President Obama and Cartoon Network Team Up Against Bullying

President Barack Obama Joins Cartoon Network To Speak Up Against Bullying

Will Introduce The Network’s Original Documentary Speak Up Premiering Sunday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. (ET/PT) with an Encore at 8 p.m. (ET, PT)

Commercial-Free Telecast Part of the Award-Winning “Stop Bullying: Speak Up” Pro-Social Campaign

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--President Barack Obama will deliver a special opening message that will introduce viewers to Speak Up, the original documentary from Cartoon Network that captures the authentic, everyday stories of America’s bullied kids and the youth who have helped them. Having already recognized the importance of dealing with this crucial issue by hosting the first-ever bullying prevention summit at the White House in 2011, Mr. Obama will speak to viewers, not only as the President but as a father and emphasize the importance of taking a stand against bullying.

The half-hour film, which is an extension of the network’s nationally recognized and award-winning pro-social initiative Stop Bullying: Speak Up, seeks to empower all kids to take part in the growing movement to help bring an end to bullying. It will premiere commercial-free on Sunday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. (ET/PT) with an 8:00 p.m. encore telecast. Speak Up is directed by Lee Hoffman (Third Act Productions), executive produced by Hoffman and Cartoon Network Chief Content Officer Rob Sorcher, and produced by Rebecca Miller.

“We are honored that President Obama wanted to add his voice to our program,” said Stuart Snyder, president and COO, Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media division. “This is such a key issue for our audience and their families and his participation helps even more to raise awareness about the importance of speaking up.”

Before, during and immediately following the telecast, renowned bullying prevention expert and author Rosalind Wiseman will provide further explanation of key bullying issues for kids and adults, answering viewer questions online at http://www.stopbullyingspeakup.com/. Speak Up also will be posted in its entirety on the website for ongoing viewing by students, parents, educators and community leaders. Further viewing of Speak Up across multiple digital platforms will be facilitated free of charge to customers through Comcast Xfinity, Facebook, iTunes and YouTube.com, each for at least two weeks following the world premiere.

Along with the documentary’s youth participants discussing the difficulties in approaching adults and getting them to understand their situation, Speak Up also features appearances from the hosts of Cartoon Network’s Dude What Would Happen (CJ Manigo, Ali Sepasyar and Jackson Rogow), Venus Williams (World Tennis Champion), Chris Webber (Five time NBA All-Star), Hope Solo (Soccer Star), Matt Wilhelm (Pro BMX champion), Lisa Leslie (WNBA All-Star) and NASCAR drivers Trevor Bayne (2011 Daytona 500 winner), Jeff Burton and Joey Logano (youngest winner of a NASCAR Sprint Cup race).

Original theme music for the documentary, “Speak Up” was written and performed by Jonathon Tortora, Fredric Duey and Brett Spigelman.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 99 million U.S. homes and 168 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Disney to Hold D23 in Anaheim - August 2013

D23 EXPO—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—Returns to Anaheim, Once Again Bringing All the Magical Worlds of Disney under One Roof from August 9–11, 2013

Advance Tickets On Sale August 9, 2012, for the Most All-Encompassing Disney Fan Event in the World

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--All the magic and excitement of the past, present and future of Disney entertainment will come together once again when D23: The Official Disney Fan Club presents an all-new D23 EXPO at the Anaheim Convention Center on Aug. 9-11, 2013.

“The D23 Expo has become a phenomenal way for Disney fans to see everything they love about Disney all in one place — from Disney’s biggest stars and latest innovations to unforgettable performances live on stage,” said Steven Clark, head of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, which produces the bi-annual D23 EXPO. “Our third Expo is sure to create even more magical new experiences and memories for our biggest fans attending from throughout the U.S. and around the globe.”

“Anaheim is extremely pleased that the D23 EXPO will be returning next year,” said Charles Ahlers, president, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “This exciting event is quickly becoming an industry icon, drawing Disney fans from around the world. The Anaheim community truly appreciates and enjoys this quality show and positive impacts it brings.”

More than 40,000 Disney fans attended D23 EXPO 2011, which brought together the entire world of Disney under one roof for three star-studded days and nights. Fans were treated to appearances by superstars like Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Regis Philbin and Billy Crystal; enjoyed performances by Dick Van Dyke, The Muppets and Disney princess voice talent Jodi Benson, Paige O’Hara, Lea Salonga and Anika Noni Rose; previewed concept art and attractions coming from Disney Parks and Walt Disney Imagineering; glimpsed back at Disney’s rich history through extraordinary panels, presentations and exhibits; and discovered the newest entertainment, technology, and products from The Walt Disney Company.

