The Deathly Hallows

A two-part film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is directed by David Yates and written by Steve Kloves. Part 1 is released on 19 November 2010, and Part 2 on 15 July 2011. Filming began in February 2009 and ended on 12 June 2010, marking the conclusion of ten years of filming the Harry Potter franchise.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, 2010 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS (separate version developed by n-Space consoles. Announced on April 30, 2010, the game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series, and the first to be set in the Cold War. It is the third in the series to be developed by Treyarch, and is a sequel to the developer's Call of Duty: World at War.
Within 24 hours of going on sale, the game sold more than 5.6 million copies in the U.S. and U.K., breaking the record set by its predecessor Modern Warfare 2 by some 900,000 copies. A subtitled version will be released in Japan on November 18, 2010, and a Japanese-dubbed version will be released on December 16, 2010.

The Eagle

The Eagle is an upcoming film adaptation of the 1954 historical adventure The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. Directed by Kevin Macdonald from a script by Jeremy Brock, the film is set in the second century AD and tells of a young Roman officer's search to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father's legion in the north of Britain. The story is based on the legend of the Ninth Legion.
The film stars Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland and Mark Strong. Filming began on August 24, 2009 and took place in Hungary and Scotland. The film is a United Kingdom – United States co-production and is intended for release on February 25, 2011, through Focus Features.

Howl

Starring James Franco in a career-defining performance as Allen Ginsberg, HOWL is the story of how the young poet’s seminal work broke down societal barriers in the face of an infamous public obscenity trial. In his famously confessional style, Ginsberg – poet, counter-culture icon, and chronicler of the Beat Generation – recounts the road trips, love affairs, and search for personal liberation that led to HOWL, the most timeless work of his career. HOWL interweaves three stories: the unfolding of the landmark 1957 obscenity trial; an imaginative animated ride through the prophetic masterpiece; and a unique portrait of a man who found new ways to express himself, and in doing so, changed his own life and galvanized a generation.

Centurion

Centurion Quintus Dias, the sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, is rescued by the legion of Titus Flavius Virilus, which has been ordered into Caledonia to wipe out the Picts and to kill their king, Gorlacon. When the legion is wiped out in a surprise attack, Dias and six other survivors race to rescue their captured general before they can head back toward the safety of the Roman frontier.

The Bloody Red Baron

"Time has moved on in the Anno Dracula world, and a World War has
started. Dracula, fiend that he is, is fighting for Germany. At least
by proxy, anyway, as shapeshifting vampires like the Red Baron really
don't need too much in the way of planes.
Edwin Winthrop is the protagonist here, and the new agent must lead
the charge to stop The Bloody Red Baron and friends. G-8 and mates
would be very handy, here.
Others must try and counter the pen of the vampire Edgar Allan Poe, also working for Germany."
Hey PT, if you enjoyed Abe as a vampire hunter you'll probably love this gripping WW1 tale!

The Battle of Waterloo

"The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium. An Imperial French army under the command of Emperor Napoleon was defeated by combined armies of the Seventh Coalition, an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher. It was the culminating battle of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon's last. The defeat at Waterloo put an end to Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French and marked the end of his Hundred Days' return from exile."

The Golden Mean

"Aristotle wrote much about happiness – but if we are to believe Annabel Lyon, his own lessons were lost on himself. In her debut novel, The Golden Mean, the acclaimed short-story writer shows us life through the great philosopher's eyes, and the view is largely cloudy. Cursed with both “a freakish brain” and a wit “as dry as mouse droppings,” this is a man for whom contentment exists only in the abstract." This was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. If you relish Classical Studies this brilliant first novel will be right up your alley!

Widespread Panic

"Since their inception in Athens, Georgia in 1986, Widespread Panic has risen to elite status among American jam bands. Following in the steps of other southern rock jam bands such as The Allman Brothers, they have influences from the southern rock, blues-rock, progressive rock, funk and hard rock genres. They are frequently compared to other jam band "road warriors" such as the Grateful Dead and Phish. Widely renowned for their live performances, as of 2008, they hold the record for number of sold out performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO at 32 and Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA at 17."

