Tamara Drewe {DVD Review}

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Catherine Balavage

When Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton) returns to the village she grow up in to sort out her inheritance after her mother dies she leaves a wake of gossip, broken hearts and trouble in her wake. Gemma Arterton is delightful in this role, a true British movie star and one of our top exports to Hollywood. A rare thing. The film makes you long for a weekend, if not longer, in the countryside. Tamara Drewe was originally a graphic strip in The Guardian by Posy Simmonds, it then became a book before being turned into this luscious film by Stephen Frears.

It’s a brilliant ensemble cast, with Tamsin Greig and Dominic Cooper bringing in performances of note. Although some of the characters come across as unsympathetic, they have depth that is usually lacking in some big budget movies. The 50 something writer who runs a writers retreat with his put upon wife, the bored teenagers, the handyman making his way in the world (played by Luke Evans, who’s brilliant) none of them are ready for Tamara coming back as a femme fatale with a new nose and a successful career. It’s a lovely movie, definitely worth a watch.

Released on March 28thon DVD and Blue Ray from Momentum Pictures

Nintendo 3DS – The Review

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Junior Smart

God bless that in 2011 it still boils down to not what you know, but who you know. I mean my friend is like a gaming addict man. If games were in powdered form he would be stuck in some grotty pub toilet somewhere and he would never come out. Most people would wait for the Nintendo 3DS to reach our shores in its timely but yet extended wait, but not him, he imports the bloody thing. Shame it only arrives a few days beforehand.

God bless the small print…

But who am I to complain, especially when I am sitting here now with perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated blue clams in gaming tech history with perhaps the most enviable task in history of breaking it down to all of you. Thank God it’s Friday.

In case you didn’t know, or was hiding out near Jupiter for the last decade or so, Japanese based company Nintendo is responsible for all those iconic household names like Super Mario, SNES, Gameboy and erm…Duck Hunt. In the ‘chicken versus egg’ of gaming history none could argue that Nintendo was the chicken, even if it wasn’t the most powerful system out there it did make it the most accessible, smashing the SEGA Master system into a million pieces and more.

The last serious console effort – The Wii, again reinvented ideas of console entertainment, beckoning gamers back into the home like Labour would welcome voters back into the polling station. In a world where solitude online play was fast becoming the norm, the Wii made it a social activity.

I still refuse to see the Nintendo DS as a serious console effort – hand consoles just lack the graphical power or raw intensity of experience that you can get with a console. I just can’t think of a journey long enough where I could become absorbed in a game. However, Nintendo is almost like ‘Apple’ in the way they consistently refine ‘objects of desire’ and I have to admire them for refining the erm…refinements…until now where we have something pretty substantial it looks like they are about to change the gaming world yet again.

3D is pretty substantial for any home console but can a handheld have 3D and better yet, one that is achieved without the need for 3D glasses? I was eager to find out what it looked like, what it played like; I had that energetic feeling in my tummy, the one that you get as a kid when you know tomorrow is Christmas.

At first glance it looks exactly like its predecessors, although slightly bulkier and defiantly more robust. Open the lid and you immediately notice it still has the same dual-screen, touch sensitive set up. The most striking addition is the new circle pad, which feels very ergonomic. Slightly less obvious are the three buttons below the touch screen: Start, Select and the new Home button are now flush to the surface in a very Samsung-esque fashion. Pressing the Home button returns you to the 3DS main menu, pausing your game while you’re there and bringing up options for you to use. I have to say this is very reminiscent of the PS3 or Xbox 360 menu which is not altogether a bad thing.

On the right side are the usual Y, X, B and A buttons for gaming, and around the sides there is an SD card slot for saving photos, music and…well…you know…regular stuff, the usual stylus port for the system’s pointer, two small shoulder buttons and a headphones socket. Worth mentioning are the speakers, maybe it has been a while since I used a regular DS but the speakers on this machine seem to have been improved, with greater clarity on the low and upper end of the sound spectrum.

On the right side of the upper screen there’s a slider control, allowing users to adjust the 3D intensity – basically shifting the two virtual cameras in the game further apart or closer together. It is possible to play games in normal 2D if you fancy. Interestingly enough I saw various leaflets regarding stereoscopic sickness, and what Nintendo recommends players should do if start to suffer blurred vision and / or headaches, there are also warnings that children under six should not play 3D titles. Hmmm….

