Downsizing, review: Mini We Once in a while, a movie comes along that renews our faith in creative writing and the ability of cinema to rise above its own decadence. Maybe it took a dozen ‘shrink’, ‘little’ and ‘antman’ films, from 1957 to 2015, to inspire the writers of Downsizing, the title itself a pun, but the resulting effort has a fresh new feel about it. After setting up a very interesting premise and some smooth as silk spellbinding VFX, the film th...

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent For everybody who loved the DESCENDANTS with George Clooney, but thought it was too sad, or loved SIDEWAYS with Paul Giamatt but not that comedic mean streak of Alexander Payne, here comes something to really love. It’s called DOWNSIZING from Paramount, directed by Payne and co-written with Jim Taylor. This new comedy stars Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig and Hong Chau from INHERENT VICE. If it sounds like “Honey, I ...

Of the many questions Alexander Payne's Nebraska raises about American individualism, the most urgent is, How to rein in Bruce Dern's unruly grey hair? On deeper reflection, the answer has to be: you don't. That wiry growth is his mane. Dern plays Woody Grant, a grizzled Midwesterner whose driving privileges and lucidity have gone the way of the mustang. Woody has been bucking for the cause of freedom as far back as the Korean War. Now freedom's frontier cuts through Linco...

By Maria Esteves – October 18, 2011 The 49th New York Film Festival 2011(NYFF 2011) presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center press screening of The Descendants, directed by Academy award-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne was held at Lincoln Center’s Gilman Theater, Sunday, October 15, 11:30 AM. A live press conference immediately followed with director Alexander Payne, casts members Amara Miller (Scottie King), Beau Bridges (cousin Hugh), George Clooney (Matt King), Judy Greer (Jul...

By Maria Esteves – October 18, 2011 The 49th New York Film Festival 2011(NYFF 2011) Closing Night Premiere of The Descendants, directed by Academy award-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne commenced Sunday, October 16, 2011, 9:00 PM at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, red carpet arrivals included industry executives, festival directors, cast and crew: director Alexander Payne, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges, George Clooney, Judy Greer, Matthew ...

By Maria Esteves – September 27, 2011 The 49th Annual 2011 New York Film Festival (NYFF2011) commence Friday, September 30 - Sunday, October 16, 2011 at Alice Tully Hall and the Walter Reade Theater, New York. Presented by The Film Society of Lincoln Center, NYFF annually showcase the best in international, classic, and cutting-edge independent cinema. This year’s Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Night films are North American Premiere of CARNAGE, directed by Roman Polanski, MY WEEK...