CD Review “Man of Steel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Limited Deluxe Edition”

Composer: Hans Zimmer
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Limited Edition, Deluxe Edition
Label: WaterTower Music
Running Time: 113 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When you see the name Hans Zimmer, you have to expect an epic and stellar score. The Academy Award, Grammy, and Golden Globe-winning composer is one of the most recognized and respected names in Hollywood. When you think of Superman, you expect an equally epic score. You can thank John Williams for that back in 1978 for the original “Superman” film. Well rest assured since the “Man of Steel” is amazing. When I hear a score and it literally gives me chills when listening to it, that is how I know that I am in love with it. From the moment this starts, I was completely taken back with this score. Easily one of my favorites scores of 2013 so far. Also did I mention that this score almost runs a whopping TWO HOURS!? No joke! If that doesn’t scream epic…nothing does!

This is the first time that he is teaming up with director Zack Snyder. Zimmer is known for his work with directors like Christopher Nolan, Ron Howard and Gore Verbinski. Speaking of two of these directors, Hans is composing the following upcoming films Verbinski’s “The Lone Ranger” and Nolan’s “Interstellar”. You also have to give it to Hans Zimmer for taking on a score like this. Since the sound of Superman is so epic and recognizable you want to make sure not to mess it up. But I feel that he did it perfectly.   This score is available in both the standard and deluxe editions.  So why would you you want to upgrade to the deluxe edition? Well one reason… it contains the track “Man of Steel (Hans Original Sketchbook)”, which clocks in at over 28 minutes long. Yes 28 minutes long! This exclusive track is performed solely by Zimmer and is it a fantastic portrayal of how he experimented in order to find the right sound for this score. Easily worth the price of the CD alone!

Believe it or not that is not the only bonus tracks included with the deluxe edition.  There are also an additional seven tracks, including one of my favorites “This is Madness!”.  When a track is called “This is Madness!” you can only expect it to be extremely epic and boy is it! Also the deluxe edition comes in a super cool embossed steel case, and fans will get access to multiple videos showing an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the music. But…wait there is still more…you will also get a chance to download all 24 songs in DTS Headphone: X, which reproduces a cinematic multi-speaker surround sound experience using only the user’s headphones. This is super cool and a must for any fan of film scores. All and all, I will say that this Limited Deluxe Edition is the only way to purchase this score!

Track Listing:
Disc 1:
1. Look to the Stars
2. Oil Rig
3. Sent Here for a Reason
4. DNA
5. Goodbye My Son
6. If You Love These People
7. Krypton’s Last
8. Terraforming
9. Tornado
10. You Die or I Do
11. Launch
12. Ignition
13. I Will Find Him
14. This Is Clark Kent
15. I Have So Many Questions
16. Flight

Disc 2:
1. What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?
2. Man of Steel (Hans’ Original Sketchbook)
3. Are You Listening, Clark?
4. General Zod – Junkie XL
5. You Led Us Here
6. This Is Madness! – Junkie XL
7. Earth
8. Arcade – Junkie XL

 

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Film Review “Iron Man 3”

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle
Directed by: Shane Black
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 10 mins
Paramount

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Bern, Switzerland. December 31, 1999. As the clock prepares to chime midnight to welcome in the new century Tony Stark is trying his best to occupy the time of a fellow scientist. A beautiful fellow scientist. As they make their way towards an elevator they are met by a quiet, disheveled man who introduces himself as Aldrich Killian. He extends his business card but the one-track minded Stark tells him to meet him on the roof in five minutes. Needless to say, he watches the Y2K fireworks alone.

Present day. While Stark spends his days in his workshop building new versions of his “Iron Man” suit (he’s currently on number 42), his former assistant/now love interest Pepper Potts is running things at Stark Industries. She is assisted by an overzealous Happy (Jon Favreau), Starks one-time bodyguard since promoted to head of security. Happy has an eye on a suspicious character loitering in the lobby (James Badge Dale). The gentleman is accompanying the tall, handsome stranger now talking with Pepper. Aldrich Killian.

