Disney owns Marvel

Oh, go google it if you want a hard link, it's been reported fucking everywhere already. This is what happens when news breaks while I'm at work...

Anyway, title says it all. The Disney Corporation owns Marvel; as in Marvel Comics, Marvel Films, etc. Which overall means that instead of Marvel producing it's own films starring 3rd and 4th tier properties while it waits for Spider-Man, The X-Men and The Fantastic Four's prior contracts with other studios to expire; Disney will be doing that instead.

No need to worry - yet - about editorial issues in the books; comic book publishers make so little money in and of themselves as to not even EXIST for the companies that own them. DC Comics just KILLED Bruce Wayne, made Dick Grayson the new Batman, yanked Damian Wayne (Batman's son, Ra's Al Ghul's grandson, loooong story) out of continuity-limbo to be the new Robin, and has Bruce set up to "return" as one of the "zombie" Black Lanterns. Think Warners cares how that might reflect on their all-important "Batman" movie franchise? Hell no! They know that at this point only dedicated longtime fans are reading DC Comics right now, and they're all gonna see the movies anyway. As far as the media companies who own comic publishers are concerned, all that "wing" of the company does is hold onto licensed properties until they need to make movies out of them.

Don't expect to see Marvel rides/characters at Disney World just yet - those rights are probably still under contract to Universal Studios. But you can bet there's a legal team who's job it is to wriggle out of that ASAP. I look forward to the day I can have my picture taken with Moon Knight in front of The Jungle Cruise.

The big, super-awesome-mega-happy-good film geek angle on this is, of course, that about 98% of the Marvel Universe is now either under the direct control or at least in grasping-distance of John Lassetter and the boys from Pixar (who along with Steve Jobs are effectively running Disney right now.) Show of hands of anyone who thinks there's ANY Marvel property that would not be done either best or better-than-before by Team Pixar? Didn't think so.

Escape to the Movies: "Halloween II"

It's ALMOST worth it just for the goofiest celebrity-cameo of the year and a well-deserved swipe taken at some tragically-memorable dialogue from "Halloween: Ressurection."

Ted Kennedy: 1932-2009

MSNBC is just this moment reporting that Senator Ted Kennedy, last of "the" Kennedy Brothers, has died.

I'm here in MA right now... and somehow that still just feels strange to say. For whatever else he might have been, few figures have ever loomed over American political life for as long and in so many different forms.

This will DOMINATE the news for at least the next few weeks, and probably more considering how much his name will be invoked in the Health Care debate. But for now... wow. It's surreal, and also hugely tragic. Here was one of those figures who goes beyond politics and parties... I don't care who you are or how you vote: If you know thing-one about the last several decades of American politics, you know that a Titan has died this day.

Germany's CINEMAXX To Deploy REALD Technology

Large Volume Pact to Bring RealD 3D Experience to CinemaxX Theatres Across Germany and Denmark

(Emphasis is mine)

Global 3D cinema leader, RealD, and major German cinema circuit, CinemaxX, have partnered to equip CinemaxX theatres across Germany and Denmark with RealD 3D. This multi-screen pact builds on RealD’s extraordinary momentum that saw 400% growth across Europe in the first half of 2009, cementing RealD as the territory’s preferred 3D provider.

The multi-year agreement kicks off with 30 CinemaxX screens in Germany and Denmark immediately upgraded to RealD 3D in time for the highly anticipated September release of Disney●Pixar’s Up. An additional 30 RealD 3D equipped screens will be added across the CinemaxX circuit by the end of the year, with an ongoing rollout of more RealD 3D enabled screens through 2010.

“We’re pleased to welcome CinemaxX to the RealD 3D platform,” stated Bob Mayson, managing director of RealD Europe. “This partnership will assure moviegoers across the CinemaxX circuit will experience the extraordinary line-up of movies this year and for years to come in crisp, clear, fully immersive RealD 3D.”

“We’re excited to partner with RealD to equip our circuit with the best 3D cinema technology available,” said Christian Gisy, CEO of CinemaxX AG. “RealD 3D will give CinemaxX audiences an unmatched 3D entertainment experience in time for this year’s top films.”

Real D’s new generation 3D technology is deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform with over 8,700 screens under contract and over 3,200 screens installed in more than 45 countries with over 300 exhibition partners. The leading 3D provider around the world, RealD 3D is the market leading 3D cinema platform in territories including North America, Latin America, Australia and Europe, having notched 100% growth to its global install base in the first half of 2009 alone. A bright spot for the entertainment industry, RealD 3D is driving box office to the tune of three to four times per screen revenue of the same film on 2D screens.

About CinemaxX
CinemaxX AG is the most well-known operator of multiplex cinemas in Germany. In total, the company has 36 cinemas with 303 screens and capacity for around 88,000 people in Germany and Denmark. Due to their architectural design, CinemaxX multiplex cinemas occupy a unique position in the German cinema landscape and also offer exemplary standards of comfort and quality - including refined picture and sound quality, extra large screens, modern comfortable seats in air-conditioned cinema halls and an excellent ambience. For more information, please visit www.cinemaxx.de.

