After the remaining American troops are withdrawn from Iraq later this year, the Obama administration plans to increase the American military presence in the Persian Gulf, MSNBC is reporting.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.
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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
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