AAAAAHHH!!! ‘Paranormal Activity 3′ Releases A Second, Scarier Movie Trailer

Thoughts?

Amanda Palmer graphic novel for kids – another book that will scare parents

By Elizabeth Flock for The Washington Post

She’s “slayed” pianos with her punk cabaret, spent time busking as a living statue called “The Eight Foot Bride” and successfully added an expletive as her middle name, and now, Amanda Palmer has written a graphic novel for kids.

“Evelyn Evelyn” (Via Amazon.com)“Evelyn Evelyn,” co-written with fellow musician Jason Webley and illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler, chronicles the life of conjoined twin sisters Eva and Lynn Neville, orphans whose life has been a series of unfortunate events.

If parents were scared of Maurice Sendak’s new book about an pig’s chaotic birthday party, they haven’t seen “Evelyn Evelyn yet.”

The graphic novel is sure to attract children, who will want to follow the twists and turns of the twins ill-starred life much as they did for the “Lemony Snicket” series.

But the subject matter is pretty dark — at one point, the twins lose their best friends, a pair of conjoined twin elephants, on Sept. 11, 2001 — as are the images, especially one recurring bloody chainsaw.

Palmer thinks that shouldn’t stop kids from reading it.

“I do think children's books can still be children's books and incredibly dark and morose. I mean, look at the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales or, um, Neil Gaiman’s stuff,” Palmer told USA Today. (Palmer married graphic novel and comic book icon Gaiman at the beginning of this year.)

“Kids love dark twisted stuff — in fact, I think you could argue that they need it. I would simply advise that parents reading this book to their children not explain some of the more adult in-jokes.”

It is a similar argument to the one Sendak made recently after the release of his “debaucherous” book “Bumble-Ardy.”

He told the New York Times that while children’s books have tried to “keep [kids] calm, keep them happy, keep them snug and safe ... I got out of that, and I was considered outlandish. So be it.”

And reading “Evelyn Evelyn,” parents can cheer the happy ending, in which the twins grow up to find success in a musical duo.

Also called Evelyn Evelyn, the duo just concluded a world tour, with Palmer and Webley playing the parts, and are now home in Walla Walla, Wash., where they celebrated their 26th birthday.

“They stayed at home in Walla Walla, actually. They don’t go out much,” Palmer told USA Today. “Jason and I had an ice cream cake delivered to their house with a special Twix bar crumble topping. They were very pleased.”

“George Harrison: Living in the Material World” documentary a treasure for fans

Posted by Melissa Hayer for NewOK.com

The life of rock icon George Harrison is documented impressively through photos, writings, film footage, music and interviews in the film “George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” directed by Academy Award-winner Martin Scorsese.

The movie will premiere in two parts, beginning from 8 to 9:35 p.m. Oct. 5 and concluding from 8 to 10 p.m. Oct. 6 on HBO.

The best part of the documentary is that a lot of Harrison’s life’s story is told in his own words, as well as through interviews with people including his family, Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, George Martin, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, and former Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Various sides of Harrison’s personality are shown and discussed, with the assorted visual and musical elements woven together, from his start with the Beatles, their break-up, his spiritual journey, his solo musical accomplishments and much more.

In one segment of the documentary, Harrison’s Traveling Wilburys bandmate Petty talks aboutHarrison calling him when their fellow bandmember Roy Orbison passed away.

During their phone conversation, Petty said Harrison told him, “He’ll be OK. He’ll be OK. He’s still around,” he said. “Just listen. He’s still around.”

Thankfully, all you have to do is simply listen to the sublime “Something,” or any of his and/or the Beatles’ music, and George Harrison is still around, too.

– Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com

U.K. SCHOOLS BAN WITCHES’ BLACK HATS FOR PROMOTING…RACISM AMONG CHILDREN?

Thanks to Pagan's World and The Blaze



It seems nothing — from the traditional dress of age-old children’s storybook characters to the very sheet of paper those stories are written on — is above the scrutiny and condemnation of those seeking to push a politically correct agenda and tie even the most seemingly innocent of things to an assault on racial “equality.”


That’s correct, according to diversity and equality “experts,” the Wicked Witch of the West (or at least witches in general), promotes racism among children simply because she dons a black hat. Likewise, the pale, glistening colors typically worn by “fairies” — those ethereal creatures of middle earth so often portrayed in sweetness and light — are merely calculated, cynical wardrobe choices intended to dupe children into believing that all things light, or white, in color are inherently “good.”


