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Every decade or so sees the popularity of a Broadway stage show become something of a cultural phenomenon. When I was young, Cats and Annie were the big-event shows. Over the years it’s been Andrew Lloyd Webbers Phantom Of The Opera and more recently Rent. In these last few years the stage champ has been Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. To say that it has been one of the more popular shows in the last few years would be an understatement. Based very loosely on the historical life of Alexander Hamilton, it is still currently the hardest ticket to get in New York City. Lost in the excitement and fame over Hamilton is that Miranda has had another rather large success with In The Heights. The play was selected best musical in 2003. While it never did come close to the success of Hamilton, it was also once a hard ticket to obtain. Just one year after Hamilton made it to the big screen, In The Heights will get its chance to offer moviegoers something to help bring them back to the cinemas.
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Michael Starr is no stranger to visitors at Upcomingdiscs. Last year we had a look at his well-crafted Cicada Song and we spoke about that film in an interview available on the site. Michael’s latest directorial project has him teaming up with producer Michelle Talbert for a wonderfully nostalgic documentary on “The Origins Of The Chattanooga Racing Circuit. Talbert’s journey to find out about her grandfather’s racing history has led to a wonderfully nostalgic look at a not so small corner of racing history. It’s Called It’s In The Blood and it’s not surprising that Michael Starr would visit again for another chat. This time he brought along Michelle Talbert. So strap yourself in and bang it here to listen in on my chat with Michael Starr and Michelle Talbert

Bang it here to watch the film or learn more: It’s In The Blood and enjoy.
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“There is a doorway in the universe. Beyond it is the promise of truth. It demands we question everything we have ever been taught. The evidence is all around us. We are not alone. We have never been alone.”

Ever since Eric von Daniken released his speculative book and its subsequent 1970 film Chariots of the Gods, there has been an entire field of study created around something commonly called Ancient Astronaut Theory, the idea is that extraterrestrials have visited many of our ancient civilizations. The theory continues that these visitors had a hand in shaping our development, whether it be through technology or even manipulation of our very DNA.
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“I believe that every fascist should be swindled.” 

The Last Vermeer truly was a worthwhile film experience for me, worthy of the silver screen. Granted, I doubt it would have been big at the box office domestically, but I don’t question that critics would have enjoyed just as I did. The film is based on the 2008 book The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez, and tells the story of Dutch folk hero Han van Meegeren (played by Guy Pearce), an art forger who swindles millions of dollars from the Nazis. Following World War II, van Meegeren become widely known as one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century, when it was revealed that he had sold a forged painting to Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. These events were revealed after a sensational trial in which he was being charged as officials believed that he had sold Dutch cultural property to the Nazis, a capital offense. Facing potential death by firing squad, Van Meegeren confessed to the less serious charge of forgery. It is estimated that Van Meegeren swindled buyers out of the equivalent of more than US $30 million, including the government of the Netherlands. But that is enough with the history lesson; let’s talk about the film.
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Ammonite was a very hard movie to stay interested in. In its defense, I don’t believe that I was the target audience for the film; I’m not really interested in period dramas, and the only things I know about paleontology I learned from Ross on Friends. There is also the fact that as a film it is very slow and dry, and the most interesting angle was the relationship that developed between characters Mary Anning and Charlotte Murchison. Granted this was an intriguing development, but before we are treated to this, we have to survive an hour of poignant silences broken up with very little dialog. There is also the fact that my research has shown that their historical accuracy of the characters’ relationship in the film has been called into question. So now as a audience member I am forced to question the only truly interesting thing about the film. Kate Winslet and Saiorse Ronan are top-level talents, but I fear that even they weren’t enough to make the film worthwhile for me. Essentially, Ammonite is only for those who enjoy slow-building period dramas.
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Gerard Butler vs. Comets. Well, I suppose Butler has been making a habit of overcoming insurmountable odds in recent years. I mean, he has managed to save two different presidents in three movies, and it’s not like this is his first time facing down a natural disaster (remember Geostorm), but even with that said, this is quite the thing to have to overcome. Greenland tells the story of the Garrity family as they try to make it to an underground bunker in Greenland before an extinction-level event. While this premise does have some intrigue, I’m pretty sure that most of us would have been trying to find a place to survive a little closer to home. Needless to say, that wouldn’t make for a very good movie, so here we are. Normally we watch Butler face adversity alone, but this time he has help in the form of Deadpool’s Morena Baccarin, as they both have odds to face separately as well as together. While I did struggle with the overall concept of the movie quite a bit as well it mainly just feeling like a rehash of former disaster movies, I was never bored, as the special effects go a long way to creating a realistic and intense experience.
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Ben 10 seems to be the Batman of animated shows, not that they have anything in common with their plots or characters but by how many times the character of Ben Tennyson has been in movies and shows and then rebooted all over again. It’s a fun series, and the few movies I’ve seen I’ve liked them, but the one major complaint I have towards the character and series is how repetitive it all is.  Sure, this is a problem in most children’s shows, and the issue bleeds into shows for adults, but with all the repetition it raises the question of why bother rebooting, rebranding or doing it all over again if all you’re going to do is retread the same material.  It’s because of the recycled plots and the all-too-familiar story trends that I was hesitant about bothering to review kids’ series. So what does Ben 10 Versus the Universe- the Movie bring to the table?  Well, for the series it does present a new narrative. For those even slightly familiar with the Marvel films you’ll see a familiar trope, but for the most part it works here.
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Ultraman is a huge part of Japanese culture and pretty much has been since the original live-action show in 1966. Perhaps Godzilla started the ball rolling, but Ultraman brought us these monsters on a regular basis. In Japan, Ultraman is like our Superman. He’s an iconic hero and a huge part of the pop culture. Since the 60’s he has appeared in many forms, most of them animated. But it is this 1966 series that made a ton of us kids fall in love with him and an entire genre. Yes, there were many from the era: Space Giants featured a giant fighting robot who fought monsters and sometimes converted into a spaceship (yes, before transformers were ever thought of); Johnny Socko had his giant robot; and the list goes on. But it was Ultraman who started it. Eiji Tsuburaya, who created the original Godzilla, formed a new company outside of Toho Pictures. Ultraman was pretty much the first thing out of the new shop.
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“Murder is Murder. Don’t matter who you are.”

Naomie Harris lives by these words as she finds herself hunted by her own in Black and Blue. Fortunately, she is not alone, as Tyrese Gibson is also there to lend a hand in this real-life commentary that pulls no punches. We all know that there is a brotherhood within the police force. They are a family, and family looks out for family. This film examines what happens when family crosses a line that they cannot come back from. Harris portrays a rookie police officer who stumbles across an execution by her fellow cops.  In that moment she goes from being blue to black. Joining her on the cast is Gibson, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter, and Black Lightning’s Nafessa Williams in a role that will make you hate her.
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Back in 2015 when the prison escape took place in upstate New York, this was one of those news stories that kept me glued to my television, as I’m sure it did for countless others.  As the story unfolded in front of news cameras, the story just got more scandalous, and as the days ticked by with the prisoners on the run, a part of me was sort of rooting for them.  I know they’re felons, but seeing them manage to outmaneuver authorities and evade capture, it was sort of like rooting for the underdog, because most of the time these incidents don’t end well.   It’s no surprise that Hollywood would latch onto this story, but what is surprising how well this Showtime mini-series turned out.  With funny-man Ben Stiller at the helm, I was surprised to see that he was attached to direct this. He’s been successful behind the camera, and my favorite films of his have been Reality Bites and The Cable Guy.  So how did the nearly 7 ½ hour series turn out?
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It’s been expected that Season 10 of Archer would be the last one. With Fox recently putting out the 9^th season Archer: Danger Island, it’s giving fans a chance to catch up before Sterling Archer (voiced by H. John Benjamin) sets off on his final adventure.  There are still plenty of questions left unsolved from Season 7, and if you were hoping Danger Island would help fill in the blanks, well, sorry to disappoint; instead, season 9 gives us something completely new that I enjoyed, though I have to admit it left me scratching my head for where things may be going.
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Our friends over at Walt Disney Studios are going to be keeping us very busy over the next few weeks. They’ve decided that our faithful followers deserve some free stuff and I couldn’t agree more. First up we have the Disney classic The Little Mermaid: The 30th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray. We can resist the wonderful animation and those great songs? It’s perfect for kids of all ages and you should absolutely let us treat you to a copy on us and Disney.

