Japan Cuts Japanese Film Festival

NYC's a great city. We've got art, we've got theater, we've got world-class chefs. And we've got not one but two festivals celebrating the best of cinema coming out of Asian. The New York Asian Film Festival's already in full swing (subwaycinema.com), and they'll be jointed shortly by Japan Society's Japan Cuts Festival.

July 1-16, Japan Cuts returns as the only large-scale Japanese film festival in North America, offering US and NY premieres of the latest and best in Japanese motion pictures. In its fourth consecutive year, the summer festival will screen over 20 titles, including co-presentations with the New York Asian Film Festival and a special selection of films from the last decade (Best of Unreleased Naughties!) which have not been treated to US release.

For details, tickets, and a full film breakdown, visit www.japansociety.org/japancuts!

Rare The Empire Strikes Back Autographs at Celebration V!

Two performers from The Empire Strikes Back will make rare appearances, one of them for the first time in the United States, at Celebration V this August in Orlando. Alan Harris and John Morton will join the lineup of cast and crew stars in the Celebration Autograph Hall run by Official Pix.

Alan Harris
Making his first US autograph signing appearance, Alan Harris is scheduled to appear in the Celebration Autograph Hall daily. Harris, a British actor, performed the role of the bounty hunter Bossk in The Empire Strikes Back. He also was a body double for Terrance Stamp in The Phantom Menace.

John Morton
John Morton portrayed Luke Skywalker’s gunner Dak Ralter during the battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. Morton, who also appeared in A Bridge Too Far and Superman II, makes a rare Celebration appearance. Fans can look forward to meeting him in the Celebration Autograph Hall.

For more details and the full guest list, visit starwarscelebration.com!

Panel Submission Deadline is Tomorrow!

Want to hold a presentation or screening at the New York Comic Con or New York Anime Festival? Apply by 11:59 PM EST on July 1! You've been warned.

NYCC Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYCC/Events/Panels--Screenings/

NYAF Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYAF/Events/Panels-Screenings/

Last Airbender Day at Kinokuniya! This Friday!

After three spellbinding (and award-winning) years on Nickelodeon, the cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender is getting the live-action treatment, with M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender hitting theaters in 2D and 3D on July 1. The Last Airbender tells the tale of Aang, the last boy with the ability to control the element of air and the destiny to bring balance to the world. On Friday, July 2, the day after The Last Airbender comes to the big screen, Kinokuniya Bookstore, Del Rey Books, and the New York Anime Festival present LAST AIRBENDER DAY and tell the other half of the story.

Del Rey’s Dave Roman and Alison Wilgus, authors of the just released graphic novel The Last Airbender: Prequel – Zuko’s Story, will be appearing at Kinokuniya from 4 to 6 PM to speak about The Last Airbender, present a read-along, and sign autographs for attendees. Zuko’s Story reveals the never-before-seen origin of Aang’s nemesis, Fire Prince Zuko, a banished warrior who has dedicated his life to capturing the one thing that can bring him redemption... Aang.

Last Airbender Day Schedule

4:00 PM – Zuko’s Story Read-Along
4:30 PM – Dave Roman and Alison Wilgus Q&A
5:00 PM – Dave Roman and Alison Wilgus Autographing
5:30 PM – Last Airbender Day Raffle

Dave Roman was associate editor of Nickelodeon Magazine. The co-creator of the Harvey Award-nominated series Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden and the Ignatz award-winning Teen Boat, he also pens his own webcomic, Astronaut Elementary. Roman, based in New York, is also the creator of the comic Agnes Quill, and he co-wrote Del Rey Manga and Marvel Comics’ X-Men: Misfits with his wife, Raina Telgemeier.

Alison Wilgus is a writer and artist who has worked on projects for Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon Magazine, and more. She is based in New York and is currently working on Chronin, her first graphic novel, with SLG Publishing.

Star Wars Celebration V and Cartoon Network Present the Star Wars Ultimate Fan Getaway!

Orlando is already one of the great vacation capitals of the world – but from August 12-15, it will be one of the hottest vacations destinations in the whole galaxy! Star Wars Celebration V is coming to Florida, and one lucky fan is going to win a family vacation to the biggest Star Wars party EVER. Cartoon Network is proud to present the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway – a chance to travel to “a galaxy far, far away” in style, and a pad that would make Lando Calrissian jealous. Winners will receive:

Round trip travel for four from anywhere in the continental US
Transportation between the Airport and Peabody Orlando Hotel
Four Jedi Knight VIP tickets to Star Wars Celebration V
A Star Wars Dream Suite in the Peabody Orlando Hotel

The centerpiece of the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway is the Dream Suite – a two-level hotel room at the Peabody Orlando Hotel, directly across the street from Star Wars Celebration V and the Orange County Convention Center. The Suite will be fully decked out with Star Wars décor and accessories from Lucasfilm’s licensees and licensing archives – including DVDs, video games, action figures, collectibles, toys, apparel and household items, along with a treasure trove of rare, vintage collectibles from the Lucasfilm vault! And don’t worry: all the items will be packed and shipped to the winner’s home address at the conclusion of Celebration V!

Want to enter? It's simple! Just visit www.cartoonnetwork.com/getaway by July 9th! Good luck and May the Force be with you!

NYAF's 2010 MASCOT REVEALED! Meet Bon Bon!

In 2007, NYAF chibi-ized the Statue of Liberty. In 2008, NYAF’s Chibizilla attacked NYC. In 2009, NYAF’s mascot took fans on the ride of their lives. Now, in 2010, NYAF's mascot's gotten a wee bit magical. The New York Anime Festival, along with partners theOtaku.com, Del Rey Manga, and Kinokuniya Bookstore, asked fans to create NYAF's 2010 mascot. Hundreds entered and, then, thousands voted. Now, the ballots have been counted, and we're very pleased to introduce you to Heather Bloss's Bon Bon!

After hearing the news and collecting her thoughts, Heather took a few moments to talk to us about creating the NYAF 2010 Mascot...

NYAF: What was your inspiration for your mascot design?

BLOSS: Originally the girl wasn't a witch, but a normal girl falling from the sky with Japanese mythical creatures. The cat used to be a kitsune, for instance, and there used to be kappa children falling from the sky while reaching out for those pieces of Pocky. The Empire State Building also wasn't present in the original concept design. I shared my initial concept with friends to get opinions and found myself questioning why the girl wasn't a witch. From there, I had to reconstruct the character's outfit and particular elements, and decided to add the Empire State Building as a final touch. I thought it would be really fun to have the girl racing around the building on her broom on her way to the convention. Pigeons better watch out, haha!

NYAF: Have you given the mascot a name?

BLOSS: I like to call her Bon Bon. I think it sounds fun and fits her energy level.

NYAF: Are there any artists -- American or Japanese -- who inspire you?

BLOSS: My favorite American artists at the moment are Nico Marlet and Simon Otto who did concept illustrations for How to Train Your Dragon. I can't get enough of their character designs. All of the characters designs and personalities are so well thought out.
As for Japanese artist, I think we'd all have to say Hayao Miyazaki. Not to mention he's an amazing animator, I think I find I'm attracted to an artist's work that tells a story or emphasizes some deep emotion.

NYAF: What materials did you use to create the mascot, and -- overall -- how long did it take you to design?

BLOSS: From start to finish, I used Adobe Photoshop CS3 and a Wacom Intuos 3 tablet. The design alone took almost a day because I changed my mind halfway in and had to redraw the rough line art. My friend had told me about the contest three days before the deadline, but I really wanted to enter. Something in me told me "I have to do this!" so I did.

NYAF: There are a lot of minute details, such as the buttons on the witch's hat and bats on her outfit. Anything you want to say about the little things we may not notice at first?

BLOSS: The little details are one of my favorite parts. I really wanted her to feel a part of the world. A witch living in New York City! I decided to give her high fashion shoes as well. If you're going to fly around, you need to do it in style. Probably one part that I enjoyed the most was the manga books. I actually drew small manga pages and a mock manga cover separately which I then applied to the blank manga pages later.

NYAF: What will you do with the instant library of 50 manga Del Rey will be sending your way?

