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CES 2012 Set New Attendance Record and Boasted 20,000 New Product Announcements[teaser]This year's show was the biggest in the history of CES, which certainly bodes well for the industry. [/teaser] The Consumer Electronics Show may be an industry event but in no way is it industry exclusive. In addition to buyers, execs for big companies, TV news teams and writers, non-professional bloggers and fans find their way into the show. In fact, pretty much anyone who wants to go can find a way in. This year, an additional 13,000 made it to CES. The addition of 400 new exhibitors to the show was almost certainly instrumental in getting the number up from 140,000 attendees in 2011. All told, over 20,000 new products were announced and launched at the show and more people than ever were there to see them. That's certainly a sign of interest in the industry and something that will hopefully transform into growth. What should be interesting to see is what happens next year. Microsoft - a CES staple for both its booth and keynote speeches - has already said that it does not plan to return next year. If other companies follow suit, CES 2013 could see a decline. Source: PC MagPosted Wed Jan 18, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Late Spring' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Yasujiro Ozu's 1949 drama is getting the Criterion Blu-ray treatment in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection will release 'Late Spring' on Blu-ray on April 17. One of the most powerful of the family portraits by Yasujiro Ozu, 'Late Spring' tells the story of a widowed father who feels compelled to marry off his beloved only daughter. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary by Richard Peña, program director of New York’s Film Society of Lincoln Center; Tokyo-ga (1985), filmmaker Wim Wenders’s ninety-two-minute documentary about director Yasujiro Ozu; and a booklet featuring essays by critic Michael Atkinson and Japanese-film historian Donald Richie. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Late Spring' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 17.Posted Wed Jan 18, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Ranking Steven Soderbergh's Top 10 Filmsby Aaron Peck It was the Sundance hit 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape' that put him on the map. The world of independent cinema would never be the same after his first feature-length film premiered at the festival in 1989. Since then, Steven Soderbergh's work has spanned genres. He's careful not to pigeonhole himself. He's taken on comedies, thrillers, and is about to take on the action/espionage genre with his new movie 'Haywire.' Every time he plans a new film, the ensemble cast seemingly appears out of nowhere. Actors and actresses who command leading roles are lining up just to play bit parts. He routinely gets casts that other directors would kill for. [teaser]This month has seen the Blu-ray release of his worldwide plague thriller 'Contagion' and the Criterion release of his masterpiece about the world of drug trafficking, 'Traffic.' So I'd like to take this time to rank what I believe are the top ten favorite Soderbergh films.[/teaser] 10. 'Erin Brockovich' There's flat character issues here, along with a paper-thin plot, but this was the film where Soderbergh was able to wrangle Julia Roberts' ultra-star power and bring her down to earth in the role of Erin Brockovich. Squeaking in at number ten, this is my least favorite of his top films, but it's hard to deny the drama and humor injected into the story and the great directorial job done with one of the world's biggest (and sometimes most insufferable) stars. 9. 'Solaris' The lovers and the haters of Soderbergh's remake of Andrei Tarkovsky's 1976 sci-fi masterpiece are pretty evenly split down the middle. Count me on the side that really enjoyed the minimalistic visual tone that he provided here. Yes, it's a slow, methodical movie, but Soderbergh does slow and methodical very well. Buoyed by a great Clooney performance, 'Solaris' had to make the top ten. 8. 'The Limey' If you haven't been able to catch 'The Limey' you really should make time for this first-rate crime thriller starring Terrance Stamp in one of the best performances of his illustrious acting career. There's a decidedly visual aesthetic applied here by Soderbergh, like in many of his other films, that makes watching the movie an entrancing experience. When are we gonna get a Blu-ray release? 7. 'Ocean's Eleven' It's the who's who of Hollywood. A gigantic ensemble cast that would make any director drool. Here superstars like George Clooney and Brad Pitt are working side by side, making Matt Damon look like he was called in to play a bit part. This is the only 'Ocean's' movie I enjoy watching. It's witty and clever, pure popcorn entertainment. It has that frenzied Soderbergh pace to it, bouncing around from character to character, but somehow we never get lost in the fray. 6. 'Contagion' I still think 'Contagion' was one of the best thrillers of last year. It's not packed full of action or intrigue, but it's plenty suspenseful. It was a fresh take on the disease thriller. Soderbergh created a world of fear which was much scarier than the disease itself. Plus (spoiler!), Gwyneth Paltrow got scalped. Scalped! Only Soderbergh can amass this cast of A-list actors only to chop the top off the head of one of the biggest names on the bill. 5. 'Che' Soderbergh's epic about Ernesto "Che" Guevara is long, and for that very reason you may have not ventured in to take a peek at it. However, once you start watching it you'll find it hard to stop. Benicio Del Toro is mesmerizing as the Cuban militant. There's something to be said for a director that can take a 270 minute epic and make it a compelling character study without veering off into snoozeville. 4. 'The Informant!' People may disagree with my high ranking of 'The Informant!' but I stand by it. Here's a movie that I didn't ever expect much from and instead got everything I could have wanted and more. The key is that it contains the best performance of Matt Damon's career; It's also his most underrated. Damon plays Mark Whitacre, a top employee in the agricultural industry who turns informer to report to the feds about the illegal dealings of his company. He loves the cloak and dagger routines they put him through. The movie is genuinely funny, and never really got its due. 3. 'Out of Sight' He had a good foundation. Any Elmore Leonard book is a good basis for a screenplay. However, from movies like 'Be Cool' we've learned that it's all too easy to screw up even some of the best fictional writing out there. 'Out of Sight' remains one of the great modern day crime thrillers. Soderbergh toned down the visual trickery and his at times oddball stylistic choices and was able to craft a very marketable caper film. The biggest story here though, isn't that 'Out of Sight' was when we kind of all took notice of Clooney and realized, "Hey maybe this guy can be a movie star." No, it was the fact that Soderbergh somehow got a borderline fantastic performance from one Jennifer Lopez. You know, the same woman who has starred in such hits as 'Maid in Manhattan,' 'The Wedding Planner,' and 'Monster In Law.' I don't know how he did it, but as director Soderbergh was able to squeeze out whatever acting ability Lopez has. 2. 'Sex, Lies and Videotape' It's a classic now. There's no way around it. It's the movie that really jumpstarted the whole independent film craze. A movie that showed everyone that low-budgets weren't barriers that couldn't be overcome. Soderbergh wrote the movie in less than two weeks. A thrilling psychological study, it remains a masterpiece. 1. 'Traffic' 'Traffic' is to Soderbergh what 'Schindler's List' is to Spielberg. It's his magnum opus. It's the rare time where all the quintessential Soderbergh elements – dozens of characters; intersecting storylines; experimental filming techniques – all meshed into a grandm unified whole. In 2000 Soderbergh was nominated as Best Director twice. Once for 'Traffic' the other for 'Erin Brockovich.' The fun part is that if you didn't know Soderbergh directed both of them you'd swear they were directed by different people. However, 'Traffic' truly bears his mark as a filmmaker (he also acted as cinematographer using the name Peter Andrews). It's experimental, it's large in scope, and it has that trademark ensemble cast that everyone fawns over. With all those elements he was able to weave together numerous tales of the way drugs and the war on them affects everyday life here in America. How would you rank Soderbergh's films? Are there some that were left off this list like 'King of the Hill,' 'The Underneath,' 'The Good German,' 'The Girlfriend Experience,' or 'Kafka,' that you would add to the list? Please let us know in the forums. Click on the link below and let us in on what movies would make your top ten list of Soderbergh films.Posted Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 02:15 PM PST by: -
