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Who doesn’t love “Star Wars”? One of the best ideas of the year was to blend the world of “Star Wars” with the words of William Shakespeare. Thanks to author Ian Doescher. Media Mikes would like to giveaway a copy of the book. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite character from the franchise. Check some of the great one-liners below or be creative or choose others since there are tons. This giveaway will remain open until October 4th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all fans of Media Mikes in US and Canada only! One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ’Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearstome Stormtroopers, signifying…pretty much everything. Reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter—and complete with twenty gorgeous Elizabethan illustrations–William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will astound and edify Rebels and Imperials alike. Zounds! This is the book you’re looking for.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano
Directed by: Denis Villenueve
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 23 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Keller Dover (Jackman) is a hard working family man. He does his best to provide for his family: wife Grace (Maria Bello), son Ralph (Dylan Minnette) and young daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich). He does his best to protect his family as any father would. This Thanksgiving they are visiting their neighbors, Franklin and Nancy Birch (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis), and their children. Anna and little Joy Birch (Kyla Drew Simmons) ask if they can go to the Dover home. Keller tells them to make sure they take one of the older kids with them. Lesson one, kids: always listen to your parents.

Directed with the skill of a master, “Prisoners” is the best thriller to come down the pike in a decade. The credit here is three way. First, an almost flawless first time original screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski, whose only other writing credit was for his adaptation of the Icelandic film that became the Mark Wahlberg hit “Contraband.” Second, the outstanding direction of Canadian filmmaker Villenueve. Villenueve, an Academy Award and BAFTA nominee for his 2011 film “Incendies,” delivers one of the greatest Hollywood debuts I can remember in recent history. Thirdly, a cast of past Oscar nominees and winners that deliver some of the best work of their careers.

Jackman, an Oscar nominee last year for “Les Miserables,” digs deep into the darkest portion of his soul in order to give Keller both the rage that you fear and compassion that you admire. When the police arrest, and then release, a man they suspect of the crime (Paul Dano), Keller and Franklin abduct him and keep him prisoner, beating the hell out of him in the hopes that he’ll tell them where the girls are. On the side of law and order is detective Loki (Gyllenhaal), a man with obvious demons of his own. His neck covered in a tattoo that resembles a badge and his face a non-stop series of tics, Gyllenhaal gives the performance of a career here. He and Jackman are matched by Dano (“There Will Be Blood”) as a quiet kid that may or may not know the girls whereabouts. As the neighbors who are also mourning the disappearance of a child, former Oscar nominees Howard and Davis display a quiet dignity that you would expect from a couple under those circumstances. As the hunt for the girls continue Keller becomes less and less patient with his captive, doing whatever he feels is necessary to get the answers he requires.

Villenueve crafts and molds the story into a thing of beauty. His pacing is brilliant, giving the audience just enough clues to keep them guessing at every twist and turn. Is Dano the man responsible? Or is he just the type of misunderstood, quiet young man whose very reluctance to speak paints him with the brush of guilt? You’ll have to see the movie and learn those answers for yourself?

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Directed by: Jeff Renfroe
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Kevin Zegers
Studio: RLJ Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 93 minutes

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

When I saw the poster for “The Colony”, I figured it looks like a low-budget rip-off of “The Thing”. I saw the pretty impressive cast including Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”) and Bill Paxton (“Aliens”), which was enough to sell me. The film started off pretty good but ended up becoming quite a mess around half way mark. The visual effects are pretty decent creating this frozen world. I found myself yawning until the final act, which for me never paid off. Might be worth a rent but nothing memorable.

Official Premise: As an endless winter engulfs Earth, humans struggle to survive in remote underground outposts. When Colony 7 receives a distress call from a nearby settlement, Sam (Kevin Zegers) and Briggs (Laurence Fishburne) race through the snow on a dangerous rescue mission. What they find at the desolate base could mean mankind’s salvation—or its total annihilation.

Laurence Fishburne is one of my favorite. He has been a great addition to the cast of TV’s “Hannibal” recently as well. But even though he is prominent on the poster, he isn’t really the main character. Same goes for Bill Paxton since he is missing from the whole second act of the film. His character also has a really weak arc and seems like it was piece together poorly. Obviously, I should have known this well marketing trick but fell for it this time. I wish they would have spent a little more time on fleshing out the background story and fine tuning the characters and this might have actually been worth watching.

Starring: James Olson, Tony Roberts, James Brolin, Burt Young, Tess Harper, Margot Kidder
Directors: Damiano Damiani, Richard Fleischer, Stuart Rosenberg
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: October 1, 2013
Run Time: 316 minutes

The Amityville Horror: 4 out of 5 stars
The Amityville Horror Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Amityville II: The Possession: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Amityville II: The Possession Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
Amityville 3-D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Amityville 3-D Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Growing up living about 10 minutes from the real “Amityville” house. I have been exposed to the films and the events behind the films since I was a little kid. This series has always been a favorite of mine. Shout! Factory has really delivered a fantastic trilogy collection here with this release. “The Amityville Horror (1979)” is the only film of the three that has been released on Blu-ray prior. This marks the Blu-ray debuts for both “Amityville II: The Possession” and “Amityville 3-D”. And that’s right “Amityville 3-D” is actually presented in digital 3D, no anaglyph red/blue glasses. It really puts the recently released “Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection” to shame since they released “Friday the 13th: Part III in 3D” in that lame and out of date format. Shout! really catered to the fans here and really scored with this release. A must have for any fan, no question at all.

