Tom Sullivan is the man responsible for the props and special effects for “The Evil Dead”. He also worked the stop motion animation work in “Evil Dead 2”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tom about his work on the series and about his influences growing up.

Mike Gencarelli: Were you a fan of Ray Harryhausen and has he inspired your work?
Tom Sullivan: It all started for me…art, film…when I saw the original “King Kong” when I wa five years old. I thought if there were jobs that were this cool…(laughs) I hadn’t heard of Ray Harryhausen yet, or Willis O’Brien. I didn’t even know how they did the gorilla in the movie. My five year old thinking was that they had a lot of really strong gymnasts, really athletic people. But I knew it wasn’t a real animal. I had no clue about stop motion. And it wasn’t until the 3rd grade that Famous Monsters of Filmland came to my attention. It had stories about “King Kong” and Ray Harryhausen. Then I started seeing movies like “The Seven Voyages of Sinbad” and “Jason and the Argonauts.” And I thought, “oh, somebody carried this on. Somebody took the stop motion banner forward.” And Ray did that exceptionally. He was making the most remarkable special effects films over all of that time. Next to him were the occasional big studios films and then the George Pal films. Pretty much everybody else’s films were pretty lame. There was a filmmaker from Eastern Europe named Karel Zeeman, who was like the Willis O’Brien of, I think, Czechoslovakia. He did these most imaginative films that were just beautiful. Films like “The Fabulous World of Jules Verne” and “Journey to the Beginning of Time,” which was about some kids taking a boat down a river. They start in almost an ice age, a glacier and the farther they go down the river the farther back in time they go. He filled the film with herds of dinosaurs and mammals and things like that. Eventually they hit the ocean. It’s a really creative film…lots and lots of mattes and stop motion. You can find them on DVD. “The Fabulous World of Jules Verne” is neat because the sets are a series of engraved drawings. You can see the lines drawn on it and it has this really charming take on it…the Victorian charm of manners and other things. But anyway I found those guys and just took off. Ray’s stuff was highly influential to me. I’d love to see that stuff come back. In reality, stop motion never died. It just took on new forms. Like the stop motion puppet films that Tim Burton produces. I think the new “Addams Family” film will be stop motion. Puppet films are doing great…they make money. But I’d like to see stop motion come back. Maybe pair it up with digital compositing. Digital compositing is the best thing out there. A lot of films have them. People driving around in cars or on trains, there’s a view out of a window. A lot of that is done with green screen because you can control things a lot better. Done correctly, with the time and talent and money, it’s nearly impossible to tell. Look at a Ray Harryhausen film. That’s one guy putting out five monsters for a movie. For the new “Clash of the Titans” film the credits went on for eight minutes because they had armies, literally hundreds of people doing that stuff. Each figure had to be constructed. Not just the sculpture but the muscles, textures, hair if it has it. They all have to be incorporated and animated in layers. You start with a guy with a stick figure animating that, and then someone adding on the layers of muscle and skin and clothing and hair and then you have the textures…lighting textures and skin textures. It really takes about 15 layers to do that. And with the video-assist in stop motion today you can actually see the stop motion growing as it progresses. Ray Harryhausen has turned out to be incredibly influential. Did you see the film “Monsters?” That’s a Harryhausen film. “Lord of the Rings?” That’s a Harryhausen film. “Cloverfield?” That’s a Harryhausen film. Just with some tweaks on it. “Godzilla” is a Ray Harryhausen film. The filmmakers wanted to match the success of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.” That was the first one! Even though “King Kong” featured it, Ray Harryhausen made if a part of the landscape. The big monster on the loose thing. He did a couple of those. And he wrote some books for us film scholars…he spread the information he had gleaned.

