DANIEL RADCLIFFE as HARRY POTTER

"As an actor in the Harry Potter films and as a lifelong fan of the Harry Potter series, it would give me great satisfaction to know that chocolate sold in Harry's name is consistent with the values in Harry Potter," said Lynch. "Further, we all want Harry Potter chocolate, and chocolate in general, to have a future. If we do not act in a way that is moral toward cocoa farmers now by ensuring that chocolate is fair trade, we will all pay a price in the future."

Warner Bros. CEO Barry Meyer responded to the HPA's "Not In Harry's Name" campaign in a letter to HPA Executive Director Andrew Slack. "We applaud your commitment to social responsibility and support of those in need," Meyer said, referring to the HPA's sending five cargo planes to Haiti and work on anti-genocide advocacy around Sudan. Meyer enclosed Time Warner's ethical sourcing guidelines, adding, "We welcome any specific information you have that would be contrary to our ethical sourcing activities."

EVANNA LYNCH as LUNA LOVEGOOD

Following the response, Meyer directed Slack to Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Slack is currently working with the department to address the HPA's chief concerns, specifically the "F" grade given by the International Labor Rights Forum to the company that sells Harry Potter Chocolate. The rating is based on comprehensive human rights criteria.

Slack has presented on the "Not in Harry's Name" campaign to former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connnor as well as distinguished leaders in academia, business, and entertainment with an encouraging response.

The campaign has not gone unnoticed. "Forging strong partnerships among governments, the private sector, and civil society will be critical to the future of the anti-trafficking movement," said U.S. State Department Ambassador-at-Large Luis CdeBaca. "I applaud Warner Brothers for their leadership in this effort to combat forced child labor."

"I commend Warner Bros. for listening to the concerns of the Harry Potter Alliance. Their ethical sourcing guidelines put them and their parent company Time Warner a cut above average for taking seriously the need for responsible sourcing," says Slack. "The cocoa industry's connection to child labor is in direct contradiction to these guidelines, to the morals and messages within Harry Potter and the Harry Potter brand. We believe that our campaign presents a win-win for everyone. The Harry Potter Alliance has brought together a rapidly growing number of people eager to buy Harry Potter chocolate should it fall under the Fair Trade label."

"Like any well-run business, Warner Bros. should listen closely to its target audience," said Simon Billenness, a corporate responsibility consultant and advisor to the Harry Potter Alliance. "The fans of Harry Potter have alerted Warner Bros. of the risk to the company's reputation and business from any association with child labor in the cocoa industry. Moreover, the Harry Potter Alliance has proposed a workable solution: sourcing Fair Trade Certified chocolate."

The HP Alliance is a 501c3 nonprofit that uses parallels from Harry Potter to inspire hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter fans to act as heroes in our world. To date, the HPA has sent five cargo planes to Haiti, donated over 88,000 booksacross the world, made profound strides for the anti-genocide, LGBTQ, and media reform movements. With a staff of over 50 volunteers, 85 chapters, and with the Internet/social media as "it's turf" the HPA won the $250,000 first place in the Chase Bank Community Giving Contest.

Covered by many major publications and praised by JK Rowling in the Time Magazine article that named her "Runner up to Person of the Year," the HPA has been named the premier model of civic engagement for the twenty-first century by USC's Provost Professor Henry Jenkins in a MacArthur funded study on participatory culture and civic engagement. The HPA is currently expanding it's model of "cultural acupuncture" as it brings together over 20 fan communities of blockbuster books, television shows, and movies, the world's most prominent YouTube celebrities and New York Times best selling authors in an unprecedented network that takes a bottom up approach to harnessing the energy of popular culture, modern myth, and social media for social change.

Visit: The Harry Potter Alliance, thehpalliance.org.

From the very start, we see Harry's world changing for the worst. For defending himself and his cousin from a deadly attack, he finds himself facing possible expulsion from Hogwarts. From there, things go from bad to worse.

"First, things fell into place with Billboard chart-toppers The Cruxshadows," said Monks. "Now, another band I've long wanted to secure for my first film is in the fold."

Monks, who lost his eyesight in 2002 to diabetic retinopathy, recently received the Achievement in Cinema award at the Gasparilla International Film Festival, and has signed a distribution deal for the movie with Commodity Films. Still, it doesn't mean he's finished trying to improve things.

"When I decided to toss the framing sequence/wraparound concept-which was thrown onto the film to make it fit for another project-I made upgrades everywhere possible. With a fall release date in the works, that gave me time to contact the band's label, and see if something could be worked out. Thanks to Dave Heckman at Metropolis Records and Jason Fiber at Superfecta Entertainment, we got it done. I'm grateful to Dave and Jason, but especially the band, who wanted to make it happen."

The Bunker will be screening at film festivals in the summer and fall. Monks' next feature, an urban-thriller entitled The Crate, is currently in development.

