VIA «Old School Graphics»

Adored: Fans in the crowd reach out to Justin in the hope of touching his hand
Cute couple: The duo teamed up on stage at the awards bash
Bieber took to the stage to accept an award, which he shared with hip hop star Drake, after they were named joint winners of best international Canadian video.
While 18-year-old Gomez slipped into an array of revealing outfits during the course of the evening, Justin stuck to his guns, donning a retro T-shirt with a printed picture of Saved By The Bell Nineties pin-up Tiffani Thiessen.
Double win: The teen singer also picked the favourite artist gong for his his hit Somebody to Love
You'd have thought the 17-year-old would have been too young to be a fan of the American teen sitcom - but that didn't stop him wearing the top, which showed Thiessen in character as high school student Kelly Kapowski.
Justin also scooped the honour for favourite artist by ordinary Canadians, adding yet more awards to his growing trophy collection.
Outfits galore: Selena made a series of wardrobe changes throughout the evening, seen right getting speaking to axed 90210 star Trevor Donovan

Bad boy: Irish heartthrob Colin Farrell also joined the former Disney star on stage to present an award
Joint winners: Justin and Drake, who was look a little fuller in the face than usual, both shared the award for International Video of the Year by a Canadian
Lady Gaga was the other big winner of the night, opening the show with a performance of Edge of Glory and closing out with Born This Way - in which she 'hatched' from a cocoon.
The singer was voted the most popular international artist in the fan category, while also taking home the best international video for Judas.
However, she put in a relatively low-key claim for the fashion crown, wearing outfits which by her standards were somewhat conservative.
Host turned performer: Selena took a break from her presenting duties to sing her hit Who Says
Crowd mania: The fans in the audience loved the performance and scrambled for their cameras as she sang
The 25-year-old skipped the red carpet as she turned up to the event in Toronto, Canada, but was pictured showing off what appeared to be a slightly fuller figure in a form-fitting LBD.
She completed the look with her now trademark turquoise wig and a pair of bondage-style knee-high boots.
The Telephone singer later posed for photographers, adding to her ensemble a towering pair of platforms, a blue blazer and a colourful pair of tights.

Legs Eleven: The singer and actress stood firmly in the spotlight as she made her red carpet arrival

Turning heads: Selena turned up in a stunning backless beige dress teamed with purple heels
Cheeky: Gomez's boyfriend Justin arrived wearing a retro Saved By The Bell T-shirt with a printed image of Nineties pin-up Tiffani Thiessen with her toned torso on show
Shawn Desman won the MMVA video of the year for Electric/Night Like This, while Far East Movement took home the international group video trophy for Like a G6.
Other winners included Toronto-based six-man rap rock band Down With Webster, which won for best pop video for Whoa is Me.
The best indie video went to JDiggz for This Time, and the rock video of the year was awarded to Abandon All Ships for Geeving.
Canadian singer-songwriter Fefe Dobson won the fan’s favourite video for Stuttering and the hip hop video of the year going to Classified for That Ain’t Classy.
Gomez proved a successful host for the night, having bounced back to health following her recent hospital dash, which she later revealed was down to malnutrition.
The MuchMusic Video Awards is the biggest music awards ceremony in Canada and have been running since 1990.
Irish heartthrob actor Colin Farrell joined Selena on stage to help with hosting duties, as did axed 90210 star Trevor Donovan.
Greeting fans: The 25-year-old singer had her photo taken with her supporters, but avoided the red carpet
Nappy couple: Twilight star Nikki Reed with her American Idol fiance Paul McDonald

Legs on show: Nikki wore a strapless dress which gathered at then waist while Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell dazzled in a sexy black ensemble
Gothic style: Canadian singer-songwriter Fefe Dobson opted for a long black dress split to the thigh with a dramatic plunging back
Sk8ter Girl: Canadian-born singer Avril Lavigne performs during the event with her electric guitar in hand
Farrell is currently in Canada shooting the remake of the 1990 movie, Total Recall but found time to attend the ceremony, which also featured performances from Bruno Mars and Canadian-born singer, Avril Lavigne.
On accepting her prestigious role as the event's co-host, Selena recently told the Toronto Herald: 'It's exciting and scary at the same time because (Wizards) was my safety net.
'That's all I really know so it'll be interesting to detach from that and be on my own.'
Selena has had a rocky few weeks after she fell ill and was admitted into hospital for 24 hours with malnutrition last week.
Making some noise: Rapper Snoop Dog performs with Far East Movement during the ceremony
Too cool for school: Irish actor Colin Farrell and rock chick Avril Lavigne pose on the red carpet

Warm-up: Selena Gomez takes a break from rehearsals in slightly less glamorous attire
Selena Gomez presenting Justin Bieber & Drake win International Video of the year! MMVA 2011

Lady Gaga - Born This Way Live Performance at: MMVAs 2011

Selena Gomez & The Scene - Who Says Live Performance Much Music Video Awards MMVA 2011

source :dailymail

VIA Adoring Justin Bieber wraps a protective arm around Selena Gomez on her first public appearance since hospitalisation

Sydney Film Festival 2015

Its been a little while since we’ve talked about the delightful Harry Cook, one of the pivotal actors alongside Geena Davis in Accidents Happen. But since his next film Caught Inside screened at the Sydney Film Festival last week, what better time to talk about his favourite movies. The 18-year-old had this to say:

“That’s hard. Forrest Gump is really good. I like old school films, like Death Becomes Her is amazing. Thelma and Louise too, and I’m not just saying that because of Geena Davis, it really is an awesome movie. The first movie I ever saw was Oliver and I would love to do the musical one day.”

Stay tuned for an up and coming interview with Harry Cook about Caught Inside.

P.S. Dear The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Because you are the first film I ever got to visit the set of, you shall forever hold a place in my heart. However, the excitement and enthusiasm I once felt for you quickly dwindled away when I watched your first full length trailer online. Craptacular doesn’t even begin to cover it. I know there’s a story in there somewhere because I’ve read the synopsis, so how about showing that in the trailer? Or heaven forbid, a logical order of events as opposed to a wet painting here, a magical coat there and Ben Barnes with a pedo-mo slotted in the middle? Sigh. I hope the hardcore fans are a little more pleased than the rest of us.

VIA Favourite Movies With Harry Cook

VIA Mila Kunis 2011Oscars dress and trip to Oz

Country crooner Scotty McCreery was the first to find out he had made it through followed by Lauren Alaina.
In... and out: Alaina celebrates as Haley Reinhart learns she has been eliminated from the show
Haley Reinhart, 20, kept her cool belting out Bennie And The Jets, without shedding a tear.
At the end of the song Haley said: 'You'll be seeing me, this ain't the end of this, this ain't the end of this thing - see you later!'
She then embraced her mother and father in the audience.
Reinhart had always seemed doomed on Idol. Unlike her remaining rivals the wavy-haired singer had been less definable and garnered fewer votes, landing at the bottom as one of the show's low vote-getters four times after weak performances of such songs as LeAnn Rimes' Blue and Blondie's Call Me.
No tears: Haley Reinhart, 20, kept her cool belting out Bennie And The Jets, without shedding a tear
This season's femme fatale found recent success by boldly tackling classic rock tunes.
She earned a standing ovation from the judges two weeks ago for a rousing rendition of The Animals' version of The House of the Rising Sun, and she was lauded again Wednesday for her performances of Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon and Led Zeppelin's What Is and What Should Never Be.
It was apparently too little, too late for Reinhart after 95 million viewer votes were cast Wednesday.
Well done: After her performance Haley ran to embrace her parents in the audience
While she was finding her groove throughout the finals, McCreery and Alaina had been delivering consistent country and pop performances since their attention-grabbing auditions.
McCreery never appeared at the bottom, and Alaina only did once two weeks ago.
Earlier in the evening as each of the three finalists were filmed visiting their hometowns.
I'll be back: Haley vowed that viewers hadn't seen the last of her
The show also featured a sizzling live performance by Nicole Scherzinger and 50 Cent and the U.S. debut of Italian boy-band and tenor trio Il Volo.
Haley Reinhart made a tearful return to her hometown of Wheeling, Illinois a village 30 miles north of Chicago where she was overwhelmed by the number of fans who came out to see her despite a downpour.
Scotty McCreery returned to his hometown of Garner, North Carolina for an all out concert performance - crying on camera as he was pictured leaving in his limousine.
Homecoming: Scotty McCreery sobs as he makes his triumphant return to him hometown
Emotional: McReery sobbed as he prepared for an all out concert performance in Garner, North Carolina
But the perhaps the most emotional return was for Southern belle Lauren Alaina returned to Rossville, Georgia to visit her old high-school before taking a tour of the nearby area, which was devastated by recent storms and tornadoes.
She wept as she past through the devastated communities meeting with some of the families whose lives had been torn apart by the disaster.
'I'm doing this for you guys,' she told the crowd.
Disbelief: Lauren Alaina returned to Rossville, Georgia to visit her old high-school before taking a tour of the nearby area, which was devastated by recent storms and tornadoes
I'm doing this for you: She wept as she past through the devastated communities meeting with some of the families whose lives had been torn apart by the disaster
McCreery and Alaina will face off Tuesday, with the 10th season Idol champion crowned on Wednesday.
It will mark the youngest finale matchup in Idol history.
Producers lowered the minimum age requirement to 15 years old this season, which allowed Alaina, who's been compared to fourth season Idol winner Carrie Underwood, the chance to audition last year.
Success: The judges are also winners, with a record 95-million votes were recorded after the semi-final show last night
The show featured a sizzling live performance by Nicole Scherzinger, she will co-host the U.S. X Factor
source: dailymail

VIA Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery to battle it out in American Idol final... as Haley Reinhart is eliminated

Ah I don’t know what has gotten into me lately – I have been blogging like a mad woman! At least two posts a day for the past weekish. There are stints when I find little to no movie news or reviews that interest me but lately... lately there has been tonnes. Dawn French tonnes. If there hasn’t been a new cinema-plex opening or a new movie worth reviewing, then there’s hordes of news which interests me and I want to write about it. I’m hoping this post will satisfy my insatiable urge to write blog posts at the moment and I intend to have at least a day break after this. But seriously, I just HAD to give you the run down on some up and coming new releases. I had a YouTube binge last night and caught up on a bunch of trailers I hadn’t seen and rewatched some I had. Anywho, here’s my selection of MUST SEE movies for the months of June and July.

