Grow Up, Tony Phillips

Last updated
Grow Up, Tony Phillips
Grow Up, Tony Phillips Movie poster.jpg
Directed by Emily Hagins
Written byEmily Hagins
StarringTrevon D. Anderson, Caleb Barwick, Emmet Barwick
Cinematography Gray Haddock
Edited byShane Gibson, Luke Mullen
Music byChristopher Thomas
Production
company
Arcanum Pictures
Release date
  • October 31, 2013 (2013-10-31)(SXSW) [1]
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Grow Up, Tony Phillips is a 2013 comedy film by American director Emily Hagins and her fourth feature film. It was first released on October 31, 2013 at the South by Southwest film festival and stars Tony Vespe as Tony Phillips, a young teenager's love for Halloween. Unlike her prior feature-length films, Grow Up, Tony Phillips does not feature any supernatural elements seen in past films such as Pathogen or My Sucky Teen Romance . [2]

Contents

Synopsis

Tony (Tony Vespe) is conflicted. He loves Halloween, but this year all of his high school friends have decided that Halloween is too juvenile for him. What is Tony to do when nobody his age really understands what Halloween means to him?

Cast

Production

Funding for Grow Up, Tony Phillips was partially raised through a successful Kickstarter campaign, which raised $75,000. [2] While writing the script, Hagins wanted to focus on the transition between adult and child that occurs with Halloween, which she felt was often overlooked in many films. [3] [4] The script was a departure the genre from her previous films, as the dark tones depressed her and Hagins wanted to "a movie that had no genre at all". [5] In 2012 A. J. Bowen was confirmed to be performing in the film. [6] Filming began in mid-November 2012 in Austin, Texas. [7] Hagins experienced some difficulty with shooting, as some businesses already had Christmas decorations up but decided to work them into the script as a plot point. [7]

Reception

Critical reception for Grow Up, Tony Phillips was mostly positive. [8] Common criticisms revolved around the film's storytelling, as some reviewers such as Film School Rejects felt that there were "some serious story elements that are left dangling in all but the most superficial ways", which interfered with a film that they otherwise enjoyed. [9] Hagins received praise for the film's acting and for what the Daily Texan saw as "genuine truths about how high school can dissolve the most intense friendships". [10] Vox and Twitch Film both gave mostly positive reviews, with Twitch Film praising the movie's cinematography and film score. [11] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trick-or-treating</span> Halloween tradition

Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". The "treat" is some form of confectionery, usually candy/sweets, although in some cultures money is given instead. The "trick" refers to a threat, usually idle, to perform mischief on the resident(s) or their property if no treat is given. Some people signal that they are willing to hand out treats by putting up Halloween decorations outside their doors; houses may also leave their porch lights on as a universal indicator that they have candy; some simply leave treats available on their porches for the children to take freely, on the honor system.

<i>Halloween III: Season of the Witch</i> 1982 film by Tommy Lee Wallace

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a 1982 American science fiction horror film and the third installment in the Halloween film series. It is the first film to be written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the creators of Halloween and Halloween II, return as producers. Halloween III is the only entry in the series that does not feature the series antagonist, Michael Myers. After the film's disappointing reception and box office performance, Michael Myers was brought back six years later in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).

<i>Twitches</i> (film) 2005 television film by Stuart Gillard

Twitches is a 2005 Disney Channel original movie, based on the Twitches book series published by Scholastic Press. Produced by Broomsticks Productions Limited, the film stars Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry as Alexandra Fielding and Camryn Barnes, respectively. A sequel, Twitches Too, aired on October 12, 2007, as a part of Disney Channel's Hauntober Fest.

Grow Up may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Dougherty</span> American director, screenwriter, and producer

Michael Patrick Dougherty is an American writer, director, animator, and producer known for his work in a variety of genre films, both big and small.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Crampton</span> American actress

Barbara Crampton is an American actress and producer. She began her career in the 1980s in television soap operas before starring in horror and thriller films. In 2024, Crampton was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.

<i>Trick r Treat</i> 2007 American film by Michael Dougherty

Trick 'r Treat is a 2007 American anthology horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin and Brian Cox. It relates four Halloween horror stories with a common element in them: Sam, a trick-or-treating demon wearing orange footie pajamas with a burlap sack over his head. The character makes an appearance in each of the stories whenever one of the other characters breaks a Halloween tradition.

<i>The Haunting Hour: Dont Think About It</i> 2007 American film

R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It is a 2007 American children's horror film based on the children's book of the same name by R. L. Stine. The film was directed by Alex Zamm, written by Dan Angel and Billy Brown, and stars Emily Osment, Cody Linley, Brittany Curran, and Tobin Bell. It was released direct-to-DVD. The plot follows a goth girl named Cassie moving into a new town and fascinated by the occult. At a mysterious Halloween store, the store owner insists on selling her an old book. Stuck with her brother Max on Halloween night, she reads the book to him, despite the book's warnings not to read it out loud or think about its monster. After the monster comes to life and captures Max, Cassie, with help from her friend, must save Max and defeat the monster before their parents return from a Halloween party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Hagins</span> American filmmaker

Emily Hagins is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker.

