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Tuesday, January 24th 2012

2:29 AM

News & Notes from Hollywood & Sundance!

Much of this news comes from the Sundance Film Festival. The other is movie related. I have never been to one but I find the idea fascinating. If you have, please share your experience in comments.
I know they have movie screenings, panel discussions and award ceremonies. But that is pretty much all I know on them. With one in my state (Heartland Film Festival), I should go some time.
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RICHARD GERE ATTENDS HIS FIRST SUNDANCE FESTIVAL
Jan 21, 7:39 PM (ET)
By SANDY COHEN
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Richard Gere once saw Utah from horseback while moving cattle, but his trip to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere "Arbitrage" is his first actual visit to the state.
The 62-year-old actor says "it sounds ridiculous," but he was moving cattle through Nevada with some friends and "we rode up to a ridgeline and they pointed up, 'That's Utah there.'"
Gere says it was a seven-day cattle-moving trip on horseback.
He was in Park City Saturday to promote "Arbitrage," a thriller about the lure of money and power and how it affects one's personal values.
Directed by Nicholas Jarecki, the film also stars Susan Sarandon, Nate Roth and Laetitia Casta.
The Sundance Film Festival continues through Jan. 29.
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This one surprised me. I assumed that all of the stars had been to Sundance. One of the best, if not the best, film festivals. It is hard to picture him driving cattle on horseback too.
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RAZZIES WORST-MOVIE AWARDS SHIFT TO APRIL FOOL'S
Jan 22, 6:07 PM (ET)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hollywood's award season is going to linger on through April Fool's Day this year.
Organizers of the Razzies have changed the schedule for their nominations and prize ceremony. The spoof on the Academy Awards picks the year's worst films.
The Razzies used to announce contenders the night before the Oscar nominations, which are coming Tuesday.
Razzies founder John Wilson announced Sunday that nominations this season will be released Feb. 25, the eve of the Oscar ceremony. Winners of the Razzies will be announced on April 1.
Wilson says Razzies organizers have long wanted to have their awards coincide with April Fool's Day.
A news release announcing the change also notes that it will give the 600 Razzies voters "additional time to see the dreck they will eventually nominate."
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Honestly, I have never really taken the Razzie Awards seriously. Not that I discredit or ignore them. But they don't influence my decisions. So I think this is good news.
When I had my video rental store, we toyed with the idea of placing raspberry stickers on their picks. The "Paul's Picks" in Reel 2 Reel stem from a similar in store idea that we had.
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SEAN PENN SHARES FILM'S DREAM OF DUCKING STARDOM
Jan 22, 7:29 PM (ET)
By DAVID GERMAIN
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Sean Penn's new movie casts him as a former rock star who turns his back on stardom and goes into exile overseas.
Penn can relate. He says he's thought often enough about ducking out of the limelight.
"This Must Be the Place" had its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where Penn first came 27 years ago with "The Falcon and the Snowman."
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, "This Must Be the Place" stars Penn as Cheyenne, a raven-maned, mascara-caked former pop icon whose look was inspired by Robert Smith of the Cure.
After his father's death, lost soul Cheyenne embarks on a road trip to track down a former Nazi who brutalized his dad in a concentration camp.
The film opens in the U.S. in March.
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I think we can all relate with Sean Penn. There have been days I wanted to duck out of my life in one form or another. He could run for office. That will filter his limelight differently.
With each debate, I would be more likely vote for a celebrity. Dothey know the real world? They breifly visit and portray reality. That is more than you say for most of the candidates.
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JACKSON'S 'HOBBIT' DOUBLES FILM SPEED TO 48 FRAMES
Jan 23, 11:21 AM (ET)
By DAVID GERMAIN
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Peter Jackson is making his hobbits and dwarves march double-time in his "The Lord of the Rings" prequel, which he's shooting in a faster film speed than the Hollywood standard.
Jackson hopes the 48-frames-a-second rate - twice the 24 frames that has been the custom since the 1920s - will help bring about a gradual transition to faster speeds that can bring more life-like images and action to the screen.
Digital cameras allow for shooting at 48 frames or faster, reducing the flickery, blurry effect known as strobing that can come with 24-frame filming.
Jackson talked about his two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, where he premiered the documentary "West of Memphis," produced by him and his wife, "Hobbit" co-writer Fran Walsh.
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I knowledge of film making may rival that of film festivals. They both fscinate me. Seeing the effect of doubling the film speed will be interesting. But my gut says no because of view beleif -- "If it aint broke, don't fix it."
So why am always fussing with the web site? My satisfaction is always short lived. It never really lives up to my expectations. Yet I am not a purfectionist. This leaves me to be as confused as you are.
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SPIKE LEE FLUSTRATED BY LACK OF DIVERSITY IN FILM
Jan 23, 7:57 PM (ET)
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Spike Lee just premiered the fifth film in his "continuing chronicles of Brooklyn, N.Y.," at the Sundance Film Festival, but the filmmaker is still frustrated at the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry.
Lee said Monday that in the "upper echelons of television and studios, it's 1950. It's Eisenhower."
He says there is much work to be done before the film industry reflects the diversity of the United States. He noted that the U.S. Census shows that "white Americans will be a minority by 2045, maybe sooner," and said it makes "good business sense" for companies, including entertainment companies, to diversify their workforce.
Lee unveiled "Red Hook Summer" on Sunday to a full house that included such guests as Chris Rock, Alfre Woodard and Cuba Gooding Jr.
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Is Hollywood racist? I have heared for years. They argue that they only make films the public wants to see. Some say that the Box Office disputes this. I read that George Lucas encountered opposition to "Red Tails." But some would say "What about Tyler Perry." Hollywood seems to love him.
- Paul

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Monday, January 23rd 2012

12:04 AM

Movie goers still favor "underworld" theme @ Box Office!

Movie goers still favor the underworld theme. But they have kicked it up a notch by switching from 'Contraband' to 'Underworld.' I thought 'Red Tails' would take the top spot. Maybe next week.

