Here's a cool piece of movie trivia: Quentin Tarantino's next film, The Hateful Eight, had more in common with his previous movie, Django Unchained, than simply being another western. In a new interview with DP/30, Tarantino reveals that The Hateful Eight actually started out as a Django novel before morphing into its current form:

“After Django Unchained was over, I knew I didn’t want to do any Django movie sequel or anything, but I liked the idea of there being maybe a series of paperbacks that could be the further adventures of Django or maybe go back in time, a couple more Django/Schultz adventures or something...So I hadn’t written a novel before and I thought I would just try my hand at writing a Django paperback. At the time it was called ‘Django In White Hell’. So I started writing, and it was basically the stagecoach stuff, but instead of [Samuel L. Jackson’s] Major Warren it was Django...

Because I was introducing such rough characters in this piece, and there would be even more rough, disreputable characters waiting for them [at the haberdashery], at a certain point I realized, ‘Well you know what’s wrong with this piece? It’s Django. he’s needs to go. Because you shouldn’t have a moral center when it comes to these eight characters.’”

Having seen The Hateful Eight but still being under embargo, I can just say that while I can see how Django could have been the reason for this story to come together, I'm so glad that Tarantino jettisoned him from the final draft. Samuel L. Jackson's Major Marquis Warren instantly establishes himself as one of the greatest Tarantino characters ever, and it would have been a shame not to be introduced to him in this film. I actually wouldn't mind reading a Django novel with a new story featuring that character, but Tarantino definitely made the right choice here.

Via: Uproxx

Here's a new poster for X-Men: Apocalypse, which shows Oscar Isaac's title villain gazing into the eyes of a skull while he's crushing it.

By now I'm sure you've seen the trailer that debuted this morning, and as much as I want to like it, I have to admit that this movie looks terrible. I really enjoyed Days of Future Past because of the way they blended the old and young versions of the main characters, but I don't know if they're going to be able to top that. The continuity in these films is blown to hell, and while the idea of Isaac as Apocalypse is great, the execution (at least as depicted in the trailer) has me questioning why they'd even want to get an excellent actor like him if THAT is what Apocalypse is going to be like. And by the time the trailer descends into the same "huge city gets destroyed" shots at the end, it had completely lost me.

But enough about my thoughts. EW has a full report from the set of the film, and if you're excited about the movie, the whole thing is worth a read. I'll pull out some of the most interesting quotes for you below:

“The problem with Days of Future Past is it’s hard to sequelize,” says writer-producer Simon Kinberg, who’s been with the franchise since 2006. “Whenever we talked about the sequel, the challenge was that it needed to feel not necessarily bigger visually, but that the stakes needed to feel bigger.” So not only does Apocalypse want to destroy the world — pretty big stakes — but the film that contains his name will serve as a pivot point in the series, shifting the focus toward younger versions of classic characters such as Storm, Jean Grey (Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner), and Cyclops (Tye Sheridan). “This is kind of the introduction to them,” says director Bryan Singer, returning for his fourth X-Men movie. “At the same time, it has concluding aspects of those previous stories.”

Let's run through a quick "where are they now" with the three main characters:

Magneto

“He’s fallen in love and he’s basically left his metal ways behind,” Fassbender says. Pretty quickly, though, his world is shattered and “normal” is no longer an option. “Apocalypse finds Erik at a low ebb and recruits him,” Fassbender says.

Mystique

Miles away, meanwhile, Raven is on her own, helping rescue mutants who are oppressed or enslaved, including the teleport Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Raven knows nothing about Apocalypse, Lawrence says, but “she hears about what happened to Erik and she wants to seek him out and help him.”

Charles

“He’s not teaching anybody how to fight at the moment,” McAvoy says. “He’s teaching people how to control their abilities so that they can work at a bank. But of course this movie challenges all of that.”

The one aspect of the film that I am admittedly a little curious about, and that's Oscar Isaac's quote about its climax:

“That last battle is going to be pretty insane. I mean, it’s like freaking Apocalypse fighting all of the X-Men. It’s pretty cool.”

There's more in the full interview, including Lawrence's thoughts on returning for another sequel. X-Men: Apocalypse hits theaters on May 27th, 2016.

Yesterday myself and a couple of other members of our GameTyrant crew pulled up to a seemingly uninteresting office building in middle-of-nowhere Lindon, Utah. Little did I know this marked the beginning of my journey from... View Full Post on GameTyrant

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Though it broke records and become the highest grossing movie of all time, James Cameron's Avatar doesn't seem to have made any lasting impact on pop culture. Even the 3D boom it ushered in has thankfully started to die off, with audiences now understanding that most films are post-converted to 3D for the sole reason of studios being able to squeeze out a little more cash out of unsuspecting patrons. But I don't hear a lot of references to Avatar in conversations among film geeks, and it's incredibly rare (if impossible) to find a working filmmaker who says they're trying to do something similar; contrast that with producers, writers, and directors who can't seem to stop comparing their movies to, say, The Dark Knight or even The Hunger Games.

