The entertainment industry is mourning documentarian Morgan Spurlock.
Spurlock, best known for his Academy Award-nominated documentary Super Size Me, in which he consumed fast food for 30 days to highlight its dangers, died on Thursday at the age of 53 from cancer.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a family statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
After the news broke of Spurlock’s death, The Simpsons writer and executive producer Al Jean tweeted, “V v v sad to learn of the passing of Morgan Spurlock. A very talented, funny and brilliant man and a true friend to The Simpsons. A great loss.”
And Alex Gibney remarked simply, “Devastated to hear of...
Spurlock, best known for his Academy Award-nominated documentary Super Size Me, in which he consumed fast food for 30 days to highlight its dangers, died on Thursday at the age of 53 from cancer.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a family statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
After the news broke of Spurlock’s death, The Simpsons writer and executive producer Al Jean tweeted, “V v v sad to learn of the passing of Morgan Spurlock. A very talented, funny and brilliant man and a true friend to The Simpsons. A great loss.”
And Alex Gibney remarked simply, “Devastated to hear of...
- 5/25/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Morgan Spurlock (right) with Michael Moore and Jon Alpert Photo: Anne Katrin Titze
Morgan Spurlock, the documentarian behind Super Size me and Freakonomics, has died at the age of 53, his family revealed today.
"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity," said his brother and sometime artistic collaborator, Craig Spurlock. "The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him."
Best known for attempting to live for a month on only Macdonalds super size meals, Spurlock went on to make films including Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope and boy band profile One Direction: This Is Us. His career faltered after he confessed to sexual harassment at the height of the #MeToo movement, a choice which he said had been intended to emphasise the need for soul-searching and...
Morgan Spurlock, the documentarian behind Super Size me and Freakonomics, has died at the age of 53, his family revealed today.
"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity," said his brother and sometime artistic collaborator, Craig Spurlock. "The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him."
Best known for attempting to live for a month on only Macdonalds super size meals, Spurlock went on to make films including Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope and boy band profile One Direction: This Is Us. His career faltered after he confessed to sexual harassment at the height of the #MeToo movement, a choice which he said had been intended to emphasise the need for soul-searching and...
- 5/24/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
When Morgan Spurlock, who died May 23 from complications of cancer at age 53, first entered the documentary space in 2004 with “Super Size Me,” he managed to turn the film’s success into a career. A career that was not only prolific, but also lucrative — a rarity, to this day, in the field.
The secret to Spurlock’s success? He was not only a talented filmmaker, but also a brilliant businessman.
Just 11 months after the Sundance premiere of “Super Size Me,” Spurlock partnered with FX on the docuseries “30 Days,” which chronicled the journey of an individual situated in an environment antithetical to his background. The first season of the series began airing in 2005 and included episodes about a Christian living as a Muslim and a conservative heterosexual living with a gay man. In total, FX chairman John Landgraf ordered three seasons of “30 Days,” which was executive produced by Ben Silverman and R.J. Cutler.
The secret to Spurlock’s success? He was not only a talented filmmaker, but also a brilliant businessman.
Just 11 months after the Sundance premiere of “Super Size Me,” Spurlock partnered with FX on the docuseries “30 Days,” which chronicled the journey of an individual situated in an environment antithetical to his background. The first season of the series began airing in 2005 and included episodes about a Christian living as a Muslim and a conservative heterosexual living with a gay man. In total, FX chairman John Landgraf ordered three seasons of “30 Days,” which was executive produced by Ben Silverman and R.J. Cutler.
- 5/24/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Spurlock has a penchant for coming out with movies that have provoked the minds of people around the globe. The Super Size Me franchise is an instance of how he’s not afraid of blowing off the lid from topics that not many want to talk about. His demise this Thursday will mark an end to his illustrious run. But looking back at one of his ventures, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken, the movie lost out on something big, because of one reason.
Morgan Spurlock passed away at the age of 53
Morgan Spurlock died of cancer complications
Morgan Spurlock had been suffering from cancer for the past few years of his life, with his friends and family by his side. And on 23rd May, he breathed his last. His family brought the news to light that he had passed away due to the complications arising out of cancer.
Morgan Spurlock passed away at the age of 53
Morgan Spurlock died of cancer complications
Morgan Spurlock had been suffering from cancer for the past few years of his life, with his friends and family by his side. And on 23rd May, he breathed his last. His family brought the news to light that he had passed away due to the complications arising out of cancer.
- 5/24/2024
- by Smriti Sneh
- FandomWire
In an era before social media, the impact of his wacky but issue-based fast-food documentary made a real impact on how the world eats
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock dies aged 53
Twenty years ago, no one was a bigger beneficiary of the Michael Moore documentary boom than gonzo doc comic Morgan Spurlock who royally punk’d the McDonald’s corporate giant with his uproarious 2004 film Super Size Me. It was a piece of cheek that took advantage of the anti-corporate, anti-fast-food feeling that had been growing, especially in this country since the McLibel trial.
He embarrassed the McDonald’s organisation and single-handedly pressured them into withdrawing their mega-portion policies and even into offering unconvincing “healthy” options. He forced it to eat a triple Mac of shame with a side order of contrition. And it was happening in a pre-social-media age when this kind of proto-viral populist uprising was very difficult to create.
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock dies aged 53
Twenty years ago, no one was a bigger beneficiary of the Michael Moore documentary boom than gonzo doc comic Morgan Spurlock who royally punk’d the McDonald’s corporate giant with his uproarious 2004 film Super Size Me. It was a piece of cheek that took advantage of the anti-corporate, anti-fast-food feeling that had been growing, especially in this country since the McLibel trial.
He embarrassed the McDonald’s organisation and single-handedly pressured them into withdrawing their mega-portion policies and even into offering unconvincing “healthy” options. He forced it to eat a triple Mac of shame with a side order of contrition. And it was happening in a pre-social-media age when this kind of proto-viral populist uprising was very difficult to create.
- 5/24/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Sad news has hit the drive-thru line of Hollywood as we learn about the untimely passing of Morgan Spurlock, the Oscar-nominated director of the eye-opening documentary Super Size Me. According to his family, Spurlock passed away at 53 after losing a private battle with cancer.
In a statement to the press, Spurlock’s family said the risk-taking filmmaker “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends” on Thursday. Spurlock was undergoing chemotherapy treatments earlier this year, though the cancer proved too much in the end.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, one of the filmmaker’s older brothers. The sibling duo joined forces on several documentary projects, including Morgan Spurlock Inside Man and 7 Deadly Sins. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man.
