June 15, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Marc Richards

There are several projects underway to adapt Stephen King stories for film or for television. We’ll cover recent news, touch on projects that may be slowing down, and throw in a few that may never make it out of “development hell.”

1. Haven - Based on the novella The Colorado Kid, Haven is about a small Maine town that has long been a refuge for people with a wide range of supernatural abilities. This TV series premieres July 9, 2010 on the Syfy network.
2. Bag of Bones - A novelist grieving over the death of his wife moves into their summer home and discovers it is haunted. In February 2010 Mick Garris (The Shining, The Stand, Desperation) said that this mini-series “will hopefully be shooting late-spring, early-summer.” An announcement is expected soon concerning which network will air the mini-series.
3. Pet Sematary - When a family pet is buried in the local pet cemetery, it comes back to life. But, it comes back a little “different.” Screenwriter Matthew Greenberg (1408, Halloween H20) was recently hired to write the screenplay.
4. Home Delivery - Aliens infect earthlings with a zombie plague. Residents of a small island off the coast of Maine prepare to defend themselves as dead friends and relatives start to rise. Twin brothers John and Paul Buckholts optioned the film rights and have adapted this zombie short story. Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura will take on the project.
5. It - Seven children in a small Maine town are terrorized by a shape-shifter who takes the form of a clown. According to a Variety article in March of 2009, Warner Brothers is moving ahead with the new film. Kevin McDonald will direct from a screenplay being written by Dave Kajganich.
6. Under the Dome - An entire small town in Maine is abruptly trapped under a giant, invisible dome. In November 2009 it was reported that Steven Spielberg will produce the film as a “series event” with a plan to shop it around to the TV networks.
7. From a Buick 8 - A car stored in a shed at the state police barracks in Statler, Pennsylvania is actually a portal between dimensions. Last reports state that the screenplay was approved by Stephen King, and Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot) has signed on to direct. Financing is currently at a standstill.
8. The Talisman - Young Jack Sawyer lights out cross country to save his dying mother. During his quest, he flips back and forth between Earth and a parallel Earth called The Territories, where almost everyone has a “twinner”…except for Jack. Steven Speilberg was attached for several years to this project and planned to adapt it as a 6 hour mini-series. It is listed on Internet Movie Database as being in “pre-production” with a release date of 2012, but as far as we can tell this one is dead in the water. Again.
9. The Dark Tower - Stephen King’s magnum opus about a gunslinger in another dimension, called Mid-World, who journeys toward a fabled tower said to be the nexus of all universes. J.J. Abrams was signed up to direct for a while, but turned the rights back over to King. In April 2010, it was reported that The Dark Tower may be adapted into a trilogy and a television series. Negotiations are ongoing at this point. Akiva Goldsman will write with Ron Howard producing and directing.
10. Cell - A cellphone signal turns all who hear it into zombie-like killers. Eli Roth was originally attached to direct the movie, but apparently that plan has been dropped. The new plan is for a four hour mini series to be written by John Harrison (Dune miniseries).

Marc Richards is a part time movie news blogger at http://NewMovieBuzz.com and may one day write the greatest screenplay in motion picture history.

For a few bonus news bits about Stephen King movies and a list of some recently released Stephen King movies that you’ve probably never heard of, head over to http://newmoviebuzz.com/movie-news-focus/10-stephen-king-stories-to-be-made-into-movies/ to read the rest of this article.

Article Source: Marc Richards

10 Stephen King Stories That You Didn’t Know Were Being Made Into Movies

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June 14, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Charles CSC Taylor

In a time where video games can look more realistic than real life and CGI infiltrating live action movies more than ever, computer generated cartoon characters have become no big deal. Though CGI cartoons have become essentially the norm, even on TV shows, Toy Story, the movie that started it all, is doing its best to stay relevant. As usual with almost anything Disney and Pixar touch it seems to be succeeding. There has been tons of buzz over Toy Story 3, a 3-D installment to the already legendary series, and it’s sure to grow exponentially as we get closer to its June 18th release date.