But Cameron is convinced that the success of Avatar wasn't simply a case of "right movie, right time," and he wants to prove it. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the writer/director gave an update about progress on the three sequels that are supposed to go into production soon:

“I’m in the process of doing another pass through all three scripts right now,” Cameron told EW during a recent phone interview. “Just refining. That’s in parallel with the design process. The design process is very mature at this point. We’ve been designing for about a year and a half. All the characters, settings and creatures are all pretty much [set].”

When asked if the process has been any easier this time around, the bravest pioneer replied:

“No,” Cameron said, laughing. “Because you have to challenge yourself. Obviously, expectations are going to be very high on these films, especially on Avatar 2, to make sure it wasn’t just some big fluke the first time. So we’ve got to deliver. I’ve created a nice rod for my own back, so they say.”

Will audiences want to return to Pandora with the same fervor and rabid intensity that they did back in 2009? We'll finally know in just a couple more years, since Avatar 2 is scheduled to arrive in theaters in late 2017.

Are you curious about all the old retro Star Wars toys you have, and how much they might be worth? Well, SaveMyBacon put together an infographic that shows you some of the rarest Star Wars action figures and how much they are worth in mint condition. It’s pretty incredible to see how much some of these toys are worth. It also gives you some info on the fading scale for these figures. 

I never owned any of these toys. Many of them were before my time. All the Star Wars toys I had when I was a kid were from Return of the Jedi. That’s the first Star Wars movie that I saw up on the big screen. The infographic comes with the following note: 

It's that time again when the whole world goes Star Wars crazy! The new movie, "The Force Awakens" come out on December 17th and there's no doubt that all of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s will be going up to our attics and searching for our old Star Wars toys, figures and vehicles that our parents bought us. Well think about this, those old toys could be worth an absolute fortune now! 

We've been doing a bit of research into the values of some of the original Star Wars toys that came out in the last 70s and early 80s, and you would not believe what some of these figures are worth! 

Some of the more notable Star Wars toys on this list include: Yak Face, Darth Vader and caped Jawa. 

Check out the infographic for yourself and take a stroll down Star Wars memory lane. Then you might want to go digging through your attic for some valuable Star Wars gold dust that just may be hiding there!

Thanks to Flick and the City, you can watch the full global press conference held by Lucasfilm and Disney last weekend. It was a star-studded event that featured most of the main cast and crew talking about the film. The only person that wasn’t present was Mark Hamill. I guess the studio didn’t want anyone to ask him any questions regarding Luke Skywalker and his place in the story.

We’ve posted a few articles from this event that you can read here, but now you can just sit back relax and watch the actors talk about the film and their characters. 

The participating talent includes J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, Lawrence Kasdan, Daisy Ridley, Adman Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Harrison Ford, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, and Oscar Isaac.

The movie hits theaters on December 18th!

If you don’t follow Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn on social media, you really need to. He is always posting awesome stuff. He recently posted these photos of a custom-made Awesome Mix Vol. 2 coffee table that was made for him. He says:

“One of our pre-vis animation artists had this incredible Awesome Mix Vol. 2 coffee table custom made, and it sits in front of us every day while we work on designing the big sequences in the film. I love this table because it’s a gorgeous piece of work, but also because it’s yet another sign of how passionate and invested so many of my co-creators on this film are. We all truly care about the movie we’re making.”

I’m seriously contemplating having my own Awesome Mix Vol. 2 coffee table made. I want one in our GT headquarters! 

There’s a new live-action miniseries coming based on the hit video game franchise Street Fighter. It’s called Street Fighter: Resurrection, and it’s being produced by Capcom and Machinima. It is also being created by the same team that brought us Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, which gave us the backstory of iconic Street Fighter characters Ken and Ryu. The team is being led by Joey Ansah, who has worked on films such as The Bourne Ultimatum and Snow White and the Huntsman. 

We’ve got a synopsis for you below along with a teaser trailer for you to watch that puts the focus on the character Nash.

Street Fighter: Resurrection reunites Assassin’s Fist’s producers, Jacqueline Quella and Mark Wooding, Director and Writer, Joey Ansah. And series originals Mike Moh (Empire) and Christian Howard (The World’s End), who will reprise their roles as ‘Ryu’ and ‘Ken’. Set a decade after the events in ‘Assassin’s Fist’, Resurrection features the iconic Street Fighter character Charlie Nash, played by Alain Moussi (Suicide Squad, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Pacific Rim), who was revealed today at the Capcom Cup, the finale of the 2015 Capcom Pro Tour fighting game tournament series.

Iconic heroes Ken and Ryu are reunited to face their deadliest threat yet. The long-presumed dead Charlie Nash is back, and is targeting legendary Street Fighter champions for mysterious reasons. Now it’s up to Ken and Ryu to uncover his lethal plan and discover if he is ally or enemy. Keep your friends close, and your guard up.

