The First Season of "Bates Motel" arrives on DVD September 17

The first season of the outstanding A&E drama Bates Motel will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on September 17 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The fascinating and extremely well acted series stars Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore (pictured above) as Norma and Norman Bates. The series attracted a sizable audience that has already guaranteed a second season, which is scheduled to air early next year. Both the DVD and Blu-ray will be packaged with a set of collector cards featuring artwork from the series  (“Jiao’s Sketchbook”) for a limited time only.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):
• DELETED SCENES
• FEATURETTE: Paley Center Panel Discussion with the Cast and Creative Team

You can read my initial thoughts on Bates Motel here.

Paperback Spotlight: Stephen King's "Joyland"

Frankly, I had some issues with Stephen King's latest effort, Joyland (Hard Case Crime), but they were of my own making. Despite understanding that Joyland is a crime novel, not a horror story, I was intent on the events depicted in the book becoming more creepy as I turned the pages. That did not happen, despite the presence of a ghost, albeit a friendly one. Joyland is set in coastal North Carolina during the early 1970s where Devin Jones finds work for himself far away from his home in New England. Devin, or Dev, is trying to forget a first, unrequited love, who clearly had no intention of becoming his girlfriend. Of course, young love blinds many of us and we refuse to see the truth until it smacks us in the face, so Dev is certainly not alone.

I would describe Joyland as more of a coming of age story than crime novel, complete with a character study of a solid young man who has faced difficult times, but keeps a sense of hopefulness about him which serves him well in his new job at an amusement park where the patrons expect to be treated to fun and excitement. In that respect, Joyland is aptly named. While Devin is at the center of events, many supporting characters are introduced along the way, including a wealth of carnival workers, Devin's father, and a potential new love interest for the protagonist. Casting a shadow on the everyday lives of the aforementioned characters is the alleged ghost of a young girl who was murdered at Joyland years earlier. Devin is intrigued and sometimes bordering on obsessed with the murder and sets out to uncover what really happened, since the killer was never apprehended. He enlists a few allies along the way, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more his life is in danger because the killer is someone he knows and who realizes that Devin is on to him or her.

Devin is certainly likable, but some of his actions border on being saintly, which I just did not believe. For instance, after saving a young girl's life, he is offered a cash reward, but turns it down, even though he needs the money for his college fund. His reasons for turning down the reward are also unselfish, but not completely believable. My point is that Devin is likable enough without the author trying to canonize him. On the other hand, I did enjoy the inclusion of a psychic character (what amusement park would be complete without one?), Madame Fortuna, who plays a major role in Devin's life, for better or for worse. Fortuna's presence also adds to the possible supernatural events surrounding Joyland and its suspenseful atmosphere.

In the first paragraph, I alluded to the fact that I initially had problems with Joyland. When I was 100 pages into the story, I wondered when something was going to happen with the ghost in the amusement park and when things were going to start getting creepy. They really never do, but that is not a criticism, since the story is more about Devin's journey in early adulthood. Joyland is a quick, easy and enjoyable read that would be perfect to take to the beach, where you could finish it in a few hours. Of course, reading it at a North Carolina beach may be appropriate, but not essential. Finally, reading Joyland brought back memories of West View Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which I had the pleasure of attending as a young child in the 1970s. Unfortunately, many of those independent theme parks have gone the way of the dinosaur, but they still hold cherished memories for their patrons.

DVD Recommendation: "Side Effects" - Starring Jude Law and Rooney Mara

Viewers will never know what to expect from director Steven Soderbergh's latest film, Side Effects. Indeed, the versatile director changes things up constantly throughout the film and it keeps the audience off balance, but in a positive way. For instance, even though Jude Law receives top billing, his character, Dr. Jonathan Banks, seems more like a supporting character throughout the first part of the film, while Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum, as married couple Emily and Martin Taylor, are front and center. However, as the story plays out, Dr. Banks is pushed into the center of an intriguing plot that threatens to ruin him and his career, but he plans to fight back.

The initial story centers around Martin Taylor, who is seen being released from prison after serving time for insider trading. His wife, Emily, appears strong, supporting and loving, but then purposely crashes her car into a wall in a parking garage. As a result, she is declared a suicide risk and is assigned to the care of Dr. Banks, who prescribes a series of anti-depressant medications. When they seemingly fail to work, Banks contacts Emily's former therapist, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), for advice. She suggests a new drug, Ablixa, that appears to help Emily, although she experiences bouts of sleepwalking. When Martin arrives home while Emily is apparently sleepwalking, she stabs him several times, leading to his death. The repercussions of that event are felt by Dr. Banks, whose professional and personal life are turned upside down by his alleged mishandling of the case, for the balance of the film.