Among the highlights of D23 EXPO 2013 will be expanded capacities at some of our most popular venues; the 2013 Disney Legends Ceremony, which honors the talented men and women who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy; Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, a treasure trove of crown jewels from the Walt Disney Archives; the bustling aisles of the Collectors Forum, where Disney fans can buy, sell and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia and merchandise; and a massive show floor full of special opportunities to see what’s on the horizon for Disney around the world—and where guests may bump into their favorite Disney stars, characters, Imagineers, animators and filmmakers.

Advance tickets for the D23 EXPO 2013 will go on sale at D23Expo.com beginning August 9, 2012. D23 Members receive special pricing on both one- and three-day tickets to the event, which is also open to the general public.

D23 Members receive early admission to the Expo show floor, and D23 will once again give a special thanks to D23 Charter Members, providing them special access to the Expo’s Charter Member Lounge. Members will also have an opportunity to purchase a special Sorcerer Package, which provides a host of special benefits and amenities.

D23 EXPO 2013 marks the third D23 Expo held in Anaheim — the first Expo was held in 2009 followed by a second in 2011. Each event played host to thousands of Disney fans from every corner of the globe. Starting today, guests can visit D23Expo.com to relive some of the extraordinary experiences from the first two Expo events and get a peek at what’s to come in 2013.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 unlocks the magic of Disney with a host of exclusive benefits, including a quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.D23.com; a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; free gifts throughout the year; as well as exclusive events created especially for its members.

Disney fans can join the world’s only Official Disney Fan Club by visiting http://www.d23.com/, or at select shops at the Disneyland® Resort, the Walt Disney World® Resort and www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow “DisneyD23” on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

Kevin, Whitney, and "The Bodyguard" Return to Theatres March 28

The Bodyguard Returns to Cinemas In Celebration of 20th Anniversary

NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros. Present Beloved Romantic Thriller Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in Select Movie Theaters Nationwide, Wednesday, March 28

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One of the biggest box office hits of the 1990s returns to movie theaters this month celebrating The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard, a special one-night in-theater event on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. local time. Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard became one of the most popular hits of 1992, marking Houston's acting debut. Additionally, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album went on to become the No. 1 best-selling soundtrack of all time with nearly 12 million copies sold in the U.S., and the sixth best-selling album overall in the Nielsen SoundScan era. Featuring the hugely successful cover of "I Will Always Love You," the album also launched four other hit singles for Houston: “I'm Every Woman,” “Queen of the Night,” and two Oscar® nominated songs, “I Have Nothing” and "Run to You.”

Tickets for The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event are available at participating theater box offices and online at http://www.fathomevents.com/. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Presented by NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros., The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event will be broadcast to more than 400 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

“When originally released, the story and unforgettable songs of The Bodyguard, captured the hearts of audiences everywhere,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Through this special anniversary presentation, fans will be able to come together for one night and see it once more on the big screen.”

Directed by Mick Jackson, Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. The bodyguard ruffles the singer's feathers and most of her entourage by tightening security more than they feel is necessary. Eventually the bodyguard and the singer start an affair, and she begins to believe his precautions are necessary when the stalker strikes close to home.

Warner Bros. will release The Bodyguard 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ on March 27. Special features include Houston’s well-known “I Will Always Love You” music video and “Memories of The Bodyguard,” a making-of documentary. Featuring director Mick Jackson, writer/producer Lawrence Kasdan, actors Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner and others, the cast and crew will discuss the story’s 17-year path to the screen, reworks of the script, how Jackson and Houston joined the production and more.


About National CineMedia (NCM)
NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 177 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 18,600 screens (approximately 17,700 digital). During 2011, nearly 671 million patrons (on an annualized basis) attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 700 locations in 167 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 42 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 48.7% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit http://www.ncm.com/ or http://www.fathomevents.com/.

About Warner Home Video
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.

