What is art? Is it a reflection of real life, or a fabrication of it? Often times, it can be tough to discern, but when it’s the former it can be far more impacting. So on that note, we present the upcoming IFC Films feature from hard-hitting Aussie filmmaker Justin Kurzel (True History of the Kelly Gang, The Snowtown Murders) who is adept at adapting tough subject matter. This film is headlined by wondrously complicated character actor Caleb Landry Jones. Having spoken to both Jones and Kurzel over the years, I have to say that if there are two individuals capable of commanding such a complicated vehicle, it’s these two…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…’Antiviral’ Writer/Director Brandon Cronenberg & Star Caleb Landry Jones
David Cronenberg…it’s likely you know the name, and if you do then you know what it means. Synonymous with weird, wild and WTF, his films (Scanners, The Fly, Naked Lunch) are incredibly well-crafted, albeit tough to understand at times. Sometimes, in the case of something like Videodrome, his message can be unsettlingly prophetic. But now there’s a new kid in town carrying the wonky torch for the family, oneBrandon Cronenberg and if you’ve seen his film Antiviral (check out our review!) then you know the apple doesn’t fall far from that creatively warped tree. Brandon makes his feature film debut as both writer and director. His film, Antiviral, is a dark and eerie satire on society’s obsession with celebrity that…
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[Fantastic Fest Review]…Antiviral
With this being his first feature film (beyond his two written/directed short films), like his father before him Brandon Cronenberg is no stranger to an odd style of filmmaking. That is to say with Antiviral, despite what Brandon says in the Q&A about not wanting to make a film like his father, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Right off the bat, family name not withstanding, Antiviral will be a tough sell for most audiences. Yet, underlying all the weird and macabre elements and a brutally focused performance from Caleb Landry Jones is something brilliant. Like Videodrome, this Cronenberg takes a common societal theme and analyzes it under such scrutiny that the result is a wild exaggeration of celebrity…
