Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
A Quick Review Of Don Jon.
I saw Don Jon today on M-GO and it was not a bad directorial debut for Joseph Gordon Levitt. He carries the film well and it was nice to see Tony Danza in something after all these years, but despite the film's exploration into the selfish side of intimate relationships and the impersonal and potentially addictive nature internet pornography can have even on a person who is constantly bedding women without effort like Levitt's character, the movie falls short by projecting stereotypes of Italian Americans and Christianity to almost cartoon like behavior.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
This picture is just too darn cool not to share.
I hope you are all enjoying your holidays and wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
This is not another hero...
Below are some production photos for what are supposedly villains from Mad Max: Fury Road.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
He sees when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone. Breaking Bad: The Final Season on DVD was my last new review before the holiday so there won't be any new updates until after. Have fun, be safe and enjoy yourselves and those around you. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mark Rivera
Writer/Reviewer/Editor/Webmaster
GenreOnline.net
The Online Resource For Home Video Entertainment & More!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
This Blog represents two things.
I have another review to post before I sign off for the holiday and say Happy Holidays again to all my GenreOnline readers, but for my readers of The Final Arbiter, this post is for you though it applies to any form of writing and believe me, writing reviews is as much an art as any other form of writing depending on both the writer's and reader's perspectives of course. Below is what I wrote to my Facebook readers and it applies to you all too.
Barring something unforeseen this will be my final post before the holidays. Thank you all for your kindness and support. A storyteller is not complete without those who read or hear or view his or her stories in whatever art form the storyteller chooses to communicate with his or her audience. Art is not art without a someone to share it with. You are all precious gifts and I want to thank you all again. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
Sincerely,
Mark Rivera
Storyteller
You can be a part of Tyler Mane's next Genre film if you act quickly.
Tyler Mane here! Trick or Treat!
Halloween is past, and Michael Myers NEVER gets to go trick or treating; but now that the killing is over, and the holidays are here, I'm at your door with a holiday request.
We are in the last few days of our Indiegogo campaign for my production company's second movie PENANCE LANE and I need your help! We have great perks, personalized videos, photos, DVDs, tshirts, and even the boots I wore in HALLOWEEN, signed knives and more. Check it out!
Help make PENANCE LANE happen by contributing and spreading the word.
http://www.igg.me/at/penance-lane
Thanks for your support!
T out
Friday, December 20, 2013
Anchor Bay Films and Troma Entertainment announce exclusive New York and Los Angeles theatrical engagements in January 2014 Launching Troma’s 40th Anniversary on the Big S-C-R-E-E-N!
Anchor Bay Films and Troma Entertainment announce exclusive
New York and Los Angeles theatrical engagements in January 2014 Launching Troma’s 40thAnniversary on the Big S-C-R-E-E-N!
Anchor Bay Films and Troma Entertainment proudly announce thatRETURN TO NUKE ‘EM HIGH, VOL.1, the film that marks the return of Lloyd Kaufman to the director’s chair and kicks off Troma Entertainment’s 40th Anniversary celebration, will have exclusive theatrical engagements in New York and Los Angeles starting in January 2014 at the following venues:
January 10th – Village East Cinemas, 189 2nd Ave, New York.
January 17th – Laemmle’s NoHo 7 Theaters, 5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood
Q&As with Lloyd Kaufman and cast & crew will be take place at both NY and LA locations, with exact dates and times TBA.
With its inclusion in the NY Museum of Modern Art’s “The Contenders 2013” film series (Lloyd shares the same roster with such directorial luminaries as David Lynch, Sofia Coppola, the Coen Brothers and Woody Allen), and recently named “People’s Choice Award for Film of the Year” at the Bizarre Atlantic City festival, RETURN TO NUKE ‘EM HIGH, VOL. 1 is Lloyd Kaufman’s latest Tromasterpiece. A hilarious, thoughtful sci-fi event film with themes ripped straight from today's headlines: the contamination and degradation of the world's food supply, rampant bullying and LGBTQ love triumphing over prejudice and violence. The film -- a revisiting of Troma's 1986 Class of Nuke 'Em High -- is in the same vein as other classics such as Class of 1984, Rock 'n' Roll High School and Carrie, but it's seen through the unique vision of Lloyd Kaufman and the Troma Team.
Welcome to Tromaville High School, where, unfortunately, the glee club has mutated into a vicious gang of Cretins. Chrissy and Lauren, two innocent lesbian lovers, must fight not only the Cretins, mutants and monsters, but also the evil Tromorganic Foodstuffs conglomerate. Can they and Kevin the Wonder Duck save Tromaville High School and the world?
Hitchcock celebration just in time for the holidays on TVmix.com through FilmOn.
