Terminator: Dark Fate Theatrical Release Review

I have long felt that when James Cameron writes and directs a sequel, no one should touch it until or unless he comes back to continue the story. My opinion has not changed and the two easiest examples to note are Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In both cases he provided great endings for both series and the sequels that followed were inferior and derivative. In the case of Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines, it just did not hold up to the first two and in the case of Terminator: Genysis, the movie, which Cameron endorsed as the true T3, only hurt his credibility when the film turned out to be the worst of the bunch. I liked Terminator: Salvation and to date it is the only film in the series to do something different with the material.

Now Terminator: Dark Fate has arrived and this marks the third time, not including the TV series, Terminator: The Sarrah Connor Cheonicles, that there has been an attempt to continue the story after T2 and this film ignores all the sequels that have come before it too.

Terminator: Dark Fate feels the most like an actual Terminator film since the second movie, but it still suffers from plot holes and lapses in logic that can be ignored, but never the less will surely annoy those who will analyze the film after seeing it.

A big problem with Terminator: Dark Fate is that it literally invalidates Terminator 2: Judgment Day in a way that makes the film feel completely futile much like Alien 3 did to Aliens. The film's pacing is a bit off too and Schwarzenegger fans will have to wait for nearly an hour until he appears on screen and Arnold's acting is stiff and wooden here too. His very existence in the film does not make sense nor does his knowledge of when Terminators are going to show complete with exact coordinates is just ludicrous because his future no longer exists.

I would not have expected it, but Linda Hamilton is the most interesting character in the entire film. She has the best lines and she feels really invested in the role too. In fact she is the best part of this reboot. While the rest of the cast does a good job given what they have to work with, the film does not have a true wow factor because it is just a remake of the first film with a few ideas from the now invalidated sequels thrown in.

While I hope we will never have to endure another Terminator film again unless the story is truly original. That noted, of the post Terminator 2 films, Terminator: Dark Fate is the best of them, but that is not saying much when one considers the way they turned out.

Personally, I recommend just sticking with the first two Terminator films and looking at it as a two part story, but if you were to pick a continuation, Terminator: Dark Fate is best one to follow despite it's flaws. Terminator: Dark Fate is, at the time of this posting, playing theatrically all round the world.

(C) Copyright 2019 By Mark A. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

OPENS 11/2: Russo Bros helm Giant Screen wildlife conservation doc "BACK FROM THE BRINK," narrated by Claire Danes

BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTIONCAPTURES INSPIRING WILDLIFE COMEBACK STORIES IN A STUNNING NEW GIANT SCREEN ADVENTURE 

Narrated by Claire Danes, Executive Produced by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo, Directed by Sean Casey

--Opens In IMAX®, Giant Screen, Digital Cinemas Around the U.S. Beginning November 2--

NEW YORK [October 2019] - BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION, a stunning new Giant Screen film adventure, captures remarkable comeback stories of endangered species from around the world that are rebounding thanks to human efforts to save them. Narrated by Claire Danes, the film will launch in North America with a world premiere event in San Jose, CA, and will open in Giant Screen, IMAX®, and Digital 3D cinemas around the USA beginning November 2, 2019. 

Watch the trailer here.

By the end of this century, half of all species could be pushed to the brink of extinction. Human activities, in particular, pose a significant threat--affecting wildlife in ways both visible and invisible. Pollution. Hunting. Habitat disruption and destruction. BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION shows that positive change is possible. Problems created by humans can be solved by humans.

Filmed on location in three unique regions around the globe, BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION uses the immersive IMAX® format to plunge audiences into a wild world of breathtaking natural beauty and captivating wildlife behavior. In a spectacular giant screen experience, the film brings to life the amazing true story of three animal species whose numbers recently dwindled to near extinction, but were rescued from the brink: California's enchanting Channel Island Fox, China's fabled Golden Monkey, and the wondrous migrating giant red crabs of Christmas Island, off the coast of Australia. The film also introduces the people around the world--scientists, researchers, park rangers, and students--who are working passionately to preserve these endangered species. Ultimately, BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION aims to engage and inspire audiences to take action and connect with nature. A slate of educational outreach materials and other resources are available at the film's website: www.backfromthebrink.com.

BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION is directed by Sean Casey (Tornado Alley; Forces of Nature; Alaska: Spirit of the Wild; Africa the Serengeti), who is also Director of Photography. The film is executive produced by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, and produced by Jennifer Casey (National Geographic's Extreme Weather and Tornado Alley) and Charlotte Huggins (Journey to the Center of the Earth and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island). The film is written by Kurt Frey and Ms. Casey.

"Through the unmatched, immersive Giant Screen technology, we're able to connect audiences with nature in places they might not otherwise go. BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION offers an opportunity to engage with some of the most extraordinary creatures on Earth, which nearly disappeared forever," said director Sean Casey. "We demonstrate how human efforts do make an impact for the better, and are essential in saving and protecting the world's animals and wild places."

In BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION, filmmakers were granted special permission to capture each of the film's unique places and take audiences there as never before. We discover how California's enchanting Channel Island Fox is rescued from an invasion of predatory Golden Eagles. In the fastest recovery of a species in the history of animal conservation, scientists help solve the mystery of the fox population's severely diminishing numbers and devise and execute an ingenious plan to save them--which includes returning an iconic raptor, the American Bald Eagle--to the island to restore the ecology's balance. Fox numbers have since rebounded from less than 100 to thousands and they've been removed from The Endangered Species List.

In the fabled mountains of China's Yunnan Province, the film follows one of the world's most endangered primates, the Golden Monkey--a creature so elusive it had never even been photographed until the 1970s. Hunted nearly to extinction, this mythical society of primates was on the verge of collapse, numbering about 1500, when the efforts of one intrepid researcher and his investigation into their plight changed everything. The revelations convinced the Chinese government to turn the region into one of the country's first nature preserves. Now, the hunters are instead becoming park rangers and are the biggest champions and protectors of the "Snubbies," as they're nicknamed. In just a few decades, the monkey population has gone from near extinction to three thousand or more.

Audiences can also witness the wondrous migration of the Red Crabs of Christmas Island and marvel at their recovery from a Crazy Yellow Ant infestation in one of the most successful bio-control experiments ever undertaken. The intruder ants arrived as a few stowaways on cargo ships--but swarmed into an invasion horde numbering several billion, which became a super colony that threatened the entire web of life on the island--especially the 40 million crabs that had to run the gauntlet through the forest. In a daring experiment, Malaysian micro-wasps are imported and hoisted into the treetop canopy on makeshift elevators. Dazzling giant screen filmmaking vividly captures the insect warfare being played out on a grand scale, as well as the red crab hatchlings emerging by the millions.

BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION is supported by the film's outreach partner, The Nature Conservancy. "The Nature Conservancy is honored to partner with BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION. Preserving our world's biodiversity is critical to creating a world where people and nature thrive, and we know that charting a sustainable path requires solutions that work with - and not against - nature and all of its inhabitants," said Richard Loomis, The Nature Conservancy's Chief Marketing Officer.

For more information on BACK FROM THE BRINK: SAVED FROM EXTINCTION or to explore ways to get involved and connect with nature, go to the film's website: www.backfromthebrink.com. To connect on social media, follow on Facebook at @CosmicPictureMovies; Instagram at @CosmicPicture; Twitter at @CosmicPicture; and on YouTube at @CosmicPictureMovies.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY STARS IN THE THRILLING TRUE STORY OF THE SPY WHO TRIED TO STOP A WAR OFFICIAL SECRETS

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY STARS IN THE THRILLING TRUE STORY OF THE SPY WHO TRIED TO STOP A WAR

OFFICIAL SECRETS

 

On Digital November 5, 2019

On DVD November 26, 2019

 

