Clifford The Big Red Dog is a heartfelt film directed by Walt Becker and produced by Jordan Kerner, who are best known for creating fan-favorite films. The Knockturnal had the chance to chat with them as well as the cast of Clifford The Big Red Dog to see how they feel now that Clifford is set to hit the big screens.
Derrick Henry has had an illustrious NFL career and the football player is just getting started. In 2020, Derrick Henry was given the title of offensive player of the year by the Associated Press and has earned the nickname King Henry.
Who is Shuroo? A healer. A grifter. A mystic. A false prophet.
The enigmatic character at the center of the indie film, The Shuroo Process, embodies a bit of all of the above. He guides, or misguides, a diverse group of disillusioned people in a spiritual self-improvement retreat in the Catskills. We follow a journalist, played by Fiona Dourif, as she attempts to put her disarrayed life back together on the retreat.
“This is about the duality of how a lot of people live life,” said director Emrhy Cooper at the film’s premiere on closing night of the Big Apple Film Festival in Times Square. “People want to help you, but they also want to take advantage of you.”
The film marks Cooper’s feature debut. But he’s no film set novice. Cooper has been acting for over a decade, most notably starring in the StyleHaul series Vanity alongside Denise Richards.
However, he credits his wherewithal to step behind the camera for his first feature to an entirely different art form — ballet.
“I grew up as a ballet dancer, so I have a lot of discipline. I know you have to work very hard for what you do. I was never under any illusion it was going to be easy,” he said.
Cooper directed many first time and young actors in the film. Complicating matters was the remote Catskills location, which lacked reliable wifi and experienced some “bipolar” weather. Cooper said, “Everyone did a great job under the circumstances.”
He sang praise for one of the film’s more seasoned actors, Brad Dourif, best known for voicing the Chucky doll in Child’s Play and his Oscar nominated role in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He also happens to be the father of the lead actress in The Shuroo Process.
“He’s one of the best character actors of our generation. Brad is in the league with Jack Nicholson,” said Cooper. “Every single take was good; it was almost hard to choose which one to use in the final film.”
The cast, crew and guests gathered in a private after party room at Chez Josephine, a nearby restaurant. The party was intimate and full of friends celebrating.
The Shuroo Process stars Fiona Dourif, Donal Brophy, Tommy Dorfman, Cooper, Rainey Qualley, Olivia Sui, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Jeff Hephner and Cornelia Guest. It comes to theaters and on demand on November 24.
Friday evening, November 5, at the Village East Cinema, the Havana Film Festival New York kicked off its twenty-first edition. The night resuscitated an event that had been delayed and betrayed by a pandemic. A Red-Carpet entrance and Opening Ceremony, made attendees feel how special it was to return to this festival.
This Opening Ceremony started with a poignant tribute to those lost in Cuban and Latin American cinema. An “In Memoriam” honored the memories of heroes such Enrique Pineda Barnet, Lourdes Prieto, and Diana Montero. Hosts Kika Child and Martin Nuñez-Bonilla introduced the films submitted for the Havana Star Prize. They also introduced the juries who will judge them. There will be a prize for Best Documentary. For fiction films, the awards will include Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor/Actress.
Opening remarks from HFFNY founder Carole Rosenberg reminded us of how trying it’s been during a global pandemic. Especially trying was the cancellation of the spring 2020 edition of the festival. Concluding her remarks, she couldn’t have said it better when she declared, “Movies keep us company when times are tough.” In the same vein, Artistic Director Diana Vargas lauded how the festival team found a way, after that cancellation, to bring movies to audiences with online programming. Ms. Vargas echoed Ms. Rosenberg as she welcomed us back to the “sacred space” of the movie theater.
Next was the opening film for the festival, “El Olvido Que Seremos” (“Memories of My Father”). The film, making its New York premier, is directed by Fernando Trueba, based on the novel of the same name by Héctor Abad Faciolince. The story is that of Héctor Abad Gómez, and his life as a father, doctor, and activist in Medellin, Colombia in the 1970s and 80s. It was a compelling film from the opening moments to the final scene. If the other movies in the festival are only half as good as this one, cinephiles are in for a week of happy discoveries.
After the screening was a brief Q&A with the writer, Héctor Abad Faciolince. Speaking with the moderator Fernando Traversi and a translator, the novelist’s discussed adapting the book into a screenplay. He described how condensing the story to a two-hour film makes it more memorable.
Following the Q&A, the Opening Night Festivities concluded with a party, featuring music by Cuban pianist Dayramir González.
The 21st Havana Film Festival New York continues through November 11. Don’t wait. Treat yourself to some moving cinema in the theater now. You can find more information at www.hffny.com
It was an honor to meet and speak with Mr. Scott Mescudi also known by his stage name, Kid Cudi. His film A Man Named Scott directed by Robert Alexander is an intimate look at his life not only as the artist we all know him to be, but as a mere human being navigating this life and this reality. The film follows his discography in order from the very beginning of his career until the present day. We see archival footage of his early tour days in Australia, and interviews never before seen on the big screen. The documentary is raw and unfiltered, highlighting the cultural impact and shift Mr. Mescudi’s music has had on the music industry over the last decade.
