Red Arrow Entertainment Group, the content arm of German mass media company ProSiebenSat.1, has acquired a majority stake in independent distributor Gravitas Ventures. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and all Gravitas employees will be retained. Gravitas is an indie stalwart, whose founder and CEO Nolan Gallagher has appeared on numerous lists ranking influencers in film and digital media. The company also includes executives Michael Murphy and Brendan Gallagher. Also Read: Sundance: 'Legion of Brothers' Acquired By Gravitas Ventures Notable releases include an earlier documentary about comedian Bill Hicks, a 2015 doc called “Peace Officer” which won the SXSW Grand Jury Prize.
- 11/8/2017
- by Matt Pressberg and Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Indie distributor Gravitas Ventures has been snapped up by Red Arrow International, an arm of Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1. As part of the majority stake transaction announced today, all Gravitas Ventures employees will be retained and topper Nolan Gallagher, Michael Murphy and Brendan Gallagher will remain minority owners and continue to run the business. No terms were disclosed. In December, Gravitas had hired investment bank Salem Partners to look for a buyer. Gravitas…...
- 11/8/2017
- Deadline TV
Indie distributor Gravitas Ventures has been snapped up by Red Arrow International, an arm of Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1. As part of the majority stake transaction announced today, all Gravitas Ventures employees will be retained and topper Nolan Gallagher, Michael Murphy and Brendan Gallagher will remain minority owners and continue to run the business. No terms were disclosed. In December, Gravitas had hired investment bank Salem Partners to look for a buyer. Gravitas…...
- 11/8/2017
- Deadline
Irritating. Irksome. Infuriating. Maybe even: “I hate this.” These are some of the words several iOS users couldn’t use this weekend when describing the iPhone’s inability to type a capital “I” on their keyboards. But alas, you or a friend, or someone you saw on social media likely ran into this issue. Also Read: Lamar Odom Is 'Doing Well' After Collapsing at Hollywood Nightclub Hey @Apple I’d like to type the singular letter “eye” without the letter A and this god forsaken question mark in a box replacing it — Kirbie (@kirbiejohnson) November 3, 2017 This is a hilarious iOS 11 bug pic.
- 11/6/2017
- by Sean Burch
- The Wrap
[[tmz:video id="0_72tov13p"]] Eli Manning is a convicted road menace! For real ... the NY Giants quarterback was in a New Jersey courtroom Wednesday where he was actually found Guilty of the heinous crime of driving on the shoulder. For shame!!!!! TMZ Sports has confirmed Manning was pulled over on May 24 when cops saw him driving on the shoulder on the Jersey turnpike to get around bad traffic so he could get to the next off-ramp. We're told he...
- 6/28/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Jovan Adepo is known for his role as Michael Murphy in the popular HBO television series “The Leftovers.”He also appeared as Cory Maxson in the 2016 film adaptation of “Fences.” While Jovan is still a fairly new face to Hollywood, he’s becoming popular with viewers and is steadily building a fan base. He shows promise of building a great career in acting and has kicked off his journey with a steady stream of gigs. Here are five things that you didn’t know about Jovan Adepo. 1. He is British-American Jovan was born in 1988 in the upper part of Heyford,
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Jovan Adepo...
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Jovan Adepo...
- 6/8/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
A post shared by chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) on May 29, 2017 at 3:58am Pdt When you hang out with your friends, you might get brunch or binge your favorite TV shows, but when Chris Pratt and John Krasinski get together, they prefer to sweat. A lot. The actors, who both bulked up for their respective roles as soldiers in Zero Dark Thirty and 13 Hours, honored America's armed forces on Memorial Day by doing a Murph workout. The intense challenge is an ode to Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 and loved doing this workout set in particular (a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and another one-mile run). "Michael Murphy was a Navy Seal, one of the many in uniform who gave his life for our country," Chris says in an Instagram video, which shows both him and John dripping sweat. "It's days like today when we just commemorate all those fallen heroes,...
- 5/30/2017
- by Quinn Keaney
- Popsugar.com
Distribution and sales veteran Scott Kaplan has joined Gravitas Ventures as senior vice-president of global sales.
Kaplan will be based in New York and report to Gravitas president Michael Murphy, licensing new releases and library titles to international buyers.
“We see traditional international sales as complementary to our global licensing business,” Murphy told Screen. “We want to be able to give our filmmakers the best of both worlds to maximize revenue and exposure.”
Kaplan most recently served as senior vice-president of global sales at Gunpowder & Sky Distribution, and served in the same capacity at FilmBuff, which Gunpowder & Sky acquired last year.
“In addition to having great sales acumen, Scott brings a critical expertise to our team,” Murphy said. “He has a great eye for global acquisitions. In the last few years we’ve seen strong international growth and with the addition of Scott we’re going to step on the gas to further increase global awareness.”
Kaplan...
Kaplan will be based in New York and report to Gravitas president Michael Murphy, licensing new releases and library titles to international buyers.
“We see traditional international sales as complementary to our global licensing business,” Murphy told Screen. “We want to be able to give our filmmakers the best of both worlds to maximize revenue and exposure.”
Kaplan most recently served as senior vice-president of global sales at Gunpowder & Sky Distribution, and served in the same capacity at FilmBuff, which Gunpowder & Sky acquired last year.
“In addition to having great sales acumen, Scott brings a critical expertise to our team,” Murphy said. “He has a great eye for global acquisitions. In the last few years we’ve seen strong international growth and with the addition of Scott we’re going to step on the gas to further increase global awareness.”
Kaplan...
- 4/27/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
It’s been one helluva life for Frankie Ballard – and now he has someone to share it with.
The country singer wed girlfriend Christina Murphy Sunday in an evening ceremony in Bee Cave, Texas, and couldn’t be happier.
