"Wealth, Travel, Fame…I can take you to movies that have all of that." -Me and Orson Welles
It’s rare these days to not be able to predict the end of a movie, especially one that appears to be formulaic, but I can assure you, you won’t know...
“Civil War” is about a journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time...
Documentary Explores Legendary Dancer Who Ignited Flames of the 1960s Sexual Revolution; Dallas’s Top Burlesque Dancers With Minxe Mimieux As The Lead...
When there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? It’s the newest sequel to an 80’s classic, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”....
“When the love of Maddie’s life gets engaged to her best friend, she puts her feelings aside to be a bridesmaid at their wedding in Ireland.”...
Although there were still some snubs for Rush, The Way,Way Back, Brie Larson, Daniel Bruhl, and Tom Hanks, I am still very pleased with this years Oscar nominations! It was by far one of the toughest years to pick from so many great films and performances. Can’t wait to see who wins the big award on Sunday, March 2nd.
Patton Oswalt’s newest stand-up special features him performing for a packed house at Spreckels Theater in San Diego. Patton delivers a blistering stand-up set in his trademark blend of acerbic wit and unabashed silliness. His topics include a wide array of modern issues, from the future of our nation to daddy/daughter outings gone wrong. The special will premiere exclusively on EPIX January 17th at 10pm ET.
Click the link below for a preview clip from his stand-up show!
Patton Oswalt: Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time — “Florida State Flag” Clip
Get a free trial of EPIX here: http://www.epix.com/freetrial
Watch the show here: http://www.epix.com/patton-oswalt-tragedy-plus-comedy-equals-time
If you’re like me, the previews for the upcoming Lifetime film, Flowers in the Attic, was the first time you that have heard about the controversial story that shocked millions in 1979. After some extensive research, I was prepared for the uncomfortable and disturbing tale of incest. What I wasn’t prepared for was how entertained I would be by such an extreme premise.
Known as “the book you were forbidden to read,” V.C. Andrews’s hot-button novel is being made into film once again, this time on the little screen. Previously adapted in 1987 on the big-screen, the film received backlash from critics and fans that were unhappy with the many changes from the novel. The most obvious change was the removal of the inappropriate romance between the brother and sister characters, Christopher and Cathy. But don’t worry, Lifetime’s version made sure to not make that same mistake twice.
When and if you watch the television premiere of Flowers in the Attic on January 18th, you will get plenty of sibling romantic tension that will make it impossible for you to avert your eyes. The movie focuses on Cathy (Kiernan Shipka) and Christopher (Mason Dye) Dollanganger, a brother and sister who along with their younger twin siblings are locked away in the attic for over two years by their self-centered mother (Heather Graham) and psychotic religious grandmother (Ellen Burstyn) after their father’s unexpected death…And no, I don’t know why Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn agreed to playing this role. Yes, she did an amazing job nonetheless.
Besides Burstyn’s terrifying portrayal of such a cold-hearted grandmother, the other performances were pretty mediocre. Graham was like a character straight out of The Stepford Wives, showing no true emotion throughout the entire film. She really was an “ornament” like her character said, just there to look pretty. And Shipka and Dye spark interest in the second half of the film, due to their blossoming romance that you shamefully root for.
Flowers in the Attic is like that car accident that you want to drive pass quickly to avoid traffic, but your curiosity of the gruesome details makes you want to observe every second of it. Whatever way you look at it, Lifetime’s take on the dysfunctional Dollanganger family will draw plenty of attention to audiences, good and bad.
Premieres on Lifetime Saturday, January 18.
Flowers in the Attic Official Lifetime Trailer
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
Get ready to see and hear Ana and Christian like you’ve never imagined them before!
Samuels, Dorezas and Cordell present the original 50 Shades of GreyParody. “50 Shades! The Musical” has been a phenomenon in Chicago , New York , and at the Edinburge Fringe Festival. The Dallas City Performance Hall’s premiere lived up to the all show’s hype.
Taking place in a more intimate theater, the show becomes immediately engaging for the audience. The Musical opens with three women who gather for a book club meeting and decide to read Fifty Shades of Grey. As the women start to read the novel, their interpretation of it begins to play out by some corky and colorful actors who play exaggerated versions of the book’s characters. From there, you are in for a hilarious ride packed with dance numbers and witty original songs with a live on-stage band.
With such an animated and lively cast, you will forget that the main setting on the stage is a plain, single, grey bed. A few props here and there, and some run of the mill choreography will every now and then fill the stage. Luckily, the entire cast that consists of 8 does such a wonderful job of filling the stage with energy, especially Anastasia and Christian. Both actors who played the characters had power house voices, and had no problem making completely inappropriate fools of themselves. Given that this is a spoof, the two characters are different in a lot of ways in comparison to what fans have read. Ana is a more dim-witted virgin who has traded her independent, smart mouth for a high pitched naïve voice. And Christian Grey…well I think it’s best for audiences to just go see this Christian for themselves.