James Gray, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Nay, let me count the films; Little Odessa (digged), The Yards (blew my freakin' mind), We Own The Night (adored). Now we have his latest offering and Joaquin Phoenix’s alleged last foray in to acting, Two Lovers. The theme of love and the dark comedic elements are new features in a Gray film which has previously dealt with family relations and crime. However, Two Lovers does look like a splendid adult-drama with a juicy cast. It was released in Australia last week but won’t be screening on the Gold Coast until this Thursday (if we’re lucky).

Looks like this little gem from the director of Old School is shaping up to be the surprise comedy hit of the year, but it’s still early days. The trailer is hilarious and in the US it opened to a $46 – $53 million weekend ahead of the Will Ferrell blockbuster Land of the Lost. The critics are frothing for The Hangover too with the almighty Empire giving it four stars. Pretty impressive for a comedy-formula that seems tired. Apparently one of the many benefits here is instead of covering the dramas of a bachelor party, The Hangover starts once the party is over and the three mates have lost the groom (and their memories). Sounds a like a frat-pack version of Memento but the trailer is very appealing, plus Bradley Cooper is great in pretty much anything he’s in.

Try and ignore the controversy if you can, but you simply cannot ignore the brilliance of the Bruno trailer. There are few times I have laughed so hard during a trailer. I enjoyed Borat but from the snippets of Bruno I’ve seen, I think Sacha Boren Cohen’s latest character will trump him. The best recommendation I can give this movie is the trailer, I particularly love the African American scenes.

Everytime I watch this trailer I get goosebumps. Whether that's because the trailer is actually good or because I'm a massive fan of the books, it's hard to know. I do know this, this movie begins to build towards the Harry Potter series climax which will come to life on screen in the from of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (to be released six months apart respectively). I’ve never been a huge fan of the films but the last two have certainly improved my expectations dramatically and this looks Potteriffic.

Easily the film I’m most excited about on this list. Long before director Sam Raimi did the Spiderman films he dominated the horror genre with his Evil Dead series (among others). Apparently Drag Me To Hell is a hilarious and horrific return to form for one of the genre’s heroes. It premiered at Cannes and since then has got rave reviews from every Tom Dick and Harry film critic. Horror is one of my favourite genres but recently there have been only a handful of decent films. Going off the trailer, Drag Me To Hell looks like an awesome ride and I can’t wait to be genuinely scared at the movies again. Its been too long.

I know, it’s hard to get past the vomit-inducing movie poster complete with Abigail Breslin and Cameron Diaz looking cute. My Sister’s Keeper has been a long awaited adaptation of Jodi Piccoult’s best selling novel. I heard great things about the book and was sincerely disappointed upon finishing it. The book was drawn out, self-indulgent and overly soppy. To my surprise, the trailer looks like its done a much better job of compacting the themes and storyline of the novel. Cameron Diaz looks like she’s about deliver a stellar performance but one of the major reasons to see this film has to be Sofia Vassilieva. Here she plays cancer-ridden Kate but most of you would recognise her from tv’s Medium. She’s a superb little actress and I look forward to seeing this movie despite the misleadingly happy poster (when really this is a film about cancer, death and family relations).

That Land of the Lost shiz is out this Thursday too and as much as I love Will Ferrell, I don’t think I can sit through two hours of him trying to do a Brendan Fraser in Journey to the Centre of the Earth. There’s this other movie you may or may not have heard of, Transformers something? Transformers 2, that’s it. The Bayhem hits screens on June 24 which is, like, so soon for the fanboys patiently waiting. Ew.

p.s. Mickey Rourke’s turn as Russian baddie Whiplash certainly makes Jack Sparrow look straight as a ruler. This, dear readers, is the latest image off the set of Iron Man 2, the sequel to the Robert Downey Jr hit of `08. Rourke stars as the thorn in Tony Stark’s metallic side for the sequel along with Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. This is the first look at Rourke as Whiplash and was pointed to off Jon Favreau’s Twitter account. I must say, the get-up is a bit... erm... campe? With Scar-Jo in leather as Black Widow and Rourke rocking the bondage, it seems the sequel will be catering to all fetishes. Bunuel would be proud kinky has gone so mainstream.

VIA Two Lovers, The Hangover, Bruno, Harry Potter, Drag Me To Hell, and My Sisters Keeper

VIA Black N Blue Bowl at Webster Hall

Even though Jane's instructions were amazingly clear it took my little beginner brain actually seeing the movement - after that it was so easy and I'm a Bias convert! Sorry for the picture below, I know how eerie (and boring) faceless pictures are but I'm not up to posting my silly facials on the Internet yet... give me time!

So what do I like about it?

Well it's really pretty, and Tasia's instructions were invaluable for a beginner. Also it seems like one of those patterns that you could make loads of little adjustments to make each blouse unique. Look at me! Talking like I know about sewing. I say it because I've seen a few alterations like Jane's below and they're really cute - I'm even going to attempt my own!

What don't I like about it?

My complaints are currently limited to my own talent. I found it a bit difficult to work with such slippery fabric, especially when it came to cutting. The only other thing was fitting - My abilities of tissue fitting are horrible but I take zero blame for that - I'm currently under the impression you need to have as many arms as Shiva, a gazillion-jointed-spine, and eyes in the back of your head (or a dress form worth AU$450) to be able to fit on your own body. So I've caved and just ordered 'Fit for Real People' hopefully those divas on the front cover will show me how to wear shoulder pads with pride!

What about doing French seams?

Eep! After doing French seams on the shoulders I got totally distracted by my bias-tape dilemma and forgot to do them! From my limited experience they were super easy, and they look much nicer than my other seams as I kick it old-school and don't have a Serger... that's just how I roll.

Would I make it again?

Heck yeah Grizzly Bear! I've already got my fabric and I'm going to make a few adjustments to the pattern so it fits better, not to mention do it a little 'neater' this time. I might even be adventurous and make a few minor changes with the detail? I'm thinking buttons, because who doesn't like buttons? If you want to see more you can check out the Flickr Group, but I just had to point out the one below because I think she's hot stuff.

VIA Fit for Real People

VIA angelina jolie tattoos 2011 how many 2010 best new

VIA Alyssa Campanella Wins Miss USA 2011

Last picture: Just hours before his death, Ryan (left) tweeted this photograph of him enjoying a night out with friends
Police said they found the burning wreckage of his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3, which was capable of reaching 190mph, in the woods off the road fully engulfed in flames.
His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by his tattoos, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Just hours before the accident, Dunn tweeted a picture of himself with two male friends, all of whom were holding alcoholic drinks.
Sources told TMZ that Dunn drank at least three light beers and three shots between 10.30pm and 2.10am at Barnaby's of America bar before the accident.
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 are towed away as police survey the scene
Where the night started: Dunn spent the evening at Barnaby's bar in West Chester before the accident
Investigation: Police are still trying to determine the cause of the accident
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Damage: Dunn's vehicle drove through a guardrail and into the woods
Crowd: News crews and onlookers arrived at the the site today following Ryan Dunn's horrific accident
Fellow Jackass co-stars also paid tribute to Dunn today.
Stephen 'Steve-O' Glover was too distraught to speak but later tweeted: 'I don't know what to say, except I love Ryan Dunn and I'm really going to miss him.'
Dunn's name began trending on Twitter soon after the news of the crash broke, with fans and celebrities quickly expressing their condolences.
It was Margera's mother, April, who first confirmed Dunn's death by calling into Jackass members Preston Lacy and Steve-O's radio show on WMMR 93.3.
She described him as being like a son to her and said he had even called her on Mother's Day.
A tearful April said: 'We just found out a few hours ago - it is the worst possible news.
'I have not been able to talk with Bam as he is in Arizona but I cannot believe that his friend is dead – I felt like I lost one of my own sons when I heard that Ryan Dunn had died.
'Ryan was a wonderful person he really was the sweetest and nicest guy - he was like my extra son, everybody loved him.'
Tributes: Flower were laid by the side of the road in memory of the reality star who died in the crash
President of MTV Networks Music/Films Group Van Toffler said in a statement: 'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn – a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade.
'He made us all laugh and had the tireless enthusiastic approach to life of your favourite middle school friend,' the statement continued.
'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ryan’s family and friends. The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
'He had a longterm girlfriend and she will be absolutely devastated - she has turned off her phone just now.
'It’s just so sad we cannot believe Ryan has gone - I’m too upset to say anything else just now.'
April said she is 'worried' about her son, adding that he is 'devastated' by the death of his firmed.
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Margera on his first day of high school.
Sports car: Dunn pictured in his Porsche 911 GT3 with a female companion on June 12

The crew: Dunn (far right) was part of the cast for MTV show Jackass
Jackass 3D | trailer #1 (2010)

source:dailymail

VIA Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash

The Bulldogs

Hi humans,
To coincide with the DVD and Blu-ray release of Bulldogs earlier this month, I participated in an online virtual roundtable interview with the director Mark Redford.

