Read Shockya's roundtable interview with 12-year-old Australian actress Jordana Beatty and screenwriter Megan McDonald about their upcoming Relativity Media comedy film ‘Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer.’ The movie, in which Beatty portrays the title character, is based on McDonald’s book series ‘Judy Moody’. The family-friendly film follows Judy as she finds out her best friends Rocky (portrayed by Garrett Ryan) and Amy (played by Taylar Hender) and her parents are all leaving town for the summer. Judy is forced to stay home with her second best friend Frank (portrayed by Preston Bailey), her younger brother Stink (played by Parris Mosteller) and their Aunt Opal (portrayed by Heather Graham), who they never met before. To keep the summer interesting, Judy comes up with a thrill points competition. Beatty and McDonald discuss with us, among other things, some of the challenges in making the film, and whether or not they felt pressured to please the fans of the book series.
Written by: Karen Benardello
Question (Q): Megan, when you were adapting the book to the screenplay, what were some of the changes made to get the story to the screen?
Megan McDonald (MM): Well, actually, I didn’t base it on any one book from the series. I decided to do a whole new adventure for Judy Moody, and summer is the first compelling idea. I thought it would be so much fun to do a summer film and go back to the way my own childhood summers were. So that was sort of the the initial inspiration. But the books mostly take place during the school year, so there’s a lot of stuff from Judy Moody Saves the World in it. The story itself is just a story.
Q: Were there any challenges during the film?
MM: The screenplay was a very challenging thing, because I had only ever written one screenplay.
Q: What about for you, Jordana?
Jordana Beatty (JB): Well, besides having to cut my hair, that was a challenge. That was probably the hardest.
MM: What about the roller coaster scene?
JB: That was a challenge, a personal challenge, because I was very scared.
MM: She’s never been on a roller coaster before. I wouldn’t even go on it, it was so scary. They had a stunt double who they were thinking of putting in. The stunt double cried and went home! (laughs) Jordana’s very brave.
Q: That seems like it would be the funnest part, amusement parks and roller coasters, you think every just loves them.
MM: Well, the funny part is, we didn’t have any extras that day, because all the crew guys wanted to on. (laughs)
Q: It sounds like you overcame your fear Jordana.
JB: Yeah, I still went on it.
Q: Is there anything else that you encountered in filming that was challenging?
MM: What about doing an American accent?
JB: I guess it wasn’t a challenge. But it sort of came kind of easily, so it wasn’t really a challenge.
MM: Besides the roller coaster, what do you think the hardest scene was?
JB: The tightrope scene.
MM: You loved the tightrope.
Q: Was the tightrope the most fun to film?
JB: Yeah, it was really high, that was great.
Q: When you were filming the movie, did you feel any pressure to please the fans of the books?
MM: I guess I wouldn’t really say pressured as much as hoping and really wanting the fans to feel they’re going to know Judy right away and enter into that familiar world. So all of the little things of Judy Moody, her mood ring, all her collections. She has her “ABC” gum collection on the wall. Her Judy Moody outfit, or costume, is the classic one from the book, where she has tiger stripe pajama bottoms and her shark shirt, which the designer said was very challenging. They couldn’t find any fabric that looked right and matched the book. Judy’s room, they outfitted to look just like it did in the books. So a lot of attention was paid to those details. I think the film will be really funny even if you don’t know Judy Moody, but I think it’s going to be even more enriching if you do. You’re going to see and recognize so many things that you’ll know from the books.
JB: All of the collections and Stink (are in the books).
MM: Stink, the little brother, and Mouse the Cat.
To read the rest of this interview, please click here.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Seth Green and Billy Baldwin Among Actors Added to 'Sexy Evil Genius' Cast
Seth Green, Billy Baldwin, Michelle Tractenberg and Harold Perrineau Jr. have joined Katee Sackhoff to complete the cast of the upcoming dark comedy 'Sexy Evil Genius.' The Sobini Films feature will mark Shawn Piller's feature directorial debut, though he is known for helming such television shows as 'Haven,' 'Wildfire' and 'Greek.'
