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MoviePass launches iPhone app and card combo, takes unlimited viewing to all US theaters

Jon Fingas — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:00:00 -0400

While MoviePass was in early beta, it got more than a small amount of pushback from theaters that didn't like someone changing the price formula without their explicit say-so. The company just found an end-run around that conspicuous obstacle. It's releasing both an iPhone app and a reloadable card that, when combined, let MoviePass' effectively unlimited subscription model work at just about any US theater. The app unlocks the card for a specific showing; after that, it's only a matter of swiping the plastic at a payment kiosk like any old credit card. It's not as sophisticated as NFC or Pay With Square, to be sure, but it should keep the rude surprises to a minimum. Both the iOS app and the card require an invitation to the $30 monthly service if you're eager to get watching movies today. If either is too limiting, there's promises of both an Android app and wider availability in the future.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, HD

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Source: MoviePass

Star Wars Episode II and III 3D re-releases officially dated for theaters in September and October 2013

Richard Lawler — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:31:00 -0400

Before Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace came back to the theaters earlier this year converted for 3D, the plan was to bring the other five movies to theaters one at a time each year, but that has apparently changed. At the Star Wars Celebration VI event in Orlando (where we first found out about the Blu-ray release two years ago) Lucasfilm announced that Episodes II and III in 3D will be released in theaters back to back in fall of 2013, arriving September 20th and October 11th, respectively. Missing so far from the announcement? A reason for the back-to-back release or any word on Blu-ray 3D plans. In lieu of more details, although it means Attack of the Clones will come back later in the year than Phantom Menace did, with any luck this accelerated schedule is a good omen for the original trilogy's return. Of course, we'll have to wait and see what magic can be worked with those older film and special effects elements, however IGN apparently found an early preview of the Episode II 3D footage to be promising.

[Thanks, Rachael]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Star Wars (Facebook), Star Wars (Twitter), Star Wars.com

4D technology coming to 200 US cinemas to help you feel and smell the action

Steve Dent — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:24:00 -0400

Booming 64-track soundtrack at the cinema making you yawn? Already jaded about 4K , 3D and high frame-rates? If so, a company called CJ Group out of Korea may be able to blast you from your stupor -- it's bringing so-called 4D to nearly 200 theaters stateside. That extra 'D' won't let you warp spacetime, but instead will bring your other senses into play with seats that move and thump, smells from things like flowers or gunpowder, and artificial wind, rain and lightening. All that extra stimulation could bump the freight of a seat by around eight bucks, and movie house owners will need to shell out half of the $2 million cost to retrofit each salon. But CJ Group claims it's been hugely popular in markets like Asia and Mexico, so theaters there have quickly recouped the cost. Of course, you wouldn't want all that strang and durm on certain films, but lots of cinematic squealers could use a good dose of extra lipstick.

Filed under: HD

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Regal Entertainment Group teams up with Sony to bring subtitle glasses to US theaters

Donald Melanson — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:34:00 -0400

We've been hearing about glasses that only display subtitles to those who need them for years (most recently with a trial run in the UK), but it looks like they're now finally about to enter the US market in a fairly big way. Regal Entertainment Group announced today that it's partnered with Sony Entertainment to bring the company's Access Glasses to "practically all" of its digital theaters in the US (that includes the vast majority of its 500+ theaters and more than 4,700 screens in all). Those glasses work with both 2D and 3D movies (the latter courtesy of a clip-on filter), and can provide closed-captioned text in up to six different languages for the hearing impaired, as well as descriptive audio for the visually impaired when they're paired with headphones. According to Regal, the glasses are already rolling out to some theaters this month, and it says they should be everywhere by the first quarter of 2013.

Filed under: HD

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3D glasses vending machine lets you be fashionable in the dark

Lydia Leavitt — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:37:00 -0400

There are certain things worth paying to upgrade: earbuds, perhaps, and maybe even Spotify. But when it comes to buying fancy 3D glasses for the sole purpose of looking cool in a pitch-black theater -- well, aren't we already spending enough on popcorn and Funyuns? EX3D doesn't seem to think so. Starting August 13th, moviegoers in San Diego will be able to trade in those freebies for fashion at a 3D glasses vending machine. At $22 - $30 a pop, these "affordable" and "stylish" glasses may be a boon for those who wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same specs as their friends. Of course, you can also use these babies out of the theater on a passive 3D TV. As for us? We'll stick with the freebies, thank you very much. Jump past the break for the full PR.

