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Howdy Adventureland Friends: I have been packing and moving little by little. So this will likely be the last newsletter this month. It is my hope to be back online next month with DSL. Happy Birthday to our Adventureland Friend Bill on August 22nd. He shares this special day with Ray Bradbury (1920), Valerie Harper (1940) and Cindy Williams (1947). Happy 1st. Birthday to my nephew, Dakota Shane, on August 31. He shares this special day with Buddy Hackett (1924), Richard Gere (1949) and Debbie Gibson (1970). We have our first blog comment. Thank you Karen. She wasn't the only one to comment on a headless Statue Of Liberty. I almost didn't post it because it seems in poor taste with 9-11 fast approaching. http://advland.braveblog.com I will try to post to the blog and check email from time to time. Thank you and please bare with me. I will likely be back before the newsletter. Giving me time to get settled into my new office. Have you joined Blingo? http://www.blingo.com/friends?ref=LJt9EIXsXBaBuP-fW5DaMrkkYSk +===================================+ Find your showtimes @ Adventureland http://advland.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOX OFFICE <> <> <> +===================================+ 'BOURNE' STALLS IN 'RUSH HOUR' TRAFFIC People rushed to theaters to see the buddy cop comedy "Rush Hour 3," making the last of this summer's big budget films the top movie at the weekend box office. The film from New Line Cinema took in $50.2 million, enough to push last week's top film, "The Bourne Ultimatum," into second place with $33.7 million. "Rush Hour 3" did not do as well as "Rush Hour 2," which took in $67.4 million when released in 2001. But it was the sixth "threequel" of the summer to open as a weekend's top film and it ranks as fourth best August opening on record. "We really never felt we were going to get where the second one was," said David Tuckerman, distribution head for New Line. "The competitive landscape changed dramatically in the 6 years since the last film. We figured we'd be in the 50's and that's where we are." "The Bourne Ultimatum" crossed $100 million in its second week. And with "The Simpsons Movie" coming in third with $11.1 million, for a 3-week total of $152 million, Hollywood might be looking at its first $4 billion summer. "We've been riding a wave that started with 'Transformers' in July," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "We already stand at $3.6 billion. The $4 billion summer, once thought an impossibility, is definitely within reach." The summer movie season runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day. No other blockbuster films are scheduled this summer. But next week's "Superbad" is from the same team that made this year's hit comedy "Knocked Up" and could do well, Dergarabedian said. This weekend's top 12 movies grossed 37 percent higher than the top 12 on the same weekend last year. So far this year, box office revenues are up 6.6 percent to $6.324 billion and attendance is up 1.9 percent. The other film opening this weekend, Paramount's "Stardust," an adult fairy tale starring Michelle Pfeiffer, didn't fare as well. It took in $9 million, fourth place behind "The Simpsons Movie." The movie's theme made it difficult to market in a 30-second TV spot, said Rob Moore, Paramount's head of worldwide marketing and distribution. "When you make an original movie, it's always very challenging to communicate to your audience what the genre is," Moore said. "These movies tend to be driven by word of mouth and home entertainment." Moore said it is expected to do better in international markets. The movie, which cost about $70 million to make, will be roll out in Europe and other markets in October. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC: 01) "Rush Hour 3" @ 50.3 million. 02) "The Bourne Ultimatum" @ $33.7 million. 03) "The Simpsons Movie" @ $11.1 million. 04) "Stardust" @ $9 million. 05) "Underdog" @ $6.5 million. 06) "Hairspray" @ $6.4 million. 07) "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" @ $5.9 million. 08) "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" @ $5.4 million. 09) "No Reservations" @ $3.9 million. 10) "Daddy Day Camp" @ $3.3 million. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ BECOMING JANE (2007) The year is 1795 and Jane Austen is a 20-year-old writer who sees a world beyond class and commerce, beyond pride and prejudice and who dreams of marrying for love. Her parents are searching for a wealthy husband to assure their daughter's social standing. When Jane meets and falls for a roguish Tom Lefroy, the sparks fly. If they marry, they risk everything - family, friends and fortune. Rated PG for brief nudity and mild language. "There's a galumphing quality to the narrative that makes the movie seem much longer than it is." -San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle "Unlike an Austen story, Becoming Jane doesn't suffer from a predictable third act..." -New York Post, Kyle Smith http://www.becomingjane-themovie.