MG: What was your inspiration for some of the props and special effects for “The Evil Dead”?
TS: Probably the Book of the Dead. In the script it was described as having an animal skin cover, which I took for leather. It was also described as having two letters from an ancient alphabet. To me I thought, no matter how scary I make those letters, it’s going to come off as a scrapbook. To me, as an illustrator, and I’m an artist first, you try to make something breathe. In that split second that it takes to identify what something is, at the moment your brain is processing it, you’ve got to make it simple so that all of the clues point to exactly what it is. And letters on a leather book they’re not…they’re not words. Like “TO SERVE MAN.” They’re not recognizable. They’re just symbols. And that really doesn’t speak much to me. If it’s a book of awful things, you should be able to just look at it and know you’re not going to pick it up…it’s too disgusting. My dad used to get SAGA and other men’s magazines that used to have all kinds of rancid stories in them. I’d sneak them from him. And one of them had a story about Ilse Koch, who was the wife of a concentration camp commandant. She was tried later in the Nuremberg Trials and executed, thankfully. But she would skin the prisoners and use the skins for curtains and lampshades and book covers. Needing to not just put somebody’s back on the book cover but a recognizable human feature, the story goes I didn’t want to put a schlong on the cover (laughs) so a human face seemed good. I’ve been looking and I’ve never found a book with a face as the cover. I’ve never seen any of Ilse’s books so I don’t know what she used. I’m not sure she used a face so I think we made that up. I did a slush mold of Hal Delrich’s face. I stretched it over some corrugated cardboard and instant book cover. I also got some store bought parchment…thick dyed paper…and I bound that together with grocery bag material. That became the book binding. I glued that in. Then for the next two weeks of filming, when I had finished up my other chores and done make up for people I’d sit around the kitchen table down in Tennessee and talk with Josh Becker, who was second unit camera. He helped with sound and lots of things. He’s really a film scholar and a film director now. We would talk about film and I would illustrate the book. I based the design on Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks. It had some cool drawings and he would have his mirrored…reversed…lettering. He could right backwards so that you could only read it in a mirror. I should say here that the “Evil Dead” book does NOT contain any hidden messages. I call it sanscript or the font of the dead. The hidden messages didn’t come in until the Anchor Bay books, and that was a lot of fun. I designed them and illustrated them. And the eyes still scream on the “Evil Dead 2” book.

MG: You did more stop motion animation work in “Evil Dead 2.” Tell us about that process?
TS: “Evil Dead 2” was a much bigger film. The first was a little tiny thing. But the second one had like a $3 million budget and three stop motion crews. Sam actually gave me my choice of what I wanted to do. I thought stop motion was going to be the next big thing, not predicting digital at all. At the end of “Evil Dead 2” there’s a scene where this flying Deadite comes in and battles the soldiers on horseback and knocks them off. He then kills a couple of them. And the woman running with the child and it swoops down on her and then Ash shows up. The problem was I had prepared a list of dos and don’ts to shoot the background plates. My cameraman for the finale, Larry Larson, who had a lot of experience in this stuff, he and I put together a little list. I’m not sure what happened. Some of the things were “don’t put dust in the air” or “don’t kick smoke up, or as little as possible.” Because if you use that as the screen you project the image on to behind the puppet it would put the creature not on the plain behind the dust but in front of the dust, which would make it look smaller perspectively. But Sam wanted dust and he got these huge aircraft engines and ruined it! So there were just one or two shots that we could actually use for backgrounds. That was the reason I did the film and it goes by so fast people don’t even remember they saw it. I built, designed and animated the model. I even put little screws in the back attached to wires so I could animate various expressions. I didn’t get to use it because the whole sequence was truncated. But if you look closely in one of the profile shots when the Deadite is flying, in between one of the wing flaps you can see the face smile. On “Mighty Joe Young” Ray used to put clay over the lips to animate the lips moving…beautifully too. It was astounding how he did that.

MG: Would you say that “Army of Darkness” was the most difficult film to work on due to the large scale?
TS: Actually on “Army of Darkness” all they needed was an “Evil Dead 2” Book of the Dead. They had apparently lost the books, they never returned from “Evil Dead 2.” So I sent them one and a couple of months later I had to call and ask “where’s my money.” (laughs) The art director reminded them that Ash had to get sucked into a Book of the Dead and it had to be bigger than the “Evil Dead 2” book. So their art director just did a derivative copy of it. I hate the cover. But they needed a bigger book so that Ash could get sucked into it and then crawl out. But that’s the only film I actually got credit for the Book of the Dead on. They were kind of stingy on credits for “Evil Dead” and “Evil Dead 2”, which is too bad because I could have used a career! (laughs)

MG: Tell us about your website, http://DARKAGEPRODUCTIONS.COM/?
TS: We don’t have a catalog yet. I’ve been an illustrator and have illustrated H.P. Lovecraft role-playing games for the past 18 years. I’ve got a terrific printer that prints archival paper with archival ink. Really beautiful, archival, will last hundreds of years prints. I make convention appearances and I take along some racks and lots of prints and props that I show off. I have fun meeting the fans. That’s the greatest reward out of all of this. Seeing the influence that films have on people…I never expected that. I mean I saw “King Kong” and wanted to make movies. And a convention doesn’t go by where I don’t meet someone who says “you know, I’m an artist because I saw your work.” Or a filmmaker or special effects guy. That’s really cool…really cool.

A Media Mikes exclusive:
Following the interview Mr. Sullivan said he had a little news that we could break for him:
Ryan Meade, a friend of Mr. Sullivan and a filmmaker, is finishing up a documentary film about Mr. Sullivan called “Invaluable.” The title comes from the word Fangoria Magazine has used to describe Mr. Sullivan’s involvement in the “Evil Dead” films. The film covers Mr. Sullivan’s art and film career and includes interviews with some of films biggest stars, including, of course, the cast and crew of the “Evil Dead” films. The film will also feature a lot of behind the scenes looks at the “Evil Dead” films.

