Film Review “Diana”

Starring: Naomi Watts and Naveen Andrews
Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 53 mins
Entertainment One

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

When I was in the movie theatre business I would always, on the last weekend of the summer, let the staff have an all-night “sleepover” at a theatre. They could vote on a film to watch, invite a friend and have one more party before school started. That night, while watching the Trey Parker/Matt Stone comedy “Orgazmo” (“South Park” was a staff favorite), one of the managers interrupted the movie to inform us that Diana, the Princess of Wales, had been killed in a car accident. It was August 31, 1997.

“Diana,” the film, begins on that same day, with the Princess of Wales (Watts) heading down a hotel hallway towards a waiting elevator. For some reason, she stops and looks behind her. Nothing. She gets into the elevator and soon is off into a waiting car. What happens next is known. What isn’t are the two years previous to this evening. And that is the story of “Diana.”

If I didn’t know John Hughes was dead I would have sworn he had written this film. We meet the Princess in her third year of separation from Prince Charles. She spends most of her time doing charity work, including visiting hospitals. On one such visit she casts her eyes on heart surgeon Hasnat Khan (Andrews) and birds begin to sing. She gets such a look on her face that I’m surprised the director didn’t digitally put animated hearts over her eyes. Smitten she begins to find reasons to turn up at the hospital at all hours of the day, finally getting the nerve to speak with Dr. Khan. Thus begins a relationship that may or may not have happened. Honestly.

I’m afraid the deck was stacked against this film before one frame of film was shot. Princess Diana was such a HUGE personality that there is no way…no one…that could have played her without gaining a negative comparison. Watts tries hard and manages to capture some of Diana’s charm but still her performance never comes off as more than an impersonation. The story itself begs for you to relax your believe in reason. In order to meet up with Khan, Diana often sneaks out of her home at night, wandering the streets and catching nobody’s attention. She often dons a dark wig, which makes her look exactly like Nicole Kidman. Seriously. As time passes the two fight, make up and try to deal with life in a fishbowl.

Of course, as we know, things may or may not have gone well between the Princess and her Doctor. Not all fairy tales come true.

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Val Lauren talks about working with James Franco on “Sal”

Val Lauren has done very well for himself, carving out an impressive career while staying just below the radar. That is all going to change thanks to his bravura performance as Sal Mineo in director James Franco’s bio film, “SAL.”
A longtime member of Playhouse West, Lauren is a frequent collaborator with his friend, Scott Caan, on various film and stage projects. He made his film writing and directing debut with the well received short film, “Help,” which I recommend you give a look at http://www.openfilm.com/videos/help

While getting ready for the release of “Sal,” which opened last week, Lauren took time out to speak with Media Mikes about Sal Mineo, changes in Hollywood and why James Franco has his cell number.

Mike Smith: How did you get involved with “Sal?”
Val Lauren: James Franco offered me the role out of the blue. I got a text from him saying that he would like me to play Sal Mineo. I had no idea the offer was coming so it really took me by surprise. That’s simply how it all started. I stared at my phone for a while and then I texted back “cool.” And the next thing you know we had jumped in feet first.

MS: Nice. The first thing I would have wondered is how James Franco got my cell number.
VL: (laughs) James and I are friends. We’ve had a collaboration as actors for many years now. We’re both part of the same theater company, Playhouse West, an acting school and repertory theater company in Los Angeles. That’s where we first met over a decade ago. We’ve collaborated together on characters we’ve played in our individual movies as well as on scenes in plays for the theater. It’s an ongoing joke that we’re regarded as the James Dean and Sal Mineo of the theater company. In fact, when James did the movie “James Dean” I worked with him for a couple of months helping to research the part and that’s where we both learned a lot about Sal Mineo. We considered writing a play about James Dean and Sal Mineo so that topic has always been there. After James read Michael Gregg Michaud’s biography about Sal he decided he wanted to tell a story about Sal Mineo and that’s what we did.

MS: In researching the part where you able to speak with any members of Sal Mineo’s family or his last partner, Courtney Burr?
VL: I was. I spent a wonderful afternoon with Courtney Burr. Michael Gregg Michaud is a friend of Courtney’s and one day he asked me if I wanted to meet him. Of course I said yes. So we went over to Courtney’s home and spent the day together. Courtney told me some great stories about Sal and about their experiences together. He had a chair…a beautiful chair…in his house that Sal had given him as a gift. He let me sit in it, which I was very nervous to do. I didn’t want to knock it over or break it. He told me about their time together. We really just talked a lot about Sal. I can really see why Sal loved him. I can also see why Courtney loved Sal. He was great in helping to inform and reinforce me about the man that I had been given the responsibility to represent.

