Anything Is Possible This Holiday Season
THOMAS KINKADE PRESENTS CHRISTMAS LODGE
The Enchanting Family Film Arrives On DVD October 11 From Vivendi Entertainment and Nasser Entertainment

DVD Includes Limited Edition Thomas Kinkade Painting And 3 Free Holiday Music Downloads

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – Expect the unexpected and witness a sweet Christmas miracle in the heartwarming family drama Christmas Lodge presented by renowned artist Thomas Kinkade and arriving on DVD October 11 from Vivendi Entertainment and Nassar Entertainment. During the happiest times of her life, Mary (Erin Karpluk, “Life Unexpected”), a historical preservationist, spent the holidays with her family at the Christmas Lodge, a once beautiful but now dilapidated old country inn. After her family abandoned their tradition and spent many years apart, Mary’s ailing grandfather has one wish…to reunite the family and spend one more Christmas at the lodge. Desperate to make his dream come true, Mary leaves the big city to renovate the property. Jack (Michael Shanks, Red Riding Hood), the Christmas Lodge owner, also dreams of bringing the property back to its former glory but is struggling to get the project off the ground. Putting their faith in each other, Mary and Jack join forces to work together to fix up the lodge just in time for Christmas, and find love along the way.

With original songs by acclaimed musician, and co-star, Victoria Banks, Christmas Lodge is the perfect hopeful movie to watch with the family to kick off the holiday season. The DOVE approved DVD includes a free limited edition Thomas Kinkade painting and three free holiday music downloads at the suggested retail price of $14.93.

Synopsis:
Thomas Kinkade presents Christmas Lodge: a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now- dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

Directed by: Christopher Leitch
Starring: Jeri Ryan, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Kay Panabaker, Peyton R. List, Ian Kahn
Original channel: Lifetime Movie Network
Distributed by RHI Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not rated
Running time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Unfortunately this film suffers from made for TV fever. This has the potential of being scary and creepy but it is ends up being too tamed down. This movie originally aired on the Lifetime Channel and would work well for housewives that aren’t fans of horror. It falls into the same genre as the TV series “Ghost Whisperer”, which also is a show I never enjoyed.

The story focuses on a single mom, Rachel Easton, and her two daughters as their move into this big beautiful house. Although this house has a secret and the family will soon uncover a horrifying secret of what happened in the house years ago. Rachel needs to fight in order to save her family.

Overall there is no scares in this film at all. It looses its steam after a few and doesn’t regain it. If you are a fan of that type of show or Jeri Ryan in general, then this might be for you. Horror fans looking for a scare need to steer clear. Any hopes to special features are let down as well because this DVD includes no extras at all.

Cliff Robertson, an Oscar winning actor whose career spanned seven decades, died earlier to day, one day after his 88th birthday. According to his secretary of 53 years, Evelyn Christel, Mr. Robertson passed due to natural causes.

Born in Los Angeles on September 9, 1923, Robertson began his acting career with small, uncredited appearances in low budget films. In 1952 he began working in early television programming, working up to the title role in “Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers.” Other early appearances include “Hallmark Hall of Fame,” “Celebrity Playhouse” and “Robert Montgomery Presents.” In 1955 he made his first credited film appearance opposite William Holden and Kim Novak in “Picnic.” Other roles followed including “The Girl Most Likely,” “The Naked and the Dead” and “Gidget.” He also continued working in television, appearing on programs like “The Twilight Zone,” “Ben Casey” and “The Untouchables.”

In 1962 his star rose when he was personally chosen by President John Kennedy to portray him in “P.T. 109,” which was based on the true story of the sinking of Kennedy’s boat during World War II. After the release of “P.T. 109” Robertson’s roles got a little better. He played Charly Gordon, a retarded man who, because of a medical experiment, becomes a genius, in “Charly,” the film adaptation of Daniel Keyes’ best selling book “Flowers for Algernon.” For his performance in the film Robertson received the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was that success to direct a script he had written called “J.W. Coop,” about a rodeo cowboy who returned to the circuit after spending several years in prison.

Despite his Oscar, Robertson continued to work in television as well as films, including a tongue in cheek performance as the villain Shame on “Batman.” Though he appeared in some fine films in the 1970’s, including “3 Days of the Condor” and “Obsession,” it was a film he didn’t appear in that earned him notoriety. In 1977, while preparing his taxes, he noticed a $10,000 payment from Columbia Pictures that he never received. Upon investigating it was discovered that David Begelman, then head of the studio, had written a check to Robertson and others and cashed them himself. Begelman was quietly fired and, in 1995, committed suicide. Urged to keep the dirty business secret, Robertson went to the press. The resulting investigation became the basis for the book “Indecent Exposure,” one of the best “Hollywood” books I’ve ever read.

His film output wasn’t as great in the 80’s, with Robertson claiming to have been blacklisted because he spoke out about Begelman. He did appear in Bob Fosse’s “Star 80” and Douglas Trumbull’s “Brainstorm ,” but neither were popular at the box office. He worked sporadically the next two decades. In 2002 he became a star to a new generation of fans when he appeared as Uncle Ben in “Spider-man,” a role he would continue in the two sequels.

Brett Rice co-starring in this year’s hit “Super 8”. He is also co-starring in this Fall’s remake of “Footloose”. Besides movies, Brett also appears on TV series “The Glades” and “Magic City”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brett about his various movie and TV roles.