Combichrist, led by frontman Andy LaPlegua (Icon of Coil, Panzer AG), recently finished the second leg of a world tour in support of the heavy metal megaband Rammstein, and is currently headlining a series of shows to promote their most recent release, Making Monsters. For more info on the band and upcoming tour dates, visit: CombiChrist.

Through extensive research and his own detective work, James Morton, author of the Gangland series, explores the life, crime, and contributions to science and criminology of Vidocq in THE FIRST DETECTIVE: The Life and Revolutionary Times of Vidocq Criminal, Spy, and Private Eye.

Vidocq began his criminal career stealing money from his own family and soon graduated to full time thief, completing many prison stints as a young man. No longer wanting to live on the margins of French society as a criminal, as well as being blackmailed by rival criminals, Vidocq turned his life around by joining the police force as a spy and eventually opening history's first-ever private detective agency.

In this major historical biography, Morton lays bare Vidocq's ventures, sifting through the numerous facts and myth traditionally surrounding this enigmatic figure. Morton details Vidocq's triumphs, notably his innovated experiments and techniques which are the basis for modern forensic science.

Morton's biography is in no short supply of details surrounding Vidocq's charmed life, which garnered him a reputation as a fine raconteur and prodigious womanizer. It is of no surprise that novelists Hugo, Dickens, and Balzac all created characters based on Vidocq's fascinating character.

The First Detective is an entertaining and amusing historical romp through the eighteenth century, illuminating the life of an enigmatic figure whose influence still persists today.

About the Author
JAMES MORTON has a master's degree in criminology and practiced law for twenty-five years before becoming editor of Law Journal and Criminal Lawyer. He is the author of over thirty books, including the internationally bestselling Ganglandseries.

Lewis Lapham interviewed James Morton about The First Detective for the radio show "The World in Time" on Bloomberg News. The podcast is available for download on iTunes.

Twenty provocative tales deliver elegantly revisited myths, hot-blooded paranormal romance, and edgy noir anti-heroes. Where else would you meet a writer caught up in the ghostly layers of Hollywood legend, and a teenage girl trapped between lycanthropy and puberty? An innkeeper who buys a haunted house, and finds a ghost she never expected. A tapestry-bound unicorn finally free, and a werewolf-centaur team prowling a post-apocalyptic landscape?

Explore the diverse world of urban fantasy, where the only thing worse that meeting a monster is learning you may be one too.

Contributors:

Charles de Lint / Emma Bull / Neil Gaiman / Jeffrey Ford / Paula Guran / Kelley Armstrong / Norman Partridge / Carrie Vaugh / Patricia Briggs / Bruce McAllister / Suzy McKee Charnas / Thomas M. Disch / Susan Palwick / Holly Black / Steven R. Boyett / Time Powers / Al Sarrantonio

Editors:

Peter S. Beagle is the beloved author of the classic novel The Last Unicorn. He is a winner of the Locus, Mythopoeic, and World Fantasy Awards, as well as editor of The Secret History of Fantasy.

Joe R. Lansdale is the author of more than thirty novels, including the award-winning "Hap and Leonard" mystery series (CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS) and the cult classic novella-turned-major motion picture BUBBA HO-TEP. Lansdale is the editor of CRUCIFIED DREAMS: Tales of Urban Horror.

The title, while the name of a forties DC comic book, is better known these days as the Mysterymen comic written and drawn by Bob Burden, and made into a movie starring Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria and William H Macy.

On the cusp of relaunching Mysterymen online and with Dark Horse Comics, a few weeks ago Bleeding Cool talked to Bob Burden about this name similarity and what it means for his comic.

Continued at Bleeding Cool.

AND

Dean and Dead at Dark Delicacies
Saturday June 18 that 2:00pm Dark Delicacies will hold a signing for the zombie book THE BRAIN EATERS BIBLE: Sound Advice for the Newly Reanimated Zombie.

Scheduled for the signing are Author/Actor Pat Kilbane (who has appeared in MADtv, EVOLUTION, DAY OF THE DEAD), and the cast and crew of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D, DAY OF THE DEAD (2008), and TBK: THE TOOLBOX MURDERS 2: Emmy Award-winning Make-up Artist Dean Jones (FRANKENFISH, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST), Artist Brian Ulrich (ANIMAL ARMAGEDDON), Actor and Illustrator Neil D'Monte (TBK: THE TOOLBOX MURDERS 2) and Zombie Casting/Coach Brian LaRosa. For every book you buy, you will get a raffle ticket to win a zombie head prop from Day of the Daysigned by Dean Jones.

PLUS

Platinum Studios Licenses Kids Story Based on "Cowboys & Aliens"
LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 8, 2011) - "Cowboys & Aliens" producer Platinum Studios, Inc. (OTCBB: PDOS), an entertainment rights company that controls a library of more than 5,000 comic book characters, announced today that it granted interactive application rights for a special kid's story based on the New York Times bestselling graphic novel "Cowboys & Aliens" to Orbit Media Group for e-book distribution on the iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablet PCs.

