Avatar arrives on 18th Dec…

James Cameron’s “Avatar” is without doubt 2009’s most anticipated movie. It marks the return of a legendary sci-fi/action director, the man responsible for the original Terminator films, Aliens, and the biggest film in box-office history, 1997’s Titanic — the last time he was behind the camera on a feature.

Conceived 14 years ago and now four years in the making, the long-awaited Avatar promises to be the next step in filmmaking, delivering not just a 3-D experience but a fully-immersive cinematic world realised by the revolutionary technology Cameron developed for the film.

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5 Things You Didn’t Know About South Park

Back in the summer of 1997, you had to know that South Park was going to be an iconoclast when you learned the premiere episode was titled, “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe.” If it didn’t occur to you then, it surely has by now.

South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker for Comedy Central, features crude animation, boorish characters and jaw-dropping story lines so vulgar and distasteful that to label them merely “offensive” is actually something of an offense to the show itself. South Park has prided itself on inciting rage worldwide for its seemingly blasphemous depiction of religion, heartless portrayal of persons with disabilities, shameless instances of toilet humor, racism, foul language, and their impressions of the Holocaust — and these are just the first few mentions in their catalog of offensives.

In short, there are no sacred cows in the town of South Park.

However, an equally egregious offense would be to assume the show’s intentions were just as crass. In fact, they are masters of the parody and lampoon, and often episodes will reveal multiple layers of clever and acute social commentary — ones that typically escape its many overzealous and red-faced critics.

With the recent launch of this landmark show’s twelfth season, it’s time we took a look at five things you didn’t know about South Park, one of the smartest shows out there.

1- South Park began as a video Christmas card

In 1995 FoxLab executive Brian Graden saw a demented, animated short entitled Jesus vs Frosty that Parker and Stone created while they were still students at the University of Colorado. Graden thought it was hilariously twisted, so he hired them to make a video Christmas card for his friends in the entertainment industry. The result was The Spirit of Christmas, a five-minute short that saw Santa Claus face off against Jesus in a martial arts fight to the death over who would control the Christmas holiday. The two holiday superpowers ultimately resolve the issue with a truce.

The video made the rounds and soon Parker and Stone found themselves in negotiations with both FOX and Comedy Central to produce a half-hour series based on the short.

2- Tom Cruise wanted to do a voice for South Park

Of course, that’s in the past tense: Cruise had, at one time, wanted to do a voice for the show. Presumably his interest has waned a bit since the Emmy-nominated episode No. 137, “Trapped in the Closet.” After joining Scientology in search of something to do that’s both fun and “free” (the church is notoriously expensive), the character Stan is believed by members to be the reincarnation of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. A number of well-known Scientologists, including John Travolta and Tom Cruise, try to convince Stan to lead the church, but he refuses, later calling it a “global scam.” Cruise (the character) locks himself in Stan’s closet and “refuses to come out” after Stan tells him he’s not a very good actor, which Cruise takes as the great prophet’s opinion.

The show regularly refuses to allow celebrities to play themselves or even play what might be considered normal characters. At most they are offered ludicrous roles. For example, George Clooney played a gay dog and Jay Leno played a bird, while Jerry Seinfeld was offered the role of a sick cat, but his agent turned it down. Other stars believed to have sought voice roles but refused the odd-ball roles offered to them include Steven Spielberg, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeff Daniels.

3- Cartman was influenced by Archie Bunker

In an interview conducted by the Vanderbilt University-affiliated First Amendment Center, Trey Parker said that he and Stone grew up watching sitcoms that were extraordinarily PC, such as Diff’rent Strokes and Facts of Life. Then they were blown away by syndicated episodes of All in the Family. Believing that a bigoted character like Archie Bunker could never make it on to television in the current climate, asked themselves, “How could you bring an Archie Bunker back? What if you made him a fat little 8-year-old kid?”

The result was Eric Cartman, the show’s leading foul-mouth, hatemonger, sadistic, and sociopathic elementary kid. Cartman also happens to be the show’s most hilarious character.

4- The main female voice-over actor committed suicide

Mary Kay Bergman, the longtime former voice of Mrs. Butterworth and an experienced voice-over actress, voiced all of the female voices for the first 31 episodes of South Park as well as the movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, including the mothers of all four principle boys, Wendy Testaburger, Mrs. Crabtree and Nurse Gollum, among others.

Bergman suffered from anxiety and depression. In 1999, at the age of 38, she committed suicide by shooting herself at home. Subsequently, those roles have been voiced by three other women, and two South Park episodes have been dedicated to her memory.

