INNOFORM/ALLIANCE WAREHOUSE SALE 6 to 8 AUGUST 2010

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Spartan turns L’Oréal Paris Men Expert

The usually hairy-looking Scottish actor, Gerald Butler becomes squeaky clean for the first time as he signs on to front the hugely popular L’Oréal Men Expert Hydra Energetic range and says "I’m excited to be working with L’Oréal Paris. I have always liked the quality and innovation of their products." Sounds like a Spartan needs grooming at times too. Gerald's The Bounty Hunter is now out on DVD.

Awesome THOR Footages!

The video originates at comicbookmovie.com

Yogi Bear in 3D! 23 December 2010

Green Lantern Character Sheets Revealed

“OCEAN HEAVEN” & ST. ANDREW’S AUTISM CENTRE HOPE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR AUTISM

OCEAN HEAVEN, a movie which opens on 5th August, is collaborating with St. Andrew’s Autism Centre to organise a movie premiere to generate the level awareness for autism among Singaporeans. Starring international superstar Jet Li, the movie tells the story of a father and his 22-year old autistic son. The father understands very well that in the end, he will have to part with his son, leaving him alone in this world. This day seems to come sooner than he expected. The premiere sponsored by the Centre’s well-wishers will be held on 3rd August at GV Grand (Great World City). Guests attending the screening include family members of children with autism, people from the film industry, etc.

Prince Of Persia Out on Blu-ray and DVD 31 August 2010

Probably the first summer blockbuster to hit the video shelves, PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME Blu-ray is scheduled to be release on 31 August 2010. Featuring an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 1080P High Definition Widescreen (2.40:1) and bonus features including An Unseen World: Making Prince Of Persia and Deleted Scene: The Banquet: Garsiv Presents Heads. PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME Blu-ray is priced at S$49.90 RRP (Recommended Retail Price), DVD is priced at S$26.90 RRP and VCD at S$16.90 RRP.

Lau's 'Fist' Gets Second Opening Slot at Venice

Director Andrew Lau’s “Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen” will be the second opening night film at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, Sept. 1-11. The world premiere starring Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong and Huang Bo will screen out of competition on Sept. 1 - what would have been the late Bruce Lee's 70th birthday -who first brought the hero Chen Zhen to life in “Fist of Fury” in 1972. The 10 pm Chen Zhen premiere at Venice will follow the American director Darren Aronofsky’s “The Black Swan” showing as a part of the Biennale’s opening ceremony.

Lee Hom's Love In Disguise

Pop star Wong Lee Hom's directorial debut, "Love In Disguise" 恋爱通告 will open in theatres 12 August 2010. Written and starring the multi-talented Lee Hom himself, "Love" is a romance drama about a celebrity pop star disguising himself as a regular Joe in the hope of finding true love. Liu Yifei, Joan Chen and Chen Handian co-stars. Thanks to Lee Hom Singapore fan club for the tip-off.

Avengers Assembled

New cast members and the director of "The Avengers" have been officially announced at Comic Con 2010. We are expected to see Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton as The Incredible Hulk, Jeremy Renner from Oscar winner The Hurt Locker as Hawkeye. They will of course be joined by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Nicky Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, Thor (Chris Hemsworth from Star Trek) and Captain America (Chris Evans from Fantastic Four, this lucky fellow has snagged two Marvel roles for the record). While "Thor" and "Captain America" will grace the screen next summer, "The Avengers" is slated for a May 2012 release. It's time for DC to buck up a little...

Jet Li + Jay Chou's Ocean Heaven

Ocean Heaven marks action star Jet Li's first dramatic role as a terminally ill father grooming his autistic son to survive on his own while Jay Chou provides the theme song, 說了再見Say Goodbye. Join our contest to win a pair of Ocean Heaven preview tickets courtesy of GV. The movie opens 5 August at GV cinemas. And to all those lucky people who manage to secure tickets to Jay Chou's concerts this weekend, enjoy!

Her Face Sells...