Now, to combat that perceived threat, primary school teachers in Britain are allegedly being encouraged by equality advocates to censor fictional children’s characters, eliminating witches’ black pointed hats in favor of white ones, while dressing fairies in dark colors. Proponents of this technique claim the method will eliminate “racism” in children as young as two.


But that’s not all. Even white writing paper has come under fire. The Telegraph reports:


Another staple of the classroom – white paper – has also been questioned by Anne O’Connor, an early years consultant who advises local authorities on equality and diversity.
Children should be provided with paper other than white to draw on and paints and crayons should come in “the full range of flesh tones”, reflecting the diversity of the human race, according to the former teacher.


These rather drastic-sounding measures to ensure racial equality among children are reportedly outlined in a series of guides in “Nursery World” magazine.


Without providing any scientific proof to support the assertion, the guides posit that young children could possess the inclination to express racist views — and that it is therefore the obligation of nursery school teachers to help the children “unlearn” these undesirable traits.


Eerily, the term “unlearn” conjures images of uninstalling software programs on your laptop — or, perhaps more pointedly — the reconditioning sequence made famous in the movie A Clockwork Orange, in which the protagonist’s mind is wiped “clean” of thoughts deemed socially unacceptable, thereby erasing his free will.


One of the alleged goals of the program is to form positive association with dark colors. The Telegraph reports that this “anti-bias” method was developed in the U.S. as part of special interest group’s multiculturalism agenda.


That method, promising to challenge racism, sexism and ageism, has now traveled across the pond, infiltrating at least a portion of the British school system. O‘Connor has reportedly developed material for Lancashire council’s childcare service:


“This is an incredibly complex subject that can easily become simplified and inaccurately portrayed,” she said.
“There is a tendency in education to say ‘here are normal people and here are different people and we have to be kind to those different people’, whether it’s race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or faith.
“People who are feeling defensive can say ‘well there’s nothing wrong with white paper’, but in reality there could be if you don’t see yourself reflected in the things around you. “As an early years teacher, the minute you start thinking, ‘well actually, if I give everyone green paper, what happens’, you have a teaching potential.
“People might criticise this as political correctness gone mad. But it is because of political correctness we have moved on enormously. If you think that we now take it for granted that our buildings and public highways are adapted so people in wheelchairs and with pushchairs can move around. Years ago if you were in a wheelchair, then tough luck. We have completely moved and we wouldn’t have done that without the equality movement.”


Not everyone is in agreement with color-mania, however. Margaret Morrissey, a spokeswoman for the advocacy group Parents Outloud told the Telegraph, “I’m sure these early years experts know their field but they seem to be obsessed about colour and determined to make everyone else obsessed about it too.”


“Not allowing toy witches to wear black seems to me nonsense and in the same vein as those people who have a problem with ‘Bar Bar Black Sheep’ or ‘The Three Little Pigs’. Children just see a sheep in a field, whether it be black, grey, white or beige. I have worked with children for 41 years and I don’t believe I have ever met a two year old who was in any way racist or prejudice.”


Meanwhile, it might be worth pointing out that, at least in Technicolor, the most infamous witch of all was in fact the color green.


The rest of the article can be viewed on The Telegraph.

Entertainment Weekly's 'The Avengers' Gallery!

Oh, yeah!!!  These are the pics from the next issue of Entertainment Weekly.  Just thank me later:-)

Watch American Horror Story's Twisted Opening Sequence!

Perez Hilton and DreadCentral.com

CLICK HERE!!!


Ooooh! spOO-ky!

We've been anticipating Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story for quite some time now, so we just have to share the opening sequence with you!

If you're new to the news of this upcoming series, don't be expecting any cheery sing-a-longs.

Ryan went in a completely different direction with this FX thriller!

And we're LOVING what we're seeing so far!

American Horror Story premieres October 5! Don't turn the lights off!

'The Avengers' dis-assembled! EXCLUSIVE cast portraits revealed

The whole fun of The Avengers is seeing these characters joined together as one fighting force, but for now Marvel Studios has unveiled solo portraits of the six superheroes.


Read more about the May 4, 2012, movie in this week’s issue of EW, on stands tomorrow. But in the meantime, here’s a little online exclusive with the actors discussing their high-powered alter-egos and working with writer-director Joss Whedon (the geek demi-god who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.)

BLACK WIDOW: “The other day we were doing this big reveal shot of all the Avengers. Thor has got his hammer, Cap’s got his shield, Hawkeye has his bow and arrow, and Hulk is huge. Then it pans over to me and I’ve got guns. Iron Man’s like, hovering above all of us, ready to go,” says Scarlett Johansson. “I was like, ‘Joss… um… do I look okay holding these guns?’” Whedon’s response reassured her: “She’s a total badass. She’s a killing machine.”

