The ultimate comedy duos

This month, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone will appear on Blu-ray™ and DVD to amaze and astound you. Pre-order your copy here or, if you can’t wait, it’s now available now to download on iTunes!

The all-star comedy sees Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) struggle to update their languishing cheesy magic act in order to compete with guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose extreme stunts have made him a cult hit on the Vegas strip.

Boasting their own standout, individual comedic styles, Carell and Buscemi may not be the most obvious pairing. But, it’s oddball duos that often produce those instantly cult, quotable moments. Coupled with Jim Carrey’s signature brand of zany humour, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is set to be one of the funniest films you’ll see this year. To celebrate the release of the film on Blu-ray™ and DVD 29th July, we take a look at the greatest double acts in comedy.

Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau (The Odd Couple – 1968)
In the definitive representation of how far friendships can be pushed when actually forced to spend a significant amount of time together, The Odd Couple charts the fallout when pals Felix (Jack Lemmon), a highly-strung neat freak, and Oscar (Walter Matthau), a charming slob, move in together. The pair had such great chemistry that they starred in ten films together throughout their careers, including ‘The Front Page’ (1974), JFK (1991) and Grumpy Old Men (1993).

Laugh out loud moment: After moaning about Felix’s nagging notes, Oscar finds a message reading “We’re all out of cornflakes. F.U.” and gets offended – only to realise later that “F.U.” are Felix’s initials.

Richard E. Grant & Paul McGann (Withnail & I – 1987)
One of the UK’s best-loved cult comedies, Withnail & I follows two young, out-of-work actors who decide to escape from their squalid Camden flat and travel to the countryside. Staying in the privileged Withnail’s (Richard E. Grant) Uncles cottage, the pair’s relationship is tested as they realise they are out of their depth in the rural conditions. In a memorable scene where Withnail downs a bottle of lighter fluid, director Bruce Robinson actually filled the canister with vinegar - though told Grant it was water in order to get a better facial reaction in the take.

Laugh out loud moment: Almost too numerous to decide – but for pure hilarity the scene where the pair face an angry bull is tough to beat. Withnail immediately abandons his friend, but nonchalantly offers advice, as the petrified city boy shouts: “A coward you are Withnail, an expert on bulls you are not!”

Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson (Zoolander – 2001)
Widely considered the first successful ‘Frat Pack’ comedy, Ben Stiller plays Derek Zoolander – a dimwitted male model who, after being replaced by Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) as the new it-guy on the catwalk scene, is brainwashed into attempting to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Featuring brilliantly quotable putdowns and an unsurpassable walk-off, Stiller and Wilson took comic rivalry to a new height. Since Zoolander, the pair have appeared as enemies in the Meet The Parents series and Night At The Museum (2006).

Laugh out loud moment: Pre-walk off the two simpletons try to have a war of words, culminating in Zoolander’s failed put down: “You think you’re too cool for school, but I’ve got a news flash for you Walter Cronkite…you aren’t”

Simon Pegg & Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz – 2007)
British favourites Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star in Hot Fuzz, in which a dedicated London police officer (Pegg) is relocated to sleepy Sanford and partnered with a slow, but well-meaning, small-town cop (Frost), only to find his suspicions aroused by a series of gruesome deaths in the village. Pegg and director Edgar Wright wrote the comedy as a humourous homage to crime dramas after watching over a hundred action films as inspiration.

Laugh out loud moment: After Nick (Pegg) puts a dangerous villager in the freezer, Danny (Frost) asks whether he said “cool off” as he did it. The two cops then discuss awesome lines they have said after taking criminals down.

Steve Carell & Jim Carrey (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - 2013)

In The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, comedy legends Steve Carell and Jim Carrey prove once again to be a dynamic duo, trading comedic insults and retorts as masters of their field. Playing warring magicians, Burt Wonderstone’s (Carell) old school tricks are ousted by Steve Gray’s (Carrey) thrilling street stunts, so Burt must rediscover his love for illusions to remind the public about what magic really is. Legendary magician David Copperfield served as a technical advisor on set as director Don Scardino had insisted that illusions should be credible feats, and therefore shouldn’t be dependent on camera tricks.

Laugh out loud moment: Burt performs at a child’s birthday party in a bid to win back his show on the Vegas strip. But refusing to even give him even that much of a chance, Steve outdoes each trick with progressively bigger but more inappropriate stunts.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is on Blu-ray™ and DVD July 29, 2013.

James McAvoy's Best Heroes and Mark Strong's Best Villains

Welcome To The Punch, which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 22nd July, sees two British acting titans go toe to toe in a non-stop action thriller. James McAvoy plays a hard-bitten London cop on the trail of Mark Strong's nefarious bank robber. But when Strong's son is involved in a heist gone, the two of them are forced to work together to uncover a deadly conspiracy...

James McAvoy is one of the UK's best loved actors - making his name in television in acclaimed shows like State Of Play and Shameless, and now balancing blockbusters like the X-Men with doing Shakespeare in the West End. Mark Strong, on the other hand, is carrying on the great British tradition of British actors who specialise at playing the bad guy in American films. So we though, as the film pits them against each other, we'd take a look at McAvoy's top 5 good guys and Strong's top five baddies.

