Complimentary Passes to the Orlando, FL Screening for “The Possession” [ENDED]

ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED! THANKS AGAIN FOR VISITING AND STAY TUNED LATER THIS WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!!

Plot: Based on a true story, “The Possession” is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil. Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Kyra Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.

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Film Review “Hit and Run”

Starring: Dax Shepard, Kristin Bell and Bradley Cooper
Directed by: Dax Shepard and David Palmer
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 40 mins
Open Road Films

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Charlie Bronson (Shepard) and his girlfriend, Annie, (Bell) lie in bed, making the kind of promises only people in love make. A loud car outside alerts them that they have company. The driver is Randy (Tom Arnold). A U.S. Marshal, Randy can best be described as “clutzy.” One more spilled coffee or accidental discharge of his weapon and he’s going to lose his gig guarding people in the Witness Protection Program. What? You didn’t think Charlie Bronson was his real name, did you?

A collection of car chases and occasionally hilarious one-liners, “Hit and Run” is a promising sophomore project for star Shepard, who not only stars and co-directs but also wrote the script. As a former member of a bank robbery gang who turned state’s evidence for love, Shepard is an appealing lead. He gives a solid performance, as does Bell. Cooper, who apparently had his hair done at the same salon as the Simpson’s Sideshow Bob, has fun in a role much smaller than advertised. Think of him as Eddie Murphy in “Best Defense” – a strategic guest star. The always underappreciated Tom Arnold steals most of his scenes. Why he’s never had a bigger career has always amazed me. The man is funny. As are the various cameo performers, including Kristin Chenowith, David Koechner, Justin Bateman, Sean Hayes and Beau Bridges.

Shepard’s script runs the gambit from maudlin to outrageous. Some of the dialogue is pretty forgettable but a few comments hit dead center on the funny bone. The direction is fine though I did get tired of seeing cars doing donuts in parking lots over and over and over again. Kudos to whoever put the soundtrack together. A great assortment of Lou Rawls, Kool and the Gang, the Dazz Band and, if my ears didn’t betray me, a quick snippet of instrumental music from “Rocky.”

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Author Brandon T. Snider talks about his book “The Dark Knight Manual”

Brandon T. Snider is the author of best selling “The Dark Knight Manual”, also one of my favorite Batman books. It has recently been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Time, Forbes and Wired. Brandon has also done writing for Comedy Central’s “Come Inside with Amy Schumer” and contributed humor to the Huffington Post. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Brandon a few questions about his new book and his favorite comic characters.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your biggest challenge with your book “The Dark Knight Manual”?
Brandon T. Snider: The deadlines were quite challenging, actually! The turnaround was very quick so I didn’t have a ton of time to second guess myself and the direction we ultimately went in. At first I approached the material with a slightly more personal take but it was decided to make it more cut and dry so I had to rethink how I wanted to do it and plow ahead. I wrote it in about a month which was kind of insane. I usually like writing something, taking a breather and then returning with fresh eyes. In this case I had to finish parts and then get them in quickly while wading through the material for the next part. And somehow it all came together in the end.

MG: The design of the book literally feels like a pop-up manual for the series, why did you decide that route for the book?
BTS: That format was already in place before I signed on. Insight Editions has cornered the market on cool, coffee table-sized booksthat are filled with fold outs and fun stuff. I was approached to write the book based on my previous experiences with my editor Chris Cerasi. As far as the interactive features, I wasn’t as involved in their selection but I did give suggestions based on the material I included. Process-wise we decided early on what weapons and characters to feature and then the designer, Jon Glick, would pull the appropriate artwork and create the beautiful visuals. Christopher Nolan and his team had a true vision for Batman and his world and thankfully we were able to incorporate the best pieces of that vision into the book.

MG: How much research did you have to do in order to complete this book?
BTS: I did a fair amount of research but I never strayed from what was established in the Nolan trilogy. I didn’t use the comic books or any other version of Batman than the one you’ve seen in the recent films. My main resources were Batman Begins and The Dark Knight which I watched more times than I can count. For each viewing I’d look for different things; broad themes, embellishments and sometimes just straight up information. I wanted the entirety of the films to inform my work so it was important for me to absorb as much as I could. I had ancillary resources for the more specific details and incorporated real world factoids to enhance the idea that much of Batman’s arsenal is rooted in established technology.

MG: Based on your work, is it safe to say that you are DC Comics fan over Marvel?
BTS: I don’t think it is safe to say that, my good man! I’ve not yet had a chance to work with many Marvel characters as of yet. Had I the chance, I might just take it as I think they have a great stable ofproperties. Don’t get me wrong, I love DC Comics characters. Hopefully more opportunities will come my way to do stuff with them in the near future but that’s not for me to decide. And, truth be told, I think the Marvel and DC universes are quite different. I know fans love to compare the two but the reason they’ve both been so successful are because they’re not like one another. There are parallels but overall their mythologies are unique. It sounds diplomatic but it’s true.

