2012 - Page 40 of 118

Matt Bush talks about film’s “HIGH School” & “Piranha 3DD”

Matt Bush has had a busy year so far in 2012 working on films like “HIGH School” & “Piranha 3DD”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Matt about those films and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How was it working with such a great cast like Adrien Brody, Michael Chiklis and Colin Hanks on “HIGH School”?
Matt Bush: These are great guys. These are people I respect. It was great getting to act and have fun with them. It was overall such a great experience. It was an education that I couldn’t get anywhere else.

MG: What was your biggest challenge on this project?
MB: We shot it a couple of years ago, and at the time it was the first film where I had the lead. It was certainly a lot more responsibility. When you are in that role you have to take on more of a leadership role. So I wouldn’t necessilarily call it a challenge but it was new experience and was fun. I am grateful it was my first.

MG: Both being released by Anchor Bay, how was it going from “HIGH School” to “Piranha 3DD”?
MB: [laughs] It was definitely a weird year. I didn’t jump from “HIGH School” to “Piranha 3DD”, I had a few things in between there but they came out the same time. “Piranha 3DD” was a fun time and it certainly doesn’t take itself seriously.

MG: Was the 3D a difficulty at all during shooting?
MB: No, really it wasn’t. You would think so since you have a whole other dimension to worry about. It was just a larger rig with two lenses next to each other. There were certain things you have to keep in mind when shooting. One day wanted to showcase the trident/trash picker as a 3D effect, like it was coming ot the camera. So they asked me to throw it literally at the camer…but don’t hit the camera. [laughs] I didn’t have trident through class during gym class. So I did my best. For the most part it was like a regular shoot.

MG: What else do you have in the cards upcoming?
MB: I got an indie called “The Kitchen”. We just had our premiere at the 2012 Gen Art Film Festival. I am actually very proud of that. I got a film called “Trouble with the Curve”, which is Clint Eastwood’s newest film. I have a small role but it was an amazing experience to work with such a legend. I am really grateful for that.

Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter – @ItsMattBush

Event Review: Disney On Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After – Amway Center, Orlando FL

Disney on Ice presents ROCKIN’ EVER AFTER
Sep 7 2012 at 7:30 pm
Amway Center, Orlando FL
Produced by: Feld Entertainment
Running Time: 2 hours with intermission

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I have been attending Disney on Ice events for about 30 years now and I still enjoy them every time. Now having a daughter of my own (only 3 months old though), I am looking forward to introducing her to this event next year, hopefully just like my parents did for me. “Disney On Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After” was the perfect event for any little girl…oops sorry, I mean Princess. There were many little princesses all around the Amway Center, I just couldn’t help but thinking about my daughter in those costumes. This event honestly though has been my favorite in many years. There was something about it that just really engaged the audience, yes even the adults too! The songs are just amazing and timeless. I can’t wait to see what they do next with Disney on Ice. I am not sure how they will top this one though?!!

The basis story for the show features Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy introducing different talent as they “compete” to be the next superstar. The princesses that take the spotlight in this show are Ariel, Rapunzel, Belle, and Merida from Disney•Pixar’s BRAVE in her ice debut!. Like I said this show was amped up from last year. There was something about the costumes that just really stood out and shined. I really enjoyed the re-imagination of the characters wardrobe, especially for “The Little Mermaid” section. While on “Little Mermaid”, it stood out from the others being the only part of the show that used non-Disney music. They had a nice blend of 80’s music including Madonna, with the classic songs. “The Little Mermaid” also really stood out for its great use of black light on the environment and its skaters.

I am a huge Rapunzel fan personally, I feel that they did the “Tangled” portion up really well. I thought the way they changed up the “The Ugly Duckling” scene into a dream sequence was very clever. I also really enjoyed the way the lantern scene was presented. Merida from Disney•Pixar’s BRAVE was up next after the intermission in her ice debut! They did a good job of working this section into a story being told by Mickey to his friends. This way they were able to tell the story and leave out the witch and the bear aspects of the film. It really flowed well. Lastly, what better way to end then with “Beauty and the Beast”, one of my favorite films of all time. This story is timeless and always warms your heart. I should note it is also the only one out of the four that included the final showdown between good and evil, or Beast and Gaston in this case. Of course then as usual Mickey and his friends closed the show and what an ending it was. I had a hard time getting up, hoping that there would be more. Oh well, have to wait till next year.

If you are interested in catching this great event while it visits the Amway Center in Orlando FL from September 7th-9th, 2012. Click here for tickets and more details.

Here are a few pics that we were able to snap throughout the show, hope you enjoy!

For more information, visit us at: http://www.DisneyOnIce.com
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyOnIce

CD Review: Francesca Battistelli “Christmas”

Francesca Battistelli
“Christmas”
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Tracks: 11
Label: Fervent Records

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Francesca Battistelli is one of the notable rising stars in music today. She only entered the spotlight in 2008 and has earned a Grammy nomination (Best Gospel Performance) and has over 700,000 in album sales to date. So what better than to make a Christmas album, since it is a gift that keeps on giving every years. This album is a real treat and is very simple yet powerful. Though this album is not the only album Francesca will be featured on this Fall, also including “A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace on Earth” and “A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary”. So be sure to support those albums as well. “Christmas” will definitely get you in the mood for the holiday season.

