Friday the 13th opened last Friday to the second highest grossing opening President's Day Weekend ever at $42.2 million, burying the competition. Next in line was the chick-flick Confessions of a Shopaholic with a modest $17.3 million and the action thriller The International that basically flopped at 10.7 million. As impressive as the numbers are, it's even more impressive that a slasher film that's a rehash of a previously half-dead franchise pulled in such great numbers. What's not so impressive? The fact that the film with the number one opening President's Day Weekend is...Ghost Rider with Nicholas Cage. Yeesh!
Originally scheduled for release on August 17, 2007, Fanboys had already been screened by George Lucas, who not only gave it two thumbs up, but allowed the filmmakers to use official Star Wars sound FX to enhance the overall feel of the film. Director Kevin Smith was so taken by the screening that he saw that he asked for a cameo in the film, to which the filmmakers gladly obliged. In fact, the film was getting such positive feedback that director Kyle Newman was given extra funding AFTER shooting the film, which he was more than happy to use to shoot additional scenes. The problem with that? He wouldn't be able to get the ensemble back together again until about a month after the movie was scheduled to be released. Now, I'm no expert but I would have to think that may a cause a logistical problem or three. The solution? Postpone the release. Now the film was looking at an early 2008 date. Due to some executive decisions, additional shooting would not take place until around the end of the year and without Newman.
they going to work the secondary material like The Black Freighter into the film?" Well, the answer is...they won't. Instead they will be releasing Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter & Under the Hood (which is a story within the story of the Watchmen graphic novel) on DVD to enhance the theatrical release of the film. How much would you pay? -don't answer yet, because as an added bonus the DVD will include the live-action/CGI mockumentary Under the Hood based on the book written by Hollis Mason (the first Nite Owl). NOW how much would you pay? -but wait there's more. This special DVD will also feature: Story Within a story: The Books of Watchmen, a first look at the Green Lantern animated feature, and a digital copy (Blu-ray only). How much would you be willing to pay for this much entertaiment? It doesn't matter because your probably going to pay from $14.99 to $21.99 depending on where you purchase it. The Black Freighter will be in stores on March 24th. (Although, currently Amazon has a 2-disc special edition listed to come out on March 3, the same day as the film. Perplexing...)UPDATE!!!
More news from the Watchmen home video front -Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic that many of you have been enjoying on iTunes is also making it's way to DVD/Blu-ray. Of 
course, you can still watch the episodes on iTunes right now and pay about the same as you would for the discs, but it's really a matter of preference. The Watchmen motion comic was actually very impressive. It really captured the story and the feel of the book. My one criticism would be that these guys couldn't spring to have a girl do the female voice? I mean, COME ON! You don't have a sister or a wife that you could pay with cookies or something? Eitherway, the motion comic hits shelves March 3 as Watchmen makes it to theaters. Now you can get up early, go get the motion comic and then go see the movie and know what to expect (until the new ending)...or you could have read the graphic novel way before then. It's really your choice. It doesn't matter to me. Whatever.
e privy to the fact that it was one of the greatest television shows ever, and it's creator Joss Whedon is a genius. Just when fans were finally coming to terms with the fact the show was gone forever, Dark Horse Comics gives us one of the coolest treats ever with Buffy Season 8.
movie will finally be able to get their Blu-ray fix when Sin City: Unrated, Recut, and Extended makes it's way to Blu-ray players on April 21st of this year. The disc set will feature both the theatrical and re-cut versions of the film. On the bonus features front, the set will include all of the extras from the earlier re-cut DVD, plus a "Kill 'Em Good" interactive comic and a Cine Explore visual commentary. It's possible that other extras will also be included. Not much information is available at this point. Now if we could just get the Weinsteins to release Kill Bill in the promised "The Whole Bloody Affair" edition with both installments re-edited back into one long movie like it was meant to and Grindhouse in all it's original theatrical goodness like Japan got, that would be quite the trifecta of movie bliss.
, at least for a little bit longer. This afternoon the House of Representatives have given analog television a temporary stay of execution at a vote of 264-158. Those jerks who voted against the delay claimed to be doing so for honorable reasons, but I would say it's more likely that those individuals have had their pockets lined by the digital cable companies who are waiting in the wings to profit from the transition. Anyway, here's the whole story:The nation was two weeks away from the original date of Feb. 17 for the digital transition, allowing broadcasters to replace analog TV signals with digital ones.
