amen. Can you tell me about your next project?

HH: The next project is about doctors and pharmaceutical companies and about people who have difficulties with medications they are given for the wrong reasons. And that’s about as much as I want say about that for now.

WAMG: Well, good luck with GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN and I hope you enjoy your stay in St. Louis

HH: Thank you!

Here is the trailer for Holly Hardman’s GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN:

St. Louis-Shot REDNECKS & CULCHIES Showing Tuesday Night at The Hi-Pointe

This looks interesting, though I’m not sure what a ‘culchie’ is.

But it’s a world premiere so it may be worth checking out!

In the sometimes disturbing documentary REDNECKS & CULCHIES, shot entirely in St. Louis, the drugs and alcohol problems of the American working class are studied from the perspective of an Irish redneck. Tony Monaghan was raised in a large, poor family in rural western Ireland. With only five years of education, he left home as a teenage migrant worker to one day own and run a successful construction business in St. Louis, Missouri. Having overcome the most difficult of obstacles, he is baffled by the apathy and the substance abuse problems of American construction workers.

REDNECKS & CULCHIES will be screened one time only – this Tuesday, November 19th at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater (1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63117)

All proceeds will benefit the restoration of the historic Hi-Pointe Theatre and the St. Louis Homeless Winter Outreach

The REDNECKS & CULCHIES facebook page can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/rednecksandculchies

Here’s the trailer for REDNECKS & CULCHIES

Win A Pass To The Advance Screening Of NEBRASKA In St. Louis

“We are now authorized to pay one million dollars to

Mr. Woodrow T. Grant of Billings, Montana.”

— Notice from Mega Sweepstakes Marketing mailed to Woody Grant

In Alexander Payne’s NEBRASKA a father and son steer the American road comedy into a vanishing Midwest on the trail of a dubious fortune – and in search of an understanding of each other that once seemed impossible.

This is the story of the Grant family of Hawthorne, Nebraska. Now transplanted to Billings, Montana, stubborn, taciturn Woody (Bruce Dern in a role that won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival) is well past his prime — such as it ever was — and possibly his usefulness, but he believes he’s got one last shot at mattering: a notice that he’s the lucky winner of a million-dollar sweepstakes.

To claim his fortune, Woody insists he must quickly get to the sweepstakes company’s office in Lincoln, Nebraska – a 750-mile journey that seems unlikely given that he can barely shuffle down the road a few blocks, at least not without stopping for a drink. Worried for his father’s state of mind, it falls to Woody’s reluctant, baffled son David (Will Forte) to accompany him on a trip that seems hilariously futile on the surface.

Yet, their odd journey becomes a kind of modern family odyssey. When Woody and David make a pit-stop in their hometown of Hawthorne – with the Grant’s tart-tongued matriarch (June Squibb, “About Schmidt”) and anchor-man son (Bob Odenkirk, “Breaking Bad”) joining them – word of Woody’s fortune makes him, momentarily, a returning hero. Then it brings out the vultures. But it also opens a view into the unseen lives of David’s parents and a past more alive than he ever imagined.

Shot in a black and white Cinemascope that mirrors the dusky beauty of small-town USA and the film’s high contrasts of humor and heartbreak, the film gives comic consideration to questions of family roots and family riddles, delusion and dignity, self-worth and the quiet yearning for a dash of salvation.

Paramount Vantage presents in association with FilmNation Entertainment, Blue Lake Media Fund and Echo Lake Entertainment, a Bona Fide production of NEBRASKA, directed by Alexander Payne from a screenplay written by Bob Nelson. The producers are Albert Berger & Ron Yerxa; and the executive producers are George Parra, Julie M. Thompson, Doug Mankoff and Neil Tabatznik.

WAMG invites you to enter to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of NEBRASKA on Monday, November 25th.

Answer the following:

Bruce Dern starred alongside three little drones in the brilliant sci-fi movie SILENT RUNNING (1972).

What were their names?

OFFICIAL RULES:

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

2. ENTER YOUR NAME AND ANSWER IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

3. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

The film is rated R for SOME LANGUAGE,

http://www.nebraskamovie.com/
https://flipboard.com/section/nebraska-photo-project-bYvuJm
https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaMovie

Watch SAVING MR. BANKS On the Disney Studios Lot In Burbank, CA Dec. 13 – 19

Disney announced today that for one week only, guests will have the opportunity to see Disney’s upcoming “Saving Mr. Banks,” starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, in a state-of-the-art movie theater on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California, and then walk in Walt Disney’s footsteps on a special tour of the famous lot. This limited engagement features one show daily at 7 p.m. from December 13th through December 19th.

Tickets are $50 each and include a reserved seat to watch SAVING MR. BANKS in the Studio Main Theatre as well as the “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour immediately following the screening, which showcases key locations that were featured in the film. On the tour guests will have photo opportunities with Mickey Mouse as well as Mary Poppins and Bert the Chimney Sweep characters from “Mary Poppins” and will get a chance to see sets from the film, such as Walt Disney’s office and “Mary Poppins” author P.L. Travers’ home.

