Starring:  Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell
Directed by:  David Frankel
Rated:  PG 13
Running time:  1 hour 40 mins
Columbia

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Kay (Streep) and Arnold (Jones) have been married for 31 years.  Their daily routines have become just that…routine.  Kay rises early to make Arnold’s breakfast (2 eggs and 1 strip of bacon) and watches him go off to work.  She has his dinner waiting when he comes home.  Then she wakes him up after he’s fallen asleep in front of the television watching the Golf Channel.  They sleep in seperate bedrooms.  Kay longs for the times when Arnold thought of her more as a wife then a roommate.  Arnold is clueless, considering his presentation of an expanded cable subscription ideal for their most recent anniversary.  At the end of her wits, Kay books her and Arnold into an intensive week-long couples therapy session run by relationship expert Dr. Feld (Carell).  Will Arnold join Kay in Maine?  And if so, can the spark be rekindled?

Though advertised as a comedy, “Hope Springs” is one of the best dramas to come down the pipe in many years.  Written by Vanessa Taylor, a long time television writer (“Alias,” “Game of Thrones”) making her feature screenwriting debut, the film takes a look at the very core of a once loving couple that, due to familiarity and lack of change, has become nothing more then two friends sharing a house.  Her script is unfailingly quick to get below the surface of Kay and Arnold’s feelings.  That script is helped by a cast that delivers an acting tour de force.  Three time Oscar winner Streep is surely on the way to nomination number eighteen!  Whether toying with her hair while looking in the mirror, relieving some pressure with a few drinks at a local pub or confronting Arnold face to face, she is incredibly vulnerable and yet strong at the same time.  Within five minutes you’re convinced that you’re watching a woman named “Kay” share her story, never an actress playing a role.  Of course, that is why Streep will be remembered as the greatest film actress of her generation hundreds of years from now.  Jones, an Oscar winner himself, gives a performance that could have gone wrong in the hands of a less capable actor.  Yes, Arnold is neglective of his wife and her feelings.  But, thanks to Jones performance, you pity him more then loathe him.  But the acting surprise here is Carell.  He’s given strong performances in the past, most notably in “Dan In Real Life” and last years “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”  But here he’s sharply nuanced…there is no sly wink or quick one liner.  I look for all three to be recognized by the Academy next year.

Director Frankel, who directed Streep to one of her previous Oscar nominations in “The Devil Wears Prada,” takes his camera inside Kay and Arnold’s lives, allowing the audience to eavesdrop on their most inner thoughts.  In doing so, he has created one of the best adult dramas in some time.

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Perry Horton is the writer of two recent films from The Asylum, “Shark Week” & “2-Headed Shark Attack”.  Media Mikes had a chance with Perry about how he got started working with The Asylum and about his upcoming films.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved working with The Asylum?
H. Perry Horton: In August 2010 I started my blog, Committed, dedicated entirely to Asylum films – news and reviews, interviews and profiles et cetera, as well as my own personal pitches. Basically, it was a shameless ploy to get their attention, and somehow it worked; in January 2011 they added me to their pool of writers. Three months after that, I was working on A Haunting in Salem.

MG: What was your biggest challenge working on “2-Headed Shark Attack”?
HPH: The sheer number of characters. I inherited the concept and basic set-up from the very talented Edward DeRuiter (3 Musketeers), and in my head, a semester-at-sea couldn’t just be 8 or 10 characters, there had to be enough people to justify the program, so I added a bunch more. Too many, perhaps, for development across the board, but on the bright side, it does yield possibly the highest death count in all of shark cinema history, at 26, I think.

MG: You work with sharks again with “Shark Week” also from The Asylum, tell us about working on this project?
HPH: The Asylum came to me with the concept, a sort of Hunger Games for the shark set. I thought it was a brilliant idea, and instantly wanted to get my hands on it. As far as the process went, it was quick – very, veryquick – and as such sort of a blur in my memory. I just remember throwing myself into it, wanting to satisfy what I think of as the two sides of being a shark fan – wanting to marvel at the sheer evolutionary superiority of the creatures, the genetic adaptations and instincts that make them such exceptional predators, and wanting to see them rip shit up. There are a lot of different species in the film, and I wanted to highlight each’s nefarious advantages, give each a different perilous personality.

