OVERKILL ‘THE ATLANTIC YEARS 1986 -1994’ VINYL AND CD BOX SETS TO BE RELEASED ON 29TH OCTOBER 2021.

WATCH THE UNBOXING HERE
PRE-ORDER IS LIVE NOW HERE

An integral part of the early-’80s thrash metal movement that spawned acts like Metallica and Anthrax, New Jersey’s Overkill garnered a reputation for brutal, pounding speed and technique. Taking their moniker from the 1979 Motörhead album of the same name, an early demo; Power in Black, made waves in the underground tape-trading circuit and caught the attention of Megaforce Records, which issued the band’s full-length studio debut, Feel the Fire, in 1985. High-profile shows alongside luminaries like Slayer and Anthrax followed, and with the American thrash scene in full tilt, Overkill inked a major-label deal with Atlantic, which put out their sophomore effort, 1987’s uncompromising Taking Over. This was followed quickly in 1988 by the equally uncompromising, Under The Influence which spawned the MTV hit, ‘Hello From The Gutter’. Continuing their breakneck pace, the band issued the Terry Date -produced Years of Decay the following year in 1989, which saw them pushing their sound in a more epic direction, while maintaining the neck-snapping attack of their debut. Expanding their lineup to a five piece in 1990 they released the brooding and relentlessly heavy Horrorscope, which introduced elements of doom into the mix and would go on to become a defining release and fan favorite. Overkill continued to move toward a more epic Sabbath style on 1993’s I Hear Black but switched up again on 1994’s W.F.O. which marked a return to the whiplash-inducing thrash of the past.

Overkill are held in high regard as one of the true greats of the global metal scene, one they dominate to this day. These six albums cemented Overkill in the thrash hall of fame, while contributing to their 16 million record sales, notched up over the last 40 years and are all considered stone cold classics.

All six of these albums are back on vinyl for the first time in over a decade. Half speed mastered for dynamic range and pressed on 180g vinyl. Also available as a CD collectors box.

The Atlantic Years 1986 to 1994 contains :
TAKING OVER
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
THE YEARS OF DECAY
HORROSCOPE
I HEAR BLACK
W.F.O.

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 1986, 1994, 2021, 29th, atlantic, box, ...

Handheld Anal Probing now possible: Destroy All Humans! is coming to Nintendo Switch™ on June 29th, 2021

Destroy All Humans! while sitting on the john.

Vienna/Austria, Offenburg/Germany, April 8, 2021: Legends say that the most brilliant inventions were created in garages. We call bull excrement on that! Real evil plans come together on the john! On June 29th, 2021 Destroy All Humans! will land on Nintendo Switch™ and anal probing is now handheld. Start the invasion on the go and collect DNA while flushing, the fate of mankind rests in your hands (literally)!

The Switch™ version comes with ALL available skins that were created for the game, including the Skin Pack DLC. The standard version will be available for an SRP of €39.99 | $39.99 | £34.99.


Our two special editions will be available for Nintendo Switch™ as well (EU and UK only):

The Crypto-137 Edition, featuring a Crypto-137 figurine, a Crypto backpack, keychain, six lithographs, an anti-stress toy, and all in-game Crypto skins, all contained within a premium box, has an SRP of €399.99 | $399.99 | £349.99.
Check out the trailer of the Crypto-137 Edition: https://youtu.be/WD6GWwNmRfE

The DNA Collector’s Edition, featuring a Crypto’N’Cow figurine, keychain, six lithographs, anti-stress toy, and all in-game Crypto skins, all contained within a premium box, has an SRP of €149.99 | $149.99 | £139.99.
Check out the trailer of the DNA Edition: https://youtu.be/f06KfNrR1WIAbout Destroy All Humans!

The cult-classic returns and invades everything but your privacy on July 28 2020! Terrorize the people of 1950s Earth in the role of the evil alien Crypto-137. Harvest DNA and bring down the US government in the remake of the legendary alien invasion action adventure. Annihilate puny humans using an assortment of alien weaponry and psychic abilities. Reduce their cities to rubble with your flying Saucer!

One giant step on mankind!Destroy All Humans! is a cult classic and one of the few games that will have you laughing out loud. Many games have taken inspiration from its mix of humoristic story-telling and easily accessible open world shooter action, as well as its wide range of over-the-top weaponry. But there can only be one Cryptosporidium: the human-hating alien with the voice of an angry Jack Nicholson and a shorter fuse than a xenomorph on steroids.

