The last time we spoke with David Wingo, he was wrapping up work on Loving, the latest in a series of continuous collaborations with friend and director Jeff Nichols. Their relationship has resulted in some standout music in films like Take Shelter and Midnight Special. Since then, Wingo has taken a crack at TV shows. Musicians don’t like being pigeon-holed, and lucky for Wingo that Kidding and Barry couldn’t be any further removed from each other. Last month, Scott Z. Burns‘ film, The Report, hit theaters (and is now on Amazon Prime). It’s a riveting thriller (based on actual events) that follows idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones who, tasked…
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Interview…Composer Rendra Zawawi on the Emotion and Empowerment of ‘M for Malaysia’
Rendra Zawawi is an award-winning composer, songwriter and music producer. He composed the song “Arena Cahaya” for the 2016 Malaysian sports football film, Ola Bola, which won Best Film Song at the 2017 Malaysian Film Festival and a Golden Horse Award for Best OriginalTheme Song at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. Rendra’s credits include working with Emmy-winning composer Mac Quayle on shows including Mr. Robot, FEUD: Bette and Joan, 9-1-1, FOX’s Scream Queens and Netflix’s The Politician. Rendra also contributed additional music to American Horror Story and American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. He most recently scored the drama documentary M for Malaysia, which was selected as…
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Interview…Michael Abbott Jr. on the Absurd Humor and Honest Characters in ‘The Death of Dick Long’
As far as actors go, Michael Abbott Jr. is as down to earth as they come. He’s a family man, a fine actor, and the kind of person you’d just enjoy having a beer with. He stars in Daniel Scheinert’s sophomore film, which, after Swiss Army Man, this is the only logical step for the director. Title notwithstanding, A24’s The Death of Dick Long is a strange film. It’s a crock pot full of themes and characters taking a swing at multiple genres – drama, noir, comedy – and knocking every pitch right out of the park. We spoke to Michael over the phone where he let on that the…
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Video Interview…Alisha Wainwright and Jason Ritter Discuss Themes and Characters of ‘Raising Dion’
This week, the stars of Raising Dion were in Dallas to promote their new Netflix show. It is so good! Adapted from a comic book of the same name, this is a wonderful and engaging story of a single mother dealing with her 8 year-old son, Dion, who just so happens to have super powers. There is a lot of heart in this sci-fi drama which is light and funny, but it also deals with some tough issues. Enjoy our time with Alisha Wainwright and Jason Ritter as we talk about the themes in the show, what they brought to their characters, and, of all things, funny ring tones. It…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…’The Wave’ Director and Writer Discuss Time-travel and the Balance of the Universe
When we look to the stars, and wonder about our purpose on Earth, we probably ask the same things: Why are we here? What is it all about? Is there more to the day-in, day-out routine? Well, I’m sorry to say that I can’t answer that for you. However, director Gille Klabin and writer/producer Carl Lucas try their best to provide answers to those nebulous questions. Wait. How can they do that what Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan couldn’t? Easy: they use time-travel and drugs. What a concept! In all seriousness, The Wave is a simple story about one man trying to find his place in the world and if…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Martin Krejčí on ‘The True Adventures of Wolfboy’
While at Fantastic Fest, it’s not often you find feel-good, heart-warming yarns amid the plethora of films about yakuza, murderers, zombies or other genre staples. But The True Adventures of Wolfboy is as unexpected as it is honest, and it’s a wondrous take on the “it’s ok to be you” type of film. After all, would you have icons of the indie film scene like Chris Messina or John Turturro if it wasn’t a quality story? Didn’t think so. The film is about a 13 year-old boy, Paul (played by prolific young actor Jaeden Martell), who suffers from hypertrichosis — which covers him with animal-like fur. He knows he’s not…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Alexandre O. Philippe on ‘Memory: The Origins of Alien’
For four decades, the world, characters and mythology of Alien have permeated the minds (and nightmares) of film fans across the globe. In his latest doc, director Alexandre O. Philippe looks at all the titles that influenced young Dan O’Bannon, scribe of the 1979 horro classic, and how the film forever captured and changed the mindset of the public. The documentary takes fans on an exploration of the mythical underpinnings of Alien. It is supported by exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, unearthing the largely untold origin story behind Ridley Scott‘s cinematic masterpiece, and reveals a treasure trove of never-before-seen materials from the archives of “Alien” creators Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger – including original story notes, rejected designs…
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Exclusive: Interview…Mac Quayle Brings Guitars and Gun Fighter Gusto to Netflix’s ‘The Politician’
Composer Mac Quayle is a musician we’ve followed for years. And if you’ve kept up with his output, he’s quite hard to keep track of. One thing is for sure: Mac is very busy and very much in demand. He’s recently worked on four seasons of American Horror Story, as well as Mr. Robot, Feud: Bette and Joan, Pose and now he’s venturing into Netflix territory. The common thread between him and his prolific output is the equally prolific Ryan Murphy. One thing Mac prides himself on is the distinctive palette he creates and brings to each project. In the case of a show like AHS, that palette changes from…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…’WYRM’ Director and Producer on the Awkward Quirkiness of Adolescence
It’s not easy growing up. If it’s not someone telling you what to do and how to do it, there’s plenty of stress we can put on ourselves that are only exacerbated by the insecurities we have trying to “fit in”. So enter technology to that mix and you can easily identify (or empathize) with Wyrm. Yes, that is his real name, and in Christopher Winterbauer‘s coming-of-age film, the titular character navigates the societal norms as well as the loss of a family member. In this strangely futuristic yet analog alternate universe, the above pictured lonely, dinosaur-obsessed youth struggles to complete a unique school requirement or risk being held back…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman and Michael C. Hall on ‘In the Shadow of the Moon’
Fantastic Fest 2019 was packed to the gills with insane films, hotly anticipated titles, and legendary actors in large and small scale pictures. There were also a trio of Netflix titles from some pretty big directors making their premiere at the Fest. One of those is In the Shadow of the Moon which is directed by Jim Mickle (We Are What We Are, Stake Land, and Cold in July). Mickle’s latest is a brilliant hybrid of science fiction and a detective yarn. It’s also headlined by some very accomplished thespians, and we got to chat with them about the themes and concepts in this high-concept familial drama. Enjoy our time…
