Aubrey Plaza is aboard biodrama ‘The Heidi Fleiss Story’.
She’ll play infamous “Hollywood Madam” Fleiss.
Leah Rachel is in the director’s chair.
While we’re used to seeing Aubrey Plaza deploy her deadpan style in out-and-out comedies, she’s long since proved she can handle blending both laugh-grabbing work and dramatic roles, sometimes in the same project.
She’s also been taking more control over her career, producing projects via her Evil Hag Productions company. The latest gig the ‘My Old Ass’ actor will star in and produce is an interesting one: Plaza, per Variety, will tackle controversial real-life figure Heidi Fleiss in a new movie.
Heidi Fleiss in ‘Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam’. Photo: InPictures.
Fleiss was busted in the early 1990s for what was said to be the world’s largest high-end prostitution ring one that implicated Hollywood, politicians and other power figures.
Rachel, Sennott and Jackson’s take on the story reportedly follows Fleiss before trial, scrambling around Los Angeles trying to blackmail and leverage various connections to get the case dropped, with the help of an aspiring young writer named Jaclyn.
The cameras should be rolling on this one in Los Angeles in the next few months, with Jessamine Burgum and Kara Durrett’s Pinky Promise production company providing the backing.
Given that this is very much an indie production, there’s no word yet on where it might land –– though given that several of the behind-the-scenes creative team have worked with Netflix in the past, we figure the streaming service might well be interested.
Yet unless a deal has already been struck (or is in progress), expect this one to hit festivals looking for distribution.
Aubrey Plaza in ‘Emily the Criminal.’ Photo: Roadside Attractions.
Selected Movies and TV Shows Featuring Aubrey Plaza:
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Keery about his work on ‘Finally Dawn’, how he got the role, learning Italian, shooting at Cinecittà Studios, working with Willem Dafoe, and collaborating with director Saverio Costanzo, as well as shooting the final season of ‘Stranger Things’ and his memories of working on the series.
(L to R) Joe Keery and Lily James in ‘Finally Dawn’. Photo: 01 Distribution.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the audition process and how you got cast in the film?
Joe Keery: I don’t really know the history of the movie before me. Saverio had maybe thought of me for the job and there was a conflict. So, I didn’t even see it. They sort of passed on me, maybe just due to scheduling stuff. I think maybe because of the show (‘Stranger Things’). Then something changed, and I freed up after they were looking for somebody for a while. I read it, and thought it was fantastic. It was an easy “yes” for me. Saverio’s other work is beautiful. The script was amazing. And shooting in Rome, what an amazing opportunity.
MF: How was your Italian before making the film and was it difficult learning the language for this role?
JK: Yeah, I was working a little overtime in that regard. It’s funny. My sister lived in Rome at this time. She ended up working on the film as well. So, the two of us were doing a little Duolingo between us. She was good though. I had some work to do, but she was good. I picked up some stuff though.
Joe Keery and Lily James in ‘Finally Dawn’. Photo: 01 Distribution.
MF: What was it like collaborating with director Saverio Costanzo on set?
JK: Great. I mean, he’s got a lot of trust, I think, in his actors. But he also isn’t afraid to challenge you, I think. It’s always like there’s a cross section between the way that you see a character and maybe the director sees the character. Sometimes it’s good if that Venn diagram is really connected, but sometimes it’s also good if it’s not. I’d say we were kind of right in the middle where we were kind of both pushing each other in interesting ways and taking the character. He also just made some changes once I kind of came around. I think we both talked about the character and adjusted it as the movie was happening. That’s one of his strengths, I think, is that he’s able to take the different inputs and shape them to what will best fit the film. I think he did that across the board. He’s such a great guy to work with. It was an enjoyable experience on set.
MF: You play an actor in the film and when we first meet him, he is playing another character in the movie within the movie. What was it like playing a character that is playing another character?
JK: You know, I kind of tried to not honestly think too hard about it, I guess. You go down the rabbit hole of thinking about all this different stuff. Then at a certain point you’re like, “Well, now it’s time to actually do it.” So, you just sort of put all your work aside and kind of get into it. But I really liked that dynamic within the movie. The meta dynamic of kind of bouncing in between what is real, what’s a movie, and what’s going on. That was exciting for me personally.
Rachel Sennott in ‘Finally Dawn’. Photo: 01 Distribution.
MF: You also got to shoot at Cinecittà Studios in Italy where some legendary films were made. What was that experience like for you?