Step right up and enjoy the show!Only Destroy All Humans! allows you to explore idyllic US cities of the 1950s, read the thoughts of their citizens to uncover their secret desires… and then burn the very same cities to the ground with the mighty Death Ray of your flying saucer!

Features

  • Use your Abducto Beam to throw tanks around!
  • Use your psychokinesis powers to crush a farmer under his own cow!
  • Discover which seemingly prude ’50s housewife secretly has the hots for her hairdresser!
  • Slowly batter a human to death with his own hat! 
  • Light up the night by zapping your enemies with teslatastic electricity!
  • Take. One. Giant. Step. On. Mankind!

Visit the website for more information:

Official Destroy All Humans! Website

About THQ Nordic

THQ Nordic Website

About THQ Nordic

Founded in 2011, THQ Nordic is a global video game publisher and developer. Based in Vienna, Austria and Karlstad, Sweden with subsidiaries in Germany and the USA, THQ Nordic brands include Darksiders, MX vs. ATV, Red Faction, Titan Quest and many more. THQ Nordic is meant to represent a core approach of doing much more than “owning” a highly competitive portfolio of IPs. It revolves around cherishing them, and aligning them with the very best development resources to expand upon them with the level of experience that communities and established fan bases expect and deserve. The company’s internal development studios are Grimlore Games based in Munich, Germany; Rainbow Studios based in Phoenix, Arizona; Mirage Game Studios AB based in Karlstad, Sweden and Foxglove Studios AB based in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Filed Under: Game Headlines Tagged With: 2021, 29th, anal, coming, destroy, handheld, ...

DOWN Celebrates Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Of NOLA Full-Length With Exclusive Livestream August 29th

Band To Perform Iconic Album In Its Entirety + Portion Of Ticket Proceeds To Benefit United Houma Nation

This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of DOWN‘s 1995-released, now classic debut, NOLA. Plans for select shows featuring vocalist Philip Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders performing the record in its entirety were sidelined due to the global pandemic. In its wake, the band is pleased to announce an exclusive livestream later this month!  

Fittingly dubbed The Quarter Century Throwdown, the high production, multi-camera event will take place August 29th at 6:00pm EST using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience. The show will be rebroadcast August 30th at 6:00pm EST until September 1st at 6:00pm EST.

Comments the band, “DOWN was a simple band started by friends with a love of heavy music and the songs on the NOLA album were magic from the first rehearsal. We’re extremely grateful to be celebrating the NOLA record with a live stream that the world can see. Watch the show and plug in through your loudest stereo! We love y’all!”  

Livestream tickets and packages are available at THIS LOCATION with additional merch designs available HERE. 

10% of ticket sales will be donated to the United Houma Nation (UHN), a state-recognized tribe of approximately 17,000 members residing within a six-parish (county) service area encompassing 4,570 square miles. The six parishes — Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Mary, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines — are located along the Southeastern coast of Louisiana. Within this area, distinct tribal communities are situated among the interwoven bayous and canals where Houmas traditionally earned a living. Although by land and road these communities are distant, they were historically very close by water. However, boat travel is no longer a viable option due to the effects of coastal erosion, which has left these waterways either nonexistent or impassable and, in many cases, completely open water that requires larger vessels for safe travel. The tribe today is presented with the unique challenges of preserving and maintaining its culture and way of life when the land is disappearing. The United Houma Nation is committed and dedicated to doing exactly that. 

In addition, 10% of proceeds raised from a special, limited DOWN/United Houma Nation t-shirt will also be donated to the UHN. For preorders, go to THIS LOCATION.   

With a collective resume encompassing Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar, EyeHateGod, and so many others, DOWN puffed out its first haze of sonic smoke from the belly of gritty old New Orleans in September of 1995 with the release of NOLA. At that moment, they instinctively summoned something akin to a ritual. The record was largely credited with introducing the sound of underground New Orleans metal – “slow, super-heavy, doomsday guitar riffs stamped with Anselmo’s trademark bellow,” as described by NOLA.com / The Times-Picayune – to a worldwide audience. By October of 1995, NOLA peaked at number 57 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for six straight weeks. The album spawned four singles: “Stone The Crow,” “Lifer,” “Temptation’s Wings,” and “Bury Me in Smoke.” “Stone The Crow” would move on to achieve commercial success when it reached number 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, becoming DOWN‘s first top 40 song. Twenty-five years later, there’s still no mistaking those gargantuan riffs, swamp blues leads, crashing drums, and hypnotic howls for absolutely anybody else under the sun.

