Lynn Novick to direct ‘Central Park’ documentary for PBS
Filmmaker Lynn Novick will direct and produce a new, three-part series on the history of New York City’s Central Park for PBS. Central Park is expected to air on PBS in 2028.
Lynn Novick is known for her documentaries about American history in collaboration with Ken Burns, including The Us and The Holocaust (2022), Hemingway (2021), The Vietnam War (2017), as well as College Behind Bars (2019).
The film will follow the evolution of the Park from its inception in the mid-19th century as the rapidly growing city expanded northward, through competing ideas about park use and controversy over “encroachments” in the 20th century, to the near demise of the Park during New York’s fiscal crisis of the 1970s, and finally, to its preeminence today. It will examine evolving ideas about urban development and the social purpose of public spaces, with a focus on the Park as a naturalistic environment conceived, created, and maintained by and for people.
“Central Park is, in one sense, an idea – the embodiment of its founders’ concept of a refuge designed to uplift and renew weary inhabitants of the city. At the same time, it is a place where, for more than 160 years, we have negotiated diverse notions of what a park should be and who should have access for what purposes,” said Lynn Novick. “It is also for me, and millions of other New Yorkers and visitors, a shared back yard, and a place to experience the healing power of nature. It’s the highest democratic expression of what a city should be, from its conception in the 1850s to the role it continues to play in the lives of New Yorkers today. This is an extraordinary story about how we create and manage public spaces for the good of all. It is, in so many ways, the story of New York City itself.”
First sneak peak at Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun. holiday comedy movie
Here is the first sneak peak at Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun., the holiday comedy movie set to premiere on December 3 on Prime Video. It is directed by Michael Showalter, and based on the Story by Chandler Baker
The ensemble cast includes Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu, Maude Apatow, with Jason Schwartzman with Eva Longoria and Joan Chen.
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. From perfectly frosted cookies to meticulously wrapped gifts, no one decks the halls quite like Claire. But this year, as her grown kids and distracted husband get swept up in their own seasonal dramas, they make one crucial mistake: they forget their mom. By the time they realize she’s missing, Claire’s already set off on a festive adventure of her own – one that doesn’t involve cooking, cleaning, or coordinating anyone else’s chaos. As her family scrambles to find her and salvage their Christmas, Claire rediscovers what the holidays mean when you’re finally free to put yourself first.
Watch the video
Sylvester Stallone’s debut starring role in ‘Rebel: Director’s Cut’ gets re-released in theaters and VOD
Sylvester Stallone debut starring role in Rebel, now titled: Rebel: Director’s Cut, by Robert Allen Schnitzer will be released in theaters and on demand starting June 6th, 2025.
Also starring in the movie are Tony Page, Vickie Lancaster, Dennis Tate, Barbara Lee Govan, Rebecca Grimes, Roy White, Henry G. Sanders, and Jed Mills.
Sylvester Stallone stars as Jerry Savage, an anti-war activist on a secret mission in 1969, who meets Laurie, a pretty hippie jewelry maker. In NYC, Jerry joins a radical terror cell planning to blow up the headquarters of a Vietnam War defense firm. As the FBI closes in, Jerry runs off to see Laurie at her rural commune. They fall in love. Jerry barely escapes the dragnet, but his ill-fated romance with Laurie proves deadly.
Rebel: Director’s Cut traces its history to 1971, when Robert Schnitzer wrote an original film treatment entitled Seize the Time!. Seize the Time! was produced in 1971 in New York City with Sylvester Stallone starring in the leading role. Schnitzer self-financed the film on a micro-budget. It was completed and released in 1973 under a new title, No Place to Hide. The film premiered at the Atlanta Film Festival and was released on home video cassettes. It also was broadcast on several local television stations in the U.S. When Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky became a box office success in 1976, Schnitzer recut No Place to Hide and re-titled it Rebel. It was re-issued on home video cassette and was licensed to domestic U.S. television markets and various overseas distributors. In the year 2000, Schnitzer discontinued all distribution of the film, allowing existing licenses to expire. By 2023, Schnitzer, through his company Movicorp, re-mastered the film in 4K high definition and re-mixed the monaural single channel soundtrack into stereo. This also gave him the opportunity to add some new music and “polish” the new edition with various touches to correct small things that always bothered him. This new edition, now entitled Rebel: Director’s Cut, the closest version to his original vision, and he has no intention of making future editions.
Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf documentary set for release on July 15
Directed by Olivia Cappuccini (Andy Murray: Resurfacing), the documentary Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf chronicles the life of activist, writer, model, and influencer Munroe Bergdorf.
The film will be available to rent and own on digital on July 15.
Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf tells the intimate and unflinching story of Munroe Bergdorf— author, model, leading trans activist, global pioneer of LGBTQ+ equity, and creative force. As an international trailblazer in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, Munroe faces fierce discrimination while living and embracing her truth. This powerful documentary not only tells Munroe’s personal story but also serves as a call to action, sparking a universal conversation of hope and inspiration.
Watch the trailer for Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf.