Movies – Page 41 – MaryEWinstead.net

First Reviews for A.C.O.D. Are In

on January 25, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

The first reviews for director Stu Zicherman’s film ACOD (Adult Children Of Divorce) are in. The reviews mostly talk about Adam Scott’s performance in the film and say Mary’s role as his girlfriend are good, but nevertheless, the reviews for the film are good. First is from EW:

A.C.O.D. is a bubbly-smart romantic comedy with a new subject: the generation of kids who grew up with divorced parents, and therefore found no stigma in that situation, but who had to do so much precocious, faux-parental managing that it did a mind-game number on their emotional lives.A.C.O.D. is like some wild and woolly French family drama that hums along in fast motion. The film sprawls, at times a bit too much, but it gives Adam Scott his punchiest big-screen role yet.

FirstShowing:

What easily could have been the formula for a run of the mill romantic comedy is heightened and finely tuned by a smart script that has clearly been helped by nine years of rewrites since the screenplay was first conceived as “Divorce Comedy” in 2003. The ensemble of characters are all handled with care and add something substantial to the story. This includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the girlfriend who isn’t just spectating the madness, Amy Poehler as a b****y step-mother and Jane Lynch as a fame and accolade hungry faux therapist (or rather researcher) desperate to write a follow-up book to her original studies about Carter and other children living with divorce (hence the film’s title).

A.C.O.D. is the best comedy at Sundance this year, and will likely be one of the best comedies of 2013. With an all-star cast bringing and polished script to life for our entertainment, this is just a delight. The film is full of energy, hearty laughter, witty banter and transcends the romantic comedy subgenre. Stu Zicherman is a fresh new filmmaker who will hopefully bring more great comedy in the years to come, and A.C.O.D. is more than a fine directorial debut; it’s a remarkable comedy full of heart and will leave you with a big goofy smile on your face.

Slashfilm:

Co-written by Zicherman and Ben Karlin, the script for A.C.O.D. is a Swiss watch. Everything is economical, hilarious, perfectly-paced and never in-your-face obvious. There are loads of big laughs wrapped around unexpected plot points, resonant emotion and great character development. The cast all bring such vigorous life to the film that it almost makes a sad and touchy subject, divorce, into something to be envious of.

A.C.O.D. is a special, miraculous film and the exact reason why you come to the Sundance Film Festival. It’ll leave you happy and high on the power of comedic cinema.

Continue reading First Reviews for A.C.O.D. Are In

Film Reviews Interviews Movies The Spectacular Now

New Video of Mary Attending The Spectacular Now Premiere; New Review

on January 25, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Vibe Magazine caught up with the cast of The Spectacular Now during their Sundance premiere and talked about how the film is similar to teen movies from the 80s.

Also, EW named TSN a “lovely and original teen movie”:

The Spectacular Now was adapted from a novel by Tim Tharp, and that’s part of what accounts for its rich and exploratory psychological texture, but it’s also not afraid of being an all-out teen movie. There are hookups and dates, beer and sex, caustic discussions of divorce, a romantic triangle, and a senior prom. That said, The Spectacular Now is one of the rare truly soulful and authentic teen movies, like last year’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower or the classic one from 24 years ago that this one most reminded me of: Say Anything. Like them, it’s a movie about the experience of being caught on the cusp and truly not knowing which way you’ll land.

The Spectacular Now, like Flight or Steve Buscemi’s Trees Lounge, is the story of a very functional drinker, but it’s no case study. The movie has a deep, touching nostalgia for the romance of teenage life, and that, in a way, is Sutter’s whole problem: He doesn’t want to let go of that. It would mean doing what every drinker, clinging to his adult baby bottle, doesn’t want to do: grow up.

A.C.O.D. Film Reviews Interviews Movies The Spectacular Now

New Vanity Fair Interview; More Spectacular Now Reviews

on January 21, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Vanity Fair West coast editor Krista Smith recently caught up with Mary Elizabeth at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival to talk to Mary about her new films The Spectacular Now and A.C.O.D. Click here to watch the interview.

