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Howdy Adventureland Friends: Oops! I goofed up last week about our trip to the drive-in. Koda Bear "burped" with Michael during Fantastic Four. Guess I should spell check huh? I have been working on the web sites. Gosh, they are looking bad and the navigation sucks. You know a web site is in sad shape when the webmaster gets lost. I am delaying my planned announcement. Why? Because I had a brain storm of ideas. So I may post a survey in the coming weeks. If so, I urge you to complete it. This week we have more gaming news, an inside look at Pixar, help fine-tuning your HDTV, 2008 honorees of side walk stars and much more. And lots of the usual stuff too. So, lets get started. However, there is one warning. Some of you may find the Fun & Games in poor taste for a family friendly newsletter. I found it funny and tastfully done. +===================================+ Find your showtimes @ Adventureland http://advland.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOX OFFICE <> <> <> +===================================+ 'EVAN ALMIGHTY' AWAITS BOX OFFICE FLOOD Steve Carell proved not as all-powerful as Jim Carrey. "Evan Almighty," with Carell taking over for Carrey in a follow-up to "Bruce Almighty," debuted a solid No. 1 with $32.1 million, though that was less than half the $68 million opening of its predecessor. Released by Universal, "Evan Almighty" has Carell as a new congressman instructed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark for a coming flood. Carrey's "Bruce Almighty" was an adult comedy, while the PG-rated "Evan Almighty" was aimed at a family crowd, which could give it longer shelf life, said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution at Universal. "Family films have an incredible ability to just play and play," Rocco said. "I'm very optimistic about it playing out over the course of the summer." "Evan Almighty" needs to hold up well in subsequent weeks to make good on its $175 million budget, an enormous sum for a comedy, resulting largely from costly visual effects. If it can hold on in theaters and then score well overseas, on television and in home video, "Evan Almighty" could earn its money back, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "Opening weekend no longer is the only barometer by which you can determine whether or not a film can turn a profit," Dergarabedian said. "If it finds life in the foreign marketplace, on home video, all those revenue streams are really important. It just has to do well in the long term, then have life after its theatrical distribution." The Stephen King adaptation "1408," a Weinstein Co. horror tale with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in the story of a man trapped in a hotel room with malevolent spirits, debuted in second place with $20.175 million. Paramount Vantage's "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie as the wife of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl, had a so-so debut, coming in at No. 10 with $4 million. Michael Moore's health care documentary "Sicko" got a head start on its nationwide debut Friday with an early opening at one New York City theater, where it took in $70,000 for the weekend. "Sicko" also had sold-out sneak previews Saturday night at 43 other theaters around the country, where tickets were so in demand they were being scalped for as much as $40 each, said Harvey Weinstein, co-chair of the Weinstein Co., which is releasing "Sicko" along with Lionsgate. The early screenings were intended to get interest focused on the movie, rather than publicity over a U.S. Treasury Department investigation of Moore's trip to Cuba for the film. When notified of the investigation, the filmmakers worried the government might try to seize the film or impede its release. "It's trying to get people talking about the movie, rather than the idea of the government trying to shut down the movie," Weinstein said. "It's saying to the government, 'Hey, this movie is out there being appreciated by people. Think twice before you try to confiscate or take any legal action.'" The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, the 20th Century Fox sequel "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," finished behind "1408" with $20.15 million, raising its 10-day total to $97.6 million. Like last month's "Spider-Man," "Shrek" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequels that opened big then took huge drops, revenues for "Fantastic Four" fell off 65 percent in the movie's second weekend. Universal's "Knocked Up" maintained strong word of mouth among audiences, pulling in $10.6 million, down 24 percent from a weekend earlier. Ranking No. 5, "Knocked Up" raised its 4-week total to $109 million. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers: 1. "Evan Almighty" @ $32.1 million. 2. "1408" @ $20.175 million. 3. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" @ $20.15 million. 4. "Ocean's Thirteen" @ $11.3 million. 5. "Knocked Up" @ $10.6 million. 6. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" @ $7.2 million. 7. "Surf's Up" @ $6.7 million. 8. "Shrek the Third" @ $5.8 million. 9. "Nancy Drew" @ $4.5 million. 10. "A Mighty Heart" @ $4 million. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007) Newly elected to Congress, newscaster, Evan Baxter, is the next one anointed by God to a holy mission -- walking in the footsteps of Bruce Almighty. Evan leaves Buffalo and shepherds his family to suburban northern Virginia. Once there, his life gets turned upside-down when God commands him to build an ark. Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril. http://www.evanalmighty.com/ "It is so bad, I came close to throwing my caffeinated beverage at the screen." --Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper "...amusing in pieces but, taken as a whole, it offers little, and the morality lesson is galling." --ReelViews, James Berardinelli +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ July 3, 2007 TRANSFORMERS (2007) The Earth is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor and language. http://www.transformersmovie.com/ http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/ July 4, 2007 RESCUE DAWN (2007) Based on the true story of German-born Dieter Dengler, who dreamed of being a test pilot and made his way to America, where he joined the military in pursuit of his obsession. On his first mission in Vietnam, he is shot down and captured by Vietcong guerrillas. Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense war violence and torture. http://rescuedawn.mgm.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SHINING STAR <> <> <> +===================================+ TRACY JO POLLAN DOB: June 22, 1960, Long Island, New York. This actress met her husband, Michael J. Fox, when she began playing his girlfriend on the ‘80s sitcom "Family Ties." Pollan, a native New Yorker, studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute and won her first professional role in the off-Broadway play "Album." In 1983, Pollan went from stage to screen in the films Baby, It’s You and Sessions. After teaming up with Fox on both "Family Ties" and the film Bright Lights, Big City (1988), the couple joined together in wedded bliss. Professionally, Pollan has continued to star in the television movies "Fine Things" (1990), "Dying to Love You" (1993), "Children of the Dark" (1994), "The Kennedy’s of Massachusetts" (1995), "I Am Your Child" (1997) and "1st to Die" (2003). http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001630/ http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800012026 +===================================+ <> <> <> SNACK BAR <> <> <> +===================================+ MACADAMIA NUT PINA COLADA BARS Bars 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple 1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 2 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon rum extract Pineapple Glaze 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 to 3 teaspoons reserved pineapple juice 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, with shortening. Drain pineapple well, reserving 3 teaspoons of juice. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the butter and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar with spoon until flour is moistened. Press in pan. Bake 10 minutes. 2. In medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until blended. Stir in pineapple and all remaining Bar ingredients. Spread over partially baked crust. 3. Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. 4. In small bowl, mix all Pineapple Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over bars. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Makes 2 dozen bars http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SWEEPS WEEK <> <> <> +===================================+ 'UNCLE P' MOVIE SWEEPSTAKES Hey kids! If you liked 'Are We There Yet' then you will love 'Uncle P.' If not, you are certain to enjoy this contest from Romeo. The grand prize winner will get a personal phone call from Romeo and much more. Other winners will receive DVD prize packs and more. http://www.unclepmovie.com/sweeps.html +===================================+ <> <> <> INTERMISSION <> <> <> +===================================+ THE VIDEO GAME ADDICTION DEBATE The signs are ominous: teens holing up in their rooms, ignoring friends, family, food and shower, while grades plummet and belligerence soars. The culprit isn't alcohol or drugs. It's video games, which for certain kids can be as addictive as heroin, some doctors contend. A leading council of the nation's largest doctors' group wants to have this behavior officially classified as a psychiatric disorder, to raise awareness and enable sufferers to get insurance coverage for treatment. In a report prepared for the American Medical Association's annual policy meeting in Chicago, the council asks the group to lobby for the disorder to be included in a widely used mental illness manual created and published by the American Psychiatric Association. AMA could vote on the proposal as early as Monday. It likely won't happen without heated debate. Video game makers scoff at the notion that their products can cause a psychiatric disorder. Even some mental health experts say labeling the habit a formal addiction is going too far. Dr. James Scully, the psychiatric association's medical director, said the group will seriously consider the AMA report in the long process of revising the diagnostic manual. The current manual was published in 1994; the next edition is to be completed in 2012. Up to 90 percent of American youngsters play video games and as many as 15 percent of them - more than 5 million kids - may be addicted, according to the AMA council's report. Joyce Protopapas said her 17-year-old son, Michael, was a video game addict. Over nearly 2 years, video and Internet games transformed him from an outgoing, academically gifted teen into a reclusive manipulator who flunked 2 10th grade classes and spent several hours day and night playing World of Warcraft. "My father was an alcoholic ... and I saw exactly the same thing" in Michael, Protopapas said. "We battled him until October of last year," she said. "We went to therapists, we tried taking the game away. "He would threaten us physically. He would curse and call us every name imaginable," she said. "It was as if he was possessed." When she suggested to therapists that Michael had a video game addiction, "nobody was familiar with it," she said. "They all pooh-poohed it." Last fall, the family found a therapist who "told us he was addicted, period." They sent Michael to a therapeutic boarding school, where he has spent the past 6 months - at a cost of $5,000 monthly that insurance won't cover, his mother said. A support group called On-Line Gamers Anonymous has numerous postings on its Web site from gamers seeking help. Liz Woolley created the site after her 21-year-old son fatally shot himself in 2001 while playing an online game she says destroyed his life. In a February posting, a 13-year-old identified only as Ian told of playing video games for nearly 12 hours straight, said he felt suicidal and wondered if he was addicted. "I think i need help," the boy said. Postings also come from adults, mostly men, who say video game addiction cost them jobs, family lives and self-esteem. According to the report prepared by the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health, based on a review of scientific literature, "dependence-like behaviors are more likely in children who start playing video games at younger ages." Overuse most often occurs with online role-playing games involving multiple players, the report says. Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft is among the most popular. A company spokesman declined to comment on whether the games can cause addiction. Dr. Martin Wasserman, a pediatrician who heads the Maryland State Medical Society, said the AMA proposal will help raise awareness and called it "the right thing to do." But Michael Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Association, said the trade group sides with psychiatrists "who agree that this so-called 'video-game addiction' is not a mental disorder." "The American Medical Association is making premature conclusions without the benefit of complete and thorough data," Gallagher said. Dr. Karen Pierce, a psychiatrist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said she sees at least 2 children a week who play video games excessively. "I saw somebody this week who hasn't been to bed, hasn't showered ... because of video games," she said. "He is really a mess." She said she treats it like any addiction and creating a separate diagnosis is unnecessary. Dr. Michael Brody, head of a TV and media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, agreed. He praised the AMA council for bringing attention to the problem, but said excessive video-game playing could be a symptom for other things, such as depression or social anxieties that already have their own diagnoses. "You could make lots of behavioral things into addictions. Why stop at video gaming?" Brody asked. Why not Blackberries, cell phones, or other habits, he said. http://www.olganon.org SONY 2 SHIFT FROM RECOVERY 2 GROWTH Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer promised to shift the struggling electronics giant from recovery to growth and to make the PlayStation 3 a profit driver. But investors at the company's annual shareholder meeting remained skeptical of a turnaround, pressing Stringer for a clear strategy on how he intended to recoup losses at its video games unit and catch up to rivals like Apple in portable music players. "We will shift Sony from recovery to profitable growth," Stringer told shareholders gathered in Tokyo, saying Sony's integrated and global approach to electronics, games and entertainment made it a "dominant company" in the digital age. Stringer, the first non-Japanese to head Sony, played down his British-American citizenship and emphasized his commitment to reviving the Japanese company's international prowess. "I am not a foreigner. I am a Sony warrior," he said, repeating a description of himself that he first used at a shareholders' meeting in 2005, when he took the helm of the company. Sony executives said the company's electronics sector was also regaining its health on booming flat-panel TV and digital camera sales. The company maintained its upbeat forecast for record fiscal year earnings. The bullish tone signals that Sony may finally be rebounding from a host of recent mishaps, including the PS3 launch and a massive battery recall. Stringer, who is also chief executive, said the PS3 was "a key driver" of future growth despite a rollout marred by delays, production shortages and intense competition from Nintendo's Wii console. Sony shipped 5.5 million PS3 machines through March, fewer than the 6 million the company had targeted and losing out to Nintendo, which shipped 5.84 million Wii machines worldwide during the same period. A price tag set below production costs has also eroded profits, and Sony has warned its gaming division will be in the red. "All the production problems have been solved. We are making a comeback already," said Stringer, promising to boost game offerings and bolster the machine's networking platform. "We always lose money in the hardware initially, and we recover that money gradually," he said. "We believe that the PS3 going forward will be vital to our future, and succeed." Sony's confidence also demonstrates the key strides it has made in catching up to rivals like Sharp Corp. and Samsung Electronics in flat panel TVs and other products. Pressed by shareholders at the meeting, Stringer said that Sony - maker of the Walkman - would not repeat its blunders in ceding dominance in the portable music player market to Apple's iPod. Sony was making a comeback as the market moved toward video-equipped players and as more customers listened to music on their mobile phones, he said. "We have worked very hard to catch up so that in the age of video we will not suffer as much as we did in audio," he said. "More and more customers are getting their music downloads on their mobile phones, and in this case, the Sony-Ericsson mobile phone is a great success and we have sold as many of them as ipods," he said, referring to Sony's joint venture with LM Ericsson. Since becoming head of the company in 2005, Stringer has embarked on a restructuring program that has involved dropping unprofitable businesses, selling off assets, reducing jobs and shuttering plants. Sony President Ryoji Chubachi maintained a bullish earnings forecast, saying he expected profit to more than double to a record 320 billion yen (US$2.7B) from 126.3 billion yen the previous year on strong