Whether he’s a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter, or an anti-Semitic Kazakhstani, or a wannabe rapper, Sacha Baron Cohen is consistently controversial. Baron Cohen has a habit of satirizing stereotypes . A trademark of his humor is to interview unsuspecting people in disguise as his characters. In the case of his film, Brüno, some critics suggested this sardonic take on gay culture was not simply a spoof, but was insulting in nature. Love him or hate him, either way you definitely have an opinion. In this video, WatchMojo.com learns more about the man behind the characters: Sacha Baron Cohen.
Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon-ho each direct a segment of this surreal triptych film which will be released March 6 in New York, and March 20 in Los Angeles and Nationwide.
Tokyo! Synopses:
“Interior Design” (Dir. Michel Gondry)
Hiroko and Akira (Ayako Fujitani and Ryo Kase), a young couple, arrive in Tokyo to pursue their careers, moving in temporarily with Hiroko’s old friend Akemi (Ayumi Ito), a career girl whose boyfriend quickly tires of the houseguests. Hiroko and Akira appear to have a solid and mutually supportive relationship that will seemingly carry them through any challenge. Akira, the young man, takes steps towards his ambition to become a filmmaker, but the woman is less sure of herself and gradually she begins to lose herself in the vast city. Ultimately she under-goes a surreal metamorphoses that gives her an unexpected sense of peace and purpose. Adapted from the comic “Cecil and Jordan in New York.”
“Merde” (Dir. Leos Carax)
Merde (a French term translating as “shit”) is the name given to an unkempt, gibberish-spewing subterranean creature of the Tokyo sewers, played by Denis Lavant, who rises from the underground lair where he dwells to attack unsuspecting locals in increasingly brazen and terrifying ways: he steals cash and cigarettes from passersby, frightens old women and salaciously licks schoolgirls, resulting in a televised media frenzy that creates mounting hysteria among the Tokyo populace. After discovering an arsenal of hand grenades in his underground lair, Merde slips into full-on assault mode, hurling the munitions at random citizens and creating a Godzilla-like atmosphere of urban terror, which the media promptly laps up and reflects back to its equally voracious television audience. Enter pompous French magistrate Maître Voland (Jean-François Balmer) - a dead ringer for the sewer creature’s gnarled and twisted demeanor - who arrives in Tokyo to represent Merde’s inevitable televised trial, claiming to be the sole person in the world able to speak his client’s unintelligible language. The media circus mounts as lawyer defends client in a surreal court of law hungry for a satisfying resolution. Merde is tried, convicted and sentenced to death - until justice takes an unexpected turn.
“Shaking Tokyo” (Dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Teruyuki Kagawa stars as a Tokyo shut-in, or hikikimori, who has not left his apartment in a decade. His only link to the outside world is through his telephone, which he uses to command every necessity from a series of random and anonymous delivery people, including the pizza that he lives on and the hundreds of discarded pizza cartons he meticulously stacks in and around his cramped apartment. But one day is different - his pizza arrives thanks to a lovely young woman who succeeds in catching the shut-in’s eye. Suddenly an earthquake strikes Tokyo, prompting the beautiful young delivery woman to faint in her client’s apartment. And then the unthinkable happens - the hikikimori falls hopelessly in love. Time passes and the shut-in discovers through another pizza delivery person that the improbable object of his affections has become a hikikimori in her own right. Taking a bold leap into the unknown, our hero crosses the threshold of his apartment and takes to the streets in search of his mystery girl, at last discovering his kindred spirit at the very moment another earthquake strikes.
Visit the official website to find out where Tokyo! is playing in your city:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
Best animated feature film of the year
* “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton
Achievement in art direction
* “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt
Achievement in cinematography
* “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle
Achievement in costume design
* “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky
Achievement in directing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle
Best documentary feature
* “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
* “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
* “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
* “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal
Best documentary short subject
* “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
* “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
* “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
* “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde
Achievement in film editing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens
Best foreign language film of the year
* “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
* “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
* “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
* “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel
Achievement in makeup
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
* “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Alexandre Desplat
* “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
* “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Best motion picture of the year
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
* “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, Producer
Best animated short film
* “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
* “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
* “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films), A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
* “Presto” (Walt Disney), A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
* “This Way Up” A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes
Best live action short film
* “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
* “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
* “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
* “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
* “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank
Achievement in sound editing
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* “Wanted” (Universal), Wylie Stateman
Achievement in sound mixing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt
Achievement in visual effects
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan
Adapted screenplay
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
Original screenplay
* “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
Check out the new widget for AMD Fusion, which is AMD’s new across-the-board initiative for gaming and entertainment on your computer. There’s even a free optimizer, a Fusion for Gaming utility if your computer runs on AMD hardware. AMD unveiled a plan for a new supercomputer at CES this year and hopes to revolutionize the way high definition content is streamed and viewed.
