#sundance film festival 2022

[have-you-seen-this-horror-film]

[mrs-stans]

Sebastian Stan Is “Still Shaking” After Getting Two Golden Globe Nominations

On the heels of recognition for both The Apprentice and A Different Man, Stan speaks to Vanity Fair about his “surreal” journey to awards recognition, as well as being nominated in the same year as Pamela Anderson.

BY SAVANNAH WALSH

It’s not every day that an actor earns a Golden Globe nomination, much less two in the same morning. But Sebastian Stan joined the likes of Selena Gomez and Kate Winslet on Monday by getting dual Globe nominations. “It’s certainly surreal,” he tells Vanity Fair, “still sort of shaking from it.”

Stan secured recognition for both his dramatic turn as Donald Trump in The Apprentice and his more comedic performance as a tormented aspiring actor named Edward in A Different Man. It is the first time that a male performer has pulled off double nominations in the lead acting categories since Ryan Gosling managed to do it back in 2012. “Listen, one of my favorite actors of all time,” Stan says. “I’d be very glad to be in that little stat with him.”

In the early hours of nomination morning, Stan was getting some shuteye—or, at least attempting to. “I actually woke up in the middle of the night at 4:00, and was like, Oh, okay, there’s an hour and a half. I fell asleep again, and then I got a call from my publicist,” he tells VF. Since then, “I’ve been sending a lot of pictures to my mom.”

Some excitement is to be expected, especially when considering what it took to get both of Stan’s nominated films to the screen. “I never would’ve dreamt that I was going to be going to the Globes with both of these films, I never would’ve dreamt that both of the films would’ve come out in the same year,” he says.

Aaron Schimberg’s A Different Man sat in limbo for two years before debuting on the festival circuit this year. At the Sundance Film Festival, it was acquired by A24 for a fall release. The film then screened in Berlin, where Stan won the Silver Bear for best lead performance. Meanwhile, The Apprentice, directed by Ali Abbasi and written by Vanity Fair special contributor Gabriel Sherman, premiered at May’s Cannes Film Festival to positive reviews. But the film faced a treacherous road to distribution in the days before the 2024 presidential election.

“To even be in one room with both films is not something that’s ever crossed my mind,” Stan says. “So, I’ll be digesting that probably throughout the holiday season.” The recognition for each movie feels extra gratifying because “they both felt really challenging in terms of what the roles we’re requiring,” he says, “obviously one being one of the most famous people in the world, with a lot of people having very strong feelings about [him], and many, many impressions having been done. How do you go in there and find something new, or try to offer a different perspective?”

As it turns out, bringing a young Donald Trump to life during the dawn of his fortuitous relationship with Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong, now Globe-nominated for best supporting actor in a feature film) was only half the fight. Stan recently opened up about the struggle to promote The Apprentice in the wake of Trump’s re-election, including having to pass on Variety’s Actors on Actors because other participants were reluctant to talk about the president-elect.

“The movie has had a really uphill battle since Cannes,” says Stan, who also recently nabbed an Independent Spirit Award nomination for the movie. “It’s been hard for people to have permission to express how they feel about the movie, and today feels very gratifying in terms of having the Golden Globes recognize the film, and the work. It feels like hopefully going forward people can feel okay talking about it, and see it.”

Stan earned his first Globes nomination for playing Tommy Lee in 2022’s similarly controversial based-on-a-true-story project, Pam & Tommy. How does he feel to be nominated in the same year as the real-life Pamela Anderson, who became a first-time nominee for The Last Showgirl? “I’m so happy for her, and [it’s] so well deserved. It’s a beautiful film and a beautiful performance,” says Stan. “From our end, this was always part of the goal and the intention [of the series]—to somehow shine a light where it hasn’t been shined before, and hopefully contribute in a way [to her success]. So yeah, I’m ecstatic for her.”

Stan is also rooting for many of his other fellow nominees. “My two favorite films of the year are Sing Sing and A Real Pain,” says the actor, who then praises one of his competitors in the musical/comedy lead actor race. “Jesse Eisenberg, I want to say congratulations to him because he’s somebody I worked with years ago, in 2006 [via Fred Durst’s feature directorial debut, The Education of Charlie Banks], and the man’s a genius. I love that movie so much.”

He also spotlights The Substance, a film that, along with a release date, also shares themes with A Different Man—more specifically, issues of transformation and fixation on physical appearance. “There were a lot of articles that kind of put us together, in terms of the themes of the movies,” says Stan. “But they’re unique in the sense that they are original. Sing Sing, A Real Pain, I should say Anora while I’m at it—to be able to have films that are standing on their own without any IP, or anything about them that we know but their true original film storytelling, is amazing.”

The Globes are seen as something of a precursor on the way to potential Oscar gold—but Stan isn’t getting ahead of himself. “The fact that we’re here today in itself is such a massive step, but it is very much a one day at a time experience,” says the 42-year-old. “As an actor in this community, besides the work that you do on the day, when you go home at night and feel like you’ve left it all on the field, there’s nothing more gratifying than the actual recognition of your peers. I’ve been doing this for 20-some odd years, and I’m pretty grateful. So, knock on wood, and whatever happens next happens—but we’ve already won in a major way.”

[foxes-that-run]

2014 Haylor Timeline

Timeline Tag, or years, back to 2013.

1 January - Taylor wrote say don’t go

2 - 4 January - Harry and Kendall Skiing with Jeff and his GF

6 January Lover Journal January 6, 2014, LA: Taylor decides to move to NY “dating is awful”. Reports KUWK producers wanted to film Harry and Kendall and Harry said no.

16 January - Harry seen at pool, then eagles concert in LA on 17th Harry puts his arm around Kendall at Eagles Concert. Kathy Griffiths said he was wasted, said that Tom hanks joked about wanting to drive Harry rehab and that he didn’t stay with Kendall inside. 18th Jarry at sundance festival

19 January - Harry covered "things I can't" with bible and Silver Spoon tattoo's. 20th in LA

21 January - I know places written, then Welcome to NY, you are in Love. Ryan Tedder said Harry was in the Studio then also.

25 January - Lover Journal: January 25, 2014, LA - after Clive Davis Grammy party at night that she never felt better about their chances of winning a Grammy. Rumour Harry seen with Kendall.