About RealD
RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and realistic digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s new generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform, provides a stunningly lifelike viewing experience. Beyond cinema, RealD is the worldwide inventor and provicder of key stereoscopic technologies used in science, manufacturing, marketing , and other industries, with thirty years of scientific development behind its systems. RealD’s mission-critical 3D visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. www.realD.com

Awesome news to hear more conversions taking place. Timing couldn't be better for CinemaxX as AVATAR is ramping up and 2010 promises to be a huge year for 3D. I would love to check out a CinemaxX theater as they seem to be a hugher end venue for movies - I love theaters like that.

New AVATAR BTS Photo: Cameron Directing Worthington

Jim here. Got a great behind the scenes look at Cameron directing Worthington in what looks to be one of their transporter ships. Personally I love seeing these shots - I like seeing where scenes come from on a human creative level and this helps bring it home for me.

I would bet that this scene takes place immediately before Jake rolls out on Pandora for the first time in his wheelchair (as seen in the teaser trailer). If you have a look at what Jake is holding - it is his breathing mask that he wears when in the atmosphere of Pandora.

The photo is from Empire who will have more shots in the upcoming issues.

Wayfare Breathes Life Into 3D Underwater Survival Drama SANCTUM

Jim here. SANCTUM promises to be a very intriguing project. Just after the low budget and Peter Jackson produced DISTRICT 9 was released to much acclaim we learn that SANCTUM has gotten $30 million financing from Wayfare Entertainment. James Cameron will executive produce.

The underwater survival drama will be using the FUSION 3D camera system (photos) invented by Vince Pace and James Cameron. Wise move. There is no one better in the world in underwater 3D. Expect the production to begin shooting in Australia in Q4 this year with Vince Pace most likely as DP (I have an email into Vince inquiring about this).

Another similarity with DISTRICT 9 is that the relatively unknown Alister Grierson (KOKODA) will direct the movie under the guidance and technology of an industry power player. Obviously the intent is to duplicate the overwhelming success.

Andrew Wight (GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS, ALIENS OF THE DEEP) co-wrote and will produce. John Garvin co-wrote as well.

From Variety: "Sanctum" is a fictional drama inspired by Wight's near-death experience when he led an expedition of 15 divers into a remote underwater cave system below Australia's Nullarbor Plain, and then watched a freak storm collapse the cave entrance. It became a two-day battle to survive until all 15 were rescued, an ordeal recounted in the 1989 docu "Nullarbor Dreaming."

In "Sanctum," a hard-edged father and his teen son lead a diving team, and the true character of the divers surfaces when they are faced with adversity."

As one who was nearly killed in that cave collapse, I thought there was great stuff in how people react in crisis, and become heroes or cowards," Wight told Daily Variety. "Jim and I spoke about all this while working on these 3-D adventure projects, and we had a burning desire to make a gritty film about what it's like to be on an expedition and have it all go horribly wrong. We wanted to show that the 3-D equipment and technology can be used to tell a story in a modest budget independent film."

We can expect more such ventures from Cameron. He obviously is taking a strong approach to ensuring their is plenty of 3D movies in the pipeline for distributors to make the call to changeover to digital 3D. This is yet another underwater 3D drama from Cameron/Pace with the other being his THE DIVE project which he will be directing. I have to say that I would not want these films under anyone else's influence - the man knows submerged filmmaking.

THE B-LIST: TIME IS ON MY SIDE

Well, I’m really trying to get back in the swing of things around here, but I still need a little more time so I can finally finish up that review of Gymkata that I promised a short… oh, three months ago. What can I say, time flies when you’re not having fun. So fast, in fact, that I find myself having just completed The Coming Home Network’s guide to reading the Bible and the Catechism in a year. That went much quicker than I thought it would.

You know, one of the tricky things you can’t help but notice the first time you try to make your way through the entirety of scripture is the non-linear arrangement of the books. Every thing seems fine until around the middle of the Old Testament, and then, bam, the timeline starts to jump all over the place. Now, this is simply a result of having the various books of the Bible arranged by category, and some of the categories arranged by length, but the decision to have it this way can really throw a first timer who picks up the Bible and tries to read it straight through, front to back. And yet, even so, once the last word of the last page has been reached, it all manages to come together and you realize you’ve just experienced an engrossing story covering the entire history of salvation from the first spark of life to the final curtain call of the known universe.

That is, if you actually finish it.

Let’s face it, next to the sheer bulk of the material, it’s probably the arrangement of scripture that prevents most people from reading it all the way through. Just when you get a good head of steam going with Genesis and Exodus, you run smack dab into the stone wall of laws that is Leviticus. And by the time you get near the end of the Old Testament you start to wonder if you can possibly handle one more chapter of some prophet frothing at the mouth about the wrath of God descending upon the Jews.

If you’ve had that problem with reading the Bible from start to finish, or are worried that you might, then… don’t read it from start to finish. As ardent movie freaks can tell you, there are any number of ways to approach a narrative. Even low budget oddball movies like you find around here can give you a few good tips to carry with you when you start reading the Bible. If you don’t believe me, then just take a look at the following short list.

