Bill Murray recently spoke with Vulture.com and had this to say about his much talked about cameo in the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot:

I thought about it for a very long time,” he said. “Like, many, many months. No, that’s not right. I was seriously thinking about this for years, really … It kept eating at me, and I really respect those girls. And then I started to feel like if I didn’t do this movie, maybe somebody would write a bad review or something, thinking there was some sort of disapproval [on my part].”


He added,

“They have such a jolly group, and they are going to have great success with this project. I didn’t want to overshadow [them] or anything, and I feel really good about it.”


Rumors point to Murray portraying a new character, he will not be reprising his iconic role as Dr. Peter Venkman.


Ghostbusters opens July 15th 2016

We are excited to be partering with The Milwaukee Short Film Festival to give away tickets.  This year the festival is on September 11th and 12th and tickets are $10 for each program and can be bought here.  Check out our questions with Ross Bigley the runner of the festival here. 
If you want to win some free tickets to the program of your choice enter our raffle below.  Hope to see you there.  

Shocking news for horror fans and, us at Milwaukee Movie Talk. Legendary director Wes Craven has passed away at the age of 76. Craven passed away this morning in Los Angeles after a battle with brain cancer. Best known for creating "A Nightmare On Elm Street", Craven was one of the founding fathers of the slasher genre. He would go on to reinvent the genre with the "Scream" series.

One of the most exciting parts of the Milwaukee Film Festival is seeing all the great local talent there is. This year the film fest got 177 submissions  of local films showing that Milwaukee maybe small but it is a thriving film community. One of the highlights this year is 30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle about the homeless in Milwaukee. This movie feels timely and eye opening. 
Also must sees are the 2 Milwaukee shows that show off the short films of the many talented filmmakers in Milwaukee. 
New this year is a Music Video section that highlights some the great music and video directors in the area. 

Check out the full list below. 

Recently at Horrorhound, Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk said they have been approached for a sequel to the campy cult hit Tucker And Dale Vs. Evil. The film is "pretty damned close to being greenlit' according to the actors.  They both admitted they never thought a sequel would happen but, are up for reprising their roles as the misunderstood duo.
Adding to the news, Labine said “We’ll never make a shi£@y sequel.” Sounds good, indeed.

Not every movie has to be long. Sometimes you just need 5 or 10 minutes to tell a story. And if you can tell a compelling story in a short amount of time then you deserve to be celebrated. 

This year the film festival has shorts about sports, midnight shorts, and my personal favorite documentary shorts. 

Take a look at them you never know if your future favorite director will be getting his start with one of these shorts. 




Categories and titles are below

Shorts: The Best Damn F*#@ing Midnight Program Ever. Sh*t.

Not for the faint of heart (or those who aren't willing to equip themselves with adult diapers) comes this series of brain-f^#@ingly psychedelic, pants-sh*ttingly insane shorts — replete with bloody stumps, psycho ghosts, and plotlines that make Donnie Darko look like Bambi. Only those looking for a temporary respite from political correctness and polite society need apply.

ANAL JUKE -anal juice- (Ketsujiru Juke) (Japan / 2013 / Director: Sawako Kabuki)

The Black Bear (L'ours noir) (France, Belgium / 2015 / Directors: Méryl Fortunat-Rossi, Xavier Séron)

DRIVING (USA / 2014 / Director: Nate Theis)

Limbo Limbo Travel (France / 2014 / Directors: Zsuzsanna Kreif, Borbála Zétényi)

Polaroid (Norway / 2015 / Director: Lars Klevberg)

Primrose Lane (USA / 2014 / Director: Nick Phillips)

Kajutaijuq: The Spirit That Comes  (Canada / 2015 / Director: Scott Brachmayer)

teeth (United Kingdom, Hungary, USA / 2015 / Directors: Tom Brown, Daniel Gray)

Zepo (Spain / 2014 / Director: Cesar Diaz Melendez)



Shorts: Date Night

You should be sure to swipe right on this fun, fluffy, and relatable collection of love in all of its messy glory. We celebrate heart-pounding puppy love, sobbing-in-the-shower breakups, and all the love emojis in between. Be it young love, old love, new love, or no love at all, these relatable bite-sized bits are sure to do a number on your heartstrings.