In a statement to the press, Spurlock’s family said the risk-taking filmmaker “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends” on Thursday. Spurlock was undergoing chemotherapy treatments earlier this year, though the cancer proved too much in the end.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, one of the filmmaker’s older brothers. The sibling duo joined forces on several documentary projects, including Morgan Spurlock Inside Man and 7 Deadly Sins. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man.
- 5/24/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
“Super Size Me” director Morgan Spurlock is dead at the age of 53 following a battle with cancer, according to a family statement provided to Deadline.
The Academy Award nominee “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends,” the statement read. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity,” his brother Craig Spurlock is quoted as saying.
Spurlock shot to fame with this 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” which took a personality-driven approach to examining the way that corporate America incentivizes unhealthy eating as epitomized by McDonald’s then-promotion to “super size” portion sizes for french fries and soft drinks. Following in the wake of Michael Moore, Spurlock adopted a style of putting himself on camera as the host leading his viewers through an exploration of the subject. It was a stunt as well: For the documentary, he engaged in eating only McDonald’s food for 30 days.
That...
The Academy Award nominee “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends,” the statement read. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity,” his brother Craig Spurlock is quoted as saying.
Spurlock shot to fame with this 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” which took a personality-driven approach to examining the way that corporate America incentivizes unhealthy eating as epitomized by McDonald’s then-promotion to “super size” portion sizes for french fries and soft drinks. Following in the wake of Michael Moore, Spurlock adopted a style of putting himself on camera as the host leading his viewers through an exploration of the subject. It was a stunt as well: For the documentary, he engaged in eating only McDonald’s food for 30 days.
That...
- 5/24/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Morgan Spurlock, the independent filmmaker who playfully critiqued consumerism and capitalism in documentaries like Super Size Me and The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, has died at the age of 53.
Spurlock’s family confirmed the director’s death, adding that Spurlock died Thursday surrounded by friends and family in New York. The cause of death was complications from cancer.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother and frequent collaborator Craig Spurlock said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas,...
Spurlock’s family confirmed the director’s death, adding that Spurlock died Thursday surrounded by friends and family in New York. The cause of death was complications from cancer.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother and frequent collaborator Craig Spurlock said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Documentarian Morgan Spurlock has died. The award-winning filmmaker known for his 2004 documentary Super Size Me was 53 years old. Spurlock died at home surrounded by family and friends on May 23, 2024, in New York, from complications of cancer. “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock shared in a public statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.” Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? (©Weinstein Company/courtesy Everett Collection) Spurlock received critical acclaim for his 2004 documentary Super Size Me, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. The film changed the way America looked at fast food and is still used in middle and high school health classes as a teaching tool. In Super Size Me, Spurlock changed his own diet,...
- 5/24/2024
- TV Insider
Morgan Spurlock, the Academy Award-nominated documentarian, has died at the age of 53 due to complications from cancer.
Spurlock is perhaps best known for his 2004 film Super Size Me in which he consumed only McDonald’s food for a period of 30 days. The documentary was nominated for an Oscar and won Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America. It also grossed more than $20 million at the box office, making it one of the most commercially successful documentaries of all time.
Spurlock initially began his career as a playwright after attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Prior to helming Super Size Me in 2004, he created the dare show I Bet You Will, which initially began as a webseries and was then picked up by MTV.
The success of Super Size Me led Spurlock to become of the Hollywood’s most in-demand documentarians. In the years that followed,...
Spurlock is perhaps best known for his 2004 film Super Size Me in which he consumed only McDonald’s food for a period of 30 days. The documentary was nominated for an Oscar and won Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America. It also grossed more than $20 million at the box office, making it one of the most commercially successful documentaries of all time.
Spurlock initially began his career as a playwright after attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Prior to helming Super Size Me in 2004, he created the dare show I Bet You Will, which initially began as a webseries and was then picked up by MTV.
The success of Super Size Me led Spurlock to become of the Hollywood’s most in-demand documentarians. In the years that followed,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Film News
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, whose first feature film was the Oscar-nominated Super Size Me that shifted public perceptions of junk food, especially the McDonald’s chain, died Thursday in upstate New York from complications of cancer. He was 53.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a family statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
The family said Spurlock passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends.
Spurlock, a native West Virginian, graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to pursue his dream of making movies. After working primarily in TV, he released Super Size Me in 2004, which featured Spurlock eating only McDonald’s for 30 days. Soon after he shot his film,...
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a family statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
The family said Spurlock passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends.
Spurlock, a native West Virginian, graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to pursue his dream of making movies. After working primarily in TV, he released Super Size Me in 2004, which featured Spurlock eating only McDonald’s for 30 days. Soon after he shot his film,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
US documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock has died at the age of 53.
The director, best known for his Oscar-nominated film Super Size Me, died from complications with cancer on May 23, his family said in a statement.
Spurlock began his career as a playwright before rising to international prominence with his fast food documentary Super Size Me, about McDonalds, which premiered at Sundance in 2004 and garnered several accolades including best documentary screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.
His other documentaries include Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?; The Greatest Movie Ever Sold; and Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!...
The director, best known for his Oscar-nominated film Super Size Me, died from complications with cancer on May 23, his family said in a statement.
Spurlock began his career as a playwright before rising to international prominence with his fast food documentary Super Size Me, about McDonalds, which premiered at Sundance in 2004 and garnered several accolades including best documentary screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.
His other documentaries include Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?; The Greatest Movie Ever Sold; and Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!...
- 5/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
Spurlock won acclaim for a series of issue-based documentaries and TV shows, and made a 3D film about boyband One Direction
• Super Size Me was a terrific cheeky stunt – small wonder Morgan Spurlock never matched it
Documentary-maker Morgan Spurlock, the director of films including Super Size Me and Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden? died on Thursday aged 53.
His family announced in a statement that he “passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends in New York from complications of cancer.”...
• Super Size Me was a terrific cheeky stunt – small wonder Morgan Spurlock never matched it
Documentary-maker Morgan Spurlock, the director of films including Super Size Me and Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden? died on Thursday aged 53.
His family announced in a statement that he “passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends in New York from complications of cancer.”...
