Win the Latest Movie from the Director of “Jeepers Creepers”, “Dark House” on Blu-ray [ENDED]

To celebrate the release on Blu-ray, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of “Dark House” on Blu-ray. 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 horror film. This giveaway will remain open until March 28th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada 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

Famed horror director Victor Salva (“Jeepers Creepers”  returns in the blood-curdling new film starring Tobin Bell (“Saw” franchise), “Dark House”. From the mind of Charles Agron, the eerie thriller follows Nick Di Santo (Luke Kleintank, “Pretty Little Liars”) who has the chilling ability to foresee how one will inevitably perish by simply touching them. Tormented by this power, Nick learns from his institutionalized mother (Golden Globe nominee Lesley-Anne Down, “North and South”) that his father, whom he previously thought was deceased, is actually alive. Hoping that he can reveal the origin of his dark gift, Nick sets off to find his father with his best friend (Anthony Ray Perez, “Don’t Pass Me By”) and girlfriend (Alex McKenna, “90210”).
Along their journey, they are terrified when they realize that every road they take leads them to the same decrepit mansion, one that only previously existed in Nick’s childhood imagination. Finally succumbing to the will of the house, Nick soon finds himself in a horrifying battle with a mysterious, haunting figure (Bell).

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Enter to Win “Veronica Mars” Movie Prize Pack Giveaway [ENDED]

To celebrate the release date of the “Veronica Mars” movie on March 14th, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway a great movie prize pack from the film, including a DVD of the film and trucker hat. If you would like to enter for your chance to win this prize pack, please use blog app below and test your “Veronica Mars” trivia and submit your findings below. This giveaway will remain open until March 19th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada 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.

On the eve of graduating law school, Veronica Mars has put Neptune and her amateur sleuthing days behind her. While interviewing at high-end New York law firms, Veronica Mars gets a call from her ex-boyfriend Logan who has been accused of murder. Veronica heads back to Neptune just to help Logan find an attorney, but when things don’t seem right with how Logan’s case is perceived and handled, Veronica finds herself being pulled back into a life she thought she had left behind.

See it In Theaters MARCH 14
Pre-order on DIGITAL HD

http://theveronicamarsmovie.com
http://twitter.com/@veronicamars

ABOUT HOW THE FILM GOT MADE:
Following a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that ended on April 12, 2013, Veronica Mars was shot over 23 days during June-July 2013. It will be released in selected theaters nationwide on March 14th, 2014.

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Film Review “The Lego Movie”

Starring the voices of: Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks and Chris Pratt
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Everything is Awesome!” Or so goes the very catchy song that plays constantly on the radios of the citizens of Bricksburg, personally approved by President Business. An appropriate song, as it fit’s the movie it’s featured in perfectly.

An amazing film on so many levels, the creators of “The Lego Movie” have taken a simple plaything – seriously, it’s a block of plastic – and turned it into a fun, action packed adventure for the whole family. The story begins when Lord Vitruvius (voiced by the great Morgan Freeman) informs his followers that one day a “master builder” will show him/her self and find the missing piece to save their world. Eight and a half years later we’re introduced to Emmet (Pratt), an ordinary citizen with an ordinary job who happily sings along with the above mentioned song, watches the land’s number one television show (“Where Are My Pants?”) and lives his life by the instructions provided. One day he stumbles onto a work site where he interrupts Wyldstyle (Banks) in mid-search for the legendary missing piece. Soon he is drafted into a rebel group that includes many of the familiar pop culture characters of the past 50 years, from Batman (Will Arnett) to Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). Pursued by Bad Cop (Liam Neeson), the group manages to stay one step ahead of being captured. They discover a plot to destroy their world, courtesy of a weapon known as KRAGLE. Can our heroes save the day? Come on…Lando Calrissian.

I must admit that I never really played with LEGOs as a kid. The fact that I couldn’t even build a square probably had something to do with that. But I’ve always admired the people that can take a box and build the Death Star from “Star Wars.” That admiration grows 10 fold for the makers of this film. Everything you see on screen – from the characters, their homes…even the clouds in the sky and the water in the ocean…is a LEGO. And if you can, catch this in 3D – it’s pretty incredible. The action on screen is accompanied by some great voice actors obviously having fun. As Batman, Arnett steals the film, so much so that you can only hope for a stand-alone Batman/LEGO film one day. Others dropping by to lend their talents include Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Dave Franco and Nick Offerman. Even Shaquile O’Neal drops by. Morgan Freeman and Shaq – you’re not going to see these two guys together on screen very often. That’s awesome!

