Kevin Bacon Joins Mark Wahlberg In PATRIOTS DAY

CBS Films and Lionsgate announced that Golden Globe-winner Kevin Bacon (Black Mass, Mystic River) has joined Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, Lone Survivor), Golden Globe-winner John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane, Inside Llewyn Davis, Argo) and Academy Award-Winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash, Zootopia), Golden Globe-nominee Michelle Monaghan (True Detective, Gone Baby Gone), Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley, Criminal Minds), Vincent Curatola (The Good Wife, The Sopranos) and James Colby(Limitless, Jessica Jones) in PATRIOTS DAY. The film will be directed by Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor) and produced by Scott Stuber, Mark Wahlberg, Hutch Parker, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson, Dorothy Aufiero and Michael Radutzky.

PATRIOTS DAY chronicles the events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. Bacon will play Special Agent in Charge,Richard DesLauriers, of the FBI. “Richard DesLauriers worked tirelessly as one of the key figures in an impossibly sophisticated investigation and Kevin Bacon possesses the intelligence and empathy to portray him,” commented Berg.

PATRIOTS DAY will be co-financed by CBS Films and Lionsgate with the former handling production and marketing and the latter handling distribution.

WME as well as Gaines/Solomon Law Group and MGMT Entertainment represent Kevin Bacon. The film is currently in production in Boston and will open in Boston, New York and Los Angeles on December 21, 2016.

MY GOLDEN DAYS – Review

This week another film maker tackles a subject frequently explored in movies of the heart, perhaps best labeled the romance (but not a “rom-com”, though there’s a smidgen of humor). It’s the old “lost love” plot, where the story’s focus character (often nearing those “twilight” years) remembers his first real infatuation and heartbreak, usually eliciting pangs of remorse or regret. Popular author Nicholas Sparks has made this a standard theme in film adaptations of his work from THE NOTEBOOK to THE BEST OF ME. Now this new release hails from across the pond, France to be precise. Unlike those previously mentioned big screen “soaps” it is a more somber meditation when the film’s protagonist’s thoughts recall MY GOLDEN DAYS.
Those sun drenched days belong to a scholar working for France’s department of ministry, Paul Dedalus (Mathieu Amalric). We encounter him as he prepares to leave Tajikistan for Paris. While he packs he remembers his pre-teen years, when he (Antoine Bui) and his younger siblings, sister Delphine and eccentric brother Ivan, tried to survive their crumbling family unit. Their mentally ill mother suddenly died leaving their father lonely and inconsolable. Young Paul could only find affection from his nurturing aunt and her special lady friend, a Russian refugee. When the adult Paul arrives in Paris he is whisked away by airport security because of an irregularity with his passport. Seems a man in Australia has the exact same name and birthdate. Paul finally tells his interrogator the truth. While in high school, he and his best pal Marc are recruited by former USSR citizens. They ask them to help out some friends in the old country when the boys go there on a class field trip. And Paul (Quentin Dolmaire) should give his passport to them, in order for a teenager to flee to Israel.
This tale of clumsy teenage espionage ends with another memory, that of his first real love a few years later. After his inaugural year of college studies, Paul returns home to Delphine (Lilly Taieb) and Ivan (Raphael Cohen). Outside their high school, Paul is gobsmacked by the sight of the campus beauty, Esther (Lou Roy-Lecollinet). Their love affair endures many travails over the next few years as Paul’s studies separate them. Every spare minute apart is spent writing long, passionate letters. When the adult Paul is contacted by an old friend about Esther, he digs through the fading correspondence, reliving those days of emotional upheaval and pure bliss.

Amalric as the adult, modern-day Paul anchors the film with a strong confident performance and fully captures this educated, world-weary intellectual. He keeps his emotions in check until those old letters open up the floodgates that cause much collateral damage in a reunion that quickly becomes uncomfortable and nearly violent. Dolmaire as the teen/young adult Paul is full of bravado and exuberance, constantly leading with his heart rather than his head. He shows this in his near-unquenchable thirst for knowledge, which is almost sidelined by his pursuit of the elusive Esther. Roy-Lecollinet portrays her as a bombshell who almost seems bored by the way she can make any boy her puppet. She lets us see how Paul opens her up and engages her mind, challenging her as no one has before. When he departs, we see how she is swallowed up by an all-encompassing sadness, one that causes her to strike back at him in meaningless flings. As the teen Ivan, Cohen remains an enigmatic mystery, a living ghost. But it’s Taieb that grabs our hearts with an unflinching confession to her father, as she bemoans her own worth.
The talented cast truly inhabit their roles even when the script veers into odd directions with obtuse motivations. Director Arnaud Desplechin (who co-wrote the screenplay with Julie Peyr) sets the film on several paths than often shift and detour with little logic. The whole airport security situation just dissolves away to the college fling. The father flits in and out like a spectre, passing through without making any connections. We only see the mother in a strange overwrought confrontation on a stairwell. And other scenes come off as ill-conceived. A subplot involving Ivan’s plan to rob a bank floats aside. And in the film’s most bizarre sequence, one that’s sure to have many viewers dumbfounded, Paul is so distraught over the loss of an African mentor that he covers his face in dark make-up ala THE JAZZ SINGER! Desplechin tries to make the love letters more cinematic by having Paul and Esther recite them, straight into the camera while in different locales, but the story grinds to a halt with these set pieces. These become tiresome along with the hot and cold nature of their affair. He’s mad now, while she wants him, then rejects him, then re-united, …and repeat again and again. All while chain-smoking, which is truly nauseating (I know it’s French, but sheesh!). There are some terrific performances but there’s mired in a tedious plot that really tarnishes the shiny luster of MY GOLDEN DAYS.
2.5 Out of 5
MY GOLDEN DAYS opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre

TOP TEN BLACK DRESSES IN THE MOVIES – Movie Geek Lecture at Missouri History Museum April 5th

The Little Black Dress—a simple, short cocktail dress—is a sartorial staple for most contemporary women. Prior to the early 20th century, simple, unadorned black garments were limited to mourning, and strict social rules regarding mourning dress were rigidly observed. Influential French designer Coco Chanel revolutionized fashion by introducing the versatile, affordable, accessible garment. Today, the wearing of black at funerals is in decline, and it isn’t uncommon to see black at weddings—even on the bride! Such flaunting of tradition was unthinkable and scandalous to earlier generations.

Featuring more than 60 dresses from the Missouri History Museum’s world-renowned textile collection, the fun-yet-thought-provoking exhibit “Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night” explores the subject of mourning, as well as the transition of black from a symbol of grief to a symbol of high fashion. You’ll also see fascinating artifacts—from hair jewelry to tear catchers—that were once a regular part of the mourning process. Plus, you’ll have the chance to share your own memories of your favorite little black dress and even get the opportunity to design your own dress! The exhibit opens this Saturday (April 2nd) at The Missouri History Museum. This is a FREE exhibit and will run through September 5th. For hours and more details, visit the museum’s site HERE

To tie in with this exhibit, We Are Movie Geeks own Tom Stockman (that’s me!) will be delivering an illustrated talk at the museum on the TOP TEN BLACK DRESSES IN THE MOVIES. It’s like one of our Top Ten lists in lecture form! I’ve chosen the top ten dresses in movie history. Who will wear number one ?!?! Find out Tuesday April 5th at 10:30am at Lee Auditorium inside the Missouri History Museum (Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri). The talk will be part of Johnny Rabbitt’s history series at the Museum and I am one of four speakers invited to lecture about the history and cultural significance of the black dress! (note: I’m speaking last, so my talk will likely start around 11:30 in case you’re running late)

Who wore it best?!?! Who will make the top ten?!?! (hint – it’s NONE of the actresses pictured in this post!) See you Tuesday April 5th at 10:30am

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS Review

I don’t like speaking ill of the dead, especially icons who’ve defined an entire genre, but name-dropping is a marketing tactic best left for the living. Director Nick Simon’s newest feature film is titled THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS and I honestly believe I see Wes Craven’s name pop up in connection with this film more than Simon’s. Naturally, with Craven having passed in August of 2015, he’s likely to have had little [if anything] to do with the marketing of this movie, but it would certainly seem like he’s calling the shots from the gave.

Sadly, THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS is not the shining example of groundbreaking genre filmmaking for which the legendary master posthumously deserves credit. For a man so synonymous with influencing the slasher horror genre, the executive producer credit should have been given more of a backseat while the “For Wes” title card before the film’s opening was a much more appropriate touch. Regardless, the film does not do much to maintain the flame of the torch Wes Craven once helped to first set ablaze for moviegoers.

The story revolves around a young woman named Colleen (played by Claudia Lee) working as a grocery store clerk when she starts finding photographs of recently murdered women placed around her workplace. The images themselves are gory, but sloppy and nothing you would come to expect from more seriously devoted killers as we’ve become accustomed to in serial killer films. There is a level of ambiguity toward the pictures at first, as even the police are not certain if they’re genuine or elaborate fakes. Nonetheless, they begin to make the clerk nervous and she doesn’t seem to be getting any support of law enforcement. Convenient.

As the photographs begin to add up, one has to wonder where the film intends to go with the awkwardly devised setup. Does the killer have a special place in his or her cold heart for this young woman, or is she the key audience for which this twisted maestro creates such gruesome artwork? Coincidentally, neither seems to be the case as we’re introduced to Peter Hemmings, a cocky photographer, and his posse of models who show up as a result of the killers’ growing notoriety.

Kal Penn plays Hemmings with great effect. It’s just too bad it’s the wrong effect needed for the film. Penn as Hemmings is like a more arrogant, slightly nerdy Ryan Reynolds. Hemmings is sarcastic to a fault, self-involved and just plain disrespectful, He shows up claiming to be influenced by the killers’ work, hoping to find art of his own amidst the bloody chaos, and perhaps he does, depending on how loosely that success is defined.

Ultimately, Penn’s testosterone-fueled performance is over-the-top and unnecessary, taking away even more hope from THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS actually amounting to anything substantially rewarding. I found myself actually getting annoyed by Penn’s blunt abrasiveness and utter disregard for the film as a whole, instead perhaps mistaking this for yet another installment in the HAROLD & KUMAR franchise. Penn, more than any other element, drew me out of the story and disrupted the cinematic experience. This sort of faux pax is devastating to the horror genre as it feeds so much off an effectively engaged emotional feedback from it’s audience, one which is severely lacking in this example.

Stylistically speaking, THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS fails to take itself seriously enough to become a truly frightening film. The movie suffers from being a half-cocked idea driven by a potpourri of influences from other films and no real, clearly defined voice of it’s own. The one positive element, albeit not a strong enough perk to save the film, is how the killers are portrayed as sociopaths resembling a twisted, modern version of George and Lennie from John Steinbeck’s classic Of Mice & Men. This relationship is unnerving and creepy, but not quite menacing enough to measure up to other more diabolical recent films that nail the approach and stick the landing.

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS opens in theaters & VOD April 1, 2016.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS Review

Music is an ever-changing business and that business is fickle. Few lines of work are more cut-throat than the music biz and Hollywood loves to accentuate that about it’s sister industry. It’s a fascinating, frustrating free-for-all watching the players and heavy hitters crossing lines and breaking rules, all vying for the next big hit song or hot band. Ethics, morals, loyalty… these have no place here.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS is the newest film to examine these escapades, written by and based on John Niven’s novel, the film is directed by Own Harris, who cut his teeth making episodes of edgy television shows like Misfits and Black Mirror. Harris definitely brings an edgy style to the film, one that is both unique and influenced by modern masters, undoubtedly including Danny Boyle among a few others.

Nicholas Hoult (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD) plays Stelfox, an ambitious English A&R man trying to make his name during the height of the Britpop craze. From the get-go, it’s clear that KILL YOUR FRIENDS will not be the typical ride for American audiences. In fact, it’s much more typical of modern British cinema, heavily dependent on a slick, star-studded soundtrack and a keen sense of how to keep the camera and everything housed within it’s frame constantly on the move. For some this may prove too much, but for others it’s refreshing without being excessively nauseating.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS begins with Stelfox setting us up, detailing precisely how the film will make us simultaneously love and hate him simply for doing whatever it takes to succeed. He and his husky colleague are boozing and coking and living it up as they discuss thinly developed plans to land the next big thing. The true plot runs parallel to this as Stelfox orchestrates a betrayal and possible strategic takeover. Harris employs a subtle touch of fourth-wall breaking and narration from his filmmaking toolbox to help give the audience the sense they’re in on his master plan.

As the story progresses, Stelfox finds his luck ebb and wane on the status of his record label’s fluctuating staff, the interference of a starry-eyed detective and an assistant/secretary that’s even more cunningly ambitious than himself. KILL YOUR FRIENDS pits colleagues against each other in a battle royale for unsigned acts, where backstabbing is standard operating procedure and nothing matters but scoring the money maker. This is partially why we root for Stelfox, not because he’s a good guy, but because he’s a selfish, greedy prick, but he owns and embraces it unapologetically amidst a world full of others just as bad or worse. He does what he has to do and does it with a smile.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS is a colorful, vibrant low-grade ecstasy trip into the ugly world of the music business. It captures us visually and then maintains our high with the most primal of additions,,, the need to see others’ fail. Like tabloid journalism, we know it’s garbage but we must have more. In an intriguing, subdued blend of TRAINSPOTTING and AMERICAN PSYCHO, Harris leads us down an a-moralistic rabbit-hole where anything is fair game as long as something is on the table.

The film also stars Ed Skrein and Rosanna Arquette, in a cast perfectly in the with the dark comedy and violent tone of the story. KILL YOUR FRIENDS features a stellar soundtrack, on which the film relies on for more than just background music. Harris often utilizes the carefully-selected songs to emphasize or illustrate key moments in the film. Look for selections from Blur, Radiohead, Oasis and more in what may be one of the best movie soundtracks in years, at a time when movie tend to be more focused on original scores than utilizing popular songs.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS is a frenetic, mildly neurotic experience. It’s a black comedy, a murder mystery, and a work place thriller. Hoult is perfectly charismatic for his role and keeps the audience glued to his each and every move as he plots his way into what he hopes is a budding career as a music executive.

KILL YOUR FRIENDS Opens on April 1st, 2016

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Wizard World COMIC CON St. Louis THIS WEEKEND– Great Line-Up of Guests!

Pop culture comes to life in St. Louis this weeekend! It’s the Wizard World COMIC CON April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at America’s Center downtown (701 Convention Plaza – St. Louis, MO 63101), and boy oh boy, do they have an amazing line-up of guests!

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. St. Louis show hours are Friday, April 1st, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, April 2nd, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, April 3rd, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wizard World Comic Con St. Louis is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday night.

Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World also produces socialcon featuring social media stars and have launched ConTV, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™

For more on the 2015 Wizard World Comic Con St. Louis, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-stlouis.html

And check out these guests you can meet in St. Louis this weekend!:

William Shatner

William Shatner is a Canadian actor and novelist. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk, captain of the starship USS Enterprise, in the television series Star Trek from 1966 to 1969, Star Trek: The Animated Series and in seven of the subsequent Star Trek feature films. He has written a series of books chronicling his experiences playing Captain Kirk and being a part of Star Trek as well as several co-written novels set in the Star Trek universe. He has also authored a series of science fiction novels called TekWar that were adapted for television.

Shatner also played the title veteran police sergeant in T.J. Hooker from 1982 to 1986. He has since worked as a musician, bestselling author, producer, director, and celebrity pitchman, most recently as the Negotiator for the Priceline.com travel website. From 2004 to 2008, he starred as attorney Denny Crane on the television drama Boston Legal, for which he has won three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. As of 2009, Shatner stars as the voice of Don Salmonella Gavone on the animated series The Gavones.

David Tennant

Since his early work on local Scottish television through roles in some of the most beloved fantasy and sci-fi franchises of all time, David Tennant has been entertaining audiences with his unique brand of wit, warmth and humanity.

