News: Business

Featured Article: Are You Ready For The Digital Switch?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:37:00 GMT

TVonics are makers of digital boxes, Freeview set top boxes, VCR and digital recorders which are both energy-efficient and stylishly-designed. The DVR recorders and Freeview TV items which are available from TVonics also offer the opportunity to enjoy the complete spectrum of digital TV and radio channels.

The great digital switchover has been the subject of much attention, great publicity and no little confusion since its original announcement. The simple fact of the matter is that all analogue broadcasting will have ceased in every UK region by 2012. It will be replaced by the digital services that will deliver a far greater choice in channels, superior quality of picture and a wider range of interactive text services. In order to retain a current analogue television set once the digital switchover has been enacted, it needs to be fitted with a Freeview set top box, which can be connected either via the aerial or the Scart socket. Television sets can also be made ready for the digital switchover with the addition of a Freeview digital TV recorder. The majority of methods for converting a television set to Freeview give the viewer the opportunity to watch Freeview while simultaneously recording another Freeview channel to an internal digital recorder.

Any new digital television sets are likely to be already prepared for the digital switchover, and ready to receive Freeview from whatever time it becomes available in that particular region. However there remains the decision to be made over what DVR system can best meet any television recording needs for the viewer. Many digital television sets are amenable to the recording of digital television channels via a VCR and digital recorder, yet there are some for which this is not a viable option. But the addition of a Freeview digital television recorder to a pre-existing digital television generally provides the means to record two channels on the Freeview set top box while simultaneously viewing a third Freeview channel, and thereby giving far greater viewing options.

TVonics are able to offer the highest quality in both Freeview receivers and DVR units. The digital box and Freeview set top boxes which are available are well-designed and energy efficient, offering access to all of the free-to-air digital radio and television channels. There are no complications in getting set up � the units simply need to be plugged in to begin working. The digital video recording systems are equally simple and effective, giving the viewer the opportunity to plan their own ideal television schedule, rather than being forced to adhere to the decisions and whims of the television channels themselves.

TVonics are specialists in the field of Freeview set top boxes and DVR recorders, and are dedicated to utilising their experience and knowledge to deliver the optimum in design and construction of these items. The primary objective of TVonics is to design Freeview receivers and recorders which achieve the maximum levels of user-friendliness, both in terms of speed of use and responsiveness. TVonics are also dedicated to ensuring their products are as eco-friendly and energy efficient as possible, as well as being intuitive for customers to install and operate.

The range of products offered by TVonics, and their accompanying user guides, give customers the chance to find the item that best suits their individual viewing requirements.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Wednesday 21 October 2009

FEATURED ARTICLE: British Film In Bloom

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:29:00 GMT

There was a time, not so long ago, when the British film ilm industry was a sickly thing. A few headline-grabbing productions asides, most British films were disdained by critics and shunned by audiences. The industry was routinely said to be in crisis; obituaries were written, last rites administered.

Flash forward to 2009 and the situation is radically different. British film is in robust health, both commercially and artistically � and frequently at the same time.

Looking For Eric is a useful example. Directed by Ken Loach, it is the story of a depressed Mancunian postman who turns his life around with help from the most unlikely of life-coaches: Eric Cantona. True, 'King Eric' may only be a hallucination but he's real enough to get our hero back on track just in time for the year's happiest ending. No wonder it was so acclaimed at the year's Cannes Film Festival, nor that his has earned so many admirers since.

Loach, of course, is a venerable and respected director, a veteran of long standing. What's really exciting about modern British cinema is the emergence of a new generation of younger filmmakers with voices as distinctive as the old guard. At their forefront is Andrea Arnold. She announced herself with the remarkable thriller Red Road, one of the the most accomplished debuts of recent times. Her new film, Fish Tank, also showed at this year's Cannes, where it was rewarded with the jury prize.

Her contemporaries include the likes of Gideon Koppel (Sleep Furiously), Joanna Hogg (Unrelated) Christine Malloy & Joe Lawlor (Helen) and, perhaps most importantly, Steve McQueen. Already established as an artist (he's won the Turner prize), McQueen turned his hand to cinema to make Hunger, a searching, incisive and dazzling film about the IRA hunger strikers.

It isn't just the art house directors who are flourishing: Britain's more mainstream filmmakers are doing a barnstorming job right now. Joe Wright is a director who re-invigorates traditional British genres: adding a dose of grit to the traditional costume drama with Pride and Prejudice and channelling the spirit of David Lean for Atonement.

While Wright favours a period setting, Danny Boyle has always been thoroughly contemporary. He made his name with the energetic Scottish thrillers Shallow Grave and Trainspotting; he scored his biggest hit recently with Slumdog Millionaire, a film that charmed audiences around the world and rewarded with multiple Oscars� for its troubles.

Another director who hit the commercial bulls-eye was Edgar Wright. Shaun of the Dead, 'a romantic comedy, with zombies' (a ZomRomCom, in fact), amused audiences around the globe. Wright followed it with Hot Fuzz, a genial pastiche of action movies that was even more successful than its predecessor.

It's far too early to be talking of 'golden ages' just yet but the past decade has been one of the most fruitful in the entire history of the British film industry. Sure, it can't match the glory days of the 1940s but cinema meant different things then � it didn't have to compete with distractions like television, computer games or the internet.