MG: Who would you say is your favorite superhero/villain?
BTS: I’ve always had a soft spot for Lex Luthor and I love all the versions of him; the mad scientists, the jerk capitalist and everything in between. A man with unlimited money and resources who chooses to pursue the selfish agenda of destroying the one person who he believes is a spotlight-stealing fraud? I mean…that’s pretty great. And the parallels to politics that can be drawn fascinate and scare me.

MG: Who would be your dream character to do a book on?
BTS: I suppose my answer depends on the type of book but in general terms I’d love to write a Justice League story. If we’re talking about a manual-style book I think there’s a lot of potential in Superman’s world for that type of informational ledger.

MG: What do you have planned next after “The Dark Knight Manual”?
BTS: I recently worked as a staff writer on a Comedy Central pilot that just got picked up and stars comedian Amy Schumer. I’m also working on a few books for Harper Collins featuring The Annoying Orange. Everything else is too soon to talk about but I’m lucky to have been given a range of opportunities in my writing career and I hope to continue working on as many diverse projects as I can get my hands on.

 

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Janet Varney talks about voicing Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”

Janet Varney is known best for voicing Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”.  She also appeared in the first season of Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”.  Currently she is working on HuffPost Live, a live streaming network. Janet took some time to chat about voicing Korra and what we can expect from season two of the show.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up landing the leading role of Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”?
Janet Varney: Well I have wanted to do voice over for a while but didn’t have a lot of experience in it. I was something that was a dream of mine. I was working well on-camera but like every good dissatisfied artist, what I really wanted to do was something that I wasn’t getting successful in [laughs]. Mostly because the little kid in me was completely fascinated by being a part of cartoons. I met with a few voice over agents and then asked me “What do you like most about voice work? Promos? Commercials?”. I told them basically I just want to do cartoons and they appreciated my honesty. When I got the audition of Korra, it was basically just a normal process for any on-camera role. We even got put together with the other proposed cast to see how the chemistry was, so I got to read with David Faustino and P.J. Byrne. When I found out I got the role, I was in a Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts in the Valley, getting crafts supplies. My agent called and told me the news and I ended up screaming and jumping up and down all by myself in an aisle of this fabric store. It has turned out to be one of the best jobs, I have ever had. It is an absolute dream.

MG: Did you look back to “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series” at all?
JV: I was a fan of the original series. I think because of the original legacy of the show and how beloved the series was, I think we all felt like we had a responsibility to the fans to do something that would live up to the original. I so felt pressure that the fans were ok with what I was doing with the character and fulfilling their expectations.

MG: Tell us about your podcast “The J.V. Club”?
JV: The timing on that was really great. I decided to focus on, before Korra took off, a way do a podcast with a unique point-of-view and voice. Fan of Korra are even crossing over to the podcast now as we discuss the challenges of being a young person and then how those challenge present themselves as an adult.

MG: I am a big “Jaws” fan myself, tell us about working with Rifftrax to spoof “Jaws 3”?
JV: Oh yeah, “Jaws 3”. I used to love that movie. What is so great about some of the spoofs we get to do is that when you are younger you don’t necessarily know how bad something is that you like. But you still always seem to love it growing up even though it doesn’t hold up and was terrible to begin with. I still love that movie…sort of…even though it is terrible. It was the perfect movie to riff on. We just recorded “Flatliners” as well, so that will be coming out very soon.

MG: Speaking of spoofing, how did you get involved with Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”
JV: It was a super fun show. I had done some “Chelsea Lately” episodes and a few other panel TV shows, so it seemed like such a good fit. It has really been a real hoot some of the things we get to view, which are pretty hilarious. I also love the other people on it like Owen Benjamin and Ben Gleib. We don’t always get to see each out since we are recording at different times but it is still fun.

MG: You must own a lot of the same clothes, since you didn’t change your clothes each episode?
JV: [laughs] The bad thing is that I never realized that they were going to be combining clips over the series of episodes. The second time I showed up, I was wearing something completely different. They said “No, no, no, no…you need to wear the same clothes”. I got real familiar with that outfit and will probably never wear it again [laughs].

MG: When can we expect the second season of “The Legend of Korra”?
JV: We already recorded all of the episodes for the second season. Now, they are just being animated. It takes a long time to create that beautiful animated world. I am not even sure if Nickelodeon is 100% sure when we will be airing it, but I am sure sometime in 2013. I can tell you having recorded the scripts, it is just phenomenal. It is beautiful, interesting and strange. We get to meet some new characters and visit some new places. I am really excited and I think fans are going to love it.

 

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Christina Cha talks about competing on Season 24 of CBS’ “Survivor”

Christina Cha appeared on season 24 of the CBS hit reality show “Survivor”. Christina talked recently with Media Mikes.com about her experience on the show and also about some of her current projects.

