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Geek Tyrant
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Dark Comedy Short Film TRAGEDIUM is FARGO Meets INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS — GeekTyrant
Here's a fun short film for you to watch today, a dark comedy titled TRAGEDIUM , which is described as being 'like Fargo meets body snatchers, but with a lot of grace and reference to movies from the 80s and 90s, or series like Amazing Stories , or Tales from the Crypt .' The film comes from director Gastón Haag and it is shared in collaboration with the FilmQuest Film Festival, where we are looking to expose some of the radical indie genre films and shorts that filmmakers are creating. I also included an interview with the director that you can read below!nd its themes. Is it a proof of concept, What was the inspiration for your film? How did you come up with the idea? The inspiration came from a news story I read in a newspaper, very ridiculous, about a man who found an alien in an apartment and upon seeing it similar to a person who was his partner, he fell in love. Although the short film is not about this, it is based on the crazy idea of aliens disguised as humans, in a ridiculous and funny environment. Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker? I currently live in Bilbao, Basque Country, I am a director who has always been interested in absurd humor and genre, so I decided to mix these things. This year I premiered a series on Latin American Disney Plus and the Dark channel in Spain called "There is something in the forest" is a very retro and vintage anthology, with aliens, killer cars, werewolves, a lot of animatronic and latex. I was also in Sitges with this series and with previous shorts like Superjodidos, or Nada de Nada, comedies of humor and offal. I am currently looking to close my next project, which are two feature films, the short "Superjodidos" and another horror film called Laboratorio 70. What inspires you to work within genre cinema and tell these kind of stories? I think that making stories that are far from my daily life is what keeps me alive in some way, I like to play and these stories allow me to do that, enter impossible worlds, and make them real. I really like the characters and creating scenes for them, and I was always a fan of latex, blood and ammiatronics. I am very inspired by music, sometimes it takes me to think about scenes, or watch movies that make me want to tell stories, I also like to observe everything that happens around me, and from there look for possible "what ifs" What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process for this project? What I liked most about this process was working with talented people, who I knew would improve my vision, costumes were incredible, I loved working with Alaia Arde, or for example the art department or my photo director Ernesto Baez, I think He is an export talent, he is truly a genius. But something that I also added to this, because in addition to being a director I am an actor, was playing with the actors that I summoned to this story, when I act for me this is a role-playing game that I invite people to play together and that is what But I have fun and I like teamwork. What are you most proud of with this film? What makes me most proud of this short film is that it turned out exactly as I imagined, or better, I would say better thanks to the people I was able to work with, without them it is impossible. What is a favorite story or moment from the making of the film you'd like to share? I have several favorite moments from this short, but seeing the "aliens" with their acting, because more than fx we played on the actors' body acting, seeing that, their talent, and how they generated sensations only with their physicality and without much effect more than contact lenses. It was without a doubt one of my favorite moments, as well as the death of my character, I like to die in stories, I find it fun. What was your most challenging moment or experience you had while making your film? I think the biggest challenge of this short film was making it in 1 day and a half, very little time for many shots. If it did, how did your film change or differ from its original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How has this changed how you'll approach future projects as a result? The short change in many aspects, one was the sound that although I had an idea in my head, the work with the sound department in post production was very fun and very cool. Also the editing by Iñigo, the editor, who added certain things that gave another twist to my original idea. The only thing missing is not having had more budget to make the aliens make the bullies' heads explode, that idea was left in the pipeline, it was just something that would have given the necessary gore touch. So in future projects, just as I was able to do in old projects, I will always try to budget so that gore is a part that is not missing. Luckily in other projects I was able to get the urge. Who were some of your collaborators and actors on the film? How did you start working with each other? The actors in this short film are all incredible, I was lucky to be able to work with the people I imagined in the script from the beginning, some I had already worked with before who are very talented and I admire a lot, as is the case of Lander Otaola one of the Huamoid Alines, or Jordi Aguilar, the main thug. But then I was lucky enough to get the urge to call two actors that I had not worked with before, but had tried, as in the case of the super talented Goize Blanco, or the other super talented Aimar Vega. What is the best advice you've ever received as a