AIN'T IT COOL NEWS, FANGORIA.COM, EMERGING PICTURES, and NEW ZEALAND TRADE AND ENTERPRISE INVITE YOU TO A SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW SCREENING OF...

THE DEVIL DARED ME TO

Thursday April 26th at 5pm ET

Cinema Village
22 East 12th Street
New York, NY

RSVP to: distribution@emergingpictures.com

Please arrive early. This invitation does not guarantee admission. Seating is first come first served.

Watch the Trailer

Variety.com is reporting that Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams will star in The Time Traveler's Wife, Robert Schwentke's adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's bestselling novel. Bana will play a Chicago librarian with a genetic disorder that causes him to time-travel when he is under duress. Though his disorder causes him to vanish for long periods, he tries to build a life with the woman he loves. She's a young heiress struggling with the arrangement. Shooting will begin in August.

Prehistoric Park -- the series that gives new meaning to living large! This six-part television event, created by UK's Impossible Pictures, the multi award-winning creators of the Walking With... series, follows wildlife expert, Nigel Marven, and his team of zoologists as they travel back in time to rescue some of the most amazing animals who ever roamed the earth and transport them back thousands of years to the present day to be nurtured in Prehistoric Park. With the aid of the latest CGI technology, the series brings animals to life in a truly unique way. With an inventive combination of zoology, geology, paleontology, archaeology ,and time travel, Prehistoric Park offers both a bone-rattling good time and a lesson in natural history throughout each exciting episode.

Release Date: June 5, 2007
Studio: BCI Eclipse
MSRP: $24.98

Bonus Features:
• 27 minute “Making of Prehistoric Park’ featurette
• Interactive Animal Stats and Facts
• Storyboards and Picture Gallery

Pre-order PREHISTORIC PARK from Amazon.com

GRINDHOUSE is was like watching a double feature made by a bunch of your friends. Most will identify with and laugh out loud at the coming attractions, the local commercials, the X-rating intro, and the general '70s look and feel. They captured it perfectly.

PLANET TERROR is a ridiculous laugh fest -- think Romero on steroids while dropping acid -- with over the top performances by Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Freddy Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, and Michael Biehn. Rose was Rose, looking incredibly and doing what she does best -- that sarcastic, sharp witted delivery. Bruce was Bruce, with very little screen time. And Quentin was Quentin, lecherous as always. Even though the setups are ludicrous, each of the actors took their roles extremely seriously, which is what sold the performances. However, it did run long and the grindhouse effect became tiresome after the first five minutes. Visually impressive, but not Robert's best work by any means.

DEATH PROOF (or Thunderball as the original card showed before it was replaced on screen) is a different beast. A true '70s, gearhead actioner, with very disturbing undertones. Kurt Russell starts off with his best Jack Burton shtick but turns a dark corner once he takes Rose McGowan "for a ride." The film is done in two segments and I'm still trying to determine if it was a flash-forward or a flashback. The first is downright icky (like you need a shower after it's over), and the second is all girls with Tracie Thoms (Wonderfalls, Rent), Rosari Dawson (Clerks 2, Rent), and real life stunt woman extraordinaire Zoe Bell busting their chops to pull off three exceptional performances. Quentin makes yet another appearance as the tavern owner and Eli Roth is hilarious as the young guy trying his damndest to get into his girlfriend's pants. Where Robert took his film over the top, Quentin kept it real, which is what makes it unnerving.

The two films are tied together, with DEATH PROOF being the prequel to PLANET TERROR, but the only characters who make appearances in both are Earl McGraw (Michael Parks), his son Edgar (James Parks), -- both carryovers from the pair's early collaborations FROM DUSK TIL DAWN and KILL BILL -- and his daughter Dr. Dakota Block (Marley Shelton). But I'm sure there are plenty more nods to previous films that went over my head.

GRINDHOUSE is a film many will see but few will appreciate. It wasn't made for the movie-going masses. This is Quentin, Robert, and their friends having a blast and getting paid for it. Those who get that, will enjoy the ride. Everyone else should save their money.

Winner Gets a Die-On Role in SCI FI Original Thriller Premiering on SCI FI Saturday: The Most Dangerous Night of Television

NEW YORK – March 28, 2007 - SCI FI today announced a national casting call for
its fright night franchise SCI FI Saturday: The Most Dangerous Night of Television. One lucky viewer will win a Die-On role in an upcoming SCI FI original actioner, slated to premiere within the Channel's Saturday 9 pm slot, destination viewing for die-hard fans of high-octane thrillers, fantasy epics, and classic creature features.

Viewers will be invited to text message to the short code 72434 with the text "DIE" to enter to win. Contenders can also enter to win at www.scifi.com/scifisaturday .

The winner will be selected randomly and given a trip for two to the filming location of an upcoming SCI FI original movie. Hopefuls will have until May 26 to enter before killing their chances to win.