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.  – Keira Knightley gives “one of her strongest performances” (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) as a real-life whistleblower in the “taut and provocative thriller” (Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue) OFFICIAL SECRETS, arriving on Digital November 5, 2019 and on DVD with Digital Copy November 26, 2019 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

 

Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes^®, OFFICIAL SECRETS reveals the true story of British intelligence specialist turned whistleblower, Katharine Gun (Knightley). From award-winning director Gavin Hood (Eye in the Sky), the movie features an incredible supporting cast including Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”), who portrays Martin Bright, the real-life investigative journalist who broke the stunning story, Matthew Goode (“Downton Abbey”) as one of Bright’s colleagues, and Academy Award^® nominee* Ralph Fiennes as Gun’s determined lawyer. 

 

In 2003, British intelligence specialist Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley) received a memo with a shocking directive: collect blackmail-worthy information on UN council members to force the vote for the invasion of Iraq. Unable to stand by and watch the world rush into war, Gun makes the decision to leak the memo to the press, igniting an international firestorm that would expose a vast political conspiracy and put Gun in harm’s way.

 

The OFFICIAL SECRETS DVD includes the film in standard definition, as well as a Digital Copy of the film in high definition.

 

 

IFC FILMS and ENTERTAINMENT ONE Present In Association With GS MEDIA / SCREEN YORKSHIRE 

A CLASSIFIED FILMS / CLEAR PICTURES ENTERTAINMENTProduction In Association With SILVER REEL 

A GAVIN HOOD film KEIRA KNIGHTLEY "OFFICIAL SECRETS" MATT SMITH MATTHEW GOODE RHYS IFANS 

ADAM BAKRI And RALPH FIENNES Casting By KATE DOWD, CDG  Music By PAUL HEPKER And MARK KILIAN

Edited by MEGAN GILL Production Designer SIMON ROGERSDirector of Photography FLORIAN HOFFMEISTER, BSC

Co-Producer SARADA McDERMOTT Executive Producers MARK GORDON MATT JACKSON SARA SMITH 

GAVIN HOOD CLAUDIA BLUEMHUBER ANNE SHEEHAN HUGO HEPPELL

Produced by GED DOHERTY, p.g.a.  ELIZABETH FOWLER MELISSA SHIYU ZUO 

Written by SARA BERNSTEIN & GREGORY BERNSTEIN AndGAVIN HOOD

Directed by GAVIN HOOD

©2018 OFFICIAL SECRETS HOLDINGS, LLC.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

The Pink Ladies and T-Birds Still Rule the School

The Pink Ladies and T-Birds Still Rule the School HBO Max Orders Grease: Rydell High Musical Spin-Off Series

LOS ANGELES – October 15, 2019 – HBO Max has ordered Grease: Rydell High, a musical series inspired by the 1978 Golden Globe® nominated film Grease. A joyous musical series set in and around the world of Rydell High, the show reimagines the global smash hit movie with some characters you already know, and a whole lot more you will soon meet.  It’s still the 1950s, a world that rocks with big musical numbers from the period combined with new original songs as well. It’s the peer pressures of high school, the horrors of puberty, and the rollercoaster of life in middle America with a modern sensibility that will bring it to life for today’s musical lovers.   “Grease is an iconic pop-culture phenomenon that works for every generation, and I’m thrilled that our friends at Paramount were excited about the idea of opening up the show and putting it on a larger canvas for a weekly series,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “This is high school and life in small-town USA told on the scale of a big rock’n’roll musical. It’s Grease 2.0 but with the same spirit, energy, and excitement you immediately think of when you hear any of these iconic songs. You’re the One That I Want!”  Said Nicole Clemens, President of Paramount Television, “Grease is one of the most beloved Paramount titles and it’s a thrill to be re-imagining it for today’s audience with our good friends at Temple Hill and Picturestart. When Bob Greenblatt called about bringing it to television, we knew we would be in the perfect hands because of our great working relationship with HBO Max and Bob’s genuine passion for musicals and Grease in particular.” Picturestart and Temple Hill will serve as executive producers and Paramount Television and Picturestart will produce the series. Additionally, Temple Hill, Picturestart and Paramount Pictures are in development on a feature film prequel to Grease, entitled Summer Lovin’.

