the polka king
vulture - jack black and the cast of “the polka king” are ...
the polka king
tells the story of jan lewan, a polka star who went to prison for running a ponzi scheme .
the sporadic magic of the polka king largely comes from its casting, and the hammy performances that follow .
vanessa bayer, j. b. smoove & willie garson join jack black comedy ‘the polka king’
jenny slate is set to co - star with jack black in the indie comedy “the polka king. ”
jack black makes the antihero in the polka king just so lovable. and that' s a problem .
jack black is
the polka king ,
in an ingratiating comedy based on an improbable true story .
netflix has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the jack black - starrer the polka king, which first debuted at sundance .
inspired by true events, “the polka king” tells the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan, who develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans .
jack black comedy ‘polka king’ adds vanessa bayer, j. b. smoove, willie garson | deadline
the polka king is warm and sympathetic, avoiding easy jokes in favor of humane, character - driven humor .
‘hamming it up to the nth degree’: jack black as jan lewan, the polka king. photograph: pr company handout
bernie finds a more cohesive balance between the craziness of the story and a solid emotional center. the polka king never quite gets there .
maya forbes and wally wolodarsky are co - directing and writing the polka king, which is based on joshua brown and john mikulak’s documentary, the man who would be polka king, which follows the rise and fall of jan lewan, a pennsylvania polka sensation who shocked the polka world when it was revealed he seduced his fans into investing in a ponzi scheme .
principal photography for “the polka king” is slated for mid - july through mid - august, at various locations across rhode island .
netflix has picked up global rights to jack black ’s comedy “ the polka king ” and plans to launch the film later this year .
“ the polka king ” premiered at the sundance film festival in january. maya forbes directed the film from a script she wrote with wally wolodarsky .
inspired by true events, “the polka king” tells the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan, “who develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans, ” according to a release .
the man who would be polka king is a movie starring michael byrne, pete chacho, and catherine damavandi. a look at the rise and fall of band leader jan lewan, whose international polka empire led to the greatest polka - related financial crime in history .
principal photography for “the polka king” is slated for mid - july through mid - august, 2016 at various locations across rhode island .
the pic is based on the joshua brown and john mikulak documentary, “the man who would be polka king, ” following the rise and fall of jan lewan, a pennsylvania polka sensation who shocked the polka world when it was revealed he seduced his fans into investing in a ponzi scheme .
pawtucket – production staff for the jack black film “the polka king” visited a number of city sites last week as they prepare to start filming in rhode island .
a look at the rise and fall of band leader jan lewan, whose international polka empire led to the greatest polka - related financial crime in history .
pawtucket – filming for “the polka king, ” starring jack black as polka legend / con artist jan lewan, got going in pawtucket last friday. several homes on waltham street and harvard street are being used for the film .
a member of the camera crew. filming for the movie
the man who would be polka king
starring jack black took place on friday, july 15, in pawtucket .
a press release from the rhode island film & television office last week announced that shivhans pictures will produce and finance filming of “the polka king” in rhode island this summer .
black, david permut, stuart cornfeld, shivani rawat, monica levinson and priyanka mattoo are producing. rawat’s shivhans pictures is also financing “the polka king. ”
actor jack black, left, during filming for the movie
the polka king
last friday in pawtucket. black is starring in the film. (breeze photos by charles lawrence )
the feature is based on the documentary the man who would be polka king from directors joshua brown and john mikulak, which follows grammy - nominated polka sensation jan lewan, who ended up running a soviet souvenir - based ponzi scheme that landed him in jail .
infinitely polar bear helmer maya forbes and former simpsons writer wally wolodarsky wrote the movie, and forbes directed. the polka king also stars jenny slate, vanessa bayer and jason schwartzman .
polka king is being produced by permut, stuart cornfeld, shivani rawat, monica levinson and priyanka mattoo. permut presentations’ vp chris mangano will exec produce .
producers of the polka king are david permut of permut presentations, stuart cornfeld of red hour pictures, shivani rawat and monica levinson of shivhans pictures, and priyanka mattoo. rawat’s shivhans pictures is also financing the polka king. shivhans has been behind such pictures as bleecker street’s danny collins, the oscar - nominated trumbo and captain fantastic which is currently out in theaters .
acclaimed actor and musician jack black (“school of rock”, “kung fu panda”) stars in the new feature film comedy “the polka king”, written and directed by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky .
with a clipped and modestly entertaining 90 - minute run time, the polka king that relishes in lewan' s theatrics but rarely pauses to interrogate what' s behind his facade .
