Exodus: An Epic Film About Israel’s Founding

Exodus puts the epic into epic film with a three and a half hour run time but remains notable for helping end the Hollywood blacklist. I must first confess that I have not read the novel by Leon Uris. Trumbo bases his script on the international bestseller, which retells the the founding of the modern state of Israel in a way that only historical fiction can. That being said, it took a brief online search…

"Exodus: An Epic Film About Israel’s Founding"

Stuntman: Eddie Braun Recreates Epic Stunt

The Dwayne Johnson-produced Stuntman follows Eddie Braun in his attempt to recreate Evel Knievel’s jump over Snake River Canyon. Johnson introduces the film–his clip also makes mention of the upcoming Jungle Cruise and acknowledges his stunt double. The star of this particular film–a mix of documentary and action–is Eddie Braun. Unless you followed the 2014 attempts, there’s a good chance that you’ve never heard of him. Stunt performers rarely get the credit they deserve. Even…

"Stuntman: Eddie Braun Recreates Epic Stunt"

Defiance: The Bielskis’ Epic Fight For Survival

Defiance depicts an epic tail of survival in Eastern Europe during the Shoah where the Bielski brothers choose between fighting or surviving It’s summer 1941 and the Bielskis turned to the woods in what is now Belarus. But at the time, Stankevich was under Soviet control. They don’t really have much of a choice here. It’s either fight to survive in the woods or otherwise be doomed to certain death. Tuvia (Daniel Craig) is the…

"Defiance: The Bielskis’ Epic Fight For Survival"

The Zookeeper’s Wife: How A Zoo Saved Jews

The Zookeeper’s Wife tells the story of the heroic efforts by Dr. Jan Żabiński and Antonina Żabińska to save Warsaw’s Jews from the Nazis. When we first meet Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh) and Antonina Żabińska (Jessica Chastain) in 1939, the two are caretakers for the Warsaw Zoo. They go through their daily routine until the Nazis begin their occupation of Poland. It’s not long thereafter when the Reich’s chief zoologist Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl)…

"The Zookeeper’s Wife: How A Zoo Saved Jews"

Space Jam: A New Legacy Is More Of The Same

Space Jam: A New Legacy replaces Michael Jordan with LeBron James while also taking advantage of today’s advances in technology. The only other difference between this and the original film is a father vs. son storyline. But aside from that, there’s really not much of a difference. Well, I mean Warner Bros. pulls a Ralph Breaks The Internet but taking advantage of all of the studio’s IP in the Server-verse. Some fun parts include Bugs…

"Space Jam: A New Legacy Is More Of The Same"

Gunpowder Milkshake: A Stylish Genre-Blender

Gunpowder Milkshake is a stylish female-driven Tarantino-esque genre-blending thriller that provides a new approach to the assassin genre. Sam (Karen Gillan) has known nothing but life with The Firm since her elite assassin mother, Scarlet (Lena Headey) abandoned her when she was 12 years old. To no surprise, Sam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and she’s become something of an assassin in her own right. Trust me when I say that you do not…

"Gunpowder Milkshake: A Stylish Genre-Blender"

FIN: Eli Roth Shark Doc Is A Global Warning

FIN, the new documentary directed by Eli Roth and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, launches on discovery+. In a lot of ways, this is a horror film. No, not because of sharks taking the big focus. It’s because of what fishermen are doing to sharks in general. It is a global shanda that we are not doing enough! Listen, I’ve been scared of sharks since before I watched Jaws for the first time.…

"FIN: Eli Roth Shark Doc Is A Global Warning"

Babi Yar. Context – Cannes 2021

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar tragedy and Babi Yar. Context uses archival footage to remind people what happened. The following order was directed to the Jews living in Kyiv and its surrounding areas on September 26, 1941: All Yids of the city of Kiev and its vicinity must appear on Monday, September 29, by 8 o’clock in the morning at the corner of Mel’nikova and Dokterivskaya streets (near the Viis’kove…

"Babi Yar. Context – Cannes 2021"

Olga – International Critics’ Week 2021

Olga is about a teenage gymnast training for the European championship in hope of making the Olympics but her heart is elsewhere. The key to making a sports movie is balancing the sports side of things with the drama or comedy. In this film’s instance, it’s balancing with drama and at times, action. Elie Grappe–with co-writer Raphaëlle Desplechin–has a good grasp of the story he wants to tell from Olga’s (Anastasia Budiashkina) point-of-view. It’s one…

"Olga – International Critics’ Week 2021"

A Radiant Girl – International Critics’ Week 2021

A Radiant Girl (Une jeune fille qui va bien) takes place in occupied France during 1942 but the film takes a unique approach to the Shoah. There are so many stories about the Shoah. When it comes to young women, Anne Frank’s story is a big one. But for Jews living in France, The Journal of Hélène Berr is also of prominence. This book is also listed in the credits and regrettably, this week is…

"A Radiant Girl – International Critics’ Week 2021"