All posts by Kenna

“The Landing” Documentary Trailer

documentary, , ,

Co-written, produced, and directed by David Dodson and Mark Dodson, The Landing is a tricky documentary because the filmmakers are not openly saying if this is true or fabricated about the tragic Apollo 18 mission.

The documentary stars Don Hannah as Bo Cunningham; Warren Farina as Ed Lovett; Jeff McVey as Al Borden; Cindy Lou Adkins as Kate Borden; Page Hannah as Sandy Cunningham-Bates; Arlene Hughes-Martinez as Joan Lovett; Robert Pine as congressional representative Pete Pellarin; Craig Stepp as Mike Russo; and Joe Santaniello as Fred Calder. 

The Landing focuses on today’s fake news environment and demonstrates how easy it is to fool the world. Watch the trailer, which is not straightforward; you will see how the movie seems natural but is a lesson on fake news propaganda.

It was an exciting time in NASA’s Apollo missions. In 1973, the United States operated space program experienced an extraordinary tragedy, an event that, despite its place as one of the most disturbing episodes of the “space race,” was nevertheless all but ignored during the emerging Watergate scandal that ultimately claimed the presidency of President Richard M. Nixon.

Returning from a successful lunar landing mission, NASA’s Apollo 18 suffered a computer error that forced command module pilot Bo Cunningham to take the controls and fly the spacecraft to an emergency landing in the remote Taklamakan Desert of western China, far from the intended splashdown target in the Pacific Ocean. Thirty-six hours would pass before NASA located the spacecraft, the site of a national tragedy. What happened during the astronauts’ time in the desert, the inquiry that followed, and the mystery surrounding the event, is the subject of The Landing.

“Presented as a documentary, our movie demonstrates how unsettlingly easy it is to reshape people’s memories,” said the LANDING co-writer and co-directors David Dodson and Mark Dodson, who explained that many viewers of the award-winning film were convinced it was a real documentary regarding actual historical events when it appeared at film festival screenings. “It’s one of the abiding themes of the project and particularly germane in today’s cultural and political climate amidst the whole ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’ lunacy.”

The Landing won awards while on the festival circuit. Best Director at the 2017 Boston Sci Film Festival – Best Thriller at the 2017 Burbank International Film Festival – Best Feature at 2017 Escape Velocity, Washington, D.C.

Pick of the Litter Trailer and Poster

documentary, family movies,

Directed by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy, Pick of the Litter is a documentary that focuses on a litter of puppies from their birth as they begin their destiny to develop into guide dogs for the blind.

Dana Nachman also wrote the screenplay for this documentary as cameras trail along with these puppies as they go through a profound two-year journey. They train to grow into dogs whose greatest responsibility is to protect their blind companions from harm.

Progressing along, these extraordinary canines place their obedience on a community of committed people. They train the puppies to do amazing, life-changing accomplishments in the service of their human.

Not every dog makes the grade and becomes a guide dog. Though, they try their best and can only hope they are the pick of the litter.

“Reprisal” Trailer and Poster

action, thriller, , ,

Directed by Brian A. Miller, Reprisal follows Jacob, played by Frank Grillo, a bank manager haunted by a violent heist that took the life of a coworker.  He teams up with his ex-cop neighbor, James, played by Bruce Willis. Their plan is to bring down bring down the assailant of his co-worker.

While the two men work together to figure out the thief’s next move, Gabriel, played by Johnathon Schaech, the highly-trained criminal, is one step ahead. The tables turn when Gabriel kidnaps Jacob’s wife, played by Olivia Culpo and his daughter, played by Natalia Sophie Butler.

Jacob barrels down a path of bloodshed that initiates an explosive counterattack and brings all three men to the breaking point.

The screenplay is by Bryce Hammons and this is his first movie credit as screenwriter. Miller has directed Willis before in similar low-budget movies – Vice and The Prince.

“Hunter Killer” Trailer, Movie Clip, and Posters

action, adventure, based on a book, war, , ,

Directed by Donovan Marsh, Hunter Killer is a movie that has the potential to be great. Though, Marsh directorial credits are limited to such movies as Spud and Spud 2. The Spud movies are a far cry from an action thriller as any director can get.

Hunter Killer is based on a story that comes from a novel of the same name written by Don Keith and George Wallace. The screenplay is by Jamie Moss and Arnie Schmidt.

The “Joe Glass” movie clip shows how the movie is filmed to create intensity. Here we have Common and Gary Oldman going at it to move the story along.

The movie is a contemporary story about an unproven American submarine captain, played by Gerard Butler. The captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a corrupted general.

The final poster reminds of the original poster for the movie The Hunt for Red October starring Sean Connery and Alex Baldwin. It’s a great movie and highly, highly recommend you see it.

Gary Oldman is in Hunter Killer, but the studio is hush-hush about his role in the movie. The other cast members are Caroline Goodall, John Taylor Smith, and Common.

The second trailer tells us more about the story and each role the actor plays.  Comparing it to the first trailer, it looks like there is a lot more going on than I thought.

You need to watch the trailer because your juices will get pumped.

“The Happy Prince” Trailer, Movie Clips, Featurette, and Poster

drama, legend, true stories, ,

Directed by and starring Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince sheds light on the tragic life of Oscar Wilde. Everett is an excellent actor. I sense this direction is just as good. I hope there are enough highs in the movie to appreciate the lows.

Everett also surrounds himself with a delightful and gifted cast, including Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Tom Wilkerson, and Colin Morgan.

The featurette focuses on the actor and directing himself surrounded by very talented people.