TVmix.com which focuses on the best of streaming television and movies. A streaming network celebration of old films--whether its classic Hollywood, vintage kung fu, or the most bizarre genre films and now in time for the holiday break comes ShockMasters, a free streaming channel devoted entirely to the master of horror and suspense, Alfred Hitchock. It's got rare films, his TV series, documentaries by and about him. Read more about it it the Network site HERE.
Network films and programs like ShockMasters on TVmix.com air on their broadcast partner FilmOn.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Breaking Bad: The Final Season DVD Set Review
With very few exceptions, I have always found gangster shows to be very ugly because what people do is often more monstrous than most movie and TV monsters. However there are exceptions and while I would not call Breaking Bad a gangster TV show, it is a show that deals with criminal elements, but what makes Breaking Bad unique among just about every other TV show regardless of the genre that I can think of is that Breaking Bad is truly one of the most well thought out and satisfying dramas to ever air on television. Nothing is left to chance. Everything ties together like the best literary novels and yet this is not Jane Austin or Mark Twain. This is not Masterpiece on PBS. Yet this is a masterpiece of television that will be studied by film and television students and professors alike for decades to come.
Credit must go to everyone involved with this show because never has there been such a well oiled machine at work for a common good. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Anna Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, R.J. Mitte and just about everyone that has appeared on this show is stellar. Show Runner and Series Creator Vince Gilligan and his entire crew in front of and behind the cameras and on the production departments through to the writers created a series that ends more satisfying than many other shows whether it is scifi favorites like the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, LOST, Babylon 5, and Deep Space Nine, all of which are science fiction or space opera shows that I loved, but Breaking Bad went completely against my usual TV viewing habits and won me over watching the first four seasons on Netflix and subsequently watching both halves of season five on demand and via season pass. It may not be science fiction, but it has it's fair share of science and some genuine humor. Breaking Bad is entertaining from start to finish and is a classic we will not see anything quite like again for a long time.
While some executive producers and TV writer/producers might ego out after creating and maintaining such an acclaimed TV series, God bless Vince Gilligan because he maintains his humility throughout all of the extra value materials in this three-disc set and after listening to him on the episode length audio commentaries included for every episode, all I can state is I hope I can emulate his humility and genuine soft spoken demeanor in all of my endeavors. So let me just state for the record, if you still have not watched Breaking Bad then you owe it to yourself to watch it now that the entire series is available on Blu-ray Disc and DVD as well as digital download from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. I received the DVD set to review and I still plan on being the complete series on Blu-ray hopefully in the new year, but I would prefer is something like six Blue BD cases together than the limited edition complete series set available now from Sony that comes with a ton of physical extra features like collectible money barrel packaging, a booklet, a commemorative challenge coin designed by Vince Gilligan and even a Los Pollos Hermanos apron. While all of that sounds neat, I would rather have traditional Blue BD cases that protect the discs while making them easy to access and matches my Blu-ray library so I hope Sony will release a more traditional complete series set in the coming year. For those of you who are interested in the limited edition set, there is an insert within the slipcase detailing that collection when you buy the final season on DVD and presumably Blu-ray Disc as well.
The three DVDs within the final season set come house in two slim plastic cases within a glossy cardboard board slipcase with beautiful photograph art on both sides of the packaging and each disc is chock full of extras too.
All eight final season episodes of Breaking Bad are presented on DVD in 16 by 9 enhanced (1.78:1) aspect ratios that preserve the way the series was broadcast on AMC. Since Breaking Bad is one of the last TV shows to shoot 35mm film negative, even when upconverted to 1080p/60hz the series looks fantastic. In one of the audio commentaries Gilligan mentions how fantastic the show looks exhibited in a theater and he mentions if the viewers are impressed by the 2K Blu-ray Masters, they will be even more amazed by the 4K Masters Sony is producing now. So for all you Sony 4K Ultra High Definition Television early adopters, you have something extra special to look forward to.
The DVD features an excellent English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack that delivers an amazing three dimensional listening experience. A French Dubbed Dolby Surround Soundtrack along with English Closed Captions for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and French and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded as options too. I do wish English Subtitles for the Dead and Hearing Impaired were encoded onto the DVD discs just as they are on Blu-ray Discs since odds are even if you have not upgraded to a Blu-ray player, if you have an HDTV then you are probably using an HDMI connection and unlike standard definition televisions, most HDTVs do not decode Closed Captions via HDMI. So I think at this point if any distributor is going to produce DVDs, they should include English SDH as a standard. Outside of that though I have nothing but positive things to state about this DVD set.
