WebProNews

Tag: Film

  • Apple Rumor: Streaming Movie Rentals

    Apple Rumor: Streaming Movie Rentals

    Tired of hearing rumors about Apple products? I didn’t think so. The iPhone 5 isn’t the only Apple product (or potential product, I should say) getting some attention from the press. There is speculation going around that Apple may be looking to launch a Netflix competitor.

    Before we get into the sources of such speculation, let’s just acknowledge that the concept itself makes a great deal of sense. Netflix has built a very solid brand for itself over the years, despite a bit of tarnishing in recent weeks, but it’s already getting competition from major web players like Amazon and Google. Apple, with its popular devices, operating systems, and iTunes store, as well as its existing competition with Amazon and Google seems like an ideal candidate for such a service. Let’s not forget about Apple TV and its rumored foray into actual televisions.

    Jay Yarow at Business Insider reports on a note from Peter Misek at Jeffries, who says, “As part of Apple’s roll-out of cloud video services (and eventually an iTV), we believe Apple has unannounced deals with all/most of the studios/TV networks that are similar to the subscription streaming deal between Amazon and CBS.”

    He also points out that Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer recently said that “some neat stuff is coming” for iTunes movies and TV content.

    Meanwhile, AppDevice is running a story today called “Exclusive: Apple to Launch iTunes Replay in the COming Weeks,” which says the publication “has been told and was able to independently confirm that Apple is on the edge of finally launching a full fledged re-downloading and possibly streaming service named iTunes replay.”

    This would reportedly include re-downloading and possibly streaming of not only music, but TV shows and movies.

    Don’t forget that Google is now renting movies via the Android Market (not to mention YouTube) – the prime competitor to Apple’s App Store.

    Either way, it looks like consumers are going to have more and more options for renting streaming movies from various devices, including the desktop, moving forward. Facebook movie rental appears to be on the rise as well.

  • Facebook Movie Rentals Concept Expanded Thanks To Paramount

    More movies are available for rent directly through Facebook, using Facebook Credits. Why is this significant news? Because this time, the titles come from Paramount, indicating that more studios are eyeing this as a potential option for film distribution.

    Warner Bros. was early to test the waters here. Months back, the company made The Dark Knight available for rent via the film’s official Facebook Page. It seemed to work well enough that they wanted to dip a few more toes into the water, as they then made a handful of other films available.

    Jackass on Facebook

    Now, while it may just be Jackass movies at this point, Paramount is clearly looking at this medium for making money from its films. Not a bad idea, considering that not only are a lot of people frustrated with recent Netflix price hikes, but Facebook has a commonly reported (though often disputed) 700 million users.

    They’re charging 30 credits, or the equivalent of $2.99 for the first three Jackass films. They’re charging 40 credits (or $3.99) for the last two (Jackass 3 and Jackass 3.5). The prices seem a little on the high side to me, but there is a convenience factor.

    Movies can be watched for up to 48 hours after the transaction.

    Another interesting factor of Facebook as a movie rental vehicle is that studios can market the rentals directly to users through the news feed. They have the opportunity to push them to people who like the studio’s brand itself, but also through individual film titles. A whole lot of people on Facebook have “liked” a whole lot of films. Then there’s Facebook ads which can be very highly targeted.

  • Sin City 2 On the Way (More Machete Too)

    Sin City 2 On the Way (More Machete Too)

    Back when we attended SXSW in March, we had the pleasure of listening to filmmaker Robert Rodriguez talk about his experiences in bringing the Sin City graphic novels to the screen. We had hoped that he would give out some information about the long-rumored Sin City 2, but no dice.

    That changed at Comic Con, however, as he announced that he’s planning sequels to not only Sin City, but also cult hit Machete.

    In all honesty, it’s not really news that he was planning these, but it’s good to hear him bring them back up. It signals that there might actually still be hope that they’re moving forward. In fact, he is even reported to have said the script for Sin City 2 is being refined. He’s been working on it with Sin City creator Frank Miller.