IRON MAN: What were Robert Downey Jr.’s first meetings like with Whedon when the script was being developed? “Well, I said, ‘I need to be in the opening sequence. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing.’ He was like, ‘Okay, let’s try that.’ We tried it and it didn’t work, because this is a different sort of thing, the story and the idea and the theme is the theme, and everybody is just an arm of the octopus. But what was I like?” He laughs. “As usual, just f—ing aggressive and hurtful; whatever. The usual.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Chris Evans says the Steve Rogers we see in The Avengers is a much darker, more cynical version after awakening for the first time since World War II. “It’s just about him trying to come to terms with the modern world. You’ve got to imagine, it’s enough of a shock to accept the fact that you’re in a completely different time, but everybody you know is dead. Everybody you cared about,” Evans says. “He was a soldier, obviously, everybody he went to battle with, all of his brothers in arms, they’re all dead. He’s just lonely. I think in the beginning it’s a fish out of water scene, and it’s tough. It’s a tough pill for him to swallow. Then comes trying to find a balance with the modern world.”

THE INCREDIBLE HULK:  Mark Ruffalo says his Bruce Banner really wants to join The Avengers, but because of his past and the group’s sort of overall fear of him, he’s the outcast among outcasts. “He’s the most – guy, but a total loose cannon. No one wants to set him off except for Iron Man, except for Downey, who just wants to see him pop,” Ruffalo laughs. “It’s funny, there’s a really cool dynamic between Tony Stark and Banner. Banner actually enjoys it, and finds it really refreshing. They’re a lot alike in a strange way. They’re both these kind of scientists who are mavericks, kind of renegades. Banner, for all his mild-mannered mythology, he’s still the dude who was testing some pretty crazy s–t on himself, so he has that rebel streak in him.”

THOR: Chris Hemsworth says his hammer-pounding god is not just once again fighting Loki, his villainous brother from Asgard, but also secretly trying to protect him. “I think [Thor's] motivation is much more of a personal one, in the sense that it’s his brother that is stirring things up. Whereas everyone else, it’s some bad guy who they’ve gotta take down. It’s a different approach for me, or for Thor. He’s constantly having to battle the greater good and what he should do vs. … it’s his little brother there,” the actor says. “I’ve been frustrated with my brothers at times, or family, but I’m the only one who is allowed to be angry at them. There’s a bit of that.”

HAWKEYE: Like Black Widow, he’s the only regular human in The Avengers, which gives him a working-class-superhero pride. “The only sort of thing I cling to is the relationship of past experiences with Scarlett’s character, with them both being human. I can cling to that,” says Jeremy Renner. But there’s no insecurity. “Quite the opposite,” the actor says. “He’s the only one who can really take down The Hulk with his tranq tip arrows. He knows his limitations. But when it comes down to it, there has to be a sense of confidence in any superhero.”

For more superhero musings, follow Anthony Breznican on Twitter: @Breznican
Image Credits: Michael Muller

WTF!!! Lady GaGa Bathes in Blood For Satan and Sings with Sting?!?

The Superficial

We’re too late. The summoning dance has begun!

I love a good conspiracy theory. Mostly because it helps me systematically remove people from my life dumb enough to believe things like Jenny McCarthy is still right about vaccines causing autism, or Obama is secretly waiting until his second term to steal all your guns and hand them to Osama bin Laden who’s still alive. The stuff of fucking idiots if you will. Anyway, one of the more prevalent conspiracy theories that people seriously believe is the existence of the Illuminati and its secret practice of employing celebrities like Kanye West and Lady GaGa to convert the world to Satanism. Except sometimes these celebrities forget to drain the bathtub full of blood they just waded in per the Dark Lord’s command forcing a maid to report them to Scotland Yard and allowing New World Order-junkie sites like Truthquake.com to get to the bottom of things:

A housekeeper at London’s Intercontinental Hotel reported on Sunday that Lady Gaga, during a previous stay this summer, left large amounts of blood in the bathtub of the fashionable suite the pop princess occupied in July.
She reported the incident to the concierge, Andrea Miller, at the time and was told to put it out of her mind.
The maid’s name is being withheld by Scotland Yard for her protection.
Whether this incident was a Satanic ritual or not is unknown. [Ed. Note: Apparently you can just add that line into news stories now. "Joe Samson ordered his quarter pounder with extra pickles, but whether it was a Satanic ritual or not is unknown."]
It was also noted to our reporter that at the time of the incident Lady Gaga met with leaders of the Scottish Rite Freemasons, which is an organization known to be a link between the Illuminati and members of the British royal family.