I won’t go into the actual technology in this review as I think that has already been well covered by various other articles, but I will say is that in order to receive the full 3D depth effect you need to hold the device directly in front of your face, perhaps what some would say at a comfortable reading height. Moving it around; perhaps like you might do with a mobile phone game just ruins the effect and makes it go all flat and blurry. Think of it a bit like one of those ‘magic eye pictures’. Once you find your optimum position it is kind of striking how immediate and dramatic the 3D effect is.

As for the 3D effect itself, you quickly realise what the 3DS is, and is not capable of doing. If you think it will be like one of those 3D movie or console type effects where things blast ‘at you’ and whiz ‘past you’ from the screen think again; the screen is just too small to provide that kind of immersion; in fact knowing this has made Nintendo almost remove it from the equation. Instead it plays to its strengths. Imagine peering down a rabbit hole or looking down a well and it will give you a much more of an accurate idea of what the 3D experience is like, in the sense that the viewing pleasure is one of depth and expansion. It’s worth noting too that while the 3D is without doubt exceptionally cool, it adds absolutely nothing to the game play itself, for example you won’t be using it to peek around corners or using it to better judge your shot. In most cases when we talk about the 3D imagery what we are really talking about is no more than cosmetic changes.

The 3DS has not one, not two, but three cameras scattered about its casing so that it can capture stereoscopic pictures. For those of you getting excited right now, one word – don’t – Together all three cameras offer a combined resolution just short of one megapixel. That said, taking 3D photos with it are a lot of fun. I wouldn’t say the 3D photos make your jaw drop – but it is interesting to see. It’s only shortcomings being that you can only share the images by gathering everyone around your handheld or giving them to another 3DS owner on an SD card. This spoils the social element of taking snaps in 3D, after all you are the only one who can see them, at least immediately, and at present there is no online platform to upload them to. Then again, some would say that is exactly what your smart phone and camera are there for.

Prior to getting my hands on the 3DS I had heard all manner of complaints about the battery life; this made me even more determined to test this out for myself. Sadly I was disappointed. Whilst certainly not as bad as I feared, with full 3D the battery lasted just short of three hours which is no where good enough. If you turn the WiFi off – let’s face it on most public transportation you are not likely to be using it – you save power and can add about another half-hour to that total. Equally the same goes for playing old DS titles or removing the 3D depth completely; basically the more power you save, the longer you have – but surely doesn’t that just defeat the idea.

In terms of games, Nintendo have done themselves proud with no less than 13 titles released on the same day, including:

Pilotwings Resort
Nintendogs + Cats: (Golden Retriever, French Bulldog and Toy Poodle editions)
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition
The Sims 3
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Ridge Racer 3D
Super Monkey Ball 3D
Samurai Warriors: Chronicles
Asphalt 3D
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D
Rayman 3D

I can’t speak for other gamers but I am glad that Nintendo seem to be maturing a little with the 3DS, I was worried that the majority of titles would be soft, cuddly and fluffy like their Wii counterparts. Not so, besides Lego, Sims and Nintendogs (personally I would like to see a Snoopdogs) most of the games lie in mature action or puzzle territory which can only be a good thing.

I suppose the real question with the 3DS is the price and whether it is actually worth it. 3D and me have had a bit of a troubled history, in my opinion it is a term that is overused and under-attempted in the same way that VR was used back in the 90’s with everyone talking about a Virtual Reality that in no way shape or form came close to the real Virtual Reality, instead in the end it became no more than a label to define something that was different and not to mention costly. We are seeing it now with 3D; cumbersome LCD’s, 3D glasses which are more expensive than your console just to play games with this whole 3D element in them. Sure, Avatar, Tron Legacy, and other films have brought it back into fashion, but 3D has now become a sexy word. Having 3D in the palm of your hand is therefore seen as desirable from the off, the suggested retail price of £229.99, which is more than a Wii but ‘just that little bit less’ that an outright console will no doubt get gamers thinking it is a good buy and in their hype to play as many 3D games as possible will dash out, ignore the cost of the games; some which cost the equivalent of their full console counterparts and foolishly buy up whole shops. All for a hand console which will probably drop in price soon anyway.

I can hear the sounds of gamers cooing already at reading this saying to themselves…

’it’s the technology’ ‘you get what you pay for’ ‘how dare you say that, have you ever made a 3D game….’

Well…erm no I haven’t but I have done my homework and know that if you ‘must have one’ you’ll find much cheaper prices if you shop around.

Most of the big supermarkets are selling it at £200, with special offers chucked in – Tesco, for example, is slinging in one 3DS game for £10 up to today and HMV and Game also have a range of trade-in deals, offering a reduced price 3DS in return for your old DS, PSP or console. Some of these deals are slightly more dubious than others, so look closely and always check the small print.

My verdict – the 3DS is here. Boy it looks good, sounds good and delivers the…erm goods. Not quite the 3D some might expect but it is tasty and it does work well. Equally it brings the term ‘special’ to the palm of your hand. The 3D isn’t for everyone, if you haven’t seen the 3D in action it I recommend you go down to a game store and try it before purchase because it is a lot to spend. Having said that though there is no doubt that this will fly off the shelves purely because it brings something different to gaming.

It is good to see Nintendo back in action, the very technology that they have developed here beckons a new future of gaming again. And boy, it is a reason to be happy. If it wasn’t for bad memories of their last 3D effort – the Future Boy I would sleep in pixilated wet dreams…for now though I will keep one eye open…

Top Most Anticipated Movies of 2011

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Owun Birkett

As we came to a close of 2010 and the awards season have been gone and dusted, I’ve decided to make a list of films that I’m looking forward to this year. I expected this list to be quite long, but there’s not a lot I’m looking forward or consider to be really excited to quite frankly. So I’m going to reveal my top 3 most anticipated films of 2011;

Sucker Punch: I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of Zack Snyder but I don’t hate him as well. His Dawn of the Dead remake back in 2004 was pretty decent, considering the shamelessly Michael Bay produced horror remakes we’ve been getting every year or so. Then he adapted Frank Miller’s 300, visually faithful to its source material but lacked on being a memorable movie altogether. Watchmen was the high-point of his career, especially since adapting Alan Moore’s 400+ page comic book had been in development as long you could remember! While some bits hit the mark (visual style, costumes, performances from Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jackie Earl Haley), some completely missed (both Malin Akerman and Carla Gugino gave bland performances and some of the choice of music). Of course, his trademark is his heavy use of slow-motion. If you’d take a drinking game whenever the slow-motion was used, you’d either be in the hospital or the morgue!

Now Zack Snyder has decided to come up with something original, rather than being a remake or based on a comic book. It is inevitable to label it as ‘Alice in Wonderland meets Inception’ (or as Snyder describes it, Alice in Wonderland with guns) but Snyder at least has shown he’s not loosing his creative edge. The film looks fantastic, even more so than his previous films. Although slightly bizarre that the film is set in the 1950s psychiatric ward and they come up with anime-alike robot mechs, giant samurais with a mini-gun, futuristic city and transport that hasn’t existed yet! Maybe I’m thinking about it too much than needed, but this does stand-out from most other blockbusters this year. (Released on March 25, 2011 in USA and April 1, 2011 in UK)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Probably the most controversial choice on this list, as the Swedish original was praised by critics and audiences (even went to win a BAFTA for Best Film not in the English Language and 2 nominations including Best Actress – Noomi Rapace). The reason I put this relatively high on this list is because of David Fincher. I am a huge fan of David Fincher, and I personally think The Social Network is the best film made in the past decade. This sort of material is right in Fincher’s alley; a dark mystery thriller, the sort he’s done with Zodiac and Se7en.

The film stars Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, an interesting choice to play the troubled journalist and is accompanied by Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. Mara worked with Fincher in The Social Network, as Mark Zuckerberg’s fictional ex-girlfriend. It is a bizarre choice but it really have to admire a beautiful actress as Mara to transform a character that looks both gothic and punk. If you have not yet seen the published photos of Mara’s transformation, I strongly you have a look before you make an judgements (http://www.wmagazine.com/celebrities/2011/02/rooney_mara_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo_lisbeth_salander_ss#slide=3). She looks other-worldly and makes me fascinated how she’d portray the character that’d be different what we’ve already seen. Steven Zaillian is adapting the novel, which he has done very good movies in the past with Schindler’s List, Gangs of New York and American Gangster. So I am very optimistic on this English adaptation. (Released on December 21, 2011)

The Tree Of Life: This film being a complete mystery intensifies my anticipation levels through the roof! It’s slightly odd that a non-blockbuster such as this movie would be my number 1!? The synopsis on IMDb is only given very briefly; The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

Probably a few reasons being that it is written and directed by Terrence Malick, who is known to shoot an unimaginable amount of footage and has made films such as Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line and The New World. Another reason is it features my favourite actors; Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. There’s not much to say about the film, except if you know Malick’s work then there’s everything to be excited about it. I strongly suggest to check out the trailer, the only preview of the film thus far! (Released on May 27, 2011)

If you’re excited about these films as I am or looking forward to any other films that didn’t make this (very short) list, send comments below!