<i>Pathogen</i> (film) 2006 American film

Pathogen is a 2006 zombie horror independent film written, directed, and produced by Emily Hagins, who was twelve at the time of the film's production. The film was released on March 25, 2006, and focuses on several middle school students who discover that an infection is turning people into zombies.

<i>Zombie Girl: The Movie</i> 2009 American film

Zombie Girl: The Movie is a 2009 documentary directed by Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall, and Erik Mauck. The film focuses on the making of the 2006 zombie film Pathogen that was directed by Emily Hagins, who was twelve years-old at the time.

<i>The Lords of Salem</i> (film) 2012 film

The Lords of Salem is a 2012 supernatural horror film written, produced, and directed by Rob Zombie. It stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Ken Foree, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, María Conchita Alonso, Judy Geeson, and Meg Foster. The plot focuses on a troubled female disc jockey in Salem, Massachusetts, whose life becomes entangled with a coven of ancient Satan-worshipping women.

<i>Open Windows</i> (film) 2014 film

Open Windows is a 2014 found footage techno-thriller film directed and written by Nacho Vigalondo. The film stars Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey and Neil Maskell, and had its world premiere at South by Southwest on 10 March 2014. It is Vigalondo's first English-language film.

<i>Little Deaths</i> (film) 2011 British film

Little Deaths is a 2011 British anthology horror film written and directed by Sean Hogan, Andrew Parkinson, and Simon Rumley. The film has three segments: House & Home, Mutant Tool, and Bitch. Each segment is directed by a different author and are unrelated to one another in any way other than sharing a theme of sex and death. Critical reviews for Little Deaths were polarized and the United Kingdom DVD release had to have some portions removed due to their sexually violent content.

<i>Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear</i> 2013 American film

Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear is a 2013 horror anthology film that was directed by Eric England (Taste), Nick Everhart (Smell), Emily Hagins (Touch), Miko Hughes (See), Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton (Listen). The anthology was originally broadcast on the Chiller network on May 31, 2013 and was released onto DVD and Blu-ray on October 22 of the same year.

<i>My Sucky Teen Romance</i> 2011 American film

My Sucky Teen Romance is a 2011 American comedy horror film directed by Emily Hagins and her third feature-length film. It was first released on March 15, 2011, at the South by Southwest film festival and stars Elaine Hurt as a young teenager that falls in love with a teenage vampire at a sci-fi convention. My Sucky Teen Romance was partially funded through Indiegogo.

<i>Tales of Halloween</i> 2015 American film

Tales of Halloween is a 2015 American comedy horror anthology film consisting of ten interlocking segments, each revolving around the holiday indicated by the title. Segments were directed by Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Lucky McKee, Andrew Kasch, Paul Solet, John Skipp, Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Mike Mendez, Ryan Schifrin, and Dave Parker.

<i>Hubie Halloween</i> 2020 American science fiction comedy-horror film

Hubie Halloween is a 2020 American mystery/horror-comedy film directed by Steve Brill, co-written by Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler, and starring an ensemble supporting cast consisting of Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Rob Schneider, June Squibb, Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Buscemi, and Maya Rudolph. The film follows a Halloween-loving delicatessen worker who must save the town of Salem, Massachusetts from a kidnapper as various hijinks occur.

References

  1. "Grow Up, Tony Phillips". SXSW. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 "SXSW: 20-year-old director premieres her fourth (!) feature film". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. "SXSW: 'Grow Up, Tony Phillips' Poster Debuts". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  4. "[SXSW '13 Interview] AJ Bowen On 'You're Next', 'Grow Up, Tony Phillips' And Not "Faking It" Through Horror". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  5. "SXSW Q&A: Emily Hagins and AJ Bowen, director and star of Grow Up, Tony Phillips". Mental Floss. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  6. "AJ Bowen and Barbara Crampton join Halloween comedy, Grow Up, Tony Phillips". JoBlo. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 "SXSW Interview: Emily Hagins on Grow Up, Tony Phillips". Crave Online. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  8. "SXSW 2013: Nordling Is Charmed By GROW UP, TONY PHILLIPS!". AICN. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. Hunter, Rob. "SXSW 2013 Review: 'Grow Up, Tony Phillips' Charms But Can't Avoid Some Growing Pains Along the Way". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  10. Williams, Alex. ""Grow Up Tony Phillips" relays the struggles of high school". Daily Texan Online. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  11. "Citizen Jane film review: Grow Up, Tony Phillips!". Vox magazine. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  12. "SXSW 2013 Review: GROW UP, TONY PHILLIPS is More Wholesome Fun from Hagins". Twitch Film. Retrieved 1 December 2013.