Tech Stuff Videos

When it comes to my home entertainment collection, I have a problem saying no. If it's cheap enough and I can come up with a rationale for owning it, I'll shell out my hard earned dollars. Of course, this results in my shelves sagging under the weight of unloved and unwatched DVDs that seemed like a good idea at the time -- frankly, I couldn't tell you why I had to buy my very own copy of Step Up 2. But, selling those unwanted discs can be a bit of a hassle, and this is where Glyde comes in. This new service was created by the founder of eBay Motors and promises a new (and easier) way of buying and selling your used DVDs, video games, books, or CDs online. So here's how it works: you simply sign up for an account, enter your credit card info, shipping address and you're ready to go. You can buy or sell with a single click, and best of all Glyde offers a no-hassle return policy -- which is sometimes a bit of a worry of mine when shopping online. If you're selling, Glyde sends you a Netflix-style prepaid envelope once the item has been sold and you pop it back into the mail within 24hrs. Glyde takes 10% of the sale price (and the price of the mailer) and the rest is deposited into your account, and you can withdraw your money at any time (via bank transfers or checks). Buying is even easier, and just takes one click to charge the item to your credit card. It all sounds pretty good on paper, and it is about time I started culling my own home entertainment collection -- I just hope I don't buy it all back again. Watch a video intro to Glyde after the jump.Filed under: Tech Stuff, Home EntertainmentContinue reading New Site Makes It Easy to Buy and Sell DVDs Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Today brings good news and bad news for fans eagerly awaiting The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, the first film in a proposed trilogy of new, motion-capture animated 3D films co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson (among others) based on the comic book series created by Georges "Herg " Remi. Spielberg took up directorial duties on the first in the series, which was supposed to begin filming in 2008 for a 2010 release, but Universal, burned by the under-performance of Beowulf and Monster House at the box office, decided to pull out in the pre-production process, halting progress until Paramount could partner with Sony in order to grease the gears financially. Not much has popped up in the news department since then, however at the London premiere of Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, the Lord of the Rings director told reporters that filming had finally been completed on Spielberg's Tintin entry. However, it's still no where close to release. Jackson went on to say that it is going to take another two years to actually animate the film, meaning fans are most likely looking at a late 2011 release date for The Secret of the Unicorn.Filed under: Action, Animation, Paramount, Sony, Tech Stuff, Comic/Superhero/GeekContinue reading Peter Jackson Says Spielberg's 'Tintin' is Done Filming, but... Permalink | Email this | Comments

Once upon a time, there was a Twilight massively multiplayer online role-playing game being developed called Twilight Online. Think World of Warcraft but for Twihards. They were shut down (one would imagine by Summit, who is making oodles of cash from tie-ins -- have you been to your local Blockbuster and picked up your very own couch pillow with Jacob's face on it?) and the developer is now working on something called "Nebulous Blood." (Read more about Twilight Online over at Geekologie since the details of the game are no longer on its official website.) The first Twilight video game, one of many that's sure to come, is a trivia game that's part of the "Scene It?" game series. It is currently available as an iPhone app and a DVD game, and now even Wii and Nintendo DS players will be able to give their Twilight skillz a workout as well on November 24th. The console games are from Konami, a pretty damn solid game publisher that's behind great games like the Metal Gear Solid series, Silent Hill, Dance Dance Revolution, and even the recent Saw game. Twilight game deets are hiding on the other side of the jump.Filed under: Action, Drama, Tech Stuff, Games and Game MoviesContinue reading And Now... The 'Twilight' Video Game! Permalink | Email this | Comments

