Latest news with #MusicBoxFilms
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Music Box Films acquires rights to Petra Volpe's Late Shift, Switzerland's official Oscar entry
Music Box Films has locked in North American rights to Late Shift, Petra Volpe's tense hospital-set drama that Switzerland just announced as its official entry for the Oscars' international feature race. According to Variety, the deal comes as the film continues a strong run in Europe, where it is already sold in more than 50 territories through sales outfit TrustNordisk. Still from Late Shift trailer(YouTube/Madman Films) Leonie Benesch - fresh off acclaim for The Teachers' Lounge - leads the film as Floria, a surgical ward nurse fighting to keep patients safe during an understaffed, high-pressure shift. What starts as a routine day unravels into an urgent, ticking-clock ordeal. Volpe wrote and directed, with Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi producing for Zodiac Pictures. Strong festival run Late Shift bowed at the Berlin Film Festival in February, drawing critical praise and racking up more than 650,000 admissions across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The movie's mix of procedural realism and human warmth has made it accessible to audiences well beyond its Swiss roots. Brian Andreotti, head of acquisitions at Music Box, called it 'a grounded thriller that is readily relatable to anyone who spends their working day on their feet.' He added that Benesch's performance 'drives home the dignity and strength of nurses everywhere," reports Variety. Also read: New rules set by the Academy for Oscars 2026: Members must watch all nominated films before voting The film's backers include Swiss Radio and Television, SRG SSR, and several public funding bodies such as the Federal Office of Culture and Zürcher Filmstiftung. Awards season timeline The Academy's deadline for countries to submit their international feature picks is October 1. Fifteen films will make the shortlist, due December 16, before Academy voters in all branches decide which titles advance to the final nominations on January 22. For Volpe, whose previous work, The Divine Order, was also Switzerland's Oscar pick in 2017, Late Shift could mark a return to Hollywood's awards spotlight. Whether it makes the shortlist remains to be seen, but the North American deal ensures it will reach US audiences in time for voters to take note. FAQs What is Late Shift about? It follows a nurse navigating a high-stakes, understaffed surgical shift. Who stars in the film? Leonie Benesch plays the lead role of Floria. Who directed Late Shift? The film is written and directed by Petra Volpe. When did it premiere? It had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2024. Is it Switzerland's Oscar entry? Yes, it is the country's official submission for the International Feature category.
Boston Globe
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘When Fall is Coming' mixes motherly love with poisonous mushrooms
Michelle lives in the French countryside, in a house too large for an older woman to keep by herself. We see her cleaning up, wandering in the woods and tending to her garden, all depicted in scenes that take their time to unfold. Meanwhile, in Paris, her daughter, Valérie (Ludivine Sagnier) lives with her son, Lucas (Garlan Erlos), in a flat Michelle gave them. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Hélène Vincent and Garlan Erlos in WHEN FALL IS COMING. (Music Box Films) Music Box Films Advertisement Valérie's relationship with her mother is tense; her anger is rooted mostly in the lax way Michelle raised her. An early sequence highlights her seemingly uneventful visit to Michelle's house. Valérie is going through a nasty divorce, which Lucas blames on himself. Michelle comforts him as his mother argues with his father on her cell phone outside. Sounds like a standard family drama, n'est-ce pas? We expect to see battles between mother and daughter, a reconciliation between Marie-Claude and Vincent once he's released, and the growing bond between a grandmother and grandson. And we get all that as the film unfolds over a leisurely 104 minutes. Advertisement But lest we forget, this is a film by François Ozon. Though the director dabbles in other genres (his work includes last year's raucous screwball comedy, 'The Crime Is Mine,' and 2019's harrowing Catholic church child molestation drama, 'By the Grace of God'), he's most famous for writing twisty plots in the thriller genre. Ludivine Sagnier in WHEN FALL IS COMING. (Music Box Films) Music Box Films Here, he puts viewers familiar with his work on guard by casting Sagnier, the star of perhaps his most well-known film, 2003's 'Swimming Pool.' In that erotic thriller, Sagnier was the young and seductive femme fatale, of sorts, acting opposite Charlotte Rampling's older, British mystery writer. In this film, she has an almost supernatural role as a manifestation of guilt. Ozon (who wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Philippe Piazzo) toys with the audience in very subtle ways. This film is a master class in keeping an understated tone that's more unsettling than sinister. The cast, full of French acting veterans, is made up of willing and able accomplices. We're not sure what they're up to, but even the most mundane events raise questions. For example, Valérie's aforementioned 'seemingly uneventful' visit to her mother's house culminates with Michelle's mushroom dish accidentally poisoning Valérie and nearly killing her. Or was it intentional? Michelle didn't eat any of the mushrooms, and she knew Lucas disliked them intensely. Could