“Power of the Dog” leads the 94th Academy Awards Pack

 

“Power of the Dog” lead the pack when the nominations for the 94th Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning.

 

Among the films nods:  Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay – both for Jane Campion, and acting nominations for Benedict  Cumberbatch (Actor) and supporting performances for Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Other films earning multi-nominations include “Dune” with 10 and “Belfast” and “West Side Story”, which each received 7 nominations, including Best Picture.  Other Best Picture nominees:  “CODA,:” “Don’t Look Up,’ “Drive My Car,” “Licorice Pizza” and “Nightmare Alley.” 

Though it received 10 nominations, “Dune” failed to earn a nomination for director Denis Villeneuve.  First time nominee Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) joins previous directing nominees Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza) Jane Campion (Power of the Dog), and Steven Spielberg (West Side Story) in that category.  Of the nominees, only Spielberg has won the award – twice – for “Schindler’s List” and “saving Private Ryan.”

 

Unlike last year, many of this year’s nominees were from more mainstream, studio pictures, including “West Side Story” that, while it didn’t do the box office predicted, was a return to the glory days of the big Hollywood musical.

 

Here is a complete list of this year’s nominees:

 

Best Picture

 

  • “Belfast,” Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, producers 
  • “CODA,” Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, producers
  • “Don’t Look Up,” Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, producers 
  • “Drive My Car,” Teruhisa Yamamoto, producer 
  • “Dune,” Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, producers
  • “King Richard,” Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, producers 
  • “Licorice Pizza,” Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, producers 
  • “Nightmare Alley,” Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, producers 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, producers
  • “West Side Story,” Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, producers.

 

 

Best Director

 

  • Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”)
  • Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (“Drive My Car”) 
  • Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”) 
  • Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)
  • Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”)

 

Best Lead Actor

 

  • Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”) 
  • Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”) 
  • Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick … Boom!”) 
  • Will Smith (“King Richard”)
  • Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”)

 

Best Lead Actress

 

  • Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) 
  • Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
  • Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”)
  • Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”) 
  • Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)

 

Best Supporting Actor

 

  • Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”) 
  • Troy Kotsur (“CODA”) 
  • Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”) 
  • J.K. Simmons (“Being the Ricardos”)
  • Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)

 

 

 Best Supporting Actress

 

  • Jessie Buckley (“The Lost Daughter”) 
  • Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”) 
  • Judi Dench (“Belfast” 
  • Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”) 
  • Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)

 

 

Best Adapted Screenplay

 

  • “CODA,” screenplay by Siân Heder 
  • “Drive My Car,” screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe 
  • “Dune,” screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth 
  • “The Lost Daughter,” written by Maggie Gyllenhaal 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” written by Jane Campion

 

Best Original Screenplay

 

  • “Belfast,” written by Kenneth Branagh 
  • “Don’t Look Up,” screenplay by Adam McKay; story by Adam McKay and David Sirota“King Richard,” written by Zach Baylin 
  • “Licorice Pizza,” written by Paul Thomas Anderson 
  • “The Worst Person in the World,” written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier

 

Best Cinematography

 

  • “Dune,” Greig Fraser 
  • “Nightmare Alley,” Dan Laustsen 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” Ari Wegner 
  • “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” Bruno Delbonnel 
  • “West Side Story,” Janusz Kaminski

 

Best Animated Feature Film

 

  • “Encanto,” Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer 
  • “Flee,” Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie 
  • “Luca,” Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren
  • “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht 
  • “Raya and the Last Dragon,” Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho

 

Best Animated Short Film

 

  • “Affairs of the Art,” Joanna Quinn and Les Mills 
  • “Bestia,” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz 
  • “Boxballet,” Anton Dyakov 
  • “Robin Robin,” Dan Ojari and Mikey Please 
  • “The Windshield Wiper,” Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez

Best Costume Design

 

  • “Cruella,” Jenny Beavan 
  • “Cyrano,” Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran 
  • “Dune,” Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan 
  • “Nightmare Alley,” Luis Sequeira 
  • “West Side Story,” Paul Tazewell

 

Best Original Score

 

  • “Don’t Look Up,” Nicholas Britell 
  • “Dune,” Hans Zimmer 
  • “Encanto,” Germaine Franco 
  • “Parallel Mothers,” Alberto Iglesias 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” Jonny Greenwood

 

Best Sound

 

  • “Belfast,” Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri 
  • “Dune,” Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett 
  • “No Time to Die,” Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb 
  • “West Side Story,” Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy

 

Best Original Song

 

  • “Be Alive” from “King Richard,” music and lyric by Dixson and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter 
  • “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto,” music and lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda 
  • “Down To Joy” from “Belfast,” music and lyric by Van Morrison 
  • “No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die,” music and lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell 
  • “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days,” music and lyric by Diane Warren

 

Best Documentary Feature

 