polka king, directed and written by forbes and wolodarsky, is based on the documentary film the man who would be polka king from directors john mikulak and joshua von brown. the movie was produced by david permut (permut presentations), stuart cornfeld (red hour films), shivani rawat and monica levinson (shivhans pictures), jack black (electric dynamite) and priyanka mattoo .
jack black plays a polka star and con artist in a new netflix movie .
on sunday night, sundance had the world premiere of the latest comedy vehicle from actor jack black, “the polka king. ” it was introduced as a welcome opposite for the programmers after they had watched “three documentaries about syria, ” and proved to have that effect with a mostly - packed house. one of the more straight - up comedies of the fest, “the polka king” treats viewers to a bizarre true story and funky performances from its strong cast .
filming for the movie
the man who would be polka king
starring jack black took place on friday, july 15, in pawtucket. the movie is based on joshua brown and john mikulak’s documentary which follows the rise and fall of jan lewan, a pennsylvania polka sensation who unwittingly brought a town to its knees in a ponzi scheme .
bayer is repped by wme and rise management. smoove is repped by uta and converge media group. garson is with paradigm and john carrabino management. wme and icm represent distribution rights on the polka king .
cranston, r. i. —
the polka king ,
the movie being made in rhode island that stars jack black, is looking for unpaid extras wednesday for a shoot at rhodes on the pawtuxet, 60 rhodes place, cranston .
polka king is currently slated to start production this summer and is being produced by permut, stuart cornfeld, shivani rawat, monica levinson and priyanka mattoo permut presentations’ vp chris mangano will exec produce .
netflix has taken global rights to maya forbes and wally wolodarsky’s comedy biopic the polka king starring jack black as local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan. deadline hears that netflix paid high seven figures for the movie, which premiered at the sundance film festival in january. there were several suitors since the movie premiered at the festival. netflix was there at the beginning, and pulled ahead of the pack in recent months. wme and icm co - repped the deal .
jenny slate, jason schwartzman, jacki weaver, j. b. smoove, and vanessa bayer also star in the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan. the movie is based on the joshua brown and john mikulak documentary, “the man who would be polka king, ” which detailed lewan’s rise and fall after persuading fans to invest in a ponzi scheme, which landed him in jail .
fifty - one walcott street, a house used in the movie ,
the man who would be polka king .
unofficial sources say that the movie involves large spans of time and the house will again appear in the movie with a fresh coat of paint. filming for the movie starring jack black took place on friday, july 15, in pawtucket .
jack black, jenny slate and jason schwartzman star in this tale of the rise and fall of a real - life polka maestro .
a streaming date has not been determined, but polka king will hit netflix before the end of this year. no word on whether there will be a theatrical release component like other netflix titles (the streaming studio has a deal for its original movies to be shown at the luxury chain ipic theaters) .
local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail .
“pawtucket is thrilled to welcome jack black and ‘the polka king’ to our great city, ” said mayor donald grebien in a statement. “it’s truly exciting to have the film’s production headquarters in the city’s armory arts district in historic downtown, and that a number of local pawtucket businesses are being considered for film locations. ”
crew: directors / writers: mary forbes, wally wolodarsky, based on the documentary
the man who would be polka king
by john mikulak and joshua von brown. camera (color, widescreen, hd): andrei bowden schwartz. editor: catherine haight. music: theodore shapiro .
“we loved working with them before and know we can help them maximize their potential for this extraordinary project, ‘the polka king, ’ ” feinberg said. “the script is superbly written, and we look forward to seeing jack black unleash his talent and soar as he portrays this provocative character. ”
this exuberant tragicomedy recounts the remarkable but true story of the rise and fall of polish émigré jan lewan (black), from striving tchotchke shop owner in the ’70s to the undisputed “king of pennsylvania polka” in the early ’90s. lewan pursued the american dream by any means necessary, fleecing investors and bribing officials to build a personal musical empire in what became the world’s only known polka ponzi scheme. swept up by lewan’s charismatic charm are his devoted wife, marla (slate), and his neurotic sidekick, mickey (schwartzman) .
dennis harvey gave “the polka king” a strong review at sundance: “one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast, jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people, à la ‘school of rock’ and ‘bernie. ’ (no, ‘drunk history’ doesn’t count .) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet, ‘the polka king’ amply plays to its star’s strengths, yielding a hilariously tough - to - believe biopic that should easily prove one of the bigger commercial breakouts of sundance’s 2017 edition. ”
“pawtucket is thrilled to welcome jack black and “the polka king” to our great city. it’s truly exciting to have the film’s production headquarters in the city’s armory arts district in historic downtown, and that a number of local pawtucket businesses are being considered for film locations, ” pawtucket mayor donald r. grebien stated in a press release .