WICKED, WICKED (1973)

Remember those scenes in Brian DePalma films and the Woodstock documentary  where the screen splits and you can see two things going on at once? Ever wondered what a whole movie filmed in that manner would be like. Probably not, right? But writer/director Richard L. Bare did, and so gave to the world Wicked, Wicked, the only movie ever filmed in Duo-Vision! This is the touching story of a guy who hangs out inside the walls of a hotel and occasionally dons a monster mask so he can come out and kill some of the blonde female guests. It’s equal parts melodrama and camp, but it’s also an interesting experiment in storytelling as one side of the screen follows the main narrative while the other often shows flashbacks, internal monologues, and just plain weird stuff meant to provide subtext to the story. In a sense, this split-screen technique is the same logic applied to most scripture reading programs, as well as the lectionary used by most high-worship churches. It’s one thing to try and trudge through those rampaging prophets on their own, but place them alongside the goings-on in Kings and Chronicles and they start to seem a bit less maniacal. In fact, by the time God’s children crap all over his generosity for the hundredth time, there’s a good chance you might start to feel the prophets weren’t frothing enough.

THE KILLING (1956)

Before Stanly Kubrick was KUBRICK, he made this little low budget (A $320,000 Kubrick film!) semi-noir flick about a crime caper which goes horribly wrong for the five men involved. Besides simply being a good movie, the film flawlessly uses flashbacks to revisit pivotal scenes, but each time from the POV of a different character, bringing more depth to the story and characters each time it does so. (Sound familiar, Reservoir Dog fans? Hey, Tarantino’s talented, but he didn’t invent the wheel, you know.) This is a good technique to keep in mind when you’re reading the gospels. They give you the same story four times in a role, sometimes with entire scenes being replayed, but each narrator brings a slightly different perspective. Mark serves up the basics, Matthew points out things of interest to the Jews, Luke does the same for Gentiles, and John wraps the whole thing up from the viewpoint of an already established community of Christians. And just like in The Killing, once you’re done, you have a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the complexity of the overall story that you couldn’t have gotten from just a single straight-ahead narrative.

SLACKER (1991)

Richard Linklater’s $23,000 opus begins with a man stepping off a bus and getting in a taxi. After a brief interchange between the man and the driver, the camera leaves them and follows some other people travelling in the opposite direction. A few minutes later it leaves them and wanders off with someone else. That scenario repeats itself on and on for another 90 minutes. Slacker has no plot, no recurring characters, and no big set pieces. What it does have, however, is an amazing sense of a certain people at a certain time in a certain place. If you weren’t part of Generation-X at the start of the 90s (lucky you), then watch Slacker and you will know, you will “feel” what it was like to be one of the aimless. The Wisdom books of the Bible (Proverbs, Sirach, Wisdom, etc.) are kind of like that. They don’t give you any plot to advance, any characters to follow, or even any heavy theology to digest. The verses of Wisdom literature are concerned rather with the mundane, the simple daily activities of human existence. No plagues or world ending floods, just tips on going about your routine. So when you’re done reading them, you don’t really have a story to remember, but you do have a sense of the mindset and considerations of a child of God interacting with the rest of the world in the public and private places where life is carried out.

THE CIRCLE (2005)

If all that sounds too confusing, and you really just want something a little more linear, then The Circle is an absolute must-see. The movie begins simple enough with a woman arriving at a hotel room to confront the man hired to kill her husband. From there, it follows her efforts to save her spouse as she makes her way to the parking lot, into a car for a drive across town, through myriad passageways into an underground club, on to her apartment, and finally back to the hotel room where it all started. The catch is that the movie unfolds in real time and the camera never shuts off. In a exercise of technical brilliance, the entire film takes place in one single take, sticking with the woman despite the myriad locations AND the inclusion of a flashback. So if you love true independent filmmaking and enjoy the subtle performances one finds in a David Lynch movie (that’s a joke, folks), then give The Circle a look. Even if the story gets too weird for you, watching the criminally under-appreciated Angela Bettis maintain the emotional level her character requires for a straight 100 minutes is by itself worth the price of rental. I bring this last movie up because, although the Bible isn’t arranged chronologically, that doesn’t mean you can’t read it that way. In fact, in a couple of weeks, I plan to start doing just that. After scrounging around the Catholic Answers forums and a few websites, I’ve managed to come up with a list which comes pretty close to arranging scripture in a linear fashion. I say “pretty close” because some things like the Psalms are just to difficult to place time wise with pinpoint accuracy. Still, it’s pretty darn close. If you’re interested, you can take a peek at the reading order HERE.

As you can see, you don’t have to let the non-linear structure of the Bible hamper you from reading it. Just like in the movies, there are plenty of ways to approach it that can be both entertaining and meaningful. So give it a try, the only thing it’ll cost you is time.

17 again

AVATAR Trailer Smashes Apple.com Record!

Michael here. Wow. Avatar is a monster. By the time December 18 rolls around, the entire world will be salivating for it. I expect this is the first of many records that Avatar will leave in the dust.

