"The Color of Time" Review by Tim Hellman

'THE COLOR OF TIME': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Biographical drama flick, based on the life of Pulitzer Prize winning poet C.K. Williams; told through flashbacks and narrated by the words of his famous poems. The movie stars James Franco (who also served as a producer on the film), Henry Hopper, Jordan March and Zachary Unger; as Williams, in various stages of his life. It also features celebrities like Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain, Zach Braff and Bruce Campbell; in supporting roles (It might be interesting to note that Franco, Kunis, Braff and Campbell also all worked together on the 2013 blockbuster 'OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL', which was probably filming around the same time). It was written and directed by twelve New York University film students; including Edna Luise Biesold, Sarah-Violet Bliss, Gabrielle Demeestere, Alexis Gambis, Shruti Ganguly, Brooke Goldfinch, Shripiya Mahesh, Pamela Romanowsky, Bruce Thierry Cheung, Tine Thomasen, Virginia Urreiztieta and Omar Zuniga Hidalgo. I found the movie to be very beautiful to watch, and pretty moving at times, but ultimately unfulfilling.

The film is an adaptation of 11 of C.K. Williams' most famous poems. Each poem is used to tell a pivotal story in Williams' life; from the 1940s to the early 1980s. Franco plays Williams at age 40; when he's married, to Catherine (Kunis), and has two children. As he prepares for a reading, in New York City the next day, C.K. sits down to write new poems. While doing so, he recollects on memories from his past. His memories tell stories of his childhood, teen years and current marriage. Most of his flashbacks deal with important women, like his mother (Chastain), from his past life.

The scenery is breathtaking and some of the imagery is moving; and also disturbingly haunting, as well. We never get to know the characters, in the flashbacks, very well though; including Williams. So while the movie is always stunning to look at, and feels pretty emotional at times, it doesn't leave you with very much to think about, when it's over. It is worth seeing though, just for it's gorgeous visuals alone, and the performances are all more than decent. The film kind of reminds me of one of Terrence Malick's lesser movies; especially while watching Chastain, as a mother in the 1940s. I think these filmmakers have a lot of promise, and will do much better films in the future!

Video Game Documentary "Video Games: The Movie" Unites Gamers on DVD

Anchor Bay Entertainment and Amplify recently send us information for the upcoming DVD release of "Video Games: The Movie". The film documents the fast rise of the video game industry from a niche to a billion dollar industry. "Video Games: The Movie" is executive produced by Zach Braff (Garden State, “Scrubs”) and narrated by Sean Astin.


Special features on the DVD include a Sean Astin mashup and Why We Love Games featurette.

"Video Games: The Movie" hits retail on 2/3.

Press Release:

Anchor Bay Entertainment and Amplify present Jeremy Snead’s VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE, the fascinating chronicle of the meteoric rise of video games from nerd niche to multi-billion dollar industry. Executive produced by Zach Braff (Garden State, “Scrubs”) and narrated by Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), the documentary features in-depth interviews with some of the industry’s biggest gamer and geek icons. A celebration of gaming from Atari to Xbox, as well as an eye-opening look at what lies ahead, VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE will be available on DVD on February 3, 2015 for an SRP of $22.98.

VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE features interviews with the godfathers who started it all, the icons of game design, and the geek gurus who are leading us into the future, including Nolan Bushnell (Atari, Inc.), Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist Podcast), Donald Faison (Kick-Ass 2, “Scrubs”), Cliff Bleszinski (“Gears of War,” “Unreal”), Warren Spector (“Deus Ex,” “System Shock”), Hiroyuki Kobayashi (“Resident Evil”), Clare Grant (Danger Maiden Productions, Team Unicorn), Doug Tennapel (“Earthworm Jim”), Palmer Luckey (Oculus Rift), Wil Wheaton (Stand By Me, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), and Alison Haislip (“Attack of the Show”). The documentary made its way to the big screen via a successfully-funded Kickstarter campaign, which raised more than $100,000 in just 35 days.

VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE DVD special features include a Sean Astin mashup and Why We Love Games featurette.

Anchor Bay Entertainment Makes Time for "The Color of Time"

Anchor Bay Entertainment recently released information for their upcoming DVD release of "The Color of Time". The film stars Golden Globe® Nominee Mila Kunis, Academy Award® Nominee James Franco (The Interview), Golden Globe Winner and Academy Award Nominee Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Golden Globe Nominee and Independent Spirit Award Winner Zach Braff (Garden State, “Scrubs”), and Bruce Campbell (“Burn Notice”; The Evil Dead).

No special features were announced at this time.

"The Color of Time" hits stores on 1/27/2015.

Press Release:

On January 27, 2015, Anchor Bay Entertainment journeys through the decades of one man’s life with the star-studded The Color of Time. Traveling across a canvas of joy, pain and discovery, The Color of Time will be available on DVD for an SRP of $22.98. Pre-book is December 24, 2014.

Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning poet C.K. Williams’ TAR collection, The Color of Time is a one-of-a-kind film born out of a collaboration between James Franco and twelve graduate film students from New York University. Using this daring approach, the film begins with Williams’ childhood and adolescence in Detroit in the 1940’s and ‘50s and continues to the 1980’s, through decades of struggle and creativity. Married to Catherine (Golden Globe® Nominee Mila Kunis) and with a growing family, Williams (Academy Award® Nominee James Franco, The Interview) is still tormented by memories of his past and by the conflicts and doubts of the creative mind.