this adaptation of john mikulak' s and joshua von brown' s doc the man who would be polka king is a big left turn after forbes' debut, the autobiographical infinitely polar bear, campy and outrageous where that film sought the emotional core of extreme behavior. the stylization can be hard to take at times, however true to events it may be .
ans were shocked when it was discovered that their hero had committed one of the largest (and possibly only) polka - related financial crimes in history .
polka bandleader jan lewan sets out to build a music and travel empire but soon runs afoul of the law in this jack black comedy based on a true story .
polka musicians are an easy target for comedy – and what’s really going to top john candy and eugene levy as stan and yosh, the schmenge brothers, from the old canadian sketch comedy show sctv? luckily, after an initial high - energy onslaught (and jenny slate in some fabulous outfits), the polka king goes easy on the “ain’t they quirky? ” sequences that a cheap - shot filmmaker like jared hess has somehow turned into a career. even though jack black is hamming it up to the nth degree, this somehow turns into a film about characters you care about .
exclusive: the dance card for the jack black comedy the polka king just got longer with saturday night live ‘s vanessa bayer, curb your enthusiasm ‘s j. b. smoove and hawaii five - o ‘s willie garson boarding the project. the news follows after deadline broke exclusively last week that jason schwartzman and oscar nominee jacki weaver are also set to star alongside black who is not only headlining, but producing too under his electric dynamite label .
chris mangano is a young producer in the independent film world who has already made significant contributions to the scene in just a few years. his most recent project, the polka king starring jack black debuted at sundance this past year to widespread critical and audience acclaim. i had a chance to catch up with chris about the project, his career, and what big things are shaping up at mangano movies & media, his production company .
the spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love from throughout the past year .
one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast, jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people, à la “school of rock” and “bernie. ” (no, “drunk history” doesn’t count .) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet, “the polka king” amply [ … ]
it’s not a spoiler, but jan lewan was indeed at the screening last night, and (after climbing onto the stage himself) was able to clarify just how authentic the movie’s events are: “pretty much true. ” afterward, he and black performed a polka rap (you’ll see soon, i’m sure), basking in massive applause. as someone near me asked, “doesn’t he owe people five million dollars? are we ok with that? ” that’s a revealing observation to the slightness this movie has with the legitimately bad things jan did. but the movie is very often fruitful with its goofiness .
the polka king
finds a distinct balance of being good - spirited to the title person while able to let us laugh out loud about his absurdities .
what’s key is that even though this is a movie about a scoundrel, it’s all very optimistic. forbes and wolodarsky keep the frame bright and the filmmaking calls attention to itself only when necessary. in one such scene, jan somehow hoaxes a group of people to buy into a european tour that includes a visit from the pope – and then somehow gets john paul ii to stop by for a group photo. if you ignore the part about going to jail, the polka king is a great advertisement for the “fake it ‘til you make it” manifesto .
a pennsylvania polka sensation almost brings down the town with a ponzi scheme. with jack black and jacki weaver. produced by red hour films. shoots july 15 - sept. 20 in rhode island .
the polka king, a return to sundance for maya forbes and wally wolodarsky after infinitely polar bear, is definitely wacky, perhaps even a little zany, but as the pre - title card and closing credits photos remind us, this is based on a true story. that fact serves as a considerable engagement engine, as this is the type of story where, if someone told it to you, you might say, “man, they ought to make a movie about that! ”
unbounded optimism is a great thing up to a point in the polka king, maya forbes' feature version of the true story in which a flamboyant bandleader found himself swindling his aged fans out of millions. jack black, as the immigrant musician in question, finds a role that invites a great deal of jack black - ness, full of peppy showmanship and thickly accented dialogue. but even moviegoers with a strong tolerance for that shtick may be less than involved with this half - charming feature, which inspires some sympathy for its protagonist but not enough to carry the film. commercial prospects are iffy, despite the strong cast .
one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast, jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people, à la “school of rock” and “bernie. ” (no, “drunk history” doesn’t count .) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet, “ the polka king ” amply plays to its star’s strengths, yielding a hilariously tough - to - believe biopic that should easily prove one of the bigger commercial breakouts of sundance’s 2017 edition .
