"Falling Skies" Trailer Lands Online

The Ontario-lensed, DreamWorks TV dramatic series "Falling Skies" will air June 2011 on TNT, starring actor Noah Wyle ("ER") as resistance leader 'Tom Mason', who leads a ragtag group of survivors, following a destructive alien invasion of the Earth.

Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, cast also includes Moon Bloodgood as 'Anne Glass', Will Patton as 'Weaver', Drew Roy as 'Hal', Maxim Knight as 'Matt', Connor Jessup as 'Ben', Seychelle Gabriel as 'Lourdes', Colin Cunningham as 'John Pope' and Sarah Carter as 'Margaret'.

"...'Falling Skies' opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the six months since the initial invasion, the few survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back. Each day is a test of survival as citizen soldiers work to protect the people in their care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign against the occupying alien force.

"...'Tom Mason' (Wyle) is a Boston history professor whose family has been torn apart. His wife was killed in the initial attack, and one of his three sons has been captured. Determined to get his son back and to ensure the safety of his other two sons, Tom must put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as one of the leaders of the resistance movement known as the '2nd Mass', constantly trying to gain intelligence about the aliens in order to outsmart and overtake them..."

There are two types of aliens in the series named 'Skitters' and 'Mechs'. Combining live action and SFX, the Skitters have spider-like bodies, while the robotic Mechs stand upright and can shoot bullets from their arms.

"Falling Skies" is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, with DreamWorks TV's Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan") wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Mark Verheiden ("Battlestar Galactica") and Greg Beeman ("Smallville") are co-executive producers, with the pilot directed by Carl Franklin ("Out of Time").

Dark Horse' "Falling Skies: The Web Comic", is written by Paul Tobin and illustrated by Juan Ferreyra.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Falling Skies"...

Pinewood Toronto Lands $200 Million "Total Recall"

According to reports, Pinewood Toronto Studios, offering the largest indoor studio sound stage in North America, has landed director Len Wiseman's Columbia Pictures $200 million reboot, "Total Recall".

The new film starts shooting in Toronto, March 2011.

Pinewood Toronto Studios offer seven sound stages on a 4.5-hectare site. The largest sound stage within the complex is 46,000 square feet unbroken by columns.

Colin Farrell is in negotiations to star in "Total Recall", from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer ("Salt"), adapting the novelette "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", by author Philip K. Dick.

The new film will be a 'contemporized' take of the original story (previously adapted to the big screen as "Total Recall"), for producer Neal H. Moritz.

"I've always been fascinated with Dick's short story," said Wiseman.

"I'm excited at that prospect of diving even deeper into the type of world it evokes and the questions it asks. I love that the most crucial mystery our character is trying to solve is the one of his own soul."

First published in "The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction", April 1966, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" featured a classic meshing of reality, false memory and real memory, with the title an allusion to "I Can Get It for You Wholesale".

"...'Douglas Quail', a simple and ordinary man, wishes to visit Mars. Unable to afford it, he visits a company, 'Rekal Incorporated', that offers implanted memories or 'extra-factual memory'. The attempt to implant some racy Mars memories of Quail as a secret agent reveals that Quail actually is an undercover government assassin with a mind full of dangerous secrets.

"The Rekal staff quickly get Quail out of their office; he heads home and finds certain physical evidence to support his new old memories. The government initially seeks his death but instead Quail manages to make a deal. He returns to Rekal to have his Mars memories once more suppressed, and is offered by way of compensation a set of heroic wish-fulfillment false memories.

The Rekal staff begin the memory-implanting procedure — and uncover a different and older set of suppressed memories revealing that the unbelievable memories they are about to insert are already there and are true..."

While Moritz continues developing his reboot of the 1990 Martian movie, Dynamite Entertainment will publish a series of "Total Recall" comic books, based on the Carolco Pictures film, directed by Paul Verhoeven.

Rights to publish "Total Recall" were obtained from StudioCanal S.A.

"...'Total Recall' the comic book series, is centered on an unsophisticated construction worker, 'Douglas Quaid' and the aftermath of his visit to 'REKALL', a company offering vacations for the mind.

"But the Rekall vacation triggers a 'mind plant' in Quaid's brain, leading him to discover that he is a freedom fighter from Mars who has been relocated to Earth.

"Quaid attempts to restore order and reverse the corrupt influence of commercial powers, despite multiple challenges, not the least of which are his wife's multiple attempts to kill him: attacks from thugs who want him dead; and his own confusion as to who he really is.

"Quaid conquers the corrupt hold of the Mars based mining company restoring order to the Mars community..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Total Recall".

ABC Studios Into "Being Erica"

According to reports, ABC will develop a US version of the Toronto-lensed CBC TV series "Being Erica", to be written by Maggie Friedman ("Eastwick") for ABC Studios.

Created by Jana Sinyor, "Being Erica" stars Canadian actress Erin Karpluk as 'Erica Strange', a woman who begins seeing a therapist to deal with regrets in her life, only to discover the therapist (Michael Riley) has the ability to send her back in time to relive these events and even change them.

CBC's "Being Erica" debuted in 2009 and subsequently sold to more than 150 countries, including the US where it has been airing over ABC's SoapNet cable channel.

The UK is also interested in another remake of the series for Brit audiences, set in Glasgow, Scotland, to be produced by Big Talk Productions, titled "You Again".

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Being Erica"...

Toronto Start For Syfy's "Alphas"

Syfy reports it has given the sci-fi drama pilot "Alphas" (aka "Section 8"), written by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow, an 11-episode pick-up order, slated to start production in Toronto, early 2011 for a Syfy summer 2011 debut.

