Zac Efron graced St. Louis Wednesday night to promote his new movie ‘Charlie St. Cloud’ after Emily Johnson (from St. Louis) won a contest that allowed her to meet the celebrity and watch an advance screening of the film. Efron showed up about 7:45 p.m. to an impressive volume of teen screams, and signed autographs for fans, walking the red carpet with Emily. (Might I add… she was the envy of every girl there!)
Let me take this time to answer the question that you are all dying to know. No, he is not as pretty as he is on camera. HE IS WAY HOTTER IN PERSON!
So, for your viewing pleasure… here are some pics that I took from this fun filled night! Enjoy!
These are some brave fans that toughed out the rain at a chance to see Zac.
Winner Emily Johnson and her friends.
And now it’s Efron Time!
Thank you… GOOD NIGHT ST. LOUIS!!! (Applause… Applause!)
Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time and yet, I’d bet most people have never even heard of him. That’s a shame, because his long and extremely accomplished career has produced some of the most beautiful, most influential films the world has ever seen. Viewing, no… experiencing Kurosawa films such as RASHOMAN, IKIRU, RAN or THRONE OF BLOOD are simply a necessity of life, something that must be done before one dies. Period.
Filmmakers across the globe have drawn endless inspiration from Kurosawa’s work, including the Hollywood remake of SEVEN SAMURAI (THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN), the spaghetti western remake YOJIMBO (FISTFUL OF DOLLARS) by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone and even George Lucas himself has cited Kurosawa’s THE HIDDEN FORTRESS as the inspiration for his creating C3PO and R2-D2.
So, with such a powerhouse of cinematic prowess and one of my top 3 favorite filmmakers of all-time, it’s certainly a cause to celebrate Akira Kurosawa’s centennial. This is why I am proud to announce that the Webster University Film Series — right here in my hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri — will be presenting 17 of Kurosawa’s incredible films over a one month period beginning today, July 2… all on glorious new 35mm prints, some of which recently restored!
Check out this basic full schedule here, but be sure to visit the Webster Film Series’ website for more information on tickets and short synopsis of the films.
Ran — July 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 @ 7:30 pm (1985, Japan, 160 min)
TWILIGHT NIGHT in Saint Louis had a huge turnout, setting the bar for the massive record-breaking crowds that turned out for the opening of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE.
From Variety: “TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE, descended on the fanatical masses at midnight, as it debuted with an estimated $30 million and topped the highest grossing midnight movie of all-time.”
The event had plenty for fans to enjoy, including Nordstrom Team Edward and Team Jacob make-overs, photo opportunities, lots of great free TWILIGHT giveaways, a fantastic cover band and an evening outdoor screening of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON… and much more.
The icing on the cake for the fans was a guest appearance by TWILIGHT star Jack Huston, who plays Royce King in ECLIPSE. While many had an opportunity to see him in person, a select few fans won VIP Meet and Greet access to the star, complete with autographs and photo opportunities.
Some of the lucky TWILIGHT NIGHT VIP Meet and Greet Fans:
The 10th Annual St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase begins July 18th at the historic Tivoli Theatre, so prepare yourself once again to witness the talent that lives and creates amongst us… read more about the event below.
June 17, 2010 – The 10th Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase (SLFS), an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis, serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. SLFS screens works that were written, directed, edited or produced by St. Louis natives or those with strong local ties.
The 16 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from July 18-22 serve as SLFS’s centerpiece. The programs range from full-length fiction features and documentaries to multi-film compilations of fiction and documentary shorts. Most programs include post-screening Q&As with filmmakers. There are 65 films in this year’s event.
In addition to the screenings, SLFS offers filmmaking seminars for anyone interested in the moviemaking process. The programs feature Q&As with working filmmakers and are held on Saturday, July 17, at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd. Admission is free.
SLFS hosts a closing-night awards party on Thursday, July 22, at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd. KDHX DJ Rob Levy will spin music, and Cinema St. Louis will announce the films chosen for inclusion in the St. Louis International Film Festival. Awards for the best films will be given by the St. Louis Film Critics. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Highlights of this year’s SLFS include the following:
Rebecca Ormond’s “Gateway Guardians”: A volunteer organization called the Gateway Guardians feeds daily, rescues and adopts hundreds of animals each year off the streets of East St. Louis, Ill. This documentary captures heartbreaking footage of the abandoned pets, volunteers on the streets, vet visits and foster homes.
