TalladegaNights
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New Memory Stick Entertainment Pack installs new movies
Sony is finally upgrading their long-forgotten "Memory Stick Entertainment Packs." These packs come with a bundled DVD that features four movies, pre-encoded for PSP playback. The previous pack came with the choice of cinematic masterpieces, such as The Grudge, S.W.A.T., Hitch, and XXX: State of the Union. Yeah ...According to IGN, the new MSX-M2GSEP model will feature a different collection of four movies: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Spider-man 2, Hellboy and S.W.A.T. (again?) While the selection isn't too great, the sheer convenience is certainly appreciated. Unfortunately, the DVD can only be used to unlock one movie, so make sure you choose wisely.This package will be available at Sony Style stores for about $60. The package will also include a 2GB Memory Stick.[Thanks, Joel!]
MIT graduates recreate nacho fountain from Talladega Nights
This contraption doesn't look as slick as a PS3 bbq, nor is it an ideal option for gamer sustenance, but it sure packs a punch for true nacho fanboys. Chris Vogt and Schuyler Senft-Grupp, two MIT Engineering alums, fulfilled a "mission from the Nacho Gods," to build "the beast," which was directly inspired by a nacho fountain seen in Talladega NIghts. All it took was 4 gallons of water, 6 feet of copper tube, 1 plumber's torch, 4 hose clamps, 4 plastic bowls, 1 aluminum water heater drip pan, 1 emergency drill pump, 1 power drill, various PVC bits, some string, 2 heating plates, 1 wooden spoon, several bags of chips, and of course, 6 gallons of cheese. Three days and six hours later, "the beast" came to life, overflowing with nacho goodness for Vogt, Senft-Grupp, and a posse of fellow nacho-lovers to worship / devour.
We destroy a Blu-ray Disc
When we saw via Game|Life that some IGN forums goers had taken steel wool to a Blu-ray disc with no apparent damage, we thought, "we can do better than that." So we gathered up some convenient implements of destruction and saw how our free copy of Talladega Nights would stand up to a ballpoint pen, a pizza cutter and a butcher's knife (unfortunately, the disc broke down before we could rub crunchy cereal all over it.) Check out the video below, and keep watching to the end for some pyrotechnic bonus footage.
First 500K PS3s get Blu-ray Talladega Nights
The PlayStation 3's system font isn't the only thing it's borrowing from Spider-Man. Just like the first one million PSPs came bundled with Sony Pictures' Spider-Man 2, the first half million PlayStation 3 systems will come with Will Ferrell's NASCAR opus, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in the much-vaunted Blu-ray format. While Will Ferrell's pocked visage isn't the first thing we'd like to experience in stunning 1080p (we're thinking giant apes on skyscrapers is a little more befitting) we are impressed that the Sony Pictures title will be bundled a month before it reaches the unwashed masses at retail on December 12th. Gotta love that corporate synergy!With just 400K launch units in North America -- all bound to sell out mere seconds after their pristine boxes enter the grime of the retail environment -- you can consider this a freebie for the early adopters camping out for their console. And hopefully they have either a PS2 component cable or an HDMI cable to watch it with 'cause -- just like the Japanese console -- "video output in HD requires cables and an HD-compatible display, both sold separately."
Sony Pictures first three 50GB titles officially announced
Sony Pictures has made it official, they will be the first studio to release a movie on dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray disc, as Click hits shelves October 10th, followed by Black Hawk Down on November 14th, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby hits December 12th. As we mentioned yesterday, all will include HD special features; for Click the extras are the same as the standard DVD, but in HD. Black Hawk Down includes Blu-wizard, described as a "unique playlist technology which lets consumers customize the way they watch special features". That doesn't sound quite as interesting as the BD-J powered experience we were hoping for, can it match with Fast and the Furious 3's U-control? HD DVD has been well received by reviewers while Blu-ray has struggled at times, some of which was attributed to the lack of 50GB discs. Whether you believe the PS3 is crucial to the success of Blu-ray or not, Sony is providing the biggest push for the format on many levels, next week we'll start to see whether if it pays off. Continue on for a list of the special features on each disc.
Sony Pictures' first 50GB Blu-ray releases coming soon
Blu-ray supporters will be getting a shot in the arm next week when Click becomes the first Sony Pictures Home Entertainment movie released on 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs. We got tipped by an inside source at Sony to expect announcements tomorrow regarding Click's release on October 10th -- with all the features of the standard DVD plus bonus HD features -- followed by Black Hawk Down November 14th and Talladega Nights on December 12th. Black Hawk Down is said to include "Blu-wizard" technology that will allow viewers to customize how they see special scenes. The high-def DVD war really begins in November, between the Xbox 360 HD DVD player, Black Hawk Down & Fox's Blu-ray Java releases plus a little something called the Playstation 3, that magnetic strip on your credit card may be the first casualty.
