Most sequels are born of financial consequence, Hollywood studio calculation/desperation, movie star/producer hubris, or some combination thereof. That’s certainly not the case with “Before Midnight,” which again, like its predecessor, ranks as one of the more charming, and unlikely, cinematic follow-ups of the modern era. In 1995′s “Before Sunrise,” director Richard Linklater cast Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as Jesse and Celine, a pair of young kids who cross paths on a European train and decide to kill 14 hours in Vienna before the former is due to catch a plane back home. He’s American, she’s French, and their cross-cultural, philosophically-tinged, flirty back-and-forth served as a heady cinematic stand-in for  [ Read More ]

The rare sort of actor who can swing between Harold Hill-type independent film character work and credible, B-list leading man action hero, Aaron Eckhart has, in his latter incarnation, matched wits with aliens, terrorists and the disastrous effects of climate change. So it makes perfect sense that he’d want to tackle a chance to go full-on Jason Bourne. In “Erased,” he plays ex-CIA agent Ben Logan, who discovers that his high-tech security job in Brussels has been a sham. Marked for termination, Ben escapes with his teenage daughter Amy (Liana Liberato), and tries to stay one step ahead of his dangerous adversaries while also unraveling a wide-ranging international conspiracy that  [ Read More ]

Some actresses work their way into the public consciousness as much through tabloid shenanigans as any of their actual on-screen performances. Only 17 years old, Liana Liberato is opting for hard work, thank you very much. In director David Schwimmer’s underrated “Trust,” she delivered a stunning turn as an innocent 14-year-old suburban girl lured into a sexual liaison via online chatting — an act with ruinous consequences for her and her parents (Clive Owen and Catherine Keener). In her new film, the “Bourne”-inflected “Erased,” she stars as Amy, the crafty daughter of ex-CIA agent Ben Logan (Aaron Eckhart); the two try to escape a contract rub-out and outsmart their hunters  [ Read More ]

Even though we’re already neck deep in the summer movie season, there’s always the time and often the desire to take a break from superheroes and blockbusters, and this weekend, Pauline Chan’s “33 Postcards” could be that source of relief. The film stars newcomer Zhu Lin as Mei Mei, a Chinese orphan who’s been sponsored by an Australian man (Guy Pearce) for years. When Mei Mei finally gets the opportunity to travel to Australia she’s determined to meet him, dreaming that he might make her part of his family, but is shocked to discover that he isn’t really the man he wrote about in his postcards. A script from the  [ Read More ]

When you put Eli Roth’s name on a film, you know what you’re getting, but only to a degree. There are just no bounds to how far this guy will go to tear helpless victims apart in the most gruesome ways possible and in this case, that means flying down to Chile to shoot a post-earthquake bloodbath. Roth both produced and stars in the film as Gringo, an American divorcee looking to let loose and have a good time with his buddy Ariel (Ariel Levy), and Ariel’s lifelong friend, Pollo (Nicholás Martínez). While the guys are soaking up the Chile nightlife with their new lady friends Monica, Kylie, and Irina  [ Read More ]

Alexander Skarsgård may tower over his tiny “What Maisie Knew” co-star, Onata Aprile, but that didn’t keep the pair from striking an instant connection, something that resulted in an incredible on screen chemistry and also left both with a particularly strong friendship when filming was done. Aprile leads as six-year-old Maisie. Even while her parents (Steve Coogan and Julianne Moore) still live under the same roof, Maisie spends most of her time with her nanny, Margo (Joanna Vanderham), but now that they’re separated and struggling through a heated custody battle, Maisie’s lifestyle is completely erratic, going from parent to parent and often to Margo or whoever will watch her when  [ Read More ]

With a resume consisting of over 70 titles with shows and films covering a wide array of subject matter, at this point, you’d think Julianne Moore would be experienced and comfortable with everything. However, in the case of her upcoming release, “What Maisie Knew,” not only did Moore adopt the challenge of delivering a particularly intense performance in the company of a six-year-old, but then she also had to appear to be a professional rock star, too. Moore plays Susanna, a mother who loves her daughter Maisie (Onata Aprile) dearly, but is a bit more dedicated to her career as a musician. Unfortunately, Maisie’s father, Beale (Steve Coogan), is in  [ Read More ]

Writer-director Rob Meyer and co-writer Luke Matheny’s “A Birder’s Guider to Everything” likely won’t incite a mainstream birding craze, but the pair does deliver a charming coming-of-age tale that’ll at least let you enjoy it vicariously through the film’s Young Birders Society. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alex Wolff and Michael Chen are David, Timmy, and Peter, the only members of their high school’s Young Birders Society. When David is convinced he spotted an extinct Labrador duck, the YBS vows to track it down before it flies off for good. With their classmate Ellen (Katie Chang) and her powerful camera lens in tow, the boys “borrow” Timmy’s cousin’s car and head off to  [ Read More ]

Unless you caught “The Pact,” actress Caity Lotz is probably off your radar, but between “The Machine” making waves at the Tribeca Film Festival and “Battle of the Year” heading towards a September 13th release, that could change fast. In “The Machine,” Lotz first steps in as budding programmer Ava. Dr. Vincent McCarthy’s (Toby Stephens) been hard at work trying to develop a cybernetic super solider to help Britain’s Ministry of Defence through the second Cold War, and when he realizes Ava has the technology he needs to perfect his design, he makes her his #2. When their work is complete and Vincent automates the first robot with the potential  [ Read More ]

“The Killing Room,” “The Divide,” “The Pact,” and loads more in the works, but right now, it’s all about “Mr. Jones” for producer Ross Dinerstein. The Tribeca Film Festival Midnight Program entry features Jon Foster and Sarah Jones as Scott and Penny. When Scott insists on ditching the big city for a secluded cabin so he can make a nature documentary, she leaves everything behind to support the venture. The place is the ideal no rules, no pressure existence until filming sunrises, local greenery and creatures becomes monotonous and Scott loses all motivation. However, just before giving up entirely, they catch a glimpse of the most interesting thing they’ve seen  [ Read More ]

Want a good taste of what to expect from Rob Meyer’s Tribeca Film Festival entry “A Birder’s Guide to Everything?” Just check out this interview of Alex Wolff hamming it up, Michael Chen geeking out about his birding knowhow, and Katie Chang trying to keep them under control. The film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as David Portnoy. While he’s still feeling the effects of his mother’s passing, his father is preparing for his second wedding. David’s only outlet is his passion for birding so when he suspects he spotted an extinct Labrador duck, he and his Young Birders Society friends, Timmy and Peter (Alex Wolff and Michael Chen), take off on  [ Read More ]

Don’t expect to see any ass-kicking, super intelligent robots that look like Caity Lotz to hit the market anytime soon, but, until the real scientists move beyond mapping slug brains, you can catch the ultimate cybernetic super soldier in action in Caradog James’ Tribeca Film Festival entry, “The Machine.” Neck deep in the second Cold War, Britain’s Ministry of Defense is desperate to develop the ultimate weapon to give them the edge so they hire expert programmer Dr. Vincent McCarthy (Toby Stephens). Vincent does manage to develop an implant to restore a degree of life to veterans suffering from brain damage, but in order to prefect the design and avoid  [ Read More ]

Who hasn’t made up stories about the hermit or creepy neighbor next door? Writer-director Karl Mueller is here to make you even more apprehensive of the hooded weirdo who might dwell right down the hall or road in his Tribeca Film Festival Midnight Program entry, “Mr. Jones.” The film hones in on Scott and Penny (Jon Foster and Sarah Jones). He’s a filmmaker in desperate need of some inspiration and she gives up everything to head out to a secluded cabin to help him get moving on a nature documentary. However, while they’re out there, Scott realizes there’s something much more interesting to film than picturesque scenery; he’s got the  [ Read More ]

It all began with one, simple line of dialogue, “Yes, grandpa.” Maika Monroe hit her very first film set ready to perform as a mere background extra, but wound up with a line of dialogue and, from there, it was only a matter of time before she went from professional kiteboarder to professional actress. Monroe stars in the upcoming Sony Pictures Classics release “At Any Price” as Cadence Farrow, Dean Whipple’s (Zac Efron) girlfriend. Dean helps his father Henry (Dennis Quaid) run the family business selling seeds to corn farmers in Iowa. When Henry starts to lose customers to his competitors, he turns to Dean for help, but when Dean  [ Read More ]

Yet again, David Darg and Bryn Mooser come to the Tribeca Film Festival with a short documentary highlighting the good that can exist even in the midst of a disaster. It was “Sun City Picture House” in 2011, “Baseball in the Time of Cholera” in 2012, and now “The Rider and the Storm” in 2013. The film takes place just after Hurricane Sandy plowed through the New York region, but the story hones in on one particular victim, Timmy Brennan, a Freedom Tower ironworker and devout surfer. Timmy was one of many who not only felt the brunt of Hurricane Sandy’s rain and winds, but the fires the storm sparked,  [ Read More ]