This 11-track album is produced by Ian Eskelin. It is a nice compilation of classics and some newly-penned Christmas songs. The traditional songs include: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Marshmallow World,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “The Christmas Song,” “What Child Is This? (First Noel Prelude),” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” and “Joy To The World.” Battistelli co-wrote all of the new songs as well such as: “Heaven Everywhere,” “Christmas Is,” “Christmas Dreams” and “You’re Here.” They are really nice songs and the fact that she included original songs sets this aside from other Holiday albums.

Battistelli said been quoted saying “Christmas is my favorite time of year”. I personally share the same feelings as well. You can tell that she is not just trying to sell her album, you can literally hear it throughout each song. The words are so pure and really filled with Christmas joy. Francesca is just getting started in this business and she is going to have a lot more coming up. But sticking with this album, I suggest grabbing some hot chocolate, grabbing a blanket and get ready to welcome in the holiday season.

Track Listing:
1. The Christmas Song
2. Heaven Everywhere
3. Christmas Is
4. What Child Is This? (First Noel Prelude)
5. Marshmallow World
6. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8. You’re Here
9. Joy To The World
10. Christmas Dreams
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: battistelli, cd, christmas, francesca, review

“Resident Evil: Retribution” Prize Pack Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

Screen Gems’ RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, opens on September 14 and Media Mikes is happy to bring you this great giveaway. We are giving away five (5) pairs of ROE (Run of Engagement) passes and 10 RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION T-shirts. If you would like to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email and let us know your favorite “Resident Evil” character. This giveaway will be open until September 14th at Noon, Eastern Time and is only open to residents of the United States. Only one entry per person, per household; all other entries will be considered invalid. Once the giveaway ends, Media Mikes will randomly pick out winners and alert the winners via email.

The wildly successful film franchise adaptation that has grossed nearly $700 million worldwide to date returns in its highly anticipated fifth installment, RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, in state-of-the art 3D.

The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, ALICE (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: evil, giveaway, pack, prize, resident, retribution, ...

DVD Review “6 Bullets”

Directed by: Ernie Barbarash
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bianca Bree, Kristopher Van Varenberg, Joe Flanigan, Anna-Louise Plowman
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 0 out of 5 stars

Especially after seeing Jean-Claude Van Damme kick some ass in this summer’s “The Expendables”, I am gung-ho to watch him in just about anything I can right now, so this release is completely welcomed. Honestly, the film is quite decent for a direct-to-DVD release. Jean-Claude Van Damme even get in a few decent roundhouse kicks. The cast is also rounded out with Joe Flanigan from “Stargate: Atlantis”. But overall, “6 Bullets” packs some good action and one hell of an intense plot.

Official Synopsis: Veteran mercenary Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude Van Damme) knows that in the heat of battle, every bullet counts. He retired from combat when his actions resulted in the deaths of helpless victims, but now he’s the last hope for a desperate father. Mixed Martial Artist, Andrew Fayden (Joe Flanigan, Stargate: Atlantis) knows how to fight, but alone he’s unprepared to navigate the corrupt streets of a foreign city to find his kidnapped daughter. Together, these warriors will stop at nothing to tear apart a vile network of criminals that preys upon the innocent.

Fans of Van Damme are going to jump all over this release for sure. I am not sure why though Sony decided to skip a Blu-ray release for this, which is basically the norm these days, especially for an action film. If you prefer digital this film was also release in various VOD formats, so for $3.99 you honestly can’t go wrong. Though if you are looking for any special features, you will be disappointed since this is completely bare-bones.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 6, bullets, dvd, review

DVD Review “The Complete Hammer House of Horror”

Director: Peter Sasdy, Tom Clegg, Alan Gibson
Starring: Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Pierce Brosnan
Distributed by: Synapse Films
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 702 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

If you are wondering who to so thank you for this great release, all the praise needs to go to Synapse Films. They are the ones behind this complete series of “Hammer House of Horror”, which is presented in their original airdate order, with all-new introductions. Even those this show is from the 1980, the episodes are still creepy and feel rather timeless. The episodes presentation…well that’s another story, which I’ll cover more below. I just wish that this series ran longer than 13 episodes. Nonetheless hardcore fans will be doing back flips for this release.

There is plenty of Hammer regulars, including Peter Cushing (Twins of Evil, Star Wars) and Denholm Elliot (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and even Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye) shows up. Like other anthology shows like “The Twilight Zone”, each episode of this series takes us on a completely new tale of horror and suspense. Being a die-hard fan of Hammer, this release is truly the shit. It carries the Hammer name with pride and makes sure to include plenty of gore, boobs, and plain ole gothic macabre, which is what made Hammer so great.

