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Click here for our exclusive sit-down with the Dancing Damsel herself, Greta Gerwig!

Damsels in Distress makes the long waited, and somewhat anticipated return of Whit Stillman to writing/directing. The last time he made a film was 1998’s The Last Days of Disco. Stillman has always been known for his, pardon the pun, witty writing style and character development; and Damsels in Distress harkens that same feel once again. Don’t let the title fool you, there is nothing distressing about this movie; unless you walk in to see a movie and a musical breaks out.

Damsels in Distress starts off at what can only be considered an East Coast University that until recently had been an all male institution. The notion of a school only recently becoming coed is a different take, especially since we don’t get an exact time frame of when the movie takes place. The movie follows mainly three girls who are close friends; Violet (Greta Gerwig) who is the undeclared leader of the trio, Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke), and Heather (Carrie MacLemore). These girls are out to change the way the school is and make it more accepting to women like themselves. They come upon a transfer student, Lily (Analeigh Tipton) and take her under their wing. The girls decide that the mood of the university is much too bleak, and the best way to change things around is to start a suicide prevention center; the method of choice is of course . . . tap dancing.

Violet, Rose, and Heather show Lily the way they believe life and love should manifest in society. This is a rather interesting take due to the dialogue and how everything plays out throughout the movie. Violet seemingly has her way mapped out, but deep down inside she is really quite lost. The way she speaks is quite elegant, and almost seems as if she takes the Shakespeare phrase “All the world is a stage” entirely literally.

Violet believes that most women date men who will appear to make them look better and increase their stature; she doesn’t agree with this theory and believes that women should improve a man’s stature in life and appearance by merely teaching them, and also being seen with them. This is an interesting take for me, because it seems that this is the way society actually looks at relationships from both genders. The way the dialogue was written and performed adds something that is missing from most movies recently.

Lily slowly takes what she is learning and believes she has gained the greater understanding of everything, that is until she meets a man unlike any other she has ever met, Charlie (Adam Brody). As Lily comes into her own, Violet admits that she’s not really depressed, but in a tailspin of her life. This comes with the realization that her boyfriend, whom she is trying to change, Frank (Ryan Metcalf) seduces another girl.

Throughout the movie we meet an interesting collection of characters that all seem to fit in their own way. Rose and Heather seem to have difficulties of their own as well. Taking Violet’s advice doesn’t seem to help either of them due to the fact that most of the men at the university have dating skills not seen since Cro-Magnon man. This is where the title comes into play.

The girls all seem to have their heads firmly on their shoulders, but when they attempt to put into play what they believe in, all that comes out is putting their own lives in distress. This adds depth to the movie in a way that is intriguing. Most viewers might see this as a stretch to keep the comedy alive, but the way the script is written and the way the actors portray their roles really adds humor and depth. While some might consider it silly humor or going in for cheap laughs, it really gives off the sense of meaning in the way everything is structured.

This movie certainly isn’t for everybody. There will always be a certain sect of the audience that will shun a movie such as Damsels in Distress. I found myself caught in the middle. Some of things felt a little over-the-top and contrived, but the humor and portrayal really added something that some might miss out on. There is also the plot line which comes across as a conceivably “what the hell” type of a storyline. Also, leaving out when the movie takes place adds some distraction, but you do get a vague sense.  It was enjoyable and is just a fun film to watch when you want a few good laughs, or just want to get away from the normal doldrums of some of the current films of the day.

Overall, I say if you have the chance to see it, take it; you might walk away with a spring in your step or at least with some memorable lines and a few unforgettable characters.

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Click here for our Trump Hotel sit-down with Jennifer Westfeldt

Friends with Kids is the latest film from Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) which shows the lives of six close friends and how relationships change when children are introduced. Shot with an incredibly comedic cast that doesn’t disappoint – you get the expected laughs galore and more. While the laughs flow freely, there is underlying drama that comes to the surface which adds a new dimension making it more than a typical comedy. The cast does a great job in their roles, and credit deserves to be given to Ms. Westfeldt for writing, producing, starring, and directing Friends with Kids.

Two best friends, Jason (Adam Scott) and Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt), are chatting on the phone with each other late one night. They both live in the same building and have someone lying in bed next to them. This shows us the beginning of what is yet to come. Next we are introduced to their best friends Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O’Dowd). After some brief banter, the group is joined by their other best friends, Missy (Kristin Wiig) and Ben (Jon Hamm). The humorous banter comes fast and furious until the group hears a screaming child in the background of a fancy restaurant. Jason and Julie are quick with comments about how bad it is that people subject others to the shrieks, just as Leslie and Alex announce they are expecting.  With comedy and life, timing is everything.

Then we hit the fast forward button four years and now Julie and Jason are talking as they arrive at Leslie and Alex’s apartment. They quickly realize that the friends have changed and they longer share many things in common. Then Missy and Ben arrive with a baby of their own. Dinner is awkward as the friends talk and compares notes. The movie really captures how relationships evolve as singles become couples and then, the ultimate insanity . . . parents.  This leads us to the point where the movie really takes off; Julie and Jason decide to have a baby. When the friends find out about the decision, conversations unfold and it is agreed how this might not be the best decision for Julie and Jason.

