Jeremy Werner, Author at MediaMikes

Film Review: Free State of Jones

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali
Directed By: Gary Ross
Rated: R
Running Time: 139 minutes
STX Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

American Civil War movies are either critically claimed masterpieces (“Gone with the Wind” or “Glory) or the bane of moviegoers existence (“Gods and Generals” and “Gettysburg”). “Free State of Jones” fall somewhere in between. There’s enough entertainment and magnificent acting to keep it afloat, but too many nauseating history lessons and a lack of narrative to make it watchable. It may get some future use in high schools across the country, but could also be a punishment for a rowdy classroom.

“Free State of Jones” follows Newton Knight (McConaughey) a MacGyver of 19th century America. He’s a nurse as battles wind down, a soldier when war flares up, a farmer at home, a blacksmith and carpenter when the script calls for it, and many other things. Knight watches too many of his friends, family, and countrymen die for a cause he doesn’t believe in. He views the Civil War as a rich man’s war being fought by the poor residents of Mississippi. So he goes AWOL, evading troops on the lookout for the fresh deserter.

Knight goes into hiding in the swamps where he befriends runaway slaves and slowly starts attracting other deserters to his camp. Over time, he collects more slaves and deserters to help form his own militia. Their core belief isn’t anti-Confederate, but more around the belief that no army or government should steal from the people and that the people have a right to what they create with their own bare hands.

The movie takes place from 1862 to 1867, which already has any historian reading that scratching their head. The Civil War ended in 1865. Un-effectively, “Free State of Jones” is like two different movies. One about the small rebellion against Confederate beliefs and the fallout of the Civil War in the South with Knight having to constantly defend the rights of his African American friends.

Narratively, it’s a mess. At no point does the movie blatantly or subliminally promote a unique theme or message. “Free State of Jones” is another; white man comes to save the day for minorities, history lesson from Hollywood. The movie highlights the corrupt system in place after the war, which prevented minorities from voting in the political process. That could be a link or statement of affairs today in this political climate, but I’m not willing to give the creative team behind “Free State of Jones” that much credit.

It’s a well shot movie that captures the essence of war, but McConaughey is the true highlight of the movie. He works well with the emotional and physical toll of war as he progressively becomes older in “Free State of Jones”. But I can’t help but dislike his character for some of the selfish plot points in the movie. It doesn’t help that the movie constantly jumps forward around 80 years into the future where Knight’s relatives are going through a legal battle. It’s another speed bump that slows down the overall pace of the movie.

“Free State of Jones” is definitely a unique tale for the Civil War that highlights the divide in a traditionally proud part of the country. Even today, people still sport Confederate flags and re-enact famous battles. There’s something interesting that can be said about how war can divide even the most patriotic of people. But “Free State of Jones” doesn’t want to talk about that. It seems more obsessed with messages we’ve heard before and reminding us that slavery is still evil.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: Civil War, free state of jones, gary ross, gugu mbatha-raw, mahershala ali, matthew mcconaughey, ...

Theatre Review: “The Bridges of Madison County” Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri

Starlight Theater
Kansas City, Missouri
June 14, 2016

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Theatre Review By Mike Smith

1965. In small town Winterset, Iowa, Francesca (Elizabeth Stanley) sees a stranger coming down her driveway. With her husband and children off to show their prize steer at a fair in Indiana, she is at first apprehensive about the man’s arrival. But from the moment she first meets Robert (Andrew Samonsky), a photographer for National Geographic who has lost his way, her life will never be the same.

Based on the novel by Robert James Waller, which also inspired the very popular film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, “The Bridges of Madison County” is a faithful adaptation by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright Marsha Norman, opened up a little to provide for more characters and a little humor, which comes courtesy of the various neighbors who can’t help but notice the handsome stranger and his spending time with the married lady.

Winner of two Tony Awards, including Best Original Score, the show boasts some excellent songs that not only set the mood of the show but progress it along. The cast, from top to bottom is well cast. My one problem was Ms. Stanley’s accent. Francesca is supposed to be from Italy, but she is played as a combination of Meryl Streep from “Sophie’s Choice” and Madeline Kahn in “Blazing Saddles,” where “Like” is pronounced “Lock” and “Play” sounds like “Ply.” A small squabble, to be sure, but it was something I really noticed.

As a bonus for our Kansas City readers, you yourself can visit the real Bridges of Madison county by heading north on I-35 for 2 hours. You’ll find Winterset to be a nice little town where you can go into the same restaurant used in the film and sit on the same stool that Clint Eastwood rested his butt on (I’ve done it). It’s also the hometown of John Wayne so men, while you’re lady is looking at the bridges you can visit the birthplace of the Duke! Like the show, a good time is guaranteed for all.

