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Blu-ray Review “Lady and the Tramp: The Signature Collection”

Actors: Larry Roberts, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy, Bill Baucom, Stan Freberg
Rated: G
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Run Time: 76 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Lady and the Tramp” was the first Disney animated feature filmed in CinemaScope. It is the sixth title to join the Walt Disney Signature Collection, alongside “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi” and “The Lion King.” Walt Disney Signature Collection. This new release included three versions of the film, classic bonus material as well as three all-new features!

Official Premise: As one of the greatest love stories ever told, “Lady and the Tramp” is sure to melt the hearts of generations with its beloved characters, brilliant animation, memorable music and sweet sentiment. The animated treasure tells the story of Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold. Through the Signature Collection edition, viewers can relive the pair’s thrilling adventures, sing along with the film’s unforgettable songs like “Bella Notte,” and swoon over one of the most memorable movie moments of all time—the iconic scene in which Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti and an accidental kiss.

“The Signature Collection” includes the film on Blu-ray, DVD and also Digital HD. The audio and video haven’t changed since the last 2012, “Diamond Edition” Blu-ray release. That being said it is not like it is bad though, that release features a near flawless audio/video features. There are three versions of this film included. There is the original theatrical edition, a Sing-Along mode and a lastly a mode called Inside Walt’s Story Meetings, in which as you watch the film you hear reenactments of Walt’s story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen. This version is probably my favorite included here.

The new special features included are not life changing but are worth checking out still. “Walt & His Dogs” includes archival recordings and photos about the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime. Next up is “Stories from Walt’s Office” which takes us on a tour of Walt’s office suite on the Studio lot. Lastly the fun extra is a DYI called “How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About “Lady and The Tramp”” with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host.

In the classic bonus features, this release carries over a few extras from previous Diamond Edition and also removes a few while moving most of the Diamond Edition’s extras to digital-only format accessible via sites like Vudu and Movies Anywhere. In the end, the means to re-purchase this relies on how much the digital HD copy and digital extras would be worth to you. I personally think it is worth it for myself. In future releases, I would like to see an attempt to upgrade the video and audio or at least attempt a 4K UHD release.

Film Review “Death House”

Directed by: B. Harrison Smith
Starring: Cody Longo, Cortney Palm, Dee Wallace, Kane Hodder
Production company: Entertainment Factory
Distributed by: Hannover House
Running time: 95 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Before we start, a quick question: are you a horror fan? If so, let me just drop a few names here for you to look over: Kane Hodder, Barbara Crampton, Bill Moseley, Dee Wallace, Camille Keaton, Michael Berryman, Tony Todd, Sid Haig, Adrienne Barbeau, Felissa Rose, Cortney Palm, Sean Whalen, Vernon Wells, Lloyd Kaufman, R. A. Mihailoff, Brinke Stevens, Debbie Rochon, Tony Moran and Gunnar Hansen.

Now if you are a true horror fan you should be losing my mind now! Am I right?These are absolutely legends in the business…and they ALL appear in the film “Death House” from writer/director, H. Harrison Smith. I have been following this film for years now as it was being called The Expendables of Horror! Well after finally getting a chance to see this film, I am happy to say that this film does not disappoint. “Death House” IS the Expendables of Horror! 90 minutes of non-stop genre fun! I found myself glued to ever scene!

Here is the official premise: “During an exclusive tour, a power breakdown inside a secret prison known as the Death House sends two agents fighting through a labyrinth of horrors while being pursued by a ruthless army of roaming inmates. As they fight to escape, the agents push toward the lowest depths of the facility where they learn a supernatural group of evil beings are their only chance for survival”.

“Death House” is based on an original idea from Gunner Hansen (“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”). Being a hardcore horror fan, this film is a blast. Every scene you will see a new friendly face. The only thing holding this film back is lack of funds, otherwise this is sure to be instead cult classic. “Death House” doesn’t disappoint on the gore and packs some impressive practical effects. It also has humor matched with some solid suspense and a great score. You can tell that writer/director B. Harrison Smith is a horror fan just like us! He injects a fresh new life into the horror genre, while setting up a new franchise in the process. Prequel is in the works already! Read our interview here with writer/director B. Harrison Smith here!

Even though this film is filled with horror icons, the film is led by great new talent like Cody Longo and Cortney Palm, read our interview with her here. Cortney is a great actress and she deserves much more attention in Hollywood. We also had a chance to interview horror icon, Dee Wallace, and you can read it here. She is great in the film as Dr. Eileen Fletcher. Kane Hodder also kick some major ass as Sieg.. Hodder also has the new film, Victory Crowley, (aka “Hatchet 4”) this month! He is on fire in 2018!!

If you want to prove your role as a horror fan, you need to support this film and spread the word! “Death House” is breaking the odd and getting a limited theatrical release starting February 23rd in Regal Cinemas and Cinemark theaters across the country. Check their Facebook page to see if it is playing in a theatre by you…and if it is go see it!! You got to give it to the production company behind, “Death House”, Entertainment Factory for being behind this film. You can tell that this is a real labor of love, a lot of hard work went into this film and it deserves recognition. Films like this do not get theatrical release and yet they deserves it. It’s not perfect but it is fun and made by a horror fan FOR horror fans!

Theatre Review “The Lion King” @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – Orlando, FL

The Lion King
Show dates: February 14–March 11, 2018
Walt Disney Theater at @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
445 South Magnolia Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Tickets: start at $35.25

I remember like it was yesterday when “The Lion King” opened up on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater in October of 1997. I saw it that year and was mesmerized by the outfits and the set, just beautiful! Years later I had a chance to see it again in Las Vegas in 2009 and again I experienced that wonderful same feeling. Last night, I experienced that same feeling again. From the moment the lights went down, I immediately got the chills! The music came on and the cast come flooded through the seating area in full costume, singing at full volume. This was magic!

The Walt Disney Theater at @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a wonderful spot to enjoy theatre. Coming from Broadway, this theatre easily rivals the experience for me personally. The sound is fantastic. The seating is so comfortable much better than a ton of the old Broadway theaters, I can recall. They even utilized two of the box seating areas and had musicians playing living music throughout, which really added a nice 3D sound. I have to admit though, they seemed a little distracting during the song, “Be Prepared” since it seemed a little out of sync.

Buyi Zama has played Rafiki in the stage production of “The Lion King” since day one and it was such an amazing experience to get to see her again in this role, now for the third time. She doesn’t miss a beat and she is on point from seeing her over 20 years ago! Coming off the last ‘Gazelle’ National tour, Mark Campbell, returned a Scar and easily commanded the stage. Besides a little technical difficulty with his mask, was on par if not better than John Vickery in the Broadway production! Literally gave me chills when he spoke!

Buyi Zama as “Rafiki” in THE LION KINGNorth American Tour. ©Disney. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Having seen “The Lion King” live on Broadway and in Las Vegas, this easily one of my most enjoyable to see how it came to life. This felt like a full Broadway production. Even after the show, we got a chance to go backstage and got to view how everything is stored and all the costumes and how the set works. It was amazing. I also got some insight from Mark Campbell, who describes some difference in how the sets move in and out of place and how climbs up the set pieces during the herd sequence, so it really just showed how much goes in behind-the-scenes.

The ensemble cast should also get a shout out here because they were just amazing, when we were backstage we saw how easy of the ensemble cast has 10-15 outfit changes per show. It was simply extraordinary. “The Lion King” started its nearly one month run on February 14 and runs till March 11, 2018, so if you can catch a show I would highly recommend it. Tickets can be purchased here!

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Film Review – “Black Panther”

BLACK PANTHER
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 14 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Holy Crap!!

