The other day I ran into a little snag that actually bothered me a bit. I tried to load a of onto my iPad. Owning the of the movie this should have been easy enough, right? Well, it would have been if the digital copy hadn't expired yet. This was the first time I was confronted with the fact that digital copies actually have a shelf life. Unless you redeem them by a certain date, you will no longer have access to them - something that really goes against my grain. I talked to about it and while they were very eager and helpful to dig deeper into this, the outcome is, unfortunately, what it is. I had hoped there may be a way to obtain newer registration keys to unlock the digital copy, but as it turns out once control is handed over to Apple's iTunes store, not even Warner Brothers can do anything - not even issue new registration keys that would keep the title alive. The only solution would be for Warner to essentially create a completely new digital copy of the film and place it on iTunes. The question of course is, why are these copies limited, anyway? Perhaps, to make sure a digital copy is once again a purchasing incentive when a film is re-released after a few years. Perhaps it is simply to curb in illegal downloads somewhat. Perhaps it is just to give the studios a bit of comfort that they do not have digital copies of movies floating around for eternity. I don't know. What I do know is that as a consumer it is frustrating to find hat your copy has expired by the time you actually get around to watching the film. What have your experiences been in that respect?
We are heading straight into the new year as I write this, and I wanted to take a moment to wish all our readers Happy Holidays! This has been a very interesting year - a very busy one, too. With so many things going on, it was hard not to get completely frazzled. As you may know, aside from running DVD Review, this year saw the launch of my gothic horror dime novel series 'Jason Dark: Ghost Hunter.' Never would I have imagined the amount of work that would go into this project - and I am not even talking about the actual writing of these stories but rather all the stuff around it. All the effort and time that is necessary to promote a self-published series such as this is tremendous and can easily suck every spare minute out of your life. On the movie front there was surprisingly little development this year. DVD is fading rapidly as Blu-Ray has firmly established itself as the major format in homes. The big surprise, however, was how thin the release catalog was. It is evident that studios are focussing mostly on releasing new theatrical titles and give little thought on back catalogs, and if they do, it is really just the blockbusters of days past, making for a somewhat lackluster selection at times. While it makes business sense for the studios, I'm sure, for consumers looking for high def versions of the favorite movies. Sadly it also meant that we were bombarded with a slew of ridiculously bad movies, simply because they came fresh off their box office losses and were still making use of the marketing afterburners. The crap I've seen this year… wow! So, with that in mind, once again, let me wish you all Happy Holidays. Be safe and enjoy the company of your loved ones, and thank you very much for all your support!
If you are a book reader like I am, chances are you have embraced the digital revolution by now. With better and cheaper digital eBook reading devices like the Kindle, Nook, or even your cell phones all around us, I have the distinct impression that people are reading more than ever. At the same time, this digital book revolution has opened the doors for countless authors who had previously never been published. Like with Desktop Publishing, Video and Music before, now everyone with a computer can publish their own writing as eBook and get it in front of a huge audience. As a result, it is becoming increasingly harder for readers to find books that are worth their while. In response to this problem, our own Lieu Pham has put together a website that highlights individual titles and gives them a platform to present themselves, in an attempt to find an audience. The site is called and I urge you to go visit the site, bookmark it, subscribe to the RSS feed or sign up for their newsletter. Every day you will find new exciting titles presented there from across all genres, and I am sure there will be more than a few to pique your interest. Whether you own a Kindle, or a Nook, the iPad or a Sony reader, is entirely format agnostic and will point you towards interesting reading materials 7 days a week!
As faithful readers may recall some time ago I have begun publishing my own dime novel series which has since constantly gathered success and critical acclaim throughout the media. One of the cornerstones of the series is its availability in eBook form. While not limited to eBooks - the volumes are also available in print - I have always been a proponent of digital distribution, as it makes it so much easier and faster for fans to access content. I was very happy to see that has not only slashed the price of their fabulous eBook reader Kindle recently, but this week they also announced a brand new re-design of the device, bringing the to market in late August. As anyone who owns a Kindle can attest, this device is a revelation, giving you access to any book in the within seconds, and making the reading experience every bit as involving as a print book - without the dead-tree syndrome. With its new improvements I am very likely to replace my own Kindle with this new version when it becomes available, and I think your should give it a look too. Of course, no Kindle is complete without a good selection of stories on them, so make sure to check them out on or on
In order to celebrate the incredible body of work of a true living legend, held a screening last night of , a new documentary by film historian Richard Schickel. Over 35 years now, has been working with Warner Brothers and has acted and/or directed 35 films for them, including his two Best Picture Oscar winners, and .