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre, Theatre Reviews Tagged With: bridges of madison county, kansas city, starlight theatre

Film Review: “Central Intelligence”

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Amy Ryan
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 54 mins
Warner Bros

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review By Mike Smith

It’s 1996. The last day of high school. And two young men are about to have two very different experiences. For Calvin “the Golden Jet” Joyner, it’s a day spent receiving the accolades of your classmates as you are honored for your achievements in, well, pretty much everything. For Robbie Weirdict, it’s a final day of humiliation, as the portly youngster is tossed, naked, into the middle of the same assembly.

20 years later, Calvin (Hart) finds himself stuck in a job he doesn’t really love, spending more time on Facebook than work. When he gets a friend request from Bob Stone (Johnson), he hesitates at first then, like most people, accepts it. He soon learns that Bob is really Robbie and that he has changed quite a bit. When the two mismatched men reunite it’s an eye opening for both of them.

Funny as hell, with a sweet message built in, “Central Intelligence” is successful in part thanks to its genius casting, which makes Hart the Bud Abbott-like straight man while Johnson grabs the majority of the laughs. And what isn’t funny about a guy Johnson’s size who shows up everywhere wearing a fanny pack? It seems Bob may or may not be a rogue C.I.A. agent looking to sell weapons to the highest bidder. He enlists Calvin’s help in part because Calvin was the only person who seemed genuinely friendly to him in the past, while Calvin goes along because he still feels sorry for what Robbie went through in school.

Hart has learned to tone down his Chris Tucker-like screaming and gives a fine performance here. The supporting cast is just as good, including Ryan as the C.I.A. agent in charge of finding Bob and Danielle Nicolet as Calvin’s high school sweetheart and now wife. But the real star here is Johnson. Always a very likable performer, his comedic work here recalls his standout performance in 2005’s “Be Cool.” A gentle giant with a heart of gold, Bob Stone seems ready to greet the world each morning with a smile. It’s Bob that makes this film the best comedy of the summer so far.

Film Review: “Finding Dory”

Starring the Voice Of: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks and Hayden Rolence
Directed By: Andrew Stanton
Rated: G
Running Time: 103 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Back in 2003, “Finding Nemo” was the crown jewel of animated movies. After 13 more years of storytelling innovation and cleverness on Pixar’s end, “Finding Nemo” isn’t quite the pinnacle of Pixar’s animation catalogue anymore. It’s known that Pixar is willing to do sequel, just as long as it’s as emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating as the original. “Finding Dory” does both, even while treading familiar waters.

The protagonist this time around is Dory (DeGeneres), obviously. The blue surgeonfish still suffers from short-term memory loss, but one of Nemo’s (Rolence) class field trips knocks a cobweb loose in Dory’s brain. Memories of her parents come flooding back in an instant. Soon Dory’s head is swimming in a sea of longing and sorrow for her parents. The how’s and why’s of her separation from her parents are still a bit fuzzy, but those will come as the story progresses.

Marlin (Brooks) begrudgingly follows Dory on her journey. “Finding Dory” is a more compact journey. Instead of crossing the vast ocean, the trio heads to California where they wind up at the Monterey Marine Institute and get separated. Dory is snatched up and placed inside the confines of the rescue center. As she slowly makes her way around, Marlin and Nemo spend the movie playing catch-up.

There isn’t any real peril, since the humans they encounter don’t want to hurt them and the other aquatic life populating the Institute are all non-aggressive. But Pixar has always been able to do a lot with a just a little. The smaller confines of the settings give way to Dory utilizing an octopus (referred to as a septopus by Dory because one of tentacles was ripped off) named Hank (Ed O’Neil). Hank provides the out of water transportation for Dory, eliminating a lot of the unique ways that the fish could possibly be using to get around. But that’s just a small complaint in an otherwise nearly perfect film.

Ever since “Cars 2”, there’s been apprehension before every Pixar movie. Especially in a sequel that seems warrantless. But the folks behind “Finding Dory” have repackaged and rebranded what made the first one so good. The animation, as always, is a mesmerizing Kaleidoscope trip through the sea. It’s easy to get washed over by the stunning imagery and forgot about the small little tweaks here and there that continually push what the boundaries of computer animation.

DeGeneres is tasked with carrying a lot of the poignant plot points through Dory. The blue fish that was a gag in the original now provides a lot of the heart-rending story. It’s nice to see the childlike wonder of Dory turn into childlike pain that her parents are gone. The themes are either hidden, creating a greater depth of meaning, or the themes are upfront and in focus so that kids can subconsciously learn and grow in a positive way. Pixar once again finds a way to make adults and kids alike find that soft spot of their heart that brings a tear to the eye.

Film Review: Warcraft

Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton and Ben Foster
Directed By: Duncan Jones
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 123 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1 out of 5 Stars

There’s a really wonderful book called, “Tales from Development Hell”. Author David Hughes summarizes the agonizing process that movies sometimes go through to get made. Some of those movies are failed passion projects, while others are ill-conceived ideas. If Hughes ever considered writing a sequel, “Warcraft” would be the most interesting chapter. I’d really like to know why this was made and given such a grotesquely huge budget.

