Entertainment
Omar Dorsey Interview
Omar Dorsey has been very busy lately. He recently starred in the HBO hit comedy “Eastbound & Down” as the character Dontel Benjamin. You might have also seen Omar in the Quentin Tarantino film “Django Unchained.”
Now you can watch Omar on the new FOX show “Rake” alongside Greg Kinnear. Greg Kinnear plays the role of Keegan Deane. He is the genius lawyer, but he is a degenerate in everything else in life. He is a degenerate gambler. He is a degenerate womanizer. He owes the IRS hundreds of thousands of dollars. Dorsey plays Kinnear’s friend, who is also Greg’s bookie.
Omar was kind enough to take time out of his schedule to talk about “Rake,” comedy, and what he learned from the cast of “Django Unchained.”
Art Eddy: You have been busy recently. Let’s first talk about your role on “Eastbound & Down.” How did you get involved in that show?
Omar Dorsey: I did it the old fashioned way. I auditioned for it. It was crazy. I met Danny when I was doing “Django.” He was doing “This is the End.” We were both in New Orleans. I ran into him. I asked him if they were bringing the show back. He said he didn’t know. He wanted to bring it back, but he didn’t know.
Then I swear two or three weeks later HBO was bringing it back. I was on a mission. It was my favorite comedy. I have to get on this show, by hook or by crook. So when I go audition for it I see Danny. He was like hey. I was like I told you I wanted to get on your show. I went in there and knocked out the audition. We created the great character named Dontel Benjamin. It was fun.
AE: The show has a great cast which is headlined by Danny McBride. What was it like to work on the show that is very different from other comedy shows?
OD: It is a show that is real life. That is how dudes talk to each other. My mom watches it. She says that she doesn’t get it. She says she doesn’t understand the show. She asked me why does everybody curse. I told her that this is how we talk to each other. It is not like church. When we are watching sports or on the phone with each other we sometimes curse each other out. We don’t mean anything bad by it.
It is such a natural show. It is quite organic. Even the way that we shoot the show. Jody Hill is the show runner. He told us we were going wide open. You can say whatever you want to say within the structure of the show. We could improv. That was when the best stuff came out in the show.
AE: Do you have any cool behind the scene stories from that series?
OD: We shot in North Carolina. We were like a family. We stayed in the same hotel. We would go out to eat together all the time. We did everything together. When we got done with work we would meet in the lobby and go out to eat. That was the most fun thing in the world. We did that for two months. It was awesome.
AE: You star in the new show called “Rake.” Tell me about your character and the show.
OD: It is a great show. Greg Kinnear plays this character Keegan Deane. He is the genius lawyer. He is a degenerate in everything else in life. He is a degenerate gambler. He is a degenerate womanizer. He owes the IRS hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I play his friend, who also happens to be his bookie. He owes me money as well. I have to remind him quite often that he owes me money. We would be partying and go to the bathroom. I beat him up in the bathroom and tell him how much he owes me. It is just a fun role. Every week the role just keeps growing. It is like the role has a life of its own. I love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIf6MgnY9_I
AE: What can the audience expect from this show?
OD: It is a fun show. I believe it will connect, because Greg Kinnear connects with people. It is the same thing like how “House” was. You would be like this guy is such a despicable character, but he is very likable. It is that type of thing. Or like how “The Shield” was with Michael Chiklis. He is not as bad as Michael Chiklis was, but he was that anti-hero type though. He tries to be morally good with his clients. That is how people will 
connect with him.
AE: I am a big fan of “Django Unchained.” What will you take away from your experience working on that film?
OD: That movie changed my life straight up. I was noticing the way Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sam Jackson, Jamie Foxx, and Walton Goggins work. I would sit back and watch. Then I like to ask questions. I was asking them questions. They really taught me on how to be an actor. It was like I was in acting school.
I would be sitting there with DiCaprio at lunch and would be talking about characters. This was right before he went to New York to do “Wolf of Wall Street.” I asked him how he does that. He goes from one role to the other. He has to learn all these lines. He said that is why they pay you.
