After the remaining American troops are withdrawn from Iraq later this year, the Obama administration plans to increase the American military presence in the Persian Gulf, MSNBC is reporting. The repositioning could include new combat forces in Kuwait, in case the military is needed to respond to a collapse of security in Iraq or a military confrontation with Iran.
The plan has been under discussion for months, but didn’t gain urgency or attention until President Obama announced the withdrawal of the remaining American troops from Iraq. However, several American military officers and diplomats, as well as officials of several surrounding countries, fear the withdrawal could leave instability in Iraq.
To continue reading this article, please visit: US Military Increasing Troops in Persian Gulf After Iraq Withdrawls | Shockya.com
Monday, October 31, 2011
Interview: Simon Rex Talks The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
Read Shockya.com's exclusive interview with Simon Rex, who portrays up-and-coming actor Kane Connor in the new drama-thriller ‘The Truth About Angels.’ The film, which is now available on Blu-ray and DVD, follows Kane’s high school friend Pablo, played by Antonio del Prete, who feels trapped in his turbulent marriage. As a struggling artist looking for his big break, Pablo goes to a Hollywood party with Kane, only to have his dreams slip away after being tempted by a mysterious party girl, Kristi, played by Dree Hemingway. Rex discusses with us, among other things, why he was attracted to the role of Kane, and what it was like working with first time feature director Lichelli Lazar-Lea.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): ‘The Truth About Angels’ focuses on Pablo discovering the dark side of the world he once coveted, and in turn learning to appreciate his life at home. Do you feel that many people crave the Hollywood and celebrity lifestyle, and don’t realize how good their lives are at home?
Simon Rex (SR): Yes, I think that’s true. I think everybody around the world is enamored with Hollywood. Everybody, at one point in their life, at least most people, want to be in the movies, or be famous for whatever reason. So there’s an allure to it. So I think the movie is good at showing the dark side of Hollywood, which no body really sees. You just see the final product in the movies, or with all these celebrities going shopping, with the paparazzi.
But what you don’t see is what this movie shows, which is there is a very dark side to Hollywood. It’s the only place in the world where people come here, and their chances of making it are so small, so there are so many crushed dreams. There are so many people who have to do other things. Like you see all these beautiful girls in L.A., and they’re all trying to make it, and there’s so much competition. But the reality is that 99.9 percent of the people aren’t going to make it. Then there’s all the drugs and there’s a lot of affairs and temptations, and it’s like Sin City. That’s what the movie shows, the dark side that exists. It feels like a cool party, but sometimes it’s a dark party.
SY: You play Pablo’s high school friend Kane, who recently garnered fame as a up-and-coming Hollywood actor. What attracted you to the role?
SR: It actually wasn’t really too much (of a stretch) because in real life, I do acting. I play an actor, and I made him a little more arrogant and a little more full of himself, and a little more selfish, I guess you can say. When the situation comes up at the end of the movie, I kind of run away, instead of being a man.
I mean, a lot of these actors, if you think about it, if you go back to the Roman era, actors were not considered to be a glamorous thing. (Actors were) like clowns, or jugglers. It wasn’t like they were held on a high plateau-actors were kind of looked down on. Nowadays, Hollywood actors are treated like royalty. It’s funny, because they’re just humans, we’re just humans, and they’re treated so differently.
Sometimes people get caught up in what people see them as. There’s a weird psychology behind fame. Sometimes you see actors play these roles, and in real life, they take on these roles, and act like it in real life. Like Tupac Shukar, he played in that movie ‘Juice,’ he played a tough gangster (Bishop), and then in real life, he kind of adapted that character, and became that guy. It’s a weird thing. For me, all I did was play myself, but more exaggerated for the Hollywood fame.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Simon Rex Talks The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): ‘The Truth About Angels’ focuses on Pablo discovering the dark side of the world he once coveted, and in turn learning to appreciate his life at home. Do you feel that many people crave the Hollywood and celebrity lifestyle, and don’t realize how good their lives are at home?
Simon Rex (SR): Yes, I think that’s true. I think everybody around the world is enamored with Hollywood. Everybody, at one point in their life, at least most people, want to be in the movies, or be famous for whatever reason. So there’s an allure to it. So I think the movie is good at showing the dark side of Hollywood, which no body really sees. You just see the final product in the movies, or with all these celebrities going shopping, with the paparazzi.
But what you don’t see is what this movie shows, which is there is a very dark side to Hollywood. It’s the only place in the world where people come here, and their chances of making it are so small, so there are so many crushed dreams. There are so many people who have to do other things. Like you see all these beautiful girls in L.A., and they’re all trying to make it, and there’s so much competition. But the reality is that 99.9 percent of the people aren’t going to make it. Then there’s all the drugs and there’s a lot of affairs and temptations, and it’s like Sin City. That’s what the movie shows, the dark side that exists. It feels like a cool party, but sometimes it’s a dark party.
SY: You play Pablo’s high school friend Kane, who recently garnered fame as a up-and-coming Hollywood actor. What attracted you to the role?
SR: It actually wasn’t really too much (of a stretch) because in real life, I do acting. I play an actor, and I made him a little more arrogant and a little more full of himself, and a little more selfish, I guess you can say. When the situation comes up at the end of the movie, I kind of run away, instead of being a man.
I mean, a lot of these actors, if you think about it, if you go back to the Roman era, actors were not considered to be a glamorous thing. (Actors were) like clowns, or jugglers. It wasn’t like they were held on a high plateau-actors were kind of looked down on. Nowadays, Hollywood actors are treated like royalty. It’s funny, because they’re just humans, we’re just humans, and they’re treated so differently.
Sometimes people get caught up in what people see them as. There’s a weird psychology behind fame. Sometimes you see actors play these roles, and in real life, they take on these roles, and act like it in real life. Like Tupac Shukar, he played in that movie ‘Juice,’ he played a tough gangster (Bishop), and then in real life, he kind of adapted that character, and became that guy. It’s a weird thing. For me, all I did was play myself, but more exaggerated for the Hollywood fame.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Simon Rex Talks The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
Interview: Byron Brochmann Talks Terra Nova | Shockya.com
Read Shockya.com's exclusive interview with Australian actor Byron Brochmann, who has a recurring role as the Tower Guard on the new FOX mystery sci-fi series ‘Terra Nova.’ The show follows the Shannons, a family living in 2149, who travel back in time 85 million years to prehistoric Earth to join Terra Nova. The colony of humans is given a second chance to rebuild civilization and save humanity. Brochmann discusses with us, among other things, what attracted him to the show, which airs Monday nights at 8/7c, and what it was like transitioning to a sci-fi series after appearing in numerous war projects.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): What was it about ‘Terra Nova’s subject matter that you found appealing, and convinced you to audition?
Byron Brochmann (BB): Well, actually it’s being filmed locally where I live in the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Having something so big come to where I live is great. I mean, we’ve had many here before, but another Steven Spielberg one is better as well. Working on a production like this, being done by FOX, I knew it would be quite big, but you actually don’t know the scale until you step on set, and see the actual sets you’re working with. Not only that, in terms of the characters, and how many cast and crew are involved as well. But I mean, it’s one of those things you can’t really turn down, you want to do it.
SY: Touching on the subject of filming in Australia, what is it like shooting ‘Terra Nova’ there?
BB: It’s great, apart from the weather, which is good or bad sometimes. It’s actually quite good. As you’ve probably seen, the locations and the sets you see on the show, it’s quite spectacular. The Gold Coast, where we’re filming, not only that, but Queensland and Australia itself, there are a lot of locations that substitute for other parts of the world, so it’s actually quite great. With the Gold Coast, it’s a great place to film, because generally, the weather is quite good, about 80 percent of the year.
SY: Like you said, Steven Spielberg is an executive producer on ‘Terra Nova.’ You previously worked with him on last year’s mini-series ‘The Pacific.’ What was it like reuniting with him for ‘Terra Nova?’
BB: I haven’t actually met Steven myself, but I mean working on his productions, on ‘The Pacific,’ and now with ‘Terra Nova,’ I’ve been very fortunate. It has been a great experience, and I hope it’s not the last one, and there are more to come.
SY: You play the tower guard on ‘Terra Nova,’ but you’re primarily known for your acting in war drama television projects. What was the transition like, going from war series to a sci-fi show?
BB: I mean, it is quite similar. In the next episode, you’ll see a bit of marching and a bit of military discipline with what’s going on. It is similar, but it is different in terms of doing something like, say ‘The Pacific’ or ‘Kokoda,’ because they’re period, and set back in the ’30s and ’40s. So you have to stick to a strict regimen, not only in terms of how you even say things on camera, but also how you act physically and hold your weapon, and your mannerisms, and marching. With ‘Terra Nova,’ it’s very much the same, but not to the same extent, because it is set in the future. So it’s scripted in a way that in the future, it’s not so full-on, in terms of how you do things. You still have to do things, in terms of what the commander tells you, because there is that rank that is still available in the future that is used these days, and what there was in the past.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Byron Brochmann Talks Terra Nova | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): What was it about ‘Terra Nova’s subject matter that you found appealing, and convinced you to audition?
Byron Brochmann (BB): Well, actually it’s being filmed locally where I live in the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Having something so big come to where I live is great. I mean, we’ve had many here before, but another Steven Spielberg one is better as well. Working on a production like this, being done by FOX, I knew it would be quite big, but you actually don’t know the scale until you step on set, and see the actual sets you’re working with. Not only that, in terms of the characters, and how many cast and crew are involved as well. But I mean, it’s one of those things you can’t really turn down, you want to do it.
SY: Touching on the subject of filming in Australia, what is it like shooting ‘Terra Nova’ there?
BB: It’s great, apart from the weather, which is good or bad sometimes. It’s actually quite good. As you’ve probably seen, the locations and the sets you see on the show, it’s quite spectacular. The Gold Coast, where we’re filming, not only that, but Queensland and Australia itself, there are a lot of locations that substitute for other parts of the world, so it’s actually quite great. With the Gold Coast, it’s a great place to film, because generally, the weather is quite good, about 80 percent of the year.
SY: Like you said, Steven Spielberg is an executive producer on ‘Terra Nova.’ You previously worked with him on last year’s mini-series ‘The Pacific.’ What was it like reuniting with him for ‘Terra Nova?’
BB: I haven’t actually met Steven myself, but I mean working on his productions, on ‘The Pacific,’ and now with ‘Terra Nova,’ I’ve been very fortunate. It has been a great experience, and I hope it’s not the last one, and there are more to come.
SY: You play the tower guard on ‘Terra Nova,’ but you’re primarily known for your acting in war drama television projects. What was the transition like, going from war series to a sci-fi show?
BB: I mean, it is quite similar. In the next episode, you’ll see a bit of marching and a bit of military discipline with what’s going on. It is similar, but it is different in terms of doing something like, say ‘The Pacific’ or ‘Kokoda,’ because they’re period, and set back in the ’30s and ’40s. So you have to stick to a strict regimen, not only in terms of how you even say things on camera, but also how you act physically and hold your weapon, and your mannerisms, and marching. With ‘Terra Nova,’ it’s very much the same, but not to the same extent, because it is set in the future. So it’s scripted in a way that in the future, it’s not so full-on, in terms of how you do things. You still have to do things, in terms of what the commander tells you, because there is that rank that is still available in the future that is used these days, and what there was in the past.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Byron Brochmann Talks Terra Nova | Shockya.com
Urban Explorer Wins Best Picture Award at Screamest | Shockya.com
The new Andy Fetscher-directed film ‘Urban Explorer’ won four major honors at the 2011 Screamfest Horror Film Festival in Los Angeles. The movie won the award for Best Makeup for special effects makeup artist Waldemar Pokromski; Fetcher was honored in the Best Editing category; and Klaus Stiglmeier, who played Armin, was named Best Actor. ‘Urban Explorer’ also won the ceremony’s top honor, Best Picture. The awards ceremony was held on Saturday, October 2, after the festival screened such films as ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘The Innkeepers,’ ‘Rabies,’ ‘Madison County,’ ‘Livid,’ ‘Sector 7,’ ‘Rosewood Lane’ and of course, ‘Urban Explorer.’
To continue reading this article, please visit: Urban Explorer Wins Best Picture Award at Screamest | Shockya.com
To continue reading this article, please visit: Urban Explorer Wins Best Picture Award at Screamest | Shockya.com
Interview: Todd Klick Talks Something Startling Happens | Shockya.com
Read Shockya.com's exclusive interview with screenwriter and producer Todd Klick, whose new book, ‘Something Starling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know,’ is now available in paperback from Michael Weiss Productions. The book offers a minute-by-minute breakdown of classic and contemporary films, and is the first source that reveals the techniques that drive successful movies. Klick also describes how he first realized that all acclaimed films utilize these techniques at the exact same minute, regardless of what’s happening in the plot; for example, at minute 8, in such movies as ‘The Matrix,’ ‘Jaws,’ ‘The Godfather’ and ‘The Sixth Sense,’ something starling happens. The writer discusses with us, among other things, what his motivation in writing the book was, and how he realized that all films share the same minute-by-minute components.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): In ‘Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know,’ you offer a minute-by-minute breakdown of classic and contemporary films. What was your motivation in writing the book?
Todd Klick (TK): Oh, it was to make myself a better writer. I used to break movies down, genre-by-genre, on whatever screenplay I was working on at the time. I’d break them down with a yellow legal pad, and play the movie on a DVD player, and then write down what was happening with every scene. I’d write paragraphs, explaining them. It was during that process that I realized (movies were using the minute-by-minute technique). I broke down about 300 successful movies, and I realized that with certain lines on my legal pad paper, the exact same things were happening across the board, story-wise. I found this very, very interesting, and I realized they were happening at certain minutes, too. This was something in the screenwriting books that I read, and I read quite a bit, and I just found this fascinating. So I started breaking movies scene-by-scene, and minute-by-minute.
SY: Do all genres take part in sharing the same components minute-by-minute?
TK: Yeah, that’s what I found really interesting. Minute-by-minute, the foundation of all movie stories, if they’re good, they’re doing the exact same things, story-wise. It’s the base of everything. It’s set in stone, it’s cemented there, and placed. Great writers take these beats, no matter what genre they’re doing. In the book, I show how ‘Halloween’ is doing the same thing as ‘Jaws’ and a Woody Allen comedy. They’re all doing the exact same thing, which I found very exciting. Once I found these beats, I knew what the masters are doing, and now I can my own thing, in my original voice. Then I can put all my focus into making that page better and original. It gave me more focus.
SY: Do you feel the minute-by-minute component benefits movies?
TK: Oh, my gosh, most certainly. It really helped my screenwriting, because up until that point, I wasn’t getting through with screenplays yet. When I started applying these beats, doing the same beats as the great storytellers were doing, my screenplays started shooting up to the top of contests. My first one went to the quarters of the Nicholl Fellowship. The one after that, I made the finals at the Page (International). My screenplays after that all got optioned. I got a manager. In addition to that, I just did a deal, two deals, in the past few months. I’m simply following the beats, and just doing what the greats are doing.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Todd Klick Talks Something Startling Happens | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): In ‘Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know,’ you offer a minute-by-minute breakdown of classic and contemporary films. What was your motivation in writing the book?
Todd Klick (TK): Oh, it was to make myself a better writer. I used to break movies down, genre-by-genre, on whatever screenplay I was working on at the time. I’d break them down with a yellow legal pad, and play the movie on a DVD player, and then write down what was happening with every scene. I’d write paragraphs, explaining them. It was during that process that I realized (movies were using the minute-by-minute technique). I broke down about 300 successful movies, and I realized that with certain lines on my legal pad paper, the exact same things were happening across the board, story-wise. I found this very, very interesting, and I realized they were happening at certain minutes, too. This was something in the screenwriting books that I read, and I read quite a bit, and I just found this fascinating. So I started breaking movies scene-by-scene, and minute-by-minute.
SY: Do all genres take part in sharing the same components minute-by-minute?
TK: Yeah, that’s what I found really interesting. Minute-by-minute, the foundation of all movie stories, if they’re good, they’re doing the exact same things, story-wise. It’s the base of everything. It’s set in stone, it’s cemented there, and placed. Great writers take these beats, no matter what genre they’re doing. In the book, I show how ‘Halloween’ is doing the same thing as ‘Jaws’ and a Woody Allen comedy. They’re all doing the exact same thing, which I found very exciting. Once I found these beats, I knew what the masters are doing, and now I can my own thing, in my original voice. Then I can put all my focus into making that page better and original. It gave me more focus.
SY: Do you feel the minute-by-minute component benefits movies?