Tennant made his professional acting debut at the tender age of 16, appearing in an anti-smoking film made by the Glasgow Health Board which aired on television and was also screened in schools. A year later, Tennant could be seen in an episode of the children’s anthology series Dramarama.

Tennant’s earliest feature film role was in Jude (1996), in which he shared a scene with fellow Doctor to be, Christopher Eccleston. Tennant developed his career in the British theatre, frequently performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His first Shakespearean role for the RSC was in As You Like It (1996). He subsequently specialized in comic roles, playing Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors and Captain Jack Absolute in The Rivals, although he also played the tragic role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.

In television, Tennant appeared in the first episode of Reeves and Mortimer’s revamped Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) in 2000, playing an eccentric artist. This is one of his few TV roles in his native Scottish accent. During the Christmas season of 2002, he starred in a series of television advertisements for Boots the Chemists. He began to appear on television more prominently in 2004 and 2005, when he appeared in a dramatization of He Knew He Was Right (2004), Blackpool (2004), Casanova (2005), and The Quatermass Experiment (2005). In film, he appeared in Bright Young Things (2003), and later that same year appeared as Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Matt Smith

Matthew Robert Matt Smith is an English actor and director. He is best known for his role as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the British television series Doctor Who, for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination in 2011.

Smith initially aspired to be a professional footballer, but spondylosis forced him out of the sport. After joining the National Youth Theatre and studying Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, he became an actor in 2003, performing in plays like Murder in the Cathedral, Fresh Kills, The History Boys and On the Shore of the Wide World in London theatres. Extending his repertoire into West End theatre, he has since performed in the stage adaptation of Swimming with Sharks with Christian Slater, followed a year later by a critically acclaimed performance as Henry in That Face.

Before his role in Doctor Who, Smith’s first television role came in 2006 as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North while his first major role in television came as Danny in the 2007 BBC series Party Animals. Smith, who was announced as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in January 2009, is the youngest person to play the character in the British television series. He left the series at the end of the 2013 Christmas Day special, The Time of the Doctor.

Smith was born and brought up in Northampton. He attended Northampton School for Boys. He had planned to be a professional football player, having played for the youth teams of Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City. After a serious back injury ruined this career, his drama teacher introduced him to acting by signing him up as the tenth juror in an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men without his consent. Although he took part in the play, he refused to attend a drama festival for which his teacher had also signed him up, as he saw himself as a football player and did not view acting as socially acceptable. His drama teacher persisted, and eventually persuaded him to join the National Youth Theatre in London.

Charlie Cox

Charlie Cox is an English actor best known for his roles as Tristan Thorn in Stardust, Owen Sleater in the second and third seasons of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, and Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Marvel’s Daredevil TV series by Netflix.

Elden Henson

Elden Henson is an American actor. He is best known for playing Matt Murdock’s partner and best friend, Foggy Nelson in Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix and Fulton Reed in the Mighty Ducks trilogy with Emilio Estevez.

From 1992 to 1996 Henson played Fulton Reed in all three films of the Mighty Ducks trilogy: The Mighty Ducks (1992), *D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) and D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996).

Mike Colter

Born and raised in South Carolina, American actor Mike Colter trained to be an actor from an early age. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina, Colter then moved onto Rutger’s University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts where he received a MFA in acting from the esteemed institution.

Colter’s earliest screen work was in the long running NBC series ER as well as The Parkers starring Mo’Nique in 2002. From there, Colter landed a featured role in the Academy Award winning Clint Eastwood production, Million Dollar Baby. Colter’s next roles found him back on television with roles in Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: Criminal Intent before being cast in the film And Then Came Love, starring Vanessa Williams.

Colter’s work on both the small and big screens saw him achieve greater notoriety, eventually leading to a recurring role on the Sarah Michelle series Ringer from 2011-2012. From there, Colter appeared in Men In Black 3 and Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, both released in 2012.

In 2013, Colter joined the cast of the popular FX anthology series American Horror Story, appearing during the Coven storyline for three episodes. Following his turn on the horror series, Colter was cast as Agent Locke in the Xbox One series Halo: Nightfall, reprising the role in 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians.

2015 saw Colter cast in his highest profile role yet as Marvel’s Luke Cage in the upcoming Netflix series Jessica Jones, starring Krysten Ritter. The series will lead into a solo Luke Cage series as well as The Defenders, both set to debut on Netflix in 2016.

Elizabeth Henstridge

Having grown up on a farm in England’s northern city of Sheffield, Elizabeth became the black sheep of the family when she chose to pursue acting in lieu of a proper job. She studied at Birmingham University followed by East 15 Acting School, London and soon thereafter moved to Los Angeles. Within 6 weeks of arriving, she booked a leading role in J.J. Abrams and Mark Schwahn’s CW pilot Shelter. Her first year culminated with filming the feature Reach Me with Sylvester Stallone, and being offered the role of Agent Jemma Simmons in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Billie Piper

Singer, dancer and star of stage and screen, the multi-faceted Billie Piper has been entertaining audiences since her teens. She signed a recording contract at the age of 15 and released her debut single “Because We Want To” which shot straight to the top of the charts and made her the youngest ever artist to debut at number one in the UK singles charts. Following up with the success of her impressive debut, Piper released a follow up in 2000 with a sophomore effort “Walk of Life” before turning her efforts to a career in acting.