26 January - Red doesn't win Grammy, Taylor decides to make 1989 sonically cohesive

1 February - Harry’s 20th birthday, he told stern in 2022 that when he was 20 he felt like every decision in his adult life had been made as a democracy till that point and felt he should make decisions. Daily Mail he spent birthday with Kendall Jenner, his cousin said he is always the dumpee.

9 February - Clean written

11 February - Taylor gets haircut, Harry seen backstage, she then writes Shake it off. He writes Stockholm Syndrome

14 February - Taylor posted "there's nothing like real love"

15, 17, 18th - Harry seen in London

18 February - Kendall at London Fashion Week, Harry goes to Cara's show not hers, in the BUA the next week "Harry purposely didn’t go to the Topshop show or have his planned party so people wouldn’t speculate about him and Kendall,”

19 February -Taylor writes Style in LA. Harry later to collect Brit because he was in bathroom. Rumour he was smoking with Nick G, Harry left after party with his mum, Zayn and Louis not there.

20 February - Harry arrives in LA in afternoon.

21 February - Harry at Sushi Dream with his mum and Robin, later dinner with Jeff, may be the date Charlie Puth tweeted about him.

22 February - Lover Journal February 22, 2014, LA, Been in the studio with Max, Shake it off, has been in Conway Studios all week. Taylor walks on beach with Lorde. Ariana Grande also recording album with JALBOYH in Conway Studios, Max Martin working on both records. Harry MIA in day, then at same Miley concert, Kendall goes separately. Harry and Kendall BUA, work commitments

24 February Harry got anatomical heart tattoo (a real heart for a real love) HSA Publishing Limited (UK company) (private limited company) this is harry’s publishing company was incorporated in February 25, 2014 and is the publisher of JALBOYH

25 February - Article about Harry having written with John Legend and on 20 songs away from the band, says he had worked with Alex & Sierra

1 March - Both at Oscars party. Karlie Kloss flies from Paris to LA.

2 March - Harry seen in LA, then disappeared for 10 days, then LA again. 1D on break.

3 March - Taylor at vanity fair party

4 March - Alex & Sierra posts photo of Meredith in Taylor’s LA home. Harry wrote I love you for them and this was like meeting him about that, Taylor later confirmed she heard it. Harry seen Culver city

5 March - Harry tweets ‘hands on the wheel’ when Taylor posted the photos from the weekend starting with a photo with Ed and others at vanity fair “this weekend was like..” and including a road trip to big sur with Karlie. Karlie has posted daily till she arrived in LA then started again when Taylor posted her photos. Who took the photos? A tumblr user assumed they stayed at Deetjen's Big Sur Inn resort because someone who took a photo in the same place did, maybe, the hotel is 4 star.

7 March - Taylor publicist Paula Erickson resigns, she provided 60 day notice but announced 2 weeks before took affect. Release said taking PR in-house. This reddit post has good analysis suggesting the split may have been because of the rise of Taylor’s image as a serial dater. There was a page six article that may have come from the publicist that Taylor’s parents were hard to work with.

12, 13 March - Harry had dinner alone in LA, Kendall on date with someone else down the street. Harry’s motorbike broke down, he looked sad, guy who came to help mad. 15 March LA

18 March - Harry back in London

19 March - Liam and Harry take fan who won competition out to dinner at Sanctum Soho Hotel London

24 March - Lover Journal: March 24, 2014, New York; Moved to Tribeca, never felt more busy. One Direction filmed You and I music video at Clevedon Pier Somerset

25 March - Harry The Ace Hotel Shoreditch with Ed and Lou Teasdale for a book launch. 1D tour rehearsals

27 March - 1D Where we are tour rehearsals London. (27 & 28) 1D Camden London recording. MH plays call or delete with Nick Grimshaw and calls Niall and Harry, he says he has Niall’s number because he is writing a song for one direction and that he had never spoken to Harry before (but had his number and Harry recognised his voice.) MH asks to borrow £5k and Harry agrees. Harry probably knew he was on Nick Grimshaw. Harry and Niall seen in rehearsals in England.

2, 3 April - Harry London

17, 22, 23 April - Harry seen in LA

8 April - page six article maybe put out by Taylor’s resigned publicist that says Taylor’s parents are difficult to work with and says her business manager also resigned.

22 April - HS in LA at Sharks game with Jeff

25 April - 5 October - 1D Where we are Tour. South American dates till 11 May.

26 April - Harry Fern Tattoos, healed, covering "Might as well..."

29 April - Matty Healy's mum says MH is writing a song for 1D

4 May - Taylor attends met gala and later features this dress of ‘old Taylor’ in LAYMMD, marked start of 1989. 1D in Argentina.

7 May - One direction bread van to Christ the redeemer in TV special. Earlier Harry drunk at the hotel pool, floated his hat in the sea and Brazil! Tattoo. 1D sue over condoms using their name, MTV says it means fans will “never ever sleep with Harry Styles”

8 May - One Direction record Change your ticket in Fasano Hotel, (2:12) Rio De Janeiro. The TV Special shows Niall working out the lyrics and Harry recording WDBHG (2:25) also, though the hotel is not credited for WDBHG. In 2016 Matty Healy messily said he had been asked for a song for Four which wasn't used and felt Change Your Ticket was similar to guitars on the 1975 Girls. 1975 or MH never pursued it other than the shade. MH said to Capital FM he heard change your ticket before it came out and asked to take guitars off he didn’t write on it.

11 May - 1D tour break till 23 May, working on Four.

17 May - Taylor on tour break in NYC, working on 1989. Taylor seen most days in NYC in May.

17 & 20 May - Harry seen LA

24 May - One Direction (headliner) and Ed Sheeran play Radio 1 Big weekend in Glasgow. Ed wrote 18 this week. Liam said they had a show in another country the night before and that night. Taylor leaves NYC not seen for 6 days until Japan 31 May. 23 May - 13 July Europe 1D dates.

26 - 28 May - One Direction break, Taylor MIA. Harry in London and plays celebrity football game on 26th. After scoring a penalty shot Harry hugged Niall then kissed his heart tattoo.

