In a movie summer populated by tornados and serial killers, one smart drama for adults from A24 stands out: Director Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing,” which premiered in Toronto last year. Opening July 12, the film stars Colman Domingo as a man incarcerated at the upstate New York correctional facility who leads an acting troupe within its walls.
“Sing Sing,” which will go wide in August after a limited release this weekend, boasts another great Domingo performance after his Oscar-nominated turn in “Rustin.” But it also features an ensemble of newcomers who were formerly incarcerated, including Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin as a self-professed “yard bandit” who tangles with Domingo’s character over a Shakespeare production they’re mounting via the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program.
On the latest episode of “Screen Talk,” Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio discuss why it’s an early awards contender, anchored by a powerful narrative about rehabilitation — and the fact that everyone involved was paid equally and received equal profit-sharing opportunity.
We recorded this week’s episode mere hours after it was announced that Shelley Duvall passed away at age 75 after complications from diabetes. The great eccentric actress peaked in films like “The Shining” and Robert Altman’s “3 Women” and “Popeye,” leaving behind her a number of beloved and iconic performances. Including in “Annie Hall,” briefly, as a space-case rock critic who surely brought the word “transplendent” back into the lexicon.
We also review the latest in the Skydance acquisition of Paramount under David Ellison and what that means for the studio output going forth as it works to integrate a streaming and theatrical hybrid. Anne also catches us up on the best films she saw at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
Watch the full episode above or listen to it below.
Screen Talk is produced by Azwan Badruzaman and available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify, and hosted by Megaphone. Browse previous episodes here, subscribe here, and be sure to let us know if you’d like to hear the hosts address specific issues in upcoming editions of Screen Talk.
