Now that the Harry Potter film franchise is coming to an end, it’s time for another fantasy franchise to try and keep the momentum going. That seems to be the plan for Fox’s Chronicles of Narnia films. There was a bit of doubt as to whether the franchise would continue, but the trailer for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader looks like it could mean just that. Here’s the official synopsis.

While Lucy and Edmund Pevensie are visiting their cousin, Eustace Scrubb, they encounter a magical painting that transports them back into the land of Narnia. Once there, they reunite with King Caspian aboard the “Dawn Treader,” the first ship to exist in Narnia for hundreds of years. King Caspian takes them on a perilous journey to find seven banished lords. Along the way they reunite with the lion Aslan, undertake a series of enchanting and terrifying adventures, and once again face the White Witch.

We’re about a month away from the release of the film, and the marketing is finally starting to ramp up with a brand new trailer. 2008′s Prince Caspian may not have been enough of a success to make this film a record-breaker, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get some good old-fashioned fantasy out of the deal.

Check out the new trailer after the jump (courtesy of Yahoo) and see The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader in theaters on December 10.

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On Thursday of last week, the gaming world got what they had been waiting for. Microsoft lauds Kinect as the next big leap in video game control (Sort of). Formerly referred to as Project Natal, we got our first hands on with the depth sensing motion camera at San Diego Comic Con and the experience left us wanting more. It also left us wondering how the game would play in a real world environment, not just a perfectly set up demo room.

After a surprisingly quick setup right out of the box, Kinect is ready to go. But there few things of note which Microsoft has been fairly up front about. The first is that the Kinect needs room to work. A player must stand about six feet back from the Kinect sensor, preferably eight to ten if multiple players will be gaming together.

Otherwise a player’s full body isn’t recognized and the camera will spend time recalibrating itself. The other is that once you have started playing with a Kinect game, expect to place yourself in front of the screen for a longer period of time.

If you plan on walking back and forth between minigames you will only cause yourself hassle as each time you walk away, the camera will have to reconfigure. Finally, there is a minimum height requirement for Kinect. Players under three feet tall won’t be able to use the system.

Make sure to keep that in mind when it comes to purchasing Kinect for Christmas for smaller kids as it could potentially lead to a horrible Christmas morning when little Johnny finds out he is too short to play with his Kinectimals or there is only a three foot space between the television and the edge of the coach.

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As if Lea Michele’s appearance on the very first episode of TBS’s Conan wasn’t enough, you’ll be getting a second dose of her on Fox tonight, as she tags along with the rest of the gang from Glee with an all new episode. We even get the triumphant return of Puck. Here’s the full synopsis of tonight’s episode.

After Finn and Sam find an unconventional way of controlling their urges, a few glee club members pick up on the strategy and start using it too. But when Coach Beiste gets wind of what they are up to, the glee club has some explaining to do.

We’ve got two brand new clips from tonight’s episode. Check them out after the jump, and be sure to catch an all new Glee at 8pm tonight on Fox.

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With Andy Whitfield not able to return to Spartacus: Blood and Sand for season two, inevitably the show must go on as it does in Hollywood. So, that means the show’s producers need to find a new leading man to take over the title role. According to Deadline, the search for that leading man has come down to three actors.

Those three actors are: Stephen Amell, Aiden Turner and Liam McIntyre. According to the report, the three have been flown to New Zealand for screen tests and to meet with the show’s cast and crew. A final decision on who will be the next Spartacus is expected as early as this week.

In case you haven’t hear these names before, don’t feel bad. Like Whitfield, Amell (Closing the Ring), Turner (All My Children) and McIntyre (The Pacific) are relatively unknown. They do, however, all seem to have the requisite looks and physicality for the role. Still, in my mind and I’m sure the minds of many other fans, it will be very hard for any actor to replace Whitfield in a role he created and filled so very well.

That said, I’m sure the show’s producers would rather, if given the choice, not have to be facing this decision at all. I’m sure they would prefer to have Whitfield instead, as would we all. Hopefully, any actoir who takes his place will only be doing it for the short term and he will be able to return someday soon and play Spartacus, and many other roles, again.

The Spartacus prequel series, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, is slated to premiere in January. Season Two of Spartacus: Blood and Sand is expected to begin filming soon with a projected Summer 2011 return.

With the ratings for the premiere episode going through the roof over at AMC, it’s no surprise that the network has officially renewed The Walking Dead for another season. But wait, that’s not all. . . there’s more.

The second season won’t be only six episodes. Instead, it will be a full thirteen as it should be. The announcement comes after the show’s very impressive premiere showing on October 31st which drew 5.3 million viewers, 3.6 million of them in the 18-49 demographic.

