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Crooked Media, the progressive, independent media company that delivers bold content to entertain, inform and inspire action, announced a new host for its daily news show, What A Day: Jane Coaston. Coaston will lead a rotating cast of contributors on the podcast Monday through Friday. The podcast, which premiered at #1 on the Apple Podcasts charts and is approaching its fifth year, will feature experts and voices from across the Crooked Media network.

Every morning on What A Day, Coaston and her guests will scour the biggest headlines to bring listeners the top news and stories that matter most to the way they live, work and play - in just 20 minutes. Through daily recaps and analysis, plus original reporting, the show will help listeners understand what matters and what they can do about it.

Previously, Coaston was the host of The Argument at the New York Times. She is a contributor...

“Elizabethtown. ““Dean.” “August: Osage County.” All somewhat recent cinematic efforts of the past several decades revolving around a person or two dealing with the passing of a family member, more often than not, accompanied by a return to their childhood home or small town that will itself become far more inevitably meaningful by film’s end. Directed by renaissance man Robert Schwartzman, having helmed such efforts as “Dreamland,” “The Unicorn,” and “The Argument” in addition to fronting indie group Rooney and appearing onscreen as the dreamboat love interest in “The Princess Diaries,” there’s a smattering of ambition present throughout his latest project “The Good Half, “one that can easily find itself in line with the contemporaries above but can’t help but repeatedly trip over its storytelling shoelaces in the process.

Continue reading ‘The Good Half’ Review: Nothing Can Elevate This Grief-Stricken Tale Beyond The Realm Of Average at The Playlist.

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from musician turned filmmaker Robert Schwartzman, the younger brother of Jason Schwartzman and part of the larger Coppola-related film dynasty. Schwartzman began his career as lead vocalist of the rock/pop band Rooney. But circa 2014, he shifted towards writing and directing and directed “Dreamland” (2016), “The Unicorn” (2018), and “The Argument” (2020).

Continue reading ‘The Good Half’ Trailer: Nick Jonas & Brittany Snow Star In Robert Schwartzman’s Latest Indie at The Playlist.

CNN has added three on-air contributors to appear across the network as well as panelists on The Chris Wallace Show.

Joining the network will be Jane Coaston, contributing opinion writer at The New York Times with a focus on American conservatism. She previously was the host of the podcast The Argument.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro is from The New York Times Magazine, where she is launching a new interview franchise. Garcia-Navarro previously worked at NPR as a host and was a longtime international correspondent.

Reiham Salam is the president of the Manhattan Institute and former executive editor of National Review. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and contributing editor at National Affairs and National Review.

All three contributors have appeared on The Chris Wallace Show, which launched in November on Saturday mornings. They are part of a rotating group of panelists that also includes Kara Swisher and Kristen Soltis Anderson.

Sometimes it feels as though A.I. is already here, given the number of films resembling Garden State that pop up on the festival circuit every year. Robert Schwartzman’s The Good Half is only the latest, and his attempt to out-emo Zach Braff’s legacy film falls disappointingly short, given that his last Tribeca appearance was with the surreal and underrated comedy The Argument (2020), which channeled Charlie Kaufman in the story of a couple whose obsession with a petty fight spirals into absurdity. The Good Half, however, mostly serves as a decent vehicle for Nick Jonas, who seems to making a play to be the new Adam Driver, which is not as far-fetched as it might sound.

It starts with a flashback, as our hero, Renn Wheeland (Jonas), recalls the traumatic moment in his childhood when his free-spirited mother Lily (Elisabeth Shue) absent-mindedly abandoned him during a trip to the shopping mall.

Robert Schwartzman is part of one of Hollywood’s great filmmaking dynasties, but when he ventured into directing himself, he discovered that the world of distribution for up-and-coming filmmakers was broken.

The multihyphenate, who is Francis Ford Coppola’s nephew, has acted in movies like “The Princess Diaries” — where he played Anne Hathaway’s love interest Michael Moscovitz in what became her breakout movie — and has fronted the rock band Rooney since 1999. In recent years, however, Schwartzman has become more ensconced in the family business, directing indie features such as “The Unicorn,” “Dreamland” and “The Argument.”

