Remembering James Caan

 

 

I am crushed to learn of the passing of actor James Caan.  Not because he was a great actor (he was), but because he leaves us without the recognition from his industry he so greatly deserved.  Mr. Caan passed away today at the age of 82.

 

My first recollection of seeing James Caan on screen is of watching the television film “Brian’s Song.”  The story of terminally ill Chicago Bear Brian Piccolo (Caan) and his friendship with teammate Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), the 1971 film would be the start of what became an amazing decade for the actor.  The next year he starred as Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather,” earning him his first -and, criminally – only Academy Award nomination.  The role made him a star!  Caan used to joke that Sonny Corleone made such an impact on people that, for two years in a row, he (Caan) was named Italian American of the year, even though he was Jewish.

 

Among his other great performances in that decade:  “The Killer Elite,” “Rollerball,” “Cinderella Liberty” and “Harry and Walter Go to New York,” a musical comedy that showed Caan was more than a tough guy.    Films like “Funny Lady,” “Chapter Two,”“Kiss Me Goodbye” and “Honeymoon in Vegas” showed a gentler side with a good sense of humor to boot.  He still excelled in dramatic roles, of course, among them “Gardens of Stone,” “Alien Nation” and “The Program.”

 

But there are two performances I want to highlight, both of which should have earned Caan Oscar nominations.  The first is “Misery.”  As an author who is taken in and nursed back to health by and overzealous fan after an auto accident, Caan matches Kathy Bates, who won the Oscar that year for Best Actress, stride for stride.  The second is “For the Boys,” a period musical that teamed Caan up with Bette Midler.  As song and dance man Eddie Sparks, Caan takes the character from 35 to 85, living his life with no apologies, even when those apologies may have made that life better.  Midler earned an Oscar nomination for her work but, again, Caan’s performance was ignored.

 

I’ll close this with a few lines from Eddie Sparks’ signature tune:

 

When my life is through
And the angels ask me to recall
The thrill of them all,
Then i will tell them i remember,
Tell them i remember you.

 

Rest in Peace, sir.  I’ll always remember you.

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Kansas City Concert Review – James Taylor/Jackson Browne

  • JAMES TAYLOR w/ JACKSON BROWNE
  • December 5, 2021
  • T-mobile Center – Kansas City, Missouri

 

James Taylor and Jackson Browne have been major parts of the soundtrack of my life.  I played Taylor’s “JT” album repeatedly in my youth and, after saying “I do” to each other my wife Juanita and I walked back up the aisle while my best friend Matt played Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is (To be Loved by You).”

 

As for Mr. Browne, I’m dating myself here by saying that “Running on Empty” was the first album I owned on cassette, vinyl, 8-track and compact disc.  In that order.  And yes, I had an 8-track player in my sweet 1969 GTO.  You know you love something when you make sure you have it with you ALWAYS.  When I play along with the Facebook post that asks, “If you were going to be stranded on a desert island, what 10 albums would you take with you?” “Running on Empty” is always near the top of the list.

 

Loving these two amazing artist’s music as much as I do, I was overjoyed when I heard they were coming to Kansas City in one amazing show.  And amazing it was.

Mr. Browne took the stage first, opening with his hit “Somebody’s Baby,” which was featured in the film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”  He was in great voice and his band was tight. 

 

For the remainder of his set he mixed in some popular classic songs (“Late for the Sky,” “Doctor My Eyes”) with a selection of songs from his new album – which I heartedly recommend – “Downhill From Everywhere.”  During one song from the album, “The Dreamer,” he was joined on stage by singers Tiffanie Cross and Alethea Mills.  Together the trio had the crowd in the palms of their hands with their harmonies.  Taylor surprised the audience by coming on stage on joining Browne in a fine rendition of “The Pretender” and the set ended with a lively singalong to “Running on Empty.”

The second half of the show began with a short video highlighting the music of James Taylor.  He took the stage to a loud round of applause and he and his band kicked off the set with a country-tinged medley of “Fiddle and Drum/Country Road.”

Like Browne, the set was a well divided combination of newer material and classic songs.  As he notes in “That’s Why I’m Here” – one of my favorite JT tunes, sadly inspired in part by the tragic death of John Belushi (a neighbor of Taylor’s on Martha’s Vineyard), people “Pay good money to hear Fire and Rain again and again and again.”  Before the break Taylor and his band did a rousing “How Sweet It Is” causing my wife and I – and a lot of others – to slow-dance in the aisles.

When everyone returned to the stage, Jackson Brown came with them and the two combined for a mellow version of “Take it Easy,” a song Browne co-wrote with Glenn Frey and was a hit – gulp – nearly 50 years ago for the Eagles.

 

As the show concluded, Taylor led the audience in a moving rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend,” which inspired the crowd to hold their lit cellphones high above their heads (where have you gone, Bic disposable lighter?).

To sum it all up, it was a great night of great music – one I highly recommend you take in when they come to your town. 

 

SET LISTS

 

JACKSON BROWNE

 

Somebody’s Baby, Barricades of Heaven, Long Way Around, Fountain, Downhill from Everywhere, TheDreamer (with Tiffanie Cross and Alethea Mills), Until Justice is Real, Doctor My Eyes, Late for the Sky, The Pretender (with James Taylor), Running on Empty.