TK: Oh, my gosh, most certainly. It really helped my screenwriting, because up until that point, I wasn’t getting through with screenplays yet. When I started applying these beats, doing the same beats as the great storytellers were doing, my screenplays started shooting up to the top of contests. My first one went to the quarters of the Nicholl Fellowship. The one after that, I made the finals at the Page (International). My screenplays after that all got optioned. I got a manager. In addition to that, I just did a deal, two deals, in the past few months. I’m simply following the beats, and just doing what the greats are doing.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Todd Klick Talks Something Startling Happens | Shockya.com
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Red State DVD review
'Red State' Examiner Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
While the United States has made large strides in recent years towards expanding the rights of the homosexual community, including six states legalizing same sex marriage and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, there are still Americans who judge, and discriminate against, people based on their sexuality. Writer-director Kevin Smith surprisingly heavily focuses on the controversial subject in his horror film ‘Red State,’ which is now available to rent on DVD at select Long Island Red Box locations. The genre isn’t generally known for focusing on social commentary, but the movie does a respectable job of showcasing the different perspectives on the important issue.
‘Red State’ follows teenager Travis (played by New York native Michael Angarano) and his friends, Jared (portrayed by Kyle Gallner) and Billy Ray (played by Nicholas Braun), as they accept an invitation from Sarah Cooper (portrayed by fellow New Yorker Melissa Leo), a woman they meet on a sex Web site to have group sex. They borrow Travis’ parent’s car to meet her, and along the way, they accidentally sideswipe Sheriff Wynan’s (played by Stephen Root) vehicle. The boys drive away, afraid of the consequences of the accident, and continue to Sarah’s trailer.
Advertisement
Once the teens arrive at Sarah’s trailer, she drugs all three of them, and when they wake up, they realize they’ve been brought to Five Points Church. The congregation, led by Abin Cooper (portrayed by Michael Parks), strongly opposes homosexuality and anything else that goes against the teachings of the Bible. Abin tells his followers to kill Travis, Jared and Billy Ray for wanting to engage in group sex.
After one of Wynan’s deputies searches for, and finds, Travis’ car at the Five Points compound, he’s subsequently shot by Abin. The sheriff then calls ATF Agent Joseph Keenan (played by John Goodman) for backup. After a shootout erupts and goes awry on the compound, Joseph follows his bosses’ orders to kill all witnesses, in an effort to keep the reputation of the ATF intact.
The action horror thriller once again shows Smith’s great satirical take on the important issues plaguing America today. Even though the Five Points Church is only half an hour away from the Bible Belt town Travis, Jared and Billy Ray live in, both sides have completely different views on morals and ethics, particularly in terms of sexuality. The writer-director wasn’t afraid to patronize the radical beliefs of the church, showing Abin’s followers as a closed-minded family that chooses not to accept people as they are, no matter whom they love.
To continue reading this review, please visit Examiner.
While the United States has made large strides in recent years towards expanding the rights of the homosexual community, including six states legalizing same sex marriage and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, there are still Americans who judge, and discriminate against, people based on their sexuality. Writer-director Kevin Smith surprisingly heavily focuses on the controversial subject in his horror film ‘Red State,’ which is now available to rent on DVD at select Long Island Red Box locations. The genre isn’t generally known for focusing on social commentary, but the movie does a respectable job of showcasing the different perspectives on the important issue.
‘Red State’ follows teenager Travis (played by New York native Michael Angarano) and his friends, Jared (portrayed by Kyle Gallner) and Billy Ray (played by Nicholas Braun), as they accept an invitation from Sarah Cooper (portrayed by fellow New Yorker Melissa Leo), a woman they meet on a sex Web site to have group sex. They borrow Travis’ parent’s car to meet her, and along the way, they accidentally sideswipe Sheriff Wynan’s (played by Stephen Root) vehicle. The boys drive away, afraid of the consequences of the accident, and continue to Sarah’s trailer.
Advertisement
Once the teens arrive at Sarah’s trailer, she drugs all three of them, and when they wake up, they realize they’ve been brought to Five Points Church. The congregation, led by Abin Cooper (portrayed by Michael Parks), strongly opposes homosexuality and anything else that goes against the teachings of the Bible. Abin tells his followers to kill Travis, Jared and Billy Ray for wanting to engage in group sex.
After one of Wynan’s deputies searches for, and finds, Travis’ car at the Five Points compound, he’s subsequently shot by Abin. The sheriff then calls ATF Agent Joseph Keenan (played by John Goodman) for backup. After a shootout erupts and goes awry on the compound, Joseph follows his bosses’ orders to kill all witnesses, in an effort to keep the reputation of the ATF intact.
The action horror thriller once again shows Smith’s great satirical take on the important issues plaguing America today. Even though the Five Points Church is only half an hour away from the Bible Belt town Travis, Jared and Billy Ray live in, both sides have completely different views on morals and ethics, particularly in terms of sexuality. The writer-director wasn’t afraid to patronize the radical beliefs of the church, showing Abin’s followers as a closed-minded family that chooses not to accept people as they are, no matter whom they love.
To continue reading this review, please visit Examiner.
Monday, October 24, 2011
WikiLeaks Stops Publishing to Fight Financial Blockade and Raise More Funds | Shockya.com
WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange has confirmed that the whistleblowing website is suspending publication in order to fight a financial blockade and raise more money, The Guardian is reporting. During a London press conference, Assange said a banking blockade has destroyed 95 percent of the website’s revenues. Assange also said the blockade posed an existential threat to WikiLeaks, and if it’s not lifted by the end of 2011, the website won’t be able to continue.
To continue reading this post, please visit: WikiLeaks Stops Publishing to Fight Financial Blockade and Raise More Funds | Shockya.com
To continue reading this post, please visit: WikiLeaks Stops Publishing to Fight Financial Blockade and Raise More Funds | Shockya.com
Producer Brian Grazer Says The Dark Tower Will Be Made After Large Budget Cut | Shockya.com
With Universal passing on Ron Howard’s adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Dark Tower’ this past summer, due to its large budget, producer Brian Grazer has cut the production costs by $45-50 million, Collider is reporting. Howard, Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman worked to lower the budget all summer for the project, which would feature a film trilogy and a TV series.
While promoting the upcoming ‘Tower Heist,’ Grazer said “We found a way to cut out $45 million out of the budget (for ‘The Dark Tower’) without changing the scope and actually giving it a good ending.” He added that with the original $140 million budget, the “ending wasn’t quite as satisfying. Now, we’ve got $45 million, $50 million out of the way and a really satisfying ending.”
To continue reading this post, please visit: Producer Brian Grazer Says The Dark Tower Will Be Made After Large Budget Cut | Shockya.com
While promoting the upcoming ‘Tower Heist,’ Grazer said “We found a way to cut out $45 million out of the budget (for ‘The Dark Tower’) without changing the scope and actually giving it a good ending.” He added that with the original $140 million budget, the “ending wasn’t quite as satisfying. Now, we’ve got $45 million, $50 million out of the way and a really satisfying ending.”
To continue reading this post, please visit: Producer Brian Grazer Says The Dark Tower Will Be Made After Large Budget Cut | Shockya.com
Church of Scientology Investigated South Park Creators | Shockya.com
The Church of Scientology investigated ‘South Park’ creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker for their 2005 episode ‘Trapped In The Closet,’ The Huffington Post is reporting. Church officials were reportedly offended by the show, which followed Stan as he joins Scientology to find something fun. After it was discovered he had high levels of thetan, he’s recognized as the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church.
Marty Rathbun, a former Church of Scientology executive, told The Village Voice a number of documents detailed the religious sect’s detailed surveillance of Stone and Parker. Church leaders searched for vulnerabilities in the Emmy winners’ personal lives through the help of informants and public records. After looking into the two’s personal and business connections, church leaders widened their investigation into actor as well, including John Stamos.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Church of Scientology Investigated South Park Creators | Shockya.com
Marty Rathbun, a former Church of Scientology executive, told The Village Voice a number of documents detailed the religious sect’s detailed surveillance of Stone and Parker. Church leaders searched for vulnerabilities in the Emmy winners’ personal lives through the help of informants and public records. After looking into the two’s personal and business connections, church leaders widened their investigation into actor as well, including John Stamos.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Church of Scientology Investigated South Park Creators | Shockya.com
The Catechism Cataclysm' Movie Review
'The Catechism Cataclysm' Examiner Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
With what they lack in big budgets and impressive stunts, independent films make up for with actors who easily relate to each other and well-meaning messages. The new independent comedy ‘The Catechism Cataclysm,’ which is now playing at New York City’s IFC Center, featured a natural bond between lead actors Steve Little and Robert Longstreet. The movie also focuses on pushing people outside their comfort zone, but unfortunately failed to include a memorable plot.
‘The Catechism Cataclysm’ follows Father Billy (played by Little), an eccentric young priest whose superiors force him to take a sabbatical when they overhear him telling his congregation inappropriate parables. Billy decides to look up his high school idol, Robbie (portrayed by Longstreet), who used to date his sister, and convinces him to go on a canoeing trip with him. While Robbie doesn’t remember Billy, the two bond over their mutual love of heavy metal music. As night approaches, their fun disintegrates as they realize they’re lost, and can’t find their way back.
Advertisement
While the two actors didn’t meet each other until the night before they began filming, Little and Longstreet had a unique and intriguing chemistry together. As the two have said, they were both nervous about filming ‘The Catechism Cataclysm,’ and their ability to communicate their fears allowed them to bond. They easily brought their real-life initial apprehension about bonding with someone they barely know to Billy and Robbie. Over time, both the characters and actors convincingly become more comfortable with each other, and truly enjoyed spending time together.
To continue reading reading this review, please visit Examiner or Associated Content.
With what they lack in big budgets and impressive stunts, independent films make up for with actors who easily relate to each other and well-meaning messages. The new independent comedy ‘The Catechism Cataclysm,’ which is now playing at New York City’s IFC Center, featured a natural bond between lead actors Steve Little and Robert Longstreet. The movie also focuses on pushing people outside their comfort zone, but unfortunately failed to include a memorable plot.
‘The Catechism Cataclysm’ follows Father Billy (played by Little), an eccentric young priest whose superiors force him to take a sabbatical when they overhear him telling his congregation inappropriate parables. Billy decides to look up his high school idol, Robbie (portrayed by Longstreet), who used to date his sister, and convinces him to go on a canoeing trip with him. While Robbie doesn’t remember Billy, the two bond over their mutual love of heavy metal music. As night approaches, their fun disintegrates as they realize they’re lost, and can’t find their way back.
Advertisement
While the two actors didn’t meet each other until the night before they began filming, Little and Longstreet had a unique and intriguing chemistry together. As the two have said, they were both nervous about filming ‘The Catechism Cataclysm,’ and their ability to communicate their fears allowed them to bond. They easily brought their real-life initial apprehension about bonding with someone they barely know to Billy and Robbie. Over time, both the characters and actors convincingly become more comfortable with each other, and truly enjoyed spending time together.
To continue reading reading this review, please visit Examiner or Associated Content.
The Double Movie Review | Shockya.com
'The Double' Shockya Movie Review,Written by: Karen Benardello
Director: Michael Brandt
Starring: Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer (‘True Blood’), Martin Sheen and Odette Annable (‘Cloverfield,’ ‘You Again’)
Mystery thrillers are often remembered for their action sequences and suspenseful plot points, but ‘The Double’ surprisingly leaves its mark with complex, diverse main characters. The film, which is the directorial debut of acclaimed screenwriter Michael Brandt, aims to prove that films featuring politics and crimes don’t have to solely focus on continuous anticipation. Unfortunately, Brandt’s admirable attempt to feature both intrigue and multi-dimensional characters failed to live up to his previous films.
‘The Double’ follows the return of retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (played by Richard Gere) to the agency after the mysterious murder of a US senator. The killing bears the trademark of the legendary Soviet assassin Cassius. To catch him, Paul must work with rookie FBI agent Ben Geary (portrayed by Topher Grace), who is so obsessed with the case that he wrote his Master’s thesis on the veteran agent and his tireless pursuit of the killer. However, after spending his entire career trying to catch Cassius, Paul insists that his old nemesis is dead. With Ben’s insistence that the assassin has resurfaced, the two agents reexamine Cassius’ past, and seemingly present, crimes. But Ben ultimately discovers that Cassius isn’t the person he always believed him to be.
The premise of the espionage thriller’s story, which was penned by Brandt and his ‘Wanted’ and ’3:10 To Yuma’ co-screenwriter Derek Haas, definitely has its merits that differentiate it from similar films in the genre. The two writers were able to create a distinctive plot that didn’t solely focus on showcasing Cassius’ brutal killings; it also details Ben and Paul’s quest to understand the assassin’s mindset, and their determination to catch him before he can kill again. While the two don’t have the same ideas on how to apprehend Cassius, who Paul doesn’t believe is still hurting innocent people but Ben does, Brandt finds the perfect balance between the two agents’ differing working methods.
To continue reading this review, please visit: The Double Movie Review | Shockya.com
Director: Michael Brandt
Starring: Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer (‘True Blood’), Martin Sheen and Odette Annable (‘Cloverfield,’ ‘You Again’)
Mystery thrillers are often remembered for their action sequences and suspenseful plot points, but ‘The Double’ surprisingly leaves its mark with complex, diverse main characters. The film, which is the directorial debut of acclaimed screenwriter Michael Brandt, aims to prove that films featuring politics and crimes don’t have to solely focus on continuous anticipation. Unfortunately, Brandt’s admirable attempt to feature both intrigue and multi-dimensional characters failed to live up to his previous films.
‘The Double’ follows the return of retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (played by Richard Gere) to the agency after the mysterious murder of a US senator. The killing bears the trademark of the legendary Soviet assassin Cassius. To catch him, Paul must work with rookie FBI agent Ben Geary (portrayed by Topher Grace), who is so obsessed with the case that he wrote his Master’s thesis on the veteran agent and his tireless pursuit of the killer. However, after spending his entire career trying to catch Cassius, Paul insists that his old nemesis is dead. With Ben’s insistence that the assassin has resurfaced, the two agents reexamine Cassius’ past, and seemingly present, crimes. But Ben ultimately discovers that Cassius isn’t the person he always believed him to be.
The premise of the espionage thriller’s story, which was penned by Brandt and his ‘Wanted’ and ’3:10 To Yuma’ co-screenwriter Derek Haas, definitely has its merits that differentiate it from similar films in the genre. The two writers were able to create a distinctive plot that didn’t solely focus on showcasing Cassius’ brutal killings; it also details Ben and Paul’s quest to understand the assassin’s mindset, and their determination to catch him before he can kill again. While the two don’t have the same ideas on how to apprehend Cassius, who Paul doesn’t believe is still hurting innocent people but Ben does, Brandt finds the perfect balance between the two agents’ differing working methods.
To continue reading this review, please visit: The Double Movie Review | Shockya.com
Boss Co-Showrunners Already Leave Starz Series | Shockya.com
Richard Levine and Lyn Greene, the co-showrunners and executive producers of the new Starz series ‘Boss,’ have already left the freshman political drama, Deadline is reporting. The former ‘Nip/Tuck’ executive producers oversaw the eight-episode first season of the show. The series premiered on October 21 and has garnered mostly positive reviews, particularly for Kelsey Grammer’s performance as ruthless Chicago mayor Tom Kane, who has a secret that can threaten his career.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Boss Co-Showrunners Already Leave Starz Series | Shockya.com
To continue reading this article, please visit: Boss Co-Showrunners Already Leave Starz Series | Shockya.com
All US Troops Leaving Iraq by End of 2011 | Shockya.com
President Barack Obama has confirmed that he will withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of 2011, the Washington Post is reporting. The withdrawal will end a nine-year war that has left Americans divided.
The announcement came on October 21, when Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appeared in a video conference. They agreed to complete the U.S. military departure, which plays an important promise in Obama’s reelection effort. The decision drew support from those opposed to the war, as well as sharp criticism from Obama’s Republican rivals.
To continue reading this article, please visit: All US Troops Leaving Iraq by End of 2011 | Shockya.com
The announcement came on October 21, when Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appeared in a video conference. They agreed to complete the U.S. military departure, which plays an important promise in Obama’s reelection effort. The decision drew support from those opposed to the war, as well as sharp criticism from Obama’s Republican rivals.