  • “Ascension,” Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell 
  • “Attica,” Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry 
  • “Flee,” Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie 
  • “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein 
  • “Writing With Fire,” Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh

 

Best Documentary Short Subject

 

  • “Audible,” Matt Ogens and Geoff McLean 
  • “Lead Me Home,” Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk 
  • “The Queen of Basketball,” Ben Proudfoot 
  • “Three Songs for Benazir,” Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei 
  • “When We Were Bullies,” Jay Rosenblatt

Best Film Editing

 

  • “Don’t Look Up,” Hank Corwin 
  • “Dune,” Joe Walker 
  • “King Richard”, Pamela Martin 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” Peter Sciberras 
  • “Tick, Tick…Boom!” Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum

 

Best International Feature Film

 

  • “Drive My Car” (Japan) 
  • “Flee” (Denmark) 
  • “The Hand of God” (Italy) 
  • “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” (Bhutan) 
  • “The Worst Person in the World” (Norway)

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

 

  • “Coming 2 America,” Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer 
  • “Cruella,” Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon 
  • “Dune,” Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr 
  • “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh 
  • “House of Gucci,” Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras

 

Best Production Design

 

  • “Dune,” production design: Patrice Vermette; set decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos 
  • “Nightmare Alley,” production design: Tamara Deverell; set decoration: Shane Vieau 
  • “The Power of the Dog,” production design: Grant Major; set decoration: Amber Richards
  • “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” production design: Stefan Dechant; set decoration: Nancy Haigh
  • “West Side Story,” production design: Adam Stockhausen; set decoration: Rena DeAngelo

Best Visual Effects

 

  • “Dune,” Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer
  • “Free Guy,” Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis and Dan Sudick 
  • “No Time to Die,” Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner and Chris Corbould 
  • “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” Christopher Townsend, JoeFarrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver 
  • “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick

 

Best Live Action Short Film

 

  • “Ala Kachuu – Take and Run,” Maria Brendle and Nadine Lüchinger 
  • “The Dress,” Tadeusz Łysiak and Maciej Ślesicki 
  • “The Long Goodbye,” Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed 
  • “On My Mind,” Martin Strange-Hansen and Kim Magnusson 
  • “Please Hold,” K.D. Dávila and Levin Menekse

 

The 94th Academy Awards will be presented on March 27th.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 94th, academy, awards, dog, leads, pack, ...

DVD Review “Puppy Dog Pals: Going on a Mission”

Creator: Harland Williams
Studio Walt Disney
Product Title: Puppy Dog Pals, Vol. 1
Release Date: 04/10/2018

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Since the birth of my daughter, now 6 years ago, Disney Junior has been a must watch in our house. All of their shows have been fun, even for parents, that is until “Puppy Dog Pals”. This is one show was one that I have not not been able to enjoy..but my daughter does love it. It is created by comedian Harland Williams (“Half Baked”). I have to admit though after watching the DVD this show is definitely growing on me. I see how much my daughter and even my nephew enjoy this show and if they enjoy it, I can dig it.

Official Premise: Fun-loving puppy brothers Bingo and Rolly go on adventures throughout their neighborhood and around the world as a way to help quench their thrill-seeking appetites. The pups’ motto is life is always more exciting with your best friends by your side. For the pugs, those friends include owner Bob, his cat Hissy and his robot dog A.R.F.

The episodes includes are:

  • Hawaii Pug-Oh/A.R.F.
  • The French Toast Connection/Take Me Out to the Pug Game
  • The Go-Long Retriever/Pot O’ Pugs
  • A Pyramid Scheme/Special Delivery

The reason why I am starting to come around for this series is because it teaches lessons about friendship, problem-solving and collaboration and these are values that I want my daughter to have. Plus I am a fan of Williams and he also provides the voice of Bob. “Puppy Dog Pals: Going on a Mission” is the first volume DVD for this show and I am sure will not be the last. I would like to see a little bonus content included in future releases, at least something fun and extra for the kiddies to enjoy. There is still about two hours of content and at a price below $10 bucks, can’t go wrong here.

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dog, dvd, mission, pals, puppy, review, ...

Blu-ray Review “Rock Dog”

Actors: Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan Thompson
Directors: Ash Brannon
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: May 23, 2017
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Rock Dog” is the latest in the cheap animated films that get zero promotion and then slapped with an American cast. This one does actually pack some talent with Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, and Kenan Thompson but unfortunately the film is just completely forgettable and not worth your time. Young kids might like the music but parents will tear their hair out.

Official Premise: When a radio falls from the sky into the hands of a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff, he leaves home to fulfill his dream of becoming a musician, setting into motion a series of completely unexpected events.

“Rock Dog” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD and Digital HD copy included. The Blu-ray specs are solid. The 1080p transfer is solid for the CG animation and the colors are vibrant though doesn’t make it feel any less cheap. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is a great track for the music in the film and works well.