BLOSS: I haven't been able to afford manga lately, so I think I'll be happily overwhelmed and have something great to read when I travel.

NYAF: How long have you been posting art at theOtaku.com? How'd you discover your site?

BLOSS: I just recently discovered theOtaku.com when I learned about the contest. I wish I had found out about it sooner, it seems like a good community for artists and fans to share their work and passion.

NYAF: What manga are you reading and anime are you watching right now?

BLOSS: I like to read a lot of webcomics. Myth by Zelda C. Wang is one of my favorites. She takes Greek Mythology and always adds a nice twist. As for anime, I'm really into CODE GEASS. I finished the series a while ago, but it's still the first anime that comes to mind. It really has a great story.

NYAF: How long have you been a fan? What got you into manga and anime?

BLOSS: When I was in middle school, I would watch Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura on Cartoon Network; however, I didn't know either was anime at the time. I was also really big into Zelda: Ocarina of Time and would draw it obsessively. I wasn't really exposed to anime until I started going to anime clubs at my friend's parent's comic book store called Zimmies. Those were good times. It's where I was introduced to Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Bubblegum Crisis, etc. I think I've been a fan for roughly 8-9 years?

NYAF: Have you been to the New York Anime Festival or Comic Con before? Any favorite memories? Anything you're excited about this year?

BLOSS: The closest I've ever gotten to New York was visiting the Empire State Building on an 8th grade trip. I've always wanted to venture to New York for this con. I'm really excited. I hope I can make a lot of fun memories with my friends here.

NYAF: If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

BLOSS: SHABU SHABU! Which is basically "hotpot". I would willingly eat this everyday. It's filling and delicious and you can choose whatever you want in it.

NYAF: What do you do when you're not designing mascots, and what do you want to be doing in five years?

BLOSS: Hopefully I'll be working in an animation studio, haha. When I'm not designing mascots, I'm developing my own stories and characters. In five years, my goal is to have my own animated anime series underway. It's gonna be fun. I only wish I could make clones of myself to help speed up the process. It's a lot of work but animating my own series is a goal I've always secretly worked towards, almost like it was taboo, haha.

NYAF: Any message to the readers at NYAF?

BLOSS: I wish I could meet each and every one of you to personally thank you and hear your comments about the mascot! I'm very happy that everyone enjoys the mascot as much as I do. I can't begin to thank New York enough for this wonderful experience! Thank you to everyone!

NYAF: Have you thought about the mascot's powers? Besides swooping around the Empire State Building, how does she bewitch NYC?

BLOSS: She wouldn't necessarily rely on her powers to bewitch people. She can just do that with her charming, bubbly personality to win over people's affection. She's always fun to be around, and tries to make sure everyone is having fun. When it comes to helping a citizen in need, she might whip up a couple magic spells to help you. Can't always guarantee the spells will come out right though...

For more on Heather, visit http://www.neko-cloe.deviantart.com.

Be on the lookout for Bon Bon throughout the summer and fall as we ramp up into NYAF, and -- fingers crossed -- we've got a few Bon Bon cosplayers this year. (We had two fans dress up as Ron the Taxi Driver at NYAF 2009.) A big thanks, huzzah, and kudos to Heather, who'll be taking home 50 free manga from Del Rey Manga and 10 tickets to the con, and a very special thanks to all the finalists -- who'll each receive two tickets and one free manga -- and everyone who entered and voted.

October isn't that far away!

Caturday

From Mark.

For more, visit http://paultan.org/2005/09/18/hello-kitty-daihatsu-cars/

(Blurry) Sammo Hung

Ladies and gents, behold Sammo Hung, onstage and receiving the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award on the opening night of the New York Asian Film Festival.

Get the full details about the award, the festival, and Mr. Hung's other appearances in NYC at subwaycinema.com.

Star Wars Laser Tag at Celebration V!

Star Wars fans at Celebration V can step into action against the Emperor’s Finest in Orlando this August. Really. Back by popular demand, Laser Tag - brought to you by Adventure Sports HQ - returns to Celebration, bringing the opportunity for fans of all ages to pit their skills against stormtroopers at the Orange County Convention Center.

There will be two different “battle” experiences to choose from:

Young Rebel Training Academy:
10 players vs. 10 players
The Young Rebel training experience is designed for younger players (minimum age 6) to engage in Laser Combat fighting for the side of the Rebel Alliance against the opposing forces of the Emperor. Adults who accompany younger participants are encouraged to bring their cameras, since many dress up to complete their experience. No matter who wins or loses, this will be a truly memorable experience.

Rebel Incursion:
25 players vs. 25 players
Calling all Rebel forces! The Rebel Alliance has landed in force in Orlando, and we need your help to attack the Emperor’s stronghold inside the Orange County Convention Center. Enlist your friends and family, and come prepared to utilize your finest marksmanship skills and reflexes. You will be engaged in the biggest laser combat battle of the galaxy! Two sides will collide in an epic battle to repel the forces of the Empire. You’ll use the latest high tech Adventure Sports HQ laser combat equipment to engage in two classic, team-elimination games.

Cost for each Laser Tag event is $8 per player, and includes approximately 15 minutes of battlefield play. The equipment is eye-safe and provides some serious fun. If you’d like to check out the equipment in advance, go to www.adventuresportshq.com.

Photo by Karen Louie.

More Autograph Stars for Celebration V!

Who wants more SWCV guests? The Celebration Autograph Hall, and the Celebration stages, will feature cast and crew stars who represent all aspects of the Star Wars Saga. In addition to signing autographs and meeting fans in the Celebration Autograph Hall run by Official Pix, many of the cast and crew members will also appear on stage for interviews and question & answer sessions, and will share their unique insights into their chapters of the decades-long Star Wars story. Today, we're proud to reveal three more guests who'll be celebrating in Orlando with us!

Robert Watts
Robert Watts began his career in 1967 as a location manager for the James Bond classic You Only Live Twice, and a year later worked as production manager on 2001: A Space Odyssey. But Watts didn't cross paths with George Lucas until he was hired to be the production supervisor for a soon-to-be blockbuster, Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. He continued his role as production manager and got a taste for more responsibility as an associate producer for Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and associate producer for Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Watts continued to produce for such films as Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Alive.

Temuera Morrison
Though best known to worldwide audiences for his portrayal of bounty hunter Jango Fett in Episode II Attack of the Clones, New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison was already a well-known name in his own country before journeying to “a galaxy far, far away.” Starring in two of the country’s most popular soap operas – Close to Home and Shortland Street – Morrison broke onto the international scene with role of an abusive Māori husband in Once Were Warriors. The performance earned him the 1994 award for Best Male Performance in a Dramatic Role from the New Zealand Film and TV Awards. Reprising the role in the sequel – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? – Morrison received the Best Actor Award. In addition to the role of Jango Fett, Morrison appears throughout Episodes II and III as all of the troopers in the clone army. He has also performed roles in Green Lantern, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Barb Wire, Vertical Limit, Six Days Seven Nights and Couples Retreat.

Mike Edmonds
Mike Edmonds appeared in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, portraying an Ugnaught and the Ewok Logray, respectively. The actor’s career spans televisions, commercials, videos, stage productions and movies including The Dark Crystal, Time Bandits and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Tron Snowboard Boots!

Brian, NYCC's Marketing Director, is a wee bit of an action sports fan and a wee bit of a geek, too. As such, he's been swooning since spotting this article on boardistan.com.

For this coming winter Burton has reportedly hooked up with Disney to produce a “Tron-inspired” snowboard boots inspired by the upcoming Disney film, according to a story on Stitchkingdom.com. Burton will offer an exclusive snowboard boot that blends the best-in-class functionality and technology of Burton Snowboards, with the DNA of the original TRON. Inspired by the story’s strong graphic look and feel, the Burton boot is made to look like something out of the future, yet seen through the eyes of a snowboarder back in 1982 when the first film released. So is that primitive future or future retro? Burton will not be alone. Oakely, Hurley, and Adidas are also getting in on the exploitatron.

SWCV Trailer 2

Behold the mystery, the magic, and the droids of SWCV!