Jennifer Aniston posed topless once again, this time for a new perfume ad. “It’s a nonperfume perfume, Sexy and clean. Floral, but not too flowery. I want people to go, ‘What is that? You smell great!’ But most of all I wanted it to smell natural.” according to Jennifer. The scent originally named Lolavie, was reportedly changed shortly before the launch of the product and seems to be simply called 'Jennifer Aniston'. Aniston spent a year and a half working on the development of 'Jennifer Aniston' and was involved in everything from creating the fragrance notes for the scent to art directing the sexy ads which were shot in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

AU REVOIR TAIPEI lead actress Amber Kuo wins Best New Talent Award

The Stars of popular Taiwanese film AU REVOIR TAIPEI will be in Singapore this weekend to grace the film's Gala Premiere on Saturday, 24th July at 7pm at The Cathay Cineplex. The presence of first time director Arvin Chen, up and coming actor Jack Yao and fresh faced singer Amber Kuo will include their attendance at the screening as well as other promotional events at The Cathay as part of Cathay's 75th Anniversary Celebrations this month. In recent news, the film's lead actress Amber Kuo won Best New Talent in 12th Taipei Film Festival for her portrayal of female lead Susie, in the film. Director Arvin Chen says Susie was the most difficult character to cast in the film, taking us almost 6 months to find. What finally drew us to Amber was her quality of being both very lively and sweet on the outside, yet having a sense of loneliness just underneath the surface, something I definitely feel embodies the modern Taipei girl. AU REVOIR TAIPEI opens commercially in theatres in Singapore on 29th July 2010.

International Distribution for HAUNTED CHANGI?

HAUNTED CHANGI to be released in theatres island-wide in
Singapore on 2 September 2010 has caught the eye of international film
distributors including Ghost House Underground (USA), Paramount Studios (USA) and Studio Canal/Optimum Releasing (UK/Europe). The producers of HAUNTED CHANGI are both delighted and humbled at the same time to be approached by the international distributors, all well-known specialists in the horror genre. “We are interested in possibly acquiring the NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS for your film HAUNTED CHANGI. We believe that this may be suitable for our next slate of films for Ghost House Underground (Sam Raimi/Rob Tapert's production company) that will be released through Lionsgate.” David Pollison, Acquisitions Ghost House Underground. Check out the above url for more movie details.

The Cathay Gallery: Box Office Hits – The Magic of Movie Marketing

Before product placements in films, movie ring-tone downloads and spin-off
merchandise, there were lobby cards, walking bill-boards, publicity floats, moving mascots and even costumed box office cashiers. New technologies and evolving sensibilities have dramatically transformed not just how movies are made but how they are marketed and consumed. How film releases were promoted was not just about increasing box-office takings but also about attracting sponsors and advertisers. Movie audiences today, accustomed to promotional strategies that involve twitter, blogosphere coverage and toy merchandising know little about the ways movies were promoted in the past and how these paved the way for contemporary marketing methods.

Box Office Hits – The Magic of Movie Marketing offers a glimpse of the creative and unique ways of movie promotion from the 1930s until the present - excavating rarely seen images and vintage pieces from the Cathay collection and archives. Promotional strategies ranged from the dynamic and creative, to the unsophisticated and gimmicky, to the cheeky and somewhat risqué, to the quirky and disarming.

Presented at The Cathay Gallery on the occasion of Cathay’s 75th anniversary from 16 July 2010 - 16 Dec 2010, the exhibition reveals an extraordinary breadth of images and artefacts that are testament to the times from which they emerge and to the pivotal role that Cathay held over seven decades.

DVD...DVD...DVD...DVD...DVD...

Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery! These are the 9 Circles of Hell made famous by Dante Alighieri in his famed masterpiece, Dante's Inferno. Following the trajectory of the videogame, this animation follows Dante, a medieval soldier of war during the Third Crusade. But if you are still feeling in the 'twilight' mode, do remember to check out Robert Pattinson's Remember Me, his first film outside Twilight- in fact not just starring in it, but also serving as executive producer of this romantic drama. If you don't really care about indie drama, perhaps Mark Steven Johnson's romantic comedy, When In Rome might appeal to you.

Japanese Commercials X

Check out international star, Ken Watanabe's series of cute ads titled "Walk With You" for Japan's telecommunication giant, NTT Docomo in which you can find here. And who else is there? A certain villian from long, long time ago in a galaxy far far away named Darth Vader as well. Watanabe can be seen in Christopher Nolan's latest sci-fi thriller "Inception" which opens this week.

