Media Mikes is offering four of it’s readers the chance to win a Blu-ray copy of the film “The Water Man,” directed by and starring David Oyelowo as well as Rosario Dawson and Alfred Molina.
All you need to do is comment “Yes” below. Pretty simple! Four random entries will be chosen and they will receive a Blu-ray copy of the film. This contest ends at 12:00 a.m. (Midnight) on August 29th. Winners chosen will be notified by email. Good luck!
You can watch the trailer HERE.
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonso, Raúl Castillo, DeObia Oparei, Eddie Marsan, Scott Eastwood
Distributed by: United Artists Releasing
Running time: 119 minutes
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
When you put director Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham in the same room, great things are bound to happen. “Wrath of Man” marks the fourth collaboration of the duo following Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Snatch (2000), and Revolver (2005). “Wrath of Man” is a non-stop fast paced rollercoaster ride. It’s a shoot first ask questions later kind of movie. Speaking of shooting, boy, is there a lot of shooting in it! Just from the trailer alone you could have expected that though. What’s good about this movie is that the trailer sold it for me yet without giving away too much.
Official Premise: A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.
Guy Ritchie is coming off last year’s The Gentlemen, which was another must-see gem! This film keeps the fire hot and allows Statham to continue his career as being Hollywood’s badass. He is so cool and collected through this film that he makes you nervous for him. Holt McCallany, aka FBI Special Agent Bill Tench on the Netflix series Mindhunter, gets a chance to deliver a solid role as well. I like this dude and I like that he gets to shine here. Josh Hartnett also pops up in the film, feels like we haven’t seen him doing anything recently, so it’s cool to see him kicking ass as well. Also music fans should keep an eye for a quick cameo from Post Malone.
I didn’t know this but this is based off the 2004 French thriller Le Convoyeur (aka Cash Truck) by Nicolas Boukhrief. I am definitely interested in checking out that film now as well. Hopefully it is as badass as this film. Also the score, by Christopher Benstead, should also get some props cause it keeps you on the edge of your seat during the film’s twists and turns. Let’s hope that this doesn’t mark the last time that Statham and Ritchie work together because this is yet another winner for both of them.
Who doesn’t love a good thriller?
Sometimes, we watch, and it’s okay, and other times, we catch a good one, and we’re tense and terrified the entire time!
That’s the effect The Invisible Man had on everyone.
There were many moments in this film that left us on the edge of our seats with our hands buried in our hair—just stressed out. We desperately wanted to figure out how Cecilia was going to beat something she couldn’t see!
With that in mind, let’s get into the four most terrifying moments that left us cringing in suspense.
[SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT!]
The movie starts with Cecilia trying to leave her husband and the extravagant fortress of a home they shared. We can tell she’s already planned this “escape”, but watching her try to get out of the house is enough to make the hair stand up on your body.
Perhaps, the tensest moment in this scene is when she accidentally kicks the dog bowl and makes a lot of noise. Still, then as a viewer, you were probably annoyed that she almost got caught up trying to take the dog along with her.
Leave the dog—save yourself!
Her attempt to save the dog allowed the husband (Adrian) to nearly catch up with her. Right as she hops in the car with her sister, he smashes his hand in the window as they drive off.
If you think your husband’s dead but you find his phone in the attic buzzing, it’s only natural to be a little creeped out!
There were already some strange occurrences that she didn’t pick up on like the handprint on the shower door, or his breath behind her when she was standing outdoors.
When she locates the phone, she notices that it’s Adrian’s phone with a text message that reads “surprise.” This is a pivotal moment in the film because it’s the moment that she realizes that he’s around in some capacity.
Then, it only gets more insane when she ends up pouring the can of paint and sees the outline of a man!
At this point in the film, her sister has had it with her because she believes that Cecilia sent her a nasty email, but it was Adrian (of course).
Suddenly, when she’s sitting at the table with her sister at the dinner table, a knife rises in mid-air and quickly slices her sister’s throat! Of course, Cecilia is terrified, shocked, and in a state of paralysis. There’s no way she can prove her innocence at this moment.
The audience feels more for her because it seems like Adrian has won with all of his carefully pre-meditated antics.
When Cecilia’s in the mental hospital because everyone thinks she’s completely lost her mind, she gets a visit from Adrian’s brother, who drops a bomb on her. He tells her that Adrian switched her placebo birth control pills and she could be pregnant!