MG: You are quite the shark expert, what do you enjoy most about working within that genre?
HPH: I don’t know that I’d consider myself a shark expert – maybe a shark-movie aficionado – I’ve just always been simultaneously fascinated and terrified by them. When I was a kid, eight or nine, I was surf fishing with an older friend in North Carolina, back where I’m from, and he got a bite on his line, big one, and started trying to reel it in but it was giving him trouble. When he tugged hard on the line, a hammerhead breached the surface not ten feet off shore. My buddy dropped the pole right there and it disappeared into the waves. Since then, I’ve been hooked (pardon the awful pun). Sharks are the pinnacle of evolution, the absolute fulfillment of biology’s potential, they’re consumption machines, it’s all they do, and they are well-equipped for the task. I can’t think of a more primal creature on the planet. And then there’s the sea: I could be making this up, but we know more about our solar system than we do the sea. It covers 3/4th of the planet and contains such a wide variety of hazards they’re practically innumerable. You put those elements together – a singled-minded killing machine with zero natural predators and the most unexplored and hostile environment on Earth – you’re gonna come up a winner every time.

MG: Tell us about why you created Committed, a fanblog about The Asylum?
HPH: I’m a fan, first and foremost, I just love whatthey do. I’ve always been a B-movie guy, and for my money, they’re making the best ones out there. I started the blog because I couldn’t believe there wasn’t one already, and because I wanted people to share in my enthusiasm for Asylum films. For all the general crap people may sling just because of the type of films they make, how inexpensively or quickly they make them or who’s in them or whatever, there’s at least twice as much to love about every single one of their films, and I wanted to share those things. And also I really, really wanted to write for them.

MG: What is your all-time favorite film from The Asylum and why?
HPH: Anything that reads “Screenplay by H. Perry Horton.” Other than that, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus is the film that really ignited my love for The Asylum. But I come at the question from a couple different angles. As a fan, I dig the Mega Shark movies, the found-footage stuff like Alien Origin, certainly the sex comedies like Bikini Spring Break; while as a writer I’m drawn to stuff like Paul Bales’ Nazis at the Center of the Earth and Sherlock Holmes, Geoff Meed’s I Am Omega and 6 Guns, Jose Prendes’ Haunting of Whaley House and Jared Cohn’s Born Bad – I could go on for paragraphs – but basically stuff that I’ve been not only impressed by, but humbled. So I guess the short answer is, all of them?

MG: What do you have planned next?
HPH: “Shark Week” premieres on SyFy Saturday, August 4th at 9 p.m. then bows on DVD a few weeks later on the 28th. I have a disaster film that’s in production at the moment, water-based, and an iron or two in the fire beyond that. I’m a superstitious sort of writer in that I don’t like to discuss projects before they’re in production. I’m a big believer in jinxes.

Matthew Lillard has appeared in over 70 films and is probably best known for his roles in Wes Cravens “Scream” and the live action “Scooby-Doo” films. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Matthew about making his debut as a director with the film “Fat Kid Rules the World” which is an adaptation of the K.L. Going novel of the same name.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a brief overview of the film?
Matthew Lillard: In the first few frames of the film the main character Troy Billings who is an obese teenager tries to jump in front of a bus. He ends up being saved by a punk rock guitar savant and the two start a band. The film is really about their journey as friends and them finding themselves.

AL: What drew you to the project?
ML: I was the kid who was lost in high school. I feel like 95% of the world feels like they don’t belong in whatever high school situation they are in. I felt like the story of Troy’sjourney depicted my experience in school. I think there are kids out there that need a movie like
this. The film is very honest and we just wanted to deliver that to those who need it.

AL: What was the hardest part of both directing and acting in the film?
ML: I actually cut my part out of the final frames of the film as it just didn’t work. Thestory is very fast and tidy and I felt my stuff really kind of lagged.

AL: How did Pearl Jam’s Matt McCready become involved with the scoring of the film?
ML: I had told my agents that I was directing a film and they asked me if I had anyone in mind to do the music. I told them no but the film was based in Seattle. They brought up Matt’s name and that he was looking for a film to score. He came on board and changed the quality of our film. He made a huge impact on our movie.