filmmaker and what would you like to say to new filmmakers? For me, the best advice I received is to always try to do something that I would like to see, to do something that would make me go see a movie or a festival, beyond thinking of a story that the audience would like. If it comes from within you and you are motivated and like it, I think someone will always like it and you will be able to convey to them that genuine thing that led you to write the story. Another piece of advice is, please think about the characters and always give them importance, the films that I like the most are always the ones in which the characters are well presented and each one has their moment. What are your plans for your career and what do you hope this film does for it? What kind of stories would you like to tell moving forward? Now my plan is to be able to film some of my film projects that I have in hand such as Superjodidos, Laboratorio 70 or Sumo de Robots, films that I would really like to see made and see if people like these stories, I think they will Have a great time and I hope you are amazed, because they are crazy and very fun. With Tragedium, what I hope is that it opens the door for me to be able to carry out these projects in the future. For me, the stories I like to tell are the ones where the most important thing is the characters. I think it's cool to explore individuals and oneself, putting ourselves in extreme situations, and playing with the possible scenarios that can arise in situations, whether ridiculous or fun, as well as terrifying and dangerous. I like all movies, but I like to make the entertaining ones, the ones that take you out of your routine a bit and make you have a good time. What is your next project and when can we expect to see it? I hope my future project is "Superfucked", a film in which in a world of violence, it becomes fashionable to become a superhero, or rather a vigilante, in order to stand out in society, and I focus on a group of misfits who do this. to follow the majority, but they only get together to bowl to criticize others, until something happens and they are forced to prove their worth. I think that talking about losing characters and how they lose is important, because it is what mostly happens to us in our lives, we are not winning good moments all the time and we don't learn much from that. Instead of losing and something going wrong, that's where you learn. Cinema for a long time was about stories of winners, I always liked losers and secondary characters that no one cared much about. I hope I can film it in 2025 and it will be released in 2026. Where can we find more of your work and where can interested parties contact you? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Social media handles? Give us what we can share and we'll share! You can find me on Instagram as @gastonciooooo and I leave you here trailers of my work that I did both for the series and my other short films "superwasted" of which I want to make a movie, and "Nothing at all" both premiered in Sitges. Superwasted trailer : Nothing at all trailer: What is your all-time favorite film? Jurassic Park What is the film that most inspired you to become a filmmaker and/or had the most influence on your work? Pulp fiction
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘The Phoenician Scheme' Lands Top Limited Opening Of 2025
Wes Anderson's is now the top-grossing limited opening of the year with an estimated $570,000 this weekend at just six locations in New York and Los Angeles for a per-theater average of $95K. The Focus Features' film expands to 1,500 screens next weekend. The film unseats A24's Friendship, which kicked the indie box into high gear a few weeks ago with a great $445K limited opening and $75K per-theater opening for Andrew DeYoung's feature debut starring comedian Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd. More from Deadline 'The Phoenician Scheme' Review: Benicio Del Toro Hilariously Dominates Wes Anderson's Latest All-Star Wes Anderson Movie – Cannes Film Festival 'The Phoenician Scheme' Cannes Red Carpet Photos: Wes Anderson, Mia Threapleton, Benicio del Toro, Bill Murray, Michael Cera, & More Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' Tees Up Strong Indie Weekend With Angelika Film Center Takeover - Specialty Preview The Phoenician Scheme, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, stars Benicio del Toro as a family patriarch and business titan beset by rivals and assassins, and Mia Threapleton as his daughter, a nun, whom he wants to inherit it all. Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, and Benedict Cumberbatch also star in the pic, which is coming off its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month. The Phoenician Scheme is the third major collaboration of Focus, Anderson and Indian Paintbrush, who also partnered on Anderson's most recent feature Asteroid City (2023) as well Moonrise Kingdom (2012). It was produced by Anderson for his American Empirical Pictures banner alongside longtime collaborators Steven Rales of Indian Paintbrush, Jeremy Dawson and John Peet. The movie was filmed in Germany in association with Studio Babelsberg. Asteroid City's PTA of $132K was the biggest in years, and The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014 a record-setter at $200K. The latter ended up scoring nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture and winning four. Focus took over the Angelika Film Center in New York this weekend with Phoenician Scheme on all six screens, a jazz band and movie-themed merchandise and activations in the lobby and concessions – reflected in higher ticket prices — $30 for standard and $60 for premium. NYC's Alamo