Review: ‘TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 1 MIDNIGHT MADNESS’ available now!

SYNOPSIS: From “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to “The Big Lebowski” and everything in between, this fascinating deep-dive documentary begins its celebration of the greatest cult movies of all-time discussing the birth of the midnight movie.
I was 13 the first time I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show. My life was forever changed in every way. I was a Catholic school kid who knew that a lot of what I was being taught felt wrong. I had danced since the age of two and had seen how music and showmanship affected an audience. This film was singlehandedly responsible for my college choices and the path I’ve taken ever since. There is something about a cult film that makes you feel at home. You’re in a room filled with people who get “it”, free-spirited, open-minded individuals with a sense of humor. What’s better than that? TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 1 MIDNIGHT MADNESS is now available for everyone to experience themselves. With sitdown interviews with some of the greatest stars and directors of the most famous midnight madness films like Pink Flamingo, Reefer Madness, Freaks, The Warriors, just to name a few. This doc is a genre, cult, cinephile’s dream. It discusses the cultural shifts that occurred because of these films. How they influenced not only the audience but films that came after. There will be two more volumes; VOLUME 2 HORROR AND SCI-FI & VOLUME 3 COMEDY AND CAMP. I cannot wait to see who and what come up in the last two docs. They are undeniably fun and incredibly informative. What until you find out who was originally supposed to star in Point Break! You’ll feel like you’re in good company watching these films and maybe even add some films to your watch list (at least you should). So, set a virtual watch party with friends and catch Volume 1 now! Check out the trailer below!
TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 1 MIDNIGHT MADNESS – April 21
RUN TIME: 105 minutes
CAST: Jeff Bridges, Pam Grier, Rob Reiner, Barry Bostwick, Michael McKean, John Turturro, Gary Busey, Jeff Goldblum, Fran Drescher, Penelope Spheeris and Peter Bogdanovich

COMING SOON:

TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 2 HORROR AND SCI-FI – May 19
TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME VOLUME 3 COMEDY AND CAMP – June 23

Review: ‘RUPTURE’ challenges human perception.

RUPTURE
Fantasia International Film Festival 2016
 Sitges Film Festival 2016
 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) 2016

RUPTURE is directed by Steven Shainberg (Secretary, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus) from a script co-written by Shainberg and Brian Nelson (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night). The film stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus), Peter Stormare (The Big Lebowski, Fargo), Kerry Bishe (AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire,” Argo), and Michael Chiklis (FX’s “The Shield,” Fantastic Four).

RUPTURE follows Renee Morgan (Noomi Rapace), a single mom, who is deathly terrified of spiders.  While in route to meet up with a friend, she is violently abducted by a group of strangers.  After enduring intense yet strange questioning and examinations, some about her fear of spiders, Renee soon discovers that she is now the subject of an underground experiment.  Her captors explain to her that she has a genetic abnormality that can potentially allow her to “rupture” and reveals her alien nature.  Renee must find a way to escape before it is too late.
Writer/director Steven Shainberg became an award-winning indie film sensation with 2002’s kink masterpiece Secretary, his second feature following 1998’s powerful Jim Thompson adaptation Hit Me. Four years after, he returned with the poetic and beautiful Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus.
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Noomi Rapace‘s previous roles in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Prometheus make her the perfect actress to tackle a role that is both physically taxing and unglamorous AND that delves into fear and alien genetics. I cannot imagine anyone else for this very niche role. The rest of the eclectic cast’s performances seem off-putting at first, but makes more sense as the plot rolls along, so don’t let that throw you as you watch. Rapace owns this film from the very first frame she appears in. In less than 13 minutes, we have a fully established mother/son relationship that is so valuable to the script and emotional hold of an audience. The dialogue is ominous and well paced. As the story progresses, the film has a Hostel meets Splice vibe.

Rupture’s sound and music editing add to the impending sense of ‘something ain’t right here”. The oversaturated lighting scheme and set colors achieve a similarly unsettling feel that is perfect for this genre. You can’t escape the immediately engrossing plot. Rupture is a fantastic balance of scary and scientific exploration that makes for one hell of a ride.

AMBI Media Group will release the sci-fi thriller RUPTURE in theaters and On Demand April 28, 2017.  The film is currently available exclusively on DirecTV.

Retro Review: 30 Years Ago, the World Was Introduced to the Coen Brothers with ‘Blood Simple’

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In my opinion, there have been very few filmmakers that have changed the cinematic landscape for the better since my birth some forty years ago. Many would likely point to folks like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as standard bearers for the post-New Hollywood Cinema gang. And while those two certainly changed the cinematic landscape, I wouldn’t say their effect has been good or for the better. That’s another story, though. What I can say is that January 18, 1985 announced the presence of two game changers in Hollywood, and with Blood Simple‘s release, the world met Joel & Ethan Coen. Without a doubt two of the most original filmmakers still working in Hollywood, the Coen Brothers speak in their voice, tell the stories they want to tell and all with flourishes befitting the finest filmmakers in the history of cinema. Read More →

Michael’s Undeniable, Unequivocally Awesome and Undisputed Top 40 Movies of the 90’s!!!

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People…there is a list!…there is ALWAYS a list!

People have been fighting for centuries over each other opinions on “which (fill in your subject matter here) is best” or what is the “top 10 (fill in your subject matter here) of all time” Read More →