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DVD Review “Dr. Kildare Movie Collection”

Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Lew Ayres
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
DVD Release Date: January 23, 2014
Running Time: 737 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

With all the flashy films being released today with ridiculous large budgets, some times it is great to revisit simple classics from an earlier era of film. Dr. Kildare is a character created by the author Frederick Schiller Faust, under the pen name Max Brand. This movie collection release includes the series of films that he was featured in, which were released in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The character continues right through the 70’s with a radio series in the 50’s, a TV series in the 60’s and 70’s. If you are a fan of this character, then these films are a must to revisit.

The collection included the following 9 films: “Young Dr. Kildare” (1938), “Calling Dr. Kildare” (1939), “The Secret of Dr. Kildare” (1939), “Dr. Kildare’s Strange Case” (1940), “Dr. Kildare Goes Home” (1940), “Dr. Kildare’s Crisis” (1940), “The People vs. Dr. Kildare” (1941), “Dr. Kildare’s Wedding Day” (1941), “Dr. Kildare’s Victory” (1942). Also as an added bonus, there DVD set contains the unaired 1960 MGM-TV pilot film for the “Dr. Kildare” series starring Lew Ayres and also co-starring Robert Redford!. This is a real treat for any fan as well.

Official Premise: Although not the first actor to don the scrubs of Max Brand’s idealistic young intern, Lew Ayres owned the role for a series of superlative medical dramas that cemented in place all the ample talent that had long been on display, starting with All Quiet on The Western Front (1930). Ayres’ costar, the needs-no-superlatives Lionel Barrymore, who, as the grumpy, garrulous and brilliant Dr. Leonard Gillespie found a regular supporting role that was roomy enough to showcase his prodigious gifts that would continue in a series of flicks even after Ayres departed the title role.

When it comes to the quality of these films you have to consider that they are all over 70 years old. According to Warner Archives site, they have been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored for this DVD release. So they are not perfect but still have that classic quality about them.  They are also presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.37:1.

If you are looking for the more “Dr. Kildare”, Warner Archive Collection have released the TV series available in their Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) sets. “The Complete First Season” was released back in April 16, 2013 and “The Complete Second Season” was just put out this year on January 28 2014. They are available via available via WBShop.com & Amazon.com like this release as well. Like this release since they are MOD, we do not know how long they will be produced so get them while you can!

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DVD Review “My Little Pony: Classic Movie Collection”

Starring: Tabitha St. Germain, Janyse Jaud, Adrienne Carter, Britt McKillip, Chantal Strand, Andrea Libman, Kathleen Barr, Venus Terzo, Kelly Sheridan, Brian Drummond, Ellen Kennedy
Directed by: Vic Dal Chele, John Grusd
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 180 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

This two disc box set includes four classic “My Little Pony” movies, including: “Princess Promenade” (2006), “Runaway Rainbow” (2006), “Dancing in the Clouds” (2004) and “Friends Are Never Far Away” (2005). Shout! is a huge backer of this series and I can’t wait to see what they have planned next. I have my figures crossed for the original 1980’s series. With the success of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”, this series is now more popular than ever. Recommended for any fan of “My Little Pony” both young and old.

Official Premise: The My Little Pony adventures you grew up with are back in this collection of four timeless classic tales of Pony-rific fun! Join your favorite Ponies, including Wysteria, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Minty, and even Spike the Dragon for four outrageous tales guaranteed to make your heart swell and teach you the true meaning and value of friendship and teamwork!

“Princess Promenade” Premise: Wysteria and Pinkie Pie cross paths with a sleeping dragon named Spike who crowns someone a new princess. “Dancing In The Clouds” Premise: Twinkle Twirl tries to come up with a great idea to help with a dance for the Friendship Ball. “Runaway Rainbow” Premise: Rarity is teleported to another land. She wonders if she will be rescued in time to make the first rainbow of the season. “Friends Are Never Far Away” Premise: Ponyville and Butterfly Island try to become friends and work together.

My daughter is 19 months old and she has been obsessed with “Monies” as she called them since we received “My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas” last October. I personally would prefer the animation style of the 1980’s “My Little Pony” or even “Friendship is Magic” but my daughter is the one who is watching this over and over and over, so she really seems to dig it quite a bit. In terms of special features there is only a sing-along included for “Princess Promenade” and that is all.

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MediaMikes.com Announce Winners of 2013 Movie Awards

Entertainment web site Media Mikes.com announced the winners of their annual movie awards for 2013 today.

“Gravity,” director Alfonso Cuaron’s space epic earned four awards, including Best Picture of 2013, after tabulating nominations submitted by the staff and readers of Media Mikes.com, one of the fastest growing entertainment web sites on the Internet. Readers were asked to send in their choices in the following categories: Picture, Director, Animated Feature, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress. Votes could be submitted either on the site or via email. Awards were also given in the categories of Original Score, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay and Documentary Feature. These were chosen by a vote among staff members of the web site. Starting next year, these categories will also be open to the readers.