At this point, could you imagine being pregnant with the seed of a psychotic, abusive man?
His brother tells her that she should consider going back to Adrian because he’s not dead! Ultimately, she agrees to meet with him, only to give him a taste of his own medicine!
She plays the victim and cries a bit to excuse herself to the restroom where she secretly puts on the invisible suit. Can you believe she comes back out and slices his throat, goes back to take the suit off, and then perfectly positions herself to scream in disbelief in front of the cameras?
Oh, and the police were outside.
Smart girl.
She got the money and her freedom, even though she lost her sister.
Some of us love scary movies of all sorts. However, the intense emotions that some films bestow is a little much for some people.
Besides, who says your stomach has to be tied in knots the entire time?
Some people want to watch thrillers without the added anxiety that the jump scares bring to the table.
We bet you didn’t know that CBD pairs exceptionally well with scary movies and thrillers because the compound encourages full-body relaxation—making it the perfect product that’ll lighten the mood when needed.
Sure, specific product selection is up for debate because there are so many amazing products on the market, but CBD capsules give you all the CBD you need to kick back and enjoy whatever comes your way.
Even if it’s a psycho, abusive husband who created an invisible suit to torture his wife!
Billy Bryan is the man who created the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man suit for Ghostbusters as well as the man inside. He is also one of the puppeteers for Chucky in Child’s Play and also played the Pit Bitch in Army of Darkness.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Billy about his role in Ghostbusters as well as Dune, Child’s Play, Army of Darkness, Men in Black and meeting Dave Grohl for his work on Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.
DIrected by: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Distributed by: Universal Home Video
Running time: 124 minutes
There’s a great joke I first heard in the eighth grade that deals with a mishap involving Superman, Wonder Woman and the Invisible Man. I can’t relate it hear but believe me, the punchline is killer. So is the latest incarnation of the Invisible Man.
We open on a couple in bed. As Adrian (Jackson-Cohen) sleeps, Cecilia (Moss) gets up, gathers some things and makes her way quietly out of the state of the art house. Doing her best to avoid cameras and not set off alarms, she makes her way to the road, where a ride is waiting. But she will soon find out that you can’t run away from some things, no matter how hard you try.
Genuinely terrifying, with a tour-de-force performance by Ms. Moss, “The Invisible Man” starts off slowly and clumsy. 20-minutes in I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to see a rehash of “Sleeping with the Enemy,” only with a Patrick Bergin that I couldn’t see. But just as that thought came into my head, writer/director Whannell flipped the switch, taking the film into directions I never would have imagined.
There have been many attempts at filming H.G. Wells’ story of a man with the power of invisibility, from the 1933 Universal Horror Classic “The Invisible Man” starring Claude Rains to the 2000 Kevin Bacon-starrer “Hollow Man.” Heck, even Kurt Russell and Chevy Chase have taken comedic shots at the story. But here, the main theme is terror, especially to an audience who is on the edge of their seats, intently staring at the screen and looking for the slightest hint the bad guy is there.
Moss is a revelation here. Best known for her television and streaming work (“Mad Men,” “The Handmaids Tale”) and a strong supporting turn in last year’s Jordan Peele horror masterpiece, “Us,” she has the unenviable job of basically interacting with a character that the audience never sees. Whether arguing, pleading or physically fighting with our villain, it’s just her on the screen, yet you feel her terror, especially when she is violently struggling with an entity that she (nor the audience) can see. Mr. Whannell, no stranger to horror thanks to his involvement in the “Saw” and “Insidious” film series, keeps the pace moving (after the first half-hour) and uses his camera as an almost additional character. The musical score, by Benjamin Wallfisch (“IT,” “Bladerunner: 2049), helps set the mood as well. The result is the most terrifying film since the aforementioned “Us.” If you’re a fan of horror, you definitely need this one in your collection.
To celebrate the 4K Blu-ray Combo release for “The Invisible Man”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one of two 4K Blu-ray combo pack copies. If you want to win this great prize, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite Blumhouse film. This giveaway will remain open until May 25th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. 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.
THE INVISIBLE MAN follows a modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal’s classic monster character. Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) slowly begins to rebuild her life after the death of her abusive ex-boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). But before long, she begins to question whether or not he is truly gone. In addition to the feature, THE INVISIBLE MAN delivers up twenty minutes of exclusive bonus content, including a chance to better get acquainted with the film’s leading actress: Elisabeth Moss, feature commentary with the writer/director and deleted scenes you won’t want to miss.