JAMES McAVOY:

X-Men First Class
Stepping into the shoes of the great Sir Patrick Stewart is no easy task, but McAvoy pulled it off with aplomb, taking on the role of the X-Men's founder Professor Xavier in this superhero prequel. It went down so well he's act alongside Stewart as his future self in next year's X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Wanted
McAvoy stepped up to the plate as an action hero in this adaptation of Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar's dark supervillan saga. As well as bending bullets and beating the bad guys, McAvoy also worked on his physique for the film and sports an impressive six-pack.

Last King Of Scotland
In this fictionalised tale of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (an Oscar-winning Forrest Whitaker), McAvoy picked up a host of awards nods and praise for playing a young doctor who befriends the tyrant. Initially seduced by his power, McAvoy eventually discovers the horrors he's been hidden from and desperately plots his escape.

Starter For Ten
An adaption of One day author David Nicolls' novel of the same name, Starter For Ten sees McAvoy as a naive young student who learns about love, life and himself by competing on that Great British institution, University Challenge.

Atonement
Joe Wright's acclaimed adaption of Ian McEwan's Book Prize nominated book starred McAvoy and Keira Knightley as star-crossed lovers torn apart by a misunderstanding by Knightley's sister (Saoirse Ronan). It's an epic tale of love, war and family, and rightly picked up a host of awards.

MARK STRONG

Kick Ass
While the extreme violence and foul mouthed 11-year olds might have grabbed the headlines, for it all to come together you need a great hateable villain at the centre, and who better than Mark Strong, chewing scenery as mob boss Frank D'Amico?

Sherlock Holmes
Holmes' nemesis might not have appeared until the sequel (played by Mad Men's Jared Harris), but Strong made a fine opponent for Robert Downey Jr's version of the great detective, playing an aristocratic serial killer in the first of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films.

Robin Hood
In Ridley Scott's re-imagining of the Robin Hood mythos, Strong played Sir Godfrey, King John's henchman and the main baddie. He made a reliably great bad guy, as ever.

Green Lantern
While it might not have hit the heights of Marvel's movies, Strong was a chilling presences as the Green Lantern's mentor and future archenemy in this DC Comics superhero film.

The Guard
Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson starred in the wonderful pastiche of American buddy cop film, set in the very un-glamorous West of Ireland. Strong has a small but memorable part as cockney henchman sent over the water as part of a cocaine smuggling ring.

Welcome To The Punch is on DVD and Blu-ray 22nd July.

Look inside The Wolvering

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, this epic action-adventure takes Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), the most iconic character of the X-Men universe, to modern day Japan. Out of his depth in an unknown world he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

Ripping into UK cinemas July 25, 2013.

Blue Sky Studios: A Retrospective

Blue Sky Studios have come a long way from their humble beginning - when they were just a one-room office with three computers and a coffee machine. Owned by Twentieth Century Fox, the American CGI-animation studio has worked on a number of high profile films, primarily those that integrate live-action with computer-generated animation. May sees the release of EPIC, their latest offering - a colourful and exciting journey which takes us down to the forest floor, and features voices from stars such as Amanda Siegfried, Chris O'Dowd, Christoph Waltz, Pitbull, and Beyonce Knowles. To mark the release, here's a retrospective of Blue Skies' best animations to date in their short but highly colourful existence.

Bunny (1998)
Bunny, Blue Sky's first short film was a surreal, offbeat tale about a cranky elderly bunny rabbit that is disturbed when a pesky moth flies into her kitchen. The short was created whilst the team were working on special effects for massive titles such as Joe's Apartment (1996), A Simple Wish (1997), Alien Resurrection (1997) and Fight Club (1999), but their hard work - done with no financial gain in mind - paid off massively. The short was technically ground-breaking, and transformed the studio from a service company to a feature animation studio. Bunny's unique visual style and heartfelt story helped the film win the 1998 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Blue Sky was officially on the map in a major way!

Ice Age (2002)

Ice Age (2002) is the prehistoric tale of three unlikely friends: an obnoxious sloth named Sid, a lone mammoth named Manny and Diego and a ferocious sabre-toothed tiger with a conscience, who band together across treacherously cold terrain to bring a human baby back to his tribe. The producers had originally planned it as a classically animated dramatic family film, but with recent technological advances, they decided to take a risk and make a fully 3D animated feature.  The risk paid off. Ice Age broke the record for a March opening - and has since spawned three massively successful sequels.

Robots (2005)

Based in an anthropomorphic robot world, a young idealistic robot travels to the big city to pursue his dream of becoming an inventor. Whilst there, he finds himself opposing the sinister new management of his company, who have made a cold-hearted decision to stop making spare parts, instead sending old robots to the ‘chop shop' to be shredded and destroyed. It features the voices of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey and Robin Williams.

Horton Hears Who! (2008)

The film is the first adaptation of a Dr. Seuss work which is fully animated using CGI technology. The story is about Horton the Elephant who discovers a speck, which harbours the microscopic city of Whoville. Horton makes it his mission to protect Whoville, especially from the evil kangaroo and his neighbours who fail to believe it exists, as they cannot see it. Horton stands by his motto that: A person is a person, no matter how small” and saves the city from destruction.