Late last year, Blockbuster offered me an opportunity to test drive their new TOTAL ACCESS program. Similiar in form and fashion to the relatively uncontested NetFlix (which I had been a customer of for more than a year), both services offer consumers a variety of price plans, the convenience of creating viewing queues from the convenience of your computer, and receiving/returning product by mail. Having grown increasingly frustrated with the poor condition of discs arriving from NetFlix (many scratched beyond belief and several cracked in two), I welcomed the change. So, I put my NetFlix account on hold and returned the the Blockbuster fold which I had abandoned long, long ago.

So, after four months of using Blockbuster's TOTAL ACCESS, here's the lowdown...

“Until today, no online rental service offered customers the option of returning their movies to the store and exchanging them for free movie rentals, and there is no other store-based retailer that offers customers the convenience and the selection of the more than 60,000 titles available through our online service,” said Blockbuster Chairman and CEO John Antioco. “Customers shouldn’t have to choose between renting online versus in-store, and they should never have to be without a movie. Now, thanks to Blockbuster Total Access, they don’t have to.”

Blockbuster's brick and mortar option is no more a competitive advantage now than it was 10 years ago. They're still out of stock on hot new releases (although they're supposedly now offering a guaranteed free rental if a title is out -- not at my local store) and you still have only 2 days with said new releases. The good thing is these in-store titles you receive don't count against your online acccount. So, if you have the 3-at-a-time plan, they'll still ship you the new one even though you have two online and one store disc in hand.

BTW, Blockbuster does offer more diversity of in-store titles, but you have a better selection online.

Another feature Blockbuster Total Access offers subscribers is a faster shipping cycle. When subscribers return their online rentals to a participating Blockbuster store, the store check-in process automatically initiates the shipment of the next available movie(s) in the subscriber’s rental queue, whether they take advantage of the in-store exchange option or not. That means Total Access customers generally will get their online movie(s) a day faster than if they had dropped the return movies in the mail.

I haven't seen it. Netflix has a 2 day turnaround in Chicago and 3-4 day turnaround in Los Angeles. Blockbuster (which I did not use in Chicago) has a 4-5 turnaround in SoCal. Granted, I've been using my Blockbuster account to work through a number of television box sets, so it's not a make or break deal. But if you're expecting a movie for a romantic night in or other special event, plan ahead or take advantage of the in-store exchange (the one place this option does come in handy).

On the plus side, I have not been denied or wait-listed on any new titles.

In addition to being able to exchange online rentals at participating Blockbuster stores for free movie rentals, Blockbuster Total Access customers will also receive a free in-store rental coupon each month. Subscribers can use the monthly rental coupon in the same visit with their in-store exchanges for another free movie, or by itself if they have already returned their DVDs through the mail or just aren’t ready to return their online rentals yet.

This is a nice option, although I've only used it for gaming. The stores do have a nice selection of Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo GameCube, and PSP games for gamers and parents of gamers alike.

“Our research has shown that Blockbuster Total Access appeals strongly to online customers as well as to store-based customers who want to be able to rent movies both ways,” said Antioco.

In terms of marketing, the in-store option is definitely a competitive advantage, but how does it play out in the grand scheme of things?

Let's compare...

Movie Catalog
Blockbuster: 60,000
NetFlix: 70,000... many more indie and non-mainstream

Format Neutral
Blockbuster: Click on the movie title to see if high definition edition (HD DVD, BLu-ray) is available
NetFlix: Set your preferences to default to the format of your choice, when available

Perks
Blockbuster: Return your online disc to any blockbuster of your choice (nationwide), Coupons for free game and movie rentals
NetFlix: None

Pricing
Blockbuster: $5.99 (1 at a time, 2 per mo.), $7.99 (1 at a time, 3 per mo.), $9.99 (1 at a time), $14.99 (2 at a time), $17.99 (3 at a time), $24.99 (4 at a time)
NetFlix: $4.99 (1 at a time, 2 per mo.), $9.99 (1 at a time), $14.99 (2 at a time), $17.99 (3 at a time), $23.99 (4 at a time), $29.99 (5 at a time), $35.99 (6 at a time), $41.99 (7 at a time), $47.99 (8 at atime)

Speed of Deliver
Advantage: NetFlix

Quality of Product Received
Advantage: Blockbuster

Overall Customer Service
Tie

When you boil it all done, both services have their positives and negatives. Depending on what is most important to you will determine which service you'll be most satisfied with. But for those who said Blockbuster was a dinosaur headed for the graveyard, guess again. They've created an online service that rivals what was the market leader. What happens to the industry next is anyone's guess.

Meet the Wisemans; a traditional Jewish family living in suburban 1960’s England. The husband and father, Victor, works long hours in the family’s drapery store rarely finding time to spend at home. Then there is Victor’s lovely wife Ruth, ten years younger than him, she longs for excitement. Last but not least is eleven-year-old David, who dreams of becoming a cricket star, much to the dismay and ridicule of his classmates, as he is just not very good.

