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HDD Breaking News: Secret 'Super 8' Showings TONIGHT![teaser]Can't wait until Friday to see 'Super 8'? You're in luck! Twitter and Paramount Pictures have teamed up for the first-ever "Tweet Movie Sneak Preview" of 'Super 8' for one day only on over 300 IMAX and standard screens across the nation.[/teaser] The ultra secret 'Super 8' sneak previews will be taking place on June 9, one day before the film's theatrical release. Since Twitter is partnering for the sneak previews, the only way you can find out about showing information is via Twitter. Go to the official page of the preview and share the info with your friends on Twitter by using #Super8Secret. Based on the screenings in our theatrical reviewer Luke Hickman's area, it looks like all secret screenings will be taking place late tonight at 12:01AM (technically falling on June 9). Directed by J.J. Abrams ('Star Trek') and produced by Steven Spielberg ('Indiana Jones'), 'Super 8' is a widely anticipated adventure film that follows a group of children as an unknown beast forces a military take-over of their small town. Trailers and TV spots have revealed nearly nothing about the film, causing a curiosity to drive the pre-release buzz. Since Luke is under embargo to not review 'Super 8' until it's opening, he can't yet tell you how great it is. What he can tell you is that he has already seen it twice, and he's contemplating going back to a secret screening in Salt Lake City tonight. 'Super 8' needs to be seen on the big screen. Check The Bonus View very soon for his review.Posted Wed Jun 8, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
OTA Broadcast Loses Viewers - CEA Recommends Auctioning the Spectrum[teaser]Only eight percent of people are getting their TV through over-the-air broadcasts. [/teaser] Not too many years ago, before the cable boom, there was only one choice for getting your television. We fiddled with bigger and better antennas and played with rabbit ears to get the best signal possible. Now that there are a great many more options, over-the-air programming isn't getting the same love it used to. The Consumer Electronics Association says that a survey done in December of 2010 indicates that only eight percent of people are getting television from over-the-air broadcasts. That still seems like a fair chunk of the population, but CEA president Gary Shapiro says it's just not enough. "Using huge swaths of wireless spectrum to deliver TV to homes no longer makes economic sense," he says. "Congress should pass legislation to allow for incentive auctions so free market dynamics can find the best purposes for underused broadcast spectrum, such as wireless broadband." Source: TWICEPosted Wed Jun 8, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Introduces a PlayStation Branded 3D Monitor for $499[teaser]The 24 inch set offers 1080p resolution, LED backlighting, and more. [/teaser] This may come as a bit of a surprise, but serious gamers - the guys racking up the highest scores and competing professionally - aren't playing on massive 70 inch sets. Instead, they prefer a sweet spot between 22 and 24 inches. Sony's new PlayStation branded monitor comes in at 24 inches and is made specifically for gamers. It's LED backlit, 3D capable, and comes with a pair of 3D glasses as well as a copy of 'Resistance 3,' which will be coming out right around the same time as this set. Perhaps the coolest feature of the PlayStation TV is the special two-player split screen mode. When playing a game that would normally divide the screen in two, you can use the TV's unique split-screen mode and 3D glasses to send one image to player one and the other to player two. The set will run $499 when it releases this fall. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Jun 8, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
LCD and Plasma Growth Takes a Dive[teaser]Both display formats are still growing, but that growth has slowed significantly. [/teaser] LCD and plasma televisions have been experiencing a great deal of growth, especially over the last year, but it seems that growth spurt has ended. In the first quarter of 2010, LCD TV shipments grew by 50 percent. That was spurred on in part by the World Cup, but 50 percent growth is remarkable no matter how you slice it. In 2011, the first quarter growth was just nine percent. Plasma sets were in a bit of a resurgence thanks to lower prices and the busting of a few common plasma TV myths, but this quarter they're down to six percent growth - not exactly mind blowing. Interestingly, plasma TVs still improved a good deal in the 720p category. Analysts cite low prices for large screen sizes as the primary cause. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Wed Jun 8, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Have you "Liked" High-Def Digest on Facebook yet?[teaser]Have you visited the High-Def Digest Facebook page lately? If not, why not swing by and let your friends know that you like us? In return, we'll make sure you never miss a Blu-ray bargain or a great review.[/teaser] Please check out the High-Def Digest Page on Facebook, click "like," and spread the word, so you and your friends can always find the best Blu-ray and High-Def news and reviews online. Our Facebook page is still going strong, and we'd love you to join in the fun. In addition to our reviews, highlights from The Bonus View, and priceless witticisms, we use the page as one more way of spreading the word about the best high-def releases on the market. If you haven't joined the fun yet, you can check it out here. Hope to see you there soon!Posted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 02:10 PM PDT by: -
