On Saturday night at the 16th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated actor Demian Bichir (A Better Life) and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker (RED) were honored with the Spotlight Award. The award recognizes actors for the work they are doing in the entertainment industry today, as apposed to their overall body of work.

The Iceman cometh … to the Sonoma International Film Festival!

The festival, which is now in its 16th year, takes place in the heart of Northern California’s wine country and celebrates independent movies by showcasing a wide variety of 90 films, which include international and foreign movies, shorts, documentaries, features, and even student projects. 

The five-day festival kicked off Wednesday night at the historic Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma with two full house showings of filmmaker Ariel Vroman’s new film The Iceman. The screenings were both introduced by Vroman along with one of the film’s stars, veteran actor Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), and the two men participated in an informative Q&A between the back-to-back screenings of the new movie. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Alexander Skarsgard to talk about his work on Disconnect. The popular True Blood actor discussed his new film, collaborating with first time narrative feature filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin, working with castmates Frank Grillo, Paula Patton, and fellow-Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, and the film's cautionary message about using the Internet. 

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over twenty years since the release of Goodfellas! It’s even harder to believe that actor Ray Liotta has not played a mobster since his career-making role in the Martin Scorsese classic. 

While he’s portrayed a string of dirty cops in films like Unlawful Entry, Copland, Narc, Street Kings: Motor City, and Son of No One, as well as The Place Beyond the Pines, which is currently in limited release in theaters and opens wide on April 12th, the veteran actor who’s name seems synonymous with the Mafia has not revisited the genre that made him famous until now. 

Liotta can soon be seen in director Ariel Vroman’s new movie The Iceman, which opens in theaters on May 2nd and is based on a true story. Liotta plays real life mobster Roy DeMeo opposite Michael Shannon (Man of Steel) as convicted serial killer Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski. The film also boasts an impressive cast of supporting actors including Winona Ryder (Star Trek), Chris Evans (The Avengers), David Schwimmer (Madagascar), Stephen Dorff (Immortals), Robert Davi (The Goonies), and James Franco (Oz the Great and Powerful). As if that wasn’t enough, the actor also has small roles in two highly anticipated upcoming sequels. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, opening in theaters on October 4th. As well as The Muppets … Again, which is scheduled for release on March 24th, 2014.

I recently had a chance to speak briefly with Ray Liotta at the opening night of the Sonoma Film Festival in Sonoma, California, where The Iceman was kicking off the five-day festival. In addition to talking about The Iceman, we also had a chance to discuss his work on The Place Beyond the Pines, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and The Muppets … Again!

Opening in limited release on March 29th and wide release on April 12th is the new crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines from director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine). The film features an amazing cast of actors that includes Academy Award-nominees Ryan Gosling (Gangster Squad) and Bradley Cooper (The Words), as well as Eva Mendes (Girl in Progress), Rose Byrne (X-Men: First Class), Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly), Dane DeHaan (Chronicle), Bruce Greenwood (Flight), and Ray Liotta (Goodfellas). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure sitting down with director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance for an extended interview to talk about his work on The Place Beyond the Pines. The acclaimed filmmaker discussed his new movie, developing the screenplay with co-writer Ben Coccio, why Ray Liotta is a national treasure, reuniting with Ryan Gosling after Blue Valentine, casting Bradley Cooper, why Ben Mendelsohn was willing to have his teeth pulled to be in the film, and how Dane DeHaan demanded his role in the movie. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Max Thieriot to talk about his work on Disconnect. The young actor discussed his new film, his character, researching street kids and Internet pornography, working with actress Andrea Riseborough, feeling "disconnected" from the other actors in the film, and why the Internet is evil. 

Premiering April 12th on Starz is the new historical fantasy series Da Vinci's Demons from creator David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins, Man of Steel). The show features an excellent cast that includes actor Tom Riley (A Few Days in September) as Leonardo da Vinci, as well as Laura Haddock (Captain America: The First Avenger), Ian Pirie (The Dark Knight), Blake Ritson (RocknRolla), Eros Vlahos (Anna Karenina), Lara Pulver (Legacy), and Alexander Siddig (TV's 24).

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with series creator David S. Goyer to talk about his work on Da Vinci's Demons. The extremely successful writer and director discussed the new series, it's premise, playfully calling it "Da Vinci Begins," comparisons to the Caped Crusader, developing the series, his fascination with Da Vinci, researching the famous artist and inventor, gadgets that fans can expect to see in the first season, and casting actor Tom Riley in the title role. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Paula Patton to talk about her work on Disconnect. The stunningly beautiful actress discussed her new film, how she un-glamorized herself for her role, the dangers of the Internet, her character's troubled marriage, working with actor Alexander Skarsgard, and why she felt isolated from the rest of the film's excellent cast.

Debuting exclusively on Yahoo! beginning April 9th at 4:00pm PT is the first official trailer to the new sci-fi epic Elysium, which opens in theaters on August 9th. The film was written and directed by Neill Blomkamp and is a follow-up to his Academy Award-nominated sci-fi masterpiece District 9. 

In addition to reuniting Blomkamp with his longtime friend and District 9 lead Sharlto Copley, the movie also stars Academy Award-winners Matt Damon (Promised Land), and Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), as well as Alice Braga (Predetors), Diego Luna (Casa de Mi Padre), and William Fichtner (The Dark Knight). As if Blomkamp didn’t already bring enough sci-fi cred to the project, Elysium was produced by writer Simon Kinberg, who is currently penning X-Men: Days of Future Past, as well as Star Wars Episode VIII and IX along with legendary filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan.

In the afternoon on Monday, I had the opportunity to attend a special event at the Arclight Theater in Hollywood where fans and press alike gathered to be the first to see the new trailer for the film a day before it’s premiere. In attendance were Blomkamp, Copley, and Kinberg, who participated in a brief Q & A after the screening. Also participating in the discussion was the film’s star Matt Damon, via satellite from Berlin, where it was nine o’clock at night and the actor was screening the trailer for a packed crowd of German fans. In addition to the trailer, the actors and filmmakers screened ten never-before-seen minutes of the film, which was essentially a sizzle reel that incorporated the trailer and gave the international audience a better understanding for the scope of the film’s story. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Jason Bateman to talk about his work on Disconnect, as well as the status of the previously announced Arrested Development movie. The hilarious actor discussed his new film, how the Internet has changed parenting, Henry Alex Rubin's narrative feature film debut, why actress Hope Davis is difficult to work with, not having a chance to meet most of the Disconnect cast, what his criteria is when choosing projects, Arrested Development, confirmation that the proposed film is not a done deal, how the upcoming Netflix series came together, it's connection to the upcoming movie, and how long fans will have to wait to see the film.