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ August 24, 2007 THE HOTTEST STATE (2007) Swept up in youthful love, William and Sarah almost marry. When Sarah changes her mind, William's world crumbles. His search for answers about relationships and his past reunites him with his parents, whose own adolescent romance looms on the horizons of William's identity and insecurity. Rated R for sexual content and language. August 29, 2007 BALLS OF FURY (2007) A washed-up ping-pong champion must reclaim his skills after being recruited by the government to go undercover and bust a crime lord, who hosts an annual ping-pong tournament in which all the losers are executed. Rated PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor, and for language. http://www.ballsoffury.com/ SELF-MEDICATED (2007) Seventen-year-old Andrew is spiraling out of control after the loss of his father. His descent into drugs and violence gains momentum, and the once promising young man is heading for self-destruction. Andrew's mother hires a company to kidnap and confine him. Rated R for substance abuse, language and some sexual material. http://www.selfmedicated.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SHINING STAR <> <> <> +===================================+ BENJAMIN GEZA AFFLECK-BOLDT DOB: August 15, 1972, Berkeley, California, USA This actor was awarded an Oscar in 1998 for co-writing the screenplay to Good Will Hunting with childhood friend, Matt Damon. Affleck won his first acting job in the PBS series "Voyage of Mimi" when he was 8 years old. While he made his debut in the flick School Ties, it was not until he met Kevin Smith that his career began to take off. Smith cast him in such films Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) and Jersey Girl in 2004. Winning an Oscar for Good Will Hunting made Affleck a household name, and he has since had leading roles in Armageddon (1998), Forces of Nature (1999), Reindeer Games (2000), and Pearl Harbor in 2004. FACTOIDS: -His mother is Irish and father is Scottish. -A devoted fan of the baseball team Boston Red Sox. -When he was little, he asked his mom for a dog, and she tested him by making him walk an imaginary dog for a week. Ben lasted 5 days and didn't get the dog. -Owns vintage Ms. Pac-Man and Millipede arcade games. -At one point, Affleck was writing a script with Matt Damon and brother Casey Affleck. The plot concerned teenagers in a half way house. QUOTABLES: " When I look up at the screen and see myself I always have to laugh. Not because I think I'm doing a horrible job, quite the contrary, I just feel it's so surreal to feel like one person can entertain so many at one time. " "I hate the whole reluctant sex-symbol thing. It's such bull. You see these dudes greased up, in their underwear, talking about how they don't want to be a sex symbol." http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000255/ http://www.benaffleckfan.com/ http://www.ben-fan.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SNACK BAR <> <> <> +===================================+ APPLE-POPCORN BRITTLE 1 quart popped popcorn* 2 cups apple and cinnamon flavored cereal 1 cup cocktail peanuts 3/4 cup apple juice** 1 cup sugar 1/4 light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt In a bowl, toss together popped popcorn, cereal and peanuts. Set aside. Butter sides of a heavy 2 quart saucepan. In saucepan, combine apple juice, sugar, corn syrup, vinegar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Cook to hard ball stage (250 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Pour syrup over popcorn-cereal-peanut mixture; toss to coat. Spread in a buttered 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch baking pan. Cool until hardened. Break into pieces. *1 ounce of unpopped popcorn kernels (2 tablespoons household measure) makes approximately 1 quart of popped popcorn. **3/4 cup apple pop wine may be used instead of apple juice. http://www.popcorn.org/ +===================================+ <> <> <> BOOKMARKS <> <> <> +===================================+ SONY PICTURES MOVIES PODCAST Launching this week at Sony Pictures is the official Sony Pictures Movies Podcast. Visit the site to watch the video podcasts or subscribe to the RSS feed. The Movies Podcasts will keep you informed with online sweepstakes, games and movie trailers. Subscribe today so you can stay in the know while on the go! http://sonypicturespodcast.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> INTERMISSION <> <> <> +===================================+ +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD SHOWCASE <> <> <> +===================================+ Buy your favorite DVDs @ Adventureland http://psgoods.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ FRACTURE (2007) When a meticulous structural engineer is found innocent of the attempted murder of his wife, the young district attorney who is prosecuting him becomes a crusader for justice. Fracture is packed with twists and turns that weave in and out of the courtroom as the pair try to outwit each other. Rated R for language and some violent content. "This is a movie that plays with the idea of noir and really delivers for mystery buffs." -E! Online, Dezhda Mountz "...what audiences want when they go to a suspense thriller..." -San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle http://www.fracturemovie.com/ VACANCY (2007) A married couple on the brink of divorce is forced to stay at a roadside motel when their car breaks down. Inside their room, the couple finds a stack of snuff films that were filmed in that very room. They find that their room is rigged with cameras, and if they don't escape, they'll end up the next victims on tape. Rated R for brutal violence and terror, brief nudity and language. "...squeezes the maximum in suspense out of the minimum in location..." -Boston Globe, Ty Burr "...catches you by the throat and puts you through the wringer." -Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/vacancy/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ August 21, 2007 PERFECT STRANGER (2007) When reporter Rowena learns that her friends murder might be connected to advertising executive Harrison, she goes undercover with the help of her associate. Posing as Katherine and Veronica, Rowena surrounds her prey from all sides, only to discover she isn't the only one changing identities. Rated R for sexual content, nudity, some disturbing violent images and language. "...conceived by people motivated entirely by product placement..." -Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum "Willis seems alternately bored and on the verge of rolling his eyes..." -New York Post, Lou Lumenick http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/perfectstranger/ August 21, 2007 THE LIVES OF OTHERS (2007) Five years before its downfall, the East-German government ensured its power with control and surveillance. Gerd Wiesler is given the job of collecting this evidence. His immersion in the lives of others makes him aware of his own meager existence and opens him to a new life. But the system, once started, can't be stopped. Rated R for some sexuality/nudity. "...deserving of the accolades it has thus far obtained." -ReelViews, James Berardinelli "...a deserving Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film..." -Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum +===================================+ <> <> <> SUPER SWEEPS <> <> <> +===================================+ ARE YOU SUPERBAD? It's hard not to be with $10K in your pocket. Enter Superbad Getaway Sweepstakes and you could win $10K toward a deluxe vacation of your choice. Enter today for your chance to win. http://www.sweepsplanners.com/superbad/ WANT A SUPERBAD PAD? Show off your Superbad style at home! You could win a shopping spree for electronics, furniture and more that will your pad Superbad. Enter by August 31. http://promotions.newegg.com/MKTsweepstakes/superbad/index.html +===================================+ <> <> <> TRADE TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ COMPARISON OF HIGH-DEF DVD FORMATS The 2 competing formats for high-definition DVDs are more alike than they are different. Blu-ray and HD DVD both offer sharp, high-definition images and sound best when viewed on HDTV screens. Both also hold more data than standard DVD, allowing for interactive features, games and other extras. Both formats also require special players, which can play standard DVDs as well but not discs in the rival format. LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics have dual-format players, but they don't play all the special features. Both are priced at more than $1,000. In terms of differences, Blu-ray can hold more data, about 50 GB, while HD DVD can hold about 30 GB. HD DVD requires all players to support picture-in-picture capabilities and Internet connections that allow for other special features. Those capabilities are optional for Blu-ray players, though most players will support similar features eventually. The biggest difference is the availability of content. More studios, including Sony and Disney, support Blu-ray exclusively. Only Universal Pictures supports HD DVD exclusively. Warner Bros. and Paramount release films in both formats. CONSUMERS URGED 2 PICK NEW DVD FORMAT People who own an HD DVD player can forget about watching "Spider-Man 3" in high definition when it goes on sale during the holiday season. The movie from Sony Pictures will only be available in the Blu-ray format. Likewise, people with Blu-ray players won't be able to enjoy "The Bourne Ultimatum," which Universal Pictures will release only in HD DVD. These exclusive arrangements, plus aggressive price cuts for high-def DVD players, are designed to persuade consumers to embrace one format or the other. But analysts wonder if this will anger consumers, just as the studios and consumer-electronics companies are hoping to boost high-def DVD sales as growth in standard DVDs stalls. "The frustration for consumers is not knowing what format is going to win," said Chris Roden, an analyst at Parks Associates. Consumers, many of whom are still smarting from the format battle between VHS and Betamax, need to know their expensive equipment won't become obsolete if the competing format wins, said Steven J. Caldero, chief operating officer of Ken Crane's, specialty electronics chain in Southern California. "People are still frustrated there is a format war to begin with," he said. "The studios are making people choose. What consumers want is something that will play everything so they don't have to choose." Until recently, many consumers were able to defer the choice because players have been so expensive. But prices have been slashed by about half - Sony Corp's Blu-ray player now sells for $499 and Toshiba Corp's cheapest HD DVD player sells for $299, with both likely to include as many as 5 free movies as an incentive. (Players that read both formats remain expensive.) Both sides are also releasing blockbuster titles such as "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie aimed squarely at the demographic most likely to upgrade to high-def. The stakes couldn't be higher for Hollywood, which has seen sales of traditional DVDs, once a reliable profit engine, slow to a trickle. Direct digital delivery online, while promising, is still years away from profitability because current Internet capacity simply can't handle the enormous high-definition files. Yet consumers remain profoundly confused by the 2 formats, both of which deliver crisp, clear pictures and sound but are completely incompatible with each other and do not play on older DVD players. Many haven't even heard of either format. HD DVD, developed by Toshiba and backed by powerful companies like Microsoft, has the lead in standalone players sold because they are cheaper and hit the market first. In the United States, standalone HD DVD players have 61 percent market share, while Blu-ray players have 36 percent share and the few dual-format players have a 3 percent share, according to market research company The NPD Group Inc. But Blu-ray, backed by Sony and a majority of studios, got a big boost when Sony introduced its PlayStation 3 game console, which comes standard with a Blu-ray drive. Counting those machines, there are more Blu-ray players out there. Although Microsoft's Xbox 360 can play HD DVD movies, the drive has to be bought separately. Only 160,000 drives have been sold so far, compared with 1.5 million PS3 consoles, according to NPD. In terms of discs sold, Blu-ray has always had the lead. Time Warner's Warner Bros. and Viacom's Paramount Pictures release movies in both formats, and in such cases Blu-ray has outsold HD DVD by nearly 2-to-1. Blu-Ray is getting an even bigger boost as Blockbuster announced it would stock only Blu-ray titles when it expands its high-def DVD offerings this year. Target, the nation's second-largest retailer, said it will only sell Blu-ray DVD players in its stores in the fourth quarter. Sony Pictures, News Corp's Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer are releasing only in Blu-ray. Universal, owned by General Electric, is the only major studio to back HD DVD exclusively. Nonetheless, Warner Bros. believes both formats can coexist and has been urging Blu-ray backers to begin supporting HD DVD as well. The studio has developed a dual-format disc and has said it would license the technology to other studios willing to back both. "The fourth quarter is critical for the formats to show growth and momentum," said Steve Nickerson, Warner Home Video senior vice president of marketing. "It's more than about winning or losing. If you can continue to show growth (in both formats), that's a positive in a situation where standard DVD sales aren't growing." To counter Blu-ray's gains, the HD DVD camp is planning an advertising campaign touting the interactive elements of the format, which allow users to connect to the Internet to download special features. "This is not about a high-def movie on a disc," said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "It's about a fully immersive experience, connected interactivity. That's what is going to separate these high-def formats." Kornblau said he isn't worried about Blu-ray's momentum and doesn't believe there's a need for one to knockout the other. "To call this market nascent is to a degree to pay it a complement," he said. "The people who have bought so far aren't early adopters, they are early, early adopters." Analysts said even lower prices for players could be the key to determining a format winner. Some believe that until prices hit the $200 range, consumers won't upgrade from their current machines, many of which cost less than $100. Chinese-made HD DVD players selling for $199 are expected to hit store by December, while Sony is widely expected to cut the cost of its Blu-ray machine to $299 by year's end. "When that occurs, the studios and Sony are going to pull out the big guns," said Phillip Swann, president of the technology web site TVpredictions.com. "They are going to release more titles, big titles, and really go for the kill this holiday season." http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com http://www.blu-raydisc.