Michael Cassidy reflects on the first season of TBS’ “Men at Work”

Michael Cassidy recently co-starred as Tyler in TBS’ hit new comedy series “Men at Work”.  The show is already in production for it’s second season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about the first season and what he enjoyed most.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what you enjoyed most about playing Tyler in “Men at Work”?
Michael Cassidy: Getting to see some of Tyler’s specific preferences was really fun. When we did the pilot I didn’t know that he was going to have his own thing. The toilet episode was a lot of fun as were some of the more recent episodes. All the things that Tyler has going on are just so much fun to watch come out. Everyone on the show has enjoys making fun of me and the character.

MG: How was it working in front of a studio audience?
MC: That was definitely a favorite of mine as an actor. We have such great audiences and I don’t know if you can really have a bad audience in that type of set up. Things have been great. I did theater in the past so this was comfortable for me. It was familiar without being boring. To work on a show all week and then perform it in front of a live audience all the while not knowing how it will be received is very rewarding. It’s phenomenal.

MG: What has been a highlight for you from season 1?
MC: My two favorite episodes where the toilet episode, where Milo moves in with Tyler and also the last episode of the season. We shot so much for that last show in front of an audience. A

lot of times there are scenes that need to be pre-shot as they just can’t be done in front of a crowd. We were able to shoot so much in front of the audience on that last episode and it was all very well received. We were shocked how well the song title being played in front of the audience went over. The audience was dying on that stuff.

MG: In the episode “Decath-Lynn”, how did you not die laughing with the meeting song titles?
MC: We rehearse the scenes for about a week. By the time we are in front of the audience our professionalism takes over and we start wondering how the scene will play. Throwing something out and waiting for the audience to react is just so fun. Sometimes you do get new stuff that hasn’t been rehearsed. That stuff tends to go off like a grenade. We will hold it together while the audience laughs and then we just crack up. That’s really my favorite part of the whole deal.

MG: Were there any guest stars from this season that you were really excited to work with?
MC: I couldn’t wait to work with JK Simmons as I wanted to ask him about working with the Cohen brothers. I also loved working with Billy Baldwin. He had never done multi-camera stuff in front of an audience before so he was super stoked to be there. He was really great to talk with and once he got in front of the audience he just blew up.

MG: How does your work on this show compare to some of your previous work?
MC: This show is a different demographic. It’s definitely a male skewing show. I have never done a show like this. The other shows I have done were slightly more favoring women. I am sort of playing more of an adult on this show. I am a young professional. It’s nice playing a character that has a job. (Laughs)

MG: When does production start on season 2?
MC: We are currently in production already. We don’t know when it’s going to air but what we have heard is it will be sometime in 2013. For now I guess we will shoot a bunch of episodes and just wait and see.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: cassidy, men, michael, reflects, season, tbs, ...

H. Perry Horton talks about writing “Shark Week” & “2-Headed Shark Attack” with The Asylum

Perry Horton is the writer of two recent films from The Asylum, “Shark Week” & “2-Headed Shark Attack”.  Media Mikes had a chance with Perry about how he got started working with The Asylum and about his upcoming films.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved working with The Asylum?
H. Perry Horton: In August 2010 I started my blog, Committed, dedicated entirely to Asylum films – news and reviews, interviews and profiles et cetera, as well as my own personal pitches. Basically, it was a shameless ploy to get their attention, and somehow it worked; in January 2011 they added me to their pool of writers. Three months after that, I was working on A Haunting in Salem.

MG: What was your biggest challenge working on “2-Headed Shark Attack”?
HPH: The sheer number of characters. I inherited the concept and basic set-up from the very talented Edward DeRuiter (3 Musketeers), and in my head, a semester-at-sea couldn’t just be 8 or 10 characters, there had to be enough people to justify the program, so I added a bunch more. Too many, perhaps, for development across the board, but on the bright side, it does yield possibly the highest death count in all of shark cinema history, at 26, I think.

MG: You work with sharks again with “Shark Week” also from The Asylum, tell us about working on this project?
HPH: The Asylum came to me with the concept, a sort of Hunger Games for the shark set. I thought it was a brilliant idea, and instantly wanted to get my hands on it. As far as the process went, it was quick – very, veryquick – and as such sort of a blur in my memory. I just remember throwing myself into it, wanting to satisfy what I think of as the two sides of being a shark fan – wanting to marvel at the sheer evolutionary superiority of the creatures, the genetic adaptations and instincts that make them such exceptional predators, and wanting to see them rip shit up. There are a lot of different species in the film, and I wanted to highlight each’s nefarious advantages, give each a different perilous personality.

MG: You are quite the shark expert, what do you enjoy most about working within that genre?
HPH: I don’t know that I’d consider myself a shark expert – maybe a shark-movie aficionado – I’ve just always been simultaneously fascinated and terrified by them. When I was a kid, eight or nine, I was surf fishing with an older friend in North Carolina, back where I’m from, and he got a bite on his line, big one, and started trying to reel it in but it was giving him trouble. When he tugged hard on the line, a hammerhead breached the surface not ten feet off shore. My buddy dropped the pole right there and it disappeared into the waves. Since then, I’ve been hooked (pardon the awful pun). Sharks are the pinnacle of evolution, the absolute fulfillment of biology’s potential, they’re consumption machines, it’s all they do, and they are well-equipped for the task. I can’t think of a more primal creature on the planet. And then there’s the sea: I could be making this up, but we know more about our solar system than we do the sea. It covers 3/4th of the planet and contains such a wide variety of hazards they’re practically innumerable. You put those elements together – a singled-minded killing machine with zero natural predators and the most unexplored and hostile environment on Earth – you’re gonna come up a winner every time.

