For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Justin “The Housebear” Froning

Housebear, aka Justin Froning, is an international award-winning illustrator and designer from Northwest Arkansas specializing in screenprint posters, packaging, editorial, and advertising. A former professional musician, he first fell in love with the art of screenprint posters through being exposed to them on the road. He was soon designing them himself, and quickly grew accustomed to the low ink counts and minimalistic qualities necessary in the indie-rock world — later translating those techniques and sensibilities to pop culture and alternative movie posters. Today, his unique take on visual storytelling through iconography has garnered him work with some of his favorite bands, as well as numerous galleries and some of the largest companies in the world, including childhood dream clients such as Disney, Hasbro, and Marvel.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
JUSTIN: I have fond memories of sitting at my dining room table for hours on end drawing Ninja Turtles, making up Mega Man characters, and creating levels for Sonic the Hedgehog. In 7th and 8th Grade, I had my one and only art class, and I’ll always appreciate Mr. Buchanon believing in my abilities. From there, I picked up a guitar and put down my art supplies. In high school and college, I played in a band and, being the late ’90s, we had to promote shows the old-school way — drawing pictures or compiling found objects and then going to Kinko’s to put it all together. Concert flyers were some of my first experiences with graphic design. After college and starting my career in the professional world, I got a call to come audition for a band called Deas Vail. With some amazing encouragement from my parents, I left my job and spent the next 6 years as a professional musician, touring, writing, and recording full time with some of the most creative and fantastic people I’ve ever met. We had a blast, built lifelong friendships, and learned a lot about running a business. I spent a lot of the time on the road honing my graphic design skills, and created a good amount of merch items for us and a few other bands. At one point, we were on tour with Copeland, and someone came to the show with limited edition screen printed posters for the show that were different than the tour admat and I was blown away. A few shows later, I ran across a poster book from The Small Stakes (Jason Munn). I instantly became a collector of concert posters, and found great inspiration through artists like Don and Ryan Clark at Invisible Creature and Kevin Tong. I eventually started trying to create posters of my own, and soon decided to pick up a pen for the first time in a decade to see what would happen if I tried to draw by hand. I combined that with the graphic design skills I had picked up and the rest is history. The things that have inspired me to draw seem to have always been tied to the things I enjoy watching, playing, or feel nostalgic about, so pop culture and music has been a natural fit from a professional art standpoint.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
I didn’t really grow up as an art kid, but I was definitely inspired by the comics I read. Adam and Andy Kubert always blew me away, and I also really enjoyed Jim Lee. Asian art stylings captivated me from an early age, with Hokusai and Hiroshige being the standouts. Their work with woodblock prints left an incredible impression on me, and I still feel a bit overwhelmed when I find one of their prints in a museum. Hayao Miyazaki’s films have served as an unending pool of inspiration, and Katsuhiro Otomo’s work on the Akira manga and film is just unbelievable. When I started collecting posters, Invisible Creature, Kevin Tong, Olly Moss, and Jason Munn captivated me.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
I have the great privilege of enjoying a wonderful and encouraging community within The Billing Bloc. I follow and enjoy everyone within that group and have to give an extra shout out to Chris Koehler who has become one of my closest confidants with critiques and brainstorming. My pal James Hobson has both given me very exciting opportunities through The Moon-Art Gallery and supplied a lot of encouragement through the years. In no particular order, artists who inspire me and bring me joy are Ken Taylor, Oliver Barrett, Dakota Randall, Lucas Tetrault, Dan Schlitzkus, Danny Haas, Aren Vandenburgh, Simon Marchner, Drop Mag, Livio Ramondelli, Glen Brogan, Tom Whalen, Laurent Durieux, Garbhán Grant, Benedict Woodhead, Julián Rodríguez, JetPacksAndRollerSkates, Dan Black of Landlord, Shawn Ryan, Krzysztof Domaradzki, Grzegorz Domaradzki, and my amazing wife Ciara Froning.

