Matt Damon Movies And Biography

Matt's first film role was a one-line part in Mystic Pizza (1988). However, it was enough for him to catch the acting bug.

Then, while attending Harvard, he kept skipping classes to pursue acting projects, which included the TNT original film, Rising Sun (1993), and prep-school drama, School Ties (1992). Then when his film, Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), was expected to be a big success that he decided to drop out of university completely.

Matt would next get noticed for a role as a soldier who had problems with drug-addiction in the movie, Courage Under Fire (1996). The following year, he starred in Good Will Hunting (1997), a screenplay he had originally written for an English class at Harvard University. Good Will Hunting (1997) was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, one of which, Matt won for Best Original Screenplay along with long time close friend Ben Affleck.

Due to the success of Good Will Hunting Matt Damon's autograph started being sought after by collectors and has continued to gain in value with each new movie he makes. Unfortunately, this also means that forgers are flooding the autograph market with their forgeries. Therefore collectors are being warned to only buy from established and trustworthy dealers.

In 1998, Matt demonstrated his acting abilities in Steven Spielberg's film, Saving Private Ryan (1998), working along side Tom Hanks and Tom Sizemore. That same year, he starred as an earnest law student and reformed poker player in Rounders (1998), starring opposite Edward Norton and John Malkovich.

The following year, Matt rejoined his childhood friend, Ben Affleck and fellow comedian, Chris Rock, in the controversial comedy Dogma (1999). Towards the end of 1999, Matt starred alongside Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow in the movie, The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). Although the movie earned mixed reviews from critics, Matt earned praise for his performance.

Matt lent his voice to the animated movie, Titan A.E. (2000) in the year 2000, which also earned mixed reviews from the public. He also starred in two other movies, All the Pretty Horses (2000) and the golf comedy-drama, The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), starring alongside Will Smith.

His next two films were not as well received as his previous work. He starred in Gerry (2002), a film he co-wrote with his friends, Gus Van Sant and Casey Affleck and Stuck on You (2003)

One of Matt's most recognizable work to date is his role in the "Bourne" movie franchise. He plays an amnesiac assassin, "Jason Bourne", in The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

He also delivers a memorable performance in the "Ocean's" movie franchise. He had the opportunity to star opposite George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Don Cheadle in Ocean's Eleven (2001). The successful crime comedy-drama eventually had two other sequels, Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

Other highly acclaimed movies that Matt starred in was in Terry Gilliam's The Brothers Grimm (2005), George Clooney's Syriana (2005), Martin Scorsese's The Departed (2006) and Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd (2006).

Film Review: The Expendables (2010)

By Todd Murphy Todd Murphy
Level: Platinum

Todd Murphy is a film analyst and staff writer/reviewer for the film and DVD review web site, All About Movies.net. He has written numerous reviews ...

BOTTOM LINE: Although meant to be a homage to 1980s action films, "The Expendables" is a tasteless exercise in violence which has none of the fun of those 80s films while simultaneously wasting an opportunity to create an enjoyable tale with all these iconic action stars, both past and present, in the same film.

THE GOOD: As with so many films, the idea upon which the whole exercise hangs is usually a good one. Stallone leads a cast of iconic action stars, both past and present, in an action film based on a group of mercenaries who find themselves on a mission where more than meets the eye, but it is up to them to deal with it! Some of the action sequences in this film are entertaining, particularly with the personalities driving them, and despite Stallone being the main star and director, he does allow the rest of the cast to shine in parts, particularly Jason Statham who plays his tough partner. Eric Roberts is effective as the two dimensional bad guy; his character is bland, but Roberts manages to infuse him with enough villainy and tough talk that he is fun to watch. Bruce Willis is quite menacing in his cameo and is the only one who seems to fit properly in the film and give a performance that you will remember. "The Expendables" works on these levels if nothing else.

THE BAD: From a narrative perspective, this film is a complete mess. The whole thing barely hangs together, and is designed to find excuses to get to the action. Even the 80s action classics, despite being corny, had strong plots to drive the action, even though they were simple. Aside from Stallone, Staham, and Lundgren, the rest of iconic cast have less than useless roles, particularly Jet Li who keeps getting beaten in every scene, and Steve Austin who is nothing more than a hired thug. Mickey Rourke is perhaps the exception, but his performance is almost out of place in this film, as the oscar-nominated actor actually creates some genuine emotional moments in a few scenes; what's that doing in a dumb action film? Schwarzenegger's cameo is somewhat jarring, unnecessary and silly. Those expecting to see Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis together in a great scene will be disappointed. The violence in this film is unwarranted. Seeing bad guys not just being shot, but blown apart is not an entertaining way to spend a few hours, and again, 80s action films were violent but did not seem to indulge in this kind of vulgarity. Combined with the fact that there are barely any fun moments in the film and you have virtually nothing left except for excessively violent, but technically well executed action sequences that create no sense of excitement of purpose. You can see what Stallone was trying to do here, but given the lack of narrative depth in the script and the fact that none of the elements that made 80s action films so much fun are present, "The Expendables" is a wasted opportunity at getting all these iconic stars together in a fun adventure.

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Article Submitted On: January 31, 2011

We Still Like Movies, But The Way We Watch Them Has Changed

Americans have enjoyed motion pictures for more than a century. Movies have gone from a novelty to entertainment to an art form. They helped us forget our troubles during the Great Depression and our fears through the war years that followed. And, to this day, people can leave the real world outside while concentrating on what's happening on the screen. The question is where do motion pictures fit in today's lifestyles?

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 55% of Americans rarely or never go to the movies. This is true for the majority of all age groups except for those 40 to 49 where the number drops to 48%. Among those 65+ the negative response jumps to 63%.

Occasional movie attendance, which means less than once a month, is 34% for the total sample. Those 40 to 49 are highest with 42% and New Seniors are lowest at 28%. Regular theater goers, once a month or more, represent just 10% of all respondents.

So who is watching movies and where? About 44% of the people are viewing movies at home once a week or more. Another 41% are doing this occasionally, and only 14% say they rarely or never watch movies in their homes. The 30 to 39 age group is most likely to do this (57%). Those 65+ are least likely (34%).

Excluding those who rarely or never watch movies at home, 59% say they watch it on a premium cable channel or regular network TV. The number is lower for the youngest age groups, 18 to 29 (35%), and increases with age, 65+ (65%). Conversely, 35% of the total rent movies for home viewing. Nearly half (47%) of the youngest demographic do this, while only 16% of New Seniors are renting movies.

What people watch also varies significantly by age. Comedies are twice as popular as any other film genre, with 37% of respondents preferring them compared to 19% for dramas. With those 18 to 29 this type of movie was selected by 42% while among New Seniors the category was only 29%. On the other hand, the older group selected dramas first with 30%, and with the younger audiences it was on 8%

Action films ranked third overall at 15%. As might be expected it was highest with the young crowd at 20%, twice that of the older demographic. Science Fiction was fourth with 10%, but 22% of the 30 to 39 group selected it. Musicals barely made the list; however, 13% of New Seniors chose them.

The survey did not ask about watching movies online, on an iPad or a smart phone. But it's safe to assume that this is a younger audience. The most important thing is there are cost effective ways to enjoy movies. But it is nice to go to the theater, buy some fresh popcorn and a soft drink then sit back as the lights dim and the curtains open to reveal characters that are literally and figuratively bigger than life. That's the way to lose oneself in what's playing on the screen. That's what the movies are all about.

Don Potter is a Philadelphia native and 50 year veteran of the advertising agency business. Now living in Los Angeles, he has written two novels in retirement and frequently writes and speaks on marketing issues. Potter is the founder and editor-in-chief of NewSeniors.com, the first online magazine dedicated to those 65+.

NewSeniors.com articles provide thoughts, comments and opinions designed to spark thinking, foster discussion and stimulate debate. The editorial content features general news and information as well as videos of interest to the burgeoning 65+ audience. A touch of nostalgia is also included. Learn more by logging on to http://www.newseniors.com/

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Why People Go on Movie Tours

There can be many reasons that people are interested in movie tours, the majority of these are people who are interested in where the films were shot so they can see the locations up close and personal. Many times people will be interested in this information because they are intrigued by the creation part of Hollywood drama. When a person has access to this information they usually feel pretty special.

It is also possible that these individuals might be interested in the historical significance of the areas where the filming took place. Sometimes people become interested in historical sites simply because valuable things have taken place there. There are many different areas to see.

The cost of the process is extremely affordable for people that want to pass through the area. People can look at the specific places where certain scenes of movies were shot. This is advantageous for people that are going to film school. These individuals will appreciate the knowledge that they get from going to this type of setting.

People are allowed to go to the various locations on a bus tour. It is also possible that shorter tours can be done by walking. Many of these locations will have the movies playing in the background as part of the atmosphere. It can be extremely exciting to witness where Hollywood history has taken place.

Sometimes people that are interested in getting into acting will want to see where their favourite films were shot. Having access to this type of experience as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Many people will travel to these regions strictly for the opportunity to witness where such films as Harry Potter and others were shot.

People can find out the history of the region at the same time. This is an amazing opportunity for people to blend education and love for film at the same time. Usually people will wait quite a while for the opportunity to go to these locations. Many of the people involved in the industry enjoy the opportunity to share this experience with people that are passing through the area.