'Sexy Evil Genius' follows a group of strangers who are invited by their mutual ex-lover Nikki Frankly, set to be played by Sackhoff, to a bar in downtown Los Angeles. The unpredictable Nikki was just released from prison for murdering her last ex-boyfriend. She shows up at the bar with her morally-questionable lawyer, who's now also her fiancée. Though Nikki won't immediately reveal what her intentions are for the evening, the group assembled at the bar soon realize they're trapped in one of her mind-games.
Producer Mark Amin has said of 'Sexy Evil Genius' that he's been looking for a script that was original, had great characters, a seasoned director with a vision and a compelling story. When 'Sexy Evil Genius' attracted such a great cast, I knew we had found our film."
'Sexy Evil Genius' was written by Scott Lew, who has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. He penned the script by slightly moving his head, which was connected to a digital keyboard.
'Sexy Evil Genius' follows a group of strangers who are invited by their mutual ex-lover Nikki Frankly, set to be played by Sackhoff, to a bar in downtown Los Angeles. The unpredictable Nikki was just released from prison for murdering her last ex-boyfriend. She shows up at the bar with her morally-questionable lawyer, who's now also her fiancée. Though Nikki won't immediately reveal what her intentions are for the evening, the group assembled at the bar soon realize they're trapped in one of her mind-games.
Producer Mark Amin has said of 'Sexy Evil Genius' that he's been looking for a script that was original, had great characters, a seasoned director with a vision and a compelling story. When 'Sexy Evil Genius' attracted such a great cast, I knew we had found our film."
'Sexy Evil Genius' was written by Scott Lew, who has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. He penned the script by slightly moving his head, which was connected to a digital keyboard.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Interview: Danielle Nicolet Talks About 'Red Faction: Origins'
Read Shockya's exclusive interview with Danielle Nicolet, who plays Tess De La Vega in the upcoming Syfy Channel Original Movie ‘Red Faction: Origins.’ The highly anticipated movie, which premieres on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 9 pm, is the first film based on the Red Faction video game series. The movie’s being released to help promote the new Red Faction video game Armageddon, which is hitting stores on Tuesday, June 7. ‘Red Faction: Origins’ is set twenty-five years after the events of the popular 2009 Red Faction game Guerrilla, and follows Jake Mason (played by Brian J. Smith), the last remaining son of protagonist Alec Mason. Jake discovers that his sister Lyra (portrayed by Tamzin Mechant), who was kidnapped 12 years ago, is still alive, and he sets out to save her. Nicolet discusses with us, among other things, what attracted her to the story, and how she prepared for the role.
Shockya (SY): ‘Red Faction: Origins’ is based on the video game franchise Red Faction, and is being released to coincide with the new game that’s coming out, Armageddon. Were you a fan of the games before being cast in the movie?
Danielle Nicolet (DN): I’ll tell you what, I didn’t play the games before I was cast, but I did get very hooked on them after I got the job. I’m a pretty big gamer, and I play quite a few games at my house, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to play Red Faction. When I got the job, I was sort of glad that I hadn’t (played the game) because it wasn’t in my head to paint my vision of what the movie was going to be like. Of course, as soon as I got (the job), I went out and got Guerrilla. It was really neat for me while we were shooting to poke around the set and see the different things that were pulled from the game. It’s really interesting when you watch the movie, you can see little pieces of the game, it’s like an Easter egg hunt.
SY: So what attracted you to the movie?
DN: The script. The writing is so good. It’s a rare experience of an actor that you read a script and you don’t say to yourself, well, it’s pretty good, but man, I’d change those lines if I could. I read the script, and there wasn’t one thing about it that I would change. I loved every single line that I got to say. So most of all, that’s what attracted me. When I read the script, I said I absolutely have to have this job.
SY: How did you prepare for your role of Tess?
DN: (laughs) Well, nothing really would have prepared me for the experience of being in Eastern Europe in the dead of winter. That actually was really helpful, because inherently, Tess is a fish out of water in the movie. She does not do well outside of her comfort zone. She is much more of a girl who would prefer to be at home, safe and warm, in front of her computer screen. In ‘Red Faction,’ she’s pulled entirely out of her element and dragged along on this mission to save Mars, functioning as this really tough guy, reluctant side kick. Danielle in Bulgaria was not all that different from Tessa because it was entirely different for me. I was as much a fish out of water in Eastern Europe as Tess was in the movie.
