The MVP for this week is not a person but a song. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” was first released in 1981. But it’s back in a big way and has been featured in movies and on television shows. It was on the soundtrack during the stunning conclusion of “The Sopranos.” It was featured in a breakthrough performance on the first episode of “Glee.” And this week it appears in “The Losers,” sung by Chris Evans and later we get to hear the original, as sung by Steve Perry.
The “quadrant” system. As many as six trailers play before features at major chains, like AMC and Regal. The studio releasing a given film typically has automatic rights to two of these slots, and theater executives (in consultation with higher-ups from various studios) select the remaining four. Though theoretically studios and theaters could attach any trailer to any movie, they usually decide which releases to promote by using the “quadrant” system, which divides potential audiences into four different categories: men under 25, women under 25, men over 25, and women over 25.
This does not apply to independent theaters, which select trailers for films they will be showing.
It is absolutely baffling that Microsoft chose to promote the features of its new Kin phones through a video that seems to encourage sexting. Every week there is another story about teens and sexting scandals in schools. This week alone, teens in Montgomery County, Md., are under investigation for distributing nude photos via text message, and a sheriff in San Bernardino County, Calif., said that sexting is the “No. 1 problem” for middle school principals in his community.
It is both irresponsible and outrageous that an industry leader like Microsoft would take a form of digital abuse and position it as “cool and hip” in order to sell a new product that is directly targeted to a teen audience. Microsoft should pull this video and apologize for encouraging inappropriate digital media use.
Microsoft responded to the complaints from CSM and others:
Microsoft takes the issue of sexting very seriously and it was certainly never our intent to promote it in any way. The KIN marketing campaign is meant to capture the energy and playfulness of the generation of social communicators. We have received feedback that one of the KIN lifestyle videos has a scene that did not come across in the spirit it was intended. Upon further review we have acknowledged that and since removed the clip.
I’m very excited about my return to Roger Ebert’s Film Festival on Thursday. I love this festival, organized by the leading film critic in the world because it is unique. Instead of the usual quirky indies and other unreleased festival fare trying to get distribution, these are gems that have already been released but did not get what Roger thinks is the audience they deserved. Roger brings in the people who made the films to talk about them. But my favorite part is that while most festivals have far-flung simultaneous screenings that make you feel like you are running an obstacle course and always missing what everyone says was the best film of the festival, at Ebertfest there is just one film at a time, all shown at the magnificent Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois. I am especially looking forward to one of the annual highlights — each year, he shows a silent film with live accompaniment from the Alloy Orchestra.
I’ll be reporting in from the festival, so stay tuned. And if any of you happen to be there, come over and say hello! For those who can’t make it, I recommend joining Ebert’s online club. His newsletters, available to club members only, are delightful and well worth the micro-price, less than $5 a year.