Yet in the face of this onslaught � not to mention the problems caused by piracy � British film is flourishing, nurturing filmmakers and producing solid films. We're in a good place right now. Let's hope it lasts.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 12 October 2009

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE: Net Some European Games With Football Blogs

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 02:52:00 GMT

The Internet, including football blogs, has, of course, made international football news so much easier to follow. With just a few clicks, you can be finding out how the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Inter Milan fared in last weekend's games. And they're well worth following!

AC Milan , for example, has won 18 international titles, and four world titles. They have won the UEFA Champions League seven times; only Real Madrid has won it more. In Italy's Serie A, AC Milan has 17 league titles. Home games are played at San Siro, also called the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, shared with rivals Inter Milan, and seating over 80,000. Inter Milan, founded in 1908, are Italian champions, having retained their crown on last May.

Inter Milan has 17 Serie A titles to its name, and 26 Italian trophies. The club has enjoyed success in European and international tournaments, including European and UEFA Cups.

The football news so far this season has already seen AC Milan beat Siena, Real Madrid and Olympique Marseille in the last month alone, while France midfielder Patrick Vieira claims the current Inter Milan side is the best he has played with during four years with them.

Inter Milan is now aiming for a fourth successive Serie A title this season and, speaking after a recent 2-0 win over Parma, Veira explained: "There are strong sides, but we are the best."

Bayern Munich is Germany's most successful club, and has won 21 German titles and 14 cups. Next year sees Bayern Munich celebrates its centenary. In the 1970s, the side won the European Cup three times in a row, while in recent years they have been Germany's most successful club, winning seven of the last 10 championships.

The club's football news so far this season is that Bayern Munich has already beat Israeli side Maccabi Haifa 3-0 in the Champions League, and, closer to home, beat Nurnberg.

Spanish football is also alive and kicking! The lastet football news is that Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini doesn't believe his team has fundamental defensive frailties following their 5-2 win over Zurich in the Champions League.

One of the most recognised teams in the world, and Spanish football's most successful, Real Madrid was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, 17 Spanish Cups, a record nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups.

Ra�l Gonz�lez Blanco is Real Madrid's leading goal scorer, and has also scored more goals � 44 - for the Spanish national side than any other player in history.

Meanwhile, arch rivals Barcelona FC is one of three clubs which have never been relegated from La Liga and is Spanish football's most successful side after Real Madrid, having won 19 La Liga titles, a record 25 Spanish cups, and two League Cups. They have also won 13 official major European trophies.

Major football news for Barcelona FC is that Lionel Messi has signed a new deal with them, extended until 2016. The Argentine becomes the best paid player at the club. The 22-year-old joined �Barca's youth-team in 2001 and has won a host of trophies with the Catalan giants, including last season's unprecedented treble.

So, if only from a Champions League point of view, you'll want to follow the football news to know what teams like Real Madrid are up to.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 6 October 2009

ADVERTORIAL: All-new CRM management

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:37:00 GMT

Managing your customers has become one of the most important aspects of running a business. Having the best products or the best service can only do so much, but it is vital that you utilise CRM solutions available to store customer information and speed up the effectiveness of your business. These CRM systems are available in all shapes and sizes, and one of those will be bound to fit your business!

Enter CRM Management, and CRM Solutions. Gone are the dodgy databases, to be replaced with a set of detailed and increasingly comprehensive processes that manage, store and retrieve your customer's details � including important dates, sales history, and even sometimes their likes and dislikes. If your company doesn't have a customer relationship management (CRM) system then they are missing out on an exciting and downright useful look that can offer endless CRM benefits and multiple applications.

CRM solutions providers are two for a penny these days, and picking the company to support your customer databases and provide a decent CRM management system can be a tough job. You need a CRM system that will combine all your company systems (such as email, networking, CRM data and even security) into one cohesive whole, hence making your live easier and providing CRM Management to boot. Companies such as Star CRM offer such a service, and to provide a predictable and affordable system specifically designed to fit your companies needs directly.

With every company being a unique entity in the market place, CRM solutions cannot be a one size fits all kind of approach. After all, one company may have a CRM customer database of just a couple of hundreds facts, figures and bit and pieces, whilst others will need to store and retrieve appointments, names, phone numbers and more for thousands and evening millions of customers. This is where bespoke CRM solutions really come in handy, allowing you to manage your customers and your needs perfectly.

Ensure that when choosing your Business CRM management provider, such as Star CRM, you check out the CRM benefits that they offer. It is useful to ensure that your company can add and remove users upon demand to constantly adapt and change, and another CRM benefit is to avoid complications and CRM difficulties by opting for systems where you don't have to buy and upgrade software constantly. With the rate that CRM system technology is advancing, you don't want to have to download upgrades and more every second minute!

Organising your contacts and making all that plethora of information available to select employees in clearly more than a task for your IT department. Simply set aside the time to train your employees in a CRM management system and let a CRM benefits and solutions provider sort out the nitty gritty. With these you can begin to build your customer base, as well as focussing on the really vital customer � the one you already have.

CRM benefits are available to any company to makes the decision to take them. Used together, they offer a brilliant was to manage your customer base.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 29 September 2009

ADVERTORIAL: Wigan Athletic And Bolton Get Season Off To Flying Start

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:31:00 GMT

Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic's games have been among the football highlights of the season so far, while Tottenham Hotspur began well but now has some ground to make up after losing this weekend to juggernaut that is Manchester United.

Football news highlights for Bolton Wanderers so far this season include a recent 3-2 win against Portsmouth on their opponents' home turf at Fratton Park. Bolton manager Gary Megson deployed Icelandic international Gretar Steinsson in midfield, even though he's a full-back, and Steinsson proved his mettle as an outstanding passer.

Bolton Wanderers started to show some complacency in the game's second period, after goals from Tamir Cohen and, ironically, former Portsmouth player Matt Taylor. Megson responded by putting Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic, making his Bolton Wanderers debut, out on to the pitch.

But it was two defenders who combined to net the winning goal and create fantastic football news for Bolton Wanderers fans � a header from Gary Cahill.

These football highlights were just the latest success in the long and proud history of Bolton Wanderers, which stretches back 135 years. As Megson said after the game, this match was purely about getting a result, and Bolton Wanderers certainly achieved that. Fans can now look forward to more great football news from the Reebok Stadium.

Northern rivals Wigan Athletic also had some good football news of their own to celebrate when Hugo Rodallega scored the only goal in an admittedly rather lacklustre match against West Ham this month. Although there were some near misses, ultimately West Ham couldn't quite find the extra bit of class it needed to win.

Rodallega also scored a crucial goal for Wigan Athletic in the side's other league win this season � a 30-yard- screamer � on the opening day of the season against Aston Villa. If the side continues with its current form, and with the honeymoon period with manager Roberto Martinez at the helm of the �Latics' still in full bloom, there should be plenty more football highlights to come for Wigan Athletic fans. The Latics may only have joined the Premier League in 2005, but these guys are certainly making their mark.

But the biggest football news of recent weeks has to be Tottenham Hotspur recently hosting Manchester United at home in White Hart Lane, an encounter which set pulses racing across North London.

Tottenham Hotspur fans dared to dream. No club has spent more money on the transfer market without qualifying for the Champions League. Manager Harry Redknapp truly believes that, this season, the team could be in for a breakthrough. He's aiming to make football news by having Tottenham Hotspur finish in the top four, with maybe even a Europa League finish to boot. And even Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson agrees!
His side have good reason to be confident, having beaten Liverpool and Chelsea at White Hart Lane last season and drawn there against Manchester United and Liverpool. After becoming manager last season, Redknapp's team took 49 points from 30 Premier League matches, So far this season, Tottenham Hotspur has again beat Liverpool at home.
But the football highlights last Saturday did not show a Tottenham Hotspur win. Instead, the side suffered a miserable 3-1 defeat at the hands of the mighty United.

With plenty of games to come in the 2009-10 season, though, Tottenham Hotspur still has everything to play for. Do not discount them as a major Premier League force.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 29 September 2009

ADVERTORIAL: Villa Plus Have The Experience To Provide Premier Quality Lanzarote Villa Holidays

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:25:00 GMT

Villa Plus have 23 years of experience in the field of holiday villa rentals, and their Lanzarote holiday villas have been carefully selected to offer the ideal blend of comfort and location. A Villa Plus villa is a great base from which to explore and enjoy the sun-drenched island of Lanzarote.

Lanzarote is the most east-lying of the Canary Islands and its temperate climate and miles of beautiful beaches have earned it the status of one of the premier destinations for European holiday-makers. Lying less than 100 miles from the West Coast of Africa and the fourth-largest of the Canary Islands, Lanzarote experiences very little rainfall over the course of the calendar year. Temperatures are similarly pleasant, ranging from an average of 21 degrees Celsius in January to 29 in August, with sunshine being a reliable part of life on the island. Lanzarote is also renowned for its incredible volcanic areas, with a series of huge eruptions way back in the 18th century having given some of the landscapes an extraordinary, striking appearance � one which has often been compared to the surface of the moon.

But Lanzarote is also well-known for its beautiful white sand beaches � such as the Playa Blanca and Papagayo - where visitors can take the opportunity to soak up some of that glorious sunshine. The isle is well-served in terms of holiday facilities, with Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen amongst the main resorts. And Villa Plus take great care to select Lanzarote villas for rent which are situated in close proximity to these resorts and their range of amenities.

Villa Plus's Lanzarote holiday villas to rent offer easy access to the lively bars, top-quality restaurants and many shops of the island's resorts, while also being well-equipped to keep customers in optimum comfort when they simply wish to enjoy some quiet relaxation. The majority of Lanzarote holiday villas with pools available from Villa Plus are fitted with pool heating and air-conditioning, to ensure maximum comfort. Their family villas come in a range of sizes, and most have been outfitted with leisure equipment, such as pool tables, Playstation 2's, satellite television, table tennis tables, and barbecue facilities. Consequently, Villa Plus clients who choose to holiday at one of their Lanzarote luxury villas are offered a great choice of entertainments, both in their holiday villa, or if they head to one of the nearby resorts. And there are also a huge range of activities available to holiday-makers in Lanzarote, with fishing, diving, boating, water sports, and golf amongst what is on offer for visitors to the island.