Also, a couple more reviews about The Spectacular Now have been released. First one is via Slashfilm:

The Spectacular Now is everything I hope a Sundance movie to be. It has heart, many laughs, story twists that will jolt you from your seat, and most importantly, the film speaks to a deep truth. It is an honest coming of age film about growing up and facing the great unknown that comes after high school, something we can all remember and relate to. But it tells that story without the forced nostalgia of other Hollywood films.

The entire supporting cast is great in the few scenes they appear, including Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bob Odenkirk and Kyle Chandler. /Film Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Variety:

The scars and blemishes on the faces of the high-school lovers in “The Spectacular Now” are beautifully emblematic of director James Ponsoldt’s bid to bring the American teen movie back to some semblance of reality, a bid that pays off spectacularly indeed. Skillfully adapted from Tim Tharp’s novel, evocatively lensed in the working-class neighborhoods of Athens, Ga., and tenderly acted by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, this bittersweet ode to the moment of childhood’s end builds quietly to a pitch-perfect finale. Warts-and-all authenticity can be a tough sell, but Ponsoldt’s bracing youth pic seems bound to graduate with honors.

Woodley thoroughly fulfills the promise of her smaller role as the teenage daughter in “The Descendants,” locating the precise point at which Aimee’s infatuation with Sutter turns to self-protection. Equally impressive is Teller, who makes his character’s adolescent bravado appear intoxicating and then more than a little scary. The film’s supporting players are uniformly superb.

Geek Tyrant also loved the film:

Continue reading New Vanity Fair Interview; More Spectacular Now Reviews

Movies The Spectacular Now

A24 Buys The Spectacular Now

on January 21, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

After getting amazing reviews following its debut Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival, new film distributor A24 has nabbed the film and The Spectacular Now will be playing nationwide in theaters this summer! A release date has yet to be announced, but meanwhile, here’s the official announcement:

A24 announced the acquisition of North American rights to Sundance favorite THE SPECTACULAR NOW. The James Ponsoldt directed film, from a script by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, has become one of the darlings of the Sundance Film Festival and features breakout performances by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. Film also features wonderful turns by Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler and Andre Royo. Film premiered on Friday night at Sundance in US Dramatic Competition. A24 will release the film this summer.

“We fell in love with this film the minute that we watched it and we know the rest of the country will embrace this timeless love story. James has directed a wonderful film that depicts young love with complete authenticity and has two young stars giving incredible performances with Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley.” says A24.

Producer Andrew Lauren says, “I am so thrilled that the film has found a home with a company that has such passion for it. It’s been an amazing Sundance and we are so gratified by the incredibly warm response here.”

Variety meanwhile reviewed the film and said it is “a bittersweet ode to the moment of childhood’s end [that] builds quietly to a pitch-perfect finale.”

A24 beat out the Weinstein Co. for the rights.

So cool! Talk about a quick deal. Congrats to everyone!

A Good Day to Die Hard Gallery Updates

Mary Arrives at Sundance Style Lounge; New Die Hard 5 Banner

on January 20, 2013January 20, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Yesterday at the Sundance Film Festival, Mary went to the Kari Feinstein Style Lounge. Head to the gallery to check out the pics, and if I come across any HQs, I’ll be sure to add them. Also, a new A Good Day to Die Hard banner has been released via the film’s Twitter page.

A Good Day to Die Hard will hit theaters on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013.