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 29th, anniversary, august, celebrates, exclusive, fulllength, ...

Motor Sister to perform at “Wacken:World:Wide” online on July 29th

On July 29th, rock super group Motor Sister – featuring Jim Wilson (Mother Superior), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Pearl Aday (solo), Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning), and John Tempesta (The Cult) – will take part in “Wacken:World:Wide”, a unique event that fans can experience live on wacken-world-wide.com, as well as on the website and app of MagentaMusik 360 (https://www.magenta-musik-360.de) and MagentaTV, for free!

Motor Sister will perform at 9:15AM PT//12:15PM ET//6:15PM CET, with an exclusive interview after the set, so don’t miss out! See below for other artists participating in the livestream taking place July 29th to August 1st:
Anthrax
Alice Cooper
Foreigner
Kreator
Sabaton
Blind Guardian
Heaven Shall Burn
…and many more!

“Wacken:World:Wide” will not only deliver concerts of classic W:O:A crowd favorites, but also newcomers, plus exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes content and much more.

To make your festival complete, souvenir tickets, festival ribbons and t-shirts are available here: https://www.metaltix.com/index.php?view=products&id=65&affiliate=wwwnews.

For more information about “Wacken:World:Wide”, please visit:
www.wacken-world-wide.com
www.instagram.com/wackenworldwide
www.facebook.com/wackenworldwide
www.twitter.com/WackenWorldWide

Joey Vera comments: “We’re really looking forward to playing ‘Wacken:World:Wide’. We’ve been getting ready to finish this new record we started in March at the start of lockdown, so hopefully in the next few weeks we can get back into the studio and finish the record! Then, next up would be playing some of the new tunes virtually live for you all!”

Motor Sister is currently finishing work on their upcoming album – which, this time, features all original songs. Since the release of their debut, 2015’s Ride (comprised of Mother Superior covers), the group has been more than busy with their other commitments outside of the band – but fans can look forward to this new full-length coming next year via Metal Blade Records.

“The simple goal for the second Motor Sister album is to make the most kick ass, high energy rock & roll record ever,” Jim Wilson comments.

Stay tuned for more news coming soon!

Motor Sister line-up:
Jim Wilson – vocals, guitar
Scott Ian – guitar
Joey Vera – bass
John Tempesta – drums
Pearl Aday – vocals

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 29th, july, motor, online, perform, sister, ...

Celebrate National Cat Day on October 29th with Cat Paw – The Friendly Yet Feisty Toy

Cat Paws (#CatPaw) from Wicked Cool Toys are wildly fun and purrrfect for everyone! Creep out co-workers, amuse cat lovers and STUPEFY cats themselves with the amazing, bizarre, wonderful and super fun CAT PAW! Cat Paw features four different cat styles to choose from which includes a Orange Shorthair Cat Paw, a White Persian Cat Paw, a Maine Coon Cat Paw and a Black Cat Paw. Each Cat Paw includes two realistic sounds (friendly and feisty) and an awesome clawing action! Simply pull on the trigger to activate sound and movement – a light pull for the friendly sound and a firm grip and hold for the feisty sound!
Once you see one, you have to have them all!

Cat Paws are fur sure to be the life of any party, fill an ordinary with extraordinary moments, strike up conversations with just about anyone, and bring endless joy to everyone, even your beloved four-legged family members! Cat Paws are available at Kmart, Toys “R” Us and toysrus.com. Ages 2-100 Price: $9.99

Check out the Catchy Cat Paw Jingle – It’s Pawesome –

 

Related Content

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 29th, cat, celebrate, day, feisty, friendly, ...

“Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery” comes to Blu-ray July 29th

DAVID LYNCH AND MARK FROST’S GROUNDBREAKING CULT PHENOMENON ARRIVES ON BLU-RAY™ WITH THE LONG-AWAITED DEBUT OF NEARLY 90 MINUTES OF DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES FROM TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME

For The First Time Ever, Acclaimed Television Series And Feature Film Arrive In One Complete Box Set With Upgraded Picture, Newly Produced And Archival Special Features …All Under the Personal Supervision of David Lynch Available July 29, 2014

 HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (May 15, 2014) – Twenty-five years after the shocking murder of Laura Palmer in the acclaimed series from legendary filmmaker David Lynch and writer/producer Mark Frost, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution will release TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY.

Arriving for the first time on stunning High Definition Blu-ray with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio on July 29th, this comprehensive collection contains every episode from the complete television series; both the U.S. and international versions of the series’ Pilot; the North American Blu-ray debut of Lynch’s follow-up feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; and nearly 90 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes from the film. The set also features newly transferred Log Lady introductions for each episode; picture upgrades to many shots in the TV series; a new featurette with Lynch and the actors who portrayed the Palmer family which includes a mesmerizing return to the lives of their characters today; and hours of never-before-released material that dives into the fascinating story behind the celebrated pop culture classic.

Along with a newly transferred version of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, created from a 4K scan of the original negative, TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY Blu-ray box set boasts the long-awaited missing pieces from the original version of the film– nearly an hour-and-a-half of deleted/alternate scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me – often referred to as the “holy grail” of Twin Peaks fandom. This feature-length experience has been directed and edited by Lynchexclusively for this release. Capping off more than 30 deleted/alternate scenes is an epilogue providing a fascinating glimpse beyond the cliffhanger finale of the TV series.

“During the last days in the life of Laura Palmer many things happened, which have never been seen before” said David Lynch. “They’re here now alongside the new transfer of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Twin Peaks, the television series.”

“We set the bar very high with our prior complete series TWIN PEAKS DVD Gold Box,” said Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Home Entertainment.

“THE ENTIRE MYSTERY Blu-ray had to be spectacular in terms of both content and presentation. We are confident that we hit the mark and are bringing the fans something very special. None of this could have been possible without the day-to-day involvement of David Lynch.”

TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY is loaded with special features. In the two-part feature “Between Two Worlds,” Lynch himself interviews the Palmer family (Leland, Sarah and daughter Laura) about their current existence in this life and the next, and follows up with a discussion with the actors who portray them. TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY alsofeatures “Moving Through Time: Fire Walk With Me Memories,” an exclusive retrospective documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew who recount the making of the Twin Peaks movie and working with David Lynch. The collection also features high-definition versions of the Log Lady episode introductions, transferred from recently unearthed 16mm film negative, a selection of newly discovered deleted scenes and outtakes from the television series, and three Twin Peaks photo galleries with over 130 behind-the-scenes images from David Lynch’s personal never-before-released collection. Also new to this release are 10 vignettes of iconic Twin Peaks themes called “Atmospherics.” Each features a unique montage of music, dialogue and video (including some rare outtakes) that appear as both menu backgrounds and as their own textless experience to further immerse fans in the mysterious world of Twin Peaks.

Additionally, the set features a massive collection of pre-existing special features, some of which have been re-mastered in high definition exclusively for this release, including the award-winning four-part documentary “Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks,” and a newly extended version of the Gold Box featurette “A Slice of Lynch,” featuring the complete and uncut conversation between David Lynch and actors Kyle MacLachlan and Mädchen Amick. Additionally, this 10-disc set houses an extraordinary archive of special features culled from the entire history of Twin Peaks on home video, including featurettes, cast and crew interviews, promotional reels, archival deleted scenes…and much, much more.

Winning a Golden Globe® for Best Television Series – Drama in 1991, and a fixture in all-time top TV series lists from TIME, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide, Twin Peaks follows the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town who are stunned after the homecoming queen Laura Palmer is suddenly found murdered. The investigation that follows engenders an eerie chain of events with cataclysmic results felt across the entire town. The series features an ensemble cast including Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Sheryl Lee, Sherilyn Fenn, Lara Flynn Boyle, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Richard Beymer, Ray Wise, Peggy Lipton and
Warren Frost. Although shot after the series ended, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is the prequel to the television series and focuses on the seven days leading up to Laura Palmer’s death. Many of the TV series cast members reprise their roles in the film and are joined by others including
Kiefer Sutherland, David Bowie, Chris Isaak and Harry Dean Stanton.

TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY will be available in 1080p with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (Series and Feature), original English Stereo 2.0 (Series and Feature), Latin American Spanish Mono (Series), Latin American Spanish Stereo (Feature), Brazilian Portuguese Mono (Series), French Mono (Series), French 5.1 (Feature), Italian Mono (Series), Italian Stereo (Feature), German Mono (Series), German 5.1 (Feature), Castilian Mono (Series), Castilian Stereo (Feature), Japanese Mono (Series), and Japanese Stereo (Feature). The 10-disc collection also includes English SDH, Latin American Spanish, French, Italian, German, Castilian, Japanese, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish subtitles (Series and Feature).

It will be available for the suggested retail price of $109.99 U.S. and $129.99 Canada.  The disc breakdown is as follows:

 

Disc One:

  • Pilot
    • Original Version
    • Alternate International Version
  • Episode 1
  • Episode 2
  • Special Features

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Two:

  • Episode 3
  • Episode 4
  • Episode 5
  • Episode 6
  • Episode 7
  • Special Features

o    Season 1 Image Gallery

o    Twin Peaks Sneak Peeks (HD)

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Previews and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Three:

  • Episode 8
  • Episode 9
  • Episode 10
  • Special Features

o    A Slice of Lynch: Uncut (HD) – NEW!

o    Season 2 Image Gallery

o    Promos (HD/SD)

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Four:

  • Episode 11
  • Episode 12
  • Episode 13
  • Episode 14
  • Special Features

o    Series Deleted Scenes

o    Series Deleted Scenes (HD) – NEW!

o    Outtakes (HD) – NEW!

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Five:

  • Episode 15
  • Episode 16
  • Episode 17
  • Episode 18
  • Special Features

o    Return To Twin Peaks

o    Location Guide

o    The Glastonbury Archives

  • 17 Pieces of Pie: Shooting at the Mar T (AKA RR) Diner
  • Mark Frost Interview with Wrapped in Plastic
  • Learning to Speak in the Red Room
  • An Introduction to David Lynch
  • Lucy Bumpers
  • 1-900 Hotline
  • Production Documents
  • Image Galleries

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Six:

  • Episode 19
  • Episode 20
  • Episode 21
  • Episode 22
  • Special Features

o    Postcards From The Cast

o    Twin Peaks Sneak Peaks (HD)

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Seven:

  • Episode 23
  • Episode 24
  • Episode 25
  • Episode 26
  • Special Features

o    Cast And Crew Interviews

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Eight:

  • Episode 27
  • Episode 28
  • Episode 29
  • Special Features

o    Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks (HD)

  • Northwest Passage: Creating the Pilot
  • Freshly Squeezed: Creating Season One
  • Where We’re From: Creating the Music
  • Into the Night: Creating Season Two

o    Log Lady Intros (HD)

o    Preview and recaps on select episodes (HD)

 

Disc Nine:

  • Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
  • The Missing Pieces: Deleted/Alternate Scenes (HD) – NEW!
  • Special Feature

o    Archival Interviews

 

Disc Ten:

  • Special Features

o    Between Two Worlds (HD) – NEW!

  • Palmer Family Interview
  • Actors Discussion

o    Moving Through Time: Fire Walk With Me Memories (HD) – NEW!

o    Reflections On The Phenomenon Of Twin Peaks

o    US Trailer

o    International Trailer

o    Fire Walk With Me Photo Gallery – NEW!

o    Atmospherics (HD) – NEW!

  • Trees/Woods
  • Pie
  • Signs/Places
  • Coffee
  • Notes
  • Water
  • Donuts
  • Owls
  • The Ring
  • The Red Room

Please visit andthemissingpieces.tumblr.com for the latest details on TWIN PEAKS – THE ENTIRE MYSTERY. Use #theentiremystery to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

High Definition special features are denoted (HD).  Configuration and names of special features are subject to change.

CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video.  CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.

Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.  The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles.  PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

TWIN PEAKS — THE ENTIRE MYSTERY BLU-RAY

Street Date:                  July 29, 2014

Suggest retail price:      $109.99 US / $129.99 CAN

Catalog #:                     144394

Series Run Time:           Approx. 25 hours, 3 minutes

Film Run Time:              Approx. 2 hours, 14 minutes

Series U.S. Rating:        NR

Film U.S. Rating:           R – Strong Violence, Sex and Drug Content, Language

Series CAN Rating:        14A – Mature Theme

Film CAN Rating:           18A – Sexual Violence, Sexual Content, Disturbing Content

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 29th, bluray, entire, july, mystery, peaks, ...

