Archives for the ‘Updates’ Category

CONDEMNED Reviewed by Shock Cinema Magazine!

By • May 11th, 2010 • Category: Condemned, Updates

The new issue of Shock Cinema Magazine – the great cult film publication – features a review of Condemned. Flip to page 44, above the second part of the Jim Kelly interview. Being featured in Shock Cinema is truly exciting. Click on the image below for a larger view. Look for the new issue (#38) […]



CONDEMNED Reviewed

By • Mar 11th, 2010 • Category: Condemned, Updates

Cinema-Crazed posted a great review for Condemned: “Shai is a wonderful director capable of making every situation seem like a time capsule of the fifties and this film is no exception. He manages to bring the best out of his cast and their performances are sharp . . . Ultimately “Condemned” stands as a metaphor […]



So Young So Bad: Reform School Girls In The 1950s

By • Mar 9th, 2010 • Category: Condemned, Updates, Writings

“The Story of a Teen-Age Fire-Bomb! Look out! She’s set to explode!” (The Green Eyed Blonde, 1957) With the making of my new short film, Condemned, I found myself watching and re-watching many Women-In-Prison (WIP) films. Recently catching up with a curious 1957 picture, The Green Eyed Blonde, I was inspired to write about the […]



Talk Normal

By • Oct 27th, 2009 • Category: Music Videos, Uncategorized, Updates

Talk Normal released their new music video today. It was directed by Pastor Alvarado & Genn Leong, who did production design and costumes on my upcoming short, Condemned. It’s excellent, check it out…



Pre-Production & Casting – CONDEMNED

By • Jul 13th, 2009 • Category: Updates

Started work on a new short film titled, CONDEMNED. A 1950s prison drama. To be shot in NYC sometime in late-August. I’m looking for the 3 lead actresses: Female Prisoner #1031: 26-30, once lively, now worn out, beaten down, fighting to stay alive. Laura: 28-32, A Mamie Van Doren-type, wannabe 50s movie-star behind bars. The […]



The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

By • Jun 4th, 2009 • Category: Updates, Writings

My review of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival is now up at The Brooklyn Rail. Also available in print around the Brooklyn area. It features reviews of Black Dynamite, Don McKay, Stay Cool, The Girlfriend Experience, The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, Transcendent Man, Soul Power, Blank City and Burning Down the House: […]



“Our Only Crime is That We Love Cinema”: Menahem Golan @ 80

By • May 31st, 2009 • Category: Updates, Writings

Menahem Golan turns 80 today. To celebrate the birthday of this filmmaking giant, the Tel-Aviv Cinematheque Magazine in Israel put out a special tribute issue. I was happy to contribute a piece about the history of Cannon Films, the American production company of Golan’s and his cousin’s, Yoram Globus. Scans can be found below. Click […]



“Heavy Soul” on Vimeo

By • Jan 10th, 2009 • Category: Heavy Soul, Updates

Uploaded “Heavy Soul” to Vimeo Heavy Soul from Oren Shai on Vimeo.



The Poontachat Song

By • Dec 30th, 2008 • Category: Music Videos, Updates

The music video I co-directed with Tom Shoval this past August is now online. It is spun-off the previous Adam Sandler film, “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan”, and features Ido Mosseri as Oori and Rob Schneider as himself. Shot in Israel. The video is up on Vimeo and YouTube and here in quicktime format […]



The New ‘Films In Review’

By • Jul 23rd, 2008 • Category: Updates

For the past few months I have been working on revamping the Films In Review website. FIR is edited and owned by Roy Frumkes, who took it over in 1996. Formerly it was the film publication of the National Board of Review. In addition to the new design, articles from the magazine’s 50+ years in […]