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World War II dramas, which often portray dramatized versions of real stories, are some of the most popular movies available on streaming services, Netflix has no shortage of great ones. War dramas are a very popular genre as a whole as they are often both entertaining and educational. Additionally, the genre benefits from the variety available, as it is possible to take an action route or a more emotional, character-driven route, leading to some of the best war movies of all time being vastly different.

While World War II documentaries and television series abound, there is room for great stories to be told even in the most horrifying backdrops. The World War II dramas available on Netflix cover satirical takes on real people and events, heart-wrenching tragedies, and stories of a singular person's heroism, meaning there is something that every audience member can watch.

The Catcher Was A Spy (2018) Paul Rudd...

Clockwise from top left: X (A24), Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24), Mea Culpa (Netflix)Image: The A.V. Club

This February, Netflix adds a Best Picture Oscar winner, a Ti West horror movie with a sequel arriving later this year, and Tyler Perry’s latest movie. The surreal Everything Everywhere All At Once...

Since launching in 2015, Keshet Studios, the U.S. division of Keshet International (Ki), has proved a model worth copying for international content producers looking to make it big in Hollywood. The company now develops and produces content for all the biggest broadcasters and streamers in several languages for both U.S. and international audiences. Led by president Peter Traugott, the outfit leans on Ki’s existing international catalog while also acquiring third party IP and developing new originals. Below, 10 Keshet Studio titles currently in development or production.

“La Brea” Ordered by NBC at the beginning of 2021, this original series was created by David Applebaum (“The Mentalist”) and Keshet Studios, which co-produces alongside Universal Television. Already picked up for a second season, it was this fall’s top-rated series among audiences 18-49 in the U.S., with more than 47 million viewers tuning in to the L.A.-based disaster thriller.

“The Missing...

Palace Cinemas national programming director Kim Petalas will step down from his role in late December after some 30 years with the company.

However, while he is leaving to spend more time with his family, he will continue to advise the exhibitor in his semi-retirement.

Of his decision, the industry veteran – also the director of the British Film Festival – tells If: “I felt that it was time, after such a long innings, to allow somebody else to come in with some fresh ideas, and for me to assist and help out wherever I can.

“It’s hard to leave an industry and in particular, an organisation, that I just love so much. I’ll do anything in the background to assist Palace moving forward.”

Petalas has always had an “incredible passion” for film, and started at Palace developing the group booking business, before stepping into the programming director role some 28 years ago.

Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps are among the writers aiming to win consecutive prizes at this year’s Awgie Awards.

Grant, who won the adaptation prize with Cripps for Penguin Bloom in 2020 and for the True History of the Kelly Gang in 2019, is nominated this year for his work on Nitram, against the Here Out West writing team of Nisrine Amine, Bina Bhattacharya, Matias Bolla, Claire Cao, Arka Das, Dee Duygu Dogan, Vonne Patiag and Tien Tran; Falling for Figaro‘s Ben Lewin and Allen Palmer; and The Furnace‘s Roderick MacKay in the original feature film category.

Cripps and Robert Connolly have been recognised for The Dry, which is one of two nominees for the feature film adaptation award alongside Babyteeth, written for the screen by the original playwright Rita Kalnejais.

In the television categories, Tony McNamara’s The Great is pitted against Wakefield, Five Bedrooms and Wentworth for...

According to her dour, navy-suited employers in an old-school London financial institute, young American Millie Cantwell is the most prodigiously gifted fund manager in many a moon: a veritable supernova in her field, destined for great and profitable things. This is doubtless a wonderful thing to hear if you truly want to be a fund manager. If, like Millie, your most cherished ambition is to be an opera singer, it feels more like your head ruthlessly selling out your heart, leaving your voice stranded somewhere in the exchange. As for which ultimately wins out, expect no surprises in “Falling for Figaro,” a corny, cute-enough carpe diem comedy, in which it’s a lovable ensemble — led by Danielle Macdonald, and spiked by a deliciously imperious Joanna Lumley — that brings the grace notes to a pretty standard-issue script.

An Industry Selects offering at Toronto last year, now getting a quiet multiplatform release...