- 5/24/2024
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Morgan Spurlock, a documentary filmmaker who captured his own psychological and physical symptoms from eating McDonald’s every day for a month in the Oscar-nominated 2004 feature “Super Size Me,” died Thursday in upstate New York due to complications of cancer. He was 53.
Spurlock’s family confirmed his death.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” says Craig Spurlock, who worked with his brother on several projects. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
Spurlock rose to prominence for “Super Size Me,” in which he conducted an experiment involving consuming only food from McDonald’s for a 30-day stretch. The rules also included the stipulation that Spurlock could not refuse the “super-size” option if prompted during the transaction. The filmmaker...
Spurlock’s family confirmed his death.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” says Craig Spurlock, who worked with his brother on several projects. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
Spurlock rose to prominence for “Super Size Me,” in which he conducted an experiment involving consuming only food from McDonald’s for a 30-day stretch. The rules also included the stipulation that Spurlock could not refuse the “super-size” option if prompted during the transaction. The filmmaker...
- 5/24/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, director of the groundbreaking documentary Super Size Me, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 53.
Spurlock “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends” on Thursday, according to a family statement that noted the cause was complications of cancer. Deadline understands he had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment earlier this year.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, one of the filmmaker’s older brothers. They collaborated on several documentary projects, including Morgan Spurlock Inside Man and 7 Deadly Sins. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
For his breakthrough film, Super Size Me, which premiered 20 years ago at the Sundance Film Festival, Spurlock voluntarily ate nothing...
Spurlock “passed away peacefully in New York surrounded by family and friends” on Thursday, according to a family statement that noted the cause was complications of cancer. Deadline understands he had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment earlier this year.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, one of the filmmaker’s older brothers. They collaborated on several documentary projects, including Morgan Spurlock Inside Man and 7 Deadly Sins. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
For his breakthrough film, Super Size Me, which premiered 20 years ago at the Sundance Film Festival, Spurlock voluntarily ate nothing...
- 5/24/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
With a subject as complex as monitoring the effects of smartphone use, Alex Lykos’s film could have paid more attention to sourcing and methodology
It’s digital detox time for film-maker Alex Lykos, as he attempts to go cold turkey on his phone and other devices for 30 days for this documentary belonging to the lower-budget end of the sub-genre of personal challenge films; previous entries include the likes of Super Size Me (man eats lots of fast food) and America Unchained (man tries to travel across America without giving any money to multinationals).
Lykos begins his offline odyssey with a fun potted history of the mobile phone, starting with a 1973 model which is heavier than a four-pint carton of milk. (This comparison is illustrated by Lykos walking along holding said carton of milk to his ear.) The film is strongest in these lighter sections which lean into Lykos’ naturally upbeat high-school science teacher vibe.
It’s digital detox time for film-maker Alex Lykos, as he attempts to go cold turkey on his phone and other devices for 30 days for this documentary belonging to the lower-budget end of the sub-genre of personal challenge films; previous entries include the likes of Super Size Me (man eats lots of fast food) and America Unchained (man tries to travel across America without giving any money to multinationals).
Lykos begins his offline odyssey with a fun potted history of the mobile phone, starting with a 1973 model which is heavier than a four-pint carton of milk. (This comparison is illustrated by Lykos walking along holding said carton of milk to his ear.) The film is strongest in these lighter sections which lean into Lykos’ naturally upbeat high-school science teacher vibe.
- 2/19/2024
- by Catherine Bray
- The Guardian - Film News
Documentaries have the remarkable ability to open our eyes to the world’s realities, challenge our preconceived notions, and transform our perspectives. In an age where information inundates our lives from various sources, these cinematic works offer a unique and intimate platform to engage with issues that matter.
Related: 7 Best Mind-Expanding Documentaries
Over the years, certain documentaries have left an indelible mark, altering the course of public perception and, in some cases, even driving real-world change. This article delves into ten must-watch documentaries that have wielded the power of truth to reshape the way we view the world around us.
“Blackfish” (2013)
A Deep Dive into Captive Marine Life
This documentary hit me like a tidal wave. “Blackfish” pulled back the curtain on how marine animals are treated in captivity, specifically focusing on orcas at SeaWorld. It’s not all fun and games; the film peeled away the glossy exterior to...
Related: 7 Best Mind-Expanding Documentaries
Over the years, certain documentaries have left an indelible mark, altering the course of public perception and, in some cases, even driving real-world change. This article delves into ten must-watch documentaries that have wielded the power of truth to reshape the way we view the world around us.
“Blackfish” (2013)
A Deep Dive into Captive Marine Life
This documentary hit me like a tidal wave. “Blackfish” pulled back the curtain on how marine animals are treated in captivity, specifically focusing on orcas at SeaWorld. It’s not all fun and games; the film peeled away the glossy exterior to...
- 10/25/2023
- by Pia Vermaak
- buddytv.com
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival Asia officially opened at the Spot Huashan Cinema in Taipei City on August 18, 2023, and announced the winner of the Sundance Film Festival Asia Short Film Competition. The award went to “Tuo Tuo” directed by An Chu. Many Hollywood and local celebrities walked the red carpet including Justin Lin (Director of the “Fast and Furious” franchise), Todd Makurath (Executive Producer of “Everything Everywhere All At Once”), Joachim Zell (Color Scientist from “Blade Runner 2049”), Dan Lin (Producer of “The Lego Movie”), Tzi Ma (Actor from “Rush Hour” series), Caitlin Fang (Actress from “American Girl”), Patty Lee (Actress from “My Missing Valentine”), Ke-Xi Wu (Actress from “Nina Wu”), Allison Lin (Actress from “Haru”), Teresa Daley (Actress from “Days We Stared at the Sun”), Sonia Yuan (Actress from “Summer Desire”), Angela Yuen (Actress from “The Narrow Road”), James Wen (Actor from “The Fierce Wife”), Janet Hsieh (Host from “Fun...
- 9/6/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Jurassic Park was nothing short of a phenomenon when it arrived in cinemas back in June 1993. Like Robert Muldoon being pursued by a pack of velociraptors, there was simply no escaping the clutches of what was a cultural phenomenon. But while much of the focus was on Steven Spielberg’s movie and its heady mix of stunning special effects and a shirtless Jeff Goldblum, what helped give Jurassic Park that extra bit of bite at the box office was the astonishing amount of merchandising surrounding the film.
Jurassic Park was ubiquitous that summer, whether it was the iconic Kenner line of toys featuring familiar characters from the film apart from Lex (blame Jurassic patriarchy), the Sega Genesis game that let you play as a raptor chomping on foolish humans, or the bizarre line of salami and beef jerky products that hit store shelves, life found a way.
