Saturday Night Live turned 40 this year and during those four decades, the legendary sketch comedy show has been famous for showcasing young talent and quickly ushering them to new and often exciting heights. The new Lorne Michaels-produced sex comedy film Staten Island Summer is a perfect example of this pushing of budding comedic actors into stardom. The film is overflowing with SNL cast members, both young and old. In fact, there are so many SNL players in this movie that at times, it does feel like a massive sketch put on by its players… and it essentially is, with SNL-writer/performer Colin Jost responsible for the raunchy script. Staten Island Summer is a fun, no holds barred, laugh fest that is sure to entertain many an audience.
Animal Planet’s ‘The Last Alaskans’ Shows a Human Side to Wilderness
“It’s easy to die up here… Everything else is work”, says Bob Harte, one of the few residents (and stars) of one of the world’s most desolate and at times, unforgiving areas to live. That area is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, a place where wild animals roam free and people who desire living off the grid can do so in a “simple”, rather rough manner. Animal Planet has recently aired a number of one-hour episodes which brilliantly depict people doing what they do best; survive. The Last Alaskans isn’t your typical reality show as it seamlessly intertwines true stories with actual occasional danger brought on by the harsh Alaskan elements.
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Interview: Director Kim Farrant talks ‘Strangerland’
In the new Australian thriller Strangerland, we get a story that is not only gritty and raw but eerily realistic. Focusing on a simple family whose two children have gone missing, Strangerland has an impressive cast consisting of Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving. The film not only benefits from having a strong cast but from a highly capable director, Kim Farrant. This is Farrant’s feature film debut and it is a powerful entry in the gifted filmmaker’s budding career. Farrant recently spoke with me, here’s how that interview went:
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Soundtrack Review: Minions
In the last twenty years, the computer-animated film genre has grown exponentially. Toy Story started things off nicely in 1995 and since then, the movie business has benefited from a bevy of charming tales and brilliant art. The latest computer-animated adventure Minions is taking the world by storm and not only is it a cute film but it features a rather fun soundtrack that, like the film itself, is perfect for both children and adults. Hans Zimmer-student Heitor Pereira is responsible for the film’s score and there are also a couple of popular songs that comprise the vibrant album.
Interview: Elijah Wood and Celyn Jones Talk ‘Set Fire to the Stars’
Elijah Wood is one of Hollywood’s absolute anomalies. He began his career as a child star in the 1990s and has blossomed into a truly talented leading man. He picks his roles carefully and almost always delivers a top notch performance. His latest film Set Fire to the Stars is based on true events and stars him and Welsh actor Celyn Jones as poets John Brinnin and Dylan Thomas respectively. It’s a sort of buddy drama and showcases both actors’ strong acting chops. I recently sat down with the actors to discuss the film. Here’s how it went:
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Paul Feig Shares ‘Ghostbusters’ First Official Cast Photo
In the past few weeks, fans of the iconic sci-fi comedy franchise Ghostbusters have been treated to a bevy of on-set photos and tidbits from director Paul Feig’s Twitter page. The man is most best known for his raunchy comedy films 2010’s Bridesmaids, 2013’s The Heat and this year’s Spy. All films have a certain risqué flavor to them and each star Hollywood leading goofball Melissa McCarthy. The Ghostbusters reboot also stars McCarthy, along with fellow Bridesmaid Kristen Wiig and Saturday Night Live young bloods Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. The film promises to provide a fresh take on the 31-year-old franchise while at the same time, honoring the memory of Ivan Reitman’s timeless 1984 film and its 1989 sequel, both starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson.
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Soundtrack Review: Jurassic World
22 years ago, Jurassic Park forever changed the way audiences saw movies. It was a monumental film and a crowning achievement due mostly to its groundbreaking visual effects and universal sense of wonder and fun. It was a sci-fi adventure film through and through and was one of visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light and Magic’s (ILM) absolute best films. Jurassic Park broke box office records and spawned three sequels, the most recent of which is Jurassic World and its soundtrack, the focus of this review. Michael Giacchino took John Williams’ original formula and added his own style to the proceedings, making for not only a fitting tribute to Mr. Williams’ sound but introduced a new style which combined both old and new. The results are a fresh score that balances action and childlike wonder, something Williams did and continues to do time and time again, especially with his many collaborations with director Steven Spielberg.
Patch Town
In European folklore, it is a widely known myth that babies are born into cabbage patches. The soft leaves act as comforting blankets as the baby is held and eventually delivered. This myth is bizarre, to say the least, and serves as the foundation of the offbeat fantasy adventure Patch Town, a film which combines the styles of Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam and meshes them into a dark, quirky and imaginative fairy little. Few films are as original as this and that’s a real shame because this movie is certainly one for the books.
Soundtrack Review: Poltergeist
In 1982, the horror film genre was given a fresh and original entry in its then already impressive list of pictures. Under the production of Steven Spielberg and the direction of horror genre pioneer Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), a new film and type of fright was created. That film of course is Poltergeist, the insanely creepy and heart-pumping horror/thriller that inspired many an audience to watch scary movies with the lights turned on. The film was a huge success at the time, spawning two sequels, a TV series spinoff and for purposes of this review, a lackluster reboot and subsequent soundtrack album. Both the film and score aren’t exactly works of art but they accomplish the goals they were originally made to do: to entertain.
The Aftermath
When someone hits absolute rockbottom, it can be a truly unfortunate and heartbreaking thing to watch. The rise and fall from grace can happen to anyone and when the fall eventually comes, be prepared to get a little emotional. The new independent drama The Aftermath is a fine example of showcasing the low points and troubling times of an individual and his desperate attempts to fix his own life. It is film that, while bleak in many parts, is a delightfully gritty tale with some powerful performances, most notably from the film’s star Sam Trammell (True Blood, The Fault in Our Stars).
Unger the Radar 