Archive for the 'Editorials' Category
May 15th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Following the special screenings and Q&As for The Mist and the double-dose of Guillermo del Toro features, I was then able to catch a screening of the horror remake Maniac at the Hero Complex Film Festival in LA. Maniac is a remake of an 80s horror feature of the same name and features the same basic story of depravity, as we follow a serial killer around and watch him scalp his female victims. The separating factor for this version is how stylish it is. Along with the 80s synth-infused soundtrack, Maniac is almost completely shot from the perspective of the killer, bringing a lot of credence to the challenging filmmaking techniques used to accomplish this. However, deciphering between which is great, the style or the overall effectiveness of the film, is where the challenge in accepting Maniac really lies.
Continue reading ‘Hero Complex Film Festival: Maniac (Movie Review)’
May 12th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Following The Mist, I was also able to attend another very entertaining scheduled event at the Hero Complex Film Festival, a back-to-back screening of the The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. Both are films written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, who provided an hour-long Q&A in between features. For anyone who is familiar with Guillermo del Toro, they would know that he is one of the most entertaining directors to listen to, as he is always full of passion for his projects and isn’t one to censor himself (not to mention his wonderful Mexican accent). This entire conversation has been recorded and provided in a link. Read on to learn more about what he had to say about his past films, his career as a filmmaker, his personal life, and his upcoming feature films, most notably Pacific Rim (Post Updated with latest Pacific Rim trailer).
Continue reading ‘Hero Complex Film Festival 2013: Guillermo del Toro Q&A’
May 12th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
I was happy to be able to attend the Hero Complex Film Festival in Hollywood this year and check out a few of the events that were on the lineup. For me, the first scheduled event that I took part in was a screening of The Mist (an original 35mm print) followed by a Q&A. Initially I was led to believe that only writer/director Frank Darabont would be in attendance, but I was happy to see that star Tom Jane was also on hand to discuss this 2007 horror film. As a big fan of The Mist, I was very excited to check out the film with an audience, my first time on the big screen since Thanksgiving 2007 (an amazing release date for this of all films). Read on to learn more about what went down at this Q&A, as well as find the entire recording of this conversation.
Continue reading ‘Hero Complex Film Festival 2013: The Mist Q&A’
May 8th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
The Walt Disney Studios proudly celebrates the heartwarming animated classic that started it all – “The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh.” Experience the very first time Tigger “pounces” Pooh; laugh out loud when Pooh’s rumbly tumbly gets him stuck in a hilariously sticky situation… All your favorite Hundred Acre Wood characters come alive in this timeless motion picture overflowing with rich animation, masterful storytelling and unforgettable songs. Once again reuniting audiences with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore (who has lost his tail), “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” Blu-ray Combo Pack release has been sweetened to include a robust list of extras including a groundbreaking Disney Intermission activity, the beloved theatrical short “A Day for Eeyore,” five all-new “Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” short films, and….an exclusive free in-pack kite.
Continue reading ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh Makes its Blu-ray Debut this August’
May 6th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Academy Award-nominated (1993 for Best Picture) The Fugitive on September 3 with a new anniversary Blu-ray edition. The heart-pounding thriller stars Harrison Ford as wrongly-convicted Dr. Richard Kimble and Tommy Lee Jones in his Oscar and Golden Globe winning performance as Kimble’s relentless pursuer. Kimble, who has been unjustly accused of murdering his wife, must find the real killer, and the reasons for the slaying, before he’s captured thanks to a nationwide manhunt led by tenacious United States Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard. This is one of Harrison Ford’s best films and it also represents the best representation of director Andrew Davis’ career. Tommy Lee Jones’ memorable award winning role as Gerard was also justifiably acclaimed too. If you haven’t seen this thriller, you should correct that right now with this new edition that offers a lot more extras than the previous release! Continue reading ‘The Fugitive: 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Arrives on September 3!’
May 3rd, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
I have already reviewed the Closing Night film of the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival (the very entertaining The Way Way Back), but this is my final article in regards to the films I saw on Thursday night, closing out my time covering the festival. It has been an exciting and exhausting experience, but I have been very pleased with the amount of coverage I have been able to provide this year and look forward to continuing to cover the festival next year. The final round of films I will be reviewing here are very different from each other, but have their merits. The Iceman is a crime drama based on true events that recounts the story of one of America’s most notorious contract killers. Ghost Team One is a pseudo-documentary made in the vein of Paranormal Activity, but handled with a very comedic touch. I was looking forward to both of these features and can now delve into what I thought about them.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Reviews: The Iceman and Ghost Team One’
May 2nd, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
The closing night film for the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival is a real audience pleaser. The Way Way Back is a fairly standard coming-of-age story about an introverted boy opening up to others thanks to good-natured people he befriends, away from his family. The film is not breaking any new ground nor is it taking a familiar story to the next level in the way a film like Adventureland did, but it is incredibly likable, thanks to some key performances and a winning level of energy. Not every film needs to be something new and in the case of The Way Way Back, it succeeds by going back to the basics and letting us enjoy a traditional tale.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Review: The Way Way Back’
May 2nd, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot. Fame and fortune are his for the taking. That is until he meets three witches: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity and even a bit of wizardry, Oscar transforms himself not only into a great wizard but into a better man as well.
Continue reading ‘Oz The Great and Powerful Arrives on Blu-ray June 11!’
May 2nd, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Compared to my Tuesday night at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival, Wednesday was a much lighter affair. While The Hunt is still my favorite film that I have seen at the festival this year, both Geography Club and Paris Manhattan were much cheerier films that I can imagine would win over many audiences. While neither is necessarily great, I would say that there is much to enjoy in each and they served as a nice turnaround from some of the darker films that I have been watching at the festival. Geography Club is a light high school comedy-drama about a student facing a truth that will affect his social standing. Paris Manhattan is a French romantic comedy that would make a certain New York filmmaker proud. Considering the breeziness of both features, it was easy enough for me to let the charm of them have an effect.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Reviews: Geography Club And Paris Manhattan’
May 1st, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Tuesday night at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival was a bit of a dark one, as both films settled into dramatic territory, with one pulling this off way more effectively than the other. To put it bluntly, on this night I saw both my worst film of the festival so far and my best film of the festival so far. Rushlights was a silly crime thriller that amounted to nothing special, while The Hunt was a compelling drama that needed no more than characters and dialogue to keep it effective throughout. The night could be deemed bittersweet, in a way, as I only saw one good film, but the fact that The Hunt was the film I ended my night of screenings on is bittersweet in and of itself, as the movie was very good, but deals with intense subject matter that really had me riled up at points. Regardless, I at least have the chance to share my thoughts on these films and why one of them should be sought out.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Reviews: Rushlights And The Hunt’
April 30th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Monday night at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival put me right back on schedule for viewing two films a night for the remainder of the week, possibly seeking a bit of solace (and food) at the wonderful after parties, and then stationing myself back at home, where I can deliver my thoughts on the various films I had a chance to view amongst audiences. On this night, I was able to see two movies and a short film. The films were Wasteland, which was preceded by the short film Fruit of Labor, and Gus. Each film was decidedly different from the other, but I would say I ended up having a good time overall, with Wasteland serving as the standout of the night.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Reviews: Wasteland, Fruit Of Labor, And Gus’
April 28th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Saturday at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival was a busy day. I specifically planned it that way, as I wanted my Sunday to be more relaxed. So I ended up seeing 4 different films, none of which were similar in any way. It was a full schedule and I have thoughts on three of them. I say three, because the first film of the day was a retrospective screening of the John Wayne western, The Searchers. This classic film was preceded by an interview with author Glenn Frankel who recently released “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend”, essentially making it unnecessary for me to write anything about the film. Unfortunately (and this really upset me), the recording of this conversation has been lost on my part. Still, while many have written about The Searchers already (and it is a great film), I would rather spend my time sharing my thoughts on three new films that have been largely unseen by general audiences: Greetings from Tim Buckley, Isolated, and Welcome to the Jungle.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Review: Greetings From Tim Buckley, Isolated, And Welcome To The Jungle’
