Michael Cavacini

An award-winning arts and culture blog.

Archive for the tag “Michael Cavacini”

29 Mar 2020

Cursed Films Debuts April 2

A Shudder original, Cursed Films is a five-part documentary series which explores the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From plane accidents and bombings during the making of The Omen, to the rumored use of real human skeletons on the set of Poltergeist, these stories are legendary amongst film fans and filmmakers alike. But where does the truth lie?

Cursed Films reveals the real-life events that haunted these productions through interviews with experts, witnesses and the cast, directors and producers who lived through them. Were these films really cursed, as many believe, or just the victims of bad luck and bizarre circumstances?

Posted in Horror, Movies, Review and tagged Cursed Films, Horror, Michael Cavacini, Poltergeist, Review, Shudder, The Crow, The Exorcist, The Omen, Twilight Zone | Leave a comment

29 Mar 2020

Book Review: Wrestling With Pixels

We are one week away from WrestleMania, and everyone is cooped up in their houses; so, now is a great time to revisit some epic professional wrestling video games. Not sure which ones to fire up? Wrestling With Pixels, a new 242-page book all about the history of pro wrestling video games, is your guide.

24 Mar 2020

April is “Halfway to Halloween Month” on Shudder

April has long been celebrated by horror fans as the halfway point to Halloween, and this year Shudder makes it official with the launch of Halfway to Halloween Month. Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will offer its biggest month of non-October programming ever, at a time when many people are turning to streaming to help entertain them while they’re social distancing and quarantining.

Posted in Horror, News and tagged April, Cursed Films, Halfway to Halloween, Halloween, Horror, Joe Bob Briggs, Michael Cavacini, News, Shudder, The Last Drive-In | Leave a comment

24 Mar 2020

Audible Review: Kayfabe by Sean Oliver

Are you a wrestling fan holed up in your house because of the Coronavirus? If so, then you’ve got plenty of time to catch up on great wrestling books. Kayfabe by Sean Oliver is one of those books. Narrated by the author, Kayfabe is a collection of personal stories from the founder of Kayfabe Commentaries, a professional wrestling shoot interview company. The only complaint I have is that the editing of this audiobook is a little sloppy. For example, there were at least a couple times when the author did a second take of a line and both were included in the final version of this Audible Original. I’ve encountered this before with other audiobooks; however, it’s something that should have been caught and corrected in the editing process.

14 Mar 2020

Book Review: WWE Beyond Extreme

DK Publishing is back with another action-packed WWE book. In WWE Beyond Extreme you get 127 pages of high-flying, over-the-top WWE goodness from past and present to satiate even the most voracious of fans. Check out my video review below to learn more and get a preview of what’s inside.

Posted in Books, Pro Wrestling, Review and tagged Book, DK, DK Publishing, John Cena, Kane, Michael Cavacini, Mick Foley, Pro Wrestling, Review, The Rock, Wrestling, WWE, WWE Beyond Extreme | Leave a comment

14 Mar 2020

Book Review: Suze Orman’s The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+

Suze Orman is my favorite personal finance expert. Unlike most people my age, I used to watch The Suze Orman Show every Saturday night during most of its 13-year run on CNBC. I even met Suze at a book signing in New York when The Money Class came out in 2011, which was her last book. When Suze turned 65, she decided to stop her CNBC show and retire from the public spotlight. Suze and her wife sold their homes, moved to a small island, and they went fishing. That’s not a joke. Suze and her wife, KT, go fishing all the time. Suze even won several fishing trophies because she’s so good at it. So, why did Suze turn away from all this fame? She decided to find out who Suze Orman is when she’s not busy being Suze Orman. It’s an important lesson for all of us to consider. When we retire and step away from whatever it is we’re known for, are we happy? I’m glad to report that Suze is happy. However, she saw this revelation as an opportunity to write a book solely focused on retirement for those that are 50 and older. After all, when she was a financial advisor retirement was her speciality. Having read this book, I can confidently say that it’s Suze greatest book to date and her passion and knowledge radiate off of every page. It’s absolutely the best book I’ve ever read on personal finance.

