If you opened up a movie trade publication or read a movie-focused blog between October 2007 and February 2008 the odds are good you saw at least one story about how the massive influx of Iraq War-themed films that were being released (The Kingdom, In the Valley of Elah, Rendition, etc) were not only all failing but were causing havoc in the independent film world.

Their less than fantastic box-office success was not always attributable to the quality of the movie. Nor was it always to do the audience’s perceived lack of interest in movies about our current military situation. But these were easy journalistic hooks on which to hang a story and so became part of our entrenched conventional wisdom.

Indeed there were some high-quality films released about this subject matter in the last year or so that are deserving of a broader audience. But release patterns don’t always line up with audiences. That’s why the appearance of films such as Heavy Metal in Baghdad on distribution sites like SnagFilms (a Spout partner) is so important: by flattening the distribution field to allow for anywhere, anytime viewing, the audience (at least that portion of it that’s tuned into online viewing, a percentage that’s growing steadily) can find movies that will interest them regardless of whether or not it’s playing at their local multiplex.

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Eagle Eye from D.J. Caruso (Disturbia), starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, opens this Friday in theaters. And, for the next few days, you can win Eagle Eye swag from Spout.

A mysterious woman turns the lives of two strangers, Jerry Shaw (LeBouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan), upside down. They become the world’s most wanted–and attractive–fugitives. But as you wait to find out if Shia LaBeouf makes a better fugitive than an Indiana Jones (he’s got a thing for Harrison Ford roles), you can win crazy fugitive gear!

Each day this week we’ll be giving away a package containing one of each of the following

• Eagle Eye pen/flash drive (download files or write clues on paper)
• Eagle Eye t-shirt (makes a great tourniquet as well)
• Eagle Eye hoodie (for a quick disguise in a pinch, hoods up!)

New games go up each day and the winners are announced the following day. You can read the rules and see the prizes, here. Check back each day for the new game and good luck.

In our never-ending quest to find new ways to mock contemporary popular culture whilst celebrating the classics, we bring the first ever (ever!) SpoutBlog Photoshop Contest. We have a George Romero DVD two-pack to give away: a copy of the new Diary of the Dead, and the 40th Anniversary edition of Night of the Living Dead. Here’s the quip from the press release:

The NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 40^TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVD features a fully restored and remastered version of the original 1968 classic film and bonus materials, overseen by the master himself. This DVD marks George A. Romero’s long legacy with great interviews and multiple featurettes that emphasize the quality of this ultimate horror classic. The DIARY OF THE DEAD DVD bonus features include an optional audio commentary by George A. Romero, character confessions, a making of and the top five Myspace contest shorts.

Find out what you have to do to get the discs after the jump.

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If “you’ve ever sat around and wondered why you can’t make your living writing sex columns, or looked in the mirror and sworn you were Samantha Jones’ long lost twin,” then chances are you scare me to death. But good news––you’re eligible for a contest!

The Angelika, once a bastion of New York indie filmgoing***, now a collection of poorly laid-out screening rooms (most of them contain not a single seat with a decent view of the screen if the house is full) perched on top of a subway station (yay, rumbling!) is inexplicably pushing a Sex and the City promotional contest. The details after the jump!!!

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The winner of our Julian Schnabel Poster Contest is Ed Howard. Ed’s contest entry is posted after the jump; you can also check out his extended thoughts on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly at his blog. Congratulations, Ed––and please contact us with your mailing address at karina AT spout DOT com so we can get the poster out to you.

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• Above: a detail of the special edition Julian Schnabel-designed Diving Bell poster that we’re giving away. The deadline to enter our giveaway was supposed to be earlier this week, but whilst at Sundance we got too busy to promote it. So, we’re extending the deadline to Wednesday, February 6. Full details on how to enter here.
• David Pescovitz at BoingBoing links to The Mindscape of Alan Moore, a documentary about the creator of Watchmen and V for Vendetta, which you can watch online.
• Amelie Gilette at The Onion A.V. Club “always thought that Jamie Foxx’s natural career progression would be Booty Call, Ray, Oscar win, release of the R&B album Unpredictable, release of the R&B album Hot Tub, Academy Award (These Are The Words I’m Sayin’ To You), followed by the launch of Academy Award Winner: The Fragrance (musky ego with notes of ugh).” She was wrong.
• “In 1993 Justin Timberlake joined the Mickey Mouse Club. In 1993 I officially joined the Mrs Doubtfire Fan Club. While membership is small, we all still share a love of vaccuming to Aerosmith’s ‘Dude Looks Like a Lady.’” Paul Scheer breaks down what sets him apart from the superstar with whom he shares a birthday.
• “It’s all in there,” James Toback tells Michael Musto of his upcoming Mike Tyson documentary. “The ear biting, the rape charge, which was indeed a setup, and the solitary confinement. Mike’s survived, but he’s not sure into what future. He talks about being 40 as if it were 105 because a lot of people around him are drugged out or dead. Where does he go now?”