Has it only been five years since “Iron Man” took flight and launched one of the most popular, both financially and critically, series of films ever made? In this version we find a Tony Stark who isn’t as cool and confidant as he was in the past. Due to the events featured in last summer’s “The Avengers” Stark is having the occasional nightmare. And panic attacks. And at a most inopportune time. It seems our government has drawn the raft of a terrorist who calls himself the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley in what should be an Oscar nominated performance). With Iron Man on hiatus, it’s up to Colonel James Rhodes to put on his War Machine suit in order to protect the President (William Sadler), though in a new patriotic spirit War Machine is now known as the Iron Patriot. When a series of executions and bombings begin to threaten the country Stark decides he needs to get back in the battle.

Packed with virtually non-stop action from start to finish, “Iron Man 3” is the best film in the “Iron Man” series and among the best Marvel-inspired films ever, thanks to a top-notch cast, an almost flawless script and one of the most surprising directing jobs I’ve ever seen. With the exception of a previous working relationship with Downey, who he directed in his debut film “Kiss Bang,” I could not understand how Shane Black was hired to direct this film. Black, creator of the “Lethal Weapon” series as well as such testosterone-fueled films as “The Last Boyscout” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” takes the reins from previous director (and now co-star) Favreau and gallops away with a film that excites and still packs a punch emotionally.

Downey, who pretty much invented the present day loveable smart ass, gives the film it’s emotional weight. As the Mandarin’s attacks get closer and closer to he and those he loves, Stark must react as only he can. As Pepper, Paltrow is much more than a minor character here and she runs with the new importance her character is afforded. Pearce is also strong in a role 180 degrees from anything he’s ever done before. Even though it’s been 30 years since Kingsley won an Oscar (for “Gandhi”) he continues to turn in outstanding work at a time in his career when others in his position are playing kindly grandfathers. As he approaches 70 Kingsley shows he’s got a few more surprises up his sleeve. The supporting cast (Sadler, Cheadle) really don’t have enough to do (the majority of Cheadle’s screen time is with his face obscured in the Iron Patriot suit) but that’s not the fault of either actor. The action sequences are entertaining as hell, with Black pulling off one of the greatest action sequences ever put on film, one that had the audience cheering when it was over. With the Boston Marathon bombing only a few weeks behind us, there is a chilling feel to the film, especially after one unaccompanied bomb kills everyone within a few yards of it. And, like the majority of the Marvel universe films, sit back and wait until the film ends to catch a little extra goodie or two after the credits.

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Brandon Auman talks about writing “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”

Brandon Auman is the writer of great TV shows like “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”. He also has done features like “Dead Space: Aftermath” and most recently “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon about “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: Since “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore” is animated, is the scale ever a concern when you are in the writing process?
Brandon Auman: Not really, the beauty of writing 2D is that you’re not as constrained as you are in live-action or CG animation. I really love 2D animation and I’m so glad that Japan is keeping it alive, they feel like the last bastion of hope on this front. TV Studios really want to move completely into CG and as it gets cheaper, they will. I fear 2D is a thing of the past. My favorite sections of the film are in 2D and it looks beautiful. Some may complain there is a lack of animation, but that’s very anime. Long pauses on beautiful drawings. If the paintings are cool, who cares?

MG: I loved that you incorporated The Punisher into the story; tell us about that decision?
BA: Everyone at Marvel loves the Punisher. I pushed for him early on, thinking the idea would get shot down, but everyone loved it. I was really excited; finally I get to write some Punisher action! He rarely makes appearances in TV animation, but when he does, he always comes off… well, not Punishing. More like the “Kinda” Punisher. Who can’t kill bad guys, but maybe shoot a billboard down on top of them.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working with superheroes and with the animation genre?
BA: I love everything about it. It’s just so much fun, it’s a total dream job. I haven’t really left the genre either, because now I’m story editing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Nickelodeon. They’re sorta superheroes. Well they’re ninjas, and the stories are smaller… but it’s close.