AEG and Action 3D are betting on music lovers that will want to catch their favorite performers in a movie theater -- on the screen, that is. According to Variety, the two companies have already been getting footage from different festivals for their limited-run, 3D-only concert movies, which will be offered in a similar manner as U2 3D. The first series of movies will be footage of concerts from Dave Matthews (yay?), Relentless7, Ben Harper, and Gogol Bordello. The only group that sounds like it would wow music fans in 3D is Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band known for their outrageous live shows and songs like "Start Wearing Purple." However, AEG is also behind the recent release of Michael Jackson's film This is It, along with Sony, which has made $186 million worldwide so far. While concert movies with built-in audiences like the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds have been similarly successful, I'm not convinced that semi-random concert series will really put bottoms in seats. And for all you Phishheads, AEG has apparently already "filmed several 3D live sets of Phish from Festival 8 in Indio, Calif., in late October. According to [John Rubey, president of Network Live, a division of AEG Live], the company plans to roll out 'best of' edition from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits as followups to the Matthews feature in 2010." So get your Birks and tie-dye ready to jam out, man! I think it's a cool idea to offer people the chance to see their favorite bands up close and personal if they can't see them live, but there isn't anything to rival the actual live experience. Granted, you're not usually that close to the stage and some jerk just spilled beer on your shoes and someone else is singing along to every song and/or shouting "WOO!" in your ear, but that's all part of the concert experience, right?Filed under: Music & Musicals, Fandom, Tech Stuff, Distribution Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you're on Twitter, you already know that it's a drug. It's like a big get-together where you can talk to hundreds of people without committing yourself too seriously and before you know it ... poof ... you've just spent three hours talking about your summer reading. I've made a concerted effort to not let it overtake my life and I've generally succeeded. But one aspect of Twitter that I find so pathetically alluring is the celebrity follow. Now, my time on Cinematical has already introduced me to a lot of Big Names, and while it's always fun and exciting to meet someone you like onscreen, it's often just work. Often, it's awkward work. I say that not to brag or play down the experience, but to stress that chasing celebrities just isn't my thing. Except on Twitter. Twitter is like this shadowy, secret party where Hollywood's creme de la creme are eating, drinking, laughing, and filming, and they're coyly letting you watch. They casually drop names and TwitPics, and there's something about that that's so alluring once paired with a timestamp. The most recent example (and the one @scotteweinberg dared me to write about) was this Tweet from @F_Gary_Gray, director of the upcoming Law Abiding Citizen: Continued below the jump Filed under: Fandom, Tech StuffContinue reading Twitter: Bringing You Ever Closer to the Fame Flame Permalink | Email this | Comments

It's a plotline straight out of the Terminator films: a highly evolved computer program controlling U.S. government weaponry goes rogue, defies its human masters, and sets out to exterminate all of humanity. Think it's just fiction? While humankind has yet to suffer a Judgment Day-style nuclear holocaust, the U.S. Air Force battled its own sentient SkyNet adversary this week when an MQ-9 Reaper combat drone broke free from human control during a mission over Afghanistan. The unmanned aerial vehicle, charmingly classified as a "hunter-killer," had to be shot down by a manned aircraft before it continued on its merry way - headed, according to an Air Force press release, "on a course that would depart Afghanistan airspace." Now, I'm no weaponry expert, but I'm certain of one thing: that's not supposed to happen. Like, ever. Sure, technology goes awry from time to time, but only in the movies, right? Maybe not. Below, we pick five fictional pieces of movie science with actual real-world counterparts, and the terrifying implications that they bring for the future of humanity.Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Tech Stuff, NewsstandContinue reading Science Gone Wrong: The Robot Future Is Closer Than You Think Permalink | Email this | Comments

I know Cinematical readers are just like our writers in that they need a steady supply of free movies and television 24/7. That's why sites like Hulu and Netflix Instant have been a gift from the Powers That Be, as you can see almost anything your heart desires at the weirdest times of the day or night. Now you'll have a new instant watch option with AOL's SlashControl. SlashControl has just launched this week, and has partnered with more than 30 sites to bring you lots and lots of free television shows and movies. You'll be able to access content from ABC, CBS, CW, Showtime, Hulu, A&E, The History Channel, National Geographic, Crackle and the WB, and that's just the beginning. The site is very well designed, and has a search function that's even faster than Hulu's, so you can quickly kick yourself for not watching Session 9 while it was still available. Right now, their movie selection is drawn entirely from Hulu, but they'll undoubtedly be branching out and offering unique content. But there's still enough to watch on here that you won't be bored, as you can overdose on 99 episodes of The A-Team in order to better debate the remake casting, or have a Daniel Day-Lewis double feature with The Boxer and The Last of the Mohicans. You know you want to, and the beauty of online watching is that SlashControl won't tell anyone what you're up to.Filed under: Site Announcements, Fandom, Tech Stuff, Distribution, Movie Marketing Permalink | Email this | Comments

