Roll out the red carpet...

He Said, She Said...HE SAID:
It's time for the annual Hollywood American Idol - and I don't mean that little TV show on Fox. Nope, we're talking about the 79th Annual Academy Awards.

The red carpet rolls out in Hollywood Sunday night. So stop wasting time and fill out your Oscar ballots. Here's what you'll find on the He Said She Said ballot:

Best Picture: Letters from Iwo Jima
Best Actress: Kate Winslett for her role in Little Children
Best Actor: Leonard DiCaprio for his role in Blood Diamond

GIRLFRIEND and I are still arguing over our other choices, so we'll wait to post until we've reached consensus. What will be on YOUR Oscar ballots?

The Shining - recut and remastered

Remember that Stanley Kubrick thriller The Shining starring everyone's favorite Jack? The one that scared the living crap out of you? Those who don't like scary movies are smart enough to steer clear of this movie.

If only the movie studio had marketed it as a romantic comedy. Then perhaps they could have captured the wallets and dollars of unsuspecting moviegoers. Take a look at the re-cut trailer below for a look at what could have been.


The Shining - starring Jack Nicholson

Video: The Shining Trailer Recut

Oscar nominations are out

SHE SAID:
After months of hype, the Oscar nominations are out. Find out if your favorite movie or actor was nominated here. Catch the 79th Academy Awards live February 25, 2007 on ABC.

Netflix vs. Blockbuster

HE SAID:
Today Netflix announced they would be offering movie downloads for free online. Read about it here. That’s a nice little differentiator from the beast named Blockbuster. Nevertheless, I must admit I prefer Blockbuster. And this is coming from one of the earliest Netflix adopters and fanatics.

Over time Blockbuster has developed an identical program and today offers a superior product. They have found a way to leverage empty Blockbuster stores sandwiched between McDonald’s restaurants lining American street corners. Drop the DVD off at a store and walk out with a new movie. By the time you get home, Blockbuster has shipped the next movie in your queue. My math may be a bit fuzzy, but that adds up to double the DVDs in my book. Hands down the best advantage Blockbuster has over Netflix.

Having wasted far too many of my young years in the advertising industry, it seems all I ever remember are the terrible ads. I can’t help but cheer whenever a great one enters the mix. And that’s exactly what Blockbuster has. A fantastic TV advertising campaign centered around a great message.

Ride the wave and rent some DVDs. The rest of the world is catching on.