Patton Oswalt talks about hosting the 29th Annual Independent Spirit Awards

Back in 2006, the Independent Spirit Awards changed up their trophy system. Before 2006, winners at the awards show would receive an acrylic glass pyramid containing suspended shoestrings that symbolized the thin budget that independent movies would typically have to work with. They then changed it up to show a bird sitting atop of a pole with that the pole wrapped in shoestrings. So obviously the next logical step would be giving the winners a living, breathing bird. Right? Well that’s the plan at this year’s 29th annual awards. The host, Patton Oswald, was able to talk with me and other reporters at a press conference, to go over his avian stunt, comedic or not, as well as talk about what an honor it is to host this prestigious event.

Patton Oswalt is very familiar with the awards process. His first hosting duties were at the 39th annual Annie Awards where he was quick on his feet, especially when something went wrong, “I’m gonna be very, very aware if somebody reads the wrong cards. He read the wrong winner and I’ll try once again try to make a screw-up like that be delightful.” Even though he’s well known as a stand-up comedian, Patton has received recognition for his acting abilities throughout the years. Many people will remember him as the voice of Remy in “Ratatouille”, but his most recent portrayal as Matt Freehauf in “Young Adult,” landed him the New York Film Critics award for best supporting actor. So it’s understandable that Patton Oswalt would be ready to host the Independent Spirit Awards, but not a lot of hosts spend their time leading up to the awards preparing themselves for birds. but that’s what he’s been doing.

“I feel pretty ready. I’ve been down to the park a lot, chasing them around, yelling at them, so we’ll see,” Patton said jokingly. There should be no worries among animal activists or organizations. Patton says the birds will be well taken care of. The real challenge for him however, may actually be having to be around a bird, “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I have a paralyzing fears of birds…I don’t think it’ll affect my performance.” Patton says he wasn’t sure what kind of birds they would have though. Or even if they would be different for each nomination. He was sure that the winners would actually be able to keep their feathered prize, “They can keep them, they can set them free. Trust me, I know actors, I know directors, there’s all kinds of things they could do with birds, some I would rather not go into.” Patton said the birds will be cage free and actually be handled by the presenters and winners. With fears extinguished, Patton returned to the jokes by reassuring everyone that if anyone’s award…I mean bird…died days, months, or years later, the contingency plan would be to give the winner a baby cougar as a replacement.

It’s not odd for a comedian to host the Independent Spirit Awards. Previous hosts have included, Sarah Silverman, Steve Coogan and Eddie Izzard. When putting the jokes aside and getting to the meat of the night, anyone would gladly tell you they really look at the Independent Spirit Awards as a venue to see some great future filmmakers and actors as well as those who are deserving of some praise. Patton was no different. He really divulged a deep passion and appreciation for the awards, “For me, being the kind of film buff I am, this award show digs pretty deep into trying to find movies that took risks and rolled the dice. It rewards people that are clearly emerging that are going to be doing great stuff with their careers. What I also love is that they keep an eye open for veterans like Robert Redford and Bruce Dern who continue to take risks and seek out challenging, different material.”

Patton further proved his love for movies by rattling off some of his favorites at this year’s awards and he was not short of praise, “The crop of films they sent me was pretty stunning. ‘The Spectacular Now’ I thought was fantastic. I hope ‘Enough Said’ wins everything it gets nominated for. The documentary ‘The Act of Killing,’ I thought it was crucial. Hard to watch, but crucial. I really hope that Bruce Dern wins for ‘Nebraska’ because I thought he was just amazing. That guy’s had awards coming for a long time in my opinion, so that would be great.” Patton says he’s spent plenty of time catching up on movies and says that he was able to catch other award nominees like “Dallas Buyer’s Club,” “Short Term 12,” and the documentary “Computer Chess.”

