This week is the premiere of Episode 4 of Trophy Heads exclusively on FullMoonStreaming, which means anyone can watch episode 1, 2, 3, 4 with our limited free trial. And this episode is one of the best! With cameos by classic alumni Stuart Gordon, Robin Sydney, Jessica Morris, Amy Paffrath, Jean Louise O’Sullivan, and starring Denice Duff and Jacqueline Lovell playing themselves!
Starring: Billy Campbell, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jordan Hayes, Neil Napier, Luciana Carro, Patrick Baby
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 550 minutes
Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
A few years ago, I would be all over anything that Syfy has delivered up but recently that has changed, especially after “Defiance”. “Helix” though is a great new show that is simple and yet not showy but still quite a wild ride. After the disaster of “Defiance”, I appreciated how they turned down the visual “wow” and focused on a good story with a strong character driven cast. With “Helix”, I literally loved each episode and couldn’t wait to see the next! It takes a little while to get started but once it does …watch out! Can’t wait for Season 2 coming in 2015!
Official Premise: Helix is an intense thriller about a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control who travel to a high-tech research facility in the Arctic to investigate a possible disease outbreak, only to find themselves pulled into a terrifying life-and-death struggle that holds the key to mankind’s salvation or total annihilation.
Sony is releasing this show as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The first season’s 13 episodes are spread out over the 3-disc Blu-ray set. The 1080p transfers work great for the show. The show doesn’t have a ton of visual effects but it still looks great and quite sharp. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround, which works for the shows action and gives out clear dialogue.
The special features are also very impressive for this release. There are two Blu-ray exclusives including “Fabricating the Plague”, which gives a look into the virus in various stages. “Writing the Tension” takes us into the process of writing this series. There are two commentary tracks included. The first is on the Pilot with Billy Campbell and Cameron Porsandeh. The second is on “Dans L’Ombre” with Billy Campbell and Steven Maeda.
There are four production featurettes included. “Ronald D. Moore: The Outlier of Science Fiction” is a feature on developing this series. “The Future of Disease” is a look into the mysterious disease of Helix. “The Art of Isolation” takes on a tour of the set with the Production Designer. The last one is “Dissecting the Characters” which is a study of the show’s characters and relationships. Lastly there are Deleted Scenes and Outtakes included.
Starring: Regina King, John Witherspoon, Jill Talley, Gary Anthony Williams, Gabby Soleil, Cedric Yarbrough
Studio Name: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Rating: Not Rated
Run Time: 225 minutes
Season: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
A few years ago, I used to watch every single thing that Adult Swim put out…except “The Boondocks”. The show was based on Aaron McGruder’s comic strip, which I always skipped over and never connected with the show either. I do have to give the show credit since it is quite smart and definitely politically incorrect and filled with satirical in-your-face humor. This fourth season is also the last season and also the first that was produced without the involvement of series creator Aaron McGruder.
Official Premise: At long last, “The Boondocks” is back in the uncut, uncensored, unpredictable final season of the controversial, award-winning animated series. Granddad, Huey, and Riley find themselves neck deep in all new kinds of trouble as money woes lead to desperate measures. From breaking bad in an RV chem-lab to senior citizen streetfights, times have never been wilder in the sleepy suburbs of Woodcrest.
The show did have a great voice cast including Regina King (TV’s “Southland”), John Witherspoon (“Friday”), Cedric Yarbrough (TV’s “Reno 911!”), Gary Anthony Williams (TV’s “Raising Hope”), Jill Talley (TV’s “Adventure Time”) and Gabby Soleil (TV’s “Cold Case”). This season also includes guest stars like Michael B. Jordan (“Chronicle”), Dennis Haysbert (TV’s “24”) and Edward Asner (TV’s “Lou Grant”).
When it comes to special features, this season does not deliver much either. If anything, I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks for sure. There are two featurettes includes, the first is “Boondocks Beats”, which look into music for the series. the only other extras is “A Writer’s Perspective”, which features Rodney Barnes talking about his inspiration when writing for the series. If you love this show and don’t have the previous three seasons, I would pick up “The Complete Series” which was also released today.
