death of a superhero is a 2011 irish drama film based on the new zealand novel of the same name by anthony mccarten .

originally planned to be directed by mccarten in new zealand , the film was shot on location in ireland throughout 2010 and was directed by ian fitzgibbon .

the film stars thomas sangster alongside andy serkis .

it tells the story of a dying 15-year-old boy who draws comic book stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality .

death of a superhero

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it was a really nice and interesting day and all of you should read „death of a superhero“ .
from slave to superhero : the django supremacy | birth . movies . death .
we’d love your help . let us know what’s wrong with this preview of death of a superhero by anthony mccarten .
thomas sangster has heaped high praise on andy serkis , his co - star in death of a superhero .
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death of a superhero by anthony mccarten tells the story of donald kent , a teenage boy who is dying due to his cancer . the book captures
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based on anthony mccarten’s novel of the same name , ‘death of a superhero’ tells the story of donald clarke , a terminally ill teenager who craves sex and adventure .
finally at the literaturhaus the author anthony mccarten started with reading a short passage of his book „death of a superhero“ and told us more about the plot .
adolescence is often portrayed as a matter of life and death , but that ' s pretty much the case in helmer ian fitzgibbon ' s coming - of - age - with - cancer romance
death of a superhero .
death of a superhero is a movie starring thomas brodie - sangster , lilly forgach , and ian fitzgibbon . a dying 15 - year - old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality .
movie review - ' death of a superhero ' a volatile , imaginative 15 - year - old uses comic - book art to cope with his cancer diagnosis . critic andrew lapin says death of a superhero manages to turn the grimmest of grim subjects into something charming , raunchy and improbably uplifting .
josé alaniz . death , disability , and the superhero : the silver age and beyond . university press of mississippi : 2014 .
death of a superhero tells a story we’ve heard before : a likeable , complex person with a terminal illness is coming to terms with their mortality , living life how they want before it’s too late .
subscribe to trailers : urltoken subscribe to coming soon : urltoken death of a superhero official trailer # 1 ( 2012 ) andy serkis movie hd a dying 15 - year - old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality .
after garnering rave reviews during the toronto international film festival , irish film ‘death of a superhero’ has secured a us distribution deal with tribeca enterprises , and pasatiempo pictures in latin america .
much of this film quickly vanishes from memory , but there ' s some gold here . that ' s pretty much the message about life itself in
death of a superhero .
a dying 15 year old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality .
after seeing its tiff premiere in september , tribeca film has acquired north american rights to
death of a superhero
and will release the film in theaters and on vod in 2012 .
adolescence is often portrayed as a matter of life and death , but that’s pretty much the case in helmer ian fitzgibbon’s coming - of - age - with - cancer romance “death of a superhero . ” pic sidesteps cloying sentimentality and heavy - handedness with the help of a solid cast , led by thomas brodie - sangster as a budding graphic novelist whose days may be numbered , but [ … ]
directed by ian fitzgibbon ( perrier ' s bounty , spin the bottle ) , ‘death of a superhero’ uses a mix of live action and animation , to tell the story of terminally ill teenager donald clarke , who escapes life to his illustrated comic adventures .
a dying 15 - year - old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality .
edited by tony cranstoun here at screen scene with alan frier assisting , ‘death of a superhero’ is a co - production between irish production company grand pictures and germany’s bavaria pictures and was produced by michael garland , astrid kahmke and philipp kreuzer .
james furlong , motherless , discovered an extraordinary gift by accident which caused the death of his father and his grandmother .
tribeca film has acquired north american rights to death of a superhero and will release the film in theaters and on vod in 2012 . the ensemble drama had its world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september .
after steven spielberg boldly predicted the demise of the superhero blockbuster , we took a look at why the veteran director isn’t wrong .
donald is a teenager with extraordinary artistic talents . his future as a graphic novel artist should be bright . as his life is consumed by fantastic daydreams , donald soon discovers that a very real enemy is trying to kill him . with an unorthodox psychologist teaching donald to find the light in life in an otherwise dark world , death of a superhero tells the story of discovering life , love , and death in this exceptionally honest portrayal of a teenage boy facing his own mortality .
that said , there is a reason this tale gets told again and again , and all of its manifestations reveal something about the human condition . in the case of death of a superhero , we remember the confusion , pain and frustration of just being a teenager — one needn’t be diagnosed with cancer to make one want to avoid one’s adolescence . it’s the unchanging part of this story that keeps it relevant : death , mortality and loss are part of being alive , and these stories help us feel not alone .
check out my blog for the full review : urltoken 4 . 5 / 5 stars ! ! ! when i first read the book and the synopsis i kinda find the title ‘death of a superhero’ interesting yet ironic as being an avid comic book fan it usually means the end of a comic book and the hero… not trying to foreshadow anything… * tears ! ! ! * i picked up ‘death of a superhero’ after i found out one the maze runner actor was in the movie adaption of this book and like any book to movie rules i must re
' superhero ' is based on anthony mccarten ' s novel ' death of a superhero ' centres around donald clarke , a terminally ill teenager who craves sex and adventure , however his time is limited and he ' s never even had a girlfriend . as a form of escape , donald retreats from the harsh realities of life to his illustrated comic book adventures . these stories see the indestructible miraculousman fight a never - ending battle against his arch nemesis , the mad scientist known as the glove .
4 . 5 out of 5 stars . wow what an incredible book ! * review ish * i literally have no words . it was flipping brilliant . death of a superhero is not at all what i expected it to be . i remember i put a photo of it up on my snapchat and my friend isaiah said
but superheroes can ' t die ?
and i was like exactlllyyyy ! i love the irony . anyways . death of a superhero was not written in a novel - like format but rather a movie script . this gave you so much insight on how the protagonist sees the world . this boo
inspired by real events , death of a superhero is an original fusion of novel , comic book and film script . donald delpe is a troubled teenager . not only is he a ' terrible teen ' by default , as obsessed with sex , music and drugs as the rest of his gang , but he is also suffering from a life - threatening form of leukemia , which makes him an even more difficult boy , both for his
there are no three words less likely to inspire a fun time at the movies than
kid with cancer .
and yet here is death of a superhero , the second film in less than a year with that log line — and the second one that manages to turn the grimmest of grim subjects into something charming , raunchy and improbably uplifting .
the individual elements of death of a superhero feel awfully familiar : the romantic relationship between two self - defined “freaks , ” the unconventional shrink who helps a kid get over his rage , and even the cancer . but fitzgibbon’s cast is excellent , and the movie’s animated interludes liven up what could’ve been thoroughly pat . the interaction between brodie - sangster and loftus is especially well - played , as her nihilism paradoxically makes him feel that life is worth living . it’s easy to care about these characters , which gives death of a superhero a lot of power as it moves inevitably toward what is clear from the start will be an unhappy ending .
death of a superhero ‘s third act goes in a potentially crass direction—involving an attempt not only by some of donald’s friends , but eventually dr . king as well , to help get donald laid just once before he dies—that threatens to undo most of the goodwill fitzgibbon’s film had engendered up to that point . even that not - too - promising story thread , however , resolves itself in an agreeably mature and moving manner . in its wide - ranging exploration of how this sickly young man copes with the knowledge that his days are numbered , death of a superhero turns out to be more intelligent , honest , and resonant than one might have expected .
adolescence is often portrayed as a matter of life and death , but that’s pretty much the case in helmer ian fitzgibbon ’s coming - of - age - with - cancer romance “death of a superhero . ” pic sidesteps cloying sentimentality and heavy - handedness with the help of a solid cast , led by thomas brodie - sangster as a budding graphic novelist whose days may be numbered , but whose imagination fills the screen with macabre cartoons fueled by anger , frustration and an artistic soul . mix of live - action and animation could attract a youth audience , but the pic’s general appeal will lie in its honesty and touching performances .
a synchronous coming - of - age / coming - of - death story , the teen ' s complex mindset comes at us by way of an inventive live - action / graphics mix . like the boy , the film steadfastly steers clear of the mawkish .
affleck was named as executive producer of the justice league films last week , according to the site . and birth . movies . death claims the timing is no coincidence as warner battles to save its superhero cinematic universe following batman v superman’s critical travails .
