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For the past 20 years, Jason Sudeikis has been one of the most prominent voices in American comedy. The actor and comedian came into the world with at least one showbiz connection -- his uncle is George Wendt of "Cheers" fame -- but he has carved out his own unique space in film and television, outwardly the clean-cut straight man, but with deep reserves of cynicism hidden underneath a bright smile. Sudeikis got his start with the Second City improv troupe before eventually being hired by "Saturday Night Live," where his career really took off. Since working on the show for a decade, he has developed a thriving career that encompasses television, independent dramedies, and big-budget blockbusters. 

His filmography showcases a keen eye for both interesting characters with unexpected facets to their personality and projects that capitalize on his strengths as a performer. Over the years, Sudeikis has earned rave reviews from both audiences and critics,...

Image Source: Everett Collection

Jason Sudeikis is arguably most recognized now for his award-winning work in the acclaimed Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso," but the actor had a strong start in the entertainment industry before that. In 2003, he started working as a writer for "Saturday Night Live," and he went on to work on the beloved live comedy show as both an actor and writer for the next 10 years before his departure in 2013. After he gained popularity on "SNL," Sudeikis appeared in other shows, including "30 Rock" from 2007 to 2010 and "The Cleveland Show," which he voice acted for from 2009 to 2013.

Following his success on TV, Sudeikis turned his attention to movies, notably starring in comedies like "Horrible Bosses" alongside Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, "The Campaign," and "We're the Millers" in the early 2010s. Along with his comedic performances, the actor also has taken on roles in indie films like "Sleeping With Other People,...

Wood also wrote ‘The Charge Of The Light Brigade’ and Beatles movie ‘Help!’.

Film and theatre director Richard Eyre has paid tribute to his former collaborator, screenwriter and playwright Charles Wood, who died on February 1 aged 87.

“[Wood] was one of the foremost screenwriters of the last 50 years,” Eyre told Screen. “He absolutely loved cinema.”

Born on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, Wood began his screenwriting career in the early 1960s and scripted films including Richard Lester’s The Knack… And How To Get It (1965), Beatles movie Help! (1965), Tony Richardson’s The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1968) and Mike Newell’s An Awfully Big Adventure...

Jason Cloth, founder and CEO of Toronto-based Creative Wealth Media, is backing two major studio slates (Warner Bros. and MGM) and has committed more than $750 million to major films and TV series through its Bron Creative partnership.

Notable projects include “Fences,” “The Morning Show,” “Bombshell,” “The Addams Family,” “A Simple Favor,” Tom Hanks’ “Greyhound,” AFI Fest opener “Queen and Slim” and Jason Reitman’s “Ghostbusters.” He’s one of the biggest private financiers in the industry.

“Joker” is part of a six-picture financing deal that Creative Wealth and Aaron Gilbert’s Bron Studios closed at the end of 2018. That deal included “The Mule,” “Isn’t It Romantic,” “The Kitchen” and Ben Affleck’s “The Way Back.” Cloth spoke with Variety recently at the Waldorf Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Were you surprised at how “Joker” has performed, now that it could go to $1 billion worldwide?

We didn’t even have modeling...

MaryAnn’s quick take… Wonderfully strange and weird and funny and dark and bitter. A deliciously geek-flavored metaphor for how damaged people heedlessly spread around their damage. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for movies about women; I’m a huge geek

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

I often worry that being a critic has made me jaded, that seeing more movies than is probably healthy for any one person to see has soured my love of movies. But then along comes a film like Colossal to remind me that that is not the case. A film like Colossal tells me that the problem is not me, and the problem is not seeing too many movies. The problem is that too many movies are too similar to too many other movies, and that too many filmmakers are too...

Part monster movie, part romantic comedy, part feminist manifesto: Nacho Vigalondo’s “Colossal” is a lot of things. But Anne Hathaway’s first impression of it was much simpler than that.

“I think the exact email I got from my agent was, ‘This might be too weird, but it might be the right weird,'” the actress recently told IndieWire when asked about her first introduction to the project. “I read it and it felt like it the right weird.”

An innovative blend of high concept sci-fi and romcom tropes, “Colossal” gives “Kong: Skull Island” a run for its money as the disaster movie of the year, which is why it’s somewhat of a shock to consider that it almost didn’t get made at all. Vigalondo first gained exposure among genre fans for his labyrinthine time-travel comedy “Timecrimes,” but it has taken years for him to make a more widely-accessible crowdpleaser.

MaryAnn’s quick take… An adventure crammed with junky slapstick and garish animation that seems to believe it is feminist, but only doubles down on Smurfily regressive notions of gender. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): hate the Smurfs

what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

The problem with the Smurfs — apart from the fiery rage they inspire to stomp them into blue goo, although perhaps that is not a problem per se — is Smurfette. (Typical: it’s always the woman who causes trouble.) Created by the evil wizard Gargamel out of clay — as opposed to whatever it is the Smurfs were created out of, and by whom — and sent into the Smurf village as a spy and to sow discord, she’s sort of the original sin of Smurfkind: it was only then, with a female suddenly among them, that the Smurfs realized they were male,...

Walt Disney Records is set to release a massive original motion picture soundtrack for their upcoming live-action take on “Pete’s Dragon” next month. The new album features 3 original songs written for the David Lowery film, including the end credit track “Something Wild” by electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. The soundtrack will also include “Nobody Knows” performed by the Lumineers, plus “The Dragon Song” performed by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.