From a financial standpoint, “Warcraft” makes sense. Over 100 million accounts have been made on the online videogame, “World of Warcraft”. That figure speaks volumes to an ignorant studio executive with no knowledgeable grasp about videogames. The failure by Hollywood to recognize the clear, and distinct, creative differences between cinema and videogames is common knowledge by now. “Warcraft” is a bore in desperate need of a skip button. It’s another lazy attempt by the studios to cash on naïve videogamers.

There are way too many names, places, and exposition to wade through, even by video game storytelling standards. Generally the gamer has to endure five to 10 minutes of information, before they get to click away at their mouse and keyboard. Their payoff is instantaneous. Of course that’s to assume that the run-of-the-mill gamer would care about the story in a point-and-click adventure. “Warcraft” on the other hand spends 20 to 30 minutes explaining things before getting to humdrum action sequences, leaving the viewer without a payoff.

The “Warcraft” movie is about the orcs making their way through a portal, to the human realm. The human realm has dwarves, elves, and probably some other generic fantasy creatures. The orcs are escaping their desolate, uninhabitable world, in hopes of staking a claim and inevitably taking over the human realm. There are a lot of sweeping scenes that imply we’re in a world much larger than the one imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien. But Tolkien’s world has actual stakes and characters we care about. “Lord of the Rings” is a fine wine that will be cherished for decades. “Warcraft” is more like a mosquito in the summertime.

The characters in “Warcraft” are unimportant. If the movie is not going to care about them, I don’t feel like I should either. Orcs are monstrous computer animated creatures, voiced by actors with nothing better to do. Their human counterparts are equally as unenthusiastic, but don’t have a CGI mask to hide behind. It’s hard to tell if they’re bored, avoiding laughter, or regretting their most recent life decision.

Have you ever been so emotionally and mentally exhausted by something that you don’t feel like explaining yourself? That’s how I feel about “Warcraft”. It’s hard for me to summarize and convey how emotionless and devoid of meaning it is, and why I loathe it so much. There are times where it slows to a crawl and feels like you accidentally hit pause on your DVR button. Then moments later it feels like it’s stuck on fast forward.

As someone who’s played the “Warcraft” games, but not enough to call myself a fan, I don’t understand the appeal of a cinematic adaptation. “Warcraft” has its head stuck in the clouds that nothing is wrong, when clearly everything is wrong. I now understand why this movie spent nearly a decade on the shelf, being passed up by acclaimed director after acclaimed director, before finally settling on Duncan Jones. “Warcraft” should have stayed in development hell. There’s no reason it should have been given life so it can drag viewers through hell.

Win Passes to the Kansas City Premiere of a Rare “Raiders of the Lost Ark” Fan Double Feature

Fans of our “Behind the Mikes” podcast know that it’s recorded every week at our favorite place, the Alamo Drafthouse in Kansas City. MediaMikes has teamed up with Drafthouse Films to give one lucky reader and guest the opportunity to attend an amazing double feature celebrating the 35th Anniversary of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

“Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” brings stars Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala to Kansas City on their Raiders: Follow Your Dreams Tour for a special advance showing of the documentary followed by a rarely-shown screening of their legendary shot-for-shot adaptation of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Eric and Chris, two of the filmmakers behind the adaptation, will be present for a Q&A during the double feature.

To enter the contest all you have to do is let us know below which actor you think should succeed Harrison Ford on screen as Indiana Jones. One random entry will be chosen on Monday, June 27 and that winner notified by email. Good luck!

When: Thursday, June 30th, 2016
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet 1400 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64105

Initially played just for family and friends, a VHS tape of RAIDERS: THE ADAPTATION made it into the hands of director Eli Roth, who played it publicly for the first time at the Alamo Drafthouse during Harry Knowles’ Butt-Numb-A-Thon movie marathon in 2002. After a rapturous reception from the audience, the adaptation later went on to have official Austin and Los Angeles premieres and has even be seen by Steven Spielberg, who called it “an inspiration.”

The documentary RAIDERS! THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE tracks how the film made it in front of an audience, and the filmmakers modern day struggles to complete one final elaborate and expensive sequence. It also follows the lives of the boys who created the fan film, how the rediscovery of the adaptation affected their adult lives, and their memories of fashioning a love letter to their favorite film with little money, expertise, or adult supervision.

Ticket information: Tickets to the RAIDERS! Double Feature of both the documentary and adaptation can be purchased here for $12:

RAIDERS! THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE
Official Site
Trailer
Side-by-Side Trailer

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Kansas City, Screenings Tagged With: alamo drafthouse, eli roth, kansas city, raiders, steven spielberg

Film Review: “Weiner”

Starring: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin and the citizens of New York City
Directed by: Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 36 mins
IFC Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

In July 2010, New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was a firebrand on CNN, arguing it seemed for days in favor of President Obama’s healthcare plan. To supporters he was a national hero. Less than a year later he was a national disgrace.