Adam Lawton: What first prompted you to try out for “Survivor”?
Christina Cha: I had been a fan of the show since I first saw it back when I was still in high school. I thought it was amazing to see a show that takes someone from their normal adapted elements and puts them into these really harsh environments. I also am a very competitive person and I love playing games. In about 2010 I was working in corporate America and due to the economy I got laid off twice. I felt really sorry for myself as I didn’t understand why this happened. I took it very personal which is something I normally never do. I saw an open casting call for “Survivor” and did it absolutely last minute. I think there was only about 48 hrs. left to submit a video. I thought that it was something I had to do and I knew it was something I could be good at. I took my phone and shot a video of me being as obnoxious as I could be. (Laughs) From there I started going through the audition process and ended up on the show.

AL: Can you tell us anything about the audition process?
CC: I can’t say too much about the audition process. There are multiple stages that you have to go through. You start with your video and go from there. I had got through on my first try but I have talked with other people who have applied a bunch of times and they didn’t even get a call. I had gone in to a couple interviews and I also did one over the phone.

AL: Is there a certain memory that sticks out for you from the show that the viewers didn’t get to see?
CC: There were parts. When they are taping these reality shows they are taking about 3 days of footage and condensing it down to a 40 minute segment. There was a lot of stuff missing. You didn’t get to see me strategizing a lot which had fans thinking I was the most clueless player on the show. There really is no way to be a clueless player and make it as far as I did. I think the editing on me was a little unjust because I am not the type of person who likes to speak ill of anyone. That’s just something I don’t do. I tried to play the game very honest and true.  What I did in the game was to not give out any information. I am a terrible liar so I would just stare at people. I really was just trying to figure out what was going on in the game and figure out my placement from there.

AL: Was having the cameras around the entire time one of the more difficult parts of the show for you?
CC: In the beginning it was really weird. There were questions like where do you go to change your clothes? Or where do you go to the bathroom? A lot of times I would just say I need to use the rest room and swim out in to the middle of the ocean.  Strategizing was difficult also with the cameras around. My name came up so many times that it made things even harder. Every time the camera was on me they thought I was strategizing. I never got a break from anyone.  You get paranoid all the time.

AL: Did you find that the producers were often trying to stage conflicts or issues between players?
CC: Of course! That’s their job as a producer. If they weren’t doing things like that then they wouldn’t be doing their job at all. I was pretty aware of what they were doing as I have some friends that are also in this industry. I think that’s a lot of the reason why my edit was so unjust because they wanted me to answer things a certain way and I didn’t do that. In the back of my mind I wanted to win a million dollars so I didn’t want to leak any information out. I also knew there was life after “Survivor”. If I didn’t win the million dollars I would need to find a way to make myself look good. Whatever I did on the show would stick with me for the rest of my life. You have to be careful of what you say. Talking badly about someone as a form of strategy I thought was just bad taste.

AL: Is “Survivor” something that you would think about ever doing again?
CC: I love the game so I would definitely consider it. I think I would play it a little differently as I would want to make some big plays and strategize more. When you play the game the first time after watching it as a fan you think you know everything thats out there. Now that I have a little bit better understanding of things I think I would definitely play the game again.

AL: What types of things are you currently working on?
CC: I am still doing some recruiting and consulting on the side. I also am doing marketing and social media for a bunch of companies and I want to get in to hosting. I studied broadcast journalism in college and have a few shows that I also wrote that I am working on. I am really excited about some of the things that are happening right now.

AL: Is writing something that you have always wanted to do?
CC: I have been a life style journalist for the last 3 years now. In about 2008 I was talking to a client and he asked me what I was doing there? I was there selling a software platform so I asked him what he meant. I gave him my job description and he told me I didn’t look like I belonged there and that I looked like I belonged on television.  I looked at him and started crying. I told him I had been doing the job for X amount of time because it’s safe. He happened to be a publisher and he told me he is always looking for really good writers. He then asked me if I would be interested in being an associate editor and write about travel and various luxury products. I took his offer and have been writing for him and some other online publications. I am writing for about 12 online publications and I have my own blog. Hosting has been a side thing lately and I have some stuff also on the web. Survivor has been a wonderful stepping to help me get acknowledged more.

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DVD Review “Gene Roddenberry’s The Lieutenant: The Complete Series”

Created by: Gene Roddenberry
Starring: Gary Lockwood, Robert Vaughn, James Gregory, Richard Anderson
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: August 14, 2012
8 Discs / 29 Episdoes
Running Time: 1555 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Gene Roddenberry’s work for “Star Trek” but I have to admit I was not aware of this fantastic series. This complete series is split into a Part 1 and Part 2 DVD sets. The show follows a young Marine Corp lieutenant (Gary Lockwood) as he struggles to carry out his duties while under the guidance of a by-the-book captain (Robert Vaughn) during cold war peacetime. The show only last 29 episodes airing between 1963-1963, which is quite sad since it was a really great series. Once I got started watching I complete all 29 episodes in just two days, my eye hurt but I was locked in. Thanks to WB Archive, who beautifully restored this series and finally we are able to own Roddenberry’s pre-Star Trek series on DVD for the first time!  Highly recommended.