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
I’d say it’s important to do what you love and be tenacious. Possibly the most important thing is to be kind and enjoyable to work with. If you are talented and genuinely pleasant to be around, I guarantee you’ll get more work than a more talented individual who is bristly. I still pinch myself at the thought of some of the dream clients I have the honor of working with, and I don’t believe I’m anywhere near the most talented person they could choose, but I try to be a good listener and strong collaborator. It’s okay to believe in your vision while still listening to a client’s suggestion that might make it better. It’s also okay to defend your idea with kindness if your intent is to make the project better rather than just trying to prove a point or have it your way. Most of the great clients I have came through me just doing what I love and they found me in rather unexpected ways. Disney came through band posters. One cool band comes from them seeing your work for another cool band. Just keep your eye on the ball and create what you believe in, and the clients will see you eventually. Once you feel like you have a reasonable portfolio, feel free to cold-call. It’s scary, but it’s good practice for introducing yourself and owning up to your skills.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
That’s a great question. I’m enjoying straddling the fence between film work and band posters. Both types of clients are rad to work with in their own ways, and I love the creative freedom that often comes through concert and tour posters — plus, it lets me stay connected to an industry I’m passionate about while enjoying the ability to stay at home with my family. I’ve been doing more album artwork lately, and finding myself enjoying that quite a bit, so probably a bit more of that soon as well.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
Oh man, well, my all-time favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption. Some others at the top of my list that come to mind would be Alien, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Akira, Back to the Future, The Edge of Tomorrow, The Dark Knight, Aliens, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, The Iron Giant, The Transformers Movie (1986), Castle in the Sky, Gladiator, Braveheart, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, Snatch, Valhalla, Fight Club, and Stranger Than Fiction. For shows, I’m a big fan of Hannibal, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Blue Eye Samurai, I Think You Should Leave, Detroiters (I could watch Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson all-day every day), What We Do in the Shadows, Thundercats, and Voltron. I honestly think the new Voltron: Legendary Defender series is an improvement upon the show I grew up with, and that’s pretty rare for me when you’re going up against childhood nostalgia.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Justin as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / Shop

Amos Lee & Indigo Girls

Death Cab For Cutie

Donnie Darko

Eric Church

Grimlock

Halloween

I Am Mother

Iron Man

Jurassic Park

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Mega Man 2

Metroid

Mr. Plow

Nope

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

The Silence Of The Lambs

Soundwave

Stand By Me

Stormtrooper

Thelma & Louise

Thursday

Unwed Sailor

Weezer

Wilco

Zac Brown Band

The post Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Justin “The House Bear” Froning appeared first on JoBlo.

Last Updated on January 6, 2025

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Justin “The Housebear” Froning

Housebear, aka Justin Froning, is an international award-winning illustrator and designer from Northwest Arkansas specializing in screenprint posters, packaging, editorial, and advertising. A former professional musician, he first fell in love with the art of screenprint posters through being exposed to them on the road. He was soon designing them himself, and quickly grew accustomed to the low ink counts and minimalistic qualities necessary in the indie-rock world — later translating those techniques and sensibilities to pop culture and alternative movie posters. Today, his unique take on visual storytelling through iconography has garnered him work with some of his favorite bands, as well as numerous galleries and some of the largest companies in the world, including childhood dream clients such as Disney, Hasbro, and Marvel.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
JUSTIN: I have fond memories of sitting at my dining room table for hours on end drawing Ninja Turtles, making up Mega Man characters, and creating levels for Sonic the Hedgehog. In 7th and 8th Grade, I had my one and only art class, and I’ll always appreciate Mr. Buchanon believing in my abilities. From there, I picked up a guitar and put down my art supplies. In high school and college, I played in a band and, being the late ’90s, we had to promote shows the old-school way — drawing pictures or compiling found objects and then going to Kinko’s to put it all together. Concert flyers were some of my first experiences with graphic design. After college and starting my career in the professional world, I got a call to come audition for a band called Deas Vail. With some amazing encouragement from my parents, I left my job and spent the next 6 years as a professional musician, touring, writing, and recording full time with some of the most creative and fantastic people I’ve ever met. We had a blast, built lifelong friendships, and learned a lot about running a business. I spent a lot of the time on the road honing my graphic design skills, and created a good amount of merch items for us and a few other bands. At one point, we were on tour with Copeland, and someone came to the show with limited edition screen printed posters for the show that were different than the tour admat and I was blown away. A few shows later, I ran across a poster book from The Small Stakes (Jason Munn). I instantly became a collector of concert posters, and found great inspiration through artists like Don and Ryan Clark at Invisible Creature and Kevin Tong. I eventually started trying to create posters of my own, and soon decided to pick up a pen for the first time in a decade to see what would happen if I tried to draw by hand. I combined that with the graphic design skills I had picked up and the rest is history. The things that have inspired me to draw seem to have always been tied to the things I enjoy watching, playing, or feel nostalgic about, so pop culture and music has been a natural fit from a professional art standpoint.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
I didn’t really grow up as an art kid, but I was definitely inspired by the comics I read. Adam and Andy Kubert always blew me away, and I also really enjoyed Jim Lee. Asian art stylings captivated me from an early age, with Hokusai and Hiroshige being the standouts. Their work with woodblock prints left an incredible impression on me, and I still feel a bit overwhelmed when I find one of their prints in a museum. Hayao Miyazaki’s films have served as an unending pool of inspiration, and Katsuhiro Otomo’s work on the Akira manga and film is just unbelievable. When I started collecting posters, Invisible Creature, Kevin Tong, Olly Moss, and Jason Munn captivated me.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
I have the great privilege of enjoying a wonderful and encouraging community within The Billing Bloc. I follow and enjoy everyone within that group and have to give an extra shout out to Chris Koehler who has become one of my closest confidants with critiques and brainstorming. My pal James Hobson has both given me very exciting opportunities through The Moon-Art Gallery and supplied a lot of encouragement through the years. In no particular order, artists who inspire me and bring me joy are Ken Taylor, Oliver Barrett, Dakota Randall, Lucas Tetrault, Dan Schlitzkus, Danny Haas, Aren Vandenburgh, Simon Marchner, Drop Mag, Livio Ramondelli, Glen Brogan, Tom Whalen, Laurent Durieux, Garbhán Grant, Benedict Woodhead, Julián Rodríguez, JetPacksAndRollerSkates, Dan Black of Landlord, Shawn Ryan, Krzysztof Domaradzki, Grzegorz Domaradzki, and my amazing wife Ciara Froning.