Read More: How Indie Filmmaker David Lowery Embraced ‘Pete’s Dragon’ at Disney

The film’s original score was composed by Daniel Hart (“Tumbledown,” “Comet”) and Stirling will also appears throughout Hart’s work on the film’s instrumental accompaniment.

Performed by Grammy-nominated band The Lumineers, “Nobody Knows” was written by “Pete’s Dragon” co-screenwriter Toby Halbrooks with Andrew Tinker. “The Dragon Song,” performed by singer-songwriter Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Will Oldham), was written by “Pete’s...

What the heck is this? Some sort of meninist political statement attempting to vindicate male anger? In a kids’ movie? Maybe men shouldn’t make movies… I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): movies based on games fill me with dread

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Movies are so dominated by women that you’d be forgiven for presuming that a new one entitled Angry Birds is likely yet another broad grossout slapstick comedy about a gang of cranky, foulmouthed gals getting into trouble and embarrassing themselves with malicious glee. (I know that I, for one, am tired of this subgenre, in which there seems to be a new entry every other week.) Sure, this movie is based on a popular mobile-app game, but the game is pure nonsense: it doesn’t have anything approaching an actual story or genuine characters. It’s a template,...

Tumbledown is available now on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5th from Anchor Bay Entertainment. The movie stars Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis.

In his review, Michael Haffner says Sudeikis “really earns his romantic-lead stripes here.”

Pop culture scholar Andrew (Jason Sudeikis) comes to Maine to interview Hannah (Rebecca Hall), the protective widow of an acclaimed singer. When the unlikely pair strike a deal to co-write a biography, Andrew finds himself clashing with a cast of locals, including Hannah’s hunky suitor (Joe Manganiello), and her loving but defensive parents (Blythe Danner, Richard Masur). When Hannah and Andrew’s stormy partnership blossoms into an unexpected connection, they face the possibility that the next chapter in their lives may involve each other. Dianna Argon and Griffin Dunne costar in this startlingly funny and sweetly romantic tale of moving on and finding love in the unlikeliest of places.

Tumbledown Blu-ray bonus features:...

A rock journalist (Jason Sudeikis) obsessed with the death of musical idols and their legacy – a compelling argument could be made that Chuck Klosterman served as inspiration for the character – discovers that there is more to life than extending adoration long after death. Hannah (played in a strong and stern manner by Rebecca Hall) is the widow of the popular folk hero. Now with his passing, she has more time to focus on herself and her own writing without having to be in the shadow of her great singer-songwriter husband. When Andrew approaches Hannah about writing a biography about her late husband, she’s initially reluctant, but the two eventually agree and take a stroll down memory lane.

Desiree and Desi Van Til along with director Sean Mewshaw have written a tender story that occasionally waxes philosophical about the artistic process and life after death through two different viewpoints looking...

Much like I said around this time last year…time flies. Believe it or not, we’re now three full months into the 2016 movie calendar, which means we’re literally a quarter of the way through the film slate for the year. That got me thinking about what the best of the bunch so far this year has been. Since now is the time when the film slate begins to transition into summer releases and counter programming independent fare ramps up, I thought it was the perfect time to praise the best of 2016 so far. Basically, anything that hit screens between January 1st and March 31st will be up for grabs here for my personal honors. Here goes nothing! Before I get to the lists, which will include my top performances of the first quarter and personal awards as well, let me just say that it’s been a pretty...

People can often make instantaneous critical assumptions about their peers who willingly choose to lead a vastly different lifestyle than they do. But it isn’t until people truly spend time investigating their associates’ feelings and circumstances in their own environment that they usually begin to fully grasp and appreciate their motivations and decisions. That’s certainly the case with the new musical romantic comedy, ‘Tumbledown,’ which marks the feature film directorial debut of Sean Mewshaw. He collaborated on the film’s compelling story with his wife, Desi Van Til, who made her feature film writing debut with the script. The intriguing ‘Tumbledown,’ which Starz Digital Media distributed into select theaters, On Demand [ Read More ]

The post Interview: Sean Mewshaw and Desi Van Til Talk Tumbledown (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.

Indie films like Tumbledown deserve all the breaks they can get. This one rewards the viewer with a typically fine performance by Rebecca Hall and a revelatory one by Jason Sudeikis, whom we usually associate with comedy. He hasn’t abandoned his sense of humor here—in fact, it lightens the movie just when it needs it—but he shows colors we haven’t seen before and points to a rich film career ahead. (He is also playing Jesse Owens’ coach Larry Snyder in Race, which opens on Friday.) Tumbledown is a debut feature for director Sean Mewshaw, whose wife Desiree van Til wrote the screenplay. It is all...

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A rock journalist (Jason Sudeikis) obsessed with the death of musical idols and their legacy – a compelling argument could be made that Chuck Klosterman served as inspiration for the character – discovers that there is more to life than extending adoration long after death. Hannah (played in a strong and stern manner by Rebecca Hall) is the widow of the popular folk hero. Now with his passing, she has more time to focus on herself and her own writing without having to be in the shadow of her great singer-songwriter husband. When Andrew approaches Hannah about writing a biography about her late husband, she’s initially reluctant, but the two eventually agree and take a stroll down memory lane.

Desiree and Desi Van Til along with director Sean Mewshaw have written a tender story that occasionally waxes philosophical about the artistic process and life after death through two different viewpoints looking...

Exclusive: WestEnd boards recently wrapped feature Hollow In The Land, exec produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Insidious, Sinister).