In 2004, Piper made several screen appearances in theatrical films such as “The Calcium Kid” and “Things to do Before You’re Thirty.” The roles offered a great change of pace for Piper and prepared her for what would become her most notable role yet.

With the long dormant Doctor Who series finally making its return to the BBC in 2005, Piper was cast as Rose Tyler, the companion to Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor for the first two seasons of the re-launched series. The success of the first two series was directly responsible for the resurgence in popularity of the Doctor Who brand, leading to greater exposure for the show as a whole as well as an audience in the US. Following the second series finale, “Doomsday,” Piper left the series as regular while making still occasional appearances on series specials.

Following her work on two made for television films airing on the BBC, “The Ruby in the Smoke” and “The Shadow in the North,” Piper landed the role high-class escort Belle de Jour/Hannah Baxter in the series Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Piper was lauded for her work on the steamy show and was nominated for Best Actress by Entertainment Weekly magazine during the series’ run.

Piper can currently be seen on the Showtime horror series, “Penny Dreadful” as Brona Croft, an Irish immigrant with a mysterious and dark past. With no signs of slowing down, Billie Piper continues to redefine who she is and what she’s capable of in front of the cameras.

James Marsters

AMERICAN actor, singer and songwriter James Marsters first found international fame playing punk-goth Brit vampire Spike in the critically acclaimed American TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the equally popular spin-off Angel.

Film roles include live action film Dragon Ball, romantic love story P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler and Kathy Bates, USA Original true-crime film Cool Money, independent thriller Shadow Puppets, Winding Roads, The House On Haunted Hill and Chance with Buffy co-star Amber Benson.

The Californian actor, who grew up in Modesto, has also played Brainiac in TV’s Smallville and guest starred in Without A Trace, Millennium, Andromeda, The Mountain, Saving Grace, Caprica and most recently Warehouse 13, Supernatural and Hawaii Five-O.

James’s voiceover talents can be found portraying Lex Luthor on the DVD release of Superman: Doomsday and he continues to read for the very popular Dresden Files books on tape series.

He has received numerous nominations and awards, including the Spacey Award, the Saturn Award, the Cinescape Face of the Future Award, the Golden Satellite Award, and the Teen Choice Award.

James attended New York’s prestigious Juilliard, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the American Conservatory Theatre and spent 10 years doing stage work before moving to LA to work in film and television.

Lou Ferrigno

Louis Jude “Lou” Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer/consultant, and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron. As an actor, he is best known for portraying the title role in the CBS television series The Incredible Hulk. He has also appeared in European-produced fantasy-adventures such as Sinbad of the Seven Seas and Hercules, and as himself in the sitcom The King of Queens and the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man.

Lou Ferrigno was born in Brooklyn, New York to Victoria and Matt Ferrigno, an Italian American police lieutenant. Soon after he was born, Ferrigno says he believes he suffered a series of ear infections and lost 75 – 80% of his hearing, though his condition was not diagnosed until he was three years old. Ferrigno started weight training at age 13, citing body builder and Hercules star Steve Reeves as one of his role models. He was also a fan of the Hercules films that starred Reeves—and would later play Hercules as well. Ferrigno’s other personal heroes as a child were Spider-Man and the Hulk. Ferrigno attended St. Athanasius Grammar School and Brooklyn Technical High School, where he learned metal working.

And there are many many more guests!

Check out the site HERE for a complete list and ticket information

http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon/stlouis

Blu-ray Review FRANKENSTEIN 2015

When I was just a boy I had a paperback that included Dracula by Bram Stoker, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson in one volume. There were certain books I would reread every year, that was one. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury every summer, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens every December and that three in one book every October. I read it so many times I knew how to parcel it out daily up until Halloween, starting the first page of Dracula on October 1st up to the last page of Jekyll And Hyde on October 30th. That reading was just to get in the mood for Halloween.

I relate this, (not to brag,) to state I know those texts very well as a result. Dracula and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are great books, no doubt, their status as classic works of literature is assured. But Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a work of pure, undiluted genius. Written by a woman at a time when women were not encouraged to be writers (or much of anything else except wives and mothers) and by a girl of 17 and then 18 (the time span it took from her thinking up the story to writing it all down) is nothing short of astonishing. Young Ms Shelley created a character with real staying power that has become part of the popular culture landscape, worldwide. If anyone in the world sees a blank faced, walking corpse, with electrodes in his neck, they know who he is.

I say all this as an introduction to what may be the most faithful adaptation of Frankenstein yet put on film. Titled simply Frankenstein and coming on the heels of Victor Frankenstein (a project I have yet to see) and I, Frankenstein (a project I could not watch all the way through and about which I have nothing good to say) Frankenstein, written and directed by Bernard Rose, the director of Candy Man And Immortal Beloved, at first glance might appear to be a low budget knock off, set in modern day to save money. No, this is a very thoughtful, game changer of a film, with fresh ideas about this beloved monster story that is very often faithful to the both the letter and the spirit of Mary Shelley’s novel.

First, yes, this is modern day Los Angeles, we have two Frankenstein’s, husband Victor (Danny Huston) and wife Elizabeth (Carrie Ann Moss) who create their creature (Xavier Samuel) with, apparently, a 3D printer,( seriously.) We hear a voice over which is the Creature, with words taken verbatim from Shelley’s novel. This Creature, much like Michael Sarrazin in Frankenstein The True Story starts out looking beautiful. Soon enough he gets real ugly, real fast.