To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.

1. Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
2. Do not post your address as an actual comment!  What is your favorite Disney movie song?
3. Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.

Contest is open to residents of the U.S. & Canada only, and will conclude on Sunday, April 28th, 2019
Please – only one contest entry per person!

Upcomingdiscs NEVER sells or shares your information with anyone.

Kirk Taylor is an artist with many talents. He’s an actor who can be found on such films as Oliver Stone’s Full Metal Jacket and television shows ranging from Law & Order to Chicago Hope. He’s an acting coach, musician and composer. He’s living proof that an actor of faith can still make his mark in the entertainment industry. His latest appearance is as Cephas (Peter) in the film Revival! along with Chaka Khan and Mali Music. It’s a retelling of The Gospel According To John that’s part Jesus Christ Superstar and part classical stage production. It’s a film that’s hard to nail down. But I decided to give it a try and that led to an interesting conversation with Kirk Taylor. There’s a passion for his art and faith that is very evident in his conversation. You don’t have to take my word for it. Bang it hear to listen in on my conversation with Kirk Taylor.

Find out more about the film here: Revival: The Movie

You can also visit Kirk Taylor’s website here: Kirk Taylor

Bigger is not always better, and more is not always better. If the holiday season release of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch is a testament to anything, it is that those two ideas are absolutely true. The Grinch has everything that the 1966 How The Grinch Stole Christmas could never hoped to have had. The film delivers on some of the best computer-generated animation that Hollywood studio money can buy. It had a $75 million budget. It will get a wide release with millions of more dollars put into a global marketing campaign. And it will make a ton of money. After all, the Grinch is the modern age Scrooge from Dickens’ classic story. These are the kind of stories that are timeless and popular. Still, the one thing this film doesn’t have over the 1966 television short is that it’s heart is two sizes too small.
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Haunted houses and Halloween seem to go together like turkey and Thanksgiving, but over the years the haunted house experience has evolved to keep up with those who have grown numb to your typical jump scares.  Sure, there are still the standard haunted houses that you’ll come across when visiting the carnival, or mazes put together by school groups for fundraisers.  But for those who are really looking to be scared, you either have to fork over the big bucks to get into Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, or you have to scour the internet to find a haunt nearby. 2017’s  Haunters: The Art of the Scare is a documentary that takes us behind the curtain to what goes on at these attractions and explores how a sub-culture that has evolved of haunted houses that have been created to push the boundaries mentally and physically.
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I’m going to say from the start that Slice isn’t for everyone, but those who come across this film and give it a chance will come away having a good time with this film.  It’s a new release from A 24, which quickly got my attention considering the numerous films the company has been releasing that I’ve enjoyed.  While it’s a horror-comedy, there is more going on in this little film, as it injects a sociopolitical message in it.  I like a film that can function on several levels, but I never expected to find it in a film about pizza delivery guys being killed by monsters.
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“There are two kinds of pain in this world. Pain that hurts and pain that alters. Today you get to choose.”

Denzel is back as Robert McCall, offering the bad guys a chance to do the right thing. Well, he offers that opportunity to a select few of them, I should say. When a group of highly trained operatives kill his friend, he’s out for blood. Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer 2 keeps all of the themes that made the first one great in this sequel. Though it is a sequel, I would say that it follows a very different path than the original.
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Offbeat, heavy-handed characters, bleak outcast situations, and moody, it’s a marvelous adventure for those who like Wes Anderson movies.  This one, however, shows his range with an animated film that’s worthy of most Japanese greats. From the opening drum introduction of Isle of Dogs to the heartfelt finale, Anderson captures a cold, disturbing environment from which his characters can rise up.  If you like offbeat stories produced in stop-motion animation in the vein of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, then this film should not be missed.
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Sports movies have been something of a cliché for years now. And it’s not really a recent phenomenon. Everybody remembers Ronald Reagan appearing in the Knute Rockne All American as the famous George Gipp. That was 1940, and Hollywood is still selling films that ask teams to “win one for The Gipper”. That’s exactly what you get in director Sean McNamara’s The Miracle Season. Substitute high school volleyball for college football, and you likely already know the story before you even order your popcorn and soda. Of course, even with established Hollywood formula and a well-trodden story, things are never quite that simple.
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