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DirecTV's New UI Previewed on Site - No Release Date Yet[teaser]DirecTV customers are getting a faster, better looking user interface, but when is a mystery. [/teaser] One of the things that people really don't think about often enough when talking about their cable or satellite service is the interface that they have to deal with when trying to find their favorite show, bring up some on demand programming or access a recording. A good UI often goes unnoticed while a bad one can completely break the experience. DirecTV's new update is going to bring a lot to the table. For starters, the guide has been completely redesigned for HD televisions and looks much nicer than it used to. DirecTV is pretty high on this, and they've added plenty of colorful graphics to the menu, including images for the shows you watch and those that it recommends to you. Perhaps most importantly, everything moves faster. Significantly faster, according to the people who are currently in the beta test for the new interface. After all, as pretty as the interface is, it's not what you've turned on the TV to see. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Beyond the Blu: October 2011by Dick Ward [teaser]Because Halloween is almost here, this month's installment of "Beyond the Blu" focuses on the stuff you need to put the finishing touches on your costume or just give you a last minute idea of what to get. It's also been edited down to be extra spooky, coming in at exactly six hundred and sixty six words long. Pretty spooky, eh?[/teaser] Batman: Year One Costume accessories that you'll only wear once are kind of a bummer, so try playing a more conservative Batman this year and pick up a utility belt that has uses outside of simply playing dress-up. And hey, let's face it - as iconic as the yellow utility belt is, it doesn't make a lick of sense for a character who bases his fighting style on stealth. The Goonies There are very few adult costume possibilities that leap to mind when thinking of 'The Goonies.' Pretty much anyone over the age of 20 is either vile or unmemorable but there's one exception to the rule - Sloth. The mask is a given, but if you really want to go full on Sloth you're going to need his trademark Superman shirt and those classic red suspenders. And if you're staying home and giving out candy in that outfit, you'd better be giving every single kid that comes to the door a Baby Ruth. Pulp Fiction Costuming is all about the little details - the stuff that separates the good from the great. So if you're going as Jules Winnfield you need to know Ezekiel 25:17, you need to be able to inform people that Marcellus Wallace does not in fact look like a bitch and you damn sure better have a wallet that says "Bad Mother F*cker." Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy Sure, you can dress as Malcolm or Alan Grant, but those are barely costumes. Gennaro is a wimp and Robert Muldoon's shorts are just a bit too short. You want yourself a good costume? Go as Dennis Nedry. Kids come to the door and don't greet you with the customary "Trick or Treat" and bam - "Uh uh uh, you didn't say the magic word!" Then when they finally do, you pull the candy out of a fake Barbasol can. Bonus points if the candy is cryogenically frozen. Don't take it too far and start giving out dinosaur embryos though. They make cute pets when they're young, but they grow up fast. Captain America: The First Avenger I love Captain America. He's one of my favorite superheroes and constantly battles with a few others for the top spot. He's just not that exciting to dress as. You're not going to look right in the outfit and your shield just won't be cool enough. On the subject of S.H.I.E.L.D. though, you could go as an absolutely badass Nick Fury in the officially licensed coat from Marvel. That's assuming you have the nuts to go as a Samuel L. Jackson character. If not, there's always the Hasselhoff version. Naruto Shippuden 2: Bonds There isn't a lot of anime that I've allowed myself to get sucked into recently. Not because I don't like it, just because a series that runs a few hundred episodes with half of those being filler takes up a lot of time. 'Naruto' completely captured me though. Kids and adults will both be going out as Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura and the usual assortment, but I would absolutely love to see some more Kakashis out there. Get yourselfthe vest and a black half-mask and you're most of the way there. The Last Circus Have I seen 'The Last Circus?' No I have not. But I've seen the trailer and it blew my mind with its complete awesomeness, thanks especially to the clown near the end that looks like some sort of deformed version of the Pope wielding sub machine guns. Pope hat, check. Scary clown mask, check. Bandoliers, check. The Uzis and the apparent blood thirst are up to you.Posted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