AL: What are the film’s release plans?
ML: The idea is that any one in America right now can go to www.tuggthefatkid.com and request a screening of our movie in their local theater. Once there are enough people to pre-buy tickets the screening will happen. It’s kind of a new way distributing independent films.

AL: You used Kickstarter.com to fundthe film. How did you become aware of that?
ML: I have had tons of friends that have used it in the past. It was a pretty amazing experience as we raised $158,000.00 in 31 days. It just helped propel the film as there is always the chance that an independent film can drift off in to oblivion. The support we have gotten from the community has really allowed us to find a new avenue to distribute this movie.

AL: What other projects are you working on right now?
ML: I just finished a film with Clint Eastwood titled “Trouble with the Curve” that comes out this fall. I also will be leaving soon for Australia to start work on “Nims Island 2”. I am always looking for films to do and hope to be doing another one in the next 6 months.

Kevin Heffernan is a member of the comedy group Broken Lizard.  He co-stars in the new film  “The Babymakers” along with fellow Broken Lizard member Jay Chandrasekhar, who also directed.  Kevin is currently touring the stand-up comedy circuit with fellow Broken Lizard member Steve Lemme.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2″ and “The Babymakers”.

Mike Gencarelli: How was it working with Jay Chandrasekhar solo compared to a Broken Lizard production?
Kevin Heffernan: He is a total dick…no he’s good. It was great. It was a project we put together a while back. It was closed and then fell apart and then closed then fell apart. So it was great to finally do it. It wasn’t that different from shooting a Broken Lizard film. We used a lot of the same crew and it is sort of like family. I’ve worked with Jay a lot so it was really smooth. Smooth sailing.

MG: Tell us what you enjoyed most about playing Wade?
KH: It is kind of funny since that with some of the early reviews, it has been said that it is a bit of a departure from our Broken Lizard work and features more mature material. But the fact of the matter is that I got to play the “Broken Lizard” asshole character. So it was fun for me. I got to be a jerk and a dumb guy. It ended up not being too far away for us. We dealt with issues with having kids and stuff but I was still running around with my pants down.

MG: What was your favorite experience from “The Babymakers”?
KH: Jay and I haven’t worked on something together since “The Slamming Salmon”. So it was fun to get back into that. You kind of realize the more movies you do the more comfort you have. There is a lot of improv on this. We got to come up with a lot of funny stuff. The other nice thing was working with a guy like Paul Schneider. I didn’t know Paul before but he has a lot of indie film cred. He is a real actor [laughs]. Unlike us, you know. To spend time on a set with a guy who is that talented was different than hanging out with my college buddies.

MG: What do you like most about working in comedy genre?
KH: I think it is just the sensibility of it. Being on set is fun, the atmosphere is just very fun. It is the base instinct of trying to make people laugh. I guess I could do drama but I really don’t seek any of that stuff out. I just love doing comedy.

MG: After “The Slamming Salmon”, you plan to direct again?
KH: Yeah, I would love to do more directing. We got a lot of irons in the fire currently. We had a couple of movies that have come close in the last year and one of those I was going to direct for Broken Lizard. So I still want to do that. You just gotta ride the wave a little bit. We made this movie. Then Steve Lemme and I got the stand-up tour also, which we actually just shot for a special last month. So we are editing that together right now. I like doing multiple things, that way you don’t get bored but I hope to direct again soon.

MG: Tell us about your stand-up tour with Steve Lemme?
Steve told me you and him are working on a new Broken Lizard script, any details?
KH: We got a couple of things we were working on right now. One we really like where we (Broken Lizard) all play minor league umpires. So it is funny kind of “Bull Durham” movie…but with umpires [laughs]. That is kind of secondary though. The big push is really for “Super Troopers 2”. The hold up is just a negotiation with Fox right now. They own the first one and the rights to the second one. So its moving along just slowly.

MG: You guys also have a TV pilot in the works, any update?
KH: Steve and I actually just pitched a new idea to a few places including NBC. They seem to really be into a few of the new ideas we have, so I think we should have something moving forward soon hopefully.