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals is the moniker of a Vermont-based band that gained national attention in 2007 with its first album,This Is Somewhere. Their newest studio album, the eponymous Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, will be released today, June 8th. The band blends funky blues, soul, rock & reggae from the psychedelic sixties and early seventies. They were a natural choice to do a redux of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland.
The lead vocalist is twenty six year-old multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter who attended St. Lawrence University for two years before heading off into the world of music. She plays the Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer Electric Piano, and electric and acoustic guitars.Give this great cd a listen!

The Red Baron

"Director Niki Muellerschoen's "The Red Baron" will not only reintroduce one of Germany's most famous historical figures to a nation that has long forgotten his exploits, it also promises to be one of the most expensive Teutonic films of all time." I watched the dvd last night and really enjoyed this movie. It's not good history, however it's great WW1 entertainment. The aerial battles are terrific, CGI has really enhanced what can be done and the battlefields of France look authentic, not to mention the skies above! I enjoyed it more than the recent WW1 offerings of Flyboys or Passchendaele.

The Big To-Do

"Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama. Their music is noteworthy for its "three axe attack," or three guitars as well as bass and drums. Like most alternative country acts, the Drive-By Truckers record in analog, resulting in a lower-fi but more 1970's rock'n'roll sound. However, unlike the majority of their contemporaries, the Drive-By Truckers have consistently pushed their labels to also release the band's records in a vinyl format."

Nowhere Boy

"Imagine… John Lennon's childhood. Liverpool 1955: a smart and troubled fifteen year—old is hungry for experience. In a family full of secrets, two incredible women clash over John: Mimi, the buttoned—up Aunt who raised him, and Julia, the prodigal mother. Yearning for a normal family, John escapes into the new and exciting world of rock n' roll where his fledgling genius finds a kindred spirit in the teenage Paul McCartney. Just as John begins his new life, tragedy strikes. But a resilient young man finds his voice — and an icon explodes into the world..."

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Undead

"Living in the back room of his father’s doctors office, broke and frustrated ladies man Julian (Jake Hoffman) scores his big break when he lands the job directing an off Broadway version of Hamlet. Except it’s a bizarre adaptation written by a pale Romanian impresario named Theo (John Ventimiglia) who is actually a master vampire. Theo hopes to lure the real Hamlet (Kris Lemche) out of hiding so the two can end a century’s long feud over Shakespeare’s Ophelia".....Sounds great to me, a mix of two things I really find fascinating. Shakespeare and vampires are right up my proverbial alley!

Sons of Sakhnin United

"There are over 1.4 million Arabs who are citizens of Israel, facing the challenge of living in a Jewish state while maintaining their Arabic heritage. In Israel, soccer is king, and Bnei Sakhnin has become the first team from an Arab town to win the prestigious Israeli Cup- and represent Israel in European competition. Fielding Arab, Jewish and foreign-born players, owned by an Arab, and coached by a Jew, Bnei Sakhnin’s success has begun to represent a symbol of coexistence, a potential bridge between Arabs and Jews in Israel."

King Raven Trilogy

King Raven Trilogy: Book I
Robin Hood: The Legend Begins Anew
"For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.
Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him—for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive.
Like the forest itself, Hood is deep, dark, and at times savagely brutal—yet full of enchantment and hope. Internationally-acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead has created a lyrical rendering of a time-honored story that will lead you down strange pathways into another time and place."

A Week In December

"Sebastian Faulks's latest novel, set in one week in December 2007, is very ambitious. It aspires to be a state-of-the-nation book, a satirical comedy of metropolitan literary life, a sweeping, Dickensian look at contemporary London, a serious examination of Islam and the reasons for radicalism among young Muslims, a thriller, a satire on the Notting Hill Cameroonians and a detailed look at the sharp financial practices that led to the collapse. There's London football, reality TV, cyber porn, a love story or two. As if all that weren't enough, it is a roman a clef, which has already provided fun for metropolitan journalists as they speculate about the identity of the various characters."