From Fox's Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVATAR TEASER TRAILER MAKES HISTORY, BECOMING THE MOST-VIEWED TRAILER EVER ON APPLE.COM

MUCH-ANTICIPATED FIRST-LOOK AT THE EPIC ADVENTURE FROM
“TITANIC” DIRECTOR JAMES CAMERON NETS OVER 4 MILLION STREAMS, SHATTERING PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.7 MILLION

LOS ANGELES, (Friday, August 21st, 2009) – Twentieth Century Fox announced today that the AVATAR teaser trailer has become the most-viewed trailer ever on the popular iTunes Movies Trailer section of apple.com, which Thursday hosted the long-awaited public first look at writer-director James Cameron’s motion picture epic. The teaser registered over four million streams in its first day on the site, shattering the previous record of 1.7 million.

The amount of interest in James Cameron's return to cinema is insane, and I think the strategy of keeping it under wraps paid off in a huge way for Fox. And when millions more people see this trailer (or future Avatar trailers) in 3D in front of forthcoming 3D movies such as The Final Destination and A Christmas Carol, the anticipation levels will be unprecedented. These are truly exciting times - less than 4 months to go!

Today is Avatar Day!!! Time to Celebrate!

MY AVATAR DAY FOOTAGE REACTION: Michael here. I just got back from Pandora again, and, just like the last time I visited, I was smiling with my mouth open throughout the entire trip.

Absolutely spectacular. Exhilarating. A game changer. The avatars and Na'vi are three steps beyond Davey Jones, and Pandora is something that has simply NEVER been accomplished in cinema.

Years of work by thousands of people has yielded an awe-inspiring result: a world so fully realized - from the smallest patch of glowing moss to the majestic floating mountains - that I felt that if I stood up out of my seat in the theater, I could walk around and explore it myself. My emotional reaction was similar to the one I had as a kid when I first saw that brachiosaurus rear up on its hind legs in Jurassic Park. But more so. Cameron has pushed cinematic spectacle further than even Spielberg did back in 1993.

The difference between watching the teaser trailer and seeing the Avatar Day footage in IMAX 3D is like comparing watching a travel show about a tropical island with the experience of actually visiting that island and being surrounded by the lush beauty of the flora and fauna while feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and the breeze in your hair.

It's simply night and day. You MUST see Avatar in 3D, and IMAX 3D if possible. Cameron and Pace's masterful 3D shooting combined with the extra height of the IMAX screen actually places you IN Pandora, right alongside the characters. This was by far my best 3D experience to date.

The theater was packed. The crowd was mesmerized by the sheer wonder of the beautifully colored, intricately detailed, living, breathing ALIEN WORLD that James Cameron somehow traveled to in order to shoot this movie. And then there were the applause moments. There was a huge audience reaction when the screen faded to black at the end of the (incredibly well-shot) thanator chase and we are left with Jake about to become a snack. Likewise when Jake finally gains control of the Banshee after some very intense wrangling. Cameron is simply a master at eliciting emotions in an audience. Every scene has stakes, every moment we are feeling what the characters feel. And the audience tonight responded by becoming completely hooked on the tale Cameron is weaving.

The footage ends with a montage of shots from the trailer.

And then there are a handful of new shots. All go by very quickly, but we get a glimpse of a Na'vi/avatar being restrained/shackled, Ney'tiri falling from a great height towards some giant-leafed plants, what looks like Jake's avatar and a Na'vi preparing for a fight while a crowd of Na'vi encircle them, watching, and a really cool shot where shards of some large object are raining down on the jungle below (perhaps a falling floating mountain or the remnants of an exploding ship?)

The footage ends as the trailer does, with Jake and Ney'tiri embracing. Fade to the title. Raucous applause from the crowd.

Avatar is so mindblowing that I am finding it almost impossible to communicate the experience. I wasn't born when the first Star Wars came out, but I wonder whether audiences then felt even close to the same way I do now: utterly mind-boggled by this absolutely REAL but absolutely ALIEN world to the point where I feel that my brain has been hacked.

I have my ticket for the midnight showing at 12:01 am Thursday, December 18th, but I want to go back to Pandora right now.

SAME DAY UPDATE: Michael here. I have heard from someone currently at a screening in Pennsylvania that tickets for Dec. 17 will go on sale TONIGHT. Will confirm soon...[NEWER UPDATE: It seems like AMC IMAX theaters are selling tickets for the Dec. 18 midnight showing at the theaters themselves. The theater manager at my showing announced this before the footage started. Likewise, an AMC employee at an Avatar Day showing in Pennsylvania also announced that tickets would be available at the counter.]

Michael here. I won't be seeing the footage until tonight, but I know that many of you have, and the consensus is that watching these scenes in IMAX 3D is a truly amazing, awe-inspiring, and mystical experience.

Tell us about your Avatar Day experience below. How long were the lines, and how early did you arrive at the theater? What were your favorites parts of the footage? What was the crowd reaction?

Also, Ubisoft has released the trailer for the Avatar game. It's very well cut, and looks like it will be a blast to play - especially in 3D. Watch it here.

I'll be updating this post with my impressions later today.

In the meantime, this is a day to celebrate Avatar and James Cameron's return to feature films. I can feel the electricity in the air.

Escape to the Movies: "Inglorious Basterds"

Boy, I hope people actually turn out for this...