Review: "A History of Violence" is Really Violent (Happy B'day, David Cronenberg)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 160 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux


A History of Violence (2005)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – R for brutal violence, graphic sexuality, nudity, language, and some drug use
DIRECTOR: David Cronenberg
WRITER: Josh Olson (based upon the graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke)
PRODUCERS: Chris Bender, JC Spink, and David Cronenberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Suschitzky
EDITOR: Ronald Sanders
Academy Award nominee

CRIME/DRAMA/MYSTERY with elements of a thriller

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes, Heidi Hayes, and Peter MacNeill

Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is a pillar of the community in a rural Indiana town where he owns a small business, Stall’s Diner, and lives a quiet live with his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), and their two children, Jack (Ashton Holmes) and Sarah (Heidi Hayes). But the Stalls’ lives are forever changed after Tom thwarts a violent attempted robbery at the diner and kills the two, armed robbers. Lauded as a hero by his fellow townsfolk and by the media, he captures the attention of a Philadelphia mobster, Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), and his henchmen who swear Tom is an old associate named Joey Cusack. It seems as if Fogarty wants Tom (or the man he swears is Joey) to tie up some loose ends…

In some ways, David Cronenberg’s new film, A History of Violence, is just like most violent crime dramas or action thrillers – the kind in which a man of few words tries to have a family and a peaceful life in a small town, but one day his violent history comes back to bite him on the ass. A good example of this sub-genre is the film noir (true) classic, Out of the Past with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, or even Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning Best Picture, Unforgiven. Like those two example of superb cinema, A History of Violence is contemplative. Where many directors would turn a movie crime drama into a hyper-kinetic music video, Cronenberg (who received a “Golden Palm” nomination at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for this film) is almost painterly.

Bodies that are shot or mortally wounded in some other manner don’t fly off screen, nor do they disappear once used like some throw away special effects. We see humans rather than objects with gun shot wounds and nearly destroyed faces struggling to hold onto life. Cronenberg makes sure we hear the death rattle and the raspy, distressed breathing. Violence, even when justified, isn’t clean and pretty; there are real world consequences, as when Jack Stall badly beats two tormenting bullies at his high school. Cronenberg shows us chunks of flesh and some how that makes everything so visceral and more real, or maybe not so surreal, ethereal, and unreal as film violence normally is.

The performances are a mixed bag. Ed Harris and William Hurt shine with malicious glee in small, kooky roles. Maria Bello is sometimes, annoying and shrill, as Edie Stall, and sometimes she has moments where she is as earthy and authentic as a working woman with a family. Peter MacNeill as Sheriff Sam Carney is believable as the small town lawman who is as steady in the face of big city thugs as he is when dealing with his own people.

Still, this material truly stands out because of Cronenberg. The concept is pedestrian (almost pitiful), but screenwriter Josh Olson punches it up by creating weirdo and oddball characters and giving them quirky lines. Ultimately, Cronenberg is the ringmaster, or master chef, if you will, who makes this tale of a small town hero, who must face the vile and violent horror of his past, something a little different from the rest. A History of Violence is about the consequences of the past, and it’s too smart for pat resolutions; that only makes it special.

7 of 10
B+

Thursday, October 20, 2005

NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (William Hurt) and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Josh Olson)

2006 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Josh Olson)

2005 Cannes Film Festival: 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (David Cronenberg)

2006 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Maria Bello)

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"The Campaign" with Will Ferrell Ready for August 2012 Release

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis Wrap Production on Jay Roach Comedy “The Campaign”

Film Opens Nationwide this Summer

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Filming has concluded on “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as competing candidates in a no-holds-barred race for Congress. The new comedy from “Meet the Parents” director Jay Roach is scheduled to open in theaters on August 10, 2012.

The film also stars Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott and Katherine LaNasa, with John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd and Brian Cox.

In “The Campaign,” when long-term congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naïve Marty Huggins (Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about. As election day closes in, the two are locked in a dead heat, with insults quickly escalating to injury until all they care about is burying each other, in this mud-slinging, back-stabbing, home-wrecking battle that takes today’s political circus to its logical next level. Because even when you think campaign ethics have hit rock bottom, there’s room to dig a whole lot deeper.

Directed by Jay Roach and written by Chris Henchy & Shawn Harwell, the film is produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jay Roach and Zach Galifianakis. Amy Sayres, Jon Poll and Chris Henchy serve as executive producers.

The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Jim Denault (Emmy nominee for HBO’s “Carnivàle”); production designer Michael Corenblith (Oscar® nominee for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Apollo 13”); editors Craig Alpert (“Knocked Up,” “Borat”) and Jon Poll (“Meet the Fockers”); and costume designer Daniel Orlandi (“The Blind Side”).

