Teen struggles to accept autistic bro in enjoyable drama

Submitted by Robert Alstead on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 22:43

The Black Balloon is a mid-teen, coming-of-age drama. Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) is desperate to fit in and meet girls at his new school in Sydney, but he suffers embarrassment about his autistic brother Charlie who he wishes was just like normal kids. A budding romance with attractive and spirited Jackie (Gemma Ward), who is on his swimming class, helps Thomas learn about acceptance and worth.

London Film Festival

Submitted by Robert Alstead on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 21:57

The UK's leading film festival. Always draws in the big stars as well as offering a variety of interesting cinema related events and talks around the festival.

Last year there were 515 screenings and 553 filmmakers in attendance, drawing the highest ever audience attendance of over 130,000 filmgoers.

What does 2009 hold?

Submitted by Robert Alstead on Sun, 01/11/2009 - 11:19

Few years that started with everyone feeling as apparently miserable as we do now. But for a moment let's forget the gloom and doom, the stock market crashes, the housing debacle, the horrendous unemployment figures. After all, most independent filmmakers have been here before, when the times were supposed to be good. It's part of the job description.

Comedy Film Project for Women Launched

Submitted by Matthew Arnoldi on Sun, 10/19/2008 - 16:00

Warp X and Birds Eye View announced a collaboration today designed to conjure up great scripts that will hopefully eventually be turned into decent feature comedies, scripted by some of the best known females in stand-up comedy.

"Last Laugh: Women Create Comedy" is an initiative to draw on diverse talent and encourage them to create a series of smart funny feature films that would go into production in 2010.

Is Real's DVD Ripper A DRM Too Far?

Submitted by Andy Marken on Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:00

RealNetworks' RealDVD allows you to rip your DVDs to HD, but also adds more DRM argues one commentatorRob Glaser, RealNetworks CEO, hasn't had a lot of winners lately so we bet the idea of helping you copy your Hollywood DVD sounded like a great way to strike it rich...again.

And to ensure you hear about his offer he chose to sue Hollywood before they sue him for his RealDVD copying, backup, archiving, ripping, whatever software.

Nice quiet way to deliver the message!

Sounds great. The $30 software lets you rip a DVD movie to your computer hard drive.

London Film Festival 2008

Submitted by Matthew Arnoldi on Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:00

In London cinemas, audiences are about to forget the credit crunch and pitch up for a frenetic fortnight of glitzy Gala, World and European Premieres in London's glorious annual movie party.

The London Film Festival (15 to 30 October) opens with the world premiere of a film adaptation of a successful London stage play Frost/Nixon. Directed by Ron Howard it depicts an historic encounter with Richard Nixon, the disgraced U.S. President, who agreed to be interviewed about his time in office by TV celebrity David Frost in the summer of 1977.

EIFF 2008 Programme Launch

Submitted by Robert Alstead on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 16:00

The annual Edinburgh International Film Festival has announced the full programme of films for its new 10-day slot in June. Scottish and British filmmakers should be out in force with many of the cast and crew from the two British films that are bookending this year's fest expected to make it to Edinburgh.