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The Must Watch HBO Documentary Film: “Say Hey Willie Mays!”

by Danielle Niecey
written by Danielle Niecey 8 Minutes read

Thursday, October 27, 2022, Manhattan, New York. HBO Documentary Films and Urbanworld Film Festival – hosted an exclusive screening for, “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” at the SVA Theater (located at 333 W 23rd Street in Manhattan, New York). The production runs in association with UNINTERRUPTED, Zipper Bros Films, and the Major League Baseball franchise to curate and celebrate one of baseball’s most renowned players, the living legend, and Baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer, Willie Howard Mays Jr.

The film “Say Hey Willie Mays!” is directed by Nelson George and produced by Colin Hanks, Sean Stuart and Glen Zipper; Executive producers from UNINTERRUPTED include LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron and Major League Baseball’s Nick Trotta. With his career that spanning over 25 years, “Say Hey Willie Mays!” tells the story of the MLB icon, Willie Mays Jr, the discovery of his life calling in Baseball and emphasizes the fulfillment this path afforded him. The film covers Mays’ early career, where he began his profession in the Negro minor leagues; his draft by the US Army during the Korean War (1952 – 1953 ) shortly after being signed to the, then New York Giants; his impressive record setting career stats, that are compared to Babe Ruth’s; the highs (and the self-reflective times) of his life, and how he changed the face of baseball for the world.

Athleticism runs in Mays’ blood. His story begins in Westfield, Alabama; the living legend co-narrates the film which speaks highly of his father, Cat Mays, who raised him after he and Willie’s mother separated. Cat Mays played an integral part in young Mays’ development as an athlete and his sportsmanship. Willie’s father, Cat Mays,  a talented baseball player himself, participated in a local baseball team in Fairfield. His mother, Annie Satterwhite, also a skilled athlete, chose to run track and play basketball while she attended school. As a natural athlete, Mays explored an array of sports from basketball, to even becoming a quarterback for his school’s football team. Ultimately, his heart found its home in Baseball. His professional career as a baseball player began before he finished high school at the tender age of 17 with the Birmingham Black Barons, a minor league that initiated him into the, then, Negro American League. Despite all of the social commotion and cultural norms separating people of color from experiencing a more robust life, it was impossible to hide a light as bright as Mays. On the field Mays shone, and was scouted by several major leagues before he was of legal age to commit to a professional Major league team. Mays eventually signed to the New York Giants in 1950 and it is here that the world begins to take notice of Willie Mays Jr!

As the story continues, the world kept a close eye on this gifted athlete as he literally swept the nation westward; branching his career from the East Coast and playing for teams as far out as California. He even inspired younger athletes, such as his godson, Barry Bonds; to walk in his footsteps. Mays would go on to become the Rookie of The Year (1951); becoming an MVP player after closing in on 41 home runs and leading his team to win the World Series Championship of 1954-1955 thanks to his infamous “Catch” from a fly-ball hit by Vic Wertz of the Cleveland Indians.

The film also highlights Mays as a star off the field. His natural charm and mild-mannered temperament opened doors for him to meet high ranking public officials, political and national figures and receive special honors. Mays was featured in mainstream television, where his early media appearances on “The Donna Reed Show”(1964-1966); “The Colgate Comedy Hour Self”(1954) reaffirmed the benevolent narrative that surrounds him and set the trajectory for his star-studded career in and out of Major League Baseball.

Although the documentary is filled with gems and life principles, one of the most inspiring aspects of this film is Mays’ diplomacy and his work ethic, which he allowed to speak for the man that he was raised to be. He never lost sight of his mission to excel or perform at his best, even when facing discrimination. He never let the outside noises or distractions become the “thing” that branded his career.  He had a gift of not taking things personal, remaining focused, rooted and being noted by his colleagues as a very reserved man, even in the face of personal and career scrutiny. The film makes reference to  fellow MLB icon,  Jackie Robinson, who accused him of “selling out” and “not doing enough for the advancement of black people”. With class, poise and dignity, Mays responded to his statement and made it clear that he successfully led his own quiet revolution for his people and many others. The film backs this evident truth by highlighting community involvement, charitable works, his impact on every community he’s stepped foot in; his accolades and praises from public figures and his dedication to his craft. Mays clearly inspired and opened doors for people of various nationalities to enter the league and never once did he care what the color of their skin was.

