Blu-ray Review “Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except”

Directed by: Josh Becker
Starring: Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Timothy Quill, Scott Spiegel, Brian Schulz
Distributed by: Synapse Films
MPAA Rated: Unrated
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 83 minutes

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

Synapse Films is the team behind this fantastic release of this cult classic on Blu-ray.  The release features an all-new High-Definition 2K Digital Restoration from the original negative.  It looks very impressive for a low-budget film from 1985.  This film also some packed with the “Evil Dead” group and stars Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Scott Spiegel, and Timothy Quill.  The film is very gory and is really no-holds barred.  It really kick-ass some ass and asks questions later.  We all need to commend Synapse for really this 80’s gems and restoring them in HD.  This release will easily satisfy fans of the cult classic.  Did I mention that Sam Raimi plays one of the craziest son bitches? It’s a no brainer.

The film follows a group of friend who return home after Vietnam but are not met with a happy welcome.  During the war, Marine Sergeant Jack Stryker takes  two bullets in the leg but is rescued by a friend.  When he comes home to his girlfriend, she is abducted by a crazy cult led by it’s vicious leader, Stryker.  Jack recruits the help of his three of his old marine friends and they seek out to get revenge on this group of crazies.

The film special features are very impressive as which has become expected from Synapse Films. There are two audio commentary tracks from director Josh Becker, Bruce Campbell and star Brian Schulz.  The coolest feature on the release is the Original Super 8mm short film, Stryker’s War Short Film, starring Bruce Campbell.  It is worth the purchase alone.  There is a great featurette called “Made in Michigan: The Making of Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except”. There is an all-new video interview with Bruce Campbell, always amazing.  I can watch him read a store receipt.  There is one deleted scene with optional director’s commentary and also an alternate title sequence.  Also included is the original theatrical trailer.  To top off a great release like most Synapse films, there is reversible cover artwork included as well.

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Blu-ray Review “Kate & Leopold”

Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
Studio: Lions Gate
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 123 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release the director’s cut of Kate & Leopold to Blu-ray for the first time this April. I am not the biggest fan of Meg Ryan, especially since she started to look like The Joker. This film was probably one of her last decent roles. Hugh Jackman channels is 19th Century duke and does a decent job. The romance between the two is not bad, though the film itself runs a little long hitting just over two hours. The director’s cut includes some extra scenes that provide some more plot into the characters and story. Overall though it doesn’t make the film any better or worse.

This romantic comedy stars Hugh Jackman as Leopold, a 19th Century duke who accidentally travels through time and ends up in modern-day New York City. While getting used to the new place he meets a career woman Kate (Meg Ryan) and he plans to change her ways and aim to court her. The Blu-ray presentation looks great with its 1080p video resolution and packs an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

The main downfall of this release is that the theatrical version is not included, so if you prefer that one you are out of luck. The special features are decent overall though. They include an audio commentary track with director James Mangold. There are a few deleted scenes with optional commentary, nothing special but worth a look. There are two decent featurettes. The first is focusing on the Costuming and the second is a look into the production called “On the Set”. Lastly, there is a short photo gallery included.

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Blu-ray Review “Bounce”

Directed by: Don Roos
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natasha Henstridge
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 106 minutes

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

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is bringing the romance flick to Blu-ray for the first time this April. Whenever I think of this film, I think about Ben Affleck in “Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back” being called “Bounce-Boy” for starring in this. It is still a decent romance as Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow really work well as a couple. The Blu-ray presentation is also very impressive. It boasts a sharp 1080p video resolution. There is also a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, it works well but doesn’t get too pushed with this romantic drama.

“Bounce” follows Ben Affleck as Buddy Amaral, a slick advertising executive and recovering alcoholic who falls in love with single mother Abby Janello (Gwyneth Paltrow). As the couple grow closer, Abby finds out that Buddy holds a secret that could destroy their relationship.