THIS SHOCKTOBER, OTT CHANNEL MIDNIGHT PULP RAIDS THE '80s HORROR VAULTS FOR A VERY SPECIAL STREAMING COLLECTION FEATURING ARROW FILMS' CLASSICS!

    

THIS SHOCKTOBER, OTT CHANNEL MIDNIGHT PULP

RAIDS THE '80s HORROR VAULTS FOR A VERY SPECIAL 

STREAMING COLLECTION FEATURING ARROW FILMS' CLASSICS!

 

MIDNIGHT PULP PRESENTS: TOTALLY RAD 

HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!!

 

Highlights in the Gore-iffically-Curated Selection Include Brain Damage, Basket Case, Chopping Mall, Doom Asylum, Microwave Massacre, Re-Animator, The Slayer, The Zero Boysand More!

 

New York, NY (October 15, 2019) - This Shocktober, genre streamer MIDNIGHT PULP unearths a timelessly terrifying collection of '80s horror classics with the TOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!! Chock full of chills and thrills, the hand-picked selections offers genre fans a gore-nucopia of things to keep them up at night, including some fan favorites from Arrow Films, such as DOOM ASYLUM, MICROWAVE MASSACRE, RE-ANIMATOR and BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR, CONTAMINATION and more! TOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!! is available now, exclusively at MidnightPulp.com.

 

After the '70s ushered in a decade of theatrical horror for the masses, the '80s spawned a slew of horror franchises, featuring "buckets of blood, terrorized teens, thousands of imaginative ways to dies and just the right amount of cheese" (Amy Skorheim, Gearmoose), and Midnight Pulp celebrates this demented decade in unforgettable fashion, featuring a murderer's row of compulsively watchable films guaranteed to have Joe Bob Briggs crowing with delight! And while most of the TOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!! is available to horror lovers through a no-charge AVOD freemium model, some of the films highlighted below - too gory for prime-time -- are part of PULP+, an ad-free premium subscription starting at $4.99, which offers select exclusive releases, special features and more.  

 

TOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!! free AVOD selections include:

 

BRAIN DAMAGE -- From Frank Henenlotter, the man behind cult horror favorites like Basket Case and Frankenhooker, comes BRAIN DAMAGE - the ultimate head-trip! Meet Elmer. He's your local, friendly parasite with the ability to induce euphoric hallucinations in his hosts. But these LSD-like trips come with a hefty price tag. When young Brian comes under Elmer's addictive spell, it's not long before he finds himself scouring the city streets in search of his parasite's preferred food source - brains! (US, 1988, 86 mins.)

 

CONTAMINATION -- A cargo ship drifts up the Hudson River. Its crew: all dead, their bodies horribly mutilated, turned inside out by an unknown force. Its freight: boxes upon boxes of glowing, pulsating green eggs. It soon becomes clear that these eggs are not of this planet, and someone intends to cultivate them here on Earth. But who? And to what end? Starring Italian horror veteran Ian McCulloch (Zombie Flesh Eaters), Contamination is an ultra-violent sci-fi epic that really gets under the skin. In space, no one can hear you scream - but on Earth, the terror rings loud and clear!

(1980, 95 minutes)

 

DOOM ASYLUM -- When a group of horny teens wind up on the grounds of a creepy abandoned asylum, they think they've found the perfect place to party. Little do they know that inside the building's crumbling walls lurks a freakishly deformed maniac, driven to madness by the tragic loss of his fiancée in a car accident. With an array of grisly surgical tools at his disposal, it's only a matter of time before the youngsters begin meeting various splattery ends at the hands of the ghoulish Coroner. Helmed by director Richard Friedman (Scared Stiff and Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge), and also starring Penthouse Pet of the Year 1988 Patty Mullen (Frankenhooker), Doom Asylum combines outlandish gore and a wise-cracking villain to create one of the most wildly entertainingly blood-spattered slashers of the late '80s.

