Cinema Royale #86- 'Taken 3', 'Inherent Vice'; 'Selma' Interview with Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo

Happy New Year! Cinema Royale is kicking 2015 off right with a huge show! First off, my homie up north Christopher Bumbray joins me to talk about the latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson, the drugged-out detective comedy Inherent Vice! Plus it all ends here for Liam Neeson in Taken 3!

Plus, with the incredible Martin Luther King Jr. film Selma expanding into more theaters, Cinema Royale is joined by writer/director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo to talk about the making of this important civil rights drama.

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'Selma' Interview with Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo

Is Ava DuVernay's Selma the best picture of the year? Judging by the heaps of praise from critics, including from yours truly, and the multiple awards nominations, it certainly seems like it is. The road to DuVernay's inspiring look at a few months in the life of Martin Luther King Jr. has been a long and tough one. But it's also been immensely rewarding both for her and star David Oyelowo, who had the challenge of embodying the civil rights leader.

Along with my Addicted to Film partner in crime, Tim Gordon, I had a chance to talk with DuVernay (who is apparently a big fan of the show) and Oyelowo about the making of Selma, the changes the project underwent, and the privilege of telling King's incredible story.

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Interview: Gina Prince-Bythewood and Nate Parker Talk 'Beyond the Lights'

In 2000 Gina Prince-Bythewood gave us one of the great modern love stories in Love & Basketball, a film that starred two up and coming African-American actors in Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It took eight years before her next feature, The Secret Life of Bees, but what her fans had really been aching for was another insightful, passionate romance, and the wait is finally over with this weekend's release of Beyond the Lights.

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who earned rave reviews earlier this year for Belle, and Nate Parker who has been great in everything from The Great Debaters to Ain't them Bodies Saints, the film is set against the backdrop of the music industry, following the romance that brews between a troubled singer and a protective LA cop. With my Addicted to Film colleague Tim Gordon, I had the chance to speak with Prince-Bythewood and Parker about the long wait between her movies, the difficulty in getting studios to support romance films with African-American stars, and much more.  You can check out my review of Beyond the Lights here, and watch the interview below!


Interview: Gina Prince-Bythewood & Nate Parker of 'Beyond the Lights' by Punch Drunk Critics

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Interview with 'Goodish' Director, Amanda Patterson

In a few short hours I'll be speeding down to Charlottesville for the Virginia Film Festival, one of my favorite events of the year for a number of reasons. Not only is it a chance to spend four days in Charlottesville, a place I love, but the diverse slate of films (not to mention a couple of sweet late night parties) are always a lot of fun. While there are plenty of potential Oscar contenders (The Theory of Everything, Foxcatcher, and Wild among them this year), the best part is discovering some of the homegrown talent that I may not have heard of.

One of the films I'm really looking forward to is Goodish, a relationship comedy from co-writer/co-director Amanda Patterson. A VA native raised in Herndon but now living in Charlottesville, Amanda developed the film as a way of exploring whether it's possible for friends to have sex and still remain friends...especially if it's bad. I had a chance to talk with Amanda about making her directorial debut with Goodish, presenting it at her first VA Film Festival, her experiences at LightHouse Studio mentoring young filmmakers, and the insanity of the Adrenaline Film Project which she's also a part of.

You can listen to my interview with Amanda Patterson below, followed by a trailer for Goodish.

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Interview: 'Dear White People' Director Justin Simien Talks Racism, Comparisons to Spike Lee, and More

No other film has inspired more questions to me from friends, family, and casual moviegoers this year than Justin Simien's debut feature, Dear White People. Even before I saw it at the Sundance Film Festival premiere, there had been a growing buzz about the comedy with the provocative, in-your-face title, and that hasn't subsided in the least. The film, which takes place at a fictional elite university where race relations are at a boiling point, presents a satirical look at racism in the Obama era. It comes at an interesting time when when universities are seeing an explosion of these "hip-hop parties" with white people decked out in blackface and perpetuating black stereotypes. It comes at a time when we have politicians using code words as cover for their racist policies.

In short, Dear White People couldn't come at a better time, and it promises to spark a discussion on the issue of race in the same way the early films of Spike Lee did. Along with Tim Gordon, I had a chance to talk with Simien about those comparisons to Lee, his thoughts on racism and prejudice he's personally faced as a gay black man, and much more. You can check out my Dear White People review here, and listen to the interview below.