Build Echo Base at Celebration V And take home a piece of Hoth on Sunday!

Frank D’Iorio, the master diorama builder behind the fantastic fan-built dioramas at Celebrations II, III, and IV is returning for yet another Celebration, this time to lead fans in building Echo Base, the Rebel encampment on the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. Especially for Star Wars Celebration V, slated for August 12-15 in the Orange County Convention Center, D’Iorio will set the stage in the Diorama building area, and then adults and kids alike can come and build a portion of the scene -- free of charge -- which takes shape as one huge diorama over the course of the weekend. Attendees who have been to D’Iorio’s building areas agree that one of the best parts of building a diorama at Celebration is getting to take their portion home on the last day of the show.

“It's all very exciting to be returning to another Celebration, especially for the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back,” says D’Iorio.

D’Iorio, a visual effects artist who has worked for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic, has been passionately creating incredible dioramas as a hobby for years. His diorama site, http://niubniubsuniverse.com/, celebrated its tenth anniversary this year.

In support of the Celebration V Diorama Building Area, Hasbro made a generous donation of The Empire Strikes Back action figures and vehicles. D’Iorio and Celebration thank the toy maker for their generosity. D’Iorio creates his dioramas to Hasbro’s action figure scale.

Additionally, in order to have enough action figures to build the diorama, especially for kids who might be at the show with no action figures of their own, D’Iorio set up a “figure fund” for donations. Fans can bring action figures, particularly The Empire Strikes Back action figures to the show to either donate or build with, or they can mail the figures to the “figure fund” donation address:

Philip Kelley
PO BOX 772495
Orlando, FL 32877-2495

“Fans can send a figure, or vehicle, something from Hasbro that was seen in The Empire Strikes Back Hoth locations. These toys will be used to populate the diorama, as well as become free giveaways to each builder along with their creation,” says D’Iorio.

Tell Your Star Wars Story!

Fans of the Saga will have the unique opportunity to become a part of the Star Wars universe by contributing to Lucasfilm's archive – The Star Wars Stories Project at Star Wars Celebration V this coming August in Orlando.

Soliciting movie memories and fan nostalgia, the Stories Project is an ongoing initiative dedicated to chronicling the fan experience by inviting fans - young and old - to share their own anecdotes, missives and personal experiences through video testimonials. All four days of the convention, fans will have the opportunity to have their fifteen minutes in the spotlight, to tell their story as only they can tell it.

Simply complete this form to reserve a timeslot during the event; a representative will contact you to schedule your 15 minute appointment...

http://www.starwarscelebration.com/en/Events/My-Star-Wars-Story/

Reserve now! Appointments are filled on a first-come, first-reserved basis and once the slots are filled, we will not be able to accept addition reservations.

Next door to the scheduled room, a walk-up Stories Project camera is planned, where fans can come without a reservation, for a limited number of hours each day. However, to avoid waiting in line, we recommend you make an online reservation.

NYAF’s First Guest! VAMPS!

VAMPS -- composed of HYDE, from the famous Japanese band L’Arc~en~Ciel, and K.A.Z, from the groups Oblivion Dust and HIDE with Spread Beaver -- will be returning to NYC after their 2009 sold-out show at New York’s Irving Plaza. Now on their third consecutive year of touring, VAMPS is playing a 40+ show tour in Japan this summer which will extend into their VAMPS Live 2010 World Tour this fall. VAMPS will be performing at New York’s Roseland Ballroom on Saturday, October 9, but before that, they'll be at the New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con for a special Q&A session with fans on October 8! Tickets for the VAMPS show at Roseland are on sale now at www.livenation.com.

What do VAMPS think of the con? Find out for yourself in their Welcome Video to NYC...

The New York Asian Film Festival Starts Friday!

The New York Asian Film Festival kicks off on Friday. This Friday. June 25. Since 2002, the New York Asian Film Festival’s brought some of Asia’s biggest, best, most obscure, and most provocative films to NYC, and gotten acclaim both from New Yorkers as well as folks like the New York Times, TIME, The Village Voice, The New Yorker, Variety, National Public Radio, The BBC, and Fuji TV. Hell, AintItCoolNews calls it “one of the absolute best Asian film festivals on the planet.” And, with this year’s festival kicking off in just a few days, you don’t have to wait much longer to find out why.

From June 25 to July 8, spread across the Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, Japan Society, and IFC Center, the New York Asian Film Festival’s presenting over 40 films from throughout Asia – ranging from The Storm Warriors, Death Kappa, and Yatterman to Confessions, Tian An Men, and Eastern Condors. Guests appearing at this year’s festival include Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Huang Bo, Bruce Leung, and Yoshihiro Nishimura.

If you’ve been to the New York Asian Film Festival before, I don’t need to say anything more. If you haven’t, make this year your first trek out to the festival, as it’s one of NYC best festivals. Period. The energy, the audience, and the passion bubble over. And, the tickets are pretty cheap, too.

Get the full lineup and tickets at subwaycinema.com.

Have You Seen The New York Asian Film Festival Trailer?

Now you have. Hit up subwaycinema.com for the full line-up and to grab tickets.

Panel Submission Deadline Inches Closer!

Want to hold a presentation at the New York Comic Con or New York Anime Festival? Apply by 11:59 PM EST on July 1!

From shounen to shoujo, from Golden Age to Present Day, NYCC and NYAF will host over 200 panels covering the breadth and depth of Japanese and American popular culture, and if there's something you're passionate about, apply to host a panel now! And, alongside our panels, we’ll be presenting a film and media festival highlighting both classic and cutting-edge works. Have a film, video, pilot, or other screening you'd like to show off to New York? Enter it now!

NYCC Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYCC/Events/Panels--Screenings/

NYAF Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYAF/Events/Panels-Screenings/

NYAF Mascot Contest Ends Tomorrow!

The NYAF Mascot Contest ends on June 23! That's a day away! Do your civic duty and help the New York Anime Festival select its 2010 mascot from our 10 finalists by voting right here...

http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYAF/Events/Mascot-Finalists-Battle-Royale/

'Cause frankly, if you don't vote, Sticky The Horribly Drawn Stick Man will be gracing NYAF's Program Guide.

Show Off Your Star Wars Collection at Celebration V!

The organizers of the Star Wars Collecting program at Celebration V want to see your collection! Show off your collection to a worldwide audience of fellow enthusiasts by submitting images to be considered for inclusion in the show.

Wanted: your collection! To showcase some of the unique and diverse Star Wars collections owned by fans at Star Wars Celebration V, Gus Lopez and his team are requesting submissions of photos of collections to appear in a gallery at Star Wars Celebration V.

Collections often languish in boxes and closets, but some collectors have a flair for displaying their stash in ways that even non-fans can appreciate. As part of the Celebration V Collecting Panels, they want to highlight examples of great collection displays. Whether it's a full room of goodies, or a half dozen prized treasures, this is your chance to provide your fellow collectors with ideas on how to make their own collections shine.

To have your collection considered, send no more than five images to Todd Chamberlain (todd@toychamber.com) no later than July 16. Please include your full name, city, state/province, and country. Examples selected for Celebration will be printed, so high resolution images will eventually be needed (4256x2848), but lower resolution images are preferred for initial submission. The Celebration V collecting program is looking for a variety of content and display styles, so if you have a larger collection, be sure to include images that focus on smaller groupings of items (i.e.: a particular shelf or display case), not just wide angle shots. Photo submissions may be posted on the Celebration website, on posters at Celebration, and in slide presentations.

Star Wars Artists at Celebration V!

Star Wars artists of extraordinary vision will be exhibiting and selling their original prints at Celebration V! We’re happy to today reveal the first selection of artists who’ll be appearing at SWCV. Each of the artists listed below will have a limited number of prints available, created exclusively for the convention. Most of these artists will be within the Celebration V Art Show, hosted by ACME Archives, in the Celebration Experience Exhibit Hall, with a few others will appear in their own booths on the exhibit floor.

