4:16 PM PT

The Academy Awards are finally here, so as you can imagine, all of Los Angeles is pretty much shut down. I’ve lived in Los Angeles now for over a decade, and the city comes to a halt when the Oscars are about to be handed out. There’s almost no point in going anywhere because most of the roads in the city are closed off. The city is not as glamorous as people make it out to be, but tonight is a major exception obviously. The stars have already started to arrive and are being interviewed, and it’s the typical interview of celebrities describing the maker of their clothes and of how nervous they are. Why be nervous? They’re only about to go in front of a billion people!

My hopes for this year’s show? I hope it’s far more entertaining than last year’s effort. Despite the presence of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, there wasn’t much to remember about it. This year, we have James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosting, and they are the youngest hosts this show has seen in ages. Both are also wonderful actors in their own right with Franco nominated this year for “127 Hours.” I hope he wins, but it seems a foregone conclusion that Colin Firth will take it home.

4:30 PM

With these interviews with the stars, I keep waiting for that moment that Jack Black had when he was being interviewed and the interviewer looked off in the distance and Jack said:

“Is someone more important coming along?”

I had been waiting years for someone to say that!

These interviews were typically short and more about what they were wearing or “who” they were wearing. They always come across as awkward because the smiles seem forced, and you get the inescapable impression that the celebrities would rather be somewhere else.

5:00 PM

So now have the countdown clock ticking backwards to the start of the show. I have to tell you, seeing these clocks make time go SLOWER for me. I know the Oscars are coming up. You don’t need to remind me because I don’t watch TV all that much!

5:08 PM

Ben Mankiewicz said the obvious that Colin Firth will get the Best Actor Oscar for “The King’s Speech.” He described his chances in saying to think of Colin as the Green Bay Packers going against a high school football team, and not a very good one at that. Brilliant!

5: 13 PM

Nicole Kidman, nominated for Best Actress for “Rabbit Hole,” said that it is an honor to be nominated. While it may be easy for her to say that, I actually believe she is genuine in saying that. Sometimes that is the best way to look at things. I have not seen “Rabbit Hole” yet which didn’t get much of a release, but I look forward to seeing it soon.

5:44 PM

Art Direction is the first Oscar to be presented. Tom Hanks gives it to “Alice In Wonderland,” a movie that was not as good as it wanted to be. James Franco and Anne Hathaway have a nice start, and I liked how they joked about fitting the right demographics that the Academy Awards is looking to get this year.

5:47 PM

Wally Pfister gets Best Cinematography for “Inception” (YES!!!). He was looking to the clock which gives him how much time he has left. So far, the Oscars are off to a quick start. The producers really are serious about keeping the ceremony shorter than usual.

5:51 PM

Kirk Douglas gets the evening’s first standing ovation. Says Franco looks better out of the cave, and says Hathaway is gorgeous and wonders where she was he was making movies. He is presenting the Best Supporting Actress award.

Melissa Leo gets Best Supporting Actress! YES!!!!! She ended up saying the F-word on national television. You know what? Good for her! Seeing her win was awesome because it means her own ads didn’t affect her odds. Also, it was clearly based on her performance which was awesome. I’m really happy for Melissa who has had and still will have an amazing career.

I love how Kirk Douglas stalled on announcing the winner for Best Supporting Actress. Most other actors would NOT get away with that, but he did and for good reason. To see Kirk living and kicking after all these years is great.

6:06 PM

“Toy Story 3” gets the Best Animated Feature Oscar, and they continue to dominate this Oscar category for very good reasons. Its director thanked the audience for embracing a movie about “talking toys” which truly had something important to say.

“Toy Story 3” was one of my favorite movies of the year.

6:14 PM

Aaron Sorkin wins Best Adapted Screenplay for “The Social Network.” But did the music really have to play as he was finishing his speech? Way to go!

6:18 PM

“The King’s Speech” gets its first Oscar of the evening for Best Original Screenplay. Its writer David Seidler said that his father called him a late bloomer, and that he hopes that his record as the oldest Oscar winner in this category will be broken over and over.

So right now, it looks like the Oscar race between “The King’s Speech” and “The Social Network” is pretty tight.

6:25 PM

It’s not often you see a former host of the Oscars sitting in the audience and being addressed by the host of this year’s Oscars. Hugh Jackman is and most likely always be a great sport as Anne Hathaway proved she has an amazing set of vocal pipes!

6:32 PM

Christian Bale wins Best Supporting Actor for “The Fighter.” It looked to be a tight race between him and Geoffrey Rush, but in the end, it always looked like this particular award was destined to be his.

6:45 PM

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross take away the Oscar for Best Original Score for “The Social Network.” I’m thrilled to see the head of Nine Inch Nails now being known as an Oscar winner.

6:47 PM

“Inception” gets its second Oscar of the evening for Best Sound Mixing. Maybe it will do better tonight than many would expect it.

6:49 PM

It’s another one for “Inception” as it gets Best Sound Effects Editing. To see it as the one as the one with the most Oscar wins this evening so far feels really cool.

6:56 PM

“The Wolfman” gets the Oscar for Best Makeup. Seeing Cate Blanchett say that their work is gross “is a highlight.”

6:58 PM

Colleen Atwood gets Best Costume Design for “Alice In Wonderland.” A couple of stagehands were seen going being the stage as she did her speech.

7:20 PM

Oprah Winfrey presents the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. The Oscar goes to don my Netflix queue. One of the winners pointed out that not one of the Wall Street executives are behind bars and how wrong that is.

7:27 PM

Anne Hathaway introduces Billy Crystal, not at all expected. He called Bob Hope what an Oscar host should be, a “sexy movie star.” Seeing him at the Oscars again is really nice, and hopefully we will see him there again. Even after all these years, so many wonder before the Oscar host(s) are announced if Billy will be back. Give in to it Billy!!! I hate to see you wake up in the morning with a horse’s head in your head.

7:33 PM

It’s another one for “Inception” as it wins Best Visual Effects! Could it possibly upset “The King’s Speech” and “The Social Network” for Best Picture? I can dream, can’t I? “Inception” is my pick for Best Picture mainly because my favorite movie of the year (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) was NOT nominated.

7:35 PM

“The Social Network” wins Best Film Editing. Things are looking better for this film in an awards ceremony where “The King’s Speech” is expected to reign supreme.

7:45 PM

The last two nominees for Best Original Song perform. The Oscar goes to Randy Newman for “We Belong Together” for the great movie “Toy Story 3.”

7:51 PM

Celine Dion sings over the In Memorium section of the Oscars. Usually you measure the applause between those you got the most, but this year that was not the case, Halle Berry comes out to praise the late Lena Horne, so she is the only one from this past year who deserves more applause than anyone else.