The film picks up Weiner’s career in July 2013. Forced to resign his office after it was revealed he had texted sexually explicit messages and photos of his, umm, weiner (did you see what I did there?), he has decided to return to politics by announcing his candidacy for Mayor of New York City, something he had contemplated before his resignation. With his wife Huma by his side, he embarks on a 13-week adventure to win back the trust of his constituents and return to power. If only he could keep it in his pants.

A true “fly on the wall” documentary, “Weiner” gives the viewer almost unfettered access to the man and his campaign. What is admirable about the man is that he knows he’s going to take hits for the past. He acknowledges that and then is able to get his message out. With today’s presidential campaign taking horrible turns (with all of the mudslinging I really have no idea what ANYONE’S stand on the issues are), it is refreshing to see someone that concentrates on the message and not a sound bite. So strong and appealing here is Weiner that when other candidates bring up his past they are booed by the crowds. As the race progresses Weiner begins to lead in the polls. Things look good. Enter Carlos Danger. In the middle of the campaign more photos and texts by Weiner are revealed. At first he maintains that they are from the past and that he even noted when he resigned that other photos may surface. This story works until the woman who received the messages notes that she can’t wait to “be with” the next Mayor, who has been sexting her while using the name Carlos Danger. Because Weiner wasn’t funny enough?

It is here that the film takes ahold of you. What had been a funny (try not laughing at the various New York Post headlines that continue to run, including “He’s got Balls,” “Weiner Rises” and, my favorite, “Weiner – I’ll Stick it Out”) and possibly inspiring film about rising from the ashes becomes a bucket of cold water thrown in your face. For those who don’t follow politics, Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, is one of Hilary Clinton’s most trusted advisors. Bill Clinton actually presided over their wedding. She stood by her man during the first scandal and has actually actively canvassed for him during the Mayor’s race. She is there when the news breaks of the new texts and she seems to accept Weiner’s word that they are old. Then the word “Mayor” leaks and, in that quick instant, you can see the hurt and betrayal pass over her face. We are a witness to her pain and if feels terrible.

Needless to say, Weiner is done. He falls from first in the polls to garnering less than 5%. Now, no matter what his causes are, people are outraged at his actions. My father used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” and it’s the voters who fought hardest for him that are now turning on him. And here is where the real Anthony Weiner shows up. So enamored of himself that he is borderline annoying, he begins taunting those who would taunt him, assuring himself a rousing defeat, barely getting more votes than the gentleman from “The Rent is Too Damn High!” party. Which were more than he deserved. If I may be permitted to join the editors of the New York Post, in my opinion, Anthony Weiner is a dick head! (did you see what I did there?)

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: anthony weiner, elyse steinberg, huma abedin, jason kriegman, new york city, weiner, ...

Film Review: “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”

Starring: Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots and Bill Hader
Directed by: Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 26 mins
Universal

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

You may not know it but you are a fan of The Lonely Island. Fronted by Andy Samberg, this three-man group has created some of the most popular digital shorts for television’s “Saturday Night Live”, including “Mother Lover” and the Emmy award winning “Dick in a Box.” Hollywood has finally caught up with the trio and the result is their first motion picture, “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.”

It is a story as old as show business. A group explodes on the scene but, for some reason, only one member really grabs the spotlight. Sometimes that member refuses to let this happen. There is a great story about how the Beatles were offered a major tour when they were just starting out, with the caveat being they had to drop their then-bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. John Lennon refused. Still, when the talent rises, things change. The Supremes become “Diana Ross and the Supremes” while Destiny’s Child pretty much became Beyonce. Here the Style Boyz are soon taken over by their photogenic lead singer, Conner 4Real (Samberg). He becomes the face of the group, which includes DJ Owen and songwriter Lawrence, played respectively by co-directors/writers Taccone and Schaffer. As the two fall behind, Conner continues a Justin Bieber-like rise. His first album, entitled “Thriller, Also,” wins many awards. However, when Conner accepts credit (and ANOTHER award) for a song he didn’t write, the group dissolves. When his latest album doesn’t perform like it should, all of the stops are pulled out to ensure that Conner remains on top.

There are very few “SNL” inspired films that can sustain 90 minutes. For every “The Blues Brothers” or “Wayne’s World” that come out there are dozens of “Night at the Roxburry” and “Superstar” to contend with. “Popstar” is right in the middle. It does drag on some but Samberg’s performance is so infectious that you’re willing to let a couple slow parts go by. Part of the fun is the sheer number of musical cameos that fill the film. From Ringo Starr to Adam Levine to Seal to Snoop Dogg, I counted no less than ten musical icons that drop by. The film also satirizes “message” songs, including one that praises gay marriage while still inserting quick cuts of Conner asserting that he, himself, is not gay.

