The reaction was always the same. During my high school days, I must have seen “Wait Until Dark” five times during its theatrical release. Audrey Hepburn was appealing, of course, but the main attraction for me was Alan Arkin’s chilling portrayal of a psycho sadist who, in the course of reclaiming a misdirected heroin shipment, terrorizes a blind woman in her apartment. Late in the 1967 thriller, the distressed damsel temporarily gets the upper hand by stabbing her tormentor. But as she walks away, the psycho leaps back into her kitchen and grabs her ankle.
And every time he did this, every time I saw “Wait Until Dark,” people in the audience screamed. Really, really loudly. Like, louder than the folks around me in a theater seven years later during the first jump-scare in “Jaws.”
While reading the online obituaries and social media tributes as the sad news of Arkin’s death spread,...
And every time he did this, every time I saw “Wait Until Dark,” people in the audience screamed. Really, really loudly. Like, louder than the folks around me in a theater seven years later during the first jump-scare in “Jaws.”
While reading the online obituaries and social media tributes as the sad news of Arkin’s death spread,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood lost another legend with the death of Alan Arkin. Arkin is an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning actor most recently known for his role in The Kominsky Method, but many fans know him for his unforgettable role as the grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine. So, what was Alan Arkin’s net worth at the time of his death? Here’s what to know.
Alan Arkin’s net worth at the time of his death
Actor Alan Arkin left behind a serious legacy at 89 years old — and that legacy came with plenty of cash. Alan Arkin’s net worth was reportedly $10 million at the time of his death.
Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 11 years old. In 1979, he told People that the reason he didn’t live in LA was because of his childhood experiences there. He then went...
Alan Arkin’s net worth at the time of his death
Actor Alan Arkin left behind a serious legacy at 89 years old — and that legacy came with plenty of cash. Alan Arkin’s net worth was reportedly $10 million at the time of his death.
Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 11 years old. In 1979, he told People that the reason he didn’t live in LA was because of his childhood experiences there. He then went...
- 6/30/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Alan Arkin, who won an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, was nominated for Argo and two other films, scored six Emmy noms and won a Tony Award, died Thursday at his home in San Marcos, CA. He was 89.
The news was announced Friday morning by his sons, actors Adam, Matthew and Anthony, in a joint statement. Matthew Arkin told The New York Times that his father had suffered from heart ailments.
The statement read: “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”
Related: Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries
In addition to his Oscar-winning film work, Arkin won a Tony Award for acting in Enter Laughing) and was Tony-nominated for directing The Sunshine Boys. He also was nominated for a half-dozen Emmy Awards spanning 53 years,...
The news was announced Friday morning by his sons, actors Adam, Matthew and Anthony, in a joint statement. Matthew Arkin told The New York Times that his father had suffered from heart ailments.
The statement read: “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”
Related: Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries
In addition to his Oscar-winning film work, Arkin won a Tony Award for acting in Enter Laughing) and was Tony-nominated for directing The Sunshine Boys. He also was nominated for a half-dozen Emmy Awards spanning 53 years,...
- 6/30/2023
- by Zac Ntim and Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Alan Arkin, the Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in films including Little Miss Sunshine, Argo, Catch-22, and Glengarry Glen Ross, has died at the age of 89.
Arkin passed away on Thursday, June 29th at his home in California. “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed,” his sons said in a statement.
Born March 26th, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York, Arkin began taking acting lessons at the age of 10 and studied at multiple drama academies before making his 1957 feature film acting debut in the musical Calypso Heat Wave. After a few TV cameos, he made his Broadway debut in 1961 with From the Second City.
A star turn in 1963’s Enter Laughing earned Arkin the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, which he...
Arkin passed away on Thursday, June 29th at his home in California. “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed,” his sons said in a statement.
Born March 26th, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York, Arkin began taking acting lessons at the age of 10 and studied at multiple drama academies before making his 1957 feature film acting debut in the musical Calypso Heat Wave. After a few TV cameos, he made his Broadway debut in 1961 with From the Second City.
A star turn in 1963’s Enter Laughing earned Arkin the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, which he...
- 6/30/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Alan Arkin, the Oscar and Tony-winning actor who starred in films ranging from “Catch-22” to “Little Miss Sunshine,” has died at the age of 89. His death was confirmed by his sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony in a statement obtained by TheWrap. A cause of death has, as of this time, not been given.
“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed,” the statement reads.