It can be very interesting to experience movie tours London based. The majority of individuals enjoy the opportunity to see the locations in their natural setting. It can be amazing to some individuals have differently things will look when there are not cameras present for every aspect of the journey. Sometimes people are just intrigued with knowing that they are in the same place where their favourite movie took place

Pet Peeves From A Script Reader's POV

I am a screenwriter, script doctor, judge of contests and I do a lot of script polishing. I have read and judged for a few companies and contests and know that at least for contests, we get submissions from all over the world, from all types of people - at all types of professional levels.

And it shows.

A company, whether it be an agency, a production company or even a contest, gets a slew of submissions. A SLEW. And they go into a huge stack. Now obviously your script has to be original, fresh, well written and entertaining, but you would be amazed at the tiny little things that can turn a reader off, stick your script at the bottom of the pile, or even, in some instances, stop your chances before page 2.

We get scripts with wild, strange cover art, drawings and accompanying photos. For the most part, they can be interesting, but more often than not, point out that this is not the work of a professional who is confident that their work can stand on its own merits. I recommend not doing any of this unless it seems really professional and needed.

Titles can draw me to pick up a particular script or not. Sometimes it's the luck of the draw - one reader may hate a certain genre and reach for the comedy over the western. That's just luck. I love a title that makes me smile, think and definitely - one that gives me a hint of what the script will be about either thematically or plot-wise. It makes me angry when the title states something cool and then doesn't deliver on it. Put thought into your title - it's the first impression.

And that's just the cover.

Some scripts are too long or too short. Most screenplays are between 90-120 pages. I have to admit, if I'm getting paid to read either way, I'll happily grab the shorter ones first. But the ones that are too short - telling me a feature is 64 pages (and not an amazing animated film) makes me a little concerned. While a 150 page screenplay already closes off my mind. Now if it's "Dances With Wolves," then the work will win me over, but you better be damn sure you need every page, line and scene and that it's riveting. Because that long page count is going to work against you.

For me personally, typos, grammar and spelling mistakes kill it. How can I take a script seriously if the writer didn't? How can you assume I'll send it up to a big producer if you seem lacking in basic skills? And if there are way too many, as I have seen, it completely loses and confuses me. There are some scripts that I had to struggle with because the mistakes were so overwhelming.

And that is the key.

Do not make your reader struggle.

Professional, edited, simple, clean, tight and fun.

There are many more elements I can tell you that will make your script stand out, but at least for now, these are "The Don'ts."

They may seem elementary, but then why do we keep getting scripts with the above-mentioned issues? And it kills me because I know you have worked your tail off and put your heart into this- so why turn someone off in the very beginning?

Be a professional.

It helps when submitting to professionals.

Good luck, y'all.

Beverly Neufeld

script-whisperer.com

Online DVD Rentals - The Easy Choice For Free Movie Viewing

The elevated presence associated with DVD Rentals Online has caused the actual movie business to focus increasingly more on these types of blockbuster films, relying on all of them for immediate revenue to strengthen their generating while more compact movies have a more easygoing road to success.

The good aspect of DVD Rentals Online, in the perspective from the movie businesses, is that this extends the actual profitable life-span of films. Normally, a film is launched to DVD and Blu-ray, and then will get a functions laden exclusive edition DVD, offers to essentially everybody it is going to, and it is then consigned to the product sales sections from supermarkets.

Having a service such as Netflix or even Love film, though, aged movies will find new existence. Because these providers have each recommendation methods and person DVD Rentals Online is essentially totally free, people wind up requesting films that they might have just overlooked. In order to meet which demand, the internet rental businesses have to purchase more duplicates, allowing the actual movie businesses to make much more profit.

This means that individuals will be more prone to purchase their very own copies associated with DVDs, showing more income, and they maybe thinking about cheaper, right to DVD sequels. Which is good information for more compact movies that could have as soon as struggled to locate an audience?

Exactly what this mainly means would be that the movie market is going to have to still adapt to the brand new marketplace. For that consumer, this really is only will make DVD Rentals Online better and as the business adapts to consider full benefit.

Are you currently managing a DVD Rental store? Would you like to make your company run much more smoothly? DVD Rental software program might be of a giant help to a person. These software program and Rental of DVD programs will help you produce more organized rental ideas for your clients.

Not only will these types of help you framework you're leasing schemes however, you can also acquire software that may help you handle your shop's rental documents, customer info, payments, and so on. And you can perform these along with just a few mouse clicks; no need to write down and chicken scratches the information you'll need in publications and ledgers.

There's two possible (or at best two main) interpretations from the headline over: that this post will be regarding getting Rental of DVD that kids will benefit and that this information will be therefore simplistic in the explanation associated with DVD Rental that a child might understand this.

Actually, each interpretation tends to be correct. I'll turn to the first: which rental is fantastic for kids. There are some problems with this particular statement which might not be instantly obvious.

The reasons why that make this particular service suitable for kids, on the other hand, tend to be eminently obvious. They're those that allow it to be suitable for virtually anyone else.

Specifically, that a Rental of DVD support is cheaper compared to shelling out with regard to DVDs or even Blu ray DVDs, probably far easier and consists of extras for example discounts upon other providers and online game rental.

Using online DVD rental services is as easy as can be, find out the best place for cheap DVD Rentals Online is a bit more difficult. There are lots of different services available, and they all have something unique to offer, so if you want to find out more about the best places to DVD Rental online visit the author's website.

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Old Spice Man Set to Return

Do you miss those times when after shave advertisements meant showcasing just the man? Contemporary advertisements, in particular those related to lifestyle products usually feature skinny women who are seductively suggesting you to buy a particular product. Nothing wrong with this scenario or exploiting this winning formula since sex sells, so people will use this appeal in their selling strategies. But for those who used to watch Old Spice commercials of bare chested and towel clad men, it's time to rejoice. The makers of the aftershave lotion Old Spice are reintroducing the men in a new advertising campaign. Isaiah Mustafa will be the man in this case and he has already received a lot of praise for the commercials he has already been in.

Using Social Networking

The entire strategy is also unconventional. Rather than releasing the promos one by one across the television networks, Procter & Gamble, the makers of Old Spice will be releasing a 30 second preview commercial on social networks that will be showcasing all their lined-up advertisements. Pretty intelligent marketing strategy considering the fact that most of their potential customers hang out at social networking sites virtually 24X7. It does not seem to be coincidental.

You can Look like That

If you observe most other advertisements for similar products, almost all the models featured in those advertisements are pencil thin. Now the underlying logic is, attract the fairer sex. And women, who want to be like those women, have a chance to attain such bodies because of the miracles of science. Liposuction has changed the fortunes of many people and the innovations that are occurring in this industry even rival Apple Co. Liposuction is one of the safest and fastest ways to lose some pounds quickly. An expert practitioner can make liposuction work for you.

Sherlock Holmes Tour

The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was created by the Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He first appeared in publication way back in 1887 where he was featured in 4 novels and around 56 short stories. He is Famous for his astute logical reasoning and use of forensic science when solving difficult crimes. He also has a great ability to take on any disguise.

The author Doyle said the character Holmes was inspired by a real Doctor Joseph Bell who Doyle had worked as a clerk for at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Bell would also draw large conclusions from the smallest observations. Another person who inspired the character of Holmes was Sir Henry Littlejohn who was a Lecturer on Forensic Medicine and Public Health at the Royal College of Surgeons. Littlejohn served as Police Surgeon and Medical Officer of Health to the City of Edinburgh which provided a link between medical investigation and the detection of crime.

Holmes lived in London where he ran a detective agency and worked alone until the arrival of Dr Watson. He lived with Holmes for some time before his marriage and then again after his wife's death. The famous phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson." was actually never said by Holmes in any of the sixty Holmes stories written by Conan Doyle, but Holmes did often remark that his logical conclusions were "elementary" and he occasionally referred to Dr Watson as "my dear Watson". But the two phrases never appear together.

Holmes famously used drugs on occasion as he believed that cocaine stimulated his brain and helped him in some cases. Also morphine was used but his partner Watson strongly disapproved of his drug use even though these drugs were legal in the late 19th century England.

There have been many novels, short stories and stage adaptions of this famous character going back to the early 1900's. Plenty of films have also been made of this fictional detective and most recently the director Guy Ritchie did his interpretation with the actor Robert Downey JR playing the famous detective in the 2009 film with Jude Laws as his partner Watson.

Sherlock Holmes fans can now go on a Tour that takes you to all the key locations in London associated with the world famous detective. You can get to see the building where Holmes and Watson first meet in "A Study in Scarlet". Visit the location used for the crypt scene where Lord Blackwood is foiled by Holmes and Watson in the latest Guy Ritchie movie. And of course see the famous 221b Baker St and its famous 1st floor study in the museum dedicated to the detective.

Watching Movies In HD Brings Your Family Together

With the busy modern life that many people live, it is getting harder and harder for folks to come together as a family to enjoy some old fashioned family time. Between homework and soccer games in distant cities, there are very few opportunities for folks to get together and enjoy each other's company. Fortunately, many families are looking to counteract that trend by starting a family movie night. All you will have to do is figure out which night of the week that you will want to be gathering together, and make sure that nobody schedules any conflicts for that night. Then, you and your family can gather around the television set and watch some of your favorite movies in HD. Doing this will be one step that your family can take in order to enjoy family time.

The first thing that you will want to do in order to plan a weekly family movie night is to clear everyone's schedule for the night in question for the first month. Starting something new usually takes a lot of concentration in order to be able to make it stick. If you are able to get everything off of the schedule then it will be more likely that your family will actually stick to the plans that you are making. If everyone knows ahead of time that they will be watching a movie in high definition, then they will be more likely to make the effort to have family movie night stick.