MS: Though he didn’t flaunt his sexuality, Sal Mineo never shied away from the fact that he was gay, even in an industry that, almost four decades after his death, people do their best to stay closeted. Do you think that affected his later career choices? I mean, his last movie was “Escape from the Planet of the Apes.”
VL: It absolutely demolished him. Technically he was the first known actor to come out. He didn’t make a big thing out of it but he did not make any efforts to really hide it. He would do interviews with gay publications, which at the time were relatively unheard of. He would not stay undercover. This absolutely destroyed him in the business. Friends of his that were actors and actresses and directors were afraid to even hang out with him because they would not want to be guilty by association. And I found that just appalling that it happened. I’m very happy that, almost forty years after his death, we don’t have to hide ourselves. Not only in Hollywood but in life. People have finally started to wise up and say, “what’s the big deal here?” There has been a lot of growth since then. Although there are always pockets of people that are slow to catch on I think we’re on our way to sanity.

MS: As a writer/director yourself can you give us a critique of James Franco as a director?
VL: (laughs) I think he has a very interesting and specific lens through which he views things. I think he has a very unique perspective on how he likes to tell stories. I think he’s brave to venture out and try new things at a time when we often see the same kind of movies told in the same kind of format. He has very specific ideas on what he wants to explore, which is an attribute I find in the greatest directors that I admire. I applaud him for exploring areas that, frankly, other people are too afraid to touch.

MS: There had been some talk about you making your short film, “Help,” into a feature film. Is that still the plan?
VL: I believe that the story in that short film was told in full. We may make it as a feature and we may not. I’m still not sure. I’m really proud of the film as it is and I think that I’d like to make other movies now and tell other stories and let “Help” be what it is. Yes, it’s a short film. It is 40 minutes long. But I believe that the story I wanted to tell has been told.

MS: What else are you working on?
VL: Right now I’m directing a play that just opened called “One Hundred Days of Yesterday” that was written by Scott Caan. We’ve done about a dozen plays together….ones he wrote…ones I directed…ones we starred in. This is one that he wrote that I’m directing with two great actors. My next movie coming out is called “The Last Knight” and it’s based on this great Japanese tale of the 47 Ronin, who were a group of warriors that set out on a mission to avenge their master.

MS: I’ve got to end this by saying I thought your performance in “Sal” was brilliant. I’m making sure I use that word in my review as well. I think it’s so hard to play a real-life person that is so well known because people go into the film with a preconceived notion of how that person is. I think you captured Sal Mineo perfectly.
VL: You just made my day, man! Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me.

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David McCallum talks about the 50th Anniversary of “The Great Escape”

Today actor David McCallum is probably best known for his role as Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the long running television series “NCIS.”  If you’re my age you probably remember him best as the smooth secret agent Illya Kuryakin from “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  As someone who had, in the 3rd grade, been scolded often by teachers for continually saying “Open Channel D” into his ink pen, it was a great day when I had the chance to speak with Mr. McCallum about the 50th Anniversary of one of the most popular movies of the 1960s, “The Great Escape.”

To help celebrate this event, Mr. McCallum will be appearing at a benefit screening of the film this coming weekend, November 9, in Omaha, Nebraska as part of Bruce Crawford’s on-going classic film salute.  For information on the event head over to http://www.omahafilmevent.com/upcoming.htm

Recently Mr. McCallum took some time to talk to me about “The Great Escape,” why he enjoys voicing video-games and another upcoming 50th Anniversary he looks forward to celebrating.

Mike Smith:  First off, a belated “Happy Birthday!” (Mr. McCallum turned an incredible 80 years old this past September 19).
David McCallum:  (laughs) Thank you.

MS:  How did you get involved with “The Great Escape?”
DM:  Way back then I had an agent in England by the name of Derrick Marr.  I hadn’t been with him long.  I had been doing an awful lot of television…live television, and working in the theater.  He called me and said that I’d gotten a request to meet with the casting director of the film.

MS:  At the time it was probably the biggest film production you’d been involved with.  As a young actor what were your thoughts when you realized you would be working with such international stars as Steve McQueen and James Garner?  Was it overwhelming?
DM:  Well, thankfully, life has never been able to overwhelm me.  I tend to enjoy and take great pleasure in all of the work that I do.  And back then it was no different.  When you’ve decided that your whole life is going to be as an actor, when you get opportunities to do a wonderful thing, like “The Great Escape,” it’s just a colossal pleasure that you look forward to with great anticipation.  And then you start preparing, of course.  You have to learn all about the character…all of the things necessary.  It’s not about just turning up and saying the words.  And the whole thing was such a beautiful experience.  I knew Donald Pleasence.  We had been very good friends for some time.  And you can imagine how it was for the young actors.  Being able to work with all of those people.  I’m not usually star-struck.  I’m fascinated by the number of people I’ve met working in this profession over the years.  That film was a great beginning.

MS:  Both of your parents were very well known and classically trained musicians (his father, David Sr, was the first violinist for the London Philharmonic – his mother, Dorothy, was a cellist).  Were you ever encouraged to make music your profession?
DM:  My father was a professional musician, my mother, who was a cellist, gave it up early to take care of my father.  I played the Oboe from about the age of eight or nine.  I went to the Royal Academy of Music for a short while but then I gave the whole thing up to go on the stage.

MS:  You’ve done a lot of voice work in video games.  Does that take a different kind of preparation as an actor?
DM:  The best thing about that kind of media is that you get to over-act outrageously.  To me that’s the greatest pleasure.

MS:  “NCIS” isn’t your first hit television show.  What, in your opinion, is the biggest difference in working in television between “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and now?
DM:  I think the ability to record sound and the size of the camera and the fact that it’s now digital and not film.  Other than that nothing’s changed.

MS:  Final question, and I understand if you can’t answer it:  next year marks the 50th Anniversary of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  Do you have any involvement in the upcoming “U.N.C.L.E.” film?
DM:  No, right now I have nothing to do with that.  It’s a whole new venture.  But now that you tell me it’s the 50th Anniversary next year I’ll have to set aside a nice bottle of wine and open it.  Maybe I’ll save it until the movie comes out.

A FANS NOTE TO DIRECTOR GUY RITCHIE

Mr. Ritchie:

I hope by the time you read this you will have contacted both Mr. McCallum and Robert Vaughn and found a place for them in your film.  Both men are in great health and acting today.  I don’t care if you have them walk past Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in the hallway, you must recognize them.  It is their chemistry that made “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  the show it was.  As Leo G. Carroll has passed away more than 40 years ago I will not lobby for his appearance!

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See the Original “House on Haunted Hill” on the Big Screen in Tampa! [ENDED]

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One of the best things about retro-cinemas is having the chance to see classic films on the big screen where they belong. This month Media Mikes has teamed up with the Tampa Pitcher Show to send one lucky reader and a guest to the November 23rd Horror Matinee presentation of William Castle’s 1958 classic “House on Haunted Hill,” starring Vincent Price, Richard Long and Elisha Cook, Jr.

The presentation will be hosted by nationally known horror host Wolfman Mac Kelly. Kelly is probably best known as the host of the long running syndicated television program “Chiller Drive-In.” The screening begins promptly at 1:00 p.m. For more information go to www.tampapitchershow.net

All you have to do is leave us a comment letting us know what classic horror film you’d like to see again on the big screen. One random comment will be chosen and the winner will be notified by email. This contest ends at noon on Thursday, November 21st. Good luck!

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Film Review “About Time”

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy
Directed by: Richard Curtis
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 3 mins
Universal

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Preston Sturgess is often regarded as the classic master of the romantic comedy. Closer to our generation many may suggest that mantle was taken up by the late, great Nora Ephron. But to me, the filmmaker who consistently gives us the best of love and laughter is Richard Curtis. Creator of such films as “Notting Hill” and “Love Actually,” Curtis once again has delivered another gem in “About Time.”

We first meet Tim (Gleeson, probably best known as older brother Bill Weasley in the “Harry Potter” film series) at a New Years Eve party. He is trying to catch the eye of a cute girl or two but, when midnight arrives, finds himself next to a nice girl who fancies him. Instead of a quick New Years kiss, Tim shakes her hand, sending her off in tears.

Jump ahead to an important day in any young man’s life – his twenty-first birthday. After cake and presents, Tim’s dad (Nighy) takes him aside and shares a family secret. It seems that all males in the family, upon turning twenty-one, have a limited ability to travel in time. They can’t go forward but they can go back. However, they can only go back to a time where they themselves were (which means they can’t go back and kill Hitler). Tim scoffs at this information but his father assures him it’s true. All you have to do is go into a dark place, clench your fists and think about where you want to go. Still thinking it’s all a put-on, Tim retreats to his bedroom closet and clenches his fist. Moments later he emerges in different clothes, the sound of a party outside the door. It’s New Years Eve again. This time he kisses the girl!

