Gnomes: Cute garden dwellers or little villains?

Gnomes: Cute garden dwellers or little villains?

By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY

Consider the lowly garden gnome.

Whether mud-caked, faded or battered by adverse weather, they are steadfast in their silent sentry ship. And, much like their cousins in outdoor décor — the plastic pink flamingo — they often elicit strong responses.

Some find the wee, hirsute statues with their pointy caps, jolly demeanor and peasant attire to be irresistibly cute. Others simply dismiss the stone imps as tacky yard clutter.

There are also those who find them downright creepy. Actress Emily Blunt, who provides the voice for the gnomish version of Shakespeare's heroine in the new 3-D animated comedy Gnomeo & Juliet — which sprouted $25.4 million at the box office this past weekend — has confessed that the sight of little bearded men loitering about the lawn scared her as a child. Not surprising since, as folklore has it, the ornaments often come to life whenever humans aren't around — a key element in Gnomeo's story line.

Heroes: NBC Picks Up Wonder Woman Pilot

Heroes: NBC Picks Up Wonder Woman Pilot

Finally, some good news regarding Wonder Woman! Contrary to what was said in the press weeks ago, THR confirms that NBC has picked up David E. Kelley's version of Wonder Woman to pilot. Apparently, NBC and the other television networks first passed on the project due to budgetary reasons but, last month, Kelley hinted that the show might finally get a chance to land on the small screen as soon as next year.

"I think the likelihood is we'll see it next year. I'm being optimistic but I don't think I'm being unrealistic." he told THR in mid-January. He also hinted that NBC would be a perfect fit for the series.

"I like to think of it as a smart script and I know [new NBC programming chief Bob Greenblatt] responds to smart material." He added that the character will not only be a superhero but a "real complex woman".

Now, let´s just hope it gets picked up as a proper TV series!

NBC Pîcks Up Wonder Woman Pilot

Death Note (デスノート)

Genre: Mystery, Psychological thriller, Supernatural thriller, Drama

Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto) is a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk. The Death Note grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face they know, by writing the name in the notebook while picturing their face. The series centers around Light's attempt to create and rule a world "cleansed of evil" as "God" using the notebook, and the efforts of a detective known as L to stop him.

Death Note was first serialized in 108 chapters by Shueisha in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006. The series was also published in tankōbon format in Japan starting in May 2004 and ending in October 2006 with a total of twelve volumes. The series was adapted into live-action films released in Japan on June 17, 2006, November 3, 2006, and February 2, 2008. The anime series aired in Japan from October 3, 2006, to June 26, 2007. Composed of 37 episodes, the anime was developed by Madhouse and directed by Tetsuro Araki. A light novel based on the series, written by Nisio Isin, was released in Japan. Additionally, various video games have been published by Konami for Nintendo DS.

Viz Media licensed the Death Note manga in North America and has published all the twelve volumes from the series, a 13th volume which serves as a "reader's guide", as well as the light novels. The episodes from the anime first appeared in North America as downloadable by IGN. Viz later licensed the anime series and it aired on Bionix. The live-action films briefly played in certain North American theaters since 2008. However, none of the video games titles have thus far been published in North America.

Several publications for manga, anime and other media have added praise and criticism on the Death Note series. The series was banned in a few Chinese cities due to piracy.

On April 30, 2009, Variety magazine announced that Warner Bros. acquired the rights for the Death Note manga to be adapted into a live-action movie in the United States. Warner Bros. has hired screenwriters Charley and Vlas Parlapanides to adapt the manga into a screenplay. Unlike the Japanese Death Note live-action movie trilogy, the US-version will be directly adapted from the material in the manga and will not follow the storyline of the Japanese movie adaptations. On January 13, 2011, it was announced that Shane Black has been hired to direct the film, with the script being written by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry.

Nami (ナミ), One Piece

Nami (ナミ) is a fictional character in the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. She is based on Ann and Silk, two characters from Oda's previous manga Romance Dawn. She is introduced as a thief and pickpocket who possesses skills to tell the climate and draw sea charts. At first, she is a subordinate of the fishman Arlong, but she eventually turns on him and permanently joins Monkey D. Luffy for her dream to write the complete map of the Grand Line.

