IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — FEBRUARY 4, 2010 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today unveiled one of many additions and improvements in the upcoming first-person melee action adventure Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition™, the enhanced version of one of 2009’s most critically-acclaimed independent releases, coming to Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft on March 30, 2010. The “New Attacks” video [LINK] highlights the lengths to which developer ACE Team has gone to build and improve upon their award-winning game, showing off an assortment of bone-crushing new combat moves.

“Initially, ACE Team had offered to demonstrate the new moves in Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition in person for the Atlus staff,” chuckled a grimacing Aram Jabbari, Manager of Public Relations and Sales for Atlus. “We all thought they were kidding when they talked about cool-sounding moves like the ‘headbutt’ and ‘spin kick.’ After a week in the hospital, I’m happy to say that fans can expect to find those and equally punishing new attacks in Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition, and that the moves deliver the same satisfyingly visceral feel as all the other injury-inducing first-person melee combat Zeno Clash has to offer. In other good news, the doctor says the swelling on my head will go away in about a month or so.”

Additionally, developer ACE Team recently answered frequently asked questions about the origins of Zeno Clash, improvements to be found in the upcoming Ultimate Edition for Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, and more. [LINK]

Visit the official game website, http://www.zenoclash.com, for more information regarding what’s new and improved in Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition. Stay tuned for future reveals leading up to the game’s release, including an as-of-yet-unannounced other new mode exclusive to the Ultimate Edition, new gameplay content, and much more!

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition for Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 is scheduled to release on March 30, 2010.

About Zeno Clash
In the land of Zenozoik, the city of Halstedom is ruled by a powerful clan, one which Ghat has betrayed by committing a terrible sin. Now, Ghat’s brothers and sisters are pursuing him and his companion Deadra through strange and twisted lands, beyond the boundaries of the sane to the ends of the world. What was Ghat’s crime and why did he commit it? The bare-knuckled brawl to reach the truth has just begun.

Key Features
Fascinating world of grotesque beauty–Equal parts breathtakingly beautiful and utterly disturbing, prepare to be swallowed up in a surreal fantasy world powered by the Source engine. Explore lush environments and confront bizarre animal-humanoid foes on your mission of discovery and redemption.

Visceral first person fighting–Combat is up close, personal, and entirely satisfying. Start with a series of punches, kicks, and grabs, follow up with a knee to the enemy’s face, and hit him with a finishing move to send him flying yards away. Learn new moves to mix it up. Guns and melee weapons offer additional power and tactical options.

Ultimate edition additions–The already highly praised gameplay has received an overhaul that includes combat rebalancing, interface enhancements, improved animations, new modes, and new gameplay content.

New cooperative play modes–Enlist a friend to take on enemy waves in Tower Challenge, a special survival mode that offers additional replayability beyond the single-player campaign. Play cooperatively online, or locally via split screen. With leaderboards to rank you against your friends, the challenge never ends!

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

About Atlus U.S.A., Inc.
Located in Irvine, California and founded in 1991, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. is renowned for its proud tradition of publishing exceptional role-playing games with strong niche appeal. The Atlus library of critically acclaimed video games includes Odin Sphere, the Trauma Center series, and the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei series. For more information, visit http://www.atlus.com.

For breaking news, special promotions, insider info, and more, visit http://www.atlus.com/faithful to join the ranks of the Atlus Faithful!
©2007-2009 ACE TEAM SOFTWARE. All rights reserved. ACE Team, the ACE Team logo, Zeno Clash, the Zeno Clash logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ACE Team Software. Licensed to and published by Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

SCRIBBLENAUTS™ SELLS IN MORE THAN ONE MILLION UNITS WORLDWIDE

GROUNDBREAKING VIDEO GAME FOR NINTENDO DS WINNING FANS OF ALL AGES 

SYDNEY, Australia – February 4, 2010 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces that after winning more than 50 awards, Scribblenauts for Nintendo DS™ has reached blockbuster status and sold in more than one million units worldwide. Launched in September 2009, the groundbreaking game, appealing to all skill levels of players, quickly became one of the hottest games of the holiday season.