Betsy Baker is best known for her role of Linda in “The Evil Dead”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Betsy about looking part on the cult classic film and also what she has been up to since.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your greatest memory working on the set of “The Evil Dead”
Betsy Baker: I think my memories all sort of meld into a few…. Even though there were many. I still clearly remember the awfully cold and frigid nights we shot. We only shot during the day on the river, while driving the car and at the bridge…the rest of the film was shot at night. It was cheaper, because then they didn’t have to spend money covering all the windows with black cloth. I remember driving down that long dirt road night…after night…knowing we’d be cold, tired, and probably come home with karo syrup sticky blood all over us (which we did!!). I also remember running into our cast and crew house and trying to get into the shower first every morning around 5:30 am, so I could get all the gunk off of me. It was always a race as to who got the most hot water.

MG: How do you feel that the movie has been so successful and become a cult classic since it release almost 30 years ago?
BB: It still amazes me to this day, what a cult classic this movie is. Of course, had it not been for video stores, this would have probably never happened with the great intensity that it did. But it’s still hard to believe.

MG: How was it revisiting “Evil Dead” for the “Ladies of the Evil Dead” documentary?
BB: It’s actually been a lot of fun… Not only to meet a lot of our fans at conventions around the US and around the world including Germany and London.  But just to sit together and laugh, and catch up from old times, and compare notes, and at the same time learn something new about the movie or the cast or crew.

MG: Shortly after “Evil Dead”, you took a break from acting, what was the reason? What made you return?
BB: I worked steadily for about 5-6 years after “Evil Dead”. I did a film with the great Karl Malden and John Malkovich, did plenty of commercials, some equity stage acting and I had 2 children! The greatest thing that ever happened to me! I wanted to devote time and energy to their upbringing as a family, and i didn’t think i could do that properly if i was rushing off to a play every night from 6 pm until midnight, or off on a film somewhere. No regrets… Just glad to be back acting again… and very, very proud of the great adults our children turned out to be!!

MG: Will there be any more seasons of the webseries “Dangerous Women” with Ellen Sandweiss and Theresa Tilly?
BB: We’d love to have a second season.. and a third… and a… well, you get the idea. Webseries, though, is a very difficult medium to forge ahead and continue to produce and make, if there isn’t a studio house or a production company behind it. We’ll have to just guess what happens to those three broads, since they had just begun to figure out that something really creepy and weird was going in their lives.

MG: How did you end up appearing in the TV show “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”? Was it fun?
BB: I auditioned for a tiny, tiny part and it took less than 1/2 a day to shoot. But I thought it was such a bizarre title, a bizarre show, and a bizarre premise.. I couldn’t turn it down.

MG: How was it reuniting with Ellen Sandweiss and Theresa Tilly in the horror comedy, “Brutal Masacre: A Comedy”?
BB: “Brutal Massacre” was a fun movie.  It’s great to say that we were all in it together, although.. as is often the case with a lot of TV or film work…we never worked on the set at the same time. I was flying back to Los Angeles the day Theresa arrived, and I barely saw Ellen…even at the hotel!

MG: What else do you have planned for the coming future?
BB: I just starred in a psychological thriller called “2084′”, which should be available now. Think “The entire world is threatened by a virus and forced to stay inside”.  Pretty cool stuff.

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Theresa Tilly is best known for her role of  Shelly in “The Evil Dead”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Theresa about looking part on the cult classic film and also what she has been up to since.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your greatest memory working on the set of “The Evil Dead”
Theresa Tilly: Remember we were a bunch of kids, just out of college, some still in college, and all of us loved movies and acting. So the fact that we were leaving town to go and shoot a movie, our first feature film, was just a dream come true. Once reality set in, that it meant performing in the freezing cold with karo syrup all over you and not having slept for 24 hours, etc. well, it became more of a nightmare. Still the collaborative aspect of it was incredible. Even though what were shooting seemed crazy, we all had faith that Sam knew what he was doing, he just had a lot of confidence.

MG: How do you feel that the movie has been so successful and become a cult classic since it release almost 30 years ago?
TT: It is really fun to be part of this legendary film. I’m not really a horror movie buff and its embarrassing that I don’t know that much about the cult itself but nonetheless, I really have fun meeting people who love this movie and chatting to them about all the details, they often know more than I do about it.

MG: How was it revisiting “Evil Dead” for the “Ladies of the Evil Dead” documentary?
TT: It feels like a high school reunion every time we all get together. It was one of those things that you just don’t know how you ever got through it and so the memories are still there, it’s fun to share that with those who went through it with you.