As Luciano Pavarotti demonstrated in Yes, Giorgio, his woeful attempt at screen stardom, opera and romantic comedy don’t necessarily mix well onscreen. Fortunately, this new effort from director Ben Lewin fares somewhat better, thanks to the appealing charm of lead players Danielle Macdonald and Hugh Skinner and the amusingly droll humor for which Scottish characters are particularly suited (it’s hard to take a man in a kilt totally seriously). Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in Falling for Figaro, although the humor isn’t of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions.

The film’s ...

As Luciano Pavarotti demonstrated in Yes, Giorgio, his woeful attempt at screen stardom, opera and romantic comedy don’t necessarily mix well onscreen. Fortunately, this new effort from director Ben Lewin fares somewhat better, thanks to the appealing charm of lead players Danielle Macdonald and Hugh Skinner and the amusingly droll humor for which Scottish characters are particularly suited (it’s hard to take a man in a kilt totally seriously). Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in Falling for Figaro, although the humor isn’t of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions.

The film’s ...

The Woodstock Film Festival has announced the slate for its 22nd edition, with 11 world premieres among the 43 features on the bill.

The festival will take place September 29 to October 3 in three Hudson Valley communities about two hours north of New York City. In-person screenings and events will be featured throughout the fest’s five days, but online options will also enable attendees to connect amid the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.

Panels, concerts and comedy sets along with film screenings are planned in Woodstock, Kingston and Saugerties. Neon chief Tom Quinn is slated to receive the festival’s Honorary Trailblazer Award, an honor announced in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic.

The festival will kick off with Fanny: The Right to Rock, a documentary about a pathbreaking Filipina-American garage band, with a performance by some of the band’s members following the screening. Music is an annual touchstone for Woodstock’s lineup,...

"I'm really confused right now... I came here to win a singing competition." IFC Films has unveiled a new official US trailer for Falling for Figaro, an amusing indie comedy about finding your voice. Literally. We featured the UK trailer for this earlier in the year. The latest from filmmaker Ben Lewin (of The Sessions), Falling for Figaro is a romantic comedy film set in the fierce world of opera singing competitions, starring Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley. A brilliant young fund manager leaves her unfulfilling job and a long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer training in the Scottish Highlands. The cast also includes Shazad Latif, Gary Lewis, Hugh Skinner, Rebecca Benson, Bhav Joshi, and Margaret Fraser. This seems charming and uplifting, it looks worth a watch for anyone that loves singing. Here's the official US trailer (+ poster) for Ben ...

Exclusive: The story of disability pioneer Sylvia Flexer is set for the big screen.

Ben Lewin, director of The Sessions and The Catcher was a Spy, is to write and direct a feature film for Keshet Studios and White Lodge Productions.

Sylvia and the President is the true story of a marginalized group of people and their fight for equality. At the age of 21, outspoken Flexer – who walked with the aid of crutches – was elected president of the League of the Physically Handicapped. It was the height of the Great Depression and, like Sylvia, the majority of the members had been affected by polio.

Following their efforts to highlight government discrimination against disabled workers in New York, Flexer and 34 other members of the League rode all night on a flatbed truck to Washington to lobby President Roosevelt – who was still hiding the extent of his own disability from the public...

"Some people say an opera singer needs to suffer." Entertainment Films in the UK has released an official trailer for Falling for Figaro, a spunky indie comedy about finding your voice. Literally. The latest film by acclaimed director Ben Lewin (The Sessions), Falling for Figaro is a romantic comedy set in the fierce world of opera singing competitions, starring Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley. A brilliant young fund manager leaves her unfulfilling job and a long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer... training up in the Scottish Highlands. The film's cast includes Shazad Latif, Gary Lewis, Hugh Skinner, Rebecca Benson, Bhav Joshi, and Margaret Fraser. This definitely looks like a fun British singing comedy, but I don't know how it will play with people who don't also love opera. Take a look anyway. Here's the first official UK trailer for Ben Lewin's ...

Ben Lewin’s romantic comedy headed across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

WestEnd Films has sold Ben Lewin’s romantic comedy Falling For Figaro to a raft of distributors across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, following IFC Films recent acquisition of US rights.

The UK-based sales company has closed deals for Japan (Happinet), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Poland, South Korea (Entermode), the Middle East (Phoenicia Pictures), Taiwan (Central Motion Picture Corporation), Canada (Pacific Northwest Pictures) and airlines (Cinesky).

The film, set in the fierce world of competitive opera singing, is led by Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald,...