MG: What other new projects do you have in the works for Marvel animation?
BA: I have a few things happening there. I wrote a bunch of episodes on “Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.” that I’m excited about. I get to work pretty closely with Henry Gilroy, Todd Casey and Jeph Loeb, three awesome creative guys at Marvel. I was always a big fan of Jeph’s work, so it’s really exciting, and I’ve worked with Henry many times in the past, he’s terrific.

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Megan Thomas Bradner talks about producing “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”

Megan Thomas Bradner is the director of development and production at Marvel Animation. She has worked on TV shows like “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”, the “Marvel Anime” series and also producing the new feature film “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Megan about the film and also the Marvel Universe.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role on the film “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”?
Megan Thomas Bradner: I am the director of development and production at Marvel Animation. I have been with the Marvel Anime almost since the beginning. I came on after it was premiered at Comic-Con and I have worked on all of the TV series since then.

MG: Having produced “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” and the “Marvel Anime” TV series; how did this feature film differ?
MTB: I appreciate that we have a little more time with the feature than we did with the TV series shows. With the TV series, we were under the gun.  When we worked on the animes they were all around the same time as each other. “Iron Man” was done around the same time as “Wolverine” and X-Men” was done around the same
time as “Blade”. With the feature, we had time to sit down and talk about the story and which characters we wanted to use.

MG: Do you think we could expect more feature films based on the Marvel Animes?
MTB: We love the Marvel Universe. I am a big fan myself. I would love to return to the anime series. We are currently seeing what is going to happen with that. But we also would love to do another movie. We had such a great experience on “Technovore”, so I would love to do it again!

MG: I think we need more Norman Reedus as “The Punisher”?
MTB: He was great. We are all big “The Walking Dead” fans and we thought that we would never be able to get him. But luckily he is a fan himself, so that was a pretty cool opportunity. I was able to watch in the recording booth and get to see him turn into The Punisher right before our eyes. So that was super cool.

MG: What is your favorite aspect about working with the “Iron Man” franchise?
MTB: The aspect that is so attractive about Iron Man is that he is that human character that you can identity with. He is not perfect. He is this guy, who had to built this suit around him in order to protect him since he has this damaged heart. He recognized that he has done something wrong (in the beginning) and tries to change. I think we can all relate to that.

MG: In the world Marvel universe, who is your all-time favorite character?
MTB: I would have to go with Jean Grey from X-Men. In this film “Technovore”, I am a big Pepper Potts fan. I would love one day to get her in the armor…maybe in the future.

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Complimentary Passes to the Orlando, FL 3D Advance Screening for Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” [ENDED]

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

© 2013 Marvel

If you would like to enter for a chance to win passes to the following advance screening, please leave a comment below with why you want to see Marvel’s “Iron Man 3”? Winners will be chosen on a RANDOM BASIS on April 25th. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE! OTHERWISE ALL ENTRIES WILL BE DISREGARDED. The winners will be will notified via email. Good luck and hope to see you at the screening!

Monday April 29nd at 7:00pm
AMC Altamonte 18 – Altamonte Springs, FL
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Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

“Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/IronMan

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Blu-ray Review “Hollow Man / Hollow Man 2”

Actors: Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin, Greg Grunberg, Peter Facinelli, Laura Regan, Christian Slater
Directors: Paul Verhoeven, Claudio Fäh
Rated: Unrated / R
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 26, 2013
Run Time: 210 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When I think about Paul Verhoeven, I immediately think about the brilliant work he has done with “Robocop”, “Starship Troopers” and “Total Recall”, hell, even “Showgirls”…but I don’t really think about “Hollow Man”. The film was a see once and then forget about. Watching the film about on Blu-ray gave it a bit of new life. There are parts that I really liked and some I didn’t but overall it is a pretty good film. “Hollow Man 2” is exactly what you expect it would be. It is a lower budgeted direct-to-video film. It doesn’t reach half the standards of the first film due to time and budget but still entertains. Both of these films together on one Blu-ray seems like a no brainer, especially when it is less than $10 bucks. Can’t go wrong.

