| *Stars shine at Melbourne film fest* | |
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| The Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival was bright with stars Saturday
night. See pix of the *red
carpet* The festival concluded with a screening of "Eye of the Dolphin," a sweet family film about a troubled girl who reconciles with the father she never knew she had. "Eye of the Dolphin" star Carly Schroeder was on hand for the event and was modest about the many honors the film has received so far. "I'm just here along for the ride," she said. "I'm so glad it's doing as well as it is. It is truly a beautiful family film, and Michael Sellers is an incredible director, and the cast was incredible, so I'm just glad it's getting the recognition." She's slated to star in the sequel. Sellers had high praise for her, too, as well as for the festival, whose proceeds go to charity. "Melbourne has a lot more community spirit than a lot of them do," Sellers said. "It really does. There's a great deal of heart. I think you've got great management for the festival, great vision. It has a great sense of connectedness to the community. So we really love being here. It's great." |
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 "I am so happy to be in Melbourne," said Karyn Dwyer, star of "Better Than Chocolate" festival horror film "Last Call Before Sunset" as she picked up her award. "I cannot believe the audiences. The turnout has been amazing. They've done a great job here, and the passion for independent film has been really inspiring."  "Last Call" director Michael Baumgarten accepted a Robin & Eddy Spirit Award later in the evening. "Some people do it just for the money. I wish that were me," he quipped. Michael Bailey Smith, the guest of honor who was making a return appearance at the fest, said he loved Melbourne so much he might buy a house here. The star of "The Hills Have Eyes" movies, he judged the horror films, and festival director Terry Cronin called him a horror legend. "I'm not a legend yet," Smith murmured as he got on stage to announce the horror winner.  | |
Critical Acclaim |
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*Suffragette Koans* is "critics' pick" in *The Los Angeles Times*, *Backstage
West* and *L.A.** weekly*. * Variety* doesn't do the "pick" business but
they loved our performances and Joyce's direction. Here are some review
highlights. Please come out and see us if you can! Our box office number
is (818) 841-5422 and we've got 2 for 1 tickets this Sunday afternoon.
[image: 'Suffragette Koans'] Pasha McKenley and Karyn Dwyer "Joyce Piven's direction of this American premiere, however, is graceful and intelligent, and she benefits from a clearly talented ensemble." (Variety) "Karyn Dwyer is guileless and wry" (LA Times) "Raphael has a delicacy of delivery burnished with sly wit, and, although it's a small thing, her miming of pulling an invisible string for needlepoint is perfect. Dwyer is equally good as the adventurous Cecily, catching up on all the fun she can. " (Variety) "…a magical little piece of theatre in which five Victorian ladies take the form by the, er, private parts and pose their thoughts to the universe to create an absolutely delightful meditation… director Joyce Piven, whose gentle yet sure hand guides an ensemble of appealing actors who seem completely at home with this loose-limbed material. Investing it with a physicality and free-willed theatricality, the company is sharp and funny and, in investigating what goes on under those lacy, beribboned bloomers, enormously sexy." (Backstage West) Karyn Dwyer exhibits energetic charm as Cecily." (Tolocan Times) Carson's ladies aren't the usual wan submissives that we've come to expect from that era. Rather, they're bursting with life, lust and questions. (L.A. Weekly) "Described by Carson as a `a ladylike black comedy', the text is as slight as the Zen story form it emulates and as layered as the Victorian-era underwear sported by director Joyce Piven's accomplished cast." (L.A. Times) http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934765.html?c=33 http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display. jsp?vnu_content_id=1003643809 http://www.laweekly.com/stage/theater/theater-review s-hair-girl-20-leap/17232/?page=2 * http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-stage21sep21,0,4276017.story?coll=la-headlines-calendar * http://tolucantimes.com/index.php?news=2114 |
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Top Hotness of 2006 - 10 - Karyn
Dwyer [image: Karyn Dwyer] Welcome back! To celebrate this new year, we are going to look back at last year and identify the ten hotties who were, in our minds, the Hottest Canadians of the year. First off, in number 10, is Karyn Dwyer. This actress, with hair that matches our flag, grabbed onto our hearts when she appeared in Better than Chocolate, and she has never let go. She originally appeared on March 22 of last year. http://hottestcanadian.com/2007/01/08/top-hotness-of-2006-10-karyn-dwyer/ |
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"The highlight of the movie is unquestionably Karyn Dwyer's performance as Maggie. She brings a sexy intelligence to the role of a floating 19 year old trying to find a place to land, that keeps us rooting for her...It may very well be that Better Than Chocolate will be remembered as the film that kick starts her career." *- Chicago Tribune* "Capably serving as the film's heart and soul is Karyn Dwyer, a fresh faced 19 year old. (Dwyer is) terrific, lending the goings on a heated, poignant credibility." *- Hollywood Reporter* "Karyn Dwyer, in particular, nails her Felicity Takes a Walk on the Wild Side role with a charming turn as an earnest, big-hearted girl for whom no good intention goes unpunished." *- The Austin Chronicle* "Karyn Dwyer is wonderful as Maggie, from the nervousness in her new relationship to her creativity and sense of humour as she grows stronger throughout the course of the film." *-Sac Francisco Times* "Karyn Dwyer certainly has the ability to light up a scene." *-ReelViews James Bernardinelli* [image: Christina Cox and Karyn Dwyer] "Karyn Dwyer and Christina Cox couldn't be a more appealing couple, even as their relationship waxes and wanes in the wake of Maggie's unsuspecting mom, and in spite of its periodic, prefabricated conflicts (enter skinheads, stage right) this is a smart, cheerful, movie that's hard not to like. A festival circuit favorite through the first half of this year." *- SPLICEDWire - Rob Blackwelder* "Every performance is a nuanced gem, with Karyn Dwyer's perky lovestruck redhead and Christina Cox's sexy partner providing the emotional center (along with a few steamy interludes entailing bodypainting as foreplay and a restroom encounter)." *- Syracuse New Times* "Sweet, tart and all-around up-to-date in a refreshingly polysexual way, Better Than Chocolate may turn out to be that crossover hit both gay and Canadian audiences in general have been waiting for." *- Eye Weekly* "...Better than Chocolate has everything: a very attractive cast, a diverse score, numerous subplots and a setting in Vancouver in the summertime. Much of it takes place on the waterfront illuminated with golden light from the harbor..." "Disliking this movie would be like disliking chocolate." *- InternetReviews.com - Richard von Busack* "...Few lesbian love stories have been so romantic; even fewer have conveyed such joy of sex..." *- Entertainment Weekly - Michael Sauter* "...Charming... The cast is uniformly good..." *- Box Office - Mike Kerrigan* "...Likable...[Wendy Crewson is] especially delightful..." *- Movieline - Stephen Farber* "...BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE puts a sunny, giddy spin on this northerly locale, thanks to Gregory Middleton's lively cinematography..." *- Chicago Sun Times - Bill Stamets* [image: KARYN DWYER as Maggie in Better than Chocolate] "...[The film] brims over with good humor and high spirits and has some moments of stunning yet tasteful eroticism. Karyn Dwyer and Christina Cox are charmers, and that's also the case with BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE..." *- Los Angeles Times - Kevin Thomas* "...[An] extremely good-hearted comedy... A comic rhapsody to romantic love..." *- New York Times - Stephen Holden* |
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