Indie Horror Flick, "The Dead Sleep" Now on DVD

Fathom-One Releases Independent Feature Film The Dead Sleep

Paul Wells broke the rules in life and it got him killed. To save his daughter, he’ll break the rules in death.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fathom-One and Anthem Pictures releases The Dead Sleep, a new feature film available on DVD from Netflix, Amazon, and other video outlets. The film is not rated.

Shot entirely in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Dead Sleep is a supernatural thriller about Paul Wells, a father in a desperate race to save his daughter’s life. Having made transgressions during his life, Paul plans to makeup for those mistakes by twisting the boundary between the living and the dead.

"In addition to my first impression of The Dead Sleep as a compelling supernatural thriller, the film has an deeply emotional pull, especially for any parent. As a father, I could empathize with the main character's single-minded focus on saving his daughter. I appreciate a film that depicts the strength of family relationships, even transcending life and death," said Barnaby Dallas, Producer at San Jose’s Spartan Film Studios.

The Dead Sleep features Chris Armstrong as Paul Wells, Sarah Foret as Melanie Wells, Tatiana Armstrong as Claire Wells, Robert Fente as Del Craine, and Joshua Close as Tim Days.

Fathom-One is planning a screening of The Dead Sleep July 15, 2010 at 7PM at the BlueLight Cinemas in Cupertino. Further details will be shared via www.fathom-one.com and through the film’s Facebook group and fan pages.

“Stories that deal with the intricacies of life, death and dreams have always fascinated me and that's what initially drew me to James’s script for The Dead Sleep. But this story centers on a father's love for his daughter and that spoke to me not only as a filmmaker but also as a daughter. My father was a strong influence on me and I'm happy I could make this film in his memory,” said Vicki de Mey, Director and Producer of The Dead Sleep and Partner at Fathom-One.

Vicki de Mey has been making films since 2003. Her feature film credits include Unit Production Manager on Drifting Elegant, Producer on Generic Thriller and Producer/Director on The Dead Sleep. She is currently Producer on two Bay Area short films - Project Arbiter and Dearly Departed – and preparing to direct a short film in the fall. Vicki is also a Partner at r&r studios, a Bay Area production and post-production services company.

Tim O’Neill, Fathom-One’s Partner & CEO, has two decades of corporate experience to complement his 4 years as a film producer. His feature film credits as Producer include The Dead Sleep and Blur (www.blur-movie.com), which has yet to be released. Tim is assisting Vicki as Marketing Director on the short film Project Arbiter.


About Fathom-One
Fathom-One is an independent film production and development company based in San Jose, CA. More information on Fathom-One is available at www.fathom-one.com.

About Anthem Pictures
Anthem Pictures is the North American Distributor for The Dead Sleep. More information on Anthem Pictures is available at www.anthemdvd.com.

About Circus Road Films
Circus Road Films is the Producer’s Representative for The Dead Sleep. More information on Circus Road Films is available at www.circusroadfilms.com.

"Die Another Day" Mixes Bond Tradition with Loud Action

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux


Die Another Day (2002)
Running time: 133 minutes (2 hours, 9 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence and sexuality
DIRECTOR: Lee Tamahori
WRITERS: Neal Purvis and Robert Wade
PRODUCERS: Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Tattersall (director of photography)
EDITORS: Andrew MacRitchie and Christian Wagner
SONG: “Die Another Day” by Madonna-music/lyrics and Mirwais Ahmadzaï-music
Golden Globe nominee

ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen, Will Yun Lee, Kenneth Tsang, Samantha Bond, and Madonna (no screen credit)

Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan’s fourth outing as James Bond, Agent 007, is the twentieth film version of Ian Fleming’s classic secret agent/super spy, and many think that the venerable character is showing his age and signs of wear. The issue is merely one of competition. Over the years stunt coordination and computer technology advanced so much that Bond’s low-fi action looked dated next to bigger and louder explosions of other action heroes, secret agents, and troubleshooters.

By the late Eighties, pumped up action thrillers had run Bond out of town; The Living Daylights and License to Kill were not hits and Bond needed a makeover. Post James Cameron’s True Lies, Brosnan became Bond and his first outing, Goldeneye, exploded out of the gate. It wasn’t very good, being more action movie cum video game than secret agent/spy thriller. Maybe the concept is dated and the character a bit long in the tooth, but the producers can still find away to make an exciting action hit.

Die Another Day is high-octane action movie, and it is better than The World is Not Enough and almost as good as Tomorrow Never Dies, the third and second Brosnan Bond films respectively.