Now nine more months pass, and we are in the delivery room as Julie is having the baby. Comedy ensues during the birth scene, and most may not think of child birth being funny, but the characters deliver pinpoint dialogue that brings a humorous note to the whole situation. Many questions arise, will Julie and Jason live to the expectations of failure that their friends have dreaded, or will they live as a happily unmarried couple with a baby? That question is quickly answered as Julie and Jason, much to the surprise of their friends, seem to have their lives together and great ideas of sharing responsibilities.

The friends compare notes again and question the reality of the situation; finally, everything seems to be working, but how long can it last?  We see Jason doing his fatherly duty of taking his son out for the day, when he comes upon an attractive young woman, Mary Jane (Megan Fox). Mary Jane quickly calls Jason out on using his son to garner her attention, and also as a cheap way to attempt to pick a girl up in the park; alas it does work.

Mary Jane and Jason quickly hit it off, but how does Julie feel about this? Julie starts to show, through expressions, that she has developed feelings for Jason. She can’t let him know how she feels, so she enlists Leslie to help her find a new man. Leslie introduces Julie to a man, Kurt (Edward Burns), that she knows from school functions for her oldest child. Julie quickly hits it off with Kurt, as the two share common interests and an attraction for each other as well. This is the beginning of the underlying tension and drama that has been set aside. The way Jason reacts to the news of Julie having a new relationship doesn’t come into question, yet.

It all changes in New Hampshire where the friends annually take a New Year’s Day ski trip. This is where all the drama that has been festering amongst other members begins to surface. Loyalty and love is quickly brought to the table in a scene that makes the viewer quickly forget the comedy that led to this part. Everyone holds their own in this dramatic scene and it really builds nicely with some great acting. In the live-free-or-die state, we see how relationships are built, but over time, relationships also falter.

More questions arise and NOTHING is left hidden amongst the group. As secrets are revealed, the whole group is taken aback, and it seems that they may have lost something they all once shared, a genuine camaraderie.

The movie progresses forward and there are a few twists that add more to the dramatic elements of the film. Really, this movie can be seen as two films in one, a comedy in the first half and drama in the second; but that doesn’t really do the movie justice. You get laughs galore, but there are introspective moments where the viewer has to look inside and question certain things as well. The fast pace and quick cuts in time take away from some of the overall feeling of the movie, just never knowing when something really is happening, and takes away from the fluidity of the story. This is a movie that pulls no punches with the language, but its rated R for a reason! The cast delivers on ALL levels, and it was an enjoyable experience. I suggest not going in expecting to laugh the WHOLE time; you won’t, but enjoy the laughs that the movie will surely give you.

Send us your questions for Angelina Jolie and you could win a poster of the film!

Just post your question in our comments below, we choose best one, simple!

In the Land of Blood and Honey has been nominated for a Golden Globe® for Best Foreign Language Film. Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s, the film tells the story of Danijel (Goran Kosti?) and Ajla (pronounced Ayla) (Zana Marjanovi?), two Bosnians from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. Danijel, a Bosnian Serb police officer, and Ajla, a Bosnian Muslim artist, are together before the war, but their relationship is changed as violence engulfs the country. Months later, Danijel is serving under his father, General Nebojsa Vukojevich (Rade Šerbedžija), as an officer in the Bosnian Serb Army. He and Ajla come face to face again when she is taken from the apartment she shares with her sister, Lejla (Vanesa Glodjo), and Lejla’s infant child by troops under Danijel’s command. As the conflict takes hold of their lives, their relationship changes, their motives and connection to one another become ambiguous and their allegiances grow uncertain. In the Land of Blood and Honey portrays the incredible emotional, moral and physical toll that the war takes on individuals as well as the consequences that stem from the lack of political will to intervene in a society stricken with conflict.

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Read David Limacher’s interview with Darryl, here: A chat with Darryl Roberts

Limacher Low Down: America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments is a follow up to the 2007 Documentary America the Beautiful. The first movie dealt with the issues of Americans doing what they can to look better. America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments provides greater insight into Body Mass Index (BMI), the world of weight loss, diets, and the infatuation people seem to have with believing that being thin means that a person is healthy. The movie provides insight into these topics, and Director Darryl Roberts offers himself as a test subject to test some diets and hypotheses as well.

We start off the movie by gaining a better understanding of the Body Mass Index or BMI. This is the scale that dictates whether people are healthy, overweight, or obese. Did you know that stars such as Will Smith, Mel Gibson, and Christian Bale are considered overweight according the BMI scale? Hell, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is considered OBESE when measured by the BMI scale. The BMI scale says if a person is a certain height, they need to weigh a certain amount or they are overweight or obese! The movie offers a great insight into the falsities of the BMI scale and certain reasons why the scale has shown great importance to certain people.

The movie then moves to Darryl getting a physical by his doctor, and he learns that he has an irregular heart beat and high blood pressure. This is an alarming fact which affects more people than care to realize it. It gets worse for Darryl when the doctor prescribes him two medications which could result in a man’s WORST NIGHTMARE, Erectile Dysfunction! Darryl realizes that it is now up to him to do whatever he can to not need the medication, and cure his problems as well.

Darryl decides to attempt a “Raw” diet. Raw diets are a basic vegan diet in which foods are provided that starts with a 4 week cleanse of all the toxins in the system to start properly on the diet. After speaking with people who have succeeded on the diet, he decides to give it a try. The scenes in which Darryl is on the “Raw” diet offer a funny and honest portrayal of what most people experience. Darryl doesn’t stop there; he goes through a gauntlet of diets all of which provide the same results.

