Feature Films
HACKSAW RIDGE
Producers: Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Terry Benedict, Bruce Davey
All Producers Cast & Crew: https://pro-labs.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/filmmakers#producer
Director: Mel Gibson
Writers: Andrew Knight | Robert Schenkkan
Associate Producer: Gabe Videla
Special Consultant: Charles Knapp
Genre: Military Action Biopic
The true story of Pvt. 1st Class Desmond T. Doss a Medic in WWII who because moral and spiritual beliefs refused to bear arms. He was maligned by fellow recruits and officers, yet fearlessly went into the battlefield of Okinawa unarmed and rescued many of those who mistreated him. For his unselfish and heroic acts he was awarded America's highest military distinction The Congressional Medal of Honor. A powerful story of commitment, heroism and faith put to the test in the most impossible of circumstances.
Mel Gibson’s directorial comeback "Hacksaw Ridge" - about the first conscientious objector in U.S. history to be awarded the Medal of Honor - received a 10-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday. Mark Kelly reports. Image: Venice Film Festival.
PIZZA WITH BULLETS
Director: Robert Rothbard
Producers: Romeo Antonio, Gabe Videla
Produced by: Jeffrey E. Cordone
Screenwriters: Tony Devon, Robert Rothbard
Genre: Comedy
"Pizza With Bullets" - A romantic comedy about Vito Persperino, a Mafia Boss who is suddenly revived out of two years long coma by the drifting aroma of pizza into his bedroom. The delivery man is Johnny Casanova, the pizzeria owner who has a striking resemblance to the Don's long lost son. Don Vito's obsession with Johnny sparks dysfunction with the members of his crime family, especially Gino, his second in command, who had takeover objectives that have now been thwarted by Don Vito's renewed health.
Johnny is a mischievous guy engaged to a gorgeous Lisa, who's unaware he's into the mob (Don Vito's family) for 50 G'S in gambling debts. Johnny tries to politely dismiss the Don's growing fatherly advances while dealing with the evil Gino who wants to knock off both the Don and Johnny. What happens is a sequence of events and funny character clashes that culminates in a surprising confession, happy reunion and just reward for the not so "Good Fella's."
HELL & MR. FUDGE
Producer/ Director: Jeff Wood
Executive Producers: Pat Arrabito, Gabe Videla
Line/ Co-Producer: Jeffrey E. Cordone
Co-Producer: Jim Wood
Screenwriter: Donald Davenport
Genre: Drama​
Crime, punishment, and our moral nature
The traditional doctrine of eternal torment raises a plethora of issues aside from the obvious biblical ones. Some of these arise from our innate sense of justice and fairness.
Most of us want to see wrongs made right. We want fair and reasonable punishment for crimes. We want our out-of-kilter world to be brought into proper balance. We have a natural revulsion to eternal torment because it seems to be justice gone wrong. It's overkill. The punishment is out of proportion to the crime. The longer eternity lasts, the further out of balance things get.
Some will argue that sin is a crime against the sovereign, infinite God; it stands to reason that such a crime deserves infinite punishment. This idea harks back to medieval justice systems, where the punishment for a crime depended on the class status of the victim. An offense against someone who is your peer might bring a light sentence. Commit a similar crime against someone of a superior class – a lord or a king – and you could get a death sentence. This kind of justice grates on us as being patently unfair.
Old Testament rules for social order and justice include the "eye for an eye" principle. This is commonly referred to by the Latin lex talionis. Lex is "law." Talionis gives us our English word "talion," meaning lawful retaliation equal in degree to the damage resulting from the crime. Lex talionis, on the face of it, seems fair and just.
The "eye for an eye" principle was to be applied to all, regardless of social standing. All classes were declared to be equal under the law. This impartiality seems reasonable and evenhanded. It appeals to our moral nature.
If we believe that in some sense we are formed in the image of God it's logical to assume that we share, to some extent, His moral nature. Our best ideas about what's fair and just and right must, to some degree, reflect His. Whether this is by nature or nurture may be arguable; the result is the same.
An enlightened sense of justice is God-like. When we are repulsed by the very idea of eternal torment we are like Him.
Interview:
Jeffrey Cordone, Line/ Co-Producer