Britany Nola is a music blogger and actress. She is also Playboy’s Miss November 2012 and recently co-starred in the film “American Ecstasy”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Britany about her photo shoot for Playboy and also her love of music.

Mike Gencarelli: What made you want to pursue modeling?
Britany Nola: When I was in high school I started taking some college level classes on the weekends. I met and became friends with a girl who was a model and she suggested I give it a try. I went to a modeling agency and after meeting with them they signed me. Modeling wasn’t something that I had a desire to do. It was just something I tried and ended up liking so I stuck with it.

MG: What has been the highlight of being crowned Playboy’s Miss November 2012
BN: It was quite different because you get a bit more recognition. In the fashion world you’re mostly known by people within the industry. With this you’re seen by a variety of people.

MG: What was it like meeting Hugh Hefner for the first time?
BN: He is very sweet and intelligence. Hugh has great taste in movies. When I first met him he came down with two of his girlfriends and he was just really kind. You don’t really know what to expect but it was great.

MG: Can you tell us about the idea behind the theme of your photo shoot?
BN: The set was made up of all vintage pieces from the 60’s/70’s. We shot the centerfold first and they had placed records all around me. Jane Berkin is one of my greatest idols so I asked if they had one of her records to put in the shoot and they did. That made me feel better and I was ready to shoot. Having that record and the look of the set with all the white was just really cool.

MG: Can you tell us anything about your role in the film “American Ecstasy”?
BN: That film was directed by Jonathan Leder and is a black and white art piece. I play an exotic dancer who falls in love and then her lover disappears. The film tracks the downfall of losing that person. We shot the film in Tampa, FL.

BN: Can you tell us about your work as a music blogger?
MG: The person I blog for contacted me last year to see if I would do an interview for his blog. After talking back and forth for awhile he said he liked the way I wrote and asked if I would be interested in writing something for him. We have never met in person as he lives in Australia but we have a great Skype relationship. Whenever I have a problem or am not feeling too good I call him. He is my cheerleader. It’s a cool and modern relationship.

MG: What do you have planned next?
BN: I am going to start taking some acting classes to sharpen up my skills some. I am going to keep modeling and see where that takes me but I really would like to start going on acting auditions.

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Rick Yune is known best for his roles in films like “Die Another Day” and “The Fast and The Furious”. He is starring in the new film “The Man With the Iron Fists” directed by RZA. Rick took out some time to chat about the film and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from the film “The Man With the Iron Fists”?
Rick Yune: It’s a great movie that is a martial arts themed film but it is also an epic adventure that brings characters together from all around the world to focus on a common cause.

MG: Can you tell us about your character Zen Yi and the inspiration for the character
RY: Zen Yi is the son of a warlord who has turned his back on that life. Instead he has fallen in love and lives in the mountains with the woman of his dreams. He finds out that his father has been killed and leaves the mountains to avenge his father’s death. It’s interesting because here is a guy who wants to do the right things but gets pulled back in to a life he doesn’t agree with. It’s just a kick ass film!

MG: What was it like working with such an amazing cast?
RY: I have known Rza for about 8 years. He has an uncanny ability to draw the best out of people. He can get people to raise themselves to a level they have never been to before. I saw him do this with people who couldn’t even speak English. He did things that I am surprised any director let alone a first time director could do. Because of him I was able to do stuff I didn’t think I could. Russell Crowe is one of the nicest, gentlest people you will ever meet. He spent so much time giving advice and support to others. Lucy was great on set kicking ass and was really fun and professional.

MG: What do you think was the most challenging part of the project for you?
RY: I lost 30 pounds for this role. I am a food addict so losing that weight and keeping it off was hard. All I could eat was yams and egg whites.

MG: You have played a number of villains in films like “Die Another Day” and “The Fast and The Furious” but in this film you play a hero. What did you like most about taking on that role?
RY: I don’t generally look at a role as being a hero or a villain or it being in a certain genre. I look at the character and the story. When I do play a villain I try and make him human. When you play a hero you have to understand the dark side because that is something that everyone has. No one is born Luke Skywalker. Most people are more like Han Solo.