Now Available for Pre-Order in Various Bundle Configurations www.ratpakrecords.com/michaelangelobatio
| Shred guitar pioneer Michael Angelo Batio will release his 12th studio album More Machine Than Man on June 12th via Rat Pak Records. The album features 13 new studio tracks and is the highly anticipated follow up to 2013’s Intermezzo. More Machine Than Man is an all instrumental shred album from the Fastest Guitarist On The Planet that’s sure to resonate with past fans, as well as garner new fans along the way. From the infectious guitar riffs from album openers “Laser Guided” and “The Badlands”, to the crushing bonus-track finale of “No Backup Plan” Michael has created something truly special and engaging. More Machine Than Man is available for pre-order in numerous bundle configurations here: https://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/mcihaelangelobatio. Mixed and Mastered by longtime Batio engineer Chris Wisco, the album also features guest performances by Chris Adler(Lamb of God), lending his drum skills on the tracks “More Machine Than Man” and “The Two Sirens”. Also appearing on the album is renowned bassist Victor Wooten who performs on “AVTD”, and guitar virtuoso Andrea Martongelli who guest solos on “The Countdown Is On”. Regarding the release, Michael comments, “This is the most “in your face” album I have ever recorded. I limited the use of keyboards so you can hear the detail and precision of the rhythm guitars. My goals were to write the best songs I could, keep the tracks as raw and natural as possible and make the grooves relentless! I’m borrowing a quote by NITRO singer Jim Gillette that I think describes this album perfectly – “If this album doesn’t rock your socks off, call the coroner ‘cause you must be dead!”” |
With heavy rhythm riffs, blazing guitar solos and rock-solid grooves More Machine Than Man delivers all the power and punch that one would expect from this high-level player and is sure to be a favorite of shred lovers around the globe!
A video trailer for the new album can be seen here: https://youtu.be/V9Asp196d2o.
The track listing for More Machine Than Man is:
1. Laser Guided
2. The Badlands
3. Put All Fear Aside
4. More Machine Than Man
5. Dreamin’ of 1986
6. Beyond the Outer Limits
7. The Two Sirens
8. AVTD
9. The Countdown is On
10. Rhythm Reprise (I Pray the Lord)
Bonus Tracks (CD & Digital versions)
11. 21st Century Beck
12. Charlie Went To Chicago
13. No Backup Plan
Michael Angelo Batio showcased his guitar techniques and innovations for the first time with his early instructional programs, as well as in his live performances, which are now considered “standard techniques” amongst guitarists worldwide. Michael not only invented but was the world’s first player of the double-guitar and was also voted one of the World’s Top 100 Guitarists Of All Time by Guitar World Magazine. He also holds the YouTube record for his instructional video “Speed Kills”, the highest views for a guitarist coming in at over 21 million!
With a title borrowed from a classic English sea shanty, “Blow the Man Down” is an average, yet entertaining mystery/drama with a multitude of secrets that emanates a “Fargo”-like vibe. First-time feature length directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy, who also co-wrote the film that debuted on Amazon Prime, have crafted a smooth-paced work of cinema with a few flashes of well-timed suspense.
Set in the small, picturesque fishing village of Easter Cove, Maine, “Blow the Man Down” begins with the Catholic wake of one Mary Margaret Connolly. Her two daughters – Priscilla (Sophie Lowe, “The Beautiful Lie”) and Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor, “Homeland”) – are naturally saddened by the loss of their mother, whom they had to care for in recent times. The girls, though, seem surprised to hear tales from their mother’s three closest friends – Susie Gallagher (Academy Award nominee June Squibb, “Nebraska”), Gail Maguire (Academy Award nominee Annette O’Toole, “A Mighty Wind”) and Doreen Burke (Marceline Hugot, “The Messenger”) – of how Mary had saved their bacon on several occasions.
Interspersed within this sadness is a scene in which a nameless woman frantically jumps out of a car and runs screaming from an angry man who eventually tackles her. All the while a woman we come to know as Enid Nora Devlin (Margo Martindale, “August: Osage County”) watches silently from a second story window. We get the sense she may approve of the violence that is transpiring and thus has no interest in helping the woman. It’s brief but it’s an important nugget of things to come.