I believe I've had to type 3D more times this week than I have in my Cinematical career thus far, and it's only Wednesday. I'm also seeing the birth of a new trend towards 3D rumor mongering and speculation which I want to say began with The Hobbit, but I would probably be very wrong. But I digress. Today, Ain't It Cool News is reporting that we might see Iron Man 2 converted into 3D. According to Harry Knowles: "Right now, there is a 1 minute demo of Iron Man 2 converted to high quality digital 3D ... Right now the suits at Marvel & Paramount & now also Disney are considering this 1 minute. At the same time that this is happening, they are fishing for bids with 3 different companies to see what the cost and time it would take to convert Iron Man 2 to a complete 3D film." There's also talk that if they actually pay to convert Iron Man 2 to 3D, they might also do the same to the first Iron Man and rerelease it into theaters next May. Watch Jon Favreau's Twitter to see if this comes true or not. As Knowles points out, if it does come to pass it would certainly be a game-changer for the upcoming Marvel slate. You might see Captain America, Thor, or The Avengers behind a pair of dorky glasses. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that, as I find the format too distracting to be enjoyable. But it would be a hell of a lot of fun to see Iron Man rereleased in 3D, and revamping an existing film seems better suited to this ongoing novelty than designing a film around some pop-out effects. I seem to be in the cranky minority when it comes to the 3D style though, and those who are enthusiastic for it are certainly winning the war for it.Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Disney, Paramount, RumorMonger, Tech Stuff, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels Permalink | Email this | Comments

Every day, I get up and I wonder why the movie gods have never seen fit to grant us a Nicolas Cage movie in 3D. I can think of no flaw in The Wicker Man that a 3D bear suit punch couldn't fix altogether, and I know I'd be ten times more interested in The Sorcerer's Apprentice if we got some 3D trenchcoat swishing. But at last, my wish has been granted, though it probably won't be until 2010, 2011 or something, as The Hollywood Reporter has announced Cage will Drive Angry in three-freaking-D! Directed by Patrick Lussier, who co-wrote the script with Todd Farmer, Drive Angry centers on a man who is driven literally and figuratively by rage. What has filled him with such unquenchable anger? Why, a gang that killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby. He's hunting them down, one by one, and mile by mile. I'm just going to quote THR here because to paraphrase would be a sin: "The vendetta / rescue spins out of control as the chase gets bloodier by the mile, leaving bodies strewn along the highway." If you thought Vanishing Point was too boring and 2D, Drive Angry will be the film for you. Drive Angry will be burning rubber and leaving its gasoline fumes all over Shreveport, Louisiana in April, courtesy of Nu Image / Millennium Films' new Louisiana studio. As we wait for Cage to pop out of the screen, you can revive our Love Him or Tolerate Him debate all over again!Filed under: Action, Independent, Thrillers, Casting, Lionsgate Films, Tech Stuff, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand Permalink | Email this | Comments

When faced with copyright lemons, Sita Sings the Blues creator Nina Paley made some delicious lemonade. Since Sita uses songs in the film by Annette Hanshaw that are copyrighted, and as an indie filmmaker she can't afford to purchase the rights to them, her hands were tied when it came to distribution. So she came up with a plan that worked with (and around) the copyright issues so the movie's admirers could see the lovely film for themselves. Read a more detailed explanation of the issue here at Question Copyright. [Edited to add: Nina explains on her blog and in the comment section below: "Sita Sings the Blues is 100% legal. I am free to release it commercially, which is why the film is gaining a number of commercial distributors in addition to its free sharing/audience distribution, which is also legal, and wonderful." Read the full explanation here.] Not only is her beautiful film available to watch online for free, it was also briefly available on PBS last March in for lucky viewers in NYC. But now Paley has gone a step further with it comes to using the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license that is really cool for creative types -- you can download her source files for free to make your own mashups, add Sita-tweaks to your own creative ventures, and do whatever else online arty folks do with Flash files. Filed under: Fandom, Tech Stuff, DIY/FilmmakingContinue reading Get Creative with 'Sita' Source Files Permalink | Email this | Comments

