Netflix review: Avi Nesher’s sweeping Israeli war drama based on true events, ‘Image of Victory,’ releases tomorrow.

IMAGE OF VICTORY

Synopsis:

 Inspired by true events. 1948: Hassanin, an Egyptian filmmaker, is tasked with documenting a raid on the isolated kibbutz Nitzanim. When the kibbutz learns of the impending army raid, Mira, a young but valiant mother, is forced to reckon with the true cost of war and make an impossible choice.


The two diverging stories give us perspectives on each end of the spectrum of war. One glamorized for the media. The other portrays the suffering and survival tactics of everyday existence in the kibbutz. Image of Victory is as relevant today as it was back in 1948, pitting religion, territorial disputes, and tradition against one another. 

The film overflows with fearless female characters, each unique and bold. Joy Rieger plays Mira with undeniable star quality. She is a woman confident in her skin, owning her sexual power. Like most women in Image of Victory, Mira shirks the patriarchal structure. She is an authentic feminist icon. 

Amir Khoury plays Hassanin with eccentric flair. As the sophisticate among soldiers, he is a “fish out of water.” His narration provides a stark contrast to each group’s reality. In truth, Image of Victory is a brilliant ensemble piece. The pure emotion of these characters will remain long after the credits roll. Knowing the film is based on actual events tears at your heart. 

The look of the film is beautiful. The attention to detail, lighting, costumes, and cinematic framing, right down to the closing credits, all scream period era, sweeping drama. The script has everything from war scenes to relationships in which you’re bound to feel invested. A lingering dread looms over the narrative, keeping the audience on their toes. But, the genuine portrayal of humanity at its most desperate keeps you in awe. Isreal’s most expensive production fits perfectly into Netflix’s awards season slate. Image of Victory is the kind of film they need to reel in cinephiles for the long haul. 


Please tune in to Netflix to watch IMAGE OF VICTORY
on Friday, July 15th!
Directed by Avi Nesher (Past Life, The Other Story)
Produced by Ehud Bleiberg (The Band’s Visit, The Iceman)
Screenplay by Avi Nesher
Inspired by true events and story by Liraz Brosh and Ehud Bleiberg
Starring:
Joy Rieger (Best Actress, Vierges, Tribeca 2018)
Amir Khoury (Fauda)
Ala Dakka (Fauda)

Topic series review: ‘DECEIT’- a story of a real-life honey trap brings the drama.

DECEIT Official Synopsis:

Five months on from the brutal murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common and the Met Police are still no closer to capturing the man they’re convinced is responsible. First identified through a television appeal, the evidence is stacked against Colin Stagg. The media feed a national obsession, covering every detail of the case and demanding justice. The police are determined to catch the man who, in their eyes, is guilty before he kills again. In desperation, the relatively young detective inspector leading the case, engages the nation’s most famous criminal profiler to devise a bold undercover operation which will see an attractive, young female officer start a relationship with Colin Stagg.


As each episode begins, the filmmakers behind the miniseries DECEIT make it abundantly clear that the show involved a plethora of research. In 1992, a woman named Rachel Nickell was brutally murdered in front of her two-year-old son. Police believed they found the guilty party based on an expert forensic profiler. After bringing top undercover officer Sadie Byrne into the mix, they devise an elaborate operation to obtain a confession. 

The series’ four episodes appear to jump in time as Sadie studies Colin’s interrogation tapes. She draws him into her web first with letters, then phone calls. DECEIT’s intrigue is relentless. It’s a fresh perspective from the typical detective plotlines involving female officers. The danger feels heightened. 

Eddie Marsan plays profiler Paul Britton with an unsettling intensity. His scenes with Algar are tense. Sion Young is Colin Stagg. He is both frightening and pathetic, creating a skin-crawling effect. 

Niamh Algar is captivating as a fictionalized version of a real-life undercover officer. It’s like meta method acting, watching her prepare for a role within a role. The deeper she gets into the character of Lizzie, the further she spirals. Her anxiety and fear are palpable. It’s a hell of a performance. 