To read the rest of this interview, please click here.
Shockya (SY): ‘Red Faction: Origins’ is based on the video game franchise Red Faction, and is being released to coincide with the new game that’s coming out, Armageddon. Were you a fan of the games before being cast in the movie?
Danielle Nicolet (DN): I’ll tell you what, I didn’t play the games before I was cast, but I did get very hooked on them after I got the job. I’m a pretty big gamer, and I play quite a few games at my house, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to play Red Faction. When I got the job, I was sort of glad that I hadn’t (played the game) because it wasn’t in my head to paint my vision of what the movie was going to be like. Of course, as soon as I got (the job), I went out and got Guerrilla. It was really neat for me while we were shooting to poke around the set and see the different things that were pulled from the game. It’s really interesting when you watch the movie, you can see little pieces of the game, it’s like an Easter egg hunt.
SY: So what attracted you to the movie?
DN: The script. The writing is so good. It’s a rare experience of an actor that you read a script and you don’t say to yourself, well, it’s pretty good, but man, I’d change those lines if I could. I read the script, and there wasn’t one thing about it that I would change. I loved every single line that I got to say. So most of all, that’s what attracted me. When I read the script, I said I absolutely have to have this job.
SY: How did you prepare for your role of Tess?
DN: (laughs) Well, nothing really would have prepared me for the experience of being in Eastern Europe in the dead of winter. That actually was really helpful, because inherently, Tess is a fish out of water in the movie. She does not do well outside of her comfort zone. She is much more of a girl who would prefer to be at home, safe and warm, in front of her computer screen. In ‘Red Faction,’ she’s pulled entirely out of her element and dragged along on this mission to save Mars, functioning as this really tough guy, reluctant side kick. Danielle in Bulgaria was not all that different from Tessa because it was entirely different for me. I was as much a fish out of water in Eastern Europe as Tess was in the movie.
To read the rest of this interview, please click here.
'Waiting for Forever' DVD Review
'Waiting for Forever' DVD Review Written by: Karen Benardello
Director: James Keach
Starring: Tom Sturridge (2011′s ‘On the Road), Rachel Bilson, Richard Jenkins, Blythe Danner
People can wait years to be reunited with their true love, but it seems like they can’t postpone making money. A mere three months after it hit theaters in a limited released, the independent romantic drama ‘Waiting for Forever’ has been released onto DVD by its studio, PCH Film, without any bonus features. While the movie’s lead actors, Tom Sturridge and Rachel Bilson, have a natural spark and chemistry between them, their connection unfortunately won’t solely sell the DVD.
‘Waiting for Forever’ chronicles Will Donner (played by Sturridge) as he travels across America to follow his childhood friend and love Emma Twist (portrayed by Bilson). Now a famous Hollywood actress, Emma heads back to their hometown in Pennsylvania to see her sick father, Richard (played by Richard Jenkins), who is dying. Will is determined to tell Emma how he feels about her, despite his brother Jim’s (portrayed by Scott Mechlowicz) worries that he is emotionally ill, due to the fact that he still talks to their deceased parents.
Despite Jim’s concerns, his wife Susan (played by Jamie King), Will’s childhood friend Joe (portrayed by Nelson Franklin) and his wife Dolores (played by Nikki Blonsky), all encourage Will to tell Emma he loves her. However, Emma is dating Aaron (portrayed by Matthew Davis), who follows her to Pennsylvania to tell her he forgives her for cheating on him with one of his friends. Emma considers marrying Aaron after Will tells her he has been following her around the country. Aaron becomes upset Will has been following Emma, and has him arrested to keep him away from her.
Even PCH Films didn’t include any bonus features on the DVD to give viewers an insight into how the film was made, ‘Waiting for Forever’ is still a respectable choice for Bilson’s fans. The actress, who is most well-known for her roles on the hit Fox teen series’ ‘The O.C.’ and in the sci-fi movie ‘Jumper,’ proves that she’s able to connect with every character she takes on, no matter the genre. Bilson’s performance makes viewers truly believe Emma is determined to become a successful actress; she wants to get away from her small town and her strained relationship with her mother, Miranda (played by Blythe Danner).
To read the rest of this post, please click here.
Director: James Keach
Starring: Tom Sturridge (2011′s ‘On the Road), Rachel Bilson, Richard Jenkins, Blythe Danner
People can wait years to be reunited with their true love, but it seems like they can’t postpone making money. A mere three months after it hit theaters in a limited released, the independent romantic drama ‘Waiting for Forever’ has been released onto DVD by its studio, PCH Film, without any bonus features. While the movie’s lead actors, Tom Sturridge and Rachel Bilson, have a natural spark and chemistry between them, their connection unfortunately won’t solely sell the DVD.
‘Waiting for Forever’ chronicles Will Donner (played by Sturridge) as he travels across America to follow his childhood friend and love Emma Twist (portrayed by Bilson). Now a famous Hollywood actress, Emma heads back to their hometown in Pennsylvania to see her sick father, Richard (played by Richard Jenkins), who is dying. Will is determined to tell Emma how he feels about her, despite his brother Jim’s (portrayed by Scott Mechlowicz) worries that he is emotionally ill, due to the fact that he still talks to their deceased parents.
Despite Jim’s concerns, his wife Susan (played by Jamie King), Will’s childhood friend Joe (portrayed by Nelson Franklin) and his wife Dolores (played by Nikki Blonsky), all encourage Will to tell Emma he loves her. However, Emma is dating Aaron (portrayed by Matthew Davis), who follows her to Pennsylvania to tell her he forgives her for cheating on him with one of his friends. Emma considers marrying Aaron after Will tells her he has been following her around the country. Aaron becomes upset Will has been following Emma, and has him arrested to keep him away from her.
Even PCH Films didn’t include any bonus features on the DVD to give viewers an insight into how the film was made, ‘Waiting for Forever’ is still a respectable choice for Bilson’s fans. The actress, who is most well-known for her roles on the hit Fox teen series’ ‘The O.C.’ and in the sci-fi movie ‘Jumper,’ proves that she’s able to connect with every character she takes on, no matter the genre. Bilson’s performance makes viewers truly believe Emma is determined to become a successful actress; she wants to get away from her small town and her strained relationship with her mother, Miranda (played by Blythe Danner).
To read the rest of this post, please click here.
Shockya’s Top Celebrity Tweeters: Karen's Favorite Five
Shockya’s Top Celebrity Tweeters: Karen's Favorite Five
Keeping up with Shockya’s new weekly mini-series, here are five more top celebrity Twitter accounts that the media-savvy public loves to “follow” on the popular social networking and microblogging website. It’s no secret that over the past few years, movie, television and music fans have become even more eager to “follow” their favorite celebrities on Twitter to see what they’re doing in their professional and personal lives, described in 140 characters or less.
While celebrities may join Twitter just to promote their upcoming projects or to keep their names in the media’s attention, this edition of Shockya’s Top Celebrity Tweeters features both film and television actors who not only discuss their acting, but also inform the world of the good they’re contributing to society. They also aren’t afraid to interact with their fans and show off their true personalities. Don’t forget to click on the Twitter icons to connect to the actors’ profiles, and to come back next week for the latest edition of this Shockya mini-series!
1. Lucy Hale- @lucyyhale
The current Teen Choice Award winner for Choice Summer TV Star: Female for her portrayal of Aria Montogmery on the hit ABC Family mystery teen drama ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ Lucy Hale is an up-and-coming star that deserves to be noticed. Much like her co-star Ashley Benson, whose Twitter account was mentioned on Perri Nemiroff’s Top Celebrity Tweeters, Hale doesn’t devote her entire page to just shamelessly promoting ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ which is set to premiere its second season on June 14, 2011. The actress proves that she’s down-to-earth by tweeting with her friends and that she’s not afraid of competition, as she writes about fellow actors, including Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci. Hale’s Twitter account definitely helps fans of ‘Pretty Little Liars’ get through the show’s hiatus.
