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MADMAN FILMS RACK UP NOMINATIONS FOR THE 84TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Madman films rack up nominations for the 84th ACADEMY AWARDS  

MELBOURNE – Friday, 11 January 2013: The nominees for the 84th Academy Awards have been announced and include some prestigious nominations for Madman products.

A ROYAL AFFAIR is an epic tale of a passionate and forbidden romance that changed an entire nation. Nominated for ‘Best Foreign Language Film’, A ROYAL AFFAIR was also the highest grossing Danish film ever in Australian cinemas.

A Royal Affair has already won its fair share of awards, including Silver Bear for Best Actor, Mikkel Boe Folsgaard (King Christian) and Silver Bear for Best Screenplay – Berlin International Film Festival, 201. It has also been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard and Alicia Vikander, A ROYAL AFFAIR is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.

Nominated for ‘Best Documentary’, SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is an unforgettable music mystery from the Academy Award-winning producer of MAN ON WIRE. SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is a film about the resonating power of music that has spent 15 weeks in the top 20 at the Australian box office, and is currently still in cinemas.

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is released on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital March 13, 2013.

Other nominees include recent Madman acquisitions THE GATEKEEPERS, an insider view of Israel’s domestic secret service agency, nominated for ‘Best Documentary’, as well as a ‘Best Song’ nomination for  ‘Before my Time’ in CHASING ICE, a revolutionary documentary about the impact of climate change.

The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles, on Sunday, Feb 24, 2013.

 
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THQ ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF NEW DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT OFFERINGS FOR WWE® ’13

WWE Superstars Antonio Cesaro™, Damien Sandow™, Jimmy Uso® and Jey Uso®, WWE Diva Layla® and

WWE Legends Brian Pillman and Chainsaw Charlie Set To Join Largest Roster in Flagship Franchise History 

10th January, 2013 THQ Inc. today announced availability of new downloadable content for WWE® ’13, the most recent addition to the WWE flagship videogame franchise.  Available now in Australia and New Zealand, the downloadable content offering via Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system includes the following:

You’re Welcome in Five Languages Pack – Contents and Suggested Pricing

  • Playable      WWE Superstars: Antonio Cesaro™, Damien Sandow™, Jimmy Uso® and Jey Uso®
  • Playable      WWE Diva: Layla®
  • Playable      WWE Legends: Brian Pillman and Chainsaw Charlie
  • Moves      Pack: 20 new moves, including the Lionsault (made popular by Chris      Jericho®) and the Kimura Lock (made popular by Brock Lesnar®)
    • WWE       Diva Layla will be available free of charge
    • Each       WWE Superstar and Legend will be available for a suggested purchase cost       of 80 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360 or $1.30 via PlayStation Network
    • The       Moves Pack will be available for a suggested purchase cost of 160       Microsoft Points for Xbox 360 or $2.45 via PlayStation Network

The You’re Welcome in Five Languages Pack is also available to consumers through the WWE ’13 Fan Axxess Program.  For a one-time purchase cost of 1600 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360 for $23.95 USD via PlayStation Network, a savings of more than 10 percent versus individual content purchases, consumers will receive the following items:

  • Fan      Axxess Program Exclusive: Legendary WWE Superstars Diamond Dallas Page and      Goldust
  • “Attitude      Era” Superstars Pack
    • Playable       “Attitude Era” Superstars: Rikishi, Scotty 2 Hotty, Grand Master Sexay,       Gangrel and Val Venis
    • Accelerator:       enables players to unlock all in-game items, as well as customize       individual WWE Superstar attributes
  • WWE      Superstars Pack
    • Playable       WWE Superstars: Ryback™, Tensai™, Drew McIntyre™ and Yoshi Tatsu®
    • Playable       WWE Divas: AJ Lee™ and Natalya™
    • Undertaker®       “Ministry of Darkness” alternate attire
    • Championship       Title Pack: 10 new championships from WWE, WCW®, ECW® and AWA®
  • You’re      Welcome in Five Languages Pack (as outlined above)

WWE ’13 is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and the Wii™ system from Nintendo.  For more information, please visit wwe.thq.com, facebook.com/WWEgames and twitter.com/WWEgames.