Yet by far...
Jurassic Park was ubiquitous that summer, whether it was the iconic Kenner line of toys featuring familiar characters from the film apart from Lex (blame Jurassic patriarchy), the Sega Genesis game that let you play as a raptor chomping on foolish humans, or the bizarre line of salami and beef jerky products that hit store shelves, life found a way.
Yet by far...
- 6/21/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Stacey Offman, Jigsaw Production’s exec VP of development and production, is exiting the company to work as an independent producer, Variety has confirmed. Longtime Jigsaw producer Erin Edeiken to serve as head of production for Alex Gibney’s shingle going forward.
Offman, who is exiting on May 19, joined Jigsaw Productions in 2012. In her 11-year tenure at the documentary production company, Offman was part of the team that launched Jigsaw’s television branch as well as the creation of a vertical of non-fiction series and documentaries for an array of studios and broadcast partners.
Offman’s recent projects include Jigsaw’s “Dirty Money,” a six-part investigative series which exposed corruption and financial malfeasance in some of the most influential companies and industries. The series began streaming on Netflix in January 2018. In addition, Offman developed “Salt, Fat, Acid Heat,” a 2018 four-part Netflix culinary travel series based on Samin Nosrat’s book by the same name,...
Offman, who is exiting on May 19, joined Jigsaw Productions in 2012. In her 11-year tenure at the documentary production company, Offman was part of the team that launched Jigsaw’s television branch as well as the creation of a vertical of non-fiction series and documentaries for an array of studios and broadcast partners.
Offman’s recent projects include Jigsaw’s “Dirty Money,” a six-part investigative series which exposed corruption and financial malfeasance in some of the most influential companies and industries. The series began streaming on Netflix in January 2018. In addition, Offman developed “Salt, Fat, Acid Heat,” a 2018 four-part Netflix culinary travel series based on Samin Nosrat’s book by the same name,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with each one reflecting a special event or day in May.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
- 5/1/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Of all the unofficial holidays derived from an apocryphal bit police code, 4/20 is by far the most enduring. And just as “420” has gradually become entrenched as stoner shorthand for marijuana, the date April 20 has become an opportunity not just for college kids looking to indulge in a little extralegal fun, but also for drug law reformers and other advocacy groups to stump for a more reasonable national attitude toward America’s big green weed of choice.
And as marijuana laws have shifted over the years—from outright prohibition, to limited medicinal usage, to tightly regulated recreational use within certain states—marijuana themed movies have likewise evolved. Once upon a time, the only movies that even touched the subject of pot were hysterical propaganda pieces like Reefer Madness. Then, from the 1960s onward, weed became a popular (and hip) subject of broad comedy—in everything from Animal House to Annie Hall to Friday.
And as marijuana laws have shifted over the years—from outright prohibition, to limited medicinal usage, to tightly regulated recreational use within certain states—marijuana themed movies have likewise evolved. Once upon a time, the only movies that even touched the subject of pot were hysterical propaganda pieces like Reefer Madness. Then, from the 1960s onward, weed became a popular (and hip) subject of broad comedy—in everything from Animal House to Annie Hall to Friday.
- 4/20/2023
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Hulu will become the new post-theatrical pay one window for Roadside Attractions over the next couple of years. Under the terms of the deal, Hulu gets the exclusive U.S. streaming rights to upcoming Roadside Attractions films like “Call Jane” and “Gigi & Nate.”
Hulu, currently owned two-thirds by Disney and one-third by Comcast, has been a great friend to arthouse cinema and independent film. The streaming platform’s pre-existing output deals with Neon, IFC, and Magnolia, as well as its in-house relationship with Searchlight, keeps the distributors in business. The only other major entity with similar deals is Showtime, which carries A24 and Bleecker Street.
Find out much more about the “in flux” economics of such streaming indie-film distribution deals here from IndieWire’s Eric Kohn. Disney, by the way, is contractually obligated to buy out Comcast’s stake in Hulu in January 2024; the minimum valuation for the profitable streaming service (still a rarity!
Hulu, currently owned two-thirds by Disney and one-third by Comcast, has been a great friend to arthouse cinema and independent film. The streaming platform’s pre-existing output deals with Neon, IFC, and Magnolia, as well as its in-house relationship with Searchlight, keeps the distributors in business. The only other major entity with similar deals is Showtime, which carries A24 and Bleecker Street.
Find out much more about the “in flux” economics of such streaming indie-film distribution deals here from IndieWire’s Eric Kohn. Disney, by the way, is contractually obligated to buy out Comcast’s stake in Hulu in January 2024; the minimum valuation for the profitable streaming service (still a rarity!
- 8/25/2022
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Voting has only just begun for select nominees at the 2022 WGA Awards. Drama series, comedy series and new series votes will be taken until Jan. 5, while voting doesn’t even open for original and adapted screenplays until Jan. 12 (with a deadline of Jan. 26). Nominations for the television categories, as well as new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing awards will be announced on Jan. 13, with screenplay nominations announced Jan. 27. Final voting for all takes place between Feb. 2 and Feb. 16, with the winners being announced at the 74th annual ceremony on March 20.
Although it is still very early days for some of these categories, Variety breaks down where select series, scripts and categories stand so far.
Original Screenplay
The contenders in the original screenplay field are dominated by repeat WGA and Academy Award nominees with a few breakthrough tyro scribes in the mix. “King Richard,” penned by Zach Baylin (who...
Although it is still very early days for some of these categories, Variety breaks down where select series, scripts and categories stand so far.
Original Screenplay
The contenders in the original screenplay field are dominated by repeat WGA and Academy Award nominees with a few breakthrough tyro scribes in the mix. “King Richard,” penned by Zach Baylin (who...
- 12/30/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano and Malina Saval
- Variety Film + TV
Photo: ‘Speak’/Showtime Spoiler Alert – This article spills the hidden greatness within ‘Speak;’ watch the film or spoil all of the good stuff by continuing to read. Trigger Warning - ‘Speak’ contains short clips of sexual assault, rape, and similar acts that some might find triggering. If you are a victim of sexual assault, please contact the resources below. You are not alone. 1 In 6 Women Are The Victim Of An Attempted or Completed Rape There are films the educational system requires students to watch like 2004’s ‘Super Size Me’ of a man who gains weight by eating McDonald’s every day; however, I wonder why was ‘Speak,’ a film so closely related to the true events that occur within every school never shown in class? My darkest fear is telling me it is because the system knows they are at fault, so why show a film to students that directly goes against the faulty system?...