27 May - footage of Zayn and Louis smoking weed in a car leaked, filmed in April. Harry quoted in media being annoyed they let it be filmed. Ed Sheeran live on Britans got talent, Simon Cowell asked for a 1D song, Ed declined then wrote 18 the next day.

30 May - Lover Journal: May 30, 2014, Shanghai 1989 cover art. 2 June - Tokyo, then asian dates till 12 June. Taylor arrives at a commercial airport with so many fans it’s talked about 10 years later… and held up as why she flies private when she had owned a jet for years… Harry Manchester show.

31 May - Tree Paine starts as Taylor’s publicist.

7 June - rumour Harry was getting dual citizenship

8 June - 1D had 5 day break starting in London then Stockholm on the 13th. Heart kiss in You and I

11 June - Harry sent a fan a video for her wedding “"You don't have to go through with this, you know all men cheat these days and it usually happens pretty fast. It’s not too late, I’m going to be waiting at Orli’s in Borehamwood for the next three hours. If you don’t come I’ll understand but that’s where I’ll be.”

12 June - Red Tour ends in Singapore, then seen most days in NYC till the 20th.

18 June - Taylor adopted Olivia Bensen, model Steph Smith with her, Steph posts to instagram and follows both Harry and Taylor that day. Harry can be heard laughing in this video. Harry not seen, but in Copenhagen the day before and day after in London

19 June - Harry in London dressed the same as in the Four booklet

20 June - Taylor seen in NYC then not again for 10 days till 30th. 1D Paris

2 July - Ariana Grande talks about Harry writing JALBOYH. She says it's a beautiful song he's an amazing songwriter.

4 July - Taylor squad party at RI. 1D had a show in Switzerland.

13 July - Taylor water gun patrol at High Watch RI. Last time she is papped there for 10 years.

17 July - Harry and Paige at same GQ party.

20 July - Harry at Anne and Robins wedding UK

31 July - Harry in LA, not seen on 28th. Taylor NYC

March - September - Harry wrote for Four: stockholm, Where do broken hearts go, I love you (Alex and Sierra) & Little bit of your heart.

1 August - 5 October - 1D US/Canada dates.

2 August - Taylor played 1989 for Harry. Harry followed Jack Antonoff on Twitter the next day. 2 November Harry said he spent a week in the US and then played daytime TV for the rest of break.

14 August - Taylor wore black and white rose dress on Tonight show with jimmy Fallon, prompting rumors 1989 will be called Roses

18 and 20 August - 18th seen with fans in US, Harry MIA on 20th

19 August - Shake it off released, 1989's lead single with Hella Good Hair line.

24 August - 1D show in Dallas where a fan has a “Harry you have hella good hair”’poster Harry grins at. Harry comes back (he first sees it at 1:03) to point, thumbs up and again smile at the sign.

23 and 25 August - Harry in Nashville. JALBOYH released.

26 August - 1D in LA for Ellen, then Chicago then disappeared

20 - 25 August - Taylor in LA, MIA till 3 September

30 August - Heart Kiss you and I

31 August - 9 September - Harry MIA, only seen LAX 5 September then appears in London on 9th.

3 September - Ariana says she nearly refused to record JALBOYH

When asked whether she felt pressure recording a song written by Harry, Ariana said, "No, I was more intimidated because he recorded a demo for me so I could learn the song. I was like, "I don't know if I wanna touch this song.'" She has previously said ""I remember when I heard it I was like 'Wow that's a really strong verse, that's really beautiful' and then the [pre-chorus], I was like 'wow that's a really beautiful pre, that's a really strong pre!' and then the chorus I was like crying!"

3 September - Taylor arrives in London wearing the New York sweater she wears in the Reputation Magazine polaroid for Dancing with our Hands Tied. The Rep photo looks to be taken in her London rental she had in 2017, it's unclear when it was rented.

3 - 14 September - Taylor seen in London till 7th, then MIA till NYC on 14th (i.e. both go from LA to London and MIA for a week) Niall said they had 10 days off and didn’t see each other.

8 September - Taylors 1989 Rolling Stone Interview where she said it was infatuation, RS said she sounded jaded.

11 September - Rolling Stone things you learn hanging out with Taylor Swift included:

"“I think the way I used to approach relationships was very idealistic,” she says. “I used to go into them thinking, ‘Maybe this is the one — we’ll get married and have a family, this could be forever.’ Whereas now I go in thinking, ‘How long do we have on the clock — before something comes along and puts a wrench in it, or your publicist calls and says this isn’t a good idea?'”

13 September - One Direction - Rose Bowl Los Angeles, during You and I on “did they ever hold each other tight like us?” Harry kissed the heart then had chest pains later in the show. He ends the show visibly unwell.

14 September - Four written with Fools Gold. First day Taylor seen (NYC) in a week, last seen London. 18 September Niall mentioned a 10 day break and again said the band didn’t see each other on break.

19 and 20 September - both play the iHeartRadio festival, on the 19th Taylor played WANGB, IKYWT, Love Story with a speech about Romeo & Juliet and a lot of pointing 22 and Shake it off. and 1D on the 20th, Harry kissed the heart tattoo in Little Things.

23 September - Harry, Niall, Altoid girl go to bars including a gay bar, Harry and girl rode a mechanical bull together. fan reports she had a boyfriend and hired to show them around Austin.

25 September - Nola 1D concert 1D 2 hours late and helicopter out immediately after show, fans wonder if the night Zayn threw Liam against wall.

Late September Harry had US shows, he kissed his heart tattoo un Better than words (4:23) and was in a great mood. Taylor wasn't seen until NY the day of that show. Harry’s instagram goes b&w between 24 September and 23 October. Out of the woods released 14 October, may refer to screaming colour lyric? Taylor posted about screaming colour. Also over 28 sept anniversary

4 October - Lou Teasdale shares photo of Harry’s braids

6-11 October - Taylor in Paris and london

8 October - Harry pumpkin picking with Erin Foster. E news “It's unlikely it will ever become serious, but they are casually dating whenever they are in the same place at the same time and it works for both of them. Meanwhile, their outing was PDA-free and didn't seem to hint that any sort of romance was brewing.”

