Thursday, 4 March 2010

ALICE IN WONDERLAND - WORLD PREMIERE

Sunny Nersian tells us:

Last night (02 March 2010) saw the World Royal Premiere of Tim Burton's ''Alice in Wonderland'' at The Odeon Cinema, in London's Leicester Square.

Crowds gathered in from days after flying in from all parts of the world, to catch a glimpse of Hearth Throb Johnny Depp, who plays the Mad Hatter, alongside the full Cast, including co-stars Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska & Anne Hathaway.

Despite the pouring rain and icy temperatures, the cast, including visionary director Tim Burton braved the cold for the thousands of fans that had been waiting for days to see them, singing autographs and having their photos taken. Amongst the glorious cast list saw the Royal arrival of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Taken from Lewis Carroll's classic children's tale novel, the sequel film this time round has a slight twist, where we see Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska), now 19 years old surprisingly and strangely spotting a white rabbit wearing a clock, finds herself returning down the hole, once again to the mysterious yet magical world of Wonderland, from where it all started ten years ago back in her childhood days...

In the enchanting yet creepy world of Wonderland, Alice comes across many of her old friends and learns her true meaning of destiny of being there is to put an end to the Red Queen's reign of terror (played by Helena Bonham Carter).

Distributed by Walt Disney and cleverly directed By Tim Burton, who has directed many hit films including BeetleJuice, Batman, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we see Depp & Burton working together once again to create such a magnificent and intriguing magical film.

Burton has definitely created another smash hit which is also available in 3-D and to be released in cinemas across the UK from 5th March 2010.

20 GAMES UNDER ONE ROOF!

Great Party Games is the ultimate in family entertainment!

Northamptonshire, UK Thursday 4th March 2010 - O Games announces Great Party Games for the Wii™, a brand new mix of family entertainment that will provide hours of fun for mums, dads & kids of all ages!

Your Wii™ becomes the ultimate entertainment hub, with 20 family friendly games including Foosball, Ladder Golf, Air Hockey, Dodgeball, Darts, Smack-a-Squirrell and loads more!

You can challenge your friends & family to multiplayer competitions, taking it in turns to complete a game or play against each other in split screen mode.

Supported by Wii MotionPlus™ to enhance your playing experience, and complete with simple pick up and play game controls Great Party Games will be something the whole family can enjoy!

Great Party Games is out for the Wii™ 28th May 2010.

Hull Film brings highly regarded documentary ISOLATION to The Lamp

The Lamp: 7.30pm (main feature starts at 8pm)

Running time: 70 mins (approx)

Tuesday 23rd March

Cert: 18

Tickets £2, available on the door

Continuing its mission to showcase new and exciting films from across the world, Hull Film will bring astounding documentaryISOLATION - which received a rapturous reception when it screened at last year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival – to The Lamp on Tuesday 23rd March. The film deals with the scandalous statistic that a quarter of British ex-soldiers sleep rough after they return home. An impressionistic portrait of the emotional and physical aftermath of war, the film follows photographer and ex-soldier Stuart Griffiths as he travels across England uncovering the stories behind the military statistics. This bold documentary explores the personal demons and uncertain futures faced by soldiers leaving the army.

Griffiths now photographs the 25% of British soldiers who find themselves on the streets after they leave active service. ISOLATIONeschews gritty realism, and goes for a dreamy and visually stunning aesthetic that is absolutely riveting. Griffiths is an engaging narrator and the people he interviews (including injured soldier Simon Brown in an astounding middle section) are honest and forthcoming.