8:03 PM

Tom Hooper gets Best Director for “The King’s Speech.” While I wanted to see David Fincher get it for “The Social Network,” Tom did get the DGA award for good reason. Tom ends his speech by saying:

“Listen to your mother.”

8:07 PM

The Academy looks back at the Governors Awards. Kevin Brownlow, Francis Ford Coppola, and Eli Wallach get their due in front of a billion people. Still, it would have been nice to see them accept their awards during the actual ceremony.

8:14 PM

Jeff Bridges takes his precious time introducing each of the nominees for Best Actress. Natalie Portman wins the Oscar in this category.

So I guess there’s not going to be anymore of those emotional tributes to each nominee. It’s back to the clips and close ups of the actors. What a shame, that made it seem like there were absolutely no losers. My reaction to that was censored by ABC just in time.

8:25 PM

Colin Firth wins Best Actor for “The King’s Speech” just as we all expected him to. It seems like whenever someone playing a member of the Royal Family, they are destined to win no matter what. Perhaps there have been exceptions to this.

8:36 PM

“The King’s Speech” wins Best Picture of the year. This is somewhat of a deflating moment for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was far and away one of the best movies of 2010, but Best Picture?

“Inception,” “The Social Network,” “Winter’s Bone,” and “Toy Story 3” were far more deserving. How did this particular one manage to trump them all?

8:39 PM

The P.S. 22 kids end the ceremony with their wonderful singing. Not sure why the producers ended the show with this, but nice all the same.

So, another Oscar ceremony comes to an end. All I can hear now is the collective sigh from all the nominees that the awards season finally comes to an end. They must be so sick of hearing about themselves.

I know I didn’t include all the winners in this article, but I guess it shows which moments of the show were more absorbing than others.

Along with the 2011 Independent Spirt Awards winners being announced yesterday, the 2011 Razzies honoring the worst films of 2010 was dominated by "The Last Airbender" and "Sex in the City 2". Here are the complete list of winners.

Worst Picture - "The Last Airbender"

Worst Actor - Ashton Kutcher, "Killers" and "Valentine's Day"

Worst Actress - Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon "Sex and the City 2"

Worst Supporting Actress - Jessica Alba, "The Killer Inside Me," "Little Fockers," "Machete" and "Valentine's Day"

Worst Supporting Actor - Jackson Rathbone, "The Last Airbender," "Eclipse"

Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3-D -"The Last Airbender"

Worst Screen Couple/Screen Ensemble -The entire cast of "Sex ad the City 2"

Worst Director - M. Night Shyamalan, "The Last Airbender"

Worst Screenplay - "The Last Airbender," written by M. Night Shyamalan

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel - "Sex and the City 2"

Yesterday, the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards was held. Here are the complete list of winners.

Best Feature - "Black Swan"

Best Director - Darren Aronofsky "Black Swan"

Best Screenplay - Stuart Blumberg & Lisa Cholodenko "The Kids Are All Right"

Best First Feature - Get Low

Best First Screenplay - Lena Dunham "Tiny Furniture"

John Cassavetes Award (For the best feature made under $500,000) - "Daddy Longlegs"

Best Supporting Female - Dale Dickey "Winter's Bone"

Best Supporting Male - John Hawkes "Winter's Bone"

Best Female - Natalie Portman - "Black Swan"

Best Male - James Franco "127 Hours"

Best Cinematography - Matthew Libatique "Black Swan"

Best Foreign Film - The King's Speech

Best Documentary - Exit Through The Gift Shop

Dimension Films recently send us over the chilling trailer and poster regarding their upcoming faux- documentary / found footage film "Apollo 18", which is set to hit theaters on April 22nd.

Plot Synopsis:

Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 17th, 1972, was the last manned mission to the moon. But a year later, in December of 1973, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the US Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it's the real reason we've never gone back to the moon.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://apollo18movie.net/

"Apollo 18": Official Trailer

Twisted Central and They Call Ron Productions recently send us information regarding the second episode of their short film series "The Social Media Massacre"

The next installment in The Social Media Massacre is now online from Twisted Central Productions and They Call Me Ron Productions.

Heather Dorff and Kelsey Zukowski star in "Im Streaming Death..", the story of what can happen when bullying goes too far and things get settled live on the web!.

The Social Media Massacre began with a short of the same name in late 2010 and grew into a critically acclaimed web anthology! Being praised by Dread Central, Horrormovies.ca and many other websites!

"I'm Streaming Death" can be seen at www.theycallmeron.com

Want to help donate to fund future episodes of the series, you can goto http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Social-Media-Massacre-The-Series, for more information.

You can also catch the first two episodes on our youtube page at www.youtube.com/filmarcade. It's located under "Favorites"

Welcome to the 276th Edition to my long-running series. This is the last February post so therefore the last week for Black History Month so I have some selections this week to end the month. Next month I am making my own month called National Rock Music Month where I will note rock songs that are in soundtracks and intend to put a concert film or rock documentary in all four weeks of March so we'll see how that goes. This week I pay tribute to Jerry "The King" Lawler whose mother recently died and were reminded of that last Monday night on Raw by Michael Cole.

Taking Chance (2009): This is the 17th link on The Chain and is my HBO movie for the week. Kevin Bacon stars as Lt. Col. Mike Strobl who has a proposal to reduce casualties in Iraq but is rejected because of his lack of recent combat experience. He then volunteers to escort the body of Chance Phelps who was killed in combat. In his journey he learns a lot about the things that Chance did while learning a lot about himself. This film is based on a true story and on an article written by Strobl on his journey during the escort. There is not a whole lot on plot but that is made up by the performance for Bacon and the inspiration it can provide. This movie is a tribute to the military and makes quite a statement and a positive one at that. As Bacon said in an interview, it is a simple story of a man returning a body to their hometown to get the proper respects paid and showing what the process is like. The Chain continues next week with another from Kevin Bacon.

The Tenants (2005): This is based on a novel by Bernard Malamud who also wrote the novel for THE NATURAL. THE PRACTICE alum Dylan McDermott stars as struggling writer Harry Lesser who refuses to give into the landlord about moving out and tries finishing his book. He is glad to be the only person there but is soon joined by another up and coming writer named Willie Spearmint, played by the legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. They form a rather uneasy friendship but their cultural differences put a lot of tension between them. This independent film went onto some very mixed opinions but I thought it was quite interesting and a different role for Snoop Dogg where is playing more serious and while not great gets the job done as well as McDermott in his everyday struggle to get the book perfected but just always finds little things. I'm sure many novelists can relate some to that character. This by no means matched THE NATURAL but an interesting film showing the totally different minds of two writers.

Born to Fight (1956): This is my short film for the week which I found on TCM On-Demand. This is a documentary short which focuses on bullfighting in Portugal and how it differs from Spain and Latin America. This was pretty informative and had some pretty good footage of some of the real-life Matadors who were billed as some of the best in the industry.