Digits (USA / 2015 / Director: Alexander Engel)

Forever Over (Germany / 2014 / Director: Erik Schmitt)

In the Clouds (En las Nubes) (Argentina / 2014 / Director: Marcelo Mitnik)

One-Minute Time Machine (USA, United Kingdom / 2014 / Director: Devon Avery)

Say Nothing (No Digas Nada) (Spain / 2014 / Director: Silvia Abascal)

We’ll Find Something (USA / 2015 / Director: Casey Gooden)

Who's Up? (Qui de Nous Deux?) (France / 2014 / Director: Benjamin Bouhana)



Shorts: Let’s Get Animated

This diverse, unexpected, and beautiful grouping of animated offerings presents an ever-shifting series of stories where anything can and will happen. Ranging from silly and absurd to heartfelt and personal, each short is perfectly matched with its technique, form, and function in animated harmony. The wide variety is sure to provoke post-screening conversations in the lobby.

Automatic Fitness (Germany / 2015 / Directors: Alberto Couceiro, Alejandra Tomei)

Beach Flag (Vosta) (France / 2014 / Director: Sarah Saidani)

Edmond (United Kingdom / 2015 / Director: Nina Gantz)

The Five Minute Museum (Switzerland / 2015 / Director: Paul Bush)

Light Motif (France, United Kingdom / 2014 / Director: Frédéric Bonpapa)

Queen Bum (Königin Po) (Switzerland / 2015 / Director: Maja Gehrig)

Storm Hits Jacket (Tempête sur anorak) (France / 2014 / Director: Paul E. Cabon)

We Can't Live Without Cosmos (Russia / 2014 / Director: Konstantin Bronzit)



Shorts: Modern Families

All the love and drama one can expect from everyday life surrounded by family is on display here — a daughter becomes a woman, a son becomes a man in the absence of his incarcerated father, a husband seeks to reconnect with his wife after the birth of their child, and a mother relies on the kindness of strangers to be there for her family.

De Smet (Belgium, Netherlands / 2014 / Directors: Thomas Baerten, Wim Geudens)

The Emperor (Der Kaiser) (Netherlands / 2014 / Director: Eché Janga)

Gloria (Mexico / 2014 / Director: Luis Hernández de la Peña)

Grounded (Au sol) (France / 2014 / Director: Alexis Michalik)

Personal Development (Ireland / 2014 / Director: Tom Sullivan)

SexLife (United Kingdom / 2014 / Director: Stefan Georgiou)



Shorts: Out of This World

Do you prefer your shorts a little askew? Perfect for those looking to have the rug pulled out from under them, these effects-filled tales of the fantastical are tailored to your sensibilities. Just remember to keep a close eye on your clone, don't get overly attached to that imaginary friend, and watch out for the end of days, because it's nearly here and it's going to look amazing.

Actor Seeks Role (USA / 2015 / Director: Michael Tyburski)

Francis (USA / 2014 / Director: Richard Hickey)

The No Look Dunk (USA / 2014 / Director: Dan Samiljan)

So You've Grown Attached (USA / 2014 / Director: Kate Tsang)

Sundays (Mexico, Netherlands / 2015 / Director: Mischa Rozema)

Zelos (USA / 2015 / Director: Thoranna Sigurdardottir)

Zero M2 (France / 2015 / Director: Matthieu Landour)



Shorts: Sports Shorts. Shorts about Sports.

Whether you're a lifelong sports fanatic or you think a goalie can dunk a touchdown, these stories are for you. They all deal with some manner of underdog, and the humanity of these subjects shines through and leaves you rooting for their success. These populist parables of perseverance, as people push the limits of what’s possible, will leave you grinning ear to ear (and doing the wave).

The Bad Boy of Bowling (USA / 2015 / Director: Bryan Storkel)

Boxeadora (USA, Cuba / 2014 / Director: Meg Smaker)

The Edge of Impossible (USA / 2014 / Director: Conor Toumarkine)

Every Day (USA / 2014 / Director: Gabe Spitzer)

Giovanni and the Water Ballet (Netherlands / 2014 / Director: Astrid Bussink)

Run Fast (USA, Kenya / 2014 / Director: Anna Musso)



Shorts: Stories We Tell

Everybody's got a story to tell — personal, provocative, funny, sad, or heartfelt, this program's got ’em all. Between a love affair with a dolphin, a fateful camping trip that would irrevocably change the lives of many, and a family photo years in the making, this smattering of tales both true and fictional is sure to leave you satisfied.

