Entertainment Express: Ender’s Game, Ray Harryhausen, David Bowie, Guns ‘n Roses

(Pic: Summit)

* It’s here! A trailer for the much-anticipated Ender’s Game has arrived, so finally we can see what SA-born director Gavin Hood has been up to. Ben Kingsley is  reason alone to be excited, but this trailer ups the ante too.

* Tuesday was a sad day in movie history – visual effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen died. Before there was today’s special effects, there was the father of dynamation, famed for his stop-motion animation techniques that brought to life fantastical creatures, from 1949’s Mighty Joe Young to Clash of the Titans in 1981. He died at 92, in England.

* After featuring Tilda Swinton on his last movie, I mean music, video, David Bowie is now using the talents of Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard for The Next Day, set inside a church of debauchery.

* An obituary for Matt Groening’s mother, who died, has revealed the extent of the inspiration she provided for the show The Simpsons. It’s quite incredible.

* According to guitarist Richard Fortus, Guns n’ Roses is preparing for a follow-up to Chinese Democracy – early next year. Meanwhile, Axl Rose is being sued after he apparently knocked someone’s teeth out with his microphone while on tour in Australia.