Lying Lips (1939): This is one of my Black History Month selections and I chose director Oscar Micheaux who was the most successful black filmmakers of that era. I found this on my Pub-D-Hub app which is a public domain program on my Roku player which also gets me my instant Netflix so this Roku player has been a great investment. I know I just made a plug but I have the right to do that since this is my blog. However, now I'll get to the movie and I have done quite a few weeks of using 1939 which was the big year for film but this one does not really rank up high in the list of films for that year. Edna Mae Harris plays a nightclub singer who was framed for murder and convicted. Her friend who is a cop does not believe she is guilty and looks to prove her innocence. This is mostly a selection for historical purposes with people like the filmmaker and that there were actual black people in the film rather than a bunch of whites in blackface. It was good for what it was and the low budget that Micheaux had at the time. It was worth a watch if you can find it through public domain.

The Hospital (1971): I found this one on TCM and it sounded interesting so I thought I'd try it. Paddy Chayefsky wrote this satire which stars George C. Scott as Dr. Herbert Block who is the head of the hospital but he is also suicidal. In this hospital, patients are dying because of things like wrong medicines and such. THE AVENGERS alum Diana Rigg plays Barbara who decides to take her dad back to a Sioux reservation and has some rather unusual treatment towards patients. Together, form quite a relationship where Herbert starts to reevaluate his life. This is a very dark type of humor and this movie seems to have gone under the radar but was great to watch. Chayefsky also wrote the great 1976 satire NETWORK which focused on the News industry.

Good Fences (2003): This is another one of my Black History Month selections which focuses on a very successful black family in the '70s in Greenwich, Connecticut. Danny Glover stars as black attorney Tom Spader who is very successful and becomes obsessed with "ending the colored man's losing streak" and overwhelms his teenage kids with his beliefs. Whoopi Goldberg plays his wife likes her life but still wants to be able to focus on their heritage. They live in a suburban neighborhood where things change when another black lady named Ruth Crisp moves into the neighborhood because of winning the lottery. Tom sees her as the type of person they wanted to get away from. This is another satire on racism and even a bit of racism from the race. This movie was originally shown on Showtime and I thought was worth a watch. Lots of good pop culture references from that era like from ROOTS.

The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA (2006): This is my tribute to Jerry Lawler who recently lost his mother and his part focuses on the last days in AWA where he won the championship from AWA. This was a promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota which ran from 1960 to 1991 and produced some of the top stars we know today. It was founded by Verne Gagne and much of it obviously focuses on his life. It focuses on its rise and its later fall but it remains a very important promotion. Many people got their start here or were trained by Verne Gagne. Ric Flair was trained by Gagne and went onto become one of the best of all time. Hulk Hogan also got his start and is really where Hulkamania started by Gagne never saw the potential and Vince McMahon Jr. capitalized which is what McMahon is known for doing which is not saying anything bad about him. There is discussion on Vince McMahon Jr.'s expansion and how it made it difficult for other promotions but even some of the loyal AWA wrestlers acknowledging that it really was not McMahon who put them out of business. It focused up to the point where Gagne was inducted into the WWE hall of fame and him talking about how surprised he was when being named into it. This is a great documentary for wrestling fans and a good history lesson for the younger wrestling fans as this is a promotion that earned its respect and will always have its place in history. There are interviews with many AWA alums like Verne and his son Greg Gagne who had a pretty successful career. It was also interesting to see footage of a young Eric Bischoff who worked as an interviewer there. Other interviewers include Blackjack Lanza, Nick Bockwinkel, Jim Brunzell, and many others.

The Westerner (1940): This is my western for the week which I found on TCM. William Wyler directed this western which stars Gary Cooper as a cowboy named Cole Hardin and runs into some difficulty in a Texas town where he is accused of a crime and sentenced to hang by the self-appointed Judge Roy Bean. He then professes that he knows Lily Langtree whose picture Roy has hanging in his saloon and delays the hanging for two weeks where they form an uneasy friendship. Walter Brennan plays Roy Bean who was a real person but in real-life was only known to sentence a couple people to hang even though Hollywood calls him the "hanging judge". Cooper and Brennan were very good in their roles and was a pretty good western.

The Subject was Roses (1968): This is something I also found on TCM which is based on a play by Frank Gilroy. A young Martin Sheen stars as Tim Cleary who is returning home from WWII and must deal with the difficult relationship his parents are having getting caught in the middle. Jack Albertson and Patricia Neal play his parents John and Nettie. It's a pretty simple story with a very small cast where they must all try to work out all their differences they have had through the years and what they have now. It is a drama which is driven by the characters and performances and was very compelling and has gone down as an underrated drama. Sheen and Albertson played these characters on the stage version before the movies. Albertson is most known as Grandpa Joe in WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and is much different in this film.

Seven Pounds (2008): I end with this Black History Month selection which mainly applies to the former Fresh Prince Will Smith and Rosario Dawson. I was not sure what to really think of this but ended up actually liking it as well as Will Smith. Smith stars as Ben, an IRS agent who has quite a secret. For redemption, he is looking for seven strangers to help in big ways. Rosario Dawson plays Emily, who is in debt large to the IRS and has a lot of heart problems where she could die at anytime. They end up falling in love and making him rethink his future. Woody Harrelson co-stars as one of the people he tries to help and plays a character I can relate to, a call center employee. It was a part where Will Smith has pretty limited comedy and I thought the movie was rather moving with quite an ending. Gabriele Muccino who directed Will Smith in THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS also directed this film and these two are my favorite Will Smith films.

Well, that is it for this week so tell me what you like and dislike. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Kevin Bacon, Henry Fonda, Louis Malle, Vanessa Redgrave, William Holden, Mo'Nique, and many others.

Hot off the heels of "The Disco Exorcist", which has been gaining a cult like status on the web. Scorpio Film Releasing recently send us over regarding their next production, "Exhumed".

Press Release:

New England’s most productive film company is at it again, as Scorpio Film Releasing prepares for production on their latest feature EXHUMED. The production will star Sarah Nicklin (Nun of That), Michael Reed (The Disco Exorcist), Ruth Sullivan (Nun of That), Michael Thurber (The Disco Exorcist), Rich Tretheway (Atomic Brain Invasion), Jonathan Thomson and genre great Debbie Rochon as the Governess. Set to begin production in may, EXHUMED is a uniquely original vision of horror written by Guy Benoit (Atomic Brain Invasion), produced by Ted Marr (The Disco Exorcist) and to be directed by Richard Griffin (Nun of That). In describing EXHUMED, Griffin asks;
"Have you ever noticed that, unlike other genres, Hollywood seems to think that fans of horror will be satisfied with a litany of sequels and remakes, without an ounce of new or original content? Perhaps that is because we in the Independent community have been lax about bringing new material to the genre as well. How many zombies and vampire movies can be made before that well runs dry? Well, Exhumed is something different, a film about the most malicious and evil creature of all. Human beings."