To continue reading this article, please visit: All US Troops Leaving Iraq by End of 2011 | Shockya.com
Milla Jovovich Claims Summit Didn't Adequately Promote The Three Musketeers | Shockya.com
Milla Jovovich is claiming Summit Entertainment didn’t adequately promote her new action-adventure film ‘The Three Musketeers’ in the U.S., according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actress publicly called out the distribution company on October 21, the day the movie hit theaters in America, via Twitter. She said “Are ‘Summit’ promoting it as a family adventure movie? Or are they resting on their laurels from ‘Twilight’ and making no effort? Let me know!”
Jovovich tweeted her discontent as she was flying to Tokyo to attend the Tokyo International Film Festival, where ‘The Three Musketeers’ was serving as the opening movie. She added “I think ‘Summit’ have swept ‘The Three Musketeers, a great family adventure film, under the rug in the U.S. Shame on them. Shame on you ‘Summit.’”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Milla Jovovich Claims Summit Didn't Adequately Promote The Three Musketeers | Shockya.com
Jovovich tweeted her discontent as she was flying to Tokyo to attend the Tokyo International Film Festival, where ‘The Three Musketeers’ was serving as the opening movie. She added “I think ‘Summit’ have swept ‘The Three Musketeers, a great family adventure film, under the rug in the U.S. Shame on them. Shame on you ‘Summit.’”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Milla Jovovich Claims Summit Didn't Adequately Promote The Three Musketeers | Shockya.com
Sin City 2 Will Feature Marv and Nancy Callahan | Shockya.com
‘Sin City’ director Frank Miller has confirmed that the characters of Nancy Callahan and Marv will return to the anticipated follow-up to the hit crime thriller, Coming Soon is reporting. The filmmaker has also said production will likely start in the spring of 2012.
‘Sin City 2′ will primarily be an adaptation of the book ‘A Dame to Kill For;’ however, it will also feature the short story ‘Just Another Saturday Night’ and two new stories, one involving Nancy.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Sin City 2 Will Feature Marv and Nancy Callahan | Shockya.com
‘Sin City 2′ will primarily be an adaptation of the book ‘A Dame to Kill For;’ however, it will also feature the short story ‘Just Another Saturday Night’ and two new stories, one involving Nancy.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Sin City 2 Will Feature Marv and Nancy Callahan | Shockya.com
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Kim Kardashian Cast in Tyler Perry Film The Marriage Counselor
Kim Kardashian has signed onto her biggest acting role yet,Tyler Perry's upcoming comedy-drama film 'The Marriage Counselor,' Deadline is reporting. The Lionsgate movie, which Perry wrote and will also direct and produce, is based on his 2008 stage play of the same name.
'The Marriage Counselor,' which will began filming on October 26, 2011 in Atlanta, follows Judith, played by Jurnee Smollett, an Ivy League-educated relationship expert who works with married couples seeking advice. However, she's so bored with her own marriage that she breaks her own rule and cheats with a client. Afterward, Judith realizes what a big mistake she made.
Kardashian will play Judith's co-worker Ava, who gives her confidence and a makeover as she struggles with her personal issues. While 'The Marriage Counselor' is the reality star's biggest role, she has previously appeared in 'Deep in the Valley' and 'Disaster Movie.'
'The Marriage Counselor,' which will began filming on October 26, 2011 in Atlanta, follows Judith, played by Jurnee Smollett, an Ivy League-educated relationship expert who works with married couples seeking advice. However, she's so bored with her own marriage that she breaks her own rule and cheats with a client. Afterward, Judith realizes what a big mistake she made.
Kardashian will play Judith's co-worker Ava, who gives her confidence and a makeover as she struggles with her personal issues. While 'The Marriage Counselor' is the reality star's biggest role, she has previously appeared in 'Deep in the Valley' and 'Disaster Movie.'
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Dina Lohan Exposes Lindsay's Secrets in Planned Memoir | Shockya.com
Dina Lohan is looking to sell her daughter Lindsay’s secrets, including her alleged drug and alcohol use, in a memoir she’s trying to land a publishing deal for, TMZ is reporting. Dina was looking to sell the book as recently as two weeks ago, as her daughter is once again facing the court for her progress in her probation in her necklace heist case.
TMZ obtained a draft of the prologue for the memoir, which reads: “I blamed her friends, her career and her handlers for a newfound lifestyle of partying excessively. Drinking, drugging and behaving irresponsibly became (Lindsay’s) way of daily living-and it tore me up inside.”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Dina Lohan Exposes Lindsay's Secrets in Planned Memoir | Shockya.com
TMZ obtained a draft of the prologue for the memoir, which reads: “I blamed her friends, her career and her handlers for a newfound lifestyle of partying excessively. Drinking, drugging and behaving irresponsibly became (Lindsay’s) way of daily living-and it tore me up inside.”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Dina Lohan Exposes Lindsay's Secrets in Planned Memoir | Shockya.com
Ben Stiller Signs Onto Direct The Mountain | Shockya.com
Ben Stiller has signed onto direct 20th Century Fox’s upcoming horror film ‘The Mountain,’ Deadline is reporting. The movie, which was written by Helen Childress, who also scripted Stiller’s 1994 directorial debut ‘Reality Bites,’ is based on characters from the Edith Wharton novel ‘Summer.’
‘The Mountain,’ which is being produced by Stiller and his Red Hour partner Stuart Cornfeld, will be set in the 1900s. It follows a young woman who struggles to confront her destiny after she discovers a mysterious object that forces her to examine her past. The tone of the film is said to be similar to ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’
To continue reading this article, please visit: Ben Stiller Signs Onto Direct The Mountain | Shockya.com
‘The Mountain,’ which is being produced by Stiller and his Red Hour partner Stuart Cornfeld, will be set in the 1900s. It follows a young woman who struggles to confront her destiny after she discovers a mysterious object that forces her to examine her past. The tone of the film is said to be similar to ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’
To continue reading this article, please visit: Ben Stiller Signs Onto Direct The Mountain | Shockya.com
London Boulevard Movie Review | Shockya.com
'London Boulevard' Shockya Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Director: William Monahan
Starring: Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley and Ray Winstone (‘The Departed,’ ‘Beowulf’)
The contrasting lifestyles of South London’s criminal underground and the West London celebrity world are two existences that don’t often cross paths in literature and on-screen. But author Ken Bruen interestingly combined the two lifestyles in his noir crime novel ‘London Boulevard,’ which was effortlessly translated to the screen by first-time director William Monahan. The filmmaker, who is most remembered for winning an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2007 for the gangster film ‘The Departed,’ brought his knowledge of the conflicting methods of gangsters to the screen adaptation of ‘London Boulevard.’ He also modernized the story to chronicle the trapped feeling celebrities face during the height of their fame.
‘London Boulevard’ follows Mitchel (played by Colin Farrell), a newly released prisoner who just spent three years in Pentonville Prison for getting into a violent altercation. Mitchell is determined to turn his life around and distance himself from the gangster lifestyle that led to his incarceration. However, his old friend, low-level gangster Billy (portrayed by Ben Chaplin), meets Mitchel as he leaves the prison, offering him a place to stay in exchange for help on a job. Mitchel also catches the eye of ruthless mob boss Gant (played by Ray Winstone), who believes he will be an asset to his business. When Mitchel refuses Gant’s job offer, the mobster entangles him in a web of extortion and murder. Gant uses increasingly violent tactics to lure Mitchel, as he would rather see him dead than free.
While fighting off Gant’s persistent and vicious antics, Mitchel takes a job guarding famous actress and model Charlotte (portrayed by Keira Knightley) at her Holland Park mansion. Mitchel helps Charlotte’s house manager, Jordan (played by David Thewlis), fight off aggressive reporters and stalkers, as well as Billy’s attempts to steal from Charlotte. In the process, Mitchel and Charlotte come to love each other, as they both feel prisoned and can’t break from those determined to keep them in their present lifestyles.
Monahan brilliantly stays faithful to the tones and themes presented in Bruen’s novel, while modernizing the story to give it its own personality. For an independent movie, Monahan remained dedicated to researching and accurately preparing to showcase both the evil worlds of gangs and celebrity life. The gangster thriller stays true to the novel by accurately portraying the ruthless nature of British mob bosses in Gant. While he acts alluring to Mitchel when he first meets him, he quickly changes his attitude when Mitchel makes it known he’s determined to better his life and stay away from the gangster lifestyle.
Gant and Mitchel are the perfect opposites to each other, as Gant is more impulsive and will take whatever means necessary to get what he wants, no matter what the consequences. He quite enjoys getting in other people’s faces to intimidate them and get them to what what he wants. Mitchel, on the other hand, is more concerned with protecting his loved ones, including Charlotte and his sister, Briony (portrayed by Anna Friel), who’s addicted to alcohol and taking other people’s money. Mitchel is also more calculating than Gant, as he wants to outsmart the mob boss, instead of beating him in a physical fight.
To continue reading this review, please visit: London Boulevard Movie Review | Shockya.com
Director: William Monahan
Starring: Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley and Ray Winstone (‘The Departed,’ ‘Beowulf’)
The contrasting lifestyles of South London’s criminal underground and the West London celebrity world are two existences that don’t often cross paths in literature and on-screen. But author Ken Bruen interestingly combined the two lifestyles in his noir crime novel ‘London Boulevard,’ which was effortlessly translated to the screen by first-time director William Monahan. The filmmaker, who is most remembered for winning an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2007 for the gangster film ‘The Departed,’ brought his knowledge of the conflicting methods of gangsters to the screen adaptation of ‘London Boulevard.’ He also modernized the story to chronicle the trapped feeling celebrities face during the height of their fame.
‘London Boulevard’ follows Mitchel (played by Colin Farrell), a newly released prisoner who just spent three years in Pentonville Prison for getting into a violent altercation. Mitchell is determined to turn his life around and distance himself from the gangster lifestyle that led to his incarceration. However, his old friend, low-level gangster Billy (portrayed by Ben Chaplin), meets Mitchel as he leaves the prison, offering him a place to stay in exchange for help on a job. Mitchel also catches the eye of ruthless mob boss Gant (played by Ray Winstone), who believes he will be an asset to his business. When Mitchel refuses Gant’s job offer, the mobster entangles him in a web of extortion and murder. Gant uses increasingly violent tactics to lure Mitchel, as he would rather see him dead than free.
While fighting off Gant’s persistent and vicious antics, Mitchel takes a job guarding famous actress and model Charlotte (portrayed by Keira Knightley) at her Holland Park mansion. Mitchel helps Charlotte’s house manager, Jordan (played by David Thewlis), fight off aggressive reporters and stalkers, as well as Billy’s attempts to steal from Charlotte. In the process, Mitchel and Charlotte come to love each other, as they both feel prisoned and can’t break from those determined to keep them in their present lifestyles.
Monahan brilliantly stays faithful to the tones and themes presented in Bruen’s novel, while modernizing the story to give it its own personality. For an independent movie, Monahan remained dedicated to researching and accurately preparing to showcase both the evil worlds of gangs and celebrity life. The gangster thriller stays true to the novel by accurately portraying the ruthless nature of British mob bosses in Gant. While he acts alluring to Mitchel when he first meets him, he quickly changes his attitude when Mitchel makes it known he’s determined to better his life and stay away from the gangster lifestyle.
Gant and Mitchel are the perfect opposites to each other, as Gant is more impulsive and will take whatever means necessary to get what he wants, no matter what the consequences. He quite enjoys getting in other people’s faces to intimidate them and get them to what what he wants. Mitchel, on the other hand, is more concerned with protecting his loved ones, including Charlotte and his sister, Briony (portrayed by Anna Friel), who’s addicted to alcohol and taking other people’s money. Mitchel is also more calculating than Gant, as he wants to outsmart the mob boss, instead of beating him in a physical fight.
To continue reading this review, please visit: London Boulevard Movie Review | Shockya.com
Friday, October 21, 2011
Paranormal Activity Movie Review
'Paranormal Activity' Examiner Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Creating follow ups to highly popular horror films can be a difficult task, as writers and directors begin to run out of interesting plot twists and terrifying stunts and scare tactics. Screenwriter Christopher B. Landon and directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost took on the difficult task of creating the new prequel to ‘Paranormal Activity,’ one of the most profitable, and what some audiences believe to be one of the most terrifying, movies of all time. While the filmmakers cast actors who convincingly portrayed their roles in 'Paranormal Activity 3,' which is now playing at area Long Island theaters, the script unfortunately failed to create the same scares as its predecessors.
‘Paranormal Activity 3’ starts off a year before the previous two films, with Katie (played by Katie Featherston) delivering a box of old VHS tapes to her sister Kristi (portrayed by Sprague Grayden) and her husband Daniel (played by Brian Boland). A year later, the tapes are the only items stolen from their house during what appears to be a burglary. The second sequel then skips back to 1988, when the girls are living with their mother, Julie (portrayed by Lauren Bittner), and her new husband, Dennis (played by Christopher Nicholas Smith). As Kristi begins talking to her imaginary friend Toby, Dennis notices strange noises and occurrences around the house, and decides to videotape the family at night.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Creating follow ups to highly popular horror films can be a difficult task, as writers and directors begin to run out of interesting plot twists and terrifying stunts and scare tactics. Screenwriter Christopher B. Landon and directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost took on the difficult task of creating the new prequel to ‘Paranormal Activity,’ one of the most profitable, and what some audiences believe to be one of the most terrifying, movies of all time. While the filmmakers cast actors who convincingly portrayed their roles in 'Paranormal Activity 3,' which is now playing at area Long Island theaters, the script unfortunately failed to create the same scares as its predecessors.
‘Paranormal Activity 3’ starts off a year before the previous two films, with Katie (played by Katie Featherston) delivering a box of old VHS tapes to her sister Kristi (portrayed by Sprague Grayden) and her husband Daniel (played by Brian Boland). A year later, the tapes are the only items stolen from their house during what appears to be a burglary. The second sequel then skips back to 1988, when the girls are living with their mother, Julie (portrayed by Lauren Bittner), and her new husband, Dennis (played by Christopher Nicholas Smith). As Kristi begins talking to her imaginary friend Toby, Dennis notices strange noises and occurrences around the house, and decides to videotape the family at night.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
The Three Musketeers Movie Review | Shockya.com
'The Three Musketeers' Shockya Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Logan Lerman (‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians’), Ray Stevenson (‘Thor’), Matthew Macfadyen (‘Frost/Nixon’), Luke Evans (‘Clash of the Titans’), Milla Jovoich, Orlando Bloom and Christoph Waltz
Adapting a famous action novel into an adventure-filled film packed with intriguing characters and breath-taking stunts and visuals isn’t an easy task. Director Paul W.S. Anderson strived to take on the task when he began production on the new movie ‘The Three Musketeers,’ based on the 1844 novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. While the filmmaker, who also produced the film, succeeded in seamlessly bringing the Musketeers’ fights to the big screen, the characters’ dynamics and personalities were unfortunately lost in translation.
‘The Three Musketeers’ follow three elite warriors, Porthos (played by Ray Stevenson), Athos (portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen) and Aramis (played by Luke Evans), who serve the King of France as his best Musketeers. The three discover an evil conspiracy to overthrow the king, Louis XIII (portrayed by Freddie Fox), by Cardinal Richelieu (played by Chistoph Waltz). D’Artagnan (portrayed by Logan Lerman), an aspiring hero and the son of a former Musketeer, travels to Paris and joins the Three Musketeers on their quest to save the Crown. In the process, the four must also battle Milady de Winter (played by Milla Jovoich), who betrayed Athos’s love to join forces with, and sell one of the Musketeers’ secret plans to, the Duke of Buckingham (portrayed by Orlando Bloom).
Production designer Paul D. Austerberry and costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud both did a fantastic job creating the visual settings and outfits, respectively, for the action-adventure film. The sets Austerberry designed feature diverse, elaborate buildings, based on where the characters are located. For example, the home of the Musketeers is small, compact and dark, representing their fall in power and prominence. Meanwhile, King Louis’ palace features exquisite paintings and chandeliers, which showcases his continued wealth and rule over his country.
Gayraud created vibrant costumes for the cast, most notably Milady and the rest of the women. The outfits perfectly represented the characters’ styles and personalities; Milady, for example, often sported provocative dresses that showed her seductive, cunning personality. She did whatever she deemed necessary to obtain what she wanted, even if it meant hiding weapons in her dresses. King Louis also wore colorful, decorative outfits that showed off his love for life and his charming naivety.
While Austerberry and Gayraud succeeded in creating intriguing, captivating sets and costumes, ‘The Three Musketeers’ screenwriters, Andrew Davies and Alex Litvak, unfortunately failed to capture the action and plot points that made the novel entertaining. Anderson focused entirely too much time on the action and fighting sequences between the Musketeers and Richelieu’s troops, instead of explaining why the cardinal wanted to take control of France. Davies and Litvak never truly explain why Richelieu is determined to undermine the king, who has turned to him for support and advice on how to run the country.