this have been a failed murder attempt? Hélène Vincent in WHEN FALL IS COMING. (Music Box Films) Music Box Films Valérie does think her mother was trying to kill her, though this may just be anger clouding her judgment. As a result, she refuses to let Lucas see his grandmother. Valérie's rage stems from the shame she feels knowing that, when she was a kid, her mother and Marie-Claire were high-priced sex workers in Paris. Advertisement Meanwhile, a fresh out of prison Vincent attempts to commit a chivalrous act by speaking to Valérie on Michelle's behalf. The two knew each other in childhood, so this visit doesn't seem random or unusual. Their scene leads to yet another incident where we're unsure if what happened was accidental or not. In addition to meditating on how children believe their mothers ruined their childhood with bad parenting, 'When Fall Is Coming' intrigues us by giving just enough information to keep us guessing. When a pregnant police investigator (Sophie Guillemin) gets involved after the mushroom incident, her lines of questioning lead to answers that we know are untrue. Who's protecting whom, and why? Ozon is wise enough to give us only some of the answers. By the end of 'When Fall is Coming,' we recognize the film for what it is: a character study elevated by Vincent's superb performance. She's in almost every scene, only stopping to rest in her final moment onscreen. Ozon films this scene in an overhead shot that, like the rest of this movie, feels peaceful yet unsettling. ★★★1/2 WHEN FALL IS COMING Directed by François Ozon. Written by Ozon in collaboration with Philippe Piazzo. Starring Hélène Vincent, Josiane Balasko, Pierre Lottin, Ludivine Sagnier, Garlan Erlos, Sophie Guillemin. At Coolidge Corner. 104 min. In French with English subtitles. Unrated (language). Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
Geek Vibes Nation
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Heavier Trip' Blu-Ray Review - Death Metal Comedy Sequel Is Back For Another Round Of Delirious Fun
Death metal band Impaled Rektum escapes prison to perform at Wacken, Germany's iconic music festival. Their wild and perilous adventure into the metal music scene challenges the band's integrity in the sequel to cult classic HEAVY TRIP. For thoughts on Heavier Trip, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality Heavier Trip comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that looks quite splendid. The film is replete with bold colors throughout with numerous moments that radiate off the screen. This film uses lighting in creative ways to bring a bit of dynamic filmmaking to the proceedings, and the efforts pay off well. The highlights are handled without issue, and the deep blacks do not suffer from any banding or compression artifacts. This is a skillfully captured independent feature that presents a fantastic amount of detail within the frame. Viewers can see subtle elements of the costumes and production design clearly at all times. The skin tones and bold makeup look very detailed and natural all around. This presentation delivers on all fronts thanks to Music Box Films. Audio Quality The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Finnish (with optional English subtitles) that handles the material effortlessly. The star of the show is the pulsing metal music listened to and produced by the characters. The wall of sound feels massive as it permeates the room with the utmost fidelity. Activity in the low end is handled well when it comes to music and other distinct elements. This is not an action-heavy film, but there is rarely a moment that does not feel buzzing with energy. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being overshadowed by the sound effects or the score. The sound design keeps all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. The environmental effects create a kinetic soundscape that believably replicates the world. This is an audacious release that does a nice job with the material. Special Features Behind The Scenes of Heavier Trip: A nearly 24-minute fly-on-the-wall look at the production of the film. Interview with Babymetal: A nearly four-minute interview with the iconic group in which they discuss filming their first movie, what drew them to the project, memorable moments during filming, and more. Johannes at Fantastic Fest: A three-minute montage of the performer attending Fantastic Fest all by his lonesome, plus his subsequent return home. Image Gallery Trailer (2:06) Teaser #1 (0:18) Teaser #2 (0:43) Final Thoughts Heavier Trip is another unpredictable adventure with your favorite 'symphonic post-apocalyptic reindeer-grinding Christ-abusing extreme war pagan fennoscandian' metal heads. While the original film was not screaming for a sequel, and this outing is admittedly a notch down from the delirious highs of that one, there is still so much fun to be had. Our core members of the band continue to be distinctly hilarious, but the feature also expands the world some to incorporate some valuable new faces. If the journey continues with another installment, we will be the first in line. Music Box Selects has released a Blu-Ray featuring a killer A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. If you have not tried this series yet and you need death metal hilarity in your life, run to these movies. Recommended Heavier Trip is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Music Box Selects has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Boston Globe
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘If you wreck it, they will leave': Why the new baseball movie ‘Eephus' is the reverse ‘Field of Dreams'
