GREG KINNEAR AND ALAN ARKIN ARE ON

THIN ICE

Caper Comedy Featuring Star-Studded Cast Breaks Through To Blu-ray and DVD June 12

Mickey Prohaska (Kinnear) is a small-time insurance agent looking for a way to jump-start his business, reunite with his estranged wife (Thompson) and escape the frigid Wisconsin weather. This self-proclaimed master of spin believes that salesmanship is about selling a story — all he needs is a sucker willing to buy it.  He hits pay dirt with a lonely retired farmer (Arkin) who is sitting on something much bigger than an insurance commission.  But Mickey’s attempt to con the old man spins out of control when a nosy, unstable locksmith (Crudup) with a volatile temper dramatically ups the stakes, trapping him in a spiral of danger, deceit and double-crossing.

The Thin Ice Blu-ray and DVD offers three bonus features including a behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes and a look at the Sundance premiere.  The Blu-ray will feature both the theatrical and Director’s cuts of the film.   Prebook is May 16.

Thin Ice Blu-rayand DVD Special Features
·      Behind-The-Scenes of Thin Ice
·      Deleted Scenes
·      Sundance Premiere Featurette

Pre-Order Your Copy Here:

THE FILM THAT CAPTIVATED CRITICS IS THE MUST-OWN RELEASE OF THE SEASON

Anna Paquin, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon and Matthew Broderick Impress in Writer/Director Kenneth Lonegran’s Masterful Portrait of a Young Woman’s Haunting Coming-of-Age Story on Blu-ray Combo Pack July 10

Synopsis: From Academy Award® nominated* writer/director Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me) comes a stirring drama Rolling Stone calls “a film of rare beauty and shocking gravity.” Anna Paquin, Matt Damon and Mark Ruffalo lead a celebrated cast in the story of a Manhattan teenager whose life is profoundly altered after witnessing a terrible accident. Experience an emotional teen’s extraordinary journey to set things right as her innocent ideals come crashing against the harsh realities of the adult world. It’s an “extraordinarily ambitious film,” raves Time Magazine.

Order Margaret on Blu-ray!

THE BODIES AND THE LAUGHS PILE UP AS THE CLASSIC
COMEDY-MYSTERY MAKES ITS BLU-RAY™ DEBUT

CLUE

Featuring an All-Star Cast, Hilarious Comedy Arrives in High Definition August 7, 2012
with Three Alternate Endings and More

The CLUE^® Blu-ray includes three completely different endings, with an option to watch them all or have them played randomly, as well as the theatrical trailer.

CLUE^® Blu-ray

The CLUE^® Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, French Mono Dolby Digital, Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  Bonus features are as follows:

·         Three Alternate Endings

o   Option #1—Show all three endings

o   Option #2—Play a random ending

·         Theatrical Trailer

CLUE^® Blu-ray

Street Date:                          August 7, 2012

Suggested retail price:            $19.99 U.S.

Runtime:                                94 minutes

U.S. Rating:                            PG

Canadian Rating:                   PG

Order Clue on Blu-ray!

“WORKAHOLICS” SEASON TWO DVD AND SEASON ONE AND TWO COMBO DOGGY BLU-RAY TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 5 WITH EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL

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“Workaholics” Third Season Premieres on Tuesday, May 29 at 10:30 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL

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Fans Can Visit comedycentral.com for the “Workaholics: The Other Cubicle” Limited Web Series,

Exclusive Video Content and Behind-The-Scenes Footage

The notorious co-workers and roommates, Adam, Blake and Ders, are back in their cubes and ready for more office hijinx in the third season premiere of the COMEDY CENTRAL hit series “Workaholics.”  Ten all-new episodes kick off on Tuesday, May 29 at 10:30 p.m., following the summer premiere of “Tosh.0.”

Fresh off its sophomore season, during which “Workaholics” averaged 2.2 million total viewers and was the highest-rated series in its timeslot across all of television among Men 18-34 and Men 18-24, the gang returns for more adventures including: taking a business trip while tripping; cheating on Karl,their dealer; and attempting to throw the best summer kick-off party ever.  A huge hit among young adults, especially men, “Workaholics” was the second highest-rated show in all of television with Men 18-24 on Tuesday nights and the second highest-rated show on cable on Tuesday nights with Men 18-34, finishing behind only its lead-in, “Tosh.0.” (Source: Source: Nielsen Media Research.  Period: 9/20/11 – 11/22/11.  Premiere episodes only.  Most current data)

From the minds of the hilarious and irreverent Internet sketch group Mail Order Comedy, “Workaholics” is a single-camera comedy featuring three friends who work together from 9 to 5, live together from 5 to 9 and party together 24/7.  Dress codes, deadlines and waking up before noon are not things these guys are used to.  They do their jobs and sometimes they even do them well, but they show up late, leave drunk and always live for the day…even if they don’t know what day it is.  Whether it’s Blake (Blake Anderson) dressed in a bear coat, Adam (Adam Devine) singing about Catherine Zeta Jones while high on mushrooms or The Ders (Anders Holm) celebrating his birthday with a drinking triathlon, the boys always seem to run into trouble wherever they go.

The “Workaholics” Web site features a wealth of video content including a limited run web series, “Workaholics: The Other Cubicle,” featuring your favorite cubicle neighbors “Montez,” “Waymond” and “Jet Set”!  The site also features show clips, exclusive video, cast interviews and behind-the-scenes action.  The guys are active on Twitter (@UncleBlazer, @ADAMDEVINE, @ders808, @kylenewacheck), live tweeting each week on show nights.  The “Workaholics” Facebook page is updated daily throughout the season and fans can follow the show’s tumblr at workaholics.tumblr.com, featuring exclusive photos, videos and updates.  In addition, mobile will feature a WAP site loaded with video content and periodic SMS challenges.

Episodes from the third season of “Workaholics” will be available in SD and HD the day after air on iTunes, Zune Video Marketplace on Xbox, Amazon Instant Video and Sony Playstation Store.

“Workaholics” was co-created by Mail Order Comedy’s Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck and 5^th Year’s Dominic Russo and Connor Pritchard.  The series stars Anderson, Devine and Holm and is directed by Newacheck.  Executive Producers include Mail Order Comedy, Kevin Etten, 5^th Year’s Russo and Pritchard, Avalon Television’s Richard Allen-Turner, David Martin, Jon Thoday and Isaac Horne, as well as Gigapix Studios David Pritchard.  The series is co- executive produced by Avalon’s Dan Lubetkin.  Seth Cohen and Jackie Phillips are the Executives in Charge of Production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

Order Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 on Blu-ray!

Highlighted by an exclusive, never-before-seen interview with director Paul Verhoeven and restoration comparison, Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition also contains additional bonus materials that fans will love including a behind-the-scenes documentary, a “making of” featurette, a special effects featurette, audio commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven, a photo gallery and the theatrical trailer.  Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition will be available on Blu-ray Disc July 31st.  The new HD version of the film will also be available on Digital Download July 17th featuring the new interview with director Paul Verhoeven.

Action star extraordinaire Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast as Quaid, a construction worker haunted by dreams of Mars in the year 2084.  Against the wishes of his sexy wife (Sharon Stone), Quaid goes to Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories so he can “remember” visiting the red planet that is now being settled by human inhabitants. However, Quaid soon learns he is actually an amnesiac secret agent from Mars – or is he?

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES*

• ALL-NEW Interview with Director Paul Verhoeven (exclusive to release)
• ALL-NEW Restoration Comparison- a look at high-definition transfer from original film negative (exclusive to release)
• “Models and Skeletons: The Special Effects Of Total Recall” featurette
• Audio commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven
• “Imagining Total Recall”- documentary featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the film’s stars and special effects specialists
• “Making of” featurette
• Photo gallery
• Trailer

Make no mistake, some out there may be turned away from this avenue when I mention Disney and cartoon in the same sentence.  However, Tron: Uprising stays very true to the entertainment level of its predecessors while bringing viewers into a wonderfully animated environment that combines elements of the traditional ink and sketch along with the more modern use of computer-generated imagery.  The creative team behind this project has managed to seamlessly blend the two while combining a solid story that falls at least somewhat in line with the last film.

To catch you up to speed, the last film (Tron: Legacy) partially covered the fall of Tron, his transformation to the evil Rinzler, and then back to Tron by the end, as he slowly sank into the aquatic depths of the Grid he was sworn to protect.  The timeline of this series is a little difficult to put my finger on though.  CLU was wiped out at the end of Legacy along with what pretty much looked like the entire landscape of the Grid.  In this new series, however, CLU is still up and about in a post-Tron age while a new program named Beck seeks to carry on the uphill fight for freedom.  While the upstart underdog story is one we’ve previously seen used in other genres, it serves its purpose well here and is executed with believability.  Beck has his faults as a program and is certainly not invulnerable, giving the show a welcomed degree on unexpectedness.

A good story, however, can be sunk by a roster of insufficient acting talent.  Thankfully, we don’t even have to come close to worrying about that here.  Maintaining casting continuity, Bruce Boxleitner, the original Tron, renews the roll while Elijah Wood provides the voice of our hero, Beck.  Also on the roster is Mandy Moore, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Paul Reubens, and sci-fi standout Lance Henriksen as the evil General Tesler.  The well-rounded group of actors breathe life into the cold digital environment, which spills over into other aspects of the show.  The action is solid and the story is one that I am eager to see unfold.  My only complaint is that I hope a little more explanation is given to the continuity and timeline of events following Tron: Legacy.  We saw CLU vaporized on the big screen, though his presence is still mentioned here.  That aside, Tron: Uprising is a wonderfully animated piece of work that is candy to the eyes and engaging to the mind.

Disney XD debuted Tron: Uprising on April 30th and will resume the series on June 7th at 9:00 pm Eastern.  To watch the 31-minute uninterrupted premiere episode, please visit the Tron Sector fan site at http://www.tron-sector.com/.