MG: What other projects do you have in the works?
RY: I just finished “Olympus Has Fallen” with Gerard Butler and Antoine Fuqua who is just great. Working with guys like Antoine who know what it likes to be in a less than bad situation can convey that very easily on film. These guys grew up in tough neighborhoods so risk is not unknown to them. You will see that in the movie

Actors: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon
Directors: John Hughes
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

This year “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Paramount is delivering this classic hilarious comedy to Blu-ray for the first time. John Hughes was one of the best writers/directors in the business.  This film is a laugh-a-minute raunchy comedy that delivers something new every time you watch it. Steve Martin and John Candy delivered some of their best performances.  I mean if you have never seen this, just watch the opening scene and you will be hooked. So, if you do not own this film, this might be the time to change that!

“Written and directed by the incomparable John Hughes and starring comedy greats Steve Martin and John Candy, the uproarious classic follows a businessman (Martin) who is struggling to get home for Thanksgiving, but burdened by one travel mishap after another, as well as the company of an annoying traveling salesman (Candy). Filled with outrageously funny situations and a generous helping of warmth, the film also features appearances by Michael McKean, Edie McClurg and Kevin Bacon.”

Alright let’s get to the 1080p high definition transfer, which is decent so to say but it actually looks its age and shows quite a bit of noise. Though it is still a major upgrade from the previous DVD and should be a must for any fan. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks works well with the dialogue but like with most comedies are not completely challenged. Blu-ray score: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The special features are worth the purpose alone just for the new “John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast” feature. It is presented in high-def 1080p and is a two-parter with “John Hughes: The Voice of a Generation” and “Heartbreak and Triumph: The Legacy of John Hughes”, totally around an hour. “Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is a fun vintage press chat with John Hughes, Steve Martin, and John Candy (def not for kiddies). “John Hughes for Adults” is a look into this mature film rather than his teen-aimed films. “A Tribute to John Candy” is a look into his work in the film, as an actor and a person. Lastly, there is a deleted scenes in HD called “Airplane Food”. Overall great features for a great movie.

Actors: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Shemp Howard
Directors: Various
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 78 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t think I have ever laughed harder then the first time I saw “The Three Stooges”. There is something so simplistic about their comedy that never ceases to draw hilarity. Thanks to Legend Films, this is there first go with 3D conversions and it is definitely a success. They are also releasing “The Best of Little Rascals in 3D” as well on the same date. If you are looking for a flashback to TV days of the 40-50′s with a modern update in the third dimension, then look no further. The Stooges has never looks so good and the price cannot be any better either. These episodes are a no-brainer and I hope that Legend has plans to release more classic shows in 3D in the coming months.

The following episodes are included in 3D: Disorder In The Court (1936), Brideless Groom (1947), Sing A Song Of Six Pants (1947) and, Malice In The Palace (1949). They are restored and look very sharp on Blu-ray and the 3D conversion is quite impressive and work well with the show. The episodes are still over 60-70 years old, so there is so age but overall, it is a really nice restore on Blu-ray. These shorts are available in both a colorized & the original B&W restored versions. I like the idea of having both versions available but I still prefer the B&W but I feel that the colorized versions work better with the 3D.

Official Premise: This is The Three Stooges at their bumbling, eye-poking, hair-pulling best! Including a full, high-quality restoration and colorization, this feature offers something that none before it have: a stunning, stereoscopic 3D transfer. See the boys like you have never seen them before with antics that jump off the screen as every slap, fall and nose-tweak is brought to life within your home. This set is a must-have for every fan and is the perfect complement to your home video library!

Actors: George McFarland, Carl Switzer, Billy Thomas, Darla Hood
Directors: Hal Roach
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 84 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I was a kid, I remember watching “The Little Rascals” for the first time. The show is a classic and has stood the test of time.  Thanks to Legend Films, this is there first go with 3D conversions and it is definitely a success.  They are also releasing “The Three Stooges in 3D” as well on the same date.  If you are looking for a flashback to TV days of the 50’s with a modern update in the third dimension, then look no further.  The gang has never looks so good and the price cannot be any better either.  These episodes are a no-brainer and I hope that Legend has plans to release more classic shows in 3D in the coming months.

The following episodes are included in 3D: “Fly My Kite, “A Lad in a Lamp”, “The Kid from Borneo”, “Hi Neighbor” and “Hide and Shriek”.  They are restored and look very sharp on Blu-ray and the 3D conversion is quite impressive and work well with the show.  The episodes are still over 50 years old, so there is so age but overall, it is a really nice restore on Blu-ray. These shorts are available in both a colorized & the original B&W restored versions.  I like the idea of having both versions available but I still prefer the B&W but I feel that the colorized versions work better with the 3D.