Back at Mary’s house, the younger Mary Beth is dismayed to learn from Priscilla that their mother has left them with nothing. Mary Beth leaves in an explosion of anger and ends up at a dive bar where she latches onto a man who proves to be far more dangerous than she had ever considered. This is followed by a killing and cover-up that leads the sisters down a rabbit hole of secrets and lies involving prostitution, bribery, murder and a police force that either looks the other way or is incompetent.
Even with a solid story, “Blow the Man Down” does contain some mystery clichés so don’t expect anything fresh when watching it. Additionally, the two leads are fine enough in their roles, but they are overshadowed greatly by the much older, supporting female cast. Squibb, O’Toole and Hugot are a hoot as a trio and they excel at making us feel like there is something more to their characters without giving too much away too quickly.
Overall, the real star is Martindale who is simply a delight to watch. A woman with a ton of secrets and a hardened, mean streak a mile wide and a mile deep, Enid is someone that proves to be a perfect antagonist. Martindale also infuses her character with a level of complexity that the other cast members are not quite able to achieve.
Call it a poor man’s version of “Knives Out,” “Blow the Man Down” is a nice way to spend 90 minutes in front of a screen at home.
THE INVISIBLE MAN
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Directed by: Leigh Whannell
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 4 mins
Universal
There’s a great joke I first heard in the eighth grade that deals with a mishap involving Superman, Wonder Woman and the Invisible Man. I can’t relate it hear but believe me, the punchline is killer. So is the latest incarnation of the Invisible Man.
We open on a couple in bed. As Adrian (Jackson-Cohen) sleeps, Cecilia (Moss) gets up, gathers some things and makes her way quietly out of the state of the art house. Doing her best to avoid cameras and not set off alarms, she makes her way to the road, where a ride is waiting. But she will soon find out that you can’t run away from some things, no matter how hard you try.
Genuinely terrifying, with a tour-de-force performance by Ms. Moss, “The Invisible Man” starts off slowly and clumsy. 20-minutes in I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to see a rehash of “Sleeping with the Enemy,” only with a Patrick Bergin that I couldn’t see. But just as that thought came into my head, writer/director Whannell flipped the switch, taking the film into directions I never would have imagined.
There have been many attempts at filming H.G. Wells’ story of a man with the power of invisibility, from the 1933 Universal Horror Classic “The Invisible Man” starring Claude Rains to the 2000 Kevin Bacon-starrer “Hollow Man.” Heck, even Kurt Russell and Chevy Chase have taken comedic shots at the story. But here, the main theme is terror, especially to an audience who is on the edge of their seats, intently staring at the screen and looking for the slightest hint the bad guy is there.
Moss is a revelation here. Best known for her television and streaming work (“Mad Men,” “The Handmaids Tale”) and a strong supporting turn in last year’s Jordan Peele horror masterpiece, “Us,” she has the unenviable job of basically interacting with a character that the audience never sees. Whether arguing, pleading or physically fighting with our villain, it’s just her on the screen, yet you feel her terror, especially when she is violently struggling with an entity that she (nor the audience) can see. Mr. Whannell, no stranger to horror thanks to his involvement in the “Saw” and “Insidious” film series, keeps the pace moving (after the first half-hour) and uses his camera as an almost additional character. The musical score, by Benjamin Wallfisch (“IT,” “Bladerunner: 2049), helps set the mood as well. The result is the most terrifying film since the aforementioned “Us.” By all means, go see it…even if you can’t SEE it!
Media Mikes has teamed up with their friends at Universal to give readers the chance to be among the first to see the new film “The Invisible Man” at an advance Kansas City screening.
The film, starring Elizabeth Moss, will screen on Tuesday, February 25 at the AMC Studio 18 Theatre in Olathe, Kansas. The screening will begin at 7:00 pm.
All you have to do for a chance to attend is click HERE! On Monday, February 24th, random entries will be selected and will be sent their passes via email. Good Luck!
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen
Paramount Pictures
Running Time: 117 minutes
Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
4K UHD: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“Gemini Man” isn’t a film I wanted to see at all. The trailers looks boring to me despite action sequences. After watching the movie, I was proved right in my assumptions. The movie was bland, predictable and packed a real terrible ending. Will Smith tries his best but there is just too much Will Smith here and I didn’t think that was possible. The film does have some solid visual effects though.