Read more: http://www.shockya.com/news/2011/10/21/the-three-musketeers-movie-review/#ixzz1bTVOVPIr
To continue reading this review, please click here: The Three Musketeers Movie Review | Shockya.com
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Logan Lerman (‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians’), Ray Stevenson (‘Thor’), Matthew Macfadyen (‘Frost/Nixon’), Luke Evans (‘Clash of the Titans’), Milla Jovoich, Orlando Bloom and Christoph Waltz
Adapting a famous action novel into an adventure-filled film packed with intriguing characters and breath-taking stunts and visuals isn’t an easy task. Director Paul W.S. Anderson strived to take on the task when he began production on the new movie ‘The Three Musketeers,’ based on the 1844 novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. While the filmmaker, who also produced the film, succeeded in seamlessly bringing the Musketeers’ fights to the big screen, the characters’ dynamics and personalities were unfortunately lost in translation.
‘The Three Musketeers’ follow three elite warriors, Porthos (played by Ray Stevenson), Athos (portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen) and Aramis (played by Luke Evans), who serve the King of France as his best Musketeers. The three discover an evil conspiracy to overthrow the king, Louis XIII (portrayed by Freddie Fox), by Cardinal Richelieu (played by Chistoph Waltz). D’Artagnan (portrayed by Logan Lerman), an aspiring hero and the son of a former Musketeer, travels to Paris and joins the Three Musketeers on their quest to save the Crown. In the process, the four must also battle Milady de Winter (played by Milla Jovoich), who betrayed Athos’s love to join forces with, and sell one of the Musketeers’ secret plans to, the Duke of Buckingham (portrayed by Orlando Bloom).
Production designer Paul D. Austerberry and costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud both did a fantastic job creating the visual settings and outfits, respectively, for the action-adventure film. The sets Austerberry designed feature diverse, elaborate buildings, based on where the characters are located. For example, the home of the Musketeers is small, compact and dark, representing their fall in power and prominence. Meanwhile, King Louis’ palace features exquisite paintings and chandeliers, which showcases his continued wealth and rule over his country.
Gayraud created vibrant costumes for the cast, most notably Milady and the rest of the women. The outfits perfectly represented the characters’ styles and personalities; Milady, for example, often sported provocative dresses that showed her seductive, cunning personality. She did whatever she deemed necessary to obtain what she wanted, even if it meant hiding weapons in her dresses. King Louis also wore colorful, decorative outfits that showed off his love for life and his charming naivety.
While Austerberry and Gayraud succeeded in creating intriguing, captivating sets and costumes, ‘The Three Musketeers’ screenwriters, Andrew Davies and Alex Litvak, unfortunately failed to capture the action and plot points that made the novel entertaining. Anderson focused entirely too much time on the action and fighting sequences between the Musketeers and Richelieu’s troops, instead of explaining why the cardinal wanted to take control of France. Davies and Litvak never truly explain why Richelieu is determined to undermine the king, who has turned to him for support and advice on how to run the country.
Read more: http://www.shockya.com/news/2011/10/21/the-three-musketeers-movie-review/#ixzz1bTVOVPIr
To continue reading this review, please click here: The Three Musketeers Movie Review | Shockya.com
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Cast for Paramyth Films Biopic A Green Story Announced | Shockya.com
The cast for the upcoming Paramyth Films biopic ‘A Green Story,’ which was written and directed by the independent production company’s Nika Agiashvili, has been announced. Ed O’Ross has been cast to portray Van Vlahakis, and Shannon Elizabeth, Annabella Sciorra, George Finn and Alessandra Toressani have all been confirmed to appear as the supporting cast.
‘A Green Story’ follows Van, a Greek immigrant who arrived in America who only $22 in his pocket. He eventually founded the multi-million dollar company Earth Friendly Products.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Cast for Paramyth Films Biopic A Green Story Announced | Shockya.com
‘A Green Story’ follows Van, a Greek immigrant who arrived in America who only $22 in his pocket. He eventually founded the multi-million dollar company Earth Friendly Products.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Cast for Paramyth Films Biopic A Green Story Announced | Shockya.com
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Kim Kardashian Sports Her Trademark Casadei Heels in Dubai | Shockya.com
Kim Kardashian once again showed her love for her trademark black Casadei blade heels as she traveled around Dubai on October 15, 2011. The reality star sported the stilettos when she traveled to the country with her mother, Kris Jenner, to launch her new perfume at Sephora. The newlywed was also in the country to help open the first Millions of Milkshakes store outside of the U.S. and look at a business opening to possibly open a lavish hotel.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Kim Kardashian Sports Her Trademark Casadei Heels in Dubai | Shockya.com
To continue reading this article, please visit: Kim Kardashian Sports Her Trademark Casadei Heels in Dubai | Shockya.com
Interview: Ivana Milicevic Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with actress Ivana Milicevic, who portrays Catherine Kidman in the new horror film ‘The Howling: Reborn.’ The movie, which was helmed by first-time director and screenwriter Joe Nimziki and is now available on Blu-ray and DVD, follows Catherine’s son Will, played by Landon Liboiron, on the eve of his high school graduation. He discovers that he’s about to become a werewolf just as he grows closer to Eliana Wynter, portrayed by Lindsey Shaw, who he’s liked for the past four years. Will must decide whether he wants to embrace his new inner beast, or fight for Eliana and what’s left of his humanity. Milicevic discusses with us, among other things, what attracted her to the role of Catherine, and what her working relationships with Nimziki and the rest of the cast were like.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): You portray Catherine in ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ who is attacked by a werewolf in the beginning of the film while she’s pregnant with Will. What did you find unique about the movie that convinced you to take on the role of Catherine?
Ivana Milicevic (IM): What I liked about my part in particular was that I got to play all these different aspects. I got to play this motherly, seductress, maternal character. I kind of liked that there was both of these things, which was powerful. Then in the beginning, she was normal. But that kind of got cut out, so all you saw were these little bits and pieces. But that was fun for me, because usually I’m pretty scared of horror movies. I don’t watch them because they scare me.
**Spoiler Alert** SY: One of the biggest surprises of the movie is that while Will grew up thinking his mother was killed when he was born, Catherine reveals herself to still be alive, and a werewolf herself, on the eve of her graduation. Why do you feel it’s important for Catherine to not only wait until Will’s about to become a werewolf to reveal herself, but also that she wants him to join her?
IM: Well, she wants her baby back. I guess she wasn’t in his life for a long time because she was forming her army. In that time, she learned that Will’s powers weren’t going to come to be until then, so that’s why she came back for him. It all had to do with Will’s identity, because it’s revealed to him at that time, too. **End Spoiler Alert**
SY: Landon Liboiron plays Will in the film. What was your working relationship with him?
IM: I loved working with all of those kids. They always called me “Mama,” and it’s kind of funny. (laughs) We had a really good time together. Landon’s a really good actor as well. We would all get together. We would try to make the movie as good as it can be, because it’s still a low-budget movie, and we didn’t have a lot of time for shooting it. There weren’t a lot of takes, and we were just trying to make the best thing we could make, under the circumstances.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Ivana Milicevic Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): You portray Catherine in ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ who is attacked by a werewolf in the beginning of the film while she’s pregnant with Will. What did you find unique about the movie that convinced you to take on the role of Catherine?
Ivana Milicevic (IM): What I liked about my part in particular was that I got to play all these different aspects. I got to play this motherly, seductress, maternal character. I kind of liked that there was both of these things, which was powerful. Then in the beginning, she was normal. But that kind of got cut out, so all you saw were these little bits and pieces. But that was fun for me, because usually I’m pretty scared of horror movies. I don’t watch them because they scare me.
**Spoiler Alert** SY: One of the biggest surprises of the movie is that while Will grew up thinking his mother was killed when he was born, Catherine reveals herself to still be alive, and a werewolf herself, on the eve of her graduation. Why do you feel it’s important for Catherine to not only wait until Will’s about to become a werewolf to reveal herself, but also that she wants him to join her?
IM: Well, she wants her baby back. I guess she wasn’t in his life for a long time because she was forming her army. In that time, she learned that Will’s powers weren’t going to come to be until then, so that’s why she came back for him. It all had to do with Will’s identity, because it’s revealed to him at that time, too. **End Spoiler Alert**
SY: Landon Liboiron plays Will in the film. What was your working relationship with him?
IM: I loved working with all of those kids. They always called me “Mama,” and it’s kind of funny. (laughs) We had a really good time together. Landon’s a really good actor as well. We would all get together. We would try to make the movie as good as it can be, because it’s still a low-budget movie, and we didn’t have a lot of time for shooting it. There weren’t a lot of takes, and we were just trying to make the best thing we could make, under the circumstances.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Ivana Milicevic Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Indy 500 Winner Dan Wheldon Dies in Racing Crash | Shockya.com
Dan Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, died on October 16 in a 15-car pileup while racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, USA Today is reporting. He flew over another vehicle and hit the catch fence just outside turn two.
Wheldon was driving for the chance to win $5 million. He was in the middle of the car line-up when he drove into the other vehicles, which were careening off each other in every direction. He clipped another car and went hurling in the air, as he was unable to avoid the massive wreck before him. Wheldon’s car then burst into flames as it hit the fence.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Indy 500 Winner Dan Wheldon Dies in Racing Crash | Shockya.com
Wheldon was driving for the chance to win $5 million. He was in the middle of the car line-up when he drove into the other vehicles, which were careening off each other in every direction. He clipped another car and went hurling in the air, as he was unable to avoid the massive wreck before him. Wheldon’s car then burst into flames as it hit the fence.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Indy 500 Winner Dan Wheldon Dies in Racing Crash | Shockya.com
Three People Charged After Mentally Disabled Adults Found Chained to a Boiler | Shockya.com
Three people have been charged in relation to chaining four mentally disabled adults to a boiler in a Philadelphia basement, MSNBC is reporting. The captives were found as officers were investigating a report of squatters in a building on October 15. Three men and a woman were found in a 15-by-15-foot room whose steel door was chained shut. Two of the victims are believed to have been held for as long as 11 years.
Police Sergeant Joseph Green said the four victims were likely victims of Social Security fraud. Officer and police spokeswoman Tanya Little added that the room, which held a makeshift bed, mattress and sheets, was too small for the victims to stand up straight.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Three People Charged After Mentally Disabled Adults Found Chained to a Boiler | Shockya.com
Police Sergeant Joseph Green said the four victims were likely victims of Social Security fraud. Officer and police spokeswoman Tanya Little added that the room, which held a makeshift bed, mattress and sheets, was too small for the victims to stand up straight.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Three People Charged After Mentally Disabled Adults Found Chained to a Boiler | Shockya.com
Official Taken 2 Synopsis Released | Shockya.com
With the box office success of the 2009 Liam Neeson action film ‘Taken,’ 20th Century Fox has announced it will release a sequel to the film on October 5, 2012. The studio has released the official synopsis to the follow-up, which will once again feature Neeson, ReelzChannel is reporting. The actor returns as retired CIA agent Bryan Mills, who takes a family vacation in Istanbul.
While there, the father of one of the kidnappers Bryan killed while trying to save his daughter Kim, who will once again be played by Maggie Grace in the sequel, in the first film swears revenge. So he takes Bryan and his wife hostage, and in an effort to be saved, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape. Bryan uses the same special forces tactics to get his family home safely and to take the kidnappers out one by one.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Official Taken 2 Synopsis Released | Shockya.com
While there, the father of one of the kidnappers Bryan killed while trying to save his daughter Kim, who will once again be played by Maggie Grace in the sequel, in the first film swears revenge. So he takes Bryan and his wife hostage, and in an effort to be saved, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape. Bryan uses the same special forces tactics to get his family home safely and to take the kidnappers out one by one.
To continue reading this article, please visit: Official Taken 2 Synopsis Released | Shockya.com
Let Me In Director Matt Reeves to Helm Twilight Zone Movie | Shockya.com
Warner Bros. has hired ‘Let Me In’ director Matt Reeves to direct the upcoming ‘Twilight Zone’ movie, which was penned by Jason Rothenberg and is based on the Rod Serling television series of the same name, Deadline is reporting. Final negotiations are expected to be completed early this week, and production on the film is expected to begin during summer 2012.
‘The Twilight Zone,’ which was coveted by such directors as Christopher Nolan and Michael Bay, will be produced by Appian Way partners Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran, as well as Michael Ireland. The sci-fi action thriller will be different than the series, as it will be a single freestanding story. It will also differ from the 1983 film, which was an anthology comprised of several segments from different directors. But the new movie will feature the same eerie feeling included in the television series.
To continie reading this article, please visit: Let Me In Director Matt Reeves to Helm Twilight Zone Movie | Shockya.com
‘The Twilight Zone,’ which was coveted by such directors as Christopher Nolan and Michael Bay, will be produced by Appian Way partners Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran, as well as Michael Ireland. The sci-fi action thriller will be different than the series, as it will be a single freestanding story. It will also differ from the 1983 film, which was an anthology comprised of several segments from different directors. But the new movie will feature the same eerie feeling included in the television series.
To continie reading this article, please visit: Let Me In Director Matt Reeves to Helm Twilight Zone Movie | Shockya.com
Monday, October 17, 2011
DVD Review: The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
'The Howling Reborn' DVD Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Directed by: Joe Nimziki
Starring: Landon Liboiron (TV’s ‘Terra Nova,’ ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’), Lindsey Shaw (TV’s ’10 Things I Hate about You,’ ‘Pretty Little Liars’) and Ivana Milicevic (‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Vanilla Sky’)
Rebooting a successful 1980-90s horror franchise is often a nerve-racking experience for filmmakers, as they have to create a unique story that stays true to the original series. For a first-time screenwriter-director, the challenge can be even more intimidating, as they also have to prove their filmmaking skills. But Joe Nimziki, the writer-director of the upcoming film ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ which hits DVD on October 18, 2011, showed his talent by scripting a horror movie with a deep emotional connection. He also proved his talent by casting lead actors who truly bonded.
‘The Howling: Reborn’ follows shy high school senior Will Kidman (played by Landon Liboiron) as he prepares for his graduation and finally connects with the mysterious Eliana Wynter (portrayed by Lindsey Shaw), who he’s liked for the past four years. As the two get to know each other, Will discovers a dark secret-that he’s the heir of a powerful line of werewolves. Eliana takes a chance on Will, and helps him make the difficult choice of succumbing to his primal nature or turning against his own kind and retaining his humanity. Will’s best friend Sachin (played by Jesse Rath) also helps him fight his destiny and save Eliana by supplying his friend with continuous knowledge of lycanthropes.
Nimziki made the right decision in hiring Liboiron and Shaw to portray the lead characters in ‘The Howling: Reborn.’ His script is creative in the sense that he perfectly balanced a blossoming love story with gruesome killings, so he needed two skilled actors to believably portray the lead characters’ growing emotional bond as they fight to save their lives. As the director has said, he auditioned countless actors across America and Canada for the two roles, and when Liboiron and Shaw read together, he immediately knew he had to cast them both.
To continue reading this review, please visit: DVD Review: The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Directed by: Joe Nimziki
Starring: Landon Liboiron (TV’s ‘Terra Nova,’ ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’), Lindsey Shaw (TV’s ’10 Things I Hate about You,’ ‘Pretty Little Liars’) and Ivana Milicevic (‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Vanilla Sky’)
Rebooting a successful 1980-90s horror franchise is often a nerve-racking experience for filmmakers, as they have to create a unique story that stays true to the original series. For a first-time screenwriter-director, the challenge can be even more intimidating, as they also have to prove their filmmaking skills. But Joe Nimziki, the writer-director of the upcoming film ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ which hits DVD on October 18, 2011, showed his talent by scripting a horror movie with a deep emotional connection. He also proved his talent by casting lead actors who truly bonded.
‘The Howling: Reborn’ follows shy high school senior Will Kidman (played by Landon Liboiron) as he prepares for his graduation and finally connects with the mysterious Eliana Wynter (portrayed by Lindsey Shaw), who he’s liked for the past four years. As the two get to know each other, Will discovers a dark secret-that he’s the heir of a powerful line of werewolves. Eliana takes a chance on Will, and helps him make the difficult choice of succumbing to his primal nature or turning against his own kind and retaining his humanity. Will’s best friend Sachin (played by Jesse Rath) also helps him fight his destiny and save Eliana by supplying his friend with continuous knowledge of lycanthropes.
