BlackBook

From director Matthew Cooke with producers Adrien Grenier and Bert Marcus, How to Make Money Selling Drugs, which premiered at the TriBeCa Film Festival earlier this year, rolls out into your living rooms and onto your television screens today. Now on VOD, the candid documentary takes you inside the dangerously lucrative drug industry and exposes the myths surrounding the culture. From the street dealer to the cartel lord, the film provides a critical examination of America's drug scene told through the perspectives of former dealers, as well as rights advocates like Russell Simmons, Susan Sarandon, and The Wire's David Simon. Not only are you given a look into what it takes to build your own money-making drug empire, but Cooke's doc also reveals what's hiding behind the supposed "war on drugs" in America. 

We were all practically waiting for it now. As soon as Amanda Palmer's celebrity-crowdfunded-project Patient Zero hit the web, with things like the Veronica Mars movie, Zach Braff's Garden State follow-up and Zosia Mamet's very expensive music video, we were waiting for the crowdfunded project from an already-wealthy, artistically-establihed celebrity that would make the Internet all go, "Oh, come on!" in unison. And who better to be that person than resume-padder and Spring Breaker James Franco? 

Brie Larson is everywhere these days. And yes, that's an exuberant statement of joy rather than a complaint. With roles in Don Jon and The Spectacular Now, as well as her brilliantly-acted star turn Short Term 12, the dynamic actress is proving that her particular brand of charm is really what we've all been waiting for. And in her latest cinematic endeavor, we see her taking the stylish lead in cartoonist and writer Hope Larson's first film, the 1920s-set short Bitter Orange.

As summer just begins to creep upon us, September may seem like a distant and chilly dream but when it comes to Criterion Collection releases, we couldn't be more excited for the months to race ahead. After we're graced with their latest editions of Safety Last!, The Ice Storm, Babette's Feast, and many more this summer, we'll now be given Criterions for a diverse range of classics, from low-budget 1990s cult hits to a slew of Ingrid Bergman treasures. In case you need some brushing up on what to get excited for, we've got you covered. Enjoy.

Coming from the man who stops to smell the douglas firs and finds the cure for broken hearts in a trout's leap in the moonlight, of course David Lynch would urge you strongly to stop littering and appreciate the nature around you. But of course, he'd also tell you in a way that tickles your nerve endings and disturbs you into listening to his message.

Paul Schrader is a hell of a character. As one the most iconic and notorious film folk to emerge out of the glory days of 1970s American cinema, whether it's his screenwriting or directing, his work has always been something to devour. Of course, some work has been better than others—and in my mind nothing could quite beat Taxi Driver, but that's a slightly unfair statement. However, after I ran into Paul two years ago and he urged me to look at his phone while a Facebook page for his new project, The Canyons loaded, I've been keeping a close and anxious eye on the smutty melodrama, penned by satirical writer of yuppie drama Bret Easton Ellis. 

Late last night, the first trailer for Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street debuted to a ravenous howling of excitement. Starring the one and only Leonardo DiCaprio, the film looked to be staying below the radar of major anticipation, but with the film's rousing first trailer, fans are already insisting this will be Scorsese's best film in years and DiCaprio's long-awaited shot at an Oscar. But as this is not their first time at the rodeo together—their fifth collaboration, actually—it's only natural Marty and Leo's simpatico has finally properly aligned and after Gangs of New York, The Aviator, Shutter Island, and The Departed, perhaps this one takes Scorsese affinity for twisted and disturbed men of power and DiCaprio's legendary skill for playing the lunatic and outrageous to a new level. So in honor of the energetic and thrilling new trailer (see final slide), let's take a look back on some of Leo's best moments in Scorsese's films. Enjoy.

Ever since the end credits rolled on Zal Batmanglij's debut feature Sound of My Voice, I have been anticipating just what his next cinematic endeavor would offer. Upon seeing his first, I was immediately drawn to he and co-writer/actress Brit Marling's brilliant simpatico and their shared affinity for storytelling that's both beautifully poetic yet intelligently thought-provoking. And as two of the most interesting and wholly inspiring voices in independent cinema, the two have once again struck audiences with their new film, eco-thriller The East, which opened to rave reviews last week.