CRM News: Film

Studios See Big 3-D Bucks in 2010
October 27, 2009

Fans scrambled to see 3-D movies such as "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" in theaters this year, and new 3-D televisions could soon have home viewers feeling as if they're surrounded by a spaghetti hurricane on their couches. Next year, major electronics manufacturers Sony and Panasonic plan to introduce 3-D-capable high-definition televisions for the mass market.

PS3 Gets Power-Up From Netflix
October 26, 2009

Coming soon to a Sony PlayStation 3 near you: the ability to shoot aliens and bad guys in a video game, then watch your favorite action movie star shoot aliens and bad guys in a videogame-like blockbuster film streamed via Netflix. The movie rental service announced Monday that it had partnered with Sony to allow PS3 users the chance to rent movies online via their gaming console.

Comcast Mulls Stake in Ailing NBC
October 02, 2009

Comcast might spend billions for a stake in NBC Universal, a deal that would transform the nation's largest cable TV provider into one of the most prominent owners of TV shows, movies and other programming as well. General Electric, which owns 80 percent of NBC Universal, reportedly has been in talks with Comcast to unload part of the entertainment unit.

Cheapo 'Paranormal Activity' Horror Flick Gets Crowdsourcing Right
October 02, 2009

I should have known this wouldn't be your usual horror movie when I overheard the guy in line behind me say he'd already seen it. I turned around. "Is it really that scary?" I asked. "Oh yeah," he smiled. "Scarier than 'Blair Witch?'" "Oh yeah." Another smile, accompanied by a look that said, if you only knew ...

YouTube May Jump Into Online Movie Rental Stream
September 03, 2009

YouTube, Google's online video streaming service, is in talks with Hollywood studios to rent new release movies online, according to people familiar with the talks. The move follows similar deals by Apple's iTunes and others. A final deal would be contingent on pricing and an agreed-upon release date.

The Big Screen Gets Bigger
August 30, 2009

Today, young movie-watchers look increasingly like Molly O'Connor. A junior at the University of Dallas, she still goes to the cinema occasionally, but is often just as happy to hunker down on a bed or a couch with friends to watch a downloaded movie on a laptop that's perched on a nearby desk or a chair.

Paramount Jumps On the Redbox Express
August 26, 2009

Movie studio Paramount Pictures is following the lead of Lions Gate Entertainment and Sony by agreeing to supply films to $1-per-night DVD rental kiosk company Redbox. Paramount Home Entertainment and Redbox, a subsidiary of Bellevue, Wash.-based Coinstar, said Tuesday they have begun a trial licensing program.

Is the Show Over for Newspaper Movie Listings?
August 23, 2009

Filmgoers who have long turned to the local newspaper to find theaters and show times for movies may have to start looking elsewhere as theater chains rethink the value of paper and ink in a digital age. The top two U.S. chains, Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Entertainment, have begun in recent months to reduce or eliminate the small-type listings showing the start times for movies at individual theaters.

Rifling Through Twitter's Underwear Drawer
July 17, 2009

Getting your personal email hacked is generally a personal problem. There might be some minor career implications if it happens while you're running for vice president of the United States, but it tends to be more embarrassing than costly. But when you use the same password for personal email that you use for accessing work-related documents, then things might start to spin a little out of control.

Blockbuster Widens Online Movie Stream With Samsung Deal
July 14, 2009

Blockbuster and Samsung are partnering to bring the movie-rental chain's digital streaming library to the electronics giant's televisions, home theater systems and Blu-ray disc players. The owners of some existing 2009 model televisions, Blu-ray players and home theater systems will be able to access the service by way of a firmware upgrade or software download.

HP's Z Series Will Dazzle Your Eyes, Bob the Monster Will Steal Your Heart
March 30, 2009

I spent much of last week attending an event put on by HP, Intel and BMW, which launched HP's new professional workstation line on top of the new Nehalem processors from Intel. This took place at DreamWorks, where we were treated to an early screening of the "Monsters vs. Aliens" movie. This last was a showcase for DreamWorks huge 3-D bet and one that I haven't been a believer in.

Blockbuster, TiVo Join to Deliver the Video Goods
March 25, 2009

Blockbuster and TiVo have joined forces to deliver Blockbuster's vast library of digital video to owners of the TiVo television set-top box. "We are excited to be teaming with TiVo, the company that created the DVR, to make Blockbuster's entertainment content readily available to their millions of subscribers," said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO.

Merger Madness: Love Is in the Air
March 21, 2009

Cisco isn't content to just sell products for the deepest, darkest innards of the data center. It's also got its eye on consumer technology. It already has Linksys, which sells stuff like home network routers, and Scientific Atlanta, which does set-top boxes. Soon it will add Pure Digital Technologies, the company that makes the Web-friendly Flip Video camera.

Europe's Mercurial Online Video Habits
March 04, 2009

Roughly 50 million households in Western Europe have adopted broadband services over the past three years. Regulatory reforms in the UK and France in particular have helped boost penetration by creating strongly competitive markets. As a result, a large and growing number of households can now view video online, and the door is open to alternative forms of video distribution.

Oscar Needs Twittery Twist to Stay Relevant
February 27, 2009

Still smarting from a long-ago Best Picture snub for "A Few Good Men," I chose not to watch the Oscars this year because -- well, I can't handle the truth. So I got my Oscar news and views from various live blogging efforts that delivered their own snarkified take on Hollywood's idea of honoring truth in art.

Netflix to Wade Deeper Into Online Streaming
February 26, 2009

Follow a mail carrier around sometime; provided you don't get arrested for stalking a civil service worker, you'll likely notice a proliferation of bright-red Netflix envelopes containing the latest DVDs being shoved into mailboxes. But a statement by a company executive in New York Wednesday may signal the beginning of the end of such colorful real-world distribution of movies.