Rio (2011)

The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, where the film is set. It tells the story of Blu, a male blue macaw who lives in Minnesota with his owner, Linda who rescued him when he was small. Highly domesticated and unable to fly, Blu is the laughing stock of the Candian geese that come by Linda's bookstore. He is taken to Rio de Janeiro to mate with a free spirited female blue macaw, Jewel but then drama strikes when they are captured and kidnapped by smugglers. A dramatic escape ensues, with escapades involving the Rio Carnival and an impressive mid-air feat through which Blu really proves himself and finds true love along the way.

Epic (2013)

Epic is an upcoming 3D computer animated fantasy-adventure drama based on William Joyce's children book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. It is a battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and evil and tells the story of a teenage girl who finds herself in a secret world. Once there, she must help a team of fun and whimsical characters to save their world and in the process save the real world as well.

Epic hits UK cinemas May 22, 2013

Epic character spots

Amanda Seyfried Character Spot:

Josh Hutcherson Character Spot:

Pitbull Character Spot:

Steven Tyler Character Spot:

EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good who keep the natural world alive and the forces of evil who wish to destroy it. When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world…and ours.

FILM HOUSES YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO LIVE IN

From the producer of Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister comes DARK SKIES: a supernatural thriller about a young family living in the suburbs. Daniel and Lacey Barret and their two young sons witness an escalating series of disturbing events involving their family. Unable to understand what is happening to them their safe and peaceful home quickly unravels and friends turn against them.

When it becomes clear they are being targeted by an unimaginably terrifying and deadly force, Daniel and Lacey take matters into their own hands to uncover the truth and protect what belongs to them.

Finding the perfect home is tough enough without having to think about ghosts, demons, and aliens. So to celebrate the release of Dark Skies on April 3, 2013 we are taking a whistle-stop tour around the film houses you really wouldn’t want to call home, including: the Bates mansion from Psycho, Leatherface’s family home from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the Freeling household from Poltergeist.

The Barrett family home (DARK SKIES)
You could not ask for a nicer home than the Barrett’s house. Situated in the heart of a pleasant neighbourhood with friendly neighbours on both sides this is a lovely property for any family. The only downside to this location is the occasion attacks from ‘The Grays’, dark forces intent on causing disruption and general havoc.

The Bates Mansion (PSYCHO)
Do not be deceived by attractive offers of dinner with an elderly woman at the Bates mansion. For once you step into this home your chances of coming out alive are seriously diminished. A particular room to avoid would be the basement, in which you may meet a few more residence than you bargained for.

House of Leatherface (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE)
This quiet country residence is far from the city and will provide time away from the hustle and bustle. Unfortunately it also homes a leather-faced, chainsaw-wielding serial killer who enjoys impaling women and massacring travellers searching for petrol. It is also worth noting that local petrol station attendants and hitchhikers are not to be trusted.

112 Ocean Avenue (THE AMITYVILLE HORROR)
This Dutch Colonial house located in a suburban neighbourhood in Long Island looks like the perfect home for a family of five, but all is not as it seems in this dark residence. Strange goings on include swarms of flies, red swine-like eyes outside the second floor window and ooze that drips out of the walls and the toilets.

The Freeling household in Cuesta Verde (POLTERGEIST)
In the planned community of Cuesta Verde sits the Freeling house. The house seems fine at first but when the static on the TV starts playing up it is time to go. Be especially careful of the living room ceiling and bedroom closet. Nothing serious, they are just portals to a ghostly realm inhabited by ghouls who will steal your children. Like I said, nothing serious.

The Isolated Cabin (THE EVIL DEAD)
A remote cabin in Morristown Tennessee is the ideal location for a spring break with a couple of friends. The local woodland is perfect for walks and the cabin is nice and cosy. My only advice would be to steer clear of reading the ‘book of the dead’. If you decide to give this charming publication a read you may experience such frustrations as sadistic trees, fire-poker-wielding girlfriends and demons possessing your friends and trying to butcher you.

The MacNeil’s (THE EXORCIST)
Situated in Georgetown, Washington is the house which the MacNeils call home. This lovely re-brick house on the corner of Prospect and 36 is worth every penny. It’s worth avoiding one of the bedroom however, as a demon named Pazuzu has the nasty habit of possessing its inhabitant. It usually takes two priests to get rid of this nasty individual, and please note that the window will need replacing after their visit.

Star Trek Into Darkness Paramount Pictures celebrate WWF's Earth Hour

LONDON, Saturday 23rd March - As the UK prepares to go ’into darkness’ for WWF’s Earth Hour, Paramount Pictures is pleased to announce its support with a special ‘Star Trek’ themed light display which will dim as Earth Hour approaches.

This amazing light show by Paramount, in conjunction with Ars Electronica Futurelab & Ascending Technologies, will see quadrocopters fly into the night sky, forming the Star Trek federation logo beside Tower Bridge on a scale never seen before. In keeping with Earth Hour's initiative, the quadrocopters will utilize batteries that were charged in Austria using green energy from the Austrian renewable energy grid specifically for this event.

The event will coincide with WWF’s Earth Hour at 8:30 pm. Along with key landmarks such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and The London Eye going dark, the quadrocopters will turn off their glow in support of Earth Hour.

To signal the end of Earth Hour at 9:30 pm the quadrocopters will reform the Star Trek logo above London’s skyline.

