Author: Alex Billington

"An inquiry into the broken nature of grace." Oscope Labs has revealed an official trailer for Wildcat, the latest feature film directed by beloved American actor Ethan Hawke, following up his feature Blaze from 2018. This one originally premiered at the 2023 Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals last year, with stops at Zurich & Stockholm as well. This time it's a family affair - it follows the life of writer Flannery O'Connor while she was struggling to publish her first novel (titled "Wise Blood" published in 1952), starring Ethan's own daughter Maya Hawke as Flannery. Directed & co-written by 4-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, Wildcat invites viewers to weave in & out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O'Connor's mind as she ponders the great questions of her writing: Can scandalous art still serve God? Does suffering precede all greatness? Can illness be a blessing? Some intriguing ideas. The film also stars Laura Linney, Philip Ettinger, Rafael Casal, Cooper Hoffman, and Christine Dye. This does look quite impressive, with some nice filmmaking flourishes to enhance her story as she ...

"It has all led to this... Fight together or face extinction!!" Only a few weeks until this lands in theaters. Warner Bros and Legendary have revealed another official "Legacy" trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, opening in theaters at the end of March (here's the other official trailer). Once again directed by Adam Wingard, in The New Empire the two mega monsters Godzilla and King Kong have to team up to take on a "colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world" - which seems to be some kind of vicious "Red Ape" massive chimpanzee along with other mega monsters that will happily destroy all of humanity. GxK also delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island & beyond, while spending more time in the Hollow Earth realm where Kong is from. The Godzilla x Kong cast features Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Rachel House, and Alex Ferns. This latest trailer opens with footage from all of the previous US Godzilla movies, starting with Gareth Edwards' ...

"What kind of man is he?" Janus Films has revealed a brand new trailer for the 4K restoration re-release of an all-timer hitman classic called Le Samouraï. This French noir thriller first opened in France in 1967, only showing up in the US in 1972. It is widely considered one of the best assassin films ever made, and is often referenced by many great filmmakers in terms of style and minimalism. After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses, his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner. Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï stars French legend Alain Delon as Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. The cast also includes François Périer, Nathalie Delon, and Caty Rosier. Roger Ebert wrote a 4 star review in 1997, stating: "The movie teaches us how action is the enemy of suspense--how action releases tension, instead of building it. Better to wait for a whole movie for something to happen (assuming we really care whether it happens) than to sit through a film where things we don't care about are ...

"I know you're confused, but if you want to survive, you need to do exactly as I say." What would you do if this happened to you? Can anyone even answer that question accurately? It's too scary! Play Me is a freaky horror short from filmmaker Caleb J. Phillips, best known as the creator of the other horror short Other Side of the Box (2018). A woman wakes up in a car with no memory of how she got there, and finds a man tied up in the back seat. Stranger still, she finds a recording with her voice telling her what to do next. This stars Lindsey Garrett as Elizabeth, and Josh Schell as the stranger. This is a clever concept for a horror short, fueled by the psychological mayhem that everyone is experiencing - the characters and viewers. Who do you trust? I'm not a big fan of the ending, but it's still a good horror short worth a watch. Under 11 mins. Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this wonderful short film. Here's the ...

"Direct engagement with the camera can add a lot." Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer for an indie comedy titled The Moon and Back, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Leah Bleich. This initially premiered in 2022 at a few small regional film festivals, and is finally set for a VOD release in April this spring after a two year wait. A year after her father's death, high schooler Lydia Gilbert feels completely lost - until she discovers something: a space opera script in need of a blockbuster budget, written by her father. She picks up an old VHS camcorder and whatever else she can find to try & actually make the movie. A nerdy coming-of-age comedy starring Isabel May as Lydia, along with Nat Faxon, Missi Pyle, P.J. Byrne, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley. Despite the heartfelt story, this film looks rather messy & forgettable. Here's the main official trailer (+ poster) for Leah Bleich's The Moon & Back, direct from YouTube: One year after her father's death, high school senior Lydia Gilbert (Isabel May) still feels completely lost... until she discovers ...