Starring: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Mimi Rogers, Kris Lemche, Jesse Moss, Peter Keleghan
Director: John Fawcett
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 108 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
It is crazy to think that next year “Ginger Snaps” will be celebrating it’s 15th anniversary. I remember it came out when I was working at a video store and I remember purchasing it for the store after falling in love with it. I used to push it at every horror fan that walked in the store. The film features some great gore and pretty awesome visual effects and a refreshing original spin on the werewolf genre. It also introduced us to Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle, who has been recently taking off the horror genre with gems like “American Mary”. If you never happened to catch this film, now is the time to do it for sure and horror hounds, this is a must purchase.
Official Premise: Fifteen-year-old Brigitte Fitzgerald (Emily Perkins) and her nearly-sixteen-year-old sister Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) are both best friends and outcasts. Obsessed with dying and bound by a childhood pact to stay together forever, they loathe their mind-numbing existence in the suburbs of Bailey Downs. One night the two girls are heading through the woods when Ginger is savagely attacked by a wild creature. Ginger’s horrible wounds miraculously heal over, but something is not quite right about her. Ginger is irritable and in denial. But to Brigitte, it is obvious that a terrifying force has taken hold of her sister. She’s convinced that the insatiable craving her sister is experiencing can mean only one thing: Ginger is becoming something unspeakably evil and monstrous.
Shout! Factory is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD. I would love to see them get into the HD Digital Copy world soon, since this is a film that I would love to have in my Ultraviolet account. There is a nice slipcase included as well as a reversible cover. The 1080p transfer looks fantastic from the gore to the transformation scenes. I really enjoyed it. Same goes with the DTS-HD Master Audio track. It really sounds great film’s music and score by Michael Shields.
The special features are a real winner and makes this release a must have for the extras alone. There are brand new interviews with director John Fawcett, writer Karen Walton, actors Emily Perkins and Jesse Moss, Producer Steve Hoban, Make-up Effects artist Paul Jones, Composer Mike Shields and Editor Brett Sullivan. If that isn’t enough new content, there is also a new panel discussion, “Women in Horror”. I really enjoyed this and any fan of the series, should definitely check it out.
There are two audio commentary tracks included. First with Director John Fawcett and also second with Writer Karen Walton. Those two also join together to give optional commentary on a few Deleted Scenes. There are three Vintage Featurette including “The Making of Ginger Snaps”, “Creation of the Beast” and “Being John Fawcett”. Lastly there are Cast Auditions and Rehearsals, Theatrical Trailers/TV Spots and a Production Design Artwork Photo Gallery included.
Starring: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Director: Frank Pavich
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes
Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
If you are not familiar with Alejandro Jodorowsky by name, he is the mastermind behind classic midnight movies like “El Topo” and “The Holy Mountain”. His films have gained cult status over the years and he is also responsible for a slew of amazing comic books as well. Back in the 70’s, Jodorowsky was attempting to tackle his biggest project yet, a feature film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s futuristic best-seller, ”Dune”. Director Frank Pavich finally uncovers stories and goes behind-the-scenes into the saga of The Greatest Science Fiction Movie Never Made. Included are interviews with H.R. Giger (artist, Alien), Gary Kurtz (producer, Star Wars: Episodes IV and V) and Nicholas Winding Refn (director, Drive) and of course, Jodorowsky himself, who gives such a personal interview. Easily one of the best documentaries that I have seen in the last few years. A must watch!
Official Premise :In 1975, director Alejandro Jodorowsky began work on his most ambitious project yet. Starring his own 12-year-old son alongside Orson Welles, Mick Jagger, David Carradine and Salvador Dalí, featuring music by Pink Floyd and art by some of the most provocative talents of the era, including H.R. Giger and Jean “Moebius” Giraud, Jodorowsky’s adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel DUNE was poised to change cinema forever.
In this documentary, Jodorowsky gave director Frank Pavich access to his production materials on this failed project, including the legendary hard-bound book with was the entire film laid out in story boards. Just being allowed a peak in this film is worth watching alone. Pavich also got a chance to animated a few of these story boards, so we get a chance to see maybe what some of the film would have actually looked like. I would have loved to seen this film come to fruition since it would have been amazing. Jodorowsky is a very interesting and quite deep director and above all man. This film was the winner of the Audience Award and Best Documentary at the 2013 Fantastic Fest and if you are a Sci-Fi fan you need to see this film for sure.