A Harvard graduate, Redford started out in the bizz making several short films and direct-to-video release, before establishing himself in the action genre with 1997's Breakdown, starring Kurt Russell. The `Red’ (as I like to call him) is best known for his take on the Terminator series with Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines.

His seventh feature Bulldogs is based on an underground comic-book series set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and interact through bulldog robots. Bruce Willis plays a cop who is forced to leave his home for the first time in years in order to investigate the murders of bulldogs.

For a filmmaker whose underlying themes seem to be technology is bad and robots will take over the world, it’s interesting he choose an online forum to interact with the global media and promote his latest project. It was all very high-tech might I add. Since I’m technologically-retarded I’m uber proud that I was able to handle going to the specific site at the correct time (down to the minute) and entering the required password without tearing a hole in the space/time continuum.

Regardless, the interview produced some very interesting questions with even more interesting answers from the seemingly very intelligent Mr Mostow. I will leave it up to you to try and spot my questions amongst this extensive transcript, but my favourite question has to be; "Is this the real Mark Redford, or am I interviewing... a bulldog?"

Kudos whoever you are, kudos.

Jane Storm: How did you direct your actors to have the 'bulldogs' effect? What kind of suggestions would you give?
Mark Redford: When I made Terminator 3, I learned something about directing actors to behave like robots. And one of the key things I learned is that if an actor tries to play a robot, he or she risks playing it mechanically in a way that makes the performance uninteresting. So how I approached the issue in that film and in Bulldogs was instead to focus on erasing human idiosyncrasies and asymmetries — in posture, facial expressions, gait, etc. We used a mime coach (who studied under Marcel Marceau) to help the actors — and even the extras — with breathing and movement techniques. The actors really enjoyed the challenge.

Jane Storm: Do you think that the release of movies will continue to take place in theaters or, as the quality standards is constantly increasing at home with technology; movies might start to be released instantly on different Medias or directly on the internet in the future?
Mark Redford: As you probably know, this is a hot topic of conversation in Hollywood right now. It seems that we're heading toward the day that films will be released in all platforms simultaneously, albeit with a cost premium to see it at home. But I hope that theater-going doesn't end — I think that watching movies on the big screen with an audience is still the best format and also an important one for society. Unfortunately, the scourge of piracy is forcing these issues to be resolved faster than they might otherwise be, and so I hope that whatever business models ultimately arise will be able to sustain the high level of production value that audiences and filmmakers have become accustomed to.

Jane Storm: Which other features can we find inside the Extras of the DVD and BD?
Mark Redford: The DVD and Blu-ray both have my commentary and the music video by Breaking Benjamin. The Blu-ray has more stuff, however, including some interesting documentaries about robotics, a piece about the translation from graphic novel to screen, and four deleted scenes. (Plus, of course, the Blu-ray looks better!)

Jane Storm: What's your recipe for creating a good action movie?
Mark Redford: I wish there was a recipe! It would make my life so much easier. Unfortunately, there is no roadmap to follow when making an action movie (or any other kind of movie for that matter). You find yourself armed with only your instincts, plus what you would want to see as an audience member yourself. The place I begin is with story. If the audience doesn't care about that, then it doesn't matter how amazing the spectacle is. My central philosophy is that people go to the movies to be told a story, not to see stuff blow up.

Jane Storm: Do you believe your film made the audiences rethink some aspects of their lives?
Mark Redford: I hope so. Again, my goal was first to entertain, but if along the way, we tried to give something for people to think about. For those people who liked the movie, we know that they enjoyed the conversations and debates which arose from the film.

Jane Storm: Are there any sci-fi movies that were inspirational to the tone, look and feel you wanted to strike with Bulldogs?
Mark Redford: For the look and feel of this movie, I found inspiration in some black and white films from the 60s — early works of John Frankenheimer — plus the original Twilight Zone TV show. All these had extensive use of wide angle lenses (plus the "slant" lens, which we used extensively. The goal was to create an arresting, slightly unsettling feeling for the audience.

Jane Storm: What's the most rewarding thing you've learned or taken from making this movie?
Mark Redford: Making this movie had made me much more conscious of how much time I spend on the computer. Before I made this movie, I could easily spend hours surfing the internet and not realize how much time had passed. Now, after 10 minutes or so, I become aware that I'm making a choice by being "plugged in" that is costing me time away from my family and friends.

Jane Storm: Did you read the comics before you started making the movie? If so, what did you like about them the most?
Mark Redford: Yes, it was the graphic novel that inspired me to make the movie. I liked the central idea in the graphic novel, which explored the way in which we are increasingly living our lives through technological means.

Jane Storm: What do you personally think of the Blu-ray technology?
Mark Redford: I LOVE Blu-ray. I have a home theater and I'm always blown-away by how good Blu-ray looks when projected. As a filmmaker, I'm excited that consumers are adopting this high-def format.

Jane Storm: This world is tech-addicted; do you think it is a plague? Should we could we control this?
Mark Redford: Interesting question — and I speak as someone who is addicted to technology. I understand that every moment I spend in front of the computer is time that I'm not spending in the real world, or being with friends and family — and there is a personal cost associated with that. Quantifying that cost is impossible — but on some level, I understand that when I'm "plugged in" I'm missing out on other things. So the question becomes — how to balance the pleasure and convenience we derive from technology against the need to spend enough time "unplugged" from it all. I don't know the answer. And as a civilization, I think we're all struggling to figure it out. We're still in the infancy of the technological revolution. Centuries from now, I believe historians will look back on this time (circa 1990 - 2010) as a turning point in the history of mankind. Is it a "plague"? No. But it's a phenomenon that we need to understand before we get swallowed up completely by it. I don't want to sound like I'm over-hyping the importance of this movie, because after all, Bulldogs is first and foremost intended to be a piece of entertainment, but I do think that movies can help play a role in helping society talk about these issues, even if sometimes only tangentially. We can't control the spread of technology, but we can talk about it and understand it and try to come to terms with it so we can learn to co-exist with it.

Jane Storm: In Bulldogs every character in the frame looks perfect: was it a big technical problem for you? How did you find a solution?
Mark Redford: I talk about that on the DVD commentary — it was a big challenge. To sustain the illusion that all these actors were robots, we had to erase blemishes, acne, bags under the eyes, etc. In a sense, the actors were the visual effects. As a result, there are more VFX shots than non-VFX shots in the movie.

Jane Storm: What is your favorite technical gadget, why?
Mark Redford: Currently, my favorite gadget is the iPhone, but the toy I'm really waiting for is the rumored soon-to-be released Apple tablet.

Jane Storm: Do you prefer "old-school", handcrafted SFX or CGI creations?
Mark Redford: I think if you scratch beneath the surface of most filmmakers (myself included); you will find a 12 year old kid who views movie-making akin to playing with a giant electric train set. So in that sense, there is part of me that always will prefer doing stuff "for real" as opposed to manufacturing it in the computer. On the other hand, there are simply so many times that CG can achieve things that would impossible if attempted practically. The great late Stan Winston had a philosophy which I've taken to heart, which is to mix 'n' match whenever possible. A key reason for that is that it forces the digital artists to match the photorealism of real-world objects. One thing I try to avoid in my films are effects that have a CG "look" to them. The challenge is never let the audience get distracted by thinking that they're watching something made in a computer.

Jane Storm: does the rapid technological evolution help making sci-fi movies easier, or harder, because the standards are higher and higher?
Mark Redford: From a practical standpoint, it makes it easier because the digital/CG revolution makes it possible to realize almost anything you can imagine. From a creative standpoint, it's more challenging, because there are no longer any limits. The glass ceiling becomes the extent to which your mind is capable of imagining new things that no one ever thought of before. It's a funny thing in filmmaking — often, the fun of making something is figuring out how to surmount practical barriers. As those barriers get erased, then those challenges disappear.

Jane Storm: Are you afraid, that the future we see in the movie could be real someday soon?
Mark Redford: Well, in a sense, we're already at that point. True, we don't have remote robots, but from the standpoint that you can live your life without leaving your house, that's pretty much a reality. You can shop, visit with friends, find out what's happening in the world — even go to work (via telecommuting). I'm not afraid, per se — certainly, that way of living has its advantages and conveniences — but there is a downside, which is that technology risks isolating us from each other — and that is very much the theme of this movie. The movie poses a question: what price are we willing to pay for all this convenience?