“The Dead has spread!” said Charlie Collier, President of AMC. “No other cable series has ever attracted as many adults 18-49 as ‘The Walking Dead.’ This reaffirms viewers’ hunger for premium television on basic cable.” Even more impressive was that the show was down only 11% from its debut, which hardly happens these days.

If, for some reason, you’re not on board the Walking Dead train just yet, it’s based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series and written and directed by Frank Darabont. It deals with a group of survivors struggling to make it in a zombie ravaged world.

The show airs on AMC Sundays at 10/9C. If you’re a fan of great drama, compelling characters and, of course, zombies it’s well worth checking out.

This week’s pick is the 1979 least known and only comedy from director Steven Spielberg, 1941 which stars Saturday Night Live originals Dan Aykroyd (Sgt. Frank Tree), and the incomparable John Belushi (Capt. “Wild” Bill Kelso, U.S. Army Air Corp.) Other supporting actors include Bobby Di Cicco (Wally Stephens), Ned Beatty (Ward Douglas), Lorraine Gary (Joan Douglas), Murray Hamilton (Claude Crumm), Christopher Lee (Capt. Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt), Tim Matheson (Capt. Loomis Berkhead) and Toshiro Mifune (Cmd. Akiro Mitamura).

Also on hand are Warren Oates (Col. Maddox), Robert Stack (Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stillwell), Treat Williams (Cpl. Chuck “Stretch” Sitarski), Nancy Allen (Donna Stratton), John Candy (Pvt. Foley), Slim Pickens (Hollis P. Wood), and Count Floyd himself, Joe Flaherty (Raoul Lipschitz).

The opening of the film informs the audience about the infamous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 which hurtled an unsuspecting America into World War II. The West Coast of the United States was fearful that the Japanese would attack California next. These were actual fears that were quickly realized by its citizens, and that extreme caution and observation was needed to thwart any attempt which made invasion possible. The film is set just six days after the Pearl Harbor attack.

In the first few opening minutes of the film, Spielberg, and writers Bob Gale, John Milius, and future director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future trilogy) fantastically lampoon Spielberg’s Jaws opening by using the very same actress to re-create her skinny dip scene in the early morning hours. Veteran Spielberg composer John Williams even re-creates his famous theme music. The female swimmer is instantly caught on the periscope of a Japanese submarine which is prowling the California coastline for a worthy military target.

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Another season of Eastbound & Down wrapped up, and this week we leave Mexico. Kenny, Stevie and his new wife Maria are headed back to North Carolina so Kenny can reclaim April, but a lot has changed since he’s been gone.  April’s moved on, giving up her teaching job to become a real estate salesman with her partner, referred to by Kenny as simply “the black man.” And she’s pregnant.

Sensibly, April wants nothing to do with Kenny since he abandoned her at a random gas station last season. So Kenny does the only thing left: coke and pool, followed up by crashing Dustin and Cassie’s date night (white wine and Grace Slick—nice) for a little advice, which is pretty much leave her to live her life. And like many of the hard truths Kenny’s had to face this season, he accepts it, but as a last act of good will, gives the tapes of his book to April, so she can try to understand his reasons for leaving her.

And in a final grand gesture, she shows up just as Kenny’s about to leave for Myrtle Beach to make some kind of amends…and reveal that the baby’s his.

All I can say is, “Wow.” And, after a few seconds in awe of this show and its season, I’d go further and say that Season 2 is superior to EB&D’s powerhouse first. Kenny went from vulgar curiosity to halfway decent human being—and all without the aid of the first-season cast (save, of course, Stevie).

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I don’t think we’ll see the kind of lines normally associated with the launch of an iPhone, but if you’re a Microsoft and Windows 7 fan, today’s your day. Why? Well, in case you didn’t know, today is launch day for Microsoft’s new smartphone powered by Windows 7.

That’s right, Windows Phone 7 devices are now available for purchase in the U.S. The Redmond Giant (As we like to call them) already launched its new mobile OS last month in Europe and fans here in the US of A have had to wait patiently for the launch here. Now, the wait is over.

At the moment, you can get one of three smartphones powered by Windows 7 from two different carriers. The HTC Surround, Samsung Focus and HTC HD7 are good to go with the Dell Venue Pro is rumored to drop later today. The LG Quantum is also available for pre-order from AT&T starting today.

CDMA Windows Phone 7 devices on Sprint and Verizon are not expected until the first quarter of 2011. AT&T is investing heavily in the Windows Phone 7 launch, with touch screen displays providing information about the system and “experience tables” to showcase the Windows Phone 7 handsets. Also displayed are Xbox game console and a laptop with Windows 7 operating system.

