Tagline: How far would you go?
Synopsis: "Little Birds" emanates both a harsh reality and an innocent luster as it explores the vigorous desire to escape one’s home—and the heavy price it can cost. Fifteen-year-old Lily and her best friend, Alison, live on the shores of the Salton Sea. Sprinting toward adulthood, Lily wants to escape her depressing hometown. But Alison is content with her life; she enjoys being sheltered from the uncertainty of growing up. When the girls meet three street kids, Lily convinces Alison to follow the boys to Los Angeles. Thrust into a world of excitement and danger, the girls must decide how far they are willing to go to get what they want. Writer/director Elgin James possesses an innate understanding of the fledgling characters, valiantly brought to life on the screen by Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker, who perfectly embody their strength and fragility. Brutally honest and beautifully rendered, "Little Birds" delivers a stunning portrait of innocence lost. [Synopsis courtesy of the Sundance Institute]
Labor Day Weekend: the last hurrah of summer and white clothing. As you bask in the relief of the mini vacation it offers, sipping your final mint julep of the season, look back on a time when that cold cocktail would have been spiked with moonshine or, worse, virgin. While you lie out in the fading...
Read More »There are few actresses working today whose CV is as interesting or diverse as that of Juno Temple, but the past few months have shown just how diverse her range can be. This summer, not only did she have a small role in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises," but she also featured much more pr...
Read More »We've talked about Elgin James' colorful past on numerous occasions but we're now finally on the brink of seeing what he can offer with his debut film "Little Birds." Born out of the Sundance Labs, the film premiered to a warm reception at Park City last year but -- possibly due to a recent incarcer...
Read More »As a former street thug-turned-real-life-Omar Little-turned-filmmaker, Elgin James is definitely looking to make up for lost time. The Boston native has teamed up with Electric City Entertainment duo Jamie Patricof ("Half Nelson," "Blue Valentine") and Lynette Howell to helm...
Read More »A coming-of-age tale set against a Los Angeles background, “Little Birds” premiered at Sundance, its well-traveled narrative sparked by visual confidence and a rising star in the form of Juno Temple, and a trailer has shown up to display the results.
Read More »Out This Week is a weekly column intended to provide reviews of nearly every new indie release. Reviews are written by Indiewire critic Eric Kohn and other contributors where noted.
Read More »There's a misconception about some films that utilize a specific location by gussying it up to be a paradise on camera. Often, the results are "Little Birds," which was shot on location at the Salton Sea of California, a formative place for impetuous Lily (Juno Temple) and Alison (Kay Panabaker). Th...
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