“Chrissy is my partner,” Ballard tells People exclusively. “She fills in all the gaps in my personality, and loves me in a way that makes my spirit dance. I now have the strength of 10 men, but at the same time, I’m humbled by such a pure gift from God.”
The nuptials took place at 5 p.m. at the Star Hill Ranch,...
The country singer wed girlfriend Christina Murphy Sunday in an evening ceremony in Bee Cave, Texas, and couldn’t be happier.
“Chrissy is my partner,” Ballard tells People exclusively. “She fills in all the gaps in my personality, and loves me in a way that makes my spirit dance. I now have the strength of 10 men, but at the same time, I’m humbled by such a pure gift from God.”
The nuptials took place at 5 p.m. at the Star Hill Ranch,...
- 3/17/2017
- by Lindsay Kimble
- PEOPLE.com
Andrea Ricca is a one-man band. He wrote, directed, and edited the short film The Ouija Board Secret, which kicks off today’s Horror Highlights! Also: listen to a new episode of The Splathouse, new images from the anthology series Dark/Web, and photos from FX’s Legion Where?House event.
Watch the Short Film The Ouija Board Secret: “The Ouija Board Secret” is an independent short film that was produced by only one person: the director Andrea Ricca who did the scripting, shooting, acting, editing, special effects, 3d modellation, and animation.
Andrea Ricca is an independent director who has realized, since 1998, some science fiction and horror short movies. They reached 14 million views online and were welcomed positively by international reviews such as the historical “Hammer Film”, the English “SFX UK”, the french “Ecran Fantastique”, “Starburst” and many more (Horror Society, Dread Central, Horror Movie.CA, Harrow In The Head,...
Watch the Short Film The Ouija Board Secret: “The Ouija Board Secret” is an independent short film that was produced by only one person: the director Andrea Ricca who did the scripting, shooting, acting, editing, special effects, 3d modellation, and animation.
Andrea Ricca is an independent director who has realized, since 1998, some science fiction and horror short movies. They reached 14 million views online and were welcomed positively by international reviews such as the historical “Hammer Film”, the English “SFX UK”, the french “Ecran Fantastique”, “Starburst” and many more (Horror Society, Dread Central, Horror Movie.CA, Harrow In The Head,...
- 1/30/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Jovan Adepo couldn't hide his nervousness when he began work on Fences. Not only was this the British actor's his big screen debut, but he co-stars in the movie adaptation of August Wilson's play about a black working class family in 1950s Pittsburgh as Denzel Washington and Viola Davis' son. Washington also directed the movie. "One the first day of actually filming, Denzel could definitely tell I was nervous," says Adepo, who fans of The Leftovers know for his work as Michael Murphy on the HBO series. "I was very fortunate because he pulled me aside, even before I stepped in front of the camera, to say, 'I cast you for a reason. I feel that my vision for the film and for the direction...
- 12/20/2016
- E! Online
Former SNL stars and frequent collaborators Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig may reunite for an original musical. They’re attached to develop an adaptation of Steve Young and Mike Murphy‘s book, Everything Is Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age Of Industrial Musicals, which is about the musicals corporations used to put together to inspire their workers. The producer behind La La Land and Grease […]
The post Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig Are Developing an Original Musical All About Industrial Musicals appeared first on /Film.
The post Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig Are Developing an Original Musical All About Industrial Musicals appeared first on /Film.
- 12/16/2016
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures is about to hang up the "for sale" sign. It has hired investment bank Salem Partners to seek out a buyer for the cable VOD and digital distribution company whose films and documentaries include All Things Must Pass, Being Evel and For the Love of Spock. Gravitas founders Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy made the decision after they were approached by several companies interested in securing a pipeline to cable VOD and fast-growing digital…...
- 12/1/2016
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures is about to hang up the "for sale" sign. It has hired investment bank Salem Partners to seek out a buyer for the cable VOD and digital distribution company whose films and documentaries include All Things Must Pass, Being Evel and For the Love of Spock. Gravitas founders Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy made the decision after they were approached by several companies interested in securing a pipeline to cable VOD and fast-growing digital…...
- 12/1/2016
- Deadline
Larry Wilmore ventured far from his NYC studio to the heart of Pasadena to moderate the Deconstructing ’16 panel at Politicon. In one of the larger convention center halls, he dissected this year’s unusual election and its effects on the democratic process with Democratic strategist James Carville, former Obama administration consultant Van Jones, Democratic strategist Paul Begala, Republican commentator S.E. Cupp, and veteran Republican strategist Mike Murphy. The…...
- 6/26/2016
- Deadline TV
A group of anti-Trump Republicans is uniting for a last-ditch effort to draft an independent candidate who can keep Donald Trump out of the White House. According to a report by the Washington Post, the group — which includes commentators William Kristol and Erick Erickson, as well as strategists Mike Murphy, Stuart Stevens and Rick Wilson — is essentially looking for someone (anyone) who can get just enough votes to stop both Trump and Hillary Clinton from getting the required 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. If that happens — and that’s a big if — the House of Representatives would choose...
- 5/16/2016
- by Itay Hod
- The Wrap
Arrow Video announced the UK release of The Count Yorga Collection on Blu-ray and DVD. Also in today’s Highlights: a look at six preview pages from the hardcover edition of the Dead Vengeance comic and DVD and Digital HD release details for Sean K. Robb’s Scars.
The Count Yorga Collection UK Blu-ray / DVD Release Details & Cover Art: From Arrow Video: “Updating the vampire mythos to early 1970s Los Angeles, these much-loved cult classics star Robert Quarry (Dr. Phibes Rises Again) as the svelte Count Yorga, living in a mansion in the southern California hills with his equally mysterious “brides”. Introducing himself as a mystic from Bulgaria who’s an expert on séances, his true nature is given away by the title of his first film, Count Yorga, Vampire, long before the hapless Donna (Donna Anders, Werewolves on Wheels) and her friends discover the truth.
