Official Trailer for the Upcoming Western Thriller "The Keeping Room"

Drafthouse Films recently send us over the official trailer for their upcoming film "The Keeping Room". The film stars Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru, Sam Worthington.

"The Keeping Room" hits theaters in limited release on September 25th with nationwide rollout during the month of October.

Plot Synopsis:

In this radically reimagined American Western set towards the end of the Civil War, Southerner Augusta (Brit Marling, Arbitrage, The East) encounters two renegade, drunken soldiers (Sam Worthington, Avatar) who are on a mission of pillage and violence. After escaping an attempted assault, Augusta races back to the isolated farmhouse that she shares with her sister Louise (Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2) and their female slave Mad (newcomer Muna Otaru.) When the pair of soldiers track Augusta down intent on exacting revenge, the trio of women are forced to take up arms to fend off their assailants, finding ways to resourcefully defend their home--and themselves--as the escalating attacks become more unpredictable and relentless.

Based on Julia Hart's revered 2012 Black List screenplay, and directed by Academy Award® Nominated Daniel Barber (Harry Brown), The Keeping Room is a tense and uncompromising tale of survival that also shatters both gender and genre conventions.

"The Keeping Room": Official Trailer

"The Better Angels" Review - Written by Abraham Phillips

The Better Angels (2014)

Starring: Diane Kruger, Jason Clarke, Braydon Denney, Brit Marling, Wes Bentley, Cameron Mitchell William, McKenzie Blankenship, Ryan McFall, Madison Stiltner, Bruce Bayard, Venanne Cox,

Plot: The year is 1817, the state Indiana. Location a log cabin. The atmosphere the growing frontier.

Our main character the one and only childhood of Abraham Lincoln.

My Review and Thoughts:

What a truly wonderful, historical drama on one of the greatest men to ever live, Abraham Lincoln. This is a surprisingly awesome and utterly brilliant, black and white, biography on the young life of Lincoln growing up in the wilderness of Indiana. You get to experience this harsh way of life through a realistic setting that transcends off screen, as believable and reality based. Directed and written by A.J. Edwards, which I am shocked and amazed, that this is his first feature length film as director. He did a stunning and amazing job. He made you believe the story and crafted it in a way, that comes to life off screen and makes you feel, as if you’re a part of what is happening.

This has some amazing actors and actresses. The beautiful and stunning Diane Kruger who plays Sarah Lincoln. Diane is amazing and is one of those actresses that can truly own her part and give you a stunning realization of the character she is playing. I first got wind of her watching the wonderful, and sadly canceled television show, The Bridge. She aces the part of Sarah Lincoln. Also starring another amazing actor, Jason Clarke; he plays Tom Lincoln. Like always in his acting career, he is able to become the part and makes you feel as if you are there with the character. Simply put he makes the part come to life. The other stunningly beautiful lady of the film Brit Marling, is excellent as the role of Nancy Lincoln. She graces the part with genuine believability of her character. She seems effortless in the part.

Now I must speak highly on a gifted actor. This being his first role. His first acting experience. I was blown away by this extraordinary young man, playing Abe Lincoln. Braydon Denney is golden in this part and I cannot wait to see him act in more parts. I hope he has a long career in this field, because what I saw through this role, is something Hollywood sadly is lacking a lot of this day and age, and that is the very definition of actor. Braydon Denney aces this part and defines what great acting is about through emotion, moods, gestures and a complete owning of his character.

The whole cast is wonderful. The film feels, original and unique and places you there in the time period and makes you want to learn more about Lincoln. On a side note, my father named me after Abraham Lincoln and so his legacy and his truth has always been a part of my life. He was a man that needs to be remembered, and studied, and looked upon for every generation.

I think what ultimately needs to be said is how one the greatest directors in cinema history saw something in this picture, and presents it to the world. Terrence Malick who is one of the producer’s allowed this beautiful piece of Americana. An almost poem like history listen. It’s an art-house film of excellence in story, acting and direction. I think it’s a film that needs to be seen and experienced in all its vivid artistic atmosphere. I think the best way to describe this film is like a beautiful black and white picture come to life. A.J. Edwards, has been a protégé of Master Terrence Malick and that mastery has rubbed off onto A.J. Edwards. Edwards not only brings the beauty of silence, and lightening, but also uses his own unique stamp upon the film-making world.

To sum the movie up, it’s emotionally draining and very intense in an artistic setting. I think what really makes this film stand out, is the lighting, the moods, the darkness, the brilliantly massive and stunning camera work. It’s an interesting experience that the viewer steps into, an almost dream like state of history.

I highly recommend this for its unique and fresh take on a part of history. I recommend it for its artistic atmosphere. I massively recommend it for its unique camera work. It has very little dialogue, but that is also the brilliance of it. The way the film comes together, you don’t need a lot of dialogue. It’s filmed in a documentary style that is a historical value in the understanding of history.