Mike Gencarelli:  Tell us about your experience working on “Super 8.”
Brett Rice:  Working on “Super 8” was incredible.  Absolutely incredible.  I actually started filming in early December of last year.  I dropped for a little bit to do a pilot I was shooting.  The day after the pilot was finished I was back on “Super 8.”  We sometimes worked 16 hour days.  J.J. Abrams is a lovely man.  And a genius.  I’ll give you an example.  There’s a scene in the film where I, as the sheriff of the town, go into the gas station and talk to the young man behind the counter.  When I come out all of these weird things start happening and a pack of dogs comes running across.  That was not originally in the scene.  It’s two o’clock in the morning and J.J. at the last minute thought “wouldn’t it be funny if these dogs went running by?”  So he had the wranglers go out and an hour later we had a pack of trained dogs to run in front of me.  That’s the power of J.J. and the studio.  It was a brilliant idea that kind of made the scene.

MG:  Tell us about your character in the film, Sheriff Pruitt.
BR:  He’s the sheriff of a small town where a bad train accident happens.  He doesn’t know much about it.  The deputy sheriff comes in and starts talking about these weird boxes…cubes…and I just blow him off.  “Go home and hug your kid,” I tell him.  And the next thing I know I’m out in the middle of nowhere at a gas station and I get abducted.  The creature has taken several people and he does what he does with them.  I mean it’s really no secret that he eats them.  My character survives and I help lead the kids out of a maze.  But, as often turns out in these wonderful films, the kids know more than the adults.  SPOILER ALERT:  So I get taken away at the end and killed.  The kids survive.

MG:  The film is said to have a very Amblin feel to it.  Did you think that during the production?
BR:  Oh yes.  Once we went to the secret lair where the creature was you had that feeling of “E.T.” or several of Spielberg’s other films.  The way J.J. shot it…once you saw it on screen…you automatically had a feeling of Amblin Entertainment.  Like E.T. going across the moon, the film is dark.  The lair is somewhat lit but it’s still dark.  It’s just a great combination of great cinematography and direction.

MG:  What can you recall from working with Tim Burton on “Edward Scissorhands”?
BR:  He’s a wild man (laughs).  He’s a mad genius.  I worked with him one day and he probably spoke to me three or four times.  He had this long, frizzy hair…skinny guy.  At first I didn’t know who he was.  Someone told me he was Tim Burton but I didn’t know anything about him at that time.  During my off time I go into the house and here comes Johnny Depp in full regalia.  Scissors and everything.  I’m looking at the strange creature and I’m curious because I’d only been given two pages of the script to read.  I look at Johnny Depp and I think to myself “what in the hell have I gotten myself into?”  I look up and down the street and I see all of these houses painted in pastel colors with the lawns manicured perfectly and I’m thinking “what in the hell is this movie all about?”  But Tim was great to work with.  He knew what he wanted.  He never had to raise his voice.  He was kind.  And of course, you see what he’s created over the last 25 years…he has earned the nickname “Mad Genius” of entertainment.

MG:  You currently appear on the TV show, “The Glades.”  Tell us about that?
BR:  The star, Matt Passmore, is Australian but what an amazing American accent he’s developed.  When I met him I didn’t know he was Australian until we sat down and talked between scenes.  I said, “you’re not from around these parts, are you?”  My wife Candy was the costumer on the pilot and she was telling me about how nice the crew was.  So when I got on the shoot about a month ago I was really, really impressed.  It’s a first class operation.  Working in the heat of Miami…when I got there Matt said “welcome to hell.”  You’re shooting in the heat and humidity of the summer in Miami…he was right on that account!  But they’re a group of lovely people.  I’ve had great fun with Matt.  About a month before that I had gone to Portland, Oregon to shoot “Leverage.”  I had sent a tape off and they booked me off the tape.  So they flew me to Portland, which is a great city.  Sixty seven degrees…it was drizzling all the time.  But perfect weather for me because I like it a little chilly.  I got to work again with Timothy Hutton, who I had worked with in “Sunshine State.”  He’s a lovely man.  I’ve been so lucky in that on all of my projects the cast and crew, including the directors, have been so friendly and so giving.

MG:  Tell us about your recurring role on the upcoming Starz television show “Magic City”?
BR:  I’ll tell you what I know…we’re on the second episode right now and we’re doing, I believe, thirteen.  It takes place in 1959 Miami.  Paramutual gambling has already been well established with the government.  Horse tracks. Dog tracks.  Jai Alai.  One of the local Mafia groups has built a hotel and they’re trying to get a casino….which is what the hotels there are still trying to do today.  This has been going on for over 50 years down there.  This group is trying to get casino gambling approved in the state of Florida.  My character is a conservative Republican senator…very right wing…from Tallahassee who gets in bed with the paramutual gambling and does not want to help the hotels get casinos.  I can’t really give away too much more about it but that’s the gist of what is going on.  Casino gambling wants to come to Florida in 1959.  It’s the year of the Rat Pack…Sinatra and Dean Martin.  It’s going to be outstanding visually as well.  From what I’ve read it’s going to be a very intriguing story.  Very seductive.

MG:  Tell us about your role in the remake of “Footloose”?
BR:  I just attended a special screening of it and I was mesmerized by it.  It’s going to be a huge hit.   It opens in October and it’s going to be a hit with my generation, the ones that grew up with the original film.  The music has been contemporized.  This film is about 65% of the original film, though like the songs some of the dialogue has been contemporized.  The tractor “chicken” scene is a little different…there’s a different kind of vibe to it.  It’s going to be thrilling to watch.  The dancing is modern and the music is incredible.  Very contemporary.  From hip hop to rock and roll.  My character is the principal of the high school as well as the president of the city council.  I’m one of the instigators of the law that forbids dancing in town.  I suggest that anyone that’s thinking of seeing the film to do so and prepare to be amazed.  And the kid that plays Willard, who was so memorably played by Chris Penn in the original, is going to steal the show.  His name is Miles Teller and he is one hell of an actor.  Miles is the up and coming next big star.  I’ll tell you that right now.