10 October - Taylor performed Riptide performance on BBC 1 with the lyric "I love you when you're singing that song / And I got a lump in my throat / 'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong"

12 October - Harry threw up on side of the road in LA and sign put up. He had been at lily Allen’s party the night before. Press included quotes from Ed that Harry didn’t drink in the US

24 October  - Taylor MTV You are in Love is about Jack and Lena, who didn't know and her body language is guarded. Recorded this date.

27 October - 1989 released, Taylor NY. 1D Film Night Changes  MV

29 October - 1D meet with the Guardian. Louis said not seen each other for 2 weeks, the interview for shadows the end

1 November - Harry wore the Saint Laurent coat in November - December 2014. In 2016, He choose it, now with a lipstick stain, as one of '12 prized possessions', “I was leaving breakfast in London wearing this coat. I thought the girl was biting me. She was lovely.”

4 November - Taylor pulls her entire discography off Spotify over period that artists would not earn royalties. Harry said a month ago at an Airport a reporter said "Do you have any Nudes on the cloud?!" I said "yeah, loads." 

5 November - Taylor Posts a video of herself lip syncing to Kendrick Lamars Backseat Freestyle

8 November - Taylor liked a tumblr post of Matty Healy wearing a 1989 t-Shirt on stage.

10 November - Taylor wore the Butterfly and Reputation Snake Ring in the Blank Space Music video.

13 November - Harry's mermaid tattoo. “I am a mermaid”

14 November - sad guardian 1D interview

15 November - Taylor in NY, Harry records Band Aid in London. Throughout November and December Louis and Liam seem annoyed with Harry and talk over him. Many consider this the point Harry told the band he would not renew his contract, the band tensions were high from this point. See One Direction break up deep dive on Reddit.

17 November - One Direction releases Four. Perform Today show in Orlando live, Zayn missing. Filmed Four TV special. Released the Four Hangout where Harry describes the Stockholm Syndrome muse (TS) a Nympho and talks about writing from personal experience. At 31 mins Niall says WDBHG is his favourite 1D song, Harry says thank you and Niall hugs him. Harry agrees, then says best song ever then gotta be you One Direction song which (in the background) Harry adds "well done Tyler." Niall adds "your boyfriend’s back." (The boys had rhyming nicknames for each other, Tyler Swift was Taylor’s name in The Man) Change your ticket announced as bonus track on ultimate edition.

19 November - Harry and Taylor go to a 1975 concert together, ET reported they went back stage together. Change your ticket (which MH claimed was too similar to Girls after  1D did not use a song MH submitted for Four. Us weekly reports Haylor talking again.

23 November - Harry looks in Taylors direction while performing, she points at him in her performance and he makes heart eyes/whistles at Taylors AMA’s speech. Harry stayed in LA an extra day to go to Taylor's mini post-AMAs part while 1D went to Australia. (Canyon Moon vibes).

28 November - Harry L.A. Fleetwood Mac concert with Jeff, Glenn and first time seen next to Nadine.

30 November  - Taylor arrives London.

1 December - Harry, Kendall and Cara at British Fashion Awards in London, the day of that photo of him at top of stairs.

2 December- Taylor performs Style at VS show and completely slays. Harry joins them at the VS after party and leave 5 mins apart. (So it Goes, pick you up, leak vibes) Taylor posted photos with Ariana also, JALBOYH was still charting. Taylor wears a similar outfit in the I don’t wanna live forever video with Zayn. This was also the first time Style was played live!

4 December - Taylor returns to NY

5 December - rumours Taylor at 1975 concert

Early December- Harry follows Xander Ritz on Instagram. Xander is a lacrosse player who is close friends with Harry and seen a lot in late 2015 and 2017/2018, there are ships of them. Xander is now married to Jacquelyn. Harry is still seen with his brother Maxwell. Max and Xander co-own the Loyalist in Brooklyn. The loyalist is a high end brand integration company. Like Taylor, Xander is from Philadelphia and his family is still there. He was seen with Jeff a lot and rumoured Jeff introduced them.

6 December - Taylor has laryngitis at Jingle Bell Ball. Matty Healy has a meltdown on stage, crying, lying down and is eventually dragged off stage. In 2015 he said this was about girl stuff, drug stuff, financial stuff. In 2016 is said "“Yeah. Absolutely. And the reason I mention that is because if I had gone out with Taylor Swift I would’ve been, ‘F***ing hell! I am NOT being Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’ You know, ‘F***. THAT.’ That’s also a man thing, a demasculinizing, emasculating thing.”

8 December - Blind "The B- list celebrity offspring of two of the worst celebrity parents ever has been hooking up the past few weeks with the lead singer of the band that Taylor Swift loves. Apparently they sent Taylor a pic of themselves naked in bed together." (Ali Lohan (Dina and Michael)/Matty Healy “The 1975″)

9 December - one direction RTL episode where the band is angry at Harry, especially this section, where Liam seems drunk and talks about new experiences (shading Harry for saying he won’t continue 1D maybe) later in the interview says “we should have written a song about beards” and Louis said “or hair in general” and with a mocking look to Harry “har, har”, (possibly shading Harry for Matty Healy's meltdown the night before.) This was followed by a lot of interviews with Liam and Louis reacting to Harry like this and some they gave separate interviews.

12 December - Taylor performs the Z100 Jingle Bell Ball, with IKYWT over midnight to her birthday and during Shake it Off she gives a breathless sounding 'it's my birthday' she points to the left of the stage to say guy with the hella good hair. Calvin Harris also on the setlist. Harry was in Spain for Los40 Spain. Rob Sheffield writes a piece about just Harry (not band) in Rolling Stone which is positively glowing.

13 December - Taylor has a party in her apartment. Harry is in France for the NRG Awards. Tweets asking the media to stop having her date her friends (MH & KK)

15 December - one direction performs WDBHG with Ronnie Wood on xfactor UK final

17 - 21 December - Nadine seen with Jeff, Glenn and Harry including SNL afterparty.

19 December - Harry at the Bowery Hotel again, wears the Another Man 12 Prized Possessions coat that later has lipstick

22 December - Harry in Central Park, wearing Saint Laurent coat

21 December - Harry seen with Nadine Leopold and wears her jacket and carrying her bags. Sun reports things “heating up” with happy photos. The same night there are photos of Harry pointing and yelling angrily at 2am in the east village in the jacket with bags.

