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FREESTYLE DIGITAL MEDIA RELEASES DRAMA FEATURE “OUT OF TIME”

Dev Shapiro
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FREESTYLE DIGITAL MEDIA RELEASES DRAMA FEATURE “OUT OF TIME”

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, has just released the drama feature film OUT OF TIME, which is now available to rent/own on North American digital HD internet, DVD, cable, and satellite platforms, starting on November 7, 2025.

OUT OF TIME, tells the story of a determined mother who faces off against a greedy pharmaceutical CEO in a race against time to save her son. In a high-stakes power struggle, Mona Cress embarks on a harrowing journey through the corridors of corporate greed as she navigates betrayal, deception, and personal redemption. While overcoming insurmountable odds to uncover the truth behind the pharmaceutical industry’s darkest secrets, Mona risks everything as she is forced to confront her own past and the sacrifices she must make to protect her family.

Written, directed and produced by Alison Guessou, OUT OF TIME featured cast includes: Charla Marie Bailey (‘Mona Cress’), Paul Economon (‘Rob McCoy’), and Lori Roovers (‘Lynn Knives’).

“OUT OF TIME is a story about sacrifice and resilience: family, survival, trust, and the lengths a mother will go to when the system fails her,” said filmmaker Alison Guessou. “It shines a light on the human cost of corporate greed while reminding us that love and determination can cut through even the darkest battles.”

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated a deal to acquire OUT OF TIME directly with the filmmakers and Alex Nohe and Jeff Dowd of Blood Sweat Honey.

NUREMBERG – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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NUREMBERG – A Review by John Strange

At the end of World War II, the US and its allies realized they had to deal with the Germans differently than how they had been treated after World War I.  Nuremberg is the story of the tribunal that tried the German leaders for crimes against humanity.  This tribunal set legal precedents that were later codified into law.

The story is taken from the book, “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist” by Jack El-Hai.  US Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) fought for the tribunal, warning those he spoke with of how the Germans came back from the beating and humiliation forced upon them by the Treaty of Versailles to come too close to taking over the world.

After the 22 German leaders were brought to Nuremberg to stand trial, the Allies brought in psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) to work with the prisoners.  His time with these men, especially Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), was a large part of the film.  These scenes helped us see more deeply into the minds of men like the Reichsmarschall.

For students of history, this is an excellent film.  The tribunal, everything that led up to it, and its effect on the people involved were fascinating.  James Vanderbilt, the writer/director, did a great job on the film.  The cast, including Crowe, Malek, Shannon, Colin Hanks, Richard E. Grant, John Slattery, and many more, was superb.

Just before the credits is a quote we should all take heed of.  “The only clue to what man can do is what man has done.” (RG Collingwood) 

Take two and a half hours out of your day and go to see this film.

 

Director: James Vanderbilt

Cast: Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Colin Hanks, Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, Richard E. Grant, John Slattery, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, Mark O’Brien, Andreas Pietschmann, Lydia Peckham, Ralph Berkin, Steven Pacey, Dan Cade

MPA Rating: PG-13 (for violent content involving the Holocaust, strong disturbing images, suicide, some language, smoking and brief drug content)

Selig Rating: 5 Stars

Runtime: 148 Min.

Release Date: 11/07/2025

Language: English, German

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History, Thriller, War

Movie Site: NUREMBERG Official Site

Trailer: NUREMBERG Trailer

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

Oscar Torre’s award-winning A HOT SUMMER NIGHT debuts on Amazon on November 21

Dev Shapiro
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Oscar Torre’s award-winning A HOT SUMMER NIGHT debuts on Amazon on November 21

Indie Rights has acquired Noth American rights to the critically acclaimed festival favorite A HOT SUMMER NIGHT, written/directed by Oscar Torre and starring Chuti Tiu (Yellowstone, Expats). Indie Rights and Handle With Care Productions are pleased to announce a release on major streaming platforms including Amazon, Google Play, and You Tube Movies on November 21.

A Summer Night follows the gripping story of Summer (Tiu), a sex worker and recovering alcoholic, who finds herself in a desperate race against time to raise enough money for her mother’s experimental cancer treatment in the course of one night. As the deadline looms, she must navigate the emotional minefield of a past relationship, resist the pull of old addictions. and hold onto hope – discovering unexpected (and even life-saving) moments of compassion along the way.

