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Friday, September 30, 2011

Hugh Jackman Confirms MarketSaw Exclusive: LES MISERABLES Testing 3D!

As you know MarketSaw has some of the best sources in the world so I was very excited to pass on our exclusive story that LES MISERABLES' director Tom Hooper was seriously considering shooting the classic story in native 3D.

Now comes word from star Hugh Jackman that Hooper has already discussed using 3D and that the director will test it soon.

Says Jackman (on 3D): "It’s in discussion. Honestly, that’s probably gonna be part of what the tests are about, to see what that does. It’s always interesting – how do you actually convey thought through song? We’re used to the convention on stage. In film, we used to be used to it, and now sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. You need to be fresh and really look at the material. I think [Hooper’s] basically gonna do it, screen it, look at it, and see if it adds something genuinely or not. I mean, the strength of Les Mis is in its characters and the emotion, so if it aids that, fantastic. If it doesn’t I’m sure we won’t. It is not like there are massive special effects in Les Mis, you know?"

Continues Jackman: "We shoot in March. I am going in the next couple of weeks to do my first tests there. I auditioned for it and had about a 3-hour audition for it about 3 months ago. I’m really pumped about doing this. I’ve done a lot of musicals and I’ve done a lot of movies, so this feels like something that I’ve been waiting to do."

I love having an exclusive confirmed, but more importantly I love the prospect of this classic story being told in a 3D musical! To hear Jackman talk about his role you would think this singular movie is the reason why he is an entertainer. That's what any director loves to hear. What any movie fan loves to hear!

More when we get it!

Confirmation Source: Collider

Thursday, September 29, 2011

New AVENGERS Photos Featuring The Hunk Hulk's Mark Ruffalo!!

I must say I can't stand whoever creates some of these characters shots - Mark Ruffalo's in particular. Sure he is in character but break this divergence gently to audiences, don't shove it down our throats like this image does. Then of course why not give all this to Entertainment Weekly who will further deface them with their watermarks! Anyway, you can view EW's photoshop mess by clicking the link.

I've done a bit of retouch to show the characters shots with a bit more flair in the first shot, but it is still desiring so much more.

Click images to enlarge.

On the plus side, EW has provided some behind the scenes shots too - still scourged by their watermark (which I promptly tried to get around).

On with the content. Yes Ruffalo is in character here (lower left in first photo) as Dr. Bruce Banner which is a bit of a surprise as traditionally Banner is presented as a mild and reserved physicist as the alter ego to the rampaging Hulk. Perhaps Marvel felt that personality wasn't appealing enough in the first couple of theatrical tries at THE HULK and wanted to reinvent the wheel a bit here. Whatever the reason, we are being introduced to it through this one photo and it WILL cause controversy. Clearly Dr. Banner is pushing his presence.

ET talks about how the Marvel characters are not getting along in the movie - "Egos, tempers, uneasy alliances and bad attitudes are threatening the group, and failure would be catastrophic." The trailer for THE AVENGERS hinted at this and it will certainly make an interesting backdrop to the action to say the least. "Just because they’re super heroes doesn’t mean they’re super friends," says Renner.

Joss Whedon is also taking a page from IRON MAN productions as he rewrites dialogue on the fly while shooting. "There is a weird element of: they handed me one of the biggest movies of all time, and I'm making it up as I go."

Here's the synopsis:
Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the super hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Marvel’s The Avengers” brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time.

Here's the main cast:
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark
Chris Evans as Captain America
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Don Cheadle as Col. James Rhodes
Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson
Stellan SkarsgÄrd as Professor Erik Selvig

For all our coverage for THE AVENGERS click here. Look for this mammoth movie in theaters May 4, 2012 - they don't come any bigger than this one folks!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Sony Raises Eyebrow At NATO: Intends To Stop Paying For 3D Glasses For Movie Goers - Here's The Simple Solution...

Honestly I don't know what the big deal is here. Seriously. The National Association Of Theater Owners (NATO) seems to be on their high haunches as much as Sony is here in that they each want the other to pay when the answer is perfectly clear.

The cost of a pair of RealD 3D glasses is about 50 cents. Read that again, 50 CENTS. Sure amplified over millions of seats and the cost is significant so both sides are going ballistic, but this cost of 50 cents is insignificant to you and me as theater goers as we can RE-USE our glasses anytime we want without fear of someone else's fingers being all over them previously.

The model I speak offer here is purely borrowed from airlines. When we board a plane in economy you can expect to pay for headsets to view the entertainment - unless you bring your own. Makes perfect sense. Sure you have the choice to NOT view the entertainment if you don't want to which defeats the purpose in going to a theater, but you are not paying $3 to $5 for it either! We are taking 50 cents here folks. Big deal.

So lets drop with the Hollywood dramatics and let customers buy their own for a couple of quarters. Heck, theater owners can up-sell them with branded pairs if they want to do so. Further, we'll see increased reuse of glasses which is better for the environment. But lets stop making a problem where there is none. Let's focus on maintaining the quality of our 3D releases (STUDIOS!!!) and making sure the illumination of the projectors are on standard or above (THEATER OWNERS!!!) and not being distracted with foolishness.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Monday Night Football Coming in 3D on ESPN3D

"Get with the program"

Tim here. That's right, Monday Night Football! This was the most exciting news to come out of the 3D Summit last week. Bryan Burns, Vice President Strategic Business Planning and Development for ESPN, broke the news to us after showing a clip of fan reactions to watching games in 3D on 3DTVs placed in bars. One person said, "My next TV purchase will be a 3DTV. I watch more sports than any other program." This is an eight-year, $15.2 billion, deal made with the National Football League!