24 December - Tabloid media about Ali Lohan/MH

26 December - Taylor wears opal ring thought to be from Harry.

30 december- Taylor morning show and says about Style “This song is about a relationship that is never really done. you always have that person who you feel like might interrupt your wedding and say ‘don’t do it because we’re not over!” I compared it to person comes in and out and never really go out of style with a smile. Asked if the person sings she says she wants fans to picture their ex-BF not hers.

Continue to 2015

[glennk56]

Joel Marsh Garland in the 2020s

Joel Marsh Garland during COVID in 2020.

Joel Marsh Garland was in an episode of The Film Crew, an off-shoot of MST3000 in 2020.

Joel Marsh Garland was in 2 episodes of Joe vs. Carole, a satire series of The Tiger King series starring Kate McKinnon in 2022

Joel Marsh Garland in comedy crime film Lie Hard that premiered as VOD in 2022.

Joel Marsh Garland had a small role in lesbian relationship film, Eileen which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2023.

Joel Marsh Garland was in 5 episodes of MGM+ gangster drama Godfather of Harlem, season 3 in 2023.

That was Joel Marsh Garland ghoul-hunting in Prime's Fallout in 2024.

Joel Marsh Garland was in an episode of Elsbeth on CBS, a quirky attorney hired to observe the NYPD in action to help prevent bad arrests and avoid lawsuits in 2024.

[bi-bard-reviews]

Movie Review - Dinner in America [2020]

Dinner in America is a film written and directed by Adam Rehmeier. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 but wouldn't reach U.S. theaters until 2022. I am only putting 2020 as the release year because that is what IMDb says.

I had been recommended this movie over and over again. Sometimes directly through friends and other times indirectly through harassment via my TikTok fyp. My initial impression of this movie had me convinced that it would be right up my alley. There were so many elements that I had been told about that seemed perfect. To put it simply: I really wanted to fall in love with this movie.

There were some elements that were really great to me.

I loved the music. Both the soundtrack and the actual diegetic music from PSYOPS and Patty's song toward the end of the film. It really helped in building the scene and the world of the film.

The characters of Simon and Patty were both well-developed. It felt like I could consistently tell who they were as people and what they wanted. However, it didn't seem like any other character got that kind of treatment. I understand that Simon and Patty are the main characters in the story, but they are around the other characters too much for those characters to survive being underdeveloped.

I enjoyed most of the dinner scenes. I found them to be very interesting ways to see how Patty and Simon interact with the world around them and how the "normal" world views the two of them. I did have a few times where I thought they dragged on a little longer than necessary, considering that there were stronger scenes that could accomplish the same thing.

My favorite scenes tended to be the scenes where only Simon and Patty were there. Gallner & Skeggs have a lot of chemistry that comes out very naturally in these scenes. My favorite parts of the film were toward the end where we more consistently saw just the two of them together. The romance and affection between them are almost pure. I really enjoyed watching it. I could've watched the third act of this movie on its own and been significantly happier.

However, the writing leans on that chemistry almost entirely. In scenes where only one of the two was there or simply when they were around other characters, it seemed like it was a 50/50 chance for the scene to fall on its face. It was disappointing because of how strong the scenes were when it was just Simon and Patty on their own.

Some of the scenes seemed to be put in just to gross out the viewers. These scenes could have had a place and fit just fine if they had any purpose within the story or just for the characters. However, these scenes didn't feel strong enough to do that and just left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Also, the use of slurs in this movie was out of hand at best. They didn't accomplish what I think they were trying to. They were just kind of obnoxious. For those who are looking into watching this movie, there's a warning for you.

Overall, this movie had really strong building blocks. The leads had amazing chemistry and the scenes between just the two of them were standouts for the film. I don't see myself rewatching this though. It was a shame that this movie couldn't live up to the hype that had been built around it for me. Still, maybe there's a different target audience that will find this movie and love it.

[whileiamdying]

Iranian Filmmakers Face Fight or Flight Amid Political Turmoil

By Nick Vivarelli

Credit: Les Films d'Ici/Berlinale

The wave of protests sparked across Iran by the death of Mahsa Amini by Iranian morality police in September came amid a banner year for Iranian cinema. 

But as 2023 kicks off, more than 500 people who have protested her death and called for justice have been killed while prominent members of the Iranian film industry were either arrested, put on trial or banned from making movies. The result being that the country’s cinematic community has largely ground to a halt. 

Which raises the question: unless something changes, how many films actually shot in Iran will be surfacing on the international festival circuit going forward?  

In 2022, Iran-based directors landed slots in all major international film festivals and won major awards. Revered auteur Jafar Panahi took the Venice Special Jury Prize for “No Bears” and Houman Seyyedi’s tragicomedy “World War III,” which was Iran’s candidate for the international Oscar, scooped two statuettes on the Lido. 

But 2023 is kicking off with only films by Iranian diaspora directors launching on the fest circuit. Case in point: native New Yorker Maryam Keshavarz’s “The Persian Version,” which bowed at Sundance. 

And the widening divide between Iran’s expat directors and Iranian filmmakers living in the country is stark at the Berlinale. 

Berlin’s Panorama section, which is titled “Films as Tools of Resistance,” is opening with Paris-based Sepideh Farsi’s feature “The Siren” which provides a timely take on the Iran-Iraq war. Incidentally, the section also features a doc by Indian director Sreemoyee Singh titled “And, Towards Happy Alleys,” which is about Panahi, who was recently released from Tehran’s Evin penitentiary after spending seven months behind bars on charges of “anti-government propaganda.”   

But the only film in this year’s Berlin selection that is by an Iran-based director is Negin Ahmadi’s doc “Dream’s Gate” which depicts an all-female Kurdish militia in Northern Syria.  

Berlin’s artistic director Carlo Chatrian says this year he actually received more submissions from Iran than ever before. But the fest’s selection committee was leery of Iranian films, many of which came from companies affiliated with the government. Why? “Because for them it’s a statement saying: ‘OK, this is not true what people abroad are saying about us,’” he said.  

