The Flickcast

Microsoft Announces Outlook For Mac, Entourage Update, New Office

Posted on August 13, 2009

For those of you who thought this day would never come and you were relegated to using Entourage at your Microsoft Exchange equipped offices, you’re in for a treat because Microsoft, or at least their Macintosh Business Unit, feels your pain and is going to do something about it. What, you may wonder? Well, they’ve announced today that you’ll be able to get a brand new, improved, feature packed version of Outlook for your Mac once the new version of Microsoft Office ships next year.

Can’t believe what your reading? Well, this official Microsoft press release should convince you. Check it out:

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 13, 2009 — Microsoft Corp.’s Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) today shared details about the next version of Microsoft Office for Mac, announcing that a new application, Outlook for Mac, will replace Entourage for Mac. MacBU is providing this early information to meet the planning needs of enterprise customers. For current Entourage users, Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition is available today, providing performance and reliability improvements and enabling users to sync Tasks, Notes and Categories.

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‘Poltergeist’ Remake Gets Release Date

Posted on August 13, 2009

With Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th getting remade and rebooted these days, it’s only inevitable to hear about a remake of arguably one of the scariest horror films of the 1980s in Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist.

About two years ago, it was announced that MGM Studios was working on the remake, and then a year later they announced that House of Sand and Fog director Vadim Perelman would take the helm. Even later, MGM picked up Stiles White and Juliet Snowden, the team behind 2005’s Boogeyman and this year’s Knowing, would be penning the script.

It has now been announced that the film will have a release date of November 24 of next year. Not a terrible draw, being Thanksgiving weekend, and also one week after the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You can expect to see more November releases in the coming years after the success of the Twilight franchise and it’s positioning.

No word yet on casting, but it has to be asked whether or not the studio is worried about the legendary Poltergeist Curse, which allegedly took the lives of several cast and crew members over the years. With a release date only 14 months away, we are sure to hear more about casting and when shooting begins in the coming weeks.

The Pull List Comic Reviews: ‘Blackest Night’, ‘Uncanny X-Men’ and ‘G.I. Joe Special: Helix’

Posted on August 13, 2009

Pull of the Week:

Blackest Night #2 – DC – $3.99

Score: 8.0

As mentioned yesterday in Dave Press’ Weekly Comic Book Recommendations, this was a big week for DC’s Blackest Night event between Blackest Night #2, Blackest Night: Batman #1 and Green Lantern Corps #39. A previous Pull of the Week with issue #1, Blackest Night #2 continues the eerie first chapter of this horror tale.

After Hawkman and Hawkgirl have been attacked and killed by the Black Lanterns Elongated Man and Sue Dibny, the Atom desperately begs for Hawkman to pick up the phone unaware of his fate. Over in Gotham, Commissioner Gordon stands atop the police headquarters next to the Bat-Symbol with his daughter Barbara awaiting sunrise before Hal Jordan lands on it as a result of his fight with Martian Manhunter.

In Amnesty Bay, Mera and Tempest, the wife and son of Aquaman look to move their king’s remains to the sea only to find the grave desecrated. Thinking they are witnessing a graverobbing, the duo along with guards from Atlantis are attacked by the resurrected Black Lantern Aquaman who has retained his control over the creatures of the sea as seen in a bloody attack on the guards.

Blackest Night #2 feels a lot like it is the part of a movie where the team is being formed. The foundation has been laid out in issue one and now the Black Lantern corps is being built. While the biggest reveals happened in the first issue, these other players are obviously going to be key components to the story moving forward, especially since writer Geoff Johns took the time to give so much attention to their Black Lantern reveals. A perfect example of this is Deadman who already appears in Blackest Night: Batman (which will be reviewed on tomorrow’s edition of the Pull List). Along with that, the two major fight scenes are great glimpses of just how powerful the Black Lanterns can be.

The Scratch Perverts and DJ Yoda Join ‘DJ Hero’

Posted on August 13, 2009

The impressive crew of turntable legends bringing mixes to Activision’s DJ Hero continues to grow. PR Newswire announced today The Scratch Perverts and DJ Yoda will be joining the list of contributors to the game, which includes DJ Shadow, DJ AM, DJ Z-Trip and Daft Punk. The Scratch Perverts have spun five mixes including M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes,” while DJ Yoda has created two mixes that will appear on-disc when DJ Hero drops this Fall.

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics found in Guitar Hero, DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to experience and hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game.

Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller allows fans to utilize various techniques including scratching, blending, cross fading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches.

DJ Hero will be available on October 27. Until then, check out this video of DJ Yoda doing his thing after the break.

Zombie’s ‘El Superbeasto’ Might Get Theater Release

Posted on August 13, 2009

Delayed for years due to studio shuffles, MTV Splashpage is now reporting that Rob Zombie’s adult-oriented, animated adaptation of his Haunted World of El Superbeasto comic book, originally tagged for straight-to-DVD release, could enjoy a run in theaters.

According to the musician/filmmaker, the project started “as a really cheap direct-to-video project, and then it kept ballooning over the years and the budget kept getting bigger and bigger, and the project kept getting bigger and bigger, and bigger names kept coming on to it, and then it seemed like, ‘Well, now it seems theatrical.'”

The adult-only film has had a tricky path to distribution, as “the company kept changing hands. We started with one company, they got sold to another, and they got sold to another company,” Zombie explained.

“I’m actually glad it happened that way,” Zombie stated. “The movie went from costing $1 million dollars to $8 million, and we got to make an awesome movie, so I don’t really care how it gets out there. Theatrical would be great, and I think they’re talking now about doing a limited theatrical run, so that would be cool.”

Featuring the voices of Paul Giamatti, Brian Posehn, Danny Trejo and Rosario Dawson, El Superbeasto is scheduled to arrive on DVD and Blu-Ray September 22.

Tickets for Extended ‘Avatar’ Trailer to Go Online Monday

Posted on August 13, 2009

If you’re one of the millions waiting impatiently to catch a glimpse at James Cameron’s Avatar, then you may want to clear your schedule. Starting next Monday (August 17th) you’ll be able to get a free ticket for an 16-minute IMAX trailer on August 21. From The Hollywood Reporter:

The extended trailer, featuring an on-camera intro by director James Cameron, hits 101 Imax venues in the U.S. and Canada on Aug. 21 in a promo push announced at the recent Comic-Con International confab in San Diego. On the same date, theaters worldwide will begin showing more conventional 2D and 3D “Avatar” trailers.

Fans will be provided theater information and other “Avatar” tidbits via AvatarMovie.com. Visitors to the site also will see ticketing instructions and links to individual movie theaters.

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New ‘Guitar Hero: Johnny Cash’ Trailer

Posted on August 13, 2009

GH5-Johnny-Cash To the growing list of musical superstars who will grace upcoming Guitar Hero games, we now must add multiple Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. Cash will be make his video game debut as a playable character in Activision’s upcoming Guitar Hero 5 game.

According to the company: “Cash’s virtual image will live on as Guitar Hero players can rock out on any instrument controller to ‘Ring Of Fire,’ and even unlock the ability to strum and sing along as the ‘Man in Black’ himself in the all-new Electric Honky Tonk Bar venue.” Cash joins the ever-growing list of playable in-game artists for the game including The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Vampire Weekend, plus more than 25 artists from a variety of music genres that will be making their music video game debut.

Check out the trailer featuring Johnny Cash in his video game debut after the jump. Guitar Hero 5 hits store shelves September 1st.

…And Now a Word From Megan Fox

Posted on August 12, 2009

Jennifers_body_2 Break.com recently posted a heartfelt PSA from Megan Fox, who encouraged high school kids everywhere to stand up against peer pressure and not be afraid of being different. “What really matters,” Fox explains, “is being yourself, and if that includes slowly killing, then eating every boy in your school, then I say do it.”

Wait…what?

It turns out the PSA is actually promoting the black comedy/horror flick, Jennifer’s Body, Diablo Cody’s follow-up to Juno. Fox plays Jennifer Check, a sexy, popular cheerleader that every girl wants to befriend and every boy wants to date. Jennifer’s interest in boys changes significantly after a satanic ritual goes horribly wrong, leaving Jennifer possessed by a demon who feeds off the boys at her high school.

Jennifer’s Body also stars Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons and Adam Brody and will be devouring audiences on September 18.

Catch Fox’s special PSA after the jump. Strong language is used, so viewers beware.