An incredible new ad from Xbox makes it very clear that you no longer need an actual console to access its huge library of games. In fact, all you really need is Amazon Fire Stick and you’re set.

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It was just this year that Nicolas Cage announced that he only had three or four movies left in him before he would retire. But considering he has appeared in almost as many since then, we can’t help but wonder what he truly means. Thankfully, Cage has offered some clarification on what he meant and where that leaves the remainder of his career.

Speaking with The New Yorker, Nicolas Cage said of his impending retirement,  “I did two or three very supporting roles [in that time]. So maybe three or four more lead roles. Maybe that’s more of what I was saying.” As for his most talked-about movie in years, Longlegs – which has one of the best marketing campaigns in recent horror memory – that won’t count towards his final tally because it’s a supporting role. On this, he even said, “It would have been a slippery slope [appearing too much on screen’. I think it could have lapsed into something almost too ridiculous. You don’t want to see that the shark is made of rubber, you know? You want the shark to be terrifying and keep it under the water for a lot of it.”

While we can probably expect Nicolas Cage to officially be retired probably by the time he’s 65 based on his own criteria, that doesn’t mean that will be the last we see of him, as he expressed doing more television, generally a medium he has shied away from. “I thought TV could be a dead end, and sort of the death of the Golden Age film star. I avoided it because it’s not why I really wanted to get into movies…So TV wasn’t on my mind. But then everything’s changed so much. I don’t know if it’s the same experience anymore. And I thought, I’ve always viewed myself as a student. Where am I going to learn something? Well, Broadway. I’ve never done Broadway.” Ghost Rider: The Musical, anyone…?

Personally, I’d love to see Nicolas Cage do some television. You could see him fitting into an anthology series like Fargo quite well (he already has the Coen connection through Raising Arizona) or even doing something smaller like Harrison Ford has done on Shrinking.

With such limited time for Nicolas Cage on the big screen before he retires, what do you want to see him tackle? Should he reprise a fan favorite role or round it out with more original performances?

The post Nicolas Cage clarifies retirement comments appeared first on JoBlo.

I love The A-Team (which we also covered on an episode of Gone But Not Forgotten).  I grew up watching the series and had the toys, the Mr. T Cereal, the whole bit.  I wasn’t unlike many of my Gen X brothers and sisters in that regard. It was fun, insane, action-packed, and Murdock was my guy.  

Over the last few decades, we’ve seen many of these 70s and 80s TV series be redone as feature films or new series for television.  The Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky and Hutch, and the list goes on and on.  Typically these films are done as just pure comedy.  There are the two I just mentioned plus Land of the Lost…and in the case of these three they didn’t stick the landing.  

But sometimes, you get a filmmaker and a group who know the assignment and decide to try and capture what made the original so great.  That’s the case with The A-Team, which hit theaters in 2010.  An A+ cast (no pun intended) and a director who knows how to do action.  The A-Team movie nailed it but sadly didn’t find an audience when it was released.  What should have been a franchise (and could have been a great one) only got a one-and-done, and we, the audience, got robbed.

The A-Team film had been an idea bouncing around Hollywood for nearly 20 years before it finally would see a movie theater.  Numerous directors had been attached, including the late John Singleton, who had wanted to include Ice Cube as BA.  

It was in the 2000s, though, that the film would finally come together with Stephen J. Cannell and the Scott brothers, Tony and Ridley, producing.  For a director and co-writer, the film would bring on Joe Carnahan.  Carnahan’s sense of style was fantastic and perfect for the film, which would be a frenetic and action-packed flick with great and memorable characters and set pieces.  Carnahan had already turned heads with Smokin’ Aces and the noir crime thriller Narc.  

Carnahan would co-write The A-Team alongside Skip Woods and Brian Bloom.  Bloom would actually star as one of the main villains in the film, Brock Pike (an awesome name for which I’m sure he’s responsible).

Again, I loved the original A-Team, and I would be hard-pressed to say anyone could replace the original crew.  But The A-Team movie was obviously made by fans of the original show, and as such, they cast it perfectly.  Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith was great.  He had the swagger, the cigars, and that glint in his eye that could mean he was amused or about to punch you.  Quinton Rampage Jackson brought a lovable nature, and the glare needed to be BA.  He was pitch-perfect.  Bradley Cooper had the charm and looks to be the perfect Faceman.  That 100-watt grin, baby.  And then who I consider the star of the show, Sharlto Copley, as Murdock.  Murdock was my guy from the original show. Most kids loved him, or you were a Mr. T fan. For me, though, the crazy pilot was the one all the way. 

Copley campaigned for the part.  He grew up in South Africa and was a massive fan of the show, to the point that his parents, during apartheid, mind you, got him a Mr. T Birthday cake.  While doing press rounds for District 9, he filmed himself in his hotel room as Murdock, improvising scenarios, being the character, and sending it to the filmmakers.  It worked.  He got the part.  

Rounding out the cast, as said Brian Bloom played the villainous Pike.  Simon and Simon vet Gerald McRaney played the team’s boss, General Morrison.  Patrick Wilson played the mysterious and dangerous Lynch (the man who chased the team throughout the TV series was named Lynch), and Jessica Biel was Charissa Sosa, the military investigator assigned to find the team and ex-girlfriend of Face.  This story didn’t have an Amy, so Sosa was the female lead.

The plot of the film is straightforward, and we actually get to see how the Team first comes together. Hannibal goes to Mexico to rescue Templeton Peck, AKA Face, from a psychotic general. He manages to rescue him, and by chance, they run into BA in the classic van. BA is also a Ranger, and due to this bond, he helps get the men to a pilot named HM Howling Mad Murdock, who is at a VA mental hospital….much to the chagrin of Face and BA.

As Hannibal’s plan comes together, Murdock and the boys take flight in a glorious helicopter chase, the birthplace of BA’s legendary fear of flying…and you can’t blame him.  On top of that, Murdock manages to destroy THE VAN, which,…yeah, no wonder BA wants to kill him.

The team escape, and boy, does the General NOT (unlike the TV series, this version has people die pretty often.)  We flash forward eight years, and the team has had 80 successful missions and is nearing the end of the line in Iraq.  It’s there where Lynch gets them to agree to an off-the-books operation, which leads to the team’s downfall as they are made the scapegoats for the mission going wrong…as well as being pegged for trying to steal US Treasury Plates.  This doesn’t just ruin their careers but gets Sosa demoted as well, as she was in charge of the security of the plates.  There’s no one left to clear the team, and they are separated and put in jail…except Murdock, who gets placed in another hospital.

Lynch returns to Hannibal half a year later. He wants the plates, and he’s willing to help Hannibal and the team get cleared records if they help him out. Hannibal gets free, finds Face living the life in his prison, discovers BA has become a peaceful type, and, in a glorious wall-busting rescue, gets Murdock.

What follows is the team being the team and breaking all the laws of physics, as in many episodes of the original show.  I love flying a tank sequence with my soul as Sosa’s crew chases the team.  The crew discover what happened to cause them to be arrested, finds the plates, and saves the day with the help of Sosa.  They even get Lynch caught…until another Lynch shows up.  There’s always another Lynch.  The film ends with the team clearing their names but still being fugitives from the law since they did break out of jail.  But it’s evident from the classic VoiceOver that we were supposed to get a sequel.  And sadly…that did not happen.

So what happened here? How did a movie with this much oomph and awesomeness not make it? Well…timing is key, and so is marketing. Here’s where I give you my theories and explain why this was such a tragedy for a franchise that could have ruled.

The A-Team had a toy line tied to it, which was pretty great.  There was even a giant-sized talking Liam Neeson.  Sadly, these toys would wind up on the clearance shelf only a few months after being released.  I remember going to Toys R Us (they were still around then) and seeing a vast swath of Patrick Wilson Lynch figures for 1.99.  Now, funnily enough, these babies are going for serious bank on eBay.  An unopened set of the team is going for 249.99 right now. 

The marketing campaign would include appearances on wrestling’s WWE.  The crossover appeal is there, and Rampage Jackson is an MMA fighter.  The cast also did press, including a great appearance on The George Lopez talk show.  

So again, what happened?  Well, the marketing missed the point.  The A-Team is a classic 80s action series.  And while doing crossovers with WWE might hit the mark a bit, making an iPhone game isn’t garnering who you aim for in the demographic.  The toys were a great idea, but I didn’t even know about them until I saw them one day skulking around Toys R Us.  It wasn’t catering to the kids my age who grew up with the show/ I think they just missed the mark on who the demo was. 

But what hurt the film was the timing of the release.  2010 was a rough year for a movie like to hit in the summer.  One thing that may have caused some damage was only a few months prior when The Losers had just come out and bombed (also due to a lack of proper marketing).  The film was about an elite special forces unit who is betrayed and made the scapegoat for a crime they didn’t commit.  They have to go on the run and take jobs where they can to survive.  That doesn’t sound familiar at all, right? (Note sarcasm). Actually, this is from a DC comic book series, believe it or not, and starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Evans.  This was a year before he would suit up as Cap.   

These two movies helped cancel each other out quite a bit, which is a shame because they are both great fun and have awesome casts.

But again, timing.  The summer of 2010 would see Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, Inception, Despicable Me, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the 3^rd entry in the Twilight films.  As you can see…that’s a hard group to fight for eyes from.  Toy Story 3 would be released the following week after The A-Team.  The movie got buried under the avalanche.  It’s obvious a sequel was planned, but after the film only made a box office of 177 million from the 110 budget that was scrapped.

I loved the A-Team.  One good thing to come from home video and cable is that the film eventually found an audience and the fans it deserved.  I love that fans made this, and it comes through in many ways.  It’s clear the cast loved working on this and had a blast.  Like I said, Sharlto Copley fought to be Murdock.  Dirk Benedict and Dwight Schultz came back for some great cameos (which can be seen in full with the extended cut that’s on the Blu-ray).   

There are little moments, like when the movie is playing, when the team sends Murdock for the breakout, and when the original series theme music is playing. The cast card says Reginald Barclay…this is Dwight Schultz’s character from Star Trek: The Next Generation—nicely done, fellas.  It’s as subtle as Bradley Cooper sneaking in the movie poster for Midnight Meat Train as he runs past a theatre in Silver Linings Playbook.  

Things like this probably weren’t going to be noticed by the casual filmgoer, though…or like the two probably 20-year-olds who were sitting in front of me, who I mentioned as they stood to leave (as this was my 2^nd viewing), “Hey, the original show cast are going to be showing up here in a second.”  They blinked at me and asked, “What do you mean original show?”  And I realized…oh, you’re here for Bradley Cooper.   But hey, I appreciated it.  

The A-Team was everything I could have asked for in a redo of one of my favorite series growing up. It took the material seriously but kept the fun. It focused on the team’s camaraderie and had a group of actors who obviously meshed well and needed to for it to work. It was neat to watch, had a great cast (Jon Hamm shows up as Lynch 2.0, even), and deserved more of a chance than it got.

And I want to thank the gang who made it all happen. So thanks to Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom (whom I ran into at SDCC a few years ago and told thank you in person), Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Rampage Jackson, and Sharlto Copley. You guys delivered me back to my childhood on a platter, and I couldn’t have asked for more. You truly are an A-team.

The post The A-Team Movie Is Actually Kind Of Good appeared first on JoBlo.

Back in 1981, director Terry Gilliam and his Monty Python cohort Michael Palin brought the world the cult classic fantasy adventure film Time Bandits – and now, Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi has teamed with his frequent collaborators Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows) and Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners, Next Goal Wins) to create an Apple TV+ series version of Time Bandits. The first two episodes of the ten-episode first season will premiere on Wednesday, July 24th… and with that date right around the corner, a trailer for the show has arrived online. You can check it out in the embed above.

The two episode premiere will be followed by two new episodes every Wednesday through August 21st.

Produced for Apple TV+ by Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content’s AC Studios, and MRC, Time Bandits is an unpredictable journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an 11-year-old history buff named Kevin. Together, they set out on a thrilling quest to save the boy’s parents — and the world. The eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The “Time Bandits” witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way.

The cast of the series includes Lisa Kudrow (Friends), Kal-El Tuck (Unseeing Evil), Tadhg Murphy (Conversations With Friends), Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (You Don’t Know Me), Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Rachel House (Heartbreak High), Kiera Thompson (Martyrs Lane), James Dryden (Ready Player One), Felicity Ward (The Office Australia), Francesca Mills (Harlots), and Imaan Hadchiti (Thor: Love and Thunder), with special guest appearances by Waititi and Clement.

Waititi, Clement, and Morris executive produce, write, and direct select episodes, with Clement and Morris serving as co-showrunners. Garrett Basch, Tim Coddington, and Handmade Films’ Jane Stanton also serve as executive producers.

Are you a fan of Time Bandits, and will you be watching the Apple TV+ series? Check out the trailer, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Time Bandits trailer released for Apple TV+ series based on the ’80s cult classic appeared first on JoBlo.

HBO is shooting The Last of Us’ second season, and while we’ve gotten an official look at Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, most of what we’ve seen of the Last of Us Part II adaptation has been from since-deleted unofficial set photos. More such pictures from the Vancouver set have surfaced, and some…

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HBO is shooting The Last of Us’ second season, and while we’ve gotten an official look at Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, most of what we’ve seen of the Last of Us Part II adaptation has been from since-deleted unofficial set photos. More such pictures from the Vancouver set have surfaced, and some…

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Netflix has announced it’s next LIVE comedy special, Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats. The renowned comedian and podcast host will be live on Netflix August 3rd at 7pm PT / 9pm CT / 10pm ET. This is Rogan’s third stand-up special with Netflix and the first one to shoot live. His previous Netflix comedy specials included Joe Rogan: Strange Times 2018 and Joe Rogan: Triggered in 2016. The new comedy event will film live from the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, Texas. The special is directed by Anthony Giordano and the executive producers include Joe Rogan, Jeff Sussman, Chandra Keyes, Anthony Giordano and Brady Nasfell.

A standup comedian for over 30 years, Rogan’s sixth hour-long comedy special Joe Rogan: Strange Times premiered on Netflix in October 2018. Rogan’s previous comedy specials include Joe Rogan: Triggered (2016) for Netflix, Joe Rogan: Rocky Mountain High (2014) for Comedy Central, Joe Rogan: Live from the Tabernacle (2012) released via his website, Talking Monkeys in Space (2009) on CD & DVD, and Joe Rogan Live (2007) on DVD. Additionally, Rogan released the CDs Shiny Happy Jihad (2007) and I’m Gonna Be Dead Someday (2000).

Rogan is host of The Joe Rogan Experience, consistently ranked one of the most popular podcasts and currently distributed by Spotify. The Joe Rogan Experience launched on December 24, 2009 helping to create the space of long form conversation video podcasting. With over 2000 episodes, an average of 2 to 3 hours in length each, the show has become a destination for open dialogue with a wide range of guests and perspectives including standup comedians, athletes, authors, artists, prolific thinkers, and scientists.

Since 2002, Rogan has provided color commentary for the UFC  (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Rogan’s passion for MMA began with martial arts practice at the age of 13. Within two years, the Boston native earned a black belt and soon became the Massachusetts full contact Tae Kwon Do champion four consecutive years. By the age of 19, Rogan won the US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship and as lightweight champion went on to beat both the middle and heavyweight title-holders to obtain the Grand Championship.

The post Joe Rogan’s upcoming live Netflix comedy special, Burn the Boats, releases a new trailer appeared first on JoBlo.

One of the standout scenes in director Ti West’s X and Pearl sequel MaXXXine (which is in theatres now) shows the character played by Mia Goth getting a life cast / head mold – which, as it turns out, is something Goth has had plenty of real-life experience with. Not only did she spend the day getting plaster spread across her face for the filming of that MaXXXine scene, but she also had to get a life cast done for the creation of the “old Pearl” makeup she wore in X, had another life cast done for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Blade reboot, and had a digital body scan done for Guillermo del Toro’s version of Frankenstein.

In a video breakdown of the MaXXXine life cast scene, Goth reminisced about her X life cast experience: “I did it for X when we were creating the mold for old Pearl, and that day I didn’t have an issue with it at all. I think more than anything, how you’re entering the room, what’s going on in your day, that has the biggest impact as to how you can handle this.” While her character in MaXXXine doesn’t have a good life cast experience, Goth enjoyed filming that scene. She said, “I quite liked being in there that day. Sometimes it feels like a little hug.“

She did not, however, have a good time getting the life cast done for Blade, where she’s rumored to be playing the villainous Lilith. USA Today mentioned that was a rather stressful session, with Goth saying, “I remember being very tired and a little hungry. I went in and we did the cast and I actually had to rip it off because I needed to take a breather and have a cup of tea.” And even though Blade doesn’t yet have a production start date, Goth’s life cast for that film was done before she started working on MaXXXine.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which is a long-awaited passion project for the filmmaker, went into production earlier this year. We’re not sure who Goth is playing in that movie, but during that MaXXXine scene breakdown she said, “I just had to do another (life cast) for Frankenstein, but rather than the mold, it was a scan! It’s changing, isn’t it? And it’s a little bittersweet. I think I prefer (the mold).“

So it will be interesting to see what happens to Goth’s characters in Blade and Frankenstein, and what they end up looking like.

Are you a fan of Mia Goth, and are you looking forward to seeing her work in Blade and/or Frankenstein? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Mia Goth had a life cast done for MCU’s Blade and a digital body scan for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein appeared first on JoBlo.

This year we, as horror fans, are going to be gifted with a film from director Oz Perkins. That movie is Longlegs and stars Maika Monroe as well as the fascinating actor Nicolas Cage. As anyone may know, Cage has starred in many different types of films, especially horror, and here, he stars as a serial killer who gives off some very Ghepetto-esque vibes. Regardless, we here at JoBlo will be there opening day for the film. As stated a minute ago, we recognize that Cage is vast in various types of genres…but this wasn’t his first dip in the pool of horror. Today on Horror Revisited, we are exploring Martin Scorsese’s underrated film Bringing Out the Dead (watch it HERE), which stars Nicolas Cage in one of his most honest, endearing and albeit best roles. So, turn on the sirens, strap in and let’s tour Manhattan as we check out Bringing Out the Dead.

For those of you that don’t know the plot of the film, let’s quickly go over it. In this movie we follow the intense life of Frank Pierce, a haunted paramedic in Manhattan. Set over three harrowing nights, the film delves into Frank’s psychological turmoil and sense of despair as he navigates the chaotic, often gruesome world of emergency medical services. Haunted by the ghosts of those he couldn’t save, particularly a young girl named Rose, Frank battles insomnia, guilt, and a deteriorating sense of reality. Amidst his nightly encounters with drug addicts, homeless individuals, and other distressed souls, Frank forms a fragile connection with Mary Burke, the daughter of a heart attack victim he’s trying to save.

The film explores themes of redemption, human suffering, and the thin line between life and death, all set against the gritty backdrop of New York City. While this may come as a surprise, it isn’t an original idea. Nope, this was adapted from the novel of the same name by author Joe Connelly. Connelly’s novel drew heavily from his own experiences as a paramedic in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. The book offers a raw, unflinching look at the life of an EMT and the emotional toll of constantly dealing with life-and-death situations. Its vivid depiction of the urban landscape, coupled with the psychological depth of its protagonist, provided fertile ground for a cinematic adaptation.

In 1998, producer Scott Rudin acquired the rights to the novel through Paramount Pictures for a film adaptation. Paul Schrader was hired as screenwriter. His knack for exploring tormented, existential characters made him an ideal choice, and his screenplay retained the novel’s dark, introspective tone, delving deeply into the psyche of Frank Pierce, the haunted paramedic at the story’s center. Before we wrote the script, Paul went out on several ambulance runs to get a feel of what EMTs have to put up with on a normal night.

Martin Scorsese, intrigued by the novel’s gritty and unflinching look at life and death in the city, signed on to direct. Scorsese has also had a long-standing interest in gritty, urban narratives and his previous collaborations with Schrader, especially on Taxi Driver, made him a natural fit for Bringing Out the Dead. His direction aimed to capture the frenetic energy of New York City and the chaotic world of emergency medical services.

