Netflix Streams A Punch in Face
Netflix, of which I’m a big fan, took another hit from the movie studios today. While it looked to be the reasonable answer to the digital age in movies as iTunes was to music, apparently they won’t be going about this without a fight.
You may recall recently, new releases are beginning to be removed from Netflix. Now, one of the cornerstones of their streaming business…Starz Play on Netflix (which allows you to see relatively new releases anytime via the internet for no extra charge) may be about to lose Disney and Dreamworks films.
Not that either of these is a death knell, but once studios realize they control the deal, the rest will follow suit and it’ll be no more new releases in the mail and no more decent streaming movies either. And we know what that means. Lonely Wednesday nights watching She’s All That for the eighth time.
Check out all the details at Gizmodo.com
Disney’s currently in negotiations with Starz for the rights to its movies over the next few years, and it wants a lot more money from people who watch Starz online—like through Netflix—and if things go badly, it could mean no more Disney or Dreamworks movies on Netflix streaming (full article link).
Stay Warm with the Cult Classic “Out Cold”
For almost every holiday or season, I have a movie tradition that sort of kicks it off. One of the few I hadn’t found one for was winter itself. This winter, in particular, I was needing some themed escapism while my face regained feeling. Christmas pretty much takes all the good movies for winter, so what was left?
Somehow I missed it at the time, but the 2001 flick “Out Cold” was the perfect answer.
Out Cold is a goof-ball comedy along the lines of American Pie (but PG-13 raunchy) that has reached cult status over the years (though did little in the theater). It is expected these movies will have no plot, or the same plot as 100 other throwaway comedies. I was happily proven wrong.
You’ll immediately recognize a lot of the cast from today, including the bearded guy from The Hangover, and Pam’s old fiance from The Office. The film, set in Alaska, starts off with a great snowboarding extravaganza and revolves around a small ski lodge getting taken over by an evil corporation. The plot of every movie since 1981, but they handle it nicely.
The rest of the film has a mix of subtle humor with insane antics, surrounded by mountains of snow the entire time. The characters are likable, and the handling of the “love story” is fairly surprising.
For anyone in their late 20s or early 30s, the soundtrack is a straight rip of your CD collection from 8 years ago, featuring Eve 6, Jack Johnson, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Sum 41…and most importantly Wang Chung.
Be sure to check it out this winter, especially with a group of friends if it’s cold outside. Add some Winter Ale and you’re almost guaranteed to have a smashing winter solstice.
Be sure to see the outtakes after the credits, they are one of the best parts of the movie. You didn’t think they landed all those amazing snowboarding scenes on the first try did you?
3 out of 4 stars
Craidio Music Wintry Mix + Workout Ratings
Updated: Workout ratings based on if the song’s worth putting on your power mix at the gym. Based on rhythm not necessarily speed.
As the twice in a lifetime freeze sets in…. we’ve all wanted to bundle up with some music and movies. Unfortunately, nothing too hot is spinning right now on the record player, but I found a few decent tunes to at least get me through until February. If you’re looking for music in all the wrong places…this is probably one of them as well..but give them a shot.
Winter 2009/2010 Music Wintry Mix
30 Second to Mars – This is War (* 1/2 out of 4 stars)
Used to be a big fan of 30 Seconds to Mars, but this latest release just isn’t doing it for me. Less and less edgy each album, and just sort of whiny now.
Workout Rating: * * 1/2 out of 4 stars
Coldplay – Lost! (* * * out of 4 stars)
Classic Coldplay sound…smooth and moving. Not worse or better than their previous efforts. A good thing.
Workout Rating: * * 1/2 out of 4 stars
Laura Veirs – July Flame (* * * out of 4 stars)
Not quite haunting enough to make you crash your car as you stare out the window, but will make you begin to relax and enjoy a calm world around you for a few fleeting minutes. Unfortunately the song offers no payoff and meanders a bit.
Workout Rating: * 1/2 out of 4 stars
Dead By Sunrise – Let Down (* * 1/2 out of 4 stars)
If you could picture a Linkin Park song without the supporting band driven by only the lead singer..it’s just like that. It is also his side band, so to be expected. Not bad.
Workout Rating: * * 1/2 out of 4 stars
The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die (* * * 1/2 out of 4 stars) and I and Love and You (* * * out of 4 stars)
Apparently I’m late on the Avett Brothers bandwagon…but their folk/rock melodies are very addictive. Not for your workout, or if you’re having a bad day (it will make it worse) but truly quality music and deep lyrics. These two songs above are from their newest and previous album.