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
I’d say it’s important to do what you love and be tenacious. Possibly the most important thing is to be kind and enjoyable to work with. If you are talented and genuinely pleasant to be around, I guarantee you’ll get more work than a more talented individual who is bristly. I still pinch myself at the thought of some of the dream clients I have the honor of working with, and I don’t believe I’m anywhere near the most talented person they could choose, but I try to be a good listener and strong collaborator. It’s okay to believe in your vision while still listening to a client’s suggestion that might make it better. It’s also okay to defend your idea with kindness if your intent is to make the project better rather than just trying to prove a point or have it your way. Most of the great clients I have came through me just doing what I love and they found me in rather unexpected ways. Disney came through band posters. One cool band comes from them seeing your work for another cool band. Just keep your eye on the ball and create what you believe in, and the clients will see you eventually. Once you feel like you have a reasonable portfolio, feel free to cold-call. It’s scary, but it’s good practice for introducing yourself and owning up to your skills.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
That’s a great question. I’m enjoying straddling the fence between film work and band posters. Both types of clients are rad to work with in their own ways, and I love the creative freedom that often comes through concert and tour posters — plus, it lets me stay connected to an industry I’m passionate about while enjoying the ability to stay at home with my family. I’ve been doing more album artwork lately, and finding myself enjoying that quite a bit, so probably a bit more of that soon as well.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
Oh man, well, my all-time favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption. Some others at the top of my list that come to mind would be Alien, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Akira, Back to the Future, The Edge of Tomorrow, The Dark Knight, Aliens, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, The Iron Giant, The Transformers Movie (1986), Castle in the Sky, Gladiator, Braveheart, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, Snatch, Valhalla, Fight Club, and Stranger Than Fiction. For shows, I’m a big fan of Hannibal, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Blue Eye Samurai, I Think You Should Leave, Detroiters (I could watch Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson all-day every day), What We Do in the Shadows, Thundercats, and Voltron. I honestly think the new Voltron: Legendary Defender series is an improvement upon the show I grew up with, and that’s pretty rare for me when you’re going up against childhood nostalgia.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Justin as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / Shop

Amos Lee & Indigo Girls

Death Cab For Cutie

Donnie Darko

Eric Church

Grimlock

Halloween

I Am Mother

Iron Man

Jurassic Park

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Mega Man 2

Metroid

Mr. Plow

Nope

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

The Silence Of The Lambs

Soundwave

Stand By Me

Stormtrooper

Thelma & Louise

Thursday

Unwed Sailor

Weezer

Wilco

Zac Brown Band

The post Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Justin “The House Bear” Froning appeared first on JoBlo.

The 82nd Golden Globe Awards will take place this Sunday, and although Ricky Gervais isn’t hosting the ceremony this year, he did share a few of the jokes he would have made if he were. Gervais, who has hosted the Golden Globes five times, took aim as Sean “Diddy” Combs, Kevin Hart, Justin Timberlake, and The Vatican.