First off the main menu on all three discs features full motion scenes from the season while the subsequent menus are all well rendered standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate. In addition to cast members Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Bob Ondenkirk, Laura Fraser and R.J. Mitte participating in the audio commentaries, which were recorded around the time of the series grand premiere, other participants include Guest Star Robert Forster as well as Peter Gould, Diane Mercer, Nick Forshager, Michelle MacLaren Melissa Bernstein, Stewart Lyons, Gennifer Hutchison, Sam Catlin, George Mastras, Dave Porter, Moira Walley-Becket and Vince Gilligan of course. Gilligan and Cranston participate in all eight episode commentaries. Sadly Dean Norris is not present because he was already working on Stephen King's Under The Dome for CBS while the commentaries were being recorded. At times the audio commentaries are being recorded when actors involved are actually seeing the episodes for the first time ever. It also should be noted that episode 6 Ozymandias is uncensored, episode 7 Granite State is uncensored and extended and episode 8 entitled Felina is extended too.
At times I could not tell exactly what is extended and did not appear in the AMC broadcast version, but I have not watched the final season on VUDU in a few months so sharper eyes and ears more versed in the show than I will probably notice the changes right away. Please note as well that the digital season pass might have been different from the original AMC broadcasts and that could be why I did not notice what was extended in the select episodes.
Among topics touched upon on the eight feature length audio commentaries are the amazing continuity kept throughout the entire series from the mention of characters in the second season for example that did not appear into the final season, returning actors, including extras, the use of color in the costumes to illustrate character, such as Walter and Skyler's neutral matching colors that echo each other while working in the car wash to one scene where Hank's wife is not wearing purple, but Hank is. There was terrible accident when film sent from New Mexico to California and the case containing the film to be processed fell off the truck and was run over by another plane. Though some of the footage was destroyed, some was salvaged, but Cranston had to redo an emotional scene he felt relieved to have finished a year earlier over again. The editing between the saved footage and reshot footage was so spot on that no one watching could tell what footage was from the reshoot and what was shot a year earlier. Sound mixing is discussed a lot and there is a feature among the bonus content that illustrates a three track mix with the same take showing the dialogue track, the sound effects track, the music track where applicable and the completed scene (5:40).
Cranston reveals a little trick he used to do early in his career where he would purposely cough lightly or clear his throat just enough so he would be called back to loop the dialogue and earn extra day's pay while not calling too much attention so that he would get a good recommendation and or be welcomed back.
Vince Gilligan got dehydrated shooting on location in a wealthy house so nice no one was allowed to eat or drink during the production. The problem was while people did eat and drink outside of the house, Gilligan did not even drink water that day and ended up having to have an IV put into him to rehydrate the next morning. Gilligan remarks that his favorite episode of the entire season was Ozymandias and perhaps even the entire story though he is proud the the series finale he directed that ended the show on a satisfying note.
Other tidbits shared include the best bacon on location came from a place they shot in called The Grove and that they always had Robert Forster in mind to play the character of Ed going back all the way to the second season and the character does not even appear on screen until the penultimate episode of the entire series. The opening scene flashback in Ozymondias was the last part filmed for the show before the series wrapped and KNB effects built up Bryan Cranston's makeup for the finale. There is a great deal more to listen to and learn on these discs, but I can't give it all away. You will have to listen to them yourself.
The other features outside of the commentaries are spread across all three discs as they relate to the episodes included and where applicable viewers are given a choice to view things individually or in succession via a "Play All" option.
Disc one includes five deleted/extended scenes, which run between 24 seconds to a minute and 18 seconds. Walt's Confession Tape is presented in it's entirety (6:13) and the Ozymandias trailer with Cranston narrating the poem (1:23) is also included along with all of the Inside Breaking Bad featurettes put online spread across all three discs.
Two more deleted and extended scenes are included on disc two along with Jesse Pinkman's Evidence Tape in it's entirety (4:58), a gag reel and a featurette about the shootout scene on location too (14:23).
One more extended scene (2:41), M60 test footage (1:02), a featurette about the Final Showdown in the series (10:01), a look at Vince Gilligan on the job as the Show Runner (9:37) and a hilarious alternate ending (3:40) and short about the making of it (5:07) wrap up the extra value features on disc three not including all the Inside Breaking Bad videos I noted earlier spread across all three discs according to their relevance when matched with the episodes presented on the associated disc.
Collectively and even on DVD, this is one of the best TV sets I have had the pleasure to review in 2013 and it makes a great gift for all you last minute holiday shoppers. Breaking Bad: The Final Season on DVD is available now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Big thanks to Kerry and everyone at Sony for providing me with the set to review.
(C) 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
THE HIT SENSATION IS BACK!
“DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4”
COMES TO DVD AND BLU-RAY THIS JANUARY
Available on DVD and Blu-ray from PBS Distribution January 28th
Features Returning Guest Star Shirley MacLaine and New Guest Star Paul Giamatti
Arlington, Va. – December 19, 2013 – PBS Distribution today announced it is releasing “DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4” on DVD and Blu-ray January 28, 2014. The most-watched drama in PBS history enters its fourth gripping season with the whole world waiting to learn how the beloved characters deal with a shocking tragedy. The acclaimed ensemble is back, together with returning guest star Academy Award®-winner Shirley MacLaine and new guest star Paul Giamatti. Also joining the cast are Harriet Walter, Gary Carr, Joanna David, and Tom Cullen, as the legend continues in “DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4.”
“DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4” airs Sundays on MASTERPIECE on PBS from January 5, 2014 to February 23, 2014. The DVD SRP is $49.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $54.99. The run time is approximately 8.75 hours on three discs. The DVD and Blu-ray sets contain all of Season 4, including the finale. The DVD and Blu-ray feature the original U.K. edition of Season 4 and more than 30 minutes of bonus video. The program will be available for digital download.
Written and created by Julian Fellowes,“DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4” is a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE Co-Production. Carnival is a division of NBCUniversal International Television Production. The series’ many accolades include 10 Emmys®, two Golden Globes®, and a coveted Screen Actors Guild Award® for the ensemble cast.
Viewership and social media buzz have been soaring since the series launched in January 2011. Season 3 reached a record 24.1 million viewers, more than any other drama in the history of PBS, and the season had the highest Twitter buzz ever for public television.
The returning cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Rob James-Collier, Lily James, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Dame Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, and a host of others, joined by Shirley MacLaine (Oscar® for Best Actress, “Terms of Endearment”), who reprises her role as Martha Levinson, the forthright American mother of Cora, Countess of Grantham (McGovern). Martha again battles wits with Cora’s wickedly acerbic mother-in-law, Violet (Smith).
Among the new faces are Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”) as Cora’s playboy brother, Harold, who appears in the season finale; Dame Harriet Walter (“Little Dorrit”) as Violet’s old friend Lady Shackleton; Gary Carr (“Death in Paradise”) as jazz singer Jack Ross; Joanna David (“Bleak House”) as the Duchess of Yeovil; Tom Cullen (“World Without End”) as the dashing Lord Gillingham, and Julian Ovenden (“Smash,” “Any Human Heart”) as an unexpected houseguest.
All who tuned in last season know that Matthew Crawley – heir to Downton Abbey, husband to Lady Mary (Dockery), and brand new father to a baby boy and successor – lies dead on a country road next to his overturned roadster. On top of this, the family is still grieving over the death in childbirth of Sybil, Mary’s youngest sister, who also left a baby behind.
Season 4 opens six months later. Although it is the 1920s, Britain still observes mourning rituals that are almost Victorian in their solemnity. Nonetheless, the Crawleys are beginning to snap out of it: Robert, Lord Grantham (Bonneville), must manage the estate without his canny son-in-law; Cora suddenly faces a staffing crisis; Violet, who has seen enough tragedy, knows how to recoup quickly; Isobel (Wilton), Matthew’s mother, may never recover; Edith (Carmichael), who was jilted at the altar, tempts scandal with a new beau; and Mary now finds herself the most desirable widow in Yorkshire.
The servants also pick up, buck up, and get on with it – with new arrivals, departures, rivalries, and betrayals among the downstairs staff. Life goes on at Downton Abbey.
Written and created by Julian Fellowes,“DOWNTON ABBEY SEASON 4” is a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE Co-Production. The series is executive produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes and Liz Trubridge. Nigel Marchant is co-executive producer. Rupert Ryle-Hodges is the producer. The first episode is directed by David Evans. Other episodes are directed by Catherine Morshead, Philip John, Edward Hall, and Jon East.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Insidious: Chapter 2 DVD Review
I never saw the first Insidious feature film, but I am aware of it's reputation as a scary paranormal horror picture. It's sequel carries on the scares as the Lambert family seeks to uncover the truth behind the deep seeded childhood secret that keeps them dangerously connected to the spirit world while fighting off demons that relentlessly follow them.
Is it me or does that sound like the plot to the Poltergiest films of the 1980s? I am surprised no one has tried to reimagine that one given the increased interest in the occult as clearly evident on the big, the small, and mobile interactive screens of social media. Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey reprise their roles from the first film, which also has director James Wan return as well. Wan also directed The Conjuring and is well suited to the genre.