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Kacey Barnfield is co-starring in Steven R. Monroe’s “Jabberwock”, which will be airing on SyFy on September 10th.  Kacey has also appeared in the following films “Roadkill”, “Lake Placid 3′ and “Resident Evil: Afterlife”.  Media mikes had a chance to chat with Kacey about her new film and also some of her other work as well.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your character Anabel in “Jabberwock”?
Kacey Barnfield: Anabel is one of two sisters who live in a mid-evil village that comes under attack by the Jabberwock. She is also the love interest of Francis which is played by Tahmoh Penikett. She is just a really sweet wholesome girl that really loves Francis. She is kind of battling for his affection as Francis hasn’t really confronted his feelings for Anabel. As the movie progresses you start to see Anabel come into her own and progress as a woman. By the end she turns into a real kick ass woman. She is a nice girl and a great character.

MG: How was it working with Steven Monroe?
KB: Steven is a great director. He knows exactly what he is doing and he is very calm which seems to rub off on everyone. He is someone you really trust and just has that way about him.

MG: What was it like working with a very male dominant cast? How was it working Michael Worth and Tahmoh Penikett?
KB: It was a very male led cast. I was definitely out numbered. It was fun and after three and a half weeks I was one of the guys. Everyone was really lovely and I made a lot of great friends who I still am in touch with. Tahmoh is relatively tall, as am I, so it was nice to act alongside someone considerably taller than me [laughs].

MG: Was it a difficult production to work on?
KB: The actual shoot was a lot of fun and we had a great time. The only thing that was difficult during the shoot was the weather. I think in the 3 and a half weeks of shooting we had every season present. The last week of shooting it was extremely windy and the crew had to work really hard to keep everything together. I hope the fun that we had making the film translates on screen and to the fans. Are heart were really into the project.

MG: You are no stranger to Syfy Original Movies, having appeared in “Roadkill” and “Lake Placid 3”, do you enjoy the genre?
KB: I do working in the genre for sure. I like action and the physical element to those shoots. As an actor genres often pick you. You have to stay open to everything. I definitely want to explore other genres and keep continuing down the action path as well.

MG: Tell us about working on “Resident Evil: Afterlife”? How was it shooting in 3D?
KB: That was awesome and it was a huge studio movie. The 3D thing was I guess relatively new and everyone was excited to shoot and then go back and look at it on the monitors with the glasses on. It was a different and new experience. I fell in love with Toronto which is where we shot that film. It was really a great experience with a great group of people.

MG: What other projects do you have coming up?
KB: I am actually working with Michael Ross on another project. It’s going to be an independent project shot in San Francisco. I am doing a lot of auditioning as well and just waiting for the next thing to come up.

ONE FOR THE MONEY, based on the massively popular novel by Janet Evanovich, will be in theaters everywhere January 27th, 2012! Get a first look at Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum in the first official poster.

Katherine Heigl stars as Stephanie Plum, Jersey girl turned recovery agent, in the fun action-comedy directed by Julie Anne Robinson. The film also stars Jason O’Mara, Daniel Sunjata, John Leguiziamo, Debbie Reynolds and Debra Monk.

SYNOPSIS:

Katherine Heigl brings Stephanie Plum – the popular heroine of Janet Evanovich’s worldwide best-selling sixteen-book mystery series – to vibrant life in Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment’s ONE FOR THE MONEY.

A proud, born-and-bred Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum’s got plenty of attitude, even if she’s been out of work for the last six months and just lost her car to a debt collector. Desperate for some fast cash, Stephanie turns to her last resort: convincing her sleazy cousin to give her a job at his bail bonding company…as a recovery agent. True, she doesn’t even own a pair of handcuffs and her weapon of choice is pepper spray, but that doesn’t stop Stephanie from taking on Vinny’s biggest bail-jumper: former vice cop and murder suspect Joe Morelli – yup, the same sexy, irresistible Joe Morelli who seduced and dumped her back in high school.

Nabbing Morelli would be satisfying payback – and a hefty payday – but as Stephanie learns the ins and outs of becoming a recovery agent from Ranger, a hunky colleague who’s the best in the business, she also realizes the case against Morelli isn’t airtight. Add to the mix her meddling family, a potentially homicidal boxer, witnesses who keep dying and the problem of all those flying sparks when she finds Morelli himself…well, suddenly Stephanie’s new job isn’t nearly as easy as she thought.

Starring Katherine Heigl, ONE FOR THE MONEY is a fresh, funny action-comedy directed by Julie Anne Robinson and also starring Jason O’Mara, Daniel Sunjata, John Leguiziamo, Debbie Reynolds and Debra Monk. Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment present a Lakeshore Entertainment Lionsgate Wendy Finerman production in association with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment Abishag Productions. Directed by Julie Anne Robinson. Screenplay by Stacy Sherman & Karen Ray and Liz Brixius. Based on the novel by Janet Evanovich.

Official Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/#!/lionsgatemovies

TRIBECA FILM ACQUIRES US RIGHTS TO TONY KAYE’S DETACHMENT

***

Provocative Drama Features A Stellar Lead Performance From Adrien Brody, Anchoring An Ensemble Cast That Includes James Caan, Bryan Cranston, Blythe Danner, Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, Lucy Liu, William Peterson, Betty Kaye and Sami Gayle

***

“Brody delivers his finest performance since ‘The Pianist’… an award-caliber turn.”

–        The Hollywood Reporter

“A wrenching and powerful achievement… tremendous cast … I was swept along by the spectacular visual journey.”

– Salon.com

New York, NY – September 8, 2011 – Tribeca Film announced today that it has acquired all US distribution rights, including theatrical, VOD, digital, TV and DVD, to Detachment, a vivid and compelling ensemble drama from acclaimed Director Tony Kaye (American History X, Lake of Fire) that had its World Premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.

