The Playlist

The obsessives' guide to contemporary cinema via film discussion, news, reviews, features, nostalgia, movie music, soundtracks, DVDs and more.

Interviews

Max Winkler & Jake Johnson Write & Create Mayoral Comedy For Fox TV

By Kevin Jagernauth
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August 10, 2011 7:38 AM
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2 Comments

EXCLUSIVE: Earlier this year, during an interview with David Gordon Green, we asked about his Rough House Pictures production shingle, the company he formed with filmmaking pals Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Matt Reilly. He told us it's a place where the "strange ideas and concepts" they cook up or come across have a home to grow and develop. And it looks like those plans are starting to bear some fruit, particularly on television. Last spring, MTV picked up the animated series "Good Vibes" and this summer Rough House signed a one-year development deal with 20th Century Fox. Well, they certainly haven't wasted any time in getting things rolling.

By Christopher Bell
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April 16, 2011 9:20 AM
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2 Comments

23-year-old actor Michael Angarano is more than just a face in the crowd of thirty-odd young studs that crops up whenever a new superhero or tween franchise is announced. After turning heads with minor roles in “Almost Famous” and “Seabiscuit,” the Brooklyn-born thesp eventually graduated to lead roles in homegrown superhero flick “Sky High” and eccentric Jared Hess movie “Gentleman Broncos.” However, nothing prepared anyone for his transformative comedic turn in “Ceremony,” which saw Angarano playing Sam, a manic and insecure children’s author who has seen a few too many Wes Anderson movies and read maybe a bit too much J.D. Salinger.

By Christopher Bell
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April 6, 2011 3:36 AM
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9 Comments

Young Filmmaker Talks About Making His First Feature, And Being Comfortable With His Influences And Own SkinWhile "Ceremony" is likely to be the introduction for most to the work of Max Winkler, many have been tipped off to his talent after seeing him work with Michael Cera and Clark Duke in the appropriate titled (and very funny) webseries, "Clark & Michael," which you can check out here. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Winkler has been making his name on a number of brewing projects including "The Adventurer's Handbook" which he co-wrote with pal Jonah Hill and frequent collaborator Matt Spicer, not to mention being drafted with the latter to write "Whispers in Bedlam" for Jason Reitman and scoring the selling the pitch for "First Man" that has Johnny Knoxville attached. Suffice it to say the 27-year-old son of Henry Winkler has all the makings of a filmmaker that should be squarely on your radar.

By Edward Davis
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March 28, 2011 10:31 AM
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4 Comments

Album Features Score By Fruit Bats Founder, Plus a Paul Simon Cover By Vampire Weekend FrontmanIndie film cinephiles haven't seen it yet, but likely on their radar is Max Winkler‘s feature debut “Ceremony.” Starring Michael Angarano and Uma Thurman, the dramedy tells the story of Sam (Angarano), a brazen young man who stalks his penpal and ex-girlfriend Zoe (Thurman) all the way to her wedding in the Hamptons to try and win her back.

By Christopher Bell
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March 4, 2011 6:39 AM
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1 Comment

Winkler and Matt Spicer Also Sell 'The First Man' To Paramount Starring Johnny KnoxvilleFledgling filmmaking duo, director/writer Max Winkler and producer/writer Matt Spicer might not be household names at the moment, but if the frequency with which their names keep appearing in the film trades continues, the up-and-coming duo are going to be a familiar force to be reckoned with. The two have their debut feature film, "Ceremony" (which Winkler wrote and directed, Spicer produced) coming to theaters on April 8th starring Uma Thurman and Michael Angarano, and two big name writing projects- "The Ornate Anatomy of Living Things" and "The Adventurer's Handbook" -- sold to studios, both with serious buzz surrounding them.

By Edward Davis
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March 3, 2011 5:54 AM
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2 Comments

Young Director Says His Jason Reitman-Produced 'The Ornate Anatomy Of Living Things' Still Needs A Script Polish And Will Have To Wait"Ceremony," the feature debut by Max Winkler hits VOD tomorrow, and for those that track it down, they'll be rewarded with a film that shows off a young filmmaker who has firmly made a mark that he's a director on-the-rise. The film stars Michael Angarano and Uma Thurman and tells the story of Sam (Angarano), a young brazen adult who stalks his penpal and ex-girlfriend Zoe (Thurman) all the way to her wedding in the Hamptons to try and win her back. It's a delicate balance between a broad comedy and a quieter character piece and Winkler navigates those tones with an assured hand. We spoke with the director on the eve of his film's release and he revealed that his next project will be influenced by one of the great unsung classic films of the 1970s and should find him again weaving a variety of tones and textures.

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 27, 2011 5:21 AM
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6 Comments

We love the grainy, half-blurry shot of Uma Thurman and Michael Angarano in this new poster for "Ceremony," the debut feature-length directorial debut of Max Winkler (son of Henry Winkler), as it perfectly captures the ragged heart romance that's central to the film.