Movie Is My Life

Blu-ray 18th November Release8

2008-11-18T13:44:00.017+08:00

Wall-E (Three-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray]

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 98 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Overall Grade A must have collection

Genres: Animation, family
Starring: en Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, and Fred Willard
Director: Andrew Stanton

Plot Synopsis: Pixar genius reigns in this funny romantic comedy, which stars a robot who says absolutely nothing for a full 25 minutes yet somehow completely transfixes and endears himself to the audience within the first few minutes of the film. As the last robot left on earth, Wall-E (voiced by Ben Burtt) is one small robot--with a big, big heart--who holds the future of earth and mankind squarely in the palm of his metal hand. He's outlasted all the "Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class" robots that were assigned some 700 years ago to clean up the environmental mess that man made of earth while man vacationed aboard the luxury spaceship Axiom. Wall-E has dutifully gone about his job compacting trash, the extreme solitude broken only by his pet cockroach, but he's developed some oddly human habits and ideas. When the Axiom sends its regularly scheduled robotic EVE probe (Elissa Knight) to earth, Wall-E is instantly smitten and proceeds to try to impress EVE with his collection of human memorabilia. EVE's directive compels her to bring Wall-E's newly collected plant sprout to the captain of the Axiom and Wall-E follows in hot pursuit. Suddenly, the human world is turned upside down and the Captain (Jeff Garlin) joins forces with Wall-E and a cast of other misfit robots to lead the now lethargic people back home to earth. Wall-E is a great family film with the most impressive aspect being the depth of emotion conveyed by a simple robot--a machine typically considered devoid of emotion, but made so absolutely touching by the magic of Pixar animation. Also well-worth admiring are the sweeping views from space, the creative yet disturbing vision of what strange luxuries a future space vacation might offer, and the innovative use of trash in a future cityscape. Underneath the slapstick comedy and touching love story is a poignant message about the folly of human greed and its potential effects on earth and the entire human race. Wall-E is preceded in theaters by the comical short Presto in which a magician's rabbit, unfed one too many times takes his revenge against the egotistical magician.

Disc Features:
Disc One:

Audio Commentary - The standard DVD edition of 'Wall•E' includes an audio commentary with director Andrew Stanton.
Short Film: "Burn•E" (HD, 7 minutes) - A beautifully-animated and whimsical Pixar short is included, called "Burn•E." The short is also viewable in a PIP mode that includes running storyboards for the entire short.
Short Film (HD, 5 minutes) - An additional Pixar short is included, for an imaginative and visually-gorgeous little magician's tale called "Presto." I liked it even better than "Burn•E."
Theatrical Trailers (HD) - Finally, there are a ton of trailers for other Disney titles, including 'Pinocchio,' 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,' 'Earth' and 'Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,' as well as a 'Disney Parks' promo spot.

Disc Two:

The extras on disc two are divided into two sections, first "Robots," then "Humans." All materials are in full 1080 HD, with English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and subtitle options.

Deleted Scenes (HD, 23 minutes) - The "Humans" section kicks off with four quite meaty scenes here, which you can play individually or as a group (with introduction by Stanton). The scenes are a mix of wholly completed and rendered scenes, and some in more raw states of completion. The four scenes are: "Garbage Airlock," "Dumper," "Secret Files," and "Docking."
"Behind-the-Scenes" Featurettes (HD, 9 minutes) - This three-part documentary gives us a fairly thorough visual overview of the conception and production of 'Wall•E.' Interviews with Stanton and most of the main Pixar crew are intercut with extensive making-of footage shot during the story development, animation, and post-production processes. "The Imperfect Lens: Creating the Look of Wall•E" (14 minutes) covers the beginning stages of visual design. "Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up" (19 minutes) dissects the creation of the film's entire soundtrack, which was constructed completely in the studio. Finally, "Captain's Log: The Evolution of Humans" (8 minutes) goes in-depth into the conceptualization and rendering of the film's human characters.
BnL Shorts (HD, 9 minutes) - Full-length versions of the three short films watched by Wall•E in the film are presented here uncut and fully-animated. The three shorts are: "Captaining the Axiom," "Operation Cleanup" and "Meet the BnL Bots."
Gallery (HD) - These extensive still galleries are divided into four sections: "Character Design," "Layouts & Backgrounds," "Visual Development" and "Publicity." The images are quite extensive, and including both conceptual art and more fully-rendered drawings. In total, I counted over a hundred different images. (Note there is also a "Play All" function that will automatically advance you through all the stills in the gallery.)
Documentary: "The Pixar Story" (HD, 88 minutes) - Curiously, the best extra of this entire set is practically hidden in the disc's menus. It's in the "Humans" section, but on a second page that you have to scroll down to even access -- is Pixar trying to hide it?) Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, this is a fantastic documentary on the history of Pixar Studios.
Vignette: "Wall•E's Treasures & Trinkets" (HD, 5 minutes) - The "Robots" section begins with this oddity.

Sneak Peek : "Wall•E's Tour of the Universe" (HD, 1 minute) - This mock preview spot is a cute promo for the walle.com website.
Bot Storybook (HD) - A sort of bizarre, animated interactive game, this can be viewed as a short stand-alone montage, or a "Play Along" mode allowing you to interact with the visuals on the screen.
Bot Files (HD) - This is essentially a still gallery, with individual animated visual files for 28 different robots seen in the film. Each robot gets a 360-degree visual spin of the robot, with a narrator filling us in on some interesting facts about the machine.
Trailers (HD) - Finally, four trailers for 'Wall•E' are included - three domestic, and one French-Canadian promo.

Disc Three:

Digital Copy - Finally, a third DVD disc is offered that contains a DisneyFile (aka Digital Copy) version of the film in 480p standard-definition. The DisneyFile copy is compatible with PCs, PSP and iTunes.

Tropic Thunder (Unrated Director's Cut)[Blu-ray] [Blu-ray]

DreamWorks Home Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr., Jack Black
Director: Ben Stiller

Plot Synopsis: It's not really a knock to say that nothing in Tropic Thunder is funnier than its first five minutes, so sly that--especially for people watching in theaters--you don't realize right away they are the opening minutes of the movie.

This outrageous comedy begins with a series of fake previews, each introducing one of the main characters in the film-proper (not that there's anything proper about this film) and each bearing the familiar logo of a different motion picture studio: Universal, DreamWorks SKG, et al. Such playing fast and loose with corporate talismans verges on sacrilege, but it's an index of how much le tout Tinseltown endorses the movie as a demented valentine to itself. The premise is that the cast of a would-be "Son of Rambo" movie shooting in some Southeast Asian jungle get into a real shooting war with drug-smuggling montagnards. Don't ask--though the movie does have an answer--why such highly paid, usually ultra-pampered personnel as superhero Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), Mozart of fart comedy Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), hip-hop artist Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), and five-time Oscar-winner Kirk Lazarus from Aus-try-leeah (Robert Downey Jr.) should be running through the jungle unattended and very vulnerable. It matters only that the real-life cast has a high time kidding their own profession and flexing their comedic muscles. Bonus points go to Stiller for co-writing the script (with Justin Theroux) and directing, and to Downey, brilliant as a white actor surgically turned black actor for his role and utterly committed to staying in character no matter what ("I don't drop character till I done the DVD commentary"). Be warned: The movie, too, is committed--to being an equal-opportunity offender. Its political incorrectness extends not only to Lazarus's black-like-me posturing but also Speedman's recent, Sean Penn–style Oscar bid playing a cognitively challenged farmboy--or, in Lazarus's deathless phrase, "going the full retard." Others in the cast include Steve Coogan as a director out of his depth, Nick Nolte as the Viet-vet novelist whose book inspired the film-within-the-film, Matthew McConaughey as Speedman's sun-blissed agent back home, and Tom Cruise--bald, fat-suited, and profane--as an epically repulsive studio head. Two hours running time is a mite excessive, but otherwise, what's not to like?

Disc Features:
• Audio commentary with Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr
• Featurettes: "Blowing Shit Up," "The Hot LZ," "7 Cast of Tropic Thunder" features, "Make-up test with Tom Cruise")
• "Full Mags" with Optional Intro by Ben Stiller and editor Greg Hayden
• MTV Movie Awards clip
• "Rain of Mandess" trailer
• DreamWorks Public Service Announcement

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (+ Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Teen

Starring: Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrara, Alexis Biedel, Blake Lively
Director: Sanaa Hamri

Disc Features:
• Featurette: "Go Jump Off A Cliff"
• Additional Scenes
• Gag Reel

The Universe: The Complete Season 1 [Blu-ray]

A&E Home Video / 2006 / 705 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Documentary

Awake [Blu-ray]

Weinstein Co. / 2008 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Horror

Starring: Jessica Alba, Hayden Christensen

Plot Synopsis: Sexy and suspenseful, Awake turns the disturbingly real phenomenon of "anesthetic awareness" -- in which surgery patients, though completely paralyzed, are conscious of everything they are experiencing, including the pain -- into a "completely absorbing" thriller (Roger Ebert). When failed anesthesia leaves a rich young tycoon (Hayden Christensen, Star Wars) alert but immobilized during open-heart surgery, he overhears a devious plot to have himself killed. Co-starring Jessica Alba (Sin City) and Academy Award-nominee Terrence Howard (Crash), Awake does "for operations what Jaws did for the beach"

Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special [Blu-ray]

Image Entertainment / 2007 / 85 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Jeff Dunham

Plot Synopsis: Jeff Dunham and his cast of characters join to make Christmas very special - and hilarious - like only they know how. All new show also includes never-before-seen material with numerous DVD extras, including the music video, "Roadkill Christmas." Share this must-have event with the entire family for Christmas and all year long!

