'Mad Max' sequel in the works

'Fury Road' will shoot in Sydney, outback

SYDNEY -- The fourth installment in George Miller's "Mad Max" franchise, "Fury Road," is set to go into production in Sydney and outback New South Wales next year, according to local reports Saturday.

Miller, who also will produce the film through his production shingle Kennedy Miller, is quoted as saying that " 'Fury Road' will put NSW back on the map as a filmmaking destination.

"Hollywood has cut its production in half. Big movies like 'Fury Road' and 'Happy' Feet are rare and competitively sought after in all the filmmaking regions of the world," Miller told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

"The production agreements have been a long time in the making and (NSW) Premier Rees and his team have worked like Trojans to ensure this substantial investment comes into this country. Not only does it help fuel the local economy but it means many talented people get a chance to practice their craft and lift their skills."

News that "Fury Road" has been given the greenlight comes just 10 days after Warner Bros. announced was pulling production of "Green Lantern" out of Australia.

No studio backing for "Fury Road" was announced for the film, which reportedly has a $100 million budget.

"The 'Mad Max' films are iconic," Rees said. "In the hands of director George Miller, we will see one of the largest and most ambitious live-action films ever made in Australia. This is a clear vote of confidence in Australian expertise. This proves that Sydney is an international contender for major film production."

Kennedy Miller is also in production on "Happy Feet 2" in its digital production joint venture with Omnilab Media, Dr D.

It has been 30 years since the post-apocalyptic thriller "Mad Max" was released, propelling Mel Gibson to stardom.

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BOX OFFICE 23 October 2009

Movie/Weekend/Gross

Paranormal Activity $22M $62.5M
Saw VI $14.8M $14.8M
Where the Wild Things Are $14.4M $54M
Law Abiding Citizen $12.7M $40.3M
Couples Retreat $11.1M $78.2M
Astro Boy $7.02M $7.02M
The Stepfather $6.5M $20.4M
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant $6.35M $6.35M
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs $5.6M $115M
Zombieland $4.3M $67.3M

The Box - in theaters November 6th!

On November 6th, Warner Bros Pictures will proudly present the thriller “THE BOX” starring Cameron Diaz (“My Sister’s Keeper,” “The Holiday”), James Marsden (“27 Dresses,” “Enchanted”), and Oscar® nominee Frank Langella (“Frost/Nixon”).

THE BOX TRAILER LINKS:

WINDOWS HD
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WINDOWS STANDARD
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QUICKTIME STANDARD
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IPOD
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Top 10 Video Rentals

1 The Proposal
2 Land of the Lost
3 Year One
4 Monsters vs Aliens
5 Drag Me to Hell
6 Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
7 My Life in Ruins
8 Management
9 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
10 Imagine That

Disney wants to play films on any device!

New technology would enable viewing in every way
By Paul Bond

Oct 21, 2009
A Disney initiative that could allow consumers access to a movie on any device imaginable comes not to bury the DVD, but perhaps to prolong its relevancy.

Disney could demonstrate the new technology, code-named Keychest, in as little as two months, and it could be available to consumers next year, a studio insider said Wednesday. Using cloud-computing concepts that could be coupled with physical product, consumers would pay one price for rights to a movie they could play on multiple devices, even simultaneously, if desired.

"Dad has a Zune, Mom has an iPod, there's a Mac and a PC at home and a Roku box; right now, those devices don't talk to one another," the insider said. "We intend to blend those worlds."

The Wall Street Journal disclosed the early plans for Keychest in Wednesday editions.

Disney has been lining up studio and technology partners. Some are already involved with the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem, a competing initiative from a group that includes Sony, Fox, NBC Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount and Lionsgate.

Studios have been searching for lucrative distribution models in the Internet era, fearful that consumers are weaning themselves off of DVDs. But Disney believes Keychest technology could prolong enthusiasm for DVDs and Blu-ray Discs by allowing consumers to purchase rights to view a film in sundry ways, including the use of a traditional or high-def disc.

"Packaged goods will co-exist with digital platforms," the studio insider said. "That's what this is about."