But the Obama administration and many Democrats asked for the delay, saying millions of people are not ready for the switch. The bill, already approved by the Senate, now goes to the president for his approval, considered a given. Still be resolved is the funding needed for more coupons to help consumers offset the cost of converter boxes. That issue will likely be considered as part of the economic stimulus legislation.
“The legislation passed by Congress provides more time for Americans to prepare for the (digital) transition and will allow more time for the government to fix the coupon program," said David Rehron, president of the National Association of Broadcasters.Opponents of the delay said it will cause confusion for consumers, and that it is not fair to the wireless companies, including AT&T and Verizon Wireless, as well as public safety agencies that are waiting to use part of the airwave spectrum that will go to them once the switch is made.
"It's time for us to move forward on this and keep our word to the American people," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., calling for the transition to proceed Feb. 17.
With a nation in economic turmoil, the last thing on the to-do list of legislators should have been the transition to digital television. The changeover has been planned for years, yet the last 12 months were marked by public confusion about the switch and bureaucratic and political wrangling over a coupon program aimed at subsidizing the cost of converter boxes.
Yet the signs of trouble were there: the coupon subsidy program was running out of money, waiting lists were growing, and not enough public education in general was being done about the transition, the coupon program or how to hook up the converter boxes, which some have found troublesome.
“When government took their hands off the steering wheel of public education, a lot of confusion crept into the marketplace,” said Joel Kelsey, policy analyst for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports.
The Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration dispute that, pointing to what the agencies see as extensive education efforts, supplanted by those from private industry groups like the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters.
The NAB, for example, started its educational campaign in November 2006, according to Shermaze Ingram of the organization.
Misconceptions continue
Still, as late as October, 41 percent of Americans “believed every single TV needs to be a digital TV in order to get a signal,” said Kelsey, citing a Consumers Union poll.
“About 25 percent believe that every television, whether it’s digital or not, whether it’s hooked up to cable or not, has to have a converter box. And 21 percent believe everyone needs to sign up for cable or satellite service in order to keep a picture on their television sets. Consumers remain extremely confused.”
TVs do not have to be digital, but they do need to be able receive digital broadcasts. The main ways to do that are by buying a converter box to take a TV’s signal from analog to digital, and using an antenna as well; subscribing to a cable or satellite service; or buying a digital TV.
The Nielsen Co. said recently that while 85 percent of households are ready for the digital transition, nearly 6 percent are not at all, and another 9 percent are “partially ready.”
“Partially ready” means “you may have four TV sets in the house, and three are connected to cable and one is an analog set that isn’t,” said Anne Elliot of the Nielsen Co. “It means at least one working TV set in the household would not be able to get a digital signal.” That set could be one that is “used in the kids’ bedroom to watch DVDs,” for example, she said.
Some have moved to new TVs
A year ago, the digital transition was reason enough for many to justify signing up for cable or satellite service or to buy a new TV. At the end of 2007, more than 50 percent of American households owned a digital television, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.
In February 2008, the NTIA started making available two $40 coupons per household to help offset the cost of two converter boxes, which range from $50 to $80 each.
The coupons are only good for 90 days, and that, too, became part of the problem early on. If consumers were requesting the coupons, many weren’t redeeming them. By mid-April, for example, nearly 11 million coupons had been requested, with more than 500,000 of them redeemed, said Todd Sedmak, NTIA communications director.
In the first half of last year, there were limited choices of converter boxes on the market. And some consumers may have set aside the coupons and forgotten about them.
Coupon problems
During the summer, when more converter boxes went on store shelves, efforts to extend the 90-day expiration date were rejected by Congress.
At the end of the year, the NTIA said the $1.34 billion funding ceiling for the coupon program was about to be reached. As of last week, more than 47 million coupons had been mailed out since the program began.
More than 21 million of the coupons have been redeemed, while more than 14 million of them expired. Meanwhile, more than 3 million people are on a waiting list for the coupons.
The way in which the coupons are redeemed has also been an issue. Brick-and-mortar retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Radio Shack require in-store redemption, while some of the better converter box deals — including those for the cost of a coupon — can be found online.
“We think retailers need to have cheaper options available, and not just boxes for between $50 to $80,” said Kelsey. “With a $40 coupon, that’s still a relatively significant cost for someone who once got something — television transmission — for free.”