HDD Exclusive: Our Interview With 'Beginners' Writer/Director Mike Millsby Luke Hickman [teaser]Few directors have the ability to show something on screen that puts you in the role of the characters and truly makes you experience their same emotions. Mike Mills is one of those rare directors. Not a moment passes in his latest feature film, 'Beginners', where you aren't emotionally connected to everything on screen.[/teaser] While promoting the film in Denver, Mills took a few minutes to chat with me over the phone to tell me how 'Beginners' came about, what the writing process was like, and how much the superb cast affected the outcome of his intimately personal film. Mills' first feature-length narrative ('Thumbsucker') was an adaptation from a Walter Kirn novel of the same title. 'Beginners', his first feature-length original screenplay, it is a semi-autobiographical telling of his relationship with his father. In the film, Ewan McGregor plays the role of the son (Oliver) and Christopher Plummer plays the father (Hal). 'Beginners' is told in a non-linear fashion that bounces back and forth through three different periods of Oliver's life. Each time we shift to another period we learn things that help us better connect to the characters. The earliest of those times in his life is the period we see the least - Oliver's childhood. The other two periods are closer together in time and share the remainder of the film's runtime. The first of those two takes place when, just six months after his wife's passing, Hal tells Oliver that he is gay. The other takes place shortly after Hal's death when Oliver meets and falls for a beautiful French actress, Anna (Mélanie Laurent). "Writing [an original] screenplay is wildly different from adapting." Being based on such influential moments from his own life, Mills recalls the experience of writing 'Beginners' as "exciting, depressing and difficult to stare at for any length of time." "When writing something based on your memories … you see it from your particular slant on the situation. You see them the way you remember them - not the way they were. … 'Beginners' is the memory of my dad, his coming-out and his passing [told] with a funny hybrid of facts and fiction. Oliver is the cross-reference. I never intended for it, but he [ended up being] a slice of myself that I ran with." Casting became an important factor for Mills. Making sure the actors were able to fully convey the intended emotion, he went for "live in the moment actors." McGregor and Plummer were quickly selected, but Anna's casting proved a little more difficult. Mills knew what he wanted from an actress, but didn't have one in mind. He was "looking for a European - someone far from home, strong, fiery, intelligent." She had to possess "independence and strength." While Mills was seeking his Anna, Laurent was still unknown in the U.S. because 'Inglourious Basterds' had not yet opened. Based on suggestions from friends, Mills began scouring the Internet for European actresses who could display the previously mentioned characteristics. When he can across footage of Laurent, he immediately knew she was Anna. "I found an interview with her. She was smoking and talking up a storm. The way she sat there and carried herself - even though I didn’t understand a word - I knew she was it." Once she was cast and rehearsing began, Mills felt vindicated in his casting decisions. "Ewan and Chris were a great duo [that] formed a great relationship. Ewan admired Chris … [and] that translated to film. … Ewan and Mélanie really liked working together. Since we shot the film on digital RED cameras, we could shoot as much as we wanted. [Ewan and Mélanie] liked playing with each other. They would ask to do takes again just to play with the scenes. Those two went through emotional rollercoasters together. Both are very professional." Mills isn't exaggerating. The relationship between Oliver and Anna is so genuine and honest that it will make you experience falling in love for the first time again. The 'Beginners' trailer opens with Ewan McGregor talking to a dog who, in return, responds through subtitles. Mills' wife, fellow filmmaker Miranda July, premiered her latest film 'The Future' at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. With 'The Future' narrated by a cat, I couldn't help but ask Mills about the talking animals in their films. According to him, "the dog came before the cat."Posted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 01:20 PM PDT by: -
Sony Debuts Cheaper 3D Glasses and a New 24" 3D Gaming Display[teaser]Heads up, PS3 fans. Sony hit the stages at E3 last night to apologize profusely for the Playstation Network outage and to talk up 3D gaming. [/teaser] Integral to this is the Playstation Move, which will enhance just about all of their new games, including titles like 'Bioshock: Infinite' and 'NBA 2K12'. Second, Sony has heard your complaints about the high costs associated with upgrading to 3D, both in terms of displays and glasses. To address these customer concerns, this fall Sony will debut more affordable active-shutter 3D glasses as well as a new game/display/glasses bundle. The glasses themselves should work with all Sony 3DTV displays, and will retail for around $70. They include a rechargeable Li-on battery that is designed to quick-charge. Meaning, charge these batteries for 3 minutes, and you'll get 3 hours of use. Or, charge them for 45 minutes and you'll get 30 hours. Sounds impressive, but we'll have to see how long these optimum charging/usage times last over the life of the batteries. The 3D gaming bundle will retail for a penny shy of $500. It includes two pairs of the aforementioned glasses, a 6-foot high speed HDMI cable, a copy of 'Resistance 3' (playable in 3D, of course), and a brand new 24'-inch 3D display. Now, while most people aren't drooling over getting a 24-incher in their living rooms, Sony said this edge-LED 3D display was designed for gamers specifically, for bedrooms and dorm rooms. It has some impressive stats, some nifty tricks, and should be available in Japan, North America, Europe/PAL