 

Willie Mays Jr loved what he did, and played with love. The film does an extraordinary job highlighting these wonderful qualities about him.


Other special film appearances included his protégé, Barry Bonds, the son of baseball legend Bobby Bonds.

Chuck D of Public Enemy Nick Trotta, Colin Hanks, Nelson George, Michael Mays, Sean Stuart and Jamal Henderson. Credit: HBO/GETTY IMAGES

The special guest in attendance for the HBO Documentary screening included film-contributor and Hip Hop Legend, Chuck D of Public Enemy (who I was so thrilled to have met); Nick Trotta, Colin Hanks, Nelson George, Michael Mays, Sean Stuart and Jamal Henderson.

The new HBO documentary for, “Say Hey Willie Mays!” aired on HBO Nov. 8, 2022 and is available on HBO Max.

I highly recommend it!

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‘Armageddon Time’ Exclusive Interview: Banks Repeta and Jaylin Webb Talk Friendship and Learning from Legendary Actors

by Dano Nissen
written by Dano Nissen

Banks Repeta and Jaylin Webb play friends in the family period drama “Armageddon Time.” Sometimes life imitates art: The young actors became friends behind the camera as well. 

The two hung out in New York City for the two week shoot. For Webb, it was his first time in the city. He visited the Empire State Building, The Oculus and rode the subway for the very first time. When not filming, the two sparred in ping pong. “We’re both now professional ping pong players,” said Repeta. When asked who was the better ping ponger, the boys pleaded the fifth. The matches were friendly apparently.

Both teenagers in the dawn of their careers, Repeta and Webb act alongside some of the most illustrious veterans in the industry — Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong. With experience comes wisdom, which was imparted on the boys.

“[Jeremy Strong] sent me a note that said that acting is like a game of imagination. It’s what you make of it,” said Repeta. “And Anthony taught me that you need to speak clearly because it matters.”

He shared that Hopkins taught him about the medieval Persian poet Rumi to inspire his acting. Repeta reciprocated with a much more contemporary medium — he taught the octogenarian Oscar winner a Tik Tok dance. Repeta proceeded to show his dance moves during the interview.

Webb said director James Gray gave him some lasting advice. “The camera can always see through you,” Webb said Gray told him.

Repeta plays Paul Graff, a fictionalized version of a young Gray. Even though much of the plot is based on the director’s childhood, Gray didn’t want to burden Repeta with details.

“He didn’t want me to know personal information,” said Repeta. “He wanted to see what I could do with Paul.”

“Armageddon Time” is currently in theaters.

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On the Scene: ‘The Good Nurse’ Cast Talk Real Life Hero Behind Movie at Premiere

by Dano Nissen
written by Dano Nissen

The putative most prolific serial killer in US history was taken down by kindness. 

“The Good Nurse” tells the true story of a night nurse who brought a colleague, and friend, to justice after she discovered he had been killing patients. She goes up against the hospital bureaucracy’s negligence and her conflicted feelings towards someone she considers a trusted friend. This is not a serial killer movie glorifying the twisted mind of a murderer. It’s a movie about a working single mom stopping evil with goodness.

The Knockturnal spoke with the cast, writer and director of the film at the Oct 18 premiere in Manhattan.

Jessica Chastain plays the eponymous nurse, the real life Amy Loughren. Chastain said she learned a lot from Laughren, who often visited the set. “She was so great with me because she taught me a lot about her compassion and her empathy and humanity,” said Chastain. “One of the very first conversations I had with her is I asked her why she worked as a night nurse and she said she wanted her girls to think they had a stay at home mom.”

She continued, “She worked all night long taking care of others working at the hospital. She’d come home and do the grocery shopping and the housework while her kids were at school and then take care of them when they were out of school. She really was at no moment taking care of herself And i learned a lot about that from actually talking to her.”

Eddie Redmayne plays the serial killer Charles Cullen. He, too, was able to speak to Loughren, who had a close friendship with Cullen until she learned of his crimes. “[It was] extraordinary talking about the intimacy of her friendship and the specifics of that and the real love that she had,” said Redmayne. “Also this man had a seemingly amazing humanity. But there was this other side that she met twice and it was a different human being.”

He continued, “Violence was ended through compassion and reminding this man who was doing horrific things of his humanity.”