“Hollow Man” Official Premise: What would you do if you were invisible? How far would you go? After years of experimentation, Dr. Sebastian Caine, a brilliant but arrogant and egotistical scientist working for the Defense Department, has successfully transformed mammals to an invisible state and brought them back to their original physical form. Determined to achieve the ultimate breakthrough, Caine instructs his team to move on to Phase III: human experimentation. Using himself as the first subject, the invisible Caine finds himself free to do the unthinkable.

“Hollow Man 2” Official Premise: Christian Slater stars in the action-packed sequel to the box office hit Hollow Man as a volunteer soldier/assassin who goes mad after he turns invisible. A driven Seattle detective and the molecular biologist he s been assigned to protect, find themselves on the run from an undetectable solider gone rogue as he destroys everything in his path in order to find the serum to save his life and punish the unscrupulous scientists and agents of the government responsible for this creation.

Mill Creek delivered impressive audio and video and both films, even being compressed on one Blu-ray. The 1080p transfer for “Hollow Man” is sharp and clear, as was Sony’s 2007 Blu-ray. The audio is slightly different yet still very effective, boasting a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. The action and the score sound great. “Hollow Man 2” has that direct-to-video feel but still looks decent with its 1080p. Same goes for the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, which works well but doesn’t have the same suspense the first film did, also the score is not comparable. There are no special features on this release but at least “Hollow Man” comes with the director’s cut of the film. If you couldn’t care less about the sequel and want some extras you could always pick up the original “Hollow Man” Blu-ray from 2007, which still holds up.

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Blu-ray Review "Iron Man: Rise of Technovore"

Starring: Norman Reedus, Matthew Mercer, Clare Grant
Directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 16, 2013
Run Time: 88 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

With “Iron Man 3” a mere weeks away, who isn’t excited for anything “Iron Man” related.  This new animated film is arriving just in time to cash in on that demand. I was unaware but the film origins from Japan and is directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki, the genius behind great films like “Paranoid Agent” and “Highlander: The Search for Vengeance”.  The story comes from Brandon Auman, who knows the Marvel universe quite well with his experience on “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”.  The film is sure to leave hardcore fans very satisfied for sure.  It is action packed and very entertaining.

It also doesn’t hurt that it featuring tons of great Marvel superheroes besides Iron Man himself, including War Machine, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and (my favorite) The Punisher. Speaking the characters, they are voiced by great talent including Matthew Mercer (“Resident Evil Damnation” & “Thundercats”) as Iron Man and Norman Reedus (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) as The Punisher. Reedus easily steals the show, I just would have loved to seen him more in the film.  Marvel/Sony, do I smell an solo “The Punisher” animated film with Reedus in the cards? You better! There are a lot of “Walking Dead” fans out there!  I hope that this is also only the beginning of a new chapter in the popular “Iron Man” franchise. I would love to see additional animated projects for sure.

Official Premise: Billionaire Tony Stark, in his Iron Man armor, prevents an attack from a mysterious new foe, but innocent bystanders are killed, including his best friend War Machine, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Detained for questioning by S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man escapes, determined to find the mastermind behind the attack. Pursued by Black Widow and Hawkeye, Iron Man enlists the help of the ruthless vigilante The Punisher. But can the Armored Avenger handle what he finds when he catches the person responsible and is forced to face his deadliest weapon, a biotechnology called Technovore that could wipe out all life on the planet?

Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment delivered a very impressive Blu-ray release.  The film comes with the Blu-ray and also an Ultraviolet streaming digital copy, but where is the DVD disc?  The 1080p transfer is a thing of beautiful with the crisp animation and very sharp colors.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track was shaking my walls when I cranked it up, especially during the action scenes. The special features are a bit of a let down to this fun film.  There is an interactive art gallery, exclusive to the Blu-ray.  Besides that there are only two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Tale of Technovore”, which looks into the production of the anime; and “S.H.I.E.L.D.: Protecting the Marvel Universe” takes into its the superhero organization in the comics and adapted in the film.