“The Amityville Horror (1979)” Official Premise: The Long Island colonial house on the river’s edge seemed perfect. Quaint, spacious and affordable, it was just what George and Kathy Lutz had been looking for. But looks can be deceiving…and their new dream home soon becomes a hellish nightmare as the walls begins to drip blood and satanic forces haunt them with sheer, unbridled evil. Now, with their lives – and their souls – in danger, the Lutzes must run as fast as they can from the home they once loved…or fall prey to its terrifying power. Starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder and Oscar-winner Rod Steiger, this bone-chilling, special-effects laden thriller will hit you where you live.

“Amityville II: The Possession” Official Premise: Before the residence at 112 Ocean Avenue became infamous in The Amityville Horror, its supernatural legacy of terror had already begun. Inspired by a true story, this chilling prequel is a bloodcurdling, special-effects-laden encounter with all-powerful, all-consuming evil. Although the Montellis are not exactly the “perfect family,” at least they’ve found the perfect home. And even though a liquid that looks like blood gushes from the kitchen faucet and every window has been nailed shut, it still qualifies as their dream house… until all hell breaks loose! A local priest tries to rid the house of unclean spirits, but what he doesn’t yet suspect is that teenage son Sonny Montelli has been possessed, body and soul, by a murderous demon bent on total destruction.

“Amityville 3-D” Official Premise: To debunk the Amityville house’s infamous reputation and take advantage of a rock-bottom asking price, skeptical journalist John Baxter (Roberts) buys the place and settles in to write his first novel. But as soon as the ink on the deed has dried, people who have come into contact with him-and the house-begin to meet with a shocking fate. Is it coincidence…or is this house really the gateway to hell? Packed with bone-chilling special effects, this third rendezvous with terror in Amityville stars Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy, Candy Clark and Meg Ryan.

Each film comes with its own specs but all equally impressive. “The Amityville Horror (1979)” looks awesome as it has in the past on Blu-ray. The 1080p transfer is well done and comes presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The audio included are both a DTS-Master Audio 5.1 and DTS Master Audio Mono tracks. I have to go with the 5.1 track for sure. With “Amityville II: The Possession”, the 1080p transfer looks solid as well within its 1.78:1 aspect ratio. It only comes with a DTS Master Audio Mono track but it still works well. Lastly “Amityville 3-D” looks quite amazing with its 1080p transfer within an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The 3D presentation of this film is quite awesome in fact and really represented the way the film was meant to be seen. Very great job here for sure. The audio track is also a major score with its DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track, which is great.

The special features are pretty great on the first two films at least. For “The Amityville Horror (1979)”, there is a new interview with Composer Lalo Schifrin in “Haunted Melodies”. “For God’s Sake, Get Out!” is a documentary with interviews from James Brolin and Margot Kidder. There is an audio commentary track by Dr. Hans Holzer, PH.D. in Parapsychology (author of Murder in Amityville), it is a little more preachy than production technical but lover of Amityville will enjoy. Lastly there is an Original Theatrical Trailer, TV Spot and Radio Spots included.

Since this is the first time that “Amityville II: The Possession” is hitting Blu-ray, the extras are quite impressive. There is an interview with Director Damiano Damiani in “The Posession of Damiani”. There are also five new interviews included here. “Adapting Amityville” is a new interview with Screenwriter Tommy Lee Wallace. “Family Matters” – New Interview with Actress Diane Franklin (I just love her, so sweet). “A Mother’s Burden” is a new interview with Actress Rutanya Alda. “Father Tom’s Memories” is a new interview with Actor Andrew Prine. There is also a new interview with ghost hunter/author Alexandra Holzer, who authored “Growing up Haunted: A Ghostly Memoir” and also delivers a new audio commentary track as well. Lastly there is an Original Theatrical Trailer included.

Even though “Amityville 3-D” hits Blu-ray for the first time, the extras are not as impressive as the previous two films. There is only a Original Theatrical Trailer included for this film, which is quite disappointing. Of course, if you can consider the fact of the film being presented in both 2D and Blu-ray 3D presentation, then that can really make up for the lack of extras in my eyes, especially since this is the first time the way was released in 3D since the film was in theaters.

Starring: Deborah Kerr, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, Ernest Borgnine
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 1, 2013
Run Time: 118 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love “From Here to Eternity”? It is one of the greatest classics of our time. “From Here to Eternity” starred Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed. The 1953 film is celebrating it’s 60th Anniversary this year and Sony is bringing the film to Blu-ray for the first time. It was meticulously restored from a 4K scan, which is extremely impressive. If are a fan of this film, then I would recommend checking out this film since it has never looked better. If you have never seen it, this would be a great way to experience it for the first time.