The winners are:
BEST PICTURE 
Gravity
BEST DIRECTOR    
Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Frozen
       BEST ACTOR           
Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips
 BEST ACTRESS    
Sandra Bullock – Gravity
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 Feet From Stardom
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright – The World’s End
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
 Steven Price – Gravity

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2013 Holiday Movie Preview

As the holiday season approaches you can smell it on the air.  No, not turkey and pumpkin pie!  I’m talking popcorn and Junior Mints.  Because with the holidays comes an opportunity to sample the best (sometimes) of what Hollywood has to offer.  From sure Oscar contenders to “might as well get it off the shelf” films, here is a list of some goodies that are on the menu between now and the end of the year.

As always, thanks to our friends at the Internet Movie Data Base for some synopsis information.  And remember, opening dates published are subject to change at the whim of the studios.  Enjoy!

 

NOVEMBER 27

BLACK NATIVITY

Starring:  Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Jennifer Hudson  

Directed by:  Kasi Lemmons

Based on an early 1961 stage musical by Langston Hughes, the film tells the story of a single mother in Harlem sending her teenage son to visit her parents in Baltimore for the holidays.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Whitaker and Hudson already have one and Bassett earned a nomination for her incredible portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”  Writer/director Lemmons, probably best known for her work as an actress (she was Jodie Foster’s roommate/partner in “Silence of the Lambs”) previously helmed “Eve’s Bayou” and “Talk to Me.”  That all being said, the possibilities are there!

 

FROZEN

Starring the voices of:  Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell     

Directed by:  Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

When Princess Elsa accidentally uses her magic to cover her kingdom in ice it is up to her younger sister, Anne, to warm things up.

OSCAR CHANCES:  A possible nomination for Best Animated Feature but I think “Despicable Me 2” has that award sewn up.

 

HOMEFRONT

Starring:  Jason Statham and James Franco 

Directed by:  Gary Fleder

A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth drug lord.  Based on the novel by Chuck Logan, the film’s script writer is none other than Sylvester Stallone.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Sly did nab a Best Original Screenplay nod back in 1976 for “Rocky” but I’m not to optimistic.

 

OLD BOY

Starring:  Josh Brolin
Directed by:  Spike Lee

A remake of the 2003 South Korean action film, Brolin stars as a man placed in solitary confinement for 20 years with no idea why or by who.  When he’s finally released he makes it his mission to answer those questions in a most bloody manner.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Could tie with “Machete’ Kills” for most blood used in a single film. (oh if only that was a category).

 

NOVEMBER 29

MANDELA:  LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (Moved to December 25th)

Starring:  Idris Elba and Naomie Harris

Directed by:  Justin Chadwick

Based on the autobiography of the great South African leader Nelson Mandela, the film follows his life from his early days as a student to his imprisonment through his rise as President of his country.

OSCAR CHANCES:  The Academy loves biographical stories and Elba is said to deliver a brilliant performance.

 

DECEMBER 6

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

Starring:  Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake        

Directed by:  Joel and Ethan Coen

The brothers Coen take a look at the early days of the folk music scene in New York City.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Three words:  “the Coen brothers.”  Academy Award nominations stick to their films like Mary Lou Retton sticking a dismount!  (please tell me you know who Mary Lou Retton is)

 

THE LAST DAYS ON MARS

Starring:  Liev Schreiber and Elias Koteas   

Directed by:  Ruairi Robinson

The title says it all.  Schreiber leads a manned mission to the Red Planet where things don’t go as planned.

OSCAR CHANCES:  No.

 

OUT OF THE FURNACE

Starring:  Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson 

Directed by:  Scott Cooper

When his younger brother disappears, Russell Baze takes it upon himself to find out why and becomes entangled in the world of underground bare-knuckle fighting.  Wow, it looked so cool when Clint Eastwood and Clyde were doing it.

OSCAR CHANCES:  This is Cooper’s second film, his first being the Oscar winning “Crazy Heart.”  Bale has an Oscar and little Affleck and Woody have nominations so nothing is ruled out here.

 

DECEMBER 13 (limited opening – Opens wide December 18th)

AMERICAN HUSTLE

Starring:  Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams    

Directed by:  David O. Russell

A look back at the 1970s and the famous ABSCAM sting in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Director Russell has assembled the cast members of his previous two films (“The Fighter” and “Silver Linings Playbook”) for a very ambitious project.  The main cast members either have Oscars or been nominated for one as has Russell so I’m giving this film a definite “yes.”