Official Premise: Spanky, Buckwheat, Porky and all The Little Rascals at their hilarious best! Your family will fall in love with the antics of Our Gang as they get lost in a haunted house, race down a precarious hill in their homemade fire engine, and try to survive an unexpected visit from the famous Wild Man of Borneo! These timeless comedy classics have been given a high-definition restoration and colorization that is second only to the stunning stereoscopic 3D conversion! The kids will leap off the screen and right back into your hearts in this collection of hilarious and entertaining Rascals films — now presented in 3D for the very first time!

Cast: Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Roger Davis, Nancy Barrett, David Selby, John Karlen
Director: Dan Curtis
Studio: Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 97 / 95 minutes

House of Dark Shadows: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Night of Dark Shadows: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Dark Shadows” is the longest running horror soap opera, actually I think it is also the only. I never saw this show on TV but I have watch many many episodes courtesy of Netflix Instant over the years. The original series had actually ran for over 1200 episodes.  With Tim Burton/Johnny Depp’s recent reboot recently released on Blu-ray, it is prime-time to finally release these movies for the first time ever on DVD, let alone Blu-ray. These films are definitely a bit campy, but they also have a few decent creepy moments. “House of Dark Shadows” features Jonathan Frid in the lead as Barnabas Collins and is my favorite of the two. “Night of Dark Shadows”  was originally supposed to bring back Barnabas, but the show ended before the film started production and Jonathan Frid had moved on.  It is still a decent installment to the series.

Warner Brothers delivers the good with both of these 1080p transfer presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. They also look good since these were just low-budget movies and weren’t large productions at the time. They are still catalog release quality but are much more impressive that I would have expected. Both films also have DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio tracks, which work well for each. It setups up the mood and works well with the dialogue.  If you are a fan of the “Dark Shadows” series, I would definitely recommend picking up these reasonably priced Blu-rays. They are a nice upgrade since the films were only previously available on VHS and Laserdisc.  So if you are looking for a flashback to the 70’s to meet up with the Collins again, then this is a no-brainer.

Official Premises: “House of Dark Shadows”: Rejoice, night creatures! Collinwood’s affected Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) hopes a series of serum injections will make him normal. Alas, nothing can be normal at eerie Collinwood! “Night of Dark Shadows”: One bite is never enough! New blood comes home in Night of Dark Shadows, as Quentin Collins (David Selby) arrives with his bride (Kate Jackson).

House of Dark Shadows + Night of Dark Shadows both available on October 30th! http://bit.ly/QYt7ht
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Actors: Dean Cain, Gary Valentine, Elisa Donovan, Joey Lawrence, Michael Gross, Shelley Long
Directors: Michael Feifer
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 87 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Believe it or not “The Dog Who Saved The Holidays” is the fourth film in this franchise following: “The Dog Who Saved Christmas”, “The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation” and “The Dog Who Saved Halloween”. Mario Lopez was the voice of Zeus for the first two with Joey Lawrence taking over for his starting with “Halloween” and now this film as well. The combination of Dean Cain and Joey Diaz are hysterical together and have been through this series. Gary Valentine and Elisa Donovan are also very funny together.  This installment wraps up the cast with Michael Gross and Shelley Long.  A must for all families looking to get in the holiday mood.

Official Premise: It’s a sun-soaked holiday season for the Bannister family as they travel to Southern California to stay with Aunt Barbara (Shelley Long), who surprises them with a new puppy named Eve (voiced by Peyton List). Everyone is smitten with Eve — except for the Bannister’s dog, Zeus (voiced by Joey Lawrence), who sees what a mischievous animal she is when no one else is around. After deciding to run away, Zeus sees Ted and Stewey, two thrifty thieves, trying to break into the family home while the Bannisters are at church. It’s up to Zeus and his newest sister Eve to join together to save the holidays for their family!

There is only one special feature included on this DVD.  It is a very busy commentary track with director Michael Feifer, co-producer Peter Sullivam, executive producers Barry Barholtz and Jeffrey Schenck and lastly sound designer Andres Boulton.  To be honest, when I think about cheesy family Christmas movies, I do not think about listening to a commentary track.  It is definitely not for the kids specifically and I do not see parents re-watching this just for the commentary either. Either way, this series has always been a pleasure to watch during the holidays and I look forward to future installments of the adventures of the Bannister family.

