THE CRAFT: LEGACY is coming to Blu-ray and DVD December 22nd!
INCLUDES FOUR ALTERNATE SCENES AND TWO FEATURETTES EXPLORING THE MAKING OF THE FILM AND THE CONTINUING LEGACY OF THE 1996 CULT CLASSIC
THE FILM IS AVAILABLE NOW ON DIGITAL AND ON DEMAND
Check out this extended scene:
In Blumhouse’s continuation of the cult hit The Craft, an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches gets more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers.
Featurettes:
Franchise Legacy
Powerful Story, Magical Director
4 Alternate Scenes with an Introduction from the Director
(l-r) Lourdes (Zoey Luna), Frankie (Gideon Adlon), Lily (Cailee Spaeny) and Tabby (Lovie Simone) practice their powers in Columbia Pictures’ THE CRAFT: LEGACY.
BONUS MATERIALS (ON BLU-RAY AND DVD):
CAST AND CREW Written and Directed By: Zoe Lister-Jones Producers: Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Jason Blum Executive Producers: Andrew Fleming, Lucas Wiesendanger, Daniel Bekerman, Beatriz Sequeira, Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson, Zoe Lister-Jones, Natalia Anderson Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna with Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny
Despite the ups and downs, 2020 was a year worth celebrating when it came to movies. WAMG’s list contains stories that provided insight, inspiration, and escapism in the wild year that was 2020.
With movements like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, there were true social and cultural films that showed everyone how important it is to celebrate diversity.
Even with the dark days, we came together in peaceful protest to bring light to the awful injustices. Diversity and inclusion go hand-in-hand and we must keep working to bring about an inclusive culture. In June The Academy announced that it will encourage equitable hiring practices and representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the film community.
There were moments of film brilliance that shone brightly whether you were streaming at home or viewing it from your car at the drive-in. Check out our list of Amazing Moments of last year HERE.
Reminding us of the importance of film, here’s WAMG’s Top 10 Films of 2020.
Let’s jump in with our Honorable Mention.
BOYS STATE
This informative movie from filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine followed a group of teenage boys who run a mock government in Austin, TX every year. This must-see film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival and was truly one of the best documentaries of 2020. Be assured, if you’ve never heard of Boys or Girls State, and have a high school Junior, you will definitely want to send them to this week long event after watching this political coming-of-age story.
10. THE OUTPOST
Director Rod Lurie’s THE OUTPOST depicts the Battle of Kamdesh, which took place on October of 2009, near the border with Pakistan in Afghanistan. 53 American Soldiers were expected to defend the worst position possible from 300 Taliban fighters and the stage was set for one of the bloodiest close quarter conflicts of the war in Afghanistan. The second half of THE OUTPOST is a visceral depiction of combat and an amazing job portraying the odds that were stacked against these men. Scott Eastwood does away with Clint imitation shtick this time and proves himself a more than capable action star.
9. MANK
With MANK, director David Fincher and his late screenwriter father Jack Fincher tell the story of how the screenplay for CITIZEN KANE, regarded as one of the greatest ever written, was primarily penned by Herman J. Mankiewicz. Gary Oldman is a powerhouse in the titular role, playing Mank as a brilliant drunk. Tom Burke plays Orson Welles as kind of an annoying show off, but that’s not what MANK is about. The story jumps back and forth in time, an epic parade through ‘30s Hollywood, and focuses much of its story on the studio head’s reactions to the 1934 California governor’s race. The cinematography is spot-on, perfectly matching the look an atmosphere of CITIZEN KANE. MANK is a must-watch for fans of Hollywood history and politics
8. WOLFWALKERS
From the filmmakers of the Oscar-nominated short THE SECRET OF KELS, which combines magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology, WOLFWALKERS is the third film in Cartoon Saloon’s “Irish Folklore” trilogy. From Oscar-nominated director Tomm Moore and director Ross Stewart, this gorgeous film was an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival, and one of the best of 2020. Jim Batts says in his review of the the film, “the CGI feature films are stunning, but a variety of styles raises the level of all animated efforts. These arresting visuals are complemented by the lyrical score by Bruno Coulais). WOLFWALKERS is a dazzling combination of a compelling story matched by art that smoothly blends the best current techniques while recalling classic works that helped shape our childhood.”