 

THE HOBBIT:  THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Starring:  Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom and the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed by:  Peter Jackson

The second film in director Jackson’s planned HOBBIT trilogy follows Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf friends as they attempt to reclaim what’s rightly theirs from the dreaded dragon Smaug.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Of course.  Many fans of the books are upset that Bloom’s Legolas shows up but come on, “Pirates 5” has been postponed and Orlando Bloom has to eat.  Thankfully I’m guessing most members of the academy ever read Tolkien so look for this to earn many technical nods.

 

SAVING MR. BANKS

Starring:  Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson

Directed by:  John Lee Hancock

The behind the scenes tale of the struggles Walt Disney had to undertake to turn P.L. Travers novel, “Mary Poppins,” into a film.  I’ve known for years that she didn’t like Dick Van Dyke being cast so how incredibly insane must she have been?

OSCAR CHANCES:  Several, starting with previous two-time winners Hanks and Thompson.

 

TYLER PERRY’S A MEDEA CHRISTMAS

Starring: Tyler Perry 

Directed by:  Tyler Perry

If you haven’t jumped down to the next film, you’re a better person than I.  The title says it all.

OSCAR CHANCES:  I actually stopped typing and slapped myself for including the words “Oscar Chances” within two sentences – top or bottom – of the name Tyler Perry.

 

DECEMBER 18

HER (limited opening – Opens wide January 10th)

Starring:  Joaquin  Phoenix and the voice of Scarlett Johansson

Directed by:  Spike Jonze

As the world grows more reliant on technology a man begins to fall in love with the female voice of his computer operating system.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Jonze’s “Being John Malkovich” scored a few nods so I’m not ruling anything out.

 

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES

Starring:  Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell

Directed by:  Adam McKay

Ron Burgandy and the rest of his channel 4 news team are picked to help launch a 24-hour news channel.

OSCAR CHANCES:  A great mustache and salon quality hair could equal Best Makeup.

 

DECEMBER 20
WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

Starring the voices of:  John Leguizamo and Justin Long                                                                                                                

Directed by:  Barry Cook and Neil Nightingale

Three young Pachyrhinosauruses discover the ups and downs of the prehistoric world.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Again, like “Frozen,”  maybe an animated nod.

 

DECEMBER 25

47 RONIN

Starring:  Keanu Reeves

Directed by:  Carl Rinsch

A band of samurai set out to avenge the death and dishonor of their master at the hands of a ruthless shogun.

OSCAR CHANCES:  This is the kind of film that pulls the costume award nomination.

 

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Starring:  Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Ewan McGregor                                                                                                        

Directed by:  John Wells

A screen adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Tony-award winning play about a family that gathers for the funeral of a relative and the internal battles that resurrect themselves.

OSCAR CHANCES:  I had the good fortune of seeing this film a couple of months ago and I’m going to say there will be no less than three nominations here.

 

BELIEVE

Starring:  Justin Bieber

Directed by:  John M. Chu

When a deadly virus strikes Canada, it is discovered that it’s evil host is…….Damn, I’d like to BELIEVE that was the plot.  Another concert film for those fans who apparently spent enough money on the first one to rate another.

OSCAR CHANCES:  As much as Tyler Perry.

 

GRUDGE MATCH

Starring:  Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro

Directed by:  Peter Segal

30 years since their last fight, boxers Henry “Razor” Sharp and Billy “the Kid” McDonnen, participate in a television special that rekindles old fires.  Or as I like to think of it, Rocky Balboa vs Jake Lamotta!

OSCAR CHANCES:  Probably not but this promises to be fun.

 

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN

Starring:  Ralph Fiennes and Felicity Jones

Directed by:  Ralph Fiennes

No, nothing spooky going on here.  The film tells the story of famed English author Charles Dickens and his secret affair with a younger woman.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Remember, it’s a bio-pic, so I’ll say maybe.

 

LABOR DAY

Starring:   Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin 

Directed by:  Jason Reitman

A woman and her young son are made to shelter an escaped convict.  The story gets interesting when she begins to fall for him.  I was so worried this was going to be the third film in Garry Marshall’s “holiday” trilogy!

OSCAR CHANCES:  Always a “yes” when director Reitman is in the mix.

 

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

Starring:  Ben Stiller and Sean Penn 

Directed by:  Ben Stiller

Director/star Stiller attempts to update the classic 1947 film that featured the great Danny Kaye.  Bored with his life, Walter Mitty imagines himself in various exciting situations.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Maybe something technical.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Starring:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Ethan Suplee                                              

Directed by:  Martin Scorsese

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort; from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.  This film was originally scheduled to open on November 15 and was pushed back at almost the last minute to finish post production.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Marty and Leo equal yes!