Danish director Tobias Lindholm helmed the film as his first English language feature. He’s directed several episodes of David Fincher’s serial killer Netflix show “Mindhunter.” He’s also the writing partner of Thomas Vinterberg and collaborated on the scripts for “The Hunt” and 2021’s Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film “Another Round.” Lindholm and Vinterberg are adherents to the Scandinavian film movement Dogme 95, a set of rules which extol naturalism and vérité.

“I’m proudly on the shoulders of Dogme, but Dogme is always proudly on the shoulders of [John] Cassevetes,” said Lindholm. “So it’s a circle. I think I’m bringing some [Ingmar] Bergman to the table and some [David] Fincher and some 70s great movie making.”

Lindholm joined the chorus of praising the real life good nurse. “Without her insistence on human values, friendship and love there would be no story to tell,” he said.

“The Good Nurse” is in theaters and available for streaming on Netflix.

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On the Scene: ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’ Cast on the True, the Made-up and the Weird at NYC Premiere

by Dano Nissen
written by Dano Nissen

Divine inspiration captures a musician in a glorious moment. It’s fleeting. The rush is on. Right then and there, an impromptu recording session produces their hit song you know and love — in real time. But that only happens in movies. Right?

“I was watching the Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ video on TV, the world premiere,” Weird Al Yankovic told The Knockturnal. “And immediately thought — ‘fat’. They were walking through the turnstiles in the subway. What if this guy was like 900 pounds and couldn’t get through the turnstiles? And before the video was over I had a concept for the video.”

Weird Al’s “Fat” is to Michael Jackson’s “Bad” as “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” is to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Doors” or “Sid and Nancy.” Biopics tend to take artistic liberties, not limited to the genesis of songs. It’s almost mandatory that at some point in one of these movies a band member will go, “wait a minute,” then commence jamming the riff to what will be their biggest hit. “Weird” tends to take artistic liberties with those well-trodden artistic liberties. 

In real life, no, Yankovic did not write most of his songs spontaneously, nor did he have a torrid love affair with Madonna nor did he make a mortal enemy of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar — all of which happen in the movie.

“A lot of times when I write a song it’s a matter of me thinking about something for a long period of time,” said Yankokovic. “[‘Bad’ is] the exception to the rule. Usually it’s me thinking about what are the variations on the theme I can explore.”

The Knockturnal spoke to the cast, director and some of the real life people who inspired the not so true story at the New York premiere of “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” at Downtown Brooklyn’s Alamo Drafthouse on Nov 1. 

Daniel Radcliffe, standing on the carpet with Yankovic, is noticeably shorter. About eight inches. His vocabulary also differs. 

Radcliffe, beginning to speak about his favorite Weird Al song not included in the film called “Bob”, let out a reflexive “ah, fu-,” narrowly avoiding consummating the f-bomb. A cursus interruptus. “I didn’t even get through the whole word,” he said. “So it’s fine.”

Yankovic has not and has never, according to himself and all known documentation, sworn. “He doesn’t. It’s true. I do, unfortunately. I grew up on film sets so I swear like a sailor,” said Radcliffe. “And I’m English, so it’s like charming when I do it.”

Despite the disparities, Radcliffe pulled it off. After all, he didn’t have to play the teetotalling, clean-mouthed, sperm donor eligible (Yankovic’s a cool six foot) version of Al. Radcliffe plays Weird Al’s parody of Weird Al — international sex symbol, MMA-trained, binge boozing, libidinous rockstar Al. 

“Dude, it was one of the things that I loved getting to do in the film,” said Radcliffe. “Everyday I was getting to do a fight scene or a song and dance number or comedy with Rainn Wilson or Evan [Rachel Wood].”

One of those song and dance numbers is “I Love Rocky Road,” a parody of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” In the film, Radcliffe lip syncs the song in front of a rowdy crowd of bikers, punks and other hard-looking folks. Along with his performance in Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” parody “Like a Surgeon,” Radcliffe cited “Rocky Road” as his favorite to do. 

“I was never in a band growing up and I got to live out that fantasy during that sequence,” he said. “Al was on set everyday. He would come in with notes occasionally, mostly about musical stuff we were doing.”

While interacting on set, Radcliffe said he never urged the man he was spoofing to spoof himself and his most famous role — Harry Potter. Weird Al has taken on many big franchises like “Star Wars” (twice) and “Spider-Man,” but has never gone to Hogwarts. “I’m almost surprised it hasn’t happened anyway. Potter does feel like it’s pretty rich ground for parody,” said Radcliffe. 

