Hawke, Delpy & Linklater talk Before Midnight

Written by Meredith Alloway Friday, May 24, 2013, 6:22 AM

Hawke, Delpy and Linklater discuss long takes, keeping it real, and their 19-year relationship for Before Midnight

The Before Midnight press day in LA this week felt more like a relationship seminar than a press conference. Although we all sipped coffee in a small Four Seasons room, it may have been more appropriate to pour chardonnay and lounge in the garden. With the chemistry of a cast and director that’s stood the test of time, it’s no wonder the chat felt so relaxed, natural and intricately insightful. Co-writers and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy joined writer/director Richard Linklater to discuss the third film in the “Before” trilogy.

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What Maisie Knew: Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel

Written by Meredith Alloway Sunday, May 19, 2013, 8:48 PM

Although star names litter this cast, with Julianne Moore playing a rock star mom, Steve Coogan a workaholic dad and Alexander Skarsgard a gentle stepfather, it’s really all about Maisie. Played by Onata Aprile, Maisie is the center focus of McGehee and Siegel’s latest directorial collaboration. She’s caught between her parents Susanna (Moore) and Beale’s (Coogan) messy attempt to raise their 6-year-old daughter. In an attempt to receive further custody rights, Susanna marries bartender Lincoln (Skarsgard) and Beale, Maisie’s nanny Margo (Joanna Vanderham). It’s a film that illuminates the child’s perspective, something that often goes unexplored when adult issues overshadow.

At Millennium Entertainment in LA, which is distributing the film, I had the treat to talk with the directors. In a conference room with a breathtaking view of the city behind us, we got to the bottom of working with such amazing actors like Skarsgard and Moore, managing a protagonist that’s primarily passive and creating a whole world around Maisie.

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PJ Boudousque: Coldwater, Little Rock Film Fest

Written by Meredith Alloway Friday, May 17, 2013, 8:13 PM

When Coldwater premiered at SXSW in March, everyone wanted to know who its leading man was. Who is PJ Boudousque? Playing the brooding 17-yr-old Brad Lunders who’s sent to a reform facility in the woods, he gave a debut performance that was both grounded and intricate.

When the film was accepted into the Little Rock Film Festival, I knew I had to snag a few words with the leading man. After interviewing Coldwater writer/director Vincent Grashaw at SXSW, I met PJ back in LA last week. I was eager to get his side of the story, knowing the script evolved greatly during the shoot and that this was his first big feature film experience.

We met at The Darkroom in West Hollywood and dished about his last minute audition, re-writing the shot list in the camp cafeteria and his love for Paul Newman. Before the interview began, though, we shared some of our SXSW stories. Pretty sure PJ had no idea I was taping this segment, but I pressed record when I realized his Brie Larson [Short Term 12, 21 Jump Street] story was priceless [sorry, PJ, but it was too good.]

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Writer/Director Vincent Grashaw: Little Rock Film Fest

Written by Meredith Alloway Thursday, May 16, 2013, 2:30 PM

Little Rock Film Festival has a stellar line up this year. It's has proven itself as the hottest new place to see up and coming indies. One if which, Coldwater, has already become widely praised. It premiered at SXSW in March, and director/writer Vincent Grashaw is back with it this week in Little Rock. Buzz has been around Grashaw’s feature debut  since Bellflower, which he produced,received an amazing following in the indie scene. In Coldwater,  troublemaker Brad Lunders ( PJ Boudousque) is sent to a juvenile reform facility in the wilderness. Soon it’s apparent that the operations are abusive and the attendees are far worse off than upon their arrival.

Vince and I had a chance to sit down and chat about his need to voice the issues on reform facilities, the countless times the film almost got made and the moment his leading man walked in the room.

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Frances Ha: Writer / Director Noah Baumbach

Written by Meredith Alloway Wednesday, May 08, 2013, 1:04 PM

Baumbach has always been known for his knack at character complexity. He explored the uncomfortable and awkward plagues of family and adolescence in The Squid and the Whale, garnering an Oscar nod and slew of other awards. In Greenberg, we witnessed Ben Stiller at his most vulnerable, playing an odd man who falls for the fresh-faced Greta Gerwig. Since then, Baumbach has re-teamed with Gerwig to bring us another intimate, hilarious movie, Frances Ha. All in black and white and channeling a French New Wave vibe, the story centers on a twenty-something misfit, Frances (Gerwig) who struggles to keep her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) as both their lives grow apart. It’s a coming of age film, what Baumbach does best, set to the backdrop of the ever-ferocious and luminescent New York City.

I was stoked to have a few moments with the beloved writer/director in LA last week. Drinking red wine in a New York boho loft may have been more appropriate than a lavish conference room at The Four Seasons, but hey, I’m not picky. We talked his new DIY way of shooting, his relationship with the late Harris Savides and his newest project with Gerwig (yup, there’s more to come).

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