The 3DS Gets Hulu Plus and 3D Video Recording[teaser]Nintendo's new handheld device gets another streaming source and the long awaited ability to record 3D video. [/teaser] When the 3DS first launched, the twin cameras on the device got people excited for the possibilities of 3D photos and 3D video. Sadly, only still shots were available at launch, leaving wannabe 3D videographers wanting. The latest update to the 3DS allows you to take video clips of up to 10 minutes long. It's not much, but it's enough to get a little taste of the possibilities of 3D shooting. Maybe even give you a little inspiration to pick up a proper 3D video camera and get to work. Nintendo's handheld also got Hulu Plus today, expanding its streaming service options. It's only a Wi-Fi device, which means you're stuck to places where a network is available, but it's a nice option for Hulu subscribers. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Lowe Launches the 3D Blu-Ray Home Cinema Set Speaker System[teaser]Lowe's new system is all about quality and style. [/teaser] The new Home Cinema Set from Lowe is designed as an all-in-one player for your living room. It handles audio from iPods and iPhones, plays back CDs and handles DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D. The system also boasts Gracenote, which identifies the music your playing and displays the artist name and song title. You can even use it to identify music playing in a movie, which is a pretty nice touch. The MediaVision 3D is the main component of the system and it's incredibly stylish. The default look is either Aluminum Silver or Black, but there's a lot of customization possible. You can change the top-mounted inlay to one of 250 different colors and designs to suit your style. Satellite speakers and a subwoofer are included with the system, both of which are finished in Aluminum Silver and Black. If you're feeling really attached to the inlay on your MediaVision 3D you can change the tops of the speakers to match - might be a nice way to help your sub to blend in. Source: eCousticsPosted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Tannoy Launches the Definition DC8 Loudspeaker[teaser]Tannoy's new loudspeaker boasts an eight inch paper-pulp sub and a one inch titanium tweeter. [/teaser] The latest from Tannoy is a speaker known as the DC8. It's a compact loudspeaker with a fairly small footprint and designed for those who demand clarity in their audio. You can pick up the speaker in a variety of finishes including gloss black, gloss cherry and gloss dark walnut - lots of gloss on these speakers. You'll find an eight inch subwoofer and a one inch tweeter that give you a frequency response from 42Hz on up to 35kHz. It's not all about what you can see from outside though - the internals are decked out thanks to a Dual Concentric driver array and the company's Tannoy Deep Cryogenically Treated crossover. Source: CE ProPosted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Bonus View Digest - October 21, 2011[teaser]Our TV coverage over on The Bonus View is still going strong as new shows continue to premiere throughout the month of October. However, with all the TV talk we still managed to squeeze in a lot of worthwhile articles about everything from the hard-to-solve technical problems of 3D home viewing to the true scariness of movie monsters.[/teaser] It's been a wild week, but we hope that you'll join us over on the blog for some of the latest discussion on your favorite high-def topics. Theatrical News Luke has been busy, seeing just about every film opening up this weekend. Last week he say 'The Thing ' and raved about it, while this week he saw two turds in 'Johnny English Reborn ,' and 'Paranormal Activity 3 .' Luke also talked trilogies , and how that word really doesn't mean that much in our modern theatrical world of endless sequels. Don't trust Michael Bay, he's planning on making as many 'Transformers' movies as possible. Josh took on a more somber topic to discuss this week. It's something that we don't really think about all too often, but something that happens to be happening right before our eyes. Cinema is turning the digital corner for good . Production of film-based cameras has all but stopped. What does this mean for the industry? What does this mean for movie lovers like us? Read on and find out. Home Theater News This week Josh took a good hard look at the 3D crosstalk problem and wondered if there are any solutions. It seems that it's going to be a tough problem to solve, but if you feel like you have the answers hop on over to the article and join in on the spirited discussion. Make sure to check out our weekly features about what's new on the Netflix and Vudu streams. It may help you find something to watch this weekend without having to venture out in the frigid autumn air. In Wayne's One From the Vault column, he took a look at the nerdy classic 'Wizard' starring Fred Savage and 'Mario Bros. 3.' TV Recaps We've continued to cover quite a few shows on the blog. Check out recaps of 'Fringe,' 'American Horror Story ,' 'Modern Family,' 'Psych ,' 'Terra Nova ,' and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia .' Also check out our featured post for the season premiere of 'The Walking Dead .' Did it live up to the hype or fall a bit flat? You decide, and then come on over and join in on the heated discussion with the readers and writers. Special Features In this week's Mid-Week Poll we asked you if you are prone to collecting movie sets with extra-special packaging. The Weekend Roundtable took a look at movies that actually need to be remade. What movies would you remake? Come on over and tell us in the comments. That's it for this week. We promise another full seven days of fun this upcoming week. Until then enjoy your weekend and watch some movies.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