- 5/5/2021
- by Isabella Brownlee
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Twelve years after Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock’s first self-experimental delve into the fast food industry, the junk grub shunting documentarian returns with a not too hotly anticipated follow-up, but one that’s as surprisingly fun and enlightening as its predecessor. Instead of blitzing his body with McDonald’s for a month, Spurlock sets out to open his first fast food/ “fried” chicken restaurant; a shrewd marketing move considering the sequel and outlet will promote each other, but as a central concept, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! lacks the lightbulb moment/ car-crash sales point compared to the original’s “what would happen if someone were to eat nothing but McDonald’s for a month?”. Yet Spurlock’s frontman charisma, film craft savvy and doc content make SSM2 as entertaining, edifying and educative as the original.
Spurlock relays his objective, aspirations and inspiration during the set-up then conducts market research by conversing with the public,...
Spurlock relays his objective, aspirations and inspiration during the set-up then conducts market research by conversing with the public,...
- 11/26/2019
- by Daniel Goodwin
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In January, work and life partners Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff went to war.
Their 15-year-old film distribution and production company, Roadside Attractions, engaged in heated rounds of bidding for four titles playing at the Sundance Film Festival — the Cinderella story “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” the Mindy Kaling comedy “Late Night,” the political documentary “Knock Down the House” and the Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
They lost. They were outbid by what Cohen and d’Arbeloff estimate was as much as six times what they offered sales agents for the chance to roll out the movies to American audiences. Amazon Studios snapped up “Brittany” and “Late Night” for a combined $27 million. Netflix acquired “Extremely Wicked” and “Knock Down the House” for nearly $20 million.
“All four of those movies went to streamers, and arguably all four might have been better served by us,” says Cohen, reflecting...
Their 15-year-old film distribution and production company, Roadside Attractions, engaged in heated rounds of bidding for four titles playing at the Sundance Film Festival — the Cinderella story “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” the Mindy Kaling comedy “Late Night,” the political documentary “Knock Down the House” and the Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
They lost. They were outbid by what Cohen and d’Arbeloff estimate was as much as six times what they offered sales agents for the chance to roll out the movies to American audiences. Amazon Studios snapped up “Brittany” and “Late Night” for a combined $27 million. Netflix acquired “Extremely Wicked” and “Knock Down the House” for nearly $20 million.
“All four of those movies went to streamers, and arguably all four might have been better served by us,” says Cohen, reflecting...
- 10/23/2019
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock explored the unhealthy aspects of solely eating McDonald’s for one month in Super Size Me, and with Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken he continues his exploration of the fast food industry.
This time out Spurlock takes on the seemingly impenetrable business of “Big Chicken.” In the documentary we witness Spurlock attempt to [...]
The post Morgan Spurlock Explores “Big Chicken” Business With ‘Super Size Me 2’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
This time out Spurlock takes on the seemingly impenetrable business of “Big Chicken.” In the documentary we witness Spurlock attempt to [...]
The post Morgan Spurlock Explores “Big Chicken” Business With ‘Super Size Me 2’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 9/24/2019
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
When Super Size Me drew an Oscar nom and blew a lid off of how fast food franchises were fattening America, Morgan Spurlock became that rare celebrity documentary filmmaker, as identifiable in his first-person films as Michael Moore is in his. Spurlock got there by eating so much fast food that his skin greyed, his waistline bloated and his organs seemed on the verge of failing. For Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, Spurlock takes on the guise of a chicken grower to illustrate lies that make consumers believe they are eating healthy when they aren’t, and exposes how the major poultry food manufacturers exploit the chicken farmers who take their eggs containing birds especially bred to grow so large, so quickly that it becomes a race to get them on supermarket shelves before their hearts explode and bones break because the birds simply cannot support their own weight.
- 9/23/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Nearly two years after documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock published a #MeToo mea culpa on Twitter that derailed his career and shuttered his 65-employee production company, he’s back this month with the release of his previously shelved sequel to “Super Size Me” and the launch of a pop-up chicken restaurant in New York City.
In an interview with Business Insider published on Thursday, Spurlock said he thought his Twitter confession in December 2017 showed the need for people implicated by #MeToo to “own up to their past and confidently move forward.”
In that much publicized confession, the filmmaker best known for “Super Size Me,” his seminal McDonald’s experiment, admitted to sexually harassing a female assistant of his and being unfaithful to every one of his romantic partners. He also described being accused of rape in college. “I am part of the problem,” he said.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Recalls Accuser...
In an interview with Business Insider published on Thursday, Spurlock said he thought his Twitter confession in December 2017 showed the need for people implicated by #MeToo to “own up to their past and confidently move forward.”
In that much publicized confession, the filmmaker best known for “Super Size Me,” his seminal McDonald’s experiment, admitted to sexually harassing a female assistant of his and being unfaithful to every one of his romantic partners. He also described being accused of rape in college. “I am part of the problem,” he said.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Recalls Accuser...
- 9/19/2019
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Wrap
Morgan Spurlock is opening up about his #MeToo moment—and how he’s changed his life by going sober and trying to make amends to anyone he’d ever hurt.
The Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! director and star, 48, spoke to Jennifer Hutt on her SiriusXM radio show Just Jenny Monday where he said, “The past two years has been really revelatory,” after he admitted to sexual misconduct in a Twitter post on December 2017.
“It’s been a lot of me looking at the choices I’ve made over my life and it’s been a lot of bad and poor behavioral choices,...
The Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! director and star, 48, spoke to Jennifer Hutt on her SiriusXM radio show Just Jenny Monday where he said, “The past two years has been really revelatory,” after he admitted to sexual misconduct in a Twitter post on December 2017.
“It’s been a lot of me looking at the choices I’ve made over my life and it’s been a lot of bad and poor behavioral choices,...
- 9/10/2019
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
It’s hard to say that we really learned anything from the original Super Size Me, though a lot of of people might argue until they’re blue in the face about this. The deciding factor over how much a person learns is how much they really pay attention to what goes into their mouth. Morgan Spurlock makes some great points overall about the fast food industry, especially concerning the amount of literature that is and isn’t there in the actual establishments, but while his own healthy lifestyle is something that people can admit is a choice and a good one, what
Five Things We Learned from the Super Size Me 2 Trailer...
