From Blumhouse Productions, the horror thriller The Purge illustrates the government’s response to an America overrun by escalating crime and overcrowded prisons.  For a 12-hour period, once a year, any and all criminal activity, including murder, becomes legal.  And on this one particular night, James (Ethan Hawke) and Mary Sandin (Lena Headey), and their two children, will learn just how vicious the outside world can be.

During a press conference at the film’s press day, actor Ethan Hawke talked about why the subject of families in peril make for good suspense and horror films, what he enjoys about making genre movies, getting to film somewhat chronologically, how much fun the fight scenes were, what he thinks this film says about society, and whether he believes humans are inherently violent.  He also talked about how odd it is that The Purge and Before Midnight both have the same R rating, and why he looks doing small projects.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

You’re not one of those people who would go up to a couple having a private, romantic conversation and just start texting and talking over them, are you?  Odds are you’re also not one of those people who would do the same thing in a crowded theater, right?  Well, just in case you need a reminder that the movie theater is not your living room, the Alamo Drafthouse is here to do just that.  Teaming up with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy of Before Midnight, this new PSA shows you what happens when you derail a star-crossed romance.  Hit the jump to watch.

Opening in limited release this weekend is one of the best films you’re going to see this year: Before Midnight, director Richard Linklater’s follow-up to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.  The new film takes place 18 years after Before Sunrise and 9 years after Before Sunset, and sees Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) navigating married life on a trip to Greece.  Like the previous films, it’s a lot of walking and talking, but it absolutely works because of the intimate and lived-in chemistry between the lead actors, who also co-wrote the film with Linklater.  I can honestly say this is one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time, and even if you haven’t seen the previous films, you should see it when it comes to a theater near you.

The other day, I landed an video interview with Hawke and Delpy here in Los Angeles.  We talked about whether they were more nervous writing the 3rd installment than the previous films due to fan expectations, deleted scenes, how they once tried to improvise and failed miserably, did they make any radical changes to the story during the writing process, the reasons why they filmed the sequel with little fanfare, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to watch.

Whether you’re a gamer or not, if you have the slightest interest in pop culture happenings then you probably know that Microsoft announced its next-gen console, the Xbox One, earlier this week. As someone who has already decided to throw all of my console eggs into Microsoft’s basket, I was a little disappointed that my two primary questions: 1) “When can I get it?” and 2) “For how much?” weren’t answered. Nevertheless, the Interwebs are also filled with grumblings from undecided consumers who thought Microsoft’s big reveal focused too much on the other entertainment features of the One as opposed to the gaming experience (see this amusingly edited video of the announcement as an example of their frustration). Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t care less about using my Xbox to check fantasy football stats and/or being able to power the console on with my voice as opposed to the physically intensive act of pushing a button on my controller. That said, I would offer that those ready to commit to Sony’s PS4 at least give Microsoft a few weeks to roll out more details of the One’s games at E3. If we come out of that still talking about our ability to seamlessly switch between The Price is Right and a Skype call then we may have something to complain about.

If the above paragraph whetted your appetite for more console talk from a novice gamer then you’re in luck. This week’s Top 5 includes more on Microsoft’s Xbox One reveal, the final trailer for Man of Steel, The Hangover Part III interviews with Bradley Cooper and more, the U.S trailer and a couple of new posters for Edgar Wright‘s The World’s End, and Before Midnight interviews with Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy. A brief recap and link to each of the above awaits after the jump.

Opening in limited release this weekend is one of the best films you’re going to see this year: Before Midnight, director Richard Linklater’s follow-up to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.  The new film takes place 18 years after Before Sunrise and 9 years after Before Sunset, and sees Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) navigating married life on a trip to Greece.  Like the previous films, it’s a lot of walking and talking, but it absolutely works because of the intimate and lived-in chemistry between the lead actors, who also co-wrote the film with Linklater.  I can honestly say this is one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time, and even if you haven’t seen the previous films, you should see it when it comes to a theater near you.

The other day, I landed an video interview with Hawke and Delpy here in Los Angeles.  We talked about whether they were more nervous writing the 3rd installment than the previous films due to fan expectations, deleted scenes, how they once tried to improvise and failed miserably, did they make any radical changes to the story during the writing process, the reasons why they filmed the sequel with little fanfare, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to watch.

