Monday, January 30, 2006
The Trouble With Netflix
I have been a big advocate of Netflix since its inception back in 1999. It is now starting to make money, but with mainstream success has come mainstream problems. For the last two months I have been frustrated with the number of movies with a long wait time. I often had ten movies in my queue, all labeled with a "short" or "long wait." It took nearly two months for March of the Penguins to finally ship. That's unacceptable. The Netflix buyer needs to get his act together or customer churn will hit back. I anticipate this problem being alleviated in the next few weeks, as the number of new memberships presumably begins to level off. We shall see.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Another year, Another Ebertfest...
It is dwarfed in size and prominence by other film festivals, but those qualities are also what makes Ebertfest (aka Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival) special. Champaign is a nice central location for midwesterners who live outside Illinois, and the downtown area where the Virginia Theater is located is easy to navigate. The last week of April timeframe does not interfere with summer activities or other film festivals, though my one complaint is that rain is often a problem. Maybe this year will be different.
Festival passes are not hard to come by, but you have to act quickly. I think the passes go on sale sometime in November. I bought mine in December. They are sold through ticketweb, which is now saying that the passes are no longer available. I suspect this means that the passes are sold out already, though a call to the theater might yield favorable results. Not bad considering that the names of the films featured in the festival will not be made available until March.
I marvel at the price of the pass. It is now $85. Actually, I consider that to be a fair price for what is offered, especially when compared to other pricey festivals. What I marvel at is how the price has escalated the past few years. The first festival featured the unbelievable bargain price of $30. I think that the festival organizers were wise to keep the prices low initially to build a following. That following now fills the Virginia to capacity for nearly every showing.
I am always excited to read the list of films when it is finally made known. My familiarity with Ebert and some inside information allows me to speculate on some of this year's film selections. Rumor has it that Vertigo was slated to be the opening night 70mm film last year, but scheduled guest Kim Novak had recently fallen off a horse (isn't she a little old to be messing with a horse?) and due to her injuries would be unable to attend. That puts Vertigo as the frontrunner to be the opening night film this year.
The silent film on Friday night is always accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra. I looked at their website in hopes of finding out what film they would be touring with in the spring, but there is no info available for 2006 yet. My pick would be Blackmail, a Hitchcock silent that I have never seen. That might be too much Hitchcock for one festival, but can you really have too much Hitchcock?
Duma is the odds-on favorite to be the kids' movie on Saturday morning. Ebert and Roeper championed the film last year, but audiences chose to ignore it. It is among the list that Ebert published in the "candidates for Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival" section of his 2005 year in review. The others are Off the Map, The Weather Man, Keane, and The Woodsman.
Festival passes are not hard to come by, but you have to act quickly. I think the passes go on sale sometime in November. I bought mine in December. They are sold through ticketweb, which is now saying that the passes are no longer available. I suspect this means that the passes are sold out already, though a call to the theater might yield favorable results. Not bad considering that the names of the films featured in the festival will not be made available until March.
I marvel at the price of the pass. It is now $85. Actually, I consider that to be a fair price for what is offered, especially when compared to other pricey festivals. What I marvel at is how the price has escalated the past few years. The first festival featured the unbelievable bargain price of $30. I think that the festival organizers were wise to keep the prices low initially to build a following. That following now fills the Virginia to capacity for nearly every showing.
I am always excited to read the list of films when it is finally made known. My familiarity with Ebert and some inside information allows me to speculate on some of this year's film selections. Rumor has it that Vertigo was slated to be the opening night 70mm film last year, but scheduled guest Kim Novak had recently fallen off a horse (isn't she a little old to be messing with a horse?) and due to her injuries would be unable to attend. That puts Vertigo as the frontrunner to be the opening night film this year.
The silent film on Friday night is always accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra. I looked at their website in hopes of finding out what film they would be touring with in the spring, but there is no info available for 2006 yet. My pick would be Blackmail, a Hitchcock silent that I have never seen. That might be too much Hitchcock for one festival, but can you really have too much Hitchcock?
Duma is the odds-on favorite to be the kids' movie on Saturday morning. Ebert and Roeper championed the film last year, but audiences chose to ignore it. It is among the list that Ebert published in the "candidates for Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival" section of his 2005 year in review. The others are Off the Map, The Weather Man, Keane, and The Woodsman.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Will the Bubble Burst?
January 27th. That is the day when the movie industry's foundations might be shaken. You see, Friday marks the premier of Steven Soderbergh's new film, Bubble. While there might not be anything overly remarkable about the content of the film, what makes Bubble notable is that it is opening in theaters the same day that it debuts on HDNet Movies. Other movies have followed a similar path, often with the theatrical engagements following the television debut. But this is the first major film to be released this way. While Bubble has a no-name cast and a small budget, any film by Soderbergh is significant. Early reviews (the film was screened at the Toronto Film Festival last fall) have been promising enough to entice me to watch or record Bubble on the 27th. Ebert and Roeper raved about the movie this weekend (once again they beat me to the punch--I thought that for once I might be able to watch a movie before they had a chance to review it). Those of you without HDNet Movies will also be able to buy or rent the DVD on the 31st.
The newness and immediacy of Bubble's convenient home release make it much more attractive than it would be if it followed the normal channels. Some people say that the "on demand" method is destined to be the primary method of distribution in a few years. While Bubble is not "on demand," it is a big step in that direction. The big theater chains hate all of this, of course. It is invevitable that most will be forced to shut down. Most theaters have put an emphasis on maximizing revenue with little thought towards the ill will created in the long term. The ones that put an emphasis on a unique, enjoyable experience will be able to stay open. Those theaters will be few and far between. The cineplexes are dead. They just don't know it.