The movie next focuses on High Fructose Corn Syrup. There is great insight into the reasons behind the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup as well. When certain people are questioned about High Fructose Corn Syrup, the subject is quickly changed or the subject is just ignored all together. Facts are provided and should hold the interest of most viewers.

Next we meet Candi, a person so infatuated with looking good, and being a certain way that it has taken over her life. She works out in the morning, goes to work, and then works out after work as well. Candi is so infatuated that she and Darryl head off to the gym in the middle of a blizzard that closed down Chicago. She believes that all the work she is putting in will pay off. But where does it end? She hits her goal, and then sets a new goal. She gets questioned when her figure and weight will finally be good enough, and it seems only she knows just when it will be good enough.

There is one scene that has stuck with me, and will continue to stick with me for years to come. In one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the movie, Darryl’s half sister admits to him a secret that she never told him. She had the courage to tell him for the first time on camera as well. It took real courage for her to do it, and her Doctor gave her advice to help her with the problem she had in the past. Her doctor had told her that her BMI was too high to conceive a child. Her Doctor was transfixed on the BMI scale that he has her believing that if she wants to have a child, she must lose weight and be at a BMI of less than 25%. It really makes a person wonder if this is true, or what facts either party has to go off to show this is true.

Focus now moves to BMI and education. Schools in Ohio are now mandated to place the BMI number of students in 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 9th grade on their report cards so parents get more involved! Superintendents are interviewed about why they petitioned to no longer subject their students to placement of the BMI scale on their report cards. They provide some interesting facts, and provide good reason as to why they chose to do what they did. The State Senator who wrote and helped pass the bill into law was interviewed as well. He seemed so obsessed with living by the BMI scale, he seemed blinded by the facts Darryl provided thus far.

Darryl does a good job of providing facts behind the BMI, the people who lowered the number back in 1998, and also into the CDC. He provided interesting insight to different factors that may have been overlooked as well. The facts and figures are out there, it is just how a person chooses to view them that make all the difference. But Darryl is not done there. He chats with psychiatrists and nutritionists about weight loss, and the facts they provide are eye opening as well.

The movie does a good job of giving a better understanding into the obsession with weight and being thin. Is it healthy? Are diets healthy? Is there one solution to the problem? The questions may go unanswered, but are left for the viewer to decide. The humor flows freely, and it helps progress the movie along well. There are points when the movie doesn’t progress well, and the fact some questions are left unanswered left me with more questions than answers. The movie was well done, and I would suggest it for anyone who questions diets, or the reasoning why America has the infatuation with looking a certain way.

Click on each image above for the individual interviews!

I had the pleasure of joining Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon Rodriguez and Michael Pena for a little coffee table chat at the South Beach Ritz Carlton on Monday to discuss their upcoming sci-fi-action-thriller, “Battle: Los Angeles”.  It was a wonderful chance to meet some passionate actors and chew the proverbial fat for a few minutes with each.

I found Michelle to be well researched in her character, and dare I say, I could see the geek in her, of course I wouldn’t say that to her face, and I don’t advise you to either.  She is the essence of the action chick of our era, charming and lethal, with a wry smile and demeanor that says, hey, I am no thespian, save your “emotional studies” for someone who likes that shit.  And while she claims the “geek is the new icon” – for me, SHE is the new icon of sci-fi femmes to watch, earning the Avatar and now Battle: Los Angeles achievements, just to name a few.

Ramon was an actor’s actor, discussing his role and how he prepared for Second Lieutenant Martinez and the challenges he would face physically.  He didn’t understand how the military rank structure worked, where a boot Lieutenant (my word) could give orders to a hard-nosed, combat tested veteran of twenty years, like Staff Sergeant Nance (played by Aaron Eckhart).  He quickly realized the importance of playing an officer and mentioned it was nice to be able to actually confront and kill the enemy in this film, unlike Transformers where he was constantly running from the robots in disguise.

Michael was the funniest; several times we all busted out laughing, and you can hear it in the audio files, he was just a genuine Chicagoan.  It was interesting how he chose the Joe Rincon role, when there were more dynamic, but maybe less dramatic roles available.

You can check out each detailed interview by clicking on the image above, each section is broken down by the actor, and each interview has some audio files, and hell, if you listen to those, it’s almost like you were there with us, shooting the shit and getting to know each of these wonderful personalities.

“Did anybody see?”

Swift shot:  Even if you live your life in a vacuum, you are being watched – if you think about it, our lives are a constant exhibitionist experiment, with the man, or woman, upstairs kicking back with a cold one and either enjoying all of it or fast-forwarding all the mundane bullshit and getting to the good stuff.  Writer/Director Adam Rifkin allows the audience to become the Eye of Providence through the many lenses our modern society provides – from the cameras that keep us safe to the cameras that ensure our stock doesn’t walk away without reason.  Getting a grasp on the characters becomes a challenge, but as the story plays out and things start to connect, the challenge of figuring out who is noteworthy and who is just along for the ride, keeps this film entertaining. And, it makes you think about what role you may be playing in your own story – is it LOOK worthy?

Leading right off with T&A, Rifkin directs the Eye to two teenagers changing at the local mall, trying on tiny outfits – wearing nothing but thongs.  He effectively gets right to the heart of the voyeur and eliminates the anticipation of when the good stuff is coming. And, if you are easily distracted by T&A, you might miss some of the genuine dialog, but even if you hear no dialog, the character of these girls is immediately brought into question.  In fact, watching LOOK on mute won’t detract from the overall payoff – or watching it in foreign tongue, for example.  I think a scene where Rifkin actually uses a foreign speaking correspondent displays this well.

As mentioned before, the “guess the characters” game in LOOK is intriguing, so I don’t want to give you a break-down of each, because that is half the fun with LOOK.  You learn about each character through their actions more than their words, ultimately, words become pointless, because the actions dictate each character’s role in the film.  The actors pulled off a decent feel of authenticity, and I must say, by the end I was wagging my finger at a few of the characters and shaking my head at their choices – so, these actors managed to become their characters.  You can’t ask more from your talent than to be loved or hated as the writer intended.

What I didn’t really like about LOOK also has to do with two of these characters – they are killers, referred to as “The Candid Camera Killers”.  I wanted to know more about these characters, and only one scene had any chance of pulling that off.  Ron (Sebastian Feldman) wears a suit, the other looks like a grungy dirt-bag, Ace played by Rhys Coiro.  Feldman gave a forced performance, or at least if felt that way, because I don’t know enough about his character’s motivations.  Granted, a lot of the time, real life is like that, people do shit and you scratch your head and find yourself asking why.  LOOK suffers for this with a few of the characters.

Ultimately, the way everything plays out in the end is satisfying, because real life never has all the loose ends wrapped up.  LOOK is worth the watch, but it isn’t for everyone.  It doesn’t have a lot of action, the dialog is parsed together from several days of surveillance footage and some of the characters come across as uninteresting because of that.  Still, this one did well in college houses according to Rifkin (you can listen to our interview with him here) and I can see why.  The whole film I was reminded of a line from my dad’s favorite film, “That’s the trouble with surveillance, you never get to see nuthin”.  LOOK is like that, you only get to see these people through surveillance, so you only get snippets – but, it is disturbing how much can be gleaned about people from these little snippets.

Enjoy LOOK, because while you watch it, someone is watching you!

Welcome!

David Limacher and Rick Swift got to briefly, well not really briefly, chat with Adam Rifkin and Ali Cobrin of the Showtime series, “Look”.   Listen to the whole interview here!

We broke the interview up into sections below, because we know how few people listen to a full hour interview – even if it is the best damned interview you ever heard!  So, click on the snippets (section titles) you feel are worthy of your time, but definitely listen to the section where Adam explains what Look is all about, below:

What is “Look”?

Adam Rifkin:  “Look” explores the things that people do when they don’t think they are being watched.

What the show does is explore the intersecting lives of about six different main story-lines all from the point of view of surveillance cameras, but not just big brother it also incorporates “little brother” – cell phone cameras, webcams, flip cams, and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube all the different ways we voluntarily put ourselves under surveillance through these new medias.

Chicago born?

David Limacher:  I read that you are both from the Chicago area.

AR:  It’s true; we are both graduates of the Chicago Academy of the Arts High School.

DL:  So, how did you make your moves from Chicago to Hollywood?

AR:  I had always wanted to be a film-maker, ever since I was knee high to a cricket, as they say.  For as long as I can remember, that is all I have ever wanted to do.  I made films with my friends while growing up in Chicago, so as soon as I was old enough I high-tailed it to Hollywood to make real movies.  It’s just that simple.

AC:  My story is exactly the same, except in front of the camera side.  I grew up in the valley world and the theater world in Chicago, and when I graduated high school I came right out to Hollywood.

How is “Look” shot, and why do the actors feel it is more theater than film?

Ali Cobrin:  In a typical TV show or movie, you know the cameras are there, so you are acting for the camera, standing on marks, and worrying about sight-lines.  But in this show you are shooting while walking around and having dialog and engaging in natural conversations as students are walking around not knowing we are shooting.

AR:  One of the ways we shoot the show, unlike conventional means, like Ali was saying . . . we actually hide the cameras, and we never close the locations – the actors were wearing radio mics and would be off by themselves, saying their dialog, but it just looks like they were having a conversation.  Most of the time, people had no idea anything was being shot at all.

Why isn’t the show listed under “Series” on Showtime On Demand?

[Editor's note, right about here is where the NSA took a strong interest in our interview and tapped into the conversation (you'll hear hellacious feedback and echoes) - that is my story and I am sticking to it!]

AR:  It’s not in the Series section, because it isn’t a Showtime original series – how the series came about, the evolution is inside baseball stuff.  The series is based on the film I did in 2007 which was really popular in the college art house scene in 2008.  The series being on Late Night has more to do with how it got captured by Showtime and not an original series of theirs.

Ali, can you talk about the character you play on the series?  Molly

[Note, the NSA dropped us, but the TSA picked us up, probably wanted to hear more about Molly too, so I am transcribing word for word what Ali said, below.  –Swift]

AC:  Molly is a girl in high school and she starts off the year like this is going to be a totally new year for her.  She has new friends and is hanging out with like the popular girls, the jocks, and that type of thing.  And, she’s a little naive, and she’s kind of the pet project of the typical mean queen of the high school and she goes through a wild ride her, I guess, Junior year in high school.

About the acting, is the show completely scripted?