The episodes are presented it full frame with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. This is exactly how the show was originally filmed and broadcasted. Don’t worry though these episodes look damn good. There is some fuzzy spots and print flaws pretty but overall nothing that affects the viewing experience. All of the episodes are pumped with Dolby Digital mono tracks, which of course is true to the original airings over 30 years ago. The special features are decent but not amazing. Like i said above their are episode introductions from Film Historian Shane M. Dallmann. There are two featurettes included as well. The first is called “Grave Recollections: A Visit with Kathryn Leign Scott and the second is called “Hammer Housekeeping: A Visit with Mia Nadasi. Both are short but sweet. Lastly there is a decent “Animated Still Gallery”, which Hammer always deliver on stills.

EPISODE LISTING:
Witching Time
The Thirteenth Reunion
Rude Awakening
Growing Pains
The House That Bled to Death
Charlie Boy
The Silent Scream
Children of the Full Moon
Carpathian Eagle
Guardian of the Abyss
Visitor from the Grave
The Two Faces of Evil
The Mark of Satan

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Rickey Medlocke chats about band’s latest album “Last of a Dyin’ Breed”

Rickey Medlocke originally joined with Lynyrd Skynyrd back in the early 70’s before forming the band “Blackfoot”. He re-joined Skynyrd in 1996 and has been rocking out since. He is one of the bands guitarist along with Garry Rossington and Mark Matejka. Rickey took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the band’s latest album “Last of a Dyin’ Breed”.

Mike Gencarelli: What was the driving force inspiration behind “Last of a Dyin’ Breed”?
Rickey Medlocke: I feel like we are the last of a dyin’ breed. Along with our band and others like The Stones, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Aerosmith and The Allman Brothers, we all are the last of our kind. Even by the way we recorded this album was a great approach. After it was written, we setup in the studio live and recorded it. Just like the way you hear it is the way it went down. It has really been a great experience.

MG: I’ve been a member of the Skynyrd Nation for 20 years and now I can’t wait to introduce my daughter to you as well; How can you reflect on Skynyrd being so multi-generational and still relevant today?
RM: First of all the bands fan-base is definitely multi-generational. Our fans span three generations and our fans are anywhere from 15 to 70. It is pretty cool when we you get to see fans that love your music and just enjoy listening to the songs. It goes to show what music represents. That is one of the key secrets in making new music to give fans something new to listen to. I guess we could sit back and rely on our classic tracks but if we can put out new music and material, it will keep things from getting stale.

MG: Tell us about the fierce use of guitar on these tracks?
RM: When we started this album, Garry (Rossington), Mark (Matejka) and myself had decided that we were going to try and bring the guitars out more. We wanted to make it more of a guitar based record, since the band is a guitar band. I believe what we have done is created a solid foundation of all three guitars. Each guy has his own place within each song. Everyone stepped up when they needed to take lead. You know what man, I think worked out really great. I for one am very happy with work that I did on it. Anyone always look back at their own work and think maybe I could have done better here or there but I think we nailed it. There are some guys that strive for perfection but hey man it is rock ‘n roll and rock ‘n roll is not perfect. It came out the way it was suppose to and we couldn’t be happier.

MG: You are working again with “God and Guns” producer Bob Marlette, how does the collaboration on this album differ?
RM: We decided way before this record that we were going to go out with Bob again. Bob is a really good director and producer. We are able to go off and do what we do. He is not one of these guys that it has to be his way or no way. With Bob on board, we planned to get into the studio and setup it up old school like. We wanted to record this live as we were performing it. We loved working with Bob and we are all the better for it.

MG: Love your vocal track on “Mississippi Blood”, how did that come about?
RM: Johnny (Van Zant) and I throughout the last several records have tried to do a duet. I like being a part of a song vocally, it is always a lot of fun. With that particular tune, the way it was written it fitted what Johnny and I wanted to go after. I really enjoyed it.

MG: For me it would be “Simple Man” and those opening cords, what is the one track that when it goes on you completely jam into it?
RM: There are a lot of songs in the Lynyrd Skynrd catalog. Right now in the shows, we are doing a melody of songs. We got “Needle and the Song” leading into “Tuesday’s Gone”. I really get off on those and love doing those two together.

MG: With each track omitting gold, which ones do you foresee becoming part of a must play list during touring?
RM: As far as the new stuff, we are doing “One Day at a Time”, “Last of a Dyin’ Breed” and “Good Teacher”. We wrote “One Day at a Time” we Kid Rock’s guitar player and writer Marlon Young. I really like doing “Good Teacher” because it has this Hendrix-style Wah-Wah. I broke out my ole Cry Baby for that tune when we recorded the track. I really enjoyed doing that. I also think that “Homegrown” is a great track to play live also. It has that Drop C that I really like. And of course, I also love “Mississippi Blood”, it has got some really great elements in it. Jerry Douglas played a great lap steel lead in that. This album overall is just loaded with good songs.