The special features includes are not as bad as I would have expected. There are four featurettes included. The first “Finding the Fire: The Making of Rock Dog” takes us through the production. “Mic Check: Casting the Voices” looks at the cast. “A Rockin’ New World: Animating Rock Dog” shows how our characters were made. The last “Rock Dog and Roll: Exploring the Music” focus on the tunes in the film. Lastly there is a music video included for the track “Glorious”.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, dog, review, rock

K.Flay talks about debut album “Life as a Dog”

Constantly changing, constantly evolving and constantly honing their craft is the sign of a good musician and K. Flay, is one of them. While in college, K.Flay found she had the chops to rap with some of the best and began to experiment, musically and lyrically. Since 2004, she has put out a myriad of music with everything from singles and EPs to collaborating with other aspiring up-and-comers like MC Lars. Her continuous, hard work has finally paid off as she releases her debut album, “Life as a Dog”. She’s also about to embark on the Warped Tour, a staple of the summer touring circuit. Media Mikes recently caught up with K.Flay about how she’s handling and preparing for these high marks of her career.

Jeremy Werner: When I was getting ready for this interview…I was a bit surprised how much music you had, in terms of singles, EPs, guest vocals, and other things spanning over half a decade. To me it’s crazy because you’re now just able to release your debut album. I’m sure all your fans, die-hard and new, who’ve recognized your hard work and talent over the years are seeing and wondering the same thing I was, which is why has it taken so long to be able to release your debut album?
K.Flay: I was actually just having this conversation with my drummer because we’re working on setlist stuff for Warped Tour this summer. But basically the reason is…I signed to a major label a little over two years ago and while I was on there, I put out a mixtape and a couple of EPs and singles and things of that nature. But I was never able to release an album. I was working on a lot of stuff, but I think they didn’t necessarily feel like anything was single worthy or ready to be part of an album, so I was kind of in this weird limbo while I was there. Which on some level was a really interesting experience in that I was able to do a ton of experimentation and really kind of take time to figure out more about the kind of music I like making and think about the music I was better at making than other kinds. It was sort of a weird process because I signed and wasn’t able to put out enough to show for a debut album, but I left the label in the fall and then worked on this.

JW: I’ve actually talked to quite a few artists as of late who’ve used online fundraising for their music and just like them, yours was very successful.
K.Flay: Yes.

JW: So I’m wondering…with no problems reaching your target goal, do you feel like this is your way of telling potential record labels, “I can sell music if give me a chance,” or is this your way of saying, “Fuck you guys. My music speaks for yourself and I don’t need you”?
K.Flay: You know, I think for me in large part, this is just about a personal goal as a human/artist in the sense of making a statement. And even if albums are becoming outdated in some capacity or whatever, I think having a statement and a body of work that has cohesive quality, to me, is really important on a fundamental level. But on the flip side of it, the experience on the label was at times, kind of frustrating and it felt like I was a little bit stuck. So it feels really good to return to how I began with music which is independently releasing things and having control over all aspects of the creative process. It just feels really empowering, really good and really natural.

JW: Is there anything with “Life as a Dog”, musically, that you’re doing different or for the first time on this album?
K.Flay: Ya know, I think this album is a little bit of shift in that it’s less like rap and it’s a little more…I don’t know…I try to be more conscious of melody a little bit. One of the things I discovered over the last two-three years it that I really do like singing and I like incorporating melodic components into the music. It’s definitely less electronic, less rap, but I don’t think in a super drastic way. It felt kind of like the natural, next step.

JW: Lyrically, when I listen to your music, it feels like there’s a lot of deep personal emotions attached to the music and it’s kind of a dumb, broad statement to say that because yeah…all music is personal. But while some bands like to play with words and allude to different ideas without completely giving themselves away, I feel like you’re more blunt and honest with what you say. What are some of things you draw from when writing lyrics?
K.Flay: Obviously there’s a lot of myself in the music and there’s always gonna be that component, but I think more than ever, especially with this record, I really tried to embody, even just for a few moments in a song, people in my life and people that I’ve met along the way. I think one of the compelling parts of being a full-time musician is the cast of characters, both bad and good, that you run into on a daily basis. I still use the first person pronoun so they feel like they’re about me, but some of them are really about people that I’ve met and experiences that I’ve kind of witnessed second hand. Which is really cool. I think it taught to expand my ideas of how to start a song. Usually for me, it starts with some kind of emotion I’m feeling at that moment. Which is interesting conceptually to experiment from a different perspective a little bit.

JW: Anything you’ve wanted to sing about, but you’re hesitant to?
K.Flay: Umm…not really. I guess there’s nothing in my life that I wouldn’t want to share. Obviously very specific details, but songwriting and performing is such a liberating thing in general and so I think that’s why I feel comfortable talking about a lot of stuff in that
capacity.