In One Piece, Nami is the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator who dreams of drawing sea charts to the Grand Line. She meets other characters, such as Luffy, with whom she travels to help him on his journey. Despite her initial distrust of pirates, Nami eventually changes her mind. Nami is depicted as an intelligent girl who has an obsession of obtaining money. Nami is able to use her three-sectioned staff and use her climate skills to create powerful effects; the most prominent is the Clima-Takt, in which she manipulates the climate to create weather-based attacks.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nami_(One_Piece)
http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Nami
http://mjv-art.org/pictures/view_post/93704?lang=en

Vampire Diaries Calendar 2011

Heroes: No Punching Disney Princess in The Avengers, But D...

Heroes: No Punching Disney Princess in The Avengers, But D...

By now you’ve probably heard all the official denials that manufactured Disney princess Demi Lovato will not be in “The Avengers” as rumored, which apparently made a lot of nerds really happy. I don’t know, I think she would have made a fine addition; she’s not a really bad actress, per se. Or at least, it would have been funny watching her punch people in the movie, being that she got in trouble for that in real life. You know, as an inside joke kinda thing?

Full Metal Panic! (フルメタル·パニック!)

Full Metal Panic! (フルメタル·パニック!)

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Plot

The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of a covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl. He moves to Japan to study at Chidori's school, Jindai High School, with assistance from his comrades Kurz Weber and Melissa Mao. Having never experienced social interactions, Sousuke is found as a military maniac by his schoolmates as he interprets everyday situations from a combat perspective. He comes to relate with Chidori who realizes that Sousuke is protecting her, but he does not reveal the reasons due to orders as well as the fact he does not know why Chidori is being targeted by different organizations.

Setting

The series is set in a parallel world, based upon actual world events around the late 20th century to the early 21st century. The story begins in Heisei 10 (1998 AD), where the Cold War has yet to end. China has split into a north and south, with Hong Kong being split much like Berlin. The major differences between real life Earth and the Full Metal Panic! universe are:

China has split into the People's Liberation Committee (North China) and the Democratic Chinese Alliance (South China) along the Yangtze River. Kowloon is a North Chinese territory, while Hong Kong Island is held by South Chinese forces. Combat in Hong Kong is prohibited by terms of a recent peace treaty.

A nuclear warhead was used in the 1991 Gulf War. This triggered the Fifth Middle East War.

Following the beginning of the fifth Middle East war, the Soviet Union successfully reinvaded Afghanistan, which is called Helmajistan in the series.

Mikhail Gorbachev was assassinated and Perestroika was halted.

Distinct military technology such as Arm Slaves and Black Technology were developed.

A number of other details differentiates the fictional world. Common changes occur in the Japanese names, as they use homonyms to the names of real life locations. The fictional Jindai (陣代) High School is based on the real life Jindai (神代) High School[10] in Chōfu, Tokyo. The closest station to the real life Jindai High School is the Senkawa station, changed from 仙川 to 泉川. The Japanese calendar of Heisei is altered from 平成 to 平政.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Metal_Panic!

1. Full Metal Panic! http://films4ever00.blogspot.com/2010/11/full-metal-panic.html
2. Plot http://films4ever00.blogspot.com/2010/11/full-metal-panic_16.html

Full Metal Panic! (フルメタル·パニック!)

Genre: Action, Mecha, Romantic comedy

Full Metal Panic! (フルメタル·パニック! Furumetaru Panikku!, often abbreviated to FMP!) is an ongoing series of light novels written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shiki Douji. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl.

Individual chapters are published on Monthly Dragon Magazine, followed by a paperback compilation released by Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. The novels are split between stories focusing on Sousuke's mission as a soldier of Mithril and comedic side stories centered on his life at Jindai High School.

The series has been adapted into different media; including three animated television series: Full Metal Panic! by Gonzo in 2002, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid by Kyoto Animation in 2003 and 2005 respectively. An OVA was also released in 2006; and five different manga series.