7. ON THE ROCKS
2020 saw several actors and directors re-uniting in new films, with none perhaps more entertaining than this modern-day family fable. After having two adorable daughters, Rashida Jones’ Laura suspects that her hubby may be cheating on her. When she voices her concerns during a long-distance call to her daddy, surprisingly he soon arrives. Bill Murray as grandpa’ Felix is indeed a “wonderful, wonderful cat” as whisks her away on an undercover adventure, leaving a trail of empty martini glasses along the road to Mexico. Seventeen years after Sofia Coppola directed him in LOST IN TRANSLATION, she guides him in serving up another helping of that irresistible Murray charm, this time tinged with longing and regret, for a most enjoyable visit with one of cinema’s great “wiseguy” icons.
6. NOMADLAND
The wanderer on the open road is an icon of American tales from classic Westerns to Jack London to Kerouac. NOMADLAND upends our expectation of the usual male central character, making the wanderer instead an older woman. Frances McDormand gives a stunning performance as a woman reflecting on both past and the future, someone who has become untethered from ordinary life after small town where she and her late husband had lived evaporates when its sole employer shuts down. Hitting the road in a van, McDormand’s lone traveler encounters a loosely-connected community of fellow wanderers living in trailers and vans, moving from place to place in search of jobs, but also enjoying the freedom of the road amid the raw beauty of the Western landscape. Filled with breath-taking photography,, and by turns sad or joyous, NOMDALAND is a powerful, engrossing story that is both personal journey and social commentary, and one that is both timeless and timely.
5. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Carey Mulligan gives a fearless, powerhouse performance as a once-promising young woman who now spends her nights prowling bars, posing as a drunken woman, to exact revenge on would-be rapists, in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. Director Emerald Fennel’s smart, clever, darkly funny film is an equally fearless take down of rape culture and its enablers, a film that straddles the lines between thriller, dark comedy and drama genres. The surprising, and surprisingly entertaining, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is at once a hard-hitting attack on rape culture, a highly entertaining experience, and an impressive showcase for Mulligan.
4. THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF
Codependency between the roles of the artist and the muse is examined in Benjamin Ree’s fascinating documentary that feels as riveting and unexpected as a scripted drama. What begins as a woman investigating her missing paintings evolves into an unlikely friendship that sets the stage for a stirring look at self-healing, how we see ourselves and how we are seen by others. As the film shows in beautiful and heartbreaking moments, a portrait is a reflection of both the artist and the subject — an image stuck in time despite what changes lie ahead for the two.
3. POSSESSOR
In the not-so-distant future, your body is just a vessel that can be used and manipulated to be a weapon. One part cyber-punk, body-horror freakout and one part existential metaphor about our lack of identity and the soul-crushing effects of a job controlling your life, POSSESSOR shows director Brandon Cronenberg continuing in his iconic father’s footsteps of creating experiences that meld sex, violence and technology in unforgettable ways. A bleak and visceral look at corporate espionage delivered at a time when data mining, surveillance and slipping into online virtual worlds isn’t the future but rather our “normal” paranoid lives.
2. NEWS OF THE WORLD
And here’s another terrific 2020 actor/ director reunion. Seven years after their fateful voyage in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, director Paul Greengrass embarks on another tension-filled trek with actor Tom Hanks, this one set in the old West, just a few years after the Civil War. Hanks is a former Union officer who now lives by traveling from one isolated dusty town to the next, reading stories from a variety of newspapers from around the world to the settlers. His solidary life is upended when he meets a young girl of seven years, Johanna (Helena Zengel) who had been abducted by the Kiowa tribe, and decides to personally return her to his family. Greengrass skillfully twists the themes of the iconic film classic THE SEARCHERS to deliver a “road trip” adventure highlighting the deep emotional bond slowly forming between the two leads. And Hanks finally gets to saddle-up for his first live-action foray into the Western genre after several decades as our “fav’rit” plastic sheriff.
1. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Director/ writer Aaron Sorkin takes us on another dramatic trip into the world of politics but set in the now distant, but oh so familiar past. Indeed its main focus is on the legal “three-ring circus” that riveted the US a couple of years after the violent demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic Convention in the Windy City when those protest organizers were charged with a litany of federal and state offenses. An impressive all-star cast, headed by Oscar-winners Eddie Redmayne and Mark Rylance, bring this slice of history to vibrant life under Sorkin’s taut guidance as he balances the courtroom “theatrics” with harrowing flashbacks of that turbulent era. After the past of summer of societal unrest, this 50 year-old story feels incredibly “of the moment” thanks to his filmmaking skills and perhaps this movie year’s scariest villain, Frank Langella as the single-minded stubborn Judge Hoffman.
The individual favorites from the WAMG team:
Michael’s Favorite Films of 2020
Welcome to Chechnya
Possessor
The Painter and The Thief
Relic
Boys State
Black Bear
Minari
Bacurau
Wolfwalkers
Sound of Metal
Honorable mentions: Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Promising Young Woman, Lovers Rock
Cate’s Favorite Films of 2020
Nomadland
First Cow
Mank
The Painter and the Thief
Antigone (French Canadian, Canada’s official Oscar entry)
Honorable Mentions: Love and Monsters, Bill & Ted 3 (BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC), Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Vast of Night, The Midnight Sky, Tenet
Jim’s Favorite Films of 2020
Soul
Desert One
Promising Young Woman
The Personal History of David Copperfield
Belushi
BORAT: Subsequent Movie Film
News Of The World
Wolfwalkers
The Trial of the Chicago 7
On The Rocks
Honorable Mentions:
THE ASSISTANT, PIECES OF A WOMAN, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY: THE REN & STIMPY STORY, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS and OVER THE MOON
Tom’s Favorite Films of 2020
A Rainy Day In New York
Possessor
The Outpost
BORAT: Subsequent Movie Film
Mank
The Call Of The Wild
The Devil All The Time
On The Rocks
News Of The World
VFW
Honorable Mentions:
AMERICA’S LAST LITTLE ITALY: THE HILL, SKIN: A HISTORY OF NUDITY IN THE MOVIES
Amazon Studios will release ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… in select US theaters this Friday January 8th and on Prime Video January 15th, 2021.
Directed by Regina King and written by Kemp Powers, based on the Stage Play “One Night In Miami…” by Kemp Powers, the film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom, Jr., Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson with Beau Bridges and Lance Reddick.
Check out the new official trailer and character posters.
On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, (Eli Goree), defeats heavy weight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).
ELI GOREE, KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR, ALDIS HODGE, and LESLIE ODOM JR. star in ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios
Courtesy of Amazon Studios
Based on the award-winning play of the same name, and directed by Regina King, One Night In Miami… is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these four formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.
A new TV spot airs tonight featuring Marvel Studios’ upcoming new Disney+ series “WandaVision,” a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The spot reveals an original theme song written by Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen”), who penned unique songs for several episodes, spanning from the 1950s to the early 2000s.
“‘WandaVision’ is such a cool, strange, one-of-a-kind project,” says Lopez. “When the director, Matt Shakman—an old friend from my college days—pitched it to us, we didn’t have to think about it. We loved the bright feeling of American sitcoms mixed with the deep sense of unease the story had, and it was a really inviting challenge to help set that tone.”
Adds Anderson-Lopez, “I grew up in the ’80s watching shows from every decade on the networks all day long. Episodes from ‘I Love Lucy,’ ‘Brady Bunch’ and ‘Family Ties’ shaped who I am and how I move through the world. So this project was a dream come true.”
“WandaVision,” the first Marvel Studios series created exclusively for Disney+, stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Paul Bettany as Vision, Kathryn Hahn as Agnes, and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, who was introduced to audiences in “Captain Marvel.” Kat Dennings will reprise her role as Darcy from “Thor” and “Thor: The Dark World,” and Randall Park will reprise his role as Jimmy Woo from “Ant-Man and The Wasp.”