JW: Let’s switch gears. You are on Warped Tour this summer. Is this the largest tour you’ve had to tackle yet?
K.Flay: It is, definitely. I’ve done festivals before, but never anything of this kind of length or consistency. I’m really excited. I have a lot of friends who’ve done Warped in the past and literally everyone has great things to say about it. I know it’s gonna be a challenge…*laughs*…not to be covered in sweat constantly, but I’m really looking forward to it.

JW: Besides being stupid hot, Warped Tour is also known for jamming nearly every act they can on to stages. Will it be hard trying to condense what you want to express into a limited setlist?
K.Flay: I think it is gonna be a really interesting challenge. There is such a large catalog and I want to represent the new album and I also wanna represent some of the old stuff. And obviously play music that is emblematic of where I’m at, but also music that will appeal to people. I think it’s gonna be a little bit of messing around once we get started. The live shows have always been a real focus for me and touring is a place where I feel really comfortable and I’m really comfortable with experimenting. I think the first week, we’ll probably test about a bunch of different stuff. More than anything, not like anybody else wants me to, but I kind of wanna play for two hours and go through everything. It’ll be an interesting little experiment.

JW: Have you factored in fans? I mean obviously you have…but the typical Warped Tour attendee is traditionally, a punk rock enthusiast and it’s definitely changed over the past decade.
K.Flay: Totally. The show has always had a punk spirit to it. There’s headbanging and a lot of jumping around and kind of more archetypal rock moments in it. So obviously something within that spirit. I’m kind of excited to try some new stuff.

JW: Big tour…debut album…with all this success…do you see yourself being a music artist for the long haul or is there something you still wanna do or try?
K.Flay: Ya know…I don’t really know. I get asked this sometimes and I kind of have no fucking clue. Which is strange because you’d think it’d be good to have a back-up plan, but I just decide on something and I just do it. So I think I’m still in that mode of perspective where this is what I’m doing and I think if I really started to consider other viable options, it would probably be a bad sign. So I don’t know. I read a lot…so maybe something with books. That’s all I can think of at the moment.

JW: My last question, a bit random, and you don’t have to answer this, but I’ve noticed a couple of other female artists, entertainers and others have said it’s bothersome when they’re told by fans, “Oh you’re my favorite female comedian…artist…”. Things like that.
K.Flay: Right.

JW: I think this boils down to where we’re at in a society right now and how we’re starting to mold how we view gender. But I’m curious, does it bother you if a fan tells you that you’re their favorite female rapper instead of just simply saying you’re their favorite rapper.
K.Flay: I know there’s like something I got sent earlier about Neko Case talking about this, but I wouldn’t say it happens all the time. Usually people say I like you’re stuff or whatever, but I think any time you’re a little bit in the minority, I think that that’s an unfortunate byproduct. Although I am a woman and have a gendered perspective to a certain extent, just like anybody else, when I write, I’ve always just sort of naturally wanted to create music that didn’t feel super gendered, if that makes any sense. But I think it can certainly undermine what you’re doing a little bit. I’m honestly happy anyone listens to it (laughs) I’m just always stoked if anybody’s checked it out and trying to find out about what I’m doing.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, debut, dog, flay, life, talks, ...

Dog Fashion Disco’s Todd Smith talks about new album “Sweet Nothings” and Summer Tour

Back in late 2006, the experimental metal band, Dog Fashion Disco, announced to their fans that they had decided to call it quits. They had just spent the last 12 years constantly pushing themselves to be more creative and crazy, playing different styles like ska, piano, and metal with many calling them circus metal. They had recently just released their sixth studio album, Adultery, and were reaching more fans than ever before. Since then, they have played a couple of reunion shows running through a marathon of fan favorites and keeping the camaraderie alive amongst the bandmates. In late 2013, the announcement was made that not only would DFD get back together, but they would be putting out a new album, called “Sweet Nothings”. They would then launch a highly successful Indiegogo campaign and realized that fans not only wanted a new album, but that they want two new albums, a music video and some overseas shows in Britain. Media Mikes recently caught up with the lead singer, Todd Smith, about their upcoming summer tour, the release of “Sweet Nothings” and the hectic schedule they’re about to enter.

Jeremy Werner: I guess the first thing that automatically comes to mind is what was it that lead you guys getting the band back together and put out another album?
Todd Smith: Since the break-up, we’d done several reunion shows and we’re all friends…so because the demand was still there and people were planting those ideas in our head about doing another tour, another album, so forth and so on, we figured why not? Like I said, we’re all very close friends. We enjoy creating and performing music together. It was just like a reunion with old friends who happen to make music together. It seemed like a no-brainer really.