Directors: Hollingsworth Morse, Arthur H. Nadel
Starring: Michael Gray, Les Tremayne, Jackson Bostwick
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 588 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are a fan of superheros they everyone knows DC Comics’Captain Marvel. “Shazam!” is a live-action TV series based on that series, which ran from 1974 to 1977 and consisted of 28 episodes. Thanks to Warner Archive, this is the first time that this complete live-action series is released on DVD. I have to say though, if you were a fan of this series in its original days…it has aged quite a bit.

Michael Gray plays Billy Batson aka Captain Marvel.  He certainly looks sharp in his pajamas and his cape, I mean his superhero costume. The show still has some charm if you are a hardcore fan or just looking for a good laugh but otherwise it definitely has not lasted the test of time. When I was watching this, I couldn’t stop of thinking about the cheesy live-action TV films of “Captain America” and the failed TV movie “Fantastic Four”.

I liked the use of blended animation for the elders and mixed with the live-action. It reminded me of something out of Ralph Bakshi’s mind. Overall, the episodes do not look the greatest. They are presented in 4X3 full frame with the show’s original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. There is no special features included on this release besides the episodes.

Official Premise: By uttering a single magic word young Billy Batson transforms himself into the world’s mightiest mortal, Captain Marvel. The acronym of the first letters of the names of the six elders who train Billy with their respective special gifts: Solomon, wisdom; Hercules, strength; Atlas, stamina; Zeus, power; Achilles, courage; and Mercury, speed, in a word…SHAZAM! Now, the entire series is available in this 3-disc set featuring every exciting episode of this classic television show!

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Tara Reid Signs On To Play Lead/Co-Produce Brickroad Films’ Feature “Disengaged”

The “American Reunion” actress will star in the film as well as Co-Produce.

October 25^th, 2012 (Los Angeles) – Brickroad Films is currently in pre-production on the new crime drama feature “Disengaged” which is set to begin production in early 2013. The motion picture will star Tara Reid (American Reunion) as Brittany Gallo, a film in which she will also earn co-producing credits.

Directed by Tibor Takacs (Spiders 3D) and produced by Kevin Barrett, Anthony Thorne and Tara Reid. The feature will be shot in Los Angeles, California and will star such names alongside Tara as Sticky Fingaz (Flight of the Phoenix), Dylan Sprayberry (Man of Steel) and Ellery Sprayberry (The Butterfly Room).

“Disengaged” follows the story of two police officers in the city of Los Angeles who are forced together in a fight for their lives and their careers after a tragic event drastically changes the lives of both men. Reid will play the wife of one of the officers that is under investigation for the shooting of a 17 year old boy. For more information on Brickroad Films please click the following link: www.brickroadfilms.net

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Actors: Richard Coyle, Julian Wadham
Director: Steve Barker
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: XLrator Media
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 99 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

This year has been a busy year for Nazis in horror films.  First we had “Nazis at the Center of the Earth”, then we had “Iron Sky” feature.  Both were ok but not amazing.  “Outpost: Black Sun” falls into the same category.  The film does deserve credit for its scale, which looks a lot bigger than it should. It also packs some decent gore and zombie effects.  XLrator Media is getting a name for itself though by releasing neat little films like this and they are officially on my radar. But what it comes down to is whether or not though the film is good, this has Nazi SS zombies…it has to be worth at least a rental just for that.

Official Premise: The year is 1945, the closing stages of WWII, and a German scientist is working on a frightening new technology that has the power to create an immortal Nazi army. Flash-forward to present day, and a NATO task force is deployed to Eastern Europe, where a sinister enemy is mercilessly killing everything in its path. But this is no ordinary foe…it’s a super-human army of zombie Nazi Stormtroopers. Defying overwhelming odds, a small band of soldiers venture deep behind enemy lines to uncover the source of this evil power and prevent the rise of the Fourth Reich.

The release comes as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack.  The Blu-ray 1080p transfer looks nice for a low-budget horror flick, since the film is also very dark.  The audio is also decent with the surprising decent score through it s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.  The special features though are lacking a lot.  There is only one short featurette called “The Making of Outpost: Black Sun”.  Though if you are a fan of the film, be sure to check out the mobile game “Outpost: Defense”, available on the App Store.

