Phil sees THE REVENANT from 20th Century Fox - April 28, 2016

OK, so the film I will be reviewing today finally gave its lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio his long overdue Academy Award for Best Actor. Yup, it's a good movie. Yup, it's beautifully directed. Yup, it's got great acting in it. Yup, it's a hella depressing movie. So now we got that out of the way, let's talk about the film THE REVENANT.

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: Inspired by true events, THE REVENANT is an immerse and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.

Let's start at the beginning. One, this is a brutal film to watch. Literally, it's a hard movie to watch. While it contains beautiful cinematography and it captures nature in all its glory, it also shows that nature is a cold hearted bitch and it makes you get inside your dead horse naked so you won't freeze your cajoles off! Second, Tom Hardy's character is a total douchebag and you can hardly understand what the hell he's talking about. Basically he talks and sounds like Boomhauer from the King of the Hill. But he's a man on a mission and that mission is getting paid for selling pelts by any means necessary. Especially if it means leaving poor Leonardi DeCaprio buried alive in a shallow grave after killing his son. Like I said, he's a total douchebag and Brady brings that to his character perfectly.

Acting means pretending to be something your not. It's like playing make believe pretty much. Like when we were kids and we used to pretend we were a cowboy or a superhero or something like that. However, DeCaprio wasn't really acting. He's actually freezing ass cold. He's eating raw liver from a buffalo and puking. He's really naked inside of a dead horse's carcass. That's not acting. That's suffering for your art which begs the question of just how far will you go and do to win an Oscar? Well, DeCaprio went all out in this film so I guess he deserved that Oscar, but he should have won one for some of the other films he was in like THE DEPARTED or THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. But like the old saying goes, better late than ever.

The film is directed and co-written by Academy Award winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, whose previous films include BABEL and 2014's critically acclaimed BIRDMAN. The man is unquestionably a talented and gifted filmmaker so no argument there. There's a rhythm to his films, almost like poetry set to a Frank Zapa album. Really unique, different and has a very personal voice in his work. His set-ups and framing is superb, pacing is good and uses a lot of long takes to emphasize the characters and their situations so we the audience are immersed in their lives and we experience their trials and tribulations along with them. He also uses several images as metaphors about life and death, man and nature as well as war and love.  

Overall THE REVENANT is one hell of a movie that grips you from the get go and doesn't let until up until the very end. The movie truly is a work of art and will go on as one of Alejandro G. Iñárritu's best films and the role that finally DeCaprio his Oscar. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

THE REVENANT is still playing in select theaters nationwide. The movie is also available on Blu-Ray, DVD as well as on Video On Demand, Netflix and at your local Redbox and retailer.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees DADDY'S HOME from Paramount Pictures - April 27, 2016

Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg first teamed up in the 2010 buddy cop comedy THE OTHER GUYS. Now five years later, the boys are back, but this time their dads! Ok, one is a step-dad and the other is the real dad, but make no mistake folks. These two titans of the screen are gonna tear it up! It's dad versus step-dad in a no holds brawl battle royal! So ladies and gentlemen, get ready to laugh your asses off while you all watch their new comedy DADDY'S HOME.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2015)

The film's official synopsis: Stepfather, Brad Whitaker (Will Farrell) is hoping for his stepchildren to love him and treat him like a dad. All is going well until the biological father, Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg) shows up, then everything takes a toll. His stepchildren start putting him second and their father first, and now Dusty will have to learn what being a good dad is about and pains and struggles. Brad will also experience once again what it's like to be a stepdad.

Like they displayed in their previous film, Farrell and Wahlberg have great comedic timing and on-screen chemistry. Both play off one another and the results are hilarious. Wahlberg character is the cool, motorcycle ridin', buff bod, bad boy who likes to thinks life revolves around him and believes he's entitled to show up out of the blue and take back his family. On the other hand, Farrell's lovable Brad has proven himself time and time again that he's earn the right to be the man of the house and the kids' stepdad. He's looking for acceptance from them and has mom Sara in his corner, who's played by the marvelous Linda Carsenllini. Another worthy mention is Thomas Haden Church, who portrays Brad's bizarre, racist and sexist boss Leo Holt. Church has some of the best lines and scenes in the film and he was just freaking funny as hell whenever he was on screen. And last but certainly not least, look for a brief cameo by WWE pro wrestler Jon Cena towards the end of the film.