Watching their work ethic. Watching their brilliance. All those people were great. Quentin Tarantino has the best eye for talent. Watching all these actors who I admire and their process was showing me how it was done. Nothing has been the same for me since then. After “Django” I came back and started really working a lot. It has been non-stop since then, because I learned those lessons from what those guys taught me.
Jan 20th
Ice Cube Interview
Growing up my music of choice was rap. One of my all-time favorite rappers is Ice Cube. From his work in N.W.A. to his solo career to Westside Connection I would listen to his albums over and over again. Not only did Ice Cube make a name for himself in the world of Hip-hop, but he started to work on the big screen.
Seeing him in “Boyz in the Hood” and “Higher Learning” I was able to see some of his acting skills. When the film “Friday” came along I became an even bigger fan of his work. “Friday” was hilarious and to this day it is one of my favorite comedic films. Cube would venture out into directing and producing shows as well.
Now Ice Cube is working with director Tim Story again in the film “Ride Along.” The film centers on Ice Cube’s character James Payton, who is a police officer. James takes his sister’s boyfriend Ben Barber with him on his patrol to see if he is man enough to marry his sister. Barber is played by the very funny Kevin Hart.
I had the great pleasure of talking with Ice Cube about “Ride Along,” Hip-hop, and if he prefers his rap career over acting.
Art Eddy: “Ride Along” looks to have the classic buddy type of film theme to it. You and Kevin Hart look hilarious together. Was this project something you guys talked about doing together?
Ice Cube: Yeah. This project has been on the shelf for more than ten years. It came across my desk years ago. My company Cube Vision, we had our eyes on it, but we never knew who was going to be the other guy. It fell to the wayside. Then my guy Matt got it to Will Packer. Will Packer loved it. He showed Tim Story, who just worked with Kevin Hart. That is how the team came together.
AE: How good was it to be working with director Tim Story again? 
IC: Oh man. It is a dream. I worked with him before on “Barbershop.” He was a first time director. Even though he was such a cool dude to work with he was still learning the process. Now it has been years later and he has some great and big budget films under his belt as well as small budget films. He is a vet now. He is a pro at what he does. Working with him was one of the easiest and most comfortable experiences I had.
AE: Not trying to jump the gun, but will there be some deleted scenes on the DVD that you wish made it into the film?
IC: Oh yeah. There is always certain things that you wished was in the film, but tight is better than loose. We definitely used the funniest takes, but the other takes are funny in their own right. It will be cool to see how people feel when they see the whole thing.
AE: You came into the spotlight as a rapper. There is not that much laughter and levity in rap. Yet in films like “Ride Along” and of course classics like “Friday” you have a gift to make people laugh. Did you always have the comedic side to you?
IC: Always. Even when you listen to the music it is rough, but it still has a comedic element to it. It might be dark and twisted, but it still has that flavor. I think that is just part of how I grew up. Comedy was big. If you knew how to make people laugh you were loved in the neighborhood.
To me that is just as a part of the neighborhood as crime, violence and drugs. Comedy goes hand in hand with it. So I always have been funny. I always had funny friends. I am fans of pretty much everybody that I put in my movies. So it would be just like how I would hang out with some of my funny friends. I got pretty good timing. Out of my friends I was the funniest one so, but people might not know that.
AE: You are a rapper, actor, director, writer, and producer. Two things. One, how do find enough time in the day to do all these things? Second do you prefer one role over the others?
IC: To me it is a trip because I find myself sitting around and being like damn I am not doing anything. I need to get busy. I need to figure something out. I love to create. When you are like that you don’t really rest on what has been done. You are caught up in what you are doing. When things are done it is really in my rear view mirror. I am now focused on what I am planning to do. The process is what I have fun with just as much as the final product. That is what keeps me working.
The answer to the second question is that I love to do both. Both of them tap into different creative abilities. In music I can just do what I want to do. I can be creative or as uncreative as I want to be. For Hip-hop whatever I want to do I can do because I don’t have a label putting pressure on me to come up with a radio hit. That is freedom for an artist. That is fun.
For movies I have to be a team player. I have to make sure that this whole machine is working. You hire people who are better than you at what they do. You work with them, motivate them, and let them do their thing. You let them be part of a team. You have to be a master motivator, which is a whole new way to create.
AE: Is there one album in your great resume that you are most proud of?
IC: “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” was the most pressure I felt doing a record. Yet it was the most enthusiasm that I put into an album. I felt like I was creatively free of any shackles. It was my show. I could run it anyway I wanted to. I worked with some of the best producers that I have ever worked with. I can remember working on that album more vividly than any other album that I have worked on. So I have to say then it was “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted.”
AE: “No Vaseline,” “Bow Down,” and I guess the list can go on and on for me for my favorite tracks of yours. Which album or track do you hear from fans that they love the most?
IC: “It was a Good Day.” Hands down. People have claimed that as my biggest hit. It is cool. It is such a dope song. It is done in the spirit of the movie “Friday.” You think it is bad in the neighborhood until you have one of those days.
AE: Yeah. Mess around and get a triple-double.
IC: Yeah. You know it happens. To acknowledge it shows me that I am true to what I am doing. I was not just doing a gimmick or sensationalizing things. I was trying to give people a slice of life. People sometimes go under the impression that I grew up with money or that I didn’t come straight out the neighborhood. I did. I know what it is about.
AE: Is there anyone that you would you like to have on your next album or work with on their next track?
IC: No, not really. I don’t think like that. I am just trying to be on my own page. I am not a super callabo guy. I grew up when a rapper can hold his own. He could hold the whole album. You didn’t need all these guest appearances or collaborations. You listen to Big Daddy Kane and that is who you heard. I am from that tradition. So I usually have an album that doesn’t have a lot of features.
Jan 16th
7 Things You Didn’t Know About The Cutting Edge
Who doesn’t love The Cutting Edge? Seriously, find me someone who won’t watch this movie whenever it’s on. You can’t. Don’t lie to me, you can’t. It’s an undisputed classic that totally dominates the genre of sports romance. It’s got everything: a love/skate relationship, social class inequity, toe picks and tequila shots and montage sequences that teleport you back to the grainy, guitar-heavy days of 1992.
So when I saw The Cutting Edge was on TV, there was little I could do but enjoy it from start to finish. As am I watching this thing I took to IMDB to scope out some trivia, see what Moira Kelly looks like now, you know, the usual. And I learned things. Interesting things. Things you may not have known about this classic movie. Here are 10 of them, in no particular order:
The Film Was Directed by the Original Starsky
Yep, The Cutting Edge was directed by Paul Manfred Glaser aka the OG Starsky. He directed five episodes of Starsky and Hutch back in the late 70s, three episodes of Miami Vice and followed that up with films like The Running Man, The Air Up There and Kazaam. He mostly sticks to the small screen now from what I can tell.
They Made Three Friggin Sequels
I missed out on 2006’s The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold, aka The Cutting Edge 2. I also missed The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream, a TV movie from 2008. The Cutting Edge: Fire & Ice, another TV movie from 2010 slipped through the cracks as well. Yep, I missed all three sequels, and you know what? I’m totally okay with that.
The Guy Who Directed The Cutting Edge: Fire & Ice Made Some Awesome Movies 20+ Years Ago
Director Stephen Herek is the guy responsible for The Cutting Edge 4. That’s not really what he’s known for though. This guy had some pretty sweet hits in the late 80s/early 90s. Films like Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead and The Mighty Ducks. That’s an impressive resume, no doubt. But that’s before he got into the sequel/spinoff phase of his career. That dark period began in 2003 with Young MacGyver, a TV movie that was actually a pilot for a larger series. MacGyver’s young nephew Clay couldn’t capture the magic of his uncle though, so the show was never picked up.
The Guy Who Wrote The Cutting Edge Also Wrote All the Bourne Identity Films
That’s right, Rene Russo’s brother-in-law Tony Gilroy wrote all the four films in the Jason Bourne series (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum and Legacy), but his first screenplay was The Cutting Edge. His other writing credits include The Devil’s Advocate, Armageddon and Proof of Life. He also wrote and directed Michael Clayton and Duplicity. But it all start with a figure skating rom-com script back in 1992.
Moira Kelly Coulda Been in A League of Their Own
Moira Kelly shoulda been a bigger deal. She should be known for more than this film, Chaplin and being that cute chick from With Honors and West Wing. Instead she left it all on the ice. Kelly injured her ankle during shooting and had to be moved about on a porter’s truck in between scenes. She was cast to play Kit Keller in A League of Their Own in 1992, but the ankle injury she suffered forced her to pass it up. That role went to Lori Petty. Moira Kelly coulda been the next Tank Girl. Think about it.
Anton Pamchenko Was a British Fighter Pilot and WWII POW
Roy Dotrice, the guy who played the Russian figure skating coach who lent his name to the Pamchenko Twist, isn’t Russian at all. He’s a Brit. Not just any Brit, either. Dude joined the RAF when he was 16 and was shot down in 1942 and captured by the enemy. Guy spent three years in Germany as a prisoner of war. In an attempt to lift the collective spirits of his fellow POWs, he would stage performances. After the war he took up acting. He put together an impressive career and even appeared in a couple Game of Thrones episodes in 2012.
Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney Are Still Buddies
The two main stars of the film spent two months together training to be realistic figure skaters. They became good friends and they’re still homies if you believe IMDB. See folks, that figure skating chemistry was real!
Jan 8th
Keith David Interview
Keith David has had many memorable roles in film and on TV. From “Platoon” to “There’s Something About Mary” to “Men at Work,” Keith’s resume is always growing. He is now on the new show called “Enlisted” on FOX.
It is a comedy about three brothers on a small Florida Army post and their experience with a bunch of oddballs who work with them. David plays Command Sergeant Major Donald Cody, who served with the brothers’ late father. The Sergeant made a promise to look after his friend’s sons. The show airs on FOX on Fridays at 9:30/8:30 central.
I was able to chat with Keith about his role on “Enlisted,” acting, voice over work, and which roles he gets most remembered for from his fans.
Art Eddy: You star in the new hit comedy on FOX called “Enlisted.” You play Command Sergeant Major Donald Cody. Tell me a bit about your role and the show.
Keith David: I am the highest enlisted man on the base. I’m not an officer so don’t call me sir. I work for a living. We have a lot of fun. It is a workplace comedy. One of the things about a rear detachment unit is that the general perception is that it is for losers.
The truth of the matter is that the Army is a business. Somebody has got to run it. Not everybody can fight. We are the guys who run the business of the Army. We take care of cleaning the tanks. We take care of the families. We do the paperwork. We do all that kind of stuff.
That is another thing that separates us from other military shows. Most of the time when you see a military show it is either in the field fighting or getting ready to fight. We don’t do any fighting over there. All our stuff takes place at home. We fight for the rights of the families.
AE: What attracted you to this role and the show?
KD: One of the things that comes apparent in the course of the series is that I am sort of a surrogate father to these boys. I served with their father for more than half of my life. When their father died I made a promise that I would look after these boys.
Part of the job for the Command Sergeant Major is that he does look after the soldiers. In some ways they become like his children. You look after them and you care about them each individually. Everyone has different needs. We all have soldiering to do, but everyone is not to be soldiered in the same way. Yes, we have common responsibilities, but everyone needs to be handled differently. Just as the way a father would handle his children.
AE: Which other characters from the show did you enjoy watching as you were taping episodes?
KD: There is a little something there for everybody. All the members of the platoon get their moment to shine and let you know who they are. They all have their own special personality traits and quirks that you will come to enjoy. I certainly have enjoyed watching them as they unfold over the course of the series.
It was fun watching Geoff develop into a leader. Seeing the scenes as the brothers come together as a family and as a platoon. Again it is part of the journey of the series. It really has been a wonderful ride.
AE: How many shows have you guys taped already?
KD: We have 13 in the can. Hopefully you will get to see all 13 and you will ask to see 13 or 22 more.
AE: To say that you are a very accomplished actor would be an understatement. Not only are you known for you roles in “Platoon,” “Crash,” and “There’s Something About Mary,” but you do a lot of voice acting as well. How did you get involved into voice acting? 