This also was announced after a little rumor was started by a press writer that ESPN would be closing their doors. The rumor spread rapidly, but it wasn't true and two days the Monday Night Football announcement came. Mr. Burns pointed out that this was another example of an opportunistic reporter using 3D negativity and bashing to attract readers to their unfounded reporting in order to propel themselves. (Writer's note that several others had made similar comments about the presses negativity throughout the summit.)

Sadly we have to wait for 2014 when ESPN's rights pick up distribution, but that's plenty of time for you to go get your 3DTV! As Mr. Burns put it, "We're not playing defense, but instead we've got the ball and are driving down the field."


Michelle Rodriguez Will Be Digging Up More RESIDENT EVIL!

We are big fans of Michelle Rodriguez here (Trudy Chacon in AVATAR!!) so of course we are going to post on her newly uncovered role in RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION.

She will again be playing "Rain Ocampo" as she did in the original RESIDENT EVIL adaptation (2002) of the smash video game. Apparently Shawn Roberts will return as Albert Wesker as well.

Looking forward to seeing where Paul W.S. Anderson will be taking this one - one thing I am itching for is MORE ZOMBIES. I dislike the superpower beings and want to see Alice and Rain kicking massive hordes of zombie butt. But that's just me.

For all of our coverage on the RESIDENT EVIL franchise - click here.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

New Poster For PIRANHA 3DD

I liked the premise for first 3D feature PIRANHA 3D, but I am not sure where they are going with this iteration, a terrorist plot perhaps? How does twice as many piranha get into a water park this time around? Are these still those same prehistoric creatures from the first? Lots of questions...

Click on image to enlarge.

Here's the movie's storyline:
There’s something in the water . . . again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.

Here's the cast:
Danielle Panabaker (THE CRAZIES), Matt Bush (ADVENTURELAND), Chris Zylka (THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN), David Koechner (ANCHORMAN), Meagan Tandy (UNSTOPPABLE), Paul James Jordan, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Hector Jimenez, Adrian Martinez and Clu Gulager.

Dimension Films' PIRANHA 3DD is produced by Mark Canton, Marc Toberoff and Joel Soisson.

I am hoping for a better 3D conversion this time around. Last time it left some to be desired with blotchy chunks of space around tree branches and human hair and also a troublesome, uneven water level on the lake. Much could be improved.

Look for PIRANHA 3DD on this November 23.
Stay tuned for more...

Monday, September 26, 2011

MUST WATCH: Hilarious PUSS IN BOOTS Promo - "The Cat Haz Swagger"

In a brilliant marketing move for the upcoming PUSS IN BOOTS release, the fine folks at Dreamworks Animation has pulled off a very cool knock off of the famous Isaiah Mustafa commercial for Old Spice. I've put both clips one after the other for comparison and... well it has viral all over it. Nicely done!

Enjoy...





Visit the Official Puss In Boots Website:
http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com

Like Puss In Boots on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pussinboots

THE LION KING Earns At Least Another Week In Theaters As The 3D Toon Repeats At Number 1

Even I have to say I didn't see this one coming. I kinda expected THE LION KING to be number one last week with relatively sluggish competition but to repeat at number one two weeks in a row up against Brad Pitt's MONEYBALL and a family dollar splitting competitor in DOLPHIN TALE? Forget it. At least that's what I thought...

Instead THE LION KING rules again taking in $22 million dollars (MONEYBALL swung at $19.5m and DOLPHIN TALE ate $19m)! Can you believe it? Amazing. It only dropped 27% bringing the 10 day take of the re-release in stereo to $61.7 million. Add that to the original release box office and the total worldwide gross now stands at $861 million - 12th best on the all time list!!

But we are not done yet. Not unexpectedly, Disney has decided to keep the king rolling for another week and perhaps even a 4th week if so needed - details are being worked out. That puts it over the Blu-ray release date of October 4! Interesting to say the least...

Uncertain if that jaw dropping 92% of revenue coming from 3D has been maintained, but I suspect it has. More when I get it...

Sources: CNN | Box Office Mojo

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Dolphin Tale Review

Tim here from the 3D Film Festival (9/22-9/25) where the Opening Night started with a screening of Dolphin Tale.What a touching and heartfelt movie. I have to recommend that you go to see this movie this weekend because it’s a great family film for everyone. The 3Dwas very well done and was a perfect compliment to the drama.

First let me cover the story, which was a solid and strong one. Inspired by true events the screenwriters took some liberties in order to make the film more open to the audience. They were successful by making Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) the entry point and perspective from which the story is told. He had fantastic character development and Nathan performed in the role very well for a kid of his age. In order to raise the stakes the screenwriters added certain elements, and as well comical relief in the form of a pelican named Rufus. All these were hugely successful.

When it comes to the performances throughout the movie they were all solid, with Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, and Kris Kristofferson rounding out the veteran adult cast members. The two kids, Gamble and Cozi Zuehisdorff (Hazel), were matched perfectly against each other and managed to carry the movie well. And then there’s Winter the dolphin, who played herself in the movie. There’s an old saying in Hollywood that working with children and animals make for difficult filming environments, and this movie had both to great effect. As I stated above I think each character was given ample amount of character development, including Winter, and made it so that the audience grows with the characters.

The suspension of disbelief wasn’t really a problem considering the fact that it was based on a true story, but I did have trouble with a few things done by the children. I think that one character says it best when they state, “Just don’t let anyone know that this was all put together by a bunch of 11 year olds.” I couldn’t agree more with that level of disbelief because it is a complete fabrication by the screenwriters, however it serves the greater story and draws the child audience members towards activity. That’s a very positive message that I’m glad that the movie portrays.

Charles Martin Smith (AirBud) is a great director, and because he’s an actor’s director he worked fantastically with the kids. He knew all the right places to evoke emotion from his audience and I think that with this film he reminded everyone that he makes great family movies. He employed great use of the stereoscopic technology,which brings me to…

The 3D in the film was on the safe side in the right way. I felt that the depth grew as each character’s life was impacted by their meeting with Winter, and that was a great use of the technology. Also all the underwater shots were fantastic in stereo, as has been proved by Cameron previously with his documentaries. And as I said at the start of the review I believe that it was the close intimate shots that were greatly enhanced by 3D. This is one of the movies that we have been looking for to prove just how effective 3D works in those dramatic scenes. There were issues however because of the reflections off water and at times the white levels being so high that it caused a few peaking problems. (Editor's note: newer productions will likely leave reflections of light to a post 3D conversion process rather than use native 3D cameras). Other than those few issues, which will be solved as the technology continues to evolve, the 3D was a great addition to this movie.

I have to suggest that you go out and see this movie. Either with your family or friends, this is a feel good movie that works as a wonderful emotional ride. I would definitely see this movie again in theaters and in 3D.

Now there’s more that you can do beyond seeing this movie. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium that the movie is based on is looking to expand their facilities and need money in order to do so. As well they need to give care to countless animals that have been injured and need recuperation. So please visit seewinter.com to learn more about the amazing dolphin that this movie is about and donate to their cause.

To learn more about the movie visit
dolphintalemovie.warnerbros.com.


Friday, September 23, 2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA 2 Will Not Be Released Until 2014

Unfortunately yes, the sequel to the amazing CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER will be delayed until 2014. I kind of thought that this would happen as Marvel has plenty of properties in their catalog to exploit.

Chris Evans recently passed on the news: "(Marvel & Disney) may wait until 2014 until they release the next Cap. Marvel has a lot of balls in the air, they aren’t going to cannibalize their films."

He went on further to graphically help us grasp what might happen down the road with his contract obligations with the studios - he has 2 more CAP movies to make (total of 3) and 2 more AVENGER type movies (total of 3):

"Out of those six films, if I pop up in one of those [other films], it counts as part of the deal. So if they needed me in a third Cap, and I say, ‘F*%k you, give me $30 million,’ well…they want to avoid that."

LOL - He's a funny guy. I think he has a much better relationship with Marvel than that! :-) However, what that means is that it is doubtful he will make any cameos in any other Marvel character movie as that may count as an appearance in his contract. Regardless, we will be waiting awhile to see he fight solo again. More when I get it...

Source: The Playlist

Thursday, September 22, 2011

3D Geek Alert: RED Has A Laser 3D Projector Coming - For Both Theater AND The Home!

Yes, those same crazy guys who have released the 5K Red Epics now have RED Laser Projectors on their roadmap! Now that means it is still might be quite some time from having them ship (Jannard says "sooner rather than later"), but still - judging by the comments that Jim Jannard posted on his RedUser forums - we will be in for a treat when they do hit the market.

I will go on to describe what I know about laser tech later on in the post, but to whet your appetities, here are the quotes:

Stephen Pizzo- Co-Founder of Element Technica and now partner of 3ality Technica: "After watching a demo of RED's laser projector I've been struggling to find a way to describe it. Comparing it to traditional professional systems is completely inadequate. I have never witnessed 3D that was as bright or brighter as the best 2D projections until now. It generated the best color, best dynamic range and best images I have ever seen in 3D or even 2D. When I learned we were watching at 1/4 of its total resolution I was speechless. It was so clean and so vibrant the only thing I can compare it to is Cibachrome. That's it, a giant moving Cibachrome!"

Mark L. Pederson- OffHollywood: "Aldey & I got treated to a sneak peak yesterday and we could not stop watching. You have to see it to believe it. I have NEVER seen better projection - from any projector - at any price point. I can't stop thinking about it. It was beyond stunning."

And Jannard went further to say: "We have a very narrow target.... shoot 5K, post to 4K, deliver with REDray and display with the new RED projector, 2D and 3D. Easy stuff to understand."

Moreover it is as I suspected - these projectors will be PASSIVE. So I am assuming the polarization is being done at the light source. Laser's are perfect for doing that. Laser TVs will use a similar approach to 3D. No heavy glasses any more at home and you can rest assured you will have a full HD experience at a minimum.

Further, when images are projected with conventional systems they also project the color black which actually does not turn out as such of course, more like a dark grey. With this new type of scanning laser system, the blacks ARE black because there is simply no color at all sent to the screen! And to the best of my knowledge there are no lenses in these systems whatsoever so no degradation of the image and amazing contrast.


And finally, a true solution to not projecting 3D bright enough. We can all assume that the pricepoint will be significantly lower than the competition I would wager - especially since we are talking about a home theater version too. Man I hope this all comes to fruition - AND SOON! More when I get it.

To check out all of our 3D Laser technology stories, click here.

Thanks for the heads up Mark!!

Insightful Interview With THE LION KING's Stereographer Robert Neuman: Depth Score Discussion!

Ian Failes of FXGuide sent me a note about this cool interview they did with Robert Neuman, stereographer for Disney's 3D conversion of THE LION KING that is roaring at the box office at the moment ($37,296,568 up to last night and still eaily #1 - Fourth best September opening of ALL time). I encourage you to read the whole thing at his site.

Click images to enlarge...

Here's some excerpts:


Neuman: "We had the privilege of having the original filmmakers to work with, so the first thing we did was have a spotting session with the directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers and the producer Don Hahn. We watched the film a couple of times, once with sound and then again with the sound down, and basically I had them tell me from their stand-point what the big moments were and what their feelings were about the use of 3D. I bounced off ideas and made sure everything fit within their vision for the film."

"After that I would watch the film and basically chart out what I felt the emotional content was. I tried to quantify what the peak point of action was and make that a ’10′, and what were the quieter moments with expositional dialogue or that just were a breather in between action or big emotional beats, and these would be a ’1′."

"Then I created these depth mark-ups, which was really the most intense part. For the shots that are 10s, like Scar having his final encounter in the showdown in Simba, or the big emotional moments when Simba sees his father in the sky – for those moments what you want to do is give them the most stereoscopic depth as you can, while keeping it comfortable for the audience. In the quieter moments, I give it the least amount that will still make the shot look good. I want all the shots to have an aesthetically pleasing quality and feel like nothing’s cardboard in them."

I know one reader thought that the movie will probably have a viewfinder effect to it - well that's not the case. Another cool portion of this interview has Neuman discussing how they made the flat hand drawn characters "puffy":

Neuman: "There were three main tools for creating the depth maps. One was just the most basic level for the character, which was just to give them a roundness, a puffiness. It was as if you were going to cut out a mylar balloon in the shape of say Simba and start blowing air into it. What you get is a general puffiness, but you don’t get any specific articulate shape. You don’t have one leg out in front of the other or the muzzle out in front of the mane. But you do have this really good starting point which is a nice rounded character."

"The challenge is then to add structure into that. We have tools to create these primitive gradients – cube primitives, ellipsoid primitives and joint primitives. The cube primitives would be used to add structure to something. A human face or lion face tends to have facial planes – planes of the cheeks or planes along the front of the face. By combining these cubes which we could track in with the motion of the character with the general rounding, we would get something that would have that rounded quality plus have that structure that the cube created. It would be a layered thing – primitive upon primitive."

"Then we could add joint tools, say for the legs. The joint tools would create a gradient that followed along an IK chain. We could then dial in the value at any cardinal point on that chain, and that would allow us to articulate the limbs. For other things, say if we wanted the nose to pop out more, we could track in an ellipsoid primitive. So it was just the layering and combination of these primitives along with the general inflation that would give us something that started to look like the character."

Again, I encourage you to read the whole interview at FXGuide. I simply love reading the "how they did it" type of interviews. Hope you do too... Enjoy!

3D Entertainment Summit – Day 1: Opening Remarks and Keynote Presentations

Tim here with news from the 4th Annual 3DEntertainment Summit (9/20/11-9/22/11) where the first day proved to be a great success. Today James Cameron and Vince Pace are featured keynote speakers while Jeffrey Katzenberg will be receiving the 3D Visionary Award. The theme of the conference is “3D is the future now. Don’t get left behind.”

The first day started out with opening remarks from Bob Dowling,Co-Producer and Conference Chairperson of the 3D Entertainment Summit. He thankedthe sponsors of the event, which included Variety, ESPN 3D, RealD, MasterImage, and many others. He pointed out that conversions are getting better and that Lion King 3D is an example, especially with its box office success, and that we have to see the performance of Star Wars and Titanic next year. Also the big directors Spielberg, Scorsese, and Coppola, all have movies coming out soon in 3D.

Next to speak was Charlotte Jones of IHS Screen Digest who had a Keynote/Power Point presentation in 3D. There are 30,000 3D screens globally accounting for 64% of the international box office and 17 million 3DTV’s sets. The total revenue for the entertainment industry is $320 billion, and that encompasses all sorts of forms of media from theatrical movies, television programs, mobile devices,etc. All of which 3D is in the prime position to take a position in each market. North America accounts for 43% of the digital screens worldwide, and 3D is key for the international upgrade to digital. The top 3D territories are China,France, UK, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Spain, and Japan, and China is emerging as a key battleground. Western Europe is leading drive for 3D feature production internationally, and the leading producers are the UK, France, Spain, and there’s also Australia alongside the European giants. Jones says that the international 3D box office is set for a record year. For the split between domestic and international grosses the average split is 67.5%.

There’s an average of 3.1 new 3D releases per month, and that number is increasing steadily. On the technology watch she said that increasing light levels and higher frame rates are what we need to keep our eyes on. The greatest issue with higher frame rates is that not all the digital projectors currently in theaters are capable of showing up to 48 fps.

Jones lead into the 3DTV discussion by mentioning that there are 30 dedicated 3D channels, and France has the highest number, while on the downside Comcast has less than 40 3D movies in its catalog. She claimed that the 2012 Olympics should be a watershed for live 3D broadcast before handing off to Helen Davies (IHS Screen Digest head of video). Davies pointed out that by the end of 2011 65% of US households that are already 3D capable will be 3D ready, with 48% internationally. By 2015 she predicted that 47% of the 137 million 3DTV’s will be passive. Capable means having a 3DTV alone while ready means having the total package of a 3DTV plus a 3D source (like a 3D Blu-ray player or 3D cable/satellite) and of course the 3D glasses.

Davies covered the Blu-ray 3D market, and said that there will be 100 Blu-ray 3D titles by 2011’s year end, which was later upped to 110 by John Revie of Samsung Electronics. Davies informed us that the Blu-ray’s adoption has been slower in the international market than the US, but attributed it to the economy. She talked about gaming devices being the next driving force for 3D in the home, with PCs, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo 3DS. However, the adoption is slower than expected with 3D PC gaming remaining a niche. She said that 3D cellphones are in their early days and are early prototypes with little 3D mobile content. Davies said that Apple needs to join, but “we’re not holding our breath.”

Closing the early presentations John Revie talked about what Samsung is doing to push the envelope. He said, “Life is in 3D. Entertainment should be as well.” 3D is gaining momentum and Samsung has sold 3 million units this year with 88% of consumers rating the 3D picture quality positively.

Samsung has developed new 1 oz. Ultra-Light Weight 3D shutter glasses, which I got to try out at the expo part of the conference. They’re amazing and really make shutter glasses comparable to passive glasses in comfort. Revie also said that by 2012 the active shutter glasses standards would be adapted.


Wednesday, September 21, 2011

New TV Spot For Singh's IMMORTALS

Check out the new TV spot for IMMORTALS. It acts as a condensed trailer showcasing some small bits of never before seen footage.

Here's the storyline:
The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army are rampaging across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission.

As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge the death of his mother in one of Hyperion’s raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final desperate battle for the future of humanity.

Director: Tarsem Singh
Writer: Charley Parlapanides
Studio: Rogue Pictures
Cast: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans
Release: November 11, 2011



Looks amazing. Hopefully it delivers on its promises! We will soon see... I'll be first in line. More when I get it!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Disney Building An AVATAR Theme Park In The Animal Kingdom!!

Yes! What a stunningly exciting announcement made by Bob Iger and Tom Staggs at today's Walt Disney Imagineering press conference: Disney has inked a long term creative partnership with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world(s) of AVATAR to Disney's Walt Disney World Resort's Animal Kingdom!!

Cameron and Jon Landau will be creative consultants and work with the Disney team to bring all this to fruition. I would say there will be more than one 3D ride I am sure!! :-)

Actually this is a perfect setting for the AVATAR park as the Animal Kingdom celebrates and educates flora and fauna.

Thanks for the quick heads up Josh!

Source: Disney

Milla Jovovich Drops Some Big Spoilers For RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION!

Well Milla Jovovich had better be careful - the director may fire her from the RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION production! Wait, errrr no. She's married to the guy. I guess she can get away with more than the average cast member!

So to the meat of it, here's what she has let slip so far:

- Leon Kennedy and Barry Burton will make their first appearances in the series along with Ada Wong, who was in the Resident Evil 2, 4, and The Darkside Chronicles video games. Shawn Roberts will also return to play the villainous Albert Wesker.

- Chris Redfield (Wentworth Miller), Claire Redfield (Ali Larter), and K-Mart (Spencer Locke) won’t return because they’ve been abducted by the Umbrella Corporation. Sienna Guillory will be back again as Jill Valentine however and you can expect some fireworks between her and Alice (Jovovich).

- Remember mind-controlling parasite “Las Plagas” in Resident Evil 4? It's bacccckkkk. She tweeted: "alright guys! gotta go! 1 let mini spoiler tho! we will hve the Las Plagas parasite!!! have an awesome day!"

- Jovovich says she is hopeful that a sixth Resident Evil keeps all the major characters together, alluding of course that all of the new characters will survive Retribution.

Jovovich also tweeted:
"the red square sequence is THE MOST COMPLICATED CHASE SCENE PAUL (her husband / director) HAS EVER PLANNED FOR! ITS GONNA BE EPIC!"

"its gonna be SIIIIICK!! paul leaves the production meeting reeling from the logistical complications off how 2 shoot them!!"

"we’ll b the 1st movie 2 hve a chase scene in a rolls royce which we will get shot up, but still runs cause they’re awesome!"

Principal photography is slated for October 16th.

Oh and want to have a walk-on part in RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION? Check out this casting call and you might be just what they are looking for!

We can expect director Paul WS Anderson to use the Cameron-Pace Group's Fusion 3D camera's again. I'll check into that and see what comes up. Anderson is definitely going native 3D again however.

More when I get it!!


Sources: Twitter via Collider


Monday, September 19, 2011

New PUSS IN BOOTS Poster

So now the marketing starts to heat up for the SHREK spinoff PUSS IN BOOTS. Only this time around, I think the spinoff will be better than the original franchise! Yes, it holds together that well.