„death of a superhero“ is a drama about illness , comics , superheroes and teenage problems . the 14 - year old protagonist donald has leukemia , and after going through several rounds of therapy , has to accept that he´ll not grow to adulthood . to forget daily life , his anger and all his problem he draws comics , imagining himself as an invincible superhero . after his parents realised that he won´t be able to cope with his anger on his own , they contact a therapist and counsellor dr . adrian king . dr . king tries to help donald with fulfilling his biggest wish , having sex with a girl before his death .
death of a superhero combines elements of comic book , film script and novel writing and is therefore highly amusing to read . the characters are instantly lovable , each one with their own flaws , hopes and dreams and the story , as it is written is very touching . i went from laughing out loud moments to wanting to cry in just one page . a must read and a real page turner .
ben affleck was “incredibly unhappy” about the derisive reviews batman v superman : dawn of justice received , according to well - regarded fan site birth . movies . death .
however , in many ways there was lost opportunity to step out of the coming - to - terms - with - death formula that can’t be accomplished with cartoon fantasies alone . the supporting characters — the new outsider girl at school who finds donald interesting ; the popular , handsome , womanizing older brother ; and the like — were well - acted but remained unmoving . though death of a superhero can at once be sweet and devastatingly sad , the movie just doesn’t tell a story that’s all that new .
a new report alleges the oscar - winning film - maker was “humiliated” by the negative reception afforded to zack snyder’s sprawling superhero smackdown after bigging up the film in promotional interviews . affleck had suffered a knock to his reputation after starring in the poorly received superhero movie daredevil in 2003 .
‘death of a superhero’ was produced by grand pictures in dublin and bavaria pictures in germany and part funded by the irish film board . the film stars andy serkis ( the rise of the planet of the apes , the lord of the rings ) thomas brodie - sangster ( love actually , nowhere boy ) , michael mcelhatton ( intermission , adam & paul , i went down ) and sharon horgan ( pulling ) .
. . . a thoughtful , insightful , even philosophical portrait of lives worth living , regardless of timeframe .
because , as sometimes happens , despite a poor critical reception , a lot of people simply love it .
death of a superhero ” doesn’t sugarcoat anything — neither cancer nor the awkward , unpleasant ways people deal with it . it’s a far cry from the broader comedy of the current “50 / 50 , ” but there’s a kinship between both films in their attempts to make cancer something other than a plot point or an ominous death sentence , and to acknowledge that people ordinarily deal with incipient catastrophe through a mix of unhappiness and laughter , graveyard humor and tears . in doing this , fitzgibbon ( “perrier’s bounty” ) has achieved something special ; even a late scene , in which donald’s friends ( with dr . king as an accomplice ) arrange for a prostitute to ensure that donald doesn’t die a virgin , is handled well . much of the credit for this goes to jessica schwarz , playing one of the more sensitive hookers in recent cinema .
anthony mccarten’s debut novel , spinners , won international acclaim , and was followed by the english harem and the award winning death of a superhero , and show of hands , all four books being translated into fourteen languages . mccarten has also written twelve stage plays , including the worldwide success ladies’ night , which won france’s molière prize , the meilleure pièce comique , in 2001 , and via satellite , which he adapted into a feature film and directed , premiered at the 1999 cannes film festival . also a filmmaker , he has thrice adapted his own plays or novels into feature films , most recently death of a superhero ( 2011 ) which premiered at the toronto international film festival . anthony divides his time between london and los angeles .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
ahead of filming resuming , deadpool star ryan reynolds led a moment of silence for harris . as seen in the below video from tmz , he stood at the center of a group of crew members , who bowed their heads as the actor shared a few words .
even when supplying a one - off character for a one - off film , tarantino can’t help but create something memorable . death proof ’s stuntman mike won’t go down as one of cinema’s greatest characters , but his macho murderer - turned wimpy supplicant is full of surprises and offers kurt russell - a guy already blessed with a number of iconic characters under his belt - with yet another unique and timeless persona .
series , which somehow never manages to make it in the film world . the series’ latest reboot did a measly $ 26 . 2 million on its opening weekend – a fraction of its $ 120 million budget – making it one of the lowest openings for a big - budget superhero movie of all time . while both films have now earned back their production costs , their sluggish performance is a slap in the face for studios , proving that not all superhero movies are the bankable prospect they once were .
a judge in new york has freed harvey weinstein on continued bail after he denied accusations of assaulting a third woman .
exactly how much time they have left , however , is uncertain . needless to say the superhero sub - genre has been done to death , and when both industry heavyweights and those involved in the making of these films are making predictions as to their demise , we know we’re on the downward slope .
anthony mccarten’s debut novel , spinners , won international acclaim , and was followed by the english harem and the award winning death of a superhero , and show of hands , all four books being translated into fourteen languages . mccarten has also written twelve stage plays , including the worldwide success ladies’ night , which won france’s molière prize , the meilleure pièce comique , in 2001 , and via
a mix of live - action and animation , superhero tells the story of a dying 15 - year - old boy who draws tales of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality , finds an unexpected love and makes peace with his parents . andy serkis , thomas brodie - sangster , jessica schwarz and aisling loftus star in the movie , which was directed by ian fitzgibbon . anthony mccarten adapted the screenplay from his own novel .
harvey weinstein has arrived at a manhattan courthouse for arraignment on charges alleging he committed a sex crime against a third woman .
a really great film and thomas sangster is a seriously underrated actor . why has no one ever heard of this film ?
one of the founding grandfathers of the hollywood blockbuster , steven spielberg , recently spoke out about the future of superhero movies , predicting that the genre will “go the way of the western” and die out , at least in the way that we now know it . we’re all familiar with the term “too much of a good thing” and it seems the cinema - going public are not as crazy about superhero films as they were , say , five years ago . while this recent obsession with the genre is not anything new – superhero films have been around for quite some time – it’s the quantity of these films currently being made that could signal its demise .
it ' s a good week for limited releases , mostly because it is the week the best - exotic marigold hotel comes out . given its international run , its chances at success on the domestic front are very strong . there are a couple other new releases that i ' m cautiously optimistic about : death of a superhero and first position . perhaps summer will get off to a strong start on the limited release front as well as the wide release front . more . . .
opened on top of the per theater chart with a record - breaking average of $ 47 , 698 . this is the highest ever for a number one film .
pic sidesteps cloying sentimentality and heavy - handedness with the help of a solid cast .
one of my favorite movies of all time and i watched it just . . .
wired a visually stunning , endearing story that is well - acted and part of a timeless narrative about coping with one’s mortality .
donald ' s parents send him to dr . adrian king ( andy serkis ) , a therapist with a matter - of - fact approach to death who challenges donald ' s defensive attitude . despite his initial resistance , donald finds himself opening up to the doctor , who treats him as an adult rather than a child to be pitied . better yet , he strikes up a promising friendship with a fellow misfit named shelly .
sat in his trailer on the last day of filming for a bit - part in the charming doctor who spin - off sarah jane adventures , he got a call from his agent : game of thrones was back on , and they wanted to see him as ser loras , the knight of flowers . he was a hit with fans , and – in a stroke of luck – his character ' s death on the hbo show coincided with jones landing an audition for iron fist , alongside his thrones colleague jessica henwick .
while there could be multiple underlying reasons for the reboot’s failure , the point is that hollywood is able to make a great standalone superhero film , but in a larger context it all comes down to audiences . so while hollywood might think “more is more” when it comes to superhero movies , audiences still want to be entertained , and a churned out rehash of the same rough storyline – albeit with new talent – just won’t cut it in today’s landscape .
a generally affecting and occasionally insightful drama about the ways people handle an awareness of mortality .
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the mini - series would start in may and finish in october . during that little period , marvel would simply stop all of its superhero comics series dead in their tracks and temporarily replace them with mini - series set in regions of battleworld . the company had never tried a gamble of this size before , but was hoping the newness and interconnectedness of it would cause readers to buy as many secret wars –related comics as they could . once the secret wars mini - series was done , everything would return to a new , post - battleworld status quo in relaunched versions of marvel’s superhero series .
as steven spielberg recently told associated press : “we were around when the western died and there will be a time when the superhero movie goes the way of the western . it doesn’t mean there won’t be another occasion where the western comes back and the superhero movie someday returns [ … ] i’m only saying that these cycles have a finite time in popular culture . there will come a day when the mythological stories are supplanted by some other genre that possibly some young filmmaker is just thinking about discovering for all of us . ”
the superhero - comics industry is a strange beast . we live in a world where licensed properties based on superhero comics are some of the most consistent , reliable blue - chip entertainment products around : as our david edelstein once pointed out , too much money is at stake for a studio to allow any major superhero movie ( well , excluding fantastic four ) to be a true disaster . even the much - delayed and director - swapping ant - man ended up as a smooth , easily understandable bit of filmmaking that fit seamlessly into disney’s totalitarian master plans for franchise - wide continuity . but the source material those movies are based on is more ambitiously crazy and disastrously overcomplicated than anything else in the artistic landscape — both in terms of the stories they tell and the business model their publishers use to tell them .
django’s heroics supply the culmination of an epic journey from slave to icon , an unprecedented arc from tarantino . schultz , while a great character to be sure , is merely a part of django’s superhero origin story . just as candie - our marquee villain - displays antagonism that lacks the wit and guile of his faux - humble servant , stephen , shultz’s charisma and volume hides the fact that he is merely the facilitator of django’s ascension .
then again , it’s frustrating to see such strong characters stuck in so many stock high - school - romance / angst - ridden - teen scenarios : the pot - smoking scene , the room - smashing scene , the party where brodie - sangster drives loftus away because he refuses to call her his girlfriend , etc . there’s a comfortable shape to death of a superhero , which is understandable as a business decision , given how dark the subject matter is , and also disappointing as a creative choice , given the potential this movie had to be something uniquely stinging . fitzgibbon and mccarten have succeeded in integrating cancer into a slick teen love story , but in the process , they’ve robbed it of some of its necessary pain .
in other words : if movies are , as roger ebert famously said , “like a machine that generates empathy , ” superhero comics are a machine that generates obsession . they are quite often impenetrable to a casual reader , and total comprehension would require a near - infinite amount of reading , rereading , and wikipedia searching . and no writer has been more openly obsessed with marvel’s convolution than hickman .