DECEIT’s lighting has a heavyhanded neo-noir effect, especially when Algar plays “Lizzie.” The editing keeps your mind sharp. The story draws you in, and the characters hold your emotional attention. I appreciated the updates on our players during the finale. Separating truth from fiction reminded me that innumerable lives were ruined. It’s a final nail in the reality coffin for the viewer. DECEIT is a unique entry amongst the true-crime fare.


The 4-part miniseries DECEIT, streaming exclusively on Topic beginning April 14.

Based on a true story, this UK crime thriller follows Lizzie James, a female detective employed to obtain evidence against Collin Stagg, the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Rachel Nickell, which occurred in broad daylight in London’s Wimbledon Common. The case went on to become one of the most infamous entrapment cases in British law enforcement history.

Directed by Niall MacCormick and starring Niamh Algar (Raised by Wolves, Topic’s The Virtues), Eddie Marsan (Deadpool 2, Ray Donovan), and Harry Treadaway (Star Trek: Picard, The Crown), DECEIT has been hailed in the UK, with The Telegraph calling it “a gripping portrait of a real-life undercover operation,” and The Evening Standard declaring that the series “stand[s] out from the usual true crime fare.”


About TOPIC
Topic is the boundary-pushing streaming service from First Look Entertainment for thrillers, mysteries, dramas and documentaries from around the world, serving viewers who crave entertainment beyond the mainstream. Whether it’s a Nordic-noir crime thriller (The Killing), an Italian supernatural political drama (The Miracle), or a haunting true crime docu-series from the UK (The Missing Children), Topic expands your view of the world.

Featuring North American premieres, exclusive TV series and film, and programming from more than 40 countries, Topic showcases an unparalleled collection of creators, perspectives and experiences. Complemented by our Topic Originals, we prioritize bold storytelling and champion underrepresented voices. Topic Originals and exclusives include Oscar® nominee The Letter Room (starring Oscar Isaac), Lambs of God (starring Ann Dowd), BAFTA® nominee The Virtues (starring Stephen Graham), Emmy® nominee The Accidental Wolf (starring Kelli O’Hara), Dark Woods, Gotham Award winning Philly D.A., and Soul City (directed by Coodie & Chike).

Topic is available to US and Canadian audiences on topic.com, AppleTV & iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android & Android TV, Samsung, Apple TV Channels, Roku Premium Channels, Bell Fibe, Amazon Prime Video Channels, and Comcast (Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex and XClass TV). Topic is part of First Look Entertainment which also includes Topic Studios, the award-winning entertainment studio which develops, finances, and produces content for all platforms.


Review/Interview: OITNB star Nick Sandow talks ‘THE WANNABE’

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Presents

THE WANNABE

Respect isn’t earned. It’s stolen.

Written & Directed & Co-Starring Nick Sandow (Captuto on Orange is the New Black) Executive Produced by Academy Award Winner Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas) & Dean Devlin (Independence Day)

The wannanbe poster
No matter who we are, during our lives we have idolized a person. Perhaps in some cases, to a point that may border on the unhealthy. Orange Is The New Black star, Nick Sandow, has written and directed a new film where that idol is the infamous mobster John Gotti. Meet one man’s story of obsession and desperation to be somebody, in The Wannabe.
The wannabe still Patricia Arquette,Vincent Piazza

Based on true events and Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese and Dean Devlin, comes  a story about Thomas ( Vincent Piazza), a man obsessed with Mafia culture during the 1990s in New York City. When Thomas’s failed attempts to fix the trial of infamous mobster John Gotti gets him rejected by the people he idolizes most, he sets off on a drug infused crime spree with his girlfriend and long time mob groupie, Rose (Patricia Arquette), by brazenly robbing the local Mafia hangouts.

the-wannabe-Vincent Piazza

The film is perfectly paced by Sandow‘s writing. Coming up with the story after a friend sent him an article about the real life couple, The Wannabe is a “what might have happened” tale. Perfectly cast as Thomas, Vincent Piazza gives a fully fleshed out performance as a man who craves acceptance. When he doesn’t receive it, drugs lead to power hungry and dangerous life choices. Piazza’s time on Boardwalk Empire served him well in outlining his gangster look and the way he carried himself physically. We’re on the emotional roller coaster alongside him throughout. Patricia Arquette as Rose, is nothing less than brilliant. I am convinced that no matter what character you throw at her, she would own it. Her ease and presence on screen is unmatched, ever the scene stealer. Also, a Boardwalk alum, along with Sandow, it is clear that their chemistry as a trio makes the film as successful as it is.wannabe- Patrcia Arquette

I was privileged to interview Nick Sandow this week. Take a look at what he had to say about The Wannabe.