WestEnd Films has boarded international sales on thriller Hollow In The Land, whose cast is led by Glee star Dianna Agron.

Writer-director Scooter Corkle’s feature debut follows a young woman who finds herself pushing the boundaries of the law as she attempts to uncover the truth about her brother’s involvement in a brutal murder.

Screen can also reveal the first still from the film [pictured], which co-stars Shawn Ashmore (X-Men: Days Of Future Past) and Rachelle Lefevre (The Twilight Series).

Producers are Jesse Savath (Come And Find Me) and Marlaina Mah (Come And Find Me) while executive producers are Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Insidious, Sinister), Daniel Levin (Lion) and Christopher Ferguson.

The film, shot in Canada, is in post-production with WestEnd showing a promo at Efm.

Agron recently has appeared in the features Tumbledown, Bare and [link...

From its opening of characters listening in stunned awe to the music of a legendary fictional folk singer, Sean Mewshaw’s admirable but disappointing Tumbledown traps itself with unfair expectations. As a study of grief, it’s moving, featuring authentic performances and a keen understanding of the receding hibernation that comes with losing a cornerstone person in one’s life. As a romance, it’s slow-going but believable. And as a look at the unfair mythos attributed to the dead, it’s nuanced and incisive. But in attempting to balance these complementary parts, Tumbledown is buried by its own ambitions.

As it begins, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is in pieces, clinging to loss out in a pastoral wilderness lodge in a small Maine town where she used to live with Hunter, her husband and the folk singer whose legacy precedes him. Hunter passed away when he slipped down a ravine while walking along a mountaintop,...

Oscar hopefuls continue to dominate the specialty space, though counterprogramming is in full swing as some distributors hope to tap awards-weary audiences. Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis star in Tumbledown from Starz Digital. The company is opening the date movie in New York and L.A. before a fairly hefty expansion into about three dozen new markets the following week. TWC is opening Regression with Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson in about a hundred locations Friday, the…...

A portrait of grief that borrows the conventions of romantic comedies. There may not be a lot of passion here, but there is plenty of pleasant zing. I’m “biast” (pro): love Rebecca Hall

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Rebecca Hall is Hannah, widow of rock star Hunter Miles, who made “a single, nearly perfect album” of soulful acoustic folk before he died suddenly several years back. Jason Sudeikis is Andrew, a university professor who deems Hunter’s work “timeless” and wants to include the singer in the book he’s writing about tragic great American musicians. Hannah is reluctant to help Andrew with his research for lots of reasons: the most important one is the one she is unable to admit to herself, that she does not want to move on with her life. Does her finally agreeing...

It’s hard to watch Tumbledown without shivering. The movie, set atop the titular mountain and bathed in some truly remarkable scenery, is the quintessential cold winter’s night flick: characters are bundled up to their ears, fireplaces are eternally lit, and the woodland setting practically emits its own smell-o-scope of pine leaves and crisp Maine air. It’s a beautiful, lush movie that houses two somewhat outstanding leads, but by the time the credits roll what it amounts to is as comparatively toothless as a hallmark card.

Up on Tumbledown, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is eking out a life alone in a little wood cabin that her and her late husband Hunter bought when he was searching for a quiet space to write his next album. Now that he’s dead, she’s left alone in the Maine woods with two dogs, a friend-with-benefits in neighbor Curtis (Joe Manganiello), and...

It’s never explicitly stated that Hunter Miles is a member of the 27 Club, but that hasn’t stopped the folk musician (“folk” in terms of both his hero status and his particular brand of strummy rock) from getting grouped with other musicians who left this world too soon. The character at the heart of Sean Mewshaw’s “Tumbledown” is already dead and buried by the time the film opens — in fact, we visit his grave quite frequently, much like his many fans — but his specter looms over the entire feature, as does his cut-short legacy. A moody (maybe? or is that simply how a rocker of his ilk is perceived by the public?) singer/songwriter in the vein of Bon Iver and Elliott Smith, Hunter crafted exactly one solo album (one “perfect” album, as one character observes) before dying in an apparently freak hiking accident. He also left behind...

Last spring, I had this to say about the recent turns of actor Jason Sudeikis while on the festival circuit: “I really love seeing an actor prove that they have another side to themselves, especially when it’s a comedic performer showing off their dramatic chops.” I went on to say that at the most recent Tribeca Film Festival in April of 2015, Sudeikis had two different projects that had him stretching in exciting new ways. One was Sleeping with Other People, who was at his all time best there, but the other is Tumbledown, which I’m going to discuss a bit today. It’s finally hitting theaters this weekend and Sudeikis is really quite excellent. He’s worthy of some acclaim here, take it from me. The film is a mellow romantic comedy with, at the very least, dramedy undertones. Frankly, it’s pretty melancholic, as we follow a...

“In the middle it feels like it’s never going to end,” says Hannah characterizing Tumbledown thematically in the opening monologue of the movie. Hannah, played by Rebecca Hall, is a New England widow struggling with the sudden loss of her talented musician husband, Hunter. Opposite her is Andrew McHabe (Jason Sudekis), an American History professor at Hofstra […]

The post ‘Tumbledown’ Movie Review: A Story About Letting Go Of Love appeared first on uInterview.

