Neil + Neil = Excitement

Neil Jordan - who doesn't get enough credit internationally for being a supreme visualist - should be linked with every adaptation of any graphic novel with half a brain that gets bandied about Hollywood but his tendency to develop his own projects means that he rarely gets attached to big-name projects (with the exception of Interview With The Vampire). Today however, he is being linked with The Graveyard Book, a Newberry Medal winning book by none other than Neil Gaiman, arguably Britain's finest fantasy/horror writer.

We haven't had the pleasure of reading The Graveyard Book but apparently it's a litle like The Jungle Book but with ghosts instead of panthers. It's about a little boy who clambers out of his crib one night and out of the house - the same night that his entire family is killed by a terrifying man called Jack. The baby wanders into a graveyard, where he is hidden from the killer by friendly ghosts, and then adopted by them. Nobody, as he is then called, is raised by the Owens, a deceased couple, Silas, who's neither dead nor alive, and a whole graveyard full of spooks.

Jordan, a top class writer to boot, especially when it comes to adaptations, is also set to pen the screenplay so this could be a supreme match of two fervent imaginations. As it stands though, nothing is set in stone so keep your fingers crossed. No really, we're watching you.

Sheridan Announces Boston Mob Project

Jim Sheridan and Nye Heron have written a script based on the book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob, by Boston Globe reporters Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. The book chronicles the rise of Whitey Bulger from Mob enforcer to boss of the Winter Hill Gang. Sheridan will direct the project.

Bulger’s rise was assisted by his childhood friend John Connolly, who just happened to be an FBI agent. And yes, Bulger became an informant… until his disappearance 14 years ago, which caused a massive scandal.

After the career low that was Get Rich Or Die Trying, Sheridan looks to be picking up the pieces with aplomb. Black Mass (as the movie looks set to be called) will be his follow up to Brothers which boasts a serious stellar cast and could be an awards contender next year. This could make it a powerful one two. Speaking of powerful one twos. This pair seem to have our Jim entranced.

Cineworld Pass On 3D Price Hike Early - Watchmen Boycott

You may remember that we reported that this year Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of Dreamworks planned to start charging $5 extra for the 'privilege' of seeing 3D movies in your cinema, beginning later in the year with Monsters V's Aliens. Well Cineworld have decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and have already begun to charge up to €5.30 extra into 3D films.

According To Katzenberg, they want to charge extra because it cost them extra to make. Even though, the reason they are spending that money in the first place is to provide an extra attraction that will bring punters into the cinema and make them bucket loads of money. Consider this analogy. If a studio spends $20 million on Tom Cruise's salary are we going to be charged an extra $5 for the privilege of seeing the flick? No! Studio's (perhaps incorrectly in the case of Cruise) assume that the attraction of Cruise will bring audiences in and pay for his salary and make them a bucket load of money to spend on coke and hookers. If a movie spends extra money on an expensive action sequence are we going to be charged extra for the privilege of seeing it? Of course not. 15 year old boys will go see the movie for the very reason that it includes said badass action sequence. The same should hold true for 3D.

Cineworld may argue that we are paying for the technology in cinemas. Funny I don't remember ticket prices being raised by over 50% when sound, colour, technicolour, widescreen, panorama, digital projection or any other development was brought upon us.If it had, we'd now be paying 50 quid for a ticket. These things were done to attract audiences and they did. This is the thin end of the wedge folks. You could maybe justify a euro/dollar extra for the price of the glasses...maybe but as a Welshman more articulate than myself once said, if you tolerate this, your children will be next.

We say this pointedly and loudly. We will not go to a single 3D movie where the price is increased. The boycott starts here. Spread the word and speak up if you've anything to say on the matter.