Her Face Sells...

Avatar star, Zoe Saldana will be featured in the women's Fall 2010 Calvin Klein Underwear global advertising campaign, which will appear in magazines and billboards starting in October. "Zoe brings the campaign to life and her universal appeal will enable us to continue to expand our dialogue with our consumers worldwide" according to the Chief Creative Officer of Calvin Klein Underwear. In the meantime, the highest grossing film of all time, AVATAR will be back for a limited engagement in 3D cinemas on August 26.

Japanese Commercials IX

Japanese singer/actor Masaharu Fukuyama (from Suspect X) stars in a massive ad campaign for Toshiba Regza LCD series, on the left is this billboard shot in Osaka. Beautifully shot and created but pity the fact that we do not know what the hell it's talking about. Check out the full glory here.

'The Kids are Alright' does more than just Alright

While 'Despicable Me' proved that being mean could get you the number one spot at the box office, a little indie drama proved more than alright by earning US$505,000 on just seven screens. That may not seem a lot by 'Despicable's' terms, but you have to remember that its $72,143 per-screen average is the 27th-biggest in history, and the second-largest for a film playing at seven or more screens.

Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, it tells the story of two children conceived by artificial insemination whose lives and those of their parents change when they meet their birth father.

Cathay-Keris Films and Festive Films has slated for this ensemble drama to open 21st Oct so keep a lookout for that one.

Vampires Suck!

If you've never had much love for the Twilight series, or vampire movies for that matter, then come Sept 16th, the creators of Date Movie, Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans bring you their new spoof, "Vampires Suck".

The synopsis goes like this- Becca, an anxious, nonvampire teen, is torn between two boys. Before she can choose, Becca must get around her controlling father, who embarrasses Becca by treating her like a child. Meanwhile, Becca’s friends contend with their own romantic issues – all of which collide at the prom. 

Twentieth Century Fox has just released their first trailer for the movie (you can view it on the trailer box at the top right of our page) and it looks like they are not going to please Team Edward or Team Jacob anytime. 

AVATAR Returns to 3D Cinemas August 26th!

The highest grossing film of all time (that's S$2.7 billion for you) will be back for a limited engagement in 3D cinemas on August 26, in a limited engagement. This version of James Cameron's history-making and groundbreaking epic will include more than eight minutes of new footage.

According to Cameron, the eight minutes of never before seen footage includes new creatures and action scenes. He said: "Audiences repeatedly told me they wanted more of Pandora, and wished they could have stayed there longer. So we're making that possible."

If you've not yet seen the movie, then this is as good an opportunity as any to see the film the way it was meant to be seen- on the big screen and in 3D. And if you've not yet convinced you should it, maybe this will change your mind.

The Japanese Film Festival is Coming!

Call me a slow burner, but I only started to religiously follow the Japanese Film Festival in Singapore from 2005, and honestly, it's one of the premier festival for film buffs here given its eclectic programming from classics to contemporary offerings, with a free screenings to boot!

The Embassy of Japan and Singapore Film Society present the Japanese Film Festival 2010 - an eleven-day celebration of Japanese films - in Singapore. From August 19-29, festival-goers will be treated to 31 Singapore Premieres of groundbreaking Japanese classics, independent cinema and award winning titles that offer a rare glimpse into the Japanese film history, its culture and its filmmakers’ commentaries on the joys and perils of YOUTH. This year, the festival returns to the National Museum of Singapore's Gallery Theatre.

The showcase for this year includes:

1. Works of directors who led the revolutionary change in the 1960s which became known as the Japanese New Wave – a major turning point in the history of Japanese cinema, celebrating the works of OSHIMA Nagisa through his acclaimed works like Boy, Diary of a Shinjuku Thief, Sing a Song of Sex and Sinner in Paradise. Other works in this showcase include YOSHIDA Yoshishige's Good for Nothing and Bloody Thirst, IMAMURA Shohei's Hogs and Warships and A Man Vanishes, SHINODA Masahiro's A Flame at the Pier and ICHIKAWA KON's Ototo.