MG: Shortly after “Evil Dead”, you took a break from acting, what was the reason?
TT: It was more of a change of style. I actually began doing sketch comedy at the local comedy club The Comedy Castle. That evolved when my partner quit and I had to either quit too or do it myself, which is what I did. I performed as an opening act all over the Midwest for the likes of Tim Allen, Gary Shandling, Bob Saget, Mike Binder, Paula Poundstone…I must say I had a bit of a bad taste for film making and thought it might be fun to be my own boss for a while. I then started commuting to Chicago to study at Second City and do stand-up at night. I landed a pilot while there and that is really what brought me to Los Angeles. The pilot was never picked up but it made me believe I had to follow this dream. I spent many years doing voice over work and working a DJ as I wanted to be a mom that raised my own child. That allowed me the chance to have a little of both. Now that she is grown, I just can’t stay off the stage. I’m about to do my second play in three months!

MG: How was it reuniting with Ellen Sandweiss and Betsy Parker in the horror comedy, “Brutal Masacre: A Comedy”?
TT: You mean after they were out on parole?! They’d like that one…I love traveling around with two ole pals and talking about the good old days it’s been a real blast.

MG: Will there be any more seasons of the webseries “Dangerous Women” with Ellen Sandweiss and Theresa Tilly?
TT: It’s a great little series and I WISH it would get picked up, then we could work together again, wouldn’t that just be so cool!!!

MG: What else do you have planned for the coming future?
TT: I’m about to put a little acting program into the local school system for kids who might not other wise have the chance to do a play, that’s keeping me busy.

Director: Mateo Gil
Starring: Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Run Time: 102 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

What happened to Butch Cassidy when he got old…well if you care this is the movie to watch. Nut if you expect another “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” film you will be sadly disappointed. This film is not it at all. It does not have any charm that the other films have had. This film is slow moving and only saved by a great performance from Sam Shepard. If you are feeling nostalgic and a big fan, you might want to check out but keep expectations low.

Under the name of James Blackthorn, Cassidy sets out of exile from a secluded Bolivian village and heads back into the U.S. with hoping to see his family again before he dies. Once he sets out his plans change when it comes in meeting with another criminal (Eduardo Noriega). He forced to set out to one last adventure.

There special features are decent including a few deleted scenes. There is a brief “Making of Blackthorn”, which is interesting but not very detailed. Not related to “Blackthorn” but the director Mateo Gil has a few short films included as well. Finally there is the typical Magnolia Home Entertainment features, “HDNet: A Look at Blackthorn” and of course trailer.

Margo Harshman is starring in the upcoming film “Infected” with Vinnie Jones, Danny Glover and Beverley Mitchell.  She is also appearing in upcoming TV series “Bent” on NBC in 2012.  Margo is known best for her role in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and the film “Sorority Row”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Margo about her upcoming work and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us a little background on the film, “Infected” and your role in the film?
Margo Harshman: “Infected” leans toward sci-fi, but can’t be classified as only that. I play Mandy, the level-headed longtime girlfriend of a war vet recently returned home (played by Taylor Handley).

MG: How was it working with such a great cast i.e. Vinnie Jones, Danny Glover and Beverley Mitchell?
MH: The cast was great to work with. Everybody was very nice.

MG: Any fun stories from working on the film or difficult moments?
MH: The first few days of shooting we filmed the biggest death scenes in the script. It can be challenging to play scenes that intense without much knowledge of who you’re working with. It was a blast hanging out on set between lighting set ups or scenes. I had worked with some of the crew and cast before and we killed a lot of time laughing.

MG: Tell us about your role in the new NBC comedy “Bent”?
MH: I play Amanda Peet’s little sister Screwsie. In a few words, she’s a free spirited chef.

MG: Tell us about working with Amanda Peet, David Walton and Jeffrey Tambor?
MH: It felt like I’d known Amanda a long time when we met. I think she’s an awesome woman. I had worked with David before on a comedy called Fired Up, so I knew what I was in for with him on set. He’s hysterical. And who doesn’t love what Jeffrey Tambor’s all about? So pro. So funny.

MG: How does working on a show like this compare to “Even Stevens” for you?
MH: We haven’t started shooting episode two yet, but if it’s anything like the pilot I’m sure we’ll all work hard and have a great time. I find something very special about every job I do. Even Stevens is an indescribable and irreplaceable part of my life. It is one of the most special jobs I’ve ever had for many reasons. “Infected” was unforgettable in its own right. I hope Bent is too.