The DVD edition features a standard definition anamorphic (2.39:1) widescreen presentation and the picture quality when upconverted to 1080p looks very good though I prefer true high definition over upconversion. A clear and discrete when it needs to be English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is included as well as a Spanish Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired along with English and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded as options too.
Unfortunately the DVD is light on special features with the actual packaging literally stating "Get the Blu-ray for more Special Features." At this point I have to ask why bother making the DVD at all if you are going to basically tell the consumer they should buy the Blu-ray anyway. Between multimedia combo packs and early direct to digital sales if you are not going to support one format as much as you would the other than save the cost and just release the film on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack with a digital copy and provide standard and high definition rental and sales options for the digital copy. I mean on one hand I applaud the honesty, but on the other I am left scratching my head.
A behind-the-scenes featurette as well as a look at how the actors were transformed into ghosts are included on the DVD and there is a limited time redemption insert within the DVD keep case for a standard definition Ultraviolet Digital Copy as well.
Insidious: Chapter 2 will debut on DVD as well as a more feature packed Blu-ray and DVD combo pack version, but of course sold seperately at retailers on and offline on December 24, 2013 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment just in time for Christmas!
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Mad Max: Fury Road Preproduction Photos
AMC NETWORKS’ STREAMING MOVIE SERVICE YEAH! LAUNCHES ON THE IPAD
New App Debuts Today Enabling Fans to Enjoy Iconic Films with New Interactive Content
Rob Reiner, Francis Lawrence, Wes Craven, Bruce Campbell and More
Share New Insights and Backstory to their Films
The Walking Dead’s Michael Rooker fronts YEAH!’s “Anti-Social Holiday” Campaign
New York December 19, 2013 – AMC Networks is bringing its YEAH! streaming movie service to the iPad, via a new app available today in the App Store on iTunes. YEAH! is the first fully-immersive movie experience available on the iPad making for a rich and highly interactive movie-viewing experience for celebrated films.
YEAH! is a unique storytelling medium that goes beyond mere trivia to weave intimate moments and commentary from a who’s who of creators and stars into a narrative about the making of and continued appreciation of iconic films. Director Richard Linklater hails YEAH! as “a film geek paradise.”
With YEAH!, fans can access a layer of content integrated into the screen below the film as it plays, including exclusive interviews with top filmmakers and stars, little-known facts, links to IMDB, interactive polling and more. Unlike DVD extras or Blu-ray features, the YEAH! iPad app delivers information instantly, scene-by-scene where and when you want it during the movie – content that can be switched on or off with a single tap of the finger. With 400-500 curated elements per film, the encyclopedic depth of content turns fans into instant experts on the movies they love. After experiencing YEAH!, legendary filmmaker Wes Cravensaid, “I learned things about my movies even I didn’t know!”
This abundance of video and factual backstory is curated from months of research and in-depth interviews on every film, leveraging the expertise and delivering on the high level of quality associated with AMC Networks’ brands and programming.
YEAH!’s fast-growing movie library includes expertly-expanded versions of genre films and mega blockbusters that fans return to again and again. It presently includes Pulp Fiction, The Shining, No Country for Old Men, Dirty Dancing, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Blair Witch Project, Caddyshack, Superman: The Movie, Scream, Apocalypse Now Redux, The Expendables, Kick-Ass, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill 1 & 2, The Terminator, Clerks, Child’s Play, This is Spinal Tap, Jackie Brown, The Road Warrior and more.
Filmmakers and stars who have recently been interviewed to create the exclusive YEAH! versions of their classics include: directors Richard Donner (Superman: The Movie), Rob Reiner (This Is Spinal Tap), Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Streetand Scream), Catherine Hardwicke (the original Twilight), Kevin Smith (Clerks) and Francis Lawrence (Constantine); and actors Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs), Peter Facinelli (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), Nikki Reed (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead 2), Miranda Cosgrove (School of Rock), Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick-Ass).
“The launch of the YEAH! app provides the most immersive movie watching experience available, one that gives film fans the power to go deeper into their favorite movies than ever before, virtually anytime and anywhere,” said Lisa Judson, General Manager of YEAH! “With YEAH!, we aimed to re-invent the streaming experience from lean back to lean in, with a richness and depth previously unavailable in any medium.”
“Given AMC's commitment on-air and online to curating the best movies of all time, YEAH!’s streaming movies and curated content are a natural next step,” added AMC President Charlie Collier. “YEAH! is the latest in AMC's commitment to providing audiences with high-quality, ground-breaking programming experiences.”