Brooklyn and AMC Lincoln Square and AMC's The Grove, Century City and Burbank in Los Angeles are other opening theaters. Other new openings: IFC Films debuted UK period thiller to $130K at 412 theaters, and Music Box Fims opened Jonathan Millet's feature debut from Cannes 2024 with French-Tunisian star Adam Bessa at four locations to $5,600. Holdover: Sony Pictures Classics clocked $561K on 526 screens in week 2 (up from 61 last week) for a cume of $977.500. Event cinema had a terrific weekend with the final Met: transmission of the 2024–2025 season, Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, grossing $906K at about 800 cinemas in North America. Fathom distributes in most markets. Trafalgar had a doubleheader, with Saturday's live worldwide broadcast of j-hope tour — the BTS solo star's concert from Osaka — grossing $789K at 631 screens in North America. The UK-based distributor's collaboration with Hasbro was also out with globally including 428 venues in North America that grossed $420K for Friday and Saturday. MORE Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Forbes
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Netflix's Best New Movie Scored Insanely High On Rotten Tomatoes
Nicolas Cage stars in the 2021 film 'Pig.' On paper, the premise for Pig sounds like the setup for a Nicolas Cage punchline: a loner of a man ventures out into the woods to rescue his stolen truffle pig. But it's not a self-aware John Wick-esque genre riff played for laughs, nor is it an over-the-top revenge thriller backed by a big budget. No, this quietly profound film is something much more; it's a meditation on grief and memory that uses its bizarre premise not for shock or irony, but for tenderness. Oh, and it also happens to be one of the best-reviewed movies of the 21st century. And it was added to Netflix this morning, accompanying what is already a stellar lineup of movies for the month of May. No, Pig is not at all what you'd expect. But perhaps more surprising than the film's shocking sophistication is the fact that more people haven't seen it, that the movie isn't much more talked about. Because very few films have achieved such great success on Rotten Tomatoes: a 97% score from 272 reviews—a feat almost unheard of for any modern film, let alone a subdued indie about a truffle-hunting recluse and his stolen pig. That amount of positive reviews broaches nearly unmatched territory, recalling what many consider to be the highest-rated movie ever on Rotten Tomatoes, Mad Max: Fury Road, which also scored 97% from 439 reviews. Not many films remain in the high-90s when approaching 300 reviews, which begs the question: shouldn't we all be watching and talking about this movie? Despite its seemingly absurd premise, Pig from director Michael Sarnoski (who also directed A Quiet Place: Day One) is anything but conventional. The film's central star, the often bug-eyed Bela Lugosi super-fan Nicolas Cage, plays Rob, a former fine-dining chef who abandons his past and decides to live deep in the Oregon wilderness with his pig, foraging truffles and avoiding any and all contact with human beings. After a violent break-in that results in his pig being stolen, Rob heads back to Portland not to seek vengeance, but to search for his lost friend—quietly, painfully, and without compromise. What follows is an incredibly emotional journey that requires some heavy acting from Mr. Cage. Critics didn't just like Pig—they were floored by it. Matt Zoller Seitz of gave the film a raving four-star review, calling it 'beguiling' and 'confounding,' the kind of movie that dares to defy genre expectations. Though it teases a gritty revenge plot, the film instead unfolds like a '70s-style picaresque character study. 'Its commitment to its own oddball vision is what makes it linger in the mind,' Seitz writes. 'It's attentive to regret and failure in ways that American films tend to avoid.' In Variety, Michael Nordine praised Cage's 'best performance in years," marveling at the film's ability to 'feel both out there and grounded, often at the same time.' He notes how Cage's portrayal of Rob brings a wounded sincerity to even the film's most bizarre moments, like underground fight clubs for restaurant workers or chapter titles named after recipes. Cage, he writes, finds something 'close to the profound in it all.' Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter highlights Pig's unorthodox emotional prowess, describing it as 'a recipe that takes chances, even if not every ingredient works.' She praises the unlikely chemistry between Cage and Alex Wolff, who plays Amir, a snarky young truffle dealer reluctantly drawn into Rob's mission. Their mismatched dynamic anchors the story, with Linden pointing out how Wolff subtly reveals the self-doubt beneath Amir's ambition. 'Through it all,' she writes, 'Cage plays the enigmatic central character at the perfect simmering temperature, and without a shred of ham.' Pig takes its time, trades catharsis for contemplation, rarely delivers what you expect—and that's exactly why it has resonated so deeply with audiences and critics alike. It's a film about food, yes, but also about identity, about loss, about what remains when everything else is stripped away. Rob doesn't just want his pig back; he wants to remember who he was when he still cared about something bigger than himself. At 92 minutes, Pig wastes absolutely nothing—not a word, not a look, not a moment. It's a lean, haunting film that sneaks up on you and stays there. And with a Rotten Tomatoes score this high, we can officially deem them gem more than a cult classic—it's a critical titan. And it's now streaming on Netflix. So be sure you don't miss it if you're a subscriber.