 

LONE SURVIVOR (limited opening – Opens wide January 10th)

Starring:  Mark Wahlberg and Ben Foster                                                                                                                                          

Directed by:  Peter Berg

The telling of a June 2005 military mission to capture a Talibad leader that went wrong.

OSCAR CHANCES:  Oh yeah.

 

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Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 2013, holiday, movie, preview

Country singer Hudson Moore talks about new movie “Sweetwater”

If Hudson Moore had his way he’d be making movies. After three years as a film major at the University of Texas he put his love for films on hold to follow another passion: music. The 22-year old native Texan has since opened for such major acts as ZZ Top, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson and Rascal Flatts. This week he takes another step in his career with the release this week of the new film “Sweetwater,” starring Ed Harris and January Jones. Moore was given the chance to write an original song for the film and jumped at it. While on tour (his next stop is in Lubbock, Texas – the birthplace of Buddy Holly – on October 18), Hudson took some time to talk with Media Mikes about music, hard work and the opportunities of sitting off stage.

Mike Smith: What is it inside that made you want to pursue music as more than a hobby? Where did the passion come from to decide to make it a career?
Hudson Moore: First you definitely have to have the passion for it, obviously. You have to love it. Second you have to have the determination to work hard…to make it work. There are so many talented people out there. It often comes down to your work effort, your grit and your perseverance. Anybody who has done this knows it’s not an easy road. It’s a hard road…it’s a long road. But it can be very rewarding. I’m a firm believer in that if you work hard enough at something you’ll eventually succeed at it. That’s my view. It can take some time. Some people blow up right away. Some can take thirty years to get recognition. It’s a gamble.

MS: Can you remember when you wrote your first song?
HM: I do. I wrote my first song when I was sixteen years old. My first full song.

MS: Early this year the Country Music Academy named you one of the artists who is “New To Watch” in country music. As a musician at the beginning of his career does that put a little pressure on you when you perform?
HM: You can’t really put too much stock in those things. I’m always flattered whenever anyone says kind things about me. But honestly, I just keep on moving down the road. But as an artist I think I do perform better under pressure. It can be good for you. You have to raise the bar and be your best. So honestly, I enjoy being in the spotlight and having that pressure to perform.

MS: You’ve opened for some major acts – from ZZ Top to Rascal Flatts. When you’re done with your set do you stand backstage and watch them as a fan or do you study them as a fellow performer?
HM: I watch them as a fan! Some of the bands I’ve opened up for I’ve really admired. ZZ Top…Alan Jackson…Rascal Flatts. Then there are the Texas guys, like the Eli Young Band. For me I enjoy the show and I get great exposure. And I do sit back and watch and try to learn all I can about being an entertainer and how I can become a better performer. It’s almost like a master class. I get to sit beside the stage and watch these great bands do their thing. It’s a real blessing.

MS: You contributed an original song (“The Cold, Gray Light of Dawn”) to the new film “Sweetwater.” How does that process work? Do they give you a script…show you the movie…?
HM: My brother, Tucker, is a producer on the film and he called me and asked me if I would write an original song for the film and I said, “sure.” That’s something I’d always wanted to do. He gave me a rough cut of the film on DVD and I watched it with my friend Wally Wilson, who helped me write the song. We watched it in a motel room in Austin, Texas while we were out of town. We had a week to write the song, record it, master it and get it to the director so it was really a time crunch. We watched the film and, honestly, within an hour and a half, we had our song. It was one of those days were everything was kind of lining up. We were so inspired by the film that the song kind of wrote itself.

MS: What are you working on next?
HM: I have a new album coming out next month called “True Love.” It’s something I’ve been working on for a while now when I haven’t been touring and I’m excited to get it out. I’m also writing songs in Nashville and at home in Texas for my third album. So I’m putting an album out, working on the next one and touring. It’s busy but that’s the way I like it.

To hear Hudson Moore’s music or to see him on tour, go to http://hudsonmoore.net/home/

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Jeffrey Hornaday talks about directing Disney Channel’s “Teen Beach Movie”

Jeffrey Hornaday has work choreography with tons of great talent including Madonna and Michael Jackson, as well as tons of films including “Dick Tracy”, “Flashdance”, “A Chorus Line”. His latest film is  the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”, which he is toke on the role of both director and choreographer.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jeffrey about “Teen Beach Movie” and its impact on pop culture this summer.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you became attached to the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”?
Jeffrey Hornaday: I had worked with Disney Channel before on a film called “Geek Charming”. It wasn’t a musical but it was a romantic comedy. It got really good ratings and I got nominated for a Director’s Guild Award. So we all came away very happy with how it went. So when this came up given Disney’s background and mine also with musicals, it was a natural fit.