Nimziki made the right decision in hiring Liboiron and Shaw to portray the lead characters in ‘The Howling: Reborn.’ His script is creative in the sense that he perfectly balanced a blossoming love story with gruesome killings, so he needed two skilled actors to believably portray the lead characters’ growing emotional bond as they fight to save their lives. As the director has said, he auditioned countless actors across America and Canada for the two roles, and when Liboiron and Shaw read together, he immediately knew he had to cast them both.
To continue reading this review, please visit: DVD Review: The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer DVD Review
'Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer' Examiner DVD Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
The start of the summer has always marked the beginning of countless adventures for children across America. The Relativity Media family comedy movie ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,’ which is now available to rent on DVD at select Long Island Blockbuster locations, aims to show what thrills and excitement they can unfold. However, the movie, which stars Australian newcomer Jordana Beatty in the title role, unfortunately doesn’t live up to its full potential and expectations, which were created by the successful book series it’s based on.
‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’ follows the title character (played by Jordana Beatty), a Virginia girl who just finished third grade, who’s determined to make this summer the best one yet. She creates a thrill chart so that her and her friends can compete to get the most thrill points; to get points, they must complete the scariest things they can imagine. However, Judy’s plan immediately goes awry when she finds out her best friend Rocky (played by Garrett Ryan) is going to circus camp, and their other best friend, Amy (portrayed by Taylar Hendler), is traveling to Borneo with her mother. Judy becomes even more upset when her parents tell her that they’ll be traveling to California and she’ll be stuck home with her brother Stink (played by Parris Mosteller) and their Aunt Opal (portrayed by Heather Graham), who she doesn’t remember. But Judy is still determined to earn thrill points, despite her other best friend, Frank (played by Preston Bailey), who stayed home with her, seeming less than excited to complete their challenges.
Advertisement
Despite the fact that ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’ is based on the nine books in the Judy Moody book series, penned by the movie’s co-writer Megan McDonald, the film unfortunately fails to deliver a developed plot-line solid conflicts. McDonald deserves credit for striving to branch out into a new area of writing, but Judy is underdeveloped, especially given the large amount of source material she’s based on. While Judy puts in her best efforts to find exciting things to do, such as ride a roller coaster or learn how to surf, and she becomes annoyed that both Rocky and Amy left her for the summer, Judy doesn’t overcome any major personal or external conflicts.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
The start of the summer has always marked the beginning of countless adventures for children across America. The Relativity Media family comedy movie ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,’ which is now available to rent on DVD at select Long Island Blockbuster locations, aims to show what thrills and excitement they can unfold. However, the movie, which stars Australian newcomer Jordana Beatty in the title role, unfortunately doesn’t live up to its full potential and expectations, which were created by the successful book series it’s based on.
‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’ follows the title character (played by Jordana Beatty), a Virginia girl who just finished third grade, who’s determined to make this summer the best one yet. She creates a thrill chart so that her and her friends can compete to get the most thrill points; to get points, they must complete the scariest things they can imagine. However, Judy’s plan immediately goes awry when she finds out her best friend Rocky (played by Garrett Ryan) is going to circus camp, and their other best friend, Amy (portrayed by Taylar Hendler), is traveling to Borneo with her mother. Judy becomes even more upset when her parents tell her that they’ll be traveling to California and she’ll be stuck home with her brother Stink (played by Parris Mosteller) and their Aunt Opal (portrayed by Heather Graham), who she doesn’t remember. But Judy is still determined to earn thrill points, despite her other best friend, Frank (played by Preston Bailey), who stayed home with her, seeming less than excited to complete their challenges.
Advertisement
Despite the fact that ‘Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer’ is based on the nine books in the Judy Moody book series, penned by the movie’s co-writer Megan McDonald, the film unfortunately fails to deliver a developed plot-line solid conflicts. McDonald deserves credit for striving to branch out into a new area of writing, but Judy is underdeveloped, especially given the large amount of source material she’s based on. While Judy puts in her best efforts to find exciting things to do, such as ride a roller coaster or learn how to surf, and she becomes annoyed that both Rocky and Amy left her for the summer, Judy doesn’t overcome any major personal or external conflicts.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Fast Five DVD Review
'Fast Five' DVD Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Many action sequels today fail to captivate their audiences because the studios care more about capitalizing on their successful predecessors, instead of further developing their characters or creating any new, original stunts. However, ‘Fast Five,’ which is now available to rent at select Long Island Blockbuster locations, proves it’s unique in the fact that the cast still cares about, and relate to, their characters and their stories. The series’ returning director, Justin Lin, who helmed the previous two installments, also honored the original ‘The Fast and the Furious’ by truly focusing on how the characters interact with each other.
‘Fast Five’ follows in the immediate aftermath of ‘Fast and Furious,’ and shows Brian O’Conner (played by Paul Walker) and girlfriend Mia Toretto (portrayed by Jordana Brewster) successfully freeing Mia’s brother Dom (played by New York native Vin Diesel). Brian and Mia make their own way to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and wait for Dom. They are reunited with Dom on a job stealing cars, which was set up by their friend Vince (portrayed by Matt Schulze). However, the job goes wrong, and three DEA agents are killed.
Advertisement
The owner of the cars, corrupt business owner Hernan Reyes (played by Joaquim de Almeida) goes after Brian, Dom and Mia to get back the car they stole from him. As the three realize why Reyes wants the car back so much, DSS federal agent Luke Hobbs (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson) arrives in Rio to apprehend them. Brian, Dom and Mia, now all fugitives, call in some of their friends, including Han Lue (played by Sung Kang), Roman Pearce (portrayed by Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (played by Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges), to help them pull off one last heist on Reyes.
Bringing back many of the original characters from the first three ‘The Fast and the Furious’ films was a smart move on Lin’s part. Walker and Diesel still have a great chemistry together, and seem as though they truly care about what happens to each other. Their natural bond translates well onto the screen, making it believable that Brian would forgo his career as an FBI agent in order to save Dom from going to prison. Even though the Brian and Dom relationship is still the most believable, even after the original film debuted 10 years ago, Gibson and Bridges also seemed as though they were immediately at ease with their co-stars. Even though Gibson and Bridges only previously starred alongside Walker in the first sequel, ’2 Fast 2 Furious,’ they convincingly showed their characters still wanted to protect Brian, Dom and Mia. Roman and Tej weren’t afraid of any physical danger threatened on them by Reyes or Hobbs, as they wanted to help Brian and Dom on the heist.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Many action sequels today fail to captivate their audiences because the studios care more about capitalizing on their successful predecessors, instead of further developing their characters or creating any new, original stunts. However, ‘Fast Five,’ which is now available to rent at select Long Island Blockbuster locations, proves it’s unique in the fact that the cast still cares about, and relate to, their characters and their stories. The series’ returning director, Justin Lin, who helmed the previous two installments, also honored the original ‘The Fast and the Furious’ by truly focusing on how the characters interact with each other.
‘Fast Five’ follows in the immediate aftermath of ‘Fast and Furious,’ and shows Brian O’Conner (played by Paul Walker) and girlfriend Mia Toretto (portrayed by Jordana Brewster) successfully freeing Mia’s brother Dom (played by New York native Vin Diesel). Brian and Mia make their own way to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and wait for Dom. They are reunited with Dom on a job stealing cars, which was set up by their friend Vince (portrayed by Matt Schulze). However, the job goes wrong, and three DEA agents are killed.
Advertisement
The owner of the cars, corrupt business owner Hernan Reyes (played by Joaquim de Almeida) goes after Brian, Dom and Mia to get back the car they stole from him. As the three realize why Reyes wants the car back so much, DSS federal agent Luke Hobbs (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson) arrives in Rio to apprehend them. Brian, Dom and Mia, now all fugitives, call in some of their friends, including Han Lue (played by Sung Kang), Roman Pearce (portrayed by Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (played by Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges), to help them pull off one last heist on Reyes.
Bringing back many of the original characters from the first three ‘The Fast and the Furious’ films was a smart move on Lin’s part. Walker and Diesel still have a great chemistry together, and seem as though they truly care about what happens to each other. Their natural bond translates well onto the screen, making it believable that Brian would forgo his career as an FBI agent in order to save Dom from going to prison. Even though the Brian and Dom relationship is still the most believable, even after the original film debuted 10 years ago, Gibson and Bridges also seemed as though they were immediately at ease with their co-stars. Even though Gibson and Bridges only previously starred alongside Walker in the first sequel, ’2 Fast 2 Furious,’ they convincingly showed their characters still wanted to protect Brian, Dom and Mia. Roman and Tej weren’t afraid of any physical danger threatened on them by Reyes or Hobbs, as they wanted to help Brian and Dom on the heist.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Interview: Chris Paine Talks Revenge of the Electric Car | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with director Chris Paine, who helmed the upcoming documentary ‘Revenge of the Electric Car,’ which is set to hit select theaters on October 21, 2011. The film goes behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors and independent car converter Greg “Gadget” Abbott to chronicle the resurgence of electric cars. The movie shows how almost every major car maker is jumping at the chance to produce new electronic models, a mere five years after the companies were destroying them. Paine discusses with us, among other things, why he decided to chronicle the revival of the electric car, and how the public’s opinion on the car has changed over the past 15 years.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): Your new documentary ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ tells the story of the global resurgence of electric cars. Why did you decide to chronicle this revival?
Chris Paine (CP): I think after we finished ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?,’ we were shocked to begin to hear that the electric car might be coming back from the dead, as it were. The audio industry crushed about 5,000 electric cars in California in those days. They were all against it in California, (saying) it will never work. Suddenly you began hearing rumors that GM was going to do it, Nissan was going to do it, Ford was looking at it again. We thought this might be one of those moments where we can go and capture this huge global industry in the middle of a change. Since we had a connection from the first film, we started to work through everyone that we knew for this movie.
SY: ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ goes behind the closed doors of Nissan and GM. What was the process like in getting the companies’ executives to agree to have their brands appear in the movie?
CP: The process was that I have two terrific producers (P.G. Morgan and Jessie Deeter). We began e-mailing with people we knew in the business. I eventually met (Tesla Motors’ head) Elon Musk, and he said “Okay, I’ll let you in to chronicle us doing this.” Once we had Tesla involved, we were able to get several other companies involved. We picked the four strongest ones, and told their stories. When I say strongest, I mean four different stories that represented different parts of the industry, so that we can give the audience a three-year, behind-the-scenes of the ups and downs of getting something like this going.
SY: In ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?,’ you showed how, in the mid-1990s, the car companies destructed the electric cars. Why do you think car companies have changed their minds about marketing electric cars?
CP: What made them change their minds was that gasoline had hit $4 a gallon for the first time. A lot of car companies had nothing to sell people. Everyone was paying $100 to fill up their cars or trucks every time they went to the gas station. They said, how come there are only gas cars for sale? Car companies around the world said we have to look at plug-in vehicles, because electricity is about $1 a gallon, that’s the rough cost. We know these cars can perform even better than gas cars in a lot of situations, so we don’t want to be left behind. That was probably the major factor in pushing them forward. Car companies also saw electric cars as a way to green up their brand. They were also receiving a lot of pressure from consumers who were upset.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Chris Paine Talks Revenge of the Electric Car | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): Your new documentary ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ tells the story of the global resurgence of electric cars. Why did you decide to chronicle this revival?
Chris Paine (CP): I think after we finished ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?,’ we were shocked to begin to hear that the electric car might be coming back from the dead, as it were. The audio industry crushed about 5,000 electric cars in California in those days. They were all against it in California, (saying) it will never work. Suddenly you began hearing rumors that GM was going to do it, Nissan was going to do it, Ford was looking at it again. We thought this might be one of those moments where we can go and capture this huge global industry in the middle of a change. Since we had a connection from the first film, we started to work through everyone that we knew for this movie.
SY: ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ goes behind the closed doors of Nissan and GM. What was the process like in getting the companies’ executives to agree to have their brands appear in the movie?
CP: The process was that I have two terrific producers (P.G. Morgan and Jessie Deeter). We began e-mailing with people we knew in the business. I eventually met (Tesla Motors’ head) Elon Musk, and he said “Okay, I’ll let you in to chronicle us doing this.” Once we had Tesla involved, we were able to get several other companies involved. We picked the four strongest ones, and told their stories. When I say strongest, I mean four different stories that represented different parts of the industry, so that we can give the audience a three-year, behind-the-scenes of the ups and downs of getting something like this going.
SY: In ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?,’ you showed how, in the mid-1990s, the car companies destructed the electric cars. Why do you think car companies have changed their minds about marketing electric cars?
CP: What made them change their minds was that gasoline had hit $4 a gallon for the first time. A lot of car companies had nothing to sell people. Everyone was paying $100 to fill up their cars or trucks every time they went to the gas station. They said, how come there are only gas cars for sale? Car companies around the world said we have to look at plug-in vehicles, because electricity is about $1 a gallon, that’s the rough cost. We know these cars can perform even better than gas cars in a lot of situations, so we don’t want to be left behind. That was probably the major factor in pushing them forward. Car companies also saw electric cars as a way to green up their brand. They were also receiving a lot of pressure from consumers who were upset.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Chris Paine Talks Revenge of the Electric Car | Shockya.com
Interview: Joe Nimziki Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with Joe Nimziki, who’s making his feature film directorial and writing debut with the upcoming ‘The Howling: Reborn.’ The horror film, which is set to hit Blu-ray and DVD on October 18, 2011, is the seventh sequel in the popular ‘Howling’ franchise. It follows Will, played by Landon Liboiron, who, upon his high school graduation, learns that he’s about to become a werewolf. Will’s discovery comes as he just starts bonding with Eliana Wynter, played by Lindsey Shaw, a girl he has long liked. In order to save their love and lives, they must battle not only Will’s growing lust for blood, but the beasts who are set on killing him. Nimziki discusses with us, among other things, why he decided to sign onto the film, and what it was like casting the lead characters.
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): ‘The Howling: Reborn’ serves as the reboot of the popular 1980s and ‘90s werewolf horror franchise. What do you find so compelling about the series that convinced you to sign on as the new film’s writer and director?
Joe Nimziki (JN): I was a fan of the original when I was young…never saw any sequels. But I always thought werewolves could be such a great way to tell a coming of age story, so when I was offered the chance to write and direct a reboot and tell whatever story I wanted…I was interested.
SY: Being the writer of ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ did you solely create the movie’s story, or did the producers and Anchor Bay Films give you ideas of what they wanted you to focus the plot on?
JN: I wrote the script and the producers and Anchor Bay decided to make it. I was really happy they were all up for something that wasn’t just creatures killing a bunch of kids one by one, but had a coming of age and love story element. They were very supportive.
SY: The film follows Landon Liboiron’s character Will, a high school student who discovers he’s a werewolf. Given that werewolf films aren’t usually as successful as movies that feature their enemy, vampires, what makes ‘The Howling: Reborn’ unique, and why should horror fans see it?
JN: I think sometimes werewolves get a bad rap. People think they’re not as sexy or whatever as vampires. But hopefully this film will debunk that a bit. The urge to lose control and live just by instinct can be dangerous, sexy…the very things that I think people like vampire flicks for.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Joe Nimziki Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
ShockYa (SY): ‘The Howling: Reborn’ serves as the reboot of the popular 1980s and ‘90s werewolf horror franchise. What do you find so compelling about the series that convinced you to sign on as the new film’s writer and director?
Joe Nimziki (JN): I was a fan of the original when I was young…never saw any sequels. But I always thought werewolves could be such a great way to tell a coming of age story, so when I was offered the chance to write and direct a reboot and tell whatever story I wanted…I was interested.
SY: Being the writer of ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ did you solely create the movie’s story, or did the producers and Anchor Bay Films give you ideas of what they wanted you to focus the plot on?
JN: I wrote the script and the producers and Anchor Bay decided to make it. I was really happy they were all up for something that wasn’t just creatures killing a bunch of kids one by one, but had a coming of age and love story element. They were very supportive.
SY: The film follows Landon Liboiron’s character Will, a high school student who discovers he’s a werewolf. Given that werewolf films aren’t usually as successful as movies that feature their enemy, vampires, what makes ‘The Howling: Reborn’ unique, and why should horror fans see it?
JN: I think sometimes werewolves get a bad rap. People think they’re not as sexy or whatever as vampires. But hopefully this film will debunk that a bit. The urge to lose control and live just by instinct can be dangerous, sexy…the very things that I think people like vampire flicks for.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Joe Nimziki Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Eleven-Year-Old Boy Missing After Step-Father Arrested for Killing His Mother | Shockya.com
Maryland police are searching for a missing 11-year-old boy after his step-father was arrested for killing his mother and charged with first-degree murder, FOX News is reporting. The boy lived with his mother, Jane McQuain, but wasn’t home when officers arrived at the scene. She was found dead in the bedroom of her Germantown condominium during the evening of October 12.