demand for LCD TVs, camcorders and digital cameras. Last year, Sony's popular Bravia flat-panel TVs grabbed top world market share in the sector measured in sales, he said. Stringer has also ridden out a massive global recall of 10 million lithium-ion batteries that cost the company 51 billion yen (US$425M). The faulty batteries were used in its own laptops, as well as those from Apple, Dell, Lenovo and others, and burst into flames in some cases. Still, Investors remained wary of a full recovery. Sony shares, which have risen 27% this year, fell 1.51% to 6,520 yen (US$52.72) in Tokyo following the shareholders' meeting. "It's hard to think that Sony has solved all its problems," said shareholder Kazuhiko Machida, pointing to losses from the PS3 console. "The Sony brand has taken a beating," he said. "I think Sony may be at a crossroads, but it's too early to say 'Banzai!' http://www.sony.com 'MANHUNT' SUSPENSION MAY BOOST SALES The decision by Take-Two Interactive Software to suspend distribution of "Manhunt 2" could boost demand from curious gamers, industry analysts said. Analysts don't believe this will harm the company's long-term bottom line. And if the game ever sees the light of day, the controversy could give the title "a lot more exposure that would actually benefit game sales in the long run," said Colin Sebastian, senior research analyst at Lazard Capital Markets. "Manhunt 2," initially slated for a July release on Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 2, depicts the escape of an amnesiac scientist and psychotic killer from an asylum and their subsequent killing spree. Following bans by Britain and Ireland, as well as a ratings flap in the US, Take-Two said that it was reviewing its options. "We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment," the company said. The game received a preliminary "Adults Only" rating in the US from the industry's self-governed ratings body, Entertainment Software Rating Board, restricting sales to customers 18 and older. More importantly, such titles aren't stocked by large retailers such as Wal-Mart, and all 3 console makers -Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony - do not allow "AO" games on their systems. Take-Two still could appeal the rating or craft a toned-down version that meets the less stringent "Mature" rating for players 17 and older. It's a move anticipated by analysts, but no indication was given on the fate of the title. Rockstar Games division, which created "Manhunt 2," declined comment. "It's free publicity," Sebastian said. "Consumer backlash is a risk but at the end of the day if it's rated 'M' the retailers will take it." Added Rick Munarriz, a senior analyst with The Motely Fool: "If anything, with this suspension there's going to be a demand for it because of the controversy." Investors also seemed unfazed as Take-Two shares rose 21 cents, or 1 percent, to $20.82 in trading Friday. Take-Two and Rockstar still have a marquee franchise on tap for a fall release. "Grand Theft Auto IV," the latest in a series of urban crime games, should prove to be the real money maker when it is released on PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 in October. Previous versions have been top-sellers, and Sebastian said any financial hit from "Manhunt 2" would be more than offset by the new "GTA" game. "Relative to Grand Theft Auto it's a lot less significant," Sebastian said of "Manhunt 2." "Grand Theft Auto is the key driver. This is a second-tier title." The previous game in the series, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," was the center of a ratings controversy 2 years ago that sparked a Congressional inquiry. Rockstar was forced to replace its first edition of "San Andreas" after a hacker discovered a password-protected game inside it that involved a sexual encounter. This year has been a turbulent one for Take-Two, which recently underwent a shareholder coup that ousted its chief executive and nearly all of its board. The company said this month that layoffs were likely as part of a restructuring effort designed to cut costs by $25 million a year by 2008. Specific numbers haven't been released. Take-Two has 2,100 employees. It's not clear what effect the "San Andreas" controversy had, as the title had already been available by the time the hack was discovered. In 2004, the year it was released, "San Andreas" was the top seller with 5.1 million copies sold in the U.S., according to market analyst NPD Group. Controversies like "Manhunt 2" are to be expected for a company with a reputation for publishing edgy content, said Munarriz, the analyst. "You have a company that's always lived in the gray area," he said. "These games are controversial and that's part of the allure." http://www.take2games.com/ http://www.rockstargames.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD SHOWCASE <> <> <> +===================================+ Buy your favorite DVDs @ Adventureland http://psgoods.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ THE STONE MERCHANT (2007) Ludovico is a stone merchant. While Ludovico seems to be a charming and charismatic man, underneath lies a secret: Ludovico is a Christian converted to Islam for whom terrorism is a religious duty. With his business partner and operator, Shahid, Ludovico is plotting a terrorist attack on an epic scale that will bring the West to its knees. Rated R for violence, sexuality and some language. PRIDE (2007) The year is 1973, and college-educated Jim Ellis can’t find a job. Driven by his love of competitive swimming, Jim converts an abandoned recreational pool hall. But when city officials mark it for demolition, Jim fights back - starting the city’s first African-American swim team. Rated PG for thematic material, language including some racial epithets, and violence. http://www.pridefilm.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ August 7, 2007 ARE WE DONE YET? (2007) Now married to Suzanne, Nick Persons has bought a suburban house to escape the rat race of the big city and to provide more space. But when his new home quickly becomes a costly "fixer upper" and he finds himself at the mercy of an eccentric contractor, Nick's suburban dream becomes a riotous nightmare. Rated PG for some innuendos and brief language. http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/arewedoneyet/ August 14, 2007 WILD HOGS (2007) A group of middle-aged friends rev up their routine lives with a motorcycle trip. They can't wait to feel the freedom of the open road. The trip challenges their wits and luck, especially during a run-in with a real-life biker gang. As they look for adventure, they find that they've embarked on a journey they will never forget. Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and some violence. http://wildhogs.movies.go.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> FUN & GAMES <> <> <> +===================================+ THE CHURCH ORGANIST Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all. One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea. As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom! When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and He could no longer resist. "Miss Beatrice", he said, "I wonder if you would tell me about this?" pointing to the bowl. "Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the Park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter?" +===================================+ <> <> <> TRADE TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ NEW STARS 2 BE ADDED 2 WALK OF FAME Ricky Martin, Brooks & Dunn, Tim Robbins, Cate Blanchett, Angela Bassett, Howie Mandel and George Harrison are among the celebs who will be honored next year with Hollywood Walk of Fame stars. Hollywood's honorary mayor Johnny Grant announced the list of 2008 inductees, noting recipients were chosen from hundreds of nominations received by the Walk of Fame Committee. Sidewalk stars are given to entertainers in motion pictures, television, live theater and recording. Directors of the committee selected recipients and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce board ratified the selections. "I am happy to announce an array of celebrities who have earned this recognition for a combination of professional achievement and community involvement," Grant said. The list of 2008 Hollywood Walk of Fame recipients: Movies: Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett, Tim Robbins, Stan Lee, the Munchkins (from "The Wizard of Oz") and the Westmores of Hollywood, a longtime show-business makeup family. Television: Howie Mandel, Susan St. James, Bill Geist, Kate Linder, Howie Mandel, Sherwood Schwartz, Vince McMahon and, posthumously, Brian Keith. Recording: Brooks & Dunn, Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Red Hot Chili Peppers and, posthumously, George Harrison. Live theater/performance: Stephen Schwartz. http://www.hollywoodchamber.net PIXAR PERFECTIONISTS COOK 'RATATOUILLE' Pixar Animation will serve no rodent before its time. The outfit behind such smashes as "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles" has a simple secret: The company takes its time and lets a story mature to its finest. That includes the new "Ratatouille," the tale of a rat that gets an unlikely chance to do what he loves most - cook in a French restaurant in Paris. Unlike "Shrek the Third," the sequel that grabbed big audiences but was dismissed by critics, or "Surf's Up," which earned good reviews but not crowds, "Ratatouille" has all the ingredients to maintain Pixar's perfect track record - 7 movies, 7 hits. "Ratatouille" is a rarity in this summer of sequels: An original story with newly created characters that is not based on a comic book, TV show, children's story or anything that came before. "I joke about summer sequels and how we made this as the prequel to the sequel," said "Ratatouille" writer-director Brad Bird. "Ideally, we'll stand out in the crowd of sequels. All this time we pour in getting the story right is something that is a luxury for a producer," said producer Brad Lewis. "There's a commitment from the top on down. 'You guys do what it takes to make the story work.' In some films, you don't have that time to actually craft and craft and craft the story." "Ratatouille" presents adorable Remy (Patton Oswalt), a rodent possessing keen senses of taste and smell compared to his rat brethren, who are content to eat any old garbage. Remy dreams of following in the footsteps of his deceased hero, human chef Gusteau (Brad Garrett). Circumstance lands Remy at Gusteau's restaurant, where the spirit of the chef guides him through a bizarre partnership with clean-up boy Linguini (Lou Romano), who becomes the rat's accomplice. The voice cast includes Janeane Garofalo as the kitchen's only female cook, Ian Holm as a devious chef, and Peter O'Toole as a Scrooge-like food critic. John Lasseter, an executive producer and Pixar's creative mastermind whose "Toy Story" started the era of computer-animated feature films, said it follows the same guidelines as the company's previous hits. The storytellers at Pixar describe themselves as big kids who want to make the sort of films they like to watch - tales that work for all audiences, parents with small children, teens and adults without kids. Pixar relies on the playbook established by Lasseter's idol, Walt Disney, whose pioneering animation balanced laughs, thrills, chills and characters that audiences embraced as companions. "We always believe in what Walt Disney said, for every laughter, there should be a tear. We work really hard to find that emotion and pathos," Lasseter said. "By the end, the characters, we know them so well, they're like friends for us. Like fellow Pixarians. They're so real to us, partly because they are us." Pixar now is bringing Walt's storytelling philosophy home to roost at Walt Disney, whose animation efforts had floundered in recent