Frankly, I had no idea where Side Effects was headed until around the final act. Viewers may think they have things figured out, but then another surprise is introduced into the story. In the meantime, the inmates are clearly running the asylum and the sane, and perhaps honest, characters are made to look crazy. That is the genius of the screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, which is reminiscent of a classic Alfred Hitchcock film, but without a blonde lead character.  Emily and Dr. Siebert are brunettes, but Dr. Banks' wife, Deidre (Vinessa Shaw), has the distinction of being a buxom blonde, even though she is a supporting player in the endless drama that is filled with more twists than you can imagine.

Soderbergh's terrific cast deliver strong performances, especially the underrated Jude Law, who receives material worthy of his talents. Rooney Mara is also quite good, as the complicated Emily, as is Catherine Zeta-Jones, as the calculating Dr. Siebert. I am at a loss to explain why Side Effects was not at least a modest box office hit. It is one of the best films I have seen so far this year and boasts a terrific cast who are all given a chance to shine, courtesy of Steven Soderbergh, and rise to the occasion. Side Effects is a superb film.

Cher Hails Michael English as a "Genius" for his cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" from "The Last Ride"

(NASHVILLE, TN) - For years multitudes have praised the vocal styles of Michael English. His soulful, emotive voice wraps around a lyric and delivers a song like no one else can! That voice grabbed the attention of entertainment icon Cher recently and, like many celebrities in this day and time, took to Twitter to express her opinion.

On May 31, 2013, @Cher tweeted: “Just watched The Last Ride story of Hank Williams' last trip. "Hey Good Lookin'" was the first song my mom taught me. Michael English did a genius version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" It says what we've ALL felt. Henry Thomas & Jesse James broke my heart.”

The song appears in The Last Ride, an emotional film that tells the powerful tale of country music’s original bad boy and his final days. The man, the myth and the music come together when Williams travels from Alabama to a series of New Year’s shows in West Virginia and Ohio. This remarkable journey leads straight into the heart and soul of the legendary performer...as he takes one last shot at redemption. Featuring all-new versions of Hank Williams’ greatest songs, this emotional tale of hope and truth is one you’ll never forget.

The Last Ride was released June 4, 2013 on Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Entertainment and is available wherever movies are sold.

 

The Last Ride soundtrack was released by CURB Records and is currently in stores and available digitally on iTunes, Rhapsody and other retailers. The CD contains the performance of Michael English's "I'm So Lonesome" as well as Benjy Gaither, Doug Anderson, Russ Taff, The Isaacs, Jett Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Wes Hampton and others.

Michael English is currently on tour with the Gaither Vocal Band and select solo dates in support of his latest CURB Records' release Some People Change.

Click below to view the music video on YouTube.

 

Nielsen Ratings for the week of July 1, 2013: "Under the Dome" Continues to Dominate

Ratings for the week of July 1, 2013 (courtesy of Nielsen Media Research)

Total Average Viewers (in millions) by Network:

CBS - 5.09
NBC - 4.65
ABC - 3.33

FOX - 2.57
The CW - .62

Top 10 Shows (viewers in millions):

1. Under the Dome (CBS) - 11.82
2. America's Got Talent (NBC) - 9.56
3. NCIS (CBS) (r) - 8.34
4. 60 Minutes Presents (CBS) (r) - 7.65
5. Macy's 4th of July Fireworks (NBC) (s) - 7.18

6. The Bachelorette (ABC) - 6.34
7. Big Brother 15 (CBS) - 6.25
8. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (r) (s) - 5.83
9. Blue Bloods (CBS) (r) (s) - 5.75
10. Big Brother 15 (CBS-Tuesday) (s) - 5.64

(r) = Repeat
(s) = Special 

"The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector'​s Edition" arrives on Blu-ray September 2​4th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

All Three Films, New Special Features, and Memorabilia

 

Burbank, Calif. – Christopher Nolan’s reimagining of the Batman franchise beginning with 2005’s Batman Begins enjoyed phenomenal critical and box-office success. Now on September 24, Nolan’s three Batman films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises – will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The six-disc set will feature all three films with their existing extra content, two new featurettes and exclusive new collectible memorabilia. This must-own collection for fans of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader is available in premium packaging and will sell for $99.97 SRP.

