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iMordecai

In first time writer and director Marvin Samel’s iMordecai, a series of unexpected events unfold when Marvin (Sean Astin) buys his father Mordecai (Judd Hirsch) an iPhone to replace his broken flip-phone. A Holocaust survivor, Mordecai’s relationship with his son is strained - the two distanced by a technological and cultural, generational divide. Meanwhile, his wife Fela (Carol Kane) is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. When he begins taking lessons for his new phone from the 'Einsteins', the tech experts at the store, Mordecai discovers a new and unexpected lease of life.

In conversation with Eye for Film, Samel discussed how his lack of intention to direct led him to contribute to an important conversation, and rejecting on-set conventions to honour his collaborative ethos.

iMordecai

Paul Risker: Why filmmaking as a means of creative expression?

Marvin Samel: I believe that filmmaking is the most expressive form of art there is.

Judd Hirsch never had much contact with Steven Spielberg or even knew anyone who had been in his movies before he got cast in the scene-stealing role of Uncle Boris in Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical feature “The Fabelmans.” “I had no idea why the hell he wanted me to do this part.” the 87-year-old Hirsch professes, “or what he might have seen me in. And to this day, I keep getting conflicting stories.” He said Spielberg told him that “this will be the movie that he would make without either aliens or dinosaurs. But by the time it was finished, I said, ‘I’m the alien dinosaur’.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

Regardless of what inspired the filmmaker to settle on Hirsch, it worked out remarkably well. The role of the curmudgeonly family member earned him his second-ever Academy Award nomination for supporting actor, eclipsing by one year the Oscar...

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (Warner Bros. Discovery) is #1 on the historically weak Super Bowl weekend. With distributors shying away from top new releases, and avoiding next week’s debut of “Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania” (Disney), the 51 million total for all films should be the low point for 2023.

It’s the first weekend this year to fall below the same date in 2022 (54 million). The year has been much improved so far, and momentum should return next weekend with the new Marvel film on a holiday.

The third time out for the male stripper franchise, again with Channing Tatum in the title role and with the return of original director Steven Soderbergh, grossed 8.2 million. Like last month’s “House Party,” this was a theatrical debut of a title initially anticipated for HBO Max. It opened in 1,500 theaters in top locations — smaller than a wide release, but enough to capture 80 percent-90 percent of its potential.