Tag Archives: Kevin Pollak

Review: ‘TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 2: HORROR AND SCI-FI’ available today on digital and VOD

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TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 2: HORROR AND SCI-FI 

The greatest cult horror and science fiction films of all-time are studied in vivid detail in the second volume of Time Warp. Includes groundbreaking classics like “Night of the Living Dead,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and sci-fi gems such as “Blade Runner,” and “A Clockwork Orange.” 

Volume 2 is significantly shorter in runtime than Volume 1, coming in at 83 minutes. That being said, the amount of backstory and insider info is aplenty. I am a huge horror and sci-fi buff and I found myself hearing a plethora of great new stories from the cast members of some of my favorite films. Cast, crew, and critics discuss the highs and lows of their original releases and how they influenced what was yet to come in cinema history. They get into the political subtext and how some of the most iconic dialogue and choreography were improvised. The first half tackles horror while the latter half talks about sci-fi classics. Tom Savini gives us some fantastic insight into the set, makeup, and stunts from Romero‘s Dawn Of The Dead. Bruce Campbell‘s perspective on what made Army Of Darkness a later hit is cool. Wait until you find out what has happened to the house in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! Malcolm McDowell talking about A Clockwork Orange will damn near make your year. Despite the length and the mouthful of its title, Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films Of All-Time Volume 2: Horror and Sci-fi is just as fun as its predecessor. I cannot wait to dive into Volume 3: Comedy and Camp coming in June. Check out the trailer below. Volume 1 and 2 are now available on Digital and VOD. Genre fans of all ages and predilections will adore this series.

TITLE: TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 2 HORROR AND SCIFI
ON DEMAND AND DIGITAL: May 19, 2020
HOSTS: Joe Dante, John Waters, Ileana Douglas and Kevin Pollak
CAST: Jeff Goldblum, Sean Young, Joe Morton, Malcolm McDowell, Bruce Campbell, Roger Corman, John Sayles, Mary Woronov, Ed Neal and Rob Zombie
RUN TIME: 83 minutes

 

Review: ‘Three Christs’ brings heavenly performances.

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In 1959, psychiatrist Dr. Alan Stone (Richard Gere) arrives at a mental hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan armed with the radical belief that schizophrenic patients should be treated not with confinement and electroshock therapy but with empathy and understanding. As his first study, he takes on the particularly challenging case of three men—Joseph (Peter Dinklage), Leon (Walton Goggins), and Clyde (Bradley Whitford)—each of whom believes they are Jesus Christ. Hoping that by getting them together in the same room to confront their delusions he can break through to them, Dr. Stone begins a risky, unprecedented experiment that will push the boundaries of psychiatric medicine and leave everyone involved—including Dr. Stone himself—profoundly changed. Based on a remarkable true story, Three Christs is a fascinating and moving look at one man’s journey into the deepest mysteries of the human mind.

This impeccable cast leaves their hearts on the screen. Gere, Dinklage, Goggins, Whitford, and Pollak are at their best. Based on true events in the 1950’s, when shock therapy was the most common treatment for a schizophrenic outburst, Dr. Stone introduces psychotherapy as a means of potentially curing this diagnosis.

Gere as Dr. Stone is as reliable as ever. It’s a solid and compassionate performance. Peter Dinklage as Joseph (or Jesus #1) has all the elegance of an eccentric European professor. An opera aria and letter writing are his means of self-expression. Dinklage is nothing short of riveting. Bradley Whitford plays Clyde (#2). Carrying a tattered cardboard box and responding in oxymoronic rhetoric, he is charming and genuine.

Walton Goggins is Leon (JC #3). Intuitive and emotionally stunning, his performance is truly award-worthy. Charlotte Hope as Dr. Stone’s research assistant gives an innocent and inquisitive tone to her character Becky. Kevin Pollak is Dr. Orbus. He is a power-wielding man whose true nature is slow to emerge. Unscrupulous in his selfishness, Pollak plays him in such a way that while you loathe him, he is essential as a foil for Gere. I would be remiss if I did not mention James Monroe Iglehart as Benny, the group’s orderly. He is the perfect balance between professional and personal. He could be the very representation of the film’s viewer.