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Actors: Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Jeffrey Combs, Mackenzie Astin, Mirelly Taylor
Directors: Ethan Wiley
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 87 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I first saw this film, I was almost immediately tempted to pass on reviewing it.  I know Wee Man from his role in the “Jackass” series.  He is funny but playing an elf…really?  Then I saw that Jeffrey Combs from “Re-Animator” was also in it.  I started to get interested.  Well the film is exactly what I expect but not in a bad sense.  It is cute and definitely has a few good laughs.  Believe it or no it even has some nice Christmas cheer.  It is a nice film for the whole family to get into the holiday mood.

Official Premise: It’s Christmas Eve at the Harper house, and young Ryan and Casey are excited that their scientist father (Mackenzie Astin of ”The Facts Of Life”) has finally perfected his new invention! But when dad is kidnapped by a bumbling gang of thieves (led by Jeffrey Combs of Re-Animator), Casey’s wish on a magic doll causes Santa to leave behind a mischievous elf (‘Wee Man’) to save the day. Will Santa’s little helper lose all faith in his elf self, or can he discover his true powers to become a real superhero? Mirelly Taylor (”Lost”) co-stars in this big-hearted family comedy about holiday wishes, scary fruitcakes and Christmas miracles that come in every size!

With superheros hot on everybody’s mind…why not an elf superhero? Alright it is cheesy but aren’t all holiday-themed movies.  This is not perfect but is also far from the worst in the scenes of direct-to-DVD Christmas films.  Wee Man is fun in the role and actually gets a decent chance to ask and not just be a jackass.  Jeffrey Combs is also fun as the villain and overacts his way to get some great laughs.  The only special features included on this release is just a trailer but besides that I would definitely recommend this for at least a rental if not purchase.

Jody Thompson is the star in Barry Levinson’s new found-footage horror/thriller “The Bay”, which is being released on November 2nd.  Jody also co-stars this Fall with Bette Midler and Billy Crystal in Parental Guidance”. Jody took out sometime to chat with Media Mikes about his roles and what we can expect from the films.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your character in the film “The Bay”?
Jody Thompson: I play Officer Paul. I liken him to the Barney Fife of the town. It takes place in this really small town and which experiences an ecological outbreak, with these creatures all isopods. These are actually real creatures. These creatures get inside the townspeople and start eating them from the inside out. So if you can imagine Barney Fife with bodies flying through the street, then you have my character.

MG: How was it working with such a critically acclaimed director like Barry Levinson?
JT: It was really the drawing force for me to work on this picture. A chance like that doesn’t come by pretty often, so I was really pumped. Honestly, I put the audition on tape, forgot about it but when I got the call back I was psyched since he is such a well-respected director. It was a great project to be involved with.

MG: Tell us about your story line in the film?
JT: There are about four/five different story line and mine is one of the story lines they follow. It was challenging but the way the film is it works. My story has a bit of an arc but let’s just say it doesn’t end well for my partner and I. Just to be able to grab on to something like that I feel like I was able to work with this role a bit. So I thought it was really great.

MG: How was it working with Kristen Connolly, whom I loved in “Cabin in the Woods”?
JT: I did not. It sucks. I worked with Christopher Denham though and he recently had a really big part in “Argo”. So it was cool to work with him on this.

MG: The found footage genre is very hot right now, how does this film stand out from the rest?
JT: I always thought it was a little hokey in the found footage films, when someone is in the house but they keep the camera running. I would be outta there. The cool thing about this is that it is about an outbreak that happens in one day and it takes footage from all different sources. There is Skype cameras, (in my case) there is police cameras, iPhone and many others. They weave all these media forces together to tell a pretty convincing story. If you didn’t know this was a film, there is some believablility to this.

MG: How worked in both film and TV, what do you enjoy most and what do you look for in a role?
JT: My forte is comedy and I consider myself a character actor. Any chance I get to make people laugh is what I love the most. It doesn’t hurt when certain actors, directors or locations come into play. This is the stuff that I look for when I am choosing a role.

MG: How was it getting to work with Bette Midler and Billy Crystal on “Parental Guidance”?
JT: I only got to see Bette during the table read. But working with Billy Crystal was really crazy. I started talking with him one day about hosting the Academy Awards and telling him that he has been the best of all-time. He then started doing all the bits. It was awesome. It was like a free show. At the time I was shooting, Eddie Murphy was slated to host the Academy Awards. I finished shooting and like a week later Eddie dropped out and Billy Crystal got invited back. I thought that was really cool and I was saying that I was responsible for this [laughs]. But he was really awesome and I consider him a comedy legend.