With millions of viewers still choosing to watch the Oscars this year, it only seemed fitting that the last question for Patton Oswalt would be if the Independent Spirit Awards is a good predictor for the Academy. He didn’t shy away from the question, “I think it goes beyond that. I think that the Independent Spirit Awards are an important predictor of who you’re going to be rooting for in the Oscars, like ten years down the road. That’s what makes it so exciting for me, that this is like giving an award to Martin Scorsese in 1971 for ‘Who’s Knocking On My Door.’ You’re seeing people at the beginning of their, I’m going to use the word journey, but it really is. These are the future masters that you’re watching when they’re young and it makes it that much more crucial and stressful for me. I really want to do well by these guys because these are the people that are going to be making movies down the road that we’re going to be fighting over at the Oscars.”

For those interested (and how can you not be?), you can catch the 29th Annual Independent Spirit Awards on IFC, Sunday, March 1st. The fun begins at 10 p.m. EST/PST.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 29th, annual, awards, hosting, independent, oswalt, ...

“Paranormal Activity 4” Comes to Blu-ray/DVD on January 29th

THE GROUNDBREAKING HORROR PHENOMENON BRINGS MORE TERROR HOME WITH A SHOCKING UNRATED BLU-RAY™/DVD COMBO PACK 

Debuting January 29, 2013, Blu-ray/DVD Combo Includes “The Recovered Files”— Nearly 30 Minutes of Found Footage Not Shown in Theaters!

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (December 18, 2012) – The global horror sensation that has mesmerized fans around the world continues to terrify and thrill audiences with the latest installment in the franchise, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4, debuting on January 29, 2013 in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ and a Digital Copy.  PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 continues the shocking story of the evil surrounding Katie and her nephew Hunter as a new family begins experiencing unexplained events that quickly turn deadly.  Fans can be the first to own the newest chapter via Digital Download, which will be available on January 15, two weeks before the Blu-ray/DVD.   The Digital Download will be available in either the theatrical version of the film or an unrated version with footage not seen in theaters.

The PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes both the theatrical version of the film and the unrated version, as well as “The Recovered Files” with nearly 30 minutes of new found footage.  In addition, the Blu-ray/DVD combo available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – safely and securely – to a variety of devices.

The PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack breakdown is as follows:

Blu-ray:

  • Original Theatrical Version of the Film (HD)
  •  Unrated Version of the Film (HD)
  •  The Recovered Files—nearly 30 minutes of found footage

DVD:

  • Original Theatrical Version of the Film
  • Unrated Version of the Film

A single-disc DVD containing the theatrical and unrated versions of the film will also be available on January 29th.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 29th, 4, activity, bluraydvd, january, paranormal, ...

Concert Review: Engelbert Humperdinck at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, April 29th 2012

Engelbert Humperdinck
Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Airway Heights, WA
April 29th, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Engelbert Humperdinck has been entertaining for 45 years and shows no signs of slowing down. While watching his perform, he just looks like he is having the time of his life during every song. He never stops strutting his stuff and dancing throughout the show. He also not only engages his fans with amazing stories in between but he even invites them up on the stage. For a man that is 75 years old, he acts half his age and puts to shame many of our current performers that have forgotten what is it like to perform live. Overall he just has this wonderful stage presence and it comes through with his fans and through this music.

I wasn’t able to personally attend this show but thanks to the wonders of the internet, I was able to be their watching it live from the comfort of my home. Thanks to Front and Center for setting up this fantastic streaming concert. The concert played perfectly without a hitch and did not encounter any streaming issues. It wasn’t just one boring camera angle either. There was numerous cameras constantly changing covering the whole stage. The sound quality was also very impressive, especially for streaming internet.

The concert ran from about 90 minutes and he really covered all of his classics. In this show he covers classics like “Quando, Quando, Quando”, “The Last Waltz” and “Release Me”. I also really enjoyed his new song for Eurovision 2012 and also currently #1 on the charts in the UK, “Love Will Set You Free”. Engelbert even covers classics like “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and Bryan Adams’ “When You Love a Woman” along with his great guitarist Yohan Frank. What I like most about hearing him life is that he sounds exactly like he does on the album. Engelbert’s voice just sounds fantastic and he is not afraid to belt out some big notes.

Engelbert is one of the last great entertainers and he puts on what a great show. I also really enjoyed his video clips including a funny comedy act from Eddie Izzard and a rare performance with Engelbert and Dean Martin. I have never had the privilege of seeing Engelbert in person, which I hope will change very soon. You here that Engelbert…come to the Orlando FL area soon!!

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: 2012, 29th, april, casino, concert, engelbert, ...
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