I continue to be amazed at how the films in the Marvel Universe seem to keep getting better and better. And it’s not just my opinion. In checking back though our pages, I found that NONE of the main film reviewers on this site (myself, Mike Gencarelli, Jeremy Werner and Lauren Damon) have given a Marvel film less than four stars out of a possible five. And “Black Panther” is no exception.

We first met our hero briefly in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Our story here takes us to Oakland in the early 1990s. While young boys shoot hoop in the courtyard of the projects they call home, high above them they see a flash of light among a dark cloudy sky, briefly forgetting their problems. But those problems will not go away, no matter who you are.

A story of diversity, family and compassion, Black Panther roars onto the screen at a million miles an hour. Having lost his father, the former king of the African country of Wakanda, in a terrorist attack, Prince T’Challa (Boseman) returns home to find that he has much to learn. The only place on the planet where one can find Vibranium, the world’s hardest metal, the country hides its vast wealth and technological advantages behind the guise of a small, third-world country. Before he can rightly take the throne, T’Challa must accept and defeat all who would challenge him. He does this with the help of his head of security, Okoye (Danal Gurira), brilliant sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), loving mother (Angela Bassett) and former partner in crime and matters of the heart Nakia (Nyong’o). As the work to keep their country safe, they must take on the challenge of a long-lost relative, Erik Killmonger (Jordan), who is defiant of the fact that Wakanda is a wealthy country with seemingly endless resources. He wants to share the wealth and make it possible for everyone to reap its benefits. Of course, this brings a great hub-bub up to King T’Challa. “If we take in people and their problems they wil soon become our problems as well.” Sounds familiar.

Director Coogler, who directed Fruitvale Station and Creed, has once again filled his cast with an amazing set of actors. Besides Boseman, who has played everyone from James Brown to Jackie Robinson to Thurgood Marshall on film recently, the cast contains recent Oscar winners Forest Whitaker and Nyong’o, as well as Academy Award nominee Bassett. These films are meant to be taken serious and the cast more than delivers on that promise. But these films are also meant to be fun, and with great visuals and a brilliant musical score, Black Panther more than fills the bill.

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Film Review “Early Man”

Directed by: Nick Park
Starring: Eddie Redmayne. Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall
Distributed by: StudioCanal
MPAA Rating: PG
Running time: 89 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Aardman Animations is probably best known for their characters Wallace and Gromit. This company has been around for nearly 50 years mastering the art of stop-motion clay animation. I absolutely love that format and this company has brought out some great content over the years including “Chicken Run” and “Shaun the Sheep”, unfortunately “Early Man” is not one of their better films. I hate it when I see a trailer for a movie and shriek and say “Oh boy, that’s gonna suck”. In this case, the trailer is 100% right.

“Early Man” takes place in the Stone Age when prehistoric creatures and cavemen roamed the Earth. There is a small tribe of caveman led by Chief Bobnar (Timothy Spall) and they live in a valley where they hunt rabbits. A young caveman, Dug (Eddie Redmayne), has dreams to do more. Their world is turned upside down when a Bronze Age army led by Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) take over their land and force them out into the badlands. Dug seeks out a way to get back his home and challenges the Bronze army to a game of soccer finding out that his ancestors discovered the game before his time…and that about sums of the movie, not much else happens here.

Sitting in the theater, I looked over at my wife and she was yawning. I was dozing off myself as this film was barely able to keep our attention…even our 5 year old seemed bored as well. If you have seen the trailer, then you have seen the whole movie. Tom Hiddleston, known best for his work in the Marvel Universe playing Loki, literally was the best part of the whole film as Lord Nooth. He was funny for sure but can’t save the film by himself.

One comment my wife pointed out, which I happened to notice as well, is that the film is very drab and there was really only one color pallet the whole film. In other stop motion films like “Coraline” color is such an important part of the film. I have to give credit to the animators because I love the craft of stop motion animation and you can tell that a lot of work went into this movie. I just wish I could say that I enjoyed it more but it was simply boring (and only at 89 minutes) and lacking any depth whatsoever. Yawn!