EXHUMED is currently fundraising via Kickstarter. To help the film come to life, and be a part of an original production, visit the EXHUMED Kickstarter page. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/917322639/exhumed?ref=search

Want more information on this project and how you can donate towards the film. Check out this video featuring Sarah Nicklin, who is one of the film's stars.

After Dark Films recently send us over information with the film's trailer regarding

their film "51", which will be premiering on Syfy tomorrow night at 9PM.

Plot Synopsis:

Due to political pressure from the American public, the Air Force has decided to allow two well-known reporters limited access to the most secretive base on the planet. But when one of the base’s “long-term visitors” exploits this unprecedented visit as a chance to liberate himself and his fellow alien captives, Area 51 turns from a secure government base to a horrifying destination of terror.

The film stars Bruce Boxleitner, John Shea, Jason London, and Rachel Miner.

"51" Official Trailer

IFC Films recently send us over the official trailer and poster for "We Are What We Are", which is currently playing in select theaters.

Plot Synopsis:

After their father dies in the street, the devastated family is confronted not only with his loss but with a terrible challenge - how to survive. They are a family of cannibals who have always existed on a diet of human flesh provided by the father. Now that he is gone, who will hunt? The task falls to the eldest son, Alfredo, a teenage misfit who seems far from ready to accept the challenge... But without human meat the family will die.

Focusing on a moment of crisis in a family of cannibals with stylistic panache and surprising humanity, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE was one of the discoveries of the 2010 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, before playing at the New York Film Festival and Fantastic Fest, where it won the “Next Wave” competition for Best Film and Best Screenplay.

"We Are What We Are" is in select theaters now and will be available nationwide on demand from IFC Midnight, via Comcast, Cox, Cablevision, Time Warner, and Bright House starting February 23rd.

"We Are What We Are": Official Trailer

Full Moon Features recently send us information about the first two theaters, in which "Evil Bong 3D" will be playing, plus they need your help to help them promote the film in these areas.

The first two theater and date announcements for "Evil Bong 3D" are:

1. Chicago, IL
Saturday, April 9, 2011
PORTAGE THEATRE
4050N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL
-------
2. Tempe, AZ
Saturday, April 16th, 2011
MADCAP THEATRES
730 South Mill Avenue
Tempe, AZ

More cities will be announced soon!

Full Moon Features also need people to help distribute fliers, put up posters around the city, spread the word online, tweet it, create your own facebook event and invite everyone you know! The personal touch matters. And they need your personal touch! You can contact them at ry@fullmoonfeatures.com so he can organize you all.

Please include your email address, phone number, and MOST importantly, your mailing address and full name.

For more information and latest news reguarding this film, you can visit the film's official website at:http://evilbong3d.com/

Miramax is at it again. This time entering into another distribution agreement with Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. This will bring some of their cult films and lesser known films to Blu-Ray for the very first time.

Press Release:

Echo Bridge Entertainment, a leading worldwide distribution company, and Miramax recently announced that they have entered into a domestic distribution deal. Under the long-term deal, Echo Bridge will distribute 251 titles from the distinguished Miramax film library via DVD and Blu-ray to retailers around the country utilizing Echo Bridge's unique merchandising and distribution techniques. Miramax titles under the new partnership include such films as the From Dusk Till Dawn trilogy, award-winning dramas such as Music of the Heart, Marvin's Room, Tsotsi and Becoming Jane, and select titles from the Hellraiser, Halloween, Pokemon and Children of the Corn franchises.

"These Miramax titles are fabulous additions to our home entertainment offerings," said Michael Rosenblatt, Chairman, President and CEO of Echo Bridge. "We're elated to partner with Mike Lang and the new Miramax team. We are all very excited about bringing these Miramax titles – many of which have tremendous star power and are cult classics – to audiences for their discovery and enjoyment."

"We are very pleased to partner with Michael Rosenblatt and the team at Echo Bridge on these titles, which in many cases have never been fully exploited," said Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax. "Our goal at Miramax is to work with the right partners to fully maximize every asset in our extraordinary film catalog across all platforms. We believe the Echo Bridge team will bring the right experience, execution and a strong entrepreneurial approach to our business, along with our other home entertainment partners."

We recently received the official trailer for the upcoming Direct To DVD release "S.W.A.T:Firefight" from Columbia Pictures.

Plot Synopsis:

An expert in anti-terrorism tactics, hotshot LAPD officer Paul Cutler (GABRIEL MACHT, Behind Enemy Lines) is ordered to Detroit to train its S.W.A.T. team in the latest hostage rescue techniques. But everything changes when their botched response to a domestic dispute ends with a hostage down and a government assassin (ROBERT PATRICK, Terminator 2) now obsessed with terminating Cutler as well as his entire S.W.A.T. team.

"S.W.A.T. Firefight" explodes it's way onto DVD and Blu-Ray on March 1st.

"S.W.A.T: Firefight" Official Trailer

Film District recently send us over the offical trailer and information regarding their film "Indsidious", which stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey.

Plot Synopsis:

The writer-director team behind SAW and the filmmakers of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY redefine the haunted house genre in INSIDIOUS. This horror film is the terrifying story of a family who shortly after moving discover that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to discover that it was not their house that was haunted.

INSIDIOUS comes from the director-writer team of James Wan and Leigh Whannell (SAW), and is produced by the masterminds behind PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: Oren Peli, Jason Blum and Steven Schneider. The film stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins and Barbara Hershey.

INSIDIOUS will be released by FilmDistrict on April 1st.

"Insidious": Official Trailer

The Austin Film Festival has send us information for filmmakers, who are looking to submit their films into this year's Austin Film Festival.

This year's festival is already open to submissions. The regular Deadline: June 1 ($45), but you don't make that one the late deadline is July 1 ($50) and very late deadline in July 15 ($60).

The categories include:

Narrative Feature
Narrative Short
Narrative Student Short
Documentary Feature
Documentary Short
Animated Short

AFF is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences®, making all Jury Award-winning narrative short and animated short films eligible for an Academy Award®.

3 Ways to Submit
1. MAIL – CLICK HERE to download entry form
2. ONLINE – CLICK HERE to submit online
3. WITHOUTABOX – CLICK HERE to submit through WAB

Rules/Awards
2010 Film Competition Winners
2010 Audience Award Winners

Need an audience? We’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re looking for industry attention, film-savvy theatergoers, or just a great excuse to visit the “Live Music Capital of the World,” the Austin Film Festival is the place for you this October. With one-of-a-kind venues and carefully selected competition juries, we make sure your work gets the respect it deserves. Don’t miss your opportunity to share the spotlight with an enthusiastic and encouraging mix of aspiring and established filmmaking talent.