Jerry Vanderstelt
Chris Trevas
Cat Staggs
David Rabitte
Mark McHaley
Kevin Graham
Grant Gould
Ben Curtis Jones
Doug Cowan
Joe Corroney
Katie Cook
Kyle Babbitt

Check out the link below for artist bios, pictures, and images of their prints...

http://www.starwars.com/fans/events/celebration_v_artists_1/index.html

And be on the look out for more artists coming soon!

Superglorious Showcase at the Northside Festival!

On any given day, there's a ridiculous amount of music and art being made in New York City, with one of the most thriving hubs in the four-mile radius of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. The Northside Festival, starting in just a few days, aims to celebrate this community. Casting a spotlight on the independent musicians, filmmakers, and artists who call Brooklyn home, the Northside Festival kicks off June 24-27. Visit http://www.thelmagazine.com/blogs/NorthsideFestivalNews/ for the scoop and the full schedule.

If you just want to keep it simple, we recommend you check out Superglorious’s Northside Festival Showcase featuring...

Echostream: http://www.myspace.com/echostream
Honeychild Coleman: www.myspace.com/honeychild8rm
Gold Streets: http://www.goldstreetsnyc.com/
Love in October: www.loveinoctober.com
I Love Monsters: http://ilovemonstersmusic.com/
Fan-Tan: http://www.myspace.com/fantanmusic
Music by DJ Zivist

The event is Friday, June 25. It’s 21+ and free with a Northside badge or $6 without one. Doors open at 7 and the show starts at 7:30. After the show, DJs VJ Valujet, Hip*Starr, and Hotline take over.

Spike Hill
184/186 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

World Cup at The Paley Center...

Watch the games on The Paley Center's giant screen. See the full schedule here...

http://www.paleycenter.org/world-cup-live-game-schedule-ny

Jon Stewart Interviews George Lucas at SWCV!

Jon Stewart Interviews George Lucas at SWCV! And You Can Ask Questions, Too!

Star Wars Celebration V is proud to today announce THE MAIN EVENT -- a live, on-stage interview with Saga creator George Lucas hosted by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart. The hour-long, candid conversation will spark a discourse sure to shed light on the storied history of the Star Wars Saga -- from its past to its future, with insider insights about the many steps along the way. A self-proclaimed lover of Lucas’ galaxy far, far away, Stewart brings a fan sensibility to the interview, aiming to focus on areas of interest to the many diverse and devoted groups that have helped Star Wars endure for more than thirty years.

And, in addition to the dialogue between Lucas and Stewart, SWCV is taking questions from fans, too. Do you have a question for George or Jon? If so, submit it to...

http://www.starwarscelebration.com/en/Events/Questions-For-George

Taking place in Orlando, FL from August 12-15, Star Wars Celebration V will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back and the ongoing, weekly adventures of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Featuring celebrities, costumes, live entertainment, screenings, autographs, collectibles, panels and much, much more, Star Wars Celebration V is the official Lucasfilm convention –- and the biggest Star Wars party in the galaxy!

NYCC iPhone App

We did it! We came up with a completely justifiable reason why we have to play on our phones at work and you need to know about it! The Official iPhone App of New York Comic Con 2010 is up and running! Our latest news, newest guest announcements, directory and twitter feed are available right at your hands when your mind starts to drift.

For all you Android-ers, stay tuned! The Android App will be coming very, very soon!

http://itunes.apple.com/app/new-york-comic-con-official/id376062019?mt=8

A Little Message From A Guy Named Stan...

Final Round of Star Wars Collecting Panels Announced!

Gus Lopez, who organized the Collecting Panels for the past four Celebrations, is assembling a new lineup of subjects to entertain and inform all collectors, from beginners to the most experienced, at Star Wars Celebration V! We've been announcing Lopez's panels over the past few weeks, and we're today proud to reveal the final collecting panels to be announced, making a total of sixteen different ways attendees at Celebration V can learn more about how to treasure the galaxy far, far away!

Star Wars Collectors Social Hour
The Collectors Social Hour returns to Celebration! This is your chance to meet fellow fans who share the same passion and enthusiasm for Star Wars collecting. Attendees will learn more about the Celebration V Collecting Panels and giveaways while networking with other collectors for great opportunities to buy, sell, and trade at Celebration. Time and location to be announced soon!

Star Wars Toy Prototypes
Join Gus Lopez and Duncan Jenkins for a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Kenner's Star Wars toy line. This presentation will cover artifacts from all stages of toy production and a glimpse at many, rare never-produced toys from the vintage years.

International Collecting Panel
Take a journey through some unique and rare collectibles from around the world, with a panel of international collectors. Mark Salotti (Australia), Scott Bradley (Canada), Eimei Takeda (Japan), Luis Galvez (Mexico), Josefina Galvez (Peru), and Mattias Rendahl (Sweden) will showcase their collections and share their experiences with collecting Star Wars in countries far, far away.

Almost... From A Galaxy Far, Far Away
A discussion of early Star Wars "knock-off" items with collectors Ron Salvatore, John Alvarez, and Joseph Yglesias, including figures, ceramics and odds and ends items from all corners of the world. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then these copycat products help show that Star Wars is one of the most admired properties of all time.

30 Years of The Empire Strikes Back Collectibles
The release of Empire — one of the most eagerly awaited sequels of all time — also heralded a Falcon-load of new Star Wars merchandise: action figures, trading cards, clothing, lunch boxes, and a myriad of other goodies. Gus Lopez and Duncan Jenkins will present some of the highlights and rich variety of collectibles from The Empires Strikes Back.

And, as a very special bonus, those who attend the Collecting Panels at Celebration V can look forward to receiving exclusive collectibles dreamed up by Lopez and his team. The Collectors Panel give-aways have become one of the hottest must have items at recent Celebrations, and this time around it will be no different.

One Man Star Wars Trilogy at Celebration V

Charlie Ross, the creator and performer of “The One Man Star Wars Trilogy” will bring his show to Celebration V this August in Orlando!

Since his first appearance at a Star Wars Celebration in 2002, Ross has traveled the world entertaining audiences with his lively take on movies IV, V, and VI. Fans of the Star Wars movies and fans of live theater can enjoy an exceptional show each time the energetic actor performs. The Canadian performer, who has appeared in his original productions of “The One Man Lord of the Rings” as well as his Star Wars show, is slated to offer four performances scheduled over the Celebration V weekend, August 12-15.

Ross, a long-time Star Wars fan himself, has been performing to rave reviews. Using no props, and no instruments except his versatile and talented voice, Ross performs everything from dialogue and music to sound effects and battle scenes. The result is a high-energy gambol through the original trilogy that fans will not soon forget.

Those who attend Star Wars Celebration V should not miss these performances, which are included with the price of a regular admission badge, while seats are available. Show location and times will be announced closer to the show. Stay tuned to starwarscelebration.com and starwars.com for schedule updates.

New York Comic Con and Warner Bros. present Free Tickets to An Advance Screening of Jonah Hex!

1970s-era DC antihero Jonah Hex makes his way to the big screen as Crank co-writers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor team to follow the disfigured gunslinger and part-time bounty hunter on his biggest adventure yet! Supernatural elements combine with Western aesthetics to take viewers on a wild and bloody ride, with Josh Brolin leading the way as Hex and John Malkovich stepping into the villainous role of Turnbull.

Jonah Hex hits theaters on June 18, but we're giving away 25 pairs of advance screening tickets along with prize packs for a special June 17 preview in Manhattan! How do you enter to win? Just use the hashtag #hexmeup in any tweets on Twitter. We’ll be selecting winners at random from all those who tweet out this hashtag.

25 Winners Will Receive The Following:
- Two passes to an advance screening of Jonah Hex on June 17, 2010 at a Manhattan theater
- A Jonah Hex prize pack

The Rules of The Game:
- Follow @ny_comic_con on Twitter
- Send tweets – any tweets – with the hashtag #hexmeup between now and 11:59 PM EST on June 14
- @ny_comic_con will be direct messaging the winners on June 15 with how to claim their prize

Yeehaw!

Watch The World Cup at The Paley Center!

GOAL! NYC's Paley Center for The Media joins soccer fans from around the world in the excitement and drama of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Paley Center's celebration includes live feeds of the games, screenings of cultural programming from its collection, and an interactive web feature for fans to share their favorite pics of the games.