Ryan Eslinger’s “Daniel and Abraham”:When Daniel sets out on a five-day hike to spread his father’s ashes, he encounters a mysterious stranger, Abraham, who appears to live in the woods. The film turns increasingly dark, as Daniel continues on his way and Abraham persistently follows. With writer/director Eslinger (“Madness and Genius,” “When a Man Falls in the Forest”), a St. Louis-area native, who will also host a seminar on micro-budget filmmaking on Saturday, July 17, at the Regional Arts Commission.
Niyi Coker’s “Pennies for the Boatman”: In North St. Louis during the summer of 1958, a woman is struggling with a secret and a prodigal sister who unexpectedly appears like a force of nature. The storm stirred up leaves behind both a trail of calamities and some unforeseen hope. The film is adapted from the award-winning play by Mario Farwell.
Mark Smith’s “Louis Sullivan: The Struggle for American Architecture”: This compelling documentary examines the life and work of the great American architect Louis H. Sullivan (1856-1924), one of the original practitioners of the Prairie School of design and a key influence on Frank Lloyd Wright. Sullivan’s legacy is especially visible in his adopted home of Chicago, but his work is found throughout the U.S. and includes St. Louis’ Wainwright Building – one of the world’s first skyscrapers – and Union Trust Building.
Tickets:
Tickets for film programs at the Tivoli are $10 each; $8 for students with valid and current photo ID and for Cinema St. Louis members with valid membership cards. Advance tickets are on sale beginning July 1 at the Tivoli Theatre box office (5-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday). Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets may also be purchased in advance at tickets.landmarktheatres.com. There is a $1 per-ticket service charge. You must pick up your tickets at the Tivoli box-office window. Bring the credit card that you used to purchase the tickets and the confirmation number. Online sales are limited to full-price tickets only. Cinema St. Louis member and student discounts can only be obtained in person at the box office because ID is required. No phone sales.
Saturday, July 17: Filmmaking Seminars 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd. Topics include documentary filmmaking, micro-budget filmmaking (with writer/director Ryan Eslinger), genre filmmaking, and using SAG/AFTRA low-budget contracts. These seminars are free and open to the public.
Sunday-Thursday, July 18-22: Film Programs
At the Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Blvd.
For times and film descriptions, see full schedule (document attached) or visit cinemastlouis.org.
Thursday, July 22: Closing-Night Awards Party
8 p.m.-midnight at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd. Free (donations accepted).
SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES THE LUNAR ECLIPSE WITH “TWILIGHT NIGHT” AT ST. LOUIS UNION STATION ON JUNE 26th
TWILIGHT NIGHT at St. Louis Union Station to Provide Families, Friends and Fans the Opportunity to See the Twilight Saga: New Moon Under the Stars
with special cast appearance by Jack Huston (Royce King)!
St. Louis, MO June 18, 2010 – In celebration of the lunar eclipse on the evening of June 26th, Summit Entertainment is inviting St. Louis to TWILIGHT NIGHT, a free event at St. Louis Union Station in the South Plaza which will include a special cast appearance from Jack Huston (Royce King) from Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Doors will open at 6pm with an outdoor screening of New Moon to begin at 9pm (event will be moved indoors if there is inclement weather). Prior to the film, fans can engage in Twilight-filled fun with a Cullen Make-Up Booth, Twilight Tarot Card Readings, Twilight Henna Tattoos and live Twilight-inspired songs by local band Bitter Pill. Along with the special booths fans can capture their memories with the special TWILIGHT NIGHT Red Carpet and Photo Booth, both provided by Moviefone.
Here’s a little bit about Jack Huston:
JACK HUSTON (Royce King) emerged as one of the hottest young actors to watch after his 2002 appearance in “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” on the London stage for director Peter Hall, starring Brenda Blethyn. Huston recent projects include playing the wonderful Bosie opposite Al Pacino in Wilde Salome; and filming Bernard Rose’s Mr Nice, opposite Rhys Ifans, David Thewlis and Chloe Sevigny. The film was included in the SXSW Film Festival in 2010. He had starring roles in the teen thriller Shrooms and The Weinstein Co.’s Outlander with James Caviezel and John Hurt. Other film credits include Factory Girl for The Weinstein Co., Hemmingway’s Garden Of Eden with Mena Suvari, and Shrink alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams, which premiered at 2009’s Sundance Film Festival. He is currently shooting the Martin Scorsese show “Boardwalk Empire” for HBO with Mark Wahlberg executive producing and starring Steve Buscemi.