McQuain’s husband, Curtis Lopez, was taken into custody around 9:30 am the following morning as he was leaving an EconoLodge in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, McQuain’s son, William, hasn’t been seen since September 30.
To continue reading this post, please visit: Eleven-Year-Old Boy Missing After Step-Father Arrested for Killing His Mother | Shockya.com
McQuain’s husband, Curtis Lopez, was taken into custody around 9:30 am the following morning as he was leaving an EconoLodge in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, McQuain’s son, William, hasn’t been seen since September 30.
To continue reading this post, please visit: Eleven-Year-Old Boy Missing After Step-Father Arrested for Killing His Mother | Shockya.com
Interview: Landon Liboiron Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with actor Landon Liboiron, who portrays lead character Will Kidman in the upcoming horror film ‘The Howling: Reborn.’ The movie, which is set to hit Blu-ray and DVD on October 18, 2001, is the seventh sequel in ‘The Howling’ franchise. The story follows Will as he approaches his high school graduation, and finally unites with his love interest, Eliana Wynter, played by Lindsey Shaw. The two must deal with Will discovering that he’s about to be a werewolf, his increased lust for blood and the beasts who are determined to hunt him down. Liboiron discusses with us, among other things, what attracted him to the role of Will, and what his working relationship with Shaw was like.
Written by: Karen Benardello
SY: You portray Will in the new horror film ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ which follows him as he discovers he’s a werewolf on the eve of his high school graduation. What was it about Will that attracted you to the role?
LL: The most powerful aspect that attracted me to Will Kidman was his complete lack of control. It was the perfect roll for me at the time because I was going through that inevitable “18 year old being launched into adult hood” phase of my life. So to be given the chance to apply all of that to a dark story of boy turning into man through becoming a werewolf, really appealed to me. You never really knew what Will was going to do, nor did he for that matter, and I thought that was a beautifully difficult thing to play; to have a completely innocent moral nature filled with sinful desire.
SY: How did you prepare for the role of Will?
LL: I could annoyingly say that life itself was preparing me for Will; or quite possibly the other way around. One thing I did do was listen to no other music exept for the album ‘Mama, I’m Swollen’ by the band Cursive. I thought that that album, as a whole, completely defined Will and that specific stage of his life.
SY: Given that Will transforms into a werewolf, did you perform your own stunts? If so, what was the most difficult aspect of portraying the physical role?
LL: I did some very basic stunts. No more then get tossed around here or there. However anytime you see me fly out of a window or get slammed into some piece of furniture, that was definitely the stunt team. I must say that the stunt guys on this project were so incredible. The sweetest, most dedicated, heartfelt stunt guys I’ve probably ever worked with.
SY: When Will discovers that he’s about to become a werewolf, he finally makes a connection with his crush, Eliana Wynter, played by Lindsey Shaw. What was your working relationship with Lindsey like?
LL: It was a difficult shoot, and with that being said, the cast, everyone in the cast, became an important little family. Lindsey was beautiful to work with, as she was always ready to be present with you, even if you had to fight her to do it, she was there. I miss that cast. Everyone in that cast were amazing people.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Landon Liboiron Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
SY: You portray Will in the new horror film ‘The Howling: Reborn,’ which follows him as he discovers he’s a werewolf on the eve of his high school graduation. What was it about Will that attracted you to the role?
LL: The most powerful aspect that attracted me to Will Kidman was his complete lack of control. It was the perfect roll for me at the time because I was going through that inevitable “18 year old being launched into adult hood” phase of my life. So to be given the chance to apply all of that to a dark story of boy turning into man through becoming a werewolf, really appealed to me. You never really knew what Will was going to do, nor did he for that matter, and I thought that was a beautifully difficult thing to play; to have a completely innocent moral nature filled with sinful desire.
SY: How did you prepare for the role of Will?
LL: I could annoyingly say that life itself was preparing me for Will; or quite possibly the other way around. One thing I did do was listen to no other music exept for the album ‘Mama, I’m Swollen’ by the band Cursive. I thought that that album, as a whole, completely defined Will and that specific stage of his life.
SY: Given that Will transforms into a werewolf, did you perform your own stunts? If so, what was the most difficult aspect of portraying the physical role?
LL: I did some very basic stunts. No more then get tossed around here or there. However anytime you see me fly out of a window or get slammed into some piece of furniture, that was definitely the stunt team. I must say that the stunt guys on this project were so incredible. The sweetest, most dedicated, heartfelt stunt guys I’ve probably ever worked with.
SY: When Will discovers that he’s about to become a werewolf, he finally makes a connection with his crush, Eliana Wynter, played by Lindsey Shaw. What was your working relationship with Lindsey like?
LL: It was a difficult shoot, and with that being said, the cast, everyone in the cast, became an important little family. Lindsey was beautiful to work with, as she was always ready to be present with you, even if you had to fight her to do it, she was there. I miss that cast. Everyone in that cast were amazing people.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Landon Liboiron Talks The Howling: Reborn | Shockya.com
Robert Downey Jr. Asks Celebrities to Forgive Mel Gibson | Shockya.com
Robert Downey, Jr. tried to revitalize Mel Gibson’s public image while receiving the American Cinematheque Award at the Beverly Hills Hilton by telling the crowd the actor-director deserves forgiveness, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’ actor first surprised Hollywood by choosing Gibson, with whom he starred in 1990′s ‘Air America,’ to present him with the award on October 14.
To continue reading this post, please visit: Robert Downey Jr. Asks Celebrities to Forgive Mel Gibson | Shockya.com
To continue reading this post, please visit: Robert Downey Jr. Asks Celebrities to Forgive Mel Gibson | Shockya.com
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Clergy Members Will Show Support for Occupy Wall Street Protesters | Shockya.com
Members of the clergy are expected to show their support for the “Occupy Wall Street” protesters by joining them in Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, NY1 News is reporting. Demonstrators have scheduled a large demonstration for Columbus Day, right after they held a peaceful march to Washington Square Park.
New York police have said they made no arrests during the Washington Square protest, unlike the hundreds of arrests they made during the protests in late September. Demonstrators are saying that they’re staying with the protest to keep sharing their message.
To continue reading this post, please click here: Clergy Members Will Show Support for Occupy Wall Street Protesters | Shockya.com
New York police have said they made no arrests during the Washington Square protest, unlike the hundreds of arrests they made during the protests in late September. Demonstrators are saying that they’re staying with the protest to keep sharing their message.
To continue reading this post, please click here: Clergy Members Will Show Support for Occupy Wall Street Protesters | Shockya.com
Revenge of the Electric Car Driving Into Theaters | Shockya.com
WestMidWest Productions & Area 23A are set to release their new documentary feature ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ in select theaters on October 21. The markets that will first receive the film will be those whose interested audiences visit the movie’s website and request it come to their area.
‘Revenge of the Electric Car,’ which was co-written by Chris Paine and P.G. Morgan and directed by Paine, follows the filmmaker as he goes behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors and independent car converter Greg Abbott. The movie will also tell the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.
To continue reading this post, please click here: Revenge of the Electric Car Driving Into Theaters | Shockya.com
‘Revenge of the Electric Car,’ which was co-written by Chris Paine and P.G. Morgan and directed by Paine, follows the filmmaker as he goes behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors and independent car converter Greg Abbott. The movie will also tell the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.
To continue reading this post, please click here: Revenge of the Electric Car Driving Into Theaters | Shockya.com
Lifetime Remaking Steel Magnolias Featuring an All-Black Cast | Shockya.com
‘Steel Magnolias’ will be receiving a contemporary remake featuring an all-black cast, Deadline is reporting. Lifetime is developing an original movie based on the hit 1989 film. The remake will be produced by Craig Zadan, Neil Meron and Sony Pictures TV, where the producers’ Storyline Entertainment has an exclusive long-form programming deal. Kenny Leon, who directed the 2008 ABC television remake ‘A Raisin In The Sun,’ Storyline and Sony Pictures TV’s previous collaboration, is set to hem the new ‘Steel Magnolias.’
To continue reading this post, please click here: Lifetime Remaking Steel Magnolias Featuring an All-Black Cast | Shockya.com
To continue reading this post, please click here: Lifetime Remaking Steel Magnolias Featuring an All-Black Cast | Shockya.com
Texas Killing Fields Movie Review | Shockya.com
'Texas Killing Fields' Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Directed by: Ami Canaan Mann
Starring: Sam Worthington (‘Avator,’ ‘Clash of the Titans’), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (‘Watchmen,’ TV’s ‘Supernatural’), Chloe Grace Moretz (‘Kick-Ass,’ ‘Let Me In’)
The success of many action-thriller films heavily relies on the visuals and stunts to entice and engage audience interest. But the new Anchor Bay Films release ‘Texas Killing Fields,’ which was inspired by real murders in the oil refineries of the southeastern section of the state and based on the novel of the same name, instead focuses on the actors’ chemistry and the characters’ reactions to the killer. First-time feature film director Ami Canaan Mann surprisingly succeeds in telling the tale of the detectives investigating the case instead of the victims.
‘Texas Killing Fields’ follows League City homicide detective Jake Souder (played by Sam Worthington) and his partner, New York City officer Brian Heigh, (portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who was transferred to help track a sadistic serial killer. The perpetrator became known for dumping his victims’ bodies in a nearby marsh called “The Killing Fields.” As Jake and Brian become familiar with the killer’s patterns, the suspect changes his routine and begins hunting the two detectives. The two become even more determined to catch the killer when he kidnaps a local girl, Little Annie Sliger (played by Chloe Grace Moretz), who Brian has come to care about after protecting her from her negligent mother.
The main driving force in the crime thriller is the relationship between Jake and Brian, as the two take completely different approaches to their work. Screenwriter Don Ferrarone, who penned ‘The Texas Killing Fields,’ perfectly create two two completely different, but equally complex, interesting characters who both immediately pull the audience into the story. Brian, a religious family man, is determined to always help people and help solve cases, even if they’re out of his jurisdiction. Jake, meanwhile, just wants to follow the rules and not get in trouble with his superiors.
To continue reading this review, please click here: Texas Killing Fields Movie Review | Shockya.com
Directed by: Ami Canaan Mann
Starring: Sam Worthington (‘Avator,’ ‘Clash of the Titans’), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (‘Watchmen,’ TV’s ‘Supernatural’), Chloe Grace Moretz (‘Kick-Ass,’ ‘Let Me In’)
The success of many action-thriller films heavily relies on the visuals and stunts to entice and engage audience interest. But the new Anchor Bay Films release ‘Texas Killing Fields,’ which was inspired by real murders in the oil refineries of the southeastern section of the state and based on the novel of the same name, instead focuses on the actors’ chemistry and the characters’ reactions to the killer. First-time feature film director Ami Canaan Mann surprisingly succeeds in telling the tale of the detectives investigating the case instead of the victims.
‘Texas Killing Fields’ follows League City homicide detective Jake Souder (played by Sam Worthington) and his partner, New York City officer Brian Heigh, (portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who was transferred to help track a sadistic serial killer. The perpetrator became known for dumping his victims’ bodies in a nearby marsh called “The Killing Fields.” As Jake and Brian become familiar with the killer’s patterns, the suspect changes his routine and begins hunting the two detectives. The two become even more determined to catch the killer when he kidnaps a local girl, Little Annie Sliger (played by Chloe Grace Moretz), who Brian has come to care about after protecting her from her negligent mother.
The main driving force in the crime thriller is the relationship between Jake and Brian, as the two take completely different approaches to their work. Screenwriter Don Ferrarone, who penned ‘The Texas Killing Fields,’ perfectly create two two completely different, but equally complex, interesting characters who both immediately pull the audience into the story. Brian, a religious family man, is determined to always help people and help solve cases, even if they’re out of his jurisdiction. Jake, meanwhile, just wants to follow the rules and not get in trouble with his superiors.
To continue reading this review, please click here: Texas Killing Fields Movie Review | Shockya.com
Monday, October 10, 2011
DVD Review: The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
The Truth About Angels Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Directed by: Lichelli Lazar-Lea (‘Stranded’)
Starring: Antonio Del Prete (‘Mission: Impossible III’), Simon Rex and Dree Hemingway
Many Americans have come to envy the lifestyles of celebrities and the monetary success they have come to achieve. While these stars seem to have the perfect existence to the rest of the world, few realize the conflicts they face during their personal lives. First time feature writer and director Lichelli Lazar-Lea unfortunately includes several cliched aspects in the plot of her thriller ‘The Truth About Angels’ to prove this point. Her lead character, struggling artist Pablo, is one such person who wants to emulate the celebrities’ success, but he has put his career over his family. He faces his own personal conflict when he eventually sees the errors of his ways and wants to change his life for the sake of his daughter, but doesn’t know how.
‘The Truth About Angels’ follows Pablo (played by Lazar-Lea’s real-life husband Antonio del Prete), who feels trapped in his marriage to his wife Anna (portrayed by Monique Gabriela Curnen). While fearing that he’ll never succeed in the Los Angeles art world, Pablo is constantly fighting with Anna about what she perceives to be his lack of interest in raising their toddler daughter. Pablo feels his luck will change after his oldest friend, Kane Connor (played by Simon Rex), the newest up-and-coming Hollywood actor, invites him to an ultra exclusive Malibu party. The new father faces temptation and fights his conscience when he’s introduced to a beautiful young party girl, Kristi (portrayed by Dree Hemingway). Pablo must make the difficult decision to either give into his temptation, or stay true to his family.
Lazar-Lea has said she penned ‘The Truth About Angels’ after giving birth to her daughter with Del Prete. She became concerned not only about the idea of raising a family in the entertainment industry in L.A., but also without the support of her and her husband’s families, who live in different countries. While Lazar-Lea deserves credit for wanting to showcase the real-life issues many new, struggling families face, these sentiments unfortunately lead to the inclusion of overly common characters.
Pablo is one of the main stereotypical characters in ‘The Truth About Angels,’ despite Lazar-Lea’s best efforts to make him relatable to modern parents. While he wants to protect, provide for and be involved with his family, he doesn’t fully grasp with he’s missing in Anna and their daughter’s life until he’s tempted by Kristi. While at the party, he realizes his distance from his family, and decision to not be more actively involved in his daughter’s upbringing, can lead to his daughter becoming shallow, materialistic and self absorbed.
To continue reading this review, please visit: DVD Review: The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
Directed by: Lichelli Lazar-Lea (‘Stranded’)
Starring: Antonio Del Prete (‘Mission: Impossible III’), Simon Rex and Dree Hemingway
Many Americans have come to envy the lifestyles of celebrities and the monetary success they have come to achieve. While these stars seem to have the perfect existence to the rest of the world, few realize the conflicts they face during their personal lives. First time feature writer and director Lichelli Lazar-Lea unfortunately includes several cliched aspects in the plot of her thriller ‘The Truth About Angels’ to prove this point. Her lead character, struggling artist Pablo, is one such person who wants to emulate the celebrities’ success, but he has put his career over his family. He faces his own personal conflict when he eventually sees the errors of his ways and wants to change his life for the sake of his daughter, but doesn’t know how.
‘The Truth About Angels’ follows Pablo (played by Lazar-Lea’s real-life husband Antonio del Prete), who feels trapped in his marriage to his wife Anna (portrayed by Monique Gabriela Curnen). While fearing that he’ll never succeed in the Los Angeles art world, Pablo is constantly fighting with Anna about what she perceives to be his lack of interest in raising their toddler daughter. Pablo feels his luck will change after his oldest friend, Kane Connor (played by Simon Rex), the newest up-and-coming Hollywood actor, invites him to an ultra exclusive Malibu party. The new father faces temptation and fights his conscience when he’s introduced to a beautiful young party girl, Kristi (portrayed by Dree Hemingway). Pablo must make the difficult decision to either give into his temptation, or stay true to his family.
Lazar-Lea has said she penned ‘The Truth About Angels’ after giving birth to her daughter with Del Prete. She became concerned not only about the idea of raising a family in the entertainment industry in L.A., but also without the support of her and her husband’s families, who live in different countries. While Lazar-Lea deserves credit for wanting to showcase the real-life issues many new, struggling families face, these sentiments unfortunately lead to the inclusion of overly common characters.