Disc Features:
• Behind-the-scenes material
• Music video: "Roadkill Christmas"

Southland Tales [Blu-ray]

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2006 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi

Starring: Curtis Armstrong, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake
Director: Richard Kelly

Plot Synopsis: Well, filmmakers should aim high, they say. And Richard Kelly shot the moon on his highly-anticipated follow-up to cult sensation Donnie Darko, which expands the apocalyptic mood of that movie and blows it up tenfold. Set during the election season of 2008, Southland Tales proposes a series of apparently linked events: the reappearance of a vanished movie star (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), now an amnesiac; the bizarre doubling of a policeman (Seann William Scott in two roles); the development of an energy source from ocean waves; and the presence of an Iraq War veteran (Justin Timberlake) who seems to be watching everything, and narrating some of it. Not that the narration helps; even with voice-over (reportedly added after the film's disastrous debut at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival), Southland Tales doesn't come close to making sense, let alone at the minimum level of dangling a carrot to lead the audience along (even Mulholland Drive had a semblance of murder mystery to be solved, or not). The cast is loaded with Saturday Night Live cut-ups, but only Jon Lovitz connects, and in other roles people like Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christopher Lambert, Bai Ling, and John Larroquette are utterly mystifying, by no fault of their own. In some of the musical sequences Kelly gets in stride, but it's easy to create drama in a three-minute music video, and harder to do over two and a half hours. Some top critics rushed to champion the movie, as though flying in the face of philistinism, so feel free to try out this incoherent pastiche for yourself.

Disc Features:
• Audio commentary by director Richard Kelly
• Featurette: "USIDent TV: Surveying the Southland"
• Still Gallery: "Southland Tales: The Prequel Saga Graphic Novel"
• Short Film: "This Is The Way The World Ends"

Encounters at the End of the World [Blu-ray]

Image Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Documentary

Starring: Werner Herzog
Director: Werner Herzog

Plot Synopsis: Just about anywhere Werner Herzog goes becomes an interesting place, in part because the director shapes it with his distinctively sardonic eye. In Encounters at the End of the World, the 'Zog heads off to Antarctica, finding there a population of unusual people, hallucinatory underwater life, and penguins. He doesn't appear on camera, but the unmistakably Teutonic Herzog voice is very much with us all the time, a baleful tour guide for this blank destination. In the human outposts of Antarctica, Herzog finds the kind of people you might expect would gravitate to the edge of existence--the curious, the oddball, the wanderers who've run out of other places to explore. He finds some deadpan hilarity, especially in filming a communication drill involving people practicing blizzard conditions (they wear buckets over their heads while roped together). The underwater photography (a realm previously explored in Herzog's The Wild Blue Yonder) is by Henry Kaiser, and it meshes perfectly with the director's interest in alien eye-scapes. And when Herzog finally does find penguins, his imagination goes to the idea that some penguins go insane, scurrying off into their own suicidal directions. This isn't as arresting a film as Grizzly Man, but it is an entertaining travelogue spiked with quirky observations.
Disc Features:
• Audio Commentary with Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser and Peter Zeitlinger
• 6 featurettes
• Interview with Werner Herzog hosted by Jonathan Demme

The Who At Kilburn: 1977 [Blu-ray]

Image Entertainment / 1977 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Music

Starring: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend
Disc Features:
• Complete London Coliseum gig
• Additional footage

Priceless [Blu-ray]

First Look Home Entertainment / 2008 / 102 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Drama

Starring: Gad Elmaleh, Audrey Tautou
Director: Pierre Salvadori

Plot Synopsis: On the French Riviera, nothing comes cheap. And when it comes to men, Irene has very rich taste. One very confusing night, she is duped at her own game. Her knight in shining armor turns out to have no shine at all. Irene, however, is the woman of Jean's dreams. The only way to win her heart back is to turn the tables on her. Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code, Amelié) stars in a romantic comedy that proves true love is PRICELESS.

Mirrormask [Blu-ray]

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated PG
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Adventure, Animated, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Stephanie Leonidas, Jason Barry, Rob Brydon
Director: Dave McKean

Revolver (2005) [Blu-ray]

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Crime, Drama

Starring: Jason Statham
Director: Guy Ritiche

Disc Features:
• Audio Commentary
• Featurettes
• Deleted Scenes
• Alternate Ending and Opening
• Outtakes

Lucky Number Slevin [Blu-ray]

Weinstein Co. / 2007 / 109 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Genres: Action, Comedy

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Sir Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Stanley Tucci)
Director: Paul McGuigan

Disc Features:

Director’s Commentary

Additional Commentary -- A second commentary features actors Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu, with comments from writer Jason Smilovic added after the fact.

Making Lucky Number Slevin (SD, 13 minutes) – This neatly constructed featurette includes interviews with the cast and crew that trace the development of the film.

Deleted Scenes and Alternate Ending (HD, 21 minutes) -- This lengthy collection of cuts and extensions were wisely removed from the film.

Theatrical Trailer

James Bond Rules Worldwide Box Office

2008-11-17T11:59:00.001+08:00

MovieWeb - Movie Photos, Videos & More

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The latest James Bond thriller dominated the box office in much of the world during the weekend, boosted by a record opening in North America, distributor Columbia Pictures said on Sunday.

"Quantum of Solace" sold $70.4 million worth of tickets in its first three days of release across the United States and Canada. Industry pundits had forecast an opening in the $60 million range.

The record for a Bond opening in North America was held by "Die Another Day," which earned $47.1 million during its first weekend in November 2002. That film was the last one starring Pierce Brosnan.

"Quantum of Solace" and its 2006 predecessor "Casino Royale," which opened to $40.8 million, starred Daniel Craig. The laconic English actor has invested the famed agent with a darker, more complicated personality.

The new film also earned $56.1 million in 73 countries during the weekend. Having begun its international run two weeks ago, the foreign total now stands at $251.6 million. With a worldwide haul of $322 million, the film is fast approaching the $594 million tally of "Casino Royale."

BOND RULES BRITAIN, FRANCE

Britain was the top foreign market with sales to date of $64.1 million, while Germany and France have each kicked in about $26 million. "Quantum" has already earned more in France than "Casino Royale" did during its entire run there, Columbia said.

The $200 million film was directed by Swiss-German filmmaker Marc Forster, who made his name with smaller pieces such as the Oscar-winning domestic-abuse saga "Monster's Ball" and the James Barrie melodrama "Neverland."

While critics have approved of Bond's less-campy demeanor, they were less than enthused about the plot of new film. Bond travels the world battling a villain (French actor Mathieu Amalric) looking to control natural resources. Along the way, the vengeful hero earns the enmity of the British and U.S. spy agencies.

The Wall Street Journal described the film as "a model of mediocrity," while the Washington Post said it was an "often visually incoherent travelogue of revenge and trumped-up angst."

The film is billed as a 50/50 partnership with closely held Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Columbia, a unit of Sony Corp, oversaw production, marketing and distribution and funded most of the $200 million production budget. MGM has ancillary rights, such as DVD distribution.

Elsewhere in North America, last weekend's champion "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" slipped to No. 2 with $36.1 million. After 10 days, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc's cartoon sequel has already earned $118 million -- 18 percent ahead of the pace of its 2005 predecessor, which finished its run with $193.6 million.

There were no other major new releases. But in the art-house world, "Slumdog Millionaire" earned $350,434 from 10 theaters in six cities. On a per-theater basis, it earned 72 percent more than "Quantum of Solace." British filmmaker Danny Boyle directed the film about an Indian slum-dweller who competes on a "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"-type game show.

The film, which has generated some Oscar buzz, was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, a unit of News Corp.

#	Title	Nov 14 - 16	Weeks	Cumulative	Distributor

1	Quantum of Solace	$ 70,400,000	1	$ 70,400,000	Sony
2	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	36,130,000	2	118,018,000	Paramount
3	Role Models	11,710,000	2	38,137,000	Universal
4	High School Musical 3: Senior Year	5,879,000	4	84,392,000	Buena Vista
5	Changeling	4,247,000	4	27,625,000	Universal
6	Zack and Miri Make a Porno	3,200,000	3	26,519,000	Weinstein Co.
7	Soul Men	2,428,000	2	9,449,000	MGM
8	The Secret Life of Bees	2,400,000	5	33,689,000	Fox Searchlight
9	Saw V	1,786,000	4	55,399,000	Lionsgate
10	The Haunting of Molly Hartley	1,650,000	3	12,696,000	Freestyle

Quantum of Solace In Theaters This Week 14th November

2008-11-14T13:40:00.003+08:00

Quantum of Solace
Copyright © 2008 Columbia Pictures, MGM

"Quantum of Solace" continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in "Casino Royale."

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organisation which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organisation.

On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). Using his associates in the organisation, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land.

In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organisation.

	November 14th, 2008
	Marc Forster
	Robert Wade, Neal Purvis
	Daniel Craig, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Giancarlo Giannini, Anatole Taubmann, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko
	Columbia Pictures, MGM
	Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
	007.com
	PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content
	1 hour 46 minutes

Check out all the trailer from this link: screamvideo.blogspot.com/2008/10/quantum-of-solace-exclusive.html

Collect your favourite James Bond Collection now on Blu-ray:

Tough new Bond girl divides fans, reignites debate

2008-11-14T13:38:00.000+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Another Bond film, another debate about the role of women in the long-running franchise.

In "Quantum of Solace," released in the United States on Friday, Olga Kurylenko's character Camille has been held up as a model female foil for today's 007 -- tough, independent, modern.

She shares the movie poster with James Bond, is on a dangerous mission of her own and, unlike most other leading ladies, does not end up in bed with the fictional secret agent.

Not everyone is impressed, however, with several critics calling for more sex, not less, and fan sites arguing that the majority of Bond women, Camille included, are of little consequence to the plot or popularity of the movies.

Rolling Stone magazine, in its review, called Camille "perhaps the dullest Bond girl ever."

The portrayal of Bond women has been argued over since the 22-film franchise kicked off with "Dr. No" 46 years ago, and descriptions of the characters have ranged from under-dressed fodder for a misogynist master spy to feminist icons.

When Bond producer Barbara Broccoli recently described as "progressive" some of the early female leads, who had careers and were sexual predators in their own right, Fay Weldon, a writer associated with feminism, was quoted as saying:

"These films were attempts by men to keep women in their place and to ensure they still ironed their shirts."