Overall:

A FRESH AND FUN MOTION PICTURE BASED
ON THE SNOW WHITE LEGEND

With Magical Extras and Special Features,
Enjoy the Classic Tale Retold on Blu-ray and DVD June 26

MIRROR MIRROR tells the story of Snow White (Collins), a princess in exile and the evil Queen (Roberts) who ruthlessly rules her captured kingdom.  Seven courageous rebel dwarfs join forces with Snow White as she fights to reclaim her birthright and win her Prince in this magical comedy filled with jealousy, romance, and betrayal that will capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences the world over.  The film is produced by Bernie Goldmann (300), Relativity’s Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter) and Brett Ratner (Rush Hour franchise).   MIRROR MIRROR’S screen story was written by Melisa Wallack, and the screenplay was written by Marc Klein and Jason Keller.

MIRROR MIRROR was theatrically released by Relativity Media and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD June 26 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

MIRROR MIRROR DVD Special Features:
·      Looking Through the Mirror
·      Prince and Puppies

MIRROR MIRROR Blu-ray Special Features:
All of the DVD Special Features, plus…
·      “I Believe in Love” Dance-along
·      Mirror Mirror Interactive Storybook
·      Deleted Scenes
o   “Alternate Opening”
o   “So You Are From Valencia?”
o   “I Need Meat”
o   “Snow White is Dead”
o   “Thank You For Coming”
·      Digital Copy of the film

Order Mirror Mirror on Blu-ray!

What can you say with only a thousand words?

EDDIE MURPHY STARS IN A HEARTWARMING AND HILARIOUS COMEDY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERY WORD WE SPEAK

A THOUSAND WORDS

Debuting June 26, 2012 on Blu-ray™ and DVD, the Film Also Features
Kerry Washington, Allison Janney, Clark Duke, Cliff Curtis and Jack McBrayer

Directed and produced by Brian Robbins (Varsity Blues) and written by Steve Koren
(Evan Almighty), the film boasts a terrific supporting cast including Kerry Washington (“Scandal”, Ray), Allison Janney (The Help, “The West Wing”), Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine, “Greek”), Cliff Curtis (“Missing”, Live Free or Die Hard), Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”, Savannah) and
John Witherspoon (“The Boondocks”, Friday).

A THOUSAND WORDS will be available on Blu-ray with 11 deleted and extended scenes, including an alternate ending.  The DVD will include six deleted scenes.  All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

A THOUSAND WORDS BLU-RAY FEATURES:

The A THOUSAND WORDS Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Blu-ray Disc™ includes the following bonus features:

Blu-ray

·         Feature film in high definition

·         Deleted Scenes

o   Good Job, Jr.

o   Expose Your Soul

o   Five Pages!

o   Blind Man Crossing Extended

o   How Do I Look?

o   Art of War

o   Leaf Blower

o   Jack Gets Fired

o   At Caroline’s Work

o   Stuffed Animal Talk

o   Train Tracks

·         Alternate Ending

A THOUSAND WORDS DVD FEATURES:

The A THOUSAND WORDS DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles.  The DVD includes the following bonus features:

DVD

·         Feature film in standard definition

·         Deleted Scenes

o   Expose Your Soul

o   Five Pages!

o   Blind Man Crossing Extended

o   Art of War

o   Leaf Blower

o   Stuffed Animal Talk

A THOUSAND WORDS Film Synopsis

Fast-talking Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy) says whatever it takes to close a deal. But after stretching the truth with a spiritual guru, he suddenly finds his life depending on a magical tree with 1,000 leaves…one for every word he has left. Now Jack’s got to stop talking and conjure up some outrageous ways to communicate or he’s a goner. See why A Thousand Words is the hilarious, feel-good comedy that has it all: “great cast, great laughs [and a] great time!” (Julie Harkness, “Made In Hollywood”).  Eddie Murphy stars along with Kerry Washington, Allison Janney, Clark Duke, Cliff Curtis, Jack McBrayer and John Witherspoon.

Order A Thousand Words on Blu-ray!

I just wanted to give everyone a little example below of the quality yet to come from Just Seen It.  Although this one may become its own little post eventually, and only if you have the time, check out their video review of a little movie that you probably never heard of before…The Avengers!  Good stuff!

Culver City, CA (5/8/12) – Jonah Hill (Moneyball, Superbad) and Channing Tatum (The Vow, Dear John) swap guns for books in the hit action-comedy 21 JUMP STREET, which garnered more than $130 million at the box office and will be available on Blu-ray^™ and DVD with UltraViolet^™ June 26^th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In this hilarious and action-packed comedy, Hill and Tatum star as a team of rookie cops forced to go undercover at a high school to bust a dangerous drug ring. The film has had both critics and audiences jumping in their seats with laughter, featuring a hysterical supporting cast, including rap legend Ice Cube (Barbershop, Friday), Dave Franco (Fright Night, Superbad), Brie Larson (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, “United States of Tara”), Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids, “The Office”) and Rob Riggle (The Hangover, The Other Guys).  Bonus features on the DVD include director and cast commentary, four deleted scenes and “Back to School,” a featurette that provides a look into how the hilarious movie came together.  In addition to director and cast commentary and the “Back to School” featurette, the Blu-ray^™ bonus features also include 20 deleted scenes, a gag reel, “Cube-O-Rama,” featuring hilarious outtakes with Ice Cube (Captain Dickson), and four additional behind-the-scenes featurettes – “Brothers In Arms,” “Johnny Depp On Set,” “The Rob Riggle Show,” and “Peter Pan on The Freeway.”

Synopsis

Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are more than ready to leave their adolescent problems behind. Joining the police force and the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover in a local high school. As they trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, Schmidt and Jenko risk their lives to investigate a violent and dangerous drug ring. But they find that high school is nothing like they left it just a few years earlier – and neither expects that they will have to confront the terror and anxiety of being a teenager again and all the issues they thought they had left behind.

21 JUMP STREET was written by Michael Bacall (Project X, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), based on the TV show “21 Jump Street” created by Patrick Hasburgh & Stephen J. Cannell. It was produced by Neal H. Moritz (The Fast & The Furious series) and Stephen J. Cannell (The A-Team, TV’s “21 Jump Street). Executive producers are Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ezra Swerdlow (The Smurfs, Zombieland) and Tania Landau (Made of Honor, Vantage Point).  The film has a run time of approximately 110 minutes, and it has been rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, drug material, teen drinking and some violence.

Blu-ray^™ Bonus Material

• Director and Cast Commentary
• Gag Reel
• Cube-O-Rama, featuring hilarious outtakes with Ice Cube (Captain Dickson)
• Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes, including:

o   Back to School, a look into how the hilarious movie came together

o   Brothers In Arms, taking an in-depth look into how Jonah and Channing worked together on the stunts and laughs for this buddy action comedy

o   Johnny Depp On Set, going behind the scenes to bring Tom Hansen back to 21 Jump Street

o   The Rob Riggle Show, discussing the comedy genius of Rob Riggle

o   Peter Pan on The Freeway, a behind-the-scenes look at shooting the action-packed freeway scene

• 20 Deleted Scenes

DVD Bonus Material

• Director and Cast Commentary
• “Back to School” Featurette, a look into how the hilarious movie came together
• Four Deleted Scenes

SYNOPSIS:

Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily’s father’s development plans.

“Sly and big-hearted, funny and moving”— Bruce Handy, Vanity Fair

JASON SEGEL AND ED HELMS STAR IN THE HILARIOUS, CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED COMEDY ABOUT FAMILY, DESTINY AND FINDING YOUR WAY

JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME

Follow the Signs on Blu-ray™ and DVD June 19, 2012

JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME is the story of one man’s hilarious search for the meaning of life.  As slacker Jeff stumbles towards enlightenment, he uncovers answers to his nagging family’s problems.  Jeff has no idea where he’s going but when he finally gets there, he might just find out what it’s all about.  Judy Greer (The Descendants) and Rae Dawn Chong (“St. Elsewhere”) also star in this delightfully entertaining film that is “funny, tender and ultimately moving” (Mark Adams, ScreenDaily.com) and is filled with “moments of comedy gold” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post).

The JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME Blu-ray will be presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD will be presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, as well as English, French and Spanish subtitles.

All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME

Street Date:              June 19, 2012

SRP:                            $29.99 U.S. (Blu-ray)

$19.99 U.S. (DVD)

Runtime:                     83 minutes

U.S. Rating:                R for language including sexual references and some drug use

Canadian Rating:       14A for coarse language and substance abuse

Order Jeff, Who Lives at Home on Blu-ray!

BAD ASS

Directed by Craig Moss (The 41 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall And Felt Superbad About It), Bad Ass is inspired by the Epic Beard Man video that captured two men’s highly charged verbal and brutal physical altercation on a public bus in Oakland, California.  Posted to YouTube, the video spread like wildfire and the heroic elder bearded man was anointed Epic Beard Man.  The video has garnered more than five million views.

The Bad Ass Blu-ray and DVD has a featurette and audio commentary.   Both the Blu-ray and DVD are now available for pre-order.  Prebook is May 9.

Bad Ass Blu-ray and DVD Special Features

Order Bad Ass on Blu-ray!

As a resident of Southern California and one who is apparently eager to lose a lot of sleep for the sake of film, I plan to attend the festival, hopefully gaining access to many different screenings of films that I have my eye on.  I will do my best to provide reviews for films that have both been making there rounds through festivals and ones that are making their debuts at the NBFF.  With any luck, I may be able to score a few interviews with some actors and filmmakers as well.

Anyone with further interest should make sure to visit the Newport Beach Film Festival’s official website.  Furthermore, anyone who is actually in the Southern California area should try to make an effort to come down and be a part of the festival.  Having gone through this before, I can safely say there are many interesting and exciting films to check out, let alone plenty of stars and filmmakers currently hanging out in the area, so you never know who you might run into, let alone how much you may end up appreciating some of the films you see.

Among the films being screened at the NBFF, many highlights will be a number of west coast premieres and highly buzzed about features, including Jewtopia, Peace Love and Misunderstanding, Mariachi Gringo, Sunset Strip, Little Dancer, General Education, Swerve, I Am Not A Hipster, and the world premiere of Shanghai Calling. Additionally, plenty of documentaries, short films, collegiate films, and films from the Action Sports Film Series will be featured. There are definitely plenty of options for anyone who is willing to seek something out.