’m intrigued . which characteristics are problematic ? “there are plenty of problems with danny rand . he’s full of flaws and contradictions . on the one hand , he’s a billionaire superhero . on the other hand , he’s attempting to be a warrior . ” oh . is that really what he meant ? “that’s all i meant by that statement . ”
of course it’s not to say that all superhero films are struggling ; avengers : age of ultron was a massive commercial success that studios are eagerly trying to repeat , with the movie grossing $ 1 . 402 billion to date . however the genre is being over - saturated , and for superhero movies to keep making an impact , studios are forced to pull out bigger and bolder ideas each time around , and this model is simply not sustainable .
the problem here is that there are only so many cult superhero comics out there , and the best ones are being milked by studios for all they’re worth , which in turn is watering down the already limited source material available . while studios could go and write a brand new superhero movie with original characters and plot lines , the truth is they don’t . after all , the success of superhero films comes largely from their rich history as comic books , and studios are more interested in cultivating the already successful ones that have a loyal following . after all , hollywood filmmaking has become more about guaranteed returns than risk taking , and what says failsafe more than a series that already has legions of fans ?
in this case , though , the odds are more like 100 / 0 . superhero is based on a 2007 novel by anthony mccarten , who changed the setting from new zealand to ireland for his screenplay but maintains the book ' s bleak outlook . comics storyboards from the book are replaced with animated interludes in which donald ' s caped - crusader alter ego appears to be targeted by death ' s minions for the simple fact of existing .
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while it’s never easy to predict what will transpire narratively , any new quentin tarantino film comes with a reliable set of expectations . dialog will sing ; chronology and structure will play by their own rules . a lot of people are likely to get killed in a variety of shocking , sometimes hilarious ways .
it’s a shocking moment , not the kind of narrative left turn most films would even consider . but tarantino knows what he’s doing . with schultz suddenly out of the picture , django finds himself surrounded by a sizable staff of southern plantation workers who have been itching to kill him since he arrogantly arrived dressed to the nines and riding a horse . he could not possibly be in a worse spot . here we finally see the django tarantino has been saving for us - not the poor fellow in a tight spot but the all - out superhero doling out the vindictive wrath befitting an entire culture of dehumanization and cruelty .
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the story of a 15 - year - old boy who uses comic - book art to cope with his rapidly failing health , superhero has more than a little in common with 2011 ' s 50 / 50 , right down to a hearty endorsement of marijuana ' s medicinal properties . and as the volatile donald , thomas brodie - sangster communicates so much with simple looks , his anger and fear only occasionally giving way to flits of joy , that he resembles no one so much as a young joseph gordon - levitt .
inspired by real events , death of a superhero is an original fusion of novel , comic book and film script . donald delpe is a troubled teenager . not only is he a ' terrible teen ' by default , as obsessed with sex , music and drugs as the rest of his gang , but he is also suffering from a life - threatening form of leukemia , which makes him an even more difficult boy , both for his parents and his teachers . escaping into his own comic - book realm of immortal superheroes , ruthless villains and sex - crazed vamps , he repeatedly dashes his family ' s hopes by refusing to fight the battles facing him in the real world . as famous psychologist dr . king is brought in to help , a glimmer of hope is rekindled . but will the doctor break the rules , betray the parents ' trust and risk everything to help donald achieve his greatest wish ? or will donald be the one to save the doctor ?
superhero movies aren’t anything new , yet the speed and quantity at which they’re been arriving in recent years is unheard of . while some classics of the genre might have received a makeover every once in a while ( with batman no stranger to a remake ) , the sheer pace of films being remade – sometimes planned the minute they’ve left one director’s hands – is mind - boggling . sure it was bold for marvel to begin a brand - new spider - man series only ten years after the first , but announcing a new batman generation just one year after the last of the highly lauded dark knight films came to cinemas ? that is surely moving on too quick .
tired isn’t as deep and imaginative as a story about a deep and imaginative teenager suffering from cancer should be .
to be fair , fans who write amateur reviews of superhero movies might be biased . averaging the positive user - review percentages , i found rotten tomatoes contributors are five percentage points more likely than critics to give one of these films a positive review , probably because they’re the sort of people who want see costumed megahumans punch things to begin with . even so , suicide squad sets a striking record . it is almost certainly the biggest disagreement between critics and moviegoers over a marvel / dc movie to date .
on the 25 th of april 2013 the english elective course group of ms . vogler got the unique chance to meet a new zealand novelist . a few months before mr . fuschelberger , the father of one of our classmates , asked whether we would like to join a book presentation at the “literaturhaus salzburg” . after we thankfully agreed he visited us in one of our english lessons to tell us some interesting facts about the book and prepare us for the lection .
donald’s imagination rivals his talent , and his drawings come to life throughout the film as he retreats into the fantasy world he has created for himself , in which he is a strong but socially withheld superhero fighting a twisted villain — his cancer . he’s dismissive of therapy and ambivalent about fitting in at school . his parents worry about his avoidance of his fate . “oh god , not again , ” says his worried mother as he is escorted home once more by police for tagging a building with one of his drawings .
death of a superhero is an odd book . odd , in a good way . donald delpe appears to be your typical teenager . 14 years old , sex - obsessed ( even though . . . or maybe because he ' s never had sex ) and troubled . troubled , as in
leukemia - - no real hope
. after an attempted suicide , donny is assigned to dr . adrian king , a renowned psychologist . with his help , donny sets out to get his last wish fulfilled . guess what ? he wants to have sex . although sometimes difficult to follow , the writing style is fabulous .
with a director like fitzgibbon handling material like this with a cast anchored by serkis and sangster i expect great things .
the latest release from ian fitzgibbon , director of a film with me in it , does work hard - and responsibly - at injecting colour into this most troubling of scenarios .
i already submitted a review about this . what i forgot to mention in it is that the coloration of the movie changes with the changes in the mood of the protagonist .
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after several cycles of chemotherapy , 14 - year - old donald ( thomas sangster ) feels he has little left to hope for . worst of all , he might die a virgin . when donald ' s parents urge him to confront his feelings , he retreats further into his own head , channelling his thoughts into sinister and eerily beautiful comic book drawings . in the universe of his sketches , donald is no longer a skinny teen with leukemia . instead , he becomes a brawny superhero dedicated to fighting his archenemy : a mad scientist called the the glove , who wields syringes for fingers .
he begins to see the light , so to speak , when he meets an unconventional therapist , played by andy serkis ( who played gollum in the lord of the rings movies but looks nothing like a tolkien character in this film ) . the doctor’s specific type of practice is called thanatology . “dr . death , ” says donald . the two form a trusting bond , and his relationship with the therapist helps donald start to sort out what’s happening to him .
this book will make you emotional . no , scratch that : it will rip your heart out . the story of don , sick with cancer , who is caught between a fake comic world with miracles and the harsh reality of his pending death is just so damn sad . first his resignation , than his fighting , than his parent’s fighting for him - so many emotions , so many tears . i liked the layout of the book , which was written like a script - that did not distract from the story , it just made it easier to think like don . there a
facing terminal cancer , 15 - year - old donald ( thomas brodie - sangster ) escapes into drawing comic - book art and imagining himself an invulnerable superhero . tribeca film hide caption
as fine as mcelhatton and horgan are , they’re overshadowed by two standouts in addition to brodie - sangster . one is andy serkis , who plays dr . adrian king , the unorthodox death therapist , or thanatologist , to whom donald’s parents bring their son and with whom he forms a bond . serkis is something of a revelation , perhaps because his best - known roles have him disguised as something otherworldly or animalistic ( caesar in the recent “rise of the planet of the apes , ” for instance , or gollum in the “lord of the rings” trilogy ) , and here is very human indeed .
