Latest Inventions

posted by admin on Jul 31

3D Movies are back again - but this time they are better…..

We all remember the old red and green 3D cardboard glasses we used to love in the 80’s - you know the one’s they gave away free for the Jaws film and every other cereal carton as well!!!

The ones where you couldn’t really see the true colours of the film or any real details at all - and if you tilted your head to one side - you would see everything in double rather than 3-dimensional!

Well, they are a thing of the past - the new 3D specs are circularly polarising and don’t create any double imaging - just great movie footage! And no more of that whole ’something jumping into your lap’ in these new movies - they are designed to be great movies with that extra depth - literally.

What’s changed?
Well, basically the whole thing. Thanks to Lenny Lipton and colleagues who invented what they are calling ‘Real D’ - there has been a revolution in filming that has allowed for this re-surge of 3D mania. By using separate cameras to film the left eye and right eye frames, the perception of depth is hugely enhanced and isn’t affect by head tilt - and they won’t make you feel sick either!!!

The resulting image is one of amazingly seamless 3-dimensional footage - allowing you to see even the very back of the screen for action. And this first action/adventure film with real people has just hit our screens - Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D with Brendan Fraser from ‘The Mummy’ fame.

In 2005 it was used in the animated ‘Chicken Little’ and in 2007 by the amazing fantasy ‘Beowulf’. Both were filmed in 3D using this new technique by Lucasfilm, but can also be viewed in the usual 2D. Basically, there are not a lot of cinemas across the states that can show this type of film, so producers want to make sure that everyone can still enjoy the movie without the special effects and enjoy it all the same.

The Future?
Apparently George Lucas is hoping to use this technology in his next Star Wars movies, and Steven Spielberg is planning to use this in his DreamWorks Animations from 2009.

It is also already being used to film further movies including ‘Avatar’ by Oscar winning James Cameron who say that this type of production can ‘immerse you in a scene’ and will greatly enhance your sense of participation.

Image using 3D technology to film a thriller - I mean we already get scared thinking there is someone around the corner - but what if they jump round it in 3D!!!!

Now that would be one scary movie……..
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posted by admin on Jul 18

Just a quick note to mention the champion…..

It had clearly been an almost worrying challenge to begin with that whithered away almost as soon as we got excited - but Blu-Ray is the definite champ.

What Does This Mean?
Well, for us ordinary people it just means that we don’t have to worry any more about which technology we can waste our money on - as we have only one contender left standing!

Unlike those embarrassed consumers trying to get rid of their Beta-max video player and associated ‘unusable anywhere else cassettes’ - we can now go out and buy the latest Blu-Ray player and know that it will keep us up with the Jones’ until the next ‘latest invention’ comes along to wow us.

Therefore - we are buying something that it currently ‘the best there is’ and we only need to upgrade when there are greater advances that are to our advantage - we don’t have to buy another product (almost exactly the same as our current DVD player) just because the world decided that they were going to stop making any more hardware or software for us.

Remember all those 1970’s dad’s who hid their 8 track players and jumbo cassettes in the garage thinking they had best hold on to them - they might be worth something in the future.  But they weren’t - there had been no 8 Track ‘revival’ just as the HD DVD has no future now.

What are you waiting for?
Go out and complete your home cinema system with a top-of-the-range DVD player to wire up to your new streamer in the lounge for all you could ever dream of!!

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posted by admin on Jun 1

So, What’s New?? 

Here’s a quick glance at some big films coming out over the next 6 months worth going to the movies for:

Coming Sooner….

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:
With the longest title of any movie in a long while, this film brings together all the old classics of an Indie movie - including Harrison Ford as well. Goodness knows how old he is now - and with Nicholas Cage trying to take his ‘explorer crown’ with his recently aired second movie in the National Treasure series - will Fords’ be good enough to be be shown every Christmas for the next 10 years like the rest of them??

The Cottage:
Here is the blood and gut’s film of the collection - place sexy little Jennifer Ellison in some terrifying situations in a little low-scoop neck white t-shirt - and bingo! With plenty of swearing and some real angry-girl fighting - this flick should be great fun……

Valkyrie:
Tom Cruise steps into the lead role in this serious film about German people rebelling against Hitler, involving an assasination plot to get rid of the evil leader. This thriller involves plenty of other well-known actors in a desperate chase which will keep you on the edge of your seat - even though you think you know the historical result already……..

Forgetting Sarah Marshall:
Expect all sorts of difficult, embarrasing situations in the new movie about a disasterous individual. After splitting from his girlfriend, he heads of on holiday to forget about her - only to find that she is only in the exact same place - with a new lover in tow!

Coming Later……

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People:
With another Simon Pegg film on the cards you wonder when he has time to even eat - I mean he’s already been filming as Scotty in the new Star Trek Movie (see seperate entry) as well….. With Kirsten Dunst acting alongside the hapless hero of this movie, in both England and New York, you can be assured of some comic genius.

Star Trek:
From the man who made Mission Impossible III comes this new Trekkie film - with NO William Shatner!!!! Chris Pine (Smokin’ Aces) takes on the role of Kirk, and Simon Pegg as Scotty - this should be the only Star Trek Film that us ‘un-trekkie’ humans might get away with watching without having to do the whole hand-gesture thing…..

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:
It’s got Brad Pitt in it - so that’s that really.

The Dark Knight:
Get yourself prepared for the return of Christian Bale as the new, improved, slightly evil Batman. With Heath Ledger, Michael Caine and Maggie Gyllenhaal all starring in this dark almost ‘vigilante’ movie - it will be money well spent - but don’t go alone!

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