'Eephus' is set in the 1990s and takes place during a single game between two amateur men's baseball teams on the last day before their beloved field gets razed for a new school. There's not a plot, per se, just banter and bickering between players and among the onlookers (a mix of the passionate and the bored) and, naturally, the game itself. It's a wry and funny yet elegiac look at the way men connect and express themselves (or don't) and at the inevitable passage of time. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's a movie about the collective spirit and about a bunch of people coming to terms with a loss in their lives and feeling powerless because time and change happens,' Lund said during a recent video interview. Advertisement Nate Fisher, left, and Carson Lund attend the "Eephus" screening during the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on Oct. 2, 2024 in New York FLC Co-writer Nate Fisher sees the film as a 'love letter' to community institutions that are eroding and a 'manifesto' about making an effort with friends and neighbors. 'It's very easy for social fabric to break down if it's not maintained,' he said. The catch is that these grown men can't fully express themselves, says the film's other co-writer, Michael Basta. 'They do so in subtext.' The unusual title comes from a rarely used novelty pitch, one thrown so slowly as to confound the batter, to wreck his timing and perhaps even his understanding of time itself. 'The film is trying to reorient your sense of baseball, of aging, of community, of America and of time,' Lund said. Keith William Richards, left, and Jack DiFonso in "Eephus." Courtesy of Music Box Films The best-known fictional example of the eephus comes Advertisement Before shooting began in October 2022, Lund checked out a hundred ballfields (about half in person), eventually discovering Soldiers Field in Douglas. 'Most places had aluminum bleachers and fences — this was all wood with chipped green paint that had been there for decades,' he said. (The field even once hosted a Lund, Fisher, and Basta wrote the film as a box score, plotting the action and then figuring out where to show players chatting in the dugout or onlookers commenting on (or ignoring) the action. The on-field highlights include a diving catch, a play at the plate, and a home run where the batter's body language will be familiar to anyone from Red Sox Nation. (See But there's also a pop-up that seemingly disappears into the sky; a player who gets so caught up in his joke of being his own third-base coach that he gets picked off; players drinking too much between innings and hunting for lost foul balls in the woods; and a final inning completed in the dim glow of car headlights. It's baseball of and for the people. Cliff Blake, Tim Taylor, Jeff Saint Dic, and Ethan Ward in "Eephus." Courtesy of Music Box Films 'Eephus' features two familiar faces for Boston fans. Joe Castiglione, the longtime radio voice of the Red Sox, plays a food-truck owner. 'I think they did a good job of capturing the players' love of baseball,' said Castiglione. Lund says once they'd decided to name the movie 'Eephus,' he just had to track down the pitch's most famous practitioner. Advertisement 'I love amateur ball players, people who just want to play for the love of the game,' said Bill Lee, who played at Soldiers Field in bygone days. 'I said, 'As long as I get to pitch, I'll come.'' Lee, 78, has never really stopped pitching, joining senior leagues and even hurling a complete game win in an independent minor league at 65. He plays a 'ghost of baseball's past who emerges for an inning and then disappears,' Lund said, a vanishing that recalls 'Field of Dreams.' (Fisher calls this film a 'Reverse 'Field of Dreams' — 'if you wreck it they will leave.') Lund is uncertain that Lee read his pages, and Lee acknowledged that 'I don't stick to scripts. I just have the ability to say what they really want to say in my own words.' While we only see one inning on screen, Lee says he faced 12 batters during filming. 'I cut down those guys — there was only one tough out, and I got him pretty good, too,' he said. 'I had good stuff. I wanted to play more.' But the film returns to the local guys, many played by Lund's friends, with a mix of local actors. 'This is not a film about excellent players . . . I just needed them to look like they've played before,' Lund said, adding that he had to 'reshape the script on the fly at times, based on what certain actors were capable of athletically. But I'm proud of how it feels like a mix of real New Englanders.' Keith Poulson, Ari Brisbon, David Pridemore, and Chris Goodwin in "Eephus." Courtesy of Music Box Films Fisher, who never really pitched before and wasn't that good at baseball, plays a reliever. 'Some of my better pitches made it into the final cut,' he said. Advertisement Like Lee, the actors were also allowed to improvise. 'The movie's 80-percent scripted,' Lund said, 'but everyone was living together in a cabin in the woods [near the field], and playing baseball every day, so by week three they were teammates with such incredible chemistry that I felt we had to let some spontaneity in.' While the dialogue is frequently funny, the film carries a certain poignancy. 'There's an impending melancholy throughout,' said Lund, 'because this is about a bunch of people trying to avoid talking about that thing that's hanging over them.' It's kind of like the eephus pitch, said Basta: 'Things feel like they're going slow, and then — boom! — you're suddenly shocked by how much time has passed.' Stuart Miller can be reached at .