WestEnd Film handles worldwide sales.

IFC Films has acquired US rights from WestEnd Films to the rom-com Falling For Figaro starring Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald.

Ben Lewin directed the Australia/UK co-production from a screenplay he co-wrote with Allen Palmer.

Falling For Figaro follows a disillusioned fund manager (Macdonald) who pursues her dream of becoming an opera singer and engages the services of a fearsome diva in the Scottish Highlands, where she also finds love.

Rounding out the cast are Hugh Skinner, Gary Lewis, Shazad Latif, and Rebecca Benson.

WestEnd Film handles worldwide sales and previously announced deals in...

IFC Films has acquired the U.S. rights to “Falling For Figaro,” a romantic comedy about competitive opera singing that stars Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald. The film will be released in 2021.

Ben Lewin directs “Falling For Figaro,” which stars “The Wolf of Wall Street” star Lumley and “Dumplin'” star Macdonald alongside Hugh Skinner, Gary Lewis, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson.

The film is about a young woman who leaves her job and breaks up with her boyfriend to fulfill a dream of becoming an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands. She begins intense vocal training lessons with a renowned but fearsome singing teacher and former opera diva, and she meets and starts to fall for another student as they both train and compete for an upcoming opera contest.

Lewin wrote “Falling For Figaro” with Allen Palmer. It’s an official Australian and UK co-production and is produced by Philip Wade,...

IFC Films has nabbed U.S. rights to “Falling for Figaro,” a romantic comedy set in the world of opera singing competitions.

The film is directed by Ben Lewin, the filmmaker behind “The Catcher Was A Spy” and “The Sessions,” and stars Joanna Lumley of “Absolutely Fabulous” and Danielle Macdonald, who earned raves for her work in “Dumplin'” and “Patti Cake$.” IFC Films will release “Falling for Figaro” in 2021.

The film follows a brilliant young fund manager named Millie (Macdonald), who quits her job and ends things with her longterm boyfriend in order to fulfill her dream of becoming an opera singer — in the Scottish Highlands. She begins intense vocal training lessons with renowned but fearsome singing teacher and former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Lumley). It is there she meets Max, another of Meghan’s students who is also training for the upcoming “Singer of Renown” contest. The competition between...

‘The Furnace.’

Most independent Australian distributors are doing it tough, forced to postpone releases while the exhibition business languishes with Victorian cinemas closed and seating capacity restricted in the rest of the country.

They fear the Federal Government’s media reforms, which will lower the Producer Offset for films to 30 per cent and double the minimum qualifying Australian production expenditure (Qape) threshold for features to $1 million, will lead to fewer narrative features and feature documentaries.

Another concern is that removing the obligation to release films in cinemas will further deplete the number of titles available to distributors next year.

However most are confident the cinema business will rebound from Boxing Day onwards with the launches of Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods: A New Age and Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2, and that 2021 will be a strong year.

“Business is not what it used to be...

‘The Furnace.’

Most independent Australian distributors are doing it tough, forced to postpone releases while the exhibition business languishes with Victorian cinemas closed and seating capacity restricted in the rest of the country.

They fear the Federal Government’s media reforms, which will lower the Producer Offset for films to 30 per cent and double the minimum qualifying Australian production expenditure (Qape) threshold for features to $1 million, will lead to fewer narrative features and feature documentaries.

Another concern is that removing the obligation to release films in cinemas will further deplete the number of titles available to distributors next year.

However most are confident the cinema business will rebound from Boxing Day onwards with the launches of Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods: A New Age and Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2, and that 2021 will be a strong year.

“Business is not what it used to be...

London-based sales agent WestEnd Films has sold multiple territories on romantic comedy “Falling For Figaro,” starring Joanna Lumley (“Absolutely Fabulous”) and Danielle Macdonald (“Patti Cake$”).

The film has sold to Entertainment Film Distributors for the U.K., Twelve Oaks for Spain, Splendid for Benelux, Huanxi Media Group for China, United King for Israel, Investacommerce for the former Yugosvalian territories and Umbrella Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand. Discussions are ongoing for North America.

Directed and co-written by Ben Lewin, Sundance and San Sebastian winner for “The Sessions,” with co-writer Allen Palmer, the film is set in the world of opera competitions, and follows a young fund manager who decides to leave behind her unfulfilling London job and long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer, who is trained by a former opera diva.

