Last week the good folks at IFFBoston’s Screening Series brought writer-director Jeremy Saulnier to the Coolidge Corner Theatre for an early peek at Green Room, his new white-knuckle thriller about a punk gig gone horrifically awry. After the show, the Blue Ruin filmmaker took questions from a rattled crowd. Here are some edited highlights of the conversation:
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL * *
Starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Jaeden Lieberher and Adam Driver. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols.
BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE * 1/2
Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg and Gal Gadot. Screenplay by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer. Directed by Zack Snyder.
“For this Kelly Reichardt super-fan, finally seeing River Of Grass twenty-two years after the fact feels a bit like happening upon a yearbook picture of an old friend dressed in adorably dated fashions. It’s a wicked ’90s indie movie, serving as a nifty time capsule of certain cinematic trends that were on their way out plus some others that we’re still putting up with.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 03/18/2016
Had a terrific time sitting in with fellow Boston Online Film Critics Association members Kris Jenson and Dave Riedel as they spoiled what’s inside J.J. Abrams’ latest mystery box for me. We also expressed our frustrations with Terrence Malick’s recent pictures and for some reason talked a lot about James Woods. – Spoilerpiece Theatre, 03/11/2016
THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY * * 1 / 2
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher and Penelope Cruz. Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen, Phil Johnston and Peter Baynham. Directed by Louis Leterrier.
KNIGHT OF CUPS * *
Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Imogen Poots and Brian Dennehy. Written and directed by Terrence Malick.
Talking with fellow Boston Online Film Critics Association members Bob Chipman and Steve Head about this month’s repertory offerings. Topics include Zsigmond’s lens flares, the peculiar mysteries of Australian stardom and whether or not J.J. Abrams might be an alien. – BOFCA, 03/01/2016
TRIPLE 9 * * *
Starring Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson and Kate Winslet. Screenplay by Matt Cook. Directed by John Hillcoat.
“Writer-director Ryan Coogler remembers. Balboa’s back with the hat, the leather jacket and the bouncy ball, mumbling malapropisms to anyone within earshot. Rocky has endured for so long in the hearts of moviegoers because he’s a character completely lacking in guile, a fighter without a mean bone in his body.” – The Muriel Awards, 02/20/2016
