Blogs
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Disc Continues to Spin
While premium VOD has been a rising star in the pandemic, the crisis is also giving new life to an aging player, the disc. Warner home entertainment chief Jim Wuthrich presented studio research showing the growth in home entertainment spending after stay-at-home orders took effect and noted physical held up. “The physical business has been … Continue reading “Disc Continues to Spin”
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Mike’s Picks: ‘Tin Cup’ and ‘The General Died at Dawn’
Tin Cup Available via Warner Archive Warner, Comedy, $21.99 Blu-ray, ‘R’ for language and brief nudity. Stars Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson. 1996. A golf-backdropped romantic comedy directed and co-written by Ron Shelton, Tin Cup was about as popular at the box office as the filmmaker’s breakthrough Bull Durham, yet it isn’t talked … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: ‘Tin Cup’ and ‘The General Died at Dawn’”
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The Future of ‘Star Wars’ Storytelling Is Clear
The week of “May the 4th Be With You” has been a banner one for Dave Filoni, the longtime animation veteran who is now one of the leading creatives of “Star Wars” content over at Lucasfilm. Monday, May 4, marked the triumphant finale of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” the CG-animated series executive produced by … Continue reading “The Future of ‘Star Wars’ Storytelling Is Clear”
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PVOD’s Brief Moment in the Sun
The novel coronavirus pandemic has given movie studios a taste of something they’ve always wanted: premium video-on-demand, or PVOD. Long talked about as the antidote to shrinking film profits, PVOD allows consumers to watch big movies at home on the same day as their theatrical release — at a premium price, of course. Three years … Continue reading “PVOD’s Brief Moment in the Sun”
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In the COVID-19 Era, Where’s Apple TV+?
As the spread of the coronavirus forces millions to “shelter-in-place” globally, home entertainment distribution, including subscription streaming video, is expected to surge as households stream increasing amounts of content. While Disney+ launched operations in select European countries, and Netflix shows no signs of slowing as its original shows (i.e. “Tiger King”) continue to dominate viewer … Continue reading “In the COVID-19 Era, Where’s Apple TV+?”
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Playing in the Fanboy Sandbox
The home video availability of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is sure to rekindle discussions over the legacy of the “Star Wars” franchise and the latest film’s contribution to it. Star Wars fans mostly agree that Rise of Skywalker is a disappointing final chapter of the saga, but are embroiled in an online debate … Continue reading “Playing in the Fanboy Sandbox”
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Stuck at Home: What are You Watching?
For the past two weeks, the vast majority of us have been stuck at home. Schools are closed, offices are closed, businesses are closed — and even those of us who are still working are finding more leisure time, with our movie theaters, gyms and favorite restaurants shuttered, and no cross-town meetings or appointments. Screen … Continue reading “Stuck at Home: What are You Watching?”
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Mike’s Picks: “Murder, He Says” and “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project”
Murder, He Says Street Date 4/7/20 Kino Lorber, Comedy, $24.95 Blu-ray, NR. Stars Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Marjorie Main, Jean Heather, Porter Hall. 1945. Fred MacMurray gives what may be the top comic performance of his long and still underrated career in Murder, He Says, a twisted Hollywood comedy that gets a 4K spiff-up for … Continue reading “Mike’s Picks: “Murder, He Says” and “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project””
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Mr. ‘Disney’s’ Wild Ride
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride has been a mainstay at Disneyland since the amusement park opened in 1955. On March 23, 2020, at high noon Disney experienced a wild ride of a different kind: Wall Street. On that day at lunch time, Disney’s stock dropped to $81.57 per share, the media giant’s lowest stock valuation since … Continue reading “Mr. ‘Disney’s’ Wild Ride”
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A Message to Our Readers — Continuing Coverage In These Trying Times
The novel coronavirus has everyone on edge, and the immediate impact of the disease as well as any long-term economic ramifications remain unknown. With so much uncertainty, information is essential, and we at Media Play News are working hard to strike a balance between coverage of the pandemic as it affects our business and regular … Continue reading “A Message to Our Readers — Continuing Coverage In These Trying Times”