Not Fade Away

 

For his first feature film, David Chase, the creator of HBO’s wildly popular series, The Sopranos, presents a deeply personal reflection on growing up in America in the 1960’s. Not Fade Awayis the story of Doug (John Magaro) and his two best friends, who are inspired by The Rolling Stones’ television performance to form a band of their own.

 

Not Fade Away, which took its title from a song made popular by both Buddy Holly and The Rolling Stones, is fundamentally aboutthe formative influence of music on a generation – although Chase has also described the film as being about “the conflict between freedom and security.” A coming-of-age drama, Not Fade Away chronicles the changes in Doug’s life, relationships and self-image as he pursues his rock star dreams against a backdrop of the changing social dynamics and values conflicts that were taking place in society at this time.

 

Rated R for pervasive language, some drug use and sexual content, Not Fade Away is scheduled for a limited release on December 21, 2012 by Paramount Vantage. The musical drama also stars Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote, Brad Garrett, Christopher McDonald, and James Gandolfini.

Killing Them Softly

Being an Enforcer for the mob isn’t always easy – what with all that tracking people down and killing them or arranging for someone else to do so. Plus, as Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) points out, in their moments before they’re killed people get “emotional…they cry, they plead, they beg…it’s embarrassing.” That’s why, he explains, “I like to kill them softly, from a distance, not close enough for feelings – I don’t like feelings, don’t want to think about ‘em.”

In Killing Them Softly Cogan gets plenty of opportunity to avoid thinking about the impact of the things he does to make a living. Set in New Orleans, Killing Them Softly is an American crime film directed and written by Andrew Dominik and based on George V Higgins’ 1974 novel, “Cogan’s Trade.”

In the film, a high-stakes poker game that is under mob protection gets raided by some outsiders. Cogan, of course, is charged with investigating the heist and then finding and killing the people who did it. Although suspicion initially fell on the card game’s manager, Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta), Cogan soon finds out that the person behind the scam was actually John “The Squirrel” Amato (Vincent Curatola).

The Weinstein Company plans to release Killing Them Softly on September 21, 2012. The film also features Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Sam Shepard, Slaine, Bella Heathcote, Linara Washington and Garret Dillahunt. Rated R, for violence, sexual references, pervasive language, and some drug use.

 

 

 

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – A Film By Stephen Daldry

Anytime you hear that a film by Stephen Daldry is coming out in theaters, chances are you want to see it.  Stephen Daldry has developed a huge name for himself directing movies such as Billy Elliot, The Hours and The Reader, and he is now adding another feature to that hat with the upcoming movie Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

Based on the much applauded novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, adapted to screenplay by Eric Roth, is about the heartbreaks and lost lives surrounding the 9/11 attacks.

The story centers around an eleven year old boy, Oskar Schell, who sets out on an inspiring journey of self discovery and healing. Oskar is a brilliant, multi-faceted child, who is talented in the art of invention, jewelry design, and music. After the loss of his father, who dies in the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11, he finds a mysterious key in his father’s closet that prompts him to search out the missing lock. He travels through the five boroughs of New York City, meeting several different people with one thing in common: each is a survivor in their own way.

Although the movie reflects the grand scale atrocities of 9/11, the story itself focuses on the individual experience of the young boy. The movie instills a sense of inspiration amidst the heartbreak, and the film is sure to be a success amongst movie goers and critics alike.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close stars Academy Award winner Tom Hanks and Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock as Oskar’s parents and Thomas Horn as eleven-year-old Oskar.  Actors also include Viola Davis, Max vin Sydow, Jeffrey Wright, James Gandolfini, and John Goodman.

As the holidays approach, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close will no doubt touch the hearts of audiences and remind them of the power of love and compassion.

Rebecca Wang – Producer
Rebecca Wang Entertainment