 

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Blu-ray Review "The Man with the Iron Fists"

Actors: RZA, Russell Crowe, Rick Yune, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Jamie Chung
Directors: RZA
Rated: R / Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Running Time: 96 minutes (Theatrical) / 108 minutes (Unrated)

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“The Man with the Iron Fists” is a real labor of love for the rapper RZA, he not only directs but also co-wrote and stars in this wannabe-grindhouse kung-fu film. Let’s say he might have taken a bit more than he can chew. The plot is a mess and all over the place. The film is co-written and produced by genre favorite Eli Roth and is presented by Quentin Tarantino but they don’t really lend anything to the film. I think the reason why I am so upset is that this film didn’t live up to what it could have been. The only thing that made this film barely watchable is the occasional and rare action and the gore. This definitely not for everyone but the hardcore genre fans.

I had a real problem with the constant narrative by RZA. You can tell that he is really trying to fill in the major plot holes with useless dialogue. The fighting scenes are great and are well choreographed. The blend of CG effects work sometimes and then look crazy fake the rest. Props needs to go to my buddy Greg Nicotero and his partner Howard Berger for delivering some really sweet gore, which like I said is one off the saving graces for this film. This Blu-ray contains a theatrical and an unrated cuts of the film. The theatrical runs 95-minutes long, while the unrated cut runs an extended 107-minutes. The 12 minutes are made up of additional plot and gore, which for the most part adds enough to the film to check it out again.

RZA…I am sorry but the guy is not an actor. He may be a great rapper but the dude can’t carry this film and drags in down. He plays it way too serious and almost laughable. Russell Crowe continues his travels to becoming my favorite actor after his fantastic role in “Les Misérables”.  I mean the guy literally guts a man’s stomach and screams “My name is Mr. Knife.  You can call me Jack”. This guy is the shit, hands down and he is a freak in this film. Byron Mann also kick-ass as the film’s main baddie. Keep an eye out for cameos from Pam Grier and Kung-fu legend Gordon Liu

Universal delivers in terms of the release here, yet again.  It comes in a two-disc combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet.  The DVD actually comes with both the theatrical and unrated cuts, usually that is not the case.  Universal also did the same with this year’s “Death Race 3: Inferno”.  The 1080p transfer on the Blu-ray is stunning and looks fantastic but with a supposed grindhouse film, should it really look this polished? The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track also works well with the action and RZA’s score. You can literally hear the bones breaking and the body parts flying. In terms of the audio/visual, this release is fantastic.  That again goes to Universal who has yet to disappoint recently with their stunning releases.

Back to the negative side again of this film, the special features are not spectacular. There are about 20 minutes deleted and extended scenes.  Some of decent but the rest is just filler.  There is a super short featurette called “A Look Inside”, which has RZA talking about the film. It was actually quite interesting and then the two minutes were up and it left you wanting more.  Next up we have “On the Set with RZA”, which is also very short and consist of five one-minute promos on the story, the cast and the special effects. Lastly “A Path to the East” is another two-minute behind-the-scenes with RZA. I was left wanting a lot more…and where is the animated short prequel that was made to promote the film?

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Rick Yune talks about new film “The Man With the Iron Fists”

Rick Yune is known best for his roles in films like “Die Another Day” and “The Fast and The Furious”. He is starring in the new film “The Man With the Iron Fists” directed by RZA. Rick took out some time to chat about the film and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from the film “The Man With the Iron Fists”?
Rick Yune: It’s a great movie that is a martial arts themed film but it is also an epic adventure that brings characters together from all around the world to focus on a common cause.

MG: Can you tell us about your character Zen Yi and the inspiration for the character
RY: Zen Yi is the son of a warlord who has turned his back on that life. Instead he has fallen in love and lives in the mountains with the woman of his dreams. He finds out that his father has been killed and leaves the mountains to avenge his father’s death. It’s interesting because here is a guy who wants to do the right things but gets pulled back in to a life he doesn’t agree with. It’s just a kick ass film!