years under Michael Eisner. Tensions between Eisner and Pixar management had threatened to end Disney's deal for Pixar films. Instead, after Bob Iger took over at Disney when Eisner stepped down, the two patched things up, and Disney bought Pixar. Lasseter and colleague Ed Catmull oversee animation at both companies, aim to change Disney's executive-driven, profit-is-king approach to cartoon creation to one in which storytellers are free to craft the best films they can. The approach paid off at Pixar, where huge audiences followed because the movies were simply so good. "It's like the old Disney company," said Oswalt, a lifelong animation devotee. "They would say, 'We don't make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.' That's the attitude at Pixar. "All these other animation groups want to be like Pixar, but they steal the wrong things from them. They don't steal the actual process, which is take your time, hold out for the good stuff, which is kind of what 'Ratatouille' is all about.' Don't just stuff yourself with bland garbage. Wait for the good stuff." Like George Lucas' Lucasfilm, where Pixar began as a visual-effects unit before Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs bought it in the mid-1980s, the company is based in Northern California. Geography helps keep it isolated from Hollywood, where studio executives are notorious for interfering to the point where many movies turn to mush. "They don't suffer from too-many-cooks syndrome. They don't suffer from, 'We have to please everybody,' which ends up pleasing nobody. They make movies they would like to see, and it works out," said Garofalo, who described Pixar as a playground for adults. "It's like the Harvard of animation. Everybody wants to get in, but there's only a finite amount of spaces. The environment is so exciting, you want to make sure you don't get booted, so you perform. If you get hired by Pixar, you bust your (butt), because you know you're never going to work at a place like that again." Still, Pixar is a business, and management will step in if the business of telling the best possible story is off-track. "Ratatouille" was conceived by Pixar animator Jan Pinkava, who was supposed to make his directing debut with the film. After a couple of years of work, the story had not developed to the liking of Pixar's top brass. Once Bird finished "The Incredibles," he began helping out on "Ratatouille," and Pixar overseers eventually decided to put him in charge. Bird rewrote the script and replaced Pinkava as director. Pinkava, who later left Pixar, ended up with story and co-director credits on "Ratatouille." "Jan came up with a brilliant idea and was very excited about it, but in the end, it didn't have the leadership to take it kind of through," Lasseter said. "The last thing we want to do is replace the director, but to help make the movie better, if we have to, we will." Pixar imitators tend toward the easy route, loading animated flicks up with cuddly critters, sidekicks and pop tunes. Taking risks by telling new stories with fresh characters is a key to Pixar's success, Bird said. "One of my all-time heroes is the Beatles," Bird said. "They had enormous success and every incentive in the world to do the same thing, and their sound never stayed in the same place. They took it as an opportunity to take the audience on a journey with them, trying new things and going in new directions. "Is there a way you can do this in a more entertaining fashion? Is there a way to get the audience to think you're going to go left, then suddenly you go right? That's what makes you excited to get up in the morning." http://www.pixar.com/ +===================================+ <> <> STEALS & DEALS <> <> +===================================+ TAKE A BITE OUT OF STEEP DVD PRICES! DeepDiscount.com is dedicated to providing the Lowest Total Price alternative when shopping for DVDs, CDs, Books, and Video Games. We strive to make the process as simple as possible with fast, accurate searches, easy check-out procedures, and FREE standard delivery. http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=1175&programmeID=3706&mediaID=0&tracking=&url= A UNIQUE GIFT IDEA 4 MOVIE BUFFS MovieTexts are a totally new way to send greetings or just keep in touch. Tap in your message and we turn your words into their own little movie. Each has been crafted by an experienced filmmaker. We'll deliver it for you by e-mail or mobile phone. We can send it at any time - up to one year in the future. http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=2111&programmeID=5701&mediaID=0&tracking=&url= HOME THEATER, GAME ROOM & SNACK BAR HomeBarCentral.com is the premier site for furniture. We have thousands of products. We are dedicated to providing you the best possible customer service with great quality products at affordable prices. Free Shipping on orders as little as $49. If you would like something we do not carry please let us know. We will do our best to locate it, and even if we cannot provide it, we will tell you where you can find it. http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=2211&programmeID=5827&mediaID=0&tracking=&url LOOK NO FURTHER 4 YOUR VIDEO GAME NEEDS! GameExpress.com is the net Online Store of Game Express, Inc., a retail chain based in the New York Metro and New Jersey area. With over 15 years of experience in video game retailing, our company has grown to more than 11 stores. We offer video games from Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance! Our mission is to offer the best prices on quality games! http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=93094&merchantID=1800&programmeID=4858&mediaID=0&tracking=&url= +===================================+ <> <> <> NEWS REELS <> <> <> +===================================+ 'HERMAN MUNSTER' CREDIT CARD # STOLEN Crooks selling stolen credit card numbers and personal information offered pilfered data about Herman Munster, the Frankenstein-like