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 <> <> <> +===================================+ APPLEGATE SINGLE WITHOUT CHILDREN Christina Applegate & Johnathon Schaech parted ways. Their divorce was finalized friday. Applegate, Kelly Bundy on "Married... With Children" and Schaech were married October 2001. They separated November 2005. Schaech filed Dec. 5, 2006. Judgment awarded Schaech $1.5 million, cement Buddha, and 2001 Mercedes-Benz. Applegate was awarded 2 residences, 2006 Lexus and $7.5 million. She starred in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Sweet Charity." His credits include "That Thing You Do!" and "Sea of Dreams." Both waived spousal support. They had no children. http://www.CelebTV.com GILBERT GIVES BIRTH 2 BABY GIRL Sara Gilbert (32), who played teenager Darlene Conner on the ABC sitcom "Roseanne," welcomed her daughter, Sawyer, on Aug. 2, according to Variety. Gilbert's publicist, who confirmed the birth, didn't provide details. The actress also has a 3-year-old son, Levi, Variety said. "Roseanne" ended its prime-time run in 1997. Recent work by Gilbert includes a recurring role on NBC's "ER." http://www.saragilbert.net/ NOTH 2 REPRISE MR. BIG ROLE 4 'SEX/CITY' Mr. Big & Carrie Bradshaw will be together again, this time on the big screen. Chris Noth, Sarah Jessica Parker's love on "Sex and the City" will reprise his role. Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis & Cynthia Nixon will reprise their roles too. "There is no need for funeral arrangements," said Michael Patrick King. "I assure you that Mr. Big is a very 'big' part of the 'Sex and the City' movie." "While I have not spoken to him myself, Chris Noth assures me that Mr. Big is alive and well and ready to report to the set in September," King said. Noth (50) plays Detective Mike Logan on NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." http://www.hbo.com USPS RELEASES JIMMY STEWART STAMP A stamp honoring Jimmy Stewart will be released Friday by the U.S. Postal Service at ceremonies in Indiana, Pa., and Hollywood, Calif. The photo on the stamp is a publicity photo from 1949. Stewart, who died in 1997, starred in 80+ movies including "It's a Wonderful Life." He won an Oscar in 1941 for "The Philadelphia Story." The Pennsylvania ceremony will be held at the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, the actor's hometown. The other will be held at Universal Studios in Hollywood. http://www.jimmy.org CLOONEY COMPANY WORKING ON CIA DRAMEDY George Clooney's company is writing a script for a movie based on the true story of a CIA fake-identity expert. "Escape From Tehran" is in development but hasn't been approved for production, Stan Rosenfield of Smoke House productions said. Antonio Mendez had devised the operation after the U.S. embassy in Iran was overrun by a mob in 1979. Mendez, posing as film producer Kevin Costa Harkins, went to Tehran, found the Americans. Despite tense moments at the airport, the ruse worked and they flew out in 1980. President Jimmy Carter later honored Mendez. http://www.clooneystudio.com/smoke_house.html PHILLIPS' DIVORCE FINALIZED Lou Diamond Phillips' second marriage is over. The actor's nearly 11-year marriage to Kelly Phillips was dissolved July 30, according to Los Angeles Superior Court. They will share custody of their 3 daughters, the TV show "Extra" reported. Phillips' publicist, Eddie Michaels, declined to comment. Phillips (45) has starred in dozens of TV shows and films, including "La Bamba" and "Young Guns." He divorced his first wife, Julie Cypher, in 1990 after she left him for Melissa Etheridge. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001617/ WILL 'CRUISE' APPEAR IN 'STAR TREK'? Rumors are flying that Tom Cruise will appear in J.J. Abrams' prequel Star Trek coming in 2008. According to the talk, Cruise will appear as Captain Pike, the predecessor to Captain Kirk (William Shatner) on the original show. Jeffrey Hunter played Pike in the unaired pilot for the show. According to IGN, the Star Trek back story has Mr. Spock serving with Pike prior to the appearance of Kirk. In reality, NBC went in a different direction and hired Shatner. In Star Trek casting news, Russian-born actor Anton Yelchin will play Russian-born character Pavel Chekhov. Yelchin is best known for his role in Alpha Dog. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/ FEW HARD FACTS KNOWN ON SMITH 'PORNO' Kevin Smith has been quiet on Zack and Miri Make a Porno. There is much speculation, but few hard facts. Jason Mewes has a part in it, but he's not playing Zack and won't be reprising his Jay character. Due to scheduling conflicts Rosario Dawson passed on Miri. Filming begins in January in Minnesota and snow will be featureed prominently in the flick. Today, rumor is Jason Bateman has been tapped to play Zack. Smith said the male lead is someone he admires and hasn't had the pleasure of working with yet. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1007028/ +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD NEWS <> <> <> +===================================+ 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 <> <> <> +===================================+ BLOCKBUSTER 2 BUY MOVIE DOWNLOAD FIRM Although Blockbuster's Total Access program has been adding subscribers faster than Netflix's DVD rental service, Netflix was able to tout that it offered the ability to instantly download movies and shows. Not for long. Blockbuster is buying the movie-download service Movielink, giving it a stronger online foothold to compete with its rival. The Dallas-based video chain said it would continue to operate Movielink as a stand-alone service but make elements of it available through Blockbuster's online-ordering, mail-delivery service. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Blockbuster was in advanced talks to buy Movielink earlier this year but backed off. The chain renewed the talks in July, about the time that it named a new chief executive, James Keyes. "Many of our stores still say 'Blockbuster Video,'" Keyes said in an interview. "We're taking a fresh look at the future of Blockbuster. The popularity of (online rentals) convinced us that customers are ready for more convenient forms of digital delivery that we think Blockbuster can successfully enter." The deal gives Blockbuster access to Movielink's large catalog and, for the first time, gives its customers the ability to download movies. Netflix, which has more subscribers but isn't growing as fast, has been offering a download service since early this year. Both services face limits, however. Netflix's catalog is mostly older movies, although it began offering current television shows such as NBC's "The Office." Movielink "puts us in business," Keyes said, "but longer-term we must have faster and more effective streaming capability" and consumer-friendly features. Keyes added that Blockbuster could make additional acquisitions in the download business. Movielink, based in Santa Monica, Calif., was launched by 5 studios in 2002, marking the first time that a large supply of recent, popular films was available for rental on the Internet. The studios hoped to stave off losses from people downloading illegal movies over the Internet. The company is owned by Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. Movielink has struggled to gain popularity, even as it allowed the purchase of films and signed licensing agreements with all major studios and a large number of independent film companies. Blockbuster and Movielink were in serious talks in February for a deal with a price that people familiar with the situation said was less than $50 million in cash and stock. Keyes said that the final terms "are substantially different than our previous discussion," and that Blockbuster agreed to pay in cash, but he declined to describe the terms beyond that. Blockbuster considers Movielink "a first step" toward making movie downloads available to computers, televisions and portable devices such as cell phones, Keyes said. Blockbuster's Total Access service, which allows customers to select DVD rentals online and receive them through the mail, has 3.6 million subscribers. Netflix has 6.7 million subscribers. Blockbuster added 600,000 subscribers in the second quarter, while Netflix lost 55,000 - its first quarterly decline since the service began in 1999. Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey said the company lets customers download 4,000 movie and TV titles directly to a personal computer, and that customers have used the service 5 million times. SQUASH CHAMP LEADS DIGITAL CABLE PUSH By many measures, this should be the glory moment for cable TV industry leader Comcast Corp. Comcast stepped up to meet the threat from satellite TV, and customers are rapidly embracing a "triple play" bundle of digital video, high-speed Internet and phone service, which not only brings in more money but makes customers less likely to jump ship. But Comcast's 48-year-old chief executive, Brian Roberts, knows it's hardly time for the company to rest on its laurels. Roberts, speaking in an interview with Associated Press, said Comcast is aware that cable lags behind satellite TV in customer satisfaction. The company is taking action, even as it greatly expands the premium digital services offered. "We have been accelerating our growth over the last 3 years and we are trying to catch up on delivering quality customer service," Roberts said. "There are many things we're doing to improve the customer experience and we're already seeing early successes." Roberts said most of Comcast's technical workers will have by year's end handheld devices and laptops with wireless connections so they can better diagnose technical problems at customers' homes. He said the company also is developing cable boxes that can send messages to Comcast to identify problems when they occur. Although satellite may not be the threat it once was, Philadelphia-based Comcast is facing unprecedented competition from phone companies, which now offer high-speed Internet connections as well as video and phone. Verizon Communications is building an all fiber-optic network directly to the home that moves data faster than cable. It is spending $23 billion to make fiber available to 18 million homes by 2010. The company's FiOS services