Pablo is one of the main stereotypical characters in ‘The Truth About Angels,’ despite Lazar-Lea’s best efforts to make him relatable to modern parents. While he wants to protect, provide for and be involved with his family, he doesn’t fully grasp with he’s missing in Anna and their daughter’s life until he’s tempted by Kristi. While at the party, he realizes his distance from his family, and decision to not be more actively involved in his daughter’s upbringing, can lead to his daughter becoming shallow, materialistic and self absorbed.
To continue reading this review, please visit: DVD Review: The Truth About Angels | Shockya.com
Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Ides of March Movie Review 2 | Shockya.com
'The Ides of March' Shockya Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Directed by: George Clooney
Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood
Political films often strive to showcase the views of the director and screenwriter, and often times only appeal to the people who agree with their opinions. While George Clooney, who not only starred in the new political drama ‘The Ides of March,’ but also directed, co-wrote and produced it as well, infused his liberal beliefs into the movie, he also created unique characters that audiences can relate to. The filmmaker interestingly didn’t just present his views in the film, which is based on the play ‘Farragut North’ by Beau Willimon; he also showed how they can change people’s attitudes, beliefs and personalities.
‘The Ides of March’ follows Junior Campaign Manager Stephen Myers (played by Ryan Gosling), who is working to help secure the Democratic presidential candidacy for Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris (played by Clooney). Stephen works under Mike’s Senior Campaign Manager, Paul Zara (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman), as they strive to win the Ohio primary, which will nearly guarantee the nomination.
After a debate, Myers is asked by rival Campaign Manager Tom Duffy (portrayed by Paul Giamatti) to switch campaigns and work for Mike’s rival, Senator Pullman, who is also striving for the Democratic nomination. Myers is initially weary about not working for his friend anymore, but his views of Mike change after he discovers a secret between the governor and intern Molly Stearns (played by Evan Rachel Wood). The campaigner also becomes upset after his meeting with Tom is leaked by his presumed friend, New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz (portrayed by Marisa Tomei).
While ‘The Ides of March’ is one of Clooney’s major projects, Gosling is the main actor to watch in the political drama. He convincingly portrays Stephen as someone who strives to succeed in his political career, and enjoys devoting his life to his professional aspirations. As the scandalous events in the film unfold, Gosling naturally develops, matures and transforms his character, based on the corrupted and selfish acts of his fellow politicians. Stephen wants to do the right thing and positively change Americans’ lives, but becomes discouraged when he sees what Mike, Paul, Tom and even Ida will do to further their careers at the expense of others. His optimism fades and is replaced by cynicism when he realizes he betrayed his ideals for political success and revenge.
To continue reading this review, please visit: The Ides of March Movie Review 2 | Shockya.com
Directed by: George Clooney
Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood
Political films often strive to showcase the views of the director and screenwriter, and often times only appeal to the people who agree with their opinions. While George Clooney, who not only starred in the new political drama ‘The Ides of March,’ but also directed, co-wrote and produced it as well, infused his liberal beliefs into the movie, he also created unique characters that audiences can relate to. The filmmaker interestingly didn’t just present his views in the film, which is based on the play ‘Farragut North’ by Beau Willimon; he also showed how they can change people’s attitudes, beliefs and personalities.
‘The Ides of March’ follows Junior Campaign Manager Stephen Myers (played by Ryan Gosling), who is working to help secure the Democratic presidential candidacy for Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris (played by Clooney). Stephen works under Mike’s Senior Campaign Manager, Paul Zara (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman), as they strive to win the Ohio primary, which will nearly guarantee the nomination.
After a debate, Myers is asked by rival Campaign Manager Tom Duffy (portrayed by Paul Giamatti) to switch campaigns and work for Mike’s rival, Senator Pullman, who is also striving for the Democratic nomination. Myers is initially weary about not working for his friend anymore, but his views of Mike change after he discovers a secret between the governor and intern Molly Stearns (played by Evan Rachel Wood). The campaigner also becomes upset after his meeting with Tom is leaked by his presumed friend, New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz (portrayed by Marisa Tomei).
While ‘The Ides of March’ is one of Clooney’s major projects, Gosling is the main actor to watch in the political drama. He convincingly portrays Stephen as someone who strives to succeed in his political career, and enjoys devoting his life to his professional aspirations. As the scandalous events in the film unfold, Gosling naturally develops, matures and transforms his character, based on the corrupted and selfish acts of his fellow politicians. Stephen wants to do the right thing and positively change Americans’ lives, but becomes discouraged when he sees what Mike, Paul, Tom and even Ida will do to further their careers at the expense of others. His optimism fades and is replaced by cynicism when he realizes he betrayed his ideals for political success and revenge.
To continue reading this review, please visit: The Ides of March Movie Review 2 | Shockya.com
Mother of Missing Baby Lisa Irwin Claims Police Accused Her of Harming Daughter | Shockya.com
Deborah Bradley, the mother of missing 10-month-old Missouri toddler Lisa Irwin, is claiming police accused her of having done something to her daughter, ABC News is reporting. “From the start when they’ve questioned me, once I couldn’t fill in gaps, it turned into ‘You did it, you did it,” Bradley told ‘Good Morning America.’
Bradley is also claiming that Kansas City police said she failed a polygraph test. While officials said they couldn’t comment on the claim, they added she’s “free to say whatever she wants.”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Mother of Missing Baby Lisa Irwin Claims Police Accused Her of Harming Daughter | Shockya.com
Bradley is also claiming that Kansas City police said she failed a polygraph test. While officials said they couldn’t comment on the claim, they added she’s “free to say whatever she wants.”
To continue reading this article, please visit: Mother of Missing Baby Lisa Irwin Claims Police Accused Her of Harming Daughter | Shockya.com
Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Manslaughter | Shockya.com
Amanda Brumfield, the estranged daughter of Billy Bob Thornton, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated manslaughter of her one-year-old goddaughter, Reuters is reporting. The 32-year-old Brumfield was babysitting the girl, Olivia Madison Garcia, who died in her care in October 2008 in central Florida.
To continue reading this post, please visit: Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Manslaughter | Shockya.com
To continue reading this post, please visit: Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Manslaughter | Shockya.com
American Horror Story Scares Up Solid Ratings | Shockya.com
The first episode of FX’s new drama series ‘American Horror Story’ was met with solid ratings when it premiered on October 5, drawing in 3.2 million viewers, Deadline is reporting. The premiere, which drew in 2 million adults between the ages of 18 and 49, matched the demo rating of creator Ryan Murphy’s last FX series, ‘Nip/Tuck.’ ‘American Horror Story’s launch was also up 33 percent from the series debut of the cable network’s current flagship drama, ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ which drew in 1.5 million viewers.
To continue reading this post, please visit: American Horror Story Scares Up Solid Ratings | Shockya.com
To continue reading this post, please visit: American Horror Story Scares Up Solid Ratings | Shockya.com
Footloose Movie Review | Shockya.com
Footloose (2011) Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Directed by: Craig Brewer (‘Hustle & Flow,’ ‘Black Snake Moan’)
Starring: Kenny Wormald ‘(‘Center Stage: Turn It Up’), Julianne Hough (‘Burlesque,’ TV’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’) and Dennis Quaid
Some films so perfectly capture the voice of a generation that even the mention of remaking it brings criticisms by loyal fans. ‘Footloose,’ which helped launch Kevin Bacon’s career when it was released in 1984, is one such movie. Teens were able to relate to Bacon’s rebellious character, Ren MacCormack, who tirelessly questioned the authority of the adults running his town. The new ‘Footloose’ remake, which was directed and co-written by Craig Brewer and is being released by MTV Films, surprisingly stays true to the original, in both plot and moral standpoints.
The ‘Footloose’ remake, much like the original film, follows Ren (now played by Kenny Wormald) as he moves from a northern city to a small southern town. After his mother died from leukemia, Ren leaves Boston to move in with his uncle, aunt and two young cousins in small-town Bomont. Experiencing culture shock, Ren doesn’t understand why Reverend Shaw Moore (portrayed by Dennis Quaid) has implemented ordinances that enforce a curfew and prohibit loud music and dancing among Bomont’s minors.
Ren discovers that a few years before he arrived in Bomont, five high school seniors died in a car crash while driving home from a party. While he understands the town is still mourning the students’ deaths, Ren is determined not to bow to the town’s status quo. As a result, he challenges the dancing ban, and revitalizes the town’s spirit. In the process, he falls in love with the reverend’s troubled daughter Ariel (played by Julianne Hough), who also opposes the dancing ban.
While the ‘Footloose’ remake doesn’t differ much from the original musical-drama, in terms of the characters and plot-line, Brewer was able to successfully modernize the tale while staying true to its important message. While known for helming the drug filled drama ‘Hustle & Flow,’ Brewer proved his talent as a filmmaker by capturing the rebellious feelings of the current high school generation in ‘Footloose.’ Ren, Ariel and their friends, including Rusty (portrayed by Ziah Colon) and Willard (played by Miles Teller), still remember and think about the students who died in the crash. While they understand their parents’ determination to protect them, the young friends want to experience the fun aspects of high school. They also want to make, and learn from, their own mistakes, without having to worry about their parents continuously watch them.
To continue reading this review, please visit: Footloose Movie Review | Shockya.com
Directed by: Craig Brewer (‘Hustle & Flow,’ ‘Black Snake Moan’)
Starring: Kenny Wormald ‘(‘Center Stage: Turn It Up’), Julianne Hough (‘Burlesque,’ TV’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’) and Dennis Quaid
Some films so perfectly capture the voice of a generation that even the mention of remaking it brings criticisms by loyal fans. ‘Footloose,’ which helped launch Kevin Bacon’s career when it was released in 1984, is one such movie. Teens were able to relate to Bacon’s rebellious character, Ren MacCormack, who tirelessly questioned the authority of the adults running his town. The new ‘Footloose’ remake, which was directed and co-written by Craig Brewer and is being released by MTV Films, surprisingly stays true to the original, in both plot and moral standpoints.
The ‘Footloose’ remake, much like the original film, follows Ren (now played by Kenny Wormald) as he moves from a northern city to a small southern town. After his mother died from leukemia, Ren leaves Boston to move in with his uncle, aunt and two young cousins in small-town Bomont. Experiencing culture shock, Ren doesn’t understand why Reverend Shaw Moore (portrayed by Dennis Quaid) has implemented ordinances that enforce a curfew and prohibit loud music and dancing among Bomont’s minors.
Ren discovers that a few years before he arrived in Bomont, five high school seniors died in a car crash while driving home from a party. While he understands the town is still mourning the students’ deaths, Ren is determined not to bow to the town’s status quo. As a result, he challenges the dancing ban, and revitalizes the town’s spirit. In the process, he falls in love with the reverend’s troubled daughter Ariel (played by Julianne Hough), who also opposes the dancing ban.
While the ‘Footloose’ remake doesn’t differ much from the original musical-drama, in terms of the characters and plot-line, Brewer was able to successfully modernize the tale while staying true to its important message. While known for helming the drug filled drama ‘Hustle & Flow,’ Brewer proved his talent as a filmmaker by capturing the rebellious feelings of the current high school generation in ‘Footloose.’ Ren, Ariel and their friends, including Rusty (portrayed by Ziah Colon) and Willard (played by Miles Teller), still remember and think about the students who died in the crash. While they understand their parents’ determination to protect them, the young friends want to experience the fun aspects of high school. They also want to make, and learn from, their own mistakes, without having to worry about their parents continuously watch them.
To continue reading this review, please visit: Footloose Movie Review | Shockya.com
Interview: Joanna Sotomura Talks Madison County | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with actress Joanna Sotomura, who portrays Brooke in the upcoming horror thriller ‘Madison County.’ The film, which was directed by Eric England, follows a group of college students who travel to a small mountain town to interview the author of a tell-all book about a string of murders there. However, when the groups arrives in Madison County, everyone says the author hasn’t been there in years, the killer never existed and the murders never happened. Sotomura discusses with us, among other things, what attracted her to the role, and what it was like working with England and the rest of the cast.
ShockYa (SY): You play Brooke in the upcoming ‘Madison County.’ What was it about the script that you found intriguing, and convinced you to appear in the movie?
Joanna Sotomura (JS): Well, I love the fact that Eric did a really great job of setting up these characters. They all have dreams and ambitions. They’re all about to do things with their lives. So the fact that the movie starts off, and they don’t immediately get killed off, is appealing to me. I love that these are real people.
SY: How did you get into the mindset of Brooke? How did you prepare for the role?
JS: Well, I read the script a lot. Eric made me watch a whole slew of horror movies, which helped me get into the genre. But for Brooke, she’s fairly easy to get into. She’s a sweet, fun girl who’s ready to graduate from college and start this life for herself. She’s a lot like me, she’s ambitious. She was no problem getting into.
SY: The characters living in Madison County convince Brooke and her friends that the killer they’re researching never existed. Do you think one of the psychological effects people suffer from after their friends and family are murdered is to try to deny the deaths ever happened?
JS: Oh, absolutely, especially if you really loved someone, if they’re part of your family. The last thing you want to do is expose them and hurt them, you always want to justify their actions, because you love them. I think that’s what a lot of the town did. They saw this person as one of their own.
SY: Brooke is described as being free-spirited. As the plot unfolds, do you think her personality is affected, or changed, by the course of events?
JS: Oh, absolutely. I think she starts to catch on that things are starting to get eerier and eerier, and she’s slowly becoming more aware of her surroundings. Before, she was just a college kid, and it was just a creepy town. But then she starts to believe that things are starting to get a little too real. She definitely changes as the movie progresses.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Joanna Sotomura Talks Madison County | Shockya.com
ShockYa (SY): You play Brooke in the upcoming ‘Madison County.’ What was it about the script that you found intriguing, and convinced you to appear in the movie?
Joanna Sotomura (JS): Well, I love the fact that Eric did a really great job of setting up these characters. They all have dreams and ambitions. They’re all about to do things with their lives. So the fact that the movie starts off, and they don’t immediately get killed off, is appealing to me. I love that these are real people.
SY: How did you get into the mindset of Brooke? How did you prepare for the role?
JS: Well, I read the script a lot. Eric made me watch a whole slew of horror movies, which helped me get into the genre. But for Brooke, she’s fairly easy to get into. She’s a sweet, fun girl who’s ready to graduate from college and start this life for herself. She’s a lot like me, she’s ambitious. She was no problem getting into.
SY: The characters living in Madison County convince Brooke and her friends that the killer they’re researching never existed. Do you think one of the psychological effects people suffer from after their friends and family are murdered is to try to deny the deaths ever happened?
JS: Oh, absolutely, especially if you really loved someone, if they’re part of your family. The last thing you want to do is expose them and hurt them, you always want to justify their actions, because you love them. I think that’s what a lot of the town did. They saw this person as one of their own.
SY: Brooke is described as being free-spirited. As the plot unfolds, do you think her personality is affected, or changed, by the course of events?
JS: Oh, absolutely. I think she starts to catch on that things are starting to get eerier and eerier, and she’s slowly becoming more aware of her surroundings. Before, she was just a college kid, and it was just a creepy town. But then she starts to believe that things are starting to get a little too real. She definitely changes as the movie progresses.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Joanna Sotomura Talks Madison County | Shockya.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Rihanna Sparkles in Giles & Brother Bracelet During Brazil Concert | Shockya.com
Rihanna sported a metal, multi-chain Giles & Brother bracelet during her September 18 concert in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The singer made the stop in Brazil during her Loud concert tour, in support of her fifth pop album of the same name.
To continue reading, please visit: Rihanna Sparkles in Giles & Brother Bracelet During Brazil Concert | Shockya.com
To continue reading, please visit: Rihanna Sparkles in Giles & Brother Bracelet During Brazil Concert | Shockya.com
Interview: Max Allan Collins Talks The Consummata | Shockya.com
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with author Max Allan Collins, whose new pulp fiction novel ‘The Consummata’ is set to be released later this month. The book is based on a manuscript by late crime writer Mickey Spillane, and serves as a sequel to the novelist’s book ‘The Delta Factor.’ The follow-up book chronicles how Morgan the Raider sets out to get back the seventy-five thousand dollars a man stole from the struggling Cuban exiles of Miami who rescued him. Collins discusses with us, among other things, how he thought of the details for the remainder of ‘The Consummata,’ and how Spillane influenced his work.
Written by: Karen Benardello
Shockya (SY): This month, your new novel ‘The Consummata,’ which is based on a manuscript by legendary late crime writer Mickey Spillane, is being released. What were your initial thoughts and reactions when he gave you the manuscript before his death and asked you to finish the story?
