No... that's not tears in my eyes. It's raining here in Texas on this cold and wet Black Friday! Xfinity has taken a pretty cheap shot by using everyone's love for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to peddle their cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services. The Comcast-affiliated giant has dropped an extremely impressive mini-sequel to Steven Spielberg's beloved 1982 classic in the form of a 4-minute commercial. You can check it out after the jump!
The video, entitled "A Holiday Reunion," shows the delightful alien E.T. spending some quality Christmas time with a grown-up Elliott (played by original child-actor Henry Thomas) and his family. Of course, every electronic in the house is made by Xfinity or Comcast. Our favorite alien is exposed to the company's cable services and VR headset in a couple of scenes.
Let's be honest. Who cares WHY E.T. has returned to Earth and our TV sets. We're just all glad to see him here and doing well with his own family. If you grew up watching the movie, I DARE you to make it through this 4-minute short without getting misty-eyed!
Director Lance Acord did a spectacular job bringing back all the heartwarming feelings you experienced seeing E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the first time, using John Williams' incredible theme music and recreating some sentimental moments from the original blockbuster. Acord is best known as the cinematographer for movies like Lost in Translation, Adaptation, Where the Wild Things Are, and Marie Antoinette.
Xfinity even had a header image created that is very reminiscent of the art of Drew Struzan. The artist is well-known for his work on posters for Star Wars, the Indiana Jones movies, Back to the Future movies, The Goonies, and many other classics you know and love. It sort of helps bring the nostalgia factor full-circle. The art can be seen above.
The video leaves me with one nagging question: How are Gerty, Michael, and their mother Mary doing these days? Maybe we'll get another sequel commercial giving us some more closure? You're the ones who opened this Pandora's box, Xfinity, so finish what you started!
No... that's not tears in my eyes. It's raining here in Texas on this cold and wet Black Friday! Xfinity has taken a pretty cheap shot by using everyone's love for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to peddle their cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services. The Comcast-affiliated giant has dropped an extremely impressive mini-sequel to Steven Spielberg's beloved 1982 classic in the form of a 4-minute commercial. You can check it out after the jump!
So the trailer for Pixar's Onward just hit the net and will no doubt charm kids and their parents from the first look. What I see when watching this is some weird mashup of Weekend at Bernie's and The Lord of the Rings. I mean, think about it for a few seconds. Two guys go on a magical quest leading around half of their father's body around by a rope. I'm sold just on the voice cast alone - Chris Pratt is the big draw for me, while Tom Holland seems like the logical choice for his younger brother. Pixar already has the Marvel crowd roped in - a buddy road trip movie with Star-Lord and Spider-Man in the leads. Check out the trailer after the jump.
Two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, go on an journey to discover if there is still a little magic left out there in order to spend one last day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him.
So the trailer for Pixar's Onward just hit the net and will no doubt charm kids and their parents from the first look. What I see when watching this is some weird mashup of Weekend at Bernie's and The Lord of the Rings. I mean, think about it for a few seconds. Two guys go on a magical quest leading around half of their father's body around by a rope. I'm sold just on the voice cast alone - Chris Pratt is the big draw for me, while Tom Holland seems like the logical choice for his younger brother. Pixar already has the Marvel crowd roped in - a buddy road trip movie with Star-Lord and Spider-Man in the leads. Check out the trailer after the jump.
In the Christian death metal scene, two bands stand out above the rest. Drummer Steve Reishus happens to play drums for both of them. Taking the Head of Goliath is a newer band that follows in the footsteps of groups like Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation, and other classic groups. Crimson Thorn is one of the bigger names when it comes to Christian extreme metal, sharing the spotlight in the 1990s and 2000s with their peers Living Sacrifice, Mortification, Vengeance Rising, and many others. I took the opportunity to talk with Reishus about his connections with movies and music and how they fit into his life. You can check out the interview after the jump.
Give us a little introduction to yourself and your bands.
My name is Steve Reishus. I play drums for Taking the Head of Goliath and Crimson Thorn.
What sort of movies and television really get you excited?
As far as movies, I tend to like a lot of action movies - classics like Heat, Reservoir Dogs, Falling Down, The Game, Boondocks Saints, etc. I'm also an early Star Wars fan; not so much the newer ones, but I'll still watch them. I used to really like comedies, but it's been years since I've seen one that wasn't like watching a steaming pile of garbage. It seems like instead of being creative, they just try to outdo each other in disgusting humor.