New York Times Paywell Web Charging: Will it Work?

Posted on March 23, 2011 by James Yardley

On March 28th the New York Times will start charging for access to its website with monthly subscriptions between $15 and $35. Although anyone will still be allowed access to 20 articles a month for free.

The question is will it work? If you’re like me then you’ll be hoping that it doesn’t. Like in the case of the London Times the industry will be watching closely to see if the model is successful. The worry for the average punter is that all the major papers might follow with similar models leaving us with no free option for our news. Worse still, what if Paywall models spread to other areas of the web, denying us the huge resources of free information which we are now so used too? Whether it works or not there’s no doubt it’s a massive gamble by the New York Times, currently one of the most visited websites in the world. In March 2009 the New York Times had 20 million unique visitors making it the most visited newspaper site in the world and more than twice as popular as the next best newspaper site.

The London Times traffic has collapsed since it introduced its charging model. It was a brave decision to be the first to introduce such a model but it also appears to have been a costly one. The Times traffic has disintegrated and its competitors have thrived. They now enjoy far bigger worldwide audiences. Websites such as the Guardian, Mail and Huffington Post will be rubbing their hands at the New York Times decision. These website saw large increases in traffic following the London Times decision to start charging and will likely see the same again.

Unlike the London Times model the New York version will still allow some free access. Visitors will still be able to access twenty articles a month for free. This should help to mitigate a catastrophic crash in traffic such as in the London Times case. Occasional casual users will still be able to access the site without worry. However will regulars be prepared to pay $180 to $425 a year when so many free alternatives exist? I very much doubt the majority will, particularly in this time of weak consumer confidence. Polls suggest about 90% of current users will only use their free 20 article a month allowance before leaving. Whatever happens, Frost Magazine readers need not worry, we will always be free.

Yoostar 2 – The Review

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Junior Smart

Fancy treading the boards and appearing in some of the greatest scenes in Hollywood movie history?

Fancy using reciting immortal lines like ‘I’ll be back!’ and ‘who is your daddy and what do?’

Well Yoostar 2 offers the opportunity to do just that.

Utilising technology very similar to the likes seen in Kung-fu Live; Yoostar 2 promises so much, can it really transport you into the word of a movie, where you recite lines from iconic movies such as Terminator, Beverly Hills Cop, and The Blues Brothers as well as many others? Can it really be a family game where you can share downright embarrassing recorded clips on Facebook?

Well the answer is yes and no. In theory the premise of it all is fantastic, but in reality the game falls short on so many different levels. I am torn between thinking that this is perhaps because the technology is not fully up to scratch, and there not being enough thought gaming options put into play. Either way it never fully comes together, and the player is never truly given imperative reasons for repeat play.

With all fairness, Yoostar 2 can be fun…for a while. Loading it up you are greeted with immaculate presentation that just reeks of the extravagance of Hollywood. The decision by programmers to have optional use of the Playstation Move is something that I will never truly understand, because it is never needed and selecting options with it is more of a hindrance and actually increases the likelihood that your acting days will be over early due to repetitive strain injury.

That said, once you do get round to selecting your movie clip and positioning yourself so the camera can pick you up there is some fun to be had. Yoostar 2 is essentially no more than a movie Karaoke and to a certain degree it works. My girlfriend did this clip on ‘Bubba Gump shrimp’ from Forrest Gump that nearly made me wet myself with laughter and if you go online too you will find a healthy community that have had tons of fun dressing up and adding funny, embarrassing and sometimes bizarre ad-lib performances.
You get rated on your ‘acting ability’ for every scene you do and these ratings open up more clips and more challenges.

One thing that has to be said is that the room must be well lit. Green screen technology this isn’t. In fact it suffers from the same graphical limitations as Kung Fu Live, in the sense that the camera has difficulties picking up the player from the background. This is even worse if there is movement in the background. On the Playstation this led to instances where my friend’s heads became eerily visible on the screen because they had moved them…erm…to drink beer obviously. On the Kinect though, it was even worse with the camera shifting position and identifying a non playing player…if that makes sense.