"Tumbledown," starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis, tells the intimate story of the widow of a folk musician, who released one great album and then passed away, who wants to honor his legacy with a book, and the complications that follow when a professor shows up wanting to do the same. It's the kind of tale where if the music doesn't work, neither does the film, but director Sean Mewshaw wisely hired two strong talents to anchor the soundtrack to his movie. Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2016 First up, acclaimed indie singer/songwriter Damien Jurado was tasked with creating the music for Hunter Miles, the late musician that "Tumbledown" revolves around (another actor portrays the character in still images in the film). Meanwhile, composer Daniel Hart ("Ain't Them Bodies Saints") provided the cues to tie the emotional threads of the dramedy together. And today, we have exclusive tracks by each — "Horizons" by Jurado,...

"Tumbledown" (February 12) After proving his skills as a big screen comedic actor in studio comedies like "Horrible Bosses" and indies gems like "Sleeping With Other People," Jason Sudeikis is moving into more adult fare in this dramatic romance, which co-stars the lovely Rebecca Hall and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. Sudeikis plays Andrew, a music scholar who heads to Maine in order to write the biography of a late musician from the area. The only thing standing in his way is a protective widow (Hall), who agrees to the biography only if she can join as co-writer. What starts as a business partnership soon leads to an unlikely friendship and ultimately something more romantic, as both Sudeikis and Hall chart the rather predictable story with heaping amounts of resonant chemistry. "It's Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong" (February 12) This romantic drama from director Emily Ting may be a millennial riff on Linklater's.

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello arrived at the premiere of Starz Digital Media's Tumbledown on Monday night, looking more in love than ever. As the newlyweds hit the red carpet, they couldn't help but flaunt their fairy-tale romance for all to see, gazing into each other's eyes and laughing it up. As always, the couple looked stunning, with Sofia wearing a strapless black dress and Joe rocking a navy-blue suit. Keep reading to see more photos of the pair, and then check out their cutest moments!

Title: Tumbledown Director: Sean Mewshaw Starring: Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Joe Manganiello, Griffin Dunne, Blythe Danner. Rebecca Hall is truly enticing in Sean Mewshaw’s film about a young woman struggling to move on with her life after the death of her husband. But, despite her talent, ‘Tumbledown’ is rather cliched in delivering us the old adage that “When It Seems Like Things Are Really Falling Apart, They’re Just Falling Into Place.” Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is still grieving the death of her husband, an acclaimed folk singer, when Andrew McDonnell (Jason Sudekis), a brash New York writer, forces her to confront her loss and the ambiguous circumstances of his [ Read More ]

The post Tumbledown Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Here are the major film and television trailers that were released this week.

Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World, the newest documentary from filmmaker Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog’s exploration of the Internet and the connected world.

Love, a new Netflix original series co-created by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, and Paul Rust, and co-starring Rust and Gillian Jacobs

A program that follows a couple who must navigate the exhilarations and humiliations of intimacy, commitment and other things they were hoping to avoid.

Jane Got a Gun (Us trailer), directed by Gavin O’Connor and starring Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, and Ewan McGregor

A woman asks her ex-lover for help in order to save her outlaw husband from a gang out to kill him.

Baskets, a new FX series co-created by Zach Galifianakis, Louis Ck, and Jonathan Krisel, and starring Galifianakis

After failing at a prestigious French clowning college,...

Jason Sudeikis got his start on Saturday Night Live, and he still does his fair share of goofy comedies — he’ll be voicing one of the angry birds in Angry Birds, for example. But recently, he’s also started to emerge as a viable romcom leading man. He did excellent work opposite Alison Brie in last year’s Sleeping With […]

The post ‘Tumbledown’ Trailer: Turns Out Jason Sudeikis Is Pretty Good at This Whole Romcom Leading Man Thing appeared first on /Film.

Read More: Tribeca Review: 'Tumbledown' Starring Rebecca Hall And Jason Sudeikis Jason Sudeikis and Rebecca Hall star in the indie romantic comedy "Tumbledown," which premiered last year at the Tribeca Film Festival and will be released in the theaters next month. Sudeikis stars as Andrew, a music scholar who travels from New York City to Maine in order to write the biography of a late musician from the area. Hall plays Hannah, the widow standing in his way, uninterested and unable to let go of the past. Soon, a compromise is reached and Hannah joins Andrew as a co-writer. The awkward partnership turns into an unlikely friendship that gradually transforms into something more romantic. Blythe Danner, Joe Manganiello, Dianna Agron and Griffin Dunne round out the cast. "Tumbledown" arrives in New York and Los Angeles on February 5, with a nationwide expansion planned for the following week. Check out the trailer above.

While he’s certainly known for his comedic side with his Saturday Night Live background and crop of studio comedies, Jason Sudeikis has been making a bit of a shift recently. With last year’s Sleeping with Other People and a few upcoming films (notably Colossal), he’s been shifting a bit closer to drama. This is also true when it comes to Tumbledown, a new romantic drama which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Directed by Sean Mewshaw (who is finally making his debut after a career which even includes being a production assistant on Gangs of New York), the first trailer has now landed. The story follows Sudeikis’ character befriending a widow (Rebecca Hall) to co-write a biography of her late biography of her late singer husband. Also starring Blythe Danner, Joe Manganiello, Dianna Agron, Griffin Dunne, and Richard Masur, check out the trailer and poster below.