Tribeca Film, supported by Founding Partner American Express, plans a 2012 release via a multi-city theatrical engagement, running day-and-date with nationwide VOD and digital distribution, followed by DVD, pay-TV, and a range of other platforms.

In Director Tony Kaye’s Detachment, Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody stars as Henry Barthes, an educator with a true talent to connect with his students. Yet Henry has chosen to bury his gift. By spending his days as a substitute teacher, he conveniently avoids any emotional connections by never staying anywhere long enough to form an attachment to either students or colleagues. When a new assignment places him at a public school where a frustrated, burned-out administration has created an apathetic student body, Henry soon becomes a role model to the disaffected youth. In finding an unlikely emotional connection to the students, teachers, and a runaway teen he takes in from the streets, Henry realizes that he’s not alone in his life and death struggle to find beauty in a seemingly vicious and loveless world.

Kaye, molding a contemporary vision of people who become increasingly distant from others while still feeling the need to connect, directs a stellar ensemble cast from a script by Carl Lund.  Anchored by an award-worthy performance from Brody, Detachment also features memorable roles by Christina Hendricks, Academy® Award nominee James Caan, Academy® Award winner Marcia Gay Harden, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, Tim Blake Nelson, Bryan Cranston, William Petersen and newcomers Betty Kaye and Sami Gayle.

“I was personally drawn to make the movie because I wanted to take the character of Henry Barthes and make him universal, make him all of us, and learn myself from that journey. He is the baton in a relay race, an infinite piece of clay to sculpt, a human being formed out of pain and sent to the masses to teach in the education system. Our purpose in being born is to learn and teach, and to be happy,” Kaye said. “Looking at the ever changing landscape of film distribution, I think the Tribeca Film team is perfectly positioned to shepherd Detachment into this new exciting era.”

“Detachment is a singular experience. Tony Kaye combines a range of filmmaking techniques, terrific ensemble acting and a wonderful lead performance by Adrien Brody,” said Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “The film truly demands to be seen; we look forward to bringing it to a wider audience through Tribeca Film.”

Detachment is produced by Paper Street Films’ Austin Stark, Benji Kohn, Chris Papavasiliou and Bingo Gubelmann, Kingsgate Films’ Greg Shapiro, and Carl Lund. It is executive produced by Brody, Peter Sterling and Andre Laport. Marco Frigeri is co-executive producer.

The US distribution deal was negotiated by Nick Savva and Randy Manis for Tribeca Film, and International Creative Management, which also represents Kaye.

Celluloid Dreams has recently acquired all worldwide sales rights. Mongrel Media has acquired the Canadian rights and will distribute the film in 2012.  Pretty Pictures has taken the French rights and is planning a winter 2012 release.  Detachment can next be seen at the 37^th Deauville Festival.

About Tribeca Film:

Tribeca Film is a comprehensive distribution label dedicated to acquiring and marketing independent films across multiple platforms, including video-on-demand, theatrical, digital, home video and television.  It is an initiative from Tribeca Enterprises designed to provide new platforms for how film can be experienced, while supporting filmmakers and introducing audiences to films they might not otherwise see. American Express continues its support of Tribeca and the independent film community by serving as the Founding Partner of Tribeca Film.

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Angelo Licata is the director of one of the best “Star Wars” fan films to date, “Dark Resurrection”. After “Dark Resurrection”, there are plans for a sequel and a prequel as well. The upcoming prequel is called “Dark Resurrection Vol. 0” and it set to premiere on September 8th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Angelo about making “Dark Resurrection” and it’s upcoming prequel.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the evolution of “Dark Resurrection”?
Angelo Licata: “Dark Resurrection” was born because of my passion for “Star Wars”. I wanted to shoot a 5 minutes fight with lightsabers in a perfect jedi style, but after seeing the beautiful 3D environments created by my partner Davide, I decided to write a whole 2 hours script that became “Dark Resurrection”.

MG: How did you film get the attention and approval from George Lucas?
AL: We sent the trailer to Steve Sansweet, Director of Content Management and Head of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm; they defined “truly amazing”, giving us the permission to release it worldwide.

MG: What was the budget for the film and how long was the shoot?
AL: About 7000 Euros. The shooting last about 3 years because of the great amount of efx and for we could not do it full-time.

MG: What are you most concerned with when it comes to satisfying the “Star Wars” fanboys with the film?
AL: Our concern is to write and shoot a good story, linked somehow but not necessarily strictly bound to SW. The environment is the same, but our subject and ideas are completely original. People who are fans of George Lucas’ universe can easily spot a good story, full of action, feeling and Force. So we do not have to worry about anything else.

MG: What was the most difficult aspect in creating the film?
AL: The budget influences a lot of aspects of the movie, especially when you shoot with no money at all! So we have to count on people who helped us only for their will of being part of the project. And we discovered wonderful people.

MG: Tell us about the upcoming prequel and its proposed sequel? When will we see these?
AL: The 8th of September 2011, at the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo (Italy) we will present the World Premiere of Vol. 0, the prequel to Vol. 1, that will be then soon available online. After that, we will see what happens and I hope we will be able to proceed with Vol. 2.

MG: Besides these films do you have any other plans to direct?
AL: After some commercials, I finally have a couple of very good scripts, but it’s too soon to say when they will “come to life”. Let’s hope the Force will be with us!