Offering the best in film…

Each year, the AFF presents over 170 regional, national, and world premiere films. From highly anticipated Hollywood fare to the finest in independent filmmaking, the Festival focuses on showcasing the films and filmmakers audiences want to see. Among 2010’s notable screenings were Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and 127 Hours, by Danny Boyle. Submit today, and your film could take its place in this year’s film lineup.

Relativity Media recently provided us with some stills for their upcoming 3D epic "Immortals", which hits theaters on November 11th.

Plot Synopsis:

In Immortals, the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke) leads his bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece to find a deadly weapon that will destroy humanity. A mortal chosen by Zeus named Theseus (Cavill) must lead the fight against Hyperion and his evil army with the fate of mankind and the Gods at stake.

Directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, Immortals stars Henry Cavill (“The Tudors”), Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twilight series), with John Hurt (Hellboy), and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2).

Immortals is produced by Mark Canton (300), Gianni Nunnari (Shutter Island) and Ryan Kavanaugh (Dear John), and Executive Produced by Tucker Tooley (Dear John), Tommy Turtle (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Jeff G. Waxman (Law Abiding Citizen).

Welcome to the 275th Edition of my long-running series. Tonight I will be ring announcing for the debuting wrestling promotion Action Packed Wrestling so I hope this is the start to a great independent promotion. It is in Muncie, Indiana at at the Ross Community Center so if you are in the area come check it out. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts 7 pm. Tickets are $12 at the door. This week I pay tribute to film composer John Barry and actor Kenneth Mars who recently left us.

Stir of Echoes (1999): This is the 15th link on the chain and this link goes to Kevin Dunn. This is my horror film for the week. Kevin Bacon stars as Tom who is living a good life with a wife and son, has a good job and has some good friends. However, during a discussion on hypnosis, his sister-in-law Lisa, played by Illeanna Douglas puts a hypnotic trance on him. He is then seeing some images of a young girl being brutally murdered and sets out to find the body. His son also has the abilities to talk to the dead which also plays a major part in the investigation. This was a pretty enjoyable horror film with Kevin Bacon good in the lead. Kathryn Erbe plays his wife who is getting a bit concerned about her husband and even son. This may seem like another THE SIXTH SENSE but it really is not in my opinion. Next week, the chain continues with one of the actors, actresses, or director.

The Glass Menagerie (1973): This is my tribute to the late John Barry who wrote the music score for this film. This adaptation to the Tennessee Williams play was brought to us by the Broadway Theatre Archive. Katherine Hepburn plays the domineering mother Amanda Wingfield. LAW AND ORDER alum Sam Waterston plays her son Tom who is overwhelmed and wants to get out of the house. Joanna Miles is her daughter Laura who is off in her own world and has some mental disabilities. To round out the cast, another LAW AND ORDER alum Michael Moriarty plays Jim who is invited over to dinner to possibly set him up with Laura who her mother is concerned about her becoming and old maid. The cast of four works very well together. There was an adaptation in 1950 but Williams has actually said he prefers this one. Good later performance for Katherine Hepburn and Waterston was great as Tom. This can be found on Instant Netflix.

The Last Installment (1945): This is my short film for the week which is an installment of the entertaining Crime Does Not Pay series. We focus on a prison inmate named Clyde who is just about to be released. He then reads a magazine article about a 20s gangster named Bull Moose Branigan and feels this is the kind of life he would like to lead with the money and the women. The warden then lets Clyde now how Branigan ends up. There were a lot of these propaganda shorts that talks about the price of crime and are mostly entertaining by today's standards.

Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (2008): I know some will give me heat for this selection but I try to accommodate to all audiences in some way. Martin Lawrence stars in this film as the title character who is leading a successful life in L.A. as a talk show host. He then takes his fiancee and son to see his family in the deep south where he is in a much different world. James Earl Jones, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mo'Nique, and many others co-star. The basics of the story are that the main character has not seen his family in some time and is dealing with long-time problems in impressing his family even with his success. There are some pretty funny moments in the movie and can be fun if you can get past some of the stereotypes and such. Nothing great but I thought it was pretty fun. I did like the moments with the dogs and a traditional race between Martin Lawrence and Cedric the Entertainer which was pretty funny.

The Producers (1968): This is my tribute to the late Kenneth Mars who plays the writer for SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER in this film. Mel Brooks makes a great directorial debut here in this wonderful theater comedy. Zero Mostel stars as struggling broadway producer Max Bialystock. Gene Wilder co-stars as accountant Leo Bloom who sees that a lot of money can be made on a flop if done right as long as it does not become successful. Max really likes that idea and they team up to come up with a really bad show and find SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER. The show is sure to fail as they take every precaution to make it fail including getting the worst director and actors they can find. However, the show experiences unexpected success which can then get them in trouble. This was later made into a musical but no adaptation will beat this classic though the Belfry theater in Noblesville did a pretty good job with this show. There is a very entertaining musical number called SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER.

Forrest Gump (1994): This was a rare showing from TCM on a 90s film but they were playing a lot of Oscar winning films. Robert Zemeckis directed this adaptation on a novel by Winston Groom. Tom Hanks, in one of his best, stars as the title character who has some mental disabilities as well as a low I.Q. but he would do whatever he could to make it in life. Sally Field plays his mother who would not let anyone treat her son any different than others. Gary Senise is also very complex as Lieutenant Dan. Mykelti Williamson plays Forrest's military friend Bubba who loves shrimp Robin Wright rounds out the main cast as Jenny, Forrest's love interest beginning in childhood but always eludes getting the girl. Forrest is a simple man who is just trying to do the right thing. He manages to accidentally become a part in many moments of 60s history. I know a lot of people did not care for this film but I really can't see why. It is such an inspirational film and it even teaches acceptance as well as being careful when judging. I really like this film but I just can't think of much to say except that it's a beautiful film and a wonderful performance by Tom Hanks. TCM's Robert Osbourne hosted this and said that John Travolta actually declined the starring role in this film and one of the few times in his career it would benefit him as he went on to star in another 1994 hit PULP FICTION. People from the 60s will love the historical references.

Clouds over Europe (1939): I found this film on my Pub-D-Hub app on my Roku player which shows a lot of public domain work. This is a British pre-war spy story which stars Laurence Olivier. It is actually a comedic film which has some pretty entertaining moments. Worth a watch for Olivier's entry into the "Golden Year of Film" which by no means ranks with the other 1939 greats. However, Olivier is quite funny as a British pilot.