JK: Absolutely. I think shooting at Cinecittà was great because some of the reference movies that I watched beforehand, they were filmed on the back lot there. That’s where they did these things. So, the fact that we’re paying homage to that period, and we are making a movie about it, it’s just perfect. I think everybody on set was just sort of blown away by that. Then, also we were shooting on the Spanish Steps. That’s ridiculous. I’m not in that scene when she’s walking down the steps. But one of my first days on that film was, it was the night shot at the beginning of the movie when we’re coming down the steps. You know, it’s World War II. Then as the sun was rising, we switch over and we do Rebecca’s thing at the end of the movie, so we stuck around. Just watching Rebecca come down those stairs, and it’s totally empty, and the city’s waking up, and there’s no tourists. I mean, it was incredible. Nobody gets that experience. You really don’t get to experience that unless you’re very lucky.
MF: Just to follow up, what were some of the films you watched for inspiration before shooting this movie?
JK: Obviously, I think there’s a fair amount of ‘8 ½’ in this film. ‘Ben Hur’ and ‘Cleopatra’ were too. I know I’ve watched the film ‘Cleopatra’, just based on that big old scene that we do with me and Lily, and Hafþór (Júlíus Björnsson) and stuff. Those are the three that come to mind off the top of my head.
Willem Dafoe in ‘Finally Dawn’. Photo: 01 Distribution.
MF: What was it like working with actress Rebecca Antonaci?
JK: I mean, I think she’s extremely talented. Working with her on set, I feel like there’s so much of the movie where she has no dialogue. But she, for me, was the most captivating part of the film, just to watch her experience this world and the emotions that she’s able to convey just through one look. It’s unbelievable. She’s extremely talented. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
MF: Were you intimidated to work opposite the great Willem Dafoe?
JK: Yeah, definitely. I mean, he is like singular. He’s one of the great working actors, I’d say. It’s very clear to me. I think he’s just like a lover of acting. To me, it just seems like he really loves what he does, and he’s very passionate about it, and cares very deeply, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. We were all making this movie together. There’s no “holier than thou” thing going on. He’s just a real person. So, it makes a lot of sense to me why he’s had the career that he’s had.
MF: Finally, ‘Stranger Things’ will be ending soon. What was it like filming the final season and what memories will you take with you from working on the show?
JK: Well, for the whole thing? I mean, I don’t think I can pick a favorite single memory. There are a lot of great working memories in all these amazing sequences that we got to film. The end of season 1 sticks out. The underwater stuff sticks out to me in season 4. Working in the mall. But then, mostly I’ll just remember the amount of time that I spent with all these people and the deep connection that we have. Yeah, that’s really what I’m going to take away more than anything else, is that.
Editorial Note: James White conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
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What is the plot of ‘Finally Dawn’?
A young Roman woman (Lily James) during the 1950s is on the verge of becoming engaged to a man. She goes to Cinecittà to do an audition as an extra and is thrust into this almost infinite night during which she discovers herself.
Premiering on Prime Video on March 27th, ‘Holland’ is proof that even a potentially compelling concept and a decent cast can be squandered if the movie utilizing them doesn’t commit fully.
It’s a shame, as director Mimi Cave has made impressive work before. Here, though she seems to have lost her way with a meandering tale of suburban secrets.
It’s a rule that if your community and relationship in a thriller is apparently perfect on the surface, there must be dark secrets lurking beneath. After all, who really wants to sit through a story where it’s all apple pie and happy families?
Yet we’ve seen the story of suburban secrets so many times on screens both big and small that a movie really has to have something fresh to say about it. Unfortunately, even though Cave delivered with her previous movie, the cannibalistic comedy ‘Fresh,’ there’s not much of that spirit here.
In fact, there’s not much of any spirit. A movie riven by a split in its personality, the first half is a funny and sometimes entertaining look at a town and a relationship seemingly lost in time –– it’s set in the year 2000, but could be the 1960s for all its folksy traditionalism. The second half pulls the trigger on the thriller element as Nicole Kidman’s Nancy starts to learn the truth of who she’s married to, but even then the movie wants to keep up the jokier elements and the two tones really aren’t merged successfully.
Writer Andrew Sodroski has experience more in TV, creating a season of ‘Manhunt’ based around the Unabomber. His movie credits are mostly limited to a couple of crime thrillers. The problem with his scripting for ‘Holland’ is that it feels aimless –– for a movie whose main characters are a life skills teacher who prides herself on her cooking, the storyline is underbaked, and the other an optometrist, it’s noticeable how unfocused the characterization turns out.