{THE AND} Marcela & Rock (USA / 2014 / Director: Topaz Adizes)

Copycat (United Kingdom / 2015 / Director: Charlie Lyne)

Dolphin Lover (USA / 2015 / Director: Kareem Tabsch)

In the Hollow (USA / 2015 / Director: Austin Bunn)

The Little Deputy (Canada / 2015 / Director: Trevor Anderson)

Mother's Song (USA / 2015 / Director: Matty Brown)

My Beefs with Taco Bell (USA / 2015 / Director: Connor Kerrigan)

Two Dosas (United Kingdom / 2014 / Director: Sarmad Masud)

Walls (Spain / 2014 / Director: Miguel López Beraza)



Shorts: Stranger Than Fiction

These extraordinary and unusual shorts beggar belief, but unbelievable as they may seem, they’re all true. Be it the story of an infamous murder house, a team risking life and limb to stop the spread of Ebola, or a boxing champion turned taxi driver, these documentaries prove true life can be as fascinating, sobering, and heartfelt as the finest of fictions.

Body Team 12 (USA / 2015 / Director: David Darg)

The Champion (USA / 2014 / Directors: Brett Garamella, Patrick McGowan)

The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul (Australia / 2014 / Director: Kitty Green)

The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano (USA / 2015 / Director: Joshua Seftel)

The House is Innocent (USA / 2015 / Director: Nicholas Coles)

Spearhunter (USA / 2015 / Directors: Adam Roffman, Luke Poling)


Eat Sleep Die (Äta sova dö)

(Sweden / 2012 / Director: Gabriela Pichler)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWoacp0nAnI

When no-nonsense, 20-something, Balkan immigrant Raša finds herself relieved of her position as a factory worker, she's thrust into the miasma of Sweden's unemployment program for immigrants, a job hunt mired in bureaucracy where numerous candidates fight over limited opportunities, all the while resolute in her attempts to find gainful employment in order to care for her ailing father. Winner of the audience award at the Venice Film Festival, Eat Sleep Die is a stunning debut from director Gabriela Pichler, a naturalistic rallying cry for low-wage workers anchored by a magnetic performance from newcomer Nermina Lukač.

Ego

(Sweden / 2013 / Director: Lisa James Larsson)

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/57213195

Superficial young Sebastian is an aspiring musician who spends his nights partying and engaging in unfulfilling one-night stands. As he is on the verge of achieving his dreams of a recording contract, a freak accident leaves him blinded and lashing out at the world. With Sebastian unable to cope with this new reality, his parents hire young caretaker Mia to save him from himself — and with her help, he begins to see the world in a new light. But when an opportunity to regain his sight through surgery is proposed, Sebastian must learn to see past appearances and look within in this winning Swedish romantic comedy.

Hallåhallå

(Sweden / 2014 / Director: Maria Blom)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFmv1Zfs5A

A middle-aged recent divorcée finds the impetus to break free from her old habits in this warmhearted Swedish comedy, winner of multiple film festival audience awards. Left by her husband for a younger woman and disrespected in her position as a hospital worker, Disa needs assistance to remove herself from a midlife rut. Luckily for her, the universe provides: be it a martial arts self-defense course to properly channel her anger, a divorced father of seven who awakens romantic possibilities, or a troublesome elderly patient who just might be the key to starting a new life altogether!

Hotell

(Sweden, Denmark / 2013 / Director: Lisa Langseth)

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/71813488

When traditional means aren't doing the trick for a therapy group in search of emotional breakthroughs, they check into a hotel using alternate personas in an attempt to step outside themselves for a short time in this endearing oddity. Be it Type A interior designer Erika (the amazing Alicia Vikander), unable to cope with a rough pregnancy, terminally shy Ann-Sofie, or the Oedipally inclined Rikard, they all take this opportunity to wrestle with their demons (even engaging in Mayan torture rituals!). Beautifully performed by its ensemble cast with a tone perfectly calibrated between humor and drama, the film makes sure you won't regret your stay in Hotell.