MG: What was it like working with such an amazing cast?
RY: I have known Rza for about 8 years. He has an uncanny ability to draw the best out of people. He can get people to raise themselves to a level they have never been to before. I saw him do this with people who couldn’t even speak English. He did things that I am surprised any director let alone a first time director could do. Because of him I was able to do stuff I didn’t think I could. Russell Crowe is one of the nicest, gentlest people you will ever meet. He spent so much time giving advice and support to others. Lucy was great on set kicking ass and was really fun and professional.

MG: What do you think was the most challenging part of the project for you?
RY: I lost 30 pounds for this role. I am a food addict so losing that weight and keeping it off was hard. All I could eat was yams and egg whites.

MG: You have played a number of villains in films like “Die Another Day” and “The Fast and The Furious” but in this film you play a hero. What did you like most about taking on that role?
RY: I don’t generally look at a role as being a hero or a villain or it being in a certain genre. I look at the character and the story. When I do play a villain I try and make him human. When you play a hero you have to understand the dark side because that is something that everyone has. No one is born Luke Skywalker. Most people are more like Han Solo.

MG: What other projects do you have in the works?
RY: I just finished “Olympus Has Fallen” with Gerard Butler and Antoine Fuqua who is just great. Working with guys like Antoine who know what it likes to be in a less than bad situation can convey that very easily on film. These guys grew up in tough neighborhoods so risk is not unknown to them. You will see that in the movie

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“The Man With the Iron Fists” ROE Tickets Giveaway! [ENDED]

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

If you would like to enter for a chance to win free passes to see THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS during its run of engagement (AKA ROE), please leave a comment below with your favorite martial arts film. Winners will be chosen on a RANDOM BASIS on November 2nd. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON/PER HOUSEHOLD PLEASE! OTHERWISE ALL ENTRIES WILL BE DISREGARDED. The winners will be will notified via email if chosen to win. Good luck and thanks for supporting MediaMikes.com

Quentin Tarantino presents THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth.  Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-take-all battle for a fortune in gold.

Blending astonishing martial-arts sequences from some of the masters of this world with the signature vision he brings as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most dominant figures of the past two decades, RZA embarks upon his most ambitious, stylized and thrilling project to date.

Joining Crowe, RZA and Liu in the cast are Rick Yune, Jamie Chung, Cung Le, Dave Bautista, Byron Mann, Daniel Wu and Pam Grier.

Universal Pictures will release THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS on Friday, November 2, 2012.

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Blu-ray Review “The Tall Man”

Director: Pascal Laugier
Starring: Jessica Biel, Stephen McHattie, Jodelle Ferland, William B. Davis
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Release Date: Sep 25, 2012
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 106 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I was really looking forward to this film, especially after French director Pascal Laugier’s last film, “Martyrs (2008)”. Well it wasn’t even on the same plain at all. “The Tall Man” is being labeled as a horror thriller but it is more horrible than horrific. After getting about 40 minutes into the film, I realized that I kept checking the clock. The next hour dragged and dragged. The film tries to be shocking by letting out revealing secrets, which just made it worse each time. The only good part of the film is that it stars Jessica Biel, but boy what is she doing in a film like this. Not even recommended for the most amateur of horror fans.

Official Synopsis: In an isolated, slowly dying mining town, children are vanishing without a trace – abducted, the townsfolk whisper, by a mysterious entity known locally as “The Tall Man.” Town nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) seems skeptical…until her young David disappears in the middle of night. Frantic to rescue the boy, Julia lives every parent’s darkest nightmare in this twisting, shock-around-each-corner thriller.