To coincide with YEAH!’s iPad launch on December 19, YEAH! has enlisted actor Michael Rooker and is kicking off an “Anti-Social Holiday” campaign on TV and the web. Known for his edgy portrayals in films and his role as loose cannon Merle Dixon in AMC’s hit series, “The Walking Dead,” Rooker is helping YEAH! build buzz by directing film fans to the YEAH! iPad app to escape the stresses that come with holiday chores, travel and, sometimes, even family get-togethers.
“What could be worse this holiday season than flesh-eating zombies? Your in-laws, of course!” jokes Rooker. “So hole up with a rented movie from YEAH! this holiday season! It's a lot safer than your family.”
The campaign will culminate during a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day marathon of “The Walking Dead” on AMC, with YEAH! serving as one of the sponsors, from December 31 at 9 AM (ET/PT) –January 2 at 5 AM (ET/PT). In anticipation of its broader launch on the iPad and other platforms including ROKU next year, AMC Networks’ YEAH! has been quietly growing a loyal grass roots following with fans and filmmakers since it launched earlier this year at www.YEAHTV.com.
Media tastemakers have joined film directors in their praise of AMC’s new streaming film service. IGN said, “even the most hardened film fans might learn something new about the films they love,” while Hollywood Reporter declared YEAH! the “new word in the world of online entertainment.” The Netflix Alternative said “not only is it a fun interactive experience, YEAH! paves the way for a new way to stream movies online.“ As always, the fan boy favorites may have put it best, with Badass Digest proclaiming YEAH! to be “real cool, a damn impressive presentation, better than any Blu-ray presentation we’ve seen” and Shock Ya to boast, “in short, it’s possibly the best movie watching experience anywhere.”
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas Everyone! May The Force Be With You & Happy Life Day!
Sincerely,
Mark Rivera
Writer/Reviewer/Editor/Webmaster
GenreOnline.net
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
My Thoughts On The Desolation Of Smaug - No Spoilers.
The Desolation of Smaug is definitely better then An Unexpected Journey. Not as good as any of the LOR films, but it is not because Jackson is a poor filmmaker. He just should not have dragged it out into three movies.
That aside, the pacing is pretty good, especially with the spiders. Laketown is a mixed bag, but not bad at all. The Smaug confrontation between Bilbo and the dragon is terrific. Afterwards is entertaining, but if Gollum was the best part of the first film, Smaug is the best part of the second.
You know when all three films are on video someone is going to edit the three films into one and make a masterpiece on YouTube.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Anthony Duran with Conan O'Brien, Kevin Hart & Ice Cube hit comedy gold on YouTube
Anthony Duran appears with Conan O'Brien, Ice Cube, and Kevin Hart in this YouTube promo for the new film Ride Along. The promo alone already has over 5 million hits and growing as Anthony, Ice Cube, Conan and Kevin Hart head out on the town and have a few laughs along the way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNM7Z7hir_I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNM7Z7hir_I
The 20 Dumbest People, Events And Things, 2013 According To MAD Magazine.
MAD Magazine's special end of year issue featuring "The 20 Dumbest People, Events And Things, 2013" hits stands this week. Pop star Miley Cyrus nabs the cover, and some of the year's most notorious figures such as Paula Deen, Alex Rodriguez, Congress, Dennis Rodman, the NRA, Anthony Wiener and Eliot Spitzer also nabbed spots on the list. Issue Streets on December 18th, 2013.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
The Monkey's Paw Chiller Original Movie Review
Chiller, Syfy's darker sister network, presents The Monkey's Paw, a TV movie inspired by the classic short story by W.W. Jacobs, which opens with a prologue that sounds like the closing moments from the renowned story, which would have been a lot cooler, but quickly the film establishes itself as it's own tale involving the talisman known as The Monkey's Paw that grants wishes though not quite the way the person who wished upon it intended. The opening prologue is a loose variation of events from the story, but it is not the exact closing moments that are heard and thus it just doesn't have the power of the original. In fact when the paw shows up the connection seems a bit unlikely since the power of the paw is so volatile. Can anyone live long possessing something so evil unscathed?
After young Jake (C.J. Thomason) accepts the paw from his former supervisor, he quickly finds his world turned upside down. His coworker Tony Cobb (Stephen Lang) covets the paw for himself and consequently events related to Jake's first wish lead to the death and resurrection of Cobb. Malevolent Undead Cobb demands Jake reunite him with his son and places all Jake cares about in jeopardy if he doesn't get what he wants.
This Chiller original film features good performances from Stephen Lang, who delivers exactly the kind of performance one expects, mixing a degree of pathos to his characterization to bring out a good sense of tragedy. Cobb is not the nicest guy, but he is really more or less a victim in this film and so he succumbs to his darker side more out of supernatural influence and madness than an initial desire to just hurt others. Under the influence of alcohol he is capable of committing acts of violence, but he can be carefully talked down. Returning from the dead unleashes any inhibitions he may have had that kept him from being a totally evil man.