Brilliantly written and well directed by Curtis (this is his third film behind the camera), “About Time” is just another jewel in his crown as the reigning romantic comedy king. Always on the lookout for love, Tim and a friend attend an unusual restaurant where two men are paired with two women they’ve never met. They dine and chat but the catch is that they do it in pitch darkness. You get along, or don’t get along, based on your conversations, not your appearances. After several hours in the dark Tim runs into Mary, his dinner companion, outside. They talk for a few more moments and Tim boldly asks for her phone number, which she gives him. Returning home he learns that his playwright roommate is despondent because an unprepared actor has ruined his new play. Excusing himself for a moment Tim goes back in time to the performance, assists the actor and ensures raves for the production. Hoping to spend time with Mary he attempts to call her, only to find her name and number are no longer in his phone. When he went back to help the play this made him miss the random dinner engagement, meaning he and Mary never met. What is a love-struck boy to do? How can you find love when it doesn’t even remember who you are?

As with many of other Curtis-written films, the lines are only as good as the actors who deliver them. “About Time” is cast with some first rate talent, led by the romantic leads Gleeson and McAdams. And, as is the case in pretty much every film he’s in, hats off to the brilliant Bill Nighy. There is always something about him on-screen that makes him seem like a friend, not a character (except of course when he’s playing the creepy Davy Jones in the “Pirates” movies). He is the emotional anchor of the film and keeps Tim grounded when needed. Also well cast are Lydia Wilson, as Tim’s strong-appearing but vulnerable sister Kit-Kat and Richard Cordery as the dignified Uncle Desmond, who doesn’t say much but what he says is gold! Gleeson and McAdams shine as they meet, fall in love then have to start all over again. The relationship feels fresh and there is not a false word in the script. If there is a quibble it’s that the film seems to drag towards the end. But that’s certainly not enough of a reason not to head to the multiplex this week and take in one of the best films of the season.

 

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Film Review “Last Vegas”

Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline
Directed by: John Turtletaub
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 35 mins
CBS Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

1955. A fun time if you were a kid. We meet four of them: Billy, Paddy, Archie and Sam. Individually you might not notice them but together they formed a force called the “Flatbush Four!” 58 years later they get together celebrate the wedding of one of their own in Las Vegas. My how things have changed.

When your film boasts a cast that includes no less than (5) Oscar winners, and a Tony Award winner to boot, you’re off to a good start. Now grown up, news spreads that Billy (Douglas) has asked his MUCH younger girlfriend to marry him. That he popped the question while giving a eulogy at a friend’s funeral doesn’t seem to faze him. Archie (Kline) and Sam (Freeman) head to NYC to pick up Paddy (De Niro). Paddy’s wife has recently passed away. For reasons unknown Billy did not attend the funeral and Paddy is still angry with him. However, it isn’t every day that your 70-year old friend gets married for the first time. Soon the Flatbush Four are reunited in Sin City, where what happens there stays there.

I was trying to think if any other film had ever featured five Academy Award winners in major roles. All I could think of was 1972’s “The Poseidon Adventure,” though technically Gene Hackman won his Oscar (for “The French Connection”) during filming. “Last Vegas” boasts its four male leads and the still beautiful Mary Steenburgen as a lounge singer who catches both Paddy and Billy’s eye. Each character has a reason for being here. Billy, obviously, who’s the groom to be. Archie, who is afraid that he actually IS “old” – having previously had hip and knee replacement surgery can do that to a person. Sam, who since suffering a minor stroke some time ago is constantly babied by his caring but overbearing son. And Paddy, who needs this trip the most. He married his childhood sweetheart and after 50 years with one person it’s hard to adjust to something, and someone, new.

Each character is perfectly cast. These actors are masters at the tops of their game, with over 200 years of experience between them. And it is their experiences, both on and off screen, that allow them to deliver here. Whether they’re reminiscing about old times, judging a bikini contest with members of LMFAO or trying to pick up a Madonna-impersonator (Roger Bart, the Tony Award winner I told you about), the performances are true. Director Turtletaub, probably best known for his “National Treasure” films, keeps the story flowing smoothly while cinematographer David Hennings captures the bright lights and neon rainbows of Las Vegas.