will be the fourth film ms. hampson produces in the ocean state. her previous films were the golden globe nominated production “
this film tells the story of a polish polka music singer, who makes a fortune by setting up a ponzi scheme that targets the elderly. i thought it would be a comedy, but only after a few minutes in i already found out it was not funny at all. the story is not so engaging because the background stories of the investors are not explained, and hence i feel little for them. the characters in the film are not very likable either. unfortunately, i did not like this film as i imagined i would .
the breeze first reported last week that at least one scene for the movie would be filmed at the modern diner. susan mcdonald, marketing communications manager for memorial hospital, said the crew will stage a retro icu room for scenes at the hospital when filming starts the second week of august .
but when it comes to the film’s overall success, these wildly amusing situations take a back seat to the contributions of an excellent cast. speaking the language of incorrigible optimism in a burlesque polish accent, black gets to sing (the soundtrack is wall - to - wall polka favorites, though there’s no “she’s too fat for me”), hustle, and deliver broken - english homilies to his heart’s desire. the cartoonish extroversion that can be simply too much in other contexts is ideally harnessed here .
basically the story of a man forced to finally see the injustice around him. riley’s movie is designed to do the same thing to you. …
the movie is like a goof on the american dream a la michael bay ’s “pain & gain, ” but with the small - town - version scheming of a “ the wolf of wall street. ” the dreamer in this case is polish immigrant / polka bandleader jan lewan (jack black), who has pride, perhaps too much pride (not plainly ego) about being successful. he also has a certain naivete, both to the way that government works and his stern belief if he can think things, they will come true. at the beginning of the film, he leads a rollicking polka band that goes by his name, and owns a shop in a strip mall in hazelton, pa that sells various polish trinkets. we also see in a cartoonishly - cut flashback that he works various other jobs, washing bathrooms, cleaning dishes or delivering pizzas, indicating a sweet, sincere hustle .
in the documentary premieres slate, film topics include examining the events that led up to the 1995 oklahoma city federal building bombing, the syrian refugee crisis, and a new look at the fabled musicians of the buena vista social club from director lucy walker. with the emergence of a greater tv presence in recent years, the special events portion of the sff 2017 program will feature returns to sundance for rashdia jones and jill soloway with the opening episodes of jones’ netflix docu - series hot girls wanted: turned on and the first three episodes of the new and upcoming i love dick amazon series from the transparent creator. the angie tribeca star’s hot girls wanted documentary debuted at sundance 2015 and was quickly picked up by the streaming service <. / a >
jan' s dream of making more money and having an empire of polish and polka - based goods leads him to giving promissory notes to his polka group fans, thinking it' s an easy way to make money. he’s informed steadily that this is a ponzi scheme, that it must cease immediately, and that he has to pay back his investors. but when a sweet older couple say they want to invest even more money, jan gives in, and takes the money. for years, he isn’t investigated, and his business ventures (a trip that promises a pope meeting, for one) get crazier and crazier. “this really happened” is the first line of text in the story, and feels like the refrain to the various absurd sequences that follow .
tomorrow’s short film unveiling is scheduled to be the last official sundance slate release before the festival kicks off. in the meantime, take a look at the latest and rich sundance lineups from today below :
a showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year .
other announced pawtucket locations for the film include the modern diner, german club, and memorial hospital .
“some of the most pressing themes that we can trace through the festival lineup — the environment, political upheaval, social change — are distilled to their very human essences in both comic and dramatic stories, ” noted sff director john cooper on monday of the latest slates. “these stories, and the conversations they spark, start here and will extend well beyond the mountain and the festival in the months ahead. ”
independent pilot showcase — we are proud to present the world premieres of these outstanding pilot presentations, highlighting the best in episodic series work from the independent community .
the cannes international film festival is the most talked - about film festival of the year, where directors from around the world showcase their newest work, from the most challenging art cinema to the big blockbusters. for many years, roger ebert and a team of contributors have covered cannes, and we are continuing that tradition with start - to - finish coverage from around the festival .
pawtucket is ground zero for rhode island production of the film, with the production office at the george h. fuller & son company building at 145 exchange st .
after an accident at the hair salon, violet realizes she' s not living life to the fullest. a soulful barber helps her put the pieces back together .
filmed at the german american cultural society in pawtucket, ri and rhodes on the pawtuxet in cranston, ri .