MG: Tell us about your approach to making this a true summer film?
JH: When you look back at the old beach party movies from the 60’s, you think about those and get this sort of nostalgia and warmth. If you go back and look at them now, they are kind of flat [laughs]. The choreography is kids basically dancing a little at the beach. They are not full blown production numbers. We decided instead of trying to clone what those used to be, let’s do something that makes you feel like when you think about that nostalgia feeling. We sort of took the gloves off and gave ourself the right to go past what the original genre was. We really tried to tap into what it is feels like to think about those movies.

MG: Tell us about your approach to the music in the film?
JH: The music department was really great and wanted to approach it like a Broadway show. Rather than giving them a laundry list of catalog songs, we got together with the composers on number and really talked about it and work-shopped the ideas. It was really like we were putting on a Broadway show and that was really fun.

MG:  How was it taking on the role of both director and choreographer on this project?
JH: Because my background is in choreography in Los Angeles not Broadway, I learned about design choreography for camera, which is a very different world. I was lucky that I got to work with really good directors in the past. So it is kind of coming full circle and having more control it actually made the process easier to translate to someone who doesn’t have the choreography experience. I also had help with the choreography from a brilliant young guy, Christopher Scott, he was just incredible to work with. It was a great collaboration and we had this unspoken connection. He came into the project with a lot of ideas. That made it really fun and easier to share the load.

MG: What was your most challenging song to film?
JH: The physical aspect of just shooting on the beach was first a big challenge. Working with sand is not easy. It is hard enough to walk or even run on the beach yet alone dance. There is a number called “Crusin’ for a Brusin'”, which was challenging but in a fun way. There is a song from “West Side Story” called “Cool” and I had that as a prototype in my mind. You could really feel the cinematographer’s hand in the song and it was an homage to that. It was very carefully designed and quite the challenge.

MG: Let’s talk about the success of the film since it has aired on Disney Channel?
JH: It is hard to predict that type of success, especially in pop culture. I remember when I choreographed “Flashdance” at the time and we just thought we were doing this little movie but had no idea that it was going to touch a nerve on pop culture. The thing that was interesting to me was the connection of the old school American musical. You wonder about if the younger audience was going to be able to connect to this, especially since this film deals with aspects from the 60’s. But they have been really able to connect to it.

MG: Any plans to for a follow up to “Teen Beach Movie”?
JH: There has been no confirmation yet. I know that they are certainly thinking about it and their story department has it in development. It would be a no-brainer for me. So I am on-board. I am also currently writing a screenplay for Disney right now. It will have music but is also a contemporary piece. So I am hard at work right now.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: beach, channels, directing, disney, hornaday, jeffrey, ...

Blu-ray Review “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie” (Collector’s Edition)

Actors: Michael J. Nelson, Trace Beaulieu, Kevin Murphy
Directors: Jim Mallon
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Run Time: 74 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I have been a way of Mystery Science Theater 3000 or MST3K (to hardcore fans) since it first started airing on TV. I have always admired classic 50/60’s cheesy sci-fi/horror films growing up and this was a great way to enjoy it on a new level through humor. MST3K was produced and set between seasons 6 and 7 of the show and felt like a regular episode of the show yet quite epic at the same time. Trace Beaulieu (Crow T. Robot), Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo) and Michael J. Nelson are just a riot together. If you are a fan of this type of humor also check out Michael J. Nelson and Kevin Murphy’s latest collaboration, RiffTrax, which are downloadable audio commentaries for many many great (I mean horrible films). “This Island Earth” is such a fun film, bad, but still fun. The jokes are never better and still funny after all these years. I highly recommended release for all fans of MST3K!

Official Premise: After six seasons of sublime, nerdy fun on television, the cult comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000 took to the big screen in 1996 for its deliriously funny takedown of the 1955 alien invasion epic This Island Earth. Evil scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester explains the premise at the start: in his quest for world domination, he devises a scheme to subject the human race to the worst movies ever made. He tests his plan on Mike Nelson, the sole human aboard an Earth-orbiting space station known as the Satellite of Love. But our hero and his two robot sidekicks turn a lemon into a much funnier lemon by showering This Island Earth with wisecracks, ridicule and general silliness. The human race may never be rid of cheesy movies, but when the critics are this nutty, who cares?

Shout! Factory released this Collector’s Edition as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. I have to admit, I was actually rather impressed with the 1080p transfer. We have all see MST3K and we know that the films that they critique are not the highest quality of cinema. They are usually old 50/60’s public domain films but they did a good job of cleaning this up for its high-def debut. The DTS-HD Master Audio track also works well with the film’s very fast and snappy jokes.