The TV series looks sharp on DVD in black and white 4X3 full frame presentation and its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1.  The audio included on the DVD is the original Dolby Mono track, which sounds great as well.  Part 1 of the complete series includes 16-episodes spread out over a 4-disc collection.  Richard Donner (“Superman”, “Lethal Weapon”) even lended his early directing skills to the series.  “Star Trek” fans keep an ear out since Roddenberry naming Lockwood’s character William Tiberius Rice. Also included are re-occuring roles from TV legend’s James Gregory and Richard Anderson.  Part 2 of the complete series includes the remaining 13-episodes also spread out over a 4-disc collection.  The second half of the season is extremely jam-packed with guest stars including Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Woody Strode.  There is also a bunch of future “Star Trek” alums like Leonard Nimoy, Majel Barrett, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and Ricardo Montalban. There is even a great bonus episode “To Kill aMan”, the feature film version of the series’ final episode, unseen since its original international theatrical release in 1964!  This is a real treat sure to please any fan of Roddenbery.

Part 1: A man of war. A time of fragile peace. This is the set-up for Gene Roddenberry’s The Lieutenant, the tale of a brash and charming Marine lieutenant (2001: A Space Odyssey’s Gary Lockwood) serving at Camp Pendleton under a steely, button-down captain (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’s Robert Vaughn). The Lieutenant is packed full of themes, tropes, and quirks that Roddenberry would further explore in his next series, Star Trek. Lockwood’s William Tiberius Rice (yes, Tiberius!) is every bit the charming devil, but that’s just the glossy veneer that covers his firm commitment to Corps and Country. While Vaughn’s Captain Rambridge has the reasoning and the seasoning to keeps Rice in line when his passions overflow. TV greats James Gregory (Barney Miller) and Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man) enjoy recurring roles and a young Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon) directs many an episode. 16-Episodes, 4-Disc Collection.

Part 2: Lt. Rice and Capt. Rambridge continue their mission to train new recruits and explore the nature of honor and duty in this 4-Disc, 13-Episode Collection. The simmering background of the brewing conflict in Asia heats up and takes center stage as the series builds up to its ultimate away mission, and Lt. Rice finds himself serving as a military advisor in Vietnam. Rice’s other missions include investigating film, fame, race relations, faith and loyalty with the aid of hi-caliber guests like Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Woody Strode and future Trek alums Leonard Nimoy, Majel Barrett, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and Ricardo Montalban. Rarely seen since its original airing, The Lieutenant proves to be an unheralded harbinger of TV yet-to-come, “light years” ahead of its time. Special Bonus: To Kill a Man – the feature film version of the series’ final episode, unseen since its original international theatrical release in 1964!

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Blu-ray Review “Holy Flying Circus”

Directed by: Owen Harris
Starring: Darren Boyd, Charles Edwards, Steve Punt, Rufus Jones, Tom Fisher,
Phil Nichol
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Acorn Media
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to anything Monty Python, I am in like flint. This docudrama focuses on a few subjects that Python has been known best for censorship And scandals. I was curious to see how this film would work without any actualy members of the group but it didn’t disappoint at all. It was funny and completely zany in perfect Python traditions. It showcases animation sequences, cross dressing, fantasy sequences and just everything else that made Python work at Python. It is a fantastic tribute to the Monty Python troop. Any true fan of Monty Python should not miss out on this release for sure

If you are wondering what this film is, it is not a new Monty Python film. It is a “Pythonesque” docudrama which reimagines the controversy surrounding Monty Python’s 1979 film, “Life of Brian”, as it was met with widespread outcry and accusations of blasphemy. Michael Palin (played by Charles Edwards) and John Cleese (played by Darren Boyd) plan to appear in a BBC talk show about “Life of Brian” with a Church of England bishop and a staunchly Catholic broadcaster. The debate which ended up putting the Pythons in their most absurd role yet: the voice of reason.

“Holy Flying Circus” comes in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. It’s video transfer is only presented in 1080i, though it looks decent. The audio track included is also a little tame with its 2.0 stereo PCM track but work with what is given in the film. The special features on the release are nothing special. There is a brief but interesting “Making of the Holy Flying Circus” phonotrope. There are a three deleted scenes and an outtake reel, worth checking out if you enjoyed the film for sure. Lastly there are production stills included.