The sequel, The Return of Count Yorga,...
The Count Yorga Collection UK Blu-ray / DVD Release Details & Cover Art: From Arrow Video: “Updating the vampire mythos to early 1970s Los Angeles, these much-loved cult classics star Robert Quarry (Dr. Phibes Rises Again) as the svelte Count Yorga, living in a mansion in the southern California hills with his equally mysterious “brides”. Introducing himself as a mystic from Bulgaria who’s an expert on séances, his true nature is given away by the title of his first film, Count Yorga, Vampire, long before the hapless Donna (Donna Anders, Werewolves on Wheels) and her friends discover the truth.
The sequel, The Return of Count Yorga,...
- 5/9/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Pop music parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic has been tapped to voice the title role in Disney Xd’s animated comedy series Milo Murphy’s Law (fka Mike Murphy’s Law), slated to premiere this fall. The voice cast also includes Christian Slater, Vanessa Williams, Sarah Chalke, Jemaine Clement, Sabrina Carpenter, Mekai Curtis, Chrissie Fit and Vincent Martella. From Phineas And Ferb creators/executive producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, Milo Murphy’s Law introduces…...
- 2/4/2016
- Deadline TV
Before grindhouse director Bob Kelljan turned exclusively to television by the late 1970s, he had accidentally carved out a small triptych of derivative American vampire flicks, beginning with his first solo effort, 1970’s Count Yorga, Vampire. The actor turned director initially starred in his first co-directed effort, the incest drama Flesh of My Flesh (1969), but the success of his Dracula rip-off would carry on to a 1971 sequel before assuming duties for the Blaxploitation sequel Scream Blacula Scream (1973). Initially conceived as a soft-core porno, Kelljan eventually crafted this into a sort of Bram Stoker parody, although not everyone involved in the production seemed to be aware of this.
With his coffin arriving on a boat, Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) is relocated to modern day Los Angeles where he poses as a medium, holding swank séances at parties conceived by bored suburbanites. He’s invited to Donna’s (Donna Anders) home to...
With his coffin arriving on a boat, Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) is relocated to modern day Los Angeles where he poses as a medium, holding swank séances at parties conceived by bored suburbanites. He’s invited to Donna’s (Donna Anders) home to...
- 12/1/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The Leftovers, Season 2, Episode 7, “A Most Powerful Adversary”
Written by Damon Linedlof and Patrick Somerville
Directed by Mimi Leder
Airs Sundays at 9pm (Et) on HBO
For possibly the first time in The Leftovers‘ run, “A Most Powerful Adversary” does something you’d think it would do a whole lot more often: it conjures up the spirit of Lost. With its unusually hurried pacing, characters teetering on the edge of (in)sanity, massive reams of new backstory, faith vs. reason debates, and a spectacularly cruel cliffhanger, it’s almost as though we’re getting a glimpse of what a more conventionally “entertaining” version of The Leftovers might look like. That’s speaking purely on a formal level, though, because the devil’s in the details, and the details of “A Most Powerful Adversary” are as dumbfounding as we’ve come to expect by now.
Season two has put so much...
Written by Damon Linedlof and Patrick Somerville
Directed by Mimi Leder
Airs Sundays at 9pm (Et) on HBO
For possibly the first time in The Leftovers‘ run, “A Most Powerful Adversary” does something you’d think it would do a whole lot more often: it conjures up the spirit of Lost. With its unusually hurried pacing, characters teetering on the edge of (in)sanity, massive reams of new backstory, faith vs. reason debates, and a spectacularly cruel cliffhanger, it’s almost as though we’re getting a glimpse of what a more conventionally “entertaining” version of The Leftovers might look like. That’s speaking purely on a formal level, though, because the devil’s in the details, and the details of “A Most Powerful Adversary” are as dumbfounding as we’ve come to expect by now.
Season two has put so much...
- 11/16/2015
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
A review of tonight's "The Leftovers" coming up just as soon as I go outside to curse... "There is no Patti, Kevin. There is only you." -Laurie Ohmigod, they killed Kevin! But probably not. If not for Michael Murphy appearing in the episode's closing minutes to drag Kevin away — a few scenes after he was left in tears by a conversation with Virgil that in hindsight clearly involved his grandfather telling him his whole suicidal plan for that evening — I might be more concerned that Kevin had just been poisoned with no epinephrine handy, or perhaps annoyed that "The Leftovers" was teasing us with the apparent death of its main character(*) when it likely plans to do no such thing. An episode that ends with Kevin foaming at the mouth on the floor of Virgil's trailer is a taunt; the episode ending with Michael taking Kevin away is a tease,...
- 11/16/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Probably one of the more overlooked Stephen King adaptations has got to be Tom McLoughlin’s Sometimes They Come Back which first aired on network TV in 1991. A film that I don’t think I fully appreciated until I got a little older (and much wiser), this revenge tale is centered around a troubled teacher (Tim Matheson) who is haunted by a gang of greasers who killed his brother and were obliterated in the attack as well, some 27 years after the tragedy. A creepy yet poignant exploration of loss and regret, Sometimes They Come Back is truly a film I think only gets better with time.
For Sometimes They Come Back, Matheson was joined onscreen by a talented ensemble featuring Brooke Adams (Invasion of the Body Snatchers ’78), Robert Rusler (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2), Nicholas Sadler (Twister), William Sanderson (Blade Runner), and Bentley Mitchum (Demonic Toys). Daily Dead recently spoke...