And of course he gets rejected. Victor Frankenstein feels no remorse what so ever in deciding to destroy this creature and start again. We fully expect Elizabeth however to try and protect this creature. Not only does he have the mind of a child, just born, much like Karloff in the classic Universal series, he appears to be a special needs child. Elizabeth seems to bond with this creature, bringing out her “natural” maternal instincts. He learns only a few words but one of them is “Mama.” So it is even more shocking when, yes, Elizabeth also rejects this Creature, and we never fully learn why.

The genius of Mary Shelley’s novel, part of what gives it such depth and weight and staying power is not the trite cliché that Frankenstein “tampered in God’s domain” That’s not what he did, he tampered in woman’s domain, attempting to create life without having a woman involved, stitching together dead body parts and finding a way to reanimate them.

Victor Frankenstein (who was not a Doctor or a Count or even a Von, he was a medical student, who didn’t even graduate, seriously, read the book sometime, it’s a real eye opener!) not only created life in an “unnatural” way he refused to take responsibility for that life. In Shelley’s novel it is Victor who is the monster. Shelley’s sympathy, and ours, is with the Creature (who never does get a name.)

Frankenstein accomplishes something I thought I would never see in a Frankenstein film again. It is scary, really scary, this Creature is frightening, we fear what he might do and we fear for him. He runs amok at one point with a bone saw, some of the scenes are close to torture porn levels. This Creature is a true loose cannon. Yet we never lose sympathy for him, he clearly does not understand the world in which he finds himself, or the consequences of what he is doing. I have never seen a Frankenstein Creature so abused. He endures so much misery it put me in mind of Sonny Boy, if you have seen that bizarre cult oddity you’ll know what I mean.

All the actors are good, Carrie Ann Moss is always in good form, but Xavier Samuel is astonishing. I could not recall seeing him before, he was in Fury but I did not recognize him. His Creature is a true high wire act, he does not lose our sympathy, yet his raw physical strength and unpredictability are terrifying. He does not top Karloff, I don’t think any actor ever will, but he comes mighty damn close.

Every famous scene is recreated. There is a girl throwing things in the water, he throws her in, then thinks better of it and saves her. I couldn’t help but recall Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein “what should we throw in now?” For his trouble he is shot by the police, even though he is unarmed and not posing a threat to anyone. In fact he is shot several times, once point blank to the head. We can’t help but think of the police shootings that have been so prevalent these days.

And the fact that gun shots seem to have no effect on him recalls Son of Frankenstein “three bullets in the heart and he still lives!” We are told this Creature has the strength of 10 men, and he proves it several times.

There is a blind man who teaches the Creature how to get by and survive. Now the blind man is a black homeless blues man played by the always wonderful Tony Todd. There is an accidental killing, more in line with Lenny in Of Mice and Men. This Creature is able to pass among us because he looks like a disfigured homeless man in a hoodie sweat shirt.

Carrie Ann Moss plays the first female Frankenstein I can recall since Sara Bay in Lady Frankenstein. That Frankenstein was only interested in creating a Creature that could “satisfy her strange desires!”

It is truly shocking, horrifying really when this Elizabeth Frankenstein rejects this pitiful Creature. And so of course the Creature pays a visit to the Frankenstein house, after walking along the edge of the freeway for several miles, recalling his threat to be present on Victor’s wedding night.

He even gets to see his replacement, the new creature they are building with their 3D printer, recalling Hammer’s Revenge of Frankenstein where the new creature not only sees his old body but destroys it.

Naturally there is no happy ending. The Creature even builds a funeral pyre, mentioned in the novel but rarely seen in any movie version of Frankenstein.

Several times we get lyrical, beautiful slow motion moments that are literally the dreams of the Creature.

Frankenstein is one of those iconic stories that are remade every few years for a new generation of film goers. Each new version, each addition to the legacy is part of a patch work quilt similar to the Monster himself, different pieces sewed together, awkward, stumbling, misunderstood and unloved, but unstoppable, terrifying.

This is simply the best Frankenstein movie in years, in many ways possibly the truest in spirit to Mary Shelley. The bluray has no extra features except some previews. It is well worth seeing, four of five stars.

Saban Films Acquires U.S. Rights To Stephen King Adaptation Of CELL

Saban Films has acquired the US distribution rights to sci-fi horror film Cell starring Golden Globe nominee John Cusack (Love & Mercy, Being John Malkovich, 2012), Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Django Unchained, Pulp Fiction) and Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan, The Hunger Games).

Directed by Tod Williams (Paranormal Activity 2, The Door in the Floor), Cell is based on the apocalyptic novel of the same name by Stephen King, who adapted the screenplay along with Adam Alleca (The Last House on the Left).

When a mysterious cell phone signal is broadcast across the network and turns the population into mindless animals, struggling graphic artist Clay Riddell (Cusack) bands together with a small group of fellow survivors to trek across a decimated New England to seek answers and reunite with his son.

Saban Films President Bill Bromiley said, “Stephen King is widely recognized as a master of the horror genre. Combining his talent along with Todd’s vision and this dynamic cast, which reteams King, John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson for the first time since 1408, delivers a truly unique modern tale of survival.”

“I enjoyed working on Cell and love the way it turned out,” said Stephen King. “Kip Williams has made a scary and thoroughly entertaining movie. But you may want to put your cell phone in the freezer after seeing it.”