 

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Win a copy of the animated “A Monsterous Holiday” DVD [ENDED]

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Just in time for Halloween, Media Mikes and ARC Entertainment are giving two lucky readers the chance to win a DVD of the new animated Halloween tale, “A Monsterous Holiday.” Featuring the voices of Brooke Shields, Jon Heder, Sean Astin, Matthew Lillard and Kyle Chandler the film follows the adventures of a young inventor named Andy who hopes to ask his neighbor to help him win an upcoming science fair. The neighbor is one Dr. Frankenstein. Finding the good doctor not at home Andy finds the next best thing: Frankenstein’s monster who, as luck would have it, is actually a teenager.

For a chance to win a copy of this new comedy just tell us below what your favorite costume was as a kid when you went trick or treating. Two random comments will be chosen on Sunday, November 3rd.

Good luck!

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Film Review “Sal”

Starring: Val Lauren and James Franco
Directed by: James Franco
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 43 mins
Tribeca Films

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“No, no, no, Sal Mineo, I would never stoop so low.”

The above line is from the song “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee” made popular in the Broadway musical, “Grease.” In the film version the line has been removed and replaced with one about Elvis. The reason? On February 12, 1976 Sal Mineo was stabbed to death and the lyrics were changed out of respect for a talent that left this world too soon. And it is that talent (and drive) that makes up the story of “Sal.”

We meet Sal Mineo (a mesmerizing Val Lauren) as he works out at the gym. Having just turned 37 Mineo presents himself as a man ten years younger. A quick lunch with his agent, who is brokering a film project Sal is involved in, and it’s off to rehearsal of a new play he is starring in. Though Sal doesn’t know it, this will be his last day on earth and he’s doing his best to make the most of it.

Filmed almost exclusively in close-ups on practically bare sets, “Sal” rides almost exclusively on the muscular shoulders of Lauren. It is a brilliant performance, with the young actor perfectly catching the tone and cadence of Mineo’s speech and demeanor. This is not simply an impersonation, this is an actor that has gone “all in” on a performance and doesn’t disappoint. At the time of his death, Mineo was starring in an Los Angeles-based production of the play, “P.S. Your Cat Is Dead” and parts of “Sal” eavesdrop on a rehearsal. We take the rehearsal in via the back of the head of the director (Franco), whose face we never see. What we do see is the pure pleasure that Mineo felt whenever he was performing. Though he was a two-time Academy Award nominee, Mineo’s star began to fade in the 1960s. His final film appearance put him behind a mask when he played Dr. Milo in “Escape From the Planet of the Apes.”

Technically the film is almost documentary in style. Director Franco’s use of close-ups, single cameras and long takes ensure that the only thing that will occupy the screen are the performances. As a tribute to its subject I wouldn’t want to see it any other way.

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Oscar Winner Hal Needham Passes Away at Age 82

As “Smokey and the Bandit” is easily in my top 10 of all time favorite films I would be remiss if I didn’t remember the film’s creator, Hal Needham. Needham, whose Hollywood career took him from stunt man to director to Academy Award honoree, died earlier this week after a short battle with cancer. He was 82.

A paratrooper during the Korean war, the Arkansas-born Needham relocated to Hollywood after the war where he found work as a stuntman. After being hired to be Richard Boone’s stunt-double on the television western “Have Gun, Will Travel,” Needham quickly worked his way up to becoming one of the most sought after stuntmen in the business. In the 60s he worked in such classic westerns as “How the West Was Won,” “Little Big Man” and “McClintock.” He became Burt Reynold’s stunt-double and the two struck up a friendship that would last a lifetime. When he wasn’t standing in for Reynolds, Needham helped modernize the profession, introducing such safety features as inflatable air bags.

After getting a taste of filmmaking as a second unit director, Needham wrote a script entitled “Smokey and the Bandit” and showed it to his pal, Reynolds. Reynolds liked it so much he used his clout to get it made with Needham behind the camera. Since it’s 1977 debut, “Smokey and the Bandit” has grossed over $300 million worldwide. Needham and Reynolds teamed up again for an inside look at the world of stuntmen with “Hooper.” Other Needham/Reynolds collaborations include “Cannonball Run” and it’s sequel as well as “Stroker Ace.” He also wrote and directed (4) “Bandit”-based television movies.

In 2012 he became the second stuntman, after Yakima Canutt, to receive an honorary Academy Award for his stunt pioneering and film career.