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Interview: Miles Teller, Paul Reiser, and Damien Chazelle Talk 'Whiplash'

Right now it's really good to be Miles Teller. He's been dubbed the next big thing at two consecutive Sundance Film Festivals, starting with last year's powerful teen romance, The Spectacular Now, for which he and Shailene Woodley shared dramatic acting awards. This year he came back swinging in Whiplash, playing a jazz drumming protege at the mercy of his ruthless instructor, played by J.K. Simmons. And since then, things have only gotten better with major roles in Fantastic Four and the boxing biopic, Bleed for This.

In my opinion, it'll be Whiplash that pushes him to the next level. He gives a commanding, physical performance and the intense interactions he has with Simmons are amazing. I had a chance to take part in a roundtable interview with Teller, co-stars Paul Reiser and Austin Stowell, and writer/director Damien Chazelle about Whiplash. Sine first seeing the film at Sundance I've been expecting that it would be a fall season powerhouse, but often the gap of time in-between causes the festival buzz to die out. That hasn't happened in this case and the anticipation for it has only gotten greater. Check out the interview below, and my review of Whiplash here.

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Interview: David Dobkin Talks 'The Judge', Working with Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, and More

This weekend Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall square off in the family/courtroom drama, The Judge. It's a chance to see a version of Downey Jr. that we haven't seen in a long time, but it's also a new path for director, David Dobkin, who is best known for comedies such as Wedding Crashers and The Change-Up.  A Washington, DC native who attended Walt Whitman High School, Dobkin sat down with me and my Addicted to Film partner Tim Gordon to talk about directing The Judge, working with two such talented stars, and his childhood in the area.

The Judge opens in theaters Oct. 10th and you can check out my review here.

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Interview: Jeremy Renner and Michael Cuesta talk 'Kill the Messenger'

In the '90s San Jose Mercury News journalist Gary Webb exposed one of this country's deepest, darkest secrets....and practically nobody heard a thing about it. Webb discovered the link between the CIA and the influx of cocaine into the United States from Nicaraguan rebels, and for exposing that connection he became a target of the government and a pariah to his peers in the press. The story of how his professional and personal life were destroyed is captured in Kill the Messenger, a drama opening this week with Renner in the role of Webb, and Michael Cuesta (Homeland) directing.

Along with my Addicted to Film colleague Tim Gordon I had a chance to sit down with both Renner and Cuesta to talk about Kill the Messenger, depicting such a tragic real-life figure, and the evolution (or devolution) of journalism in recent years.

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Cinema Royale #77- The Maze Runner

On this week's Cinema Royale, Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone, True Detective) joins in to talk about her new film, the heartfelt military drama Fort Bliss. Directed by Claudia Myers, the film centers on a decorated soldier trying to reconnect with her son after an extended tour overseas.

Plus, our resident YA expert +Sandie Angulo Chen  gives her thoughts on this week's big film, The Maze Runner, starring Teen Wolf's Dylan O'Brien!

Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network and brings you movie reviews and news straight from the Nation's Capital! Go to www.cinemaroyaleshow.com and subscribe for free, or find the show on ITunes, TuneIn, and the Cinema Royale app!

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Interview: Michelle Monaghan Talks 'Fort Bliss', Balancing Parenthood and Duty, and More

We're so accustomed to seeing Michelle Monaghan in supporting roles, usually in romantic comedies, that we forget just how talented she really is. Leading dramatic roles haven't come often but when they have Monaghan has knocked them out of the park. In 2006 she earned a great deal of praise for her performance in Trucker, and she's earning equally strong reviews for Fort Bliss. Directed by Claudia Myers, the film stars Monaghan as a decorated Army medic who returns home after a 15-month tour only to have trouble acclimating to civilian life. Her 5-year-old son barely recognizes her, her ex-husband has a new woman, and another deployment looms on the horizon.

Authenticity abounds both in front of and behind the camera. Myers spent years directing short films for the U.S. military, while Monaghan worked closely with soldiers and parents to get a sense for how they've dealt with the pull of parenthood and duty. The film also deals with the subject of sexual assault against female servicewomen, a problem that has been revealed to be all too common of late. Along with my colleague Tim Gordon, I had a chance to talk with Monaghan about Fort Bliss, what she learned while researching the film, and working with Myers on her debut feature.

Fort Bliss is in theaters now. You can check out my review here.

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Interview: Ned Benson Talks 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby'

Talk about a stroke of luck. It was more than a decade ago that writer/director Ned Benson met Jessica Chastain after one of his short films premiered at a barely-attended film festival. After the movie showed, a girl ran up to him and declared that she really wanted to work with him. That girl was Chastain, who at the time was just another struggling, unknown actress. The rest is pretty much history, with Benson and Chastain collaborating over the years on The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, an ambitious, emotionally tough story of a crumbling marriage.