78 / 52 / u. s. a. (director: alexandre philippe) — this is an unprecedented look at the iconic shower scene in alfred hitchcock’s psycho, the “man behind the curtain, ” and the screen murder that profoundly changed the course of world cinema. world premiere
bitch / u. s. a. (director and screenwriter: marianna palka) — a woman snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. her philandering, absentee husband is forced to become reacquainted with his four children and sister - in - law as they attempt to keep the family together during this bizarre crisis. cast: jason ritter, jaime king, marianna palka, brighton sharbino, rio mangini, kingston foster. world premiere
flying the flag as we have for past sundances, deadline co - editor - in - chief, film mike fleming jr. and myself will lead our coverage out of park city, salt lake and more with breaking news on the deals, the films, the panels, and the scene .
randall rosenbaum, executive director of the rhode island state council on the arts, congratulated the rhode island film & television office on bringing another major motion picture production to the state. he said productions like this help to energize the state culturally and economically, and provide employment to local creative workers .
two years after robert redford ’s last sundance film festival onscreen appearance with nick nolte in a walk in the woods, the founder of the utah gathering is back with the discovery, it was revealed today as the premieres, documentary premieres, midnight, spotlight, kids and special events programs were unveiled .
the miracle of the casting director enlivens this slight but based - on - a - true - story tale of a immigrant entertainer who embraced america by operating a ponzi scheme as a lucrative sideline. jack black surprises me for the second time this year and jacki weaver (an aussie !) does a bang - up job as a new jersey mother - in - law who doubts her daughter' s choice in love. slate and schwartzman ably hold down the rest. better than you might' ve expected... and polka, no less .
a look at the history of the american comedy publication and production company, national lampoon, from its beginning in the 1970s to 2010, featuring rare and never - before - seen footage .
rancher, farmer, fisherman / u. s. a. (directors: susan froemke, john hoffman, beth aala) — from the montana rockies to the wheat fields of kansas and the gulf of mexico, families who work the land and sea are crossing political divides to find unexpected ways to protect the natural resources vital to their livelihoods. these are the new heroes of conservation, deep in america’s heartland. world premiere. the new climate
in this prequel to the fantasy classic, three young gelflings inspire a rebellion against the cruel emperor when they discover a horrifying secret .
the minds behind history' s most iconic toy franchises discuss the rise (and sometimes fall) of their billion - dollar creations .
as far back as i can remember my favorite thing in the world to do was going to the video rental store. i’d walk up and down each aisle looking at all the one sheets printed gloriously on the front of the vhs boxes. i flip the cases over and read the billing blocks of the films, looking who the actors and directors were. i’d put mental notes together, creating in my head my own imdb of sorts. obviously this was before the internet was even around. then, when i was in the third grade, my father bought our family a camcorder. after that i don’t think there was one school project i didn’t turn into some sort of video project, all the way through high school. film school always seemed to be what was in store for me .
she most recently lent her voice to the illumination blockbuster “the secret life of pets. ” she is repped by wme and 3 arts .
trippy indie madeline' s madeline is the movie that lakeith stanfield and boots riley from sorry to bother you want to see the most .
weaver, oscar nominated for her performances in animal kingdom and silver linings playbook, has the james franco - directed and - starring the masterpiece in the pipeline. she is repped by icm partners and elevate entertainment .
take every wave: the life of laird hamilton / u. s. a. (director: rory kennedy) — this is the remarkable story of an american icon who changed the sport of big wave surfing forever. transcending the surf genre, this in - depth portrait of a hard - charging athlete explores the fear, courage and ambition that push a man to greatness— and the cost that comes with it. world premiere
untitled lucy walker / buena vista social club documentary / u. s. a. , united kingdom, cuba (director: lucy walker) — the musicians of the buena vista social club exposed the world to cuba’s vibrant culture with their landmark 1997 album. now, against the backdrop of cuba’s captivating musical history, hear the band’s story as they reflect on their remarkable careers and the extraordinary circumstances that brought them together. world premiere
this year at sundance, netflix had the biggest acquisition at the festival, paying $ 12. 5 million for dee rees’ southern period drama mudbound .
women' s rights attorney gloria allred takes on the biggest names in american culture as coverage of sexual assault allegations in the media become more prevalent .
when she recovers stolen film of a movie she shot 25 years ago, novelist sandi tan revisits her time with the enigmatic man who swiped the footage .
