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Mar 11 2010

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MOVIE NEWS PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END The third Pirates movie will almost certainly star Keith Richards (right) in a cameo appearance as Captain Jack Sparrow's father. Johnny Depp has famously said he modelled Capt Jack on the Rolling Stone, adding: "we're all looking forward to the idea of Keith coming in and doing a cameo. You never say it's definite until the guy steps on the set and the camera is rolling. But it's looking very, very good." AVATAR James Cameron's nearly back, folks! The director has been explaining the process to film his sci-fi epic Avatar, saying: "Believe it or not, the shooting is a very small part of it. It's a very, very big project where the shooting is like a month and a half -- not really very much. There's just so much CG, and the visual effects are a huge component. A lot of it is performance capture. We use different techniques (from, for example, 'Sony Pictures' upcoming Monster House), but it's the same general idea." "[We're] very active right now in terms of casting. We're not looking at anyone, we're looking at everyone. There are a number of characters that we can cast from that up-and-coming talent pool. They're not going to be well-known names -- until after the movie, hopefully." DIE HARD 4.0 The director of the fourth Die Hard flick, Len Wiseman (Underworld), has reportedly let slip that John McClane's son won't be in Die Hard 4.0, with his character being rewritten to make him no relation to Bruce Willis' iconic character. DRACULA: YEAR ZERO A spec script from Matt Sazama and Burl Sharpless is being produced that will retell the classic Dracula story by interweaving the plot with real-life Dracula influence Vlad The Impaler. Sources say the script makes Dracula more of a vengeful hero than the monster of Stoker's original novel. JUMPER Samuel L. Jackson (right) is set to star in Doug Liman's Jumper, about a kid who can teleport. Jackson will play the NSA agent sent in to track the teleporting teen, who is on a quest to find his mother's killer... and finds he's not the only one with this super power... FANTASTIC FOUR 2 Director Tim Story has been speaking out about what fans can expect from the sequel, saying: "I've been going crazy prepping this thing. Just got back from Vancouver, which is of course where we will be filming the movie, and things are shaping up. It's the hard part of the phase where I have to make things work. Even with $100+ mil, there's never enough money. Looking at the plan for the new Baxter Building interior and it's going to be hot. We're going more high tech and we're giving Reed Richards and the gang more gadgets this time around. The "4" logo will be everywhere as we are used to seeing it. They are a corporation now. "I'm going to use some looks that have been inspired from more recent comics, like in The Ulimate Extinction and a little from the Ultimate Fan Four series. I know what you're thinking "Kirby, Kirby, Kirby!" There will be much props given to Kirby throughout the movie." "What I'm really excited about is the Fantasticar. It's coming guys in all it's glory. Wait until you see it. It's going to split in pieces and all that. Johnny and Ben fight over who should fly it. All the fun you expect." INDIANA JONES 4 During a Q&A at a screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark, original star Karen Allen (Marion Ravencroft) told fans that Natalie Portman could be starring in the fourth Indiana Jones movie as the daughter of her character and Indy. WATCHING THE DETECTIVES The Broken Lizard comedy troupe (Super Troopers) are behind this movie, starring Cillian Murphy and Lucy Liu. Liu will play a femme fatale who enters the life of an avid film noir buff played by Murphy. DAN'S MOVIE DIGEST BLOG (DMDB) - Dan Owen.blogspot.com A companion to DMD for a daily fix of news, reviews, opinions, links and other goodies! Recent posts to DMDB include: Saxondale Episode 4 TV review Lord of War DVD review Serenity DVD review Doctor Who: Doomdsay TV review So hurry over to Dan Owen.blogspot.com and bookmark DMDB!

