Posted on January 13, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Happy Paddington day! In honor of this week’s release of the Paddington movie, I have some completely adorable little Paddington Bears to give away. Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Paddington in the subject line and tell me your favorite flavor of jam. Don’t forget your address! (US addresses only). I’ll pick winners at random on January 23, 2015. Good luck!
Posted on January 12, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Did you know there was not one major romantic comedy release last year? What happened to all the Jennifers and Jessicas? All the meet-cutes and misunderstandings? All the quippy best friends and quirky roommates? All the cute pajamas and strolls through the farmers’ market and walks on the beach?
If Hollywood won’t provide, it’s time to crowd-source. Kevin Smith is here to help. Yes, Kevin Smith. Come on, you know he’s just a big old softie who believes in love.
It’s the 30 Second Rom Com Movie Challenge from Studio 360.
The meet cute, the first kiss, the misunderstanding, the chase, the wedding — we all know the scenes that make a romantic comedy both predictable and irresistible.
Your challenge: write and shoot a scene that plays with any or all of those tropes, in just 30 seconds or less.
Your judge: Kevin Smith, DIY master and director of Chasing Amy and Clerks. Win Kevin over with your creative twist on the classic genre. We’ll play the winning movie and have you as a guest on the show on Valentine’s Day weekend.
Extra Credit: 30-Second Rom-Com
HOW TO ENTER:
STEP 1: Create your film• Use Vine, Instagram, Super 8, or using any other method to create an original rom-com.
• Your entry must be 30 seconds or less.
STEP 2: Submit your film• Upload your movie to Youtube or Vimeo — and post the link on the Studio 360 contest page.
• Submit as many movies as you’d like.
• By posting your movie, you represent that: you have the right to post it; that it does not infringe on the copyright of any other person; and that, if you are under 18, you have permission from a parent or guardian to do so. (Be sure to follow Youtube and Vimeo’s Terms of Service.)
• Your video will be posted on our website and may be used in other Studio 360 platforms.
The deadline to be considered for our challenge is Sunday, February 1 at 11:59pm ET.Kevin Smith will be back on the show to announce a winner.
Good luck, and if you win, don’t forget to thank me in your acceptance speech!
Posted on December 27, 2014 at 8:00 am
I have a Divergent
Posted on December 7, 2014 at 8:00 am
Cooler than Cannes — you could get a chance to have your movie shown at the White House!
From now through January 20, submissions are open for the second White House Student Film Festival. The theme of this year’s festival is The Impact of Giving Back, and it’s open to U.S. students, grades K-12. So tell a story about paying it forward, about community service, or what making a difference looks like in your eyes and through your lens. It can be a fictional story or a short documentary, so break out the lights, write a script, get the camera ready, and show us your passion for service and giving back. We can’t wait to see what you will make this year! For inspiration, take a look at the official selections from last year’s White House Student Film Festival, when the theme was the power of technology in education. They are on the festival website.
Films can be short – in fact, they must be 3 minutes tops. The official selections will be featured on the White House website, and shared across the world on White House sites and official social media accounts. If selected, you may have a chance to attend the film fest yourself at the White House.
Submission Guidelines:
All films must be shorter than 3 minutes.
All films must be made by students in grades K-12.
No film may use copyrighted material including music, TV shows, or movies.
All films must be uploaded to YouTube
All film submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 20, 2015.
Posted on December 3, 2014 at 12:33 pm
I have a fabulous gift pack of family DVDs to give away! Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with “Holiday” in the subject line and tell me your favorite holiday dessert. Don’t forget your address! (US addresses only). I’ll pick a winner at random on December 12, 2014.
UNDER WRAPS
DISTRIBUTOR: ARC Entertainment
Danny and older sister Eleanor fall into an adventure of a lifetime when Danny accidentally unleashes a centuries old curse involving mummies, phaoroahs and nefarious villains! When their archeologist parents go on an expedition to an ancient Pharoah’s last resting place, Danny sneaks into the tomb and finds a sacred amulet, which he takes home. When he accidentally breaks the amulet, all sorts of chaos follows, starting with his parents turning into mummies! Eleanor and Danny frantically look for clues to solve this nightmare but the police, an evil assistant, and a mysterious visitor from the past are suddenly getting too close for comfort.
ANGELS IN STARDUST
DISTRIBUTOR: ARC Entertainment
Vallie Sue (AJ Michalka), a young teenager with big dreams, lives in a desolate, gritty little town, built on the site of an old drive-in movie theater. The townspeople and her own mother (Alicia Silverstone) barely pay attention to her, but she finds solace from a mystical cowboy and a former enemy. With their help, she finds the courage and strength to reach her potential without losing her heart.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
DISTRIBUTOR: RLJE/Image Entertainment
Internationally renowned piano sensation Ethan Bortnick makes his film debut in ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, an uplifting story of hope and family, featuring inspiring songs written and performed by the young musical star. Ten-year-old Nathan (Bortnick) is devastated when his mom is reported missing while serving on an overseas Army rescue mission. Feeling scared and alone, Nathan runs away from home only to find shelter from the city streets at a local orphanage. There, Nathan’s incredible talent at the piano is discovered, and he becomes the star attraction at a benefit concert to raise money for the orphanage. Inspired by the kindness of the people he met on his journey, Nathan holds on to the belief that his mom will come home and his family will be reunited. This heartwarming story proves that with love, compassion, selflessness and hope, anything is possible.
TRAILER: http://www.us.rljentertainment.com/product/anything-is-possible/be7f4163-4281-e211-97c7-020045490004
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
DISTRIBUTOR: ARC Entertainment
Disillusioned actress Sunny returns to her hometown of Bent Arrow, Texas, to attend her mother’s funeral and provide guardianship for a half sister she never knew, 10-year old Cotton. The dusty old town is struggling to stay alive, but maintains its quaint and quirky charm. It provides solace for an ex-NFL player, Butch, who is coping with a heart-wrenching loss by painting watercolor postcards at a roadside stand. Sunny and Butch bond over their mutual relationship with Cotton, and come up with a plan to help save the town. When tragedy strikes, their plans are derailed, but hope glimmers in the distance.
LOUDER THAN WORDS
DISTRIBUTOR: ARC Entertainment
This inspiring film, based on a true story, finds a couple, John (David Duchovny) and Brenda (Hope Davis) trying to put their life together after the tragic death of their young daughter, Maria (Olivia Steele-Falconer). As they deal with their numbing grief, they discover a way to honor their daughter’s wish for health and well-being for all children. With the help of their community, led by good friend Bruce (Timothy Hutton), they establish a children’s hospital called the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital… a state of the art health facility that brings the whole family into the healing process. Instead of being torn apart by their tragedy, John and Brenda celebrate their very special daughter and help thousands of children and their families.
JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOR
DISTRIBUTOR: ARC Entertainment
Young Justin dreams of following in his grandfather Sir Roland’s footsteps and becoming one of the legendary Knights of Valor. Along his quest, he encounters a slew of quirky characters, including the beautiful Talia and handsome Sir Clorex, who try to teach Justin the skills he needs to become a mighty knight. Justin is put to the test when he is forced to face a power-hungry army of thugs, led by the mighty Sota, but soon learns that true strength comes from the heart. From Antonio Banderas comes this wonderfully animated adventure for the whole family, with an outstanding cast of voice talent that includes Freddie Highmore, Rupert Everett, Alfred Molina and Saoirse Ronan.