 

INSEMINOID -- When a six-man, six-woman exploration team lands on a mysterious, remote planet to investigate the origins of a long-vanished civilization, they're met only by a silent, lifeless world. Unbeknownst to the interplanetary explorers, however, a strange alien creature has been waiting patiently in stasis for millions of years, biding its time until conditions are suitable to breed! (1981, 91 minutes)

 

OFFERINGS -- John Rudley (G. Michael Smith) is angry. When he was young, the local bullies pushed him to the brink. Ten years in a sanitarium is a long time. Now, after 10 years in a sanitarium, he's free -- free to release those savage frustrations, free to avenge himself against his tormentors, and, in case anyone thought he was long gone... he can't wait to have them all wrapped up. Remember him, before he dismembers you in this late '80s slasher classic from director Christopher Reynolds. (1989, 94 minutes)

 

RE-ANIMATOR -- Conducting clandestine experiments within the morgue at Miskatonic University, scientist Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) reveals to fellow graduate student Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) his ground-breaking work concerning the re-animation of fresh corpses. West's secret reagent is a powerful injection with the capacity to give life where there is none --destined to capture the imagination of the entire scientific community. However between life and death is a thin thread of understanding and when obsession gets the better of West there is no stopping his wicked ways--dead or alive! Based on a story by genre writer H.P. Lovecraft, this beloved '80s classic was called "one of the greatest horror films ever made" by Entertainment Weekly. (1985, 105 minutes)

THE FINAL TERROR -- A group of young campers out for what they hope will be a fun-filled weekend find their plans spoiled by a disguised, merciless killer who stalks the forest in search of new victims. Soon they are caught in a terrifying web of bloodshed and murder. It is up to the remaining few to defend themselves and put an end to the terror-filled weekend. Featuring a great cast including Rachel Ward (The Thornbirds), Daryl Hannah (Kill Bill, Blade Runner), Adrian Zmed (Bachelor Party), Mark Metcalf (Zero Dark Thirty), Lewis Smith (Django Unchained) and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, The Fugitive) and directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Under Siege) this pulse-pounding film is the final word in backwoods horror. (1983, 84 minutes)

 

THE SLAYER -- For years slasher fans were desperate to get their hands on a copy of The Slayer, an elusive but beloved paragon of the genre. Two young couples set off to a secluded island for what promises to be a restful retreat. But the peace is short-lived: as a storm batters the island, troubled artist Kay begins to sense that a malevolent presence is here with them, stalking them at every turn. Is she losing her mind, or are her childhood nightmares of a demonic assailant coming to terrifying life? This HD restoration, previously only available on home video in truncated or full screen versions, is available to stream right here on Midnight Pulp. (1982, 80 minutes)

 

THE ZERO BOYS -- From cult director Nico Mastorakis (Island of Death, Hired to Kill), comes this genre-bending '80s classic with gruesome sequences that anticipate the torture porn horrors of Hostel and Saw. For a group of young friends, a weekend of survival games in the wilderness turns into a genuine battle of life and death when one of them turns up dead. Hunted by a bloodthirsty band of maniacs intent on slaughtering them one-by-one, the self-styled "Zero Boys" must now play their war games for real. Starring Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet, Chopping Mall) and featuring an early score from the legendary Hans Zimmer (Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy), THE ZERO BOYS mixes action, survival and all-out slasher movie elements in a thrilling horror yarn that falls somewhere between Friday the 13th and Deliverance. (1986, 89 minutes)

 

UNINVITED -- After a sinister corporation loses control of a house cat infected with a genetically engineered virus, it finds its way on board the yacht of a criminal kingpin and the death toll rises sharply during the mutant feline's rampage. George Kennedy, Clu Gulager and Alex Cord star in this killer kitty splatterfest that just might scare you out of one of your nine lives!

