Ever since landing the lead role as Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks over ten years ago, Linda Cardellini has had her own cult following. But in the time between the 36-year-old actress has taken on a series of captivating roles in both television or film, working on everything from big-budget Hollywood pictures to praised indie dramas. It’s her latest role in Return that may just be her most dynamic performance yet. Cardellini plays Kelli, a solider returning home to her husband and children and struggling to adjust back into her daily home life. Cardellini and first time director Liz Johnson worked closely together to make a passionate and stirring film that sheds light on a relevant and poignant issue that seems neglected in today’s cinematic portrayals of soldiers. Rather than push any sort of political agenda or throw a message down your throat, the film unfolds as a story about a woman trying live through her disassociation with the world she once called home. The film was released this past Friday in New York and L.A. but will be available for all audiences through Video On Demand February 28th. We chatted with Cardellini to discuss her decision to take on the role, recognizing the distance between herself and her character, and working with actor Michael Shannon.

Fresh off winning the Stargazer Award from the New York GenArt Film Festival, Rachel Boston is someone to watch out for in 2012. Hailing from Tennessee, the 29-year-old actress is as talented as she is charming. With a myriad film and television roles under her belt, Rachel is making a name or herself as one of the best new stars in Hollywood. Her latest film, The Pill, an independent romantic comedy currently in theaters and available On Demand and Video on Demand starting February 28th, tells the story of two young people living in New York and dealing with the ramifications of casual dating. It's a refreshingly funny and honest portrait of life. In addition to her work in film, Boston joined the cast in In Plain Sight for it’s fourth season in the role of Detective Abigail Chaffee. We caught up with the star on the rise to chat about what attracted her to The Pill, her favorite roles, and working in independent film.

Billed as an “explosive Mexican thriller,” Gerardo Naranjo’s Miss Bala feels more like a simmering pot of anxiety. Inspired by the true story of Laura Zuniga, a Mexican beauty queen arrested in 2008, the film follows an innocent young woman who, upon witnessing a murder, is abducted by a gang and forced to smuggle drugs across the U.S. border. As Laura, Stephanie Sigman delivers a standout performance in a film that offers a fresh take on an issue so often tackled in film. The 23-year-old actress may not yet be known in the States, but her haunting performance is sure to resonate with audiences of all cultures. We caught up with Sigman to talk about the personal and political ramifications of the film.

With music that’s as haunting and heartbreaking as it is playfully sinister, Chicago-based musician Daniel Knox’s music has a rare but addictive sound. As a misanthropic cinephile, Knox recently took a break from his job as a projectionist at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre to collaborate with photographer and dear friend John Atwood on a piece that premiered last night at 92YTribeca: “Daniel Knox: John Atwood Black & Whites.” After applying at the very last moment, Knox was accepted as an artist in residency at the esteemed Watermill Center where he created a long-form composition based on Atwood’s photographs depicting their mutual hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The result is an evocative and stirring experience that brings together sight and sound and creates an emotional landscape for Atwood’s photographs in a unique way. Last night, the piece was performed live with a full band, elevating their collaboration to a new level. We caught up with John before the show to chat about his inspiration for the exhibit, having dinner with David Lynch, and inheriting a desolate Springfield.

Director Joe Carnahan takes on masculinity, spirituality, and survival in his new action film 'The Grey.'

Director Mike Cahill talks about his cerebral sci-fi romance Another Earth, which was a hit (and an award-winner) at Sundance.

For his final school video project, Archie announces that he’s going to film his own suicide. That’s when his life really seems to begin. In the dark, funny Archie’s Final Project, filmmaker Gabriel Sunday stars as the title character, a high-schooler so saturated with media, that he’s lost all sense of reality. Sunday spent over three years shooting and editing it, and essentially becoming Archie, himself. The result is a total mindfuck. We enter Archie’s world through a bizarre mash-up of animation, manipulated footage, 1950s-style PSAs, while following a narrative that’s as morbid as it is moving. With an enormous youth following on the internet and myriad awards to it’s name, this “self-inflicted comedy,” is blowing up. We caught up with Sunday to talk about getting the film’s proper message across, what connects him to Archie, and that “freaky David Carradine sex thing.”

Wim Wenders has been making movies for over thirty years, and with his latest film, 'Pina', the legendary German artist has kept his own tradition of making deeply personal and moving work alive.

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Your life needs a soundtrack. So Songza brings you playlists curated by music experts in every genre, from bluegrass to showtunes to indie rock. You can search by decade, by culture, even by record store clerk to ensure that you find the best tunes in the stacks. There’s music for every occasion: “making out,” “stripping,” or “late-night driving.” If you feel like showing off, throw your playlist up on Facebook for applause or derision. With free streaming with no ads or fuss, Songza is the third-best thing to Spotify.

When we caught up with the extremely articulate Asa Butterfied, the young star had yet to be cast as the lead in the highly anticipated sci-fi adaptaion, Ender's Game. Back then, he was merely the star of Martin Scorsese's dazzling 3D fable, Hugo, currently in theaters. Expect big things from this kid. Here he is on relating to his characters, bonding with costar Chloe Moretz, and learning about film from the master.