KD: Wow. I have been doing voice over work for a very long time. When I first graduated from school I really wanted to do voice overs. I always wanted to do cartoons, animation, and especially documentaries.
It was a very exclusive club. There were very few brothers in it. It was the white boys club and very few brothers were invited. There were a few. I had a wonderful agent who was persistent. After a while I got to be invited to the party. I have been very happy. I have been attending the party ever since.
AE: Keeping with voice acting. I am a big fan of yours in Disney’s “Princess and The Frog.” Loved your work as Doctor Facilier. How fun was it to play that role?
KD: Oh! Well I am a singer. It wasn’t the first time that I sang in the movies. I sang on the soundtrack of “Platoon” actually. I sang on the soundtrack of a movie I did called “Johns.” I also sang on the soundtrack of another movie I did called “Flipping.”
This was the absolute biggest moment that I got to sing and act. It was wonderful. It was a Disney cartoon. One of my favorites growing up was “Snow White.” I loved “Mister Magoo’s Christmas.” You probably won’t remember Mr. Magoo, but it was a spin on “A Christmas Carol.” Mr. Magoo was Scrooge. It was one of the most wonderful films. I still love it today. Trying to get my kids to love it as much as I do, but they don’t. They just tolerate it. (Laughs).
AE: To this day one of my favorite parts in any film was your scene in the diner with Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez in “Men at Work.” Just want to let you know I never mess with another man’s fries.
KD: (Laughs). That’s a good thing because it is a dangerous thing to do.
AE: For you what role do you get recognized most for from fans?
KD: Funny enough “Men at Work” is one of them. “Something About Mary” is another. I absolutely love “Men at Work.” It was the first time in a movie that I got to play a little bit of comedy. I think I am a funny guy.
AE: (Laughs). Yep. I do too.
KD: My wife thinks that she is funnier, but she is wrong. (Both laugh).
Jan 7th
Win Runner Runner on Blu-ray
Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck star in this high-stakes crime thriller where the lure of easy money is the riskiest bet of all. When Princeton grad student Richie Furst (Timberlake) believes he’s been swindled by an online poker site, he heads to Costa Rica to confront gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Affleck), the man he thinks is responsible. But Richie will soon face the ultimate power play as he finds himself caught between Block’s promises of unlimited wealth and the zealous FBI agent (Anthony Mackie) trying to bring him down.
The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a bonus feature that reveals the true story behind the world of online poker, as well as never before seen bonus content.
The Runner Runner Blu-ray Combo Pack also includes a Digital HD copy of the film.
To win a copy follow MANjr on Twitter for your chance to win!
Jan 6th
USF’s Rocky the Bull Crowned 2013 Capital One Mascot
The stampede of support from Rocky the Bull’s rabid fans trampled Raider Red’s “Wreck ‘em” crew in the championship finale of the Capital One National Mascot of the Year competition. The newcomer claimed an improbable title in the 12th year of the storied program.
Rocky was projected to finish last in the competition in college football and mascot prognosticator Phil Steele’s Mascot Meter rankings, but the famed University of South Florida mascot lowered his head and plowed through the 15 other Mascot Challenge competitors to finish with a perfect record and forever claim his place in mascot lore. “The entire University of South Florida community is thrilled for Rocky,” President Genshaft said. “All of the mascots competing in this year’s challenge were a wonderful reflection of the pride and passion of their respective universities. Rocky has always been first in our hearts, and now the rest of the nation can see how wonderfully he represents our exuberant and unstoppable USF students and alumni.” With the win, Rocky received $20,000 from Capital One for his collegiate mascot program, and was honored at the Capital One Bowl game on January 1, 2014 in Orlando, Fla.
“The enthusiasm and dedication USF fans have sustained during this 16-week competition has been inspiring,” said Doug Woolard, University of South Florida Director of Athletics. “Rocky the Bull is truly loved, and we are thrilled with the fan support he received during this challenge that helped him be crowned the champion.”
This year, Capital One introduced a new element of voting in the competition that took fans to a whole new level of mascot fandom. The addition of 25 and 100-point social media challenges allowed fans to show their creative side and go all-out for their mascots. Fans were asked to upload unique content to their social media channels using a special hashtag for their mascot to earn additional points. The unique weekly challenges – from creating a cheerleader-style cheer to snapping a picture while eating their mascot’s favorite tailgate dish – showcased how far fans would go for their mascot.
“The outpouring support for Rocky the Bull in the Mascot Challenge was astonishing,” said Marc Mentry, Senior Vice President at Capital One. “Rocky’s fans bulled over the entire competition giving this rookie competitor an undefeated record in the challenge! We’re excited to add his name to the famed Capital One Mascot Challenge Winners list.”
The complete 2013 All-America Capital One Mascot Team included:
Rocky the Bull of The University of South Florida – 2013 Winner
Raider Red of Texas Tech University – 2012 Winner
Baldwin the Eagle of Boston College
Big Jay of The University of Kansas
Big Red of Western Kentucky University – Hall of Fame Inductee
Pee Dee the Pirate of East Carolina University
Rocky the Rocket of The University of Toledo – 2012 Write-In Winner
Bucky Badger of The University of Wisconsin–Madison
Cam the Ram of Colorado State University
HokieBird of Virginia Tech
Mike the Tiger of Louisiana State University
Monte of The University of Montana – 2002 & 2004 Winner
Smokey of The University of Tennessee
Sparty of Michigan State University
The Duck of The University of Oregon
Wilbur T. Wildcat of The University of Arizona
Jan 2nd
Holiday Lights At The Empire State Building
For the past few nights the Empire State Building has been celebrating the holiday season with the its first-ever holiday light-and-music show series choreographed to a mix of classic and modern holiday songs.
The shows will continue until tomorrow night where viewers will have the rare opportunity to help select ESB’s lights for the fifth and final show. The ESB Holiday Light Show Team will review YouTube views, Facebook comments, Tweets, and other social media comments to select the Christmas Eve performance.
Fans in New York and around the Tri-State area can tune into radio station 106.7 Lite FM to enjoy the synchronized soundtrack of holiday favorites in real-time during the light shows.
Here was the Light-and-Music Shows Recap:
Friday, December 20: “Holly Jolly Christmas” (Burl Ives) and “Christmas Wrapping” (The Waitresses)
Saturday, December 21: “Let It Snow” (Dean Martin) and “All Alone on Christmas” (Darlene Love)
Sunday, December 22: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (Brenda Lee) and “Sleigh Ride” (Karmin)
Monday, December 23: “Jingle Bell Rock” (Bobby Helms) and “Run Rudolph Run” (Keith Richards)
Tuesday, December 24: Encore light show performance decided by social media sentiment
Dec 23rd
The Family Blu-ray Giveaway
In the dark action comedy “The Family”, a Mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy town in France under the Witness Protection Program after snitching on the mob. Despite Agent Stansfield’s (Tommy Lee Jones) best efforts to keep them in line, Fred Blake (Robert De Niro), his wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their children, Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D’Leo), can’t help resorting to old habits by handling their problems the “family” way. Chaos ensues as their former Mafia cronies try to track them down and scores are settled in the unlikeliest of settings, in this subversively funny film by Luc Besson.
The chemistry between De Niro’s character and Tommy Lee Jones character is great. Jones and De Niro have this dry sense of humor that you come to love with these two great actors. This is something you come to expect when you see their names attached to the film.
De Niro’s family also take part of the spotlight as well. Of course just like De Niro and Jones, Michelle Pfeiffer has this dry sense of humor that goes along with a family that is tired of moving around the globe. Their kids Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D’Leo) best scenes take place when they are learning the in and outs of their new high school.
This is very funny comedy and you will enjoy the acting, dialogue and yes action in this dark comedy,
The film sees Robert De Niro’s character make a list of 10 reasons he’s a ‘good guy’ – despite being a violent mobster. We thought it could be fun if you use the comment section to tell us why you are a good guy,
To enter, just like us on Facebook and tell us why you are a good guy!
Dec 16th
The Wolverine Blu-ray Giveaway
The year’s most action packed blockbuster comes home as THE WOLVERINE debuts its 4 disc Blu-ray Unleashed Extended Edition, 2 disc Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD on December 3 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Directed by James Mangold (Knight and Day, 3:10 to Yuma, Walk The Line), THE WOLVERINE inspired by the celebrated Marvel comic book arc and featuring Hugh Jackman, in the title role takes the hero to a Japan he hasn’t seen since World War II – and into a shadowy realm of ninjas, mutants, and a brand new class of villains. To date the film has topped over $371 million in the worldwide box office becoming the highest grossing film in the franchise internationally.
Jackman returns as The Wolverine and faces his ultimate nemesis in an action-packed, life-or-death battle that takes him to modern-day Japan. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his limits, Wolverine confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality; an epic fight that will leave him forever changed.
THE WOLVERINE Blu-ray will allow fans to sync with the Second Screen app where viewers can immerse themselves in the world of The Wolverine, including a synced viewing experience, concept art, and many more cool and interactive bonus materials! The Unleashed Extended Edition will feature an extended cut of the film for the first time ever in the entire X-Men franchise, allowing viewers to go further into the creation of the darker Wolverine and the journey that he undertakes. THE WOLVERINE Unleashed Extended Edition Blu-ray includes 3D Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD™, complete with exclusives that make it the perfect gift for the holidays.
To celebrate The Wolverine Digital HD release, this first-ever multi-touch experience from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment was revealed, taking Wolverine fans deeper intoThe Wolverine than they’ve ever gone before. Through this visually-driven multi-touch experience, readers will explore all the ramifications of Logan’s mutant powers as they are diminished, lost, and then regained. Focusing on four powerful fight scenes in The Wolverine, the multi-touch book adds to the story with original narrative, exclusive behind-the-scenes video, VAM teases, beautiful imagery, and interactive models. The multi-touch experience is free on the iTunes iBook Store to be downloaded with iBooks on your Mac or iOS device, and with iTunes on your computer. The interactive features may work best on an iPad.
HIGHLIGHTS
· More than 50 pages of content
· Extensive film and behind-the-scenes footage, along with photos and Easter eggs
· 95% original written text and exclusive narrative writing
· Pre-visuals and 3D content
· Multi-media Rich Interactivity: Nearly every page contains a video, keynote animation, scrollable text, hidden gem, or audio icon
· iBooks Author Interactivity: Scrolling text blocks, hi-res full-screen image galleries, pop-ups with additional text and photos to drive the experience
· Easter Egg Exclusive Content allows readers to dive deeper into the world of Wolverine as they discover hidden, exclusive content
· Interactive Blueprint Images use the built-in iBooks Author Interactive feature to a pan-and-zoom experience to dive deep into the Suppressor Beetle
To enter, just follow us on Twitter (@MANjrcom) and send us an email in the form provided below. Good Luck!
Nov 27th
Jack Noseworthy Interview
Jack Noseworthy grew up in Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Boston Conservatory and has starred in films, on television and on Broadway. He made his Broadway debut in the original company of “Jerome Robbins Broadway.” He also played play opposite John Lithgow in the Broadway musical “Sweet Smell of Success.”
Now Jack gets to go back to his Massachusetts roots as he stars in the National Geographic film “Killing Kennedy.”
I spoke with Jack about the preparation for his role as Bobby Kennedy and what his expectations were for this role and the film.
Art Eddy: You play the role of Robert Kennedy in the National Geographic Channel’s “Killing 
Kennedy.” Was it nerve racking to be cast as such a recognizable historic figure?
Jack Noseworthy: I felt the need to be very respectful to this historical character that is a real person. He is revered in our history. I had self-imposed pressure I think to portray him in a way that I think would be historically correct to his character, but in a way that was true to the film. It needed to be an honest portrayal in the story that we were telling. Since he was a real person and people do love him there was real pressure, but like I said mostly self-imposed pressure.
AE: What was your research like for this role?