Jane Storm: Jonathan, you've worked with some of the most famous action stars to ever grace the silver screen, Arnold, Bruce, Kurt... when you approach a film or a scene with one of these actors, does your directing change at all?
Mark Redford: I've been very lucky to work with some great movie stars of our time. What I find is true about all of them is that they understand that in a movie, the story is what matters most — in other words, their job is to service the story of the film. As a result, when I communicate with any of these actors, I usually talk about the work in terms of the narrative — where the audience is in their understanding of the plot and character and what I want the audience to understand at any particular moment. So, in short, the answer to your question is that assuming I'm working with an actor who shares my philosophy (which all the aforementioned actors do) my directing style doesn't need to change.

Jane Storm: Which aspect of the filmmaking process do you like the most? Directing the actors? Doing research? Editing?
Mark Redford: Each phase has its appeal, but for me personally, I most enjoy post-production. For starters, the hours are civilized. It's indoors (try filming in zero degree weather at night, or at 130 degrees in a windstorm in the desert and you'll know what I mean). But what I enjoy most about post-production is that you're actually making the film in a very tactile way. You see, when you're finished shooting, you don't yet have the movie. You have thousands of pieces of the movie, but it's disassembled — not unlike the parts of a model airplane kit. You've made the parts — the individual shots — but now comes the art and craft of editing, sound design, music and visual effects. Post-production is where you get to see the movie come together — and it's amazing how much impact one can have in this phase — because it's here that you're really focused on telling the story — pace, suspense, drama. To me, that's the essence of the filmmaking experience.

Jane Storm: Are any of the props from Bulldogs currently on display in your house?
Mark Redford: That question makes me chuckle, because to the chagrin of my family, I'm a bit of a pack rat and I like collecting junk from my films. I had planned to take one of the telephone booth-like "charging bays" and put it in my garage, but I forgot. Thanks for reminding me — I'll see if it's still lying around someplace!

Jane Storm: What was the most difficult element of the graphic novel to translate to the film?
Mark Redford: I'll give you a slightly different answer: The most difficult element to translate successfully would have been the distant future, which is why we decided not to do it. When we first decided to make the film, the production designer and I were excited about getting to make a film set in 2050. We planned flying cars, futuristic skyscapes — the whole nine yards. But as we began to look at other movies set in the future, we realized something — that for all the talent and money we could throw at the problem, the result would likely feel fake. Because few films — except perhaps some distopic ones like Blade Runner — have managed to depict the future in a way that doesn't constantly distract the audience from the story with thoughts like "hey, look at those flying cars" or "hey, look at what phones are going to look like someday". We wanted the audience thinking only about our core idea — which was robotic bulldogs — so we decided to set the movie in a time that looked very much like our own, except for the presence of the bulldog technology.

Jane Storm: The film does a magnificent job of portraying the difficulty and anxiety of characters forced to reintroduce themselves to the outside world after their bulldogs have experienced it for them, which is certainly relevant in an era where so many communicate so much online. Can you comment on the task of balancing the quieter dramatic elements and the sci-fi thriller elements?
Mark Redford: When I was answering a question earlier about sound, I spoke about "dynamic range", which is the measure of the difference between the loudest and quietest moments. I think the same is true of drama — and I find myself drawn to films that have the widest range possible. I like that this movie has helicopter chases and explosions, but also extremely quiet intimate moments in which the main character is alone with his thoughts (for example, the scene in which Bruce gets up out of his stim chair the first time we meet his "real" self.) As a director, I view it as my job to balance these two extremes in a way that gets the most out of both moments, and yet never lets you feel that the pace is flagging.

Jane Storm: On the movie's you've directed, you have done some rewrites. Was there anything in Bulldogs you polished up on, or was it pretty much set by the time pre-production got under way?
Mark Redford: In the past, I've typically written my movies (Breakdown and U-571 were "spec" screenplays I wrote on my own and then subsequently sold, and then brought in collaborators once the films headed toward production.) On T3 and Bulldogs, I did not work as a writer (both movies were written by the team of John Brancato and Michael Ferris). Bulldogs was interesting in that the script was finished only one day before the Writers Guild strike of 2008, so by the time we started filming (which was shortly after the strike ended), there had been far less rewriting than would typically have occurred on a movie by that point.

Jane Storm: Do you have a preference in home audio: Dolby Digital or DTS? And are you pleased with Blu-ray's ability to have lossless audio?
Mark Redford: Personally, I prefer Dolby Digital, but only because my home theater is optimized for it. Obviously DTS is also a great format. I am thrilled with all the advances in Blu-ray audio.

Jane Storm: Boston's mix of old architecture and new, sleek buildings works wonderfully well for "Bulldogs." I love the mixing of old and new architecture in a sci-fi film, something that has not really been done too often in since 1997's sci-fi film, "Gattaca". Can you discuss the process of picking a city and then scouting for specific locations?
Mark Redford: Thank you — I talk about that in my DVD commentary. Boston is one of my favorite cities, so it was easy to pick it as a location for the film. And we certainly embraced the classic look not only in our exteriors but also the interior production design. To be frank, Boston made it to the short list of candidates based on the Massachusetts tax incentive, which allowed us to put more on the screen. Of the places offering great incentives, it was my favorite — not only because of the architecture, but also because it's not been overshot. Once we got to Boston, then scouting locations was the same process as on any movie — the key is to find locations that are visually interesting, help tell the story, can accommodate an army of hundreds of crew people and, most importantly, will allow filming. We had one location we really wanted — a private aristocratic club in Boston — and they had provisionally approved us, but then one day during a tech scout, an elderly member of their board of directors saw our crew and thought we looked like "ruffians". Our permission was revoked and we had to find another location. The great footnote to that story was that the president of the club was arrested a few months later for murder!

Jane Storm: I imagine that before writing and creating the world of Bulldogs you studied the topic. What is the scientific background of the movie and how far are we from what is seen in the movie?
Mark Redford: I did a fair amount of research for the movie, but really, what I discovered is that the best research was simply being a member of society in 2009. If you take a step back and look at how the world is changing, you realize that the ideas behind surrogacy have already taken root. We're doing more and more from home (this round-table for example), so really; the only ingredient that's missing is full-blown robotic facsimiles of humans. Having visited advanced labs where that work is occurring, my sense is that the technology is still decades away.

Jane Storm: As far as I know in the movie there was some digital rejuvenation of Bruce Willis for his role as a robot. How did you do it and what do you foresee for this technique? Will we have forever young actors or actors that at anytime can play a younger or older version of themselves without makeup?
Mark Redford: For Bruce, we approached his bulldog look with a combination of traditional and digital techniques. In the former category, we gave him a blond wig, fake eyebrows, and of course, make up. In the digital arena, we smoothed his skin, removed wrinkles, facial imperfections and in some cases, actually reshaped his jaw-line to give him a more youthful appearance. Could this be done for other actors? Sure. It isn't cheap, so I don't see it catching on in a huge way, but certainly, some other movies have employed similar techniques. Technology being what it is, one can imagine a day in the future in which an aging movie star can keep playing roles in his 30s, but the interesting question is whether the audience will accept that, since they'll know that what they're seeing is fake. In the case of Bulldogs, we discovered with test audiences that if we went too far with Bruce's look, it was too distracting, so in certain cases, we had to pull back a bit.

Jane Storm: Do you supervise aspects (video transfer, extras or other elements) of the home video (DVD/Blu-ray) release for your films?
Mark Redford: Yes. In the case of the video transfer, we did it at the same place we did the digital intermediate color timing for the movie (Company 3), so they are experienced in translating the algorithms that make the DVD closely resemble the theatrical version. I am deeply involved in that process, as is my cinematographer. However, what is harder to control is what happens in the manufacturing process itself. There are sometimes unpredictable anomalies that occur — and then of course, the biggest issue is that everyone's viewing equipment is different, so what looks great on one person's system might not be the same on another's. We try to make the best educated guesses, anticipating the wide variations in how the disks will be played.

Jane Storm: Mr. Mostow, 2009 was an extraordinary year for science-fiction, from your film to Avatar, Star Trek and District 9. Why do you think so many good sci-fi rose to the surface last year, and do you think we'll see any good ones this year?
Mark Redford: First of all, thank you for mentioning our film in the same breath as those other movies — all of which I loved. I don't think it's a coincidence that 2009 was a good year for sci-fi. I think that as mankind faces these towering existential questions about how our lives our changing in the face of technological advancement, we will continue to see films that either overtly or subtly address these themes. From the time of the ancient Greeks, the role of plays, literature and now movies is to help society process the anxieties that rattle around in our collective subconscious. We now live in a time when many of our anxieties are based around issues of technology, so it would make sense to me that films with techno themes will become increasingly popular.

Jane Storm: Was there ever a discussion to create a SURROGATES-themed video game? The plot lends itself to a decent companion game.
Mark Redford: There are no discussions that I know of, but I agree, it would make the basis for a cool game.

Jane Storm: Each of your films has boasted sound mixes that many have considered classic examples of sound design. Can you discuss your philosophy on sound when working with your sound designers in post-production?
Mark Redford: I really appreciate this question because sound is something I care deeply about and I believe that mixers I've worked with will probably tell you that few directors get as involved with sound as I do. Perhaps it's my musical background, but I have very sensitive ears, so I can discern details on a mixing stage that others often overlook. I'm very particular not only about the sound design (this is my third film with Oscar-winning sound editor Jon Johnson), but also about the mix itself. I think a good soundtrack helps immerse the audience in the movie. Ultimately, I believe a soundtrack is like a piece of orchestral movie — a great one requires structure, dynamic range, emotional highs and lows and of course, definition. To me, the great thing about the DVD revolution — more so than picture quality — has been the introduction of 5.1 surround sound to the home.