This movie has a huge cast. But let’s start with the standout, Nicolas Cage. He was cast as Frank Pierce, bringing his unique intensity and depth to the role. Cage’s portrayal of a man on the brink of psychological collapse is both compelling and heartbreaking and definitely at his A game. Originally, Paul Schrader had Edward Norton in mind for the role of Frank…imagine how that would have drastically changed the film. Patricia Arquette, who was married to Cage at the time, played Mary Burke, a woman who becomes a source of solace for Frank amidst his turmoil. The supporting cast includes John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Marc Anthony, Aida Turturro, Cliff Curtis and Tom Sizemore. Also, in a don’t blink or you’ll miss it role, is Judy Reyes. She plays an ICU nurse and would later go on to play a huge role as a nurse on Scrubs. Last but not least, Martin Scorsese and Queen Latifah provide voiceover roles for the two dispatchers. Gotta hand it to Marty to always cameo in his own films.

Production began in December of 1998. Filming took place in Manhattan and was shot over 65 days. Filming took place at night to accurately depict the paramedics’ graveyard shifts, which presented challenges in terms of logistics and maintaining continuity. The filmmakers also had to ensure the authenticity of the medical procedures and equipment used by the paramedics. Cinematographer Robert Richardson employed dynamic lighting and camera techniques to mirror Frank’s disoriented mental state, often using handheld cameras to create a sense of immediacy and chaos. When production wrapped, Marty would go on record stating he hated filming it because of the harsh December weather conditions.

As in any Socrsese film, we are treated to a standout soundtrack, usually some Rolling Stone songs. Here, as well, Marty selected a diverse range of songs that reflect the film’s themes and enhance its atmosphere. Some of these tracks include songs by Van Morrison, The Clash, R.E.M, UB40, Martha & The Vandellas and The Who. The songs complement Elmer Bernstein’s original score as well and make for a very engaging narrative.

Bringing Out the Dead would release in theaters on October 22,1999. On Its opening weekend it ranked 4th place, behind The Best Man, and grossed $6 million. Sadly, its domestic box office run was short, only grossing $16 million in total. Its budget was $55 million, so this was considered a huge flop.

Currently, the film sits with a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes with the critics consensus saying, “Stunning and compelling, Scorsese and Cage succeed at satisfying the audience.” Roger Ebert gave the film a four out of four rating saying, “To look at Bringing Out the Dead—to look, indeed, at almost any Scorsese film—is to be reminded that film can touch us urgently and deeply.” Stuart Klawans of The Nation wasn’t so kind to Cage’s performance saying “It’s another burnout role for Nicolas Cage, to which he brings his vast repertoire of grimaces and shuffles, as if he were variously impersonating a gargoyle on amphetamines and late Elvis on downers.”

Years later, Scorsese reflected on Ebert’s criticism and said “I had 10 years of ambulances. My parents, in and out of hospitals. Calls in the middle of the night. I was exercising all of that. Those city paramedics are heroes — and saints, they’re saints. I grew up next to the Bowery watching the people who worked there, the Salvation Army, Dorthy Day’s Catholic Worker Movement, all helping the lost souls. They’re the same sort of people.”

Bringing Out the Dead was released on VHS and DVD on March 28, 2000. Typically, when Paramount would release DVDs back in the day, you’d be lucky if it came with any special features at all, besides the film’s trailer. With this movie, it might not be much, but Paramount kindly provided Cast and Crew Interviews. Strangely, we’ve never seen a Blu-ray release for this movie. At the time of this edit being released, Criterion has it streaming on their channel. Here’s hoping that one of these upcoming months, that they will announce it with tons of behind the scenes bonus features. If we can get a 4K release of Raging Bull and a beautiful boxset of The Irishman, I don’t see why we can’t have this underrated gem too.

Through its depiction of Frank Pierce, a paramedic haunted by his failures, the film delves into complex themes that resonate deeply with audiences, so let’s highlight a few of them. At the film’s core, its about redemption. Frank is consumed by guilt over the lives he couldn’t save, particularly a young girl named Rose. This guilt manifests as haunting visions and insomnia, driving him to the brink of collapse. The theme of redemption is intricately woven into Frank’s nightly encounters, each call for help representing another opportunity to atone for past failures. The film portrays redemption as a challenging, often elusive goal, highlighting the internal struggle Frank endures as he seeks solace and forgiveness.

