INQUISITION NEWS

Columbia Sets MEN IN BLACK 3 in 3D to Hit Theaters on May 25, 2012

Columbia Sets MEN IN BLACK 3 in 3D to Hit Theaters on May 25, 2012; Will Smith to Return, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin in Talks to Co-Star

by Matt Goldberg

Columbia Pictures has announced that Men in Black III will be in 3D and hit theaters on May 25, 2012. In their press release, Columbia (which is owned by Sony Pictures) confirms that Will Smith and Barry Sonnenfeld will return to star and direct, respectively. However, the press release clarifies that Tommy Lee Jones is not yet attached, but is in “advanced negotiations”. The studio also revealed that Josh Brolin (who was rumored to be circling the film) is in talks to play a young version of Tommy Lee Jones’ character, Agent K (a theory that was floated when Brolin’s name first cropped up in connection to MIB 3). While I don’t think we need a third Men in Black movie, having Brolin pay a young Tommy Lee Jones is kind of brilliant.

It’s also interesting to note that we previously assumed that Men in Black III would be aiming for a summer 2011 release so Sony would have a fighter in the summer blockbuster war. I don’t currently have any theories as to why they’re holding it for so long.

Hit the jump to check out the full press release.

Here’s the full press release:

COLUMBIA PICTURES ANNOUNCES

“MEN IN BLACK III” IN 3D

MAY 25, 2012

Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald Reprise as Producers;

Barry Sonnenfeld Returns to Direct Third Installment of Hit Franchise

Steven Spielberg to Executive Produce

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 7, 2010 – Columbia Pictures announced today that Men in Black III will be released in 3D on May 25, 2012. Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are returning to produce and Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two installments of the blockbuster franchise, will direct the film from a screenplay written by Etan Cohen, based on the comic book by Lowell Cunningham. Steven Spielberg is set to executive produce.

Deals are set for Will Smith, Sonnenfeld and the producing team to return to the blockbuster franchise with the intent to begin production by this fall and the studio is in advanced negotiations with Tommy Lee Jones to reprise his role as Agent Kay. Josh Brolin is also in talks to star as a young Agent Kay.

Commenting on the announcement, Jeff Blake, Chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution said, “Sony’s summer of 2012 will get off to a red hot start with an incredible new 3D adventure for the Men in Black. We couldn’t be more excited that the original filmmaking team responsible for the first two worldwide hits is reuniting for this third installment. We love where the story is taking Agents Jay and Kay and know this new chapter will deliver a fresh fun twist for fans of the franchise while also introducing the Men in Black to a whole new generation of moviegoers.”

The first two Men in Black films, which were released in 1997 and 2002, went on to become two of the most successful films in Columbia Pictures history, taking in more than $1 billion combined worldwide. The first film in the franchise won an Academy Award(r) for Best Makeup and was nominated for two other Oscars(r).

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.
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Time travel action to get U.S. release 'Looper' starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt

Amplify’d from www.variety.com

Time travel action to get U.S. release

TriStar, FilmDistrict set 'Looper' deal

By Dave McNary

Endgame Entertainment and FilmDistrict have closed a deal for the theatrical release of Rian Johnson's time-travel actioner "Looper," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt.
Deal closed Sunday at Cannes. The transaction calls for "Looper" to be released in the U.S. through FilmDistrict's relationship with Sony Pictures Entertainment's Tri Star label.
It's the third deal that FilmDistrict's struck at Cannes after acquiring U.S. rights to ''Arabian Nights'' and romantic comedy ''Playing the Field.'' Sony was also in talks Saturday at Cannes for acquiring North American rights to "Great Hope Spprings," starring Meryl Streep.
Rian Johnson ("The Brothers Bloom," "Brick") directed "Looper" from his own script. Project reunited Johnson with producer Ram Bergman, who produced Johnson's previous two films, and Endgame Entertainment's James D. Stern, who financed and produced "The Brothers Bloom."
Stern is producing "Looper" in association with DMG and Endgame's Doug E. Hansen is exec producing.
"'Looper' is our second collaboration with Rian and Ram and it's truly been a thrilling ride," Stern said. "We look forward to continuing the journey with Sony and Peter in delivering this commercial thriller to audiences everywhere."
Peter Schlessel, CEO of FilmDistrict said: "We have been chasing Looper for six months and it is something my entire team agreed would be a great film for us to distribute. The fact that our friends at Sony feel the same makes it even more exciting."
Bergman noted Sunday that Tri Star handled the release of 2009's surprise hit, sci-fier "District 9."
"Looper" centers on a killer (Gordon-Levitt) who works for the mob of the future and disposes of people that are sent from the future. When he recognizes one victim as his future self (Willis), he hesitates, letting the man escape.
FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.
FilmDistrict launched seven months ago with Graham King and Tim Headington unveiling the distribution operation and its first two films were "Soul Surfer" and "Insidious." FilmDistrict has also struck a multiyear pact with Netflix for Web streaming of its feature films, bypassing a traditional pay cable output deal.
CAA negotiated the "Looper" deal on behalf of Endgame Entertainment and Adrian Alperovich, president of acquisitions, negotiated on behalf FilmDistrict.

Contact Dave McNary at
dave.mcnary@variety.com
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Green Lantern - Stream it for FREE at: movie2k.com

Amplify’d from www.movie2k.to

Green Lantern

A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.

Genre:
Action
, Crime
, Sci-Fi
, Thriller
|
Length: 105 minutes |
Land/Year: USA/2011

Regie: Martin Campbell |
Actors:
Ryan Reynolds,Blake Lively,Peter Sarsgaard,Mark Strong,Temuera Morrison,Jenna Craig

Green Lantern uploaded by anonymous - WATCH AND DOWNLOAD THIS MOVIE WITH 50MBit FOR FREE!
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Chinese train to kill American soldiers

Due to their one child policy: China is looking to get rid of their overabundance of male babies, now grown!

Amplify’d from www.wnd.com

GLOBAL INSECURITY

Chinese train to kill American soldiers

Computerized simulations feature Apache helicopters

By Michael Carl

© 2011 WND

Apache gunship. (CCTV photo)

Soldiers in China's People's Liberation Army are training for a possible future conflict through the assistance of a video game featuring U. S. soldiers as the enemy.

A report by China's CCTV television shows PLA officers in front of screens that have M16-wielding soldiers and Apache gunships as potential targets.

Retired military veteran Bill Watkins sees something ominous in the PLA producing a game with American targets.

"In 1967, I predicted war with China in 50 years, as we slowly withdrew from the Western Pacific. I said we'd lose that war, leading to remilitarization of Japan, leading to nuclear war between China and Japan, wrecking both and allowing for the growth in 400 years or so the rise of the next world civilization, based on Indonesia."

A study in what needs to be done in the U.S., get "Black Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America"

He adds that he was severely criticized because of his prediction.

"Although the possibility of that war with China has become fixed in the public mind recently (I was called every name in the book when I first made that prediction), it has grown somewhat less likely in my mind," he told WND.

U.S. soldiers are targets in Chinese video training. (CCTV photo)

The game raises the issues of tactics, strategy and military training. Military analyst Greg Vose reflects on his training and observes that the U. S. may be returning to realistic, non-politically correct training.

"On occasion we got away from silly politically correct fake countries and fought the North Koreans on our staff exercises and simulations. They were not trigger puller simulations, but then they didn't exist back then beyond expensive tank simulators," Vose said.

"If I remember correctly the old tank simulators, the SIMNET, used easily recognizable Soviet equipment. In short – I would expect them to use the U.S. as an OPFOR [opposition force]. Now that the National Training Center at Fort Irwin is going back to old school 'Force on Force' training I hope they start to incorporate Chinese tactics for the OPFOR as well," Vise also stated.

Center for Strategic and International Studies defense analyst James Lewis says the video game
may actually expose a division in the Chinese government.

"It's interesting because a couple of times now in China, what I've seen and actually heard from some PLA officers is that there might be a split between the PLA which is very nationalistic and sees the U. S. as an opponent and the civilian government which is interested in cooperation and finding ways to keep both economies growing," Lewis said.

"What I saw was the tension; the Chinese don't want to admit to it. If you ask them, on the record, they'll say there's no difference between the party and the PLA," Lewis explained.

Lewis' interview:

"Frankly I think there is and there's a growing tension in Chinese policy making between the civilians who realize the relationship with the U. S. is crucial and the PLA," Lewis continued.

Lewis says policy differences between the military and the civilian government are common in most countries. He's says the military needs "an enemy."

"They need an opponent to justify their budget increases. They need an opponent to justify some of their political influence," Lewis added.

Lewis said military planners aren't very good at determining the next enemy, but U.S. planners have not completely neglected the Chinese military threat.

Watkins agrees, saying that U. S. military planners have kept an eye on China's growing military power.

"The U.S. military does try to look one war ahead. They do seem to be doing more than general planning for a war with China. I get the feeling there may not be that much focus on infantry warfare," Watkins observed.

In actual game play, the game is like the American-made "Call of Duty" series and raises questions about how the U. S. should respond to this potential threat.

Intelligence analyst Dwight Rider says this may not be a "nefarious" Chinese plot.

"It's probably nothing more than trying to make the game more realistic. At worst, it might reflect some subconscious concern on the part of the designer expressing his concerns. As a threat, to the Chinese, the U.S. serviceman is probably the ultimate 'boogey man,'" Rider said.

"The action against Bin Laden probably only serves to reinforce their fears. The game is probably something that no one thought would ever become an issue," Rider said.

Rider said even though the creation of the game may not be as sinister as some analysts have stated, using U.S. personnel falls within the boundaries of traditional military training.

"Throughout history, military leaders have sought to 'dehumanize' their enemy so that soldiers can look upon their adversary as something less than human, and something worthy of contempt," Rider observed.

"You hear often that the U.S. fight against the Japanese in WWII was a race war, but it was no less so for the Japanese. The same held true for the Germans against the Soviets, and vice-versa," he said.

Rider states that he doesn't think the Chinese People's Liberation Army needed to make a game to demonize their potential enemy.

"Though it could be some effort on their part to dehumanize a potential adversary, I do not think that it would require a game, or the investment of large amounts of money to accomplish the same thing through several public statements on the part of commanders to influence their soldiers," Rider said.

"Consider that while the commander might seek to dehumanize the enemy to make himself more comfortable in killing them, the individual soldier is seeking the same thing. I cannot recall an army at any time in history that had any difficulty in creating contempt for his enemy," Rider added.

Rider says that U.S. officials have a recourse to counter the impact of the Chinese video game.

"If you really wanted to take some action to show the Chinese that you disapprove, the best way would be to get copies of the game and use it in our training. There would be nothing better to show them dishonor is if our soldiers can use the game, and win against it," Rider suggested.

Military specialist Greg Vose says there is one area where China poses an even greater threat to the United States.

"I bet the Chinese can tap on the keyboard a bit and simulate driving north into Siberia fighting Russians, too. Now what is scary is not them fighting a digitized 1st CAV but their government not buying our debt. That is scary and a lot more realistic of a threat," Vose stated.

WND reported just weeks ago about a long-delayed film about Chinese invaders taking over the U.S. to help "fix" America's broken economy that had undergone a digital makeover, removing the allusions to China in fear, some report, of offending the Asian nation's $1.5-billion box office.

As WND reported, the movie was expected to be a hard-core remake of the original communism-bashing "Red Dawn" of two decades back – where Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze staged a shoot-'em-up against invading Russians in the Colorado mountains – only this time, with Chinese invaders.

But now, several Hollywood sources report, the filmmakers at MGM have hired digital artists to change all the film's Chinese flags and symbols to North Korean.

Poster plastered on American streets in scene from remake of "Red Dawn," before digital alteratio

"Potential distributors are nervous about becoming associated with the finished film," reports the Los Angeles Times, "concerned that doing so would harm their ability to do business with the rising Asian superpower, one of the fastest-growing and potentially most lucrative markets for American movies, not to mention other U.S. products."

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Some Dancing Classes Are Not for Kids. One Magazine Disagrees

Amplify’d from blogs.babble.com

Some Dancing Classes Are Not for Kids. One Magazine Disagrees

by madeline holler

Pole dancing classes for kids?

Kids are cute. They’re sweet. They’re fun! They soften the harsh edges of adult life (see: Sandra Bullock). Kids are offered up as a way of making kooky adults seem normal, legitimate, just like the rest of us (I’m thinking the Palin clan, circa 2008).

But wide-eyed innocence isn’t for everything. There are certain sectors — certain industries — where the presence of a little kid feels desperate, if not downright wrong.

I offer you a case in point:

a 2-year-old pictured in a pole dancing magazine, “Pole Spin: The International Pole Dance Fitness & Lifestyle Magazine.” According to the cover, she’s “the world’s youngest pole dancer!”

Jezebel’s Dodai Stewart put together a slide show of the endearing pole-dancin’ family features. There’s “A Family That Poles Together Stays Together,” with four teens, age 13 to 18, working the bar in various positions. Molly the Rebel, whose upside down pole dancing shots are juxtaposed with one of her twirling in a modest sundress. She’s 14. There’s 6-year-old Mr. Luis, who teaches other kids pole-dancing moves. And the aforementioned 2-year-old, Kayne Benford, whose first word was “pole.”

As Stewart points out, the second issue of the new title is filled with defenses of pole-dancing. It’s a sport, not just for strippers, other people do unseemly acts that don’t involved metal poles bolted to the floor. What’s the big deal? Why can’t you just accept me for who I am?

In my mind though: why all the mirrors? Why the candelabra, dark-lit rooms and thumpy music? Why, if pole-dancing has moved so far from its gentlemen’s club roots, do its athletes work out in their underwear?

I don’t want to ruin anyone’s fun. Good for you for getting kids moving! But a stripper’s pole is pretty loaded with history. Couldn’t a kid get the same strong arms and ripped abs on, say, a jungle gym?

Photo: Pole Spin via Jezebel
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Pole Dancing Classes for Toddlers: The Ick Line Has Officially Been Crossed
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Pole Dancing Doll Makes Our Heads Spin
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Pole Dancing Classes for Toddlers: The Ick Line Has Officially Been Crossed

Amplify’d from blogs.babble.com

Pole Dancing Classes for Toddlers: The Ick Line Has Officially Been Crossed

by meredith carroll

Pole dancing for toddlers? Really?
Read more at blogs.babble.com

Some Dancing Classes Are Not for Kids. One Magazine Disagrees
Read more at blogs.babble.com

Yesterday I wrote about makeover salons for toddlers and how I thought they weren’t so bad as long as they’re frequented with only fun in mind and not because moms think their daughters should look like mini-versions of themselves (or beauty queens) as a matter of course.

Now comes word that there actually exist pole dancing classes for kids as young as three. Makes pedicures for 2-year-olds look like child’s play, no?

A studio in England, Make Me Fabulous, charges just £5 an hour for little girls to learn the sleazy art of pole dancing in a class called Little Spinners, with an instructor insisting it helps keep them fit and boosts their self-esteem.

I’m all for movement and dance class for little girls. When my daughter turned 2 last summer, she started a class where she “dances” to hip hop songs (while wearing a tutu and ballet slippers, natch). She loves the music and being with the other kids. It’s the first class I haven’t had to participate in with her and the discipline and repetition each week have been super fun for her, and fun for me to watch.

How anyone could offer pole dancing to girls almost that young is beyond me. Talk about the increased sexualization of kids.

The lessons take place in a room adorned with pink feather boas and sparking mirrors. The studio advertises pole dancing as “sexy, relaxing and invigorating.” Kids ages 3-7 do exercises like holding their legs in a V-shape while sliding down a pole.

Exercise for young girls is critical, of course, but teaching them to be sex objects before they’re in kindergarten should be criminal. Hopefully some government agency will swoop in — pronto — and put the kibosh on this. It’s one thing for little girls to use their imagination and dress up and play; it’s a whole other thing to teach them the sick art of being sex kittens while they have no idea what they’re doing.

A class instructor defended the practice, saying it originated from a traditional Indian sport called Malkhamb, in which participants performed around a wooden pole.