Tribeca 2022: An Awkward Destination Wedding in ‘The Drop’

By Abe Friedtanzer

 

People tend to behave differently when they’re on vacation -- it's the the whole “what happens in Vegas” trope. Being away from home is a break from reality even if you have to be home on Monday for work. But it doesn’t actually change reality. Your actions can still have implications beyond your trip not to mention puncturing the bliss in the moment. Something like dropping a baby, for example, can definitely ruin the vibe…

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NewFest: "Cowboys"

Coverage from NewFest the 32nd Annual LGBTQ Film Festival

 

by Abe Friedtanzer

Films about young transgender children tend to focus on the responses of parents to the reality of what their children express to them. Teenagers can talk back and run away from home, but if they’re younger, it’s unlikely that they will be able to fully separate themselves from a situation, good or bad. A Kid Like Jake was one recent effort starring Claire Danes and Jim Parsons about parents who were mostly on the same page about accepting their four-year-old. Cowboys, which is screening as part of NewFest, finds its adults at odds when it comes to supporting their child, Joe…

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Review: Brittany Runs a Marathon

by Lynn Lee

A surprise breakout and audience favorite at Sundance earlier this year, Brittany Runs a Marathon now faces a challenge nearly as daunting as that of the title character’s – namely, overcoming the late summer movie doldrums and getting the attention of potential viewers who are already turning their thoughts to school, football, Oscar contenders, and other harbingers of fall.  Can this tiny indie picture – with a newbie director and no big names attached – become the sleeper hit it’s clearly angling to be through word of mouth and savvy social media marketing?  Having seen the movie, which I found quite charming if predictable and a bit lightweight, I’ll volunteer a cautious “maybe.”

Brittany’s chief assets are a winning star turn from Jillian Bell (most familiar to mainstream audiences as the acerbic scene-stealer of 22 Jump Street), who moves confidently from comic sidekick to funny Everywoman lead, and a narrative arc that’s just as humorous and relatable...

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"Rough Night" and the State of Comedy

by Eric Blume

My assignment for TFE was a review of the movie Rough Night. But since I was not raised in a barn, nor raised by wolves, my mother once told me if you can’t find something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. So we’ll keep it short on Rough Night itself.  It’s actually depressing how bad this movie is, a twist on a rather good mainstream movie called Very Bad Things, back in the Cameron Diaz days of 1998.  That Peter Berg film had a bit of an edge as it followed several guy friends on a bachelor party who find themselves in a dead hooker situation.  Rough Night is the distaff version of this tale, but the inept script, bad performances, and bland direction make it a tough sit.  The film’s five actresses (Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Zoe Kravitz, Jillian Bell, and Ilana Glazer) are winning, talented ladies and deserved a far better vehicle.

Sitting through Rough Night your mind may wander, as did mine, to the state of mainstream comedy in the cinema these days...

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YNMS: Rough Night

Chris here. With the vengeful bitches of The Beguiled, the raucousness of Girls Trip, and the asskickery of Atomic Blonde coming for our eyeballs, it's shaping up to be a delightfully less macho summer movie season! And now the Broad City team of writer/director Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs is bringing another female-led delight for the summer, Rough Night. Scarlett Johansson leads the exciting cast of Zoë Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Ilana Glazer, and Jillian Bell for the debaucherous (and deadly) bachelorette party - brace yourselves for "Bridesmaids and The Hangover meet Weekend At Bernie's" comparisons as this one opens.

The first trailer brings the NSFW laughs and shows off the ensemble - so take a look and we'll break down the Yes No Maybe So after the jump...

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