World Cup coverage will be capped by a lively viewing party with food and drinks to cheer on the last two nations in the final game on July 11. Free admission to The Paley Center is courtesy of The Coca-Cola Company, an official sponsor of the of FIFA World Cup since 1978.

This weekend's games presented at The Paley Center...

Fri 6/11
9:30 am South Africa vs. Mexico
2:00 pm Uruguay vs. France

Sat 6/12
9:30 am Argentina vs. Nigeria
2:00 pm England vs. USA

Sun 6/13
9:30 am Serbia vs. Ghana
2:00 pm Germany vs. Australia

See the full screening schedule here...

http://www.paleycenter.org/world-cup-live-game-schedule-ny

Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge Awards at Celebration V! Deadline June 24!

The Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge for 2010 is in full swing, but there is still time to enter your movie before the coming deadline, June 24. Lucasfilm Ltd. and Fan Movie Challenge partner Atom.com are making a call for immediate submissions at starwars.Atom.com, Atom’s Star Wars movie website.

Moviemakers who make the finalist category this year can look forward to seeing their movie in the spotlight at Celebration V, this August 12-15 in Orlando. All finalist movies will be played in a dedicated track throughout the run of the show.

The Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge is produced by a long-running partnership between Lucasfilm and Atom, to celebrate the best in fan made videos and animations. The winning entry each year is selected by Star Wars writer/director George Lucas, and the finalists are also posted online, where a worldwide body of viewers selects the Audience Choice Award. This year the famous golden droid trophies will be presented to the winners at Star Wars Celebration V, in the Fan Movie Award Ceremony, planned for Thursday evening, August 12.

But before moviemakers can receive all that honor and glory, they need to enter their movies in the competition. The deadline for the Ninth Annual 2010 Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge is June 24, 2010. Talented moviemakers need to submit their movie before that date at http://.starwars.atomfilms.com, in order to be considered. All Challenge rules and guidelines are on the site, plus Star Wars movie assets that moviemakers can use in their creations.

May The Force Be With You!

Stan Lee at NYCC

Hey kids, I've been working on this one for a while and I'm pleased as punch to tell you that Stan Lee is coming back to New York Comic Con!

He is our first and only Spotlight Guest of Honor (cue: clapping, jumping up and down and shouting excitement)! This year will mark Lee's third appearance at New York Comic Con, but his first as a Spotlight Guest of Honor (yea, we created the new designation just for Mr. Lee - he's that awesome!)

The "super hero of the comic book world" will not only be our Spotlight Guest of Honor at NYCC, but he'll be participating in a range of activities including panel appearances and signings. YES! SCORE!We are proud, eager and totally stoked to tell you Mr. Lee will be the NYCC Spotlight Guest of Honor. Stay tuned for more details about his appearance at the show!

Yeah, pretty cool.....

Lance

Lance Fensterman
Reed Vice President
BookExpo America
New York ComicCon
C2E2
New York Anime Fest
Blog: www.mediumatlarge.net
203.840.5507 (o) 203.417.3607 (m)
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld - Please excuse any typos!

Anthony Daniels to Appear at Celebration V!

Anthony Daniels, the actor who has performed as the golden droid C-3PO in all six movies in the Star Wars Saga, will appear at Star Wars Celebration V this August at the Orange County Convention Center! Daniels is slated to meet fans and sign autographs in the Celebration Autograph Hall, and is scheduled to appear on stage as well. The actor’s singular wit, entertaining style, and unique familiarity with the Star Wars movie universe will make his show one that fans will not want to miss.

Daniels has been part of the Star Wars saga since the beginning after being cast by director George Lucas to play C-3PO in 1976. Realizing that he loved the character when he first read the script, then called The Adventures of Luke Starkiller, Daniels has since breathed endearing humanity and humor into the not-so-mechanical droid. He has the honor of speaking the first and last lines of the Saga, and is a continuing presence in the Star Wars entertainment universe.

Recently, the actor has been having a blast as the Narrator of Star Wars In Concert. No stranger to the concert stage, Daniels’ career started with the BBC Radio Drama Company in London. He went on to join the UK National Theatre at The Young Vic, touring abroad and performing in their London home. He was playing in Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead when Lucas asked to meet him.

In between that fateful first casting and his current role in Star Wars In Concert, Daniels has been involved in many Star Wars-related performances. He has performed in the movie radio dramatizations, tap-danced on The Muppet Show, promoted measles and polio vaccines, written and produced anti-smoking commercials, danced with Donny and Marie Osmond, taken part in the Oscar Ceremonies, befriended Big Bird on Sesame Street, become a breakfast cereal, and had his own cartoon series, Droids. Having become a gaming machine in Las Vegas, he also recently worked on the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the astounding remake of Disney's Star Tours ride.

Although the Star Wars saga has formed a major part of Daniels' career, he has interspersed those movies with a variety of television and stage appearances, ranging from sit-coms to more serious dramas and the world of cult horror movies. He was the voice of Legolas in the 1978 animation, Lord Of The Rings but holds no grudge against Orlando Bloom who later got the film part.

Dressed as his golden alter ego Daniels conducted the London Symphony and the Boston Pops and, as himself, has hosted a series of symphony concerts in the UK, USA and Canada. After hosting its premiere in London’s 02 Arena, he narrated Star Wars In Concert on its inaugural North American and European tours. He has recently worked on science related projects with the Discovery Channel and the Boston Science Museum’s exhibition, Star Wars - Where Science Meet Imagination. He teaches at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center in Pittsburgh where he learns so much from the gifted young students.

Four More Star Wars Collecting Panels Revealed!

Gus Lopez, who organized the Collecting Panels for the past four Celebrations, is returning to Star Wars Celebration V with a new lineup of subjects to entertain and inform all collectors, from beginners to the most experienced. We've revealed a few thus far, and we're excited to spotlight the next in the series today!

Star Wars Collecting Podcasts
Take a look behind the scenes of your favorite Star Wars collecting podcasts as Arnie and Marjorie Carvalho from Star Wars Action News and Skye Paine and Steve Danley from the Star Wars Collectors Archive Podcast show you how podcasts can be an informative and entertaining way to help you be a more informed collector. Get to know the personalities behind these podcasts, learn a bit about how the hosts create their podcasts, and discover how these podcasts can help take your collecting to the next level!

Star Wars Store Displays
Retail outlets have used merchandising displays since the very beginning of Star Wars.  All of these graphically stunning displays were designed with one thing in mind: draw children and parents toward the product at the store.  Often these big and bulky displays were thrown away by retailers eager to make room for the next item in line, making Star Wars Display collecting one of the most challenging of all Star Wars collecting niches. Come spend some time at the Store Display Collecting Panel where Todd Chamberlain and Will Grief will walk you down the toy aisle, showcasing some of the rarest and most visually appealing Star Wars collectibles of all time.

Original Movie Props and Wardrobe Collecting
An all-new and in-depth look inside one of the most exciting areas of Star Wars collecting - Original Film Props and Wardrobe. Hosts of this informal discussion - Brandon Alinger, Tom Spina, Rob Klein, Stephen Lane, Gus Lopez, and Dave Abberley - are private collectors, archivists and professionals with decades of experience. Expect a wide range of topics with plenty of audience questions as well as slideshows showcasing dozens of never-before seen original Star Wars film artifacts now in private collections.

Vintage Star Wars Toys
Harken back to a time when "articulation" meant that an action figure had arms and legs, when vehicle sounds came from buzzing strips of plastic, and even a cardboard backdrop could be a coveted play environment. Dazzle at the wide array of toys created between 1977 and 1986, both stateside and abroad, in an overview of the vintage Star Wars toy line with Chris Georgoulias and Chris Fawcett. See some of the best and worst toys that Kenner and its affiliates produced while quickly realizing that the kid down the street never really "had everything". From Generation X to Generation Z, there is still much love for the toys that started it all.

And remember, a very special bonus, those who attend the Collecting Panels at Celebration V can look forward to receiving exclusive collectibles dreamed up by Lopez and his team. The Collectors Panel give-aways have become one of the hottest "must have" items at recent Celebrations, and this time around it will be no different.

