Fantastic Four Movie Update

I've been eagerly awaiting this movie. Finally Fox has signed three of four members of the superhero team that will headline FANTASTIC FOUR feature. Taking the lead of Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic will be Iaon Gruffudd, who played Lancelot in KING ARTHUR. THE SHIELD star Michael Chiklis will play Ben Grimm/the Thing and Chris Evans (NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE) is set to play Johnny Storm/the Human Torch. Sue Richards/the Invisible Woman is the only empty slot open with leading candidates including Jessica Alba (TV's DARK ANGEL), Rachel MacAdams (THE NOTEBOOK), Keri Russell (TV's FELICITY) and Elisha Cuthbert (GIRL NEXT DOOR). Get on with it and make the movie ! August or September is the scheduled opening shoot for the $85-$90 million film which is being directed by BARBERSHOP director Tim Story from a script by Simon Kinberg.

The Stan Lee and Jack Kirby comic book story centers around scientist Reed Richards, his wife, her brother and their friend Ben Grimm as they gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic rays while flying into space in an experimental spaceship. The film's planned villain will be Dr. Doom, who in the comics was the dictator of an Eastern European country with plans to rule the world. The comic, which debuted in 1962, broke comic book conventions and featured a team of heroes that didn't always get along. Mr. Fantastic often fought with the hotheaded Human Torch and The Thing often held his less-than-appealing rock-like appearance against his longtime friend.

bruce petty to give illustrated talk

Join John Faulkner and Bruce Petty in a celebration
of the dawn of Labor politics - 100 years on...

On the 23rd of April 1904 JC Watson was formally granted a
commission by the Governor General to form the first Australian
national Labor government- also a first for the world.
John Faulkner, Labor’s leader in the Senate will offer
some reflections on the significance of the centenary.
Bruce Petty is one of Australia’s most loved and most
political cartoonists. Bruce will provide a pictorial
version of the same events- drawing as he goes.

Date: Friday April 23
Time: 6-8pm
Venue: Balmain Town
Hall (upstairs)
Cost: $40 / $30
concession
Wine, beer and finger
food provided.
Please RSVP to Jo Carlisle on 0418 965 420 or by email at jocarlisle@hotmail.com.

Payment in advance would be greatly appreciated. Cheques should be made out to NSW Socialist Left (Challenge) and sent to GPO Box 3353, Sydney 2001.

Funds raised are to assist with the production of Challenge- a publication by the NSW Socialist Left to encourage new ideas and critical engagement in the Australian Labor Party.

Animations take 2nd SONY and 3rd SONY Prizes at SONY Tropfest

Last night's SONY Tropfest screening was very well attended. Host Adam Spencer announced a figure of 105,000 people. I estimate 90 per cent of those people to be aged between 19 and 25 and carrying a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The crowd, in short, was young, dressed to impress and the sponsors have caught on big time. Sony was so well represented in banners and and blasting advertisments that you'd be forgiven for thinking that you were there to be part of one enourmous Sony commercial. The helicopter dragging the big lit-up 'SONY' sign which flew over in the midst of several of the films was really the crowning moment in rank commercialism.
The pre-recorded video of festival director John Polson from Hollywood was there to assure us that sponsorships like this were needed to keep the event free. Next year, when every film will have to include the line "I LOVE SONY!" and all attendees will be required to sit in the shape of a giant SONY ad which can be seen from Mars, it'll be nice to know SONY is there to keep the SONY Tropfest free for all SONY viewers of ads for SONY.

Filmmaker (and stand up commedian) Gary Eck took first place his comedy THE MONEY.

Some of the other awards (just the animators who won):

FIRST PRIZE
Film: THE MONEY
Director: Gary Eck
Producer: Philip Wade
State: NSW

SECOND PRIZE
Film: CONFESSIONS OF AN ANIMATION
Director/producer: Steve Baker
State: QLD

THIRD PRIZE
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

BEST COMEDY
Film: CONFESSIONS OF AN ANIMATION
Director/producer: Steve Baker
State: QLD

SONY FOUNDATION YOUNG TALENT AWARD
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

SONY ERICSSON PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

Tropfest site...
You love SONY!...

Animations take 2nd SONY and 3rd SONY Prizes at SONY Tropfest

Last night's SONY Tropfest screening was very well attended. Host Adam Spencer announced a figure of 105,000 people. I estimate 90 per cent of those people to be aged between 19 and 25 and carrying a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The crowd, in short, was young, dressed to impress and the sponsors have caught on big time. Sony was so well represented in banners and and blasting advertisments that you'd be forgiven for thinking that you were there to be part of one enourmous Sony commercial. The helicopter dragging the big lit-up 'SONY' sign which flew over in the midst of several of the films was really the crowning moment in rank commercialism.
The pre-recorded video of festival director John Polson from Hollywood was there to assure us that sponsorships like this were needed to keep the event free. Next year, when every film will have to include the line "I LOVE SONY!" and all attendees will be required to sit in the shape of a giant SONY ad which can be seen from Mars, it'll be nice to know SONY is there to keep the SONY Tropfest free for all SONY viewers of ads for SONY.

Filmmaker (and stand up commedian) Gary Eck took first place his comedy THE MONEY.

Some of the other awards (just the animators who won):

FIRST PRIZE
Film: THE MONEY
Director: Gary Eck
Producer: Philip Wade
State: NSW

SECOND PRIZE
Film: CONFESSIONS OF AN ANIMATION
Director/producer: Steve Baker
State: QLD

THIRD PRIZE
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

BEST COMEDY
Film: CONFESSIONS OF AN ANIMATION
Director/producer: Steve Baker
State: QLD

SONY FOUNDATION YOUNG TALENT AWARD
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

SONY ERICSSON PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Film: YIN
Director/producer: Costa Avgoustinos
State: NSW

Tropfest site...
You love SONY!...

US Water Polo team seeks talent to fill cartoonist pool

In a move which will have cartoonists the world over in a frenzy to find a coveted place amongst the luminaries of US water sports, the USAwaterpolo.com website has issued a clarion call to all "folks with a knack for art and a good sense of humor" to step forward.

It's a rare opportunity to be a part of upcoming issues of the USAwaterpolo.com's Scoreboard Magazine. Payment is out of the question. Rather, it's a chance "to get you name in print and put a comedic skew on this wacky world of water polo."

As the team at USAwaterpolo.com say, "What could be better?"

You heard it here first.

http://www.usawaterpolo.com/manual_news/040212-NATcalling_all_artists.htm

Homer - The Movie

Fifteen years after they first appeared on US TV screens, the Simpsons are to make their feature debut in a movie devised by the show's creators, Matt Groening and James L Brooks. The film will be backed by Fox, which also plays host to The Simpsons TV series.

At present the feature remains in its early stages. Chris Meledrandri, head of animation at Fox admitted that the team was "very excited about the possibility of making a Simpsons movie. However, we are in the very early stages of developing an idea."

The Guardian
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1146513,00.html

Peter Jackson's King Kong

It seems that Peter Jackson will be starting production on his next film King Kong in August 2004. All computer animated effects will be completed by Weta Digital. The interesting angle for this film will be not the classic setting of 1933 but the fact that the film will be shot in Black and White.

Disney's Aladdin DVD

Information released recently tells us that Aladdin Special Edition will be available on October 5, 2004 in the US. For Australia consumers that date is an advance warning that the DVD will come a few months later. Hopefully at christmas but more than likely the release date for Region 4 will be early 2005.