“Sat in the bath wondering about what I would say if I were hosting The Golden Globes on Sunday,” Gervais wrote on X. “It’s been a pretty good year for material.“

Gervais kicked things off with, “Hello, and welcome to the 82nd Golden Globe awards. What a year it’s been. Hundreds of entertainers jumped at the chance to go to The Vatican to meet The Pope. Many from Hollywood. Obviously they weren’t content with only being part of the 2nd biggest pedo ring in the world…“

The comedian continued, “Justin Timberlake was convicted of Drink Driving. If he’d have gone to jail he’d have heard the words ‘Sexy Back’ a lot more often.“

Gervais dropped one more: “Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddy’s parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldn’t leave him alone. Eventually he had to shout ‘Imma Midget, not a child.’“

Nikki Glaser will be hosting the ceremony this year, and she recently said that she won’t be going out of her way to offend anyone. “I’ve made a point not to, and that’s not to disappoint anyone who’s hoping I’m going to pull a Ricky Gervais,” Glaser said. “I’m not Ricky Gervais. This isn’t my last Golden Globes, this is my first one. He really went hard on his last one. He was ready to burn some bridges [because] it didn’t matter anymore.“

Emilia Pérez leads the pack at the Golden Globes with a total of ten nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and more. The Brutalist received seven nominations, followed by Conclave with six. On the television side, The Bear picked up five nominations, with Shōgun and Only Murders in the Building following with four each.

The Golden Globe Awards will air on January 5th. Will you be watching?

The post Ricky Gervais takes aim at Diddy, Justin Timberlake, the Vatican & more in Golden Globes jokes appeared first on JoBlo.

Deadline reports that The Franchise has been cancelled by HBO after one season. “We’re so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the tremendously talented team behind The Franchise, especially Sam Mendes, Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci, and this hilarious ensemble of actors,” said an HBO spokesperson. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season, we look forward to collaborating with all of them in the future.“

Created by Jon Brown and executive produced by Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes (who directed the first episode), the comedy series follows the crew of an unloved superhero franchise movie as they fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. Although The Franchise received decent reviews from critics, the audience just wasn’t there to justify another season. So the news of this cancellation isn’t too surprising. The series starred Himesh Patel (Tenet), Aya Cash (The Boys), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Billy Magnussen (The Many Saints of Newark), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Darren Goldstein (Ozark), Isaac Powell (American Horror Story), Richard E. Grant (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), and Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War).

Our own Alex Maidy was a big fan of the series, saying, “The Franchise is a very specific and targeted send-up of the very industry and projects that the producers and crew of this series are a part of. There is a lot of potential for The Franchise to continue making fun of Hollywood blockbusters for seasons to come with this eight-episode season, never overstaying its welcome while still cramming in copious jokes at the expense of Hollywood studios. With great performances from everyone, led by a hilariously deadpan Himesh Patel, The Franchise should be HBO’s next big hit. I laughed out loud multiple times throughout the series, especially during the back half of the season, with the cameos (both real and fictional) making this a long-awaited satire of superhero fatigue.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.

Did you watch The Franchise? How do you feel about the series getting cancelled by HBO after just one season?

The post The Franchise cancelled by HBO after one season appeared first on JoBlo.

The origin stories of certain comic-book characters have played out multiple times across movies and TV shows. One of the biggest offenders is Batman. We’ve seen that poor bastard’s parents gunned down more times than I can count. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound as though we’ll be subjected to Martha’s pearl necklace scattering along the ground again, as James Gunn has said we won’t see the Batman origin story in the DCU.

“He already exists in this universe, just like when we come to the Superman movie and we see that Superman already exists, he’s already known by the people in Metropolis,” Gunn told Rotten Tomatoes. “We don’t need to hear the origin story again. That’s just a way to introduce that Batman is a part of this universe. He’s an important part of this universe, and he has an impact on it.“

Batman made his DCU debut in the most recent episode of Creature Commandos, albeit heavily silhouetted per Gunn’s request. “When they first showed the episode to me, there was a lot more Batman,” Gunn said. “And I said, ‘I’m not ready to commit to that… more silhouette!’“

We still don’t know who will play Batman in the DCU, although plenty of actors have thrown their hats into the ring, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Alan Ritchson, and Jensen Ackles. While the character could debut in live-action in another movie, he is set to appear in The Brave and the Bold movie alongside his son Damian Wayne. The Flash director Andy Muschietti is set to helm the movie.

Creature Commandos, the first DCU project to be released, will air its season finale next week. The series features the voices of Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein, Indira Varma as The Bride, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, and Steve Agee as John Economos, and Sean Gunn as Weasel. The series tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option. DC has already renewed Creature Commandos for a second season.

The post James Gunn says we’ll be spared from reliving Batman’s origin yet again in the DCU 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.

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.

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.

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.