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Turnover XXV sets the scene for a cinematic shake-up
Founded by actor-director Craig Conway, Turnover XXV will champion regional storytelling and open doors for Southeast Asian creatives through the Independent Film Production Partnership. PETALING JAYA : A new indie film company from North East England has landed in Malaysia, bringing with it a suitcase full of drama, heart – and an ambitious mission to shake up the screen. Drawn by the country's cultural richness and cinematic charm, Turnover XXV has chosen Malaysia as its creative home away from home, with a clear vision to tell stories that connect people. Founded by actor-director Craig Conway and business strategist Amita Krishna, who serves as the company's chief commercial officer, the duo believe Malaysia is the perfect stage for their bold new act. 'Malaysia, culturally, is very diverse. There are a lot of people working together, coming together, and in the British independent scene for film, we need to attract more of that,' Conway told FMT. The seeds of Turnover XXV were planted over four years ago, born out of a desire to rebuild the industry after Covid-19 hit. 'During the pandemic, the industry didn't know where they were going or how it was going to come through, so it was a perfect opportunity,' Conway said. 'Whenever there's a block or a wall, you have to find ways to either climb it, go around it, or knock it down and build a new one. Instead of walls, we're building bridges.' Stories with heart Turnover XXV is all about stories with heart: Conway says the company will shine a light on the human condition and overlooked voices. 'The North East of England has always had a strong working-class culture. Everybody always looked to London, the capital, the big city. But the North East represents many people who built that country. 'Malaysia is the same. There are a lot of people here who work very hard, but their voices aren't heard. Turnover XXV wants to enrich people's voices and look at how as a society, we can come together and tell stories that unite us.' It's not just the stories that move him – it's Malaysians themselves. 'When I walk into a room or a hotel, Malaysians put their hand over their heart. That gesture says everything to me. That's the heart of Malaysia, and that's what we want to take back to North East England,' he said. Turnover XXV is partnering with KL-based award-winning integrated creative agency Ampersand Advisory to launch a landmark collaboration that will champion regional storytelling, and open doors for Southeast Asian creatives through the Independent Film Production Partnership. Together, Conway and Ampersand Advisory's CEO and co-founder, Sandeep Joseph, will co-develop projects, train emerging filmmakers, and build cross-border talent pipelines. The company also has backing from UK business platform ISS Airview, which supports international creative ventures and helps smoothen the landing for new businesses. (From left) Turnover XXV head of SEA partnerships Thomas Cherian Anneseri, Conway, and lead talent agent for Newtown Artist Management Andrea Davison, with Ampersand Advisory's Sandeep Joseph during their Malaysia visit. Rethinking the rules Turnover XXV is rewriting the script on how indie films get made, embracing new ideas, diverse voices, and fresh approaches to storytelling. The name itself reflects a few things: a goal of five films a year for their first five years (adding up to 25), the idea of turning over a new leaf, and the industry term 'turnover' – the cue for cameras to start rolling. What makes the company different is how it works. Inspired by Conway's background in theatre, they rehearse more and shoot less, ensuring every shoot is focused and efficient. 'The Hollywood system has long led the way. This is our time to disrupt the model that we've been told and sold for so long about how things should be done and how things should operate.' He also called out the opacity in film finance, where investors are often left guessing. In contrast, Turnover XXV aims to bring openness to the forefront – not just in how films are financed and produced, but in how stories are developed and distributed. 'It's not just about how many people go to the cinema: it's about how we get those stories and that content to people, whether it be on your phone or your home screen,' he added. Two-way street for investment, creativity By anchoring themselves in the UK and Malaysia, Turnover XXV is creating a two-way street for creativity and investment. They are making the most of the UK's booming film tax credits and regional incentives, while creating a model that supports both inward investment to the UK and collaboration with Malaysia. This partnership opens the door for Malaysian creatives and investors to gain exposure abroad, while sharing skills, stories, and opportunities across borders. 'There's nothing better than supporting, mentoring, and giving exposure to people, and allowing them to be heard in creative ways,' Conway said. Turnover XXV's plans for 25 films in its first five years include exploring genres from comedy to supernatural thrillers and, yes, horror. To that end, they are cooking up a major international co-production with renowned genre director Neil Marshall ('Hellboy', 'The Descent', 'Dog Soldiers'). 'It will bring together talent both in front of and behind the camera, featuring a great mix of UK, international, and Malaysian stars all working side by side,' he concluded.