For Sometimes They Come Back, Matheson was joined onscreen by a talented ensemble featuring Brooke Adams (Invasion of the Body Snatchers ’78), Robert Rusler (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2), Nicholas Sadler (Twister), William Sanderson (Blade Runner), and Bentley Mitchum (Demonic Toys). Daily Dead recently spoke...
- 10/24/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Ginger Zee is every inch the beautiful bride in her wedding portrait. The Good Morning America meteorologist looked lovely in a form-fitting, lace Pnina Tornai gown. She wore a sweeping veil tucked under a romantic updo, while husband Ben Aaron, an NBC news correspondent, wore a traditional black suit. The two tied the knot Saturday during an intimate, beachside ceremony in her native Michigan, celebrating later at The Inn at Bay Harbor. Photographer Michael Murphy IV took the wedding pictures, which show the happy couple embracing as they stand on the shores of Lake Michigan. In one shot, Zee, 33, even...
- 6/8/2014
- by Michele Corriston
- PEOPLE.com
Good Morning Newlyweds! Meteorologist Ginger Zee tied the knot with fiance Ben Aaron on Saturday, June 7. The Good Morning America correspondent celebrated with a ceremony in Michigan close to Zee's hometown, her rep confirms to Us Weekly. The bride wore a lace-covered Pnina Tornai gown and her grinning husband wore a black suit. Michael Murphy took the photos for Zee's shoreside nuptials. The intimate beachside wedding was shared with 55 guests. The couple traded the traditional vows while standing in a circle of white rose petals. Everyone then [...]...
- 6/8/2014
- Us Weekly
Gravitas Ventures has acquired all North American rights and select territories to 21 Years: Richard Linklater.
Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood co-directed the documentary examining the first 21 years of Linklater’s career with interviews with collaborators and animation provided by Austin-based Powerhouse Animation Studios.
Wood, Dunaway and Miller produced with Gravitas Ventures’ Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy serving as executive producers along with Pamela Sutton, Robert C McGirr, Mario Davila, William Pedroza and Gregory Norman McGuire.
Wood Entertainment will represent available territories at Cannes.
Film Movement has picked up Us rights to Stations Of The Cross, winner of the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for best screenplay and the Ecumenical Jury’s best competition film. Dietrich Brueggemann’s religious drama follows 14-year-old girl of extreme Catholic faith on a journey to become as close to God as possible.
Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood co-directed the documentary examining the first 21 years of Linklater’s career with interviews with collaborators and animation provided by Austin-based Powerhouse Animation Studios.
Wood, Dunaway and Miller produced with Gravitas Ventures’ Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy serving as executive producers along with Pamela Sutton, Robert C McGirr, Mario Davila, William Pedroza and Gregory Norman McGuire.
Wood Entertainment will represent available territories at Cannes.
Film Movement has picked up Us rights to Stations Of The Cross, winner of the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for best screenplay and the Ecumenical Jury’s best competition film. Dietrich Brueggemann’s religious drama follows 14-year-old girl of extreme Catholic faith on a journey to become as close to God as possible.
- 5/15/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Gravitas Ventures has acquired all North American rights and select territories to 21 Years: Richard Linklater.
Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood co-directed the documentary examining the first 21 years of Linklater’s career with interviews with collaborators and animation provided by Austin-based Powerhouse Animation Studios.
Wood, Dunaway and Miller produced with Gravitas Ventures’ Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy serving as executive producers along with Pamela Sutton, Robert C McGirr, Mario Davila, William Pedroza and Gregory Norman McGuire.
Wood Entertainment will represent available territories at Cannes.
Film Movement has picked up Us rights to Stations Of The Cross, winner of the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for best screenplay and the Ecumenical Jury’s best competition film. Dietrich Brueggemann’s religious drama follows 14-year-old girl of extreme Catholic faith on a journey to become as close to God as possible.
Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood co-directed the documentary examining the first 21 years of Linklater’s career with interviews with collaborators and animation provided by Austin-based Powerhouse Animation Studios.
Wood, Dunaway and Miller produced with Gravitas Ventures’ Nolan Gallagher and Michael Murphy serving as executive producers along with Pamela Sutton, Robert C McGirr, Mario Davila, William Pedroza and Gregory Norman McGuire.
Wood Entertainment will represent available territories at Cannes.
Film Movement has picked up Us rights to Stations Of The Cross, winner of the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for best screenplay and the Ecumenical Jury’s best competition film. Dietrich Brueggemann’s religious drama follows 14-year-old girl of extreme Catholic faith on a journey to become as close to God as possible.
- 5/15/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Director: Peter Berg; Screenwriter: Peter Berg; Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Eric Bana; Running time: 121 mins; Certificate: 15
The film title may give away a little too much for those not familiar with the true story of Marcus Luttrell, one of four Us Navy SEALs who were dangerously outnumbered on Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan during 2005. Mark Wahlberg stands firm as Luttrell and he also produced this version of events which, ultimately, celebrates the brotherhood of soldiers and hits hard, on a gut level.
Luttrell doesn't find himself truly alone for more than 20 minutes on screen. In fact, writer/director Peter Berg spends a surprisingly long time painting a portrait of life on the Us military base near Afghanistan's Kunar Province. The guys engage in locker-room banter between quieter moments of reflection as thoughts turn to home and the loved ones who are waiting for them there.
The film title may give away a little too much for those not familiar with the true story of Marcus Luttrell, one of four Us Navy SEALs who were dangerously outnumbered on Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan during 2005. Mark Wahlberg stands firm as Luttrell and he also produced this version of events which, ultimately, celebrates the brotherhood of soldiers and hits hard, on a gut level.
Luttrell doesn't find himself truly alone for more than 20 minutes on screen. In fact, writer/director Peter Berg spends a surprisingly long time painting a portrait of life on the Us military base near Afghanistan's Kunar Province. The guys engage in locker-room banter between quieter moments of reflection as thoughts turn to home and the loved ones who are waiting for them there.