Ryan Pinkston is co-starring in a new film “Infected” with Vinnie Jones, Danny Glover, Beverley Mitchell and Margo Harshman.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ryan about his role in the movie and also what else he has planned.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us a little background on the film, “Infected” and your role in the film?
Ryan Pinkston: “Infected” centers around a group of friends that get together and go on a trip to celebrate the return of their best friend, Dean, who had been in Iraq for the past couple of years. The group decide to go on a trip when their plans become postponed due to a family issue. Deans grandmother is being evicted because the State sees her home as an “unhealthy” place to live. So the group decides they will go there first and help around the house before the rest of their trip. To their surprise the house is in way worse of a condition then expected. they start to clean, when all of a sudden one the friends contracts a deadly virus that could be a threat to the rest of the group. Then a second friend contracts it. it’s complete hell! the remaining friends have to devise a plan to help the sick and get out safely. Meanwhile, there is a another party who is responsible for this virus that the group is unaware of. And Dean and the friends have to get to the bottom of it before they all get the virus and ultimately die.

MG: How did you become involved with the film?
RP: I had read the script a couple months back and really liked the idea, and had always wanted to be in a suspense/horror/thriller film. I had always done comedy (which I absolutely love), but thought it would be so much fun to be apart of a movie where there is constant energy and roller coaster of emotions. Then i met with our, amazingly talented director, Jason, and he exuded so much passion about the project that I really had no choice but to do it. Haha. A month later we were on set.

MG: You worked with both Beverley Mitchell and Margo Harshman on “Extreme Movie”, how was it reuniting?
RP: Well, first off, let me say how much I adore both of these ladies. I actually grew up with Margo and have been secretly in love with her since i was little. So working with her was a complete delight. And don’t worry she already knows this. Funny thing about extreme movie though is that because they were all a bunch of short films put together, I really didn’t work with either of them. But, I’m happy to say we’ve done another movie together. Two very talented ladies.

MG: You have worked on a lot of comedies in your career, so this film must have been different for you right?
RP: Yeah, it’s COMPLETELY different from anything I’ve ever worked on, which is why i was so excited to be apart of it. Never had to scream and cry so much… Well unless I’m watching my Lakers or Redskins lose. Can’t have that.

MG: Do you think we will be seeing a second season to “Tower Prep”?
RP: It’s up and down with “Tower” one day we’re back and the next we’re not sure. All I know is that i had such an amazing time working on the first season, and would love to be apart of a second if it came down to it. Love Cartoon Network, and Paul Dini and everyone who was apart of it. Best of all, I’m now actually real room mates with my “Tower Prep” room mate, Drew Van Acker. So at the very least I made a really good friend out of the experience, and I thank Cartoon Network for kindness and support they showed.

MG: What do you have planned next?
RP: Well next, literally speaking, I’m going home to visit my parents back East to have a little down time and enjoy my roots. So I’m really excited for that. other than that i just finished working with Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell on their new Showtime show entitled, “House of Lies” which premieres January of next year. Be sure to watch.

Director: William Dear
Starring: Dean Cain, Luke Schroder
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment
Run Time: 91 minutes

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Normally I am not a fan of baseball films. This one is presented by Thomas Kinkade and also from the same director of “Angels in the Outfield”. Plus who doesn’t love Dean Cain? I figured I would give it a chance and it definitely was enjoyable. The story is inspiring and also definitely gives reaches out to the baseball fans.

The film follows minor league baseball coach Arthur ‘Murph’ Murphy (Dean Cain) as he stumbles upon Mickey (Luke Schroder), a young farmer who turns out to be a great pitcher. Mickey faces many challenges including fitting it with the team and playing baseball since he has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. The film is based on a true story and definitely packs one hell of a powerful story into one inspirational film.

Since this is a TV special, I am impressed that there are special features included at all for this release.  “The Making of A Mile in His Shoes” is  short but sweet. There is also a trailer included for the film.  Since this is presented by Thomas Kinkade, there is a painting gallery also included.  There is also a free 4×6 original, limited edition Thomas Kinkade painting postcard with certificate of authentication.

Starring: Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman
Directed by: Charles Martin Smith
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 53 mins
Warner Brothers

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Dolphin Tale” is definitely a fun for the whole family. If you are able to catch this film though, the best way to do it would be in its filmed 3D presentation. The story of rescue of the dolphin, Winter, is nothing out of the ordinary and the story has been done before but this one stands out as something special. This film is just packed with a big heart and some really great acting including great performances from Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. The film looks decent is 2D, even though it would shines much more in its 3D presentation. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is fantastic and really shines during the water scenes. Overall this is a heartwarming film that does it job very well in entertaining families this holiday season.

