Hey, Woody Allen fans, the trailer for the writer-director's next film, To Rome With Love, is viewable now and it is deliciously Allentastic, so much so that it actually includes the man himself in an increasingly rare onscreen role.  He's but one member of a rock-solid ensemble whose separate tales of romance, eccentricity, and comedy play out on the streets of the historical Italian city.

As an audience, we're grown increasingly jaded regarding visual effects in our modern blockbusters.  The sheer number of blockbuster movies with show-stopping visual effects sequences has given us a shorthand, an easy and often unconscious understanding of what works and what doesn't.  The arrival of every new huge spectacular movie brings with it the expectation that the figurative bar will be raised, particularly when that would-be blockbuster is the latest installment in a franchise known for its envelope-pushing digital creations.

Such was the case for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth film in a franchise that has included undead pirates, fish-men, massive maritime battles, and even an ocean goddess.  For the first film in the series not directed by Gore Verbinski, the story saw the introduction of zombies, and more importantly, some truly memorably mermaids.  Aaron McBride has been crucial to the visual effects on all four Pirates films, serving as the art director on the first three and visual effects art director for On Stranger Tides.

In his time at Industrial Light and Magic, McBride has built up a resume that includes the likes of Minority Report, Iron Man, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.  In a roundtable interview with entertainment writers from around the world promoting tomorrow's release of Pirates of Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, McBride discussed the unique challenges and accomplishments of the sequel.  It's an interview that sheds some light on the intricacies involved in creating those visual effects that often flash by in no time at all.

Almost a decade ago in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow was a swishingly effeminate wild-card sidekick to the squeaky-clean romantic lead played by Orlando Bloom.  As the most popular and indispensable element of the franchise, Sparrow's prominence increased in successive entries, finally just taking over as protagonist in this summer's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  With On Stranger Tides grossing over a billion dollars worldwide, the already-inevitable fifth and (probably) sixth installments are now even more inevitable.  A new rumor suggests that for the future of the series, Depp, who by now has a major creative role in the films, wants British comedian Russell Brand to play an even more swishingly effeminate sidekick for erstwhile supporting player Sparrow.

There has not been a single year without a new film from writer-director Woody Allen since 1981, that barren year between Stardust Memories and A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy.  So even as Midnight in Paris enjoys the biggest critical and commercial success Allen has earned in years, he's deep in pre-production on The Bop Decameron.  The mysterious comedy will continue his recent unofficial European Tour, with Allen filming in Rome, Italy for the first time.  The ensemble cast for the film was announced today, and it includes Jesse Eisenberg, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Alison Pill, Ellen Page, and Greta Gerwig.

Captain Jack Sparrow is back! Opening in theaters today is the long awaited forth chapter of the beloved Pirates of the Caribbean series, this one entitled Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The first film in the series, 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, was based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name and surprised everyone by becoming a financial and critical hit, as well as rejuvenating Johnny Depp’s career and earning him his first Academy Award nomination. The filmmakers followed up on the success of the original movie by shooting two sequels back-to-back, ‘2006s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, as well as ‘2007s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. While both films were financial successes, neither movie scored as well with fans or critics as the first one.

But now, with the series having earned almost $2.6 billion worldwide up to this point, super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer (National Treasure), as well as actors Johnny Depp (Rango) and Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine) return once again to the popular Pirates franchise for another fun-packed thrill-ride. In addition to the return of Depp and Rush, the film welcomes several new cast members including Oscar winner Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) as Jack Sparrow’s love interest, and Ian McShane (TV’s Deadwood), as the film’s dangerous new villain. The series also gets a new director with this installment as Academy Award nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago) takes over the duties from Gore Verbinski, who directed the first three films in the franchise.

For the two people in all of America who were not yet aware that this Friday sees the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Disney has released two behind-the-scenes featurettes on the fourth installment of the swashbucking uber-franchise starring Johnny Depp.  The first focuses on the supporting players, including Penelope Cruz, Sam Claflin and returning actors Geoffrey Rush and Kevin McNally.  The second offers new looks at Ian McShane's Blackbeard, his zombie crew, and the mermaids who terrorize unsuspecting pirates.  Give 'em both a watch and shiver your timbers, whatever that means.

For the world premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Disney kicked open the doors to Casa de Mikey and rolled out a Blackbeard-style black carpet at Disneyland.  None other than Kermit the Frog was on hand as a special correspondent. This five minute 'Kermit-Cam' video of Kermit on the black carpet features the lead muppet rubbing elbows with Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Vanessa Hudgens, Teri Hatcher, and Ian McShane, among others.  Well worth watching just to see Keith Richards lapse into giggles when confronted by Kermit.

Jerry Bruckheimer – who has produced films including Top Gun, Con-Air, Prince of Persia, Bad Boys, National Treasure, and Armageddon – also produces the occasional tweet or two.  Today, @BRUCKHEIMERJB tweeted a new clip from his latest production, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  The two-minute excerpt from the fourth entry in the franchise features Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, Ian McShane as Blackbeard, and Penelope Cruz as Blackbeard's daughter Angelica.  Watch as the leather-loving baddie incentivizes some reckless stuntwork from Sparrow.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is but weeks away from its May 20th release, and with a ho-hum year at the box-office suddenly springing into record-breaking shape, Disney is said to be anticipating a big response to Captain Jack Sparrow's latest adventure.  The studio has released the first clip from the film, featuring a familiar anthemic score, a bewigged Geoffrey Rush shilling for the Crown, and Johnny Depp gamely mincing through one of Sparrow's elaborate, acrobatic escapes.  Check out the first official clip from the fourth Pirates, right here.