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Roku launches a free, ad-supported movie channel of its own
Roku announced today that is has launched its own movie channel. The Roku Channel will be available on all Roku players, sticks and TVs in the US and it will carry a selection of films that will update every month.
Sony hack snowballs as movie scripts, celebrity phone numbers leaked
Sony Pictures is in full-blown damage-control mode and has called an all-hands meeting following another huge leak of sensitive, confidential info. The new trove of data released by the so-called GOP (Guardians of Peace) includes more private employee info, actor phone numbers and traveling aliases, legal claims against Sony Pictures, film budgets, scripts and more. As pointed out by the WSJ, it also includes private info of some 40,000 Sony Pictures ex-employees like home addresses, previous salaries and social security numbers. Many of those folks are incensed with the Culver City-based company, which gave them no guidance on how to protect their identities or sign up for credit monitoring.
Sony memo describes hack as 'an unparalleled and well-planned crime'
Sony Pictures Entertainment has released new information about a high-profile cyber attack which exposed unreleased films and personal employee information. Security firm Mandiant, hired to help contain the incident, told Sony that the malware used in the attack was "unprecedented in nature" and "undetectable by industry standard antivirus software." The release of those comments (from an internal memo) appears to be an attempt by Sony to mitigate criticism of its internet security protocols. Mandiant went on to say that the hack's "purpose was to both destroy property and release confidential info," adding that the FBI released a flash alert to warn other organizations of the danger. North Korean hackers are rumored to be behind the attack, though the rogue state recently denied it while calling it "righteous" at the same time.
YouTube seals deals with major studios to compete with iTunes
Google-owned YouTube plans to expand the premium on-demand video rental services offered through its website. Earlier this week, Google and YouTube reportedly closed deals with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Brothers, Universal and Lionsgate to offer filmed content from these studios as streaming rentals -- including access to new releases the same day as competing movie-on-demand services. YouTube's new service is expected to compete with market leaders in the online video rental market: Apple and Amazon. In an effort to generate revenue with professionally produced content, YouTube began offering premium video rentals on its website about a year ago, starting with a limited number of films from the Sundance Film Festival, Weinstein Co. and MGM. But the Google subsidiary has struggled to transform its 130 million monthly users into a sizable audience for its paid and ad-supported feature films. This week's licensing agreements that expand YouTube's library of rental titles may help more customers see value in paying the website for access to Hollywood films and make it a more competitive rival to Apple's iTunes and Amazon's Instant Video services. Google isn't the only big brand making big moves in the streaming video business. According to The Hollywood Reporter, both DirecTV and Dish Network are exploring subscription streaming service businesses to challenge Netflix and iTunes. Meanwhile, cable television provider Comcast is trying to negotiate deals to offer premium video-on-demand options that would allow cable subscribers to enjoy new movies only 6–8 weeks after their theatrical release dates.
Sony signs up all six major studios for HD movies on PlayStation Network
Well, it looks like Sony has a little treat for PS3 users now that they're able to turn their consoles back on -- it's just announced that it has signed up all six major studios to deliver HD movies on the PlayStation Network (the first company to do so, as Sony is happy to point out). That includes 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and, of course, Sony Pictures Entertainment, which combined have an initial slate of 19 HD movies available to buy or rent -- including "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "Star Trek," "District 9," "Inglourious Basterds," and "The Wizard of Oz," to name a few. Those are only available in the US at the moment, but Sony says it plans to also roll them out to the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain "soon."
Silent Hill tops weekend box office
Despite a disastrous critical reception, Silent Hill has climbed to the top of the box office following a lucrative opening weekend in which the film grossed about $20.2 million. Of course, this comes at a time when the film industry is in a down cycle as it gears up for the summer blockbuster season. Silent Hill's biggest competition was Scary Movie 4, which was entering its second weekend of release.[Thanks, Sean]
Metareview - Silent Hill (the movie)
You've read our take on Silent Hill, now it's time to sum up what the film critics are saying. Currently, Metacritic has posted 14 reviews, which average out to a 29/100. For the record, this is the last time we will ever — EVER — get our hopes up for a movie adaptation of a video game.Choice quotes: Chicago Sun-Times (38/100) - "My damn brain lit up too much." [Roger Ebert] The New York Times (10/100) - "[Wraps] up like the outrageously overwrought fantasy of a French movie nerd obsessed with horror ... who has been given obscene amounts of money to adapt a video game." [Nathan Lee] San Francisco Chronicle (0/100) - "Nobody gets naked, which on second thought may be a good thing — because when a movie features people getting their skin ripped from their bodies, it pretty much kills the mood." [Peter Hartlaub]
The Spider-Man PS3 font returns... for 3rd Spider-Man flick
How far are we willing to go to satisfy our PlayStation 3 cravings? Just check out that image to the right for a small taste of the console imagery which rightfully should be ours.A couple weeks ago, Sony Pictures Entertainment released the promotional image you see here for Spider-Man 3, set to be released in theaters May 4th, 2007. It's been one of the few new official media glimpses of the PS3 font to roll out of Sony HQ in Western markets recently.Now if only we could add a "P" and an "S" before that little "3" in the corner, we'd have something pretty to show for Sony's latest dream machine. Alas, the movie title referenced also contains those limited letters (but placed in the wrong arrangement). Well, just as long as the PS3 arrives before the year of Peter Parker's next big-screen adventure, we'll be mighty pleased.