The logo formation will hover about 36m (118ft) above the ground at the lowest point and the highest point (the tip of the logo) will be at approximately 130m (426ft) above ground. The total height of the logo will be approximately 94meters (308ft).

The light show can be captured from the main location at Old Billingsgate Walk, giving a view of Tower Bridge and City Hall. Other vantage points for the public are the Tower of London and on location at Potters Field Park, Tooley Street, Southwark, London SE1 2AA.

John Fletcher, Director of Marketing for Paramount Pictures UK said “We are very pleased to go ‘into darkness’ with the rest of the world in support of Earth Hour. It seems fitting to be associated with such a global cause.”

Kellie Rollings from WWF said “WWF is delighted that Paramount is supporting this year’s Earth Hour event. Millions of people around the world take part in Earth Hour year on year and we’re always looking for innovative ways to get our message out there. It’s fantastic that Paramount has chosen to mark the hour by dimming their lights at this unusual light display.”

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” is written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams is producing with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman and Orci. Jeffrey Chernov and Skydance Productions’ David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers.

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” explodes into UK and Irish cinemas from May 9, 2013.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE 25th ANNIVERSARY - Fun Facts Feature

The Princess Bride is getting a 25th Anniversary release on Blu-ray and with that news, we can proudly present some facts about the film that you may not have been aware of.

• The birth of the novel on which the film is based can be partially credited to author William Goldman’s daughters: when he asked them what they would want in a story, one replied “A princess!” and the other, “A bride!”
• When William Goldman was first trying to get the movie made in the 1970s, an unknown Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to play Fezzik. He was strongly considered because Goldman was unable to cast his first choice, André the Giant, but when it was ready to go into production, Schwarzenegger had become a huge star and was too expensive to hire. André was cast and the two big men had gone on to become friends.
• Author of the original book, William Goldman, was on set during one of the flame burst scenes in the forest when Robin Wright's dress caught fire and was so into the scene that he shouted, "Her dress is on fire!” ruining the take.
• Cary Elwes was cast because he reminded Rob Reiner of swashbuckling actors Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn, both of whom had played Robin Hood. Elwes went on to spoof their performances in Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
• Director Rob Reiner had auditioned over 500 women for the role of Buttercup, including Courtney Cox, Meg Ryan, Sean Young, Uma Thurman and Whoopie Goldberg. He ended up hiring Robin Wright Penn in her major film debut.
• According to Mandy Patinkin the role of Inigo Montoya is his personal favourite over the course of his entire career.
• Mandy Patinkin has said that his famous line "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." gets quoted back to him by at least two or three strangers every day of his life.
• The film proved to be a cathartic experience for Mandy Patinkin, who revealed that acting out Inigo's quest to avenge his father's murder brought back memories of losing his own father to cancer in 1972. He said that when filming the scene when Inigo kills The Six-Fingered Man, he felt as though he had just "killed" the cancer that killed his father.
• Rob Reiner once ran into notorious mobster John Gotti at a restaurant. To his surprise, as Reiner was leaving one of Gotti’s henchmen looked him in the eye and said “You killed my father. Prepare to Die” before going on to say that he loved the movie.
• Rob Reiner left the set during Billy Crystal's scenes because he would laugh so hard that he would be overcome with nausea. Furthermore, Mandy Patinkin claims that the only injury he sustained during filming was a bruised rib due to stifling his laughter during these scenes.
• Max and Valerie, played by Billy Crystal and Carol Kane respectively, are named after author William Goldman's parents, Max and Valerie.
• Despite his character Fezzik's near-superhuman strength, André the Giant had recently undergone back surgery which prevented him from lifting anything heavy. Robin Wright had to be attached to wires in the scene where Princess Buttercup jumps from the castle window into Fezzik's arms because he couldn't support her himself.
• André the Giant had trouble walking up a hill on which they shot a scene, so he rented a small four-wheeler to help him. Having a go behind the wheel, Cary Elwes went over a rock, which got caught between his foot and the pedal, breaking his toe. The shoot could not be delayed, so in the film you can see him limping away when he's running into the swamp.
• When the weather was particularly cold, André the Giant would place his giant hand over Robin Wright’s head, covering it entirely and keeping her warm.
• As André the Giant could not read, he had all of his lines recorded so that he could memorise them.
• When filming the scene in which Count Rugen hits Westley over the head with the hilt of his sword, Cary Elwes told Christopher Guest to hit him for real. Guest hit him so hard that the production was shut-down for a day while Elwes went to the hospital.
• Most of the movie was filmed on location in the UK. The castle used for the film was Haddon Hall, a fortified country house built by William the Conquerer in 1086 for his illegitimate son. The tapestries in the interiors are original, dating to the late medieval and renaissance periods.
• A diminutive actor who portrayed one of the giant rats was arrested for speeding during production. He had to be bailed out of jail by the filmmakers so that his scene could be filmed.
• Mel Smith has never watched his performance as The Albino due to the painful experience involved in filming the role. He was required to wear coloured contact lenses and, unknown to Smith and the costume department, he was allergic to the lens solution. Smith has been reluctant to relive the painful memory.
• Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin performed all of their own sword-fighting after many hours of training. According to Rob Reiner, the only stunt performed by Patinkin's stunt double was one flip during the 'Chatty Duelists' scene.
• Although both Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin learned to fence expertly with their left and right hands, the scene in which they switch hands was actually shot on two mirrored sets so the image could be flipped, creating the illusion that they were equally dexterous with each hand.
• During the fight between Count Rugen and Inigo, Christopher Guest got so into the scene that he started making sword noises with his mouth like a child play-fighting. Rob Reiner stopped the take and told him that this wouldn’t be necessary.
• The Dread Pirate Roberts costume was modelled after that of Zorro only leaving out the cape as it was felt it was unnecessary.
• The real "Dread Pirate Roberts", who operated in the Caribbean in the early 18th century, is considered by many to have been the most successful pirate of all time.
• The hat that Rob Reiner wore in This Is Spinal Tap can be seen in The Grandson's bedroom; a request from the film’s composer Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.
• In early 2013, a man on a flight from Sydney to Australia was asked to remove a t-shirt which displayed Inigo Montoya’s famous line, since the other passengers (clearly not fans of the film) found the words “prepare to die” to be intimidating.
• Count Rugen's death in the original novel was more graphic. After telling the "son of a bitch" he wants his father back, Inigo proceeds to cut Rugen's heart out, describing what he's doing to Rugen, claiming that the count had figuratively done the same to him when he murdered his father years before (Inigo even tells Fezzik earlier on, "That is the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound when Rugen slaughtered my father. The Man in Black makes it now.") However, before Inigo finishes cutting out the Count's heart, Rugen dies of fright.
• After the last day of shooting some of the cast stayed around for up to five hours while every person, every grown-up and their family came by, waited in line like children at Disney Land to stand with André The Giant and have their photograph taken. He had his photograph taken with every single person that asked.

The Princess Bride 25th Anniversary Edition is released on Blu-ray on 25th March 25, 2013

North Korea invades Washington

In anticipation of the UK cinema release of RED DAWN, this Friday, 15th March, where the North Korean Army invades Washington DC, today soldiers and a 15 tonne Vickers tank invaded Washington, Tyne & Wear.

A re-boot of the 1984 cult-classic hit film featuring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen, RED DAWN stars man-of-the-moment Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Snow White And the Huntsman, Avengers) and a host of bright young talent including Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Josh Peck (The Wackness), Adrianne Palicki (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Friday Night Lights), Connor Cruise (Seven), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, The Possession, Grey’s Anatomy).

In RED DAWN, a city in Washington State awakens to the surreal sight of North Korean paratroopers dropping from the sky – the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganising themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the “Wolverines”, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.

The ultimate comedy duos

This month, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone will appear in UK cinemas to amaze and astound you. The all-star comedy sees Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) struggle to update their languishing cheesy magic act in order to compete with guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose extreme stunts have made him a cult hit on the Vegas strip.

Boasting their own standout, individual comedic styles, Carell and Buscemi may not be the most obvious pairing. But, it’s oddball duos that often produce those instantly cult, quotable moments. Coupled with Jim Carrey’s signature brand of zany humour, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is set to be one of the funniest films you’ll see this year. To celebrate the release of the film on 15th March, we take a look at the greatest double acts in comedy.

Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau (The Odd Couple – 1968)

In the definitive representation of how far friendships can be pushed when actually forced to spend a significant amount of time together, The Odd Couple charts the fallout when pals Felix (Jack Lemmon), a highly-strung neat freak, and Oscar (Walter Matthau), a charming slob, move in together. The pair had such great chemistry that they starred in ten films together throughout their careers, including ‘The Front Page’ (1974), JFK (1991) and Grumpy Old Men (1993).

Laugh out loud moment: After moaning about Felix’s nagging notes, Oscar finds a message reading “We’re all out of cornflakes. F.U.” and gets offended – only to realise later that “F.U.” are Felix’s initials.

Richard E. Grant & Paul McGann (Withnail & I – 1987)

One of the UK’s best-loved cult comedies, Withnail & I follows two young, out-of-work actors who decide to escape from their squalid Camden flat and travel to the countryside. Staying in the privileged Withnail’s (Richard E. Grant) Uncles cottage, the pair’s relationship is tested as they realise they are out of their depth in the rural conditions. In a memorable scene where Withnail downs a bottle of lighter fluid, director Bruce Robinson actually filled the canister with vinegar - though told Grant it was water in order to get a better facial reaction in the take.

Laugh out loud moment: Almost too numerous to decide – but for pure hilarity the scene where the pair face an angry bull is tough to beat. Withnail immediately abandons his friend, but nonchalantly offers advice, as the petrified city boy shouts: “A coward you are Withnail, an expert on bulls you are not!”

Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson (Zoolander – 2001)

Widely considered the first successful ‘Frat Pack’ comedy, Ben Stiller plays Derek Zoolander – a dimwitted male model who, after being replaced by Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) as the new it-guy on the catwalk scene, is brainwashed into attempting to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Featuring brilliantly quotable putdowns and an unsurpassable walk-off, Stiller and Wilson took comic rivalry to a new height. Since Zoolander, the pair have appeared as enemies in the Meet The Parents series and Night At The Museum (2006).

