Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
While flying his drone, 13-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell) discovers an unfinished bunker in the woods near his family’s isolated home. Without any provocation, he drugs his parents (Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Ehle) and older sister (Taissa Farmiga) and places their unconscious bodies into the bunker. While they are held captive, John heads to their home free to do what he wants.
Screenwriter Nicolás Giacobone excellently adapts his own Short Story. This haunting Psychological Thriller and coming-of-age fable is spellbinding. Giacobone examines the adolescent desire for responsibility and freedom that comes with adulthood. He shows this through John’s frightening act of holding his family hostage; while intelligently showing the immaturity of a teenage boy through impulsive spending, ignoring household tasks and testing his life through a drowning game with his friend. These often-dark scenes show there is a bigger disconnect between childhood and adulthood than responsibility.
The Script is seeping in ambiguity within scenes and characters, therefore, constantly leaving the story open for interpretation. One of Variety‘s Top Ten Directors to Watch, Pascual Sisto, makes his directorial debut with John and the Hole. Sisto heightens this ambiguity with his quiet, haunting atmosphere and grounds this unsettling tale. He creates a mood with the disorienting and sinister use of sound, designed by Nicolas Becker, that cuts right through you. Additionally, Sisto’s use of shallow-focus composition places John at the forefront of each image. This creates the necessary air of authority about this creepy adolescent.
Both Giacobone’s script and Sisto’s direction play with the concept of time. This is integral to the depravity of the act John is committing against his family. We wonder how much time has past since his family has been captive, and how long it’s been since he’s visited them. It’s in these visits, where we see him deliver food, water and clothes, where John’s compassion, or lack thereof, is examined. There are ample layers to John’s blank exterior which helps keep us intrigued and shocked throughout.
Shotwell, who we know from Captain Fantastic, is surrounded by powerhouse talent: Hall, Ehle and Farmiga. Each of them gives stunning performances that expose their privilege, compassion and fear. Yet, it’s Shotwell who is the star of John and the Hole. He gives a chilling, deep performance that has to be seen to be believed. He controls each emotion and power switch within the script and understands and visualizes John’s fixation on adulthood. He is one to watch.
Overall, John and the Hole is an eerie meditation on a child wanting to be an adult and the lengths he’ll go to experience it. It has an outstanding, breakout performance from Shotwell along with powerful performances from Hall, Ehle and Farmiga. It’s a film that will stay with viewers and be discussed for years to come.
John and the Hole screens at Sundance:
Live Premiere: January 29 at 6 PM (EST)
On-Demand (available for 24 hours): January 31 at 10 AM (EST)
The 2019 Sundance Film Festival officially is at its peak point and the starpower has lit-up Park City. Stars continue to pour-in to present their Films at the Festival and drawing the most fandemonium today was Zac Efron who stars as serial killer Ted Bundy in EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE. Debuting new bleach-blonde hair, Efron had security flanking him tight as fans tried getting close to him. Amanda Gilmore, who is at Sundance on assignment for us, tells us the commotion was so great that his Co-Star Lily Collins almost couldn’t get into her vehicle. Their Film premieres tonight.
Daniel Radcliffe is at Sundance to present TV Series MIRACLE WORKERS, which will air on TBS in the U.S.and has him starring as an angel alongside Steve Buscemi who most stop the world from destruction and make two people fall in love. Amanda reports Radcliffe was gracious with fans, stopping for selfies and autographs amidst the crowding.
We are hearing Writer/Director Jennifer Kent (The Babadook) is coming back strong with Midnight Programme selection THE NIGHTINGALE about a young Irish woman (Aisling Franciosi) who chases after a British officer (Sam Claflin) after to exact revenge on a violent act he committed on her family. Review here.
See some of the talent Amanda spotted today:
Zac Efron, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Stay tuned. We’ve got lots more to report and more reviews to come.
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Films We Like x Mr. Will are giving Readers in Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver and Ottawa a chance to win THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST Prize Packs. Packs include a copy of the novel and run of engagement passes to see the movie, which won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance this year.
