Hollywood Grit - Max Martini. CR: Hollywood Grit, 360 Distribution
Take one look at Max Martini’s career and you will see a ton of, as Martini describes, “uniformed roles.” That said, he infuses these parts with three dimensional layers (check out his work in The Unit and Sgt. Will Gardner). Hollywood Grit is an entirely different venture for Martini, as he plays Grit Thorn, an alcoholic private investigator who is on a seemingly fruitless search for his missing daughter (Ysabela Espinosa). Martini talked to Deepest Dream about Hollywood Grit and reflects on his past cinematic collaborations with Guillermo del Toro (PacificRim) , Michael Bay (13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi) and George Clooney (The Tender Bar).
Aaron Dominguez and Mel Jarnson in Witchboard - The Avenue and Atlas Distribution
CinemAddicts co-host Bruce Purkey, though a fan of director Chuck Russell’s The Blob remake and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, was not too keen on Witchboard. Starring Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, and Mel Jarnson, the feature was also co-written by Russell.
Josh Zeman showing monitor to chimpanze through enclosure
glass. Checkpoint Zoo - Nelson Hume / Abramorama
Checkpoint Zoo, an award winning documentary directed by Joshua Zeman (The Loneliest Whale), hits theaters on Friday. Centering on zookeepers and volunteers who are trying to rescue animals during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Checkpoint Zoo is a downright riveting experience. Putting animals first in a war torn environment is selfless and dangerous act, and Zeman effectively captures the humanity amidst the tragedy. Zeman talked to Deepest Dream about the challenges of shooting his latest documentary.
Jeff Fahey in "The Final Run" - Level 33 Entertainment
CinemAddicts co-host Eric Holmes and I are unabashed Jeff Fahey (The Lawnmower Man, Silverado) fans, and Holmes reviews Fahey’s latest movie. The Southern noir The Final Run features Fahey as a famiy man who is reenters the drug smuggling game to pay for his ailing wife’s medical bills. Check out Holmes’ review in our post.
Directed and produced by Joshua Zeman, the award winning documentary Checkpoint Zoo centers on a group of volunteers and zookeepers who risk their lives to save animals at Kharkiv’s Feldman Ecopark. These individuals undertake this process during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Zeman documents the dangerous evacuation of the animals.
Director/writer Kelsey Taylor delivers on her feature directing debut with To Kill A Wolf. Tagged as a modern day take of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, the immersive narrative centers on Dani (Maddison Brown), a teenage runaway whose path intersects with a man billed simply as “The Woodsman” (Ivan Martin). Taylor spent over seven years on To Kill A Wolf, and she talks about why that long road was worth it.
The official synopsis of Sudan, Remember Us says the documentary focuses on a “lost revolution.” Director Hind Meddab traveled to Sudan in 2019 to shoot the sit-in protest at Khartoum’s Army headquarters. Although CinemAddicts co-host Bruce Purkey wanted “a little more” with the documentary, he still recommends Sudan, Remember Us. Check out his review in our post!
Alice Kremelberg and Juani Feliz in "Birthrite" (Brainstorm Media)
Ross Partridge (Lamb, Room 104) directs Birthrite, a folk horror which centers on a woman named Maya (Alice Kremelberg) who inherits a home from an estranged aunt. A seemingly idyllic chapter with her girlfriend (Juani Feliz) and their unnborn child gradually turns into a nightmarish existence for Maya and her loved ones. Check out CinemAddicts host Bruce Purkey’s review!
Wednesday season two (part one) is upon us, as devotess of the Netflix series can binge watch the entire for episodes. Here is a spoiler free review on why the season thus far is actually just as good (if not better) than the first!
Kristin Scott Thomas - "My Mother's Wedding" - Vertical
Opening in theaters August 8, My Mother’s Wedding centers on three sisters (Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham) who return to their childhood home to celebrate their mother’s (Kristin Scott Thomas) marriage. The movie marks the feature directing debut of Kristin Scott Thomas, and she talked to Deepest Dream about that experience. Plus, if you want to see which of her own films she recommends, check out the interview!