I actually think this is sort of clever, in a "we can afford to do this" kind of way (which is more than I can say for The Da Vinci Code, am I right?!). Apparently, when the production of Angels & Demons had been refused permission to shoot key scenes in the Vatican, special effects director Ryan Cook had a team of people blend in with tourists and take about 250,000 pictures and shoot hours of video to use as reference back in Los Angeles. Said Cook in an interview with an Italian movie magazine (then excerpted by The Scotsman, and further excerpted here): "The ban really put us in a lot of trouble because we could not use the precision instruments which are used to take photographs and make reconstructions in the computer." On a mild tangent, I have to ask whether or not our readers are getting excited for the film itself. Of all the anticipation for summer blockbusters, and especially out of the May offerings, this seems to be the quietest title of the bunch (though twice-baked, half-volume controversy and the lack of a Cannes bow will do that to a film). I've only been assured that this book was better than its predecessor (I know, this one's a prequel), so did anyone here like Da Vinci? And whether you did or didn't care for that film, are any of you specifically psyched for round two? [via MCN]Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Sony, Tech Stuff, Remakes and Sequels, Religious, Summer Movies Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you were watching the box office over the weekend, you might have noticed that the success of Monsters vs. Aliens has everyone talking about 3D again. Everywhere you look, critics are weighing in on whether 3D really is the wave of the future, or another last gasp of a fad that will fall by the wayside soon enough. Well, I don't know about that, but one thing is for sure; I think we all better get used to wearing those goofy goggles, because another director is looking to get into the 3D game. During a reception at the British Film Institute for director Ridley Scott, he spoke about his upcoming sci-fi actioner, The Forever War, and he told reporters that after getting a glimpse of James Cameron's Avatar, "...I've got to go 3D. It's going to be phenomenal." The film is based on the 1974 science fiction novel by Joe Haldeman and was announced last October. But, Scott has had his hands full with his Robin Hood update, the story of Gucci, and the inexplicable decision to bring Monopoly to the big screen. Forever War looks to be a little more in line with Scott's usual fare; sci-fi, and politically charged action flicks, and is described as, "Both an action-laden and contemplative story of an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species, it deals with themes like the inhumanity of both war and its attendant bureaucracy". The book was considered to be a response to the authors own military service during the Vietnam War, even using a 'time-travel glitch' that would return soldiers centuries later as a parallel to the US military experience when soldiers returned home. Since the release of Beowulf, I have been hoping that a filmmaker would finally get a strong enough story on screen that would complement the technology which has become jaw-dropping. I'll keep my fingers crossed that between Cameron and Scott, the two will make 3D something more than the standard for kids films; or even worse, just another gimmick.Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Tech Stuff Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Internet history was made on March 18, 2009. Lionsgate became the first studio to debut original content on Twitter, which means anyone who signs onto the social media network after this point is officially five minutes late. (Hooray! I made it under the wire.) What was this content? Why, a Crank 2: High Voltage poster! It's very yellow and Jason Statham-y, for those missing his squint from the popping vein poster. I've put both in the gallery below. Maybe we'll get some shirtless pictures to pad it out in the next few weeks. (Hey, a girl can dream.) But more important than the poster is where it appeared, and what this might mean for all of us. Many are applauding this new frontier of communication, while others say this is the beginning of the end -- the Re-Tweeting of posters, stills, and trailers could put us all out of work. For other media geeks, the Crank 2 poster means that Twitter is no longer cool, and is now just another tool of the corporate machine. All I know is that Lionsgate is really lucky TwitPic was working, and didn't replace Statham with a Jason who uploaded his photo at the exact same time they did. That happened to me the other day, and boy was it embarrassing. Gallery: Crank 2 Filed under: Action, Comedy, Thrillers, Lionsgate Films, Tech Stuff, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Images, Posters Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you thought smell-o-vision was weird, get prepared to keep a tight grip on your movie concessions -- the seats, they'll soon be shakin'. TechRadar reports that there's a new motion-generating system called D-Box Motion Code, which will accompany films by shaking theater seats. It's "perfectly synchronized with all onscreen action, creating an unmatched realistic, immersive experience." The first film to get matched up with these seat-shakers is the upcoming Fast and Furious (in theaters April 3), and in only two locations: Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood, and the UltraStar Surprise Pointe 14 in Arizona. From there, either all the seats will start shaking in a cacophony of vibration and shrieks, or there will be a revolt of sticky movie patrons. There are so many scenarios where I can see this being a real annoyance. Just as you get that drink to your lips, bzzzz! It's all over you. As a poor lad sits there trying to make his bladder ignore the insistence of that extra-large drink, vibrations send him into agony. And heck, would pregnant women be allowed on this cinematic "ride"? The idea is neat, but seems quite impractical. I like to curl up in the seat and experience the film, not go for a ride. But what do you think? Would you like your seat to rumble with the action on the screen? Filed under: Tech Stuff, Exhibition Permalink | Email this | Comments