Jay Chandrasekhar is a member of the comedy group Broken Lizard.  He directs and co-stars in the new film  “The Babymakers”, which co-stars fellow Broken Lizard member Kevin Heffernan.  Jay also has directed a lot of television including “Arrested Development” and “Community”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jay about Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers 2″ and “The Babymakers”.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your biggest challenge working on “The Babymakers”?
Jay Chandrasekhar: I think I wanted to try something a little more real. So I wanted to see if I could make the tone with the real life relationship stuff work with some of the stuff that Kevin and I tend to do in the comedy world. I wanted to see if both of those tones could fit into a movie. So that was my biggest challenge for sure. I feel like I am very happy with how it ended up.

MG: How did it come about working with Kevin Heffernan solo on this project?
JC: He worked on a film called “Strange Wilderness”. The writer of that film, Peter Gaulke, had written this script with Gerry Swallow. He gave it to Kevin and asked if we could get it made at Warner Brothers, when we were there. Kevin gave it to me and asked if I would be willing to direct it. I read it and loved it and said “Let’s go for it”. So that is how it ended up being just the two of us. It is a movie about a couple really. It wasn’t able to be adapted to be a five man Broken Lizard movie. The thing about Broken Lizard movies is that it needs to have the right vibe and, of course, be able to star five guys. This was not one of those.

MG: What was your inspiration for the character Ron Jon?
JC: I based it somewhat on a couple of my Uncles. I’ll tell you this, I feel like Indians in Hollywood are always computer guys, cab drives, or nerds that never get chicks. I thought it might be fun to make the bad guy/criminal an Indian. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been imitating my Uncles since I was like 4 or 5, so I really had a fucking blast with this character.

MG: Do you find it difficult both acting and directing on a film?
JC: I have done it now like 6 or 7 times now. I always say acting and directing ruins two perfectly good jobs. But look, it is a great way to get good parts [laughs]. Frankly, I know how to do it. One thing I do is make sure that Kevin is watching my performance and I watch his of course when he directs. I just give a range of sizes for the performance starting at super subtle and get bigger and bigger. And I hope that one of those will make the cut.

MG: Besides film, you’ve been directing a bunch of TV, how do the do compare? What do you enjoy most?
JC: I have been lucky to work on a lot of great television shows like “Arrested Development” and “Community”. I am working with high-end top level comics and actors. I am getting to see how they work and also making new friendships/relationships. Due to this, now I am developing my own television show as well. The business is very different. You have to work faster and generate material a lot quicker. Yet it also has to be on a high level of entertainment. I am having a lot of fun shooting television though. My job there is to make a very good episode. It’s not to make my show. It is to shoot their show.

MG: With “Super Troopers 2” script completed, what are you most concerned about with making this film?
JC: I am concerned about fucking it up for the fans, obviously. There is nothing worse than watching a sequel and being like “What the fuck is that”? We have written what I think is a really great story. I think ultimately we have done 10 drafts of it and we need to do another 10 to ensure it is as funny or close. That is going to require, you know, smoking a lot of joints and sitting around a room and coming up with the right details. There is no guarantee, of course. Firstly, we still need to get Fox to allow us to make the film. Assuming that they do, there is a lot riding on it creatively.

MG: What do you have planned next with Broken Lizard? Solo?
JC: I got the pilot but I really can’t talk about it yet since it is not setup anywhere yet. There is a film called “Shotgun Wedding” that Olivia Munn and I are doing a re-write of currently. Unless the “Super Troopers” issue resolves itself, I imagine I would be making “Shotgun Wedding” next.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Bryan Cranston
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 58 mins
Columbia

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Remember the Arnold Schwarzenegger film “Total Recall?” Remember Mars, three breasted women, little Kuato and Arnie’s hilarious one-liners (“consider that a divorce!”)? Well, if you’re looking for a walk down memory lane (ooh, a “Total Recall” pun), unless you like the occasional extra boob you’re going to be sadly disappointed.

Doug Quaid (Farrell) lives on what’s left of a futuristic Earth on the former continent of Australia, now referred to as “The Colony.” The Colony is where the dregs of society seem to dwell. The only other inhabited part of the planet is a majority of Europe, know known as the United Federation of Britain (UFB). The main form of transportation is referred to as the Falls. Basically you get inside and travel the 17 minutes it takes to get from one place to another. Through the center of the Earth. Hold onto that coffee! Doug spends his days working at a factory where synthetic policemen (imagine the Storm Troopers in “Star Wars” starring in “Robocop”) and his nights waking up after having the same reoccurring dream. Looking to get out of his funk he decides to stop at a business known as REKALL. There you can have your brain fitted with fond memories of things that never happened. Want to be a pro basketball player? A singer. A secret agent? REKALL can make it seem like you’ve already been one. The only catch is that if you, say, want to have an affair behind your wife’s back, the only way REKALL can plant the memory is if you’ve never really had an affair behind your wife’s back, otherwise things can go really bad. Doug decides that he’d like the adventure of being a secret agent. How bad could that be?

