On November 4, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama made history by becoming the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. It was a truly wonderful night for not only African-Americans but people all over the world. Obama’s win was proof that all individuals can achieve great things no matter what their ethnicity or social status. Biography‘s profile on Barack Obama is an informative documentary which chronicles the extraordinary life of our current President in vivid detail.
Spaceballs: The 25th Anniversary Edition
“May the Schwartz be with you.” Mel Brooks has had a successful career satirizing and spoofing popular film genres. For decades, the legendary filmmaker has tickled audiences’ funny bones and at the same time, made cinematic history. One of his popular forays in spoofing came in 1987 with Spaceballs a film which not only lampoons Star Wars but a host of other science fiction films and franchises. This hysterical comedy is now out in a special 25th anniversary Blu-ray edition and Brooks fans and comedy fans in general now have something else to add to their Blu-ray collection.
The Raspberry Brothers: Top Gun
In 1986, heartthrob Tom Cruise took to the sky in the blockbuster action-drama Top Gun, an okay film which is pretty much responsible for making the then young Scientologist a star. There are cliches, bad acting and a lame romantic subplot. These are all aspects that make Top Gun a truly ridiculous piece of cinematic cheese. Having said that, it is now up to the comic team of The Raspberry Brothers to rip it to shreds with their Mystery Science Theater 3000-like comedic style.
Fathom Events Hosts RiffTrax’s Live Roast of “Manos: The Hands of Fate”
Mystery Science Theater 3000 or MST3K was one of Comedy Central’s first hit shows. From 1988 to 1999, the cult series would take terrible B-movies and offer humorous audio commentary or “riffing” as the film would play simultaneously. Three comedians who were involved with the show (Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett) have gone on to form RiffTrax, a comedy website which features downloadable audio commentaries in true MS3K form. The trio also does live shows, one of which, RiffTrax Live: ‘Manos’ The Hands of Fate will be played in movie theaters nationwide on August 16 courtesy of NCM Fathom Events.
Continue reading Fathom Events Hosts RiffTrax’s Live Roast of “Manos: The Hands of Fate”
The Autism Enigma
Autism is a common neurological disorder found in many people. It affects social interaction, communication and behavior, and as early as the age of three, children can start to experience the disorder’s effects. Research into finding treatment and hopefully, a cure is an ongoing mission. In the fascinating documentary The Autism Enigma, scientists and families work together to help battle autism for the many people who are affected by it.
Queen & Country
All hail the Queen, the good people of England and the equally good people at PBS who have presented audiences with Queen & Country, a very detailed and insightful look into the history and traditions of the British monarchy. This four-hour documentary is now on DVD and if you are curious about the inner workings of England’s royal practices, then this is the perfect program for you.
Total Recall (1990)
Three-breasted women are hard to come by these days. The same can’t be said in 1990’s sci-fi action film Total Recall, a movie which is regarded by some as a true Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. With colorful characters, intense action sequences and special effects that will leave you speechless, Total Recall is a truly genius piece of action filmmaking. Having said that, a special Blu-ray edition of the film is being released to coincide with the 2012 remake.
4:44 Last Day on Earth
The end of the world is an interesting subject to tackle on film. It can be looked at one of three ways. There is the bleak, miserable outlook that sees the end as just nothingness after a global disaster. There is the upbeat, hopeful outlook that something better is waiting on the other side when the world ends and then there is the gray in between that relies on the notion that “it is what it is”. There is nothing to worry about, just remain calm, stay close to your loved ones and all will be fine. This viewpoint is what the main characters of 4:44 Last Day on Earth possess and they pull it off rather beautifully.
Step Up
Dance movies have been around a while, and I’m not talking about musicals. I’m talking about cheesy romantic fluff featuring attractive lead actors strutting their stuff to the popular dance music of the era. Some examples are 1984’s Footloose and 1987’s Dirty Dancing, although the latter film focuses very heavily on the sizzling love story element between the two main characters. The same formula exists in 2006’s Step Up, a hip dance romance film which relies a little too much on cliches and poor acting.
Phenomenon
John Travolta is definitely something of a phenomenon. In the 70s, he was a dance-happy heartthrob who won audiences over with his slick dance moves and handsome mug. He unfortunately ran out of steam in the 80s, landing roles in Looking Who’s Talking and its sequels. Things seemed to be going nowhere but then came 1994’s Pulp Fiction. Travolta’s career was suddenly revived and he began starring in a string of big budget and popular films. One such film is the 1996 fantasy/drama Phenomenon, a movie that wasn’t that popular when it came out but was a more than adequate vehicle for Travolta’s everyman character style.
Unger the Radar 