MG: Tell us about why you created Committed, a fanblog about The Asylum?
HPH: I’m a fan, first and foremost, I just love whatthey do. I’ve always been a B-movie guy, and for my money, they’re making the best ones out there. I started the blog because I couldn’t believe there wasn’t one already, and because I wanted people to share in my enthusiasm for Asylum films. For all the general crap people may sling just because of the type of films they make, how inexpensively or quickly they make them or who’s in them or whatever, there’s at least twice as much to love about every single one of their films, and I wanted to share those things. And also I really, really wanted to write for them.

MG: What is your all-time favorite film from The Asylum and why?
HPH: Anything that reads “Screenplay by H. Perry Horton.” Other than that, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus is the film that really ignited my love for The Asylum. But I come at the question from a couple different angles. As a fan, I dig the Mega Shark movies, the found-footage stuff like Alien Origin, certainly the sex comedies like Bikini Spring Break; while as a writer I’m drawn to stuff like Paul Bales’ Nazis at the Center of the Earth and Sherlock Holmes, Geoff Meed’s I Am Omega and 6 Guns, Jose Prendes’ Haunting of Whaley House and Jared Cohn’s Born Bad – I could go on for paragraphs – but basically stuff that I’ve been not only impressed by, but humbled. So I guess the short answer is, all of them?

MG: What do you have planned next?
HPH: “Shark Week” premieres on SyFy Saturday, August 4th at 9 p.m. then bows on DVD a few weeks later on the 28th. I have a disaster film that’s in production at the moment, water-based, and an iron or two in the fire beyond that. I’m a superstitious sort of writer in that I don’t like to discuss projects before they’re in production. I’m a big believer in jinxes.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: 2headed, asylum, attack, horton, perry, shark, ...

Bassist Ricky Phillips talks working with Styx, Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent

Ricky Phillips is no stranger to world of rock music. Over his 30+ year career Phillips has played bass for a number of successful groups. He is probably best known for holding down the low end for the legendary classic rock band Styx. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Ricky recently about the bands current tour with Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent as well as about the bands recent Blu-Ray release titled “Styx: Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight- Live”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the bands current tour with Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent?
Ricky Phillips: Both Styx and Reo Speedwagon have some incredible history that goes way back. We are both from Illinois and have toured together before but this is the first one we have done together in about 3 or 4 years. We did do some one off shows here and there but the idea came up to put us together and have Ted Nugent open. It is sort of a collaboration of Mid-West rock bands. The attendance at these shows has just been amazing. When you go out each year you never know what the shows will be like. The first leg of the tour went well and was sort of business as usual. This second leg has been sold out every night which just blew us away. It’s really crazy how it’s caught on. This success may lead to us doing a similar tour sometime next year. The fans seem to really enjoy the line up and if you think about it each group is quite different so we are trying to put a different slant on mid-west rock.

AL: What has been the biggest difference in the crowds as of late?
RP: There are so many young people now that have discovered classic rock bands. They seem to be at a point in their music listening lives where they are looking for what came before. We are those guys. When I and the rest of the guys in the band were younger and at this point we were heavily influenced by the British music movement. From there we looked back and found artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Guys like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page were into these acts so we started searching them out as well. It is pretty cool seeing these new young faces as they watch and sing along. We have a great cross section of fans.

AL: Can you tell us about the DVD/Blu-Ray the band recently released?
RP: The “Styx: Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight- Live” came out really great. The Blu-Ray did amazing and I couldn’t believe how many people were waiting for that. I think we were actually number 2 in sales for the first couple weeks on Amazon.com. Those two albums go together so well that the discs came out beautifully. Doing those shows was like going back the vinyl era where you dropped the needle and boom the music kicks in. We did each album in its entirety the way it was recorded so fans could have that feeling of knowing what the next song is. They could get wrapped up in the songs. We would then take an intermission and come back and play “Pieces of Eight”. It was just so much fun. When we first did those records and you were trying to get them on the radio you would pack one side with what you thought were going to be the hits. You were trying to foresee the future. When you do a live concert things are exactly the opposite. You generally start with the B cuts then the hits and close out with your encores. It was a bizarre way to do a live show like an album but it seemed to work really well. The Blu-Ray version of the show is definitely the way to see it.

AL: Was it hard going back and playing some of the material that you hadn’t played in awhile?
RP: At first it was a little tough. We worked pretty hard on the material and once we got in to it we knew we weren’t turning back. We did a lot of switching off between vocals parts as there are just so many stacked vocal parts on those albums. We even threw a microphone back to our drummer Todd Sucherman who is a great singer. Getting those extra voices were crucial and probably the biggest challenge. We like challenges like that and we welcomed it. Things turned out really well.

AL: VH1 recently did a re-mastered episode of the “Styx: Behind the Music” episode. What was it like having to delve once again back in to the bands history?
RP: Personally I am not a fan of those kinds of shows. I am a bit of a weirdo. I don’t like people knowing my bands business. I liked the concept of not knowing about a band until you went and saw them live. You might see a picture or two of a band in a magazine or something but that was about it. I loved that mystique. Watching these types of shows is a little difficult. I know fans like them and we are in a different age now. With reality television and things I guess these types of shows fit right in. The episode is pretty well represented I think. They shot some footage of me while I was in England and I was a little afraid to watch the show. After seeing I thought it was good and gladthat it was out there for fans to see how the band came about and how we have evolved.