'UNDERWORLD' SINKS TEETH INTO BOX OFFICE WITH $25M

Jan 22, 3:54 PM (ET)

By CHRISTY LEMIRE
 
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kate Beckinsale is back with a vengeance, with her latest "Underworld" movie opening at No. 1 this weekend.
"Underworld Awakening" made an estimated $25.4, distributor Sony Screen Gems reported Sunday.
This is the fourth film in the vampire action saga. Beckinsale starred in the first two movies as the warrior Selene, then bowed out of part three but returned for this latest installment. "Underworld Awakening" was shown for the first time in 3-D as well as on IMAX screens, where it made $3.8 million. That's 15 percent of the film's weekend gross, which is a record for an IMAX digital-only run.
Sony had hoped the film would end up in the low-$20 million range. But Rory Bruer, the studio's president of worldwide distribution, says the fact that it did even better - despite a snow storm that hit much of the Midwest and East Coast - primarily has to do with Beckinsale's return.
"She is such a force. Her character - you just can't take your eyes off of her. I know the character is very dear to her, as well, and she just kills it," Bruer said. "The 3-D aspect of the film also brings something, makes it a fun, visceral ride."
Opening in second place was "Red Tails" from executive producer George Lucas, about the Tuskegee Airmen who were the first black fighter pilots to serve in World War II. It made an estimated $19.1 million, according to 20th Century Fox, which was well above expectations; the studio had hoped to reach double digits, said Chris Aronson, executive vice president of domestic distribution.
"I believe what George Lucas has stated all along: This is an important story and a story that must be told. It is a true story of American heroism and valor and audiences have really responded to this message," Aronson said. "People want to feel good about themselves, they want to be uplifted. We have enough hard crud going on in this country right now. Times are tough, and if we look back and are told a story of some really fantastic deeds, that's really compelling moviegoing."
Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said a grass-roots effort to get groups of people into the theaters to see "Red Tails," along with positive word-of-mouth, helped its strong showing. The film saw an uptick from about $6 million on Friday to $8.65 on Saturday.
Overall box office is up 31 percent from the same weekend a year ago, Dergarabedian said, thanks to new releases as well as movies like "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," which had limited runs for awards consideration at the end of 2011 and are now expanding nationwide. The 9/11 drama from Warner Bros., starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, came in fourth place with $10.5 million.
Last week's No. 1 film, the Universal smuggling thriller "Contraband" starring Mark Wahlberg, dropped to the No. 3 spot with $12.2 million. It's now made $46.1 million in two weeks. Meanwhile, Steven Soderbergh's international action picture "Haywire" from Relativity Media, starring mixed martial arts superstar Gina Carano in her first film role, opened in fifth place with $9 million, which was above expectations.
"This is a great, perfect January weekend. You've got these holdover films and newcomers creating an overall marketplace that people are really responding to," Dergarabedian said. "It sounds cliche but this marketplace really has something for everyone."
As for worldwide box office, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" has now crossed the $700 million mark. The first half of the finale of the girl-vampire-werewolf love triangle franchise has grossed an estimated $701.3 million in global box office receipts since its release last November, according to Lionsgate, which recently acquired Summit Entertainment, which distributes the series.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Underworld Awakening," $25.4 million ($13.4 million international).
2. "Red Tails," $19.1 million.
3. "Contraband," $12.2 million.
4. "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," $10.5 million.
5. "Haywire," $9 million.
6. "Beauty and the Beast (3-D)," $8.6 million.
7. "Joyful Noise," $6.1 million.
8. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $5.5 million. ($9.4 million international).
9. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $4.8 million. ($18.1 million international).
10. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," $3.75 million ($15.7 international).
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Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $18.1 million.
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," $15.7 million.
"Underworld Awakening," $13.4 million.
"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $9.4 million international.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $9.3 million.
"Puss in Boots," $8.7 million.
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," $8.2 million.
"War Horse," $7.3 million.
"The Descendants," $6.2 million.
"The Darkest Hour," $5.1 million.
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Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.rentrak.com
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AP Movie Writer Christy Lemire can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/christylemire/ 

Don't forget about our Reel 2 Reel subscriber contest. Subscribe today and enter the contest. You could be one of 5 lucky winners of free software. This software currently sells for $35.

- Paul

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Wednesday, January 18th 2012

12:03 AM

CES shows off new gadgets 4 gamers.

News is rolling in from the Consumer Electronics Show. Gamers are going to see some new toys. But there is not much there for the movie buffs. Read on....

GADGET WATCH: CONTROL A PC WITH BODY MOTIONS

Jan 13, 2:16 PM (ET)

By PETER SVENSSON
 
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Don't trash your keyboard and mouse just yet. But three companies at the International Consumer Electronics Show demonstrated depth-sensing cameras that let you to control your computer by moving your hands or body.

Microsoft's Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 console has already popularized these cameras for gaming. Now, the technology is being set loose for use on other devices. However, like many gadgets shown at the annual Las Vegas-based extravaganza of phones, PCs and TVs, the cameras aren't quite ready for the mass market.
The companies showed off their cameras to give software developers and gadget makers a chance to work with the technology and incorporate it in their products. For the rest of us, it's a taste of what the future might hold.

WHY IT'S HOT: The cameras represent another challenge to the keyboard-and-mouse regime, which is already being eroded by touch screens. If you're in front of a depth-sensing camera, you don't have to touch the screen to control it with your fingers or hands. (This works with non-depth-sensing cameras as well, but they're not as good at figuring out what you're doing.) At the PrimeSense booth, visitors could browse and play the contents of a digital video library with hand gestures - basically, anything you'd do with a mouse today. The Israeli company's camera goes into the Kinect and is now sold separately as the Asus Xtion.

BEHIND THE LENS: The cameras can tell how far away things are in their field of vision. PrimeSense does this by sending out an invisible pattern of light, and registering how it's deformed when it hits objects. SoftKinetics' camera works almost like radar, but with light: it sends out infrared light and measures how fast it comes back. Where it takes longer, it figures out that that part of the image is further away.

THE DOWNSIDE: If you buy one of these now, there isn't much you can do with it, unless you're a software developer. The Asus Xtion comes with a few simple Kinect-like games for your PC. For all of these cameras, the depth-sensing range is limited to about 12 feet, and at the far end of the range, accuracy is reduced. That means finger gestures may not be picked up from across the living room.

AVAILABILITY: Microsoft said it will start selling a "Kinect for Windows" camera starting Feb. 1st, for $249. Asus started selling the Xtion in December for $149. SoftKinetics, a Belgian company, started selling its camera around the same time for $499. 