The Blu-ray special features are decent for this release but don’t including anything new. They include an audio commentary track with director Don Roos. I rather liked the scene-specific commentary with Roos, Affleck, and Paltrow as well. If you want more “Bounce”, there are in luck since there are a few deleted scenes with optional commentary, worth checking out for sure. I always enjoy a good gag reel as well. There is a music video included for “Need To Be Next To You”. Lastly there are two decent featurettes. The first is called “All About Bounce” and the second is called “Ben and Gwyneth Go Behind-the Scenes”.

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Blu-ray Review “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked”

Directed by: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler,
Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate
Distributed by: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: G
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 87 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

So, how can the world benefit from a third “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movie? It really can’t, except maybe by keeping the kids busy for 90 minutes.  Well even though the film doesn’t change film cinema,  it was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be.  That being said, it far from spectacular also.  I really felt bad for Jason Lee and David Cross for having to act in this, more for the later since he has to where a chicken suit the whole movie.  I will hate myself for saving this but I thought the Chipmunks were really cute, especially the Chipettes.  The music in the film was fun and added a lot of the film.  With over $300 million in the bank worldwide, I do not think we have seen the end of this franchise either.

In the third entry, Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Dave (Jason Lee), and Chipettes Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor go on cruise on the way to the International Music Awards but wind up trapped on a tropical island. Split up from Dave, our fury friends meet an island castaway named Zoe (Jenny Slate), who is looking for a buried treasure. Time is running out though as their is a volcano on the island that is looking to explode. The film runs a short 88 minutes and definitely doesn’t over stay it welcome too much. Kids will love every single moment of this film though for sure.

The Blu-ray presentation is also impressive for this kids title. The video backs a very colorful and sharp 1080p transfer. I mean the film is shot in Hawaii, it is guaranteed to looks beautiful The audio track works perfectly with the music in the film, boasting a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.  Along with the Blu-ray, this release also comes with a DVD copy of the film.  It also comes with a digital copy as well but doesn’t take advantage of the recent trend of using digital streaming service, Ultraviolet.

The special features are aimed at kids mostly but still decent. The first feature is called “Munk Music & Dance Machine”, runs about 20 minutes and is sing-along to your favorite songs from the movie.  “Going Overboard with the Chipmunks” is a chat with the film’s producers on the production. “Munking Movies in Paradise” talks about shooting in Hawaii.  “Everybody Munk Now” is a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the “salsa night” dance scene. “Alan Tudyk, Chipmunk Apprentice” is a feature on voicing Simon’s alter-ego “Simone” in the film.  If you want more music there are three music videos with optional sing-a-long mode. There are eight extended scenes, running about five minutes, nothing special.  Lastly there are two “Fox Movie Channel Presents” features presented only in standard definition, “Growing Up Alvin” and “In Character with Jason Lee”, not sure why these are not in HD but worth checking out.

 

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Blu-ray Review “A Trip to the Moon”

Directed by: Georges Méliès
MPAA Rating: G
Distributed by: Flicker Alley
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 130 minutes

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

If you think “A Trip to the Moon” seems familiar and can’t put your finger on it, that is because it was featured in Martin Scorsese’s award winning movie, “Hugo”. “Hugo” featured Ben Kingsley playing Georges Méliès, the creator of this 1902 masterpiece “Le Voyage dans La Lune” aka “A Trip to the Moon”.  Thanks to Flicker Alley for releasing this full restored, hand-painted color version to high-def Blu-ray for the first time since it was made 110 years ago.  The Blu-ray comes packaged in a wonderful limited edition, SteelBook case.  It is also being released with its original 1902 colors and a new 2011 documentary called “The Extraordinary Voyage”.