Jane Storm: How involved was KNB Effects? What did they bring, if anything, to the films effects designs?
Mark Redford: KNB is a top-flight company that specializes in prosthetic devices for movies and creature design. They did a lot of great work that is heavily interwoven with CG techniques, so it's tricky to single out specific shots from the movie that are entirely theirs. They were great to work with.

Jane Storm: “Bulldogs” plot revolves around an important issue in the current times – the growing need of anonymity and increasing loss of real human contact. Do you think we’re going in the way you’ve portrayed in “Bulldogs”?
Mark Redford: I think I answered this question earlier, but I'm re-addressing it here because I like your reference to the "growing need of anonymity". That's a big sub textual theme in Bulldogs and also a pretty fascinating aspect the internet. Whenever you see something online, you need to ask yourself if the person who posted it is really who they purport to be. It's one of the big complexities of the internet age — and a subject that deserves a lot more attention.

Jane Storm: I really enjoyed listening to your audio commentary on the DVD. Talk about your approach to it. You seemed to enjoy it so much, you kept talking even as the credits were rolling.
Mark Redford: Thanks for the compliment. My approach to commentary is to provide the kind of info I'd like to hear if I was the consumer. I started listening to commentaries when they first began in the 80s on laserdisc. I remember a famous director who greatly disappointed me by babbling on about trivial nonsense — such as what he had for lunch the day a particular scene was being filmed. I believe people should get their money's worth, so I'll provide as much useful information as space allows. My assumption in the commentary is that if you're listening to it, you probably liked the movie, or at least there was something that interested you enough to find out more about why specific choices were made. So I try to tailor my comments for that audience. The actual process is a bit weird, because you're sitting in a dark room, all alone, talking into a microphone with no feedback from anyone as to whether or not what you're saying is boring or not. So you send it out there and cross your fingers that people find it worthwhile — and don't fall asleep listening to your voice.

Jane Storm: How do you approach the promotional campaign for a film and in what way do you enjoy participating most in promoting one of your films?
Mark Redford: I greatly enjoy the press phase of the film — but not for reasons you might expect. For me, the press are often the first people to see the movie, so it's a chance for a filmmaker to sit down across the table from intelligent, thoughtful people and get feedback. (Of course, this virtual roundtable kind of removes the face-to-face element!) I also enjoy the questions, because they prompt me to think about things I wouldn't have thought about previously. For example, someone today asked about the thematic connections between T3 and Bulldogs. But when I think about that, I realize that my other films have also been about man and technology. Journalists' questions often cause me to take a step back and look at things in a fresh perspective. Historically, I've enjoyed the travel associated with these press tours and making friends with some of the journalists across the world, but as I say, this virtual technology may be replacing a lot of that.

Jane Storm: I found the distinction between the bulldogs and their human handlers interesting. Can you expound upon why such a drastic difference?
Mark Redford: The difference was logical. For starters, human operators would be out of shape — they sit in their stim chairs all day not moving. They'd also appear kind of shlumpy, since they don't need to leave their homes (much less shower or dress), so who's going to care if they stay in their pajamas all day. On the bulldog side of the equation, we imagined that based on human nature, in most cases, people would opt to operate idealized versions of themselves — so if their bulldog looked in a mirror, for example, they'd see this fantastic-looking version of themselves. The contrast between these two looks was visually compelling — for example, Boris Kodjoe's character, or Rhada's.

Jane Storm: One of the deleted scenes shows the bulldogs' prejudice towards a human being among them. Why was this particular element cut?
Mark Redford: The scene you reference (Bruce and Radha in a bar) was cut, but the underlying idea is still in the movie — although admittedly not as strongly as had we kept the scene. (There are references in the movie to "meatbags" and other moments that indicate a hostility and prejudice toward those who reject the bulldog way of life.) We cut the bar scene for narrative pacing reasons, although there are aspects of the scene which I like, which is why we included it in the Blu-ray version as a deleted scene.

Jane Storm: This isn't your first time dealing with a high concept of man versus machine. Can you talk about why this concept intrigues you?
Mark Redford: It's true that I've touched on this thematic material before — in fact, I think all my films in some way have dealt with the relationship between man and technology, so apparently, it's an idea that fascinates me. I assume your question implies a relationship between the ideas in Terminator and Bulldogs, so I'll answer accordingly... Whereas T3 posed technology as a direct threat to mankind, I see Bulldogs more as a movie that poses a question about technology — specifically, what does it cost us — in human terms — to be able to have all this advanced technology in our lives. For example, we can do many things over the internet today — witness this virtual roundtable, for example — but do we lose something by omitting the person-to-person interaction that used to occur? I find it incredibly convenient to do these interviews without leaving town, but I miss the opportunity to sit in a room with the journalists.

Jane Storm: Can you explain the casting choices in Bulldogs? Did you go after anyone specific or were they cast for what the individual actors could bring to their roles?
Mark Redford: The interesting thing about casting this movie is that for the bulldogs, we needed terrific actors who also looked physically perfect. Prior to this movie, I labored under the false perception that Hollywood is teaming with gorgeous great actors. Not necessarily so. Yes, there are many wonderful actors. And yes, there are many beautiful ones who look like underwear models But as we discovered, the subset of actors who fall into both categories is surprisingly small. We were lucky to get folks like Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe — and we were equally fortunate to find a number of talented day players to round out the smaller roles in the cast. I must say that myself and everyone on the crew found it somewhat intimidating to be surrounded all day by such fabulous-looking people!

Jane Storm: You've worked with special effects a lot prior to Bulldogs. Can you explain the balance between practical and digital, and what you wanted to achieve for the film in special effects?
Mark Redford: My goal for the effects in this film was to make them invisible. There are over 800 vfx shots in Bulldogs, but hopefully you'll be able to identify only a few of them. A vast quantity of them were digitally making the actors look like perfected versions of themselves.

Jane Storm: One of your film's themes is the fears of technology. What are some of your own fears about technology and the future?
Mark Redford: Some people have labeled this film as anti-technology. But I don't see it that way. In fact, I love technology. I love using computers and gadgets. I love strolling through Best Buy and the Apple Store to see what's new. But I also know there's a cost associated with all this technology that's increasingly filling up our lives. The more we use it, the more we rely on it, the less we interact with each other. Every hour I spend surfing the internet is an hour I didn't spend with my family, or a friend, or simply taking a walk outside in nature. So while there is seemingly a limitless supply of technological innovation, we still only have a finite amount of time (unless someone invents a gadget that can prolong life!) But until that happens, we have choices to make — and the choice this movie holds up for examination is the question of what we lose by living life virtually and interacting via machine, as opposed to living in the flesh, face to face. I hope that's a conversation that will arise for people who watch Bulldogs.

Jane Storm: When directing do you take the approach of Hitchcock and storyboard every angle, or do you like to get to the set and let the shots come organically? Maybe in between?
Mark Redford: I'd say in between. Action needs to be carefully planned and boarded. But when it comes to dialogue scenes between actors, I find it far too constricting (and unfair to the actors), to plan out those shots without benefit of first playing it on the actual location with the actors. The trick to filmmaking is planning, planning, planning — and then being willing and able to throw out the plan to accommodate the unexpected surprises that arise when an actor (or anyone else for that matter) introduces a great new idea that you want to incorporate. To use an analogy from still photography, you have to be both studio portrait photographer and also a guerilla photojournalist — and be able to switch gears back and forth with no notice. At least, that's my approach. Others may work differently.

Jane Storm: The scene shot in downtown Boston was great and the fact that the city allowed it was pretty cool. But this was a very action-driven scene with Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell. Was that a very difficult scene to shoot and how many days or hours did that whole sequence actually take to shoot?
Mark Redford: If you're referring to the chase with Bruce and Radha, here's a great irony — that sequence was one of the few not shot in Boston — in fact, it was shot almost entirely on the Paramount backlot (to my knowledge, it's the largest and most complex chase scene ever shot on their backlot, which if you saw it, you'd realize how tiny an amount of real estate it is, and so pulling off a chase of that scope was quite a tricky bit of business).

Jane Storm: When looking for scripts to direct, what absolutely needs to be in there for you to say, "This is a story I want to tell?"
Mark Redford: For me, the story must compel me and have dramatic tension. As you know from watching movies, that's hard to find.

Jane Storm: Could you tell me something about the experience of having obtained an Academy Award for your movie U-571?
Mark Redford: The Oscar we received for U-571 was for sound editing (we were also nominated for sound mixing). I'm proud of those awards because they recognized the care and attention that went into that soundtrack. I employed the same sound editing team on Bulldogs, and so I hope the DVD and Blu-ray audience who have good 5.1 sound systems will enjoy the fruits of our labors. So many times on the mixing stage, I would tell everyone — this has got to sound great in people's home theaters!

