We recently put out a poll on Dysfunctional Family Thanksgivings. Which you should really vote in. Even if you’ve already voted. Voting more than once is the American way (note: voting more than once in a real election is actually illegal, so don’t do that).
Anyway, while there are a lot of delightfully dysfunctional families from movies, there are even more from television. Here are some of my favorites.
The Bunkers from All in the Family
This was a groundbreaking show that really opened up the sitcom genre. Quite a strange mix of characters in this family. Fun Fact That I Didn’t Know Until I Started Researching This Post: All in the Family was based on a British show called Till Death Us Do Part. You’ve just been served with knowledge.
The Simpsons
Maybe it’s because it’s animated, but the alcoholism and negligent parenting seem so much more whimsical on here than in real life.
The Bundys from Married with Children
Al Bundy is a great thinker and patriot. After all, he is the founder of NO MA’AM.
The Connors from Roseanne
Roseanne continued the All in the Family tradition, tackling real social issues with humor and candidness. And they had killer Halloween episodes.
The Griffins from Family Guy
A talking dog who drinks like a fish, a baby plotting the murder of his mother, constant abuse heaped on the daughter by the rest of the family. Yep, I’d say that’s dysfunctional.
The Fawlty family from Fawlty Towers
Wacky Brits! Misanthropy! Farce!
The Bluths from Arrested Development
This is my favorite of all TV families. If you’ve ever seen the show, there’s no need to explain why. If you haven’t, shame on you. SHAME!!
The Tanner family from Full House
Not really dysfunctional, but everyone was just a little too sweet and nice. I’m not buying it.
Magnum, P.I.
Okay, there’s not even a family in Magnum, P.I., but man it’s a good show!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
New Moon Celebrations
Select Blockbuster stores around the country are holding events on Friday, November 13 (ooohhhh, spooooookyyyy) to celebrate the release of New Moon in theaters. We’ll be giving away hundreds of tickets to an advance screening of New Moon at these soirees. That’s right — you can show up your friends by seeing the movie before it even releases!
We’ll also have other prizes to win, exclusive merchandise to buy, and a screening of Twilight. Below are some of the stores holding events. Call your store for exact start time and other valuable information.
Bonus: I'll be tweeting from the Austin event, so make sure you're following us on Twitter.
Atlanta
3944 Peachtree Road NE, Suite B
Atlanta, GA 30319
Austin
2118 Slaughter Lane
Austin, TX 78748
Boston
184 Border St.
East Boston, MA 02128
Chicago
2025 Lincoln Highway
St. Charles, IL 60174
Cleveland
650 East Aurora Rd.
Macedonia, OH 44056
Dallas
5960 W. Parker Road
Plano, TX 75093
Denver
9871 Parker Rd.
Parker, CO 80134
Houston
588 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
Los Angeles
900 N. Pacific Ave.
Glendale, CA 91203
Minneapolis
1649 W. 78th St.
Eden Prairie, MN 55436
New York
701 W. Montauk Hwy
West Babylon, NY 11704
Philadelphia
1586 N. Kings Highway
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Phoenix
3141 S McClintock
Tempe, AZ 85282
Portland
14350 SW Barrows Rd, #B
Tigard, OR 97223
Salt Lake City
4095 South Redwood Road
West Valley City, UT 84123
St. Louis
11600 Olive Blvd.
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
San Francisco
1375 Blossom Hill Rd
San Jose, CA 95118
Seattle
1514 Broadway Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122
Tampa
2045A Gulf To Bay Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33765
Washington, D.C.
11325 Seven Locks Road
Potomac, MD 20854
We’ll also have other prizes to win, exclusive merchandise to buy, and a screening of Twilight. Below are some of the stores holding events. Call your store for exact start time and other valuable information.
Bonus: I'll be tweeting from the Austin event, so make sure you're following us on Twitter.