Official Premise: Passion and tragedy collide on a military base as a fateful day in December of 1941 draws near. Private Prewitt (Clift) is newly arrived at the base, and has already fallen foul of his superiors due to his refusal to box on the company team. Given the worst duties as a result, Prewitt is befriended by Angelo Maggio (Sinatra), a young soldier who is himself persecuted by the Italian-hating Sergeant Fatso (Ernest Borgnine). Meanwhile, Sergeant Warden (Lancaster), Prewitt’s superior, treads on dangerous ground when he allows himself to get caught up in affair with an officer’s wife (Kerr).

The 1080p transfer like I said above is quite amazing for a film celebrating its 60th birthday. The black and white presentation is gorgeous and it shows how much work was put into this release. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is very impressive for the presentation and really delivers a great round package. The special features included are decent as well. “Eternal History: Graphics-in-Picture Track” is the complete story of the film’s journey with interviews, photos and other rare materials. There is an audio commentary with Tim Zinnemann and actor Alvin Sargent, a collaborator with Fred Zinnemann. LAstly there are two vintage featurettes including “The Making of From Here to Eternity”, which is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and “Fred Zinnemann: As I See It”, which focuses on the film’s director.

Dreamworks’ hit film “The Croods” will be available on Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 1 and is available to download on Digital HD now! To celebrate with everyone’s favorite “Croodaceous Moments” from the film, check out the video below:

Dun Dun Dahhh! Lauded by critics as “the first great animated film of 2013” (Pete Hammond, Movieline), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announces the blockbuster hit, DreamWorks Animation’s THE CROODS, will debut on Digital HD™ on September 15 and Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 1. “An instant animated classic,” (Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV), THE CROODS promises to bring the whole family together “from 4 to 104” (Sam Rubin, KTLA), to delight in “stunning visuals, humor and heart,” (Jim Hill, Huffington Post) as the world’s first modern family embark on an unforgettable adventure.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke
Directed By: Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco

For more information on Digital HD: http://www.foxdigitalhd.com/croods or iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-croods/id668231059

Actors: Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Rene Auberjonois, Pat Carroll, Paddi Edwards
Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
Number of discs: 3
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Run Time: 83 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“The Little Mermaid” is one my favorite Disney films of all time. I remember the very first time I saw it dating back to 1989. Crazy that it is nearly 25 years old. The film has so many amazing song and will have you singing along whether you have seen the film yesterday or 20 years ago. The film was the winner of two Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score and Original Song (“Under The Sea”). My daughter, who is 15 months old, loves Ariel and we got to introduce her to this film for the very first time. Let me tell you, she didn’t even turn her head once from the screen and did I mention she is 15 months old. Parents will understand what I mean by this. Disney really sprinkled some magic onto this release to deliver this film finally on Blu-ray with an amazing presentation. Now if we can just get “Aladdin” to Blu-ray, I will be complete.

Official Premise: Free-spirited mermaid Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson) sets off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder (Jason Marin) and a reggae-singing Caribbean crab named Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright) at her side. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true, and to save her father Triton’s (Kenneth Mars) beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula (Pat Carroll).

The film’s voice cast is so amazing Jodi Benson is just perfect as Ariel, here voice is what a princess should sound like. Cute and magical. Is it bad that I also still have a crush on Ariel after nearly 25 years 😉 Samuel E. Wright really gives life to Sebastian and is so much fun. Also Buddy Hackett is a shear blast voicing one of my favs Scuttle. Zut alors, I have missed one! We can’t forget Rene Auberjonois’ amazing take with Chef Louis.

Disney did not cheap out with this new Diamond Edition Blu-ray. The film included two Blu-ray’s, one 3D and the other 2D. There is a DVD copy of the film, along with a digital copy, which can be redeemed on Ultraviolet streaming sites. Note, you will also receive a $5.00 DisneyStore.com gift card if you redeem the digital copy, which is a no brainer. Besides all that there is still more since there is an exclusive 10 song digital download including Carly Rae Jepsen’s new take on “Part of Your World”. So to me this release definitely screams Diamond Edition.

Let’s get to the 3D aspect of the film now. Obviously, this film was never made in 3D but with the recent hit of films like “The Lion King”, Disney would be stupid not to cash in. I have to admit, I really loved this film in 3D. I thought that it just felt so deeper, maybe it was the water, but it really expanded this undersea world. The action scenes were amazing including (my favorite) the shark chase and the final confrontation. But of course what is even better is that the film also looks stunning on 2D Blu-ray as well. Disney really delivered a solid 108p presentation here, along with an amazing (not stunning) DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. The music plays so well and has never sounded better.

In terms of special features, there is not a whole lot new here but it still includes some solid extras. There is the All-New Music Video for Carly Rae Jepsen’s new take on “Part of Your World”. “The Real Little Mermaid: Live Action Reference Model” looks into finding the look for Ariel. “Part of Her World: Jodi Benson’s Voyage To New Fantasyland” is a trip with the voice behind Ariel to explore Walt Disney World’s latest attraction. Other extras include “Howard’s Lecture”, “@ Disney Animation”, “Deleted Character” and some Classic DVD Bonus Features. Lastly I was a big fan of “Disney Intermission”, which is an interactive sing-along for these classics and timeless songs.

