The Debt hits theaters August 31, 2011, and the trailer just hit in theaters last Friday. I have to admit I'm pretty keen to see what Director John Madden has put together here, especially in reworking an already very cool movie.

Check out the very cool trailer below.

The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Academy Award winner Helen Mirren) and Stefan (two-time Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds of Focus’ “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day”).

All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain [soon to be seen in “The Tree of Life”], Marton Csokas [Universal’s upcoming “Dream House”], and Sam Worthington [“Avatar,” “Clash of the Titans”]) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen of “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace”) in East Berlin.

At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team’s mission was accomplished – or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.

Director: John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love,” “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin,” “Proof”)

Writers: Matthew Vaughn & Jane Goldman and Peter Straughan; Based on the Israeli film “Ha-Hov”

Cast: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, Jesper Christensen, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson

Visit The Debt official site here:

http://www.SeeTheDebt.com

“Like” The Debt Facebook Page here:

http://www.facebook.com/SeeTheDebt

And follow Focus Features’ Twitter Feed here:

http://twitter.com/FocusFeatures

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It's college, and it's the '80s, so get ready for wild times. If you haven't been watching TBS' Glory Daze, then you have been missing the retro-coolest, college-life deconstruction to come along in... ever. I want people to get interested in the show (or get a chance to win, if they're already fans), so I have a nice prize pack to give away to two lucky winners. Check out a lot of information about the show below, as well as come cool videos, and enter to win. yourself some cool goodies.

GLORY DAZE follows the fun -- and awkward -- misadventures of four freshmen as they navigate college life, trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. Joel (Kelly Blatz) is a typical guy next door who is determined to keep his focus on pre-med, at least until he meets his unattainable dream girl, Christie (Julianna Guill). Eli (Matt Bush) is a virgin who desperately wants to be cool.

Jason (Drew Seeley) is a buttoned-downed conservative, attached at the hip to his preppy girlfriend. Brian (Hartley Sawyer) is a star baseball player struggling to get out of his father's shadow. Together, the guys agree to check out fraternity houses, finally coming to the steps of Omega Sigma, where they are greeted by pledge recruiter Mike (Callard Harris). Intrigued by the fraternity's cool factor, their fate is sealed. They begin a journey that will make a lifetime of memories.

Christie DeWitt (Julianna Guill) is the beautiful, blonde object of Joel's affection, not to mention the affection of every other guy on campus. Unfortunately for Joel, her boyfriend is the Omega Sig president. But that doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy spending time with him as a friend.

Professor Haines (Tim Meadows) is an ultra-liberal professor with a chip on his shoulder and a streak of paranoia about the military-industrial complex. He frequently veers off topic during his lectures, using every opportunity he can to deliver a soapbox rant. He never hesitates to take a verbal jab at his students. Currently going through a messy divorce, Professor Haines is not very good with the ladies.

Jason Wilson (Drew Seeley) is a rich, buttoned-downed conservative who idolizes Ronald Reagan almost as much as he idolizes his preppy girlfriend. At first, Jason plans to pledge the fraternity to which his father belonged, a fraternity that produced six U.S. Senators. But, for the sake of his friendship with the other guys, he decides to give Omega Sig a try.

Joel Harrington (Kelly Blatz) is as clean-cut as they come. This handsome and lovable boy next door is determined to focus on his pre-med studies, but fraternity life and the crush he has on class beauty Christie could derail his plans. Burdened by Catholic guilt and always known for doing what his parents want him to do, Joel is starting to find his own path.

Stankowski (Chris D’Elia) is Omega Sig’s perpetual student. Known as The Oracle, he has been a resident of the fraternity house for more than 10 years, which he says feels like 30,000 years…or sometimes just a moment. His room has a constant haze because of the numerous water pipes in use (including one made out of a mannequin’s leg). It is from here that he expounds on the meaning of life and provides bits of wisdom to the younger brothers.

Enter To Win A Glory Daze Prize Pack -

Glory Daze is filled with wild and crazy stories of college life, and the bizarre situations encountered when entered college, pledging a fraternity, or just walking across campus. Most of us are quite familiar with life on campus, and the antics that ensue.

Leave a comment below and share your craziest, college story for a chance to win!

Not only can you win some goodies, but your story just might make it to a future episode of the show. Seriously.

Two winners will each receive - Glory Daze hoodie, Glory Daze tube socks, and a Rubik's Cube.

Winners will be chosen based on the awesomeness of their story as decided by a secret, biased, and not particularly "fair-minded" panel of arbiters. Contest will end February 10th. Prizes are provided by TBS.

For more on Glory Daze visit www.TBS.com

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© 2011, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

This post brought to you by Kyocera. All opinions are 100% mine.

The People's Choice Awards 2011 is coming, and Kyocera, the official mobile partner, wants to make sure that you get in on all the fun.

With the new year comes a new round of awards shows, and the kick off is just around the corner. The People's Choice Awards are January 5th at 9/8c, -check out lots of great stuff at the official site here- and there are some very interesting categories this year. Mainly, I'd like to find out what brings home the prize in many of the television categories, especially among the newcomers. Voting is still open for new TV drama and comedy, by the way.

Kyocera, and you should really check out their new Zio Android phone, are pushing the fun and overall experience of the People's Choice Awards this year with, among other things, the official Tweet Wall, and and the ability to create your own Award announcement. More than ever before, you can get in on the action, and Get Famous

While not generally number one on my list as far as the awards themselves, the show is itself is always a good ride, and has progressed over the years into a worthy event. This year's show looks to be filled to bursting, and ought to be well worth the viewing. Queen Latifah is sure to make the most out of the experience for everyone, and just based on the nominees, this should be an interesting year. I mean, Audrina Partridge was at the press conference, and what more could you ask for?

Perhaps most interesting about all the award shows this year is the continuing integration of the web and various other outlets into the show itself, and it looks as though The People's Choice Awards won't be falling behind on that score. Take a quick look at the site, and you'll know that there is a lot for fans to take advantage of, with more on the way.

I highly recommend you tune in, even if it's just to see where your TV obsession lands. I'm loving that category frankly, and find it rather difficult to choose from among the nominees - Burn Notice, Dexter, Pretty Little Liars, True Blood, and White Collar. With so many odd, and unique categories - Favorite Family TV Movie and Favorite TV Family are both categories, and that's pretty cool - there's something for everyone, and you are guaranteed to see your favorite stars.

Don't miss it!

© 2011, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

It's that time of year again, and after cramming all week to get my nominations in, the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards nominations have been revealed. The awards will be on VH1 again, Friday, January 14th at 9:00 PM ET/PT. This is VH1's fourth year hosting the awards, and the first year that the show will be broadcast internationally.

