cult film freak: July 2015

Written by James M. Tate / 7/31/2015 / No comments / 2015 , espionage , franchise , sequel

TOM CRUISE IN MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION

2015, espionage, franchise, sequel

TOM CRUISE IN MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION

2015 **1/2 In a full circle, the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE intro looks very much like a television show: the actors appearing beside their name...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/29/2015 / No comments / 2015 , chevy chase , comedy , ed helms , road movie , sequel

ED HELMS & CHRISTINA APPLEGATE IN VACATION

2015, chevy chase, comedy, ed helms, road movie, sequel

ED HELMS & CHRISTINA APPLEGATE IN VACATION

year: 2015 rating: **1/2 The many faces and ages of Rusty Griswold: After being originally played by young teenager Anthony Michael Hall...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/26/2015 / No comments / 2015 , horror

BELATED HORROR REVIEW OF THE GALLOWS

2015, horror

BELATED HORROR REVIEW OF THE GALLOWS

2015 rating: **1/2 If there's one thing more annoying than the handheld chronicling everything on a video camera horror it's wh...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/24/2015 / No comments / 2015 , adam sandler , josh gad , kevin james , peter dinklage

ADAM SANDLER STARRING IN PIXELS

2015, adam sandler, josh gad, kevin james, peter dinklage

ADAM SANDLER STARRING IN PIXELS

2015 rating: ***1/2 While THE WEDDING SINGER took us literally back to the '80s, that era's beloved video games are the centerpi...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/20/2015 / No comments / 2015 , amy schumer , bill hader , judd apatow , romantic comedy

JUDD APATOW DIRECTS AMY SCHUMER IN TRAINWRECK

2015, amy schumer, bill hader, judd apatow, romantic comedy

JUDD APATOW DIRECTS AMY SCHUMER IN TRAINWRECK

2015 rating: **1/2 Actress Amy Schumer, while scoring at the Box Office, has somewhat misled her target audience, being that her titular...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/17/2015 / 1 Comment / 2015 , marvel , michael douglas , paul rudd

PAUL RUDD & MICHAEL DOUGLAS IN ANT-MAN

2015, marvel, michael douglas, paul rudd

PAUL RUDD & MICHAEL DOUGLAS IN ANT-MAN

year: 2015 rating: ***1/2 Michael Douglas is one of those great good actors, and he not only steals ANT-MAN, but his exposition-wielding...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/14/2015 / No comments / 2015 , ben kingsley , ryan reynolds , science-fiction

RYAN REYNOLDS & BEN KINGSLEY IN SELF/LESS

2015, ben kingsley, ryan reynolds, science-fiction

RYAN REYNOLDS & BEN KINGSLEY IN SELF/LESS

2015 rating: ***1/2 Modern Science-Fiction needs only a simple everyday word or term to make an impossibly far-fetched premise believabl...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/12/2015 / No comments /

INTERVIEW WITH NATALIE BURN INVOLVING 'AWAKEN'