Borning in Brooklyn, New York on March 26, 1934, Arkin was the son of a painter and a teacher. He was raised Jewish, albeit with “no emphasis on religion,” and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. His father worked as a set decorator until losing that job due to an eight-month Hollywood strike. Arkin’s parents were accused of being Communists...
“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed,” the statement reads.
Borning in Brooklyn, New York on March 26, 1934, Arkin was the son of a painter and a teacher. He was raised Jewish, albeit with “no emphasis on religion,” and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. His father worked as a set decorator until losing that job due to an eight-month Hollywood strike. Arkin’s parents were accused of being Communists...
- 6/30/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Things have been pretty quiet on the movie front for a while, given the pandemic, but this weekend marks a major upswing in content for cinema lovers, with multiple brand new releases available. Judd Apatow’s The King of Staten Island is unfortunately not up for streaming at present, but Netflix Original Da 5 Bloods, the latest effort from the Oscar-winning Spike Lee, is. For family audiences, there’s also Artemis Fowl over on Disney Plus, which was originally set for a theatrical release back in May.
Even outside of these new films though, there’s plenty of fresh titles coming to the various streaming services this weekend, from classic movies, recent hits, new TV series, old TV series, etc. Whatever combination of services you’re subscribed to, you can fill your whole weekend watching what’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon, HBO Max and the rest over the next few days.
Even outside of these new films though, there’s plenty of fresh titles coming to the various streaming services this weekend, from classic movies, recent hits, new TV series, old TV series, etc. Whatever combination of services you’re subscribed to, you can fill your whole weekend watching what’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon, HBO Max and the rest over the next few days.
- 6/12/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
While not all that unusual in a country such as France, we can add the name of Clea DuVall to the stream of under 40 actresses making the move behind the camera. Best known for recent turns in American Horror Story and Argo, has lined up quite the ensemble for her directorial debut. The Wrap reports that Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Lyonne, Vincent Piazza, Jason Ritter, Ben Schwartz, Alia Shawkat and Cobie Smulders are the main players in the untitled project. Sev Ohanian (co-produced Fruitvale Station) and Burn Later Productions’ Paul M. Bernon and Sam Slater (Results) will produce. Mel Eslyn (Lamb) and David Bernon will executive produce with DuVall. Look for the production to begin sometime soon with a pegged 2016 festival release.
Gist: Plot details have yet to be revealed.
Worth Noting: With close to two decades under her belt, the actress first broke out in 1996’s indie Little Witches but...
Gist: Plot details have yet to be revealed.
Worth Noting: With close to two decades under her belt, the actress first broke out in 1996’s indie Little Witches but...
- 7/20/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago – Roger Ebert may have left this world today, but he did not die. He is alive in every moviegoer he guided toward a cinematic epiphany and in every writer who believes that big ideas can be conveyed to and embraced by the masses. The following is a column I wrote five years ago for my college paper, The Columbia Chronicle.
Everyone at Columbia has a hero they look to for artistic inspiration. These could be the deceased artists whose work has influenced generations long before ours. They could also be living legends who can’t go out in public without being followed by 20 burly bodyguards. I consider myself incredibly lucky that my hero is still alive, lives in my town and joins me at a screening room on Lake Street each week.
I think I was about 10 years old when I first began reading the film reviews of Roger Ebert.
Everyone at Columbia has a hero they look to for artistic inspiration. These could be the deceased artists whose work has influenced generations long before ours. They could also be living legends who can’t go out in public without being followed by 20 burly bodyguards. I consider myself incredibly lucky that my hero is still alive, lives in my town and joins me at a screening room on Lake Street each week.
I think I was about 10 years old when I first began reading the film reviews of Roger Ebert.
- 4/4/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodNews.com: The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, presented by the Los Angeles Times, is pleased to announce that the feature "Argo," directed by Ben Affleck, will receive the "Hollywood Ensemble Acting Award." "We are very proud to recognize the ensemble cast of "Argo," for their dramatic and outstanding performances," said Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Awards. The 2012 Hollywood Film Awards has also announced that it will honor director David O. Russell with the "Hollywood Director Award"; Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro with the "Hollywood Supporting Actor Award"; Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard with the "Hollywood Actress Award"; three-time Academy Award-nominated actress Amy Adams with the "Hollywood Supporting Actress Award"; producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner with the "Hollywood Producers Award"; writer/director Judd Apatow with the "Hollywood Comedy Award"; actor John Hawkes with the "Hollywood Breakout Performance Award" for "The Sessions"; and Quvenzhané Wallis...