The film also stars Roberto Sanchez (Palm Royale, Running Point), Oscar Torre (Gaslit, The Hangover III), and Doug Tompos (NCIS: LA).

Director, Oscar Torre said, “The films Chuti and I create often explore characters who live in the gray areas – caught between emotion, sexuality, faith, and survival. With its raw emotional power and timely themes, A Hot Summer Night is a sexy tightrope walk, poised to resonate with viewers around the world. We are thrilled that Indie Rights has decided to take the film under their wing and bring it to a wider audience.”

Linda Nelson, co-Founder of Indie Rights, said, “Indie Rights is pleased to once again collaborate with Director Oscar Torre for the international distribution of his new feature film, A Hot Summer Night. The film is a riveting and immersive story that follows Summer, a sex worker, on a desperate one-night mission to save her ailing mother. Our US release will be followed this Spring with a market debut at the Cannes Film Market.”

The deal was negotiated by Linda Nelson on behalf of Indie Rights and Torre and Tiu on behalf of A Hot Summer Night. High Fliers Films is distributing in the UK.

31 CANDLES – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Jenn Rohm
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31 CANDLES – A Review by Jenn Rohm

It is that time of year when many people curl up on the couch in comfy clothes with a warm beverage and a blanket to watch Christmas Movies.  Yes, they are usually very predictable, and they don’t always have large budgets.  While studios have moved away from big-budget, big-name rom-coms, the fan base is showing it still exists.  If you are a fan of the genres, keep an eye out for 31 Candles to be showing at a theater near you.

Leo Kadner is approaching his 31st birthday, lives in New York, is close with his family, and makes Christmas Movies.  He claims to be jew”ish” and content in situationships as opposed to relationships.  At a family event, he crosses paths with the girl who got away from summer camp, Eva Shapiro.  She is moving back to New York and, in addition to trying to get cast on Broadway, she is a Torah tutor, helping prepare teens for their bar/bat mitzvah.  When Leo turned 13, other events in his family took over, and he never had a bar mitzvah.  He decides he should have one and turns to Eva to tutor him.

There is enough unpredictability, mixed with the predictable, that puts this more in the rom-com than the holiday movie category, making it the perfect first production from Romantical, Jonah Feingold’s new production banner.  Not only did he write, direct, and edit the film, but he also played the lead role, Leo.  His performance is believable, and while not everyone will want to date Leo, they at least want to be his friend.  Sara Coffey was cast as Eva Shapiro.  I like that the choice was made to make the leading lady confident and comfortable with who she is.  Yes, she wants to make it on Broadway and hasn’t yet, but that isn’t bringing her down.  It’s a nice change for a role model.

Other cast members are recognizable and enhance the film’s quality.  Jackie Sandler (You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Happy Gilmore 2) is Susan, and Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Sleepless in Seattle) is Lila.

I will also add that there is something about New York City being a part of a film when it is shot by people who love the city.  The decisions to include certain buildings, the angles to take the shot from, and how to light it create a subplot love story for the audience.

I will keep my eyes and ears open to see what Romantical has in store for us next.

 

Director: Jonah Feingold

Cast: Jonah Feingold, Sarah Coffey, Caroline Aaron, Djouliet Amara, Seth Barrish

MPAA Rating:

Selig Rating: 4 stars

Runtime: 1h 30m

Select Theatres: November 7, 2025

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

Trailer: 31 Candles trailer

 

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

Charming, LGBTQ+, Holiday RomCom, The Christmas Writer Makes its World Premiere on VOD on Nov. 18th

Dev Shapiro
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Charming, LGBTQ+, Holiday RomCom, The Christmas Writer Makes its World Premiere on VOD on Nov. 18th

When a bestselling lesbian Christmas author loses her holiday muse and experiences writer’s block, she returns to her quaint hometown in search of renewed inspiration. What she finds is an unexpected love story that even she couldn’t have written.

Don’t miss the LGBTQ+, holiday romcom The Christmas Writer, making its world premiere Nov. 18 on VOD on the popular lesbian Tello Films Network, the world’s longest running LGBTQ+ streaming platform with the biggest library of sapphic holiday films available anywhere. The film will also be available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple, YouTube Movies and other VOD platforms.