The series will premiere in March of 2016 and it will be a five-episode event that ties in with Capcom's highly-anticipated video game Street Fighter V, which will be released on February 16th, 2016. 

The series is set to air exclusively on go90.

I just came across this humorous Star Wars prank video that I thought you all might enjoy. The video features magician Rahat Hussein who dresses up as a Jedi and goes to a hamburger stand to play some Jedi mind tricks on some of the customers. After ordering a hot dog, he uses the Force to grab a ketchup bottle. The reaction of these innocent bystanders is hilarious as the ketchup bottle slides across the counter over to him

We’ve already shown you a gag reel for Ant-Man in which Paul Rudd shows off his dancing skills. A second gag reel has now found its way online. It’s part of the special features that are on the Blu-ray/DVD that Marvel released recently. The video features some good ol’ fashion cursing, ad-libbing that doesn’t work, laughs, and more.

Marvel Concept artist Andy Park also released a couple of interesting new pieces of concept art that he did for Ant-Man. They show us a very different look at the film's villain, Yellowjacket, and as you can see, in one of them he’s not even yellow!

Blue is an interesting color to use for a villain named Yellowjacket. When talking about that piece of art, the artist noted that he loved going hi-tech. The second illustration is also very different from the final suit design that we saw in the film, and it looks even more hi-tech than the first one. It’s got the yellow touch, though! 

Vader’s Vault has unveiled one of the most beautifully badass lightsaber designs that I’ve ever seen. It’s a very unique design that is inspired by the beautiful style of The Lord of the Rings films. The lightsaber is called Arod Megil, and here are the details that they offer:

Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars in this very special LOTR inspired engagement lightsaber! 

• Crystal Focus V5
• LEDEngin RGBW in Oppression Stopping Purpliscious Purple™
• Custom flushmount purple AV switch
• Custom Mystic Topaz topped aux switch
• Amazingly detailed exposed Crystal Chamber
• Hand cut and engraved brass overlays with Elvish Script
• 7.4V Li Ion Battery pack
• Patterned purple genuine leather rear grip 

For those of you not familiar with Vader's Vault, they make lots of cool hand-crafted heirloom quality lightsabers and other prop replicas.

One of my favorite aspects about the Mission: Impossible franchise is that all of the movies have had a very different style to them. One of the reasons for this is because each of the films have had a different director with a unique style and vision for the spy action thriller. Those directors include Brian DePalma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, and Christopher McQuarrie.

McQuarrie directed the most recent film in the franchise, and he is the first director to come back to direct a sequel. I just assumed that this sequel would have the same style and vibe as Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, but that won’t be the case at all. During an interview with /Film, the director explained that he is looking to push himself to take the next film in a different direction:

“My desire as a filmmaker is to always be a better filmmaker than I was on the previous film. I’m not a filmmaker interested in stasis. I really want to grow and push myself. I think if you look at the three films I’ve done — from The Way of the Gun to Jack Reacher to Mission: Impossible — I think it’s very clear there’s a distinct voice that runs through them, and they’re each sort of expanding, in terms of the storytelling and use of technology. I’m learning on each movie the mysteries of this technical craft or that technical craft. I had things I specifically learned from this movie I want to apply to the next. I gotta imagine it’ll look different. Let’s put it this way: if it looks the same, I’ll be disappointed.”

As much as I loved the style of of Rogue Nation, it's refreshing to hear that he really wants to give fans something new and different. He goes on to talk about what he learned from making the movie:

“I think the biggest thing I learned is you don’t always need as much as you think you do. The motorcycle sequence was originally so much bigger, so much longer, and so much more involved. There were so many action sequences in the movie. You can make a bigger movie with less, and I’m determined to do something leaner, less heavily reliant on plot, and a little stripped down.”

I like his outlook on things. I’ve always been a firm believer in less is more when it comes to storytelling in filmmaking. I'm happy that he’s coming back for another round with Ethan Hunt and the gang, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with the next chapter. In all honesty, I kinda hope Tom Cruise keeps making these movies until he’s old and grey. 

Character artist Corey Smith has created a nice little collection of superhero art that has a fun cartoonish style to it. It features fan favorites such as Superman, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Captain America. These are all illustrations that he did for fun as a fan, and they’re all great unique takes on these characters. 

Cosplayer Hendo Art is the creator of this Star Wars cosplay that puts a geisha spin on Princess Leia. The photos were taken by Nelsphotos, and it’s great to see a beautiful cosplay of the character other than Slave Leia because that’s pretty much become the cosplay standard for the character. 

