This Ordinary Thing is a Timely Film About Quiet Heroes

THIS ORDINARY THING

A Film by Nick Davis (You Had To Be There / TIFF 2025)
Executive Producer: Albert M. Tapper (Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy)

Cast (A–Z)

F. Murray Abraham, Jeannie Berlin, Eric Bogosian, Ellen Burstyn, Bill Camp, Carrie Coon, Hope Davis, Stephen Fry, Joanna Gleason, Marcia Gay Harden, Mamie Gummer, Harry Hadden-Paton, Jeremy Irons, Bill Irwin, Louisa Jacobson, Kasia Koleczek, Anna Krippa, Stephen Lang, John Leguizamo, Donal Logue, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelli O’Hara, David Hyde Pierce, Martha Plimpton, Lily Rabe, Rufus Sewell, J. Smith-Cameron, David Strathairn, Lily Tomlin.

Release Date

December 5 at Cinema Village (NYC), followed by a national theatrical rollout and VOD release.

A Haunting & Unforgettable Story

THIS ORDINARY THING recounts the extraordinary acts of non-Jewish individuals who helped save Jewish people across Europe during the Holocaust. Blending never-before-seen archival footage with testimonies from more than forty people, the film sheds light on the quiet bravery of individuals who, acting independently and at great personal risk, saved thousands of Jewish strangers from near-certain death. (EG-PR, 2025)

Narrated by an all-star cast, the documentary serves as a timely reminder of the “pockets of goodness” that can rise within a sea of evil: ordinary people choosing compassion over indifference, even when it meant risking everything.

Strikingly, none of the individuals in the film saw themselves as heroes. Their humility lends the project an urgent resonance, prompting viewers to confront a difficult question: What would I have done?

An Ensemble of the World’s Great Actors

The film features some of the most celebrated actors of our time, performing translated excerpts from original transcripts. The cast, including Helen Mirren, F. Murray Abraham, Carrie Coon, Jeremy Irons, Ellen Burstyn, and Stephen Fry, collectively boast:

5 Academy Awards (and 20+ nominations)
60+ Emmy nominations
25+ Tony nominations

Their performances lend gravitas and emotional depth to the powerful firsthand accounts.

Music by Adam Guettel

The score is composed by Tony Award–winner Adam Guettel, known for The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins, and numerous other stage and screen works. His music adds an evocative and haunting layer to the film’s emotional landscape.

About Filmmaker Nick Davis

Nick Davis is a filmmaker and writer whose work often explores the intersection of culture, history, and storytelling. His recent documentary, YOU HAD TO BE THERE, which chronicles the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell and its role in shaping the comedy revolution, premiered at TIFF 2025, where it won Second Runner-Up for the Audience Award. The film features Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and other icons of comedy.

Photo: Series of Dreams, used with permission.

All Saints Day Is the Must-Watch Dark Comedy of the Season

All Saints Day will be available on digital and on demand. Photo: One Tree Entertainment, used with permission.

🎬 New Release Spotlight: ALL SAINTS DAY

Some family reunions are more sobering than others…

Mark your calendars: ALL SAINTS DAY arrives on digital and on demand December 2. This darkly funny, emotionally layered story blends dark comedy with family drama in a tight, compelling 99-minute feature. (One Tree Entertainment, 2025)

About the Film

When Ronan realizes his oldest brother, Kier, is drinking himself toward disaster, he launches a desperate intervention. But doing so means calling in reinforcements: their estranged priest brother and long-lost sister.

What follows is a chaotic, heartfelt, and unexpectedly humorous Irish family reunion, where old wounds and buried secrets collide in ways no one is prepared for.

The Creative Team

Written by Julianne Homokay
Homokay is a multi-talented screenwriter, playwright, performer, director, and musician. With an MFA in Playwriting from UNLV, her work spans numerous full-length plays and musicals.

ALL SAINTS DAY is adapted from her original stage play All Saints in the Old Colony, a 2015 Eugene O’Neill Theater Center semi-finalist that premiered at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis in 2018.

Directed by Matt Aaron Krinsky
Krinsky, director, producer, and writer, brings extensive experience across film, theater, and live events. ALL SAINTS DAY marks his feature film directorial debut, introducing his grounded, character-driven approach to the big screen.

