March 25, 2007

Spiderman 3 Final Trailer

In 720p quicktime streaming. The movie looks great as does Ms. Kirsten Dunst.

June 30, 2006

Transformers Teaser Trailer

The live action Transformers movie backed by Michael Bay and Spielberg has a teaser trailer up on its site. I hoping and wishing for the best, but the movie is from the same guy that made The Rock and Pearl Harbor.

April 02, 2006

Ice Age Does Well at Box Office

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Fox's Ice Age debuted at $70.5 million in its opening weekend showing the world that Pixar and Dreamworks aren't the only games in town when it comes to computer animation.

March 20, 2006

V for Vindetta Movie Review by Arogan

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Arogan Website - Just saw this in an all digital DLP theater. The tech looked great! The movie wasn't bad either. I came into this film knowing nothing about it or the comic it is based on.

- amc uses multiple projectors. While you are sitting around waiting, they play the ads on this horrible low rez projector. You could really see the pixels (major screen door effect). I was getting worried that this was what pro DLP was like. It looked like 480p blown way up. Then right before the real trailers start it switched over to the "real" DLP projector. They even do this funny film melting DLP promo. WOW! Now that is pro DLP! Btw the silent hill trailer looked VERY GOOD. It might be the best video game movie yet (ok I guess thats not actually saying a whole lot).
-It needs more knife fights. More Knife Time!!!
- good performaces all around, good Wachowski writing. Production values look good for the 50 million they spent on it.
- Natalie needs her hair.
- Some of the political points get hammered into you over and over and over. Ok we get it! I think about 20 min of editing would have helped the film a lot. - Overall it wasn't quite what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it and made for some good discussion aftewards. Just remember this really isn't an action film.

film 7/10
DLP 10/10 [Discuss]

January 24, 2006

Netflix to Support HD-DVD at Launch

Netflix announced it will rent HD-DVD and Blu-ray movies at launch starting in late March 2006. Now if only the HD-DVD players were at reasonable prices.

“High-definition DVD is the next wave of excitement in home entertainment and we'll be there at its inception,” said Netflix Chairman and CEO Reed Hastings. “With far sharper images, better sound and more features, we expect high-def will greatly enhance DVD's consumer appeal and extend its popularity over the next decade or more.”

Disney Buys Pixar

Disney announced it will buy Pixar today for $7.4 billion. Steve Jobs will be added to Disney's Board of Directors as the largest single individual shareholder and John Lasseter will become President of Disney Animation studios.

January 02, 2006

Sony PSP Movie Downloads

Some site is doing what Sony should be doing, too bad the $2.99 movies are 3rd tier only.

December 05, 2005

Spiderman 3 Movie

Spiderman 3 is slated for release in 2007 and according to WSJ sources is going to cost $250 to $300 million to make. Yowsers. I guess Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst don't ever have to work again.

November 13, 2005

Ron Moore Tribute to his Ex-Boss

Ron Moore writes a tribute to his former boss that initially hired him to be writer for Star Trek. A good read. Let’s thank Michael Piller for recognizing Moore’s talent. If he didn’t do so, we may have never seen the remaking of the best show on television, Battlestar Galactica.

He’s gone now, Michael Piller. Tomorrow, I will gather in a place with other people who knew and loved him, along with some who only knew of him, and we will both mourn and celebrate him. His obituary has been written, and I can only add my personal opinion and belief that he was one of the most fundamentally honorable and decent men I have encountered in my life. And he had no malice.

November 02, 2005

Doom Movie Review by Arogan

One word: Inconsistent

- The creature effects were inconsistent. Some were ok, some were horrible (especially during the fps segment)
- Production values seemed all over the place. Some scenes looked pretty good. Others looked very low budget and cheesy.
- Overall the story didn't bother me too much. it wasn't that bad of a plot. It's nothing like the game but it wasn't too bad.
- The pacing was kind of weak. NOT scary at all. Several parts I just got kind of bored. They back tracked a lot (a no no in game design too) which seemed like it was there just to kill time.
- BFG. Ok I really wanted to see this gun clear a room of baddies. NEVER HAPPENED. What a waste. The gun was shot a total of 2 times to no effect (well except making a big hole in the environment).
- Turns into wire fu at the end. Obvious film speed up was used.
- I went in with low expectations and was still disappointed.

