Zebulun Koenig Blog Site

10. The Expendables  (2010) Directed by: Sylvester Stallone Written by: Sylvester Stallone and David Callaham Lionsgate, Millennium Films, Nu Image A team of mercenaries who call themselves "Expendable" are a band of highly trained "hired guns." They do the jobs the government needs done but doesn't want to be attached to. During a mission scout (on a South American island), the Expendables team comes across a local rebel woman whom exposes the truth of what's happening on the island. The Expendables must decided to take-on the mission (of which they may not return) or walk away. 9. Over the Top  (1987) Directed by: Menahem Golan Written by: Sylvester Stallone and Stirling Silliphant Warner Bros. The Cannon Group, Inc Struggling trucker/armwrestler: Lincoln Hawk, is given a final opportunity to get to know his 12-year-old son by driving him across the country to see his sick mother. Along the way, Hawk must answer for why he wasn't around while his son w...

REMINISCENCE Directed by: Lisa Joy Written by: Lisa Joy Warner Bros. Pictures, Kilter Films, FilmNation Entertainment, Michael De Luca Productions Set in the not-to-distant future of a flooding Miami, private investigator Nick Bannister, developed a machine that allows people to re-experience their memories. When Bannister is called upon to use his machine for a criminal investigation, he unlocks a deeper, more personal mystery. A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN Directed by: Denzel Washington Written by: Virgil Williams Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Outlier Society, Mandy Lane Entertainment, Escape Artists, Bron Studios, Creative Wealth Media Before he’s killed while serving in Baghdad, 1st Sgt. Charles Monroe uses the power of the written word (a journal) to communicate with his son. A guide to how to live a virtuous life rooted in love. CODA Directed by: Sian Heder Written by: Sian Heder Apple TV+, Vendôme Pictures, Pathé Films Born into an all-deaf family, Ruby Rossi must learn how to live h...

Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. About two months after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered, on June 19, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect. In celebration of this momentous achievement towards freedom for all humankind, here are some of my favorite movies and series featuring African-Americans (behind and in front of the scenes). CREED   (Feature - 2015) Directed By:    Ryan Coogler Written By:      Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington Son of (former boxing champion) Apollo Creed, Adonis Creed fights to create his own legacy, while still trying to embrace his family name. With the help of Rocky Balboa (former friend and rival of Apollo Creed), Adonis sets out on a path of self-discovery, love, and legacy. Being a massive fan of the previous six "Rocky" films (with Sylvester Stallone as the star), I was very skeptical that anyone else could tap into the magic of the "Rocky" story besides Stallo...

For many, Memorial Day weekend amounts to an extra-long weekend or some early summer travel. I encourage you to check out one of the following films, pick up a book, or speak with someone you know who's served in the United States Armed Forces. While there are many great films that memorialize the Armed Forces, the following are five films/series I routinely gravitate towards this time each year. Band of Brothers  (Miniseries - 2001) Created By: Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks From Producers, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, comes the story of "Easy Company," 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. From their initial training (1942) to the end of World War II, we follow the men of "Easy Company" as they navigate paratrooping behind enemy lines of D-Day, Operation Market Garden, liberating a Concentration Camp, and finding strength through brotherhood to push through these seemingly impossible missions. The decision to tell "Band of Brothers" thr...

With the 93rd Academy Awards show just a week away (April 25th), the following categories are my favorites. Every category (and then some) with an award attached is pivotal to producing a film. Out of all the art-forms, producing a film is vastly collaborative. "It takes a village" as they say. If I were a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, here is how I'd vote throughout my favorite categories presented during the prestigious evening. Writing (Original Screenplay) --  SOUND OF METAL  Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance Headlined by Riz Ahmed (Ruben) and Olivia Cooke (Lou), SOUND OF METAL follows the story of a metal band drummer, Ruben, and his girlfriend/lead-singer, Lou. After realizing his hearing is rapidly deteriorating, Ruben and Lou find their lives turned upside-down as they cope with their new reality. The first step of the process, the screenplay. One of the golden rules in scre...

With the Major League Baseball (MLB) opening day slated for a week from today, I find no better method to peak my interest (other than tossing the ball outside) for the new season than watching my favorite baseball films. While opening day isn't a calendar holiday, I can watch these five films year-in-year-out to prepare myself for the start of a new MLB season. Anchored by phenomenal performances from Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson) and Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey), "42" is my favorite baseball movie produced to this date. Boseman's inspiring and courageous performance of Robinson gives viewers an insight to the struggles black men faced breaking into "white baseball" and the countless acts of hate and segregation they encountered in 1947 (Robinson's first appearance in Major League Baseball). Additionally, Harrison Ford's stardom doesn't distract from the civil and emotional weight of the film. The genius of "42" is its ability to...