His journey is also one of isolation. His job isolates him from a “normal” life, and his inability to save lives isolates him from his colleagues and himself. The film’s depiction of New York City at night enhances this sense of isolation, with the city appearing both vast and lonely. However, moments of connection offer glimpses of hope. Frank’s interactions with Mary Burke, played by Patricia Arquette, provide brief reprieves from his loneliness. Their developing relationship serves as a counterpoint to Frank’s isolation, suggesting that human connection can be a source of healing even amidst despair.

And finally, the film’s setting in New York City at night serves as a backdrop for exploring urban despair and fleeting moments of hope. The city is depicted as a place of both relentless suffering and potential redemption. The harsh realities of urban life are portrayed through encounters with drug addicts, homeless individuals, and other marginalized people. Yet, amidst this despair, moments of compassion and human connection offer glimpses of hope. Scorsese’s depiction of the city captures its duality, reflecting the broader themes of suffering and redemption.

Bringing Out the Dead is a film that resonates with me on multiple levels, making it one of my all-time favorites. One of the primary reasons I love it is because of Martin Scorsese’s unparalleled direction. Scorsese brings his signature style to the film, capturing the frenetic energy and gritty reality of New York City’s nighttime streets. Scorsese’s ability to balance raw intensity with moments of quiet reflection is truly remarkable, creating a compelling and immersive experience that keeps me engaged from start to finish.

Nicolas Cage delivers an unforgettable performance bringing a raw emotional depth to the character that is both compelling and heartbreaking.His nuanced performance captures the vulnerability and desperation of a man on the brink of collapse, making Frank’s quest for redemption all the more poignant.

Despite its dark and intense subject matter, Bringing Out the Dead manages to find moments of connection and humanity amidst the chaos and despair. These moments of human connection serve as a counterbalance to the film’s darker aspects, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

Over time, the film has gained recognition for its unflinching portrayal of the emotional and psychological toll on emergency responders. It is now appreciated as an underrated gem in Scorsese’s filmography, noted for its raw emotional power and stylistic boldness. The film’s re-evaluation by critics, enthusiastic word-of-mouth promotion, and increased accessibility through home media and streaming services have further cemented its status as a cult classic.

In conclusion, Bringing Out the Dead is a film that I appreciate for its masterful direction, compelling performances, and deep thematic exploration. It’s something beautiful that stayed with me after the credits started rolling, and will make me want to revisit it for a long time to come.

Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!

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PLOT: After 2016’s Sausage Party, most humans are dead, and food has become the dominant species. With no clue as to how to govern a new world and sustain a manufactured utopia, the system begins to break down. With failure looming and perishables in danger of surpassing their expiration dates, Frank (Seth Rogen), Brenda (Kristen Wiig), and Barry (Michael Cera) enlist one of the last remaining humans to help guide them toward democracy. All is going according to plan until an orange named Julius reshapes society in his twisted image. With little choice but to fight back, the biggest food fight in the history of foodkind ignites.

REVIEW: Where do I begin? Are you like me in that you enjoy dark and absurdist comedy? You are? Oh good! You might have a blast with Sausage Party: Foodtopia, a continuation of 2016’s Sausage Party, so depraved and bizarre that you could start questioning how you’re spending your precious time on the one life you have to live. Understand this. I would give anything to have been a fly when Seth Rogen and friends pitched the concept for Foodtopia. I imagine the meeting going a little something like this:

“Hey, Amazon! Do you remember back in 2016 when we made an adult-rated animated comedy about sentient food that fights and f**ks its way to freedom? What if we did that again, but this time, it’s a clever political satire about the pitfalls of establishing a new society? Oh, and don’t worry, there’s still plenty of food-on-food action. I’m not kidding. One scene we’ve written is so depraved you’ll probably ask us to issue a warning before the episode airs. How does that sound?” Insert Seth Rogen’s signature laugh here.

I’ll say this for Sausage Party: Foodtopia, director Conrad Vernon, Seth Rogen, and his merry band of talented friends go above and beyond to present a story that’s both impossible and entirely relatable that you might never look at your dinner the same way again. The thing about building a society is you need to establish rules. Without rules, there is no order, only chaos. Frolicking and f**king the days away is the dream, but eventually, you wake up.

You’ll notice immediately that Sausage Party: Foodtopia looks like its theatrical predecessor. The fidelity of the sentient frankfurters and voluptuous buns remains intact, making the series look and feel like a direct continuation of the original story. Without spoiling too much about the series, Sausage Party: Foodtopia is everything you think it is, but it’s also clever, subversive, and bold in depicting a crumbling society and how power corrupts absolutely.

Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, and Michael Cera don’t miss a beat while slipping back into the roles of Frank, Brenda, and Barry, respectively. I enjoyed Wiig and Cera’s performances, especially with both actors pouring every ounce of voice talent into walking, talking, action-ready warriors of the new world. Edward Norton is a standout as Sammy, the self-serving bagel with an appetite for superstardom. He’s the type of character you love to hate, and there were moments when I wished a bird would swoop down and carry his Woody Allen-adjacent ass into the horizon.

Meanwhile, Sam Richardson plays Julius the Orange, a villain whose corruption knows no end as he strives to expand his empire and influence over the populace of what remains of Foodtopia. What starts as a simple property dispute evolves into bribery on a grand scale when Julius begins amassing human teeth, a new form of currency in a struggling Foodtopia. With more teeth and power than any other citizen in Foodtopia, Julius challenges Frank and Brenda to a political standoff for control over the new world. While Frank and Brenda want to implement fair systems with checks and balances, Julius aims to rule Foodtopia with an iron fist. To get what he wants, Julius builds an army of loyal followers who cater to his every whim and praise his every edict. For some, the plot could hit too close to home.

Each episode of Sausage Party: Foodtopia is less than 30 minutes, making each installment a quick jaunt to the food aisle for a bite-sized amount of comedy and guilt-ridden laughs. Do you like puns? I hope so because Foodtopia offers a veritable smorgasbord of food-related jokes, visual “chicken fat,” and celebrity cameos in the form of food product lookalikes with clever names to match. Are you ready for The Talking Breads to perform their chart-topping hit, “Turn Us Into Toast?” What if we change Heart’s “Baracuda” lyrics into a catchy tune that delivers plot narrative and inventive wordplay? What I’m trying to say is Sausage Party: Foodtopia has more songs about food than “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “The Food Album.”

How absurd is Sausage Pary: Foodtopia? Do you remember how, in the original film, Frank takes control of the supermarket manager, Darren, by inserting himself into his anus and pulling on his scrotum to puppeteer him like Remy does Linguini in Pixar’s Ratatouille? Foodtopia takes this outrageous concept to the next level thanks to Jack (Will Forte), one of the last humans left alive in the foodpocalypse. Barry wants to kill Jack, but Frank and Brenda see the value in keeping a human around as a source of information about a world that’s foreign to them. More than once, others pilot Jack to help do their business, and some viewers won’t be prepared for how Jack’s relationship with the trio evolves.

I’m almost ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed Sausage Party: Foodtopia. Almost. Are the jokes a garden of low-hanging fruit? Mostly. Did I question my life choices as I binged all eight episodes to write this review? Absolutely? Would I do it all again? If I had a friend who was Sausage Party curious, you bet your ass I would.

What kills me about the series is that it’s adept at portraying political satire by using food groups as stand-ins for people of different means in our actual society. Rich food acquires all the teeth (money), while Perishable food suffers in poverty, rotting from the inside out without access to refrigerators or freezers (healthcare). The frontrunner of the political struggle is an orange hellbent on controlling the populace with Western American capitalist ideals. Things even get comedically existential as Jack contemplates the nature of conscious food. Where does life begin for them? Is water alive? Is it considered food before it’s bottled and sent to the store? Before tackling this, I suggest procuring some Devil’s Lettuce from Seth Rogen’s Houseplant label.

Many people said, “No one asked for this,” when Prime Video announced Sausage Party: Foodtopia. Do you know who asked for this? I did. I like the idea of living in a world where someone can produce something so dumb, depraved, and brilliant all at once. I don’t know if animation pioneers ever imagined food items fighting and fornicating their way onto the small screen to expose the failings of human society, but here we are.

Sausage Party: Foodtopia

AVERAGE

6

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