Torch Song Trilogy (1988): This is a film adaptation to Harvey Fierstein's play of the same title which is based a lot of Fierstein himself and he stars. Fierstein plays Arnold who is a pretty successful drag queen and also must deal with his sexuality. Arnold forms relationships with a couple of the guys which includes Matthew Broderick and Brian Kerwin. Kerwin plays a man who is with a woman and cannot decide which side to go. However, Arnold's biggest challenges are with his mother who cannot seem to accept him and his adopted teenage son who is gay at a young age. This is not for everyone but it was pretty well done and Fierstein remains pretty likable through the film. Anne Bancroft plays his mother who cannot accept that her son in gay. The Muncie Civic Studio Theater recently did two of the three acts of this play which was directed by my Facebook friend Robbie and features my Facebook friends Kevin, Lisa, and Sonja. Matthew Broderick who plays Alan here was in the play version as David, Arnold's adopted son.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941): This is my afterlife comedy for the week. Robert Montgomery stars as Joe Pendleton who is a rising boxer who is getting his championship fight. He is then taken 50 years too soon due to a mistake in heaven. Claude Rains plays the title character who has a lot of authority in heaven. Mr. Jordan tries to make up for his mistake by putting him in the body of a wealthy man named Bruce Farnsworth who has just been murdered by his wife. Joe then tries to make Farnsworth's terrible reputation into a more clean-cut image while also wanting to get his own body back to be able to get his championship. However, in his never life, he begins to fall in love but must also deal with the wife. This film deals with an important topic but manages to make into such a great and enjoyable comedy.

A Prophet (2009): This is my foreign film for the week. Tahar Rahim stars as a young Arab named Malik is sent to a prison in France. In this prison, he hopes for a peaceful stay but it does not happen. It shows him as a young prisoner doing things for others but rising to the ranks of a kingpin in prison. This is another one which is hard to explain but it has a lot of very good characters and good performances in this prison film. This was quite an award-winning film which can be found on Instant Netflix. This is a must for Foreign film buffs.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Dylan McDermott, Diana Rigg, and many others. Keep on reading because I now have an honorable mention for the week.

HONORABLE TELEVISION MENTION

Nip/Tuck (2003-2010): I have made this clear to many friends how much I love this FX drama created by GLEE creator Ryan Murphy, but I lost track of the show in about the 5th season so then my very dear friend Netflix had these available instantly, I decided to start from the beginning and just get all six seasons watched. As the title may indicate, this show has to do with plastic surgery. The two main characters consist of plastic surgeons Christian Troy, played by CHARMED alum Julian McMahon, and Sean McNamara, played by Dylan Walsh. These two are Miami surgeons who have known each other since college and have built a very successful practive even forming a brotherly relationship. The two surgeons do have very different personalities. Christian is the doctor who is looking for all the glamor in life and seduces all the women he can. Sean is more idealistic and is more of a family man. Sean always finds himself questioning is values in his position as a plastic surgeon but there were plenty of times he could go off the deep end. I'll explain the family situations which started in the first season. Joely Richardson plays Sean's wife Julia who gave up her successful potential of a medical career to help raise their children Matt and Annie. John Hensley plays Matt who makes a lot of evolution through the show even having him join Scientology in the 4th season only to have all his money taken from him in the end. Kelly Carlson plays the adult film star Kimber who throughout the series has a lot of ups an downs with Christian. GLEE co-star Jessalyn Gilsig plays another of Christian's recurring love interests Gina. Roma Maffia plays Sean and Christian's loyal anesthesiologist Liz Cruz. Through the series, the surgeons must deal a lot with each other as well as other people like a Colombian drug lord, "The Carver", a black-market kidney ring, and many other things. Many veteran actors have had guest appearances and/or recurring roles like Vanessa Redgrave, Jill Clayburgh, Jacqueline Bisset, Kathleen Turner, Larry Hagman, and many others. Rosie O'Donnell has a good recurring role as Dawn Budge who was a Trailer-Park trash woman who wins the lottery. Bradley Cooper had a stint as an arrogant actor in the tv series HEARTS AND SCALPELS which Sean joined for a while. I guess I cannot list all the colorful characters of the series but there were a lot. I feel this show is what lead Cooper to such parts as in THE HANGOVER and THE A-TEAM. Each episode is titled by the name of one of their patients and always has an interesting surgical procedure requested of them. This show is not for everyone and I'm sure Murphy's GLEE has a bigger following since that show is geared to a more mainstream crowd but this also has its audience and was a pretty compelling series. If you don't have a good stomach, you'd better not watch it. Even I had to turn my head at times at the close-up surgical scenes. This show does not glorify plastic surgery and looks at the price of plastic surgery. I know watching that show that I don't want any plastic surgery. McMahon started in this show shortly after he left CHARMED which was another series I enjoyed and hated seeing him leave at first until I saw this one.

Welcome to another edition of Trailer Friday. Here's three films that are coming soon into theaters.

"Win, Win": Official Trailer



Trailer courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Tom McCarthy, acclaimed writer/director of THE VISITOR and THE STATION AGENT, once again explores the depths and nuances of human relationships in his new film about the allegiances and bonds between unlikely characters. Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy's mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything. McCarthy's deft touch with balancing drama and comedy, broken hearts and poignant humanity is at play in WIN WIN.

"Win, Win" hits theaters on March 18th.

"Take Me Home Tonight": Official Trailer



Trailer courtesy of Rouge Pictures.

As the summer of 1988 winds down, three friends on the verge of adulthood attend an out-of-control party in celebration of their last night of unbridled youth. Starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Teresa Palmer, Take Me Home Tonight is a raunchy, romantic and ultimately touching blast from the past set to an awesome soundtrack of timeless rock and hip-hop hits.

Recent MIT grad Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) should be working for a Fortune 500 company and starting his upward climb to full-fledged yuppie-hood. Instead, the directionless 23-year-old confounds family and friends by taking a part-time job behind the counter of a video store at the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

But Matt's silent protest against maturity comes to a screeching halt once his unrequited high school crush, Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer), walks into the store. When she invites him to an epic, end-of-summer party, Matt thinks he finally might have a chance with the girl of his dreams. With his cynical twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris) and best friend Barry (Dan Fogler), Matt embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime evening. From stealing a car to a marriage proposal to an indescribable, no-holds-barred dance-off, these friends share experiences that will change the course of their lives on one unforgettable night in the Go-Go '80s.

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT opens nationwide on March 4th, 2011.

"Peep World": Official Trailer



Trailer Courtesy of IFC Films.

On the day of their father's 70th birthday party, four siblings come to terms with the publication of a novel written by the youngest sibling that exposes the family's most intimate secrets.

The film stars Michael C. Hall, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson, Ben Schwartz, Judy Greer, Kate Mara, Taraji Henson, Lesley Ann Warren and Ron Rifkin.

"Peep World" hits theaters on March 25th, but you can catch it On Demand now. Contact your cable provider for more information.

Welcome to the 277th Edition of my series. As I said last week, I want to pay tribute to rock music and started with a concert film and will mention rock songs that are part of the soundtrack so I will do this throughout March. Not all movies will have a rock song mentioned, especially the older ones.