The Blu-ray comes in collectible “O-card” packaging, but that doesn’t wow me much. The 1080p transfer does look sharp, especially in dark scenes. The audio includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which works with whatever suspense there is in the film (which is little). The special features are very disappointing just like the film itself. There is one 9 minute deleted scene that deserves to stay deleted. There is also a visual concepts gallery, which is a waste of time unless you absolutely love this.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, man, review, tall

Britt Ekland talks about “The Wicker Man” and playing Bond Girl in “The Man with the Golden Gun”

Britt Ekland is known best for her roles in 1973’s “The Wicker Man” and playing Bond girl in “The Man with the Golden Gun”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Britt about her film work and her experiences working with Christopher Lee and Roger Moore.

Mike Gencarelli: How was the experience working on the film “The Wicker Man”?
Britt Ekland: It was very difficult as I discovered during shooting that I was pregnant. I couldn’t understand why my dress suddenly felt so tight. So, took the night train to London on my day off and went to the doctor for a test. He confirmed that I was pregnant. We had a lot of exterior shooting and, of course, it always had to look sunny and warm, but we worked in October and November so it was quite cold and windy in Scotland. There were a lot of exterior shooting and a lot of walking!

MG: Can you reflect on the cult status the film has developed over the years?
BE: I don’t think any of us, at the time, thought about it, for me it was just another movie and one I hadn’t been very happy doing. But I guess it was the first time, on screen, someonewasn’t saved in the end and I think that had a big impact on the audience.

MG: What did you like most about playing a Bond girl in “The Man with the Golden Gun”?


BE: I so wanted to be a Bond Girl after seeing Ursula Andress in Dr. No and those beautiful locations, that I read the book “The Man with The Golden Gun” and called Cubby Broccoli’s office to see him. I was already an established actressthen. I had dressed as a secretary (this was early 70’s) in a plain skirt, a white blouse and my hair in twist. Cubby said that the script wasn’t finished yet and they based the story more on the title. As I was leaving, Roger More came in and said hello. Very handsome. I had to go to the States to do a movie for 6 weeks and on the plane back to Britain, I read that another Swedish girl had been cast in the new Bond film. I was devastated! As soon as I got home my agent called and said Cubby Broccoli wanted to see me, I naively thought he was going to apologize for me not getting the part. As I waited in his office he suddenly walked in and said you are “Mary Goodnight!” I asked about that other Swedish girl and he said that is Christopher Lee’s girlfriend. I couldn’t have beenhappier meeting and working with Maud Adams, we have been the closest of friends ever since.

MG: How was it working with Roger Moore and Christopher Lee (again)?
BE: When I did the “Wicker Man”, I always found Christopher Lee very quiet and distant, but when we did the Bond Film, I met his Danish wife and we all got on very well together. But he is a very serious man. Roger on the other hand was very friendly and open and great fun to be with, always looking for ways to make us laugh. Roger had his wife and children with him on location. I also had my 2 children, Victoria and Nicholai, with me.

MG: How did you feel being dubbed in the role?
BE: Yes I was dubbed in the “Wicker Man”n even though I did my own dubbing in a Scottish accent, obviously they didn’t like it. As an actress I think that is probably the worst thing that can happen to you and I was very unhappy about it.

MG: Can you reflect on your experience in the show “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”?
BE: I was asked 2 years earlier to do the show but I wasn’t mentally ready to do it. It takes a lot of strength to “just be yourself” and not act. I also have a one-woman show and I wanted the exposure that a show like Get Me Out… gives. Even young boys on their bikes knew who I was, when I came out, amazing! To actually be in the show was quite boring as there is nothing to do all day, unless you have a task, and the rainforest set is quite small and you weren’t allowed to go outside it!

MG: You’ve done quite a bit of theatre, how can you feel it differs? Do you prefer?
BE: I went to drama school as a young woman and my first engagement was touring Sweden with a Variety show for many month, but then i was discovered by 20th Century Fox and my stage career ended. I went back to stage work in the early 90’s and had to learn all over again what it’s like being on stage. I had horrid stage fright in the beginning but slowly over the years, it doesn’t seem so frightening anymore. I very much enjoy being on stage and I love the interaction with the audience. I think you come to a certain age where your choices are limited and I now feel comfortable on stage.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: bond, britt, ekland, girl, golden, gun, ...