Actors: Corey Feldman, Sean S. Cunningham, Adrienne King, Amy Steel, Dana Kimmel
Directors: Daniel Farrands
Producers: Thommy Hutson
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 1428 Films
Release Date: September 13, 2013
Run Time: 400 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Friday the 13” is one of my favorite horror franchises. Jason Voorhees is also one of my favorite horror icon. The films are so fun and have held up so well over the last 30+ years. The franchise has not only consisted of twelve films but also a TV series, books and tons of collectible merchandise. When you factor in all those aspect, “Friday the 13th” becomes much more than a horror series. It actually is more of a pop-culture phenomenon, which has been over three decades. This is not the first documentary on the films and won’t be the last but it is definitely one of the best, especially alongside others like “His Name is Jason”. When you read the title of this film, it is not taking lightly it’s title…it is “The Complete History of Friday the 13th”. Did I mention that this is 400 minutes long…take a sec and do the math…yes, that nearly seven hours long. This is not a joke. It is a hardcore documentary for a hardcore “Friday the 13th” fan.

Official Premise: Inspired by the critically-acclaimed book, “Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th” takes viewers behind the mask on an epic journey into the making of the landmark horror franchise — from its humble beginnings in 1980 at a New Jersey summer camp to the blockbuster release of its 2009 “reboot.” Combining hundreds of rare and never-before-seen photographs, film clips, outtakes, archival documents, conceptual art and behind-the-scenes footage, and featuring interviews with more than 150 cast and crew members spanning all twelve films and the television series, “Crystal Lake Memories” is the ultimate tribute to one of horror’s most iconic and enduring franchises.

So being a huge fan of this franchise, I was really taken back by the fact that this documentary reached out to so many people who have been involved with the series over the year. This also included a bunch of people who have never appeared in camera interviews, which is a mega plus. A few of the great talent who participated with this doc includes Kane Hodder, Robert Englund, Tom Savini, Sean S. Cunningham, Derek Mears, Betsy Palmer, Wes Craven, Ken Kirzinger, Robert Shaye and Alice Cooper, along with many more. “Crystal Lake Memories” is written and directed by Daniel Farrands and produced by Thommy Hutson. This is the same team who also delivered us the amazing “A Nightmare on Elm Street” documentary, “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy”. These guys deserve an award for all the word that they put into this doc.

1428 Films released this film as a combo pack with the documentary spread out over two Blu-rays and two DVDs. The 1080p transfer with it’s 1.78:1 aspect ratio works well with the interviews and footage from the films. I was a little bit let down to see that the audio track included was only a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which is not really screaming Blu-ray quality but it worked for the most part. In terms of special features, there are not any additional extras besides a commentary track. But wait a sec…the commentary track is insane a must watch for any true “Friday the 13th” fan. It includes director Daniel Farrands, author Peter M. Bracke, and editor Luke Rafalowski throughout all seven hours. I remember seeing a photo on Facebook of the trio after recording this track and it just shows how much love went into it. Must listen for any fan and a great companion to the documentary.

Cast: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: September 3, 2013
Run Time: 220 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 Stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 Stars

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia continues to be one of my favorite comedies on TV and revisiting its eighth season just as the ninth has begun this month (on new network, FXX) only reinforces this.

When we left Dee, Charlie, Mac, Frank and Dennis in the finale of season seven, they’d been very publicly rejected by all of their peers at a disastrous high school reunion. Consequently, either by accident or design I feel like many highlights of season eight saw the Paddy’s Pub crew in isolation facing their own twisted internal conflicts and the episodes were stronger for it. Putting each character separately under a microscope in my personal favorite, “The Gang Gets Analyzed,” for example was a genius way of checking in on where they all stand. From Dennis’s sociopathetic drive to control those around him (he gets worse every year and Howerton is amazing to watch as he just barely keeps Dennis’s mania in check) to Mac’s “reverse body dysmorphia”, the psychiatrist only has to scratch the surface to expose all of these characters’ neuroses. The finale as well sees the gang holding their own trial in “Reynolds Vs Reynolds: The Cereal Defense” which began over a simple rear-ender and yet somehow spirals into theological debate complete with charts. Escalation is something Always Sunny does best.

By far however, season eight will most likely be remembered for standout episode “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre” which has Dennis’s disgusting ex-wife from season six marrying into the even-more-disgusting McPoyle clan. Told in flashback from an interrogation room, it’s the only episode lacking the traditional Sunny credit sequence and goes into full on zombie horror mode. It also features a hysterical cameo by Guillermo Del Toro (apparently he asked for a part while directing Day on Pacific Rim) as a cannibalistic McPoyle. As if that family could get any worse.

The extras include commentaries on four episodes that are not particularly enlightening, though fun for die-hard fans. The cast here also gets a chance to vent a bit about twitterverse complaints, particularly in regard to the episode aptly titled “The Gang Recycles Their Trash.” The answer’s in the name, folks. Personally, I had fun with that cleverly constructed episode, catching some references only upon repeat viewing. There’s also a blooper reel, a fully produced cheesy sitcom featuring Mac and Charlie’s mothers inhabiting a Golden-Girls-like sitcom universe and a brief moment of “In Memoriam” to Fat Mac to acknowledge actor/creator Rob McElhenney’s sixty pound transformation between seasons.