Chatrian added that “at times films [from Iran] that from the outside look independent are not fully independent,” so they can still be seen as a form of government propaganda. 

In solidarity with the protests sparked by Amini’s death, the Berlinale has banned Iranian government film industry entities such as the Farabi Cinema Foundation, Iran’s national film promotion outfit which has been attending Berlin’s European Film Market with a stand for years.  

And on Feb. 18 there will be an event on the Berlinale Palast red carpet to shine a spotlight on the fest’s position against Iran’s repressive regime.  

Berlin’s executive director Mariëtte Rissenbeek pointed out that it’s bound to be more difficult these days for filmmakers in Iran, most of whom are anti-government, to make films. “They are for freedom of expression, which is exactly what the Iranian state is trying to fight right now,” she said. 

That, of course, is indeed the case.  

“Iranian cinema is now under attack in Iran,” noted “World War III” helmer Seyyedi, in an email interview from Tehran. “As a middle-aged man who is deeply involved with the present problems, I have no idea if I will really be able to start making another movie in future. We will have to wait and see what happens.” 

According to Mohammad Attebbai, head of Tehran-based sales company Iranian Independents, at the moment “Iran’s nearly 50% inflation and its severe censorship codes dissuade anyone from investing in a movie.” 

Attebbai added, “There are lots of filmmakers who, like many others in the country, believe it is impossible to keep living in Iran and are trying to immigrate.  

“They simply cannot tolerate the situation any longer, with censorship getting much worse and film production slowing down dramatically,” he said.  

Most artists at present are banned from travel outside Iran.   

Significantly, two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi, Iran’s best-known director, is currently working on his new film in Los Angeles and Europe. Farhadi was at the Zurich Film Festival when protests following the death of Amini erupted. He voiced support for the protests and has returned to Iran since. 

As an Iranian diaspora director, Paris-based Farsi said she now feels a greater responsibility “to carry on the flag of making films that are relevant and have to do with Iran, though maybe not directly.”  

“I don’t know how ‘The Siren’ will travel,” she pointed out. “But for sure I would really love people in Iran to see it. 

“The end of the film has hope, and I really would like them to feel it as glow of sun for the near future of Iran. Because I’m really hoping that we will reach a victory soon.” 

[albertserra]

uhm hi. you’re the only film person on tumblr im aware of and i have a question you may know an answer to. actually i need advice not an answer: How many movies a day do you think i will be able to see during a film festival. How many are you usually able to do?? i want to see four for two days in a row (2 - 4 - 4 - 2) but idk if it’s possible. i had days at home when i saw 4/day but usually one of them was something light and easy and also i was alone and at home 😐 honestly im going alone and im just scared that i won’t have anything else to do… also one of the movies im still not sure about going bc it would be my fourth is Pacifiction. that’s bc of your constant recommendations 🫡 hope you’re having a lovely day thanks bye

so its really a matter of personal preference. For me, anything more than three in a day might get exhausting and I wouldn't be able to give every movie my full attention and might be to the movies' detriment. something like pacifiction for example needs pretty constant engagement from the viewer to get the full experience (I still highly recommend it! as far as Serra goes its probably his most accessible in terms of structure, narrative wise its still pretty oblique). So my fear would be id be wasting my time and spoiling a potentially great movie if im tired from all the other ones ive seen that day and don't have enough time to really let each movie sink in. but thats just me! if i was in your shoes I'd do three in day max unless some of the movies are short - and id skip a third movie on the day pacifiction is playing so i could do it lmao. in the down time id just sit down and eat or have coffee so id be able to come down from the movies and be ready for the next if that makes sense.

sundance is the only festival i have experience with bc it was online since the pandemic, i did it in 2021 and 2022. I did a lot per day in 2021 and don't regret it because being at home gave me a little more flexibility. 2022 i didn't do as much simply bc i couldnt make the timing work for what I wanted to watch.

i know @shesnake crams as much as they can when they do their festivals so maybe they can offer their input too

[cinema-tv-etc]

Mutt 2023

Fena, a young trans guy bustling through life in New York City, is afflicted with an incessantly challenging day that resurrects ghosts from his past. Laundromats, subway turnstiles, and airport transfers are the hectic background to this emotional drama that overlaps past, present, and future. Settling the disharmony of transitional upheaval in relationships familial, romantic, and platonic is Fena2s task at hand, and his resulting juggling act is equal parts skillful, fumbling, and honest. In negotiating his obliqueness, the poignant moments he finds between himself and others as the distance between them closes are warm, true, and touching

Q&A with MUTT Filmmaker Vuk Lungulov-Klotz and Stars Lío Mehiel, Cole Doman & MiMi Ryder

Chilean and Serbian immigrants, he was raised between Chile, the US, and Serbia. As a transgender storyteller, he hopes to expand queer narratives. His work focuses on intimate moments we often miss if we're not looking. Mutt is his debut feature film. With his feature film script, MUTT, he is an alum of the Sundance Institute Labs, the Inside Out Financing Forum, and was a top five finalist for the Tribeca / AT&T Untold Stories Grant. His award winning trans-themed short film, "Still Liam," played at festivals internationally and earned the attention of celebrated queer filmmakers Ira Sachs and Silas Howard, who have both become mentors. Vuk is also an alum of the Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative Program, where he completed a mentorship under director Janet Mock on the FX series POSE. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Lío Mehiel is a Puerto Rican and Greek artist, actor, and filmmaker. Their work spans film, television, multimedia installation, theater, and events. They are fascinated by the inherent contradiction of the trans experience — one deeply rooted in the body while also transcending beyond the body. Lío began their career as a professional salsa dancer and child actor on Broadway. They can now be seen on shows like WeCrashed (Apple+) and Tales of the City (Netflix). MUTT is their feature film debut. As a filmmaker, Lío produced Chaperone, a queer short film which premiered at Sundance 2022. They wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Disforia, a short film which premiered at Outfest Film Festival in 2018. They are now stuck inside of a psychomagic act with this story as they write the feature script version and confront their own medical transition. As an installation artist, their immersive piece Arcade Amerikana was included in the list of 10 Best Immersive Shows in NYC by Time Out and GOTHAMIST. Lío is currently the producer and creative director of Angels, a developing collection of stone sculptures of transgender humans. The works were first featured as part of a pop-up installation at Outfest LA in 2022, and will be debuted in full at SIZED Gallery LA in 2023. Lío is a co-founder of Voyeur Productions with Russell Kahn and Dulcinee DeGuere. They attended Northwestern University, and are an alumni of the Emerge NYC residency program for artists and activists. Photo credit: Jordan Rossi