Marvel Studios’ “WandaVision” is a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff and Vision—two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems. The series is directed by Matt Shakman with Jac Schaeffer as head writer. Composer is Christophe Beck, and theme (for certain episodes) is by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Featuring nine episodes, “WandaVision” kicks off on Disney+ on January 15, 2021.
The Hi-Pointe Theater, at 1005 McCausland Ave in St. Louis, is the best place to see movies. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI opens this Friday January 8th at The Hi-Pointe.
Set on the night of February 25, 1964, “One Night in Miami” follows a young, brash Cassius Clay as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center the new Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. Against all odds, he defeated Sonny Liston and shocked the sports world. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach to celebrate the match, Clay – unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws – spends the evening at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s African American Overtown neighborhood celebrating with three of his closest friends: Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. During this historic evening, these icons, who each were the very representation of the Pre-Black Power Movement and felt the social pressure their cross-over celebrity brought, shared their thoughts with each other about their responsibilities as influencers, standing up, defending their rights and moving the country forward to equality and empowerment for all black people.
Dwayne Johnson in Richard Kelly’s SOUTHLAND TALES will available January 26th in a 2-Disc Limited Edition Blu-ray with both the Cannes Cut and the Theatrical Cut From Arrow Video
THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS
In 2001, writer/director Richard Kelly achieved cult status with Donnie Darko, an assured debut feature exploring deep existential questions through the lens of 80s nostalgia. Five years later, he followed up with a more ambitious and even more beguiling sophomore effort, in which forces of totalitarianism and anarchism collide against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic, near-future world the beguiling and baffling Southland Tales.
Los Angeles, 2008. As the city stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental chaos, the fates of an eclectic set of characters including an amnesia-stricken action star (Dwayne Johnson, the Fast & Furious series), an adult film star developing her own reality TV project (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Cruel Intentions) and a police officer whose identity has split in two (Seann William Scott, TV s Lethal Weapon) intertwine with each other and with the whole of humanity.
A darkly comic futuristic epic that speaks as presciently to our turbulent times as it did to the American socio-political climate in 2006, Southland Tales receives a fresh and timely lease of life with this new, director-approved restoration.
2-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
New 2K restoration by Arrow Films, approved by director Richard Kelly and director of photography Steven Poster
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of both versions of the film: the 145-minute theatrical cut and the 160-minute Cannes cut , which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006
Original lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 stereo soundtracks
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary on the theatrical cut by Richard Kelly
It s a Madcap World: The Making of an Unfinished Film, a new in-depth retrospective documentary on the film, featuring contributions by Richard Kelly and members of the original crew
USIDent TV: Surveilling the Southland, an archival featurette on the making of the film, featuring interviews with the cast and crew
This is the Way the World Ends, an archival animated short set in the Southland Tales universe
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Peter Tonguette and Simon Ward
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
Charles Dickens classic “A Tale of Two Cities” begins with the famous line “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” As it was in 1859 when Dickens historical novel was first published, so it was in 2020. While this year surely saw the worst of times, 2020 saw some of the best, truly fabulous and most beautiful of moments.
Mankind celebrated the thrilling launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the surprise announcements made by DC and Marvel on both the TV and movie fronts, and “Some Good News” that showed how people throughout the world came together even at the worst of times.
As we leave 2020, here’s a reminder of the inspirational moments of the last twelve months that we all nerded and geeked out to.
“Some Good News”: Actor and director John Krasinski lifted everyone’s spirits with his video montages showing the positive things going on in the world during the Pandemic in a delightful way.
Justice League Director’s Cut: After a grass roots campaign, director Zack Snyder is bringing his vision of the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie to HBO Max in 2021.
The Justice League screenplay is by Chris Terrio, story by Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film’s producers are Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, with executive producers Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Jim Rowe, Ben Affleck, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, and Chris Terrio.
DC FanDome: In August Warner Bros. welcomed fans everywhere into the DC FanDome—a free virtual fan experience. The highly anticipated announcements and the latest news, along with exclusive footage, featured the new Batman movie teaser, the cast and characters were revealed at the SUICIDE SQUAD panel, a glimpse At BLACK ADAM including Justice Society members Atom Smasher, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and Cyclone and the announcement of SHAZAM 2 FURY OF THE GODS.