It was a strange year in movies, though I suppose they all are, because while there were some great films, the nomination process was much easier for me. Last year found me struggling to whittle down choices in almost every category (with the notable exception of Christoph Waltz for Supporting Actor), but this year I wasn't spoiled for choice. That  makes it somewhat less surprising that the nomination record would be broken by Black Swan with 12. Adding to the overall unprecedented nature of the nominations this year, True Grit, and festival darling The King's Speech both managed 11 nominations. Inception received 10, and The Social Network found itself with 9. When 12 is the record, having other films following so close makes for a strange awards year.

Below we'll run through the nominations, and I'll let you know what I think about them. Be sure to chime in yourself, and don't miss the show.

Nicole Kidman received her record seventh acting nomination for Best Actress in “Rabbit Hole.” She won the first Critics’ Choice Award as Best Actress 15 years ago for “To Die For.” Later Kidman was nominated for Best Actress in “Cold Mountain,” “The Hours” and “Moulin Rouge,” in addition to being part of the nominated Acting Ensembles in “Nine” and “The Hours.”

Amy Adams will be seeking her second Critics’ Choice Award as a Best Supporting Actress nominee in “The Fighter.” Adams previously won the category for “Junebug” and has received three other nods from the BFCA, including one for Best Actress in “Enchanted.”

Twenty-year-old Jennifer Lawrence earned nods in both the Best Actress and Best Young Actor/Actress categories, among the four nominations for “Winter’s Bone,” while fourteen-year-old Hailee Steinfeld earned nods as both Best Supporting Actress and Best Young Actor/Actress for “True Grit,” contributing to its 11 nominations. Thirteen-year-old Chloe Grace Moretz was nominated in the Best Young Actor/Actress category twice for “Let Me In” and “Kick-Ass.”

Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen continue to be Critics’ Choice favorites, nominated jointly for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for “True Grit.” Previously they had shared Best Director honors for “No Country For Old Men,” and were nominated as writers of “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “A Serious Man” and “No Country For Old Men.” “No Country For Old Men” and “Fargo” also won Critics’ Choice Awards as Best Picture.

The 250 members of the BFCA, the largest film critics’ organization in the United States and Canada, representing television, radio and online critics, selected nominees in each of 25 categories. The awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Eligible films were released in 2010. The accounting firm of Gregory A. Mogab tallied the written ballots.

Historically, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations. All four major acting category winners at the Academy Awards in 2010 were first Critics’ Choice Movie Awards winners in the same categories and were present at the January 15, 2010 ceremony to graciously give their first acceptance speeches of the awards season. The BFCA also recognized “The Hurt Locker” for Best Picture and Kathryn Bigelow as Best Director, making her the first female to win the award. “The Hurt Locker” and Bigelow also went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, but were both overlooked at the Golden Globes.

Today, VH1 also announces the launch of its Critics’ Choice Movie Awards site at CriticsChoice.VH1.com. The site offers movie fans detailed information about the show and this year’s nominees, VH1.com’s Award Season Twitter Tracker, where users can see the awards show buzz that’s happening on Twitter in real time, and Quick Critic, an opportunity to share short film reviews for a prize that includes a trip for two to next year’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. Additionally, interviews with many of the acting nominees can be found on the BFCA's site CriticsChoice.com.

The 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards is executive produced by Jesse Ignjatovic for Den of Thieves, Joey Berlin for Berlin Entertainment and Lee Rolontz for VH1.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 16th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE

• 127 Hours
• Black Swan
• The Fighter
• Inception
• The King’s Speech
• The Social Network
• The Town
• Toy Story 3
• True Grit
• Winter’s Bone

Only in the second year of this new, 10 nominee idea, I'm still not sure that it amounts too much. I suppose it's fine enough that five more films get to declare their nominee status on the DVD release, but at least half of these have no chance at all of winning. This is Black Swan's race to lose.

BEST ACTOR

• Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
• Robert Duvall – “Get Low”
• Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
• Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
• James Franco – “127 Hours”
• Ryan Gosling – “Blue Valentine”

Colin Firth is ahead in the chatter at the moment, with a lot of people talking about his win since the film first made its way to festivals. Franco also has some people talking, and a case could be made that Ryan Gosling had the best performance as well. I don't think the other three have a real shot, although The Social Network has managed a lot of fans, and some people may want to find a way to vote for it. Firth still seems almost a lock at this point.

BEST ACTRESS

• Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”
• Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”
• Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
• Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
• Noomi Rapace – “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
• Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

Annette Bening has been getting a lot of attention for her role, but I'm not sure I saw what all that much fuss was about. She was certainly good, but I don't think her performance stood out to me, especially considering the competition. Lawrence, Portman, and Williams were all (imho) better, and in more difficult roles. Kidman was good as well, and people like to vote for her, but I don't think she deserves to stand above the rest of these nominees. It's tough to call this one though, as the vote could get split pretty thin.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
• Andrew Garfield – “The Social Network”
• Jeremy Renner – “The Town”
• Sam Rockwell – “Conviction”
• Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
• Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”

This one is going to be tough insofar as predicting a winner. I think right now this is a toss-up between Bale and Rush. Both performances are excellent, though I think Bale wins out, but there has been a lot of talk for both of them. Rush has the advantage of a longer span of momentum, and I think people are going to want to vote for him. There are some very solid efforts among the rest of the nominees, but I don't think anyone else is in serious contention.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
• Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”
• Mila Kunis – “Black Swan”
• Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
• Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
• Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

Given the way that voting goes in these things, I think the likelihood is that Helena Bonham Carter is going to pick this one up. This is a tough category, because I think I could make the case for any of them, with the exception of Adams, who I don't think technically "supports" to a degree I would like, though she's quite good. I think I rather want Weaver to win, and I was very impressed with Steinfeld, but it is going to be hard to get past The King's Speech here.

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

• Elle Fanning – “Somewhere”
• Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
• Chloe Grace Moretz – “Let Me In”
• Chloe Grace Moretz – “Kick-Ass”
• Kodi Smit-McPhee – “Let Me In”
• Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”

For my money, Elle Fanning isn't really in Somewhere enough for me to give her serious consideration. Other than that, this might go any which way. It's hard to figure what will happen with the votes for Moretz, being that she's there twice, and Steinfeld was very impressive, as I've already said. Lawrence was quite good, but I don't know that she can get the votes. Steinfeld may win out.

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

• The Fighter
• The Kids Are All Right
• The King’s Speech
• The Social Network
• The Town

Probably hard to get past The King's Speech again, but I like The Fighter, if I have to pick (and I do). I've rarely been able to wrap my head around this category.