I will be posting reviews, updates, and whatever else I have time to write about throughout the week.  Until then, here is a trailer for the festival:

Readers can expect the rebirth of other classic Valiant titles this summer such as Harbinger (June 2012), Bloodshot (July 2012), and Archer & Armstrong (August 2012). According to a source on Wikipedia, the revitalized Valiant also “revealed plans to release the world’s first ‘talking’ comic book cover, featuring QR code technology that allows the reader to use their smartphone to hear X-O Manowar speak.”

Personally, I’m looking forward to these next few months as the aforementioned series were all popular titles back in the early to mid-90’s when I was just getting into comics, especially X-O Manowar, which, in a nutshell was along the lines of Iron Man but with a living suit that heals itself. Though these are some memorable books from the past, the artwork and writing is clearly dated so let’s hope the new team of writers and artists breathes renewing life into their stories.

Fullerton, CA: Lit is set to release their sixth album, The View From The Bottom, on June 19th on Megaforce Records.

The new album does its due service, at least in part, in chronicling the events of their past eight years, still together, but dealing with situations for which the word heavy would be a glaring understatement.

Lit’s release and subsequent meteoric light display of a career spring boarded from the fruits of their second LP, A Place In Sun, sporting 3 uber hit singles: “Miserable,” which went to #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks, and whose video featured the flaxen voluptitude of Pamela Anderson; “Zip-Lock,” and “My Own Worst Enemy” (which held the number one position on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for three months, and received a Billboard Music Award for the biggest modern rock song of 1999). The song has actually sold over 650,000 downloads to date, which is no small feat considering that it was released before the advent of that technology.

Lit, then outfitted by its two founding bros, A. Jay and Jeremy Popoff (vocals and guitar, respectively) and long-time brothers-from-other-mothers, bassist Kevin Baldes and drummer Allen Shellenberger took to the road. Most notably, they rocked Woodstock 1999 and supported the Offspring, No Doubt and Garbage, spanning the globe and clocking in close to 500 shows between 1999 and 2000 (They were also seen all over television on MTV Spring Break, Cribs, TRL, Leno, Conan and more).

The group had very suddenly become one of the biggest rock bands in the United States.

Their 2001 follow-up album, Atomic, wasn’t too shabby either, boasting yet another Top Ten single for the band, “Lipstick And Bruises,” and a support tour with Kid Rock. Lit would again, hit the road in 2003 with a more intimate club tour to support the release of their fourth, self-titled LP, released in 2004, post a bold move to an indie label. A long-form live performance DVD release, All Access would follow later that year, and concurrently, Jeremy would give the band’s hometown of Fullerton, CA a new watering hole, the Slidebar, which fast became a top Orange County hang. Busy times, indeed.

Then, in a tragic turnabout of fortune, A. Jay and Jeremy’s stepfather was killed and their mother seriously injured when they were involved in a motorcycle accident with a drunk driver on the Ortega Highway near their home in Lake Elsinore. The tragedy would make it extremely difficult for the band to weather the work but despite it all, they would continue to write and play shows. In July of 2008, the band had been called to support Kiss on a European tour but just days before the first date, misfortune befell the group again when Shellenberger was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Just over a year later, the illness would take his life.

Spirits left in ruins, still A. Jay, Jeremy and Kevin found the wherewithal to make the music. With the help of a new drummer, Nathan Walker and guitarist/keyboardist Ryan Gillmor, the band stepped into the studio less than a year later and would bro down for the tracking with artist/producer Butch Walker in 2011, who had recently helmed records by Panic! At The Disco, Avril Lavigne and Weezer, along writing credits on countless hits. Lit emerged victorious and not worse for the ware with a handful of brilliant new songs.

The body of work, a sixth album appropriately titled, The View From The Bottom, mixed by Joe Zook (Katy Perry, The Hives, One Republic, Pink) tangibly tells the story of Lit’s in between days with tracks like, “The Broken” and most poignantly, “Here’s To Us,” but the new record is not without its lighter, Big Rock Moments — reference the absolutely monolithic kick-starter, “C’mon” and the equally tremendous “You Tonight,” co-written by Marti Frederiksen whose collabs include Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Jagger, and Carrie Underwood among others, not to mention the glam stomper, “Same Shit, Different Drink,” (co-written with Walker).

The View From The Bottom is the unmistakable sound of a great rock band getting on with it and doing so with reverence for those they’ve lost, a healthy modicum of danger, and not to mention, a sense of fun.

Look for a headlining tour of the southeast in April and May and, the band will join the Summerland Tour (along with Sugar Ray, The Gin Blossoms, Everclear and Marcy Playground) in late June through August. Dates below.

And for more information about Lit, please visit: litband.com

To satisfy consumer demand and serve the growing base of Blu-ray

THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS TO RELEASE MORE THAN 30 ICONIC FILMS

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY IN 2012

BURBANK, Calif. – March 16, 2012 – To satisfy consumer demand and serve the growing base of Blu-ray households, The Walt Disney Studios today announced plans to add more than 30 popular and iconic films to its ever-expanding Blu-ray library.  Each film selected for release has been fully digitally remastered, with dirt and anomalies cleaned to a pristine level, offering viewers optimum high definition picture and sound quality of some of their favorite films.

The films selected for release appeal to families, film-lovers and collectors with a wide-breadth of Live-Action, Animated, Romance titles that range from Beaches to While You Were Sleeping and Pocahontas to The Santa Clause. Many are celebrating special 10^th, 15^th and 20^th Anniversary Edition releases, many are ACADEMY AWARD-Winning Films like Dead Poets Society, Evita, Dick Tracy, and many are back by popular demand including Hocus Pocus, Adventures in Babysitting, and The Color of Money.

“We receive many requests and comments from consumers seeking specific titles they’d like to own on Blu-ray and, as such, we carefully selected a number of popular films that will satisfy demand from fans worldwide,” said Lori MacPherson, Executive Vice President, Product Management, The Walt Disney Studios. “As we grow our Blu-ray catalog we will continue to utilize the best technologies to provide the most pristine and immersive in-home experience of our films.”

In 2011, consumers’ high-definition packaged media purchases continued to rise with Blu-ray disc sales in the U.S. tallying more than $2 billion.  The Studio’s titles were among the most popular of the year with ACADEMY AWARD nominee The Help, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Disney’s The Lion King, Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 and Disney’s Tangled all ranking in the industry’s Top 10 Blu-ray releases, according to the DEG.

The year-long campaign launched in January 2012 with the release of Good Morning, Vietnam and Dead Poets Society for the first time on Blu-ray. Both films earned Robin Williams an OSCAR nomination for Best Actor and are the perfect addition to any in-home movie collection.

Beginning in May, the Studio will start to celebrate a number of film anniversaries, introducing multiple great films to Blu-ray including Father of the Brideand Bringing Down the House releasing on May 15^th; The Color of Money, Cocktail and Ransom releasing on June 5^th; Sister Act and Evita releasing on June 19^th; and The Horse Whisperer, Under the Tuscan Sun, Phenomenon, Step Up, Home On The Range and Treasure Planet releasing July 3^rd.

In the Fall, a perfect mix of feel-good films, anniversary releases and nostalgic favorites will debut, including Adventures in Babysitting, Grosse Pointe Blank, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, The Rescuers, High Fidelity, Ed Wood, Judge Dredd, Ghost of the Abyss 3D, Lady And The Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure, Pocahontas, The Tigger Movie, The Aristocats and Pete’s Dragon.

And just in time for Halloween and the holidays, a wide array of titles that make perfect stocking stuffers for film fans will include titles such as Hocus Pocus, Arachnophobia, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Son of Flubber, Cold Creek Manor, The Santa Clause Trilogy, The Absent-Minded Professor, Flubber, While You Were Sleeping, Sweet Home Alabama, Beaches, Babes in Toyland, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Brother Bear and Dick Tracy.

ROAD TRIP

BLU-RAY™

Special Features:              Rated/Unrated versions of the Feature

Ever Been on a Road Trip? Featurette

Deleted Scenes

Eels Music Video – Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues

Specifications:                   Digitally remastered in 1080p high definition with English DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital & Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital

Rating:                                  R

Runtime:                             93 minutes

Suggested

Retail Price:                        $19.99 U.S.

Order Road Trip on Blu-ray!

Culver City, CA (April 16, 2011) – Daniel Radcliffe stars in THE WOMAN IN BLACK, the hit CBS Films ghost story that scared up more than $53 million at the box office, which will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on May 22^nd.  In the supernatural thriller, Radcliffe (Harry Potter) plays Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer who travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.  The film also stars Ciaran Hinds (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Academy Award^® nominee Janet McTeer (2011, Supporting Actress, Albert Nobbs) and Liz White (Wild Bill).

THE WOMAN IN BLACK Blu-ray™ and DVD both include commentary by the writer and the director as well as two all-new featurettes: “Inside The Perfect Thriller: Making Woman in Black,” a discussion with the filmmakers and cast; and “No Fear: Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps,” in which Radcliffe discusses the most challenging and interesting parts of playing this character.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK is directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake) and produced by Richard Jackson (Setup), Simon Oakes (Let Me In) and Brian Oliver (The Ides of March). The screenplay is by Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class) and based on the 1983 novel by Susan Hill. The film is a Hammer and Alliance Films presentation, in association with Cross Creek Pictures and is a Talisman production in association with Exclusive Media Group and The UK Film Council. Executive Producers are Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, Marc Schipper, Neil Dunn, Xavier Marchand, Roy Lee and Tyler Thompson. CBS Films released the film theatrically on February 3, 2012.

Synopsis:  Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lost… and no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance.

Blu-ray™ and DVD Special Features include:

• Commentary with Director James Watkins and Screenwriter Jane Goldman
• Inside The Perfect Thriller: Making Woman in Black Featurette
• No Fear: Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps Featurette

Here is a synopsis for the film:

In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented – but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper” – a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) – is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels.  The film arrives in theaters September 28, 2012.

Official Teaser Trailer:

While the trailer does reveal various, albeit brief, bits of action, I was more happy to see that it is mainly the premise that is detailed in this trailer and not much in the way of plot. That said, I do enjoy seeing some moments of visual flair with how the look of the film is being handled. I also enjoy seeing how the attempt has been made to have Joseph Gordan-Levitt resemble a young Bruce Willis. I am also excited simply because there are people I like that are involved with this film and it is a new and intriguing take on a science fiction story. I am looking forward to learning more about the film and eventually seeing it this fall.