The Toy Story series has always helped itself gain box office success by making the movies as enjoyable for adults as they are for kids and this next movie seems to follow that same trend. The story focuses on what happens when Andy, the owner of all these iconic toys, is getting ready to leave for college. This plot fits almost perfectly with the time line of the original target audience. It is an almost perfect fit for parents whose children were young when the first one was released in 1995 and will be going through the empty nest stage of their life soon if they haven’t already. This also fits inversely, because the young adults who were kids when Toy Story came out are now approximately college age and can also relate. Almost the entire cast of characters including Tim Allen and Tom Hanks are back, and stars like Michael Keaton (who from early rumors has struck comic gold as a short shorts wearing Ken doll) and Timothy Dalton have joined up, providing even more for adults to go see the movie.

The buzz doesn’t just stop with the newspapers and critics however. Like with most Disney movies, stores are starting to load up with Woody and Buzz Lightyear toys and costume stores have begun to stock up on Toy Story costumes from Buzz and Woody to characters as obscure as the army men. Considering its well timed summer release, this Halloween is bound to look like a coast to coast casting call for a live action Toy Story movie. I’ve even seen more than one sexy Bo Peep costume floating around for adults!

Toy Story 3 is almost guaranteed to be the most popular movie of the year, and Toy Story toys and costumes will be the some of the biggest trends of the year. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you’re the only one who gets caught not headed to infinity and beyond!

Article Source: Charles CSC Taylor

The Impact of Toy Story 3 on This Summer and Beyond!

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June 9, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Jason Landry

In case you missed it, Betty White–actress, comedian, and all-around legend–hit one out of the park on NBC’s Saturday Night Live last month. And at eighty-eight years old, she made it look easy.

White, of course, is no stranger to the comedy limelight. She made it big in the 70’s when she landed a starring role on the Mary Tyler Moore show, one of the most influential sitcoms in television history. It was that role that would eventually pave the way for White’s signature role in the 1980’s sitcom “Golden Girls.”

It had been almost twenty years since Golden Girls went off the air, but White has never been forgotten. She became a TV cameo all star, lending her talents to a wide array of programs. She showed up on dramas like Alley McBeal and The Practice. But mostly she played to her strengths in shows like Kind of the Hill, That 70’s Show, Malcolm in the Middle, and The Simpsons. And in 2007, she even did a stint on the soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful.

So why Saturday Night Live? Why now? Was it the appearance in last summer’s hit “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock? Not so much. It was her Super Bowl commercial.

White’s hilarious spot in a Snickers Super Bowl ad launched a viral campaign on Facebook to draft the legendary actress as a Saturday Night Live host. SNL master Lorne Michaels was amused and motivated.

Her appearance was by far the highlight of the year for Saturday Night Live. It received the highest ratings since election season, 2008.

It had to be an encouraging sign for age activists in Hollywood, who have been complaining for years that Hollywood seniors have been put on the shelf. Actresses, in particular, are often ignored as they have gotten older and lost their notable beauty. White’s brilliance and popularity show that yes, there is indeed still a place for talented seniors in the entertainment world. Let’s hope we see more of this attitude in the months to come.

Jason Landry lives in the Northwest, where he enjoys blogging, building websites, parenting, and watching football.

Article Source: Jason Landry

Betty White Crushes it on Saturday Night Live

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June 8, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Todd Murphy

BOTTOM LINE: Surprisingly entertaining popcorn flick with some fun action, humor and mystery, only let down by some lapses in to predictable cliché and an emphasis on noise over story.