 

JAMES TAYLOR

 

Fiddle and Drum/Country Road, Copperline, That’s Why I’m Here, Mexico, You Make it Easy, Line ‘em Up, Steamroller, Rolling Off, Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, Carolina, Shower the People, How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You), Shed a Little Light, Take it Easy (with Jackson Browne), You’ve Got a Friend, Close Your Eyes

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VOCALIST JAMES DURBIN ANNOUNCES DEBUT DURBIN ALBUM

“THE BEAST AWAKENS” DUE FEBRUARY 12, 2021

FIRST SINGLE, ‘KINGS BEFORE YOU’ FT. CHRIS JERICHO & PHIL DEMMEL OUT NOW

Hailing from the shores of Santa Cruz, CA, USA, modern heavy metal revivalist James Durbin is on the verge of releasing his boldest, heaviest album to date with the announcement of the debut album from DURBIN, “The Beast Awakens”. Coming February 12, 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl, fans can get their first taste of the album with the release of the single ‘Kings Before You’ featuring Chris Jericho (Fozzy) and Phil Demmel (ex-Machine Head, Vio-lence). Listen to the song on your favorite streaming platform or on YouTube HERE: https://youtu.be/7ojvtjwZYgM

Pre-order/save the album HERE: https://orcd.co/beastawakens

James Durbin is finally releasing the album he has always wanted to over the course of his decade long recording career. Combining his love of all things DIO, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, Durbin set out to craft his own signature strain of fantasy inspired power metal for his debut Durbin album, “The Beast Awakens”. 

“I’ve found a home for my creativity with Frontiers. They really share my vision for the type of metal I wish to create and we’re all excited to see where it will lead,” 

says Durbin. ‘Kings Before You,’ the first single released from Durbin’s forthcoming album, features guest vocals from Fozzy vocalist (and AEW Wrestling star) Chris Jericho and renowned guitar wizard Phil Demmel (BPMD, ex-Machine Head).

For each of the solo sections on the remainder of the album tracks, Durbin called upon his own axe wielding brethren to help out. Jon Yadon Jr., Marc Putnam, Dylan Rose, and Nick Gallant all contributed guitar solos for the album. Due to the situation with COVID-19, the album was recorded largely remotely, with only Durbin himself, alongside his producer Ellison, occupying the recording studio. Durbin says,

“the fact that the album sounds the way it does, with the way it was recorded, is a testament to the passion of everyone involved. I am very grateful for all the love and care that was given to my songs and I can’t wait to unleash my metal upon the world.”

All the songs included on “The Beast Awakens” were written solely by Durbin himself. “2020 has been such a strange year for all of us. Coincidentally, our shelter in place order happened just as I had begun writing for the album. It really forced me to write by myself and not rely on others to write the riffs for me. And then to write the lyrics and melodies too,” tells Durbin. 

Once the songs were written and demoed by Durbin, he brought in the rhythm section of virtuoso drummer Mike Vanderhule (Y&T) and master bassist Barry Sparks (Ted Nugent, Scorpions, Dokken, B’z). With Durbin handling the album’s rhythm guitars, his core lineup was complete. 

James Durbin is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Santa Cruz, California. Many associate his name with his appearance on Season 10 of American Idol (2011), where he was unabashedly flying the flag for heavy metal. In fact, on the finale, he appeared with undisputed metal gods Judas Priest for rousing renditions of “Livin’ After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law” and also appeared with legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde. This was followed by Durbin’s debut album, 2011’s “Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster” that blended a mix of hard hitting riffs, vulnerable lyrics, and Durbin’s signature scream. James has also worked and performed alongside many incredible musicians including Stevie Wonder, Don Was, Sheryl Crow, Tom Jones, Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, Bob Babbitt of The Funk Brothers, and Steel Panther, just to name a few. 

Durbin’s signature vocal prowess and powerful stage presence have earned him stamps of approval and praise from rock and metal royalty like Steven Tyler, Sammy Hagar, Rob Halford, and more. He has four full length albums to his name, in addition to lending his voice to a handful of various albums.
James Durbin is an artist on the rise and a performer you don’t want to miss. Expect his debut record under the name “Durbin” in early 2021. Fans of heavy metal revivalists like Haunt, Eternal Champion, Sumerlands, Enforcer, and the like, as well as hard rock and classic heavy metal fans in general are in for a treat!

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Motograter Vocalist James Anthony Legion Talks About the Bands New Video For the Song”Daggers”

The heavy metal band Motograter are currently out on the road in support of their most recent release “Desolation” which was released early in 2017 and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the bands singer James Anthony Legion about the tour, the bands current lineup and their most recent video for the track “Daggers”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info the bands current tour and if you will be hitting new areas this time out?

James Anthony Legion: This is a short two week run that we set up to help break in some of our newer members. We will be hitting places like Seattle, Fresno, and Hollywood at the Viper Room which is place we really enjoy playing at. I don’t think we are hitting any new places this time around.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands new line up?

JAL: We have Aeon Cruz playing bass. She is the first ever female member of Motograter. Nuke had met her in Los Angeles and she is a really good bass player with a great look so we brought her in to the fold. We have never had a female in the band before and most of the time we are shirtless covered in body paint. Bringing a female into that situation obviously posed some issues (Laughs). We were able to figure something out and it looks really cool. We have also added Ryan Ramirez on drums. He is just a super sick player!

AL: With this being just a short run what are the bands plans after this leg wraps up?