Geisha Leia 👘💕 (📷: @nelsphotos) #PrincessLeia #LeiaOrgana #StarWars #Disney #Princess #NewHope #TheForce #Rebel #XWing #Geisha #Kimono #Variant #Cosplay #cosplayer #nerdydozen #comictoonsbabe #Love #Sunset

A photo posted by Hendo (@hendoart) on Nov 22, 2015 at 7:27pm PST

Geisha Leia Cosplayer @hendoart #geisha #princessleia #leia #starwars #japanesse #cosplayexpo2015 #cosplay #cosplayer #costumeplay #cosplaygirl #cosplayphotography #cosplayphotoshoot #instagood #instadaily #photoshoot #photooftheday #photoofthenight #milleniumfalcon #xwing

A photo posted by NELS 📷 (@nelsphotos) on Nov 22, 2015 at 8:50pm PST

First shot back of my New Hope Princess Leia, GEISHA STYLE! I sewed this Kimono and Obi myself, and made all the little hair trinkets and painted the fan in Aurebesh <3 I also LOST MY PHONE so sorry IG friends, I'm not ignoring you! (Photo: @Nelsphotos) #StarWars #PrincessLeia #Leia #LeiaOrgana #Rebel #XWing #CarrieFisher #NewHope #TheForce #Aurebesh #variant #Geisha #Kimono #Cosplay #Cosplayer #Sunset #Love

A photo posted by Hendo (@hendoart) on Nov 21, 2015 at 8:59pm PST

Geisha Leia Cosplayer @hendoart #geisha #princessleia #leia #starwars #japanesse #cosplayexpo2015 #cosplay #cosplayer #costumeplay #cosplaygirl #cosplayphotography #cosplayphotoshoot #instagood #instadaily #photoshoot #photooftheday #photoofthenight #milleniumfalcon #xwing

A photo posted by NELS 📷 (@nelsphotos) on Nov 22, 2015 at 8:44am PST

Geisha Leia Cosplayer @hendoart #geisha #princessleia #leia #starwars #japanesse #cosplayexpo2015 #cosplay #cosplayer #costumeplay #cosplaygirl #cosplayphotography #cosplayphotoshoot #instagood #instadaily #photoshoot #photooftheday #photoofthenight

A photo posted by NELS 📷 (@nelsphotos) on Nov 21, 2015 at 7:33pm PST

Comic book movies have come a long way since Marvel released Iron Man in 2008. But before Marvel Studios got their act together, we were getting films like Bryan Singer’s X-Men and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. I am such a huge fan of what Raimi did with the first couple of Spider-Man movies. He played a huge part in using in the awesomeness of superhero films and what they could really be if done right. 

Moviebob does a cool web-series called “Really That Good” that I was just introduced to by Kotaku. I’ve watched a couple of episode this week including this one the focuses on Raimi’s first two Spider-Man movies. 

Welcome to a NEW kind of film-criticism series, built around the radical premise that just because "everyone knows" a movie is a classic doesn't mean it stops being worth a deeper look.

Superheroes dominate the blockbuster landscape now, but it wasn't long ago that no one knew just how big they could get - until Sam Raimi's groundbreaking SPIDER-MAN and it's equally-impressive sequel showed Hollywood the way; not only breaking box-office records but also changing the direction of an entire genre.

But now, after a decade and change filled with an inferior sequel, a pair of inexplicably-awful reboots AND with a new revival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe looming... do they still hold up? Do we remember them being great simply because of nostalgia? Or is our perception of them colored by the challenging moment in history during which they debuted?

Are SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2... Really That Good? 

The Disney Store has launched a fun new app called “Disney Store Become” which lets you become the droid BB-8 from Star Wars: The Force Awakens when wearing this costume hoodie that they are selling.

All you do is download the app from iTunes or Google Play, activate it, and then put your phone in the front pocket of the BB-8 hoodie. When you move, the app produces BB-8 noises, motion effects, and more.

The BB-8 hoodie is currently only available for kids, but you can expect an adult version in the near future, along with other interactive character apparel that will be released down the road.

Resistance supporters can join the Rebellion as the spherical astromech droid BB-8. They'll display BB-8's light-up features and sound effects with the free smartphone app that shows through the windowed front pocket of this hoodie. 

I imagine that you can still use the app without the BB-8 hoodie. You just won’t have that special pocket.

Sundance 2016 is fast approaching. Last week we posted the movie lineup of Midnight and Competition film selections. We now have the complete lineup for the premieres in both the feature film and documentary categories. We also have their selections for the Spotlight and Kid films. I've also included a list of special events. 

There are a lot of great films on this list that I'm excited about seeing because of the incredible talent involved. Viggo Mortensen and Frank Langella star in Captain Fantastic; Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams star in Certain Women; Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates and Danny Glover star in Complete Unknown; Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez star in The Fundamentals of Caring; John Krasinski directed a film called The Hollars which he stars in with Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, and Charlie Day; Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has made a new film called Hunt for the Wilderpeople; Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, and Kyle Chandler star in Manchester by the Sea; and Diego Luna directed a movie called Mr. Pig starring Danny Glover and Maya Rudolph.

You can see the complete list of films below:

PREMIERES
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.