Tello Films Subscription Not Required

VOD Pre-Order: Nov. 1 / VOD Release: Nov. 18
Rent The Christmas Writer for $6.99 (14 days) or purchase the film for $14.99

Limited Theatrical Release; Opening Day Q&A Presentation With the Director & Cast:

Los Angeles (Nov. 11), San Francisco Bay Area (Nov. 16),
Washington D.C. (Nov. 18), Atlanta (Nov. 21) & Nashville (Dec. 3)

Available Now: Rent 7 other beloved Tello lesbian holiday movies for $14.99 (30 days)
https://www.tellofilms.com

The Christmas Writer stars Shelby Allison Brown (How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body) as Noel; Callie Bussell (Thy Will be Done, Sydney, Crow) as Callie; Jordan Myrick (Gastronauts, Good Mythical Morning, Dropout) as Paulette; Kendahl Landreth (Natural Disaster, Rhett & Link’s Wonderhole) as Erin; Stacey Lee Powell (Lez Go travel series) as Jillian; Karen M. Chan (I Can, 5 Hours to Georgia) as Grandma Robbins; and June Tuss (Passage) as Pepper.

The film was directed by Tello Films founder & CEO Christin Baker (Christmas at the Ranch, Merry & Gay, Season of Love) and written by Christin Baker and Katie I. Williams. A Tello Films co-production with indie distributor Good Deed Entertainment, the film was produced by Andrew James Myers (The Holiday Club) and Trenton Julius.

Freestyle Acquires Thriller “Krzyk: Losing Control” for November 2025 Release

Dev Shapiro
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Freestyle Acquires Thriller “Krzyk: Losing Control” for November 2025 Release

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, proudly announces the acquisition of VOD rights to the psychological mystery-thriller KRZYK: LOSING CONTROL, which will be available to rent/own in North America on digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms, on November 21, 2025 and on DVD November 25, 2025. KRZYK – LOSING CONTROL had its prestigious North American premiere as an official nominee at the SXSW Film Festival.

KRZYK – LOSING CONTROL tells the story of a young woman’s life unraveling after a fatal crash reawakens her buried grief. Bacteriologist Lena drives past a burning car and hears the scream of a dying woman. She does not tell her boyfriend how much the incident disturbs her, just as she hasn’t spoken about her ongoing anguish. Instead, she throws herself into her work and begins to obsessively intrude into the life of the deceased, beginning an affair with the widower and gradually taking on the role of mother to his son. Her persistent insomnia causes her to lose the boundary between dreams and reality. Eventually, realizing she needs help, she accepts the guidance of a whisperer and begins to find her own way of coping with her loss.

Directed by Ewa Wikiel and co-written by Wikiel and Halina Rasinski, KRZYK – LOSING CONTROL’s featured actors include: Gina Henkel (‘Lena’), Anton Weil (‘Jakob’), Pawel Delag (‘Wiktor Wysocki’), and Wiktoria Gorodeckaja (‘Vera’).

“My inspiration for KRZYK – LOSING CONTROL was a scream I heard on a highway as I drove past a car accident. That scream stayed deep in my mind,” said filmmaker Ewa Wikiel, “Together with screenwriter Halina Rasinski, we created a story in which our main character is triggered by a scream and is confronted with her own loss. I want to bring to life a topic that is still not spoken about openly. A miscarriage or stillbirth is a loss that most women have to endure alone and in secret with a sense of failure, as Sharon Stone put it.”

“When I saw the movie, I knew I had to champion this exciting new talent through brokering the final investments and post funding, as well as submitting to SXSW resulting in their nomination, and partnering with Giulia at Mind the GAP for global distribution,” said co-producer Marcel Mate.

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated a deal to acquire KRZYK – LOSING CONTROL directly with the filmmakers and Giulia Prenna of Mind the GAP Productions.

Naples International Film Festival 2025 Announces Filmmaker Awards

Dev Shapiro
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Naples International Film Festival 2025 Announces Filmmaker Awards

The 2025 Naples International Film Festival (NIFF) announced the filmmaker award winners during a spirited Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 26, rounding off a weekend of screenings and celebrations.

Isabel Hagen’s drama On a String, about a gifted violist’s struggle to find her place as a professional musician, was a two-time winner, taking both the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $2,500) and NIFF’s Focus on the Arts Award (and $1,500). The Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature (and $2,500) went to Cindy Meehl’s Jimmy & The Demons, which follows 79-year-old sculptor and artist Jimmy Grashow over four years as he devotes himself to a towering magnum opus. For the first time, NIFF also presented a Jury Award for Best Short Film (and $1,500), which was awarded to Lee Knight’s A Friend of Dorothy.