Starring

Don Swayze (Ethan Coen’s Honey Don’t!, On Swift Horses, True Blood)
Lenny Clarke (NBC’s Extended Family, Halloween Kills)
Jeff Berg (NCIS, Battlefield I)

New Movie Strangers in a Car Park Challenges What We Choose to Believe

New Movie Spotlight: Strangers in a Car Park

🎬 Strangers in a Car Park

The truth will always come to light

Available On Digital and On Demand – November 11

Written and Directed by: Stuart McBratney

Starring:
Brenton Prince (Home and Away, Underbelly),
Lawrence Ola (Upright, Wellmania, face of STEP ONE underwear), and
Arnijka Larcombe-Weate (Boy Swallows Universe)

When a cleaning lady spots a celebrated surfer being honored with a medal for heroism, her world comes crashing down. She recognizes him as the man who assaulted her years ago. (One Tree Entertainment, 2025)

With only a streetwise courier by her side, she sets out to expose the truth, risking everything to confront the man who’s built his life on lies.

Strangers in a Car Park is an unflinching and unorthodox drama about memory, justice, and the lies we tell ourselves and others.

Release Date: November 11
Watch: On Digital & On Demand

Photo: One Tree Entertainment, used with permission.

Keith Jardine’s Kill Me Again is a Haunting Loop of Guilt and Redemption

Keith Jardine’s Kill Me Again. Photo: Vertical

🎬 Movie Review: Kill Me Again

Writer/Director: Keith Jardine
Starring: Brendan Fehr, Majandra Delfino, Raoul Max Trujillo
Genre: Slasher Horror, Fantasy, Thriller

Synopsis

Charlie, a notorious serial killer known as The Midnight Mangler, finds himself trapped reliving the same violent night over and over. At first, he embraces his grisly urges but as the cycle continues, desperation sets in. Haunted by his actions and unable to escape the endless nightmare, Charlie begins to unravel both mentally and morally. It is available for streaming for free on Amazon Prime and The Roku Channel and for rent/buy on Fandango at Home, Google Play Movies, among others.

Review

Kill Me Again is a gripping psychological horror-thriller that takes the “time loop” concept and twists it into something darkly original. The film follows the Midnight Mangler, a notorious serial killer who becomes trapped reliving the same brutal night again and again and forced to face his own monstrosity with each repetition. It starts off as a regular slasher movie but evolves into a chilling study of guilt, punishment, and the possibility of redemption.

Keith Jardine’s direction is sharp and atmospheric, using shadowy cinematography to mirror the killer’s descent into madness. Even the name of the café, The Killer Café, points to how everything centers around Charlie. Though uncomfortable to watch, Charlie’s initial encounter with Ana shows the depth of his depravity. Each repeated night peels back another layer of his past, revealing brief flashes of humanity beneath the horror. The pacing is relentless yet purposeful, balancing the gore with moments of eerie introspection. Jardine has a small but significant role that comes full circle at the end.

Brendan Fehr delivers a standout performance, menacing yet heartbreakingly human, as the Midnight Mangler. As the loops continue, his torment shifts from physical violence to existential dread. He begins to question his own identity and the meaning of his endless suffering. Towards the end, you can tell he wants to overcome his evil nature, but succumbs every time. The story becomes less about murder and more about moral reckoning.

Stylish, unsettling, and surprisingly introspective, Kill Me Again is a chilling exploration of the cyclical nature of evil and the nightmare of never escaping oneself. There’s plenty of violence and gore to please fans of slasher films, yet the overall message is more of a social commentary.

Pasqual Gutierrez’ Serious People Explores Work, Identity, and Fatherhood

🎬 Serious People

“Life’s a Movie”

Written and Directed by: Pasqual Gutierrez & Ben Mullinkosson
Produced by: Ryan Hahn, Laurel Thomson, Teddy Lee
Starring: Pasqual Gutierrez, Christine Yuan, RJ Sanchez, Miguel Huerta

Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival 2025
In Theaters: November 14, 2025
On Demand: December 16, 2025 (all major platforms)

Tribeca Films x Memory Present Serious People

About the Film

Serious People follows successful music video director Pasqual Gutierrez, who faces a life-altering dilemma on the due date of his first child: accept the biggest music video project of his career or finally step back and focus on his family. (Emma Griffiths PR, 2025)

Frustrated by his lack of balance, Pasqual makes a bold decision, he casts a doppelgänger named Miguel to fill his shoes in his directing duo, Cliqua, while he takes paternity leave. But as he spends more time teaching Miguel how to inhabit his life, the line between real and replacement begins to blur.

The result is a sharp, funny, and emotionally charged look at ambition, identity, and the replaceability of people in clout-driven Los Angeles. The film ultimately asks: What does it mean to be a director, a parent, and, most of all, a real person?