Blu-ray Review “Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection”

Directors: Chris Columbus, David Yates, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuarón, David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman
Number of discs: 31
Running Time: 1180 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG / PG-13
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Release Date: September 7, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

If you could have ever wanted an ultimate set for the “Harry Potter” film franchise…it has arrived! “The Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection” is a beautiful 31-disc extravaganza that includes all eight films. In addition to the theatrical release of every film, the collection also includes the extended versions of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; and the 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows –- Parts 1 and 2. Also there is an Ultraviolet digital streaming copy of each film as well. There is a ridiculous amount of special features totaling more than thirty-seven hours, which more than ten hours of it is new-to-disc bonus content and five hours of never-before-seen material. Fans are going to have a field day with this. I will get more into the special features below but just looking at this wonderful box. This is such a creative way to look slick but pack of hell of a lot of content. Overall it is relatively small (12¾” x 10½” x 11¼”), but it is a very neat series of swing-out and slide-out drawers and cubby holes that hold all of the set’s discs and collectibles. Now for all the goodies that are included in this release, included is a 48-page hardcover book “Harry Potter Catalogue of Artefacts”, a 32-page “Harry Potter Label Collection” booklet, an envelope containing five wonderfully detailed black-and-white Stuart Craig drawings which are printed on heavy-stock cards, concept art color paintings also on heavy-stock cards, a Holocrux locket replica, a weathered blueprint poster of the Hogwarts castle, a large 24″ x 36″ cloth map of the Hogwarts grounds (pictured below) and, of course, a numbered certificate of authenticity. Sounds good? Well don’t just run out just yet since this releases does not come cheap. The average price for this release is well over $300 bucks. So unless you are the biggest of “Harry Potter” fans or unless you don’t own any of these film’s on Blu-ray then I would suggest this release highly.

Since we all have seen these movies before and watched the available special features, this review will focus on the content that has not be available before (and because those are the only ones Warner Bros sent us to review 😉 ) which lies on discs 25, 29 and 31. Disc 25 is “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Bonus Disc”, it includes over 2 hours of features including the all new! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 7: Story”. This feature runs 47 minute and is the seventh documentary released as part of each film’s Ultimate Edition Blu-ray releases. This is centered around series author J.K. Rowling and saga screenwriter Steve Kloves, who really just dive into every aspect of the series from book to film, all of the challenges in between and a reflection on the results. Next up is “The Deathly Hallows, Part 1: Behind the Magic” runs about 45 minutes and has previously aired on TV but never released. It basically is a pre-release EPK focusing on what we can expect from the upcoming 7th film. “Harry Potter on the Road” follow a production crew all over the UK stopping at various location shoots from the series. This could have been a 10 hours feature in its own but runs a short 20 minutes. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 1: Behind the Story Featurettes” is an 80 minutes feature that is split into fourteen mini featurettes focusing on the film’s production and nine of these are new to the film. There is eight deleted scenes included from “Deathly Hallows, Part 1”, decent scenes but well cut. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2 Sneak Peek” is a short taste of what we were waiting for in part 2 and final “Harry Potter” film. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Tour” features Radcliffe and his castmates, J.K. Rowling and other VIPs as they give us a then sneak peek of the new theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort. “Behind the Soundtrack” chats about Alexandre Desplat’s score but doesn’t spend enough time on it. Lastly there is a teaser and a theatrical trailer for The Deathly Hallows, Part 1.

Disc 29 is the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Bonus Disc”, it included over 4 hours of features including the all new! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 8: Growing Up” and an all new! extended “A Conversation with JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe” with 15 minutes of new footage. “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 8: Growing Up” runs slightly longer than the 7th part and puts a conclusion to the whimsical ten-year journey that was the Harry Potter film saga. “A Conversation with Rowling and Radcliffe” is an extended version from 53 to 63-minutes of this conversation from the creator and Potter himself, one of the best features on this release and a must watch for all fans. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Behind the Magic” like with Part 1 as well, is another pre-theatrical release TV special. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Behind the Story” includes seven featurettes, which includes six new to the Wizard’s Collection. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: The Quest” continues with more featurettes, in fact, sixteen more though shorter featurettes. A little bit of repeat but die-hard will eat it up. There are eight deleted scenes, nothing that will knock you out of your chair but decent. “Hogwart’s Last Stand: Extended Version” is an truly awesome dissection of the films’ final showdown, which runs about 30 minutes. “The Women of Harry Potter” is an in-depth look at the strong women throughout the series books and the films. Next up, you can go behind-the-scenes of the UK attraction in “Warner Bros. Studio Tour London”. Rowling gives an in inside preview into her new website, “Pottermore”. Lastly’ there is the teaser and theatrical trailers for Part 2. The last disc and most awaiting is disc 31, which is the exclusive Wizard’s Collection Bonus Disc. It is includes about four hours of all new features starting with: “When Harry Left Hogwarts – Extended Version”, which runs just shy of 90 minutes. It is quite the emotional ride through the final days of filming. “The 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments – Definitive Version” runs just over an hour and covers everything from”The Sorcerer’s Stone” to “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2”. “Designing the World of Harry Potter” features production designer Stuart Craig and his team as they show what it took to make the world of Harry Potter come to life. There is a two parter called “Secrets Revealed!” The first looks at the secrets of Quidditch and the second discusses Hagrid, both amazing. Lastly rounding out this amazing disc is “The Harry Potters You Never Met”, which gives some spotlight to Harry’s many stunt doubles.