The film was screened for the first time to buyers at the Toronto...

Exclusive: WestEnd Films has scored UK distribution and other key deals for TIFF Selects title Falling For Figaro, from director Ben Lewin (The Sessions) and starring Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) and Danielle Macdonald (Patti Cake$).

Entertainment Film Distributors has picked up the romantic comedy for the UK. Rights have also gone to Spain (Twelve Oaks), Benelux (Splendid), China (Huanxi Media Group), Israel (United King), former Yugoslavia (Investacommerce) and Umbrella Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.

The UK distribution deal was negotiated by Nigel Green at Entertainment and Maya Amsellem at WestEnd, acting on behalf of the filmmakers.

Discussions are said to be ongoing for North America.

The film was screened for the first time to buyers at TIFF as part of the festival’s new Industry Selects section, a curated selection of 30 projects with potential international sales appeal.

Set in the fierce world of opera competitions, and featuring music from The Barber of Seville,...

‘Falling for Figaro.’

Ben Lewin’s Falling for Figaro, a romantic comedy starring Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley, is among 30 titles from around the world that will feature at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) outside the official selection.

TIFF’s industry and festival programming teams chose the line-up from 29 countries for TIFF Industry Selects, which will screen to accredited users on the festival’s press and industry platform TIFF Digital Cinema Pro.

Billed as the first ever Scottish-Australian co-production, the rom-com scripted by Lewin (The Sessions) and Allen Palmer follows Macdonald as Millie, a brilliant young fund manager who decides to leave her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands.

She begins intense vocal training lessons with renowned singing teacher and former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Lumley) and meets fellow student Max (Flea Bag and Little Birds...

Industry registration closes on September 2.

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) organisers on Tuesday (September 1) announced a selection of 30 global acquisition titles outside the Official Selection.

TIFF Industry Selects titles hail from 29 countries and have been hand-picked by TIFF’s industry and festival programming teams and will screen to accredited users on the festival’s dedicated press and industry platform, TIFF Digital Cinema Pro. Industry registration closes on September 2.

2020 TIFF Industry Selects Titles:

A Good Man (France) Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar

After Love (UK) Aleem Khan

And Tomorrow The Entire World (Germany/France) Julia Von Heinz

Apples (Greece) Christos Nikou

Baby Done (New...

The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled around 30 indie movie titles that will screen as part of its inaugural TIFF Industry Selects sidebar during this year’s online-only film market.

The international titles looking to spark interest at TIFF among buyers and global festival programmers include Nicole Riegel’s Holler, a 2020 SXSW pick that stars Jessica Barden and is produced by Paul Feig; Curtis Vowell’s New Zealand comedy Baby Done, from Taika Waititi’s Piki Films; and Falling For Figaro, Ben Lewin’s romantic comedy that stars Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald.

The market picks for Toronto’s Sept. 10-19 run are ...

The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled around 30 indie movie titles that will screen as part of its inaugural TIFF Industry Selects sidebar during this year’s online-only film market.

The international titles looking to spark interest at TIFF among buyers and global festival programmers include Nicole Riegel’s Holler, a 2020 SXSW pick that stars Jessica Barden and is produced by Paul Feig; Curtis Vowell’s New Zealand comedy Baby Done, from Taika Waititi’s Piki Films; and Falling For Figaro, Ben Lewin’s romantic comedy that stars Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald.

The market picks for Toronto’s Sept. 10-19 run are ...

Tania Chambers.

Years of perseverance in developing feature films and TV series with multiple collaborators are paying off for producer Tania Chambers.

The MD of Feisty Dame Productions is in the midst of financing How to Please a Woman and casting the co-lead of Time to Tango, a feature inspired by Miranda Edmonds and Khrob Edmonds’ short film Tango Underpants.

In addition, she is holding a writers’ room on a TV drama with such talent as Renée Webster, Miley Tunnecliffe and Kelly Lefever.

Webster is writing and will direct How to Please a Woman, a comedy-drama about a mature woman who must embrace her sexuality when her all-male house-cleaning business gets out of control.

Supported in development since 2016 by Screen Australia and Screenwest, the film has an Australian distributor and sales agent attached and the plan is to start shooting in Perth in March with funding from Screenwest’s West Coast Visions.