DVD Review “Disney Minnie: Helping Hearts”

“Disney Minnie: Helping Hearts”
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Run Time: 77 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Disney Minnie: Helping Hearts” is the latest DVD release from the hit Disney Junior series “Mickey and the Roadster Racers”. Disney isn’t dumb at all their new show may be themed towards boys at first but every episode of “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” also includes a second part which focuses specifically on “Happy Helpers” featuring Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo-Loca, so the girl market is covered also! Honestly the second half of the episodes are personally my (and my daughters) favorite anyway so this DVD is a win!

There are eight 11-minute episodes included on this DVD.
• The Happiest Helpers Cruise! • The Big Broadcast • Adventures in Buddysitting! • Lights! Camera! Help! • Grandpa Beagle’s Day Out • Artful Helpers • Cuckoo La-La • Figaro’s New Friend

These episodes are fun and primarily focused on Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo-Loca but still feature Mickey and the whole gang a bit as well. This latest DVD is missing the usual bonus item that comes with a Disney Junior DVD like a necklace or cardboard cut out as a bonus but still comes timed perfectly for Valentine’s Day and is quite cheap, running under $10 bucks, which make this a great gift for your special someone! I am looking forward to future releases from “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” as this is a fun show that also teaches great lessons to the kids watching!

CD Review: Reggie and the Full Effect “41”

“41”
Reggie and the Full Effect
Pure Records
Tracks: 14

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Revered punk-rock project Reggie and the Full Effect will release their 7th studio album, “41” on February 23rd 2018 via Pure Noise Records. Serving as the solo project for Get Up Kids keyboardist James Dewees since 1998 Reggie and the Full Effect blend synth infused rhythms with a driving punk rock ferociousness which creates the perfect foundation for Dewees gravely vocal style.

With almost a five year lapse between Reggie’s 2013 release “No Country For Old Musicians” and their latest offering “41” I was quite anxious to hear what Mr. James Dewees had in-store for listeners this time around. Clocking in at 53 minutes “41” is a very deep and heartfelt album that is brimming over with emotion. Tracks like “Broke Down” and “New Years Day” hit hard lyrically as Dewees pulls directly from some very personal experiences. The album has plenty of lighter moments as well including tracks like “Karate School” the interstellar instrumental “Channing Tatum Space Rollerblading Montage Music” and “Trap(ing) Music” an industrial powered behemoth featuring James’ alter ego Klaus and Common Denominator which will surely have you chanting the comical chorus before the end of the song.

From start to finish “41” is the type of album I really enjoy listening to. From light to heavy and touching on all points in between both emotionally and stylistically “41” has something for everyone. Having listened to the album from start to finish several times over before writing this I just couldn’t and still can’t stop playing it. With 2018 just starting do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this album as I think its definitely going to be one of the bright spots in music this year.

Track Listing:
1.) IL Sniffy Incontra
2.) IL Pesce Svedese
3.) Alone Again
4.) Broke Down
5.) Heartbreak
6.) Karate School
7.) The Horrible Year
8.) New Years Day
9.) Maggie
10.) Channing Tatum Space Rollerblading Montage Music (feat: Fluxuation)
11.) You’ve Got Secrets
12.) Trap(ing) Music (feat: Common Denominator)
13.) And Next with Feeling
14.) Off Delaware

Be sure to check out our exclusive interview with James Dewees here for more info on the album.

Film Review – “Hostiles”

HOSTILES
Starring: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike and Wes Studi
Directed by: Scott Cooper
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 14 mins
Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures

What would you do if you’d spent your entire adult life hating someone only to find that they are now your roommate? I’ll wait while you think up an answer.