5- Episodes are changed at the “11th Hour”

Unlike other animated shows, producers on South Park can produce an episode in a matter of days in order to react to current events, something that has become one of the show’s hallmarks. Some notable examples are:

On April 22nd, on orders from Attorney General Janet Reno, agents from BORTAC, the tactical unit of the U.S. Border Control, seized Elian Gonzalez from the home of his Miami relatives. On April 26th, episode No. 52 aired, “Quintuplets 2000” in which Janet Reno aides the Romanian government’s efforts to return five circus performing contortionists. In this episode, Stone and Parker rewrote the original plotline to mirror current events.

On November 7, 2000, in the U.S. Presidential election, Bush and Al Gore waited on the winner of Florida’s 25 electoral votes and the outcome became the most controversial and divisive in history. On November 15th, episode No. 60 aired, “Trapper Keeper,” in which Mr. Garrison, the boys’ former teacher, is demoted to kindergarten and holds class elections between kids named Ike and Filmore, with an indecisive girl named Flora (Florida) holding the tie-breaking vote.

On December 13, 2003, U.S. Special Forces captured Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who had been hiding in a hole inside a farmhouse. On December 17th, episode No. 111 aired, “It’s Christmas in Canada,” which featured the boys finding Saddam hiding in a hole and controlling the voice of the new Canadian Prime Minister.

‘Headcrusher’ From Megadeth!

It’s your first chance to hear new material from the new Megadeth album! Megadeth have made ‘Headcrusher’ from their new album, ‘Endgame’, available for download!

Speaking about ‘Endgame’, Megadeth have revealed “Thematically, I’ve never been known to be a silent bystander in a world that needs our participation. As more is revealed about our former President’s legacy, a little-known yet staggeringly frightening document which was signed into law, named  ‘Endgame’ has been uncovered. The album  ‘Endgame’ is the most energetic music offering I have penned in over a decade and is far more believable than knowing someone signed  ‘Endgame’ -the document- into law. The album is also the perfect ‘ass- kicking’ music to listen to once you are done reading the aforementioned document!”

A handful of track titles have also been revealed for the effort, including: ‘Headcrusher’, ‘1,320′, ‘How The Story Ends’ and ‘This Day We Fight!’

‘Endgame’ is tentatively expected to arrive in September through Roadrunner Records.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 DVD Released!!

For all those of you out there who have created an altar in your music room for albums like The Evil That Men Do, Charlotte the Harlot, Can I Play Madness, The Number of the Beast and are often seen swooning with numbers like Judas Be My Guide, Flash of the Blade and the rest…this is truly nirvana time. Go grab your front row seats for this string of exquisitely recorded concerts of the heavy metal band that seems to be immortal. Yes, Iron Maiden, the English cult band that came into being on Christmas 1975, under the able stewardship of Steve Harris, may have been around for more than thirty years. Yet, it’s popularity hasn’t diminished and surprisingly, the band has managed to find new fans, generation after generation. So that, in a single family, you could have mom and dad headbanging with their teenagers and tweenagers too.

In 2008, the band undertook one of its longest musical tours entitled `Somewhere Back in Time’, spanning the entire globe in 45 days. They travelled from India to Australia, Japan, America and South America in their customised plane called the Ed Force One. More importantly, the plane was piloted by lead vocalist, Bruce Dickinson, who literally turns out to be a high-flyer, both on and off the stage. This is the first time the band allowed a film crew to be with them for such a prolonged period, enabling the interviewers to capture them both at work and during their free time. So that, in one frame, you have the group sending its fans into mass hysteria with their high-decibel performances, and in the other, you have them chilling out, either with a sweaty game of tennis or teeing off on the golf course. Sometimes, the camera even intrudes their work space and pans on Steve Harris as he pens the lyrics and plays anchorman to the group.

Needless to say, the film lights up, mostly in the concerts which are shot in high definition surround sound: enough to send heavy metal buffs into a rhapsody. Also endearing are the encounters with fans, specially in South America, where the band is treated with godlike devotion. Sometimes, you do miss the `real’ story, since the film is such a hunky-dory depiction of the motley group. No drugs, no rivalries, no creative quirks…just squeaky clean.

Go, join the headbanger’s ball, all you heavy metal fans out there.

Paramore Offer Taste of “Brand New Eyes”

Nashville pop-punkers  Paramore are giving fans a taste of what to expect on their Rob Cavallo-produced third album with “Ignorance,” the first single from their upcoming Brand New Eyes, due september 29th.