Five Things We Learned from the Super Size Me 2 Trailer...
- 7/21/2019
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
"Go forth and find your chickens!" Samuel Goldwyn Films has debuted an official trailer for Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, the latest documentary by acclaimed documentarian Morgan Spurlock. This first premiered in 2017 at the Toronto Film Festival, but hasn't been released yet - arriving in theaters & on VOD in September this year. Spurlock's big directorial debut was the very successful doc Super Size Me, which originally premiered in 2004. He returns with a sequel, reigniting his battle with the food industry – this time from behind the register – as he opens his own fast food restaurant. We follow him every step of the way, from raising the poultry and conjuring recipes to designing the brand and scouting a location. Giving us another unique, fascinating Spurlock inside look at an industry that isn't as special as it pretends to be. I've always enjoyed seeing Spurlock dive into his own ideas, experimenting with...
- 7/15/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
If you think that fast food restaurants have any sort of “healthy” options, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock is here to tell you the hard truth — that’s a bunch of bullshit. 13 years after making waves with his documentary “Super Size Me,” the director returns to take on the fast food corporations one more time in the upcoming sequel ‘Holy Chicken!’
As seen in the new trailer for ‘Super Size Me 2,’ Spurlock isn’t going back to his old ways and going on an all-fast food diet.
Continue reading ‘Super Size Me 2’ Trailer: Morgan Spurlock Aims To Create A 100% Honest Food Experience at The Playlist.
As seen in the new trailer for ‘Super Size Me 2,’ Spurlock isn’t going back to his old ways and going on an all-fast food diet.
Continue reading ‘Super Size Me 2’ Trailer: Morgan Spurlock Aims To Create A 100% Honest Food Experience at The Playlist.
- 7/15/2019
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
He’s baaack.
13 years after his documentary Super Size Me brought about a horrified conversation surrounding the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock is ready to take it all on again in Super Size Me 2. This time, Spurlock is going behind-the-scenes of the chicken industry to try and mount his own fast food restaurant, uncovering the unsavory details that go into a successful one.
In the People exclusive trailer, Spurlock, 48, goes after restaurants that tout food as “healthy” and “organic” while still using some of the same practices as ever. From getting his own chicken ranch to finding the right space,...
13 years after his documentary Super Size Me brought about a horrified conversation surrounding the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock is ready to take it all on again in Super Size Me 2. This time, Spurlock is going behind-the-scenes of the chicken industry to try and mount his own fast food restaurant, uncovering the unsavory details that go into a successful one.
In the People exclusive trailer, Spurlock, 48, goes after restaurants that tout food as “healthy” and “organic” while still using some of the same practices as ever. From getting his own chicken ranch to finding the right space,...
- 7/11/2019
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
Roster includes screen addiction documentary Screened Out, thriller Woodland.
James Andrew Felts has unveiled his inaugural sales slate since leaving Concourse Media to set up Los Angeles-based Motion Picture Exchange (Mpx), and arrives in Cannes with a features roster led by Big Gold Brick starring Andy Garcia and Oscar Isaac.
Emory Cohen, Megan Fox and Lucy Hale round out the key cast on the in-production drama about an aspiring writer hired to pen the the biography of an enigmatic father of two. Brian Petsos makes his feature directorial debut.
Petsos and Greg Lauritano are producing under Petsos’ A Saboteur label,...
James Andrew Felts has unveiled his inaugural sales slate since leaving Concourse Media to set up Los Angeles-based Motion Picture Exchange (Mpx), and arrives in Cannes with a features roster led by Big Gold Brick starring Andy Garcia and Oscar Isaac.
Emory Cohen, Megan Fox and Lucy Hale round out the key cast on the in-production drama about an aspiring writer hired to pen the the biography of an enigmatic father of two. Brian Petsos makes his feature directorial debut.
Petsos and Greg Lauritano are producing under Petsos’ A Saboteur label,...
- 5/15/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Producer won Independent Spirit Award in 2001 for best first feature for You Can Count On Me.
The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) has appointed producer and independent stalwart Jeffrey Sharp as the new executive director following the departure last year of Joana Vicente.
The award-winning international film and TV producer and publishing entrepreneur brings decades of experience to Ifp, including his work as a producer on Boys Don’t Cry, You Can Count On Me, Evening, and The Yellow Birds.
Sharp has also digitally published authors such as William Styron, Pat Conroy and Pearl Buck as co-founder and president of Open Road Integrated Media.
The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) has appointed producer and independent stalwart Jeffrey Sharp as the new executive director following the departure last year of Joana Vicente.
The award-winning international film and TV producer and publishing entrepreneur brings decades of experience to Ifp, including his work as a producer on Boys Don’t Cry, You Can Count On Me, Evening, and The Yellow Birds.
Sharp has also digitally published authors such as William Styron, Pat Conroy and Pearl Buck as co-founder and president of Open Road Integrated Media.
- 3/6/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The drums of “We Will Rock You” had Hollywood’s well-dressed elite on its feet from the opening beat, and “We Are The Champions” kept them smiling and head-bopping. Finally, a giant image of the late Freddie Mercury hovering over the stage got the crowd back to standing.
The Oscars steered clear of topicality, snark and in-jokes for this year’s opening, opting instead to rock out with a 42-year-old song made famous by a man who died 28 years ago. With Adam Lambert fronting what remains of the original Queen – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor – the band performed “We Will Rock You.”
Without a host to star in a Billy Crystal-style clip montage, charm attendees like Ellen DeGeneres or insult them like Seth McFarlane, producers opted instead to present everybody’s new favorite old band. Queen, of course, is the subject of director Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody,...
The Oscars steered clear of topicality, snark and in-jokes for this year’s opening, opting instead to rock out with a 42-year-old song made famous by a man who died 28 years ago. With Adam Lambert fronting what remains of the original Queen – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor – the band performed “We Will Rock You.”
Without a host to star in a Billy Crystal-style clip montage, charm attendees like Ellen DeGeneres or insult them like Seth McFarlane, producers opted instead to present everybody’s new favorite old band. Queen, of course, is the subject of director Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody,...
- 2/25/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar- and Emmy-nominated documentarian Morgan Spurlock has agreed to pay more than $1.17 million to Turner Entertainment Networks to settle a lawsuit over a female-focused docuseries he ended up not making. The project was shelved after he posted a confessional essay as the #MeToo movement was gaining strength.