Villa Plus are totally committed to securing the best Lanzarote holiday villas rentals by their customers, and they are also dedicated to taking any worry out of the holiday experience. Villa Plus have 23 years experience in the holiday villa rental market, with any air holidays with flights organised via Villa Plus being ATOL protected through the Civil Aviation Authority. The knowledge of the Villa Plus team in the Lanzarote holiday villa market means they can offer the best villas for the comfort of their customers, as well as ensuring all properties adhere to high standards of safety.

The wealth of experience that Villa Plus have in identifying the best Lanzarote holiday villas means they can confidently cater to the needs of their customers.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 29 September 2009

Warner Bros. Creates DC Entertainment

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:09:00 GMT

After the recent revelation that Disney has bought out Marvel for a warehouse of cash, news reaches us via Variety that Warner Bros. has also stepped up its game with DC Comics.

The home of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern and more has been reshaped and rebranded by the giant studio in an effort to make the most of its much-loved roster of costumed crusaders.

The company has now officially been rebooted as DC Entertainment, which will now be run by Warner Bros. veteran Diane Nelson.

"It's no secret that DC has a myriad of rich and untapped possibilities from its deep library of iconic and lesser-known characters," said Alan Horn, Warner Bros. Entertainment president. "The formation of DC Entertainment will help us bring more DC properties across additional platforms to fans around the world."

So what does that mean to lovers of latex-wearing vigilantes? Well, Nelson's appointment comes at a time when comic book-based properties have never been hotter and Warner Bros.' move is certain to capitalise on that trend. All of which means that, whoever your favourite DC character is, you're likely to see him or her on the big or small screen one way or another in the near future.

The timing of DC's revamp may come after Disney's $4 billion takeover of Marvel but the deal has been on the table for nearly two years and it now seems that the studio, which has long been criticized for not doing more with its comic properties, is getting serious.

In addition to the upcoming Green Lantern, Jonah Hex, The Losers and Lobo, we can expect many more superheroes to be coming our way very soon.

What do you think about the deal? Leave your comments below...

Glen Ferris

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 10 September 2009

FEATURED ARTICLE: The Thrills Of French Film

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 17:48:00 GMT

World Cinema DVD specialist MovieMail explores the fine legacy of thrillers in French film, from 1913 to the present day.

The thriller is arguably one of the easier film genres to market to an international audience, and France has produced innumerable classic suspense and crime films that have enjoyed massive success outside of their homeland.

The excellent Anything For Her, a romantic thriller about a married couple thrown into disarray when, out of the blue, the wife (Diane Kruger) is charged with murder, continues this fine tradition, and is due to be released on DVD on 5th October, available to buy for just �11.99 from MovieMail.

The earliest examples of the French thriller date from the silent film era. Louis Feuillade directed gripping serials such as Fant�mas (1913), which became famous for its tense cliffhangers at the end of each episode, and Les Vampires (1915), following the exploits of a group of master criminals in Paris. The genre continued into the early talkies and the 1930s - P�p� le Moko, directed by Julien Duvivier in 1937, proved another hit abroad. Set in Algiers and making a star of Jean Gabin, it would go on to be the inspiration for Graham Greene's novel The Third Man. Meanwhile Marcel Carn�'s poetic realism movies often focused on the criminal fraternity, including Le Quai des Brumes and Le Jour se l�ve.

1955 was a significant year for the genre. After being blacklisted by Hollywood, American director Jules Dassin moved to France and made Rififi, a pivotal moment in the history of the French thriller as it triggered a succession of brilliant crime movies inspired by American pulp novels. The half-hour heist sequence, shot in near silence, is a classic. In the same year Henri-Georges Clouzot made Les Diaboliques, a masterpiece much imitated in subsequent psychological thrillers, with a walkabout corpse and a spine-chilling bathroom-set denouement. Other renowned crime films of the era include Touchez Pas Au Grisbi and Shoot the Pianist.

Perhaps the most prolific director of French thriller remains Jean-Pierre Melville. Bob Le Flambeur (also 1955) gave a new take on film noir, and is seen as a precursor to the French New Wave with its fresh, youthful style. In the 1960s Melville twisted the genre, taking an existential view to his male protagonists, such as Jean-Paul Belmondo in Le Doulos and, most famously, Alain Delon in Le Samoura�.

Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 picture Diva, often cited as the first ever postmodern film, was an eclectic and invigorating thriller revolving around a crucial cassette tape (a classic Macguffin), which would kick-start the cin�ma du look movement - slick, stylish films, often with elaborate action set pieces. Luc Besson in particular thrived in this subgenre, making Subway and Nikita (the latter being subject to a limp remake starring Bridget Fonda).

In the new millennium the French thriller has enjoyed yet another renaissance. Michael Haneke's Hidden, one of the most acclaimed films, World Cinema or otherwise, films of recent years, creates an aura of nerve-shredding suspense from its opening shot, and laces its narrative with political tension by alluding to France's complex relationship with Algeria. The Beat That My Heart Skipped proved to be a rare example of a remake improving on its original (James Toback's Fingers), with a great anti-hero in Romain Duris, while Tell No One boasted one of the best chase sequences (on foot across a motorway!) in cinema. French film directors have continued to invigorate and innovate within the genre, and produce some of the most exciting and suspenseful movies from anywhere in the world.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 8 September 2009

Disney Buys Marvel For $4 Billion

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 11:37:00 GMT

While the rest of us were soaking up the sun and nursing hangovers during the bank holiday weekend, very big things were happening in Hollywood.