JW: Your last album, back in 2006, “Adultery”, was what a lot of fans and critics would say is your best album. Was there any pressure heading back into the studio to match that same level or was it just business as usual?
TS: For the most part it was business as usual. Of course, opinions are subjective. I’m flattered that people love “Adultery” so much and are pleased that we went out on a high note, and I think we’re reemerging on a high note as well. Everyone who’s heard “Sweet Nothings”, is gushing over it and saying they love it. Will it be as well received as “Adultery”? I have no idea, but I think people are definitely gonna think it’s a solid release. I definitely do, the rest of the guys in the band do. The engineer that we recorded with said it was the best sounding he’s ever had come out of his studios. There’s a lot of positive things being said about the new album.

JW: Going back to the people who’ve heard it. You guys played the full album for a group of people that paid a certain amount towards your Indiegogo campaign. Was the room just ecstatic?
TS: Oh yeah, absolutely. There were loud cheers and applause after every song. A lot of smiles. As far as the comments when we were mingling after we played the record, they were gushing as well. They were really digging it. It’s a lot to digest in one sitting, but the reaction we got was very positive.

JW: Did the crowd have any favorites?
TS: I mean…they all seemed to be well received, but as for a crowd favorite…it’s kind of hard to tell. I had quite a few glasses of wine. (laughs) The memory’s a bit spotty, but I remember we all had a great time and they seemed to like every song, so I really can’t pinpoint a favorite.

JW: Now I remember a while back you mentioned that you guys might avoid playing new music on your upcoming tour, is that still true?
TS: Jason and I had a conversation that we totally misunderstood each other. I was saying that I would entertain performing two new songs, but we have such a catalogue of music, that I think giving people just a hint of a few new tunes and then just playing through a retrospective from each album we put out would probably be more pleasing to the crowd. So we’re going to do two new songs for the most part, every night. If for some reason we decided to just do one new song a night, that might happen as well.

JW: Going back through all your songs, what are some of the songs that you might be playing that you have rarely, if ever, played?
TS: Let me think…I mean we haven’t played in so long, I don’t remember what was in rotation back then, but we’re gonna revisit “Satanic Cowboy”. I’m trying to think what else…”Dr. Piranha”, we haven’t played that in a while. “Valley Girl Ventriloquist”, we’re gonna do that one. Pink Riots, we’re gonna do that one. Besides the reunion shows, they haven’t been played in many, many years. There’s gonna be plenty of songs to choose from every night. We’ll try to cover all our bases.

JW: Please tell me “Darkest Days” is one of those.
TS: One of those is “Darkest Days” (laughs)

JW: (laughs) Awesome, I love that song. With DFD’s music, it’s always been experimental. Sometimes it’s different from song to song or completely changes tempo within the song. It’s very Mr. Bungle with how you guys can just flip on a dime. So I gotta ask, with the new album, what kind of musical ideas went into this or is there a running theme on “Sweet Nothings”?
TS: There’s definitely not a running theme. The album is all over the place. It starts out with a jazz…smokey lounge…kind of 1940’s kind of vibe and then ends with a song that starts out acoustic country…mellow…goes to dub and ends with a three minute section of stoner rock doom metal. So it’s all over the place. We have a short attention span and we like a lot of different types of music so we tend to write a lot of different styles and try to incorporate them into an album. Even several styles into one song as you know. A lot of twists and turns, and I think our fans love twists and turns. They’re fun to perform live.

JW: I see you guys haven’t released a single yet. Is there a song you’re looking at as your first single?
TS: As far as I know, the first single would be a song called “Taste So Sweet”. It kind of goes back to maybe, “Committed to a Bright Future” era with a catchy hooky chorus, lots of horn lines. We’re making a video for that in July. So that’ll most likely be our first or second single. We had talked about a song as a lyric video, initially a song called “We Aren’t the World” which is more of an “Adultery” vibe. It has tons of horror lines, cello, lots of moods, lots of twists and turns, a big epic chorus. That would probably be the first one we do a lyric video for just to get something out there because we’re not available to do the video shoot and release the “Taste So Sweet” video until July.

JW: I want to touch upon your Indiegogo campaign for a bit. A lot of bands will put it up and will slowly watch the money crawl to their goal, but with you guys it was extraordinary how fast and how many people latched on as soon as it was live. I bet as a band, it’s a great feeling to reach your goal that quickly.
TS: To meet our goal of $30,000 in 27 hours was completely unexpected. I remember going about my day, that first day, and just seeing the totals just go up and up and up and up. I hadn’t checked in a few hours and they were way up. Our fans are absolutely incredibly and I don’t just say that lightly. Granted we’d possibly still be making music if we had no fans because we enjoy it, but they keep the train rolling. We’re very humbled by the generosity of everybody and how much they actually cared about DFD getting back together and how they care about whatever project we do. We’re very lucky in that respect.