i didn ' t want to bog it down to be a sad cancer film so i did a little bit of research with the cancer . i wanted to make sure that he was a kid and the fact that he had cancer was a secondary aspect . i just wanted to make sure he is a person in his own right ,
he said .
from tribeca film . andy serkis ( the hobbit , rise of the planet of the apes ) and thomas brodie - sangster ( love actually , nowhere boy ) star in this exceptional and honest portrayal of a teenager struggling with his own mortality .
one of my favorite movies of all time and i watched it just because angus and julia stone ' s ' for you ' was in it . great movie , great cast , acting , artwork , it had a little bit of everything .
andy serkis plays a psychologist who helps talk donald through what he wants out of his remaining days . tribeca film hide caption
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for the better part of ten years , he crafted a megastory that involved all of marvel’s characters , stories , and parallel universes . it began in fantastic four , continued when he was put in charge of two series called avengers and new avengers , expanded when he orchestrated a so - called “event” ( a comics - industry term referring to a major story that involves most of marvel’s series ) called “infinity , ” and ultimately led up to marvel’s biggest event in history : 2015’s “secret wars . ”
this book will make you emotional . no , scratch that : it will rip your heart out . the story of don , sick with cancer , who is caught between a fake comic world with miracles and the harsh reality of his pending death is just so damn sad . first his resignation , than his fighting , than his parent’s fighting for him - so many emotions , so many tears . i liked the layout of the book , which was written like a script - that did not distract from the story , it just made it easier to think like don . there are even “outtakes and deleted scenes” at the end , which serve as a prologue . mccarten writes a fresh view on love and sex and about what is really desirable for young people , and he writes about death . the novel is funny , but of course also has dark sides . and i would call the humor very bizarre . it is certainly unusual , just like the whole book is . with this , anthony mccarten has definitely and unchangeably landed himself on my list of favorite authors . bravo for this book . even though you need half a box of tissues to get through it .
perhaps that’s why studios are doing their best to cash in on superhero movies right now , as they know the opportunity won’t last forever . with the rise in home - streaming services and paramount’s move to launch movies on demand just two weeks after theatrical releases , the landscape is certainly changing and box office openings could soon be a thing of the past if studios radically change their distribution methods . as such , they want to get their high - impact superhero properties into profit - making movie theaters while they can .
justice league parts one and two , due in november 2017 and june 2019 respectively , will see affleck’s caped crusader begin to build the titular superhero team hinted at in dawn of justice . snyder has been named as the director of both movies , but there has been speculation he could be replaced following batman v superman’s difficulties .
the amazing spider - man was set to be a visually darker take on the superhero , and while andrew garfield in the lead role kicked off a load of hype and garnered a fairly good critical reception , the film didn’t really live up . whether it was too soon to revive the series – with a mere five years between the end of raimi’s trilogy and the first of marc webb’s – or the shot - for - shot similarities were enough to deter potential viewers , the amazing spider - man under - performed . delivering only $ 154 million in domestic opening weekend gross for the first two films , the franchise was then cut short prematurely .
ew people would choose danny rand , created in the seventies to cash in on the kung - fu craze , as their favourite superhero . in the comics , a plane crash leaves the blond , blue - eyed young orphan billionaire stranded in the mystical tibetan city of k ' un - l ' un , where after years of training he becomes the iron fist – their greatest warrior – before returning to fight evil in his home city of new york . in
movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75 % or higher after a set amount of reviews ( 80 for wide - release movies , 40 for limited - release movies , 20 for tv shows ) , including 5 reviews from top critics .
a 14 - year - old leads his two half - brothers ( one older , one an infant ) on a journey to find and live as a family with his father after their mother dies .
for an industry that is now completely dictated by numbers ( at least on the hollywood side of things ) where budgets are weighed against box office takings and opening weekends against lifetime gross figures , it’s only money that matters . and increasingly the superhero numbers don’t look good .
death of a superhero is an odd book . odd , in a good way . donald delpe appears to be your typical teenager . 14 years old , sex - obsessed ( even though . . . or maybe because he ' s never had sex ) and troubled . troubled , as in
leukemia - - no real hope
. after an attempted suicide , donny is assigned to dr . adrian king , a renowned psychologist . with his help , donny sets out to get his last wish fulfilled . guess what ? he wants to have sex . although sometimes difficult to follow , the writing style is fabulous . the book is written in some movie - script kind of way . at times , you ' d even get script - lines from the comic donald is drawing . miracleman , the superhero he ' d like to be . donald is a wonderful protagonist . you don ' t really get his thoughts , only the things he says and does , but you can still feel with him . adrian king is another great character . especially when he literally sets out to find a prostitute for donald , he ' s awesome . i really like this book with all its oddity and seriousness . even though i felt the ending came kind of abrupt . a great book , you should definitely consider reading it . urltoken
this book made me cry and i loved every bit of it . well , the story . . the crying not so much . but its always a good sign when a book really makes you feel something .
highsnobiety has steadily built a strong brand in the online fashion and lifestyle world . today the blog and print magazine sit among the most visited global sources for inspiration in the areas of fashion , sneakers , music , art and lifestyle culture . innovation , progression and always being several steps ahead of the curve are just some of the core values of highsnobiety .
a love story with a twist concerning a man who supports his team more than he supports his girlfriend . the cast features seán t . ó meallaigh who has already worked on a number of irish language productions including na cloigne , rásaí na gaillimhe and corp & anam . spanish actress susana bas plays the part of judy , and the cast also includes actors sibéal davitt and andrew lynch . the film was produced as part of the ‘físín’ , a competition run by the dingle international film festival to promote irish language filmmaking . as part of the scheme , teach solais sponsored the lighting equipment . the camera and lenses were provided by panavision ireland .
the whole two hour presentation was made round by private and funny stories told by the likeable author . among other details he e . g . told us of his son , who acted as a hobbit in the „lord of the ring“ movies and this of course made us all laugh .
welcome ! you are now a registered user of nymag . com , thecut . com , vulture . com , urltoken and grubstreet . com .
the plot of the film is integral to the joy of experiencing it , so i will be intentionally vague . the story deals with a teenager who has cancer . how he copes and who goes on the journey with him are the basis of the story . i would say the film is worth watching for that alone ! as far as the technical part - scenes are shot at home , school , hospital , as well as country and sea side . there is a good bit of animation interspersed into the entire work as well as some very graphic comic style art . sounds a bit hectic , eh ? ( film festival entries can be a bit of a risk - hand held cameras bouncing up and down and boom mikes in the corner of the picture . . . : ) in my opinion , the director created magic . . . the timing between dramatic scenes and the graphic was perfect . camera distance and motion were never distracting from the action or dialog . i distinctly noted the stillness and framing of the scenery shots - it has been a while since i have seen a movie where the camera was allowed to be that calm ! ! ( definitely a plus for me ) . the very blending of locations , artistic styles , and pacing of the movie are what lend to the magic of the storytelling . andy serkis was incredible in his role as a
thanatologist
( basically , a therapist who deals with death ) . and all of the other actors were well chosen - no one detracts . conclusion - great story , great cinematography , graphics , and scenery , solid actors , and some great soundtrack music ( lucy farrell and john kearney , i believe
to the boy
being the most memorable track ) last note - irish ! ! ! be prepared to handle a little brogue . . . : ) i highly recommend you see this film ! all the best , jay
the resultant problem with this formula is that at a certain point , the films themselves become a monopoly on the market . when more money is being funneled into a few big superhero flicks , it leaves less for the smaller budget features , which in some cases then don’t even get made . this situation is further exacerbated when the two biggest players in the comic book universe – marvel and dc – go head - to - head with major releases , and end up blowing all other “smaller” stories out of the water .
regardless of quality ? perhaps . until we eventually reach saturation point , and the super - bubble bursts . on the way to meet jones in a five - star new york hotel , i stop to look through a shop window . it’s filled with the kind of vacuum - packed collectibles that line many a comic fan’s bedroom shelves . there are hulk dolls , spider - man bobbleheads , an abundance of x - men . i spend several minutes scanning the display for a cuddly iron fist . i can’t find one .


peddlers is a 2012 indian hindi crime thriller film written and directed by vasan bala .

the film features gulshan devaiah , nishikant kamat , kriti malhotra ( of dhobi ghat fame ) , nimrat kaur and siddharth menon in the lead roles .

the film was screened as part of 2012 international critics ' week , an independent film event which runs parallel to the cannes film festival in southern france .

film 's producer , guneet monga raised nearly ₹ 1 crore ( us$ 160,000 ) , half of film 's budget of ₹ 2 crore ( us$ 310,000 ) by posting the film 's script on facebook .