TWILIGHT NIGHT is a 12-city event including outdoor screenings of THE TWIILGHT SAGA: NEW MOON. The family and community-oriented events are the perfect chance for those new to the film franchise as well as moviegoers in general to immerse themselves in THE TWILIGHT SAGA phenomenon just in time for the highly anticipated theatrical release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, the third installment of Summit Entertainment’s TWILIGHT SAGA film franchise, on June 30th.
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is rated PG-13 for some violence and action.
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.
In THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, directed by David Slade from a screenplay written by Melissa Rosenberg and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Bella (Stewart) once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Edward (Pattinson) and Jacob (Lautner) — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.
*Cities, venues and times are subject to change. Visit http://eclipsethemovie.com for the most current information.
About the TWILIGHT SAGA film series
The TWILIGHT SAGA film series stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson and tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together…even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. The action-packed, modern day vampire love story TWILIGHT, the first film in the series, was released in theatres on November 21, 2008 to a blockbuster reception. The second installment of the film franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was released November 20, 2009. The franchise has grossed over $1.1 billion in worldwide box office ticket sales to date.
DESTROY THE BRAIN in association with GRINDHOUSE RELEASING is proud to bring Lucio Fulci’s masterpiece THE BEYOND to the Hi-Pointe Theatre as the second entry into DESTROY THE BRAIN presents LATE NITE GRINDHOUSE. Showing in 35mm, experience a hellish, surrealistic nightmare that only the Italian master of gore could bring you.
Originally released in 1983 under a heavily censored title of Seven Doors of Death, Fulci’s second entry in his unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy was unleashed on drive-in screens and grindhouses in the US for a brief period of time. Over time, bootlegs emerged of the film in its uncut form, mainly sourced from an uncensored Japanese laserdisc.
Finally in 1998, Bob Murawski and Sage Stallone completely re-mastered the film and got Quentin Tarantino to endorse the release through Miramax. The film gathered over $1 Million during its midnight show run.
For fans of the director Lucio Fulci (CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, ZOMBIE), this is a film that must be seen on the big screen. If you are unfamiliar with Fulci, this movie is a great one of his to start out with.
Consensus amongst the Movie Geeks is that WINTER’S BONE is damn near perfect! The film is batting .1000, so to speak, two-for-two in it’s star rating of 5 out of 5, and the movie hasn’t even opened in most theaters yet. While attending Sundance 2010, the film was reviewed in overwhelming favor, and while attending SXSW 2010, I reviewed the film with unparalleled admiration. So, now that WINTER’S BONE is opening in Saint Louis on Friday, June 18th, 2010 — I urge anyone and everyone to GO SEE THIS MOVIE!
WINTER’S BONE is an excellent drama, a heartfelt indie film and a prime example of quality of filmmaking here in Missouri and the Midwest. That’s right… directed by Debra Granik and based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, this film was shot in Missouri, the Ozarks to be exact. Granik, who last directed 2004’s DOWN TO THE BONE, tells a compelling story about a teen-aged girl (played by Jennifer Lawrence, THE BURNING PLAIN) who struggles to care for her family while treading on dangerous social and family ground to find her father, the key to keeping their home.
Carefully and respectfully directed, WINTER’S BONE also benefits from stellar acting from Lawrence and the supporting cast that includes John Hawkes (MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA, AMERICAN GANGSTER, DEADWOOD). The film’s sullen, autumn/winter atmosphere is captured is dull beauty by cinematographer Michael McDonough and accompanied by a mesmerizing soundtrack with traditional folk music and an original score by Dickon Hinchliffe. In short, WINTER’S BONE is quite possibly the BEST movie you’ll see in 2010 and we can be proud to say it’s homegrown!
Celebrities and Filmmakers, Vampires and Zombies, Fans and Ghouls, Creatures and Creepazoids, Artists, Bands, Movies… the weekend of April 30 through May 2 was filled with all of this and much more. So, the big question is… Where were you? If you were in, or near, St. Louis then the place to be was CON-TAMINATION 2010 at the Holiday Inn Viking Center where fans converged in one location, despite daunting weather. So, what did you miss?
