So Eric, how are you doing?
Good, how are you?
Good, good. I love all your work. Everything you’ve done is great. You really bring an energy to each role that you do. You submit, you really get into it fully, and I respect that about you.
That’s so kind of you, thank you.
Lights, camera, action! When it comes to film knowledge, nothing beat a good trivia game. Many people are like sponges when it comes to movie quotes, scenes or characters and all it takes is a fun, engaging game to bring out the movie nerd in each and every one of us. I was recently at Retro Con in Oaks, Pennsylvania and it was there where I came across a rather interesting fellow and his eye-catching table. Justin Purvis was the gentleman’s name and he was promoting something really rather special, Movie Buff. For those unfamiliar with this item, it is a card came which has been designed to make film aficionados giggle and get all tingly inside.
Ever since the Great Recession hit, many people have lost their mortgages and their homes. The economy took a turn for the worse and people with financial woes were be kicked out of their dwellings. It is a truly sad fact and it is also sad for those whose nasty job it is to evict these poor souls. The new dramatic thriller 99 Homes explores both unfortunate sides: the evictee and the evictor. Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon headline this fantastic yet bleak film which not only sheds a light on something few people may consider but presents it in a way that really quite impressive. This coupled with a stellar script, tight direction and some very strong performances, you have a film that is in a class all in its own.
What drew you to Back to the Future originally?
Well, I saw Back to the Future for the first time when I was maybe five or six years old, and I probably thought a lot of what I was seeing was real, actually, but I thought it was magical, truly. I thought the idea was so creative, I knew even as a kid, this idea of going and seeing your parents as kids was really original, and I love the car, of course, the hover boards in part 2, just so much about the film really captivated my imagination. Even as I got older, I never forgot the feeling of seeing it for the first time, and even now, after having written the book, I’ve seen the film so many times and I still find myself getting surprised and excited, and it’s just such a fun ride, all three of them.
Thank you for taking the time, my name is Randall Unger with the Movie Network. So yeah, I saw the film the other day, it was really good, really funny, great timing from the entire cast. I want to know, how did the project originally come about?
Well, that’s a good question, Nick Offerman was the producer of my, the last one that I did. Somebody up there likes me. And Nick has a lot of friends in Hollywood and he and I were doing a Q&A at the Cinefamily in Los Angeles and we, Nick invited Jason Schwartzman, this is in March of 2013. Invited him to moderate the Q&A and they had such blisteringly good chemistry together that we started to joke about making a movie together. And so Nick ended up with a lot of other commitments and he couldn’t do it but Jason stayed on board and we were able to make the movie cause Jason… has a lot of… umm… we were able to get the movie made cause Jason was going to play the lead.
Continue reading Interview: Filmmaker Bob Byington Talks ‘7 Chinese Brothers’
Jason Schwartzman is one of the current film industry’s more curious actors. He’s a good looking guy yet his sense of humor and acting style are quirky, offbeat and sometimes, downright strange. He exists in a category all in his own and it’s something that has worked for him since 1998 when he dazzled indie audiences with the titular character in Wes Anderson’s dramedy classic Rushmore. At only 17-years-old, Schwartzman made a name for himself in the film business and has been constantly delighting audiences ever since. He is an alternative leading man and effortlessly breaks away from the pack. His movie and TV roles (Bored to Death) are almost always on the border of dark and fun and his latest cinematic effort 7 Chinese Brothers is a predictable entry in his filmography however there are a few surprises in the sobering tale.
In the new horror/thriller Some Kind of Hate, bullies get a strong taste of their own medicine. It is a violent and disturbing piece of cinema yet it tells an interesting story in a very original way. I recently interviewed one of the film’s stars, Spencer Breslin (The Santa Clause 2 & 3, The Cat in the Hat, The Happening), and he spoke about the horror genre, his work as a musician and his impressive film and TV career which started when he was just a young boy. Since about 1997, Breslin has made a name for himself and has worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest names, becoming quite a name himself in the process.
It isn’t very often a quality thriller comes along and blows audiences away. Thrillers are a tricky film genre to tackle but when it’s done right, it’s an absolute pleasure and a treat for the senses. The latest crime thriller Sicario is one such film and with a phenomenal cast, a visionary director a fantastic score, among other elements well in place, it is a movie that only impresses but manages to get viewers on the edge of their seats. It is a film that deals with the conflict that exists on the United States-Mexican border and expands it in a brilliantly dramatic way. Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin headline this taut thriller and the results are downright extraordinary.
When one thinks of Finland, one doesn’t immediately think of movies. Quality cinema isn’t something the country is particular known for. However, last year, the country was responsible for playing host for a rather big budget film, in fact, the most expensive film to ever be produced in the country. That film is Big Game, an over the top, exhilarating thrill ride of a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson as the President of the United States who gets caught up in a ludicrous game of cat and mouse in the Finnish woods. It is a movie that sets out to do one thing: to entertain, and it does so in glorious fashion. It may not be an Academy Award contender but it is one hell of cinematic trip.
A few years ago, I had the immense privilege and honor of interviewing Ms. Briana Evigan, actress and dancer of Step Up 2, Step Up 4, Sorority Row and Burning Bright at New York Comic Con. She is no stranger to horror and action and her film roles demonstrate a ferocity very few young actresses possess this day and age. Not only is she beautiful and strong but she has a unique personality. Each project she’s involved in is better off having her on board. At the time of the interview below, Briana was promoting Zenescope Entertainment’s Grimm Fairy Tales animated series. Here’s how that interview went down:
Unger the Radar 