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After a world premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and its North American premiere over the weekend at the Hamptons International Film Festival, Noah Pritzker’s (Quitters) second film goes for a mix of Woody Allen, John Cassavetes, Paul Mazursky, Noah Baumbach and other white male filmmakers, past and present, who enjoy basking in the midlife marital crisis in which many guys find themselves trapped. While not on the level of those acclaimed filmmakers, in this case, Pritzker manages to cast his net wider into an early-, mid-, and late-life crisis over three generations of the men in the Pearce clan.

The result is an engaging indie exercise that’s for sale to any distributor who finds promise in a premise that might be a tough sell for mainstream buyers despite a game cast that lifts it up a notch or two. Art houses would seem to be its theatrical future,...

Exclusive: Griffin Dunne (This Is Us), Rosanna Arquette (Pulp Fiction), Richard Benjamin (Michael Crichton’s Westworld), Miles Heizer (13 Reasons Why) and James Norton (Little Women) will lead the cast of an as-yet-untitled comedy from writer-director Noah Pritzker (Quitters).

Others joining the ensemble include Eisa Davis (Mare of Easttown), Marcia Jean Kurtz (If Beale Street Could Talk), John Ventimiglia (The Sopranos), Lou Taylor Pucci (You), Echo Kellum (Grand Crew), Ian Owens (Shrill), Pedro Fontaine (Spider), Simon Van Buyten (Chaussée d’Amour), Nate Mann (Licorice Pizza), Zora Casebere (On the Rocks) and Rachel Zeiger-Haag (Monsterland).

The film from Play Book Productions and Pimienta Films—marking Pritzker’s follow-up to the 2015 dramedy, Quitters—will center on Dunne’s character, Peter Pearce. Overwhelmed by his pending divorce from Maria (Arquette) and the declining health of his father (Benjamin), Peter plans a getaway to Tulum, insistent he knows nothing of his sons’ (Heizer and...

"Let the whole system give up on them... But you know what, I ain't! Okay?!" Vertical Ent. has released an official trailer for Critical Thinking, marking the feature directorial debut of actor John Leguizamo - who also stars in the film. This hasn't premiered at any festivals, but still looks like a worthwhile watch. The film tells true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team which was the first inner city team to win the U.S. National Chess Championship in 1998. Leguizamo stars as their coach Mario Martinez, with a cast including Rachel Bay Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Angel Bismark Curiel, Will Hochman, Corwin C. Tuggles, Jeffry Batista, Ramses Jimenez, and Zora Casebere. This looks quite enjoyable, a simple film about the importance of playing chess and sharpening your mind. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for John Leguizamo's Critical Thinking, direct from YouTube: Based...

Here’s a first look at the new trailer for Critical Thinking, John Leguizamo’s Feature Directorial Debut.

Based on a true story from 1998, five LatinX and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.

Starring John Leguizamo, Rachel Bay Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Angel Bismark Curiel, Will Hochman, Corwin C. Tuggles, Jeffry Batista, Ramses Jimenez, Zora Casebere, Critical Thinking will be available on Virtual Cinema, VOD & Digital September 4.

The post John Leguizamo’s Feature Directorial Debut Critical Thinking – On Virtual Cinema, VOD and Digital September 4, 2020 appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.

Cleopatra Entertainment has shared the trailer and poster art for Amanda Kramer’s thriller Ladyworld which stars Maya Hawke (“Stranger Things”), Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic), Ryan Simpkins (Brigsby Bear), Ariela Barer(Marvel’s “Runaways”), Odessa Adlon, Tatsumi Romano, Zora Casebere and Atheena Frizzell. The film will have a theatrical release on August 2 which will be followed by a VOD and DVD release on August 27. Ladyworld follows a group of girls that get […]...

Exclusive: Cleopatra Entertainment announced today that they have acquired the North American rights to Amanda Kramer’s thriller Ladyworld which stars Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic), Ryan Simpkins (Brigsby Bear), Ariela Barer (Marvel’s Runaways), Odessa Adlon, Tatsumi Romano, Zora Casebere and Atheena Frizzell. The film will have a theatrical release on August 2 which will be followed by a VOD and DVD release on August 27.

A modernized all-female story inspired by Lord of the Flies, the film made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest last year. Ladyworld follows a group of girls that get stuck in a house during a slumber party due to an apocalyptic event, stress and fear cause them to degenerate into savagery. Kramer wrote the film along with Benjamin Shearn. The film is produced by Love & Death Productions’ Leal Naim and Thomas R. Burke alongside Kramer.

The film also screened at BFI and at Tiff.

This Saturday, co-writer/director Amanda Kramer’s daring and unforgettable feature film debut, Ladyworld, is set to enjoy its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2018. Starring Ariela Barer, Annalise Basso, Ryan Simpkins, Maya Hawke, Odessa Adlon, Tatsumi Romano, Zora Casebere, and Atheena Frizzell, Ladyworld follows a group of teenagers who get trapped inside a house after a catastrophic earthquake, unable to escape or reach the outside world, and we watch as their relationships and power hierarchies dissolve the longer they’re isolated together.

Ahead of its Fantastic Fest bow this weekend, Daily Dead caught up with Kramer to talk about her unconventional exploration of the dynamics between young women in Ladyworld, and she also chatted about putting together her brilliant ensemble of up-and-coming talent, the challenges of shooting this film in just 12 days, and how her prior experiences working in both the literary and theater worlds helped prepare her to make her first feature film.