A good tool for being able to pick movies out for family movie night is satellite tv. With satellite you will be able to have a wide selection of movies to choose from. With the selection and flexibility that satellite provides you will be able to have a more successful family movie night. For example, should you find yourselves having a good conversation around the dinner table you can extend your talk and pause the movie. Were you to only have a basic network television you would not be able to do that. Instead of being a slave to the clock, satellite allows your family to control the time.

After watching the movie you may want to start a family movie journal where everyone is able to write a little bit about what they thought of the movie that they just watched. Many family members may appreciate to write a little bit about what they liked and did not like in order to be able to look back on the journal years later with fond memories. Whether horror movies, comedies or sports movies, having a movie journal will be a great way for you and your family to connect with the past.

If you are serious about starting and sticking with a family movie night, then the first step that you should take is making sure that you have satellite tv. Once you have that installed you will find that starting and enjoying family movie night will be a breeze.

Bianna Golodryga Goes Inside the Container Store

As one of the nation's most visible and highly-respected financial reporters, Bianna Golodryga has done more than a little reporting on the ups and downs of Wall Street-in fact, she even covered the World Economic Forum when it was held in Switzerland. But she's no stranger to more street-level financial reporting; in fact, for an ABC News series called "Secrets of America's Favorite Stores," Bianna Golodryga went behind-the-scenes of some of the most popular retail stores in the country, including The Container Store.

What may seem like a niche business is in fact thriving, reported Bianna Golodryga; the chain is especially successful in selling organizational tools for closets, something that has become something of a trademark for The Container Store. Bianna Golodryga spoke with some of the chain's leading executives and uncovered some of the secrets of what makes them so prosperous.

One of the most major components, she found, is in the scripted dialogue that store associates use to engage customers. Bianna Golodryga reported that Container Store employees are discouraged from using more traditional lines like "May I help you?"-instead, they try to engage the customer on a deeper level, something that The Container Store executives believe strengthens their sales.

Indeed, Bianna Golodryga discovered that a big part of what sets the company apart is the emphasis they place on employee training. Associates at The Container Store are trained for some 240 hours, compared to the typical 12 of other retail stores.

Bianna Golodryga has filed similar reports retail chains including Costco and The Gap, just one example of what makes her an invaluable and integral member of the ABC News team. After studying theater arts and acting at Houston's prestigious High School for Performing and Visual Arts-the same school attended by Beyonce-- Bianna Golodryga moved into finance when she was in college, and enjoyed a brief career in that field before ultimately moving into television. She began her career in journalism as a producer for the CNBC network, having been inspired by the financial reporting style of Maria Bartiromo.

Her work with that network quickly drew praise from across the industry, and got the attention of ABC News. She was recruited by that network and immediately became a favorite on-air journalist, covering economic and business affairs for a variety of ABC's news programs. She has co-anchored the weekend edition of Good Morning America ever since Kate Snow left the program in May 2010.

Black Swan Ballet Costumes

The dark thriller, Black Swan, is just as much about the psychological tension as it is about the beautiful costumes. While the plot focuses on the young ballet dancer, Nina, who is on the verge of a break through or break down, her outstanding dance costumes almost take a starring role. With the popularity of this flick (Oscar buzz, we hear) and the pure gorgeousness of the ballet costumes, you can be pretty sure that women's costumes styled after Black Swan are going to be all the rage this coming masquerade and Halloween seasons.

The signature dance costume that is featured in all the movie trailers and posters is the black ensemble worn by Nina (Natalie Portman). Styled to artistically resemble a black swan, this ladies costume features a black bodice embellished with lots of sequins and a baroque style ballet tutu that sticks geometrically out from layers and layers of black tulle.

Added to this costume are the requisite tights with a seam in the back, ballet flats (toe shoes if you dare) and a dark silver tiara with black diamonds sparkling on the crown. If you are tying to replicate this look for your own Halloween costume, pull your hair back into a sleek bun worn low on the nape. Very pale, pale makeup covers the face and d?collet?, while elaborate face painting surrounds the eyes and forearms to look like a swan's feathers. The final touch is dark red lips.

While there is no officially licensed Black Swan costume out in the stores, women and girls who want to dress up as this distraught dancer can make do with many of the black ballerina costumes found online. Or, a simple black leotard and tutu will capture the look as well. Even men can go out in a Black Swan costume if they so desire! Jim Carrey has already spoofed Portman's character on "Saturday Night Live!"

Like to Watch Movies Online? You Are Not Alone - That's the Latest Trend!

In the digital era in which we live, the old ways of doing things are almost anathema. No longer do people actually write paper checks, instead, they swipe their credit or debit cards to keep things moving. Convenience and speed have taken the place of hard copies and slowness. The same is true when it comes to watching movies at home. Rental houses like Blockbuster have seen a dramatic decrease in their profits since movies and the Internet joined forces. Today the easiest thing to do is to watch movies online.

There are a number of sources that allow you to see movies online. Some are free and some are paid services, but things they all have in common is the easy access, immediate gratification, and the total convenience they offer to consumers. While services that still rent physical DVD's still have a wide range of clientele continue to crop up, the future of movies at home has a direct connection to the Internet. While the cost savings for places like RedBox in not having a physical store that needs maintenance and employee staffing, it pales in comparison to the number of people that can be reached using the Internet. It is getting easier and cheaper all of the time, to watch movies online.

Netflix has risen to stardom in recent months because of the popularity of their streaming application. They saw record earnings in 2010 that placed them firmly at the top of the list of the best money making stocks of the year. They have announced that they plan to put a lot of money and work into the area of making more titles available for online streaming in 2011. The biggest complaint that people have with Netflix is the ability to watch movies online that are newly released. Netflix is aware of the issue and has plans to resolve it in the near future.

Another venue to watch movies online comes in the form of the networks themselves. It is now common to offer full episodes online on the network's site after they have aired on television. For many people who do not subscribe to the channels from a cost savings standpoint, if they watch the movies online, or in this case, watch TV shows online, it will give little reason for them to pay the exorbitant fees charged by the cable companies.

As the trend of watching movies online continues to grow, it is likely that we will see other venues arising yet to be imagined. The access most of the people in developed countries have to high speed internet make watching movies online more of a reality than ever before. People are realizing that watching movies online is quickly becoming the most preferred way to see movies at all.

It is hard to say what the future will hold for movies and the internet, but one thing that we can be sure of is that innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit will drive innovation to the point that will make it easier and more profitable for everyone involved. If you have not done so yet, you might consider trying it in the near future. You might just find yourself hooked enough to watch movies online from them on.

Anthony Hopkins, The Rite - Another Monster Success

The Rite, starring Anthony Hopkins has hit the movie box offices big time this past weekend, upon its' release. Hopkins fans will be thrilled to see the resurgence of Anthony Hopkins in another monster role in this slick supernatural thriller, well worthy of being at the top of Anthony Hopkins movie list.

"I am able to play monsters well. I understand monsters. I understand madmen", said the great British actor about his legendary role as Hannibal-the-Cannibal Lecter in the trilogy of Lecter movies, one of which was The Silence of The Lambs, the movie that propelled him to 'A' list stardom and an Oscar for Best Actor, as well as the movie winning the top awards in all five categories, undoubtedly due to Hopkin's possibly unsurpassable performance.

Anthony Hopkins plays Father Lucas in this dark, suspense movie with deep religious overtones. It is claimed that The Rite is based upon a true story (a popular assertion these days to draw movie goers). Father Lucas is a Vatican certified, veteran exorcist, giving Hopkins plenty of scope to develop this character, character studies being one particular skill which he excels at, in all Anthony Hopkins movies delighting audiences with his portrayal of characters to their very souls, such as the quirky Corky Withers in the 1978 movie Magic and as Hitler in the 1981 movie The bunker. Soul is an unfortunate choice of words perhaps, did Father Lucas even have a soul?

Support acting from co-star Colin O'Donaghue, as Father Michael Kovak is OK, as Hopkins would say, but could have been better served with a more experienced actor, playing the young American 'doubting Thomas', a fledgling priest whose resignation from the calling is not accepted, in favour of sending him to Rome to learn the rite of exorcism.

The veteran actor Hopkins certainly gives his all in this role, furnishing us with the necessary suspense,drama, humour and the fleshed out character of eccentric Father Lucas to the hilt. He even ad-libbed his own script, as is usual for Hopkins to bring something of himself to all movies with Anthony Hopkins, which is exactly what makes them such, uniquely.

If you are expecting Linda Blair exorcism antics and gore, look away - this is a far sleeker take on the paranormal.

However, The Rite is deep, dark and exciting, which should appeal well to both exorcism movie fans as well as fans of the monsters Anthony Hopkins continues to recreate, even though the age old story may be rehashed but in an inherently stylish fashion to enthrall and capture a wide, but discerning audience.

Once Upon A Time - Sexy Storybook Costumes

Sexy nursery rhyme and fairytale characters are very popular women's costume choices for Halloween, masquerade parties and even some role-playing behind closed doors. Dressing up in a sexy adult costume based on a storybook damsel, maiden or little girl character brings together the sweet and innocent with the naughty and not-so-nice! Women like to wear these costumes and men like to look at them creates to create a fantasy and escape from the real world - let's just make sure everyone's over 18 years old! Some of the most popular sexy nursery rhyme costumes and fairy tale costumes for adults include:

Goldilocks: You'll look like a seductive home intruder in a sexy Goldilocks costume designed as a pale yellow strapless dress with thigh-high white stockings. After you eat porridge, you can coly suggest that you'll test out all the beds to see which one is "just right." Don't forget to add the storybook wig cascading with curls - everyone knows that blondes have more fun.