Liz: Firstly, Nick, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. The Wannabe is an incredibly successful story of audacious choices and personal delusion. Love the structure and style. So, congratulations on the film!

 Where is the line between truth and fiction with Thomas and Rose’s story?
Nick: The line is blurry. There were a handful of facts about a real couple that in the early nineties went around robbing mob social clubs. I was fascinated with how they got from A to Z. I just ran with the story and started to blend in real events that were going on at that time.
Liz: You write and direct this project. What was the biggest challenge in wearing both hats?
Nick: Writing and directing hats go very well together. I’ve directed things that I didn’t write and I have to work very hard to find my way into it. When you write it….. it’s yours…. you are already inside it. It has your DNA all over it so when it comes time to direct it I am attempting to take it further and trying to find another level of understanding with all the tools available.
Liz: Getting the script to Scorsese, wow. What was that moment like when he decided to come on board?
Nick: I couldn’t believe it. I still don’t. It’s hard to fathom. But what a gentle guiding spirit he is.
Liz: When writing, did you already have Vincent and Patricia in mind?
Nick:  I didn’t have them in mind at first but when they did come on board they were both very influential contributors to the rewriting process.
Liz: Was mob history an interest of yours prior to discovering this story?
Nick: Mob history wasn’t an interest. I grew up in a very similar neighborhood in the Bronx. So it was less an interest than a way of life.
Liz: How easy/difficult was it to shoot in the city for it being a period piece?
Nick: It was extremely difficult shooting a period piece in NYC on our budget in 20 days. It was all about finding the right locations. We had 35 location in 20 days. We were trying to find the 90s in the city and you really have to hunt for it. It’s there, you just have to get out into the boroughs. We shot in every one of them except Staten Island.
Liz: Have you ever been obsessed, for lack of a better word, with an individual in the way Thomas was?
Nick:  I’m not sure I was ever as obsessed as Thomas with one single person but I do very much identify with the desperation of wanting to be someone you are not. I’ve made a living out of doing that as an actor for 25 years. I understand where that obsession comes from… I had an outlet for it with acting.
Liz: You, as an actor, have a knack to for being cast as an authority figure, shall we say? Why do you think that is?
Nick: I’ve never really thought of this before. An authority figure….hmmmm. To be honest the first thing that pops into my head is that as a kid I always felt I needed to know the answers to survive. In many ways that served me and in many ways as a young person I feel it shut me down to learning as much as I could of. Maybe this is why? It’s only a guess. I really don’t know.
Liz: We are definitely excited for more Caputo action in Season 4 this June. We’re really rooting for something good to happen to this character! Outside of OITNB, what’s next for you?
Nick: Yes, there will be more Caputo in Season 4. It’s going to be a great season. I’m also excited about it.
Besides Orange, I am looking to shoot another film this spring. It’s a great script written by Frank Pugliese of House of Cards. It is the weekend in the life of a middle aged retired pro football player coming to grips with having Dimentia. I’m also working on a documentary about Kalief Browder who was wrongfully imprisoned for 3 years on Rikers Island from the age of 16 to 19.
Liz: That all sounds incredibly exciting! Thanks again for your time, Nick. ReelNewsDaily is looking forward to seeing more of you any way we can!

Starring:

Academy Award Winner Patricia Arquette (Boyhood),  Vincent Piazza (Boardwalk Empire), Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos),Domenick Lombardozzi (The Wire), David Zayas (Dexter) & Nick Sandow (Orange Is The New Black)

The Wannabe is now playing in select theaters nationwide and is available on all VOD platforms.