Like any great character actor, you know you KNOW Leland Orser. From early television work in shows like “The Golden Girls,” “Cheers,” “L.A. Law” and “The X-Files” to roles in films like “Se7en,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “Pearl Harbor,” Orser has carved out an impressive notch in the Hollywood tree. Now he’s taking his considerable talents to the other side of the camera with his feature film writing and directing debut, “Morning.” Based on a short film he made in 2007, “Morning” stars Jeanne Tripplehorn (Orser’s real life wife) and Academy Award nominees Laura Linney and Elliot Gould and is scheduled to open in selected theatres on September 27.

To help spread the word about his new film, Mr. Orser took the time to talk with me about his new career move, the power of Steven Soderbergh and how dinner with Blake Edwards changed his life.

Mike Smith: “Morning” began as a short film which you’ve now expanded into a feature. Was that always your intention?
Leland Orser: It was never my intention. Even making the short was never an intention. It was just something that kind of happened. I went to the Sundance Institute a couple summers back. I went there as an actor and was very, very inspired by the experience. As I was flying back on Southwest this story just popped into my head and began telling itself to me. I asked the stewardess if she had anything to write on and she brought me a pile of airline cocktail napkins and I basically wrote out the (14) page treatment for the short film. When I got back to L.A. I showed it to some friends and they all said “let’s do this.” I shot the film in my own home and banged it out over a weekend. I came back from dropping all of the equipment off on a Monday – I had sent my wife and son to a hotel for two nights – I came back to a big, old empty house with everybody gone and realized I had no idea what to do next. All I had was a pile of Mini-DV tapes on the table in front of me. I had just finished working with Steven Soderbergh (NOTE: Mr. Orser appears in Soderbergh’s 2006 film “The Good German”)and I thought “well, he’ll know what to do.” (laughs) I picked up the phone and called his office. He had come in early and actually answered the phone himself and I said, “I just shot a short film and I don’t know what to do next.” He told me to keep the tapes away from anything warm and that I needed an editor. I told him I didn’t know any editors. He asked me where I was and I told him at home. He told me not to go anywhere. Fifteen minutes later my phone rang and it was one of his assistant editors. He said, “Steven told me to call you,” and I said, “Oh, cool. I just did this film.” He told me that he had a couple of weeks off between working on Steven’s films and came over. He ended up editing the short in the room above my garage. We took it out on the film festival circuit and had a very lovely time. It was very successful and we had a great run with it. When we returned I went and spoke with Michelle Satter, who runs the Sundance Institute for Robert Redford. She asked me what was next and I asked her what did she mean what next? What were my options? She said I could continue to tour the festival circuit and hang out with..discuss, socialize and collaborate with…other short film makers or you can use this as a calling card if you have any interest in continuing your career as a director. Or, she suggested, maybe this is a smaller part of a larger story that you want to tell. Boom! There it was. I told her that it was and she told me to go write it. And I did. Even when you’re telling a small story you need to know the big story around it. You need to know what happened before, during and after in the world you’re telling about. And you have all of those details in your mind as you’re writing the specifics of the tale you’re telling. So there it is. That’s what happened.

MS: You’ve been able to work with some great filmmakers – Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, David Fincher…did you have the opportunity to observe them at work once you realized you wanted to direct?
LO: I was doing the first part of that but not for the second part of that. I never really had aspirations or ever thought that I would want to or could do that. But I’ve always been fascinated with filmmaking and filmmakers. I’ve been so lucky to have worked with the ones I’ve worked with. I’m a question asker and an observer. You can learn a lot just by being on set as an actor. You can go back to your trailer and get on line or on the phone or you can stick around and watch…see what everybody else is doing. That’s always been my way.
MS: You’ve worked pretty steadily in both television and film. Do you have a preference as an actor?
LO: I really think the lines are blurring between the two. I think the great renaissance – the Golden Age of Film right now – is taking place on television. Filmmakers, film actors…everybody is doing something on the medium of television. And that medium is not necessarily TELEVISION anymore. It’s really the world of computers and iPads and Apple TV. I don’t have a preference. I go now where I’m wanted, for one. Where I’m asked to be. And I go where the good work is and the good people are. Sometimes you go to make money and sometimes you go to make art. There are now so many outlets and choices. There is so much happening.

MS: You not only wrote and directed “Morning,” but you also co-star. Is it hard pulling double-duty…having to concentrate on your performance as an actor and then everything else as a director?
LO: I think it’s impossible….I think it’s impossible! I did the very best that I could but I probably could have been better doing either of those two things if that was all that I was doing. I worked at length on my acting role in the film. I spent a great deal of time and I worked with people to put it into place mentally and on paper for any given day and any give scene. I could open up my acting script, which was separate from my director script, and say to myself, “I know on this day and in this scene I have been through THESE events…I’m this far into the progression of the story. I’ve ingested THIS alcohol and THIS pharmaceutical or I’ve had THIS amount of sleep. I was very, very, very specific with the goals I needed to achieve as an actor. I left some things open for those happy accidents and improvisation in the moment but I was regimented and disciplined about what I needed to bring to the day as an actor. One of my best friends was by my side basically the entire time I was making the film and he was my double as well. When I was directing a scene he would go in and stand in for me and do all of my actions so I could see where the scene worked or where it didn’t work. I could direct him and then I’d know physically what I had to do to accomplish the scene. It’s very hard to be objective and subjective at the same time.