Writer/Director Sean Anders (who co-wrote the script with screenwriters Brian Burns and John Morris) does a great job of keeping the laughs and story evenly paced while adding in some tender moments. Anders' past directorial efforts include SEX DRIVE, THAT' S MY BOY and HORRIBLE BOSSES 2. He's written the scripts for SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE, HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS, WE'RE THE MILLERS, DUMB AND DUMBER TO and the formentioned SEX DRIVE and HORRIBLE BOSSES 2. Anders proves that he's got major talent and as I am writing this, he's currently working on the film's sequel DADDY'S HOME 2 so I'm definitely looking forward to that, especially since it could very well include Mr. Jon Cena.

DADDY'S HOME is very funny, very sweet and heart warming film about the trials and tribulations that families that have been dealing with since the creation of mankind. Stepdads and dads everywhere, we salute your sacrifices. But this film takes that scenario and makes it funny as hell! Again great movie for you and the family.....we'll, maybe you should put the kids to bed before you watch this with your spouse. But then you should totally see this movie! 4 out of 5 stars!! Recommend viewing!!

DADDY'S HOME is still playing in select theaters nationwide. The movie is also available on Blu-Ray, DVD as well as on Video On Demand, Netflix and at your local Redbox and retailer.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil's B-Movie Madness: BIKINI DRIVE-IN (1996) from RetromediaEntertainment - April 8, 2016

BIKINI DRIVE-IN DVD Cover (2014)

BIKINI DRIVE-IN
Starring: Ashlie Rhey, Richard Gabai, Sarah Bellomo, Rob Vogl, Ross Hagen, G. Gordon Bear, Tom Shell, Nikki Fritz, David F. Friedman, Michelle Bauer, Steve Barkett, Conrad Brooks,
Becky LeBeau, Tane McClure, Deborah Dutch
Written by Steve Armogida & John N. Willey
Cinematography by Gary Graver
Edited by W. Peter Miller
Directed by Fred Olen Ray
Production Company: American Independent Productions
Originally distributed by Bullseye Video
Released by Retromedia Entertainment

Yes my friends, there's a new installment of Phil's B-Movie Madness! If there's one thing I've learned during my time here on Earth, it's that everything is linked to some cosmic event that shapes your life. For me, it always comes back to my favorite television show USA Up All Night. Because of this beloved show, I fell in love with B-Movies as well as the actors, directors and Scream Queens. One of those directors I discovered was Fred Olen Ray. Ray has directed some amazing cult classics such as THE TOMB, HAUNTING FEAR, EVIL TOONS, BEVERLY HILLS VAMP and of course HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS. For today's review, I want to talk about one of my favorite of his and all the fond memories I had watching it. After years of being out of print on VHS and the sub-par censored DVDs, we finally have an official uncut, unedited, uncensored DVD edition of my favorite Fred Olen Ray film of all time: BIKINI DRIVE-IN!

The film's official synopsis: Kim Taylor (Ashlie Rhey) inherits her late grandfather's drive-in theatre. She and her best friend Carrie (Sarah Bellomo) must raise $25,000 over the weekend, or the bank will take the property. Her plan is to enlist the services of her hot friends to attract the masses in any way possible, and to deal with the banker types directly. She also has to deal with pesky capitalist J.B. Winston (David F. Friedman) and his associates Harry (Ross Hagen) and Card (G. Gordon Bear), but help arrives in the form of J.B.'s son Brian (Richard Gabai). Together, can they save the drive-in from both the bank and Winston?

I originally found the movie on the shelf at my local mom & pop video store by the old Safeway I used to work at. The place was called Branham Video and I used to rent all my horror, B-movies and cult classics there. When I first watched it I instantly fell in love with. It was so low budget and cheesy but it was also funny, light hearted and it made me forget life for a bit. That's the power of film. It can transport you to this other world for about 90 minutes and make you feel refreshed and brand new and it makes all your worries go away. What's not to love about that? 

Fred Olen Ray sets the tone for the film right away with the opening credits. It's light, fun and filled with beautiful actresses, great actors, bad jokes, hot and steamy sex scenes, sexy women in bikinis, and a totally awesome soundtrack. Ray's your typical low budget director who knows what the public and his fans want and delivers it in spades. His set-ups and compositions are well executed, the pacing of the movie is perfect and it's just a lot of fun to watch. Ray's resume also includes other cult faves like WIZARDS OF THE DEMON SWORD, BAD GIRLS FROM MARS, HYBRID, DINOSAUR ISLAND and ATTACK OF THE 60 FOOT CENTERFOLD.