NIFF’s trio of jurors for the 2025 edition of the juried competition included actor and filmmaker Judge Reinhold (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Beverly Hills Cop), filmmaker and Golden Globe-nominated actress Cynthia Gibb (Salvador, Fame), and Jim Brunzell III, director of festivals at Dark Star Pictures and director of the Twin Cities–based Sound Unseen Festival.

The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature (and $1,250) went to Ricardo de Montreuil’s Mistura, while the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature (and $1,250) was presented to Jenna Naranjo Winters’ Dream Touch Believe. The Audience Award for Best Short Film (and $1,000) went to Guto Barra and Peter DiMario’s Parker & Sammy.

Additional filmmaker awards selected by the festival programmers included Wendy Lobel’s Anxiety Club receiving the Impact Award, Alexis Lloyd’s Group – The Schopenhauer Project earning the Programmers’ Choice Award and Reed Arnold’s Do Us Part taking Best First Feature honors. Kathy Meng received the Rising Star Award for her directorial work on Willow and Wu, Stevo Chang and Rachel Mathieu’s Timeless won NIFF’s Indie Spirit Award and KT Bryden’s The Little Brown Bird received the Florida Film Award. Each of these filmmakers also received a $750 cash prize.

The awards ceremony was an entertaining and emotional evening, from Reed Arnold’s self-deprecating humor as he accepted Best First Feature to Sammy Callari and Parker Seward’s joyful celebration following the announcement of their film’s win. It concluded with Cindy Meehl and Guzzy Grashow’s heartfelt remarks reflecting on the recent passing of artist and film subject Jimmy Grashow. Filmmakers expressed deep gratitude for the warmth of Naples audiences and the care shown by the NIFF team throughout the festival. The evening’s presentations rounded off a week that once again demonstrated why NIFF is frequently recognized by MovieMaker Magazine among its top film festivals.

NIFF began with its signature Opening Night Film and Party red carpet celebration, which featured a full audience enjoying the festival’s gala program of short films in Hayes Hall on the Artis—Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Audiences continued to turn out in record numbers at Naples’ Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and during NIFF’s popular Screenings Under the Stars in Norris Garden on the Artis—Naples cultural campus. The festival concluded with a special presentation of The Princess Bride in Concert in Hayes Hall, with the Naples Philharmonic performing Mark Knopfler’s iconic score live under the baton of Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly—a fitting finale to NIFF’s multidisciplinary celebration of film and the arts.

We extend deep gratitude to Festival Presenting Sponsors Dr. Richard Lublin and Christine Lublin. Generous support is also provided by the Collier County Tourist Development Council.

Sincere thanks to Opening Night Film and Party Sponsor The Woodruff Institute; Closing Night Awards Ceremony, Film and Wrap Party Sponsor Scott Meloun; and Theater Sponsors DeVoe Cadillac, Bobbi and David Drobis, Entech, Debra and Vincent Maffeo and Tes and Brian Manley. NIFF is pleased to partner with Gulfshore Life and The Naples Press as exclusive Media Sponsors.

 

The 2025 Naples International Film Festival Award Winners:

 

NIFF JURY AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature – $2,500
On a String

Director: Isabel Hagen

 

Best Documentary Feature – $2,500
Jimmy & The Demons

Director: Cindy Meehl

 

Best Short Film – $1,500
A Friend of Dorothy

Director: Lee Knight

 

NIFF PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS

Focus on the Arts Award – $1,500
On a String

Director: Isabel Hagen

 

Impact Award – $750
Anxiety Club

Director: Wendy Lobel

 

Indie Spirit Award – $750
Timeless

Directors: Stevo Chang, Rachel Mathieu

 

Programmers’ Choice Award – $750
Group – The Schopenhauer Project

Director: Alexis Lloyd

 

Best First Feature – $750
Do Us Part

Director: Reed Arnold

 

Rising Star Award – $750
Kathy Meng, director

Willow and Wu

 

Best Florida Film Award – $750
The Little Brown Bird

Director: KT Bryden

 

NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature – $1,250
Mistura

Director: Ricardo de Montreuil

 

Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature – $1,250
Dream Touch Believe