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Michael Worth is co-starring in the SyFy Original, “Jabberwock” directed by Steven R. Monroe. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about working on the film and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role of Alec in “Jabberwock”?
Michael Worth: Alec is the brother of Francis, two very different siblings in many ways. They are both fighters and strong willed individuals, but Alec did not develop the domestic chip in the same way as Francis had and as a result Alec, in some ways unable to face up to uncomfortable responsibilities at home, takes off and becomes a fighter. After several years in battle he returns home to find his father ill and must face under intense circumstances some of these issues with his family. I liked the challenge of playing the troubled child that exists in this combat hardened body of Alec. I think the relationships in this film with the many characters are pretty interesting as each one in some way finds themselves having to adapt to the strength of another at some point. I was also ready to jump into another physically crafted character as it had been awhile in doing one like that.

MG: This is the second time you have worked with Steven R. Monroe after “Complacent”, how did it come about?
MW: Monroe and I have done quite a few films together. In fact, I was in his very first feature “The Contract” with Jeff Fahey. I have written a couple of films he directed as well. He and I have had many discussions over the years on the kind of films we want to make and we found we both shared a lot of similar interests and creative directions. One of our first opportunities to do that was with a western called “Dual”. We shot it for no money with a tiny cast and crew but is one of my most personally satisfying films. “Complacent” was another opportunity for Monroe to take that more personal approach and lucky enough an actor he had committed to a part dropped out before the shoot started and I stepped in. With “Jabberwock” he actually was shooting on Monday and called me late Thursday night to ask me to play the part. I didn’t even read the script until I was in a plane somewhere far over the ocean. But, I had such a trust in Steven with his work over the years I never felt too nervous about it so was okay with that rush. He had been wanting me to play it for about a week or so before he called but you sometimes have to go through the chain of command.

MG: How was it working with Kacey Barnfield and Tahmoh Penikett?
MW: They both had huge egos! Of course, I’m joking as they were both two of the nicest people I have met in this business. Tahmoh and I were in the same hotel and both of us train in martial arts so we got to connect that way, training a bit in their gym. He has a real good sense about his craft and his “placement” in a scene. By that I mean his experience has really taught him where to be in his work and what the effect of that choice on film will be. Now Kacey I was really bummed about because I was hoping she would have played my girlfriend in the film! Just a beautiful and genuine person. Loved the accent of hers. And a great laugh. She has a great demeanor on film and is as much a woman as one can be but hangs out with the best of the boys. Great actress. And she throws a pretty good punch too!

MG: What can you tell us about the production?
MW: I had shot a film in Bulgaria years before called “US Seals 2” and had always wanted to go back. It had changed in some ways but much of the “old” part remained exactly the same. The people there, the crew, are just great. They are such work horses and always have some kind of a smile plastered on their faces. The weather there was pretty intense as we would have raging heat a couple days, a bunch of snow the next few and some crazy Bill Paxton style winds on others. In fact one bad day of winds destroyed several of the sets around us, actually ones used on the new Conan film. You can also look up on Funny or Die something called “Flim”, which is a short we all did together while on set. Rafaello Degratola from the movie was the mastermind behind it.

MG: You directed the film “Fort McCoy”, tell us about that experience?
MW: I was asked to direct Fort McCoy back in 2008 but had known about if for a number of years. The first thing I realized was the task of getting that story onto the screen was going to be A LOT of work and wanted my friend and cinematographer Neil Lisk with me. Neil passed away back in 2010 after shooting “I Spit On Your Grave” with Monroe so I am really happy I fought for him to be there as it would be our last time as a director-cinematographer together (I worked with him as an actor on Complacent with Monroe afterwards though). It was really nice to have those several weeks of just him and I running around Wisconsin and figuring out my shots, the geography and the lighting changes throughout the day. I have been a photographer most of my life but learned a lot of interesting things from Neil while prepping that film. For that reason most of all that film will stand out for me. And of course working with Eric Stoltz and Lydsey Fonseca was great too. Mask and Some Kind of Wonderful, I mean come on! Margot Farley Stuart who starred in “God’s Ears” with me I also brought in to play one of the parts and she is always such a beautiful actress. And let’s not forget Seymore Cassell. I’m a giant Cassavetes fan so that was great to have an opportunity to direct him. I made a great friend in actor Rene Heger once we wrapped as well.

MG: You are attached to direct and produce “Come Back to Sorrento” with script by David Mamet; what can you tell us about this?
MW: This project was written by David and Rebecca Pidgeon as a vehicle for Rebecca. It was based on a novel by Dawn Powell in the 1930s and is a very complex and vibrant piece. After Dave saw a screening of my film “God’s Ears” he offered me the script to direct if I could pull the money together. The business side of getting projects like that done can be pretty daunting sometimes, even with the experience and background of the two of them. But, it is all still on the table and I’m working on getting it done even at the moment. The two of them are just great people and I am anxious and excited with the prospect of working with them.

MG: What do you enjoy more acting, writing, producing or directing?
MW: It’s hard to really give an exact answer to that but all I know is about 8 years ago I realized the acting in itself was not going to give me the creative fulfillment I was seeking in this business. When I moved to LA at 17, I was interested in all three facets but had no real idea which, if any, would take hold. Initially the acting work came and I eventually made somewhat of a living at it but soon realized the path was going to branch out at some point. I feel in some ways the acting stimulates the more visceral connection I have to film and the directing and writing the more intellectual, if that makes sense. As I found myself relating more with people like Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen, John Cassavetes and Buster Keaton, I knew that I was seeking a similar balance in my own life with film. I don’t find myself wanting to do it all at once all the time, as I did with “God’s Ears”, but they are all clearly similar pieces in this body of work I am trying to put together.

MG: Do you have any other projects that you want to chat about?
MW: Well, after I shot “Jabberwock”, I came back to LA and threw myself into a project I had been wanting to do for several years exploring the low budget film world and those people that move through it. Ultimately it became one of the greatest learning experiences I have ever had. It’s called “Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen” and deals with actor Tim Thomerson as he examines his relevance in the movie industry and seeks out to challenge his perception of ageism as well as figure out if actor Lance Henriksen is really grabbing up all the over 60 roles. It is not entirely a documentary and not entirely a feature film but a cross section of the two. The people involved were rarely aware of what the day of shooting entailed as we “staged” everything within real events that they were actually participating in. For example, I would “coax” a direction I wanted the “actors” to go in while we were at a real comic book convention signing and suddenly these crazy scenarios came to life and none of us were entirely sure where it would go. Kind of like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on steroids. Adrienne Barbeau, Martin Kove, John Saxon, Cerina Vincent, John Witherspoon, Natasha Alam, Robert Patrick, George Cheung and many others all came in and made appearances. Probably the biggest all start cast to ever grace a low budget movie! It was barely a skeleton crew I pulled together with the help of actor Alex Ballar but made it easier for us to not intrude on the reality we were attempting to capture. It has been not only an amazing eye opening “film school” moment for me, but one of the funniest things I have ever been involved in. I am also currently working on getting my road trip drama “Apple Seed” off the ground with James Garner’s production company, Cherokee Productions and my Grizzly Peak Films and hopefully shooting before years end. I’m trying to keep up with the whole social networking thing like Twitter so people can stay updated on there. http://twitter.com/#!/michaelworth

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Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte
Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 20 mins
Lionsgate

Our Score: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Philadelphia is known as a sports town. Philly gave us Doug Allison, who history tells us was the first baseball player to wear a glove in the field. Also from the City of Brotherly Love: basketball player Lloyd Bernard Free, who in 1981 legally changed his name to World B. Free. But the town’s biggest claim of local talent belongs to fighters. Sonny Liston. Joe Frazier. Bernard Hopkins. Heck, even Rocky Balboa hails from Philly. In “Warrior” we learn that there are two more fighters to watch. The Conlon Brothers.

Paddy Conlon (Nolte), celebrating 1000 days away from the alcohol that cost him his family, spends his days listening to “Moby Dick”, the book-on-tape following him from home to the car and back. He arrives home one night to find Tommy (Hardy) waiting for him. He has a favor to ask.

Brendan Conlon (Edgerton) is a high school teacher. And a former MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter. With an ever rising mortgage looming over his head, he’s decided to make a little money on the side fighting. YouTube footage of one of his weekend battles gets him suspended from school. With the bank breathing down his neck he comes to the only possible solution. He visits his friend Frank (Frank Grillo), who owns the local gym. He has a favor to ask.

One part “Rocky,” one part “The Wrestler,” “Warrior,” in the wrong hands, could be your average ESPN movie of the week. But anchored by three outstanding performances the film soars and reaches all the right chords. Nolte, his face weathered from life (has it really been 35 years since he played young Tom Jordache on “Rich Man, Poor Man?”) would easily make my short list when Oscar nominations come around. As a man trying everything…anything…to right the wrongs of the past, Nolte’s performance ranks with his work in “The Prince of Tides” among his career best. I must say that I was only familiar with Edgerton thanks to his role as Luke Skywalker’s future Uncle Owen in “Star Wars: Episode II and III.” Bearing an uncanny resemblance to Conan O’Brien, he does a fine job here. But the revelation here is Hardy. So good as Eames, the master of disguise in “Inception,” Hardy explodes off the screen in what is truly a star making performance. And he’s ripped! I can’t wait to see him as Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Director O’Connor, who fluidly shot “Miracle,” the story of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team, is just as strong here. His camera takes you into the ring so close to the action that you can almost feel every punch. The script is fairly tight, with a subplot of Tommy as an Iraqi war hero with a past the only distraction. Sport fans will recognize Olympic gold medal winning wrestler Kurt Angle as Russia’s entry into the films main event, a 16 man winner take all war called Sparta. And kudos to stunt coordinator/fight choreographer J.J. Perry for some of the best ring action ever committed to film.

Starring: Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and Jude Law
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There’s a great scene in “Along Came Polly” where Ben Stiller discusses the danger of eating from a bowl of mixed nuts at a bar. It goes something like this:

“Let’s say, conservatively, I don’t know, 17 people eat these nuts on a given night. Okay? If they’ve been here for even two weeks, we’re talking about 238 people who dipped their dirty hands into that bowl. On average, only one out of every six people wash their hands when they go to the bathroom. Yeah, so when you think you’re innocently eating a little bar snack, you’re actually ingesting potentially deadly bacteria from about 39 soil-handed strangers. I mean, people wonder why they get E. Coli poisoning or salmonella or hepatitis, when all they gotta do is look at the snack bowl at their local watering hole. I’m not being neurotic. It’s an absolute hot zone in there.”

Believe me, after seeing “Contagion,” you’ll take Ben Stiller much seriously.

Chicago. Business traveler Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow), just arrived from Hong Kong and on her way home to Minneapolis, chats with a friend before boarding her plane. When she gets home she finds she’s not feeling well. When she goes into convulsions her husband, Mitch (Damon) has her rushed to the hospital. Minutes later he’s informed that Beth is dead. Unbelieving, Mitch returns home where more tragedy awaits him. Within days, the world is caught up in a catastrophe that threatens to dwarf the greatest plagues of the past.

Directed with a skilled eye, “Contagion” is a film that plays off of our worse fears. What with the recent SARS and H1M1 Flu scares, the plot suggested by the film is really only one bad cold away. With a cast boasting as many Oscar winners as “The Towering Inferno” (I was going to say “The Poseidon Adventure” but Gene Hackman won his Oscar while filming the movie. “Inferno” alums Paul Newman and Faye Dunnaway also won theirs after that film was released). “Contagion” is a tight thriller that allows us to observe how the world might act if suddenly 25% of its inhabitants took ill. The cast, which besides Paltrow and Damon boasts award winners Marion Cotilliard and Kate Winslet. As a vaccine is being sought the world as a whole goes into anarchy. Taking advantage is a blogger (Law) who claims to have cured himself with a medication he has acquired a piece of financially. People avoid others like…well, like the plague.

