In anticipation of the upcoming UK release of Michel Gondry's Science of Sleep, Moblog UK, a site that allows users to create "moblogs" -- mobile blogs based on pics, video and audio captured on camera phones -- has created a dreamy contest.

To enter the contest, users can create a photo, video, or audio description of their own bizarre dreams. Currently there are a handful of entries, and some of them are pretty interesting. The winner will get a Science of Sleep poster autographed by Michel Gondry and two (count 'em, two!) tix to see the film at an exclusive Valentine's Day screening at the Warner Building in London. That's London, as in England, so if you're not the the UK, you'll have to satisfy yourself with peeking at other people's dreams.

Please note: This is NOT a Cinematical contest. We are in no way affiliated with this contest, its rules, or its prize fulfillment. Do not enter your weird dream stuff here in the comments or send it to us in email unless you just want to impress us with your cool dreams about Gael Garcia Bernal chasing you with giant hands. We're just pointing you over to this other little contest because Science of Sleep is a cool-but-crazy film, and because I kind of like the idea that other people might have dreams that are even more bizarre than my own. So if you're in the UK, you have weird dreams and a celly, and you'd like to enter your dream in the contest -- over there, not here -- then enter away. And be sure to let us know here in the comments if you do submit an entry, so we can pop on over and see what a dream freak you really are.

A couple of big names from very different sides of the cinematic universe have new films coming out next month, and they're both hitting the road -- New York, specifically -- to convince all of us their movies are worth our precious time and money. Landing first will be Tony Jaa (Ong-bak), the Thai martial artist whose The Protector will hit screens on September 8. In addition to attending an advance screening of the film at Brooklyn's Museum of the Moving Image next Sunday, Jaa will also offer a free, pre-screening martial arts exhibition in the museum's courtyard. So, even if you can't get a ticket to the movie, you'll have a chance to see Jaa kick some serious ass in real life, which is probably way cooler anyway.

Then, on August 29, none other than Michel Gondry will make a stop at the Soho Apple store to promote The Science of Sleep, discuss his past film and video work and, one hopes, talk about his weird-ass dreams. The Gondry event is part of a series of evenings with independent filmmakers and is free (as, for that matter, is the Music of Idlewild panel next Tuesday night).

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- for a movie-lover, New York is pretty damn cool.

[Jaa link via Twitch]

Partizan, the production company behind Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep, is offering a short clip from the film on their website. After watching it, my primary reaction was "Uh, what?" The White Stripes are blaring, and some crazy animated crap is happening in what looks like a window. Plus, there's a tape player that looks just like the one I used to have in my room. Gael García Bernal is waving his arms around and apparently causing some destruction in the window-world. Meanwhile, three people dressed in 70s clothing bow behind him, and then laugh. Sometimes. And boy, do they like it when the animation turns in a little construction scene! Needless to say, taken on its own, this clip would NOT send me running to the theater. After reading Karina's review of the film from Sundance, however, I watch it again and loved it - when viewed with what little context the film can be bothered to provide, the scene suddenly makes a charming kind of sense. So, if you're not familiar with the film? Read the review, THEN download the clip.

Since the clip is in the form of a podcast, one hopes that this is just the first in a series of sneak looks at the film, which will be released in the US in August.

[via Filmmaker Blog]

French movie site Cinempire has posted the first high-res pics from Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep. I reviewed the film at Sundance, and loved it; a lot of other Sundancers thought it was a silly, structureless mess. Click through and decide for yourself - if you haven't read much about the film, the above still is a pretty solid encapsulation of what it's all about.

[via JoBlo]

All week long, people have been telling me that Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep "would've been great – if Charlie Kauffman had written it." Gondry, of course, made his first two features out of scripts created by Kaufman – Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – after spending ten years making gorgeously weird and often very funny music videos for a-listers like The White Stripes and Madonna. There's no question that the guy's brain is full of images; but is he capable, when left to his own devices, of threading the pretty pictures through with any kind of traditional narrative strain?

Well, no, actually, as it turns out, The Science of Sleep is not particularly effective, story wise, and no, it doesn't match Eternal Sunshine in terms of emotional resonance.  But god, I loved it, so, so much. It will certainly frustrate those who want directors to essentially present them with neat little packages, fully contained narratives wrapped with perfect red bows. It's not an easy thing to comprehend, and it requires work, although like Gondry's last film, its convolutions would almost certainly benefit from repeat viewings. But I think those who miss Kaufman's uncanny ability to tightly structure his stories around a given non-linear gimmick are missing the point: The Science of Sleep structuring gimmick is that it doesn't have a structuring gimmick: what little narrative it has gets its potency from the fact that the thing is a glorious mess.

Defying all predictions, Bobcat Goldthwaite is walking away from Sundance 2006 with all rights sold on his beastiality romcom Stay. Yesterday, French firm Gaumont announced that it was moving to acquire all international rights on the film, as part of its new strategy (begun with its financing of Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep) to generally loosen up a bit. "It's not the kind of film Gaumont is known for," CEO Franck Chorot admitted to Variety on Thursday, "but we are broadening our range with original films that have a potential for international sales." In even better news, Roadside Attractions has teamed up with Samuel Goldwyn to take domestic rights on the film. Neither Roadside or Goldwyn, nor William Morris, who brokered the deal for Goldthwait, announced financial terms, but Roadside's Eric d'Arbeloff released the following statement of motivation: "I've never encountered a film that so intelligently combines raunchy humor with warmth and emotional truth ... Bob Goldthwait's film is going to draw people for its outrageous premise, but they will leave the theatre surprised how much it touches them." I concur. Now: can we get a deal for Wristcutters?

That major bidding war David Poland predicted, if it ever materialized in earnest, is now over. Warner Independent quietly revealed this afternoon that they have picked up North American rights to Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep for something in the neighborhood of $6 million. The film had its first North American screening last night, and was apparently coveted by at least four different studios, with Focus rumored to be the leading contender.  Warner Independent reportedly put in their bid 20 minutes after the film ended last night, and word on the street is that they won out by agreeing to take fewer territories from French financier Gaumont. Warner's indie arm plans to release the film, which stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg, and which we'll be reviewing later in the week, platform-style later this year.