Little Miss Muffet: A Little Miss Muffet costume is pretty in pink with a corset style top and a short, flounced skirt. Add a little apron with a spider appliqu? and an old-fashioned mop hat and you'll look like a sexy version of this classic storybook character that sat on her tuffet eating curds and whey.

Dorothy: Follow the yellow brick road and dress up as a sexy Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. With a vamped up version of the blue gingham, white apron dress, you'll be strutting your stuff all the way to Emerald City in your sexy red sequined shoes. Don't forget to add the signature brown-braids wig and a lidded basket holding the plush toy dog, Toto.

Alice: Fall down a rabbit hole and into a land of whimsy and wonder wearing a sexy Alice costume from AliceIn Wonderland. A sexy spin on her simple blue dress and headband will turn you into your own lovely wonderland, especially when you add some saucy black-and-white striped knee-high stockings and a long blonde wig. This is a popular choice in storybook women's costumes.

2011 Oscar Best Picture Nominations - The Best Collection Ever?

The 2011 Academy Awards Best Picture nominees were announced on January 25, 2011 and make up perhaps the best collection of films ever assembled. The list is even more impressive where you consider that this year the field of movies was expanded to 10. The following are the films nominated.

The King's Speech
Expertly directed with a perfect cast, The King's Speech is probably the best movie of the year. Colin Firth gives a performance even more remarkable than last year's A Single Man as he plays King George VI (Bertie), the mild mannered, reserved "spare" to the throne who suffers from a dreadful stammer. The movie begins with Bertie's disastrous and almost incoherent 1925 speech at Wembley and ends with a still hesitant but nevertheless eloquent speech declaring war on Germany in 1939. In between, the movie chronicles the speech therapy that Bertie received from the Australian Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush.). This is an immensely enjoyable and engaging film on all emotional levels as a story of human beings, royal or not, dealing with and overcoming hardships.

The Social Network
Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, The Social Network follows Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg as he creates Facebook, the game-changing social network that has transformed how people interact on the Internet. A movie about the founding of Facebook could have been a very long, tedious film targeted to a very niche audience. But writer Aaron Sorkin fashioned a story that is witty, fast-paced, thrilling and never boring. Director David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) takes you on a frenetically paced ride into the world behind Facebook, with fascinating revelations and disclosures along the way. The Social Network is expert storytelling with beautiful cinematography and a brilliant lead performance by Jesse Eisenberg.

Blank Swan
Black Swan is the story of Nina Sayars (Natalie Portman) a professional ballerina struggling to come of age when she fulfils her lifelong dream of landing the lead part of her company's latest production, Swan Lake. The thrill of this accomplishment is tarnished by the fact that she is unable to deal with her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey), questionably ethical director (Vincent Cassel), taking over the throne of the former star lead (Winona Ryder) and competing with free spirited newcomer (Mila Kunis). The performances in this film are not to be believed. Natalie Portman is amazing. Her performance was nerve wrecking, and she actually makes us feel the horror rising in her character as she discovers that she is slowly moving from the good to the evil side in an effort to hold onto everything she has ever worked for. Black Swan is a dark and surreal ride that takes us down some surprising turns and, like the ballerinas, keeps us constantly on our toes.

The Fighter
A candid and powerful portrayal of a dysfunctional family and how the fighter copes with these issues to achieve success. The movie starts rather unspectacularly but soon builds into a strong, compelling dramatic story about two incredibly strong characters, one of whom is sick, who stick with each other and help each other overcome their personal obstacles. The nature of the family dynamics and how they affect the main characters are presented believably. Instead of being corny or contrived, the story is presented in a straightforward manner that lays out the issues. Mark Wahlberg and Melissa Leo are outstanding, but this movie is a showcase for Christian Bale whose performance is remarkable bordering on incredible. Mr. Bale portrays a character who by any reasonable standard should be detested yet by the end of movie is worthy of admiration. The Fighter is a true knockout.

Inception
Dom Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) leads a highly skilled team, specializing in stealing secrets from people's minds by entering their dreams. When they are hired by a mysterious businessman, Cobb finally has a shot at redemption, but not before achieving the near impossible. Rather than stealing an idea, they must do the complete opposite: Inception. Planting the seed of an idea. The plot of this movie is very pleasingly intricate with a twist-and-turn, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type feel. Christopher Nolan has given us a smart film that is appealing to the eyes as well as the brain. The visuals are used in a way that makes things feel like an amazing dream. The story is interesting, and the actors all do a great job. Leonardo DiCaprio as usual is fantastic. Others like Michael Kane and Ellen Page also are great.

The Kids Are Alright
Stuffed with humor, power and insight, this film helps to remind us what a family is really all about. It's also a cautionary tale: Passionate sex, by its self, does not automatically make for a good relationship. Strong feelings can overpower our better judgment. Being dishonest with those we love causes a lot of suffering, but it can be a forgivable offense. A long-term relationship is a big investment - emotionally, financially and spiritually and it should not be easily discarded when something substantial goes wrong. Same-sex couples can have the exact same problems opposite-sex couples do.
"The Kids Are All Right" proves Hollywood can make an enjoyable film about gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered people without it having to be violent, depressing or insulting. One of the great movies of 2010.

127 Hours
127 Hours is about Aron Ralston struggling to get out of a situation he was stuck in for 127 hours. Aron is an ordinary guy working as an engineer in Intel. One day he decides to get away for a weekend to Utah for mountaineering without letting anyone know about it. He packs up his bag and off he goes on his bike. Later, while mountain climbing, he is involved in an accident where a very large bolder gets dislodged and drops on his right forearm pinning him. This movie details Aron's next 5 days alone as he tries to dislodge his arm from the boulder and save his life. Even though his eventual outcome is known world-wide, the gritty direction, gorgeous cinematography and flat-out brilliant performance by James Franco keep the viewer on the edge of their seat.

Toy Story 3
One of the year's most engaging, laugh out loud funny and deeply moving movies. It unashamedly goes for the heartstrings in the final act as Andy leaves home to go to his freshman year at a US college. And that's what this film is all about, the loss of childhood and what that means to a young man as he comes of age. Toy Story 3 is a true comedy classic full of slapstick, crazy chases and... as usual for a Pixar movie... a brilliant plot. The script sizzles and the acting (by the usual humans - you know them all by now) is universally outstanding. Randy Newman has made the franchise his own with his bittersweet and mostly beautiful music. Perhaps the highlight in this installment is Buzz Lightyear's fantastic Spanish rendition of "You've got a friend."

True Grit
True Grit is an outstanding movie that stands alongside other great westerns such as Unforgiven and Tombstone. A remake, this movie follows more closely the book than it does the John Wayne original film. The story is far richer, and the characters are given greater depth. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job filling the very big shoes of John Wayne in his famous portrayal of Rooster Cogburn. Matt Damon plays Texas Ranger LaBeouf, and is perfect. Barry Pepper plays Lucky Ned Pepper and even looks a little like Robert Duvall from the original movie. But the real star of the film, and the person around whom the story revolves is Mattie Ross, who is played with Oscar-worthy depth and skill by the unknown actress Hailee Steinfeld. Expect to see much more from her after this movie.

Winter's Bone
Jennifer Lawrence delivers an unforgettable performance as Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old living in the Ozark who cares for her mentally disabled mother and two younger siblings. Ree's rural existence is threatened by a legal framework which threatens to repossess her home and woodland if her criminal father Jessup fails to appear for a court date. Determined to track down her crystal-meth-producing dad in order to save her family, Ree is forced to request the assistance of cold hearted relatives who treat her with more than passing contempt. Adapting the story from Daniel Woodrell's novel, co-writer/director Debra Granik takes full advantage of the harsh Missouri landscape in order to examine the cruel mindset of some of the meanest people you'll ever encounter. Winter's Bone is a film that turns over a rock of backwoods American reality and studies the beautiful and ugly things that crawl there.

Farmer Wants a Wife 2011 - What to Expect

Last year's Farmer Wants A Wife finale that aired on the 15th of September 2010, garnered a whopping total of 1.45 million viewers based on OzTAM rankings. This record only proves that The Farmer Wants A Wife Australian edition has got such a strong foothold in the country, making Channel Nine the most popular local TV network especially for the younger audience. Now, brace yourselves for Australia's most favourite reality TV show is just about to come back for its sixth season, still on Nine Network!

Last year, Fremantle Media, the developer of Farmer Wants A Wife, began its search for the show's sixth season, for farmers 25 to 60 years old who are looking for the love of their lives. Interested contestants should of course be working as farmers and can either be male or female. Last year's applications for the sixth season of the show ended on the 24th of September, and the final contestants are now ready to be unveiled!

Only six of the hundreds to thousands of applicants were chosen as the final farmers for the show. After the applications were submitted, the profiles of the aspiring contestants were displayed on the website through a series of events, web chat sessions, speed dating, city trips and country stays. Eventually, these were narrowed to just six final farmers who are now officially one step closer to finding their own soul mates.