Director: Jenna Naranjo Winters

 

Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film – $1,000
Sammy & Parker

Directors: Guto Barra, Peter DiMario

Texas Premiere: Between the Mountain and the Sky Celebrates BlinkNow Foundation’s Family Story

Dev Shapiro
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Texas Premiere: Between the Mountain and the Sky Celebrates BlinkNow Foundation’s Family Story

The BlinkNow Foundation is proud to announce that the inspiring story of its Co-founders, New Jersey native Maggie Doyne and Nepali Tope Malla, will make its Texas debut this week. The award-winning documentary Between the Mountain and the Sky—a project of MPWR CONTENT and Duplass Brothers Productions—will show November 1-7 at The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, Texas.

This run will qualify the film for the opportunity for an Oscar nomination. A Q&A with subject Maggie Doyne and Director Jeremy Power Regimbal will take place after screenings that begin on November 1 at 6:40pm and November 2 at 2:00pm.

Between the Mountain and the Sky delivers a powerful, heart-stirring narrative of love, family, resilience through tragedy, and the strength of the human spirit. After its world premiere at the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado — where it won both the Audience Choice Award and Student Choice Award — the documentary has continued its winning streak, earning Best Documentary honors at the Dublin Independent film festival and Jakarta Independent Film Festival, and the Audience Awards at the Naples Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, and Port Townsend Film Festival.

Reviews have praised CNN Hero Maggie Doyne, her Nepalese Co-founder Tope Bahadur Malla, and filmmaker Jeremy Power Regimbal, celebrating not only their work but the unique and deeply human story it tells. Reviewers have called it “A reminder of what humans are capable of” (Kathmandu Post), “A beacon of inspiration for how this world can be made a better place” (KPFK Film Club), and “Breathtaking” (UK Film Awards).

The documentary follows Doyne’s journey from her childhood in New Jersey to a life-changing gap year abroad. After volunteering in India alongside Malla and visiting Nepal, Doyne’s encounter with the children of Surkhet inspired a lifelong mission: to ensure every child is safe, educated, and loved. Listening to the needs of the community, Doyne and Malla partnered with local leaders to build a children’s home for those without families, a school for children unable to access education, a women’s empowerment center, and a host of other programs creating a model for sustainable, community-led development.
Doyne was named CNN Hero of the Year in 2015 and has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and other major outlets. Alongside a team of caregivers, teachers, and community members, she has helped raise nearly 90 children and educate more than 800 students.

“For the past eight years, Jeremy has worked to capture the story of our family through his lens,” says Doyne. “I’m so grateful and honored that this documentary will make its way into the world and, hopefully, inspire healing and love for our human family, our children, and our planet.”

Director Jeremy Power Regimbal brings an especially personal perspective to the story — he and Doyne eventually fell in love and married. “I found myself on an intensely emotional journey, one that transcended the boundaries of filmmaking and intertwined with my personal life in unexpected ways,” Regimbal says. “Falling in love with Maggie and becoming part of the big, beautiful Kopila family added layers of depth and emotion to the already profound experience of crafting this film.”

Mountainfilm describes the documentary as “a beautiful and poignant tale that delves into the resilience of the human spirit and the profound impact of love.”

As audiences experience this remarkable story, they’ll witness the transformative power of compassion — and the lasting change one determined vision can make in the world.

Tickets for the film are available at https://thetexastheatre.com/film/between-the-mountain-and-the-sky/.

AFTER THE HUNT – A Review by Cynthia Flores

Cynthia Flores
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AFTER THE HUNT – A Review by Cynthia Flores

The tag line on the poster for the new film, After The Hunt, is “not everything is supposed to make you comfortable.” I would call it a warning to the audience, rather than just a tagline for the film.

This whole movie, from the nerve-wrackingly tense score by the team of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to the confining locations such as small college classrooms and the home of the lead character Alma Olsson (Julia Roberts) and her husband Frederik Olsson (Michael Stuhlbarg), is the components that keep the audience boxed in and on edge. However, it never really earns our unease with the storyline. It’s just the mood that the brilliant director Luca Guadagnino, nominated for a directing Oscar for 2017’s Call Me by Your Name, and his production team have put on the screen that makes this happen. This is disappointing, as the film features Oscar-winning and nominated performers stuck with a stilted and play-like script. 