You can find some mini-featurettes as well as the teaser trailer for download at Apple Trailers HERE

Universal City, Calif. (April 9, 2012) – A rogue CIA operative is targeted for assassination and an idealistic rookie agent must prove himself by keeping them both alive in the exhilarating and explosive action-thriller Safe House, available June 5, 2012 on Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack with UltraViolet^™ and Digital Copy and DVD as well as On Demand from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Two-time Academy Award^®winner Denzel Washington (Training Day, Unstoppable) and Ryan Reynolds (The Change-Up, Green Lantern) star as unlikely allies up against an unknown enemy in an adrenaline-pumping game of cat and mouse.

Washington and Reynolds are joined by an impressive roster of actors including Academy Award^® nominee Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed), Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Guard), Academy Award®-nominee Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford),  Ruben Blades (All the Pretty Horses, Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Nora Arnezeder (Paris 36, The Words) and Robert Patrick (Flags of Our Fathers, Terminator 2: Judgment Day).

The Safe House Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack delivers the film in perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound and features extensive bonus content including a “making of” featurette, interviews with cast and crew, and exclusive looks behind the scenes of the stylish and intense spy thriller.

The Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack also includes UltraViolet^™, a DVD and a Digital Copy of the film – so consumers can truly enjoy the movie anytime, anywhere, on the device of their choice!  UltraViolet^™ is the revolutionary new way for consumers to collect movies and TV shows in the cloud to instantly stream and download to computers, tablets and smart phones.  In addition, consumers can redeem a Digital Copy of the film from a variety of retail partners, who offer many viewing options including iTunes®, iPad®, iPhone®, iPod^™ touch, Android, connected televisions, Blu-ray^™ player apps and much more!

BONUS FEATURES ON BLU-RAY^™ & DVD:

• Making Safe House—This featurette is filled with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage revealing how director Daniel Espinosa, stars Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds and the rest of the team came together to bring this thrilling story to life.
• Hand-To-Hand Action— Renowned fight choreographer Olivier Schneider (Taken) puts the actors through the intense training and rehearsal required to create the film’s powerful scenes of deadly hand-to-hand combat. Schneider, along with Ryan Reynolds and Daniel Espinosa, explain how the high-intensity, character-based approach to the action informed the final film and share the brilliant raw versions of the scenes (with a special direct-to-camera set-up by Schneider).
• Building the Rooftop Chase—Filmed in hardscrabble Langa, Cape Town’s oldest township, this riveting stunt sequence required a massive amount of precision, a little bit of politics and a lot of planning. Featuring cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and a first-person perspective of Denzel Washington’s rooftop run, this piece showcases the intense preparation and focus necessary to pull off one of Safe House’s most pivotal and dangerous sequences.
• Inside The CIA—Technical advisor Luis Falcon III, a 30-year CIA veteran who has gone undercover in some of the hottest zones in the world, talks about working with the cast and collaborating with the director. He leads audiences on a walk and talk through the CIA offices and explains just how closely this film matches up to reality.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVELY ON BLU-RAY^™:

• Behind The Action—Legendary stunt coordinator Greg Powell, fight choreographer Olivier Schneider and tactical advisor Dan Hirst lead viewers through key action sequences involving dangerous driving stunts, heavy gun play and frenetic fight choreography.
• Safe Harbor: Cape Town—A popular tourist destination, Cape Town is rapidly becoming one of the most-photographed cities in cinema. The creators of Safe House reveal the reasons they set this intense action thriller in Africa’s multicultural hub.
• Shooting the Safe House Attack—Every detail behind the creation of the film’s epic initial attack is revealed in a featurette that includes interviews with Academy Award-winning production designer Brigitte Broch, plus the film’s cast and crew. From the initial rehearsals to the final takes, director Daniel Espinosa and his spectacular stunt team combined artistry with tactical perfection for a chillingly realistic sequence.
• UltraViolet™: The revolutionary new way for consumers to collect movies and TV shows, store them in the cloud, and download and stream instantly to computers, tablets and smartphones.  Currently available in the United States only.
• Digital Copy: Viewers can redeem a digital version of the full-length movie from a choice of retail partners to watch on an array of electronic and portable devices.

• U-Control:

o   Picture-in-Picture – featuring pre-visualization and storyboard comparisons of some the film’s most exciting scenes.

• pocket BLU^™ App: The popular free pocket BLU^™ app for smartphones is now even better with newly updated versions for iPad^®, Android^™ tablets, PC and Macintosh computers, with features made especially to take advantage of the devices’ larger screens and high resolution displays.

o   Journey Inside The Safe House: This exclusive Second Screen feature will highlight an in-depth walk and talk through the film’s safe house location with the production designer and CIA technical advisor as they discuss the creation and authenticity of the set.

o   Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray^™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live^™ functions with ease.

o   Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.

o   Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray^™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.

o   Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU^™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray^™. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.

o   Keyboard: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.

• BD-LIVE^™ – Access the BD-Live^™ Center through your Internet-connected player to access the latest trailers, exclusive content and more!

SYNOPSIS

Tobin Frost (Oscar® winner Denzel Washington), one of the CIA’s most dangerous traitors, resurfaces in South Africa after eluding capture for almost a decade.  During his interrogation, the safe house is attacked by brutal mercenaries forcing rookie agent, Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) to take the infamous Frost on the run.  As the masterful manipulator toys with his reluctant protégé, shaking the young operative’s morality and idealism, the unlikely allies must fight to stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them both dead.  Packed with intense action and thrilling suspense, Safe House takes you on a deadly ride through a covert world where no one and no place is ever safe.

“ABSOLUTE BLAST”

- Harry Knowles / Ain’t It Cool News

“This move will kick your ass and you’ll say thank you, may I have another!”

- Carrie Keagan / VH1

For the First Time on 3D, Academy Award^® Winner Nicolas Cage Returns in the
Action-Packed Sequel to the Worldwide Box Office Hit Ghost Rider

GHOST RIDER:

SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE

The World’s Darkest Hero Rides Again

Unleashed June 12^th on Blu-ray 3D^™, Blu-ray^™ & DVD – all include UltraViolet^™

The GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD releases each include deleted scenes, as well as UltraViolet™, which allows consumers to add the film to their Digital Rights Library, enabling them to download or instantly stream the film.  Exclusive to the Blu-ray 3D™ and Blu-ray™ are explosive special features, including a Directors’ Expanded Video Commentary and The Path to Vengeance: Making Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, a six-part documentary that goes behind-the-scenes into how the film was made.  In addition, the Blu-ray 3D™ will also include a 3D bonus featurette, Riding Into Another Dimension, which details the creative hurdles and advantages of moving Ghost Rider into the world of 3D filmmaking.

Synopsis: In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter, is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy and possibly rid himself of the curse forever.

GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE was written by Scott M. Gimple and Seth Hoffman (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) and David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), based on the Marvel Comic. It was produced by Stefan Brunner, Ashok Amritraj, Michael De Luca, Avi Arad and Ari Arad.

The film has a run time of approximately 95 minutes and has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, and language.

DVD Bonus Material

·         Deleted Scenes

Blu-ray 3D™ and Blu-ray™ Bonus Material

·         Deleted Scenes

·         Directors’ Expanded Video Commentary

·         The Path to Vengeance: Making Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Six-Part Documentary, Including:

o   Blazing a New Path, a behind-the-scenes look at how the film was made;

o   Patience Is Not a Virtue: Pre-Production, an in-depth look at the challenges the production crew had during pre-productions;

o   We Will Burn This City To Bitter Ashes, allowing for the discovery of the shooting locations in Romania and Eastern Europe;

o   To Hell and Back: Production, a look at the shooting style that directors brought to the film and some of the key stunt sequences;

o   Walking in Both Worlds: Moving into Post-Production, exploring the challenges of completing a film; and

o   The Fires of Hell Will Purify You: Release.

Blu-ray 3D™ Exclusive:

o   3D Featurette: Riding Into Another Dimension

Order Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on Blu-ray!

PLAYBACK

Christian Slater Stars In The Supernatural Thriller Arriving On Blu-ray And DVD May 8

From Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Label

“’Playback’ provides its share of violent shocks and plot twists”
– MLive.com

Order Playback on Blu-ray!

A Motion Picture Unlike Any Before Unfolds
On Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD June 5

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 3, 2012) – The only easy day was yesterday. In the Bandito Brothers’ ACT OF VALOR, an elite military force, portrayed by active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs, carries out an impossible mission with insane courage and incredible teamwork in one of the most gripping and emotionally charged movies of the year. Landing June 5th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, the ACT OF VALOR Blu-ray and DVD is loaded with extras including several deleted scenes, interviews with Navy SEALs, director’s commentary, exclusive featurettes, including a look at the real bullets and tactics used during filming, and much more! ACT OF VALOR was theatrically released by Relativity Media on February 24th and became the No. 1 movie in America in its debut.

An unprecedented blend of real-life heroism and original filmmaking, ACT OF VALOR stars a group of active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs, alongside actors Roselyn Sanchez, Alex Veadov, Jason Cottle and Nester Serrano, in a film like no other in Hollywood’s history. A fictionalized account of real life Navy SEAL operation, ACT OF VALOR features a riveting story that takes audiences on an adrenaline-fueled, edge-of-their-seat journey.

When a mission to recover a kidnapped CIA operative unexpectedly results in the discovery of an imminent, terrifying global threat, an elite team of highly trained Navy SEALs must immediately embark on a heart-stopping secret operation, the outcome of which will determine the fate of us all.

ACT OF VALOR combines stunning combat sequences, up-to-the-minute battlefield technology, and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate action adventure film–showcasing the skills, training and tenacity of the greatest action heroes of them all: real Navy SEALs.

