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Chris Pratt On ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Rock Hard Physique

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Unless you’re playing Blob or the Kingpin, getting into tip top shape is a requirement in playing your average Marvel comic book superhero. Although he’s had memorable supporting roles in Moneyball and Zero Dark Thirty, Chris Pratt still needed to sculpt his physique to play Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy (check out his eye-opening selfie in this Zap2it.com article).

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Chris Pratt as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel Studios)

Like most normal dudes, Chris Pratt loves eating and drinking beer (he and wife Anna Faris ate to their hearts’ content on a 2012 episode of Top Chef), but sometimes one has to put one’s healthy appetite to the side – especially if you’re working in show business.

During the Guardians of the Galaxy press conference, a journalist asked Pratt about his own body image, and he gave a really funny answer. Click on the media bar below to listen to Chris Pratt.

Guardians of the Galaxy, co-starring Vin Diesel and Zoe Saldana, opens August 1.

Foreigner’s Atlantic Studio Collection Set for Fall Release

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On October 14, Rhino will release Foreigner – The Complete Atlantic Studio Albums 1977-1991. The seven disc collection, priced at $39.98, will also be available as a digital download. The retrospective covers the following Foreigner albums: Foreigner (1977), Double Vision (1978), Head Games (1979), Agent Provocateur (1984), Inside Information (1987), and Unusual Heat (1991).

Fans will be treated to the Foreigner hits “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “I Want To Know What Love Is,” and (my personal fav) “I Don’t Want Live Without You.” The collection also includes all the bonus tracks from the 2002 deluxe editions from the group’s first four albums. A demo of “Feels Like The First Time” and a live version of “Cold Blooded” are among the added cuts.

Foreigner isn’t exactly living in the past, as they are currently on the road with Styx as part of the “The Soundtrack of Summer Tour” in the U.S.

Starting in October, the band headline a series of tour dates in Germany, with their tour culminating in Lincoln, Nebraska (November 14, Lied Center for Performing Arts).

 

‘Flyleaf’ Premiere “Set Me On Fire” Video With Billboard Interview

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Flyleaf gave a recent interview with Billboard magazine, and the Q&A also contains the new video “Set Me On Fire,” a single taken off their upcoming album Between the Stars. It’s standard operating procedure for band members to exclaim that their latest work is their best yet, but I’m still encouraged that guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya describes Between the Stars as “one of the coolest records” the band has made.

Now in my early forties, my own definition of “cool” is probably outdated, but I do know the “Set Me On Fire” video isn’t exactly an icy proposition. The group shot the vid in an abandoned warehouse in downtown Los Angeles, and the production crew littered the place with candles to give the environment a mysterious, this place is really getting too fiery for my own tastes kind of look. Although it’s mainly a performance video with singer Kristen May and the rest of the outfit rocking their lives away, the mixture of an orange-red backdrop and dead tree silhouettes, along with some inevitable fire, adds a welcome visual luster to the clip.

Between the Stars comes out September 16, and it’s currently available for pre-order on iTunes. It’s a big outing for the group, as it’s their first full fledged album with May (her first outing with the band, post Lacey Sturm era, was the 2013 EP Who We Are).

Details for a stateside fall tour will be announced in the coming weeks, with the band also heading overseas in support of their album early next year.

 

Jessica Lange To Receive Kirk Douglas Award At SBIFF Event

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Jessica Lange (SBIF)

Jessica Lange, a two time Oscar (Tootsie, Blue Sky) and Emmy winner (Grey Gardens, American Horror Story), will be honored with the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film. The ninth annual event, run by Santa Barbara International Film Festival,  takes place November 16 at the Bacara Resort & Spa.

Jessica Lange possesses the three key elements in making it in this crazy business: talent, beauty and intelligence…all of which have served her well and continue to do so. It is my honor to give her my award.”

Past recipients include Forrest Whittaker, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, director Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, John Travolta, as well as Kirk Douglas.

Lange continues her impressive acting career with a role in the movie Wild Oats (directed by Andy Tennant) and the fourth season of American Horror Story.

Other film credits for Lange include King Kong, the remake for The Postman Always Rings Twice, Titus, and Big Fish.

Here’s video of Jessica Lange backstage after winning a Golden Globe for her work in American Horror Story.

Wizzard Race Weaves iOS 3D Magic In August

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Wizards are usually casting spells and creating magic in their respective kingdoms, yet sometimes they may feel the need for speed. The 3D game Wizzard Race, which send players racing against fellow spellcasters in a magical land called Certamen, is slated for release on iOS, Android and Windows phone in August.

Massacre1There’s gold, a bit of glory, as well as the chance to possess the spirit of Eneth in the offing, as wizards will mount their respective broomsticks and race ’til the cows come home. Developed with the Unity 3D engine (always a good sign), the app is the first release from game development company Pluxon Inc. The dev team cite  the Harry Potter franchise and Crash Team Racing as influences for this mobile racing game.

A slew of creatures serve as impediments to your journey, which features runner, time trial, and racing battle style gamplay (they are aptly named Circuit, Time Stamp, and Massacre modes).

Pluxon, Inc. claims over 10,000 hours were spent developing the title, and so far app enthusiasts have been treated to a launch trailer and a collection of gamplay photos. Since I’m a runner/racer fan, Wizzard Race is definitely on my to-play list, and I’ll report more on this title when it hits the app store.