Expect to pay $199.99 for any of these Windows Phones. Of course, you can probably find better deals elsewhere by doing a little searching.

So, anyone planning on lining up for a Windows Phone 7 today? If so, let us know how it goes.

Just when you thought a Superman and Spider-Man reboot would be enough for the world of superhero films, you’ve got to think again. Everybody’s favorite Jersey crusader is getting another chance at the limelight, as Hot Tub Time Machine director Steve Pink is getting a shot at the reboot. From Deadline.

“The Toxic Avenger is exactly what the country–wait, that’s not big enough–what the world needs right now,” said Pink, who also directed Accepted and whose scripting credits include Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity. Kerry Foster, who runs Goldsman’s Weed Road, is executive producer with Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the Troma proprietors who created Toxic Avenger.

While this could be great news for fans of Pinks past work on Hot Tub, High Fidelity, and Grosse Point Blank, the sad news is that the rights of Toxie no longer fall to Lloyd Kaufman and the gang at Troma Films.

Back in April, super producers Akiva Goldsman, Richard Saperstein and Charlie Corwin all obtained the remake rights to Toxic Avenger, which include all 4 films and the animated series. While that may mean you’ll never see a resurgence in The Toxic Avenger Musical, this remake could prove to be entertaining.

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Well, it certainly seems that The Walking Dead has delivered on the promise of its pilot episode, and then some.  When we last left Rick, his hapless steed was serving as zombie kibble, and Rick seemed doomed, trapped in a tank, surrounded by the walking dead.

This episode began at the base camp for the other survivors.  That camp happens to include Lori (Rick’s wife) and Shane (Rick’s partner.)  Lori announces her intentions of going into the forest to forage for food (presumably.)   In actuality, she nabs a little nooky from Shane.

Last week, I was willing to give Lori the benefit of the doubt when it came to her dalliance  with Shane.  I thought perhaps they hooked up after the zombie apocalypse. However, this week I felt that their rapport was just too familiar, and I get the distinct feeling that these two have been going at it for quite some time.  Am I way off base here?

At any rate, things are going to get a tad awkward when Rick enters the campsite.  Did anyone notice that Lori very deliberately removed her necklace that had a ring and a heart pendant before she let Shane jump her bones?   I found it interesting that she did not remove her wedding ring. In fact, the camera lingered on it for just a moment.

Meanwhile, back at the tank, Rick is receiving a radio message from someone who is telling him that he is surrounded by walkers, but he must make a run for it.  The voice further explains that the zombies are distracted because they are eating the horse.  Rick takes note of his ammunition, and puts good faith in the voice.

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Last year, DJ Hero was tied as the best music game of the year on the Flickcast alongside The Beatles: Rock Band.  When it was announced a sequel was coming so soon this year, there were some mixed feelings. Would there be enough changes made to the game or would it be DJ Hero 1.5 with just an expanded song list. Luckily, it is the former with a revised career mode, more interactive DJ control, added multiplayer modes and yes, more music and that is DJ Hero 2.

Gameplay:

Take last year’s DJ Hero gameplay of a cascading note highway using a turntable controller and add in drop in, drop out multiplayer for a second controller as well as a singer and sprinkle in Guitar Hero’s vocal controls for a singer/rapper and you have the basics of DJ Hero 2. Luckily, things don’t end at the basics as freestyling takes a big leap in this sequel.

Last year, player’s freestyle abilities were limited to selecting audio packages they could occasionally drop in to the song. This year, that gets kicked up a notch as songs each have their own specific samples to be dropped in at certain parts which help the mixes feel stronger and more cohesive. Additionally, crossfader freestyling has been added.

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It may be taking a bit longer than someone like Blake Lively, but Mila Kunis has some rising stock in Hollywood. A few flops may have held her back, like American Psycho 2 or Max Payne, but with the tandem success of Family Guy and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Kunis is becoming quite the name in the comedy world. Now she’s teaming up with another recent comedy favorite, with his outrageous SNL popularity, Justin Timberlake.

The two are teaming up for the upcoming sex comedy Friends With Benefits about a two friends that try to master then art of “stringless sex”. Of course, things don’t go as planned, and one falls for the other. Who will it be?

The interesting part of the film is it’s R-rated nature. In the newest red band trailer, you get plenty of vulgarity from both Kunis and Timberlake. And yes, ladies, Justin even sings a Semi Sonic song.

Check out the NSFW red band trailer after the jump, and check out Friends with Benefits in theaters on July 22nd.

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