Several studios are currently engaged in legal action against Australian ISP iiNet. They accuse iiNet of failing to take steps to stop its subscribers from sharing files by disconnecting them from the Internet. The studios, under the umbrella group AFACT, stated that iiNet “failed to take reasonable steps, including enforcing its own terms and conditions, to prevent known unauthorized use of copies of the companies’ films and TV programs by iiNet’s customers via its network. Full Story : TorrentFreak.com…..
Google took the wraps off a partnership with Hollywood studios bringing movies and TV shows to U.S. consumers via its YouTube video network. Some of the big-named partners inking a deal with YouTube are Sony, CBS, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, BBC, and independent film studio Lions Gate Entertainment. Each agreed to showcase some of its catalog content on the Google-owned video site. Full Story : PCWorld.com……
Apple announced that movie fans can purchase box office blockbusters for download in HD for $19.99 from iTunes, and films will be available as iTunes Movie Rentals in HD for $4.99 within 30 days after release. The iTunes Store has a catalog of over 10 million songs, over 40,000 TV episodes, and over 5,000 movies including over 1,200 in stunning high definition video for rent.
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Rags-to-riches romance “Slumdog Millionaire” won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. “Slumdog” has already raked in more that $100 million, taken top honors at the Golden Globes and made celebrities of its unknown cast. Penelope Cruz won the best supporting actress award for her role in “Vicky Christina Barcelona.”. She is first-time Oscar winner.
“The Love Guru,” after bombing at the box office last summer, had insult added to those injuries Saturday as the Mike Myers comedy was crowned worst film of 2008 at the Golden Raspberry Awards. The Golden Raspberry Awards, were created in 1980 (and first awarded in 1981), intended to counterpoint the Academy Awards by dishonoring the worst acting, screenwriting, songwriting, directing, and films that the film industry had to offer.
An Indian court has overturned a government ban on portraying smoking scenes in films. Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt appealed the law when it was enacted in 2005, calling it an absurd infringement of artistic expression. Full Story : CBC.ca…….
Kevin James remained on the box-office beat as his comedy “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” rounded up $21.6 million to finish at No. 1 for the second straight weekend. Full Story : Canoe.ca….
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Porn industry is suffering from the ailing economy, says porn industry tycoons and they are asking Washington for a $5 billion federal bailout. Adult DVD sales and rentals have decreased by 22 percent in the past year. America has a thirteen-billion-dollar porn industry.
Children of the Dark, a Japanese film about the trafficking and exploitation of children in Thailand has been pulled from the Bangkok Film Festival. Film Director Junji Sakamoto said in a statement that “This film must be shown (to) all of the world, especially in Thailand for the children’s future. To stop this film is the same as shutting children’s futures, also shutting the future in the country.” The feature film, shot in Thailand, follows foreigners who go to Thailand to have sex with children and the consequences for the children involved.
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Hollywood production giant Warner Bros seeking stay on the release of Bollywood film ‘Hari Puttar. Warner Bros studio had claimed that “Hari Puttar,” had a title that was too similar to its billion-dollar franchise about J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard. “Hari Puttar,” is produced by the Bollywood studio Mirchi Movies. Mirchi Movies argued on it defense that Hari was a popular name in India, and that “puttar” means son in Hindi and Punjab.
Michael Moore has released his movie Slacker Uprising free streaming for US and Canadian residents. “This is being done entirely as a gift to my fans. The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November.” ,says Michael Moore. “Slacker Uprising” chronicles the 62-city tour he did leading up to the 2004 election. For those who don’t download there is a DVD available for $9.95. In his blog Moore says its one of his contributions to help get out the vote November 4th and he gives permission to not only download it, but also to email it, burn it, and share it with anyone and everyone (in the U.S. and Canada only). His last movie “Sicko” brought in $24.5 million domestically.
The Gulf state is set out to become one of the largest film producers in the world with $1bn to invest in productions to be made in Hollywood. The investment will be provided by Abu Dabhi’s government. The first co-production partnerships would be announced within weeks. Abu Dhabi is the capital and second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after Dubai. The UAE’s per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations.
Nikon introduced a newest DX-format digital SLR, the D90 which is capable of shooting movie. The movie function offered in D90 is a first of its kind in a Digital SLR. The movie function allows to shoot 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels or HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels) movies at the professional smoothness of 24 frames per second. Nikon ensures much higher quality videos than typical camcorders. D90 also features a wide ISO sensitivity from 200 to 6400 that expands shooting versatility.
Stephen Spielberg’s new Indiana Jones movie aims to undermine communist ideology and distort history, said Members of Russia’s Communist Party. They also called for a nationwide boycott of the movie. Moscow Communist lawmaker Andrei Andreyev said “it is very disturbing if talented directors want to provoke a new Cold War.” In the movie, Indiana Jones is fighting KGB agents for control of a crystal skull. The first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark (Special Edition)
, was released in 1981, followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989.
Related : Legend of Crystal Skulls
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What is the truth behind the crystal skill, Indiana Jones chasing after in the ‘Kingdom of the crystal skull’. Some interesting facts. These exotic carvings are usually attributed to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures. Museums began collecting rock-crystal skulls during the second half of the nineteenth century, a period of abundance fake pre-Columbian artifacts. Although nearly all of the crystal skulls have at times been identified as Aztec, Toltec, Mixtec, or occasionally Maya, they do not reflect the artistic or stylistic characteristics of any of these cultures.
The Adventures of Indiana Jones - The Complete DVD Movie Collection
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After Chinese authorities objected to the script, producers of the American movie Shanghai have pulled the project out of China. $3 million US had been spent already by The Weinstein Company to build sets in China. The movie will relocate shooting to Thailand and Britain. The movie is about an American who investigates his friend’s death in the Second World War-era, Japanese-occupied Shanghai.

There is a new version of Will Smith’s sci-fi thriller I Am Legend available on DVD this week. The thriller was adapted from Richard Matheson’s story of the same name. The new DVD is offered with an alternate ending. Both the theatrical and the alt versions of I Am Legend are available on the two-disc, widescreen DVD set. In the alternate version, the film has been extended by 3 minutes 25 seconds.
An Indian acting school is to open in London, allowing would-be stars to learn Bollywood acting in the British capital. Indian movie star Anupam Kher is opening the school this fall. The school will offer a three-month intensive course, taught by Bollywood actors and filmmakers. Bollywood is a term referring to India’s prolific film industry, based in Mumbai.