Enter the Samuels; the lively Jamaican family who move in next door to the Wisemans and unexpectedly change their lives for the better. When Dennis Samuels, (Delroy Lindo), erects a cricket net in their backyard, David is in seventh heaven. Dennis kindly takes David under his wing and teaches him the skills he needs to finally make his school’s team. But again, this is 1960’s England; racial tensions are high, and the new arrivals are not welcomed by all. As the Wisemans find themselves caught in the middle, they are forced to choose between aligning with the prejudices of the neighborhood and sticking by their new friends. Directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Morrison, WONDROUS OBLIVION is a gently comic coming-of-age story, a portrait of the importance of family, tolerance and standing up for what is right.

WONDROUS OBLIVION
Palm Pictures
March 20, $24.99

For more information, visit the film's official site

Everyone who watched Little House on the Prairie just loved Richard Bull, better known for his role as the gentle soul, owner of the general store and poor husband stuck with his weird choice, Mr. Oleson. Did you know that he had the lead part in the lovely Canadian movie of the week A DAY IN A LIFE? It's wonderful tribute to the wonderments of the moments we too often forget all about.

You will fall in love with this wonderful cast of old-timers as they are set to charm just about everyone. Bull’s real life wife, Barbara Collentine, stepped in to save the day when Gloria Stuart was kept in bed with flu days before the shoot. Also featured are the late Emile Genest (in one of his very last roles), Vernon Chapman, and Joy Coghill.

From Canadian poet and filmmaker Jean Mercier comes this DVD gift box of the movie in a Special Edition that includes the original soundtrack of the film. With free delivery worldwide, this set is available exclusively from MercierFilms.ca

Independent filmmaking has never been more grassroots than with Forest of the Dead, the feature film debut from writer/director Brian Singleton and One Day in a Pasture Productions. With an almost non-existent budget, no crew, and one camera, Singleton’s project will have its DVD debut from Elite Entertainment on June 12th, at a suggested retail price of $14.98.

“Some of the greatest film directors began their careers with even less at their fingertips than Brian Singleton,” said Vini Bancalari, President, Elite Entertainment. “But with a solid script, a few friends and a very creative eye, Brian mastered his life-long dream of creating a feature length horror film, which contains all of the elements fans expect of the genre.”

On a quiet, summer afternoon, a group of friends heads to the isolated campgrounds on Alfred Packer Lake for a weekend of fun. The perfect summer trip turns into a weekend from hell as the friends are brutally slaughtered by an unseen evil, turning into cannibalistic creatures. As a new group of weekenders arrives, they become the new target of terror as an old-school blood bath of gut munching, dismemberment, pitch forking and scalping begins.

View clips from the film

“Forest of the Dead” features over three hours of bonus footage, including:
• “Beyond the Forest”—introduction by Brian Singleton
• “Voices of the Dead”—audio commentary with director & cast
• “Out of the Dark”—The Making of “Forest of the Dead” featurette
• “Behind the Blood”—“Forest of the Dead” Special FX featurette
• “Hell’s Bells”—Sound Design featurette
• “Return of the Dastardly Zombie Vampire Mummy from Planet X”—early short from Brian Singleton, w/commentary
• Eight deleted scenes
• Original Trailer
• “Zombie Cop vs. The Alien Terror” trailer
• Photo galleries
• Filmmaker/cast bios

MGM is teaming with the U.S. Navy to capture a series of bone chilling adventure scenes for the Studio's upcoming Stargate SG-1 direct-to-video, Stargate: Continuum. Cast members, including Ben Browder (Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell) and Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samantha Carter) will travel to the sub-zero climate of the Arctic to shoot at the Navy's Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS) for the week of March 23 through 29. Martin Wood, Director of over 70 Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis episodes, is confirmed to direct Stargate: Continuum.

The project will shoot a variety of scenes on location in the Arctic ice, located approximately 200 nautical miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. In addition to the frigid outdoor environments, the filming will also involve U.S. Navy submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757). Among the most visually stunning and dramatic scenes to be filmed at the location involves the submarine as it bursts through the ice and into the cold Arctic air with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees below zero.

In making the announcement, Charles Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President Finance and Corporate Development, MGM said: “We are excited to be working with the U.S. Navy on filming these epic scenes in the arduous conditions of the arctic. SG-1 fans will certainly enjoy these action packed sequences as the Stargate franchise has a rich history of unique and compelling action adventures."

Lt. Erik Reynolds, the Department of Defense project officer assigned to the movie added: “We look forward to hosting MGM and the Stargate team at APLIS, and showcasing our sailors and the United States Submarine Force’s capabilities in the Arctic Ocean. With the extreme environmental conditions at the camp, and factors such as shooting on a moving sheet of ice and the occasional polar bear, it certainly will be a challenge, but one that our sailors and the SG-1 crew look forward to taking on.”

In January of this year, MGM gave the green light to two (2) direct-to-video movies based on Stargate SG-1, the longest-running science-fiction series in U.S. TV history. The first movie, Stargate: The Arc of Truth begins production on April 15. The second movie, Stargate: Continuum which will feature the epic ice camp scenes, will resume filming on May 22. Written and produced by Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, the new movies will include the following Stargate SG-1 cast members: Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Chris Judge, Claudia Black, with Beau Bridges and Michael Shanks.