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bSVFAgz5KgqY15JnvETofYN4RMD0j4selxFa40ONXrUZaRv-XvUtnPhsSeNPPRbR_CmXV-WGuwPZxQPZyNE6qowzufWSV-_oIKi22uXj-9fyQdTT7AvATy0fAs0-1b4EkQN2u1-9XzA/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.23.28+PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bSVFAgz5KgqY15JnvETofYN4RMD0j4selxFa40ONXrUZaRv-XvUtnPhsSeNPPRbR_CmXV-WGuwPZxQPZyNE6qowzufWSV-_oIKi22uXj-9fyQdTT7AvATy0fAs0-1b4EkQN2u1-9XzA/s400/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.23.28+PM.png" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalie Burn Interview</td></tr>
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<i>AWAKEN is a suspenseful and mysterious, action-packed motion picture that takes you for a ride, and beyond. With a sense that anything can happen at any time, we follow the main character, Billie Kope, played by actress, writer, producer and Cult Film Freak interviewee NATALIE BURN as she... with an eclectic group of survivors... goes up against extremely dangerous odds while figuring things out along the way...</i><br />
<br />
<b>Tell us about your job as a co-writer and producer: How did you get AWAKEN from the page to the screen?</b><br />
<br />
It’s very important to understand that in order to make any kind of project possible, you need to have a clear-cut vision of what you want done and what type of  message you want to convey to the world. You want something that will ultimately spawn curiosity from people, something that will touch people’s hearts, and most importantly, something that will inspire them. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofhUcAitrd8rQxA7WJnkod2UtqMFrntRK7kEhaGVoPCSqm4Q7ySF3QTiX_aPz1cF6FQUrUUj_tU-Vhb3eDp8Ss2aD6rpfQ4kOrNdCMY5r8YcnXiFYCPv2hIuCYZNFbS2fPIfLEFDdxKw/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.23.37+PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofhUcAitrd8rQxA7WJnkod2UtqMFrntRK7kEhaGVoPCSqm4Q7ySF3QTiX_aPz1cF6FQUrUUj_tU-Vhb3eDp8Ss2aD6rpfQ4kOrNdCMY5r8YcnXiFYCPv2hIuCYZNFbS2fPIfLEFDdxKw/s320/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.23.37+PM.png" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalie Burn</td></tr>
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What inspired me to pursue the <i>Awaken</i> project was me taking the step to show a struggle with family, devastation and then, hope, to people who have experienced  any form of extreme loss. The more truth you bring to the script, the more people will feel the authenticity of the movie. When I started to run through ideas for a project, I wanted something real and that’s when I came across this interview about a boy who had gone to get an operation on his nose and never woke up. Later his mother insisted on an autopsy and found out the boys organs were all gone...<br />
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When I saw this I knew this was a subject I should tackle. So, step one is the actual IDEA and then it’s time to make it happen! From its inception to its completion, <i>Awaken </i>has been MY project.  It’s something that I am very proud of and most of all it has served as a giant learning experience for me. I’ve learned so much about making movies, everything from what type of cameras to use, what type of lighting to use, and how to deal with the cast and crew on set. I’ve realized as a young producer it’s all on me, so I make sure to come to the set a little bit earlier than everyone else and just breathe in the moment of the project. I channel my emotions and get ready for the long hard day ahead of me. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrGoUSfcsSRU50i9xZXyAwe8R29EcwAX3XvrXSin-Y6ZPwszbAwS64ulgIF-kb7kwb2n7lrb1K5U_YL7511YT5uuZF1Dqew-HMxUPsadJq78mseD2f3muyQC7Yhf1jRW4TV3Zq_uY8xg/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.24.03+PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrGoUSfcsSRU50i9xZXyAwe8R29EcwAX3XvrXSin-Y6ZPwszbAwS64ulgIF-kb7kwb2n7lrb1K5U_YL7511YT5uuZF1Dqew-HMxUPsadJq78mseD2f3muyQC7Yhf1jRW4TV3Zq_uY8xg/s320/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.24.03+PM.png" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalie Burn</td></tr>
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<b>Whats it like working as a leading lady/action heroine?</b><br />
<br />
My character quickly evolves form survivor to butt-kicking bad-ass in <i>Awaken</i>. As the lead, I knew that I would have to bring everything out of myself for this role, so I went through two months of training with Benny the Jet, who also played my father in the movie. We kickboxed; we were wrestling and boxing for several hours a day, six days a week! This was very important to me because, as I said earlier, I want to inspire people... especially women... because I remember the action heroines that inspired me, like Sigourney Weaver, who may be the most iconic and enduring female action hero ever portrayed in a science-fiction film.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnPn3lj-Ix_9KRpYNIEF99KRJ3PA4bZNE-vz1f4UeRhouDwT4SbvnPvqgn_Rxh3thEWgyq_UYwenFQ1Yvi3_k2ZNVmHEraxN7xt5oL9ScYPeCvdsKLzeYw9Xg2L4G40DDwWRq8BgpeAs/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.57.27+PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnPn3lj-Ix_9KRpYNIEF99KRJ3PA4bZNE-vz1f4UeRhouDwT4SbvnPvqgn_Rxh3thEWgyq_UYwenFQ1Yvi3_k2ZNVmHEraxN7xt5oL9ScYPeCvdsKLzeYw9Xg2L4G40DDwWRq8BgpeAs/s320/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.57.27+PM.png" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ripped Linda Hamilton in T2</td></tr>