Exclusive: Here’s the first image from Falling For Figaro, Ben Lewin’s (The Sessions) upcoming romantic comedy set in the world of opera starring Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald.

Deadline broke the news on the pic back in October. Macdonald will play a young fund manager who decides to leave her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend behind to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer, with Lumley as a former opera diva who becomes her fearsome singing teacher.

WestEnd Films is handling sales on the title and will screen a first promo during the Cannes online market next week.

The movie is an official Australian-uk co-production written by Ben Lewin and Allen Palmer, and produced by Philip Wade, Judi Levine and Arabella Page Croft. Hugh Skinner, Gary Lewis, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson round out the cast. It will feature music from The Barber Of Seville, The Marriage Of Figaro,...

Gary Lewis also joins Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley in romantic comedy.

Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif, Rebecca Benson and Gary Lewis are joining Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley in romantic comedy Falling For Figaro.

WestEnd Films is handling sales on the feature, which is directed by Ben Lewin (The Sessions) and set in the world of opera singing competitions.

Principal photography began in Scotland last week and will continue through January after which the filmmakers will travel to Melbourne to complete post-production.

Skinner is perhaps best-known for roles in TV series such as BBC comedy W1A, Hulu drama Harlots...

“Satori” will tell the latest chapter of ballet star Sergei Polunin’s story, as the enigmatic Ukrainian dance prodigy moves into choreography and attempts to rebuild his career.

The project reunites Polunin with Oscar-nominated Steven Cantor after the pair’s work on earlier feature documentary “Dancer.” The new film follows Polunin’s inauguration as a choreographer with his “Satori” project.

Polunin, once described as the “bad boy of ballet,” quit the Royal Ballet in London in 2012 after having been its youngest-ever principal dancer.

He has created Project Polunin, which creates works for stage and film, and has acted in movies including Rudolf Nureyev biopic “The White Crow” and Kenneth Branagh’s remake of “Murder on the Orient Express.”

As with “Dancer,” WestEnd Films has boarded worldwide sales on “Satori.” The London-based sales, production and finance outfit will introduce the film, which is in production, to buyers at Afm. “Dancer” sold to 25 territories,...

Danielle Macdonald.

Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley will star in Falling For Figaro, a romantic comedy from The Sessions director Ben Lewin which will be an Australian-uk co-production.

Co-written by Lewin and Allen Palmer, the film will follow Macdonald as Millie, a brilliant young fund manager who decides to leave her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands.

She begins intense vocal training lessons with renowned singing teacher and former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Lumley) and meets fellow student Max, who is training for an upcoming contest.

The soundtrack will feature music from famous operas including The Barber Of Seville, The Marriage Of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Romeo And Juliet and Carmen.

The producers are Philip Wade, who was an executive producer on Grant Sputore’s I Am Mother, Judi Levine (The Sessions) and Arabella Page Croft (Sunshine On Leith...

Exclusive: Danielle Macdonald and Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) will lead the cast of Falling For Figaro, a romantic comedy from The Sessions director Ben Lewin, I can reveal.

Set in the fierce world of opera singing competitions, the movie follows Millie (Macdonald), a brilliant young fund manager who decides to leave her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend behind to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands.

She begins intense vocal training lessons with renowned singing teacher and former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Lumley) and meets Max, another of Meghan’s students, who is also training for an upcoming contest.

The movie will feature music from famous operas including The Barber Of Seville, The Marriage Of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Romeo And Juliet, and Carmen.

Lewin wrote the screenplay with Allen Palmer. Producers are Philip Wade (I Am Mother), Judi Levine (The Sessions...

There aren’t a lot of sports stars who could claim to be as interesting as Moe Berg, a Major League baseball player who spoke nearly a dozen languages, blew audiences away on quiz shows, and worked as a spy for the United States government during World War II. Berg nearly assassinated German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg. Take that, Dwayne Johnson.

Berg, who got his own biopic last year is now the subject of a major documentary. “The Spy Behind Home Plate.” Written and directed by Aviva Kempner (“The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg”), the film assembles pundits, contemporaries and family members, combining new and archived interview footage to reveal the many incredible facets of Berg’s life.

Nimble and efficient, “The Spy Behind Home Plate” races through that life at a steady clip, unloading one fascinating biographical tidbit after another. The action may be staid — it’s a talking-heads documentary,...

