plus 4, Watching a Movie at Home? Grab Your iPhone - NewsFactor Network

Watching a Movie at Home? Grab Your iPhone - NewsFactor Network
Hollywood will try to repeat successes of 2009 - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Appeals court grants retrial in case of movie-theater scuffle - Denver Post
'Avatar' is top movie of 2009 - Detroit News
Roth urging movie bosses for Hulk sequel - Hindustan Times

Watching a Movie at Home? Grab Your iPhone - NewsFactor Network

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 01:14 AM PST

tumbled this year as the weak economy and competition from the Internet soured consumers on buying new discs. What's a movie studio to do?

Look to the iPhone to goose sales.

NBC Universal and 20th Century Fox have launched interactive apps that tap into DVD or Blu-ray discs to augment viewing. The apps provide information about the film and stars and connect you with friends to chat about the movie while you watch.

Fox's FoxPop uses the microphone on your iPhone, or your laptop , to "hear" the audio signal from the movie you're watching, then responds with pop-ups about the movie. It also intersects with Facebook and Twitter for movie chats.

Universal's Pocket Blu is just for the iPhone. It turns the device into a remote control for the movie if you watch on a Blu-ray player (it doesn't work with traditional DVDs or computers) and plays trailers for upcoming movies.

Both apps are on selected movies at first, such as Fox's Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and 500 Days of Summer, and Universal's Funny People and Bruno.

With FoxPop, once you sync the DVD and the iPhone or computer with the app, "We know where you are in the movie," says Ajay Shah, CEO of start-up Spot411, which created the technology for Fox. "You can actually leave a message for a friend who might watch the movie in the future."

So instead of tapping him or her on the shoulder in the theater and saying, "Catch this, here's the funny part," you can do that with text on the iPhone or computer, Shah says.

You might find that annoying in the theater, but online, it's a silent tap, he says. "You can either take part or not."

Creative Packaging

Older viewers might scoff at the idea of adding these apps to DVD and Blu-ray, but for the iPhone generation it makes a lot of sense, says Tom Adams, president of consulting firm Adams Media Research.

"Apps like this make the DVD part of the networked experience that's becoming a way of life," he says. "It puts packaged media and networked connectivity together in creative ways."

DVD sales have declined as more consumers shifted to lower-priced rentals, Adams says. Rentals are up 1%, he says.

Mary Daily, executive vice president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, says the initial idea was to use the technology for Museum, to offer more information about the exhibits used in the film. (continued...)

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Hollywood will try to repeat successes of 2009 - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:51 PM PST

Contemporary Hollywood can feel like a creatively stagnant place, stocked with remakes, sequels and vehicles inspired by toys and television.

But for anyone worried that the movie business has an originality problem, 2009 offered plenty of evidence to the contrary. Could that be a harbinger for the new movie year? True, studios in 2009 ransacked the 20th century for time-tested properties like "Star Trek" and "G.I. Joe" and went back to the global-disaster well for the umpteenth time with "2012."

But amid all the familiar retreads and easy explosions came a surprising number of fresh ideas. With a microscopic budget and a simple haunted-house premise, the lo-fi "Paranormal Activity" elicited millions of gasps and screams. "The Hangover" combined seemingly shopworn elements -- buddies on the road, a trip to Vegas, raunchy antics -- and turned it into something subversive and wholly original (it also became the most successful R-rated comedy in history). And "District 9's" unique setting and sharp special effects, coupled with Peter Jackson's imprimatur, drew crowds to a sci-fi story that also doubled as a pointed political allegory.

The surprises stretched outside of traditional male genres. "Julie & Julia," adapted from Julie Powell's book, took a seemingly esoteric subject of a cookbook writer in Cold War-era France and, by spicing it up with a culinary-minded everywoman, created a warm crowd-pleaser.

"Up" made a balloon-enthusiast septuagenarian its unlikely hero and in the process deflated the idea that animated movies need talking animals and frantic action.

"The Blind Side" showed that red-state audiences will come to a drama in droves if there's a touch of football, a dollop of Sandra Bullock and a wallop of sweetness.

These movies dominated the cultural conversation in 2009, and while it's impossible to know which will do the same in 2010, there's a fair share that could make a similar impact.

With that in mind, here's a rundown of films to keep on the radar moving into the new year.

If you liked "The Hangover," keep an eye out for "Due Date." Mike Tyson's tiger, Zach Galifianakis' BabyBjorn and, of course, the photographs from the end credits are still burned indelibly in our brains. Next November we'll get more outrageousness from Todd Phillips, the director of "Hangover," and Galifianakis, who's reteaming with Phillips for a new R-rated comedy. Robert Downey Jr. adds extra star power as a father-to-be who, thanks to a series of unhappy coincidences, must drive across the country with a slacker (Galifianakis) to arrive in time for the birth of his first child.