BEST IN SHOW: 6 GADGETS THAT DEFINED CES

Jan 13, 4:01 PM (ET)

By PETER SVENSSON
 
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Cheaper tablets, thinner laptops and an array of sleeker TVs stood out at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

More than 140,000 people gathered there this week, for an event that's growing despite the absence of Apple and more recently, the decision by Microsoft to make this the last year it participates.
A bevy of celebrities, including 50 Cent, Will.i.am, and Kelly Clarkson, stopped by to add glitz to the proceedings _but they were hardly the stars of the show. Here are some of the more significant gadgets that shined at CES:

Cheaper tablets - The industry's enthusiasm for tablets was considerably tempered this year compared to last, when more than a hundred manufacturers thought they could capitalize on the iPad's success with their own models based on Google Inc.' Android software. Sales were disappointing, in large part because Apple prices the iPad relatively low compared to the cost of making it. Then, late last year, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) (AMZN) demonstrated that you can take on Apple by selling a smaller, barebones tablet for $199. Analysts believe Amazon sold millions of Kindle Fires in little more than a month.

Now, Asian manufacturers are hoping to jump on Amazon's bandwagon. One of those companies, Taiwan's AsusTek Computer Inc., showed off a tablet with a Fire-sized screen and said it would sell it for $249. It's considerably more powerful than the Fire, sporting a premium "quadcore" processor. Still, one of the things that made the Fire a success - Amazon's library of e-books, music and movies - will be missing.

Nokia Lumia 900 - In recent years, the world's largest phone maker, Finland's Nokia Corp., has practically been a no-show in the U.S. market. That's hurt the company badly. Now, it hopes to come back with smartphones that run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Phone software. The Lumia 900 is its first such phone for the AT&T network, and the first Nokia phone to use AT&T's faster wireless "LTE" network. In a sign of how much is riding on these phones, both the Microsoft and Nokia CEOs showed up for Monday's announcement. The companies didn't announce price or availability. T-Mobile USA, a smaller carrier, started selling a more modest Lumia this week.

Lenovo K800 - While Nokia's been shut out of the U.S. phone market, Intel Corp. (INTC), the world's largest chipmaker, has been shut out of phones entirely. Its PC chips use too much power to go into a smartphone: they'd drain the battery in no time. That's a big problem for the company, since PC sales are flat in the developed world, while smartphone sales are exploding. Now, Intel says a new line of chips is ready for smartphone use, and Lenovo Corp. of China is the first to take them up on it, with a smartphone to be sold in China in the second quarter. Outwardly, it's indistinguishable from any other touchscreen phone, and it runs Android.

Motorola Mobility, the phone maker that's being bought by Google, also committed to making phones and other devices with Intel chips. Without offering many details, the company said the new devices will be on the market in the second half of the year.

OLED TVs - Both LG and Samsung showed off 55-inch TVs with screens made from organic light-emitting diodes rather than the standard liquid crystals or plasma cells, and said they'll on sale this year. They didn't say what they would cost, but analysts expect the price to be upwards of $5,000.

The sets are long-awaited. OLED TVs have been on the horizon for some time, but they're difficult to manufacture in large sizes. They provide a high-contrast picture with highly saturated colors. They can also be very thin: LG's set is just 4 millimeters thick, or one-sixth of an inch.
Ultrabooks - Intel created the "ultrabook" as a marketing term for thin, light and powerful laptop computers. They're essentially the Windows versions of Apple's MacBook Air. PC makers have embraced the term enthusiastically. As a result, there were scores of ultrabook models on display at the show.

Two that stood out were the Lenovo Yoga, which has a touch-sensitive screen that bends backward to fold over completely, turning the device into a large tablet. It will launch with the new Windows 8 operating system later this year. The HP Envy 14 is a more conventional luxury model, and goes on sale Feb. 8, but has two details that set it apart: a sensor for Near-Field Communications Chips (which means you can transfer information from a similarly equipped phone by tapping it to the PC) and an audio chip that can communicate with some headphones to provide much better audio quality than Bluetooth. The Envy 14 will cost $1,400.

Bob O'Donnell, an analyst with research firm IDC, believes ultrabooks are "not a fad.""We absolutely see ultrabooks as being the future of notebooks," he said. However, O'Donnell thinks ultrabooks will really take off once they are priced at about $800, closer to the price of regular laptops.

Canon G1 X - The Japanese camera maker revealed a compact camera that pushes into professional camera territory. Its G line of relatively large compact cameras has been popular among enthusiasts, and the G1 X extends the range by including an image sensor that's more than six times larger than other models in the range. Sensor size is the most important factor for a camera's image quality, far more than the number of megapixels - 14, for the G1 X. It's the first camera to use a sensor of this type, which is only 20 percent smaller than the "APS-C" sensors used in single-lens reflex cameras, or SLRs (though some luxury compacts from other manufacturers use APS-C sensors). The G1 X will have a 4x zoom lens that retracts into the metal body, and will sell for $800. 

WEIRD GADGETS AT CES: MOTORIZED UNICYCLE, ANYONE?

Jan 16, 10:58 AM (ET)

By PETER SVENSSON
 
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A motorized, seat-less unicycle, a video game you control with your eyes, and a mind-reading headset that serves as a game controller were among the more bizarre gadgets being shown off at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show.
Some 3,100 exhibitors attended the show, and although there were plenty of mainstream technologies on display, the show attracted a fair share of off-beat gadgets. Here's a roundup of some of the weirdest devices:

- SOLOWHEEL. Picture a unicycle without a frame or saddle, and you have the Solowheel. Not working for you? Ok, add this to the picture: footboards that fold out from the wheel. To ride it, you stand on the footboards and straddle the wheel. Lean forward, and the wheel engages a battery-powered electric motor that can send it _and hopefully its rider- zooming along at 10 miles per hour. The wheel has a gyroscope that helps keep the rider upright. In other words, it's like a Segway with only one wheel.

Because of the rechargeable battery, which has a 15- to 20-mile range, the Solowheel weighs 26 pounds. That's as much as a folding bike, but the Solowheel is more compact. It's sold by Inventist LLC for $1,800. Its creator is a serial inventor, Shane Chen, previously came up with the AquaSkipper, a human-powered hydrofoil.

Who's it for? Brave people with a good sense of balance, who want to utterly surprise everyone they meet.

- FOAM FIGHTERS. Toy companies are eager to link their products with smartphone and tablet games, creating toys that are an amusing blend of virtual and real. Foam Fighters are made of two sheets of thin foam, painted and shaped like World War II fighter planes such as the famous Mitsubishi Zero. Toss them in the air, and they fly like paper airplanes. Better yet, you can attach them to a plastic arm with a suction cup that, in turn, sticks to the back of an iPhone, iPad or Android phone, right next to the camera. The airplane shows up on screen, and if you download a free app, the fighter plane will look like it's zooming around in war-torn skies, controlled by the movement of the phone or tablet. Foam Fighters go on sale in April. A pack of two, with a stand, will cost $10.