I think this is going to be a re-occurring issue with the Kinect, and one can only pray that programmers take a serious look at its player detection. As it stands across both platforms I think the social element is hugely lost as for each scene, everyone has to get out of the way…and worse still don’t move…

Finally although there is a fair bit of content on the disc, there are only a few real gems, at least to start with. There is downloadable content online but lets face it; Rock Band or Guitar Hero this is not. Considering that what you are paying for is a clip as opposed to a complete track I doubt that many players will reason that it is money well spent.

Critically the real question that my friends and I kept asking was if anyone actually got anything out of the game besides just a quick laugh. To which the answer was no. this doesn’t bode well for continued play, and there will always be the question of just how many times can you play a scene before it gets boring?

My Final Verdict –
Yoostar 2 is a great idea in principle but a crap idea in practice. There just needs to be more in this title for it to warrant the £38 price tag. My advice is to wait until it plummets…erm…I mean drops in price.

5.0/10

Yoostar 2 is out on PS3 and XBOX 360 now.

GEORGE MICHAEL RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘TRUE FAITH’

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Catherine Balavage

GEORGE MICHAEL RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘TRUE FAITH’ FOR COMIC RELIEF

“Over the years, George has been the most tremendous supporter of Comic Relief. Out of the blue one year he gave us all the cash from the release of ‘As’, his single with Mary J Blige. Then he did a brilliant Little Britain ‘Lou and Andy’ sketch – which ended with the inevitable insult slung at him – “I don’t like him.” But most excitingly, he’s giving Comic Relief all the money from his new single, ‘True Faith’. It’s always so moving when people stick with us year after year – and we’re thrilled and delighted about the song, and the wonderful video that goes with it. We promise we’ll use every penny we make from it to save and change lives in Africa and all over the UK.” – RICHARD CURTIS

‘True Faith’ arranged and produced by George Michael was a hit for New Order in 1987 and was written by, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Hague who have also very kindly donated their proceeds to Comic Relief along with the publishers’ mechanical royalties.

The single, released through Aegean Records via Absolute Marketing & Distribution / Universal, will be available digitally on the 13th March and physically on the 14th March; both will also include an instrumental version of the track as a b-side. At 12:01am on March 19th – after the ‘True Faith’ official music video has been premiered for Comic Relief – the single and video will be available for purchase as a bundle exclusively through iTunes.
Red Nose Day is on Friday 18th March, go to www.rednoseday.com to find out more. Comic Relief spends all the money raised by the public to give extremely poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their lives around.

To stay up-to-date with George Michael news, visit his official website at GeorgeMichael.com or become a fan at Facebook.com/GeorgeMichael

George Michael's new music video

Film industry names ‘Don’t Look Now’ as Best British Film

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Catherine Balavage

Nicolas Roeg’s 1973 steamy gothic thriller tops Time Out’s 100 Best British Films

–A panel of film experts including Sam Mendes (Director of ‘American Beauty’), Wes Anderson (Director of ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’) and actress Sally Hawkins (‘Made in Dagenham’) have selected the 1970s steamy gothic thriller ‘Don’t Look Now’ as the Best British Film of all time, beating the likes of popular British movies such as Trainspotting and Four Weddings and a Funeral to the top spot.

The panel of 150 selected experts, which included directors, actors, heads of major cultural organisations and critics, was assembled by Time Out film editor Dave Calhoun. Each panellist nominated their 10 favourite British films which were then compiled to create a definitive list of Time Out’s 100 Best British Films.

Speaking about the selection as the Best British Film, ‘Don’t Look Now’’s director Nicolas Roeg commented ‘Well, it’s all very exciting indeed’. He continued ‘It’s almost forty years since I made the film now. It’s some time since I last saw it, but I see clips when I introduce it at festivals and it reminds me of that time and making it in Venice with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.’

Apart from the surprising ending of the film, one of the film’s most famous moments was the steamy love scene between Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland which Roeg believes helps today’s audiences connect with the film. Roeg told Time Out: ‘Sex, whether you like it or not, is the prime force of life. There is no other reason to be here. For me, sex is very rarely rude. It’s a fresh thing. I think people secretly connected to “Don’t Look Now”. Maybe that’s why, after all this time, people see the film more clearly. When it came out, audiences were less used to it. That scene would’ve been like someone bursting out of a cupboard and shouting “Boo!”.’