4/10 [Discuss]

October 29, 2005

Stallone to do Rambo IV after Rocky

Got to hand it to Stallone. Even when he is 59 years old, he still thinks he can act in a boxing ring and fight as Rambo in a movie. He got some cajones.

The 59-year-old Stallone also intends to bring boxer Rocky Balboa out of retirement. He will write and direct "Rocky Balboa," the sixth film in that franchise, with shooting set to begin next year.

Nedivi said the $50 million "Rambo IV" will recapture the rawness of "First Blood," which launched the franchise in 1982.

October 15, 2005

Hollywood Wants their iPod Video Cut

It looks like Apple and Disney went ahead with the download the TV show program without consulting the actors, writers, and directors. Typical Hollywood.

In a show of unity, five unions representing actors, writers and directors issued a joint call for talks to make sure their members get a cut of revenue generated by the sale of TV shows on Apple's iTunes software.

October 13, 2005

24 New HD Trailers

Apple put 24 new high-definition trailers on their quicktime site. The King Kong one in full 1080p is simply gorgeous.

September 24, 2005

Battlestar Galactica Hits #2 on Best 50 Sci-Fi Shows of All Time



Boston.com put Battlestar Galactica #2 on their list of Best 50 Sci-Fi shows of all time. In my opinion, it should be number 1.

Superman Returns - Costliest Movie Ever?

Reports are coming out that Superman Returns may be the most expensive movie of all-time. $326 million is a lot of dough for a rehash of an old franchise about a boy in tights.

Variety reported its director Bryan Singer acknowledged its budget is approaching $326 million - that would top Titanic's $250 million and Waterworld's $225 million. But the director of upcoming Harry Potter film Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, Mike Newell, is now claiming the title. "I think of myself as being really lucky," he said. "I'm going to make the most expensive film ever. These things are not like ordinary films they are world events." And the cost of the film, due here on December 1? Reportedly $305 million. Special effects, not actors' salaries, are driving the ballooning budgets, although Superman Returns has years of development costs to sink as well.

Battlestar Galactica Third Season Confirmed

The best show on television is now coming back for a third season. Thank the gods.

Sources at SciFi Channel are reporting that SciFi has unofficially decided to award both "Battlestar Galactica" and "Stargate: Atlantis" third-season pickups... During the show, Hinman -- who appeared by telephone in the show's final hour -- said he had received unconfirmed reports that the third-season pickups have been decided. SciFi normally does not announce fate of shows during the first half of the seasons, which end this month. "Battlestar Galactica" aired for the first time on SciFi in January for an extended half-season run, quickly earning a second season after strong ratings that beat out even new episodes of "Star Trek: Enterprise" on UPN. The show is in the middle of its second season, still enjoying strong ratings despite some audience erosion seen across the board. It stars Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, and has been critically-acclaimed in the mainstream media... series will end their first-half season run this month, and will return for new episodes in January.

August 25, 2005

Doom Movie Trailer

The trailer for Doom is out from Universal Studios. The movie comes out on October 21st. Is it me or do the special effects in Doom 3 look better than this movie? It looks pretty weak.

August 24, 2005

Disney Hated Toy Story

Disney executive almost nipped Toy Story in the bud before it was even released. Those geniuses! Pixar would eventually leave Disney animation in the dust and do over $3 billion in revenue and win over 16 Academy awards. They really like me, they really like me!

But Monday, as Pixar celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Toy Story,'' its debut film, the creative minds behind the studio for the first time told the real story of how they almost lost the picture. Not only did the big-money folks at Disney who bankrolled the film not understand the vision of "Toy Story,'' they hated it so much they shut down production.