Max Allan Collins (MAC): There’s been some confusion about those circumstances. ‘The Goliath Bone,’ the final Mike Hammer chronologically, was the book Mickey had been working on at the time of his death – that’s the novel he asked me to complete, if he wasn’t able to. I did so, and Harcourt published it in 2008. But Mickey, during the last week of his life, also instructed his wife Jane to turn all his unpublished material over to me, because (he felt) “Max will know what to do.” That’s an honor I can never top.
‘The Consummata’ is a slightly different case. I used to go down from my Iowa home to visit Mickey in South Carolina, maybe once or twice a year. Sometimes more often when we were collaborating on something, like the Mike Danger comic book or an anthology. Anyway, he had let me read several of the unfinished Mike Hammer novels and also the unfinished sequel to ‘The Delta Factor,’ which was ‘The Consummata.’ In the late 1980s, he handed three manuscripts to me, two Mike Hammers and ‘The Consummata’ – each was about 100 pages long – and said, “Take this home with you. Maybe someday we can do something with these.”
Ironically, not long after that, his home was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo and those three manuscripts might have been lost. The other existing manuscripts came from the one building on Mickey’s property – a small office on stilts! – that miraculously survived that storm.
As for my thoughts about the manuscripts, back in the ‘80s, I frankly didn’t think Mickey would return to them, with or without me. He seldom returned to a set-aside project, because his enthusiasm was always with something new. My instinct was that even then he was depositing them with me to complete for him after his passing.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Max Allan Collins Talks The Consummata | Shockya.com
Written by: Karen Benardello
Shockya (SY): This month, your new novel ‘The Consummata,’ which is based on a manuscript by legendary late crime writer Mickey Spillane, is being released. What were your initial thoughts and reactions when he gave you the manuscript before his death and asked you to finish the story?
Max Allan Collins (MAC): There’s been some confusion about those circumstances. ‘The Goliath Bone,’ the final Mike Hammer chronologically, was the book Mickey had been working on at the time of his death – that’s the novel he asked me to complete, if he wasn’t able to. I did so, and Harcourt published it in 2008. But Mickey, during the last week of his life, also instructed his wife Jane to turn all his unpublished material over to me, because (he felt) “Max will know what to do.” That’s an honor I can never top.
‘The Consummata’ is a slightly different case. I used to go down from my Iowa home to visit Mickey in South Carolina, maybe once or twice a year. Sometimes more often when we were collaborating on something, like the Mike Danger comic book or an anthology. Anyway, he had let me read several of the unfinished Mike Hammer novels and also the unfinished sequel to ‘The Delta Factor,’ which was ‘The Consummata.’ In the late 1980s, he handed three manuscripts to me, two Mike Hammers and ‘The Consummata’ – each was about 100 pages long – and said, “Take this home with you. Maybe someday we can do something with these.”
Ironically, not long after that, his home was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo and those three manuscripts might have been lost. The other existing manuscripts came from the one building on Mickey’s property – a small office on stilts! – that miraculously survived that storm.
As for my thoughts about the manuscripts, back in the ‘80s, I frankly didn’t think Mickey would return to them, with or without me. He seldom returned to a set-aside project, because his enthusiasm was always with something new. My instinct was that even then he was depositing them with me to complete for him after his passing.
To continue reading this interview, please visit: Interview: Max Allan Collins Talks The Consummata | Shockya.com
The Caller DVD Review
'The Caller' DVD Review, Written by: Karen Benardello
Building believable and exciting suspense and anticipation between a protagonist and antagonist in a thriller is usually the most important part of the plot. But rarely showing the enemy as she battles the hero, as seen in the supernatural thriller 'The Caller,' which is now available at select Long Island Redbox locations, is a risky move that surprisingly paid off. Director Matthew Parkkill forgoed a continuous stream of intense stunts to instead focus on building the characters' backstories and personalities.
'The Caller' follows the recently divorced Mary Kee (played by Rachelle Lefevre), who is eager to start a new life in a different apartment, away from her abusive ex-husband Steven (portrayed by Ed Quinn). Mary begins to receive strange phone calls from a mysterious woman, Rose (played by Lorna Raver), who's asking for someone who she believes still lives in the apartment. Mary initially connects with Rose, as the two discuss their abusive relationships.
But when Rose reveals she's calling from the past, Mary is anxious to stop contact, as she doesn't want to believe she's being contacted by someone from 25 years earlier. Mary begins to ignore Rose, and starts to build a relationship with Professor John Guidi (portrayed by Stephen Moyer) instead. Annoyed that she's being disregarded, Rose starts taking revenge on Mary.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Building believable and exciting suspense and anticipation between a protagonist and antagonist in a thriller is usually the most important part of the plot. But rarely showing the enemy as she battles the hero, as seen in the supernatural thriller 'The Caller,' which is now available at select Long Island Redbox locations, is a risky move that surprisingly paid off. Director Matthew Parkkill forgoed a continuous stream of intense stunts to instead focus on building the characters' backstories and personalities.
'The Caller' follows the recently divorced Mary Kee (played by Rachelle Lefevre), who is eager to start a new life in a different apartment, away from her abusive ex-husband Steven (portrayed by Ed Quinn). Mary begins to receive strange phone calls from a mysterious woman, Rose (played by Lorna Raver), who's asking for someone who she believes still lives in the apartment. Mary initially connects with Rose, as the two discuss their abusive relationships.
But when Rose reveals she's calling from the past, Mary is anxious to stop contact, as she doesn't want to believe she's being contacted by someone from 25 years earlier. Mary begins to ignore Rose, and starts to build a relationship with Professor John Guidi (portrayed by Stephen Moyer) instead. Annoyed that she's being disregarded, Rose starts taking revenge on Mary.
To continue reading this review, please click here.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
FBI Keeping Innocent People on Terrorist List | Shockya.com
The FBI is permitted to keep people on their terrorist list, even if they have been acquitted of terrorism-related crimes or if the charges against them have been dropped, the Sydney Morning Herald is reporting. Newly-released documents released by the government agency under the Freedom of Information Act confirmed the news. The documents also disclose how police are instructed to act if they come into contact with someone on the list.
Read more: FBI Keeping Innocent People on Terrorist List | Shockya.com
Read more: FBI Keeping Innocent People on Terrorist List | Shockya.com
Stacey Dash's Third Divorce Finally Legal | Shockya.com
‘Clueless’ actress Stacey Dash’s divorce from her third husband, Emmaneul Xuereb, has been made official, TMZ is reporting. The news comes after she filed to end the relationship in January 2010, on the same day she filed a request for a restraining order against him.
Read more: Stacey Dash's Third Divorce Finally Legal | Shockya.com
Read more: Stacey Dash's Third Divorce Finally Legal | Shockya.com
Monday, October 3, 2011
DarkFibre Launches Short Film Campaign for Unwatchable | Shockya.com
UK directing-writing duo DarkFibre has launched its film campaign for its on-line short ‘Unwatchable,’ which chronicles the atrocities being committed in the Congo over blood minerals. The short highlights the link between the minerals imported from the Congo that are not only used in electronics, but also in conjunction with weapons of war in the country.
DarkFibre Launches Short Film Campaign for Unwatchable | Shockya.com
DarkFibre Launches Short Film Campaign for Unwatchable | Shockya.com
700 Arrested During Wall Street Protest After Swarming Brooklyn Bridge | Shockya.com
After swarming the Brooklyn Bridge and blocking traffic for several hours on October 1, approximately 700 protesters were arrested, MSNBC is reporting. The arrests come during the second week of the Occupy Wall Street movement, as marchers began walking across the Brooklyn-bound lanes.
700 Arrested During Wall Street Protest After Swarming Brooklyn Bridge | Shockya.com
700 Arrested During Wall Street Protest After Swarming Brooklyn Bridge | Shockya.com
Warner Bros. to Release Social Series on Facebook Starring Jackson Rathbone | Shockya.com
‘Aim High,’ the first-ever social series from a Hollywood studio, is set to debut on Facebook on October 18. The action comedy series, which stars Jackson Rathbone (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1), Aimee Teegarden and Greg Germann, is produced by Warner Premiere and Dolphin Entertainment. Facebook users can become part of the show by integrating their profile information, including photos and friends, by simply opting into the application on the show’s page on the social networking website.
Warner Bros. to Release Social Series on Facebook Starring Jackson Rathbone | Shockya.com
Warner Bros. to Release Social Series on Facebook Starring Jackson Rathbone | Shockya.com
Netflix and Showtime May Air New Arrested Development Episodes | Shockya.com
The producers of the critically-acclaimed but short-lived sitcom ‘Arrested Development’ are in talks with Netflix and Showtime to air several new original episodes of the series, EW is reporting. The show’s creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, has said that he wants to shoot nine to 10 episodes that would air next fall. The new episodes will update fans on what’s happening with the Bluth family since the series ended in 2006 on FOX.
Netflix and Showtime May Air New Arrested Development Episodes | Shockya.com
Netflix and Showtime May Air New Arrested Development Episodes | Shockya.com
Gene Simmons Marries Shannon Tweed after 28 Years | Shockya.com
Gene Simmons married long-time girlfriend Shannon Tweed after 28 years of dating, Radar Online is reporting. The KISS singer and bassist married the Canadian actress on October 1 in a lavish ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel, in front of their family and friends.
Gene Simmons Marries Shannon Tweed after 28 Years | Shockya.com
Gene Simmons Marries Shannon Tweed after 28 Years | Shockya.com
Amanda Knox Claims She Was Betrayed by Italian Police | Shockya.com
Amanda Knox has once again claimed her innocence as she told an Italian court that she didn’t kill her British roommate Meredith Kercher, and she was instead betrayed by police, ABC News is reporting. The American student, who has spent the past four years in prison, and is currently serving a 26 year term, told the jury “I want to go home. I want my life back….I don’t want my future taken away from me something I didn’t do because I am innocent.”
Continue reading: Amanda Knox Claims She Was Betrayed by Italian Police | Shockya.com
Continue reading: Amanda Knox Claims She Was Betrayed by Italian Police | Shockya.com
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Interview: Tana Frederick Talks Just 45 Minutes from Broadway
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with stage and independent film actress Tanna Frederick, who’s set to reprise her role of Pandora Isaacs in the upcoming film ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway.’ She originally portrayed Pandora in the stage version in 2009 at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. The film follows Pandora as she has to move back in with her parents, who are both successful stage actors, after her latest relationship ends. However, her sister Betsy has no interest in the family business, and moves to start her own life. Frederick discusses with us, among other things, why she wanted to reprise her role in the film, and what she finds so appealing about theater.
Shockya (SY): In the upcoming drama ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway,’ you’re set to reprise the role of Pandora Isaacs. What initially attracted you to Pandora before you appeared in the play, and why did you want to reprise the role in the film?
Tanna Frederick (TF): I think Henry Jaglom is a prolific playwright. The Actors Studio Harold Clurman had told Henry that he had the new voice of the modern American playwright, and I love the way his work feels. The cadences of his dialogue, the absurd reality of the characters and of course the subject matter. Of show people, show folk- whose lifespans have consisted of generations of theatre in this case, vaudeville, that subject matter is lovely, deep and moving for me personally. I had gone away to the Iowa Independent Film Festival. Upon my return, Henry told me he had penned a play in a four day time period that had echoes of his film ‘Last Summer in the Hamptons.’ He read it to me and Ron Vignone and by the end, our jaws had dropped and I was blown away. Henry finished the play in the two weeks that followed and we began casting. I liked my character of Panda, a woman who has decided to stop apologizing for her idiosyncrasies and flaws and move back in with her family in ramshackeled family home, “just 45 minutes from Broadway.” I also loved the conflict between “show folk” and “civilians.” I thought Henry had written it in a delightful, yet truthfully eerie, manner, symbolized by the conflict between the character of my sister, played by Julie David, and I. We ran the play for close to a year at The Edgemar Center for the Arts. The cast became like family and the audience kept coming to see us after the shows to tell Henry he had to make this into his next movie. I had always wanted to do a play that was adapted to a film where I played the character in both, and so it worked out wonderfully.
SY: Did you prepare for the role any differently before you began filming the movie, as opposed to when you portrayed Pandora on-stage?
TF: No, to stay true to the character I did the same preparation. The only difference was we had cast Judd Nelson as the lead man opposite myself so the chemistry was a little different. Other than that, it was pretty remarkable how the performances transferred themselves from stage to screen.
SY: Pandora moves back in with her parents, who are both successful stage actors, after her latest long-term romance fails. Can you relate to any of her personal dilemmas?
TF: Yes. Her parents were “successful” in the sense that they had no qualms about going after what they loved and reveling in the life of theatre. I think that’s an important message that it’s difficult for artists to keep close to their hearts; that success come from the “doing” of versus the acquiring of… It comes from the history of ones relationship to their art, not what fortune or fame may have been gained from acknowledgment their art by the commercial world.
SY: Pandora’s sister Betsy, who’s played by Julie Davis, has no interest in show business, and moves away from the family to start a life on her own. Why do you think some people don’t connect with the lifestyles their family members have come to love and embrace?
TF: Probably rebellion or the need to expand their own horizons. For example, my grand parents on my mother’s side were farmers; my mother became a nursing professor. Both of my parents were in the medical field (my father is a pharmacist), but my brother and I took a different route. He graduated from a Buddhist college; he studied English and is a writer, and I became an actress. I was lucky because my parents encouraged us to explore different areas than the ones they had conquered. Or perhaps the kids hated what their parents did. But I’d prefer to look on the flip side that they would like to journey into unknown territory.
To continue reading this interview, please visit Shockya.
Shockya (SY): In the upcoming drama ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway,’ you’re set to reprise the role of Pandora Isaacs. What initially attracted you to Pandora before you appeared in the play, and why did you want to reprise the role in the film?
Tanna Frederick (TF): I think Henry Jaglom is a prolific playwright. The Actors Studio Harold Clurman had told Henry that he had the new voice of the modern American playwright, and I love the way his work feels. The cadences of his dialogue, the absurd reality of the characters and of course the subject matter. Of show people, show folk- whose lifespans have consisted of generations of theatre in this case, vaudeville, that subject matter is lovely, deep and moving for me personally. I had gone away to the Iowa Independent Film Festival. Upon my return, Henry told me he had penned a play in a four day time period that had echoes of his film ‘Last Summer in the Hamptons.’ He read it to me and Ron Vignone and by the end, our jaws had dropped and I was blown away. Henry finished the play in the two weeks that followed and we began casting. I liked my character of Panda, a woman who has decided to stop apologizing for her idiosyncrasies and flaws and move back in with her family in ramshackeled family home, “just 45 minutes from Broadway.” I also loved the conflict between “show folk” and “civilians.” I thought Henry had written it in a delightful, yet truthfully eerie, manner, symbolized by the conflict between the character of my sister, played by Julie David, and I. We ran the play for close to a year at The Edgemar Center for the Arts. The cast became like family and the audience kept coming to see us after the shows to tell Henry he had to make this into his next movie. I had always wanted to do a play that was adapted to a film where I played the character in both, and so it worked out wonderfully.
SY: Did you prepare for the role any differently before you began filming the movie, as opposed to when you portrayed Pandora on-stage?
TF: No, to stay true to the character I did the same preparation. The only difference was we had cast Judd Nelson as the lead man opposite myself so the chemistry was a little different. Other than that, it was pretty remarkable how the performances transferred themselves from stage to screen.
SY: Pandora moves back in with her parents, who are both successful stage actors, after her latest long-term romance fails. Can you relate to any of her personal dilemmas?
TF: Yes. Her parents were “successful” in the sense that they had no qualms about going after what they loved and reveling in the life of theatre. I think that’s an important message that it’s difficult for artists to keep close to their hearts; that success come from the “doing” of versus the acquiring of… It comes from the history of ones relationship to their art, not what fortune or fame may have been gained from acknowledgment their art by the commercial world.
SY: Pandora’s sister Betsy, who’s played by Julie Davis, has no interest in show business, and moves away from the family to start a life on her own. Why do you think some people don’t connect with the lifestyles their family members have come to love and embrace?
TF: Probably rebellion or the need to expand their own horizons. For example, my grand parents on my mother’s side were farmers; my mother became a nursing professor. Both of my parents were in the medical field (my father is a pharmacist), but my brother and I took a different route. He graduated from a Buddhist college; he studied English and is a writer, and I became an actress. I was lucky because my parents encouraged us to explore different areas than the ones they had conquered. Or perhaps the kids hated what their parents did. But I’d prefer to look on the flip side that they would like to journey into unknown territory.
To continue reading this interview, please visit Shockya.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)