Samantha Weinberg, author of stories about the life of Bond character Miss Moneypenny, jumped to Broccoli's defense.

"Seduction is a two-way street, and as frequently as not, the Bond women were the hunters and 007 their prey," she wrote in the Daily Mail. "Good on them."

WOMEN OF THEIR TIME?

Ukraine-born Kurylenko believes Camille differs from most earlier Bond women.

"Now the Bond girl has become very different, and mine is very different," said the actress, who turns 29 this week.

"This one had a lot more things involved, much more than the others did," Kurylenko told Reuters in a recent interview. "She's very strong, almost an equal to Bond, very feisty, has her own mission, independent. She's just a strong woman."

Bond aficionados argue that while there has been no steady progression from submissive "eye candy" to assertive, independent characters, Bond women tend to reflect the times in which they appear.

"As times change, so does the approach to how Bond's foils are developed," said Tom Buxton of Bond fan site www.mi6.co.uk.

"Political sensitivities have to be considered whilst pushing boundaries at the same time.

"It wasn't until 1973 that Bond was seen in his first inter-racial relationship. During the 1980s ... when the AIDs epidemic was high on the global agenda, there was a conscious design to tone down Bond's rate of conquests. It took 35 years before the lead Bond girl was Asian."

But for Graham Rye, editor of 007 Magazine and author of "The James Bond Girls," Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green in Craig's first outing as Bond two years ago, eclipsed Camille's "paper thin" character.

"I think the story of Casino Royale, where Bond falls in love with her (Lynd) and she with him, will appeal to women more than a film where he just has sex three or four times."

He added that for all the talk of Camille's strength and independence, the other leading lady in Quantum of Solace, agent Fields, ends up in bed with Bond with almost unseemly haste. [Source from: reuters.com]

Godfather Rules High Def Awards 2008

2008-11-13T12:45:00.009+08:00

2008 High-Def Award Winners:

Best of Show: The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Collection
Best Theatrical Blu-ray: Iron Man
Best Catalog Blu-ray: The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Collection
Best Animated Blu-ray: Ratatouille
Best Picture Quality: Ratatouille
Best Audio Quality: Transformers
Best Bonus Feature: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, "Enter the Maelstrom"
Best Overall Extras: Heroes: Season 2
Best Use of BD Live: Men in Black
Best Collection/Multidisc Set: Harry Potter: Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set
Best Nontheatrical Blu-ray: Stargate: Continuum
Best Nonfiction Blu-ray: Step Into Liquid
Judges' Special Citation — Best Demonstration Disc: I, Robot

LOS ANGELES — Despite joining the Blu-ray Disc camp just after the end of the format war this year, Paramount Home Entertainment scored huge wins at the second High-Def Disc Awards.

The studio’s new The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Collection Blu-ray boxed set won for best of show and best catalog title. The Marvel Studios production Iron Man won for best theatrical Blu-ray title, and DreamWorks’ Transformers Blu-ray won for best audio quality. It’s the second straight audio win for Transformers; the title won last year with its HD DVD version.

The High-Def Disc Awards luncheon was part of HD-3, a one-day conference held Nov. 11 at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. HD-3 was produced by Home Media Magazine in cooperation with The Hollywood Reporter.

A panel of critics determined the winners from submissions of Blu-ray Disc titles released between Oct. 1, 2007, and Sept. 30, 2008.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s Ratatouille also took home two awards, for best picture quality and best animated title.

Because of Blu-ray’s high storage capacity and potential for extensive extras, three awards were devoted to bonus materials. Best overall extras went to Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s Heroes: Season 2 Blu-ray boxed set. Best single bonus feature went to the “Enter the Maelstrom” visual effects breakdown on Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. A new category, best use of BD Live, was won by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Men in Black.

To highlight the synergy of Blu-ray Disc players with home entertainment systems, judges bestowed a special award to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s I, Robot, calling it an ideal disc to demonstrate the capabilities of an HDTV.

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 8th November

2008-11-13T12:28:00.005+08:00

Top Blu-ray Sales 8th November 2008
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday
Get Smart (+ Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] [Warner Bros/ 110 minutes/ PG-13]

RANK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR, SRP)
1	GET SMART
2	JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
3	IRON MAN
4	THE INCREDIBLE HULK
5	INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
6	TINKER BELL
7	CASINO ROYALE COLL. EDITION
8	THE POLAR EXPRESS PRESENTED IN 3-D
9	FUTURAMA: BENDER'S GAME
10	TRANSFORMERS

Top DVD Sales 8th November 2008 Get Smart (2 Disc Special Edition) [Warner Bros/ 110 minutes/ PG-13]

THIS WEEK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)	RATING
1	GET SMART	PG-13
2	TINKER BELL	G
3	SHREK THE HALLS	NR
4	JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH	PG
5	THE INCREDIBLE HULK	PG-13
6	INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL	PG-13
7	IRON MAN	PG-13
8	SLEEPING BEAUTY 50TH ANNIVERSARY PLATINUM EDITION	G
9	BARBIE IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL	NR
10	MADAGASCAR	PG
11	KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL	G
12	THE STRANGERS	R
13	THE FAMILY GUY: VOL. 6	NR
14	YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN	PG-13
15	ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS	PG
16	SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE	R
17	HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2	NR
18	THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS	PG
19	FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL	R
20	THE POLAR EXPRESS	G

"Quantum of Solace" set to blast U.S. box offices

2008-11-13T12:01:00.001+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Even before new James Bond flick "Quantum of Solace" blasts into U.S. movie theaters this Friday, industry watchers are expecting it to earn big bucks at box offices and easily top previous 007 film "Casino Royale."

The film is the 22nd in the lucrative series that dates to 1962's "Dr. No" and altogether has grossed over $4 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices when totals are adjusted for inflation, according to boxofficemojo.com.

"Quantum of Solace," in which the British secret agent battles a villain looking to control natural resources, already has topped box office charts in Europe and other markets.

It debuted in London about two weeks ago, and took in a record-breaking 15.4 million pounds ($25 million) on its opening weekend. So far, it has collected more than $160 million in over 60 international markets.

"This is arguably the most anticipated movie of the holiday season and therefore expectations are quite high," said Paul Dergarabedian of box office watcher Media by Numbers. "I think we are going to see tremendous numbers."

Dergarabedian did not predict an opening weekend figure, but he said "Quantum of Solace" was "certainly on track" to equal or beat "Casino Royale," which debuted with $40.8 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales in November of 2006.

"Casino Royale" introduced actor Daniel Craig as the new James Bond and went on to become arguably the biggest Bond ever with $167 million in the U.S. and Canada and another $426 million internationally for a global total near $594 million.

Dergarabedian noted U.S. box offices have been on a roll lately with five of the past six weekends beating year ago comparisons. Last weekend family film "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" opened to an eye-popping $63 million.

"The fact is, there was so much moviegoing last week that it just enhances the prospects for Bond," he said.

So far, reviews have been mostly good with the film scoring a 76 percent positive rating on Web site rottentomatoes.com, which aggregates movie reviews.

But critical reaction matters little to opening weekend ticket sales for event movies like "Quantum of Solace," which rely on studio marketing to lure crowds to theaters.

The Bond movies are co-produced by EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc and distributed by Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Blu-ray 11th November Release

2008-11-11T12:55:00.018+08:00

Hellboy II: The Golden Army [Blu-ray]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Action, Comic Book, Fantasy

Starring: Selma Blair, Ron Perelman
Director: Guillermo Del Toro

Disc Features:
• Audio Commentary with Director Guillermo del Toro
• Audio Commentary with Cast Members Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair & Luke Gross
• Troll Market Tour with Guillermo del Toro
• Production Workshop
• Animated Comic Zinco Epilogue
• Comic Book Builder
• Still Gallery
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro

Disc 2
• Video Prologue II
• Hellboy: In Service of the Demon
• Marketing Campaign
• Digital Copy Script

Plot Synopsis: The feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm.

Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic.
Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death.

Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies.

HD Exclusive Content:
• Scene Explorer: Schufftan Goggle View
• Director's Notebook
• Set Visits
• Concept Art Gallery
• My Chat (BD Live)
• My Scenes Sharing (BD Live)

Also available:
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set [Blu-ray]

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (+ Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated G
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Animated, Science Fiction

Disc Features:
• "The Clone Wars: The Untold Stories" - preview stories, vehicles, planets, and battles of Season One of The Clone Wars TV Series, on TV Fall 2008

HD Exclusive Content:
• Interactive Game: "Take the Hollogram Memory Challenge"
• "A Creative Conversation" Video Commentary

Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]

HBO Home Video / 2001 / Unrated

Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: War, action-drama

Plot Synopsis: An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows a company of airborne infantry--Easy Company--from boot camp through the end of the war. The brutality of training takes the audience by increments to the even greater brutality of the war; Easy Company took part in some of the most difficult battles, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the failed invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the liberation of a concentration camp and the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. But what makes these episodes work is not their historical sweep but their emphasis on riveting details (such as the rattle of a plane as the paratroopers wait to leap, or a flower in the buttonhole of a German soldier) and procedures (from military tactics to the workings of bureaucratic hierarchies). The scope of this miniseries (10 episodes, plus an actual documentary filled with interviews with surviving veterans) allows not only a thoroughness impossible in a two-hour movie, but also captures the wide range of responses to the stress and trauma of war--fear, cynicism, cruelty, compassion, and all-encompassing confusion. The result is a realism that makes both simplistic judgments and jingoistic enthusiasm impossible; the things these soldiers had to do are both terrible and understandable, and the psychological price they paid is made clear. The writing, directing, and acting are superb throughout. The cast is largely unknown, emphasizing the team of actors as a whole unit, much like the regiment; Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston play the central roles of two officers with grit and intelligence. Band of Brothers turns a vast historical event into a series of potent personal experiences; it's a deeply engrossing and affecting accomplishment.