JAL: We are trying to get a new album put together. In the mean time we are going out and doing a couple short tour runs here and there. We have another one set up with the guys from Terror Universal. That one will start after a festival show we have booked with Mushroomhead. We have a few other things in the works however we can’t announce those just yet.

AL: You just released a video for the song “Daggers” can you tell us about that?

JAL: That song is a real favorite of mine and one that I very much believe in. I think it has a great hook and the lyrics will speak to a lot of people. We are hoping this song will makes its way on to the radio much like “Dorian” did. We want to push this song the same way. It felt good having a song on the charts next to ones from bands like Korn and Stone Sour. With the look of the video we had ideas but Matt the director was really the guy behind that. We shot some stuff that in the end didn’t fit and we kept things to a pure performance type of video.

AL: Do you find it hard selecting one song to stand out above others you have a close relationship to?

JAL: For me it has a lot to do with the meaning behind the song and whether or not it strikes a chord with me. When I am writing I try to think about what is really on my mind and what is important. I try and transfer that to my lyrics. I feel if you are writing lyrics that mean something to you then chances are people will pick up on that and in turn they will mean something to them as well. If I feel I did a really good job getting my thoughts across and things are resonating then that’s a track that’s going to stand out.

AL: Where is the band currently in relation to the release of a new album?

JAL: We work in sort of a unique way. I am based in North Carolina while the majority of the band is in California. With me being a vocalist it’s a little easier for me as I don’t have to necessarily be there jamming on instruments. Nuke generally comes up with song ideas and then will send things over to me to add my stuff. He will then send something that is a little more finished and that’s when I add vocals. We have started working a little bit on things already but in between these two tours is when we plan to really start going.

For more info on Motograter you can visit their official website here.

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Reggie and the Full Effect Frontman James Dewees Talks About the Bands Latest Album “41”

Reggie and the Full Effect is the solo project of Get Up Kids keyboardist James Dewees. On February 23rd Reggie releases their first album in four years simply titled “41”. Media Mikes spoke with James recently about the albums deep subject matter, the return of James’s alter-ego Klaus and the bands upcoming tour with Senses Fail which kicks off on February 27th.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on your new album “41”?

James Dewees: I started working on the music just after the release of “No Country For Old Musicians”. During that time there was stuff going on with Get Up Kids and I was working with Gerard Way as well. I tend to do a lot of projects as I find while I am working on those projects I come up with ideas that could be songs for Reggie. The music came about pretty well as I started with about twenty or twenty five demos. For the lyrics I was sort of fishing around and trying to decide what type of record to make. It came down to when I found out my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer and my mother in-law at the time was diagnosed with leukemia. That next year was really just me traveling back and forth to Missouri to be with my mom and then back to Long Island for my mother in-law. Basically I was just going to doctors appointments all the time. I would do a couple shows here or there to make some money but then I would go straight back to the hospital. These events were where the lyrical content ended up coming from. My mom passed on April 9th and then my mother in-law passed away on May 9th. It was a really heavy and emotional time that made it seem pointless in trying to do my silly, funny project. Things were just a big bummer. After about the first year of that I started writing lyrics that were more about what I was going through. This was my way of going through the stages of grief. On the record there is stuff that is kind of funny then some that’s more serious, sad and angry. Music has always been my escape and it’s something that I really enjoy doing and it helped me get through all the stuff I had going on at this time.

AL: Being that you didn’t start writing until a year or so after those passing’s what was it like diving back in and reopening those wounds?

JD: I cried in the studio a lot. Trying to sing songs like “New Years Day” and “Next Time with Feeling” which are really heavy songs was difficult. Whenever I would revisit those feelings and I would remember something else about that time that I had forgotten. I did the record with Ray Toro from My Chemical Romance who is a really close friend and it was very personal and private with just him and me working on the album. This made it where it was ok to cry and be upset and I had a friend there to support and encourage me. He pushed me to keep going even during difficult times.

AL: The album also features a new track from Common Denominator. Can you tell us about that track and when/if we will finally get a full length release from Klaus?

JD: With the popularity of Trap music I thought it would be really funny that with Klaus coming from Finland he didn’t know what it was and believed it was about trapping animals. Instead of singing about drugs and whatever he is singing about trying to catch animals. I have played around with the idea of doing a whole album but every time I have started it things just don’t come together. The thing with Common Denominator is that it can’t be thought about too much. The music has to be written in about twenty minutes and if possible recorded in twenty minutes. You really can’t write the lyrics to much. You just have to start recording and see what comes off the top of your head otherwise I think it loses the humor.

AL: Can you tell us about the latest single off the album titled “Karate School”?

JD: That was a song the label picked after going back and forth for awhile about what songs to release. I chose “Horrible Year” which was released first and they chose “Karate School” there is one more song set to come out but I won’t tell you what that one is just yet. I like the song as its heavy and defiantly a traditional Reggie song. It’s not really about anything it just a song about my day. The label wanted something about the song for a press release so I came up with the Harry Potter story as I couldn’t think of anything without making it sound dull. (Laughs)

AL: The band heads out on the road with Senses Fail on February 27th can you tell us about that?

JD: That came about through a discussion with the label. We originally were going to be out on tour in January doing a headlining run but Buddy Nielsen and I started talking and decided to do a tour together. The tour starts in late February and runs through March. After that Reggie has some solo shows in early April and then I will be pretty busy with Get Up Kids.