Opening in limited release this weekend is one of the best films you’re going to see this year: Before Midnight, director Richard Linklater’s follow-up to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.  The new film takes place 18 years after Before Sunrise and 9 years after Before Sunset, and sees Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) navigating married life on a trip to Greece.  Like the previous films, it’s a lot of walking and talking, but it absolutely works because of the intimate and lived-in chemistry between the lead actors, who also co-wrote the film with Linklater.  I can honestly say this is one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time, and even if you haven’t seen the previous films, you should see it when it comes to a theater near you.

The other day, I landed an extended video interview with Linklater here in Los Angeles.  During our wide ranging conversation we talked about the challenges of getting Before Midnight made, premiering at Sundance, his thoughts on Kickstarter and if would he use the service for a future project, an ‘80s comedy he hopes to shoot this fall, if he’s registered the name “Before Dawn,” if they’re doing anything special for the 20th anniversary of Dazed and Confused, the possibility of a “Before” Trilogy Blu-ray box set, the status of Growing Up (a movie he’s been working on since 2002 with Ethan Hawke), if he would consider making some of his projects on TV, some of the other scripts he’s been working on for years, and so much more.  I promise if you’re a Linklater fan you’ll enjoy either reading or watching this interview.

A new clip has been released for Richard Linklater‘s Before Midnight.  The new film takes place 18 years after Before Sunrise and 9 years after Before Sunset, and sees Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) navigating married life on a trip to Greece.  In the new clip, Celine and Jesse continue to examine their relationship, and you can see the easy-going shorthand between the two characters.  However, if you’re looking at this clip and the previous clip, and you’re uneasy about two people just walking and talking, then this movie (and the previous two) may not be for you.  For everyone else, Before Midnight that’s absolutely worth your time (click here for my full review from Sundance).  Just be sure to see the first two before coming to the latest installment.

Hit the jump to check out the clip and to find out when the movie is playing near you.  Before Midnight begins its limited release on May 24th.

Blockbusters dominate the summer movie season, and some will definitely be worth your time.  You’ll pre-order your ticket, get together with friends for the earliest possible screening, and probably have a grand time.  But there are some smaller films this summer that shouldn’t escape your attention.  I’ve compiled a list of ten worthwhile indie films I saw at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and SXSW 2013.  The list includes coming of age comedies, moving romances, brutal dramas, and more.  There are other smaller films this summer that might be worth a look such as The Bling Ring and Blue Jasmine, but I haven’t seen them yet.  I can vouch for these ten.  Hit the jump for the list.

Sony Pictures Classics has released the first clip from Richard Linklater‘s Before Midnight.  The new film takes place 18 years after Before Sunrise and 9 years after Before Sunset, and sees Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) navigating married life on a trip to Greece.  Like the previous films, it’s a lot of walking and talking, but it absolutely works because of the intimate and lived-in chemistry between the lead actors, who also co-wrote the film with Linklater.  I adored the movie when I saw it at Sundance, and this clip provides a good sense of the second act as the couple reflects back on the arc of their unique relationship.

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  Before Midnight opens in limited release on May 24th.

We’ve got quite a few new posters to share this evening.  Briefly:

• Rush – The new poster for director Ron Howard’s F1 racing drama starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, and Olivia Wilde.  The film opens on September 20, 2013.
• The Way, Way Back – A new poster for the Sundance hit takes the film’s water park theme to heart.  The pic stars Sam Rockwell, Steve Carell, and Toni Collette and opens on July 5th.  Read Matt’s review here.
• Red 2 – A couple of new character posters for the sequel showcase stars Helen Mirren and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  The film opens on July 19th.
• Before Midnight – A photoshop heavy debut poster for the third film in Richard Linklater’s Before series.  The film stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and opens on May 24th.  Read Matt’s review here.
• Carrie – A new UK poster for director Kimberly Peirce’s remake shows the intensity of star Chloe Grace Moretz.  The film also stars Julianne Moore and opens on October 18th.
• V/H/S/2 – The poster for the horror anthology sequel is rather teasing, but nonetheless straightforward.  The film opens on July 12th.  Read Matt’s review here.

Hit the jump to check out the posters and synopses.