Produced and directed by former Baja 1000 champion Mike “Mouse” McCoy and former stuntman Scott Waugh, and written by Kurt Johnstad (300), the ACT OF VALOR Blu-ray and DVD arrives June 5th just in time for Father’s Day.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES :

Deleted Scenes:

• Christmas in the Barracks
• MREs
• Shabal in Winter Palace
• Christo’s House
• Shabal on Boat
• Shabal in Cairo

Director’s Commentary

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

All of the above DVD special features, plus…

Interviews with the Navy SEALs:

• Roarke
• Dave
• Mikey
• Ray
• Sonny
• Ajay
• Weimy

Featurettes:

• Making of
• Real Bullets
• Real SEALs Real Tactics
• Silent Warriors
• ‘For You’ Music Video by Keith Urban
• Making of the Music Video
• Director’s Intro

JANE FONDA STARS IN THE AUDACIOUS CULT CLASSIC
BLASTING OFF ON BLU-RAY^™ FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

BARBARELLA

Experience the Daring Sci-Fi Fantasy in High Definition July 3, 2012

The BARBARELLA Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Mono Dolby TrueHD, French Mono Dolby Digital and Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Blu-ray includes the theatrical trailer in high definition.

Order Barbarella on Blu-ray!

MACHINE GUN PREACHER is the inspirational true story of Childers (Butler), a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the savior of hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned children in East Africa. The explosive, real-life tale of a man who has rescued over a thousand orphans from starvation, disease, and enslavement, Machine Gun Preacher is written by Jason Keller (Relativity’s Mirror Mirror) and also stars Michelle Monaghan (Source Code), Golden Globe® winner Kathy Baker (Cold Mountain, Picket Fences), Madeline Carroll (Mr. Popper’s Penguins), Academy Award® nominated Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), and Souleymane Sy Savane (Damages). Producing is Forster, along with Relativity’s Robbie Brenner, Safady Entertainment’s Gary Safady and Craig Chapman, and GG Filmz’s Deborah Giarratana.

MACHINE GUN PREACHER will be available on Blu-ray and DVD June 5th.

Order Machine Gun Preacher on Blu-ray!

For the latest on HUFF, make sure to check out www.HUFFmovie.com.

Burbank, Calif., March 22, 2012 – The magical film franchise that enchanted Muggles around the world is now available in a spectacular limited-edition collectible box set. The most comprehensive Harry Potter movie collection yet, the Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection, featuring all eight films, exclusive never-before-seen content and must-have memorabilia, will be available on September 7 from Warner Home Video.

This new limited and numbered 31-disc collection contains all eight Harry Potter movies on Blu-ray, DVD and UltraViolet Digital Copy and more than 37 hours of special features including all previously released materials and more than 10 hours of new to disc bonus content, and 5 hours of never-before-seen material. Witches and wizards that think they’ve seen everything will marvel at the all-new special features including the final two “Creating the World of Harry Potter” features titled “Story” and “Growing Up”. Many other, yet to be revealed, exciting features, are also included.

The Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection will also allow fans to conjure up every available version of all eight films. In addition to the theatrical release of every film, the collection also includes the extended versions of  Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; and the 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows –- Parts 1 and 2.

Beautifully packaged in a stunning gift box measuring 12-3/4” x 10-9/16” x 11-1/4” and weighing 19 lbs, the Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection is the largest collection ever released by Warner Bros. and contains eight artistic and authentic film memorabilia that are essential for anyone who has ever dreamt of being accepted to Hogwarts. The collectibles are exclusive to the set, and each item along with the rest of the contents of this epic collection will be revealed to anxious fans in an online campaign on www.harrypotter.com beginning today.

Films Included in Collection – All on Blu-ray, DVD and UltraViolet Digital Copy

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theatrical Version and Extended Cut
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version and Extended Cut
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 2D and 3D Versions
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 2D and 3D Versions

Special Features for Hours of Entertainment

• Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection Bonus Disc

o        Nearly 4 hours of features including:

§         All New! “The Harry Potters You Never Met” – Watch how thrilling stunts from the films were performed, and learn about the tricks behind the major stunts in the series.

§         Additional features to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com.

§

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Bonus Disc

o        Over 2 hours of features including:

§         All New! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 7: Story”

§         And many more to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com.

§

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Bonus Disc

o        Over 4 hours of features including:

§         All New! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 8: Growing Up”

§         All New! Extended “A Conversation with JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe” – with 15 minutes of new footage

§         And many more to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com.

§

• Exclusive Premiums

o        Exclusive memorabilia including a Map of Hogwarts, concept art prints, catalogs of props and posters, all designed by the graphic designers from the films will be revealed in detail on www.harrypotter.com.

ULTRAVIOLET™ DIGITAL COPY

Warner Bros. is taking Digital Copy to a whole new level. The Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection UltraViolet Digital Copy includes a Standard Definition Digital Copy of all 8 Harry Potter main feature films. Special features not included. Limited Time Offer. Restrictions and limitations apply.  Go to ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details.

During a high-speed car chase with the US Border Patrol and a bleeding body in his back seat, Driver (Mel Gibson) violently crashes his car into the border wall as he tries to outrun them.  Driver survives the crash only to land inside a hard-core Mexican prison where he enters the strange and dangerous world of “El Pueblito.”  He finds unlikely guidance from a 10-year-old kid who shows him the ropes.

Check out the film’s trailer below!

Official WonderCon panel description:

Sony: Resident Evil: Retribution, Looper, Amazing Spider-Man — In Resident Evil: Retribution, we learn more about Alice’s mysterious past as she continues to hunt those at The Umbrella Corporation responsible for the T-virus outbreak, a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, DC, and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun. Resident Evil: Retribution stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Shawn Roberts, and Boris Kodjoe. Appearing in person is Alice herself, Milla Jovovich, who along with writer/director Paul W. S. Anderson will host a preview and discussion of the wildly successful film franchise based on the popular video game series Resident Evil and this highly anticipated fifth installment, Resident Evil: Retribution in state-of-the art 3D.

Looper—Joseph Gordon-Levitt and writer-director Rian Johnson come to WonderCon to give fans a first look at the futuristic action thriller Looper. And when we say, “First look,” we mean it! The panel will premiere the first footage anyone anywhere has seen from this movie. In Looper, time travel will be invented, but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper”—a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)—is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination.  The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels. Ram Bergman and James D. Stern produce.

The Amazing Spider-Man—The Amazing Spider-Man is back on the big screen, shot in 3D for the first time, and will be swinging into your neighborhood on July 3, 2012. Director Marc Webb and star Emma Stone appear live at WonderCon to give you your Spidey fix! For the fans who haven’t seen it, here is your chance to see the eight minutes of footage that the filmmakers recently presented in a 13-city global launch event.

The first film presented was Resident Evil: Retribution.  This is the fifth entry in the popular film franchise that started out as a video game adaptation.  It once again stars Milla Jovovich in the lead role, as Alice, and brings back writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, who directed the first film and the previous entry, Afterlife.  Retribution picks up right where Afterlife left off, with Alice continuing to deal with the threat of the evil Umbrella Corporation, as she seeks to hunt those responsible for the T-Virus outbreak.  The film will apparently go global, as it spans several countries, all over the world.  Additionally, the film will also feature the reappearance of several characters from past entries in the series, including the return of Michelle Rodriguez and Oded Fehr.

To speak about the panel first, regardless of my own opinions about this franchise (which I could care less about), the audience reaction was generally high.  Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson (currently married) were present and spoke enthusiastically about the film and the series as a whole.  Anderson in particular explained how specific rigs were designed for the 3D cameras used to shoot the film, in an effort to bring a more dynamic style to the cinematography, while incorporating the 3D effect.  As some may remember, Afterlife was shot using “the latest 3D technology” and Anderson went on to make 2011’s The Three Musketeers in the same manner.  For his third time working with this process, Anderson has said he and his crew were well versed in what was involved and is quite pleased with how well the filming went, given the complex equipment involved.

Jovovich was equally willing to share information about her experience with making the film.  She talked about how thrilled she was to be part of an action series that features a strong female lead and felt quite aware of how far the character has come and what developments ‘Alice’ has gone through.  I may not care much for this series, but the fact that Jovovich and the people involved still have a good time and a certain level of passion for being involved in this franchise is a nice thing to hear.

A couple other highlights of the panel included the mention of the return of Michelle Rodriguez, as both Jovovich and Anderson spoke about Rodriguez’s real life obsession with video games like Call of Duty and how she needed to be dragged away from the game controller, so she could hold an actual gun on set.  Another highlight was Anderson’s mention of his Mortal Kombat film (my person favorite video game adaptation) and how he still has an appreciation and love for that movie.  And finally, the question came up in regards to what other video game Anderson would love to make, which was answered with the suggestion of Donkey Kong, which could feature Jovovich in an ape outfit.  Not a bad idea.

The clip from the film, which audiences were treated with, involved Alice alone in a brightly lit hallway, running away from zombies.  Alice was carrying only a handgun and a flail (a chain with a mace on the end) and became forced to take out the zombies after her.  What followed was a 5-minute action sequence, which saw Alice doing plenty of fancy fighting tricks involving her weapons and skilled jump/flip abilities.  All of it was slick and presented in over-the-top 3D, basically fitting the exact tone that the Resident Evil film series has been achieving since day one.  Fans of the series, especially those who loved Afterlife, should be plenty pleased with how things will play out.

Resident Evil: Retribution opens September 14, 2012.  Check out the latest trailer below:

The next presentation was for the film Looper.  Looper is the new science-fiction film from writer/director Rian Johnson, who previously made the con artist film, The Brothers Bloom, and more notably Brick, a fantastic and stylized neo-noir, set in the realm of a high school.  Johnson was pretty tight-lipped about the actual plot of Looper, but the basic premise was made clear enough:  An assassin (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works for a mob in the year 2042 and kills people who are sent back in time, from the year 2072. He recognizes one victim (Bruce Willis) as an older version of himself and hesitates, resulting in the escape of his older self.  Looper may not have been on the radar of many, before this presentation, but even with the lack of anything more than a glimpse at the trailer, I think many were much more excited.

The audience only got to see a trailer for the film, which will not be released until April, but it certainly gave the impression of a clever science fiction film that benefited from having an intriguing premise, a great look to the film as a whole, and a strong cast, which also features Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Paul Dano, Piper Perabo, and Garret Dillahunt.  I am not going to go the lengths of saying that this is the Inception of 2012, but I do like to gravitate towards what I think are smart science fiction films that also work as solid action flicks.  Plus, given that this is a time travel film, I always love when films develop their various rules associated for the way they handle time travel (it should be noted that Shane Carruth, of Primer fame, was involved as a consultant for the film).