Sukiyaki Western Django [Blu-ray]

First Look Home Entertainment / 2007 / 98 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Action packed

Starring: Kaori Momoi, Koichi Sato, Quentin Tarantino, and Takaaki Ishibashi
Director: Takashi Miike

Plot Synopsis: The prolific Takashi Miike co-wrote and directed this strikingly postmodern remake of Sergio Corbucci's 1966 Spaghetti Western, Django. The story is much the same, but the highly stylized fusion of Japanese gangsterism and operatic musings on the Western form makes for a wild and unexpected cult movie. Still, there is not much here beyond the film's relentlessly creative surface, making Sukiyaki a bit wearying. Feuding for centuries, the Genji and Heiki clans both arrive in a 19th century Nevada town, determined to find hidden treasure rumored to be there. In the midst of their fighting comes a solitary gunslinger (Hideaki Ito) courted by each clan to work for them. When he refuses, the cross-currents of betrayal and murder escalate, and hidden truths behind at least one tragedy, and the real identity of an unlikely shooter, come to the surface. The film's energy, dynamic camerawork and almost tongue-in-cheek performances are fun and admirable, and Miike has a fascinating sense of composition. The story gets a little soft just past the halfway point and Miike attempts to fill the void with exhausting new ways of filming bloody mayhem for its own sake. Quentin Tarantino has a small role as a mystery man with a link to these events.

Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

Fox Home Entertainment / 2002 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Science Fiction, Television

Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Summer Glau
Director: Joss Whedon

Plot Synopsis: Set 500 years into the future, in the wake of a universal civil war, “Firefly” centers on the crew of Serenity, a small transport spaceship that does not have a planet to call home. Captain Malcom “Mal” Reynolds, a defeated soldier who opposed the unification of the planets by the totalitarian governed Alliance, will undertake any job – legal or not – to stay afloat and keep his crew fed.

Disc Features:
Disc 1:
• Audio commentary by executive producer Joss Whedon and actor Nathan Fillion ("Serenity Pt. 1 & 2")
• Audio commentary by executive producers Joss Whedon and Tim Minear ("The Train Job")
• Audio commentary by writer Jane Espenson, actress Morena Baccarin and costume designer Shawna Trpcic ("Shinding")
• Featurette: "Here's How It Was: The Making of "Firefly'"

Disc 2:
• Audio commentary by executive producer Tim Minear and director David Solomon ("Out of Gas")

Disc 3:
• Audio commentary by actors Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk ("War Stories")
• Audio commentary by actor Alan Tudyk and actress Jewel Staite ("The Message")
• Audio commentary by executive producer Joss Whedon ("Objects in Space")
• Featurettes: "Serenity: The 10 th Character," " Joss Sings the “Firefly” Theme," "Joss Tours the Set")
• Deleted scenes
• Gag reel
• Alan Tudyk's audition

Chuck - The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Comedy, Television

Starring: Bonita Friedericy, Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski
Disc Features:
• Declassified Scenes
• 2 Featurettes: "Chuck's World," "Chuck on Chuck"
• "Chuck vs. the Chuckles" gag reel
• "Chuck's Online World": a gallery of web originated mini-featurettes

Supernatural - The Complete Third Season [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 720 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Television

Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles
Disc Features:
• Featurettes: "From Legends to Reality: Supernatural Effects," "Impala Featurette: A Look Inside the Classic 1967 Chevrolet Impala"
* Scene Specifics: Short Segments Showcasing Creative Team Members Discussing Favorite Aspects of Particular Episodes
* Ghostfacers! Confessionals Mini-Featurette Gallery
* Gag Reel * Plus a bonus offer for a Digital Copy of the entire season • Digital Copy

Harry Potter Years 1-5 [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Plot Synopsis: Contains 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,' 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,' 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.'

JFK [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 1992 / Rated R
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Drama, Politics

Starring: Kevin Costner, Sissy Spacek, Donald Sutherland
Director: Oliver Stone

Disc Features:
• "Behind the Story": Audio Commentary by Director Oliver Stone ' "Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy" documentary
• Multimedia Essays: "Assassination Update – The New Documents," "Meet Mr. X: The Personality and Thoughts of Fletcher Prouty"
• Deleted/extended scenes with commentary by director Oliver Stone
• Theatrical trailer

Soundstage: Sheryl Crow Live [Blu-ray]

Koch Distributing / 2007 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Genres: Music

Starring: Sheryl Crow

Plot Synopsis: Having sold well over 13 million albums, Sheryl Crow is recognized as one of today's truly distinctive voices. Sheryl Crow - Live captures the 5-time Grammy winner during her sold out 2003 tour.

Madagascar 2 Scores #1, James Bond Draw Moviegoers

2008-11-10T12:07:00.005+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The zoo animals of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" ruled the roost at the weekend box office in North America, while James Bond was the big shot across the rest of the world.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, DreamWorks Animation's "Madagascar" sequel sold $63.5 million worth of tickets in U.S. and Canadian theaters.

The three-day sum blew past forecasts of an opening in the $50 million range, as young children dragged their parents to see the latest exploits of Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer), and their pals.

Its 2005 predecessor, "Madagascar," opened to $47.2 million during its first three days, and finished with $193.6 million domestically.

Both films were distributed by Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures on behalf of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. The sequel cost $150 million to make and an additional $175 million to market worldwide, DreamWorks Animation said.

A DreamWorks official said it was too early to tell if there would be a third feature, but the studio was "definitely encouraged" by the start for the new film.

James Bond was the man of the moment everywhere else as "Quantum of Solace" claimed the top spot in all 60 of its foreign markets with a weekend haul of $106.5 million, distributor Columbia Pictures said.

It ranks as the second-biggest international weekend of 2008, behind the $146 million bow of the fourth "Indiana Jones" film, the studio said.

Daniel Craig's second outing as the super sleuth beat the opening for his 2006 debut "Casino Royale" in every market, in some cases with double the numbers.

#	Title	Nov 7 - 9	Weeks	Cumulative	Distributor

1	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	$ 63,500,000	1	$ 63,500,000	Paramount
2	Role Models	19,251,000	1	19,251,000	Universal
3	High School Musical 3: Senior Year	9,293,000	3	75,707,000	Buena Vista
4	Changeling	7,281,000	3	20,588,000	Universal
5	Zack and Miri Make a Porno	6,521,000	2	20,933,000	Weinstein Co.
6	Soul Men	5,620,000	1	5,620,000	MGM
7	Saw V	4,195,000	3	52,315,000	Lionsgate
8	The Haunting of Molly Hartley	3,490,000	2	10,235,000	Freestyle
9	The Secret Life of Bees	3,125,000	4	29,938,000	Fox Searchlight
10	Eagle Eye	2,594,000	7	96,401,000	Paramount

Kung Fu Panda On Blu-ray & DVD 9th Nov.08

2008-11-07T14:26:00.006+08:00

Place your order now!

What's a panda to do when his dreams of kung-fu awesomeness awake to the cold reality of noodle-making? Clumsy, overweight Po (Jack Black) dreams of becoming a kung fu master like China's revered "furious five," but instead seems destined to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in the restaurant business.
When great leader Oogway has a vision that the imprisoned kung fu warrior Tai Lung (Ian McShane) will soon escape, he declares it time to choose China's dragon warrior--one kung fu master deemed worthy of possessing the dragon's scroll and its secret to limitless power. Po and all the townspeople rush to the Jade Palace atop the highest mountain to witness the contest between Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogan), Crane (David Cross) and Viper (Lucy Liu), but Po is locked outside the palace. After a miracle of sorts, Po lands inside the palace gates, where he is chosen as the dragon warrior and placed under the tutelage of the decidedly non-plussed master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman).

An unconventional student to say the least, hilarity reigns as Shifu tries desperately to make Po into some semblance of a kung fu warrior. Can Po possibly fulfill his destiny as dragon warrior, or was Oogway's final decision a critical mistake? A film rich with hilarious moments, superior animation, and an important message about believing in oneself and the power that comes from within, Kung Fu Panda is great entertainment that will have the whole family laughing and begging for more.

In Theaters This Week 7th November

2008-11-07T14:11:00.005+08:00

Madagascar 2
Copyright © 2008 Dreamworks Animation

The sequel of the first movie, the New York Zoo Animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, still stranded on Madagascar, started to leave the island. All of a sudden, they landed in the wilderness of Africa. There, Alex soon meet the rest of his family and starting to have trouble communicating with them after much of his time at the Central Park Zoo.

	November 7th, 2008
	Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
	Etan Cohen
	Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Sherri Shepherd, Alec Baldwin, Will.i.am
	DreamWorks Animation
	Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
	madagascarmovie.com
	PG for some mild crude humor
	1 hour 29 minutes

Madagascar 1 is now on Blu-ray and DVD!

Role Models
Copyright © 2008 Universal Pictures

Wild behavior forces a pair of energy drink reps (Paul Rudd & Seann William Scott) to enroll in a Big Brother program.

	November 7th, 2008
	David Wain
	W. Blake Herron, Timothy Dowling
	Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Nicole Randall Johnson
	Universal Pictures
	Comedy
	rolemodelsmovie.com, myspace.com/rolemodelsmovie, facebook.com/pages/Role-Models/19705119619, davidwain.com/blog, sturdywings.org
	R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity
	1 hour 35 minutes

Soul Men
Copyright © 2008 Dimension Films

Jackson and Mac will play two former backup soul singers who are part of a famed group. They haven't spoken to each other in 20 years but reluctantly agree to travel together for a tribute performance in honor of their recently deceased band leader.

	November 7th, 2008
	Malcom Lee
	Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone
	Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sean Hayes, Sharon Leal, Jennifer Coolidge, Isaac Hayes, Affion Crockett, John Legend, Adam Herschman, Fatso Fasano, Jackie Long
	Dimension Films
	Comedy, Drama
	soulmen-movie.com
	R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity
	1 hour 43 minutes

"Madagascar" top destination for moviegoers

2008-11-07T12:59:00.000+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Hollywood should jump back into the win column this weekend with three diverse wide openers, led by "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa."