Created and developed by 5TH Cell, Scribblenauts is an innovative game which allows players to write anything and solve everything. Players can combine countless objects to create wildly original scenarios. 

“We are extremely pleased with the sales of Scribblenauts and credit the game’s innovation and wide appeal in making it a hit with gamers of all skill levels,” said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Scribblenauts is one of our strong original brands, and we look forward to bringing consumers more quality gaming experiences as part of our portfolio game strategy.”

Scribblenauts has won numerous industry awards and acclaim, including “Best Original Game” and “Best Handheld Game” from E3 Game Critics representing 29 top media outlets.  The game was also featured as part of more than a dozen “Best of 2009” video game lists spanning enthusiast to parenting publications highlighting its broad appeal and truly innovative gameplay.

For more information, visit www.scribblenauts.com.

Follow Scribblenauts on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ScribbleMaxwell

Visit Scribblenauts on Facebook

SEGA REVEALS ALIENS VS PREDATOR™ MULTIPLAYER DEMO

Play as a Colonial Marine, Alien and Predator in a multiplayer Deathmatch demo. Hunter. Survivor. Prey. Which will you be?

LONDON AND SAN FRANCISCO (February 3rd, 2010) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. can today reveal that an online multiplayer demo will be released for the upcoming FPS action sci-fi title, Aliens vs Predator. The demo will be released simultaneously on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and STEAM on February 4^th.

The multiplayer demo will allow gamers the chance to play as all three species – the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien – and pitch their skills against each other in Deathmatch mode on Refinery, one of the game’s multiplayer maps.

“The team at Rebellion has created a truly immersive multiplayer experience with three completely different and compelling playable species. We believe that Aliens vs Predator offers gamers a unique alternative to the current FPS multiplayer games on the market, and sets a precedent for the evolution of multiplayer gaming in the genre,” said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director of SEGA Europe.

“Multiplayer was a huge part of our original AVP game back in 1999, and we’ve kept the spirit of that classic experience in creating the multiplayer for our new Aliens vs Predator. With the demo now gamers can get to grips with each of the three iconic species so they can hone their skills and be ready for when the game launches and battle commences,” said Jason Kingsley, CEO and Creative Director of Rebellion.

Aliens vs Predator allows players to take the role of each of the three infamous species; the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien. Each of the three species has its very own distinct story-driven single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species.

Aliens vs Predator also features unique 3-way online multiplayer, giving gamers the chance to pit the three species against each other in the ultimate battle for survival and for the right to be crowned the deadliest species. Aliens vs Predator has seven multiplayer modes in total: Infestation, Survivor, Predator Hunt, Domination, Deathmatch, Species Deathmatch and Mix Species Deathmatch.

Aliens vs Predator is set to be released on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC Games For Windows on February 16^th in America and February 19^th in Europe.

For more information please visit www.sega.com/avp.

SEGA CHALLENGES Wii GAMERS TO ENTER THE TOURNAMENT OF LEGENDS

Become a Legend in Epic Weapon & Magic Duels

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (February 4^th, 2010) –SEGA^® Europe Ltd. and SEGA^® of America, Inc. are excited to announce a new project in partnership with developer High Voltage Software – Tournament of Legends™. Exclusive for Wii™, Tournament of Legends is scheduled for release in May 2010.

Tournament of Legends offers a 3D fighting experience for one or two players, featuring a host of fighters based on legends from world mythology:  the Minotaur, a powerful Gladiator, a mighty Valkyrie and other well known and awe-inspiring characters. Take these fighters to epic battles in fantastic fighting arenas where the combatants wield legendary weapons, launch magical attacks and dodge giant mythological creatures that protect their lairs. Master a range of incredible combat moves; including unleashing a man-eating lion, summoning a deadly rain of arrows and throwing a nest of venomous snakes.

Tournament of Legends strives to offer even the most sophisticated Wii gamer a rich weapon fighting experience. Players will be able to switch weapons and enchantments with other characters, or compete in various Wii Remote™/Nunchuk™ controller challenges which include dodging giant mythological creatures, or restoring health and armour during fights.  The game also features an Interactive Training mode and supports the Classic Controller™.