'Mission Impossible' IMAX Showings Include a 6 Minute 'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue[teaser]The question is - will you be seeing 'Mission Impossible' just for Batman? [/teaser] Hey, we get it. The newest Batman films have been absolutely amazing - it's not even up for debate. But will you see a movie you otherwise might not have just to get a glimpse of Nolan's latest installment? That's what Warner Bros is hoping. Before every IMAX showing of 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol,' theaters will be screening a six minute long prelude to 'Dark Knight Rises.' It sounds like that means the footage will be something outside of what's in the movie, which would be all sorts of cool. It's not the first time that theaters have banked on this kind of cross promotion. A few mintues of 'The Dark Knight,' of course, were shown before 'I am Legend,' and 'Wing Commander' certainly gained some sales thanks to a trailer for 'The Phantom Menace.' So the big question is whether you're planning to go see 'Mission Impossible' just for the 'Dark Knight Rises' prologue. Or maybe whether you're going to step up your viewing plans to IMAX for the exclusive content. Source: Slash FilmPosted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 11:16 AM PDT by: -
Amazon Adds PBS to Prime Streaming[teaser]Ready to get your Antiques Roadshow on? [/teaser] The streaming selection at Amazon keeps looking better and better. They're not to the point where Netflix has anything to worry about, but when it comes to television shows - this seems to be their main focus in recent months - it's starting to look pretty appealing. If the service were available Today they've added 1,000 new television episodes from PBS, including 'NOVA', 'Frontline' and 'Antiques Roadshow'. You'll also find the Ken Burns documentaries 'Civil War,' 'Jazz,' and 'Baseball.' Amazon says that, of course, this isn't it for them. More Fox shows are coming to the lineup including 'Malcolm in the Middle' and 'King of the Hill,' as well as the Julia Child cooking show 'The French Chef.' All this, plus free two-day shipping for $79 a year. Source: AmazonPosted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD's Exclusive Interview with 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Writer/Director Sean Durkinby Luke Hickman Rising director Sean Durkin is quickly gaining momentum. He first grabbed our attention with Sundance 2010 short 'Mary Last Seen,' only to come back one year later with a feature film expounding on that same idea, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene,' that earned him the Directing Award. Both 'Mary' and 'Martha' explore the ideas of cults that steal young woman away. While 'Mary' shows how these girls end up there, 'Martha' shows what happens when they get there – the brainwashing and abuse – and what happens to a young woman who escapes. 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' begins with a woman, played by the Olsen Twins' younger sister Elizabeth escaping the farm compound. As she awkwardly tries to re-enter society, her thoughts are turned back to the trauma she just escaped from, so we see both the beginning and the end of her story there. [teaser]After appearing at Sundance, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' was picked up by Fox Searchlight and will now open in limited release on October 21. To promote his film, which also played at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, writer and director Sean Durkin has taken the time to talk to High-Def Digest about Sundance, 'Mary,' 'Martha,' and writing.[/teaser] High-Def Digest – Luke Hickman: Hello! How are you today? Sean Durkin: Good, how are you doing? HDD: Great! Are you tired of doing so much press today? Isn't this the second round for you, considering the film opened at Sundance in January? Sean Durkin: Oh, yeah. HDD: I couldn't find the whole thing online, but I found a preview for the previous short film you had at Sundance - Sean Durkin: 'Mary Last Seen.' HDD: Is 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' an expanded version of that idea? Sean Durkin: No. I had a pretty good drop to the script structurally in 2009, and as we thought about making a [feature-length] film, it just wasn't ready. So I decided to make a short because I wanted to have something to go out with the script. I had my film from NYU – I liked some of it, but I didn't want it to go out with the script. So I decided to make a short and I wanted it to be related to the subject, but not the same film or anything from ['Marth Marcy May Marlene']. In the research I had done, I obviously decided to focus on what happens after a girl leaves a cult, but then had all this research that I was really interest in about how someone gets there, so I wanted to make a short that sort of represented those steps of how someone gets to a cult. I knew that Brady Corbet was going to be in 'Martha' playing Watts … so I wanted to do a short where he brings a girl to the farm. HDD: From the little bit you see at the end of the 'Mary Last Seen' trailer, it looks exactly the same. Was it shot on the exact same farm? Sean Durkin: Yes, it was. … At that point we basically had Brady and the farm. We sort of made the short around that. Again, I wanted it to relate to ['Martha']. It's the same world, the same character – for [Brady] – but I didn't want it