Cameron Argon talks about his one man band Disfiguring the Goddes

Cameron “Big Chocolate” Argon is the creator of the one man band Disfiguring the Goddess. Together with his Macintosh computer Cameron has put together a new album titled “Sleeper” Media Mikes had time to ask Cameron some brief questions about the project and the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the band?
Cameron Argon: Disfiguring the Goddess is a one man band that was started when I was 15/16. It’s now a one-man-band that consists of me and my lovely Macintosh computer.

AL: How would you describe your new album “Sleeper”?
CA: This is the most advanced album so far. I think it is also the best all-around album as far as production, structuring and tone goes. This is the first real album with an official push. This is also and first album letting the world know that this is a one man band.

<AL: Any plans to shoot a video for any of the songs?
CA: Funny you should ask. I just posted one the other day. People can check it out here:

AL: Can you tell us the idea behind not playing live shows?
 CA: I’m super busy with my EDM stuff. Disfiguring the Goddess is just a side project for me. I still love it, but my main focus is on my electronic music right now.

AL: Does the band have any other plans for this year?
CA: Possibly another album.

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: argon, badisfiguring, cameron, goddes, man, talks, ...

DVD Review “Iron Man: Armored Adventures – Season 2, Volume 1”

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Vivendi Entertainment
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Episodes: 6
Running Time: 141 minutes

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

This show does not work on any level at all. I am a big fan of the character “Iron Man” but this is a waste of time for any real Marvel fan. It will surely entertain young kids, who only do not know any better. The 3D CGI toon doesn’t even look good. It’s animation looks to date back to the days of “ReBoot”. I have a love of the simple hand drawn look of other Marvel shows like “The Super Hero Squad Show”.

This series also focuses on a younger (still cocky) Tony Stark, at the age of 16. It is a look inside early Stark’s life acting as heir of the billion-dollar corporation Stark International. Though he is already sporting the famous iron suit and friends with teenage version of Pepper Potts (who is incredibly annoying in this series). Season two focuses on Tony and his friend fighting to keep control of Stark International. They fight evil who seek to steal the suit and team up with rivals like Black Panther.

When the first season of “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” was released on DVD, it was presented as a complete series with a total of 26 episodes. Now for season two, they have decided to release them in 6 episode intervals. I am not a fan of this decision, it seems like a way to cash in the recent explosion of “The Avengers”. And they seemed like they didn’t want to wait for season two to be completed.   The episodes included are: “The Invisible Iron Man Part 1: Disassembled!”, “The Invisible Iron Man Part 2: Reborn!”, “Look into the Light”, “Ghost in the Machine”, “Armor Wars” and “Line of Fire”.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 1, 2, adventures, armored, dvd, iron, ...

“Man on a Ledge” Blu-ray and Prize Pack Giveaway [ENDED]

THANK YOU FOR ENTERING, THE CONTEST HAS ENDED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AND NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EVERY WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

The action-thriller MAN ON A LEDGE, featuring an all star cast, led by Sam Worthington (Avatar, Clash of the Titans, Terminator: Salvation) as an ex-cop who escapes from prison to plan the ultimate heist: steal a $40 million diamond from a cutthroat businessman, and in the process prove his innocence. Hailed by critics as “a heart-pounding adrenaline rush,” the film will debut on Blu-ray and DVD on May 29th.

Media Mikes is excited to offer our readers a chance to win a great prize pack in order to celebrbate the release of “Man on a Ledge”. If you would like to win one of these great prizes below, all you have to do is “LIKE” our Facebook page and then post “Man/Ledge” or leave us a comment below if you don’t use Facebook. This giveaway will be open until Friday June 1st 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 pick out winners and alert the winners via email.

The giveaway packs including the following:
“Man on a Ledge” Blu-ray BD
Black Baseball Cap with Man on the Ledge logo
Black Coffee Tumbler with man on the Ledge logo

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: bluray, giveaway, ledge, man, pack, prize, ...
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