Producer Michael Benaroya said, “Working on a film based on a book by such a legendary master of this genre, Stephen King, is truly a honor. Mr. King was a wonderful partner and the film benefited in a number of ways from his insights and experience. Director Tod Williams delivered on the film by really sticking to the book and maintaining all its finest elements and creating a film that I believe will truly please King’s fans. Working with actors of the caliber and talent of Cusack, Jackson and Fuhrmam really was a pleasure, and brought the story to life in an exciting way. I feel the audience will care about each character and be rooting for them throughout the film! Saban is a superb partner for the film. They have released numerous successful films in this space and they absolutely understood our vision and goals for the film. I feel they are highly capable of marketing and releasing the film in a smart and effective way. I feel fortunate to have such a great partner on the film.”

Cell was fully financed by Benaroya Pictures and produced by Benaroya Pictures and The Genre Company.

Jonathan Saba and Ness Saban negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban Films, and Ben Weiss of Paradigm, Ben Kramer and Nick Ogiony of CAA, and Joseph Lanius of International Film Trust on behalf of the producers.

Saban Films most recently acquired domestic rights to Renny Harlin’s action comedy Skiptrace, starring Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville, out of Berlin. Upcoming titles, to be dated, in the Saban Films slate are: Tom Tykwer’s A Hologram for the King starring two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, where Saban will partner with Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on the theatrical release; Alex and Ben Brewer’s The Trust starring Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood; I Am Wrath with John Travolta; and USS Indianapolis starring Nicolas Cage.

CAVU Pictures Releasing ART BASTARD On May 20, 2016 In New York

Gotham-based indie film distribution company CAVU Pictures will release the award-winning documentary feature film ART BASTARD in theatres nationwide, beginning May 20th, 2016 in NYC at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas; June 3rd in LA at the Laemmle Monica Film Center & Edwards University Town Center 6 in Irvine, CA and June 10th at the Angelika Pop-Up in Washington, D.C. The film will then roll out nationwide throughout the summer.

ART BASTARD is the mischievous tale of a rebel who never fit into today’s art world… yet has become one of its most provocative, rabble-rousing characters nevertheless. By turns funny and touching, this portrait of New York painter Robert Cenedella – a contemporary of Andy Warhol who set himself up in the ‘60s as the anti-Warhol – uncovers a fascinating story of family secrets vs. personal identity, art vs. money, and conventional success vs. creating a life on one’s own defiant terms. A quintessential New York story, ART BASTARD is as energetic, humorous and unapologetically honest as the uncompromising artist at its center.

What ART BASTARD shows, in stunning cinematic detail, are the living, breathing, storytelling canvases that Cenedella has created for six decades. Set to a rollicking soundtrack, the film not only tours Cenedella’s life, it also tours his eyepoppingly intricate, NY-centered paintings as one might travel the city – peering into every corner to uncover Cenedella’s characters, commentary and emotions. The result is a visceral art documentary that also has the sweeping impact of a feature film –at once an investigation of a man’s identity, an inquiry into what art is and who it’s for, and a feisty portrait of the ups and downs of a life lived on one’s own terms.

Executive produced by Chris T. Concannon, the film is directed by Victor Kanefsky. The artist profiled in the film, Robert Cenedella teaches a much sought after class at the famous Art Students League in NYC, where as a student he studied under the late German satirical painter George Grosz who had a huge influence on his life. ART BASTARD has been on the film festival circuit these last few months (including the Santa Fe Film Festival, Orlando Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, etc.) and will be screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival next month. The film recently received the Best Documentary award at the Manchester Film Festival in the UK, and the Best Documentary Film & Best Director awards at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in Idyllwild, CA.

Beginning April 1st, select paintings of Cenedella featured in the film Art Bastard, including his famous mural that hangs at NYC’s popular Le Cirque New York restaurant, will be on public display in the café and lobby of the Angelika Film Center in NYC, in celebration of the film and the artist.

CAVU Pictures executives Isil Bagdadi & Michael Sergio negotiated the deal directly with the film’s executive producer Chris T. Concannon of Concannon Productions, the film’s production company.

CAVU’s Co-Founder & President of Distribution, Isil Bagdadi said: “Art Bastard is incredibly timely, given that once again we are in the season of revolution – which always provides a fertile canvas for a lifetime rebel and artist like Robert Cenedella who after years of being rejected by the art establishment, continues to take great joy in poking holes in their self-righteous balloons with the point of his art.” CAVU’s Co-Founder & CEO, Michael Sergio said: “It’s a thrill to find an incredible doc like Art Bastard that so clearly shows an artist’s struggle played out against the decayed yet colorful backdrop of NYC in the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s.”

Check out the official site for the film: http://artbastard.com/

New Photos And Additional Cast Announced For FINDING DORY

Disney•Pixar’s FINDING DORY reveals its full roster of characters, as well as the voice talent tapped to help bring each character to life. Directed by Andrew Stanton, who helmed the Oscar-winning films FINDING NEMO and WALL•E, FINDING DORY revisits everyone’s favorite blue tang Dory as she embarks on a life-changing adventure to find her family.

The movie welcomes back to the big screen everyone’s favorite forgetful blue tang Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), who’s living happily in the reef with Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) and Nemo (voice of Hayden Rolence). When Dory suddenly remembers that she has a family out there who may be looking for her, the trio takes off on a life-changing adventure across the ocean to California’s prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium. In an effort to find her mom (voice of Diane Keaton) and dad (voice of Eugene Levy), Dory enlists the help of three of the MLI’s most intriguing residents: Hank (voice of Ed O’Neill), a cantankerous octopus who frequently gives employees the slip; Bailey (voice of Ty Burrell), a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; and Destiny (voice of Kaitlin Olson), a nearsighted whale shark. Deftly navigating the complex inner workings of the MLI, Dory and her friends discover the magic within their flaws, friendships and family.