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http://youtu.be/TSWpy0kCMMw

 

Daniel Radcliffe Finds “Horns” With Supernatural Role

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In the upcoming Horns, Daniel Radcliffe is Ig Perrish, the prime suspect in the murder of his girlfriend Merrin (Killer Joe’s Juno Temple). After a night of drinking, Ig also discovers horns that are growing from his head, and although he’s probably not the devil, Ig now has the power to drive people to indulge in their deepest impulses.

With the horns, Ig may also have the ability to find his girlfriend’s killer and exact his own form of revenge on the culprit. Of course, if the actual murderer is Ig, that would certainly put a twist to the proceedings.

The supernatural thriller/black comedy is based on Joe Hill’s novel, and it comes out October 23rd nationwide and On Demand. Check out the trailer and pics below!

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Spoon’s “They Want My Soul” Streams On ITunes Radio

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Spoon (They Want My Soul)

Spoon’s album They Want My Soul debuts August 5 via Loma Vista, but fans of the band can stream the entire album through iTunes Radio.  The group’s passion for albums can currently be witnessed by their Vinyl Gratification program, which gives fans who preorder They Want My Soul a white vinyl pressing of the album. The singles “Do You,” “Rent I Pay” and “Inside Out” were also featured in a 10-inch limited edition vinyl which sold out in participating record stores, and a new shipment is set for a Wednesday, July 30 release in participating record stores.

With the release of their first studio album since 2010’s Transference, the band are in full promotion and touring mode. Their trek, which starts August 1 in Chicago (Metro), will also included stops in Los Angeles (The Fairbanks Lawn of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, August 5), San Francisco (Outside Lands, August 10), Portland (Musicfest NW, August 17), NYC (Central Park,, September 10), Montreal (as special guests of Arcade Fire, Parc Jean Drapeau, August 30), and Austin (Austin City Limits Music Festival, October 5 & 12).

They Want My Soul is an excellent addition to Spoon’s impressive body of work, and although it’s really hard to single out my favorites from their new album, I am absolutely hooked on the tranquil yet seductive “Inside Out.” If you haven’t checked out the track, watch the Spoon video below:

 

 

 

Mad Max: Fury Road Trailer Shows Max At Apocalyptic Best

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It’s hard to imagine it’s been almost 30 years since Mel Gibson (and Tina Turner) graced the screen in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Director George Miller is back to revisit his fatalistic desert wasteland, this time with Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road.

Mad Max: Fury Road is slated for a May 15, 2015 release, and the trailer officially debuted at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. Check out the video and images below, and if you have any thoughts on Hardy taking over Mad Max or the return of the franchise (the first installment, Mad Max, came out in 1979), feel free to comment! I haven’t checked out Miller’s trilogy in years, but maybe it’s time to take one more ride with Mel Gibson’s Max before I see Hardy take over the reigns in May.

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Ethan Hawke On ‘Boyhood’ & Acting: “I’m Not A Better Actor Now”

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Boyhood

As one grows and matures into the world, many facets of one’s life is expected to improve. For actors and filmmakers, learning and honing their craft, mixed in with a genuine curiosity, should only deepen their work. During the Boyhood interviews, Ethan Hawke was asked if he’s become a better actor over the years, and his humble response gave an insightful look into the process.

Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood (IFC Films, Matt Lankes)
Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood (IFC Films, Matt Lankes)

“I would like to think I’m a better actor now,” said Hawke who referenced his work in Joe Dante’s feature Explorers in his response. “But I’m just dealing with the hand that I have now. I’m not a better actor now – I wish I was. It’s a nice idea.”

Check out the audio clip below as Ethan Hawke talks about the difference between acting in film and on stage – and he also explains why he really doesn’t feel that he’s a “better actor” at this moment. Boyhood co-star Patricia Arquette also chimes in on the answer, as she explains the joy and challenge of working with young actors Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater.

Boyhood is now playing in select theaters, and if you’re a fan of Richard Linklater’s previous work (Before Midnight, Slacker, Waking Life), then this film should be up your alley.

‘Hemlock Grove’ Producer Eli Roth On Humor’s Effect on Storytelling

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Hemlock Grove

Shows like Hemlock Grove, House of Cards, and Orange is the New Black is proof that Netflix is a creative powerhouse in the television medium. Streaming is gradually taking dominance over the tried and true remote control, as tablet users can touch, tap and binge watch their way through some of their favorite programs.

“Netflix is such a hot network,” says Roth, whose next film The Green Inferno comes out September 14. “They have been so wonderful. They are the place to be right now…it’s amazing how a year ago people didn’t really understand the concept of a show on Netflix but now everybody wants to get a show on there because it’s the place where you can have the most creative freedom and you can make the most cinematic television series.”

Click on the audio below to hear Roth and Famke Janssen offer up their thoughts on Netflix.

Bill Skarsgard in "Hemlock Grove" Season 2 - (Netflix, CR: Steve Wilkie)
Bill Skarsgard in “Hemlock Grove” Season 2 – (Netflix, CR: Steve Wilkie)

One of the strongest aspects of Eli Roth’s storytelling (Hostel, Cabin Fever) is his ability to mix humor amidst the horror, gore, and suspense that dominate his films (and Hemlock Grove). I asked him if there was a secret to balancing these different tones in his work, and he referenced filmmakers David Lynch (Twin Peaks, Eraserhead) and Stanley Kubrick in his answer.

Click on the media bar below to hear Eli Roth explain why humor, whether it’s found in Twin Peaks or Hemlock Grove, is an important aspect to a strong narrative.

Season 2 of Hemlock Grove, which co-stars Dougray Scott, Bill Skarsgard and Landon Liboiron,is now available for streaming on Netflix.
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