2. Works by young, aspiring directors birthed from 2 current initiatives in Japan:

a. The independently funded PIA Film Festival in Tokyo, with selections here from its 14th to 17th scholarship films which include A Stranger of Mine, Water Flower, Fourteen, ASYL and Mime-Mime.

b. The Visual Industry Promotion Organisation's New Directions in Japanese Cinema (VIPO NDJC) program, which will feature 10 short films from 2007 and 2008.

3. Latest award-winning films from up-and-coming Japanese filmmakers that are blazing a trail in the international film circuit, which includes KORE-EDA Hirokazu's Air Doll, Live Tape by MATSUE Tetsuaki (who was here in 2008's edition), YOSHIDA Kota's Yuriko's Aroma, NAKAMURA Yoshihiro's Fish Story, MIYANO Masayuki's LALAPIPO and YOKOHAMA Satoko's Bare Essence of Life.

Phew! I doubt you can't find anything here that doesn't tickle your fancy. Mark those dates on the calendar, and head on down to the Related Links below to keep tabs on the full list of films and their screening schedules. See you at the Gallery Theatre this August!

Ticket Sales
Begins on 19 July at 9am from Tickets.com

Related Links
Official Festival Website with information about ticket sales, films, schedules and other Festival news and updates
FaceBook
Twitter
YouTube

Best 3D Animation this year?

Four major 3D animations have been released so far including Despicable Me which is opening this week. Let's do a recap which one got the highest score from our reviewers. 1. TOY STORY 3 - 5 Stars (Perfect! according to John). 2. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - 4.5 Stars (A near-perfect, sensationally thrilling action adventure that you should not and must not miss according to Gabriel). 3. DESPICABLE ME - 3.5 Stars (A family friendly villain who's not too despicable according to Stefan). 4. SHREK FOREVER AFTER - 2.5 Stars (What the Shrek just happened? No worries, this one is just another forgettable sequel in the flagging franchise according to Linus). And what's your favourite?

DVD...DVD...DVD...DVD...DVD...

At the ripe 'old age' of 45, Donnie Yen experienced a surprise career surge, his popularity continues in Ip Man 2, a martial-arts classic that is definitely destined to be on your video shelf. A Serious Man is the story of an ordinary man’s search for clarity in a universe, whatever the term used, our reviewer experienced a sudden intuitive perception of what life is all about, after watching this film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. You often know exactly what you want out of a Jack Neo movie- his trademark 'ordinary-man' humour, his satirical take on the latest social issues of the day, check out Being Human, the latest from Singapore's most commercially successful writer/director which was released amid his national scandal and judge for yourself why it's easily one of his worst.

The New Harry Potter Poster!

The King of Fighters Vs Tekken

Remember DOA and Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li? Both were popular videogames that were turned into movies but nevertheless bomb big-time in the box-office. That it seems is not stopping movie producers from churning out more. In august, The King Of Fighters starring Maggie Q and Sean Faris will arrive on the big screen two weeks after another videogame adaptation, Tekken. Are you gear up for both? Check out the King of Fighters trailer here.

Are You Ready for Inception?

ANDREW GARFIELD CAST AS PETER PARKER IN NEXT INSTALLMENT OF SPIDER-MAN

He has definitely big shoes to fill. After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield (left)has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, "Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker."

Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international praise. Garfield most recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming film The Social Network. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot love story I'm Here, which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go, due for release later this year.

Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford's Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films' "Red Riding Trilogy - 1974" directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley's Boy A, for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.

Her Face Sells...

43 year-old Julia Roberts looks photoshopplly beautiful in this new ad campaign for Paris-based cosmetics label, Lancome. Roberts whose recent appearance was in the ensemble romance comedy, "Valentine's Day" will next be seen in "Eat, Pray, Love" in september based on the best-selling book by Elizabeth Gilbert. You can check out her ad on Lancome's website.

Did You Know...

If you've watched any of the Twilight movies, you would recognise the actor on the left, Jackson Rathbone, who plays Jasper from the Cullen family coven. Did you know that the actor was actually born in Singapore? Yup! Because of his father's job, he lived in many countries around the world but Singapore was his place of birth.

Look out for Jackson- besides a meatier role in "Eclipse" where he gets to reveal the origins of his character as a Civil War soldier, he will also be seen in M. Night Shymalan's new movie, The Last Airbender in 3D.