Laugh out loud moment: Pre-walk off the two simpletons try to have a war of words, culminating in Zoolander’s failed put down: “You think you’re too cool for school, but I’ve got a news flash for you Walter Cronkite…you aren’t”

Simon Pegg & Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz – 2007)

British favourites Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star in Hot Fuzz, in which a dedicated London police officer (Pegg) is relocated to sleepy Sanford and partnered with a slow, but well-meaning, small-town cop (Frost), only to find his suspicions aroused by a series of gruesome deaths in the village. Pegg and director Edgar Wright wrote the comedy as a humourous homage to crime dramas after watching over a hundred action films as inspiration.

Laugh out loud moment: After Nick (Pegg) puts a dangerous villager in the freezer, Danny (Frost) asks whether he said “cool off” as he did it. The two cops then discuss awesome lines they have said after taking criminals down.

Steve Carell & Jim Carrey (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - 2013)

In The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, comedy legends Steve Carell and Jim Carrey prove once again to be a dynamic duo, trading comedic insults and retorts as masters of their field. Playing warring magicians, Burt Wonderstone’s (Carell) old school tricks are ousted by Steve Gray’s (Carrey) thrilling street stunts, so Burt must rediscover his love for illusions to remind the public about what magic really is. Legendary magician David Copperfield served as a technical advisor on set as director Don Scardino had insisted that illusions should be credible feats, and therefore shouldn’t be dependent on camera tricks.

Laugh out loud moment: Burt performs at a child’s birthday party in a bid to win back his show on the Vegas strip. But refusing to even give him even that much of a chance, Steve outdoes each trick with progressively bigger but more inappropriate stunts.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is in cinemas on March 15, 2013

From Good Will Hunting to Argo – how Ben Affleck became Hollywood royalty

Ben Affleck has had a unique career since crashing through the metaphorical doors of Hollywood with the screenplay of Good Will Hunting (1997). Most recently he has experienced unprecedented success with Argo, based on the 1980 CIA-Canadian operation in Iran - winning countless awards for his flawless direction and nominated for his second Oscar.

To celebrate the release of BAFTA award-winning Best Film, Argo on November 7th, we take a retrospective look at the movies that have made Ben Affleck a distinctive talent in front and behind the camera.

Good Will Hunting (1997)
Tired of being cast in forgettable supporting roles, Ben Affleck, and friend Matt Damon, decided to write a screenplay for a movie they could star in. Good Will Hunting tells the tale of a remarkable, but troubled young man working as a janitor at MIT who solves a mathematical problem that students have found impossible, invoking interest from the academic minds who had previously ignored him. The film was nominated for 9 Oscars and both Affleck and Damon brought their mothers along to the ceremony to see them win their first Academy Award.

Armageddon (1998)
In Michael Bay space adventure Armageddon, Ben Affleck got the chance to star alongside film legends’ Bruce Willis, Will Patton and Steve Buscemi. The film allowed Affleck to play both romantic lead and action hero as a maverick deep core driller, whose team is recruited by NASA after an asteroid threatens to destroy earth. Ben Affleck admitted that he once questioned director Michael Bay on the plausibility of the plot, particularly on whether it would be easier for NASA to train astronauts how to drill rather than training drillers to be astronauts, Bay apparently told him to shut up.

Pearl Harbor (2001)
Ben Affleck teamed up with Michael Bay once again in Pearl Harbor, based on the events that preceded WWII. The wartime epic is told through the eyes of childhood friends Rafe (Affleck) and Danny (Josh Harnett) who are skilled pilots in the US Air Force but whose loyalties to each other are tested when Hawaii is attacked. Pearl Harbor was Affleck’s first blockbuster in which he played the lead and was a box office hit, despite getting mixed reviews. The action-packed film cost $140,000,000 to make which roughly equals the amount of damage caused in the actual attack.

Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Moving behind the camera for the first time, Ben Affleck chose his favourite novel Gone Baby Gone, a gritty Boston-set crime thriller to hone his creative skills. Casting brother Casey in the leading role, the film follows a private detective as he tries to locate a missing girl by delving deeper into a world of drug dealers and corrupt cops. Affleck made a deliberate choice not to cast professional extras for authenticity so every extra is either a local actor or member of the general Boston public.

The Town (2010)
Ben Affleck’s second stint as director ensured that the success of Gone Baby Gone was not a fluke. The Town tells the story of a set of friends from notorious neighbourhood Charlestown who, after robbing a bank, realise that the bank manager lives in their area of Boston. They contrive to put her off the path by befriending her as she considers helping out the FBI with identifying the criminals. As part of researching the role, Affleck and co-star Blake Lively visited bars in Charlestown to hang around with locals, while Jeremy Renner took this one step further and surrounded himself with actual convicted bank robbers from Charlestown to help portray his role.

Argo (2012)

Branching out from the familiarity of Boston-based dramas, Ben Affleck most recent film Argo is a politically-charged spy thriller. Charting the events of the 1980 CIA-Canadian exfiltration mission in Iran, Affleck manages to intelligently show how a fake movie was used as a cover in an effort to safely remove 6 US nationals from Tehran. Balancing a high level of intensity with clever humour, Affleck has established himself as the most exciting young director of recent years and looks to be returning the director to where his career began and where it should remain, on the Academy stage.

