For certain types of people, finding out that fantasy writer Neil Gaiman likes their work could be considered the cherry on top of a career. So for filmmaker Kevin Smith, seeing that Gaiman once tweeted "I suspect @ThatKevinSmith is what all gods and demons aspire to be" had to make for one terrific day.

@ThatKevinSmith, of course, is the man who made such cult hits as "Clerks," "Mallrats," and "Chasing Amy." More recently, he's moved on from wry humor to darker stuff like "Red State." And he's even … Read more

If it's hard to imagine how a film with just three lines of dialogue (and in subtitles, no less) could leave you smiling so much your jaw hurts, then you haven't seen "Girl Walk // All Day."

The brainchild of filmmaker Jacob Krupnick, the movie is a 71-minute music video that showcases the joyous dancing of actress Anne Marsen and a few others to the frenetic (and admittedly often profane) mashups of the Girl Talk album "All Day."

It's a concept that doesn't readily lend itself to a feature-length movie, but in Krupnick'… Read more

It's a match made in heaven: "Star Wars" and Lego. And on March 29, visitors to Legoland California will have a chance to check out a whole new area filled with nothing but large-scale Lego models featuring things like Jawa sandcrawlers, R2-D2, Darth Vader, and more.

All told, the models will use more than 2 million Lego bricks and will include models from each of the six "Star Wars" movies.

Each model is 3 feet tall and uses at least 10,000 bricks, according to Lego.

Managers at Google Play are considering a plan to sell films, multiple sources have told CNET.

Google Play, formerly known as Android Market, only rents movies now, but the company has shown an interest in giving owners of Android handhelds the option to buy, according to multiple film industry sources.

One reason why Google Play is likely to make the move is that some of the big Hollywood studios may have required Google to commit to sales as a condition for getting access to rentals, the sources said. One of the industry insiders said Google could begin selling titles as … Read more

Microsoft has filed for a new patent called "control-based content pricing" that will enable content owners to charge users for skipping over ads or watching a replay.

On its face, the description of the technology doesn't sound like a great consumer proposition, to say the least.

"If a user initiates a navigation control input to advance past (e.g., skip over) an advertisement, the cost of a requested on-demand movie may be increased," Microsoft said in the application. A Microsoft representative was not immediately available for comment.

But Microsoft says just because the company filed … Read more

If we ever had to battle the evil forces of the Galactic Empire, we'd definitely want you on our side, Crave readers.

A few days ago we put out a call for our most dedicated "Star Wars" fan, and as usual, you did not disappoint. We received submissions from "Star Wars" devotees the world over, showing off everything from impressive homemade costumes to intricate tattoos and life-size replicas of favorite characters.

As a fan myself, I had so much fun seeing all the enthusiasm for the "Star Wars" films (it was also a wake-up call that I need to step up my game), but there was one individual who definitely stood out from the rest. As the saying goes, "The Force is strong with this one."

You'll have to click through the photo gallery below to find out who the victor is, but the lucky winner will receive an autographed copy of "The Star Wars Craft Book" from Bonnie Burton herself. Congrats to the winner, and thanks to everyone who sent in submissions! … Read more

Folks interested in buying movies can either get them at brick-and-mortar stores or online. Now the film studio Twentieth Century Fox is trying a new tack aimed at combining the two, albeit in a convoluted fashion.

Fox has partnered with Taubman Centers, which operates shopping malls across the country, to create virtual storefronts in Taubman's physical shopping malls.

The storefronts are "wallscapes" that feature photos and titles from Fox movies. Users can scan a QR code found on the wall using iPhone or Android phones that will direct them online to finalize their purchase. After that, the … Read more

About seven months before he died, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was pitching a plan for a subscription-video service to leaders in Hollywood.

Les Moonves, CEO of CBS, the entertainment conglomerate and parent company of CNET, said Jobs approached him with the idea about a year ago, according to story in The Hollywood Reporter. Moonves shared the revelation on Saturday while addressing attendees of the UCLA Entertainment Symposium in Los Angeles.

Jobs died in October following a long fight with pancreatic cancer.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Moonves also said that Jobs failed to persuade him to support the subscription service. &… Read more

In Japan's hobby robot circles, Naoki Maru is a respected name. He has won the Robo-One fighting tournament more times than I can count, and now he has a new version of his legendary pugilist King Kizer.

Maru and his son recently showed off a kid-sized edition of the robot with a new master-slave control system. Inspired by the film "Real Steel," Maru's Real King Kizer wowed fans at an Osaka robot festival that wrapped up earlier this week.

Using a Kinect-style Xtion Pro Live sensor, the 3-foot, 2-inch Kizer reproduces the movements of Maru's son, who controlled the machine while Maru explained how it works. … Read more