Bar Starz (2008)
This wacky ensemble comedy presents the adventures of some seriously odd club denizens. Douglas is determined to make his best friend Barry Shlotzak a star. He enters Barry into a competition to be the Intern for the local Bar Starz: Donnie Pintron and crew. Barry must now complete a serious of tasks, like picking up chicks and dressing to impress, or he will be eliminated and thrown out of the V.I.P. forever.
Genre – Comedy
Executive Producer – Walter Josten
Director(s) – Michael Pietrzak
Writer(s) – Peter Castanik and Marc James
Cast – Derek Waters, Jon Gries, Charlie Murphy , Charlie Finn and Nikki Griffin
Blue Rider’s Role – Co-executive producers and arranged bridge financing
Distributor(s) – Slowhand Cinema Releasing (USA theatrical) and Vici Films (USA all media)
Release Date – 2008
Release Data:
It was released on 44 North American screens on March 7, 2008.
Critic’s Comment:
Craig D. Lindsey, NewsObserver.com: “Starz is like a testosterone-charged version of Mean Girls. Starz is really a nerd-conquers-all flick, with Derek Waters’ mopey schmo trying to transform himself into a baby Pintron before he realizes he’s just fine the way he is. He even has a hot egghead chick (Jana Kramer) telling him so, while silently lusting after him, for most of the movie.
“I liked Jon Bernthal’s dedicated, enjoyably ridiculous performance as the full-of-himself Pintron; it’s like the dude did the whole role under the influence of ecstasy. And then, there’s the meta closing-credits epilogue, which is clever and funny.”
Viewers’ Ratings:
More than 75.4% of the vieweres who rated Bar Starz at the Internet Movie Database (as of Feb. 25, 2009), gave it thumbs up, and a significant 57.4% rated it a perfect 10. The demographic that liked it best was males 18-29 (who rated it 8.0 out of 10)
Major Cast and Crew Credits and Awards:
Directed by Michael Pietrzak (wrote and produced Retirement and Three Days to Vegas; produced Betsey’s Kindergarten Adventures).
Written by Peter Castanik (debut) and Marc James (debut).
Stars Derek Waters (For Your Consideration, Melvin Goes to Dinner, Married to the Kellys); Jon Gries (Men in Black, Get Shorty, The Grifters, Twin Falls Idaho, Northfork, Real Genius, Will Penny; an Independent Spirit Award nomination and three Teen Choice Award noms [including “Choice Movie Sleazebag” for Napoleon Dynamite); Charlie Murphy (Night at the Museum, Norbit, Chappelle’s Show, The Players Club, Jungle Fever, Harlem Nights, King’s Ransom, Roll Bounce); Charlie Finn (Dukes of Hazzard, Super Troopers, Psycho Beach Party, The In Crowd) and Nikki Griffin (Dukes of Hazzard, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Summer Catch, Monster Night, The OC).
Cast also includes Jana Kramer (Click, Return of the Living Dead 4, The Passage); Jon Bernthal (World Trade Center, Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman, Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding); Jayma Mays (Red Eye, Flags of Our Fathers, Epic Movie, Heroes, Entourage); Daniel Franzese (War of the Worlds, Bully, Mean Girls, Party Monster), Eric Ladin (Cursed, Toolbox Murders, Duck, Left in Darkness); Affion Crocket (Charlie’s Angels, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous, For Da Love of Money); Sam Horrigan (Accepted, Little Giants, Getting Even With Dad) and Kier O’Donnell (Wedding Crashers, In Your Face, Starkweather).
Executive Producers: Dave Mehalick (Retirement, Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures); Reed Clevenger (debut) and Dale Scales (Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures).
Co-executive producers are Jeff Geoffray (Shergar, Silver Wolf, Behind the Red Door and 25 other films and TV projects) and Walter Josten (Around the World in 80 Days, Behind the Red Door; won Emmy for The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie; 31 more films and TV projects).
Producers: Charlie Picerni (directed T.J. Hunter and Starsky and Hutch) and Michael Pietrzak (Three Days to Vegas, Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures).
Original Music by Joseph LoDuca (won 14 Awards and 10 other nominations for Xena: The Warrior Princess, Jack of All Trades, Le Pacte des Loups, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Hercules and Xena-The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus ).
Cinematography by Kevin McKnight (Vivien Leigh: Scarlett & Beyond).
Film Editing by Lane Farnham (Analog Days, Phoenix 5) and Ryan Folsey (Cabin Fever, Club Dread).
Production Design by Bruce Robert Hill (Starship Troopers, The Time Machine; won Art Directors Guild Best Production Design award for The Terminal).
Art Direction by Gary Warshaw (The Big Empty, production designer on The Babysitter)
Set Decoration by Erin Gould (Snakes on a Plane, What Love Is, In the Land of Women).
Costume Design by Alexis Scott (Van Wilder, Buffalo 66, Desert Saints).
Director Quote:
Michael Pietrzak: “I can’t believe the cast we got! It’s like ‘American Pie,’ the first one. I’m really excited.”
Links:
Internet Movie Database entry for Bar Starz
Fllash Trailer at Movieclock.com
