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A new generation of cinema-goers is supposedly going to be v.excited about this, thanks to screendaily.com:

UK-based sales company Velvet Octopus will be launching sales in Cannes for S. Darko, billed as the sequel to the 2001 cult hit Donnie Darko. Fox has already taken North American rights.

Daviegh Chase reprises her role as Donnie's younger sister. The cast for S. Darko also includes Ed Westwick (Son Of Rambow, Gossip Girl), Briana Evigan (Step Up 2) and Justin Chatwin (Dragon Ball).

Ash Shah's Silver Nitrate and Newmarket Capital are producing. Los Angeles-based Chris Fisher, who previously made Nightstalker and Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders, will direct. The budget is pegged around $10m.

The story picks up seven years after the first film (and Donnie's death) when little sister Samantha Darko and her best friend Corey are now 18 and on a roadtrip to Los Angeles when they are plagued by bizarre visions.

Fisher said in a statement: "I am a great admirer of Richard Kelly's film and hope to create a similar world of blurred fantasy and reality."

Producers have spoken to Richard Kelly about the project but he is not involved in any official capacity at this stage.

Simon Crowe of Velvet Octopus added: "I think there is a new generation of cinema-goers who will be very excited to see this film."

Crowe quipped to ScreenDaily: "Donnie's not in [the new film] but there are meteorites and rabbits."

The project starts shooting May 18.

Meteorites and rabbits? Why didn't you say so? That makes it all better. 

Actually, I take that back. If Sparkle Motion somehow makes an appearance I might take one for the team and give it a half-assed watch.

Ugh. 

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In an interesting but not entirely surprising turn of events, China has once again gone off the rails of the crazy train by deciding to ban horror films.

One more reason to visit Japan. 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has added ghosts, monsters and other things that go bump in the night to its list of banned video and audio content in an intensified crackdown ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Producers have around three weeks to look through their tapes for "horror" and report it to authorities, the General Administration of Press and Publications said in a statement posted on the government Web site.

Offending content included "wronged spirits and violent ghosts, monsters, demons, and other inhuman portrayals, strange and supernatural storytelling for the sole purpose of seeking terror and horror," the administration said.

The new guidelines aim to "control and cleanse the negative effect these items have on society, and to prevent horror, violent, cruel publications from entering the market through official channels and to protect adolescents' psychological health."

The regulations suggest China, where graphic, pirated sex and horror movies are available on most street corners, is keen to step up its control of the cultural arena ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August, which are widely seen as a coming-out party for the rising political and economic power.

They come just weeks after Beijing clamped down on "vulgar" video and audio content, slapped restrictions on Internet sites and handed down a two-year film-making ban to the team behind the steamy "Lost in Beijing."

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Hello, Everyone. This past Friday night, I had the opportunity to sip some delicious petal-hued champagne, dance with the sassiest dance partner around to some swingin' 60s jazz courtesy of The Treble Clefs, and feast my eyes on some of the most captivating surrealist cinema right here in little old St. Petersburg. The Dali Museum is currently exhibiting "Dali and Film," a STUNNING installation of the painter's experimental forays into cinema, including his 1929 masterpiece Un Chien Andalou as well as his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Walt Disney, and others. It's truly a visceral experience. The film installations are accompanied by a collection of paintings that are not usually displayed at the museum, so it's really a two birds with one stone kind of deal. The opening, Hollywood-themed party was Friday night, but the exhibit is now open to the general public and runs through June 1st so you have zero excuse to miss it.

Find out more info here: Dali and Film. 

In addition to the Dali and Film exhibit, I have to mention the upcoming Sunscreen Film Festival, which will be making its third run this March 19-22 at the historic Renaissance Vinoy Resort in downtown St. Petersburg. This past Thursday night, I was a guest of the organizers at their Casino Royale event at Push Ultra Lounge. This year, the festival is upping the celebration factor and incorporating music events into the fest with scheduled parties, a concert at the State Theatre, and much much more. Expect blogs from me about the various films being shown in the festival, as well as interesting events to check out in conjunction with the festival, in the coming weeks.

Until then, go check out the constantly updating website, here: Sunscreen Film Festival. 

And, finally, I made a new film. You should check it out.

"Tonight You Belong To Me."

Starring Michael Hooker and Evan Williams.

Caption, Direction, and Editing by ME. Original Concept by Michael Hooker. Chair by Marina Williams.

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