Atlanta
3944 Peachtree Road NE, Suite B
Atlanta, GA 30319
Austin
2118 Slaughter Lane
Austin, TX 78748
Boston
184 Border St.
East Boston, MA 02128
Chicago
2025 Lincoln Highway
St. Charles, IL 60174
Cleveland
650 East Aurora Rd.
Macedonia, OH 44056
Dallas
5960 W. Parker Road
Plano, TX 75093
Denver
9871 Parker Rd.
Parker, CO 80134
Houston
588 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
Los Angeles
900 N. Pacific Ave.
Glendale, CA 91203
Minneapolis
1649 W. 78th St.
Eden Prairie, MN 55436
New York
701 W. Montauk Hwy
West Babylon, NY 11704
Philadelphia
1586 N. Kings Highway
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Phoenix
3141 S McClintock
Tempe, AZ 85282
Portland
14350 SW Barrows Rd, #B
Tigard, OR 97223
Salt Lake City
4095 South Redwood Road
West Valley City, UT 84123
St. Louis
11600 Olive Blvd.
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
San Francisco
1375 Blossom Hill Rd
San Jose, CA 95118
Seattle
1514 Broadway Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122
Tampa
2045A Gulf To Bay Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33765
Washington, D.C.
11325 Seven Locks Road
Potomac, MD 20854
Friday, October 30, 2009
Play Trivia on Twitter to win a Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Bundle!
We’re pretty excited about the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. I mean, it’s only the sequel to the BESTSELLING FIRST-PERSON ACTION GAME OF ALL TIME.
How excited are we? So excited that we’ve gone crazy, and are giving away a bunch of sweet stuff for the entire week leading up to the game’s release on November 10! The grand prize is a Playstation 3 bundled with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Hardened Collectors Edition. Other prizes include PS3 peripherals, a copy of the PS3 version of the game, and BLOCKBUSTER GiftCards.
Get in on the action by following us on Twitter. We’ll tweet a military history trivia question each business day at 2pm Central from November 2–10. The first person to correctly answer the question will win a fabulous prize!
If you’re a fan of things that are official, you’ll probably enjoy reading the Official Contest Rules below.
OFFICIAL RULES BLOCKBUSTER® Modern Warfare®2 Contest (the “Contest”)
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANGES OF WINNING. Contest begins on November 2, 2009 and ends on November 10, 2009. Contest is sponsored by Blockbuster Inc., 1201 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas 75270 (the “Sponsor”)
HOW TO ENTER: Each weekday during the Contest, Sponsor will post a military history question at approximately 2 p.m. CST on its Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/blockbuster. The first person to respond back with the correct answer will win the prize for that day. Odds of winning depend on whether you are the first person to respond with the correct answer, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Limit 1 entry per person per day and limit 1 prize per person during the Contest period. Entry requires signing up for a Twitter account through twitter.com. There is currently no charge for a Twitter account. Sponsor has no control over the data practices and data collection of Twitter. This Contest is not endorsed, sponsored by or affiliated with Twitter, Inc.
ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to all legal US residents, 18 and older as of the start of the Contest. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited or restricted by law. Contest subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. By participating, entrants agree to these Official Rules and accept decisions of the Sponsor as final. Employees (and those with whom such employees are domiciled) or agents of the Sponsor, its affiliates, franchisees or their advertising and promotional agencies and the Contest judges, are not eligible. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify entrants who fail to follow these Official Rules or who make any misrepresentations relative to the Contest or the redemption of any prize. If a winner is disqualified or determined to be ineligible or if a prize is unclaimed or undeliverable, an alternate winner will be selected using the same judging process/criteria describer herein. Alternate winners are subject to all requirements set forth in these Official Rules.
PRIZES: The daily prize for each of the first six days of the Contest period will consist of either a $50 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard® (value of $50) or a select PlayStation3 peripheral (approximate retail value of $54.99). The daily prize on November 10, 2009 is a PlayStation®3 Modern Warfare®2 bundle which includes one PlayStation®3 120GB System and a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare®2 game, Hardened Collectors Edition (approximate retail value of $359.98). Note: BLOCKBUSTER GiftCards are subject to the terms and conditions printed on the GiftCard and/or its packaging. Prizes must be accepted as awarded, and are not transferrable, assignable or redeemable for cash. No prize may be substituted except by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right at any time to substitute a prize or any portion thereof for a prize of equal or greater value. All federal, state and local taxes imposed on the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prizes will be shipped to winners.
CONSENT BY WINNERS: Your entry to the Contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entry and your name, city and state, to be published as a winner of the Contest on blockbuster.com and other websites, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion without any fee or other form of compensation. All winning answers submitted become the property of the Sponsor and no correspondence will be entered into. Sponsor has the right and permission to use, publish, broadcast, reproduce and distribute all winning entries in any manner or media throughout the world in perpetuity, for any purposes whatsoever, including but not limited to, advertising and promotion.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Sponsor is not responsible for any: (i) computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, technical, electronic or hardware/software malfunctions, connections, failures, availability, traffic congestion, unauthorized human intervention or technical, electronic or mechanical computer error of non-transmitted automatic entries; (ii) incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by tampering, hacking or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; or (iii) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from your participation in the Contest. If the Contest is incapable of running as originally planned due to computer virus, bug, tampering, technical failure or other cause beyond the control of Sponsor, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the Contest. Sponsor is entitled to interpret these Official Rules as needed and its decisions are final and binding.
By participating in this Contest, you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its employees, officers, affiliates, agents and franchisees from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of action or losses of any kind resulting from your participation in this Contest, including without limitation, infringement of intellectual property rights, any prize won, any use of the entry materials by Sponsor, the warranties you make under these Official Rules and any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded. IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST AND/OR USE OF ANY PRIZE. All disputes between you and Sponsor relating to this Contest shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration under the American Arbitration Association’s rules for consumer-related disputes. Neither you nor Sponsor will participate in a class action or class-wide arbitration for any claims relating to this Contest. If this class action waiver is found to be unenforceable in a particular case, then the entire agreement to arbitrate disputes relating this Contest shall be null and void in that case. Sponsor reserves the right to change this dispute resolution provision, but any such changes will not affect claims that have already been filed. This contest is offered in the United States only and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and, where consistent, Texas law.
WINNERS LIST: A winners list will be posted online at blog.blockbuster.com
How excited are we? So excited that we’ve gone crazy, and are giving away a bunch of sweet stuff for the entire week leading up to the game’s release on November 10! The grand prize is a Playstation 3 bundled with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Hardened Collectors Edition. Other prizes include PS3 peripherals, a copy of the PS3 version of the game, and BLOCKBUSTER GiftCards.
Get in on the action by following us on Twitter. We’ll tweet a military history trivia question each business day at 2pm Central from November 2–10. The first person to correctly answer the question will win a fabulous prize!
If you’re a fan of things that are official, you’ll probably enjoy reading the Official Contest Rules below.
OFFICIAL RULES BLOCKBUSTER® Modern Warfare®2 Contest (the “Contest”)
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANGES OF WINNING. Contest begins on November 2, 2009 and ends on November 10, 2009. Contest is sponsored by Blockbuster Inc., 1201 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas 75270 (the “Sponsor”)
HOW TO ENTER: Each weekday during the Contest, Sponsor will post a military history question at approximately 2 p.m. CST on its Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/blockbuster. The first person to respond back with the correct answer will win the prize for that day. Odds of winning depend on whether you are the first person to respond with the correct answer, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Limit 1 entry per person per day and limit 1 prize per person during the Contest period. Entry requires signing up for a Twitter account through twitter.com. There is currently no charge for a Twitter account. Sponsor has no control over the data practices and data collection of Twitter. This Contest is not endorsed, sponsored by or affiliated with Twitter, Inc.
ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to all legal US residents, 18 and older as of the start of the Contest. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited or restricted by law. Contest subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. By participating, entrants agree to these Official Rules and accept decisions of the Sponsor as final. Employees (and those with whom such employees are domiciled) or agents of the Sponsor, its affiliates, franchisees or their advertising and promotional agencies and the Contest judges, are not eligible. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify entrants who fail to follow these Official Rules or who make any misrepresentations relative to the Contest or the redemption of any prize. If a winner is disqualified or determined to be ineligible or if a prize is unclaimed or undeliverable, an alternate winner will be selected using the same judging process/criteria describer herein. Alternate winners are subject to all requirements set forth in these Official Rules.
PRIZES: The daily prize for each of the first six days of the Contest period will consist of either a $50 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard® (value of $50) or a select PlayStation3 peripheral (approximate retail value of $54.99). The daily prize on November 10, 2009 is a PlayStation®3 Modern Warfare®2 bundle which includes one PlayStation®3 120GB System and a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare®2 game, Hardened Collectors Edition (approximate retail value of $359.98). Note: BLOCKBUSTER GiftCards are subject to the terms and conditions printed on the GiftCard and/or its packaging. Prizes must be accepted as awarded, and are not transferrable, assignable or redeemable for cash. No prize may be substituted except by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right at any time to substitute a prize or any portion thereof for a prize of equal or greater value. All federal, state and local taxes imposed on the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prizes will be shipped to winners.
CONSENT BY WINNERS: Your entry to the Contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entry and your name, city and state, to be published as a winner of the Contest on blockbuster.com and other websites, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion without any fee or other form of compensation. All winning answers submitted become the property of the Sponsor and no correspondence will be entered into. Sponsor has the right and permission to use, publish, broadcast, reproduce and distribute all winning entries in any manner or media throughout the world in perpetuity, for any purposes whatsoever, including but not limited to, advertising and promotion.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Sponsor is not responsible for any: (i) computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, technical, electronic or hardware/software malfunctions, connections, failures, availability, traffic congestion, unauthorized human intervention or technical, electronic or mechanical computer error of non-transmitted automatic entries; (ii) incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by tampering, hacking or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; or (iii) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from your participation in the Contest. If the Contest is incapable of running as originally planned due to computer virus, bug, tampering, technical failure or other cause beyond the control of Sponsor, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the Contest. Sponsor is entitled to interpret these Official Rules as needed and its decisions are final and binding.
By participating in this Contest, you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its employees, officers, affiliates, agents and franchisees from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of action or losses of any kind resulting from your participation in this Contest, including without limitation, infringement of intellectual property rights, any prize won, any use of the entry materials by Sponsor, the warranties you make under these Official Rules and any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded. IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST AND/OR USE OF ANY PRIZE. All disputes between you and Sponsor relating to this Contest shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration under the American Arbitration Association’s rules for consumer-related disputes. Neither you nor Sponsor will participate in a class action or class-wide arbitration for any claims relating to this Contest. If this class action waiver is found to be unenforceable in a particular case, then the entire agreement to arbitrate disputes relating this Contest shall be null and void in that case. Sponsor reserves the right to change this dispute resolution provision, but any such changes will not affect claims that have already been filed. This contest is offered in the United States only and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and, where consistent, Texas law.
WINNERS LIST: A winners list will be posted online at blog.blockbuster.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Halloween Costume Contest Results
I was extremely impressed by the awesomeness of the costumes submitted by you, America. Turns out you people are pretty crafty. Alas, we could only pick four winners. Here they are:
First Place, and winner of a TiVo DVR for his outstanding Zoltar costume is Flickr user jonathan_gleich
Second Place, and winner of a $100 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for his impressively detailed Swedish Chef costume is Flickr user waynekaa
Third Place, and winner of a $50 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for Shrek and Fiona is Flickr user ourosao
Runner-Up, and winner of a $25 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for Where the Wild Things Are is Flickr user four20jm
Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures! Don't forget to check out the whole album. Stay tuned for more contests and other chances to win desirable goods and services.
First Place, and winner of a TiVo DVR for his outstanding Zoltar costume is Flickr user jonathan_gleich
Second Place, and winner of a $100 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for his impressively detailed Swedish Chef costume is Flickr user waynekaa
Third Place, and winner of a $50 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for Shrek and Fiona is Flickr user ourosao
Runner-Up, and winner of a $25 BLOCKBUSTER GiftCard for Where the Wild Things Are is Flickr user four20jm
Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures! Don't forget to check out the whole album. Stay tuned for more contests and other chances to win desirable goods and services.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Family-Friendly Halloween Movies
We’ve been talking a lot about scary movies and games for Halloween, but I haven’t really talked about stuff you can watch with the whole family. Here are some of my favorite kid-friendly movies for this time of year. I’ve divided them up into things appropriate for younger children, and those you should probably save until they’re a little older.
Appropriate For All
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
I think this is as good as it gets when looking for things to watch with your kids around Halloween. I grew up watching this every year, and still try to catch it whenever I can. In fact, it’s on this very night, at 8pm Eastern Time on ABC.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
I hesitated to put this on my list, only because I didn’t want to get that “What’s This?” song in my head. Since just thinking about the song lodged it in my head, I guess it doesn’t matter.
Ernest Scared Stupid
Yeah, that’s right, I’m a fan of Ernest P Worrell. And while other Ernest aficionados will tell you this is not the best of Jim Varney’s oeuvre, it’s still good watching. Know what I mean?
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
This scared me as a kid, but not so much that I didn’t watch it all the time.
Monsters, Inc.
Fun fact: we used to have a giant (I wanted to say “life-sized”, but that doesn’t make much sense when discussing a cartoon character) statue of Sully in our lobby. It was awesome. Then, one day, it disappeared, to the dismay of all. Especially to the dismay of me, because I wanted to steal him and make him the centerpiece of my cubicle.
Appropriate for Older Kids
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
If you have a child of a certain age, you probably own this movie already. And the other movies. And the costumes. And the toys. And the cookbooks. But it still bears mentioning, because it really is great to watch with the family.
The Monster Squad
I alluded to this in my Top 10 Movie Monsters post. It’s a fun movie, and if your child happens to pick up some valuable lessons to help defend your home against the inevitable zombie uprising, then so much the better.
Ghostbusters
This is not just a good movie to watch with the family — it also happens to be one of my favorite movies, period. I’m extremely excited that Ghostbusters 3 is in the works.
The Witches
This movie has Anjelica Huston as a villain, creatures by Jim Henson, and is based on a Roald Dahl novel. What more could you ask for?
Beetlejuice
I loved this movie when I was younger, and it still holds up now that I’m an adult. It’s a perfect mixture of humor for (older) kids and adults.
Appropriate For All
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
I think this is as good as it gets when looking for things to watch with your kids around Halloween. I grew up watching this every year, and still try to catch it whenever I can. In fact, it’s on this very night, at 8pm Eastern Time on ABC.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
I hesitated to put this on my list, only because I didn’t want to get that “What’s This?” song in my head. Since just thinking about the song lodged it in my head, I guess it doesn’t matter.
Ernest Scared Stupid
Yeah, that’s right, I’m a fan of Ernest P Worrell. And while other Ernest aficionados will tell you this is not the best of Jim Varney’s oeuvre, it’s still good watching. Know what I mean?
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
This scared me as a kid, but not so much that I didn’t watch it all the time.
Monsters, Inc.
Fun fact: we used to have a giant (I wanted to say “life-sized”, but that doesn’t make much sense when discussing a cartoon character) statue of Sully in our lobby. It was awesome. Then, one day, it disappeared, to the dismay of all. Especially to the dismay of me, because I wanted to steal him and make him the centerpiece of my cubicle.
Appropriate for Older Kids
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
If you have a child of a certain age, you probably own this movie already. And the other movies. And the costumes. And the toys. And the cookbooks. But it still bears mentioning, because it really is great to watch with the family.
The Monster Squad
I alluded to this in my Top 10 Movie Monsters post. It’s a fun movie, and if your child happens to pick up some valuable lessons to help defend your home against the inevitable zombie uprising, then so much the better.
Ghostbusters
This is not just a good movie to watch with the family — it also happens to be one of my favorite movies, period. I’m extremely excited that Ghostbusters 3 is in the works.
The Witches
This movie has Anjelica Huston as a villain, creatures by Jim Henson, and is based on a Roald Dahl novel. What more could you ask for?
Beetlejuice
I loved this movie when I was younger, and it still holds up now that I’m an adult. It’s a perfect mixture of humor for (older) kids and adults.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Update on Digital Content
I posted a while back about all the new stuff we’re doing with digital content, and I wanted to update you good people now that some of it has launched.
We’ve been working on so many cool, techy things lately — movie rentals on TiVo DVRs, rentals and purchases on Samsung electronics, sharks with lasers on their heads, and transporter technology so I can beam from place to place like Captain James T Kirk. Since the status of the last two is classified, I’ll stick with TiVo and Samsung.
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on TiVo
Last week, we rolled out BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on TiVo DVRs. That means you can now rent and watch movies and TV shows from your Series2, Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL boxes. Prices range from $2.99 for older movies to $3.99 for new releases.
How do we do it? Well, it involves the internet, as well as some other technical stuff. I believe beams of light are in the mix, somehow. It’s all very complicated.
All content is in standard definition for now, but we’re working on getting HD going. If you already have a TiVo box, you just need to do a software update to get the service.
Here’s more info.
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on Samsung
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand was also released on Samsung devices last week. It’s available on newer models of Samsung plasma, LCD and LED TVs, as well as select Samsung Blu-ray players and home theater systems. You can rent or buy movies right from your Samsung device — rentals range from $2.99–$3.99, and purchases start at $7.99.
One really excellent feature is that you can start watching on one Samsung device and continue on another. So if you begin watching a movie on your Samsung Blu-ray player in the living room and only get halfway through, you can finish watching it on the Samsung TV in your bedroom (that’s just an example; I in no way know what kind of TV you have in your bedroom). It’s crazy, mindboggling wizardry, as far as I’m concerned.
More information.
We’ve got even more sweet stuff coming in the near future, including movie downloads on select mobile phones and a much-clamored-for iPhone app that will let you manage your online Queue. Stay tuned for details!
We’ve been working on so many cool, techy things lately — movie rentals on TiVo DVRs, rentals and purchases on Samsung electronics, sharks with lasers on their heads, and transporter technology so I can beam from place to place like Captain James T Kirk. Since the status of the last two is classified, I’ll stick with TiVo and Samsung.
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on TiVo
Last week, we rolled out BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on TiVo DVRs. That means you can now rent and watch movies and TV shows from your Series2, Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL boxes. Prices range from $2.99 for older movies to $3.99 for new releases.
How do we do it? Well, it involves the internet, as well as some other technical stuff. I believe beams of light are in the mix, somehow. It’s all very complicated.
All content is in standard definition for now, but we’re working on getting HD going. If you already have a TiVo box, you just need to do a software update to get the service.
Here’s more info.
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand on Samsung
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand was also released on Samsung devices last week. It’s available on newer models of Samsung plasma, LCD and LED TVs, as well as select Samsung Blu-ray players and home theater systems. You can rent or buy movies right from your Samsung device — rentals range from $2.99–$3.99, and purchases start at $7.99.
One really excellent feature is that you can start watching on one Samsung device and continue on another. So if you begin watching a movie on your Samsung Blu-ray player in the living room and only get halfway through, you can finish watching it on the Samsung TV in your bedroom (that’s just an example; I in no way know what kind of TV you have in your bedroom). It’s crazy, mindboggling wizardry, as far as I’m concerned.
More information.
We’ve got even more sweet stuff coming in the near future, including movie downloads on select mobile phones and a much-clamored-for iPhone app that will let you manage your online Queue. Stay tuned for details!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Scary Video Games
We’ve been talking a lot about scary movies this month for Halloween, but I wanted to shift gears a little and talk about scary video games.
While I don’t really get scared by movies (unless they have creepy kids in them), games can sometimes do a number on me. It’s not the “I’m going to have trouble sleeping tonight” kind of scary so much as it’s the “things keep jumping out at me and freaking me out” kind.
Which makes sense, because you’re much more emotionally invested in the outcome of a video game than a movie. You want your character to survive and progress in the game, so threats to his or her safety are much more frightening that watching an actor run away from some masked, undead goon. Add in the fact that some game developers are really good at creating creepy atmospheres (particularly in games like System Shock 2, Dead Space, Bioshock, and Silent Hill), and it’s no surprise that a 2 a.m. gaming session by yourself in the dark can get a little eerie.
Here are some of the scariest games I’ve played. Some of them are old PC or console games, and some are more recent console offerings. Since we don't have data on PC or older console games, I’ve linked you to IGN for more info on those. Keep in mind many of these games are for mature audiences only (mature by age, not mindset, which means I still get to play them).
The 7th Guest
Alone in the Dark
Bioshock
Clive Barker's Undying
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Dead Rising
Dead Space
Doom 3
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 2
Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame 2
Left 4 Dead
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 5
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
System Shock 2
While I don’t really get scared by movies (unless they have creepy kids in them), games can sometimes do a number on me. It’s not the “I’m going to have trouble sleeping tonight” kind of scary so much as it’s the “things keep jumping out at me and freaking me out” kind.
Which makes sense, because you’re much more emotionally invested in the outcome of a video game than a movie. You want your character to survive and progress in the game, so threats to his or her safety are much more frightening that watching an actor run away from some masked, undead goon. Add in the fact that some game developers are really good at creating creepy atmospheres (particularly in games like System Shock 2, Dead Space, Bioshock, and Silent Hill), and it’s no surprise that a 2 a.m. gaming session by yourself in the dark can get a little eerie.
Here are some of the scariest games I’ve played. Some of them are old PC or console games, and some are more recent console offerings. Since we don't have data on PC or older console games, I’ve linked you to IGN for more info on those. Keep in mind many of these games are for mature audiences only (mature by age, not mindset, which means I still get to play them).
The 7th Guest
Alone in the Dark
Bioshock
Clive Barker's Undying
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Dead Rising
Dead Space
Doom 3
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. 2
Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame 2
Left 4 Dead
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 5
Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2
System Shock 2
