By David Baldwin
Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth) is a naïve 26-year-old caregiver with shockingly little knowledge about sex, likely due to a trauma she suffered nearly ten years prior. She begins a sexual relationship with the father of one of her clients, which ends even quicker than it began, but wants to continue learning more about her sexuality and desires. So Sarah Jo makes an alphabetical list of positions and scenarios she wants to experience – and she is dedicated to checking them all off.
In only her second Feature film, Writer/Director/Actor Lena Dunham has crafted another project that is sex-positive and holds nothing back. The dialogue and storyline are exactly what you would expect from the award-winning Artist behind HBO’s Girls, and is just as divisive as you expect too. She is not trying to gain new fans here or change any opinions you might have of her. After so many years in the business, the honesty and frank depiction of sexuality in her work speaks for itself, and she continues to be a true “love it or hate it” icon. I admire that she does not let any of that controversial baggage get the best of her in Sharp Stick, and that she continues to speak for a generation with her graphic and humorous innuendos and flourishes (and really appreciated how natural the Covid integrations were throughout the Film). Yet I feel like she does not fully know what she wants to say here, despite how personal the project obviously is to her. By the time the Film concludes, it feels more like two very different storylines smashed together as opposed to one cohesive picture, and the all-too short runtime does not allow Dunham any time to examine what is really going on with Sarah Jo.
All of that said, Dunham has put together an eclectic ensemble to tell this story, with standout turns from Jon Bernthal, Zola’s Taylour Paige, Jennifer Jason Leigh and an absolutely uninhibited Scott Speedman. They all help prop-up Froseth’s great performance that straddles the line between innocence and maturity. She goes all in here, accurately capturing Dunham’s voice. I wish the Film were as strong as she is.
SHARP STICK screens at Sundance as follows:
PREMIERE Jan 22 8:30PM EST Available Until Jan 22 11:30PM EST
SECOND SCREENING Jan 24 10:00AM EST Available Until Jan 25 10:00AM EST
We are excited how great this is gonna be. Introducing a brand-new Trailer for ANNIHILATION!
Synopsis:
Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s best-selling Southern Reach Trilogy, Annihilation stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac. It was written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later).
See the Trailer:
Paramount Pictures Canada release ANNIHILATION Friday, February 23, 2018.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
This looks amazing and if you’re not sold already on the Cast, maybe this new Teaser for ANNIHILATION will!
Synopsis:
Based on Jeff VanderMeer‘s best-selling Southern Reach Trilogy, Annihilation stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodgriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac. It was written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later).
See the Trailer:
Paramount Pictures Canada release ANNIHILATION Friday, February 23, 2018.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
After premiering at TIFF ’15 Animated Feature ANOMALISA quickly got picked-up for distribution as critics went wild for Charlie Kaufman‘s latest. Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take you to see it first. Screenings take place in Toronto (Wednesday, January 6, 2016), Montreal (Thursday, January 14, 2016) and Ottawa (Wednesday, January 20, 2016).
Synopsis:
Michael Stone, husband, father and respected author of “How May I Help You Help Them?” is a man crippled by the mundanity of his life. On a business trip to Cincinnati, where he’s scheduled to speak at a convention of customer service professionals, he checks into the Fregoli Hotel. There, he is amazed to discover a possible escape from his desperation in the form of an unassuming Akron baked goods sales rep, Lisa, who may or may not be the love of his life. A beautifully tender and absurdly humorous dreamscape, from the brilliant minds of Charlie Kaufman (SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK) and Duke Johnson (“Community” episode, Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas), this stop-motion animation wonder features the vocal cast of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis and a stirring strings-based score by Carter Burwell. The darkly comedic and surreal stop-motion journey of a man’s long night of the soul, ANOMALISA confirms Charlie Kaufman‘s place amongst the most important of American filmmakers, and announces Duke Johnson as a major creative force.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. You may click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet out the below:
http://www.mrwillwong.com/anomalisa @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #ANOMALISA!
G’luck.
Paramount Pictures Canada release ANOMALISA in Toronto on Friday, January 8, 2016, Montreal on Friday, January 15, 2016 and Ottawa to be determined, with additional cities to follow.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
After getting all the buzz at TIFF ’15 and its Festival circuit trail, Charlie Kaufman‘s ANOMALISA is set for a release soon. Many are calling this the front runner for Animated Feature.
Official Synopsis:
Michael Stone, husband, father and respected author of “How May I Help You Help Them?” is a man crippled by the mundanity of his life. On a business trip to Cincinnati, where he’s scheduled to speak at a convention of customer service professionals, he checks into the Fregoli Hotel. There, he is amazed to discover a possible escape from his desperation in the form of an unassuming Akron baked goods sales rep, Lisa, who may or may not be the love of his life.
A beautifully tender and absurdly humorous dreamscape, from the brilliant minds of Charlie Kaufman (SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK) and Duke Johnson (“Community” episode, Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas), this stop-motion animation wonder features the vocal cast of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis and a stirring strings-based score by Carter Burwell. The darkly comedic and surreal stop-motion journey of a man’s long night of the soul, ANOMALISA confirms Charlie Kaufman‘s place amongst the most important of American filmmakers, and announces Duke Johnson as a major creative force.
See the Trailer:
Paramount Pictures Canada release ANOMALISA Friday, December 30, 2015 and nationally January 2016.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com