I really don't watch TV at all, so I don't have much for you there. Even the movies I listed are fairly dated, which tells you a little about how much I watch movies these days. The closest thing to TV for me is the occasional UFC fight or bare knuckle boxing. I was a martial arts guy for a number of years, so I love combat sports. I'll watch that if I run across it.
My viewing habits have changed a lot with my faith in Christ. When I became serious about following Jesus, I saw a big change in what I felt okay watching, and so that's part of the reason I don't watch as much now. A lot of those old favorites I really wouldn't watch now because they don't really speak to me where I'm at in life. It's not that I'm trying to be all goody goody, it's that I have a peace and a joy that comes through the proximity of my heart to Jesus. I see that get jostled at times when I'm careless about what I expose myself too. A couple films I've really enjoyed lately have been documentaries by Darren Wilson. He's got some faith based documentaries that I have found super enjoyable (Finger of God, Father of Lights, Furious Love).
Do movies and television affect your songwriting or lyrics?
Well, being I don't write lyrics, not really.
What actor is your favorite and why?
I can't say I have a favorite.
Have you ever been in a movie?
No.
Tell us a bit about the latest album or project you're promoting?
Right now, Taking the Head of Goliath have a new single that we just released entitled Chord of Three Strands. You can find the lyric video on YouTube. We are also in the middle of recording a new album that will be called Futility of the Flesh, with a hopeful release date in 2020. Both the bands I play for will be touring this upcoming March with the Hasten Revelation tour. That's gonna be a fun one. It'll be Cardiac Rupture, Abated Mass of Flesh, Taking the Head of Goliath, Broken Flesh, Crimson Thorn, and some other special guests along the way. It's a whole lot of death metal on one ticket!
In the Christian death metal scene, two bands stand out above the rest. Drummer Steve Reishus happens to play drums for both of them. Taking the Head of Goliath is a newer band that follows in the footsteps of groups like Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation, and other classic groups. Crimson Thorn is one of the bigger names when it comes to Christian extreme metal, sharing the spotlight in the 1990s and 2000s with their peers Living Sacrifice, Mortification, Vengeance Rising, and many others. I took the opportunity to talk with Reishus about his connections with movies and music and how they fit into his life. You can check out the interview after the jump.
The trailer for the mysterious horror film Antebellum has hit the internet. It looks to be an interesting watch, although I'm judging from the footage I've seen, which looks to take us on a complex journey between the Civil War and present day. This is one of those previews of a movie that doesn't tell you anything about what it's actually about, but grabs your attention with its visual style and atmosphere of dread and tension. it definitely makes the movie look more sophisticated than your usual supernatural thriller or slasher flick. Check it out after the jump.
Successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monáe) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late. ANTEBELLUM is a terrifying new thriller from the producer of the acclaimed films Get Out and US, and groundbreaking directors Gerard Bush and Christoper Renz (Bush+Renz) - an exciting new voice in filmmaking.
The trailer for Antebellum looks like we're going to go on a mind-trip of sorts through time. Possibly something along the lines of The Butterfly Effect, where we'll jump around in alternate realities or timelines. The same type of social commentary we received from Get Out and US will no doubt be present here, as well.
Antebellum will be in theaters April 24, 2020. The movie also stars Marque Richardson II, Eric Lange, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Tongayi Chirisa, Gabourey Sidibe, Rob Aramayo, Lily Cowles, and Jena Malone.
The trailer for the mysterious horror film Antebellum has hit the internet. It looks to be an interesting watch, although I'm judging from the footage I've seen, which looks to take us on a complex journey between the Civil War and present day. This is one of those previews of a movie that doesn't tell you anything about what it's actually about, but grabs your attention with its visual style and atmosphere of dread and tension. it definitely makes the movie look more sophisticated than your usual supernatural thriller or slasher flick. Check it out after the jump.
Post-hardcore band Empty has released a new video for the song "Slow Death By Fluorescent Lighting" off their Solid State Records debut "Hope and the Loss Of It." It features the band playing in a white room dressed in white paint overalls. Each band member ends up getting black paint poured over him. By the end of the video, the whole place is covered in black paint. Even their instruments are doused in it. I hope they got them all clean afterwards.There's no sort of theme or story to the video that I can tell of. The guys do a great job of lip-syncing and playing. Overall, I would consider this to be a successful little promo clip that their fans will enjoy. Check it out after the jump.