25 Feb 2020

Book Review: The Art of Fire Emblem Awakening

Fire Emblem is a series of fantasy tactical role-playing games, starting with the first entry in 1990 released on the Famicom in Japan. Since then, the series has grown in popularity and it is approaching nearly 20 games in total. One of those games is Fire Emblem Awakening, which came out for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012. The game was met with universal praise from critics, and it has since sold more than two million copies worldwide. This game is the first time I ever heard of the Fire Emblem series, and it’s an entry that people continue to recommend and revisit. The beloved nature of Fire Emblem Awakening is one of the reasons why Dark Horse decided to create The Art of Fire Emblem Awakening book. I spotted this book at Nintendo New York the last time I was there, so I decided to check it out.

24 Feb 2020

Completely Damaged Radio: February 24, 2020

Today, I took part in another episode of Completely Damaged Radio at Montgomery County Community College. I had such a wonderful time on the show back in December that I jumped at the chance to do it again.

This time around we talked about pro wrestling, Barry Manilow, James Patterson, Bruce Springsteen, and all things DDP Yoga, including the upcoming DDP Yoga Retreat. Check out the show (above), and enjoy!

Posted in Fitness, Music, News, Pro Wrestling and tagged Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Completely Damaged, Completely Damaged Radio, DDP, DDP Yoga, DDPY, Diamond Dallas Page, Gene Simmons, James Patterson, KISS, Michael Cavacini, Montco, Montgomery County Community College | Leave a comment

20 Feb 2020

Hello, Dolly! Shines In Philly

7_Carolee-Carmello-in-Hello-Dolly-National-Tour-Photograph-by-Julieta-Cervantes-2019 The first musical I attended was Hello, Dolly! starring Carol Channing, and it took place during the show’s 1995 revival when it came to the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia between February 25 and March 5 of that year. In 2017, I saw Hello, Dolly! when it was revived again—this time on Broadway with the incredible Bette Midler. It is the greatest musical I have ever seen. Not only was Bette fantastic in this role which seemed tailor made for her, but the crowd that night was electric. It felt as if I was at Woodstock, Live Aid, or some other seminal moment in music history. The magic was palpable, and I’m thrilled that I had the chance to see Bette in her role of a lifetime, for which she deservedly received a Tony Award. Bette’s Hello, Dolly! broke the Broadway record for best first-day ticket sales, the box office record at the Shubert Theatre 12 times, and it shattered The Shubert Organization’s all-time record 10 times! Running from March 15, 2017 through August 25, 2018, this triumphant revival is now showing at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia.

Posted in Music, Review and tagged Academy of Music, Bette Midler, Carol Channing, Hello Dolly, Michael Cavacini, Musical, Philadelphia, Review | Leave a comment

19 Feb 2020

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Review: Night Songs II by Barry Manilow

On Valentine’s Day Barry Manilow released one of the most romantic albums you’ll ever hear: Night Songs II. It’s the cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day that we all needed. Back in 2014 Barry Manilow released one of his greatest albums: Night Songs. Met with universal praise, Night Songs was nominated for a Grammy award and fans wanted more. Fast forward six years, and Barry Manilow is back with Night Songs II. This time around you can expect 13 songs, one of which is a bonus track that’s exclusive to the CD-version of the album, all lovingly arranged and masterfully sung by the incomparable Barry Manilow. I love that Barry is comfortable enough in his own skin that he continues to record, produce, and release whatever makes him happy. Most artists aren’t that brave. They simply keep repeating the same old music over and over again, or they merely try to imitate their past. Not Barry. He continues to evolve, explore, and create some of the most compelling music of his substantial and diverse career. Having so much music to enjoy makes being a fan of his immensely satisfying. There’s always something new to anticipate and experience. Speaking of which, let’s take a look at each of the tracks on Night Songs II.