jan’s got a loving wife he adores in former miss junior pennsylvania marla (jenny slate), and a son, david (eventually played as a teen by robert capron). he’s got a polka band he fronts, co - founded with “musical genius” clarinetist mickey (jason schwartzman). he’s got a live - in mother - in - law (jacki weaver, at risk of stealing the whole movie) who nags and doubts his every move. but even she would be a small price to pay if the performing gigs he lives for actually paid the bills, rather than providing chump change. he also runs a knickknack shop and delivers pizzas on the side, yet barely keeps his head above water .
black plays jan lewan, who came to america from poland to chase dreams that seemingly had no limit. he formed a polka band, won the love of a beautiful bride (jenny slate' s marla), and developed a large following of kielbasa - devouring senior citizens across pennsylvania. still, he lived hand to mouth, starting innumerable offshoot ventures (a polish knicknack store, for instance) in hopes that one would pay off and beget a commercial
empire .
the story cuts corners with the seriousness of the events, opting to highlight the absurd details of jan' s con work, however naive he may truly be. jack black’s incredible, passionate performance is a key bonding agent to the script, in which he is able to make jan vividly likable, innocent, hilarious and tragic, often simultaneously. you see the gears of choosing greed turn in black’s head when one bad decision leads to a clumsier one, even if the movie doesn’t paint a full picture of all the businesses that he owns, or why he thinks he won' t be caught. from the beginning he makes this a passionate venture along the likes of his work in “ bernie, ” taking on a thick polish accent while boasting an incredible singing voice and fantastic range. (there' s a show - stopping scene where he sings
proud to be an american
with his polish band, which is both hilarious and chilling .) the movie repeats the message that “bernie” sent as well, that as narratives try to cover so much territory but with a constant human anchor, black is one of the very best for the job. with the precision of his performance and the bigness of his presence, he is able to find the empathy that allow us to connect and laugh with strange characters .
security men wave away cars and people who do not live in the area .
in the 1970s and' 80s, national lampoon' s success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled douglas kenney .
rebel in the rye / u. s. a. (director and screenwriter: danny strong) — this portrait of the life and mind of reclusive author j. d. salinger goes from the bloody front lines of world war ii to his early rejections and the ptsd - fueled writer’s block that led to his iconic novel, the catcher in the rye. cast: nicholas hoult, kevin spacey, sarah paulson, zoey deutch, hope davis, victor garber. world premiere
look and see: a portrait of wendell berry / u. s. a. (directors: laura dunn, jef sewell) — this cinematic portrait of the changing landscapes and shifting values of rural america in the era of industrial agriculture is seen through the mind’s eye of farmer and writer wendell berry. the new climate
● gente - fied / u. s. a. (creator: marvin lemus, executive producers: charles d. king, aaliyah williams, america ferrera) — seven characters deal with the effects of change in la’s boyle heights. bicultural millennials and old - school business owners hustle to create spaces that celebrate their latino identities— even while faced with rent hikes, a housing crisis, and a steady stream of outsiders threatening to gentrify their barrio. the festival will debut three episodes of this short - form episodic series. cast: edsson morales, alicia sixtos, victoria ortiz, yareli arizmendi, salvador velez jr, rafael sigler. world premiere
ms. forbes and mr. wolodarksy previously collaborated on the golden globe nominated movie, “infinitely polar bear”, which was produced in the ocean state in the summer of 2013 and co - wrote “diary of a wimpy kid” and “monsters vs aliens” .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans. it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
jack black is jan lewan, a polish immigrant completely in love with the american dream. you can pronounce that “yan” or “jan”, as he is too eager to please to have a preference. after working low - end jobs he meets up with a multi - instrumentalist named mickey (schwartzman) and they form a polka band in pennsylvania. at a cancer telethon he meets a former junior miss hazleton (jenny slate) and they fall in love. but in addition to his band he’s got a store of polish gewgaws, and the opportunity to buy into some high yield return “investment” packages .
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jan is a born, shameless, boundlessly energetic showman, and his aged audience adores him. they bite readily enough when he begins soliciting investors for his “empire, ” which is projected to encompass a polka tv show and other pipe dreams. though acting with seeming good (even honest) intentions, jan doesn’t quite realize he needs to register any such business with the government, let alone that creating a financial operation in which investors are paid back simply from new investors’ contributions (rather than actual business profit) is a form of fraud. the state does take notice, however, dispatching investigator ron (jb smoove), whom jan hastily assures he will refund the moneys post - haste .
