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Interviews

'Smashed' & 'The Spectacular Now' Director James Ponsoldt To Helm Hillary Clinton Biopic

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 29, 2013 4:53 PM
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7 Comments

News

When you're hot, you're hot, and there are few filmmakers right now burning up with the kind of fire that "Smashed" and "The Spectacular Now" director James Ponsoldt is currently getting. Thanks to successive Sundance hits, he's been busy lining up a whole host of gigs including the YA adaptation "Pure," a big screen version of author Matthew Quick's (“Silver Linings Playbook”) next effort “Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock,” as well as a job penning the musical "Pippin." But this new project on his slate might well be the buzziest of them all.

By Ken Guidry
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April 17, 2013 9:45 AM
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0 Comments

News

Five years passed between his first and second film, but now James Ponsoldt appears to be working at a prolific pace. His third film, “The Spectacular Now,” premiered at Sundance this January, which is exactly one year after his sophomore film “Smashed” made its debut in Park City. In January, he signed on to write and direct “Pure,” an adaptation of the young adult novel written by Julianna Baggot. And it looks like he’ll be adding two more projects to his plate, in a partnership with The Weinstein Company.

By Rodrigo Perez
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January 19, 2013 1:13 PM
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2 Comments

Reviews

Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is the charming, good time guy who lives in the moment. Self-assured, he’s the life of the party, popular and he and his girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson) breeze through their high school experience. Sutter and Cassidy are like a teenage power couple that rule parties thanks to their appeal and all the social lubricants at hand. But, writing an admission letter to the Dean of a university, Sutter reveals his life is at a crossroads. Thinking she's caught him with another girl, Cassidy has dumped him, when the truth is that Sutter was using his good-time skills to help get his timid friend Ricky (Masam Holden) laid. But Cassidy isn’t having it and Sutter can’t see why this is the straw that broke the camel’s back with her.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 17, 2013 7:04 PM
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1 Comment

News

James Ponsoldt is on a tear right now. A year ago, he was high on the Sundance buzz meter with the alcoholism drama "Smashed," which brought him acclaim and showed audiences a whole new side to lead Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He wasted (ha) no time in getting a follow up going, and he's back in Park City this year with "The Spectacular Now." But even before that film has had a chance to premiere, Ponsoldt has taken the next big career move -- he's getting a YA franchise.

By Rodrigo Perez
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January 16, 2013 11:04 AM
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3 Comments

News

If you're not a film blogger, PR person or industry insider, you may not have heard of the upcoming indie drama "The Spectacular Now." But a week from now when the Sundance Film Festival is winding down, the title could be on everyone's lips.

By Ryan Gowland
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April 18, 2012 8:44 AM
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0 Comments

News

After her breakout turn in "The Descendants," Shailene Woodley has been understandably inundated with offers for movies, reportedly turning down the seemingly-unnecessary remake of "Carrie," but has finally decided to keep doing what she does best: playing a teenager who's got trouble in front of her.