Original VHS Cover (1996)

All of the actresses are incredibly talented, breathtakingly beautiful and legendary. Lead Ashlie Rhey has appeared in several other low budget erotica and action movies in the 90's like BODY OF INFLUENCE, RING OF FIRE II: BLOOD AND STEEL, MIDNIGHT TEASE, SAVE ME, WITCHCRAFT 7: JUDGEMENT HOUR and PLAY TIME. Her on-screen best friend Carrie is played by one of my favorite crushes from the early 90's Sarah Bellomo. She had acted in the adult film business as Roxanne Blaze in the very beginning of her career before making the transition to mainstream films. She starred in Full Moon's BEACH BABES FROM BEYOND, its sequel BEACH BABES 2: CAVE GIRL ISLAND as well as FATAL PASSION and SEDUCE ME: PAMELA PRINCIPLE 2 before disappearing from the public eye forever. Nikki Fritz was another Scream Queen that acted in a bunch of B-movies like SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL, DINOSAUR ISLAND, BURIAL OF THE RATS, ATTACK OF THE 60 FOOT CENTERFOLD, STRIPTEASER and BEACH BABES FROM BEYOND with Bellomo. The sweet and bubbly Becky LeBeau appeared in several low budget gems like NOT OF THIS EARTH, BODY OF CHEMISTRY III: POINT OF SEDUCTION, MUNCHIE, TRANSYLVANIA TWIST and SCHOOL SPIRIT and had a bit part in BACK TO SCHOOL with legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Tane McClure acted in a lot of movies like DEATH SPA, INSIDE OUT II, REVENGE OF THE CALENDAR GIRLS, MIDNIGHT TEASE II, ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS 2: THE HEAVY PETTING DETECTIVE, CAGED HEARTS and VICE ACADEMY 5.

The actors were staples in the low budget world and I'd see them in other films from this time frame. Our hero Brian is played by the one and only Richard Gabai. He's acted in a ton of cult classics like NIGHTMARE SISTERS, ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS, VIRGIN HIGH, HOT UNDER THE COLLAR, DINOSAUR ISLAND, ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS 2: THE HEAVY PETTING DETECTIVE, THE WASP WOMAN, VICE GIRLS and KICKBOXING ACADEMY. Gabai is also an accomplished director of over 25 films! Some of those included the previously mentioned ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS, VIRGIN HIGH, HOT UNDER THE COLLAR, ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS 2: THE HEAVY PETTING DETECTIVE, VICE GIRLS, KICKBOXING ACADEMY plus family films like POPSTAR, CALL OF THE WILD, THE BIKE SQUAD and MIRACLE DOGS TOO. He's gone to direct many T.V. movies like IN THE DARK, THE GOOD MOTHER, IMAGINARY FRIEND and THE WRONG WOMAN. Veteran actor Ross Hagen has been acting since the 1960's. His on-screen credits include THE MINI-SKIRT MOB, THE HELLCATS, FIVE THE HARD WAY, ANGELS' WILD WOMEN, WONDER WOMEN, ANGEL, AVENGING ANGEL, PRISON SHIP, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE, CLICK: THE CALENDAR GIRL KILLER, DINOSAUR ISLAND, MIDNIGHT TEASE II, ATTACK OF THE 60 FOOT CENTERFOLD, NIGHT SHADE, INVISIBLE DAD and SHADOWHEART. Unfortunately, Ross passed away from cancer on May 7, 2011 at the age of 72. Another legend appearing in the film was David F. Friedman, who plays J.B. Winston. Friedman was the undisputed "King of Exploitation" having produced some of the most beloved and notorious film ever made including BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS, SHE FREAK, LOVE CAMP 7, SPACE THING and ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS. Friedman passed away on February 14,  2011 at the age of 82.

Another aspect I love about this movie is the killer soundtrack. Richard Gabai provides two songs for the movie:  "Those Days are Gone" and "Big Black Caddilac" (which were used in his film VIRGIN HIGH) while Becky LeBeau contributes to the majority of the soundtrack. My favorite song is "Caught in the Middle" and it's played during the scene when Tane McClure was dancing on top of the hood of a car with a cartoon being projected on her tight, sexy body. Oh yea my friends, it's a hot scene indeed! But I love the song! Becky LeBeau has an amazing voice and the song matches the scene brilliantly! 