BEST DIRECTOR

• Darren Aronofsky – “Black Swan”
• Danny Boyle – “127 Hours”
• Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “True Grit”
• David Fincher – “The Social Network”
• Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech”
• Christopher Nolan – “Inception”

This is another tricky category. Considering the way voting often happens, this is tough to predict, especially considering the fact that I'm not at all sure that everyone who votes (for any awards) has the most solid understanding of what makes one film better directed than another, and the vote is often just another shot at Best Picture.

Beyond that, you have a slew of people that people like to give directing votes to, so taking a guess here is practically impossible. Boyle, Nolan, and the Coen brothers, are all candidates that people want to vote for, and often do, and who knows how that will play into things. Fincher has obviously been the focus of a lot of talk, and Tom Hooper has been on everyone's lips for much of the year. I think people are going to want to vote for Nolan, based on the colossal undertaking of the film, and because they want to vote Inception at some point, even if I don't think they can bring themselves to do it for Best Picture.

I think if we're looking strictly at what is actually the best directing effort, it should go to Aronofsky, but there are strong cases to be made for all these films. This one is tough.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• “Another Year” – Mike Leigh
• “Black Swan” – Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin
• “The Fighter” – Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson)
• “Inception” – Christopher Nolan
• “The Kids Are All Right” – Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
• “The King’s Speech” – David Seidler

This one is a little tricky as well, and we may find that people just get into the habit of voting for Black Swan and/or The King's Speech (not that they shouldn't), but we may also see people wanting to vote for Mike Leigh, because they like to vote for him, and it's a strong screenplay.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• “127 Hours” – Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle
• “The Social Network” – Aaron Sorkin
• “The Town” – Ben Affleck, Peter Craig and Sheldon Turner
• “Toy Story 3” – Michael Arndt (Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)
• “True Grit” – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
• “Winter’s Bone” – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

This may be the spot where people finally get behind 127 Hours and The Social Network, though I think Winter's Bone ought to take it. It's a tough call to some extent, as the screenplay categories often are, but I think we can at least narrow it down to those three as the ones with real chances.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• “127 Hours” – Anthony Dod Mantle
• “Black Swan” – Matthew Libatique
• “Inception” – Wally Pfister
• “The King’s Speech” – Danny Cohen
• “True Grit” – Roger Deakins

Again, here's a category that makes it difficult to know how people are going vote. I think Libatique really deserves it though.

I probably don't need to run down the rest of the categories. I will tell you that How to Train Your Dragon won out for me this year, even though I'm quite certain it can't win. Toy Story 3 just didn't work as well for me. I'd also love to see Alice in Wonderland pick up a win or two from its nominations below, and since it's possible for Kick-Ass to win an award, I have to hope that it does. Other than that, I'm sure you can do without my comments on Best Editing.

BEST ART DIRECTION

• “Alice in Wonderland” – Stefan Dechant
• “Black Swan” – Therese DePrez and Tora Peterson
• “Inception” – Guy Hendrix Dyas
• “The King’s Speech” – Netty Chapman
• “True Grit” – Jess Gonchor and Nancy Haigh

BEST EDITING

• “127 Hours” – Jon Harris
• “Black Swan” – Andrew Weisblum
• “Inception” – Lee Smith
• “The Social Network” – Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• “Alice in Wonderland” – Colleen Atwood
• “Black Swan” – Amy Westcott
• “The King’s Speech” – Jenny Beavan
• “True Grit” – Mary Zophres

BEST MAKEUP

• Alice in Wonderland
• Black Swan
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
• True Grit

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Alice in Wonderland
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
• Inception
• Tron: Legacy

BEST SOUND

• 127 Hours
• Black Swan
• Inception
• The Social Network
• Toy Story 3

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• Despicable Me
• How to Train Your Dragon
• The Illusionist
• Tangled
• Toy Story 3

BEST ACTION MOVIE

• Inception
• Kick-Ass
• Red
• The Town
• Unstoppable

BEST COMEDY

• Cyrus
• Date Night
• Easy A
• Get Him to the Greek
• I Love You Phillip Morris
• The Other Guys

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• The Pacific
• Temple Grandin
• You Don’t Know Jack

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Biutiful
• I Am Love
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• Exit Through the Gift Shop
• Inside Job
• Restrepo
• Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
• The Tillman Story
• Waiting for Superman

BEST SONG

• “I See the Light” – performed by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi/written by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater – Tangled
• “If I Rise” – performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman/music by A.R. Rahman/lyrics by Dido Armstrong and Rollo Armstrong – 127 Hours
• “Shine” – performed and written by John Legend – Waiting for Superman
• “We Belong Together” – performed and written by Randy Newman – Toy Story 3
• “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Yet” – performed by Cher/written by Diane Warren – Burlesque

BEST SCORE

• “Black Swan” – Clint Mansell
• “Inception” – Hans Zimmer
• “The King’s Speech” – Alexandre Desplat
• “The Social Network” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
• “True Grit” – Carter Burwell

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© 2010 - 2011, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

You've probably already heard me say that PSYCH has let me down once or twice this season. It's still easily one of my favorite shows, but a couple of episodes struck me as not quite being up to par. Last week's episode delivered the goods, and tonight's summer finale One, Maybe Two, Ways Out is among the best the series has produced.

With Nestor Carbonell returning, and Franke Potente guest-starring, things take a spy turn, and Shawn and Gus are knee-deep in a complicated situation they don't really understand.

The action is turned up, Shawn can't figure out who to trust, and the new man in Jules' life isn't helping him concentrate. Of course, he may be distracted by a couple of other 80's guests, but this isn't an episode that leaves him a lot of downtime to get his bearings. Shot at, chased, and tracking down spies, other spies, and working out feints within feints, Shawn and Gus have trouble finding a chance to sit down.

Potente is wonderful, and it's a good thing, because she's given a lot of screen time, and overall the episode is sure to give fans a massive dose of everything that made them fall for the show in the first place. While not overloaded with laughs (there's no time), one of the things I have always loved about the show is its willingness to adapt to the themes and plots of the particular situation.

Oh, and by the way, you will kick yourself if you miss the end, and have to watch it after you already know what happens.

Check out some clips from the episode, and do not miss it!

Shawn and Gus find themselves in the midst of a Bourne Identity-like hunt and chase after a U.S Government Spy seeks their help in clearing her name for a crime she supposedly didn't commit.

Franke Potente, Jon Gries, and Nestor Carbonell guest star in the Psych summer finale – "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out" – premiering tonight at 10/9C!

