Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 5) www.homemediamagazine.com NEWS BRIEFS I 2008 A RECORD YEAR FOR XBOX 360 Microsoft reported its Xbox 360 console had the biggest year in Xbox history in 2008. Unit sales of Xbox 360 systems climbed to 28 million worldwide since it launched three years ago, Microsoft reported. The Xbox Live community also grew to more than 17 million active members, as online consumer spending increased 84% from last year, the company noted. – John Latchem Analyst: Circuit City Decline Equals Best Buy Gain By Erik Gruenwedel RETAIL Best Buy’s aggressive cost restructuring coupled with rival Circuit City’s bankruptcy has led to renewed confidence for the Minneapolis-based consumer electronics retail chain by one Wall Street analyst. Matthew Fassler with Goldman Sachs upgraded shares of Best Buy to “buy” from “neutral,” believing the stock has 17% upside potential over the next 12 months. Best Buy, since its last financial call when it reported a 77% drop in net income, has repeatedly waved a red flag regarding the economy and its effect on consumer electronics retail. Last month the chain said it would offer nearly all its 4,000 corporate employees a voluntary separation plan, which includes increased weeks of pay, health care and dental coverage. The analyst lauded Best Buy’s aim to reduce capital expenditures 50% to help boost free cash flow (imperative in a credit-strapped economy) to $1 billion. Fassler, in a research note, said Best Buy’s ability to achieve forecasts should yield positive results in a domestic economy he described as “daunting.” The analyst forecasts Best Buy to post a 20% decline to $250 million from $299 million for DVD and Blu-ray players in fiscal 2009. He projects a 10% decline in DVD and Blu-ray movie sales to $1.74 billion, from $1.85 billion last year. I GAMESTOP HALTS XBOX TRADES GameStop announced it will no longer accept trade-ins of original Xbox consoles, games or accessories starting Feb. 9, a nod to the growing world of next-generation consoles. – Chris Tribbey Netflix Contest to Fund Indie Film By Chris Tribbey etflix is gearing up for its FIND Your Voice Competition, in which one filmmaker will win $150,000, a four-week camera package from Panavision, thousands of feet of film from Kodak, $75,000 worth of dailies and prints and a $150,000 digital production package from Deluxe Entertainment Services Group. Additionally the winner’s film will get DVD and digital distribution from Net- N flix, with a possible Blu-ray Disc release. “These guys will give someone a great opportunity to manifest [his or her] vision,” said Actor Josh Brolin, who will serve as one of the judges, along with Milk executive producer Dustin Lance Black and producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen (Milk, American Beauty). The contest, held by Netflix and Film Independent (FIND), will set up an aspiring filmmaker with all the tools he or she will need to get a script off paper and onto people’s TV screens, said Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer. “The film will have its debut on Netflix and will be available to our 8 million subscribers … and [he or she] will retain all the rights to the film,” he said. The contest is limited to first-time filmmakers who have not publicly screened a full-length movie. Only 2,000 entries in the form of video shorts will be accepted. For more information, visit www.netflix.com/findyourvoice. I DREAMWORKS AD IN 3-D More than 125 million free 3-D glasses will be given away at more than 25,000 retail locations this month so Super Bowl commercial viewers will be able to watch a 90-second 3-D spot for DreamWorks Animation’s Monsters vs. Aliens, as well as a 30-second Pepsi/SoBe Life Water commercial. Pepsi will distribute the glasses. – Chris Tribbey PROJECTIONS ‘Pineapple’ Should Have Sweet Opening By Kelly Burner MERCHANDISING handful of box-office hits streeted on home video Jan. 6. The two most highly-anticipated releases were Sony Pictures’ Pineapple Express, which earned $87.3 million in theaters, and Anchor Bay’s Righteous Kill ($40.1 million). Seth Rogen’s Pineapple Express is slated to be the biggest hit of the week. It seems his films can’t miss, with Pineapple Express being his fourth hit in a row (following The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad). With that kind of inertia and more than twice the box office pull of runner-up Righteous Kill, Pineapple Express is in a great position to debut at No. 1 on the charts. Righteous Kill, starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, should slide into No. 2, despite a relatively weak box office performance and uneven critical reviews. Aside from these two titles, three other semi-major releases came out Jan. 6, including: Fox’s Babylon A.D. ($22.5 million), and Lionsgate’s Bangkok Dangerous ($15.3 million) and Disaster Movie ($14.2 million). Both Babylon A.D. and Bangkok Dangerous should make a respectable showing for the week. Last but hardly least, expect The Dark Knight to continue its strong run on the Blu-ray chart, dipping to second place, just behind Pineapple Express. RANK TITLE STUDIO WEEKS ON CHART A Best Buy Pineapple Express Sony Pictures; SRP $28.96, $34.95, $39.95 BD Target $16.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $26.99 Blu-ray Wal-Mart $14.97 $19.96 w/Joe Dirt; $24.96 two-DVD set; $29.96 Blu-ray Circuit City $15.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $27.99 Blu-ray Amazon.com $16.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $27.95 Blu-ray $14.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $26.99 Blu-ray Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.0 Universal SRP $49.98 $31.99 $39.99 exclusive collector’s set $34.99 $39.96 $14.96 $19.96 w/digital copy & T-shirt; $24.96 Blu-ray $34.99 $31.99 Righteous Kill Anchor Bay SRP $29.97, $39.98 BD $17.99 $26.99 Blu-ray Save $10 on Traitor $16.99 $26.99 Blu-ray $15.99 $27.99 Blu-ray $17.99 $23.99 Blu-ray Babylon A.D. Fox; SRP $29.99, $34.99, $39.99 BD $19.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $26.99 Blu-ray $19.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $29.99 Blu-ray $19.96 w/Speed; $24.96 twoDVD set; $29.96 Blu-ray $17.99 $22.99 two-DVD set $27.99 Blu-ray $19.99 $23.99 two-DVD set $27.99 Blu-ray * Online Only PROJECTED TOP 3 SELLERS for Week Ending 1/11/09 1 2 3 Pineapple Express Eagle Eye Righteous Kill Sony Pictures Anchor Bay New New Para./DreamWorks 3 ‘Battlestar,’ ‘24’ Big at Retail By John Latchem ith several hot serialized TV shows returning to air, retailers are seizing the opportunity to promote DVD tie-ins. The most prominent title in this category is the newly released Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.0, featuring the first 10 episodes from the Sci Fi PROJECTED TOP 3 RENTERS for Week Ending 1/11/09 1 2 3 Pineapple Express Righteous Kill Eagle Eye Sony Pictures Anchor Bay New New W Para./DreamWorks 3 Source: Home Media Research Channel series’ final season. Most retailers gave the title significant placement, and preorders put it among the top-selling DVDs on Amazon.com. The final 10 episodes begin Jan. 16. Best Buy went a step further, offering an exclusive limited edition that included replica dog tags and a character profile book. Previous seasons of the show were offered at $15 less than usual. New product was not a prerequisite for a TV DVD tie-in. With “24” returning Jan. 11 on Fox, Circuit City offered the previous six seasons of the show for $24 each. Don’t be surprised if a retailer plans a similar tie-in with “Lost,” which returns to ABC Jan. 21. Circuit City also offered 50% off HBO Home Entertainment titles, with the Band of Brothers Blu-ray set as low as $45. January 12–18, 2009 Home Media Magazine 5 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.netflix.com/findyourvoice http://www.Amazon.com http://www.Amazon.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 Contents News Cine Mercado Reviews Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Cine Mercado (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Cine Mercado (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 26)
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