A built-in fan base and strong early reviews could help the DreamWorks Animation sequel outpace the 2005 franchise original's opening Friday-Sunday haul of $47.2 million. "Madagascar" bowed during a Memorial Day frame and thus posted a four-day opening of $61 million, en route to grossing $193.6 million overall domestically.

The Paramount-distributed sequel certainly should ring up at least $45 million-$50 million, but a big weekend of moviegoing could push the comedy even a bit higher.

"I think the movie has a real shot at opening over $50 million," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said. "The only real wild card is the weather. If it rains, that's great news for any film that plays to a family audience. But if it snows, it kills you."

Like its predecessor, the new "Madagascar" was co-directed by Eric Darnell -- who helmed 1998's "Antz" -- and Tom McGrath, who directed two episodes of "The Ren & Stimpy Show" before getting his big-screen break. Its voice cast again features Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Elsewhere among the weekend debuts, Universal unspools the raunchy comedy "Role Models," while MGM sends out the urban-skewing "Soul Men," starring the late Bernie Mac. Sales for the new films will be padded by grosses for holdovers including Disney's "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which has held the top spot for the past two weekends.

That should make for a combo powerful enough to outpace the comparable year-ago weekend, a $114 million frame whose top opener was Warner Bros.' seasonal comedy "Fred Claus" with a disappointing $18.5 million. Total sales marked a year-over-year decline last weekend for the first time in six sessions.

"Role Models" has been drawing quite a favorable response from critics, and prerelease tracking indicates solid interest among young male moviegoers for the Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd starrer, suggesting a bow in the low single-digit millions. Anything higher would seem unlikely with "Madagascar" hitting the marketplace and the Weinstein Co.'s R-rated comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" in just its second weekend.

"Soul Men" will be helped by core appeal among fans of both Mac and Samuel L. Jackson, and an inaugural weekend of as much as $10 million appears possible. (In an odd twist of fate, Mac actually has two films opening this weekend; he provides a voice in "Madagascar" as the father of Stiller's lead character Alex the Lion.)

Mac's death this year prompted helmer Malcolm D. Lee ("Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins") to add some poignant bio clips prior to the film's final credits. "Soul Man" also features the late Isaac Hayes in a smaller role.

Limited openers include this doozy: Lionsgate's campy rock musical "Repo! The Genetic Opera," which unspools in eight locations in six markets.

Rated R for gore and violence, "Repo" is based on a stage musical with songs composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich and a futuristic sci-fi theme. The cast includes pop songstress Sarah Brightman and Paris Hilton, with Darren Lynn Bousman ("Saw II," "III," "IV") directing.

Lionsgate plans a slow expansion over coming frames, hoping to spin a cult fan base built on word-of-mouth.

"If we're lucky, we'll turn it into a 'Rocky Horror' kind of film," Lionsgate distribution president Steve Rothenberg said. [Source from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 1st November

2008-11-06T14:13:00.004+08:00

Top Blu-ray Sales 1st November 2008
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2-D and Limited-Edition 3-D) [Blu-ray]

RANK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR, SRP)
1	JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
2	THE INCREDIBLE HULK
3	TINKER BELL
4	IRON MAN
5	INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
6	THE STRANGERS
7	CASINO ROYALE 2-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION
8	SLEEPING BEAUTY 50TH ANNIVERSARY PLATINUM EDITION
9	THE POLAR EXPRESS PRESENTED IN 3D
10	DEAD SPACE: DOWNFALL

Top DVD Sales 1st November 2008

Tinker Bell [Walt Disney Video/ Rated G/ 70minutes]

THIS WEEK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)	RATING
1	TINKER BELL	G
2	JOURNEY TO CENTER OF EARTH	PG
3	THE INCREDIBLE HULK	PG-13
4	INDIANA JONES: KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL	PG-13
5	IRON MAN	PG-13
6	THE STRANGERS	R
7	KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL	G
8	SLEEPING BEAUTY 50TH ANNIV. PLATINUM ED.	G
9	THE FAMILY GUY: VOL. 6	NR
10	THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS COLL. ED.	PG
11	YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN	PG-13
12	THE HAPPENING	R
13	PEANUTS HOLIDAY COLLECTION	NR
14	SEX AND THE CITY MOVIE	R
15	FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL	R
16	INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURE COLLECTION	NR
17	HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2	NR
18	THE L WORD: SEASON FIVE	NR
19	HELL RIDE	R
20	SAW IV	R

Marvel made too much money in latest quarter

2008-11-05T12:13:00.003+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Marvel Entertainment Inc was a victim of its own success Tuesday, reporting that money from the box office smash "Iron Man" has poured into its coffers earlier than expected.

That helped Marvel crush estimates for its third-quarter financial performance, though it also means the company will underperform expectations next year.

Investors took most of the trading session to decide whether the good news outweighed the bad. In the end, Marvel stock nearly sat out a powerful Election Day rally. Its shares finished up 1.9% at $31.45 on the New York Stock Exchange, about the midway point of its 52-week range.

Profit at Marvel rose 39% to $50.6 million on revenue that surged 48% to $182.5 million. About $60 million of those sales can be attributed to "Iron Man" revenue that Marvel originally predicted wouldn't be recognized until next year.

The superhero saga, starring Robert Downey, Jr., grossed about $580 million at the worldwide box office, and has been a huge hit on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

With no new Marvel-produced releases set for next year and a bunch of "Iron Man" money already accounted for, Marvel significantly reined in its 2009 forecast while beefing up its full-year 2008 forecast.

Marvel now sees revenue of up to $460 million next year, while analysts were looking for $610 million. For this year, revenue could go as high as $670 million, while it previously predicted about $480 million.

Marvel's next big theatrical events are "Iron Man 2" and "Thor" in 2010, and the company also expects that by the end of that year that its "Spider-Man" Broadway musical will have premiered.

"We are not funding the show but we are co-producing it and have a meaningful first dollar gross participation," said David Maisel, chairman of the Marvel Studios unit.

Marvel brass said they haven't seen any negative effects from a downshifting economy as far as its film division is concerned, though the downturn has cut into its comic book business a tad.

Executives also worried Tuesday about the ability of some partners to make and distribute Marvel-related toys and games.

"The real concern that we have on a global basis is the credit availabilities for all of our licensees that are manufacturers," CFO Kenneth West said. [Source from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

Life Season 1 Review [TV Series]

2008-11-04T20:38:00.006+08:00

Number of discs: 3
Rating:
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008

A quirky drama with moments of startling originality, Life: Season One concerns Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis of Band of Brothers), a cop who spent 12 years in federal prison for murders he did not commit. Exonerated by DNA evidence, Charlie receives a multimillion-dollar settlement for his troubles and returns to his old job, though now as a detective. Cleared of the crime, Charlie still faces skepticism from his law enforcement brethren and the impatience of a new partner, Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi), a former drug addict squeezed by her superior (Robin Weigert) to find reasons to boot Charlie from the force. None of this hostility, however, compares with the terrible time Charlie experienced behind bars, where a former cop is everyone's punching bag. Charlie's sanity, saved by studying Zen methods of non-attachment, remains with him after he is released into a digital world, Charlie has a lot of catching up to do, but it is his post-prison unorthodox manner and tendency to speak without thinking that prove jarring for colleagues and crime witnesses.

Still, it is easy to root for the guy and appreciate (non-attachment aside) his fondness for the good life: a mansion, fast cars, beautiful women, and lots of fresh fruit. The pilot episode is a knockout, the kind of show featuring moments one has never seen before, such as a scene in which Charlie is forced to shoot a suspect and then talks him through an almost dream-like death. Subsequent episodes are a little uneven in quality, but the overall package is quite compelling, particularly as Charlie quietly solves the mystery of the murders for which he was blamed. Throughout, Charlie's religious transformation in prison collides with his darker impulses toward possible revenge, making Life a fascinating study in conflict.

It's not a normal police drama indeed. Very twisted & impressive plot that will keep you entertain towards the end of the episode.
Overall rating: - Ibrahem.s

Wall E

2008-11-04T17:04:00.001+08:00

Blu-ray 4th November Release

2008-11-04T12:30:00.013+08:00

Get Smart [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 110 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Comedy, action

Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway
Director: Peter Segal

Disc Features:

Comedy Optimization Mode (HD)
Featurette: "The Right Agent for the Right Job: Behind-the-Scenes Training" (SD, 11 minutes)
Featurette: "Max in Moscow" (SD, 6 minutes)

Featurette: "Language Lessons: Spotlight on Linguistics" (SD, 4 minutes) -
Gag Reels (SD, 8 minutes) - Two blooper reels, "The Vomit Reel" and "Spy Confidential."

Sneak Peek (SD, 9 minutes)
Digital Copy (SD)

Trans-Siberian [Blu-ray]

First Look Studios / 2007 / 111 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Thriller

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara
Director: Brad Anderson

Plot Synopsis: A Trans-Siberian train journey from China to Moscow becomes a thrilling chase of deception and murder when an American couple encounters a mysterious pair of fellow travelers.