- 1/27/2014
- Digital Spy
Dustin Smith has been named Vice President of Gravitas Ventures' new theatrical distribution division, the company announced. Smith was previously VP, Acquisitions and Business Affairs at Roadside Attractions. Gravitas' Theatrical's first release (out of 12 planned releases a year) will be "Felony" which they acquired out of the Toronto International Film Festival.“Dusty’s track record has been unmatched over the last decade,” said Nolan Gallagher, CEO of Gravitas Ventures. "His reputation as a good-humored relationship builder with an uncanny knowledge of independent cinema made him an ideal choice to shepherd our new in-house theatrical division." Dustin will report to Michael Murphy, President of Gravitas.At Roadside, Dustin is credited for the release of films such as "Winter's Bone" and this years Oscar hopefuls "Stories We Tell" and "All is Lost." The release of "Felony" marks the first of Dustin's responsibilities at Gravitas, which includes creating advertising...
- 1/15/2014
- by Eric Eidelstein
- Indiewire
Heading into Sundance, Gravitas Ventures founder and CEO Nolan Gallagher has brought on Dustin Smith to oversee the newly launched Gravitas Theatrical.
Smith is named vp of theatrical distribution following almost a decade at Roadside Attractions where he most recently served as vp of acquisitions and business affairs.
The new hire will travel with the team to Park City to sources potential acquisitions. He reports to Gravitas president Michael Murphy.
The first Gravitas Theatrical film scheduled for release is Matthew Saville’s thriller Felony starring Joel Edgerton Tom Wilkinson, Jai Courtney and Melissa George.
Gravitas Theatrical picked up the thriller in Toronto following its world premiere and plans a late summer North American release.
Smith is named vp of theatrical distribution following almost a decade at Roadside Attractions where he most recently served as vp of acquisitions and business affairs.
The new hire will travel with the team to Park City to sources potential acquisitions. He reports to Gravitas president Michael Murphy.
The first Gravitas Theatrical film scheduled for release is Matthew Saville’s thriller Felony starring Joel Edgerton Tom Wilkinson, Jai Courtney and Melissa George.
Gravitas Theatrical picked up the thriller in Toronto following its world premiere and plans a late summer North American release.
- 1/14/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
As the 2014 Sundance Film Festival is about to kick off, Gravitas Ventures is launching Gravitas Theatrical, aimed to intensify the company’s focus on theatrical release campaigns. Set to head this new division as VP is Dustin Smith, formerly at Roadside Attractions for almost a decade as VP of Acquisitions. (The number of films being booked into theaters these days is the subject of some debate.) Roadside's Howard Cohen and Eric D'Arbeloff ("All is Lost") are looking for a new acquisitions chief. While at Roadside, Smith oversaw the pick-up and release of Oscar winner “The Cove,” Oscar nominee “Winter’s Bone,” and has worked on such releases as “Stories We Tell” and “Mud.” (I hope @roadsidetweets will turn up under another handle, as he's an hilarious tweeter.) Smith, along with founder Nolan Gallagher, president Michael Murphy and Vice President of Acquisitions and Marketing Melanie Miller, will be heading up the...
- 1/14/2014
- by Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Lone Survivor
Written and directed by Peter Berg
USA, 2013
The most unsettling moment in Lone Survivor, upon reflection, is its opening shot, one that mirrors the first moments of the extended long-take beginning of Gravity, albeit in a more Earthbound fashion. The former is a static shot of bleak, dry land in Afghanistan as a helicopter flies toward the camera, evoking something akin to the head of a prowling carnivore in the jungle, calmly stalking its prey. Initially, it’s not entirely clear what the faraway black spot growing ever closer is. Eventually, the copter looms large in the shot, just as the Space Shuttle ends up engulfing the eyeline in Gravity after an endless minute wherein sounds echo in tinny fashion in the distance, minute specks becoming clearer and drifting into full focus.
Lone Survivor and Gravity share, on the most basic level, more similarities than just how they start.
Written and directed by Peter Berg
USA, 2013
The most unsettling moment in Lone Survivor, upon reflection, is its opening shot, one that mirrors the first moments of the extended long-take beginning of Gravity, albeit in a more Earthbound fashion. The former is a static shot of bleak, dry land in Afghanistan as a helicopter flies toward the camera, evoking something akin to the head of a prowling carnivore in the jungle, calmly stalking its prey. Initially, it’s not entirely clear what the faraway black spot growing ever closer is. Eventually, the copter looms large in the shot, just as the Space Shuttle ends up engulfing the eyeline in Gravity after an endless minute wherein sounds echo in tinny fashion in the distance, minute specks becoming clearer and drifting into full focus.
Lone Survivor and Gravity share, on the most basic level, more similarities than just how they start.
- 1/10/2014
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
Editor’s note: Our review of Lone Survivor originally ran during last year’s AFI Fest, but we’re re-posting it now as the film opens tomorrow in wide release. Director Peter Berg made a massive misstep with 2012′s Battleship. There was a decent ninety-minute popcorn movie buried underneath all the bloat, but worst of all, it had no personality. It didn’t feel like a movie Berg had to make. Not every movie has to be a serious passion project, but when the passion is onscreen, it speaks volumes. That theory is proven well by Berg’s latest film, Lone Survivor, his best film since The Rundown. The true life story follows, if you haven’t guessed yet, a lone survivor, Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg). You could consider that a spoiler, but the movie opens with the rescue of Luttrell. It’s a questionable creative decision because a good deal of filmgoers will discover Luttrell’s...