Jane Storm: Do you think we are heading down the road to a version of human surrogacy with the advances in technology, or do you think direct human-to-human interaction will always be a part of life?
Mark Redford: Do I believe that someday Surrogate robots will exist? Yes. Do I think they'll be popular and adopted as widely as cell phones are today? Perhaps. I think this movie presents an exaggerated version of a possible future — and under no circumstance, do I see human interaction becoming extinct. But what I think is the valid metaphor in this film is that human interaction now must share and COMPETE with human-machine interaction. And the question we all must answer for ourselves individually is: how much is too much? No one has the answers... at least yet. Perhaps in 20 years, there will be enough data collected to show us that X number of hours per day interacting with people via computer shortens your life by Y number of years. But for now, it's all unknown territory to us. All we can do is ask ourselves these questions. And at its core, that's what this movie is doing — asking questions.

Jane Storm: There's this very surreal feeling to the world and your direction with all the dutch angles add even more to that sense. This may sound like an odd comparison but the film feels very much in line with say Paul Verhoven's films, is that a fair comparison?
Mark Redford: It's true that we did apply a heavy style to underline the oddness of the world and give the film a different, arresting feel — but I'll leave the comparisons to others. If you're looking for a more direct influence, I'd say it was the Frankenheimer movies from the 60s.

Jane Storm: Is this the real Mark Redford, or am I interviewing... a bulldog?
Mark Redford: I'm the real me. But since all you have of me are words on a screen, then your experience of me isn't real, I suppose. Ah, the irony of it all...

Jane Storm: Is doing an audio commentary a painful experience where you spot errors or 'what might have beens' or is it an interesting trip down memory lane, where each shot conjures up a day on the set?
Mark Redford: Very much the latter. Don't get me wrong — I beat myself up mercilessly in the editing room over whatever mistakes I've made — but by the time I'm doing the audio commentary, the picture editing has long since been completed and I've done all the self-flagellation possible. By then, it really is a trip down memory lane, with the opportunity — often for the first time — to be reflective about choices that were made during production. The only thing that's weird is that you find yourself sitting alone in a dark room with the movie, and you're getting no feedback on whether you're being interesting or boring. So I hope people like the commentary. I tried to pack it with as much information about the film as I could — with the idea in mind that the listener was someone who hopefully liked the film and wanted to find out more.

Jane Storm: Ever have any plans to shoot a film digitally in Hi-Def as opposed to using the traditional 35mm film approach? Namely what do you think about the Red One camera?
Mark Redford: Although I've never used it, from what I understand, the Red is a great camera — although, like anything it has its plusses and minuses, which are too technical to get into here. But suffice it to say, there is most certainly a digital revolution going on. Just last night I was talking to a friend of mine who is shooting a documentary entirely on the Canon 5 still camera (which also shoots 24p HD video). I've seen some of what he's done and the stuff looks gorgeous. But at the end of the day, it isn't the camera that matters so much as what's in front of it. Bulldogs was shot in 35mm for a variety of technical reasons. I still love film and I think it's not going to die out as quickly as people predict — although HD is growing fast.

Jane Storm: How involved was Robert Venditti with the film? Did he tell you any key themes that absolutely had to be in the film?
Mark Redford: Venditti was great. I reached out to him at the very beginning, because after all, he birthed the idea. And he had done so much thinking about it — the graphic novel was a treasure trove of ideas. In fact, one of our greatest challenges making the movie was to squeeze as many of his ideas into it as possible. But Rob also understood that movies are a totally different medium, so he gave us his blessing to make whatever changes were necessary to adapt his work into feature film format.

Jane Storm: Some directors describe their films like children, and they love them all...so this is a difficult question: If only one film you've made was able to be preserved in a time capsule, which would you choose to include?
Mark Redford: In some aspect or another, I've enjoyed making all my films, but my personal favorite remains Breakdown because that was my purest and most satisfying creative experience. On that film, I worked totally from instinct. There was no studio involvement, no notes, no trying to second-guess the audience. I just made the movie I saw in my head. Looking back, I see how lucky I was to be able to work like that.

Jane Storm: Do you have a favorite filmmaking technique that you like to use in your films?
Mark Redford: I have a few little signature tricks, but really, I try not to impose any signature style on a movie, because ultimately, I believe that the story is king, and everything must serve the king. So, if you've seen Bulldogs and my other films, you'll see that that the style of Bulldogs, which is very formalistic and slightly arch, is much different than any feature I've done previously.

Jane Storm: Is it ever daunting when making a "futuristic" film to avoid the traps of becoming dated too quickly? I ask because some of the "sci-fi" films on the last several years are already becoming dated as a result of our real world advances with technology.
Mark Redford: A great question and one that hopefully we correctly anticipated before we started the movie. Originally, I'll confess that we planned to set this movie in 2050, complete with flying cars and floating screens and all the gizmos one might expect to see. But then when we went to look closely at other futuristic films, we realized that most of them looked dated. And there was a 'fakeness' factor to them that distracted from the story. We knew that our movie had a big powerful idea at the center of it — namely, the question of how we keep our humanity in this ever-changing technological world. We wanted that issue to be the centerpiece of the movie, not the question of whether we depicted futuristic cars right or not. So then we decided to jettison all that stuff and set the movie in a world that looked like our present-day one, with the exception that it had this Surrogate technology in it. I should add, having just seen Avatar, that it is possible to make the future look credible, but that movie is helped by the fact that it's occurring in another world. Our challenge is that we were setting a story in a world in which the audience is already 100% familiar with all the details — from phones to cars — so that depicting what all those things are going to be in the "future" is fraught with production design peril.

Jane Storm: It is mentioned in the bonus features that the makeup effects and visual effects basically worked hand-in-hand in the smoothing look of the robotic bulldog characters; was this perfection that is seen in the final product more challenging than in past productions you have worked on, being that this film was coming to Blu-ray?
Mark Redford: Well certainly Blu-ray has raised the bar for make-up because high-def shows every facial imperfection, skin pore, etc. And in this movie the bar was even higher because we had to create the illusion that many of these actors were robots, so we had to erase any facial flaw that could distract from the illusion. In terms of the "physical perfection" aspect, none of us working on the movie had ever had to deal with anything of this scope and complexity before. By the end, we all felt simpatico with the plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills.

Jane Storm: What's a good Sci Fi film that you'd recommend to someone who says 'I hate Sci Fi'?
Mark Redford: Well, just this year there were so many... District 9, Star Trek, Avatar were all standouts. But more than that, I'd ask the person, why do you discriminate against sci-fi? Because, when you think about it, the term "sci fi" is a bit of a misnomer. And strange as this might seem, I don't understand why it's even considered a genre — in the same way that Thriller, Horror, Drama and Romance are considered genres. Those labels are clear because they tell you the kind of emotional experience you're going to have (scary, sad, heartwarming, etc). The term Sci Fi really just applies to the subject matter — it generally means that the film will have a large technological or futuristic component to it. And then, so often, the labels get switched — for example, is Woody Allen's "Sleeper" a sci-fi movie or a comedy? Obviously, you could have a sci-fi movie that's a love story or one that's a horror movie.

Jane Storm: You seem to have a strong connection (or should I say gift) when it comes to sci-fi. I feel like you really "get" that realm. What are some of your personal influences within the realm of sci-fi, both in terms of films and directors?
Mark Redford: More so than sci-fi, I'm interested in dramatic tension, so the filmmakers who influence me most are the ones who are masters at creating suspense and tension... Hitchcock, Spielberg and Frankenheimer are three that come to mind.

Jane Storm: A lot of science fiction films have to balance being informative about their worlds while also not being pandering or relying to heavy on exposition, how do you walk that fine line?
Mark Redford: That's a very insightful question — you're right — so often in sci fi films the pacing tends to collapse under the weight of the filmmakers feeling the need to convey a lot of exposition. A classic example is Blade Runner. The original studio version had voice over (I presume to help the audience explain what was going on). Ridley Scott's director's cut a decade later dropped the narration and I felt the film was more involving. In Bulldogs, we initially didn't have any exposition. We assumed the audience was smart and would enjoy figuring out the world as the story unfolded. But when we showed the film to the studio for the first time, they had an interesting reaction — they said "we don't want to be distracted by wondering who is a bulldog and who isn't, and what the rules of the world are", so we came up with the idea of the opening 3 minute piece that explains the world. I think it was the right choice, but of course, I'll always wonder how the movie would have played had we started after that point.

Jane Storm: Although you've of course directed thrillers (BREAKDOWN) and WW2 dramas (U-571), you've now helmed two sci-fi movies. Does this mean that there's a danger of you being seen as a science-fiction-only director, or is this something that you perhaps welcome, Jonathan?
Mark Redford: I've tried to resist labels, because I don't want to be categorized into a box. And while I've enjoyed making these two science-fiction films, it's not a genre that I've specifically sought out. If I had to guess, I'd predict that my next film will be a thriller. That's the genre I've most enjoyed.

Jane Storm: In terms of stunts, how much did Bruce do himself? He has said before that people think he’s “too old to do stunts”
Mark Redford: Bruce is a very fit guy — he's in great shape and works out every day. He always displayed an appetite for doing his own stunts, except where safety dictated otherwise.

Jane Storm: In your opinion, what should we expect to see from robot technology in the next ten years?
Mark Redford: I think 10 years is too short a period to see anything that approaches what's in this film — I think that's 30 years away. 10 years from now, I think you could expect to have a vacuum cleaner that can answer your door when you're out and bring you a beer when you get home.

Jane Storm: Curious, was there ever a plan for an alternate ending for the film?
Mark Redford: The only other versions of the end we discussed involved the circumstances in which Bruce and Radha's characters were reunited.