A Christmas Story [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 1983 / 93 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Comedy, family

Starring: Yano Anaya, Peter Billingsley, Les Carlson

Disc Features:

Audio Commentary - The late director Bob Clark and star Peter Billingsley contribute a screen-specific audio commentary that's pretty good.
Featurette: "Another Christmas Story" (SD, 29 minutes)

Additional Featurettes (SD, 18 minutes)
Script Pages

Theatrical Trailer

Amazon.com Exclusive: Caligula [Blu-ray]

Image Entertainment / 1980 / Rated X
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Periodic drama

Starring: Adriana Asti, Paolo Bonacelli, Mirella D'Angelo

Plot Synopsis: Remember the dumbstruck, jaw-dropped expressions on "Springtime for Hitler's" shocked opening-night audience in Mel Brooks's original film of The Producers? That will no doubt be your face through much of the two-and-a-half-hour running time of this infamous 1979 pornographic epic that was a (Penthouse) pet project of publisher Bob Guccione. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But don't take our word for it. Listen to Helen Mirren--yes, the Oscar-winning Queen herself--who stars as Caesonia, Caligula's third wife and "the most promiscuous woman in Rome" (and in this film's salacious vision of Pagan Rome, that is saying something). In her very gracious, thoughtful and candid audio commentary that alone is worth the price of this set, she remarks, "I think it's a movie that is unlike any other, which is difficult to achieve." And for those of a more prurient bent, she adds, "It has an awful lot of bottoms." Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) gives a brave and fearless performance as Caligula, the hated and feared emperor corrupted by absolute power and no doubt voted Most Likely to Be Assassinated. The film unflinchingly charts his plummet into madness and the brutality of his reign in scenes of hardcore sex and violence that cannot be described here ("I can't watch," Mirren cries to her interviewers over one scene in which unfortunate characters are beheaded by a blade-spinning combine. "I can't even listen to it"). Caligula is also a career curiosity for author Gore Vidal, who wrote the original screenplay, but later demanded his name be removed from the credits, and venerable actors Peter O'Toole, appearing briefly as the syphilitic Emperor Tiberius Caesar, and John Gielgud as Nerva, a Senator who'd rather take his own life than "live with this reptile." This controversial film's tortured history is untangled in a very helpful booklet that is packaged along with this set's three discs. One is hard-pressed to think of a more reviled film graced with such a gala presentation, but Caligula's defenders and the curious will be amply rewarded with both the original uncut theatrical version of the film and a re-edited alternate version. Supplementary material includes an hour of deleted footage, a pretentious "making of" documentary made during the film's production and a new interview with director Tinto Brass, whose softcore tendencies clashed with Guccioni's more extreme vision (Brass did not have final cut, allowing Guccione to insert more explicit footage into the film). McDowell contributes his own lively audio commentary. "God help us," he groans as the film begins, but by its bloody conclusion, he proclaims he has "no regrets at all" about making the film. Caligula, Mirren maintains, is "an irresistible mix of art and genitals." And you've got to hand it to Guccione. Especially in these politically correct times, it is still strong and scandalous stuff.

Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Collection [Blu-ray]

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / Unrated
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction

Starring: Charleton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter
Directors: Don Taylor, J. Lee Cobb

Disc Features:
• Audio Commentary by Composer Jerry Goldsmith
• Audio Commentary by Actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and Makeup
Artist John Chambers
• Text Commentary by Eric Greene and Author of "Planet of the Apes as American Myth"
• Documentary: "Behind the Planet of the Apes"
• Behind the Planet of the Apes Promo (1988)
• Planet of the Apes Makeup Test with Edward G. Robinson (1966)
• Roddy McDowall On-set Footage
• Planet of the Apes Dailies and Outtakes (No Audio)
• Planet of the Apes NATO Presentation (1967)
• Featurettes: "Planet of the Apes Vintage Featurette," "A Look Behind the Planet of the Apes (1972)," "Don Taylor Directs Escape from the Planet of the Apes," "J. Lee Thompson Directs Conquest of the Planet of the Apes"
• Six Original Theatrical Trailers
• Original Sketches by Costume Designer Morton Haack
• Still Galleries: "Photo Gallery," "Planet of the Apes Timeline," "Interactive Pressbooks," "Vintage Apes Newspaper Galleries," "Advertising and Lobby Card Galleries," "Behind-the-Scenes Galleries"

HD Exclusive Content:
• "Science of the Apes" picture-in-picture (Bonus View)
• Interactive Game: "Beyond the Forbidden Zone Adventure Game" (BD-Java)
• "A Public Service Announcement From ANSA"
• Featurettes: "Evolution of the Apes," "Impact of the Apes," "The Secret Behind Escape," "Riots
and Revolutions: Confronting the Times," "End of an Epic: The Final Battle"
• Isolated score track in 5.1 DTS Master Audio for each 'Apes' sequel

Planet of the Apes (40th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / Unrated
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Genres: Sci-fi, action, adventure

Starring:Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall
Director: Franklin J.Schaffner

Plot Synopsis: Many early science fiction films are now, quite inadvertently (and in most cases undeservedly), objects of camp attention: we laugh at the silly makeup, tin-can special effects, and the naive "high-tech" dialogue. Planet of the Apes is no such film. Its intelligent script, frightening costuming, and savagely effective conclusion (which needs no big-budget special effects to augment its impact) remain both potent and relevant. When Colonel George Taylor (the fabulous Charlton Heston) crash lands his spacecraft on what seems to be an unfamiliar planet, he is captured and held prisoner by a dominant race of hyperrational, articulate apes. However, the ape community is riven with internal dissention, centered in no small part on its policy toward humans, who, on this planet, are treated as mindless animals. Befriended and ultimately assisted by the more liberal simians, Taylor escapes--only to find a more terrifying obstacle confronting his return home. Heavy-handed object lessons abound--the ubiquity of generational warfare, the inflexibility of dogma, the cruelty of prejudice--and the didactic fingerprints of Rod Serling are very much in evidence here. But director Franklin Schaffner has a dark, pop-apocalyptic sci-fi vision all his own, and time has not dulled the monumental emotional impact of the film's climactic payoff shot. If you don't know what I'm talking about here, you owe it to yourself to check out this stone classic, and even if you do, see it with fresh eyes; and don't be surprised if you get the chills all over again... and again... and again.

Monster's Ball [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2001 / 113 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 4, 2008

Overall Grade

Genres: Drama

Starring:Halle Berry, Sean Combs, Billy Bob Thornton
Director: Marc Forster

Plot Synopsis: ’Monster’s Ball’ tells the story of a trio of men in a racially charged South: a racist correctional officer named Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton), his son and co-worker, Sonny (Ledger), and his father, Buck (Peter Boyle). When a family tragedy forces Hank to question his effectiveness as a father, his purpose in life, and the influence of his elderly father over the years, he finds a kindred spirit in a single mother named Leticia (Berry) who has experienced a terrible tragedy of her own. The two bond despite Hank’s prejudice and their relationship quickly escalates as sex and love begin to intermingle. As he grows closer to Leticia, Hank must contend with his father’s disapproval, overcome his own doubts, and come to terms with the man he has become.

Disc Features:

Audio Commentary Director Marc Forster and screenwriters Milo Addica and Will Rokos sat down before the release of the 2003 Signature Series DVD release for a thoughtful discussion about the genesis of the project, the story, casting, the production, and, ultimately, the film’s reception by the public.

Behind the Scenes (SD, 18 minutes) -- More an extended interview with producer Lee Daniels than a production featurette, this extra allows its candid subject to detail the history of ‘Monster’s Ball,’ the studio’s reaction to the material, and the obstacles the filmmakers had to overcome to accomplish everything they set out to.

Interviews (SD, 20 minutes)

Music for the Film (SD, 8 minutes) -- A suitably interesting featurette about the film’s score ported from the 2002 DVD.
Deleted Scenes (SD, 4 minutes)

On the Set (SD, 4 minutes) -- More a series of performance gaffes and asides, this short featurette plays like a production diary

Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes)

Almost Famous [Extended Edition] [Blu-ray] [2000]

Dreamworks / 2000 / 162 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 4, 2008

Genres: Drama

Starring: Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel, Patrick Fugit
Director: Cameron Crowe

Plot Synopsis: Writer-director Cameron Crowe brings the 1970s music scene to life with his semi-autobiographical story of a teen journalist who goes on the road with a rock band. Uncool 15-year-old William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is living every teenager's dream. He's touring with Stillwater, an up-and-coming rock band featuring lead singer Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) and charismatic lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) and writing about it for Rolling Stone magazine, whose editors are unaware of his young age. Though Miller's mentor, legendary rock critic Lester Bangs--portrayed with humour and heart by Philip Seymour Hoffman--cautions him not to befriend the musicians, Miller takes it a step further and befriends both the band and the Band-Aids--the girls who hang around with the band because they love the music. Newcomer Fugit is the perfect William Miller: baby-faced, slightly gawky, and an awestruck observer. Kate Hudson sparkles as Penny Lane, the leader of the Band-Aids, and Frances McDormand delivers a stellar performance as Elaine, Miller's protective and mildly paranoid mother. In the tradition of Say Anything and Jerry Maguire, Crowe's coming-of-age tale is intelligent, well written, and infused with humour in unlikely places.

Bond breaks British box office record

2008-11-04T12:28:00.001+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - The new James Bond film "Quantum of Solace" enjoyed a record opening weekend in Britain, earning 15.4 million pounds ($25 million) at the box office, Hollywood studio Sony Pictures Entertainment said on Monday.

The amount eclipses the previous record of 14.9 million held by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" released in 2005, Sony added in a statement. It also passes the total set by the previous Bond installment, "Casino Royale," which earned 11.4 million pounds in ticket sales over its three-day weekend opening in 2006.

In Quantum of Solace, the 22nd official Bond film and Daniel Craig's second outing as the suave secret agent, 007 crosses South America and Europe on an action-packed, stunt-filled mission to discover why the woman he loved betrayed him.

Despite mixed reviews, industry experts predicted Quantum of Solace would outperform Casino Royale, itself a big success earning $594 million in global ticket sales.

Quantum opened in Britain on Friday and is released in the United States on November 14. It is distributed by Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the media wing of Japan's Sony Corp. {Source from: reuters.com]

"High School Musical 3" Still No.1 for 2nd Week

2008-11-03T12:16:00.002+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" led the North American box office for a second weekend, while the comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" opened at No. 2, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

Overall sales were hampered by Halloween distractions on Friday. "High School Musical 3," for example, ranked at No. 5 that day, but it rebounded strongly on Saturday, and Sunday business was expected to remain brisk. In all, Walt Disney Co's teen-oriented musical earned about $15 million for the three-day period, taking its 10-day haul to $61.75 million.

Additionally, the latest installment in the song-and-dance franchise earned $26 million from No. 1 holds in each of its 26 international markets, Disney said; its foreign total rose to $85 million.

There will "very likely" be a sequel, but the format and cast have not been decided yet, said Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group.