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Blu-ray Review “Zack Parker’s Scalene”

Directed by: Zack Parker
Starring: Margo Martindale, Hanna Hall, Adam Scarimbolo
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Breaking Glass Pictures
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 97 minutes

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

“Scalene” is one of those hidden gems that you find once a year. The film is very unique and original. If you are looking for a very interesting psychological thriller that will having you discussing the film long after it has ended…then this is your film. The film is also jam packed with very strong performances. Margo Martindale is just so amazing in this film, who also recently won an Emmy for her work on “Justified”. Hanna Hall also branches out and gets to shine, some might know her work from playing Young Jenny in “Forrest Gump” and from “Rob Zombie’s Halloween”. I would also like to point about the amazing job by Zack Parker, who definitely aims to add an aspect of Hitchcock in his approach. I look forward to his future efforts. Overall, this film was a real surprise and should definitely not be missed.

The story follows around around a young man named Jacob (Scarimbolo) and his mother (Martindale). Jacob was became mental disabled at age of 12 due to experimenting with drugs resulting in severe brain damage and leaving him in a childlike stage and unable to speak. His mother hires a young college student named Paige (Hall) in order to help with Jacob. Told from three points-of-view revolving around our characters and starting at the end of the story, the story revolves around rape and a mother’s subsequent revenge.

The Blu-ray presentation both looks and sounds great, which is good for the low-budget film.  Breaking Glass films definitely delivered a great release here! Hopefully this will give them the jump to release more films on Blu-ray. The special features are very impressive even though there is basically only one really extra. “PERCEIVING REALITY: The Making of SCALENE” is a very long and in-depth 3.5 hour featurette on the production. It is exclusive to the Blu-ray release and is a must watch if you enjoyed the film. Perfect companion to this great film. There is also a short featurette from Dances With Films featuring footage from the World Premiere, Q&A and Awards Ceremony. Lastly there is a two trailers including the teaser and theatrical on the disc.

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season”

Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn
Number of discs: 4
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Running Time: 578 minutes

Season Two: 4.5 out of 5 stars
EXtras: 5 out of 5 stars

Season two of “The Walking Dead” took the hit AMC original series to a whole new level. This season was a real focus on human survival and even though based around a zombie invasion it is really show survivalist story at its core. This show is easily one of the best shows on television and this release is easily a must-own Blu-ray. I am usually not a big proprietor of re-watching a television series but I can see myself easily revisiting this show very often. This season trumps every single aspect of the first season and really develops the story for each character throughout. It was even as brave to kill off three of the series main cast as well. This is easily one of my favorite Blu-ray releases this year. Hardcore fans of the show should pick-up the limited edition of this season that comes in a super cool screwdriver zombie case, not for the squeamish.

“The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season” looks and sounds absolutely amazing on Blu-ray. It comes with a perfect 1080p transfer of each episode presented in the original broadcast 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The sound on this release is really the star with its stunning Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio track. It really creates the atmosphere for the show and it’s action. The season also comes with a shit load of special features. I mean a shit load. There is commentary tracks spread across all four discs, as well as numerous deleted scenes, over 10 never-before-seen featurettes and webisodes by the great Greg Nicotero.

The audio commentaries appear on the 6 of the 12 episodes this season. The first is “What Lies Ahead” with Executive Producer Glen Mazzara, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer/Writer Robert Kirkman, and Executive Producer David Alpert. “Pretty Much Dead Already” with Executive Producer Glen Mazzara, Producer Scott M. Glimple, Director Michelle Maclaren, and Editor Julius Ramsay. “Nebraska” features Executive Producer Glen Mazzara, Co-Executive Producer Evan Riley, and Actors Scott Wilson and Steven Yeun. “Judge, Jury, Executioner” includes Executive Producer Glen Mazzara, Co-Executive Producer/Special Effects Make-Up Artist/Director Greg Nicotero, Writer Angela Kang, and Actor Laurie Holden. “Beside the Dying Fire” is one of my favorites with Executive Producer/Writer Glen Mazzara, Director Ernest Dickerson, Co-Executive Producer/Special Effects Make-Up Artist Greg Nicotero, Executive Producer/Writer Robert Kirkman, and Actor Norman Reedus. I can honestly say that all these commentary are NOT TO MISSED.

There are 11 featurette covering all aspects of the show’s season. They are all a perfect length of 3-8 minutes. The first is “All the Guts Inside” which looks into the creation of the scene where the characters are ripping into a zombie’s stomach. “Live or Let Die” features cast and crew chatting about season two and its differences between the comic book and the show. “The Meat of the Music” looks into the series’ music and the work of composer Bear McCreary. “Fire on Set” focuses on the season’s final episode. “The Ink is Alive” looks deeper into the similarities and differences between comics and series. “The Sound of the Effects” focuses on the impact of the sound effects to the series. “In the Dead Water” looks into the “well zombie” sequence. “You Could Make a Killing” focuses on Media Mikes’ buddy Greg Nicotero and his contributions to the series. “She Will Fight” focuses on Andrea’s character arc this season. “The Cast on Season 2” is a wrap-up of the season with the cast discuss the show. “Extras Wardrobe” features the work of Costume Designer Eulyn Womble.