A young husband (Scott Sheppard) is alerted by his wife (Pike) that there is a band of Native Americans approaching their homestead. The husband orders her and their young daughters to flee while he takes up his rifle. Sadly, he is no match for the marauding group, nor are his children. Terrified, the woman seeks refuge in the neighboring woods.

As things in Washington D.C. get progressive, Army Captain Joseph Blocker (Bale) looks forward to retiring soon. He has spent the majority of his military career hunting down (and killing) the Native Americans the government has deemed dangerous. Among them, was Chief Yellow Hawk (Studi), a Cheyenne who, along with his family, was captured by Blocker. Blocker is surprised to find out that the plight of the Native Americans has reached the cosmopolitan east coast of the country and that his last assignment will be to escort the Chief and his family safely to Montana, where he can live out his days as a free man. Blocker refuses, only relenting when he learns that to disobey will cost him his pension. To say he’s not happy is an understatement.

Scott Cooper has always been an entertaining filmmaker. Whether it’s the day to day life of singer Bad Blake in “Crazy Heart” or the bond of the Baze brothers in “Out of the Furnace,” he has a unique way of telling a story that makes the viewer feel they are part of the story. And he also knows how to get great performances out of his actors. Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for “Crazy Heart” and both Bale and Casey Affleck did some of their best work in “Furnace,” which is saying a lot since they both also have Oscars. Bale shines again here, as does the group of soldiers he takes with him on the mission, including Jesse Plemons, Jonathan Majors and newly Academy Award nominated Timothee Chalamet. Add to this group long time performers like Ben Foster and Scott Wilson, as well as the quiet, dignified Studi, and you have a cast that is more than up to the task. This also goes for Ms. Pike, who is found by Blocker’s party and taken into the group, with Blocker going out of his way to ensure her safety. Not for any ulterior motive but out of a sense of chivalry and decency.

Visually the film is beautifully shot, with director Cooper and DP Masanobu Takayanagi (“The Grey,” “Silver Linings Playbook”), along with composer Max Richter (television’s “Black Mirror”) painting portraits of the long ago countryside.

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Film Review – “Call Me by Your Name”

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME\
Starring: Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet
Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 12 mins
Sony Pictures Classic

What is it about Italy that makes people fall in love? Is it the weather? The countryside? The language? I really don’t know. I was only in Italy for a weekend and all I did was play softball. But it was a beautiful country!

Elio (Chalamet) is a 17 year old musical wiz. He lives with his parents in a small Italian town where the only signs of life are usually in the local tavern. As summer begins, a car brings the tall, handsome Oliver (Hammer) to the house, where he will serve as Elio’s father’s research assistant. Of course this means Elio having to move out of his room to another, which he eventually shrugs off. Like Oliver, Elio and his family are Jewish, though they don’t go out of their way to announce it (according to Elio, his mother likes to say that they are “discretely” Jewish). As the summer, and their friendship, progresses, they will discover they have much more in common.

A beautifully told story about discovering love, “Call Me by Your Name” is buoyed by the performance of its two lead actors. Hammer, who you may remember as BOTH of the Winklevoss twins from “The Social Network,” shows a side I’ve never seen. He makes Oliver both confident and unsure, worried that what is growing between he and Elio may harm the young man. As Elio, Chalamet gives a true star-making performance, a boy, not yet a man, learning to deal with feelings he doesn’t understand.

The script, adapted from the Andre’ Acimen novel, is written by three-time Academy Award nominated director James Ivory, who was so instrumental in the success of films like “The Remains of the Day” and “Howards End.” “Call Me by Your Name” actually plays like a Merchant/Ivory film – brilliantly performed and produced. This is a story of love, though even those involved are unsure of its consequences. As a character says in the film, “cinema is a mirror of reality and it is a filter.” Just like life.

Theater Review – THE COLOR PURPLE – Kansas City

The Color Purple

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts – Kansas City, Missouri

January 16, 2018

Since it’s publication in 1983, Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” has won many awards. The Pulitzer. A couple of Tonys. Heck, if it wasn’t for some bizarre Steven Spielberg backlash the 1985 film version would have one a couple of Oscars.