The film has highs and lows in pacing. It’s simple but precisely shot. Ultimately, this film shines in its high caliber performances. Three Christs is an important story in the larger scheme of discussing mental illness across the spectrum. Not labeling individuals but treating them with compassion. It tackles healing through human connection and not the for-profit approach to medicine.

IFC Films will release THREE CHRISTS in theaters, On Digital and On Demand on Friday, January 10, 2020.

THREE CHRISTS is directed by award-winning filmmaker Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes) from a script co-written by Avnet and Eric Nazarian.  The film is based on Milton Rokeach’s groundbreaking and controversial experiment chronicled in his book The Three Christs Of Ypsilanti. THREE CHRISTS features an all-star cast including Richard Gere (Chicago, Pretty Woman), Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones” Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Walton Goggins (“Justified,” Them That Follow), Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing,” Get Out), Charlotte Hope(Allied, Les Miserables), and Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife,” “ER”).

Review: ‘THE LATE BLOOMER’, Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut, is based on a true and hilarious story.

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latebloomer_th_1sht_lr_proof_2_revSometimes, when you get really lucky, you get to be part of movie history. When Kevin Pollak got the call that he was going to direct a movie version of Ken Baker‘s Book, “The Late Bloomer: A Memoir of My Body”, I was in the room. We were just sitting down for a small roundtable interview for his Tribeca Film Festival Film documentary Misery Loves Comedy, when he got a call he had to take at the table. When Kevin Pollak needs to answer the phone, you sit politely and attempt to eavesdrop. There was no need, as he hung up the phone and eagerly explained that he’d be directing a comedy about a kid who doesn’t hit puberty until his 20’s… and that it was based on a true story.
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The story of an adult male who, after the successful removal of a benign tumor resting against his pituitary gland, experiences all the changes and effects of puberty over a three-week period.

While the cast is beyond tremendous, sometimes the jokes just fall flat. The premise is outstanding so I leave it up to the audience this time to decide whether or not to catch this one. Check out the trailer below for a pretty fun preview.
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THE LATE BLOOMER
In Select Theaters and On Demand / Digital HD: October 7, 2016
DIRECTOR: Kevin Pollak
WRITER: Screenplay By Joe Nussbaum, Mark Torgove, Paul A. Kaplan, Kyle Cooper, Austyn Jeffs, Story By Joe Nussbaum and Gary Rosen, From the Book “The Late Bloomer: A Memoir of My Body” by Ken Baker
CAST: Johnny Simmons, Maria Bello, Brittany Snow, Jane Lynch, J.K. Simmons, Kumail Nanjiani, Beck Bennett, Paul Wesley
GENRE: Comedy
DISTRIBUTOR: Momentum Pictures

Review: ‘MAX ROSE’ sees legend Jerry Lewis in his first live-action film in two decades.

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Paladin logo

Presents

 MAX ROSE

Max Rose Poster starring Jerry Lewis

In Theaters September 2nd

Starring: Jerry Lewis, Claire Bloom, Kevin Pollak, Kerry Bishé, Dean Stockwell, Mort Sahl, Illeana Douglas, Rance Howard, and Lee Weaver

Written and Directed by: Daniel NoahMax Rose still Jerry LewisDrawing on personal experiences tends to be a pretty successful way to tell a story. Raw emotion tends to translate from page to screen, especially if you have a legend bringing your words to life. Jerry Lewis makes Daniel Noah‘s new film a beautiful and heart-wrenching winner. MAX ROSE tells the story of a retired jazz pianist whose world is sent into a tailspin after he finds a letter given to his wife. Who is the mysterious author? This could change everything he’s ever known.kerry bishe and kevin pollak

After the death of his beloved wife Eva, Max finds a relic from her past, along with a love letter from a man who is not him. Adjusting to a new life in which everything feels like a lie wreaks havoc on everyone connected to Max. His granddaughter Annie  becomes his surrogate caretaker, while he pushes away any attempt from his son to help. Max is on a mission to find the truth while attempting to maintain any sense of self or fraction of happiness. Noah’s script is delicate and intense. There is possibly  no other actor able to fill this role other than Lewis, who returns in his first live-action role since Funny Bones in 1995.