It’s Up to You to Decide…

It’s Up to You to Decide…


In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. The Fourth Kind, abduction, has been the most difficult to document...until now. Based on actual case studies, THE FOURTH KIND exposes the terrifying revelations of multiple witnesses, and their accounts of being visited by alien figures, all of whom share disturbingly identical details.


On behalf of Universal Pictures, I would like to let you know that new information for THE FOURTH KIND is now available via new Facebook and Twitter pages.


Today's social media networks have provided us with a number of different avenues to communicate with one another, and most importantly, to find like-minded individuals with whom people can share their stories. Please visit www.facebook.com/thefourthkind and http://twitter.com/thefourthkind to hear these stories from those who want to let the world know why they believe. The question is...do you?


Facebook
Go to www.facebook.com/thefourthkind in order to experience all of the available information and hear countless encounter stories. Millions of people have seen UFOs. Thousands have reported alien abductions. Become a fan of the page to share your story and connect with fellow survivors. Also, be sure to check the profile for upcoming film screenings near you.

Twitter
Do you believe? Check out http://twitter.com/thefourthkind to get news on the film as well as information on abductions and encounters from all over the world.




The Fourth Kind arrives November 6, 2009
Decide for yourself at www.facebook.com/thefourthkind


About THE FOURTH KIND:

In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document...until now.

Structured unlike any film before it, The Fourth Kind is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered.

Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.

Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, The Fourth Kind exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.

Release date: November 6, 2009
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Story by: Olatunde Osunsanmi & Terry Lee Robbins
Screenplay by: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Produced by: Paul Brooks, Joe Carnahan, Terry Lee Robbins
Executive Producers: Scott Niemeyer, Norm Waitt, Ioana Miller
Co-Executive Producers: David Pupkewitz, Jon Bjarni Gudmundsson, Vinca Liane Jarrett
Website: www.thefourthkind.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefourthkind
Images: http://www.specialopsmedia.com/assets/Universal/TheFourthKind_Images.zip
**Follow Universal Pictures on Twitter: http://twitter.com/universalpics

Trailer Deep links (Please cut and paste into your browser)
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Top Video Rentals

1 Year One
2 Monsters vs Aliens
3 Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
4 My Life in Ruins
5 Management
6 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
7 Observe and Report
8 State of Play
9 The Brothers Bloom
10 Lies & Illusions

BOX OFFICE 16 October 2009

Movie/Weekend/Gross

Where the Wild Things Are $32.5M $32.5M
Law Abiding Citizen $21.2M $21.2M
Paranormal Activity $20.2M $33.7M
Couples Retreat $17.9M $63.3M
The Stepfather $12.3M $12.3M
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs $8.1M $108M
Zombieland $7.8M $60.8M
Toy Story $3.01M $28.6M
Surrogates $1.92M $36.3M
The Invention of Lying $1.91M $15.5M

Jamie Foxx: Gerard Butler's Stalker

Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx hit the red carpet in Los Angeles for the premiere of their new movie, "Law Abiding Citizen," where Foxx admitted to being a bit obsessed with his butt-kicking co-star. (Oct. 7)


PEOPLE...IT'S GOING DOWN FOR THIS WEEKEND~

FB, Myspace, and Twitter - *click* to see footage!

The Stepfather

In theaters Today!!

Where the Wild Things Are - Mike's Movie Review

YEAHHHHH...finally in theaters today...WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.

I checked it out earlier this week...damn great flick! I knew it was going to be hella dope - but it was more than that. First of all - it's a great flick for the kiddos - - and - - - I know a lot of us remember the story from when WE were kids. (LOL) So, what I’m saying is – GREAT family movie.

I'm not going to go too be much into it though - if you've been under a rock and have no idea what I'm talking about - do a little research or watch the trailer. Either way - go see this movie this weekend. Be ready though - I did find it a little emotional...you'll see what I'm talking about. LOL

What? I can’t shed a tear every once in a while?! (LOL)



www.mikethemovieguypierce.com

From Mexico With Love - Mike's Movie Review

Someone once said...“Little movie…Big Heart”...and that’s exactly what this movie’s all about.