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DVD Review “Storm Rider”

Starring: Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson and C. Thomas Howell
Directed by: Craig Clyde
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins
Stone Five Studios
Release date: 10/22/2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Surrounded by her numerous championship ribbons, Dani (Danielle Chuchran) takes to the ring again astride her prize horse, Admiral. Soon she will add another ribbon to her collection. If only things at home were going as well. With her father (Howell) facing a lengthy prison term for his “business dealings,” her step-mother (Sam Sorbo) leaves home, taking her step-brother with her. Dad tries to make a deal but that causes him to lose everything…including Admiral. Dani is sent to live with her “Uncle Sam” (Kevin Sorbo), a man she has met exactly once. It’s not going to be a good summer.

Beautifully photographed, “Storm Rider” is one of those small “family” films that major studios don’t (or won’t) make anymore. It is also a story about adapting and learning to care for those around you, be they two legged or four. Dani is used to having everything and now finds herself living on a farm. It is only after Sam, a veterinarian, introduces her to a baby mule who was found huddled in some trees afraid of a storm that she begins to lighten up. Naming the creature “Stormy,” she begins to treat it as if it was the horse she had to give up. As always, there is a lesson to be learned.

The cast does an admirable job, bringing some light heartedness to a film with some pretty dark moments. Kevin Sorbo brings to mind Keith Carradine with his performance. Silent yet strong. Chuchran occasionally overplays the spoiled brat card but all in all her performance is solid. Sam Sorbo is icy as the former wife who is only looking out for herself. Halfway through the film she returns just to drop her son off – which is really surprising since Uncle Sam is her ex-husband’s brother. Swanson brings light to her scenes with Kevin Sorbo as a friend/love interest with the right advice.

High praise indeed for cinematographer Brandon Christensen whose camera captures the beautiful mountains and countryside featured in the film. Though sometimes a little dramatic, composer Russ Whitelock’s score sets a nice tone for the onscreen action.

“Storm Rider” is also now available on Video on Demand (VOD)

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Tiya Sircar talks about her role in “The Internship”

Texas-born actress Tiya Sircar is on a roll. After earning guest starring roles in such popular television shows as “House,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “NCIS” she graduated to film, co-starring alongside Zac Efron in “17 Again” and Justin Timberlake in “Friends With Benefits.” This past summer she shared the screen with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in the comedy hit, “The Internship.” To celebrate this week’s DVD/Blu-ray release of “The Internship” Tiya sat down with MediaMikes to talk about improvising with Vince Vaughn, her current role in the new show “Witches of East End” and obeying non-disclosure agreements.

Mike Smith: How did you come to be cast in “The Internship?” What drew you to the project?
Tiya Sircar: First of all, what drew me to the project was that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were in it. That made it pretty much a no-brainer for me (laughs). I’m a huge fan of each of them individually and when you put them together…I think “Wedding Crashers” is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Those two alone were exciting for me. But I also really loved the character. I thought it would be fun to get to play a really smart, confident and accomplished female character in a comedy full of a bunch of dudes so that was exciting to me as well.

MS: Vince Vaughn co-wrote the film and Owen Wilson is also an established writer. Were you encouraged to improvise on set or did you have to stick to the script?
TS: Oh no, not at all. We were allowed to improvise 100%…if we could come up with our own stuff we were encouraged to do so. Even when I first met Vince in an audition setting…I had five or six pages to do for my audition. I think we stuck to maybe one page and the rest came about through Vince’s brilliant comedic mind. Anytime you’re in an acting situation with either of those two you have to be very prepared for a lot of improv.

MS: You’re currently appearing in the new television series, “The Witches of East End.” Is this going to be a recurring role?
TS: It is. I play the love interest of one of the lead guys.

MS: What else are you working on?
TS: I’m actually working on two animated projects. One’s an animated series and one’s an animated feature. However, I’ve been sworn to secrecy on both of them! (laughs). I’d love to talk about them but I can’t, which I know doesn’t help you at all. But hopefully I’ll be able to talk about them soon. I’m also about to start an indie comedy called “Miss India America” and I’m playing the lead in it. It’s got a great cast and a very funny script. I’m really thrilled to have gotten the lead in this movie.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: internship, role, sircar, talks, tiya

Free Passes to Advance Kansas City Screenings of “Last Vegas” [ENDED]

Media Mikes has teamed with CBS Films to give our readers an advance peek at the upcoming comedy “Last Vegas.” The story of three men meeting up in Las Vegas to celebrate the upcoming marriage of their last remaining single friend, the film stars Academy Award winners Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline.