THE GOOD: On paper, this film seemed like another disposable Jerry Bruckheimer adventure production but in the capable hands of Mike Newell, “Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time” is surprisingly entertaining, making use of its history through the video games quite well (which is no doubt a result of game creator Jordan Mechner’s involvement in the writing duties). Jake Gyllenhaal plays Prince Dastan, a street boy adopted by the King of Persia as one of his own sons. When he perpetrates a successful raid on a holy city, not all is at it seems, and as he digs deeper, he suddenly becomes thrusts in to a plot which sees the King murdered, and himself a fugitive on the run. In essence, this story follows this basic plot structure of the various iterations of the video games, and as a result, we get to see a lot of action scenes of the Prince running, jumping and performing acrobatic stunts across roof tops and fighting bad guys. There is a decent enough story to follow as well with “The Sands Of Time” having the power to turn history backwards for whoever activates the dagger containing the sand, thus giving its bearer the ability to change history and the world. The cast performs very well, with Jake Gyllenhaal being the ultimate surprise as he manages to carry the titular role quite successfully. Gemma Arterton matches Gyllenhaal with her feisty yet feminine performance as Princess Tamina. Ben Kingsley seems destined to be the bad guy by default and does an amicable job, while Alfred Molina brings some good humor to the piece as a pirate. “Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time” is a beautifully shot, and entertaining piece of popcorn which is worth parking your brain at the door for a few hours for.

THE BAD: The problem with films like this is that the inevitable clichés come out. Mike Newell manages to keep them at bay for the most part, but they are still present, largely because this is still at its core a mass-produced piece of entertainment. The romance angle for example is clumsily set up and just there for effect and the female audience; the characters are quite two dimensional as written, and it is only the cast that really makes them worth watching. Another problem is the way this film is edited; the emphasis is too much on moving on to the next action scene and creating as much noise as possible. If the filmmakers had taken the time to install a sense of rhythm, and even a few moments of quiet, this film would have been more dramatic and become a proper film rather than as the previously mentioned mass-produced piece of entertainment. The elements were there to make this film more than what it ultimately is, but perhaps Jerry Bruckheimer does not care as at the end of the day, this film has been designed, and will no likely doubt, appeal to the young male audience who will go and see it again and again.

For the original review, follow this link: http://www.allaboutmovies.net/filmreviewprinceofpersiathesandsoftime.htm

Todd Murphy is a staff reviewer at the film/DVD review web site, http://www.allaboutmovies.net - for all the latest reviews on the newest releases.

Article Source: Todd Murphy

Film Review: Prince of Persia the Sands of Time (2010)

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June 7, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Shaz Ferouz

Comic book movie adaptations are getting a huge audience over the years with so many superheroes who already made it to the big screen.

Marvel Entertainment made it big with their crime fighting heroes line-up such as Spiderman, X Men, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and the upcoming Thor, Captain America as well as the Avengers. Stan Lee must be proud of his children. After all, he created most of the famous Marvel superheroes.

Well, apparently, D.C Comics aren’t backing up as well. After creating a D.C Entertainment division, Warner Brothers Chairman and CEO, Barry Meyer had recently announced that the studio have lined-up several release dates for their upcoming 2011 movies which includes several D.C comic book superheroes to be brought to life on the big screen as well as some sequels from existing Batman and Superman franchise.

Most of you would be wondering which D.C superheroes will appear in theaters this time around and some may even had heard rumors of certain projects which are already on preproduction.

Well, Green Lantern will be expected to be released on 17th June 2011 starring Ryan Renolds as Hal Jordan. Reynolds who is not unfamiliar with superhero movies after his involvement in Blade 3 Trinity as the annoyingly sarcastic Hannibal King and as Deadpool in Wolverine.

In July 2012, Batman 3 will be back in theaters as well as the long awaited sequel Superman movie by the end of 2012.

Barry Meyer had also revealed that the Flash will be coming into the big screen as the project is nearing a greenlight. Other D.C superheroes such as Wonder Woman and Aquaman may also be making an appearance as they are under development.

Yes, superheroes are the ‘in-thing’ now and expect to be seeing more of them in the near future.

I wonder if Warner Brothers are planning to make a Justice League movie like how Marvel is on going with their Avengers project.

Nevertheless, I bet that like me, most of you comic lovers are super-excited about this news. Who wouldn’t? The only question now is, would these adaptations live up to the expectations of the fans and non-fans alike?

For more, Movie News, Previews, Entertainment News and Videos check out Dotcom.my.