Researching some of the back story of the growth of the film is amazing. Six years A.J. Edwards has but into this. Researching and studying alongside historians just adds to the truthful brilliance of the film. To me some of the hardest acting in the world, is when dialogue, is but a small factor in a film.The moods, emotional makeup, and structure of a character has to be acted out for the viewer to understand, believe and grasp. You have to control the viewer. The actors along with A.J. Edwards’s unique approach, through his artistic, poem style of filming, comes off as something new. Something the film world needs, is new. A.J. Edwards is that new.

Review by Abraham Phillips

My Rating: 4/5

You can buy this on DVD, put out by Anchor Bay Entertainment. There is an 8 page insert booklet. The DVD comes with option of English subtitles for the hearing impaired plus an option of Spanish Subtitles. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1. Aspect ratio Widescreen 2.40:1 Runtime is 95 minutes. Rated PG Black and White.

Abraham Lincoln Bio Film "The Better Angels Makes its Way to DVD

Anchor Bay Entertainment and Amplify recently send us information for the upcoming DVD release of the Better Angels. The film stars Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty, The Great Gatsby, Lawless), Brit Marling (Arbitrage) Diane Kruger (“The Bridge,” Inglorious Basterds).

No special features were announced at this time. "The Better Angels" hits retail on 3/3.

On March 3rd, on the heels of the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s death, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Amplify will release The Better Angels, produced by Terrence Malick (Academy Award® Nominee, The Tree of Life, The Thin Red Line) and directed by A.J. Edwards (The New World, The Tree of Life). This compelling portrayal of the man himself premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and has since become a critical favorite in film festivals across the United States. The Better Angels will be available on DVD for an SRP of $22.98.

In an isolated log cabin hidden in the wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, a youth is growing up. Against all odds he will grow to be one of our nation’s greatest heroes: Abraham Lincoln. The Better Angels is an evocative portrait of the future president, exploring his formative years and a life within a harsh yet beautiful country; a country experiencing the throes of growing up as well. The young Abraham is played by newcomer Braydon Denney in a sensitive performance, as an intelligent child rather than a future adult destined for greatness. His relationships with his father (Jason Clarke, Zero Dark Thirty, The Great Gatsby, Lawless), mother (Brit Marling, Arbitrage) and stepmother (Diane Kruger, “The Bridge,” Inglorious Basterds) define his character in scenes that are sympathetic and beautifully wrought.

Using black and white cinematography to create an atmosphere that is both subtle and stark, The Better Angels sheds new light on the early years of the future president. Adapting the unique premise of using contemporary 19th-century interviews with Lincoln's family members it is a perceptive look at the youth who would become one of the most revered men in American history.

Drafthouse Films Acquires North American Rights to "The Keeping Room"

Drafthouse Films recently released information that they've acquired the North American rights to the Toronto International Film Festival standout "The Keeping Room". The film stars Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld and Sam Worthington.

"The Keeping Room" hits theaters in Fall of 2015.

Press Release:

Drafthouse Films has acquired North American distribution rights to Julia Hart's powerful Black List Western feature, The Keeping Room, after its acclaimed world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival.

Expertly directed by Daniel Barber (Harry Brown), The Keeping Room focuses on the violent resilience and dramatic camaraderie of three Southern women as their home is besieged during the purges at the close of the American Civil War. Forced to defend their land and fight for their lives, the women take up arms against their male oppressors, shattering gender and genre conventions in the process.

A forceful turn from Brit Marling (Arbitrage, I Origins) heads a formidable trio of female leads that includes Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Ender's Game) and newcomer Muna Otaru in a powerful break out role. Playing against his usual character, Sam Worthington (Avatar, Man On A Ledge), excels as a villainous renegade soldier intent on killing the women and razing their home.

Based on Julia Hart's revered 2012 Black List screenplay, The Keeping Room deliberately eschews Hollywood Western tropes and challenges gender politics as the female protagonist is defined in brave and provocative fashion. Described as "a feminist western with bite" (Indiewire) and "a beautifully breathless revisionist western" midway between Cold Mountain and Straw Dogs (Little White Lies),The Keeping Room is unflinching filmmaking anchored in the "bold and fearless" performances (Film School Rejects) delivered by its lead women.

"The Keeping Room is a film that instantly resonated with us on so many levels," said James Emanuel Shapiro, Drafthouse Films COO. "Not only is it filmmaking of the highest level but it challenges formulas with such convictions that we were all affected by its potency."

"We could not ask for a better partner than Drafthouse for The Keeping Room," said producer Justin Horowitz. "As with everything they do, we look forward to a theatrical release that is classy, energetic, passionate, and a whole lot of fun."

The Keeping Room will open in an expansive theatrical release across North America in September 2015 and will be released on a variety of VOD platforms and digital, DVD, and Blu-ray formats after its theatrical run.

The Keeping Room is a production of Wind Dancer Films, Gilbert Films and Anonymous Content and was produced by Jordan Horowitz, Judd Payne, Matt Williams, David McFadzean, Dete Meserve and Patrick Newall. Executive Producers are Gary Gilbert and Michael Sugar. The deal was negotiated by WME Global on behalf of the producers and James Emanuel Shapiro and Tim League from Drafthouse Films.