Not about the morality of war and much more about the treatment of those who fight in our name, this is a vital and important documentary which has come from ultra-talented directors Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull. The film also has a local connection as David Procter, the Director of Photography who helped give the film it’s unique and beautiful look, is a former student of the Hull School of Art and Design

Hull Film Director Laurence Boyce said:

ISOLATION is an important documentary that manages to not only deal with a sensitive subject in a careful and even handed way, but does so in a breathtaking way. It’s such a beautiful and moving piece of work and its style is quite unlike any documentary that you would have seen before. It marks out directors Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull as stunning talents, whose work over the coming years should mark them out as important UK talents working the film industry. Also it’s great to see that – after studying at the Hull School Art & Design - David Procter is currently one of the most sought after DOPs and directors in the UK whose stock should also rise massively over the coming years,”

For more information on the film go to www.instituteforeyes.co.uk

The screening will be the last Hull Film screening before GLIMMER: The Hull International Short Film Festival in association with the University of Hull. Running from 19th-25th April, the festival promises to bring some of the very best short films in the world alongside a number of special guests and wonderful surprises. Keep checking www.hullfilm.co.uk for more information on the programme.

For more information on Hull Film, and to get on the mailing list, email office@hullfilm.co.uk or ring 01482 381512. You can also find Hull Film on My Space at www.myspace.com/hullfilm whilst Glimmer, the Hull International Short Film Festival, has a Facebook Group at www.tinyurl.com/co8u9h

Friday, 19 February 2010

Force Unleashed for PS3 Star Wars Owners

A new single-player level for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is available for download now for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network. The level features The “Secret Apprentice” in an entirely new mission on Hoth that continues the story of TheForce Unleashed in a new “Infinities” storyline that takes the Star Wars Saga in an entirely new and unexpected direction.

The new Hoth mission will be available for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox LIVE Marketplace on February 23.

The Hoth level concludes the “Infinities” storyline set up in the previously available Tatooine mission, as the Secret Apprentice is sent to the planet Hoth to crush the Rebellion once and for all. While on Hoth, players face Luke Skywalker himself while visiting iconic locations seen in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.


Star Wars: The
Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force and casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice,” unveiling new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy seen through the eyes of a mysterious new character armed with unprecedented powers. Originally released in September 2008, the game quickly became the fastest-selling Star Wars game ever, and has since sold seven million units worldwide.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II was recently announced and will be released in 2010.


More information about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed can be found at the official website, http://www.lucasarts.com/games/theforceunleashed/

Information about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II can be found at www.Unleashed2010.com

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

SANYO Wants Britain's Biggest Pancake Tosser

Electronics giant adds to fun spirit of Pancake Day with online video competition

February 16, 2010 – As Pancake Day arrives once again, electronics giant SANYO is adding to this year’s fun by launching a search for Britain’s best pancake tosser today. As the company launches its new range of full HD Xacti dual cameras this month, it is encouraging those Britons most adept at launching pancakes in the air to post home made footage of their talents online. Videos will then be rated by the British public on a new dedicated website (http://www.pancaketoss.com), with the highest rated video winning a brand new Xacti Dual Camera.

Dominic Jones, UK Marketing Manager for SANYO commented: “Pancake Day is a national institution, so we wanted to do something fun to celebrate. It is the one day of the year you’re allowed to play with your food, and this year you might even win a something for it.”

SANYO has created a badge that you can post on your Facebook page to promote your pancake toss video to friends and family, and links can be shared easily across other social networks such as Twitter and MySpace. To enter a video, simply email your footage topancaketoss@sanyo.com or post your video to YouTube and tag it with #SANYOPancakeToss. The competition is open to all ages from today, and serial flippers can even enter multiple videos to enhance their chances of winning.

The video with the best average rating by viewers when the competition closes on February 21 will take home a new SANYO Xacti VPC-CS1, the world’s smallest, lightest and thinnest full HD camcorder.

Dominic Jones, added: “Online video is all about capturing the fun of the everyday, and what better day to shoot some footage than Shrove Tuesday? Simply point, shoot and share the video with us online and you could win a brand new SANYO Xacti.”