For a full list of tour date visit: www.facebook.com/reggieandthefulleffect

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Event Review: Monster Jam @ Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

I cannot even remember the last time I went to Monster Jam. I would think it has to be nearly 20 years by now at least. I have always been yearning to go back though and this year was the year! I have always been a huge Grave Digger fan and I remember cars like Big Foot that are no longer around. So I think it was about time for me to revisit this action packed event. This year Monster Jam headed back to the Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL on January 13th and it was one hell of a time! This definitely just became a yearly event for me again! Let’s just say that!

The event featured more than 12 trucks and drivers including: Grave Digger driven by Dennis Anderson; Son-uva Digger driven by Ryan Anderson; Team Hot Wheels driven by Scott Buetow; Monster Energy driven by Coty Saucier; Jester driven by Matt Pagliarulo; Xtermigator driven by JR McNeal; Rage driven by Cory Rummel; Barbarian driven by Devin Jones; OVER Bored, Bounty Hunter, Knucklehead, Madusa and Wrecking Crew.

Like I mentioned I have always loved Grave Digger (I mean seriously who doesn’t). He is just bad-ass. I mean the guy loses a damn wheel on his first go-around and still managed to come back and get second place at the end. During this event there were a few spotlight trucks who really just nailed every run! Monster Energy ended up winning the night, hands down! Their freestyle had me on my feet screaming! Wrecking Crew also tore up the stadium for sure! The audience was literally on their feet the entire event!

The part just wasn’t at the Stadium though! We arrived hours in advance and had an awesome time tailgating and enjoying the big open field. They also had the “Party in the Pits”, which was an additional $10.00 but gives a good opportunity for fans to get up close and personal to the Monster Jam trucks and drivers. They also had ramps setup with bikers doing tricks hourly. So very cool event for sure! Family fun! Plenty of families gathered at this event to show this wonderful event together and I will be one of those families for sure moving forward!

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Kansas City Film Critics Name “Manchester by the Sea” the Best Film of 2016 During Presentation of 51st Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards

Manchester by the Sea was chosen as the Best Film of 2016 by the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the second oldest critics group in the country. MediaMikes film critics Michael Smith and Jeremy Werner are members of the group. Smith also serves as the groups secretary and is a member of the governing board. The film was also recognized with the Robert Altman Award for Direction and the film’s star, Casey Affleck, was chosen as the year’s Best Actor. The winners were announced today during a ceremony for the 51st Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards at the Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet Theatre in Kansas City.

Manchester by the Sea led all films with three wins, while Arrival, Hell or High Water and Moonlight each received two awards. Natalie Portman was named Best Actress for her portrayal of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie while Jeff Bridges was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his work as a grizzled Texas Ranger in Hell or High Water. For the 13th time at least one category resulted in a tie when Viola Davis (Fences) and Naomie Harris (Moonlight) tied in the Best Supporting Actress category. Zootopia was named the year’s Best Animated Feature.

This year the group also awarded the inaugural Tom Poe Award for Best LGBT Film. A beloved associate professor of film and media arts in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Poe, who passed away in November at the age of 70, was a long-time member of the Critics Circle. His reviews were inevitably astute and well-informed yet just as naturally considered and kind, in keeping with his sympathies for both filmmaker and audience. It was Poe’s belief that “great film reviews give rise to thinking about films.” As such, he supported many members of KCFCC through encouragement and dialogue. Tom Poe was our colleague and friend, and it is our intention that this annual award honor his legacy as an advocate for LGBT rights and promote his desire for justice by way of accurate and beneficial representation. The inaugural recipient is Moonlight.

The full list of winners is below:

BEST FILM

Manchester by the Sea

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea

BEST ACTOR

Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea

BEST ACTRESS

Natalie Portman – Jackie

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jeff Bridges – Hell or High Water

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Viola Davis – Fences and Naomie Harris – Moonlight

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Taylor Sheridan – Hell or High Water

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Eric Heisserer – Arrival

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Handmaiden – South Korea

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

OJ: Made in America

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Zootopia

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM

Arrival

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM

Moonlight

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Tommy Wiseau talks about “The Room” Rifftrax Live, James Franco in “The Disaster Artist” and his Hulu series “The Neighbors”

Tommy Wiseau is the director, producer, writer and star of the cult classic film “The Room”. Since the film was released back in 2003 it has achieved “Rocky Horror” like fame playing to midnight screenings non-stop to a huge fan base. Some called the film one of the worst ever made but true fans see “The Room” for what it really it, which is fun! The film was parodied live by the Rifftrax gang last year and is heading back to theaters again on January 28th, 2016. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with Tommy again to discuss “The Room”, James Franco playing him in “The Disaster Artist” film adaptation and what else he is currently working on.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you feel about “The Room” being parodied by Rifftrax Live?
Tommy Wiseau: Yeah they reached out to me about a year ago about doing it. I liked what they did, I mean, I don’t support parts of it 100%, but it does show how fun “The Room” is. People take things too serious and the film isn’t made to be serious, it is made to be fun. If you haven’t seen the Rifftrax Live version of “The Room” in theaters, I would recommend it highly when it comes around again January 28th, 2016. And bring a big group of friends with you as well.