What I am most excited about is the fact that there are some decent special features included for this release. There is “The Making of Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie”, which gives a lot of great insight about the MST3K crew and the production. There are deleted scenes including the removed sequences from the riffed motion picture and the alternate ending. So this is a must for all fans! “Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie: The Motion Picture Odyssey” includes new interviews with cast and crew and never-before-seen behind the scenes footage. This is again a must for any fan. “This Island Earth: 2 1/2 Years In the Making” shows how much preparation it was to put this today. Lastly there is the original trailer included.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 3000, bluray, collectors, edition, movie, mystery, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition”

Actors: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz
Directors: James Frawley
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Run Time: 95 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love The Muppets! Like many, I grew up watching the Muppets and have already loved their “The Muppet Movie”. Disney is releasing this film for the first time on Blu-ray in it’s Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (34 years technically). This is the first and probably the best Muppets feature film to date. It stars Kermit and the Gang, Austin Pendleton, Charles Durning, Mel Brooks and Dom DeLuise. It is also jam packed with great cameos including Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Bob Hope, Orson Welles, James Coburn, Elliott Gould, Carol Kane, Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman. After nearly 35 years, this film is just as entertaining and a pleasure to revisit with the family. It has great movie and will guarantee a smile be put on your face! Plus with the The Muppets’ new movie, “Muppets Most Wanted” in theatres March 21, 2014, they are hotter than ever!

Official Premise: Celebrate the Nearly 35th Anniversary of the ultimate frogs-to-riches story with the one that started it all: The Muppet Movie. From the very first “plunk!” of Kermit’s banjo playing “The Rainbow Connection” (Oscar nominee, Best Original Song, 1979), to the hysterical road trip that brings the fearless frog together with Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal and most importantly of all, Miss Piggy, join the jam-packed heartwarming hilarity, outrageous antics and big-shot Hollywood cameos.

Disney brings this film on Blu-ray in a nice combo pack with a digital copy included, which can be redeemed to Vudu or Amazon Instant Video. I am very excited that Disney is finally getting away from the physical digital copy discs and jumping on the streaming digital copy bandwagon. “The Muppet Movie” has never looked better, its 1080p transfer is gorgeous. Any fan of this movie should be blown away at how impressive it looks. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also sounds amazing and works very well with the music in the film like “The Rainbow Connection”, very impressive.

The special features included on this release are a must-watch as well. Firstly, there is director “Jim Frawley’s Extended Camera, which includes previously unseen footage. This is a must watch for any fan of the film. “Interactive Disney Intermission, Starring the Muppets” is a great new feature that really encourages extended and numerous bathroom breaks. Disney has actually made pausing the movie cool with great in-between footage that will entertain along with the film. There is featurette included for Pepe Profiles – “Kermit: A Frog’s Life”. There is an all-new Interactive Frog-E-Oke Sing-Along, which is a ton of fun as wel. Lastly there is a Doc Hooper’s Commercial and Original Trailers included. Left me feeling very satisfied here!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 35th, anniversary, bluray, edition, movie, muppet, ...

Blu-ray Review “Scary Movie V: Unrated”

Actors: Simon Rex, Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Katt Williams
Directors: Malcolm D. Lee
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Anchor Bay/Weinstein Company
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Run Time: 88 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

I have always been a fan of the comedy spoof genre. “Airplane” was and still is my favorite comedy of all-time. “Scary Movie” came in 2000 and was a nice change to the genre. “Scary Movie 2” was not a great follow-up, “Scary Movie 3” was amazing and very funny (before Charlie Sheen went crazy) and then “Scary Movie 4” was another disappointment. So this franchise hasn’t had the best track record, well “Scary Movie V” just puts the nail in the coffin.

One thing, this latest installment does have is an interesting collection of cast including Ashley Tisdale, Simon Rex, Molly Shannon, Heather Locklear, J.P. Manoux, Jerry O’Connell, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Bow Wow, Terry Crews, Mike Tyson Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan. But unfortunately this is just one boring gags after another that have no connection to each other and its gets old after the opening scene. Stay away from this at any cost!

Official Synopsis: The Scary Movie series lampoons the greatest in horror and genre fare, and has grossed over $800 million worldwide. This latest installment includes send ups of Paranormal Activity, Mama, Sinister, The Evil Dead, Inception, Black Swan, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and pop culture featuring Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Snoop Dogg, Katt Williams, Molly Shannon, Terry Crews, Simon Rex, Jerry O’Connell, Sarah Hyland, Katrina Bowden, Tyler Posey, Shad Moss aka Bow Wow, Kate Walsh, Heather Locklear, Mac Miller and Mike Tyson.