To those of you who are avid viewers of the said show and can no longer wait for its debut episode for the year, here is a tentative list of the 6 farmers who will be staring the 2011 Farmer Wants a Wife Australia. The show's website recently revealed who the six lucky farmers are, where they are from, how old they are and what their insights are on love, life and the partner of their lives:

1. Farmer Mark, from Mareeba, Queensland and currently 27 years old. Mark describes himself as a "caring person who enjoys giving."

2. Farmer Ben of Clare, South Australia, aged 33. He sees himself as "outgoing, open minded, generous and easy to talk to."

3. Farmer Charles, from Barraba, NSW, aged 32. Charles says he's "independent, loyal and the sort of bloke who'd rather have one mate than 10 friends."

4. Farmer Nick, from Gordon, Victoria and 26 years old. When asked to describe himself, he said "funny, loyal, always seeking for adventure yet traditional in a romantic sense."

5. Farmer Melia, the only girl among the six contestants, is 30 years old and from Yallingup, West Australia. According to her, she's an "opportunist, witty, realistic, a problem-solver, and down-to-earth."

6. Farmer Kieran, from Young, NSW and 24 years old. He describes himself as someone "very confident, fun and sometimes a little arrogant."

Original Superhero Costume Goes On Auction Block

In January 2011, at least one thousand superhero mementos went on the auction block in Indianapolis, IN. As a result of the American Superheroes Museum closing, items are being sold to the highest bidder. Folks were jumping tall buildings in a single bound just to get a chance to make an offer on some of these one-of-a-kind superhero artifacts.

Some close to the action say that the museum (which was only open for about a year) is thought to have the second largest collection of Superman stuff in the world such as comic books, toys and costumes. Actually, some of the most important pieces of the collection include the Superman costumes worn by actors George Reeves and Christopher Reeve along with a replica of the Batmobile.

Everyone from normal Joes to the folks at Ripley's will be bidding on these great collectable pieces of comic book history. The biggest problem we see with buying a Superman costume or Batman costume actually used on a movie set is that you wouldn't actually want to wear it and therefore lessen the value. Think of how awful you'd feel if you dressed up in a movie costume from filming and then spilled your beer all over it. Yikes!

A great solution is to add a Halloween costume or two to your superhero wardrobe. You don't have to have an original to look like a crime-fighting, justice-seeking guy. Superman, Batman and other superhero costumes are easy to find and quite affordable for any budget. Sized to fit everyone from babies and toddlers through regular and plus-sized adults, you can even find superhero pet costumes for dogs --- and cooperative cats. Wearing a superhero costume is a choice that is not going to go out of style like some of the trendy costumes that come and go - you might just be wearing your Halloween costume long enough that it becomes a museum-worthy relic!

Best Documentary Feature - Spanish Film Goya Award 2011

Not often the subject of full-length films, architecture comes alive in Deyan Sudjic's How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? Debuted in Spain in early October, 2010, it was awarded the TCM Audience Award to the Best European Film at the San Sebastian International Film Festival 2010, and has been nominated for the Spanish Film Academy's Goya Award 2011 for Best Documentary Feature, the most prestigious cinema award in Spain.

All of the positive global press yet there is mysteriously little film news surrounding its official UK release on January 28th.

As one might gather from the title, How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? is a grand documentary on the life and work of Sir Norman Foster, designer of London's very own Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe, from his humble childhood through his rise to genius. The film is full of strikingly beautiful large-framed shots that reflect the incredible architecture of Foster in his never ending quest to improve the global quality of life.

With production lasting over two years, the film dives into the mind of an architect to reveal buildings and projects in a way that many have never dreamed imaginable. Some of the most fascinating scenes arise when Foster speaks of his innovative ideas to help ease the inevitable influx of people living in metropolitan cities after leaving the countryside. This is to include plans for a completely carbon neutral city, already under construction in Abu Dhabi, named Masdar, which is to run fully automated driverless cars and is to be completed in 2030. Alongside commentary from Foster and Sudjic, the film also includes interviews with engineers, architects, and notable artists such as US's Bono.

How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? is the first in what is to become a series of full length films by the company Art Commissioners, which is dedicated to the world of contemporary art, on some of the 21st century's key figures of art and culture, according to a statement made by CEO Elena Ochoa.

The 75 minute film opens at the Institute of Contemporary Arts on January 26 with a discussion between Sir Norman Foster and architectural theorist Charles Jencks to follow the 7:00 pm screening. It is to continue to run at the ICA through February with the last show on the 20th at 3:30 pm. With the hour of the first UK screening so near, it is only a matter of time before the number of film reviews accurately reflects the vision and beauty of Sir Norton Foster.

Few Reasons DVD Rental Is Becoming Very Popular

There are a good number of advantages to the DVD Rental procedure. The majority of them tend to be connected to the proven fact that people are usually seeking out brand new forms of amusement. Sometimes the strain of everyday existence gets to end up being too much for most of us. Constantly searching for entertainment is one thing that virtually every individual continues to be guilty of from one point or even another.

These days, with the quick progressing technologies, people are right now open to plenty of choices. Instead of heading all the way towards the local DVD Rental stores, they can right now simply location their purchase in a number of online DVD Rental providers and wait for little in order to watch a common movies. They're either billed monthly actually or annually plus they are free to be lent as many quantity of DVDs they would like to. Besides, the lack of a late fee is much like a topping on the dessert. People will keep the DVD disks as long as they need. Thus, leasing DVDs via online is an extremely viable and versatile option these days.

Apart from DVD disks of films, other kinds associated with DVDs like this of video games, music as well as any TV series can also be found. People may both go to their nearby DVD Rental shops and appear out for that ones that they're looking for or even place their own orders on the internet. In the case video games, renting the actual DVDs associated with games is really a profitable choice on the part of the customer as purchasing them can definitely be extremely expensive. Nevertheless, by renting DVD disks, people cannot only appreciate playing common games but additionally keep them with regard to long and finish playing all of them as per their own wish as well as convenience.

DVD Rentals Online offers many advantages:

The choice of films is limitless. And revolutionary search resources enable you to discover movies inside a multitude of methods. Movies could be listed through theme, name, director, characters, and so on.

Online websites which deal with DVD Rental provide free two-way shipping. Therefore the movies you decide on will achieve you where ever you are and also the DVDs are going to be picked up as well!

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You are able to under a strategy rent several DVD at any given time and the membership fees can be created monthly, every quarter or annual and a regular membership can be terminated at any time.

Many DVD websites possess reviews, movie preview videos, and listings of films recommended through experts. To help you choose to lease a DVD as a knowledgeable person. There is no need to make the random option.

Upon DVD Rentals Online sites you will find facilities to examine movies because "new releases, warm titles, loved ones viewing, honor winners, and so forth.

You will see lists as well as availabilities of DVD disks from the comfort and ease of office or home and include movies for your want checklist so that as so when the DVD is available you'll receive the DVD. The options are plenty of and the customer support immediate. You won't ever have to wait for sales person for attending you. All that you should do is actually have a PC with access to the internet.

The internet has taken convenience to each aspect of existence including film DVDs. Just about all a movie aficionado has to perform is enroll in a selected DVD Rentals Online website. After that as a fellow member you can not simply see films but appreciate several benefits such as cash back provides, discounts, as well as gifts. Numerous DVD Rental websites possess loyalty strategies in place as well as like soaring miles you are able to gather factors and enjoy films.

Online DVD stores are incredibly popular as all that you should do is actually choose a film and click a vital or computer mouse and the film will be at the doorstep. If you're innovative you are able to comparison shop and obtain DVDs on the internet at much better rates compared to most stores and web sites.

Using online DVD rental services is as easy as can be, find out the best place for cheap DVD Rentals Online is a bit more difficult. There are lots of different services available, and they all have something unique to offer, so if you want to find out more about the best places to DVD Rental online visit the author's website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arijit_T_Roul

Bianna Golodryga Minds the Gap

In her role as financial reporter and business correspondent, first for CNBC and then for ABC News, Bianna Golodryga has covered the 2008 elections, the World Economic Forum, the crises of the house and automobile industries, and even the terrorist attacks of 9/11. But she's done other kinds of reporting, as well-including one story on the marketing secrets of clothing retail giant The Gap.

Reporting as part of ABC News' "Inside America's Favorite Stores" series, for which she also went behind the scenes of Costco and The Container Store, Bianna Golodryga spoke with executives of The Gap about what makes their business so successful. She discovered that a large part of their success can be attributed to their giant storefront displays, which are designed to be as bold and as eye-catching as possible.

Additionally, Bianna Golodryga uncovered the secrets of the store's layout. For instance, The Gap displays their jeans on a long, narrow table, where customers are likely to touch them-because customers who touch the product are more likely to make a purchase. They also place women's jeans beside the fitting rooms, which is where women want them.

Bianna Golodryga's report was just one of her contributions to the ABC series; she also investigated the methods Costco employs to maintain low prices, and the trade secrets of The Container Store.

Though Russian-born and Texas-bred Bianna Golodryga got her start in the financial sector, she is known to many as a television journalist, where she has enjoyed meteoric success. Though she began with the CNBC network as a producer, it was not long before she shifted into an on-camera role, where she quickly won the attention of ABC News-and gained an enthusiastic proponent in TV news veteran Diane Sawyer, who was very vocal in singing her praises.

The ABC News team recruited her in 2007, where she won the respect of viewers for her work as a business correspondent and as a regular substitute anchor for Good Morning America. In 2010 she was tapped as the full-time co-anchor for the Good Morning America weekend edition, upon the departure of former anchor Kate Snow.