They released that cool motion poster not so long ago too.

Dreamworks Animation (DWA) has released a new poster
for the movie featuring Kitty Softpaws (Selma Hayek), Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifiankis) and Jack & Jill (Billy Bob Thornton & Amy Sedaris) and of course the big cat himself, Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas).

Is that the giant beanstalk in the background? :-)

And did you know that Guillermo del Toro is an Executive Producer on this production? Yep. He is. I think that this ongoing collaboration will be very fruitful for DWA.

Here's the movie's storyline:
The story takes place before Puss met Shrek, when he was a swashbuckling hero who protected the innocent. A bunch of old pub thugs tell him that two murderous outlaws called Jack and Jill have discovered an ancient power that can destroy the world. Puss then sets off on a journey with his old friend Humpty Dumpty who also introduces him to Kitty Softpaws, a sly black cat who takes an interest in Puss's journey. With his new sidekicks, Puss sets off on his most adventurous and dangerous journey ever.

Look for the release on November 4. For all of our PUSS IN BOOTS coverage, click here.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

AVATAR 2: Sigourney Weaver Says She Thinks She Will Be Back

Sigourney Weaver says that she will be back for AVATAR 2 and from all she says it makes sense. If you have seen AVATAR then you know that there are reasons why she wouldn't be back, but there are also reasons why she COULD come back.

"Don't worry, I will be back," she said of Avatar 2, confirming the hint that she dropped nearly a year ago, "Jim [Cameron] says no one ever dies in science fiction. He's told me the stories for the next two movies and I have to say that they're absolutely wonderful and there's a real treat in store. Now we just have to make them."

Weaver also said that they have plans to shoot AVATAR 2 and 3 back to back starting next year which perfectly fits into what we currently know. More when I get it!

Source: ComingSoon

UPDATED: The Dawn Of 3D Conversion: THE LION KING Roars To Possible $24 $30 Million Weekend Tally! AMAZING 92% Of Business Came From 3D!!

**UPDATE - Sep 18: Revised studio estimate has THE LION KING raking in $29.3 million!! (Box Office Mojo). Moreover, an astounding 92% of all business came from 3D screenings!! So much for the doomsayers. I'm sure they will come up with something next week though.

I am stunned at the outrageous success THE LION KING is achieving this weekend
and it certainly bodes well for all of the Disney stable of animations being converted to 3D. According to THR, the early estimates were WAY off and the movie is now thought to be on a $22 - 24 million opening tear.

Clearly many were drawn back to see the beloved story yet again in the theaters. More were attracted to seeing it in 3D and of course children of all ages who have never seen it to begin with are coming in droves.

There could not be a better scenario for Disney. The vast catalog of features they have are begging to be converted and clearly there is a market for it in theatrical 3D. I am SURE the ball is rolling right now to green light conversions of their top tier offerings, like ALADDIN, TARZAN and POCAHONTAS.

We do know that BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is almost set for release too so the mouse house is primed for another round of re-release success. Congratulations Disney!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Check Out The New Motion Poster For THE DARKEST HOUR!

Very cool. As I have said before, I think we may finally have a sci-fi movie here that presents alien life forms as truly alien! I have been waiting for this for a long, long time.

If you haven't seen the trailer for THE DARKEST HOUR, definitely check it out.

Here's the official storyline for THE DARKEST HOUR:
The DARKEST HOUR is the story of five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The 3D thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects.

Release: December 25, 2011
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Director: Chris Gorak
Writer: Les Bohem, Jon Spaihts
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor

Here's the motion poster (courtesy of Collider)!







Also in the interesting category, Collider interviewed producers Timur Bekambetov and Tom Jacobson, uncovering the following tidbits of info:

- They shot the film in 3D. They chose locations in Moscow that would work well with 3D, like Red Square.
- Jacobson and Bekmambetov had an amazing script and then partnered together. They set the story in Moscow and then brought Chris Gorak in to direct.
- Gorak was a production designer so he brought a very visual background to the film.
- The crew was made up of about 30% American and 70% Russian.
- Filming was shut down for three weeks because of a huge wildfire outbreak in Russia.
- In crafting the aliens, they wanted to make them as grounded in reality as possible. They’re creatures of electricity and electromagnetism.
- The movie turns the “scary” convention on its head, because when the characters are in the dark they’re safe because they carry lightbulbs that will flash if any aliens are nearby.
- The aliens are invisible for 90% of the movie. When they’re finally revealed, there’s still some mystery.
- Five or six days is the time period that passes during the movie.
- The movie will be PG-13. It’s not very graphic or bloody, but it’s scary.
- The point of view of the story is contained in the characters in Moscow.
- There was a lot of planning involved in shooting in some of the iconic Moscow locations. For the Lenin Library, they could only shoot on one Sunday that the library was closed, so they had to go in at midnight the night before and dress it for the scene.
- The shoot was 58 days and they added 8 or 9 days to the production schedule when they decided to shoot the film in 3D.
- 3D necessitates longer takes in order to keep the audience from getting nauseous, so it takes more prep time to include the establishing shot, the close-up and the master shot in one take.
- The film is an action-thriller, but it’s grounded in reality from an emotional point of view of the characters.