...and, concurrently, I hope that the folks who've turned out for the action aren't angry that it's not quite so all-encompassing; and that the folks who wanted Tarantino to return to his more character-centered style have by now recieved word that this is the case.

3D Geek Alert: AVATAR AMP Suit Maquette On Pre-Order!

Jim here. Guys - take a look at this! I love what Sideshow Collectibles has to offer most of the time for various movies out there, but this one... this one takes the cake.

Here is the 21" high maquette of an AMP Suit from AVATAR! Sideshow is launching their line of AVATAR collectibles and what a great choice to kick it off with. The suit weighs in at 12 pounds and it was "created in conjunction with the film's special effects studio Legacy Effects. Created directly from 3D scans of the 14-foot suit used by Legacy during filming, the AMP Suit is a truly authentic scaled representation. Each piece is individually painted and finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The AMP Suite Maquette is the perfect addition to any display."

I have to say I seriously looking at picking up on of these. If you are thinking that too, the pre-order is available RIGHT NOW with a deposit coming out of $240 on November 15 @ 11:59PM Pacific. They will be shipping the AMP Suits by the second quarter of 2010.

These AMP Suits are going to sell out FAST. If you are interested, act now because they will be gone even at their price of $1200. These things are the REAL DEAL, not some knock off from a toy factory in China. The level of detail and craftmanship is staggering!

Thought(s) For The Day 8/20/09

Ah, so much going on today...

Well, we got our first look at "Avatar" finally, with a trailer that actually manages to FINALLY tell people what the damn thing is apparently about... without ANY spoken dialogue. That's kind of impressive when you think about it; though one wonders if that's more an indicator of James Cameron's expertise as a visual-storyteller or of how much of the now-evident plot is familiar from other things. Whatever. Campbell, Jung, hero's-journey, only-three-stories, etc. Main thing is, you can't deny it's pretty incredible-looking:

Here ya go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qd_IsxgAf8

Gotcha. Look, tell me they DON'T look like that...

Here's the real thing:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/

We also have the trailer for "The Wolf Man," which is light on the title monster and heavy on the yes-we-did-it-"period"-and-here's-Anthony-Hopkins-to-prove-it. GREAT trailer, oozing class... to the point that the very matter-of-fact monster-movie title coming up at the end almost plays like punchline. The lack-of-monster worries me, suggesting that those rumors about the studio being skittish about having a practical/makeup-FX Rick Baker creature and ordering CGI retooling might have some truth. Dammit...
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/the-wolfman.html?showVideo=1

But, as some of you may imagine, my interest was most-piqued by far by Script Shadow's rundown of Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" screenplay...
http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2009/08/black-swan.html

...in which we learn the film features a sexual encounter between character's played by Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Yeah, so I'm easy - though anticipation is, of course, tempered by the fact that the last time I went to an Aronofsky movie for girl-on-girl action it turned out to be part of that montage at the end of "Requiem For A Dream."

Yikes.

AVATAR Trailer is HERE!

Jim here early on AVATAR Day: UPDATE to Michael's post - STUNNING Trailer! I can feel movie poster and Blu-ray quotes coming on: "AVATAR is this generation's STAR WARS. A movie you will not see but experience. Brace yourself, storytelling will never be the same again."

Getting ahead of myself, but what the heck - everything I have seen to date points to me saying that after a full screening. In fact I will go on record now as saying them. I am THAT confident.

The trailer is amazing and wonderfully cut. It's a symphony really. I wonder if Mozart felt this way after composing a piece he knew would be resoundingly embraced and then playing only a few teasing bars for fans. Sure he would be nervous but at the same time absolutely thrilled to finally see the public's faces light up with emotion and wonder.

Again I will go back to Jake looking at his AVATAR for the first time as being the most moving point in what I have seen so far - a moment not unlike a parent seeing their child for the first time in a delivery room. The smile says it all.

Throughout the trailer I was imagining the 3D and how it would be fulfilled and I have to say the potential is enormous! But of course it is - look who directed it with stereo fully in mind. I made the right decision not posting that Comic-Con clip and I can boil it down to one scene - when Jake sits up on his gurney and looks at his feet. The focus is pristine and undistorted - the exact opposite of the bootleg clip. It is a pivotal scene as well - again Jake's emotions shining, this time through his avatar as he finally feels motion in his feet and comprehends the power that he now controls. AWESOME stuff.

Make no mistake though, the way to see AVATAR is in 3D. Those with AVATAR Day tickets are in for a special and unprecedented treat.

Michael here. UPDATE: My initial reaction: I love this trailer. The imagery is spectacular, and it ends on a perfect note. And there's a bunch of stuff that hints at the sheer scale and epicness of the final battle. But the extended scenes from Comic-Con hyped me more, especially since in those we get to see the awesome chemistry between the characters, some of the already-classic dialogue, the *perfect* performance capture in the extended scenes between Jake and Ney'tiri, and the magical, jaw-dropping run through the nighttime Pandoran jungle.

James Cameron has created a movie that, from the extended scenes I have watched, looks to be filled with those applause-worthy and emotionally affecting scenes that he is famous for.

