Tag: IFC Center

Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” – George Orwell, 1984

As Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 arrives in cinemas across the UK, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit this powerful documentary—and the review I wrote after seeing it at the IFC Center in New York. If anything, the film’s message about truth, power, and the fragility of democracy feels even more urgent today. So I’m sharing this review again, because this is a film that deserves to be seen, discussed, and taken very seriously.

The film has already received well-deserved recognition, taking home two wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards—Best Score for Alexei Aigui and Best Narration by Damian Lewis. And now, with its wider release, more audiences can see exactly why it’s earning so much praise. Continue reading “Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life”

TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2025: Orwell 2 + 2 = 5

Well, it is THAT time of the year again! We have “Best of 2025” lists wherever we look: Best Books of 2025, Best Movies of 2025, Best Music of 2025 and so on… And, it is our utmost pleasure to jump on the “Best of” wagon with our TOP Damian Lewis Moments of 2025! As we take the last weeks of the year to revisit the year Damian has had personally and professionally, we very much hope to put a smile on your face.

We don’t intend to rank the top moments as many “Best of” lists do. We pick the moments in which, we believe, Damian shines as a brilliant actor, a fantastic musician, a wonderful storyteller, a true gentleman, a serious athlete or just a guy who knows to have a good time and bring them to you.

We’re kicking off our Top Damian Lewis Moments of 2025 with Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, a timely and captivating documentary brought to life by the brilliant Raoul Peck — and Damian lends his voice to George Orwell himself, giving the story its beating heart. Continue reading “TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2025: Orwell 2 + 2 = 5”

Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” – George Orwell, 1984

Big congratulations to Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, which just took home two wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards — Best Score for Alexei Aigui and Best Narration by Damian Lewis. You can now rent this powerful documentary on Amazon and see exactly why it’s earning so much praise. And please read my full review below and find out what makes Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 such an unforgettable watch. Continue reading “Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life”

REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Orwell in ‘Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5’

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” – George Orwell, 1984

I was lucky to attend a screening of Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 at the IFC Center in New York, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Raoul Peck. After seeing Damian’s recent Instagram post, I knew he was proud to be part of this project—and now I completely understand why. The documentary is timely, smart, and deeply inspiring.

But I do have one minor disagreement with Damian’s post. He says he is the voice of Orwell, but I would argue that he is Orwell in the film. I’ll explain more about that later. Continue reading “REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Orwell in ‘Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5’”

Billions at Split Screens TV Festival

It is a pleasure to see, in this golden age of television, new TV-focused festivals are popping up around us every year. IFC Center in New York recently launched its Split Screens Festival celebrating the art of television  with a program curated by Matt Zoller Seitz, the editor-in-chief at rogerebert.com as well as critic for New York Magazine and vulture.com. The long-week festival had appearances by stars, producers, directors and show runners of several popular TV shows, including Billions!

Lewisto and I attended Close-Up: Asia Kate Dillon in Billions panel to see the brilliant Asia Kate Dillon, who brings Taylor Mason to life in our favorite show, and show creators and show runners Brian Koppelman and David Levien discuss the first gender non-binary character on TV and much more.

The evening started with the most pleasant surprise for us: we ran into wonderful Kelly AuCoin aka Dollar Bill who was in the audience. Well, Kelly and I had “met” online and we have been Facebook friends for over a year, and he also very graciously gave us an interview, but I did not meet him until that evening. And, yes, he is a great actor but he is also a sweet, sweet guy! Continue reading “Billions at Split Screens TV Festival”