“I felt a frustration that certain films were being overlooked in the market, like when you don’t get into a film festival, and the movie doesn’t make the cut sometimes,” Schwartzman tells Variety. “It’s pretty emotionally devastating for a filmmaker to feel that rejection.”

He continues: “You want to put [the film] in...

Exclusive: Emmy nominee Corbin Bersen (L.A. Law), Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) are set to recur opposite Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge in Showtime’s Boston crime drama City On a Hill. Additionally, we’ll be seeing more of Mark Ryder in Season 3, as his role as Father Doyle will be expanded. Season 3 is set to premiere in 2022.

Season three brings us to Boston’s high society Beacon Hill. Following his dismissal from the FBI, Jackie Rohr (Bacon) lands a lavish new gig running security for a wealthy family. Life is good until secrets begin to unravel. When an investigation opens – implicating local and federal authorities – assistant district attorney Decourcy Ward (Hodge) sees an opportunity to finally rip out the machinery perpetuating a broken system.

Bernsen will play Sinclair Dryden, an old money Beacon Hill socialite and former outstanding FBI agent who has been a mentor to...

Exclusive: Class is in session for Quinta Brunson’s ABC school comedy pilot. Tyler James Williams (The United States vs. Billie Holiday), Janelle James (The Comedy Lineup), Chris Perfetti (The Night Of), Lisa Ann Walter (The Parent Trap) and Sheryl Lee Ralph (Instant Mom) round out the series regular cast, joining creator, star and exec producer Brunson in the pilot from Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, Warner Bros. TV and 20th Television.

The Untitled Quinta Brunson pilot (fka Harrity Elementary) follows a group of teachers brought together in a public school simply because they love teaching. They will rely on one another to make it through the day and find a way to counteract the school district’s bullsh*t attitude toward educating children.

Brunson stars as Janine, an optimistic new second-grade teacher with much to learn. Williams plays Gregory, a substitute-turned-permanent teacher at the school. James is Ava, the school’s spirited new principal.

Exclusive: Charlotte McKinney, who stars opposite Alexis Knapp in the upcoming horror/thriller Phobias, has signed with APA.

McKinney was recently seen in the Columbia/Blumhouse action-thriller Fantasy Island, in Sam Macaroni’s Lionsgate comedy Guest House, and in Robert Schwartzman’s indie comedy The Argument. Additional film credits include starring opposite Leah Remini and Tiffany Haddish in Sony Crackle’s Mad Families, as well as featured roles in Baywatch, Flatliners, and First We Take Brooklyn. She also appears as a Guest Judge in an upcoming episode of the new truTV series, Fast Foodies.

McKinney became known internationally in 2015 when millions of viewers watched her ‘au naturel’ in the Carl’s Jr. “All Natural” Super Bowl Xlix commercial, which garnered 4.5 billion impressions in less than a year of its launch.

McKinney, who was previously with UTA, is also repped by Burn Entertainment.

Exclusive: Maggie Q is set as the co-lead opposite Eliza Coupe and Ginnifer Goodwin in Fox’s comedy pilot Pivoting, from writer Liz Astrof, Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Warner Bros TV.

Written by Astrof and to be directed by Tristram Shapeero, Pivoting follows three women — Amy (Coupe), Jodie (Goodwin) and Sarah — after the death of their childhood best friend. Faced with the reality that life is short, in desperate attempts to find happiness, they make a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions, strengthening their bond and proving it’s never too late to screw up your life.

Maggie Q’s Sarah is a tightly wound doctor, fresh out of a divorce from her wife who cheated on her. This combined with the loss of her childhood friend, Coleen, makes her rethink her life decisions. In the pursuit of an easy, happy life, she leaves...

