In March 2018, national film writer Connie Corcoran Wilson had the opportunity to interview former Quad-Cities filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods for her blog, http://www.weeklywilson.com. Connie currently regularly contributes to QuadCities.com and has offered us the chance to run her interview with them here. Two Q-C natives, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, won over the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, this weekend as the film they wrote, “A Quiet Place,” opened the festival and wowed audiences. The duo began making films as teenagers in Bettendorf, moved on to create a number of short films... Read More

“Running with Beto,” the HBO documentary that will air on HBO in early spring, was screened at its World Premiere at the Paramount Theater in Austin this morning (March 9) and a rapt crowd of supporters got to see Beto O’Rourke, his wife Amy, and their daughter Molly up-close-and-personal during a Q&A after the film screened. I was seated in the third row on the right when a large group of people began ascending the stairs that lead to the stage there. The tallest of the group, hunched over so as not to block the credits then running, was Beto O’Rourke, who managed a small wave to those... Read More

Two Q-C natives, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, won over the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, this weekend as the film they wrote, “A Quiet Place,” opened the festival and wowed audiences. The duo began making films as teenagers in Bettendorf, moved on to create a number of short films that won regional acclaim and worked on a number of projects around the area (including short films with QuadCities.com co-owner Sean Leary and columnist Tristan Tapscott) before heading to Hollywood. After a decade on the coast, things have started to break in a huge way for them, and we were happy to meet up with... Read More

This is part of film critic Connie Wilson’s exclusive coverage of the SXSW Film Festival for QuadCities.com. “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press” from Director/Screenwriter Brian Knappenberger @ SXSW Genre:  Documentary Feature Length:  95 minutes Writer/Director:  Brian Knappenberger Principal Cast:  Nick Denton, A.J. Daulario, John Cook, David Folkenflick, Floyd Abrams, Peter Sterne, David Houston, Margaret Sullivan, Jay Rosen, John L. Smith Review:  Connie Wilson   The trial between wrestler Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media pitted privacy rights against freedom of the press, but... Read More

Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched Genre: Documentary Length:  65 minutes Cast:  Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Fran Brill, Bill Barretta, Frank Oz Reviewer:  Connie Wilson In 1955, creative genius Jim Henson created a troop of puppets known as The Muppets. By 1978 The Muppets” was the most-watched television show in history, with 235 million viewers in 102 countries, according to “Time” magazine. Henson’s untimely death at age 53 in 1990 left right-hand man Frank Oz (real last name: Oznowicz) more-or-less in charge of the troop, which came to fame on “Sesame... Read More

This is part of film critic Connie Wilson’s exclusive coverage of the SXSW Film Festival for QuadCities.com. The mythic spirit of the western, our American archetype, is alive and well at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival. I’ve seen two westerns in two days at the Festival. “The Hero,” which showed at the Zach Theater on Friday, March 10th, was the better of the two. “The Hero” was an unusual picture because it focuses on a 71-year-old actor (Elliot) who has been playing western parts for most of his career. Now, he is in the twilight of that career, and most of his work seems to be voice-over... Read More