About WWE ’13

Offering the most authentic, extensive and fervent experience to date, WWE ’13 transforms gameplay through WWE Live™, a brand new audio and presentation system designed to produce the most authentic and vibrant commentary, sound effects and crowd participation levels ever heard in a WWE videogame.  In addition, players experience the atmosphere, spectacle and fervor of a WWE live event through attention-grabbing Spectacular Moments, including ring breaks and barricade crashes.

WWE ’13 also debuts a franchise-first single player campaign based on an unparalleled and groundbreaking period in WWE history: the “Attitude Era.”  Set during a time of grandiose personalities and colossal revolution, players focus on eight purveyors of attitude during the famed television “Monday Night Wars™,” including WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin®.

 

Predator Technology™ 2.0, driven by new animations, transitions and modified controls, returns to deliver intelligent, fluid and engaging WWE action, resulting in a smoother gameplay experience than its predecessors.  As well, the popular career-style mode, WWE Universe, dynamically introduces matches, alliances, rivalries and unpredictable moments based on player decisions along the path toward becoming a WWE champion.

 

WWE ’13 features the franchise’s industry-defining Creation Suite, enabling players to develop and customize Superstars, entrances, arenas, finishing moves, storylines, highlight reels and more, as well as share and download creations with others from around the world.  Furthermore, they can compete with a vast array of WWE Superstars and “Attitude Era” luminaries from the largest roster in franchise history, including cover Superstar CM Punk®, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena®, D-Generation X®, Undertaker, Mankind®, Brock Lesnar, Sheamus® and Rey Mysterio®.  Along with an extensive downloadable content program packed with additional playable Superstars and “Attitude” Era favorites – including AJ Lee, Ryback, Antonio Cesaro, Damien Sandow and Rikishi – along with moves, championship titles and more, WWE ’13 is poised to live a revolution all its own.

 

For more information on WWE ’13, please visit wwe.thq.com, facebook.com/WWEgames and twitter.com/WWEgames.

 
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ASUS TAICHI to be Available In Australian Stores by January 21

The highly anticipated ASUS TAICHI will be available at selected retail and channel stores in Australia

Sydney, Australia, (11th January 2013) — ASUS has today confirmed the TAICHI (from AUD$1599), an incredible fusion of a tablet and a notebook, will be on shelf at selected retailers and authorised resellers from this month.

The TAICHI 21 with Intel® Core™ i5 processor will be sold through JB HiFi, Harvey Norman, Bing Lee, Dick Smith Electronics, BSR, The Good Guys, Retravision, Radio Rentals, Costco and RT Edwards at an RRP of AU$1599.  The TAICHI 21 Intel® Core i7™ model will be sold through authorised ASUS channel partners with a RRP of AU$1899.

Stock will begin shipping out from the distributor next week, with all retailers expected to be carrying the TAICHI by 21st January 2013.

About TAICHI
Featuring an innovative back-to-back dual-screen design, TAICHI is a milestone for the ASUS design team, offering unparalleled flexibility and new ways to share information. With the latest Intel® Core™ processor and two back-to-back Full HD screens, TAICHI incorporates the most cutting edge technology into a slender profile that tapers to a mere 3mm and weighs just 1.25kg.

Notebook and tablet in one single, stunning design
With a unique dual-display design and stunning black-mirror finish, ASUS TAICHI combines the best features of a multi-touch tablet and a notebook — and switches seamlessly between the two in seconds. Lid open, TAICHI is a powerful Ultrabook™ with a Full HD screen, backlit keyboard and large multi-touch touchpad for capable of handling all your daily computing tasks. Lid closed, TAICHI becomes a lightweight tablet with a Full HD multi-touch screen for easy and intuitive use on the move.

Dual screens for exciting new ways to share information
TAICHI’s back-to-back dual-screens can be used both simultaneously and independently, opening up a world of new ways to share information, entertainment and applications. With the lid open, TAICHI can share a presentation or movie to an audience on both sides, removing the need for a bulky projector or clumsy external display. IPS display technology ensures a brilliant image on both screens, with extremely accurate colour reproduction and 178° wide viewing angle for outstanding clarity. TAICHI also features a stylus for pinpoint precision with productivity and creative apps.

High-end specification with incredible sound
ASUS TAICHI features a powerful Intel® Core™ processor with 4GB memory, Intel® HD 4000 graphics and a choice of blazingly fast 128GB or 256GB SSD storage. Dual-band Wi-Fi with Intel® WiDi and Bluetooth 4.0 offer high-performance wireless connectivity, while two USB 3.0 ports provide full support for the latest high-speed external storage devices and rapid mobile device recharging.