Besides Samberg, the supporting cast is also strong. It’s nice to see the other Lonely Island guys get some screen time, and it’s always nice to see some of Samberg’s former “SNL” cast mates working, including Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Jimmy Fallon and Tim Meadows. Special kudos go to Will Arnett as the “boss” who is constantly sucking on a big drink in a brilliant parody of the current “TMZ” television show. And extra credit to producer Judd Apatow, whose cameo is both brave and revealing. Conner 4Real may be hitting some hard times, but he is truly never stopping!

Film Review: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”

Starring: Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek and Alan Ritchson
Directed By: Dave Green
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 112 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Let’s be honest. In fact. Let’s be blunt. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” is garbage. Many expected it to be garbage. I don’t know why you would even expect me to say otherwise when you came here to read this review. So. With that out of the way. The latest “TMNT” is the “Batman V. Superman” of turtle movies. It’s devoid of any plot, meaning, or logic. But just like DC’s misstep, it’s a somewhat entertaining waste of time.

The pizza eating, 90’s slang slinging; ninja turtles are attempting the latest comic book movie trend, overstuffed spectacles. Donatello (Ploszek), Leonardo (Howard), Michelangelo (Fisher) and Raphael (Ritchson) have to save the world in this movie. Without any interesting new villains, the movie falls back on Shredder (Brian Tee). After escaping a bumbling NYPD police force, Shredder is working with a super scientist, played by Tyler Perry (yes, that Tyler Perry), and an intergalactic alien named Krang.

Yep. You read that right. After Shredder escapes from jail, he goes through a time portal and talks with a giant talking snaggletooth brain attached to a robot. Shredder isn’t scared or concerned about traversing dimensions to talk with a slobbering, drooling alien. Instead they chat really quickly about exposition and Shredder goes back to Earth like nothing happened. Sandwiched between the two supervillains are Rocksteady (Stephen Farrelly) and Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams). Has no one in Hollywood learned from “Spiderman 3”?

There’s way too much happening in “Out of the Shadows” for anything to truly make sense. The rest of this review could be all the nagging questions I have. Generally kid’s movies aren’t supposed to have a lot of loose ends and confusing narrative when the target audience needs a little bit more clarification about what exactly is happening. But the CGI spectacle steps in where the script is missing, providing mouth silencing eye candy for the kids. So if you’re in need of a two hour daycare, this might be your best bet.

It’s kind of shocking that the kid’s network, Nickelodeon, would be willing to slap their name on this. There’s not any graphic violence, but “TMNT: Out of the Shadows” still tries really hard to earn its PG-13 rating. Outside of some four letter words, there’s the gratuitous sexualization of “reporter”, April O’Neil (Megan Fox), and the even more gratuitous flirtation of O’Neil by nearly every guy she encounters, including one of the turtles. Of course I don’t have kids and don’t have to worry about what they watch. It just irks me a little that the one female in this movie, who’s a journalist, is never doing her job and is ogled at by someone of a different species.

So what’s actually good about this? Besides being insulting to viewer’s intelligence, it’s amusing. The overused line, “Just turn your brain off,” comes in handy this time. But there are moments that are so disparaging and stupid that you’ll probably just want to leave the brain outside or at home, less it wakes up in a blind rage. This movie does benefit greatly from the viewer ignoring rationale and accepting that its pure popcorn nonsense. The strongest attribute is the turtles, which is ironic that the CGI characters are more human than the wooden actors.

Outside of a few cheesy lines, they’re lovable goofs who want to fit in and be heroes. It’s kind of like watching an Oscar winning actor starring in a bad horror movie, you know they can do better, but you’re still rooting for them because they haven’t sunk to the level of everything and everyone around them. They capture a certain essence about sibling arguments, growing up, and learning to recognize the differences and acceptance of one another.

I’m very conflicted on recommending this movie. I would say your children have to be a certain age and maturity level, but I’d also like to say that if you’re expecting deep storytelling like the Marvel Universe, you apparently don’t know who Michael Bay is. The producer has added all his hallmarks to nearly every aspect. It’d be nice if Bay could be pushed into the shadows so someone with a love for the “TMNT” franchise can make it as good as I keep thinking it can be.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: alan ritchson, jeremy howard, megan fox, michael bay, noel fisher, out of the shadows, ...

“Think Fast!” Trivia Could Soon Be Heading to a Radio Near You

Will Sterrett, president and CEO of Rockcastle Media Group, has announced the first radio stations that will carry RMG’s first syndicated project, a daily, two-minute trivia feature titled, “Think Fast!”

“Think Fast!,” which Sterrett will also host, will feature wide-ranging trivia from history, sports, entertainment, news, and more.

