1917 burst onto the scene and has both critics raving, and cinephiles running to theaters. The Golden Globe winner for Best Motion Picture- Drama and Best Director – Sam Mendes is being heralded by critics as “a genuine marvel of movie magic” (Forbes), “breathtaking” (Vanity Fair), and “a visual knockout” (Hollywood Reporter).  Several of the filmmakers and cast behind this masterwork stopped by our sister location, the Angelika Dallas! Check out the exclusive interviews below, and subscribe to the Angelika YouTube channel for more!

Golden Globe winning Director Sam Mendes on the one-take technique of the film, casting & the entire landscape that had to be created in order to make it all work: 

And what is it like to be an actor on a one-take piece? Find out that & more in this exclusive interview with actors Dean-Charles Chapman & George MacKay:

Screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns on how she got involved with the film, and the intense research it took to make the film feel like real life:

About the film:

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (CAPTAIN FANTASTIC’s George MacKay) and Blake (Game of Thrones’ Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them.

View the trailer:

Where to see it:

1917 opens Friday 1/10 at Ward, Mililani, Pearlridge, Kapolei, Olino, Koko Marina, Ko’olau and Kaahumanu theaters.

“If you take the movie, we’ll tell you everything!”

DARK WATERS star Mark Ruffalo describes wanting to dig deeper and know more when he was first approached with the role of real-life environmental attorney Robert Bilott. From there, Ruffalo and Director Todd Haynes (CAROL, FAR FROM HEAVEN) developed a quick rapport with the attorney and his family. In this clip, Ruffalo describes that meeting:

As they began shooting the film, its staggering importance became more and more evident with the cast and crew. Its unadulterated truth rang clear with critics alike, who call the film “a story of staggering deception and willful contamination,” “riveting, powerful and important,” and, “A must-see movie. Mark Ruffalo is superb.”

View the full Q&A below, and SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content!

About the film:

Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney (Mark Ruffalo) uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world’s largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything – his future, his family, and his own life – to expose the truth. From Oscar nominated director Todd Haynes (CAROL, FAR FROM HEAVEN), DARK WATERS also stars Victor Garber, Anne Hathaway, Bill Pullman and Tim Robbins.

View the trailer:

Where to see it:

DARK WATERS is now playing at Ward, Mililani, Koko Marina and Ko’olau Theatres.

“Audiences won’t want to let go.” -Rolling Stone

Actor Shia LaBeouf, alongside director Alma Har’el, has crafted a deeply personal work that gives audiences an inside look into his own childhood. HONEY BOY centers on James Lort (LaBeouf ) and the young actor, his son Otis (played by Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges). LaBeouf stopped by the Angelika New York to discuss the film, and what it was like to write it:

In addition to the extremely personal touch given to the screenwriting, LaBeouf allowed the actors an inside look into his day-to-day life. In this clip, LaBeouf discusses letting Hedges and Jupe into his home:

Visit our YouTube channel to see the full Q&A! And subscribe for more exclusive content!

About the film:

Shia LaBeouf screenwrites and stars in this “riveting drama… existing as a personal, meta piece for a man openly and artistically dealing with his past.” (RogerEbert.com) HONEY BOY follows child actor Otis Lort (Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA) and his law-breaking, alcohol-abusing father James (LaBeouf) as they attempt to mend their contentious relationship over the course of a decade.

View the trailer:

Where to see it:

HONEY BOY is now playing at Koko Marina Theatres.

For director Ira Sachs, every film he makes is personal and his latest, FRANKIE, is no exception. Sachs stopped by Angelika New York to discuss how FRANKIE was inspired by his experiences witnessing women in his life struggling with cancer. Sachs described how he “can only make films at the moment that” he does and how he developed FRANKIE after forming a relationship with Isabelle Huppert and writing the title character, Françoise Crémont, or Frankie, specifically for her.

The resulting film is an intimate look at a family on a vacation in Sintra, Portugal as they struggle with the their matriarch’s terminal illness. From his personal experiences, Sachs learned that “death was never the subject” among families dealing with critical illnesses because “life wasn’t stopping.” Sachs wanted to make a film about a family that was true to life where he explored the personal issues each person was dealing with and how the vacation brought those issues to the surface.

Sachs found that a family vacation was a perfect way to highlight these issues because when people are on vacation they lose their rituals and they “have nowhere to hide from” from each other. Sachs didn’t let his actors hide either, as eighty percent of the film occurs outdoors and he shot long takes between two or three actors.