    Rodriguez evidently discussed Sin City 2 in a Facebook live chat. ScreenRant reports:

    One name that Rodriguez mentioned during the FB chat as a possible returning player forSin City 2 was that of Hartigan, Bruce Willis’ cop-with-a-bum-ticker. There were rumblings from Miller quite awhile back about how he had written a story for Sin City 2 that involved Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba) dealing with the aftermath of the events that occurred in “That Yellow Bastard” – the Hartigan storyline in the Sin City movie – but, if Willis does return, that might not be the case after all.

    At SXSW, Rodriguez reminisced about seeing the script for Sin City in the early 90s, and recalled saying, “Whoever does that is going to screw that up.” He said that he was always a big fan of the Sin City visual style, and that he always knew he would “follow the visual” if he made a Sin City movie.

    Later, Rodriguez found himself working with digital photography and 3D technology, with Spy Kids 3D in particular. “Spy kids 3D is why you all have to wear 3D glasses at the movies these days,” he laughed.

    He discussed meeting Miller at a bar to show him some test shoots of actors using green screen and visual effects created with Photoshop. Miller was “blown away,” he said.

    “I made it very easy for him,” he says, noting that artists often don’t want to get involved in all of the Hollywood stuff.

    He just used the source material as the script. “No one got a screenplay credit on it,” he added.

    It’s good to know that the two are working together again on the follow-up.

    Rodriguez’s Spy Kids 4 comes out in August.

  • Jurassic Park 4 Rumors Poised To Set The Internet Ablaze

    If there is one thing you can unite the internet community around, it’s bacon. Bacon and, to a lesser degree, Jurassic Park 4 rumors.

    That’s why the news just put out by the Hollywood Reporter is going to ignite the speculation fuse, once again, about the possibilities of a reboot of the much beloved film.

    According to THR, Steven Spielberg has been holding meetings with screenwriter Mark Protosevich and “kicking around ideas for how to reboot the Jurassic Park franchise.” So yeah, that’s happening (wheeeeee). Spielberg’s camp as well as Universal Picutres stressed that they aren’t banging out a script, as these are only super preliminary talks.

    Protosevich has written the 2006 action remake Poseidon, the adaptation of the Will Smith vehicle I Am Legend as well as the criminally underrated visual masterpiece The Cell. So that sounds promising-ish.

    Jurassic Park is a great film. Two and three, meh. But for anyone my age (or, like me, dinosaur obsessed at a young age) the original holds tons of sentimental value. For me, it was one of the first movies I ever truly loved. Many people feel the same way I do about it, thus the huge internet buzz whenever “4” is mentioned.

    The last big JP4 buzz happened back in 2007 when Laura Dern said that it was definitely happening. She told MTV –

    “It is happening. Rumor has it [my character] Ellie Sattler may be back in the woods, back on the island,” Dern announced, saying the movie will hit theaters in 2008. She added with a coy smile, “You know, there is a guy I know who told me he wants me to have something to do with it. [So] I have a date with a dinosaur again. My 5-year-old will be thrilled.”

    Then the reports emerged that the dinosaurs in the film were to be outfitted with government-grade weapons for battle purposes. And the internet collectively shit a brick. But that version of the film never made it to theaters and fans were left wondering if they would ever see Dr. Grant or Ian Malcolm on screen again.

    But now it looks like things are moving in the right direction at least. Or wrong direction according to this writer at The Guardian –

    First, let’s get the obvious out of the way. Jurassic Park IV will be terrible. All the signs are there. Michael Crichton is dead. Stan Winston is dead. The last time Steven Spielberg waited this long to revive one of his franchises, he ended up blowing Harrison Ford across the sky in a fridge. The portents are not good. In an ideal world Jurassic Park would be extinct, once and for all.

    He suggests that we crowdsource the plot of the upcoming film to save it from whatever awfulness is bound to ensue. Interesting idea – let’s keep that in mind.