It’s also an issue that the use of model train sets as metaphor for the control that one character has over another is so heavily employed as to approach parody. It’s one thing to employ a metaphor; quite another to beat it into the ground.
Cave does her best to bring some style to the proceedings; a dream sequence where Nancy imagines strange images such as her neighbors becoming mannequins and a flood sweeping through the town’s main street are effective, but the rest of the movie never achieves the same level of creepiness.
There are missed opportunities here and sadly, the movie fails to really coalesce.
Nicole Kidman has spent the last few years mostly playing icy matriarchs, entitled wealthy housewives or driven businesswomen and if there’s an advantage to ‘Holland,’ it’s that she is able to once more tap into a kookier, sweeter character, albeit one who is not afraid to fight back when it counts.
She’s typically impressive, but the character doesn’t always offer her everything she needs, and it’s ultimately nowhere near as memorable as some of her other work.
Matthew Macfadyen, meanwhile, leans into the twin sides of Nancy’s husband Vandergroot –– at once the nerdy, seemingly sweet local ophthalmologist who brought her from a dead-end small town existence to this seemingly perfect existence and someone who is going to great lengths to conceal things (even if he leaves giant clues in his model train set up, a seemingly silly idea for someone with so much to hide).
He’s perfectly fine in the role, creepy when required and forever telling Nancy to just ignore what she’s worried about. But once the truth is revealed, the character becomes far more one-note.
Gael García Bernal plays Dave Delgado, Nancy’s closest confidante at the school where they both work, and a man who would like their relationship to be more. Bernal brings some solid shades to the character, and has a good arc.
Elsewhere, there is some truly wasted talent on display. Though he certainly has a couple of decent scenes to show what he can do, young Jude Hill (who broke out in Ken Branagh’s ‘Belfast’) is here reduced to minor moments as the couple’s son, Harry.
Ditto Rachel Sennott, so good in the likes of ‘Shiva Baby’ and ‘Bottoms’ has exactly one tiny scene at the start of the movie to show what she can do, but it wasn’t even worth her showing up.
The other townsfolk are mostly limited to plot devices rather than actual humans, but the likes of Lennon Parham, Jeff Pope and Chris Witaske do what they can with tiny roles.
‘Holland’ certainly has ideas on its mind, but sadly those ideas have been explored more effectively before. There’s not enough style or story here to really make it worth your while.
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What is the plot of ‘Holland’?
A teacher (Nicole Kidman) in a small midwestern town suspects her husband (Matthew Macfadyen) of living a double life, but things may be worse than she initially imagined.
(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Opening in theaters everywhere on October 11th is the biographical comedy ‘Saturday Night’, which chronicles the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of ‘Saturday Night Live’.
(L to R) Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, and Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘Saturday Night’, director Jason Reitman’s loving tribute to the 50-year television institution that Lorne Michaels’ created is fun, fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The film plays like a greatest-hits of all the behind-the-scenes stories and sketches from the first year of ‘SNL’, within the confines of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere episode in 1975. While Reitman certainly took creative liberties with the facts, the film is exciting to watch and probably his best movie to date.
Script and Direction
Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night.’
Unfolding in real-time, ‘Saturday Night’ tells the story of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of the first episode in 1975 and literally ends after the first sketch and Chevy Chase says, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night’.
The movie begins by introducing us to a frantic Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), who is dealing with a handful of problems including nervous NBC executives, a missing John Belushi (Matt Wood), over 3-hours of sketches to cut down into 90 minutes and the fact that he still doesn’t know what the show is going to be. Pressuring Michaels to cancel the live-broadcast and air a tape instead is NBC executives Dick Eborsol (Cooper Hoffman) and David Tebet (Willem Dafoe), who has ulterior motives for hiring Michaels in the first place.
We soon meet cast members including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), who already thinks he is a superstar. We also meet Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), who as the oldest member of the cast and mostly a dramatic actor and playwright, has no idea why he is there. In addition to meeting the rest of the cast, we also see a young Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) who was promised a spot on the show, and a confused Andy Kaufman (Nicholas Braun) arriving for his appearance. Finally, we meet writer and Michaels’ wife, Rosie Schuster (Rachel Sennott), who is trying to calm the cast down and decide if she wants to be credited with her married name.
(L to R) Cinematographer Eric Steelberg and Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night’.
Reitman clearly has a lot of love for ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the original cast, I would imagine partly because his father, the late director Ivan Reitman (‘Ghostbusters’) had worked with most of them in Toronto before they were cast on the show, which makes Jason the perfect person to tell this specific story. Rather than doing the usual biopic that follows the creation and casting of the series, and maybe even chronicle the entire 50-year history, Reitman wisely focused on the hour and a half before the first broadcast. The movie fits in all the legendary stories that fans have heard over the years, while also finding time for glimpses of most of the sketches that would end up featuring in that episode and later in the first season.
While Reitman takes some liberties with the facts, the film is none the less fascinating to watch. However, there was more time spent with certain characters like Garrett Morris and Billy Crystal than needed, and I thought it took away from exploring the main cast. In fact, except for Morris, most of the original cast members don’t have as much screen time as you would expect, especially Belushi, although I think they were trying to use the character sparingly like Spielberg did with the shark in ‘Jaws’. However, it still kind of works because we as an audience have so much nostalgia for the show and already basically know who Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and the rest are. But I wonder how well this movie would have worked if it was an original story and we had no history with these characters or this show.
Performances
Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
The actors playing the original ‘SNL’ cast are excellent, truly working as an ensemble as no one actor stands-out, but again, this is also one of the problems with the movie as we really are not given enough time with any of them to really get to know them. Lamorne Morris probably has the most screen time and brings vulnerability to the character of Garret Morris (no relation).
While not in the movie nearly enough, Cory Michael Smith is excellent as an arrogant Chevy Chase. Kim Matula was very intriguing as Jane Curtain, but again didn’t have enough to do and the same can be said for Dylan O’Brian as Aykroyd, Emily Fain as Newman, Ella Hunt as Radner and Matt Wood as Belushi.
The character we spend the most time with is of course Lorne Michaels, but we never really get the feeling that we know him. That’s not actor Gabriel LaBelle’s fault, and I would argue that he played the role perfectly. The problem is that the character of Lorne Michaels is aloof to begin with, and there is no way to truly understand his genius.
(Left) Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures. (Right) Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
But the love story (if you can call it that) between Michaels and Rosie Shuster helps to give the audience a little insight into his character and their relationship. In fact, Rachel Sennott lights up the screen as Shuster and gives one of the brightest performances in the film. It’s also worth mentioning Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol and Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, respectively, as both actors give solid performances but, in the end, just act as the antagonists.
(L to R) Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), John Belushi (Matt Wood) and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brian) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
In the end, ‘Saturday Night’ is probably the best possible version of this movie that someone could make, and the best film of Jason Reitman’s career so far. I would think that the film will certainly be on the shortlist for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay at next year’s Oscars, but unfortunately, no one performance stands-out enough to be nominated. Whether you are a diehard fan of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or have never seen an episode (that’s hard to believe), you will enjoy this fun, funny and fast-paced film, which is a perfect tribute to the comedic television institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.
‘Saturday Night’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Saturday Night’?
The film is based on the true story of what happened in the 90 minutes prior to the October 11, 1975, debut of ‘Saturday Night Live’.
(L to R) Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, and Matt Wood as John Belushi in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL’ movie is now titled ‘Saturday Night’.
Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and Cooper Hoffman are among the cast.
The film has now landed an October release date.
Jason Reitman might have been busy of late either co-writing and directing (in the case of ‘Afterlife’) or co-writing and producing (on ‘Frozen Empire’) the continuation of his father Ivan’s much-loved ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise.
Yet he’s also found time to work on another passion project, a chronicle of the tough birth of long-running (the series’ 50th season kicks off in the fall) sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live’.
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With a script by Reitman and his regular ‘Ghostbusters’ collaborator Gil Kenan, he’s been wrapped filming for a while on the movie, now titled ‘Saturday Night’, and Sony has handed down an October release date for what is expected to start its run at festivals and –– depending on critical reaction –– could be taking aim at the awards season.
(L to R) Laraine Newman, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris and Chevy Chase on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Photo: NBC.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. ‘Saturday Night’ is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s ‘SNL’. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with all the living cast, writers and crew.
Who is starring in ‘Saturday Night’?
(Left) Lamorne Morris in ‘Fargo’ Season 5. Photo: FX. (Center) Dylan O’Brien in ‘American Assassin.’ Photo: Lionsgate. (Left) Cory Michael Smith in ‘Gotham.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Television.
There are also those behind the scenes of ‘Saturday Night Live’, with Gabriel LaBelle playing Lorne Michaels, the legendary creator and producer of the show whose eye for talent has led to careers for a host of people, with Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, an ambitious NBC executive who helped shepherd the show to air.
Rachel Sennott will be Rosie Shuster, a Canadian comedy writer and actor who was married to Michaels at the time and worked on the show.
Finally, we have Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, Vice President of Talent Relations at NBC, and because it surely wouldn’t be a Reitman movie without him, J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle, who had a famously awful one-night stint as host and ended up banned from the show (though that was in 1979, so it remains to be seen how he ties into the movie’s story of the first night).
When will ‘Saturday Night’ be in theaters?
Sony, which produced the new movie, has now set an October 11th release for ‘Saturday Night’ via its Columbia Pictures arm. There is already talk that it could premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. And that release, as you might have noticed from its mention in the earlier section, is the same day as the first episode of ‘SNL’ itself. Fitting!
(L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.
(Left) Lamorne Morris in ‘Fargo’ Season 5. Photo: FX. (Center) Dylan O’Brien in ‘American Assassin.’ Photo: Lionsgate. (Left) Cory Michael Smith in ‘Gotham.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Television.
Preview:
Jason Reitman is making a movie about ‘SNL’s origins.
Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and Cory Michael Smith are among the latest additions.
The actors will play ‘SNL’ comedy legends such as Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase.
While Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan have largely focused their energies on creating new ‘Ghostbusters’ movies (their latest, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, hits theaters in March), they’ve also quietly been at work on writing a new movie that will look at the fraught first night broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live’.
With Kenan having taken directorial duties on ‘Frozen Empire’, that has freed Reitman up to develop and prepare to direct ‘SNL 1975’, which is set behind the scenes of the televisual comedy institution.
(L to R) Laraine Newman, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris and Chevy Chase on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Photo: NBC.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. ‘SNL 1975’ is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s SNL. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with all the living cast, writers and crew.
(Left) Gabriel LaBelle in ‘The Fabelmans.’ Photo: Universal Pictures. (Left Center) Kim Matula in ‘Checkin it Twice.’ Photo: Hallmark Channel. (Right Center) Ella Hunt in ‘Anna and the Apocalypse.’ Photo: Vertigo Releasing. (Right) Cooper Hoffman in ‘Licorice Pizza.’ Photo: United Artists Releasing.
There are also those behind the scenes of ‘Saturday Night Live’, with Gabriel LaBelle playing Lorne Michaels, the legendary creator and producer of the show whose eye for talent has led to careers for a host of people, with Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, an ambitious NBC executive who helped shepherd the show to air.
Finally –– at least for now –– is Rachel Sennott, who will be Rosie Shuster, a Canadian comedy writer and actor who was married to Michaels at the time and worked on the show.
When will ‘SNL 1975’ be in theaters?
Sony is backing the new movie, but the studio has yet to confirm a release date, and Reitman is still in pre-production. ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, meanwhile, will be in theaters on March 22nd.
(L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.
Welcome to Female Filmmakers in Focus, where you will find a recommendation for films directed by women to seek out each week. This week features a couple of films about sugar babies: Emma Seligman’s coming-of-age comedy ‘Shiva Baby’ and Carly Stone’s romantic comedy ‘The New Romantic’. Plus an interview with writer-director Emma Seligman.
What is a sugar baby? Well, essentially a younger, financially in need person enters a dating-like relationship with an older, more financially well-off person for money, gifts, trips, and other material benefits in exchange for their companionship. With the rise of student loan debt, sugaring is a growing phenomenon among students to pay for secondary education.
‘Shiva Baby’ (2020) – Written and Directed by Emma Seligman
Rachel Sennott in ‘Shiva Baby’
Emma Seligman began her work in film as a critic while she was a teenager. She then attended films school at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Her thesis film, the short version of ‘Shiva Baby,’ was a selection of the 2018 SXSW film festival. She developed the short into a feature film, which debuted at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. It also won Best Screenplay at Outfest. She is currently shopping around a queen teen comedy with Rachel Sennott attached, and developing a television show about sugar babies.