With interviews from Kanye West, Shia Labeouf, Willow Smith, Schoolboy Q and many more, they each speak about his artistry as a musician with such regard and passion. Most notably, interviewee’s highlight Cudi’s ability to be so vulnerable in his music. Giving his listeners a safe space to feel their feelings. For some, this is the first time in their lives they would feel safe enough to do so.
With great success comes great struggle. Mr. Mescudi’s story begins with struggle, meets success, and once again finds himself fighting a battle within himself. Even while having world tours, financial gain, and a growing fanbase, Mr. Mescudi found himself plagued with challenges both with his mental health and drug misuse. With incredible courage and utmost strength he vocalizes his pain and seeks help. It is because of his bravery, he is able to get the help he needs to heal. Overall, the documentary is cut together as eloquently as his musical works. His voice transcends across mediums. A true gift. The film premieres this Friday, November 5th on Amazon Prime Video. I highly encourage you all to watch it.
In the recent times of Covid Isolation, the once incredibly simple world of children’s friendships has changed into anything but that. With the new world, it seems as if everything is virtual. Pixar’s newest animated film, Ron’s gone wrong, has arrived at the perfect time. Without even trying too, the film itself delves deep into this new narrative that kids today face. Ron’s Gone Wrong tells the story of Barney, a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his ‘Best Friend out of the Box.’ Ron’s hilarious malfunctions set against the backdrop of the social media age, launch them into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship. It’s a story that kids of all ages can enjoy, and the immersive animation style creates a beautiful cinematic experience that will touch the heart of any viewer. This idea was brought into action by an incredible team of artists and filmmakers who came together to bring this wonderful project to life. We had the opportunity to sit down with the team behind this amazing film to talk all about the impact of the film, the process, and everything in between. Check out our full conversation below!
This year’s halloweekend looked a little different…Not only because we saw a lot of Squid Game costumes or Cruella hairdos, but because it was our 1st Annual The KnockturnalWEEN!
The film Antlers was recently released in theaters nationwide on October 29, 2021.
The sixth annual Brooklyn Horror Film Festival brought the boogeyman to the beloved borough.
With events at fan favorite venues Williamsburg Cinema, Stuart Cinema, and the newly-reopened Nitehawk Cinema, BHFF offered something for everyone. From the sold-out closing night East Coast premiere of The Sadness to the 35mm screening of Session 9 in honor of its 20th anniversary, BHFF truly outdid itself in its first year back in theaters since the pandemic.
See our favorite festival moments below!
The Last Thing Mary Saw is an outstandingly haunting portrayal of a woman in 1843 New York who faces deadly (and supernatural) consequences for her affair with a maid. Stefanie Scott, who also stars in new Peacock series The Girl in the Woods, portrays Mary, who falls in love with Eleanor, played by Isabelle Fuhrman. Rory Culkin stars as a stranger who threatens to disrupt everything. Writer-director Edoardo Vitaletti was present at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival for the U.S. premiere. The film will be distributed by AMC+ and Shudder.
Family drama When I Consume You returned home to Brooklyn, where the film was shot, after premiering at Fantasia Film Festival earlier this year. Siblings Daphne (Libby Ewing) and Wilson Shaw (Evan Dumouchel) tackle their shared childhood traumas while warding off a demon stalker. Director Perry Blackshear told Variety that horror films are specifically designed to be watched in a dark theater: “It feels like when I watch a scary movie in the theater, it’s like going through a kind of timeless ritual where you die, you feel death,” Blackshear stated. “You get to undergo this intense pain and suffering and yet you survive, maybe stronger than when you began. This catharsis is my favorite part of the genre.”
Netflix’s Night Teeth was a crowd-pleaser with a sultry take on sexy vampires who secretly run L.A. We believe it! Debby Ryan and Lucy Fry play two BFFs who take driver Jorge Lendeborg Jr. on a very different type of ride. Megan Fox and Sydney Sweeney have memorable cameos as queen vampires, while Alfie Allen and Alexander Ludwig round out the urban undead underworld. BHFF hosted the world premiere of Night Teeth, now streaming.
The Home Invasion shorts programs featured a slew of standout films, but two especially caught the attention of BFHH audiences: Still Together and Hazel. Christopher Piazza’s Still Together is at once horrifyingly claustrophobic as well as hilarious. A department store window designer falls in love with a Nordic warrior trapped inside a mannequin. The couple try to plan their escape, but will the other employees thwart their happily ever after? A funky score and a bloody kicker prove we are Still thinking about this off-beat take on horror.
Hazel, directed by Jordan Doig, is a memorable portrayal of postpartum depression. New mom Libby struggles to take care of her daughter, Hazel, especially when her husband Pat isn’t supportive. Libby’s downfall into psychosis has a sinister turn, and you have to watch to see how this short film ends. The horror genre is best when its uncovering the real horrific moments of reality, and Hazel does just that.
See the full list of films at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival here!
Less of a knock and more of a tap.