The settlement (read it here) ends Turner’s lawsuit over the planned TNT docuseries Who Rules the World, whose logline says was to be about the most divisive and complicated issues facing women today, from the policing of their bodies and judgments of their family planning choices to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace and everyday life.
Production on the project was suspended a year ago after its producers severed ties with Spurlock. That move came days after the Super Size Me filmmaker posted a lengthy manifesto in which he admitted to being “part of the problem” as sexual harassment...
The settlement (read it here) ends Turner’s lawsuit over the planned TNT docuseries Who Rules the World, whose logline says was to be about the most divisive and complicated issues facing women today, from the policing of their bodies and judgments of their family planning choices to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace and everyday life.
Production on the project was suspended a year ago after its producers severed ties with Spurlock. That move came days after the Super Size Me filmmaker posted a lengthy manifesto in which he admitted to being “part of the problem” as sexual harassment...
- 12/15/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s company Warrior Poets will pay more than a million dollars in a lawsuit filed against him by Turner Entertainment Networks, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.
According to a filing in federal court in California on Tuesday, Spurlock and his company Warrior Poets will pony up nearly $1.2 million in the legal action.
“The parties, Warrior Poets (‘Defendant’) and Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. (‘Plaintiff’), have agreed to entry of this Final Judgment finally disposing of this action,” Tuesday’s filing notes.
“Judgment is entered for Plaintiff and against Defendant on all claims in the amount of $1,173,707,” the paperwork reads.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Sued Over Halted Project About Women's Issues
“The Parties waive any right to appeal,” the filing adds.
Spurlock was sued by Turner in March, after Spurlock’s late-2017 admission that he had engaged in sexual misconduct. Turner alleged that a project about women...
According to a filing in federal court in California on Tuesday, Spurlock and his company Warrior Poets will pony up nearly $1.2 million in the legal action.
“The parties, Warrior Poets (‘Defendant’) and Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. (‘Plaintiff’), have agreed to entry of this Final Judgment finally disposing of this action,” Tuesday’s filing notes.
“Judgment is entered for Plaintiff and against Defendant on all claims in the amount of $1,173,707,” the paperwork reads.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Sued Over Halted Project About Women's Issues
“The Parties waive any right to appeal,” the filing adds.
Spurlock was sued by Turner in March, after Spurlock’s late-2017 admission that he had engaged in sexual misconduct. Turner alleged that a project about women...
- 12/14/2018
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Season 18 of “Hell’s Kitchen” has turned the format tables a bit by welcoming back a Blue Team of past players – essentially giving them second chances to win — and pitting them against a Red Team of Rookies. So far, newbie Scott Popovic, a restaurant owner from Cleveland, and Jen Gavin, an Atlanta-based returnee from Season 4, have been booted off.
In this week’s exclusive clip, however, it appears another Rookie might bite the dust as Chris Mendonca of Boston appears to have allowed a pork chop to be cremated to a crisp in an oven meant to be used for fish. The burnt pig flesh is discovered just as Chef Gordon Ramsay – he who must be obeyed – calls out an order of a pork entrée for a VIP table where documentarian Morgan Spurlock of “Super Size Me” fame is seated and discovers it is barely done as sits on a grill.
In this week’s exclusive clip, however, it appears another Rookie might bite the dust as Chris Mendonca of Boston appears to have allowed a pork chop to be cremated to a crisp in an oven meant to be used for fish. The burnt pig flesh is discovered just as Chef Gordon Ramsay – he who must be obeyed – calls out an order of a pork entrée for a VIP table where documentarian Morgan Spurlock of “Super Size Me” fame is seated and discovers it is barely done as sits on a grill.
- 10/17/2018
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Last September, prolific documentarian Morgan Spurlock debuted his latest offering — a somewhat secret followup to his career-making “Super Size Me,” entitled “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — at the Toronto International Film Festival. The documentary sequel followed Spurlock as he took on the so-called “Big Chicken” industry by starting his own chicken sandwich shop as a way to expose the myriad ways the industry tricks its customers into thinking its poultry is “natural” or “free-range.” The film included not just eye-opening information about the poultry industry at large, but on-the-ground inside looks at the work of some of the farmers who are negatively impacted by the multimillion-dollar industry.
The film was a hit at the festival, bolstered by appreciative audiences and the gimmicky use of a food truck that doled out Spurlock’s own tasty “Holy Chicken” sandwiches. YouTube Red picked up the film — for both streaming and theatrical rights...
The film was a hit at the festival, bolstered by appreciative audiences and the gimmicky use of a food truck that doled out Spurlock’s own tasty “Holy Chicken” sandwiches. YouTube Red picked up the film — for both streaming and theatrical rights...
- 6/26/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
In mid-December of last year, lauded documentarian and producer Morgan Spurlock took to Twitter to reveal that a woman he slept with in college “believed she was raped” and that he now realizes he’s “part of the problem.” At the time, he wrote, “As I sit around watching hero after hero, man after man, fall at the realization of their past indiscretions. I don’t sit by and wonder ‘who will be next?’ I wonder, ‘when will they come for me?’”
Spurlock subsequently stepped down from his production company, Warrior Poets, and his “Super Size Me” sequel was pulled from the Sundance Film Festival.
His woes have not ended there. Variety reports that Spurlock is now being sued by Turner Entertainment Networks, which “alleges that he has failed to communicate with the network or return production funds since stepping aside” from a planned docuseries “Who Rules the World?” which...
Spurlock subsequently stepped down from his production company, Warrior Poets, and his “Super Size Me” sequel was pulled from the Sundance Film Festival.
His woes have not ended there. Variety reports that Spurlock is now being sued by Turner Entertainment Networks, which “alleges that he has failed to communicate with the network or return production funds since stepping aside” from a planned docuseries “Who Rules the World?” which...
- 3/28/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Morgan Spurlock, who late last year admitted to sexual misconduct, is now being sued by a company that says a project about women’s issues was halted after the “Super Size Me” filmmaker made the admission. In the suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in California, Turner Entertainment Networks says that it entered into a production services agreement with Spurlock’s production company Warrior Poets — also named as a defendant in the suit — for a project titled “Who Rules the World?” The project is described in the suit as “a series focused on issues facing women.” However, the suit says, things...