‘Shiva Baby’ follows recent college graduate Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a Jewish bisexual who made up her own degree and hasn’t yet figured out what she plans to do with her life. While sitting shiva for a friend of her parents (Fred Melamed and Polly Draper), she runs into her sugar daddy Max (Danny Deferrari), his wife Kim (Dianna Agron), and her ex-high school sweetheart Maya (Molly Gordon). This screwball comedy plot is played like a horror film, highlighting Danielle’s mounting claustrophobia. This tension is aided by Ariel Marx’s plucky violin score and cinematographer Maria Rusche’s masterful close-ups. It’s ramped up further by Seligman’s acute observation of interpersonal relationships as revealed through body language, subtle glances, and the subtext that drips from the character’s innocuous dialogue. ‘Shiva Baby’ distills the anxiety of the post-college life crisis into one delightfully bad day.
‘Shiva Baby’ is out now on VOD.
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Read on for an interview with ‘Shiva Baby’ writer/director Emma Seligman
Moviefone: How did you decide to set a story around sugaring?
Emma Seligman: I thought about the two polar opposite ends of my life being represented. One of them being a child at a family event and the other would be the time I tried sugaring. College is sort of permeated now with hookup culture and not having control, wanting someone to commit who won’t, and feeling really invalidated. No one in my generation knows how to communicate. No one wants to be vulnerable; they want to keep the power and be the one who cares less. I think that a sugar relationship was a good way to give a clear picture of those sexual dynamics over one day.
MF: Can you discuss her casting of Rachel Sennott as Danielle?
ES: She was in a bunch of my friends’ thesis films and I watched some sketches she wrote and acted in. I thought she was really funny. She looked like someone really familiar to me, like someone I would run into at a family event. She was a huge reason why the feature happened in terms of her motivation and commitment to making it happen.
MF: How did you come to cast Fred Melamed and Polly Draper?
ES: I offered the role to Fred because of ‘A Serious Man’ and everything else, and he said yes. My mom was always like “Polly Draper must play me!,” and I was like “It’s not you, but sure.” Polly and Fred were friends from Yale School of Drama, which brought this whole other chemistry and relationship to the parents. Polly improvises a lot; Fred doesn’t improvise. It worked between the two of them because they felt so comfortable with each other.
MF: Can you talk a bit about working with Dianna Agron?
ES: She suggested a couple of things, like when they’re questioning if she’s Jewish or not, how Jewish she is, or her dad being Jewish. Diana as a Jewish person has often had her Jewishness questioned because of her looks and because her mom converted.
MF: Ariel Marx’s score sets a distinct horror movie vibe. How did you two arrive at that?
ES: I wanted to make sure that the score allowed the audience to understand that we should just be with Danielle and her anxiety. Score can lead into drama and the emotions, or it can lean into comedy or romance; I wanted it to lean into just her anxiety. I kept saying the word anxiety, so Ariel sent me a library of violin sounds. I picked my favorite, and she told me that everything I chose put together was a horror score.
MF: Were there visual references you discussed or specific lenses used to achieve Maria Rusche’s claustrophobic cinematography?
ES: I showed her movies that I thought were really claustrophobic and anxiety inducing like ‘Krisha,’ ‘A Woman Under The Influence,’ ‘Opening Night,’ and ‘Black Swan.’ She suggested we should shoot on anamorphic lenses. Basically they curve the frame in a way that sometimes makes it feel like a fun house it’s so clear it’s distorted. The ones that she chose just delicately distort the frame. They make it look like the walls are caving in just slightly, while still being able to see everything in the frame and have everything in focus. Those made a significant difference in achieving that look.
MF: What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
ES: Beyond being entertained in a really dark time, I hope young women feel seen in the contrasting and conflicting pressure put on them. I hope other people understand that it feels like a horror movie sometimes to be a young woman.
‘The New Romantic’ (2018) – Written and Directed by Carly Stone
Jessica Barden in ‘The New Romantic’
Inspired by the work of Nora Ephron, Sofia Coppola, and Joey Soloway (Transparent), writer-director Carly Stone attended the American Film Institute. She worked as a writer on the Canadian sitcom ‘Kim’s Convenience’ before making her directorial debut with ‘The New Romantic’. Shot in just 18 days, the film had its world premiere at the 2018 South by Southwest film festival where she was awarded a Special Jury Recognition for First Feature. Stone is currently in pre-production on an adaptation of Cea Sunrise Person’s memoir ‘North of Normal’ with Margaret Qualley attached to star.