The musical version of “The Color Purple” opened on Broadway in 2005, closing after running for over two years. In 2016 the show returned to Broadway, where it won the Tony award for Best Revival of a Musical. Now the show is on the road and it is definitely not one to miss.

The show begins in rural Georgia in 1909. We meet sisters Nettie (N’jameh Camara) and Celie (Adrianna Hicks). Nettie is smart and wants to be a teacher. Celie has always been mistreated and is about to give birth to her second child – by her stepfather. The baby is born and given away. We meet Mister (an amazing Gavin Gregory), a widower looking to marry Nettie. However, when told she is unavailable he settles for Celie, thinking of her not as a wife but as someone to raise his kids and clean his house. Not exactly a honeymoon.

Powerfully told, “The Color Purple” is fairly faithful to the book and film many people will be familiar with. Many of the familiar characters are here: Sofia (Carrie Compere), Harpo (J. Daughtry), Squeak (Erica Durham) and, of course, the amazing Shug Avery (Carla R. Stewart). The story is presented on a minimalistic stage, which consists mostly of a set of risers and a set of wooden chairs. But the show moves smoothly (though a little slow in the first act) and the cast is amazing. Both Ms. Hicks and Ms. Stewart have the power to bring down the house with their vocals. As Sofia, my favorite character in every incarnation of this story, Ms. Compere is both funny and heartbreaking. And I must make special mention of Mr. Gregory, who manages to make a character as dark and seemingly heartless as Mister sympathetic.

If you’re familiar with the story, you will genuinely enjoy this production. If you’re not, you need to take this opportunity to make it’s acquaintance.

The show is playing at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City through January 21st. For tickets and information on this show and future productions, click HERE

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Product Review: Prohibited 5th Degree Vaporizer

If the Prohibited 5th Degree looks familiar to you that is because you might have seen it before. VMR Products recently re-branded its V2 Pro Series 7 with a concentrates cartridge instead of a liquid cartridge. The product comes in a ton of new very snazzy colors such as bone (white), jade (teal), struck (purple) and singed (black). I have used the Series 7 in the past and it was always my favorite vaporizer on the market…and trust me I tried them all.

The Prohibited 5th Degree Vaporizer does it all! Out of the box, you can used this multi-function device to either vaporize dry herb or concentrates by simply swampping out the magnetic drop-in cartridges. I honestly love these magnetic connectors cartridges. It makes it so easy to swap out cartridges. The 5th Degree Kit comes stocked with one cartridge for dry herb and one for concentrates and a recessed chamber for cartridges that eliminates the risk of leaks or breaks.

The Dry Herb Cartridge boasts the fact that it features “the fastest heat up time of any vaporizer”. It is fairly quick for sure. The multiple clicking every time to get into the modes is a little annoying I have to admit but I have been using it for a while and it almost feels natural after awhile. The Concentrates Cartridge can used for shatter, wax, oil, and other similar concentrates. The heater featured has a Dual-Quartz and Titanium heater to produce the thickest and smoothest vapor.

Even though I mention that the multiple clicks get annoying but what doesn’t get annoying is the smart technology this devices uses that recognizes each type of cartridge automatically and then heats to optimal vaporizing temperature without guessing. You get three different temperature settings that allow you adjust for yourself.

Dry Herb and Consentrates not enough? You can easily uprade your Prohibited 5th Degree Vaporizer with an optional Dabber and E-Rig Concentrates cartridges. There is no literally no contest with this product. You can compare it to other devices like PAX 3, Firefly 2, DaVinci IQ, Dr. Dabber Boost and Dipper and it comes out on top every time! So the rebranding from the Series 7 may not be drastic besides its cartridge inclusion but it is still no question my go-to vaporizer.