PSYCH -- "ONE, MAYBE TWO, WAYS OUT" Episode 5009 -- Pictured: (l-r) Franka Potente as Nadia, James Roday as Shawn Spencer -- Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network

PSYCH -- "ONE, MAYBE TWO, WAYS OUT" Episode 5009 -- Pictured: James Roday as Shawn Spencer, Dule Hill as Gus Guster -- Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network

PSYCH -- "ONE, MAYBE TWO , WAYS OUT" Episode #5009-- Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

With all the strange, interesting, and bad press that followed in the wake of Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat film, you're about to get a new look behind the scenes of the production, from the perspective of yet another group duped by the film. While many of the stories that came out the film didn't evoke a great deal of sympathy, the curious bamboozling of the village of Glod in Romania might deliver a different picture.

Carmen Meets Borat Premieres Sunday, September 5, at 10 PM on Global Voices on PBS WORLD, and it's worth checking out.

Carmen, a 17 year old girl living in the gypsy village of Glod, located in the remote mountains of Romania, dreams of a future bigger and brighter than the quiet life she is currently living. Working at her father’s store and being courted by a boy she does not love, Carmen believes her only chance of experiencing a life like the ones she watches in Spanish soap operas, is to leave Glod and her family behind. That is, until British comedian Sasha Baron Cohen and his film crew arrive at her village to film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

At Twentieth Century-Fox headquarters

A story about a small community in a big universe, Carmen Meets Borat documents the confusion, optimism, and ultimate changes experienced by Carmen and the villagers of Glod, when they realize the big dreams and money promised to them from Borat, and later an American lawyer, might not come to fruition. Carmen Meets Borat will premiere nationally on PBS WORLD’s Global Voices, an international themed documentary series, on Sunday, September 5 at 10 PM (check local listings). The program will be available for online streaming beginning Monday, September 6, on PBS Video (http://video.pbs.org/program/1478905970/).

When Cohen, in character as Borat, and his film crew land in Glod, the villagers cooperate on what they believe will be a documentary about their village and many, including Carmen’s father and her grandfather, agree to appear in the film. Unfortunately, since none of the villagers speak English, they are unaware that the film Borat depicts the villagers as primitive caricatures supposedly from Kazakhstan.

The release of the film places the town squarely in an unwanted spotlight and leaves the villagers feeling abused and exploited. The atmosphere in the village abruptly changes when American and a German lawyers arrive and persuade Carmen’s father, grandfather and the mayor of Glod to sue 20th Century Fox for 30 million dollars. The villagers begin to fantasize about the possibilities of a landmark lawsuit and how their lives might change for the better. However, many questions remain: will the village win the case? How will the money affect life in Glod? And will Borat himself come to apologize?

Global Voices is produced by ITVS International and began airing on the PBS WORLD digital channel on Sunday, April 26, 2009. This 26-week series brings internationally themed documentaries made by both U.S.-based and international filmmakers to a national audience. This season, the series will feature the U.S. premieres of six documentaries funded by ITVS International, as well as encore broadcasts of other acclaimed ITVS programs. In addition to the PBS WORLD broadcast, select episodes will be available online, post broadcast - via iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, and on PBS's Video player through http://video.pbs.org.  For the complete lineup and schedule, visit www.pbs.org/globalvoices/.

All photos courtesy Pieter van Huystee

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

Though stars in magazines isn't generally the sort of thing that gets me to pay attention, Jennifer Aniston is paying homage to Barbra Streisand with a photo shoot in the September issue Harper's Bazaar (on newsstands August 17), and I thought it was actually an interesting idea. Since I have a couple of photos to share, I thought some of you out there might be interested.

I think she rather makes it work actually.

The photo shoot captures Aniston as she strikes classic Streisand poses, illustrating iconic scenes from Funny Girl, What’s Up, Doc?, and more.

In the interview, Aniston opens up about being in the spotlight, finding humor in anything, and her career plans. Jennifer stars in the upcoming comedy The Switch, opposite Jason Bateman, Horrible Bosses, featuring Colin Farrell, and Just Go with It with Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman.

On being a funny girl: “People laugh at me. Sometimes I know why, and sometimes I don’t. But I can pretty much find humor in anything. That is a necessary part of life. I don’t want to say laughter is healing, because it sounds corny, but it’s a release.”

On what she’s learned from Barbra Streisand: “You don’t have to stop at one thing. You can do it all if you want to.”

On being in the spotlight: “[Barbra and I] are people who have been put in the spotlight, for better or for worse, and you just keep riding, and you keep overcoming.”

On looking up to Streisand: “Barbra inspires me because there isn’t anything she hasn’t done that she wanted to do, especially as a female in the time when her generation was prime. She’s a true renais­sance woman. . . I had a long conversation with Barbra about directing because I directed a short a couple years ago, and if I don’t do it again soon, I’m going to burst out of my skin. And we also love interior design."

Photo credit: Mark Seliger for Harper's Bazaar

Photo credit: Mark Seliger for Harper's Bazaar

Check out the full article here - http://www.harpersbazaar.com/aniston

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

We are becoming familiar with the idea that filming graphic novels rarely works out the way we might hope. Alan Moore disinherits most adaptations of his work, big-budget Watchmen drastically changed the story (managing only marginal artistic success, and mixed reactions), and Will Eisner's The Spirit quickly became a laughing stock.

There is something very different going on in graphic novels, a subject about which Will Eisner had much to say. Born in 1917, and considered by most the father, grandfather, or otherwise supreme chief of the graphic novel format (or sequential art), Eisner's work not only led the way for the form to become what it is today, but like many forerunners, is better than anything that followed to boot.

We're giving it another shot now, with his treasure, A Contract with God. Set to film as distinct(ish) segments directed by Tze Chun, Alex Rivera, Barry Jenkins and Sean Baker, the hopefully massive undertaking may be a key step toward redefining the public outlook toward such adaptations.

Let's hope.

Legendary comic book master Will Eisner's groundbreaking graphic novel "A Contract with God" is being adapted into a live action feature film, it was announced this evening at Comic- Con International 2010 by the film's producers. In what is considered by many to be one of the most influential graphic novels ever written, in "A Contract with God" Eisner utilizes the comic book format in an innovative and pioneering way to explore stories and memories from his childhood growing up in a New York City tenement. Each tale captures the brutality, fragility, and tenderness that exists among people living in close quarters in challenging economic times.

A quartet of acclaimed independent directors are attached to direct each of the graphic novel's four adjoining chapters: Alex Rivera ("Sleep Dealer"); Tze Chun ("Children of Invention"); Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"); and Sean Baker ("Prince of Broadway," MTV's "Warren the Ape"). The film will be produced and adapted for the screen by Darren Dean, whose first feature "Prince of Broadway," about an illegal immigrant in contemporary New York City, is being released this fall and whose second feature, Rwanda-shot "Kinyarwanda" (directed by Alrick Brown) is in post-production, due for a festival bow in 2011.