AR:  The show is completely scripted; I do give the actors freedom to make the lines their own.  You know with most shows, you write the episode and you shoot it, but I had the luxury of knowing I was going to be writing and shooting every episode.  So, I wrote the series like a five and a half hour movie and instead of going to the mini-mart 11 times, we went there once and shot it in two days, all 11 episodes worth.  We did that with the entire season, and it really lets us get a really big look, with lots of characters and lots of locations on a modest budget.

AC:  Well, Adam was really great about, I know, from watching the episodes I have heard from here or there that I had a feeling were not in the script.  There’s one line I know that I said that was not in the script, “My hair looks like a frizzball.”

AR:  That was between takes, and we used it.

How did iRATEfilms hear about “Look”?

DL:  I stumbled across “Look” on On Demand on the convenient mart concert.

AC:  That was fun, that was a fun day on set.

AR:  Can I say something about you saying that?  One of my closest friends is a film-maker also, Valerie Breiman, she wrote and directed the movie “Love and Sex” with Jon Favreau and Famke Janssen.  And I was showing her some of the rough-cuts of the series way back when we were still editing them, and she said with the episode with the concert in it and while watching the concert scene, “People are going to stumble on this when they are switching channels and go, ‘what the hell is this’ and keep watching.”  You just proved her right!

Concert scene, controlled chaos?

AR:  We had to run a pretty tight ship; we had very little time to shoot 11 episodes.  I mean, anytime you are doing any sort of production . . . it is chaotic.

DL:  See, that scene really interested me and made me want to get more into the show and watch it more and more.  That was one of the only times, that I can recall, where the main characters were all together, for the most part.

AR:  That’s the idea, the fact that all these character’s lives intersect whether they are aware of it or not.

AC:  It also happens a few more times throughout the series, which I think is really rewarding dramatically – if you watch the entire series through.

DL:  The way these people’s lives intersect, it shows that people are in other people’s lives more than they realize.

What’s the deal with the Security Guards?   Can I drink beer all day and ogle women too?

AR:  Those guys are based on real guys!  We were doing research at several locations, from government buildings to shopping centers, these guys were based on real security guards we found at a certain mall who were actually submitting images of their favorite security grabs to YouTube.

We now live in a society where we are constantly being monitored, it is just a matter of fact now.

AR:  In the old days, a mini-mart video would only be stored as long as it took to reset the tape, now every bit of footage is stored forever, somewhere, digitally.  You might not be doing anything that someone’s going to want to dig up ten years from now, but it is there if someone wants to find it.

Everything that is caught on camera is permanent!

AC:  When people look at their Facebook, they need to realize it is stuck there, permanently.

AR:  Right, every piece of our lives is retrievable now.  What we do with the show is to only use retrievable data, even the text subtitles are based on the fact that these digital texts are stored, permanently, somewhere  –  so we can use them in the show.

Why the time stamps on the footage?

AR:  You look at actual surveillance footage at a mall or a mini-mart and you are going to find the time stamps – all the different shots reflect all the way these surveillance camera films would look.  We perfected it after working on Look the film, in 2007.

As film-makers, are you for or against the extremely voyeuristic society we live in now?

AR:  The numbers of cameras are growing exponentially, and the amount of personal surveillance we put ourselves under is in no way slowing down.  With the series, and the movie, but specifically with the series I did not want to take a stand and say I am all pro-camera or I am all anti-camera.

I think there are compelling arguments for both – we’ve seen the London bombers get caught because of these cameras.  But, conversely we had that poor kid who just killed himself at Rutgers, because his roommate posted him having a gay tryst online – and he was completely humiliated.  The issue is so complex; it is impossible to say it is all bad or all good.

The TSA is only the beginning.

AR: I am sure you guys are aware of the current controversy of all the airport scanners that take pictures of you under your clothes.  Well, that is gonna play a big part in season two.

AC:  Adam, also, now you can be on the NET while flying, season two definitely needs characters skyping on the plane.

DL:  It is good to hear you talking about season two.

AR:  Well, I will tell you it continues to be the number one show for its time slot on Showtime, last week’s viewership spiked 84%, which is spectacular; I am so excited.

Has the knowledge of all these cameras made either of you change the way you live your lives?

AC:  Surveillance wise, no, because you are captured on countless cameras just walking to the bank or buying groceries.  But, what I am worried about and I am aware of is online stuff.  I remember growing up and hearing “The internet is a scary place; consult your parents, blah blah blah.”

AR:  Tell them about tweeting photos.

AC:  The new thing is to let everyone know where you are and geo-tag pics you send immediately, meaning there is a location and a google map and it like lets you know if you are on the same block and everything.

AR:  Even if you remove that geo-tagging setting, the URL itself is geo-tagged, so it will forever be tagged to the URL, so wait a little while before tweeting your location if you don’t want anyone to know where you are.

AC:  Oh, wow, I didn’t know that.

AR:  Even if you have just watched “Look” you can’t be constantly vigilant about all the different ways you are being monitored – so, eventually you just live your life.  I will say this; it is like the best time in the world to be a stalker . . . they have really come into their own now.

What the heck is Facebook Stalking?

AC: I have a lot of friends in college, and a favorite past-time they have they literally call it Facebook stalking – for sure, people are checking up on ex’s and friends seeing who they are with.  That’s Facebook stalking.

GET ME TO THE GODDAMNED LOOK!

DL:  Today’s age of technology, people can give you instant feedback.

AC:  Exactly.

