TED STARRING WAHLBERG, KUNIS PLAYS AT THE THEATERS TODAY - June 29, 2012

MAGIC MIKE IS UNLEASHED INTO THEATERS TODAY - June 29, 2012

FILMMAKER NORA EPHRON HAS DIED

I just heard the news today that Nora Ephron has died!  I am saddened and shocked to hear this.  Her last movie was Julie & Julia in 2009.  Nora's an inspiration to us filmmakers.  She will be sorely missed.  TBC...

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My mother was into movies so I was exposed to many as a kid.  I remember seeing the amazing Meryl Streep in Silkwood.  Nora wrote that one but I didn't know it.  Then in 1989 a little movie came out, When Harry Met Sally, when everyone knew who she was.  That was Nora's BIG break as a screenwriter.  She directed her first movie in 1992, called This Is My Life.  My friends and I plan to have a Nora Ephron night sometime soon.  We have a list of credits to choose from at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001188/.

In 1996, Nora Ephron was a part of the Borowsky Lecture which I was lucky to attend.  Nora was funny, witty and poignant.  Myself and the audience were amazed at her backstory.  Such a fascinating woman who was taken from us (IMHO) too soon.  You were and are an inspiration to me.  It's been since reading all the articles by fans and friends.  We'll miss you Nora but will always have your movies to revisit.  xoxo

TRANSLATOR'S STEVE BARTON RETURNS WITH NEW CD PROJECTOR

Translator’s front man Steve Barton is back with his fourth solo release, Projector.  It was produced by Lone Justice co-founder Marvin Etzioni.  This record is made up of songs that Steve wrote in the immediate aftermath of his dad’s death. “I went over to Marvin’s house to play him some of the songs that I had written. He set up his 4-track cassette machine and I started to play. By the end of the night I had played 18 songs. He suggested that we make an album, and that I play all of the instruments. This was a big departure for me, as I have only made records with either Translator or with my solo band. I thought about it over a weekend and decided to say yes. We chose a studio where we could make the album on 2” reel-to-reel tape. We recorded and mixed in around 5 days. “

Steve Barton has released four solo albums: The Boy Who Rode His Bike Around The World, Charm Offensive, Flicker Of Time and Gallery. The band for these albums consists of Steve on guitar and vocals, Robbie Rist on drums (Robbie is well-known for having played Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch – plus a long list of indie music and film work), and bassist Derrick Anderson (he is also the current bass player for The Bangles). They have been together for several years and provide the perfect band for Steve’s post-Translator songs.

The twelve tracks vary from acoustic guitar (Here Come I, This Is Where Tomorrow Ends, Super Fantastic Guy) to rocking numbers (the opener These 4 Walls, the fun songs Projector, and Bowie Girl).  The one that really gets to me is Track 6, Mohave Phone Booth.  Listen carefully to the lyrics and smashing guitar work.  The songs are very raw and from the heart… An opus to his father Dan Barton, an actor.  IMHO, it seems some of people’s best work comes out of the loss of a parent(s).  I cannot help but think of Sting, who created some of his best music after the loss of his mother (Nothing Like The Sun) and father (Soul Cages).  Sting is in the process of creating a musical based on Soul Cages.  Maybe Steve Barton will turn Projector into a play in honor of his father?

A little Beatlesque, a little Elvis Costello, even a splash of Nirvana… Steve Barton is in great company.  Take a listen in your home or car… enjoy.  That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!

For more information, please visit www.stevebartonmusic.com

Howlin’ Wuelf Media http://www.howlinwuelf.com/html/contact.html

The Shaming of the True Review by guest blogger Mark McCrite

First off, thank you Mark for taking the time to write this review.  I knew you were the perfect person for the task!  It makes me jealous I wasn't there.  (But let us not fret... I hear a DVD is in the works!)  And thank you Neil Finn and Crowded House for bringing together such a great group of longtime friends.  Now on with the review...