Pancake Day facts:

· Pancake Day is also know as ‘Mardi Gras’ (or Fat Tuesday) in other parts of the world

· Pancake Day, or ‘Shrove Tuesday’ is noted in histories as far back as 1000 AD

· Pancake day marks the first day of Lent, traditionally a Christian time for fasting before Easter

· Pancake ingredients – milk, eggs, sugar flour and butter – made them perfect for using up the perishables in the larder prior to Lent fasting

· There are 53,900 videos about pancakes on YouTube

· Many towns and cities, such as St Albans, host Pancake Day races

· It is believed this tradition comes from women rushing to Church to confess their sins before the noon cut-off point, clutching their half-finished pancakes

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Ben 10

The world’s most popular schoolboy-come-alien super force is older and bolder in this brand new series – Ben 10: Alien Force – released on DVD on 19th October courtesy of Warner Home Video.

In this action-packed series we fast-forward five years to a 15 year-old Ben who is back and facing the biggest battle of his life since defeating Vilgax and removing the Omnitrix. Ben’s beloved Grandpa Max has mysteriously disappeared and the world is threatened with an imminent alien invasion that Ben must intervene to stop.

It’s up to 15-year old Ben to discover the leader within and, along with his trusty sidekick, his cousin Gwen, and former nemesis Kevin he must create a force strong enough for the ultimate galactic battle!

The team search high and low in a variety of secret locations for Grandpa Max and encounter the Forever Nights, a dangerous spaceship and a young Heatbalst along the way. Will Ben rise to the challenge and save Grandpa Max? Or will Ben’s alien fighting team be down a member forever?

With five action-packed episodes and one exclusive feature, Ben 10: Alien Force makes the perfect present for kids this Christmas.

Episode Information

1) Ben 10 Returns: Part 1 - Ben teams up with Gwen and his former nemesis Kevin to search for Grandpa Max. But what they find is the Forever Knights trading dangerous weapons!

2) Ben 10 Returns: Part 2 - Ben and the team search a secret base in the hope of finding Max. Instead, they find the Highbreed’s spaceship with a massive cannon aimed at a nearby town.

3) Everybody Talks About the Weather - Gwen discovers that Max’s Plumbers Badge shows the location of other Plumbers and it leads them to a young Heatblast in his own battle with DNAliens!

4) Kevin’s Big Score - Kevin steals the Rustbucket and tries to swap it for some alien gear! But Ben and Gwen learn they must trust him when they have to face off with Vulkanus.

5) All That Glitters - Ben’s leadership skills are put to the test when he receives a message from Max to gather a team of heroes. And when he recruits a new ally he risks an all out mutiny!

Feel the full force of Ben’s powers in these unmissable new adventures Ben 10: Alien Force is available on DVD from19th October.

Plus, catch up on all Ben’s previous alien shenanigans with Ben 10: The Complete Series, also available from 19thOctober courtesy of Warner Home Video.

Wednesday, 31 January 2007

LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE

Documentary DVD on a Sporting Icon from EMI

"The coolest motorcycle rider in the story." Valentino Rossi
"A truly great person and personality...Above all his personality allied to his
success and the way he achieved it made him someone who was truly
unforgettable."
Murray Walker
"He was just a cheeky bugger." Stephanie Sheene

A hero and inspiration to millions, Barry Sheene has a particularly unique place
in the hearts of bike and sports fans the world over. Born in London in 1950,
Sheene rose to fame in the 1970s for his sporting prowess, and blessed with good
looks and buckets of charisma he became an inspiration to many. Breaking
numerous bones and winning countless hearts along the way, he reached the
pinnacle of the motor biking world, becoming a celebrity in his own right and
endearing himself to the wider public. These achievements together with his
personality have left an unrivalled legacy for future sporting generations.
Double Jab Productions & EMI Music have produced the definitive documentary of
his life and his legacy, which encompasses his childhood, to the heights of his
success in the 70s, through to his untimely death in 2003 and looks at what
enchanted so many people including the media. Narrated by actor and bike fan
Ewan McGregor, LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE is a two disc DVD
that features unseen footage and extras. Made with the full cooperation of his
widow Stephanie Sheene, the DVD features contributions and interviews from
family , friends and fellow motorsport legends such as Murray Walker, Sir Henry
Cooper, Damon Hill, Valentino Rossi, Carl Fogarty, Mick Doohan and many more.
LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE will be released in March.
LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE offers an intimate and frank look at
the life of Sheene as a sportsman as well as the individual, putting together
never before seen archive and home movie footage along with in-depth interviews
with those who loved, admired and were inspired by Sheene. The DVD looks at how
Sheene first became fixated with motorbikes and racing, his first race in 1969
and how in 1970 he really came into his own. Sheene rocketed to fame, winning
back to back 500cc World Championships in 1976 and 1977 on his Suzuki bike, and
dominated 500cc racing throughout the world for the most of the decade. The 70s
was an era when safety standards were still pretty lax in the sport and the
risks associated became all too apparent during his career, as Sheene was
blighted with serious crashes and injuries - at one stage, he had metal plates
in both knees, 28 screws in his legs and a bolt in his left wrist. A serious
crash in Daytona, Florida, left him in hospital, but Sheene ever the
professional still conducted interviews from his bedside. The DVD also explores
Sheene's life away from the racing track, which gripped the public in equal
measure and added to his persona.

