Cinefile

Google's Pay-TV Business Project Could Challenge Cable

Nov 05, 2011

The Wall Street Journal posted some exciting news: Google is reported to be looking into a paid cable-TV services plan for consumers!

"Google has looked at ways to expand a previously announced project to build a high-speed Internet service in Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., adding video and phone service in a mirror of offerings from cable and telecom companies, according to people briefed on its plans. As a result, Google has discussed distributing major TV channels from companies like Walt Disney Co., Time Warner Inc. and Discovery Communications Inc."

Could Google be on the forefront of reshaping the future of new media television consumption?

47th CIFF: "Venus" + "Method" + "Here"

Nelson Carvajal Oct 19, 2011

Any instance where excitement brews over an animated tale that is not stemming from Pixar is always worth sharing. Such is the case for Tor Fruergaard's oddly touching claymation short film Venus (Denmark), which played in one of the shorts programs at this year's fest.

Venus follows Rasmus (Johan Philip Asbaek) and Caroline (Laura Bach) as they attempt to reignite the sexual flame in their relationship by going to a local swingers club (against Caroline's quiet reluctance). Of course, right from the start, many of the laughs come from watching these curvaceous clay figures perform all sorts ...

47th CIFF: "Patang" + "Joint Body"

Nelson Carvajal Oct 17, 2011

Patang (India) tells the perfunctory story of a transparent, dysfunctional family who bicker and hug a lot during a weekend kite festival in the kaleidoscope city of Ahmedabad. Prashant Bhargava's feature debut carefully follows an age-old outline: Introduce characters one by one (even with on-screen nametags), center the plot on a reunion of some sort (the kite festival), introduce a little tension ('Do we sell the family house or not?') and spoon-feed the audience with obvious visual metaphors (the kites in the sky serve as an analogy for life's game of soaring and falling!). There's nothing cruel ...

47th CIFF: "The Slut" + "Into The Abyss"

Nelson Carvajal Oct 14, 2011

For a film that is spends most of its time observing the decrepit countryside, The Slut's (Israel) visceral strengths come in unexpected instances of sexually carnal action--much like the recurring urges felt by the film's protagonist. Writer-Director-Star Hagar Ben-Asher plays Tamar, an attractive thirtysomething mother of two young daughters, who gets through the rural day-to-day workflow by squeezing in sexual favors for the village male professionals (bicycle repairman, stocky tough guy, poultry farmer, you name it). At first, it seems that it's the men who are running the show. Anytime one of them feels horny, they know ...

47th CIFF: "We Need To Talk About Kevin" + "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Nelson Carvajal Oct 10, 2011

One of the first searing images we see in Lynne Ramsay's bleak, nonlinear drama We Need To Talk About Kevin (United Kingdom) is that of a mosh pit of people covered in what looks like tomato sauce, swaying back and forth (sometimes violently) in a collective current amidst the city streets. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey shoots this from an aerial point of view. The curvish lines among each person's body creates a pulsating vibration on the screen. In fact, the whole screen is practically red; imagine the white noise you see on a TV channel suddenly bleed red. It ...

47th CIFF: "Andrew Bird: Fever Year" + "Day Is Done"

Nelson Carvajal Oct 08, 2011

Although the Chicago International Film Festival may not have the "hip" or "rock star" sensibilities of say Sundance or SXSW, this year's 47th fest again proves that effective curation is more valuable than effervescent coolness. The Chicago Reader's J.R. Jones said it best: "[The films of the CIFF] may not be what the world is watching, but they represent a valuable opportunity for us to watch the world." Sure there are Hollywood films in the lineup (like the inexplicable inclusion of The Three Musketeers 3D) but the crux of the fest's appeal comes from its overwhelming ...

F3 FargoTube Platform Takes Streaming Monetization To Next Level

Oct 05, 2011

It's hard to compete with Brad Pitt's new movie. Luckily, as an independent content creator you now have F3's latest streaming platform--one that plans on shaking up the whole streaming-monetization business model. The Sacramento Bee is reporting that F3 Technologies has sealed a deal to grab an unprecedented catalogue of Hollywood movies for its streaming catalogue, one that already invites independent content creators to stream their work for revenue.

"Significantly, Hollywood studios and other content owners distributing through FargoTube receive a markedly increased revenue share compared with other competing platforms such as Netflix.

"It has been apparent over the past few weeks that Netflix is currently struggling just to keep current films in its streaming library, let alone add new titles; it has also been clear while their business model works for DVD rentals, maintaining a meaningful streaming library has presented a completely different set of challenges. With increased competition in today's streaming market, movie studios are now demanding a higher percentage of revenues generated by providers such as Netflix.  

"Therefore, F3 Technologies plans to soon unveil its 'new' FargoTube platform experience to fans, performers, customers, and investors. We believe offering a wider range of new movies, music, and shows will be an effective enticement to further increase subscribers on the FargoTube platform," [F3's chief executive officer Frank] Connor concluded."

Sony To Stop Paying For Theatres' Disposable 3D Glasses

Sep 28, 2011

According to Forbes, "RealD gets licensing revenue for add-on technology that it supplies to theatre owners with digital projectors and gets paid for making 3D glasses."

And now Sony, who shells out tons of 3D films every year to various theatre chains, has decided to stop paying "millions of dollars" for those slick, disposable RealD glasses that moviegoers have been using up until now!

"Sony's decision will stop a supply of money to RealD for the glasses starting next May. Theatre owners may pay for the glasses themselves, or force consumers to buy them and reuse them.

RealD has already said that customers reusing eyewear has cut into their revenues. In July, it said product and other revenue fell to $23.8 million from $38.8 million for the quarter through June 24 as more international customers reused previously purchased 3-D glasses at movie theatres."

How do you feel about Sony's recent decision to stop funding these crucial movie-viewing instruments for their own 3D films? And more importantly, if theatre owners start charging top dollar for a permanent pair of 3D glasses, would you buy them?