This trailer is packed with amazing moments (my jaw dropped when Jake's avatar bares his teeth to the Banshee, when the ship drops through the clouds, and when the gunship lands in the jungle, among many other outstanding shots), but leaves out much of the best stuff from Comic-Con. As a series of shots with only one line of dialogue, it serves as a great tease, and as a teaser trailer it succeeds beautifully in providing an introduction to the world of Pandora and giving a glimpse at the story, characters, and action. But I think you would need a more dialogue heavy trailer with some longer scene portions for maximum emotional effect, and I see that coming with Trailer #2. As for the CG, the Avatar Day footage will be a better platform for showing off the 100% translation of the incredible nuances of detail of the actors' performances. I forgot that these characters were 0's and 1's after the first few seconds, simply because I connected to them. Cameron hooked me emotionally, and I was along for the ride.

I think the general public needs to see that at its heart Avatar is a classic, archetypical tale- a hero's quest, a love story. I'm hoping Fox releases a complete scene online. Cameron is a master storyteller, and I guarantee that what I saw in Hall H was as great as anything he has ever done in regards to creating feelings in an audience by drawing them into characters and story.

Still, this trailer gives me goosebumps, especially in the context of what I have already seen at Comic-Con. And this begs to be seen in 3D.

UPDATE: Direct download Apple.com links to HD English versions!

480P: http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/avatar/avatar2009aug0820a-tsr_h480p.mov

720P: http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/avatar/avatar2009aug0820a-tsr_h720p.mov

1080P: http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/avatar/avatar2009aug0820a-tsr_h1080p.mov

Michael here.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/

Loading now. Watch and comment below.

This is history in the making.

A few of my favorite shots from the trailer(720P):

New Avatar Images!!!

Michael here. Fox has officially released six new images from Avatar - some are set pics, some appear to be from the movie itself. All I know is that they are all awesome, and that the trailer will be online in mere hours. Will I be able to sleep tonight? Will you?

AVATAR Day Ticketing Miscue: Do You Have Tickets? Better Confirm It...

Jim here. We have been getting plenty of email from readers that their confirmed tickets have some issues. We have tried to get a hold of Fox but they must be busy as there is no official response to this as of yet.

Here is what many have been getting in their emails:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to overwhelming demand to see the special scenes from James Cameron’s epic motion picture AVATAR, our AVATARMOVIE.COM RSVP site experienced technical difficulties. As a result of the crash you must re-select a screening time. Please note you may not get the original time you selected. Also new ticket confirmations that will be generated by your selection here will be the only accepted form of admittance.

Please click below and choose a new screening time."

Here is hoping that you have a good ticket and if you don't, you will be successful in rebooking. Good luck guys...

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS Has Racked Up $600m Overseas Alone! 3D Has Arrived Baby!!

Jim here. An LATimes article caught my eye because I had been watching this movie CLOSELY - I named it as my #5 most anticipated 3D movie of 2009 last year. According to Box Office Mojo, Ice Age 3 has pulled in $601,259,279 internationally and $191,038,252 domestically as of the 17th.

It's got a great voice cast, entertaining story, family appeal and enduring characters but, hey - don't fool yourself! This puppy is in 3D and 40% of the revenues have come from the premium priced experience.

Let me say that again. $240 million from 3D alone overseas! The only movie that comes close to these numbers in many countries is TITANIC - and we all know the director of that little historical piece has another sci-fi coming out (he has done a few sci-fi's before...) in December. Seems almost poetic.

I say the markets are being warmed up perfectly for a phenomenally large box office for AVATAR. I love it when a plan comes together. Ice Age is the stepping stone. We are witnessing history here guys...

Some New AVATAR THE GAME Screencaps...

**SAME DAY UPDATE: High resolution images are here! Thanks Phil.

Jim here. Thanks Jacob for bring these to my attention. Got some new shots from within AVATAR THE GAME and they look awesome.

They were posted to the Comic-Con site today. Check out the human vs. winged creature and land creatures on Pandora!

Lets see who can name these creatures first...

:-)

Biggest ZOMBIE Movie of All Time Sets 3D Premiere - NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!

Jim here. Got a special treat for you zombie and 3D fans - we've got a freshly minted 3D conversion of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by the experts over at PassmoreLab! I have been looking forward to seeing this conversion for some time now and it should be a ton of fun. Greg Passmore and his team seem to have really pulled off a classic here. 3D zombies? Sign me up!

Here is our exclusive first look at the event and press release (emphasis is mine):

The original 1968 version of the mother of all zombie films, George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", has risen from the dead -- literally -- as the film's 3D conversion is complete and its world premiere is now set. San Diego based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the World Premiere of the movie will take place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009, as a part of the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute.

Ramones’ guitarist Johnny Ramone created the enduring template for punk rock guitar. With his blazing power chords and brutal licks energizing Ramones' classics like "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Rockaway Beach" and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker", Johnny inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004, at age 55. His annual tribute, now in its fifth year and attended by thousands of fans, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

"Johnny was a huge horror movie buff, and "Night of the Living Dead" was one of his top ten horror film favorites of all time. We’ve started a tradition screening some of Johnny’s favorite movies, paired in a double feature with vintage Ramones concerts each year at the annual tribute," said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. "We are working with PassmoreLab on another project, and it was just great timing and a perfect fit to show "Night of the Living Dead 3D" for the very first time at the tribute. You couldn’t ask for a better setting… It’s going to be spectacular."