"We've made the most ... movie about fatherhood," Phillips says.

But don't expect a reprisal of Galifianakis' zoned-out man-child from "Hangover." Says Phillips: "There are still shadings of Zach and his humor, but it's an entirely different character."

If you liked "Paranormal Activity," keep an eye out for "Frozen." We shuddered at the prospect of a supernatural intruder poking around our house while we slept. Now we could be shivering -- literally -- at the fear that takes hold when a group gets stranded on a ski chairlift.

That's the premise of the low-budget horror film "Frozen," which premieres at the (appropriately) snowy Sundance Film Festival in January 2010 and opens in theaters Feb. 5.

"It plays on a lot of primal fears -- fear of heights, fear of getting stuck, fear of freezing to death," says writer-director Adam Green.

Making it even more chilling: Green says the actors went through an ordeal of their own. "It's all practical filmmaking," Green says. "When you see (the actors) freezing, they're really freezing."

Another one-word-title horror movie, "Buried," could also be a possible Sundance breakout -- it's about a man trapped in a coffin underground who must use little more than a lighter and his wits to escape.

If you liked "District 9," keep an eye out for "Sanctum." Peter Jackson got us to pay attention to a movie we might otherwise have overlooked. Now James Cameron will try to do the same.

Even as the director's "Avatar" continues to attract fans worldwide, Cameron offers his stamp as executive producer of a new movie: an underwater adventure called "Sanctum," about a father and son trapped in a cave. Like "District 9," new technology will make the film look spiffier than its $20 million budget. And like "Avatar," it's shot in 3-D.

"It's really a psychological thriller and a drama about what happens to human beings under extreme pressure," says director Alister Grierson of the movie, which could come out in 2010 or 2011.

He adds: "Jim's philosophy is that to make a 3-D movie you don't always need expensive visual effects. You just need good storytelling."

If you liked "Up," keep an eye out for "Despicable Me." Pixar will offer up the latest installment in its Buzz Lightyear mega-franchise when it releases "Toy Story 3" on June 18. That movie will no doubt bring more magic and earn a gazillion dollars to boot.

But for an animated film this summer with a more adult feel, the one to watch is Universal's "Despicable Me." The July 9 release, about a villain named Gru who plots to steal the moon, may play more like a straight comedy than the tender and sometimes melancholy "Up." But "Despicable Me" also has a heart, as three orphans hope to find a father figure in Gru. With comic talents Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Kristen Wiig voicing characters, it promises to keep adults entertained too.

If you liked "Julie & Julia," keep an eye out for "Eat, Pray, Love." There's a long, rich history of food stories on the big screen. But the cooking-as-therapy story line never got as full-on a treatment as it did in "Julie & Julia."

The trick could also be turned with "Eat, Pray, Love," scheduled for an August slot similar to that in which "Julie" succeeded. Julia Roberts stars in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir, in which a woman finds solace in cuisine (as well as spirituality and romance) after a messy divorce. It could be just what gal pals seeking a night out ordered. (There's also "Sex and the City 2" on May 28.)

If you liked "The Blind Side," keep an eye out for "Love Don't Let Me Down" The runaway success of "The Blind Side" has everyone in Hollywood clamoring for an inspirational story that will be embraced in the heartland. There's no sports drama that neatly fits the bill, but the country-music-loving fan base of "The Blind Side" will be intrigued by "Love Don't Let Me Down," a drama about two country-music personalities going in opposite directions that also happens to feature "Blind Side" costar Tim McGraw.

If that doesn't strike the right note, you could always check out Jeff Bridges as dissolute crooner Bad Blake in "Crazy Heart," which should stick around in theaters through early 2010.

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Appeals court grants retrial in case of movie-theater scuffle - Denver Post

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 12:02 AM PST

SALT LAKE CITY — A federal appeals court has granted a new trial in a civil case involving a scuffle between an off-duty Utah County sheriff's officer and a Provo woman accused of talking during a movie.

After a week-long trial in 2008, a federal jury cleared Sgt. Harold "Skip" Curtis of civil claims by Vanessa Arnold that Curtis used excessive force during an altercation.

On Thursday, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver overturned that verdict, saying instructions to the jury were faulty.

Arnold claimed Curtis yelled at her and her friend for talking during a screening of "Troy" at a Provo theater in May 2004.

Curtis also was accused of demanding that Arnold pay for his movie tickets.

An argument occurred when her friend Lorenzo Castillo later demanded an apology and was arrested. Arnold claimed Curtis threw her on some stairs after she asked him to stop.

Castillo was released outside the movie theater and later sued for false arrest. His claim was settled out of court.

During the trial, Arnold's lawyer argued that jurors should be instructed to approve a finding of excessive force if they found the actions by Curtis were intentional and unreasonable.

U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball imposed a tougher standard, telling jurors that Arnold was required to prove Curtis used excessive force and its use was "shocking to the conscience."

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'Avatar' is top movie of 2009 - Detroit News

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 11:20 PM PST

Tom Long: The Top 10 for 2009

Proving that blockbusters still can astonish, the luminous 'Avatar' is top movie of 2009

As movie years go, 2009 wasn't particularly strong, although the very best films were quite good indeed, and the absolute best may well change what we come to expect from movies.

Two completely different flicks stood out among the year's cream of the crop. You might say "Up in the Air" is a film, while "Avatar" is a movie.

The film is a delicate balancing act, filled with nuance that mixes romance with questions of freedom, set against a background of economic and personal upheaval.

The movie, though, is a direct visceral experience the likes of which have never been seen before.

Like it or not -- and my vote is not -- contemporary cinema has become more a physical experience and amusement park ride than an arena for storytelling and consideration. People go to movies as events more than artistic engagements.

"Avatar" manages to be smart, compelling and humane while enveloping the viewer in a fantasy world so complete and dazzling that your senses are near-overwhelmed. It resets the bar for what audiences can, and should, expect from the moviegoing experience.

As such, it marks a change in cinema that merits the top spot on my annual list.

1. "Avatar" -- Director James Cameron took years and hundreds of millions of dollars to make this space epic, a movie so physically stunning that you get lost in it like nothing before. A classic story, following Cameron's familiar themes, set in a world that absorbs the viewer, it is full reminder of the power and potential of film.

2. "Up in the Air" -- George Clooney is pitch-perfect as the disconnected layoff specialist who spends most of his time on airplanes, above it all, until he runs into the woman (Vera Farmiga) who may be his equal. Director Jason Reitman delivers a balancing act that's part romantic comedy and part existential analysis set against our current economic despair.

3. "(500) Days of Summer" -- Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel sparkled in this witty and innovative film that flashed back and forth over the course of a love affair. The year's best romantic comedy, filled with well-observed moments, it also had the year's best dance sequence.

4. "Up" -- The magicians at Pixar set up a painfully poignant look back at a loving marriage and then sent an old man and a boy off into the sky, eventually landing them in a jungle adventure with talking dogs. Pixar's imagination and skills know few bounds.

5. "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" -- The performances by Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe and Mo'Nique in this gutwrenching tale of abuse and (possible) salvation in '80s Harlem were the best by women this year. And the film itself was potent stuff that cannot be ignored.

6. "A Serious Man" -- The Coen brothers' dark comic look at a Jewish math professor whose life goes wrong every time he turns around was filled with laugh-aloud moments, but had their hard, mean pulse beating underneath every scene.

7. "Funny People" -- Judd Apatow's look at the connections between mortality, love and humor took a brave, unexpected turn and had the guts to call a jerk a jerk no matter what the circumstances. His most mature film; and I can't believe I'm putting an Adam Sandler movie on this list.

8. "Brothers"/"The Messenger" -- These two films about the domestic impact of our wars abroad were released within days of one another here, and it was a powerful one-two punch. Serious, well-made dramas both, "Brothers" revolved around a traumatized soldier come home (Tobey Maguire), while "The Messenger" saw Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson notifying families of the death of a loved one. Yes, I'm cheating a bit here, but the films became a cumulative experience.

9. "Zombieland" -- Woody Harrelson again, this time leading a foursome on the run from flesh-eating zombies across the country in a comic horror road trip that was endlessly inventive. Big, gross fun.

10. "Inglourious Basterds" -- Quentin Tarantino's brash re-imagining of World War II didn't have much soul, but it had style like crazy. The story of Nazi-hunting Jewish commandos behind enemy lines had plenty of action, but even more so it had QT's trademark crackling dialogue and eccentric sense of character.

Detroit News Film Critic Detroit News Film Critic tlong@detnews.com (313) 222-8879

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Roth urging movie bosses for Hulk sequel - Hindustan Times

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 01:25 PM PST

British actor Tim Roth is urging movie bosses to resurrect The Incredible Hulk for a sequel, because he would love to reprise his role for a second instalment in the comic book blockbuster franchise.

Roth tackled Edward Norton as the green giant in the 2008 movie and the star admits he has been contracted for three Hulk movies, and hopes Hollywood executives pick up the option for a sequel as he had fun shooting the action picture, reports imdb.com.

"I don't know if they want to bring (my character) back, but I told them I'm absolutely game for it. It would be so much fun to do it again. I'm in it for three. I had the best time ever with that one - more fun on set than anybody. I did it purely for my kids, so my boys can laugh at their dad and have fun with it," he said.

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