"Turn the page. Start a new chapter." Starz Digital Media has debuted an official trailer for the indie comedy Tumbledown, the feature debut of director Sean Mewshaw. The film is about a woman, played by Rebecca Hall, trying to get over the sudden death of her husband, a folk singer. She meets a writer from New York, played by Jason Sudeikis, who helps her along that path. The ensemble cast includes Dianna Agron, Joe Manganiello, Blythe Danner and Griffin Dunne. It also features two adorable boxer dogs in the cast, of course. This is a bit more "sensitive and funny" than it sounds in text, but it looks okay. Enjoy. Here's the first official trailer for Sean Mewshaw's Tumbledown, found directly on YouTube: A young woman (Rebecca Hall) struggles to move on with her life after the death of her husband, an acclaimed folk singer, when a brash New...

How do we remember a loved one? That seems like the kind of question that drives a drama, instead of something a bit more lighthearted, but in "Tumbledown," the query gets a tender answer, and the first trailer for the movie has arrived. Read More: Review: 'Tumbledown' Starring Rebecca Hall And Jason Sudeikis Starring Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Blythe Danner, Joe Manganiello, Dianna Agron, Griffin Dunne, and Richard Masur, the story follows the widow of folk musician, who released one great album, and then passed away. She's planning to write a book about her late husband, but things get complicated with a professor shows up with an idea to do the exact the same thing. Here's the official synopsis:  Pop culture scholar Andrew (Jason Sudeikis) comes to Maine to interview Hannah (Rebecca Hall), the protective widow of an acclaimed singer. When the unlikely pair strike a deal to co-write a biography,...

Read More: Tribeca Review: 'Tumbledown' Starring Rebecca Hall And Jason Sudeikis After  proving his skills as a leading comedic actor on the big screen in studio comedies like "Horrible Bosses" and indies like the great "Sleeping With Other People," Jason Sudeikis is taking the time to show off his dramatic side with slightly more serious material. Along with the upcoming Jesse Owens biopic "Race," Sudeikis will be starring alongside Rebecca Hall in the indie "Tumbledown," which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year.  Sudeikis plays Andrew, a music scholar heading to Maine in order to write the biography of a late musician from the area. The only thing standing in his way is a protective widow (Hall), who agrees to the biography only if she can join as co-writer. This compromise soon leads to unlikely friendship that soon evolves into something more romantic. Starz Digital will release "Tumbledown" in New.

Napa Valley Film Festival kicked off with (what else?) a wine movie. “Somm: Into the Bottle," the second documentary exploring the Exclusive Court of Master Sommeliers. To be distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films, "Somm: Into the Bottle", as told through the eyes of the world’s greatest sommeliers and winemakers, raises the curtain on the seldom-seen world that surrounds the wine we drink and gives viewers close-up access to the most accomplished sommeliers in the world and to some of the most prestigious winemakers working today. By opening some of the world’s most rare bottles of wine, the viewer understands how a wine ages and just what happens in a cellar.

At the festival’s gala opening night party, filled with vintners pouring their wines accompanied by some of the best restaurants in the world supplying bite size hors d’oevres, Peter Goldwyn pointed out that the film is already number 22 on iTunes because of the fan base built up by Jason Wise’s previous film, “Somm” in which four sommeliers attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. As Peter circulated through the crowd of the local bourgeoisie and filmmakers like Eric Troung whose 30 minute short is also screening here, I felt right at home…I love seeing new friends and old at these events.

So far, as a jury member, I have seen one film, “Life in Color” directed, written and produced by Katherine Emmer, along with producers Jason Berman, Anne Carey, Lance Johnson and Giles Clark and starring, as a lovable slob who grows up, Josh McDermitt, Katharine Emmer herself who could play a spoiled rich girl as well as the miserably inattentive nanny she plays in this movie, Adam Lustick a really perfect button-down successful comedian buddy of Josh, Fortune Feimster and Jim O’Heir. Katharine's directorial feature film debut, “Life in Color”, world premiered at South by Southwest 2015. It won Best of Fest - The L.E.S. Prix D'Or at The Lower East Side Film Festival 2015 in New York City.

I am now about to see the second film, “Tumbledown," directed by Sean Mewshaw, produced by Aaron Gilbert, Kristin Hahn and Margo Hand, written by Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw and starring Jason Dudikis, Rebecca Hall, Blythe Danner (!), Dianna Agron, Griffin Dunne (“Dallas Buyers Club” and “After Hours”!) son of Dominick Dunne and older brother of Dominique Dunne, Joe Manganiello and Richard Masur. Starz will release the film stateside. Director-writer Sean Mewshaw was raised in Rome, Italy and spent a decade in L.A. working on film sets where he was mentored by some of his heroes. He made a short starring Frances McDomand (one of my favorite actors btw), then moved to Portland, Maine with his wife Desi (who cowrote “Tumbledown”), where he directs theater wile developing film projects. “Tumbledown is his feature debut.

End of Day One and Beginning of Day Two, signing off, Sydney Levine, working in her suite at the Embassy Suites with my partner Peter Belsito sitting on the other side of the table after he hosted a pitch session with Scott Mandille.

The 5th Annual Napa Valley Film Festival (Nvff), scheduled to take place November 11-15, has announced its Narrative and Documentary feature film line-ups for juried competition. The complete program of approximately 125 films, including special presentations, sneak previews of award season contenders, narrative and documentary shorts, and short features, as well as jury members, will be announced soon.

Directors of the Narrative and Documentary feature films in competition will participate in Nvff’s unique Artists-in-Residence Program presented in partnership with the incomparable Meadowood Napa Valley. Directors will stay at the luxury resort for six nights during the festival and are treated to special events and workshops with their competition group and industry mentors. Meadowood Napa Valley will also award $10,000 to the winning filmmakers in both the Narrative and Documentary competition categories at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 15.