With summer tentpoles in full thrust, specialty distributors are maintaining their seasonal role offering up alternative programming for moviegoers not dazzled by the latest studio blitz.

The final full weekend of June included at least a half dozen new limited titles, headlined by Sundance’s The King by Eugene Jarecki, which Oscilloscope opened in two Manhattan locations Friday. The documentary lorded over the pack of newcomers with a $29K gross for a solid $14,525 per theater average, easily the best among the specialties, and the third-best among all titles reporting grosses Sunday.

Magnolia Pictures took the Zellner brothers’ Damsel to three locations in its opening frame, grossing $21K. By far the ‘widest’ opener among among the group was IFC Films’ The Catcher Was a Spy, which bowed in 49 theaters, taking in $122,494 for a $2,520 PTA.

Sony Classics’ Boundaries played five locations in its first weekend, grossing $30,395, while China Lion’s Lobster Cop...

The Catcher Was a Spy could have been an excellent film. It has every beguiling element needed for a gripping espionage thriller, but sadly falls flat with its placid direction. An all-star cast of veteran actors deliver sufficient performances that fail to resonate. This is because the component parts do not mesh together for a cohesive narrative. It's a shame. The story of Morris "Moe" Berg is truly incredible. This adaptation of his life does not live up to or offer any real insight into a fascinating man.

Moe Berg (Paul Rudd) was a catcher for the Boston Red Sox during the twenties and thirties. Never a superstar, Berg was still good enough to play major league baseball for fifteen years. Behind the athletic prowess was a secretive, but deeply intellectual mind. Berg held advanced degrees from Princeton and Columbia. He was a gifted linguist who mastered seven languages, but...

Sienna Miller as Estella Huni, and Paul Rudd as Moe Berg, in Ben Lewin’s The Catcher Was A Spy. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.

The Catcher Was A Spy is a strange slice of history, about a real-life Jewish Major League baseball catcher with a degree from Princeton and a knack for languages who turned spy during World War II. As catcher Moe Berg, Paul Rudd heads an impressive cast in a historical film with polished good looks and a score by Howard Shore. The film assembled all the right elements for a prestige biopic but does not quite score a hit.

The Catcher Was A Spy is available on-demand from IFC starting Friday, June 22, and in theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

Part biopic and part WWII spy thriller, The Catcher Was A Spy focuses on a particular part of Moe Berg’s life.

It’s easy to imagine scrappy filmmakers rummaging through the anecdotes of history, searching for amazing-but-true stories to transform into hit movies (or at least some Oscar bait). But it’s not enough merely to find a fascinating nugget of trivia; you also have to turn it into a good film. And therein lies the tragedy of “The Catcher Was a Spy.”

“Catcher” stars Paul Rudd as real-life pro baseball player Moe Berg, whose sporting career was perhaps overshadowed by his bizarre overqualifications: He graduated Princeton, Magna Cum Laude, and was fluent in multiple languages. He made regular guest appearances on highfalutin trivia shows. And to top it all off, he was a spy for the U.S. government during World War II.

It’s the sort of character description that would be wildly implausible if it wasn’t, you know, totally true. Berg’s life is a natural for the movies,...

Based on the biographical book of the same name, The Catcher Was A Spy tells the story of Major League Baseball veteran Moe Berg who joined the Office Of Strategic Services as a spy in the World War II. At the premiere of the film, we spoke with director Ben Lewin about his interest in the project and his love of…

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The road to hell is paved with good intentions, they say – and the path of good intentions, we'd wager, is liberally bricked with dull, earnest important-man biopics. An adaptation of Nicholas Dawidoff's 1994 book of the same name, The Catcher Was a Spy rewinds back to the mid-1930s, when baseball player Moses "Moe" Berg (Paul Rudd) was on the Boston Red Sox roster and keeping Fenway fans cheering on their feet. He gets a little guff for being a Jew (per Berg, he modestly characterizes himself as "Jew-ish" with...