Article Source: Shaz Ferouz

More Superhero Movies Coming Our Way

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June 4, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Jamie R Lyons

It is no surprise that the world’s greatest TV character has been voted as being none other than the one and only Homer Simpson from the hit television program The Simpsons. There are probably a hundred and one reasons why this is the case and we hope to discover just some of these reasons below. I think if we all think really hard we all know a Homer Simpson character in our own lives. Lets break it down as to why.

Homer really likes his beer and his food as so many men do however Homer takes it to the extreme. Sporting a nice beer belly Homer as so many other men do would rather swill beer and junk food down their necks rather than anything else.

Its no surprise that he doesn’t enjoy work. In fact Homer is terrible at work he doesn’t really understand his job and regularly gets into trouble. Whilst most men don’t like their jobs not everybody gets into trouble or cant carry out their job correctly as ultimately they wouldn’t be in the job for long and fact needs to separate from fiction somewhere. Typical realistic traits in Homers working like consist of always trying to find a way to do his job so he doesn’t have to think about it, spending longer on breaks than actually working and hiding his mistakes by blaming somebody or something else.

OK so not every man is as lazy as Homer and yes he does take it to the extreme but how many men out there can honestly say they fully pull their weight at home? If we could see a show of hands I am betting it isn’t very many. Most men are quite willing to let their wives run around after them whilst they in true Homer style sit in front of the telly eating and drinking beer.

Homer isn’t the most clever person in the world and ask any woman and she will probably agree that her man isn’t either. The men out there reading this will probably disagree with this statement.

So next time you are out and about take a good look around at the male population and look out for beer loving, food loving, lazy, work hating men and there you will have it your very own Homer Simpson. So to answer the original question about why has Homer Simpson been voted the world’s best TV character the answer is simply because there are so many men out there that can one hundred percent relate to him and even subliminally see themselves in the great man himself.

Written by Jamie Lyons on behalf of Bathshop321 and Tapshop321 UKs number 1 suppliers of the best Bathroom Suites and Basin Mixer Taps

Article Source: Jamie R. Lyons

Homer Simpson: The Worlds Greatest TV Character

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June 2, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Janet Alston Jackson

Live in the Moment to Alleviate Parent Guilt

Two of the characters are carrying parent guilt in the new Sex In the City 2 movie. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis), represent the average parents today agonizing over their parental duties conflicting with work, and those parents trying to raise difficult children.

More women are working outside of the home now than ever and they are feeling split between the jobs they need, and missing their children’s plays, games, and growth moments.

Miranda is like many women who only feels fulfilled having a career, in addition to being a parent. This is what makes her happy and feeling that she is a whole and complete.

Charlotte finds relief from the stresses and pressures of mother-hood through her Nanny, but she also feels guilty.

Real Guilt and False Guilt

It’s important that if you are a parent to know the difference between real guilt and false guilt.

Real guilt is when you do something intentionally to hurt a child. False guilt is when you are doing your best, but may fall short like the average parent.

If you have done what you could to be a good parent, but find your child is upset with you over a mistake you made, or you wished you could have done better in a situation even though you tried your best, then that’s false guilt.

When you are engaged in false guilt, know this is the ego-mind which always keeps you in turmoil. It’s the nagging voice that haunts you with, “I should have,” and “I could have”.

False guilt is a waste of time. It’s also living in the past, or in the future, and not living in the moment.

For example, when you are thinking about your child’s award ceremony you missed. That’s the past. If you are feeling guilty about an upcoming event that you will miss, that’s living in the future. Either way, you are causing yourself unnecessary stress. You have enough parental pressures just trying to get through the day performing daily child-rearing duties while trying to provide for your child, so let false guilt go.

Live in the Moment

The best thing you can do for you and your child, is to live in the moment. Enjoy each moment fully that you have with your child. He or she will feel that they are important in your life, and that you value them.

Being present at events and games doesn’t mean you are emotionally involved. There are parents who work inside of the home, and attend every function, but their child still feels emotionally abandoned, perhaps because mom is constantly on the phone, texting, or simply constantly day-dreaming.