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Another actor who really opened up my eyes was Linda Hamilton and her role in <i>Terminator</i>. Even though she started off as the stereotypical damsel-in-distress, she eventually morphed into a muscle-bound weapons expert who would stop at nothing to defeat the Terminator, which is what I felt like my character in <i>Awaken </i>was like: a strong and determined girl who will not give up until she does everything to find her sister.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzRgSN4qgMdcXhtyqSQYdeAfp64_AX3kSQil3_QPrGvf4tFdLz5REgbvi_qyFaQkGRh_tlNv3DxV2a47Y4eu723Bz66bAY3XZ1nxWq4vp6WZYeQ3D_pUS-tXkJ5xDdvl_weD08JwSPhc/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.59.36+PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzRgSN4qgMdcXhtyqSQYdeAfp64_AX3kSQil3_QPrGvf4tFdLz5REgbvi_qyFaQkGRh_tlNv3DxV2a47Y4eu723Bz66bAY3XZ1nxWq4vp6WZYeQ3D_pUS-tXkJ5xDdvl_weD08JwSPhc/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.59.36+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furlong in T2</td></tr>
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<b>What was it like working with established stars Robert Davi, Edward Furlong, Micheal Pare and Daryl Hannah in AWAKEN? What did they bring to the table?</b><br />
<br />
It was an amazingly bright and memorable time working with such talent. I’ve always believed that experience is the best form of education anybody can get, and I make sure to retain as much as I possibly can from every actor I work with. I really admire how passionate these actors are about what they do and how they do it. The "performance" is really what ultimately sets actors apart from one another. You have to love the stage and camera and you need to have a real desire to entertain people. You want a flawless connection from a performer to your audience, which is really not that easily achieved if you are not willing to always keep your mind open to learning new and skillful techniques.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHPFWR4hzZFkIoZKZ82MYI_zjpR3FQM3QyVv1P9aM1IpKXiDhyphenhyphenZXKz4obZv5HNbPMdwCGqSCfUb_44vpBaBD_RdxZsjzrSOwwzVH34-0xEeM8U5z3R5odkapZwY0gi-5r6Etyac-btnc/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.58.13+PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHPFWR4hzZFkIoZKZ82MYI_zjpR3FQM3QyVv1P9aM1IpKXiDhyphenhyphenZXKz4obZv5HNbPMdwCGqSCfUb_44vpBaBD_RdxZsjzrSOwwzVH34-0xEeM8U5z3R5odkapZwY0gi-5r6Etyac-btnc/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-07-11+at+6.58.13+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mel Gibson in E3</td></tr>
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<b>And you had a role in THE EXPENDABLES 3: What was this like? </b><br />
<br />
Working on <i>The Expendables 3</i> movie was very entertaining and very helpful. This was the biggest project that I have ever been a part of so it was very interesting to see how and what all these actors do in terms of their preparations for their characters. The film was very physically demanding on everybody involved, so it was very important for these actors to stay on their workout routine. <br />
<br />
I remember seeing just how disciplined Ronda Rousey stayed to her training for the role. She would train constantly – often times more than the men! Every morning she was at the gym no matter how tough the day of shooting was.<br />
<br />
What I really enjoyed about filming was my experience playing the wife of Mel Gibson's character. He really took the time needed to develop his character and he did this by trusting his own instincts with acting; on top of that he did a tremendous work on getting deep into understanding his character. What kind of gestures does he have? How does one walk, talk, dress? I feel this is crucial for character development because it provides you with your own backstory for the role you are creating. And in the end makes you exactly the person you want to be in that film.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnX8VGxGXeW-umQpQLWrWHwpIsb83DZi3HVLibchrch27QYyo9f46TziZ-XFgWHoRA4hXFr2QD3YpYZrC30gR_h_tjTtbJTZ_4JqDQftp89GpfajUDjBdrFwzcJ_FsFbLN2G-xohaDJU/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.24.21+PM.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnX8VGxGXeW-umQpQLWrWHwpIsb83DZi3HVLibchrch27QYyo9f46TziZ-XFgWHoRA4hXFr2QD3YpYZrC30gR_h_tjTtbJTZ_4JqDQftp89GpfajUDjBdrFwzcJ_FsFbLN2G-xohaDJU/s320/Screen+shot+2015-06-23+at+5.24.21+PM.png" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Order AWAKEN at Amazon by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Edward-Furlong/dp/B00ZETGC2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436689344&sr=8-1&keywords=awaken+natalie+burn">clicking this link</a></td></tr>
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<b>Last but not least... What made you want to become an actress and how did you set out to become one?</b><br />
<br />
I’ve always had a passion for performing and even though I started dancing at a very early age, I’ve always dreamt of one day becoming a Hollywood star. I really enjoyed dance because it allowed me to really express all of my emotions out through choreography and dance...<br />
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However, once I got injured I needed to find new ways of expressing myself and what better way to do that than vocally performing my emotions. That’s when I started to pursue acting so I made the choice to move to Hollywood and become an actor. I joined several well respected schools and eventually I realized that opportunity is something that you need to create on your own because waiting around for the next audition is something I’m accustomed to. So, I created my own production company, 7Heaven Productions, and started doing my own thing. My first project was a short film called <i>Fallen Angel </i>and then <i>Awaken </i>soon followed. Now I have 3 movies in development and I can't wait to make them happen!<br />

INTERVIEW WITH NATALIE BURN INVOLVING 'AWAKEN'

Natalie Burn Interview AWAKEN is a suspenseful and mysterious, action-packed motion picture that takes you for a ride, and beyond. With ...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/11/2015 / No comments / documentary , george hardy , horror , james m. tate , troll 2 , zeroes

NARCISSISTIC REVIEW OF BEST WORST MOVIE

documentary, george hardy, horror, james m. tate, troll 2, zeroes

NARCISSISTIC REVIEW OF BEST WORST MOVIE

year: 2009 rating: ***1/2 A vehicle in which yours truly appears for an epic fifteen seconds (of fame), as one of many fanatical fans of...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/09/2015 / 1 Comment / 2015 , channing tatum , dance

GROUCHY MALE REVIEW OF MAGIC MIKE XXL

2015, channing tatum, dance

GROUCHY MALE REVIEW OF MAGIC MIKE XXL

2015 rating: * Thank kitschy heaven for Joe Manganiello: The giant actor (who could have been the next Tony "Meat" Ganios if P...

Written by James M. Tate / 7/01/2015 / No comments / 2015 , action , arnold schwarzenegger , franchise , michael jai white , science-fiction , sequel

WEDNESDAY EARLY REVIEW OF TERMINATOR GENISYS

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZLL8K9cckX7pu5cVehyh8HowLqPm0ybMHJ0NpvtFVHrCxB4qUM-6PeFoA6Afr4qjiYea5-uGb00BZPtM6I7-1hl1LuiHheYlVWu8w-LRckHB45ZdAgshjK76zblXbyq_k0I0t8k83PA/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-06-30+at+10.39.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZLL8K9cckX7pu5cVehyh8HowLqPm0ybMHJ0NpvtFVHrCxB4qUM-6PeFoA6Afr4qjiYea5-uGb00BZPtM6I7-1hl1LuiHheYlVWu8w-LRckHB45ZdAgshjK76zblXbyq_k0I0t8k83PA/s400/Screen+shot+2015-06-30+at+10.39.33+PM.png" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2015 rating: ***</td></tr>
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While this rebooted sequel of the TERMINATOR series feels like a strategic opportunity to delete the fourth film, SALVATION, an overlong catastrophe taking place in a future where only random flashbacks should occur, it actually winds up erasing the third, RISE OF THE MACHINES, since a gung-ho Sarah Connor is ready for a new start after having experienced similar ups-and-downs of the first two (and best) James Cameron-directed adventures. So when futuristic Kyle Reese shows up in 1984 to save her life, she’s been through the ringer, and then some, and has a familiar face protecting her…<br />
<br />
To give anything else away, including what elements of each film are reused and/or recycled, or what time-lines are travelled, would be an absolute crime since... bookended between two segments of non-stop action is so much expository dialogue about what happened or what’s about to happen or what really happened when it almost <i>didn’t happen</i> the first time around, when everything began... at a certain point GENISYS, relying completely on scientific plot-twists, hits a major wall of downtime… But thankfully the characters, including a resilient and mysterious John Connor; the energetic duo of Sarah and Kyle; and Arnold Schwarzenegger being used with the right combination of kitsch and badass (“I’m old, not obsolete”), all help <i>morph</i> what begins to feel like an over-explained cable series pilot into the big budget spectacular that was needed to aptly reboot… or rather, sustain… a classic and creative franchise.

2015, action, arnold schwarzenegger, franchise, michael jai white, science-fiction, sequel