There's a plot to clone the young Jeff Bridges. Unfortunately, it won't be for general purchase (sorry Starman fans -- I know, having a Bridges of your own seems like a lot of fun, plus we would eventually have our own Dude), but for Tron 2.0. io9 recently learned that a plaster cast of Bridges has been created and sent to Canada to be digitized. According to their secret source: "They will then take that 3D model and make him younger and then slap it on a body double in post. As this is only one cog in the machine, I can't give a whole lot of detail. Canada scans actors and props to be used for various projects. These are very high resolution scans that pick up every wrinkle, face lift and scar on the actors body." The sharp-eyed noted that this is exactly how Bridges can be young and old Flynn, as he was in the ComicCon teaser footage. I've embedded a bootleg of the footage below so you can finally see it -- I'm now resolved to get Lasik on my eyes because holy crap, I was there and I'll be damned if I remember recognizing young Flynn. /film cautions that this plaster Bridges cast may have nothing to do with the film, but may be for the Tron 2.0 video game which is rumored to be in production at Disney Interactive. We'll find out what it all means eventually -- but Tron 2.0 is officially the new Star Trek or Avatar where every snippet of info is eagerly analyzed, discussed, and probably proved wrong. But hey, that's what makes this fun.Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Disney, RumorMonger, Fandom, Tech Stuff, DIY/Filmmaking, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and SequelsContinue reading 'Tron 2.0' Will Bring Back Young Jeff Bridges Permalink | Email this | Comments

Getting ready to interview director Ondi Timoner and subject Josh Harris about the documentary We Live in Public (reviewed here) at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, I sat with my recorder and got ready with my questions as Timoner offered me a T-shirt for the film. A nice gesture, and a casual one -- but the fact that Timoner, Harris and I were being filmed at the time by a camera capturing their Sundance experience for future use turned a gracious, friendly gesture into a curiously weighted proposition: What if I didn't take it? What if I didn't want it? And how long would my reaction endure? Revolving around Harris' spectacularly failed internet art projects Quiet and We Live in Public, Timoner's film uses Harris as a case study in the perils of our over-broadcast age and offers an examination of the numbing, overwhelming possibilities the internet offers. Timoner and Harris spoke about the film, why the subject of the film refuses to watch it, information theory and the power behind pointing a camera, plus much more. You can listen to the interview here at Cinematical by clicking below: You can also download the interview in full right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.Filed under: Documentary, Sundance, Podcasts, Tech Stuff, Interviews Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Classics, Drama, Paramount, Tech Stuff, Exhibition, Home Entertainment New York City's Film Forum will be screening both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II during a special three week engagement beginning September 12. And yes, it's a big deal. The first two installments of Francis Ford Coppola's trilogy are often featured in repertory houses, sure, but Film Forum's presentation is of newly restored 35mm prints, which were produced under the direction of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis and the supervision of film historian and master preservationist Robert A. Harris. The Godfather will run solo from September 12 through September 18, then The Goffather Part II will run solo from September 19 through September 25, and finally, back-to-back screenings will be featured from September 26 through October 2 (the double feature does, unfortunately, require separate admissions). As far as I can tell, neither of these digitally restored classics includes new computer-generated characters or backgrounds, and obviously the guns are likely to still be guns rather than walkie talkies. If you can't make it to NYC for any of these shows, Paramount is apparently also releasing the restored films in other select cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Or, you can check out the new versions as part of "The Godfather, the Coppola Restoration collection," which also includes a remastered Godfather Part III, on DVD or Blu-Ray beginning September 26 23 (the DVDs may be purchased in a 5-disc box set, which includes two discs of special features, or separately, in case you like to forget about Part III; the Blu-Ray versions seem to be only offered together in a 4-disc set).Continue reading Restored 'Godfather' and 'Godfather Part II' Screen in NYC Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

I just wanted to explain what happened to my shows. So unless people catch me this will be a quickie Well what started as me simply explaining where the Zeus videos went, actually turned in to a conversation with Bear about some features we'd like to see on O11 to help make things easier and better. I'm going to be doing a whole show about this topic in the near future, so if you've got ideas leave a comment on features/improvements you'd like to see here at Operator11 Author: Samproof Keywords: samproof O11 operator11 improvements features tech stuff changes ideas coming soon Aired Live: 2007-06-22 04:09:12