There are two screenings you can attend:

Monday, October 28
AMC Independence Commons 20
Independence, Missouri
7:00 p.m.
For passes to this screening, go to: http://l.gofobo.us/DGXQjwkY

Wednesday, October 30
AMC Studio 30
Olathe, Kansas
7:00 p.m.
For passes to this screening, go to: http://l.gofobo.us/YOvF01Zf

Enjoy the show!

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: advance, city, free, kansas, passes, screening, ...

Film Review “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa”

Starring: Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll
Directed by: Jeff Tremaine
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 32 mins
Paramount

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When you think of a film by the people behind “Jackass” what words come to mind? “Outrageous?” “Over the top?” “How in the hell did they do that?” Well their latest collaboration, “Bad Grandpa,” can certainly be described by those words. And don’t forget “Hilarious.” Heck, I’d even add “Even Touching.”

No, I’m not kidding.

We meet 86 year old Irving Zisman (Knoxville in some incredible make-up) shortly after his wife has passed away. To add to his bad news his daughter (Georgina Cates) informs him that she is heading back to prison. She asks her pop to please take her 8 year old son, Billy (Nicoll) from Nebraska to North Carolina to drop him off with his father. Irving is reluctant at first but, seeing she has no other choice, agrees. Thus begins the ultimate road trip.

Like “Borat” before it, “Bad Grandpa” is a hidden camera experiment taken to new heights. Knoxville is so skilled in his performance that he manages to convince anyone he encounters that he is a kindly old man who’s just having a string of bad luck. Be it an estate sale gone bad, a funeral service gone even worse or a night of drinking at a St. Louis bar featuring male dancers, director Tremaine’s cameras catch everyday people at their best (and, to be honest, most of the people do take a liking to gramps and Billy). I think it has something to do with respecting your elders. When in one scene Grandpa tries to ship Billy to North Carolina packed in a box at a local shipping store, the ladies assisting him go to great lengths to help him. EVEN AFTER THEY LEARN THERE IS A LITTLE BOY IN THE BOX!

What makes the film special are the moments between the “bits” — when Billy and Grandpa are alone, talking about fishing and the future. You almost forget you’re watching a seriously “R” rated comedy, so endearing are Knoxville and Nicoll. I’d love to see these two characters on screen again.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: bad, film, grandpa, jackass, presents, review, ...

Book Review “Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie – Revised Edition”

Written by: Tony Lee Moral
Hardcover: 283 pages
Release date: 2013
Rowman and Littlefield

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

It has been more than three decades since the great director Alfred Hitchcock died (April 29, 1980 to be precise). In that time his legend has grown to almost mythic status. Last year the master filmmaker was the subject of not one but two films: HBO’s “The Girl” and the feature film “Hitchcock,” which centered around the director, played by Anthony Hopkins, during the filming of “Psycho.” In 2002 author Tony Lee Moral released a book dealing with the director and his project after “The Birds,” the psychological thriller “Marnie.” This year Mr. Moral released a revised edition of the book and it is among the most in-depth and interesting “behind the scenes” books ever.

After the double-barreled success of “Psycho” and “The Birds,” Hitchcock set his sights on Winston Graham’s upcoming novel, “Marnie.” He envisioned it as a comeback vehicle for Grace Kelly, who had retired a few years earlier after marrying Prince Ranier of Monaco. However, the publicity surrounding Kelly’s comeback, plus the disapproval of the people of Monaco that their Princess would be playing such a character (Marnie is a thief) resulted in Kelly leaving the project.

In the fall of 1961, while watching “The Today Show” on television one morning, Hitchcock spotted a pretty blonde in a commercial for “Sego” and asked to meet with her. That actress was Tippi Hedren, who Hitchcock soon signed to a contract and cast in “The Birds.” Hitchcock often compared Hedren to Kelly in interviews and when Kelly became unavailable he offered the lead in “Marnie” to her. The rest is film history.

“Hitchcock and the Making of ‘Marnie'” is packed with the kind of inside information that film fans love. From the studios’ reservations about casting Sean Connery, who they were only familiar with from his appearances as James Bond to tidbits of Hitchcock’s directing shorthand (to add drama to a moment Hitchcock would tell his actors to give him “Dogs Feet” – – – Pawses (Pauses). It is inside info like this that gives the book life, so much so that you feel you are personally involved in the production.

An entertaining read from start to finish, I highly recommend “Hitchcock and the Making of ‘Marnie'” to any film fan curious in the art of motion picture making.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, edition, hitchcock, making, marnie, review, ...