The Young Victoria

I never was big on the divine right of kings n' queens, but as far as entertaining stories go they sure can whip up a frenzie of interest. I just watched The Young Victoria last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not really good history, yet really great fun to watch the dazzling array of historical figures engage each other in plots n' intrigues. The Iron Duke Wellington, salty old King Willy and the snake oil salesman Lord Melbourne, they're all here to enjoy. The music's exceptional except for the closing credits song by Sinead O'Connor which really does not fit at all... I think I'm in love with Emily Blunt though...ha ha..recently seen in The Wolfman and before that The Devil Wears Prada. Nice twist with Albert taking a bullet for Vicky too! Tons of fun and dazzling costumes and sets to boot! I highly recommend it if you enjoy this sort of thing.

Emotion & Commotion

I must say that the long wait for a new studio recording from the brilliant Jeff Beck was certainly worth it. What an experience to hear the Fender bendin' Stratocaster version of Puccini's gem Nessun Dorma, and if it does not bring a tear to your eyes or at least some semblance of a sentimental buzz, you may be dead. Also, hearing Joss Stone sing the daylights out of the Screaming Jay Hawkins' classic I Put A Spell On You is worth the price of admission.We even get to hear Jeff play the wonderful wizard's Somewhere Over The Rainbow in his own inimitable style.There's a wah-wah infected real gritty rocker/jazzer called Hammerhead that should suitably curl your toes! Give it a listen and you won't be disappointed. I'm enjoying it more than the Ronnie Scott's live cd!

The Good Man Jesus

"Philip Pullman’s The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ was bound to become something of a hornet’s nest. Known for his dislike of organised religion and the unflattering portrait of God in his trilogy His Dark Materials, Pullman has been branded as a latter-day anti-Christ by those who evidently feel that the Christian spirit is best served by threat and unreflective antagonism.
Written at the prompting of one of Pullman’s admirers, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams - who asked Pullman during a public debate why having tackled God he had neglected to write about the figure of Jesus - the Pullman version of the Gospel stories is inevitably, well, unchristian. What it is certainly not, however, is anti-Jesus – which is the book’s main point."

Sarah's Key

What happened at the Velodrome? The Vélodrome d'Hiver (or Winter Velodrome) was an indoor stadium situated on the rue Nélaton, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Famous cycling races were held here. The building was generally referred to by its contracted name : "Vel' d'Hiv". In June 1942, the French government of Vichy working under Nazi orders planned to arrest 30,000 foreign adult Jews with the help of 9,000 French policemen. Arrests started at dawn on July 16th. The round up's code name was ironically poetic: "Operation Spring Breeze". 13,000 Jewish people were arrested that day (including 4,000 children, most of them born in France). According to all accounts one can read, inside the Vel d'Hiv was sheer hell. People went crazy, committed suicide, died, women gave birth. Some people, but only very few, were able to escape.

Ridley Scott's Robin Hood to open Cannes

Ridley Scott's Robin Hood to open Cannes 2010.
British director Ridley Scott's new film Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe, has been selected to open the annual Cannes Film Festival in May.
Robin Hood is Crowe's fifth film with Sir Ridley Scott.
The film, about the birth of the Robin Hood legend, also stars Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, and William Hurt.
It will be screened out of competition on the opening night of the 12-day festival on 12 May.
Nationwide release in France will begin on the same day, with screenings across the world from 14 May.

The Book of Negroes

"Aminata Diallo, an 11-year-old child, is taken from her village in West Africa and forced to walk for months to the sea in a coffle — a string of slaves. Eventually, she arrives in South Carolina where she begins a new life as a slave. Years later, she finds freedom, serving the British in the American Revolutionary War and having her name entered in the historic "Book of Negroes." This book, an actual historical document, is an archive of freed Loyalist slaves who requested permission to leave the United States in order to resettle in Nova Scotia, only to discover that this new place becomes one that is also oppressive and unyielding. Aminata eventually returns to Sierra Leone — passing ships carrying thousands of slaves bound for America."

