Even with a perfectly fine piece of software for reading Final Draft scripts on the iPad already available in the form of FDX Reader, some users were still waiting for an “official” solution from Final Draft themselves. Well, they need wait no longer — or at least won’t have to after February 16.

That’s right, the company is releasing its “official” app to read scripts written in Final Draft on your iPad. For some of you, this won’t seem like a big deal. For those of us who use Final Draft daily for work and have alwyas wanted a way to read scripts on our iPads with the same fonts, page numbering and formatting as on our computers, this is a great development.

Some of the apps features will include:

• Works with Final Draft version 8 FDX files – the Hollywood industry standard script file format
• Imports scripts using email, iTunes File Sharing, or Dropbox
• Perfectly paginates to US Letter and standard European (A4) page sizes
• Precisely displays production scripts, including colored production pages, locked pages, scene numbering, and more!
• Scripts accurately scale to actual draft size

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Before I go on, let’s get one thing stright: I don’t know if there’s a link between violent video games and actual violence in real life. And neither does anyone else.

That’s the point. Nobody knows for sure. So when someone decides that violent video games are a problem and “something needs to be done,” I feel compelled to bring it to your attention — especially when the method in question is so lame in concept as to be laughable.

Here’s the deal: An Oklahoma Democratic lawmaker named Will Fourkiller (ironic?) has proposed a tax be applied to all games that receive an ESRB rating. In addition, Mr. Fourkiller also proposes T-Rated games have a tax added to their cost since some include “simulated gambling.”

Are you with me so far? Good. To rationalize his proposal, Mr. Fourkiller refers to a crime in which a man killed a police officer and stole his car after playing Grand Theft Auto.

”Not everybody is going to react the same, but I believe after hours and hours of watching the screen, playing the video game, being that person and taking on that role, people get desensitized,” Mr. Fourkiller said.

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For those of you who were disappointed when Apple completely revamped its flagship video editing software Final Cut Pro and released the somewhat controversial and feature-poor Final Cut Pro X, it seems the company has listened to your complaints. Well, at least some of them.

This week Apple released an update to Final Cut Pro X, bringing the app to version 10.0.3. The latest update adds several features that will most likely please editors including new advanced chroma keying, support for XML 1.1 and beta broadcast monitoring for Thunderbolt devices and PCIe cards.

However, the most significant addition seems to be the software’s new multicam editing feature. This feature enables editors to sync up to 64 angles of video and photos in one timeline “automagically.” Or, if you want to get technical, the software uses time of day, timecode, markers, or audio waveforms to sync. Although, we think “automagically” sounds cooler.

The Final Cut Pro v10.0.3 update is available now and is free for all existing Final Cut Pro X users. New users can purchase the software from Apple’s Mac App Store for $299.99 after a 30-day free trial.

Check out the full press release from Apple after the jump.

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Recently, a video surfaced of an older Matthew Broderick playing what seemed, at least on the surface, to be his famous character Ferris Bueller. Of course, this set off a wave of speculation that a sequel to the seminal 80s film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is in the works.

Sadly (or not) it appears the rumors of a sequel were just that. Instead, now that the full video has been released, we can clearly see that it was, in fact, a commercial for the new Honda CR-V and not a new movie.

We don’t usually post commercials here at The Flickcast but because this one is highly referential to the original film, features a prominent film and stage actor basically reprising his role as one of his most famous characters and the commercial is directed by Hangover helmer Todd Phillips, we think it probably warrants a mention. So, we’re mentioning it.

We won’t, however, comment on the rather sad physical state Broderick looks to be in nor the relative creative mertis of the commercial itself. We’ll leave that for you.

Check out the full commercial after the jump.

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Before I can go forward with a review of director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film Haywire, I need to make a confession: I’m a big fan of almost all of his films. Sure, he’s managed to make one or two that don’t exactly work (The Girlfriend Experience comes to mind), but he’s never boring and always tries to push filmmaking and creativity in new and different directions.

Given this, I went into Haywire with somewhat raised expectations due to my fondness for his previous works. As the film unfolded I was struck by several things. First, lead actress and MMA superstar Gina Carano is not only beautiful, I would not want to ever make her angry. She’s that tough.

The film also moves quickly and at a running time of 93 minutes, almost seems a bit short. I think that’s a good thing because at the end, I wanted more.

I was also struck by how similar Haywire is to one of Soderbergh’s earlier films, The Limey (which is also my favorite of his films). I guess one reason could be that screenwriter Lem Dobbs wrote both films.

I’m not saying Haywire‘s similarity to The Limey is a bad thing, it was just interesting. More on that a bit later.

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I find it funny that even with everything happening at CES in Las Vegas this week one announcement from Apple about an event next week and the entire tech news world shifts forces to them. Sorry CES, nobody seems to care all that much about you.

To what event am I referring? Well, as I mentioned last week, Apple was rumored to be planning an education-related event for sometime in January. As you can see from the pic above, they’ve now sent out invitations to said event and it’s definitely scheduled for the 19th of this month.