'Harold and Maude' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The classic 1971 May/December rom-com from Director Hal Ashby is in the works for Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection says 'Harold and Maude' will arrive on Blu-ray on April 17. With the idiosyncratic American fable 'Harold and Maude,' countercultural director Hal Ashby fashioned what would become the cult classic of its era. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, uncompressed mono soundtrack (plus a remastered stereo track), and supplements include: Audio commentary by Hal Ashby biographer Nick Dawson and producer Charles B. Mulvehill; Illustrated audio excerpts of seminars by Ashby and writer-producer Colin Higgins; New interview with songwriter Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens); and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Wood; a 1971 New York Times profile of star Ruth Gordon; and excerpted transcripts of two interviews, one from 1997 with star Bud Cort and director of photography John Alonzo and one from 2001 with executive producer Mildred Lewis. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Harold and Maude' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 17.Posted Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'DragonHeart' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1996 medieval fantasy adventure will swoop down on Blu-ray this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is working on 'DragonHeart' for Blu-ray on March 27. The film is about a knight (Dennis Quaid) who must form an unlikely allegiance with the land's last dragon (voiced by Sean Connery) in order to end the reign of an evil king (David Thewlis). The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p video transfer, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: The Making of Dragonheart featurette, My Scenes and Pocket Blu. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'DragonHeart' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 27.Posted Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'The Organizer' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Mario Monicelli's 1963 drama is planned for an April Blu-ray release. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection says 'The Organizer' is coming to Blu-ray on April 24. This historical drama by Mario Monicelli is a beautiful and moving ode to the power of the people, brimming with humor and honesty. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: Introduction by director Mario Monicelli from 2006, Trailer, and an essay by film critic J. Hoberman. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Organizer' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 24.Posted Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Blu-ray Embarks on 'The Quest'[teaser]Jean-Claude Van Damme's 1996 directorial debut will roundhouse kick Blu-ray this spring. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is working on 'The Quest' for Blu-ray on March 27. The film stars Van Damme as a wanted criminal on the run in the 1920s New York who eventually winds up in a martial arts tournament in Tibet. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p video transfer, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and the only supplement appears to be My Scenes functionality. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Quest' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 27.Posted Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Top 5/Bottom 5: Steve Buscemiby Aaron Peck Steve Buscemi is now the star of one of HBO's most popular and elaborate shows. On 'Boardwalk Empire' Buscemi plays Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. He may appear to the people of Atlantic City to simply be the city treasurer, but in reality he's an underwold crime kingpin making a killing in bootlegged liquor sales. Buscemi is the right man for the job. He's unassumingly dangerous. He doesn't look like he could destroy you, but when he starts talking there's no doubt that he'd make you pay. [teaser]Buscemi has been in his fair of stinkers over the years. Pretty much any time he teams up with Adam Sandler you know you're in for a crappy Buscemi experience. On the other hand, whenever Buscemi teams up with the Coen Brothers, you know you're likely in for a great movie and performance. Let's take a look at Steve Buscemi's career and see if we can narrow down his top five and bottom five movies shall we?[/teaser] The Best 'The Big Lebowski' I'm on record, somewhere, as saying I don't get the big deal about 'The Big Lebowski.' I know just about everyone loves the movie, but I personally don't have that abiding love for it as most people do. That's okay though, because I can admit that it's a very competently made Coen Brothers movie and as I looked over Buscemi's filmography I couldn't find a movie that should bump 'The Big Lebowski' out of the top five (although, 'Barton Fink' and 'Miller's Crossing' came very close). I don't hate the movie, far from it, it's just not on my list of favorite movies of all time like it is with so many other people. 'Fargo' Another Coen Brothers movie and another memorable performance from Buscemi. Not only does he do a great job as Carl he also provides for one of the most memorable death scenes in all of cinema. I know it's not actually him being fed into that wood chipper, but still, whenever you think of Buscemi, doesn't the wood chipper scene jump right to the front of your mind? 