ASUS SonicMaster technology, developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®, delivers astonishing sound quality on TAICHI with all kinds of listening material. TAICHI also features a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with 1080p Full HD video recording and second 720p HD video camera, a noise-suppressing array microphone for crystal-clear video chat in challenging environments and up to 5 hours’ battery life (measured with Wi-Fi web browsing).

SPECIFICATIONS

TAICHI 21 TAICHI 21
– 11.6” Full HD screen
– Intel® Core™ i5-3317U processor
– 4GB RAM
– 128GB SSD
AUD$1,599
– 11.6” Full HD screen
– Intel® Core™ i7-3517U processor
– 4GB RAM
– 256GB SSD
AUD$1,899

Full specifications will be made available at asus.com.au

 
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Buffy stunt co-ordinator releases Behind The Scenes

Who remembers and misses Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Well then, we have some videos for you.

Jeff Pruitt, one of the main Stunt Coordinators for TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer has released some awesome behind the scenes. Apart from Sarah Michelle-Gellar in the videos, Sophia Crawford also plays Buffy’s Stunt Double! Can you guess all the episodes?

 

 
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Crysis 3: 7 Wonders Episode 3 – “Cause and Effect”

Assess. Adapt. Attack in the latest installment of the 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 cinematic video series entitled “Cause and Effect”.

In this episode, Prophet utilizes the deadly combination of his enhanced Nanosuit and his lethal arsenal including the deadly Predator bow to attack opposing CELL soldiers protecting a hidden power station hidden located amongst the remnants of New York City’s once thriving Financial District.

 
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Anarchy Reigns – Out Now in Australia!

Sydney —January 10th, 2013 — SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today launched 2013’s boldest and brashest fighting game, Anarchy Reigns, across Australia. 16-player brawls, microwave rays, capturing flags whilst avoiding supermutants, a 7-foot tall bounty hunter with a naturally-implanted chainsaw on his arm, Cthulhu. The list of awesomeness is, simply, endless.

An addictive, hyperactive fighting title, Anarchy Reigns has been lovingly crafted by the legendary PlatinumGames and features an extensive singleplayer journey into the mad mind of Maximillian Caxton, as well as one of the most heart-pounding multiplayer experiences available. Pick up the Anarchy Reigns Day One Edition to get 2 extra multiplayer modes, as well as unlocking the one and only Bayonetta for both multi and single player modes. This will only be available for a limited time, so if your wish is for a wicked witch, then you’d better hurry!

“We are excited to see the game reaching the Western audience,” said Atsushi Inaba, Executive Director/Producer at PlatinumGames. “Anarchy Reigns is an ambitious project for PlatinumGames, as we wanted to challenge ourselves by creating a new genre, Multiplayer Brawling. You could play the game as a one-on-one fighter, but Anarchy Reigns truly comes alive when multiplayer characters are locked in chaotic battles. We look forward to global anarchy online once everyone gets a hold of the game.”

Anarchy Reigns is available from your local retailer at an SRP of $49.95 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system.

For more information on Anarchy Reigns, please visit http://www.sega.com/ and www.platinumgames.com. For press assets please visit www.sega-press.com. For more news, follow SEGA on Twitter @SEGA or “like” us on Facebook.

 

 
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LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII – FIRST TRAILER & SCREENSHOTS

TRAILER SOUNDTRACK ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD NOW 

Square Enix Ltd., the publishers of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and across PAL territories, have released the first trailer and screenshots for LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII.

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII sees the return of series heroine Lightning, in a world that only has 13 days before total annihilation. These new assets offer a first look at the more action-oriented combat system where the player has direct control of the character, and we also get to see the Luxerion area from the game for the first time.

Watch the new trailer now at: http://youtu.be/cpuuJKiyUGI

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII sees the return of composers Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta and Mitsuto Suzuki, who have all worked on the highly respected soundtrack for the previous title FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. The music used in the trailer from series composer Masashi Hamauzu, entitled “Crimson Blitz”, is available for download on the iTunes Store here: https://itunes.apple.com/album/id585477611

Composer?Masashi Hamauzu

Arrangement?Masashi Hamauzu, Ryo Yamazaki

Violin?Hijiri Kuwano

Vocals?Mina?IMERUAT?