Take a look at the AMD Fusion Widget here!
The Future is Fusion site: fusion.amd.com
A little more about Fusion:
“Fusion is how AMD marries innovation with collaboration. Far more than just the convergence of the CPU and graphics processing, Fusion is how AMD and its partners enable next-generation technologies that change our lives. Fusion is the process where customer needs, dreams, and desires bond with AMD’s own passion for engineering. It is Fusion that fuels this collaborative process and unleashes innovation on an exponential scale. Looking back, Fusion has enabled AMD to lead the industry with a legacy of breakthroughs. We were the first to achieve speeds of one billion clock cycles per second. The first to integrate standard 32- and 64-bit computing architectures. And the first to shatter the teraflop-in-a-box performance ceiling. And more. Today, Fusion is the catalyst for AMD’s accelerated computing model, harnessing the power of specialized hardware to help boost performance and enhance energy and cost efficiencies. It is a force that’s already changing the way we work, live, and play.
At work, Fusion is changing the data center forever. Setting new performance records on benchmarks for key workloads such as web services, database, and virtualization. Setting the standard in high-performance with low power requirements. And deploying specialized cores to bring parallel processing performance to mainstream business applications.
At home, Fusion is bringing Hollywood to your family. Harnessing the same AMD multi-core technology that enabled special effects wizards to render complex animation in minutes instead of days. Enabling innovations like AMD LIVE! TM to help people share movies, videos, photos, and music on all the screens of their lives. Allowing you to bring true HD computing capability to your home and on the go.
At play, Fusion is the energy behind many of today’s most stunning PC gaming experiences. Applying our years of graphics processing experience as the originators of the first 3D GPU. Partnering to enable platforms like Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. Delivering big-screen imagery and photorealism to the real-time interactivity of your favorite video game. Pushing the limits of performance in real-time, 3D game play on our quest for human-eye realism.
Fusion. It’s the energy of innovation. It’s what’s fueled our past, and what will drive our people and partners in the future. To learn more about innovation, the next generation of breakthroughs, and how they’re made possible by Fusion, visit fusion.amd.com .The future is Fusion. And it’s only from AMD.”
Here’s a partial list of Golden Globe winners from Film and Television, the winners are noted with two asterisks(**). From HollyScoop.com:
FILM
BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
**Slumdog Millionaire
BEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
**Vicky Cristina Barcelona
ACTOR, DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
**Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
ACTRESS, DRAMA
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved You So Long
**Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
**Colin Farrell, In Bruges
James Franco, Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
**Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
**Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
**Kate Winslet, The Reader
DIRECTOR
**Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road
SCREENPLAY
**Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
**WALL-E
TELEVISION
TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Dexter
House
In Treatment
**Mad Men
True Blood
ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
January Jones, Mad Men
**Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
**Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
**30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds
ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
**Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
**Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Judi Dench, Cranford
Catherine Keener, An American Crime
**Laura Linney, John Adams
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Susan Sarandon, Bernard and Doris
ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ralph Fiennes, Bernard and Doris
**Paul Giamatti, John Adams
Kevin Spacey, Recount
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: Redemption
Tom Wilkinson, Recount
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
**Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
**Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
Here’s a look at the major categories, from Slashfilm.com:
Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog MillionaireBest Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas - I’ve Loved You So Long (Il Y A Longtemps Que Je T’Aime)
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary RoadBest Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Leonardo Dicaprio - Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin BUtton
Mickey Rourke - The WrestlerBest Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina BarcelonaBest Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Rebecca Hall - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDorman - Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson - Last Chance HarveyBest Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell - In Bruges
James Franco - Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson - In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance HarveyBest Animated Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-EBest Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Everlasting Moments
Gomorrah
I’ve Loved You so Long
Waltz with BashirBest Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The ReaderBest Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Tom Cruise - Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark KnightBest Director - Motion Picture
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry - The Reader
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes - Revolutionary RoadBest Screenplay - Motion Picture
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare - The Reader
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - DoubtBest Original Score - Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood - Changeling
James Newton Howard - Defiance
A. R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
Hans Zimmer - Frost/NixonBest Original Song - Motion Picture
“Down to Earth” - Wall-E
“Gran Torino” - Gran Torino
“I Thought I Lost You” - Bolt
“Once in a Lifetime” - Cadillac Records
“The Wrestler” - The Wrestler
Oh mio dio! Evil will be redefined this year by the much anticipated horror film, MOTHER OF TEARS, which arrives on unrated DVD September 23rd. Genius Products and The Weinstein Company introduce another gem under the Dimension Extreme label – the final installment from “The Three Mothers” trilogy by the infamous Italian director Dario Argento.