The Catcher Was A Spy IFC Films Reviewed by: Harvey Karten Director: Ben Lewin Screenwriter: Robert Rodat Cast: Paul Rudd, Mark Strong, Guy Pearce, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniels, Sienna Miller, Tom Wilkinson, Giancarlo Giannini Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 6/9/18 Opens: June 22, 2018 I was about to say that there’s not a heck of […]

The post The Catcher Was a Spy Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Patrons of the former Lincoln Plaza Cinemas have banded together to create a film society, New Plaza Cinema. It will present a curated program of independent films at the 250-seat Carole Zabar Center for Film, located at the Marlene Meyerson Jcc Manhattan, about 14 blocks northwest of where Lincoln Plaza Cinemas held court from 1981 until January 28 of their year.

Although initially planned as a summer program, “We’re working to find a more-permanent venue which will offer first-run and independent films,” said Norma Levy, founder of the Coalition for the New Plaza Cinema; she is now fundraising to help it procure a permanent address. Lincoln Plaza Cinemas co-owner Dan Talbot died less than a month before his venue shuttered, and Levy passed out flyers advertising the New Plaza Cinema at his December 31 memorial service.

Talbot’s co-founder and wife of 68 years, Toby, believes her late husband “would have been heartened — as...

The new dramatic thriller "The Catcher Was a Spy" is directed by Ben Lewin, starring Paul Rudd ("Ant-Man and The Wasp"), Connie Nielsen ("Wonder Woman") and Mark Strong ("Kick-Ass"), opening July 19, 2018:

"...major league baseball player 'Moe Berg' lives a double life...

"...working for the 'Office of Strategic Services'..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Catcher Was A Spy"...

The Catcher Was a Spy Trailer

Ben Lewin‘s The Catcher Was a Spy (2018) movie trailer stars Mark Strong, Jeff Daniels, Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti, and Sienna Miller. The Catcher Was a Spy‘s plot synopsis: based on the book by Nicholas Dawidoff, “This gripping, stranger-than-fiction espionage thriller brings to life the incredible true story of [Morris [...]

Continue reading: The Catcher Was A Spy (2018) Movie Trailer: A Multilingual, Red Sox Catcher Goes Undercover During Ww II

The post The Catcher Was A Spy (2018) Movie Trailer: A Multilingual, Red Sox Catcher Goes Undercover During Ww II appeared first on FilmBook.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, ABC’s The Good Doctor, Netflix’s Atypical, and several filmmakers were honored for their contributions to autism awareness “From Spectrum to Screen” by the Autism Society of America at the 2nd Annual AutFest International Film Festival (April 28-29), held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.

Ed Asner at 2nd Annual AutFest Film Festival

Credit/Copyright: Mathew Imaging

AutFest screened over 16 feature films, shorts and television programs that promote autism awareness and/or are made by autistic filmmakers.

Seven-time Emmy winner and autism advocate Ed Asner presented Sony Pictures Entertainment with the AutFest Visionary Award, bestowed upon Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, and Co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Television Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter at the festival’s closing reception. ABC’s The Good Doctor and Netflix’s Atypical received Spotlight Awards, honored for their exceptional portrayal of autism in a positive light...

I've got a fantastic trailer for Paul Rudd's new film The Catcher Was a Spy. This is a very different film for Rudd to be a part of and he did a fantastic job in it. The film is a gripping, stranger-than-fiction espionage thriller that tells the fascinating true story of Moe Berg, a professional baseball player who became a World War II spy.

A Jewish, Princeton-educated, multilingual catcher for the Boston Red Sox with a closely-guarded private life, the enigmatic Berg (Paul Rudd) was already a man of mystery when, in 1944, the Us government’s wartime intelligence agency enlisted his services. His mission: go behind enemy lines in Europe to assassinate the Nazi’s chief nuclear scientist before the Germans develop an atomic bomb. Trading in his catcher’s mitt for a trench coat, Berg must rely on his formidable, steel-trap intellect in a high-stakes game of...

Before he gets small later this summer, Paul Rudd is doing some good ol’ fashioned drama with The Catcher Was a Spy. Premiering at Sundance earlier this year, the WWII-set feature comes from Ben Lewin (The Sessions) and also stars Mark Strong, Jeff Daniels, Paul Giamatti, Sienna Miller, and Guy Pearce. The true story follows Rudd as Moe Berg, a professional baseball player who became a World War II spy. Ahead of a release next month from IFC Films, the first trailer has now arrived.