Guitar?Yuya Ebisawa

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII is due for release in 2013.

Other Related Links

Official Homepage:                                           www.lightningreturns.com

Official Facebook® Page:                                 www.facebook.com/FinalFantasy13game

Official FINAL FANTASY YouTube® Page:         www.youtube.com/user/FinalFantasyOfficial

Follow LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII on Twitter®: @SQUARE_ENIX_EU

FINAL FANTASY 25th Anniversary Homepage:   www.ff25th-anniversary.com

 
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Bloody Palace Mode comes to DmC Devil May Cry as a free update!z

Bloody Palace Mode comes to DmC Devil May Cry as a free update! 

Capcom is pleased to confirm that the highly popular Bloody Palace Mode will be making a welcome return in DmC Devil May Cry.  Bloody Palace Mode will be available as a completely free of charge title update shortly after launch for all PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC users.

As in previous instalments of the series, Bloody Palace Mode will be playable on completion of the main game and deliver over 100 levels of demons and enemies, including five brutal bosses. As ever stylish combat will be recognised with gamers having the opportunity to top the global leader boards as Bloody Palace’s number one demon slayer.

Face your fears in 5 days’ time when DmC Devil May Cry launches on 15th January for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with the PC version coming on 25th January.

 
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What’s on at IMAX Melbourne Museum

 

January to May 2013

Oz The Great And Powerful 3D

Oz The Great and Powerful imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character, presented in stunning IMAX 3D. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful wizard but into a better man as well.

Release date: 7 March, 2013

Tickets: $26.50 adult, $22.50 concession, $19.00 child, $78 family (2 adults & 2 children)

 

Flight of the Butterflies 3D

Based on a remarkable true story, this stunning IMAX 3D film immerses audiences in a triumphant journey of perseverance that spans thousands of miles and several generations. Tracking real monarch butterflies to their mysterious Mexican winter haven, audiences will discover a truly spectacular sight – hundreds of millions of real live butterflies in one of the most amazing places on Earth! Flight of the Butterflies 3D follows the epic journey of the iconic monarch butterfly in one of the most incredible migrations on Earth, and the determined scientist, Dr. Fred Urquhart, who spent 40 years trying to discover the mysteries surrounding their journey and secret winter hideaway.

Release date: 28 March, 2013

Tickets: $18.00 adult, $14.50 concession, $13.50 child, $55.00 Family (2 adults & 2 children)

 

Oblivion

Tom Cruise stars in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: Legacy. On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind. Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.

Release date: 11 April, 2013

Tickets: $26.50 adult, $22.50 concession, $19.00 child, $78 family (2 adults & 2 children)

 

Star Trek Into Darkness 3D

Directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Damon Lindelof (Prometheus), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Transformers, Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek) the sequel follows another chapter of the USS Enterprise crew’s exploration into the unknown. Several key sections of the film that feature big action set pieces have been captured with IMAX cameras which have become an integral tool for visionary filmmakers to tell their amazing stories. Exclusively in IMAX, sequences shot with the extremely high-resolution IMAX cameras will expand to fill the entire screen and further immerse the audience in the vast dimension and adventure of this highly-anticipated follow-up.

Release date: 16 May, 2013

Tickets: $26.50 adult, $22.50 concession, $19.00 child, $78 family (2 adults & 2 children)

 

MAX Melbourne Museum, Rathdowne Street, Carlton.  Films screen daily from 10.00am. For session times visit www.imaxmelbourne.com.au or call 03 9663 5454. Discounted undercover parking available, $15 before 5pm, $5 after 5pm. For live daily IMAX Melbourne Museum updates follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

 
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MAXIS DEBUTS INTRO VIDEO FOR SIMCITY

SimCity Debuts Its Latest Video with Sneak Peak at New Great Work

Today Maxis showed off the latest video for SimCity – the introduction video that will kick start players’ experiences as soon as they login into the game. Using all gameplay footage, the video shows off Multi-city play beginning with an expansive aerial view of one of the regions in the game before it dives into city specialization, providing fans with a glimpse into how their cities can look when they specialize in dirty coal power, clean nuclear or wind power, or tourism. The video ends with the first look at the Space Center, one of the Great Works that players can work to create together when the game launches on March 7, 2013 in Australia and March 8, 2013 in New Zealand.