Argo is on Blu-ray and DVD from 4th March

The Wolverine talks

HUGH JACKMAN AND DIRECTOR JAMES MANGOLD ANSWER FAN QUESTIONS LIVE FROM THE WOLVERINE SET

Marvel’s Agent M Hosts Global Online Fan Chat on October 29th 8:00 pm GMT (UK, London time)

Fans around the world are invited to tune-in and participate in a live chat with Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold from the set of The Wolverine in Sydney, Australia. This extraordinary event will take place on Monday, October 29th at 8:00 pm GMT (UK, London time) on YouTube and the film’s official website at www.TheWolverineMovie.com. Marvel’s own Agent M will host and provide fans special access to this highly anticipated movie.

Hear the details directly from Hugh Jackman and James Mangold themselves in this exclusive video from the set

Have questions about the The Wolverine’s epic story and thrilling action? Visit The Wolverine on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about this exciting opportunity and submit questions for the chance to have them presented to Jackman and Mangold. Be sure to include #TheWolverineMovie when sending questions.

The live chat will be available across all The Wolverine, X-Men and Marvel social pages; additionally Hugh Jackman and James Mangold will provide the chat directly to their fans.

• WHEN: Monday, October 29th at 1:00 pm PT (Los Angeles time) - 8:00 pm GMT (UK, London time).
• WHO: Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold
• WHERE: www.TheWolverineMovie.com, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

The live chat player will be available to embed on sites across the Web to provide for audiences globally. The video will also be distributed after the chat.

The Wolverine, directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line, Girl, Interrupted) and produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Hutch Parker, is filming in Japan and Australia.

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

The Wolverine opens in UK cinemas summer 2013.
For more information about the film, visit facebook and twitter.

Happy Ada Lovelace Day

Today is Ada Lovelace Day. A day to remember that science isn't just a man's job. If you look at the history of science there are a lot of women that have made giant discoveries but the credit have been taken by male colleges.  Sometimes there are luck ones that get know in their own right.  Some you will have heard of, but the ones that you haven't are as important.

This is a list of heroic women scientists that have made me think and admire.  I think that there are probably more women in my "top 5" scientists and engineers than men.  This is only a small part of the women that have helped change the world.  This isn't in any order apart from the first name on the list.

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace
 Today is the day that we celebrate the work of women in science and this is one of the pioneers. Thje only legitimate child of Lord Byron. A child who had an unhappy childhood with a very overbearing mother who tried to keep her, in her view, turning into her father. She only partially succeeded as she did end up being Probably the world's first computer programmer in her collaboration with another great, Charles Babbage.

She has also given her name to the ADA programming language, or to give it its official title MIL-STD-1815 (her year of birth). She also appears as herself in William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's book, The Difference Engine. she is one of the major characters in the book!

Now onto another great in computing. not only did she find the first computer bug, actually a moth but that's not important now, and debugged the compter (by removing it from the relay that it burnt out). This being the great...

Rear Admiral Grace Hopper
A wonderful lady who did so much for computing in the second half of the 20th century. From writing the first compilers, via co-writing COBOL and in later life lecturing about her passion for computing. her appearance on Letterman shows.

That's not bad for someone who is almost 80.  I would spend some time going through youTube and watching some more clips of this wonderful woman at what she did best. Talking to people.

Moving away from computing and into biology with Rosalind Franklin.
She was one of the team that helped finally discover the structure of DNS. She is best known for X-ray diffraction images of DNA, and more specifically, "Photo 51". The turning point in the work of Watson and Crick. Her help in the discovery has, in one view, been sidelined or airbrushed out of the discovery. She died in 1958 of ovarian cancer. She was 37 at the time. If she had lived, she may have been a noble Prize winner. The first since the double winner and the final person on this short list...

Marie Curie
A pioneering scientist on the early years of the 20th Century.  Not only the first woman to win a Nobel prize but the only person to win two prizes, in difference sciences; being Physics and Chemistry.

She is best known for her discovery of Radioactivity as well as the way that she died, of prolonged exposure of radiation. She was known to carry around with her a small sample.

Finally, to celebrate this day, I give you some wallpaper to brighten up your desktop...

Charlize Theron: Hollywood beauty

Charlize Theron is considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood and regularly tops “sexiest” polls around the globe. Labelled a Hollywood beauty, Charlize’s choice of roles have often disguised her stunning features or turned her appearance into a curse, the latter of which was used to full effect in her latest film “Snow White and the Huntsman.”

To celebrate the release of Snow White and the Huntsman on Blu-ray and DVD on 1st October, we take a look at the films which Charlize Theron has used to redefine the notion of Hollywood beauty into something with more substance and heart.

The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

Charlize Theron’s break out role saw her play the tormented wife of a lawyer (Keanu Reeves) who is oblivious to the fact that he works for Lucifer (Al Pacino). Despite appearing alongside actors with far more experience, she managed not only to hold her own but to convincingly portray a formerly rational woman’s fall into delusion and paranoia. To prepare for this early dramatic role, Charlize visited a psychotherapist for three months to understand the harrowing disintegration of the mind and the effect it can have on appearance.


Mighty Joe Young (1998)

After taking on a number of critically-acclaimed edgy and dramatic characters, the family-friendly “Mighty Joe Young” brought Charlize into the mainstream. Her motherly persona in the Disney picture added another string to her already diverse bow and the warm performance she gives steals the show away from the 16 and a half foot ape she shares screen time with.