During one of Yankovic’s days on sets, he had a rather famous friend and fan visit — and make a brief cameo in the film. “The making of this movie was a blur,” said Lin-Manuel Miranda. “I was there for a morning. I got to hug Al.”

Miranda has long admired the parody artist, gushing over him in numerous interviews. Now, he’s friends and coworkers with a larger than life figure to him. He said, “I feel like I’m friends with Santa Claus.”

His Saint Nick-esque persona notwithstanding, Yankovic is pretty approachable, according to the “Weird” director Eric Appel. Appel said he wanted Yankovic’s blessing to do the movie so he reached out to mutual friend Patton Oswalt to set up a meeting. 

In that very first meeting, Yankovic threw out some of the more outlandish components of the film, namely, Pablo Escobar’s appearance as a primary antagonist. “That came from the very first conversation I had with Al in 2019,” said Appel. ”I believe Al had just binge watched all of ‘Narcos.’ And Escobar was just right there on the tip of his brain. He was like, ‘I think it would be really funny if we had a sequence in the movie where I turned into John Wick and Escobar just makes sense as a 1980s super villain.”

Even the pitch meeting smacks of a parody of an off the walls Hollywood boardroom. “I saw someone’s tweet a while ago that said this movie feels like someone’s fake movie from ‘30 Rock,’” said Appel. He did an impression of Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy talking to Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon from the NBC show, “We got Harry Potter as Weird Al, Lemon.”

Yankovic didn’t just take the idea of Escobar from watching Netflix; he took one of the actors from streamer’s hit show to play the drug lord. Arturo Castro, who plays a prominent member of the Cali cartel in “Narcos” and Escobar in “Weird,” joked, “This is the only part that was a real fact. Al Yankovic got rid of Pablo Escobar.”

As for the surviving Escobars and their acolytes who might watch his repeated portrayal of Colombian cocaine czars, he said, “I really hope they have a sense of humor.”

Weird Al didn’t really face off with Escobar in the jungles outside Medellín. He didn’t do practically anything featured in the movie. But he wouldn’t have done any of this at all — the successful novelty music career, the fake biopic — without the mentorship of Dr. Demento. 

Early in his career. Yankovic came under the tutelage of Barry Hansen, better known as the Los Angeles comedic radio broadcaster Dr. Demento. 

As the movie goes, Weird Al submits a tape of “My Bologna,” a parody of The Knack’s “My Sharona” to Dr. Demento, played by Rainn Wilson, to instant acclaim and commercial success. Dr. Demento actually did receive that tape, recorded in a bathroom at Cal State San Luis Obispo, by a curly-haired college student. But it didn’t catapult Yankovic into overnight stardom. Hansen said it took about six years for Yankovic to cultivate his art and gain mainstream traction. 

“Every year it seemed like he learned to do something new, something better,” said Hansen of those first six years. “He started out making these homemade tapes and then he started being able to produce his own records. Then he started being able to produce his own videos. Now he’s co-producer of this movie.”

“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” is available for streaming on Roku. 

 

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On The Scene: “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” Screening

by Danielle Niecey
written by Danielle Niecey

 

Co-Head of HBO Documentary & Family Programming, Nancy Abraham, introduces the HBO Documentary Film “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” October 20, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO)

There wasn’t a dry eye in the theater the night of October 20th, 2022; including mine. I can typically bypass the daunting task of processing tear jerking emotions altogether. My avoidance usually works best when I misplace an item of clothing or if something I wanted doesn’t come to fruition and I do my best to not get upset about it. I  rationalize my way around minor, non-life threatening annoyances such as these once I find the logic behind it all. However, there is one annoying experience that I’ve encountered (and unfortunately, still do from time to time) that I’ve yet to find the logic behind.  That major annoyance is Racism. It doesn’t make sense to me at all. It will never make sense to me that the fears and misconceptions about a group of people or persons could incite hate and premeditated acts of violence. 

Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers attends a special screening for the HBO Documentary Film “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO)

On October 20th, 2022, I attended the exclusive HBO screening in Manhattan, New York for “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” nationally phrased as, ‘The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting’. The screening opened with remarks by director Trish Adelsic and producer Susan Margolin. Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers led the audience in a moment of silence and thoughtful prayer. On the cusps of the 4th anniversary, the screening was a beautiful event to remember the innocent men and women lost and celebrate their lives. The tragic events of the day unfolded, a little over 4 years ago, on the morning of October 27, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 22 defenseless Jewish worshippers became the targets of a anti-semitist terrorist attack. The lone suspect, Robert Gregory Bowers, armed himself with a Colt AR-15 SP1, semi-automatic assault rifle and 3-Glock .357 handguns, entered into the synagogue during their time of devotional prayer and open-fired on the unassuming congregation. In his wake of destruction, 11 victims of this mass shooting survived, many with injuries and lingering cases of PTSD from the incident; 11 of the victims did not survive the attack of the gunman. 

 

Co-Head of HBO Documentary & Family Programming, Nancy Abraham, introduces the HBO Documentary Film “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” on October 20, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO)

The documentary film was created by award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Trish Adlesic, a Pittsburgh native, and was Executively produced by Michael Keaton, Billy Porter, and Mark Cuban among others (which include, D.J. Gugenheim, Geeta Gandbhir, Elliott Joseph, Lloyd Myers, Lauran Bromley, Michele Fetting, and Charlie Friday). The documentary film delves into the aftermath of the Squirrel Hill community, a quaint town in Pittsburgh, whose foundation was shaken by this heinous act against humanity. The film highlights the resilience that helped the community band together across the divides of culture, religion and racial differences to mourn the innocent victims who lost their lives.

Special Guests Kate Diaz and Idina Menzel with Director Trish Adelsic

“A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting”, alarms the world to the prejudicial violence that threatens our sense of security; and the film takes an expansive look at the hate-based crisis in the United States, stemming from the political climate in our country and it stands up to the ideals that are presently causing the moral decay of humanity. Adlesic does a remarkable job balancing the focus on the impacts of Anti-Semitism in America being as problematic a concern nationally as it is on a global scale; she skillfully illustrates the impacts of Anti-Semetic views, propaganda and how these global issues change the lives of well-meaning people that we interact with day to day. 

 

On a brighter note, the film sends the uplifting message that “love wins”. The documentary film interviews both survivors, their families and members of the community that rose to the occasion to serve as the balm for the healing of the Jewish community in Squirrel Hill. The story of the attack is told through voices from the community, including Carol Black, Dr. Joseph Charny, Anthony Fienberg, Audrey Glickman, Daniel Leger, Wasi Mohamed, Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, Brad Orsini, Rabbi Jonathan Perlman, Michele Rosenthal, Diane Rosenthal, Augie Siriano, Ellen Surloff, Andrea Wedner, Stephen Weiss and Barry Werber.

Wasi Mohamed attends a special screening for the HBO Documentary Film “A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO)

Special guests of the screening included HBO Executives, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller; Idina Menzel and Kate Diaz, who share a song featured in the film; film-featured American Classical Musician and Jazz Trumpeter, Hannibal Lokumbe; and film featured Senior Policy Officer and community advocate Wasi Mohamed, a life-long Pennsylvania resident and community advocate committed to changing systems and structures that perpetuate poverty and inequity.

For me, the most eye opening aspect of this film was the perspective that it afforded me. As a spectator, I was a witness to racism and not as the victim.  Very rarely have I been a witness to racial crimes that weren’t targeted and directed towards BIPOC. Adlesic’s film offered me a unique and freeing insight about racism by educating me on the ongoing struggles of the Jewish communities in America. I was able to experience the vulnerability and helpless feeling of wanting to free a targeted group of people from the experience of being discriminated against, but found myself not knowing how to convince their attacker of the fault in their logic. This film taught me that prejudice and hate crimes all mimic the same behavioral pattern; an the unwillingness of a racist person to see life outside of their own perspective; the spread of misinformation, the continuance of indoctrinating fear-based rhetoric into the next generation; lack of gun-control laws, the lack of mental health and hygiene; and that hatred along with the crimes it inspires are not an exclusive struggle to one race, color or creed, as an experience.  It is my hope that films such as, “A Tree Of life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” can be a major part of the catalyst that helps our country and the world to stop these attacks and heal us all from our fear-driven, limiting beliefs.

“A Tree Of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” aired on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022 on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max. 

 

 

 

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