As I stated earlier, this the unrated, uncensored, unedited version of the film. All of the incredibly hot sex scenes has been restored for your enjoyment. I was fortunate to have been able to rent this version all those years ago. However, if you were one of the poor souls who had to rent the movie at your local Blockbuster, I feel so sorry for you. They were notorious for editing and censoring the films they rented out, so chances are you were one of those who saw the edited version. But Fred Olen Ray has corrected this travesty once and for all.

Overall BIKINI DRIVE-IN remains one of my all-time favorite B-movies from the 1990's!! If you're like me and you grew up watching these low budget B-movies on either USA Up All Night or you rented them, this will bring back those good 'ole days of staying up late, eating pizzas and checking out these classic flicks! It doesn't get any better than this! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!! 

BIKINI DRIVE-IN is currently available at your local retailer and is also available to purchase on the Amazon website. If you'd like to learn more about Fred Olen Ray, be sure to check out his official Facebook page. To learn more about Retromedia Entertainment and their films, visit their website at www.retromedia.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE from Paramount Pictures - April 10, 2016

Zombie movies have been a stable within the horror genre since 1968 when director George A. Romero released his iconic zombie classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Since then there has been a plethora of zombie films, made here in the states and abroad. But with the release of 1986's RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, the late great director Dan O'Bannon added a new ingredient to the zombie film: comedy. In last several years we've had the zombie horror/comedy reach dizzying heights with films like SHAUN OF THE DEAD, ZOMBIELAND, WARM BODIES, DEAD SNOW and most recently ZOMBEVERS and POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD. Now the people at Paramount Pictures have unleashed another zombie comedy (or zom com or zomedy as it's affectionately called) to moviegoers everywhere. So what you will but SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is one funny, gore soaked film!

Theatrical Movie Poster (2015)

The film's official synopsis: Three scouts and lifelong friends (Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan) join forces with one badass cocktail (Sarah Dumont) waitress to become the world's most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they'll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.

I loved this a lot! It contains all the requirements of a zombie film and horror movie: people getting eaten alive, gore, bloodshed, scares, thrills, nudity, foul language and zombies. As for the comedy, it's freaking hilarious! Awwww.....to be a teenager during the zombie apocalypse has never been more fun!

Screenwriters Carrie Lee Wilson, Emi Mochizuki and Christopher Landon (the film's director) wrote a very funny, very bloody and very entertaining script that kept the formula of what fans expect from a zombie comedy. Landon is mostly known as a screenwriter, whose past writing credits include DISTURBIA and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2-4 and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES. This is the third film he has directed, the last being PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES which I didn't like. However I am very happy and enthusiastic that he rebounded from that film with this one. His set-ups are great, the pacing is perfect and he captures all the humor and gore beautifully.

The cast is another contributing factor for my love of the movie. Tye Sheridan is a really good actor and is awesome as our lead hero Ben Goudy. I first saw him in the movie THE TREE OF LIFE. Then I saw him appear in the drama DARK PLACES, which I thought he was fantastic in. Logan Miller's character Carter Grant is a friend we all had growing up: funny, foul mouthed, perverted and just fun to hang out with. Actor Joey Morgan's Augie Foster is the one kid that refuses to grow up. He loves being a boy scout and that's all he cares about. Little bit of loser but this kid kicks major zombie ass! The sexy Sarah Dumont becomes the boy's mentor and parental figure. Smart, hot and she knows how to kill zombies with a shotgun! How could you not fall in love with her?!?

SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is a funny as hell, blood dripped zombie horror comedy that will leave you in pieces (pun intended)! Seriously, it really is that funny and that entertaining! The absurdity of it makes it that much more fun to watch! So sharpen your knives, bust out the shotgun, grab your bat and have fun watching this film! 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended viewing!

SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is now available on both Blu-Ray and DVD at your local retailer. The movie is also available at your local Redbox as well as on Netflix and Video On Demand. 