The film adaptation of "A Contract with God" will be produced under the auspices of the Eisner estate in the spirit of the original work. Bob Schreck, a 30-year veteran of the comic book industry and Michael Ruggiero, former head of original programming at STARZ, will serve as Co-Executive Producers. Black Squirrel Films Co-Founder Tommy Oliver will serve as Co-Producer and Mark Rabinowitz, Co-Founder of indieWIRE.com, will serve as Associate Producer.

Focusing on the immigrant struggle, "A Contract With God" takes a look at a salient theme across four separate but related stories, set primarily in a New York City tenement in the 1930s. The four segments are: "A Contract With God" (Rivera), "The Street Singer" (Chun), "The Super" (Jenkins) and "Cookalien," (Baker). Each of the filmmakers comes to the project with a distinct aesthetic approach which will capture the diversity, style and essence of Eisner's story. Nat Sanders ("Medicine for Melancholy," "Humpday") will serve as editor on the entire film.

Darren Dean said, "I look forward to finding the fine balance of offering Eisner fans a very faithful interpretation of his work and allowing the voices of these strong and competent filmmakers to be heard. We are all approaching the inaugural stage of this project with respect, honor and anticipation and hope that the fans will welcome us with both faith and scrutiny. This is for them, as much as any of us."

Bob Schreck said, "Getting to know Will Eisner was one of the great honors of both my personal and professional journeys. We are all well aware that the work ahead has a very high bar of excellence to aspire to set by Mr. Eisner's pioneering achievements in storytelling."

Tze Chun said, "Before I became a filmmaker, I wanted to be a comic book artist, and I spent many nights poring over Eisner's Comics & Sequential Art. The book should be mandatory reading for every person who wants to be a storyteller regardless of their intended medium. Eisner's magnum opus, "A Contract With God," is a master class in visual storytelling -- groundbreaking, humanistic, moving, and rich in detail. Within these four short stories, Eisner creates an entire world. I'm very excited to be a part of the team that will bring this film to life."

Key roles will be cast in the coming months with principle photography set to begin in 2011.

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

DC and Warner Brothers are celebrating 75 years with a highlight on digital distribution, including films, TV shows, and Apps starring all your favorite DC superheroes. There is no shortage of variety, with classics and newcomers, blockbusters and lesser-knowns, movies and video games, all taking center stage. Whether it's The Dark Knight you're after, or the underappreciated Flash TV series, you would do well to take a look around.

Celebrate 75 years of DC Comics with films and TV series inspired by some of the most popular SUPER HEROES, including BATMAN, SUPERMAN and other iconic DC Comics characters. To celebrate this milestone, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution is highlighting dozens of movies and shows that are available for rent and for download on iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand and WBShop.com.

Fans can download their favorite films and watch them anytime, anywhere. Highlights includes the blockbuster film THE DARK KNIGHT, all SUPERMAN movies, and full length DC Universe animated original movies including GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT, WONDER WOMAN, SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY and more, all available for rent and for download. Individual episodes and complete seasons of fan favorite DC inspired TV series are also available for download in HD including the complete series of SMALLVILLE, HUMAN TARGET and BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.

Several new titles are among the offerings, including Superman Doomsday, and Batman: Under the Red Hood. It's a great collection, with titles available for rent or purchase, including all nine seasons of Smallville in HD.

Check out the DC75 offerings at iTunes here.

To help celebrate, I have a DC75 logo cap, and a download of Batman: Under the Red Hood to giveaway. Just leave a comment below, and you're automatically entered. Winner will be randomly selected August 10th.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

In the world of App games, one of the most prevalent genres is the time-waster. Those games that are often somewhat nonsensical, are utterly simple by design, and don't really require a lot of attention. Responsible for an amazing percentage of App downloads, these games are fun, funny, usually silly, and often pretty addictive.

Slingshot Safari, the follow-up to Slingshot Cowboy, is such a game, and it involves nothing more than pulling your finger down to fire your slingshot. Based purely on simplicity and the hopes of screwy fun, the game is perhaps the ultimate in goofy downloads, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Assuming you have a few Apps available already, you've probably got a few that fall into the silly category, and taking a break with something that delivers a cute bit of fun is something most of us could use.

With easy to control gameplay, a variety of levels, and cute graphics, both games give you a casual, fun escape that keeps you interested. It isn't something you're going to devote a lot of time to, but it isn't supposed to be. As something to take up a few minutes though, or to pass over to occupy someone else (parents), it's a fun option.

Best of all, you can give it a spin for free, but the full version is well worth the price.

Are you ready to travel from addictive cow-tipping on the farm to far off Africa for an exciting Slingshot Safari? In its newest title Digital Prunes enables you to test your slingshot skills against well known African animals including lions, hippos and cheetahs. But beware: endangered animals are a point loser, and this time around the animals won't let you slip. If you miss them they'll get their revenge and you don't have many lives to spare.

Features of the FREE Lite version of Slingshot Safari:

• Simple and Addictive game play that everyone can enjoy
• Hilarious graphics and upbeat soundtrack
• Laser aiming assistance
• 7 African animals with their own behaviors, reactions and sounds
• 5 levels with increasing difficulty
• PLUS+ Enabled: compete with your friends through online leader boards
• Power Ups like the Grenade help you get the highest score possible
• A satisfyingly challenging game that is easy to learn but difficult to master

Additional features and content available in the Full version and Upgrade of Slingshot Safari:

• 3 More animals
• 3 More levels
• Additional Stampede game mode
• No advertisements

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

Just how smart is your smartphone? Find out by turning your smartphone into a cellbot during the APPCON™ 2010 Cellbot Hackathon Challenge.

As part of APPCON™ 2010, the world’s only mobile App-centric developer and business conference, mobile App developers will have the unique opportunity to try their hand at cellbot coding in an exciting challenge pitting App developers against one another in a competition to build the best cellbot using smartphones of their choice. First, second and third place winners will be crowned Cellbot champions and will win their very own cellbot kit to build and experiment with at home.

Participation in the APPCON™ 2010 Cellbot Hackathon Challenge is free, but attendees are encouraged to pre-register for the contest to ensure adequate availability of equipment and resources.

What is a cellbot?