“From the start, there’s plenty to like about The Catcher Was a Spy, directed by Ben Lewin and starring Paul Rudd,” Dan Mecca said in his review. “Based on the fascinating life of pro baseball player Moe Berg and adapted from Nicholas Dawidoff’s book of the same name, this is the type of film that feels slightly out of place at Sundance. There...

You’ve heard of “The Catcher in the Rye,” but what about “The Catcher Was a Spy?” Paul Rudd plays the title character in Ben Lewin’s film, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year and is based on the true story of a ballplayer-turned-spy who helped the United States develop an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany. Avail yourself of the trailer below.

Moe Berg (Rudd) has already played in the Major League for 15 seasons when he answers the call of duty, which here comes in the form of putting his unique capabilities — in addition to his athletic acumen, Berg is an Ivy League graduate and attorney — toward the momentous (and top secret) task of defeating Hitler.

Jeff Daniels, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Paul Giamatti, and Hiroyuki Sanada co-star in the film, which was written by Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”). IFC Films will release “The Catcher Was a Spy...

"You can't allow yourself to be captured." IFC Films has debuted an official trailer for an indie true story film titled The Catcher Was a Spy, the latest from director Ben Lewin. This first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, but the reviews were bad. The Catcher Was a Spy tells the story of Morris "Moe" Berg, played by Paul Rudd, the Major League Baseball player, Ivy League graduate, attorney and top-secret spy who helped the Us defeat Nazi Germany in the race to build the atomic bomb. That's quite a pitch, but it doesn't seem this will live up to that hype. The impressive cast includes Jeff Daniels, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Paul Giamatti, and Hiroyuki Sanada. Featuring a score by Howard Shore (which might be the most exciting part?). I'm always curious about WWII films, and this has my attention. It looks better...

Distribute sets June 22 release for Sundance premiere.

IFC Films has acquired Us rights to Second World War drama The Catcher Was A Spy starring Paul Rudd, Sienna Miller, Jeff Daniels, Guy Pearce, and Paul Giamatti.

Ben Lewin directed from a screenplay by Robert Rodat based upon Nicholas Dawidoff’s 1994 non-fiction book The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life Of Moe Berg.

PalmStar Media’s Kevin Frakes, Animus Films’ Jim Young, Serena Films’ Tatiana Kelly and Windy Hill Pictures’ Buddy Patrick produced the film, which debuted in Sundance at the start of the year. IFC Films has set a theatrical...

IFC Films has acquired the U.S. rights to “The Catcher Was a Spy,” starring Paul Rudd and Sienna Miller, the distribution company announced Tuesday.

Directed by Ben Lewin and written by Robert Rodat, the film is based upon the 1995 non-fiction bestseller “The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg” by Nicholas Dawidoff.

The World War II drama also stars Jeff Daniels, Guy Pearce and Paul Giamatti and was produced by PalmStar Media’s Kevin Frakes, Animus Films’ Jim Young, Serena Films’ Tatiana Kelly and Windy Hill Pictures’ Buddy Patrick.

“The Catcher Was a Spy” is based on the true story of Major League Baseball player Moe Berg, who joined the U.S. in its wartime efforts to defeat the Nazis. But once he ascertains how close the Nazis are to building an atomic bomb, he has to make the life-or-death decision that will impact the rest of humanity.

IFC acquired U.S. rights to The Catcher Was a Spy, with Paul Rudd starring as Moe Berg. He was a pro ballplayer who was a spy against the Nazis.

Pic premiered at Sundance. Ben Lewin directed the film, which also stars Sienna Miller, Jeff Daniels, Guy Pearce and Paul Giamatti. Robert Rodate wrote the script based on the Nicholas Dawidoff book. Kevin Frakes, Jim Young, Tatiana Kelly and Buddy Patrick produced.

Pic will be released June 22, 2018.

Stone worked as a producer, director, distributor and exhibitor in London and the Us.

Producer, director, distributor and exhibitor Barbara Stone, who worked in London and the Us, has died aged 83.

Stone was perhaps best known for founding the Gate Cinemas and Cinegate Film Distribution with her husband David Stone, who died in 2011.

The Gate Cinemas was one of the UK’s best-known independent cinema chains in the 1970s and 1980s. It started with the acquisition of the former Classic cinema at Notting Hill Gate in 1974, which was renamed the Gate, followed by the Gate 2 in Brunswick Square in 1978 and...