Tokyopop licensed the novels for English-language publication in North America and released parts of the series, while ADV Films licensed and dubbed the first season and the spinoff, and released them in North America and the United Kingdom. The second season was licensed by Kadokawa Pictures USA and Funimation Entertainment with ADV Films producing the dub yet again. Mandalay Pictures acquired the film rights to the series in 2009. At Anime USA 2009, Funimation announced that it had acquired the rights to the first and second series of Full Metal Panic! and both would be re-released remastered on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010. The series began airing in North American on November 22, 2010, on the FUNimation Channel. The Fumoffu series made its North American television debut on the FUNimation Channel on November 15, 2010.

A sequel to the series, called Full Metal Panic! Another, has been launched with the story set years after the defeat of Amalgam and the rescue of Kaname from the influence of the Whispered Sophia with her return to Tokyo alongside Sousuke.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Metal_Panic!

1. Full Metal Panic! http://films4ever00.blogspot.com/2010/11/full-metal-panic.html
2. Plot http://films4ever00.blogspot.com/2010/11/full-metal-panic_16.html

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Directed by	Oliver Stone
Produced by	Oliver Stone, Edward R. Pressman, Michael Douglas, Eric Kopeloff', Alessandro Camon (exec.), Celia D. Costas (exec.)
Written by	Bryan Burrough (story), Allan Loeb (screenplay), Stephen Schiff (writer)
Starring	Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella, Charlie Sheen
Music by	Craig Armstrong
Cinematography	Rodrigo Prieto
Studio	Edward R. Pressman Film
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	September 24, 2010
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$70 million
Preceded by	Wall Street

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Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is an American drama film directed by Oliver Stone. It is a sequel to the 1987 film Wall Street, and the first sequel Stone has directed. Michael Douglas reprises his role as Gordon Gekko in the film. The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, and Frank Langella in supporting roles.

Set in New York City, the film takes place 23 years after the original, revolving around the 2008 financial crisis. The film's plot mainly centers around the reformed Gekko acting as more of an antihero rather than a villain and follows his attempts to help Wall Street before its soon-to-be stock market crash as well as trying to repair his relationship with his daughter Winnie with the help of Jacob, Winnie's fiance. In return, Gekko helps Jacob get revenge on the man he blames for his mentor's death.

The film's story and screenplay are written by Bryan Burrough, Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff, respectively. The film will be produced by Stone, Douglas, Edward R. Pressman, co-produced by Eric Kopeloff and executive produced by Alessandro Camen and Celia D. Costas. In September 2009, the film began principal photography in New York and finished filming in November. Despite originally having a tentative February 2010 release date, and a release date of April 21, the film is set to be released theatrically on September 24, 2010.

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Plot

The film is set 23 years after the first film, in June 2008, and Gordon Gekko has just been released from prison. Despite his initial attempts to warn Wall Street of the forthcoming economic downturn and stock market crash, no one in the financial world believes him due to his conviction for financial crimes. Gekko decides to re-focus his attention on rebuilding his relationship with his estranged daughter, Winnie. Due to their time apart, and the fact that Winnie blames Gekko for her brother Rudy's suicide, she avoids any contact with him. At the same time, the mentor of young Wall Street trader Jacob unexpectedly dies, and Jacob suspects his hedge fund manager of being involved in the death. Jacob, who is Winnie's fiancé, seeks revenge and agrees to Gekko's offer of help, in return for which Jacob agrees to help Gekko with Winnie.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street:_Money_Never_Sleeps

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English-language films | American films | 20th Century Fox films | American business films | American drama films | American thriller films | Films directed by Oliver Stone | Films set in New York City | Sequel films | Trading films

Alpha and Omega (2010)

Alpha and Omega (2010)

Directed by	Ben Gluck, Anthony Bell
Produced by	Richard Rich, Ken Katsumoto
Written by	Chris Denk, Steve Moore
Starring	Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover, Christina Ricci
Music by	Chris P. Bacon
Editing by	Scott Anderson
Studio	Crest Animation Productions
Distributed by	Lionsgate (USA/UK), Metropolitan Filmexport (France)
Release date(s)	September 17, 2010
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million