The Color of Time features a dream cast that also includes Golden Globe Winner and Academy Award Nominee Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Golden Globe Nominee and Independent Spirit Award Winner Zach Braff (Garden State, “Scrubs”), and Bruce Campbell (“Burn Notice”; The Evil Dead). It is a virtuoso effort that paints a portrait of a man coming to terms with his memories, his relationship to love and loss, and his wonderful artistic gift.

Zack Braff's "Wish I Was Here" Heads to Your Living Room in October

Universal Studios recently released information for the upcoming home entertainment release of Zach Braff's "Wish I Was Here". The film stars Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) Joey King (Fargo), Pierce Gagnon (Looper), Josh Gad (Frozen), Ashley Greene (Twilight), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), and Michael Weston (Garden State).


No special features were announces at this time. "Wish I Was Here" hits Digital HD on October 14th and DVD and Blu-Ray October 28th.

Press Release:

After his indie breakout hit Garden State, filmmaker Zach Braff returns with Wish I Was Here, a comedy-drama about what it means to be at a major crossroads as a parent, spouse, and child – all at once. One of the most notable films at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Wish I Was Here will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray™, DVD and DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ on October 28, 2014 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film will also be available two weeks early on Digital HD October 14, 2014.

Aidan Bloom (Braff), a husband and father and struggling actor, lives in Los Angeles with his wife Sarah (Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson) and family. After an announcement from his own father Gabe (Mandy Patinkin of Homeland) disrupts Aidan's day-to-day existence, his decision to homeschool his children Grace and Tucker (Joey King of Fargo and Pierce Gagnon of Looper) will lead him on an unexpected journey of discovery about fulfillment and family.

Wish I Was Here's cast also includes Josh Gad (Frozen), Ashley Greene (Twilight), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), and Michael Weston (Garden State).

"Wish I Was Here" Review - Written by Jim Herling

Every now and then a movie comes along that is so entertaining, so beautifully crafted, so just all-around great that it reminds me why the film industry is something I've loved and wanted to be a part of for so long now. Garden State was one such movie. Zach Braff's directorial debut, which he also wrote, is an amazing film that quickly became my second-favorite movie of all time and made me a fan of his for life (okay, yeah, Scrubs helped, but that's neither here nor there). It's been a decade since Garden State came out and Braff has stuck to starring in other people's flicks since then, but now he's finally sat back down into the writing and directing chairs.

And with Wish I Was Here, he's done it again.

Wish I Was Here is almost a thematic sequel to Garden State, with Braff (perhaps I should say Braffs, as Zach's brother Adam co-wrote the movie with him) revisiting themes like unhappiness with an unfulfilled life and people being completely disconnected from the life around them. This time around, instead of a young actor who inevitably gives up his career like Braff's Garden State character, we get Aiden Bloom, a thirty-five-year-old married father of two who is still trying to make it as an actor, almost wholly unsuccessfully. His wife, Sarah, played wonderfully and emotionally by Kate Hudson, supports him while working full-time... and is just as unhappy as him because she hates her job and the sexual harassment she's receiving there. She also hates the fact that they can't afford to send their kids to private school without Aiden's father paying for it, and when his cancer comes back, the money goes away. His father Gabe, by the way, is a grumpy old Jewish man who loves both his sons (Aiden has a brother, Noah, played by the always funny and surprisingly touching Josh Had, who hasn't spoken to Dad in years and also has a hysterical subplot involving cosplay, a girl played by Ashley Greene, and San Diego Comic-Con that is just perfect) even though he can't bring himself to say it because he disproves of their life choices.

See? Everyone in the movie has problems connecting with their lives, even the Bloom kids, who have to deal with being yanked out of their private Jewish school to be home-schooled by Aiden, whose shaky relationship with his faith is a whole other hurdle for the kids. This is especially true of daughter Grace, played by the incredibly impressive Joey King. But it's not just her; I can't rave about this cast enough. All the stars are given so many emotional beats to go through, and they all handle it wonderfully, as they do with all the comedy. The Braffs' script comes bubbling over with just as many laugh-out-loud moments as emotional and thoughtful ones. Some of the funniest moments come from the cameos; Jim Parsons in particular is great. As is Donald Faison in his brief appearance.

And if you think Turk and J.D. reunited didn't have me smiling in my seat and singing Guy Love in my head, you don't know me very well. All I needed was an , "Eagle!"

Comedy. Emotion. Intelligence. Great performances. What have I missed? Music! As a director, Braff really can wield music like a weapon to enhance a scene. He does it just as well here as in Garden State. His cinematography is just as on-point too, with some truly beautiful sequences. And also like Garden State, this movie really stocks the landing with a great ending. The only flaw to the whole movie in my mind might be that the ending goes on just a bit too long, but I can overlook that because part of me didn't want the movie to end anyway.

Braff really needs to write and direct more often. When he does, he produces movies that become my favorites: first, my second-favorite movie of all time; and now this gem, easily the top contender for my favorite movie of the year. Wish I Was Here gets a rare five out of five stars from me, with the recommendation that you should all just go see it. Trust me, you won't regret it.