The panel was equally entertaining as well.  Director Rian Johnson and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt were present and the two are obviously very good friends at this point.  Having worked on Brick together and now together again for Looper, the two were very comfortable addressing each other and the audience with little teases about what is to come, when the film arrives in theaters.  Gordon-Levitt was noticeably happy, but humble, to not only be a part of Looper, but also The Dark Knight Rises and Spielberg’s Lincoln, which the audience was more than aware of, as they continued to ask questions regarding how comfortable he was in going from a successful TV series (3^rd Rock From the Sun) to smaller, independent features, to big budget blockbusters.  Johnson was also quite good at addressing the audience.  Given that he has more of a cult audience at this point, it was fun to see his sense of humor do enough to warm the crowd to him and the film (hopefully convincing many to check out his past film, if they had not already seen them), while also keeping the discussion informative.  Fun piece of information to have learned – a lot of effort was put into making Gordon-Levitt have the appearance of a young Bruce Willis.

Looper opens on September 28, 2012 and has a webpage anyone can check out, located HERE

I really wish a trailer was available to post (and maybe I’ll do so as an update or as a follow-up, once it becomes available), but for now, here is a trailer for Johnson’s first film – Brick:

The final portion of Sony’s WonderCon presentation was devoted to The Amazing Spider-Man.  As everyone is probably aware, the web-head returns to the big screen this July, but with a few changes.  The film is being directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) and features a new cast headlined by Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.  The film will also feature Welsh actor Rhys Ifans as Dr. Kurt Connors aka The Lizard.  The Amazing Spider-Man will serve as a reintroduction to the character, touting the tagline of “The untold story”, as it features storylines previously unseen in the film (and actually seems to be incorporating a lot from the Ultimate Spider-Man comic universe).   And lastly, the film has been shot in 3D (the audience was treated to seeing the latest trailer in this format as well).

The panel for this film consisted of Emma Stone, Marc Webb, and producer Matt Tomach, who were all very pleased to be able to present footage from the film.  None of the footage was actually new, however, as it was the same 8-minute sizzle reel that played about a month ago, during a global launch for the film.  That said, the best thing I can say about what was shown is that it does a better job at truly showing off the tone of the film than I think the trailers have done thus far.  I do like the trailers in terms of seeing them portray a large-scale, spectacle film, based around Spider-Man, but what hasn’t been seen so much is how solid the character work looks to be.  From the footage shown, there is a real sense of strong chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy that feels very appropriate, as does the way Peter Parker seems to be acting in general.  More footage of the Lizard was also seen here, which looks fine enough, even if it is completely CG, but I am still hoping Ifans will do good enough justice to the Dr. Connors character in human form, as he is a very good actor.  Of course, I’m mainly happy that we finally have Parker’s homemade web shooters, as opposed to organic ones, but that’s just the comic geek in me speaking out.

The actual panel was another enjoyable one.  People certainly get a complete package when they get to deal with Emma Stone, as she is rather stunning, very personable, and a quick wit when addressing fans.  Marc Webb and Matt Tolmach also had some fun in taking the stage, thinking it would be cool to wear their 3D glasses, only to give up on that pretty quickly and addressing it head on.  Following the footage, the group was happy to participate in a Q&A, which did not lead to gaining a whole lot of depth about the film, especially as the majority of the questions were fans that simply wanted to ask cute questions for Emma Stone to answer.  Still, I think there was enough enthusiasm from the crowd to certainly suggest that people were pretty excited about seeing this new take on Spider-Man.

The Amazing Spider-Man swings into theaters on July 3, 2012.  The latest trailer is posted below:

Here is the official WonderCon panel description:

Universal Pictures: Battleship and Snow White and the Huntsman— Universal Pictures will present footage and special guests from two of its upcoming epic action-adventures: Battleship (May 18) and Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1). Battleship director/producer Peter Berg will be joined by two of the star’s from the film, Alexander Skarsgård and Brooklyn Decker, to discuss the project. Snow White and the Huntsman‘s director, Rupert Sanders, will answer questions about the new movie starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin.

The first panel up was Snow White and the Huntsman.  This will be the second Snow White-related film to come out in 2012, following the colorful-but-bland-looking Mirror Mirror.  ‘Huntsman’ looks like a decidedly darker take on the classic fairy tale, adding a level of Legend or Lord of the Rings-style of atmosphere.  The film stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chrlize Theron as the evil queen, and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsmen.  The film also features a host of great English character actors as the seven dwarfs, including Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Brendan Gleeson, Toby Jones, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost.

While I was already familiar and intrigued by this film, based on the look and tone that was shown in the first trailer, the new clip (posted below) that the audience was treated to gave a much more exciting preview of what is to come.  The same Lord of the Rings-style was very apparent, as the battle scenes in particular definitely had a familiar feel, but the most striking elements seen were the sequences that really dialed up the fantastical elements that will be featured in the film.  I am aware that this film has quite the budget, but watching this footage makes me aware that the budget has certainly been put to use.  The special effects look great, with the work done to make the normal-sized British actors look like dwarfs seeming particularly well done.  There were also instances that involved various creatures and a shattering effect applied to the destruction of armies, which looked really cool (more of this can be seen in the new trailer, also posted below).

The actual panel for the film, which featured Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, and director Rupert Saunders, was a bit of a mess, which I think can be mainly attributed to Stewart’s presence, which is kind of unfortunate.  Basically, WonderCon seems to have a bit of a grudge against the effect that Twilight has brought to its sister convention, San Diego Comic Con, which manifested itself by way of some awkward reactions to Stewart’s answers to questions.  What made matters a bit more irritating was the fact that Saunders was not too open in regards to really addressing his process in making the film.  Fortunately, Theron was a lot more game to have fun at the panel, openly attributing her ability to play dark and villainous characters to the fact that she’s a bitch (jokingly of course).  Overall, the panel may have had some hiccups in listening to the participants awkwardly answer questions from the crowd (who didn’t help things), but at least the footage was quite interesting.

Snow White and the Huntsman opens in theaters on June 1, 2012.  Check below to see a 5-minute sizzle reel from the film:

And check below here to see the latest trailer for the film:

Next up in Universal’s presentation was the panel for Battleship, the upcoming science fiction/naval warfare flick based on the popular Hasbro board game.  The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson.  It also features Alexander Skarsgård and Brooklyn Decker, who were present at the panel, along with director Peter Berg.  As some are aware, the film borrows loosely from the board game by featuring naval warfare, but adds on an alien invasion twist.

The audience was presented with two clips from the film.  The first clip was centered more around the human element of the film.  It featured Taylor Kitsch’s character interacting with Alexander Skarsgard, while also trying to woo Brooklyn Decker.  The best thing I can say about this clip is how the approach to comedy is much better than the past couple Transformers films, which try way too hard to be funny, when they don’t deal simply with robots rocking and socking each other.  The second clip was much more action heavy, as it featured Kitsch and the rest of his crew facing off against an alien in a heavy suit of armor.  The scene was a lot of fun, satisfying in how the action played out, and handled with a certain sense of style that certainly seems to evoke that of Michael Bay (in a good sort of way).

When the Q&A for the panel really kicked into gear, I was particularly satisfied with what Peter Berg had to say.  What audiences learned was how Berg originally wanted to make a movie based on In the Heart of the Sea, which is a book about the whaling ship known as the Essex, the same ship that was the basis for Moby Dick.  However, given some of the subject matter that takes place in that story, the studios were not exactly thrilled about making that movie.  Given that Berg still wanted to make some sort of naval film, when Battleship became an option for him, he felt he could make a fun popcorn flick out of it.

Berg also used this idea as a concept for his decision to add aliens to the property:  the Aliens don’t just show up randomly one day, they were invited — we contacted them.  This was followed by some explanation as to how, based around thoughts explained by Stephen Hawking in regards to research on the Goldilocks planets and NASA using SETI to send out signals.

And one last thing regarding Berg’s work on this film; he was apparently contacted by Kevin Costner, who wanted to make Berg aware of how difficult it was to work on a film based mainly on the ocean.  Overall, it was a pretty entertaining panel that spoke well for solidifying Battleship as a movie purely meant to be fun.

Battleship opens on May 18, 2012.  Check out the latest trailer for the film below:

WonderCon’s Panel Description:

Open Road Films: Lockout— Global exclusive! Be among the first in the world to see footage of the highly anticipated new film, Lockout. Starring Guy Pearce (Memento, The King’s Speech, upcoming Prometheus) and Maggie Grace (Taken, Taken 2, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Parts 1 & 2). Set in the near future, Lockout follows a falsely convicted ex-government agent (Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President’s daughter (Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum security prison. Lockout was directed by James Mather and Stephen Saint Leger from their script, co-written with Luc Besson, who is also a producer. Peter Stormare co-stars.

So this was an interesting but somewhat bland panel, mainly due to the fact that the only person to show up and promote the film was star Maggie Grace.  I imagine her role is pretty significant in the film, as she is playing opposite Guy Pearce, but it seems like more of the interesting details people could have learned about this high concept action flick could have been better communicated from nearly anyone else.  That said, Grace was pretty happy to talk about the film and be in front of a huge crowd to help show off her silly action film, so good on her.

The trailer was the first thing to be shown, in an effort to remind people what Lockout was, but the more interesting bit was the 5-minute clip from the film, which did a much better job of showing off the type of film that people will be getting into.  It featured a pretty fun action sequence involving Guy Pearce’s character, a convict, and a fight in zero-gravity.  This was followed by a pretty intense moment that involved a race against the clock, a needle, and an eye; with the clip ending right before things got too intense.

Knowing that the film is PG-13, I was into the footage enough to stay interested.  The basic concept of having Pearce play Kurt Russell in a film about a space jail is enough to satisfy me as is, but Luc Besson produced action flicks tend to be fun in and of themselves a lot of the time, so we will see.