FRANKIE is a quiet and elegant film with poignant performances and stunning visuals that must be experienced on the big screen.

View the Q&A here: 

FRANKIE opens Friday 11/22 at Koko Marina Theatres.

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry – sometimes at the same time.” -Rolling Stone

Director Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK and HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE) has everyone talking about his newest film, JOJO RABBIT, an anti-hate satire set on the backdrop of World War II Germany that USA Today calls, “a warm hug of a movie that just so happens to have a lot of important things to say.”

Actress Thomasin McKenzie stopped by the Angelika Dallas for a Q&A to discuss the film – moderated by Preston Barta. McKenzie plays Elsa, a young Jewish girl who is in hiding at the home of JoJo, who happens to be a devout Nazi and member of the party’s ‘Hitler Youth’. She discusses everything from her research for the role – learning about the real life ‘Hitler Youth’ subculture of the day, to working alongside Waititi, who plays Hitler in the film, and his propensity for unique and colorful improvisation.

View the full Q&A here: 

About the film:

A World War II satire following an awkward young German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) raised by a single mother (Scarlett Johansson), and whose only ally is his imaginary friend Hitler (Taika Waititi). His naïve patriotism is tested when he meets a young girl (Thomasin McKenzie) who upends his world views, forcing him to face his biggest fears. Also starring Rebel Wilson, Sam Rockwell and Stephen Merchant, and directed by Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE).

Where to see it:

JOJO RABBIT opens 11/8 at Kahala Theatres.

Bryan Kluger joins legendary director Takashi Miike to chat about his new film FIRST LOVE that Variety calls “wired to explode. And it is a blast.” Certified fresh at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film “ranks among Miike’s most purely entertaining movies (out of more than 100 now!)” raves The A.V. Club, as it blends love comedy, action and violence together seamlessly.

Miike reflects on what it was like to make the film, and recalls one of its most memorable scenes, featuring a toy dog that will have audiences laughing out loud.  Another memorable filmmaking moment he reflects upon was when he featured animation in this live-action film, initially as a means of saving money, but ultimately it added so much to the scene and make it better than he could have expected.

View the full Q&A here: 

About the film:

The film is the prolific auteur, Takashi Miike, at his most fun and anarchic, a noir-tinged yakuza film blending genres in the story of a young boxer and a call girl, who fall passionately in love while getting innocently caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme over the course of one night in Tokyo.

Where to see it: 

FIRST LOVE is now playing at Pearlridge and Kahala Theatres.

Halloween is just around the corner, and we’ve got 5 iconic #Hitchcocktober Halloween costumes for cinephiles! Check out the original costumes on the big screen, as we celebrate the Master of Suspense all month long at Ward Theatres!

1. Grace Kelley in Dial M for Murder
   

A costume so glamorous it’s deadly.  We paired a red dress with blonde wig to recreate Grace Kelley’s iconic outfit in Dial M for Murder.  To add a touch of danger, we accessorized this outfit with a corded phone, a drop-dead addition that completes this cinematic costume.

2. Cary Grant in North by Northwest
   

Impress your friends with this suave reinterpretation of the iconic scene from North by Northwest. We started this costume with a grey suit, and dark tie. Then using black construction paper and a hanger, we hung an airplane next to our model’s ear, creating a terrifying backdrop to run from. This simple DIY costume is a cinephile’s go-to!

3. Tippi Hedren in The Birds
   

This cinematic classic costume comes from the horrifying film, The Birds. To recreate this outfit, we started with a matching green shirt and skirt. Then we used black construction paper to cut out a few birds, which we attached to the costume with safety pins. Finally, we topped the costume with a messy bun and a few DIY bird clips.

4. The Lady who Vanishes in The Lady Vanishes
   
   

Every Cinefile needs a go to costume, when they forgot to dress up. This cop-out costume is simple. Simply introduce yourself to everyone and then vanish within the space, by hiding behind a wall or piece of furniture. Perfect for all those cinefiles who hate to dress up.

5. Mrs. Bates in Psycho
   

Finally one of the most terrifying costumes for cinephiles, the deadly (and dead) Mrs. Bates. We created this costume with a long flowery dress, topped with a lacy cardigan, and grey bun. We created our deadly facial figures with a simple corpse mask. However, this can be achieved with skull make up as well.

Want more inspiration? Check out the original costumes on the big screen all October long at Ward Theatres!

