4/8/25 – 10/8/25 – Zhukov, Upcoming Movies & Joel on Dylan

Welcome to Monday’s News on the March – The week that was in my digital world.

Zhukov – Marshal of the Soviet Union Documentary
Video documentary at The People Profiles

Since studying political science and the Russian Revolution at University, I have had a penchant for learning about Russian history and culture.

I found this documentary at The People Profiles fascinating since I wasn’t familiar with the military legacy of General Georgy Zhukov. I learnt he was one of the few commanders in history who could almost claim never to have lost a major battle. His career went from the defeat of Japanese forces at Khalkhin Gol in 1939 — which secured the Soviet Far Eastern border — to stopping the Germans outside Moscow in the winter of 1941, when the city was close to falling, and leading the defence of Leningrad. These battles showed not only his great skill, but also his ability to work in very different kinds of wars.

Upcoming Movies

Here are three movie trailers for upcoming movies I’m most looking forward to:

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere | Official Trailer

Well it’s about Springsteen and that’s that. Elton John (Rocketman) and Bob Dylan (A Complete Unknown) had their recent biopics, now its Springsteen’s turn and this looks good! I like how it seems to focus mainly on one period of his life being the Nebraska record interspersed with childhood memories. The actor does seem to exude certain mannerisms and expressions of Bruce – he seems to ring true. The director Scott Cooper also did Crazy Heart which I thought was a great music – movie. Out in October! Giddyup.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – Official Trailer | SDCC 2025

This is Spinal Tap (1984) was Rob Reiner’s (Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men & Misery) directorial debut. It is arguably the greatest mockumentary ever made. Now we have Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – Forty-one years after the release of the of the original, the now estranged bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) are forced to reunite for one final concert.

It also marks the resurrection of documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner), who once again tries to capture his favorite metal gods as they contemplate mortalit – and the hope that their 12th drummer doesn’t join them in The Great Beyond. It is joined by music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, Spinal Tap wrestles with their checkered past to put on a concert that they hope will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock ’n’ roll.

One Battle After Another – Official Trailer

In this upcoming movie due out in late September we have Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio joining forces. I know right?… a match made in movie heaven! DiCaprio did turn down the lead role of Dirk Diggler in PTA’s 1997 film Boogie Nights to star in James Cameron’s Titanic. DiCaprio expressed regret over this choice, stating he loved the film.
Paul Thomas Anderson is one of my favourite three directors of the last 3 decades along with Quentin Tarantino and the Coen Brothers. He has featured here at ‘Friday’s Finest‘ – my movie segment with The Master and The Phantom Thread. And of course, Leonardo is up there on the acting front. One Battle After Another also features Oscar winners Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn.

If you can’t wait long enough until September, which I know I can’t, then there’s the recently released Weapons horror movie which people are raving about. Only yesterday my friend Bernie did a write-up on it – I Dare You to See ‘Weapons.

Billy Joel Was Dying To Ask Bob Dylan This One Question | David Letterman
Video interview at Letterman

Just in time with the new Billy Joel documentary – And So It Goes on HBO; this is just a short snippet from an interview Joel did with Letterman (air date: 8/18/97) where he remarked on his exchange with Dylan and his daughter (who was a big fan of Joel) in the early eighties and another chat in Milan, Italy. The song Billy Joel is obviously referring to here is Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love written for his album Time Out of Mind (1997), but first released commercially by Billy Joel, under the title To Make You Feel My Love.

That is all. Thank you for reading.