AL: What other plans are in the works for the band?
RP: The band will continue to tour and live its daily life. As that happens things are always evolving and stuff start to tell their own stories. We have been writing new material and talking about getting it recorded for some time. I have started to hear more and more about it as of late. We may find some time in our schedules to actually do that. For us it’s really about the touring business. After this tour wraps up I think we have about a week off and then we go back out doing “An Evening with Styx”. I kind of know what parts of the country we will be in but I don’t know the exact venues.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: bassist, nugent, phillips, reo, ricky, speedwagon, ...

Matthew Lillard talks about his directorial debut with “Fat Kid Rules the World”

Matthew Lillard has appeared in over 70 films and is probably best known for his roles in Wes Cravens “Scream” and the live action “Scooby-Doo” films. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Matthew about making his debut as a director with the film “Fat Kid Rules the World” which is an adaptation of the K.L. Going novel of the same name.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a brief overview of the film?
Matthew Lillard: In the first few frames of the film the main character Troy Billings who is an obese teenager tries to jump in front of a bus. He ends up being saved by a punk rock guitar savant and the two start a band. The film is really about their journey as friends and them finding themselves.

AL: What drew you to the project?
ML: I was the kid who was lost in high school. I feel like 95% of the world feels like they don’t belong in whatever high school situation they are in. I felt like the story of Troy’sjourney depicted my experience in school. I think there are kids out there that need a movie like
this. The film is very honest and we just wanted to deliver that to those who need it.

AL: What was the hardest part of both directing and acting in the film?
ML: I actually cut my part out of the final frames of the film as it just didn’t work. Thestory is very fast and tidy and I felt my stuff really kind of lagged.

AL: How did Pearl Jam’s Matt McCready become involved with the scoring of the film?
ML: I had told my agents that I was directing a film and they asked me if I had anyone in mind to do the music. I told them no but the film was based in Seattle. They brought up Matt’s name and that he was looking for a film to score. He came on board and changed the quality of our film. He made a huge impact on our movie.

AL: What are the film’s release plans?
ML: The idea is that any one in America right now can go to www.tuggthefatkid.com and request a screening of our movie in their local theater. Once there are enough people to pre-buy tickets the screening will happen. It’s kind of a new way distributing independent films.

AL: You used Kickstarter.com to fundthe film. How did you become aware of that?
ML: I have had tons of friends that have used it in the past. It was a pretty amazing experience as we raised $158,000.00 in 31 days. It just helped propel the film as there is always the chance that an independent film can drift off in to oblivion. The support we have gotten from the community has really allowed us to find a new avenue to distribute this movie.

AL: What other projects are you working on right now?
ML: I just finished a film with Clint Eastwood titled “Trouble with the Curve” that comes out this fall. I also will be leaving soon for Australia to start work on “Nims Island 2”. I am always looking for films to do and hope to be doing another one in the next 6 months.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: debut, directorial, fat, kid, lillard, making, ...

Discovery Channel adds Shark Savers as conservation partner for Shark Week’’s 25th Anniversary

Discovery Channel and Shark Savers, a shark conservation non-profit organization, are teaming up for the 25th Anniversary of the highly popular Shark Week, the network’s annual weeklong programming event devoted entirely to the ocean’s apex predators.

Shark Week, kicking off this year on August 12th at 9PM E/P, attracts millions of viewers each summer. And once they learn that a growing number of shark species are threatened with extinction, and that tens of millions are killed annually for the shark fin trade, many will feel compelled to both learn more and take action.

Through Discovery’s conservation page discovery.com/savethesharks and Shark Savers’ website www.sharksavers.org, people can join the fight for sharks by learning more about why they are so important to our planet, educating their community and taking a pledge against shark fin soup.

“Shark Week is how millions of people learn about sharks, and we will bring additional knowledge and action to that conversation”, said Michael Skoletsky, Executive Director of Shark Savers. “Sharks are critically important to our ocean ecosystem and yet are being killed by the tens of millions a year, mostly for their fins. Sharks are in trouble and they need all our help.”

One of this year’s new Shark Week programs features Shark Savers’ Board Chair, Wendy Benchley. How Jaws Changed the World examines the effect that the Jaws book and film, written by the late Peter Benchley, had on the world. Initially, the unexpected effect was to shape a highly negative public perception of Great White Sharks. Paradoxically, over time, Jaws also contributed to a new generation of shark scientists and conservationists and even some key individuals to devote their lives to shark conservation.

Brooke Runnette, Executive Producer of Shark Week, said, “While Shark Week’s primary purpose is to entertain, we also know that our audience loves sharks as much as we do, and that means making a commitment to protecting sharks. Shark Savers was chosen as one of our new shark conservation partners because they have the programs and campaigns to enable our audience to actively participate in the important task of shark conservation.”

Discovery Channel’s SHARK WEEK is cable’s longest-running programming event and will celebrate its 25th anniversary with all-new specials beginning Sunday, August 12 at 9pm ET/PT.
About Discovery Channel: Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Shark Savers: Shark Savers is dedicated to saving sharks and mantas through building awareness, education, and action. Founded in 2007 by six long-time divers with a shared passion, our mission is to save the world’s dwindling shark and manta populations. Today, more than 25,000 members from 99 nations share that passion. Focusing on action and results, Shark Savers’ programs result in more protections for sharks and mantas, locally and globally. By leveraging broad professional experience and ocean expertise, Shark Savers brings this important issue to the public in many compelling forms, motivating people to stop consuming sharks and shark fin soup, working for the creation of shark sanctuaries, and empowering divers as advocates and citizen scientists for sharks. For more information: www.sharksavers.org

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: TV Headlines Tagged With: 25th, adds, anniversary, channel, conservation, discovery, ...