Tournament of Legends cinematic effects and graphics are fueled by the High Voltage Software Quantum 3 engine, specifically designed and optimized for Wii.  Large 3D mythological fighters move fluidly while all fighting arenas, characters, and magical attacks are polished by advanced real-time lighting, blended animation, cinematic colour curves and more. 

“Tournament of Legends is bringing a unique concept to Wii” said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director at SEGA Europe. “Facing off against these legendary characters is a powerful experience, while dual wielding the Wii Remote and Nunchuck makes arena fighting more intuitive and the face-off with your friends even more competitive!”

“With Tournament of Legends, we want to take Wii weapon-based fighting to a bigger place. Along with a wide selection of blade weapons and animated magic attacks we’ve achieved rich graphical effects and detailed, epic characters with the Quantum 3 engine.  The mythological characters are some of the biggest 3D playable characters on Wii.” said Eric Nofsinger, COO of High Voltage Software.

Tournament of Legends is set to release in May 2010 exclusively for Wii.

For more information and assets, please visit www.sega-press.com

 
About SEGA® Europe Ltd.:

SEGA® Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. SEGA Europe’s web site is located at www.sega.com.

About SEGA® of America, Inc.:

SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home.  The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  SEGA of America’s Web site is located at www.sega.com/us.

Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D Opening Night Experience

Get ready for the ultimate wave riding adventure without even stepping into the water! Be amongst the first to see Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D in style on the world’s third largest screen at the Opening Night Experience. The opening night package includes entry to the movie, an exclusive Quiksilver Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D T-shirt, movie munchies, drink on arrival and a chance to test your wave riding skills on our surf simulator. Starring nine-time world champion surfer, Kelly Slater and his big wave companion, Raimana Van Bastolaer, Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D is the first ever extreme surfing IMAX 3D movie, primarily shot in the Tahitian big wave environment known to watermen around the world as Teahupoo.

Date: 19 February, 2010. 8pm arrival for a 9pm screening

Tickets: $39.00 general admission. MV members $35.00 (must present members card on arrival)

Package includes Quiksilver Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D T-shirt, drink on arrival (beer, wine or soft drink), choc top, popcorn and a chance to ride on the surf simulator.

Alice in Wonderland: An IMAX 3D Experience

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes the epic 3D fantasy adventure Alice in Wonderland: An IMAX 3D Experience, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Johnny Depp stars as the Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska as 19 year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, re-uniting with her childhood friends -the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat and of course the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover.

Release Date: 4 March, 2010

Tickets: $22.50 adults, $18.50 concession, $16.50 child, $68.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)

How to Train Your Dragon: An IMAX 3D Experience

Enter the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons in How to Train Your Dragon: An IMAX 3D Experience. Based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn’t exactly fit in with his tribe’s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup’s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges he and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

Release Date: 25 March, 2010

Tickets: $22.50 adults, $18.50 concession, $16.50 child, $68.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)

Hubble 3D

Experience the gripping story – full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery, and triumph – in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe-inspiring film from the award-winning IMAX Space Team. Through the power of IMAX 3D, Hubble 3D will take you on a journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings, and accompany space-walking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history.

Release Date: May 2010

Tickets: $17.50 Adult, $14.00 Concession, $12.50 Child, $50.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)

IMAX Melbourne Museum, Rathdowne Street, Carlton.  Films screen daily from 10.00am. For session times visit www.imaxmelbourne.com.au or call 03 9663 5454

For further media information, interviews or images, please contact:

Rachel Misitano on 03 8341 7489, 0403 600 736 or rmisitano@museum.vic.gov.au

Media announcements available online http://museumvictoria.com.au/media

For regular news updates join IMAX Melbourne Museum on Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

ProSecure by NETGEAR Brings Enterprise-Class Security to Small Businesses and Telecommuters

ProSecure UTM5 Extends Award-Winning Security Technology to Businesses with Five Users or Less

SYDNEY, Australia — February 4, 2010 —ProSecure®, the specialised network security brand by NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, today unveiled the ProSecure UTM5. The UTM5 is a strongly differentiated gateway security appliance that extends enterprise-class Unified Threat Management (UTM) technology to any small business, home networks for telecommuters, and small branch offices around five users in size. Distributed via NETGEAR’s worldwide channel partner program, the ProSecure UTM5 appliances come with simple subscription options without any per-user licensing.