Sheene enjoyed all the glamorous and lucrative fruits of his labour, and he
successfully went on to establish himself as one of the UK's best loved sporting
icons of his time. His popularity was in part down to his flamboyant personality
and Sheen lapped up all the trappings of the good life that his success brought
him; fast cars, big houses and the attention of the opposite sex. A canny
operator, Sheene was aware of his marketability, and took advantage of the
endorsement deals that were beginning to open up for sportsmen, including a deal
with Brut, Texaco, and Faberge, Sheene's position as a household name was
solidified. Once he married Stephanie McLean, a former page three girl, they
became known as 'Barry and Steph' in the media, one of the most glamorous
couples of the late 70s. During the 1982 British Grand Prix, Sheene suffered
massive injuries from which he never truly recovered his form. Sheene eventually
retired from racing in 1984, and the DVD goes on to look at Sheene's forging of
a new life and career in Australia. Racing commentator, Murray Walker, knew
Sheene from his childhood years, becoming a close friend and was witness to the
highs as well as the lows. Together with contributions from his family and
friends, these at times candid interviews, paint a rich picture of the man both
on and off the race track.

"LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE" is made by Double Jab Productions
for EMI DVD, it is produced & directed by Mark Tinkler, Executive Producer
Stuart Watts.

Disc one contains the main film and extras while disc two is entirely composed
of extras including extended interviews, extended home movie sequences, photo
galleries and much more.

Interviews have been conducted with the following for the making of the film:
Stephanie Sheene (widow), Sidonie Sheene (daughter) Freddie Sheene (son), Maggie
Smart (sister), Paul Smart (brother-in-law and fellow Suzuki team rider), Murray
Walker, Damon Hill, Valentino Rossi, Steve Parrish, Kenny Roberts, Mick Doohan,
Carl Fogarty, Sir Henry Cooper and many many more.


Disc 2 Extras include:
Additional home movie footage, previously unseen archive material and extended
interviews with the likes of Valentino Rossi, Carl Fogarty, Mick Doohan, Murray
Walker, Damon Hill and many more.

Home Movies

· "Barry as a boy" commentary by Barry sister's, Maggie - watching her father's
early home movies, footage never seen outside of the family before.

· "Early Racing Days" commentary by Paul & Maggie Smart, and Murray Walker &
Damon Hill - watch and talk about the home movies of Sheene's early racing
career from the mid-1960s to 1971,

· "The Glory Years" commentary with Andrew Marriott, Martyn Ogbourne, Peter Agg
& Steve Parrish - including home movies shot by Sheene's father at Grand Prixs
in 1976 & '77

Extended Interviews:

· Barry in Three words

· Barry & Steph

· Barry & Brut

· Four World Champions on Barry

Interviewees featured in "Extended Interviews" include Carl Fogarty, Mick
Doohan, Kenny Roberts, Valentino Rossi, Damon Hill, Murray Walker, Sir Henry
Cooper, Steve Parrish, Andrew Marriott, Maggie Smart and Barry's family of wife
Stephanie and children Sidonie & Freddie.