RECENT POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE
FREE SOLO
Still, the filmmakers remind us that free soloists do, eventually, tend to die doing what they love, so let's hope there's no tragic sequel.
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS Trailer: Margaret Qualley & Geraldine Viswanathan Star in Ethan Coen’s First Solo Venture
Just a few years ago, Joel Coen showed us how capable he is as a solo director with his masterful The Tragedy of Macbeth. Now his brother Ethan gets that…
TOM PETTY, SOMEWHERE YOU FEEL FREE
(The 2021 SXSW Film Festival kicks off March 16 and runs through the 18th, all online. Hammer to Nail has tons of coverage coming your way so stay tuned! Like what you see…
A Conversation With Eddie Rosenstein (FREEDOM TO MARRY)
I spoke by phone with filmmaker Eddie Rosenstein on Thursday, May 25, 2017, about the making of his latest documentary, The Freedom to Marry (which I reviewed, as well, at…
FREEDOM TO MARRY
Let's hope we soon return to an America of hope and progress.
THE DEEPEST BREATH
(Check out Chris Reed’s movie review of The Deepest Breath which hits Netflix Wednesday, July 19. Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.) It’s hard to know what…
WILD LIFE
Check out Matt Delman’s movie review of Wild Life which hits select theaters Friday, April 14 before streaming on Disney+ in May.Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our…
THE RESCUE
(Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s The Rescue won the 2021 People’s Choice Award for Documentary at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. It’s in theaters now via National Geographic…
BOMBARDIER BLOOD
(Director Patrick James Lynch’s new documentary Bombardier Blood is available now on all VOD platforms. Like what you see here on Hammer to Nail? Why not give just $1.00 per month via…
#OSCARS SO RIGHT: WHY “BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE” IS THE PRIZE TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Recently, Vanity Fair ran a piece declaring the Best Documentary Feature category of the Academy Awards a “haven for female filmmakers.” Indeed it’s true that, as the article stated, just…
DIRTBAG: THE LEGEND OF FRED BECKEY
Part of what makes Dirtbag such an appealing profile is the director's willingness to allow Beckey to come through in all his deeply flawed humanity.
Chris Reed’s Top Films of 2018
(‘Tis the season for end of year lists and Hammer to Nail has you covered! Enjoy Chris Reed’s favorite films of 2018 below and stay tuned for Editor Don R.…
Matt Delman’s Top 10’s of 2018
(‘Tis the season for end of year lists and Hammer to Nail has you covered! Enjoy Matt Delman’s favorite films of 2018 below and stay tuned for Lead Critic Chris…
2023 NYFF CURRENTS LINEUP: New Works From First-Time & Veteran Filmmakers To Make Their U.S. Premieres
As we are getting closer to the month of September, the NYFF lineup is getting bigger and bigger. The festival has just announced this year’s lineup for its Currents section,…
SUNDANCE 2023 LINEUP: New Films From Nicole Holofcener, Brandon Cronenberg, & More Premiering at Park City
The Sundance Institute has just announced the lineup for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, which is making its in-person return to Park City, Utah. The section for this year includes…
STARS AT NOON
(Check out Jack Schenker’s movie review of Stars at Noon the latest from Claire Denis. The film is in select theaters now as well as on VOD. Seen it? Join the…
DOC NYC Announces 2022 Lineup
America’s largest documentary festival is coming back to New York! DOC NYC has announced its lineup for its thirteenth edition. Over 200 films will screen from almost two dozen sections.…
Tribeca Film Festival 2022 Lineup: World Premieres & Festival Faves
The Tribeca Film Festival just announced its lineup of narrative, documentary, & animated features/shorts for the 2022 edition. This year’s festival will run from June 8-19, and will open with…
FULL FRAME TURNS 25
The 2022 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina, kicks off April 7 with 37 titles from 18 countries and celebrating a solid 25th lineup. Deciding to remain…
MAMA BEARS
(The 2022 SXSW Film Festival ran March 11-20 in glorious Austin, Texas. Check out Chris Reed’s movie review of Mama Bears. Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.) I can’t…
A Conversation with Josh Ruben (WEREWOLVES WITHIN)
In his sophomore feature, Werewolves Within (which I reviewed out of the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival), actor-turned-director Josh Ruben (Scare Me) creates a dizzy whodunit loosely based on the Ubisoft…
A Conversation with Alexandre Moratto (7 PRISONERS)
I recently watched 7 Prisoners (which I also reviewed), slated for a November 11 release on Netflix, at the 2021 Middleburg Film Festival, where I also had a chance to…
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(Todd Haynes turns his lens towards the indelible Velvet Underground in the doc, The Velvet Underground which is in theaters as well as streaming today on Apple TV. Like what you…
THE WOMAN WHO RAN
(The 24th feature from Hong Sangsoo, The Woman Who Ran, is now playing in select theaters. Like what you see here on Hammer to Nail? Why not pay just $1.00 per…
WOJNAROWICZ
(Director Chris McKim’s fascinating documentary Wojnarowicz is available now on VOD via Kino Marquee. Like what you see here on Hammer to Nail? Why not give just $1.00 per month via Patreon to help…
SAME BOAT
(Same Boat, Chris Roberti’s low-budget, DIY, sci-fi time travel movie shot aboard a cruise ship is available now on VOD. Like what you see here on Hammer to Nail? Why…
A Conversation with Rodney Evans (VISION PORTRAITS)
Just before the start of the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, I interviewed director Rodney Evans to discuss his new documentary Vision Portraits (which I also reviewed), which profiles four artists…
Nick Toti’s “Digital Gods”- Season Two, Transmission Three
(After an intriguing deep dive into the experimental works of fringe filmmaker O.B. De Alessi, our Nick Toti got to have this exciting chat with her…) Hammer to Nail: Your creative work…
FILMWORKER
It's a fascinating exploration of art, megalomania, servitude and service that is always deeply profound and moving.