The story moves quickly as the illness spreads, only slowing down some in what felt to me like an ending stretched out for time purposes. The musical score, by frequent Soderbergh collaborator Cliff Martinez is chillingly perfect, reminding me of some of the great scores by Tangerine Dream. The bleak landscapes of major cities deserted by the frightened are well depicted courtesy of production designer Howard Cummings. “Contagion” is a strong film to kick off the end of summer…just make sure you know who you’re sharing your popcorn with!

Steven R. Monroe is the director of the new SyFy Original, “Jabberwock”.  Steven is no stranger to SyFy films, as this is his fifth film for them.  Steven also directed the 2010 remake of “I Spit On Your Grave”. Last year, Media Mikes got a chance to chat with Steven about “I Spit On Your Grave”, read here, but this year we got to chat about “Jabberwock” and his new film “MoniKa”.

Mike Gencarelli: Last time we spoke you couldn’t talk about “Jabberwock”, so give us the scoop about the film?
Steven R. Monroe: Yes, actually I did not have a contract yet so sorry about that.  “Jabberwock” is the tale of one small village in the 15th century where two brothers live. One a blacksmith and one a warrior, their relationship and lives are tested when a newly born creature that appears to be possibly the mythical Jabberwocky invades and terrorizes their lives and people. Tahmoh Penikett who is just a bad ass actor plays the older brother and Michael Worth plays the younger warrior. They end up banding together of course to slay the creature but I love that there is not only a period element to the film but a human one along with the action and suspense of the story.

MG: How much does this film reference “Alice in Wonderland”?
SM: There is some but not a whole lot. The poem is referenced by the character played by Steve Waddington, “John”, who is the village wireman. It comes to him that the flying creature that is terrorizing their village sounds a lot like the one in the poem.

MG: How was the production compared to your other SyFy Original Movies?
SM: It was definitely different because we shot in Bulgaria. Most of the other ones I have directed have been shot in Canada. Also it was my first time working with American World Pictures. What was still similar to me was that I was directing a SyFy Original and this was my 5th one for them. I enjoy working with everyone there although we have never all sat in the same room, we have had a 6 year conference call relationship. They are in New York and I am either in L.A. during script development or another country for production. Outside of that, for production you deal with a lot of the same things, same shooting schedules, and close to the same budgets.

MG: You have directed numerous SyFy Original Movies, what do you like most about working with them?
SM: Well I do get criticized a lot from mostly internet media and genre fans because I do both feature films and television movies but that is exactly what I like about it and who would not want to be able to do a film like “Jabberwock” where you get to go to eastern Europe and film with swords and horses and bows and arrows and live that dream I had as a young boy of making movies. Playing with Dragons and Ogres or Death Worms or Tornados,  Shooting up or blowing things up…come on it’s a dream come true for me. And then I also get to go do films with Drama or Horror or action for the screen. I think the exact thing these people are making fun of is probably envied by some in my profession by people that only get to do one thing, one format, one genre. So I let people do their goofing on me in print because really they just keep pointing out something I think is lucky for me. I think it just gives people something they think is funny to goof on “how did the guy who directed “Ogre” and “Ice Twisters” get to direct “I Spit on Your Grave”? Well do your homework because I also have directed 7 other feature films and I like doing SyFy movies, Oooo is that so horrible? Apparently, People always seem to have this warped idea that filmmakers should just sit around and only do the perfect projects, it’s not that simple and most of us are no different than anyone else, this is our job and we need to work, we have bills and families just like everyone else You do your best to do the best, but if life was that easy my name would be Terrence Malick.

MG: You tend to work with similar people on your films like Cerina Vincent, Elisa Donovan, Michael Worth and Tim Thomerson; tell us about this?
SM: Yea I do. It’s another thing that I feel lucky about in my career. I am not the only director that does that. I do the same with crew also, before he passed away after we did “I Spit On Your Grave” my Cinematographer and close friend Neil Lisk had done 5 films with me, my Composer Corey Allen Jackson (who also did the music for Jabberwock) has done 7 with me and my editor Kristina Hamilton-Grobler has done 5 or 6 I think. So I like to find people that I not only trust or respect but that understand me as a director and how I think and work. Also for me when you doing a low budget film and you have people you know you can rely on to deliver it is invaluable. I love Cerina we have done 4 films together now, Thomerson is awesome and just makes me laugh all day and we have done I think 4 now also, Michael Worth and I go back really far and on the film  we hit it off. Michael and I think the same and we want the same things with our careers. He is also a very talented writer and director and I have all the respect in the world for him. He is like a brother and this film “Jabberwock” would have suffered without him. He is an amazing fight guy and he choreographed the sword fights for us and he and Tahmoh just knocked it out of the park. I could not have gotten those scenes shot if it were not for them and Michael’s experience.

MG: Going back to the early years, you worked on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse”; any fun stories?
SM: You don’t have the time, it was all fun stories. Every day and Paul Reubens is a genius and a great person. I never had so much fun in my 27 years so far in the business for that year of my life. I was only 25 I think at the time. It was a blast.