Workout Rating: * 1/2 out of 4 stars
The Veils – Sit Down by the Fire (* * * out of 4 stars)
Very slow, lots of piano, sounds european. I likes. Great vocals, a building rhythm, and an easy listen for the winter days you’re staring out the window looking for Spring.
Workout Rating: * * * out of 4 stars
Metric – Gold Guns Girls (* * 1/2 out of 4 stars)
If you like women-singing, electric inspired rock with a buzzing beat, Metric always comes through. A stellar effort, though not their best.
Workout Rating: * * * 1/2 out of 4 stars
Lady GaGa – Bad Romance (* * * out of 4 stars)
I wish I wasn’t entranced by Lady GaGa…but her songs grow on me…and this one has oddly interesting lyrics and a multi-dimensional beat mixing strange pop singing with great melody singing. I don’t like Madonna, but Lady GaGa is probably the new Madonna.
Workout Rating: * * * 1/2 out of 4 stars
Phoenix – 1901 (* * * out of 4 stars)
You’ll feel like you’re in American Eagle looking at jeans as the store station is blasting. I’m pretty sure this is on their regular rotation. Straight up alternative rock, pretty decent but nothing special.
Workout Rating: * * * * out of 4 stars
Transmit Now – Tarantism (Let’s Go Out Tonight) / (* * 1/2 out of four stars)
Standard pop/rock. Decent singing. Somewhat substandard lyrics.
Workout Rating: * * * out of 4 stars
>> To see Fall 2009 mix with updated workout ratings, click here.
A Republican in Camelot’s Court?
I’m pretty doubtful that Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat can be lost in Massachusetts, but it’s been fascinating to watch Republican Scott Brown give it a try. This is a pretty critical seat because of the filibuster proof majority Democrats enjoy in Congress. Mostly fascination because…it’s Massachusetts. This shouldn’t even be an issue.
Just today alone, Scott Brown blew away all expectations and raised $1 million dollars in a money bomb for his campaign against Dem challenger Martha Coakley. Win or lose, you know there’s a problem brewing.
Most of all, I enjoyed this debate clip where Brown is asked how he can sit in Ted Kennedy’s seat and be the person to block healthcare.
Brown informed him that it’s not “Kennedy’s Seat.” Win or lose, whether he’s worth anything or not, his response something everyone in Washington needs to be reminded of.
iPhone Retains Edge Over Droid, Nexus One So Far
The Android operating system, and its two newest devices, the Motorola Droid and Nexus One, have put the first true challenge to the iPhone since its inception. As an iPhone owner, my eyebrows were raised at these open-source devices that were jam packed with missing iPhone features.
At the end of the day when I played with the Android phones, though, something just didn’t seem as good. At first it was hard to put my finger on it, then I realized that’s exactly what it was….putting my finger on it.
Today, a product development firm tested the touchscreen capabilities of all these devices and found the iPhone interface to still be the most responsive and superior of them all. Jump to the link to read the methodology, but it’s a very simple test of trying to draw a series of straight lines on the phone.
In other news, the launch of Nexus One has been a major headache for users, who flooded the Google forums with problems related to phone software/3G connection, and found themselves receiving pretty poor service.
Google’s Nexus One (on T-Mobile) support forums have been flooded with anecdotes about the phone’s poor 3G connectivity, so one user decided to follow up with some reasonably scientific tests. The conclusion? The Nexus One is kind of terrible at basic cellphonery! – Read the full article at Gizmodo
Spider-Man 4 The Return of..No One?
I like the Spider-Man series…especially the first two. They jump started a golden age of superhero movies, and were all box office hits. I can probably do without the mess-up that was Part 3, but I didn’t expect the news that Spider-Man 4 would include none of the actors from the series and be a reboot?
I thought only 80′s movies got rebooted…but perhaps they’re rebooting the breakout 1978 TV series?
The story, according to Deadline Hollywood..
Mike Fleming and Nikki Finke have just confirmed that Sony Pictures decided today to reboot the Spider-Man franchise after franchise director Sam Raimi pulled out of Spider-Man 4 because he felt he couldn’t make its summer release date and keep the film’s creative integrity. This means that Raimi and the cast including star Tobey Maguire are out. There will be no Spider-Man 4.
And statements after the story broke make it appear to be true. Get the updates at DeadlineHollywood.
Oh well, I’m sure it will suck.
Racism, Straight Up?
You thought the tea party was a bunch of redneck racists? (No? well they did).