Book Review: “Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life” by Scott Ian

“Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life”
Author: Scott Ian
Da Capo
Hardcover: 243 pages

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Anthrax guitarist and co-founder Scott Ian has seen his share of dive hotels, dirty tour buses and decrepit green rooms. “Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life” is a collection of his craziest stories recounting Ian’s life on the road as a touring musician. Along the way the guitarist shares his experiences and encounters with celebrities like Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, David Lee Roth and Steven Spielberg to name just a few.

As the follow up to his autobiography “I’m The Man” guitarist Scott Ian takes readers even further into the depths of the heavy metal underworld. Unlike Ian’s first book which was a more biography than tell all where “Access All Areas” is the total opposite recounting in detail some of the writers more interesting encounters. Very rarely do you get to hear let alone read in published form stories like those shared by the veteran guitarist. From his experiences as a Pro Poker player playing alongside Kiss’s Ace Frehley and ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill to a confrontational meeting with REM front man Michael Stipe. Easily my favorite excert from the book was that where Ian sets the record straight about his guest appearance on “Married with Children” which was to include a story line featuring Christina Applegate.

Over the course of “Access All Areas” 243 pages readers are treated to a bevy of laughable stories that have not been shared before. As I made my way through the book I just kept thinking that even having one or two of these experiences in a life time would be enough for most people but to be able to compile enough for a book was mind blowing. Scott Ian has certainly to this point lived quiet an interesting life full of off the wall experiences which he has candidly detailed in this book. You don’t have to be a fan of heavy metal to enjoy this book as there are plenty of other colorful characters outside of the music world that you will surely recognize making “Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life” a great pickup for any and all.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books, Music Tagged With: access, areas, book, hard, ians, life, ...

Film Review – “The Post”

THE POST
Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Bob Odenkirk
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 56 mins
20^th Century Fox

They were called The Pentagon Papers, an analysis of the almost 30-year history of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam which did not paint a rosy picture for a war that would eventually take the lives of nearly 60,000 Americans. Their impact, not only on how the war was perceived but in how the press was regarded, is the story of Steven Spielberg’s latest film, “The Post.”

Passengers on a government jet observe a young man chatting with current Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Bruce Greenwood). “Who’s that,” someone asks, unaware that the subject of his question will one day set in motion a series of events that, in today’s cycle of “fake news,” will open eyes to the power of the press. The young man in question is Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys). Unhappy with what he has observed and been told, the military analyst leaks a series of reports commissioned by the Rand Corporation to the New York Times, which in 1971 begins to publish excerpts. Outraged by this, President Nixon orders government attorneys to file a suit forcing the paper to stop publishing the papers in the interest of national security.

In Washington D.C., Ben Bradlee (Hanks), editor of The Washington Post, is upset. Once again, the Times has scooped him. This is such a common occurrence that Bradlee brandishes a copy of the Times and asks his reporters “anyone else tired of reading the news?” The Post is owned by Katherine Graham (Streep), a D.C. socialite whose grandfather had owned the Post and who inherited the publisher’s mantle when her husband, Phillip, committed suicide. She is wary of Bradlee’s plans. Not only is there a chance that publishing the information will put her in jail – “Wouldn’t you go to prison to stop this war,” Bradlee asks – but she also risks alienating some of her closest friends, including Bob McNamara. Decisions, decisions.

A film that packs a powerful punch, “The Post” joins “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight” as films that show the true power of the press in the face of adversity. Hanks has fun as the tough but compassionate Bradlee and Streep adds another outstanding performance to her already amazing resume’. The supporting cast is just as strong, with fine turns by Odenkirk, Carrie Coon, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons and Tracy Letts. Even Richard Milhouse Nixon gets raves as the evil Wizard who thinks he can rule the Emerald City, and this country, anyway he deems fit. Rather than employ an actor to portray our 37^th President, Spielberg uses Nixon’s actual words and voice, through taped telephone conversations, to show what a devious and paranoid man the President was.