“The Campaign” was filmed in and around New Orleans, beginning in October of 2011. Set for an August 10, 2012 release, it will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Review: "The Debt" is Good, But Unfocused

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Debt (2011)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R for some violence and language
DIRECTOR: John Madden
WRITERS: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan (based on the film, Ha-Hov, by Assaf Bernstein and Ido Rosenblum)
PRODUCERS: Eitan Evan, Eduardo Rossoff, Kris Thykier, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis
EDITORS: Alexander Berner
COMPOSER: Thomas Newman

DRAMA/HISTORICAL/THRILLER

Starring: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds, Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas, Jesper Christensen, Romi Aboulafia, and István Goz

The Debt is a 2011 drama and espionage thriller from director John Madden. It is a remake of a 2007 film (directed by Assaf Bernstein) of the same name from Israel. In the 2011 film, a former Mossad intelligence agent relives a 1965 mission in which she and two other agents pursued a Nazi war criminal. At times quite riveting, The Debt often comes across as a broken movie because it tries to be different things at different times in the story.

In 1997, Rachel Singer (Helen Mirren), a former Mossad agent, and her ex-husband, Stefan Gold (Tom Wilkinson), who is still a Mossad agent, are celebrating a new book written by their daughter, Sarah Gold (Romi Aboulafia). Sarah’s book recounts a 1965 mission in which Rachel, Stefan, and another former Mossad agent, David Peretz (Ciarán Hinds), pursued a notorious Nazi war criminal. The trio targeted Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen), infamously known as “the Surgeon of Birkenau,” believed to be living in East Berlin.

The story flashes back to 1965 where we meet the younger versions of the trio: Rachel (Jessica Chastain), Stefan (Martin Csokas), and David (Sam Worthington). They find Vogel living as “Doktor Bernhardt” and operating an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in East Berlin. The team’s mission was eventually accomplished, or was it? Rachel must confront her past when two figures from it reemerge.

The Debt takes place across two different time periods, which I think inhibits the movie from sustaining suspense or building character relationships with any traction. The Debt certainly has potent moments, and the last act is a killer suspense thriller. Of course, any movie starring Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson would, at least, be interesting. I’m down to see anything with Mirren, and she doesn’t disappoint – once again, I mention that last act of this movie.

I see The Debt as a broken movie because it is really two films – one that takes place in 1965 and the other in 1997 – instead of being one complete narrative. That is what can happen to a movie that has so many flashbacks that it seems as if they are half the film. The Debt is good, but it would have better by focusing on 1965 or 1997 – not both.

5 of 10
B-

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

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Journey 2 Passes "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in Worldwide Box Office

“Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” Travels Farther Than Its Predecessor, Surpassing $275 Million Worldwide

Ranks #1 Internationally for Fourth Consecutive Weekend

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Audience response to New Line Cinema’s “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” has already taken the new 3D family adventure to greater heights than the 2008 hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” with more than $276.5 million in worldwide box office gross and still counting. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

In addition, the new film has held the number one spot in international box office for the past four weekends in a row.

“Journey 2” The Mysterious Island” was a box-office winner in its international debut beginning January 19th, and has so far outpaced its popular predecessor by earning more than $190 million in 52 markets overseas, with some territories, including Japan, yet to release. It then opened February 10th in North America to positive word-of-mouth and has generated over $86.5 million domestically to date.

Moviegoers are also onboard in IMAX® theaters, making the film a giant-screen hit in 448 IMAX® locations around the world, with a box office total exceeding $22.7 million.

In this follow-up to “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” starring Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán and Kristin Davis, the new adventure begins when young Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

“Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” is directed by Brad Peyton and produced by Beau Flynn & Tripp Vinson and Charlotte Huggins, from a screenplay by Brian Gunn & Mark Gunn, screen story by Richard Outten. Serving as executive producers are Michael Bostick, Evan Turner, Marcus Viscidi, Richard Brener, Samuel J. Brown and Michael Disco. The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography David Tattersall; production designer Bill Boes; costume designer Denise Wingate; and Academy Award® nominee Boyd Shermis ("Poseidon") as visual effects supervisor. The music is composed by Andrew Lockington.

“Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” is a New Line Cinema presentation of a Contrafilm Production and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Concurrently, the film is being released in IMAX® theatres worldwide.

It is rated PG for some adventure action and brief, mild language.

http://www.themysteriousisland.com/