500 years / u. s. a. (director: pamela yates) — from a historic genocide trial to the overthrow of a president, the sweeping story of mounting resistance played out in guatemala’s recent history is told through the actions and perspectives of the majority indigenous mayan population, who now stand poised to reimagine their society. world premiere
since he started as film critic for the chicago sun - times in 1967, and began covering movies locally and at international film festivals, roger ebert has met and interviewed countless movie idols, artists and unknowns - - some of them even before they became famous. there' s hardly a major figure in the history of movies, from the last part of the 20th century into the 21st, that he hasn' t encountered .
when mickey picks jan up from prison, his car has a pennsylvania front license plate. pennsylvania only issues a single plate that is placed on the rear of the car .
with netflix only a couple years into their push to develop original films, < i > paste < / i > counts down the 50 best the service has to offer .
black, who appeared in “school of rock” and “kung fu panda, ” among other films, stars in the new feature film comedy, written and directed by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky. forbes and wolodarksy previously collaborated on the golden globe - nominated movie “infinitely polar bear, ” which was produced in the ocean state in the summer of 2013, and co - wrote the “diary of a wimpy kid” movie and “monsters vs aliens. ”
downward dog / u. s. a. (showrunners: kat likkel, john hoberg, creators: michael killen, samm hodges) — the story of a struggling millennial, nan, as observed from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog, martin. the festival will premiere the first four episodes of the series, followed by an extended q & a with the cast, creators and showrunners. cast: allison tolman, samm hodges, lucas neff, kirby howell - baptiste, barry rothbart. world premiere
the hollywood reporter' s r eview out of sundance said of the film :
jack black, as the immigrant musician in question, finds a role that invites a great deal of jack black - ness, full of peppy showmanship and thickly accented dialogue .
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] when i was little boy in poland, all the times, i dreaming of america. so i come, i work hard, and i climb to the highest stars .
an interview with terry gilliam, director of
the man who killed don quixote .
the opening shot of a movie can tell us a lot about how to view and interpret what follows. it can even represent the whole movie in miniature. the opening shots project collects illustrated analyses of some of jim emerson' s favorites, and contributions from scanners readers .
from co - writer / director maya forbes and writer wally wolodarsky, the movie is also able to actualize an elevated cartoonish reality for the story, starting with its excellent, gaudy production design (like the strip mall that the gift shop is located on) and editing that tells the story with sharp timing and zippy jokes. (the movie is a treasure trove of goofy physical actions by its characters .) it’s a major film for forbes, who found the funny material within her tense personal family tale of “ infinitely polar bear, ” but now proves she can orchestrate unique, massive comedy, especially when working with such an excellent cast .
roger ebert has attended international film festivals and events for almost half a century, from the kolkata international film festival to the academy awards. in addition to his coverage, our contributors report the latest from cannes, telluride, toronto, sundance and other movie showcases world - wide .
steven feinberg, executive director of the rhode island film & television office, said it was help from raimondo and general assembly members, along with many people from the public and private sectors, that helped bring forbes and wolodarsky and their team of artists back to the ocean state .
oklahoma city / u. s. a. (director: barak goodman) — the bombing of the alfred p. murrah federal building in oklahoma city in april 1995 is the worst act of domestic terrorism in american history; this documentary explores how a series of deadly encounters between american citizens and federal law enforcement—including the standoffs at ruby ridge and waco—led to it. world premiere
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midnight episodic showcase — for the after - dark crowd, we present the world premieres of two thrilling new episodic additions to our midnight lineup: pineapple, from adaptive studios, and snatchers, from stage 13, followed by an extended q & a with the creators of both series .
jenny slate, vanessa bayer and jason schwartzman also star in the film that debuted at sundance .
the collider podcast: episode 75 - sundance 2017,' split', and m. night…
when mickey picks jan up from prison, his car has a pennsylvania front license plate. pennsylvania only issues a single plate that is placed on the rear of the car. see more »
the film posted a notice on the state film office' s facebook page looking for people to film wednesday from 9 a. m. to 1 p. m. at rhodes. the notice specifies that potential extras should arrive 1990s clothing, and says all ages are welcome. those under age 18, however, must be accompanied by an adult, the film office said tuesday .
while i’d hate to see reactions from the folks who actually got swindled by jan lewan (he apparently owed close to $ 5m by the time he got caught), this is a weirdly enjoyable movie about terrible deeds. you may even find yourself humming “oom - pah” by the end .
without ever completely losing touch with reality, the expertly turned design contributions here revel in the decor and sartorial havoc that can be wrought when people of deeply tacky taste get some serious spending money .
