Author: Tom Stockman

The Tivoli Announces the ‘Reel Late’ Midnight Line-Up – THE WITCH, ERASERHEAD, MAD MAX


“You killed Ted, you medieval dickweed!”


Another brilliant lineup of midnight movies for the ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ to kick off the summer 2018 season. It’s an especially good variety of titles that will draw the late night movie buff crowd with several retro surprises. The Midnight Movie experience has always catered to a college-age crowd and that’s the way it should be. The oldest film this time is David Lynch’s ERASERHEAD from 1978 and the most recent is THE WITCH  from 2015. There’s a Miyazaki of course (SPIRITED AWAY) and a couple of standards including BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE and GHOST IN THE SHELL . I’ve been hosting the midnight show at The Tivoli for ten years now and I’m certain CRIMSON PEAK, BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER and THE WITCH, all new to the Tivoli midnight roster,  will draw good crowds.


The Tivoli is located in St. Louis at 6350 Delmar Blvd. in “the Loop”

Here’s the line-up:

July 27-28: BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

August 3-4: ERASERHEAD

August 10-11: GHOST IN THE SHELL

August 17-18: BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER

August 24-25: CRIMSON PEAK

August 31 – Sept. 1: MAD MAX FURY ROAD

Sept 7-8: SPIRITED AWAY

Sept 14-15: THE WITCH

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION – Review


HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION has fang-tastic movie monster characters, gorgeous animation, and a top-notch voice cast, and though it’s the weakest entry in this franchise so far, it still manages to be just enough fun to recommend. After a 19th century prologue with Dracula (Adam Sandler) battling his nemesis Professor Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan), Part 3 finds The Count continuing to run his monster Hotel in Transylvania along with his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) and her husband Johnny (Andy Samberg). A TV commercial encourages Mavis to surprise her dad with a trip on a luxury cruise liner for monsters that starts at the Bermuda Triangle and ends up in Atlantis, so the whole monster gang packs up for a fun adventure at sea. Complications arise when Dracula feels a “zing” (monster lingo for love at first sight) for the ship’s captain Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), who, unbeknownst to the Count, is the Great Granddaughter of Van Helsing, and is determined to destroy him. This all leads to a big showdown featuring both Van Helsings, a singing Kraken (Joe Jonas), and a DJ battle led by Johnny.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 SUMMER VACATION’s screenplay by Michael McCullers and director Genndy Tartakovsky is less sharp than the earlier scripts (which were written by Sandler and Robert Smigoff) though the new film is still chock full of fast-flying gags and non-stop visual puns. Tartakovsky clearly admires animators Chuck Jones and Tex Avery, cartoon legends who knew that you could derive just as many chuckles from a goofy walk or a stylized facial expression as you could from a well-delivered “spoken” joke.  But because the new film is set at sea and far away from the titular Hotel, there are less Forry-esque monster puns and gags at hand, which to me was the basic appeal of this series. There are also at least three musical numbers, which is about two too many. The familiar characters all work well enough; Mel Brooks is back as Drac’s dad, playing him as a cross between Lugosi and a Jewish grandpa.  Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon as Wayne the Wolfman and his wife have the funniest subplot as they drop off their brood of dozens of offspring at the ship’s daycare and are unsure what to do with the time they have for themselves. David Spade returns as an invisible man who still gets big laughs pretending to have an invisible girlfriend. Andy Samberg plays Mavis’ slacker husband well, and I’ll admit Adam Sandler makes for a great Dracula.  Aside from The Kracken, the only new characters are an odd school of fish that staff the cruise ship, and they are milked for a lot of bizarre, deadpan laughs. It’s never dull and while I wish it would have focused more on monster mayhem,  HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION works as worthy material for parents to distract their kids with.

3 of 5 Stars

 

 

 

Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez in OVERBOARD Arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack July 31st


Bring the family together for the “heartwarming comedy” (Miami New Times) Overboard, arriving on Digital July 17 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand July 31 from Lionsgate.

Bring the family together for the “heartwarming comedy” (Miami New Times) Overboard, arriving on Digital July 17 and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand July 31 from Lionsgate.

From Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM) and Pantelion Films, Eugenio Derbez (How to Be a Latin Lover, Instructions Not Included), Anna Faris (The House Bunny, TV’s “Mom”),  and Golden Globe nominee Eva Longoria (Best Actress, TV’s “Desperate Housewives,” 2006) star in this hilarious fresh take on the iconic romantic comedy. Directed by three-time Primetime Emmy® award winner Rob Greenberg (Jigsaw, Predestination), who teamed up to write the screenplay with Bob Fisher (Wedding Crashers, We’re the Millers) and Leslie Dixon based on Dixon’s story, Overboard reverses the roles from the original film, featuring Derbez as a spoiled wealthy yacht owner who becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee played by Faris.

In a splashy new twist, Overboard focuses on Leonardo (Derbez), a selfish, spoiled, rich playboy from Mexico’s richest family and Kate (Faris), a working-class single mom of three hired to clean Leonardo’s luxury yacht. After unjustly firing Kate and refusing to pay her, Leonardo falls overboard when partying too hard and wakes up on the Oregon coast — with amnesia. Kate shows up at the hospital and, to get payback, convinces Leonardo he is her husband and puts him to work — for the first time in his life. At first miserable and inept, Leonardo slowly settles in. Eventually he earns the respect of his new “family” and coworkers. But with Leonardo’s billionaire family hot on their trail and the possibility of his memory returning at any moment, will their new family last or will Leonardo finally put the clues together and leave them for good?​

Take home Overboard, Pantelion Film’s highest grossing film to date, and go behind the scenes with the cast and crew with three featurettes and an audio commentary exclusive to the home entertainment release. The Overboard Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.

 

BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Chemistry Is Comedy” Featurette
  • “Culture Clash” Featurette
  • “Captains of the Ship: Bob & Rob” Featurette
  • Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Rob Greenberg, Writer-Producer Bob Fisher, and Producer Benjamin Odell

Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland in THE LEISURE SEEKER Debuts on DVD and Digital July 10th


Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren (Best Actress,The Queen, 1993) and two-time Golden Globe-winner Donald Sutherland (Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film: Citizen X, 1995; Path to War, 2002) star in the adventurous drama THE LEISURE SEEKER, debuting on DVD and digital July 10 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Michael Zadoorian, Italian director Paolo Virzì’s (Like Crazy) first English language film tells the story of John (Sutherland) and Ella Spencer (Mirren) as they embark on one last road trip from Boston to the Hemingway House in the Florida Keys in their trusty recreational vehicle. THE LEISURE SEEKER also stars Christian McKay (Florence Foster Jenkins) and Janel Moloney (“The West Wing”).


The DVD release of THE LEISURE SEEKER includes two exclusive featurettes. Fans will spend an evening with acting icons Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland as they reflect on their craft, their complex roles and their on-screen collaboration in a lively and candid Q&A “In Conversation with Helen Mirren & Donald Sutherland.” “The Making of The Leisure Seeker” takes the audience behind the scenes with the filmmakers and extraordinary cast for a look inside the making of this touching, funny and frank film.

Back when John and Ella Spencer (Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren) were young, the ’75 Winnebago Indian they christened “The Leisure Seeker” was a beloved family getaway. Now, the Leisure Seeker has become their actual getaway vehicle, an escape from their well-intentioned but overbearing middle-aged children. Faced with more caregiving than they care to accept, John and Ella resolve to enjoy the freedom of one last RV road trip on their own.


Based on the novel by Michael Zadoorian, THE LEISURE SEEKER was directed by Paolo Virzì from a screenplay by Stephen Amidon, Francesca Archibugi and Francesco Piccolo. The film was produced by Marco Cohen, Fabrizio Donvito, Benedetto Habib and Marty Eli Schwartz; and executive produced by David Grumbach, Dov Mamann, Alessandro Mascheroni, Daniel Campos Pavoncelli and Bryan Thomas.

DVD Only Exclusive Bonus Materials Include:

  • Two Featurettes:
    • “In Conversation with Helen Mirren & Donald Sutherland”
    • “The Making of The Leisure Seeker”

THE LEISURE SEEKER has a run time of approximately 112 minutes and is rated R for some sexual material.

Halle Berry and Daniel Craig in KINGS Arrives on DVD July 31st


The war for justice that was fought in the streets, Kings, arrives on DVD July 31 from Lionsgate.