promise ultra-fast Internet connections and digital video. In response, Comcast and its cable brethren have come up with a new technical standard that Roberts says should be able to increase broadband speeds by 20 to 30 times, from 6 megabits per second to 160 Mbps or faster for downloads. Next year, Comcast will start limited deployment and testing of the technology, the latest version of Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications, or DOCSIS. But Verizon says it can currently handle 100 Mps - and ramp up past cable's top speed. The phone company also insists that cable will have a very hard time even getting to 160 Mps. Meanwhile, a threat is emerging that could deliver television and movies over wireless Internet connections. Last week, Federal Communications Commission set rules for the upcoming auction of a valuable swath of spectrum that could carry video, voice and Internet through obstructions and over far distances. Companies such as Google have expressed interest in bidding on what could become a "third pipe" into consumer homes to challenge both cable and phone companies. Roberts said Comcast is still studying its options and would find partners if it decides to bid. For now, Comcast is content to sit on 20 megahertz of wireless spectrum won last fall through SpectrumCo, a group comprising of cable companies and Sprint Nextel. Comcast is majority owner of the group, which could decide to use the spectrum to start its own cell phone network. Tall, bespectacled and lanky, Roberts has a gentle-spoken manner which belies a fervid competitive edge. He was an All-American squash player in college and captain of the U.S. men's team when it won a gold medal at the 2005 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Just as Comcast is work in progress, so is its new home, a glass skyscraper is taking shape in downtown Philadelphia. When it's completed next year, Comcast Center will be the tallest building between New York and Chicago, a fitting metaphor for the ambitions not only of Philadelphia but also one of its most prominent businessmen. Roberts can see the new skyscraper from the window of his 35th-floor office, but the top of the new building will be even higher, at 57 floors. Likewise, Roberts is trying to raise the bar ever higher for Comcast - which was founded by his father, Ralph - as it moves beyond its traditional business of providing TV programming. Comcast is gaining on its competitors. On Thursday, Vonage said it added only 57,000 net customers in the second quarter for its Internet-based phone service, a field it pioneered, bringing its total to 2.45 million subscribers. Comcast has now surpassed Vonage with 3.1 million digital phone customers. Comcast is active online as it capitalizes on the heavy traffic to its Comcast.net portal. The company bought movie ticket site Fandango and is testing Fancast.com, an entertainment and video content site. Comcast also has created a video-sharing site, Ziddio, and one for horror movie fans, FearNet. "We're the second-largest broadband company in the U.S. and we will be the fourth largest phone company by the end of the year and we've only been in that business for two and a half years," Roberts said. +===================================+ <> <> TIME CAPSULE <> <> +===================================+ August 13, 1992 - Woody Allen began legal action to win custody of his 3 children. A judge ruled against Allen in 1993. August 14, 1997 - William Friedkin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. August 15, 1992 - Vietnam blamed Hollywood for creating the "myth" concerning the issue of U.S. servicemen still being held prisoner in Indochina. August 16, 1993 - Harvey Weinstein was rescued from a 14-foot-deep pit by New York Police. He had been there about 2 weeks while being held for ransom. August 17, 2002 - In Santa Rosa, CA, the Charles M. Schulz Museum opened to the public. August 18, 1997 - Patrick Swayze received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. August 19, 1999 - Lorne Michaels received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. +===================================+ Less than 1% of you voted. Generally, you seem to prefer your own home page. Feel free to hang out at Adventureland Video while I am out. http://pub39.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=3302539054 http://adventureland.moviefever.com We made 2 excursions to the Mooreland Free Fair. The baby contest was a bust and miserably hot. Atleast the parade was fun. And Dakota seen his first clown. He was much shorter when we met after the parade. http://www.moorelandfair.com (They have been exceding their bandwith recently. So you may need to check back later.) The annual free fair continues to grow. It now lasts a week or better. Mooreland has a population of 200. We have large cities here that pull off a free fair. Catch you when I can. Our next newsletter will likely be October 1. Until then, please check our blog and enjoy our web site. Rewind, 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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