AR:  That’s awesome.

DL:  For me personally, it’s like I have to wait for a new episode every Sunday night – Dexter, you are just re-hashing season’s one through three – just get me to the God-Damned Look!

AR:  You are our hero!

What do Adam Rifkin and Ali Cobrin think about imdb?

AR:  Love it; before we had to use these things called “books” and they were huge and still only contained a fraction of the information that imdb has.  Also, with imdb, your past is your past, you can’t hide from it.

AC:  As a culture, everyone should be more forgiving and understanding of everyone and themselves, because there are no secrets.

Rick Swift:  Yea, nobody can hide anymore.

Incidentally, here are links to their respective pages for Adam & Ali.

Did you know Adam Rifkin was Writer/Director of 1994’s “The Chase”?

AR: That is correct.

DL:  That is like one of my favorite movies of the 90s.

RS:  Ditto, you know I wanted to ask you a question about that, because as I was preparing for this interview I was thinking about that movie before I even knew you were involved with the film.  Because “The Chase” ties in with where we are now with “Look”.

AR:  I remember calling the Fox rep after the OJ Simpson chase and asking them to re-release it, but they felt it would be in poor taste to exploit the case.  Which, is funny, because that was arguably the most exploited event of the decade.

RS:  I remember actually seeing “The Chase” after the OJ case was unfolding.

AR:  Yea, that movie caught on big once it went to cable.

Did you know he also wrote the script for Zoom?

DL:  Rick Swift and I both liked the plot of “Zoom”.

AR:  Thanks; working on big studio films like “Zoom”, “Underdog”, and “Mousehunt” gives me the opportunity to tackle other projects like “Night at the Golden Eagle”, “The Dark Backward” and “Look”. But, I love working on big projects as well as the more personal projects and feel they both are essential parts in shaping my career.

. . . and directed Detroit Rock City, to name a few others . . .

AR:  Giuseppe Andrews and Miles Dougal are both in that as well as “Look”.  I have known Miles since my days at the Chicago Academy of the Arts high school, and our production designer, Brett Snodgrass, is also from the academy.

In fact, I wrote the roles in Look the movie and the series for Giuseppe and Miles.

Show sounds great, so, where can I find “Look” if I don’t have Showtime?

AR:  It’s all coming.  We don’t have dates, but it is definitely going to be on DVD and Netflix soon, just keep a lookout.

Where can we find out more about the series?

Here’s a link to Ali’s page, just click on the pic!

@AliCobrin

Here is Adam’s page, click on the pic, I mean, by now if you can’t figure that out . . . sheesh.

@AdamRifkin

@Looktvseries

Friends with Benefits and The Hole 3D!

AC:  I have a role in the Joe Dante thriller called “The Hole 3D” and that is out and about for people to see.  And I am guest starring in an upcoming NBC show, “Friends with Benefits”.

DL:  You aren’t a guest star in our eyes, you are a star in our eyes and that is how we are going to promote it, so we got to speak to you before the show releases.  What is that about and does it compare to “Look”?

AC:  Thank you, it’s funny, because you can compare “Look” to everything, because “Look” is about real life.  “Friends with Benefits” is about a group of friends in their mid-twenties who are in Chicago and hooking up and finding the benefits of being friends with benefits.

AR:  It’s a big show coming on NBC.

Goodbye and thanks for sharing your time with us at iRATEfilms.com.

DL:  For everybody who is listening, we have been speaking to Ali Cobrin, who plays Molly on the show, “Look” and Adam Rifkin, who is the creator, producer, director of “Look” and multiple other things that are excellent – the guy has the Midas touch!

AR:  Thank you very much.

AC:  Thank you.

RS:  We are very interested in finding out what else you are going to be involved in, and I hope we can keep in touch.

AR:  Absolutely.  We will.  Thank you, and we will definitely take you up on that and we should all keep in touch; that is really cool.

Check out all the ways to reach us, and we are free for any and all interviews!

Check out “Look” on Showtime now, and follow them on Twitter (@Looktvseries) or at their direct site – (www.looktheseries.com) and, of course, tell your friends – Remember you are being watched . . . always!  Be sure and check back soon, because Rick Swift’s review of “Look” the film will be up shortly!

Limacher vs. the Big Show: One on One

I recently had the chance to sit down for a few minutes and talk to professional wrestler “Big Show” Paul Wight.  He has a movie coming out soon, which is the latest release from WWE Studios- “Knucklehead”

David Limacher: First question I have for you Mr. Show…

Big Show:  Please, call me Paul!

DL: O.K., first question I have for you, Paul, is how did this movie come about?

PW: Good question! Well, I was in Afghanistan a couple years ago doing the Tribute for the Troops shows that WWE does for those troops overseas, and Vince McMahon (Owner and CEO of WWE) gave me the script. I know they had been looking for something for me to do for a while, and when I first read the script it was an R Rated movie. I went through and made some changes to the script and made it more family friendly as well.

DL: Since you bring up the “Family Friendly” title, this movie has a PG-13 rating to it, but it really doesn’t seem like it should be. I was wondering if you know why it was given the PG-13 rating?

