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New Projects: Christoph Waltz to star in his directorial debut

Christoph Waltz is prepping his directorial debut, The Worst Marriage in Georgetown, for which he will also produce and star. In the film, Waltz will play Albrecht Muth, a man who sought to enter the social elite and the privileged political circles by marrying the wealthy, 71-year-old Viola Drath when he was just 26. The …

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‘Unbroken’ captures Zamperini’s suffering, but not his spirit

Unbroken Written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese & William Nicholson Directed by Angelina Jolie USA, 2014 An unrelentingly grim affair, Unbroken excels at its realistic portrayal of dehumanization, but fails to capture the indomitable spirit of its protagonist.  Angelina Jolie’s film is an impressive technical achievement, and her hero’s journey is undeniably gripping, …

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‘Starred Up” is some of the bravest filmmaking of the year

Most prison stories are stories about men. But there are stories about men, and then there are stories about masculinity. The latter is much harder to pull off, because masculinity means different things to different men in different situations. That’s why David Mackenzie’s new film Starred Up is so masterfully tense

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‘Starred Up’ showcases superb performances from Jack O’Connell & Ben Mendelsohn

There’s a scene in the first act of the film where the young protagonist Eric, in an effort to gain control of a situation to proclaim his innocence, bites down on a prison guard’s genitals and holds on like a dog with a chew toy. That moment alone does a lot to encapsulate the do-or-die realities of the film’s prison environment, but more importantly showcases the immediate talent of its star Jack O’Connell: Like it or not, he demands your attention and he’s not letting go anytime soon.

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‘Starred Up’ Movie Review – A brash, viscerally violent ride that dissects second chances

Director David MacKenzie (Young Adam, Mister Foe) brings us a bloodily fresh film about a young upstart condemned to a lengthy prison sentence who thinks that he can’t be contained by the system or gangs. Upon arriving he encounters his long lost father who is also incarcerated. They are both unable to express their extreme emotions without it coming to violence.

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Watch a more diverse side of Michael Cera in his directorial debut ‘Brazzaville Teen-ager’

Michael Cera’s trademark screen persona is more often than not an awkward teen. From George Michael in Arrested Development to Paulie Bleeker in Juno, Cera is great at being awkward, dorky and adorable but over the past few years we have seen him take a turn and star in somewhat more daring roles. Miguel Arteta’s Youth In Revolt was the first example …

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