Who's it for: AppGear is aiming at kids, ages 8 to 12, but it could appeal to frustrated fighter pilots of all ages.

- HAIER BRAIN WAVE. The Chinese appliance company brought this wireless mind-reading headset to the show, and demonstrated how it could be used to control a TV set. It holds one sensing pad to the wearer's forehead and another that clips onto an earlobe. The big limitation is that the mind-reading capability (actually just measurement of brain waves) is crude. The set can only be used to sense if the user wants something to go up or down. For any other direction, you need the remote. In a demonstration of a simple maze-like game, the wearer guided a figure up or down with his mind, and right and left with the remote. Haier said it's developing something that lets the wearer change channels by thinking about it.
Haier is selling the set in China, but has no plans to bring it to market in the U.S.

Who's it for: No one outside of China, yet. Eventually, this could be a dream come true for the laziest of couch potatoes.

- EYE ASTEROIDS - Continuing on the theme of controlling electronics without moving, Swedish company Tobii brought its eye-controlled arcade game to the show. To play, you stand in front of it and look at a screen, where asteroids hurtle toward your battle station. It shoots laser beams at the asteroids you look at, destroying them. So yes, looks can kill.

The game cabinet contains cameras that track your gaze. The arcade game is really just a technology demonstration. What Tobii really wants is to have these gaze-tracking cameras built into laptops and other computers, so we can dispense with the mouse. But it does sell the game for $15,000.

Who's it for: Arcade owners who want the latest.

- SIGNA POWERTREKK - This New York company showed off an alternative to batteries: a fuel cell the size of a big sandwich, powered by small, light "pucks" of a silicon-based material that produces hydrogen when water is added. The fuel cell is expensive, at $200, but the pucks are cheap, at $12 for three. Each puck will produce the equivalent of six AA batteries of electricity. That means it can charge an iPhone twice, through the included cables.

SiGNa will be selling the cell through outdoor retailer REI this spring.
Who's it for: Campers, hermits and others who need to go a long time without electricity. 

...Sorry that Reel 2 Reel was delayed. Yahoo was having trouble. So I had to post it directly to Topica. One there, everything mailed as planned. Don't forget to enter the subscriber contest.

- Paul
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Monday, January 16th 2012

3:24 AM

"Contraband" swipes top spot @ Box Office

I hoped this earlier. But watching movies, baking muffins and what I watched of the awards show had me side tracked. Ricky Gervais was good but I still found the award show boring. 

'CONTRABAND' SWIPES NO. 1 SPOT AT BOX OFFICE

Jan 15, 2:23 PM (ET)

By DERRIK J. LANG

LOS ANGELES (AP) - "Contraband" managed to steal the top slot away from competitors at the weekend box office.
The Universal action drama film starring Mark Wahlberg as a reformed smuggler debuted above expectations at No. 1 with $24 million, while Disney's 3-D rerelease of "Beauty and the Beast" waltzed into the No. 2 position with $18.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Both films helped boost Hollywood's business after a sluggish holiday season.
"It's great to have an uptick in the total box office, and Universal is thrilled that 'Contraband' was the driving force behind that," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for the studio. "I think it's combination of a great marketing campaign, audiences love Mark Wahlberg and (producer) Working Title made a terrific movie, particularly for the cost."
"Joyful Noise," the Warner Bros.' musical comedy starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, opened below expectations with $11.3 million in the No. 4 spot behind Paramount's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," which earned $11.5 million in its fifth week, bringing the total haul of the fourth installment of the Tom Cruise action franchise to $186.7 million.

"The Devil Inside," Paramount's horror film that scared up a massive $33.7 million debut last weekend, experienced a steep 77 percent drop in its second weekend, coming in at No. 6 with $7.9 million. Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said the film's terrifying plunge didn't matter because the independently produced movie already made a huge profit.
"Horror movies typically drop big, but that is a huge drop," said Dergarabedian. "It doesn't matter because 'Devil Inside' is a profit-making machine. If your budget is low enough, who cares if it drops big and you're making money? It's already one of the most profitable films of the past year, so there's nothing really to complain about there."
Overall domestic revenues totaled $114.5 million, on par with the same weekend last year, when "The Green Hornet" led with $33.5 million and the box office totaled $115 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
---
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Contraband," $24 million.
2. "Beauty and the Beast," $18.5 million.
3. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $11.5 million.
4. "Joyful Noise," $11.3 million.
5. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $8.4 million.
6. "The Devil Inside," $7.9 million.
7. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $6.8 million.
8. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $5.8 million.
9. "War Horse," $5.6 million.
10. "The Iron Lady," $5.3 million.
---
Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
---
AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang/ 

Reel 2 Reel is on track and should be ready to roll late tonight. I have 2 entries already. So I urge you to head over to our web site and enter before the newsletter. 

http://www.adventurelandvideo.com/reel_2_reel.html

- Paul 
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Wednesday, January 11th 2012

4:07 AM

WB drives another nail in video store coffin!

Hollywood has no respect the video rental industry. They have not had this in some time. Today, about the only way to rent a DVD is mail order or vending machines. Sad but true.

Yes, the neighborhood video store will soon be as hard to find as a drive-in theater. Will either disappear entirely? I don't see this happening in our lifetimes. At least I hope not.

No one disputes that video streaming is here to stay. Certainly not me. But this is going to need more and faster broadband if it is to completely replace the DVD. 

I think Hollywood wants to end DVD rental entirely. Forcing us to stream movies or buy blu-ray. If they keep hiking the movie tickets, theaters will be the next to go.

Read on...

WARNER BROTHERS WILL MAKE OTHERS WAIT LONGER FOR DISCS

First Posted: 1/6/12 09:14 AM ET 
Updated: 1/6/12 10:35 AM ET

By Peter Kafka, Warner Brothers Will Make Netflix, Redbox, Blockbuster Wait Longer for New Movies via All Things D


Want to watch a new movie just out on DVD from Warner Brothers? You're going to have to buy it, or wait even longer to get it from Netflix or other disc renters.

A new deal between Time Warner's movie studio and Netflix, Redbox and Blockbuster will double the "window" for new releases. That means the services will now have to wait 56 days after the discs first go on sale to offer them to their customers, instead of 28 days.

The move is part of Hollywood's ongoing campaign to bolster flagging DVD sales, and sources tell me the new deal is supposed to be announced at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Warner Brothers executives have already talked publicly about extending the current window.

This is the second time that Warner has been able to get the rental services to wait before distributing its movies.