Half smartphone, half robot, a cellbot is a small motorized robot with a smartphone for a brain. Built upon a mobile chassis—using wheels or tracks to maneuver—cellbots are a clever extension of the smartphone platform that allows beginner robot enthusiasts and computer programmers to experiment with the powerful features onboard ubiquitous and smartphone devices.

“Until the advent of the smartphone, building your own robot would have been an expensive and complicated process—not to mention the fact that you’d end up with a huge contraption,” said Darrell Taylor, Cellbot Hackathon contest coordinator, robot enthusiast and contributor to the cellbots open source project. “Today’s smartphones have all the necessary components for a robot—video camera, audio, GPS, accelerometer—in an inexpensive, compact device, making it incredibly fun and easy for the do-it-yourselfer to build their own robot.”

Cellbots can be programmed to operate autonomously or via remote control over a WiFi or 3G signal. Typically quite small at less than one pound, cellbots are built on an open source code that is simple enough for even the beginning roboticist or developer to master.

Cellbot Hackathon Contest

In the APPCON™ 2010 Cellbot Hackathon Contest, mobile App developers will square off in a contest to build the best cellbot to perform a specific, timed task. Performance of the task, the details of which will be revealed on August 17 (one week prior to the start of APPCON™), will be scored by a referee with points awarded for accuracy and speed.

Participants will be provided with a cellbot chassis, an API and example code for the Android platform. Using their own smartphone, participants must build an App to pilot the cellbot, either autonomously or remotely via video stream, to complete the task. Examples provided will be for Android, but the cellbot hardware is compatible with any smartphone. Extra points will be awarded for participants who program the cellbot to run on a new platform. The top three competitors will be crowned cellbot champions and win their own cellbot kit to take home.

Pre-assembled cellbot chassis will be available for purchase to use in “after-hours” programming, but in order to compete, participants must have their task performance judged during APPCON™ show hours by a referee. Participants can make as many attempts as desired; the best score will be used for competition.

“The Cellbot Hackathon Challenge promises to be a fun and exciting way for programmers and developers to test their skills with an App that produces tangible results and interacts with the real world,” said Susan Schwartz, president of ConvExx, a full-service show and event production company based in Las Vegas that is co-producing APPCON™ with Taptopia. “Cellbot programming is relatively easy and simple to do, making this contest ideal for both beginners and experienced coders.”

Set for August 24-26 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, APPCON™ 2010 is a world-class mobile App technical conference and expo featuring more than 40 sessions covering a wide range of the most important mobile App technologies and applications in a practical and technical fashion.

During its June Special, APPCON™ 2010 registration is just $495 for the conference and $795 for the complete pre-event sessions and conference package. To take advantage of this special pricing, registrations must be made online at www.APPCONLV.com before 12 midnight MT on June 27.

For more information about APPCON™ 2010, visit www.appconlv.com or follow us on twitter @appconlv http://twitter.com/appconlv.

© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

I've been doing my best to talk up GetGlue and AdaptiveBlue for about as long as Are You Screening? has existed. Unfortunately, GetGlue has long been one of those things that I love in theory, but in actual practice find myself using far less than I would wish.

Like most things that have to do with social networks, GetGlue would take thousands of words to explain, but is nevertheless quite simple. Witness the length of explanation in their FAQ alone.

Basically, the general function of GetGlue is that it is a social network which focuses on things. Books, films, video games, wines, and many more are covered in the possibilities, and GetGlue latches onto what you're doing on the internet to connect people by the things they're interested in, and vice versa... sort of.

As a plug-in for Firefox, and now (thank God) Chrome, if you're looking at IMDb.com, Amazon.com, or thousands of other sites, GetGlue will pop up and allow you to rate and review whatever you're looking at, as well as see who else has visited that item recently - no matter where they visited it.

Already the possibilities are endless, as I'm sure anyone familiar with social networks will understand. You can follow people with similar interests, or people you really know, and whenever you visit a new book, film, etc., online, those people will show up in the GetGlue bar for that item. Ratings and opinions that automatically show up whenever you find something online.

There is more in store for you as well, because the network is theoretically endless. This blog is GetGlue enabled and on certain articles the GetGlue bar will show up at the bottom of the page if you have the plug-in installed, but you will also find the widget showing up whenever I link to a wide variety of websites. For example, if I'm talking about Toy Story 3, and link to IMDb.com's page for that title, you will see a small square with a "G" in it before the link. Hover over that little icon, and you will connect with GetGlue's information.

Now they've taken things to a new level with the recent release of an updated iPhone App. Adding to the abilities and structure driving the world that is GetGlue's social network, the latest iPhone App (which you can get here) adds the ability to "Check-In" to any book, movie, or anything else within the GetGlue framework.

It's difficult to talk about the idea without calling it "FourSquare for stuff," or such, because that gives such a good picture. With the ability to earn badges and see who else has checked in recently, the similarities are hard to deny.

Check out a quick video that will run you through the App.

Their website wraps it up pretty simply -

GetGlue app connects friends and fans in real-time around their favorite entertainment, while:

• Watching a TV Show
• Reading a new bestseller
• Listening to a favorite band
• Going to see a movie
• Playing a video game
• Drinking wine
• Discussing a topic - sports, celebrity, news & more

They've also got plenty of badges you can earn (including a lot of cool exclusives - see below), and you can get to the more general aspects to Like and review things from within the app.

Already a deceptively powerful and fun addition to the internet in general, the ability to check in adds to the experience and usefulness. While some may question the value and interest of letting people know that I'm playing Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, I can't tell you how many times I've been glad to run into my "friends" at Amazon and elsewhere so that I could have their reactions at hand.

The App features-

• Check-in to your favorite shows, movies, music, books and more
• Share check-ins with your Twitter and Facebook friends
• See what your friends are currently watching, reading or listening to
• Earn points, get stickers from GetGlue and major brands, and win free stuff
• Rate lists of popular shows, movies, music and books
• Get weekly new releases and old favorites picked just for you
• Access existing reviews, clips and ratings for > 20M movies, books and albums
• Take your favorite entertainment and suggestions with you everywhere

GetGlue has always been one of the coolest internet enhancements available, and the app only builds on that. With over 500,000 check-ins and reviews since the App's release last Thursday, you won't find yourself without some great connections to make.

Get the GetGlue App here.

And, if you want to check out what the online interface looks like, check out My GetGlue Profile.

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

The App market is booming, and now APPNATION has been announced and they're looking for speakers! Ready for an expo devoted to Apps? Here it comes. Want to be a part of it?

