Nuremberg--a Psychological look at the trials.

NUREMBERG

Directed by: James Vanderbilt

Cast:
Rami Malek as Douglas Kelley
Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring
Leo Woodall as Sgt. Howie Triest
John Slattery as Burton C. Andrus
Mark O'Brien as John Amen
Colin Hanks as Gustave Gilbert
Wrenn Schmidt as Elsie Douglas
Lydia Peckham as Lila
Michael Shannon as Robert H. Jackson
Richard E. Grant as David Maxwell Fyfe

It is based on the 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai.

The film had its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025, where it received a four-minute standing ovation. It is scheduled to be released in the United States and Canada on November 7, 2025.

This film features a powerhouse cast.  Rami Malek is a standout playing Douglas Kelley, the psychiatrist appointed to assess Russell Crowe's character Hermann Goring, the man in charge of the Nazi concentration camps.

Russell Crowe's character is a cross between Hanibal Lecter and American Psycho.  He is intelligent, charming, and evil all at the same time.  Crowe is a great actor, but I wonder why they didn't cast someone like Christophe Waltz?

Rami Malek is curious and perceptive, and he buys into Crowe's interesting conversations, even reaching out to his family.

Leo Woodall as the translator Sgt. Howie Triest plays a really interesting character.  He is becoming a real up-and-comer.  He also appeared in Tuner at TIFF.  He has the most expressive eyes and conveys a lot with little dialogue.  He reveals his true self and why it was important for the trials towards the end of the film, which adds an exclamation point to how evil their participation was and its effects on the whole race.

This film shows many of the men who were to testify at the Nuremberg trials, where Michael Shannon plays the lawyer Robert H. Jackson.

This film doesn't hold back in showing you some of the images of the results of what they did at the concentration camps, but it doesn't linger on them; it merely shows what the men present versus what they did.

I thought it was an interesting way to tell the story from the psychiatrist's perspective and how he was betrayed by his illusions.

I see Oscar nominations coming for this film, for the excellent performances, the production design, and also the haunting musical score.

This film will stay with you for a while after seeing it.

Release date:  In theatres November 7th, 2025 

Blue Moon- Rogers and Hart's lost love

 

Blue Moon

Lorenz Hart  Rogers & Hart

Director

Richard Linklater

Cast

Ethan Hawke

Margaret Qualley

Bobby Cannavale

Andrew Scott

United States of America, Ireland | 2025 | 100m | English

Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley star in Richard Linklater’s
Blue Moon, alongside Bobby Cannavale and Andrew Scott,

The film is named after the title of the song that composers Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) 
and lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) wrote together when they were writing partners for 24 years.  

They parted ways and Richard Rogers ( Scott) went on to open the Broadway musical Oklahoma! on March 31, 1943.  Rogers new partner was lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney)

 

 

After the opening night performance, they celebrated at New York’s Sardi’s restaurant. 
While Rodgers and Hammerstein show up to the party glowing with excitement at the successful reviews it has received.  

Hart tries to show his support while drowning his sorrows in jealousy.  He trades barbs with the Bartender played by Bobby Cannavale, who tries to keep Hart from non-stop shots of bourbon.

Hart is at the same time obsessing over a 20-year-old college
student Elizabeth Weiland (Qualley), 

Hart's witty quips with her and to everyone in the restaurant as he drinks excessively and comments to the piano player playing tunes in the corner.  

By the end of the evening Hart must confront his acceptance of unrequited love, his destroyed confidence, and his realization that his career may be over.,

 

The script was written by Robert Kaplow and directed by Richard Linklater, and is based on
Hart and Weiland’s letters.  

Ultimately, this film is about friendship, partnership, love, success, confidence, ego, and assessing one's whole life.

The film is carried by Ethan Hawke, who plays a man much shorter and balding, so they had to use movie magic tricks of perspective and other tricks to convey his stature.

There was an extreme amount of dialogue from Hawke, almost more of a monologue.  Although he was excellent, I would have liked to see more of the supporting characters.

Release date Oct. 24, 2025