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If you haven’t immersed yourself in the “Madagascar” experience, you may be missing one of the most entertaining animated treats of the past decade.

And the good news here is that the new sequel is on par with the 2005 original.

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Booking the Empire: “Why We Fight” Filmmaker Makes His Case In Print

What happens when an award-winning documentary film producer turns to a print monograph to make his case?

If you are Eugene Jarecki, the answer (to borrow a baseball metaphor) is: you hit a solid triple, with an eye towards home plate.

Rob's note: I've been sifting through a tremendous number of convention articles - this one seemed useful. Folks familiar with Daniel Boorstin's classic THE IMAGE would do well to re-read it right about now.

Convention stage is a show in itself
By David Bauder, Associated Press Wed Aug 27, (Via Yahoo News)

The stage of the Democratic National Convention is a mix of modern stagecraft and political consciousness.

Three plasma screens tower 103 feet above the stage. A video projection wall backs speakers with a sea of blue. The podium retracts when it's not being used.

The Dark Knight: The Joke Is On U.S.
by Rob Williams, ACME Co-President

Kingdom of the Crystal, Dull: Indiana Jones Jumps the Shark

Remember that old TV show “Happy Days”?

The one starring Henry Winkler as “the Fonz”?

Late in its run, the show featured an episode with Fonzie jumping a shark on water skis (and yes, he was wearing his trademark leather jacket).

Those of you who may have missed this magic moment can now watch it on YouTube – just search for “Fonzie Jumps the Shark.”

FILM REVIEW: Prince Caspian: C.S. Lewis Goes To New Zealand

Once upon a time Walden Media teamed up with Disney to make a film version of C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s tale: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Despite this cumbersome title, the film quickly became Walden Media’s biggest grossing movie of all time.

And if there is anything Hollywood likes, it is a good sequel, especially when there’s money to make.

Debut of 'Grand Theft Auto IV' drives debate anew
by Eric Benderoff Chicago Tribune (MCT)
28 April 2008

My ACME colleague Bob McCannon has done extensive research on the research about video games - and I'll let him weigh in here about the release of FTA IV in his own unique way. Something he said this morning on our discussion list, though, gave me pause.

It is a simple question, really.

Given GTA IV's content, would you let the kids in your life play?

Hollywood’izing “Horton Hears a Who”

Here’s the problem facing any Hollywood production team charged with turning a Dr. Seuss story into a full-length celluloid feature.

How do you even think of messing with what is already a great tale?

Think about it.

Frontier Fracas: No Country For Old Men

“The West is the best.” – Jim Morrison

Or not.

What might you get when you cross a novel penned by Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (The Road, All the Pretty Horses) with the vision of directorial duo the Coen Brothers (“Blood Simple” and “Fargo”)?

Hold on to your Barca-Loungers, friends - the new fall TV line-up is upon us, and it is time to invoke the dreaded "C" word.

Consumerism?

Nope, you knee-jerk TV watchers - product placement and Tivo will take care of all those pesky commercial interruptions any week now. Seamless advertising, embedded in the narrative - commercial interruptions are so... last millennium.

Today's word is "class." I know, I know, we live in a class-less society.

Remember "the Honeymooners," "All in the Family," and the Cleavers?

Move it on over and make way for the "Cashmere Mafia."