“A Trip to the Moon” was sourced from a once thought lost version of the film and it is also presented with a soundtrack from the French band, AIR.  This restoration looks absolutely fantastic.  The film is only 15 minutes but it is worth watching over and over, I loved watching it in color and also black and white.  The amazing documentary also included on this release, “The Extraordinary Voyage”, runs just over an hour and covers the film’s preservation and history.  It also includes commentary and testimonials from Tom Hanks, Terry Gilliam and Michel Hazanavicus (Oscar winning star of “The Artist”).  The documentary spends a lot of time going through the restoration project of “A Trip to the Moon” and shows how much work really went into it.  It is really interesting watching them talk about the coloring process for the film and the frame by frame restoration. Let me tell you the Blu-ray presentation looks jut fantastic with its 1080p transfer and the audio is so impressive .

The special features on this limited edition release are extremely impressive.  It also contains the restored black and white version from the original 35mm prints and comes backed with three different audio tracks.  There is an orchestral score by Robert Israel with English narration written by Méliès. The second track is produced by Russell Merritt and includes a troupe of voice actors performed in the U.S. in 1903. The last track features beautiful piano music from Frederick Hodges. There is also a exclusive interview with Nicolas Godin and JB Dunckel from the band AIR.  There is also two bonus films from Méliès “The Eclipse” and “The Astronomer’s Dream”.  Lastly rounding out this amazing release is an beautiful 24-page booklet included in the package.

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Blu-ray Review “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”

Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Viola Davis, Max von Sydow
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 129 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The events of 9/11 is a very strong subject matter for film. Being a New Yorker myself, it is a little hard to stomach it, even after over 10 years. This film does a great job of focusing on the events of 9/11, without being too much in your face. “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” packs a really strong performances from Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. Thomas Horn definitely has a bright future in his cards for sure. Max von Sydow ,who won an Oscar for his role, didn’t even speak a word in this film and was phenomenal. You will find yourself trying to hold back your emotions but it is simply not possible. I was really blown away by this film. It is simply fantastic and really delivers constantly throughout the entire film.

The story follows eleven year-old Oskar Schell (Horn), who tries to deal with the events of 9/11 and the lose of his father a year after the events of World Trade Center. He finds a key belonging to his father and sets off on a mission to solve the mystery of what lock the key will open. As Oskar begins to uncover links to the father, he meets The Renter aka Max von Sydow who helps him in his search through the five New York boroughs.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive with its 1080p transfer. It looks really sharp and really pulls you into New York during one of its hardest times. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works so amazing with the films score and works so well with Max von Sydow scenes, even without dialogue. This release includes the Blu-ray, as well as a DVD copy of the fil. If you are a fan of digital copies, this release comes with my new favorite feature UltraViolet digital streaming copy.

The special features are impressive though they are missing an commentary tracks from cast/crew. there is a 20 minute behind the scenes feature called “Making Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” which follows cast/crew on the film’s production. “Finding Oskar” talks about the casting process for Thomas Horn. “Ten Years Later” focuses on a man named Daniel McGinley. He died in the towers during 9/11 but his legacy lives in this feature, very moving. The best feature on the Blu-ray is “Max von Sydow: Dialogues with The Renter”, which runs about 45 minutes. Especially since von Sydow’s performances is so amazing, this is great insight to his work on the film.

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Synopsis: Adapted from the acclaimed bestseller by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is a story that unfolds from inside the young mind of Oskar Schell, an inventive eleven year-old New Yorker whose discovery of a key in his deceased father’s belongings sets him off on an urgent search across the city for the lock it will open. A year after his father died in the World Trade Center on what Oskar calls “The Worst Day,” he is determined to keep his vital connection to the man who playfully cajoled him into confronting his wildest fears. Now, as Oskar crosses the five New York boroughs in quest of the missing lock — encountering an eclectic assortment of people who are each survivors in their own way — he begins to uncover unseen links to the father he misses, to the mother who seems so far away from him and to the whole noisy, dangerous, discombobulating world around him.

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Film Review “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas
Directed by: Lasse’ Hallstrom
PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 47 mins
Lionsgate

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The news in England is pretty bleak. The headlines are full of stories about war and a bad economy. Enter Patricia Maxwell (Thomas), press secretary to the Prime Minister. She enlists her staff to search high and low for what she calls a “Good Story,” something that will take the peoples’ minds off of the negative. Unbeknownst to Maxwell, a very wealthy Yemeni Sheik (Amr Waked) with a love for fishing wants to bring the sport of salmon fishing to his country. A match made in publicity heaven.

Based on the novel by Paul Torday and adapted by Oscar winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (“The Full Monty,” “Slumdog Millionaire”), “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is a well written, finely acted film that hopefully will not get lost in the upcoming “BIG MOVIE” release schedule. McGregor plays Dr. Alfred Jones, who works for the government’s conservation office. Blunt is Harriet, who is the Sheik’s representative on the project. At first Jones believes it all a joke, quoting a price of 50 million pounds as the cost of the project thinking he will call the Sheik’s bluff. But when the Sheik deposits the money in the bank he realizes the plan may work. An avid fisherman himself, Jones understands the peace and tranquility the Sheik is hoping to share with his people. A secondary story featuring Jones and his wife and Harriet and her recent boyfriend gives the film a romantic twist. Fate throws the two together alone in a strange country after Alfred’s wife heads to Geneva for a six week work project and Harriet’s beau, a soldier, is listed as missing in action. Only a minor subplot concerning the Sheik’s countrymen and their worries that he is becoming too “westernized” slows the film down. Both leads work well off of each other and it’s a treat to hear McGregor unleash his Scottish accent on screen.

The photography is beautiful, with the normally dull desert landscapes brought to life by cinematographer Terry Stacey (“American Splendor”). Equally solid is Lasse Hallstrom’s direction, keeping the film moving as gracefully as salmon swimming upstream.

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Van Halen Heads to Amway Center This April with Special Guest Kool & The Gang

The boys are back! One of the greatest rock bands of all time, Van Halen will rock the Amway Center on Apr 12 2012 at 7:30 pm. The lineup features David Lee Roth, along with Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen. They will also be joined by special guest Kool & The Gang. As band, they’ve had more number #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart than any other in history.

After performing at the world famous Cafe Wha? January 5th in New York City to announce their upcoming world tour, the Big Apple Press roundly applauded as fans and followers posted videos and photos of Van Halen’s unique first show opening. The band continues its campaign with the release of its brand new studio album A Different Kind Of Truth on February 7th.

Van Halen’s new single, “Tattoo” has been played on more than 160 stations since its release on January 10th. Currently, it’s #1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Singles chart, #1 Most Played Song at Classic Rock Radio in its first week and #1 Most Added song at Mainstream and Active Rock Radio.

A Different Kind Of Truth was released in the U.S. by Interscope Records on February 7th. The album is Van Halen’s first original studio album with singer David Lee Roth since the band’s diamond certified album 1984.

“Van Halen is still one of the most limber bands in hard rock, with a higher center of gravity than most.” New York Times

VIP Packages are also available through VIP Nation, including premium seats, exclusive merchandise and more. For more information please visit: VIP Nation.

On Sale: On Sale Now

Ticket Prices: $27.50, $47.50, $77.50, $147 | All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling and facility fee charges.

Buy Tickets: online now here or at the Amway Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 800.745.3000.

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: anmway, april, center, gang, guest, halen, ...

3D Blu-ray Review “The Three Musketeers 3D”

Directed: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich
Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

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

So this isn’t the first time we have seen an adaption of “The Three Musketeers”. This updated version is nothing revolutionary either but it is damn well entertaining. Plus we have never seen these swashbuckling musketeers kick butt in 3D. The 3D is very fun and recommended but the 2D version is actually equally as great. The film has some of the year’s best art direction and costume design. My main issue with these films have always been why are they called The Three Musketeers when there always are four? Nonetheless, this is a fun time overall and worth checking out for a good time and mindless fun.

This film is a stylized update to classic swashbuckling novel, “The Three Musketeers”. It follows the young hero D Artagnan (Logan Lerman) and his joining sides with the Three Musketeers. They take battle against Europe’s most elite warriors on a mission uncover a conspiracy that threatens to overthrow the king and push Europe into war.

