Most of the time, a film would be nothing without the musical score. We hold the music in higher regard than the narrative itself, and our heroes have always been film composers. Getting to run this site for almost fifteen years, I can admit to just plain geeking out when speaking to people in the film music community. Case in point. Randy Edelman is a legendary singer, songwriter, orchestrator, conductor, and a seasoned music man who has quite literally scored our childhood. Just looking at the impressive list of titles to his credit (Dragonheart, Beethoven, Troop Beverly Hills, The Mask, My Cousin Vinny, Angels in the Outfield, Shanghai Noon, Daylight)…
-
-
Interview…Quentin Dupieux on Absurd Characters and Non-Linear Storytelling in ‘Smoking Causes Coughing’
When people talk about oeuvres in film, they usually celebrate the rogue visionaries who change the landscape of cinema with each new feature. These are the kinds of filmmakers who are festival darlings and have some of the most unique tastes in the industry. One such creative is Quentin Dupieux and once you see his work, you’ll never be the same. I was a big fan of Wrong when it played at Fantastic Fest years ago. Well, like a fine wine he’s matured and in that time he’s taken his trademark style to the next level of absurdity. His latest is a farce about superheroes and there’s an inherent charm…
-
Interview…Director Kurt Wimmer on Remakes, Reverence and the Writing Process
Once in a while, we get the joy of speaking to the people whose works have brought us joy. Equilibrium is one of our favorite films. Today, we get to share with you the brief slice of cinematic glee we had chatting with Kurt Wimmer. He directed the above-mentioned Christian Bale led-actioner, and written a slew of stellar and substantive stories like Law Abiding Citizen, and remakes to Total Recall and Point Break. His latest is Childern of the Corn which is is based upon the short story “Children of the Corn” by Stephen King that gives the King short some poignancy amid tangible real-life character motivations. We had an…
-
Interview…Composer James Allen Roberson on Horses, Hoedowns and ‘Heart of a Champion’
James Allen Roberson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist working in film and television. With a diverse background in pop, rock, contemporary, and orchestral music he has carved out a unique niche in the current media landscape. James grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee playing classical violin and electric guitar from an early age. He studied film scoring and composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he received a bachelors of music degree. And from there he moved to Los Angeles and began working at Remote Control Productions with renowned composer Rupert Gregson-Williams as well as helping out on projects for Heitor Pereira, Guillaume Roussel, Deborah Lurie, and Hans Zimmer.…
-
Interview…Director Brett Simmons on Music, Muses and Meeting Your Heroes
It should be news to no one that Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Edgar Wright and Brett Simmons are big names in film. Granted you might not know the latter (yet!) but these filmmakers all share the same level of encyclopedic knowledge about the industry and important films which they use to take viewers on rides they’ve never had before. They make films the way they want and, more importantly, the way we fans want to see them. A sometimes hodgepodge of ideas and inspiration from what spoke to them through the years can be an instant hit and keep us talking long after the credits have rolled. Anyway, Simmons belongs…
-
Interview…Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro on Meatwad, Mooninites and New Jersey in ‘Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm’
One of the funniest and long-standing creations in the Adult Swim line up is the trio of distasteful fast food roommates otherwise know as the Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Frylock, Meatwad and Master Shake have made it through all sorts of hijinx and calamity over the years, even the recent pandemic. And while the world was facing the end of days, Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro were cooking up a brand new story for our heroes to star in: Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm. In the hilarious 75-minute adventure, the combo meal trio attempt to save the world from a plant-based extinction level event all the while taking potshots at Elon Musk,…
-
Interview…Anthony Molinari Talks Stunts, Blunts and Good Vibes in ‘The Last Deal’
Black market marijuana dealer Vince is living the high life in Los Angeles, but everything changes when new laws pass making cannabis legal. With limited dispensary licenses available, Vince may be squeezed out of the business. He’s desperate to make one final score, but borrows money from the wrong people. The pic, a captivating profusion of HEAT and SAVAGES, nabbed Best Director at the Boston Film Festival, and later, the Jury Prize for Best Performance at the San Antonio Film Festival. The film stars versatile and seasoned stuntman-turned-leading man Anthony Molinari, and he squares off against Sala Baker (known to Lord of the Rings fans as Sauron) in the non-stop…
-
Interview…Dominic Mariche and Calem MacDonald on Goo, Gore and Good Times in ‘Kids Vs. Aliens’
For all you film fans missing the days of Saturday morning cartoons and gleeful amounts of practical gore, Jason Eisener has something right up your alley. His gooey homage to weird, wild and extraterrestrial yarns from yesteryear will keep you entertained for the full run time. His latest is a raunchy throwback thrill ride about kids fighting aliens…and you really don’t need much more of a premise than that. Suffice to say, there is a whole lot of fantasy and sci-fi elements mixed in for good measure which makes this genre stew overstuffed (and gross) yet highly surprising and satisfying. We saw Kids Vs. Aliens last September and spoke to…
-
Interview…Casper Kelly, Andrea Laing and Justin Miles on ‘Adult Swim Yule Log’
If you’re looking at the calendar, we are just four days from Christmas. That might seem like eons to children, but if you’re an Adult Swim fan, then you already got your present courtesy of Casper Kelly and his warped take on the classic yule log starring Andrea Laing and Justin Miles. The acclaimed writer/director dropped his anti-holiday bomb on the world following the Season Six finale of Rick and Morty. Well, that bomb went boooom, and 91 absurdly shocking minutes later Kelly has another hit on his hands, as well as the channel’s first-ever live-action feature. This is just as dense, bizarre and out of left field as his previous…
-
Interview…Director Elijah Allan-Blitz on Brie Larson, Ideas and Dreams in ‘Remembering’
Where do ideas come from? And where do they go when they’re forgotten? Well, leave it to Elijah Allan-Blitz to throw his hat in the ring and give us an infinitely charming short called Remembering. This endearing and inspiring effort shows the kind of big-picture concepts running through the Emmy award-winning director’s mind. The short film should leave all viewers clamoring for more – if not for a deeper dive into this captivating concept but just more time in this world. Good news is that in our interview Allan-Blitz told us that, yes, this is a proof of concept exercise that could dive deeper into plenty of trades/professions/creatives. Huzzah! This…
-
Interview…Composer Nathan Johnson on Harpsichords, Travelogues and ‘Glass Onion’
For those of you needing a classically clever whodunnit to add to your cinematic plate this holiday session, look no further than Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion. The next installment in Benoit Blanc mystery series is whip smart, hilarious, exquisite and layered…you know, like an onion. Herein, Johnson and company outdo everything in their last detective yarn. Bigger stakes, bigger laughs, bigger onions – it’s an exceptional outing! Every element just sings, and again Rian enlists his cousin Nathan Johnson to write a fitting score to accompany the masterful story. While subsequent yarns in the series are meant to be stand-alone events, the further adventures of the Kentucky-fried character required Johnson…
-
Interview…Fest Friends: Natalie Metzger, Joe Badon, Tiffany Kimmel, Dawn Luebbe and Margaret Miller
Fantastic Fest 2022 was one of the very best – it’s certainly tops in my book for all the years we’ve covered and attended. One take away that is more impactful and enduring than seeing some gonzo foreign film, sitting for a secret screening or getting in on the ground floor for the next big genre spectacle is the people. Whether it’s the fans, the festival staff (including those hard-working volunteers!) or the filmmakers, there is a certain kind of magical haze that only exists on the festival circuit. Moreover, I fondly (and sometimes fuzzily) recall the conversations, chance encounters and unexpected friendships that have emerged from being in the…