Full of almost non-stop action the drawback to the new “Total Recall,” sadly, is that it’s full of almost non-stop action! Lots of gunfire and running across rooftops with an occasional line of dialogue does not a great movie make. As staged by director Wiseman, who did such a great job with the last “Die Hard” film, the action and stunts are over the top and sometimes breathtaking. However, when the cast stops to catch its breath, the film slows to a crawl. On the bright side, it appears that Wiseman is a fan of “Blade Runner” which, like “Total Recall,” is a film based on a Philip K. Dick story. His vision of the future is very similar to Ridley Scott’s; an overcrowded world with people literally living on top of one another. Apparently it’s also a future where cars now fly yet also use the side streets and giant elevators shuffle people here and there yet you have to run up a seven story staircase to catch the bad guy. Technology my butt!

At least the cast is up for the adventure. It’s been so long since I’ve seen Colin Farrell on screen (in a horrible comb-over in “Horrible Bosses”) that if this had been the early 1980s I would have thought I was watching Treat Williams. As Quaid’s “wife” Lori, Beckinsale is both cunning and bad ass. Former/future love interest Melina (Jessica Biel) matches Beckinsale in both brawn and brains. And both look good in black.

Maggie Wagner is playing the role of Karen Harrison in the play “Right on Target”, which premieres at this year’s New York International Fringe Festival. She is also co-starring with John Schneider in “Return of the Killer Shrews”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about these projects and what else she has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to audition for the play “Right on Target”
Maggie Wagner: I got a phone call from one of the producers who’s a friend of mine. He was working on a play for the Fringe Festival and he had a part in it that he thought I would be good for. He wanted me to meet Gary Morgenstein who was also going to be working on the play. Gary thought I was the right person for the role also. I then auditioned over Skype for director Noemi De Lapunte. She liked me and everything went from there.

MG: Tell us about your character, Karen Harrison, in the play?
MW: I play a character by the name of Karen Harrison. She is a very liberal, hippy, jewelry maker who is married to a very conservative, right wing African American. We are complete opposites.

MG: The play is premiering at the New York International Fringe Festival, what can we expect next?
MW: I have never been to the festival. I do know that two plays or more have gone on to Broadway. One of those was “Urine Town”. This festival is a starting ground for shows and it’s a mixed bag so you never know what you are going to get.

MG: How would you compare working in theater to working in film or television?
MW: It’s all about truth and reality for me. I try to do everything the same. They are different mediums but I try to be as real as possible. You try to bring in your own reality. There is a lot more projecting when it comes to stage work but I love being on stage and hearing the laughter from the crowds.

MG: Is there a specific genre where you feel most comfortable?
MW: I love everything. I like anything that involves me getting paid and being able to show my strongest points. (Laughs)

MG: How did you get involved with “Return of the Killer Shrews”?
MW: The writer of the sequel Steven Latshaw happens to be a friend of mine. The original actress who was cast became pregnant and they needed someone for the role of Stella. They were looking for someone with a biting wit similar to Fran Drescher. I guess I am the low budget equivalent to what they were looking for. (Laughs) They called and asked me if I wanted to be in the film and I just went and did it. There was really no audition process.

MG: Did you have any problems working with the digital effects in the film?
MW: Not really. They kind of give you the idea of where things are and you just sort of go from there. It was great working with John Schneider. We are sort of like the odd couple.

MG: What other projects do you have coming up?
MW: I just finished a film titled “Hate Crime”. The film was directed by James Cullen Bressack and the film is an experimental horror film. It is a found footage film where a family is attacked by some intruders. There is a lot of special effects things going on. I hear it is pretty gruesome to watch.