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Tribute to a Lost Masterpiece 
by Mark McCrite

I can’t believe Kevin Gilbert has been gone from this planet for over sixteen years now.  Actually, that’s quite an understatement – part of me can’t accept that he’s gone at all.  Kevin’s music is still largely unknown to the masses, but he has a growing cult of fans – largely musicians – who are about as devoted as you can imagine.  He left an astonishing legacy of music for a 29 year old, and the two significant projects he left unfinished – an edgy band called Kaviar and his rock opera called “The Shaming of the True” – truly represent some of his finest work.

In 2002, six years after Kevin’s passing, Nick D’Virgilio staged the first ever performance of Shaming… in its entirety, backed by the Mike Keneally Band and a host of other supporting musicians (including yours truly as a backing vocalist).  It was a triumphant performance, but tragically there were technical problems with the recording that kept it from being officially released. For years, Nick was continually asked “when are you going to do “Shaming” again?” and in the Spring of 2012 – a full ten years later – fans were thrilled to learn of a repeat performance!  This time it would be different for four key reasons:

• The musicians in the band would be key collaborators with Kevin at some point in his career.

• ·   The presentation would be more theatrical with actors performing dramatic sequences.

• ·   The band would perform an encore of other songs from throughout Kevin’s career.

• ·   The recording would be of paramount importance, and there would be numerous fail safes   and redundancy to ensure a releasable document of the event.

I was so looking forward to the show, and was thrilled when the day before it was to occur I had the opportunity to take my 13 year old daughter to a dress rehearsal.  We were completely blown away by what we saw!  The setting was exquisite – a very cool, extremely elegant little theater.  It reminded me of a miniature version of the Kodak theater, but much more charming – and the acoustics were amazing.  Of course the music was incredible, but we were shocked to see that it was such an ambitious production.  It was obvious that the music had been tight for a while, and by the time we arrived they were focusing on the lighting and staging cues.  My daughter thought it was really cool to have experienced such an inside view of how much work it takes to put something like this together – and the experienced raised my anticipation for the show even more.

 So how was the actual show?  In a word, amazing!  It was unbelievable.  Here are some highlights:

Atmosphere and emotion:  There was so much love in the room.  This was way more than a concert – it was a celebration of Kevin’s life.  There were a lot of people in the room in addition to the band, of course, that were a part of his legacy – i.e.: Jon Rubin, Gruno, Lyle Workman, John Cuniberti, Scott Smith to mention a few.  Gruno put together a moving tribute in pictures and video clips that was shown on the projection screen which had everything from very personal home movies that Kevin made to live Giraffe performances to Toy Matinee performances to a CNN appearance promoting Thud!  I had a hard time keeping my composure during Shaming, but this hit me on a whole different level.  It was quite an experience to directly experience Kevin with that crowd…  It made me relive what it was like to talk to Kevin and the band in the lobby right after his legendary “Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” performance from Progfest ’94.

Musicianship: My God – where to start? I really can’t imagine anyone other than Nick D’Virgilio pulling this all together, and stepping into Johnny’s shoes to boot!  It’s truly mind boggling what he has accomplished.

I’ve had a tremendous amount of respect for Dave Kerzner as a musician and sound designer since I met him in 1988 at music school – and his playing was inspiring this evening.  I introduced him to Kevin’s music, but he actually introduced me to Kevin and brought me into that world for a brief moment – and for that I am forever in his debt.  Dave’s style was such a perfect match for Kevin.

Brian Macleod is simply my favorite drummer in the world.  I had seen him many times with Kaviar after Kevin’s passing, but it was amazing to see him playing these songs live – he really has such style and character and brought such a cool edge to the songs he didn’t play on already.  As an odd note, Brian played on Toy Matinee’s studio recording of “Last Plane Out,” but had never played the song live until this show!