In the new book Game Change (which sneaked this weekend, lands this week, and will take over the news this week and probably more) behind the scenes revelations from the 2008 election show a less tolerant and more…er…”back of the bus” type Democrat party.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada described in private then-Sen. Barack Obama as “light skinned” and “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.” (from Yahoo news)
I didn’t mean Strom Thurmond on that one. So fortunately, Harry Reid found a candidate who didn’t really look or talk black..unless he needed to. Apparently that was a good thing for some reason? I can’t imagine what he was trying to say. I mean he’s not a Republican.
Idle gossip with unfounded accusations of racism you say? You would imagine Reid would say so, but instead he apologized mere hours after the story broke. Obama accepted his apology, and for good measure so did Al Sharpton (who does more accepting apologies for prejudice than giving them). All before the evening was barely beginning.
Not the first time the past two months Reid has introduced his foot to his mouth.
In the early leaks of the same book….the first black president, Bill Clinton, had some oddly…Uncle Tom-ish things to say about Obama as well. (from HotAir)
[A]s Hillary bungled Caroline, Bill’s handling of Ted was even worse. The day after Iowa, he phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.
He couldn’t possibly be (wink-wink) implying what it sounds like he’s implying? Perhaps not…Vague, possibly racial statements shouldn’t be assumed to actually be racism unless Trent Lott says them.
And we know what Obama has to say about those Trent Lott types.
“The Republican Party itself has to drive out Trent Lott. If they have to stand for something, they have to stand up and say this is not the person we want representing our party.”
I have a good feeling this is just the beginning of news related to this book. Don’t worry, neither Republicans nor Democrats will be safe.
Updated - SNL had an uncanny sense of foresight and had a skit last night that’s right up Harry Reid’s alley.
Updated – RNC Chair Michael Steele comments on Reid’s statements.
Domino’s Pizza Reloaded
As a marketing and advertising guy myself, I considered this masterful use of social media. Domino’s executives admitted their pizza sucked, and showed that most people seemed to agree (I didn’t think actually). They retooled their entire recipe (cheese, sauce, crust) and twitter/blog/youtube’d the whole thing. Apparently it wasn’t as successful as I thought since a lot of people didn’t know about it.
In addition, this week, Jonah Goldberg used it as metaphor of what the Republicans should do. Doubtful, but a good idea.
I’d tell the GOP to look not to Reagan in 1980 or Gingrich in 1994, as so many pundits suggest.
I’d look to Domino’s in 2010.
You may have seen the commercials or the YouTube video touting the iconic pizza-delivery chain’s reinvention. But if you haven’t, Domino’s new campaign can be summed up easily enough: “We blew it.”
For one of the most-exciting bowl games ever shown on TV (ironically the Papa John’s Bowl..and I’m definitely kidding) I enjoyed a nice slice or 5 of the new Domino’s recipe. The verdict?
I thought it was pretty good. But, then again, Domino’s was always pretty good in my mind. You can tell a difference in the ingredients..it is much more flavorful, and clearly much worse for you. The crust was the biggest improvement, now with more garlic and spices..and likely an entire stick of butter. It doesn’t move up my rankings any since it was already number two, but it tastes closer to Papa John’s quality now.
I’d say get out and try it, but you really shouldn’t be eating Pizza anyway. Remember that New Year’s resolution?
Get all the details at http://pizzaturnaround.com . Here’s the whole campaign video below.
Tiki Bob Jeep Wrangler Returns
As crappy as they are, I’m a sucker (and once proud owner) of the Jeep Wrangler. I quite enjoyed this photo of the 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander. Gotta keep repeating to myself “Chryslers suck…Chryslers suck..”
After a twenty year vacation from his vacation, “Tiki Bob” returns to the Jeep Wrangler lineup, adorning the hood of the resurrected Islander model.
With a choice of special colors, including its signature Surf Blue, the trim package adds unique “Tiki Bob” seats, 17-inch Moab wheels, Mopar rubber floor mats for wet outings, and a number of other appearance features for $1,120.
Full specs and details at autoevolution.com
New Trailer for the Un-Superhero
As a fan of superhero movies and a lifelong wearer of a towel as a cape, my interest had to be peaked by the upcoming movie “Kick Ass.” It’s about regular folks that decide to put on costumes and become superheroes..much like my entire life before I was 12. Ok before I was 27.
The first teaser trailer was interesting, the second red-band trailer showed the film will be pretty brutal in language and violence, and the newest third trailer brings back the promise. Check it out. In theaters in April 2010.