'The Messenger' No one saw 'The Messenger' and that's a shame. I saw it at Sundance and thought it was a fantastic, realistic story of what it must be like to be the soldiers that have to go tell families that their loved ones have died on the battlefield. Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson play the two soldiers tasked with the somber duty. Buscemi isn't in the movie for very long, but his appearance is commanding. He plays a distraught father who takes his rage out on these two messengers. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing this movie, seek it out. 'Monsters, Inc.' 'Monsters, Inc.' remains one of Pixar's best movies and Buscemi was the perfect voice for the slithery villain Randall. His voice brought just enough unease to the character to create a very believable cartoon villain. 'Reservoir Dogs' Quentin Tarantino's early classic is still remembered as one of his best. And who can forget the performance Buscemi gives as Mr. Pink? His rants are still some of the most memorable scenes of that movie. The scene that always sticks out in my mind is when he lays into Mr. White when they fight about taking Mr. Orange to the hospital. The Worst 'Armageddon' It's big, dumb, and uses Buscemi in a "Gee look at how crazy I am" role, which is never where his talent really flourishes. I know that 'Armageddon' may be on people's guilty pleasures lists, and that's fine, but there's no real denying that it’s a bloated, melodramatic mess. 'G-Force' For every classic like 'Reservoir Dogs' an actor like Buscemi still, for some reason, gets roped into doing a voice for a CGI hamster in a movie like 'G-Force.' Granted Buscemi's part in the movie is actually the funniest the movie gets, but that's like saying those pieces of corn are the best part of that turd. 'Grown Ups' Every time Buscemi teams up with Sandler I shudder. Such a great actor under used, and usually exploited because he looks unusual. I really wish he'd stop doing movies like 'Grown Ups' with Sandler. 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry' Another bit part in another Adam Sandler movie, sigh. Here Buscemi plays an investigator who is trying to find out if Sandler's marriage to Kevin James is legit. Just typing that sentence makes me quiver. I still can't un-see that movie. 'Mr. Deeds' Last, and definitely least, is Buscemi in yet another Adam Sandler movie playing a character literally called Crazy Eyes. Need I say more? What are your Buscemi top and bottom fives? Please let us know how you'd rank Buscemi's illustrious acting career in the forums. Click on the link below and make your voice known.Posted Mon Jan 16, 2012 at 02:05 PM PST by: -
'American Pie,' 'American Pie 2,' and 'American Wedding' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The first three films in the raunchy comedy franchise are coming to Blu-ray in March! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is working on 'American Pie,' 'American Pie 2,' and 'American Wedding' for a Blu-ray release on March 13. All three boundary-pushing comedies starring Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, and Eugene Levy currently hold at least a 6 star rating on IMDb.com. Specs have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'American Pie,' 'American Pie 2,' and 'American Wedding' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under March 13.Posted Mon Jan 16, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Vizio Launches a Google TV Powered Blu-ray Player and Streamer[teaser]Both will be shipping in 2012 with prices yet to be announced.[/teaser] Remember when Vizio was a brand that home theater enthusiasts scoffed at or just plain ignored? This year's CES really goes to show that those days are behind us. They may not be the highest rated company around, but they're definitely not slouches when it comes to cool new products. Their latest Blu-ray player, for example, handles 3D movies, boasts Vizio Internet Apps, and comes with a QWERTY remote. Oh, and the VBR430 also packs the Android powered Google TV platform which gives you access to thousands of apps, the Chrome web browser and a glut of content. If you've already got yourself a Blu-ray player but you still want Google TV you can check out the VAP430 streaming player. It offers the Google TV platform of course, but a few other bonuses like HDMI inputs with pass-through functionality so you can hook whatever you like up to the streamer and switch sources without having to change the channel. Both the Blu-ray player and streamer will be available this year, but pricing hasn't been announced for either. Source: PR NewswirePosted Mon Jan 16, 2012 at 11:00 AM PST by:
