I Got To Meet One Of My Film Idols Last Night.... Lloyd Kaufman!!!

ReRun = Awesome!!!

Last night, me and my boy wonder Jeff Bond wandered over to Downtown Brooklyn to the ReRun theater. If you haven't been to ReRun theater, you are missing out. Fellow film fanatic and curator of ReRun Aaron Hillis does a great job choosing some well balanced choices of films that he screens there. He mixes obscure indie releases with cult classics and film gems that make for an awesome overall experience. Plus there is gourmet food and liquor.... yup, ReRun rocks!

Anyway, last night ReRun hosted the 1st EVER public screening of the Troma classic 'Mother's Day' on Blu Ray. If you have never seen this kooky 80's horror flick, get to it immediately (its on Netflix Instant Streaming!!!). It is one of the best films to come out of the Troma stable... but that isn't saying much since Troma has built a reputation for being the #1 creator of "Schlock Cinema". I love all of their films, no matter how weird they are. My favorite horror film of all time is a Troma flick, the masterpiece that is 'Bloodsucking Freaks'. I heard the man behind the Troma empire,  Lloyd Kaufman, was going to be at ReRun last night. I have admired this man for over 20 years, so I had to go meet the man behind 'The Toxic Avenger' and 'Sgt. Kabukiman'. I was not disappointed.

Kaufman held court before the movie started, taking pictures and signing autographs in his own kooky way. You gotta love a legend of indie cinema who takes the time to line people up in the right order to make the pictures balanced and looking better. He also makes an hysterical face in every photo, which is awesome. He took the time to chat with anyone who wanted to talk, and if you purchased any of the Troma merchandise he would personalize it ..no prob. I brought my coveted 'Bloodsucking Freaks' DVD with me in the hope he would sign it. He did... with MY SHARPIE! Apparently Kaufman was Sharpie-less, and used my Sharpie to sign his autograph to mine....everyone else's merchandise. he kept thanking me for bailing him out and lending him the marker, and he assured me he would return it later. He lied... he kept it!!! No prob, because the guy was just so friendly and cool.

Kaufman signing my Bloodsucking Freaks DVD

Before the film started he stepped in to help out Aaron, who was fixing the projector, by chatting up the crowd in an impromptu Q&A. His self deprecating humor and constant insults of his own movies made the conversation humorous and I feel lucky to have been privy to it. He narrated a commercial for his book 'Make Your Own Damn Movie' starring the very sexy Goddess Shea (who was in attendance and HOT!!!) and the preview of 'Father's Day' (which we just covered on CCD a few days back) The screening of 'Mothers Day' was great, and we stayed after for a screening of the Spanish indie thriller 'Kidnapped' (which was intense and I highly recommend!!!). All-in-all a great night. I met one of my idols last night. I got my favorite horror DVD signed. I am a happy horror film geek today. Thank you Aaron for an awesome evening and Thanks Lloyd... your the best!

Left to Right: Kaufman, Goddess Shea, Mike D and Toxie in the front!!!

CCD Interviews Jim Mickle & Nick Damici of Stake Land @ ReRun Theater

I had the pleasure of watching the wonderful post apocalyptic vampire movie Stake Land last month at a press screening and I loved it. When I heard they were having an advanced screening of the movie at my favorite bar/theater ReRun in Brooklyn, I had to make it happen for a second time. I took my boys Joe Fletch and Roc with me, and we were in for a treat. After meeting Aaron, the curator of ReRun, I found out that director Jim Mickle would be there after for a Q & A. This got me even more excited, because I loved his previous zombie movie Mulberry St and also was a fan of Stake Land the first time I saw it. This was gonna be a great night!

ReRun- The mecca of movie watching!!!

We reached ReRun and got into the back room around 6:15. Adam was behind the bar serving up some great food and drinks to the people who turned out for the showing. The gourmet eats and wonderful beer selection make watching a movie at ReRun a reall treat... you gotta get over there asap! Anyway, it was time for the flick and it was even better the second time around.

Vamp takes a stake...

A great take on the tired vampire genre, Mickle really did direct a fabulous movie. His writing partner, Nick Damici, plays the character Mister... and lets justs say he was awesome. Rounding out this interesting cast is Gossip Girl's Connor Paolo, Horror scream queen & CCD's favorite horror hottie Danielle Harris, and former Top Gun bombshell Kelly McGillis. They really bring the movie alive, and I will honestly say that it is one of the better horror movies I have seen in awhile. But after the movie ended,  the real fun started.  

Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Danielle Harris, and Jim Mickle

Aaron opened the door and welcomed in BOTH director Jim Mickle and Nick Damici walked in!!! This Q & A was gonna get even better! There was a short session between the audience and Mickle/Damici in which everyone gushed over the movie. Once it was over, I walked up to Mickle & Damici and asked them if we could conduct our own on camera interview with the duo. They said sure (these guys were so cool!) and here is what came from it:

Very cool... these guys were great. They even posed for a photo with me in the hall after the interview.

Mike D, Damici, and Mickle  ReRun

The movie opens today at the IFC Center in NYC, so make sure you try to go check it out and support a real good independent horror film. Shout out to Aaron for chosing awesome films to screen at ReRun, to Adam for keeping us hydrated and fed at the screening, to Emily Lu for being the best PR girl EVER, and Jim & Nick for making a great movie... and letting us interview them. All in all a another great night at ReRun. Get out and see this movie!!!!!!!!   

James Gunn's 'Super' Breaks The Mold Of Superhero Movies One Skull At A Time

Last night I had the good fortune to score a few seats for a preview of James Gunn's newest film, 'Super'. I am a big fan of Gunn's other films 'Tromeo & Juliet' & 'Slither', so when I obtained my seats for this preview screening I became super excited. The screening was held at the ReRun Gastropub Theater in Brooklyn, NY... and lets just say this may be the best place I have ever watched a movie. They have a gourmet menu (I had a stuffed foccacia sandwich filled pulled pork for Christ sakes... these guys are no joke!) and a full bar. They also offer awesome beer specials, like four Fosters 24oz oil cans for 24 bucks (that's a ton of beer right there). I plan on writing a post about Rerun another time... curator Aaron Hillis and the gang over there are handling business!!!

I was supposed to attend this screening with my partner in crime Jeff Bond, but due to a turn of events Jeff couldn't make it. So instead I met up with CCD's art critic extraordinaire Briana Melendez for the excursion. Bri was excited to see the film because of Nathan Fillon's involvement in the movie... and she made a very capable drinking buddy (those Foster's weren't gonna drink themselves, right?). We settled in with our sammy's and our brews for what we thought was going to be a superhero movie. Boy were we in for a surprise...

***Please click Read more below for my thoughts on 'Super'***

***Everything below may contain some spoilers***

The movie started with one of the most insane animated sequences I have ever seen. Gunn has a history with animation, so I am wondering if he completed this segment on his own. It's so cool, showing of the hero of the film "The Crimson Bolt" using a whole bunch of superpowers that he doesn't have... if he were a real superhero, this would be the stuff he might do. Instead, we meet Frank (Rainn Wilson). Frank is a cornball, a cook a the local diner who is married to a very cute Sarah (Liv Tyler). 

But Frank starts to notice Sarah is changing... she is slipping back down the road of drug use and Frank feels like he is losing her. Then one morning Jacques (Kevin Bacon) shows up for breakfast looking for her. Bacon eats breakfast with Frank, and exudes slime ball as he tells Frank to let Sarah know he stopped by. Within 3 days she is gone, leaving Frank. He shows up at the strip club Jacque owns (Bare Assets..lol) and confronts his ex alongside Jacques' gang (Gunn favorite Michael Rooker has the most awesome hairdo's ever!) and ends up getting stomped out. Thus begins the transformation of Frank into "The Crimson Bolt".

Frank is healing up and watching TV when he comes across a cable access religious show featuring the Christian superhero ""The Holy Avenger" (Fillion). Throw in a creepy tentacled filled vision of Frank being touched by God (words do it no justice), and Bolt is born. He begins researching his character by studying superheroes with no powers that rely on weapons.

He makes a friend in Libby (Ellen Page), who is a nerd chick who works at the comic store. He adopts a pipe wrench as his weapon of choice, perfects his costume and hits the street to fight crime. Well... fighting crime may be a bit of a stretch. Lets just say a bunch of people get smacked with wrenches and will probably re-think their lives of small time crime. Libby becomes his sidekick Boltie and they work their way up to the confrontation Frank has been waiting for: To take down Jacque and his crew.

I'm not going to go any further or get any more specific... I want you to see it for yourself. But I will tell you guys what I liked the best. Here are a few my highlights:

1. Wilson & Page really knock it out of the park for Gunn, but Bacon's scumbag role is phenomenal. This could be a renaissance role for Bacon, a la Travolta in Pulp Fiction. Remember I said that.
2. The violence is borderline insane... I knew it was going to be brutal from the previews, but not this bad. Dude uses a fucking pipe wrench to dole out justice... lets just say shit gets messy.
3. I love Ellen Page's character... she is so quirky its hard not to love her.
4. Gunn keeps the film extremely dark, but it is filled with laughs. I remember laughing at some really inappropriate shit during the movie, then catching myself before realizing everybody else was laughing as well. Thats not so easy to accomplish.
5. Nathan Fillon is amazing... just amazing. I also loved the demon in all the 'Holy Avenger' video with the crazy tongue. It made me laugh every time.
6. Anytime I get a Linda Cardellini cameo, I get excited. God i used to want to bone her so bad back in the day!

All in all, a solid effort. The movie opens in major cities on April 1st, but will also be available on Video On Demand through IFC films as well. I strongly suggest you watch it... this is history in the making, because 'Super' is sure to become a cult classic in the future.

Mike's Rating: 4.5/5 stars