- 3/28/2018
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Morgan Spurlock admitting to past sexual misconduct screwed over the media company he was working with, and there's also a bunch of money missing ... according to a new suit. Turner Entertainment Network claims the "Super Size Me" filmmaker made a deal with them in March 2017 to produce a show called "Who Rules the World?" ... which aimed to "unpack the most divisive and complicated issues facing women today, from the policing of their bodies and judgments to their family planning choices.
- 3/28/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
MaryAnn’s quick take… Perfectly illustrative of the serendipitous nature of documentary filmmaking as it pivots from a personal investigation of doping in sports into a thriller with global geopolitical ramifications. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto) women’s participation in this film
(learn more about this)
Has there ever been a documentary filmmaker as fortuitous as Bryan Fogel? I don’t mean to denigrate his work by suggesting it was all just dumb luck that resulted in his debut documentary, Icarus, ending up as explosive as it does: he definitely picked a topic with lots of potential for unearthing explosive things. But he cannot possibly have anticipated what would actually happen… and, indeed, the film itself depicts this when we watch him onscreen, dumbfounded, watching news events unfold that not only directly impact the...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto) women’s participation in this film
(learn more about this)
Has there ever been a documentary filmmaker as fortuitous as Bryan Fogel? I don’t mean to denigrate his work by suggesting it was all just dumb luck that resulted in his debut documentary, Icarus, ending up as explosive as it does: he definitely picked a topic with lots of potential for unearthing explosive things. But he cannot possibly have anticipated what would actually happen… and, indeed, the film itself depicts this when we watch him onscreen, dumbfounded, watching news events unfold that not only directly impact the...
- 2/28/2018
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The highest-profile documentary in this year’s Oscar race, “Icarus,” was picked up by Netflix at Sundance for $5 million. Netflix marketers adeptly surfed the news cycle to make sure their subscribers as well as Academy voters know that this movie is at the center of the Russian doping scandal.
With the Olympics front and center at the height of Oscar balloting, this movie could well be watched by the most people and squeak past its two main rivals, Cannes prize-winner Agnes Varda’s “Faces Places,” whose co-director Jr was profiled on “60 Minutes” Sunday, and “Last Men in Aleppo,” which has gotten a fresh wind of attention from the Muslim travel ban.
“Icarus” director Bryan Fogel is an unexpected documentarian, to say nothing of an investigative journalist. He started out in Hollywood as a standup comic and actor, but found early success as the creator of a hit Coast Playhouse and Broadway play,...
With the Olympics front and center at the height of Oscar balloting, this movie could well be watched by the most people and squeak past its two main rivals, Cannes prize-winner Agnes Varda’s “Faces Places,” whose co-director Jr was profiled on “60 Minutes” Sunday, and “Last Men in Aleppo,” which has gotten a fresh wind of attention from the Muslim travel ban.
“Icarus” director Bryan Fogel is an unexpected documentarian, to say nothing of an investigative journalist. He started out in Hollywood as a standup comic and actor, but found early success as the creator of a hit Coast Playhouse and Broadway play,...
- 2/27/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The highest-profile documentary in this year’s Oscar race, “Icarus,” was picked up by Netflix at Sundance for $5 million. Netflix marketers adeptly surfed the news cycle to make sure their subscribers as well as Academy voters know that this movie is at the center of the Russian doping scandal.
With the Olympics front and center at the height of Oscar balloting, this movie could well be watched by the most people and squeak past its two main rivals, Cannes prize-winner Agnes Varda’s “Faces Places,” whose co-director Jr was profiled on “60 Minutes” Sunday, and “Last Men in Aleppo,” which has gotten a fresh wind of attention from the Muslim travel ban.
“Icarus” director Bryan Fogel is an unexpected documentarian, to say nothing of an investigative journalist. He started out in Hollywood as a standup comic and actor, but found early success as the creator of a hit Coast Playhouse and Broadway play,...
With the Olympics front and center at the height of Oscar balloting, this movie could well be watched by the most people and squeak past its two main rivals, Cannes prize-winner Agnes Varda’s “Faces Places,” whose co-director Jr was profiled on “60 Minutes” Sunday, and “Last Men in Aleppo,” which has gotten a fresh wind of attention from the Muslim travel ban.
“Icarus” director Bryan Fogel is an unexpected documentarian, to say nothing of an investigative journalist. He started out in Hollywood as a standup comic and actor, but found early success as the creator of a hit Coast Playhouse and Broadway play,...
- 2/27/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
When director/producer Bryan Fogel first set out to make “Icarus,” it was to investigate his hypothesis that “the global anti-doping system in sports was a fraud.” An avid cyclist, he was intrigued by the fact that seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong “had managed to evade ever testing positive on over 500 drug tests throughout his career,” despite his long-term use of performance-enhancing drugs. Deciding to use himself as a guinea pig in what was meant to be a “Super Size Me”-style documentary about how to game the Olympics, he sought out Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of the Anti-Doping Center in Moscow, and that’s when things took a bizarre turn. Watch our exclusive video interview with Fogel and producer Dan Cogan above.
See Best Documentary Feature Oscar predictions: Can ‘Icarus’ get an Olympics-sized boost?
It turns out that Rodchenkov was in charge of a state-sponsored effort to...
See Best Documentary Feature Oscar predictions: Can ‘Icarus’ get an Olympics-sized boost?
It turns out that Rodchenkov was in charge of a state-sponsored effort to...
- 2/9/2018
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Strategically opportunistic financing company 30West has been a whirling dervish of activity, from its Sundance acquisition of a controlling stake in distributor Neon to hiring away 24-year Sundance programming veteran Trevor Groth, who will join the company in February and hit the ground running in Berlin. Clearly, 30West partners Dan Friedkin, the Texas entrepreneur behind The Friedkin Group consortium, and ex-CAA agent and Cinetic Media executive Micah Green, are scooping up the talent they think will best take their company into the rapidly evolving future.
The company’s stated goal: to provide full-service support to help filmmakers package and produce their films, find financing and distribution, and reach the largest possible audience. 30West also arranged the financing for Sony’s “All the Money in the World,” directed by Ridley Scott and starring Oscar-nominated Christopher Plummer, which was produced by Friedkin’s Imperative Entertainment. Green is based in the La,...
The company’s stated goal: to provide full-service support to help filmmakers package and produce their films, find financing and distribution, and reach the largest possible audience. 30West also arranged the financing for Sony’s “All the Money in the World,” directed by Ridley Scott and starring Oscar-nominated Christopher Plummer, which was produced by Friedkin’s Imperative Entertainment. Green is based in the La,...
- 1/30/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
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