Guests will also visit the Walt Disney Animation building, where they will get a sense of the art of animation and the history of the Walt Disney Company. Included in the tour is a visit to the Legends Plaza to see the statue of Walt Disney and view the many historical plaques, including Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, and more. Guests will also receive a commemorative 50th Anniversary “Mary Poppins” DVD, a value of $17.99.

To purchase tickets to this limited and exclusive engagement, call 1 (800)DISNEY6 or go to http://movies.disney.com/saving-mr-banks and click on the link on the homepage.

Two-time Academy Award – winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s SAVING MR. BANKS, inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise – one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Disney presents SAVING MR. BANKS, directed by John Lee Hancock, produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie and Philip Steuer, and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Executive producers are Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum.

The film will release in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013, limited, and open wide on December 20, 2013.

Check Out The New Trailer And Poster For THE NUT JOB

Ready for some furry cuteness?

Open Road has released a brand new poster and trailer for their hilarious 3D animated film, THE NUT JOB.

(HULU)

When Liberty Park doesn’t have enough food for winter, it’s up to Surly the squirrel (voiced by Will Arnett) and a rag-tag team of animals to plan a nut store heist of nut-rageous proportions.

With an all-star cast, including Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl, and Maya Rudolph, THE NUT JOB hits theaters nationwide on January 17, 2014.

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNutJobMovie
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNutJobMovie

#TheNutJob

Watch The Brand New NEED FOR SPEED Trailer

Check out the latest trailer for DreamWorks Pictures’ NEED FOR SPEED, starring Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek, Scott Mescudi, Dakota Johnson, Harrison Gilbertson and Michael Keaton.

Based on the video game series created by Electronic Arts, the film releases in U.S. theaters on March 14, 2014.

DreamWorks Pictures’ NEED FOR SPEED marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when the authenticity of the world brought a new level of intensity to the action on-screen. Tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing, the story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.

Based on the most successful racing video game franchise ever with over 140 million copies sold, NEED FOR SPEED captures the freedom and excitement of the game in a real-world setting, while bringing to life the passion for the road that has made our love of cars so timeless.

The film centers around Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), a blue-collar mechanic who races muscle cars on the side in an unsanctioned street-racing circuit. Struggling to keep his family-owned garage afloat, he reluctantly partners with the wealthy and arrogant ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper).

But just as a major sale to car broker Julia Bonet (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save Tobey’s shop, a disastrous race allows Dino to frame Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit, and sending Tobey to prison while Dino expands his business out west.

Two years later, Tobey is released and set on revenge — but he knows his only chance to take down his rival Dino is to defeat him in the high-stakes race known as De Leon — the Super Bowl of underground racing.

However to get there in time, Tobey will have to run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet that includes dodging pursuing cops coast-to-coast as well as contending with a dangerous bounty Dino has put out on his car.

With the help of his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.

The film releases in U.S. theaters on March 14, 2014.

Like Need for Speed on Facebook: Facebook.com/NeedForSpeed

Follow Need for Speed on Twitter: Twitter.com/NeedForSpeed

#NeedForSpeedMovie

Visit the website: TheNeedForSpeedMovie.com

Follow Need for Speed on Instagram: @NeedForSpeed

TCM and Macy’s to Celebrate Christmas In Big Apple With MIRACLE ON 34th STREET Screening In Herald Square Plaza

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) kicks off its 20th anniversary celebration by joining forces with Macy’s to bring the holiday spirit to New York with a special screening of the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street (1947).

The movie will be screened for fans outside Macy’s Herald Square beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 and will run throughout the day. TCM host Robert Osborne will introduce the final screening at 7:45 p.m. In addition to the screening, TCM will also offer classic film fans in the Big Apple 20 days of free admission to the TCM Classic Film Sightseeing Bus Tour, beginning Dec. 1.

“Miracle on 34th Street is one of the most beloved holiday films of all time, a celebration of the magic that envelops New York City during this special time of year,” said Dennis Adamovich, senior vice president of digital, affiliate, lifestyle and enterprise commerce for TCM, TBS and TNT. “It’s great to be partnering with Macy’s, which plays such a prominent role in Miracle on 34th Street. With TCM celebrating 20 years as a leading authority in classic film, we are thrilled to be giving back to fans not only through this special event with Macy’s but also by offering 20 days of free admission aboard the TCM Classic Film Sightseeing Bus Tour.”

“As Macy’s prepares for the most wonderful time of year, we are so excited to partner with Turner Classic Movies in screening the Miracle on 34th Street right where the story takes place, at Macy’s Herald Square,” said Martine Reardon, chief marketing officer, Macy’s. “What better way to spread pre-holiday cheer than with an all-day showing of one of America’s most beloved films in front of one of the most iconic holiday destinations? That’s the miracle and magic of Macy’s.”