Disney, which was bankrolling the project, peppered the young animators with notes and suggestions. The story was too juvenile, the higher-ups said, and the characters had to be edgier. Afraid to trust themselves, Lasseter and his crew tried to follow all the directions. It was, nearly everyone agrees, a train wreck. Disney hated the movie and the idea -- and shut it down.

August 23, 2005

Halo Movie in 2007

According to Variety, Fox and Universal finalized their deal with Microsoft. Microsoft will get paid $5 million and 10% of gross receipts. The script was approved and is written by Alex Garland. The movie is slated to open in 2007. All hail the Master Chief.

July 31, 2005

TiVo Is Vulnerable To Impending DirecTV Transition

Forbes - The research firm said DirecTV could begin to transition its TiVo base to new technology, starting with shipments of the first non-TiVo digital video recorders in August or September. "We believe such a DirecTV D-Day would rattle investor confidence, since DirecTV drives more than 70% of current TiVo subscriber growth," J.P. Morgan said.

Macrovision Buys Trymedia

It's amazing to me how a company like Macrovision can even exist? Anyone with half a brain in computer smarts knows how to defeat Macrovision DVD copy protection software.

acquisition of market leader Trymedia Systems in a $34 million deal which is expected to complete this week. The deal will see Trymedia, which operates the world's largest distribution network for downloadable products on the PC thanks to its ActiveMARK suite of security and e-commerce products, becoming a part of a new games business unit.

July 28, 2005

God of War Hollywood Movie

One of the best games of the year is going to the big screen. Don't get your hopes up yet, videogame movies have been known to be pretty horrible.

Universal Pictures has bought the rights to create a film adaptation of Sony Computer Entertainment's critically acclaimed PlayStation 2 action-adventure, God of War, according to trade magazine Variety. The Hollywood trade publication has reported Batman Begins producer, Charles Roven, has been slated to produce the film, along with Alex Gartner of Mosiac Media. There are currently no writers, directors or cast lined up at this early stage.

July 22, 2005

Why are Movie Theater Revenues Declining?

This blogger nails this issue on the head. I couldn't of said it better myself.

1) Social factors eroding theater environment (talking, cell phones, babies crying, etc.);
2) Sacrificing long term relationships with theater-goers for the increase in short term profitability (commercials, no ushers, etc.);
3) Higher quality experience elsewhere (Home theater);
4) Declining quality of mainstream movies;
5) Easily available Long Tail content alternatives (Netflix, Amazon).

May 30, 2005

Indiana Jones 4 Script Approved by Lucas and Spielberg

Jeff Nathanson's script for Indiana Jones 4 was approved by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. The last leg is for Harrison Ford to green light it; he hasn't read the script yet. 2006 may be a tough fit however for Steven Spielburg as he is working on a movie about the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorism disaster and a Civil War film about Abraham Lincoln with Liam Neeson. When you have many superstars in the mix, it's tough to get the schedule right. It's still exciting thought, I'm already humming the theme song. Da da da dum! Da da da!

May 16, 2005

MPAA Goes After TV BitTorrent Sites

Through the kindness of their hearts, the Motion Picture Association of America has sued a bunch of BitTorrent TV downloading sites and a few individuals. I'm sure their lawsuits have nothing to do with the growing significance of movie downloading on the same sites. Nahh, they are just looking out for their TV brethen. *cough* What a brilliant strategy of suing their best customers. Meanwhile Sci-Fi channel turns a blind eye to the download of Battlestar Galactica, and it turns out the word of mouth caused bigger ratings to the televised show.

"Every television series depends on other markets (such as) syndication and international sales to earn back the enormous investment required to produce the comedies and dramas we all enjoy," MPAA Chief Executive Officer Dan Glickman said in a statement. "Those markets are substantially hurt when that content is stolen."

May 15, 2005

Chronicles of Narnia Trailer



Disney has released the first teaser trailer of the Chronicles of Narnia based on the C.S. Lewis classic. It seems to borrow a bit from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but the movie seems to be lacking something. Disney is probably hoping it will start a huge movie franchise based on the books just like Time Warner's Potter. I love the Narnia books, I wish them well. But Disney isn't exactly known for execution these days.