Eight teenagers live high in the mountains with only each other, a handful of weapons, and a prisoner-of-war for company. The only contact they have with the world below is through a radio and their ruthless drill sergeant. So begins the gripping and intense film MONOS, which follows the group as they grapple with growing up as soldiers and try to cope with the violence they have experienced and inflicted on others.

Director Alejandro Landes and two of the film’s stars, Julianne Nicholson and Moisés Arias, stopped by Angelika New York to discuss making a war movie that no one had seen before.

With MONOS, Landes wanted to push the boundaries of naturalism to create a mysterious and “ghostly” film that could take place in an apocalyptic future or the past. Landes notes that war “provides a window into who we are as a species” and he hopes he can take something recognizable, like a war film, and turn it into something new. Using guerilla warfare in Colombia as his lens, Landes explored the dual nature of the teenagers’ “lust for power” and longing for love, which are universal themes.

Both Nicholson and Arias described their willingness to join the project, even though they knew the shoot would be emotionally and physically demanding. Arias said yes immediately after reading the script. Nicholson took a “leap of faith” because the film was “exciting and unknown.”

MONOS is visceral and strikingly beautiful, and is described by RogerEbert.com as “A monumentally cinematic experience of lush wilderness and raw emotions.”

Opening Friday 10/11 at Kahala Theatres.

View the full Q&A here: 

Our October is dedicated to celebrating Alfred Hitchcock, who gave us some of the most clever & iconic moments in film history! Here are some of our favorite moments from this year’s line up:

Experience these films every Thursday at 7PM this October at Ward Theatres!

Dial M for Murder – The Phone Call Gone Wrong

This iconic murder is filled with suspenseful bursts of movement. The murderer snaps his rope around Grace Kelly. Grace Kelley pushes her arms free and lunges towards the camera, as if she’s begging the audience for help. After moments of intense struggling, Grace Kelly grasps a pair of scissors, and stabs her murderer, thrusting us into thrilling plot twist! These intense jagged movements literally pop out of the otherwise motionless scene, especially in a 3D screening. Hitchcock shot Dial M for Murder using lower camera angles to give us extra space between the forefront action and the background to intensify the 3D footage. Notice how the camera follows Grace Kelley’s hand and the scissors, which connects us with her struggle and heightens the 3D effect in the most suspenseful way.

Enjoy all the suspenseful low-angle shots on October 3!

North by Northwest – The Plane

A stranded, suave Cary Grant sprints from a suspiciously low crop duster in one of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. This nine-minute scene takes place with no background music and very little dialogue. However, Hitchcock ratchets up the tension using quick shots (133 to be exact) and ingenious storytelling. Hitchcock opens this scene with a series of establishing shots and point of view shots, which introduce us to the open field that traps our protagonist. These shots put us in Cary Grant’s shoes, and makes us feel stranded and exposed with him in the midst o dangerous plot. After diverting our attention to a few drive-by cars, Hitchcock introduces the crop duster plane. Immediately, we shift our attention to the plane, as Cary Grant runs and ducks in a series of shots that switch between Cary Grant running, and Cary Grant’s view of the plane. The shots get quicker and quicker as the sweat drips on Cray Grant’s brow, culminating in the iconic shot of him running towards the camera as the plane swoops over him, barely missing his head.

Follow the entire adventure on October 10!

 The Birds – The Playground

Only the master of suspense could make birds congregating on a playground terrifying. Hitchcock creates this foreboding image to establish the birds as an evil force of nature, an evil force that drives this classic horror film. Although the birds do not do anything terrifying in the first scene, Hitchcock’s use of camera work and sound to make us fear these feathered creatures. Hitchcock begins his film by placing protagonist Melanie Daniels in a seemingly normal school playground. She sits on a bench with her back to the playground, as birds begin to congregate silently on the playground behind her.  Hitchcock cuts back and forth between Melanie and the playground. This sets the protagonist up for a jump scare, teasing the audience, as we wait for her to turn around. Hitchcock heightens this tension by adding the sound of children singing a nursery rhyme off key. This off-beat music further establishes the foreboding strangeness of this feathered gathering. The tension builds up even more when a bird flying overhead turns Melanie’s attention to the playground. However, instead of creating the anticipated jump scare, Melanie keeps her cool, and allows us to soak in this horrifying visual as she backs away slowly, avoiding the attack until further notice. This dissatisfying ending keeps us on edge. We now know the birds are a terrifying force, but what makes them so evil? What are they going to do? When are they going to attack? These questions fly around our imaginations as Melanie urges the teacher to let the children get to safety immediately. Hitchcock finally allows the tension to explode when the children leave the schoolhouse. There he cuts to the bird-filled playground, where the birds fly away in horror ready to start their attack.