Synopsis:
Based on the celebrated novel by Emily M. Danforth, The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows the titular character (Moretz) as she is sent to a gay conversion therapy center after getting caught with another girl in the back seat of a car on prom night. Run by the strict and severe Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her brother, Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.)—himself an example of how those in the program can be “cured”—the center is built upon repenting for “same sex attraction.” In the face of intolerance and denial, Cameron meets a group of fellow sinners including the amputee stoner Jane (Sasha Lane), and her friend, the Lakota Two-Spirit, Adam (Forrest Goodluck). Together, this group of teenagers form an unlikely family and fight to survive.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, click “like” in this Post at MR. WILL.ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.
Films We Like release THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST Friday, August 10, 2018 in select cities.
(Photo/video credit: Films We Like)
After premiering at the 2018 Inside Out LGBT Film Festival and Sundance, Films We Like are ready to unveil THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST! See Chloë Grace Moretz‘s award-winning performance. The Film also stars Jennifer Ehle, Forrest Goodluck and Sasha Lane.
SYNOPSIS:
Based on the celebrated novel by Emily M. Danforth, The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows the titular character (Moretz) as she is sent to a gay conversion therapy center after getting caught with another girl in the back seat of a car on prom night. Run by the strict and severe Dr. Lydia Marsh (Ehle) and her brother, Reverend Rick (Gallagher Jr.)—himself an example of how those in the program can be “cured”—the center is built upon repenting for “same sex attraction.” In the face of intolerance and denial, Cameron meets a group of fellow sinners including the amputee stoner Jane (Lane), and her friend, the Lakota Two-Spirit, Adam (Goodluck). Together, this group of teenagers form an unlikely family and fight to survive.
See the Trailer:
Films We Like release THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST as follows:
July 25th, 2018
Gimli Film Festival (Gimli, MB)
August 10th, 2018
TIFF Bell Lightbox (Toronto, ON)
Landmark Cinemas Winnipeg Towne (Winnipeg, MB)
Cineplex Cinemas Parklane (Halifax, NS)
Vic Theatre (Victoria, BC)
Metro Cinema (Edmonton, AB)
Rainbow Cinemas Golden Mile (Regina, SK)
Cineplex Cinemas Mount Pearl (St. John’s, NL)
Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough (Peterborough, ON)
Cineplex Odeon Winston Churchill Cinemas (Oakville, ON)
Galaxy Cinemas Barrie (Barrie, ON)
SilverCity Sudbury Cinemas (Sudbury, ON)
Cineplex Odeon Niagara Square Cinemas (Niagara Falls, ON)
Bookshelf (Guelph, ON)
Cinema du Parc (Montreal, QC)
Cinema le Clap (Quebec City, QC)
August 11th, 2018
Windsor Film Festival (Windsor, ON)
August 12th, 2018
The Broadway Theatre (Saskatoon, SK)
August 19th, 2018
Vancouver Queer Film Festival (Vancouver, BC)
August 24th, 2018
ByTowne Cinema (Ottawa, ON)
International Village (Vancouver, BC)
September 19th, 2018
Calgary International Film Festival (Calgary, AB)
(Photo/video credit: Films We Like)
“Why is America so Robophobic?”.
We admit it – we had our doubts when we first heard about a RoboCop Remake being made, considering how perfect the 1987 original was. When we heard names like Abbie Cornish, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton being attached, we knew they meant business.
Director José Padilha reboots the popular Franchise which centers around Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a badly-wounded Cop who is transformed into Cyborg form to fight crime in a futuristic Detroit.
A lot is on the line for Sony Pictures, which spent a pretty penny on the Toronto-filmed Action Flick which just completed Reshoots last week, especially after a lackluster performance at the Box Office with the expensive Total Recall Reboot last year.
Cornish was spotted in Yorkville last week with her newly-adopted French-born Puppy, shopping for Goodies at My Pet Boutique, while she was in-town for four days, leaving this past Monday morning along with her fellow Castmates.
A brand new Trailer for RoboCop has just surfaced and I was floored completely by its incredible slickness!
Watch below:
Sony Pictures Canada releases RoboCop on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures)
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