Mike Gencarelli: The film has been out for 13 years now, are you ever taken back by the continued interested in it year after year?
Tommy Wiseau: Yes, I am still surprised. I am happy that people are still talking about it and still seeing it in theaters. I also have been working a few new projects as well that I am excited for fans of “The Room” to see as well. I love touring with the film across the country. I usually show “The Room” and an episode of “The Neighbors” as a double header. It is a lot of fun to do and also getting to interact with the fans.

Mike Gencarelli: Last time we spoke back in 2011, you mentioned you were planning a 3D release for “The Room”; can we expect that soon?
Tommy Wiseau: Yeah that is something that I have wanted to do for a while. Making a film into 3D is definitely not an easy process. So yes, I still want to release “The Room” in 3D, but right now I am not sure if I want to reshoot the entire film in 3D or just convert it. But I am definitely still planning and exploring my options. Right now James Franco is making his film of “The Disaster Artist”, so I will let him have that and then I will focus more on the 3D after it is released.

Mike Gencarelli: Speaking of that, tell us about your feelings on James Franco playing you in the film adaption of Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell’s book “The Disaster Artist”?
Tommy Wiseau: I think James is one best actors in the business. I feel good that someone like him is playing me. Of course, I also feel a little like they are taking something away from me since it is based around my life and my movie. I hope that this is a big success for James since then in return I think it will also then bring more people to “The Room” and that’s good.

Mike Gencarelli: Exactly, I think that this will put your film back in the spotlight and also introduce it to a new audience…
Tommy Wiseau: Yes, exactly. I am hoping about that. James and his brothers are doing a very good job so far and I am excited to see it when it comes out later this year.

Mike Gencarelli: Do you have any involvement or input on the upcoming film?
Yeah James did speak with me about the role and I gave him some tips. My life is very complex but I believe he will do a good job. I also have a small part in the film as well, which is cool.

Mike Gencarelli: Did you enjoy playing the villain Linton Kitano in newly released “Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance”?
Tommy Wiseau: It is always great to play a villain, I loved it. This film was a very fun experience for me I can tell you that.

Mike Gencarelli: Your TV series “The Neighbors” has aired 6 episodes on Hulu; any plans for more episodes on that format?
Tommy Wiseau: Yes! Currently 6 episodes have aired on Hulu and the fans really have been excited about what we have so far. I am currently working on another 6 episodes for Hulu. We have been also exploring releasing the episodes in animated format as well. So that is something that we were trying and it also getting a good response. I hope to have the next 6 episodes on Hulu by the end of 2016.

Mike Gencarelli: You did a Reddit AMA last year where you mentioned a new project called “The Foreclosure”, what can you tell us?
Tommy Wiseau: Yeah that is a project that I am currently working on as well as “The Neighbors”. “The Foreclosure” focuses on the housing market right now and looks into the current situation that we are facing today with people not being able to pay for their houses and being forced to foreclose. It is a current topic. There is also another project that I have that is currently untitled but that I cannot talk about right now…maybe in about 3-4 months, I can. But a lot of very excited stuff coming up for my fans!

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Kansas City Film Critics Name “Mad Max: Fury Road” the Best Film of 2015 During Presentation of 50th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards

Mad Max: Fury Road was chosen as the Best Film of 2015 by The Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the 2nd oldest critics group in the country. The winners were announced this afternoon during a ceremony at the Alamo Drafthouse Theatre in Kansas City. Among the voters were MediaMikes own Michael Smith and Jeremy Werner.

The film, which had been nominated in four categories by the group, also took home the Robert Altman Award for Best Director for George Miller and Best Actress for Charlize Theron. The film was the only multiple winner announced by the group. The directing award is named in honor of seven-time Academy Award nominee and Kansas City native Robert Altman.

Leonardo DiCaprio was named Best Actor for his work in The Revenant. In the supporting categories, Michael Shannon received the Best Supporting Actor prize for 99 Homes while Alicia Vikander was named Best Supporting Actress for Ex Machina. PIXAR’s Inside Out was named the year’s Best Animated Feature.

Below is a complete list of winners:

BEST PICTURE: Mad Max: Fury Road

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant

BEST ACTRESS: Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Michael Shannon – 99 Homes

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Phoenix (Germany)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: Amy

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: Ex Machina

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 2015, 50th, annual, awards, case, city, ...

Kansas City Film Critics Announces Nominees for the 50th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards

Kansas City, Missouri – The Kansas City Film Critics Circle, of which both Moviemike and Jeremy Werner are members, and the second oldest film critic organization in the country, released their nominees for the 50th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards, recognizing the best in film for 2015.

Sicario, a fall release that addressed the war on drugs in both the United States and Mexico, led all films with five nominations including Best Picture and Best Director for Denis Villenueve. The film also earned nods for Emily Blunt for Best Actress, Benicio Del Toro for Best Supporting and Original Screenplay.

Right behind are the summer action film Mad Max: Fury Road and the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Revenant, which each earned four nominations, including Best Picture. Also earning Best Picture nominations: Room and Spotlight. DiCaprio was nominated as one of the year’s Best Actors, along with Steve Carell (The Big Short), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) and last year’s Academy Award winner in this category, Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl).

Charlize Theron was nominated as Best Actress for her role as Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. Nominated alongside her and Blunt are Cate Blanchett (Carol), Bel Powley (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn).

Besides Del Toro, the list of nominees for Best Supporting Actor include Tom Hardy (The Revenant), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Michael Shannon (99 Homes) and Sylvester Stallone, reprising his role of Rocky Balboa in Creed. In 1976 the group named Stallone the year’s Best Actor for playing Balboa in Rocky.