In 2010, it struck deals with Netflix, and later Coinstar's Redbox, to wait 28 days before renting its new discs. Coinstar and Netflix later landed similar pacts with most of the other big studios. (Coinstar did up end up in legal battles with Universal Studios and 20th Century Fox, which like this Web site is owned by News Corp.)

Two years ago, Netflix was able to argue that by delaying access to DVDs, it was able to get its hands on more streaming content, and lower prices for the discs it did buy. This time around, though, Warner won't be granting any additional digital rights to the studios. It will simply be offering them the ability to buy discs in bulk, at a significant discount to retail pricing, like they already do.

Earlier today, news broke that HBO, another Time Warner unit, would stop selling its DVDs to Netflix altogether, but sources tell me the two moves aren't directly related. Next week's planned announcement is supposed to be tied to Warner Brothers' continuing push for Ultraviolet, an industry consortium that's supposed to allow home video buyers to watch their purchases on multiple machines, in multiple formats.

Reps for Time Warner, Coinstar, Netflix and Blockbuster parent company Dish Network declined to comment.

Now, I have some exciting news for Reel 2 Reel subscribers. I found a partner for a monthly subscriber contest. The contest starts immediately. 

They are far more generous that what I had in mind. No less than 5 subscribers will be enjoying free software. You could win WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe valued at about $40.

Not a subscriber? Then subscribe today for your chance to win. http://www.adventurelandvideo.com/reel_2_reel.html
Don't forget to tell your friends.

- Paul
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Monday, January 9th 2012

7:51 PM

'Devil Inside' infiltrates Cruise's 'Mission'

Sorry for the delay. I intended for this to be posted before Reel 2 Reel was published. But better late than never I hope. There is renewed hope in Hollywood for a better Box Office....

'Devil Inside' lifts Hollywood spirits with $34.5M

Jan 8, 4:36 PM (ET)

By DAVID GERMAIN
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The fright flick "The Devil Inside" scared up a monstrous $34.5 million opening weekend to help Hollywood exorcise its recent box-office demons, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The surprise hit from Paramount Pictures debuted well above industry expectations as horror fans crowded theaters for the low-budget tale about exorcists trying to free a woman possessed by evil spirits.
Between "The Devil Inside" and solid results for holdover films, Hollywood's business soared over the first full weekend of 2012 after a sluggish holiday season that ended a ho-hum year at the box office.
Overall domestic revenues totaled $144 million, up 29 percent from the same weekend last year, when "True Grit" led with $14.6 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Paramount already is well into profit with "The Devil Inside," an independently produced movie that the studio bought for $1 million. It's the latest such low-budgeted horror acquisition for the studio, which bought "Paranormal Activity" cheaply and turned it into a $100 million sensation that was followed by two hit sequels.
Like "Paranormal Activity" and another Paramount hit released in January, "Cloverfield,""The Devil Inside" is a fictional tale shot in a mock documentary style.
According to Paramount, 59 percent of viewers for "The Devil Inside" were under 25 and 85 percent were under 35, prime viewers for Hollywood who had not turned up in their usual numbers for much of last year.
With a sales campaign that bypassed traditional newspaper and TV advertising in favor of online teasers and cryptic marketing, Paramount managed to intrigue young adults who have not been all that interested in the rush of family films and Academy Awards contenders that crowded into theaters over the holidays.
"The Devil Inside" was the only new wide release of the weekend after the holiday crush, historically a good time for something different to sneak in and become an unexpected hit, said Don Harris, head of distribution for Paramount.
"For that under-25, under-35 audience that's looking for something else, that first weekend in January has always been a great weekend to release a movie," Harris said. "When we saw that weekend open, we took it."
"The Devil Inside" bumped another Paramount hit, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," out of the top spot after two weekends at No. 1. "Ghost Protocol" slipped to No. 2 with $20.5 million, raising its domestic total to $170.2 million.
Just a day before "The Devil Inside" opened Friday, industry analysts had expected "Ghost Protocol" would remain No. 1 this weekend. The most optimistic forecasters figured "The Devil Inside" might manage $15 million, less than half the business it actually did.
"This one caught everyone looking, but the devil got his due," Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. "It's just very difficult to track the horror fan base, no question about it."
"The Devil Inside" is following the pattern of many horror movies, which pack in crowds on opening day then tumble quickly after that. With $16.85 million on Friday, "The Devil Inside" did nearly half of its business in the first day, with revenues falling to $11.75 million Saturday and an estimated $5.9 million Sunday.
Critics trashed "The Devil Inside," and even the fans who came out to see it gave it mixed to bad reviews. Paramount reported that 16 percent of the audience gave it an A grade, while 19 percent gave it an F. Two-thirds of the audience gave the movie a grade of C or lower.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Devil Inside," $34.5 million.
2. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $20.5 million ($27.7 million international).
3. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $14.1 million ($43.4 million international).
4. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $11.3 million ($12.6 million international).
5. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $9.5 million ($30.1 million international).
6. "War Horse," $8.6 million.
7. "We Bought a Zoo," $8.5 million.
8. "The Adventures of Tintin," $6.6 million ($5.3 million international).
9. "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," $5.8 million.
10. "New Year's Eve," $3.3 million ($5.3 million 

international).
---
Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $43.4 million.
2. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $30.1 million.
3. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $27.7 million.
4. "Puss in Boots," $18.2 million.
5. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $12.6 million.
6. "The Iron Lady," $6.2 million.
7. "J. Edgar," $6.1 million.
8. "The Darkest Hour," $5.6 million.
9 (tie). "The Adventures of Tintin," $5.3 million.
9 (tie). "New Year's Eve," $5.3 million.
---
Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.rentrak.com
---
Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp. (CMCSK); Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co. (DIS); Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp. (NWSA); Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc. (TWX); MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX); Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC. 

I'm not very happy with Hollywood right now. They have hammered the final into the video store coffin. More on this later in the week. I will post it here. 
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Sunday, January 8th 2012

12:31 AM

News & Notes and Celebrity Birthdays

I preferred the original 'Apprentice.' Knowing they needed the big break that Donald dangled before them made it real. Not that dislike 'Celebrity Apprentice.'

But I do have an idea for another 'Apprentice.' How about 'Teen Apprentice' where the cast competes for a fully paid scholarship? This could be as exciting as summer camp at a business school. 