to be something from the script or from the film because I didn't want to … make any choices that early. HDD: Is there anywhere that we can see 'Mary Last Seen' online? Sean Durkin: I don't know exactly what the plan is, but … it will come out [on a collection DVD] just a few weeks before the release [of 'Martha'] ... and then [Fox] Searchlight will include it on DVD. HDD: Where did you film both movies? Sean Durkin: In the Catskills – in New York. HDD: And how long was the shoot? Sean Durkin: 24 days. HDD: That's a fast shoot! And you can't even tell, the film looks so good. Sean Durkin: (laughs) Yeah. We sort of developed a structure around that – a 24 day structure. We've done it three times now. HDD: Where did the idea for 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' come from? I ask because it's dark. And you don't seem like a dark person. Sean Durkin: Well, I'm pretty light. A light happy guy. I originally wanted to make a film about a cult that was contemporary. It just went from there. I started to read about people in these really … interesting people before and after they were in groups, how their souls had been sucked out of them and how they changed physically. I wanted to explore what that is. It eventually came to trying to understand what happens right after. So I started to speak to people who had been through it. I found people. They would share their stories with me. I just sort of became focused on the first couple of weeks, try to capture the emotion of that and the fall it and how difficult it can be for someone to wrap their head around. HDD: Without spoiling the end, the end is very ambiguous. Do you have an actual ending or intention? I don't want to know what it is if you do. Was there a reason for the ambiguity? Sean Durkin:Yeah, there's a reason. My goal was to make a film that focused on those first couple of weeks and take the audience into the mindset of Martha. It was really important to me that it stayed true to that, not try to do anything more. I feel like the film had to end there because that's exactly where she is at at that specific point of time. Trying to do anything more might be unrealistic emotionally. Basically, there are questions that you have and hopefully they are the exact same questions that Martha has at the end of the film. HDD: It makes sense. And I like it even more with your explanation. This was a great year for films at Sundance. Being there, on your side, how it? Sean Durkin: It was great! I think there was a great energy this year. It felt very positive and I think there were some very great films. … It sort of felt like – I don't know. Very positive and exciting time. HDD: What are you working on next? Sean Durkin: I'm writing a new script. HDD: Are you going to direct it also? Sean Durkin: Yep. HDD: Do you intend to write everything you direct for the rest of your career? Sean Durkin: Not at all. I'm open to lots of things. I would jump at a great script if it comes my way. I'm also interested in adapting books. HDD: Well, it looks like our time is up. Sean Durkin: Thank you. HDD: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today. I really appreciate it. Sean Durkin: The same to you.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:30 AM PDT by: -
HDD's Exclusive Interview with 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Star Elizabeth Olsenby Luke Hickman I've attended the Sundance Film Festival for the last four consecutive years. As a press member, they have special screenings set up for you and industry folks away from the general Main Street hoopla. While waiting in lines with others donning the press and industry badges, you hear a lot of inside info about films being screened – what's good, what's not so good, and what's terrible. In the last four years, I never heard so much positive buzz about anything than I did this year. In every line I stood in and every theater I sat in, I always heard people buzzing about one breakthrough actress – Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen actually appeared in two Sundance 2011 films – 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' and 'Silent House.' The buzz heard came from her performances in both films. Who knew the Olsen Twins from 'Full House' had a little sister who could break their mold and hit the ground running with her first professional gig? Opening stateside on October 21, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' takes you through the life of a young woman who gets sucked into a cult and finally escapes. The film opens with a brainwashed version of that girl fleeing the farm compound and awkwardly returning to life as we know it. As she attempts to return to innocence, her thoughts take her back to her first weeks at the farm. [teaser]After finally seeing 'Martha Marcy May Marlene,' I can confirm that the Sundance buzz was spot on – Elizabeth Olsen is a keeper. This week she took a few minutes to chat with High-Def Digest about Sundance, her two films shown there and the bright career that lies ahead of her.[/teaser] High-Def Digest – Luke Hickman: Hello! How are you today? Elizabeth Olsen: Great! How are you? HDD: Not bad. Are you tired of doing so much press today? Isn't this the second round for you, considering the film opened at Sundance in January? Elizabeth Olsen: Yes, but it's our first time getting to do it like this, so it's exciting. HDD: But you had two films at Sundance, meaning you did double time up there. Elizabeth Olsen: Yes. HDD: I missed 'Silent House' up there and I'm dying to see it. Elizabeth Olsen: Well, we've changed the ending, so if people have seen it, they should go see it anyway. HDD: How was it doing a single-take movie? Elizabeth Olsen: It wasn't [filmed] all in one shot. [The filmmakers] feel okay talking about it now because the whole point about the one shot is to create a new experience for a viewer of real time, so they tried to create a performance that takes place over an hour and a half of real time. It was an incredible challenge. We did do really long shots – like 12-minute shots – not consistently, so it was really challenging. The endurance that you had to create was exhausting. HDD: Do you know if 'Silent House' has distribution? I know it was acquired - Elizabeth Olsen: It was picked up by Liddell Entertainment and they're pairing up with Open Road for a release in early spring. They don't have a date yet, but early spring. HDD: Were the reshoots done just for the ending? Elizabeth Olsen: No, there were a couple things. Since it is real time, you can't edit things and make it a more cohesive story. There are some things that we had to change to make it flow better in real time. All the cuts are still seamless, it's just a really new way of watching … or experiencing a movie. HDD: Did you film 'Silent House' first or 'Martha Marcy May Marlene?' Elizabeth Olsen: We filmed 'Silent House' a few weeks after 'Martha.' HDD: And how was it diving into those role? It's very dark. Elizabeth Olsen: There were a lot of different things to play around with and explore. It was somehow fun, even though you think it wouldn't have been. HDD: Was it very difficult? From looking at your IMDb page, you hadn't done anything in a very long time. Elizabeth Olsen: Those [early] credits are actually – my sisters would film these straight-to-video movies, and because there were four kids in my family at the time, my mother – after would we be picked up from school – would have my brother and I sometimes be in their videos when we were just hanging out. That wasn't an actual attempt at acting. That was kinda like – they would just put gum in my hair and call it a day. I actually started going to acting school when I was eight. I was actually acting my whole life, but not doing anything professionally. I started going to acting conservatories when I was 16 – I've gone to four different acting conservatories – I understudied when I was in college, and then I met an agent … and started auditioning for films about seven months before 'Martha.' HDD: At Sundance you came out of nowhere. You couldn't stand in line without hearing someone talking about one of your two performances there. Elizabeth Olsen: That's really cool. It's gonna sound like I come out of nowhere. My dad is so funny. … I remember when he was reading something that was written about Sundance, there was some sort of article about me that said something like, “Coming out of … left field, Elizabeth Olson, sister of blaa-blaa-blaa...” and my dad was like, “But wait. You've been doing this your whole life. Don't they know that?” And I'm like, “No, Dad, they don't because it's not in the public; therefore, it never happened.” Yeah, I've been doing it my whole life, I just haven't been working professionally. I've been training. I just started auditioning last January … and it's been a really exciting time. HDD: And there are already a couple of big films that you've already filmed, right? Elizabeth Olsen: I filmed five movies this year. HDD: Oh, my gosh! Elizabeth Olsen: Yeah, it was a great learning experience, but then I decided to take a break and go back to school to finish up my BFA at NYU. HDD: Very cool. Elizabeth Olsen: Yeah. Education is really important to me, so finishing my college education is a huge priority. I never actually knew how much work you had to do for promoting films and how much time it consumes, so I better finish school now before things get even crazier. HDD: Do you have any roles lined up for when you're through with school? Elizabeth Olsen: Yeah, I'm doing a movie called 'Very Good Girls.' Naomi Phoner is directing it. We're going to be filming that later, when I done with school. HDD: This was a great year for films at Sundance. Being there, on your side, how it? Elizabeth Olsen: It was my first festival, so everything was so exciting. I was just doe-eyed the whole time everything was going on, just enjoying the experience. HDD: And I imagine you were twice as busy promoting the two films. Elizabeth Olsen: I was. I never even got to see the full movie from beginning to end until Cannes. HDD: 'Martha' has a very ambiguous ending. Do you know what happens after the film cuts to black? Elizabeth Olsen: No, I don't know. It's not really going to help me tell the story if I know what happens in the future. … I think it's really deliberate when stories are told [this way]. … If back story helps me, then I'll focus on the back story - but I don't even think that back story is necessary most of the time. What happens before or after the movie exists isn't relevant. It isn't what the audience is supposed to be thinking about. HDD: Well, our time is up and I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with me today. Elizabeth Olsen: Thank you, too.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