Agnus Dei / France, Poland (Director: Anne Fontaine, Screenwriters: Sabrina N. Karine, Alice Vial, Pascal Bonitzer) — 1945 Poland: Mathilde, a young French doctor, is on a mission to help World War II survivors. When a nun seeks her assistance in helping several pregnant nuns in hiding, who are unable to reconcile their faith with their pregnancies, Mathilde becomes their only hope. Cast: Lou de Laâge, Agata Kulesza, Agata Buzek, Vincent Macaigne, Joanna Kulig, Katarzyna Dabrowska. World Premiere

Ali & Nino / United Kingdom (Director: Asif Kapadia, Screenwriter: Christopher Hampton) — Muslim prince Ali and Georgian aristocrat Nino have grown up in the Russian province of Azerbaijan. Their tragic love story sees the outbreak of the First World War and the world’s struggle for Baku’s oil. Ultimately they must choose to fight for their country’s independence or for each other. Cast: Adam Bakri, Maria Valverde, Mandy Patinkin, Connie Nielsen, Riccardo Scamarcio, Homayoun Ershadi. World Premiere

Captain Fantastic / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Ross) — Deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and re-enter society, beginning a journey that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent. Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, George MacKay, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd. World Premiere

Certain Women / U.S.A. (Director: Kelly Reichardt, Screenwriter: Kelly Reichardt based on stories by Maile Meloy) — The lives of three woman intersect in small-town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail. Cast: Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, James Le Gros, Jared Harris, Lily Gladstone. World Premiere

Complete Unknown / U.S.A. (Director: Joshua Marston, Screenwriters: Joshua Marston, Julian Sheppard) — When Tom and his wife host a dinner party to celebrate his birthday, one of their friends brings a date named Alice. Tom is convinced he knows her, but she’s going by a different name and a different biography—and she’s not acknowledging that she knows him. Cast: Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates, Danny Glover. World Premiere

Frank & Lola / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matthew Ross) — A psychosexual noir love story—set in Las Vegas and Paris—about love, obsession, sex, betrayal, revenge and, ultimately, the search for redemption. Cast: Michael Shannon, Imogen Poots, Michael Nyqvist, Justin Long, Emmanuelle Devos, Rosanna Arquette. World Premiere

The Fundamentals of Caring / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rob Burnett) — Having suffered a tragedy, Ben becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor, is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road, finding hope, friendship, and Dot in this funny and touching inspirational tale. Cast: Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Ehle, Megan Ferguson, Frederick Weller. World Premiere. CLOSING NIGHT FILM

The Hollars / U.S.A. (Director: John Krasinski, Screenwriter: Jim Strouse) — Aspiring New York City artist John Hollar returns to his Middle America hometown on the eve of his mother’s brain surgery. Joined by his girlfriend, eight months pregnant with their first child, John is forced to navigate the crazy world he left behind. Cast: John Krasinski, Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day. World Premiere

Hunt for the Wilderpeople / New Zealand (Director and screenwriter: Taika Waititi) — Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive in this heartwarming adventure comedy. Cast: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley. World Premiere

Indignation / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James Schamus) — It’s 1951, and among the new arrivals at Winesburg College in Ohio are the son of a kosher butcher from New Jersey and the beautiful, brilliant daughter of a prominent alum. For a brief moment, their lives converge in this emotionally soaring film based on the novel by Philip Roth. Cast: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts, Linda Emond, Danny Burstein, Ben Rosenfield. World Premiere

Little Men / U.S.A. (Director: Ira Sachs, Screenwriter: Mauricio Zacharias) — When 13-year-old Jake’s grandfather dies, his family moves back into their old Brooklyn home. There, Jake befriends Tony, whose single Chilean mother runs the shop downstairs. As their friendship deepens, however, their families are driven apart by a battle over rent, and the boys respond with a vow of silence. Cast: Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, Paulina Garcia, Theo Taplitz, Michael Barbieri. World Premiere

Love & Friendship / Ireland, France, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Whit Stillman) — From Jane Austen’s novella, the beautiful and cunning Lady Susan Vernon visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out colorful rumors of her dalliances and to find husbands for herself and her daughter. Two young men, handsome Reginald DeCourcy and wealthy Sir James Martin, severely complicate her plans. Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, Emma Greenwell, Tom Bennett, Stephen Fry. World Premiere

Manchester by the Sea / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenneth Lonergan) — After his older brother passes away, Lee Chandler is forced to return home to care for his 16-year-old nephew. There he is compelled to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his family and the community where he was born and raised. Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, Kyle Chandler. World Premiere

Mr. Pig / Mexico (Director: Diego Luna, Screenwriters: Augusto Mendoza, Diego Luna) — On a mission to sell his last remaining prize hog and reunite with old friends, an aging farmer abandons his foreclosed farm and journeys to Mexico. After smuggling in the hog, his estranged daughter shows up, forcing them to face their past and embark on an adventurous road trip together. Cast: Danny Glover, Maya Rudolph, José María Yazpik, Joel Murray, Angélica Aragón, Gabriela Araujo. World Premiere

Sing Street / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: John Carney) — A boy growing up in Dublin during the ’80s escapes his strained family life and tough new school by starting a band to win the heart of a beautiful and mysterious girl. Cast: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen, Mark McKenna. World Premiere

Sophie and the Rising Sun / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maggie Greenwald) — In a small Southern town in the autumn of 1941, Sophie’s lonely life is transformed when an Asian man arrives under mysterious circumstances. Their love affair becomes the lightning rod for long-buried conflicts that erupt in bigotry and violence with the outbreak of World War ll. Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Margo Martindale, Lorraine Toussaint, Takashi Yamaguchi, Diane Ladd, Joel Murray. World Premiere. SALT LAKE CITY GALA FILM

Wiener-Dog / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Todd Solondz) — This film tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspired or changed by one particular dachshund, who seems to be spreading comfort and joy. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Kieran Culkin, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Julie Delpy, Zosia Mamet. World Premiere

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
Renowned filmmakers and films about far-reaching subjects comprise this section highlighting our ongoing commitment to documentaries.

Eat That Question—Frank Zappa in His Own Words / France, Germany (Director: Thorsten Schütte) — This entertaining encounter with the premier of sonic avant-garde is acidic, fun-poking, and full of rich and rare archival footage. This documentary bashes favorite Zappa targets and dashes a few myths about the man himself. World Premiere

Film Hawk / U.S.A. (Directors: JJ Garvine, Tai Parquet) — Trace Bob Hawk’s early years as the young gay child of a Methodist minister to his current career as a consultant on some of the most influential independent films of our time. World Premiere

LO AND BEHOLD, Reveries of the Connected World / U.S.A. (Director: Werner Herzog) — Does the internet dream of itself? Explore the horizons of the connected world. World Premiere

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures / U.S.A. (Directors: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato) — This examination of Robert Mapplethorpe’s outrageous life is led by the artist himself, speaking with brutal honesty in a series of rediscovered interviews about his passions. Intimate revelations from friends, family, and lovers shed new light on this scandalous artist who ignited a culture war that still rages on. World Premiere

Maya Angelou And Still I Rise / U.S.A. (Directors: Bob Hercules, Rita Coburn Whack) — The remarkable story of Maya Angelou — iconic writer, poet, actress and activist whose life has intersected some of the most profound moments in recent American history. World Premiere

Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall / U.S.A. (Director: Spike Lee) — Catapulted by the success of his first major solo project, Off the Wall, Michael Jackson went from child star to King of Pop. This film explores the seminal album, with rare archival footage and interviews from those who were there and those whose lives its success and legacy impacted. World Premiere

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You / U.S.A. (Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) — How did a poor Jewish kid from Connecticut bring us Archie Bunker and become one of the most successful television producers ever? Norman Lear brought provocative subjects like war, poverty, and prejudice into 120 million homes every week. He proved that social change was possible through an unlikely prism: laughter. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper / U.S.A. (Director: Liz Garbus) — Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper each tell the story of their past and present, their loves and losses, and reveal how some family stories have the tendency to repeat themselves in the most unexpected ways. World Premiere

Resilience / U.S.A. (Director: James Redford) — This film chronicles the birth of a new movement among pediatricians, therapists, educators, and communities using cutting-edge brain science to disrupt cycles of violence, addiction, and disease. These professionals help break the cycles of adversity by daring to talk about the effects of divorce, abuse, and neglect. World Premiere

Richard Linklater—dream is destiny / U.S.A. (Directors: Louis Black, Karen Bernstein) — This is an unconventional look at a fiercely independent style of filmmaking that arose in the 1990s from Austin, Texas, outside the studio system. The film blends rare archival footage with journals, exclusive interviews with Linklater on and off set, and clips from Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Boyhood, and more. World Premiere

Under the Gun / U.S.A. (Director: Stephanie Soechtig) — The Sandy Hook massacre was considered a watershed moment in the national debate on gun control, but the body count at the hands of gun violence has only increased. Through the lens of the victims’ families, as well as pro-gun advocates, we examine why our politicians have failed to act. World Premiere

Unlocking the Cage / U.S.A. (Directors: Chris Hegedus, Donn Alan Pennebaker) — Follow animal rights lawyer Steven Wise in his unprecedented challenge to break down the legal wall that separates animals from humans. By filing the first lawsuit of its kind, Wise seeks to transform a chimpanzee from a “thing” with no rights to a “person” with basic legal protection. World Premiere

SPOTLIGHT
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

Cemetery of Splendor / Thailand (Director and screenwriter: Apichatpong Weerasethakull) — A lonesome middle-aged housewife tends to a soldier with sleeping sickness and falls into a hallucination that triggers strange dreams, phantoms, and romance. Cast: Jenjira Pongpas, Banlop Lomnoi, Jarinpattra Rueangram. 

Embrace of the Serpent / Colombia (Director: Ciro Guerra, Screenwriters: Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal) — This blistering, poetic story is inspired by the original journals of scientists Theodor Koch-Grünberg and Richard Evans Schultes, who meet lone survivor Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman. Over 40 years, they develop a friendship while traveling through the Colombian Amazon in search of the sacred, psychedelic yakruna plant. Cast: Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, Antonio Bolivar, Nilbio Torres, Miguel Dionisio Ramos.

Green Room / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Saulnier) — This wickedly fun horror-thriller tells a story about the owner of a neo-Nazi club who squares off against an unsuspecting but resilient young punk band after they witness a horrific act of violence. Cast: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, Callum Turner, Patrick Stewart. 

Land of Mine / Denmark (Director and screenwriter: Martin Zandvliet) — At the end of World War II, a group of young German POWs captured by the Danish army are forced to defuse and clear landmines from the Danish coastline with no training. Inspired by real events, the film exposes the untold story of one tragic moment in Denmark’s history. Cast: Roland Møller, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Emil Belton, Oskar Belton. U.S. Premiere

The Lobster / Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, France (Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, Screenwriters: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou) — In a dystopian near future, single people are obliged to find a mate in 45 days or else be transformed into an animal of their choice and be released into the woods. Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, Léa Seydoux, John C. Reilly, Olivia Colman.

Maggie’s Plan / U.S.A. (Director: Rebecca Miller, Screenwriters: Rebecca Miller, based on a story by Karen Rinaldi) — A young woman’s determination to have a child catapults her into a nervy love triangle with a heart-throb academic and his eccentric critical-theorist wife. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel.

Miles Ahead / U.S.A. (Director: Don Cheadle, Screenwriters: Don Cheadle, Steven Baigelman) — Inspired by events in Miles Davis’s life, this is a wildly entertaining, impressionistic, no-holds-barred portrait of one of twentieth-century music’s creative geniuses. Cast: Don Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Lakeith Lee Stanfield, Michael Stuhlbarg.

Rams / Iceland (Director and screenwriter: Grímur Hákonarson) — In a remote Icelandic farming valley, two brothers who haven’t spoken in 40 years have to come together to save what’s dearest to them—their sheep. Cast: Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Theodór Júlíusson.

Viva / Ireland (Director: Paddy Breathnach, Screenwriter: Mark O’Halloran) — In contemporary Cuba, a father and son struggle to escape from each other’s expectations, duty, and the burden of past sins. Cast: Héctor Medina, Jorge Perugorría, Luis Alberto García.

SUNDANCE KIDS
This section of the Festival is especially for our youngest independent film fans. Programmed in cooperation with Utah Film Center which presents the annual Tumbleweeds Film Festival, Utah’s premiere film festival for children and youth.

The Eagle Huntress / U.S.A. (Director: Otto Bell) — Step aside, Daenerys and Katniss—Aisholpan is a real-life role model on an epic journey in a faraway world. Follow this 13-year-old nomadic Mongolian girl as she battles to become the first female to hunt with a golden eagle in 2,000 years of male-dominated history. World Premiere

Little Gangster / Netherlands (Director: Arne Toonen, Screenwriter: Lotte Tabbers) — Rik Boskamp wants a life where he’s not constantly bullied. When he and his family move, the people in their new town think his father is a Mafia boss, and everybody treats them with respect—until a bully from Rikkie’s past turns up. How long can he keep up his lie? Cast: Thor Braun, Henry Van Loon, Rene Van ‘T Hof, Meral Polat, Fedja Van Huêt, Maas Bronkhuyzen. North American Premiere

Snowtime! / Canada (Directors: Jean-François Pouliot, François Brisson, Screenwriters: Normand Canac-Marquis, Paul Risacher) — To amuse themselves during their winter break from school, the kids in a small village have a massive snowball fight. But what starts out as pure youthful fun and enthusiasm deteriorates into a more serious conflict as the children learn the role that love and friendship play in their lives. Cast: Sandra Oh, Ross Lynch, Angela Gallupo, Lucinda Davis, Don Shepherd, Sonja Ball. North American Premiere

SPECIAL EVENTS
One-of-a-kind moments highlighting new independent works that add to the unique Festival experience. An evolving section, this year includes episodic work, short films and live post-screening discussions.

11.22.63 / U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Macdonald, Screenwriter: Bridget Carpenter, Executive Producers: J.J. Abrams, Stephen King, Kevin Macdonald, Bridget Carpenter, Bryan Burk) — On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy was killed, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Take a journey to find out in this genre-busting, epic new nine-hour event series. The Festival will debut the two-hour premiere of the series, followed by an extended Q&A. Cast: James Franco, Sarah Gadon, Daniel Webber, George MacKay, Josh Duhamel, Chris Cooper. World Premiere

Behind the Scenes of Anomalisa / U.S.A. (Directors: Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, Screenwriter: Charlie Kaufman) — Michael Stone—husband, father and respected author—is crippled by the mundanity of his life. On a business trip, he checks into the Fregoli Hotel. He’s amazed to discover a possible escape from his desperation in an unassuming woman, who may or may not be the love of his life. The Festival will present a screening of the film followed by a Q&A with the creators. Separately, they will speak on a Festival panel explaining their creative process and how they brought their extraordinary film to life. Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan, David Thewlis.