territories, as well as Asian countries/regions (pricing may vary, however). Spec-wise, the new 3D display is a full HD 1080p TV (and only 35mm thick), with a 176 degree viewing angle, a 5,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 4ms response time. It also has two, full range, 28mm stereo speakers and a 50mm built-in subwoofer. It supports "frame packing", "top and bottom", and "side by side" options for 3D viewing. File under "nifty features", this new 3D display is also designed for to support multiplayer games in a unique way that promises to eliminate horizontal or vertical split-screen gaming. Specifically, thanks to 3D's ability to divide content into two separate images, game players will be able to face off against friends (up to two players) with both players seeing two, separate full screen images. What do you think? Have you been looking for a gaming-only display? Do you care about full screen multiplayer gaming? And most importantly, is $500 a good price for a 24-inch display, a game, two glasses and an HDMI cable? Hit up the forums and let us know.Posted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 12:50 PM PDT by: -
Nintendo Announces Next HD Console: The Wii U[teaser]As expected, Nintendo announced its next generation, HD console gaming system this morning at the company's E3 press conference. [/teaser] Dubbed the Wii U ["We You"], the real show stopper for the platform isn't the up-rezzed graphics, which still aren't fully competing with PS3 or Xbox 360, but rather it’s the system's brand new controller. The Wii U controller features a 6.2" touch screen, making the whole thing look like a video game controller by way of a tablet device a la an iPad. Like its Wii-mote predecessors, the new Wii U controller can be used in three different ways: 1. As a normal game controller. Play the new Wii U in HD on your HDTV, using this controller as you would any normal video game controller. 2. As a standalone screen. If someone comes into the room and wants to not watch you play, the new Wii U control can be used as its own, separate screen. But, the key here is that this controller is not actually a portable system a la the 3DS. You still need to be within range of the console itself. 3. As a second screen. The new Wii U controller also adds a new dimension to traditional Wii games acting as a complimentary screen to the action already unfolding on your HDTV. As we saw today in the E3 trailer montage, when playing the updated version of Wii Sports, players can look down at the ground and see his or her golf ball when prepping to hit it. Or, you could have a stash of throwing stars, which you would whip off the tablet and onto your HDTV where they interact with the environment. Apart from those three separate uses, the new Wii U controller will surf the web, and then display whatever content you find (ie, pictures) on your HDTV. Also, you can draw with it and beam your drawings onto your HDTV. And it will work as a video chat device (WiFi required, of course). For original Wii owners, the Wii U is backwards compatible to all previous games, but they won't be getting up-rezzed. At the time of this writing, Wii U's exact specs (720p or 1080p?) are unclear, but keep your eyes out for updates as we get closer to the release date. In terms of games, expect new versions of all the usual Nintendo suspects, but also exciting titles from third parties, who are excited to take advantage of the Wii U console's larger processor, as well as the new tablet controller. As for the console itself, according to Nintendo execs, the Wii U will not feature a Blu-ray optical drive, but they didn't specify what exactly it would be (they hinted that it would have to have enough storage to handle the higher resolution content). What do you think? Sound like something you need? For our gamers here on the site, what's your favorite console for HD gaming? What's your dream HD console?Posted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 12:10 PM PDT by: -
3DTV Shipments are Up 352 Percent in First Quarter of 2011[teaser]Over 500,000 3D capable televisions were sent to retailers in early 2011. [/teaser] There's no question that 2011 is going to be a big year for 3D televisions. More sets are coming with 3D capability than ever and prices are getting lower, making the technology more accessible. 2011 is also the year the tech really gets pushed at stores, as evidenced by a whopping 586,276 3D televisions being shipped out to retail in the first quarter of the year. It probably won't come as a surprise that this is an increase, but Quixel Market Research says it's an increase of over 350 percent. In all, there were 1.23 million 3D televisions shipped to retail in 2010, but if this shipment trend continues, 2011 may beat that before the summer ends. Quixel says we can expect 6.2 million shipped by the end of the year, and nearly double that in 2012. Source: TwicePosted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Disney Will Launch a Streaming Site In the Next Year[teaser]CEO Iger says there will be gaming content, video, and more. [/teaser] At the D9 conference this week, Disney CEO Bob Iger made some announcements about the future of digital distribution from Disney. He says that in addition to the streaming through different distribution partners, Disney will be launching their own streaming site. The site, which Iger expects will launch in the next year, will contain not only video content, but gaming content as well. Disney will have a subscription service, a pay-per-view option, microtransactions and ad-support, but Iger didn't go into detail about just how all of that will work. As far as the current dominant streaming service goes, Iger says that Netflix is never going to be the only option for streaming. "I don’t think that’s possible in today’s world." Source: All Things DPosted Tue Jun 7, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