Despite my feelings on the film, I was mega impressed with the fact that this 4K Ultra HD release includes a first for Paramount. The 4K Ultra HD disc is encoded in 60FPS (frames-per-second) for exceptional sharpness and clarity. The standard Blu-ray release comes with the film presented in 24FPS, if you are a film buff this is a pretty cool deal. There is also an exclusive visual effects scene breakdown presented by WETA in 60FPS, Ultra HD and High Dynamic Range in the special features.
The 4K Ultra HD disc presents the film in Dolby Vision®, which brings entertainment to life through ultra-vivid picture quality with spectacular colors, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker. This film is the first ever Dolby Vision high frame rate disc to be released. Also included this disc boasts a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack. The film comes including a 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital copy of the film.
Official Premise: Will Smith stars as retired hitman Henry Brogan, forced on the run by a young, highly skilled operative who will stop at nothing to eliminate his target. Now on a race around the globe, Henry must outsmart the mysterious assassin at every step – but how far will he go once they finally come face to face? Packed with epic fight scenes and groundbreaking visual effects, “Gemini Man” is the future of action movies.
The bonus features include an Alternate Opening (even though this film needed an alternate ending more so), some Deleted Scenes and a few featurettes including: The Genesis of Gemini Man, Facing Your Younger Self, The Future Is Now, Setting the Action, Next Level Detail and The Vision of Ang Lee. The Visual Effects Progression presented by WETA in 60FPS is only available on the 4K UHD disc. Even though I didn’t like the film this extra was work checking out for sure.
Featuring Jørgen Munkeby of Shining
Watch the Cinematic New Video HERE!
| Nergal’s ME AND THAT MAN return in a new guise. Immerse yourself in the obscure world of ME AND THAT MAN and enter the black church through their newest rite of passage. After just having signed with Napalm Records, Nergal’s dark blues/folk project has released their new single, “Run With The Devil”, featuring Jørgen Munkeby of Norwegian Blackjazz collective Shining. The song is accompanied by an outstanding, yet unsettling official video, directed by Roman Przylipiak and inspired by the unmistakable atmosphere of Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic classics. A work of art in itself, the video sketches a dynamic outline of all the stylistic milestones ME AND THAT MAN set for their musical journey. Released from the trunk of a car, Jørgen starts his adventurous run with the Devil himself, i.e. Nergal. From a sketchy encounter in a gloomy alleyway, driving down the highway running over an innocent bystander and a blazing club where the band is performing in front of a wild crowd, “Run With The Devil” has it all! As the story unfolds, the observant viewer will be confronted with cryptic hints and hidden messages. Roaring engines, Munkeby’s distinctive vocals and soulful saxophone contributions weave throughout the foot-stomping blues-rock anthem’s upbeat tempo and indelible hook, brewing a dark and addictive musical potion. Follow ME AND THAT MAN on their wild race with “Run With The Devil”! Nergal on “Run With The Devil”:“This one was a lot of fun! When I first started thinking of the imagery to the track, I wanted to create something more than a music video, I wanted a music movie which carries on from where “Nightride” left off. Don’t take it too seriously, we’re metaphorically burying the past and bringing in a new! A great way to introduce the next incarnation of ME AND THAT MAN… but what next? Stick around, there is plenty of rather splendid things to see soon!” Watch “Run With The Devil” HERE: |
Adam Nergal Darski has been a fixture in the music industry for years. As the frontman of black/death metal spearhead Behemoth, Nergal has been known to preach unholy sermons, praise Satan and sing about explicit blasphemy. Naturally, the next step was to channel those themes into another genre commonly dubbed as the Devil’s music – blues. ME AND THAT MAN is exactly that – Nergal’s solo project will surprise and bewitch the listener. The visionary creative founded the band in an effort to showcase his true ability to adapt to any genre.
Released in 2017, ME AND THE MAN’s debut album, Songs of Love and Death, delivered thirteen stunning pieces full of multifaceted riffs and honest lyrics. In summer 2018, a line-up change followed, but Nergal’s solo project was far from over. Stay tuned for more details coming very soon.