    Twitter, as usual, is weighing in on the news –

    @WhyJerryWhy
    Jerry Mahoney    Spielberg is considering making Jurassic Park 4, due to advances in CGI technology which will assure that the dinosaurs no longer look real. 53 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @zvirby
    Lara Zvirbulis    My plot suggestion for Jurassic Park 4 – Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the earth. 46 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @DominicScott
    Dominic Riccitello    OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JURASSIC PARK 4????????????????????? 2 hours ago via UberSocial · powered by @socialditto

    @SUEtheTrex
    Specimen FMNH PR2081    Jurassic Park 4 rumors?!?! Don’t tease me like that… Got to get into prime Goldblum chasing shape! http://t.co/764hD75 55 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @ritchiepevo
    Ritchie Pevo    steven spielberg thinking about making jurassic park 4!? best. news. ever. 26 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @MikeC713
    Mike C    Steven Spielberg is considering making a Jurassic Park 4. Rumor has it, Chris Bosh has already been asked to play the Brachiosaurus. 1 hour ago via Echofon · powered by @socialditto

    Oh, and I discovered this. Did you know that Jurassic Park 4 has a rotten tomatoes page? It’s 93% fresh based on 444 user ratings. It says the film is from 2008 and stars Sam Neill and Keira Knightley. Holy hell, did I miss something?

    Is the nostalgia in me clouding my judgment? Maybe so. Maybe I just want some of the old magic recaptured so bad that I’m getting excited about something that is doomed to disappoint. But let’s just hope it gets made and hope that it turns out to be awesome. I don’t think there is any chance in JP4 ruining the first one for me after sitting through JP2 and JP3. All I have to say is it better have Goldblum in it.

  • How Source Code Applies Tech, Gaming, & Social to Film

    Anytime technological elements are integrated into conventional culture, it’s exciting for those of us in the tech industry. It’s even more thrilling when technology is applied to the entertainment industry, such as the case of the new film Source Code that opens in theaters today.

    Can you name any examples in which technology was applied to entertainment? Let us know.

    The sci-fi thriller is about an American soldier named Captain Colter Stevens that wakes up in the body of a stranger. Played by popular star Jake Gyllenhaal, Capt. Stevens finds himself involved with a government program called “source code” and is tasked with finding the bomber on a Chicago commuter train.

    Through his mission, he meets Christina Warren, played by the lovely Michelle Monaghan, and the two fall in love. As if casting Jake Gyllenhaal as the lead role in the film wasn’t enough to draw the ladies, this love story is also intertwined into the action.

    In terms of technology, the title alone suggests a digital element. The film also includes a social gaming aspect that is based off the “source code” computer game in the movie.

    “The idea of the source code in the movie is that it’s a computer game, and that off that computer game, different tangents are created. And, you affect the world as a result of that game… the computer game that’s actually in reality… on the Internet, is the same sort of idea,” said Gyllenhaal.

    Powered by Microsoft Tag technology, the game allows users to become part of the mission and connect to the film in a socially interactive way. As Monaghan explained to us, the users that play the game become part of the website, which, she believes, creates a real connection with the audience.

    Gyllenhaal also told us that the game gives users a valuable opportunity to create their own story on top of the one told in the movie.

    “If we can get people on the Internet involved in the story… there are so many possibilities in even telling other stories… creating even another movie based on the ideas that were created from the game,” he said.

    Another element that further linked Source Code to the tech industry was the fact that it premiered at SXSW. Director Duncan Jones said he loves the show because it attracts people that genuinely love film (not to mention a whole bunch of techies that love movies too). He also premiered his film Moon at the show in 2009.

    Would you like to see more films that integrate technology?

  • Latest Chan-wook Park Film Paranmanjang (aka: Night Fishing) Shot Entirely on iPhone 4

    Chan-wook Park is one of my favorite directors working today thanks to his films like Joint Security Area, Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Lady Vengeance. 

    His films, while often brutally violent, tend to be shot beautifully well, which makes news that his latest, a 30-minute short called Paranmanjang, was shot entirely with an iPhone 4, all the more interesting. 

    Is this the direction film is headed? Google also just showed off a movie studio video editing app for Android Honeycomb this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 

    Here’s the teaser for Paranmanjang or "NIght Fishing":

    It doesn’t look as visually appealing as most of Chan-wook Park’s films, but the fact that everything was done from the iPhone is pretty impressive. "We went through all the same film-making processes except that the camera was small," the Wall Street Journal quotes him as saying.

    Combined with the rise of online video, we can no doubt expect to see a great deal more of this style of filmmaking.  

  • The Social Network Runs Away with Weekend Box Office

    The Social Network led the box office over the weekend. The film, which opened on Friday, took in $23 million, opening in 2,771 theaters, according to BoxOfficeMojo. 

