By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
Magic for a Family, Shaye 6x, Horowitz: New Star??
“The Magic Faraway Tree” opens in theaters on Aug. 21. It follows a married British couple — Tim (ANDREW GARFIELD, 42) and Polly (Claire Foy). They want to show a different lifestyle to their three tech-obsessed kids by moving them to a rural farm home.
The children and the parents do not get along well on the farm. Then things change when the children discover a magical tree with eccentric residents. They’re transported to fantastical lands, rekindling their family bond through cool adventures.
This film is based on a very popular English novel. It’s almost certain that this film will be an American hit. It has already opened in the U.K., and it’s a critical and box-office hit there.
By the way, Garfield can be counted as British, American or both. His American father is Jewish, and his British mother isn’t Jewish. Andrew has dual citizenship. He isn’t religious, but he identifies as Jewish.
“Insidious: Out of the Further” is an American supernatural horror film. “Out of the Further” is the sixth(!) installment in the “Insidious” movie franchise. (This film opens in theaters on Aug. 21.)
Here’s the capsule plot: Gemma, a young woman, can interact with and bring spirits to the mortal world. However, Gemma (played by Amelia Eve) is soon haunted by evil spirits.
Actress LIN SHAYE, 82, has the unique status of having a role in all six “Insidious” films. She plays Elise Rainier, a very powerful psychic with all sorts of “talents.” Overall, it’s a pretty big, juicy role.
Shaye is often called a horror or scream “queen.” She has appeared in many horror flicks, including the “Insidious” movies. But she has also had good supporting roles in other film genres, like comedy. Her comedies include “Dumb and Dumber” (1994), “There’s Something About Mary” (1998) and “Jewtopia” (2012).
Lin Shaye was born and raised in Detroit. Her mother, DOROTHY, was born in Russia and was a homemaker. Her father, MAX SHAYE, was a supermarket owner and an artist.
After two years of college, she moved to New York City to appear in off-Broadway plays. Over time, she built a very big “library” of films and TV shows that she has appeared in.
Lin’s brother, ROBERT SHAYE, now 87, was a major film executive. He founded the successful
New Line movie studio in 1967. He left New Line in 2008 when Warner Bros. bought New Line.
In 1998, director Peter Jackson asked Robert if New Line could financially back two “Lord of the Rings” films. Robert told him they should make three “Lord” movies (!). The films together earned over a billion dollars and won 17 Oscars.
“The Rivals of Amziah King” opens wide in theaters on Aug. 21. Below is what it’s about. The first two paragraphs, in italics, are excerpts from Variety’s review. (By the way, there was a “real” King AMZIAH of Judea.)
It’s been six years since Matthew McConaughey starred in a movie, and when you watch “The Rivals of Amziah King,” it’s easy to see why this was the one that lured him back. It gives him a role that fits his scraggly aging-bad-boy redneck charm like a glove — and, at the same time, it’s different from anything he’s ever done.
The film itself is different from anything you’ve ever seen, in ways both good (the first half) and not as good (the second half doesn’t always parse). Yet there’s an audacity to this movie…. [Director/writer Andrew Patterson] gets a magnetic turn out of McConaughey [Amziah] and showcases a new performer, the Native actor Angelina LookingGlass (this is her very first credit). She plays Kateri [a young woman], sly and radiant and subtle and captivating.
For a few years, Amziah was a good foster father for Kateri, then a young child. As an adult, she found Amziah again. Amziah makes his living selling honey. When his honey is stolen, Kateri acts to get it back. Helping her is Remmer (JAKE HOROWITZ).
Horowitz was born in Brooklyn, and he still lives there. He is about 30. Horowitz co-starred in “The Vast of Night” (2019), directed and written by Andrew Patterson. Sadly, “Vast” is not available. “Adam Bloom” (2020) just became available to rent. I haven’t seen it yet.
Horowitz starred as Adam Bloom — a Jewish character. Horowitz has also directed four low-budget movies.
Check these out: Andrew Patterson likes Horowitz. He cast him in two movies he directed and wrote — and Horowitz once said that he’s great friends with TIMOTHEE CHALAMET. Interestingly, Chalamet is very big friends with Matthew McConaughey.
Conclusions: Horowitz is “going up soon,” and I’m almost certain he’s Jewish.