In addition to nailing the guitar parts, Stan Cotey had an amazing guitar rig and really helped to capture the vibe of the recordings. Stan was the band member who had known Kevin the longest.  He commented on how cool it was that everyone in the band knew Kevin at such different stages that it was like they each had a different piece of the Kevin Gilbert jigsaw puzzle.

Paul is truly a BADA$$ bass player and projects such soul and attitude – and this night was no exception.  Like Brian, I had only seen Paul in the context of Kaviar.  Paul told a great story about how he came into the band Kaviar (replacing Nick on bass) and they turned a riff of his into the completed song “The Sultan of Brunei” in only a few days!

I didn’t know guitarist Don Carr (he was the only band member who had never played with Kevin), but he did a great job with many of the solos – including some great slide work on “Best Laid Plans.”  His regular gig since 1991 has been the lead guitarist for the Oak Ridge Boys!

Imagery:  There were many cool images and videos projected throughout the show – the drop of water effects for Water Under the Bridge, the hilarious imagery for Smash (including an actual depiction of Elvis Jackson with the Blue Suede Glove), the cool usage of John Seabury’s imagery created for the artwork, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Dramatic sequences: There were some funny dramatic moments – Gruno was a convincing attendant at the Texaco. Suit Fugue was incredibly well executed by four suited sleazy A&R men.  One of my favorites was when Johnny sat down to watch TV and came across images of Kevin hawking Giraffe CDs and dressed as Rael smashing a ghetto blaster, Brian Macleod playing drums on Baywatch, and upon seeing Spock’s Beard Johnny declared “BO-RING!”  Also cool was the hair, nails and makeup routine during Imagemaker – featuring backup singer Kat Bowser and Nick’s wife Tiffany as his stylists.  The entire cast all brought the seedy and creepy party to life in “Fun.” Mark Hornsby was great as Mr. Delgado – the manager who seemed a little too interested in hooking Johnny up with Justin Bieber or in promoting the female backup vocalist/keyboard player in Johnny’s band (ouch). Throughout the performance, Nick’s wardrobe reflected the story, from the Bon Jovi rock star persona in Best Laid Plans to the suited industry guy in Smash to the disheveled hipster in Fun.

The encore:  As if the rock opera and the home movies/videos weren’t enough, the band came back again to play several other songs from all phases of Kevin’s career.  Songs: This Warm Night (Giraffe), Last Plane Out (Toy Matinee), Childhood’s End (an unreleased track that Kevin suggested Nick take as a cover song), The Sultan of Brunei (this Kaviar track was the highlight of the evening for me) and a very fitting climax/end to the show with Shadow Self from Thud!

All in all, it was a really unforgettable night. I know the DVD will be amazing, but it was really something in the room and I’m glad I experienced it live. The songs really came to life – and at times it was emotionally overwhelming.  If there was a dry eye in the house when the rain sound effect at the end of the album started to fade down, it didn’t belong to me…  I was struck by what a tragedy it is that there are so few opportunities to hear this amazing music performed live.  I couldn’t help but feel both incredibly sad and a bit angry that Kevin isn’t still here to perform it for us himself.  Ah well, all the more reason to be grateful to Nick and the gang for such a special evening!

Is all the secrecy about Prometheus, the Alien-prequel, worth it?

Yesterday, I had the chance to see the new Alien-prequel Prometheus in glorious 3D.  It took about a day for me to ponder over it because I couldn't decide if I liked it or not.  Being a fan of the Alien franchise, I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed.  But let me break it down...

Tag Line (from IMDB): A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Synopsis (from Wikipedia): Set in the late 21st century, the story centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map discovered among the remnants of several ancient Earth cultures. Led to a distant world and an advanced civilization, the crew seeks the origins of humanity, but instead discovers a threat that could cause the extinction of the human race.

Special Effects:  They're the biggest seller here.  Red cameras were used so the images were crystal clear and ready for 3D.  There are a few space images and advanced technology that appealed to my eyes.  You enjoy the ride of the subtle 3D images throughout the movie.