Make the Most of Your Celebration! Orlando 101!

The Orlando area is known for its hospitality, and we're proud to say this hospitality will be out in full force around Star Wars Celebration V. Orlando has scores of after-hours and after-show activities, and the Orange County Convention Center sits right in the midst of seemingly countless restaurants, bars, and world-famous attractions, many of which are offering discounts for those holding Celebration V admission badges.

And SWCV's now collected some of the best entertainment and dining options in one place inside our "Orlando 101". Click on over and start planning your celebration!

http://www.starwarscelebration.com/en/Hotel-Travel/Orlando-101/

NYCC and NYAF Panels and Screenings - Submit by July 1

Want to hold a presentation at the New York Comic Con or New York Anime Festival? Have something important to tell the world? Do you fancy yourself the Northeast's foremost expert on giant robots or chromium covers? From shounen to shoujo, from Golden Age to Present Day, NYCC and NYAF will host over 200 panels covering the breadth and depth of Japanese and American popular culture, and if there's something you're passionate about, apply to host a panel now!

And, alongside our panels, we’ll be presenting a film and media festival highlighting both classic and cutting-edge works. From shorts to features, and indie on through big budget films, NYCC and NYAF are proud to celebrate the moving image. Have a film, video, pilot, or other screening you'd like to show off to New York? Enter it!

Note, though, time is running out. Panels and screenings for NYCC and NYAF are due at 11:59 PM EST on July 1st. You’ve been warned.

NYCC Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYCC/Events/Panels--Screenings/

NYAF Submissions
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYAF/Events/Panels-Screenings/

Photoshop is awesome.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blsharkattack.htm

Caturday

Information Overload! New York Asian Film Festival Schedule!

NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
Lincoln Center (June 25 - July 8)
Japan Society (July 1 - 4)
IFC Center (Fridays and Saturdays at midnight)

Official Opening Night Film
IP MAN 2 (Hong Kong, 2010, North American Premiere) - Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen throw down in this lavish martial arts flick that blew the Hong Kong box office wide open and beat IRON MAN 2 like a redheaded stepchild.
***The movie's star and action choreographer, Sammo Hung, will be present.

Centerpiece Presentation
CONFESSIONS (Japan, 2010, International Premiere) - Tetsuya Nakashima (MEMORIES OF MATSUKO) returns to the NYAFF with his brand new movie about a school teacher convinced that her daughter was murdered by one of her own seventh-grade students. This was the most buzzed-about discovery in Cannes this year.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

Official Closing Night Film
BLADES OF BLOOD (Korea, 2010, International Premiere) - from the director of KING & CLOWN, the biggest hit in Korean box office history, comes this massive, posh swordplay flick about a hero leading a coup against the king and the blind swordsman who's out to stop him.
***Director Lee Joon-Ik will be at the screening.

China
COW (2009, North American Premiere) - hick farmer, Huang Bo, tries to survive WWII with his best buddy: a cow. By the time this movie is over you'll believe a cow can cry.
***Actor Huang Bo will be at the screening.

CRAZY RACER (2009, New York Premiere) - Ning Hao (CRAZY STONE) has made a movie that's like a Warner Brothers cartoon on crystal meth. Huang Bo plays a disgraced Olympic bicyclist reduced to being a delivery man, and Ning Hao sends him chasing after his dignity in a modern-day China full of con men, creeps, hustlers, scam artists, assassins, gangsters, drug dealers, murder-for-hire morons and all the other joys of modern day capitalism.
*** Actor Huang Bo will be present.

SOPHIE'S REVENGE (2009, New York Premiere) - Zhang Ziyi produced and stars in this madcap romantic comedy that co-stars Mainland diva, Fan Bing-bing, and Korean stud muffin, So Ji-Sub. Want to see the face of modern China? It's not in any Jia Zhangke movies - it's here in this slick, funny rom com.

TIAN AN MEN (2009, International Premiere) - one of the movies created for the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, this is an earnest, unironic film about the struggles and sacrifices of the men and women who... cleaned up Tiananmen Square in 1949? A lavish special effects spectacle, it's like "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Communist style.

Hong Kong
BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS (2009, New York Premiere) - the story of a ragtag team of bodyguards who gave their lives to protect Dr. Sun Yat-sen on his trip to Hong Kong, it made a ton of loot at the box office, stars an all-star cast and was nominated for more Hong Kong Film Awards than any other movie in history. Plus, Donnie Yen fights a horse.
***Actor Simon Yam will introduce the screening.

DEVELOPMENT HELL (2010, North American Premiere) - the uncut, uncensored documentary about the suicides, deaths and disease outbreaks that plagued BODYGUARDS & ASSASSINS, the most famous "cursed" Hong Kong film of all time.
(Development Hell will screen in conjunction with BODYGUARDS & ASSASSINS)

EASTERN CONDORS (1987) - a once-in-a-lifetime screening of Sammo Hung's Vietnam War blow-out. A true masterpiece. It will be screened on a 35mm print that was given to us by a private collector, and there will never be another chance to see it in theaters.
***Director, action choreographer and star Sammo Hung will be at the screening. It will be followed by an in-depth Q&A about his career.

ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW (2010, North American Premiere) - a bittersweet eulogy to 1960's Hong Kong, it won a special prize in Berlin, earned Simon Yam his first "Best Actor" trophy at the Hong Kong Film Awards and it saved the street on which it was shot from demolition.
***Actor Simon Yam will be at the screening.

GALLANTS (2010, North American Premiere) - like COCOON but with kung fu, this rocking action comedy features a cast of martial arts legends from the 70's, now in their 60's including Chen Kuan-tai, Bruce Leung and Teddy Robin.
***Actor Bruce Leung will be at the screening.

IP MAN (2008) - starring Donnie Yen, it's the first movie about Bruce Lee's master and it sparked the current revival of old school Hong Kong martial arts movies that's seeing everyone from Herman Yau to Wong Kar-wai shooting Ip Man projects.

IP MAN 2 (2010, North American Premiere) - Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen throw down in this lavish martial arts flick that blew the Hong Kong box office wide open.
***Actor and action choreographer Sammo Hung will be at the screenings.

KUNG FU CHEFS (2009, North American Premiere) - Sammo Hung likes to do two
things: cook food and kick ass. Finally, here's a movie that lets him do both. The kind of cracked, casual B-movie classic that Hong Kong used to crank out in the early 90's, full of butt-kicking action and mouth-watering cooking.
***Actor Sammo Hung will be present.

LITTLE BIG SOLDIER (2010, New York Premiere) - Jackie Chan's return to greatness, it's the best and most moving film he's made since 1994's DRUNKEN MASTER II. Now in his 50's, Jackie can't rely on death defying stunts to wow the audience anymore and instead he's had to dig deep and give his best actual acting performance in a movie with one of the best screenplays he's ever worked with.

RED CLIFF UNCUT (2008/2009) - celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July with a screening of John Woo's massive, five-hour plus martial epic shown uncut, the way God - and John Woo - intended. God Bless America!

THE STORM WARRIORS (2009, US Premiere) - the closest thing to a Hong Kong comic book ever put onscreen, this is like World of Warcraft via Iron Maiden, a heavy metal martial arts flick full of sword power and fist energy.
***Main bad guy Simon Yam will be at the screening.

Indonesia
MERANTAU (2009, New York Premiere) - you think Tony Jaa is awesome, then check out this rocking slab of exploitation action starring Iko Uwais, an ace practicioner of Silat, Indonesia's unique martial art. This movie is an excuse for him to put people in traction and to jump off of buildings.

Japan
8000 MILES (2009, North American Premiere) - a funnier version of Eminem's 8 MILE about rappers dying on the vine in the boring suburbs. This was Japan's sleeper hit of 2009.
***Director Yu Irie will be at the screenings.

8000 MILES 2: GIRL RAPPERS (2010, North American Premiere) - the same premise (rappers in the sticks, dreaming of Tokyo) only this time they're women and the result is a less funny, more moving and deeply affecting film.
***Director Yu Irie will be at the screening.