Bianna Golodryga is a trusted name in news, having provided insight into tumultuous economic scenarios ranging from the banking and credit crises to the auto and housing industry dives. She was also integral in masterminding ABC News' use of social media in covering the 2008 election cycle.

Who Were the Big Losers (Or Is That Winners?) At the 2010 Razzie Awards?

For the 31st year the Golden Raspberry Awards Foundation has nominated what it considers to be the very worst of film for 2010. With a nod to the Oscars, held the day after the Razzies, many of the categories mimic those awarded the following day: Worst Actor, Worst Director or Worst Picture. There are some unique categories though: Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3-D, Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, and Worst Screen Couple/Ensemble.

These tongue in cheek awards started as a way to tease those involved in big budget disasters, but today, they are just as much a part of the Hollywood awards season as any other gala event.

Leading the Pack

With 9 nominations 'The Last Airbender' did something hardly imaginable. It took a very popular animated television series and turned it in to a movie that was universally disliked. Nominated for such offenses as Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3-D, Worst Director and Worst Picture, among others, this is one film that is sure to go home with a collection of fruit for the mantelpiece.

With an equal number of nominations 'Twilight Saga; Eclipse' actually made some money. Lucky for the makers of this sequel, teenage girls still command enough money to attend movies that have little content and even worse acting.

Other big "hits" included 'Sex & the City #2' 'The Bounty Hunter' and 'Vampires Suck' - an equally painful parody of the Twilight series.

Complaints for 2010

What irritated the Foundation most of all in 2010? It was a toss up between the egregious use of 3-D and the unnecessary surcharge for the glasses and the fact that nearly every movie was a rip-off, sequel, prequel or remake of a previous film.

That isn't to say that some very good movies didn't get made in 2010, just that entirely too many of the films that made it into the light should never have been picked up off of the cutting room floor.

The Razzies have turned into a bit of welcomed notoriety for the Hollywood set, at least that part of the set that still has a sense of humor. In fact, Sandra Bullock's acceptance speech for the 2009 Razzie Worst Actress Award has nearly become a viral sensation, and in a business known for taking itself entirely too seriously, being taken down a peg hurts no one.

Band Baaja Baaraat - Reviewed

It was Thursday, December 16, a day prior to the 3 - day long weekend that I decided to catch the movie named 'Band Baaja Baaraat'.

It boasts of a great production value (Yash Raj films) with a relatively new star-cast of Anushka Sharma (last seen in Badmaash Company) and introducing a new hero Ranveer Singh. This project also marks the debut of its director (Maneesh Sharma). The only established name it has, obviously apart from the Yash Raj Banner, is the music by duo Salim-Sulaiman.

Plot: Two Delhi University students, Bittoo and Shruti, become partners and start a 'business' of wedding planner. How they two on their own manage not only to survive but also become successful in their business. Between all this, the relationship they share, misunderstandings and fights creep in and how they manage to solve it or is it remain unsolved?

Plus:

* Energy - the energy comes across right from the first screen till the last. The movie is as vibrant as a wedding in Delhi.

* Delhi - No, Delhi is not there for Qutab Minar or the Lal Quila, infact, it comes out to be a character of its own. With all the Delhi lingo and the DU and localities mentioned. Delhi, in this film, is shown as in the movies of Dibakar Bannerjee.

* Songs - Salim-Sulaiman are the only established names in the credits of the film and boy, they delivered. Right from the first song 'Tarkeebein' to the last song ' Dum mast ' are a treat. 'Aiven lut gaya' need to be singled out for its sheer choreography and madness shown.

* Acting - Each and every actor in the film excelled. More on the individual acting later.

Minus:

Just 1: Pre - interval scenes become stagnant for a time being but things did turned up for the good.

Now, lets talk about the dialogues. Dialogues are funny, witty and crispy just as a film like this required. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the dialogues are the lifeline of the movie.

Direction: Helmed by a first timer, Maneesh Sharma, shows he is a good story-teller and hope that he would go from strength to strength as he progresses to make more movies.

Acting: Ranbir, Imran, Abhay and Shahid, make way for Raveer Singh. Boy, he is such a livewire in front of the camera, natural to core, stood tall in each and every scene of the movie. I just hope he doesn't lose his way now.

Anushka Sharma shows that she can lead a movie all by herself. A huge improvement from her previous works, deserves brawny points for that north Indian accent. Goes to show how she prepared for the role in such a detail.

So, if you haven't watched the movie till now, do yourself a favour and watch this movie.

3.5/5

ENJOY!

Film Review: The Butterfly Effect (2004)

By Todd Murphy Todd Murphy
Level: Platinum

Todd Murphy is a film analyst and staff writer/reviewer for the film and DVD review web site, All About Movies.net. He has written numerous reviews ...

BOTTOM LINE: The concept is fascinating, but the character scenarios depicted in this film are two-dimensional and contrived to the point of cliche, which majorly detracts from a story which is otherwise quite interesting.

THE GOOD: Having the ability to alter the events of your past to reshape the future is the core concept at the heart of this film, and it is a very fascinating one indeed, particularly as it explores the unintended and dangerous consequences of doing so. Evan (Ashton Kutcher) experiences unexplained memory black outs as a child and teenager. The meaning of these blackouts becomes clear as an adult when he realises that he can travel back in time to the point of those blackouts with the aid of the journals he used to keep of his every day life. Evan and his friends have had traumatic childhoods, and when he sees the opportunity to change things about his childhood during a trip to one of the blackouts, he takes full advantage of it. Very quickly however, he sees a dramatic down side to those changes with nothing really turning out in a way that is positive for every one. He eventually reaches a solution, but it means giving up his love for his childhood sweetheart Kayleigh (Amy Smart). As a science-fiction piece the film works quite well, and has enough going for it in this respect to make it worth watching. This is probably Kutcher's best film and he amicably steps up to the mark. The most effective performance given here is by Amy Smart who has to play various different versions of her character Kayleigh as Evan make changes to his past that affect the future. "The Butterfly Effect" is not too bad as an exercise in science-fiction story telling.

THE BAD: The unfortunate part about this film is that in an attempt to make the stakes for Evan's character as high as possible by giving him and his family/friends traumatic lives that he would want to change, the filmmakers end up creating some of the most contrived and cliched character scenarios you are likely to see. Kayleigh's aggressive brother Tommy is perhaps too aggressive, or at the very least, there is nothing shown here that demonstrates his borderline psychosis in any depth or with any meaning. Kayleigh's father George (Eric Stoltz) seems to back off too quickly when Evan confronts him multiple times during the film, particularly as the most crucial scenes are done when he is a child. You would expect given George's sick activities that he would be far more aggressive rather than immediately curtailing himself to a child. Even parts of Kayleigh's story do not quite gel, even though Amy Smart is effective in her performance of playing different aspects to her character. The film is hampered severely by these contrivances; you can imagine that it would probably have been a great film if more attention was paid to the logic and depth of the characters and their motivations. The irony of course is that the ending is sad for Evan, which is very un-Hollywood like!

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Article Submitted On: January 31, 2011

Logictech Revue For You

I was excited about Logitech Revue when I first saw it. I thought, finally, the Internet and TV will not only meet but play nice with each other. There were some great signs: simple interface with your new high def TV, seamless interface with the Internet, and packaged with 'Google TV' and visions of even more powerful search tools. I wanted to say more but this really required the experience. Fortunately, I was a pretty good boy last year, got a Logitech Revue for Christmas and can now speak as a true time traveler.

Usually I wait for those who want to be first on the bus to work out the bugs but this was a technology overdue. In a horizontal sense, this was a technology time warp because internet TV isn't new at all but we've been waiting for someone to bridge the service providers, reception devices, viewing technology and throw in some goodies to make it all worthwhile and on that note, Google TV and Logitech Revue have my vote.

As a boomer, my first hesitation is the installation process but this has left an indelible impression on all manufacturers. Their product simply won't be successful if it is difficult to install and if it takes several tries for it to perform as expected or produce expected result. Marry this consideration with the attention deficit society and you have the other 'must have' for a new product. New users will simply discard the new product if it is not working properly in the first few minutes.

Logitech Revue 'makes it' on this count. You can actually purchase a Sony TV powered by Google TV and the 'all in one box' experience is attractive to many. When I set up my Logictech Revue, I turned off my television and 'set up box' (for Direct TV). Then I unplugged the hdmi cable going from set up box to TV, plugged it, instead into my new Logitech Revue, then plugged Logictech Revue into my TV's hdmi port. It really was that simple. You are simply inserting the Logitech Revue box in between your current receiver box and TV.

How about the Internet? I think it's safe to assume most homes have a wireless router now. Your high speed Internet provider includes a router to accommodate your wireless devices. The Logitech Revue does have a network port if you want to physically cable your provider to the Logictech box but that really is 'it'. The setup instructions walk you through these steps, there is a step where it detects your internet connection and then it is a simple matter of learning their keyboard and the Google TV network family.

This, for me, was the only down side. Technically, I was introduced to Internet TV several months before when I noticed my new TV had a pc port on it. We were still waiting for our television service to be hooked up and I tried it out. I liked it! When our service was connected, the serviceman chuckled a bit like I was Rip Van Winkle.

'Yeah man, check out hulu.com'. I knew my favorite channels, PBS, local news, history all advertised their Internet link in the bylines. Everyone has a true Internet presence and this is the magic. You really don't need a special box, you really don't need Google TV to enjoy Internet TV. It would be like saying GM had an electric car over ten years ago... but the buying audience wasn't ready. Technically, Google's presentation filters a bit (including 'hulu.com' doggonit!) presenting only their network.