    The film grossed more than doubled the number 2, 3, and 4 movies – Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and The Town. There were only two other major releases to open at the same time: Case 39 and Let Me In. These both brought in only just over $5 million a piece. 

    Catfish, the other Facebook-related movie that’s out, has so far grossed a total of $1,638,000. It has played in far less theaters, however, and has not received a wide, mainstream release.

    The Social Network

    It will be interesting to see how much The Social Network takes in when it’s all said and done. The movie has received a great deal more buzz than I think many of us expected when we first found out they were making a movie about Facebook. That’s with good reason though. It’s a solid film. 

    Read our review of The Social Network here. You can also watch director David Fincher, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, and co-star Justin Timberlake share their thoughts about Facebook and the film. 

     

  • David Fincher Shares Real Thoughts on the Facebook Story

    David Fincher, the director of The Social Network shares some interesting thoughts about the story told in the movie – the founding of Facebook. 

    In a press conference following a screening of the film in New York, Fincher lets loose on his thoughts about how the situation among Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin and Sean Parker went down. 

    Fincher says calling the Mark Zuckerberg character an "asshole" is a "reductive and overly-simplistic" way of putting it. 

    Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, Fincher, and the actors portraying those characters talk about their Facebook experience (or lack thereof). Andrew Garfield, who plays Saverin, called his Facebook experience negative "like it is for most people".

    Justin Timberlake, who plays Parker, says he doesn’t have time to look at pictures of his friends.

  • Netflix Launches in Canada Without DVDs, Smaller Streaming Catalog

    Netflix Launches in Canada Without DVDs, Smaller Streaming Catalog

    In July, Netflix said it would expand into Canada this fall, and the company made good on that promise as it made the announcement today. This marks the first international expansion of the company. 

    Canadians might not be too excited, however, as the launch does not include Netflix’s DVD rental service, but only its online streaming service. In the U.S., customers pay for the DVD service and get the online streaming service for free as an added bonus. Canadians get to pay $7.99 (Canadian) for the streaming service only. 

    Update: WebProNews asked Netflix VP, Corporate Communications Steve Swasey if the company has plans to offer DVD service in Canada in the future. He simply replied, "Pure streaming in Canada."  He also notes that the Canadian catalog features different titles and is based on different licenses. 

    "Netflix members in Canada can instantly watch movies and popular shows – such as ‘Superbad,’ ‘A Beautiful Mind’ and ‘Mad Men’ – right on their TVs via Nintendo’s Wii, Sony’s PS3 game console, and coming later this fall, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, as well as models from Sharp, VIZIO, Haier and Best Buy’s Insignia brand. Plus, they can instantly watch via Apple’s iPhone or iPad and on PCs and Macs," says Netflix’s Jessie Becker. 

    Netflix Streaming Comes to Canada

    There is no question that Netflix has made a lot of moves and will continue to do so to bolster its streaming catalog. However, as a standalone service (without the DVDs), it might be harder to find anywhere close to the substantial customer base it has acquired over the years in the U.S. 

    The streaming catalog is better, but it’s still not great. However, in the U.S. we are used to having Netflix with DVDs. As Canada has not had this from the company at all, perhaps they won’t miss it as much.  Update: It’s worth noting that the Canadian catalog is different than the U.S. catalog. Update 2: Swasey says the catalog in Canada is "slightly smaller".

    Would you pay for Netflix’s online streaming service only? Let us know. 

  • Netflix Makes Deal to Stream First-Run Theatrical Releases

    Netflix announced a new deal with Nu Image/Millennium Films today. The agreement will allow Netflix to stream first-run theatrical films to its members. 

    Netflix says the deal is an example of how it is moving to expand both variety and timliness of its streaming catalog. The deal is expected to provide five to ten theatrical films per year for Netflix streaming. 

    "We are delighted to be in business with Netflix," said Avi Lerner, co-chairman of Nu Image/Millennium.  "This is a groundbreaking deal for our new releases and library titles.  It will allow us to be more aggressive with theatrical releases and will clearly impact our distribution model.  We will be producing more great films for Netflix."

