Comcast Hijacking Your Internet?

That Picture above is an alert that Comcast will begin using as part of a newly implemented system to get rid and deter online downloading.  Users who are caught to be using BitTorrent and illegaling sharing media will be issued 6 reminders or alerts as shown above.  Got your attention yet? If you are one of the people who has downloaded movies and television then take heed.  The report is that Comcast will hijack or take control of your browser to prevent you from using the internet until you call in to their customer service line.  This control is said to be implemented after your 4th alert, but it should be interesting to see how this issue effects Comcast and their customers moving forward.

I for one don't think there are too many people who would switch internet service providers based on this, but you never know as time passes and alerts become issued this news should make more of a midstream impact.

Article on Comcast Hijacking Browsers
I am not a fan of the system, but with 4 reminders before the initial hijacking at least you should have plenty of warning and time to see it coming.  What about you guys? What do you think about this system and will it affect your downloading or mindset going forward?

Quick Oscar Ballot Predictions 

busy week, but with the oscars coming up I am going to take this oppurtunity to submit a oscar ballot for the award show.  I have accepted that these award shows choices seem to vary a bit from my own, but this is just a quick peek for who i think the academy will pick as winners win the votes are tallied. Predictions in Red Bold**

Best Picture:
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Zero Dark Thirty"
"Lincoln"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Amour"
"Django Unchained"
"Argo"
Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Alan Arkin, "Argo"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"

Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Amy Adams, "The Master"


Best Director:
David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"
Michael Haneke, "Amour"
Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Actor:
Daniel Day Lewis, "Lincoln"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"

Best Actress:
Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"
Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"
Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Original Screenplay:
"Zero Dark Thirty"
"Django Unchained"
"Moonrise Kingdom"
"Amour"
"Flight"

Best Adapted Screenplay:
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Animated Feature:
"Frankenweenie"
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
"Wreck-It Ralph"
"Paranorman"
"Brave"

Best Foreign Feature:
"Amour"
"A Royal Affair"
"Kon-Tiki"
"No"
"War Witch"
Best Visual Effects:
"Life of Pi"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"The Avengers"
"Prometheus"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"
Best Cinematography:
"Skyfall"
"Anna Karenina"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
Best Costume Design:
"Anna Karenina"
"Les Miserables"
"Lincoln"
"Mirror Mirror"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"
Best Documentary Feature:
"Searching for Sugar Man"
"How to Survive a Plague"
"The Gatekeepers"
"5 Broken Cameras"
"The Invisible War"
Best Documentary Short:
"Open Heart"
"Inocente"
"Redemption"
"Kings Point"
"Mondays at Racine"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"
Best Film Editing:
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Life of Pi"
"Argo"
"Zero Dark Thirty"
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
"Hitchcock"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Miserables"
Best Music (Original Score):
"Anna Karenina"
"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"
Best Music (Original Song):
"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"
"Everybody Needs A Best Friend" from "Ted"
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
"Suddenly" from "Les Misérables"
Best Production Design:
"Anna Karenina"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Misérables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
Best Short Film, Animated:
"Adam and Dog"
"Fresh Guacamole"
"Head over Heels"
"Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare'"
"Paperman"
Best Short Film, Live Action:
"Asad"
"Buzkashi Boys"
"Curfew"
"Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)"
"Henry"
Best Sound Editing:
"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Skyfall"
"Zero Dark Thirty"
Best Sound Mixing:
"Argo"
"Les Misérables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"

Netflix Making Moves..Next HBO?

Can Netflix Eclipse HBO? 

Hey guys, this week has been crazy, but I wanted to touch on some developments and topics associated with Netflix and their new original programing identity.  At the beginning of the month Netflix released their new original series titled House of Cards.  The show is a political thriller of sorts and stars Kevin Spacey as a Majority Whip balancing a political allegiances and power as he carries out a long-con scheme in the nation's capital.  Staying spoiler free I can say that I have seen the first season and am a big fan of the show which really picks up midway through the season.  The show had my attention from the first five minutes and consists of 13 hourish episodes.  

One of the big points of contention is the fact that Netflix released the entire season at once which violently opposes the conventions of general television programming.  I personally enjoy the format change and while most Netflix users can find themselves "marathoning" shows I think this could really catch on.  

The real question long-term is whether Netflix can become HBO before HBO can become Netflix.  With physical distribution on it's deathbed video streaming seems to be on the horizon for almost all media consumption.  Netflix and HBO both incorporate large libraries of movies with HBO providing high budget critically acclaimed shows. With Netflix stepping up their game with House of Cards and the upcoming "Arrested Development" season launching this year they could find themselves on the cusp of making a major move.  While HBO has a huge library of hit programming including Game of Thrones, Veep, Boardwalk Empire, Girls and more their is certainly some stiff competition.  

Looking at the general landscape between HBO, Netflix and the formidable up and comer AMC the next 5 years could go a long way towards establishing not only the pecking order, but the future of distribution.

Here's the trailer for House of Cards.

*Side note first 2 episodes are directed by David Fincher.

The Oscar Race and other developments..

Who will take home the big prize for Best Picture? 

The Academy Awards have been a point of contention as I grew up.  When I was young I believed that the Oscars were the end all be all of Film accomplishment.  And while that is still technically true the artistic credibility of the awards have staled and dulled with time.  Learning now that the Oscars are mainly political with top studios and producers promoting and campaigning for contention.

Some general thoughts on some developments in the award season gauntlet leading into the academy awards at the end of the month.

The biggest take away from the endless slew of award shows including the Golden Globes, Screen Actor Guild Awards and Directors Guild Awards is that Argo the film by Ben Affleck has swept the major awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Acting Ensemble.

 

 The Academy Awards nominations have already been released and while Argo might be considered the new frontrunner for Best Picture of the Nine films nominated it is notable that Affleck is not one of the 5 nominated for Best Director which is a usual indicator of Best Picture Odds...

The Oscars award campaign process has become way more overtly political in nature with films and studios lobbying for votes when statues translate to dollars. Gimme Beast of the Southern Wild for the win personally..

Will Argo and Affleck buckle convention and take home the Best Picture Award? 

If so which other Film's Director will get the top nod?

Will anyone care 6 months from now? 

Only time will tell and The Academy Awards are anything, but perfect it is still somewhat entertaining to see how the studio politics will play out and where the dust will settle after all the campaigning is finished.

I leave you with a video of Jeb Corliss jumping off a mountain...***1:35