The furiously paced track blends the sass of the band’s Riot! single, “Misery Business” with hints of the darkness heard in “Decode” (off the Twilight soundtrack). Frontwoman Hayley Williams spits out the song’s hook, “You treat me just like another stranger/well it’s nice to meet you sir/I guess I’ll go/I best be on my way out” and proclaims, “Ignorance is your new best friend!”

Paramore are currently on tour with No Doubt until the beginning of next month, and “Ignorance” is available for digital purchase starting today, while Brand New Eyes can now be pre-ordered on Paramore’s site.

Angelina Jolie to be the new face of Armani

London: Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has been signed on by top fashion house Emporio Armani to be the face of their new line of perfumes.

The Oscar-winning beauty will be the face of the advertising campaign for the high end fragrance, and sources inside the fashion house said that she will be appearing in the campaign with Armani’s other star spokesmodel, football heartthrob , reported Contactmusic.

“For this fragrance, they needed a true A-lister, and Angelina is the biggest, most dynamic female star in the world. When you have David Beckham and Angelina Jolie signed up to your fashion house, it’s a no-brainer to link them up,” said the source.

The 34-year-old actress who is the partner of Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt, is already involved in the creative process and may be seen in a steamy shoot with Beckham, in the lines of the campaign for Armani underwear, featuring him and wife Victoria Beckham

Experience The Unexperienced!! “The Hunt For Gollum”

The hunt for Gollum is totally a free high-concept Lord of the Rings prequel made for under $5,000. The film remains true to the style of Peter Jackson’s films and the world of J.R.R. Tolkien telling how Aragorn tracked down Gollum between The Hobbit & The Fellowship of the Ring.

The script is adapted from elements of the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The story follows the Heir of Isildur; the “greatest huntsman and traveller in Middle Earth” as he sets out to find the creature Gollum. The creature must be found to discover the truth about the Ring, and to protect the future Ringbearer.

The Hunt For Gollum is an unofficial not for profit short film by a group of enthusiast filmmakers. As a Lord of the Rings Fan Film, its not affiliated with the Tolkien Estate or New Line Cinema and are producing this project as an entirely non commercial film. As with other fan films they are making, this is purely for the enjoyment of the material and the experience of making a high quality low budget film.

Epic win gives Federer record 15th Slam!!

Roger Federer became tennis’s greatest champion, watched by a legion of champions, as he beat Andy Roddick 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 16-14 in four hours and 16 minutes to claim his sixth Wimbledon crown. It was also a record 15th Grand Slam title for the Swiss master, overhauling the total of Pete Sampras who was in the Royal Box along with fellow legends Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver.

It was a truly momentous climax to the 2009 Championships as the 27-year-old Swiss became the most successful man in the sport. Sampras, previous holder of that title, had been an unannounced surprise visitor to Wimbledon – where he has not been seen since winning his seventh title back in 2000.

The American arrived three games into the contest, but then sat as enraptured as the rest of the crowd as the two gladiators battled through 77 games, the most seen at any Wimbledon final.

In terms of match time, it was not quite as long as last year’s battle between Federer and Rafael Nadal, but it soon took on similarly epic proportions. And for much of the match, it seemed that Roddick would emulate Nadal’s feat as he hammered away at his opponent. Federer wavered a few times, but never toppled and in the end won on merit. He returns to number one in the world, too, by way of yet another win bonus.

That this was going to be a contest between two big blasters was evident from the opening game, when Roddick slammed down two aces and in the next Federer replied with a couple of his own. That Federer had won 18 of their previous 20 matches was not a consideration on this day. For a start, Roddick, white cap pulled low over his eyes, was clearly a fitter and slimmer version of the man who had already lost to Federer in two Wimbledon finals, and he matched Federer stride for stride, shot for shot, ace for ace as they hurtled through the opening set, completing 10 games in just 25 minutes.

Then came the first sign of a falter. It was from Roddick, who fell 0-30 behind on serve, and Federer upped his level in pursuit of a break of serve which would have left him to serve for the set. He could not have tried harder, or played better. Four times he stood at break point, and on each occasion Roddick battled back to fend off the threat and was finally off the hook, courtesy of a pair of Federer forehand errors.

Perhaps it was the inspiration of surviving such a crisis, but Roddick bounced back brilliantly and when Federer offered him a glimpse of success with a faulty cross-court backhand to go break point down, the American struck. A brilliant forehand down the line forced Federer to project a forehand wide and it was Roddick who went a set in front after 39 minutes.

This was precisely the start Roddick needed to prove that he was a changed man from the opponent so frequently dominated by Federer in the past. Impressively aggressive and quick to close in on the net whenever the chance arose, he continued to stretch Federer in the second set with scorching serves of speeds beyond 135mph and a steadiness which was producing 80% of first serves on target.