Opening Night… What a Fright!
One could certainly surmise that the truest fans were present on opening night of CON-TAMINATION 2010, braving strong winds, horizontal rain, lightning and tornado warning sirens to show up for the frightening festivities. On the other hand, the weather added a certain level of mood enhancement to the theme of the event, whereas sunshine and calm skies could not. Opening night included, amongst other devilish delights, a tribute for Forry Ackerman by Scott Ford’s Drive In Graphics and a costume contest, followed by a masquerade ball.
CON-TAMINATION 2010 Celebrities:
Superbowl Champion and Actor/Filmmaker Fred Williamson, whose films include MASH, HAMMER, BLACK CAESAR, BUCKTOWN, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, STARSKY & HUTCH… and many more. And, keep you eyes peeled for our interview with Fred Williamson coming soon!
Actor William Forsythe, with a list of credits too long to cover in full, includes CLOAK & DAGGER, RAISING ARIZONA, DICK TRACY, VIRTUOSITY, THE ROCK, DEVIL’S REJECTS and Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN… just to name a few!
Brooke McCarter and Billy Wirth made an appearance at CON-TAMINATION 2010 and offered fans a heart-felt tribute to the late Corey Haim and discussed making THE LOST BOYS. Check it out here.
Ari Lehman, the actor who portrayed the very first Jason Voorhees, was in attendance to meet fans and also performed live as part of his two-piece rock band. You haven’t seen anything till you’ve seen Ari wield his keyboard sword of doom!
No soup for WAMG! Larry Thomas, the actor who played the infamous Soup Nazi on Seinfeld.
Legendary adult film star Seka, spicing up the list of celebrities in attendance at CON-TAMINATION 2010.
Artist Joel Robinson stands before a display of his incredibly cool artwork, portraying just about every legendary genre character you could think of… from Vincent Price to Freddy Krueger. Check out his website here.
So, Jake Gyllenhaal wasn’t actually in attendance at CON-TAMINATION 2010, but a bigger-than-life-sized display was, promoting the upcoming film PRINCE OF PERSIA, along with a live sword fighting demonstration. Regardless, this did not stop Melissa from fantasizing about the real thing.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD… The Puppet Show? Live!
Angry Young Men, Ltd. presents NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: THE PUPPET SHOW… that’s right. The young and talented crew of delightfully demented theatre folk put on quite the entertaining and hilarious comical homage to the 1968 classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, updated just enough to be socio-politically current. The creators clearly have a respectful admiration for the original film from George Romero, as well for the underlying metaphors that were present just beneath the surface of the flesh-eating zombies. Angry Young Men, Ltd. take their comedy/horror show on the road, so check their website for upcoming dates playing near you… it’s a frightfully good time!
Melissa found herself the object of undead affection. This puppet zombie’s flirtatious advances and smooth talking finally wore Melissa down and earned him a kiss… of course, it may have also had something to do with the donation made to the show.
The Movie Geeks meet the MOD DOLLS: “Different Making a Difference”
The Mod Dolls are a Kentucky based sisterhood of tattooed and/or body modified women who’ve joined forces for a common cause. Together, these intelligent women work towards changing stereotypes that unfortunately accompany the modified lifestyle, while working with local charities in the name of change and fellowship. The Mod Dolls were present at CON-TAMINATION 2010, spreading their message. To learn more about this interesting and worthy group of women, check out the Mod Dolls on MySpace.
WAMG Discovers EXOTIC RHYTHM BELLYDANCE
Exotic Rhythm Bellydance performed a live demonstration of their art at CON-TAMINATION 2010, displaying an acient art of dance melding traditional form and technique with a modern goth-influenced flavor, featuring bellydance choreographed to music from TOOL and other similar artists. Check out Exotic Rhythms Bellydance on MySpace.
This is a call to all in the area. I need over 800 of you to go to Eventful and demand that Paramount bring what is being called as “The Scariest Movie of the Decade” to St. Louis! It is selling out shows everywhere it plays.
If St. Louis makes it in the “Next 10” section on Eventful.com/ParanormalActivity by Monday, we will have it playing at a theatre near us. Then we can rub it in Jeremy’s face since he is driving to Chicago tomorrow to go see it.