Sony is delivering this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD. I would have loved it if they included a Ultraviolet HD digital copy as well. The 1080p transfer is fantastic. I know it might not seem like a big deal because it is a documentary but there is tons of great footage and animation included that looks so good. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also works well with composer Kurt Stenzel score, which I absolutely love! In terms of special features, there is only one extra included but it is quite the whopper. There are over 45 minutes of deleted scenes included. One of my only complaint of this film was when it ended, I wanted it to be like an hour longer…and here is the extras footage I was asking for. A must watch again!
Starring: Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Betty White, Brendan Gleeson, David lewis
Director: Steve Miner
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 82 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
When you see a film like “Lake Placid”, you think it’s just another killer animal flick…but this was much more. It was written by the incredible talented David E. Kelley (“Ally Mcbeal”, “Boston Legal”) and was directed by horror legend Steve Miner (“Halloween H20”, “Friday The 13th Part 2”). It also packs great cast including Bill Pullman (“Independence Day”), Bridget Fonda (“Jackie Brown”), Brendan Gleeson (“In Bruges”) and Oliver Platt (“X-Men: First Class”). It is crazy to think that this film is already 15 years old but that is the case but the film is still as good as it was the first time I saw it. The visual effects are still solid and the croc is still damn scary. If you happened to miss till film till now, pick it up!
Official Premise: When a man is eaten alive by a mysterious creature in the beautiful Lake Placid area of New England, New York scientist Kelly Scott (Fonda) arrives to investigate and, examining the evidence, soon confirms that the creature is a giant crocodile. Teaming up with local game warden Jack Wells (Pullman) she uses state-of-the-art equipment to attempt to track down and capture the huge beast. But when they finally encounter their prey, it seems determined to give them a run for their money.
The 1080p transfer is good and work well with the crocodile effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds good as well, especially with John Ottman’s score. The special features are a hit as well. Shout! really delivered some great NEW content. “The Making of Lake Placid” features new interviews with director Steve Miner, actor Bill Pullman, director of photography Daryn Okada, editor Marshall Harvey, Production Designer John Willett, Effects supervisor Nick Marra and Puppeteer Toby Lindala. There are also a Vintage Featurette featuring interviews with actors Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Brendon Gleason, Bette White and director Steve Miner. There is also some great Animatronic Croc Test Footage, Behind the Scenes Still Gallery and TV Spots and a Theatrical Trailer are included.
Actors: Gerard Kennedy, John Jarratt, Ryan Corr, Philippe Klaus
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Image Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 106 minutes
Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
Maybe I am getting old but torture films really don’t do it for me anymore. “Wolf Creek” was a 2005 Australian horror film that has collected a bit of a cult classic. I saw it once and completely forgot about it, to be honest. I wasn’t really expecting or hoping for a sequel. Well, either way here it is and it is more brutal and violent that the first film, but like I said that doesn’t necessarily mean a good thing. I could be losing my taste for the unnecessary “violent” gore, violent being the key word. John Jarratt does play a good baddie though with the infamous local killer Mick Taylor. I just personally would have left this as the one film.
Official Premise: Lured by the promise of an Australian holiday, exchange student Paul visits the notorious Wolf Creek Crater. His dream Outback adventure soon becomes a horrific reality when he encounters the site’s most infamous local, Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). When Paul attempts to flee, Mick pursues him across a hostile wasteland and eventually drags him back to his underground lair. After seeing the true magnitude of Mick’s monstrosity, Paul’s only hope of surviving, where no one has before, will be to use every ounce of cunning to outwit the man behind the monster.
Image is releasing this film as a Blu-ray combo pack with a DVD also included. The 1080p transfer is actually quite impressive. I loved the way the film was shot and it was quite gritty yet also sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also worked well with the action and bone-breaking violence (if you like that short of thing). In terms of special features, there is only two quick extras included. “Creating a Monster: The Making of Wolf Creek 2” is a look behind-the-scenes into the making of the film. Lastly there is a few deleted scenes included under “Butcher’s Cut”.