Other film stars include Charles S. Dutton in a supporting role. The sad thing about the execution of the film is it never exudes any fear or feeling of dread or impending doom. I think a straight forward adaptation of the original short story would have been much better. As it is the feels like one of those straight to videos to a Stephen King film or miniseries adaptation that shares little to no connection to the source material other than the title.
The Monkey's Paw will debut on Chiller on Friday, January 24, 2014 at 9pm. Please check your local listings for channel on your cable, fiber optic or satellite television provider.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
SYFY CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS WITH BEING HUMAN AND CHRISTMAS DAY MOVIE MARATHONS THE TWILIGHT ZONERETURNS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
SYFY CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS WITH BEING HUMAN AND CHRISTMAS DAY MOVIE MARATHONS
THE TWILIGHT ZONERETURNS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
NEW YORK – December 10, 2013 – Syfywill celebrate the holiday season with a Christmas Day movie festival, a marathon of the hit series Being Human and the traditional New Year’s Eve celebration of Rod Serling’s iconic series The Twilight Zone, which will take viewers into a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.
The Wednesday, December 25 movie festival, airing 9AM-3AM (ET/PT), will specialize in Christmas and wintry-themed films such as Snowmageddon, Ice Quake, Snow Beast and Yeti.
The Being Human Season 3 marathon will run Monday, December 30 from 8AM-3AM. The popular series will return for its fourth season on Syfy Monday, January 13 at 9PM.
The Twilight Zone marathon will startTuesday, December 31 at 8AM, concluding New Year’s Day at 4:30AM. Fans can win fun Twilight Zone prizes by testing their knowledge of Twilight Zone trivia through the social media challenge atFacebook.com/Syfy and @Syfy.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Is Indiana Jones 5 In Development?
There is little to base this other than a tweet, but paraphrasing what Director/Producer Frank Marshall tweeted, he mentioned that it felt a little strange being at the Lucasfilm office on Disney's lot in the Indiana Jones office, but he is sure he will get used to it. So what does that mean?
Honestly, nothing but vague speculation at this point, but Marshall is a good director and between him and Kathleen Kennedy, who now runs Lucasfilm for Disney after being hand picked by Lucas, I have to state that I cannot think of anyone else outside of Ford and Spielberg who know the franchise better since Lucas is more or less semi retired.
Now Ford has stated he wants to do one more, but if they are going to continue with the story I am afraid that they will need a new young Indy and I don't know off the top of my head who could fit the bill? I mean this is harder than trying to pick who the next James Bond should be? Do you have any ideas? Share them here. Thank you.
NATGEO Zombie What If Special
Checkout video for NATGEO Zombie What If Special. Cut and paste URL into your browser.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/how-to-survive-the-end-of-the-world/videos/the-outbreak-spreads-worldwide/
Boomerang’s Got A Special CHRISTMAS PARTY Invite With Your Name On It
Boomerang’s Got A Special CHRISTMAS PARTY Invite With Your Name On It
Classic Animated Holiday Programming and Specials to Air Beginning Dec.15
30-Hour Holiday Marathon Ushers in Holiday Traditions Starting Christmas Eve Through Christmas Day
Ring in some holiday cheer this year with Boomerang, Cartoon Network’s 24-hour all-cartoon-classics network, as it presents a month-long CHRISTMAS PARTY of beloved seasonal favorites for the entire family. With over 90 hours of holiday programming, including a 30-hour marathon starting at 6:30 am (ET) on Christmas Eve, the celebration will continue with a bonus Scooby-Doo marathon airing all day on New Year’s Day.
Spotlighted guests of this onscreen television party, from Tom & Jerry to Papa Smurf to The Powerpuff Girls, span nearly four decades of cartoon history from the late 1960s through the early 2000s. The Boomerang CHRISTMAS PARTY will celebrate not only how favorite animated families like the Flintstones and the Jetsons ring in the holidays, but will also feature Emmy-nominated one-of-a-kind specials like The Town That Santa Forgot. The month-long CHRISTMAS PARTY marathon will wrap up the holiday celebration, beginning on December 24 with Cabbage Patch Kids Christmas Special starting at 6:30 am(ET). Other much-loved specials will include A Scooby Doo Christmas Carol at 8:30 am (ET) and Yogi Bear’s All Star Comedy Christmas Caper, beginning on December 25 at 9:00 am(ET).
“Boomerang’s CHRISTMAS PARTY takes us back to a time when families would gather around the television for their annual favorites,” said Stacy Isenhower, senior vice president of programming and scheduling for Boomerang and Cartoon Network. “The season truly is about family and togetherness, and our programming helps honor that tradition.”