Directed by: Jay Chandrasekhar
Starring: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn and Kevin Heffernan
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 93 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I saw Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan and Olivia Munn attached to this film, I was immediately interested. I am a big fan of Broken Lizard and G4’s “Attack of the Show”. This film is laugh-out-loud funny but takes a more mature route than past work from Jay and Kevin. Although Kevin said during an interview with us that he feels that his character is similar to his past Broken Lizard roles. Jay also has an acting role besides directing, playing Ron Jon and easily steals the show. I don’t feel that Olivia Munn was really used to her full potential but in the end she is still a hell of a sight to look at.

“The Babymakers” follows a married couple whose main objective is to have a baby. But after 9 months of trying, Audrey (Munn) and her husband Tommy (Schneider) are unable to get pregnant. After finding out that his sperm is lacking in the baby department, Tommy recruits his pals in order to steal a deposit he made at a sperm bank years earlier. Simple plot though this is not a one-joke comedy and does manage to entertain throughout.

Fans of Broken Lizard should keep an eye out for alums like Nat Faxon, M.C. Gainey and Philippe Brenninkmeyer. Also if you were a fan of Munn’s failed TV series “Perfect Couples” (like myself), keep an eye out for her co-star Hayes MacArthur who is a laugh riot in the film as well. Though if you are looking for another Broken Lizard film, you will be disappointed. I feel it still really delivers and “The Babymakers” is a simple yet very fun comedy. If you need something to do on a Saturday night, this is definitely worth checking out.

Directed by: Rodrigo Cortés
Starring: Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Joely Richardson, Elizabeth Olsen, Toby Jones, Leonardo Sbaraglia
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 113 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Hold on a sec, a paranormal thriller/horror film with Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy? Where do I sign up? This little film has flown under my radar this summer with big budget superhero movies taken the spotlight. “Red Lights” deserves some major attention.  It is extremely well-done and really delivers from the moment it starts through the its shocking ending. I am a big fan of Rodrigo Cortés, especially after his film “Buried”. He is really able to do a lot in a film with not much. Cillian Murphy also gives an amazing performance and really carries this film.

The film follows psychologist and paranormal investigator, Margaret Matheson, (Weaver), and her physicist assistant, Tom Buckley (Murphy) as they aim to disprove the paranormal experiences with science and technology. When they get involved with investigating a famous psychic, Simon Silver (De Niro) things get a little too hot and they find themselves in deeper than they expected. Is Silver a true psychic medium or just another fraud?

“Red Lights” does a great job of blending its horror, thriller and drama aspects all together to one entertaining film. It has some good spooks but isn’t full blown horror. With the televisions and cinemas being flooded with films about paranormal activities and ghost huntings, this will probably be filed in with the rest but is actually able to stand on its own. It is not only well directed and executed but also packed with impressive performances, I highly recommend checking this film out.

Zachary Gordon is known best for playing Greg Heffley in series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. He is returning this summer in the third film in the series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Zachary about the series and what we can expect from this film.

Mike Gencarelli:  What do you enjoy most about playing the Greg Heffley character?
Zachary Gordon: It’s somewhat of a challenge to go back to Vancouver every year but at the same time it almost gets easier as we are just a big wimpy family. I kind of fell right in to character from the start. Playing Greg is so much fun. I get to become this whole new character. When we are shooting in Vancouver we all get to hang out and do things together.

MG: How does the latest film compare to the previous two?
ZG: The first two films were based during the school year. What’s unique about “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is that it takes place during summer vacation. Greg’s idea of a perfect summer vacation is sleeping in and playing videos games. His Mom’s idea is quite different. Greg is kind of forced to spend time with his Dad and things just backfire. Greg’s tries a number of different ways to impress everyone but nothing seems to work out.

MG: Was there any difficulty trying to blend the two books, “The Last Straw” and “Dog Days”, that make up this film into one?
ZG: Playing Greg is always somewhat the same. A lot really depends on the mood of the scene. What I find so interesting about the two books being combined is you get some of the school year and some of the summer. I thinkthat is really great. I especially like that they involved summer vacation as this hasn’t been shown before. I am really happy with the way the film is turning out.