Post-hardcore band Empty has released a new video for the song "Slow Death By Fluorescent Lighting" off their Solid State Records debut "Hope and the Loss Of It." It features the band playing in a white room dressed in white paint overalls. Each band member ends up getting black paint poured over him. By the end of the video, the whole place is covered in black paint. Even their instruments are doused in it. I hope they got them all clean afterwards.There's no sort of theme or story to the video that I can tell of. The guys do a great job of lip-syncing and playing. Overall, I would consider this to be a successful little promo clip that their fans will enjoy. Check it out after the jump.
Disney and Lucasfilm have hit a high with The Mandalorian. Looking every bit as great as any of the theatrical Star Wars releases, the franchises first live-action television series has both a nostalgic feel while giving fans something new at the same time.
A lone gunfighter makes his way through the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic in The Mandalorian. The same types of environments and aliens are present in The Mandalorian, but it is a much darker world we are thrown into. Much like the original 1977 film, we're just tossed mercilessly into the life of this nomad bounty hunter without much explanation as to who or where he comes from. Director Dave Filoni and writer / creator Jon Favreau have nailed the western feel of the show for sure.
The soundtrack for The Mandalorian is very different from anything we've heard in a Star Wars project before. It somehow marries together the sounds of Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks with the electronic textures and landscapes of John Carpenter.
The Mandalorian is rated TV-14 for violence and frightening and intense scenes. Most of the violence is off-screen. A good example is when a character gets cut in half by a closing door. There is no profanity at all or sexual material. A good comparison of what to expect in content is Star Wars: Rogue One.
The only things that really surprised me in this first episode of The Mandalorian is that the title character talks way more than I expected Also, the reveal of the species of his bounty is an interesting twist as well. All I can say is this debut episode makes a lot of promises in quality that I hope it can fulfill in the long run.
Disney and Lucasfilm have hit a high with The Mandalorian. Looking every bit as great as any of the theatrical Star Wars releases, the franchises first live-action television series has both a nostalgic feel while giving fans something new at the same time.
Doctor Sleep is an entertaining trip back into the world of The Shining. It's a faithful continuation of not only Stephen King's original novel, but also Stanley Kubrick's film. Ewan McGregor steps in to continue the story of Danny Torrance's life. While directed by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House), we are treated to a thriller more so than a horror movie unfortunately.
Struggling with alcoholism, Dan Torrance remains traumatized by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was a child. His hope for a peaceful existence soon becomes shattered when he meets Abra, a teen who shares his extrasensory gift of the "shine." Together, they form an unlikely alliance to battle the True Knot, a cult whose members try to feed off the shine of innocents to become immortal in Doctor Sleep.
Doctor Sleep is rated R for disturbing and violent content, some bloody images, language, nudity and drug use. Let's just say that we see ALL of the woman in Room 237. Some of the carnage includes children and will no doubt be upsetting to some viewers.
Not only is Doctor Sleep a fun ride, it's a great trip down memory lane. There are some pretty nice callbacks and even a few cameos. However, it ultimately does not pass it's predecessor and doesn't really reach it's full potential. For any fan of The Shining or Stephen King it's definitely a step up from the author's previous film adaptations.
Doctor Sleep is an entertaining trip back into the world of The Shining. It's a faithful continuation of not only Stephen King's original novel, but also Stanley Kubrick's film. Ewan McGregor steps in to continue the story of Danny Torrance's life. While directed by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House), we are treated to a thriller more so than a horror movie unfortunately.
The trailer for M. Night Shyamalan and Apple TV+'s Servant has hit the internet and looks to be quite the disturbing and mysterious ride. From this first look, it appears the cast is all in and putting their best feet forward in their roles. The creepy Reborn doll, which is based on a real product ( their website is more disturbing than this trailer), is absolutely unnerving. An interesting cast and a promising storyline make Servant look like it will go nicely next to other Shyamalan films like The Sixth Sense, The Visit, and The Village.
In Servant, a young and troubled couple replace their newborn baby with a creepy lifelike doll after the latter dies from health complications.
Doubt what you believe. From M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
The trailer for M. Night Shyamalan and Apple TV+'s Servant has hit the internet and looks to be quite the disturbing and mysterious ride. From this first look, it appears the cast is all in and putting their best feet forward in their roles. The creepy Reborn doll, which is based on a real product ( their website is more disturbing than this trailer), is absolutely unnerving. An interesting cast and a promising storyline make Servant look like it will go nicely next to other Shyamalan films like The Sixth Sense, The Visit, and The Village.