April 27th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Friday night at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival allowed me the chance to see two films. One was a romance drama with a twist called Blood Type: Unknown. The other was a dramatic thriller called A Single Shot. I was very pleased with one of these films, but still enjoyed my time at the festival, as per usual. For my regular festival coverage this year, starting with this post, I am going to try something a bit different and write a little about all the films I see during one day at the festival, rather than exhaust myself and try to write full reviews for every film, as I have been doing in years past. Hopefully I will provide the same level of insight, albeit in a more abridged version.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Reviews: Blood Type Unknown and A Single Shot’
April 26th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Opening Night at the 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival felt like quite a success, as I was happy to enjoy the film that kicked off this week-long event. Broadway Idiot is a documentary that covers the process of turning a hugely successful Green Day album into a Broadway musical. Unless one simply cannot stand Green Day for whatever reason, the film is highly enjoyable and a breezy look at what it is to show a rock band taking on a new direction in their career by way of theater, of all things. The best compliment I could give would be that the documentary made me want to see the actual show performed live. Given that I am more a fan of the earlier music by Green Day, I would say that is a strong enough statement. Regardless, the documentary was an enjoyable watch and really kicked things off for the film festival rather nicely.
Continue reading ‘NBFF Review: Broadway Idiot’
April 24th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
One of the most meaningful films of our generation, Schindler’s List tells an extraordinary true story of courage and faith that continues to inspire. The film’s restoration from the 35mm film original negative was supervised by Steven Spielberg and includes bonus features that shed unprecedented light on the story of Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who risked his own life to save more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. With its initial release in 1993, Schindler’s List rapidly became one of the most honored films of all time, garnering twelve Academy Award nominations and taking home seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture for Spielberg. Liam Neeson (Taken, Gangs of New York) received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler. Ralph Fiennes’ (The English Patient) star-making performance as the cruel Nazi commander, Amon Goeth, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as was Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Hugo) in the role of Schindler’s Jewish accountant, Itzhak Stern. The film also earned Oscars for composer John Williams (E.T., Star Wars), screenwriter Steven Zaillian (Gangs of New York, Mission: Impossible) and director of photography Janusz Kaminiski, as well as art directors Allan Starski and Ewa Braun, editor Michael Kahn and producers Gerald R. Molen and Branko Lustig. Continue reading ‘Schindler’s List: 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
April 21st, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a dazzling blend of live action and animation that’s a four time Academy Award Winner (1988) for Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects Editing and a Special Achievement in Animation Direction. Bob Hoskins (Hook, Brazil) stars as Eddie Valiant, a toon hating detective is a cartoon rabbit’s only hope to prove his innocence when he is accused of murder. Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future trilogy) is Judge Doom, Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead) appears as Dolores, and Charles Fleischer (Back to the Future Part II, A Nightmare on Elm Street) plays several roles including Roger Rabbit, Benny the Cab, Greasy & Psycho .
Continue reading ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
April 19th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Jack the Giant Killer tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend—and gets the chance to become a legend himself.
Continue reading ‘Jack the Giant Slayer Arrives on Blu-ray 6/18!’
April 18th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Rediscover the majestic musical adventure of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame II – together for the first time in stunning Blu-ray High Definition. Bring your family together for the extraordinary tale of Quasimodo in a soaring celebration of the beauty inside all of us! Join the world’s most unlikely hero as he meets his first real friend, Esmeralda, while fighting to save the people and city he loves. The legendary story continues as Quasi reunites with his gargoyle friends to protect the cathedral’s most famous bell and find true love. The Hunchback of Notre Damesoars with a magnificent score by renowned composer Alan Menken (Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin). Enjoy both magical films, bursting with brilliant animation and unforgettable characters, together on Disney Blu-ray.
Continue reading ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame I & II 2-Movie Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