I think we can do it. The number 10 city is Cincinnati (which will probably change) with 1,791 demands. St. Louis has 1,188 Demands. I think if we get 1,000 people to demand it by Monday – a task that will be pretty tough – we will have an awesome chance of seeing this thing locally. This weekend, tell all your friends. Have them demand it on their computers with you watching and holding a gun to their head. Let’s show that St. Louis is a great movie geek town and since it is October, we need a scary movie.
It’s been said time and time again, and it bears repeating every so often, that if you’re a filmmaker working with a low budget, the best thing you can do is come up with inventive ideas. Ideas are free. It doesn’t cost a dime to create an original and engaging story. This is something writer/director Wyatt Weed has taken to heart and achieved with his first feature film, ‘Shadowland.’
Purely written for the screen, ‘Shadowland’ is among the best, original, vampire movies in recent memory. Told in non-linear fashion, it keeps the viewer enticed in its mysteries without ever force-feeding exposition or crossing over into boredom. The film is driven by plot and character, something Weed has no trouble in delivering ample amounts of.
The film jumps back and forth between the modern world and a small community in the late 1800s. In the present day, a girl, Laura, awakens to find she has no memory of who she is or where she has come from. She also cannot speak. She soon discovers, however, that she is being chased by a man named Julian. Julian is a hunter sent out by the Catholic church to rid the world of vampires.
The fact that Laura is a vampire is not part of the mystery to the story. We see in the film’s opening scene how she came to be buried having been staked by a priest. However, Weed does an excellent job of hiding Laura’s true self to us for much of the film. We simply do not know who she was prior to being buried, whether she was an evil vampire of lore or something far more human. This is the decision Julian must face, too, as his methods of killing a vampire as soon as he comes across one does not, exactly, align with the beliefs of the church.
This level of character is brilliantly crafted in Weed’s screenplay. There is so much depth to even some of the smaller roles in the film. A man working at an all-night diner who Laura comes across has as much depth as the leads, and that is an incredible level Weed achieves with his characters. What we believe about Laura’s character switches sides numerous times throughout the course of the film. What’s more, you care about her just as much as you do Julian, and, even though they are both on opposing sides, you understand where each of them are, why they make the choices they make.
Also of note with ‘Shadowland’ is the liberties Weed takes with the vampire mythology. Much like “True Blood,” we know very little about the vampires of this world. As the film progresses, more and more of their characteristics are revealed. The vampire in ‘Shadowland’ is something Weed makes his own, keeping certain, familiar aspects and completely scuttling others off to the side. These aren’t Hot Topic rejects with pointy fangs who burst into flames whenever they step into sunlight. These vampire are playing on a much deeper level than most, and the mythologies Weed creates in ‘Shadowland’ are a welcome surprise.
‘Shadowland’ was filmed on a minuscule budget, but the film looks incredible. The scenes that take place in the 1800s are beautifully shot by cinematographer Nicholas Gartner. Some of these shots rival anything found in a film that costs $200 million. The makeup effects and visual effects are superb, as well. Weed does a great job of shooting around any trouble spots in his production. You can never tell where the film had to hold back on certain things, and that is a commendable ability in a low-budget filmmaker. Even a fight scene in an alleyway is shot particularly well and has some very clever and enjoyable choreography.
Caitlin McIntosh, a former semifinalist in the Miss Teen USA Pageant making her debut here, is near faultless in her performance as Laura. She gives the character a deeper sense of mystery, but she allows herself to be likable, too. The same can be said for Carlos Leon as Lazarus, a stranger whom Laura falls in love with in the film’s flashback scenes. He gives Lazarus the perfect amount of charm and darkness the character requires.
Driven by its intricate story and beautifully developed characters, ‘Shadowland’ is an inventive entry into the vampire sub-genre, something the film’s big-budget siblings should take a cue from. Wyatt Weed has crafted a fabulous screenplay and his director’s eye pulls the film’s execution off with very little in the way of imperfections. ‘Shadowland’ is a low-budget film that never tries to be something it’s not. It is highly original and a fresh return to the creativity that made the vampire film so popular to begin with.
‘Shadowland’ will play at the Tivoli Theatre from July 24 thru July 31, 2009 during the Saint Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase.