The pilot was directed by Jack Bender ("Lost").

From production companies BermanBraun and UCP, "Alphas" stars actor David Strathairn who leads a team of 'ordinary citizens' that possess extraordinary and unusual mental skills.

Penn and BermanBraun's Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein are executive producing.

"With each step in the development and production of 'Alphas', we knew we were onto something very exciting," said Syfy's Mark Stern.

"Alphas" cast also includes Warren Christie, Malik Yoba, Laura Mennell, Ryan Cartwright and Azita Ghanizada...

"Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel" DVD- December 7

According to Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Brigitte Berman ("Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got"), her acclaimed 2010 documentary "Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel" will be available on DVD, December 7, 2010.

"...'Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel' is a revealing look at the outspoken, flamboyant founder of the "Playboy" empire.

"With humor and insight, the film captures Hefner's fierce battles with the government, the religious right and militant feminists.

"Rare footage and compelling interviews with a remarkable who's who of 20th Century American pop culture, present a brilliant and entertaining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the controversies that surrounded him..."

In addition to Hefner, the film includes interviews with Joan Baez, Jim Brown, Dick Cavett, Pat Boone, Susan Brownmiller, Gene Simmons, Jenny McCarthy, Mike Wallace, Dick Gregory, Tony Curtis, Shannon Tweed, Jesse Jackson, Tony Bennett, James Caan, David Steinberg, George Lucas, Ruth Westheimer, Bill Maher and Pete Seeger.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist And Rebel"...

Entertainment Weekly Runs With "The Walking Dead"

Sneak Peek the cover to the next issue of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine, showcasing the new AMC 'zombie' horror series "The Walking Dead", based on the comic book series.

The original TV series was recently renewed with an order for an additional 13 episodes. According to AMC, noted for the Emmy award-winning series "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad", "The Walking Dead" has averaged 3.5 million viewers per episode.

Developed for television by director Frank Darabont, based on the Image comic books of the same name created by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore, "The Walking Dead" debuted October 31, 2010 with a 90-minute premiere episode airing during AMC's "Fearfest" programming block.

"...'Amy' (Emma Bell) and her older sister 'Andrea' have made their home in Dale's RV at the camp. She is 12 years younger than Andrea and that has caused no small amount of tension between the sisters. Amy is resentful of Andrea leaving her behind at home and not coming back often enough to visit and be a part of her life. The experience of the apocalypse has strengthened their bond enormously, though Amy is still often frustrated by Andrea correcting her, judging her and generally telling her what to do. On the other hand, Amy worships her older sister, wanting to be just like her. Still young, Amy is impetuous and eternally optimistic. She helps look out for the kids in the camp, is quick to defend other's actions when she sees them as being protective and generally tries to keep the peace among her fellow survivors..."

"...'Andrea' (Laurie Holden) is a successful civil rights attorney living in Florida, Andrea was on a road trip with her younger sister 'Amy', headed back to Amy's college when the zombie apocalypse occurred. They were stranded in Atlanta when they were rescued by 'Dale' and they've been living with him and the rest of our survivors at the camp ever since. Andrea is intelligent, cautious and extremely protective of her younger sister, with whom she has not always had the closest relationship. Never one to shy away from a challenge or a fight, Andrea is headstrong, opinionated and first and foremost interested in keeping Amy safe. They don't know what has become of their parents but Andrea has no real expectation of them being alive and will endeavor to stand strong as the only family Amy has left..."

"...Believing her husband 'Rick' to be dead, 'Lori Grimes' (Sarah Wayne Callies) , along with her son 'Carl', goes with 'Shane' towards Atlanta, counting on him to keep her and her son safe. Extremely compassionate and empathetic, Lori is the emotional center of the group of survivors. With their entire world in chaos, Lori will cling to her humanity and fight to maintain their decency and rituals, offering comfort to everyone as they face their individual tragedies. First and foremost, she is a fiercely protective mother, desperate to keep her son safe and extremely wary of anyone she doesn't trust getting too close to him..."

Click the images to enlarge, Sneak Peek "The Walking Dead" and in homage, the 2010 "Toronto Zombie Walk"...

Lisa Ray To Host For TLC

Toronto-born, Canadian actress Lisa Ray has signed with the lifestyle channel TLC to anchor a new travel-based show in 2011, that will "...depict the cultural backdrop of India like never before..."

Ray was originally a journalism student, before being approached by a fashion magazine to pose for a cover. This opportunity steered her into a high-profile career, leading to her acting in the film "Kasoor" (2000).

Canadian director Deepa Mehta then cast her as the lead in "Bollywood/Hollywood" (2002) and "Water" (2005).

Click the images to enlarge...

"aluCine" Toronto Latin Film & Media Arts Festival- November 18-21

The 11th annual "aluCine Toronto Latin Film & Media Arts Festival", runs November 18-21, 2010, in Toronto, organized by Southern Currents/Corrientes del Sur.

The Toronto-based, non-profit organization is dedicated to the development and presentation of contemporary media art by local artists of Latin American heritage, the presentation of international Latino works in Canada and the presentation of Canadian works in Latin America and elsewhere.

The opening Film Gala, Thursday November 18 will take place @ Innis Town Hall at 2 Sussex Ave. The following three nights, Friday to Sunday, November 19-21, will be located at The Polish Combatant's Association at 206 Beverly Ave.

Engaging artist talks with visiting filmmakers and curators will follow most screenings, with tickets available one hour in advance for each scheduled screening at the current venues.

Click the images to enlarge...