Father Geek here with our trusty ol' Latauro for another work-week-ending dose of film news from those bits of land surrounding the Great Barrier Reef down in the beautiful South Pacific. Remember if you've got a film project cooking downunder (big or small) get hold of Latauro he can use production info, scripts, fest & premiere passes, and any swag you may have laying around taking up space. Seriously, contact AICN's man on the scene, Latauro and get the buzz a buzzing on your projects, we'll let the world in on what's happening in the outback...

Sexy! Exciting!! A thrill ride!!! Those are just some of the terms used to describe Latauro on a day-to-day basis, so while he continues to talk about himself in the third person, here is the latest edition of...

AICN-DOWNUNDER

At the moment, AICN's one and only "crusty seaman" Quint is living it up in New Zealand along with his lovely travel companions Mr and Mrs Kraken of the AICN Chatroom fame. Why are they there? And more important, Why should we care? Its just a little thing called RETURN OF THE KING, my friends. Keep watching the site for Quint's forthcoming very coolly illustrated mega-report from deep inside the bowels of the production's final days...

In the meantime, it's been a relatively slow-film-news-week here in the world's best kept secret, so we'll keep it light and easy.

Enjoy...

NEWS

* Those of you who emailed me regarding the forthcoming PETER PAN trailer will be glad to know that it has been cut and it definitely exists. Crew members were shown the trailer, which has been described as one crewperson as 'just incredible' and 'swell as hell' (their words, not mine). No word yet on when the trailer will make its cinema/internet debut, although it can't be far off now...

Meanwhile, many of the ADs who worked on PAN are back in New Zealand for those RETURN OF THE KING pickups. Apparently they're doing pickups one actor at a time. Currently, Caribbean Pirate Orlando Bloom is sporting his Extended Edition Ears for his scenes; Ian McKellen arrives in Kiwiland in June.

* DHM Entertainment and Edgley International will co-produce a $30 million feature film of CLANCY OF THE OVERFLOW, based on the famous poem by legendary Australian poet Banjo Patterson. Its thirty-mil budget makes it the most expensive locally funded Australian film ever made. The movers and shakers behind-the-scenes include director Simon Wincer (PHAR LAP and THE LIGHTHORSEMEN), scribe Patrick Edgeworth (the classic BMX BANDITS) and composer Bruce Rowland (the 1999 TV version of 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'). The film will lens in either Victoria or New South Wales.

* Sydney's Sunrise Studios is hoping to cash in on the film industry's love of water by constructing Australia's first floodable soundstage. It's hoped that the studio space - available in August - will raise the level of international production down here. The sound stage will be 1950 square metres and will include an 18 metre diametre external tank. Already, there are expansion plans that will take the tank capacity to 3250 square metres.

* There have been a host of rumours that SUPERMAN will film in Sydney's Fox Studios at the end of the year. As much as I'd like to scoff at this rumour, it's more than likely that Warners would book the space despite NOT HAVING A STAR OR DIRECTOR YET. But those things can be replaced digitally.

* Producers Jim McElroy (THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY) and Danny MacKay have hired writer Peter Gawler (PLAYING BEATIE BOW, 'Halifax f.p.') to scribble a treatment for a $10 million production of SIMPSON AND HIS DONKEY.

* Mushroom Pictures has optioned Craig Marriner's award-winning book STONEDOGS. It was New Zealand-based Marriner's first book; no word yet on production details.

* New Zealandese actor Martin Henderson (THE RING) will play Mr Darcy in the Bollywood adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE for director Gurinder Chadha.

* Whilst being interviewed by The Age's Jim Schembri, Jerry O'Connell mentioned that half an hour after the interview he'd be having a phone call regarding THE MASK II. It seems O'Connell is up for the role in the Carrey-less sequel. Did he accept? Time will tell...

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

Nick Giannopolous, whose first film THE WOG BOY made a perplexing amount of money in Australia, will see his follow-up feature THE WANNABEES premiere at Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival in New York on May 8. The film, bankrolled by Macquarie Films, will be released in Australia this October.

X2 SCREENING

Want to see X2 early? Live in Melbourne? Then you've just fulfilled two of the qualifying questions for Heaven's entrance exam. But you also have the chance to enter ACMI's competition. Winners will see the mutants on Sunday 27th of April at 4pm. To enter, name one of the stars of X2 and email your answer to Jacqueline Lee at Her once very private address before April 22nd.

ST KILDA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Well, the record six hundred entries has been whittled down to the worthy two hundred, with a $10 000 prize up for grabs. The festival opens on May 27; check out Their Cool Site for details. (Go EMPTY PALLETT!)

BOX OFFICE

From a film geek perspective, this was the lamest week in a long time. But then, we've been spoilt these past few months with the ridiculously high quality of films coming out. If you're looking for something to see, THE PIANIST is still playing in major cities. Don't see it out of any social obligation; see it because it's an incredibly moving piece of film that isn't as depressing as you may expect. In the meantime, here are the 'films' that have been making money at our local box office, including the oh-boy-let's-set-Australian-culture-back-twenty-years 'comedy' FAT PIZZA...

Annnnnnnd the Winners are...

• 1. JOHNNY ENGLISH
• 2. FAT PIZZA
• 3. SHANGHAI KNIGHTS
• 4. BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE
• 5. NED KELLY

RELEASED THIS WEEK

The best thing on offer this week is the Academy's Best Foreign Film Winner NOWHERE IN AFRICA, well worth checking out if you're in or near a major hub of arthouse cinemas. If it's fun popcorn you're after, SHANGHAI KNIGHTS is a total blast. Despite coming smack-bang in the middle of school holidays, there are a surprisingly small number of multiplex releases this week. Maybe no one wants to compete with ANGER MANAGEMENT. Or maybe local distributors are banking on repeat trips to WILD THORNBERRYS, WHAT A GIRL WANTS and KANGAROO JACK for the young'uns, which may be the best excuse yet to GET YOUR CHILDREN TO READ MORE. Oh, and CHAMBER OF SECRETS is out on DVD, so that's probably a factor, too.

Here;s the New Releases...

• ALL OR NOTHING
• ANGER MANAGEMENT
• THE GOOD GIRL (previews only)
• THE MAGDALENE SISTERS
• NOWHERE IN AFRICA
• PULSE (only available at IMAX)
• RIPLEY'S GAME
• THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE

NEXT WEEK...

- David Morse and Emma Bunton to star in Mikael Solomon's FROM RUSSELL TO DANIELLE: A COFFS HARBOUR ROMANCE.

- Producers cite 'irony' to blame as millions of copies of HOW TO ILLEGALLY BURN DVDS are distributed in Singapore prior to release.

- Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage to travel to Uluru for Michael Bay's THE ROCK 2: ROCK AROUND THE WORLD.

Till we meet again...

Latauro