“We experienced nearly a 50% jump in submissions this year, making it just that much more difficult to whittle down to our 10 narrative and 10 documentary feature films for our core competition,” said Nvff Executive & Artistic Director Marc Lhormer. “We look forward to sharing these compelling real and imagined stories with our audiences in November, and to supporting these innovative filmmakers and getting to know them during their tenure with us as Artists-in-Residence at Meadowood."

Nvff has also announced that former USA Today Chief Film Critic Claudia Puig will be joining the festival team. She will serve as a consulting programming director and industry liaison for the balance of 2015, and then take on full responsibilities of program director at the beginning of the 2016 festival planning cycle.

“After 15 years as a film critic, I became increasingly intrigued by the film festival world and what makes compelling film programming,” said Puig. “Some of the best and most original movies I’ve seen have made their debut at film festivals. Joining the Napa staff is especially exciting - only in its fifth year, the Napa Valley Film Festival is growing by leaps and bounds with its ambitious, forward-thinking and innovative programming, panels and events. The combination of film, wine and a gorgeous location made this an easy choice for my new career path, and I look forward to working with Marc, Brenda and the entire Nvff team.”

Narrative Competition Section

Films in the Narrative competition section feature actors Alexis Bledel, Jamie Chung, Eliza Dushku, Lyndsy Fonseca, Bryan Greenberg, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Jordan, Josh McDermitt, Kal Penn and Jason Sudeikis, among others. The 10 films selected include:

"Astraea" – When humanity is mysteriously wiped out, clairvoyant 14 year-old Astraea is led by her older brother through the snowy landscapes of a post-apocalyptic America. Astraea chronicles their trek to find and connect with other survivors along the way to the far northeast where their parents are believed to still be alive. Directed by Kristjan Thor.

"Honeyglue" – Morgan seeks out a new perspective and lifestyle after receiving a severe life-threatening medical diagnosis. After meeting Jordan, an artist whose avenues for personal expression far transcend her conservative and stale world, the two spend her last months on an adventurous journey of self-discovery. Directed by James Bird.

"It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong" – After a chance encounter in Hong Kong during which an ex-pat and a tourist seem to strike a romantic spark, Ruby and Josh are blessed with an equally coincidental second date. Unfortunately, the two seem to have found the perfect connections at the most inopportune times. Starring Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung. Directed by Emily Ting.

"Jane Wants a Boyfriend" – Jane, an aspiring costume designer on the autism spectrum, recruits her sister to help her find her first boyfriend. As she challenges the obstacles of her daily life in seeking a romantic connection, often failing, she also shows those closest to her that everyone deserves a chance at love. Starring Eliza Dushku. Directed by William Sullivan.

"Life in Color" – Mary, a failed nanny, and Homer, a floundering comedian, grapple with the harsh realities that preclude them from the success that appears to come so easily to others. The unlikely duo realizes that they can overcome their lack of home, job and purpose if they face defeat together. Starring Josh McDermitt and Katharine Emmer. Directed by Katharine Emmer.

"Lola’s Last Letter" – While completing her community service, a young woman continues to deal with the emotional trauma left over by the mistake that sent her to prison. As Lola’s camera captures details of her daily routine, the reason behind her resistance to moving on is revealed. Starring Valerie Brandy. Directed by Valerie Brandy.

"Moments of Clarity" – Two unlikely friends, Claire and Danielle, elude their protective parents and embark on a quest to repair an antique camera. A series of events lead to their adventure extending beyond their original plans, ultimately helping them both to better understand the worlds from which they had seemingly escaped. Starring Lyndsy Fonseca and Kristin Wallace. Directed by Stev Elam.

"Outliving Emily" – Twelve diverse actors portray the various stages of Tim and Emily’s anthologized marriage. Each pair uniquely captures the notable highs and lows that take place throughout the span of a life-long relationship, making their story highly relatable to couples everywhere. Starring Alexis Bledel, Zosia Mamet, Thomas Mann, Kal Penn, Jeremy Jordan, Phylicia Rashad and many more. Directed by Eric Weber and Sean Devaney.

"The King of New Orleans" – Larry’s story is chronicled from the passenger seat of his taxi cab. His regular commuters and new riders represent the various walks of life in the faded and haunted beauty of New Orleans. The compelling bond he creates with travelers and locals alike is forever changed by the heartbreaking effects of Hurricane Katrina. Directed by Allen Frederic.

"Tumbledown"– Hannah, the widow of an acclaimed folk musician, engages a New York professor to assist her in writing her late husband’s biography. Her emotions are thrown for a loop when he begins investigating the circumstances surrounding the untimely death. Starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis. Directed by Sean Mewshaw.

Documentary Competition Section

"A Place to Stand" – Jimmy Santiago Baca was a seventeen-year-old petty thief and drug dealer when he was sentenced to five years in Arizona State Prison, one of the deadliest prisons in America. Baca began his incarceration violent, angry and illiterate. Against all odds, he taught himself how to read and write, discovering a passion for poetry that ultimately saved his life. Directed by Daniel Glick.

"Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play" – Based on the book by anthropologist John Fox, “The Ball: Discovering the Object of the Game,” Bounce takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer the question: why do we play ball? Equal parts science, history and visual essay, the film follows the bouncing ball from animal play through professional sports to video games, exploring why we play and what play says about who we are and where we are going as a civilization. Directed by Jerome Thelia.