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN from 20th Century Fox - April 10, 2016

Author Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" is considered a literary classic. In the world of cinema, there has been at least 75 films based on Shelly's novel, which was first published in 1818. Some of these includes classics like Universal Picture's FRANKENSTEIN starring Boris Karloff, Hammer Film's THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN featuring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. Then there are the exploitation films featuring the man made monster like AIP's I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN, Embassy Pictures JESSIE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER, the list goes on and on. The latest film adaptation come from the folks over at 20th Century Fox. Starring James McAvoy, Daniel Radcliffe and Jessica Brown Findlay, VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN is yet another attempt to put a different spin on Shelly's book, this time the story being told from Igor's point of view.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2015)

The film's official synopsis: Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. But Victor's experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences. Only Igor can bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from his monstrous creation.

Now the last Frankenstein based film I saw was the horrible I, FRANKENSTEIN, which you may recall I saw during my trip to Hollywood back in 2014. However, this one I really enjoyed. Director Paul McGuigan and screenwriter Max Landis (son of horror director John Landis) helped bring a fresh and different perspective to the Frankenstein lore. Landis' script is smart, funny and is actually poignant. The main theme weaved into the film is the definition of friendship and what does that mean exactly to the main characters. Victor frees Igor from his cruel and abusive circus life and gives him a new life: a home, a new body, self esteem and self respect. But the twist is that Victor uses his good deeds to force him to do things that he doesn't agree with. Landis also throws in big time action and humor into the script to give it more of a punch. Combined with the stylistic eye of Paul McGuigan (whose past directing credits include PUSH, LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN and WICKER PARK), the film stands above the most recent film adaptions that has been produced over the past two decades.

As for the acting, both McAvoy and Radcliffe are fantastic in their respected roles. McAvoy's Victor Frankenstein is brilliant, funny and emotionally unbalanced, giving the character more depth and personality than previous interpretations. While famous for his role as Professor X in the X-MEN films, it's refreshing to see McAvoy stretch his acting chops and bring a new perspective to this iconic character. For Radcliffe, he ignores all previous cinema portrayals of Igor and makes him all his own. Kind, caring, misunderstood and also highly intelligent, this Igor is unlike anything you've seen before on screen. Major kudos to Mr. Radcliffe for this new and exciting spin on this beloved hunchback. Now unlike the other films, Igor has a love interest and she is the stunning and independent Lorelei, played by the talented and beautiful actress Jessica Brown Findlay. She adds another layer to the film and really rounds out the cast perfectly. Altogether a fantastic cast that brings Shelly's characters to new heights.

While very entertaining, it did fairly poorly at the boxoffice. The film's budget was only $40 million dollars (relatively small compared to most Hollywood films) but it only ended up grossing $34.1 million worldwide. Here in the states, it opened up against CREED and Disney/Pixar's THE GOOD DINOSAUR and others like SPOTLIGHT and TRUMBO. Now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, hopefully the movie will finally get the attention that it deserves.

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN is well made, highly entertaining, wonderfully acted and directed film that fans of the horror genre and of Shelly's book should definitely see! So do yourself a favor and see this movie with a bunch of your friends and just have fun watching it! 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended viewing!

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN is now available on both Blu-Ray and DVD at your local retailer. The movie is also available at your local Redbox as well as on Netflix and Video On Demand. 

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil interviews actress Miranda Robin from the upcoming film B.C. BUTCHER from Troma Entertainment - April 8, 2016

Actress Miranda Robin (Courtesy of Miranda Robin)

Hello again and welcome back to my series of interviews with the actresses from the upcoming Troma Entertainment film B.C. BUTCHER directed by Kansas Bowling. Today's installment I had the esteem pleasure of interviewing actress and film enthusiast Miranda Robin, who plays Dina in the film. Read all about this up and coming actress who not only holds two major degrees, but is also a avid Charlie Chaplin fan. Thoughtful, insightful, intelligent, and passionate about art and life, this is one individual that will be changing the world for the better.

PC: So I see you were born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. When I interviewed your costar Leilani Fideler she said she was one of those rare breeds that was born, raised, and still lives in LA. Your IMDb page says the same thing. Why do you think people are leaving LA and why do you still live there? 

Miranda Robin: I love Los Angeles! It has a bit of everything here and more to explore. Sand, sea, mountains and snow in the same day, can't beat that. I really don't know why people are leaving LA, possibly parts are seeming to get over crowded, but I have a feeling they will be back. I believe it is important to get out and see the world when you can. And along the way you will know where your heart and home are. My heart has a love for the mountains and the city, and my LA life captures both. Raised in Westchester (LAX), in a generational household and I am still living there part time with my mom and grandma. Grandma June is 98 and a fan of B.C. BUTCHER too. The other days I live in Topanga Canyon with my husband William Preston Bowling (caveman #1), and step-daughter Parker Love Bowling (B.C. BUTCHER Poster Girl and character of Po). I will travel and explore with my family, but Los Angeles will always be home for me. 

PC: So tell us about your childhood? What's your family like?

MR: I am an only child and my mom and grandma are two of my best friends. I grew up living with both of them, a generational home is truly magical. In my house growing up, and still, creative freedom is accepted and who you are is loved unconditionally. Childhood is about exploration and play, stories and dancing in the kitchen, I definitely had that. There were hard family dynamics mixed in as well, parents not being together since I was two, tears and sleepless nights, but looking back, my childhood was pretty good. Museums, theater, concerts and art materials always at my fingertips. When I thin about it some of my most fun times involve acting, dancing and singing of some sort. I have always loved to dress up as other characters or different versions of myself. Childhood is precious and I know that from looking back on it and from studying it in school. When you remember parts of your childhood, good and bad, write them down. Creativity will bring them about years later in another form. 

PC: Were you scholastic when you were younger or was school a bit boring? 

MR: I have always enjoyed learning new ideas and concepts, but school was not always easy for me. I preferred the art classes to the textbook ones. Test taking is a nightmare! I know the material and then the test comes in front of me and it looks like it is in another language. I also find it very difficult to read about a subject if I am not interested in it/ It was college that made me fall in love with education. Studying what I am interested in, I took off like a rocket. 

PC: How old were you when you became interested in acting? 

MR: I have always loved acting since kindergarten, even though I has a shy moment during a performance once and hid underneath a table. Acting is freeing. I did a lot of musical theater in elementary school and I was part of the drama conservatory at Crossroads High School. I have see a lot of theater from Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon to the hits on Broadway in New York City. Pure inspiration. Honesty acting is a medium, whether on stage or on screen, is such a gift to the actor. We can step into characters and try on new hats, simultaneously getting to know ourselves better. In the past decade I have really focused on the programming behind the camera. I find producing and creating fascinating. The role of Dina was the first acting role in quite a while and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had so much fun in this film. I got to run in the dirt, wear leopard, play with fake blood and see Kansas in her natural element. 

PC: Were you always a big fan of the cinema?

MR: I LOVE FILM! Give it to me in black and white, silent, with sound, in color-I will take it all. Watching a film is like taking a trip. I am always willing to see something new. What I love about films too is watching the favorites over and over, reciting the lines and tearing up at the same scene. I took several film classes in high school and college, one film insight more intriguing than the next. 

PC: I read that you received you BA at UCLA and your MA at Loyola Marymount. What subjects were you majoring in? 

Robin as Dina from B.C. BUTCHER.

MR: I loved UCLA, what a gorgeous campus and great professors. I received a B.A. in Women's Studies with a minor in Sociology of Sexuality and Gender. The classes made you think about life, our social interaction and why we behave the way we do. It is like a diary entry you didn't know you could write. The next educational adventure was at LMU. I was in a cohort of 20 students and we studied everything together. The leadership skill classes were my favorite. The lessons involved a lot of situational role play interaction, acting skills plus acquired knowledge put to the test. I received my M.A. in Early Childhood Education. I don't think I am done with my educational path. I think I am ready for more. I guess I  would consider myself an education junkie. 

PC: Explain on how you became involved with the Topanga Canyon Film Festival. What is your role in the festival? 

MR: My husband, William, has been working with the festival since the beginning. When I joined the Topanga community five years ago we went to a film screening that was presented in the Chaplin screening room at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Later that night at an after party in Topanga a discussion of Chaplin came about and all my Chaplin facts started coming out. Someone suggested doing something Chaplin for the festival, and the Chaplin Showcase at the Topanga Film Festival was born. I am a true admiration of Mr. Chaplin, his talents changed cinema forever. I have been producing with the festival ever since. One of my favorite producing experiences was the 45th anniversary of Hair the Musical. The night was a fundraiser for the Topanga Film Festival & Institute held in a beautiful establishment called Rosewood, decorated in Baroque Fashion. We had original Broadway and Los Angeles cast members break into a song flash mob of "Let the Sun Shine In." It was magical and made an imprint on the canyon! 

PC: You made your film debut in B.C. BUTCHER. Tell me the process of how you became involved with the project? 

MR: Kansas Bowling is my step-daughter and I was ready in anyway to help her with her film. I started behind the scenes, helping with make-up, props and craft services type stuff and then the role of Dina fell into my lap. The camera was set up, using 16mm film, the other actors were on set and the woman suppose to play Dina never showed up. With no time at all, Kansas said, "Do you fit in this dress and will you be my Dina?"...and there you go. I am Dina. I am so honored to be a part of the Cave Tribe. 

PC: Fascinating. So what was it like working with Kansas then? 

MR: Seeing her on set is a truly cool experience. She is very professional and meticulous with her craft. She would stand behind the cameraman to see every frame. Her storyboards were easy to follow and she explained her vision from every angle. These types of details made it enjoyable for the cast and crew to work together as a team. I would work with her on any project. She is going places. 

PC: Describe your character Dina for us. How did you prepare for this role?

MR: Getting into the character of Dina was actually really fun! I only had 15 minutes to become this cave woman and Kansas told me that Dina needed to look really messy and dirty like she was running and exploring the wilderness. We didn't have stage make-up on set yet and improvising was the only option. There was a birthday in the house  the day before and there was leftover chocolate cake and chocolate frosting...perfect. I rubbed it all over my face and arms, used a little green and brown eye shadow, stuck some actual dirt to the frosting and then Cave Camera Ready. Dina was born on set, on camera. The other cave tribe really took me in and made it easy. I had a bloody fantastic time! Thank you Kansas for trusting me with his role. 

PC: What did you take away from this experience? 

MR: Always be ready for anything. I feel very lucky to end up in the role of Dina. I just walked the red carpet at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood for the B.C. BUTCHER premiere. For the first time in film, I have to say, I think that is really cool. I am also amazed by the talent and drive of both Bowling girls, Kansas and Parker. They are ready for the world and the world is ready for them. 

PC: Are you a fan of horror genre? What are some of your favorite films and genres? 

MR: I am not a huge horror movie fan, but there are some good ones, but this whole experience of being in a slasher movie is changing my mind a bit o the excitement of this genre. I definitely prefer the suspense/thriller films to the blood and guts, but every movie needs a little blood. I like the SCREAM trilogy by Wes Craven or anything Alfred Hitchcock, especially PSYCHO and REBECCA. I'm definitely a Kubrick fan, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and THE SHINING and of course everything by Charlie Chaplin. Check out Chaplin's short film ONE A.M. The rest of my favorite films I am going to list in no particular order or genre: SPACEBALLS, MARY POPPINS, THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE, SERIAL MOM, ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING, CAN'T BUY ME LOVE, THE CRAFT, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, EMPIRE RECORDS, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, GIRL INTERRUPTED HEATHERS and BEETLEJUICE. 

Actress Miranda Robin (courtesy of Miranda Robin)

PC: What are your plans for the film industry? Do you have any projects you are currently working on? 

MR: I will continue producing for the Topanga Film Festival and Institute and there will be some fun events coming up in the future. Currently I am working on an animation/film panel project and co-writing a screenplay. The exciting part of the industry is that there are new projects around every corner. So my plans change all the time, but my focus is getting people together for the Love of Film. 

PC: What advice would you give to all aspiring and upcoming female talents who want to break into the film industry, especially those who wish to bring diversity and a feminine voice to the overpopulated male dominated Hollywood? 

MR: DON'T HESITATE. GO FOR IT! As a woman, we have a voice and a chance to do great things and change the world one step at a time, if we want to. What is a feminine voice? We get a chance to redefine the world or keep it the same, it is a choice. You have talents and desires you don't even know yet, therefore to get the chance you've got to take that chance. Come at the industry from all sides. Get to know in front of the camera and behind the camera, why not even try to work the camera. Take a class, let the Craft of Film embrace you while you take charge of it. I would say, just be yourself. If you want it, you want it for a reason. Tell the world what that reason is. Film it, paint it, sew it, BE IT! 

To learn more about the Toganga Film Festival & Institute, visit their website at www.topangafilminstitute.com.  Also check out their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. To learn more about Troma, their film catologue and their upcoming release of B.C. BUTCHER, visit their website at www.troma.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!