Kevin Heffernan talks about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2” and “The Babymakers”

Kevin Heffernan is a member of the comedy group Broken Lizard.  He co-stars in the new film  “The Babymakers” along with fellow Broken Lizard member Jay Chandrasekhar, who also directed.  Kevin is currently touring the stand-up comedy circuit with fellow Broken Lizard member Steve Lemme.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2″ and “The Babymakers”.

Mike Gencarelli: How was it working with Jay Chandrasekhar solo compared to a Broken Lizard production?
Kevin Heffernan: He is a total dick…no he’s good. It was great. It was a project we put together a while back. It was closed and then fell apart and then closed then fell apart. So it was great to finally do it. It wasn’t that different from shooting a Broken Lizard film. We used a lot of the same crew and it is sort of like family. I’ve worked with Jay a lot so it was really smooth. Smooth sailing.

MG: Tell us what you enjoyed most about playing Wade?
KH: It is kind of funny since that with some of the early reviews, it has been said that it is a bit of a departure from our Broken Lizard work and features more mature material. But the fact of the matter is that I got to play the “Broken Lizard” asshole character. So it was fun for me. I got to be a jerk and a dumb guy. It ended up not being too far away for us. We dealt with issues with having kids and stuff but I was still running around with my pants down.

MG: What was your favorite experience from “The Babymakers”?
KH: Jay and I haven’t worked on something together since “The Slamming Salmon”. So it was fun to get back into that. You kind of realize the more movies you do the more comfort you have. There is a lot of improv on this. We got to come up with a lot of funny stuff. The other nice thing was working with a guy like Paul Schneider. I didn’t know Paul before but he has a lot of indie film cred. He is a real actor [laughs]. Unlike us, you know. To spend time on a set with a guy who is that talented was different than hanging out with my college buddies.

MG: What do you like most about working in comedy genre?
KH: I think it is just the sensibility of it. Being on set is fun, the atmosphere is just very fun. It is the base instinct of trying to make people laugh. I guess I could do drama but I really don’t seek any of that stuff out. I just love doing comedy.

MG: After “The Slamming Salmon”, you plan to direct again?
KH: Yeah, I would love to do more directing. We got a lot of irons in the fire currently. We had a couple of movies that have come close in the last year and one of those I was going to direct for Broken Lizard. So I still want to do that. You just gotta ride the wave a little bit. We made this movie. Then Steve Lemme and I got the stand-up tour also, which we actually just shot for a special last month. So we are editing that together right now. I like doing multiple things, that way you don’t get bored but I hope to direct again soon.

MG: Tell us about your stand-up tour with Steve Lemme?
Steve told me you and him are working on a new Broken Lizard script, any details?
KH: We got a couple of things we were working on right now. One we really like where we (Broken Lizard) all play minor league umpires. So it is funny kind of “Bull Durham” movie…but with umpires [laughs]. That is kind of secondary though. The big push is really for “Super Troopers 2”. The hold up is just a negotiation with Fox right now. They own the first one and the rights to the second one. So its moving along just slowly.

MG: You guys also have a TV pilot in the works, any update?
KH: Steve and I actually just pitched a new idea to a few places including NBC. They seem to really be into a few of the new ideas we have, so I think we should have something moving forward soon hopefully.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: 2, babymakers, broken, heffernan, kevin, lizard, ...

Jay Chandrasekhar talks about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2″ and “The Babymakers”

Jay Chandrasekhar is a member of the comedy group Broken Lizard.  He directs and co-stars in the new film  “The Babymakers”, which co-stars fellow Broken Lizard member Kevin Heffernan.  Jay also has directed a lot of television including “Arrested Development” and “Community”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jay about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2″ and “The Babymakers”.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your biggest challenge working on “The Babymakers”?
Jay Chandrasekhar: I think I wanted to try something a little more real. So I wanted to see if I could make the tone with the real life relationship stuff work with some of the stuff that Kevin and I tend to do in the comedy world. I wanted to see if both of those tones could fit into a movie. So that was my biggest challenge for sure. I feel like I am very happy with how it ended up.

MG: How did it come about working with Kevin Heffernan solo on this project?
JC: He worked on a film called “Strange Wilderness”. The writer of that film, Peter Gaulke, had written this script with Gerry Swallow. He gave it to Kevin and asked if we could get it made at Warner Brothers, when we were there. Kevin gave it to me and asked if I would be willing to direct it. I read it and loved it and said “Let’s go for it”. So that is how it ended up being just the two of us. It is a movie about a couple really. It wasn’t able to be adapted to be a five man Broken Lizard movie. The thing about Broken Lizard movies is that it needs to have the right vibe and, of course, be able to star five guys. This was not one of those.

MG: What was your inspiration for the character Ron Jon?
JC: I based it somewhat on a couple of my Uncles. I’ll tell you this, I feel like Indians in Hollywood are always computer guys, cab drives, or nerds that never get chicks. I thought it might be fun to make the bad guy/criminal an Indian. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been imitating my Uncles since I was like 4 or 5, so I really had a fucking blast with this character.