Originally designed as a two-part romantic piece told from his and her perspectives, Benson pieced together a third arc titled "Them" that expands into more theaters this week. Along with Keeping it Reel's Tim Gordon, I had a chance to talk with Benson about The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, working with Chastain and James McAvoy on the film, and the decision to construct a third version of the story.

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Cinema Royale #76- 'The Drop'; 'Wetlands', Ned Benson Interview

On this week's Cinema Royale we're joined by writer/director Ned Benson whose romance drama The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby has been building up buzz going into the awards season. The ambitious film stars Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, centering on a crumbling relationship in the wake of tragedy.

Plus we'll look at the anticipated crime drama, The Drop, starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, and James Gandolfini in his final performance. With a script by Dennis Lehane and direction by Michael Roskam (Bullhead), could The Drop by a potential Oscar sleeper? We'll also look at the most disgusting rom-com you're probably never going to see, Wetlands!

We'll also have news on Iron Man 4, Ghostbusters 3, a Teen Titans series, and much more! Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network and brings you movie reviews and news straight from the Nation's Capital! Go to www.cinemaroyaleshow.com and subscribe for free, or find the show on ITunes, TuneIn, and the Cinema Royale app!

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Interview: Daniel Schechter Talks Elmore Leonard Adaptation 'Life of Crime'

Out of Sight, Get Shorty, Jackie Brown...many have brought the popular crime novels of Elmore Leonard to the big with varying degrees of success. But none of them had the guts to adapt one one of his books on a whim and pray the author liked it enough to green light a movie. That's what Daniel Schechter did with Life of Crime, which the author gave his stamp of approval to before passing away shortly thereafter. Based on Leonard's book The Switch, a sorta-prequel to Jackie Brown, the crime comedy stars John Hawkes, Yasiin "Mos Def" Bey, Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, Isla Fisher, Will Forte, and Mark Boone Jr. in the story of two petty criminals who plot to kidnap a rich businessman's wife and claim the ransom. When they realize the mark has a sexy young mistress it becomes clear he'd be perfectly happy if his wife disappeared forever.

Life of Crime marks the biggest film from Schechter, who last directed the charming indie Supporting Characters. I had a chance to talk with him about making the move to a much larger studio effort, his love for Leonard's work, and whether he sees a similarity between his film and Tarantino's Jackie Brown.

Listen to my interview with Schechter below, then check out my review here. Life of Crime is in theaters now.

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Comic-Con: Alexandre Aja Talks Directing Daniel Radcliffe in 'Horns'

It might be hard to believe but when Daniel Radcliffe appears at San Diego Comic-Con this Friday for the Horns panel, it will be his first time ever at the event. With all the people who have been dressed up as Harry Potter over the years the actual Potter has never attended. But this won't be the first Comic-Con for director Alexandre Aja, who most will recognize from horrors The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, and High Tension. Horns is an adaptation of Joe Hill's novel, a blend a horror and mystery that follows Ig Parrish, a boy who makes a deal with the devil and grows powerful horns on his head capable of forcing others to confess their sins. Parrish uses them to learn the truth behind the murder of his girlfriend.

I had a chance to talk with Aja about Horns, his panel at Comic-Con, and of course what it was like working alongside Radcliffe. 

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'Guardians of the Galaxy' Writer Nicole Perlman Talks Raccoons, Comic-Con, and Working for Marvel

Chris Pratt. Vin Diesel. Bradley Cooper. Zoe Saldana. Dave Bautista. James Gunn. Nicole Perlman? We aren't hearing a lot about Perlman but she was the very first one to write Guardians of the Galaxy, laying the groundwork for Marvel's oddball team of intergalactic heroes. After a couple of highly regarded sci-fi scripts she got her break as part of the Marvel screenwriting labs, which is where she first pitched an idea for Guardians of the Galaxy and things took off from there. She's worked on a couple of other potential Marvel projects since, including a Black Widow script, but Guardians of the Galaxy is her big film debut.

With San Diego Comic-Con looming on the horizon, I had a chance to talk with Perlman about Guardians of the Galaxy; why she chose them specifically; and what it's like working in a field largely dominated by guys. She also discusses the decision to put Rocket Raccoon in the film, and what she hopes to work on next for Marvel.