Using logic – my first mistake – I’d probably remember that Lady GaGa is constantly covered with fake blood during her stage show, so that basically solves that mystery. But then again, that’s exactly what she wants us to think, so just assume she opened a portal to the demon world allowing Lucifer himself to infiltrate the United Nations using the Royal Cloak of Invisibility. Also, I think this pretty much proves it:

She performed with her band and later with the bisexual musician Sting.

The bisexual musician Sting?! We’re fucked.

Witches Graveyard Discovered in Italy

Ghost Theory

The 800 year old remains of what archaeologists describe as a Witches skeleton was found in a dig of what is likely a Witches graveyard.

The gruesome scene was discovered in Italy’s Tuscany region and caused quite a stir as those at the dig unearthed more and more evidence to support their spooky speculation.

The macabre theory was further supported by the fact that there were 7 nails driven through the corpse’s jawbone. Other graves were quickly discovered to contain examples just as strange with one having 17 dice surrounding the body.

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione of L’Aquila University is convinced that it is in fact a graveyard for suspected Witches because of the fashion in which the women were buried.

I guess these people weren’t fun loving wine makers but torch and pitchfork vigilantes. I wonder what kind of evil powers these Witches had? Was it the power to make better Pizza than the local Pizza place? Did they bath in olive oil?

I am the first to admit that I’m no expert at these olden time witch hunts but I have read some stories and found in many cases it had more to do with politics or infidelity or both than magic powers.

A grisly end: 800-year-old remains of witch discovered in Italian graveyard… with seven nails driven through her jaw

These are the 800 year old remains of what archaeologists believe was a witch from the Middle Ages after seven nails were found driven through her jaw bone.

The grim discovery was made during a dig on what is thought to be a ‘witches graveyard’ after another woman’s skeleton was found surrounded by 17 dice – a game which women were forbidden from playing 800 years ago.

Experts say they believe the women are aged around 25 – 30 years old and were found buried in a simple shallow grave in the ground with no coffin or shroud.

The macabre remains were found during a dig close to the sea at Piombino near Lucca in Italy’s Tuscany region and the woman had seven nails through her jaw as well as another 13 nails surrounding her skeleton.

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione, from L’Aquila University, who is leading the dig, is convinced that the women were suspected witches because of the circumstances in which they were buried.

He said: ‘It’s a very unusual discovery and at the same time fascinating. I have never seen anything like this before. I’m convinced because of the nails found in the jaw and around the skeleton the woman was a witch.

‘She was buried in bare earth, not in a coffin and she had no shroud around her either, intriguingly other nails were hammered around her to pin down her clothes.

‘This indicates to me that it was an attempt to make sure the woman even though she was dead did not rise from the dead and unnerve the locals who were no doubt convinced she was a witch with evil powers.

‘The second skeleton we have found was buried in a similar fashion but this time we found 17 dice around her – 17 is an unlucky number in Italy and also dice was a game that women were forbidden to play.

‘The way the bodies were buried would seem to indicate some form of exorcist ritual and the remains will be examined to see if we can establish a cause of death for them.’

One puzzle that the archaeologists have been unable to explain is why the women if they were evil witches were buried in consecrated ground as the area is the site of an 800 year old church.

He said: ‘The only possible explanation is that perhaps both women came from influential families and were not peasant class and so because of their class and connections were able to secure burial in consecrated Christian ground.

‘The team is trying to find the burial place of the St Cerbonius, a bishop who died more than 1,500 years ago and who is the local patron saint of the area.

Source: The Daily Mail

Have you reserved your copy of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' yet!?!

Kristen Stewart Dons Armor to Shoot Snow White!

PopSugar

Kristen Stewart enjoyed a break on the Welsh set of Snow White and the Huntsman this afternoon. She was decked out in armor for the battle scene, which took place on the foggy Marloes Sands beach. Kristen Stewart's horseback riding skills were in evidence as well, as the day's shoot required that she be in the saddle. She's in the UK working on one of two films being made about Snow White, while Robert Pattinson is back in the US. Rob paid a recent visit to London to see Kristen, but now he's in LA taking meetings and prepping for his next job. The third member of their Twilight trio, Taylor Lautner, is a little nearer to Kristen. Taylor's currently touring Europe to promote his thriller Abduction. It won't be long before Robert, Taylor, and Kristen are reunited in the run-up to Breaking Dawn - Part One's release on Nov. 18.


Click here for more pics...