MG: Do you find it difficult both acting and directing on a film?
JC: I have done it now like 6 or 7 times now. I always say acting and directing ruins two perfectly good jobs. But look, it is a great way to get good parts [laughs]. Frankly, I know how to do it. One thing I do is make sure that Kevin is watching my performance and I watch his of course when he directs. I just give a range of sizes for the performance starting at super subtle and get bigger and bigger. And I hope that one of those will make the cut.

MG: Besides film, you’ve been directing a bunch of TV, how do the do compare? What do you enjoy most?
JC: I have been lucky to work on a lot of great television shows like “Arrested Development” and “Community”. I am working with high-end top level comics and actors. I am getting to see how they work and also making new friendships/relationships. Due to this, now I am developing my own television show as well. The business is very different. You have to work faster and generate material a lot quicker. Yet it also has to be on a high level of entertainment. I am having a lot of fun shooting television though. My job there is to make a very good episode. It’s not to make my show. It is to shoot their show.

MG: With “Super Troopers 2” script completed, what are you most concerned about with making this film?
JC: I am concerned about fucking it up for the fans, obviously. There is nothing worse than watching a sequel and being like “What the fuck is that”? We have written what I think is a really great story. I think ultimately we have done 10 drafts of it and we need to do another 10 to ensure it is as funny or close. That is going to require, you know, smoking a lot of joints and sitting around a room and coming up with the right details. There is no guarantee, of course. Firstly, we still need to get Fox to allow us to make the film. Assuming that they do, there is a lot riding on it creatively.

MG: What do you have planned next with Broken Lizard? Solo?
JC: I got the pilot but I really can’t talk about it yet since it is not setup anywhere yet. There is a film called “Shotgun Wedding” that Olivia Munn and I are doing a re-write of currently. Unless the “Super Troopers” issue resolves itself, I imagine I would be making “Shotgun Wedding” next.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: chandrasekhar, jay, talks

Film Review “Total Recall”

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Bryan Cranston
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 58 mins
Columbia

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Remember the Arnold Schwarzenegger film “Total Recall?” Remember Mars, three breasted women, little Kuato and Arnie’s hilarious one-liners (“consider that a divorce!”)? Well, if you’re looking for a walk down memory lane (ooh, a “Total Recall” pun), unless you like the occasional extra boob you’re going to be sadly disappointed.

Doug Quaid (Farrell) lives on what’s left of a futuristic Earth on the former continent of Australia, now referred to as “The Colony.” The Colony is where the dregs of society seem to dwell. The only other inhabited part of the planet is a majority of Europe, know known as the United Federation of Britain (UFB). The main form of transportation is referred to as the Falls. Basically you get inside and travel the 17 minutes it takes to get from one place to another. Through the center of the Earth. Hold onto that coffee! Doug spends his days working at a factory where synthetic policemen (imagine the Storm Troopers in “Star Wars” starring in “Robocop”) and his nights waking up after having the same reoccurring dream. Looking to get out of his funk he decides to stop at a business known as REKALL. There you can have your brain fitted with fond memories of things that never happened. Want to be a pro basketball player? A singer. A secret agent? REKALL can make it seem like you’ve already been one. The only catch is that if you, say, want to have an affair behind your wife’s back, the only way REKALL can plant the memory is if you’ve never really had an affair behind your wife’s back, otherwise things can go really bad. Doug decides that he’d like the adventure of being a secret agent. How bad could that be?

Full of almost non-stop action the drawback to the new “Total Recall,” sadly, is that it’s full of almost non-stop action! Lots of gunfire and running across rooftops with an occasional line of dialogue does not a great movie make. As staged by director Wiseman, who did such a great job with the last “Die Hard” film, the action and stunts are over the top and sometimes breathtaking. However, when the cast stops to catch its breath, the film slows to a crawl. On the bright side, it appears that Wiseman is a fan of “Blade Runner” which, like “Total Recall,” is a film based on a Philip K. Dick story. His vision of the future is very similar to Ridley Scott’s; an overcrowded world with people literally living on top of one another. Apparently it’s also a future where cars now fly yet also use the side streets and giant elevators shuffle people here and there yet you have to run up a seven story staircase to catch the bad guy. Technology my butt!

At least the cast is up for the adventure. It’s been so long since I’ve seen Colin Farrell on screen (in a horrible comb-over in “Horrible Bosses”) that if this had been the early 1980s I would have thought I was watching Treat Williams. As Quaid’s “wife” Lori, Beckinsale is both cunning and bad ass. Former/future love interest Melina (Jessica Biel) matches Beckinsale in both brawn and brains. And both look good in black.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, recall, review, total

Maggie Wagner talks about play “Right on Target” and “Return of the Killer Shrews”

Maggie Wagner is playing the role of Karen Harrison in the play “Right on Target”, which premieres at this year’s New York International Fringe Festival. She is also co-starring with John Schneider in “Return of the Killer Shrews”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about these projects and what else she has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to audition for the play “Right on Target”
Maggie Wagner: I got a phone call from one of the producers who’s a friend of mine. He was working on a play for the Fringe Festival and he had a part in it that he thought I would be good for. He wanted me to meet Gary Morgenstein who was also going to be working on the play. Gary thought I was the right person for the role also. I then auditioned over Skype for director Noemi De Lapunte. She liked me and everything went from there.