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Interview: Rob Reiner Talks Directing Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton in 'And So It Goes'

Few directors can boast quite so many beloved films on his resume as Rob Reiner. The director, once the target of Archie Bunker's scorn as Meathead in All in the Family, built an impressive string of hits with movies like This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, and The Princess Bride. He also helped define the modern romantic comedy with When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, and with Reiner's latest film And So It Goes he returns to that genre for a tale of starting over and giving love a second chance. Michael Douglas stars as a curmudgeonly real estate agent and widower whose retirement plans are stymied by the arrival of a granddaughter he never knew existed. Diane Keaton plays his neurotic neighbor and potential love interest.

I had a chance to speak with Reiner about And So It Goes, working Douglas and Keaton on the film, and his philosophy on making movies now when big budget studio projects dominate the market. And So It Goes opens in theaters this Friday, July 25th.

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Cinema Royale #69- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Prepare for Dawn! On this week's Cinema Royale we'll look at the highly anticipated sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, pitting Caesar and his simian army against a band of human survivors played by Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and Keri Russell.

Plus, Hoop Dreams director Steve James talks to Cinema Royale about his moving documentary on the late Roger Ebert, Life Itself. +Elias Savada of Film Threat joins me for one of my favorite episodes yet, so I hope you enjoy it, too!

Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network and brings you movie reviews and news straight from the Nation's Capital! Go to www.cinemaroyaleshow.com and subscribe, and while there consider signing up for the premium service for more content and to be entered in our monthly prize drawing.

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Interview: Steve James On His Acclaimed Roger Ebert Documentary 'Life Itself'

Twenty years ago nobody had ever heard of Steve James. He had directed a few documentaries which few had seen, but he had just completed what would become the film that would make his career, the basketball documentary Hoop Dreams. Turns out he and the film would need a little push to get the deserved attention, and with a few words in a glowing review, Roger Ebert gave that push. Hoop Dreams would go on to win an Oscar for Best Documentary, with James calling Ebert the man who sparked his career.

It was fitting that James would be the one to direct Life Itself, based on Ebert's memoir chronicling the career and relationships that defined the legendary film critic, writer, author, and television personality. It's a powerful film, one made more poignant by Ebert's ongoing battle with cancer while filming was taking place. It was a battle Ebert would ultimately lose, but James soldiered on and completed the movie as a lasting tribute to his friend.

My colleague Tim Gordon and I had a chance to sit down and talk with Steve James about Life Itself for our show, Addicted to Film. During our conversation he spoke about the influence Ebert had on him personally and professionally, how he dealt with Ebert's passing, what he learned about Ebert's relationship with Gene Siskel, and much more. Life Itself is in theaters now and available On Demand here.

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Interview: Joe Manganiello Talks Male Stripper Doc 'La Bare', 'True Blood', and Why He Wasn't in 'Man of Steel'

What many may not know about Joe Manganiello, since they're probably too busy staring at his abs on True Blood or in his role as "Big Dick" in Magic Mike, is that he's a classically trained actor with a longstanding goal of being a director. Those dreams were finally achieved with La Bare, a documentary inspired by his experiences researching for and starring in Magic Mike. The film gives us a backstage look at the lives of male strippers at the world famous La Bare nightclub in Dallas, and attempts to break down some of the facades about the business and the people in it. Manganiello directed every frame and financed the picture fully to show his commitment, and one of the things he found is that Magic Mike was just as much an influence on the dancers as they were on it.

I had a chance to talk with Manganiello about La Bare, what drove him to choose this subject for his directorial debut, and what he learned about the profession's true nature.  He also discusses why he didn't get the Superman role in Man of Steel, the future of True Blood and plans for after the show concludes.

La Bare opens on Friday, July 4th exclusively at the Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market.

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Interview: Astro Talks 'Earth to Echo', Future Plans, and His Love of Spike Lee Movies

It's been a few years since 17-year-old Brian Bradley, nicknamed "Astro", made a splash as a contestant on The X-Factor. The Brownsville rapper used his popularity on that show to move to an even bigger stage, that of major Hollywood movies. Beginning his career with a small role on CBS' Person of Interest, he's making his feature film debut today in the family-friendly fantasy adventure, Earth to Echo, about a group of friends who discover a lost alien in search of a way home.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Astro about Earth to Echo, how he's coping with the grueling press tour, and his future plans which include a role opposite Liam Neeson in A Walk Among the Tombstones and a leading part in Fox's Red Band Society. He also talked about his love of Spike Lee movies and hopes of working with the director some day. You can check out the interview below and also read my review of Earth to Echo here.

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