Blanchett’s Carol co-star, Rooney Mara, earned a nod for Best Supporting Actress, alongside Elizabeth Banks (Love and Mercy), Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) and Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs).

Directors joining Villenueve in competition for the Robert Altman Award for Best Director are Alex Garland (Ex Machina), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road).

The group also handed out nominations for Best Animated Feature, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, Foreign Film, Documentary Feature and for the Vince Koehler Award, which is chosen as the year’s best Science Fiction, Horror or Fantasy Film.

Winners will be voted on and the results released this Sunday, December 20th.

Below is a complete list of nominees:

BEST PICTURE: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Room, Sicario, Spotlight

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Alex Garland (Ex Machina), George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant), Denis Villenueve (Sicario), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)

BEST ACTOR: Steve Carell (The Big Short), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)

BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett (Carol), Emily Blunt (Sicario), Bel Powley (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Benicio Del Toro (Sicario), Tom Hardy (The Revenant), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Michael Shannon (99 Homes), Sylvester Stallone (Creed)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Elizabeth Banks (Love and Mercy), Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Rooney Mara (Carol), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Ex Machina, The Hateful Eight, Inside Out, Sicario, Spotlight, Trainwreck

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: The Big Short, Carol, The Martian, Room, Steve Jobs

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Anomalisa, Inside Out, Minions, The Peanuts Movie, Shaun the Sheep

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Assassin, Goodnight Mommy, Phoenix, Son of Saul, The Tribe, White God

BEST DOCUMENTARY: Amy, Best of Enemies, The Look of Silence, Where to Invade Next, The Wrecking Crew

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: Ex Machina, Goodnight Mommy, It Follows, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 50th, announces, annual, awards, city, critics, ...

James Keach talks about directing “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”

It would be fair to say that the Smith family has a great admiration for the Keach family.  As a child, I enjoyed the many roles that Stacy Keach, Sr. played in most of the classic television westerns.  Then, in 1980, Mr. Keach’s children, James and Stacy, co-wrote and co-starred in the movie The Long Riders.  What makes that film so popular in our house is that James Keach played Jesse James.  My son, Phillip, is related to Jesse James on his mother’s side of the family, though thankfully he has never robbed a bank.

James Keach is probably best known on-screen as the motorcycle cop who pulls Chevy Chase over after the family dog is unwittingly tied to the back of the car in “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”  He has also appeared in such films as “The Razor’s Edge,” “Wildcats” and “The Experts,” a film that deserved a much better marketing effort (shame on you Paramount).  He also played the role of the Warden in the Johnny Cash bio-pic “Walk the Line,” which he also helped produce.  Cash was the godfather of Mr. Keach’s son, John.

Turning his attention behind the camera, Mr. Keach is the director of the recent documentary “Glen Campbell:  I’ll Be Me,” which recently earned an Academy Award nomination for Original Song.  Mr. Keach and I spoke about the film and its impact before the nominations were announced.

Mike Smith:  How did you get involved in the project?
James Keach:  Julian Raymond, who had produced Glen’s last two projects, “Meet Glen Campbell” and “Ghost on the Canvas,” was producing my 18 year old son Johnny’s band.  He would come over to our editing room, which is also a rehearsal area, and would ask if I wanted to work on a project on Glen because he knew I had worked on “Walk the Line” several years ago.  We were very reluctant at first but we gave in to him.  He wanted us to make a documentary rather than a narrative film.  When we found out that Glen had Alzheimer’s it made me and Trevor (co-producer Trevor Albert) even more reluctant.  We thought, “oh my gosh, how can we make a movie that’s uplifting about THIS?”  And then we met Glen.  Once we met Glen and his family we realized that this man really wanted to make a difference in the world.

MS:  Is it difficult as a filmmaker, especially considering Glen Campbell’s situation, to not let your emotions dictate your approach to the material?
JK:  The big thing was…everything we had ever seen about Alzheimer’s, both in the documentary format and the narrative format, was very, very dark.  So the emotional resistance occurred prior to making the film.  Once we got to know Glen and we got to see his willingness to reveal the truth about what he was going through, it was like we were on the journey with him.  We were suffering it with him.  Emotionally we felt more for the family then we did for Glen because, when you’re going through it, you don’t realize what it’s doing to your family all the time.  Glen was very cognizant of what was happening and you see in the film that there is some remorse.  He knew things were getting weird and messed up but he really didn’t understand it, especially towards the end.  The real emotional impact came from watching his kids and his wife…the people that had known him for thirty or forty years…watch him going through the downward spiral.  And as an objective filmmaker you kind of had to stand back and observe everything and not become…you really just had to stand back.  And to reflect Glen’s personality, which has a lot of humor in it, and love, we could have easily gone on one track in the film and just shown one side of it.  But that wouldn’t have been Glen.  We also thought it was going to be a short journey.  We thought we’d be with him for five and a half weeks and we ended up spending two and a half years.  We kind of went down the rabbit hole with him.  Slowly but surely.  And even now, looking back at the film, it’s so courageous what he did and it’s a legacy for me as a filmmaker that I feel so proud that I was able to be a part of it.  To be at the helm, with my partner, Trevor, and to share this story.