"I was wondering if you could have me not even talk when I come over here." Magnolia Pics has revealed an official US trailer for an indie comedy titled The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed, written and directed by and starring indie NYC filmmaker Joanna Arnow. This first premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight sidebar last year, and went on to play at TIFF, NYFF, Vancouver, AFI Fest, Montclair, Denver, and many others. A mosaic-style comedy following the life of a woman as time passes in her long-term casual BDSM relationship, low-level corporate job, and quarrelsome Jewish family. Filmmaker Joanna Arnow's hilarious comedy, executive produced by Sean Baker, follows a 30-something New York woman as time passes in her relationships. Also starring Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti, Alysia Reiner, Peter Vack, and Parish Bradley. This kind of super dry, awkward humor won't be for everyone, but there should be a few film nerds who will be really into this kind of New York City comedy. Main trailer for Arnow's The Feeling That the Time for ...

"She wants attention, she wants power, she just doesn't want to stop..." Max has debuted the official trailer for The Many Lives of Martha Stewart, a four-part documentary series that is already streaming. This series initially launched back in January, but for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, it's a reminder to catch up and watch now - available on Max. The series examines the clever life of Martha Stewart and delves into her meteoric rise, encounters with formidable challenges, and her extraordinary return, shedding light on the woman behind the legendary persona through never-before-seen images, archival footage, and exclusive interviews. Stewart's career follows an explosive rise from caterer to media mogul, before facing formidable challenges (e.g. going to prison) and eventually a remarkable comeback, unveiling the woman behind the icon. I do find the ups & downs of Martha Stewart and all she has gone through rather crazy & fascinating, but I'm not quite sure I'm interested enough to sit through a four-part series about her. Take a look anyway. Here's the main trailer (+ poster) for Max's doc The ...

"They helped me understand who I was and who I wanted to be." Oscilloscope Labs has revealed an official trailer for a music documentary film titled Indigo Girls: It's Only Life After All, also known as just It's Only Life After All. This acclaimed rock doc initially premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival last year, and toured around the world to many other festivals including to SXSW, Boulder, Sarasota, Adelaide, and Vancouver. Known for stirring harmonies and socially conscious lyrics, iconic folk rock duo Indigo Girls are the subject of this intimate and insightful documentary, which tracks their decades-long career and how they've shaped the rock world. An intimate look into the lives of one of the most iconic folk-rock bands - the Indigo Girls, featuring the musicians Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. With never-before-seen archival and intimate vérité the film dives into the songwriting & storytelling of the music that transformed a generation. Even if you aren't a fan of the Indigo Girls, this looks like it has good lessons about staying true to yourself. Main official trailer for ...

"You should be able to make a scene come alive in the reader's mind." Huzzah! Now that Wes Anderson is a certified Oscar winner, Netflix has released a brand new trailer for his four shorts streaming on Netflix. Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar won the Oscar yesterday for Best Live-Action Short. Adapted from the Roald Dahl story, the film originally premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival last fall. Netflix also commissioned Anderson to make three other shorts based on Roald Dahl stories - each one an intriguing little tale with just a few characters. The most famous one (and the Oscar winner), Henry Sugar, stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, and Saif Mohsen. The Swan stars Rupert Friend, Ralph Fiennes, and Asa Jennings. Poison stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley. The Rat Catcher stars Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, and Rupert Friend. If you haven't watched the other three, now is a perfect time to catch up. The Rat Catcher is my personal fave from all four, ...

"It's like a trap door to hell opens up everywhere you tread!" Sony Classics has debuted a funny final 60-second trailer for the British comedy Wicked Little Letters, opening in US theaters at the end of March. This "scandalously sweary" film from filmmaker Thea Sharrock (Me Before You and The One & Only Ivan) needs a proper trailer because it's a curse a minute in this comedy and they can't usually put this in a regular trailer. Let the F bombs fly!! Release the vulgarity!! When people in Littlehampton - including conservative local Edith - begin to receive letters full of hilariously harsh profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime. Suspecting something is amiss, the town's women investigate. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley star as Edith and Rose, respectively, with Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones, Lolly Adefope, and Anjana Vasan. Positive reviews state: "The central pairing of Buckley and Colman is clearly the swear-off of the century, like a home-counties rumble in the jungle, but Wicked Little Letters has just as much else to recommend it." I laughed ...