Directed by: Rich Moore
Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 101 minutes

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“Wreck-It Ralph” is the latest 3D animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and it also has become of my favorite films of the year.  When I heard that Disney was making a film based on an 8-bit game, I was ecstatic.  I grew up playing classic video games from Atari to Nintendo and now high-def  games on systems like XBOX 360 and PS3.  So this movie is a perfectly targeted for someone like myself.  But what also works well is that it isn’t a total nerd fest, a complete video game layman can still enjoy this film just as much as myself. If you are looking to escape for 90 minutes, I highly recommend this film for the whole family.

The video game world created throughout “Wreck-It Ralph” is just simply breathtaking.  They are extremely colorful, specifically “Sugar Rush”.  The 3D effects in the film also really help to add that WOW-factor to this amazing world.  I loved the ever-so subtle touches in each game ranging from the 8-bit “Wreck-It Ralph” to completely different high-def first person shooter “Hero’s Duty”.  The visual effects in this film rival those of the wonders of Pixar for sure.  After seeing the beautiful “Tangled”, I was blown away and thought how can they top this but “Wreck-It Ralph” takes the animation to a new level. Get it level? Anyone? (Sorry had to throw in a little video game humor).

On the eve of celebrating the 30th anniversary with his game “Fix-It Felix, Jr.”, Wreck-It Ralph is tired of being the bad-guy.  He wants to be recognized for his work like Fix-It Felix does every game with his medals and getting respect from the buildings residents.  When Ralph leaves his own game to win a medal and prove that he is more than a bad-guy, he gets more than he bargained for.  After heading into the high-def first person shooter game “Hero’s Duty”, he is able to steal the hero’s medal but ends up taking one of the uncontrollable villains known as Cy-Bugs to the kart-racing game called “Sugar Rush”.  This is where he meets the cutie Vanellope von Schweetz and get involved with helping her with her issue of being a glitch and her dream to race in the game.  Of course, the ruler of the game, King Candy, has another plan.  With the help of the lead character of “Hero’s Duty”, Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun and Fix-It Felix Jr., they set out to find Ralph and return him to his game before it is put out-of-order for good, as well as to prevent a Cy-Bug invasion of “Sugar Rush”.

I am huge fan of John C. Reilly. I love how he is able to range in roles from crazy TV series like Adult Swim’s “Check it Out” to kid friendly roles like this. To be honest though, I am not particularly a fan of either Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch but I am a fan now.  They completely won me over in this film. Sarah was super-cute playing Vanellope von Schweetz and Jack McBrayer was a riot as Fix-It Felix, Jr. The all-star medal should definitely go to Alan Tudyk for stealing the show (and channeling his inner Mad Hatter) playing King Candy, from the game “Sugar Rush”.

The film is jam-packed with amazing video game cameos but it never becomes overwhelming. I felt that it was a nice balance of cameos and didn’t take anything away from the film. Some of them had speaking roles and some were just background. The best cameos were from characters like Ken, Ryu and Zangief from “Street Fighter”, who get some good laughs. Kano from “Mortal Kombat” gets his signature finishing move in. “Sonic the Hedgehog” has a small role as does the bartender from Tapper, which almost got me out of my chair laughing. Lastly Q*bert lands a few good lines as well (if you can call them that). Some of the non-speaking cameos are including Bowser from “Super Mario Bros”, Doctor Eggman from “Sonic the Hedgehog” and even Pac-Man. If you are looking for other types of product cameos you will find them in the game “Sugar Rush” ranging from very clever uses of Oreos, Devil Dogs, Mentos, Nestle Quik and Laffy Taffy.  I have a feeling I will be repeating the following chant for months to come: OREOOOOOOOO….OREEEEEEEEEO! Once you see it you will know why.