Geek Tyrant
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Psychological Horror Short PRETTY AS A PICTURE - A Young Model Becomes The Focus of a Mysterious and Demanding Photographer — GeekTyrant
Here's a new horror short film for you to watch titled Pretty as a Picture . The film is about 'a young model who becomes the focus of a mysterious and demanding photographer that is trying to capture his idea of the perfect image. The model, in turn, must give all of herself in order to satisfy the photographer and satisfy herself.' The film comes from writer and director Ryan Nielsen, who said: 'In the end, the theme of the film has revealed itself differently to many people. I always saw it as the 'Act of being seen, and our desire to be seen.' 'This is true both for the model and the photographer, one being seen physically and the other being seen for their work. This isn't much different than being a filmmaker, where we all would like recognition for the work that we do, but at what cost? The goal is that people could see themselves in both of the main characters.' The was shared in collaboration with the FilmQuest Film Festival, where we are looking to expose some of the radical indie genre films and shorts that filmmakers are creating. I also included an interview with the director that you can read below! What was the inspiration for your film? How did you come up with the idea? The inspiration came from an image of a woman posing under flashing lights and an unseen photographer in the distance. From that simple image the actual writing of the short took very little time, perhaps only a couple of days. Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker? I was born and raised in Iowa and spent a lot of my youth watching films. I had no inclination of being a filmmaker and didn't think that it was a career you could seriously pursue until I was in college. That is where I took a course in American Film History, mostly so I could get a credit for watching movies, and instead found myself enamored with the art of cinema and my obsession with movies was solidified. For the longest time, I wanted to be a filmmaker but didn't actually make anything. In fact, I consider Pretty as a Picture my first short film, considering the only things I had made beforehand were little exercises in college. It took me awhile to have the confidence to actually make something. What inspires you to work within genre cinema and tell these kind of stories? What I like about genre cinema is that it allows you to work out feelings and emotions in the extreme and encourages you to be expressionistic in your storytelling. You can make something personal, or not, and bury it within the conventions of a genre that people can grasp and hopefully come away thinking about later. What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process for this project? My favorite part of the process for this short was probably pre-production. My producer, Ari and I, had so much fun putting the team together, designing the look of the film, and figuring out the nuts and bolts of how to make a production run smoothly. It was such a joy to meet so many talented artists and to work with them, and to also give my friends and family roles in the film, whether that be assistant directing or catering. What are you most proud of with this film? I'm most proud of the fact that we actually just made it. It's really easy to sit on ideas for a long time and go, "yeah, maybe we could do that." But with this film, my producer, Ari, and I really got the ball rolling right away and continually reminded each other, "we're going to make this movie." What is a favorite story or moment from the making of the film you'd like to share? This could also be one of my most proud moments, but my fiance, Paige, did all of the catering for the short by herself and it was so amazing to see how much people loved her cooking, with several people saying it was the best lunch they've had on set. What was your most challenging moment or experience you had while making your film? Our set ran pretty smoothly, but I would say our most stressful aspect of the process was securing financing and figuring out how insurance on a film set works. If it did, how did your film change or differ from its original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How has this changed how you'll approach future projects as a result? The film changed quite a bit during the post-production. There were some things that we were just not able to do during production and this forced some changes in post. Originally the film was more cyclical, the beginning of the film was exactly the same as the end. This changed along the way and got trimmed of all of its fat. As it is now, it's a very simple, linear film, mostly an idea played out as far as it can go, but had more of an arc originally. Who were some of your collaborators and actors on the film? How did you start working with each other? First I met Ari Wojciech while working at a coffee shop. He and I hit it off pretty much right away and I eventually sent him the script. He took on the producing role and introduced me to all of the actors including, Claire Manning, Garrett Pominville, and Mike Danner. Some other collaborators on the film were our DP Indeana Underhill, production designer Masha Lyass, our sound recorder and designer Kevin Khor, and our makeup artist Wendy Fisher. Other notable collaborators are my great friends and assistant directors, Carson Aden and Frank D'Argenio. What is the best advice you've ever received as a filmmaker and what would you like to say to new filmmakers? The best advice I've received as a filmmaker is to simply just start making movies. It's the surest way to learn how to do it. You can read and watch as much as you like, but nothing compares to actually making something. What are your plans for your career and what do you hope this film does for it? What kind of stories would you like to tell moving forward? My plans for my career would be to continue writing and directing independent shorts and features, eventually at a larger scale and for some profit. I would also like to work in commercials and music videos, as I see this as a great way to improve your craft. Most of the stories I write and direct are coincidentally not genre films. Many of them revolve around characters and life in the midwest where I am from. I love being able to take the seemingly mundane parts of life and flipping them on their head, making them thrilling. What is your next project and when can we expect to see it? I'm currently writing my next project so I'm not exactly sure what to make of it right now. All I can really say is that it's called Bedwetter and is perhaps inspired by my youth. Bonus Question #1: What is your all-time favorite film? Raging Bull Bonus Question #2: What is the film that most inspired you to become a filmmaker and/or had the most influence on your work? The film that most inspired me to become a filmmaker was Boogie Nights, but I think the film that has had the biggest influence on my work recently has been In the Bedroom.