The Cider House Rules (1999)

In the charming “The Cider House Rules,” Candy (Charlize Theron) teaches Homer (Tobey Maguire) about life outside of the sheltered orphanage he grew up in. Set during World War II, Charlize plays the lonely girlfriend of a soldier in battle with conviction perfectly suited for the period and her character’s reaction pre and post-abortion is fraught with realistic emotion and inner-turmoil.


Monster (2003)

Charlize Theron’s spectacular turn as the prostitute-turned-serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, is considered one of the greatest movie performances of all time. Catapulting her onto the A-list, “Monster” earned Charlize her first Oscar as audiences witnessed the naturally stunning actress disappear completely into the disturbing and unflattering role of a desperate woman on the edge of sanity.


North Country (2005)

Hiding her natural beauty once again, although not as dramatically, Charlize cemented the idea that she has the innate ability to take on powerful roles about unglamorous women in a man’s world. In “North Country” she becomes the fearless mine-worker that won the first sexual harassment case in American history with such compelling human detail that critics failed to fault her in the often difficult follow up major role.


Young Adult (2011)

Charlize uses her appearance to full effect in “Young Adult,” which tells the tale of a self-absorbed, destructive prom queen who has grown up, yet never let go of her high school glory years. In the gritty stand out role, her character is not particularly likeable, nor is she meant to be, but the Oscar-winner played the flawed part so realistically that critics commented on how unsettling the portrayal of a narcissistic, lonely woman was to experience.


Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
In a role that demanded that she must be the “fairest of them all,” Charlize was perfectly cast as the soul-sucking beast beneath a beautiful exterior. Utilising her full range, her portrayal of the unbalanced Queen Ravenna flits from innocent victim, to evil schemer, to frenzied ruler with such unpredictability that it is no wonder that she instils fear into the hearts of every living thing around her with nothing more than a deliciously icy stare.


Snow White and the Huntsman is on Blu-ray and DVD from 1st October.

Vote for your candidate

It's all up to you as the campaign is coming to an end. Just head over to facebook and cast your vote on which of the candidates you perfer

When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naive Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors' support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family's political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about.

In UK cinemas September 28, 2012

SHARK SIGHTING IN PORTSMOUTH

During a summer of UK shark sightings, the Portsmouth Victoria synchronised swimming club has recreated the iconic JAWS poster as part of a routine set to John William's famous score to promote Universal Pictures' first ever Blu-ray release of the remastered film (out now).

The routine was devised by Head Coach Helen Morris to pay homage to the classic film and was performed by a team of 9 girls from the club aged between 13 and 17. As well as other movements, the routine included famous dorsal fin shapes and the club’s interpretation of the well-known opening scene in which a lone female swimmer falls victim to the shark.

JAWS is available for the first time ever on Blu-ray on 3rd September following Universal’s extensive restoration programme as part of the studio’s ongoing 100th Anniversary celebration. Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered and fully restored picture, as well as 7.1 surround sound, the JAWS Blu-rayTM with Digital Copy and UltraVioletTM gives fans the ultimate way to watch the breathtaking and terrifying action-thriller.

Helen Morris, Head Coach of the Portsmouth Victoria Synchronised Swimming Club commented: "We've had various requests over the years, but this is the first time we've ever had to interpret something like JAWS – which would normally have everyone leaving the water! It is such an iconic film and we loved being part of the challenge.”


A Universal spokesperson commented: “We wanted to celebrate JAWS in a unique way, and what better way than heading back into the water to bring the film to life like never before. The film is famously known for putting a generation off swimming in the sea, but as the Portsmouth Victoria routine is in a pool we don’t think it will have the same effect! With the release of JAWS on Blu-ray, remastered and restored for the first time ever, old and new fans can rediscover the iconic film and re-live the terror once more – only this time in stunning high definition.”

Blu-ray™ Bonus Features:

• The Shark is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of JAWS: A feature-length documentary featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with cast and crew including Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider
• JAWS: The Restoration: An all-new, in-depth look at the intricate process of restoring the movie
• The Making of JAWS: A two-hour documentary featuring interviews with key cast and crew
• From the Set: An insider’s look at life on the set of JAWS, featuring an interview with Steven Spielberg
• Deleted Scenes & Outtakes
• JAWS Archives: Take a peek inside the JAWS archives, including storyboards, production photos and marketing materials, as well as a special segment on the JAWS phenomenon
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• UltraViolet™: The revolutionary new way for consumers to collect movies and TV shows, store them in the cloud, and download and stream instantly to computers, tablets and smartphones
• Digital Copy: Viewers can redeem a digital version of the full-length movie from a choice of retail partners to watch on an array of electronic and portable devices
• pocket BLU™ App: The popular free pocket BLU™ app for smartphones is now even better with newly updated versions for iPad®, Android™ tablets, PC and Macintosh computers, with features made especially to take advantage of the devices’ larger screens and high resolution displays
• Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
• Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
• Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
• Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
• Keyboard: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.
• BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to access the latest trailers, exclusive content and more!

Directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, Jaws set the standard for edge-of-your seat suspense quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon and forever changing the movie industry. When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town’s chief of police (Roy Scheider), a young marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again. Featuring an unforgettable score that evokes pure terror, Jaws remains one of the most influential and gripping adventures in motion picture history.