Being able to view Internet on a home TV isn't brand new either but you could also compare it to the first days of mobile telephones. Well, now it is happening. It is really happening. The technology is meeting the services, which is meeting local providers, which is meeting the production staff of... well everyone, everyone who wants to continue to attract an audience.

Because, finally, real Internet TV... is here.

What Is a Mass Medium? Part 2

Barriers to Communication

Communication is not always smooth and clear. There are many reasons for this. They are identified as barriers to communication. Barriers are difficulties or obstacles that come in the way of communication. They may be physical, mechanical, psychological, cultural or linguistic in nature.

Physical barriers

There may be a competing stimulus present in the form of another conversation or a loud noise in the background etc.

Environmental stress in the form heat, humidity, poor ventilation etc. can cause distress and come in the way of effective communication.

Ill health, disturbed condition can cause subjective stress and obstruct communication.

Ignorance of the medium in itself can be a big barrier. If the receiver is not familiar with the medium through which the messages or content is communicated, then the medium itself can become a barrier.

Psychological barriers

Each of us has ' a frame of reference' of our own. It is a kind of window through which we look at the events, people, situations and the world at large. Our frames of references are influenced by our upbringing, experiences, cultural environment in which we grow up. However, as we grow up and mature and acquire experience we develop a range of diverse references.

Self Image

Closely linked to the 'frame of reference' is the concept of self image. We as individuals and as communities have our own mental pictures or self images of who and what we are. We tend to be defensive about them and accept messages that boost up our self image, but tend to reject the ones that challenge or threaten our self image. The result us then we receive communication selectively.

Resistance to change

"The risk of being changed is one of the most frightening prospects many of us can face." [Carl Rogers]. The ideas, thoughts or message that seek to convince us of the need to change are the ones we quite often resist.

Defensiveness and fear

The resistance to change breeds defensiveness of who we are and what we are and shuts off any critical look at ourselves. So, we tend to rationalize the mistakes, the opinions and even prejudices held by us. There is the fear of feeling insecure.

Linguistic and cultural barriers

A language is the expression of the thoughts and experiences of a people in terms of their cultural environment. Each language shapes the reasoning of its speakers. Languages outside their own sphere of birth and growth, take on different dimensions and create different hierarchies and structures. English for example, functions in entirely different contexts in UK and India. Each of us enriched and at the same time limited by our own language.

Mechanical barriers

Deficiencies of signal reception, interference by other signals., poor audio-visual quality, inefficient receiving apparatus mar our experiences while listening to radio, talking on the telephone or while watching TV. This can affect the quality of communication and in severe cases interrupts and disrupts the process completely.

How I Met Your Mother: Baby Talk

Baby Talk is the 6th Episode of the How I Met your Mother's 6th Season. It was aired last Tuesday October 26, 2010 at CBS. This Episode was created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and produced by Craig Thomas Carter Bays, Pamela Fryman, Chris Harris (II) and Stephen Lloyd.

The TV series have the following as guests: Emily Wilson as Marshall's Stripper Daughter, Joey Russo as Davey, Mikaela Hoover as Stacey, Jadon Sand as Rob, Ashwyn Bagga as Johnny, Bruce Merkle as Michael, Payson Lewis as Morris and Ryan Powers as Marc.

Its regular casts include Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson, Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin, Jason Segel as Marshall Eriksen and Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky.

Marshall and Lily trying to have a baby, and with Monday night's installment, How I Met Your Mother covered two of them in one half hour. "Baby Talk" took the obvious bits about naming the kid and trying to control the sex of the baby and gave them a nice, enjoyable How I Met twist.

The series has fully established the ease of their love, which makes them utterly believable, even in the zaniest of circumstances. "Baby Talk" wasn't exactly over-the-top for the couple, but it had its moments. During the opening tease, It feels lovely how sickeningly disgusted they were at the names they suggested for their friends' (Stuart and Claudia's) nameless child. Later, their discussions over the names they did like offered up some enjoyable flashbacks as arguments against. Every name Lily disliked was associated with a child she had once taught, including Johnny who ate the class goldfish and Ryan who stabbed her in the leg with a pencil.

There was also a very dated reference to Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," which unfortunately, even if you got it, wasn't very funny. Marshall had the best and funniest reasons to argue against a name. "Tara" gave us a flashback to Marshall singing a la Boys II Men to the hottest girl in school. He even had a cane. And "Esther" took us back to an unseen stripper. She didn't dance, but the implied things she was doing while naked were some of the best laughs of the episode.

Film Review: The Switch (2010)

By Todd Murphy Todd Murphy
Level: Platinum

Todd Murphy is a film analyst and staff writer/reviewer for the film and DVD review web site, All About Movies.net. He has written numerous reviews ...

BOTTOM LINE: It's not that "The Switch" is not watchable with its reasonably sincere performances by the cast, but it is forgettable and predictable; and the film is unsure of whether to be a romantic drama or comedy, creating a narrative that is clumsy and lacks direction.

THE GOOD: Wally (Jason Bateman) and Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) are best friends. One day, Kassie announces to Wally that she wants a baby and is going to try artificial insemination. Wally is against this, but Kassie continues on and finds a willing sperm donor in Roland (Patrick Wilson). At the insemination party, Wally gets blind drunk, and while in the bathroom, stumbles across Roland's sample and accidentally spills it down the drain. In a panic, he puts his own 'ingredients' in to the cup. Kassie goes through with the insemination, and then leaves town. Seven years later, Kassie shows up with her son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), who more than closely resembles Wally's personality, especially as the two of them understand each other immediately. Wally then has to confront the truth behind the situation and also realise his true feelings for Kassie. The story itself is simple enough in its premise to hang a romantic comedy narrative, and the film is made watchable largely due to the sincerity in the performances of the cast, particularly Jason Bateman who delivers his smart but neurotic character in Wally to perfection, and Jeff Goldblum as his wise-cracking boss who is there to lend moral support. Jennifer Aniston is quite good in her role. The narrative is surprisingly low key given the genre it is trying to inhabit, and it does at least do the job of holding your interest just enough to see it through to the end.

THE BAD: The basic premise of the film seems more aligned with a silly comedy. When the male protagonist switches his 'ingredients' with that of the donor in a drunken stupor, it seems as if this is a film that could lead to something more potentially funny that what is depicted here. The film quickly moves in to more dramatic territory, and does not offer much of a compelling narrative. There are no situations or setups, other than watching the characters go through the motions of their lives. When things do come to a head and Wally tells Kassie the truth, Kassie's first reaction is perfectly real, but the conventional Hollywood ending slapped on at the end is farcical. Would a woman really forgive a man who hijacked her inseminated pregnancy, no matter how well they got along in the first place? And on top of that, would she decide he is the man for her to give the story its obligatory happy ending? Even if you accepted this, seeing it occur within the space of five minutes, even with the mandatorily edited passage of time, makes the whole thing ridiculous. The 'best-friend' relationship between Wally and Kassie seems a little over the top as well, particularly as Wally actually does have feelings for her. His neurotic, pessimistic and smart attitude may make him get over this, but the inherent concept is not really believable enough to allow you to accept that they could be best friends with no issues or complications (outside of the donor switch). Ultimately, "The Switch" does not have a consistent tone or narrative, which does not give you an adequate sense of what the story is trying to achieve, and as such, is completely forgettable.

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Article Submitted On: January 31, 2011

Weekend Box Office January 30th - The Rite, No Strings Attached and The Green Hornet

The first month of 2011 is in the books as far as the weekend box office numbers are concerned. Overall the first month of 2011 brought us some good flicks but we are excited about what the rest of the year has to offer as well. Below are the top performing films for the weekend of January 30th, 2011.

Coming in at the top of the list for this weekend's box office earnings was the Anthony Hopkins thriller The Rite. Hopkins plays the creepy Father Lucas Trevant who travels to Italy to study at an exorcism school. We remember Hopkins best for his gripping role in The Silence of the Lambs and this movie might just match that performance. The Rite made $15 million in its opening weekend which is slightly less than original expectations. The genre might be holding this film back from bigger success but the word of mouth on the movie is also mixed. If you like thrillers with a bit of a horror twist this film might just be for you.

No Strings Attachedcontinues to see some good success as the Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman film held strong in the second box office spot. The romantic comedy, that has plenty of great visual screen candy, was able to add $13.7 million for the weekend to bring the two week domestic earnings total to $39.7 million. The duo of Kutcher and Portman is proving to be a successful one as the film is really hitting it big with the romantic movie going crowds.

The Green Hornethad another great weekend holding the third place spot in their third weekend at the theaters. The action comedy, which was written by and starred Seth Rogen, was happy to add $10.5 million to their domestic bottom line bringing their three week earnings total to $78.8. Look for The Green Hornet to cross over the coveted $100 million mark sometime in mid February.

In opening weekend news The Mechanic earned $11.5 million for the weekend and grabbed the fourth weekend box office spot. The action thriller starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster performed better than the original expectations for the film. The Mechanic, as well as all of the current box office films, should take a bit of a hit next weekend as they will have to compete with the spectacle that is the Super Bowl.

Check out all of the top performing current movies and their earnings for the weekend of January 30th, 2011 below.