To read the rest of this post, please click here.
Keeping up with Shockya’s new weekly mini-series, here are five more top celebrity Twitter accounts that the media-savvy public loves to “follow” on the popular social networking and microblogging website. It’s no secret that over the past few years, movie, television and music fans have become even more eager to “follow” their favorite celebrities on Twitter to see what they’re doing in their professional and personal lives, described in 140 characters or less.
While celebrities may join Twitter just to promote their upcoming projects or to keep their names in the media’s attention, this edition of Shockya’s Top Celebrity Tweeters features both film and television actors who not only discuss their acting, but also inform the world of the good they’re contributing to society. They also aren’t afraid to interact with their fans and show off their true personalities. Don’t forget to click on the Twitter icons to connect to the actors’ profiles, and to come back next week for the latest edition of this Shockya mini-series!
1. Lucy Hale- @lucyyhale
The current Teen Choice Award winner for Choice Summer TV Star: Female for her portrayal of Aria Montogmery on the hit ABC Family mystery teen drama ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ Lucy Hale is an up-and-coming star that deserves to be noticed. Much like her co-star Ashley Benson, whose Twitter account was mentioned on Perri Nemiroff’s Top Celebrity Tweeters, Hale doesn’t devote her entire page to just shamelessly promoting ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ which is set to premiere its second season on June 14, 2011. The actress proves that she’s down-to-earth by tweeting with her friends and that she’s not afraid of competition, as she writes about fellow actors, including Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci. Hale’s Twitter account definitely helps fans of ‘Pretty Little Liars’ get through the show’s hiatus.
To read the rest of this post, please click here.
'The Perfect Host' Movie Review
'The Perfect Host' Movie Review Written by: Karen Benardello
Director: Nick Tomnay
Starring: David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford ('A Walk To Remember,' '24')
Unpredictable plot twists are always the key point to any successful thriller movie. With Magnolia Pictures’ latest suspense-filled thriller, ‘The Perfect Host,’ first time feature film director and writer Nick Tomnay proved his natural film-making abilities by not only creating unforeseen story elements, but also including multi-dimensional characters. The movie’s two main actors, David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford, also help prove that a thriller doesn’t need big budget action sequences to create intrigue.
‘The Perfect Host’ follows criminal John Taylor (played by Crawford), who is on the run from the LAPD for robbing a bank. In order to avoid capture, John ditches his car and rings the doorbell of Warwick Wilson (portrayed by Pierce). After finding a postcard in Warwick’s mailbox from his friend Julia in Sydney, John claims to be a friend of Julia. He tells Warwick that he has just arrived back from visiting her, and lost his luggage and was mugged on the way home from the airport. While Warwick is preparing for a dinner party, he lets John stay, seeing that he has nowhere else to go. However, as the night progresses, John realizes he may be the one who needs to be careful of his new acquaintance.
The most difficult aspect of making ‘The Perfect Host’ for Tomnay was casting the role of Warwick. Having the movie in development since he wrote the short film it’s based on, ‘The Host,’ in 1999, Tomnay still was unable to find a production company to finance ‘The Perfect Host.’ When his manager, Stacey Testro and her partner Martin zoland, finally agreed to serve as producers, Tomnay was only given a small budget to create the movie, and even a smaller amount to give the lead actor.
To read the rest of this review, please click here.
Director: Nick Tomnay
Starring: David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford ('A Walk To Remember,' '24')
Unpredictable plot twists are always the key point to any successful thriller movie. With Magnolia Pictures’ latest suspense-filled thriller, ‘The Perfect Host,’ first time feature film director and writer Nick Tomnay proved his natural film-making abilities by not only creating unforeseen story elements, but also including multi-dimensional characters. The movie’s two main actors, David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford, also help prove that a thriller doesn’t need big budget action sequences to create intrigue.