Actors/Directors: Derek Lee, Clif Prowse
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 86 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
“Afflicted” is the latest found-footage horror film from newbie directors Cliff Prowse and Derek Lee. This film took home awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (Horror Feature category) at the 2013 FantasticFest, as well as many other festivals. I liked it enough and it was pretty clever but I just feel like I am getting a bit tired of the whole found-footage genre. Just seems like every young director is taking that route and it feels over saturated no matter how original this film is.
Official Premise: This terrifying horror thriller follows two best friends who set out on the trip of a lifetime around the world. Their journey, documented every step of the way, soon takes a dark and unexpected turn after an encounter with a beautiful woman in Paris leaves one of them mysteriously afflicted.
Since this is a found footage film, it has that shot on high-def handheld feel. Nothing special audio or video. The special features included on the Blu-ray are nothing to scream about either. There are some never-before-seen deleted scenes and two featurettes. The first is “Afflicted: Behind the Scenes”, which takes you on the set of the film and into the making of the film. The other is “Anatomy of a Scene: The Window Jump”, which looks into the mix of practical stunt work and visual effects used to film this action sequence.
Starring: Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, J.B. Smoove, Clifton Powell
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Rated TV-MA
Running Time: 264 minutes
Release: Jul 15, 2014
Season: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
“Black Dynamite” is an animated series based on the 2009’s cult classic feature film. Made with the direction of Carl Jones (“The Boondocks”), the series features the voice talent of Michael Jai White (“The Dark Knight”), Tommy Davidson (“In Living Color”), Kym Whitley (“The Cleveland Show”) and Byron Minns (“Mongo Wrestling Alliance”), all who were all in the film. I was excited about this show being a fan of the movie but it gets old very fast. By episode three, the fad of this being funny is long gone. This show hasn’t aired since September 2012 and yet Adult Swim supposedly has renewed it for a second season it air sometime in 2014, but it is already nearly July so not sure what is going on, nor do I really care to be honest. Put it this way if you like “The Boondocks”, which I do not, then you will love this show.
Official Premise: The series’ titular character Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a 1970s renaissance man with a kung-fu grip. He is a lover and a fighter who is not afraid to leap before he looks. His sidekick extraordinaire is Bullhorn, the brains and cunning that complements Black Dynamite’s hard-hittin’, bone-crushin’ style. Providing comic relief on the mean streets is Cream Corn (Tommy Davidson) and classing up the place is the gorgeous Honey Bee (Kym Whitley).
What I do have to give to this show is a star for a it’s great episode titles: 1. “Just Beat It or Jackson Five Across Yo’ Eyes”; 2. “Bullhorn Nights or Murder She Throats (a.k.a Mandingo’s Got a Pink Toe)”; 3. “Taxes and Death or Get Him to the Sunset Strip!”; 4. “A Crisis at Christmas or The Dark Side of the Dark Side of the Moon”; 5. “Panic on the Player’s Ball Express or That’s Influenza Sucka!”; 6. “The $#*! That Killed The King or Weekend At Presley’s”; 7. “Apocalypse, This! or For the Pity of Fools (AKA Flashbacks Are Forever)”; 8. “Honky Kong or White Apes Can’t Hump”; 9. “The Race War or Big Black Cannon, Balls Run!”; “10. Seed of Kurtis AKA Father Is Just Another Word For Motherf#@ker”
Warner Bros is delivered this release as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer works with the animation and looks good. But The Cartoon Network/Adult Swim Blu-ray’s always fall short in the audio department. This season only comes with a Dolby Digtal 5.1 track, which is a DVD track not a Blu-ray track. So that is a bit of a let down. In terms of special features, there is some decent content. There is a behind-the-scenes look into this show with “The Making of Black Dynamite”. There are also video commentaries with the cast and crew on selected episodes, which made watching them a little easier but not much. Lastly also included is the pilot episode for “Black Dynamite”.