The rest of the panel was decent enough, despite Grace being the only actress present to speak about the film.  She had more to say about hoping people get the tone of the film and referring to a lot of what people are in store for, as opposed to have cool tidbits of info to really delve into.

One additional note, Grace did speak a little about Taken 2, where she reprises her role as Liam Neeson’s daughter.  The film has apparently been filmed already and is due to come out this fall.  Not much is known about the plot, but it does involve a reversal of sorts, apparently, as Grace mentions that she was much more involved in the action.

Lockout opens on April 13^th, 2012.  Visit www.lockoutfilm.com to find out more about the film.

Check out the 5-minute clip that was shown at WonderCon below:

Here is the trailer for the film as well:

Culver City, CA (3/20/12) – Kate Beckinsale (Underworld 1 & 2, upcoming Total Recall) is back in action like you’ve never seen her before in Lakeshore Entertainment’s 3D box office smash hit UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING, rising May 8^th on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD—all of which include UltraViolet—from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In the latest thrill-packed chapter of the blockbuster Underworld series, Beckinsale reprises her role as vampire warrioress Selene for the ultimate 3D battle between Vampires and Lycans. This time, she’s joined by a new generation of sexy, ass-kicking warriors played by Michael Ealy (upcoming Think Like a Man), India Eisley (TV’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”) and Theo James (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger). Now, after wowing movie audiences with its high-flying action and eye-popping special effects, UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING soars to stunning new life on Blu-ray 3D™ and Blu-ray™, loaded with special features, including the Blu-ray exclusive “Cracking the Underworld,” a picture-in-picture experience that takes viewers on a visual journey through the rich history of all four Underworld films. Fans can trace the history of the werewolf and vampire bloodlines and learn surprising secrets about their favorite characters.  Also, exclusive to the Blu-ray 3D™ are previsualization 3D sequences, which were created early in the production process to help the filmmakers visualize some of the film’s key action sequences.

Additional bonus features on the Blu-ray 3D™ and Blu-ray™ include a filmmaker commentary, blooper reel, “Heavy Prey” music video by Lacey Sturm featuring Geno Lenardo, and five behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Selene Rises;” “Casting the Future Underworld;” “Resuming the Action;” “Building a Better Lycan;” and “Awakening a Franchise, Building a Brutal New World.”

Synopsis

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING brings a stunning new dimension to the epic battle between Vampires and Lycans, as the first film in the franchise to shoot in 3D. This time, vampire warrioress Selene (Beckinsale) escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans, and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING was directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein. The screenplay was written by Len Wiseman, John Hlavin, J. Michael Straczynski and Allison Burnett from a story by Len Wiseman and John Hlavin based on characters created by Kevin Grevioux, Len Wiseman and Danny McBride.  It was produced by Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Len Wiseman and Richard Wright. The supporting cast includes Charles Dance (TV’s “Game of Thrones”) and Stephen Rea (V for Vendetta).

The film has a run time of approximately 88 minutes and has been rated R for strong violence and gore, and for some language.

DVD Bonus Material

• Filmmaker Commentary

Blu-ray Bonus Materials

• Filmmaker Commentary
• Blu-ray™ Exclusives:

o   Blooper Reel

o   ”Heavy Prey” Music Video by Lacey Sturm feat. Geno Lenardo

o   Five Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes

§  Selene Rises

§  Casting the Future of Underworld

§  Resuming the Action

§  Building a Better Lycan

§  Awakening a Franchise, Building a Brutal New World

• Exclusive to the Blu-ray:

o   Cracking the Underworld: Picture-in-Picture Experience

Blu-ray 3D™ Bonus Materials

• Filmmaker Commentary
• Blu-ray Exclusives:

o   Blooper Reel

o   ”Heavy Prey” Music Video by Lacey Sturm feat. Geno Lenardo

o   Five Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes

• Selene Rises
• Casting the Future of Underworld
• Resuming the Action
• Building a Better Lycan
• Awakening a Franchise, Building a Brutal New World
• 3D Exclusive:

o   Previsualization Sequences

The WonderCon panel description: 

Fox Searchlight – Sound of My Voice:

Producer, writer, and actress Brit Marling is a rising talent and new voice in the genre world, creating independent films about everyday people finding themselves in fantastic circumstances. In her new film, The Sound of My Voice, Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius), a couple and documentary filmmaking team, infiltrate a mysterious group led by an enigmatic young woman named Maggie (Brit Marling). Intent on exposing her as a charlatan and freeing the followers from her grip, Peter and Lorna start to question their objective and each other as they unravel the secrets of Maggie’s underworld. Appearing in person: star, producer, and co- writer Brit Marling (Another Earth), and the film’s director/co-writer Zal Batmanglij.

The first thing that occurred during this panel was the decision to show the first 12 minutes of this film.  This entire clip can actually be found on the film’s website, but having seen the footage, I can say that I was certainly intrigued by the premise that is established.  We are thrown into a specific situation, as we follow a couple being initiated into the mysterious group, only to lead us into the introduction of Maggie, the leader.  We then learn of her backstory and eventually a big twist regarding a main element to this character, before the clip ends.  The most obvious comparison to make would be that Sound of My Voice looks to be a combination of two other Fox Searchlight films I enjoy – the cult thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene and the existential, sci-fi/drama Another Earth, which also starred and was co-written by Brit Marling.  The film certainly has the look and spirit of an independent feature, but I was also intrigued by the amount of mythology that this film seems to be creating from a few simple aspects.

Following the footage, two members of the supposed group that we see in the film took the stage for a brief period to further try and compel audiences to go and check out the film.  I have to hand it to these people for staying in character during the mixed reaction to this portion of the panel.  There was some laughter coming from the crowd as the two cultish members continued their dedication to presenting the film in a fairly obscure manner, but it at least was not as awkward as the Tim Burton gag that came in the panel that followed.

Things became clearer once star/co-writer Brit Marling and the film’s director/co-writer Zal Batmanglij came onto stage and spoke more about the film, the development process, and the excitement they have in presenting a small film to such a large crowd in this manner.  The inspiration for this film apparently came from a curiosity in regards to cult-like groups and developing a story from there, only to turn it into a much more involved screenplay.  The film was then made by very independent standards, with the main office for the film being set in Marling’s own apartment and having a lot of the cast and crew sleep there as well.  Given that the film apparently received a strong response at Sundance, I am interested in seeing how it is received upon theatrical release, given the effort to develop such an intriguing marketing campaign.

One final note, in the clip we saw, there was one particular moment that involved a very specific handshake for members of the group to perform.  Fittingly, we got to witness Marling and Batmanglij perform the handshake on stage as well.

Sound of My Voice will arrive in theaters on April 27^th; check out the website below to learn more:

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/soundofmyvoice/

Here are also some trailers and clips from the upcoming film:

Official film synopsis:

A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have imagined….

While I have not been a big fan of the past couple sequels, I still have a great deal of love for the original Paul Verhoeven film for a number of reasons.  Beyond being a slick action film, it delivered a lot of fun in the way of being a satirical take on war and government, while also delivering high in the way of creature effects and gore.  I am not sure how this new CG film will play out, but it does have Johnny Rico himself, Casper Van Dien, and the first film’s screenwriter, Edward Neumeier, in executive producer roles.  Given that I do enjoy the world that was created for this series, I can only hope that the same sort of spirit can be captured for this latest installment.

Learn more about the film at its website as well as on the film’s official blog, both links posted below:

Film Site:  http://www.starshiptroopersinvasion-movie.com/

Film Blog:  http://starshiptroopers.tumblr.com/

Here is WonderCon’s official panel description:

20th Century Fox and WonderCon attendees have two big reasons to celebrate the year’s event. Sir Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define and he’ll be live on stage to tell you all about Prometheus, his epic and groundbreaking new mythology. Sir Ridley and co-screenwriter Damon Lindelof will screen some exclusive footage.

You’ll also meet this country’s 16th president and first superhero — Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which explores the secret life of our greatest leader, and the untold story that shaped our nation. The filmmakers will screen special footage, which presents the visionary work of producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted), who bring a fresh and visceral voice to the classic portrayal of the bloodthirsty vampire, while imagining Lincoln as history’s greatest hunter of the undead.

Before I go into either of the films, I think it should be noted how awkwardly this panel started.  As Tim Burton is a producer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, he appeared in a video introduction, explaining why he could not be at WonderCon.  Apparently he was sick and still in London, presumably doing work on his film due out in the fall, Frankenweenie, but this was a strange intro.  It featured a skeleton being manipulated to appear as if it were Burton speaking and explaining how excited he was about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  The skeleton was accompanied by two Asian nurses and a large man, with an equally large beard.  I am not making this up and the very mixed reaction to this very strange intro was very noticeable.  By the end of it, we were all told to “#PreyForTim”.

Anyway, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was the first film to be presented at this panel and the panel featured star Benjamin Walker (Abe Lincoln himself), director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Night Watch, Day Watch), and screenwriter (also the author of the novel that the film is based on) Seth Grahame-Smith.  These three went on to talk about how excited they were about finishing up this movie and having it ready for everyone else to see.  In particular, Grahame-Smith was very eager to talk about how willing he was to accept the changes that needed to be made in order to adapt his own book into a film structure.  Two particular points he made were in regards to characters that actors Rufus Sewell and Anthony Mackie play in the film, as they are not actually characters in the book.  Sewell will play the lead vampire/villain of the film – Adam, while Mackie will play William Johnson, a character who existed in real life, as Lincoln’s valet and friend, but will serve as a sidekick-type character for Lincoln, in the film, who will be helping to kill vampires.

Director Timur Bekmambetov is originally from Russia and his English is not the best, so he sat most of the discussions out, but one thing all three of them were clear on was recognizing how aware they had to be of the type of film they were making.  The title, alone, is a big key in what audiences are watching, but the group acknowledged how as stylish as they wanted the film to look, there will not be any attempts to “wink” at the camera.  Playing it straight was a big part of making the right kind of film, in their eyes, and this is where they thought Tim Burton’s presence as a producer was very helpful, in order to preserve this aspect of the film.