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Theaters threaten boycott over DirecTV's proposed premium VOD

Ben Drawbaugh — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:51:00 -0500

Paying $30 to watch a movie via DirecTV's video-on-demand might seem crazy to you, even if the movie did just hit the theaters less than two months ago, but not was crazy as it seems to the owners of the largest theater chains in America. You see, for the first time, maybe ever, the theater business is absolutely booming and the home media business is going in the opposite direction. So while Hollywood thinks that this is an opportunity to find lost ground in a suffering sector, the CEO of the nation's largest theater chain Regal Entertainment, Amy Miles, said "if a film has a four-to-six week window to a home, we're not going to give it screen time." Ouch. The big wig who runs AMC, Gerry Lopez, wasn't any more receptive, insisting "we do not intend to screen movies released under such circumstances." We'd prefer not to get in the middle of this lover's quarrel, but we have to say we doubt enough people would be willing to pay $30 to watch a movie at home to impact the theater business one way or another.

Filed under: HD

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James Cameron talks Avatar's theatrical, Blu-ray Special Editions

Richard Lawler — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:06:00 -0400

This weekend Avatar comes back for more in theaters, packing an extra 8 and a half minutes and only available in 3D. According to director James Cameron, part of the reason is there are so many more 3D cinemas now than there were before, especially internationally. If you're still holding out for the (next) home release, expect even more footage with an extra 16 minutes added onto the original cut, which Cameron hopes will help hold fans over while they work on sequels that could take years to make. Oh, and the Blu-ray 3D release? The Hollywood Reporter says that's still on hold for 2011, while Cameron & Co. hold out for a larger installed base of 3D-ready displays.

Filed under: HD

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New glasses-free 3D tech uses per pixel prisms for zero crosstalk, audience flexibility

Sean Hollister — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:04:00 -0400

Try as manufacturers might, attempts at autostereoscopic (glasses-free) TV have been subpar; existing tech typically makes for messy images due to ghosting, only provides a 3D effect if you're standing in one of a very few predetermined spots (usually 8-10 viewing angles, though we've heard of 64), and reduces display resolution -- all because only some pixels can be seen from each spot. With the occasional exception, it's not terribly impressive. Scientists at the National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan are looking to change that. Rather than block light with a parallax barrier, their screen uses a matrix of specially cut prisms to reflect it, reducing ghosting to nil and maintaining display resolution by sending the same image to each viewer. Though there are still a fixed number of viewing zones, the prisms are so tiny that manufacturers can simply add more prisms to each pixel to increase that number -- with 11 prisms per pixel, researchers say such a system could support 100 simultaneous 3D moviegoers. We've no word on whether the tech is affordable or when we'll see it, but we expect it to handily beat cyborg eyeballs to market.

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Sony joins up with DCIP, assists in switching theaters over to digital projection

Richard Lawler — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:19:00 -0400

Proving it can play well with others, Sony Pictures has decided to throw in with most of the other major studios in the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners to fund digital projection switches across North America. Similar to its existing deal with RealD to go straight to 3D with 4K SXRD equipment, these digital cinemas can be converted to 3D later. Since we first heard about the group's plans to upgrade movie theaters, plans have slowed due to the credit crisis, but with every major studio except Warner Bros. on board, it would seem they've got the backing to make 20,000 digital perfect -- and cheap digital print movie distribution compatible -- sooner rather than later.

Filed under: Industry, Sony, HD

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Can 3D cinemas really take off?

Darren Murph — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:09:00 -0400

Every so often, a technology manages to get everyone on board at just the right time in order to make a surge. Recently, that technology has been 3D cinema. After titles like Hannah Montana and U2 3D hit the scenes, the buzz swept over ShoWest in Las Vegas and has continued on with announcements that all future DreamWorks Animations productions would be made in 3D and even the NBA dipping its toes into the third-dimension during the regular season. Still, word on the street has the price of bringing a Dolby 3D Digital Cinema experience to theaters between $20,000 and $30,000, and of course, you have to convince viewers to wear those somewhat uncomfortable glasses and probably pay a premium just to sit down. Quite honestly, we still don't see 3D becoming a dominant force in tried and true theaters for years; as amazing as the technology can be when executed perfectly, there's still quite a few detractions holding it down. What say you? Can you imagine a 3D theater or two popping up in your local Cineplex? Would you even go if it happened?

[Via AboutProjectors, image courtesy of LA Times]

Filed under: Industry, Misc, Projector, HD

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