Running from Dec. 11 through Dec. 12, NewFilmmakers (Nfmla) is partnering with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to present an online film festival showcasing the latest work from Middle Eastern, Arab and Dutch filmmakers. Other presenting partners include Dutch Culture USA (Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York) and the Arab Film and Media Institute (Afmi).

Comprising three short film programs and a slate of up and coming talent, the weekend-long event will include virtual screenings, industry panels and q & a’s with artists from countries such as Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, France, the Netherlands and the United States. Among the featured films are “So I Stay,” from Dutch director Marieke de Zwaan, Arab director Suha Araj’s “Rosa” and Rami Kodeih’s Oscar-qualifying short “Alina.”

“In all three of these programs we are seeing a lot of stories that reflect on freedom and integrity, on an individual,...

Masters of Sex alum Lizzy Caplan, Antony Starr from Amazon’s The Boys, Cleopatra Coleman, and Woody Norman are set to star in Cobweb, a Lionsgate thriller which will begin production later this month in Sofia, Bulgaria. Roy Lee is producing through his Vertigo Entertainment banner along with the Point Grey team of Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver, as well as Jon Berg.

Samuel Bodin is directing from Chris Thomas Devlin’s screenplay, which made it on the Bloodlist and The Black List.

The pic centers on a small town, in an ordinary house that seems like any other, where a young boy hears a mysterious tapping from inside the walls – and suspects his parents are hiding a terrible secret.

Caplan will play Carol, the mother of the young boy, while Starr is Mark, the boy’s father. Norman, whose credits include Poldark and the forthcoming C’mon C’mon,...

Here’s a drinking game for all you readers looking to get loaded tonight. Head over to Amazon Prime, start watching Robert Schwartzman‘s “The Argument” and every time a character drinks, take a shot. It’s the only way to keep up with this wild, messy, unpredictable and surprisingly enjoyable screwball comedy.

The premise plays on the notion that dinner parties with mutual friends are fraught and awkward, with a twist.

Continue reading ‘The Argument’ Is A Wild, Messy, Unpredictable And Surprisingly Enjoyable Screwball Comedy [Review] at The Playlist.

This is the weekend American film fans have been waiting for with the release of a pair of the year’s biggest movies — Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and Disney’s live-action version of “Mulan” — after considerable delay.

The fact that the two strategies for sharing these two movies with the public are so wildly different — Nolan insisted on releasing “Tenet” in theaters, while “Mulan” will test Disney Plus’ pricey new “Prime Access” model — shows the degree of turmoil and ingenuity within the industry, as studios do their best to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. Will audiences find these options safe (or affordable) enough at a time of social distancing and belt-tightening?

Meanwhile, independent distributors have more or less figured out how to deliver their titles — movies that didn’t cost hundreds of millions and therefore don’t rely on grabbing as many viewers as possible over a short span of time — directly to consumers,...

For a significant portion of the The Argument’s running time, there’s a sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop. The set up for the film isn’t particularly strong, and all throughout the first act, it’s hard not to feel like the production is going through the motion. It actually isn’t until the third act that things kick into gear, especially in terms of getting unique and weird. So, as the flick opens today, the question before me is the following: is one really good act enough to warrant a recommendation? It depends on the title in question, but for The Argument, the answer is a low-key yes. The movie is a comedy, focusing on a small group of people and the rather unusual situation they find themselves in. When Jack (Dan Fogler) and Lisa (Emma Bell) disagree in the opening scene, it seems...

Robert Schwartzman, part of film family royalty is relatively new to Hollywood's Indies. His third feature The Argument continues the trend of approachable genre experiments inherent in his previous films. Unlike his relatives' work, the upper middle-class malaise and crisis situations his thirty-something characters find themselves in never cross into weighty drama, surrealism or quirky philosophizing. Remaining grounded in awkwardness and ego, Robert Schwartzman's comedy is mined from a unique brand of insecure cringe, but ultimately his films are tinged with basic feel-good cliche; as a result they lack impact. The same can be said of The Argument, a film that takes place almost entirely in the humble apartment of an amateur theatre...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Edward Albee could write an argument. In “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” George and Martha rip into each other, showing how a couple with some wear on its tires knows just where to drive in the nail to inflict maximum damage. Screenwriter Zac Stanford is no Edward Albee, and his low-key lovers’-spat dramedy “The Argument,” directed by Robert Schwartzman, pales in comparison with pretty much all the great relationship-on-the-rocks movies you can think of — “Blue Valentine,” “Marriage Story,” “Two for the Road,” to name just a few. But we’re in a pandemic, cooped up as couples (for better or worse), and watching an argument with your partner is better than having one.