- 10/3/2012
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
By Allen Gardner
The Samurai Trilogy (Criterion) Director Hiroshi Inagaki’s sprawling epic filmed from 1954-56 is an early Japanese Technicolor masterpiece, rivaling the scope of filmmakers like David Lean and Luchino Visconti. Toshiro Mifune, Japan’s greatest actor, stars as real-life swordsman, artist and writer Musashi Miyamoto, following his growth from callow youth to disciplined warrior. The three films: the Oscar winning “Musashi Miyamoto,” “Duel at Ichijoji Temple,” and “Duel at Ganryu Island” are an incredible story of human growth, tender love and sublime, blood-soaked action. Not to be missed. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with translator and historian William Scott Wilson; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The 39 Steps (Criterion) Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 story of spies, conspiracies and sexual tension put him on the map on both sides of the Pond. Robert Donat stars as an innocent thrust into a deadly plot alongside a cool blonde (Madeleine Carroll...
The Samurai Trilogy (Criterion) Director Hiroshi Inagaki’s sprawling epic filmed from 1954-56 is an early Japanese Technicolor masterpiece, rivaling the scope of filmmakers like David Lean and Luchino Visconti. Toshiro Mifune, Japan’s greatest actor, stars as real-life swordsman, artist and writer Musashi Miyamoto, following his growth from callow youth to disciplined warrior. The three films: the Oscar winning “Musashi Miyamoto,” “Duel at Ichijoji Temple,” and “Duel at Ganryu Island” are an incredible story of human growth, tender love and sublime, blood-soaked action. Not to be missed. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with translator and historian William Scott Wilson; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The 39 Steps (Criterion) Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 story of spies, conspiracies and sexual tension put him on the map on both sides of the Pond. Robert Donat stars as an innocent thrust into a deadly plot alongside a cool blonde (Madeleine Carroll...
- 7/9/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Rating: 3.0/5.0
Chicago – Over a decade ago, Jill & Karen Sprecher made waves on the indie scene with “Clockwatchers” and “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing” but then virtually disappeared. They’re back with another arthouse piece, a “Fargo”-esque black comedy called “Thin Ice,” starring Greg Kinnear, Billy Crudup, Alan Arkin, and more. The strong ensemble makes the relatively weak script (as presented…more on that later) easier to take as the film skates over some treacherous rough patches but never falls through.
Mickey Prohaska (Kinnear) is a jerk (and it’s the complete lack of a likable or relatable protagonist that is one of the film’s biggest drawbacks). He’s an insurance salesman who uses lies and deceit to scare people into buying policies they don’t need. And he rips them off whenever possible. In one of the first scenes in the film, he sleeps with a drunk girl at a casino conference,...
Chicago – Over a decade ago, Jill & Karen Sprecher made waves on the indie scene with “Clockwatchers” and “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing” but then virtually disappeared. They’re back with another arthouse piece, a “Fargo”-esque black comedy called “Thin Ice,” starring Greg Kinnear, Billy Crudup, Alan Arkin, and more. The strong ensemble makes the relatively weak script (as presented…more on that later) easier to take as the film skates over some treacherous rough patches but never falls through.
Mickey Prohaska (Kinnear) is a jerk (and it’s the complete lack of a likable or relatable protagonist that is one of the film’s biggest drawbacks). He’s an insurance salesman who uses lies and deceit to scare people into buying policies they don’t need. And he rips them off whenever possible. In one of the first scenes in the film, he sleeps with a drunk girl at a casino conference,...
- 2/23/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
When the screenwriters of “Thin Ice” finally play their hand and reveal their film’s obvious twist ending, that dumb plot point almost eclipses all the other lousy things that came before it. But make no mistake, “Thin Ice” is nothing if not consistently lousy. Set in frigid Kenosha, Wisconsin, the film follows Mickey Prohaska (Greg Kinnear), a shifty and increasingly desperate insurance salesman as he tries to con his way to a tropical vacation. Mickey is the leader of a parade of unlikable, uniformly histrionic and very unfunny characters. Living and being around the residents of Kenosha is nightmarish, but not in the humorous, neo-noir-inflected way that director Jill Sprecher (“Thirteen Conversations About One Thing”) and her co-writer Karen Sprecher want us to think. Both Mickey and the secondary characters that sparsely populate “Thin Ice” test the dramaturgical guideline that dictates you don’t need to like a...