The special features includes are decent. The first one is called “The Hutash Rainbow Bridge” is a sort of CGI short, which is definitely fun and a definite for kids. “At Home with Winter” is 15-minute behind-the-scenes look at the film with the cast and crew, nothing great but not bad either. “Spotlight on a Scene” features director Charles Martin Smith and producer Andrew Kosove as they discuss the ffilm’s opening sequence and the 3D dimension. The longest special feature on the disc is “Winter’s Inspiration”, about 20 minutes, which focuses on the true story of Winter. Not sure how it is really related to “Dolphin Tale” but there is an animated short called “Ormie and the Cookie Jar about a pig trying to reach a cookie jar on top of a refrigerator. It’s cute but doesn’t fit. There is one deleted (and forgettable) scene called “Winter Meets Panama”. Lastly there is a fun gag reel.  This combo pack includes the Blu-ray and DVD, also included is a Ultraviolet Digital Copy to watch anywhere from your computer or digital devices.  I really enjoy this feature.

Synopsis: In an inspiring story of the bond between animals and humans, a boy named Sawyer discovers an injured dolphin, who is brought to a marine hospital and named Winter. Unfortunately, her injuries cost Winter her tail, without which she may not survive. But with Sawyer’s devotion, a marine biologist’s (Harry Connick Jr.) and the brilliance of a prosthetist (Morgan Freeman) charged with creating a new tail, Winter may receive a second chance at life.

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Directed by: Steven Quale
Starring: Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Miles Fisher, Arlen Escarpeta, David Koechner, PJ Byrne
Distributed by New Line Cinema
Rated R
Running time: 92 minutes

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Before I even start, this film is meant to be viewed in 3D and it is really the only way I prefer it. I would have given this disc a 5/5 stars if it was in 3D, especially since it has some decent bonus features. The film itself honestly the best in the whole “Final Destination” series. If you know the series then you know how this film’s main goal is provide shocking and kick-ass death scenes (and they looked the best in 3D). The 2D Blu-ray still looks amazing and the film is still major kick-ass. The video is very sharp…most importantly the kills still looks cool. The film also has some pretty intense moments and the DTS-HD Master Audio is really clear and works well wit the action scenes.

This release contains a two-disc combo pack featuring the high-definition Blu-ray and the DVD. The first extra is called “Final Destination 5: Circle of Death, Your Final Destination,” which is a five-minute featurette which connects each film in the series. Next up is about fifteen minutes of  alternate death scenes, which features some pretty cool ideas.   I really enjoyed the extra “Visual Effects of Death” and the “Collapsing Bridge” sections as well. Lastly, I have really been enjoying the new way for the studios to include digital copy with UltraViolet Digital Copy on Flixster!  You are able to watch on computers, tablets or smartphones.  It is the future of digital copies and instead of wasting a disc you can stream your film right from your Flixster account.

Synopsis: In “Final Destination 5,” Death is just as omnipresent as ever, first revealing its menacing reality to a group of coworkers headed for a corporate retreat. During the bus ride, Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) has a premonition in which he and most of his friends, as well as numerous others, die in a horrific bridge collapse. When his vision ends, events begin to mirror what he had seen, and he frantically ushers as many of his colleagues?including his friend, Peter (Miles Fisher), and girlfriend, Molly (Emma Bell)?away from the disaster before Death can claim them. But these unsuspecting souls were never supposed to survive and, in a terrifying race against time, the ill-fated group tries to discover a way to escape Death’s sinister agenda. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide…you can’t cheat death. Or can you?

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Voices of: Frank Welker, Gregg Berger, Wally Wingert
Episodes: 6
Running Time: 74 Minutes
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Garfield Show” started in France in 2008, following its US premiere in late 2009. The show is a different take for the series as it is fully CGI animated. I think that it works rather well in 15 minute episode formats. Each episode is quick and usually packs a good laugh or two. The animation is basic but not bad, with the colors really standing out. It definitely also has a pretty catchy theme song.

There are six episodes from this series included in this set including “Down on the Farm”, “The Pet Show”, “Bone Diggers”, “Underwater World”, “Fish to Fry” and “History of Dogs”. Some of the adventures that Garfield and Ottie deal with are digging up dinosaur bones, working on a farm, working on a farm, exploring the ocean and even attends a pet show.

My favorite on the disc is definitely “Underwater World”, since it has a cool shark named Chomper. I am a sucker for CGI sharks. Overall this show is fun and should definitely hold the interest of children…(and some adult like myself). There are over 100 episodes of this show and they seem to be releasing a new volume many times throughout the year. So keep an eye out for more volumes coming fast.

Directed by: Ben Stassen
Starring: Yuri Lowenthal, Melanie Griffith, Tim Curry, Anthony Anderson and Stacy Keach
Rating: Not Rated
Length: 88 Minutes
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Since 2003, whenever there is any movie about talking animals it gets compared to just another “Finding Nemo”. Well, this film is not a total rip-off and is kind of enjoyable. First off the CG effects in the film are decent and really colorful. This originally came from Belgium and was recently released in the UK on 3D Blu-ray. I have seen that edition and honestly prefer it, especially when you watch certain scenes made specifically to shine in 3D.