The Blu-ray presentation is quite impressive. The video resolution looks sharp with its 1080p transfer. The audio was very impressive with the film’s action scenes and music boasting a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. This releases comes with the 3D Blu-ray and the 2D Blu-ray. All of the special features are found on the 2D-only release, There are no 3D or exclusive extras included in this release.

The special features are packed with great content. There is an interesting audio commentary from Director/Producer Paul W.S. Anderson and Producers Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer. They discuss the films production in depth. “Access: Three Musketeers” is a picture-in-picture that provided great behind the scenes features you can watch during the film. This is my favorite feature on this release. “Paul W.S. Anderson’s Musketeers” is a short feature focusing on the cast and rebooting the story. “Orlando Bloom Takes on the Duke” is self-explained from the title. “17th Century Air Travel” talks about the film aerial ships. “Uncovering France in Germany” talks about shooting in Bavaria. There are about 15 minutes of deleted & Extended Scenes, mostly hit and miss. but worth checking out.

 

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DVD Review “I’m Dickens…He’s Fenster: Volume One”

Directed by: Arthur Hiller, Norman Abbott
Starring: John Astin, Marty Ingels, Lee Meriwether
Distributed by: Lightyear Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 609 minutes

Volume One: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

Prior to reviewing this DVD, I have to admit I was unaware of “I’m Dickens…He’s Fenster”. I was though quite aware of John Astin, Marty Ingels and Lee Meriwether. This DVD marks the 50th Anniversary of 1960s TV sitcom and it is also the first time that these episodes have been released on DVD. The release contains a three-disc set which contains over 10 hours of content. It features the first sixteen episodes of thirty-two from the show’s only season. It is very sad that this show only latest one season because it is a riot. It is simple and subtle but extremely funny. The show is created by Leonard Stern who is responsible for hit comedy shows like “The Honeymooners” and “Sergeant Bilko”. I have to certainly thank Glass Onyon PR for allowing us to find this wonderful gem of a show.  I look forward to sharing this series with my soon-to-be-born daughter. This DVD is highly recommended…simply wonderful.

“I’m Dickens… He’s Fenster” follows Harry (Astin) and Arch (Ingels) and their adventures being best friends and also working together as construction workers.  Ingels easily steals the show and is just such a pleasure to watch. The two are absolutely hilarious and are backed but some amazing guest stars including: Yvonne Craig (Batgirl from “Batman”), Harvey Korman (“The Carol Burnett Show”), Sally Kellerman (“M*A*S*H”), Peter Lupus (“Mission: Impossible”), Lee Meriwether (“The Time Tunnel”), Ellen Burstyn (“The Exorcist”), Edy Williams (“Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”), and Jim Nabors (“The Andy Griffith Show”). The series looks great on DVD and the episodes look sharp and really clear for a show that is 50 years old. It is also presented in full frame with 1.33:1 ratio and original mono audio track.

The special features on this DVD release are jam packed. There are all-new interviews including stars John Astin and Marty Ingels, Directors Arthur Hiller, Norman Abbott, and Creator/Producer Leonard Stern. If you are fan of audio commentaries there are bunch feature John Astin and Marty Ingels, Yvonne Craig, Lee Meriwether, Dave Ketchum, Chris Korman (son of Harvey Korman) and creator/producer Leonard Stern. There is a funny featurette called “I’m Dickens…He’s Fenster Get Physical”. There is a very sweet video tribute to the late Leonard Stern. There are three funny featurettes including “The Joke”, “Love Me, Love My Dog” and “How Not to Succeed in Business”. There are old commercials including Bumpers, ABC TV Network Promo and Cast Commercial. Lastly there is a ‘Thank You’ slide show video featuring the dozens of people who helped make the 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition a reality.