In the ‘The New Romantic’ college student Blake (an irrepressible Jessica Barden) writes a column on dating for the school newspaper called The Hopeless Romantic. That is until it’s cancelled for being “too boring.” Out one night with best friend Nikki (Hayley Law), Blake accidentally swaps her ID with a fellow student Morgan (Camilla Mendes), who she learns is a sugar baby. Jealous of fellow journalist Jacob (Brett Dier), who has entered a contest for gonzo journalism, Blake interviews Morgan and then decides to try sugaring herself. While these new experiences invigorate her column, shenanigans ensue as Blake balances life with her sugar daddy, a wealthy older professor named Ian (Timm Sharp), and her newfound feelings for Jacob. The film’s trio of women each give game performances showing that there are many facets to the female college experience. Mike McLaughlin’s cinematography, a contrast of brightly lit days and neon-filled nights, fits the film perfectly into Gen Z instagram aesthetics. Writer-director Carly Stone uses rom-com tropes to explore the complexities of journalistic ethics, contemporary sexual mores, and the age-old pursuit of accepting one’s true self.
If you’re curious as to what new movie this week might be best for you, Moviefone is here to help you find it and watch it. This week’s selection of movies features freaky ghosts, freaky monsters, and all kinds of grieving. Here are the movies we’re suggesting this week:
Godzilla vs. Kong (In Theaters and on HBO Max)
A scene from ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’
For what feels like ages, fans have been watching Kong and Godzilla’s solo movies and waiting ever-so-patiently for the inevitable matchup. Now, the prehistoric predators are reunited, complete with the Monarch corporation watching their every move. Questions arose in the previous films about whether these big guys were friend or foe of the humans, and as they face off, none of it matters because they’re FIGHTING YOU GUYS FOR REAL OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT?!
Watch It If: You just want to watch an old-fashioned monster slug fest where some people talk occasionally. Also, if you feel comfortable enjoying this in a theater, it is definitely a big screen experience.
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The Unholy (In Theaters)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan in ‘The Unholy’
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (‘The Walking Dead’) is a broke-down journalist who fell from grace for pushing fake news. But wouldn’t ya know, while on assignment to cook up a cheap hacky ghost story, he stumbles on a real one. Alice (played by newcomer Cricket Brown) is a hearing impaired teen living with her priest uncle (William Sadler). She is drawn to the twisted, lone tree on their property and claims to have heard the voice of The Virgin Mary. She begins healing Mary’s believers…but the question remains, who are they really praying to?
Watch It If: You need some Morgan without Lucille, his ‘Walking Dead’ barbwire bat, and if you want to see Cary Elwes in priest robes. Which, trust me, you totally do.
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Concrete Cowboy (Netflix)
Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in ‘Concrete Cowboy’
In Philadelphia, there is an organization called The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club that invites young people in the neighborhood to care for horses and learn responsibility and harmony with nature. In this drama, Harp (Idris Elba) is one of the adults doing great things in the neighborhood with the organization, but clashing with his own son Cole (Caleb McLaughlin of ‘Stranger Things’). Will the two men learn the same kind of harmony with each other?
Watch It If: You’d like to learn more about an amazing real-life organization you’ve never heard of (but should), and if father-son dramas get you right in the chest.
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Shiva Baby (In select theaters and VOD)
Rachel Sennott in ‘Shiva Baby’
Rachel Sennott plays Danielle, a complicated modern young woman. When she attends a Jewish funeral with her parents, she runs into not only her sugar daddy, but also her gorgeous Barbie doll-esque ex-girlfriend. It seems as though with each conversation, the situation gets deliciously more complicated and hilarious. You know, on top of the mourning.
Watch It If: You’ve ever felt trapped at a family function, desperately wanting to pay your respects and leave with a couple of hors d’oeuvres in your pocket.
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This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (VOD)
Mary Twala in ‘This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection’
Lesotho, a South African country, declared independence 55 years ago and presented this film as its first-ever Oscar entry this year. It features an 80-year-old widow named Mantoa (Mary Twala, in her last film before her death) whose village is being resettled by the government, so they can flood the land and bring water to the landlocked nation. In a series of vivid images showing both Mantoa’s real life and her dreams, the film shares a mother’s rage and pain over the death of her son, and how far she will go to be buried with her family. As she feels ready to shuffle off this mortal coil, she has nothing left to lose.
Watch It If: You’re hungry for gorgeous cinematography and rich colors, as well as a performance from an actor you’re sure to remember for a long time coming.
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