peddlers ( film )

image contains suggestive content . ) a poster for the mitam productions pornographic film ' peddlers of sin ' , 1967 .
producer guneet monga attends the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto . . .
peddlers is one the three films produced by anurag kashyap films that was screened last night at the cannes film festival to compete at the critics week at the cannes film festival 2012 .
peddlers : crime - thriller ' peddlers ' is an ode to mumbai that narrates a raw story of three characters that share an almost appalling behaviour since childhood . the film was screened as part of the 2012 international critics ' week , an independent film event which runs parallel to the cannes film festival in southern france .
artistic director cameron bailey speaks at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 . . .
cast of peddlers at the cannes film festival . seen in the picture are nimrat kaur , siddharth menon , vasan bala , and kriti malhotra .
facebook finance she single - handedly raised nearly rs 1 crore from facebook users for the film peddlers which cost rs 2 crore . she posted the film ' s script on the social networking site .
almost two decades later , monihan ' s film
the voice of the voiceless ,
a mostly silent black - and - white film enjoying its new york premiere at the reelabilities film festival thursday , opens a window into the enslaved peddlers ' world .
eros usa & canada president ken naz attends the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 . . .
director vasan bala ( l ) and producer guneet monga onstage at the ' peddlers ' . . .
artistic director cameron bailey ( l ) and director vasan bala at the ' peddlers ' . . .
producer guneet monga attends the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
producer guneet monga ( l ) and writer / director vasan bala attend the ' peddlers ' . . .
and it gets worse for a dark film peddlers . for indian audiences often do not like dark films and this notion keeps getting fed on with an amazing regularity .
is a documentary by vibha bakshi , following the aftermath of the horrifying 2012 delhi gang rape . the film received the national film award for best film on social issues .
artistic director cameron bailey speaks at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
eros usa & canada president ken naz attends the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
directed by bedabrata pain , chittagong ; is a 2012 historical war drama film based on the chittagong uprising . the film won a national award for the best debut film of a director .
first - film flubs dog vasan bala ' s
peddlers ,
yet the freshman helmer displays a flair for complex characters and unexpected twists that shows he ' s a budding talent .
director vasan bala ( l ) and producer guneet monga onstage at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
artistic director cameron bailey ( l ) and director vasan bala at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
during the session vasan bala spoke about what inspired him to make peddlers and how his experiences as a resident of mumbai helped him shape the film and give it a personal touch . during the session guneet monga spoke about her journey of producing peddlers , the lunchbox and the release and distribution challenges faced by indie filmmakers and producers in india .
official theatrical trailer of ' peddlers ' . the film revolves around the parallel lives of three young people living in mumbai . watch as these self - proclaimed social outcasts get tangled while the drama takes off .
peddlers is not my first film script . i wrote a quirky love story but it didn ' t work out well . and i think i should be glad about that because i am reworking the script .
producer guneet monga ( l ) and writer / director vasan bala attend the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
artistic director cameron bailey ( l ) and director vasan bala onstage at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
director vasan bala , producer guneet monga and eros usa & canada president ken naz onstage at the ' peddlers ' premiere during the 2012 toronto international film festival at tiff bell lightbox on september 12 , 2012 in toronto , canada .
t he story of vasan bala , a 34 - year - old former bank officer with hardly any savings of his own , and who raised a few thousand rupees to fund his first feature film peddlers through facebook is well - known . the film kept resonating at the toronto international film festival where his gritty , violent and moving study of corruption of souls had a warm reception following a successful screening at cannes .
mumbai cha raja : manjeet singh ' s ' mumbai cha raja ' explores the underbelly of mumbai during the rainy ganesh festival . touted to be india ' s answer to ' slumdog millionaire ' , this film is a perfect blend of joy , sorrow and misfortune . the film was the official selection at the toronto international film festival 2012 , the abu dhabi film festival new horizons competition and the mumbai film festival indian competition .
monga admitted that being with gangs of wasseypur at cannes in 2012 , benefited peddlers immensely . however the fact a few of her films such as monsoon shootout and peddlers have not yet released , makes her feel guilty and is a painful fact which she finds difficult to live with . she rued that current film finance system in india is a challenge and needs to be addressed at the earliest for indian indies to flourish .
shuttlecock boys : the film was made by all first timers . most of the cast members are non - actors and didn ' t have any formal training . the film revolves around the lives , successes and failures of four friends who hail from lower middle class backgrounds in delhi . it made its way to festivals including the gotham screen international film festival , new york , the seattle south asian film festival and the chicago south asian film festival .
3 . the film ' s lead actress was a cooper union student at the time .
peddlers is one of those gems which is churned out by the the bollywood film industry maybe once in five years . if it has to be described in one word , i think ' extraordinary ' would be a good one . nobody would disagree with the fact that gulshan devaaiahh has established himself as one of the most promising actors of bollywood after his amazing performances in shaitan , that girl in yellow boots , and has delivered the performance of his career in peddlers . the film is dark with but the presentation is such that you do feel pity for the people in it but can ' t help but sadistically laugh at them . that is what vasan bala has been able to achieve with peddlers which very few directors in india can manage to . this film will surely help bollywood break out of the barricades of outdated film making , and shift towards a more contemporary technique of pleasing audiences . 10 / 10 from die - hard gulshan fan
peddlers tells the story of a young drug peddler ( siddharth menon ) , a young immigrant mother facing a fatal disease ( kriti malhotra ) and a corrupt cop ( gulshan devaiah ) .
vasan bala ' s peddlers is the story of three unrelated individuals whose lives gradually intersect : mac ( siddharth menon ) , a street - smart orphan ; bilkis ( kriti malhotra ) , a young former chemistry teacher afflicted with cancer and a cop , ranjit , ( gulshan devaiah ) . peddlers is the debut feature of vasan bala and was nominated for golden camera and critics grand week in cannes 2012 . the film which was later on picked by eros international still remains unreleased . and sadly despite winning several accolades , the film remains largely unseen by the indian audiences .
kya dilli kya lahore is actor - director , vijay raaz’s debut project . the film , set in 1948 , deals with the subject of indo - pakistan partition . the film revolves only and only around two characters . it’s a brave and first of its kind anti - war film that you just can’t miss .
t he film you have made is very different from the kind of films mani ratnam makes . . .
here is a list of 10 best independent films , which left an impact at various film festivals during 2012 .
ians lists 10 best independent films , which left an impact at various national and international film festivals during 2012 .
miss lovely : ashim ahluwalia ' s ' miss lovely ' traverses through a long forgotten era of c - grade bollywood horror and porn films . starring nawazuddin siddiqui and niharika singh , the film competed in the un certain regard section at the 2012 cannes film festival . it also won two awards at the 14th mumbai film festival this year .
gattu : a heart - warming tale of childlike innocence hidden within us . ' gattu ' was made with the help of children ' s film society of india . the story of a young boy obsessed with kite - flying , ' gattu ' may be yet another children ' s film but in essence it highlights the power of hope . directed by rajan khosa , the film was held in high regard by critics and film reviewers all over the world .
first - film flubs dog vasan bala’s “peddlers , ” yet the freshman helmer displays a flair for complex characters and unexpected twists that shows he’s a budding talent . a multistranded noir featuring a violent cop with sexual performance issues and a bangladeshi drug mule hoping to earn enough to treat her cancer , the pic takes a while to [ … ]
zentz was studying fine arts at cooper union when monihan convinced her to star in his film . her cinematic debut and its warm reception encouraged her to do more acting in film and television in los angeles , where she lives today .
in the 1990s , you couldn ' t ride the subways without seeing them : shabbily dressed , silent peddlers placing key chains with tags that read
$ 1 i am deaf
on the seats and hastily collecting those not purchased .
ship of theseus : known for writing soaps like ' kyunkii saas bhi kabhi bahu thi ' and ' kahaani ghar ghar ki ' , debutant director anand gandhi addressed questions such as redemption and death in his first feature length film ' ship of theseus ' with the support of stunning performances by its actors . the film made quite a stir at the toronto international film festival .
did you know ? she made a special appearance as a receptionist in sandeep mohan ' s independent film love , wrinkle - free .
i set my film in the new mumbai . the first few minutes in the film you may feel like you are in a ghost town , very different from overcrowded mumbai . this was , of course , done deliberately to reflect the idea of people being locked in .
while the director is excited for the film ' s new york premiere with the reelabilities , which is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives of people with different abilities —
it’s an important film festival for the audience it draws and that’s why we wanted to do it” — he says he ' s also working on its proper release in a theater like film forum or the newly opened metrograph .
it is more than a drugs and corrupt cop film . it is not really a thriller , even though there are a lot of unexpected twists and lots of drama . i could even say it is a film about normal people living normal lives in a post globalization mumbai .
i explore some of this loneliness in my film and that is why for over 10 minutes , you have fragmented images in the beginning .
peddlers tells the story of a young drug peddler ( siddharth menon ) , a young immigrant mother facing a fatal disease ( kriti malhotra ) and a corrupt cop ( gulshan devaiah ) whose sexual inadequacies in an adulterous relationship is one of the many inner demons he faces .
directed by ketan mehta , released in a 1987 starring , naseeruddin shah and smita patil in the lead roles . the plot follows the struggles of a woman who fights against her powerful oppressor . the film won the national film award for best supporting actor . in the centenary year of indian cinema , forbes included smita patil ' s performance in the film on its list of
25 greatest acting performances of indian cinema
.