The story is entertaining for kids but also sets out to deliver a message about the global warming.
Sammy, the sea turtle, takes an incredibly 50 years journey traveling the world. Along his journey he meets many friends, including love interest Shelly and also deals with some serious issues though, which was a bit of downer for me. Luckily, Sammy is really cute when he is younger and the film definitely takes shines more during that time.

The voice cast is notable and includes Melanie Griffith, Tim Curry, Anthony Anderson and Stacy Keach. If your kids notice the voice of Sammy, that because Yuri Lowenthal is also the voice of Ben 10 and Sasuke from “Naruto”. The soundtrack is fun and notable. Overall If you are a fan of this film, I would suggest catching it in 3D if possible. Also if you are looking for a sequel, “Sammy 2: Escape From Paradise” is being released August 2012…but only in France.

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Starring: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner
Directed by: Brad Bird
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Paramount

Our Score: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Things are not going well on the other side of the world. In Budapest, a loyal American agent is shot dead during what was supposed to be a routine mission. At the same time, in Moscow, an elaborate prison break is being executed. The subject of the mission: one Ethan Hunt (Cruise). As he reaches the end of his escape route he yells to one of his rescuers, “Light the fuse!” Cue the music.

It’s been five years since the last “Mission.” Since then, Ethan’s team has been re-staffed and they are wary of working with him. Many rumors circulated after the death of Hunt’s wife, among them that he went rogue and killed the people responsible for her death. But now he and his skills are needed. A shadowy figure calling himself COBALT is looking to launch a nuclear weapon. He has managed to obtain the equipment necessary and now just needs the launch codes. He has also managed to frame Hunt and company for bombing the Russian Kremlin. Of course, like the instructions say, the members of the IMF have been disavowed. They are on their own as they try to prevent what will surely become World War III.

Many film fans balked when director Brad Bird was chosen to direct “M:I 4.” They needn’t have worried. With such classic animated films behind him like “The Iron Giant” and “The Incredibles,” Bird has only shifted his skills to now include real live people on screen. He fills the screen with wall to wall action, making sure there isn’t a dull moment to slow down the story. Shot all over the world, cinematographer Robert Elswit, who is the DP of choice for Paul Thomas Anderson and won an Oscar for his work on “There Will Be Blood” takes advantage of the different locales with almost breathtaking beauty. The production managed to secure the approval to film in and, most importantly, outside the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is the tallest building in the world. Setting their cameras at the very ledge of a 130th floor window, Bird and Elswit gives us a view we would never be able to achieve in our lives.

The cast is just as committed as the director. Cruise is obviously comfortable in Hunt’s shoes and gives a strong performance. He is joined by a trio of actors that make up his new team. Patton, best known for romantic comedies, kicks serious ass as Jane. Simon Pegg, also known for comedies, plays Benji. He’s the gadget guy who can’t wait to go on a mission that requires him to wear a mask. But the surprise here is Renner. After back to back Oscar nominations (for “The Hurt Locker” and “The Town,” you may have him pegged as a serious bad ass. And he is. But he also shows a flair for comedy and completes the team. Good work is also turned in by Tom Wilkinson and Anil Kapoor (the game show host in “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The visual effects are spectacular, including a sand storm that begins in the desert and slowly envelops Dubai. I saw the film in IMAX and this is the perfect film for the format. This is Cruise and company’s greatest mission so far.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is now playing exclusively in IMAX theatres. It opens wide December 21st.”

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law and Jared Harris
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 9 minutes
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It is 1891. At his typewriter, Dr. James Watson (Law) is completing his memoirs. He has come to the chapter concerning his wedding and perhaps he and Sherlock Holmes’(Downey) greatest adventure. “It was 1878, “ he begins.

Told in director Guy Ritchie’s inimitable style, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” is a worthy follow up to 2009’s initial “Holmes” film. The familiar faces are back but it’s a new face that makes the film so enjoyably fun…the face of Holmes greatest adversary, Professor James Moriarty (Harris). As evil to the core as Holmes is brilliant, Moriarty has devised a way to not only begin a major military conflict but also make a fortune off of it. With the soon to be newlywed Watson contemplating the end of his work with Holmes, our private investigator instills the assistance of his older brother, Mycroft (the always dependable Stephen Fry) As Watson heads to Brighton with his new bride, Holmes gains the confidence of a gypsy woman named Simza (Noomi Rapace, who starred as the original “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”). But is the new team clever enough to match wits with Moriarty’s genius?