Copying Beethoven

"Copying Beethoven is a fictionalised exploration of the composer's life in his final days working on his Ninth Symphony. It is 1824. Beethoven, played by Ed Harris, is racing to finish his new symphony. However, it has been years since his last success and he is plagued by deafness, loneliness and personal trauma. A copyist is urgently needed to help the composer finish in time for the scheduled first performance - otherwise the orchestra will have no music to play. A fictional character is introduced in the form of a young conservatory student and aspiring composer named Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger). The mercurial Beethoven is skeptical that a woman might become involved in his masterpiece but slowly comes to trust in Anna's assistance and in the end becomes quite fond of her."

Honest Abe The Vampire Killer!

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, published by Grand Central and available everywhere Tuesday, March 2, is not just the Lincoln biography we’ve all been waiting for. It’s also the funniest, most action-packed and weirdly well-researched account of the Civil War you’ll probably read in a long time. Every chapter is filled with familiar and semi-familiar names from that dark period in the nation’s history—like William Seward, George B. McClellan and Jefferson Douglas—and some surprising guest stars like Edgar Allan Poe, who visits Lincoln while researching a lesbian vampire story, the greatest work of fiction Poe never actually got around to writing. Political history can sometimes be a little dry, but not with lines like “Senator Charles Sumner lay unconscious on the Senate floor, face-down in a pool of his own blood.” Grahame-Smith could be poised to become the Howard Zinn of vampire-related alterna-history. Either that or he’ll just have another runaway bestseller on his hands, rivaling his Jane Austen mash-up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."

The Wordy Shipmates

The Wordy Shipmates is a 2008 book by Sarah Vowell that chronicles the 17th. and 18th. century history of Puritan colonists in Massachusetts, United States. The book delineates a dichotomy between the puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and those who settled Plymouth, Massachusetts. The thesis of the work is that the early Puritans were bibliophiliac advocates of education, thus being "wordy shipmates."

Clapton & Beck

Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton have never done a joint interview — until now. On the eve of their historic first-ever co-headlining tour, Rolling Stone’s David Fricke sits in with the two guitar legends as they discuss old rivalries, blues heroes and the secrets of their craft in the new issue of Rolling Stone on sale today.

Of Time & The City

"Of Time and the City is a 2008 documentary film directed by Terence Davies.
The film has Davies recalling his life growing up in Liverpool in the 1950s and 1960s, using newsreel and documentary footage supplemented by his own commentary voiceover and contemporaneous and classical music soundtracks.
The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival where it received rave reviews. Time Out said "The one truly great movie to emerge so far from Cannes..... this film is as personal, as universal in its relevance, and as gloriously cinematic as anything he has done" and The Guardian called it "a British masterpiece, a brilliant assemblage of images that illuminate our past. Not only does it tug the heart-strings but it's also savagely funny."

J. D. Salinger Dies

"Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger has died at age 91 in New Hampshire.
The author's son, in a statement from the author's literary representative, says Salinger died of natural causes at his home. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.
The Catcher in the Rye with its immortal teenage protagonist - the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield came out in 1951 during the time of anxious, Cold War conformity.
Salinger wrote for adults, but teenagers all over the world identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy.
In later years, Salinger become famous for not wanting to be famous, refusing interviews."

Genesis-Not the Band!

"The king of underground comix made a triumphant return to publishing with undoubtedly his most radical project to date, a thoroughly faithful cartoon interpretation of The Book of Genesis. This is Crumb’s first official book-length work, and it does not disappoint in the least, drawing in even the most ardent religion skeptic with his unmatched eye for the most minute detail as only he can create. From ‘Creation’ to ‘The Death of Joseph’, no stone goes unturned in this phenomenal adaptation, which in some parts feature imagery as graphic and scandalous as his most sex-fueled inkgasms in Zap Comix. This is being hailed as the best thing Crumb has done in his illustrious 40-odd year career, and from the moment you crack open this must-own for any and every fan of this unheralded American icon, you will know why."

Assegai

"Assegai is Wilbur Smith's thirty second novel, it follows The Triumph of the Sun in which the author brought the Courtney and Ballantyne series together. Assegai tells the story of Leon Courtney (son of Ryder Courtney) and is set in 1906 in Kenya. The events in the story are linked to and precede the outbreak of World War One."