MG: Do you have any fun stories from during filming?
ZG: I have a lot! There was one where we were filming in a pool with a bunch of people. I was a little nervous about what people could be doing in the pool because they had been in there for awhile. Everyone started joking about it and my Mom and Peyton List’s Mom decided to mold a bunch of tootsie rolls together and put it in the pool. Peyton planted the evidence in the bottom of the pool and then went over and told one of the producers. They told Peyton not to tell me as they thought I would freak out. They had to get some people to try and get it out. We were all laughing and then Peyton jumped in the pool and picked up the fake poop. Eventually people found out that it was fake. That was a great prank.

MG: Do you have a favorite book in the series?
ZG: The first one to me is personally the best. I love all the books but the first one really starts everything off. That’s where the rollercoaster begins.

MG: What do you like most about working in the voice over field?
ZG: I am actually working on a voice over project right now titled “The Boxcar Children”. What I love about animation is that it is so different from live action. You can roll out of bed and go to work. You have to voice over acharacter without anyone seeing your emotions. I like that challenge. When working on voiceovers you are watching something through a glass window. Both voiceover and live action are so unique.

MG: Are you going to be reprising your role in the new “Santa Paws”?
ZG: In the first film I play Puppy Paws which is Santa Paws’ son. In the new film I voice the younger Santa Paws. The dogs are adorable and I am glad I got to voice over them.

MG: What are you currently working on?
ZG: I am working on “The Boxcar Children” which is based off the book series. It’s a great family film that everyone can relate to. Also before I broke my leg I finished work on a film called “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”. This character is much different than my role in the Wimpy Kid films  as I play sort of a bully. It was fun working on a totally different character.

Los Angeles, CA – August 1, 2012 – The Wagner/Cuban Company’s Magnolia Home Entertainment and Phase 4 Films announced today they have jointly acquired North American rights to the Mark Hamill film SUSHI GIRL. The revenge thriller had its international premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21st 2012, to be followed by a theatrical release in the U.S. and cable VOD by Phase 4 Films in late 2012, with Blu-ray™, DVD and digital VOD release by Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Releasing label in early 2013. Phase 4 Films will also distribute the film theatrically and on home video in Canada.

The hotly anticipated genre-bending thriller by director Kern Saxton (co-writer of the film along with Destin Pfaff) is produced by Assembly Line, a team including Neal Fischer, Pfaff, Saxton and Suren M. Seron, in association with Level Up Productions.

Mark Hamill (Star Wars Franchise) and Tony Todd (Candyman) lead a cast of cult heroes including Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story), James Duval (Donnie Darko), Andy Mackenzie (MacGruber), David Dastmalchian (The Dark Knight) and Cortney Palm (Superbad). Sushi Girl also includes feature appearances by Michael Biehn (Aliens), Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill Vol. 1), Jeff Fahey (Grindhouse) and Danny Trejo (Machete).

The film centers on the compelling character of a man called “Fish,” just released after six years in jail after successfully not ratting on those involved in the robbery that sent him to prison. The night he is released, the men he protected with silence celebrate his freedom with a congratulatory dinner. The meal is a lavish array of sushi, served off the naked body of a beautiful young woman. The sushi girl seems catatonic, trained to ignore everything in the room, even if things become dangerous. Sure enough, the unwieldy thieves can’t help but open old wounds in an attempt to find their missing loot, with violent results.

“SUSHI GIRL’s all-star ensemble of fan favorite actors will resonate with the Magnet audience,” said Head of Magnolia Home Entertainment Randy Wells. “Kern and the SUSHI GIRL production team have put together an incredibly cool, well-crafted thriller, and Mark Hamill’s performance will leave fans buzzing.”

“We both loved the film so much that teaming up was the only option,” said Larry Greenberg, SVP Acquisitions of Phase 4 Films.

“It was a long battle to get the right distribution for this film, but we are extremely happy with how our partners have worked together with us to create a win for everyone involved,” said Suren M. Seron of Assembly Line.

The deals were negotiated by Magnolia’s Director of Acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg, Head of Legal and Business Affairs Chris Matson, and Phase 4’s Larry Greenberg, with Nate Bolotin and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films and Suren M. Seron of Assembly Line.