The war for justice that was fought in the streets, Kings, arrives on DVD July 31from Lionsgate. Starring Academy Award® winner Halle Berry (Best Actress, Monster’s Ball, 2001) and James Bond franchise-star Daniel Craig, the film tells the “Powerful” (Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian) tale of a foster mother who looks to her eccentric neighbor to keep her family safe in the wake of the Rodney King riots. Debuting 25 years after the historic but tragic events, and written and directed by award-winning director Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Mustang), Kings will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Los Angeles, 1992. In South Central, Millie (Halle Berry) is the foster mother of a dozen children. Jesse, her eldest, is fighting with newcomer William over a beautiful runaway they meet at school. On television, the Rodney King trial is in full swing and has captured the attention of the nation. Desperate to keep her family safe as riots erupt around the city, Millie seeks help from her eccentric neighbor (Daniel Craig). When the accused are acquitted, the city explodes, and our three young heroes’ romantic tribulations mingle with the fireworks that ignite the country.

 

CAST

Halle Berry                              X-Men franchise, Catwoman, Monster’s Ball

Daniel Craig                           James Bond franchise, Logan Lucky

Lamar Johnson                       TV’s “The Next Step,” Apple Mortgage Cake

Kaalan “KR” Walker                Superfly, TV’s “In Contempt”

Rachel Hilson                         TV’s “The Americans,” 22 Jump Street

Jim Carrey in DARK CRIMES Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD July 31st


Golden Globe winner Jim Carrey (Best Actor, Drama, The Truman Show, 1999) stars in the slick crime-thriller, Dark Crimes, arriving on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD July 31 from Lionsgate.

Golden Globe winner Jim Carrey (Best Actor, Drama, The Truman Show, 1999) stars in the slick crime-thriller, Dark Crimes, arriving on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD July 31 from Lionsgate. This film is currently available On Demand. Based on The New Yorker article, “True Crimes: A Postmodern Murder Mystery,” the film tells the tale of an officer’s pursuit of a murderer whose killings eerily resemble those found in a novel. Dark Crimes also stars Marton Csokas and Charlotte Gainsbourg and will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD for the suggested retail price of $21.98 and $19.98, respectively.

Jim Carrey commands the screen in this spellbinding thriller from the executive producers of The Revenant and Black Mass. When police officer Tadek (Carrey) finds similarities between an unsolved murder and a crime outlined in a book by famed writer Krystof Kozlov, Tadek begins to track Kozlov and his girlfriend, a mysterious sex-club worker (Charlotte Gainsbourg).  As his obsession with Kozlov grows, Tadek descends into a deadly underworld of sex, lies, and corruption to find the shocking, deadly truth.

BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “The Making of Dark Crimes” Featurette

CAST

Jim Carrey                             Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty

Marton Csokas                       The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Noah, xXx

and Charlotte Gainsbourg      Melancholia, Antichrist, Nymphomaniac: Vols. I and II

Anime Classic AKIRA Screens Midnights This Weekend at The Tivoli

akira-5601.jpg (560×363)
You got a bad attitude, pops. Lighten up before your arteries harden!”

AKIRA (1988), considered one the classics of not just anime, but animation in general, plays this weekend (July 13th and 14th) at The Tivoli at midnight as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli midnight series.

akira6-b
AKIRA tells the tale of a secret military project that endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psionic psychopath that only two kids and a group of psionics can stop. Got that? I confess I’ve never seen AKIRA. I’ve had plenty of opportunities, so I have no good excuse. Perhaps this weekend I’ll finally take it in.

akira7
I asked Brian Lan over at the St. Louis-based Anime fan group Fant-Asia St. Louis why AKIRA is such a classic and he said “AKIRA is certainly one of the anime that is most cited for bringing in new fans to anime. AKIRA is visually exquisite and best appreciated on the big screen.”

akira1
Now lucky St. Louisans can experience the lightning pace and smooth animation that is AKIRA when it plays on the big screen this weekend (July 22nd and 23rd) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

akira6-a

The Tivoli’s located at 6350 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO. Admission is a mere $8!

The Tivoli’s website can be found HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

Here’s the midnight for the next several weeks:

Here’s the Reel Late at the Tivoli Line-up for the next week:

July 20-21            YELLOW SUBMARINE

Reel Late at the Tivoli takes place every Friday and Saturday night and We Are Movie Geeks own Tom Stockman (that’s me!) is there with custom trivia questions about the films and always has DVDs, posters, and other cool stuff to give away. Ticket prices are $8. We hope to see everyone late at night in the coming weeks.