MG: Tell us about your character, Karen Harrison, in the play?
MW: I play a character by the name of Karen Harrison. She is a very liberal, hippy, jewelry maker who is married to a very conservative, right wing African American. We are complete opposites.

MG: The play is premiering at the New York International Fringe Festival, what can we expect next?
MW: I have never been to the festival. I do know that two plays or more have gone on to Broadway. One of those was “Urine Town”. This festival is a starting ground for shows and it’s a mixed bag so you never know what you are going to get.

MG: How would you compare working in theater to working in film or television?
MW: It’s all about truth and reality for me. I try to do everything the same. They are different mediums but I try to be as real as possible. You try to bring in your own reality. There is a lot more projecting when it comes to stage work but I love being on stage and hearing the laughter from the crowds.

MG: Is there a specific genre where you feel most comfortable?
MW: I love everything. I like anything that involves me getting paid and being able to show my strongest points. (Laughs)

MG: How did you get involved with “Return of the Killer Shrews”?
MW: The writer of the sequel Steven Latshaw happens to be a friend of mine. The original actress who was cast became pregnant and they needed someone for the role of Stella. They were looking for someone with a biting wit similar to Fran Drescher. I guess I am the low budget equivalent to what they were looking for. (Laughs) They called and asked me if I wanted to be in the film and I just went and did it. There was really no audition process.

MG: Did you have any problems working with the digital effects in the film?
MW: Not really. They kind of give you the idea of where things are and you just sort of go from there. It was great working with John Schneider. We are sort of like the odd couple.

MG: What other projects do you have coming up?
MW: I just finished a film titled “Hate Crime”. The film was directed by James Cullen Bressack and the film is an experimental horror film. It is a found footage film where a family is attacked by some intruders. There is a lot of special effects things going on. I hear it is pretty gruesome to watch.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: killer, maggie, play, return, shrews, talks, ...

Concert Review “2012 Vans Warped Tour”

“2012 Vans Warped Tour”
Date: Tuesday, July 17th 2012
Venue: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The rolling circus known as the Vans Warped Tour made its way to the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center, NY on July 17th. Though the temperatures for the day reach triple digits and constant wind/dust pounded concert goers and performers the day was still packed with tons of great performances.

With the tour growing larger each year it was amazing to see just how far the tour has come since its inception in the mid 90’s. The year’s tour features 11 stages and a variety of vendors and exhibits. Due to the layout at this venue the two main stages were quite a distance apart causing some difficulty when trying to catch acts that had set times close to each other. The closeness of the set times is a common problem with festivals and this one was definitely no exception.

The always entertaining Of Mice and Men kicked off the day with an energy fueled performance that instantly ignited the crowd which was pretty impressive for an 11:30am start time. Though the bands performance was brief they packed every possible second with greatness. Other highlights of the day were Warped Tour veterans New Found Glory, hometown favorites Every Time I Die and an insanely brutal performance from the Troy, Ohio based band Miss May I.

Though the day was long, hot and dusty those in attendance didn’t seem to mind as the overall mood of the festival was fun and upbeat. Concert goers shifted from stage to stage with ease and most everyone in attendance was somewhat courteous. If you are planning on attending one of this year’s tour dates make sure you are prepared to not only have a great time but to also brave the various elements.

Stage Line Ups:

Kio Rio Stage                             Kia Soul Stage                                 Monster Energy Stage

Chelsea Grin                                  Of Mice & Men                                     Mayday Parade

Skinny Lister                                 Four Year Strong                              Vampires Everywhere

Breathe Caroline                          New Found Glory                              Bless the Fall

Every Time I Die                          Blood on the Dance Floor              You Me At Six

Miss May I                                      We The Kings                                       The Ghost Inside

Streetlight Manifesto                 Falling In Reverse                              For Today

All Time Low                                 Taking Back Sunday                           Title Fight

Pierce The Veil                               Yellow Card                                         Rise to Remain

Sleeping with Sirens

Motionless in White

Memphis Mayfire

Tillys Stage                        House of Marley Stage                          Kevin Says Stage

Vanna                                       Ballyhoo                                                            Twin Atlantic

I Fight Dragons                     Stepdad                                                              Matt Toka

Polar Bear Club                     The Constellations                                         Tonight Alive

Bayside                                     G-Eazy                                                                Skip the Foreplay

Man Overboard                     T.Mills                                                                Super Water Sympathy

Senses Fail                               Mod Sun                                                            The Stellar Life

We Are The Crowd               The Green                                                          We Are the Ocean

A Loss For Words                 Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide                The Silver Comet

Lostprophets                          Tomorrows Bad Seeds                                 Captain Capa

Justina                                       Echo Movement                                             Bang Ups

Funeral Party                                                                                                        Lost in Society

After the Burial

Cherri Bomb

Dead Sara

 

Ernie Ball Stage                        Acoustic Basement Stage          Silent Disco

Anchor Me Down                          Kevin Meyer                                            Tony D’ Angelo

Rose City Burial                             Mariko                                                        Sas Attack

Young Bloods                                 We Are the Ocean                                   DJ Saucy

Through the Floor                        Geof Rickley                                             Wick-It The Instigator

Rosedale                                           Brian Marquis

Greek Fire                                        Transit

Danielle Barbe                                Owen Plant

Cold Forty Three                           A Loss for Words

Transit                                                Make Do and mend

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!        Koji

Born of Osiris                                   Anthony Raneri

Iwrestledabearonce                     Skinny Lister

Fireworks

Troy Harley

 

Bring It Back Stage                                                      Ourstage.com Stage