JW: I’m sure before starting you guys didn’t have stretch goals in mind, but after that response, you got to. Even more amazing is reaching all of them. Didn’t you guys break the top 10 most successful Indiegogo music campaigns?
TS: Yeah. I think we’re in the top 10. In regards to the stretch goals, once we hit $30,000 and added the first stretch goal of $50,000 for the video, I mean I thought that was gonna peak and it just kept going and going. We ended up at $85,000 which is a staggering amount. Shows how much people love Dog Fashion Disco.

JW: You guys are incredibly busy with side projects like Polkadot Cadaver, El-Creepo, Knives Out and other things…and with such an impressive and positive response to DFD…do you think DFD now deserves your undivided attention and everything else kind of has to sit on the back burner for the time being?
TS: I would say that everything is on the back burner now. The last stretch goal was to do two albums to be released within a year of each other. So with all the tours we have coming up, there’s really no time to devote to anything else besides Dog Fashion Disco, which is fine. We just wrapped up, mixed, mastered, put a nice little bow on “Sweet Nothings” and we’re already psyched to get back into the studio, wishing it was happening next month. Everybody will go into their little corners and start writing and then we’ll reconvene in December and have another album out by next May or June.

JW: Might be too early, but do you have any ideas for the next album?
TS: Not really. I definitely wanna utilize the horns a lot like we did on “Sweet Nothings”. I mean, they’re just too good not to have. So ya know, a lot of twists and turns. Maybe have more extremes. I’d like to do like a 50’s doo-wop kind of song and then a song that’s just the heaviest thing we’ve ever done. Just a lot of polar opposite dimensions and dynamics to the album. And really like there are no rules, not like there are any rules on “Sweet Nothings”. Going into it, wanna try to do something new and push the envelope as far as what we’ve done before.

JW: So what is the future now of Polkadot Cadaver, El Creepo, Knives Out and other projects?
TS: It’s really hard to predict. I would love to do another El-Creepo record. Something that’s a little more acoustic and mellow. That’s always fun to do. Polkadot has a handful of shows that we’re doing until the end of this year. We’re going out with Bam Margera and his band in August, doing a run on the east coast and then doing a full national tour with him in October and November for Polkadot. So that would be the next in line to revisit after the next DFD record considering that that band tours as well. Kind of like a missed opportunity if we don’t put out a record and do more shows. I would say DFD and Polkadot would work simultaneously and then maybe El-Creepo would be the next thing to get to. As far as Knives Out or anything else, I would seriously doubt that there would be another album that we would put out with Knives Out. It doesn’t make any sense. The band doesn’t tour and the members aren’t available to do shows, so it’s like…what’s the point?

JW: Looking at this upcoming year, in terms of tours, it looks like the one big thing of note is that you guys will be heading across the big pond for the first time.
TS: This would actually be our second time. The first time Dog Fashion went over there was 2001.

JW: Oh shit, I guess my Dog Fashion Disco history is a bit rusty…so I guess the obvious dumb follow up question would be are you excited?
TS: We’re extremely excited and psyched that the first two shows have been sold out and that the third is on it’s way to being sold out. So that’s incredible, it’s gonna be a lot of fun. The weekend is gonna be a blast. We’re looking forward to it.

JW: Because it’s doing well in ticket sales, do you see yourself branching out in Europe?
TS: Our agent overseas is actively seeking out a support band for Dog Fashion Disco. Most likely that would happen next year. I would love to go deeper into Europe. That would be blast. So hopefully that will happen next summer.

JW: I’m out of questions, any last thing you wanna tell the fans?
TS: I just wanna say thanks for all the support on Indiegogo and support they constantly give us. Spread the word: the new Dog Fashion Disco album, “Sweet Nothings”, is coming out July 22nd. We’re psyched to be back on the road and hearing people’s reactions to the new album.

You can check out Dog Fashion Disco on their summer tour, ‘The Merica F*ck Yeah Tour’, playing alongside Psychostick and The Bunny The Bear, at the following dates:
May 29th: Amityville, NY
May 30th: Albany, NY
May 31st: Pennellville, NY
June 1st: Watkins Glen, NY
June 2nd: Trenton, NJ
June 3rd: Providence, RI
June 5th: Westland, MI
June 6th: Cleveland, OH
June 7th: Cherry Valley, IL
June 8th: Joliet, IL
June 9th: Minneapolis, MN
June 10th: Merriam, KS
June 11th: Waterloo, IA
June 12th: Des Moines, IA
June 13th: Lincoln, NE
June 14th: Denver, CO
June 16th: Salt Lake City, UT
June 17th: Sacramento, CA
June 18th: West Hollywood, CA
June 19th: Las Vegas, NV
June 20th: Tuscon, AZ
June 21st: Scottsdale, AZ
June 23rd: San Antonio, TX
June 24th: Houston, TX
June 25th: Fort Worth, TX
June 26th: Oklahoma City, OK
June 27th: St. Louis, MO
June 28th: Indianapolis, IN
June 29th: Columbus, OH

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, discos, dog, fashion, nothings, smith, ...