 

WITCH FROM NEPAL -- An architect's vacation to Nepal takes a turn for the supernatural in this terrifying action adventure starring legendary actor Chow Yun-fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, A Better Tomorrow.) Witches and cat demons abound when a mountain tribe gives him magical powers, and he soon finds himself forced to use his newfound powers to destroy an evil force in this Hong Kong genre classic. (1986, 94 minutes) 

 

Premium PULP+ films in theTOTALLY RAD HALLOWEEN SLASHTACULAR - MAX EDITION!!! include:

 

ANGST - Photographed by legendary Oscar-winning Polish animator/ experimentalist Zbig Rybczynski and scored by Krautrock synth god Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream), ANGST is a stylized and shockingly visceral experience called "essential arthouse horror" by Film Comment. In this slasher classic, Erwin Leder (Das Boot, Schindler's List) plays a maniacal killer based on the real-life serial murderer Werner Kniesek. As he stalks through the bland Viennese countryside, the film's innovative first-person camerawork grabs viewers by the throat, never letting go.   Directed by Gerlad Kargl, ANGST was banned in many countries for its graphic content. (1983, 87 minutes)

 

BASKET CASE - The feature debut of director Frank Henenlotter (Brain Damage, Frankenhooker), 1982's Basket Case is perhaps his most revered - a riotous and blood-spattered midnight movie experience. Duane Bradley is a pretty ordinary guy. His formerly conjoined twin Belial, on the other hand, is a deformed, fleshy lump whom he carries around in a wicker basket. Arriving in the Big Apple and taking up a room at the seedy Hotel Broslin, the pair set about hunting down and butchering the surgeons responsible for their separation. But tensions flare up when Duane starts spending time with a pretty blonde secretary, and Belial's homicidal tendencies reach bloody new extremes in BASKET CASE, which has clawed its way from its humble origins to become one of the most celebrated cult movies of all time. (91 minutes, 1982)

 

BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR -- The success of Stuart Gordon's hit horror-comedy Re-animator meant that a sequel was all but inevitable. The resulting follow-up, BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR - this time helmed by director Brian Yuzna (Society, Return of the Living Dead 3) - would prove that there was a good deal more life left in the story of Dr. Herbert West and his ghoulish exploits. It is 8 years since the Miskatonic massacre. Unperturbed by the disastrous outcome of his previous meddling with the dead, Dr. West (again played by Jeffrey Combs) continues his research into the phenomenon of re-animation; only this time, he plans to create life - starting with the heart of his young protégé Dan's dearly deceased, Meg Halsey. Surely nothing could go wrong in this worthy successor to Gordon's original cult classic... (US, 1989, 97 mins.)

 

CHOPPING MALL -- High-tech robots equipped with state-of-the-art security devices have been recruited as the new mechanical night watchmen for the Park Plaza Mall. When a jolting bolt of lightning short circuits the main computer control, the robots turn into killbots...preying on unsuspecting shoppers, including a group ofteenagerstrying to cozy up in a mattress store after hours. This genre-bending cult hit, by celebrated genre director Jim Wynorski, stars '80s scream queen Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet, The Zero Boys). (1986, 76 minutes)

 

DEATH WARMED UP -- Three years before Peter Jackson's Bad Taste, a young New Zealand filmmaker sprayed international movie screens with brains, blood and bizarre body fluids for the first splatter movie in Kiwi history. Director David Blyth launched his genre career with this relentlessly graphic - and still-intense- story of mad doctors, nude teens, psychotic mutants, shotgun murders, power drill lobotomies, explosive action and punk attitude that AXS.com calls "weird, wonky and one hell of a ride that will have gorehounds howling!" (184, 79 minutes)

 

MICROWAVE MASSACRE -- In this twisted '80s cult classic, a disgruntled construction worker, Donald (legendary stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Vernon), unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life - his nagging wife and his lack of decent meals - when, one night, he bludgeons his better half to death with a pepper grinder in a drunken rage. Thinking on his feet, Donald dismembers the body and sets about microwaving the remains--which turn out to be rather delicious. Trouble is, now he's acquired a taste for human flesh one serving can't satisfy. (1983, 76 minutes)