- 1/10/2014
- by Jack Giroux
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
When I expressed excitement over the fact that Robert Altman’s stunning “Nashville” was being released in a Criterion Collection Blu-ray edition a few months back, a colleague asked me why I loved the film and I had trouble verbalizing my feelings about Altman’s sprawling, brilliant tapestry of characters. Watching the excellent new documentary about the making-of the film on the Criterion release makes it clear that I’m not alone.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
As the interview participants try to sum up why “Nashville” is so remarkable, they throw out a dozen or so different themes that the movies captures from the similarities between entertainment & politics to honor to pride to artistic integrity to what writer Joan Tewkesbury says is the film’s focus on how we will all eventually “be called on our shit.” Clearly, “Nashville” is not an easy movie to summarize. It is a landmark, revolutionary film in terms of structure,...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
As the interview participants try to sum up why “Nashville” is so remarkable, they throw out a dozen or so different themes that the movies captures from the similarities between entertainment & politics to honor to pride to artistic integrity to what writer Joan Tewkesbury says is the film’s focus on how we will all eventually “be called on our shit.” Clearly, “Nashville” is not an easy movie to summarize. It is a landmark, revolutionary film in terms of structure,...
- 12/29/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Casualties of War: Berg’s Brutal Depiction of Failed Seals Op Career Best
For the purposes of context, one may be interested in noting that Lone Survivor is actor/director Peter Berg’s follow-up to his dismal 2012 board-game based effort, Battleship, though originally these projects were meant to be shot in reverse order. Clearly, this film was the labor of love, and while it’s not surprising to learn that leading stars took a major pay cut and Berg worked for the minimum salary allowed, it is fascinating to see the heightened quality on display from the same director, cinematographer, editor, composer, and one of the lead actors from the previous effort. Certainly, this film isn’t bound to be everyone’s cup of tea as Berg has taken pains to create a brutal, distressing, and unashamedly in-your-face depiction of the atrocities of war (and sans a definitive political agenda). He simply relays,...
For the purposes of context, one may be interested in noting that Lone Survivor is actor/director Peter Berg’s follow-up to his dismal 2012 board-game based effort, Battleship, though originally these projects were meant to be shot in reverse order. Clearly, this film was the labor of love, and while it’s not surprising to learn that leading stars took a major pay cut and Berg worked for the minimum salary allowed, it is fascinating to see the heightened quality on display from the same director, cinematographer, editor, composer, and one of the lead actors from the previous effort. Certainly, this film isn’t bound to be everyone’s cup of tea as Berg has taken pains to create a brutal, distressing, and unashamedly in-your-face depiction of the atrocities of war (and sans a definitive political agenda). He simply relays,...
- 12/26/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The new film, "Lone Survivor," about the brutal, real-life 2005 mission in which three out of four Navy SEALs lost their lives, was years in the making for director Peter Berg, who embedded with SEALs in Iraq as part of his preparation and calls making it "a real honor and an inspiration."
Berg was losing his voice as he told Moviefone how he had to tell his actors and stuntmen to take it easy in recreating the bone-crunching incidents from the mountain-top firefight as they tried to do justice to the fallen soldiers.
He also shared why Mark Wahlberg was the perfect actor to play sole survivor Marcus Luttrell and why he thinks Taylor Kitsch (who plays "Murph the Protector") will land on his feet after suffering three film flops last year.
Moviefone: You've directed your share of action films: How is it different when it's based on something that really happened?...
Berg was losing his voice as he told Moviefone how he had to tell his actors and stuntmen to take it easy in recreating the bone-crunching incidents from the mountain-top firefight as they tried to do justice to the fallen soldiers.
He also shared why Mark Wahlberg was the perfect actor to play sole survivor Marcus Luttrell and why he thinks Taylor Kitsch (who plays "Murph the Protector") will land on his feet after suffering three film flops last year.
Moviefone: You've directed your share of action films: How is it different when it's based on something that really happened?...
- 12/23/2013
- by Sharon Knolle
- Moviefone
Nashville
Written by Joan Tewkesbury
Directed by Robert Altman
USA, 1975
At the Cannes preview screening of Apocalypse Now in 1979, Francis Ford Coppola infamously declared, “Apocalypse Now is not about Vietnam; it is Vietnam.” Watching Robert Altman’s 1975 opus Nashville, perhaps the best film in a career full of exceptional work, one gets the feeling that it isn’t really about America; it is America. With its eclectic cast of individuals from all walks of life (typical for Altman), its sprawling narrative of disjointed personal and professional connections (ditto), and its setting of a distinctly American city around the time of our nation’s bicentennial, Nashville comes across as more than a fictional depiction of characters embodying certain nationalistic traits; it truly feels like the film is America in a nutshell. In the words of Keith Carradine, it’s an “extraordinary accomplishment.”
Now, with The Criterion Collection release of the film...
Written by Joan Tewkesbury
Directed by Robert Altman
USA, 1975
At the Cannes preview screening of Apocalypse Now in 1979, Francis Ford Coppola infamously declared, “Apocalypse Now is not about Vietnam; it is Vietnam.” Watching Robert Altman’s 1975 opus Nashville, perhaps the best film in a career full of exceptional work, one gets the feeling that it isn’t really about America; it is America. With its eclectic cast of individuals from all walks of life (typical for Altman), its sprawling narrative of disjointed personal and professional connections (ditto), and its setting of a distinctly American city around the time of our nation’s bicentennial, Nashville comes across as more than a fictional depiction of characters embodying certain nationalistic traits; it truly feels like the film is America in a nutshell. In the words of Keith Carradine, it’s an “extraordinary accomplishment.”
Now, with The Criterion Collection release of the film...