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Interview with Scott Shuffitt

Scott Shuffitt is one of the minds behind Lebowski Fest, which is a traveling tribute gathering to celebrate “The Big Lebowski”.  The fest has been going strong for over 10 years and is only growing and getting more popular.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Scott during their recent visit to Orlando, FL to chat about the fest and what else we can expect for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: After going over 10 years what do you do to keep the Lebowski Fest fresh every city/every year?
Scott Shuffitt: There are new challenges in each city and we are still learning and growing so that helps to keep it fresh. Of course new achievers are still discovering the fest. I ask the crowd at the House of Blues Movie Party how many where at the fest for the first time and it seemed to me that at least 40% were first timers.

MG: Tell us how long it takes for you guys to setup an event like this?
SS: What’s kind of hard to say but basically I start working on a fest about eight months or longer before. A lot of it depends on if is a return to the city or new to us.

MG: What is the craziest thing that has happened at Lebowksi Fest over the years?
SS: Our first event outside of Louisville was in Vegas and everyone was super pumped about it. There was a guy wearing a rug as a costume, he cut a hole in it and put it over his head. After the fest he laid it out in the parking lot and a bunch of dudes piss on it.. Kinda gross, def crazy. We’ve seen plenty more, probably none as gross though.

MG: Tell us your favorite line in the film if you had to choose one?
SS: I like “Darker than a black steers tookus on a moonless prairie night” a lot but there are plenty of others. I kind of like how when the Dude muddles his words like in the back of The Big L’s limo.. What in God’s name are you talking about?

MG: Why do you think fans resonant with this movie for through it’s cult status?
SS: At its core it is a great comedy, all the actors really nail the characters, and it is great visually. Add that to the fact that its kind of anti-establishment and that it isn’t really a film that has wide appeal and you can’t stop quoting it, I think that is what makes it a cult film. Seemed to work on me at least.

MG: You have expanded this fandom from the fest to a book, what’s the next goal for you?
SS: Not really sure, we would like to take the fest to some new cities, including Canada and maybe even some European stops, but that kind of depends on the Dudes budget, you know.

MG: What can we expect from the Lebowski Fest for the rest of 2012?
SS: More party!

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: fests, interview, lebowski, scott, shuffitt

Concert Review “The Toasters 30th Anniversary Tour” Ithaca, NY

“The Toasters 30th Anniversary Tour”
The Toasters, The Rudie Crew, The XSKAVATORS
Date: Friday, February 24th 2012
Venue: The Haunt, Ithaca, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Toasters 30th Anniversary tour made a stop in the eclectic college town of Ithaca, NY on Feb. 24th where they performed to a diverse crowd sprinkled with punks and old school rude boys. The first group to take the stage was The Rudie Crew who like The Toasters hail from New York, New York. The group performed a 40 minute set playing what could be described as Rasta infused ska music. The group provided an upbeat performance which got the crowd instantly off their checker clad feel. Home town favorites The XSKAVATORS would take the stage next performing their own unique version of early traditional ska.

The Toasters would close out the night providing me with some great flash back moments from the first time I saw the band some 13 years ago. Lead vocalist and guitarist Robert “Bucket” Hingley and his band belted out such classic hits as “2 Tone Army, “Dub 56” and “Weekend in LA”. As the crowd continued to skank their way through the evening the band closed out the night with their classic anthem “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down”. Though the band now features a stripped down 5 piece line up The Toasters still provided their signature big band sound. The only negative from the night came in the way of time. The first group did not take the stage until 10:30pm which was an hour and a half after their scheduled time. After two stage changes and 3 full sets of music the show finally wrapped up at around 2 am making for a very long night.