MS: You’re leading lady in the film (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is also your leading lady in life. How was your relationship on set? Actor/director? Husband and wife?
LO: (laughs) We made rules for ourselves. Number one was that any discussions of the work would never enter the house. We have a guest room above our garage and when we began production I went up to that room and I lived there. My hours were very different from hers. We also both thought it would be a very good way of dividing the world. We would have meals together at the house when I was able to get home. We actually had a lot of discussion between us as to whether we should even do this together or not. She said that I could get any actress in Hollywood…that any actress would be crazy not to want to do this part. So I asked her if this was something she wanted to do…something she should do and something we should do together. Jeanne had traveled to New York to do some press for “Big Love” (NOTE: Ms. Tripplehorn starred for six years on the popular HBO series) and she had taken the day off to go to the Whitney Biennial Art Exhibit. She finds it very inspiring to be surrounded by new and young artists and their works. Afterwards she called me. She was very moved…very emotional…and she told me she was surrounded by art. She wondered what we were questioning because what are we if we’re not artist? It’s what we are and what we do. How can we not recognize that this film is something we are meant to do and what we should do together? That was a major turning point and we never looked back. It was a dangerous choice because the subject matter is so, so heavy. But we’ve always managed to keep our work separate from each other…to help each other and support each other through thick and through thin. To work together, in hindsight, was a very risky choice. But I know her as an actor. And what I experienced and what I witnessed on set, as you now know, took my breath away and I realized that not only is she a great actor she’s one of THE great actors. Better than most actors out there. She has such access to range and emotional depth that she can draw on and she’s so directable. She’s a director’s dream. She gets it. She understands it. And she submits herself to the process. She trusted me. She was the very first person to trust me in this role and I was very thankful that I was able to return that trust in kind.

MS: Besides Jeanne you’ve assembled an incredible cast, including a couple of Oscar nominees. Was it daunting to cast such prominent actors in your first feature?
LO: Maybe I was an idiot but I never questioned any of it when I asked. To me Laura was the doctor and I had to find her and ask her and surely she’ll understand how important she is. And it was the same thing with Elliot Gould and Jason Ritter and Kyle Chandler…those were the faces and personalities that I saw in the film and I was just so freakishly lucky that they all agreed to come aboard. But so many people did. We got help from so many different places. Kodak and Panavision and Technicolor. Steven Soderbergh introduced me to yet another film editor who agreed to come and work at a fraction of his rate. We were so very lucky. Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman at Playtone gave us their editing suites for the entire time we were editing. They didn’t allow anyone else to use the editing bays in the Playtone Offices. They gave them to us. They told us to go edit your film, make it great and then show it to us.

MS: What do you have coming up next?
LO: Once I finished the final mix on “Morning” and once we got back from all the festivals I retreated to the guest house where I had written “Morning” and sat down and had a little discussion with myself. I knew that when this movie comes out people are going to ask me what I’m doing next (laughs) so I knew I had to be ready to do something next. A story I like to tell is that many years ago Jeanne had just gotten back from doing a film with Julie Andrews (“Relative Values”)on the Isle of Man. We got a call from Julie’s assistant saying Julie would like to have you to a dinner…can we come to the beach house at 5:30 in Santa Monica and then we’ll go to the restaurant. We fully expected it to be something for the cast but when we walked into the restaurant it was empty. We were escorted to a booth in the back in which sat Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards (NOTE: Blake Edwards, whose career included such classic films as “Days of Wine and Roses,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Victor/Victoria” and the “Pink Panther” series passed away in December 2010. He and Julie Andrews were married for over four decades). And it wasn’t a big booth. Jeanne scooted in opposite Julie and the two of them set off together on catching up and giggling and telling stories and I was left sitting opposite Blake Edwards. My mouth went dry, my heart rate went up and I thought “are you f***ing kidding me?” How was I going to manage to get through even two minutes of the evening. He immediately put me at ease. We found out we had things in common. He had been born in Tulsa, where Jeanne is from. He had grown up in Laguna Beach, where my father is from. He had been an abalone fisherman like my father had been. He was just a normal, regular Joe and so easy to talk to. And at one point of the conversation he asked me, “do you write? Are you a writer?” I told him I wasn’t. I write in a journal, that’s it. He told me that I spoke like a writer. I hear like a writer. “You should try it some time.” I told him that I wouldn’t have the slightest idea where to start. And he said, “that’s exactly all you have to do. You just need to start.” I asked him how he wrote…if he had a process. He said he did. He said he would go off to a quiet place that was clear of all clutter. He would sit down and get very quiet. He would have his writing implements with him…I don’t know if it was a typewriter or if it was yellow pads and pencils. He said he just gets very, very quiet. He waits. And he waits. And he listens. And he said that at some point the story will begin to tell itself to him. And it was after that dinner that I had gone to Sundance to the Institute and it was on that flight back, when I was super quiet because I was probably tired and hung over, when the story of “Morning” told itself to me. So I went up to the guest house after I finished “Morning” and I said, “ok…let’s see if it happens again.” I told my very, very intense family drama…I’ve told that story. I don’t want to tell it again and that’s not the type of story I want to tell again. So I had in my mind the type of idea of the story I wanted to tell, it was just a question of is it going to come. And boom, there it was. It’s a thriller. It’s a witness to a murder and it’s a mystery which gets solved in the last couple of pages. And it really told itself to me in a pure way. I’ve worked with a couple friends of mine in the business who have helped me nip it and tuck it and deal with the industry expectations of a script of its type. It’s clean. It’s tight. It’s crackerjack…it’s ready to go. Jeanne was one of the first people I showed it to and she loved it. She’s a good judge so keep your fingers crossed!