Also includes are the six internet webisodes, which follow the initial moments following the zombie outbreak. They are available with optional audio commentary with Writer/Director Greg Nicotero. There are also about 30 minutes of deleted scenes including “What Lies Ahead;” “Save the Last One;” “Secrets;” “Pretty Much Dead Already;” “Nebraska;” “Judge, Jury, Executioner;” “Better Angels;” and “Beside the Dying Fire.” They are also available with optional audio commentary with Executive Producer Glen Mazzara. I mean can you ask for anything else? This season release has got it all. I commend Anchor Bay on not cashing in for this release and just dumping the episodes on Blu-ray.  They seems to actually want to  give the fans what they want and have put a lot of time and love into this Blu-ray.

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Vampires Everywhere’s Michael Orlando talks about new album and Warped tour

Michael “Vampire” Orlando is the lead singer of the metal group Vampires Everywhere. The group recently released its second full-length album titled “Hellbound and Heartless”. Media Mikes caught with Michael at this year’s Vans Warped tour to discuss the band’s latest work.

Adam Lawton: How would you describe the band’s latest album?
Michael Orlando: I would say its more dark and message driven. The album is more real and less contrived. Our previous record was more of a cluster fuck of what we were and it featured a different line up. “Hellbound and Heartless” is more of what we are trying to be.

AL: How does the band generally go about writing its material?
MO: This time around we produced the record ourselves. We had a demo process at our house and we went in to the studio with the album pretty much completed. We just showed the engineers what we needed to lay down. It was more or less me writing the lyrics and our rhythm guitarist DJ “Black “ Blacker writing the music and we all just put everything together.

AL: Is there a track that’s sticks out as a personal favorite for you?
MO: “Star of 666” is one of my favorites. It’s a very 90’s/new metal sound. The song has a really cool vibe and an awesome message that means a lot to me. It’s an awesome track.

AL: Have there been any highlights for the band on this year’s Warped tour?
MO: Las Vegas! We played in front of Mandalay Bay and had a main stage slot that day. There was a sea of people there as was our label. It was really good timing and it was a lot of fun.

AL: What are the bands plans after Warped tour ends?
MO: We have a cool tour coming up that we can’t announce just yet. There are some pretty big sponsors that are going to be behind it. We also just released a new video for the song “Drug of Choice”. Other than that we are going to just keep pushing the new record.

AL: What type of treatment did you give the new video?
MO: The video is about social climate in Hollywood and it follows a girl though Hollywood who is trying to be noticed. The video has a really cool twist at the end that I think people will enjoy.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, everywheres, michael, orlando, talks, vampires, ...

Film Review “The Victim”

Directed by: Michael Biehn
Starring: Michael Biehn, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, Ryan Honey, Denny Kirkwood, Danielle Harris
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Running Time: 83 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

This film is really the Michael Biehn show. He not only stars, he also wrote and directed this and even co-produced with his wife, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn under BlancBiehn Productions. I have been tracking this film for a little over a year now and let me tell you, I was left very satisifed. The film is very intelligent and sharp. It passes back and forth in time without getting confusing, while releasing little bits of critical plot. It also packs a hell of an ending as well. Michael Biehn really did a great job in this film, as did Jennifer Blanc-Biehn. Really top notch performances all around. The film also was really smartly shot and really keep you interest the entire time.

When two best friends, Annie (Jennifer Blanc-Biehn) and Mary (Danielle Harris) go out on a date with two Sheriff’s Deputies (Ryan Honey, Denny Kirkwood), there life’s will never be the same. When Annie’s witness a violent act at the hands of two, she barely escapes and hides from them with the help of Kyle (Michael Biehn), a recluse living in the middle of the woods. Kyle’s solitary life is turned upside down into chaos after helping Annie.. It is up to both of them to expose the corrupt cops and put this to an end. But who is the real Victim here?

I have always been a fan of Biehn since “The Terminator” and “Aliens”, I mean who isn’t. But he is really kicking some ass in the last few years with this film and even “The Divide”. He’s been putting out some really good shit. I really hope he plans to step behind the camera again but he is definitely one of the few actors, who is able to wear all these different types of hats and still make the film kick-ass. You can tell that a lot of love and labor went into this film for sure and I think that is why it succeed so well. This will entertain a wide variety of genre fans from thriller to horror. Don’t miss this for sure.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, review, victim

Blu-ray Review “Stallone Three-Film Collector’s Set (Rambo: First Blood / Cop Land / Lock Up)”

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Peter Berg, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro
Number of discs: 3
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 327 minutes

3-Film Collection: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

With Stallone being a hot topic with “The Expendables 2” in theaters, Lionsgate Home Entertainment is bundling together three films from the iconic action star’s career, including: “Rambo: First Blood (1982)”, “Lock Up (1989)” and “Cop Land: The Director’s Cut (1997)”.  As much as I love Rambo, I would really have another great 80’s Stallone film like “Over the Top” in its place here.  Also as great of a film, “Cop Land” is I also would have like to see them include only 80’s Stallone.  Nonetheless at least the Director’s Cut of the film is included.  If you are looking for a dose of Stallone to get you psyched for “The Expendables 2”, you should definitely check out this release…especially for it’s low cost.  Now Lionsgate…one question, where is volume two?