- 2/14/2012
- The Playlist
Title: Thin Ice Director: Jill Sprecher (‘Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,’ ‘Clockwatchers’) Starring: Greg Kinnear, Bill Crudup and Alan Arkin Con artists are usually portrayed as being ruthless and conniving in films, and aren’t often featured as the main protagonist with whom audiences can relate to. But Mickey Prohaska, the conman in director-co-writer Jill Sprecher’s new crime drama-comedy, ‘Thin Ice,’ is surprisingly both endearing and deceitful. Greg Kinnear was well-cast as the scheming, sympathetic small-town Wisconsin insurance agent, who will do anything to get what he wants, while genuinely caring for those who have positively impacted his life. ‘Thin Ice’ follows Mickey as he’s looking for a way to jump-start...
- 2/5/2012
- by karen
- ShockYa
So much happens in Matthew Leutwyler’s Answers to Nothing, but how much is actually relevant? An adulterous husband with a rockstar mistress and lawyer wife, a police detective best friend and her key suspect in a child kidnapping case, a recently graduated police officer and his grade school teacher neighbor, a racist black television writer and the soundboard mixer she meets while walking their dogs, and a recovering alcoholic caring for her brain dead brother all cross paths in Los Angeles. Southern California hides their secrets and opens them up to the tragedy of life and the mistakes made every second of every day. They try so hard to ignore the people around them, but what’s the point of living in a community if society refuses to watch out for each other?
This appears to be the main question Leutwyler and co-writer Gillian Vigman asks. Through the transgressions...
This appears to be the main question Leutwyler and co-writer Gillian Vigman asks. Through the transgressions...
- 12/4/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
HollywoodNews.com: 2011 Hollywood Film Festival Honors “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Lubezki, Mirrione, and Murakami
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Editor Stephen Mirrione, Production Designer James Murakami and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar will be honored at the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.
The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards, presented by Starz, have announced that Academy Award nominated cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki will be honored with the “Hollywood Cinematographer Award,” Oscar-winning editor Stephen Mirrione will be presented with the “Hollywood Editor Award,” Academy Award-nominated production designer James Murakami will receive the “Hollywood Production Designer Award,” and Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” and Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Scott Farrar will receive the “Hollywood Visual Effects Award” at the festival’s Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.
The gala ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 24, 2011.
The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu,...
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Editor Stephen Mirrione, Production Designer James Murakami and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar will be honored at the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.
The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards, presented by Starz, have announced that Academy Award nominated cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki will be honored with the “Hollywood Cinematographer Award,” Oscar-winning editor Stephen Mirrione will be presented with the “Hollywood Editor Award,” Academy Award-nominated production designer James Murakami will receive the “Hollywood Production Designer Award,” and Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” and Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Scott Farrar will receive the “Hollywood Visual Effects Award” at the festival’s Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.
The gala ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 24, 2011.
The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu,...
- 8/29/2011
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
Expect this upcoming Fall season to be a pivotal first for the two-year old Ato Pictures. With Pawel Pawlikowski's The Woman in the Fifth and Dominik Moll's The Monk both expected to make their North American first looks at Telluride/Tiff, the disturb co. will have a Sundance preemed black comedy hitting theatres around the same time. Gist: Formerly going by the title of "The Convincer", Thin Ice reunites Greg Kinnear with Little Miss Sunshine co-star Alan Arkin and this becomes a second outing for Arkin with director Jill Sprecher -- who worked with the veteran actor a decade back on her sophomore film that followed her debut, 1997's Clockwatchers. This pits a financially troubled insurance agent (Kinnear) against a frigid Wisconsin backdrop, and worse yet, the moral dilemma brought about by a valuable violin. Worth Noting: Between feature films, the Sprecher sisters produced television's Big Love and...
- 7/19/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
Back in March, Deadline broke the story that Ato Pictures was near a deal to acquire Us rights to The Convincer, the Karen Sprecher-directed dark comedy that made its debut at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The distributor has changed the title to Thin Ice, but has just confirmed the deal. Here's the official announcement: New York, NY (July 19, 2011) – Ato (Art Takes Over) Pictures announced today that it has acquired U.S. theatrical rights to Thin Ice (formerly titled The Convincer) starring Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson, David Harbour and Bob Balaban. Thin Ice is a thriller about an insurance agent (Kinnear) looking for a way to jump-start his business, reunite with his estranged wife (Thompson) and escape the frigid Wisconsin weather. This self-proclaimed master of duplicity believes that salesmanship is all about selling a story — all he needs is a sucker willing to buy it. He...