It's being widely reported that Disney has outright purchased Marvel Entertainment for a whopping $4 billion dollars - that's like a gagillion pounds!

Hitherto operating as its own studio, Marvel is now following in the footsteps of rival comic company DC (which has long been owned by Warner Bros) by affiliating itself with a major Tinsletown player.

The exact details of the deal have not yet been made public - they have to be confirmed under an antitrust review and by Marvel's shareholders - but it should herald a brand-new era in cinematic comic-book entertainment, plus some awesome new rides at Disneyland!

While the finer points are still thin on the ground, it's difficult to see who will benefit the most from the arrangement - the money men or the fans - but we guess that the mooted Marvel movies that we're being promised in the next few years should definitely happen in some form or another.

What do you think? Is the Marvel takeover a good thing? Leave your comments below...

Glen Ferris

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 1 September 2009

FEATURED ARTICLE: Joy As New Football Season Kicks Off

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:10:00 GMT

School's still out, and many of us try and take our holidays in August. But if you're a supporter of football teams like Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers or Tottenham Hotspur, this time of year means only one thing � the thrill of a new football season getting underway.

Founded in 1882, Tottenham Hotspur began life as Hotspur FC before taking its current name 125 years ago. For over a century, the north London club has dominated the football league. And it's a team of many firsts - Tottenham Hotspur was the first side in the 20th century to win the League and FA Cup Double, in the 1960-1 season. The team was also the first British club to win a major European trophy in 1963 - the European Cup Winners' Cup � decimating Atletico Madrid in the final 5-1.

Indeed, Tottenham Hotspur has won a trophy in each of the last six decades - an achievement only Manchester United has equalled.

While naming Tottenham Hotspur's top five players is tough, the list for the last two decades would surely include the likes of Gary Lineker, Paul �Gazza' Gascoigne and David Ginola. Other contenders might include Jimmy Greaves, former manager Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle.

White Hart Lane has been the home of Tottenham Hotspur since 1905. With current top football news stories including plans to build a new stadium just north of the existing one at White Hart Lane, there'll be no stopping the boys from Tottenham making football news for some time to come.

Some eight years older than Spurs, and 175 miles further north, Bolton Wanderers began life as Christ Church FC, changing its name to its current one in 1877. They were one of the original 12 founder members of the Football League.

In the 1920s, the team took the FA Cup three times, winning again in 1958. Although 1987 saw a season in fourth division, Bolton Wanderers climbed back to top-flight status. And in 2005�06 they made football news when they took part in European competition for the first time.

Having made Burnden Park their base for more than a century, Bolton Wanderers moved to their Reebok Stadium in 1997.

While still at Burnden Park, arguably the most famous of the �Trotters' players, Nat Lofthouse, dazzled in the 50s and 60s, scoring 285 first class goals for the club.

Now manager Gary Megson will be hoping to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet this season, recapturing the successes of Bolton Wanderers' glory days.

Lancashire rivals Wigan Athletic have been a Premier League side since their promotion from the Football League in 2005. Much younger than Spurs and the �Trotters', Wigan Athletic F.C. was formed in 1932, replacing Wigan Borough. In fact, as of the 2007-8 season, Wigan Athletic was the youngest side in the Premier League.

Wigan Athletic's home is the DW Stadium, which the team now owns, and shares with the Wigan Warriors rugby club. It has been their home since 1999; previously the club played for more than 65 years at Springfield Park.
In the 2008-2009 season, Wigan Athletic's 11th place finish was their second best ever. If you follow football news, you'll know that Wigan has kicked off the current season by trouncing Aston Villa 2-0, on their Midlands rivals' home turf.

It's no wonder fans have got so much to be excited about.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 25 August 2009

FEATURED ARTICLE: Switching To Digital Is Easier Than You Think

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:10:00 GMT

This is because TVonics is there for all your service and product needs when it comes to digital television. Get the benefit of FREEVIEW without having to buy a new television with one of their digital set top boxes.

Having delivered several ground breaking services and products into the UK Freeview digital TV market since its inception in 2004, TVonics continues to provide its customers with the simplest ways to switchover to digital TV. As you are probably aware, the UK is switching from analogue TV broadcasting to digital TV broadcasting. You get a much wider variety of channels, new and interactive digital text services and improved picture quality. TVonics aims to help you do this by delivering the best in FREEVIEW-set-top-box's and FREEVIEW digital TV recorders. Each of which boast eco-friendly technology, reliability, style and ease of use.

Watching FREEVIEW is a completely different experience to analogue. It allows you to get so much more out of watching television as you can learn from, laugh with and marvel at programs you previously had no access to. If you would like to keep the analogue television that you already have, you can, but you will be required to convert it to digital using a FREEVIEW set top box. Once you have made the switch, FREEVIEW provides you with up to 48 different channels. Covering film, sport, documentaries, entertainment, news, lifestyle and many other genres, as well as 24 digital radio stations, so there really is something for the whole family. There is absolutely no subscription or contract so making the switch is simple. Furthermore it is easy to set up and there is no tricky and expensive installation to pay for.

