Last Updated on January 6, 2025

It’s been over twenty-five years since George Lucas handpicked Jake Lloyd to play young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but the actor has faced a variety of mental health and legal issues since his appearance in the franchise. Just last year, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, shed some light on his mental health struggles, which included a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and a full-blown psychotic break in the middle of a busy street.

Thankfully, we now have some very good news. Journalist Clayton Sandell recently spoke with Lloyd, who has completed an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California. Lloyd is currently staying at a new rehabilitation center “where he’s still receiving treatment but is basically free to come and go as he pleases.” When asked how he’s been feeling, Lloyd said, “Pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end. I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.“

Lloyd added that hitting “rock bottom” was what he needed to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.” The actor also commented on the love he’s received from Star Wars fans. “The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he said. “Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from. I really do appreciate the time that’s been taken on us. I’m very appreciative.” Some have believed that the negative reaction to The Phantom Menace exacerbated Lloyd’s condition, but his mother disagreed, saying it would have happened anyway.

Lloyd’s mother said, “Jake’s actually getting so much better than he was. It’s a big relief for me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is, and that he’s working really hard at it. We appreciate that.” As for Star Wars, Lloyd hasn’t watched any movies or TV shows lately, but he said he’s “holding out for May the Fourth with my mom.” It’s great to hear that Lloyd has been doing so much better, and we wish him the best throughout his recovery.

The post Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’s Jake Lloyd shares update on his mental health: “The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic” appeared first on JoBlo.

It’s been over twenty-five years since George Lucas handpicked Jake Lloyd to play young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but the actor has faced a variety of mental health and legal issues since his appearance in the franchise. Just last year, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, shed some light on his mental health struggles, which included a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and a full-blown psychotic break in the middle of a busy street.

Thankfully, we now have some very good news. Journalist Clayton Sandell recently spoke with Lloyd, who has completed an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California. Lloyd is currently staying at a new rehabilitation center “where he’s still receiving treatment but is basically free to come and go as he pleases.” When asked how he’s been feeling, Lloyd said, “Pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end. I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.“

Lloyd added that hitting “rock bottom” was what he needed to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.” The actor also commented on the love he’s received from Star Wars fans. “The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he said. “Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from. I really do appreciate the time that’s been taken on us. I’m very appreciative.” Some have believed that the negative reaction to The Phantom Menace exacerbated Lloyd’s condition, but his mother disagreed, saying it would have happened anyway.

Lloyd’s mother said, “Jake’s actually getting so much better than he was. It’s a big relief for me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is, and that he’s working really hard at it. We appreciate that.” As for Star Wars, Lloyd hasn’t watched any movies or TV shows lately, but he said he’s “holding out for May the Fourth with my mom.” It’s great to hear that Lloyd has been doing so much better, and we wish him the best throughout his recovery.

The post Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’s Jake Lloyd shares update on his mental health: “The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic” appeared first on JoBlo.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre wasn’t the only Ed Gein-inspired horror film to be released in 1974. That year also saw the release of a movie called Deranged, which stuck closer to the details of the Gein case than Chain Saw did but still took plenty of dramatic liberties – and changed the name of the lead character to Ezra Cobb. Vinegar Syndrome has announced that they will be giving Deranged a 4K release later this month, and copies are available for pre-order at THIS LINK! This release is limited to 6,000 units.

Directed by Jeff Gillen and Alan Ormsby from a screenplay written by Ormsby, Deranged features special effects by the legendary Tom Savini (some of which are shown in the trailer embedded above, which you should only watch if you have a strong stomach) and tells the following story: Ezra Cobb leads a simple life on an isolated family farm with his overbearing, god-fearing mother, who spends her days ranting about the evils of women and the sins of the flesh. When Ma Cobb suddenly and violently expires, Ezra is plunged into a deep despair, and his already troubled mind crosses over into full-blown psychopathy. Wracked with loneliness, Ezra begins plundering the local graveyard to obtain companions to bring home with him, starting with his dear mother, whom he props up in her bed and holds conversations with. But soon, even this collection of cadavers isn’t company enough for old Ez’, and he decides to turn his attention to fresher subjects…

Roberts Blossom, who you may remember as LeBay from the John Carpenter / Stephen King movie Christine and/or Old Man Marley from Home Alone, stars as Ezra Cobb.

Vinegar Syndrome’s 4K release of Deranged has the following features: – 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray – 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range – Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative – Commentary track with writer and co-director Alan Ormsby – Commentary track with special effects artist Tom Savini – Commentary track with film historian Richard Harland Smith – “Very Unnatural Deaths” (12 min) – an interview with special effects artist Tom Savini – “It Was a Fun Time!” (12 min) – an interview with actor Brian Smegal – “Disturbed, Demented, Deranged” (24 min) – an interview with Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower – “The Making of Deranged” (13 min) – an archival documentary – Interview with producer Tom Karr (17 min) – Introduction to the film by Tom Savini – Original trailers – TV spot – Image gallery – Reversible sleeve artwork – English SDH subtitles

Are you a fan of Deranged, and will you be buying a copy of Vinegar Syndrome’s 4K release? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Deranged: Vinegar Syndrome brings 1974 Ed Gein movie to 4K appeared first on JoBlo.

Put away your dice and pour yourself a flagon of ale to wash down your Nachos Supreme because Stern Pinball is back with a brand-new pinball machine that sets you up for adventure! Today, Stern Pinball is teasing its Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye pinball machine, available now in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models.

In celebration of 50 years of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game, Stern Pinball, in collaboration with Hasbro and its Wizards of the Coast division, brings you the pinball adventure of a lifetime in Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye! Stern’s thrilling journey into the Forgotten Realms features iconic enemies, including a red dragon, gelatinous cube, mimic, Sammaster the lich, Xanathar the beholder, an owlbear, and locations including those in Faerûn such as Arabel and Westgate.

All models for Stern Pinball’s Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye feature artwork by prolific artist Vincent Proce, music from world-renowned composer Cris Velasco, and voiced by a talented cast including Michael Dorn, Kevin Smith, Luke Gygax, Chris Prynoski, Brendon Small, Gerard Way, Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Marisha Ray, Anthony Carboni, and Mica Burton.

According to Stern Pinball’s official press release for the Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye pinball machine, players are chosen members of the Dragonshield Guild, trying to defeat the dragon queen Tiamat, who is hatching a plan to rise again, triggering the War of Dragons, with Xanathar, Balinor and Sammaster all fighting for power. Players will experience the game’s fantasy world under the glass, fusing pinball with the iconic franchise like never before.

Battle Rath the Relentless, the red dragon, the most advanced animatronic mech in pinball, intelligently reacts to player action with multi-axis motion and features omnidirectional impact sensing technology. Voiced by the iconic Michael Dorn, players will attempt to defeat Rath the Relentless with pinballs and by hitting the 3-bank target, steal its treasure. When Rath the Relentless breathes his magnificent fire, multiple pinballs shoot from its mouth but be prepared. Players can activate a metal shield between the flippers to not only defend against attacks but also assist with playfield shots.

Enjoy mysterious and exciting features by navigating through hidden passageways, experience an electromagnet-powered gelatinous cube that freezes the pinball, and explore dynamic dungeon levels that are accessed through a disappearing playfield trap door. Other features include Fizmo’s store that allows players to acquire unique items, a treasure chest that unleashes mimic monsters, and more secrets to uncover.

Roll the dice with randomness as players unlock where shots and choices control the path of the game’s campaign, driving toward different story endings. Each path is different for players, spanning from characters to trinkets to weekly items and more; once the game campaign has concluded, additional characters will be unlocked.

For more details about Stern Pinball’s Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye, including information on how you can pre-order your game of choice, check out their official website.

Dungeons & Dragons has offered players unique and imaginative experiences across far-reaching realms with inspired storytelling, gameplay, and character design for decades. Stern’s latest pinball machine brings a new level to the D&D experience with precision gameplay, a high skill ceiling, and dazzling effects. It’s the perfect pinball machine for any Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast and a must-play for silver ball wizards across generations.

The post Stern Pinball rolls a Natural 20 with a trailer for its Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye pinball machine appeared first on JoBlo.

SteamWorld Heist II snuck out last year in early August and didn’t create as many ripples as some of the other genre spin-offs in its quirky robotic universe. That’s a shame because the bones of this tactical RPG are some of the strongest around, even if the surrounding fluff can get in the way sometimes.

Read more…

SteamWorld Heist II snuck out last year in early August and didn’t create as many ripples as some of the other genre spin-offs in its quirky robotic universe. That’s a shame because the bones of this tactical RPG are some of the strongest around, even if the surrounding fluff can get in the way sometimes.

Read more…

While Paramount‘s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 continues to rake in dollars at the global box office, fans of the “gotta go fast” franchise already anticipate the next installment in the live-action animated series. Following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Paramount announced plans for Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Like its predecessors, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 promises to add new fan-favorite characters to the cast, including one I’ve been waiting to see since the first installment. While new critters will appear in Sonic 4, fans wonder if Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik is returning, given the character’s fate at the end of Sonic 3. Thankfully, Jim Carrey told Cinema Today he’s “definitely open” to reprising his villainous role in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

It will take some fancy writing to bring Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik back for Sonic the Hedgehog 4. It wouldn’t be his first return from a seemingly impossible scenario. However, Dr. Robotnik exits Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in more than a few pieces. What do I mean? Spoilers ahead! Jim Carrey pulls double duty in Sonic 3 as Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his very much alive grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik. During the film’s finale, after Ivo realizes Gerald aims to destroy Earth, Ivo sacrifices himself to destroy the ARK and Eclipse Cannon. Robotnik exits the movie as a hero, leaving his villain status in question for any follow-up films.

“I’m definitely open. I’m open to the idea, and generally, they come to me with the next idea, and if I go, “That sounds fun,” then I’ll do it,” Carrey told Cinema Today. “I don’t feel locked to anything in life, unless it’s something that interests me. I certainly love this crew, I love this gang that makes these movies, and I love the fans. There’s a lot of really great energy around it, great responses, and the fans jump in and say, “How about if you do this?” They’ve been super helpful. I think we’re all making this movie together.”

A mid-credits sequence in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 teases the arrival of two anticipated characters from the franchise, Metal Sonic, and the giant hammer-wielding hedgehog, Amy Rose. Amy’s inclusion in Paramount’s Sonic cinematic universe could introduce a love interest for the Blue Blur. In addition to feeling flirty around Sonic, Amy is a bubbly, kind, and battle-ready do-gooder with attitude and a temper. Amy does not speak in the mid-credits tease, leaving the door open for Paramount to weigh their options.

Should Jim Carrey return for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, or is it time to find a new villain for the franchise? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

The post Jim Carrey says he’s “definitely open” to returning as Dr. Robotnik for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 appeared first on JoBlo.

Stern Pinball is back with another new machine and this time it’s a tribute to Dungeons & Dragons following the tabletop RPG’s 50th anniversary. The table comes with all kinds of whimsical bells and whistles and an all-star voice cast, and it can be yours starting at $7,000. Or you could pay nearly double that for the…

Read more…

Stern Pinball is back with another new machine and this time it’s a tribute to Dungeons & Dragons following the tabletop RPG’s 50th anniversary. The table comes with all kinds of whimsical bells and whistles and an all-star voice cast, and it can be yours starting at $7,000. Or you could pay nearly double that for the…

Read more…

At the end of September, JoBlo Media and Octane Multimedia teamed up to launch a new YouTube channel named JoBlo TV, which hosts multiple feature films to watch for free throughout the week. The genres we’ll be focusing on at JoBlo TV are Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Thrillers – and the free movies we shared this week delivered thrills, action, and horror!

This week’s line-up consisted of the crime thriller Danny’s Game, the Western action movie The Price of Death, and the horror film An English Haunting. Here’s some information on each of them:

Directed by Bill Cooper from a screenplay by Joshua Ungaretti, Danny’s Game has the following synopsis: Danny Bishop is a gambling prodigy. After exiling himself to prison, he returns to his brothers home only to find himself back in the game because of a large debt for his protection in prison. He cons a group of high stakes gamblers, including his vicious rival, Alex, to a tournament. The story is a delicate balance between the tension of the game and the strained relationship with his brother. Ungaretti stars in the film alongside Ava Justin, Mike Bredon, Megan Mac, Al Saks, Gilbert Asuncion, Brent Myrand, Alex Galick, Tim Herkenhoff, and Chari Eckmann.

Directed by Chip Baker, who also provided the story idea that Danny Garcia, Aaron Stielstra, and Jose L. Villanueva fleshed out into a screenplay, The Price of Death tells this story: A gambler turned bounty hunter transports a high-priced outlaw to his hanging, unaware that they are being chased by a ruthless murderer and his gang of thieves for money hidden by the outlaw. The film stars Al Matthews, Russell Quinn Cummings, Ken Luckey, Dan van Husen, Crispian Belfrage, Danny Garcia, Juan Manuel Torres Gómez, Aaron Stielstra, Daniel Jordan, Cesar Mendez, Ray Gange, Joaquín Ortega, Daisy Hughes, Nick Reynolds, Tano Sánchez, Erica Lawrence, Chema Bascón, and many more. This one has a big cast list.

An English Haunting was written and directed by Charlie Steeds, and has the following synopsis: In 1960s England, Blake Cunningham and his alcoholic mother are forced to move into the mysterious Clemonte Hall, a vast isolated manor house, to care for his dying Grandfather who resides in the attic room. Soon, ghostly goings-on fill the house with dread, as it becomes apparent Grandfather’s illness may have a supernatural cause that can only be cured by uncovering the terrifying secrets of the house and its dark history. The film stars David Lenik, Tessa Wood, Barrington De La Roche, Emma Spurgin Hussey, Jéssica Alonso, Rory Wilton, Swainley Whipps Eden-Entwistle, Richard D. Myers, Mark Jones, and Klay Mobius Trip.

To follow our JoBlo TV releases, click over to the YouTube channel and subscribe! We also recently launched a new page at JoBloYouTubeNetwork.com, where you can access all of our YouTube channels from one place. 

The post JoBlo TV roundup: This week’s free movies are Danny’s Game, The Price of Death, and An English Haunting appeared first on JoBlo.