Level 33 Entertainment Announces U.S. Release Date For Spike Island

Courtesy: Level 33 Entertainment

Indie film studio Level 33 Entertainment will finally bring its new movie Spike Island home later this month.

Level 33 Entertainment announced this week that Spike Island will be released in stores on Tuesday, June 23^rd. The movie is a coming-of-age piece that centers on young wannabe rockers who come up with a plan to get their demo tape hand-delivered to their favorite band The Stone Roses. Their hopes are that the Stone Roses will hear the band’s music and help them kick start their dreams of stardom. The catch is getting in to the band’s upcoming show at Spike Island, a 103-acre island that lies in Cork Harbor, Ireland. The problem is that the friends’ tickets never appear. So they take off on a road trip with a plan to sneak into the show. The journey to the show tests the friendships of the young band leading the young rockers to come to some tough realizations and make some equally tough decisions.

Spike Island was written by Chris Coghill and directed by award winner Matt Whitecross (Winner—Independent Spirit Award for The Road To Guantanamo). It was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer (Elliot Tittensor—Shameless, The Selfish Giant, Slap) and features the music of The Stone Roses. Speaking of Tittensor, he stars alongside Emilia Clark (Game of Thrones, Terminator: Genysis, Don Hemingway), Lesley Manville (Maleficent, Another Year, Law & Order: UK), Rob James-Collier (Downton Abbey, Coronation Street, Mercenaries), Kaya Scodelario (Moon, The Maze Runner, Clash of the Titans), Adam Long (The Thirteenth Tale, Happy Valley, The Passing Bells), Oliver Heald (Shameless, The Messenger), Antonia Thomas (Survivor, Misfits, Sunshine on Leath), Michael Socha (Being Human, Once Upon a Time, This is England), Jordan Murphy (The Passing Bells, My Mad Fat Diary, Marvellous), and Nico Mirallegro (Hollyoaks, Common, Anita B.).

Level 33 Entertainment head Andreas Olavarria discussed his thoughts on the movie’s U.S. release with the press noting all that makes it such a standout story. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Spike Island to audiences across North America,” he said. “The movie is filled with youthful energy, great music and terrific performances that are sure to entertain a broad range of filmgoers – especially fans of The Stone Roses and of Emilia Clarke, who plays a very different role from her well known character in HBO’s Game Of Thrones.”

Spike Island was released through Universal Pictures and Vertigo Films in the United Kingdom. Audiences can check out a trailer for the movie online now via Level 33 Entertainment’s website. More information on Spike Island is available online now at:

Website: http://level33entertainment.com/Spike_Island.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SpikeIslandUS

More information on Spike Island and other titles available from Level 33 Entertainment is available online now at:

Website: http://www.level33entertainment.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Level33entertainment

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Level33_ent

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

IFC Films Releasing New Rom-Com Just In Time For Valentine’s Day

Courtesy: IFC Films

IFC Films is releasing a new romantic comedy just in time for Valentine’s Day this year.  A Case of You, starring Justin Long (She’s Just Not That Into You, Live Free or Die Hard, Going The Distance), Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle, Airheads, Dudley Do-Right), Evan Rachel Wood (Across The Universe, The Ides of March, Mildred Pierce) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), is a story set in the age of digital dating.  When writer Sam (Justin Long) creates an overly embellished online dating profile to win over his love interest Birdie (Evan Rachel Wood), it works a little too well.  The result is that Sam must make a choice between telling Birdie the truth about himself or trying to maintain his façade.  Veteran actor Vince Vaughan (Wedding Crashers, The Intern, Anchorman) makes an appearance, too. He plays Sam’s boss Alan.

A Case of You will entertain any of today’s audiences because of its believability.  It explores the sometimes laughable lengths to which we as people will go for love.  Also signed on for the new rom-com are :  Sam Rockwell, Sienna Miller, Peter Billingsley, Busy Philipps, and Keir O’Donnell.  O’Donnel was one of the movie’s writers along with Justin Long and his brother Christian Long.  It is long’s first movie as a writer and producer.  Kait Coiro (And While We Were Here) directed the movie.  It will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, February 4^th from IFC Films for MSRPs of $24.98 and $29.98 respectively.

More information on this and other titles from IFC Films is available online at http://www.IFCFilms.com and http://www.facebook.com/IFCFilmsOfficial.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Da Vinci’s Demons A Surprise Hit In Its Debut Season

Courtesy: Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment

Da Vinci’s Demons is not the first historically based drama on television today.  It is however, one of the best.  And now thanks to Starz and Anchor Bay, those that aren’t lucky enough to have Starz network can experience the first season of this hit series for themselves on DVD and Blu-ray.  The first season of Da Vinci’s Demons is so entertaining first and foremost because of its clever writing. Unlike so many other historical dramas, this one is more centered on action and adventure than drama.  It’s one part Indiana Jones and one part…well…Da Vinci’s Code tied into one.  Audiences will also appreciate the work on the part of the show’s cast throughout all eight of Season One’s episodes.  And of course what box set would be complete without at least some bonus features?  The bonus features included in Da Vinci’s Demons Season One are relatively brief.  But they play their own part in making the overall presentation of Season One enjoyable.  These aspects taken into consideration, they work in tandem to make this debut season one that is a must see for any fan of historical dramas.

The most important element of Da Vinci’s Demons Season One is its writing.  Credit where credit is due.  Series creator and writer David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight Trilogy, The Blade Trilogy) has crafted in the series’ first season that is a more akin to Indiana Jones than say Game of Thrones.  It just used setting in question as the backdrop for all of the action.  Goyer and his staff of writers are more than deserving of respect for balancing the story of his search for the “Book of Leaves” with his being wrapped up in the political and religious turmoil of the time.  It would have been so easy for the two separate story lines to step on one another, especially considering the depth of each story line.  Keeping in mind the depth of the story arcs throughout Season One, viewers will have to be fully invested in each episode in order to fully appreciate them.  One cannot simply have any of Season One’s episodes playing while one does housework, etc. and expect to have a full appreciation for the writing.  This is a good thing, too.  It is good because in being fully invested in each episode, audiences will see the value of and originality in each episode and the first season overall.

The writing behind any TV show and movie is the backbone of each.  It can make or break the given TV show or movie.  By direct correlation, the work of the show’s cast makes the show even more of a joy to watch.  Actor Tom Riley aptly fills the role of a young Leonardo Da Vinci opposite his equally talented cast mates.  He shows his acting chops quite well with this subtle wit and control over his character’s deeper emotions.  There are those actors that tend to ham it up on both ends of that spectrum.  But Riley doesn’t do that.  It makes him all the more fun to watch.   He and his cast mates collectively make suspension of disbelief easy, too.  This should come as no surprise considering the resumes of some of the main cast.  The cast is comprised of rather well trained theater actors that are just as experienced in their craft as they are trained.  Elliot Cowan (Lorenzo Medici) is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.  He also holds a degree in Drama from Birmingham University.  He has starred in a number of major films including Alexander (2004) and The Golden Compass (2007).  Viewers will recognize Gregg Chillin (Zoroaster) from his roles in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  And those that have seen Nanny McPhee Returns will likely recognize actor Eros Vlahos.  Vlahos played Cyril Gray in that movie.  He has also starred in none other than Game of Thrones as Lommy Greenhands.  The collective resume of the cast of Da Vinci’s Demons goes on for quite some time.  But one can tell from this microscopic look at that resume just why suspension of disbelief was so easy and why the cast gelled so well together.  It’s one more aspect of the show that makes it such a surprise hit.

The casting and writing behind Da Vinci’s Demons are integral to the show’s success.  Also noteworthy in this triple-disc box set is the bonus features.  The primary bonus features included in the set take viewers into the recording studio, where the show’s soundtrack was recorded.  Also included among the bonus features are the standard deleted scenes, and a look behind the scenes of the show.  Each feature is a short vignette.  But they do their own part to make the overall experience richer.  Even more important to Season One is the inclusion of bonus commentary as well as the option to play each episode with a recap of the previous episodes.  The recap is especially helpful regardless of whether or not one missed any of the episodes presented in this set.  Even if a person has seen each episode, a recap helps remind viewers of what has already happened.  Considering that each episode is just over an hour in length, it makes the recaps even more important an addition to each episode.  It is the proverbial cherry on the sundae that makes Season One of Da Vinci’s Demons such a surprise hit.  Along with the show’s writing and its acting, it makes this box set all the more worth picking up.  It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct from Anchor Bay Entertainment’s website at http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/detail.aspx?projectID=fd093f1f-88ae-e211-b6d4-d4ae527c3b65.  More information on this and other releases from Anchor Bay Entertainment and Starz is available online at http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com and http://www.facebook.com/AnchorBay.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.