If you lead a busy life and want to enjoy all the benefits of a freeview box, but simply cannot find the channels you want when you actually have time to watch them, FREEVIEW + offers award winning technology. With a Freeview + set-top-box you'll never have to miss your favourite program again. With FREEVIEW + you get all the added bonus of a television that also acts as a digital recorder. Record your favourite programs, or even an entire series, with one simple touch of a button and even watch another program whilst doing so with the latest DVR technology. You can also pause live TV and get an 8 day onscreen TV guide (EPG).

Because we all have different lifestyles and of course different televisions, there are several different kinds of digital box available at TVonics. Some have been created compatible for older, portable TV's that you may have thought would not be suitable for the switchover. They literally fit into the palm of your hand! Others are more advanced and offer improved usability features such as audio description for the partially sighted and blind. Subtitles for the hearing impaired or deaf, as well as easy grip remotes are also available.

Each of the TVonics range of FREEVIEW digital television receivers are stylish and energy efficient and enable you to get more channels and better quality than ever before. They offer a wide variety of options that are available at a TVonics store or online.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 25 August 2009

ADVERTORIAL: Classic French Film - A Talent For Innovation

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:06:00 GMT

With Max Ophuls' Lola Montes finally receiving a DVD release, MovieMail takes a look at the classic era of French filmmaking.

Classic French films have had a bad press. But don't be put off by Fran�ois Truffaut's infamous remarks about `cin�ma du papa' or those lazy critics who insist that French film before the nouvelle vague is talky and static. Take it from MovieMail - the best place to buy classic movie and world cinema on DVD - you only have to watch Jacques Tati's comic masterpiece Les Vacances De Monsieur Hulot (1953) or Max Ophuls's sublime period piece Lola Mont�s (1955) to see the artistry, originality and ingenuity that had characterised French cinema since the Lumi�re brothers presented moving images to the paying public for the first time in December 1895.

France has been the cradle of cinematic innovation ever since. Conjuror Georges M�li�s bought a Cin�matographe to add a little novelty to his act, but he was soon using it to produce ambitious shorts like A Trip to the Moon (1902), which were packed with dazzling special effects. His sense of adventure inspired the screen's first genuine artists and the works of Louis Delluc, Germaine Dulac and Abel Gance are long overdue a DVD release. However, the spirit of silent creativity is still readily evident in Marcel L'Herbier's L'Argent (1928) and Luis Bu�uel and Salvador Dal�'s Surrealist gems, Un Chien Andalou (1928) and L'Age d'Or (1930).

Jean Vigo's Z�ro de Conduite (1934) brought the avant-garde to everyday audiences and helped shape the brand of poetic realism that would keep France at the forefront of world cinema. Reflecting the politics of the time, the classics of the Popular Front era showed a nation recovering its confidence after the traumas of the Great War. But, with the rise of Fascism in Europe, a darker mood became apparent. Jean Renoir appealed for peace in his exceptional prisoner of war drama, La Grande Illusion (1937). But by the time he made the country chateau saga La R�gle du Jeu (1939), he was echoing the pessimism of Julien Duvivier's P�pe le Moko (1937) and Marcel Carn�'s Le Jour se L�ve (1939), which were headlined by France's biggest star, Jean Gabin.

This sombre mood continued under the Vichy regime, with Henri-Georges Clouzot capturing the fear and mistrust of the times in the poison pen thriller, Le Corbeau (1943). However, Carn� discovered a new optimism and made his celebration of the 19th-century Parisian underworld, Les Enfants du Paradis (1945), under the noses of the Gestapo and it came to symbolise the indomitability of the people and the exuberance of liberation. Too many critics see this as Carn�'s swan song, but he continued to produce fine pictures like Th�r�se Raquin (1953).

Other members of the old guard also continued to impress, among them Christian-Jaque (Fanfan le Tulipe, 1952), Ren� Clair (Les Grandes Manoeuvres, 1955) and Clouzot, who garnered international acclaim for the landmark thrillers,The Wages of Fear (1953) and Les Diaboliques (1955). Elsewhere, established film-makers found new inspiration. Having debuted with Blood of a Poet in 1930, the multi-talented Jean Cocteau combined lyrical fantasy and erotic psychology in La Belle et la B�te (1946) and Orph�e (1950), while Max Ophuls became the master of the mise-en-sc�ne technique, as he made elegant use of elaborate long takes in the likes of La Ronde (1950) and Madame De...(1953).

Jacques Tati also allowed the action to find its own pace, as he switched from inspired physical comedies like Jour de F�te (1948) to more observational satires on the pitfalls of modern living like Mon Oncle (1958). In stark contrast, Robert Bresson adopted an increasingly austere aesthetic for such intense studies of outsiders struggling to find their place in a hostile world as The Diary of a Country Priest (1950), A Man Escaped (1956) and Pickpocket (1959). But Jean Renoir returned from Hollywood with a renewed sense of invention and followed the glorious Ingrid Bergman costumer, Elena et les Hommes (1956), with the Jekyll`n'Hyde variation Le Testament du Docteur Cordelier and the science satire D�jeuner sur l'Herbe (both 1959), which took its visual inspiration from the paintings of his Impressionist father.