It stars ladies man, Kuno Becker – you know, the dude from GOALLLLLLLL!!
Well, the movie’s about this dude...who works on a cucumber ranch with his mom and friends…but...the ranch owner isn’t exactly the nicest of bosses to have or work for...and to make matters worse – his son is this town boxing champ. (D@ck Dudes!)

One day – this ranch helper decides to screw over his mom with her pay – well, Hector (Kuno) isn’t having it – no one’s going to punk his mom...so...it's time for a ass whoopin! (LOL)

Once the ranch owner finds out – Hector's fired...and told never to show his face again! It sucks for Hector though - cuz there's this little hot tamale named Maria there - damn Hector! (LOL)

Well, he decides the ONLY way to get even is - whoop that son of his. "DING DING!" It's fight time! From Mexico With Love is a dope movie - you laugh, it's got my boy from Scarface in it, and it's got a great meaning...perfect for the family.

Now, if you wanna know who wins - go watch tha damn movie!! (LOL)

www.mikethemovieguypierce.com

Paranormal Activity - Mike's Movie Review

Hey movie fans! I know, I know – been a little behind in my movie updates – not going to lie – been swamped with work!!

So, I checked out this movie several days ago. (Sorry) I guess you could say it’s the talk of the town, huh? Everyone’s says it scared the crap out of them…several people I know had to sleep with the lights on…Miss Jenny Fly being one of them. (LOL) and of course – you have those who gotta be “anti” Paranormal Activity – saying it’s wack and not scary. (LOL)

It’s OK people…you gotta be different. (LOL)

Well, what did I think of it? I thought it rocked! It about time you see a movie that has the entire theater jumping. (LOL) Yes, the movie’s that freaky. Being a paranormal hunter myself…I know stuff like that exists. Now – I haven’t seen any demon stuff (Though I want to still) But, other stuff – seen it, smelt it, AND felt it! (I have some dope EVP's myself!)

Paranormal Activity’s about this cool, loveable couple who live in this house. Apparently, from a very young age – the girl has always felt something around her. Well, this “entity” has decided it wants to make contact…and boy does it. (LOL) You basically watch her boyfriend video tape the whole episode…from buying the equipment, recording EVP, and catching weird chit! YES…he does video tape the whole thing – but it’s nothing like Blair Witch and Cloverfield (All the shaking and running around) SOOOO…don’t listen to people if their saying it is. Believe Me…I wouldn’t lie to ya.

If you’re looking for a freaky movie to watch – check out Paranormal Activity…it’s one of those movies you WANT to see with a crowed theater!!

Happy Halloween!

www.mikethemovieguypierce.com

Soon to come...VIDEO blogging reviews! (I think its about time) LOL

The Box

What if someone gave you a box containing a button that, if pushed, would bring you a million dollars…but simultaneously take the life of someone you don’t know? Would you do it? And what would be the consequences?

The year is 1976. Norma Lewis (Cameron Diaz) is a teacher at a private high school and her husband, Arthur (James Marsden), is an engineer working at NASA. They are, by all accounts, an average couple living a normal life in the suburbs with their young son…until a mysterious man with a horribly disfigured face appears on their doorstep and presents Norma with a life-altering proposition: the box. With only 24 hours to make their choice, Norma and Arthur face an impossible moral dilemma. What they don’t realize is that no matter what they decide, terrifying consequences will have already been set in motion. They soon discover that the ramifications of this decision are beyond their control and extend far beyond their own fortune and fate.
“The Box” was directed by Richard Kelly (“Donnie Darko”), from his own screenplay based on the short story “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson. Kelly also produced the film alongside Sean McKittrick and Dan Lin, with Sue Baden-Powell, Ted Field, Paris Kasidokostas Latsis, Terry Dougas and Edward H. Hamm Jr. serving as executive producers.

Heading the film’s cast as Norma and Arthur Lewis are Cameron Diaz (“My Sister’s Keeper,” “The Holiday”) and James Marsden (“27 Dresses,” “Enchanted”). Oscar® nominee Frank Langella (“Frost/Nixon”) also stars as the mysterious stranger Arlington Steward.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Steven B. Poster (“Southland Tales”), production designer Alec Hammond (“Flightplan”), editor Sam Bauer (“Donnie Darko”) and costume designer April Ferry (“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”). Original music is by Win Butler, Régine Chassagne and Owen Pallett of the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Radar Pictures, “The Box.” Opening in theaters on November 6, 2009, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. “The Box” has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images.

www.thebox-movie.com

The Fourth Kind - I'ts Up to You to Decide...