"Night of the Living Dead", originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, was painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D using Passmorelab's proprietary technology. The process, which took over 12 months to complete at a cost greater than the film's original production budget, was no small feat.

"I am a huge fan of this movie, and so it had to be done with complete precision," said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. "We love the genre and as cult classics go, this is mother of them all. If you are going to convert a horror classic, this is the one you want to see in 3D."

"Night of the Living Dead" is perhaps one of the greatest low budget cult movies ever made and is certainly one of the most influential. Its brutally harrowing documentary-style shooting can be seen in many latter-day films including “The Blair Witch Project” and “Cloverfield”, which earned hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide, respectively.

"Night of the Living Dead" was #9 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments and #4 on Johnny Ramone's top ten list of horror movies. In 2001, the American Film Institute (AFI) named the film to a list of 100 important thrillers.

“We think fans of the film, young and old, will really like zombies in 3D," said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab's head of Branding & Distribution. "For the purists out there, this is the original film, converted into 3D for everyone to enjoy again, but now in 3D for the first time. The fact that we are premiering it at the cemetery will just add to the history of the film and its enduring legacy as one of the greatest of all time."

The World Premiere of "Night of the Living Dead 3D" and the Johnny Ramone Tribute event are open to the public for a $10 per person minimum donation entrance fee with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone prostate cancer research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus. Gates for the event will open at 5:30pm, and picnic dinners, drinks (including alcohol), pillows, blankets and small chairs are permitted. Attendees of the event will get free commemorative 3D glasses upon entering. Celebrity guest speakers will be in attendance and autograph signings will be scheduled with sole surviving founding member, Ramones drummer & producer Tommy Ramone, and youngest member CJ Ramone. Rare memorabilia will be exhibited along with an art show (curated by Barbara Ramone), of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone, who will receive special homage at the event, as well. Opening featurettes include animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and Osaka Popstar, presented for the first time anywhere in 3D by PassmoreLab. The evening concludes with a vintage Ramones concert shot in 1977 entitled “Its Alive” and the world premiere of "Night of the Living Dead 3D".

“Johnny felt this movie was shot amazingly and looked genuinely scary,” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist. “He would have been thrilled that the 3D version of the original “Night of the Living Dead” had its world premiere at his tribute. He loved horror movies and he loved the polarized 3D exhibits, so experiencing one of his favorite films that way is something Johnny would have really enjoyed. It’s perfect for the event."

"Night of the Living Dead 3D" can be seen in selected US theatres and in wide release in 3D theaters in Europe, starting in October. "Night of the Living Dead 3D" will be available in anaglyph DVD on Amazon.com by Christmas, and a 3D TV version will be available when 3D BluRay becomes commercially available.

About PassmoreLab
Passmorelab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production and 2D to 3D content conversion. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. Passmorelab’s proprietary technology for 2D to 3D video and film conversion is unmatched in the industry, in both turnaround times and conversion costs. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.

About Johnny Ramone Army
For more information about the Johnny Ramone Army and tribute, visit http://www.johnnyramone.com

About Hollywood Forever Cemetery
For more information regarding directions, parking and screening rules, visit http://www.cinespia.org/howto

PassmoreLab is a sponsor of MarketSaw

Thought For The Day 8/18/09

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Avatar Trailer Online Debut 7 am Thursday PST - Confirmed by Fox!

Michael here. It's now official - Fox has confirmed to me that the Avatar trailer will debut worldwide at the same exact moment (theory of relativity aside): 7:00 am PDT Thursday on Apple.com/trailers.

The official countdown image says it will be "coming to iTunes movie trailers". I'm unfamiliar with the format(s) iTunes uses for trailers, but I am hoping that Apple delivers the trailer in their usual 480P, 720P, and 1080P gorgeous, frame-by-frame capable Quicktime format.

So there is no confusion left. Apple has fixed the countdown clock so that it counts down to the same time regardless of where you are located. So if you live in Hawaii, the trailer will be online at 4:00 am Thursday morning. If you live in New York, it will be 10:00 am EDT. If you live in London, it will be 3:00 pm BST. If you are in Wellington, it will be up at 2:00 am Friday morning.

I've heard some people who are attending the Avatar Day screening say that they will be avoiding the trailer to get a fresher experience. And, of course, there is the possibility it will be leaked early by a projectionist somewhere. I'm hoping that doesn't happen.

What about you? Will you watch a bootleg if one pops up? If you are going to Avatar Day, will you watch the trailer first?

I personally can't wait to see the trailer in the cinema, in front of, perhaps, a repeat viewing of the amazing District 9, or my first viewing of Inglourious Basterds. I'm betting there will be stunned silence in the audience akin to what I experienced when The Phantom Menace, Independence Day, and LOTR trailers blew everyone to the back of the theater.

Can you believe that after well over a decade of anticipation, the world is about to get its first glimpse of James Cameron's next movie? It still seems surreal to me.

