THE WITCH Screening

DALLAS! Last minute chance for you to see ‪#‎TheWitch‬ tonight at 7pm North Park Mall with a guest FOR FREE! Simply go to my FACEBOOK PAGE and look for the post!  I will pick a handful of lucky winners and notify you. 18+ only normal contest rules apply.

You MUST reply by 1pm CT today! And please make sure you can go tonight. Do not take the opportunity away from someone who can. The Witch

Runtime: 92 Minutes

Release Date: February 19, 2016
Rating: R for disturbing violent content and graphic nudity

Risen - Review

PG-13 | 1h 47min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Review - Matt Mungle

**In theaters February 19th 2016**

Synopsis: Follows the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius, a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

Review: "Faith based film" is an industry term that has almost become its own movie genre. Anything dealing with or aimed at a Christian audience normally gets lumped into this category. If truth be told they seldom rise to anything more than a puff piece with unrealistic characters and a mediocre scrip full of motivational catchphrases. In other words you know what you are getting when you go in. So to place that stamp on RISEN would be an injustice.This was fresh, unique, and compelling storytelling.

Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) is a Roman military leader on the fast track to the senate. He is Pilate's right hand man and the guy who is called on for the tough jobs. He oversees crucifixions and leads the fight against the zealots and trouble makers. At the same time he is honest, intelligent, and forthright. He is not easily swayed nor is he rash. There is an undertone of justice in what he does. You may not like him but you can't help but respect him. So when the body of Christ is "gone" Clavius is called upon to solve the mystery around it. This puts him on a journey that will shake his foundations to the core. 

The script, acting, and direction in this one were all solidly on point. The writers Kevin Reynolds (who also directed) and Paul Aiello took powerful biblical moments and looked at them as if from an outsiders perspective. Clavius is seeing all of this with no idea who Jesus is or what his followers have been saying. The more he uncovers the harder it is to process in his mind. Seeing it unfold as he does made the story of Christ even more personable and relevant. 

Though the film has a lot to offer those in and out of the church circles, many who grew up knowing the biblical text will take even more from it. The writers do not try and over explain each event but let it organically take place. You can enjoy watching THE AVENGERS having never read a comic book. But those who know the Marvel universe inside and out obviously "get it" more. The same here. There are subtle moments that mean a lot to those who have studied the bible but do not distract from those who have never read a word. This too gives the film credibility and makes it more than just another puffy cloud movie.

Fiennes is a perfect choice as the Roman military man. There is a calm in his tenacity. He thinks that these followers of Jesus are deranged kooks yet he treats them with respect. Fiennes captures both attributes of authority and responsibility to the job at hand. He may not understand the events just yet but he does not underestimate them either. Cliff Curtis is remarkable in the role of Yeshua. The moments with him and the disciples are touching and sole stirring. Curtis is able to convey with his eyes what we would expect a messenger of peace and hope would. 

RISEN is rated PG-13 for Biblical violence so there is a lot of smoting that happens early on including some disturbing images of the crucifixion. The imagery and deep conversations might be a little much for those under 13. But the story is certainly powerful and touching for all. I give it 4.5 out of 5 Roman Bathes. A fresh film that finally captures the gospel of Christ in relevant form. 

DALLAS – win 1 pair of reserved seats to EDDIE THE EAGLE red carpet premiere on 2/18

For a chance to win (and first make sure you can actually attend) simply post a video to twitter or Facebook of you doing your best downward skiing impersonation. Will be voted on creativity, originality and how hard it makes us laugh. 

SCREENING INFO

When: 7PM 02.18.16
What: 1 pair of reserved seats. No waiting in line
Where: Cinemark West Plano 
With: Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton and Director Dexter Fletcher in attendance

Everyone is invited to attend and watch the red carpet. WINNER will have two reserved seats to watch the screening of the movie w/ the cast mentioned above (Subject to change). There is no reserved spot to watch the red carpet.

VIDEO RULES

Any length is fine.
Must be posted no later than 8 pm on Wed 2/17/16
If posted to twitter tag @themungle
If posted to Facebook tag THE MUNGLESHOW
Winner will be contacted Thursday morning.

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. All federal, state and local regulations apply. Winners will be randomly selected and notified by email. One prize per person per household. Employees of all promotional partners and their agencies are not eligible. The MungleShow, Salem Radio Network, The Doug and Jaci Morning Show, and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of a prize. A recipient of prizes assumes any and all risks related to use of prize and accepts any restrictions required by prize provider. Prizes cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part.

Leo DiCaprio's Oscar woes

After going 0 for 4 in the Actor category we are all on pins and needles, hoping beyond hope that this is the year for Leo DiCaprio to take home the Oscar gold. Here is a look at the years he fell short, and the possible "why's". What is surprising is what he wasn't nominated for. That at times is more jaw dropping than the times he lost. 

1994. Granted this was the first nomination and it was for a best supporting role but still he went home empty handed. As Arnie Grape in What's Eating Gilbert Grape we got our first taste of Leo's dramatic chops. Most of us passed this off as a grand performance from a young, likable, not realizing it was the tip of the iceberg for what was to come. 

The nominees were: Tommy Lee Jones – The Fugitive, Leonardo DiCaprio – What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Ralph Fiennes – Schindler's List, John Malkovich – In the Line of Fire, Pete Postlethwaite – In the Name of the Father.

This was the year that PIANO and SCHINDLER'S LIST took most of the big prizes. So many thought that Fiennes would be a fine choice. But the Academy went with Tommy Lee Jones and Leo went home with a great memory. 

Eleven years past before DiCaprio was given a second Oscar nomination. Between 1994 and 2005 he certainly had a few opportunities to be included. 1997 was the year of TITANIC but Jack Dawson got the ice cold shoulder. Snub one. 2002 he even upped the ante and offered two worthy performances. Amsterdam Vallon in THE GANGS OF NEW YORK and Frank Abagnale Jr. in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. But Oscar eluded him again without even an atta boy. Snub two and three.

2005. The Academy decided Leo wasn't going away and so they gave him a nomination for his role as Howard Hughes in THE AVIATOR. The nominees were: Jamie Foxx – Ray, Don Cheadle – Hotel Rwanda, Johnny Depp – Finding Neverland, Leonardo DiCaprio – The Aviator, Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby. Oscar decided blind was harder to play than crazy and so Jamie Foxx walked off with the statue. Leo again watched a fellow cast mate (Cate Blanchette) go away a winner. Pretty much everything else went to MILLION DOLLAR BABY. 

2007. This is one of the numerous head scratchers that The Academy has thrown out in its career. Agian Leo offers up two stand out performances.  The nominees were: Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland, Leonardo DiCaprio – Blood Diamond, Ryan Gosling – Half Nelson, Peter O'Toole – Venus, Will Smith – The Pursuit of Happyness. This is the same year as THE DEPARTED was nominated. Yet Leo is nominated for BLOOD DIAMOND and not THE DEPARTED; a role that would have given him a lot better chance in the supporting actor category. Whitaker went away the winner. While Alan Arkin took the supporting role for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Hind sight makes this so hard to swallow. 

This time SEVEN years pass by and Leo is snubbed for Revolutionary Road (Sean Penn won for MILK), Shutter Island and Inception (Colin Firth won for THE KINGS SPEECH), J. Edgar (Jean Dujardi won for THE ARTIST), Django Unchained (Daniel Day-Lewis won for LINCOLN). At least four of those five deserved at least a nomination. How insane. 

2014. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET wowed critics and Leo finally gets another nomination. The nominees were: Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club, Christian Bale – American Hustle, 
Bruce Dern – Nebraska, Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street, Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave. McConaughey lost a lot of weight but won the Oscar. The only person that should have been more upset is Ejiofor. How he lost I will never know. 

2016. Back to back performance nominations gets Leo back in the running with THE REVENANT. The nominees are: Bryan Cranston – Trumbo, Matt Damon – The Martian, Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant, Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs, Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl. This has to be Leo's year. Every critic has said so as well as every other awards group. If he walks away empty handed this year I am not sure the industry will continue to take stock any longer in the longest running most prestigious award.

I guess we will all find out on Sunday February 28th. 

The Abandoned - Interviews

1h 26min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

**Now playing in select theaters**

Synopsis: Take a terrifying plunge into the warped mind of a disturbed young woman. Desperate to get her life back on track, the unstable Streak (Louisa Krause) takes a job as a security guard, working the graveyard shift at a once upscale, now abandoned apartment complex. But on her first night on duty, she discovers a horrifying presence lurking deep within the bowels of the decaying building. With her nerves already on edge, Streak must confront demons both real and imagined as she struggles to keep a grip on her sanity.

Feature: The Abandoned is a stellar first full-length feature film from Director Eytan Rockaway. Twisty, engaging, and haunting. But it is far more than a haunted house story. Listen to my complete interview with Rockaway as he explains the difference. 

Louisa Krause plays the main character, Streak. Krause's passion and zeal exuded in everyday life bled into her character. As you listen to my interview with Louisa it is hard not to catch some of that excitement.