    "Avi Lerner and Nu Image have a remarkable track record of producing crowd pleasing and profitable films," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix.  "Their ability to work across multiple studios and maintain a consistent output of diverse and successful films makes Avi and his company perfect Netflix partners for theatrical features in the pay TV window."

    Nu Image and Millennium Films have been behind titles like "The Expendables," "John Rambo (aka: Rambo)," "Brooklyn’s Finest," "Righteous Kill," "16 Blocks" and "Black Dahlia."  

    The Expendables from Nu Image and Millennium Films

    The upcoming "Son of No One" starring Channing Tatum, Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, Tracy Morgan, and Ray Liotta will be one of the first films covered under the deal. "Elephant White" starring Djimon Hounsou and Kevin Bacon is another title mentioned. 

    Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

  • Redbox Now Offering $1.50 Blu-ray Rentals

    Redbox Now Offering $1.50 Blu-ray Rentals

    Coinstar’s Redbox announced today that it is has started rolling out Blu-ray rentals. The company says titles will be available at 13,300 kiosks nationwide.

    "Offering Blu-ray rentals is an exciting opportunity for redbox to expand our product offerings and build on the relationships that we’ve established with millions of consumers nationwide," said Mitch Lowe, president, redbox.  "Redbox is a convenient, affordable home entertainment provider and we’re delighted to offer consumers their favorite movies on the increasingly popular Blu-ray Disc format." 

    Redbox blu-ray rentals

    "According to a recent report by the Digital Entertainment Group, sales of Blu-ray players increased 103 percent in the first half of this year," the company noted in its announcement. "The sale of almost two million set-top players during this time has increased the total number of Blu-ray players sold to an estimated 19.4 million, resulting in more consumers entering the Blu-ray rental market."

    Redbox Blu-ray rentals will cost $1.50. Regular DVDs are only $1.00.

    Redbox recently made public intentions to use a web service to expand its library, which would make it a much bigger competitor to Netflix. That appeared to be mostly forward-looking, however. It’s hard to say when that will happen, and what its offerings will be exactly.

  • You Have Until the End of the Day to Do Something Interesting for YouTube

    Today is "Life In a Day" day. "Life in a Day" is a documentary project being put together by Ridley Scott, Kevin Macdonald, and the YouTube Community.

    "What are you doing today? Something routine like cooking breakfast or taking the dog for a walk? Or is it something extraordinary like your child’s first soccer game or your wedding day?" asks YouTube, describing the project. "Whatever it is, big or small, we hope you’ll capture it on video and take part in ‘Life in a Day,’ a user-generated documentary that will tell the story of a single day on Earth, as seen through your eyes."

    YouTube users have until 11:59 pm local time to film something for submission. The most "compelling" submissions will be selected for inclusion in the final film.

    There is an FAQ page here that gives most of the details you’d probably want to know. It will be interesting to see just how compelling this day turned out to be, once the project is finished.

  • Middle Men: Another Internet Story Coming to the Big Screen

    It’s looking to be the year of Internet stories penetrating mainstream cinema. You’ve no doubt heard about "The Social Network", David Fincher’s upcoming film about the founding of Facebook. The poster for that was just released the other day.

    Another film, which hasn’t received as much press is Middle Men, based on the true story of (as the tagline puts it) the guys who "brought the XXX to the WWW." The following trailer for the film was recently released:

    Here is the synopsis according to IMDB:

    In 1995, everyone had a VCR, music was sold in record stores, and the world-wide-web was a new found discovery. Businessman Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) had the perfect life a beautiful family and a successful career fixing problem companies. Then he met Wayne Beering (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht), two genius but troubled men, who had invented the way adult entertainment is sold over the internet. When Jack agrees to help steer their business, he soon finds himself caught between a 23 year-old porn star and the FBI all the while becoming one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs of his time. Witness a story so outrageous, you won’t believe it’s true. A story that proves business is a lot like sex getting in is easy, pulling out is hard.

    Middle Men features Not only Wilson, Macht, and Ribisi, but James Caan, Kelsey Grammer, Robert Forster, Kevin Pollak (who WebProNews interviewed a while back), and this guy:

    The movie hits theaters August 6th. Here is the IMDB page for the movie, and here’s the official site.