TRUMP UNVEILS NEW 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' CREW

Jan 5, 3:28 PM (ET)

NEW YORK (AP) - Mob boss widow Victoria Gotti, singer Clay Aiken and IndyCar champ Michael Andretti are on tap for the next edition of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice."
Host Donald Trump announced the new batch of contenders on Wednesday's "Today" show. They also include "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast member Teresa Guidice, comedian Lisa Lampanelli, former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, rock star Dee Snider and "America Chopper" star Paul Teutul Sr.
Other contenders include radio host Adam Carolla, comedian Arsenio Hall, singer-actress Aubrey O'Day and magician Penn Jillette.
Rounding out the rivals are model Cheryl Tiegs, singer Debbie Gibson, "Star Trek" star George Takei, singer Tia Carrere, actress-model Patricia Velasquez and "Incredible Hulk" Lou Ferrigno.

"Celebrity Apprentice" returns for its new season Feb. 12.

http://www.nbc.com/the-apprentice/ 

I want to cheer for Charlie Sheen here. He really needed the good publicity of this and didn't take it. Would a politician do that? Especially during an election year when they need it? Nope, not on your life or mine.

SHEEN DONATES $25K TO ALABAMA TORNADO RELIEF

Jan 6, 2:16 PM (ET)

By JAY REEVES
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Actor Charlie Sheen quietly donated $25,000 to help tornado relief in Alabama, making good on a pledge to help survivors of the deadly twisters even though some had doubted his promises.
The head of Tuscaloosa's tourism agency, Don Staley, said a representative of Sheen recently turned over money that came in through a fundraising website that the actor set up after tornadoes last spring killed about 250 people in Alabama, including 52 in the west Alabama city.
Sheen wrote a check for about $15,000 after the website generated just $10,000 in contributions.
"He said he wanted to raise $25,000, and he made good on that," said Bob Maron, one of Sheen's managers.

Sheen visited Tuscaloosa after the April 27 twisters in response to messages from then-University of Alabama student David Harris, who had sent tweets to celebrities asking them to help out. Sheen - who had been fired the previous month from the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men" - talked about staging a relief show and celebrity ball game to raise $25,000.
Months passed and many of Sheen's plans didn't materialize, leading some to wonder whether he'd forgotten about the town of more than 80,000. But the actor donated the money without any public announcement around Dec. 1, said Donny Jones of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, which is helping manage the Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund, which received the donation.
Staley, who accompanied Sheen during his daylong visit to Alabama, said the actor just wanted to help.
"The man delivered," Staley said Wednesday. "He's a man of his word."
Tornadoes that ravaged the South last April badly damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Alabama.
After touring the destruction and visiting with survivors and relief workers, Sheen posted a photo and message on Twitter that called the scene "beyond words."
Sheen sent autographed photos and baseballs to Tuscaloosa along with DVD box sets of "Two and a Half Men" after his visit.
A website set up by Sheen to accept donations for Tuscaloosa through Paypal is no longer taking money, and Harris said he had assumed Sheen wouldn't follow through after losing touch.
"I tried to contact him and never heard back, so I just thought nothing would happen," Harris said. "I'm glad he helped out."
Maron said the actor's plans for a concert didn't pan out when performers backed out after a tornado decimated Joplin, Mo., just weeks after the Alabama outbreak.
"They said, 'Hey, we can't just single them out for attention, and Charlie felt the same way," Maron said Thursday.
 

NBC PLANNING SHOW FOR BETTY WHITE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY

Jan 6, 4:21 PM (ET)

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - Betty White says her plans for her upcoming 90th birthday might include "a little vodka on the rocks."
The tireless actress' big day on Jan. 17 seems to be exciting others more than her. NBC is airing a birthday special for White the day before and has also picked up a "Candid Camera"-like prank show featuring senior citizens called "Betty White's Off Their Rockers."
NBC hasn't put "Off Their Rockers" on the schedule yet. White says she's on hand to make sure producers don't make any of the humor mean-spirited. In most of the cases, young people are the butt of jokes in the show.

How does she do it? About the only person with more energy in Hollywood is Ryan Seacrest. I bet he is in awe considering their age difference. 

I want to remember another TV legend that would have been 100 this year -- Danny Thomas (1914-1991). He would have loved to have been here to celebrate 50 years of St. Jude. 

For more on Danny Thomas & St. Jude. See Reel 2 Reel next week. Don't forget to like us on Facebook too.

- Paul 

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Tuesday, January 3rd 2012

5:36 PM

Tom Cruise maintains his "Mission" in 2012!

I hope your new year has gotten off to a good start. Your first Reel 2 Reel for 2012 should be in your inbox. So I think that I'm off to good start. Here is the Top 20 to kick-off 2012...

Cruise's 'Mission' maintains altitude with $38.3M
Email this Story

Jan 2, 1:27 PM (ET)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tom Cruise is off to a good start for the new year with a second-straight No. 1 weekend at the box office.

Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" took in an estimated $38.3 million domestically over the long holiday weekend from Friday to Monday. That raised its total to $141.2 million.

"Ghost Protocol" also pulled in $37 million overseas to push its international total to $225.3 million and worldwide haul to $366.5 million.

The movie helped lift distributor Paramount to a record $5.17 billion in worldwide box office for 2011, topping the previous high of $4.8 billion set by Warner Bros. in 2010.

Paramount's 2011 hits included "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which took in $1.1 billion worldwide, along with "Thor,""Captain America: The First Avenger,""Kung Fu Panda 2,""Puss in Boots" and "Rango."

Finishing second again for the weekend was Robert Downey Jr.'s "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" with $26.5 million. The family sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" came in third with $21 million.

Rounding out the top-five were Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" at No. 4 with $19.2 million and David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" just behind at No. 5 with $19 million.

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Monday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com are:

1. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," Paramount, $38,325,000, 3,455 locations, $11,093 average, $141,214,000, three weeks.

2. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," Warner Bros., $26,510,000, 3,703 locations, $7,159 average, $136,514,000, three weeks.

3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," Fox, $21,000,000, 3,724 locations, $5,639 average, $97,359,335, three weeks.

4. "War Horse," Disney, $19,219,000, 2,547 locations, $7,546 average, $45,248,000, two weeks.

5. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Sony, $19,000,000, 2,914 locations, $6,520 average, $60,011,000, two weeks.

6. "We Bought a Zoo," Fox, $16,500,000, 3,163 locations, $5,217 average, $43,987,317, two weeks.

7. "The Adventures of Tintin," Paramount, $15,000,000, 3,087 locations, $4,859 average, $50,841,000, two weeks.

8. "New Year's Eve," Warner Bros., $7,735,000, 2,225 locations, $3,476 average, $47,397,000, four weeks.