It says much for the receptibility of commercial French cinema that these experimental approaches found their way into the mainstream. Renoir's onetime assistant, Jean Becker, proved equally versatile, as he moved effortlessly from the belle �poque sophistication of Casque d'Or (1952) to the tough criminality of Touchez pas au Grisbi (1953) and Le Trou (1960). Jean-Pierre Melville demonstrated similar craftsmanship in such wartime dramas as Le Silence de la Mer (1949) and L�on Morin, Pr�tre (1961) before specialising in uncompromising studies of gangsters and Resistance fighters. Indeed, diversity and expertise were also the watchwords of Ren� Cl�ment (Forbidden Games, 1952 & Plein Soleil, 1960), Georges Franju (La T�te contre les Murs, 1959 & Eyes Without a Face, 1960) and even the enfant terrible of postwar French cinema, Roger Vadim, who revealed very different sides of Brigitte Bardot in And God Created Woman (1956) and Les Bijoutiers du Clair de Lune (1957).

Truffaut's trenchant attacks in Cahiers du Cin�ma paved the way for the New Wave that erupted half a century ago this year and unleashed the talents of Truffaut himself, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Demy and Agn�s Varda. But classic movies were still being produced and it's about time that British audiences got the chance to judge the works of such maligned non-auteurs as Sacha Guitry, Claude Autant-Lara, Jean Delannoy and Andr� Cayatte for themselves.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 10 August 2009

Harry Potter Breaks Midnight Record

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:42:00 GMT

Big news has come in from The Hollywood Reporter that the mega, magical franchise that is Harry Potter, hypnotized audiences in the midnight hour and pulled in the big bucks to set a new all-time record at the box office.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth installment from Warner Bros.' ever-so-lucrative franchise conjured up an impressive $22.2 million from 3,003 performances on Wednesday night, shattering the previous record of $18 million set by The Dark Knight (also a Warner Bros. picture) last July.

"We're ecstatic," Warners domestic distribution president Dan Fellman said. "We owe a big thanks to the Harry Potter fans, who are supporting us so well even after the picture was moved back."

Warners delayed the release of The Half-Blood Prince from November to July in order to boost its boxoffice prospects for this summer.

Looks like it did the trick!

Fohnjang Ghebdinga

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 16 July 2009

Transformers 2 Claws In $201.2 Million in 5-Days

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:11:00 GMT

As expected, Michael Bay's morphing sequel, Revenge of the Fallen, transformed the box-office at the weekend, raking in an estimated $201.2 million to become the second biggest five day domestic grossing film of all time, with the biggest June debut ever, according to Slash Film.

Falling slightly short of The Dark Knight's record of $203.8 million, the All Sparks robo-flick also collected $181.6 million internationally, bringing the sequel's worldwide gross to $363.2 million.

Although the film has been panned by critics, it was no secret that Transformers would project monster numbers upon its release. With Notorious Bay, robots, Shia The Beef and a pouting Fox all rolled into a mega one, little boys across the world, and their parents, couldn't help but go mad - for different reasons of course!

Fohnjang Ghebdinga
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 29 June 2009

Pixar's Up Soars To Top At US Box Office

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 17:33:00 GMT

Pixar's latest animated film Up, their first in 3D, has been released to rave reviews and huge queues of paying punters waiting to hand over their cash and put on the special specs this weekend in the States where it was playing at only around 1500 theatres - proving once and for all that the age of 3D has arrived.

Even more telling are reports (in Variety) that 31% of the audience for Up - a film about a crotchety old man - were in the 3-11 age range, allaying fears that parents would not consider the tale suitable for their little'uns.

Reaping a mammoth $68m in three days (that's over $18,000 from each location) it led Night At The Museum 2, now in its second week of release at over 4000 screens, by over $40m. The counterprogrammed Sam Raimi horror Drag me to Hell opening to a decent $16.6m off of two-and-a-half thousand screens.

Elsewhere Terminator Salvation held up fairly well to take $16m but failed to break the $100m barrier in its second weekend while Star Trek soared past the $200m mark in its third.

SL
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 1 June 2009

He's Just Not That Into You Tops Taken

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 13:41:00 GMT

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, US audiences snuck in some early romance at the theatre this weekend, pushing He's Just Not That Into You to the top of the box office. Pulling in a highly respectable estimated $27.5 million. Directed by Ken Kwapis, the film's interconnecting story lines brings together an all star-cast that includes Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly and Scarlett Johansson.

After just a week at the top, the Luc Besson-produced thriller dropped to no.2 with $20.3 million. New out this week, 3D stop-motion adaptation Coraline debuted in third place with $16.3 million. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane and Dawn French, the animated adventure managed to out-sell a second Fanning Feature, Summit Entertainment's new action-thriller Push, making a debut in sixth place.

Steve Martin's long-awaited return as Inspector Clouseau in Pink Panther 2 failed to entice fans, earning just $12 million to take fourth place, whilst Columbia's Mall Cop rounded off the top five, continuing to pull in the crowds in its fourth week with a further $11 million sales.