MS:  Have you kept in touch with Glen?  How is he doing?
JK:  Yeah.  I saw Glen six weeks ago and the family sends pictures of him.  And I talk to Kim (Campbell’s wife).  He’s in good physical health.  He’s in good spiritual health.  He’s happy where he is.  He still has Alzheimer’s…it’s not going away.  But he’s not suffering.  He’s being well taken care of.  And I think that’s the most you can ask.  He has a lot of love around him.  He’s still full of love and full of laughter and full of faith.  Every once in a while he’ll lift his hands up and say “thank you, Lord.”  It’s kind of amazing.  I heard the other day…Kim said he played a little bit.

MS:  You’ve spent most of the past two decades behind the camera instead of in front of it.  Is that something you want to concentrate on?  Are you still open to acting jobs?
JK:  Have you got a job?  (laughs)
MS:  While I was curious if maybe they’ve talked to you about doing a cameo in the “Vacation” reboot.  Maybe you could be the cop that pulls Rusty over.
JK:  (laughing) That would be really funny.  Man, I had such a good time doing that.  That’s where my partner Trevor and I met.  He was Harold Ramis’ producer.

MS:  What do you have coming up next?
JK:  We have a lot of different films that are in various stages of development.  What we’re really trying to do is to make sure this film finishes correctly.  To make sure it gets in the right place in the digital realm because I think that is where most people are going to see it.  We’re chugging along and getting a lot of requests for screenings.  The most important thing is to school as many people as possible to see the film.  I think it will help change the conversation about Alzheimer’s.  It will certainly help leave a great legacy for Glen.  I think Glen’s intentions were to try and make a difference in the world…to create an awareness of how dire the situation is.  We did a screening for about 4,000 people in Nashville.  I went up on the stage…the Band Perry was there and we had a concert and a screening.  And during the concert, while they were setting up for their next song, I asked how many people in the audience had been affected by Alzheimer’s.  About 3,800 people stood up.  I think that there is a connection there with everybody.  People have to become more aware of this and do something about it before it really takes its toll on our country and each one of our families.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: campbell, directing, glen, james, keach, talks, ...

3D Blu-ray Review “James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenge 3D”

Actors: James Cameron
Directors: John Bruno, Ray Quint, Andrew Wight
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Millennium Entertainment
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Run Time: 91 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

When you are Academy Award® winner James Cameron, after you make classics like “The Terminator”, “Titanic”, “Avatar”; what do you do next? Well, for Cameron he has been working with the “Deepsea Challenger”, a state-of-the-art deep-diving submersible designed to reach Earth’s lowest known point. This documentary focuses on his successful voyage from March of 2012 to Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, which reaches a depth of over seven miles. If you love James Cameron and his under the sea adventures, this is both entertaining and educational…and of course in 3D.

Official Premise: As a boy, filmmaker James Cameron dreamed of a journey to the deepest part of the ocean. This film is the dramatic fulfillment of that dream. It chronicles Cameron’s solo dive to the depths of the Mariana Trench—nearly seven miles beneath the ocean’s surface—piloting a submersible he designed himself. The risks were astounding. The footage is breathtaking. “Deepsea Challenge 3D” is a celebration of science, courage, and extraordinary human aspiration.

Since it is James Cameron, I expected this to be in 3D. The 3D is definitely the best part of this release. Millennium is releasing this as a combo pack with a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD, so there are plenty of options here. If you can watch this in 3D, I would certainly recommend that for sure. The 1080p transfer is stunning with the underwater footage. It is framed at 1.78:1 aspect ratio and the film has extremely sharp image detail and vibrant colors. The audio is also impressive with an DTS-HD 5-1 Master Audio track.

In terms of special features, there is really not much included. There are two short featurettes included, which add to just over 5 minutes for both. The first is a look at the final dive before it happens and the second a post-dive wrap up. There is also a trailer included for the film. If you are looking for more, I would recommend the Special Collector’s Edition, which features a 36-Page book with imagery of production artwork, stills from filming, charts, depth measurement diagrams.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 3d, bluray, camerons, challenge, deepsea, james, ...

Win a DVD of “Filth” Starring James McAvoy [ENDED]

To celebrate the release of “Filth” starring James McAvoy, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of the film on DVD to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite James McAvoy film. This giveaway will remain open until August 29th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all of our Media Mikes readers worldwide. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

James McAvoy plays Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, a scheming, manipulative, misanthropic man who spends his time indulging in drugs, alcohol, sexually abusive relationships, and “the games” cruel plots and systematic bullying of his coworkers and friends. While working on the murder case of a Japanese student, he starts coming unhinged, slowly losing his grip on reality and suffering from a series of increasingly severe hallucinations as he desperately tries to hold his life together.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: dvd, filth, james, mcavoy, starring, win, ...

Korn’s Ray Luzier and James “Munky” Shaffer talk about touring with the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival

The heavy metal group Korn is out on the road this summer as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The group recently released a tour version of their 2013 album “The Paradigm Shift” exclusively through Best Buy which features several new tracks along with some exclusive live tracks as well. Media Mikes had the pleasure of talking with drummer Ray Luzier and guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer during the tours recent stop in Scranton, PA about the release and how they connect with the different crowds they perform for each night.

Adam Lawton: When you are out on a tour like the Mayhem Festival is there any one thing that is the same from day to day?
Ray Luzier: We hear the same bands every day. (Laughs) What’s really great is that we get to play to diverse crowds every show. There are people who have seen us 27 times and there are people who are just seeing us that day for the first time. I’m not sure about constants but I try to stay in a similar routine from day to day.