The movie is about two friends and professors trying to get tenure in Yale University’s Philosophy Department. Alma Olsson (Julia Roberts) and Henrik Gibson (Andrew Garfield). Add to the mix Maffie Price (Ayo Edebiri), who is a young graduate student from a wealthy family and Alma’s protégée, who is working on her thesis. After a student-teacher mixer, Maffie is walked home by Frederik. This leads to accusations of sexual assault against Henrik. Putting Alma in a difficult position between her colleague and protégée. 

The rest of the film, using only three main characters and three supporting characters, slowly explores the complex epistemological failures inherent in a social matrix defined by politically charged rhetoric and pedagogical structures. Through a critical analysis of constructed guilt and the discursive mechanics of slander, it is postulated that truth is not a static endpoint but a perpetually contested site, inaccessible amidst competing narratives. Ok, now if you had to break out Google or an old-fashioned dictionary to look up any of the bigger words I used in this description, this film may not be for you. 

Don’t get me wrong, there have been amazing films that dealt with intellectually challenging stories like the creation of the atomic bomb or complex mathematics. They have even been nominated and have won Academy Awards. However, those films managed to make their topics accessible and human. After The Hunt just seems to be so in love with its highbrow, Yale-esque way of talking that it shuts the door on quite a few moviegoers who may have enjoyed this story of a modern-day witch hunt.

I give After The Hunt 2.5 stars. Even though Julia Roberts is great in it and Michael Stuhlbarg steals every scene he is in as her ever-loving husband, it’s hard to follow sometimes. It is an arthouse film that I only anticipate a small, highly educated audience able to find the movie interesting enough to stick with it long enough for its enigmatic, weak ending payoff.

 

Directed by: Luca Guadagnino

Written by: Nora Garrett

Rated: R

Running Time: 2hr 19min

Psychological Drama

Release: In Theaters Oct 17th

Starring: Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.

4 Stars – Good movie

3 Stars – OK movie

2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.

1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.

TRUTH & TREASON – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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TRUTH & TREASON – A Review by John Strange

TRUTH & TREASON – A Review by John Strange

The new Angel Studios release, Truth & Treason, is based on the true story of the youngest person to be tried and executed by the Nazis for treason against the state. 

When they began their protest against Hitler’s war, the boys involved were under the age where they would be considered adults.  Led by Helmuth Hübener (Ewan Horrocks), the trio also included Karl-Heinz Schnibbe (Ferdinand McKay) and Rudi Wobbe (Daf Thomas).  They typed up the original statement and ran off copies on a copier that none of you, my readers, are likely to have ever seen.  These copies were distributed at night with the boys facing capture for curfew violations.  That violation would be the least of their worries should they be caught.

The danger the boys faced was extreme.  Hitler’s regime had a stranglehold on the liberty of all of Germany’s citizens, especially those of the Jewish faith.  Their friend, Salomon Schwarz, was arrested for the crime of being a Jew.  This was one of the events that encouraged Helmuth to begin his protest in the first place.

While this is a true story, it is not a happy story.  The German government, led by Hitler’s Nazi regime, made an example of the boys once captured.  Their trial was short, and the sentences are harsh by today’s standards.

Director Matt Whitaker, working with cinematographer Bianca Cline, has given us a film that allows us to feel the stress and fear that the citizens of Hamburg had to endure.  After watching the movie, I had to go back and see if it was shot in color or black and white.  It is in color with a feel that harkens back to the black and white films of the 40s and 50s, and perhaps Schindler’s List.  It was a powerful example of the use of light and shadows.

Truth & Treason is an honest view of life in Hamburg, Germany, during the Second World War.  It is a great film to watch with your teenagers.  It will give you lots to talk about on your way home, and, honestly, for the next week or two.

 

Director: Matt Whitaker

Cast: Ewan Horrocks, Rupert Evans, Ferdinand McKay, Daf Thomas, Nye Occomore, Joanna Christie, Sean Mahon, Sylvie Varcoe, Ben Dilloway, Daniel Betts, Celinde Schoenmaker, Aaron Zicman

MPA Rating: PG-13 (for strong violent content, bloody images, thematic elements, and smoking)

Selig Rating: 5 Stars

Runtime: 120 Min.

Release Date: 10/17/2025

Language: English

Genre(s): Drama, History, Thriller

Movie Site: TRUTH & TREASON Official Site

Trailer: TRUTH & TREASON Trailer

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

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