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| << April18, 2008 - Reel 2 Reel Issue #195 ~ Must see 'Ratatouille' & 'Bee Movie' |
May04, 2008 - Reel 2 Reel Issue #197 ~ So sorry for the delay! >> |
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Hey Adventureland Friends: The big event for this week is Sky-Vue Drive-In. An opening of May 2 has been announced. See my closing note for more information. Our Shining Star is former child star from the 1930's. Happy 80th. Birthday to Shirley Temple. Enjoy a rare double feature in our Snack Bar. Try one or both of our tastey dips with your favorite chips. Last week, Bookmark aimed to make your home a star. This week, Bookmark aims to make you a movie extra. There are a number of Blog Bytes this week. Like last week, I am trying something different. Check it out. And we have the usual stuff of course. From the Box Office to News & Notes. Don't miss Adventureland Video for your favorite DVDs and Showtimes too. http://www.adventurelandvideo.com Want your birthday noted here? Check out Birthday Alarm for details. I only use first names here. So you can sign-up with confidence. http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?36409 Blingo is the place to be on friday for movie buffs. The prizes awarded are movie tickets. This is now owned by Publishers Clearing House. http://www.blingo.com/friends?ref=LJt9EIXsXBaBuP-fW5DaMrkkYSk +===================================+ !! TAKE THE HAMBURGER SURVEY TODAY !! Share your opinion and participate in our offers to receive a FREE $500 Gift Card! http://www.adreporting.com/dir.php?a=689632&p=897&w=text +===================================+ FIND SHOWTIMES @ ADVENTURELAND http://adventurelandvideo.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOX OFFICE <> <> <> +===================================+ BOX OFFICE BECOMES 'FORBIDDEN KINGDOM' A martial arts dream team - Jackie Chan & Jet Li - won the weekend as their movie "The Forbidden Kingdom" debuted at #1 with $20.9 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The tale of a modern American teen hurtled back in time to a kung fu adventure in ancient China, "The Forbidden Kingdom" features Chan & Li in multiple roles and their first big-screen duel. "I couldn't believe it had never been done before," said Harvey Weinstein, whose Weinstein Company released "Forbidden Kingdom" with Lionsgate. Universal's romantic comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," starring Jason Segel as a nice guy who's dumped by his glam girlfriend (Kristen Bell), opened in second place with $17.3 million. The previous weekend's #1 movie, slasher remake "Prom Night," fell to third with $9.1 million, raising its total to $32.6 million. Al Pacino's serial killer thriller "88 Minutes," from Sony's TriStar Pictures, premiered at #4 with $6.8 million. The movie stars Pacino as a crime profiler who has 88 minutes to live. "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," a documentary, debuted at #9 with $3.1 million. Released by Rocky Mountain Pictures, the film features Ben Stein as he challenges Darwinian theories and suggests life could have emerged through intelligent design. The Weinstein documentary "Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?" bombed with just $143,299 in 102 theaters, averaging $1,405 a cinema. "Forbidden" averaged $6,623 in 3,151 theaters. A globe-trotting hunt for the al-Qaida leader, "Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?" was directed by Morgan Spurlock, who made the documentary "Super Size Me." With a PG-13 rating, "Forbidden Kingdom" proved family friendly compared to more action-intense martial arts flicks. The movie is part of a new Asian line of films from Weinstein, including an upcoming "Seven Samurai." Overall receipts were up for the first time in a month as Hollywood lumbers through a prolonged dry spell. The top 12 movies took in $82.1 million, up 12% from the same weekend last year. "There is a collective sigh of relief in Hollywood," said Paul Dergarabedian of Media By Numbers. "This is overdue and much needed as we head toward the beginning of the summer season." Movie attendance is running 6.5% behind that of 2007, according to Media By Numbers. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday. 01) "The Forbidden Kingdom" @ $20.9 million. 02) "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" @ $17.3 million. 03) "Prom Night" @ $9.1 million. 04) "88 Minutes" @ $6.8 million. 05) "Nim's Island" @ $5.7 million. 06) "21" @ $5.5 million. 07) "Street Kings" @ $4 million. 08) "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" @ $3.5 million. 09) "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" @ $3.1 million. 10) "Leatherheads" @ $3 million. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ Street Date August 2008 FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL Struggling musician Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) has spent six years idolizing his girlfriend, television star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). He’s the guy left holding her purse in paparazzi photos and accidentally omitted from acceptance award speeches. But his world is rocked when she dumps him and Peter finds himself alone. After an unsuccessful bout of womanizing and an on-the-job nervous breakdown, he sees that not having Sarah may just ruin his life. Rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nudity. "...deserves to ride the wave of the latest, hottest micro-trend in pictures: the romantic comedy for guys." -- San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle "There's a wit in Segel's writing that marks him as every bit Apatow's equal in this arena." -- ReelViews, James Berardinelli http://www.forgettingsarahmarshall.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ Opening May 2, 2008 FUGITIVE PIECES A Polish child escapes from the Nazis during World War II and eventually grows up to become a successful poet and translator. Rated R for some sexuality. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809426619/ Opening May 9, 2008 SURFWISE The story of Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, who abandoned his medical practice, hit the road and took up the nomadic life of a surfer. Rated R for language and some sexual material. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809723343/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SHINING STAR <> <> <> +===================================+ SHIRLEY TEMPLE BLACK DOB: April 23, 1928 - Santa Monica, California Shirley Temple was easily the most popular and famous child star of all time. She got her start in the movies at the age of three and soon progressed to super stardom. Shirley could do it all: act, sing and dance and all at the age of five! Fans loved her as she was bright, bouncy and cheerful in her films and they ultimately bought millions of dollars worth of products that had her likeness on them. Dolls, phonograph records, mugs, hats, dresses, whatever it was, if it had her picture on there they bought it. Shirley was the box-office champion for three straight years, 1936-37-38, beating out such great grown up stars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and Joan Crawford. By 1939, her popularity declined. Although she starred in some very good movies like Since You Went Away (1944) and the The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), her career was nearing its end. Later, she served as an ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. It was once guessed that she had more than 50 golden curls on her head. Biography By: Ken Severson http://www.shirleytemple.com http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000073/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SNACK BAR <> <> <> +===================================+ BAKED POTATO DIP What you need: 2 (16 ounce) containers sour cream 1 (3 ounce) can bacon bits 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 bunch green onions, chopped What you do: 1 In a medium size mixing bowl, combine sour cream, bacon, Cheddar cheese and green onions; stir well. Refrigerate, or serve immediately. Submitted by: BRENDATX BEST EVER LAYERED MEXICAN DIP What you need: 1 (9 ounce) can bean dip 1 (6 ounce) container guacamole 12 ounces sour cream 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced 1 tomato, chopped What you do: 1 In a clear pie pan, or similar dish, spread a layer of bean dip. Top the bean dip with a layer of guacamole. Allow the layers to thicken in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes. 2 In a mixing bowl, while the bean dip and guacamole chill, combine the sour cream and taco seasoning. When the chilled mixture is sufficiently thickened, spread a layer of the sour cream mixture over the layer of guacamole. Top the sour cream layer with the grated cheese. Garnish the layers with the jalapenos and tomatoes. Submitted by: Noelle ©2008 Target.com Register @ Target to save these and other great recipes to your own online recipe box. Generate a shopping list or download your own recipe cards. http://recipes.target.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> BUDDY LIST <> <> <> +===================================+ !!! PAKADEVA'S FREEBEES !!! This is the place ! Find real freebies, Interesting finds, & contests ! Subscribe to enter & receive a FREE phone card ! Check our Crafts, Natural Beauty & Recipes pages. ( International ) http://www.pakadevasfreebees.com ??? WANT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING ??? Free stuff with free shipping. If it's not clearly free, it's not on Free N Clear! Freebies and samples with no postage sent to you! We do the legwork, so you don't have to. http://www.freenclearstuff.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOOKMARKS <> <> <> +===================================+ GET PAID TO BE AN EXTRA IN MOVIES Over 2,000 casting directors come to us fill their job opportunities. We maintain one of the largest known databases of Casting Calls & Audition Notices, searchable by Location and Casting Call type. With the click of a button, you can send an automated email to the casting director! The email will contain a link to your personal website/profile page. This eliminates the need to attend auditions not knowing if you even stand a chance. You can even have casting calls & audition notices -- matching your criteria -- text messaged to your cell phone. http://www.CastingandTalent.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BLOG BYTES <> <> <> +===================================+ HD ENTHUSIASTS ARE CRYING FOUL In Brent Swanson's basement home theater, there should be nothing drab about "Battlestar Galactica." He's got a high-end projector that beams the picture onto a wall painted like a silver screen, and speakers loom in the corners, flanking two big subwoofers. Yet when he tuned in Sci Fi HD for a recent episode filmed in high definition, the image was soft and the darkest parts broke up into large blocks with no definition. Explosions, he said, were just dull. FCC TACKLES 'NET NEUTRALITY' ISSUE A divided FCC grappled with the issue of how to relieve net congestion, disagreeing sharply over government regulations needed. The commission met at Stanford University during a meeting delving into "Net neutrality," the principle that Internet traffic be treated equal. It was the second such hearing the FCC has held this year, its interest on the subject piqued by complaints that Comcast is blocking certain customers who upload large files during peak times. EBERT'S WIFE OPENS FILM FEST Roger Ebert's wife, Chaz, kicked off his 10th annual film festival with an apology for holding the event without him. Ebert is recovering from hip surgery. "A broken hip adds to my tour of medical adventures. My current plan is to take it easy, obey the doctors' orders, and start writing reviews again," he wrote on his blog. "In the meantime, my heart will be in Urbana." The crowd cheered when Chaz said her husband might be well enough to show up later for Ebertfest, which runs through Sunday. 'SCUD STUD' SUES OVER FILM FOOTAGE The Canadian reporter known as the "Scud Stud" during the 1991 Gulf War has sued the makers of "Charlie Wilson's War" over footage used in the movie. Arthur Kent, whose live NBC reports made him a celebrity, claims in a federal lawsuit that filmmakers violated his intellectual property rights. Universal Studios and other companies used segments of a 1986 news program Kent made without his consent. +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD SHOWCASE <> <> <> +===================================+ START SHOPPING @ ADVENTURELAND http://adventurelandvideo.com +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR The true story of how a playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent and a beautiful Houston socialite joined forces to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, with consequences that reverberate throughout the world today. Rated R for strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use. "It's hard to leave Charlie Wilson's War without feeling queasy." -- Boston Globe, Wesley Morris "...a witty, literate, wryly sophisticated parable of American politics..." -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, William Arnold http://www.charliewilsonswar.net/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ Coming home April 29, 2008 THE GOLDEN COMPASS Based on Philip Pullman's novel, The Golden Compass is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals. At the center of the story is Lyra, a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers - and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence. "...a darker, deeper fantasy epic than the Rings trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia or the Potter films." -- Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert "...has many of the virtues of a faithful screen adaptation and many of the predictable flaws." -- New York Times, Manohla Dargis http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> SPORTS FLIX <> <> <> +===================================+ FOOTBALL MOVIES: RUDY (1993) Rudy has always been told that he was too small to play college football. But he is determined to beat the odds and play for Notre Dame. AIR BUD: GOLDEN RECEIVER (1998) Now in the 8th Grade, Josh discovers he has a great throwing arm and tries out for the football team. Soon after his athletic dog Buddy joins the team. ANGELS IN THE ENDZONE (1997) The football team Jesse is on is terrible, after the death of his dad Jesse quits the team. Then angels come to help them but Jesse's brother can see them. LITTLE GIANTS (1994) Football star Kevin now coaches pee-wee football. When Kevin excludes his niece, Becky, she convinces her dad Danny to coach a team, and beat Kevin's team. VARSITY BLUES (1999) In small-town Texas, high school football is a religion. The head coach is deified as long as the team is winning. THE WATER BOY (1998) The coach discovers the lowly water boy for his college football team has an amazing talent for tackling people much bigger than him. BASKETBALL MOVIES: HOOSIERS (1986) A college basketball coach leaves the Navy in 1951 and becomes coach of an underdog Indiana high-school team. COACH CARTER (2005) True story of a high school basketball coach who benched his undefeated team because of poor grades. LUCK OF THE IRISH (2002) A teenager must battle for a gold charm to keep his family from being controlled by an evil leprechaun. A SEASON ON THE BRINK (2002) Chronicles Hoosier's 1985-86 season, when Bob Knight granted author John Feinstein access to the team. BLUE CHIPS (1994) A college coach is forced to break the rules in order to get the players he needs to stay competitive. +===================================+ <> <> STEALS & DEALS <> <> +===================================+ TAKE A BITE OUT OF STEEP DVD PRICES! Buy one DVD get one free! Save on Top A&E Titles. With television series and documentaries for history buffs and sports fans all on sale, there's something for everyone. Enter code BUYONEGETONEANE at checkout to save! Offer ends 10/16. Discount applies to the lower priced items. http://www.deepdiscount.com/DVD---A-E-Buy-One-Get-One-Free_stcVVcatId479941VVviewcat.htm?promoCode=BUYONEGETONEANE 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://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75497 HOME THEATER, GAME ROOM & SNACK BAR Shop our Pre Holiday Sale and Save Big! We carry products for your bar, kitchen, rec room, patio and more. Save 5%-10% on your order by entering the corresponding code during checkout. On orders up to $99.99; save 5% with code A5 $100-499.99; save 7.5% with code A75 $500+; save 10% with code A10. http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75500 +===================================+ <> <> <> NEWS REELS <> <> <> +===================================+ FALLON 2 SUCCEED CONAN @ 'LATE NIGHT' Jimmy Fallon appears to be inching closer to Conan O'Brien's "Late Night" chair. For months, Fallon has been widely considered the top choice to succeed O'Brien when he steps down next year. On Thursday, published reports said Fallon has signed, or soon will sign, a deal with NBC. The network had been expected to announce its choice of host within the next few weeks, possibly at its May 12 presentation for advertisers. A former regular on "Saturday Night Live," Fallon, would take over next year as host of the 12:30 a.m. talk show. O'Brien is to replace Jay Leno on NBC's "Tonight" show, aired at 11:30 p.m. each weeknight. The succession plan at the "Tonight" show, including Leno's departure, was announced by NBC in 2004. Last summer, NBC late-night boss Rick Ludwin was quoted as saying that Fallon "is at the top of our short list." +===================================+ <> <> <> REEL TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ 'BOND' CAR TAKES UNSCRIPTED PLUNGE The car being used in the latest James Bond film plunged into a lake in northern Italy while being driven to the set. Producers say the driver of the Aston Martin was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. They say James Bond's iconic car was being delivered to the filming unit in heavy rain Saturday morning when it went off the road and plunged into Lake Garda. Italian state TV has shown footage of the smashed, black car being hoisted out of the water. "Quantum of Solace" is the newest film in the 007 series. It stars Daniel Craig and is due for release later this year. BULLOCK HIT HEAD-ON BY DRUNK DRIVER Sandra Bullock & husband were unhurt after a head-on crash with a drunken driver. The actress & husband, Jesse James of TV's "Monster Garage," were being driven in an SUV Friday when a station wagon crossed the center line and hit them, said police Lt. Jerry Cook. Both vehicles were totaled, but no one was hurt. The vehicles were traveling 15 to 20 mph, Cook said. The other car was driven by Lucille Gatchell, who registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.20 percent, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, Cook said. She was held by Gloucester police overnight and released Saturday. She is to be arraigned Tuesday in Gloucester District Court. Bullock was "gracious" and concerned about whether Gatchell was OK, Cook said. The actress is filming "The Proposal." CRUISE'S SON 2 APPEAR IN FILM The 13-year-old son of Tom Cruise is following in his father's footsteps. Connor Cruise, the adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, has a non-speaking part in the upcoming Will Smith drama "Seven Pounds," Columbia Pictures confirmed. Connor Cruise shot his part over 2 days more than a month ago, playing Smith as a young man and mostly shown in photographs. The movie, which is still in production, co-stars Rosario Dawson and is directed by "The Pursuit of Happyness" filmmaker Gabriele Muccino. The drama follows the story of a man who affects the lives of 7 strangers. Cruise and Kidman also have an adopted daughter, 15-year-old Isabella. EBERT WILL HAVE 2 SKIP EBERTFEST Roger Ebert says he'll have to skip this year's Ebertfest after breaking a hip. The 65-year-old movie critic writes on his blog on the Chicago Sun-Times' Web site that his doctors have told him he should remain in a Chicago hospital rather than travel to Urbana-Champaign for his 10th annual film festival, which runs through Sunday. Ebert is recovering from minor hip surgery following a recent fall. He's had several cancer-related surgeries the past few years. One left him unable to speak, but he continues to write movie reviews. Ebert has been a Sun-Times film critic for more than 40 years. http://ebertfest.com/ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/ STUNTMEN INJURED ON BOND SET A stuntman was seriously injured in a car crash while filming an action sequence for the James Bond movie on a winding lakeside road in northern Italy. The stunt driver remains in serious condition. A second stunt driver in the same car also was injured, but less seriously. Filming on 'Quantum of Solace' will be suspended while the accident is investigated. The director Marc Forster, Daniel Craig nor other cast were there when the accident occurred. The identities of the stunt drivers weren't released. The Alfa Romeo crashed into a wall during a chase sequence involving a truck and Bond's Aston Martin. A helicopter flew the seriously injured stunt driver to Verona, where he underwent surgery. The driver suffered serious head injuries. Filming was to wrap Wednesday, they were in the final hours when the accident occurred. The accident was the second in 4 days, after an Aston Martin skidded off the road and landed in Lake Garda. No one was injured and the car was fished from the lake. On Thursday, the production company was packing up equipment, including cars, to close the set. DISNEY UNVEILS NATURE FILM UNIT Following the success of "March of the Penguins," Walt Disney launched a new production unit called Disneynature to produce & distribute films through at least 2012. The 2005 documentary grossed $127 million but cost $3 million to make, said Jean-Francois Camilleri, who produced the film and will head the new unit. "First of all it was a great film," Camilleri said. The first film to be released in the U.S. will be "Earth" on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. A separate version was released in France, Japan & Germany and earned $70 million. "Earth" focuses on a yearlong journey of 3 mothers with their offspring. The first film released with the Disneynature brand will be "The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos." It will premier in France in December, with other release dates to be announced. Disney CEO Robert Iger said the unit marks a return to the Disney tradition. The company made the series "True-Life Adventures" from 1948 to 1960. SHIA SMOKING CHARGE UP IN SMOKE Can someone get Shia LaBeouf a light? A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has dismissed an unlawful smoking charge against the "Transformers" star. Shia pleaded not guilty last month after a judge issued a $1,000 warrant for his arrest when he failed to appear at a hearing. The bench warrant was later dismissed. He was cited in February, but court documents did not contain details on the circumstance or location of the offense. LaBeouf (21) starred on Disney Channel's "Even Stevens" and will be seen with Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S 80TH. BIRTHDAY Shirley Temple Black quietly celebrated her 80th birthday this week after breaking her arm in a fall at her suburban San Francisco home. Rick Ross, her attorney, says the former child star is doing fine. She turned 80 on Wednesday. Black was the top box-office draw in the U.S. from 1935 to 1938. Her films include "Curly Top" & "Little Miss Marker." After retiring from the big screen, she held a number of diplomatic posts, including U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia. Black lives in the San Francisco suburb of Woodside. DEL TORO 2 DIRECT 'THE HOBBIT' Guillermo del Toro is directing "The Hobbit" and its sequel, New Line Cinema announced. The filmmaker will make the films back-to-back with Peter Jackson. Del Toro wrote and directed "Pan's Labyrinth." He is also the director of the upcoming "Hellboy II: The Golden Army." "I am indeed blessed to become a part of the filmmaking community Peter, Fran and their team of collaborators created," Del Toro said. "Contributing to the 'Lord of the Rings' legacy is an absolute dream come true." Jackson & Walsh called del Toro "a cinematic magician who has never lost his childlike sense of wonder." "We have long admired Guillermo's work and cannot think of a more inspired filmmaker to take the journey back to Middle-Earth," they said. Jackson co-wrote, co-produced and directed the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. +===================================+ <> <> <> TRADE TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ THREAT OF STRIKE BOOSTS PRODUCTIONS Feature film production in the LA area jumped 11% in the first 3 months of the year as studios moved to get ahead of a possible strike. FilmL.A., an agency that tracks on-location filming, said the increase came in comparison to the first quarter of 2007. "The studios are trying to get production wrapped before June 30," the expiration date for the current SAG contract, Jack Kyser, chief economist for LA EDC. A film shoot interrupted by a strike would a "very expensive proposition," he said. SAG & Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers held their 10th day of negotiations as another actors union, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, waited for May 5. AFTRA delayed the start of its talks to give SAG a better chance to complete a 3-year deal. FilmL.A. said TV production is making a slow recovery from the strike. TV location filming was down 45% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to last year, the agency said. A key issue in the SAG talks is improved compensation for shows and movies distributed online, just as it was for the writers guild. +===================================+ <> <> <> TECH TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ +===================================+ <> <> <> GAME TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ EA EXTENDS DEADLINE ON TAKE-TWO OFFER Take-Two, publisher of "Grand Theft Auto," wanted more time to consider a buyout by Electronic Arts. EA extended its offer but lowered the price. Offer is good through May 16. Take-Two has been holding out, refusing to talk with EA until after "Grand Theft Auto IV" goes on sale. EA wants Take-Two not just for GTA, but also for the company's sports business. EA faces a new rival this year when Vivendi combines with Activision, company behind "Guitar Hero." This gives Vivendi majority stake in Activision Blizzard. Adding Take-Two Sports, EA would have a monopoly on sports games. EA wanted to put its marketing muscle behind "Grand Theft Auto IV." But Take-Two refused to talk with EA until after GTA IV goes on sale. EA's bid is valued at $2 billion. They adjusted the share price to reflect restricted stock granted to Take-Two management. Shareholders granted ZelnickMedia, 1.5 million shares. Chairman Strauss Zelnick said this signaled a vote of confidence in Take-Two management. GAME SALES SOAR 57% IN MARCH Led by Nintendo, U.S. retail sales of games jumped 57% to $1.7 billion in March. Software sales jumped 63% from March 2007 to $945.6 million. Nintendo's "Super Smash Bros: Brawl" was the top-selling game with 2.7 million units sold. Coming in second was "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2" from Ubisoft with 752,300 units and "Army of Two" from EA with 606,100. Hardware sales grew 46% to $551.3 million from $377.9 million, with Nintendo Wii & DS outselling all other. They grabbed 58% of the hardware market. Americans bought 721,000 Wiis during the month, 67% more than in February. DS was the second best-selling system with 698,000 units, and Sony PSP came in third with 297,000. Accessory, at times an overlooked category, reaped $220 million, up 58% from a year earlier. Xbox Live subscription cards were the top-selling accessory in March. "Grand Theft Auto IV," one of the most anticipated games, should boost sales of Xbox 360 & PS3. Microsoft said U.S. retailers were experiencing shortages, but by the time GTA IV launches shelves should be stocked. +===================================+ <> <> TIME CAPSULE <> <> +===================================+ April 23, 1896 - The Vitascope system for projecting movies onto a screen was demonstrated in New York. April 26, 1906 - In Hawaii, motion pictures were shown for the first time. April 28, 2000 - Jay Leno received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. +===================================+ !! TURN EVERY MOVIE INTO AN EVENT !! Are you looking for a new way to experience your favorite movies? HD/LCD clarity will put you right in the action. Get your Free Toshiba HDTV/DVD combo today. http://www.adreporting.com/dir.php?a=689632&p=762&w=text +===================================+ Below are 3 movies that I have watched this week. I would not recommend them for young kids. Some teens may find them of interest. SOMEWHERE, TOMARROW (1983) A teen-ager falls off her horse, hits her head and befriends a young man only she can see. This movie is hard to follow and poorly cut. Not the makings of a good movie. That said, I recommend it for the story and acting. So give this a try. SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980) A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to find the actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel. Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour make this timeless love story a winner. Aside from some violence, there is nothing really objectionable here. THE STORY OF DR. WASSELL (1944) How Dr. Wassell saved wounded sailors left behind when able bodied men were evacuated to Australia. Considering the timing (war in Iraq), this is not an issue young kids & young teens to deal with. But I do think older teens & adults should think about this. Sky-Vue Drive-In officially opens May 2nd. for the 2008 season. The double feature is 'Iron Man' and 'Drillbit Taylor.' Tickets are $7 each. www.skyvuedrivein.com Rewind, Paul @ Reel 2 Reel advland@live.com ` Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com |
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| << April18, 2008 - Reel 2 Reel Issue #195 ~ Must see 'Ratatouille' & 'Bee Movie' |
May04, 2008 - Reel 2 Reel Issue #197 ~ So sorry for the delay! >> |
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