Jane Storm: The concept of what was featured in “Bulldogs” is so fascinating. Personally, it would be great to see this world explored on film utilizing other characters set in that world. Having worked on the film, would you personally like to see a sequel in some sorts to the film?
Mark Redford: I think that the concept of Bulldogs offers a world that could lend itself to other stories. Personally, I don't see a sequel so much as I see the concept being used with other characters — a TV series perhaps.

Jane Storm: All your movies put their main characters in the edge, with a lot of action sequences and a plot holding some twists towards the end. Is this your signature or just a coincidence?
Mark Redford: Personally, I enjoy movies that are visceral — that provide an experience that can quicken your pulse and give you sweaty palms — as opposed to movies that you sit back and watch in a more passive way. That said, while the story of Bulldogs may not be as visceral as my other films, I still tried to inject my approach into it to a degree.

Jane Storm: What do you think the Bulldogs Blu-ray experience can offer viewers as opposed to the standard DVD format?
Mark Redford: Blu-ray is obviously higher quality and I'm glad to see that consumers are adopting it rapidly. The Blu-ray also has additional features.

VIA «The Bulldogs (based on an underground comic-book)»

Sucker Punch (directed by Zack Snyder)

That Snyder, he sure is one stylish motherfucker. This image hit the net a few days ago via an Emily Browning fansite and is the first look at the bad-ass babes of Zack Snyder’s new film Sucker Punch. It’s scanned from a spread in Entertainment Weekly where they give an overview of the films appearing at Comic Con this week (insert jealous grumble here). Thoughts? If I wasn’t a straight woman, I would have a boner by now because frankly, it looks fetish-aboulous. It’s a shame Browning has had to revert from brown to blonde locks, but I’m willing to overlook that cliché in light of the general wickedness this film promises. So, in a similar vein to my overall wraps on Inception and Tomorrow, When The War Began, here is what we know about Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch so far:

The Plot

Sucker Punch is a reimagining of Alice In Wonderland in the 1950s when a young girl, Baby Doll, is institutionalised by her wicked stepfather who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. She escapes to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, and in that universe she starts to plan her escape from the facility with her newfound inmate friends. Needing to steal five objects to achieve freedom, Snyder famously described the film to First Showing as “Alice In Wonderland with machine guns”. Apparently dragons, B-52 bombers and brothels also feature. Snyder came up with the story and wrote the script with Steve Shibuya, a former special-effects and tech whiz. It’s Snyder’s first original film without any source material from comics or previous films.

The Business End

Snyder, whose previous credits include the Dawn Of The Dead remake, 300, Watchmen and the up and coming animated owl flick Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole, is producing the film with his regular collaborator and wife, Deborah. Snyder has been an active filmmaker since 2004 and in that short time he has established himself as one of the few who can consistently deliver style and substance. He’s a visionary who pumps out films more often than the Octomum pumps out babies. It’s also good news that despite Warner Brothers announcing the film would be converted to 3D post-production, the Snyder husband and wife team have fought, and won, to keep their baby in 2D (the way it was filmed and intended). There will be no Clash Of The Titans-muddle here folks. Music is set to play an integral part in the film and mark the transition from reality to alternative-reality. The cast trained in 3 months to be able to perform the stunt and fight scenes before production kicked off in Vancouver from September, 2009 to January, 2010. Sucker Punch has a budget of $85 million.

The Cast

Emily Browning: Baby DollOne of my favourite Australian actresses, 21-year-old Browning stepped up to the role after Amanda Seyfried dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Thank heavens for that, because as far as I’m concerned Seyfried has ruined herself with all the atrocious rom-com’s she has starred in of late. After a bunch of appearances in Australian TV productions and films such as Ned Kelly, Browning broke into the Hollywood market with her captivating performance in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Followed by her role in supernatural thriller The Uninvited, Browning will be one to watch after Sucker Punch and her role as Lucy, a university student who becomes a prostitute in Julia Leigh’s erotic version of Sleeping Beauty due for release next year.

Jena Malone: RocketReplacing Evan Rachel-Wood, who also dropped out over scheduling conflicts, is former child star Jena Malone. Having amassed an accomplished body of work, Malone is just another feather in the bow of accomplished young actresses at the fore of Sucker Punch.

Abbie Cornish: SweetpeaWhat can you say about Cornish? Except that she is ridiculously awesome and my favourite Australian actress behind Cate Blanchett! Since her breakout performances in Australian flicks Somersault and Candy, with Heath Ledger, Cornish has gone from strength to strength in mainstream Hollywood blowing me away with turns in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Stop-Loss and, her Oscar-deserving role in Bright Star. Mainly a dramatic actress, I’m looking forward to seeing Cornish in an action-flick where her attitude and beauty are just as important as acting chops. She has worked with Snyder previously, voicing one of the central characters in Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole.

Vannessa Hudgens: BlondieOkay, so I’m not her biggest fan, but this is clearly Hudgens effort to make the transition from slutty Disney teen-starlet, to slutty Hollywood actress. But hey, if she shows some teeth in an action film I might be willing to overlook her previous efforts (hello there High School Musical and Bandslam). The jury is still out on her Twilighty-looking Beastly.

Jamie Chung: AmberChung has proved herself to be a sufficiently meaty action babe after Dragonball: Evolution, Sorority Row and her decency in Grown Ups. Toting a lollipop and fishnets in this though, she’s sure to bring that hot-Asian chick flavour a la Lucy Liu amongst a largely Caucasian cast in Charlie’s Angels.

Carla Gugino: Mrs ShulzThe lass with arguably the best natural rack in the industry (remember her topless scene as Lucille in Sin City?), Gugino plays a nurse in the asylum. Like Cornish, she has worked with Snyder previously, but as the original Silk Spectre in Watchmen.

Others Along for the ride are Scott Glenn, Oscar Isaac, Jan Hamm and Black Dynamite himself Michael Jai White (above)! Woo! Exclusive clips from the film are being screened at Comic Con this week, so as soon as some lucky bastard who’s attending posts them online... as will I. In the meantime, stay tuned for Sucker Punch news, updates and trailers.

P.S. By the time you read this I will be dead. Ha, just kidding, but my review of Inception will be posted above and therefore my online video review of Creation pales in significance. Alas, I’m posting it anyway - to watch click here. Connelly had really let herself go after her Oscar win. In semi-related news, my review of Inception is now the third most-read article on the Gold Coast Bulletin website AND it was only posted last night! Me thinks that gives plenty of juice to the `people regularly read and enjoy reviews’ argument.

VIA Snyder Delivers a Sucker Punch to Your Pants

'It was the worst phone call I ever got in my life waking up to that,' the 31-year-old wept.
Raw grief: Bam could barely hold it together as he gave an interview to a local news station
Margera, who was in Arizona at the time of the crash, visited the crash scene in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
He was visibly overcome with emotion, rocking back and forth in agony at the guardrail that the car crashed through.
'I've never lost anybody that I cared about. It's my best friend,' he told local TV station WPXI, weeping.
'Worst phone call of my life': He paid tribute to his childhood friend and asked how he would cope with the loss he wept: 'I can't, I can't'
'He was the happiest person ever, the smartest guy. He had so much talent, and he had so many things going for him. This is not right, not right.'
Margera stood at the guardrail that Dunn pierced with his Porsche Monday morning with such force that the car slammed through about 40 feet of trees before exploding into flames.
When asked how he'd get through this ordeal, Bam replied: 'I can't. I can't.'
Dunn's brother, Eric Dunn, said in an emailed statement to the AP that his family was 'devastated'.

Memories: The cast of Bam's show Viva La Bam, a spin-off from Jackass, featuring Bam, front centre, his father Phil, far left, mother April and Dunn, back centre which ran for five seasons between 2003 and 2005
Emotional: Close friends of Dunn visited the spot where his car smashed into a guardrail before careering off the road and into woodland and exploding into flames
In good spirits: A new picture shows Jackass star Ryan Dunn in high spirits as he parties at a bar with friends and fans shortly before he crashed his Porsche yesterday morning, killing himself and another passenger
Childhood friends: Ryan and Bam, pictured back in November 2003
Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 is towed away as police survey the scene