Cole Doman is a trained stage and film actor living in Brooklyn, NY. During his time in Chicago, he studied at the School at Steppenwolf under Amy Morton, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Michael Patrick Thornton, and more. Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune named Cole among the "Hot New Faces of Chicago Theater" in 2016. He made his film debut as the titular role in the critically acclaimed HENRY GAMBLE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY directed by Stephen Cone. He has profiles with IndieWire, Brooklyn Magazine, OUT, Milk.xyz, and was featured as one of "Best Breakout Performances of 2016" by The Film Stage. He can also be seen in Alan Ball's UNCLE FRANK (Sundance 2020, Amazon Studios) as young Frank Bledsoe played by Paul Bettany. On television he has appeared in Let the Right One In, Gossip Girl, Modern Family, Law & Order: SVU, Chicago PD, Equal, and Shameless. He developed & stars in the short film Starfuckers (MUBI) directed by Antonio Marziale which was presented in competition at Sundance Film Festival, Berlinale, and Telluride Film Festival. Other forthcoming films include: Matt Fifer’s sophomore feature TREATMENT for AMC’s Shudder and Zia Anger’s debut feature MY FIRST FILM for MUBI. Mostrecently, he starred in the world premiere of Your Own Personal Exegesis by Julia May Jonas at Lincoln Center Theatre, directed by Annie Tippe, for which his performance was lauded by The New York Times and even cartooned by The New Yorker.

[jonathanmoya1955]

Sundance Review: A Real Pain: Reconciling the Eternal Pain of Jewsh Existence

Topic Studios/Fruit Tree Movie info via Sundance Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg (When You Finish Saving the World, 2022 Sundance Film Festival) returns to the Festival with a…

[greensparty]

Hit Man trailer

Very exciting news today: Richard Linklater's new action / comedy Hit Man released a trailer today. After premiering at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, playing numerous fests including tonight's Sundance Film Festival screening, it is going to be released by Netflix on June 7, 2024! I hope it gets a limited theatrical release.

Production began in New Orleans in 2022.  Based on a Texas Monthly article, it was adapted by Linklater and star Glen Powell. Like Linklater's Bernie, it was adapted from an article by Skip Hollandsworth. Linklater has directed Powell in Fast Food Nation, Everybody Wants Some!!, and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (my #1 Movie of 2022). Another co-star of Everybody Wants Some!! Austin Amelio is in the Hitman cast as well. I'm super excited about this release!

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To A Very Sassy But Strong Willed Latina Actress In The 1# Rebooted Supernatural TV Drama Show Of The WB. Charmed ✨

She is Of Puerto Rican 🇵🇷 Descent

 She is an American film and television actress who has appeared in many independent films, including four shown at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. She received Independent Spirit Awards nominations for performances in films A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) and Fruitvale Station (2013). From 2018 to 2022, she appeared as the leading role of witch Mel Vera on the remake television series Charmed on The CW.

Please Wish This Outstanding Latina Actress A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

Ms. Melonie Diaz 🇵🇷 aka Mel Vera Of The Charmed Ones #MelonieDiaz #MelVera #Charmed

[mrs-stans]

@sundancefest: happy birthday daddy FRESH, dir. Mimi Cave Sundance Film Festival 2022

[signalwatch]

Watch Party Watch: Birdemic III - Sea Eagle (2022)

Watched:  02/10/2023

Format:  Amazon Watch Party

Viewing:  First

Director:  James Nguyen

You can't really write about a Birdemic movie as a movie.  You could, I guess.  But what's the point?

A Birdemic film is an experience.  It's there to make you ask an infinite number of questions like: why?  So many "why's?".  So many "what's?".  And "how's?"

Jamie, Steanso and I attended what was one of the very earliest public screenings of the original Birdemic,  It was during a period where I wasn't blogging, so there isn't a record, I guess.  But I do have a record of seeing the sequel.  

That first screening was a profoundly weird experience.  We'll podcast it or something at some point.  But the point is:  Nguyen made the first film completely sincerely as one part sincere romance, one part Hitchcock homage, one part semi-Googled climate catastrophe film.  Nguyen rose to fame during Sundance when he drove to the film festival and drove up and down the main street blasting the sounds of sea gulls out of a mini-van with fake seagulls glued to the outside.  There was a screening in a local bar when curious gawkers finally asked what the hell he was doing.  I'd heard about it, so when the movie was coming to Austin, you bet your ass I went to see it.

It wound up becoming a hipster activity to go and see the movie with Nguyen there for Q&A's.  This went on for a couple of years.  Then, some party gave Nguyen some money to go make a sequel.  This time he indicated he was in on the joke, but I can tell you, from the Q&A - he kind of was not. 

It's been 10 years since that sequel, and I'll be honest - I wondered what James Nguyen was up to.  I have no idea.  But he was not studying up on how one makes a movie.

It's fine.  I watch a healthy number of films, and I'm pretty sure if you have me $30K and said "good luck" you'd get similar, no matter how sincere my efforts.  However, the budget to the sequel is listed at $300K.  

Nguyen did launch an Indiegogo to finance the three-quel, but apparently received about $570.  

This movie picks up some time after the first film, does not acknowledge the second, and lacks Nathalie, who was sort of the fizz in the Topo Chico bottle that was the first movie.  The jump in technology in the ensuing decade should have made shooting something on the cheap far easier, but instead, seems to have given Nguyen all new ways to now know what he's doing.  For the first time, I had to ask:  is this intentional?  But after three minutes of wildly unbalanced shots and I think Dug pointing out he was likely shooting multi-cam via multiple smart phones, the harsh reality of what we were about to see settled in.

You can't really prepare for these movies, because they will find new and exciting ways to confound the viewer while also retaining the insanity of the first two films, which your brain will refuse to hang onto in a meaningful way because dealing with madness is hard.  Both prior films spent a good 1/2 of the movie establishing a romance - no folding it into the A Plot for Nguyen.  But also, we'd receive some environmental awareness messaging to establish the "why?" of the second, thrilling portion of the movie where birds explode into balls of fire after kamikaze dives into hatchbacks.  This movie ups that portion to a full 2/3rds of the runtime, with endless opportunity for our characters (Evan and Kim) to learn all the ways that humans are giving whales and seals cancer.

Evan and Kim are played by two people who I am sure are lovely humans IRL, but may not have received the direction they needed with somewhat limited acting backgrounds.  My assumption is that Nguyen wanted a lot of angles and takes, and if he heard the dialog repeated back to him, good enough. The sun is only up so long, and that's his only lighting source.  Kubrick he is not.

We're still on the "say the dialog exactly as written" tip that gave so much flavor to the first movie, and left every character sounding somewhere between an AI chatbot and Nguyen himself.  If the actors ever knew how to act, walk, or act like normal humans and not NPC's in a 1997 videogame, there's no indication of that here.

Shots exist that are seemingly utterly unmotivated, and they just go on and on. And on.  Driving.  Walking.  Standing there in silence.  Dancing like no one is watching.  Protesting climate change on a weird loop while no one looks on.*

Former Birdemic lead, Rod (played by Alan Bagh) shows up with a new love interest 3/4ths of the way in literally out of nowhere, and he more or less saves the skin of the other actors and the movie.  At this point, he's like "Jesus, another bird attack.  Well, get the hangers."  

Notable is that when Nguyen has an opportunity to say how we could fix the climate crisis, he has an Elon Musk stand-in walk up to the couple (in front of a whale skeleton?) and explain how nanotechnology and space elevators will be what saves us.  which is to say:  (a) Nguyen's messiah is the guy who bought twitter solely to be dickish and spend his time trolling well-meaning dorks and (b) he, himself, has no concept of how to end climate change and did not Google it before writing his script.  

Now, 12 years after the first Birdemic, Nguyen seems to have little to no interest in his female characters.  And he seems perhaps jaded about romance.  But he does still seem to like a good motel room get-away romp.

I can't explain the movie.  I've now watched three of these, and in the world of Tommy Wiseau's, Neil Breens and now countless other auteurs, he still manages to produce a singular type of film.  This one may be smaller and way off balance in the romance/ ecological lecturing/ thriller portion, but that's just one more mystery of the man's oeuvre.  Long may he reign.

*there's no small allegory in that as our actual climate does change and who knows what happens in our seas, the only place you'll find someone passionately discussing this who isn't a small Swedish girl is a Birdemic film where they make it so annoying, you're good with Earth ending

https://ift.tt/CbiKlpH

from The Signal Watch https://ift.tt/uFWnerD

[terrible-eel]

There are 800,000 incarcerated workers in the US, and they do roughly $10 billion worth of work a year, more than $2 billion of it for clients outside the prison system, according to a 2022 study by the American Civil Liberties Union and the University of Chicago. (The lawsuit estimates that the state of Alabama makes over $450 million off of prisoners’ labor.) “We wanted to bring an indictment against the entire system,” says one of the plaintiffs, Robert Earl Council, who goes by the moniker Kinetik Justice. That includes the companies they say profit from making inmates build auto parts, haul beer and ring up Big Macs, thanks to a system that ensures people deemed safe enough to work remain incarcerated and working on the cheap.

Prison labor touches almost every corner of American life. Prisoners farm on former slave plantations in Louisiana and upholster high school auditorium furniture in Massachusetts. They produce Russell Stover chocolates in Kansas and handle DMV customer service calls in New York. In 2014 lawyers for Kamala Harris, then California’s attorney general, argued against easing the state’s parole process because it was so dependent on captive firefighters. During the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, prisoners washed hospital laundry, made masks and dug mass graves. These days, they’re also building more prisons.

Utah’s prison labor agency alone has provided goods or services to hundreds of private clients over the past decade, including the Boy Scouts of America, Cold Stone Creamery, the Nature Conservancy, Smithfield Foods and the Sundance Film Festival, according to documents obtained via a public records request. Earlier this year, an Associated Press investigation found prison labor in the supply chains of dozens of prominent companies including Cargill, Coca-Cola, Kroger, Target and Walmart.

(the whole article is important but i wanted people to see how widespread this is)

Corporate America Never Really Quit Forced Labor

Inmates do billions of dollars of work for companies and governments each year. A landmark lawsuit alleges many are being kept in prison because the business is just too good.

[usacouples]

Marlee Matlin documentary: Actress details abuse at the hands of boyfriend William Hurt

Marlee Matlin has opened up about the abuse she suffered at the hands of an ex-boyfriend early in her career – the late William Hurt who died in 2022 aged 71. The actress, 59, has recalled her experience in the documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23. Matlin met Hurt when he was 35 and she was just 19 while filming the movie…

[cyberbenb]

Ukrainian documentary 'Porcelain War' nominated for Oscar

The Ukrainian documentary “Porcelain War” has been nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Jan. 23.

Directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev, the film tells the story of three Kharkiv artists who joined the Ukrainian army while continuing to create porcelain figurines as an act of cultural resistance during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

True story — these are your Documentary Feature nominees… #Oscars pic.twitter.com/CA44rrfPZ8

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 23, 2025

The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Independent Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix in the documentary competition, and has since earned 45 awards and 31 nominations, including recognition from the U.S. Directors Guild Award.

This marks the second consecutive year a Ukrainian documentary has been nominated for an Oscar. In 2024, Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov's "20 Days in Mariupol" made history as the first Ukrainian film to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

The film, shot during the Russian siege of Mariupol, comprised 30 hours of raw footage documenting the city's destruction and the human suffering caused by the invasion.

To ban Tchaikovsky or not, that is the question

In 2022, Lithuania’s then-Culture Minister Simonas Kairys decided that performing Russian composer Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet “The Nutcracker” was no longer an appropriate way to celebrate the Christmas season. Lithuania is a staunch supporter of Ukraine, and Kairys, believing that R…

The Kyiv IndependentIan Buruma