Set in Rome, Italy, an unassuming American art student accidentally resurrects a wicked witch, Mater Lachrymarum, from her grave and awakens the city to utter turmoil and destruction. In order to restore peace and put an end to this evil power for good, the student must use her own supernatural abilities to save the city from Mater Lachrymarum’s wrath.
MOTHER OF TEARS is one of the most intense films from Argento’s amazing body of work. He brings to it his renowned cinematic style and unique approach to thrill and terror. Argento’s reputation as the “Italian Hitchcock” is no way an exaggeration - the admiration he has earned by great directors such as Brian DePalma and George A. Romero, proves that he not only develops a special beauty in his work but he also brings new meaning and insight to this genre.
Trailer:
This movie got a lot of buzz and was well received at Sundance and the Indie movie circles. Check it out when it heads to DVD on June 17th:
A beautifully told story about the power of family and courage, Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna) arrives on DVD June 17 from Fox Home Entertainment. Starring world-class Latino talent including Adrian Alonso (The Legend of Zorro), Telenova superstars Kate del Castillo (“El Derecho de nacer”) and Eugenio Derbez, (“Los Perplejos”), Jesse Garcia (The Comebacks), Carmen Salinas (Man on Fire) and Golden Globe-winner America Ferrara (“Ugly Betty”) in a “beautifully rendered…warm hearted” (Richard Roeper) feature from first-time director Patricia Wiggins, Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna) portrays the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos (Alonso) and his mother, Rosario (Del Castillo). In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico. Unexpected circumstances drive both Rosario and Carlitos to embark on their own journeys in a desperate attempt to reunite. Along the way, mother and son face challenges and obstacles but never lose hope that they will one day be together again. Touted for its colorful characters and an inspirational tale of self-discovery, Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna) is “a timely and energetic crowd-pleaser that allows the viewer to share the bond between mother and son” (Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald). Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna) is presented in widescreen format and includes commentary, deleted scenes and two featurettes.
Official Site:
Vote for your favorite Babelgum Online Film Festival video entry now! Babelgum, the new interactive web TV portal, is proud to announce its first Babelgum Online Film Festival judged by director Spike Lee and a professional panel!!
Babelgum Official Site:
http://www.babelgum.com/boff/?referrer=bab-0002
Hurry Hurry Hurry!!
Still time to Vote!!
Best post wins an all expenses paid trip to meet Spike Lee at next month’s Cannes Film Festival and a ticket to the first BOFF Awards Ceremony
BABELGUM ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL/News Update
Top rated films this week are from Italy, France, Norway and the USA
London, 22nd.April 2008 – Voting fever reigns at the first Babelgum Online Film Festival (BOFF) on Babelgum, the new interactive web TV portal. Over a thousand entries from 86 countries are available to anyone with broadband, reaching a potential global audience of 360 million.
The Babelgum Online Film Festival is the first of its kind, and provides a unique distribution opportunity for the newest filmmaking talent. A number of entries have been created specifically for the festival, proving that it is also generating new and original content.
Top Films of the week April 14/20: Get a grip on your life…..and enjoy!! That seems to be the message from this week’s most popular films in the Babelgum Online Film Festival, the first BOFF. We can allow ourselves a little more pleasure, be brave in the face of adversity, move onwards and upwards even after we’ve been rejected and have faith. We can make a difference too – either by crossing a border on a rocket or, on a serious note, looking for alternatives to oil. Sure, we can take it too far, but as the top of the music category shows, true friends will always forgive us our excesses.
Animation - ITALY
Clito - This excellent piece of Italian cheekiness needs a little warning before you watch. First, make sure your mother isn’t standing behind you. Or your boss. Clear? Now, you’re ready to enjoy a hilarious and possibly educational film about the life and love life of our nether regions.
Documentary - ITALY
GREATER – Defeating Aids – This film pulls together various stories about a group of Ugandan women who are HIV positive, but this is anything but a mainstream piece of work. Inspiring characters, full of zest for life, tell us their stories, and show us their dances.
Looking for Genius - USA
Jilted – The Puppini Sisters – In this sumptuous 5 minute film (a budget of $4000? Impossible no?) we are told a story about a woman who’s been dumped and takes her revenge on all the men who have ever left her. Duel by Popcorn is just one of the original ideas here but the message is an old one: hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Be warned.
Music - NORWAY
Sondre Lerche – this is quirky and fun, just what you expect from the Norwegian music scene, but here we have a snappy tune and an engaging video to boot. Sondre Lerche is the singer who manages to control the camera with his hands but the power goes to his head and he doesn’t want to share the limelight with his band. They turn into a horse-headed gang who chase him but it all works out fine in the end. Scandinavian diplomacy in action.
Short Film - USA
Officer Down – Holding on to first place in this category, this is a compelling story about a bad cop turned good, or about faith working miracles. This film just keeps on scoring highly with Babelgum audiences – it’s a praise fest. Strong writing, acting and direction.
Social/Environment - ITALY
Fill – A man fills up his car at a lonely petrol station and is haunted by the voices and sounds of all the suffering caused in the name of oil. A single drop of blood drips as he replaces the pump. This one appealed to Italian BOFFers in particular but anyone on this planet will appreciate its simplicity in conveying an important message.
Spot/Advertising - FRANCE
The Pocket Crossborder – An ad for the quickest and easiest way of crossing a border – be a human cannonball. Only don’t try this at home or on a border you can legitimately get across because helmet and armour are not included, ok? This film rocketed in the Babelgum audience’s views – no less than Charlie Kaufman wrote a post and George Lucas commented “may the force be with you”. Who said Babelgum doesn’t have friends among Hollywood’s royalty!
The Categories:
• The Babelgum Short Film Award
• The Babelgum Looking For Genius Award
• The Babelgum Animation Award
• The Babelgum Music Video Award
• The Babelgum Social / Environment Award
• The Babelgum Spot / Advertising Award
• The Babelgum Documentary Award
The Judging Process:
• Babelgum users are now voting in their thousands and having their say on who will become the next big filmmaking talent. A shortlist of films will be reached through a combination of factors: users’ votes, the amount of times a film is viewed, the amount of posts and comments and the number of times a film is linked
• The shortlist will then be judged by the BOFF Jury, led by renowned director Spike Lee. The other jurors consist of film experts from across the globe, including the directors of established film festivals, film schools and film industry associations:
About Babelgum
Babelgum is a new interactive web TV portal. Babelgum uses peer-to-peer technology to provide the immersive viewing experience and picture quality of traditional TV combined with the interactivity and personalization enabled by the Internet.
Babelgum allows users to enjoy free, on-demand and personalized channels, using both niche and mainstream content to satisfy individuals’ needs for tailored entertainment. Instead of user-generated clips, it features only professionally produced content spanning film, news, sports, documentaries, music videos, concerts, lifestyle and trends, animation and scripted programs.
Babelgum provides independent content owners with a protected platform on which to gain global exposure of their work and a unique model to monetise their content online. Babelgum’s content partners include 3DD, the Associated Press, Shine Limited, BBC Motion Gallery, Reuters, Entertainment Rights, Gong Anime, IMG, Ministry of Sound TV, Zed and Off the Fence, among others. Founded in 2005, Babelgum is a privately held company, with headquarters in Ireland and offices in the U.K., France, Italy and soon the U.S.
For further information on Babelgum please contact:
Charles McDonald/PPR
+44 207 292 8330
charles.mcdonald@premierpr.com
Babelgum’s Press Office
Andrea Giannotti
+44 20 7268 2490
+44 7825 892 640
andrea.giannotti@babelgum.com
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