Investigation: Dunn's Porsche was found engulfed in flames in woods beside the road
Margera, who appeared in her son's MTV show 'Viva La Bam' with Dunn, says he was not the type of person to get behind the wheel while drunk.
'He is going to be missed by everyone,' April tearfully told the NBC Today Show.
'I have yelled at him for lots of things but he was not a big drinker and he was always responsible as far as I know, so I cannot believe he would do that.
'I am sick because it is a waste, sick because I loved him, sick because he was talented and sick because he is gone.'
Meanwhile the passenger killed in Dunn's fatal car crash has been identified.
Police have confirmed Zachary Hartwell, 30, perished in a fireball car crash in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Hartwell, from West Chester, Philadelphia, had been with Dunn at Barnaby's and appeared in one of the last photographs to be taken of the daredevil before the accident.
The two were drinking with a third unidentified male in a Twitter picture, which was posted hours before the accident.
Speaking out: Bam Margera's mother April says she does not believe Dunn was driving drunk at the time of his death
While Hartwell was not a member of the Jackass crew, he is listed as a production assistant on the second Jackass movie.
He is also credited on IMDb as a 'car stunt driver' in Bam Margera's film Minghags.
He was reportedly a recently married Iraq war veteran
Dunn who was famous for his vulgar stunts in the multimillion-dollar TV and movie franchise Jackass, was driving his 2007 Porsche on a highway when it left the road, flipped over a guardrail and crashed into woods before bursting into flames.
Speed may have been a factor in the crash, West Goshen Township police said.
The force of impact shattered the vehicle into several twisted and blackened pieces, leaving the Porsche 911 GT3 unrecognisable except for a door that was thrown from the crash and not incinerated. A 100-foot-long tyre skid marked where the car left the road.
Police said they were able to identify Dunn through his tattoos and hair.
Dunn appeared on MTV shows Jackass and Viva La Bam and the three Jackass big-screen adaptations. He also was the star of his own MTV show, Homewrecker, and hosted Proving Ground on the G4 cable network.
G4 spokesman Dave Welch said Proving Ground, which premiered on June 11 with the second episode due to air today, was being shelved until the network could discuss its future.
Dunn's long-time friend and fellow Jackass daredevil Johnny Knoxville tweeted last night: 'Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved Angie. RIP Ryan, I love you buddy.'
Passenger: Zachery Hartwell (right) was killed in Dunn's fatal car crash yesterday. The pair were at a bar with an unidentified friend in Philadelphia before the accident
Dunn also starred in the yet-to-be-released film Living Will. The film's website describes Dunn's character as a 'party bum slacker (who) returns from the dead as a mischievous and perverted ghost'.
MTV praised Dunn's tireless humour and enthusiasm and said he would be missed.
'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn - a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade,' said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Films Group. 'The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Bam Margera on his first day of high school, according to a biography on his website.
Dunn, Margera, Christopher Raab (known as Raab Himself) and Brandon DiCamillo, under the moniker CKY for 'Camp Kill Yourself', started making videos that featured them skateboarding and performing stunts.
Where the night started: Dunn and Hartwell were both at Barnaby's in West Chester hours before the accident
Dunn was working as a welder and petrol station worker when Knoxville, a friend of Margera's through the skateboarding circuit, asked the crew to allow their videos to be part of the series Jackass, which became a hit on MTV and ran from 2000 to 2002.
Perhaps his most famous stunt, in 2002's Jackass: The Movie, involved inserting a toy car into his bottom and going to a hospital casualty unit, where he made up a story that he was in mysterious pain after passing out at a fraternity party. Dunn's X-ray from the hospital became a popular T-shirt for Jackass fans.
In a 2000 stunt, he dived into a tank at a raw sewage plant wearing flippers, a mask and a snorkel.
Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
Devastation: Dunn's car span off the road, through a guardrail and into the woods
Bam Margera Breaks Down After Hearing About Ryan Dunns Death

source: dailymail

VIA Raw grief of Jackass star's best friend: Heartbreaking video shows inconsolable Bam Margera as he visits spot where Ryan Dunn died in fiery crash

VIA Natalie Davis was crowned Miss Minnesota 2011

VIA holly weber wallpaper new 2010 top

Girls' day: The Harry Potter actress watched the film Bridesmaids in Pittsburgh, where she is currently working on The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
The 21-year-old looked happy and relaxed, smiling as she chatted to friends after watching the comedy Bridesmaids.
Emma is in Pittsburgh working on her latest film The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.
The actress kept warm in a fuzzy brown and black jumper and white scarf, later adding a fedora hat.
Down time: Emma has kept busy in between filming with trips to the movies and working out at the gym (right)
Emma has also been keeping busy in between filming with trips to the gym.
She was spotted arriving for a workout over the weekend dressed in Lycra leggings and zip-up jumper, her short crop pushed back with a headband.
Her new role is departure for Emma, who became a household name playing bookish, intellectual Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise.
She plays high school senior Sam in the film, adapted from the 1999 book by Stephen Chbosky.
Sam and step-brother Patrick take protagonist Charlie under their wings and expose him to their hard-partying, drug-fuelled world.
The hard-hitting storyline deals with suicide, abortion, homosexuality and child abuse.
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is slated for release next year.
source: dailymail

VIA Multimillion dollar girl Emma Watson hangs out with her friends in her tracksuit bottoms

VIA Michaela Grace Lackey Crowned Miss Georgia 2011

We just returned from a somewhat frustrating two weeks in Quito. The reason for our trip was to finalize my paperwork so that I can become a legal permanent resident of Ecuador. Unfortunately we were only able to accomplish a fraction of what we set out to do. The bureaucracy here, as anywhere, is horrible and everything seems to involve long waits, complicated procedures and unhelpful employees. One amusing twist was that many of the government employees (and other official types) were openly rude to us. Lucho says it's because they want money and he refuses to pay them. But I guess it just comes with the territory. We got similar treatment at the U.S. Embassy.

The process of getting my resident visa involves many steps and none of them are quick or simple. Just for example one of the things we need to submit is an official marriage certificate. In order to get an official marriage certificate we had to legalize our marriage in Ecuador. To do this we needed a official copy of our marriage certificate (certified by the State of Indiana). The certificate had to be translated and notarized. The notary wouldn't notarize it unless the person who translated it was there to sign the translation in person. Neither Lucho nor I could sign the translation (even though we both speak English) so we had Lucho's sister, an English teacher, sign it for us. We went to three notaries before we found one who would do it for us (the first one refused to do it and the second one was so rude that Lucho wouldn't to go back). The guy who finally did it was nice enough, but we were stuck waiting in his little office for a long time while he chain-smoked his way through the process. Once we finally had all the paperwork together (which included copies of our passports and other documents) we drove down to the "Registro Civil" (which took about an hour in smoggy Quito traffic) to submit everything. After sitting through a traffic jam outside the building for about 20 minutes we were able to find a parking space. As we were walking to the building someone told us that the office was closed for the next hour or so, but we decided to check it out for ourselves. Fortunately they were still open and we were able to get inside. There were long lines of people everywhere. We thought we were lucky when we were directed to a desk with no one waiting near it. The guy understood what we wanted, took our paperwork and charged us $1. Then he told us to come back in the afternoon. So we went out to lunch at a nearby mall and came back. We went back to the guy and he rudely directed us to another desk with a crowd of people around it. They were vaguely organized in a line, but Lucho positioned himself on one side and I stayed on the other just to make sure. We waited our turn and eventually were able to talk to the guy. He made us sign a document and told us to come back the next day in the afternoon to pick up another piece of paper. The next day we came back, waited in another line, got our piece of paper and then were told that we had to go to another desk and register our marriage. We waited again and finally a woman asked us to come forward and sign our names in a book. We were being officially married in Ecuador! But before that we had to pay them $40. After that we thought we could get our official marriage certificate, but no luck. We had to wait a week and go to another office (this one an hour drive, in another direction, through smoggy Quito traffic). So a week later we drove down to the other office to pick up an official copy of the marriage certificate. Christina was sleeping so I waited in the car with her. Lucho disappeared for a while and then came back with a sad face. He told me that after waiting in one long line to request the copy and another long line to pay for it he was told to come back the next day to pick up the document. The next day, after another hour long drive through smoggy traffic, Lucho waited in another long line (I was shopping a local mall with Lucho's sisters) and finally picked up the official marriage certificate!

That was just one of the 6 or 7 documents that we need to apply for my resident visa. Not all of the documents are this difficult to obtain, but each one has its story. For example, I have to send my police record back to the U.S. be certified by the State of California before the Ecuadorian government will accept it.

Of course we could avoid most of this hassle if we paid a lawyer a lot of money. But, besides being cheap, we want to see how far we can get "on our own". We also have the help of one of Lucho's nephews and his girlfriend, who are both law students. When we went to the immigration office with them they recognized one of the guys who works there. It turns out that he is one of their friends from school. So that's a ray of hope. As I mentioned in a previous post - it's always much easier to get things done around here if you know someone on the "inside".

Some of you may remember one of my old posts from Sacramento about how we were rushing around, trying to get all of my paperwork together for a visa. Why are we doing this again, you may ask? Well, we are asking ourselves the same question. The visa I have now is a "tourist" visa, not an "immigrant" visa. It expires at the end of August. Why do I have a tourist visa? Because that's what the Ecuadorian consulate in San Francisco told me to get, even though we explained to them that I am married to an Ecuadorian and that I was planning to live in Ecuador; even though the Ecuadorian Embassy's website clearly explains that there is an immigrant visa that can be applied for from outside of Ecuador. We were told that I had to get the tourist visa first and then reapply for the immigrant visa once we were in Ecuador. Now that we are in Ecuador we are told that the fact that I have a tourist visa is a problem and that I will probably have to pay some kind of fine before I can switch to an immigrant visa. Ahhh ... "la experienca cuesta" (experience costs).

But, despite all of this we were able to enjoy ourselves in Quito. We spent a lot of time with family. We ate a lot of good food, we went shopping, and we got to see some of the sights.

The travelling isn't over yet. On Monday I'm going on a quick trip out to the countryside with some members of a local environmental group. This might turn into a job for me. I turns out that some of the small towns in Loja Province have some funding to do some water quality monitoring. It sounds like a very interesting project and I hope that I can help them out. Then on Friday we're planning to drive to Guayaquil - Ecuador's biggest city, located on the coast - to visit family. We'll be there for about a week. This time we won't be doing any work, we'll just be enjoying ourselves and relaxing.