Dario Argento’s THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE This Weekend Midnights at The Moolah


“Right! Bring in the perverts!”


THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE screens Midnights this weekend (July 13th and 14th) at The Moolah Theater and Lounge (3821 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108) as part of  Destroy the Brain’s monthly Late Nite Grindhouse film series.


Having served his time in the cinematic trenches both as a film critic and a screenwriter (notably collaborating with Bernardo Bertolucci on Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West), Dario Argento, the man who would become known as “The Italian Hitchcock” made his directorial debut with THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, a snappy little giallo, the success of which cemented his path within the genre. Admittedly, there are only a few moments of outright horror and/or gore, but the newcomer’s sharp grasp of tension, atmosphere, camerawork, and pacing are beyond reproach in this telling of Sam, a vacationing American (Tony Musante) who on his last day abroad witnesses an attempted murder in an art gallery and is detained to help solve the mystery.


Suzy Kendall co-stars as Julia, his British girlfriend, although she’s not given much to do except look pretty and fall into peril as needed in the final reel. Argento’s obsession with obsessives is immediately apparent, with Musante’s unwitting sleuth finding himself unable to focus on lovemaking, mealmaking, or anythingelsemaking until he can recall the subliminal secret that lies in his memory, all underscored by maestro Ennio Morricone’s delicious lullaby score. Son’t miss your hance to see THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE on the big sceen this weekend at The Moolah!


The Facebook invite for Friday night can be found HERE
https://www.facebook.com/events/179864819367550/

The Facebook invite for Saturday night can be found HERE
https://www.facebook.com/events/2114292195484119/


THE PSYCHOTRONIC PRE-SHOW STARTS AROUND 11:30P WITH THE FILM STARTING AT MIDNIGHT.

The Moolah Theatre & Lounge serves alcohol until 2:30AM! Feel free to show up early and stay late to have some drinks and get friendly with the amazing Moolah staff.

EL MAR LA MAR Screens At Webster University July 13th – 15th


EL MAR LA MAR Screens At Webster University Friday July 13th through Sunday July 15th. The movie starts at 7:30 each evening.


An immersive and enthralling journey through the Sonoran Desert on the U.S.-Mexico border, EL MAR LA MAR weaves together harrowing oral histories from the area with hand-processed 16mm images of flora, fauna and items left behind by travelers. Subjects speak of intense, mythic experiences in the desert: A man tells of a fifteen-foot-tall monster said to haunt the region, while a border patrolman spins a similarly bizarre tale of man versus beast. A sonically rich soundtrack adds to the eerie atmosphere as the call of birds and other nocturnal noises invisibly populate the austere landscape.

Admission is:

$7 for the general public
$6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$5 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.

Kinji Fukasaku’s STREET MOBSTER Available on Blu-ray August 7th From Arrow Video


STREET MOBSTER (1972) will be available on Blu-ray August 7th from Arrow Video


A pivotal work in the yakuza movie genre and in the career of director Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale, Doberman Cop), Street Mobster presents an abrasive portrait of the rise and fall of a reckless street punk caught in the crossfire of a bloody turf war raging in the mean streets of Kawazaki.


When Okita Isamu (Bunta Sugawara, Cops VS Thugs) re-emerges onto the mean streets of Kawazaki after five years in prison for a string of brutal crimes, he comes face to face with prostitute Kinuyo, who immediately pinpoints him as one of the participants in her brutal sexual assault years earlier that left her shell-shocked and consigned to the life of a sex worker. While the two outcasts form an unlikely bond, Okita returns to his criminal ways. He is approached by veteran gangster Kizaki (Noboru Andô, Graveyard of Honour), who encourages him to round up a group of local chinpira street punks to shake up the uneasy agreement between the two rival yakuza groups, who between them control the city s bars, gambling dens and entertainment areas. However, when the new outfit goes too far into the turf of the big boys, they find themselves caught in the midst of a violent reprisal, before an offer of patronage appears from an unlikely source.


Street Mobster is the first film in which Fukasaku s vital and exhilarating approach to the contemporary-set gangster picture was paired with the untamed, raw charisma of Japan s top screen mobster Sugawara Bunta. The film would change the life of both, paving the way for their subsequent collaborations on the landmark Battles Without Honour and Humanity series that began the following year.


SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writting on the film by Jasper Sharp