The formula for a good adventure film is two-fold. First, you need likeable characters. And second, you need adventure. Both ingredients are featured here in spades. Refining the chemistry they began building in the first film, Downey and Law are more like an old married couple then professional partners. If I were to liken them to another film duo, I would call them the Riggs and Murtaugh of the 19th century. Their comfort with each other makes them seem like old friends to the audience. Fry, who hosts Great Britain’s annual BAFTA awards each year (I would love to see him do the Academy Awards) is great comic relief. In her first English language film, Rapace makes a fine debut. And as Professor Moriarty, “Mad Men” co-star Harris proves himself a most worthy addition to the Holmes canon. The visual effects are outstanding while the gadgets Holmes comes up with would rival anything “Q” could come up with for James Bond.

Robert Hall is the creator of the “Laid to Rest” series.  His latest installment in the series “ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2” sees the return of the new horror icon.  Besides writing and directing movies, Robert also has an effects company Almost Human.  Keep an eye out for Robert as he is going to be the next Steven Spielberg.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Robert about his new film and also what’s to come.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you give us some background on how the character Chromeskull was created?
Robert Hall: I had set out to make a very mysterious character that harkened back to those 80’s slasher films that I loved. I figured Chromeskull probably had seen all the same movies I had. I wanted Chromeskull to be just a regular guy and not some deformed hillbilly. Over the course of each film I wanted to release a little bit of information as to who Chromeskull is. With the way the first film ended there wasn’t a lot of room for the character to do much by himself. I planned pretty early on to have a support structure underneath Chromeskull that would explain a little bit more about him. There is a company that manufactures surgical tools that has a side business run by Brian Austin Green and Daniel Harris. I wrote that role specifically for Brian.

MG: How would you compare the two productions?
RH: Looking at the films as a fan, the second film is what you would want out of a sequel. You definitely don’t want to watch the same movie again. Most of the time when a sequel is made the easy route is taken which often duplicates the previous film. I wanted to go the more realistic route and show some of the organization and Chromeskull recovery. Both movies are very different and that is what I wanted. The one cohesive element is Chromeskull and the kills.

MG: What was the most difficult challenge working on the second film?
RH: I set the bar really high with all the kills and I think that what people will be looking for with the next film. I wanted to push myself in that aspect for the second film. There also was some criticism towards some of the actor’s performances in the first film so I wanted to make sure everyone was spot on with their performances. I really listened to the fans and addressed any issues that were brought to my attention with this second film. I think we made a film that everyone is really proud of.

MG: Did intend for the second film to much gorier?
RH: I’m not a big fan of that term actually. I don’t think the “Laid to Rest” films are particularly gory. They are intense and I don’t shy away from that like a traditional film might. I think what really makes people cringe is to get into the mind set of how these kills are accomplished. I like to use what’s in the environment so things don’t look forced. I know not everyone can do things the way I do and that is what I think sets our films apart from other slasher films.

MG: The ending of the second film is left open. Do you have any ideas for a third film?
RH: I think we definitely want to expand things. The reception has been really great. I don’t think I would be directing it as I have a lot of other things going on however I would oversee it to make sure the quality is there.

MG: Can you tell us about any other upcoming projects?
RH: We are working really hard to turn the web series I did with Robert England into a movie. I think that’s going to be our next step. There are also a bunch of other little things going on that are in various stages of development. From an effect’s stand point we just finished a movie with Bernard Rose who directed “Candy Man”. We have a lot of different stuff going on.

Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Run Time: 94 minutes

Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I have always been a fan of Woody Allen’s work through his career but have been picky with his work in the last 10 years. I originally wasn’t interested in this film until it became Mr. Allen’s biggest grossing film to date since 86’s “Hannah and Her Sisters”. Let me tell you, I was missing out as this is easily one of the best film of the year. The acting is phenomenal and each player works perfectly off the next. The story is very sweet and light yet fantastical and heavy. Stephane Wrembel’s score accompanies the film very well and takes us on the midnight journey through Paris.

This is a romantic comedy about a young people Gil and Inez (Owen Wilson & Rachel McAdams), who are vacationing in Paris and are engaged to be married…but they are two completely different people. Gil has such a great love for Paris and wants a very simple life like in the 1920’s and Inez is very driven and cares a lot about appearance and status in society. After a night of drinking, Gil ends up getting in a car with strangers and finding himself transported back into a simpler time in time through the streets of Paris. Along his journey he comes in contact with various legends from our past including Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo), Salvador Dalí (Adrien Brody), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and they help Gil get his life into perspective.

The casting like I mentioned earlier is so rich and full of different types of talent. I really enjoyed Marion Cotillard performance as Adriana. Corey Stoll is also fantastic and funny as Ernest Hemingway. Owen Wilson is definitely the star of this film really breaking out of his recent rut and gives this performance his all. Although the film is so great the special features are not as spectacular as it only includes a brief panel interview, called “Midnight in Cannes” with a few of the cast and runs about five minutes. I would have loved to get some commentary and more behind the scenes from Woody Allen. Despite that, this is a must watch! Do not miss it.

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