Miracle on 34th Street stars Edmund Gwenn in an Oscar®-winning performance as Kris Kringle, a kindly, bearded gentleman who takes the reigns of Santa’s sleigh at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. Maureen O’Hara is Doris Walker, the supervisor who decides to hire Kringle as Macy’s in-store Santa. John Payne plays Fred Gailey, Doris’ handsome neighbor who agrees to take Kris in as a roommate. And Natalie Wood is Susan, Doris’ perpetually skeptical daughter whose world is upended when it appears Kris Kringle might be the real Santa Claus.

Miracle on 34th Street helped make the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade an American institution. Begun in 1924, the Parade remained a primarily local tradition little known outside of New York. With its on-location opening scenes, however, Miracle on 34th Streetbrought the parade into the national consciousness. National television coverage of the Parade began in 1947, the same year of the film’s release, and has remained a part of American popular culture ever since.

TCM will also celebrate the holiday season in the Big Apple by offering 20 days of free admission to the TCM Classic Film Sightseeing Bus Tour, beginning December 1. The three-hour sightseeing bus tour launched earlier this year in partnership with On Location Tours, one of the world’s largest TV and movie tour companies. The tour, which normally runs three days a week (Tues., Thurs. and Sat.), will expand to seven days a week Dec. 1-20.

Each day’s TCM Classic Film Sightseeing Bus Tour begins at 11:30 a.m. and takes movie fans to some of the city’s greatest filming locations, including the Empire State Building (King Kong); Zabar’s market (Manhattan,You’ve Got Mail); Holly Golightly’s brownstone (Breakfast at Tiffany’s); the famed subway grate that blew Marilyn Monroe’s skirt (The Seven-Year Itch); Grand Central Terminal (North by Northwest, Superman); and, of course, Central Park. In addition to seeing the real locations, visitors get to see clips of the sites from the movies.

Fans can find more information about the TCM Classic Film Sightseeing Bus Tour and book their free reservations online at tcm.com/20. For additional questions, fans can email tcmtour@onlocationtours.com. Tickets are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT – The SLIFF 2013 Review

Review by Dana Jung

Families have a way of defining us. Who we are, what we feel, the choices we make; all these things can be traced to the quality (or lack thereof) in our family life. The new film THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT tells heartfelt and sometimes humorous story that reverberates throughout with themes on the impact and importance of the people we call family.

To all the world, Jack (E.J. Bonilla) has it all. He runs a successful business, has a pretty girlfriend (Melissa Fumero), and owns the nice high rise apartment building that his extended family and friends live in. However, Jack’s idealistic dreamworld is beginning to crumble down around him: his parents (Saundra Santiago and John Herrera) constantly fight, mostly because his father is an alcoholic; his sister is about to come out as lesbian; his girlfriend is starting to pressure him to get married; his brother—a brand new dad—is also having marital troubles; and his “business” is actually dealing drugs, and is getting challenged by a rival that may end up in a turf war. At times stubborn and hotheaded, Jack is feeling the weight of his family pressing on him at a time when he really needs freedom of action. In one tense scene, Jack delays going to a meeting (which he feels he must attend armed) as family members stand around, because he is too embarrassed and secretive about his “work” to retrieve the weapon in front of them.

Director Henry Barrial tells Jack’s story with a lot of handheld and closeups that involve us directly in the characters. Jack’s family lends new meaning to the term “volatile” and Barrial’s direction effectively captures both the tender moments, and the scenes of explosive violence. Working with a largely unkown cast, Barrial also seamlessly weaves a lot of funny sequences into all the drama, in scenes almost anyone who’s ever been at a family gathering can relate to. Fumero (currently seen on TVs BROOKLYN NINE NINE) is a pure representation of conscience and morality, as well as being the attractive love interest. Astute viewers may also recognize the face belonging to Saundra Santiago, who is outstanding as Jack’s mother—and who is familiar to fans of 80s TV as Elena on MIAMI VICE.

But this is Jack’s story all the way, and as Jack, E.J. Bonilla guides the film with a commanding performance as he absorbs all the pain–and some happy times—as the defacto leader of his clan. The way the film begins and ends with a party, the scenes of Catholic ritual, and the story’s themes of familial sacrifice, all bring to mind the great classic movie about family, THE GODFATHER. It is a testament to THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT that it can be compared in that light, for its timeless messages about how, even if you don’t choose your family, sometimes they choose you—and can even change you.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT plays Monday night, November 18th at 8:30 and Tuesday night, November 19th at 9:15 as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. Both screenings at the The Plaza Frontenac Theater.

More ticket information, visit Cinema St. Louis’ site HERE

http://www.cinemastlouis.org/house-jack-built

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