Despite the film being horrendous, Anchor Bay delivered an impressive Blu-ray release with a sharp 1080p video and an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track sounds good. They released this on a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and an UltraViolet digital copy. In terms of special features like the film, there is nothing worth wild watching here either. There are a bunch of additional boring deleted and extended scenes, come to about 10 minutes more footage.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, movie, review, scary, unrated

DVD Review “Teen Beach Movie”

Actors: Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Grace Phipps, Garrett Clayton, John DeLuca
Director: Jeffrey Hornaday
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 30, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

Ever since “High School Musical” aired on Disney Channel seven years ago, it has brought back the musical and delivered it to a younger audience. I grew up watching musical like “Grease” and I cannot say not to a fun and excited film with great music. Well “Teen Beach Movie” definitely delivers some major fun for the entire family. I watched this film with my 14 month old daughter and she literally had a blast and was running around screaming. It may be cheesy and but I feel that it is exactly what it should be. Ross Lynch is known best for his role in Disney Channel TV series, “Austin & Ally” and really does great singing and dancing. Maia Mitchell is an Australian newcomer, who is going to be very big in the coming years. It delivers some really catchy fun musical, along with a cute young very talented cast and comes together into a very entertaining 90 minutes. Most importantly the film also packs an important message for kids. Highly recommended.

Official Premise: “Teen Beach Movie” centers around two teen surfers, Brady and Mackenzie, who are magically transported into a 1960’s beach movie where they must try to blend in until they can find their way out. They soon discover that there is an intense rivalry between the local surfers and bikers. Things don’t go according to plan when our modern-day duo accidentally change the plot of the movie, and the two lead characters fall for them instead of each other! As everyone around them starts singing and dancing, and a fight between the bikers and surfers breaks out, Brady and Mack must attempt to get out of the movie and back to present day.

There twelve brand new songs within for this film with each one being more fun than the next. Sure they are cheesy but still fun. “Surf Crazy” is a great energtic song. “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin'” is easily my favorite.  I love the dance choreography during this song.  Same goes for “Like Me”, which is ultra catchy and really fun. All I can say is that the minute, we finished watching this movie, I immediately when on iTunes and purchased the soundtrack and I am sure that you will be doing the same. Speaking of “Grease” BTW, fans of the Broadway production, should keep an eye out of stage veteran Barry Bostwick (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), who plays Maia’s uncle. I only wish he could have gotten a few line in during a song.

The biggest thing that I am disappointed with this release is the lack of a Blu-ray release.  Come on Disney, I know DVDs are still marketed primarly towards kids but this film would have really benefited with its music and colors sets on a Blu-ray disc.  The DVD does include some decent special features. There is exclusive Rehearsal Footage, which is fun to watch.  I saw a spot for the film on Disney Channel and they said that actors make the best dancers and these kids really have a lot of life in them. I would love to been able to move like they do. There is also a Never-Before-Seen Song included, which is a must for any fan of the film. Lastly, I would have loved to seen a sing-along version available but we can still hold our breath if they ever come out with a Blu-ray release. Can’t wait till “Teen Beach Movie 2”!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: beach, dvd, movie, review, teen

Blu-ray Review “The Kentucky Fried Movie”

Actors: Donald Sutherland, George Lazenby, Bill Bixby
Directors: John Landis
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Run Time: 83 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Ah, a real spoof. “The Kentucky Fried Movie” is a one of the original spoof before the genre went sour after the “Scary Movie” madness and its spin-offs. Before they hit it big with “Airplane”, the team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker delivered this very funny (yet a little dated today) spoof. This film is also directed by the then newcower John Landis (“The Blues Brothers”, “An American Werewolf in London”). Even though the film hasn’t really held up over the years, it still has some  classic funny laughs and fans should enjoy this upgrade from their old VHS and DVD copies.

Official Premise: “The Kentucky Fried Movie” features a lewd, loosely connected collection of skits that spoof blaxploitation films, news shows, porno movies, TV commercials, kung fu flicks and more! This one-of-a-kind film features over 22 gut-bustingly hilarious segments including “Cleopatra Schwartz,” “The Wonderful World Of Sex,” “Catholic High School Girls In Trouble,” “A Fistful Of Yen,” and more!

“”he Kentucky Fried Movie” looks pretty good (not amazing) with its 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 aspect ratio.  But if you remember this film you would know that it was never really made high quality.  Still though the aging comedy still looks good in high-def.  Included for audio is the original DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, fans of the film will enjoy that treat and it works for the most part as well. The Blu-ray extras are good but missing some extras from previously releases. There is a commentary track with director John Landis, writers Jerry Zucker, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and producer Robert K. Weiss, which is a total laugh fest and easily worth the purchase. “A Conversation With David and Jerry Zucker ” is a chat with the film’s writers on the production and legacy. Lastly there is the Original Trailer included.

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, fried, kentucky, movie, review
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