- 12/6/2013
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Robert Altman’s Nashville resurfaces for the home video market in a nicely packaged DVD/Blu-ray combo set from Criterion. A Best Picture nominee from 1975, this sprawling satire both lampoons and laments the American Dream, which was beginning to show signs of serious leakage – if not outright rupture – by the mid 1970s. An American president, who two years earlier had been reelected by one of the largest margins in the nation’s history, had just resigned in disgrace while a long, bloody and bitterly divisive war had been revealed as corrupt and pointless. Yet, to the array of hopeful goofballs in Nashville, America was still the land of opportunity; its dark and dank country music venues the key to quick fame and easy riches.
As conceived by Altman and writer Joan Tewksbury, everything about Nashville is larger than life. From its massive melange of roughly two dozen principle characters to...
As conceived by Altman and writer Joan Tewksbury, everything about Nashville is larger than life. From its massive melange of roughly two dozen principle characters to...
- 12/3/2013
- by David Anderson
- IONCINEMA.com
Awards season campaigns and word-of-mouth screenings continued at a fast clip with announcements of the Golden Globes nominations landing Dec. 12. Writer/director Peter Berg and leads Mark Wahlberg (Marcus Luttrell), Emile Hirsch (Danny Dietz) and Taylor Kitsch (Mike Murphy) continued to work the awards circuit taking Q&As at screenings of their upcoming action drama Lone Survivor, based on the true story of Marcus Luttrell, the only Navy Seal to survive Seal Team 10”s failed 2005 mission “Operation Red Wings” to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmed Shahd in Afghanistan.
- 11/29/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
“Every winning streak will have to end sometime.”
Jahinger Khan
In recognition of the job HBO CEO Michael Fuchs had done growing HBO and diversifying its business, he was invited uptown in 1995 to take over Warner Music while still keeping HBO as part of his new, expanded dominion. Assuming Fuchs’ top exec slot at HBO was Jeff Bewkes.
Not long after Fuchs had been given command of HBO in 1984 after the ouster of Frank Biondi, it had been clear that Fuchs’ strengths were not universal. Programming and long-term strategic vision were his fortes. Some of the more mundane and, for Fuchs, onerous tasks, such as kissing up to officers of the major cable MSOs, was something for which the often high-handed Fuchs didn’t have much of an affinity. The solution had been to divvy the company up, putting those non-Fuchsian — but critically important — responsibilities under a newly-created office of President.
Jahinger Khan
In recognition of the job HBO CEO Michael Fuchs had done growing HBO and diversifying its business, he was invited uptown in 1995 to take over Warner Music while still keeping HBO as part of his new, expanded dominion. Assuming Fuchs’ top exec slot at HBO was Jeff Bewkes.
Not long after Fuchs had been given command of HBO in 1984 after the ouster of Frank Biondi, it had been clear that Fuchs’ strengths were not universal. Programming and long-term strategic vision were his fortes. Some of the more mundane and, for Fuchs, onerous tasks, such as kissing up to officers of the major cable MSOs, was something for which the often high-handed Fuchs didn’t have much of an affinity. The solution had been to divvy the company up, putting those non-Fuchsian — but critically important — responsibilities under a newly-created office of President.
- 11/28/2013
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
Back in August, we saw the first promo for Peter Berg’s new passion project, Lone Survivor. Here comes the second, offering up some fresh footage of the military drama. Take a look over at Apple.The film chronicles the harrowing true story of the four members of Seal Team 10 – Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matt Axelson (Ben Foster) – who, on June 28, 2005, were assigned to carry out Operation Red Wings.Luttrell's team headed out to hunt down infamous Taliban leader Ahmad Shah along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. When they arrived, they discovered that he had a heavily armed force protecting him, and that was just the start of their problems. When a local farm lad stumbled upon their concealed position, they debated whether to let the boy go and risk being revealed, or – to use the troops’ lingo – terminate the witness. Ultimately, the...
- 11/10/2013
- EmpireOnline
The prototypical sounds of war films — the thick whirring of helicopter blades, tumbling rocks from explosions, frantic yelling on satellite phones, and the clink-clunk scattering of artillery shells — all have their moment in the newest trailer for Lone Survivor, but there’s also the sound of average-Joe chit-chat:
“Did she ask about me?” Marcus Luttrell (played by Mark Wahlberg) asks fellow U.S. Navy Seal Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch) about a cute girl from a Coldplay concert. Despite their risky operative, he’s still just a guy who wants to get the girl.
Wahlberg stars as Luttrell, who penned the...
“Did she ask about me?” Marcus Luttrell (played by Mark Wahlberg) asks fellow U.S. Navy Seal Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch) about a cute girl from a Coldplay concert. Despite their risky operative, he’s still just a guy who wants to get the girl.
Wahlberg stars as Luttrell, who penned the...
- 11/8/2013
- by Jennifer Arellano
- EW - Inside Movies
There is no better time than the winter months to curl up with a long movie—or a few long movies—and stave off the cold in the comfort of your own home. The Criterion Collection are gonna make it a bit easier with some pretty great cinephile buys headed your way just in time for Christmas. First up, Robert Altman's classic, sprawling opus "Nashville" gets the Criterion treatment. The nearly three hour film, chronicles 24 different characters in the titular city, moving from politics to the music industry, from comedy to drama, to everything in between. It's icon of the '70s golden age of American filmmaking, it would influence countless filmmakers and is one of the crown jewels in Altman's already impressive body of work. The Criterion set will include a commentary from the director (obviously lifted from a previous release of the film), along with a new...
- 9/16/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Lone Survivor is one of those passion projects that directors just can’t let go. The director in this case is Peter Berg, who has been trying to get the tragic true-life tale of a Navy Seal mission gone terribly wrong on camera for years. Now he’s finally achieved it, and the trailer has arrived courtesy of Moviefone. The film tells the harrowing true story of the four members of Seal Team 10 – Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matt Axelson (Ben Foster) – who, on June 28, 2005, were assigned to carry out Operation Red Wings.Luttrell's team headed out to hunt down infamous Taliban leader Ahmad Shah along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. When they arrived, they discovered that he had a heavily armed force protecting him, and that was just the start of their problems. The mission was compromised, and three of the four men didn't return home.