The cast is unreal. Kevin Pollak as Max’s son Christopher, is solid as ever. He plays a pragmatic man who yearns for the affection and approval of his Dad. The volatility between the two is so palpable on screen, it’s a joy to watch from any cinephile’s perspective. Kerry Bishe plays Annie. Soft and loving and seeking her own way in the world. Dean Stockwell‘s appearance, is surprising and welcome. Since Stockwell will forever be “Al” from Quantum Leap, seeing him as a much more emotionally stunted man on his death-bed was fantastic.Max rose still

The entire film revolves around the ability of Jerry Lewis to be on his toes. He does not disappoint. This film is a reminder of how truly incredible this man is. It’s not easy to tell the story of an octogenarian in a new and interesting way. There are so few films that center around an elderly main character. Cocoon and Driving Miss Daisy (both starring Jessica Tandy), Nebraska, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Amour, and Harold & Maude are a few wonderful examples, but even they must have a been a hard sell at some point. With Lewis as our main man, we happily sit up and take notice. Everything from tone to timbre is perfection. Noah should be proud of this exemplary sophomore film. MAX ROSE deals with many relevant issues, such as loss, life transition, and hope. No matter the age of the viewer, there will be an instant connection in both story and performance.

MAX ROSE comes to opens Friday, September 2nd

MAX ROSE, featuring the legendary Jerry Lewis in his first starring role in over two decades, is a deeply moving drama about a retired jazz musician whose beloved wife of nearly six decades has just passed away. Though his career wasn’t everything he hoped for, Max always felt like a success because his beautiful, elegant Eva was by his side.  Then, while going through her effects, he discovers a love note from another man, a shocking revelation that leads him to believe his entire marriage, indeed, his entire life, was built on a lie. Following a period of anger and withdrawal, Max decides to confront the man who “stole” his wife in the hope that what he learns will provide the answers he so desperately needs.  A film about reconciling the past, living in the present, and never stopping to plan for the future, MAX ROSE was written and directed by Daniel Noah,   Rounding out the cast are Claire Bloom (as Eva), Kevin Pollack, Kerry Bishe, Mort Sahl, Dean Stockwell, Rance Howard, and Lee Weaver.

Tribeca Film Festival interview: Kevin Pollak talks his new doc ‘Misery Love Comedy’ with expected hilarity.

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Misery Loves Comedy PosterSome of my fondest memories as a kid are family game nights, Sunday breakfasts, and dancing in the kitchen. All of these things we still do. We try to outplay each other. We make fun of the everyone’s ever changing diets. We choreograph the best and worst dance moves in the universe. Being the first of 4 children ignites a fire that never quite goes away. ‘Look At Me Syndrome” is something I live and die by. Young performers are like sponges. They listen to every word as a kid. They are bright and observant, perhaps not coming alive at that age, but letting it all seep into what shapes their humor. *And yes, I did just allude to how awesome I have always been. But enough about me.* Kevin Pollak has created one hell of a documentary to share with the planet, MISERY LOVES COMEDY. Rounding up over 60 comedians, both stand up or just plain funny people in the industry, including the likes of Amy Schumer, Tom Hanks, Judd Apatow, Kevin Smith, Christopher Guest, Lisa Kudrow, Bob Saget, Chris Hardwick, and  Kathleen Madigan, just to name a few. Pollak poses the question that performers know to be true; “Do you have to be miserable to be funny?” The answers comes in form of intimate sit down interviews with a cast only someone with Pollak’s clout could get to say yes so quickly. Filmed over the course of 4 weeks in L.A. and NYC, we are privy to family photos, childhood inspirations, and all the mess in between. Pollak even edited the film himself, sharing that experience was eye-opening and surprisingly enjoyable. This film is non-stop funny. I loved every moment of it. Jim Gaffigan sums up the need to entertain others perfectly, it’s a ‘Narcissists Fantasy’. Question it, accept it, then own it. I do. It’s the only way to live.

When Kevin Pollak offers to take a picture with you, you take a picture. Because Kevin Pollak.

When Kevin Pollak offers to take a picture with you, you take a picture. Because Kevin Pollak.

In honor of the masterful director himself, and the over 600 hours of interviews he had conducted, in true Kevin Pollak Chat Show style, I give you the audio from our roundtable with this comic genius. Welcome to a slice of MISERY LOVES COMEDY.

 

Misery Loves Comedy is available on iTunes !! *Ps- it’s #1 right now* Opens today in NYC (IFC Center) with a national release to follow.