Next weekend's new releases sees Confessions of a Shopaholic compete for the Valentine's Day date crowd, alongsde the slightly less romantic, machete-wielding, homicidal horror Friday the 13th.

Charlotte Balnave
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 9 February 2009

Mall Cop Still At The Top Of The US Box Office

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT

If proof were ever needed that world is turning on its head, news reaches us via Variety that Kevin James' rubbish looking comedy Mall Cop is still riding high at the US box office for a second week. The end of days surely cannot be too far behind...

Mall Cop continued to overperform in its second week, declining 32% to an estimated $21.5 million from 3,144 theaters. Following close behind is the vampires vs werewolves threequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans which opened to a solid $20.7 million from 2,942 screens.

Both Mall Cop and Underworld are Sony pictures and they will undoubtedly now be celebrating a successful weekend. Warner Bros were not so fortunate with the debut of family adventure Inkheart which came in at number 7 after grossing an estimated $7.7 million from 2,655 screens.

The success of Mall Cop and Underworld marks the latest in a line of films which have fared better than expected.

"The weekend was a win-win for us. Fans of the Underworld franchise also loved this one. It is a very positive result," said Sony Rory Bruer. "And in regards to Mall Cop, wow. I think everyone likes Kevin James."

The other big winner of the weekend was Slumdog Millionaire which rocketed up the box office chart to number five after picking up ten Oscar nominations, grossing an estimated $10.6 million from 1,411 screens.

To check out the rest of the US top ten, click here.

Will you be seeing Mall Cop when it opens in the UK? Leave your comments below...

Glen Ferris
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 26 January 2009

Warner Bros. And Fox Reach An Agreement On Watchmen

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:48:00 GMT

Comic book fans rejoice and be glad, for the bickering people of 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros have finally settled their differences on Watchmen and, if not enthusiastically chest bumped and playfully patted each other on the bottom, at least shared a grudging handshake while muttering under their breath.

The two studios had been at loggerheads over rights to distribute Zack Snyder's adaptation of the classic book - Fox saying they still had first refusal on distributing any adaptation and Warner saying 'nuh-uh, we made it; you're mean' - but the two studios announced a deal late last night and stated that the film would be released in March as advertised. They released the following statement:

"Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox have resolved their dispute regarding the rights to the upcoming motion picture Watchmen in a confidential settlement. Warner Bros acknowledges that Fox acted in good faith in bringing its claims, which were asserted prior to the start of principal photography. Fox acknowledges that Warner Bros. acted in good faith in defending against those claims Warner Bros. and Fox, like all Watchmen fans, look forward with great anticipation to this film's March 6 release in theatres."

The Hollywood Reporter claims that the "confidential settlement" includes a large cash payout from Warner Bros to Fox, plus a share of the film's profits, which is not bad for Fox considering they paid nothing for the film. Anyway, whatever the deal, at least we can now all rest safe in the knowledge that we will definitely get to see the film on March 6 as we'd all hoped.

Olly Richards
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 16 January 2009

Fox And Warner Reportedly Close To Watchmen Deal

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:46:00 GMT

We don't want to jinx this, so we're touching various bits of wood, saluting magpies and avoiding ladders and black cats, but it seems that 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros may be close to an agreement on the whole big Watchmen kerfuffle.

The two studios have been at loggerheads over Zack Snyder's movie, with Fox claiming that they still held the legal right to distribute a film based on Alan Moore's comic book, meaning Warner should never have gone ahead with production on an adaptation. At the end of last year, a judge decided that, yes, Fox did have a copyright interest and this would require a larger legal case, something that would have put the film's March 6 release date in serious jeopardy. A trial date of January 20 had been set, but The Hollywood Reporter is stating that Fox and Warner have been holding meetings over the weekend and that an agreement is imminent (touch wood, fingers crossed, cross heart, spit).

There are no details on exactly what the discussions entailed, or what conclusion might have been reached, but the talks ended in front of Judge Gary Feese, who has been overseeing the case. We'll let you know more details as and when they are revealed.

Olly Richards
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 13 January 2009

Gran Torino Tops Weekend Box Office

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:31:00 GMT

If Gran Torino was, as he suggested, the last big screen acting role of his career, Clint Eastwood is certainly going out on top.

The 78-year-old multi-Oscar winning director secured his best movie opening to date, as Gran Torino took an impressive $29 million in its first weekend at the US box office. The story of a disgruntled Korean war veteran who reluctantly comes to the aid of his neighbours far-outsold his record $18 million takings from the 2000 Space Cowboys.

After two weeks at the top, Marley and Me dropped to fourth place, below Twentieth Century Fox's Kate Hudson-Anne Hathaway comedy Bride Wars and Universal Pictures' horror hit The Unborn, both outpacing expectations.

Rounding off the top five, hotly tipped Oscar-contender The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took in $9.4 million in its third week, whilst Bedtime Stories, Valkyrie, Yes Man and Seven Pounds all managed to hold onto their top ten spots.

With little in the way of big-name cinema releases over the next few weeks and the Oscar-releases rush over, it's likely Eastwood could gain a lengthy reign.

Charlotte Balnave
>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 12 January 2009