Now that we know the event is education-related does that mean Apple is announcing a new textbook initiative with major publishers to bring school books to the iPad? I think it might. I also think we might see a bit more during this event such as new publishers added to the magazines available in the Newsstand app as well as some new publishers added to iBooks.

Sadly, I would doubt Apple will also announces a new iPad next week. I think they will wait on that one for another month or two. Of course, whatever happens we will find it all out come January 19. Should be interesting.

It’s only the first real work day back from the New Year’s holiday (aka January 3rd) and already speculation about Apple and its upcoming products is well underway. This time around that speculation is directed at a media event insider sources are saying will take place in New York at the end of this month.

According to AllThingsD, the event won’t be centered around an iPad 3 announcement or have anything to do with a the television Apple is supposedly developing. In fact, as the event will reportedly be hosted by Apple’s Senior VP of Internet Software Eddy Cue, it’s much more likely it will concern publishing or advertising.

That’s probably a pretty good bet considering New York is still regarded as the advertising and publishing capital of these United States. Let’s assume, based on this info, the event will center on publishing and advertising.

That means we might expect an announcement about new magazines joining Apple’s Newsstand initiative or maybe we can look forward to an updated app that combines iBooks and Newsstand into one, much like Amazon does with its Kindle app for iOS. That would be nice.

Whatever ends up being announced, you can be sure some people will be happy and others will lament that the event wasn’t all about a brand new iPad 3. Rest assured people, Apple will release an iPad 3. It’s just a matter of time.

Until then, try to enjoy your iPad 2 and remember there are people much less fortunate than you are out there. I’m talking about, of couse, those people still using the original iPad.

Poor bastards.

As is the usual practice almost anywhere were column inches or post counts matter, writers such as myself take to their keyboards and make lists. I am no exception and, with a great deal of difficulty and toil, have managed to cobble together a list of what I think are some of the best things of 2011.

I don’t really want to bore you with a lot of explanations as to why I picked what I did. Suffice it to say these picks are mine and mine alone. Also, they are not in any particular order, mostly because I find it hard to rank them that closely. Or, I was just too lazy.

Either way, here you go.

Movies

Drive
The Artist
Attack the Block
X-Men: First Class
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
The Descendants
Thunder Soul
13 Assassins
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo

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When Battlestar Galactica ended its run a few years ago fans were pretty disappointed. It was a great show that was enjoyed by a lot of people. One of the reasons for that enjoyment was the great cast.

Ron Moore, Exec. Producer and Co-Creator of the re-imagined series, tried to give fans something they’ve been wising for with the pilot for his series for NBC called 17th Precinct. Reuniting for the pilot were BSG alumni Jamie Bamber, James Callis and Tricia Helfer along with Caprica‘s Esai Morales. Sadly, no Edward James Olmos was in sight.

However, what we did get is a pretty interesting and inventive pilot which gives a new twist on the well-worn police procedural. It’s so fresh, in fact, that’s that’s probably the reason NBC decided not to pick it up. They would rather have a block of Whitney Cummings and Chelsey Handler shows and put Community on “hiatus” than have original programming.

But, I digress. Check out the pilot after the break while you still can. It might go away just as fast as it appeared.

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Filmmaking is often a fun and very collaborative process. In the past, however, it usually took place mostly in secluded locations where the majority of fans never saw it or even really knew about it until a particular film was released into theaters.

Now that we live in the age of the Internets, the possibilities are almost endless as to how filmmakers can involve an audience in the entire process of creating a film. Case in point today is Peter Jackson and his production of The Hobbit.

The director has released another in a series of videos giving audiences a look at the ongoing production of his epic. In this one, Jackson talks about the cast, locations, logistics and a lot more sure to make fans everywhere even more excited for the film’s release.

Check out this very cool video after the break. Look for more from Jackson and company as the film progresses and, of course, expect to see The Hobbit in theaters on December 14, 2012.

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If there’s one thing we love around here it’s Liam Neeson. He’s a cool customer who usually ends up in movies we relly enjoy watching like Batman Begins, Taken or the recent Unknown.

We especially like to watch when he’s demonstrating his “particular set of skills.” Those are seemingly in full effect in his latest film The Grey.

In The Grey, Neeson is pitted against a new foe, one that will stop at nothing to make sure he, and the people he’s protecting, don’t make it out of the wilderness alive. I’m talking about, of course, a pack of hungry wolves.

Yes, you read that right: wolves. Neeson is even a badass when he fights against nature. To prove my point we’ve got a new trailer for The Grey to share with you today.

Check it out after the break. The Grey, which in addition to Neeson features Dermot Mulroney and James Badge Dale, is directed by Joe Carnahan and hits theaters on January 27.

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In the United States, this is the time of year when Hollywood virtually shuts down and people leave town to visit family and friends. Plus, the staff here at The Flickcast actually has family and friends as well and many of them are doing the same.

So, for the next week or so we will have a reduced posting schedule. Of course, if anything big happens, we’ll bring it to you. Also, be sure to look for our “Best of 2011″ articles covering movies, TV, comics, games and all things geek before the end of the year as well.

In the meantime, from all of us here at The Flickcast, we wish all of you the very best for this holiday season and happiness, health and luck for 2012.