Film Reviews Movies The Spectacular Now

First Reviews for The Spectacular Now

on January 19, 2013January 19, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

As the headline reads, the first reviews for James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now have already come online, and they’re all positive. While they mostly focus on Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller’s performances, they’re great nonetheless. Hopefully it won’t be long until it’s picked up by a studio. I’ll keep you guys posted but in the meantime, here are some reviews. As always, click on the links to read them in full. First one is from FirstShowing:

Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now is a deeply layered, indie romantic comedy, coming-of-age alcoholism story all wrapped up in one. It’s sweet, it’s endearing, it’s charming, it’s emotional, it’s moving, it’s honest, it’s brilliant, it’s thoughtful. It’s about so much more than what it shows on the surface, and is just as complex as the characters are, evolving as it progress just as they do. It never resorts to cliches, it never takes the easy way out, and it has a momentum that keeps pushing the story forward at a smooth rate, never too fast or too slow. While I still love Smashed, Ponsoldt shows that he matures as a filmmaker each film, which is why I can’t wait to follow his career from here. But for now, it’s all about being in the “Spectacular Now.”

Collider:

“Live in the moment” is a nice platitude and a crappy life philosophy. Vivacity is all well and good. We should appreciate the present, but we can’t live only for the present. We have to think about tomorrow because we’re probably going to be there. In his wonderful new film The Spectacular Now, director James Ponsoldt explore the live-for-the-moment mentality with an authentic and earnest look at high school emotions, anxiety about the future, and first love. Led by extraordinary performances from stars Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now is a thoroughly charming and surprisingly powerful coming-of-age story about the fear of looking ahead and the seductive safety of living in the present.

By investing in his characters and giving the actors room to flesh out their characters, Ponsoldt stops his movie from being a cautionary tale. Obviously, “living like there’s no tomorrow” isn’t a good life strategy, but it’s an understandable escape. It’s undoubtedly entertaining to watch Sutter flee from his responsibilities and neglect plans for life beyond high school. But The Spectacular Now never lets its protagonist off the hook. The movie doesn’t lecture and it doesn’t scold; it simply lets the present play out to an uncertain and ultimately more rewarding future.

Continue reading First Reviews for The Spectacular Now

Gallery Updates Movies The Spectacular Now

Mary Attends The Spectacular Now Sundance Premiere

on January 19, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Mary has begun to hit up all the 2013 Sundance Film Festival events and last night, she began by attending the premiere of her new film The Spectacular Now. Head to the gallery to check out the pics, the first several being in HQ. There’s also an interview of Mary, which you can view below:

Gallery Updates Movies Smashed

New Bust Magazine Outtake

on January 15, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Photographer Michael Lavine posted a new outtake on his blog when he photographed Mary for the Dec./Jan. issue of BUST. Here’s what he had to say about the Smashed leading lady:

What a beautiful woman Mary Elizabeth Winstead is, such a great actor, and such a nice person. I saw the movie Smashed last year and I was so impressed by her realistic rendition of an alcoholic hitting bottom and pulling herself back from the brink, that when I was offered the opportunity to work with her, I jumped at the chance. Sorry no dirt here, no reenactments of getting wasted with Aaron Paul, just a perfectly lovely day in LA with everyone having a wonderful time. I will point out that our crew was exceptional, with Penny Lovell doing an amazing job with the styling, Spencer Barnes on make up and Tony Chavez working the hair. How’s that for a fluff piece.

Head to the gallery to check out the new photo as well as the rest of the set.

Gallery Updates Smashed

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is ‘Dazed and Confused’

on January 15, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

Thanks to Martin, I’ve added HQ scans of Mary in the January issue of Dazed & Confused Magazine where she talks about her new film Smashed. Head to the gallery to check out the pics.

A Good Day to Die Hard Movies

Die Hard 5 to Be Rated R

on January 11, 2013 by Jessica Comments Off

According to Collider, it’s been confirmed that A Good Day to Die Hard (AKA Die Hard 5) will be rated R.

Plot is as follows:

Iconoclastic, take-no-prisoners cop John McClane (Bruce Willis), for the first time, finds himself on foreign soil after traveling to Moscow to help his wayward son Jack–unaware that Jack (Jai Courtney) is really a highly-trained CIA operative out to stop a nuclear weapons heist. With the Russian underworld in pursuit, and battling a countdown to war, the two McClanes discover that their opposing methods make them unstoppable heroes

The previous DH film, 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard which had Mary in the role of Lucy McClane, was rated PG-13.