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Actors: Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell
Directors: Terence Fisher
MPAA Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Millennium Entertainment
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

Hammer is known for delivering some of the best horror films of our time. “Dracula: Prince of Darkness” is the follow up to “Horror of Dracula (1958)”, which started Christopher Lee as the Count. In this film, he does not speak a single word in the film and yet still delivers such a great performance. His red eyes literally hypothesize you. The film was released in 1966 and yet it still works so well. It is so refreshing to see a classic vampire flick where crosses and light have such an amazing effect. Highly recommend for any fan of classic horror and of course Hammer flicks.

Four English tourists who are holidaying in the Carpathians are warned to avoid the castle in town. But when they are abandons in the mountains due to fear from the locals, they seek refuge by a carriage with no rider which leads them right to that very same castle they warned against visiting. They are welcomed by Klove (Philip Latham), who happens to be the sinister manservant of Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). He has plans for them to bring his master back to life.

The Blu-ray presentation from Millennium Entertainment is amazing. The 1080p transfer looks amazing and you forget that this film is nearly 50 years old. The audio track though in terms of Blu-ray standards is not amazing since it is only a Dolby Digital 2.0 track but I have to admit though it still sounded pretty amazing despite it not being HD. James Bernard’s score sounded brand new and very powerful, which is always a must with a Hammer production. This release also includes exclusive collectible lobby cards, which are a great bonus.

In terms of special features, this release continues to impress. There is a great commentary track with Christopher Lee, Suzan Farmer, Francis Matthews and Barbara Shelley. Must listen for any fan. There is a classic World of Hammer episode included “Hammer Stars Christopher Lee”. There is a documentary called “Back to Black. There is a “Restoration Comparison”, which really shows the shape of this film prior to this release and shows how much work went into making it look this good. Lastly there is the restored original trailer and stills gallery included.

Starring: Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones
Directed by: Luc Besson
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 50 mins
Relativity Media

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Seemingly always on the move, the Blake Family arrives at their new home in Normandy, France. Excited about the next day, young Warren asks about his new school. He has another question: “Do we have the same names?”

Sometimes hilarious, “The Family” tells the story of the former Manzoni family. Father Giovani (DeNiro), now known as Fred, is a former mafia crime boss who ratted on his associates and now finds himself in the witness protection program. Unfortunately Fred has made some very powerful people angry and the family is constantly being moved for their protection. Mother Maggie (Pfeiffer) is the calm one, doing her best to keep the family strong and urging them to be low key. Of course, this doesn’t prevent her from blowing up a local grocery store when she feels insulted. The kids, Warren (John D’Leo) and his older sister, Belle (“Glee’s” Diana Agron) do their best to adjust to their new school and classmates, though not without some bumps. The Blakes’ FBI handler (Jones) decides that the best way to get the family acquainted with the neighborhood is to throw a giant barbecue. But even a good cook-out can have its problems.

Well cast and sharply directed by Besson, who also co-wrote the script, “The Family” flows easily for the first half. Unfortunately though, once the Blake’s whereabouts are discovered by the bosses back home, the film turns into a very serious and violent drama. Now instead of laughing along with the family’s antics you’re hoping they don’t catch a bullet in the head. It’s such a 180 degree turn that you’re caught off guard. It really through off my enjoyment of the film, which is a shame because there are some great moments. One of my favorite concerns a scene where Fred, who has introduced himself to his neighbors as a writer (he uses the ruse to write his memoirs as a crime boss) is invited to help discuss a popular American film. However, when he gets there the wrong film has been shipped. The new film is one of the best “in” jokes I’ve seen on film over the past few years and “The Family” is almost worth the price of admission just for these few moments.

On a scale of zero to five I give “The Family” ***

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Directed by: James Wan
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, Barbara Hershey
Distributed by: FilmDistrict
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 105 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Man, I really wanted to LOVE this film. “Insidious” is easily one of my favorite horror movies of all-time. Yes! I really like it that much. Over the last two years, I have seen it probably 10-15 times and it consistently continues to scare me and to be honest sticks with me for days after watching. That to me just shows that you have a good scary movie on your hands. The visual aspect of the film is like nothing that I have ever seen before. It is amazingly creepy and really keeps you at the edge of your chair and biting your nails. Unfortunately none of that is true with “Insidious: Chapter 2”. The film tries to achieve this larger scale and falls fast into working with typical boring horror cliches.