The newness and immediacy of Bubble's convenient home release make it much more attractive than it would be if it followed the normal channels. Some people say that the "on demand" method is destined to be the primary method of distribution in a few years. While Bubble is not "on demand," it is a big step in that direction. The big theater chains hate all of this, of course. It is invevitable that most will be forced to shut down. Most theaters have put an emphasis on maximizing revenue with little thought towards the ill will created in the long term. The ones that put an emphasis on a unique, enjoyable experience will be able to stay open. Those theaters will be few and far between. The cineplexes are dead. They just don't know it.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
March Goodness
Generally March is not the best, though not necessarily the worst, time for movies. It's before the summer action/blockbuster season (which has encroached upon April in recent years), and the lack of a Monday holiday means the potentional for revenue is lessened. March is way too early for the release of any film that has the slightest aspirations for the end of the year award season. "Modest Potential" is the most apt way to describe any movie placed into the March slot.
But last year the end of March saw the release of Sin City. Perhaps not so coincidentally another graphic novel adaptation is being released this year in the same time period, and if advance word is any indication, then there might be something to be excited about in March other than college basketball. I am referring to V for Vendetta, the latest film from those wacky Wachowski Brothers starring the blossoming Natalie Portman. The movie was screened last week, and David Poland literally gushed about the film. I did my usual skimming to avoid spoilers, but from what I did read it appears that the movie shows a lot of promise. Vucking Vantastic? I can only hope.
But last year the end of March saw the release of Sin City. Perhaps not so coincidentally another graphic novel adaptation is being released this year in the same time period, and if advance word is any indication, then there might be something to be excited about in March other than college basketball. I am referring to V for Vendetta, the latest film from those wacky Wachowski Brothers starring the blossoming Natalie Portman. The movie was screened last week, and David Poland literally gushed about the film. I did my usual skimming to avoid spoilers, but from what I did read it appears that the movie shows a lot of promise. Vucking Vantastic? I can only hope.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Capitalists Pigs
What the fuck is the deal with the high gas prices? Did another hurricane wipe out more refineries? Did oil production go down due to a new war in the Middle East? Is it a record cold January?
The price of oil has inflated for one reason---the oil companies have realized that they can get away with charging a high price for their product. Some would argue that it is simply a question of supply and demand. Standard Oil could have made the same argument, and perhaps they did. Because demand has a floor set by necessity, it would take a collapse of the economy of 1929 proportions to lower it any further. So these monopolies have no reason (other than the fear of future government regulation) to keep prices low, as the demand would stay the same whether they raise the price to 20, 40, or even 80 cents higher. The conditions of last fall made these companies realize that they could get away with the higher prices, and we are seeing the results now. And public apathy (my voice notwithstanding) will keep it that way.
The price of oil has inflated for one reason---the oil companies have realized that they can get away with charging a high price for their product. Some would argue that it is simply a question of supply and demand. Standard Oil could have made the same argument, and perhaps they did. Because demand has a floor set by necessity, it would take a collapse of the economy of 1929 proportions to lower it any further. So these monopolies have no reason (other than the fear of future government regulation) to keep prices low, as the demand would stay the same whether they raise the price to 20, 40, or even 80 cents higher. The conditions of last fall made these companies realize that they could get away with the higher prices, and we are seeing the results now. And public apathy (my voice notwithstanding) will keep it that way.
Monday, January 09, 2006
A Good Start to the Week
As you'd be hard pressed not to know due to the recent media blitz, Howard Stern debuted on Sirius Monday. First off, it was weird listening to him live. Except for some fleeting opportunities when in range of Chicago or St. Louis, the live show has eluded me for several years. When I lived in Normal in 1998-99 the show was broadcast locally (before it was yanked off, doubtless NOT due to a lack of listeners). Internet downloads have been nice but they aren't the same.
The show on old-fashioned radio was just plain weak the last two years. Ever since that damn Janet Jackson incident, the tightening reign of censorship has killed the show. And when Stern signed with Sirius, his lame duck status meant that his old radio management would provide little in the way of support.
The debut show was a breath of fresh air. Everyone sounded invigorated. No commercials for the first show was a good idea. It made me realize that it is nice to have a few commercials, if only to provide time for a bathroom break or to run to the kitchen for some breakfast. Supposedly they are going to run 6 commercials an hour beginning tomorrow, which sounds about right.
The cast revelations were killer. One cast member cheated on his wife, and was caught. Another had to have his/her stomach pumped due to alcohol poisioning, and woke up to an aquaintance fondling his/her genitals. These are 2 of 11 revelations that were announced. Who the revelations belong to will be revealed next Monday. This is the kind of thing that made the show great years ago, and hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
The show on old-fashioned radio was just plain weak the last two years. Ever since that damn Janet Jackson incident, the tightening reign of censorship has killed the show. And when Stern signed with Sirius, his lame duck status meant that his old radio management would provide little in the way of support.
The debut show was a breath of fresh air. Everyone sounded invigorated. No commercials for the first show was a good idea. It made me realize that it is nice to have a few commercials, if only to provide time for a bathroom break or to run to the kitchen for some breakfast. Supposedly they are going to run 6 commercials an hour beginning tomorrow, which sounds about right.
The cast revelations were killer. One cast member cheated on his wife, and was caught. Another had to have his/her stomach pumped due to alcohol poisioning, and woke up to an aquaintance fondling his/her genitals. These are 2 of 11 revelations that were announced. Who the revelations belong to will be revealed next Monday. This is the kind of thing that made the show great years ago, and hopefully this is a sign of things to come.