To launch the New Year’s celebration a week later, Boomerang will include an all-day Scooby-Doo marathon, beginning Jan. 1 at 6:00 am (ET). Cartoon fans can ring in 2014 with some of the best-beloved, spine-tingling Scooby-Doo classics, including Scooby and Scrappy and Yabba-Doo, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo, and movie specials such as Scooby Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf and Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School.
Highlights of the Boomerang CHRISTMAS PARTY and the all-day New Year’s Scooby-Doo marathon include
· A Jetson’s Christmas Carol (1985), Friday, Dec. 20, 8:30 a.m. (ET): Mr. Spacely forces George Jetson to work late on Christmas Eve, while the family wonders what has happened to him. Later that night, Mr. Spacely is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marlesy, who tells him of three spirits that will visit him-and they do!-showing Mr. Spacely that his future is doomed unless he changes his ways.
· Yogi’s First Christmas(1980) Saturday, Dec. 21, 9 a.m. (ET): Yogi, Boo Boo and Cindy are awakened from hibernation and join their friends' Christmas activities while interfering with 2 villians' efforts to ruin the holiday.
· The Town That Santa Forgot (1993) Sunday, Dec.15, 7 a.m. (ET): Dick van Dyke stars as the voice of a kind grandfather relaying the tale of Jeremy Creek, a spoiled boy who learns it is better to give than to receive.
· Tis the Season to be Smurfy (1987) Sunday, Dec. 15, 7:30 a.m. (ET): A holiday special based on the Emmy Award-winning Saturday-morning series, "Smurfs." In the program, the Smurfs discover the wonder of Christmas, and the holiday spirit of giving and sharing.
· The Powerpuff Girls: ‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas (2003), Thursday, Dec. 19, 8 a.m. (ET): There's a new Powerpuff Girl in town...or so she would have you think! Her fiendishly foul plot: to trick Santa into turning her into the fourth Powerpuff Girl! (And, in the process, make him believe the Powerpuffs have been very, very naughty!) Now, Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup must explode into a Yuletide tornado of bad-girl-thwarting action to put Princess in her place—and keep Christmas from disappearing forever!
· A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994), Saturday, Dec. 14, 9 a.m. (ET): Christmas is nearly ruined when Fred, who plays Ebenezer Scrooge in a Bedrock Community Players Christmas production, becomes a true-life Scrooge himself.
· The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo (1985) Wednesday January 1, 9 a.m. (ET):Shaggy, Scooby and friends must return 13 ghosts to a magic chest which they inadvertently released.
· Scooby Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988)Wednesday Jan 1, 2 p.m.(ET): Scooby-Doo’s best pal,Shaggy, is turned into a werewolf, and it's up to Scooby, Scrappy and his new girlfriend, Googie, to help him
Sunday, December 8, 2013
A short excerpt from The Final Arbiter.
"To transcend! To climb over that we cannot name. The inner knowledge and dimensions of which words can't describe. That's the opportunity you offer us. You offer the world!"
From The Final Arbiter
By Mark Rivera.
(C) By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane Blu-ray Disc Review
When the normally reclusive enchantress Mandy Lane (Amber Heard) reluctantly agrees to accompany her new friends on a weekend getaway, the initially irritating adolescent advances made toward her rapidly turn menacing and the number of party-goers begins to drop one at a time.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane makes you wait a bit before the actual "horror" comes into play, but once it gets rolling, it is relentless.
The film is beautifully shot and looks amazing on Blu-ray with a 1080p widescreen (2.40:1) presentation coupled with an atmospheric English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded as options.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane is available now on Blu-ray Disc as well as DVD, but sold separately at retailers on and offline courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Jayne Mansfield's Car Blu-ray Disc Review
Academy Award winnings Writer and Director as well as Actor Billy Bob Thornton's Jayne Mansfield's Car brings together an ensemble cast that includes Robert Duval, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Ray Stevenson, Katherine LaNasa and Frances O'Connor in a period drama set in 1969 in an Alabama town where two families are bought together by the death of mutual loved ones. As one can expect clashes occur and secrets are revealed leading to unexpected consequences.
Anchor Bay Entertainment's Blu-ray edition features a spot on 1080p widescreen presentation coupled with a clear English Dolby Digital High Resolution 5.1 Soundtrack and English Subtitles for the Deaf Hearing Impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options. There is not much extra value features to speak of unfortunately.
Jayne Mansfield's Car will debut on both Blu-ray Disc and DVD, but sold separately on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at retailers on and offline courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
(C) Copyright 2013 By Mark Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