The first half is closer in tone to the old Bond. North Korea captures and tortures Bond for 14 months. After his captors work a deal to free him, his masters at M6 cut him loose because they believe the North Koreans broke him during interrogation. Separated from his future tech arsenal and his agency, Bond has to rely on his wits, his smarts, and his experience. The viewer gets to see just how good Bond is and how dangerous a rogue he can be even without an agency to back him. Brosnan was always convincing as Bond. He could be the suave lover and charming chameleon that he needs to be in order to get into places and into people’s heads. Brosnan could also instantly become the ruthless killing machine that is the mark of an agent with a double “O” license.

Bond also meets a mysterious American, Jinx, played to full sexual tilt by Academy Award winner Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball). Together they pursue the pompous Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), a wealthy jetsetter with the usual world beating schemes. Graves is actually a very good and charming villain, and he has a dangerous sidekick, Zao (Rick Yune).

Much of the second half of the film is borderline, pure sci-fi, but in the hands of Lee Tamahori (Along Came a Spider), the action is intense and has the wall-to-wall ferocity of anime (Japanese animated films) and mania of a comic book. The script by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the screenwriters of The World is Not Enough, is well written and does a good job straddling two film genres – espionage and action. Though the movie runs a bit long, the thrills of the second half are well choreographed and relentless.

Die Another Day has some excellent small parts: John Cleese, in his best outing as Q, Judi Dench as the dour M, and Michael Madsen, always a welcome sight as a tough guy, who should have had a bigger part.

The movie is part secret agent thriller and part loud cartoon. I would like to see more of the former, but, on the whole, it is a very entertaining film and a near perfect film for people who just love loud action movies.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2003 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Madonna-music/lyrics and Mirwais Ahmadzaï-music for the song "Die Another Day")
2003 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Halle Berry)

Info on Paramount Pictures' "Middle Men"

Paramount Pictures and Mallick Media present
An Oxymoron Entertainment Production in association with Blue Star Entertainment
A George Gallo Film
Produced by Christopher Mallick, William Sherak, Jason Shuman, Michael J. Weiss
Written by George Gallo & Andy Weiss Directed by George Gallo

Cast: Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Gabriel Macht, Jacinda Barrett, Laura Ramsey, Terry Crews, Rade Sherbedgia, with Kevin Pollak and James Caan

Synopsis: In 1995, everyone had a VCR, music was sold in record stores, and the world-wide-web was a new found discovery. Businessman Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) had the perfect life – a beautiful family and a successful career fixing problem companies. And then he met Wayne Beering (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht), two genius but troubled men, who had invented the way adult entertainment is sold over the internet. When Jack agrees to help steer their business, he soon finds himself caught between a 23 year-old porn star and the FBI all the while becoming one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs of his time. Inspired by a true story that proves business is a lot like sex… getting in is easy, pulling out is hard.

Release: August 6, 2010

This film has been rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language, drug use and violence.

"Monsters, Inc." a Fantastic Monster Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 (of 2001) by Leroy Douresseaux


Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
DIRECTORS: Peter Docter with David Silverman and Lee Unkrich
WRITERS: Andrew Stanton and Dan Gerson with additional screenplay material from Robert Baird, Rhett Reese and Jonathan Roberts, from a story by Peter Docter, Jill Culton, Ralph Eggleston, and Jeff Pidgeon
PRODUCER: Darla K. Anderson
EDITORS: Robert Grahamjones and Jim Stewart
COMPOSER: Randy Newman
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/COMEDY/FANTASY/FAMILY

Starring: (voice) John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Dan Gerson, Steve Susskind, and Bonnie Hunt

Monsters, Inc. is the fourth collaboration between computer animation studio Pixar and Walt Disney, a match made in heaven that has already produced three brilliant films: Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Toy Story 2. Monsters was a safe bet to be a hit, which it is, and it was also a safe bet to be a darned good movie, which it certainly is.

Monsters, Inc. is a utility company that generates its power from the screams of children. James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman) is the company’s top scream maker, but during an attempt to help his partner Michael “Mike” Wazowski (Billy Crystal), Sully accidentally lets a human child into the building and all heck breaks loose. Although they depend on children for the power to run their world, monsters are afraid of children. The child, whom Sulley names “Boo” (Mary Gibbs) touches Sulley’s heart, and he’s determined to return her to her bedroom before harm comes to her in the form of Sulley’s chief rival, Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi).

Monsters employs the same formula that made the previous Disney/Pixar films huge successes. The personable voice talent comes in the form of Goodman and Crystal, who are capable, but are not as engaging as Tom Hands and Tim Allen in the Toy Story films; their performances are closer to the work of Dave Foley in A Bug’s Life. Buscemi, as Boggs, brings a venom filled performance that drips menace much in the manner Kevin Spacey did in A Bug’s Life.

