As Predicted, Sony Classics Gets Smashed

I wouldn't brag were it not Monday morning and it's the only thing keeping me from walking in front of a bus, so: The final piece of Movieline's Sundance 2012 Bidding-War puzzle has fallen into place, with director James Ponsoldt's boozehound relationship drama Smashed going to the estimable Sony Pictures Classics. Five-for-five! High five? Smashed is the last of the year's projected Sundance darlings to officially find a distribution deal, with The Surrogate, Bachelorette, Arbitrage and Red Lights all spoken for in the month-plus since the festival came and went. Moreover, its showcase for Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a young teacher battling the vicissitudes of alcoholism may yet prove to fall in line with SPC's recent underdog awards tradition - the one that found Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) coming out of late-summer platform releases to compete with the mainstream favorites at the Oscars. (A press release sent to Movieline HQ did not specify a release date.) "The role [...] asks Winstead to run the full gamut, from game good-time girl and stimulating teacher to shell-shocked morning-after casualty and adamant survivor," wrote Hollywood Reporter critic Todd McCarthy from Park City. "Shes terrific at it all, far surpassing the promise she indicated in Death Proof and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World." Probably not coincidentally, recently crowned Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer and Breaking Bad Emmy-winner Aaron Paul co-star. Everybody in the awards pool, etc. Or not, just throwing that out there. Either way, congrats to Team Smashed! Morning hours notwithstanding, surely this calls for a drink? Whatever, I'm having one anyway. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

'Silent House' Exclusive Clip: What Problems Lurk Upstairs?

The initial factor youll notice about "Quiet House" is its striking visual aesthetic. While using quick development of camera technology throughout the final decade, pretty photography is a lot more common nowadays in modern horror movies. But "Quiet House" features a distinctive gimmick to part ways it in the peers: the intimate outlook throughout Elizabeth Olsens character, whose side we rarely leave throughout the quantity of the film. In this particular exclusive clip, its evening time in the home and Olsen and her father are settling looking for the evening, moving lamps because the lights seem to become out. As she learns a noise coming initially from from upstairs, she notifies her father, "I believed I heard something on the internet for.Inch He disputes it, clearly, because thats what fathers in horror movies do, but proposes to go upstairs and have a look. Because they handles the staircase, there's a small rumbling without anyone's understanding as Olsen watches her fathers light disappear in to the darkness. The abilities continue being fuzzy, though having less sunlight youre really within the whim from you and whatever Olsen is searching at. (It may be nice whenever we all looked so sharp and well-defined under light light, but alas, thats not really true.) Horror movies tend to be more frightening after they occur at night time, it is a fact. Furthermore, it doesn't hurt by utilizing her budding star energy and acting chops, Olsen is certainly an instantly strong protagonist to carry the film. It's not each day the truth is a considerably-acclaimed actress to experience a straight horror movie, but knowing from what weve seen up to now, "Quiet House" needs to be a enjoyable role in the extended career. Reveal everything you consider the "Quiet House" clips inside the comments and also on Twitter!