New 'Dark Shadows' Photos Reveal Bloody Johnny Depp

MTV.com

Much ado has been made over the first photos of "Dark Shadows," Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's next highly-anticipated film together. First we got a look at Depp in crazy heavy white makeup, which had a lot of dedicated fans more than miffed, and then came the first official photo, complete with proper lighting and coloring, which helped alleviate those aforementioned fan fears.

And today we have even more Burton/Depp/Dark Shadowy goodness to pore over, courtesy a newsy feature in Empire, and two brand new photos, which are once again likely to raise a stir.

In the two newest photos, we see perfectly coiffed and '70s style appropriate Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Stoddard, and Jonny Lee Miller as Roger Collins seated at a dinner table, with Burton directing in the middle. The mood in the photo is similar to the family portrait-style pic previously released: somber and dark. The second photo is a close-up of Burton and Depp working out a hand gesture of some sort. Depp is once again in that creepy white make-up, along with what looks to be an equally white burned or mauled left hand (burned by sun exposure, perhaps?).

Other newsworthy mentions in Empire's story revolve around the film's setting, and if we'll be viewing the final cut in two dimensions or three.

"Tim and Johnny took a long time explaining exactly why it had to be 1972," screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith told the magazine. "1969 was too early and 1973 was too late. 1972 is right at the time when the hippie movement and all its peace and love is dying out and being replaced by this me-me-me generation in the '70s who are all about showing their wealth and having everything."

And for the anti-3D film purists out there, producer Richard Zanuck revealed you will be happy to learn that "Dark Shadows" will be presented in good old fashioned 2D.

"We didn't want to be categorized as another 3D extravaganza, because this isn't. We have action sequences, but mostly it's interaction between characters, and that's where the humor and the story come from."

What do you think of the new photos? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter!

Tags dark shadows, johnny depp, tim burton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller

Meg Foster Will Lead A Coven In Rob Zombie's The Lords Of Salem

CinemaBlend.com



Rob Zombie has never been the most traditional guy, even given the offbeat circles in which he runs. He spent most of his career as a goth metal icon before deciding in 2003 to try his hand at filmmaking. After his first two films, House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, were released, Rob was charged with remaking a true horror classic: Halloween. His interpretation was...unique, and once again emphasized his nontraditional methods. This tendency toward the unconventional continues with an unusual casting announcement for his latest film. 


Almost a year to the day since Zombie’s latest project The Lords of Salem was unveiled, it was announced via Facebook that Meg Foster had been cast in the film. A pretty badass photo of Foster accompanied the post. Zombie is by no means the first director to embrace social media, but the fact that he would break news like this via the film’s Facebook profile as opposed to, say, Variety or The Hollywood Reporter would suggest that Rob may actually prefer social networking to traditional media. You can check out that image below.

To be honest, Zombie has never been my favorite filmmaker, but this sounds like a damn good project for him. A film about modern-day Salem plagued by a coven of witches, in effect the ghosts of its own past, offers the potential for a grimy, gothic nightmare that would perfectly suit Zombie’s tastes. Furthermore, Meg Foster is a fantastic casting decision. She will play the leader of the witch coven who menaces the town. Foster is a mainstay of cult films such as Masters of the Universe, They Live, and Blind Fury. She also has the most striking eyes in cinema history so she should have no problem entrancing the townsfolk of Salem. This sepia tone photo unfortunately does these eyes little justice. 


Still no word on when The Lords of Salem will begin shooting, but with the news of Meg Foster being cast, it seems the wheels are finally in motion. 

'True Blood's' Kristin Van Straten (Vampire Pam) is Maleficent for 'Once Upon a Time'

Two of our fandoms are colliding and we could not be happier. Kristin Bauer (Van Straten), the snarky lesbian vampire Pam on "True Blood" is coming to "Once Upon a Time," a new ABC show that we named one of our most anticipated new shows for this fall.

Bauer tweets, "packing for Vancouver - to shoot #OnceUponaTime - new fantastical TV show."

Bauer will be guest-starring in one episode as Maleficent, the evil witch from "Sleeping Beauty" (so that's a third fandom colliding here), with the possibility for a recurring role,reports NiceGirlsTV. We think Bauer will make an amazing Maleficent.

"Once Upon a Time" spins the saga of fairy tale characters living in our world, in the small town of Storybrooke, Maine. We don't want to give too much else away, but it was a terrific pilot - something the whole family can enjoy.

"Once Upon a Time" premieres Sunday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Check Out It Will Rain, Bruno Mars' New Single From The Breaking Dawn Soundtrack HERE!

Thank you Perez Hilton!

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Thoughts?