In case it was lost in the midst of the Hollywood shuffle and kerfuffle, we spent the better part of last week wandering the mean streets of Toronto in search of quality cinema. That means we attended the Toronto International Film Festival and reviewed some of the key movies that’ll be hitting theaters in the next couple of months. And while most critics have returned home to frantically finish their last few reviews and recaps, the festival itself did not officially wrap until today, with the festival organizers announcing their winners at the closing ceremony earlier today.
As all eyes turn to the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, it’s worth remembering that another major film festival is still wrapping up. That would be the 74th Annual Venice Film Festival, the oldest major film festival and home to several of this year’s most enticing fall movies. Whether you prefer your movies to have dark humor, biting social commentary, or underwater monsters, odds are good there was something for everyone in Italy these past week or so.
One of our most anticipated films of the fall is Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the latest from In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths filmmaker Martin McDonagh. By now you’ve probably seen the first trailer, featuring an exceedingly (and delightfully) profane Frances McDormand. The first trailer was awfully hilarious for a premise that serious, and while the newest trailer delivers a bit more drama, it still hasn’t lost that dark sense of humor.
It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year…Fantastic Fest 2017 is right around in the corner, and if the first wave of film programming is any indication, this year’s lineup is going to be pretty stellar. The initial roster boasts the usual assortment of intriguing genre fare (like Takashi Miike’s 100th film, if you can believe it) alongside festival favorites and potential awards contenders, including new films from Yorgos Lanthimos, Ruben Ostlund, Martin McDonagh and more — so much more!
Mildred Hayes has had it. It’s been weeks since her daughter was brutally raped and murdered, and the local police force in Ebbing, Missouri don’t have a single perp to show for all their efforts. Feeling disrespected and unheard, Mildred does the only thing an ordinary citizen at the end of their rope can do: she clarifies which cursewords you can put on a billboard and puts a message right where area sheriff Willoughby will see it. Them’s fightin’ words on her billboards, reading “RAPED WHILE DYING. STILL NO ARRESTS. HOW COME, CHIEF WILLOUGHBY?” And in the newly released red-band trailer begins a long, farcical, spiteful conflict between one-woman army MIldred and the local cops.
In recent years, Martin McDonagh has emerged as the premier director of European-set, blackly comic crime pictures. McDonagh began as a noted playwright in his native Britain and Ireland, earning not only Laurence Olivier Awards, not only Drama Desk Awards, not only Tony nominations, but the undying respect of audiences and a devoted core fanbase...
A few days ago, the trailer for 'Seven Psychopaths' arrived and reminded the world that Martin McDonagh, the mad genius behind the truly incredible 'In Bruges,' has a new film out this Fall. Now the film has a series of posters: one main one-sheet and an additional poster for each of the titular psychopaths, showcasing the movie's mind-blowing cast.