Events such as this are momentous occasions and I always feel very privileged to be a part of them, as they give you a glimpse at something that is truly larger than life. The screening was followed by a with Clint Eastwood where he proved that he is every bit as charismatic and spritely, despite his age, as you would imagine. An impressive tall man with a clear sense of humor, is one of those stars who makes you stop for a moment and think. I was watching this man on the silver screen when I was a kid, and here we are so many years later and he is still creating some of Hollywood's most memorable films. Schickel's film manages to capture some of those rare moments where you get to see Clint Eastwood, the man, and not the superstar. Whether it's a quick, candid surprise shot behind the scenes, a look at Eastwood at work on the set, or Eastwood giving viewers a tour of the Malpaso offices on the Warner lot, he is always extremely affable and personable in the documentary - as in real life. The documentary is part of Warner's incredible 35 DVD set called that is in stores now and should probably be part of any real Eastwood fans' collection. Also in attendance last night was actor who has collaborated on numerous occasions with Eastwood, including the most recent film for which everyone has highest Academy Award hopes, of course. I, for one, will keep my fingers crossed for them.
Today I would like to direct your attention towards an exciting project I have been working on for the past 2 years. I have been sneaky, I know, not telling you about this, but stealthily and quietly I have been working on dime-novel style series of gothic horror adventures called .
Finally last week, after all this time of preparation, I have been able to launch the series and would like to invite you, too, to check it out. You can in your web browser, or you can buy them in a print edition, or a digital eBook version if you so prefer. Where fog shrouds the streets of Victorian England, where evil lurks behind street corners and nightmares dance in the souls of men, comes the Geisterjäger. Descended from an ancestral line of ghost hunters, Jason Dark is the Geisterjäger of his generation. Facing the horrors, the demons, the vampires, the werecreatures, and every other diabolical monster imaginable on behalf of a more civilized world. Risking his own life, sanity, and soul, Dark faces unmentionable terror - perhaps even the Devil himself. Join the Ghost Hunter in his arcane and ethereal exploits - unless, of course, you're afraid of the Dark. Curious yet? Well, I certainly hope so, because I would like to invite you over to for a closer look. With lots of additional info, downloads, and of course the adventures themselves, there is plenty to discover and like, I hope. See you there...
Have you started your yet? If you haven't one reason might be that you are still looking for the perfect present for someone special. Well, let me speak up for a very good friend of mine... the In our digital age, books often seem outdated, yet at the same time - if not more. Just think of all the websites you're visiting, all the emails, all the tweets and not to forget, all those SMS messages. While it doesn't do a lot of good to the world's spelling abilities, we are certainly a society of readers.
With that in mind, the is a great addition. I admit, at first I did not know what to do with it. I like the feel of paper, the way a book weighs in my hand and the way they smell. Nonetheless, I reluctantly got a Kindle at some point and Once you read on the Kindle, you will soon forget that you're not holding a book in your hands but a digital device. The handling is so easy, the screen so sharp and the experience every bit as absorbent as reading a book. On top of it, you can grab new books within seconds. You can browse the Amazon book store from the device and have books delivered to you with the press of a button. You will be surprised at the wealth and breadth of books available in digital form this way, and they are typically much cheaper than their cousins on paper. Or, you can upload materials yourself, such as public domain books or PDF files, for example. So, if you need a gift this year for someone who seems to have it all, give the a closer look. Like most Kindle users, it may turn you into a fan within a few short seconds.
Over the weekend I had the chance to check out the new video game for Wii. It is a new fishing game that offers not only traditional , but also includes for added diversity.
This was the first time I really played a fishing game. Previously I had simply looked at screenshots and wondered how the experience of fishing could possibly be relayed through a video game. Since the Wii has introduced new game mechanics with its wireless controllers, I found myself much less sceptic and decided to give it a shot. In the end, I had quite a bit of fun. It is nothing like real fishing, but it's is enjoyable entertainment nonetheless. The game allows you to follow a career path in which you have to catch certain types of fish in increasing difficulty in order to progress. Difficulty here relates to how hard it is to actually locate the fish, to lure it and ultimately to fight it. In nature some fish are notorious fighters and take certain sets of skill in order to land. This wearing-out process is reproduced in the game nicely along with some other cool kicks. Of course, there's also a free fishing mode in which you can decide for yourself what you want to hunt for, or simply we a lure for the fun of it. Free fishing consists of a series of unlockable 'areas' introducing new species, lures and techniques as you go along. I had a great time with this weekend and thought I'd pass the info along to you, in case anyone else is interested in some indoor fishing - particularly as the season gets colder.