The animation is nice, but the pastel-like tones are often dull in the film. The design of the citizens of Monstropolis, the home city of Monsters, Inc. is, at times, inventive, and at other times, rather ordinary. Most of the creatures seemed to have come straight out of cheap Saturday morning animation.

Where the film really scores is its script and direction. The film is a bit slow in its setup of the story, but the slowness does allow the story to indulge in the idiosyncrasies of its characters. The writers and directors build the tension with a slow burn, the film explodes into an old-fashioned barnburner with a rousing chases that rivals the best of cinema. The movie has the kind of action movie adrenaline hit that you’d get when Indiana Jones chased the trucks in Raiders of the Lost Ark or the pod race in Star Wars Episode One: the Phantom Menace. Pixar gave is previous films the same edge of the seat chase and rescue, which made the film a thrill ride for all ages.

With its sentimental and beautiful ending, Monsters, Inc. easily overcomes any reservations that anyone might have about it. Once again Disney/Pixar has produced a picture worthy of end of year best film lists. Awards usually ignore such films because they’re only animation, and, after all, cartoons are for kids. But the truth is in the result; don’t cheat yourself of this fine movie.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Music, Original Song” (Randy Newman for the song "If I Didn't Have You"); 3 nominations: “Best Animated Feature” (Pete Docter and John Lasseter), “Best Music, Original Score” (Randy Newman), and “Best Sound Editing” (Gary Rydstrom and Michael Silvers)
2002 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “BAFTA Children's Award Best Feature Film” (Darla K. Anderson, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Daniel Gerson)

Another White Cleopatra...

BET.com's "What the Flick" blog is not happy about Angelina Jolie being cast as Cleopatra in an upcoming film.  Elizabeth "Caucasian" Taylor famously/infamously played Cleopatra 5 decades ago, and some are angry that another white woman is playing the Egyptian queen again.  Who really knows what skin color the historical Cleopatra had?

I don't think it's that big a deal, and the movie will be a flop, anyway.  If Jolie's character isn't performing oral sex or waving a pistol around, the box office isn't big.

Review: "Toy Story 2" is the Best Film of 1999

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 (of 2001) by Leroy Douresseaux

Toy Story 2 (1999) – computer animated
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
DIRECTORS: John Lasseter with Ash Brannon & Lee Unkrich
WRITERS: Rita Hsaio, Doug Chamberlain, Andrew Stanton, and Chris Webb, from a story by Peter Docter, Ash Brannon, Andrew Stanton, and John Lasseter
PRODUCERS: Karen Robert Jackson, Sarah McArthur, and Helene Plotkin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Sharon Calahan (director of photography)
EDITOR: Edie Bleiman, David Ian Salter, and Lee Unkrich
COMPOSER: Randy Newman
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Wayne Knight, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Estelle Harris, and R. Lee Emery

When Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), a nefarious toy dealer, steals Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks), it’s up to Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (Tim Allen) to rescue him. While in captivity, Woody discovers his Howdy Doody-like previous life and his old compadres: Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer). But time is running out to rescue Woody. Buzz meets an updated version of himself, Buzz Lightyear II ( Tim Allen), who is mistakenly taken in by the other rescuers. Meanwhile Emperor Zurg (Andrew Stanton), Buzz’s enemy pursues him as he races to rejoin his friends.

With the thrill of an old fashioned serial, fine voice acting talent, and the artistry of Pixar, Toy Story 2 is thrilling tale that can be enjoyed by all ages. The scriptwriters designed a story that is a virtual thrill machine that rivals many more hardcore action movies. However, they didn’t forget the children. There’s plenty of comedy, both low and high, and the guest appearances of many toys, both old and new will keep the kids’ interests.

Toy Story 2 also has many good ideas behind it, issues of growth, responsibility, loyalty, and friendship. In the hands of the talented Pixar crew, they take these ideas and weave a thoughtful and entertaining story. With a cast of excellent dramatic actors, comediennes, and character actors, the story becomes one of the best movies in recent memory. John Ratzenberger as Hamm is as funny as he ever was on “Cheers” as “Cliff” Clavin, Jr. Wallace Shawn’s Rex the dinosaur is a good thing, and in his last role, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog leaves us with one more good time. Don Rickles also entertains as Mr. Potato Head.

There’s magic in this movie – something for young and old. Only narrow minds that perceive any animated movie as being for tykes could ignore the charm and quality of this film. Perhaps the finest computer animated movie of ever, it joins the ranks of the great, animated films.

10 of 10

NOTES:
2000 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Song” (Randy Newman for the song "When She Loved Me")

2000 Golden Globes: 1win “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical;” 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Randy Newman for the song "When She Loved Me")

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Pixar: How They Do It

Want a peak at how the people at Pixar make one of their movies?  Go to this Wired.com article about the making of Toy Story 3.

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