It’s Up to You to Decide…

In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters.
The Fourth Kind, abduction, has been the most difficult to document...until now.

Background of the Thriller

In October 2004, filmmaker Olatunde Osunsanmi had wrapped principal photography on his thriller The Cavern and traveled to North Carolina for postproduction. While there, a chance dinner conversation sparked an interest that would be the genesis of The Fourth Kind.

A colleague told him of a psychologist living in the Carolinas who relocated from a remote town along the Bering Sea. In Alaska, she had conducted a sleep disorder study that revealed terrifying data. What Osunsanmi heard fascinated him...all the more because it was heavily documented. Through his contact, he tracked her down. After some reluctance, she shared her story.

In Fall 2000, the therapist’s patients, under hypnosis, exhibited behaviors that suggested encounters with non humans. Before sleep, every person recalled a white owl outside his or her window. They woke up paralyzed, hearing horrific noises from beyond their doors just before an unknown assailant pulled them screaming from their rooms. Subsequent memories went dark.

As the doctor investigated the phenomenon, she discovered a history of missing people and bizarre activity from the region, dating back to the 1960s. The more she dug, the more she believed the unbelievable: Her patients’ stories were not false memories, but comprehensive evidence of alien abductions.

Sampling of Actual Reported Alien Activity in Alaska

• In February 1965, an Air Force officer and flight crew, en route from Anchorage to Japan, obtained a radar-visual sighting of three enormous objects. The UFOs paced the F-169 freighter aircraft over the Pacific and disappeared at a speed of at least 1,500 mph.

• Air Force Lt. Col. Wendelle C. Stevens’ testimonials of gun-camera footage that captured flying saucers over Alaskan airspace and a mid-flight disappearance in 1972 of Alaska’s U.S. State Sen. Nick Begich are but a sampling of the stories of extraterrestrial presence.

• In November 1986, in airspace off the coast of Anchorage, Captain Kenju Terauchi and the crew of Japan Airlines Flight 1628 reported a massive extraterrestrial “mother ship” two times the size of an aircraft carrier. Their insistence was backed up by radar returns.

Experience The Fourth Kind

Using never-before-seen archival footage integrated into the film, Osunsanmi exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by aliens share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.

The Fourth Kind arrives 11/06/09.

Decide for yourself at www.facebook.com/thefourthkind.

BOX OFFICE 9 October 2009

Movie/Weeekend/Gross

Couples Retreat $35.3M $35.3M
Zombieland $15M $47.8M
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs $12M $96.3M
Toy Story $7.67M $22.7M
Paranormal Activity $7.07M $8.28M
Surrogates $4.12M $32.6M
The Invention of Lying $3.37M $12.3M
Whip It $2.8M $8.77M
Capitalism: A Love Story $2.7M $9.1M
Fame $2.56M $20M

Top Video Rentals

1 Monsters vs Aliens
2 Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
3 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
4 Management
5 Observe and Report
6 State of Play
7 Lies & Illusions
8 Next Day Air
9 Crank: High Voltage
10 The Brothers Bloom

It's Christmas...in da mail from NetFlix!

www.mikethemovieguypierce.com

How Twitter Makes or Breaks Movie Marketing Today

Forget Ebert: How Twitter Makes or Breaks Movie Marketing Today
Universal, Sony, Others Wrestle With How Social Media Affects Box Office
by Andrew Hampp
Published: October 05, 2009
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Can the so-called Twitter effect boost a movie's box-office performance faster than any traditional form of word-of-mouth? Not yet, say many top movie marketers and researchers, but the social networking platform's impact on a studio's media mix and campaign management has already taken shape.

Witness Sony Pictures, one of the first studios to create branded Twitter pages for its films, which saw releases such as "District 9," "Julie & Julia" and "The Ugly Truth" open strong and maintain momentum by keeping the branded conversation around each film active and updating the films' followers on the microblogging site with exclusive content in the following weeks. The results? Grosses of $113 million, $90 million and $88 million, respectively, and counting.