First International Executive Conference and Exposition From Digital Industry Veteran and Former ad:tech Chairman Drew Ianni

Keynotes Include App Pioneers Ilja Laurs, CEO of GetJar; Smule Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Dr. Ge Wang; and Executives From Time Inc, Marvel Entertainment, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, Mediabrands and Initiative Media (Interpublic), Nielsen Telecom, The North Face, The Wall Street Journal, and Zynga

M2 Events, a new conference development and thought leadership production company, today announces the launch of APPNATION, a new executive conference and exposition that focuses on the burgeoning consumer applications economy. APPNATION will focus on social and mobile apps across all devices and platforms including PCs, smartphones, tablets, Internet-enabled televisions, portable gamers, peripherals and a range of other current and emerging connected devices.

Drew Ianni

The inaugural APPNATION conference and exposition will take place September 13-14, 2010 in Downtown San Francisco at the Moscone Convention Center. The event will include an executive-level conference and a dynamic, cutting-edge exposition featuring companies from across the apps value chain. APPNATION will feature a wide variety of speakers from across the consumer applications ecosystem including appearances by Ilja Laurs, the Founder and CEO of GetJar; Alex St. John, President and CTO at hi5; Matt Freeman, CEO of Mediabrands Ventures; Greg Stern, President of Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners; Rich Wong, Partner at Accel Partners; John Cantarella, SVP, Digital, News, Sports, and Business from Time Inc; Eric Bader, Chief Strategy Officer at Initiative Media (Interpublic); Tobias Kemper, GM, North America, Nimbuzz as well as other speakers and attendees from a diverse group of world-class companies such as Google, Marvel Entertainment, Time Inc, Nielsen, Sequoia Capital, Symbian Foundation, Adobe, The North Face, Ogilvy & Mather, Norwest Venture Partners, JP Morgan Chase, BlackBerry Partners Fund, Comcast Interactive Capital and many others.

APPNATION will also dedicate a significant amount of focus and onsite resource to give developers of all sizes an opportunity to learn how to further monetize their content, products, and services as well as offering them a unique and affordable opportunity to showcase their work in front of industry luminaries, investors, advertising agencies, media companies, the technology press and peers.

“This event is designed to push the applications industry forward by focusing on monetization, investment strategies and opportunities, new media business models, advertising and marketing best practices, as well as consumer insights and analytics,” said Drew Ianni, Founder and Event Chairman of APPNATION. He added, “That’s a tall order. To do this, we will bring together key players from across the apps value chain and economy to share and gain value added insights into the consumer applications economy, conduct some business, and have a little fun along the way.”

“I am personally excited to attend APPNATION and see new and innovative companies and hear leading executives and entrepreneurs discuss the future of applications across an increasingly cross-platform media and communications landscape,” added Mark Kvamme, a Partner at Sequoia Capital, a leading venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley.

“The timing of APPNATION is spot-on. The media, commerce, and communications worlds are being transformed by a host of new technologies and product innovations. With the explosion of consumer applications the industry needs a high-caliber thought leadership event to address a range of real-world business issues,” added Matt Freeman, CEO of Mediabrands Ventures.

APPNATION is initiating a formal call for speakers which will remain open through August 1, 2010. Submissions after this date may not be eligible for consideration. To file a speaker submission, please go to www.appnationconference.com/callforspeakers

Follow APPNATION on Twitter at http://twitter.com/appnationconf

© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

If you've seen the trailers for Despicable Me, you've probably got a few glimpses of the minions. Want to know what they're saying? Well, there's an App for that.

When you go to see Despicable Me in theaters starting July 9, Best Buy wants you to keep your cell phone on!

In partnership with Universal Pictures, Best Buy has launched the first ever “movie-enhancing” cell phone application. Available as a free download on www.bestbuymoviemode.com, Best Buy Movie Mode will respond to audio queues in Despicable Me and translate the language of the Minion characters in the closing credits.

The application will also automatically disable the ringer, dim the screen and discourage texting during the film so as not to bother other movie patrons.

I'm led to understand that while the App will only "translate" during the end credits in the theater, it will function throughout the film during Blu-Ray and DVD playback.

Available as a free download, Best Buy Movie Mode comes to life via “The Minionator,” created as part of an exclusive collaboration with Universal Pictures and tied to the July 9 release of its must-see RealD 3-D CGI feature “Despicable Me produced by Chris Meledandri.”

“The Minionator” is Movie Mode’s first film enhancing experience and offers fans a deeper connection to “Despicable Me” by translating for audiences what the film’s mischievous little yellow characters, the Minions, are saying. The app acts as a translator during the 3-D theatrical end credits for the special language of the Minions. The app will also translate the Minion language throughout the entire movie on Best Buy’s exclusive “Despicable Me” DVD released later this year.

Best Buy Movie Mode uses new patent-pending technology to provide enhanced content to movie lovers during both the theatrical and DVD viewing experience. Additionally, it serves as a locator for both theaters showing “Despicable Me” in 3-D and Best Buy stores while also providing an interactive interface to unlock exclusive free digital content, courtesy of Best Buy. A phone in Best Buy Movie Mode automatically dims the mobile screen, silences the ringer and discourages texting to ensure audiences have a positive movie-going experience. Beyond The Minionator, Movie Mode will offer users new movie enhancing experiences and exclusive content for future theatrical and DVD releases.

“Best Buy Movie Mode changes the way audiences connect with great entertainment, both inside a theater and at home,” said Chris Homeister, senior vice president and general manager of the home entertainment group at Best Buy. “The innovative technology, unique to Best Buy, provides us with an opportunity to evolve with customers into the growing digitally connected world. We are thrilled our first partnership is with Universal and ‘Despicable Me’ producer Chris Meledandri. The collaboration throughout this process has been a delight.”

“Throughout the planning for this film, we have been impressed with Best Buy’s vision and its desire to create an innovative experience for moviegoers,” said Stephanie Sperber, president Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “We can’t wait for fans to finally experience ‘The Minionator.’”

Added James Meredith, vice president of marketing for Cinemark Theatres, “Movie theaters and cell phones have never been friends—until now. Because Best Buy Movie Mode disables the ringer, discourages texting and dims the phone screen, all moviegoers can now enjoy a delightful theater experience free from cell phone distractions. Joining forces with Universal to bring ‘The Minionator’ to life, Best Buy is giving movie lovers a truly compelling reason to experience ‘Despicable Me’ in RealD 3-D on the big screen”

Leading up to the film’s debut, Best Buy’s Reward Zone Silver members will have an opportunity to attend one of several exclusive pre-screenings of “Despicable Me” in 20 markets across the country. RZS members can also visit www.myrewardzone.comto enter for a chance to win tickets to the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles on June 27.

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

The show Ghost Hunters has turned into a bona fide franchise. Recently renewed for another season, the show also has the spin-off Ghost Hunters International, and its own reality show with contestants vying for their chance to join the ranks.