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/HPWCSEP7
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/harrypottermovie
For Additional Film Clips: http://www.youtube.com/harrypotter
For More Information: http://www.harrypotterwizardscollection.com/

Here is a detailed breakdown on what is on each disc:

Disc 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theatrical Version + Extended Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 3: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Creating The World: The Magic Begins (Blu-ray)
Disc 4: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 5: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version + Extended Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 6: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 7: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Creating the World: Characters (Blu-ray)
Disc 8: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 9: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Theatrical Version (Blu-ray)
Disc 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 11: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Creating the World: Creatures (Blu-ray)
Disc 12: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 13: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Theatrical Version (Blu-ray)
Disc 14: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 15: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Creating the World: Sound & Music (Blu-ray)
Disc 16: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 17: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 18: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 19: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Creating the World: Evolution (Blu-ray)
Disc 20: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 21: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 22: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Creating the World: Magical Effects + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 23: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 24: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 25: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Creating the World: Story + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 26: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (Blu-ray 3D)
Disc 27: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 28: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 29: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Creating the World: Growing Up + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 30: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Blu-ray 3D)
Disc 31: Wizard’s Collection Exclusive Bonus Disc (Blu-ray)

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, collection, harry, potter, review, wizards, ...

Film Review “The Words”

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana and Jeremy Irons
Directed by: Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 36 mins
CBS Films

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

An author (Dennis Quaid) approaches a podium before a packed house. He announces the title of the book he’s just written, “The Words,” and begins to read a passage. It relates the story of another author, Rory Jansen (Cooper). We meet Rory and his wife, Dora (Saldana) in the back of a limousine, celebrating the publishing of Rory’s book. Almost incredulous to the response at his work Rory tells Dora, “it was just a little book.”
Actually, it was a little book with a big back story. But that story gets jumbled up with the rest of the plot in the new film, “The Words.”

Basically a story told within a story told within a story (which sounds a lot like Joe Pesci in “JFK” lamenting “It’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!”), “The Words” follows the life of a man who, against his better judgment, takes credit for a hidden manuscript he finds in an old briefcase and passes it off as his. Things go well for him until he is confronted by the “old man” (Irons) who claims authorship of the book. Things get confusing whenever Quaid appears as the audience is never sure if he is the real bogus author or if Cooper even exists. A flashback tale of love and loss only helps to confuse the story more.

Performance wise the film is also all over the map. Cooper really has nothing more to do here then stare off into space, the better to wrestle with his conscience. Quaid manages to show a little bit of his old fashioned charm, especially when trying to seduce an attractive fellow writer (Olivia Wilde). Saldana is solid as Dora as is J.K. Simmons, who has a small part as Rory’s father. The standout is Oscar winner Irons. His stories of the lives he led, both happy and tragic, are delivered with emotion and for that brief time you manage to get lost in the film. Unfortunately the time is, indeed, brief. Blame this on co-directors Klugman and Sternthal, who also shared the scripting duties here. The fact that the duo also shared writing credits with six other people on the latest “Tron” film only serves to make me want to avoid their third film!

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, review

Concert Review “Rockstar Mayhem Festival” Scranton, PA

“Rockstar Mayhem Festival”
Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, Asking Alexandria, Anthrax, As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, White Chapel, I The Breather, Bleeding Ink
Date: Saturday, August 4th 2012
Venue: Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, PA

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

On Saturday August 4th the heavy metal circus known as “The Rockstar Mayhem Festival” screeched its way into the Toyota Pavilion located in Scranton, PA. Kicking of the day was the band Bleeding Ink who despite only playing a 20 minute set seemed to really give there all as fans were still slowly making their way through several security/ticket stops. I The Breather was up next followed by White Chapel and As I Lay Dying. Closing out the second stage was NY thrash legends Anthrax. Though I feel the band would have been more suited for the main stage they did do a great job packing their 40 minute set with such classics as “Caught in a Mosh and “Madhouse” before ending with the always popular “I Am the Law”.

After an afternoon of battling heat and the occasional crowd surfer in the venues parking lot the festival moved its way over to the main stage. The UK band Asking Alexandria opened up the evening with a brief 7 song set. Definitely the youngest band on the main stage and probably the least know by those in attendance were sadly given a luke warm reception. Despite the minimal crowd response the band forged on until their 30 minute set came to a close. Heavy metal icon Lemmy and his band Motorhead would be up next and instantly kicked the volume to the max. Performing such classic songs as “Damage Case”, “Killed by Death” and “Ace of Spades” the crowd sprung to life with pumping fists and banging heads. Slayer were up next and treated the crowd to a pyro packed set which was highlighted by such legendary Slayer tracks as “War Ensemble”, “South of Heaven”, “Angel of Death” and of course “Reign in Blood”. Immediately after pulverizing the crowd Slayer would leave the stage and a dark red curtain would be lowered. Following a brief intermission Slipknots intro “742617000027” began cranking over the pa. With a flash bang that could be heard for miles the masked clad band launched into an energy filled set that would entertain even the most casual of Slipknot fans. Highlights of the set included “Wait and Bleed”, “Vermillion”, “The Heretic Anthem” and, “Psychosocial”. Front man Cory Taylor wasted little time in between songs talking with the crowd as there certainly was an agenda and time frame for the evening.