"High School Musical 3," and its pair of preceding TV movies, made teen idols out of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale. The films were directed by "Dirty Dancing" choreographer Kenny Ortega.

AGGRESSIVE "PORNO"

"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" followed with $10.7 million, said closely held distributor Weinstein Co. Other studios, however, said that estimate was at least $1 million too high.

"There's no question that we're being a little bit aggressive," said Weinstein Co. distribution chairman Steve Bunnell, referring to the studio's estimate of Sunday sales. Final data will be issued on Monday.

Either way, the opening represented a considerable drop from those of star Seth Rogen's previous two comedy vehicles, the summer hit "Pineapple Express" ($23.2 million) and last year's "Knocked Up" ($30.7 million).

Rogen and Elizabeth Banks play cash-strapped roommates who test their platonic friendship by making a porn movie to pay off their bills. It was directed by Kevin Smith.

The horror film "Saw V" fell one place to No. 3 with $10.1 million, taking its 10-day haul to $45.8 million. The lucrative franchise was released by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

"Changeling," the latest Oscar hopeful from director Clint Eastwood and actress Angelina Jolie, jumped 16 places to No. 4 with $9.4 million in its first weekend of wide release,

The fact-based drama set in 1920s Los Angeles played to an audience comprised mostly of women over 30, said Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal Inc. Including its haul from a limited opening last weekend in nine markets, the total stands at $10.1 million.

Ever since "Changeling" made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Oscar buzz has been circling the picture. Jolie earned plaudits for her role as a single mother who battles the city's power structure after her son disappears. The high-profile actress generated similar awards buzz last year with "A Mighty Heart," but that film bombed and Oscar voters ignored it.

#	Title	Oct 31 - Nov 2	Weeks	Cumulative	Distributor

1	High School Musical 3: Senior Year	$ 15,035,000	2	$ 61,753,000	Buena Vista
2	Zack and Miri Make a Porno	10,682,000	1	10,682,000	Weinstein Co.
3	Saw V	10,112,000	2	45,839,000	Lionsgate
4	Changeling	9,407,000	2	10,087,000	Universal
5	The Haunting of Molly Hartley	6,000,000	1	6,000,000	Freestyle
6	Beverly Hills Chihuahua	4,747,000	5	84,061,000	Buena Vista
7	The Secret Life of Bees	4,000,000	3	25,287,000	Fox Searchlight
8	Max Payne	3,700,000	3	35,550,000	Fox
9	Eagle Eye	3,400,000	6	92,534,000	Paramount
10	Pride and Glory	3,260,000	2	11,616,000	Warner Bros.

Bond film opens with guns blazing in Britain

2008-11-02T18:57:00.000+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - The new James Bond film, "Quantum of Solace," debuted in Britain on Friday to record one-day ticket sales of 4.94 million pounds ($8 million), distributor Columbia Pictures said on Saturday.

The total tops "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the previous record holder with an opening day haul of 4.025 million pounds ($6.5 million) in 2005, and it also beat the 2.9 million pounds ($4.72 million) first-day total for the last Bond flick, "Casino Royale" (2006), Columbia said.

In "Quantum of Solace," British super spy Bond (Daniel Craig) is on a mission across South America and Europe to stop an eco-terrorist from controlling precious natural resources, and he wants to learn why the woman he loved in "Casino Royale" betrayed him.

"Casino Royale," was a huge box office success with a global haul of $594 million.

Friday's British opening of "Quantum of Solace" in 542 theaters will be followed by a November 14 debut of the film in the United States and Canada.

Columbia Pictures is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the media wing of Japan's Sony Corp. [Source from: reuters.com]

Blu-ray November 2008 Release

2008-11-01T21:59:00.002+08:00

November 04, 2008

A Christmas Story (Ultimate Collector's Edition) (Warner)
The Colt (Echo Bridge)
Futurama: Bender's Game (Fox)
Get Smart (2008) (Warner)
Henry Poole is Here (Anchor Bay)
IMAX: Extreme (National Geographic)
Monster's Ball (Lionsgate)
O.A.R.: Live from Madison Square Garden (Summit)
Planet of the Apes (1968) (Fox)
Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection (Fox)
This Christmas (Sony)
Transsiberian (First Look)
Universal Soldier (Lionsgate)
Vexille (FUNimation)

November 09, 2008

Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks)

In Theaters This Week 1st November

2008-11-01T21:34:00.007+08:00

Zack & Miri Make A Porno
Copyright © 2008 The Weinstein Company

Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) look to solve their respective cashflow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.

	October 31st, 2008
	Kevin Smith
	Kevin Smith
	Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Traci Lords, Jason Mewes, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, Jeff Anderson, Tom Savini, Katie Morgan, Craig Robinson, Kenny Hotz, Betty Aberlin, Gerry Bednob, Ricky Mabe, Jim Norton, Anne Wade, ose Leininger, imothy McGroarty, George Drennen
	The Weinstein Company
	Comedy, Drama, Romance
	zackandmiri.com
	R for strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language
	1 hour 41 minutes

The Haunting of Molly Partley
Copyright © 2008 Freestyle Releasing

In this tale of spell binding suspense, something evil lurks just beneath the lush surfaces of teenage girl's private school world - and it holds the rights to her very soul. Now, on the eve of her 18th birthday, Molly Hartley is about to discover the truth of just who, or rather what, it is she is destined to become...

	October 31st, 2008
	Mickey Liddell
	John Travis, Rebecca Sonnenshine
	Chace Crawford, Haley Bennett, AnnaLynne McCord, Jake Weber, Josh Stewart, Nina Siemaszko, Randy Wayne, Jessica Lowndes, Shannon Marie Woodward, Marin Hinkle
	Freestyle Releasing
	Horror
	thehauntingofmollyhartley.com
	PG-13 for strong thematic material, violence and terror, brief strong language and some teen drinking
	1 hour 26 minutes

Splinter
Copyright © 2008 Magnet Releasing

Trapped in an isolated gas station by a veracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror.

	October 31st, 2008
	Toby Wilkins
	Kai Barry, Ian Shorr, Toby Wilkins
	Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner, Charles Baker, Rachel Kerbs, Laurel Whitsett
	Magnet Releasing
	Horror
	splinterfilm.com
	R for violence/gore and language
	1 hour 22 minutes

The Other End of the Line
Copyright © 2008 MGM Pictures

India-America cross-cultural romantic comedy based on a Tracey Jackson screenplay, "Other End" centers around an Indian call-center operative who travels to San Francisco to be with a man she has only met over the phone.

	October 31st, 2008
	James Dodson
	Tracey Jackson
	Jesse Metcalfe, Shriya
	MGM
	Comedy, Romance
	theotherendofthelinemovie.com
	PG-13 for some suggestive material
	1 hour 46 minutes

"High School Musical 3" set for Halloween honors

2008-10-31T13:08:00.002+08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Once more with feeling?

Friday night's trick-or-treating could tie up a few prospective movie patrons, but it's hard to see how "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" can be kept from repeating atop the weekend box office in North America. A 50% drop would see the Disney hit fetch $21 million this session, and it's unlikely either of the frame's wide openers will top that.

The Weinstein Co.'s R-rated comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" seems to be tracking well enough in prerelease surveys of prospective patrons to produce an opening in the teen millions. But it appears Freestyle Releasing's PG-13 horror film "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" could be hurt enough by Halloween diversions that even a $10 million opening proves out of reach.

Meantime, Lionsgate's "Saw V" is likely to drop at least a bit further than 50 percent from last weekend's $30 million debut. The R-rated sequel still could grab second place during its sophomore session -- depending on how "Zack and Miri" performs.

"We're very optimistic," Weinstein Co. distribution boss Steve Bunnell said of opening prospects for the raunch-and-romance comedy. "We have very strong awareness, even in the competitive landscape."

Directed by Kevin Smith, "Zack and Miri" stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as cash-strapped platonic friends who decide to, well, make a porno. Executives hope cast talk-show stumping will help boost their film's opening haul. But though Rogen, Banks and Smith have been embraced by distinct fan bases, it's questionable whether any of the trio can deliver an audience based on their individual renown.

"Molly" appears to be the most disadvantaged by the holiday's costumed diversions, but Freestyle chief Mark Borde said he has his fingers crossed that the Halloween hex won't hit the horror film too severely.

"That's all we've been talking about," Borde said. "About a third of the camp says it won't have any effect, a third says it will have a good effect, and a third says it will hurt us. I think we might get a little stung on Friday, (but) we're praying for a little rain and cold."

"Molly" stars Haley Bennett ("College") in the title role.

Elsewhere this session, Universal expands Clint Eastwood's Angelina Jolie starrer "Changeling" to almost 1,900 locations, a week after it enjoyed a strong bow on 15 screens in nine markets. The drama will likely finish ahead of "Molly" on the weekend chart. Warner Bros. also sets Guy Ritchie's platforming "RocknRolla," to a barely wide 825 playdates, which could help the gangster release rumble with "Molly" for the next rung in the rankings.

The "Changeling" expansion bears particularly close watching -- for how the film is received by critics at the cusp of awards season and for how its box office performance bears on prospects for another Eastwood film. Warners recently slotted the Eastwood-helmed and -toplined drama "Gran Torino" for a limited bow December 17. [Source from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 25th October

2008-10-30T14:16:00.005+08:00

The home video charts were painted green last week as Universal's "The Incredible Hulk" debuted at No. 1 on all three charts.

The summer theatrical hit -- a kinder, gentler remake of the 1970s TV series than Ang Lee's 2003 version -- bumped the previous week's winner, Paramount's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," to the No. 2 position on all three charts.

"Hulk," which earned $134.5 million domestically, handily took the top spot on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart for the week ending Oct. 26, selling more than four times as many copies as the next-highest-ranked debutante, "The Strangers," also from Universal, which bowed at No. 3.

"Hulk" also topped Home Media Magazine's video rental chart for the week ending Oct. 26, though in rental stores it only generated about twice as many transactions as did "Strangers," which also bowed at No. 3.

