Social Media Spooks Hollywood, Scares Studio Heads, Haunts Up Opportunity For Journalists to Make Puns

If you haven't heard of the micro-budgeted indie ghost film, Paranormal Activity, you will.  The tiny flick started its marketing campaign by holding free late night screenings at colleges and encouraging the audiences to Tweet about the movie.  It worked.  Paramount was originally just going to remake the film with a ton more money and big stars.  Instead, due to the buzz on Twitter, Facebook, and everywhere else social media, they tested the waters theatrically - and this weekend they did everything they could to get more theaters.  Their per-screen average was massive this weekend and they grossed over $20m.

They also employed Eventful.com to let the audience decide where to book the theaters.

http://eventful.com/performers/paranormal-activity-/P0-001-000212499-6/competitions

From Variety:

"Paranormal Activity" took the No. 3 spot with $20.2 million as it expanded to 760 theaters in its fourth weekend, posting a 155% uptick and a boffo per-screen average of $26,530. Par's micro-budgeted pic has cumed an estimated $33.7 million, and the studio plans to expand to some 1,800 locations starting next weekend.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010081.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy

THE POOL makes Leonard Maltin's top ten list for 2008:

Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy.

"I know people love lists—more than I enjoy making them—so without further grousing I present my list of favorite films of 2008.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Frozen River
Chop Shop
The Visitor
Miracle at St. Anna
The Pool
The Reader
A Christmas Tale
Ghost Town
Wendy and Lucy
Elegy
The Class

I would give special mention to a handful of documentaries, as well: Trouble the Water, Dear Zachary, Man on Wire, Bigger Stronger Faster, and The Order of Myths."

No Label or Distributor - No Problem: TuneCore will put your indie film on iTunes

A new service of the company TuneCore promises to aid the indie film revolution - no distributor needed - just drop the cash and your indie film is on all of your favorite digital stores (itunes, amazon, etc)

Ars Technica's article explains:

Link: TuneCore will put your indie film on iTunes.

ESPN - The Life of Reilly?!?

The life of a different Reilly.

Link: ESPN - ESPN The Magazine.

Thanks to one of our editors, Arthur Ircink, for the find.

Note: Also, the article is currently featured on the homepage - http://espn.go.com/

It's Burning! (Or WAS at least)

Universal Studios started on fire over the weekend.
Let us take a moment to mourn the Courthouse Set from "Back to the Future". 

Link: Low water pressure hampers fight against Universal Studios fire - Los Angeles Times.

Movie Review: 'The Life of Reilly'

Pittsburgh Post Gazette Review:

"Reilly's very much alive in this one-man show to rival Spaulding Gray's -- an anecdotal mass of bittersweet memories."

'The Life of Reilly' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Another "Life of Reilly" review... this one from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"With his final work -- "The Life of Reilly" -- the celebrity left one more lasting memory of his talents. Emotionally touching and extremely funny, the one-man autobiographical stage show broadcasts Reilly's tremendous range as an actor."

"Life of Reilly" is funny and illuminating

"Life of Reilly" opens tomorrow in Pittsburgh.  Today's review from the Pittsburgh City Paper:

"Everybody has a life story to tell, but only the gifted can transform it into revelatory entertainment."

Blu-ray.com - Kino to Begin Releasing Blu-ray this Fall

It just keeps getting better!

Link: Blu-ray.com - Kino to Begin Releasing Blu-ray this Fall.

Kino International, distributor of foreign and indie films in the United States, will begin releasing Blu-ray titles this fall. Sources tell us that the first high definition title they will release will be Wong Kar Wai's 'Fallen Angels'. No technical specs or supplemental features have been announced at this time.

Criterion Blu-Ray's Coming

I got this e-mail last night from Criterion. This may just be the happiest day of my life.