Be sure to check out that interview on Collider right here.

Clark Gregg Talks Agent Coulson And Marvel's Ability To Stitch Together Huge Movies

As much as I really can't stand the interviewer (I mean, AT ALL), I love to hear what Clark Gregg (aka Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel universe) has to say ALL THE TIME.

So here is Gregg talking about his character in such movies as IRON MAN, THOR and THE AVENGERS and further, how Marvel is stitching together these movies (and shorts) into one cohesive and appealing giant story.

Have a look at all of our coverage for THE AVENGERS right here.

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Two THOR Featurettes Now Online: BUILDING (And Blowing Up) THE SMALL TOWN

Two very cool, yet brief behind the scenes clips show us the creation and destruction of that small desert town that was used in THOR. I am always intrigued with the magic that goes on behind the camera and the extent at which a director will go to get the right shot. That includes the whole circle of life for a town!

If you have seen THOR then you know what happens to much of the town and why they had to build it from scratch. I won't go into detail but feel free to discuss in the comments. Obviously, as seen in the second clip, devastation is around the corner...

I wish the featurettes were longer but I am sure they meant to just whet our appetites for the Blu-ray disc release today. Have a look...





Source: TrailerAddict via /Film

Monday, September 12, 2011

EXCLUSIVE: LES MISERABLES Strongly Leaning Toward Native 3D, Announcement Coming Soon!

As if the classic story and star studded cast wasn't enough to pique your interest, now I have it on good authority that LES MISERABLES is strongly leaning toward going with native 3D. What gorgeous period sets scenery will we be exposed to in this highly anticipated production! Further, director Tom Hooper (THE KING'S SPEECH) is perfect for the project.

This information comes from a source close to the cinematography technology side of things.

Principal photography is slated to begin in 2012 with Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean) and Russell Crowe (Inspector Javert) headlining. Others attached / circling are Anne Hathaway (Fantine), Helena Bonham Carter (Mme. Thenardier), Geoffrey Rush (Thenardier) and Emma Watson.

The movie is slated for a December 7, 2012 release.

Here's the storyline for the novel
(adapted from Amazon):
Hugo's classic tale is set against the backdrop of political upheaval in 19th-century France and retains its timeless appeal with the struggles of former convict Jean Valjean. The suspenseful central plot traces Valjean's endeavor to emerge from desperate circumstances while being pursued by the duty-obsessed Inspector Javert. The principal characters retain their epic proportions, and the major themes of redemption through good works and the importance of authentic charity are undiminished.

LES MISERABLES is high on my list of all time great classic stories. To see this unveiled in 3D with the level of talent attached will be an unforgettable experience! Can't wait.

More when I get it!

TOP GUN Returning To Theaters In 3D!

I love news like this because it is the perfect application of 3D conversion without any reservation whatsoever! Legend3D is converting the classic 80's movie TOP GUN for Paramount and the re-release window is set for Q1 2012.

Attendees to the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam got to see a 4 minute preview of the converted film which featured the 4 minute aerial fight sequence entitled "Danger Zone".

Paramount still wants to get Tony Scott's approval before the release.

Legend3D has signed on with Paramount in a revenue sharing deal, common in this type of scenario. I want to see many more of these classic movies converted! It's a perfect way to extend the life of catalog products and in some cases, like TOP GUN, earn another theatrical run. Well done Paramount and Legend3D! And yes, Legend3D is a top tier 3D conversion house - this should be a very well done conversion.

Source: THR | Legend3D

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Four New Posters For A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR CHRISTMAS

Nothing like a little humor to ease the pressure of the holiday season right guys? A VERY PHALLIC HAROLD & KUMAR CHRISTMAS looks like it may deliver more of the same beloved dark humor this time around too.

Here's the storyline:
The new “Harold & Kumar” comedy picks up six years after the duo’s last adventure. After years of growing apart, Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) have replaced each other with new best friends and are preparing for their respective Christmas celebrations. But when a mysterious package arrives at Kumar’s door, his attempt to deliver it to Harold’s house ends with him inadvertently burning down Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree. With his in-laws out of the house for less than a day, Harold decides to cover his tracks rather than come clean, and reluctantly embarks on another ill-advised but hilarious journey with Kumar, taking them through New York City on Christmas Eve in search of the perfect Christmas tree.

More Details:

Studio: New Line Cinema
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writer: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Cast: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris, Paula Garces, Danneel Harris, Bobby Lee, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Tom Lennon, Danny Trejo, Amir Blumenfeld, David Burtka, Fred Melamed, Patton Oswalt and Richard Riehle



Look for the movie opening November 4.

Source: Yahoo via Cinemablend

Friday, September 09, 2011

The Second Annual 3D Film Festival Announces Its Line Up

Over Sixty Films and Events For All Ages

The world’s first 3D Film Festival (3DFF) is returning for its 2nd annual residency at the Los Angeles Film School from September 22-25, 2011 with the addition of a new 3D Music Festival Program to be held at Avalon Hollywood.

“The four day festival will host 3D Films, a 3D Fashion Show, 3D Stand Up Comedy, and 3D Music concerts in addition to a few surprises,” announced Christopher Crescitelli, the Festival’s Director.

