Daryl Wein spoke with Solzy at the Movies recently about the new film, How It Ends, co-written/directed with Zoe Lister-Jones. The film was shot on location in Los Angeles during the pandemic and features a star-studded cast. While it was produced during the pandemic, it is not about the pandemic. Instead, it is about the last day on Earth. In addition to Lister-Jones, the film stars Cailee Spaeny, Whitney Cummings, Tawny Newsome, Finn Wolfhard, Nick…
"Daryl Wein talks How It Ends"Month: July 2021
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"
While the Opening Ceremony won’t be until Friday, Tokyo 2020 gets underway with softball and soccer highlighting the Olympics schedule. Softball returns for Tokyo 2020 after being removed back after the 2008 games. Team USA takes on Italy during the second game of the double header. On Wednesday, plan to get up early to follow the USWNT, which returns 11 players from 2016, in their quest to take home the fifth gold medal in team…
"Tokyo 2020: Soccer, Softball Kick Off Coverage"
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 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"
Danny Boyle’s Oscar-nominated Trainspotting marks its 25th anniversary since opening in theaters in North America in 1996. I watched the film for the first time a few days before the film’s anniversary. This is honestly one of those films that people will either like or don’t like. The film may have become a cult classic but it focuses on heroin culture. Additionally, there’s a focus on the poverty in the Edinburgh area. Maybe Trainspotting has…
"Trainspotting Marks North American 25th Anniversary"
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"
Producer and veteran music supervisor Jeff Pollack spoke with Solzy at the Movies about the new Paul McCartney doc series, McCartney 3,2,1. McCartney 3,2,1 is directed by Emmy Award-winning Zachary Heinzerling and executive produced by McCartney, Rick Rubin, Scott Rodger, Peter Berg, Matthew Goldberg, Brandon Carroll, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern with Leila Mattimore serving as co-executive producer. Endeavor Content serves as the studio, producing alongside MPL Communications Inc., Shangri-La, Film 45, Kennedy…
"Jeff Pollack talks McCartney 3,2,1"
Turner & Hooch gets the reboot approach with Josh Peck taking over the leading duties but Tom Hanks’s presence is still felt in the series. How do you replace Tom Hanks? The simple answer is that you can’t because it’s impossible. However, they try their best anyway. In this instance, Josh Peck is starring as rookie US Marshall Scott Turner. His dad happens to be the late Detective Scott Turner (Tom Hanks, who will only…
"Turner & Hooch Gets Rebooted For New Generation"
The Lorne Michaels-produced Schmigadoon!, starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, is an homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals If you’re a fan of classic Hollywood or Broadway musicals, you’re going to enjoy this musical comedy. You certainly don’t have to be a fan of Broadway to enjoy the show. This is a series with catchy tunes by Cinco Paul and excellent choreography. Once we enter the world of Schmigadoon, they certainly know how…
"Schmigadoon! Is A Golden Age Musical Homage"