But the idea behind a Twitter effect gained traction this summer after the Hollywood press and the blogosphere blamed Twitterers for shortening the box-office life of films such as Universal's "Bruno," which opened to a strong $30 million but quickly sputtered to a $12 million second weekend based on poor word-of-mouth and a high volume of negative tweets. Could moviegoers with nothing but a cellphone and a Twitter account really be undermining the millions of dollars poured into a movie's marketing?

Market research firm 360i recently tested the Twitter effect by comparing Twitter traffic for "Bruno" during its first weekend at the box office with three other summer films, and found "Bruno" to have the highest percentage of drop-off in second-day box-office grosses (-39%) and negative tweets (21%).

But making a direct correlation between the two is far from scientific and hardly one-size-fits-all for all films, said Sarah Hofstetter, 360i's senior VP-emerging media and client strategy. "A movie like 'Bruno' is exceptionally polarizing -- either everyone wants to see Sacha Baron Cohen naked or they don't," she said. "You have to differentiate in the content and context of a film -- if you give too much credence to Twitter marketing and you say, 'Our efforts contributed to a 10% lift in ticket sales,' no one's going to agree on what caused that."

Little impact
And Twitter, as well as other social media, has yet to directly affect the methodology behind the metrics supplied by box-office forecasters to the studios to gauge all-important first-weekend ticket sales weeks in advance. One major movie forecaster said active Twitter and Facebook users have yet to be included in the sample size because it "needs to be reflective of how the studios spend their money. To chase Twitter or social networks would be a disservice to that population."

In fact, Twitter has helped forecasters such as Marketcast and Nielsen NRG steadfastly hold on to their role in manufacturing hype around those all-important first three days. In the case of "Bruno," analysts correctly predicted the $30 million opening weekend, but stayed away from managing post-debut expectations. "Our job stops after opening day. The rest is up to the universe," said one forecaster.

Nor has Twitter had a measurable impact on studios' marketing budgets, even as they add dedicated staffers to manage and measure social-networking activity around their slates. "While Twitter is important as social media, it is a very small sliver of our marketing campaign," said a Sony executive. "I think it is more effective as a gauge of how effectively your materials are working and it allows marketers to take a real-time pulse on consumer attitudes towards your brand or property."

Instead, Twitter has become the campaign-management tool of choice, one that studios and other marketers can harness faster and to a greater extent as more case studies crop up on a weekly basis. "The name of the game for the studios is to take full advantage of all early signals," said Pete Blackshaw, exec VP-Nielsen Online's digital strategic services. "The downside for them is a movie can be damaged really quickly -- the flow of information on these platforms, and degree to which influencers are tapping into those signals is quite profound."

But one former marketer at a major studio suggested that Sony has harnessed Twitter more effectively for a $30 million movie such as "District 9" than other surprise blockbusters such as Warner Bros.' "The Hangover" or Disney's "The Proposal."

"Sony did a very good job at continuing engagement with consumers. The film got such positive buzz from consumers that they started talking about it through [Sony's] real-time stream," the executive said. "I don't think those other studios knew what they had on their hands at the time."

'Paranormal Activity' moves into wider release'

TONIGHT...MIDNIGHT SCREENING...WHO'S GOING? AMC DUNVALE 12:01 AM - SEE YA THERE!




Getprev
Following "Paranormal Activity's" robust debut in a handful of midnight screenings last weekend, Paramount Pictures said Monday that it is bringing its micro-budget thriller to 20 more cities on Friday. Paramount said more than 200,000 fans have registered interest in the movie via a "Paranormal" website, and writer-director Oren Peli's $15,000 movie about a couple's nocturnal nightmare will be coming to many of the cities representing the greatest interest.

The studio said the cities with the highest demand for exclusive midnight showings included Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, Phoenix, San Francisco and Philadelphia. The movie will also come to Atlanta, Miami, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Denver, Detroit, Baltimore, Sacramento, San Jose and Tampa.

-- John Horn

Photo: A scene from "Paranormal Activity." Credit: Paramount Pictures

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