The biggest stand out in this musical was the ridiculous original songs that you will surely want to hear again. “There’s a Hole Inside of Me” could not have gone more perfect with the story and could not be more unsuitable for children.
This play does contain adult content and is very much intended for mature audiences, obviously. Even if you haven’t read the book, I’m sure you know what it is primarily about. It is 69 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. The musical flies by and is over before you know it. Gentlemen who are dreading being forced to go see this with their girlfriends, don’t fret. ”50 Shades! The Musical” is a story entertaining for both sexes.
The show will be running at the Dallas City Performance Hall until January 11th.
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
The Dallas Film Society is ringing in 2014 with a celebratory and grateful spirit for all of the generous donations from 234 supporters across the globe. The Dallas Film Society exceeded their Kickstarter goal for the upcoming 8th annual Dallas International Film Festival in 2014. The campaign, designed to raise funds to bring in talent, producers and directors of the films showcased at the festival, raised a total of $35,870, 2.5% more than their initial goal. To date, more than 1,234 filmmakers, representing more than 50 countries have attended the past seven festivals.
“What an outstanding response by the national and local backers to our Kickstarter campaign, our first ever attempt at ‘crowdfunding’” said Lee Papert, President and C.E.O of the Dallas Film Society. “The Dallas International Film Festival is continuously growing and we look forward to bringing another successful festival to Dallas with the help of all the donors to this Kickstarter effort.”
The 8th-annual Dallas International Film Festival will be held April 3 to April 13, 2014. Late submissions for the film festival ended on Friday December 13, 2013.
At their annual meeting today, the North Texas Film Critics Association announced their BEST of 2013.
The ballots were carefully counted and the results are as follows:
BEST PICTURE: Gravity
BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuarón/Gravity
BEST ACTOR: Chiwetel Ejiofer/12 Years a Slave
BEST ACTRESS: Sandra Bullock/Gravity
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jared Leto/Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Lawrence/American Hustle
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Emmanuel Lubezki/Gravity
BEST ANIMATED: Frozen
BEST DOCUMENTARY: 20 Feet From Stardom
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM TIE: The Grandmaster and Blue is the Warmest Color
The NTFCA will shortly launch a FACEBOOK page and notifications will be sent out when that occurs! Stay tuned.
Although this documentary begins with the deceit and manipulation of lawyers, it ends with a much more powerful scoundrel.
Narrated by Dr. Drew Pinksy, Divorce Corp is a surprising exposé of the inner workings of the $50 billion a year U.S. family law industry. Yes, that’s right $50 billion! The film sheds light on how divorce lawyers are ripping off their clients by charging ridiculous amounts of money, ranging from $400-$900 per hour. Which proves to be quite a profit, when the lawyers are spending years on one case. Often times the divorce lasts longer than the marriage. But the deception doesn’t stop there. Throughout the film we are shown how everyone involved in the family court justice system partakes in extortion, bias judgment, and appalling scandals.
Director, Joe Sorge provides interviews by the nation’s top divorce lawyers, mediators, judges, politicians, litigants, and journalists. And might I say these lawyers have no problem admitting the shady way they do business. Clients seem to believe the more money a lawyer charges, the more “skilled” they are. When in fact, the name of the game for these divorce lawyers is, “How much money can we make off these people? That’s the standard.”
About halfway through the film, the lawyers start looking like puppets getting their strings pulled by the true villain of the film. The ever so controlling judge! Taking actions as if they were God, the portrayal of every judge publicized is unspeakable and quite frankly, terrifying. You are completely helpless once a judge has your life in their hands, and it is best not to rub them the wrong way.
In comparison to the recent documentary I reviewed over the same topic, Romeo Misses A Payment, this one fell a little short for me. Divorce Corp is better in a technical aspect- professionally shot, well prepared interviews, dramatizations with decent actors, and a celebrity voice over (i.e. Dr. Drew). Yet, somehow this documentary lacked the immediate emotional connection I felt with Romeo Misses A Payment. The film starts out a bit slow and repetitive. As it picks up with personal stories of affected parents, you just become angry at how messed up the family court is; and how when it really comes down to it, there doesn’t seem to be anything anyone can do to fix it.
A glimmer of hope is shined when we see the comparison of how much simpler and cheaper it is to get a divorce in other countries like Scandinavia. A country that views men and women as equals, therefore their divorce system is easy and free.
Divorce Corp is an astonishing documentary that leaves the question “Is anyone actually getting a fair trial in family court?” Feelings of hope and happiness may not occur after watching this film, but this is a must see for anyone who is considering marriage or a divorce.
Divorce Corp hits theaters January 10th.
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com