Abadawn & The Kill Party      Adrienne Mack-Davis                           Stateside

Blue Funk Squad                         One Be Lo                                                   Atlantic Avenue

Baxter Wordsworth                  Chicharones                                              Phone Calls from Home

Zeps & Damanalz                                                                                               Avalon Roe

Verble                                                                                                                    Prolong the Agony

Maulskull                                                                                                              Junk or Decore

Bboy Showcase                                                                                                   Wargames

Dox Black                                                                                                              Larry Gee

Subkulture Patriots

J Ross Parrelli

Oso Slick

Quite Nyce

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With:

Film Review “The Babymakers”

Directed by: Jay Chandrasekhar
Starring: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn and Kevin Heffernan
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 93 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I saw Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan and Olivia Munn attached to this film, I was immediately interested. I am a big fan of Broken Lizard and G4’s “Attack of the Show”. This film is laugh-out-loud funny but takes a more mature route than past work from Jay and Kevin. Although Kevin said during an interview with us that he feels that his character is similar to his past Broken Lizard roles. Jay also has an acting role besides directing, playing Ron Jon and easily steals the show. I don’t feel that Olivia Munn was really used to her full potential but in the end she is still a hell of a sight to look at.

“The Babymakers” follows a married couple whose main objective is to have a baby. But after 9 months of trying, Audrey (Munn) and her husband Tommy (Schneider) are unable to get pregnant. After finding out that his sperm is lacking in the baby department, Tommy recruits his pals in order to steal a deposit he made at a sperm bank years earlier. Simple plot though this is not a one-joke comedy and does manage to entertain throughout.

Fans of Broken Lizard should keep an eye out for alums like Nat Faxon, M.C. Gainey and Philippe Brenninkmeyer. Also if you were a fan of Munn’s failed TV series “Perfect Couples” (like myself), keep an eye out for her co-star Hayes MacArthur who is a laugh riot in the film as well. Though if you are looking for another Broken Lizard film, you will be disappointed. I feel it still really delivers and “The Babymakers” is a simple yet very fun comedy. If you need something to do on a Saturday night, this is definitely worth checking out.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: babymakers, film, review

Film Review “Red Lights”

Directed by: Rodrigo Cortés
Starring: Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Joely Richardson, Elizabeth Olsen, Toby Jones, Leonardo Sbaraglia
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 113 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Hold on a sec, a paranormal thriller/horror film with Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy? Where do I sign up? This little film has flown under my radar this summer with big budget superhero movies taken the spotlight. “Red Lights” deserves some major attention.  It is extremely well-done and really delivers from the moment it starts through the its shocking ending. I am a big fan of Rodrigo Cortés, especially after his film “Buried”. He is really able to do a lot in a film with not much. Cillian Murphy also gives an amazing performance and really carries this film.

The film follows psychologist and paranormal investigator, Margaret Matheson, (Weaver), and her physicist assistant, Tom Buckley (Murphy) as they aim to disprove the paranormal experiences with science and technology. When they get involved with investigating a famous psychic, Simon Silver (De Niro) things get a little too hot and they find themselves in deeper than they expected. Is Silver a true psychic medium or just another fraud?

“Red Lights” does a great job of blending its horror, thriller and drama aspects all together to one entertaining film. It has some good spooks but isn’t full blown horror. With the televisions and cinemas being flooded with films about paranormal activities and ghost huntings, this will probably be filed in with the rest but is actually able to stand on its own. It is not only well directed and executed but also packed with impressive performances, I highly recommend checking this film out.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, lights, red, review

Zachary Gordon talks about playing Greg in series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”

Zachary Gordon is known best for playing Greg Heffley in series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. He is returning this summer in the third film in the series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Zachary about the series and what we can expect from this film.

Mike Gencarelli:  What do you enjoy most about playing the Greg Heffley character?
Zachary Gordon: It’s somewhat of a challenge to go back to Vancouver every year but at the same time it almost gets easier as we are just a big wimpy family. I kind of fell right in to character from the start. Playing Greg is so much fun. I get to become this whole new character. When we are shooting in Vancouver we all get to hang out and do things together.

MG: How does the latest film compare to the previous two?
ZG: The first two films were based during the school year. What’s unique about “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is that it takes place during summer vacation. Greg’s idea of a perfect summer vacation is sleeping in and playing videos games. His Mom’s idea is quite different. Greg is kind of forced to spend time with his Dad and things just backfire. Greg’s tries a number of different ways to impress everyone but nothing seems to work out.

MG: Was there any difficulty trying to blend the two books, “The Last Straw” and “Dog Days”, that make up this film into one?
ZG: Playing Greg is always somewhat the same. A lot really depends on the mood of the scene. What I find so interesting about the two books being combined is you get some of the school year and some of the summer. I thinkthat is really great. I especially like that they involved summer vacation as this hasn’t been shown before. I am really happy with the way the film is turning out.

MG: Do you have any fun stories from during filming?
ZG: I have a lot! There was one where we were filming in a pool with a bunch of people. I was a little nervous about what people could be doing in the pool because they had been in there for awhile. Everyone started joking about it and my Mom and Peyton List’s Mom decided to mold a bunch of tootsie rolls together and put it in the pool. Peyton planted the evidence in the bottom of the pool and then went over and told one of the producers. They told Peyton not to tell me as they thought I would freak out. They had to get some people to try and get it out. We were all laughing and then Peyton jumped in the pool and picked up the fake poop. Eventually people found out that it was fake. That was a great prank.