April 06, 2005

Transformers Live Action Movie

God this would be so awesome. Transformers was my favorite cartoon as a kid and now Michael Bay is in talks with Dreamworks/Paramount to do a live action Hollywood movie. I guess we can't expect much of a plot from the guy who made Bad Boys, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor, but the action scenes will sure be cool. I hope. Autobots, ROLL OUT.

Bay also would reunite with writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who, under their two-year, first-look deal with DreamWorks, rewrote "Island" and wrote "Transformers." The Transformers are divided into two groups of robots, one led by Optimus Prime, which believes in tolerance and the sanctity of life, the other by Megatron, which espouses survival of the fittest and the extermination of biological life. A November 17, 2006, release date has been set. Bay's credits include the two "Bad Boys" movies, "Pearl Harbor," "Armageddon" and "The Rock."

March 31, 2005

Sony Wants iTunes for Movies

That was pretty damn quick. One day after I lambasted Sony to make an iTunes for video files on the Sony PSP, the Senior Vice President of Sony Pictures said they will develop an iTunes for movies over the next year. I wonder if he reads First Adopter. It's fascinating as the guy used the exact analogy I did with Steve Jobs and iTunes. Good stuff, probably a coincidence.

Michael Arrieta, senior vice president of Sony Pictures, said at a US Digital Hollywood conference that it wanted to create an "iTunes" for films. Films will be put onto flash memory for mobiles over the next year, said Mr Arrieta, and it will develop its digital download services for films.

"We want to set business models, pricing models, distribution models like (Apple chief Steve) Jobs did for music, but for the film industry," Mr Arrieta told Cnet news.

March 12, 2005

Hobbit Movie in 3-4 Years

Peter Jackson has gone on record that he thinks it will take 3-4 years before the Hobbit movie is made. The reasons for the delay are the co-owners of the rights MGM and New Line are going through issues. MGM is in the process of being sold to Sony and New Line is getting sued by Peter Jackson.

I hope all these lawsuits and buyouts won't delay a re-visiting of the Lord of the Rings universe any more than it has to. They also better not use someone else than Jackson himself.

March 11, 2005

Wallace and Gromit on the Big Screen

Wallace and Gromit are coming to the big screen in October 2005. You can check out the 3 minute preview. Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter will provide voices. I am psyched as this clay-mation animation is one of my favorites growing up. The action sequences are some of the most hilarious, ingeniously plotted ever. The title is Curse of the Wererabbit, where an evil vegetable thief will be investigated by our favorite characters. Forget Star Wars, forget Star Trek, it's Wallace and Gromit time! [Discuss]

February 17, 2005

Sony PSP UMD Movie Prices up to $28.95

Sony announced pricing for UMD movies which are played on the Sony PSP videogame handheld. UMD (Universal Media Disc) measures 60mm in size and can hold up to 1.8 GB data.

XXX, Hellboy, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico will all retail for just $19.99, roughly in line with their DVD editions. Given its upscale pedigree, The House of Flying Daggers will retail for around 30 percent more, for $28.95. All five UMD films will be available on April 19, just under a month after the PSP goes on sale on March 24.

Sony is smoking something to expect consumers to pay MORE for UMD movies than higher quality DVDs. Are you kidding me?

December 10, 2004

War of the Worlds Trailer

Steven Spielberg's latest project is War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise. The movie is set to come out in the summer of 2005 and is based on the classic sci-fi novel of the same name. Watch the trailer here.

December 08, 2004

Pixar Delays Cars to Summer of 2006

Pixar and Walt Disney announced they will be delaying their next movie, Cars, by six months to June 9, 2006. Pixar says they are going to finish the movie on regular schedule, but delay releasing it because of the advantage of the summer movie time-frame. Basically the company wants to release movies in the summer and then come out with a DVD release in the holiday season to maximize revenue.