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Weekend Preview: Michael Bay's Latest a 'Pain'-Filled Experience; Jeff Nichols' 'Mud' Captivates Critics; Skip 'The Big Wedding'

News

Fans of Michael Bay and his cast of beefy cohorts will likely flock to dumb male comedy "Pain & Gain," a soulless, "low-budget" exercise in machismo that has appalled critics. Those looking for lighter fare might seek solace in "The Big Wedding," which has earned universal pans despite its top-drawer cast. They are better off RSVPing to another event, such as "Take Shelter" director Jeff Nichols' southern drama "Mud," which premiered at Cannes, starring Matthew McConaughey, or the Oscar-nominated maritime doc "Kon Tiki," which traces a Norwegian's journey in 1947 across the Pacific Ocean in a balsa wood raft.

By Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio
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April 25, 2013 3:42 PM
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Video

Check out the new trailer for "Mud," Jeff Nichols' Sundance-bound follow-up to 2011's sensational "Take Shelter." The film debuted at Cannes to mostly positive reviews, suggesting it is more commercial than "Take Shelter," if not quite as audacious.

By Sophia Savage
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January 16, 2013 2:44 PM
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Festivals

The Rome Film Festival (November 9-17) announces its jury members for the 2012 edition of the festival, including writer-director Jeff Nichols ("Take Shelter," "Mud"), director Timur Bekmambetov ("Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer") and Iranian actress Leila Hatami (2012's Foreign-Language Oscar winner "A Separation")...

By Beth Hanna
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October 31, 2012 2:02 PM
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Festivals

Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov's "Waiting for the Sea" will open the 7th Rome Film Festival on November 9. Russian director and screenwriter Khudojnazarov, known for "Luna Papa," spent six years creating and filming "Waiting for the Sea." The Festival, which runs until November 17th, will be presided over by screenwriter and director Jeff Nichols ("Take Shelter," "Mud").

By Maggie Lange
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October 9, 2012 12:24 PM
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News

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions are in discussions to take US rights to director Jeff Nichols' "Mud," which debuted at Cannes. The coming-of-age story, set in Arkansas, stars Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon and Michael Shannon. The distributor/partners also teamed on "Margin Call" and upcoming "Arbitrage," starring Richard Gere.