“Cop Land” shows Sylvester Stallone in a different light in this edgy crime thriller sharing the screen with all-star cast – including Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. Stallone plays Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a small and seemingly peaceful town until he uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents and is forced to make a dangerous choice between protecting his friends and upholding the law.  We all know that one of Stallone’s best roles is John Rambo. In “First Blood”, he stars as the ex-Green Beret haunted by memories of Vietnam. When Rambo becomes the target of a massive manhunt, he must use all his combat skills and weapons training to stay alive and outwit his pursuers.  “Lock Up” stars Stallone as Frank Leone as he enters Gateway Prison, a nightmare jail where every minute is hard time. Leone goes head-to-head with the warden, who will stop at nothing to get him, in order to survive.

The three-disc package presents each title in its original aspect ratio – 2.39:1 for “First Blood” and 1.85:1 for “Lock Up” and “Cop Land”. Each title also comes packed with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 EX tracks.  Believe it or not I feel that “First Blood” and “Lock Up” are a tie for the film that looks the best.  Funny how they are also older than 1997’s “Cop Land”.  Nonetheless the presentations are impressive all around.  “Cop Land” steals the best audio track of the pack, followed by “First Blood” in a close second and “Lock Up” in third.

The special features are jam packed with goodies.  “First Blood” features two audio commentary tracks from Stallone and novelist David Morrell.  There is a featurette called “Drawing First Blood”, is an impressive making-of documentary running just over 20 minutes. There are about 5 minutes  of deleted scenes including the controversial alternate ending.  Lastly there is a trivia track including.  With “Lock Up” there is a brief but decent making-of featurett. “Sylvester Stallone Profile” features interviews with Stallone in addition to behind the scenes footage of the cast and crew.  There is a behind-the-scenes featurette with interviews with the cast within a collection of raw clips.  Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.  Lastly “Cop Land”  includes a great commentary track with writer/director James Mangold, producer Cathy Konrad, and actors Sylvester Stallone & Robert Patrick.  There are two short deleted scenes with optional commentary by Mangold, Stallone and Konrad.  “Cop Land: The Making of an Urban Western” is a basic behind-the-scenes featurette, topping off at almost 15 minutes.  Lastly there is a short “Storyboard Comparison” piece, running under 2 minutes.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: blood, bluray, collectors, cop, land, lock, ...

Blu-ray Review “Good Will Hunting: 15th Anniversary Edition”

Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgård, Casey Affleck
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Running Time: 126 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

When it comes to re-releasing films on Blu-ray for different anniversary’s I am always skeptic. This 15th anniversary edition re-release definitely delivers the good. This film incorporates some of the best performances in the last 15 years easy. It was nominated for nine Oscars at the 1998 Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor). It won Best Original Screenplay for Ben and Matt (which launched their careers), and Best Supporting for Robin Williams. I would have to say revisiting this film that it still holds up and really entertains. No matter how many times I’ve seen this film I still enjoy it. If do not own this film on Blu-ray, this would be the time to pick it up for sure.

While the 15th Anniversary Edition of “Good Will Hunting” doesn’t boast any new changes in the audio and video department. It still delivers the same impressive presentation from the previous release. Lionsgate presents the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. For a film that is 15 years old, it looks good with its 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encoded transfer. Since the film is rather quiet and reliant on dialogue the 5.1 audio track works well with the film’s fast paced chatting. This releases comes in a Blu-ray keepcase and has a slipcover. Although, it doesn’t comes with the digital copy though like the previous release.

There are two new retrospective features have been added to this 15th Anniversary release, both which are very impressive. “Reflecting on a Journey: ‘Good Will Hunting’ 15 Years Later” is the first one and runs over an hour long. It is a great retrospective look at the film. There is great coverage from Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Gus Van Sant, Robin Williams. I was very impressed with the cast/crew’s updated involvement on this feature. “Matt Damon Remembers ‘Good Will Hunting'” runs just under 20 minutes and features Damon reflecting on the role and its effect on his career.

Ports from the previous releases include a really great audio commentary with director Gus Van Sant, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon discussing the movie. It is a must listen for all fans. There are 20 minutes of deleted scenes available with optional commentary from Van Sant, Damon, and Affleck. “Production Featurette” features interviews with the cast/crew within footage from the film. “Behind the Scenes” is a short montage of footage put again Danny Elfman’s score. There is a music video for “Miss Misery” by Elliot Smith. “Academy Awards Best Picture Montage” is a short clip from the event. Lastly the theatrical trailer is included.