Chelsea Does / U.S.A. (Director: Eddie Schmidt) — This four-part documentary series features Chelsea Handler as she explores topics of personal and universal fascination: marriage, racism, Silicon Valley, and drugs. The Festival will premiere one installment of the series with clips from the other three installments, followed by an extended Q&A with Chelsea Handler, Director Eddie Schmidt, and Executive Producer Morgan Neville. World Premiere

The Girlfriend Experience / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Lodge Kerrigan, Amy Seimetz, Executive Producers: Steven Soderbergh, Philip Fleishman, Lodge Kerrigan, Amy Seimetz, Gary Marcus, Jeff Cuban) — Law student Christine Reade is introduced to the world of transactional relationships in this original anthology series. Providing “The Girlfriend Experience” (an emotional and sexual relationship offered at a high price) gives Christine a rush of control and intimacy, but she soon finds herself juggling two very different lives. The Festival will premiere four episodes of the series, followed by an extended Q&A. Cast: Riley Keough, Paul Sparks, Mary Lynn Rajskub, James Gilbert, Kate Lyn Sheil. World Premiere

The New Yorker Presents / U.S.A. (Executive Producers: Alex Gibney, Kahane Cooperman, Showrunner: Kahane Cooperman) — A groundbreaking new series that brings America’s most award-winning magazine, The New Yorker, to the screen with documentaries, short narrative films, comedy, poetry, animation, and cartoons from the hands of acclaimed filmmakers and artists. The Festival will premiere the first two episodes of the series, followed by an extended Q&A. World Premiere

O.J.: Made in America / U.S.A. (Director: Ezra Edelman) — This is the story of O.J. Simpson, one of the most polarizing people of the twentieth century, and the city in which he lived for much of his life, Los Angeles. The film explores Simpson’s rise and fall, centered around two of America’s greatest fixations—race and celebrity. The Festival will premiere the full 7.5-hour documentary, followed by an extended Q&A. World Premiere

The Skinny / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jessie Kahnweiler) — Follow feminist and wannabe YouTube star Jessie as she struggles to live, love, and get over her bulimia. The Festival will premiere six 10-minute episodes, followed by an extended Q&A with Kahnweiler. Cast: Jessie Kahnweiler, Illeana Douglas, Spencer Hill, Ryan Pinkston, Megan Ferguson, Sadie Calvano. World Premiere

United Shades of America / U.S.A. (Executive Producers: Jimmy Fox, W. Kamau Bell, Star Price) — Political comedian W. Kamau Bell explores the racial subcultures of America. In this original series premiere, he uses humor to challenge Klansmen looking to rebrand their message. The screening will include an extended Q&A. World Premiere

I’ve never thought about getting my hair styled with fire and a sword before. Why would I!? But those are the tools of choice for salon owner Alberto Olmedo. He describes his style as being “practically primitive” and “medieval," but his use of a blowtorch, samurai swords, and talons are how he is able to create his signature hairstyles. He talks about his craft, saying:

“Hairdressers usually cut one side and then the other. And they are always a bit different from the other, even if it’s only a little bit. The only way to do it in an exact mathematical way is to cut both sides simultaneously. Sometimes you have to use a bit of your imagination to achieve positive results.”

In the process, the patrons are probably hoping that he doesn’t burn their scalp or cut their heads off! This guy is literally wielding swords and flame inches from their head! You can watch him in action below. Would you get a haircut from this guy?

Via: Fashionably Geek

Med Drunk is another comedy short film created by the team at Ganglebot Films. This latest installment of their drunken short film series follows a novice paramedic who “attempts to save the life of one of her many past lovers. Except everybody's drunk.”

The film was written by drunk people, and as you can see it was definitely acted by people who obviously have had way too much to drink. You can watch the previously released short films at the following links: Star Drunk, Super Drunk, and Dread Drunk. 

The team behind the series seems to be having a lot of fun with it. They’re definitely fun to watch, and they provide some good unhealthy entertainment. 

When I was a kid, I would wear a bicycle helmet that I imagined was an X-Wing Fighter helmet. I spent hours and hours riding my bike (and also in a cardboard box) imagining I was in an epic Star Wars battle flying around in an X-Wing, Snow Speeder, or the Millennium Falcon. It’s just one of those things I did as a kid! 

Now as an adult, if I had the money, I could go out and purchase awesome replica costumes. Unfortunately, since those vehicles don’t really exist, I would still have to sit in a giant cardboard box imagining myself in a Star Wars battle. Those replicas can be pretty pricey, though. 

Thanks to DIY Prop Shop, we have a video that shows us how we can make our very own X-Wing fighter pilot helmet for under $50. That’s a good deal for those of us that can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a replica.

The Force Awakens very soon, and we couldn't let opening weekend slip by without an epic Star Wars build! Watch as Dustin makes his very last prop with us: the Wing Helmet!