ALIEN VS NINJA (2010, World Premiere) - the first movie from Nikkatsu's Sushi Typhoon label, it's about an alien that comes to Earth to hunt humans.
It is unstoppable. It is unkillable. It is insatiable. But it made one
mistake: it's not ninja-proof.
***Actor Masanori Mimoto will be at the first screening.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

ANNYONG YUMIKA (2009, North American Premiere) - part documentary, part personal odyssey, part porn movie, this flick's about legendary adult film actress Yumika Hayashi's career in Korea.
***Director Tetsuaki Matsue will be at the screenings.

THE BLOOD OF REBIRTH (2009, New York Premiere) - director Toshiaki Toyoda (BLUE SPRING, HANGING GARDEN) makes a triumphant return to filmmaking with this trippy revenge saga that sticks its throbbing soundtrack deep inside your ears, while its shimmering visuals fry your eyes.
***Director Toshiaki Toyoda will be present.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

BOYS ON THE RUN (2010, North American Premiere) - a movie that will capture the heart of the serial masturbator inside all of us. This sex comedy starts with the borrowing of a bestiality DVD and ends with a Travis Bickle-style fist fight and in between it's humiliating and hilarious in equal measures.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

CONFESSIONS (2010, International Premiere) - Tetsuya Nakashima (MEMORIES OF
MATSUKO) returns to the NYAFF with his brand new movie about a school teacher convinced that her daughter was murdered by one of her seventh-grade students. She vows to take revenge on her entire class...and that's just in the first 20 minutes.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

DEAR DOCTOR (2009, New York Premiere) - Miwa Nishikawa's (SWAY) deceptively simple movie about a small town doctor won every major Japanese film award
(21 and counting) and it's one of the smartest and most twisted films in our line-up.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

DEATH KAPPA (2010, World Premiere) - the Kappa is a delightful Japanese folk monster that's cute as a biscuit...until Nazis cause it to grow to enormous size and go on a kill crazy rampage! A pitch perfect recreation of the 80's, direct-to-VHS monster movie.
Presented as part of Midnights @ IFC

DOMAN SEMAN (2010, World Premiere) - Go Shibata (LATE BLOOMER) has made a rocking thrash anthem about pretty boys bashing the homeless, occult conspiracies, mental emissions, magic mushrooms and massive zombie attacks.
Like a Richard Lester film transformed into a magikal ritual to stave off the apocalypse, it'll kick down your doors of perception like a psychedelic SWAT team.
***Director Go Shibata will be at the screenings.

GOLDEN SLUMBER (2009, New York Premiere) - the director of last year's festival fave, FISH STORY, returns with this twisty conspiracy thriller about a simple delivery man who's framed for the assassination of the Prime Minister.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

LIVE TAPE (2010, North American Premiere) - on New Year's Day, 2009, director Tetsuaki Matsue (ANNYONG YUMIKA) and singer/songwriter Kenta Maeno (sometimes called "the Bob Dylan of Japan") made this amazing concert film:
a single 74 minute take of Kenta performing in the streets of Tokyo before ripping it up at an outdoor gig with his full band. More than the sum of its parts, it's a raw and liberating lo-fi miracle.
***Director Tetsuaki Matsuewill be at the screenings.
***Singer/songwriter Kenta Maeno and his drummer POP Suzuki will perform live after each screening.

MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD (2010, International Premiere) - at last year's NYAFF, directors Tak Sakaguchi (BE A MAN! SAMURAI SCHOOL), Yoshihiro Nishimura (TOKYO GORE POLICE) and Noboru Iguchi (ROBOGEISHA) got drunk and vowed to make a movie together. Now they have, and this twisted take on the X-Men is here to upset pretty much everyone.
***Directors Yoshihiro Nishimura and Noboru Iguchi will be at the screenings.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

PINK POWER STRIKES BACK - pink films are the uniquely Japanese genre of 60 minute, softcore movies shot entirely analog: 35mm, flatbed editing, no digital mixing. This year's pink film double feature will screen GROPER
TRAIN: SCHOOL UNIFORM HUNTER and JAPANESE WIFE NEXT DOOR, PART 2, the sequel to last year's fest fave pink film. Totally smutty and completely nuts, these are date movies for very horny couples.
*** Asami, star of GROPER TRAIN: SCHOOL UNIFORM HUNTER will be the screening.
***Presented as part of Midnights @ IFC

SAWAKO DECIDES (2010, North American Premiere) - Sawako (Hikari Mitsushima, LOVE EXPOSURE) is on her fifth job, her fifth boyfriend and her fifth year in Tokyo. But it's not until she returns to her family's clam-packing plant that she discovers that it's okay to be a loser. Bizarre and hilarious, it's a chick flick on acid featuring musical numbers, horrible toys and the world's worst boyfriend.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

SYMBOL (2009, New York Premiere) - Japan's #1 comedian, Hitoshi Matsumoto (director and star of DAI NIPPONJIN, aka BIG MAN JAPAN) directs and stars in this flick that's the 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY of J-quirk cinema. The only movie this year to feature President Obama, Mexican wrestlers and five million angel penises.

YATTERMAN (2009) - Takashi Miike's biggest box office hit of all time, this slyly hilarious send-up of kiddie show, Yatterman, is like a self-aware, satirical update of "Scooby-Doo" only with giant robots, leather-bondage-clad femme fatales and a pile of all the schoolgirls in Japan. Hilariously stupid, but insanely smart, it's exactly the giant robot movie you thought Miike would make. We hosted the world premiere last year, but we're bringing it back so even more people can feel the sweetness.

Korea
ACTRESSES (2009, New York Premiere) - six of Korea's biggest actresses play cockeyed versions of themselves in this real-time chronicle of a Vogue photo shoot gone wrong. Endlessly self-referential, it speaks the international language of celebrity and looks like the kind of project Andy Warhol would have come up with if he edited US Weekly.
***Director E J-Yong (DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS) will be at the screenings.

ANIMAL TOWN (2009, North American Premiere) - a savage, sterile art film, this brutalist nightmare follows an ex-con and the owner of a small business as the economic crisis, and Korea's bleak urban hellscapes, grind them up into pulp.

BLADES OF BLOOD (2010, International Premiere) - from the director of KING & CLOWN comes this massive swordplay flick about a hero leading a coup against the king and the blind swordsman who sets out to stop him.
***Director Lee Joon-Ik will be present.

CASTAWAY ON THE MOON (2009, New York Premiere) - WHEN HARRY MET SALLY meets LOST by way of J.G. Ballard. And it's a romantic comedy! A businessman tries to kill himself and winds up stranded on an island in the middle of the Han River in downtown Seoul. His only lifeline? An OCD agoraphobe spying on him from her apartment. Ah, true love.
***Director Lee Hey-Jun will be at the screening.

CHAW (2009, North American Premiere) - a box office hit, this bacon-flavored version of THE HOST is a send-up of JAWS only with a giant killer pig instead of a giant killer shark and, probably, a lot more pot got smoked while the script was being written. More like a movie from Joe Dante than Steven Spielberg, and that's a good thing.

A LITTLE POND (2010, International Premiere) - the most controversial movie of the year, this all-star flick about the American massacre of Korean civillians at No Gun Ri in 1950 is a quiet, underplayed, life-goes-on account of the bloody incident, that unspools as gently as a Hou Hsiao-hsien film.

MISE EN SCENE SHORT FILM PROGRAM - two 90 minute programs of short films from the genre film festival curated by E J-Yong, Park Chan-Wook, Kim Ji-Woon and Bong Joon-Ho. These short flicks pack more of a punch than many longer features, and it's your chance to see Korea's future filmmakers trying their hands at weird little romances, gore and animated films. This year's line-up has an unhealthy obsession with children and tiny, four-inch-tall women.

SECRET REUNION (2009) - the director of ROUGH CUT returns with this two-hander for Song Kang-Ho (THE HOST) and Gang Dong-Won (THE DUELIST) playing retired spies battling it out long after their missions are over.
It's a throwback to 80's style buddy movies (LETHAL WEAPON, 48 HOURS) set against the backdrop of the Cold War between North and South Korea.