Beware of The Birds October 17!

The Lady Vanishes – Writing Froy

When the train whistle makes it impossible to hear, Miss Froy introduces herself to our protagonist, Iris, by writing her name on the train window. This innocent gesture is a quirky communication device we expect from a director who likes to make cameo appearances in most of his films. After the two women are introduced, they spend the evening enjoying each other’s company on their seemingly normal train journey, which lasts so long, we almost forget we’re watching a suspense drama. However, this all changes when Iris’s travel companion suddenly vanishes, and everyone denies ever seeing her on the train. Suddenly Iris is forced into solving a mystery or resigning to insanity, as she searches for clues of Miss Froy’s presence. She scrounges for clues, and rediscovers Miss Froy’s quirky form of communication, turning it into a plot-provoking Hitchcockian clue.

Experience the mystery on October 23!

Psycho – The Stab

This controversial scene not only kills off the film’s star, Janet Leigh, it also uses masterful camera work. The scene begins as a normal shower. Our protagonist has just completed a long journey, so Hitchcock gives her a sequence of long shots for her to enjoy a much-needed shower. As she relaxes, we see a moving shadow creep into frame behind her. Suddenly our relaxed slow-moving camera work is replaced by quick frames and underscored by the iconic staccato soundtrack. The frames are so quick, they looks like snapshots from the most horrifying photo booth photoshoot of all time. We see a knife. We see a body. We hear screams. We see a stabbing motion. We see the shower. Hitchcock never shows the knife touching Ms. Leigh’s body, nor do we ever see the body bleed. However, his gives us all the clues we need for our imaginations to fill in the gaps. Once the murder is complete, Hitchcock returns to the previous slow moving camera shots. We watch the blood swirl down the drain. We look into the victim’s lifeless eyes. We zoom out from the shower, back into the still hotel room. Everything is deadly quiet except for the sound of the water and blood swirling down the drain.

Join us for this Hitchcock classic this Halloween Night!

Don’t miss our celebration of the master of suspense every Thursday in October at Ward Theatres!

Will the real Brittany please stand up?

BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON has audiences running to theaters, and is being heralded by Variety as “a slam dunk.”

Director Paul Down Colaizzo brought his real life friend and roommate Brittany’s real life story to the big screen in his newest film. Colaizzo stopped by the Angelika New York with the film’s star Jillian Bell to discuss the film, with the real Brittany in the audience watching!

Jillian Bell chats about becoming Brittany:

Bell’s performance certainly lived up to the critics’ expectations. Rolling Stone raves, “Jillian Bell is a comic force of nature with real dramatic chops in this hilarious and heartfelt tale.”

Brittany is not the typical character who graces the big screen as the lead. Colaizzo states that his goal was to “take this icon of an American comedy.. hot mess, fat best friend, sidekick party girl that we’ve been taught to laugh at, and and deepen her, and go on a hero’s journey with her.” The humor in the film was built to be relatable, so that audiences can ‘be’ Brittany, rather than looking at her from the outside.

Time Out agrees, stating “Colaizzo successfully walks a fine line between inspiration and caution, never presenting Brittany as a patronizing role model for weight loss, nor a clichéd case of inner beauty.”

View the full Q&A here (*spoiler alert at 12:26!): 

About the film:

Award-winning playwright Paul Downs Colaizzo makes his directorial debut with Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON. This uproarious, irreverent and surprisingly emotional comedy inspired by real events is being heralded by Variety as “a slam dunk.” Brittany Forgler is everybody’s best friend ― except maybe her own. At 27, her hard-partying ways, chronic underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her, but when she stops by a new doctor’s office to try to score some Adderall, she gets slapped with a prescription she never wanted: Get healthy. Too broke for a gym and too proud to ask for help, Brit is at a loss, until her seemingly together neighbor Catherine pushes her to lace up her Converse sneakers and run one sweaty block. The next day, she runs two. And soon, after finishing her first mile, she sets an almost unthinkable goal: running in the New York City Marathon.

Where to see it:

BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON opens 9/13 at Kahala Theatres.