PW: I’m glad you asked me this question, because I really was hoping that someone would notice that as well. I personally believe that the fighting scenes made it more of a PG-13 movie. There was no blood or anything like that, and while some of the fight scenes were meant to be funny, there were scenes that seemed more realistic and that might make them seem more violent and therefore the movie got the PG-13 rating. I expound upon the fact that the script was more R Rated when I first read it as well. The character I play (Walter) was mean, rude, and not a good person. I wanted to change that around and make Walter a nice person who just meant good, but bad things happen.  I took real life experiences that happened to me as well and incorporated them into the script. So, certain things that people will see in the movie REALLY did happen to me when I was younger.  I took a page from Chris Farley in “Black Sheep” in that regard. I mean, he wasn’t stupid and he meant well, but bad things just always seemed to happen to him which seemed to happen to me in real life as well.

DL: So, you took influence from Farley for your portrayal of Walter?

PW: Yeah I did! This movie is a family comedy, and I respect the comedic work that Chris Farley did while he was alive. I respect the comedic work he did, and he was really a great comedy figure for “big” people.

DL: Well, since we’re on this topic; who are some of your favorite actors?

PW: Wow, putting me on the spot here. (Laughs) I have three actors that I can watch every one of their movies and just be amazed at how they compose and refine themselves to take on differing roles and make you believe the emotions they are portraying on the screen; Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, and Denzel Washington. I mean Denzel is such a captivating actor that he makes you feel what he is feeling and just pulls you into the screen with him and makes you become part of what he is going through. Anthony Hopkins can be the antithesis of evil in one movie and then in another movie be the most well liked person in the world which is just captivating. Gary Oldman is one of the MOST underrated actors around today in my opinion. I feel it’s harder to find a poor movie choice or a movie you didn’t leave saying he didn’t steal the show, than there is a movie he has been in that you left saying He SUCKED! I just wish I had the talent that those guys have to give a performance that makes you believe that they are those people and draw you into the screen and make you feel like you’re in the movie instead of just watching something.

DL: Wow, I really appreciate Gary Oldman as well, and I agree with you about him.

PW: He is fantastic!

And now, a word from our sponsor . . .

DL: I’m running out of time here, so I have a couple more quick questions for you. First is, since you’re a wrestler which do you feel is easier; Acting or Wrestling?

PW: Finally, an EASY question to answer! Wrestling is much easier for me to do. I’m a big guy and I’ve been doing this for 16 years now. I can go in the ring and tell from the audience if I need to change things up to make it better if we’re losing them or to continue what I’m doing with my opponent to keep the crowd into the match. The rush of having tens of thousands of people cheering you or booing you really sets something off inside of me and makes me feel good. I just feel at home and natural in the ring and that is easier. The reason acting is so much more difficult is because you don’t have that audience giving you that live feedback about how they feel about what you are doing. The fact in acting you have a director who believes his own work is the greatest thing ever is different than the people themselves telling you. A director can think you’re doing a GREAT job, but the people can hate it and you won’t know until it’s too late. That makes acting much more difficult.

DL: I never really thought of it that way.

PW: I didn’t either until this movie. I’ve done movie shoots before but I was on set one day and then I’m done and I can go on with my life.

DL: You mean like the Waterboy when you played Captain Insano?

PW: Wow, you remember that? Yeah, stuff like that is easier than wrestling on Monday nights and then going out to New Orleans to shoot the rest of the week. When we shot “Knucklehead” it was summer and I was wearing a wig, and I had to constantly get sweat wiped away and make up reapplied during the shoot – which was a time staking process as well.  Now I have to ask you what you thought of “Knucklehead”?

DL: I really enjoyed the character development in the movie. The characters really grow on you over the course of the movie. That and I also literally laughed out loud when Walter was introduced.

PW: That was the HARDEST day of shooting for the entire movie.  Michael Watkins (Director) kept asking me how I was doing, and I just kept saying to him “keep it moving boss, I’m ready to get this done TODAY!” (I’m not going to spoil anything here, but I will just say it didn’t look comfortable!) So I’m sweating and uncomfortable, but if it gets people to laugh then it was worth it to me!

DL: Well, I wanted to thank you for your time today Paul because I’m being told our time is over.

PW: Wow that went fast! I really enjoyed talking to you, and I think I was more nervous than you were!
(At this point he stood up and I broke my neck looking up at him! To gain a better understanding he is 7’1” and 450+ pounds!)

DL: I don’t know how you could possibly EVER be nervous!

PW: I will tell you another quick story here, I always get asked to be the Big Bruising bad guy, and I only want to play the loveable comic relief person. I was reading a script recently and the producers said we want you to be the jealous ex boyfriend who is the “big guy” in the movie. I read the script and said I want to be the nerdy guy who’s funny and collects bugs and stuff!

DL: I’m sure you would do well at that!

PW: You telling me I’d be a good nerd? Are you calling me a nerd, David?

DL: NO, not at all! Well, I’m a nerd myself!

PW: I’m one too, don’t worry about it.

DL: Wow, I got scared I said the wrong thing there!

PW: Nah! (Laughs) One last story because I’ve enjoyed this interview so much! So, Dennis Farina is the bad guy in this movie, and I believe this is the first ever movie he’s NEVER been able to drop the F Bomb in. The writers got together and wrote him a special scene in which he could drop the F Bomb in that won’t be in the movie or extras or anything, it was just for him. We made sure there were no kids around and we shoot the scene, and when it was done he comes up to me and just said “FUCK! That felt GOOD!” I hope you can post that!

DL: We sure can, and I wanted to thank you for your time today Paul.