The Festival will open with a screening of Warner Bros. and Alcon Entertainment’s “DOLPHIN TALE,” a film inspired by the true story of Winter, a dolphin who lost her tail but was saved through the efforts of a group of compassionate people and the groundbreaking invention of a prosthetic tail. Opening nationwide on September 23rd, the film stars Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson and Morgan Freeman. A filmmaker Q & A will follow the screening, leading into the 3DFF’s Opening Night Gala. Kicking off at Avalon Hollywood, the Gala features live performances by Golden State Band and Alyssa Suede, also debuting her new 3D music video.

The Festival will showcase more than sixty films comprised of Shorts, Music Videos, and Documentaries, as well as Indie Features, Studio Blockbusters and Sneak Peeks. 3DFF’s Red Carpet Showcase will include the L.A. premiere of “OCEAN VOYAGERS 3D,” narrated by Oscar-, Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep. Filmed over a 5-year span in the waters of French Polynesia, Hawaii, Alaska and beyond, the film follows a mother humpback whale and her newborn calf in a “coming of age” journey. Another highlight of the Festival will be the World Premiere of the 3D concert film and documentary on Cui Jian, China’s “godfather of rock’n’roll,” titled “NOTHING TO MY NAME,” (previously titled “Stereo Symphony on the New Long March”) produced by 3D China LTD.

This year, the Festival features its popular Kids & Family afternoon with major studios contributing blockbuster 3D films such as Paramount’s “KUNG FU PANDA 2” and Warner Bros.’ “GREEN LANTERN,” which will make up one half of the 3D Comic Book Movie Double Feature being held in partnership with the Los Angeles Comic Con. Additionally, other programming blocks include the popular Midnight 3D Horror Show and the 3ology Series featuring a wide selection of 3D shorts, commercials, and experimental films from around the world.

In keeping with 3DFF’s commitment to education, the Los Angeles Film School’s new RealD theater, where the majority of the Festival’s 3D fare will screen, will also function as a classroom for the Festival’s 3D Academy Workshop programs, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The 3D Academy will host 3D industry panels on Advertising, 3D Camera & Post Workflows, Content Distribution and Motion Capture.

The 3D Lounge returns and will be home to the Korean and Chinese 3D pavilion as the Festival hosts guest speakers from Korea’s KDC Corporation, a pioneering force in Asia working to unify the Korean, Chinese, and American 3D Industries.

The new 3D Music Festival, running in tandem with the Film Festival, will operate nightly at Avalon Hollywood and will feature a variety of live performances all in 3D along with celebrity DJ’s and concert film screenings. Celebrity clothing designer Alexis Monsanto will help kick off the Music Festival on Thursday night with the first of its kind 3D Fashion Show. Other music programs includes the “3D Comedy and Variety Show” featuring Chicago’s own Amy & Freddy headlining with the Comedy Store’s Adam Barnhardt, both of whom will perform live in 3D for the first time using custom created 3D visuals produced by 3DFF and Arcane Realities.

The Festival will wrap up on Sunday evening with its Closing Night Gala featuring the “Disclosure Concert,” a series of 3D music performances inspired by the work of Dr. Steven Greer and his DisclosureProject.org. Other closing night activities will include a 3D Light Parade with the Hollywood High Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Glee Club.

The 3D Film & Music Festival, presented by RealD and The Los Angeles Film School, is produced by The Dream Factory. Sony Electronics provides its 4K digital cinema projector, with RealD being the exclusive 3D technology provider for the festival screenings. Other sponsors include Hollywood DI, providing 3D Post Production, Metro Rail, Fandango, LA411, 3D Summit, Avalon Hollywood, Green Door, HELLO!, 3D Live Flix, 3ality Digital, VER, PassmoreLab, Mocap Guys, NCM, AEG, Network Live!, Amoeba Music, Alioscopy, Eventful and WantTickets.com.

All 3D films are free on a first-come first serve basis. Music festival events are ticketed. For more detailed information about the 3D Film & Music Festival including a full program schedule and how to obtain tickets, please visit www.3DFF.org & www.3dmusicfest.org.

About The Dream Factory/3DFF
The Dream Factory Studio, with primary offices in Hollywood is the world leader in interactive live 3D events. 3DFF is noted as the first digital 3D film & interactive festival program of its kind in the United States. 3DFF’s non-profit initiative, whose mission is to educate and inspire independent filmmakers to use 3D as a new tool for telling their stories, operates on a sponsor supported eco-system. To become a supporter of 3DFF or for more information please visit www.thedreamfactorystudio.com or www.3dff.org.

About Los Angeles Film School
The Los Angeles Film School (LAFS) is an accredited college with a campus located in the heart of Hollywood that includes the historic RCA Building at 6363 Sunset Boulevard. The private post-secondary educational degree-granting college, which has quickly become a leading academic center for aspiring filmmakers, offers degrees in film, computer animation, game production and audio with an exceptional curriculum in state-of-the-art facilities. Its campus comprises of over 250,000 square feet dedicated to labs, studios and theaters equipped with the latest technology including Avid, ProTools and Digidesign. The Hollywood Reporter named LAFS "One of the best-equipped private learning centers in the country." For more information about LAFS, please visit www.lafilm.edu or call (323) 860-0789.

If you are in the area - check it out! My good friend Christopher is running the show and I can think of no one else better suited to create and raise the bar on these events year after year.

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