I was super excited to be able to catch one of the stops on this year’s tour. With such a great line-up surely a good time was going to be had. However, catching the second to last show before of the tour did not yield such results. Yes I got to hear a number of my favorite songs by some great bands but with the exception of Slipknot and maybe one or two other acts the performances were a tad underwhelming and seemed rushed. I am sure by this stage in a tour bands are tired and ready to go home but, fans at the end of a tour pay just as much as those at the start of a tour and deserve a top notch performance. Despite a great looking bill and some really cool promotions related to the tour I think the show in Scranton, PA was a bit of a dud. Thankfully Slipknot closing out the end of a long, hot day and some promising performances from the Jagermeister stage left me with a glimmer of hope for next year’s run.

Slipknot Set List:
Intro- 742617000027
1.) (Sic)
2.) Eyeless
3.) Sulfur
4.) Wait and Bleed
5.) Disasterpiece
7.) Gently
8.) Vermillion
9.) The Heretic Anthem
10.) Psychosocial
11.) Duality
12.) Spit It Out
13.) People=Shit
14.) Surfacing
Outro- ‘Til We Die

Slayer Set List:
Intro- Darkness of Christ
1.) Disciple
2.) War Ensemble
3.) Die by the Sword
4.) Hate Worldwide
5.) Mandatory Suicide
6.) Alter of Sacrifice
7.) Jesus Saves
8.) Season in the Abyss
9.) Hell Awaits
10.) Dead Skin Mask
11.) Angel of Death
12.) South of Heaven
13.) Raining Blood

Motorhead Set List:
1.) Bomber
2.) Damage Case
3.) I Know How to Die
4.) Stay Clean
5.) Over the Top
6.) The Chase is Better Than the Catch
7.) The One to Sing the Blues
Drum Solo
8.) Going to Brazil
9.) Killed by Death
10.) Ace of Spades

Asking Alexandria Set List:
1.) Welcome
2.) Closure
3.) Breathless
4.) A Lesson Never learned
5.) To the Stage
6.) Dear Insanity
7.) Morte et Dabo

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, festival, mayhem, review, rockstar

Concert Review “Rockstar Uproar Festival” Syracuse, NY

“Rockstar Uproar Festival”
Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Adelitas Way, Fozzy, In This Moment, Duece, Candlelight Red, Mindset Evolution, Cruz
Date: Saturday, August 25th 2012
Venue: New York State Fair Grand Stand, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival came to the Great New York State Fair on Saturday August 25th and despite a few band cancelations the festival was quite enjoyable. The day’s festivities kicked off on dueling side stages sponsored by Jagermeister and Ernie Ball. Due to the venue layout all three of the festival stages were side by side making it very easy to watch all of the performances. Besides not missing one note of music the rotating stages allowed for a very mini lag time between groups. This not only kept the energy of the crowd up but gave the show a great flow and feel. Despite the absence of P.O.D and the recent cancelation of Papa Roach each of the bands on the smaller stages did a great job filling in the time and the afternoon was capped off by energetic performances from In This Moments and Fozzy which features WWE Superstar Chris Jericho on vocals.

Prior to the start of the main stage performances fans we made to clear the venue which did cause quite a bit of confusion and chaos as fans were shuffled through various small openings leading under the grandstand viewing area. After a 40 minute wait fans were finally allowed to re-enter and take their seats for the rest of the evenings events. Up and coming hard rock band Adelitas Way opened the night and gave the fans a brief but energy packed set which came to a close with lead singer Rick DeJesus jumping in to the crowd for some quality time where he remained signing autographs and posing for photos for some time after the rest of the band left the stage. Staind would follow with a surprisingly energetic set which featured hits like “It’s Been Awhile”, “Mudshovel” and “Outside”. Despite singer Aaron Lewis preparing to take some time away from the band to promote his upcoming country album band moral seemed high and it really showed in the group’s performance. Hard rock heavy weights Godsmack would be next playing a greatest hits set consisting of songs from each of the bands albums. Highlights of the set were “Keep Away”, “Bad Religion” and of course the dueling drum solo’s between Shannon Larken and Sully Erna. Having seen the band several times now it would have been great to see something different from the band as this set was almost identical to the set performed by the band on this past springs “Mass Chaos Tour”. Shinedown closed out the night with a pyro packed performance featuring songs off the band latest album “Amaryllis”. Though the bands stage show featured a number of cool effects and a guest appearance by In This Moment front woman Maria Brink I felt the performance by the band was a bit boring. Singer Brent Smith very rarely left his podium and spent little to no time interacting with the crowd. At times the sound of the band seemed very produced and digital which I felt hurt the performance more than helped it. I am all for bands embracing technology however you have to know when enough is enough.