Acting:  Top billing was original "Dragon Tattoo" woman, Noomi Rapace.  IMHO, she was the best thing in the movie.  There doesn't seem to be anything she can't or won't do.  Without spoiling it here, you will know exactly what scene I'm talking about.  The robot David, was played with such ease and care by the always excellent Michael Fassbender.  Charlize Theron was underused as was (sigh) Idris Elba.  A few newcomers round out the cast.  Lastly, an unrecognizable Guy Pearce played the creator of the expedition company Weyland.

Cinematography:  Wonderful and mesmerizing as it should be.  There aren't many space shots but lots of planet ones.  And (of course) of the ship, Prometheus.  Nice name, BTW.

Direction:  Ridley Scott is one of my favorite directors.  He directed the original Alien, along with such notable films as Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Black Hawk Down and Gladiator.  And is also a big time producer.  However, I didn't get the feeling this movie was EPIC in the typical fashion.  Maybe it was also because the music didn't stand out... to me.  They are sympatico, I believe.

Art Direction:  Splendidly fantastical and futuristic.  The years are late 21st century, beginning in 2089.

Costume Design:  Cool looking and futuristic from the clothes worn in the Prometheus to the space suits needed in their explorations.  Especially cool was the grey suit Charlize Theron wore.

Writing:  I left this one for last since it's the blueprint for a movie.  With my writing friends, we had many questions after the movie.  Was that the point?  I found there to be holes within the script.  Surprising since uber-genius Damon Lindelof was one of the writers.  He is a master of mythology and twists/turns.  Remember how complex the tv series LOST was?  There were more questions raised than answers.

Well, there you have it.  Was it worth it?  You be the judge.  I think they could have teased us with trailers and hints of plot points.  That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.  Now, on my To-Do-List, re-watching the Alien franchise.  Who's with me?

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN BATTLES IT'S WAY TO THE THEATER

Snow White is the fairest one of all!

Universal's movie of the Brothers Grimm Snow White is now out at a theater near you.  This version isn't fairy-like and fluffy as we are used to seeing.  It is gritty, dark and dramatic.  Just like the Brothers would like it!  Snow White and the Huntsman stars Twilight's Kristen Stewart as the fairest one of all… Snow White.  Busy guy Chris Hemsworth plays the reluctant Huntsman.  Ravenna, the Evil Queen, is played by Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron.  First time feature director, Rupert Sanders, did an incredible job of orchestrating this huge project.

The special effects are fantastic AND fantastical!  The sweeping landscapes, the lush beaches, enchanted forest and animals are breathtaking.  With the superb help of three time Oscar winning costume designer Colleen Atwood, you cannot help but be mesmerized!  When the Evil Queen changes into her totem animal, the raven, it is amazing.  Last week, I was lucky to be at an advanced screening including a special Q&A with Colleen Atwood.  Three of the costumes were on display:  Ravenna’s wedding dress, the Huntsman leather ensemble and the fabulous Evil Queen cape made out of black/green rooster feathers.  We all wondered… how’d she do that?!

This movie takes you on a journey as Snow White escapes from the Queen’s prison to the forest.  The Evil Queen sends The Huntsman to kill Snow White and bring back her heart.  Only then would the Evil Queen be considered the fairest one of all.  But the Huntsman has a change of heart (no pun intended) and ends up helping Snow.  Part Joan of Arc, part Lord of the Rings (I, II and III) and part HBO/Showtime series (Camelot/Game of Thrones/Tudors), this movie is epic!

I was pleasantly surprised by the actors chosen to be the dwarfs.  (You’ll have to check IMDB for the list).  Like in LOTR trilogy, these dwarfs are full sized actors shrunken via efx to play the dwarfs…which they do so well.  The mirror takes shape as a gold man ala Terminator 2.  Very cool!  I was transported to the British land and believe you will be too.  Take your friends, daughters and (not too young) kids to see this movie.

That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!