9. "The Darkest Hour," Summit, $5,250,000, 2,327 locations, $2,256 average, $14,228,000, two weeks.

10. "The Descendants," Fox Searchlight, $4,250,000, 758 locations, $5,607 average, $40,274,646, seven weeks.

11. "The Muppets," Disney, $3,782,000, 1,541 locations, $2,454 average, $83,649,000, six weeks.

12. "Hugo," Paramount, $3,150,000, 951 locations, $3,312 average, $50,165,000, six weeks.

13. "Young Adult," Paramount, $2,700,000, 987 locations, $2,736 average, $12,667,000, four weeks.

14. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," Summit, $2,650,000, 1,411 locations, $1,878 average, $276,094,901, seven weeks.

15. "The Sitter," Fox, $2,255,000, 1,348 locations, $1,673 average, $26,899,061, four weeks.

16. "The Artist," Weinstein Co., $1,664,500, 167 locations, $9,967 average, $5,400,000, six weeks.

17. "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Focus, $1,428,726, 57 locations, $25,065 average, $4,298,998, four weeks.

18. "My Week With Marilyn," Weinstein Co., $1,173,933, 630 locations, $1,863 average, $9,184,000, six weeks.

19. "Puss in Boots," Paramount, $1,015,000, 389 locations, $2,609 average, $145,767,000, 10 weeks.

20. "Arthur Christmas," Sony, $900,000, 1,524 locations, $591 average, $46,118,000, six weeks.

---

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

---

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp. (CMCSK); Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co. (DIS); Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp. (NWSA); Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc. (TWX); MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions GateEntertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX); Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC. 


Do you love the thrill of auctions but you hate spending your hard earned money? I knew we had more than than our love of movies in common. Then you should join Listia.

http://www.listia.com/signup/1098810


I enjoy the movie category. My Facebook Friends constantly get dogged about what I have found there.

- Paul



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Thursday, December 29th 2011

3:37 AM

Box Office ticket sales fall to 16 year low!

Ticket sales continue fall. A recent discussion brought another interesting point. One person suggested it could the theaters. It seems the theater experience is not what it was.

The issues brought to my intention include way too many ads, rowdy & rude movie goers and uncomfortable seating. I have not been to a theater in about 4 years. What do you think?

I must say some of these were issues then. Especially seats and some movie goers. Ultimately, it was money that kept me going to the drive-in.

Please, respect other movie buffs. Watch the movie, kill the cell phones and keep it to a whisper. No one wants to pay to be miserable. They can do that any where - FREE! 

~~~~~

Movie crowds dip to 16-year low as apathy lingers

Dec 28, 3:29 PM (ET)

By DAVID GERMAIN
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hollywood has more tricks in its bag than ever with digital 3-D and other new film tools. Yet as the images on screen get bigger and better, movie crowds keep shrinking - down to a 16-year low as 2011's film lineup fell well short of studios' record expectations.

Through New Year's Eve on Saturday, projected domestic revenues for the year stand at $10.2 billion, down 3.5 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Taking higher ticket prices into account, movie attendance is off even more, with an estimated 1.28 billion tickets sold, a 4.4 percent decline and the smallest movie audience since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.

Just what has put the movie business in the dumps is anyone's guess - though safe bets include the tight economy, rising ticket prices, backlash against parades of sequels or remakes, and an almost-limitless inventory of portable and at-home gadgetry to occupy people's time.

The year got off to a dismal start with what could be called an "Avatar" hangover, when revenues lagged far behind 2010 receipts that had been inflated by the huge success of James Cameron's sci-fi sensation.

A solid summer lineup helped studios catch up to 2010, but ticket sales flattened again in the fall and have remained sluggish right into what was expected to be a terrific holiday season.

"There were a lot of high-profile movies that just ended up being a little less than were hoped for," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" has been part of an under-achieving lineup of family films for the holidays. "The fall was pretty dismal. There just weren't any real breakaway, wide-appeal films."

Big franchises still are knocking it out of the park. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the finale to J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic, was the year's biggest earner and the top-grossing film in the series at $381 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide.

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pulled in $352 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide, while "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" has climbed to $271 million domestically and $650 million worldwide.

Other franchises did well in 2011 but came up short of their predecessors on the domestic front, among them "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,""The Hangover Part II,""Kung Fu Panda 2,""Cars 2" and "X-Men: First Class."

Strong overseas business has helped make up for shrinking domestic revenues and declining DVD sales. But 2011 was the second-straight year that domestic attendance declined sharply, and audiences generally have been shrinking since 2002, when admissions hit a modern high of 1.6 billion.

It could be a case of the same-old same-olds, with fans growing tired of over-familiar characters and stories. It could be overcrowded weekends such as Thanksgiving, when studios loaded up on family films that cannibalized one another's audiences. It could be the economy, with fans growing more selective on how often they spend their spare cash to catch a movie, particularly at a time when so many films play in 3-D with premium ticket prices.

And it could be the times we live in, when audiences have so many gadgets to play with that they don't need to go to the movies as much as they once did.

"It's not any one thing. It's a little bit of everything," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros., whose Robert Downey Jr. sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has done solid business, yet is coming in well short of the first installment. "But consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money. The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities."

The year's animated slate failed to produce a $200 million hit, the first time that's happened since 2005. Likewise, comic-book superheroes slipped in 2011, the genre unable to deliver a $200 million hit for only the second time in the last 10 years.

Even Adam Sandler, one of Hollywood's most-bankable stars, had a mixed year, managing a $100 million hit with "Just Go With It" but barely crossing $70 million with "Jack and Jill."

Studio executives typically blame slow business on "the product" - weak movies that leave fans indifferent. But during the first few months of the year, when business lagged as much as 20 percent behind 2010's, studios were confident they had great product coming, with many executives predicting that 2011 would finish with record revenues, topping the all-time domestic high of $10.6 billion in 2009.

The movies themselves turned out fairly good, and surprise smashes such as "Bridesmaids,""The Help,""Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Smurfs" boosted business.

But the year was littered with duds ("Happy Feet Two,""Tower Heist,""Cowboys & Aliens"). And with only days left in 2011, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" is leading a batch of holiday releases that so far has done only so-so business, despite generally good reviews and high marks from the fans that are showing up.

Hollywood is left right where it was 12 months ago, finishing the year quietly and looking ahead to a promising lineup to turn its fortunes around next year.

Even more so than 2011's schedule once looked, the 2012 film list looks colossal. Among the highlights: the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises,""The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones'"Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.

That's just a small sampling of 2012's big-screen titles, which also include 3-D reissues of "Titanic,""Finding Nemo,""Beauty and the Beast" and "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."

Looking ahead, there's good reason for optimism in Hollywood. Looking back, though, the past year spells caution.

"I'm not prepared to be Chicken Little yet, but if the films coming in 2012 can't reverse this trend, then I think we need to reevaluate our expectations," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We are living in a different world today than we did in the mid-'90s in terms of the technology available to deliver media. That may finally be having an impact." 