The two movie clips show the obvious ostracization Wilde underwent after his arrest for an indecent relationship with another man.

The movie trailer shows the lives Wilde influenced while he was alive. Yet, his signature and wit still rest in our culture.

“What They Had” Trailer, Poster, and Movie Clips

drama, family movies, , , , , ,

Written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, she is tackling the filmmaking process for the first time with What They Had. The movie focuses on a family in a critical situation.

Bridget, played by Hilary Swank, returns home to Chicago because her brother, played by Michael Shannon, insists and demands she deal with her ailing mother, played by Blythe Danner. Her brother also tells her she needs to return because her father, played by Robert Forster, is reluctant to let go of their life together.

Other cast members include Taissa Farmiga and Josh Lucas.

These two movie clips show Bridget’s relationship with her father and her frustration with deciding if she made the right choices in her life.

Michael Shannon’s acting talents are unique in this movie clip. He is so real and in the moment. No wonder he holds Oscar nominations.

“Indivisible” Trailer, Poster, and Featurette

drama, family movies, true stories, war, , , , ,

Co-written and directed by David G. Evans, Indivisible is a faith-based movie about a true story of Army Chaplain Darren Turner, played by Justin Bruening, and his wife Heather, played by Sarah Drew. The couple is strong with a faith-filled marriage. They follow their calling, which is serving God, family, and country.

Fresh from seminary and basic training, Chaplain Turner and his family arrive at Fort Stewart. Yet before the Turners can even unpack their new house, Darren is deployed to Iraq. Heather is left taking care of their three young children alone … as well as serving the families of the other deployed soldiers.

Despite a desire to stay connected with their loved ones, the harsh realities of war take a daily toll over the course of the Battalion’s extended deployment. Meanwhile back home, babies are born, kids keep growing and nerves are frayed with every late-night knock on the door.

With deeply etched battle scars, the soldiers’ long-awaited homecoming is much different than any of their families anticipate. Carrying burdens the other can’t comprehend, the Turners must decide if they’re willing to face one more battle. That battle is fought to save their marriage.

All in all, faith-based movies have their purpose and need for people to be reminded of the higher power of God or whatever one wants to call it. We must not forget our religious beliefs and our beliefs in ourselves and our family.

Cheryl McKay and Peter White also contributed to the screenplay. Evans other directing credits include The Grace Card.

“Peterloo” Poster & Trailer

drama, true stories, , , , , , ,

Directed by Mike Leigh, Peterloo is a true story about victimizing the British subjects who were peacefully demonstrating for democratic reform. Though they were demanding democracy for the common people, it was a peaceful gathering of 80,000 people. The government-supported cavalry charged into the crowd. Turning into one of the bloodiest episodes in British history, known as the Peterloo Massacre of 1819.

Mike Leigh is a respected director who has been nominated for an Oscar for screenwriting and directing Vera Drake and Secret & Lies. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his screenwriting talents including Happy-Go-Lucky, Another Year, and Topsy-Turvy.

The movie trailer shows the pastoral and gentle life of the British subjects who are also starving to death. The monarchy and government are oblivious to their plight.  The peaceful demonstration needed to be heard but rather turned into a historical tragedy. 

Science Fair Documentary Trailer, Interview with the Directors, and Poster

documentary, ,

Directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, Science Fair is a National Geographic Documentary. The movie follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, even hormones, on their journey to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Word on the street is the movie is “immensely likable,” “brilliant and quirky” and an “ode to the teenage science geeks on who our future depends.”

The documentary is the winner of both the audience award at Sundance and SXSW. Costantini and Foster are award-winning documentary filmmakers. “The idea of doing a documentary about science fair has been an obsession of mine since I first went to the International Science and Engineering Fair as a freshman in high school in 2004. I had seen Spellbound the year before and when I got to ISEF, I thought, someone, needs to make a documentary about this crazy little world. It had everything — an international cast of angsty teenagers and inspiring prodigies, all devoted to one very niche subculture, and all striving to make the world a better place,” explained Costantini.

Foster added, “ I was a science kid, too, and participated in a science fair, but the level that Cristina competed at was another world. What really sold me was this story about how she skipped the opportunity to go to the junior prom with her high school crush so she could compete at a science fair. I won’t do the story justice, you’ll have to ask Cristina, but it was the nerdiest thing I ever heard. I was in.”

Any parent who has helped or encouraged their child or children through a Science Fair needs to see this documentary.  The movie trailer is uplifting. I imagine the movie is super-uplifting. 

Here is a great interview with the two directors.

“Homecoming” Teaser Trailer

drama, mystery, thriller, , , , , ,

Directed by Sam Esmail, I am excited about this Prime Video Series. Homecoming is a mind-bending psychological thriller. The story focuses on Heidi Bergman, played by Julia Roberts. She is a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a Geist Group facility helping soldiers transition back to civilian life. Walter Cruz, played by Stephan James. He is one of these soldiers, eager to begin the next phase of his life. Overseeing Heidi and the facility is Colin Belfast, played by Bobby Cannavale. He is an ambitious company man whose manic behavior puts demands on questionable motives.

Four years later, Heidi has started a new life, living with her mother, played by Sissy Spacek. Heidi is working as a small-town waitress, when a Department of Defense auditor, played by Shea Whigham, comes to her with questions about why she left the Homecoming facility. Heidi begins to realize that there’s a whole other story behind the story she’s been telling herself.

The cast also includes Jeremy Allen White, Alex Karpovsky, Dermot Mulroney, among others. Here is a very short teaser trailer.