 

NEXT OF KIN -- Patrick Swayze (Dirty Dancing, Ghost) stars in this action-packed thriller as a dedicated Chicago cop with roots deeply embedded in the Appalachian backwoods. When the mob cruelly inflicts tragedy on his family, he is forced to put his loyalties to the test, and a violent clash of clans results. Co-starring Academy Award®-nominees Liam Neeson (Cold Pursuit) and Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde), Ben Stiller (Zoolander 2, There's Something About Mary), Adam Baldwin (Wyatt Earp). (1989, 89 minutes)

 

THE DEVIL'S HONEY -- In perhaps his most rarely seen film, Godfather Of Gore Lucio Fulci takes on the erotic thriller genre and unleashes the ultimate onslaught of glossy depravity: Brett Halsey (Demonia, The Return of the Fly), Corinne Cléry (The Story of O, Moonraker) and Blanca Marsillach star in this insane S&M saga complete with sodomy, torture, torrid romance, and a jaw-dropping cavalcade of kink that Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci calls "demented and hot...good sleazy fun and perhaps Fulci's last truly enjoyable film." Stefano Madia (Body Count), Bernard Seray (Hell of the Living Dead)

 

Midnight Pulp is available on the web, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV and additional platforms, and features thousands of streaming titles, with new titles programmed each week.   Registered users can watch videos for free with commercials while premium subscribers can access the entire selection of titles without commercials, in addition to early releases, director's cuts and exclusive content.

  

Are we all not Jokers?

While it's human nature to compare and contrast, I think no one should be holding anyone's interpretation of the Joker on the big screen as if it were a contest. Like the Actors who played James Bond, there will be people who will always hold Ledger as their favorite in the same way people hold Connery as their definitive 007. Point I am making is we should appreciate the performances and understand that our world changes a lot faster now than ever before. We identify with Phoenix's work because it is actually very contemporary. However when Batman came out in 1989, Nicholson's portrayal was more celebrated than Keaton's Batman. Today Keaton gets a lot more respect for playing the caped crusader because that version of Batman still resonates while Nicholson's Joker does not. It just seems more cartoony and underdeveloped. Yet no one thinks Nicholson is not as gifted an Actor as Phoenix and no one should discount Leto's work when comparing it to Phoenix. He did the best he could with what he had to work with. A Joker sequel feels like it will undermine the original purpose for the movie's existence as well as lesson the mystique in Phoenix's performance. Sometimes less is more. If you made it to the end of this comment, thank you regardless if you agree or disagree and I will close by stating I should follow my own advice and not write an essay when people just want a comment and I agree. Less is more would have been ideal, but sometimes you just have do what you do and hope for the best. Thank you.

(The above was originally written in response to a YouTube video about Leto's Joker in the wake of Phoenix's portrayal.)

(C) Copyright 2019 By Mark A. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

How To Train Your Dragon: Homeconing

 

In celebration of the hugely popular DreamWorks Animation film trilogy, an all-new holiday special will air on NBC December 3 at 8:30am ET/PT. Original Cast Members Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson will return for the animated half-hour epic adventure! "How To Train Your Dragon Homecoming" will take place 10 years after the end of the trilogy and just before the emotional epilogue in How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World!

This holiday season, Universal Brand Development is also celebrating the popular trilogy and upcoming TV special with all-new toys, available now. Check out more info below on "How To Train Your Dragon Homecoming" and the new line of toys!