Actors: Anthony Chan, Richard Ng, Chin Siu-Ho, Kara Wai, Nina Paw
Directors: Juno Mak
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 105 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars
I love J-horror or Japanese horror films…or at least I think I do. The last few I have watched haven’t been bad but freaking terrible including “Tormented”, “Sadako” etc. “Rigor Mortis” has a really cool poster so it won me over (and I don’t mean this cover art for the Blu-ray, that is a failure). So with this film, I obviously went in with a bad attitude but I was pleasantly surprised. The story had its moments were it was awesome and at the same time super confusing. The visual effects also range from great to absolutely terrible. Either way this was a big improvement over the last few and worth checking out.
Official Premise: In this eerie and chilling, contemporary, action/special effects laden homage to the classic Chinese vampire movies of the 1980 s, writer-director-producer, Juno Mak makes his feature directorial debut. Co-produced by J-Horror icon Takashi Shimizu, and reuniting some of the original cast members of the classic Mr. Vampire series, RIGOR MORTIS is set in a creepy and moody Hong Kong public housing tower whose occupants we soon discover, run the gamut from the living to the dead, to the undead, along with ghosts, vampires and zombies.
I don’t know what is going on with horror recently but they just isn’t scary anymore. Films like “Ju-on” and “The Ring” are scary, this isn’t scary at all. This was even co-produced by Takashi Shimizu, who directed “Ju-on”, but even he has fallen far his J-horror seat. The 1080p transfer looks good and works with the visual effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds good enough with the eerie score, I just left that it missed the mark with the scares. Lastly there are no special features included besides a trailer.
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I’m sure it sounded easy for Joseph Russo. Cast in his first major feature film role, the actor portrays a name familiar to movie fans all over the world: Joe Pesci. That’s right, long before he was asking how funny we thought he was (and winning an Oscar to boot), Joe Pesci was a New Jersey boy who dreamed of being a singer (he actually released an album in 1968, “Little Joe Sure Can Sing,” billed as “Joe Ritchie.”
Joey Russo has worked a lot since his debut in 2010, appearing in such television shows as “Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Parks and Recreation.” He even has a little “Jersey” on his resume’, starring in 2012’s television film “Jersey Shore Shark Attack.” This week he opens in “Jersey Boys,” director Clint Eastwood’s film version of the Tony-award winning Broadway hit. While promoting the film Russo sat down with me and talked about…..
Mike Smith: How did you get involved in “Jersey Boys?”
Joseph Russo: I got a phone call from my manager saying they were looking for an actor to play a young Joe Pesci. I went in and read for the casting director. Then I started to hear that I was on Clint’s short list…then I was on top of his short list….then I was his choice….and I found out a few weeks later that the part was actually mine.
MS: Did you know before you went in to read for the part that Joe Pesci had a musical background?
JR: Once I got the audition I did some research because I had no clue how he was attached to this story. Once I got word that I was seriously being considered for the role I really took the opportunity to piece together a time-line of his life from then until now to really understand how he was a part of that group.
MS: Playing a real-life person, especially someone as well known as Joe Pesci….did you have to reign in your performance at all so that you weren’t doing a caricature? I did notice in one scene you ask “Funny how?” about something and then in another you do a “ok, ok, ok” riff.
JR: I’m so glad you picked up on that. My main thing was that I didn’t want to make him a caricature. That was my goal when I went in to audition. Should I change my voice or not? I didn’t see the Broadway musical because I wanted to create something that was totally my own. I wanted to make him a real guy and at the same time earn the right to play a character like Joe Pesci. What I wanted to do was sprinkle a little Pesci-isms in each of my scenes. Show a little “Casino.” Show a little “Goodfellas.” Show a little Leo Getz (the “Lethal Weapon” series). I wanted to find a way to portray Joe Pesci from age 16 to 26. Because really, the first time the public saw him in “Raging Bull” he was close to 40. So I came up with the idea that everything Joe Pesci has done as an actor in his later life was drawn from something that was inside him when he was younger. Maybe at one time he did say “ok, ok, ok.” Maybe he did ask “I’m funny how.” I wanted to pay homage to a real guy. That was my main focus…paying homage.
MS: Once you got the role were you able to seek Joe Pesci out and maybe get some insight into his life and experiences back then?