The UTM5 enables small companies to protect themselves using a wide array of defences including firewall, SSL and IPSec VPN, URL filtering, network antivirus, and antispam, but in a very small, easy-to-use form factor and with a corresponding price point. IT departments can also use the UTM5 to protect the home networks of telecommuters, as these remote employees often share connections with other endpoints that may not be as secure as a corporate laptop.

“Several months ago, we replaced our SonicWALL Internet gateway with the ProSecure UTM appliance,” said Phillip Harvey, CTO for Active Ingredients, a digital marketing company in Larkspur, Calif. “The UTM has kept us malware-free and blocked access to unwanted sites that often pop open from otherwise legitimate sites. The SSL VPN has also enabled our team to quickly access resources across various servers from both our Macs® and PCs. Even with all its security, the UTM5 has not slowed down our large file transfers and allows us the luxury of focusing on our creative work rather than worrying about Internet threats.”

The ProSecure UTM5 is an extension of the award-winning ProSecure UTM10 and UTM25 Unified Threat Management series that has been independently determined to be up to four and a half times more effective at stopping threats than competing security products from SonicWALL, Watchguard and Fortinet. More details on the results and the testing methodology can be found here: http://www.tolly.com/DocDetail.aspx?DocNumber=209131.

The ProSecure UTM5 leverages security technologies from leading security partners Sophos, Mailshell^_TM and Commtouch®, as well as NETGEAR’s patent-pending Stream Scanning technology to deliver comprehensive, best-of-breed security with high performance and ease-of-use at a price point that maps to small business budgets. Those, combined with proven NETGEAR firewall and VPN functionality, form an effective and ideal security solution for small branch offices and micro-sized businesses.

“Small businesses and prosumers have traditionally been under-served with affordable gateway security options to manage the sophisticated attacks on their networks which threaten everyone,” said Ryan Parker, managing director, Australia and New Zealand. “Our easy to use UTM technology, which has been proven to stop more threats than the competition, is now at an acceptable price point for these users.”

Pricing and Availability
With full 24/7 technical support that connects businesses directly with experienced security experts, the ProSecure UTM Series of Security Appliances is changing the face of business security. The ProSecure UTM5 will be available from March in Australia and New Zealand through value-added resellers and partners for an estimated street price starting at approximately AUD$300, with the option of bundling one-year subscriptions for web security, email security, support and maintenance. More information on the UTM product lines can be found at http://prosecure.netgear.com.

About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) designs innovative, branded technology solutions that address the specific networking, storage, and security needs of Small- to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) and home users. The company offers an end-to-end networking product portfolio to enable users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, multimedia content, and applications among multiple computers and other Internet-enabled devices. Products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 27,000 retail locations around the globe, and via more than 37,000 value-added resellers. The company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at http://www.netgear.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/netgear.

©2010 NETGEAR, Inc.  NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo and NETGEAR Stora are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Blu-ray is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disk Alliance. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning NETGEAR’s business and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, reliability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors,” pages 36 through 50, in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal third quarter ended September 27, 2009, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2009. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Virtual to real race dream comes true for one Australian

• 25 year old, Melbourne student, Daniel Holland to represent Australia in Nissan GT Academy International stage
• Trip of a life time to Silverstone, UK, to complete race driver boot camp GT Academy
• Potential to win season-long drive in a full race-spec Nissan 370Z in the European GT4 Cup racing series

MELBOURNE, 6.00pm EST, 3 February 2010 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has announced 25 year old student, Daniel Holland as the Australian winner of Nissan GT Academy 2010. This is the first time an Australian will be represented in the competition which will see him go head-to-head against other finalists across 17 countries.