Bacon Brothers: No Food Jokes Tour (2003): This is the 17th link on The Chain and Kevin Bacon is the link for this one. This is a concert video and maybe in technical terms it is not a movie but I have final say on this blog so I say it can be on here. Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael perform a 90 minute set in front of a crowd where Kevin shows off his music talent as well as Michael being a good musician in his own right. They play a lot of original music that they wrote as well as their own version of FOOTLOOSE which is the film that put Bacon into stardom. This is available on Instant Netflix and is a pretty fun concert film with a pretty talented Bacon as a singer.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939): This is one of many greats from this year which is John Ford and Henry Fonda's entry into the year that had such films as THE WIZARD OF OZ, GONE WITH THE WIND, and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. Henry Fonda stars as the title character most have probably guessed is about Abraham Lincoln, soon to have a film which chronicles his life as a vampire hunter. This is a fictional account to his career as a self-educated attorney who takes a murder case of two brothers which proves to be a very difficult case. Fonda plays this part with such ease and perfection and shows his early meetings with Stephen Douglas who would then go onto have some of the most famous political debates of all time. He also meets his future wife Mary. There is no encounter with Booth but apparently Ford at one time had a scene that he did not want used of him and a very young Booth that he had the film footage burned so it could not be used.

Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987): This is my French film for the week that was written and directed by Louis Malle. This takes place at a French boarding school during WW2. This centers around a Jewish boy named Jean Bonnet who is being hidden from the Nazis. He has a hard time adjusting to the new school and being away from his mother at first. He then meets a boy in his class named Julien who also has a rough life. They are rivals at first but then become friends. This is based on incidents in Malle's life. There is not much to explain without really giving it away but it is a good look at life at a boarding school and the difficulty of living in the Nazi era. When Quentin Tarantino worked at a video store he called this movie "The Reservoir Film" because he could not pronounce the title. Years later, he would take the word and the dogs part of STRAW DOGS for the title RESERVOIR DOGS which will always remain my favorite with Tarantino.

Little Brown Jug (1948): This is my animated short for the week which I found on my Pub-D-Hub app on the Roku Player. This is produced by Paramount and focuses on woodland animals milling and drinking apple cider. It then becomes a sing-along to the title song. This is a fun animated short and I'm sure people loved singing along in theaters.

Blow-Up (1966): Michelangelo Antonioni directed this film which stars David Hemmings as a London photographer named Thomas. Vanessa Redgrave stars as Jane, a mysterious woman that he photographs. When looking at the negatives of his photographs he looks to piece together what he believes is a murder. This takes a good look into the mind of an eccentric photographer who will take pictures of anything he finds to be interesting. While the main character is a fashion photographer, this should not be looked at upon as a film on the industry. It really takes a look at the individual mind which is Thomas in this situation. This is one that you must stick with but has a very good conclusion to piece everything together and might require multiple viewings. This is Antonioni's first British film and first movie in the English language. It is reported to be the first British film to show full frontal female nudity. The band performing is the Yardbirds which features a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

Zero Day (2003): This movie includes the alternative band Sonic Youth whose song ELIMINATOR JR. is featured. Also, one of the kids was wearing a Pearl Jam shirt which was quite interesting as their song JEREMY was about a school shooting. This is Travis' Co-Op film series selection that he shows on a weekly basis at Ball State University at the Bracken library and makes selections for film that many do not look into on their own and I was blown away by this selection. Ben Coccio directed and co-wrote this film with his brother Christopher Coccio. This takes a look at two high school students who are planning a school shooting. The movie has the students filming themselves planning what they are doing with the intention of the footage being found after the job is done. The camera that was used appears to just be a home camera making the feel of the movie quite authentic so the shaky cam method really works for this film. It is a very independent film that had a very low budget and one I feel deserves more attention. It was very interesting with these kids doing their planning and acknowledging what they believe were mistakes others used in school shootings. It was also interesting in where they acknowledged that it was not their parents fault and even talked about the blaming of media which they felt was very stupid. They also go onto talk about how they were made fun of at school. This movie could raise a lot of awareness in schools and I really would not see a problem in showing this movie at a high school class so that a discussion can be had within the class about the things that happen at school. Many can in some ways relate to this film. I know in school I got made fun of a lot and even remember someone joking that I was going to do a school shooting which was obviously said because I got put through a lot in school. In school, it is hard to think about how there is life after high school but I just thought of life day by day and always tried to fit in. I admit one of the things I did to try to fit in was make fun other others myself thinking that would bring me into the "cool" crowd. It is interesting to think of this now and I hold no grudges against those that I felt mistreated me at school as long as now we can be adults. To the ones I made fun of I apologize and realize now how wrong that was that I was trying to fit in. This movie was actually shot in 1999 shortly after the Columbine shootings and did not finish until 2001. However, the filmmakers delayed the release on account of the 9/11 attacks and even did some re-editing putting out the finished product in 2003. Though this is not for everyone, it does not glorify school shootings and something that groups should watch and discuss because these are very serious issues as we probably have not witnessed our last school shooting.

21 Hours at Munich (1976): This is my tv movie for the week which is a dramatization of the horrible situation in the 1972 Olympics where Arab terrorists took hostage and murdered 11 Israeli athletes. William Holden stars as the head investigator who is trying to end it without the hostages getting hurt. There is nothing upbeat about this film but the incident was a very horrible one where this is kind of shot like a documentary which works for some and not for others. If looking for things like character development, this will not be for you. It is a pretty good retelling in my opinion. This is available on Instant Netflix. Many years later in 2005, Steven Spielberg would direct the movie MUNICH which is really more the aftermath of what happened in this film.

If I Leap (2009): This is one of those very rare weeks where I have two short films on one edition as the last one was a lot older and as you see this is much newer. I found this on HBO On-Demand. This takes place in a convent where one nun takes a liking to a man and must evaluate her life decisions. The performances were pretty good and worth about 20 minutes.

The Wages of Fear (1953): This is my second French film for the week and this one was directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and stars Yves Montand. This is a pretty suspenseful film where a South American jungle needs supplies of nitroglycerine and four men are hired for this dangerous job and try to work as a team but form a dangerous rivalry in these efforts that are life-threatening. Montand and the other actors were very good in their performances but saying anything else will give this away. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Three Jacks and a Beanstalk (2003): I end this week with this feature length episode of RUGRATS which was part of this Tales from the Crib series and I believe this is the last episode. Believe it or not, this is part five of a Mo'Nique series which probably ends this week and she voices the motherly cow in this. The very resourceful child Tommy Pickles, Phil, and Chucky are all three Jacks among the girls being there for the ride and the mean cousin Anjelica is the giant who the Rugrats must defeat. I remember watching this as a kid and was a great cartoon. Even my mom always really liked this show so it was good to revisit this series. There are a few obvious moments of cartoon violence but there is also a good message about friendship and working together. This even has a few musical numbers.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Kevin Bacon, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Connelly, Sandra Bullock, F.W. Murnau, the late Jane Russell, and many others. I guess I don't have much that feature rock music but stay tuned for next week which features music from John Lennon and Sting.