- 8/1/2013
- EmpireOnline
Mark Wahlberg proves his mettle as real-life Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell in the trailer for "Lone Survivor," based on the events that unfolded during the failed 2005 mission "Operation Red Wings."
The trailer, premiering exclusively on Aol, features Alexander Ludwig ("The Hunger Games," "Grown Ups 2"), as Petty Officer Second Class Shane Patton, delivering a somber "Ballad of the Frogmen" over scenes of he and his fellow SEALs training for the mission to come. In short order, a four-man team heads out to hunt down infamous Taliban leader Ahmad Shah along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. But things don't go as planned.
"Lone Survivor" tells the harrowing true story of the four members of Seal Team 10 -- Marcus Luttrell, Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matt Axelson (Ben Foster) -- who, on June 28, 2005, were assigned to carry out "Operation Red Wings." The mission was compromised, and three of the four men didn't return home.
The trailer, premiering exclusively on Aol, features Alexander Ludwig ("The Hunger Games," "Grown Ups 2"), as Petty Officer Second Class Shane Patton, delivering a somber "Ballad of the Frogmen" over scenes of he and his fellow SEALs training for the mission to come. In short order, a four-man team heads out to hunt down infamous Taliban leader Ahmad Shah along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. But things don't go as planned.
"Lone Survivor" tells the harrowing true story of the four members of Seal Team 10 -- Marcus Luttrell, Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matt Axelson (Ben Foster) -- who, on June 28, 2005, were assigned to carry out "Operation Red Wings." The mission was compromised, and three of the four men didn't return home.
- 7/31/2013
- by Tim Hayne
- Moviefone
We just can't keep up with all these reports of bizarre real-life monsters crawling, swimming and just oozing all over the planet. Whether it's a carnivorous catfish that can walk on land, or an eel the size of a Prius, these real world discoveries are getting way freakier than anything we can make up. So what the hell, how abut ginormous fluorescent pink slugs? Yes, they exist, and were found on the peak of Mount Kaputar, in New South Wales, Australia, where it seem bizarre new species are being discovered quite frequently. As reported by Treehugger.com, Australian park ranger Michael Murphy is one of a select few people to find and photograph the slug, which is around 20 cm (7.8 in) long. "On a good morning, you can walk around and see hundreds of them,” Murphy told Australian TV, “but only in that one area.” Murphy described another bizarre find living...
- 5/30/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Title: Murph: The Protector Director: Scott Mactavish A moving chronicle of some of the traits that should be more widely venerated in a media and pop cultural landscape too driven by the elevation of the trivial, director Scott Mactavish’s documentary “Murph: The Protector” honors and celebrates the life of ex-Navy Seal Lieutenant Michael Murphy, paying tribute to his personality, selflessness and service without succumbing to a less interesting, more knee-jerk wholesale lionization of the military. This is a tightly focused, deeply personal account of one man and soldier that, in rooting down into what made him so special to his friends and family, illuminates the best of American character. Born [ Read More ]
The post Murph: The Protector Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Murph: The Protector Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/21/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
With the rhetoric in Washington, spin in the media and general fatigue in the public, no matter where you stand on the military efforts of the United States overseas, it's easy to forget there are very real men and women putting their lives on the line every day. Sometimes that simple fact can get lost in the discourse, but the upcoming documentary "Murph: The Protector" sets out to honor one young man who made a difference in the lives he touched. Written and directed by Scott Mactavish, the film chronicles the life of Lt Michael Murphy, who lost his life in a gun battle with the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2005, after putting himself deliberately in harm's way in order to alert headquarters that his men were under fire. For his courage and bravery, Murphy was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2007. Just how important and lasting was the...
- 3/19/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Watch the trailer for Mactavish Pictures' Murph: The Protector documentary directed by Scott MacTavish. The film opens in limited areas on March 22nd, 2013, and includes Daniel Murphy, John McElhone, Jason Keenan, Kristin Bishop and more. Murph: The Protector is a feature-length documentary based on Lt Michael Murphy’s life of honor, courage and commitment, as told by his friends, family and teammates. Michael was raised in Patchogue, New York, attended Penn State University and then joined the U.S. Navy to serve in the Seal Teams. Well-known for his selflessnes...
- 3/4/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Watch the trailer for Mactavish Pictures' Murph: The Protector documentary directed by Scott MacTavish. The film opens in limited areas on March 22nd, 2013, and includes Daniel Murphy, John McElhone, Jason Keenan, Kristin Bishop and more. Murph: The Protector is a feature-length documentary based on Lt Michael Murphy’s life of honor, courage and commitment, as told by his friends, family and teammates. Michael was raised in Patchogue, New York, attended Penn State University and then joined the U.S. Navy to serve in the Seal Teams. Well-known for his selflessnes...
- 3/4/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Malaysia Enacts 30% Cash Rebate For Runaway Production U.S. location scouts can now add Malaysia to the list of countries that offer incentives for offshore production and post work. The Malaysian government enacted Tuesday a 30% cash rebate for foreign film and TV productions that spend a minimum of RM5 million ($1.6million) in the country; for local projects it’s RM2 million. The minimum spend for the post rebate is RM1.5 million. The government aims to draw runaway productions to its new $130 million facility, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios. Located in Johor in the southern tip of the country, the studios were developed in collaboration with the UK’s Pinewood Studios Group. Five sound stages plus production offices, hair, make-up and wardrobe facilities and construction workshops are due to open in May. Two HD-equipped TV studios and the post facility are scheduled to open in September. “We are in discussions on several projects,...
- 2/20/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
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