JR: Once I got the role I immediately tried to get in touch with him. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to. My next avenue was to call up Tommy Devito. (NOTE: Devito was one of the founding members of the Four Seasons and, according to “Jersey Boys,” now works for Joe Pesci. Ironically, Tommy Devito is also the name of the character that Pesci plays in “Goodfellas”). I talked to Tommy and he gave me a lot of insight into how Joe was back then. He was a clown, always joking around and making everybody laugh. I also worked hand in hand with my acting coach and mentor, Jocelyn Jones, and she really, really helped walk my way through finding out who this guy was in this time period….what was going on in society during this time period…and coming up with my own guy based on that. It was really great. Jocelyn was phenomenal in helping to walk me through that.
MS: Did Clint give you a lot of lee-way with your performance?
JR: Yes, that was the great thing about it. I really didn’t know what to expect. I felt that I had won the right to do this role. I had done all of the prep work. The hours and hours of research, prep work and rehearsal. I knew I had won this right but then again, when I showed up on set, I was a little nervous because I didn’t know if he would let me play it as I wanted to play it. And he did. More so, really. He really let me take the role and make it my own. Even the day when I said “Funny, how?” I just threw that in there. We were rehearsing the scene and I thought how great it would be if Clint started laughing because we came up with that. We were shooting the master shot for the scene and I said “Funny how?” and the script supervisor said “I don’t see where that is in the script.” The camera operator told him “you’re not gonna find it in the script.” We all look at Clint and he smiles and says, “that’s genius!” He let us know we could run with our performances. If he felt something wasn’t right he would tell us. It was a great collaboration on set. It was nice to have that freedom.
Starring: Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson
Directed by: David Michod
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 42 mins
A24
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
The Rover is best described by these words: bleak, gritty, dirty, sweaty, fly-covered, raw and terrific. Imagine if David Lynch re-wrote Dude, Where’s My Car?, and then teamed up with Darren Aronofsky to shoot it, choosing the Australian outback as their setting. That is what The Rover felt like to me.
I’ve always enjoyed the work of Guy Pearce, and I’ve never not liked Robert Pattinson; even with those sparkly-vampire flicks he was in. Pearce and Pattinson both turn in muted but daring performances. The story begins ten years after what is referred to as “the collapse”. The main character Eric (Pearce) stops off in a small, dilapidated town to get a drink; leaving his car parked outside. Speeding by in the opposite direction three men crash in their SUV and proceed to steals Eric’s car and continue on. Eric begins his pursuit to retrieve his car. And that is the entire premise for the movie. It is compelling and quite amazing.
Pattinson’s character, Rey, was originally part of the crew that stole Eric’s car, but was left for dead a few towns over. Rey eventually regains consciousness and travels to reunite with his counterparts. What follows is a series of bizarre encounters and starkly-beautiful scenery and locales. The pacing and structure of this movie is unlike anything an American filmmaker would do. A large majority of the action scenes were achieved in a very subdued and non-cinematic way. Shoot-outs are not done with several quick cuts, but in long takes with most of the action happening off-screen. Very daring, but also very effective.
This story isn’t told by elaborate camera-work or heavy exposition; it all lies within the performances of the characters. Each character, both Rey and Eric, have a motivation, and a dedication; even though we don’t discover what they are until the end — if at all. Pearce’s performance is superb. He is able to make the audience like him, and root for him, even though he is absolutely cold-blooded. At the same time, Pattinson creates a character unlike any that I have seen him do before. Rey, is a bit dim, or a “half-wit” as he is called. And while also being ruthless and cold, there is a strange warmth to him, that makes you want to see him succeed as well.
This film never gives any hints as to what is coming next in the story. It is nothing more than a series of unfortunate and bloody events. The Rover does not condescend to its audience and explain everything to you; while concurrently it is not trying to be clever and keep things a ambiguous. It asks you to tag along on a journey and promises to show you something you haven’t seen; while also giving you a clear feeling that if you don’t enjoy the adventure, the film could care less. The Rover is a great example of filmmaking that says you can be deep without having to be elaborate. I would be extremely surprised if this film receives a major release and does great business, since it’s too raw for most audiences; but it is fantastic. It is worth watching just for the performances. A pure example of great acting.