character from "The Munsters" sitcom. Thieves didn't realize Munster was a fictional TV character and offered to sell Munster's personal details - accurately listing his home address as 1313 Mocking Bird Lane - and what appeared to be his MasterCard number. CardCops, net security company that recorded the transaction, surmised that a Munsters fan provided the data. "The identity thief thought it was good data," said Dan Clements, the company's president. Clements said the thief was overseas. "They really stumble over our culture. He's probably not watching any reruns of 'The Munsters' on TV Land." Herman Munster was played by Fred Gwynne, who died in July 1993. Details can be worth $4 to $40 among online thieves, who use the information to open fraudulent credit accounts. http://www.cardcops.com INSTYLE: ZETA-JONES PUTS FAMILY FIRST Catherine Zeta-Jones' main priority is her husband, Michael Douglas, and their children. "Years ago if someone said they were doing a movie in Romania, I was, like, 'What time is my flight?' I couldn't see beyond the script," the 37-year-old tells InStyle magazine. "Now I'm like, 'Script? I'll figure that out after dealing with the people I love more than anything in the world.'" She married Douglas in 2000. They have a son, Dylan (6) and a daughter, Carys (4). Much of the year they live on the island of Bermuda. The couple also has homes in Manhattan and Majorca, Spain, and a farm in Quebec, Canada. "Some people collect art," she says. "We collect houses." In the upcoming "No Reservations," she portrays a chef who becomes the guardian of a niece. This opens July 27. http://www.instyle.com/ BROADBENT JOINS CAST OF 'INDIANA JONES' Jim Broadbent is joining Indiana Jones. The actor joined the fourth installment of the "Indiana Jones" series, according to Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones site. Production began Monday on the not-yet-titled film, whitch re-unites Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford. The movie is due May 22, 2008. Other cast includes Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, John Hurt and Ray Winstone. Sean Connery - who played Indiana Jones' father in the third installment - will not reprise his role in the new movie. http://www.indianajones.com MIAMI: STAR OPENS SOUTH BEACH EATERY Danny DeVito loves to eat. Now he has a restaurant to call his own. The actor opened DeVito South Beach, an Italian chop house on Ocean Drive. Signature meal: a $325 trio of steaks from Japan, Australia and U.S. that serves 3 people. DeVito had a hand in developing the classic-meets-contemporary Italian menu, focused on meats and fresh seafood. "Fish is really big for me - sushi, a nice branzino or spigola (sea bass). Or pasta with some great cheese like pecorino or romano with some prosciutto or salami," he said. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not one to pass up a meal." The restaurant grew from a conversation between DeVito and South Florida financier Michael Brauser on the Greek island of Santorini, where the actor vacationed with his wife, Rhea Perlman. http://www.devitosouthbeach.com/ CLOONEY FIGHTS 2 PROTECT HIS NEIGHBORS George Clooney joined a protest to stop construction in the lakeside town where he owns a villa. Clooney signed the petition against construction in the town of Laglio on Lake Como. "Yes I signed it. Almost every member of the town signed it," Clooney said. "My concern is that this village that has stood for hundreds of years would be destroyed simply because I happened to have lived there for the last 6 years. I told my neighbors that I would do what they wanted. And it seemed that they didn't want to demolish the harbor where the local fishermen keep their boats." Committee chair Manuela Nuti praised Clooney's participation, saying it was of "extraordinary importance for the cause." "He always keeps himself informed of things that happen in town," Nuti said. http://www.clooneystudio.com/ MOORE'S HEALTH CARE SUGGESTION 4 ARNIE Michael Moore has a suggestion to help California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger bring universal health care to the nation's largest state: Just do it the Austrian way. "I would like Gov. Schwarzenegger to say that he wants the citizens of California to have the same, fine, universal health coverage he got as a young man," Moore said. "That great Austrian health care system that provided you with that body." Moore said, "At least unlike many Republicans, he's willing to recognize there's a problem... Now we have to help him come up with the right solution, and the right solution is not to mandate health care and to put the burden on the average working person, who's already overburdened." http://www.michaelmoore.com/ WEINSTEIN'S 'SICKO' ROLL-OUT STRATEGY The Weinstein Co. and Lionsgate plan to release "Sicko" in about 400 theaters to start, roughly half the number for Moore's last film, the $100 million hit "Fahrenheit 9/11," in 2004. Harvey Weinstein said that because of its wider release, "Fahrenheit 9/11" came and went faster than he wanted. With "Sicko," he said he hoped for a longer shelf life similar to "An Inconvenient Truth," a documentary chronicling former Vice President Al Gore's campaign on global warming. Weinstein adds. "I'm thinking that like the Al Gore movie, maybe we should play a long time. I don't mind sticking around and just keeping the debate going." "Sicko" features health-care horror stories and also chides U.S. officials for failing to follow the lead of countries that have universal health coverage. http://www.weinsteinco.com/ CLOONEY: 'OCEANS' CAST RAISES MILLIONS "Ocean's Thirteen" stars donated millions to efforts in Sudan's Darfur region. He was joined by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and producer Jerry Weintraub in raising $9.3 million, most was contributed during the film's premiere at Cannes Film Festival. Clooney said more than half the money has been donated. His group