i love dick / u. s. a. (directors: jill soloway, andrea arnold, kimberly peirce, executive producers: jill soloway, sarah gubbins, andrea sperling, victor hsu) — chris and sylvere, a married couple in the intellectual community of marfa, texas, become obsessed with a charismatic artist named dick. what follows is the unraveling of a marriage, the deification of a reluctant messiah and the awakening of the female gaze. the festival will present the first three episodes of this amazon original series, followed by an extended q & a. cast: kevin bacon, kathryn hahn, griffin dunne, roberta colindrez, india menuez, phoebe robinson. world premiere
● pineapple / u. s. a. (director and writer: arkasha stevenson) — when a miner’s daughter is assaulted in the local coal mine, she utters only one word, leaving the town’s sheriff baffled. the event quickly spirals out of control, impacting the entire town. the festival will premiere three short - form episodes of this uniquely cinematic drama series. cast: tyler vickers, kel owens, ron gilbert, gloria vonn, lucille sharp, brooklyn robinson. world premiere
killing ground / australia (director and screenwriter: damien power) — ian and samantha arrive at an isolated campsite to find an suv and a tent—with no sign of the occupants. the discovery of a distressed child wandering in the woods unleashes a terrifying chain of events that will test the young couple’s breaking point. cast: aaron pedersen, ian meadows, harriet dyer, aaron glenane. international premiere
the incredible jessica james / u. s. a. (director and screenwriter: jim strouse) — jessica james, an aspiring nyc playwright, is struggling to get over a recent breakup. she sees a light at the end of the tunnel when she meets the recently divorced boone. together, they discover how to make it through the tough times while realizing they like each other—a lot. cast: jessica williams, chris o’dowd, keith stanfield, noël wells. world premiere. closing night film
lakeith stanfield and his sorry to bother you director boots riley discuss the stress of filming sex scenes .
this section of the festival is especially for our youngest independent film fans. programmed in cooperation with utah film center, which presents the annual tumbleweeds film festival, utah’s premiere film festival for children and youth .
mudbound / u. s. a. (director: dee rees, screenwriters: virgil williams, dee rees) — in the post– world war ii south, two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad. this epic pioneer story is about friendship, heritage and the unending struggle for and against the land. cast: carey mulligan, jason clarke, jason mitchell, mary j. blige, garrett hedlund, jonathan banks. world premiere
herb weiss, the city’s economic and cultural affairs officer, pointed out that home and business owners get location fees when filming is done on their properties, an economic benefit beyond the extra traffic to area businesses .
the place for everything that doesn' t have a home elsewhere on rogerebert. com, this is a collection of thoughts, ideas, snippets, and other fun things that roger and others posted over the years .
tell them we are rising: the story of black colleges and universities / u. s. a. (director: stanley nelson) — a haven for black intellectuals, artists and revolutionaries—and path of promise toward the american dream— black colleges and universities have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field. they have been unapologetically black for 150 years. for the first time ever, their story is told. world premiere
short - form episodic series — a celebration of the evolving landscape of content consumption, we present these short - form episodic series as new voices in the medium, defying broadcast boilerplates with a redefinition of traditional episodic conventions .
shortly after seeing the film i sat down with jack black, jack weaver, willie garson, maya forbes and wally wolodarsky. they talked about how the project came together, how jan lewan always wanted to be famous, the incredible true story, and so much more. in addition, towards the end of the interview, you can also watch them play a game i call “get to know your sundance attendee, ” which asks tough questions like drink of choice, how long can you go without looking at your phone, what’s the last tv show you’ve watched that you want to recommend, what do you collect, favorite websites, and a lot more .
kuso / u. s. a. (director: steven ellison, screenwriters: steven ellison, david firth, zach fox) — broadcasting through a makeshift network of discarded televisions, this story is tangled up in the aftermath of los angeles’s worst earthquake nightmare. travel between screens and aftershocks into the twisted lives of the survived. cast: iesha coston, zack fox, hannibal buress, the buttress, tim heidecker, mali matsuda. world premiere
the polka king is an american comedy film directed and written by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky . the film stars jack black , jenny slate , jason schwartzman , and jacki weaver . it premiered at the 2017 sundance film festival on january 22 , 2017 . 
the polka king is an american comedy film directed and written by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky. the film stars jack black, jenny slate, jason schwartzman, and jacki weaver. it premiered at the 2017 sundance film festival on january 22, 2017.
the polka king is an american comedy film directed and written by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky. the film stars jack black, jenny slate, jason schwartzman, and jacki weaver. it premiered at the 2017 sundance film festival on january 22, 2017.