, directed by gurvinder singh , is based on the punjabi novel of the same name . it portrays the plight and problems of punjabi farmers , rural working class , as well as the landlords . the film won national awards for best direction , cinematography and best feature film in punjabi .
cynics doubtless will snark that “priceless” is pretty much what you would expect of a faith - based movie about human trafficking : the resourceful hero finds god while rescuing girls and young women from the clutches of flesh - peddlers ; said flesh - peddlers are given to obscenity - free tough - talk ; flesh is never bared , and all allusions to sexual activity are so decorously oblique , they would pass muster with old hollywood enforcers of the production code . but more simpatico viewers — especially , though perhaps not exclusively , the film’s target audience of churchgoers and evangelicals — are more likely to appreciate the overall restraint of this slickly produced indie drama , and embrace its underlying theme of redemption through selfless action .
supermen of malegaon : som takes us through the lives of people , who are united over a single goal to produce a malegaon version of ' superman ' by making spoofs on bollywood films . before its theatrical release in june this year , the film bagged 15 awards at various film festivals .
, is an interesting film narrated entirely in a hyperlink format ( meaning , they’re multi - linear in narrative ) . several stories run together in this film , the centre at it all is the highway in rural gujarat near the old town of kutch . unique and absolutely relatable to every kind of audience !
good night good morning : shot completely in black - and - white , gngm plunges into the psyche of the viewers by highlighting the strong desire to be loved . following screenings at several international film festivals , the tragic yet comedy film saw a theatrical release in india jan 20 and opened to mostly positive reviews .
is the debut project of krishan hooda . the film takes you on young raja’s journey within himself , and with the three mentors he meets along the way .
the reelabilities film festival runs from march 10 to 16 at more than 40 venues in the city . you can find a complete lineup and ticket information here .
it ' s been heartening to see the reception for jordan peele ' s debut film get out , which is still doing big box office numbers after a great opening weekend , and has enjoyed rapturous critical reception — including praise from william friedkin , director of the exorcist . the film ' s satire of
woke
white liberals was vital and cutting , but what might the film have looked like if it starred some of the more visible peddlers of bigotry in the united states ? funny or die ' s new video get out ( of the white house ) mashes up the film ' s ( way , way too revealing ) trailer with footage of donald trump , his daughter ivanka , and the surrounding celebrities and members of the administration . yeah , kanye ' s in there with ben carson as two of the brainwashed black people in trump ' s orbit . like get out itself , the new mash - up is very funny and very , very real . watch above .
kshay : shot completely in black - and - white , ' kshay ' directed by debutant karan gour , is a psychological drama about obsession . rasika dugal ' s portrayal of an obsessive housewife was outstanding . the film played in four festivals including last year ' s dubai international film festival and won awards and critical acclaim from western critics .
a scene in “the mill & the cross , ” a film in which lech majewski restages pieter bruegel the elder ' s 1564 masterpiece , “the way to calvary . ”
bala said the dark tone of the film came from the pessimism , morbid thoughts and other painful experiences from his own life and those of the people around him . the various migrants inhabiting mumbai and the struggles they undergo in their everyday life also played in a crucial role in shaping the story of the film . like many , the filmmaking bug bit bala at an early age and years later he quit his job in order to become a filmmaker . and as bala admitted , to his surprise his parents took this decision of his quite sportingly . soon he assisted anurag kashyap for gulaal and dev d among other films . incidentally an argument with kashyap on the sets of gangs of wasseypur is what led bala to determinedly direct his first feature film . bala and saigal further also told us that the film was shot in period of just 30 days and saigal restructured the film to a great extent on the editing table .
inshallah , football is a documentary film by ashvin kumar about an aspiring footballer who was denied the right to travel abroad on the pretext that his father was a militant in the 1990s .
“the slaves left . ” in three words , sofia coppola’s new film the beguiled casually dispenses with one of the great shames of the american republic . coppola’s film is an elegant southern gothic tale of masculine charms and feminine vengeance , completely stripped of its historical and racial context . while not every period genre picture need grapple with the “ peculiar institution , ” this is a film set during the civil war , unfolding between southern women and a northern soldier , and it goes so far as to cut both black characters from the novel upon which it was based .
“ i felt like i had to give these women a voice , ” coppola told film school rejects about her reason for making the film . a noble cause , though a little less urgent when you consider that the novel itself ( if not the eastwood film ) is narrated , chapter by chapter , from each woman’s perspective . “you always see stories about men at war , but i don’t think i’ve seen what happens to the women left behind , ” coppola continued . “i’ve always loved the women in the south , and the south in general ; it’s so exotic and different . ”
spiced with dark humour , the story follows an elephant keepers journey to recover his missing elephant . written and directed by srinivas sunderajan , the film won the jury prize for the best narrative feature .
there’s something deeply perverse about seeing beyoncé’s groundbreaking work of black female historical reclamation appropriated by two white actresses in 1860s southern dress . but it’s perfectly in keeping with the attitude of the film , in which black people barely merit mention . while the film’s production design and costumes evince a commitment to authenticity , the movie itself has no interest in the people on whose backs that lavish lifestyle was built .
is a comedy / drama directed by prashant nair . the film talks about the uncomfortable realities of contemporary life in a country that has been transformed in many ways in just two decades of economic growth .
first - film flubs dog vasan bala’s “peddlers , ” yet the freshman helmer displays a flair for complex characters and unexpected twists that shows he’s a budding talent . a multistranded noir featuring a violent cop with sexual performance issues and a bangladeshi drug mule hoping to earn enough to treat her cancer , the pic takes a while to come together , and even then allows script self - satisfaction to overcome logic or consistency . but there are enough interesting ideas to send auds out with plenty to chew on . peddling at home should be easy with eros intl . onboard , and fests will buy in .
thanks to whistling woods and celebrate cinema , we were able to watch the film on the 1st day of this exciting event . the film which which boasts of some great music , cinematography and performance is an impressive debut by bala . and it would be unfortunate if many people do not get to see it . post the screening an interactive session was held with vasan bala , producer guneet monga and editor prerna saigal .
it is also a film about alienation and loneliness . the family system i knew a few years ago has been fast disappearing . in the new environment , you become somewhat of a stranger to your parents and friends .
winterbottom has been making good films for several decades and yet i was not overwhelmed while working with him . though he has a lot of passion , he also looks at his film projects in a dry and detached way .
written and directed by richie mehta , amal originally released as a short film . all is well in delhi - resident autorickshaw driver amal’s small life , until his sense of duty is put the ultimate test by an unusual customer .
written and directed by anand gandhi , ship of theseus , the plot of the film follows questions of identity , justice , beauty , meaning and death through the stories of an experimental photographer , an ailing monk and an enterprising stockbroker .
kshay is a black - and - white psychological film written and directed by karan gour . this is the story of a woman who sets her eyes on an unfinished sculpture , and starts becoming obsessed with the need to own it .
best line
we just want to help people have fun ,
explains one of the hangdog peddlers in a pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence . it ' s a line he repeats as a constant refrain ( demonstrating plastic dracula fangs and mask of
uncle one - tooth
to a succession of unimpressed shopkeepers ) and it becomes perversely more amusing each time it ' s said . perhaps the organisers can adopt it as their official festival slogan .
champions of a college quiz team are competing at the all - india finals , and are on a mission to lose their virginities while they are travelling through kolkata for the championship . directed by the funny perversion of q , the film that released on 7
that ' s taking some time because monihan wants opening night to feature live music , as low - frequency as the film ' s soundtrack — which is intended to replicate what the non - hearing experience — by hip - hop artists prince paul and edan .
cannes - - confused , at times naive story - telling eventually gives way to a powerful dramatic finale , but one so downbeat it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth , in peddlers , a first feature by indian writer - director vasan bala . the rest of the tale leisurely circles around two destitute 20 - year - olds who fall into mumbai’s drug trade and a young cop who stalks them ; all three carry scars from their childhood that supposedly , but not very convincingly , motivate their execrable behavior . though it takes a long time coming together , the hindi - language film does finally succeed in its action - packed last half - hour , rewarding audiences who hang on for that long . its bow in cannes’ critics week should indicate more festival life ahead .