Thailand
POWER KIDS (2009) - do you like to see children thrown face-first through plate glass windows? We do! Johnny Nguyen (THE REBEL) plays a terrorist who takes over a hospital. The only people who can stop him? A team of tikes with killer muay thai skills. Like a Hong Kong movie from 1988, it's totally reckless, the action is breathless and child labor laws are completely ignored.
Presented as part of Midnights @ IFC

RAGING PHOENIX (2009, New York Premiere) - Jeeja Yanin, Thailand's only female action star, burst onto the scene with CHOCOLATE and now she's back in this flick where she learns how to combine muay thai beatdowns with sick B-boy moves. Truly jaw-dropping, it's full of high impact kicks, lethal breakdancing and the discovery that the greatest martial art of all is "Drunken Muay Thai." Come drunk!

USA
L.A. STREETFIGHTERS (USA, 1985) - a longtime favorite of the Subway Cinema crew, we finally found a 35mm print of this unseen 80's exploitation movie.
As if Ed Wood directed a Korean-American martial arts film set in totally tubular L.A. it will shock you, dazzle you and leave you quoting the immortal dialogue. Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and a host of other exploitation actors appear in this retro classic that's on a par with last year's HOUSE.
Only instead of being a deconstruction of the haunted house movie, it's a bizarre, inadvertent takedown of the 80's action film.
Presented as part of Midnights @ IFC

Tickets Go On Sale June 10

Walter Reade Tickets:
Single Screening Tickets:
$12 general public
$8 students & seniors
$7 Film Society members

Weekday Matinee Screenings @ WR
(Mon-Fri shows starting before 6pm)
$9 general public
$6 students & seniors
$5 Film Society members

Subway Ten Pack @ WR
(admits one person to any ten films screening at the Walter Reade as part of the NYAFF, certain restrictions apply)
$99 general public
$69 students & seniors
$59 Film Society members

Japan Society Tickets:
$11 general public
$7 Japan Society members, students & seniors

IFC Center Tickets
$12.50 general public
$7.50 IFC members

For full details please go to:
www.subwaycinema.com

Keep up with the latest news at:
www.subwaycinemanews.com

More Star Wars Collecting Panels Announced!

The Star Wars Collecting Panels will return to Celebration, with new and interesting talks, give-aways, and events that will run all four days of the show, August 12-15, in Orlando. Gus Lopez, who organized the Collecting Panels for the past four Celebrations, is assembling a new lineup of subjects to entertain and inform all collectors, from beginners to the most experienced, and we’re today proud to reveal the next four in the series, with still more coming soon!

Star Wars Patches
An in-depth look at Star Wars and Star Wars related-patches with collectors Tony Damata and Ken Tarleton. Learn about old and new licensed patches, hard-to-find cast and crew patches, various club patches, and fan-made patches. You’ll also get the scoop on which exclusive patches to be on the look-out for at Celebration V. Attendees are encouraged to bring their extra patches to the panel, as there will be time for questions and answers, and to trade patches with other collectors.

Partners in Collecting
Join us for the untold story of Star Wars collecting from a partner's point of view! Our panelists Anne Jenkins, Pam Green, Bob Canning, Marjorie Carvalho, and Kim McElwain – all partners of some of the biggest Star Wars collectors in the world. Explore the highs and lows of living with a collector and their collection. Learn the secrets of surviving life with a collector, enjoy some of our favorite travel stories, and find out whether the collecting bug is really contagious.

Humorous Star Wars Items
Duncan Jenkins’s presentation on Humorous Star Wars Items is back! And with so many new items added to Duncan's updated repertoire, Star Wars fans will both laugh and groan at some of these humorous collectibles released over the years. For many, the concept of a humorous collectible is not readily obvious. But some of the best attention-grabbing collectibles are the ones that make collectors smile, laugh, or think "I can't believe they made that!" From Jabba the Hutt on a Peach Melba Yogurt Cup to six-foot Ewoks On Ice Skates, the Star Wars collectibles universe has had some very funny licensed items. For a look at some of the best Star Wars inspired, humorous collectibles, check out this panel, and don't forget to wear your Boba Fett Underoos.

Star Wars Collectibles Author Panel
Star Wars collectibles books have covered a wide range of material including posters, prototypes, tattoos, action figures, rarities, and price guides. For the first time ever, this panel gathers some of the leading authors of Star Wars collecting books to discuss their work, give a glimpse of what goes into researching and creating a Star Wars collectibles guide, and field questions from the audience. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from some of the best: Shane Turgeon, Anne Neumann, Pete Vilmur, Duncan Jenkins, Gus Lopez, Steve Sansweet, John Kellerman, and Todd DeMartino.

As a very special bonus, those who attend the Collecting Panels at Celebration V can look forward to receiving exclusive collectibles dreamed up by Lopez and his team. The Collectors’ Panel give-aways have become one of the hottest “must have” items at recent Celebrations, and this time around it will be no different.

Streaming J-Rock This Weekend! Wake Up Early!

Sync Music Japan, a collaborative effort between three Japanese music organizations, will broadcast live performances via MySpace's Ustream this weekend -- http://www.myspace.com/msjustream

Spanning the course of three days, Sync Music Japan's Nexus Project will be held at Shinkiba Studio Coast in Tokyo on June 4th-6th. The performances on June 5th and 6th will be broadcast live via Ustream.

On June 5th, “NEXUS： Battle 80’s Live Show: Band Boom Returns” will feature artists from Japan’s 1980s band boom competing in a live battle. Participants include Kyoichi Sugimoto and Magumi of La-ppisch, Issay of Der Zibet, Takehiko Hiroishi of Up-Beat, Hananosuke Mito of Angie, Kaori Moriwaka of Go-Bang’s, Kazuya Miyata of Jun Sky Walker(s), Tsuneo Akima of Marchosias Vamp, Jiro Kawakami of Kusu Kusu, Takashi Hamazaki of Flying Kids, and Gengaku of Gen.

June 6th’s event is “NEXUS:：J-Rock Goes to the World”, a live J-Rock show featuring performances from Aoi, LC5, Girugamesh, Plastic Tree and Mucc.

Streaming for both events starts at these times...

17:00 pm（Tokyo）
9:00 am（London）
4:00 am（New York）
1:00 am（Los Angeles）

Lolita Day is Saturday!

For its third straight year, Kinokuniya Bookstore is proud to offer activities for NYC's Lolita fashion community in honor of International Lolita Day, a day created to spread information and outreach about the diverse world of cute, cool, elegant, and hip Lolita fashion in modern Japan. Taking place on Saturday, June 5 at Kinokuniya Bookstore, located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, the store will present an afternoon series of workshops, presentations, and giveaways Kinokuniya's Lolita Day events -- created by members of the NYC Lolita community -- is aimed at discussing with general New Yorkers and fashion lovers alike how Lolita fashion has influenced designers, bloggers, fans, and both runway and mainstream fashion. The day will include a selection of special activities aimed at everyone from dedicated Lolita fashionistas, to casual fashion fans, to New Yorkers up for a unique experience. For the schedule, visit newyorkanimefestival.com.

NYAF Masot Finalists Battle Royale!

Several hundred entered. Now, only ten remain. The New York Anime Festival, TheOtaku.com, Del Rey Manga, and Kinokuniya Bookstore are proud to present the New York Anime Festival’s 2010 Mascot Finalists! Each has been selected through the deliberation of a sage jury, and now we’re turning it over to you to make the final call. From now until June 23, cast your vote at newyorkanimefestival.com! All the finalists will receive free tickets to NYAF, with the winning mascot’s artist also taking home some nice swag including 50 free manga from Del Rey Manga!

Want to vote? It’s easy. Just visit newyorkanimefestival.com to pick your favorite. Do your civic duty and vote now!

And be sure to visit Kinokuniya Bookstore this month in NYC, too, to see all our finalists on display!

New York Asian Film Festival Coming Soon!

The New York Asian Film Festival kicks off June 25! Featuring some of Asia’s biggest, best, and most provocative films from the past year, it’ll be taking over Lincoln Center, Japan Society, and IFC Center in just a few weeks. Get informed at subwaycinemanews.com. Ah, summer's returned to NYC!