"Hulk" scored its third win on the Nielsen VideoScan Blu-ray Disc chart.

Four weeks after its release, Paramount's "Iron Man" maintained an iron-fisted hold on the charts. The summer blockbuster -- like "Hulk," based on a Marvel Comics character -- finished the week as the No. 4 seller and renter, while on Blu-ray it held fast at No. 3, one notch higher than "Strangers." It remains the top-selling DVD of the year.

Incredible Hulk [Blu-ray]

Top Blu-ray Sales 25th October 2008
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday

RANK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR, SRP)
1	THE INCREDIBLE HULK
2	INDIANA JONES: KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
3	IRON MAN
4	THE STRANGERS
5	SLEEPING BEAUTY 50TH ANNIV. PLATINUM ED.
6	CASINO ROYALE 2-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION
7	THE HAPPENING
8	HALLOWEEN
9	TRANSFORMERS
10	THE ULTIMATE MATRIX COLLECTION

Top DVD Sales 25th October 2008

THIS WEEK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)	RATING
1	THE INCREDIBLE HULK	PG-13
2	INDIANA JONES: CRYSTAL SKULL	PG-13
3	THE STRANGERS	R
4	IRON MAN	PG-13
5	SLEEPING BEAUTY 50TH ANNIV.	G
6	THE FAMILY GUY: VOL. 6	NR
7	YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN	PG-13
8	THE HAPPENING	R
9	INDIANA JONES: COMPLETE ADVENTURE COLL.	NR
10	FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL	R
11	SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE	R
12	NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS	PG
13	LINEWATCH	R
14	HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2	NR
15	SAW IV	R
16	CAMP ROCK	NR
17	THE LAZARUS PROJECT	PG-13
18	PEANUTS HOLIDAY COLLECTION	NR
19	EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED	PG
20	THE SIMPSONS: SEASON 11	NR

Blu-ray 28th October Release

2008-10-28T14:18:00.018+08:00

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2-D and Limited-Edition 3-D) [Blu-ray]
New Line Cinema / 2008 / 92 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Fantasy, action, family

Starring: Brendan Fraser
Director: Eric Brevig

Plot Synopsis: A science professor whose radical theories have completely tarnished his reputation. While backpacking across Iceland with his nephew Sean, the two explorers find a cave that leads them deep down into the bowels of the planet. And so they go on a quest to find out what has happened to the scientist's missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discovers a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth. There they discover a bizarre landscape filled with terrifying creatures.

Disc Features:

Audio Commentary - This track features director Eric Brevig and actor Brendan Fraser.
Featurettes (HD, 19 minutes)

Tinker Bell (Blu-ray)

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 78 Minutes / Rated G
Street Date: October 28, 2008

(Buy it at Amazon and save)

Genres: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Mae Whitman, Anjelica Huston, Kristin Chenoweth
Director: Bradley Raymond

Plot Synopsis: Born into the fantastic world of Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a tinker isn't as special or important as the other fairies talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities and discovers that when she s true to herself, magical things can happen.

Disc Features:
• Featurette
• Set-top game
• "NaturePedia" Interactive Guide

HD Exclusive Content:
• "The Guide to Pixie Hollow" Interactive Guide (BD-Live Enhanced)

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (+ Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

New Line Home Entertainment / 2008 / Rated G
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Drama, family, mystery

Starring: Abigail Breslin
Director: Patricia Rozema

Plot Synopsis: A young girl named Kit Kittredge, based on the American Girl doll collection, is determined to do herself proud and become a newspaper reporter.

Hell Ride [Blu-ray]
Weinstein Co. / 2008 / Rated R
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Action, Exploitation

Starring: Michael Madsen
Director: Larry Bishop

Plot Synopsis: HELL RIDE: The testosterone fueled biker-action film HELL RIDE, loaded with Quentin Tarantino's trademark style, blazes to Blu-Ray under the Dimension Extreme label from The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. An Official Selection of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, the lean, mean two-wheeled HELL RIDE DVD includes extensive bonus materials.

Disc Features:
• Audio Commentary
• 4 Featurettes
• Video Diary

Dead Space: Downfall [Blu-ray] + Digital Copy
Anchor Bay Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Animation, Game

Plot Synopsis: An animated prequel to the Electronic Arts videogame 'Dead Space.'

Disc Features:
• Deleted Scene
• Cheat Codes

Plot Synopsis: On a deep space mining mission to a remote planet, an ancient religious relic - thought to be proof of the existence of God - is unearthed and brought aboard. When the unholy artifact unleashes a long-dormant alien race, its glimpse of Heaven transforms the ship into a living Hell. Prepare yourself for the disturbing opening chapters of the EA game that takes adult animation to graphic new levels of bloodshed and terror.

HD Exclusive Content:
• MP3 Soundtrack (BD-Live)
• Animatics and further special features (BD-Live)

The Polar Express Presented in 3-D [Blu-ray]
(Blu-ray)

Warner Home Video / 2004 / 100 Minutes / Rated G
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Animated, Family, Holiday

Starring: Tom Hanks
Director: Robert Zemeckis

Plot Synopsis: Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better.

Disc Features:
• Deleted Song: "Smokey and Steamer Song"
• Featurettes: "You Look Familiar: The many Polar faces of Tom Hanks," "True Inspirations: Profiling author Chris Van Allsburg

HD Exclusive Content:
• 2-D and 3-D Versions

Elf [Blu-ray]
New Line Home Entertainment / 2004 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Genres: Comedy, Family, Holiday

Starring: Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage
Director: Jon Favreau

Plot Synopsis: Will Ferrell with training wheels. The rambunctious comedian gives a funny, half-throttle performance as Buddy, a human raised by the elves at the North Pole. This good-spirited holiday comedy was directed by Jon Favreau, with nary a wannabe mobster or a swinger in sight. Even when Buddy comes to New York City, the movie is happy and chipper, with plenty of homages to Christmas movies past. The best scenes are a montage with Ferrell elfing around on the city streets, and his showdown with Peter Dinklage, in at least his third role as a touchy dwarf.

Disc Features:
• Audio commentary with Will Ferrell and Director Jon Favreau
• Elf Focus Points
• Elf Karaoke
• Interactive Game: "Buddy's Adventure Game"
• Digital Copy

Movie Is My Life

Blu-ray 18th November Release8

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 98 Minutes / Rated PG Street Date: November 18, 2008

DreamWorks Home Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated Street Date: November 18, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13 Street Date: November 18, 2008

A&E Home Video / 2006 / 705 Minutes / UnratedStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Weinstein Co. / 2008 / Rated RStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 2007 / 85 Minutes / UnratedStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2006 / Rated RStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 2008 / UnratedStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 1977 / UnratedStreet Date: November 18, 2008

First Look Home Entertainment / 2008 / 102 Minutes / Rated RStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated PGStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated RStreet Date: November 18, 2008

Weinstein Co. / 2007 / 109 Minutes / Rated RStreet Date: November 18, 2008

James Bond Rules Worldwide Box Office

Quantum of Solace In Theaters This Week 14th November

Tough new Bond girl divides fans, reignites debate

Godfather Rules High Def Awards 2008

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 8th November

"Quantum of Solace" set to blast U.S. box offices

Blu-ray 11th November Release

Universal Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG-13 Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated GStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Street Date: November 11, 2008

First Look Home Entertainment / 2007 / 98 Minutes / Rated RStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 2002 / UnratedStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / UnratedStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 720 Minutes / UnratedStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 1992 / Rated RStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Koch Distributing / 2007 / UnratedStreet Date: November 11, 2008

Madagascar 2 Scores #1, James Bond Draw Moviegoers

Kung Fu Panda On Blu-ray & DVD 9th Nov.08

In Theaters This Week 7th November

"Madagascar" top destination for moviegoers

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 1st November

Marvel made too much money in latest quarter

Life Season 1 Review [TV Series]

Wall E

Blu-ray 4th November Release

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 110 Minutes / Rated PG-13 Street Date: November 04, 2008

First Look Studios / 2007 / 111 Minutes / Rated R Street Date: November 04, 2008

Warner Home Video / 1983 / 93 Minutes / Rated PG Street Date: November 04, 2008

Image Entertainment / 1980 / Rated XStreet Date: November 04, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / UnratedStreet Date: November 04, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / UnratedStreet Date: November 04, 2008

Bond breaks British box office record

"High School Musical 3" Still No.1 for 2nd Week

Bond film opens with guns blazing in Britain

Blu-ray November 2008 Release

November 04, 2008

November 09, 2008

November 11, 2008

November 18, 2008

November 25, 2008

In Theaters This Week 1st November

"High School Musical 3" set for Halloween honors

DVD/ Blu-ray Chart 25th October

Blu-ray 28th October Release

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 78 Minutes / Rated GStreet Date: October 28, 2008

(Buy it at Amazon and save)

Warner Home Video / 2004 / 100 Minutes / Rated GStreet Date: October 28, 2008

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 98 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: November 18, 2008

DreamWorks Home Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 18, 2008

A&E Home Video / 2006 / 705 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Weinstein Co. / 2008 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 2007 / 85 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2006 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Image Entertainment / 1977 / Unrated
Street Date: November 18, 2008

First Look Home Entertainment / 2008 / 102 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated PG
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2005 / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Weinstein Co. / 2007 / 109 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 18, 2008

Universal Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated G
Street Date: November 11, 2008

First Look Home Entertainment / 2007 / 98 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 2002 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 720 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 1992 / Rated R
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Koch Distributing / 2007 / Unrated
Street Date: November 11, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 110 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: November 04, 2008

First Look Studios / 2007 / 111 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Warner Home Video / 1983 / 93 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Image Entertainment / 1980 / Rated X
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / Unrated
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment / 1968 / Unrated
Street Date: November 04, 2008

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 78 Minutes / Rated G
Street Date: October 28, 2008

Warner Home Video / 2004 / 100 Minutes / Rated G
Street Date: October 28, 2008