Film Review “Carrie (2013)”

Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore
Directed by: Kimberly Peirce
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
MGM

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

November 3, 1976. A date I remember for one reason. This was my first night working as a movie theatre usher at the Twin Bays 4 in Tampa. It was also opening night for a new film called “Carrie.” The date sticks in my head because, at the end of the first evening show, during the “shock” ending, a woman in an aisle seat had a heart attack and fell out of her chair into the aisle. At least we all thought it was a heart attack. She left via ambulance and was apparently ok but still….. Almost four decades later director Kimberly Peirce and company have conspired to destroy a great memory of mine with their unnecessary and not welcome remake of “Carrie.”

We meet Margaret White (Moore) as she lay in a blood stained bed, cursing the cancer in her body that she thinks is killing her. Apparently Margaret never took health in school because she is soon joined by a beautiful baby girl. Hell bent on killing the newborn Margaret hovers over the child with a pair of scissors. But at the last moment she decides to keep the baby and give her a loving home. Yeah, right.

Now 18 we find the now grown up Carrie White (Moretz) in gym class playing water volleyball. It’s obvious she doesn’t want to participate but she makes the effort. When a ball splashes in front of her she is teased by Chris Hargensen (Portia Doubleday) and some of the other “cool” girls. Afterwards, as she showers alone, she notices blood on her body. Unaware that she is having her monthly period (apparently none of the women in the White family went to health class) she believes she is hurt and begs the other girls for help. In reply they began to throw tampons at her, urging her to “plug it up!” To make matters worse, Chris films the horrific moment on her cell phone. A typical day in the life of Carrie White.

Where to start? I dislike reviewing “remakes” because often the good feelings I have toward the original film seep into my thoughts about the new version. Not the case here. When I left the theatre after this remake it only made me appreciate the original film more. In fact, I wanted to punch everyone involved with the making of this one. In the 1976 version Carrie is a shy, timid girl unaware that she has been granted the power of telekinesis. Here she not only becomes aware of her powers but works hard to hone them. When Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) one of the girls who mocked her in gym class, begins to feel bad about her actions she encourages her boyfriend, Tommy Ross (Ansel Elgort) to ask Carrie to the prom instead of her. Tommy is reluctant but eventually agrees. After all, it’s the prom. What could go wrong?

Poorly directed with no sense of pace or, for that matter, atmosphere, “Carrie” is probably one of the worse films I’ve ever seen that has “A” list talent both in front of and behind the camera. Moore plays Margaret White like a just escaped lunatic who spends her free time listening to hymns and cutting herself. How this woman was ever allowed to keep a baby, let alone raise her, is utterly amazing. Moretz is also all over the place. Is she the sad and frightened victim or the cunningly shrewd mastermind of what turns out to be one hell of a prom? We don’t know or at least we’re not sure until the film ends, but I think the term finding busy work applies. Mama White is, of course, not pleased with Carrie’s sassiness, praying that God will come and end her daughter’s “wickedness.” I was doing the same thing praying for the end of the film. Both leads try hard but compared to 1976 stars Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie, they pale in comparison. Both Spacek and Laurie were Oscar nominated for their work. To tell you who hard an achievement that is for a horror film, it would be another 20 years before Sigourney Weaver was nominated for “Aliens.” With the exception of Elgort, the rest of the teen cast helps bring the film down more. Besides Carrie and Mama, Tommy is the only fleshed out character in the film. I don’t know what movie Doubleday thought she was making but it sure wasn’t a horror film. There is no menace in her performance. There is no emotion whatsoever. She could be reading the phone book. In Stephen King’s novel the story is told through the words of Sue Snell but here Sue is an almost forgotten character.

As for Carrie’s powers, they run the gambit from being able to move books to, I’m guessing, heat vision. She can also make herself fly. And she breaks a lot of mirrors. Director Peirce seems to have a fixation with glass here. Especially showing, in slow motion, an unfortunate actors face making contact with it, be it a door or a windshield. By the end of the film, when a pigs blood drenched Carrie began ambling down the street like she just walked off the set of “Michael Jackson’s Thriller” video, I let out a loud sigh and checked my watch for the tenth time.

Kimberly Peirce guided Hilary Swank to her first Oscar with her directorial debut “Boys Don’t Cry.” Her follow up, “Stop Loss,” was one of my favorite films of 2008. Sadly the third time is not the charm. The film plays like a blood soaked version of “The Breakfast Club.” Or “Sixteen Candles.” Or any other teen angst movie. I expected more from her, as I did the stars. I have faith that all three ladies will bounce back from this debacle. I hope it’s soon.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 2013, carrie, film, review
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