ME AND THAT MAN live: New Tour, New Songs, Same Shit 2020 Tour w/ Frank The Baptist, Mulk
02.04.20 PL – Wroclaw / Zaklete Rewiry
03.04.20 PL – Szczecin / Kosmos
04.04.20 PL – Gdansk / Stary Manez
05.04.20 PL – Torun / Lizard King
15.04.20 PL – Warszawa / Palladium
16.04.20 PL – Krakow / ZetPeTe
17.04.20 PL – Poznan / Tama
18.04.20 PL – Gostyn / Hutnik
19.04.20 PL – Katowice / P23
20.06.20 FR – Clisson / Hellfest
21.06.20 BE – Dessel / Graspop Festival
25.06.20 ES – Rivas-vaciamadrid / Auditorio Miguel Rios
26.06.20 ES – Madrid / Rock The Night Festival
09.07.20 SE – Gävle / Gefle Metal Festival
05.08.20 CZ – Jaromer / Brutal Assault More tba
Evil has truly never sounded so good.
| Blackened blues project ME AND THAT MAN – founded in 2013 by Behemoth frontman Adam Nergal Darski – has officially signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records (excluding Poland). ME AND THAT MAN released their debut album, Songs of Love and Death, in 2017 – introducing the world to their unique brand of folk and blues, mixed with hints of outlaw country. The atmospherically dark album provides a strong contrast to Behemoth with its catchy melodies and relaxed rhythms, and gives Nergal space to express his creativity in a different setting. Since its release, the album’s lead single, “My Church is Black”, has racked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify. ME AND THAT MAN has big plans in store in the coming months. NERGAL on the signing: “It’s a pleasure to be working with a brand new team of people on a project which in many ways is brand new to me. We have some big surprises for you in the coming months so keep ‘em peeled. The record has been a lot of hard work; some blood, some tears but just wait and see, it was totally worth it!” Sebastian Münch, A&R Napalm Records, on the signing: “As I’ve been a Johnny Cash fan for many years, Songs of Love and Death turned out to be like a memorial to the country music god himself! Nergal´s creative and musical brilliance redefined an entire genre, and the album’s dark and sinister vibes were most certainly noticed in distant Nashville. Welcome, ME AND THAT MAN, to the Napalm family!” |
| Watch “My Church Is Black” HERE: |
| Adam Nergal Darski has been a fixture in the music industry for years. As the frontman of black / death metal band Behemoth, Darski has been known to preach unholy sermons, praise Satan and sing about explicit blasphemy. Naturally, the next step was to channel those themes into another genre commonly dubbed as the Devil’s music – blues. ME AND THAT MAN is exactly that – Nergal’s solo project will surprise and bewitch the listener. The visionary creative founded the band in an effort to showcase his true ability to adapt to any genre. Released in 2017, ME AND THE MAN’s debut album, Songs of Love and Death, delivered thirteen stunning pieces full of multifaceted riffs and honest lyrics. In summer 2018, a line-up change followed, but Nergal’s solo project was far from over. Stay tuned for more details coming very soon. |
| ME AND THAT MAN live: 18.– 21.06.2020 BE – Dessel / Graspop Festival 26.06.2020 ES – Madrid / Rock The Night Festival 09.07.2020 SE – Gävle / Gefle Metal Festival 05.08.2020 CZ – Jaromer / Brutal Assault Festival More tba |
Most people know Hugh Jackman as the claw sprouting X-man known as Wolverine. And if that’s all they know him as, shame on them. True fans know him as the Oscar-nominated, Tony Award winning actor whose been singing and dancing for years. And it was those fans that were in attendance at the United Center in Chicago as Jackman continues his very successful tour.
The show kicked off with a rousing performance of “The Greatest Show,” followed by “Come Alive,” both from the very popular film “The Greatest Showman.” While performing, Jackman noticed a fan holding up a sign stating it was her birthday. He very graciously bent down to give her a hug as well as take a selfie with her. He then noted that it was technically his birthday already in Australia (he turned 51 on October 12). While addressing the audience he noticed a young boy down below in the floor audience who was dressed up like Jackman in “The Greatest Showman.” He climbed off the stage to say hello to the boy and received a huge hug from the boy. Returning to the stage, he explained how his first stage musical was “Beauty and the Beast,” then proceeded to perform the song “Gaston.”
He shared some information about his wife of 23 years and then sat down at the piano to play (and sing) “All the Way.” After a medley saluting New York City he told a story about how he had worked on “The Greatest Showman” for eight years before it was made. He also noted how there had been multiple workshops for the film and that Keala Settle had participated in all of them. He then introduced Ms. Settle, who pretty much brought the house down with a rousing rendition of “This is Me.” After performing a song from her upcoming album, Jackman returned to the stage and closed the first act with a few numbers from “Les Miserables,” accompanied by an enthusiastic group of singers and dancers.
