The 22nd annual Hamptons International Film Festival, the East End’s premiere movie celebration, has released its 2014 lineup and we at northforker could not be more excited.
From Oscar frontrunners to gritty indies, the list looks stellar.
The festival will open with “St. Vincent” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9 at Guild Hall in East Hampton and will close with the American premiere of Still Alice at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, at Guild Hall.
“We are really looking forward to opening our 22nd edition with Theodore Melfi’s charming ‘St. Vincent,’ starring Bill Murray in a role he was born to play. Closing our Festival with the US premiere of ‘Still Alice,’ featuring a mesmerizing performance from one of the great actors of our generation, Julianne Moore, is sure to be a moving end to five days of films from around the world,” said HIFF Artistic Director David Nugent.
Individual tickets for screenings go on sale Saturday, Sept. 27. For information on festival passes, visit http://hamptonsfilmfest.org/festival-pass-package-2014/.
Our top five picks are below.
Visit their film guide for the complete listings.
“Birdman” – In an effort to erase the shadow of his biggest on-screen role, the enormously popular Birdman, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) heads to Broadway. He banks his artistic ambitions (and dormant talents) on his upcoming theatrical production of Raymond Carver short stories, but before the footlights shine he must deal with an erratic replacement
10/12 9 p.m. @ Guild Hall
“Foxcatcher” – With the Academy Award®-nominated features “MONEYBALL” and “CAPOTE,” director Bennett Miller turned real-life stories into powerful drama. With “FOXCATCHER,” he delivers his most stunning and deeply unsettling film yet.
BONUS: Mark Ruffalo will attend the Oct. 12 screening and attend a Q & A following the movie.
10/11 9 p.m. @ Guild Hall, 10/12 2:45 p.m. @ Sag Harbor Cinema
“The Imitation Game” – Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a monumental performance as British mathematician Alan Turing in Morten Tyldum’s stirring historical drama. Told via flashback, “THE IMITATION GAME” tracks the young, brilliant, and socially awkward Turing in the early days of World War II as he applies for a top-secret position tasked with decoding the “unbreakable” Nazi cipher machine called Enigma, used to encrypt all military radio transmissions. His work was famously labeled by Winston Churchill as “the greatest single contribution to victory,” but after the war he suffered great personal and professional turmoil as he dealt with his homosexuality in a time when it was illegal.
10/11 2:45 p.m. @ Guild Hall, 10/12 8 p.m. @ Sag Harbor Cinema
“Nightcrawler” – A pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the world of L.A. crime journalism. Joining a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, murders, and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the dangerous realm of nightcrawling—where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
10/10 9:30 p.m. @ Regal East Hampton Cinema
“St. Vincent” – Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year-old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. Together with Daka (Naomi Watts), a pregnant stripper, Vincent brings Oliver along on his daily routine: the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair in Theodore Melfi’s charming comedy.
10/9 7:30 p.m. @ Guild Hall, 10/9 8 p.m. @ Regal East Hampton Cinema