Though the “Rockstar Uproar Festival” is a bit smaller and doesn’t have as many big names artists as Rockstar’s other traveling tour “Mayhem Festival”. The smaller set ups gave each performance a more intimate feel. Having attended both festivals the “Uproar Festival” featured a wider variety of musical styles, better stage set up and a far better sound production. If Uproar is coming to your town be sure to grab a ticket and get to the show early to check out some really great talent.

Shinedown Set List:
1.) Sound of Madness
2.) Diamond Eyes
3.) Enemies
4.) If You Only Knew
5.) Devour feat. Maria Brink
7.) I’ll Follow You
8.) Unity
9.) .45
10.) Simple Man
11.) Second Chance
12.) Fly From the Inside

Godsmack Set List:
1.) Enemy
2.) Keep Away
3.) Cryin’ Like a Bitch
4.) Straight Out of Line
5.) Awake
6.) Bad Religion
7.) Speak
8.) Voodoo
9.) Drum Solo
10.) Whatever
11.) I Stand Alone

Staind Set List:
1.) Eyes Wide Open
2.) Right Here
3.) Now
4.) For You
5.) Paper Wings
6.) It’s Been Awhile
7.) Not Again
8.) Outside
9.) Mudshovel
10.) Something to Remind You

Adelitas Way Set List:
1.) The Collapse
2.) Hurt
3.) Alive
4.) Cage the Beast
5.) Criticize
6.) Sick
7.) Invincible

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, festival, ny, review, rockstar, syracuse, ...

Christine Ebersole talks about her role on TBS’ “Sullivan & Son”

Christine Ebersole is well-known performer & two-time Tony Award winner from the 2001 Broadway revival of “42nd Street” and 2006’s “Grey Gardens”. She is currently playing the role of Carole on TBS’ hit comedy series “Sullivan & Son”. Christine took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about her role in this very funny show and what she enjoys most about performing on stage.

Mike Gencarelli: Your are a such a well-known performer & two-time Tony Award winner, how did you get involved with a show like “Sullivan & Son”?
Christine Ebersole: I think what really convinced me was that it was funny. That element really struck me when I first read the script. The show also has heart. I really loved that.

MG: All of the cast that I’ve spoken says that Carol has some of the best lines in the show.
CE: I feel like it is a total feast. I am thrilled beyond words. The people I work with all enjoy each other’s company. We basically laugh all day and get money at the end of it. (Laughs) It’s awesome!

MG: You worked with Brian Doyle-Murray back on “Saturday Night Live”, how was it working with him again?
CE: After 30 years, we finally got to work with each other again. To still both be players at our age is just great. It is all gravy.

MG: The episode “Creepy Love Song” features you singing with Owen Benjamin was so hysterical, how many times did that take to shoot?
CE: Our characters have a childlike innocence to them which I think allows us to get away with all the things that we do. Those characters are just having fun.

MG: What has been one of your favorite experiences from shooting season 1?
CE: I am hard pressed to pick just one. Even when I don’t have a lot of scenes in the show I am just so thrilled to be a part of it. It doesn’t matter if I have more or less lines. Of course you always want to be the center of attention but when you are not you can revel in the joy of the person who is getting the attention. Things like this don’t happen all the time.

MG: How does working in front of a live studio audience compare to the audiences from your live stage work?
CE: It really is the closest thing to working in front of a stage audience. With television you are allowed to mess up and do things over. On stage you can’t do that. It’s very close to having that energy that fuels you. It’s great having that barometer to gauge how funny things are.

MG: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming live performances?
CE: I am going out performing a show I did at the Carlyle a few years back. The show is about finding eternal youth. I will be doing songs from “The Great American Song Book” and telling true stories about my life.

MG: What do you enjoy most about performing?
CE: For me it is the audience. The group I am working with right now is also really great. Taking everything in and seeing the audience enjoying themselves is what it’s all about.

MG: Tell us about your role in the film “The Big Wedding” and working with the great cast?
CE: The film was supposed to come out in the fall however it has been pushed to next spring. I think they want to work more on the publicity. The film is really beautiful and was written by Justin Zackham. The cast is also pretty amazing. I play the mother of the bride who is played by Amanda Seyfried. The film is just really fun and sweet. The best part was I got to write and perform a song called “Gently Down the Stream” which will play at the end of the film. Don’t leave when the credits come on or you will miss the song.

Blu-ray Review “Snow White and the Huntsman”

Directed by: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Sam Claflin
MPAA Rating: PG-13 / Unrated
Distributed by: Universal Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 127 / 131 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
EXtras: 4 out of 5 stars

When I think of “Snow White and the Huntsman”, I can’t help but compare to “Twilight”, sorry Kristen Stewart. The film is a bit overly ambitious and a little slow moving but it really takes a unique view to the classic story. The visuals are very stunning and really drives the story. If you are going to compare this to the piece-of-crap “Mirror, Mirror”, there is no contest, this one is a real winner. This Blu-ray release includes both the 127-minute theatrical cut and a 131-minute extended edition. The extended version doesn’t make or break the film itself but it does deliver a few decent new scenes. Overall I just loved the dark tone of the film. Looking forward to the Huntsman spin-off with Chris Hemsworth and did I mention that Charlize Theron was absolutely awesome in this role!

