BEYOND THE MARQUEE

Behold, the Future: “Bottom of the Ninth” Animated Graphic Novel

June 14th, 2012

David Derks

Candy Cunningham contemplates the true meaning of happiness in Bottom of the Ninth.

With the age of information in full swing, electronic devices have given filmmakers new opportunities for getting their voices heard. The shift in how we, the public, get our content has created new opportunities for delivery of compelling stories. As a film geek and comic book junkie, I’m interested in how new stories are being delivered and how the artists utilize technology.

Ryan Woodward has created a new app called Bottom of the Ninth, a graphic novel that combines traditional comic book panels with digital animation, a concept that isn’t new but a very nice iteration of it. Rather than presenting a story with static drawings, some of the panels show scenes being acted out. Other interspersed panels include panning, zooming, and different styles of motion.

JAMES CAMERON’S TITANIC Sets Sail for the First Time Ever on BLU-RAY™ 2D AND 3D

June 13th, 2012

Ethan Reynolds

Titanic 3D BluRay Combo

The two billion-dollar box office phenomenon and winner of 11 Academy Awards®, TITANIC, makes its highly anticipated debut on Blu-ray 2D and 3D on September 14, 2012 from Paramount Home Media Distribution and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Available in High-Definition for the first time ever, James Cameron’s timeless and unforgettable tour de force will be presented in stunning 2D and 3D, providing a cinematic in-home experience of Titanic like never before. Marking 101 years ago today that the RMS Titanic was launched into the Belfast Lough, film fans worldwide can now pre-order the epic love story on Blu-ray 2D or Blu-ray 3D™ with participating online retailers.

BEYOND THE MARQUE-E3, A Look Back at This Years Expo

June 13th, 2012

Jeremy Seeliger

E3's 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo

In a year that was especially quiet for such a huge trade show, there was an interesting but subtle trend that emerged if you looked closely enough: the line between movies and games is being blurred.

There were several movie tie-ins on the show floor, which is never a surprise. The surprise that came from this year was how many of them didn’t have a corresponding film release. Aliens, Star Trek, Harry Potter, as well as a few games that take place in movie universes, are all getting releases scheduled within the next year.

HOOSIERS Now on Blu-Ray (Video Review)

June 13th, 2012

Pat Battistini

HOOSIERS Now on BluRay

The newly released 25th Anniversary Blu-ray of “Hoosiers” is not only entertaining for the pure sports aspect of the film but also answers questions for those bothered by story and character shortcomings.

Box Office Monday: Prometheus Can’t Top Madagascar

June 11th, 2012

Nick Lepa

Flying High at The Box Office

Although Ridley Scott’s Prometheus was expected to have a larger opening, it has made number three on the list of “Biggest Opening Weekends NOT at Number One” with over $50 million. So who grabbed the number one spot? Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted took the glory this week with $60 million.

$60 million for opening weekend is right on par for a DreamWorks Animation film. The first Madagascar grossed $60 million

Batman: The Web Series

June 10th, 2012

David Derks

Batman in Seeds of Arkham

If you search carefully, you can find hidden gems on the Internet. If you know where to look, discovering great content is as simple as the click of a mouse. Whether it’s reruns of your favorite shows, home videos or original storytelling, there’s a plethora of material waiting to be discovered. In my quest for finding new and compelling content, I found Bat in the Sun Productions YouTube’s page that’s filled with original episodes of Batman. Being a fan of the Dark Knight since the franchise was reinvigorated by Frank Miller, I gave the channel a good look to see what they’ve produced. To my delight, they created a Web series that’s both entertaining and visually interesting.

Alien Resurrection…Well, Sort of: Prometheus (Film Review)

June 10th, 2012

David Derks

A publicity still from Prometheus

Editor’s note: Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers.

In our fifth trip to the Alien franchise, director Ridley Scott takes us to the same universe where Ripley and the crew of the Nostromo encountered the original Xenomorph. In the same vein as 2001: A Space Odyssey, we’re brought on a journey that takes place not only in a distant universe, but also in existential thought.

As in the 1979 blockbuster Alien, a crew travels to a far-off galaxy in cryogenic sleep. In 2089, archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover a star map among several ancient cultures from different time periods. The map is interpreted as an invitation from a race that is assumed to have created us, or “Engineers”. The scientific vessel Prometheus soon follows the map to a distant moon named LV-223 in search of the human race’s origins and in the process, may have discovered its demise.