The Toasters Set List:
1.)    House of Soul
2.)    Two Tone Army
3.)    Shocker
4.)    I’m Running Right Through the World
5.)    East Side Beat
6.)    Run Rudy Run
7.)    Social Security
8.)    Pirate Radio
9.)    Sitting on Top of the World
10.)  Dub 56
11.)  History Book
12.)  Talk is Cheap
13.)  Dog Eat Dog
14.)  Ploughshares Into Guns
15.)  Matt Davis
16.)  One Track Mind
17.)  Weekend in LA
18.)  Decision at Midnight
19.)  Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down

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CD Review: Neal Smith “Kill$mith Two”

Neal Smith
“Kill$mith Two”
Kachina Records
Producer: Neal Smith, Peter Catucci
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Kill$mith Two” is the second full length album put out by former Alice Cooper drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neal Smith. The album is the follow up to Smith’s previous release titled “Sexual Savior”. “Kill$mith Two” is being released via Kachina Records and features 12 original tracks that were produced by Smith and bassist Peter Catucci.

Take what you know or have heard about drummer Neal Smith and throw it entirely out the window. His latest album is nothing like anything you may have heard him play on before. Gone are the “School’s Out” type anthems that catapulted Neal and the Alice Cooper band to stardom in the early seventies. Instead Smith has stepped up to the microphone with guitar in hand and brought forth 12 tracks packed with interesting subject matter and industrial tinged instrumentation. Tracks such as “2000 Miles From Detroit”, “Kiss My Rock” and the catchy “Squeeze Like a Python” show a completely different side of Smith. Neal does play drums on this album as well as guitar but what really stands are his gritty straight forward vocal performances on each of the 12 tracks. Hardcore Alice Cooper fans may not be as quick to grab on to the album as it is a bit different and some songs are quite lengthy. However true fans of rock music will surely want “Kill$mith Two” in their collections.

Track Listing:
1.) 2000 Miles From Detroit
2.) Suicide Highway
3.) Cemetery of the Damned
4.) Evil Voodoo Moon
5.) Death by the Numbers
6.) Crimes of High Passion
7.) Legend of Viper Company
8.) Die For the Night
9.) Strip Down
10.) Kiss My Rock
11.) Anything
12.) Squeeze Like a Python

 

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, killmith, neal, review, smith

Disney’s “The Muppets” Blu-ray Giveaway [ENDED]

THANK YOU FOR ENTERING, THE CONTEST HAS ENDED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AND NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EVERY WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!


Available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD on Tuesday, March 20th, 2012.

To celebrate the Blu-Ray™ release of “The Muppets”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway 10 copies of the Wocka Wocka Value Pack (Three-Disc Blu-ray™ /DVD/Digital Copy + Soundtrack Download Card). If you would like to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email and let us know your favorite Muppets character. This giveaway will be open until Sunday April 8th at Noon, Eastern Time and is only open to residents of the United States. Only one entry per person, per household; all other entries will be considered invalid. Once the giveaway ends, Media Mikes will randomly pick out winners and alert the winners via email.

One of the year’s best-loved family comedies and among the best reviewed films of 2011, Disney’s “The Muppets,” starring Jason Segel, Academy Award®-nominee Amy Adams, and favorite celebrity couple Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy — debuts March 20 on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand formats. A must-own movie the entire family can enjoy, Disney’s “The Muppets” in-home release includes the DVD and digital soundtrack packaged together and also offered as the ultimate Muppets experience, a ‘Wocka-Wocka Value Pack,’ which contains the movie on Blu-ray high definition, DVD and Digital Copy (three discs), plus a download card which allows fans to own all the songs including Bret McKenzie’s Oscar®-winning “Man or Muppet,” from the film’s hugely popular soundtrack from Walt Disney Records.