The following stations have acquired the show, with more on the horizon:

KWIX-AM – Moberly, MO
KWIX-FM – Moberly, MO
KOZX-FM – Cabool, MO
KOKO-AM – Warrensburg, MO
KLOE-AM – Goodland, KS
KRDQ-FM – Colby, KS

“The launch of Rockcastle Media Group and ‘Think Fast!’ is the fulfillment of a dream more than a decade in the making,” said Sterrett, whose career highlights include CNN Radio Network, WLW/Cincinnati, KTRH/Houston, KRLD/Dallas, and KMBZ/Kansas City. “We’re grateful to the stations who have already made ‘Think Fast!’ part of their daily schedules, and look forward to welcoming more affiliates into the Rockcastle Media Group family through top-notch short-form and long-form programming and exemplary service for our affiliates and advertising partners.”

For more information on “Think Fast!” or if you’d like to suggest this program to your local radio station, visit www.RockcastleMedia.com

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: rockcastle media group, think fast, trivia, will sterrett

Kansas City’s Planet Comicon Just Gets Better and Better

Written by Mike Smith
Photos by Dan Lybarger

Once again, Kansas City’s Planet Comicon has come to a close. And once again, over 70,000 people took part in celebrating all things fantastic.

The weekend kicked off Friday night with a performance of “An Evening With Kevin Smith.” Flight delays threatened to keep Smith away but he actually ensured his attendance by jumping on a Southwest Airline flight, the same airline that had deemed him “to fat to fly” in 2010. Smith had avoided the airline since but broke down to ensure his fans would not be disappointed.

Among the celebrity guests in attendance: “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden, Draco Malfoy himself, Tom Felton, “American Horror Story” star Denis O’Hare and Edward James Olmos from “Battlestar Galactica.” But the most love was reserved for famed comic book creator Stan Lee, who always seemed to have no less then 200 people lined up at any one time to meet him.

MediaMikes would be remiss if we didn’t think Planet Comicon creator Chris Jackson and his amazing staff for not only their hard work but for the opportunity for some of our winners to win 3-day passes to the event. Can’t wait to do it again next year.

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre, Conventions Tagged With: barbara eden, bartle hall, denis o'hare, edward james olmos, kansas city, kevin smith, ...

MediaMikes 2016 Summer Movie Preview

Written by Mike Smith

As Memorial Day approaches you can count on two things: a lot of furniture stores will have sales and the multiplexes will be full. It seems like every year “summer” comes early. The first volleys have already been fired, with “Captain America: Civil War” jumping out of the gate and earning an amazing $355 million world wide in its first two weeks. Heck, even a movie based on a PHONE APP has made over $40 million in it’s first week. What’s next? Pull up your popcorn and big box of DOTS and let’s find out. As always, opening dates are subject to change at the whim of the studios. Some synopsis information courtesy of our good friends at the Internet Movie Data Base. If you want a more in-depth look at this summer’s offerings, give a listen to our special edition of the “Behind the Mikes” Podcast here. If you notice a set of initials after a title, that tells you that the film in question is highly anticipated by one of our critics (MG – Mike Gencarelli, LL – Loey Lockerby, MS: Mike Smith, JW – Jeremy Werner)

MAY 27

“Alice Through the Looking Glass”

Starring: Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp. Directed by: James Bobin.
-The continuing story of Lewis Carroll’s young heroine. Director Bobin has an extensive background with Ali G and the Muppets.

“X-Men: Apocalypse”

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by: Bryan Singer
-The original big, bad Mutant (Oscar Isaac) visits 1983 to settle some scores.

JUNE 3

“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” JW

Starring: Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots and Bill Hader. Directed by: Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
-The Lonely Island guys, who have given “Saturday Night Live” some of it’s best shorts in the last few years, tell the story of a former boy band member trying to remain relevant.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”

Starring: Megan Fox and Will Arnett. Directed by: Dave Green
-The Turtles are back and this time they’re bringing Casey Jones with them.

JUNE 10

“The Conjuring 2”

Starring: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. Directed by: James Wan
-The further adventures of Lorraine and Ed Warren, who seem to have nothing better to do then find places and things that scare us!

“Now You See Me 2”

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson. Directed by: Jon M. Chu
-The Four Horsemen are back, as is apparently everyone from the first movie. And Dave Franco. You’ve been warned.

JUNE 17

“Central Intellegence”

Starring: Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber.
-After he reunites with an old pal through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.

“Finding Dory” MG

Starring the voices of: Ellen Degeneres and Albert Brooks. Directed by: Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane
-Everyone’s favorite blue tang is lost and her ocean friends set out to find her.

“Swiss Army Man” JW

Starring: Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. Directed by: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
-A hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.

JUNE 24

“Free State of Jones”

Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Keri Russell. Directed by: Gary Ross
-As the Civil War rages, a poor farmer from Mississippi leads a group of rebels against the Confederate army.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” LL

Starring: Sam Neill and Julian Dennison. Directed by: Taika Waititi
-A national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid and his foster uncle who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush.

“Independence Day: Resurgence”

Starring: Bill Pullman and Liam Hemsworth. Directed by: Roland Emmerich
-They’re back. Well, not Will Smith or Randy Quaid, but Judd Hirsch is still around.

“The Shallows” MG

Starring: Blake Lively and Brett Cullen. Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
-A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills. I love “Jaws” as much as the next guy…ok, maybe more…so I’m hoping this doesn’t stink.

JULY 1

“The Purge: Election Year” JW

Starring: Frank Grillo and Elizabeth Mitchell. Directed by: James DeMonaco
-After two successful movies, it only makes sense that they would complete the trilogy, promising more bloodshed. This time around you get to see if a U.S. Senator can survive the deadly night.

“The BFG” MS

Starring: Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill. Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
-Meet Sophie and her friend, a Big Friendly Giant who is an outcast because he won’t eat children!

JULY 8

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

Starring: Adam Devine and Zac Efron. Directed by: Jake Szymanski
-Two brothers need dates for their sister’s wedding and end up running an on-line ad.

“The Secret Life of Pets” LL, MS

Starring the voices of: Jenny Slate and Lake Bell. Directed by: Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney.
-Ever wonder what Baxter and Charlie are up to when you go off to work. Wonder no more!

JULY 15

“Ghostbusters” MG

Starring: Melissa McCarthy and Kristin Wiig. Directed by: Paul Feig
-This time it’s up to the ladies to tell us that they ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

JULY 22

“Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” LL

Starring: Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders. Directed by: Mandie Fletcher.

Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London’s trendiest hot-spots. Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi.

“Star Trek Beyond” MS

Starring: Chris Pine and Zachary Qunito. Directed by: Justin Lin

J.J. Abrams has moved on and turned the reins over to multiple “Fast and Furious” director Justin Lin. I’m intrigued that Simon Pegg helped write this film.

JULY 29

“Bad Moms”

Starring: Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell. Directed by: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
-When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.

“Jason Bourne”

Starring: Matt Damon and Alicia Vikander. Directed by: Paul Greengrass
-The Jeremy Renner experiment a failure, Damon returns as Jason Bourne, a man who now remembers who he is trying to discover his past.

AUGUST 5

“Suicide Squad” MG JW

Starring: Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. Directed by: David Ayer.
-A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency. As much praise as Heath Ledger got for his stamp on the Joker, word is that Leto takes it a notch higher.

AUGUST 12

“Pete’s Dragon”

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford. Directed by: David Lowery.
-A retelling of the classic 70’s Disney musical. And no, Redford is NOT the Dragon!

“Sausage Party” MS

Starring the voices of: Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon.
-An animated movie about one sausage’s quest to discover the truth about his existence. Coming from Seth Rogen and his writing partner, Evan Goldberg, I’m expecting one long 90 minute dick joke!

AUGUST 19

“Ben Hur”

Starring: Jack Huston and Haluk Bilginer. Directed by: Timur Bekmanbetov
-A falsely accused Jewish nobleman survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his Roman best friend, who betrayed him. I’m not big on remakes, but the Chariot Race looks amazing.

“Kubo and the Two Strings” MG

Starring the voices of: Rooney Mara and Charlize Theron. Directed by: Travis Knight
-Kubo lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village until a spirit from the past turns his life upside down by re-igniting an age-old vendetta.

“War Dogs” LL

Starring: Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Directed by: Todd Phillips
-The true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. This is the third time that Jonah Hill has played a real person on film, earning Oscar nominations the two previous times. I’m just saying.

AUGUST 26

“Blood Father”

Starring: Mel Gibson and Erin Moriarty. Directed by: Jean-Francois Richet
-An ex-con reunites with his estranged wayward 16-year old daughter to protect her from drug dealers who are trying to kill her.

“Hands of Stone”

Starring: Edgar Ramirez and Robert DeNiro. Directed by: Jonathan Jakubowicz
-The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other’s lives.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Movies Tagged With: 2016, absolutely fabulous, alice through the looking glass, apocalypse, bad moms, ben hur, ...

Theatre Review: “Matilda” Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri

Matilda the Musical
Starlight Theater
Kansas City, Missouri
May 24, 2015
Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Review by Mike Smith

As an owner of a satellite radio one of my guilty pleasures is the “On Broadway” channel. Lots of show tunes, both old and new. One of the shows whose score I’d heard, but hadn’t seen, was the story of the girl who likes to read, “Matilda.” I was happy to learn that it would be kicking off the season this year at Starlight. That being said, I wasn’t as happy when I left the theater.

Based on the classic children’s book by Roald Dahl, “Matilda” tells the story of a young girl born to uninterested parents. Her mother (Darcy Stewart) is upset that her labor has interrupted her goal of dancing in an upcoming contest. Dad (Brandon McGibbon) is a car salesman who is so upset at having a girl he continuously refers to Matilda (a very good Lily Brooks O’Bryant) as a boy. “I’m a girl,” the young lady repeatedly reminds him. They send her off to school, but, as a young child, she is put in the worse class where all she gets for her love of reading is lectures by the school mistress, Miss Trunchbull (David Abelles). Hilarity ensues.

OK, first the good part. The songs are catchy and the young cast members are in good voice and have nailed the choreography. The bad part, especially with the parents, is that their British accents seem forced. And that’s being polite. It’s almost as if they had attended the “Dick Van Dyke School of Accents.” When he played Bert in the film “Mary Poppins,” Van Dyke’s accent was so atrocious – and yes, I know that word rhymes with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – the book’s author, P.L. Travers – refused to let Walt Disney make a sequel.

If you like watching talented children then go see “Matilda.” If not, read the book.

Win Passes to the Kansas City premiere of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”

Media Mikes has teamed up with Paramount Pictures to give (40) lucky readers and a guest a chance to be among the first to see the new film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” which will be shown on Wednesday, June 1st, 2016 at the Cinemark Merriam Cinema. The show begins at 7:00 p.m.

All you have to do is go to http://www.gofobo.com/wovyr78835 and enter. On May 30, (40) random entries will be chosen and those chosen will receive a pass for (2) to attend the screening. Good luck!

Date: Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Cinemark Merriam Cinema, Merriam, Kansas

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” opens nationwide on Friday, June 3.
Official Site: www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TMNT
Twitter: @TMNTMovie #TMNT2

Rating: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

Synopsis:
Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to theaters this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.

Film Review: “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”

Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Rating 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Did “Neighbors” need a sequel? Absolutely not. It didn’t even end with a cliffhanger or any storyline that would necessitate the need for a second. But in today’s theater age, profit=sequel. Of course I may further incite the need for a “Neighors 3” with the following statement. Despite the same plot, and a gender swap out, “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” is funnier and even more charming than the first.

A couple of years after the events of “Neighbors”, Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne) are expecting their second child and looking to move into a more spacious home. With the fraternity no longer hosting raging keggers, they find a buyer with no problem. The only problem is escrow. Since I’m not a homeowner, nor have I attempted to buy one yet in my life, I was unsure as to what escrow means. Apparently Mac and Kelly don’t either. It means that the buyers can change their mind in 30 days if there’s something they don’t see fit about the home. Of course this could easily just be a plotline convenience created by the movie.

Coincidentally, the old fraternity house is about to become alive with again with a sorority. Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), Beth (Kiersey Clemons) and Nora (Beanie Feldstein) are sick of the generic sororities, at least the typical Greek life tropes the movie portrays. Instead of conformity, forced cheeriness and male degradation, the trio creates their own sorority meant to empower their inner-lioness. Obviously a bunch of screaming girls, hosting their own raging keggers, doesn’t sit well with Mac and Kelly. The rest of “Neighbors 2” is the various hijinks and escalating pranks that happen between the two warring neighbors.

The first “Neighbors”, which I didn’t like, was about the bond of men in college as well as learning to grow up. “Neighbors 2” has the girls at an age of 18, so we can’t really expect them to “grow up”. Instead we get a more meaningful theme of acceptance and empowerment. Even the grossest scene of the movie, the sorority sisters throwing used tampons at Mac and Kelly’s home, is a lesson. Albeit a blood soaked, gross lesson. I know that might be hard to believe, but trust me.

There are the typical cheap laughs that we’ve come to expect from a Rogen comedy. I guess we’re supposed to laugh at Rogen being fat, people getting high, vomit on the face during sex, and other tired jokes. It actually makes the tampon scene feel a lot cleverer in retrospect. It’s socially aware enough to make us feel guilty about laughing or make us actually develop a thought while laughing.

It’s just unfortunate that such an enlightening movie has to hammer home its theme at nearly every chance it can get. It’s nice to see that the five male writers were willing to flip the script and poke fun at the overtly sexual nature of college men who see women as objects. But I think at least a sixth writer, preferably female, could have helped these guys guide their justified moral outrage in funnier, more unique, and in less, obvious ways.

Teddy (Efron) is back as a man-child who still can’t grow up. He serves as the mentor for the sorority at the beginning and switches sides when he’s disowned by the sisterhood. Watching Teddy grow as a person during the movie is most character development an Efron character has ever seen. In that sense, and others, “Neighbors 2” surprised me a lot. I was expecting a lazy rehash, but I have to give credit where credit is due; the six-man writing team realizes that a little empathy for all their characters can go a long way.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: chloe grace moretz, film review, neighbors 2, rose byrne, Seth Rogen, sorority rising, ...

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Page 20 of 30

Author: Jeremy Werner

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