MG: What can you tell us about your upcoming project “MoniKa”?
SM: It’s an Action/Thriller about a guy who goes to visit his actor friend in Las Vegas and meets the perfect woman, they have the perfect night, and then he finds out that she was actually killed the night before they met. He has visions and premonitions that help him piece the puzzle together but he gets caught up in her vengeance for the death of her little sister on some local crazy drug dealers when Monika comes back, kind of like an undead to finish her revenge. It’s a really edgy, violent, good guys/girl vs. the bad guys’ kind of rollercoaster film. Cerina Vincent plays Monika who a gun slinging bad ass, and Jason Wiles plays Reagan the guy who tangled up in everything with her. I also have some of my I “Spit” cast being different kinds of bad guys in this one. I wrote and produced it too so it was really different for me to be able to be the final say in everything which does not happen too much anymore these days probably much to the surprise of film fans. It will be finished the end of September and everyone is really excited.

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Danielle Rayne is the star of the short film “Portal: No Escape”. The short film based on the hit video game series and is directed by Dan Trachtenberg. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Danielle about the short film and it’s overnight success.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved with “Portal: No Escape”?
Danielle Rayne: The first of our 2 stunt coordinators, Keith Adams, and I had worked at Universal Studios T2:3D together. Keith is a huge “Portal” fan. When Dan Trachtenberg was casting “Portal: No Escape”, Keith introduced him to some actresses and stunt women he thought could do the job. So I owe all this to Keith.

MG: How aware were you of the video game series “Portal” prior to working on the short?
DR: No, I wasn’t. I must live in a bubble…

MG: The short has over 5 million hits already, are you surprised by the response?
DR: I thought it would do well, especially as Dan would send me clips of the VFX in stages and I could see the high production values. The Comic Con debut was another indicator. But nothing really prepares you for 5 million hits and #1 for the week on YouTube. The speed with which “P:NE” went viral floored me.

MG: Tell us about the production, how long did it take to shoot?
DR: We shot for three days in downtown L.A. in some abandoned buildings that have been turned into studios. The cell was shot in a studio that was formerly a meat packing plant. You did not want to go wandering around by yourself! I took a couple wrong turns going to and from set and I’d get a chill up my spine.

MG: Tell us about working with Dan Trachtenberg?
Working with Dan was one of the best experiences in my career. He’s keyed into drawing the best performance out of his actors. Portal:No Escape and More Than You Can Chew really show that. There’s a couple up-and-coming directors who are going to make a huge mark on Hollywood–Dan is one of them.

MG: Do you think there is a chance for this to become a feature film?
DR: A chance, sure. That being said, the movie business is so hard to pin down. Might as well go to Vegas and bet it all on black.

MG: Tell us about the film “Broken Down”?
DR: Trevor White directed it, Miles Warner wrote and stars in it. I have a great part but I can’t say much about Mary without giving away the good stuff! I can tell you I have dialogue this time. Like Dan, Trevor is another soon-to-be-breakout director and this is the second film I’ve done with him.

MG: Do you have anything else planned upcoming?
DR: I’ve recently begun working with 4 Horsemen Films and their management division. Clearly, the character I play in “P:NE” hit home for a lot of viewers–even ones who had never played “Portal”. A lot of reviews appreciated that my character was strong, smart and sexy without being a sex object. We’ve got a few things we’re looking at with all that in mind. So if anyone wants to pitch a badass female driven spec–Zack at 4 Horsemen Films is my go-to guy. 😉

ETHAN HAWKE AND WILLIAM HURT LEAD ALL-STAR CAST IN NEW THRILLING ADAPTATION OF THE GREAT AMERICAN CLASSIC

MOBY DICK

Co-Starring Gillian Anderson And Donald Sutherland, The Timeless Epic Tale Sails Onto Blu-ray And DVD October 4

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – With the famous words, “Call me Ishmael,” begins the spectacular adaptation of Herman Melville’s novel, considered the greatest work of American literature, MOBY DICK, arriving in brilliant Blu-ray and DVD October 4 from RHI Entertainment and Vivendi Entertainment. A two-part original miniseries event that premiered August 1 & 2 on Encore, the New York Times calls it “an ambitious, beautifully made adventure tale that seeks to be respectful of the book while still making the characters and story accessible to modern viewers,” and the Wall Street Journal adds, “there is much to marvel at in this production.”

Led by a “persuasive and compelling” (New York Times) performance from Academy Award® winner William Hurt (Children Of A Lesser God), the miniseries features powerful dramatic performances by a cast of celebrated actors including Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke (Daybreakers), Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”), Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes) and Billy Boyd (The Lord Of The Rings).

A psychological thriller of one man’s decent into madness, the story begins when inexperienced sailor Ishmael (Charlie Cox, Stardust) joins the crew of the whaling ship Pequod helmed by the mysterious and tortured Captain Ahab (Hurt). Though the journey at first appears to be a routine whaling quest, the crew soon is unwittingly forced to join Ahab in his singular purpose – to hunt and kill the enigmatic white whale, which nearly killed him years before. As they sail across the desolate ocean, Ahab’s obsession to seek the deadly whale they call Moby Dick, no matter the cost, soon proves fatal. Never straying from his quest to hunt and kill the monstrous whale, the crew realizes that their captain is so blinded by vengeance that he may soon lead them all to an ultimate peril.

From the rocky shores of Nantucket to the deepest depths of the Atlantic Ocean, enthralling special effects also highlight the two-part original miniseries that is “lavish, exciting, well-acted and admirably thorough” (Washington Post). The MOBY DICK Blu-ray will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.95, while the DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.97.

Synopsis:
Ishmael sees his dream of a whaling voyage come true when he joins the crew of the Pequod, a sailing vessel leaving port in Nantucket. Unbeknownst to Ishmael and the mates, the Pequod’s megalomaniacal Captain Ahab is taking them all on a mad and personal mission to slay the great whale Moby Dick—an obsession that will open their eyes to the wonder and spectacle of man, of beast, and the inescapable nature of both in this epic retelling of Herman Melville’s masterpiece.

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