~~~~~

What will be coming to Adventureland Video in 2012? We are growing offline too. Look for Adventureland @ eBay soon. My other goal is Adventureland On Location and Adventureland Cares among others.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

- Paul

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Monday, December 26th 2011

1:07 PM

Tom cruises to the top with "Mission Impossible."

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! My Christmas was reel fun. We watched back-to-back movies that afternoon & most of the night. Roughly 12 hours of great flicks.

Cruise takes quiet Christmas with $26.5M 'Mission'

Dec 25, 3:32 PM (ET)

By DAVID GERMAIN

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tom Cruise's latest mission has won a holiday weekend that's shaping up with some silent nights at movie theaters as business continues to lag.

Studio estimates Sunday placed Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" a solid No. 1 with $26.5 million domestically over its first weekend in full release. The movie raised its total to $59 million since it started a week earlier in huge-screen cinemas and expanded nationwide last Wednesday, and distributor Paramount estimated that revenues will reach $72.7 million by Monday.

Cruise's fourth "Mission" flick was a bright spot over a Christmas weekend filled with so-so tidings for Hollywood, whose usually busy holiday stretch since Thanksgiving has been a bust.

Generally well-reviewed movies from Steven Spielberg ("The Adventures of Tintin"), David Fincher ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") and Cameron Crowe ("We Bought a Zoo") - with casts that include Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Daniel Craig - opened with modest to weak results.

Despite predictions from studio executives that 2011 could be a record-setter that would finish with a bang, domestic revenues remained stuck at a sluggish pace that has lingered all year.

Hollywood should finish the year with $10.1 billion domestically, down 4.5 percent from 2010, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

The picture gets worse taking into account higher ticket prices, which mean Hollywood brings in fewer fans for each dollar spent. Actual domestic attendance for 2011 will close out at about 1.27 billion, down 5.3 percent from the previous year's and the lowest head count since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.

"Thank God 2011 is almost over, because we've had a real rough run here at the end of the year," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We always count on the holiday season to give us a big boost at the end of the year, and it just didn't happen.

"These admission numbers this year just tell me that we maybe have to set our sights a little lower in terms of attendance every year."

Since peaking at a modern high of 1.6 billion in 2002, domestic movie admissions have been on a general decline since.

Studio executives always insist that slow times result from weak films, but on paper, the strong lineup Hollywood presented this year should have had fans lining up in huge numbers. Pretty good films are out there this holiday season, yet blockbuster expectations fizzled, a sign that people might be skipping a trip to the theater in favor of home-viewing, video games or the countless other entertainment options their gadgets now offer.

Rising ticket prices, particularly the extra few dollars it costs to see 3-D films, also could be causing a backlash among fans.

With "Ghost Protocol" climbing toward the $100 million mark, it's a return to box-office form for Cruise, who had been Hollywood's most-dependable earner for two decades until he turned off fans with odd antics in his personal life six years ago.

"Ghost Protocol" will be Cruise's first top-billed $100 million hit since 2006's "Mission: Impossible III." He had a supporting role in 2008's $100 million comedy hit "Tropic Thunder," which was headlined by Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black.

Even with a No. 1 debut, "Ghost Protocol" still was a shadow of its predecessors. The first three "Mission: Impossible" movies ranged from $45 million to $58 million over opening weekend, but those installments opened at the start of the busy summer season.

As of Friday, "Ghost Protocol" also had brought in a healthy $118 million overseas.

Downey's "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" fell from No., 1 to No. 2 in its second weekend with $17.8 million. The family sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" dropped from second to third with $13.3 million.

Both sequels trail well behind the business their predecessors did. "A Game of Shadows," from Warner Bros., lifted its domestic haul to $76.6 million, while 20th Century Fox's "Chipwrecked" pushed its receipts to $50.3 million.

The weekend's newcomers failed to light up the box office, too. Fincher and Craig's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" from Sony was No. 4 with $13 million, Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" from Paramount was No. 5 with $9.1 million and Crowe, Damon and Johansson's "We Bought a Zoo" from 20th Century Fox was No. 6 with $7.8 million.

"Dragon Tattoo" raised its total to $21.4 million since opening Tuesday night, while "Tintin" lifted its take to $17.1 million since debuting Wednesday.

European literary exports "Dragon Tattoo," adapted from Stieg Larsson's Swedish best-seller, and "Tintin," based on Belgian artist Herge's storybook classics, are finding a lukewarm reception among U.S. crowds.

"Dragon Tattoo" has been a sensation among U.S. readers yet failed to challenge "Mission: Impossible" and the other established franchises at the top of the box office.

Beloved by generations of readers overseas, "Tintin" launched internationally two months ahead of its U.S. release. But the blockbuster global attention, with nearly $250 million already in the bank from foreign markets, did not translate to crowds in the United States.

The calendar made it a tough weekend for Hollywood, with Christmas Eve - always a slow night for movie-going - falling on Saturday, usually the best day of the week at theaters.
Christmas Day typically is a strong one for movies, as fans squeeze in a film between unwrapping presents and sitting down to family dinners.

Two big holiday releases - Spielberg's World War I epic "War Horse" and Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock's Sept. 11 drama "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" - opened Christmas Day, but estimates on their revenues will not be available until Monday.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $26.5 million.
2. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $17.8 million.
3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $13.3 million ($20.1 million international).
4. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $13 million.
5. "The Adventures of Tintin," $9.1 million.
6. "We Bought a Zoo," $7.8 million ($1.1 million international).
7. "New Year's Eve," $3 million.
8. "Arthur Christmas," $2.7 million ($9.7 million international).
9. "Hugo," $2.03 million.
10. "The Muppets," $2 million ($500,000 international).

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Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.rentrak.com
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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp. (CMCSK); Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co. (DIS); Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp. (NWSA); Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc. (TWX); MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX); Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC. 

I have always made movie gift baskets. Often using pizza boxes or rarely a popcorn tub. This year I used popcorn bags so I use less candy filler than usual. 

I will share the movies in future posts. Some of them maybe shared on our Facebook Page too. This week I plan to start our first Reel 2 Reel for 2012. 

- Paul
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