Running Time: 86 minutes (USA, Feature Film)

Behind the Camera

Pasqual Gutierrez

An award-winning American filmmaker, Gutierrez is best known as one half of Cliqua, the powerhouse directing duo behind some of the biggest music videos of the past decade. Together with RJ Sanchez, he’s collaborated with Bad Bunny, Rosalia, J Balvin, Madonna, Travis Scott, and The Weeknd, among many others.

Gutierrez’ work has earned multiple nominations and an MTV VMA, and his debut short film Shut Up & Fish, now Oscar-qualified, has been making waves on the festival circuit. Serious People marks his first narrative feature film, which made its world premiere at Sundance 2025.

Ben Mullinkosson

Co-writer and co-director Ben Mullinkosson brings his documentary sensibility to Serious People, blending realism with dark humor. His 2023 documentary The Last Year of Darkness won the Special Jury Mention at CPH:DOX and was released by MUBI.

Mullinkosson’s earlier work includes Gnarly in Pink (Tribeca Film Festival, 2013), distributed by The New York Times Op-Docs, and a series of acclaimed shorts that have earned Vimeo Staff Picks and millions of online views.

Why Serious People Matters

Serious People is a reflection on modern creativity, work, and self-worth. It’s a satire of hustle culture wrapped in a heartfelt story about fatherhood and identity. The film captures what it feels like to be torn between personal meaning and professional validation, a tension many of us know all too well.

Opening in theaters on November 14, with a Video On Demand release on December 16, this debut feature promises to be one of the most talked-about indie films of the year.

Serious People poster. Photo: Tribeca Films/Memory, used with permission.

Dead Giveaway: The Hilarious Horror Premiere Lighting Up the Philadelphia Film Festival

Mikaela Hoover and Ruby Modine in Dead Giveaway. Photo: VP Independent, used with permission.

🎬 Philadelphia Film Festival 2025: Celebrating the Best in Global Cinema

Every October, the Philadelphia Film Festival transforms the city into a global stage for cinematic storytelling — welcoming tens of thousands of film lovers, emerging talents, and celebrated filmmakers for an electrifying 11-day experience. (Philadelphia Film Society, 2025)

Curated by the Philadelphia Film Society’s expert programming team, who travel the world from Sundance to Cannes, Berlin to Toronto, the Festival delivers a handpicked lineup of the year’s most talked-about, award-winning, and visionary films. From bold debuts to international sensations, every screening is a chance to discover the next big thing in film.

This year’s Festival runs October 16–26, 2025, featuring 11 days of world-class cinema, exclusive events, and celebrations that bring the city’s film community together.

🌟 Spotlight Feature: Dead Giveaway

World Premiere | Section: Filmadelphia

One of the most anticipated screenings of the Festival is Ian Kimble’s Dead Giveaway, a wickedly funny horror-comedy making its world premiere right here in Philadelphia. (Emma Griffiths PR, 2025)

Film Details

Feature Film (USA)
Genre: Horror Comedy
Runtime: 87 minutes
Year: 2025

Written and Directed by: Ian Kimble
Producers: Suzann Toni, Andrew Vogel, Ian Kimble
Executive Producer: Hallee Adelman
Co-Producer: Amanda Frederick

Starring:

Ruby Modine (Silent Night, Deadly Night, Shameless)
Mikaela Hoover (Superman [2025])
Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween)

🩸 Synopsis

Jill (Ruby Modine) wakes up from a blackout night of drinking and partying to find herself covered in blood — and sharing her bed with a dead man. Hungry, hungover, horrified, and possibly a murderer, she scrambles to clean up before her roommate Sarah (Suzann Toni) notices.

When her best friend Lia (Mikaela Hoover) shows up, half-concerned, half-annoyed, she reluctantly agrees to help Jill figure out what happened, but only under one condition: they have to make it to brunch before 3 p.m.

What follows is a blood-soaked comedy of errors involving mistaken identities, suspicious visitors, and a very inconvenient corpse. Between hiding bodies, dodging questions, and keeping their mimosas on schedule, Jill and Lia stumble through a hangover-fueled nightmare where every fix only makes things worse.

With an endlessly creative script by Ian Kimble, Dead Giveaway delivers a sharp mix of horror and humor — and the irresistible chemistry between Ruby Modine and Mikaela Hoover keeps audiences laughing (and screaming) until the very end.

🎥 About the Filmmaker

Ian Kimble is a writer, producer, and director with a background in award-winning short films and independent features. Dead Giveaway marks his feature debut as writer, director, and producer — expanding on one of his original short films. With this project, Kimble cements his place as one of Philadelphia’s most exciting emerging filmmakers.