PW: Pleasure is all mine; thank you for the great interview!

Final Thoughts from D.L., Paul Wight was a great guy to talk to. He was very down to Earth and gave complete answers, and then some, to ALL my questions. The fact he had me call him Paul was an honor and the fact when we said goodbye his manager thanked me as well for asking questions he could expound upon instead of just yes and no questions. I didn’t get to ask as many questions as I had written down; I still got answers and extra stories that made up for it.

The film will have a limited engagement, only opening in six cities – NY, LA, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami & Minneapolis, check your local listings.

I dialed the phone, nervously, waiting to hear a ring – but immediately I was on with Mr. Vorhees . . . I mean, Crowley, one incredible “character actor” (I use that term with the utmost respect, please don’t kill me Kane)  I didn’t even get into the pleasantries, as I imagined Kane was every bit the man of few words and mostly action.  To whit . . .

SDiaz: As a legendary name in the horror movie industry, how did you think Hatchet’s villain, Mr. Crowley would be received as a new premiere killer?

Kane: I love playing the bad guy when it comes to films. Playing these killers gives me the opportunity to show off my talents. I enjoy the freedom of executing a variety of murders and show off my talents. With Crowley, I made sure, was as scary as, or more so than, previous killers. In Hatchet II, I get to show how frightening Crowley can really be.

SD:  When you play characters on-screen that cannot verbalize, how do you make them come alive with just make-up and gore?

KH:  In Hatchet II, there is a flashback with dramatic dialogue with me playing the father. I always say an actor’s main tools are his voice and his facial expressions. It really is something that is hard as heck to do. Everyone feels like it is something anyone can do but they could not be more wrong. You get people who exaggerate movements or sound and it turns the deep horror it should be into something comedic. I’d say they were just trying too hard to act. In acting, less is more, and you have to remember that. A subtle tilt of the head may have a greater impact than a quick jerk.

SD:  Did you see yourself wanting to play giant unstoppable killers when you first got into the acting arena?

KH:  I started as a stuntman and that is really all I expected to be. Gradually in my career, I began to play more parts, and I found myself liking it more. The characters I ended up playing were a lot of fun, and as the villain/killer I would be stunting and acting, playing the best of both worlds. A friend, John Beckler insisted I keep pursuing this path.

SD:  How was it filming in a sound studio/stage rather than out on location like in the first Hatchet?

KH:  The first movie was filmed outdoors in the spring, so the nights were not very long. I ended up not having to work as much because of the time limit we had. In the studio, we had to endure up to sixteen hour days, because we could control the environment there. I just remember thinking “fuck a Halloween mask”; prosthetics are hotter because of the weight and construction directly to your person.

SD:  There is something a little bit personal I have to ask you. I read in the production notes that you guys kept things lively by trying to constantly prank each other. However, in the midst of pranks, please tell the public how you managed to break two doors trying to scare someone.

KH:  Oh yeah, I do recall that. It was especially funny, because both times I was trying to startle my good friend RA Mahaillif from “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” who plays the role of the hunter hired by Reverend Zombie. One of the times, he was in the bathroom and I knew it, so I decided to try and scare him by kicking AT the door . . .  but I ended up kicking through it!  Needless to say, I had to pay for the damages. The second time, RA was in the dressing room conducting an interview, so I decided I had to try again because of the first one being a fluke pretty much. So, I try again, and this time kicked a hole in it. They said I had to pay to replace it, but I made sure to really fuck the door up so it wouldn’t just be patched up and the money pocketed.

SD:  There were so many injuries inflicted on you in filming. You tore your bicep and were close to being knocked unconscious. What in the world were you doing?

KH:  Both injuries actually came from the same scene and probably resulted from ad-libbing the fight scene along with the choreography we learned. We wanted to create the best looking fight scene we could, so we basically went at it. It took seven hours to film including all the takes. After just half an hour I tore my bicep but pressed on regardless, afterwards my whole arm was bruised. Largest bruise I’ve ever had!

SD:  When you were in the studios at Disney, the notes say you had to film in intervals because of the water being so cold. Along with that, there were comments that the water was contaminated. How was that experience?

KH:  It was just ridiculous. There had to be a medic on site to monitor the situation and make sure we didn’t come down with hypothermia.   Take into account that it was January, one of the coldest times of the year for L.A… It gets very cold and the temperature that night I think was below freezing. I had to film it in increments, because I had to keep getting out of the water to dry off and warm up. I hated it.

SD:  How would you compare Jason to Mr. Crowley?

KH:  Well Jason had to be decorated with more make up, and it was an uncomfortable feeling. Not to mention the work was so physically exhausting – barely made it through the days! Victor was easier to work as; he had quicker movements and is unpredictable unlike Jason.

SD:  Do you like stunt work more or do you prefer working in the horror scene acting?

KH:  Best is when it is all included in one. That is why I love being the bad guy in the horror movies. You still get to be dramatic along with having stunts that I coordinated myself. My perfect situation is when I play the killer and I am the stunt coordinator.

SD:  What has been your favorite role of your career?

KH:  My favorite role ever has been Jason. I had fun in “Monster” with Charlize Theron as well. I really enjoy every movie I have played in.

I thanked him for both not killing me and for taking his time to speak with iRATEfilms about his latest work, “Hatchet II”.  It’s unrated and only releasing in limited venues.  Check it out, if you can!