The release comes as a two-disc combo pack. There is a Blu-ray disc, as well as a DVD disc. There is also two options for digital copy including an iTunes download or the UltraViolet digital streaming copy. The latter is definitely the route I will be going for sure. The 1080pd video transfer is just simply stunning and really adds so much to the film’s aesthetics, cinematography and visual effects. The real star of the film though is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. This track literally rumbled my walls in my house and really uses the 7.1 sound to the max.

Like the film, the special features are great and really deliver. There is an audio commentary: Director Rupert Sanders, visual effects supervisor Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-editor Neil Smith, which is very heavy on details and focused on production. There is a U-Control, Picture in Picture included with sporadic behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. “Second Screen Experience” allow you to interactive in the film with your tablet or PC using the pocket BLU app. “Around the Kingdom: 360° Set Tour” is a beautiful look at the film’s Pinewood Studios sets. “A New Legend is Born” includes cast/crew interviews as they discuss the film production and the history behind the story. “Reinventing the Fairy Tale” looks at the incorporation of the Brothers Grimm version of Snow White. “Citizens of the Kingdom” included four typical EPK-style character featurettes including “Fairest of Them All: Snow White,” “Deliciously Evil: Queen Ravenna,” “The Huntsman” and “Motley Crew: The Dwarves.” Lastly, and my favorite, “The Magic of Snow White and the Huntsman” looks into the film’s visual effects and animatics in a lot of detail.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, huntsman, review, snow, white

DVD Review “Tom and Jerry: Tricks & Treats”

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Running Time: 161 minutes.

Tom and Jerry are back and this time they are in store for spooks galore in this monster collection of 20 eerie episodes plus two bonus episodes. “Tricks & Treats” is non-stop cat-mouse run ranging from ancient Egypt to Transylvania and from creepy houses to haunted forests. The duo are at their best delivering non-stop hilarity mixed with ghosts, mummies, werewolves and witches throughout these terrific episodes. If you are looking for something to get the whole family in the mood for Halloween, this is the release to pick-up for sure.

What I liked most about these episodes is that they are all shorts and are just enough to keep your attention. I also like the mix of classic and new adventures, like past Tom and Jerry releases. Just because they are short though, don’t take that literally there is almost three episodes of great episodes here. “Touché Pussy Cat!” is one of my favorites and always gets a good laugh. “Invasion of the Body Slammers” and “Spook House Mouse” are also two more of my favorite episodes. As I get older, these amazing character always manage to entertain and just prove how timeless they are.

Here is a complete list of episodes included:More Powers to You, Over the River and Boo!, The Woods, Fire Breathing Tom Cat, Touché Pussy Cat!, The Flying Sorceress, Tiger Cat, Robin Hoodwinked, Jerry’s Cousin, Invasion of the Body Slammers, Haunted Mouse, Trap Happy, Spook House Mouse, Bats What I Like About the South, Fraidy Cat Scat, Which Witch, Monster Con, Tomb It May Concern, Power Tom, The Itch, Hi Robot.

Blu-ray Review “Karate-Robo Zaborgar”

Directed by: Noboru Iguchi
Starring: Itsuji Itao, Asami, Akira Emoto
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Well Go USA
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

If you aren’t aware of the studio Sushi Typhoon, you might want to approach “Karate-Robo Zaborgar” with caution. They are the team behind such films as “Mutant Girls Squad” and “Meatball Machine”. If you haven’t heard of those films, then this is probably definitely not for you…of course unless you like over-the-top gore, robots and ass-kicking females. These films are nothing like you have ever seen before. My only problem with this film is that it nears two hours in running time, when it could have been perfect at 85-90 minutes. “Karate-Robo Zaborgar” is a real tribute to the series’ like “Ultraman” meets “Voltron” though with a much more crazy over-the-top aspect.

Synopsis: Following the death of his scientist father, secret police officer Yutaka Daimon (Itsuji Itao) inherits a might robot warrior named “Zaborgar”. With its array of super weapon, expertise in karate and its ability to transform into a motorcycle, Zaborgar assists Daimon in his fight against the Sigma, the nefarious crime organization responsible for his father’s death.

Well Go USA is behind this release and definitely gave it lots of love. The film is directed by Noboru Iguchi and reunites his with special effects director Yoshihiro Nishimura. It stars Itsuji Itao (“Tokyo Gore Police”), Asami (“Mutant Girls Squad”) and Akira Emoto (“Ichi”). If you are fan of films like “Tokyo Gore Police”, then this film comes highly recommended. The Blu-ray presentation, both looking very sharp and sounds great overall, as well. The bonus features though are a little light. There are “Go, Zaborgar Go!” short films, which are still awesome though. There is also a bunch of great Sushi Typhoon trailers.

Year: 2012

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