The second act opened with a clip of Jackman receiving the Tony Award for his portrayal of songwriter and performer Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz.” Jackman took to the stage AS Peter Allen and sang a few of the songs Allen had written/co-written in his career. The amazing dancing continued as he performed a song – “A Million Dreams” – which included sign language which was part of the choreography. Between numbers, Jackman continually told great stories and would occasionally wander into the audience to greet concert goers. At one point, he addressed the audience as honestly as I’ve ever head a performer, thanking all in attendance for not only supporting him but for taking the tine and spending the money to do so. This is a man who not only appreciates his fans but goes out of his way to let him know so.
A couple of Aboriginal songs, complete with Didgeradoos helped close the show, along with Jackman doing a moving version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” All in all, it was an amazing night with an amazing talent!
Mr. Jackman’s tour is continuing throughout North America. To see if he’s coming to your town, click HERE!
SET LIST
The Greatest Show, Come Alive, Gaston, All the Way, New York, New York/On Broadway/Empire State of Mind, This is Me, Harder, Valjean’s Soliloquy/I Dreamed a Dream/One Day More, Not the Boy Next Door, Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)/Don’t Cry Out Loud/ I Honestly Love You/ Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage/ I Go to Rio, Tenterfield Saddler, A Million Dreams, Luck Be a Lady/ Singin’ in he Rain/ I Got Rhythm/Steppin’ Out With My Baby/ Sing Sing Sing, 42nd Street/Thunderstruck, Art Song, Inhibition, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, From Now On, Once Before I Go
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgård, Olga Kurylenko, Joana Ribeiro
Release date: 10 April 2019 (US)
Running time: 132 minutes
I had no idea that back in May of 1998, when I first snuck in to see a film in theaters called “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, that he would end up becoming one of my favorite directors and influencing my interest in film so much. Terry Gilliam has always had a lot of luck with getting his film well receptive. They are always unique and never follow the Hollywood typical bubble that every other film does. Well “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” is no different for Gilliam. This was a film that he was trying to get made for nearly three decades. If that shows nothing else it is that the guy was determined to bring this project to life no matter what. Well after it’s long journey to the world, it is definitely worth the wait.
Back in 2000, Jean Rochefort was originally cast to play Don Quixote and Toby was to be played by Johnny Depp (imagine that?!). They even made a documentary about this failed attempt called “Lost in La Mancha”, worth checking out. I have to admit thought, I am HUGE fan of Jonathan Pryce, who also collaborated with Gilliam in his film “Brazil”, another one of my favorites). Pryce nails it for me as Don Quixote. Other than Depp, the role of Sancho Panza has previously had even Robin Williams and Ewan McGregor attached before Adam Driver aka Kylo Ren in the “Star Wars” Universe. I have to admit, if I had a dream cast and out of all the people that could have played Panza Driver probably wouldn’t have been my first choice. Don’t get me wrong, he was good in the film and did the role justice but I wanted a little more from him here.
Here is the film’s official Premise: “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” is the story of Toby (Driver), a cynical advertising director, who finds himself trapped in the outrageous delusions of an old Spanish shoe-maker (Pryce) who believes himself to be Don Quixote. In the course of their comic and increasingly surreal adventures, Toby is forced to confront the tragic repercussions of a film he made in his idealistic youth – a film that changed the hopes and dreams of a small Spanish village forever. Can Toby make amends and regain his humanity? Can Don Quixote survive his madness and imminent death? Or will love conquer all?
When I watch a Terry Gilliam directed film, you know you are going to get amazing locations, really unique set designs, wonderful costumes and simply the best cinematography. “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” delivers in all of these departments, no question. The film runs a little long for me personally and when watching it with my wife, I noticed she checked out not shortly after it started. I think I appreciated it cause you can see where all the blood, sweat and tears went into this film. You can tell that this was the hail Mary pass at the end of the quarter for Gilliam and I definitely think it was a score!
Speaking earlier of “Lost in La Mancha”, the writers and directors of the film are currently working on a follow-up film, titled “He Dreamed of Giants”, which dives into the history of the film’s making this time around and what has happened since the events documented in “Lost in La Mancha”. Count me in!