HBO Max Movies Release Announcement: Warner Bros. Pictures Group’s 2021 expected* release slate currently includes The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho and Matrix 4. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” prequel, “House of the Dragon”, will debut in 2022. The highly anticipated Warner Bros. film “Wonder Woman 1984”—the first of the slate debuted on Christmas Day in theaters and on HBO Max in the U.S. Warner Bros. Pictures announced that it will fast-track development on the third installment of the Wonder Woman franchise to be written by Patty Jenkins, who is attached to direct, and starring Gal Gadot.
New series on Disney Plus: Fans rejoiced at the announcement in December that over the next few years, Disney+ plans to release approximately 10 Star Wars series and 10 Marvel series, as well as 15 Disney live action, Disney Animation, and Pixar series, as well as 15 Disney live action, Disney Animation, and Pixar features. Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios, and chief creative officer, Marvel, revealed the studio will bring one of Marvel’s most iconic families to the big screen with the release of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four! Spider-Man veteran Jon Watts is on board to direct.
Speaking of Star Wars…
The Mandalorian Season Two: Where to start? Baby Yoda=Grogu, the return of bounty hunter Boba Fett, Master Jedi Luke Skywalker, R2-D2 and the surprise announcement of the new Boba Fett series comprised the amazing second season from creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau.
Composer Ludwig Göransson’s out of this world score made it a true Star Wars story.
#NoWords-Seeing fan's reactions to Luke's return is something I will cherish forever. Their anticipation seeing the X-Wing/Ep. 6 Robes/a lightsaber/a GREEN lightsaber/a gloved hand/an ungloved hand/a Force choke/R2-was OVERWHELMING & very moving to me-1/2 https://t.co/gzKn9IVPf6
New Star Wars series on DisneyPlus: Lucasfilm announced an impressive number of exciting Disney+ series and new feature films destined to expand the Star Wars galaxy like never before. Among the projects for Disney+ are “Obi-Wan Kenobi,”starring Ewan McGregor with Hayden Christensen returning as Darth Vader, and two series set in the Mandalorian era from Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni: “Rangers of the New Republic” and “Ahsoka,” a series featuring the fan favorite character Ahsoka Tano.
Additional new titles announced for Disney+ include “Andor,” “Star Wars:The Bad Batch,” “Star Wars: Visions,” “Lando,” “The Acolyte,” and “A Droid Story.”
Twitter watch parties: Bill and Ted 3 was the perfect example of watching a movie with an online audience throughout the world. Filmmakers and actors would join in with the fans to watch old and new movies, supply the start time, show previously unseen images and always give a “press play” countdown of 3… 2… 1.
Drive-in Comebacks: To get out of the house for a movie, people returned in droves to the old pastime of seeing a movie at the local, or not so local, drive-in. Even if it wasn’t an established drive-in, businesses and restaurants succeeded in inventing ones with inflatable screens and a culinary menu to attract moviegoers. For those who saw Russell Crowe in UNHINGED at a drive-in, the sound of applause at the end were honking horns and flashing lights.
Resilence: This was the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Crew Dragon spacecraft with NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), into orbit to begin a six-month science mission aboard the space station.
Artemis Moon Missions: It was announced that man would be returning at long last to the moon aboard the Artemis Moon missions. The original trips to the Moon were aboard the Saturn V rockets during the Apollo missions. With the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. They will collaborate with our commercial and international partners and establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade. Then, they will use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap – sending astronauts to Mars.
Devolution: A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF THE RAINIER SASQUATCH MASSACRE by Max Brooks: Fans of Bigfoot and Sasquatch were elated with a new book about their favorite big furry guy. The author of WORLD WAR Z took on the Bigfoot legend with a tale that blurs the lines between human and beast–and asks what we are capable of in the face of the unimaginable.
We will leave you with the words of Apollo 8 on December 24, 1968. The tumultuous year which saw the deaths of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. ended on a positive note at least, as three astronauts aboard Apollo 8—Jim Lovell, Bill Anders and Frank Borman—became the first humans to orbit the moon.