From the 16 Australian finalists flown in from around the nation today, only Daniel Holland will take his PlayStation®3 (PS3^TM) lounge room racing dream literally to the race track. He will now be participating in the international stage of Nissan GT Academy at Silverstone, UK, undergoing a rigorous training program against other competitors for the chance to become a real world race car driver.

After recording the best results today, the culmination of a series of challenges on Gran Turismo for PS3, Daniel will travel to Silverstone at the end of February 2010, with the chance to live his race car driving dream.

Australia holds promise to be a tough competitor in the next stage.  Daniel Holland consistently recorded top ranking lap times on the international leader board during the online round of the competition, to secure his place in today’s national final.

“I’m stoked! I can’t believe that my passion for Gran Turismo has provided me with this opportunity. The fact that I’m now going Silverstone at the end of this month as the first Australian to take part in Nissan GT Academy, blows my mind.  It’s been a phenomenal day with some worthy challengers, but right now, I just can’t wait to get to the UK to compete internationally!” said Holland.

Daniel will join other finalists from competing countries1 at the world famous Silverstone circuit for the Nissan GT Academy – a five-day, comprehensive race driver ‘boot camp’. Participants will have the chance to develop new driving skills through a series of online and off-line challenges that will include handling of Nissan cars and will also be judged on physical fitness and mental aptitude.

The two finalists that display the talent, fitness, aptitude, drive and determination to succeed in motor sport, will undergo a UK-based intensive driving and racing programme to prepare them to qualify for an international racing license. Finally, the driver with the most potential will compete on an international stage, racing a full season in the European GT4 Cup in a Nissan 370Z prepared by RJN Motorsport in May, 2010.

Daniel follows in the footsteps of Spanish student Lucas Ordoñez, who graduated from his PlayStation 3 console to become a full-time racing driver via Nissan GT Academy.

“GT Academy epitomises the Sony make.believe spirit, the power of turning dreams into reality” said Raoul Bedford, Senior Director Marketing, SCE Australia. “From enjoying Gran Turismo on PlayStation in your living room, to perfecting the ultimate simulator game and aspiring to become a real life race car driver, PlayStation and Nissan have given Daniel Holland the opportunity to fulfil his dream through GT Academy.”

“The team at PlayStation share Daniel Holland’s excitement and anticipation as he heads to the UK. With 2010 being the inaugural year of Australia’s involvement in Nissan GT Academy, we wish him well and will be supporting him all the way.”

MELBOURNE, Wednesday, 3 February 2010: The nominees for the 82^nd Academy Awards have been announced and include some prestigious nods for Madman released products.

THE SECRET OF KELLS, an animated fable about 12 year old Brendan and his dangerous quest through a vividly animated world, has been nominated in the ‘Best Animated Film’ category. The film follows Brendan as he must face his greatest fears on a journey of creativity – to complete the ancient Book of Kells. THE SECRET OF KELLS is released on DVD, March 10^th, 2010.

Nominated for ‘Best Documentary’, THE COVE exposes the devastating plight of the dolphin population of Taiji, Japan – where an annual harvest, shrouded in secrecy, kills thousands of dolphins each year within the confines of an ominous hidden cove in this ordinarily beautiful, historic fishing port. THE COVE generated much critical acclaim throughout its limited release run in cinemas in August 2009, and is available now on DVD.

In cinemas now, the razor-tongued political satire on Anglo-U.S. relations, IN THE LOOP received a nomination in the ‘Writing – Adapted Screenplay’ category. Starring Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini, IN THE LOOP is planned for release on DVD and Blu-Ray in June, 2010.

Recently acquired by Madman and coming to cinemas in 2010, THE MESSENGER has been nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ and ‘Writing – Original Screenplay’ categories. THE MESSENGER stars Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson (in the role that earned him this year’s nomination for best supporting actor) follows the challenges of two U.S. Army officers, recently returned from Iraq, as they are tasked with delivering bad news to the families of fallen soldiers.

The 82^nd Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 7, 2010.