Deep listening giving all of your attention to your child, is one of the highest forms of love. Even if you don’t have hours to spend, the time you do have, make the best of it by tuning in to what your child is saying by listening with not only your ears, but with your heart.

Try not to multi-task while listening, even though as parents that seems the only way to get things done these days.Quality time is being in the moment with your child even in the short periods you do have.

Child-rearing days seem like forever when you are living them, but in reality, they are only a blip in time. Your child chases after you while they’re small wanting your full attention, but when they are in their teen years and beyond, you’ll find yourself chasing after them wanting their time too.

So drop false guilt. Live in the moment with your child. Remember the present is a gift, and it’s the greatest gift you can give your child and yourself.

Janet Alston Jackson teaches Mindfulness and People Reading to hundreds of parents for the Los Angeles Unified School District with her husband, Walter Jackson, author of Sporting the Right Attitude: Lessons Learned in a Troubled Family.” Her memoir, “A Cry for Light: A Journey into Love,” recounts how she learned to use Mindfulness raising her adopted son with an emotional illness. “Cry for Light” won the national USA Book News Award for Christian Inspiration. The Jackson’s upcoming book is “Sporting the Right Attitude for Parents: Changing Attitudes to Change Outcomes.” The couple have three children. Visit http://www.SportingtheRightAttitude.com and http://www.SelfHelpBooksandMore.com to hear Janet’s author interviews, and for videos, Ebooks, and MP3’s. Sign up for a free 21 day prosperity course.

Article Source: Janet Alston Jackson

Sex in the City 2 Movie and Parent Guilt

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June 1, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Dimitri Konchin

Here are the top 10 movies to see this summer. The films chosen for this list were limited to English language films.

1. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Whether you love it or hate it, the Twilight Saga is wildly popular and is attracting more fans to the series everyday. Eclipse is the 3rd film in the series, after New Moon.

2. Toy Story 3

This is a perfect movie for the kids to go see — Toy Story continues the classic tale of toys coming to life, with feelings and a whole world of their own.

3. Predators

Predators is horror meets sci-fi at its finest — if you’re looking to really get your horror fix, you can’t go wrong with a team of human warriors being brought to an alien planet as prey. While it’s definitely not for the squeamish, this will absolutely become a must see film this summer for all horror fans.

4. Inception

Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, and Ken Watanabe all star in this sci-fi adventure film that probes deeper into a subject that still leaves us perplexed: the mind. The PG-13 rating will ensure that teenagers can round up their friends and still look cool at a “serious” film.

5. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Action and intrigue in the sandy desert await you in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It’s pure fantasy with plenty of action and adventure, and if you’re looking for high action fun, this is definitely a great pick for you.

6. Killers

Romantic comedy meets action in this sweet film about finding true love — and doing everything in the world to protect your soulmate. Katherine Heigl is the lead female star, and her successful romantic comedy portfolio is growing by the year — this one should be a success too.

7. Knight and Day

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz team up for a wild action-suspense film that has a touch of comedy. If you’re looking to get your action fix without getting into a serious drama, this is the movie you want to see this summer.

8. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Teenagers will like this action film for some of its themes — like a teenager being the last of his kind that has the power to save his homeland.

9. Dinner for Schmucks

This is another comedy film, but that’s okay — the more chances you have to laugh this summer, the better you’ll feel! Steve Carell definitely comes bringing the laughs, and Paul Rudd isn’t half bad either.

10. Sex and the City 2

Even if you’re not into this classic example of the “chick flick”, Sex and the City 2 will definitely open to plenty of excitement from hardcore fans. There are already parties set up to go see the movie, and if you liked the first film the second one should be perfect.

The movies are listed in order from 1 to 10, but that doesn’t mean that you have to follow that pattern to get started! The key is just to dive headfirst into the top 10 movies that you absolutely must see this summer — don’t forget the popcorn!

This Top 10 Movies list was compiled by editor of Top 10 List. Please visit the site to see similar lists.

Article Source: Dimitri Konchin

Top 10 Movies to See This Summer

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