When it comes to video games, music is always a very important factor. I absolutely loved the score by Henry Jackman, it captures the video game feel but also adding in the Disney flare.  The Japanese girl group, AKB48, sings the super catchy theme song for the in-movie video game “Sugar Rush”. It will have you bouncing through the credit.  Speaking of credits be sure to stick around for a brief “glitch” scene after the credits. Also if you have an iPhone, be sure to download the free game from Disney’s “Fix-It Felix, Jr.” It is tons of fun and makes you feel like you are in the movie. It will also get you saying “I’m Gonna Wreck-It” after everything you say! My wife loves it 😉

This film is accompanied by another wonderful short film by Disney called “Paperman”. It is one of the cutest short films that I have ever seen. It is wordless, presented in glorious black-and-white and packs a perfect score from Christophe Beck. The film is in 3D put contains some of the most beautiful hand-drawn animation mixed with the aspect of CG. I would recommend highly getting to the theater early to catch this for sure!

After “Tangled”, which is one of my favorites films (of all-time), I am glad that Walt Disney Animation Studios is successfully making films outside of just working with Pixar. “Frozen” is up next, which is a 3D animated musical based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. It features the voices of Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel and is set for release on November 27, 2013. Count me in for sure!

Starring: Denzel Washington, Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 18 minutes
Paramount

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s been almost four years since airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed his crippled jet safely on the Hudson River. Ever since that day, whenever I fly, I always wonder to myself if the pilot flying the plane I’m on could pull that landing off. Because when you think about it, when you’re 30,000 feet above the ground the ONLY person that can get you back down safely is the pilot. Whip Whitaker (Washington) is a former military pilot who is put into a life or death situation when the plane he’s piloting from Orlando to Atlanta suddenly begins plummeting to the ground. A hard task for anyone, to be sure. Especially when they’re drunk.

A powerful look inside the world of alcoholism, “Flight” uses the events before and after the aforementioned plane mishap to take the viewer on the rollercoaster ride that is Whip Whitaker’s life. Hailed as a hero for landing the plane in a field, Whip is then alarmed to learn that the blood test taken after the crash showed alcohol in his system. And cocaine. Scared straight for a few days Whip refuses to believe he’s an alcoholic. But as those around him try to protect him the demons in the bottle continue to undermine them.

In his first live-action film since “Cast Away” (which also had one hell of an on-screen plane crash), Robert Zemeckis has returned first class story telling. An Oscar winner for “Forrest Gump,” Zemeckis takes the camera into the lives of Whip Whitaker and the people who want to protect them. Chief among them is Nicole (Kelly Reilly), a former drug addict who finds herself in the same hospital as Whip after the crash. The two form a friendship/relationship but Kelly finds herself being drawn into Whip’s downward spiral. Both actors give strong performances, rivaling those of Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick in the classic Blake Edwards film “Days of Wine and Roses.” Other notable actors include Greenwood as head of the pilot union and Cheadle as the attorney engaged by the airline to protect Whip.

A film about much more than a plane crash, “Flight” is a sobering look inside a world often ignored in Hollywood.

Actors: Steve Jobs, Robert X. Cringely
Directors: Paul Sen
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 23, 2012
Run Time: 72 minutes

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

Steve Jobs is a man like Walt Disney.  He is a visionary that left us way too early. Like Disney himself, I am sure people said “I could only have imagined the things he would have thought up”.  Luckily, Jobs’ legacy will live on like Disney’s himself.  “Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview” is a 70 minute intimate chat with the man behind so many great things like Apple and Pixar.  What is most interesting about this is that it was conducted way before he took over Apple and made it what it is today.  It is fascinating to listen to Jobs talk about the future, knowing what how it turned out.  This was lost for 17 years and now thanks to Magnolia Home Entertainment we get a chance to behind-the-scenes to the early days with the late and great Steve Jobs.

Official Premise: In this candid, in-depth interview with the late visionary filmed in 1995, Steve Jobs discusses at length his early days, career battles, and vision for the future. Small portions of the piece were used for a television series at the time, but the vast majority was shelved and for 17 years thought to be lost. Resurfacing, it is being presented in its entirety, providing a fascinating look at Jobs at a particularly interesting moment in his career, two years before he would go on to retake control of Apple

The special features included on this DVD are quite impressive for a lost documentary.  This is not a memorial on his life, it is justlost interview.  So if you are looking for a life-story, then you are looking in the wrong place.  On the topic of the interview, there is a wonderful additional hour long interview with Andy Hertzfeld, the original Macintosh programmer at Apple.  It is a must-watch! There is an audio only interview with writer/presenter Robert X. Cringley, which is conducted by producer of this film, John Gau.  Lastly there is a commentary track also included over the interview with Robert X. Cringley and director/producer Paul Sen.  Each feature is better than the next and will leave you 100% satisfied.