Anthony T's Horror & Wrestling Show: Episode 112 - The Public Domain is Killing indie Horror

Anthony T is back after a little longer break than expected. He probably wishes he was on that he was still 

on break as there’s a lot of why’s and what’s in this episode as there are a lot of topics like the first trailer for “The Crow ” reboot, “Late Night with the Devil ” controversy. But the main topics that gets him going are the fact that Dwayne aka “The Rock” needs to have the spotlight and put WWE’s three major stars for night two of Wrestlemania in jeopardy of injury so he can main event another Wrestlemania and how some indie horror filmmakers are giving indie horror a bad name by using characters from the public domain to make a quick buck and diminish true independent horror. All of this plus he reviews a recent horror film that has an identity crisis.

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Stills for the Wrestling Comedy "Fighting with my Family"

MGM recently released stills for their upcoming film "Fighting with My Family". The film stars Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, with Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson.

"Fighting with My Family" hits theaters on February 22nd.

Plot Synopsis:

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY is a heartwarming comedy based on the incredible true story of WWE Superstar Paige™. Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, Paige and her brother Zak are ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her family and face this new, cut-throat world alone. Paige’s journey pushes her to dig deep, fight for her family, and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.

Get Ready for this Action Packed Trailer for the Upcoming Action Film "Skyscraper"

Universal Pictures recently released the official trailer for the upcoming action film "Skyscraper" . The film stars Starring Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Noah Taylor, Roland Møller, Byron Mann, Pablo Schreiber and Hannah Quinlivan.

Plot Synopsis:

Global icon Dwayne Johnson leads the cast of Legendary’s Skyscraper as former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Sawyer, who now assesses security for skyscrapers. On assignment in China he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it. A wanted man on the run, Will must find those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family who is trapped inside the building...above the fire line.

"Skyscraper": Official Trailer

"Rampage" Review by Tim Hellman

'RAMPAGE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A sci-fi monster flick based on the popular video game, of the same name (by Midway Games), about a genetic experiment gone wrong that transforms a trio of animals into destructive monsters. Dwayne Johnson stars as a primatologist who tries to rescue an infected albino gorilla, which he had bonded with, and stop the other monsters from destroying the city. The film costars Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Åkerman, Jake Lacy, P.J. Byrne and Joe Manganiello . It was directed by Brad Peyton (who previously teamed with Johnson on the 2015 disaster flick 'SAN ANDREAS'), and it was scripted by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel. The film has received mixed to negative reviews from critics, and it's expected to be a modest hit at the Box Office as well. I found it to be mildly amusing (at times) but mostly forgettable.

Davis Okoye (Johnson) is an animal loving primatologist in Rwanda, who's also the head of an anti-poaching team there. His best friend is an albino silverback gorilla named George (Jason Liles). When Davis learns that George has been infected by an unknown substance, and is growing at an alarming rate because of it, he teams with a genetic engineer, named Dr. Kate Caldwell (Harris), to try and help him. Then he learns that two other animals have been infected by the same experimental serum, and the trio are soon destroying the city. Davis does everything he can to save his friend, and stop the rampaging monsters.

My favorite parts of the movie are the animals, the animal/human relationships, and the monster fight scenes. I also found the battle scenes in the climax to be pretty amusing, and nostalgic, when they imitate the video game it's based on (which I played back in the day). All of the human stuff is mostly boring though. The Rock has a few good scenes in it, and Akerman makes a sexy femme fatale villain (Lacy is mildly amusing as her dimwitted brother too), but other than that the movie is pretty dull when it centers on the humans (and all the unnecessary plot nonsense). So some of the film is entertaining, and worth seeing, but most of it is annoying filler.

"Baywatch" Review by Tim Hellman

'BAYWATCH': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A satirical feature film adaptation of the 80s cult classic TV show, of the same name, starring David Hasselfhoff (who also has a cameo in this movie, along with his TV costar Pamela Anderson). The film stars Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Jon Bass and Ilfenesh Hadera. It was directed by Seth Gordon (who also helmed 2011's 'HORRIBLE BOSSES' and 2013's 'IDENTITY THIEF') and it was written by Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Lennon and Garant are of 'RENON 911!' fame). In the film Johnson plays the self righteous leader of a special team of lifeguards, which fight crime on the beaches of Emerald Bay, Florida. A disgraced former Olympian (Efron) is added to the team to help with PR, while the lifeguards try to take on a corrupt business woman who might be smuggling drugs. The movie has received mostly bad reviews from critics, and it's also disappointed at the Box Office so far. I found it to be much better made, and more entertaining, than the critics have given it credit for!

Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Johnson) thinks way too highly of himself, and his job as a lifeguard, and he often upsets the local authorities, and his captain (Ron Huebel), by investigating crimes he has no jurisdiction over. So when Mitch finds a bag of drugs on his beach, and suspects a local business woman (Chopra) is to blame for it, he gets himself, and his team of lifeguards, in a lot of trouble trying to prove his suspicions correct. At the same time Mitch also has to deal with three new recruits to his lifeguard team, including a cocky ex-Olympic athlete named Matt Brody (Efron). Brody and Buchannon's enormous egos both continue to battle each other, while they also try to keep their beach safe.

The movie is surprisingly entertaining; it's consistently funny and the action scenes are pretty slick and exciting too. Going into the film expecting it to be a bad movie, I'm sure helped it's enjoyment level for me as well. I think The Rock and Efron are both great in the film, and they also have pretty good chemistry together as well. Chopra makes a great femme fatale villain in it too, and Bass is pretty funny also. It's just an all around amusing and fun time at the movies, and it's much better than the TV show it's parodying as well.

"The Fate of the Furious" Races its Way to DVD & Blu-Ray

Universal Picture Home Entertainment recently released information for the box office hit "The Fate of the Furious". The film stars Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Michelle Rodriguez.

Special features on the DVD & Blu-Ray includes All About the Stunts - Go behind the scenes to witness how The Fate of the Furious accomplished the most epic stunts in franchise history, Extended Fight Scenes, Feature Commentary with Director F. Gary Gray and extended director's cut of the film.

Features exclusive to the blu-ray includes The Cuban Spirit - As the first major studio motion picture to shoot in Cuba in decades, the country's effusive spirit permeates the making of the film.,In the Family - In The Fate of the Furious, family ties are put to the ultimate test. Get an inside look at the family divide. and Car Culture - It's time to put yourself in the driver's seat of the supercharged vehicles showcased in The Fate of the Furious.

"The Fate of the Furious" hits retail on July 11th.

Press Release:

The #1 action film in the world, The Fate of the Furious, goes full-throttle on Digital HD on June 27, 2017, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on July 11, 2017, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The latest exhilarating installment of the nitro-fueled blockbuster action franchise features a gripping new storyline, the most outrageous collection of vehicles yet, and an all-star cast of fan favorites and series newcomers. From the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains off the arctic Barents Sea, the close-knit crew criss-crosses the globe to stop an anarchist from unleashing world chaos — and to bring home the man who made them a family. With more than an hour of never-before-seen bonus features and an Extended Director's Cut, The Fate of the Furious will be the crowning glory of every fan's collection.

Now that Dom (Vin Diesel, XXX, Riddick), and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez, Avatar, Resident Evil) are married, Brian and Mia have retired from the game, and the rest of the crew has been exonerated, the globetrotting team seems to have found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road, Snow White and the Huntsman) lures Dom back into the world of crime and convinces him to betray those closest to him, the crew faces new trials that will test them as never before.

The Fate of the Furious reunites Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson (Baywatch, The Other Guys), Jason Statham (The Transporter, The Expendables), Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson (Transformers, Ride Along 2) and Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges (No Strings Attached, Max Payne) in a heart-stopping new adventure that also features Charlize Theron, Kurt Russell (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Hateful Eight) and Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, Suicide Squad).

"The Fate of the Furious" Review by Tim Hellman

'THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The eighth installment in the immensely popular blockbuster franchise, and only the second chapter not to include the late Paul Walker (following 2006's 'TOKYO DRIFT'). Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel and Kurt Russell all reprise their roles from the other films; while Charlize Theron, Scott Eastwood and Helen Mirren join the cast. F. Gary Gray (who's best know for helming 2015's 'STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON') directed this installment (he's also worked with Diesel before on 2003's 'MAN APART', and with Theron on 2003's 'THE ITALIAN JOB'). It was once again written by Chris Morgan, who also wrote the last 6 chapters in the series. The film is also (once again) a huge hit at the Box Office, and it's also gotten mostly positive reviews from critics as well (like all of the other recent installments in the series). I enjoyed it too.

Dom Torretto (Diesel) and Letty Ortiz (Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon in Havana, when Dom is approached by a cyberterrorist known as Cipher (Theron). She seduces him into working for her, by showing him a picture of something that's obviously very important to him. Dom then betrays his team, and steals an EMP device from them. Agent Frank Petty (Russell) then recruits Letty, Luke Hobbs (Johnson), Deckard Shaw (Statham) and the rest of Dom's team to help them catch Dom, and stop Cipher.

The movie is action-packed, but it's also way too long (at over 2 hours and 15 minutes). For me, it definitely starts to drag a little in the middle of the film. I wasn't a big fan of the series when it first started, but I've been really impressed with the last several installments, and I think this is one of the best ones yet. It's not as good as the last chapter in the series, because that was a really fitting (and quite beautiful) tribute to Paul Walker, but it might be the second best one yet. And I really respect how diverse a cast this franchise has always employed; it's probably the most diversely cast blockbuster franchise in cinema history (but 'STAR WARS' is catching up to it though).

"Moana" Review by Tim Hellman

'MOANA': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Disney's 56th animated feature is this computer-animated fantasy film, starring the voice talent of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. The film tells the story of an ancient Polynesian tribe, that's suffering the damage of a horrible curse, when the Chieftain's teenage daughter sets out to end it. She seeks the help of a demigod named Maui, who also caused the curse. The film also features the voices of Auli'i Cravalho (a debut actress, who was cast at the age of just 14), Alan Tudyk, Jemaine Clement, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger and Rachel House. It was directed by Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall and Chris Williams (Clements and Musker previously co-directed other Disney animated hits, like 'THE LITTLE MERMAID', 'ALADDIN', 'HERCULES' and 'THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG', and Hall and Williams previously co-directed Disney's 'BIG HERO 6'). It was written by Jared Bush, Pamela Ribon and Aaron and Jordan Kandell; along with Clements, Musker, Hall and Williams. The film has been a huge hit at the Box Office, and it's also done impressively well with critics. I enjoyed it.

Moana (Johnson) is the daughter of the chief (Morrison) of a Polynesian tribe, on an island of fisherman. When the fish vanish, due to a curse caused by a demigod named Maui (Johnson), Moana sets out to stop it. She finds the arrogant demigod who caused the curse, and demands he help her. Maui reluctantly agrees and the two go an adventuresome journey together; with the mystical help of the ocean itself. The story is loosely based on Polynesian mythology.

The film is beautifully animated and quite colorful. The characters are all likable, and there's even some touching emotional depth (especially towards the end of the movie). Johnson is perfectly cast, and Cravalho does a pretty impressive job as well (for such a young debut actress). There's even a nice message about respecting all life in there, including animals (and not eating them). It's not as good as classic Disney animation, but it is a very well made and entertaining film.

"Central Intelligence" Review by Tim Hellman

'CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE': Four Stars (Out of Five)

An action-comedy buddy flick, starring Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. It was directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (who also previously helmed other hit comedy flicks, like 'WE'RE THE MILLERS' and 'DODGEBALL'). It was written by Thurber, David Stassen and Ike Barinholtz. The film costars Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet and Aaron Paul. It's a pretty funny movie, because of the pairing of Johnson and Hart, and it's also surprisingly touching (at times).

Johnson plays Bob Stone; a once bullied (and severely overweight) nerd, that's now a lethal CIA agent. Calvin Joyner (Hart) went to high school with Stone; he was really popular, and helped Bob out during a traumatizing incident. So Bob has idolized Calvin ever since. The two meet for drinks, the weekend of their high school reunion, and Calvin gets pulled into a life threatening CIA adventure.

Johnson and Hart have beautiful chemistry together; it really is a classic odd couple pairing! That's the highlight of the movie, but it also has a lot of heart; and a strong message about bullying. It's definitely 'forced' and 'clichéd', but it's also (surprisingly) emotional. I really enjoyed the movie, for that reason as well. The plot, and action scenes, are routine (and forgettable), but the character development is awesome! It's probably the best Kevin Hart vehicle yet!

Box Office Smash Hit "Furious 7" Races its Way to DVD and Blu-Ray

Universal Home Entertainment recently released the DVD and Blu-Ray information for the upcoming release of "Furious 7".The film is latest from director James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw) and stars Vin Diesel, the late Paul Walker Dwayne Johnson, Rhonda Rousey and Jason Statham.

Special features on the DVD & Blu-Ray includes Back to the Starting Line(Producer Neal Moritz, Chris Morgan and the cast join franchise newcomer director James Wan as they look back at how far the Franchise has come to bring the latest installment to life.), Race Wars (Furious 7 brings the crew back to Race Wars, the iconic, fictional racing event from the very first film. Vin Diesel and a couple hundred friends are back for a full-throttle celebration of all things Fast with special guest-star Iggy Azalea, behind-the-scenes footage of the cars, the sweat and the girls), Snatch and Grab (A behind the scenes look at shooting one of the premier action sequences in the franchise's history.) and Making of Fast & Furious Supercharged Ride.

The Blu-Ray will feature more extras including Extended Edition, Deleted Scenes, The Cars of Furious (The car coordinator and his team join the cast and filmmakers for a closer look at the film's spectacular cars.), Flying Cars (People jump out of planes all the time, but not while sitting behind the wheel of a car. This entertaining featurette shows how the Furious 7 team pulled off this jaw-dropping sequence.), Tower Jumps (A look at how one of the most exciting stunt sequences of the film, the Abu Dhabi tower jumps, became a reality.), Inside the Fight (A combination of fight training footage and interviews takes viewers inside the fierce hand-to-hand fights.), Talking Fast (Director James Wan and the cast of Furious 7 break down the movie's most memorable moments and chat about how the Fast franchise has evolved over the years.) and "See You Again" Official Music Video from Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.

"Furious 7 hits retail on September 15th.

Press Release:

The unstoppable global franchise built on speed delivers its best, biggest and boldest film yet as Furious 7 blasts onto Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on September 15, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Grossing over $1.5 billion worldwide at the box office, Furious 7 tears up the screen with more gravity-defying stunts, adrenaline-fueled fight scenes and pulse-pounding action than ever before. The Blu-ray™ features the all new extended edition with even more explosive thrills, along with the official music video of the chart-topping "See You Again" performed by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth and over 90 minutes of exclusive bonus features, making an indispensable addition to the Fast franchise collection.

The entire Fast & Furious cast unites in purpose for an epic international adventure, hunted by a vengeful assassin from Abu Dhabi to London to Tokyo and the Dominican Republic as they try to retrieve a highly advanced piece of espionage technology, and rescue the gifted hacker who created it. Furious 7 also bids a touching farewell to Paul Walker, an integral member of the Fast family.

The film reunites franchise favorites Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black and introduces newcomers Jason Statham (The Expendables franchise, The Transporter), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, Gladiator), Tony Jaa (Ong-bak), Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones), Ronda Rousey (The Expendables 3) and Kurt Russell (Poseidon, Escape From New York).

"Furious 7" Review by Tim Hellman

'FURIOUS 7': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

The seventh installment in the immensely popular 'FAST & FURIOUS' film franchise. It's also the last chapter to feature lead actor Paul Walker; who died halfway before filming was complete (his scenes were finished using CGI and his two brothers, Caleb and Cody, served as stand-ins). Actors Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges (aka Ludicrous), Jordana Brewster and others also reprise their roles from previous films; while Jason Statham, Kurt Russell, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa and Ronda Rousey all join the cast this time around. James Wan (who's known for directing horror flicks; like 'SAW', 'INSIDIOUS' and 'THE CONJURING') took over directing duties, while Chris Morgan once again wrote the screenplay (as he did the last four installments). The story revolves around Dominic Torretto, and his crew, being recruited by a covert ops team; to stop a mercenary from obtaining a dangerous computer program. It's the first film, in the series, to take place after the events of 'TOKYO DRIFT'. I think it's the best installment of the series and a fitting tribute to Paul Walker.

The story begins with criminal Deckard Shaw (Statham) breaking into the hospital where his comatose brother, Owen (Luke Evans, reprising his role from the previous chapter), is being held. He promises revenge and then proceeds to track down Dominic Torretto (Diesel), and his team, for what they did to his brother (in the previous movie). Deckard kills Han (Sung Kang) in Tokyo (an event that took place in 'TOKYO DRIFT'), which makes Torretto, Brian O'Conner (Walker), and the rest of their crew, bloodthirsty for revenge against Shaw. At the same time they're enlisted, by a secret government official called 'Mr. Nobody' (Russell), to track down a deadly computer program; and stop it from falling into the hands of a dangerous mercenary, named Jackande (Hounsou).

The film is once again filled with spectacular action scenes and breathtaking stunts. It's of course completely unbelievable and almost cartoonish, almost all of the time, but it's still immensely entertaining. I wasn't a fan of the original movie, or the series; until they added The Rock, in 'FAST FIVE'. That's when the filmmakers really took the series to a whole 'nother level (almost comparable to 'THE EXPENDABLES' franchise; with all of the action stars they keep adding to every movie). I've seen every film in the series (I just recently saw 'TOKYO DRIFT' for the first time) and I'm just now becoming a fan of the franchise. It's sad to see Paul Walker go, but they do pay a great tribute to him (in the end of the film). This is definitely (by far) the best chapter in the series (despite all of it's cheesy melodrama) and I look forward to seeing future installments now (especially if they keep adding more cool action stars). The series is definitely pleasing to action movie lovers (and not just for car lovers anymore). It's still not a perfect franchise but it does keep getting better!