My Skinny Sister (Min lilla syster)

(Sweden, Germany / 2015 / Director: Susanna Lenken)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh0tbzLia_8

Sisters Katja and Stella couldn't be more different, with Katja (Swedish pop star Amy Deasismont) a slender, confident figure-skating obsessive and Stella (newcomer Rebecka Josephson, a magnetic young talent you won't soon forget) self-conscious of her body and treated as something of an ugly duckling in her dysfunctional family. But when Stella discovers Katja's slim frame is the result of her battle with anorexia, their sisterly dynamic is upended. Winner of multiple festival awards, My Skinny Sister captures its coming-of-age drama with compassion and insight (no surprise, given director Susanna Lenken based this story on her own childhood).

A Separation (Att skiljas)

(Sweden / 2013 / Director: Karin Ekberg)

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/84576099

In this tragicomic documentary that captures the very moments at which a family dissolves, filmmaker Karin Ekberg films her parents as they go about the messy business of finalizing their divorce — packing up and dividing their property, a process that dredges up old memories and new emotions in both mother and father. Unsentimental, unsparing, and rigorously honest, A Separation shows the very different ways Mr. and Mrs. Ekberg are looking to move on after 38 years of marriage — her mother seeing an exciting opportunity for change and growth while her father clings desperately to a happiness that has long since passed.

The Seventh Seal

(Sweden / 1957 / Director: Ingmar Bergman)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djSbNzZGV6Y

Behold on the big screen in 35mm the most iconic work in Ingmar Bergman's career, with its breathtaking black-and-white imagery that changed movies forever and proved the pure power that cinema as a medium could possess. Max von Sydow's knight returns home from the Crusades wrestling with a crisis of faith, only to find Death itself in his plague-ravaged homeland, waiting to play the most high-stakes game of chess one can imagine. This "radical work of art reaches back to scripture, to Cervantes, and to Shakespeare to create a new dramatic idiom of its own" (The Guardian).

Stockholm Stories (Gondolen)

(Sweden / 2013 / Director: Karin Fahlén)

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/84946116

The Swedish answer to Love Actually, Stockholm Stories follows five interlocking stories (including a precocious yet untalented young writer, a friendless advertising genius, a tight-lipped workaholic, a shy upper-class boy harboring a secret, and a recently dumped young woman) as they weave in and out of each other's lives over the course of a few rainy days in November, learning lessons about love along the way. A clever screenplay and delicately wry ensemble cast help bring this story to life, a story of journeying through the dark in order to live in the light.





I'm not going to lie the Cinema Hooligante program at the Milwaukee Film Fest is one I look forward too every year.  Cinema Hooligante is the place to see your typical midnight movies.  There are horror movies, black comedies, and things that probably shouldn't see the light of day.  This year we got a horror/musical in Bang Bang Baby, a collection of Edgar Allen Poe stories in Extraordinary Tales, and a Sundance Favorite in Turbo Kid.  There are other great sounding horror films from around the world like Nina Forever that has been described as a gory horror-comedy-romance about the ghost of an ex-girlfriend that shows up at inconvenient times to wreak havoc on her ex's sex life.  They Have Escaped  is about two teenagers who embark on a nightmarish drug journey.    White God about a pack of dogs that plan to take revenge on their owners. Add to that two classic horror films Jaws and The Shining and you got one great line up. 

Check out the descriptions with links to the trailers from the official press release below.  

Slowly but surely we are finding out more films that will be playing at the Milwaukee Film Festival. 
This morning we have the Art + Artists program announcement.  It's an interesting mix of topics from stand up comedians, controversial artists, experimental film, and cartoons.  
New this year is a showcase of a single media artist.  Jesse McLean will be on hand to show off her program Mediated Realities: Videos by Jesse McLean.  Her latest film I'm in Pittsburgh and It's Raining won first prize at the Onion City Experimental Film & Video Festival
Two of the highlights are the documentary by Bobcat Goldthwait Call Me Lucky about stand up comedian Barry Crimmins and the U.S. Premiere of Nicola Costantino: The Artefacta about controversial artist Nicola Costantino that includes turning her liposuctioned fat into bars of soap. 

Full list with descriptions and links to the trailer from the Official Press Release is below.