TRAILERS Rocky Balboa - Trailer 1 (click here for trailer) It's the eye of the tiger! Rocky 6 by any other name. 16 years after Rocky V. Sixteen years! ... and 30 years since the original Academy Award winning drama! Wow... I feel old. How do you think Sylvester Stallone feels? But Rocky V was crap. Rocky IV wasn't that good either. Actually, I'm not entirely sold on III... Well, yes... the franchise is a little overcooked, but Rocky Balboa should still make some money. People love the charcter! Okay, so what is this movie about? Rocky's retired, but a computer simulator pitting him against current champ Mason Dixon postulated that Rocky would win in a fight. This gets everyone thinking, especially Rocky, so he decides to come out of retirement, re-train, and take on Dixon! But Stallone's 60 years old! Yes, and the trailer is all about how you'd go about training a 60-year-old to defeat a man in his 20s. How? Through blunt force trauma. Apparently. Hehe. Does this look good? I have to admit... it gave me a tingle. Everyone loves a good underdog sports movie. The Rocky movies were good disposable fun, and the first is a bonafide classic. I personally think Balboa will prove to be quite an improbably, but worthy, sequel. Ding! Ding! Seconds out! Let's get ready to rummmmmmmmbleee..... er, at Christmas... US TOP 10 (CINEMA) All figures are weekend box-office gross. 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($136.0m) (total to date: $136m) 2. Superman Returns ($21.8m) (total to date: $142m) 3. The Devil Wears Prada ($15.0m) 4. Click ($11.9m) 5. Cars ($10.7m) (total to date: $206m) 6. Nacho Libre ($3.34m) 7. The Lake House ($2.85) 8. The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift ($2.55m) 9. Waist Deep ($1.90m) 10. The Break-Up ($1.62m) (total to date: $114m) UK TOP 10 (CINEMA) 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (£13.7m) 2. Over the Hedge (£2.16m) 3. Just My Luck (£0.42m) 4. The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (£0.33m) 5. The Wind The Shakes The Barley (£0.26m) 6. The Lake House (£0.24m) 7. The Da Vinci Code (£0.12m) 8. Banlieue 13 (£0.09m) 9. X-Men 3: The Last Stand (£0.08m) 10. Krrish (£0.06m) < ** IN THE PIPELINE ** All the following are U.K. release dates, and are subject to change. 14th July 2006: Superman Returns, Viva Zapatero, The Death of Mr Lazarescu 21st July 2006: 13th District, Little Fish, The Break-Up, 11:14, Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties 28th July 2006: Little Man, The Science of Sleep, Adrift, Cars Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2006. Email Dan Owen Visit Dan Owen.blogspot.com The following is a list of Dan's Movie Digests online : 2007 Retrospective: Part One 2007 Retrospective: Part Two 2007 Retrospective: Part Three 2007 Retrospective: Part Four Issue 188: August 22nd 2007 Issue 187: August 8th 2007 Issue 186: February 22nd 2007 Issue 185: January 26th 2007 2006 Retrospective: Part One 2006 Retrospective: Part Two 2006 Retrospective: Part Three 2006 Retrospective: Part Four Issue 184: December 20th 2006 Issue 183: December 8th 2006 Issue 182: November 30th 2006 Issue 181: November 22nd 2006 Issue 180: November 15th 2006 Issue 179: November 6th 2006 Issue 178: July 19th 2006 Issue 177: July 12th 2006 Issue 176: July 6th 2006 Issue 175: June 23rd 2006 Issue 174: June 16th 2006 Issue 173: June 7th 2006 Issue 172: May 18th 2006 Issue 171: May 10th 2006 Issue 170: May 4th 2006 Issue 169: April 26th 2006 Issue 168: April 20th 2006 Issue 167: April 12th 2006 Issue 166: April 5th 2006 Issue 165: March 29th 2006 Issue 164: March 15th 2006 Issue 163: March 9th 2006 Issue 162: March 3rd 2006 Issue 161: February 22nd 2006 Issue 160: February 15th 2006 Issue 159: February 8th 2006 Issue 158: February 3rd 2006 Issue 157: January 27th 2006 Issue 156: January 18th 2006 2005 Retrospective: Part One 2005 Retrospective: Part Two Issue 155: November 24th 2005 Issue 154: November 18th 2005 Issue 153: November 11th 2005 Issue 152: November 4th 2005 Issue 151: October 21st 2005 Issue 150: October 12th 2005 Issue 149: October 7th 2005 Issue 148: September 29th 2005 Issue 147: September 21st 2005 Issue 146: August 19th 2005 Issue 145: August 10th 2005 Issue 144: August 4th 2005 Issue 143: July 29th 2005 Issue 142: July 22nd 2005 Issue 141: July 13th 2005 Issue 140: July 8th 2005 Issue 139: June 30th 2005 Issue 138: June 24th 2005 Issue 137: June 17th 2005 Issue 136: June 9th 2005 Issue 135: June 2nd 2005 Issue 134: May 25th 2005 Issue 133: May 20th 2005 Issue 132: May 11th 2005 Issue 131: April 20th 2005 Issue 130: April 13th 2005 Issue 129: April 6th 2005 Issue 128: March 23rd 2005 Issue 127: March 16th 2005 Issue 126: March 2nd 2005 Issue 125: February 23rd 2005 Issue 124: February 17th 2005 Issue 123: February 11th 2005 Issue 122: February 2nd 2005 Issue 121: January 26th 2005 Issue 120: January 21st 2005 Issue 119: January 12th 2005 2004 Retrospective: Part One 2004 Retrospective: Part Two 2004 Retrospective: Part Three 2004 Retrospective: Part Four Issue 118: December 22nd 2004 Issue 117: December 15th 2004 Issue 116: December 8th 2004 Issue 115: December 1st 2004 Issue 114: November 24th 2004 Issue 113: November 18th 2004 Issue 112: November 11th 2004 Issue 111: November 3rd 2004 Issue 110: October 28th 2004 Issue 109: October 13th 2004 Issue 108: October 6th 2004 Issue 107: September 29th 2004 Issue 106: September 22nd 2004 Issue 105: September 15th 2004 Issue 104: September 8th 2004 Issue 103: September 1st 2004 Issue 102: August 11th 2004 Issue 101: August 7th 2004 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 4 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 3 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 2 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 1 Issue 99: July 28th 2004 Issue 98: July 21st 2004 Issue 97: July 9th 2004 Issue 96: July 7th 2004 Issue 95: June 30th 2004 Issue 94: June 22nd 2004 Issue 93: June 6th 2004 Issue 92: May 28th 2004 Issue 91: May 23rd 2004 Issue 90: May 14th 2004 Issue 89: May 9th 2004 Issue 88: April 30th 2004 Issue 87: April 24th 2004 Issue 86: April 17th 2004 Issue 85: April 9th 2004 Issue 84: March 27th 2004 Issue 83: March 19th 2004 Issue 82: March 12th 2004 Issue 81: March 5th 2004 Issue 80: February 27th 2004 Issue 79: February 20th 2004 Issue 78: February 13th 2004 Issue 77: February 6th 2004 Issue 76: January 30th 2004 Issue 75: January 23rd 2004 Issue 74: January 16th 2004 Issue 73: January 9th 2004 2003 Retrospective: Part One 2003 Retrospective: Part Two 2003 Retrospective: Part Three 2003 Retrospective: Part Four Issue 72: December 12th 2003 Issue 71: December 4th 2003 Issue 70: November 28th 2003 Issue 69: November 21st 2003 Issue 68: November 14th 2003 Issue 67: November 7th 2003 Issue 66: October 31st 2003 Issue 65: October 24th 2003 Issue 64: October 17th 2003 Issue 63: October 10th 2003 Issue 62: October 3rd 2003 Issue 61: September 26th 2003 Issue 60: September 19th 2003 Issue 59: September 12th 2003 Issue 58: August 29th 2003 Issue 57: August 22nd 2003 Issue 56: August 15th 2003 Issue 55: August 8th 2003 Issue 54: August 1st 2003 Issue 53: July 25th 2003 Issue 52: July 18th 2003 Issue 51: July 11th 2003 Issue 50: July 4th 2003 Issue 49: June 27th 2003 Issue 48: June 20th 2003 Issue 47: June 13th 2003 Issue 46: June 6th 2003 Issue 45: May 30th 2003 Issue 44: May 23rd 2003 Issue 43: May 16th 2003 Issue 42: May 9th 2003 Issue 41: May 2nd 2003 Issue 40: April 25th 2003 Issue 39: April 18th 2003 Issue 38: April 11th 2003 Issue 37: April 4th 2003 Issue 36: March 28th 2003 Issue 35: March 21st 2003 Issue 34: March 14th 2003 Issue 33: March 7th 2003 Issue 32: February 28th 2003 Issue 31: February 21st 2003 Issue 30: February 14th 2003 Issue 29: February 7th 2003 Issue 28: January 31st 2003 Issue 27: January 24th 2003 Issue 26: January 17th 2003 Issue 25: January 10th 2003 Issue 24: January 3rd 2003 2002 Retrospective: Part One 2002 Retrospective: Part Two 2002 Retrospective: Part Three 2002 Retrospective: Part Four Issue 23: December 20th 2002 Issue 22: December 13th 2002 Issue 21: December 6th 2002 Issue 20: November 29th 2002 Issue 19: November 22nd 2002 Issue 18: November 15th 2002 Issue 17: November 8th 2002 Issue 16: November 1st 2002 Issue 15: October 25th 2002 Issue 14: October 18th 2002 Issue 13: October 11th 2002 Issue 12: October 4th 2002 Issue 11: September 27th 2002 Issue 10: September 20th 2002 Issue 9: September 13th 2002 Issue 8: September 6th 2002 Issue 7: August 30th 2002 Issue 6: August 23rd 2002 Issue 5: August 16th 2002 Issue 4: August 9th 2002 Issue 3: August 2nd 2002 Issue 2: July 26th 2002 Issue 1: July 19th 2002 DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on: Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP