Independent film star Vincent Gallo is debuting his new film, JOHNNY 316 this Friday and Saturday night at the Village East Cinema. Love him or hate him, the enigmatic and offbeat actor can always be counted on to shock and provoke. His new film, as described below, should be no different:

A modernized version of Oscar Wildeâ??s â??Salomeâ?, JOHNNY 316, directed by Erick Ifergan, unfurls in the boulevards of Hollywood, California. Vincent Gallo plays a penniless street preacher who spends his days giving out pamphlets and spreading the word of God. One day, he meets Sarah, played by Nina Brosh, a beautiful bereft hairdresser who lost her job. For Sarah, it is love at first sight. She follows the preacher home and tries to seduce him.

Knowing Gallo, whose controversial role in 2003’s THE BROWN BUNNY shot him to iconic status and tripled his following overnight, JOHNNY 316’s opening will be a downtown event you’ll want to be at.

Check out the exclusive trailer below, and don’t miss the film this weekend – if you’re lucky, Gallo might just show his face.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/Johnny316.mov 320 257]

The Village East Cinema is located at 181 2nd Avenue (@ 12th Street). Midnight engagement – this Friday and Saturday (12/7 & 12/8) only. Visit the official website at www.john316themovie.com.

Legendary actor Jeff Bridges is coming to the Angelika Dallas this Friday to open THE AMATEURS. The film, which also stars Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson and Lauren Graham, is a charming and utterly hilarious adventure that follows a dubious group of small-town men who decide to cure their mid-life crises by creating the worldâ??s most innocent, soft-core pornography.

Bridges will introduce the 5:30 show at the Angelika Plano, and will attend the 7:30 show in Dallas this Friday, 12/7. He’ll also be sticking around for a Q&A with our audience after the film. Don’t miss it!

The Oscars are just around the corner and to get everyone in the mood, the Angelika Plano will be hosting a mini-series of Best Picture winners from the past. But hereâ??s the best part: you choose the films! Here are the rules:

• Voters may vote as many times as they like.
• Voters may vote for up to 3 films at one time.
  
• The poll is active from Dec. 1 through early January.
• Every Thursday weâ??ll eliminate the lowest 5 films and re-post the poll.

Donâ??t be shy. Exercise your right to vote!

[poll=1]

The much anticipated 2008 Sundance Film Festival’s lineup was revealed today. The festival, which will take place in Park City, Utah from January 17-27, will feature 121 films in total, including 81 world premieres, 51 of which come from an impressive group of first-time filmmakers.

For a complete list of films and complete coverage, head over to Variety.

Mark your calendars – our sneak recently caught a screening of Paul Thomas Anderson’s THERE WILL BE BLOOD and came back with much impassioned applause for the stellar adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s novel “Oil!”. See what he had to say below:

The Academy should just send the Oscar for Best Male Performance right now to Daniel Day Lewis for his mesmerizing role in There Will Be Blood. Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s stunning Citizen Kane-like saga of a ruthless oilman in the late 1800’s in a Western United States where entrepreneurs were as dangerous and deadly as any gunslinger. This is truly an American masterpiece.

Look for THERE WILL BE BLOOD @ the Angelika Dallas in early January ’08.

Mr. Turturro completed his rounds at the Angelika Dallas this weekend by hosting a Q&A after his Saturday evening screening of ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES. Enjoy the video below, and don’t forget to scroll down for our exclusive, one-on-one interview!

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/JTQA.mov 320 257]

John was nice enough to take a minute between trying on cowboy hats, making the social rounds in our cafe and watching his film on the big screen to sit down with us for a brief one-on-one interview and a behind-the-scenes look at ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES. Watch the video below.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/JohnTurturro.mov 320 257]

Much to our pleasant surprise, Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo caught a showing of SOUTHLAND TALES this past weekend at the Angelika Dallas and was gracious enough to let us snap his picture. It’s easy on the eyes, so enjoy!

The Angelika Dallas was invaded this past weekend by one Mr. John Turturro, an impressively talented, accomplished writer/director who happens to be opening several movies with us in the near future. Turturro arrived Saturday evening to screen his film, ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES, as part of the USA Film Festival and in anticipation for its opening on 11/30 at the theater.

The film, which he wrote and directed back in 2005, is a totally unique, down and dirty musical-drama-romantic comedy set in a manic working class world. Produced by the Coen brothers, ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES stars an impossibly cool array of actors, including James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Mandy Moore, Bobby Cannavale, Aida Turturro, Mary-Louise Parker, Christopher Walken and Elaine Stritch.

Turturro also has a part in fellow New Yorker Noah Baumbach’s new film, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING, which opened extraordinarily well this past weekend at the Angelika New York. The film, which also stars Nicole Kidman and Jack Black, opens December 7 @ the Angelika Dallas.

Revered New York Times critic Manohla Dargis calls director Richard Kelly’s SOUTHLAND TALES a “funny, audacious, messy and feverishly inspired look at America and its discontents”, and proclaims that the film “has more ideas, visual and intellectual, in a single scene than most American independent films have in their entirety…”.

Dargis is not one to dish out such high praise on a regular basis, so it goes without saying that SOUTHLAND TALES is not to be missed! The film is playing now @ the Angelika New York and opens this Friday, 11/16 @ the Angelika Dallas. Click here to read the full review,
and check out the trailer below.