David Limacher recently sat down with Aaron Schneider whose Feature Film Directorial Debut is coming out this week, “Get Low” starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, and Sissy Spacek among others. David sat down in Chicago and talked about an array of things such as Aaron’s hometown, how he got into making movies, winning a Academy Award, and his first Feature Film.

DL: Aaron, I just wanted to start off by saying that Get Low was my favorite movie I have seen this year, and it really was a warm welcome change from the CGI films we have become accustomed to.

AS: Thank you very much. This movie was such a pleasure to work on, and the people involved made the experience of directing my first feature film that much easier. I agree that this film offers a change from the CGI that is in most movies now, and I hope people enjoy the film for what it is.

DL: I read that you grew up in my hometown area of Peoria, Illinois. Is there anything you miss from the small town life?

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Sergio Diaz encountered more than Michael Welch as he was introduced to the Miami Twi-hards.

Walking into the Gusman center for the first time, the first thing I notice is the amazing architecture and the way the entire place is dramatically set up – just awesome. Complete with a really neat green-screen photo booth where fans are able to take photos immersing them into the Twilight universe.  The locale is abuzz with excitement and everyone scuttles left and right erratically, like roaches, snatching things from either the merchandise table or the concession stand.  I see one fan that is literally jumping with excitement as her boy dons Vampire eyes *cue Twilight screams*.  {Click here for images from the event} I rip her politely from the merchandise line and she is more than happy to give me an interview.

Fan Interview with Arrienne – here

Spinlight City’s music blazes through the entire house.  It’s my first time hearing them but I must admit they are pretty damn good. You can find them on the Eclipse soundtrack, of course. I walk down into the massive auditorium/theatre area and it is vast – two floors and every wall covered in highly detailed statues with what looks like an aqua light shining on them revealing the elaborate gold/gold-plated trim. Where the hell am I again? “ahhhhhhh!” The screams bust my ears as a Y100 (the local radio station) DJ walks on stage and immediately introduces Michael Welch.

FAN QnA with Michael Welch – here

SergD’s 1 on 1 interview with Welch – here

Jackson Rathbone: “There is this fantastic shot, about six minutes of constant, uncut footage!”

***For more images from the event, click here!***

Nicola Peltz: “It’s going to be crazy!”

I had the extreme honor of meeting the charming Jackson Rathbone and the beautiful Nicola Peltz. It was in the courtyard of the Aventura mall, where about 300 excited fans lined up to meet and greet the young stars.  Passers by in the mall were leaning over the railings in a precarious effort to see what all the commotion was about.  No one fell, so no bending powers were required.

iRATEfilms was hanging with the media studs, lucky I wore my big boy pants as we were pretty much the only blog of our kind there. Yea, we stepped on the toes of CBS, FOX, and Primer Impacto, but, like our editor, Rick always says, we are little but we’re ruthless.

At four, the crowd erupted in a shrill squeal that shattered three store windows showering those below with shards of horrific glassy death as passers-by gawked at the spectacle below.  Yes, I am exaggerating, ever hear of poetic license?  I mean, come on, you KNOW this makes the story better.

The screams were understandable, being that some of these die-hard fans were planted as early as 5am.  Their delightful melody alerted me that Jackson and Nicola were indeed approaching. As they traversed the crimson gauntlet, I heard several, “I love you Nicola” and “Jackson, you are sexy marry me” comments.  Finally, I had them in my sights, and after a brief introduction, I got down to the interview.

SD- I have got to ask you guys…are you fans of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” animated series?

JR- Oh yeah, I liked how all the fight scenes were so well choreographed especially.

NP- Omg, definitely…I have seen all three seasons which were amazing and it is really great being a part of the live-action interpretation!

SD-What did you take from the characters in the show that helped you portray them in the movie?

JR-Well we drew as much as we could, like, there is some of the slapstick taken out with Zuko to make the movie more realistic. I mean, there is so much in 24 episodes that has to be condensed into a movie it  was a pretty difficult task.

SD- With that said, I assume there is going to be tons of action in the movie and some of M Night’s single shot scenes?

JR- M Night is such a master of his craft. There is this fantastic shot, about 6 minutes of constant uncut footage. There are about a hundred stunt doubles flying everywhere and there are explosions going off…boom boom boom…

NP- yeah, there was ice flying everywhere too. The “bending” scenes with the elements are really cool and well done. There were so many special effects in the film going on at once. It’s going to be crazy.

SD- That sounds very epic. What was it like being there with everything going on? Were you doing your own stunts throughout the movie?

NP-  Amazing  working with M Night and everyone on the set. Yes I did do most of my own stunts throughout the movie-my stunt double Michelle is amazing and does such good job.

JR- I did most of my own stunts also. Everything was choreographed to the T so it was a challenge in itself to even practice the movements for the stunts.

NP- It was a lot of fun and a lot of exercise.

Before I realized it, the interview was over, I heard myself thanking them and said a tiny prayer in my heart as they approached the FOX crew.  The fanboy in me wanted to give each of them a great big hug and present them with a hand-stitched pillow like their super fan . . . pictured here.  But, I was on official orders from the dreaded Rick Swift to behave myself, lest he yank my front row seats at the screening.  I think any fans of great action or anime must check this one out, you know I am!

Tried something a little new Sunday and invited a few fans and our writers to a little live chat, courtesy of www.talkshoe.com.  I can’t say enough about how great their service is – and the price is right!

Hope @ChloeGMoretz is pleased with our little back and forth; we tried to grab the elusive @actionchick, but she was kicking ass and taking names – as always.  We’ll get ya next time, Kat.

Click the image below to hear our frank assessment of the movie event of 2010, KICK ASS!

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Just because the history books don’t make note of certain events doesn’t mean they didn’t happen. In “Formosa Betrayed”, the oft unknown story of the true relationship between the United States and Taiwan is given new life. Set in the 1980′s, it follows the investigation into the murder of a Taiwanese-American professor. This energetic, action-packed film starring James Van Der Beek is the amalgamation of true life individuals and events, brought together to enlighten audiences on a topic very important to modern U.S. and Taiwan history. Here at iRATEfilms, we had a chance to sit down and talk with writer/actor/producer Will Tiao:

Matt Balmaseda:  What is your background and how has that affected your work on this film?

Will Tiao:  I am second generation Taiwanese, born and raised in Kansas. My parents were very active in the local Taiwanese community and I witnessed the blacklisting of many children growing up. Although I was raised in the United States, the environment I grew up in was similar to what was happening in Taiwan.

For 10 years I worked in politics, with a BA and MA in political science, in various positions, serving under both the Clinton and the Bush administrations. Seven and a half years ago I left Washington D.C. and went to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, and five years ago I started putting together “Formosa.”

Tiao’s background in foreign affairs has given him a great deal of insight into the proceedings between the United States and Taiwan. This expertise clearly translates over to the film, which displays the political dealings between the two countries very well. There’s always an air of authenticity to the scenes, even if you don’t have an understanding of how things actually happen overseas. Achieving this level of realism is a true feat.

MB:  What made you choose to write this story as a screenplay?

WT:  Well, there are many books already written on the subject and a few documentaries have been made, too. There has never been a feature film, though. I’ve always considered myself to be an actor, but I have also been trying to become a producer. Formosa was my chance to do that.

MB:  What was your inspiration to write Formosa?

WT:  I heard the stories of murders hapening in Taiwan from my parents. After looking into them, we found lots of information on the subject. Lots of research was done in making the film. I think there were about 15,000 pages of notes taken.

Films like “Hotel Rwanda” were a big inspiration for the film. We wanted to be able to achieve what films like that did, and we hope Formosa was able to.