Directed by: Jason Paul Collum
Starring: Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer
Distributed by: Breaking Glass Pictures
Release Date: August 28, 2012
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 63 minutes

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

I am a total fan of B-horror movies & the Scream Queen era of 1980s thru early 90s. I grew up on these films and they are always going to be my favorites. Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer are definitely the original Scream Queen’s. Films like “Return of the Living Dead”, “The Slumber Party Massacre” and “Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers” were and still are some of my favorite 80’s horror films. They are timeless and only get better with age. This documentary gives some really great insight into birth of the VHS horror days and the original Scream Queens!

You can really tell that this is a real passion project for Jason Paul Collum. Linnea Quigley (“Return of the Living Dead”), Brinke Stevens (“The Slumber Party Massacre”) and Michelle Bauer (“Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers”) really seem to have a great time telling their stories of how they became cult icons of the late 1980s. It also gives insight into what they are doing now as well, so it is a great revisit into their careers. If were were a horror fan and a teenage boy in the late 80’s, then you will know how much these film’s have impacted your life. “High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era” is fun, informative and a real treat for any fan of the genre.

The unrated DVD also comes with some great special features for hardcore horror fans. There are bonus interview footage with Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer, which is definitely worth checking out. There is also fun footage from the Flashback Weekend of Horror convention Q&A. If you caught this film on television on Chiller and censored BTW, you need to see this unrated cut with all the boobs included that made 80’s horror great. Fans of classic 80’s films are going to NEED to pick up this release, no question!

Directed by: Soubi Yamamoto
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Section 23
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 28 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

With a title like “This Boy Can Fight Aliens”, sounds strange but completely intrigued. After three back-to-back viewings of this film, I am still not quite sure I completely understand what I watched. I am not stranger to anime at all. Sentai Filmworks is a great contributor to the genre. I also wish the film was incredibly longer. The running time of 30 minutes only seems to be a jumping off point for this film. I also feel like it can see a series as well. For big anime fans, this is definitely something I would recommend.

The story revolves around Kakashi, a boy with no memory of his past.  He lives in a world where aliens come everyday to fight. Kakashi is the one who can take on the aliens. Though with losing his memory also forgot the knowledge of how to actually use his powers. It is up to his friends to help him regain his powers and remember who he is in order to save them from the aliens.

The special features are not the greatest but still worth checking out. There is a few early work shorts from director Soubi Yamamoto. They are three really cool mini-features but I would have liked to see more. There is also a brief interview with Soubi Yamamoto as well. Overall the film is visually super cool and very interesting. Would have loved to review this on Blu-ray since it probably looks mega-cool.

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Directed by: David Lee Madison
Starring: Stephen Geoffreys, Edward X. Young, Jessica Cameron, Steve Dash, Brad Loree
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Kino Lorber/Horizon Films
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Mr. Hush” is the directorial debut from David Lee Madison. The film wants to be 80’s throwback slasher but it is really lacking on the horror…and the slashing. The film also takes way to long to get started and suffers from really flat dialogue and poor execution. For example “Die you smelly fuck”. For a film that is claimed to be brutal and terrifying I had a really hard time holding back from laughing. On the only plus side, the film is jam packed with great genre cast including Stephen Geoffreys (“Fright Night”, “976-EVIL”), Brad Loree (“Halloween: Resurrection”) and Steve Dash (“Friday the 13th, Part 2”). Even Brian O’Halloran (“Clerks”) appears in this film. But when it comes down to it, even being a huge horror fan and I found it incredibly hard to even finish this film.

The film tells the story of Holland Price (Loree), a devoted husband and loving father, who loses his family to a psychotic stranger named Mr. Hush (Young) who sings “Hush, Little Baby” before slitting throats. When Price attempts to move on with his life living in a small Pennsylvania town, he finds that Mr. Hush returns to wreak havoc once again, this time with a demonic sidekick (Geoffreys).

Horizon Films delivers an decent Blu-ray video presentation but I had real issues with the audio. Even though it is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, there was a lot of issues, especially with the dialogue. The special features are lacking and starts off with an introduction by director David Lee Madison and Brian O’Halloran. Next up is a audio commentary from director David Lee Madison & star Edward X. Young. There is outtakes and bloopers included, though I am never a fan these with horror films. “There is the music video for “Mr. Hush” from the band “Visitor” (featuring Bill Gibson & Mario Cipollina from Huey Lewis & the News and Tal Morris from Creedence Clearwater Revisited). Lastly there is the original theatrical trailers included.