Sony Pictures Classic has released some new images from director Richard Linklater’s follow-up to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, the sequel Before Midnight.  The film picks up nine years after the events of Before Sunset as we once again catch up with Ethan Hawke’s Jessie and Julie Delpy’s Celine, but to say anything more would be to ruin the experience of the film.  These new images, in fact, could conceivably be considered spoilers.  I caught the film at Sundance (read Matt’s review here) and thought it was a brilliant addition to the series.  It’s emotional, funny, bare, and revealing, and once again Hawke and Delpy shine in roles that both speak to and about the audience.  You’d be hard pressed to find a trilogy better than this one, and Before Midnight might even be the best film of the bunch.

Hit the jump to check out the images, if you wish to do so, and click here to watch the trailer.  Be aware that the photos do spoil a few of the film’s surprises, but I doubt that it would affect the film’s overall quality.  Before Midnight opens in limited release on May 24th.

A number of new posters have landed online.  Briefly:

• The Great Gatsby – A new poster for director Baz Luhrmann’s colorful adaptation arrives ahead of tomorrow’s new trailer debut.  The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire and opens in 3D on May 10th.
• Pain & Gain – A new poster for Michael Bay’s “small-scale” black comedy puts Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, and Anthony Mackie front and center.  The film opens on April 26th.
• This Is the End – Fresh off the film’s WonderCon panel, a new poster has landed online for the directorial debut of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.  The star-studded comedy includes James Franco, Craig Robinson, and Jonah Hill and opens on June 12th.
• Before Midnight – A German poster for Richard Linklater’s highly anticipated sequel teases the return of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s characters.  The film opens on May 24th.  Click here to read Matt’s review.
• The Kings of Summer – A new poster for this Sundance hit (formerly known as Toy’s House) highlights the film’s young stars.  The pic features Nick Offerman, Megan Mullaly, and Alison Brie and opens on May 31st.

Hit the jump to check out the posters and synopses.

Sony Pictures Classics has released the first trailer for director Richard Linklater’s sequel Before Midnight.  I caught the film at Sundance and it’s tough to say anything about it without ruining the film’s surprises.  If you were a fan of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset and have every intention of seeing Before Midnight opening weekend, I might suggest you not watch this trailer.  It doesn’t give anything away outright, but it’s much more fun to go into these movies knowing as little as possible.  That said, this trailer does a nice job of playing on the nostalgia from the first two films while teasing what Midnight has in store.  I will say that I had impossibly high expectations for Before Midnight going in, and I found that it somehow surpassed them.  This trilogy is truly one of the great works of cinema, and Before Midnight is not only a fantastic and worthy addition to the saga of Jesse and Celine, but it’s also one of the best films of the year so far.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer, and click here to read Matt’s review of the film from Sundance.  Before Midnight stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and opens in limited release on May 24th.

A few release date changes and announcements are being made.

• Sony Pictures Classics has announced that director Richard Linklater’s fantastic sequel Before Midnight will open in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on May 24th.  The film reunites Linklater with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as we again pick up with the characters from Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.  Read Matt’s positive review from Sundance here.
• Director Pedro Almodovar’s latest film, I’m So Excited, is also getting the limited treatment, as the pic will open in New York and Los Angeles on June 28th.  Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, and Paz Vega star.
• The comedy Last Vegas is being moved up from December 20th to November 1st.  The film stars Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, and Morgan Freeman, and will face off against the sci-fi adaptation Ender’s Game in wide release.
• Finally, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine will open in NY and LA on July 26th.  The film stars Cate Blanchette, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, and Louis C.K.

This year, I was lucky enough to attend the Sundance Film Festival for the very first time.  There are countless fests throughout the year, but Sundance has always been regarded as one of the best since most of the films screen there without any pre-buzz or context whatsoever.  Audiences go in knowing next to nothing about the films they’re getting ready to watch, and 10 days later, buzz has materialized for previously unknown titles that just may become hits like Beasts of the Southern Wild, Little Miss Sunshine, or even Saw.  Sundance has served as the launching pad for a number of filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, David O. Russell, and Steven Soderbergh, and it’s a joy to see what kind of fresh talent is on the horizon.

After a little recuperation from my time in Park City, I’ve written up a few thoughts on my impressions of the festival as a first-timer and my favorite films.  Hit the jump to read on.