Jessica Baxter Recaps the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival
Every April, talented filmmakers from around the world coalesce in the City by the Bay for the San Francisco International Film Festival. Now in its 61st year, SFIFF is the…
ON THE FRINGE, PART EIGHT: WENDY AND LUCY (2008)
There is an astonishing, heart-rending scene toward the middle of Kelly Reichardt’s pitch-perfect, Wendy and Lucy, an ascetic touching-without-being-cloying chronicle of a nomadic young girl (Michelle Williams), her dog Lucy and her broken-down…
Paul Sbrizzi’s 2018 Slamdance Preview
The Slamdance Film Festival returns for its 24th edition in Park City, January 19 through 25. Here are a few of the many fascinating offerings screening at the Treasure Mountain Inn.…
INFINITY BABY
For the uninitiated, Byington’s films are best describes as Twilight Zone Todd Solondz with jokes.
THE CURBSIDE CRITERION: HEART OF A DOG
A metaphysical meditation on just about everything, albeit as filtered through the details of Anderson's own life, Heart of a Dog is a mesmerizing audio-visual tone poem, alternatingly bracing and…
THE 2015 HAMMER TO NAIL AWARDS
Introduction Greetings HtN readers, this is Don Lewis, Editor of the site and I wanted to welcome you to the 2015 Hammer to Nail Awards. Next month marks my official…
TREEFORT FILM FEST ’14: WRAP-UP
Elsewhere in Idaho, Treefort Film Fest serves as a perfect counterpoint to the previous week’s Sun Valley Film Festival. Younger, edgier, and at a much lower altitude, Treefort’s film component…
A Conversation With Eliza Hittman (IT FELT LIKE LOVE)
(It Felt Like Love is now available on home video through Lorber Films: DVD, Amazon Instant, iTunes. It world premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was distributed theatrically…
Must-Sees At The 2013 New York Film Festival
***THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK HERE DAILY!*** This year, we have four cine-soldiers on the ground…
NEW DIRECTORS/NEW FILMS 2013 — HTN PICKS!
Another edition of New Directors/New Films has arrived, you lucky New York Cityers, which means the time has come once again to lace up your comfiest walking shoes and jet…
SUNDANCE ’12: Filmmaker/Industry Reflections (Pt. 1)
Last year, we came up with the idea for this personal post-Sundance yearbook of sorts. For whatever reason, we didn’t receive nearly as many replies as in ’11—I feel like…
HEAVY GIRLS (DICKE MÄDCHEN)
Consistently surprising, full of strange twists and odd behavior, but always true to life, Heavy Girls demonstrates with extravagant imagination and clarity of vision how there’s nowt so queer as…
Must-Sees At The 2011 New York Film Festival
***NOTE: THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK HERE DAILY!*** As usual, no contextual introduction is necessary. It’s…
MEEK’S CUTOFF
Though term papers could—and hopefully will—be written about how Reichardt revises and revitalizes the traditional Western in her most ambitious production yet, I worry that this type of treatment will…
Tully’s TIFF ‘09 Wrap-Up
Not that I doubted my trusted sources (aka, anyone who’s ever been to it), but now that I’ve experienced the Toronto International Film Festival for myself, I can confirm that…
CHOP SHOP
(In conjunction with the upcoming theatrical release of Goodbye Solo, MoMA has selected Ramin Bahrani for their “Filmmaker in Focus” program, running Wednesday, March 4th, through Saturday, March 7th. Or…
YOUTUBE SCREENING ROOM
I like to watch movies in a theater, on a big screen. At worst, I like to watch them on television, on a smaller screen. When it comes to online…
MUSICIAN
(Buy Musician at Amazon. Visit the WORK series website to see the film’s trailer.) It’s hard enough getting by as a full-time musician in any genre these days, but try…