The thing that might bring Stanford’s broken-record comedy too close to home is also its defining feature: Jack (Dan Fogler) and Lisa (Emma Bell) have a squabble, and rather than letting it go, or discussing it like adults,...

After multiple delays since the initial planned release in July, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is finally hitting US screens, giving audiences one of the first major new releases since US theaters shut down due to Covid-19. How the film will perform has been a major box office story, as Tenet’s numbers are expected to be an early signal of how well the film industry and theaters might recover from the pandemic.

Reviews are mostly positive, with a critic's score currently at 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is the same range as Interstellar and The Prestige. Just as important as great word-of-mouth will be the reopening process for theaters around the country. AMC reports 70% of their theaters will be open, and across the board, capacity restrictions will limit how many people are allowed in each screening with typically 25% to 50% of seats available depending on local rules.

While all eyes are on Tenet’s debut,...

A couple goes to insane lengths in an attempt to decide which one of them is right in Robert Schwartzman’s The Argument: Disagreeing over whether a party-ending remark was insulting or misinterpreted, the two decide to simply host the exact gathering again, replaying the night over and over until they can reach an agreement. While scribe Zac Stanford’s premise invites a Charlie Kaufman-like, reality-bending take, Schwartzman plays things straight enough that one has a hard time believing the action. But viewers who get through a credulity-testing second act may laugh enough in the third to be glad they ...

A couple goes to insane lengths in an attempt to decide which one of them is right in Robert Schwartzman’s The Argument: Disagreeing over whether a party-ending remark was insulting or misinterpreted, the two decide to simply host the exact gathering again, replaying the night over and over until they can reach an agreement. While scribe Zac Stanford’s premise invites a Charlie Kaufman-like, reality-bending take, Schwartzman plays things straight enough that one has a hard time believing the action. But viewers who get through a credulity-testing second act may laugh enough in the third to be glad they ...

Altavod, a new platform pledging to help indie filmmakers more easily distribute and profit from their movies, launched Wednesday. The company’s founders say that it will allow moviemakers to cut out third parties who they usually turn to in order to find distribution platforms. With Altavod, they can upload films themselves and keep more than 90% of revenues. Movies are available to rent and own.

The service is the brainchild of Robert Schwartzman, the director of “The Argument” and “Dreamland,” and the co-founder of Utopia Distribution. Cole Harper, who works at Utopia overseeing product and strategy, helped launch Altavod and will serve as its head of growth.

In an interview, Schwartzman said he was inspired to create the service after conversations with fellow filmmakers who were frustrated by their inability to monetize their work.

“There are a lot of people who are building a new world of how to reach...

"I made a pie!" Gravitas has released an official trailer for an indie comedy titled The Argument, the latest from actor / musician / director Robert Schwartzman. The Argument follows Jack and his girlfriend, Lisa as they get into an argument during a get together with some friends over wine and charcuterie in their apartment after the final night of a play. As the argument escalates, the party comes to an end and all their friends leave — but the party isn't really over. Jack and Lisa recreate the party over and over again — with all their guests — in order to figure out who was right. Dan Fogler and Emma Bell star, with Maggie Q, Danny Pudi, Cleopatra Coleman, Karan Brar, Marielle Scott, Charlotte McKinney, Tyler James Williams, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Mark Ryder. This is a pretty clever concept for a film, recreating a party just to settle an argument, of course it...

Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to the comedy The Argument directed by Robert Schwartzman and written by Zac Stanford (The Chumscrubber). The film is set to open in theaters and on demand September 4.

In the film, Jack (Dan Fogler from the Fantastic Beasts franchise) and his girlfriend, Lisa (Emma Bell from The Walking Dead) are having a lovely cocktail party. Things take a turn when they get into an argument. As the argument escalates, the party comes to an end and all their friends leave — but the party isn’t really over. Jack and Lisa recreate the party over and over again — with all their guests — in order to figure out who was right.

“On behalf of our team at Utopia, the cast, and crew, we are thrilled to partner with Gravitas Ventures, a company that has shown genuine passion throughout this acquisition,” said Shwartzman.

Frank Grillo and Maggie Q will star in “Cutman,” a dramatic thriller directed by Michael Mailer and written by Tiffany Heath.

Grillo will play an over-the-hill boxer who begins working as the muscle for a local gangster. His life takes an unexpected turn when he meets a young girl whose mother is a heroin addict (Maggie Q).

Michael Mailer Films will produce in partnership with Bluegrass Pictures, Digital Ignition Entertainment and Tremendous Entertainment. The producers include Mailer, Joel Shapiro, Scott Kluge and Alessandro Penazzi, and the executive producers are Angela Ceccio, Michael Clofine and Jeff Elliott.

Jason Sutter’s new sales division at Brickell and Broadbridge will represent international sales for the movie.

Grillo launched the production company Warparty with director Joe Carnahan in 2016, with the intent to option and develop material from a variety of sources, and produce between three to five films per year. The shingle’s inaugural film,...

Exclusive: Maggie Q has inked with ICM Partners.

The Hawaiian-born actor burst onto the Hong Kong movie scene and went on to become a star in Asia. She made the jump to Hollywood starring opposite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 2, Tom Cruise in J.J. Abrams’ Mission: Impossible III, and Bruce Willis in Live Free or Die Hard. She was also a key player in Lionsgate’s Divergent franchise.

On TV, she is known for the starring role on the CW’s Nikita. She recently finished three seasons on the ABC/Netflix series Designated Survivor.

She will next be seen in Robert Schwatrzman’s The Argument as well as Sony/Blumhouse’s feature take on famed 1980s TV series Fantasy Island opposite Lucy Hale and Michael Pena. That pic opens on February 14.

In addition, Maggie Q is also a self-starting entrepreneur having co-founded the successful probiotic company ActivatedYou.

Utopia, the recently launched sales and distribution company, has acquired the worldwide rights to “Mickey and the Bear,” which stars Camila Morrone in a father-daughter drama, the company announced Wednesday.

“Mickey and the Bear” played at Cannes as part of the Cannes Acid section of the festival, and it made its world premiere at SXSW earlier this year. Utopia plans to release the film in the fall of this year.

“Mickey and the Bear” takes place in Anaconda, Montana, where headstrong teenager Mickey Peck (Morrone) is doing what she can to keep her single, veteran father Hank (James Badge Dale) afloat, navigating his mercurial moods, opioid addiction, and grief over the loss of his wife. Secretly, Mickey fantasizes of going to college on the west coast and finally living life on her own terms. When Hank’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, Mickey must decide between familial obligation and personal...

Exclusive: Utopia, the newly launched sales and distribution company, has acquired world rights to Mickey and the Bear, the father-daughter drama written and directed by Annabelle Attanasio in her feature debut. Robert Schwartzman’s company plans a fall theatrical release timed to awards season.

The pic, set in Montana, stars Camila Morrone and James Badge Dale and centers on Mickey, a headstrong teen who is doing what she can to keep her single, veteran father Hank afloat — navigating his mercurial moods, opioid addiction, and grief over the loss of his wife. Secretly, Mickey fantasizes of going to college on the West Coast and finally living life on her own terms. When Hank’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, Mickey must decide between familial obligation and personal fulfillment as she puts everything on the line to claim her own independence.

The pic, which world premiered this spring, just screened in the Acid sidebar at Cannes,...