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 15th, anniversary, bluray, edition, good, hunting, ...

Blu-ray Review “Bigfoot”

Directed by: Bruce Davison
Starring: Barry Williams, Danny Bonaduce
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Asylum Home Ent
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Syfy creature features, I am usually first in line no matter how bad.  This film was a real blast to watch.  I also had the privilege to interview with Barry Williams and Danny Bonaduce on the film and they couldn’t stop saying how much fun it was.  It is really show throughout the film and even though it is a silly premise and not the best production, it just ends up being a lot of fun.  There is also a brief and funny appearance from Alice Cooper, though I am not sure why he is billed on the front cover.  The CG for Bigfoot is actually rather decent as well, I am mean not “Avatar” grade but damn good for a low-budget creature feature.  I am also very impressed that Bruce Davison (“X-Men”) helmed this film and he did a real good job.  Maybe not the best film ever, this is a fun romp and definitely worth checking out.

The plot is very simple for this film.  It follows local radio DJ Harley Henderson (Danny Bonaduce), who is promoting an 80’s flashback concert.  Though in order to host the event and build the stage, he’s going to have to tear down part of the local forest. He meets his rival, washed-up rock star, Simon (Barry Williams) that will fight him tooth and nail. Despite all of Simon’s efforts Harley gets the go-ahead from local officials to resume construction. The show once it starts gets paiud a visit from the creature, Bigfoot, who wrecks havoc on the festival. It is up to Simon and Harley to stop the creature from destroy all of Seattle.  But can they get the beast without killing one another first?

“Bigfoot” looks decent with its 1080p transfer and is inline with past Asylum Blu-ray releases. It includes an MPEG-2 encode and an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Overall it is clear and sharp presentation.  The audio on the release is not the best either but works good enough for the film   There are two tracks including a Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 track. The 5.1 track works best and sounds good enough.  The special features though are bit of a letdown.  There is a brief making-of featurette, running just over 5 minutes.  There is a funny but short gag reel.  It is wrapped up with a bunch of other Asylum trailers.  If you need something to do on a Saturday night, I would suggest checking out “Bigfoot” for a good time.  It is worth it just alone for the amazing collaboration between Barry Williams and Danny Bonaduce.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bigfoot, bluray, review

Adult Swim Announces Details for Highly-Anticipated Metalocalypse: Dethklok’s “Dethalbum III”

 Adult Swim’s Animated Aggressors to Release New Album in North America with CD/DVD Combo and

Clean Version on October 16, 2012; Limited Edition Vinyl Follows on November 6

DETHKLOK returns this fall with Metalocalypse: Dethklok Dethalbum III, the highly-anticipated follow up album that fans of the animated band have been begging for. The stars of the Adult Swim series Metalocalypse will unleash 12 brand new tracks that are more brutal than ever before in this fall’s release, set to hit stores throughout North America on October 16, 2012 from Williams Street Records. The Dethalbum III is once again co-produced by Metalocalypse co-creator Brendon Small and Dethklok producer Ulrich Wild (The Dethalbum and Dethalbum II). The cover art was also illustrated by The Dethalbum and Dethalbum II cover artist Antonio Canobbio.

Dethalbum III will not only be released in its original CD and digital format, but also as a Deluxe Edition CD/DVD and a clean version of the CD. The Deluxe Edition CD/DVD will include a 32-minute behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of Dethalbum III, as well as music videos and much more. A vinyl edition of the album with special etching will be released on November 6, 2012.

The full track listing for Dethalbum III includes:
1.      I Ejaculate Fire
2.      Crush the Industry
3.      Andromeda
4.      The Galaxy
5.      Starved
6.      Killstardo Abominate
7.      Ghostqueen
8.      Impeach God
9.      Biological Warfare
10.  Skyhunter
11.  The Hammer
12.  Rejoin

The fourth season of Metalocalypse, created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha with Small executive producing, recently wrapped on Adult Swim and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on October 30. Along with all 12 episodes from the series’ fourth season, theMetalocalypse Season 4 DVD and Blu-ray releases will feature more than two hours of special features. Highlights from those features include a 90-minute feature film of Nathan Explosion tackling his latest Shakespeare reading, in “Nathan Reads Shakespeare 4: Comedy of Errors,” a series of band member “StaresDowns,” a look at Dethklok Fan Art, “MurderThoughts,” a “Pickles Flyby” and much, much more.

For more information on DETHKLOK and Dethalbum III, please visit http://metalocalypse.tv/ or http://www.adultswim.com/music/, and more details, including pre-order information and a corresponding fall tour for Dethklok, are set to be released shortly. Stay tuned for an assault of new information, multimedia and exclusives coming very soon.

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Filed Under: Featured, Music Headlines Tagged With: adult, announces, details, dethalbum, dethkloks, highlyanticipated, ...
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