Happy Cloud Pictures recently send out information and released the official poster for their up coming DVD release of "Demon Divas and the Lanes of Damnation" staring Amy Lynn Best, Debbie Rochon and Brinke Stevens.

Press Release:

The DVD of Pennsylvania-based Happy Cloud Pictures’ Demon Divas and the Lanes of Damnation releases officially on April 5, 2011.

Demon Divas is described as a throwback to the classic ‘80s horror comedies, specifically of the Olen Ray/DeCoteau/Wynorski era, ala Nightmare Sisters and, especially, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama. “Demon Divas is definitely kin to Sorority Babes,” says writer/director Mike Watt. “It’s funny, it’s goofy, has some good gore moments and utterly no other agenda. It’s just fun.”

The new movie also shares a common bond with the latter movies in its star, Brinke Stevens (Dr. Horror’s Erotic House of Idiots), who plays Morgan, one of five partners who open up a bowling alley in a small college town and, naturally, supernatural mayhem ensues. Her co-conspirators include Debbie Rochon (The Colour of the Dark), Amy Lynn Best (Splatter Movie: The Director’s Cut), Lilith Stabs (Severe Injuries) and Robyn Griggs (Another World). Joining them include Happy Cloud Pictures regulars Nikki McCrea, Sofiya Smirnova, Aaron Bernard, Stacy Bartlebaugh-Gmys, Gwendolyn, Bill Homan and new friends of the family Stephanie Bertoni, Tabatha Carrick and Tara Cooper. Photographed by DiggerFilms; Special Effects by Eric Molinaris (Black Sunrise) and score by Mars of Deadhouse Music.

The long-awaited DVD boasts two separate audio commentaries (writer/director Mike Watt and producer/co-star Amy Lynn Best; stars Nikki McCrea and Aaron Bernard), a Behind-the-scenes featurette, trailers and the bonus short “prequel” entitled The Night We Didn’t Discuss Myra Breckinridge starring cult phenomenon Bill Homan. The S.R.P. for this DVD is $9.95.

Preordering is available through orders@happycloudpictures.net as of 3/1/11.

More information about Demon Divas or other Happy Cloud Pictures films can be found at www.happycloudpictures.com

Universal Pictures send us over information regarding the upcoming DVD and Blu -Ray release of the Ben Stiller/Robert Deniro comedy sequel "Little Fockers", which hits DVD and Blu-Ray on April 5th.

Press Release:

The funniest and most entertaining installment of one of the most popular comedic franchises in history, Little Fockers, comes to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand April 5, 2011 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. For more than a decade, the antics of the extended Focker-Byrnes family have kept audiences laughing and generated combined worldwide movie ticket sales of nearly $1 billion. Now the latest chapter in this hilarious family saga turns an eye toward another of life’s milestones – raising kids.

Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has finally begun to earn the respect of his ex-CIA father-in-law, Jack Byrnes (Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro) but one important test still lies ahead: can Greg prove that he has what it takes to be the family’s next ‘Godfocker?’ The sequel to the comedy blockbusters Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, Little Fockers reunites De Niro (Everybody’s Fine) and Stiller (Night at the Museum franchise) with Oscar® winners Dustin Hoffman (Kung Fu Panda) and Barbra Streisand (The Prince of Tides), Blythe Danner (Paul), Teri Polo (Beyond Borders) and Owen Wilson (How Do You Know). Jessica Alba (Machete), Laura Dern (Jurassic Park) and Harvey Keitel (The Piano) also join the cast in the funniest Focker family story yet.

Both the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and the DVD are packed with extras, including deleted scenes, a hilarious gag reel, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Little Fockers and a never-before-seen alternate opening and ending not shown in theaters! The two-disc Blu-ray™ Combo Pack offers fans three different ways to catch up with the Focker family. The set includes a Blu-ray™ and DVD copy of film; and for a limited time only, a digital copy of the movie that can be viewed on an array of electronic and portable devices anytime, anywhere.

Not only will Blu-ray™ purchasers be able to experience Little Fockers in spectacular high definition and with the purest sound available, they can also watch exciting Blu-ray™ exclusive featurettes with Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Blu-ray ™ consumers can also access MY MOVIES™, an exclusive feature that allows consumers to stream a bonus movie of their choice instantly to their television through any Internet-connected Blu-ray ™ player via BD-Live™ or to their Smartphone and iPad™ using the free pocket BLU™ app. The bonus movie will be available for a limited time only.

Also available through MY MOVIES™, Blu-ray ™ owners can instantly rent a selection of Universal film favorites on their television, Smartphone, computer or iPad™ including hits such as Meet the Parents, Fast and Furious, Mamma Mia! and Coraline, at a price of $2.99. Visit UniversalHiDef.com for information on how to get started.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAYTM:
BLU-RAY™ EXCLUSIVE FEATURETTES:
Bob and Ben: Cast members Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reflect on their history and their characters’ evolution throughout the Meet the Parents trilogy.
Ben and Owen: On average, every 1.3 years Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller share the silver screen. Little Fockers marks their 10th movie together. In this dual interview, Ben and Owen reveal the secrets of their shared success.

BD-LIVE™ - Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to access the latest trailers and more!
pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, BlackBerry®, Nokia® Smartphone, Android™, PC and Mac® to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad®, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet's larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:

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.

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

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.

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

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

MY MOVIES™: Consumers can instantly stream a free bonus movie of their choice or choose to rent a variety of Universal favorites including Meet the Parents, Fast and Furious, Mamma Mia! and Coraline.

MY SCENES: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the film.

uHEAR™: Never miss another line of dialogue with this innovative feature that instantly skips back a few seconds on your Blu-ray™ disc and turns on the subtitles to highlight what you missed.

DIGITAL COPY: Viewers can watch Little Fockers for a limited of time on an array of electronic and portable devices.

BLU-RAY AND DVD BONUS FEATURES:

GAG REEL
DELETED SCENES
NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN ALTERNATE OPENING AND ENDING
BEHIND THE SCENES:

MAKING OF A GODFOCKER: A behind-the-scenes look at Little Fockers. Everyone’s back in this knock down, drag out third installment of the Meet the Parents Trilogy and this piece brings it all together. Featuring the return of cast members, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, Blythe Danner and Terri Polo and newcomers, Harvey Keitel, Jessica Alba and Laura Dern.

BOUT TIME: A fun behind-the-scenes look at the climatic fight scene where Greg and Jack finally throw down the gloves.

THE FOCKER FOOT LOCKER: A string of clips from the film of every time someone utters a version of “Focker.”

THEATRICAL TRAILERS AND MORE!