“Insidious: Chapter 2” starts off in a flashback to 1986 where we see a younger Josh Lambert during his first meeting with Elise Ranier in order to control his astro-projections and save him from the woman in the wedding dress. From there we get taken to the night after the events of the first film, which is where we continue from. Josh’s family is suspicious about him when he starts behaving differently after that night (and if you’ve seen the first film we assume that his physical body was taken by the old woman in the wedding dress). So the family needs to find out what really happened that night after Elise was murdered.  They also realize that these ghosts that are haunting them do not seem to be finished with them.

After James Wan delivered the amazing “The Conjuring”, I thought this guy was a force to be reckoned with. This film as much as it pains me to say feels like a cash in on the popularity of “Insidious”. The story tries to act as a prequel and sequel at the same time yet crams too much in to flow well. It sacrifices critical plot points in order to fit in the back story.  The first film works so well since it has this very minimalist approach. There is also more back story behind the old woman in the wedding gown that we were introduced in the first film. I thought that she was creepy as well in the first film but as they gave the brief back story, she became less scary. In terms of scares, they are almost non-existent. There are maybe one or two decent jumps. Most importantly the ghosts especially do not have that same eerie presence that they did in the first film.

The focus of the film was steered from the main characters Josh and Renai Lambert (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) while they tried expand the story with the rest of the cast and like I said it all just feels too busy. There is much more focus on Barbara Hershey’s character Lorraine Lambert and also more focus on the comedy duo Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson). I am sure that was a fan request…and I love their characters in the first film but I feel like in this one they were really trying to get too many laughs. In the first film the comedy was very well-blended and with the sequel it was more laugh-out-loud, which I felt didn’t work with the tone of the film.

I know that I was going into this film with very high hopes, so the anticipation was crazy high. I normally do not like doing that since then the ratio for failure is higher. When it comes down to it though, sometimes movies just don’t really need a sequel. I know the first film was left with a pretty big cliffhanger but it was a good cliffhanger. After you watched it, you continued to think about it and it messed with your head. This film does not achieve that same feeling. I should have known better than to think that a horror sequel could top the original. I will just stick with the original film and I suggest you do the same.

Christopher Cross: A Night in Paris
DVD + 2CD
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Total Running Time: 97 minutes

Our rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“What’s your favorite guilty pleasure song?” Well…while I always have to spend some time thinking about which 10 albums I’m going to be stranded on a desert island with or which 25 had the most impact on my life, the numero uno guilty pleasure song question has always been an easy one for me to answer: “Sailing” by Christopher Cross. Sure, many may think all copies of the song should be permanently exiled to the jukebox of cheese, but there’s no denying that it’s a perfectly crafted and superbly produced pop gem. It’s lush orchestral strains in tandem with that gently-picked guitar line always help me to find tranquility for the entirety of its four-minute jaunt – as does much of music he’s produced over the past 30+ years.

So why is it that, barely 15 minutes into watching his latest live DVD, “A Night in Paris”, I found myself with an aching headache, desperately wanting to grab the remote so I could eject the disc? Is it because Cross’ voice sounds so weak and strained that he’s butchered all of vocal lines in all of the songs he’s performed up to that point? No. Is it because the concert lighting is so flashy and overdone that it in no way matches the musical content or demeanor of the performers? No. Is it because, despite the fact that the show was allegedly shot using nine HD cameras, the picture quality looks like a bad bootleg copy that was obtained at a local flea market? No. Ahhh…but it does have something to do with the visuals. Quite a lot, in fact.

“Paris” is easily one of the most poorly filmed and shoddily edited live concert DVDs I have ever seen. For starters, the small, non-descript, dimly-lit stage doesn’t allow for much movement of either the musicians themselves or the camera crew. As a result, the resulting individual shots – including ones from a camera that’s inexplicably mounted on a tripod that’s located directly behind the drummer – are fairly static and bland.

In an effort to make up for lack of kinetic energy in both the individual shots and the overall performance itself, director Sebastien Bonnet has to cut the film together using rapid fire editing techniques that make it impossible to focus on any one visual for more than just a few seconds. Many music videos employ this style – and, luckily, they end after 3 to 4 minutes. But “Paris” runs a full 97 minutes. Mon dieu.

For example, the third song of the show, “Leave it to Me” (from Cross’ most recent studio outing, 2011’s “Doctor Faith”), times in at 3:49 and is 125 beats per minute (think Sting’s “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” or Suzanne Vega’s “Luka” and you’re right on the money). By the time the band had hit their final flourish, I had counted 115 video cuts. That averages out to a staggering one cut every two seconds. Sure, that won’t induce epilepsy, but, trust me, it will make you reach for the Advil.

The 2CDs that are included in this set contain all 17 tracks contained on the DVD with most of the in-between song banter omitted. While the recording is solid and the tracks do represent a fair cross-section of Chris’ body of work, the performance is so lackluster and the quality of Cross’ vocal delivery is so awful that one would be far better off listening to 1999’s “Greatest Hits Live” CD or watching the “An Evening With Christopher Cross” DVD also from that same year. Both are much better of examples of why Cross’ career has spanned far beyond that “Best New Artist” Grammy win in 1979.

Cross mentions at various points throughout “A Night in Paris” that the performance is being recorded for a DVD so he can document this particular point in his career. Clearly, it’s an important evening to him. Hopefully, he’s pleased with the end results – because, frankly, it’s hard to imagine that anyone else would be.