Chicago Tribune
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Rounding' review: From Chicago's ‘Ghostlight' director, an eerie tale of a doctor's demons
Filmed before 'Ghostlight' in 2022, Chicago-based director and co-writer Alex Thompson's 'Rounding' has the less eerie-sounding title of the two. Yet titles are deceiving. The movie, shot in Elmhurst, Galena, Highland Park and around Chicago, makes its overdue theatrical premiere in tandem with streaming availability on various platforms, both distributed by the Music Box Films subsidiary Doppelganger Releasing. It's a slippery picture, as well as a bit vague, sometimes deliberately, sometimes less so. At the same time 'Rounding,' named after the hospital rounds medical students conduct with their mentors, casts enough of an atmospheric spell in its tale of psychological demons haunting a young medical student to linger in your psyche a while. After a breakdown following his role in the assisted suicide of a patient (Cheryl Lynn Bruce), James (Namir Smallwood) relocates to a small-town hospital in a place called Greenville. Much of 'Rounding' takes place in winter, and as James — a runner — jogs around town, he prepares himself mentally for the next day's demands. The training isn't for the weak. At one point, surrounded by other residents making rounds, James must deliver news to a lung cancer patient that is not encouraging. He bungles it, and it weighs on him, in addition to everything else shadowing his uncertain recovery. This is a protagonist who has 'lost the thread,' in the the words of his unseen mother, with whom James has several phone calls across an unspecified time period. Strange things happen to, and within, this doctor in training: little time lapses, momentary fugue-state panic attacks. Meantime there's a mystery surrounding one of the patients James gets to know, an asthmatic young woman (Sidney Flanigan) whose ever-present mother (Rebecca Spence) doesn't like James' interrogation of her daughter's peculiar treatment plan. Something isn't right, James keeps saying. Is the something in his increasingly fraught head, or elsewhere? Filmmaker Thompson, who co-wrote the script with his brother Christopher Thompson, suggests no one answer. At one point the manifestations of James' dread and guilt become, to him, at least, very real, and monstrous. Other developments nudge 'Rounding' into a bit of body horror; after a fall down a stairway, James spends the rest of the movie hobbling around on a bad and then festering leg. Meantime the patient with whom James has become medically obsessed gets better, then worse, then … The premise may sound straightforward, and it is, almost. 'Rounding' works best, I think, when the 'almost' feeling sustains a kind of subterranean tension. While Smallwood's character as written is essentially reactive, the actor's facility with charged stillness sets the tone. This is not full-on scare stuff; it's more interior. The supporting turns are very fine. Among others, there's Tony Award-winning director David Cromer as a somewhat cryptic bedside-manner coach, and Charin Alvarez who, in a three-minute scene as James' wary longtime colleague, conducts a mini-masterclass in humanizing exposition with quiet gravity. The Steppenwolf Theatre Company connections run deep in this ensemble, which includes the excellent Kelly O'Sullivan, screenwriter of 'Ghostlight' and 'Saint Frances' as well as screenwriter and co-director, with her partner Alex Thompson, of the forthcoming 'Mouse.' The musical score by Quinn Tsan and Macie Stewart captures the main character's unease, slyly. 'Rounding' may not be enough for some, or clear enough in its intentions. Others don't mind ambiguity, or even elements of ambiguity's first cousin, opacity, if there are other things to appreciate. And there are. 'Rounding' — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and violence) How to watch: Premieres Friday at Chicago's Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; Also streaming online.