3D Gaming Hits Home - NVIDIA's 3D Vision and BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM

Jim here. We are engaged in high 2D treason with all means available to us! MarketSaw is expanding into 3D gaming. That means 3D entertainment. We had been covering 3D gaming to be sure, but now we are fully entrenched. So lets get started:

You may have heard that 3D gaming is taking off in a big way. It is. Home entertainment will never be the same! Of course we have AVATAR THE GAME coming from Ubisoft soon but there are other things to be aware of - this is one of them! Check out NVIDIA's 3D Vision and for a limited time get BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM when you purchase a qualifying NVIDIA GEFORCE graphics card!

Not sure if it is your thing and already own NVIDIA's 3D Vision? Here is an open invitation to check out a demo over on nZone.

If you are new to the 3D gaming explosion - then here is whats going on guys - 3D gaming is upon us. PC 3D gaming to be specific (the consoles are coming - believe me!) and you have to see this stuff to believe it. Yeah, a lot depends on your equipment but the cost really isn't all that high when you factor in how much time and enjoyment you get out of it.

In fact, if you just want to check out stereo 3D gaming without initially buying the 3D Vision Kit (with shutter glasses - the best experience) and 120hz monitor, you can get an idea of it with the 3D Vision Discover glasses which are anaglyph (red / blue) and are packaged with various GeForce GPUs. You only need those glasses and the respective GeForce card to see these demos - no special monitor or set up. The demos include free downloads, pictures and game previews as well as software that will automatically transform over 350 PC games into stereoscopic 3D.

Once you are satisified with the experience, you can then purchase NVIDIA 3D Vision and enjoy the premium shutter glasses experience. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

For more info on NVIDIA's 3D Vision - check this link out. In fact, if you live in one of these centers, you can personally go and see 3D Vision in action!

I can't wait to get started! I am getting the full NVIDIA 3D Vision set up and I will let you know my opinion in the coming months. I have heard that zombie games are among the best, like Left4Dead and Resident Evil 5 - so you can count me interested in practicing my skills in the event some zombie invasion *really* happens.

And for the 3D movies at home crowd, Arcsoft is now shipping 3D movie player software for the PC, which can playback Sensio DVDs and works with NVIDIA's 3D Vision. Very interesting!

NVIDIA is a sponsor of MarketSaw

Rumor Mill: Dark Smaug On The Horizon Plus Further Word That THE HOBBIT Will Be In 3 Parts -AND- 3D!!

Jim here. Got some interesting HOBBIT news for you. The information I am sharing is from one of my most trusted sources and so you can rely quite a bit on it despite being very early in the production of THE HOBBIT(s).

Why am I so excited about this news I am about to divulge to you? It's because a lot of it I had already uncovered back in 2007. It is being collaborated right now! Sure, this is not ironclad yet - it is still early in the process, but this is not the first time I have heard these things. So how does this sound to you guys (especially if you are a new reader and didn't hear the first word from us on it):

1. THE HOBBIT(s) will be in stereoscopic 3D.
2. THE HOBBIT will be shot in THREE movies - two Del Toro movies covering the book itself and a third bridge movie.
3. Peter Jackson will direct the bridge movie.
4. Smaug and the characters in THE HOBBIT will be darker than in the book.

Here is what he has to say about the famed dragon that is soon to star in the movie and about PJ potentially bringing us a third HOBBIT movie (emphasis is mine):

"Smaug will be a mixture of practical and animation ...going purely on practical, the design rocks. I think THE HOBBIT may be a different beast to the book, at least in terms of going darker. And judging from Smaug "and the Gollum tweaks" will be something to rival the previous attempts at the very least. It is still very lock and key at the moment. I can tell you this, Peter Jackson is very keen to have the two part Hobbit tale set in 3D. Del Toro however is holding back on that school of thought. At least for the time being. Im hearing word "and its only speculation at the moment", that it wont be two films. It will be three. The two parts and the bridge movie. Word alone is not trustworthy. However I hear this from lots of people. And have seen things to indicate this may be the way it is heading. Del Toro on Hobbit duty, Jackson on the bridge project. Time will tell."

I am completely thrilled about the possibilities! I have been hoping for this eventuality ever since I exclusively posted that PJ's lawsuit was being dropped and that he would indeed be coming back to the project. To me it just makes sense. Del Toro has a grasp on THE HOBBIT from a literary perspective and is a good choice for the first two, but who better than Jackson himself to connect THE HOBBIT to his LOTR trilogy? All in 3D! I am a little worried that Del Toro will not shoot in 3D for some obscure reason, but confident that Jackson will bring him on board. Any bridge movie would definitely be in 3D though I am sure as Jackson would be helming it.

My bet? We will wind up with THE HOBBIT I, II (Del Toro) and III (Jackson) in 3D and then will be treated to a complete conversion of the whole LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy into 3D as well (Peter Jackson confirmed my exclusive story at Comic-Con this year). One sweeping epic, end to end. Magnificent! :-)

Keep it on MarketSaw for the best 3D coverage anywhere on the planet.

Photo courtesy of Raymond Gaustadnes.