 

DreamWorks Dragons: Hatching Baby Toothless
Licensee: Spin Master
SRP: $59.99 each
Age Range: 3+
Available: Now
Retailer: Target, Mass
Hatch and train your very own baby dragon Toothless! Utilizing Hatchimals technology, Toothless comes to life inside the egg. He moves, makes sounds and his eyes light up to let you know he’s inside. Tap on the egg to hear Toothless tap back and shake it around to get him aggravated enough to hatch out of the egg! Outside of his egg, Toothless is ready for fun and adventure. Play games with him like Ask Toothless, Hot Potato, and Toothless Says. Teach him how to fly, dive bomb and plasma blast – and watch as his head, wings and ears really move! Toothless will respond with roars as you make him soar through the sky and lets out a loving purr when you place your hand over his head. After a long day of training, he gets a little hungry!

DreamWorks Dragons: Baby Dragon Plush with Plastic Egg
Licensee: Spin Master
SRP: $5.99 each
Age Range: 3+
Available: Now
Retailer: Walmart, Target, Mass
Crack open a plastic dragon egg to find an adorable, 3-inch tall plush creature from DreamWorks’ How to Train You Dragon: The Hidden World! Your new friend fits in the palm of your hand and is ready to be your magical companion for dragon adventure play! When it’s time to rest, use the bottom of the egg as your dragon’s nest. The Dragon Egg Plush friends are the perfect gift for kids and dragon trainers aged 4 and up. Use your new dragon to recreate exciting scenes from the fantastical DreamWorks movie, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Which baby dragon will you take home?

DreamWorks Dragon & Viking Set
Licensee: Spin Master
SRP: $14.99
Age Range: 3+
Available: Now
Retailer: Walmart, Mass
Poseable figure and Dragon: get fired up for battle with Stormfly and Astrid! Each Viking figure has authentic armor as seen in the movie, removable weapon, and poseable head, arms, and legs. Each Dragon figure has movable wings and legs so you can create battle-ready poses. for kids and Dragon trainers aged 4 and up. You can add more heroic Dragon & Viking duos to your collection and imagine all-new adventures!
 

DreamWorks Dragons Hidden World Gift Set
Licensee: Spin Master
SRP: $29.99
Age Range: 4+
Available: Now
Retailer: Target, Mass

Swoop into battle with Toothless and Lightfury, and their Viking friend, Hiccup. For Dreamwork Dragon fans ages 4 and up! Includes: 2 Dragons, 1 Figure, 1 Crystal Accessory, 1 Weapon Accessory, 1 Projectile, Instructions, 3 x LR44 batteries.

 

CHECK OUT EVEN MORE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON PRODUCTS HERE!

 

“How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming,” a half-hour animated special that brings the beloved characters of DreamWorks Animation’s critically acclaimed “How to Train Your Dragon” film trilogy back together for the holidays, is set to premiere on NBC on Dec. 3, 2019, at 8:30 PM ET/PT.

“How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming” will feature the return of Jay Baruchel as the voice of Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, Gerard Butler as Stoick, Craig Ferguson as Gobber, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs. Taking place just before the emotional epilogue from the last installment of the film trilogy – and 10 years after the end of “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” – “How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming” opens with Hiccup and Toothless sharing stories of their special relationship with their respective families as they prepare for the Snoggletog Festival.

When it becomes clear that the new generation of Vikings doesn’t remember the bond between dragon and human, Hiccup makes a plan to celebrate dragons with a grand holiday pageant. This heartwarming idea leads to a series of hilarious and exciting events, but no matter the circumstance, everyone in New Berk – young and old alike – is reminded that dragons and humans are forever bonded.

DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” film trilogy has earned more than $500 million domestically, including a $55 million opening weekend for the third film when it was released in February.

“How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming” also will be available on DVD Dec. 3, 2019, and on Digital Dec. 4, 2019, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Digital and DVD versions come packed with special bonus features, including an inside look at the animation test featuring the breakout stars of the holiday special, the baby dragons known as Night Lights.

“How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming” will be available on Hulu beginning Dec. 5, 2019.

The holiday special is directed by Tim Johnson (Home, Antz), written by Jonathan Groff (black-ish) and Jon Pollack (Modern Family), and associate produced by Craig Rittenbaum (DreamWorks Dragons).