Blu-ray Review “A Boy and His Dog”

Starring: Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards, Tim McIntire (I), Helene Winston, Charles McGraw
Director: L.Q. Jones
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

“A Boy and His Dog” (aka Apocalypse 2024) is one crazy movie, based on a 1969 short science fiction story by author Harlan Ellison. My wife, in fact, was was taken back by the tagline on the cover “an R rated, rather kinky tale of survival”. From right there, I am immediately interested in watching this.  In fact the film has developed quite the cult following over the years, but I have to admit I have never seen it prior to this release. Did I mention it stars Don Johnson? That’s right Sonny from “Miami Vice”! This film is very unique (to put it nicely) and is definitely not for everyone but it will certainly keep you entertained for it’s 90 minutes, that’s for sure. What a trip!

Official Premise: World War IV lasted only five days but has ravaged Earth, leaving its survivors to battle for food, shelter and companionship in a post-atomic wasteland. This celebrated sci-fi tale follows the exploits of a young man, Vic (Don Johnson), and his sardonic telepathic dog, Blood, as they struggle through the barren wilderness in search of food and women. In the midst of their meager existence, Vic and Blood encounter Quilla June (Susanne Benton), a dubious young woman who lures them into a surreal city deep beneath the earth’s surface. Initially elated to find a colony of survivors, Vic and Blood quickly learn this city is not what it seems.

Shout Factory has released this film with a fantastic brand new 1080p widescreen transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1.  The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono though is not the greatest. The dialogue is a little muted but overall it does the job.  The Collector’s Edition comes with a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD. It also features a reversible wrap with collectible key art.  The special features are good but nothing special. Hardcore fans will enjoy the brand new featurette “In Conversation: Harlan Ellison And L.Q. Jones”.  There is a commentary By Director L.Q. Jones, Director of Photography John Arthur Morrill and critic Charles Champlin and lastly there are some Vintage Radio Spots.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, boy, dog, review

DVD Review “The Dog Who Saved The Holidays”

Actors: Dean Cain, Gary Valentine, Elisa Donovan, Joey Lawrence, Michael Gross, Shelley Long
Directors: Michael Feifer
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 87 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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

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

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

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dog, dvd, holidays, review, saved

Eve to Adam Signed CD “Banquet For a Starving Dog” & T-Shirt Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

To celebrate the extension of Eve to Adam’s support run with rock legends Creed Media Mikes has once again teamed up with Total Assualt PR to giving away 1 Eve to Adam t-shirt and 1 signed copy of the bands latest album “Banquet For a Starving Dog”. If you would like to enter to win one of these great prizes leave us a comment below or send us an email telling us what concert you are most looking forward to seeing this summer? The giveaway will be open until Friday, July 27th at Noon Eastern Time and is only open to residents of the United States. Only one entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Once the giveaway ends Media Mikes will randomly select one of the winners and notify them via email.

“Banquet of a Starving Dog” is the debut from the NY hard rock band Eve to Adam. The band prides themselves on being a live act and has shared the stage with bands such as Daughtry, Motley Crue and 3 Doors Down. You can catch them all summer long as the opening act for Creed. Also be sure to check out Media Mikes exclusive interview with Eve to Adams lead vocalist/guitarist Taki Sassaris.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: adam, banquet, cd, dog, eve, giveaway, ...

Tribeca Film Festival Review “One Nation Under Dog”

Directed by: Ellen Goosenberg Kent, Amanda Micheli, Jenny Carchman
Producers: R.J. Cutler, Julie Goldman, Allyson Luchak, Danielle Renfrew, Ellen Goosenberg Kent
Tribeca Film Festival
Running time: 73 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s difficult to say who One Nation Under Dog, which screened last week at the Tribeca Film Fest, will appeal to when it makes its debut this summer on HBO. Dog lovers, of which I include myself, will undoubtedly find it at times unbearable and those who swap over channels when they see Sarah McLachlan’s SPCA ad starting up might mistakenly do so again. However, to do so would be needlessly dismissive to an extremely well made look into the conflicting relationship this country has with man’s best friend.

In three parts derived from the doc’s subtitle, ‘Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal,’ directors Kent, Micheli and Carchman show the various ways in which a population so obviously in love with dogs comes to euthanize millions of them every year. ‘Fear’ gives a fascinating view at the ins and outs of how dogs, in this case a New Jersey family’s pack of Rhodesian Ridgebacks with a history of violence, come to be legally defined as ‘dangerous’, ‘potentially dangerous’ and ‘vicious.’ The distinctions sound small but they do determine whether a dog lives or dies after biting a human. ‘Loss’, arguably the most sensitive third of the film, delves into how people cope with their pets’ passing. It may surprise some to watch an adult dog-loss support group in progress, but to anyone whose lost a significant pet it’s not hard to see the benefits of such a place and the filmmakers never once look down on them. Neither is the funeral of a terrier at a pet cemetery treated with any less sincerity than that of a human friend.