"Code: Debugging the Gap" –Code asks the questions: why is there a dearth of female and minority software engineers, what would society gain from having more women and people of color coding, and how do we get there? Code highlights breakthrough efforts that are producing a more diverse set of computer programmers. Directed by Robin Hauser Reynolds.

"King Georges"– Fiery French chef Georges Perrier is on a crusade to save his world-renowned 40-year-old Philadelphia restaurant, Le Bec-Fin, from closing. Times and tastes have changed – what was once cutting edge is now out of favor. "King Georges" is the story of a determined, tragi-comic figure, and his fight to keep culinary traditions alive. Directed by Erika Frankel.

"Life Under Siege: Exploring Gaza’s Secret Tunnels" – "Life Under Siege" is the story of a U.S.-Palestinian family divided by the siege on the Gaza Strip, and reunited under the cloak of the Arab Spring. Director Miriam Abu Sharkh’s travels to Gaza investigates the smuggling tunnels to Egypt, and attempts to forge relationships with her father and half siblings, whom she is only able to visit by result of monumental social movements. Directed by Miriam Abu Sharkh.

"Right Footed" – Despite being born without arms, Jessica Cox overcame both physical and emotional challenges to become fully independent. She learned to type with her toes, drive a car with her feet, and amazingly, fly an airplane. "Right Footed" follows Jessica as she transforms from a motivational speaker to a mentor, and eventually into a leading advocate for people with disability. Directed by Nick Spark.

"Romeo is Bleeding" – Donte Clark’s poetic voice was honed on the violent street corners of his struggling city of Richmond, California. Rather than succumb to the everyday pressures to just survive, Clark uses his artistic perspective – and a good dose of inspiration from the Bard – to create a personalized production of Romeo & Juliet as one man’s attempt to save his city from itself. Directed by Jason Zeldes.

"Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103" – When a terrorist-planted bomb destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988, 270 lives were ended and a heartbreaking new reality for thousands of relatives begun. Since follows the victims’ families on a 23-year quest for justice and the truth. Directed by Phil Furey.

"The Family Next Door" – He was the star Yale football player who went on to become an attorney. She was the beautiful cheerleader who became a loving, caring teacher. Their genes were perfect to start a dream family. Four children and seventeen years later, they are the family that no one wants to be: the family affected by autism, with drastically altered expectations, and yet with patience, grace, determination and unconditional love. Directed by Michael Messner and Barry Reese.

"The Uncondemned" – In 1997, a mismatched group of underdog lawyers embarked on a quixotic quest to have rape classified as an international war crime for the first time. "The Uncondemned" is the story of their fight for the first conviction and the story of the heroic Rwandan women who risked a wave of witness assassinations to testify.

Glee alumna Dianna Agron has landed a lead role in Hollow In The Land, an indie drama from writer-director Scooter Corkle. She will play Alison, a tomboyish lesbian who works at a pulp mill. A year after her father was put away for murder, she’s in a troubled state, but her troubles get worse when her brother goes missing. She sets out to find him. Along with her regular-then-recurring role on Fox’s Glee, Agron recently has appeared in the features Tumbledown, Bare and Zip…...

Special effects legend Rick Baker formally announced his retirement this week. Baker cited a “cheap and fast” philosophy in the movie industry that was at odds with his desire to ensure things got done right as the catalyst for his retirement. Baker’s work stretches across several prominent films, from An American Werewolf in London to Videodrome to The Rocketeer to Ed Wood to Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes and Tropic Thunder. Baker also worked on the Men in Black films and Michael Jackson’s famous “Thriller” music video. The 2014 feature Maleficent will now stand as his last work.

Baker will, however, be auctioning off his famous work via The Prop Store, beginning today.

Jessica Chastain and Amy Schumer are poised to work together on a new comedy. The Tracking Board has reported that Chastain, known mostly for her dramatic work in features such as The Tree of Life and Zero Dark Thirty,...

Starz has picked up all Us rights to the comedic love story starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis.

Tumbledown premiered in Tribeca and follows a widow who gains a new lease on life when she meets an academic with a startling appraisal of her late musician husband’s life.

Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello and Richard Masur also star in Sean Mewshaw’s feature directorial debut.

Desi Van Til wrote the screenplay and serves as executive producer alongside Jason Cloth.

Kristin Hahn of Hahnscape Entertainment, Bron Studios’ Aaron L Gilbert and Margot Hand produced the film.

Starz Digital plans a “significant” nationwide theatrical release around Valentine’s Day 2016 followed by an on-demand release and pay-tv premiere on Starz. CAA represented the filmmakers in the deal.

The transition from the small to the big screen is a tricky one to master. Some personalities are brimming with so much energy, talent and charisma that they can.t help but ascend to celluloid while others struggle to find their voice in their new medium and slowly decline into obscurity. Saturday Night Live alumni Jason Sudeikis is somewhere in between. Sudeikis. rise from scene-stealing support in Semi-Pro and The Campaign to credible leading man in Hall Pass, Horrible Bosses and We.re The Millers has been impressive. But he hasn.t looked entirely at home in these parts, and some of his performances have felt a tad forced, which has slightly hindered his comedic efforts. But things appear to be changing for Sudeikis. Over the last year, he has looked to move into more independent and character-driven fare with the likes of Drinking Buddies, Tumbledown and Sleeping With Other...