“And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.”
The 29th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) wrapped on Nov. 22, 2020, but Cinema St. Louis is providing cinephiles another opportunity to view the event’s award winners in the Best of Fest, which is available virtually from Jan. 22-31, 2021.
A few of SLIFF’s honorees are already or imminently out in the world — “Transhood” is available on HBO Max, and “9 to 5: The Story of a Movement” premieres on PBS’s “Independent Lens” on Feb. 1 — but we’re pleased to reprise the other 19 winners of our juried and audience-choice awards.
Like 2020’s SLIFF, the Best of Fest is an online-only event and is again presented with our virtual-festival partner, Eventive. Nine features and a program of 10 shorts will be available to stream during all 10 days of the event, and several of the films will once more include recorded Q&As with filmmakers and documentary subjects. (SLIFF Q&As and master classes are also available for free on our YouTube channel.)
Geographic restrictions will apply to some films. All programs will be available in Missouri and Illinois, but some will be accessible throughout the U.S. or world. This information is noted on each listing.
Tickets/Passes
Individual tickets are $15 ($12 for Cinema St. Louis members).
Buy tickets using the Purchase button on each film program.
A 5-film pass is $65 ($55 for Cinema St. Louis members).
The Action Film REDEMPTION DAY hits theaters January 8th and is On Digital and On Demand January 12th.
Check out this exciting trailer:
Three lucky WAMG readers will be able to watch it for FREE.Just leave a comment below with your email address. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES and we will send you a Digital Download Code.
REDEMPTION DAY stars Gary Dourdan, Serinda Swan, Martin Donovan, Ernie Hudson, Samy Naceri, and Andy Garcia.
Having just returned home, decorated U.S. Marine Captain Brad Paxton’s (Gary Dourdan) wife, Kate, is kidnapped by a terrorist group while working in Morocco. He is forced back into action for a daring and deadly operation to save the woman he loves.
Survivor Ballads: Three Films by Shohei Imamura is currently available on a 3-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray from Arrow Academy
Throughout the 1980s, Shohei Imamura (The Pornographers, Profound Desires of the Gods), a leading figure of the Japanese New Wave era of the 1960s, cemented his international reputation as one of the most important directors of his generation with a series of films that all competed at Cannes to great critical acclaim. This exclusive box set from Arrow Academy presents restored versions of three late career classics from the legendary filmmaker.
Based on an ancient folktale, The Ballad of Narayama (1983) was the first of two works from the director to win the prestigious Cannes Palme d Or. Imamura s magnum opus depicts the members of an extended farming family eking out their existence in the mountainous north of Japan against the backdrop of the changing seasons before village lore decrees they make the sacrifice of abandoning their aged mother on the top of a nearby mountain when she reaches her seventieth year. Making its HD debut, Zegen (1987) takes a satirical look at Japan s prewar colonial expansion through the unscrupulous eyes of its flesh-peddler antihero as he establishes a prostitution enterprise across Southeast Asia. Finally, the harrowing Black Rain (1989) details the precarious existence of a household of atomic bomb survivors as, five years after being caught in the blast of Hiroshima, they struggle to find a husband for their 25-year-old niece.
These three works epitomize the director s almost documentary style of filmmaking, exposing the vulgar yet vibrant and instinctive underbelly of Japanese society through a sympathetic focus on peasants, prostitutes, criminal lowlife and other marginalized figures to explore the schism between the country s timeless premodern traditions and the modern face it projects to the world.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all three films
Original lossless Japanese PCM 1.0 mono soundtracks
Optional English subtitles
Brand new audio commentaries on all three films by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp
Brand new, in-depth appreciations of all three films by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns
Alternate color ending to Black Rain, shot by Imamura but removed from the film shortly before its release
Archival interviews on Black Rain with actress Yoshiko Tanaka and assistant director Takashi Miike
Multiple trailers and image galleries
Original Japanese press kits for The Ballad of Narayama and Black Rain (BD-ROM content)
Limited edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by Tom Mes
Limited edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