MG: Do you have a favorite book in the series?
ZG: The first one to me is personally the best. I love all the books but the first one really starts everything off. That’s where the rollercoaster begins.

MG: What do you like most about working in the voice over field?
ZG: I am actually working on a voice over project right now titled “The Boxcar Children”. What I love about animation is that it is so different from live action. You can roll out of bed and go to work. You have to voice over acharacter without anyone seeing your emotions. I like that challenge. When working on voiceovers you are watching something through a glass window. Both voiceover and live action are so unique.

MG: Are you going to be reprising your role in the new “Santa Paws”?
ZG: In the first film I play Puppy Paws which is Santa Paws’ son. In the new film I voice the younger Santa Paws. The dogs are adorable and I am glad I got to voice over them.

MG: What are you currently working on?
ZG: I am working on “The Boxcar Children” which is based off the book series. It’s a great family film that everyone can relate to. Also before I broke my leg I finished work on a film called “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”. This character is much different than my role in the Wimpy Kid films  as I play sort of a bully. It was fun working on a totally different character.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: diary, gordon, greg, kid, playing, series, ...

Magnolia Home Entertainment and Phase 4 Films Divide U.S. Rights to Feature Film SUSHI GIRL

Los Angeles, CA – August 1, 2012 – The Wagner/Cuban Company’s Magnolia Home Entertainment and Phase 4 Films announced today they have jointly acquired North American rights to the Mark Hamill film SUSHI GIRL. The revenge thriller had its international premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21st 2012, to be followed by a theatrical release in the U.S. and cable VOD by Phase 4 Films in late 2012, with Blu-ray™, DVD and digital VOD release by Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Releasing label in early 2013. Phase 4 Films will also distribute the film theatrically and on home video in Canada.

The hotly anticipated genre-bending thriller by director Kern Saxton (co-writer of the film along with Destin Pfaff) is produced by Assembly Line, a team including Neal Fischer, Pfaff, Saxton and Suren M. Seron, in association with Level Up Productions.

Mark Hamill (Star Wars Franchise) and Tony Todd (Candyman) lead a cast of cult heroes including Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story), James Duval (Donnie Darko), Andy Mackenzie (MacGruber), David Dastmalchian (The Dark Knight) and Cortney Palm (Superbad). Sushi Girl also includes feature appearances by Michael Biehn (Aliens), Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill Vol. 1), Jeff Fahey (Grindhouse) and Danny Trejo (Machete).

The film centers on the compelling character of a man called “Fish,” just released after six years in jail after successfully not ratting on those involved in the robbery that sent him to prison. The night he is released, the men he protected with silence celebrate his freedom with a congratulatory dinner. The meal is a lavish array of sushi, served off the naked body of a beautiful young woman. The sushi girl seems catatonic, trained to ignore everything in the room, even if things become dangerous. Sure enough, the unwieldy thieves can’t help but open old wounds in an attempt to find their missing loot, with violent results.

“SUSHI GIRL’s all-star ensemble of fan favorite actors will resonate with the Magnet audience,” said Head of Magnolia Home Entertainment Randy Wells. “Kern and the SUSHI GIRL production team have put together an incredibly cool, well-crafted thriller, and Mark Hamill’s performance will leave fans buzzing.”

“We both loved the film so much that teaming up was the only option,” said Larry Greenberg, SVP Acquisitions of Phase 4 Films.

“It was a long battle to get the right distribution for this film, but we are extremely happy with how our partners have worked together with us to create a win for everyone involved,” said Suren M. Seron of Assembly Line.

The deals were negotiated by Magnolia’s Director of Acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg, Head of Legal and Business Affairs Chris Matson, and Phase 4’s Larry Greenberg, with Nate Bolotin and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films and Suren M. Seron of Assembly Line.

 

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 4, divide, entertainment, feature, film, films, ...

DVD Review “High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era”

Directed by: Jason Paul Collum
Starring: Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer
Distributed by: Breaking Glass Pictures
Release Date: August 28, 2012
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 63 minutes

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

I am a total fan of B-horror movies & the Scream Queen era of 1980s thru early 90s. I grew up on these films and they are always going to be my favorites. Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer are definitely the original Scream Queen’s. Films like “Return of the Living Dead”, “The Slumber Party Massacre” and “Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers” were and still are some of my favorite 80’s horror films. They are timeless and only get better with age. This documentary gives some really great insight into birth of the VHS horror days and the original Scream Queens!

You can really tell that this is a real passion project for Jason Paul Collum. Linnea Quigley (“Return of the Living Dead”), Brinke Stevens (“The Slumber Party Massacre”) and Michelle Bauer (“Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers”) really seem to have a great time telling their stories of how they became cult icons of the late 1980s. It also gives insight into what they are doing now as well, so it is a great revisit into their careers. If were were a horror fan and a teenage boy in the late 80’s, then you will know how much these film’s have impacted your life. “High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era” is fun, informative and a real treat for any fan of the genre.

The unrated DVD also comes with some great special features for hardcore horror fans. There are bonus interview footage with Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer, which is definitely worth checking out. There is also fun footage from the Flashback Weekend of Horror convention Q&A. If you caught this film on television on Chiller and censored BTW, you need to see this unrated cut with all the boobs included that made 80’s horror great. Fans of classic 80’s films are going to NEED to pick up this release, no question!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dvd, era, fall, heels, high, queen, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 52 of 118
Next
Next Page »