# Title weekend

1 The Rite $15,005,000

2 No Strings Attached $13,650,000

3 The Green Hornet $11,500,000

4 The Mechanic $11,500,000

5 The King's Speech $11,102,276

6 True Grit $7,600,000

7 The Dilemma $5,475,925

8 Black Swan $5,100,000

9 The Fighter $4,055,000

10 Yogi Bear $3,165,000

All data provided by BoxOffice.com.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Hayes

Hollywood Costumes Can Let You Become A Star For Only A Day

So you want to become a Hollywood celebrity? Oh, simply temporarily? Well, that can be accomplished. If you have never been to Hollywood, you have to get a knowledge on exactly what a real Hollywood costume entails.

Marilyn Monroe embodied the classic description of a Hollywood superstar, stunning, curvy and elegant. Along with Greta Garbo, Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe typified the glamor woman. All of these ladies belonged to a bygone period, and you'll not find the likes of them at present. That Hollywood is gone permanently. So what is left?

Simply, it is based on on which side of Hollywood we're referring to. East is wealthy and lucky turf, and any edition of the Enquirer will reveal enough examples of movie star glitz. West is the true home of the Hollywood costume. West hosts the performers, musicians and more avant-garde contingent of fame. One of the most creative minds call West home. That's where you will discover the "genuine" Hollywood costume.

West is actually the underground of the Hollywood mystique. West Hollywood is the brand new Fillmore, of San Francisco 60's fame. It is Berkeley rammed brimming with shimmer, shine as well as originality. The "true" outfit is absolutely nothing if not original, and not very easily copied. This specific costume is usually crazy and the normal everyday clothing to the native artist inhabitants.

H.G. Geiger, an icon of the 1960's San Francisco art movement, at present resides in the West. Gidget Gein, an ex Marilyn Manson band member, is a popular West artist, with a number of books and Compact discs to his credit, who also finds time to paint in the Pop Art genre with great success. These people are the "true" Hollywood.

For everyone knowledgeable, the Hollywood costume is really a refined combination of classic Hollywood along with a healthy amount of creativity and crazy individuality.

West or East, the community holds the corset for women's wear. A tiny waist is essential to get a successful costume. When you're properly cinched, the Hollywood costume needs certain undergarments, which includes stockings held up by old-fashioned garters as well as an appealing garter belt. Criss-cross and cone-shaped bras help to imitate the classic Marilyn Monroe bombshell appearance.

Vintage clothes provides the backbone of the costume. Stiff fabrics and fallen waistlines emphasize the attractive voloptuous body. Gentle, flowing dresses and 1940's vamp dresses bring about the appreciation for the past, the quintessential costume.

Wigs are the outfit lifesaver. Wigs are available in every style and color imaginable. Hair appointments being what they are, all women within a ten mile distance is lined up for several weeks. Obtain a wig, or two or three. These fashion merchandise are simply plain pleasure, and you don't even have to color or style your hair. Your own hair doesn't have to be perfect for you to effect the Hollywood costume look.

In order to be a star, if only for one day, get real by having a true Hollywood costume.

Film Review: A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)

By Todd Murphy Todd Murphy
Level: Platinum

Todd Murphy is a film analyst and staff writer/reviewer for the film and DVD review web site, All About Movies.net. He has written numerous reviews ...

BOTTOM LINE: The re-imagining of nightmare villain Freddy Kreuger was done with great care, both in make-up and Jackie Earle Harley's menacing performance, but everything else about this remake of the horror classic is bland, boring and lacking in character.

THE GOOD: As with the original 1984 film, the idea of a psychotic murderer who stalks and kills people in their dreams is a potent one. This remake captures that idea by creating a world where the characters force themselves to stay awake to stay alive, only to see the boundary between the real and dream worlds often disappear, leading to the iconic character of Freddy Kreuger (portrayed menacingly here by Jackie Earle Harley) showing up in various places and forms to terrorise and maim his subjects. A group of teenagers are all having the same dream of Kreuger stalking them while they are asleep, and one by one, they start to die as Kreuger kills them with his insidious knife-fingers. Nancy (Rooney Mara) suspects something more is going on, and eventually uncovers a town secret involving Freddy and his dark past. If anything works in this film, it is the performance of Jackie Earle Harley. He more than adequately captures the chilling menace of Freddy Kreuger, and combined with the fantastic prosthetics, make up and computer work, you have an extremely nightmarish villain that is worth watching. The tone of the film is quite low key in parts for a horror film. Yes, there is blood and slashing, but the filmmakers know that silence and subtlety at the right moments are just as effective. This remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street is worth watching to see Freddy in this re-imagined state.

THE BAD: Much effort was put in to the re-imagining of Freddy Kreuger and his menace. Unfortunately, no effort was put in to the rest of the film. All of the characters, save Freddy, are cardboard cut-outs that have no life in them whatsoever. At times, they seem interchangeable, and it does not really matter who dies when or how, or that you should even care. Since the success of a film like this rests on you caring about the characters so when Freddy shows up you feel 'horrified' at what he does to them, the film falls completely flat when the character are far from engaging. Kreuger himself is scary, but the situations presented do not generate any thrills or scares, outside of the usual cattle-prod scare. Another issue for the film would be stating the obvious: the Elm Street series is one of the most famous horror franchises in history. Most people know about Freddy Kreuger, and even if they do not know the story, they know that he kills people in their dreams, which robs the film of any sense of novelty or surprise at the horror being presented. The film presents nothing new to make Kreuger and his story more innovative and surprising. The film should appeal to a younger generation who may never have heard of Freddy, but to everyone else, it's a lacklustre facsimile of the original, save Harley's performance.

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Article Submitted On: January 31, 2011

Review of the Cave Diving Movie 'Sanctum'

It is tremendously difficult to objectively review a movie if you were in any way involved in its creation. In this case it is doubly difficult as I aim to review 'Sanctum,' the movie intimately linked with the greatest of filmmakers - James Cameron. Still, I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, so I'll give it a shot. Although I might have to be more wordy than simply proclaiming it as 'good', as I initially did.

After I saw the preview of the 'Sanctum' movie my family and friends hailed a thousand questions at me, including the ultimate question 'So... how was it?' My first reaction was a bit lame, I proclaimed it as 'good'... and as an afterthought I added 'it was very full on.' All this, while true, hardly gives the movie justice. So let me expand a little now that I've had a bit of time to digest what I saw.

In case you have been on another planet 'Sanctum' is a movie about cave divers, what it takes to explore cave systems deep beneath the earth and what happens when it all goes terribly wrong. It is not difficult to imagine why someone would want to make a movie about cave diving. Inside a cave system the line between life and death is a fine one, which naturally makes for thrilling adventure or in this case a thriller of a movie.

'Sanctum' flies by at a phenomenal speed and it is non-stop action all the way through. There is hardly enough time to relax and take in a breath between all the action and the drama. The movie delivers the kind of energy and shots of adrenalin that is fitting when telling a story about one of the most exciting and extreme disciplines in the world - cave exploration. Yet, to its credit the actual essence of the story rings true on a number of levels and stays real and down to earth. The movie is engaging because it is a story about people, how they relate to each other under trying and stressful conditions and the psychology of being trapped underground and facing a seemingly hopeless situation.

The 'Sanctum' story was written by John Garvin and Andrew Wight and was inspired by true events. The writers of the script are both cave divers and they have experienced first hand both the ecstasy of cave exploration and the very real dangers that exist whilst pursuing this activity. Obviously there would be no movie if everything on the expedition went smoothly and according to plan, there is an emphasis on all the things that could go wrong. It is worth noting though that the hazards experienced by the characters in the movie have not been plucked from mid air, the hazards are real. Still, while the characters do experience a horrific ordeal the cave itself is not painted as a malicious and evil place, nor should it be. The harsh reality of this unforgiving world is contrasted with the breathtaking beauty that only submerged caves can offer. The opportunity to see such exquisite beauty is one of the reasons people choose to go down there.

'Sanctum' gives a glimpse into the psyche of the explorer and what drives them to keep pushing such hostile environments. It tries to share the joy of exploration and the thrill of finding new cave passage. The idea that you can go around the corner and enter an unknown world and see a place no one has ever seen before... I think that appeals to the explorer in each of us. The phenomenal thing is, this kind of exploration is still possible today!

My favorite part of watching the movie was actually seeing it all come together on the big screen. I love what Alister Grierson, the director, did with the story - I really enjoyed watching his vision. It captures the world of cave exploration brilliantly; the personalities involved, the potential conflicts, the pleasure, the pain, the difficulties, the splendor and finally and most importantly the feeling of hope. Sure, I would have done it differently, but I'm no hot shot director. Watching my world through his eyes was an interesting experience.

The actors (Richard Roxburgh, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Parkinson, Rhys Wakefield, Dan Whyllie and Allison Cratchley) did a fantastic job, not just because they captured the spirit of the characters so well but also because they actually did the diving. There are no tricks in this movie, the actors were underwater and they were diving! When you see the character Frank MacGuire squeezing through tight restrictions pushing his Sentinel rebreather in front of him, well that really is Richard Roxburgh doing all the work. It was incredible what the actors managed to do in such a short period of time. They went from having zero diving experience to diving rebreathers, carrying stages and riding scooters, which is quite amazing. It is a testament to John Garvin and his excellent teaching skills as well as the pluck and fearlessness of the actors. This level of involvement and dedication from the actors is obvious when watching the movie and it adds that little extra to the experience. It also meant that as a stunt diver I could sit around and look pretty while they did all the work, bonus!

Check out the ' Sanctum' movie trailer and make sure you go see this flick! It is quite a ride and a full on adventure. And yes it is 'good'.