- 7/19/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Chicago – It’s easy to forget just how good of an actor Matthew McConaughey can be with the right vehicle. He delivered what may be his best performance to date in Jill Sprecher’s 2001 multi-character drama “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,” in which he played a slick lawyer whose unbreakable self-esteem is shattered by a sudden crisis of conscience.
Over the past decade, McConaughey has chosen projects that seem designed to ignore the promise he sported in his earlier work. An assortment of forgettable romantic comedies have required him to do little more than fulfill the role of charismatic eye candy. What’s striking about McConaughey’s triumphant comeback effort, “The Lincoln Lawyer,” is the fact that it casts him as a lawyer not unlike the one he played in “Thirteen Conversations,” or for that matter, 1996’s “A Time to Kill.” Perhaps it’s the tension of a courtroom that...
Over the past decade, McConaughey has chosen projects that seem designed to ignore the promise he sported in his earlier work. An assortment of forgettable romantic comedies have required him to do little more than fulfill the role of charismatic eye candy. What’s striking about McConaughey’s triumphant comeback effort, “The Lincoln Lawyer,” is the fact that it casts him as a lawyer not unlike the one he played in “Thirteen Conversations,” or for that matter, 1996’s “A Time to Kill.” Perhaps it’s the tension of a courtroom that...
- 7/19/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Sometime this summer the extremely busy Robin Wright (Ari Folman's The Congress, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball, Rampart) will be moving behind the camera to make her directorial debut. In the first piece of news since The Archivist was announced late last year, Colin Firth is no longer attached but Wright has apparently managed to add her The Conspirator co-stars Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson along with, actresses Sally Hawkins and Anna Kendrick to what will be a robust fivesome of stars (this includes Wright in front of the camera as well). Gist: Scripted by Ann Cherkis (writer behind the filmed in Montreal, direct-to-video The Secret), this is about an American archivist who desperately tries to win back a valuable account he lost to his ex-wife in the UK while attempting to get her back as well. Worth Noting: Michael Stipe's Single Cell Pictures will produce...
- 2/28/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
How does Sebastian Gutierrez keep getting these actors to appear in his films? So far just about all of his work has been laden with impressively [1] star-studded [2] casts [3], but nothing he's produced has even come close to finding any sort of success at the box office -- or with critics [4], for that matter. I guess that's of no consequence for his next effort though, since the film is being released exclusively on the Internet. For free. That film is Girl Walks Into a Bar, and it brings together an ensemble cast including Carla Gugino, Zachary Quinto, Josh Hartnett, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Robert Forster, Alexis Bledel and many more. That roster of actors is incentive enough to check out the film. That you won't have to pay to do so is the cherry on top. Learn more about the film and check out the trailer after the break.
- 2/18/2011
- by Adam Quigley
- Slash Film
Reviewed by Jeremy Mathews
(from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival)
Directed by: Jill Sprecher
Written by: Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson and Bob Balaban
There’s no son of a bitch quite like Mickey Prohaska. The insurance salesman played by Greg Kinnear in “The Convincer” lies constantly, treats everyone like dirt and never passes up a chance to screw someone over. When the random drunk woman he sleeps with during a convention robs his room, he not only hides what happens but belittles the hotel manager and accuses the housekeeping staff of theft. So he isn’t a character who evokes much sympathy when his scruple-less little scheme goes terribly wrong. It’s no less than he deserves.
All it takes to push Mickey to do something wrong is for an opportunity to present itself. The film is structured like a domino course,...
(from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival)
Directed by: Jill Sprecher
Written by: Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson and Bob Balaban
There’s no son of a bitch quite like Mickey Prohaska. The insurance salesman played by Greg Kinnear in “The Convincer” lies constantly, treats everyone like dirt and never passes up a chance to screw someone over. When the random drunk woman he sleeps with during a convention robs his room, he not only hides what happens but belittles the hotel manager and accuses the housekeeping staff of theft. So he isn’t a character who evokes much sympathy when his scruple-less little scheme goes terribly wrong. It’s no less than he deserves.
All it takes to push Mickey to do something wrong is for an opportunity to present itself. The film is structured like a domino course,...
- 2/5/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Reviewed by Jeremy Mathews
(from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival)
Directed by: Jill Sprecher
Written by: Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson and Bob Balaban
There’s no son of a bitch quite like Mickey Prohaska. The insurance salesman played by Greg Kinnear in “The Convincer” lies constantly, treats everyone like dirt and never passes up a chance to screw someone over. When the random drunk woman he sleeps with during a convention robs his room, he not only hides what happens but belittles the hotel manager and accuses the housekeeping staff of theft. So he isn’t a character who evokes much sympathy when his scruple-less little scheme goes terribly wrong. It’s no less than he deserves.
All it takes to push Mickey to do something wrong is for an opportunity to present itself. The film is structured like a domino course,...
(from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival)
Directed by: Jill Sprecher
Written by: Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson and Bob Balaban
There’s no son of a bitch quite like Mickey Prohaska. The insurance salesman played by Greg Kinnear in “The Convincer” lies constantly, treats everyone like dirt and never passes up a chance to screw someone over. When the random drunk woman he sleeps with during a convention robs his room, he not only hides what happens but belittles the hotel manager and accuses the housekeeping staff of theft. So he isn’t a character who evokes much sympathy when his scruple-less little scheme goes terribly wrong. It’s no less than he deserves.
All it takes to push Mickey to do something wrong is for an opportunity to present itself. The film is structured like a domino course,...
- 2/5/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Catch .44
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
- 12/23/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Catch .44
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
Opens: 2011
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Malin Akerman, Nikki Reed, Deborah Ann Woll
Director: Aaron Harvey
Summary: The story focuses on three women being thrust into an extraordinary situation involving a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook.
Analysis: Oddly little is known about this indie crime comedy aside from the three lead female roles have gone through more than a couple of rounds of casting musical chairs. The likes of Maggie Grace, Kate Mara, Laura Ramsey, Sarah Roemer, Lizzy Caplan and Lauren German were all attached at one point or another before the final trio of Malin Akerman ("Watchmen"), Nikki Reed ("Twilight") and Deborah Ann Woll ("True Blood") were settled on.
Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Michael Rosenbaum and Brad Dourif also star with Willis as a crime boss behind everything that happens and Whitaker as a dangerously unstable assassin. Aaron Harvey, who last directed...
- 12/23/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Craig here with this week's Take Three
Today: Alan Arkin
Take One: Three-hundred-and-sixty-three words about one performance
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001) was a solemn little indie film. I caught at random back in ’06 - and returned to it this week for Take Three. It’s one of those character-driven, multi-plot-strand affairs, à la Short Cuts - one of the many that came in the wake of Magnolia etc - where the cast are individually designated an appropriately emotional storyline to battle through. It was worth seeing (twice) for Arkin’s greatly measured, affecting performance. His character, Gene English, comes across as initially unlikeable; he’s a difficult, workaholic manager for an insurance firm, none too cheery day-to-day, largely due to the utter joylessness of his life, but brusquely committed to his work regardless.
Alan Arkin as Gene in Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
On a few rare occasions director...
Today: Alan Arkin
Take One: Three-hundred-and-sixty-three words about one performance
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001) was a solemn little indie film. I caught at random back in ’06 - and returned to it this week for Take Three. It’s one of those character-driven, multi-plot-strand affairs, à la Short Cuts - one of the many that came in the wake of Magnolia etc - where the cast are individually designated an appropriately emotional storyline to battle through. It was worth seeing (twice) for Arkin’s greatly measured, affecting performance. His character, Gene English, comes across as initially unlikeable; he’s a difficult, workaholic manager for an insurance firm, none too cheery day-to-day, largely due to the utter joylessness of his life, but brusquely committed to his work regardless.
Alan Arkin as Gene in Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
On a few rare occasions director...
- 7/25/2010
- by Craig Bloomfield
- FilmExperience
Hollywood fads are notoriously fickle, but for as long as I can remember, one thing that has never gone out of vogue is the sprawling multi-character, multiple-storyline saga, where the seemingly disparate characters and stories turn out to have some thematic or actual connection to each other. I think that's because it's such a tempting exercise for a screenwriter -- particularly a young screenwriter. It's also a way of giving a "small" movie the illusion of a grand scope. This weekend's Valentine's Day is already being ridiculed for taking the almost-cliché to new heights, tossing over 20 principal characters into a two-hour movie and hoping that Love Actually lightning strikes. In honor of that valiant (if misguided) effort, here's a quick list of seven relatively recent flicks that did the multiple-storyline thing right.
1. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. The "one thing" being happiness, it turns out -- or maybe luck. Jill Sprecher...
1. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. The "one thing" being happiness, it turns out -- or maybe luck. Jill Sprecher...
- 2/12/2010
- by Eugene Novikov
- Cinematical
Not a great title. We'll start there. Jill and Karen Sprecher, whose previous writing credits consist of Thirteen Conversations About One Thing and Clockwatchers, have co-written the script for The Convincer, which Jill Sprecher will direct. The film, according to Variety, "follows a desperate insurance salesman whose scheme to get a hold of a rare violin leads to unforeseen consequences."
It's either going to be one of those grim indie pictures, or one of those quirky indie pictures. I don't see it going any other way, although I am basing my assumption on a single sentence. That said, there is one thing (well, three things I suppose) that makes me a lot more intrigued -- the cast. Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, and Billy Crudup are set to star, and that is a hell of a lineup right there. It's great to see all of them, actually. Kinnear is always great,...
It's either going to be one of those grim indie pictures, or one of those quirky indie pictures. I don't see it going any other way, although I am basing my assumption on a single sentence. That said, there is one thing (well, three things I suppose) that makes me a lot more intrigued -- the cast. Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, and Billy Crudup are set to star, and that is a hell of a lineup right there. It's great to see all of them, actually. Kinnear is always great,...
- 2/3/2010
- by TK
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup will star in the indie crime drama "The Convincer."According to Variety, shooting begins Feb. 8 in Minneapolis.Jill Sprecher will be directing from a script she co-wrote with her sister Karen Sprecher. Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf are producing for Werc Werk Works.The story follows a down-on-his-luck insurance salesman whose scheme to steal a rare violin unravels.Sprecher's directing credits include 1997.s "Clockwatchers" and 2001.s "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing," which were both co-written by Karen Sprecher. "Clockwatchers" starred Toni Collette, Parker Posey and Lisa Kudrow while "Conversations" starred Matthew McConaughey, Alan Arkin and John Turturro.
- 2/2/2010
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
It's relatively quiet in Hollywood this morning, as entertainment outlets everywhere prep themselves to read, absorb and comment on the soon-to-be-announced Oscar nominations. There's some news though, including this kickass casting announcement for an upcoming indie crime drama.
Billy Crudup, Alan Arkin and Greg Kinnear are all signed on for "The Convincer," Variety reports. Shooting will commence on February 8 in "the Minneapolis area." The movie comes from director Jill Sprecher, who co-wrote the script with her sister Karen.
The movie, which is currently listed on IMDb for a 2011 release, follows a salesman on the hunt for a rare violin. His search isn't as simple as it sounds however, and it leads him to some unexpected places. There's no word on the individual roles landed, but we can presume that one of the three new cast members will emerge as the star.
Sprecher's previous directing credits include "Clockwatchers" and "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,...
Billy Crudup, Alan Arkin and Greg Kinnear are all signed on for "The Convincer," Variety reports. Shooting will commence on February 8 in "the Minneapolis area." The movie comes from director Jill Sprecher, who co-wrote the script with her sister Karen.
The movie, which is currently listed on IMDb for a 2011 release, follows a salesman on the hunt for a rare violin. His search isn't as simple as it sounds however, and it leads him to some unexpected places. There's no word on the individual roles landed, but we can presume that one of the three new cast members will emerge as the star.
Sprecher's previous directing credits include "Clockwatchers" and "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,...
- 2/2/2010
- by Adam Rosenberg
- MTV Movies Blog
Though I have no idea on what The Convincer is about, the indie crime drama has already captured my attention by casting Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup.
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup for The Convincer
Directed by Jill Sprecher off a script she co-wrote with Karen Sprecher, The Convincer follows a desperate insurance salesman whose scheme to get a hold of a rare violin leads to unforeseen consequences. Jill Sprecher's helming credits include Clockwatchers and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, which were both co-written by Karen Sprecher.
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup for The Convincer
Directed by Jill Sprecher off a script she co-wrote with Karen Sprecher, The Convincer follows a desperate insurance salesman whose scheme to get a hold of a rare violin leads to unforeseen consequences. Jill Sprecher's helming credits include Clockwatchers and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, which were both co-written by Karen Sprecher.
- 2/2/2010
- www.canmag.com
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup are set to star in the independent crime drama "The Convincer." Jill Sprecher helms from a screenplay she co-wrote alongside Karen Sprecher. Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf of Werc Werk Works produce. An indie crime drama which follows a desperate insurance salesman. He hatches a plan to get a hold of a rare violin which leads to unforeseen circumstances. More at Variety. Jill Sprecher's other credits include "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing" and "Clockwatchers." Walker and Redleaf produce Sundance player "Howl" starring James Franco.