 

About the Ultimate Collector’s Edition (UCE):

  *Disc 1 – Batman Begins Feature and Special Features

  *Disc 2 – The Dark Knight Feature

  *Disc 3 – The Dark Knight Special Features

  *Disc 4 – The Dark Knight Rises Feature                    

  *Disc 5 – The Dark Knight Rises Special Features

  *Disc 6 – Bonus Disc of New Special Features (details follow)

 

NEW Special Features:

• The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy - The inside perspective on the fascinating story behind the creation of one of the most celebrated franchises and how it changed the scope of movie making….forever.  Full of never-before-seen footage, rare moments, and exclusive interviews with  Guillermo Del Toro, Damon Lindelof, Michael Mann, Richard Roeper, Zack Snyder and others.

·         Christopher Nolan & Richard Donner: A Conversation - For the first time, Directors Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Richard Donner (Superman) sit down to discuss the trials and triumphs involved in bringing the two most iconic superheroes of all time to the big screen, and how Superman influenced Nolan when developing Batman Begins.

 

·         IMAX® Sequences: The Dark Knight; The Dark Knight Rises - See your favorite scenes as they were intended in the original IMAX^© aspect ratio

 

Exclusive NEW Memorabilia:

·         Premium Mattel Hot Wheels Vehicles: Batmobile, Batpod and Tumbler

·         Newly commissioned collectible art cards by Mondo featuring Scarecrow, Joker, Bane, Harvey Dent, and Ra's al Ghul

·         48-page hardcover book featuring production stills and behind the scenes images from all three movies

 

 

About The Films

 

 

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents’ murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

 

The Dark Knight (2008)

The follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger), who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Oldman, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.

 

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.

 

But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane. Christian Bale stars, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman.

Emerging Artist Spotlight: Jackson Guthy

Photo Credit: Rob Hoffman

The Summer Break Tour, featuring Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice, made a stop in Raleigh, North Carolina last night at the TWC Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek to a large crowd who clearly got into the spirit of the evening by dancing and singing along with the various performers. The opening acts consisted of Olivia Somerlyn and 17-year-old Jackson Guthy, who performed a six song set to kick things off. Guthy's performance was energetic and upbeat, as he sang about young love, broken hearts and finding your way in the world. The young singer/songwriter/piano player performed five original songs, as well as "Feel So Lucky," which is a mash-up of Calvin Harris's "Feel So Close" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky." Jackson began playing before I could find my seat, but I was able to see and hear the majority of his set. His best selection, "Brothers and Sisters" speaks about the end of a relationship, which is made more difficult by interference from other people. Jackson's band consists of Brook Alexander on drums, Toby J. Kim on guitar and George Kosturos, who danced around the stage during the set to help get the crowd motivated with his energy.
 
I had the pleasure of being seated next to part of Jackson's entourage and I would like to thank Carl, Ann and Jack (I hope I have the names and spelling correct!) for providing information regarding the set list and the band members. It was great to meet all of you!

For more information about Jackson Guthy, visit his website here.

Jackson recently appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show. Check out his performance here.

The Summer Break Tour continues through August 11. Check out the remaining dates below:
 

Jul 9                       Verizon Wireless Amphitheater                Charlotte, NC

Jul 10                     Jiffy Lube Live                                                    Bristow, VA

Jul 12                     Bethel Woods Center for the Arts            Bethel, NY

Jul 13                     PNC Bank Arts Center                                    Holmdel, NJ

Jul 14                     First Niagra Pavilion                                         Burgettstown, PA

Jul 16                     Susquehanna Bank Center                          Camden, NJ

Jul 18                     Nikon at Jones Beach Theater                    Wantagh, NY

Jul 19                     Hersheypark Stadium                                    Hershey, PA

Jul 20                     Mohegan Sun                                                    Uncasville, CT

Jul 21                     Comcast Center                                                Mansfield, MA

Jul 23                     Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion        Gilford, NH

Jul 24                     Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion                      Bangor, ME

Jul 26                     Pier Six Pavilion                                                 Baltimore, MD

Jul 27                     Saratoga Performing Arts Center              Saratoga Springs, NY

Jul 28                     Darien Lake Performing Arts Center        Darien Center, NY

Jul 30                     Toledo Zoo Amphitheater                            Toledo, OH

Jul 31                     Blossom Music Center                                   Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Aug 2                     Klipsch Music Center                                      Indianapolis, IN

Aug 3                     DTE Energy Music Theatre                           Clarkston, MI

Aug 4                     First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre            Tinley Park, IL

Aug 6                     Schottenstein Center                                     Columbus, OH

Aug 7                     US Bank Arena                                                  Cincinnati, OH

Aug 9                     Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena    Sioux City, IA

Aug 10                  Target Center                                                    Minneapolis, MN

Aug 11                  Riverside Theatre                                            Milwaukee, WI