has netflix changed our lives , or what ? ! gone are the days when we had to throw ourselves into a frantic search over the interwebs to catch our favourite indie film . or worse , scour torrentz . netflix comes in as the bright summer sun after a long spell of grey days , for filmmakers as well as film lovers . if you love excellent films and want to get your steady supply of some mind - blowing indian indies , don’t go any further than this list we’ve curated for you . there’s something for everyone !
if you thought that making a film is a bigger challenge than producing and releasing it , then you are in for a rude shock . for monga , shared some of her observations on why producing and releasing indie films in india is an even bigger challenge than getting them made .
produced and directed by lech majewski ; written by michael francis gibson and mr . majewski , based on the book by mr . gibson ; directors of photography , mr . majewski and adam sikora ; edited by eliot ems and norbert rudzik ; music by mr . majewski and jozef skrzek ; production design by katarzyna sobanska and marcel slawinski ; costumes by dorota roqueplo ; released by kino lorber . at film forum , 209 west houston street , west of the avenue of the americas , south village . running time : 1 hour 31 minutes . this film is not rated .
peddlers sell their wares ; musicians play crude instruments ; woodsmen chop down trees . a young couple take their calf to market , only for the man to be set upon by soldiers , then strapped to a wheel and raised to the top of a stake , where crows gather to pick out his eyes . observing it all dispassionately is the miller , whose windmill and granary are atop a natural stone tower , a stand - in for god “grinding out the bread of life and destiny , ” as bruegel ( rutger hauer ) says to jonghelinck ( michael york ) .
at the film’s end we see the painting , some of its mysteries revealed , hanging next to bruegel’s equally masterly “tower of babel” in the kunsthistorisches museum in vienna ; we are also left to savor an inspiring , alluring meditation about imagery and storytelling , the common coin of history , religion and art .
delhi in a day : prashant nair ' s debut feature , set against the backdrop of a rich family in delhi , makes a strong statement on the socio - economic strata without deviating from the crux of the plot . the film had flashes of comedy to shine a light on the uncomfortable realities of contemporary life .
coppola’s erasure of history is evident even in the period - accurate choice of filming location : madewood plantation house , where beyoncé shot parts of lemonade . the cast of the beguiled were so excited to be shooting at the same location that elle fanning and kirsten dunst re - created a shot from beyoncé’s film for instagram .
* update , july 5 , 2017 : edwina in both films is a composite of two characters from the source novel : edwina , a wealthy biracial teenager seduced and betrayed by mcburney , and harriet farnsworth , a white teacher and sister to martha , kidman ' s headmistress character in the coppola film . ( return . )
tickets for tomorrow ' s show are $ 29 for the general public and $ 25 for members . the opening night reception , which includes light appetizers and one drink , begins at 6pm with the film to follow at 7pm . tickets for the other 3 shows are $ 12 for the general public and $ 10 for members .
in the beguiled , coppola cuts out the enslaved housemaid mattie ( called hallie in the 1971 film ) , and she also turns the character edwina , who was a free mixed - race teenager in the novel , into a white teacher played by kirsten dunst . * asked why she cut out the enslaved woman from the original film , coppola told buzzfeed news , “i didn’t want to brush over such an important topic in a light way . young girls watch my films and this was not the depiction of an african - american character i would want to show them . ” perhaps her intentions were pure , but it’s hard not to see this as part of a larger pattern .
in a 2006 article for vanity fair , author antonia fraser wrote about the experience of having her biography of marie antoinette adapted into a film by sofia coppola . according to fraser , coppola asked her , “would it matter if i leave out the politics ? ” to which fraser “replied with absolute honesty , ‘marie antoinette would have adored that . ’ ”
is an anthology of 8 short films mentored and curated by imtiaz ali , vikas bahl , vikramaditya motwane and anand gandhi . the film follows the theme of an interval , and is directed in segments by - aarti s . bagdi , amrit raj gupta , krishan hooda , shishir jha , atanu mukherjee , rukshana tabassum , ankit tripathi and palash vaswani .
adapted from a book by the art critic michael francis gibson , who wrote the screenplay with mr . majewski , the film does not offer much plot . in its stead , it portrays — for the most part wordlessly — the daily lives and often harshly casual deaths in and around 16th - century antwerp , episodes that often wind up in bruegel’s panorama .
most new york films don’t feel like new york films because you’re cutting back and forth between stuff they filmed in canada ,
monihan said .
or you just see the same fifth avenue boring stuff that’s a shopping montage .
( for some context , the city hosted 242 film productions in 2014 and at least 256 films in 2015 , according to the mayor ' s office of media and entertainment . )
mattie , meanwhile , is the book’s most clear - eyed character . she knows precisely where she stands in relation to not only her enslavers at the school but also to corporal mcburney , whom she quickly sizes up as a deceitful man despite his suiting up for the army that would supposedly free her . in don siegel’s exploitation - influenced film , too , the enslaved hallie , played by the outstanding mae mercer , is easily the strongest character . while everyone else falls into games of seduction and deceit , hallie sees right through the charade and stands up for herself with a ferocity drawn from any number of black women in the blaxploitation genre . “you better like it with a dead black woman , ” she says to mcburney after he threatens to rape her , late in the film , “because that’s the only way you’ll get it from this one . ”
while en route to his destination , james discovers he is transporting two mexican sisters , antonia ( bianca santos ) and maria ( amber midthunder ) , who assume they have been smuggled into the u . s . to pay off a family debt by working as domestics . but when james turns over his passengers to garo ( jim parrack ) , the smooth - talking sleaze who has financed the transport , he suspects something is amiss . even so , it takes our hero a while to deduce the obvious : garo is a pimp , and the sisters will be fresh merchandise for him . it takes james a little longer to decide — after being egged on by dale ( david koechner ) , a motel operator with a personal grudge against flesh peddlers — that he should make amends for his indirect involvement and save the sisters from bondage .
exotic is a word coppola used again in an interview with vanity fair , and it signals her aesthetic interest in the story . the chance to film the remnants of the antebellum south , with its grand houses , stately furnishings , and beautiful dresses must have been an alluring prospect for a director so visually minded and so interested in the lives of the wealthy . but aesthetics are not apolitical , and those grand houses and beautiful dresses didn’t emerge out of a vacuum .
best moment of deja vu venice ' s opening film , birdman , contained a bravura set piece in which michael keaton ' s unstable ageing actor accidentally locks himself outside the theatre and has to convince the ushers that he ' s actually needed on stage . three days later , the humbling opened with a scene in which an unstable ageing actor played by al pacino does the exact same thing . spend too long at venice and even the films start talking to each other .
in a perfect world , this year ' s golden lion award would go to roy andersson ' s bizarre and bewitching a pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence . don ' t be spooked by the title , andersson ' s film is a hoot . it ' s about a pair of glum salesmen travelling to gothenberg with a suitcase full of monster masks and laughter bags . but it ' s also about sweden ' s 18th - century invasion of russia , and about a limping barmaid who demands her payment in kisses , and about men who
walk like zombies
, and about a bunch of commuters who can ' t decide whether it ' s tuesday or wednesday or thursday . andersson skirts so many human mysteries and pigeon plays out as a giddy metaphysical burlesque . it ' s simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious , silly and profound . it is both the finest film i ' ve seen at venice and the perfect picture for the final days .
joel smallbone of the christian pop duo for king & country ( which co - produced the film ) is effectively cast in the lead role of james stevens , a melancholy hunk whose life has been in a booze - fueled tailspin since the death of his wife . after losing several jobs , and engaging in at least one violent barroom altercation , he loses custody of his young daughter , and is forced to accept a dodgy job driving a box truck carrying unknown cargo cross - country with no questions asked .
best stunt lars von trier has sworn off press conferences following his ill - judged joking at the 2011 cannes film festival . but he was prepared to bend the rules for venice , appearing on a laptop screen and having the actor stellan skarsgård feed him questions from the audience . skarsgård had three lifelines and von trier was his
phone - a - friend
. while this was typically playful behaviour from the controversial danish director , one feared he had again misjudged his audience . most of the reporters in the press room appeared utterly bewildered .
based on a 1966 novel by thomas p . cullinan , and previously adapted into a film in 1971 by don siegel and starring clint eastwood , the beguiled tells the story of an injured union fighter who seduces several of the women at farnsworth seminary , a southern school for girls , only to breed jealousy and become the subject of their collective wrath . it’s hard not to see coppola’s attraction to the material . her body of work regularly focuses on privileged characters—particularly women—cut off from the world , their sexuality repressed , longing for an escape , but ultimately doomed to their lonely circumstances .