Spielberg keeps the story moving and, as with all of his films, the technical aspects are first rate. And add another magnificent John Williams score to perfectly accompany the story.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, post, review

Film Review “Insidious: The Last Key”

Directed by Adam Robitel
Starring: Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Spencer Locke, Caitlin Gerard, Bruce Davison
Distributed by: Universal Pictures (Theatrical)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Home Video)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 103 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars

The “Insidious” franchise has never really blown me away after the first film. Oddly enough the first “Insidious” is in my top 5 horror all time, so it’s a shame these sequels never really lived up to the first film. Taking the directorial reigns this time is Adam Robitel, he is the writer/director of “The Taking of Deborah Logan” (which is an amazing film), so I was psyched to see what he could do here. Unfortunately, I just feel like this was another unnecessary sequel. The film just doesn’t deliver anything new at all. I would love a deeper look into The Further and more subtle score led jumps like the first film had and was terrifying. This film, like the previous sequels, just lacks the terror.

Official Premise: Brilliant parapsychologist Elise Rainier receives a disturbing phone call from a man who claims that his house is haunted. Even more disturbing is the address — 413 Apple Tree Lane in Five Keys, N.M. — the home where Elise grew up as a child. Accompanied by her two investigative partners, Rainier travels to Five Keys to confront and destroy her greatest fear — the demon that she accidentally set free years earlier.

The star of the film is hands down, the amazing Lin Shaye. I have to say in this film she definitely gave her performance. She was bad-ass! God bless her, she is 74 years old and the lead of a hugely successful horror franchise. She is one of a kind. But I feel the franchise might need to take a new direction and get back to its roots in future films, which I am sure will follow. I want to see the demon/entity sitting in the corner of the room without knowing that I see it and having it terrify me know that I can’t look over to the corner with the fear that it will know I see it. That is the terror I want from the “Insidious” franchise.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, insidious, key, review

Film Review – “Molly’s Game”

MOLLY’S GAME

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba and Kevin Costner

Directed by: Aaron Sorkin

Rated: R

Running time: 2 hrs 20 mins

STX Entertainment

Did you ever have friends over to your house for a night of poker? This was a regular thing in my life from the mid-1980s through 1995. Those of us who worked until midnight would get together after work a spend hours eating pizza, drinking Coke out of the little bottles (none of that NEW Coke for us) and playing games like Follow the Queen or Sh*t or Get Off the Pot. Our highest bet allowed was $5.00. I mention this only because Molly Bloom did the same thing we did, only her stakes were much higher.

Molly (Chastain) was a one time Olympic hopeful whose injuries took her from the ski slopes to a would-be journey to law school. However, before she can crack the books she takes a job with real estate agent Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong), a bossy type who runs her ragged as his assistant. One day she is given the phone numbers of (9) people and told to invite them to a high stakes poker game he is hosting. Molly is put in charge of the buy in money and at the end of the night ends up with $3,000 in tips. A fast learner, she soon begins to run her own game, rubbing shoulders with some of the most renowned actors, athletes and politicians in California. When she moves to New York she again hosts games. Things go well until she is arrested by the FBI for her actions. What are the odds Molly beats the rap?

The first film to be directed by Academy Award winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (he also adapted the script from the real Molly Bloom’s book), “Molly’s Game” is a smart tale about how even the slightest mistake can come back to haunt you. The cast is first-rate, with both Chastain and Elba, who plays Bloom’s attorney, Charles Jaffe, giving award-worthy performances. The supporting cast is equally strong, including Michael Cera, identified simply as Player X, and Costner, who plays Molly’s hard-pushing father. The film even serves as a “Dances With Wolves” reunion, with Graham Greene playing the judge who hears Molly’s case.

The script is pure Sorkin, which is always a good thing. His work behind the camera is equally well done. All in all, “Molly’s Game” is a fine inaugural effort from a budding new filmmaker.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: film, game, mollys, review

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Tag: review

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