📅 Screening Schedule

Philadelphia Film Festival 2025 Official Screenings

World Premiere
📍 Friday, October 17 at 9:45 p.m.
Location: Film Society Center
1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Encore Screening
📍 Sunday, October 26 at 8:00 p.m.
Location: Film Society East
125 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106

Whether you’re a die-hard horror fan or just love a clever dark comedy, Dead Giveaway is a must-see at this year’s Philadelphia Film Festival, proof that the city’s film scene is as bold, fresh, and fearless as ever.

Lying in Wait Delivers a Dark, Gripping Mystery

Lying in Wait is a girls’ night gone wrong thriller that keeps you guessing. Photo: One Tree Entertainment, used with permission.

🎬 Lying In Wait (2025) — Movie Review

Synopsis:
During a girls’ night out, Skyler goes missing and Rachel and Daniela desperately search for her. All clues point to a kidnapping, but Rachel knows there’s more to the case and everyone has a secret. (One Tree Entertainment, 2025)

Lying in Wait is available to rent or own on Amazon Prime Video.

Written by: Tomas Decurgez & Savanah Joeckel
Directed by: Tomas Decurgez
Starring: Savanah Joeckel, Tony Garza, and Tomas CL
Genre: Thriller

Review

Lying in Wait delivers a tense, twist-filled thriller that keeps you guessing until the final moments. The film opens with a chilling scene: a couple enjoying a quiet day outdoors when their dog uncovers a buried body with only a fly-infested hand visible. From there, the focus shifts to Skyler and Rachel, who are picking up Daniela for what’s supposed to be a carefree girls’ night out.

That night quickly unravels into a nightmare when Skyler vanishes without a trace. Her friends Rachel and Daniela, portrayed with raw urgency and emotional depth, refuse to sit back as the police chase dead ends.

As Rachel digs deeper, the film peels back layers of deceit and every character hides something, and no one is who they seem. Director Tomas Decurgez balances moody cinematography with tight pacing, creating an atmosphere where even silence feels dangerous. The urban nightlife scenes, shot with grainy realism, amplify the sense of dread.

While some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, the suspense never lets up. The psychological tension drives the story, exploring friendship, guilt, and secrets that resurface when trust is broken. Told through a non-linear narrative, flashbacks gradually reveal the truth behind Skyler’s disappearance.

By the time the mystery unravels, Lying in Wait proves to be more than a simple kidnapping story; it’s a haunting exploration of betrayal and the dark corners of the human heart.

⭐ Rating: 4/5 — A gripping and atmospheric thriller worth watching.

*Thank you to One Tree Entertainment for the screener link for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Lying in Wait still. Photo: One Tree Entertainment, used with permission.

Stephen King’s Dystopian Classic ‘The Running Man’ Gets a Bold New Adaptation in 2025

The new book to movie adaptation starring Glen Powell hits theaters on November 7. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Stephen King’s “The Running Man” Returns — and Hits the Big Screen

Originally published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982, The Running Man later appeared as part of The Bachman Books collection in 1985. Now, this dark, dystopian thriller is making its way to the big screen, with Paramount’s new adaptation set to premiere on November 7, 2025.

A Deadly Game of Survival

In the world of The Running Man, survival is the only goal.

Ben Richards has lost everything—his job, his savings, and nearly his hope. With a sick daughter in need of urgent medical care, he takes a desperate gamble and signs up for the nation’s most popular (and brutal) reality show: The Running Man, where contestants are hunted for sport.

If Ben can stay alive for thirty days, he’ll win a billion dollars. The catch? No one has ever survived more than eight days. Pursued by a lethal strike force trained to kill, Richards must navigate a world where every step could be his last.

It’s a chilling story about desperation, power, and the lengths one man will go to save his family.

The Film Adaptation

The Running Man (2025)
A man joins a game show where contestants can run anywhere in the world—while professional “hunters” track them down.

Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Michael Bacall, Stephen King, Edgar Wright
Stars: Glen Powell, Emilia Jones, Josh Brolin
Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi, Dark Comedy, Survival, Action Adventure
Running Time: 140 minutes

With Wright’s trademark style and a powerhouse cast, this adaptation promises to bring King’s high-stakes vision to thrilling, satirical life.

About the Author

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent works include Never Flinch, You Like It Darker, Holly, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (co-written with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges Trilogy: Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch.

King is the recipient of numerous honors, including:

2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award
2018 PEN America Literary Service Award
2014 National Medal of Arts
2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters

The Monster Lives On: Frankenstein’s Legacy and Guillermo del Toro’s New Film

Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein will have a limited theater release starting October 17. Photo: TV Insider

Frankenstein: From Mary Shelley’s Gothic Classic to Guillermo del Toro’s New Film

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. At just 18 years old, Shelley began the story that would become one of the most enduring works of literature. The first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818 when she was only 20, with her name appearing for the first time in the second edition, published in Paris in 1821.