And like many things technological, setting up the boxes has not been a snap for everyone.
“It’s about as easy to setup a converter box as it is to set up a VCR,” said Kelsey. “That said, it’s not easy for everyone. So if you’re not used to this, or you’re not technically inclined, a lot of folks are wondering what to do and how to hook it up.”
Once the boxes are connected, getting a signal can still be a problem and an antenna may be needed. There’s no subsidy program for antennae, and some can be expensive.
More time for preparation
Chris Traver of Gresham, Ore., who had an analog set, decided to forego the converter box option and to buy a new TV earlier this year. Philosophically, he’s opposed to the converter box subsidies.
“We don't need the financial assistance and I do not support the government-sponsored program,” he said. “I do not believe it is the government’s responsibility to help pay for my choice in using television-based entertainment through the coupon program.”
A four-month delay to digital TV may not solve everyone’s problems, but will at least offer time to provide more consumer education and a chance to get more funding for coupons, says Kelsey.
“The focus now really should not be on blame, but how we can make sure that Americans get the equipment they need and the assistance they need to be able to move forward,” he said.
did the art for Frank Miller's "Give Me Liberty" and Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke", finally showing us the Joker's heart-breaking origin.
Can't wait for a taste of the new Transformers sequel Revenge of the Fallen? So far all we've gotten is a vague poster, now we finally get a couple of vague teasers. Yes! Here's what Michael Bay had to say on online blog:There you guys. There's your 'in' to get your Transformer fan-girl to go see the new Friday the 13th film, even though they "hate scary movies".So,
The Super Bowl spot is coming Sunday in the third Quarter (few minutes into the quarter slot). The spot will be online a few minutes after that - The full length teaser trailer will only be on Friday the Thirteenth. It will not hit the internet until a week later. The Teaser really only teases stuff - I'm holding so much stuff back from the final trailers because I personally hate going to movies where you have seen it all.
Tell me what you think,
Michael
by is like a Reese's Cup: Two great tastes that taste great together! Recently on display at the Tokyo Toy Forum, this sucker is scheduled to be released around the end of February and should run just under $40. The robot actually transforms into a vehicle which fits the little Mickey behind the wheel of the rig. Don't expect these to be around long, and I wouldn't count on them being sold outside of Japan, but you never know...
So, people went out and bought the issues to this historical storyline that went through all of the Bat-titles, meaning you couldn't just buy Batman, you had to buy Robin, Nightwing, Detective Comics (you get the idea), if you wanted the full story. DC head honcho Dan DiDio claimed that the story would change Batman's world forever, but after some amazingly wild twists (a little too wild and chaotic) everything pretty much went back to status quo -including the fact the Batman was still alive at the end of 'Batman: R.I.P.'? Okay, so what gives? So people invested their time and money into multiple issues of a story about Batman dying where Batman doesn't die only to -get this- have Batman die that same month in a completely different title that really has nothing to do with the R.I.P. story at all! The deathblow actually takes place in Final Crisis #6, the most convaluted and ridiculously written story in years. Nobody even cares! The second oldest superhero in history and they force a non-dramatic death in a lame meaningless story. Captain America died last year and made headlines in papers across the country. The issue in which he dies sold out in minutes and spent a couple of weeks going for $200+ a copy. I picked up Final Crisis #6 the day after it came out, off a stack of many more copies, just to see how it happened. No fuss. No fanfare. No real story. People are already expecting him back soon. It's just hype. DC Comics has become all flash and no substance. This was just an excuse to sell more comics with their "Battle for the Cowl" storyline where people are now going to battle for the right to wear the Bat-tights, which is basically just a rehash of the Reign of the Supermen storyline from the 90's and even that ended with Superman stepping back in. Don't worry Bat-fans. Batman is about as gone as Colin Farrell's sex drive.
A gentleman from Roanoke, VA recently took advantage of the Steve & Barry's clothing stores going out of business and liquidating their fixtures by getting an amazing deal on what would appear to be the perfect storage unit for any Mighty Muggs collection. This fixture went for $20 and each of the 30 cubbies are 6 Muggs deep, which means that you can store 180 Mighty Muggs displaying your favorite 30 out front. Awesome. I think it's time to take up carpentry.
ad' films, but in 2005 we were given "Land of the Dead". Since we had to wait 20 years between installments I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that "Land" was going to be the last hoorah.
7:42 PM
Billy...