Read More: Meet the 2015 Tribeca Filmmakers #54 : Sean Mewshaw Tackles Small-Town Grief in 'Tumbledown' With his dark beard and deep, rich voice, Jason Sudeikis is a powerful embodiment of 21st century masculinity, which makes you wonder why it took him so long to land plump romantic roles. The wait, it seems, was worth it. Sudeikis, who has had leading roles in a wide range of television and film comedies over the past decade — from "Saturday Night Live" to "30 Rock" and "We're the Millers" to "Horrible Bosses" — stars opposite Rebecca Hall in "Tumbledown," a romantic comedy from the married writer/director duo Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw, set in rural Maine. The film derives inspiration from the stories of brilliant real-life singer-songwriters like Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley whose lives were cut short too soon. Hall plays the grieving widow of a famous folk singer who decides to hire Sudeikis'.

We have added some pictures from Freixenet Spanish Cava presentation of Tumbledown’s After Party at the Tribeca International Film Festival. Guests included Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Rebecca Hall and Josh Hamilton. The film follows a woman (Hall) who is working on her late husband’s biography (a famous musician) and teams up with another writer (Sudeikis). He has very different take on her husband’s life and together they write a new chapters in their lives. Photos copyright by Splash via Corbis Ent.

I really love seeing an actor prove that they have another side to themselves, especially when it’s a comedic performer showing off their dramatic chops. At the current incarnation of the Tribeca Film Festival, Jason Sudeikis has two different projects that have him stretching in exciting new ways. One is Tumbledown, but the one I want to rave a bit about today is Sleeping with Other People, a romantic comedy that has fantastic things to offer in the genre, all with a heaping helping of sex humor and, perhaps unexpectedly, effective drama too. It’s anchored by Sudeikis, who has quite frankly never been better than here. To sum up the film in short…it’s a rather fresh take on the “friends who should be lovers” sub genre of the rom-com. Sudeikis plays a womanizer who befriends a woman played by Alison Brie who he briefly met and slept with in college.

It’s never explicitly stated that Hunter Miles is a member of the 27 Club, but that hasn’t stopped the folk musician (“folk” in terms of both his hero status and his particular brand of strummy rock) from getting grouped with other musicians who left this world too soon. The character at the heart of Sean Mewshaw’s “Tumbledown” is already dead and buried by the time the film opens – in fact, we visit his grave quite frequently, much like his many fans – but his specter looms over the entire feature, as does his cut-short legacy. A moody (maybe? or is that simply how a rocker of his ilk is perceived by the public?) singer/songwriter in the vein of Bon Iver and Elliott Smith, Hunter crafted exactly one solo album (one “perfect” album, as one character observes) before dying in an apparently freak hiking accident. He also left behind...

Read More: Meet the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Filmmakers Years after the accidental death of her folk-legend songwriter husband Hunter, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) has yet to fully accept her small-town life in Maine without him. She spends her days contemplating a book she'd like to write on Hunter's life and work, and indulging in a fling with a local meathead (Joe Manganiello). But when she is approached by brash New York academic Andrew (Jason Sudeikis), intent on penning his own biography of her late husband, Hannah is roused into action. Initially wary of his intentions she decides to collaborate with him on the book, leading them both to surprising discoveries. As Hannah and Andrew dig deeper into Hunter's life and death, they come to their own revelations about what it means to live, and to love. Featuring supporting performances by Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, and Richard Masur, "Tumbledown" is...

This weekend was jam-packed with celebrity fun, and Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis were front and center. The two cuddled up at the NYC premiere of Tumbledown, which was part of the Tribeca Film Festival festivities. Elsewhere in New York, Amal Clooney surprised George Clooney with yet another adorable set visit, Taylor Swift looked gorgeous as usual during a dinner outing, and Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman held hands on a Sunday stroll. Keep reading for all that, plus more premieres, a bikini shot, and Prince Harry in uniform!

In Tumbledown, Rebecca Hall plays a young woman struggling to move on after the death of her husband, an acclaimed folk singer. On the surface, the film doesn’t appear to be the most lighthearted fare, but Hall read it as a welcome relief. "I had just done a very heavy theatrical piece that involved me getting in the electric chair seven nights a week,” she told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet before the film’s world premiere during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday. "I was looking for something funny." [gallery:789090] Which isn’t to say that

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Yesterday the Tribeca Film Festival unveiled the rest of its feature-length 2015 line-up, and we saw some first look photos of films like "Bleeding Heart" (featuring Jessica Biel and "Girls" star Zosia Mamet), "When I Live My Life Over Again" (Amber Heard and Christopher Walken), “Anesthesia” (Sam Waterston, Kristen Stewart, Glenn Close), and "Ashby" (Emma Roberts and Nat Wolff). Today we’ve got a few more, so check 'em out with these quick synopsis' of each. “Tumbledown,” directed and written by Sean Mewshaw, co-written by Desi Van Til. Years after the accidental death of her folk-singer husband, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) has yet to fully accept her small-town life without him. Then she is approached by a charming New York writer (Jason Sudeikis), intent on penning a biography of her late husband’s life, and Hannah finds herself opening up again. Also featuring performances by Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello,...

New work from William Monahan, Henry Hobson, Adrián García Bogliano and Neil Labute are among the Spotlight, Midnight and Special Screening selections announced on Thursday.

Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.

Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.

Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.

Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).

Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.

“The Spotlight...

New work from William Monahan, Henry Hobson, Adrián García Bogliano and Neil Labute are among the Spotlight, Midnight and Special Screening selections announced on Thursday.

Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.

Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.

Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.

Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).

Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.

“The Spotlight...