Federer’s discomfort at being so brashly challenged on a court he has come to regard as his own was beginning to show as the second set moved into a tiebreak. As the Centre Court audience roared in disbelief, two errors by the Swiss left Roddick with four points for a two-set lead. Now was the time for Federer to unveil the genius that had stood him such good stead in previous Wimbledon finals – and he responded in brilliant fashion, winning the next six points in a row as, for the first time, Roddick’s nerves betrayed him.

Two volleying errors on his own serve let Roddick down before, on Federer’s first set point, the American drove a forehand over the baseline and it was level pegging again after one hour 23 minutes.
In that second set Federer had conceded only five points on serve, with Roddick not far behind with seven.

The third set followed the course of the second, with both men holding serve comfortably, except when Roddick escaped from break point down in the sixth game. Though the American’s first serve began to shed some of its potency, the two men moved into another tiebreak. And this time it was Federer who not only moved into the driver’s seat with a mini-break on the third point but cemented that advantage, growling “C’mon” as he went ahead by six points to three, holding three set points.

Would Roddick stage a similar fightback to Federer’s in the previous set? He certainly gave it a go, rescuing two set points on his own serve before Federer struck, following a potent serve with a forehand put-away to move in front by two sets to one with the match two hours 11 minutes old.

Roddick’s indomitable attitude had its reward in the fourth set. He conjured two break points in the fourth game and though Federer saved one with his 24th ace, the American trapped the Swiss as he closed in on the net on the next point.

Steadily and impressively, Roddick built on the break, with the only scare coming when, at 5-2., he fell heavily. There were fears of a similar ankle injury to the one which had caused his withdrawal from the pre-Wimbledon event at Queen’s Club, but this was not the occasion for something like that. He shook himself down, carried on, and held serve in the next game with that trusty weapon, a service winner. All square again after two hours 43 minutes.

So to the deciding set, with Federer threatening to strike early as he reached break point for the sixth time in the match, only to be frustrated again as the American pumped down his 20th ace at 138mph. With no tiebreak in the fifth set, this one had to be played out. And so it was, amid mounting excitement and with Federer beginning to show the first signs of uncertainty.

This reached a climax as Federer faced two break points at 8-8, only to serve his way out of trouble and as the games ascended into double figures for each man the set became the longest fifth set in Wimbledon’s history.

Federer’s ace count passed the 50 mark and then, finally, it was Roddick who cracked in the 30th game of the set. Three mishits off the frame indicated he was fatigued and when Federer was offered the first Championship point he grabbed it eagerly, leaping into the air with joy as another Roddick mishit sailed long.

Centre Court - Gentlemen’s Singles – Finals

	Andy Roddick USA (6)					7		66		65		6		14
	Roger Federer SUI (2)					5		78		77		3		16

Yamaha India launches racing kits for R15 and FZ16

Yamaha has always tried to raise the bar in the motorcycling arena with innovative and performance oriented products. Following the success of the track-spec YZF-R15 and the street-smart FZ16, they have pushed the envelope further with the launch of race kits for the R15 and the FZ16. The race kits are developed in collaboration with Daytona, Japan and are aimed at giving the customer a feel of race technology. These kits include several juicy bits such as race-tuned ECUs, full exhaust systems, petal discs and a lot more. Available from September 2009, the parts are meant exclusively for racing in closed circuits only. Here’s what the official press release from Yamaha India has to say about this new exciting launch:

“June 26th, 2009: Having revolutionized the biking scene in the country and fulfilling the racing aspirations of Indian bikers with tremendously successful models like YZF-R15 and FZ series, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. now brings another international trend to the Indian market with the launch of all exclusive Racing kit parts by DAYTONA for its customers.
Talking about the all new racing kit parts, Mr. Sanjay Tripathi, Division Head Product Planning & Brand Management, India Yamaha Motor said, “Racing kit parts are developed using valuable experience gained from Moto GP & World Superbike racing and Yamaha wants to provide its customers in India with the same thrill and feeling of racing instinct.  Also with the launch of these kit parts we want to encourage safe racing culture in India. In order to meet Yamaha’s rigorous quality standards, the kit parts are developed by Yamaha Engineering Corporation and Daytona in Japan.  Racing Power up kits along with racing championship , touring, apparel and accessories are an integral parts of our brand image in India , he added “.
The Racing kit parts include race ECU, High lift cams, full exhaust system, special alloy sprockets, adjustable back steps and braking parts like big diameter petal disc brakes, master cylinder, and stainless steel hose. These parts will be available from September’09 onwards and are exclusively for racing purpose in a closed circuit only”.