The Movielife
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 in Long Island, New York, United States |
| Defunct | 2003 (initially) |
| Fate | Reunited in December 2014 |
| Headquarters | Long Island , United States |
Key people | Vinnie Caruana (lead vocals), Brandon Reilly (guitar), Brett Romnes (drums) |
| Products | Punk rock music, studio albums |
| Website | www |
The Movielife is a punk rock group originating from Long Island, featuring lead singer Vinnie Caruana, guitarist Brandon Reilly, and drummer Brett Romnes. Established in 1997, the band ceased activities in 2003 before officially reuniting in December 2014.
Origins and initial albums (1997–2001)
Formed in 1997 on Long Island, New York, The Movielife's original lineup included vocalist Vinnie Caruana, guitarists Alex Amiruddin and Eddie Reyes, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, and drummer Evan Baken. They produced the Red Demo under the guidance of producer Mike Sapone. After Reyes departed to create Runner Up and eventually join Taking Back Sunday, Dave O'Connell filled his role briefly before Brandon Reilly from Levittown’s the Rookie Lot—connected to members of Brand New—became the permanent guitarist.
Following Ghanbarian’s exit, he was succeeded by Phil Navetta; Ghanbarian later became part of Bayside. In 1998, they recorded the White Demo, which secured them a one-album deal with Fadeaway Records. Their first full-length album, It's Go Time, was released in September 1999 and supported by extensive touring efforts.
As their fanbase expanded, The Movielife nearly signed with Equal Vision Records but ultimately chose to work with Revelation Records. Their sophomore album, This Time Next Year, produced by Brian McTernan at Salad Days Studio, came out in October 2000. Early in 2001, a van accident forced them off a tour with Reach the Sky and Bane. Afterwards, they toured alongside Glassjaw, New Found Glory, and Autopilot Off, later joining a U.S. co-headlining tour with Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger.
Drive-Thru Records period and disbandment (2001–2004)
In 2001, The Movielife signed with Drive-Thru Records. A scheduled September tour featuring Finch and the Starting Line was cancelled due to the events of September 11. Instead, they supported Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger later that year and released the Has a Gambling Problem EP in November. They ended 2001 touring with Good Charlotte and H2O. Early 2002 saw them supporting the Mighty Mighty Bosstones on an East Coast U.S. tour.
On March 30, 2002, guitarist Amiruddin left the band citing creative disagreements and interpersonal issues; Dan Navetta, brother to bassist Phil Navetta, replaced him. The band subsequently toured across the U.S. with Face to Face and performed at Skate and Surf Fest. During May and June, they participated in Europe’s Deconstruction Tour before joining the Warped Tour until mid-August. From October through December, they toured the U.S. alongside Brand New, the Reunion Show, and Orange Island.
Their 2003 album Forty Hour Train Back to Penn reached number 164 on the Billboard 200 chart. That year began with support slots for The Used on their East Coast tour followed by dates with Finch and Senses Fail until March. After drummer Baken was involved in a van accident in April, a temporary replacement performed during a UK tour. In May, they filmed a music video for "Jamestown," directed by Digital Kitchen. Between June and August, they took part in The Made Tour with Further Seems Forever, Autopilot Off, and Anberlin, including an appearance at Hellfest. In September, they joined the 5 Dollar Tour alongside Fairweather and the Honorary Title.
On September 29, 2003, The Movielife publicly announced their breakup.
Reunions and Subsequent Projects (2004–Present)
In December 2004, Reilly and Caruana came together for a singular acoustic performance under The Movielife banner. Following the band's initial run, most members engaged in new musical endeavors: Caruana established I Am the Avalanche, while Reilly launched Nightmare of You, with Phil Navetta briefly participating prior to his move to Queens, New York. Dan Navetta pursued both a new band, Heavy Rescue, and ventured into media entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, Baken shifted focus toward business management. In 2011, Amiruddin became part of Wiretap Crash. Additionally, several former members collaborated with Halfway to Hell Club musicians to form South Shore United.
Caruana revisited Movielife material in 2008 during a set at The Bamboozle festival, supported by Set Your Goals. On December 16, 2010, both Caruana and Reilly confirmed The Movielife's comeback with a performance at The Bamboozle in New Jersey—their first live appearance after almost eight years—followed by a subsequent show in New York in August of that year. By 2015, Caruana acknowledged ongoing intentions to continue the band but cited scheduling conflicts as a challenge.
The friendship between Caruana and Reilly was rekindled in December 2014, leading them to rehearse together and perform at Irving Plaza in February 2015. During this period, Caruana did not dismiss the possibility of releasing new albums. The band embarked on a U.S. tour, took part in Today's Mixtape Festival, and completed a UK tour in June. By March 2016, songwriting efforts were underway, culminating in the April release of the single "Future Feeling (Afraid of Drugs)." In 2017, The Movielife appeared at the UK’s Slam Dunk Festival. Promotional content post-2016 highlighted Brett Romnes, Brandon Reilly, and Vinnie Caruana as the active lineup. Their fourth studio album, Cities in Search of a Heart, was unveiled in September 2017 through Rise Records. Mid-2018 saw them supporting New Found Glory on the U.S. Sick Tour.
In February 2022, Caruana suggested there might be additional Movielife music forthcoming but emphasized that Brandon Reilly would need to spearhead the writing process, indicating his own involvement would be limited.
Members
Current lineup
- Vinnie Caruana – lead vocals (1997–2003, 2011, 2014–present)
- Brandon Reilly – guitar (1997–2003, 2011, 2014–present)
- Brett Romnes – drums (2016–present)
Touring members
- Matt Fazzi – bass guitar, vocals (2017–present)
- Chris Regan – guitar, vocals (2017–present)
Former members
- Eddie Reyes – guitar (1997)
- Dave O'Connell – guitar (1997)
- Nick Ghanbarian – bass (1997)
- Alex Amiruddin – guitar (1997–2001)
- Phil Navetta – bass (1997–2003, 2011, 2014–2016)
- Dan Navetta – guitar (2001–2003, 2011, 2014–2016)
- Evan Baken – drums (1997–2003, 2011, 2014–2016)
Discography
Studio albums
- It's Go Time (1999)
- This Time Next Year (2000)
- Forty Hour Train Back to Penn (2003)
- Cities in Search of a Heart (2017)