‘The Perfect Host’ follows criminal John Taylor (played by Crawford), who is on the run from the LAPD for robbing a bank. In order to avoid capture, John ditches his car and rings the doorbell of Warwick Wilson (portrayed by Pierce). After finding a postcard in Warwick’s mailbox from his friend Julia in Sydney, John claims to be a friend of Julia. He tells Warwick that he has just arrived back from visiting her, and lost his luggage and was mugged on the way home from the airport. While Warwick is preparing for a dinner party, he lets John stay, seeing that he has nowhere else to go. However, as the night progresses, John realizes he may be the one who needs to be careful of his new acquaintance.
The most difficult aspect of making ‘The Perfect Host’ for Tomnay was casting the role of Warwick. Having the movie in development since he wrote the short film it’s based on, ‘The Host,’ in 1999, Tomnay still was unable to find a production company to finance ‘The Perfect Host.’ When his manager, Stacey Testro and her partner Martin zoland, finally agreed to serve as producers, Tomnay was only given a small budget to create the movie, and even a smaller amount to give the lead actor.
To read the rest of this review, please click here.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
'Midnight in Paris' Movie Review
'Midnight in Paris' Movie Review Written by: Karen Benardello
Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, and often inspires and rekindles passion in relationships. New York native Woody Allen, who wrote and directed the new Sony Pictures Classic romantic fantasy comedy ‘Midnight in Paris,’ which is now playing in select Long Island theaters, strives to capture the City of Light’s past romance. While his goal is to prove how much easier and more loving life was in an earlier era, Allen regrettably fails to capture the much-needed modern conflict to make his intended themes believable.
‘Midnight in Paris’ follows Gil Pender (played by Owen Wilson), a Hollywood screenwriter who’s dissatisfied with his life, as he travels to Paris with his fiancée, Inez (portrayed by Rachel McAdams), and her parents for their business. Gil is struggling to finish his first novel, as he wants to prove that he can do more than just write movies. The harder he works on his novel, the further he emotionally distances himself from Inez, who looks down upon the project and his lifestyle.
Gil dreams of living in 1920s Paris, a time he believes is much simpler than present day America. While walking around the City of Lights on his own one night, Gil gets into a car with strangers, and is actually transported back in time to the ’20s. There he meets such famous artists and writers as Ernest Hemingway (played by Corey Stoll), F. Scott Fitzgerald (portrayed by Tom Hiddleston) and Pablo Picasso (portrayed by Marcial Di Fonzo Bo). Having getting excited about meeting his idols, Gil realizes that everyone is looking for a “golden past,” in which they become nostalgic about, and romanticize, an earlier time, instead of accepting their present and uncertain future.
To read the rest of this review, please visit Examiner or Associated Content.
Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, and often inspires and rekindles passion in relationships. New York native Woody Allen, who wrote and directed the new Sony Pictures Classic romantic fantasy comedy ‘Midnight in Paris,’ which is now playing in select Long Island theaters, strives to capture the City of Light’s past romance. While his goal is to prove how much easier and more loving life was in an earlier era, Allen regrettably fails to capture the much-needed modern conflict to make his intended themes believable.
‘Midnight in Paris’ follows Gil Pender (played by Owen Wilson), a Hollywood screenwriter who’s dissatisfied with his life, as he travels to Paris with his fiancée, Inez (portrayed by Rachel McAdams), and her parents for their business. Gil is struggling to finish his first novel, as he wants to prove that he can do more than just write movies. The harder he works on his novel, the further he emotionally distances himself from Inez, who looks down upon the project and his lifestyle.
Gil dreams of living in 1920s Paris, a time he believes is much simpler than present day America. While walking around the City of Lights on his own one night, Gil gets into a car with strangers, and is actually transported back in time to the ’20s. There he meets such famous artists and writers as Ernest Hemingway (played by Corey Stoll), F. Scott Fitzgerald (portrayed by Tom Hiddleston) and Pablo Picasso (portrayed by Marcial Di Fonzo Bo). Having getting excited about meeting his idols, Gil realizes that everyone is looking for a “golden past,” in which they become nostalgic about, and romanticize, an earlier time, instead of accepting their present and uncertain future.
To read the rest of this review, please visit Examiner or Associated Content.
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