crew : camera ( color ) , siddharth diwan ; editor , prerna saigal ; music , karan kulkarni ; lyrics , varun grover ; production designer , meenakshi singh ; costume designer , shilpa srivastava ; sound , pramod thomas ; supervising producer , meraj shaikh ; associate producers , ritesh batra , deep singh kakad , simerjeet singh oberoi ; line producer , salil deshpande ; associate director , prerna saigal ; assistant directors , shilpa srivastava , rishabh dev vaishnav , avijit khanwilkar ; casting , anmol ahuja . reviewed at cannes film festival ( critics ' week ) , may 21 , 2012 . running time : 118 min .
regrets ? we ' ve had a few . hopes were high for the cut , a sweeping epic of the armenian genocide by the talented german - turkish director fatih akin . this looked tremendous on paper but the delivery falls short . tahar rahim plays nazaret , the mute , stoic survivor who goes in search of his daughters in the aftermath of the first world war . he ' s trudging widescreen landscapes of rock and sand , stooping to dip his pail in a well that turns out to be clogged with corpses . the direction is bullish ; the soundtrack enticing . but akin ' s film turns out to be as flat and featureless as the turkish desert itself .
how fitting that this year ' s festival should have opened with the electrifying birdman , in which michael keaton ' s fading old thespian turns his back on the mainstream and sets his sights on high art instead . it was a film that largely set the tone for the 10 days that followed , as lightning flashed , arthouse curios sprouted and big american titles proved to be as rare as hen ' s teeth . cannes may be more brash and exciting ; sundance more airy and wholesome . and yet humid , rotting venice possesses peculiar charms of its own . by the time the storms roll in ( middle sunday , just before midnight ) , we are positively drowning in decent pictures .
the 2013 edition caught pundits unawares by delivering its crowning golden lion award to gianfranco rosi ' s unfancied ringroad documentary sacro gra – a decision that suggested home - turf advantage can be pivotal at venice . this year we have three italian hopefuls in the main competition . at the time of writing , the smart money was on black souls , a turbulent mafia drama about three brothers from a calabrian crime syndicate . francesco munzi ' s film is rich , dark and impeccably staged . it ' s a tale that paints southern italy as a ruined kingdom , poisoned by its past and hopelessly tangled in outmoded ideals of blood and honour . everyone here is nursing ancient , burning grievances . all of them , you feel , are swiftly riding for a fall .
might abel ferrara ' s pasolini qualify as an italian film too ? heaven forbid ; the very notion is heresy . despite charting the last 24 hours in the life of the great director pier paolo pasolini , it has been shot by a new yorker and stars willem dafoe in the title role , while the bulk of the dialogue is spoken in english . perhaps it was these flagrant transgressions that accounted for a sniffy reception from the domestic delegates . all the same , i liked this enormously . after the lurid histrionics of his recent welcome to new york , ferrara appears to have harnessed his wilder impulses . his pasolini is fragile , dreamy and sad , shuffling domestic vignettes with vibrant fantasy interludes as it cruises inexorably towards the rocks . dafoe , too , proves purely terrific as the brilliant , ill - starred man at the centre .
three young people in mumbai tangle lethally in a drama that only takes off towards the end . twitter
the first feature by indian writer - director vasan bala focuses on two destitute 20 - year - olds who fall into mumbai’s drug trade and a young cop who stalks them .
because she helped give independent cinema a facelift . in the last one year , she spearheaded anurag kashyap films pvt ltd ( akfpl ) to produce over 10 films ranging from the revenge drama gangs of wasseypur to the psychological thriller michael , to the applause of critics and mass audiences at home and abroad .
because she has bridged the gap between indian films and foreign buyers and distributors . her forthcoming production , the lunchbox , directed by first - time filmmaker ritesh batra , is a co - production with companies in germany , france , the united states and india .
because this month she has been recognised by the hollywood reporter as one of the 12 outstanding international women achievers in the field of entertainment .
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with : with : gulshan devaiah , kriti malhotra , siddharth menon , nimrat kaur , murari kumar , sagai raj , megh pant , nishikant kamat , mukesh chhabra , maya tideman , somrita nandy , arpit varshney , kashyap kapoor , rahul chhabria , shinjini raval , neeraj ghaywan , shlok sharma , kashyap das , aparna purohit . ( hindi , english dialogue )
bala worked as assistant helmer to anointed alternative indian director anurag kashyap , whose association here as producer should prove attractive to followers of the non - bollywood market . kashyap’s impact is largely felt in the pic’s gritty cosmopolitan realism , though bala seems more influenced by americans like scorsese , james gray and even a touch of abel ferrara . he’s written compelling characters ( though some take too long to reach that state ) , and his facility with dialogue outstrips many other indie subcontinentals .
when first introduced , investigative cop ranjit ( gulshan devaiah ) seems like a shy charmer until he picks up a girl in a disco , forces vodka down her throat , and then arranges the hotel room to look like they’ve had sex . the scene is perplexing until he’s seen hesitantly calling a doctor about erectile dysfunction . ranjit’s subsequent vile behavior is too extreme to ascribe solely to a limp member , but there’s no denying the guy is cracked , especially after viciously attacking his married neighbor kuljeet ( nimrat kaur ) , who enablingly downplays his problem .
running parallel is the story of bilkis ( kriti malhotra ) , a pretty bangladeshi widow with cancer who goes to mumbai to work as a drug mule for jj ( murari kumar ) . a former science teacher , she’s hardly the type to run with sleazy low - level drug lords , which is why young mac ( siddharth menon ) is so attracted to the quiet newcomer .
for most of the pic , these two tales run parallel , given more or less equal weight , allowing a continual shift in social strata from lonely middle - class life to the underbelly of mumbai and outskirts . occasionally style overwhelms better judgment as well as narrative cohesion , and there are moments that cry out to be trimmed . some may find the pic’s moral ambiguity troubling ; it’s difficult to know where to place audience sympathy , though the helmer’s refusal to be judgmental with anyone but ranjit is presumably a well - considered strategy .
male and female characters are equally complex , and bala demonstrates great skill in writing intelligent flirtatious repartee , especially in scenes between kuljeet and ranjit , before he turns nasty . strong thesping from mostly up - and - comers undoubtedly helps : devaiah’s ability to flip from charmer to sadist is chillingly real , and kaur’s down - to - earth frustrated wife brightens the screen each time she appears . malhotra doesn’t speak much , but has the kind of emotional gravitas that compensates , and newcomer menon is a gangly live - wire who makes his presence felt .
lensing keeps pace with the action without overdoing the handheld work , and bala generally displays a strong compositional eye . even scenes shot in daylight feel as if night is about to fall , with mumbai’s featureless darkness loaded with troubled uncertainty .
production : an eros intl . presentation of an akfpl , sikhya entertainment , philind motion pictures , metamozez entertainment , mandolin sky entertainment , acropolis films , oasis motion pictures , ashdhir cine vision , dar motion pictures production . ( international sales : elle driver , paris . ) produced by guneet monga , anurag kashyap , eros intl . co - producers , zenaida mastura , mozez singh , mahruu sheikh , vishakha singh , sachin kalra , gaurav dhingra , siddhanta ashidhir , arun rangachari , shahnaab alam . executive producers , achin jain , gitika aggarwal . directed , written by vasan bala .
cast : with : gulshan devaiah , kriti malhotra , siddharth menon , nimrat kaur , murari kumar , sagai raj , megh pant , nishikant kamat , mukesh chhabra , maya tideman , somrita nandy , arpit varshney , kashyap kapoor , rahul chhabria , shinjini raval , neeraj ghaywan , shlok sharma , kashyap das , aparna purohit . ( hindi , english dialogue )
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for many years i had no courage to choose films as a career . i grew up in mumbai and worked in banks for several years . being the only child , i could not tell my parents that i wanted a life outside the so - called safer professions . but i was very bored working for banks .
in fact , i dropped out of a master ' s program because i could not understand taxation laws . my parents were not very happy that i was changing so many jobs .
a couple of years ago , i gave up my job and went to chennai , hoping to work with mani ratnam whom i have admired for long , but that did not happen .
however , i was not going to give up . i worked on a couple of movie scripts and also blogged . that is how i came to know anurag kashyap who became my mentor .
i still admire mani ratnam but in the past years , i have worked with anurag , and most importantly with michael winterbottom when he made trishna . i admire their courage and focus and relentless passion .
i read newspaper reports about how young immigrants - - some of them who have a few years to live because of diseases like cancer - - get into illicit drug making and smuggling . they risk jail sentences , but given their knowledge that their lives are short , they are prepared to do anything to save some money for their immediate families .
i grew up in matunga ( in central mumbai ) , which is essentially like small - town . i didn ' t realise that i was living in a big metropolis until college . suddenly there were hundreds of people that came from all over the country . i felt a little left out and rootless . when i began to work , i saw more of the whole migrant city .