- 2/2/2010
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup have all signed up for the indie crime drama The Convincer.The script, co-written by Jill and Karen Sprecher, sees a desperate insurance salesman plotting to end his troubles by getting hold of a rare violin. But his plan leads to some difficult consequences.Jill Sprecher, who co-wrote and directed Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, is gearing up to direct the film in Minneapolis next week.
- 2/2/2010
- EmpireOnline
Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup have signed to crime drama "The Convincer," written by Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher; Jill Sprecher directs.
The production, about a desperate insurance salesman who gets his hands on a rare violin, beings filming Monday around the Twin Cities, Minn.
Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf are producing for the indie production and finance company Werc Werk Works.
Jill Sprecher's credits include "Clockwatchers" and "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing," which were both co-written with Karen Sprecher.
The production, about a desperate insurance salesman who gets his hands on a rare violin, beings filming Monday around the Twin Cities, Minn.
Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf are producing for the indie production and finance company Werc Werk Works.
Jill Sprecher's credits include "Clockwatchers" and "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing," which were both co-written with Karen Sprecher.
- 2/1/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Three groups of critics . two on the East Coast, one on the West . recently chimed in with their picks for the year's best, and they were pretty much all over the map. Film critics in Los Angeles and Boston announced their choices over the weekend, with About Schmidt charming L.A. and the critics of Beantown making a surprise choice with Roman Polanski's The Pianist. The New York Film Critics Circle added to the obfuscation of any Oscar favorites by going with art house fave Far From Heaven. In fact, the New Yorkers bestowed five awards on Todd Haynes' ode to Douglas Sirk: Picture, Supporting Actor (Dennis Quaid), Supporting Actress (Patricia Clarkson), Director, and Cinematography. In a surprise upset, Diane Lane was chosen best actress over Heaven's Julianne Moore for her performance in Adrian Lyne's Unfaithful; Daniel Day-Lewis walked away with the lead actor award for Gangs of New York. In Los Angeles, About Schmidt's Jack Nicholson tied with Day-Lewis for the lead actor award, while Julianne Moore picked up the Best Actress award for both Far From Heaven and The Hours. Other L.A. awards included Chris Cooper (supporting actor for Adaptation), Edie Falco (supporting actress for Sunshine State) and Pedro Almodovar (director for Talk To Her). Boston critics heaped awards on The Pianist's Adrien Brody (lead actor) and Roman Polanski (director), and made other surprise choices for lead actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal for Secretary), supporting actor (Alan Arkin for 13 Conversations About One Thing) and supporting actress (Toni Collette, named for both About a Boy and The Hours). All the critics did agree on one thing, though: Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mama Tambien was named best foreign film by all three groups. --Prepared by IMDb staff...
- 12/17/2002
- WENN
NEW YORK -- Los Angeles-based Echo Lake Prods. has inked deals with two international directors in a new initiative to create a series of English-language films by renowned foreign helmers, called World Visions. The plan was announced as the Toronto International Film Festival kicked off Thursday night. The first talents signed under World Visions are Indian helmer Santosh Sivan (The Terrorist) and Singapore's CheeK (aka Cheah Chee Kong of Chicken Rice War). Finance and production unit Echo Lake (Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, Things Behind the Sun) is developing World Visions with German director Faith Akin. The program seeks to "give directors from around the world an opportunity to reach out to English-speaking audiences."...
Actor Matthew McConaughey turned real-life hero at a film festival on Friday when he rescued a fainting woman. The star's research for his role as a doctor in The Wedding Planner seems to have come in handy when he helped out Janice Flisfeder at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada. Janice, 49, explains, "I fainted. I think it was not eating much and standing in lines all day. I felt a man stroking my hair and kissing my forehead saying 'it's okay, sweetheart, ' and realized it wasn't my husband. "When I opened my eyes and looked back to him I just thought 'nah, can't be.'" The mother-of-three was surprised to find the 31-year-old Texan star had interrupted his appearance at the screening of his new movie 13 Conversations About One Thing to come to her aid. The film's director, Jill Sprecher gushes, "Matthew was the first to the scene. It was like a movie. He is a heroic guy, a very kind person who is always considerate."...
- 9/10/2001
- WENN
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