Are You Ready To Rock? Movie Moan Is Back!

Since it's been so long, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd given up on us.  But I'm just letting all you lovely people know that Movie Moan has returned for its seventh year and the first episode of 2013 is now just a click away.  Either click on the Movie Moan tab at the top of the page or click right here

And it won't just be long ass podcasts we'll be bringing you this year.  We're also going to dip out toes into the realm of movie commentary (unless we suck at it), more retrospective specials, and more on-camera video content. 

So stick with us and hold on tight.  As ever, thank you for your support.

Toy Masters is coming to Comic-Con - Unadulterated. Absolute. Barbarian. Fiction

You may remember our interview a little while back with filmmaker, producer and DVD special feature maestro Roger Lay Jnr.  If you don't, you can watch or listen to it right here.

In that interview, Roger teased with details on what is, hands down, my most anticipated film of the year.  Never mind how 'The Dark Knight Rises' ends, I want to know who really created 'He-Man & The Masters Of The Universe'.

'Toy Masters' (the amazing trailer of which you can view right here) is the new documentary that aims to answer that question and if you're lucky enough to be going to Comic-Con this year, you'll be able to get the first exclusive look at it.  Here are the details:

Toy Masters is the first ever feature-length documentary about the worldwide billion-dollar phenomenon that inspired an entire generation of children: Masters of the Universe (MOTU). Filmmakers Roger Lay Jr. and Corey Landis have tracked down all the key players in search for the answer to the question: “Who actually created He-Man?” The filmmakers will be screening exclusive material from the documentary and participating in a Q&A at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, being held at the San Diego Convention Center on Friday, July 13th, 2012, from 8:30pm-9:30pm in room 26AB.

Legions of MOTU fans are already buzzing with anticipation. It is likely the film will reach an even wider audience once released, (a la King of Kong), for the controversial rivalry between former Preliminary Designer for Mattel, Roger Sweet, and former Visual Designer for Mattel, Mark Taylor, (both of whom are claiming bragging rites for the initial concept behind He-Man), makes for a compelling, and highly entertaining film.

During this special one-hour panel fans will get to see exclusive never before seen footage from the epic toy industry smack-down that is TOY MASTERS. Moderator Robert Meyer Burnett (Director, Free Enterprise, Femme Fatales) will be joined on stage by Toy Masters director / producer Roger Lay, Jr and co-producer Corey Landis. Joining them on the panel will be many of the key players from the franchise's 30-year history including writer J. Michael Straczynski and designer Mark Taylor.

The film, which is already being hailed as the next KING OF KONG and the SOCIAL NETWORK of the toy industry, features interviews with the key creative personnel behind every version of the best selling toy line and all incarnations of "Masters of the Universe" on television, film, stage, and print, tracing the inception and ups and downs of the fantasy juggernaut. Everyone involved in the 30 year history of this beloved franchise makes appearances in the film including such genre luminaries as J.

Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Marvel’s Thor), Richard Edlund (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark), William Stout (Conan The Barbarian, Pan's Labyrinth), Lou Scheimer (Filmation co-founder), Michael Westmore (Star Trek Franchise), Don Glut (Empire Strikes Back, Transformers Animated), and Gary Goddard (Terminator 2-3D, Captain Power).

For more details visit the San Diego Comic-Con official site: www.comic-con.org

Follow TOY MASTERS on the Facebook group for updates, including exclusive details on how you can be one of the first to see the film. Or go to the film’s official site for a first look at the trailer: www.toymastersmovie.com

Also, during the Comic Con panel, the filmmakers will reveal details on the world premiere of the film, which will be hosted by one of the most prestigious film festivals in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. 

For media inquiries write to: contact@urbanarchipelagofilms.com

Here's hoping the DVD/Blu Ray announcement isn't too far behind.

Exclusive Interview With Roger Lay Jr On The New Series Of 'Captain Power'

Although he wasn't able to join us for our regular Movie Moan podcast, producer of the recent official DVD release of 'Captain Power & The Soliders Of The Future', Roger Lay Jr., spent a wonderful 40 minutes with us this week to discuss his involvement in bringing the show to DVD.

Even if you've never seen the show, you really need to pick up the boxset, watch the documentary, and appreciate one of the most interesting stories behind the making of a television show that I've ever seen.

More importantly, Roger shares a titbit or two on the upcoming remake/relaunch/reboot (it's very re) of 'Captain Power'. It really is happening folks.

Plus, we discuss the new documentary on the creation and controversy behind the 'He-Man' toy line, 'Toy Masters' (the trailer to which can be found here). And the Blu Ray 25th anniversary special edition of the 'Masters Of The Universe' movie that never came to be (which you can watch that snippet of here).

Download the audio version only right here:

Exclusive Interview With Roger Lay Jr

The Most Unintentionally Hilarious Film Moment Of 2012 - My Shoes!

Back in January when I reviewed the tremendous disappointment that was 'The Iron Lady', I described a moment that my Movie Moan podcast colleagues could barely believe.  Now I finally get to show you that moment.

Watch in amazement as the IRA assassinate Dennis Thatcher's shoes.

Think McFly Think Now Has a Game of Thrones Podcast

Regular listeners to the Movie Moan podcast may have realised that Phil Gee and Queen Kristina are crazy about 'Game Of Thrones' and rather than spend our entire week sending emails back and forth about the latest episode, why don't we try a podcast about it.

So welcome to the first episode of 'Game Of Moans'.

In this first episode, Phil and Kristina desperately try to cover everything that happened in the first episode of Season 2, 'The North Remembers'; is Daenerys already screwed?  Is Joffrey done with his mother for good?  What the hell was Littlefinger thinking?  What is Sansa's plan for survival?  Has the show's budget for prosthetic dead babies already gone through the roof?

As we say on the show, this is a no-frills, test pilot for this podcast.  Whether we turn this into a regular weekly podcast is entirely up to you guys.  Please give us a listen and let us know in the comments section whether we are worthy to join the ranks of great Thronecasts already out there.

After all, when you play the game of podcasts you win or you die.  There is no middle ground.

Game of Moans Podcast - Episode 1

The Harry Potter Ultimate Movie Moan Retrospective Thingy Is Here

UPDATE: The third and final part covering both Deathly Hallows Part I & II is available for viewing on the Movie Moan page above.

The Movie Moan crew usually gives you our podcast at the start of the new week but this isn't our usual show.  As promised, Movie Moan's retrospective on the Harry Potter film series, the biggest show we've ever done, could not be entirely contained until next week so, just to let everyone know, you can view it right now.

All you need to do is click on the Movie Moan tab at the top of the page and that will take right to the video.  Or you can just click here.

Consider this special show our gift to every Harry Potter fan, young and old, as we all say goodbye to a cinematic phenomena the likes of which we may never see again.

Movie Moan TV - 'Presumed Innocent' (1990)

In celebration of the release of 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (and Matthew McConaughey's return to decent films), this week we take a look at one of the finest legal dramas of the past few decades; Alan J Pakula's 'Presumed Innocent'.

In this episode, we appraise one of Harrison Ford's most overlooked performances, remember that Raul Julia was a damn good actor and not just M. Bison (OF COURSE!), realise that Brian Dennehy is not always the bad guy, and Kristina discovers that her instincts are usually on the money as the identity of the killer in these types of films........but that doesn't mean the film can't dupe you into thinking you're wrong.

Movie Moan TV - 'A Simple Plan' (1998)

If you want proof positive that a simple film with a simple story can be just as engaging and provoking as any other movie we've covered over the last few months then then look no further than 'A Simple Plan'.

It's Sam Raimi's best film you know. Jamie Williams has declared it.

Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology Blu-ray Boxset Announced

The TMT offices (if we had any) are almost certainly bugged.  First, Shane Black gets hired to write and direct 'Iron Man 3' fresh off Jamie's recommendation and now Warner Home Video have announced that the Christopher Reeve Superman films (The Movie, II, III, & IV: The Quest For Peace) as well as the Bryan Singer directed 'Superman Returns' will finally be released on Blu-ray this summer in a box set which looks spookily similar to something I pitched last year right here.

I kid of course, it has nothing to do with me but it is a little surprising to see the series getting the box set treatment so far away from the release of the Zach Synder directed 'Superman: The Man of Steel' coming for December 2012.  Just in case you are getting excited about this one, you may want to bear that in mind.  This release may just be a stop-gap to some sort of 'be all, end all' set being released next year.

As per our good friends at 'The Digital Bits' here, all we know at the moment is that the box set will contain the five previous Superman films.  There is no confirmation at all on what sort of new or old bonus material will be included, or even if both versions of 'Superman II' (the Richard Lester and Richard Donner cuts) will be available.  At the very least, we could hope to finally see the infamous 'Return to Krypton' sequence from 'Superman Returns' as well as a dedicated documentary on the development of the Superman Lives project entitled 'What were they thinking?'

'Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006)' Blu-ray has a confirmed UK release date of 13th June.  No US release date has been announced but the set will be region-free because WB don't believe in that bullshit called region coding.

Phil's Pointless Humour Sunday: 'The Siskel & Ebert Mysteries'

Jamie always wanted to see this as a syndicated animated series in the 1980's but I don't have a studio of under-paid Koreans to draw it so this will have to instead.

So enjoy this never before seen pilot for a spin-off show which saw America's favourite critics leave the balcony to solve murders and mysteries on the mean streets of Hollywood.  They're fighting crime.........on Chicago time.