Starring: John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza and Christopher Walken
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 14 mins
Warner Brothers
Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Ah, the 1950s. If you were Italian and lived in New Jersey you had two photos framed and hung on your wall: Pope Pius XII and Frank Sinatra. No telling who had more power…the Pontiff or the Chairman of the Board. We are introduced to a little band called the Variety Trio. Fronted by Tommy Devito (Piazza), his brother Nick and their friend, Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda), the boys do all right but are searching for just the right sound. Enter their friend Frankie Castelluccio, whose amazing voice fits the sound Tommy is looking for. When a friend of Frankie’s by the name of Joe Pesci (yes, THAT one, played well by Joseph Russo) introduces the group to his songwriting friend Bob Gaudio (Eric Berghen) things begin to take off. Now a foursome, the group adopt the name the Four Seasons and the rest, as they say, is rock and roll!
Directed by Clint Eastwood, “Jersey Boys” is a behind-the-scenes story of epic proportions. Even long-time fans of the group will be surprised to learn the obstacles that needed to be overcome for these four young men to reach the top of the charts. Eastwood has wisely kept the basic premise of the stage show, allowing each member of the group to act as their own “Greek chorus,” breaking the fourth wall and narrating the story as it progresses.
Young, who won a Tony award for his portrayal of Valli in the original Broadway production, hits all the right notes here, both dramatically and musically. He is strongly backed up by Lomenda and Berghen, who both appeared in touring productions of the show, and Piazza, whose bad boy Tommy has a good heart…and a bad problem with money. Walken has fun as Gyp Decarlo, the local mobster whose encouragement and support of Frankie and the boys extends to the underworld.
Though Eastwood keeps the story flowing, the film does have an occasional slow spot. I remember checking my watch 2 hours in and commenting to my wife “wow…he’s got at least four hits they haven’t mentioned yet.” However, as if Clint sensed my fidgeting, the film wrapped up nicely 15 minutes later.
Born in Italy, Lou Volpe moved to America with his family when he was still a young boy. He made his feature film debut in 1987 and has worked frequently in both film and television since then. An accomplished filmmaker in his own right, Volpe has written and directed two feature films: “Divorced White Male” and “Every Secret Thing.” This week he will be seen as Anthony Castelluccio, the father of singer Frankie Valli, in Clint Eastwood’s film version of the Tony-award winning Broadway hit “Jersey Boys.” While promoting the film Mr. Volpe took the time to talk with me about his role in the film, his work and sharing a joke with his director.
Mike Smith: How did you come to be cast in “Jersey Boys.”
Lou Volpe: I auditioned (laughs). Me and several other guys. A few weeks later my agent called me and told me I had the part.
MS: Wow! That’s an easy story!
LV: (laughs) It’s not usually like that. But when I go to audition I try to do the best that I can do and this time I did all right.
MS: Were you able to speak at all with Frankie Valli about his father? Maybe try to pick up some little quirks or qualities of his?
LV: No. Unfortunately Frankie wasn’t on set during the time I did my scenes. I did do my own research…I looked into some of Frankie’s biographies and found out the kind of man his father was…what he did for a living (he was a barber)…that kind of stuff.
MS: You’re also a filmmaker. How does Clint run his set in comparison to yourself or other directors you’ve worked for?
LV: Clint was great. He’s really a very nice guy and really easy to work with….work for. He pretty much lets you do your own thing. He may give you a few suggestions but mostly he lets you do your own thing. He’s very easy to work with. Most of the time he doesn’t even call “action.” He just says, “OK, go ahead.” We had fun. When I was on the set, because he knew I spoke Italian and he had, of course, done many films with Sergio Leone’, instead of calling “action” he would call “Actione’” in Italian. Of course then he’d crack up…then I’d crack up. He’s really a nice, funny guy.
MS: As I mentioned earlier, you’re also a filmmaker…you’ve written and directed a couple of feature films yourself. Do you have anything coming up?
LV: I’ve just written a pilot that is getting some interest. And I’ve just auditioned for a film…it’s the lead role…that I hope will come through
