Christmas, Again | |
---|---|
Directed by | Charles Poekel |
Written by | Charles Poekel |
Produced by | Charles Poekel |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Sean Price Williams |
Edited by | Robert Greene |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
Language | English |
Christmas, Again is a 2014 drama film written, directed, and produced by Charles Poekel. The film features Kentucker Audley in the lead role as a Christmas-tree salesman returning to New York City. The film had its premiere at the 2014 Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland and also screened at 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the United States.
Noel, a heartbroken Christmas-tree salesman, returns to New York City hoping to put his past behind him. Living in a trailer and working the night shift, he begins to spiral downwards until the saving of a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction.
Writer-director Charles Poekel was himself a Christmas tree salesman and used his earnings to finance the film. [2] The film was shot in 16 mm. [3]
Based on 20 critics' reviews, Christmas, Again has a 100% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. [4]
Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com gave the film 3 and 1/2 stars out of 4 and said "the most striking thing about it is its evocation of an extremely specific mood. Once we settle into it, and it happens early, everything else becomes possible." [5] Alonso Duralde of TheWrap noted, "Delicate and restrained, the film offers the messages of redemption and renewal we so often crave from a Christmas movie without wrapping its themes and characters in tinsel." [6]
The film has been nominated for several independent film awards including the John Cassavetes Award at the 2016 Independent Spirit Awards. [7]
Santa Claus: The Movie is a 1985 British-American Christmas film starring Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, and David Huddleston. It depicts the origin of Santa Claus, and his modern-day adventure to save one of his elves (Moore) who has been manipulated by an unscrupulous toy company executive (Lithgow). It was directed by Jeannot Szwarc and was the last major fantasy film produced by the Paris-based father-and-son production team of Alexander and Ilya Salkind.
A Sunday in the Country is a 1984 French drama film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Bertrand Tavernier, based on Pierre Bost's 1945 novel Monsieur Ladmiral va bientôt mourir. The film stars Louis Ducreux, Michel Aumont, Sabine Azéma, Geneviève Mnich, and Monique Chaumette. It explores family dynamics in a clan on the eve of World War I.
Alonso Duralde is an American film critic, author, and podcaster. He has been a writer and editor for The Film Verdict, The Wrap, The Advocate and MSNBC.com.
Deck the Halls is a 2006 American Christmas comedy film directed by John Whitesell, written by Matt Corman, Chris Ord, and Don Rhymer, and starring Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis, and Kristin Chenoweth. The film was released on November 22, 2006, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on DVD on November 6, 2007. It was a critical and commercial failure.
Christmas in the Clouds is a 2001 romantic comedy film about a ski resort owned and operated by a Native American tribe. Featured at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, the film went on to receive Best Competition Feature Film at the Austin Film Festival and Best Native American-Theme Film at the Santa Fe Film Festival. The film was released in theaters and on DVD in 2005.
Jai Stephen Courtney is an Australian actor. Born and raised in Sydney, Courtney started his career as a teenager with small roles in film and television, and studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. After early supporting roles in Hollywood projects, he gained recognition for playing Dauntless leader Eric Coulter in The Divergent Series (2014–2015), Kyle Reese in Terminator Genisys (2015), and supervillain Captain Boomerang in the DC Extended Universe films Suicide Squad (2016), The Suicide Squad (2021), and The Flash (2023). He received praise for his performance as a corrupt debt collector and the main antagonist in the independent film Buffaloed (2019).
Sun Don't Shine is a 2012 independent thriller film written and directed by Amy Seimetz and starring Kate Lyn Sheil and Kentucker Audley. It first premiered on March 10, 2012 at the South by Southwest Film Festival, where it won a Special Jury Award. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on April 26, 2013, by Factory25.
The Single Moms Club is a 2014 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. The film stars Nia Long, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Zulay Henao, Cocoa Brown, Amy Smart, Terry Crews, and Perry. The film was released on March 14, 2014. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, only grossing $16.4 million against a budget of $8 million.
A Most Violent Year is a 2014 crime drama film written and directed by J. C. Chandor, who also co-produced with Neal Dodson and Anna Gerb. It stars Oscar Isaac as a fuel supplier who tries to adhere to his own moral compass amid the rampant violence, corruption and decay that threaten his family and business. The film also stars Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, and Albert Brooks.
American actor, director, and producer Robert Duvall has had an extensive career in film and television since he first appeared in an episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre in 1959. His television work during the 1960s includes Route 66 (1961), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962), The Twilight Zone (1963), The Outer Limits (1964), The F.B.I. (1965–1969), and The Mod Squad (1969). He was then cast as General Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1979 miniseries Ike. In 1989, he played Augustus "Gus" McCrae alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the epic Western adventure television miniseries Lonesome Dove. The role earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film. Three years later, he portrayed Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader Joseph Stalin in the television film Stalin (1992), which earned him another Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Film.
Captain Fantastic is a 2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matt Ross and starring Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Zahn. The story centers on a family forced by circumstances to reintegrate into society after living in isolation for a decade.
The Perfect Match is a 2016 American romantic comedy film directed by Bille Woodruff. The film was written by Dana Verde, Brandon Broussard and Gary Hardwick and stars Terrence J, Cassie Ventura, Lauren London and Paula Patton. It was released on March 11, 2016.
Daddy's Home 2 is a 2017 American Christmas buddy comedy film directed by Sean Anders and written by Anders and John Morris. A sequel to Daddy's Home (2015), it stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, John Cena, with John Lithgow and Mel Gibson. The plot follows now-reformed fathers Brad and Dusty, now co-parenting Dusty's kids, who have to deal with their own fathers visiting for the holidays.
Austin Found is a 2017 American satirical comedy film directed by Will Raee and starring Linda Cardellini, Skeet Ulrich and Craig Robinson.
We the Animals is a 2018 American coming-of-age drama film, directed by Jeremiah Zagar and written by Zagar and Dan Kitrosser, based on the novel of the same name by Justin Torres. The film marks Zagar's first narrative feature film. The film stars Evan Rosado, Raúl Castillo, Sheila Vand, Isaiah Kristian, and Josiah Gabriel. It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and was released on August 17, 2018, by The Orchard.
Write When You Get Work is a 2018 American comedy drama film written and directed by Stacy Cochran and starring Finn Wittrock, Rachel Keller, Scott Cohen, Jessica Hecht and Emily Mortimer. The film follows Ruth, a South Brooklyn native working at a Manhattan private school for girls, who becomes involved in a plot to help out the daughter of a less privileged family.
Kwik Stop is a 2001 American independent road film written and directed by Michael Gilio. The feature film stars Lara Phillips, opposite Gilio, along with Karin Anglin and Rich Komenich. The film had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival on April 21, 2001.
Mad Women is 2015 American drama film written and directed by Jeff Lipsky and starring Reed Birney.
Treading Water is a 2013 Mexican-Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Analeine Cal y Mayor and starring Douglas Smith and Zoë Kravitz. It is Cal y Mayor's feature directorial debut.
Charles Poekel is an American filmmaker and cinematographer known for his work in independent cinema.