The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature through an unorthodox experiment—assembling it from different body parts. What begins as an ambitious pursuit of knowledge quickly becomes a haunting tale of responsibility, isolation, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. (Wikipedia/Barnes & Noble, 2025)

The Lasting Appeal of Frankenstein

For over two centuries, readers have been captivated by the dark atmosphere and moral questions at the heart of Shelley’s masterpiece. Themes of creator vs. creation, knowledge vs. consequence, and the search for humanity make Frankenstein a timeless story.

Its influence spans both Gothic and science fiction traditions, inspiring countless adaptations—from early silent films to Universal’s iconic monster movies, and modern reimaginings that explore empathy, fear, and morality in new ways.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025)

The fascination with Frankenstein continues today with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming adaptation. His 2025 American Gothic science fiction film is based directly on Mary Shelley’s original novel and features a star-studded cast:

Oscar Isaac
Jacob Elordi
Mia Goth
Felix Kammerer
Lars Mikkelsen
David Bradley
Lauren Collins
Charles Dance
Christoph Waltz

The film had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2025. It is set for a limited theatrical release on October 17, 2025, followed by a global Netflix release on November 7, 2025. (IMDb, 2025)

A Tale That Endures

At its core, Frankenstein is the story of a brilliant but egotistical scientist who dares to play God—only to unleash a tragic chain of events. The novel’s haunting exploration of ambition and its consequences continues to resonate, making it as relevant in 2025 as it was in 1818.

With del Toro’s highly anticipated adaptation, a new generation of audiences will experience the enduring power of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece—proof that Frankenstein is far more than just a monster story.

World Premiere Spotlight: Eugène Green’s The Tree of Knowledge at Fantastic Fest 2025

Rui Pedro Silva in Eugène Green’s *The Tree of Knowledge*. Photo: MoreThan Films, used with permission.

Fantastic Fest 2025: The Tree of Knowledge World Premiere

Fantastic Fest, held annually in Austin and known as the largest genre film festival in the U.S., is back at the Alamo Drafthouse from September 18–25, 2025. Celebrated for spotlighting fantasy, horror, science fiction, action, and cult films, this year’s lineup promises a hauntingly excellent collection of premieres.

One of the most anticipated titles is Eugène Green’s The Tree of Knowledge, having its World Premiere at this year’s festival. (Emma Griffiths PR, 2025)

Film Details

The Tree of Knowledge (A árvore do Conhecimento)
Feature Film (Portugal/France)

World Premiere – 2025
Runtime: 100 mins
Language: Portuguese (with English subtitles)
Genre: Dark Comedy / Fantasy

Directed by: Eugène Green
Producers: Luís Urbano, Sandro Aguilar, Julien Naveau
Starring: Rui Pedro Silva, Ana Moreira, Diogo Dória, João Arrais

Fantastic Fest Screening

📍 Location: Alamo Drafthouse Lamar
1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

🎬 Next Screening:
Tuesday, Sept 23rd – 6:00 PM @ Theater 8

Synopsis

In biblical terms, the “Tree of Knowledge” symbolizes free will and the ability to discern right from wrong. For filmmaker Eugène Green, it becomes a metaphor for spiritual awakening and renewal, set against the backdrop of Europe’s booming mass tourism.

The story follows Gaspard (Rui Pedro Silva), a Lisbon teenager who falls into the hands of the Ogre, a man who has struck a pact with the Devil. The Ogre uses Gaspard to lure tourists, transforming them into animals before killing them. Gaspard escapes with a donkey and a dog he has grown attached to, and in an enchanted manor, encounters the spirit of Queen D. Maria I of Portugal. Enraged, the Ogre sets off in pursuit—leading to a fantastical and allegorical journey of survival.

About the Director: Eugène Green

Born in New York City on June 28, 1947, Eugène Green is a French filmmaker, writer, theater director, and actor.

Studied literature and art history in Paris
Founded Le Théâtre de la Sapience in 1977, staging both contemporary poetic and baroque theater
Directed his first feature, Toutes les Nuits (1999, released 2001), winner of the Louis Delluc Prize for First Film
Has since directed 10+ feature films and 6 mini-films
His works have screened at Cannes, Locarno, Berlin, and other international festivals
In 2019, the Fundação Serralves in Porto hosted the first major exhibition dedicated to his cinema

✨ With The Tree of Knowledge, Green brings his signature poetic and philosophical style to Fantastic Fest, offering audiences a surreal and allegorical tale that blends dark comedy, folklore, and fantasy.

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