“It really is a whole new chapter this time,” said Stanton. “We’re introducing new characters—each with his or her own unique voice. Everyone has something special to offer, which makes it fun and elevates the whole story. ‘Finding Nemo’ was a great calling card when it came to casting this movie. I don’t take that for granted.”

FINDING DORY, which opens in theaters nationwide on June 17, 2016, features the following lineup.

Ellen DeGeneres returns to the sea as Dory, the bright blue tang with a sunny personality. She suffers from short-term memory loss, which normally doesn’t upset her upbeat attitude—until she realizes she’s forgotten something big: her family. Dory’s found a new family in Marlin and Nemo, but she’s haunted by the belief that someone out there is looking for her. She may have trouble recalling exactly what—or who—she’s searching for, but she won’t give up until she uncovers her past and discovers something else along the way: self-acceptance.

Albert Brooks dives in again to help bring Marlin to life. He may have traveled across the ocean once, but that doesn’t mean Marlin wants to do it again. So he doesn’t exactly jump at the opportunity to accompany Dory on a mission to the California coast to track down her family. Marlin, of course, knows how it feels to lose family, and it was Dory who helped him find Nemo not so long ago. The clownfish may not be funny, but he’s loyal—he realizes he has no choice but to pack up his nervous energy and skepticism and embark on yet another adventure, this time to help his friend.

Hayden Rolence was called on to voice Nemo. One year after his big overseas adventure, Nemois back to being a normal kid: going to school and living on the coral reef with his dad and their blue tang neighbor, Dory. His harrowing adventure abroad doesn’t seem to have sapped his spirit. In fact, when Dory remembers pieces of her past and longs to take off on an ambitious ocean trek to find her family, Nemo is the first to offer his help. He may be a young clownfish with a lucky fin, but Nemo wholeheartedly believes in Dory. After all, he understands what it’s like to be different.

Ed O’Neill lends his iconic voice to Hank, who is an octopus. Actually, he’s a “septopus”: he lost a tentacle—along with his sense of humor—somewhere along the way. But Hank is just as competent as his eight-armed peers. An accomplished escape artist with camouflaging capabilities to boot, Hank is the first to greet Dory when she finds herself in the Marine Life Institute. But make no mistake: he’s not looking for a friend. Hank is after one thing—a ticket on a transport truck to a cozy Cleveland facility where he’ll be able to enjoy a peaceful life of solitude.

Kaitlin Olson provides the voice of a whale shark named Destiny, who is a clumsy swimmer with a big heart. Destiny has a big everything, actually—whale sharks are the biggest fish in the sea. Destiny resides in the Marine Life Institute, where one day an oddly familiar blue tang named Dory falls into her pool. Destiny is admittedly embarrassed by her obvious lack of grace, a product of poor eyesight, but Dory thinks she swims beautifully. And Dory is delighted to learn that her supersized friend speaks whale, too.

Ty Burrell was tapped to give voice to Bailey, the Marine Life Institute’s resident beluga whale, who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz. The good news—or bad news, depending on who you ask—is that doctors at the MLI can’t seem to find anything wrong with him. Bailey’s flair for the dramatic never ceases to push his neighbor’s buttons: whale shark Destiny can’t seem to get through to him, no matter how hard she tries. Maybe he’ll listen to new friend Dory, who seems to be full of crazy ideas.

Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy were recruited to voice Dory’s parents. Jenny and Charlie would do anything for their only child. They celebrate and protect Dory, striving to arm her with the skills she’ll need to navigate the world with a faulty memory. Jenny may appear cheerful and a little flighty—but she’s a protective mother and a smart role model. Charlie likes to joke around, but nothing is more important to him than teaching his memory-challenged daughter how to survive.

Idris Elba and Dominic West team up as the voices of Fluke and Rudder, a pair of lazy sea lions who were rehabilitated at the Marine Life Institute. Marlin and Nemo find them snoozing on a warm—and highly coveted—rock just outside the center. These sea lions really enjoy their down time and would rather not be bothered mid nap—but their bark is far worse than their bite.

Bob Peterson is back as the memorable voice of Mr. Ray, the tune-loving teacher from the reef, who takes Nemo’s education—and that of his fellow undersea students—very seriously. Nobody enjoys Mr. Ray’s class more than Dory, who serves as his cheerful, albeit unnecessary, teacher’s assistant during their illuminating field trips.

Torbin Bullock voices Becky, an offbeat, kooky loon who takes a liking to Marlin. Although she inspires little confidence—especially from a certain, skeptical clownfish—Becky might be smarter than she looks.

Andrew Stanton and Bennett Dammann lend their voices to the ocean’s coolest turtles Crush and his son Squirt. They’re always happy to lend a flipper to a fish in need. Cruising the ocean for more than a hundred years definitely has its advantages.

Bill Hader and Kate McKinnon make a cameo appearance as a fish couple that Dory briefly encounters along the way.

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Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

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Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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William Shatner

David Tennant

Matt Smith

Charlie Cox

Elden Henson

Mike Colter

Elizabeth Henstridge

Billie Piper

James Marsters

Lou Ferrigno

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