It’s in the last third of the doc, ‘Betrayal’, where the film turns from the stories of individual lost pets to the outright slaughter that occurs on a daily basis for preventable reasons. Betrayal hammers home the importance of spaying or neutering pets and the merits of adopting the shelter dogs so desperately in need of homes. Some of the footage in this chapter comes with a warning about its graphic nature and it is indeed brutal to the point I felt physically unsettled but ultimately a documentary on this subject would have been incomplete without going this far.

To those who watch this documentary, you will need tissues at the ready for the obvious lost dogs but thankfully, also for the inspiring stories of dogs saved from the brink of death by the numerous rescuers who stand up for those who can not for themselves. Watching one such trainer turn some left for dead, terrified animals into loving members of new family’s was one of the most astonishing things I saw amongst Tribeca’s docs this year.

One Nation Under Dog: Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal premieres on HBO June 18th at 8pm

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Filed Under: Movies Tagged With: dog, festival, film, nation, review, tribeca, ...

DVD Review “Tom and Jerry: In the Dog House”

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Episodes: 22
Running Time: 162 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There is just something simple and timeless about watching a short from Tom and Jerry. I grew up watching them and now approaching 30 years old, I am still extremely entertained watching them battle each other . This DVD includes over twenty exciting shorts which not only feature Tom and Jerry but also their dog counterpart Spike. Since this is called “In the Doghouse” a lot of shorts feature around the three of them. I say one thing to Warner Brothers…keep these coming!! Can’t wait for “Tom and Jerry: Around the World” on May 1, 2012.

The twenty two shorts includes in this collection are: 24 Karat Kat, Destruction, Junction, Beefcake Tom, Bend it Like Thomas, Tom’s Photo Finish, Game Set Match, Cat Napping, Cat Fishin’, The Bodyguard, Quiet Please!, Solid Serenade, Slicked-up Pup, Puttin’ on the Dog, The Framed Cat, Tot Watchers, The Invisible Mouse, Pet Peeve, Feeding Time, DJ Jerry, Beach Bully Bingo, A Life Less Guarded, The Dog House.

These shorts are fun for the whole family guaranteed. I did really enjoy the focus of this set with Spike and his son Tyke. I have always enjoyed his voice, especially since our stars Tm and Jerry remain silent (of course besides when singing). In this release their are classic episodes like “Cat Fishin'” and ” and “The Framed Cat”, as well as newer shorts like “24 Karat Kat” and “The Dog House”. Either way you look at it this is a winning collection.

Tom and Jerry: In the Dog House available on DVD 3/6 /zxsVYq” target=”_blank”>http://bit.ly/zxsVYq
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Tom and Jerry are at it again! But there’s a new ingredient to their classic chase recipe — just add Spike! It’s hound heaven as everyone’s favorite bulldog, Spike (and son, Tyke) get in on the fun in this pup-packed collection. These 22 doggie-delightful shorts are guaranteed to have fans howling! Join Spike and Tyke in their many dealings with the fast and furious duo. Whether he’s on guard duty, or simply trying to catch a nap, you can bet that Tom & Jerry’s fur-fueled antics are guaranteed to rattle Spike’s cage. And an angry Spike usually spells hard times for Tom — with a little coaxing from Jerry, of course! Leash-up for some K9-filled fun for the entire family!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dog, dvd, house, jerry, review, tom, ...

“A Christmas Story” I Triple Dog Dare You! Video Contest

I Triple Dog Dare You!

 Recreate a scene from A Christmas Story for a chance to win the ultimate fan vacation!

Now at a www.AChristmasStoryScene.com

Who doesn’t love “A Christmas Story”, Media Mikes invites everyone to get into the holiday spirit by recreating your favorite scene from the classic holiday comedy, A Christmas Story, with the “A Christmas Story: I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU! Video Contest.” The contest features celebrity judge Ian Petrella, who starred as the lovable and hilarious Randy Parker, Ralphie’s younger brother, in the film and you will have the chance to win the ultimate A Christmas Story experience.

You can can enter at www.AChristmasStoryScene.com.

Contestants must recreate and film their favorite scenes from A Christmas Story for a chance to win a trip to the real A Christmas Story House in Cleveland, Ohio, with a VIP Chinese dinner included!  Upload your creations onto YouTube and submit the links to the contest site.  

Please make sure to leave a comment below with your YouTube video and you will also get a chance to win a copy of “A Christmas Story” on DVD.  Good luck and don’t miss this fantastic opportunity.

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Official Contest Instructional Video with Ian Petrella:

Sample Fan submission:

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Filed Under: Featured, Giveaways Tagged With: christmas, contest, dog, story, triple, video, ...
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