– ENDS –

NOTES TO EDITORS

THE SECRET OF KELLS – Available on DVD, March 10^th, 2010 ($29.95rrp)

Adventure, action and danger await 12 year old Brendan who must conquer the Viking hordes and a Celtic serpent god to complete the legendary Book of Kells.
Brendan must overcome his deepest fears on a secret quest that will take him beyond his home’s walls into the enchanted forest where dangerous and mythical creatures live. Here he meets the fairy Aisling, a mysterious white wolf/girl, who will become his closest companion.

The Secret of Kells has already won a number of international awards including the audience awards at Annecy and the Edinburgh Film Festival – it is also the first animated feature to win Audience Award at Edinburgh.

“Absolutely luscious to behold.” Variety

THE COVE – Available Now ($34.95)

A smash hit with festival audiences worldwide, THE COVE tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of activists, film makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. Their shocking discoveries about an annual harvest of dolphins for training and sale to aqua-parks worldwide were only the tip of the iceberg.

Whilst it has not yet quashed the controversial actions as yet, THE COVE’s uncompromising subject matter was every bit the catalyst the filmmakers had hoped for upon release, with the small town of Taiji forced to bear the brunt of a major wave of bad publicity and public outrage. The film has taken out awards across the world, including: Audience Award, Sundance Film Festival 2009; Audience Award, HotDocs Film Festival 2009; Best Documentary at the State Theatre, Sydney Film Festival 2009; Best Documentary at Satellite venues, Sydney Film Festival 2009.

“…when you’re mopping up your tears after THE COVE, you want this film to make a difference.” Mary Pols, TIME Australia.

IN THE LOOP – In Cinemas Now / Available on DVD & Blu-Ray, June 2010 ($TBC)

The U.S. President and U.K. Prime Minister fancy a war. But not everyone agrees that war is a good thing. Things are about to spin out of control…

Already a critical darling, IN THE LOOP’s biting satire has garnered a landslide of 4-star reviews across the country and has been official selection film festivals in Melbourne. Sydney, Canberra,

New Zealand and Sundance.

4 STARS “…a full-frontal assault on the funny bone… this is comedy with brains and bite.” Leigh Paatsch, DAILY TELEGRAPH.

THE MESSENGER – Coming soon to cinemas in 2010.

In his most powerful performance to date, Ben Foster stars as Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. Partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers, Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. When he finds himself drawn to Olivia (Samantha Morton), to whom he has just delivered the news of her husband’s death, Will’s emotional detachment begins to dissolve and the film reveals itself as a surprising, humorous, moving and very human portrait of grief, friendship and survival.

Featuring tour-de-force performances from Foster, Harrelson and Morton, and a brilliant directorial debut by Oren Moverman, THE MESSENGER brings us into the inner lives of these outwardly steely heroes to reveal their fragility with compassion and dignity.

“Woody’s full-out emotional range here ranks as a career pinnacle” – Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

ABOUT MADMAN ENTERTAINMENT

MADMAN is Australia’s leading independent home entertainment and theatrical distribution and rights management company. Madman proudly showcases the best in collectable and special interest genres including Australian film, world cinema, TV kids’ content and Japanese animation, (anime). Other rights management activities include online distribution, licensing for television as well as VOD, hotel and airline.

Put simply, Madman is mad for entertainment.

Madman is owned by Funtastic Limited, one of Australia’s largest wholesalers of consumer products into retail outlets and an Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) listed company.t

Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 3^rd February 2010.  

For all the kids and big kids….the game based on the highly anticipated movie of the same name, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief,  is released today in Australia on Nintendo DS. 

Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, who is in great danger because of jealousy and fear of his powers and heritage. Players in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief will adventure across America in search of Zeus’ master lightning bolt while assembling their best fighting team to go head-to-head against ruthless enemies. Joining Percy are his friends Annabeth and Grover, and plenty more allies each with his or her own “godly” abilities and battle advantages. Planning which team member to take into battle is key to survival – lots of opportunities exist in the game for different characters’ abilities to interact with one another, and for characters to boost each other’s effectiveness. 

“Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books have been on the New York Times Best Seller list for children’s books for over 120 weeks straight, and the Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief film is one of the most buzzed about for 2010,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “We’re honoured to work on such a hot property, building on the elements that fans love to create a fantastic video game that can be played on the go.”