“Formosa Betrayed,” like “Hotel Rwanda,” helps shed light on a subject many people probably don’t know about. In that way, the film succeeds in meeting the level of its inspiration. It doesn’t exactly reach the emotional intensity of other similar films, but you definitely feel for the situation on screen. For a first film, “Formosa Betrayed” is an impressive historical drama. As such, it is being used and marketed on campuses throughout the United States.

MB:  Can you tell us a little about the college tour linked with the film?

WT:  We have visited colleges all over, like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, to talk with students about the film and the events that inspired it. There is a lot of interest among college-aged students who are studying the subject and who also love Dawson’s Creek.

MB:  When does “Formosa Betrayed” open?

WT:  We are opening the film at different times at various locations. In Miami, it will be at the Hialeah Cobb theater on Saturday, April 24.

Miami audiences may have much to relate to in the film. With its strong Latin-American and exile community, the on-screen tension caused by U.S.-Taiwanese relations can reflect relations with, say, the United States and Cuba. If not, the film still tells an exciting story that plays out as a mixture of a history lesson, a cop drama, and an action film. With strong performances at the helm, this is a film that should not be missed.

MB:  What’s next for you?

WT:  I have a couple of projects in the works. I’m prepping to shoot a short film in Hawaii and I also have an idea for a feature set there.

“Formosa Betrayed” is a great little film that may not be able to stand up to big Hollywood films and their engrossed marketing campaigns, but it has plenty of heart, a dash of charm, and a smart script that carries it along. It will be great for anyone interested in catching an indie film, or for anyone simply looking to learn about something new.

Hey Watch This – Coming tomorrow, everywhere!

Cheech and Chong’s Hey Watch This will be the maiden voyage for a trendsetting new release model, making the content available Day in Date on every platform including a limited theatrical run, DVD/Blu-Ray availability online and at local retail outlets, Video On Demand service, and even the ability to stream it through your PS3 and Xbox360 Networks all on April 20th.

On 4/20, roll out to a theater near you, or stay home and watch it with some buds.

Click the image for our “video” interview with Mr. Tommy Chong!

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Click the image to access Action Flick Chick’s War Room hosting of the interview with Lora/Yori from TRON and Lacey Underall from Caddyshack – to say nothing of the sexy, suave Matlock assistant, Linda Hansfield.

Iratefilms was fortunate enough to meet with director Adam Del Deo, co-director and producer of the recently released, Every Little Step.  This film explores the dramatic impact A Chorus Line has had on generations of artists and follows the auditions and lives of several aspiring cast members of the 2006 revival.

We met Adam at the Shore Club in South Beach to find out more about his process and how he enjoyed making this film.

Aceman: Why did you make this documentary?

ADD:  We were granted exclusive access to the original interviews by Michael Bennett’s estate, the iconic nature of A Chorus Line was compelling material, to be able to examine the hopes and dreams of dancers struggling to make it to Broadway.  We tried to mirror the original concept, following the lives of the dancers in a more direct fashion.

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Read Iratefilms.com’s interview with Writer/Director Greg Mottola here.

It’s the summer of 1987, and James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) is looking forward to spending it touring Europe. His dreams are quickly dashed when he finds out his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) can no longer help him afford his trip or assist him in his future plans for grad school at Columbia. Sadly, this translates into James getting the only job he’s qualified for…at Adventureland.

I really expected more from this film. The credit for that goes to the guy editing the trailer. From the trailer, the film looks like it’s full of the funny, however, Adventureland does not deliver. All the hilarity is already represented in the two minute clip.

This is director Greg Mottola’s next effort after Superbad, except he decided to write it as well. Maybe he hoped Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg left some humor in the tank for him. Unfortunately, the tank was empty. All that was left inside was a contrived love triangle and boring characters – and he ran with it. The acting in Adventureland wasn’t bad, but the chemistry between all the actors were horrible except for Bill Hader (Manager Bobby) and Kristen Wiig (Paulette). They worked very well on screen together.

Do yourself a favor, if you’ve watched the trailer, leave it at that. Spend your money on better flicks, like Fast and Furious or Monsters vs. Aliens.