The top 10 from Time Out’s 100 Best British Films

Don’t Look Now (1973) – the terrifying Venice chiller starring Julie Christie
The Third Man (1949) – Graham Greene’s story stars Orson Welles in post-war Vienna
Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988) – moving Liverpool drama with the late Pete Postlethwaite
Kes (1969) – Ken Loach’s Northern Classic about a boy and his kestrel
The Red Shoes (1948) – a beautiful melodrama set in the world of ballet
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – the greatest film of World War Two with David Niven
Performance (1970) – Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg rock and roll in 1960s Notting Hill
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) – Alec Guinness in one of his finest comic roles
If… (1968) – a brilliant satire about a British boarding school with Malcolm McDowell
Trainspotting (1996) – the classic adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel with Ewan Macgregor

The full Time Out’s 100 Best British Films, featuring the top 100 along with panellists’ individual selections, can be found online by visiting: www.timeout.com/bestbritishfilms.

On the significance of Time Out’s 100 Best British Films, Time Out’s film editor Dave Calhoun comments: ‘This is a once-in-a-decade poll and it throws new light on the films which inspire our current actors, directors and writers. In the same week that the Bafta winners are announced, and as the British film funding landscape remains in flux, now seems as good a time as ever to think about British cinema in the context of over 100 years. Add to that the aggressive flag-waving over ‘The King’s Speech’, and you could say that such soul-searching isn’t just a good idea, it’s essential.”

To celebrate the outstanding achievements of the British Film industry Time Out Live will be launching the Time Out’s Film Club with a series of exclusive screenings of films from the 100 Best British Films at the Cineworld Haymarket in London. Starting from March 22, these special screenings will feature introductions from the likes of actors Jonathan Pryce (‘Pirates of the Caribbean’), David Morrissey (‘Doctor Who’) and Sally Hawkins (‘Happy-Go-Lucky’). For further information and tickets, visit www.timeout.com/filmclub.

Katy Perry and David Beckham Team Up For Adidas

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Catherine Balavage

adidas is all in
adidas launches biggest marketing campaign in the brand’s history

Adidas has unveiled their latest global campaign, the biggest in the brands history, with the launch of ‘all adidas’.

This is the first time ever that adidas has created a campaign that leverages the three divisions that make up the brand – Sport Performance, adidas Originals and Sport Style, and combines them in one commercial that shows the unique breadth and depth of the brand.

The ‘all adidas’ campaign showcases adidas’ distinctive presence across and into different sports, cultures and lifestyles, fusing the worlds of sport, music and fashion. Captured in their authentic surroundings, brand ambassadors including football stars Lionel Messi and David Beckham, NBA star Derrick Rose, pop icon Katy Perry and the adidas skateboarding team, amongst others, show that when you love the game, whatever the game, you put your all into it.

The commercial is supported with a brand new soundtrack from Justice called Civilization (official release date 4th April 2011). Directed by Romain Gavras, famous for directing Justice and M.I.A, the campaign is built around a 30- and 60-second version of the commercial for TV and Cinema as well as an extended 2-minute version for Online. Viewers and fans can then continue the conversation online through social media platforms such as Facebook and twitter, where adidas serves up daily, in-depth exclusive content from the various parts of the brand – from new product releases to competitions for Katy Perry tickets and much more. adidas already engages in excess of 10 million fans of the brand on a regular basis across these platforms. In addition, the creative will come to life in a complete through-the-line offering, including mobile, retail, activation events and print.

“In the past ten years we have successfully extended the adidas brand into three powerful sub-brands with adidas Sport Performance, adidas Originals and adidas Sport Style. Now we are proud to be able to show the breadth and depth of the adidas brand in one global brand campaign,” explains Erich Stamminger, member of the Executive Board responsible for Global Brands.

“‘all adidas’ is the biggest campaign we have ever executed. Its creative concept brings together the diversity of the brand under one strong roof. From the court to the catwalk, the stadium to the street, we are giving an authentic statement with credibility that only adidas has.”

Montreal-based agency Sid Lee created and produced the global campaign. Sid Lee was hired as the global advertising agency for lifestyle label adidas Originals at the start of 2008 and developed the global campaigns for Originals in 2009 and 2010 including ‘House Party’. In 2010, Sid Lee was announced as the global lead-agency for the entire adidas brand.

The “all adidas” campaign takes place throughout 2011 in a mix of environments from sport to music, lifestyle to fashion with different elements rolling out over the year. Five second teaser spots have been aired in the weeks leading up to the global launch of the hero advert film on March 16th, 2011.