There is a dangerous line between earnest low budget Bigfoot-horror movies done well and schlock that takes itself too seriously to be enjoyable. Animals Among Us, the new film from director John Woodruff and writer Jonathan Murphy rides that line a little too close sometimes but whatever minor issues it has are worth overlooking.
In Animals Among Us, a camp is set to reopen 15 years after two campers are killed, but something still lingers in the woods.
In a genre filled with SyFy channel schlock Animals Among us genuinely rises above and brings the audience something new. I personally hate phrases like “subverted expectations” because it is usually just pretentious pabulum, but this film REALLY DOES subvert expectations. This is a Bigfoot film that includes found footage (sparingly and with good reason) that includes a lot of meta references and comments that are done so well that it never takes you out of the film or feels forced.
Everything you want and expect from a good horror movie is there but done in a slightly different way. It is a genuinely original story and absolutely worth watching. I know that at this point I tell you that there are spoilers and all that but I am going to end the review here because anything I can say could ruin the experience. Just go see this movie and enjoy it, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it if you sit all the way through it.
There is a dangerous line between earnest low budget Bigfoot-horror movies done well and schlock that takes itself too seriously to be enjoyable. Animals Among Us, the new film from director John Woodruff and writer Jonathan Murphy rides that line a little too close sometimes but whatever minor issues it has are worth overlooking.
Emerging from the ranks of the legendary Circle of Dust's live band, Daren "Klank" Dialosa struck out on his own with 1996's Tooth and Nail Records release Still Suffering. Since then, he's become a force to be reckoned with in the worlds of both industrial and metal. With five albums, a record full of remixes, and two soundtracks under his belt, the multi-talented artist is still up and running against the grain. In the midst of working on new material and remixes for an upcoming album, Klank took some time out to talk music and movies with me. Check out the interview after the jump.
Give us a little introduction to yourself and your band(s).
My name is Klank Diolosa and I am the singer / guitarist in the electronic industrial metal band [of the same name]. [The band also includes] Pat Servedio (Guitars / programming / engineering) and Eric Wilkins (drums).
What sort of movies and television really get you excited?
I love really scary, suspenseful movies and shows. [I] also [like] good action flicks. I love being scared and [like] those suspenseful ones that kinda mess with your head. A good, high adrenaline action movie never hurts.
Do movies and television affect your songwriting or lyrics?
Not necessarily. The music of KLANK has always been what we considered a page out of a journal or diary, but set to music. The lyrics are all based off of stuff that either I or my bandmates, family and friends have experienced.
What actor is your favorite and why?
Man, that’s a really hard one. [I] don’t know if I have any straight up favorites per se, but I really enjoy Keanu Reeves and Robert DeNiro - basically actors who play their parts really well and are believable.
Have you ever been in a movie?
Not yet, but I’m working on it. I’ve been asked to be in other people’s music videos, though, which was fun.
If you shoot videos or have been in them, talk about the process of making it. Are or were you trying to say something visually in the video?
We put out a video for our anti-suicide song called “The Beast Within“ two years ago. We had our good friend and graphic artist work with us on the storyline, [which was] basically about a person who’s having one of the worst days ever. [He's] fighting with the significant other; gets pulled over on his way to work; gets hassled at work by his boss and has had enough. [He's] basically is at his breaking point and wants to end it all. We were trying to emulate what this person’s day would be like and then come full circle at the end with someone consoling him and keeping him from making any permanent decisions to his temporary problems.
Tell us a bit about the latest album or project you're promoting?
Well, like three weeks ago we released Metal Health - An Instrumental Musical Journey, which is the soundtrack we did for the latest movie by Bruce Moore. [It's] about musicians and mental health issues like suicide and depression. The movie is called Metal Health: Out Of The Pit.
We’re also in the middle of recording a ReMix release, which we have coming up that will have brand new original music along with a bunch of remixes and maybe a cover song or two. That will be split into two different releases (Volumes 1 & 2).
For more information on Klank, you can keep up with him right here.
Emerging from the ranks of the legendary Circle of Dust's live band, Daren "Klank" Dialosa struck out on his own with 1996's Tooth and Nail Records release Still Suffering. Since then, he's become a force to be reckoned with in the worlds of both industrial and metal. With five albums, a record full of remixes, and two soundtracks under his belt, the multi-talented artist is still up and running against the grain. In the midst of working on new material and remixes for an upcoming album, Klank took some time out to talk music and movies with me. Check out the interview after the jump.