Now available on DVD, Ghost Hunters International - Season One Part 1 brings you 11 episodes with over and hour of deleted scenes.

The paranormal investigation, and popularity, of Ghost Hunters has by now caused a stir in ever-widening circles. Even those who are quick to dismiss the paranormal in general, and the show in particular, have to face the fact that it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Though similar shows (and not so similar paranormal shows) have popped up with increasing frequency, this is the franchise that seems to have caught people's attention.

Even among the quick to judge, who wonder aloud about such ideas like the fact that there hasn't been a person yet who claimed to be walking around at 3:00 am in total darkness when they saw something, there's something about the regular guys from RotoRooter that has people hooked.

You don't have to look far to find someone who will tell you that everything you've ever seen on the show could easily be faked, and that is only among things that require it, but it almost doesn't matter. It's an oddly watchable guilty pleasure whatever your view of the paranormal.

Ghost Hunters International kicks things up a bit, and takes us to locales all around the world, many of them among the most celebrated "haunted" spots on Earth. It's a natural progression, but it also keys in on one of the best aspects of the original show, which is the exploration of the locations.

Whether you are particularly open to the overall theory, the stories and tours of some of these spots make the show worth watching. This comes together nicely with the fact that the places that build up a haunting legend are going to have a pretty interesting history, and often aren't on the tourist radar.

You may hit a castle, or even see them on other television shows, but not so many people have taken the tour of Scotland's Mary King's Close, an underground city. And, while people may go there, you probably haven't had a real look at Frankenstein's Castle.

It's a pretty fun series overall, even if things that go bump don't do it for you.

Own it on DVD today!

Win it!

Leave a comment below, and you are automatically entered to win your very own copy of the DVD release. U.S. only. Winner will be randomly selected July 1st.

A spin-off of the Ghost Hunters series, Ghost Hunters International features a squad of paranormal investigators who use their principles of scientific techniques, to explore some of the most legendary haunted spots around the world. Each week the team travels to the far corners of the globe, searching for answers to bizarre supernatural mysteries.

For its first round of investigations, the International crew took on some of Europe's most haunted locales, including Chillingham Castle in England and the forgotten underground city of Mary King's Close in Scotland. The new episodes will take the team to countries such as Peru, Singapore, Sweden, the Philippines and many others.

Veteran investigators Robb Demarest, Dustin Pari, Brandy Green and Barry FitzGerald, are joined by newcomer Angela Alderman on their trip to Peru. TAPS member Joe Chin also makes the move from Ghost Hunters to Ghost Hunters International.

Ghost Hunters International is produced in association with Craig Piligian's, Pilgrim Films and Television which has produced American Chopper, Dirty Jobs and Ultimate Fighter. Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers. New Ghost Hunters International episodes return Summer 2010.

3-DVD set contains 11 episodes

• Chillingham Castle
• Evil Unearthed
• Whispers from Beyond
• Haunted Village
• Fortress of Fear
• Headless Haunting
• Frankenstein’s Castle
• Larnach Castle
• Devil Dogs
• Castle of the Damned
• Shattered Spirit

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© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

Every generation in the history of mankind has talked about the good old days, so it isn't surprising to find one more example of reminiscing about days gone by and the way things have changed. Most generations probably have some version of pointing out that things really are different in their case, but there might be a pretty good argument this time around.

New York Street Games, a feature documentary by Matthew Levy, takes a look at the games that used to be an undeniably integral part of life in New York City. Showcasing interviews with Hector Elizondo, Regis Philbin, Ray Romano, Whoopi Goldberg, Keith David, Joe Pantoliano, and many more, the film describes the games themselves, but also the life they were a part of. Things may evolve before your eyes as not that much more than a fond memory of a "Spaldeen," but this generation may actually have something to say about what's different, because there really is no other generation in which children suddenly lost all interest in being outside.

Our entrance to the film is thoroughly game-centered, and as one subject rather wonderfully points out, "There are only two games in the world. Run as fast as you can until you drop, and throw the ball as far as you can. Everything else is a mixture of those two games." However, things soon turn to a focus that is more interested in the life and lifestyle of the days in which these games were played, even if we rarely stray long from talk that includes a ball, can, or piece of chalk.

It's a nice run at nostalgia to hear various celebrities talk about the mad dashes to save their balls from the sewer, or the wire hanger retrievals of same, but the film is always talking more about the neighborhood mentality, and the losses that have nothing to do with the fact that no one knows what Stoopball is anymore.

In a refreshingly non-intrusive way, facts about the ridiculous turns of our world, such as Tag being banned in many schools across the country, are given out quickly and the page is abruptly turned. We aren't forced to listen to too much talk about the dwindling physical education in this country, we're just expected to have it in our minds as we listen to the high adventure of Ringolario.

Though there are some adjustments I might make with regard to the style and final composition of the film, the point is well made, and the result is entertaining. It's a film more about questions than answers, as all documentaries should be, and the questions here become intriguing. It is certainly a different time in many ways, and while many will be quick to think that it is a more dangerous world now, a world that makes it impossible to just send your kids out to play without worrying about them, there is a case to be made for the idea that we have our cause and effect mixed around.

There are also things worth wondering about in terms of the do-gooders who have managed such grand feats as ridding schools of Tag. As Whoopi Goldberg points out, "...because someone has to lose? Of course. Losing is how you figure out what to do differently." And, as C. Everett Koop points out, "you had to find a way to fit in," and he says it for all the world as though he didn't know that he was speaking what practically amounts to blasphemy today. There were bigger kids, he goes on to explain, and maybe kids you didn't know, but if you didn't figure out how to get along, you didn't play. There were great lessons in diplomacy, and a variety of interpersonal skills at work among that play.

I remember playing a game at school called "Suicide," and all I remember about it was that it had the convenient benefit of allowing any number of players, and it involved running, a huge brick wall, and a tennis ball. At some point it was possible to fall afoul of the game's "punishment," which was very simply that you stood against the wall and someone tried to hit you as hard as they could with the ball. You had two hands to protect yourself with, but you were only going to do a fair job at your face OR your privates, and the game resulted in a few bloody noses.

Once in a while a ball made it on the roof, and someone would have to shimmy up to an air-conditioner, then jump up to the lip and pull themselves over to retrieve it. There's no doubt at all that a trip to the hospital would have been a best case scenario there.

You couldn't play such a game today, naturally. We'd never be allowed to in the first place, though I don't know that anyone ever condoned what we were doing back then, and the lawsuits would fly even over the bloody nose.

But those, by God, were the days.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

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