Continued at MarketWire.

ALSO

Game trailer: Bioshock Infinite
It takes a lot to excite three seasoned gaming writers independently at a single show, and it looks like Bioshock Infinite has pulled the trifecta. Big, bold, and highly hyped, Irrational and 2K Games' prequel to the Bioshock universe is undoubtedly one of the most exciting games at all of E3 2011. Here's why.

Continued at Cnet.

"Getting Robert Joy to do the film was huge bonus for us," says Storm. "I play basketball with Bob, and had mentioned that I was toying with this idea, and he asked to see the script. I sent it to him, and the next day, he called and asked. 'When do you want to shoot it?' From there, we were off and running"

With production spanning 5 days, the filmmakers brought their combined talents to bear on the project by utilizing a low-end HD camera, homemade lights, halloween make-up, and off-the-shelf software to deliver a short, gruesome, heart pounding tale of two humans backed into a corner - struggling for survival.
Their efforts were not in vain as the film has been selected to both the Dam Short Film Festival, the Indie Spirit Film Festival, and was nominated for 10 Maverick Movie Awards with a win for Malaki Keller (KRAA! THE SEA MONSTER) and Jacob Hair (2001 MANIACS, Snoop Dog's HOOD OF HORROR) for Best Make-Up FX.

NOMINATED FOR:
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Actor - Robert Joy
Best Supporting Actor - Mark Sherman
Best Original Score
Best VFX
Best Make-Up FX - **WINNER**
Best Sound Mixing/Editing
and "The Precious" award for the Opening Titles

2011 is has been a great year for the cast and crew so far. The film's recent success has prompted other filmmaker's to recruit cast and crew members alike for their projects. Director Sxv'Leithan Essex (A DARKER REALITY, BLED) has tapped Director/DP Shian Storm to be the cinematographer for his hardcore werewolf film GROWL - starring BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'S Katee Sackhoff (WHITE NOISE 2), as well as bringing Shian along to shoot the opening title sequence for SHARK NIGHT 3D. Shian is currently shooting Jenn Page's exciting experimental feature LOVE OR WAR.

Co-Star Mark Sherman has been appearing in several national ad spots, and award winning Make-Up FX artists Malaki Keller and Jacob Hair have landed their dream jobs in Special FX and Animation respectively. The filmmakers are hoping to get the feature version of SINGULARITY made. "The short is a tense, scary little film, but the feature, while still a bit scary, is a fun, chaotic thrill ride. A real event film.", Storm says of the Action, Sci-fi, Thriller screenplay. "The ultimate goal for the short film was to showcase our individual and collective talents, and to attract the powers that be to what we all think is a fun, hair-raising feature project, and a very worthwhile investment."

THE THING was written by Charles Lederer (KISS OF DEATH) and is based on the sci-fi short story "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell, Jr. It was directed by Christian Nyby (THE TWILIGHT ZONE [TV], THE FUGITIVE [TV]) and produced by Howard Hawks (RIO LOBO, THE BIG SLEEP, SCARFACE [1932]). Normally I don't mention the producer in a review but the word is that Hawks basically co-directed this film with first timer Nyby.

Continued at Feo Amante / Movies / THE THING.

AND

THEM - 1954
One of the central characters in this movie knows what's going on, but waits until the evidence speaks for itself before revealing the answer. He does this because he knows that just coming right out and saying the answer will sound insane, and no one will believe him. I know how he feels.

If I just tell you, "This is a 50's black and white sci-fi flick about giant ants", you'll almost certainly dismiss it out of hand and scan to the bottom of the review to see how many negative shriek girls I gave it. But my rating will surprise you, because this is a good movie.

Continued at Feo Amante / Movies / THEM.

Continnued at TomsHardware.

Scheduled to be on hand for the signing are Bill Moseley, Alissa Dean, Rick Riko and Samantha Fahea. While supplies last the first 20 people who purchase the DVD for the signing will get one of the Danielle Harris pre-signed copies.

Dark Delicacies is located at
3512 West Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA

PLUS

ScreamfestLA drops by to say,
Wonderfully toying with audience expectations, writer-director and Screamfest alum Ti West (TRIGGER MAN, HOUSE OF THE DEVIL) takes a slowburn approach to this ghostly blend of humor, suspense and scares with THE INKEEPERS. Quietly building the anticipation of frights to come, West and his cast disarm the audience with casual jokes and friendly banter even as the elements of the terrifying climax are put into place.

During the final working weekend of a supposedly haunted New England inn, two lackadaisical desk clerks-cum-ghost hunters, armed with only a portable cassette deck and a couple of flashlights, search for proof of the supernatural. Of course, the problem is sometimes the thing you're looking for finds you first.

THE INKEEPERS premiers at the LA Film Festival.