wants to keep emptying and replenishing the coffers of Not on Our Watch. Clooney announced the latest donation - $1 million to the U.N. World Food Program. Not on Our Watch's first donation of $2.75 million went to the International Rescue Committee. It has also donated $750,000 to Oxfam and $1 million to Save the Children. Clooney said, "I have every intention of doing it in other places," he said, and the upcoming film festivals in Venice, Italy, and Deauville, France "sound like good spots" for fundraising events. http://notonourwatchproject.org/ +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD NEWS <> <> <> +===================================+ Check back next week. REMINDER & NOTIFICATION EMAILS MyVideoStore.com will send you messages when the movies you want to see are available on video or DVD. REMINDERS tell you when a movie has been released. NOTIFIERS tell you about a movie's upcoming release. http://myvideostore.com/content/movies/reminder.html?client=myvideostore +===================================+ <> <> <> TECH TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ THREE WAYS TO FINE-TUNE YOUR NEW HDTV High-definition TV sets are big sellers these days, and no wonder, since the picture can be amazing. But a lot of people seem to care more about how cool the flat panels look on the wall than what the picture looks like. The fact is picture quality varies quite a bit among HDTV sets, and calibration is often necessary to make the image look the way it should. Here are three different ways of do this: two do-it-yourself methods, and one professional calibration. Sadly, the DIY options are hit-and-miss. They help a few sets, and screw up others. A good calibration seems to be the domain of professionals - a surprise in our age of smart machines. - "HDTV Calibration Wizard" DVD from Monster Cable Products Inc. and Imaging Science Foundation. This was the cheapest option, $30, and the least thorough. It's simply a DVD that tells you how to adjust your set's image using the basic controls accessed with the remote. For example, it shows a man in a white shirt, and tells you to adjust the contrast so that you can make out the buttons and folds of the shirt. The DVD does get points for including scenes and instructions that help you adjust the image's sharpness, size and the ratio between length and width. - SpyderTV color meter from Datacolor, which lists for $229. This kit comes with a light sensor that attaches to the TV screen. It's connected by a cable to your computer. The cable is short, so a laptop is recommended. An accompanying DVD shows test patterns, which are measured by the sensor and recorded by software on the computer. The SpyderTV sensor doesn't correct problems with sharpness or the shape of the image, but there are images on the DVD that can be used for the purpose. - Professional calibration by a tech that specializes in home theater installation works best. Plasmas and LCDs are the simplest and thus the cheapest. Most sets are sold with the picture too blue and too bright, a setting known as "torch mode." It looks great in the store, because we perceive a blue image as being sharper and punchier. Plasma screens in particular benefit from having the brightness turned down, because it extends their lifespan and cuts power consumption. Professional calibration has a number of advantages over amateurs. One is access to hidden menu settings for fine-tuning. Another is a signal generator that allows calibration for inputs other than a DVD, like a broadcast signal. Just as importantly, the calibrator has experience dealing with different sets. TV set user interfaces vary widely, even in the basic settings. For example, what some sets call "Contrast" is "Picture" on others. Despite advances in screen technology and lower prices, it seems screen calibration is an area where the skill and equipment of a craftsman is recommended. On the Net: http://www.imagingscience.com/ http://www.datacolor.com/ <This is based on an AP review and verified by my own technician. He was raised in his dad's shop and was making housecalls by age 10. While he disagreed with some findings, he thought it worthy of consideration.> +===================================+ <> <> TIME CAPSULE <> <> +===================================+ June 23, 2005 - Roger Ebert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. June 24, 1970 - The movie "Myra Breckinridge" premiered. June 25, 1966 - "Dark Shadows" began running on ABC-TV. June 26, 2002 - David Hasseloff checked into The Betty Ford Center for treatment of alcoholism. June 27, 1964 - Ernest Borgnine and Ethel Merman were married. It only lasted 38 days. June 28, 1996 - Charles M. Schulz got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. June 29, 2000 - In Santa Rosa, CA, the official groundbreaking ceremony took place for the Charles M. Schulz Museum. June 30, 1936 - Margaret Mitchell’s book, "Gone with the Wind," was published in New York City. +===================================+ Friday night we attended the opening of a 100 year old time capsule for the Maxwell plant. Then Crysler and now Metaldyne. Anyway, the building is long gone but corner stone remains. This was followed a tug of war over Koda Bear and I lost. So I we didn't make the train ride. But it was for the best because it rained most of the weekend and I prefer the open air rail cars. The fuse on that loud and colorful holiday of July 4 is burning. This year our local numb nuts scheduled the fireworks and fair in the same location. So I am recommending we attend another local fireworks show. I will likeky be shot down because my family hates my ideas. Or perhaps they just hate me. Of course, they like New Castle and I don't. That, and just have soft spots for Hagerstown and Economy. Check back next week! The end, Paul @ Reel 2 Reel mailto:advland@iwon.com?=Reel_2_Reel Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com |
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