AL: With the band playing all over the world how do you go about connecting with each of the crowds you perform for?
James “Munky” Shaffer: Every audience is different and that’s really the beauty of it. Like Ray said before you get people who have seen you a lot and you get people who have never seen you before. We are playing the same songs night after night so we try and keep that thought in our heads so we go out and put on a great show every night. We want them to really enjoy the show and to come and see us again.
RL: We may be super tired from traveling or whatever before we hit the stage but once we are up there we are energized bythe crowd. We are fans of music ourselves and still go out and see a lot of bands and buy their merchandise and what not. This is Korn’s 20th year as a band and I have been touring myself just as long. It never gets old. We are still excited to play every time we go up there.

AL: Have you guys seen any bands on this tour that you have really become fans of?
JS: Trivium is a band that has really impressed me. Their songs and how they engage the audience has really impressed me. Those guys are super tight professionally which is really inspiring. I know they have been around a few years but to see that level of commitment is really awesome. I was a mess at that stage of the game. (Laughs) I still am a mess but I have gotten a little better over time.
RL: I go out and check out the side stages from time to time and there are a lot of bands on this tour that have really impressed me. I watch bands like Mushroomhead and Miss May I and you can see just how hungry they are. They all have their own thing going for them which is really great to see.

AL: Can you give us some info on the tour version of your most recent album “The Paradigm Shift”?
JS: We initially released that album last year and after it was out for a couple months there were some songs that never got finished that we wanted to still work on. Jonathan went back in and wrote lyrics for these songs that we didn’t get to finish because we just ran out of time. They came out pretty good and we also decided to add some live tracks on the new release as well. When we are out on the road we like to have something in stores for people to buy that is fresh.

AL: Ray, how do you go about balancing your time in Korn and working with your newest project KXM?
RL: We all have side projects that we work on when we aren’t working on Korn. We just have a tremendous amount of music inside of us. I think these side projects are important for each of us to do as they help us remain creative. KXM is something that George, Doug and I have been talking about doing for years. The idea goes all the way back to my son’s first birthday party when we all were talking about jamming together. Scheduling is always the hard part as Korn is very busy but we hope to get some shows set up before the end of the year. Right now we are just working on videos and such.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: drink, energy, festival, james, korns, luzier, ...

James Garner Dead at 86

James Garner, whose rugged good looks and wry charm made him a star for almost seven decades, passed away last night at his Hollywood home. He was 86.

Born James Scott Bumgarner in Norman, Oklahoma, Garner began his acting career shortly after returning home from the Korean War. While serving our country he received two Purple Hearts for injuries he received in combat.

After a few minor roles in television and film he hit it big in 1957 playing Bret Maverick in the popular television program “Maverick.” So popular was the character that he would often appear briefly in other television westerns as Maverick. His first major film role came in 1963 when he co-starred in “The Great Escape.” The next year he became a leading man, appearing opposite Julie Andrews in Arthur Hiller’s “The Americanization of Emily.” With the exception of a brief 1972 series entitled “Nichols” he worked consistently in film for the next decade, appearing in such well received projects as “Grand Prix,” “Support Your Local Sheriff!,” “Marlowe” and “Support Your Local Gunfighter.”

In 1974 he took on the role he would always be associated with, private investigator Jim Rockford in “The Rockford Files.” Driving his Pontiac Firebird and living in his mobile home, Rockford, with the occasional help of his father, Rocky (Noah Beery, Jr.) and occasional guest stars, would take any case – for $200 a day, plus expenses! The show was so popular that it’s theme song, written by Mike Post, reached #10 on the popular music chart and even won a Grammy Award for best television theme. “TV Guide” later named it the 39th Greatest Television Show Ever!

After the show left the air in 1980 he returned to film, starring in Robert Altman’s “HealtH,” opposite Lauren Bacall in “The Fan,” re-teaming with Julie Andrews in the outstanding comedy “Victor/Victoria” and romancing Sally Field in “Murphy’s Romance,” a role that brought him his first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

The 90’s found him back on television, starring in the short-lived political series “Man of the People.” He also did several “Rockford Files” television movies and starred as Marshal Zane Cooper opposite Mel Gibson who took over the title role in the film adaptation of “Maverick.” The new millennium found him in space opposite Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland in “Space Cowboys” and also starring in arguably one of the most beloved romances of the decade, “The Notebook.” On television he gave voice to the Creator in the underrated “God, the Devil and Bob” and on the popular series “8 Simple Rules.” His role on “Rules” was expanded during the last season following the tragic death of the show’s star, John Ritter. Besides his lone Oscar nomination, he earned fourteen Emmy nominations (winning two) and twelve Golden Globe nods (winning three).

If I have one image of James Garner in my head, it isn’t from any of his film or television work. A few years ago, while visiting a local business, I was drawn to a photo of a group of young men, a few of them holding basketballs. I remarked to the owner that “the guy in the middle looks just like James Garner.” It was. The owner had served with Garner in Korea and, whenever time allowed, the men would have scrimmage basketball games at their post. In the photo Garner is beaming, as if he couldn’t be any happier. What’s amazing is that he had a whole new career ahead of him that he wasn’t even aware of. He will be missed.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 86, dead, garner, james
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