3-Disc ‘Wocka-Wocka Value Pack’
(1-Disc Blu-ray™ + 1-Disc DVD + Digital Copy + Soundtrack Digital Download Card)
Includes:

  • The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (In Muppet History––We Think) – A laugh out loud look at the actors’ funny gaffs and gags from behind the scenes of making Disney’s “The Muppets.”
  • Disney Intermission – Groundbreaking Blu-ray feature. Pausing a movie will never be this much fun, as the Muppets take over the screen every time you stop the disc!
  • Scratching The Surface: A Hasty Examination of the Making of Disney’s “The Muppets.” Hosted by unit production manager monster J.G., the cast and crew take a behind the scenes look at making Muppet and movie history.
  • Explaining Evil: The Full Tex Richman Song. Rapping his way through the story of his miserable life, Tex tells audiences why he turned out to be such a rotten guy.
  • A Little Screen Test on the way to the Read Through. This hilarious footage follows the Muppet gang as they go to their first table reading of the script.
  • Eight Deleted Scenes
  • Audio Commentary with Jason Segel, James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller
  • Theatrical spoof trailers
  • The Complete Soundtrack

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: bluray, disneys, giveaway, muppets

Blu-ray Review “The B-52’s with the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA”

Starring: The B-52’s
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 131 minutes (including extras)

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I doubt I’ll ever forget watching Saturday Night Live with my dad the evening of January 26th, 1980. He and I were huge fans of the show and tuned in weekly to check out the latest hysterical skits performed by Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and other classic-era cast members. But when host Teri Garr introduced musical guests the B-52’s, an interesting thing happened: my dad’s face became one that fully epitomized “WTF?” and mine expressed unbridled awe of the band’s whacked fashion and spasmodic party vibe. Yep…on that night, the generation gap was in full effect. The baton had been passed. Along with the tanning butter.

As the members of the B-52’s state in an interview that is included on their new DVD/Blu-ray “The B-52’s with the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA”, that SNL gig was the career-changer that catapulted them from being a quirky band with something of a cult following to one that suddenly was moving truckloads of their self-titled debut album. The interview is a fascinating one that allows all four band members – Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland – to tell the story of how the four musicians got together and eventually became one of the most well-known – and arguably the best – party band that rock and roll has ever seen. Throughout the half-hour bonus feature, we’re treated to so many pictures from the B-52’s scrapbook that “interview” is something of a misnomer: it’s an exceptionally well-produced and edited short-form documentary that leaves very few stones unturned, including the life and death of original guitarist and band cornerstone, Ricky Wilson.

The main event of the Blu-ray, though, is the 34th anniversary concert filmed in their hometown of Athens, GA. As the disc’s case states, they have managed to assemble a wild crowd that is all costumed up and ready to party out of bounds. When the 52’s hit the stage, they launch into the energetic “Pump” from their 2008 release “Funplex”. It gets the party started quickly and proves that, even after more than 30 years of dancing their mess around, they still can create music that’s just as fun as that on their first LP, which hit stores in 1979. By the time the 90-minute show concludes, they have delivered 20 of their most popular songs (“Roam”, “Rock Lobster” and – of course – “Love Shack”) as well as fan-fave classics (“Planet Claire”, “Mesopotamia”, “52 Girls” and even “Strobe Light”). The tunes are still jumpin’ and are delivered with all of the energy and vitality of the original album tracks. On a sonic level, the Blu-ray is immaculate regardless of which of the three audio options is selected by the viewer: DTS HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1 or LPCM Stereo.  The 1080i high-definition video is crisp and clean throughout.

Where “Wild Crowd!” falls short, though, is that said wildness is…well…pretty much exclusive to the crowd.   Even though the B-52’s  still seem to enjoy what they do, the performers themselves are fairly static and don’t move around the stage much.  Throughout the entire show, Fred is in the dead center flanked by Kate and Cindy.  And that’s about it.  There’s some banter between songs, but it’s so generic that most of it could conceivably be used at any stop of any tour. Given that the show this Blu-ray documents is a momentous anniversary show – and that this is a band whose outlandish costumes and eccentric showmanship used to rival those of Devo and other avant garde weirdies – it’s a shame that the disc’s visual content winds up being its most uninteresting component.  The crowd does their cosmic thing and shakes their honey buns non-stop. The band should oblige their enthusiasm but unfortunately becomes a bit of a deadbeat club.

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: athens, B-52's, b52s, Cindy Wilson, Fred Schnieder, Funplex, ...
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