GEEK FACT
Did you know that John Lasseter has been confirmed as co-director of the upcoming feature film Cars 2? The movie is set to hit screens June 24, 2011. Lasseter began as an animator and later directed films, including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, and Cars.
Lasseter is also close personal friends with Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, who directed Spirited Away and Ponyo, which explains why a Totoro from Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro appears in Toy Story 3.
From www.firstshowing.net
MOVIES & GAMES PREVIEW
Upcoming U.S. Movie & Game Releases
Your inside guide to U.S. movie & game releases and the visual effect companies who make movie magic.
MOVIES
Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D
U.S. Release Date: September 10, 2010
Studio:Screen Gems (Sony)
Plot Summary: The fourth installment of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: Afterlife is again based on the wildly popular video game series, and will this time be presented in 3-D.
In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead - and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap.
From www.comingsoon.net
Alpha and Omega
U.S. Release Date: September 17, 2010
Studio:Lionsgate
Plot Summary: What makes for the ultimate road trip? Hitchhiking, truck stops, angry bears, prickly porcupines and a golfing goose with a duck caddy. Just ask Kate and Humphrey, two wolves who are trying to get home after being taken by park rangers and shipped halfway across the country. Humphrey is an Omega wolf, whose days are about quick wit, snappy one-liners and hanging with his motley crew of fun-loving wolves and video-gaming squirrels. Kate is an Alpha: duty, discipline and sleek eye-popping moves fuel her fire. Humphrey's motto – make 'em laugh. Kate's motto – I'm the boss. And they have a thousand miles to go.
Back home rival wolf packs are on the march and conflict is brewing. Only Kate and Humphrey can restore the peace. But first, they have to survive each other.
From www.comingsoon.net
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole
U.S. Release Date: September 24, 2010 3D/2D
Studio:Warner Bros. Pictures
Plot Summary: Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder makes his animation debut with the fantasy family adventure "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole," based on the beloved books by Kathryn Lasky. The film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, scoffs at the notion, and yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father's favor from his younger sibling. But Kludd's jealousy has terrible consequences--causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones. Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls. Together they soar across the sea and through the mist to find the Great Tree, home of the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole--Soren's only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms.
From www.comingsoon.net
GAMES
Halo: Reach
U.S. Release Date: September 14, 2010
Platforms:Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Studio: Bungie Software
Synopsis: In Halo: Reach, players experience the fateful moments that forged the Halo legend. It's the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers, and their final stand on planet Reach, humanity's last line of defense between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. This darker story is echoed by grittier visuals amid a backdrop of massive, awe-inspiring environments. Characters, enemies and environments are rendered in amazing detail by an all-new engine designed to deliver epic-scale encounters against the cunning and ruthless Covenant.
Once the campaign is over, the battle continues online with an unparalleled multiplayer experience that expands on the award-winning suite of features that helped define the Xbox LIVE experience.
From www.ign.com
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
U.S. Release Date: September 7, 2010
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Publisher: Activision
Studio: Beenox
Synopsis: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions blends together the many alternate universes of the world-famous webslinger with four unique takes on Spider-Man's history in comics. In the game, Spider-Man attempts to retrieve a piece of a tablet that's been scattered across multiple parallel dimensions, and in doing so he crosses over to storylines famous to comic book aficionados as variant tellings (including The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Man Noir & Ultimate Spider-Man) of the Spider-Man mythology.
From www.ign.com
Sid Meier’s Civilization V
U.S. Release Date: September 21, 2010
Platforms: PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Studio: Firaxis
Synopsis: Civilization V takes the strategy game series in new directions with the introduction of hexagon tiles allowing for deeper strategy, more realistic gameplay and organic landscapes for players to explore as they expand their empire.
The game features fully animated leaders interacting with players from a screen-filling diplomatic scene and speaking in their native language for the first time. Wars between empires feel massive as armies dominate the landscape, and combat is more exciting and intense than ever before. The addition of ranged bombardment allows players to fire weapons from behind the front lines, challenging players to develop clever strategies to guarantee victory on the battlefield. In addition, an extensive suite of community, modding and multiplayer elements also make an appearance.
From www.ign.com