JN: There is so much research out there on the Kennedy’s. They are our country’s royalty. You really have to pick and choose what type of order you really want to go in. You don’t want to spend too much time on stories or things that are not applicable to the story that you are working on.
First and foremost you look at the script that you are given and you take everything out of that. The script was based from the book “Killing Kennedy” by Bill O’Reilly. When I had to research my role past that and beyond those written words I really focused on two areas. I read a biography by Evan Thomas called “Robert Kennedy.” I also watched a documentary called “RFK.”
The documentary gave me a physical, audio, and visual of who Bobby was and what he was portraying. It showed me how he carried himself and how he spoke. The biography really filled in the blanks from what an hour and a half documentary couldn’t possibly do.
AE: During your research what was some of the interesting facts you learned about Robert?
JN: While doing my research I found things that were really fascinating. One was his ability to change. He was brought up with a silver spoon in his mouth. Jack’s assassination affected him so powerfully and so deeply. He believed that Jack was the golden child. When Jack was assassinated, Bobby took it really hard. When he was able to change his own views on civil rights, I think it goes back to the assassination and people could feel his pain.
He was able to empathize with people who didn’t grow up like he had or had the resources like he did. The promise of Bobby was lost. I think he could have done some amazing things in his life. So what I really learned was his ability to embrace the unknown with open arms and his ability to not pass judgment on others. His ability to change was the greatest thing I learned from him.
AE: Being from Massachusetts did you feel any more pressure on making sure you had the New England accent down?
JN: It was one of the most important things to me. There was no way that I was not going to use an accent. I never once questioned it. I never once thought about it. I am enormously proud of my roots and where I am from. I went to college in Boston. I worked at the Boston Conservatory. Some of my family still lives there. I am a “Masshole” from the get go. (Both laugh.)
There was no way that it was ever going to be an issue. I gave you my full on Boston accent. It is for real.
AE: There has been a huge viewer response to this film. What was the cast and crew’s expectation for the films reception?
JN: I didn’t have any expectations other than my own excitement for working on the project. I loved the script. Kelly Masterson wrote a great script. He adapted Bill O’Reilly. Everyone involved was really focused on doing a great job. Everyone stepped up to the plate and brought their A game.
So right from the get go I felt that I was involved in a really special project. From the director to the cast this was something that we all wanted to be proud of. Ultimately when we finished the project we were really proud of it. It is hard when you make something. Once it is done it is out of your hands.
So my expectations were more about hope than anything else. I hoped that it would be great. It would have a great score and it the editing would be great. The fact that is did well and fans responded well to it was fantastic. It is not a movie about conspiracies. Based on Bill O’Reilly, he thought it was a lone gunman. The film is about people and their relationships. I think that is why people responded to it.
AE: Like you stated earlier this film is based on the Bill O’Reilly book with the same title. Was he on set at all?
JN: Yes. Bill was on set on one of the days that I was working on the film. I was able to talk with him about how he saw Bobby’s character from his book. He and I were able to discuss what he was interested in regards to how Bobby acted in the film.
There is a scene where I talk with J. Edgar Hoover. Bill wanted to make sure that I called him Edgar instead of Mr. Hoover. Bobby never called him Mr. Hoover so Bill wanted to make that I got that part right in the film.
AE: What was Bill’s reaction to the film?
JN: He was really impressed with it. He was incredibly happy with it.
AE: Are there any other projects that you are currently working on?
JN: I have a movie that I finished not too long ago. It is called “Julia”. I play a psychiatrist where I help women who have been victims of rape. It is sort of a physiological thriller and I play this psychiatrist who tries to have power of these women. The main character Julia is played by an actress named Ashley Williams. I think it is a really interesting movie. Matthew A. Brown is the guy who directed it. It will be doing the film festival circuit. I haven’t seen it yet, but when we shot it I thought it was a really good film.
Right now I am in Los Angeles to promote “Killing Kennedy.” I would love to be on a long running TV show. I love the theatre. That is where I came from. It is great to go to work every day with the same cast and crew. I don’t know if it means to come on as a guest star and stay on that show or get on a pilot and have it do well with audiences. That would be what I would love to do next.
Nov 20th
