Paul Willistein
Program HostPaul Willistein is Editor of the Lehigh Valley Press Focus section, a position he has held since 2008. He has received more than 30 Keystone Media state newspaper journalism awards and an Allentown Arts Commission Arts Ovation Award. He reviews movies and theater and writes features stories about arts and entertainment, news stories about municipal and school topics and takes photographs for Lehigh Valley Press newspapers and websites.
He has taught screenwriting and media studies at Northampton Community College. He was marketing and public relations director at The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. For 22 years, he worked at The Morning Call, where he was Features Editor, Arts Editor and Entertainment Editor. He worked for the former Bethlehem Globe-Times as Arts Editor, Night Editor and News Reporter. He studied American Studies and film-making at Syracuse University and attended Southern Lehigh High School.
He has written, directed and produced documentary films, some of which have been telecast on public television stations, and narrative fiction films, some of which have been shown in film festivals. He was host and producer of “Hot Splices,” a movie review-interview show; producer and co-host with Michael Gontkosky of ”The Movie Show,” a movie review show, and “Valley Arts,” a Lehigh Valley arts interview show, all telecast on RCN. He is a songwriter, having co-written “Do The Dutch (Hey Now)” with Steve Brosky and Mike Krisukas.
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The controversial film features Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman, and more in a look at the a not-too-distant-future United States.
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Paul Willistein and George VanDoren announce the winners for Lehigh Valley Press' 2024 Student Poetry Project.
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The comedy, drama, crime film, which is based on a real story, is full of amazing performances, including that of Oscar-winner Olivia Colman.
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The sequel to "Godzilla vs. Kong" (2021) is a sort-of buddy monster movie, with the classic movie monsters now fighting on the same side.
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The fifth film in the "Ghostbusters" franchise brings back most of the original cast and returning cast members from the recent installments, as well as plenty of familiar newcomers.
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Telling the story of a 19th Century woman who emigrates to the U.S. to start a New York orphanage, the film features David Morse, John Lithgow, and more.
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The animation feature film again stars Jack Black in the lead role of the lovable Po and features a cast of voices including Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Bryan Cranston, and more.
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The action, adventure, romance, science-fiction film is based on the novel by Frank Herbert, and features familiar faces like Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, and more.
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Paul Willistein of Lehigh Valley Press makes his Oscar winner predictions in seven of the major categories.
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Featuring Dakota Johnson in the title role based on the Marvel Comics character, the film is taking hard blows from critics and audiences alike.