One crazy action sequence was shown, which featured Abraham Lincoln and William Johnson on board a train fighting vampires.  Anyone familiar with Bekmambetov’s previous films should have a good sense for how the look and style of action in this film will play out.  The whole sequence was very stylish indeed, complete with slow motion effects used a great deal, along with some very clever uses of an axe (lots of spinning), in order to properly vanquish vampires.  The fact that the train was moving along a giant bridge, which was on fire, only upped the ante further into a frenzy of over-the-top ridiculousness, balanced by a fun sense of cool, which this film is clearly striving for.  The audience certainly seemed pleased.

Being a fan of the original book as well as the visual style that Bekmambetov has been delivering in his films, I think this film will definitely bring something unique for audiences to enjoy.  I only hope that the nature of the story combined with the 21^st century twist on how this film unfolds will not be too much for this film to try and handle.

The film arrives in theaters on June 22, 2012.  Check out the new Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter trailer below:

Next up was the panel for Prometheus, the new science fiction film from director Ridley Scott, stepping back into the genre for the first time in over 30 years.  This was a panel that had a lot of anticipation, which was only met with a lot more excitement than there already was for the film.  The panel featured Ridley Scott, screenwriter Damon Lindelof, and stars Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.

As many are aware, Prometheus is a film that began as a prequel to the original Alien, only to become something more.  Now it is known as a film, set in a science fiction universe that shares some DNA with the universe of Alien, but is also its own thing.   The basic concept for the plot is that a crew of the spaceship Prometheus, in the year 2085, explores an advanced alien civilization in search of the origins of humanity.  From there, other crazy things of course occur as well.  The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Patrick Wilson, Idris Elba, and Logan Marshall-Green.

Beyond being among the first to see the brand new trailer for the film, the most interesting thing about the panel was hearing Ridley Scott speak about stepping back into the world of science fiction.  He seemed quite pleased with getting back behind the production of a film set in that sort of genre and made it a point to say that he is looking forward to doing it again (whether it be a sequel to this film or a hint at something else *ahem* Blade Runner *ahem*).  Scott also spoke of his dealing with the practicality of CGI advances versus going about things the old fashioned way, where he basically stated that he is fine with the use of advanced tools, as long as he can still get what he things is best out it.  He explained how with the freedom that comes with being able to do so much more, there is much more of a challenge of competing with others in a field that has become quite crowded and still being able to show people something new.

With the new trailer, it certainly feels like we are getting something unique.  Regardless of the Alien-vibe that it echoes (and really, how is that a bad thing?), Prometheus definitely looks like a grand sci-fi experience, that I cannot wait to behold in all its IMAX 3D glory.

The film arrives in theaters on June 8, 2012.  Check out the new Prometheus trailer below:

Anchor Bay Entertainment begins THE TERROR EXPERIMENT April 10th on Blu-ray and DVD.  Featuring an all-star cast including Jason London, C. Thomas Howell, Alicia Leigh Willis, Lochlyn Munro, Alexander Mendeluk, with Robert Carradine, and Judd Nelson.

BATTLE ROYALE. A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences. A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations, including the upcoming The Hunger Games motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. Authors, filmmakers and film fans the world over consider the film and its 2003 sequel Battle Royale II: Requiem sacred cinematic classics. And now, fans can own them on high-definition Blu-ray and DVD!

SYNOPSIS

In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. Chiaki Kuriyama and screen legend Takeshi Kitano star in the movie that has been argued, acclaimed and banned around the world. More than a decade later, it remains one of the most savage, shocking and emotionally powerful films of all time. Now experience the complete Director’s Cut of Kinji Fukasaku’s uncompromising masterpiece — nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards — available uncensored and unrated for the first time ever in America.

“This is the film the Vatican doesn’t want you to see.”

- Naibe Reynoso, CARACOL RADIO 1260

INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS, THE CHILLING TALE
OF EVIL INCARNATE COMES HOME

THE DEVIL INSIDE

Terrifying Smash-Hit Debuts on Blu-ray™ & DVD May 15, 2012

THE DEVIL INSIDE Blu-ray will be presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD will be presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, as well as English, French and Spanish subtitles.

*DVD Artwork Pictured

LAAF Event Description:

The all-time classic THE IRON GIANT comes to the big screen for one very big, very special celebration.  All ticket sales go to charity. Cast & crew reunion – featuring director/writer Brad Bird and a panel hosted by well-known Animation Director Tom Sito including, Brad Booker – animator, Steve Markowski – storyboard, Mark Whiting – production designer, Eddie Rosas – animator, Alan Bodner – art director, and Tad Gielow – computer engineer.  With actors Christopher McDonald (voice of Kent Mansley) and Eli Marienthal (voice of Hogarth Hughes).

For those not as familiar, The Iron Giant is a film about a boy in 1957, during the period of the space race between the U.S. and Russia, who discovers a giant robot in the woods.  The boy, Hogarth Hughes, befriends the robot, who is apparently capable of learning and feeling emotion.  Due to the arrival of a paranoid government agent, Hogarth must do his best to hide the giant robot, in order to stop the army from trying to destroy it.

There are many things that are special about the film, but what makes it stand out, I believe, is the amount of sentiment that comes from the relationship that develops between Hogarth and the giant robot.  For literally being from opposite worlds, seeing how this plays out is especially fascinating and affecting as the story goes on.  The Iron Giant is also notable for being a traditionally hand-drawn animated film that incorporates a lot of 3D animation as well.  Set in the 1950s, it has a wonderful retro vibe, but looks great regardless (and unfortunately, I did not learn whether or not the film would be coming to Blu-ray anytime soon).

Below I have embedded a recording of the full Q&A that took place.  It was quite entertaining and insightful to listen to, especially for anyone that wanted to know more about some what took place in regards to the production of the film.  I have tried to adjust the sound a bit to make it clear enough, though some of the panel’s microphones were lower than the others.  Regardless, please enjoy.

Here is a link, if the embed doesn’t work in your browser: Q&A

I would like to also add how pleasant and humble everyone who participated in the panel was.  The cast and crew, particularly Brad Bird, were all willing to autograph pictures and memorabilia, along with pose for photos for the many fans in attendance.  Eli Marienthal has certainly grown up as well.  13 years after the film’s initial release, he is now 26-years old and studying to get his Ph.D in Geography at Berkley.  Of course, Brad Bird has also managed to find continued success with The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and his recent live-action film debut of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.  What seemed most apparent is how happy they all were to talk about The Iron Giant, which is a film that they seem to clearly all love and appreciate.  And why shouldn’t they?  The Iron Giant is a great film that was able to continue on, even after mixed success theatrically.

The Los Angeles Animation Festival was founded in 2007 by John Andrews and Miles Flanagan.  Frustrated by the lack of a cohesive animation festival in Los Angeles, the founders sought to create a festival experience that allowed unknown animators to meet and mingle with industry professionals.  LAAF is now the largest International Animation Festival in Los Angeles and offers a unique social and business experience to those attending, celebrating both mainstream and independent animation with special screenings, events, panels, awards and contests.  The Festival will take place from March 7-11, 2012, at the Regent Showcase Theater.  Learn more about it here:  http://blog.laafest.com/

Pre-order your copy today!

With an all-star cast including Rebecca DeMornay, Jamie King, Briana Evigan, Patrick John Flueger, Deborah Ann Woll, Lyriq Bent, Frank Grillo and Shawn Ashmore, MOTHER’S DAY is the chilling and gorier remake of the 1980 Troma classic by the same name.

Anchor Bay Films presents the ultimate “Mother” with the May 8th release of MOTHER’S DAY on Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack and on DVD. MOTHER’S DAY will also have exclusive theatrical engagements in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago on May 4th in select theaters.

However, Beth’s and Steve’s message of personal chastity quickly comes into direct conflict with Tressock’s sexual and religious practices, drawing upon ancient Celtic beliefs and rituals. Temptations begin to challenge Beth and Steve – with the stakes no less than their very lives and souls…

Christopher Lee, who played the mysterious Lord Summerisle in the original, returns again in a dramatic cameo. Rounding out the cast are Jacqueline Leonard as Lady Delia Morrison, Clive Russell as Beame, James Mapes as Reverend Moriarty and Honeysuckle Weeks as Lolly.

Bonus features on THE WICKER TREE Blu-ray and DVD include a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer.  The flick hits the retail streets on April 24th.  Check out the trailer below and pre-order your copy now!  I said NOW!

LEGENDARY ACTOR JOHN WAYNE’S COMPELLING WESTERN CLASSIC DEBUTS ON BLU-RAY™

HONDO

Dramatic Tale of the American Frontier Arrives June 5, 2012 Loaded with
Making Of Featurettes, Expert Commentary, a Photo Gallery and More

The HONDO Blu-ray includes an introduction by celebrated film critic
Leonard Maltin, a multiple-part Making Of featurette, commentary by Maltin, Western historian Frank Thompson and actor Lee Aaker, a look at the Apache, a photo gallery and more.

Blu-ray

The HONDO Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, English Mono Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

Special features are as follows:

• Introduction by Leonard Maltin
• Commentary by Leonard Maltin, Western historian Frank Thompson and actor
  Lee Aaker
• The Making of Hondo

o   The Making of Hondo

o   Profile: James Edward Grant

o   The John Wayne Stock Company: Ward Bond

o   Wrap up with Leonard Maltin

• From the Batjac Vaults
• The Apache
• Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

Order Hondo on Blu-ray!

ONLY ONE NAME DEFINES THE ULTIMATE HERO…

ONLY ONE FORMAT DELIVERS THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE…

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE COMPLETE INDIANA JONES

FILM COLLECTION COMES TO BLU-RAY!

Order The Indiana Jones Complete Collection on Blu-ray!

Mallory is a highly trained government operative who works in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world.  After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist who was being held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency.  Instantly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.  Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious – and dangerous – trap.  But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

*Best Director, Traffic, 2000

**Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, Moulin Rouge!, 2001

***Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, 2003; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, The Mask of Zorro, 1998; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, Evita, 1996

****Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, “Big Love,” 2010, 2008, 2007; Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, A Bright Shining Lie, 1999

*****Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Shame, 2012

******OSCAR® – Best Actor in a Leading Role, Wall Street, 1987; Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975; GOLDEN GLOBE – Cecil B. DeMille Award, 2004; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Wall Street, 1988