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Saturday February 9, 2008

-Directing in an animated TV production: Seth Green, "Robot Chicken Star Wars," ShadowMachine.

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VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

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But Hannah Montana mania appears far from done. And that's music to Mickey Mouse's ears.

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Inaugurating a traditional Chinese dragon dance featuring Disney classic Mickey Mouse in celebration of the beginning of the Lunar New Year, Bill Ernest said visitor flow had been steady throughout the quarter with prolonged festival celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas.

Ernest declined to disclose expected attendance to Hong Kong Disneyland but said he expected more visitors in the coming several days as it was only the first day of the Chinese New Year.

"Kung Hei Fat Choy!" he said, citing a local Chinese phrase for best wishes. "The Year of the Mouse is a very special time for Hong Kong Disneyland and Mickey Mouse and we have kicked off the festivities with a specially created dragon procession."

The Chinese New Year 2008, or the Lunar New Year, was the year of Mouse,and its first day fell on Feb. 7, 2008 of the solar calendar.

Ernest was dressed in the modernized version of a traditional Chinese short robe dotted with full circles and Mickey Mouse images that had been adapted to resemble the Chinese character Fu, or blessings.

There were relatively long queues on Thursday at Hong Kong Disneyland, the smallest one of the world's several Disneyland theme parks.

The theme park, a joint venture between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the U.S. Walt Disney group, had recorded attendance figures that were lower than expected in the first two years since it was officially opened in September 2005.

Officials at the Hong Kong Disneyland had said that it was not putting attendance figures above everything else and that the theme park was expecting help from further expansions to attract visitors.

Meanwhile the park also stepped up marketing by offering special events such as prolonged festivities around Halloween and Christmas.

It had designed month-long Lunar New Year special offerings running from Jan. 22 through Feb. 24, with seven special days in a row starting from the first day of the Chinese New Year, or Feb. 7.

Many visitors from China's mainland said they liked the style of the Hong Kong Disneyland that mixed eastern and western cultures.

Ernest said Hong Kong Disneyland would add the major feature of "It's a small world" in addition to at least four other projects.

With growth in attendance for the quarter ending Dec. 29, the park contributed part of the sound quarterly corporate earnings announced by the United States-based Walt Disney Company on Tuesday, he said.

The Disney group said its earnings per share for the fiscal quarter ended December 29 had increased 29 percent year on year, with improved performance at Hong Kong Disneyland reflecting increased attendance.

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A few more details on the WDW site: www.disneyworld.com/starwars.

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Friday February 8, 2008

The complimentary pass is auspiciously called the "Red Pass" and will be presented to the first "Mouse" babies by Hong Kong Disneyland Ambassador, Jasmine Law. This special "Red Pass" entitles the newborn to free admission at the Hong Kong Disneyland Park; the four parks in Florida: Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom Park; those in California: Disneyland Park, Disney's California Adventure Park as well as the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. The parents and siblings of the first 'Mouse' babies will be able to enjoy the same worldwide privileges with their 10-year complimentary passes.

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Automobile Club members can save money on cruises at AAA.com/Disney or by calling 877-763-5500.

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The previous meetings showed a great deal of unity, and I think this one will too. That doesn't mean everyone will necessarily agree, but we're like a family--they can argue a little bit over the dinner table but still all love each other.

Ryan said that while there had obviously had been some pressure from within, with certain unnamed show runners in particular dissenting from the union line in recent days,

There may have been people who felt the Directors Guild deal was acceptable in its own form. I was on the front lines of talking to people who had a gripe, and I did talk to a few people who were grumbling about the tactics we were using, but they were honorable guild members. I think it's telling that you never saw the names of these people in those reports. They wanted to have their voice heard within the guild. Once again, it's like a family, you have your arguments at the dining room table, but when company comes over, you slap the smiles on and it's all good.

It's a democracy, and everyone's entitled to an opinion. I think he guild's strong enough to hear differing opinions...ultimately the majority will rule, but that doesn't mean that dissent is silenced in that room--you couldn't silence them if you wanted to.

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The game is Discs of Tron and has the player facing off against the evil nemesis Sark from the movie. Gameplay has players throwing discs as each other in an attempt to derezz the opposing player. An enhanced mode adds modern graphics to the game and it is rated E by the ESRB.

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Jonathan Boseley, the VP of programming at Disney Channel UK, commented: “We are thrilled with these strong premiere figures. Animation is key part of Disney Channel’s DNA and we’re delighted that Phineas and Ferb is already proving to be a huge hit with kids in the U.K. We hope that the imaginative storylines and great range of characters continue to inspire kids to tune in over the next few months.”

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Thursday February 7, 2008

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts announced plans Thursday to create a live performance attraction based on "American Idol" at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park — formerly called Disney-MGM Studios — in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

"Our goal is to try to recreate the excitement of those 24 people who show up on that 'American Idol' stage," Disney Parks chairman Jay Rasulo told The Associated Press. "We believe many, many viewers want to know exactly how that feels, and we're going to try to reproduce that feeling for them."

Much like the hugely popular Fox singing competition, the as-yet-unnamed attraction — scheduled to open in late 2008 — will allow theme park guests to audition then perform before a live studio audience inside the Hollywood Studios' theater space formerly occupied by the "Doug Live!" and "Superstar Television" attractions.

Disney licensed the rights to create the attraction from "Idol" co-producers 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia, despite the fact "American Idol" airs on Fox and Disney owns broadcast competitor ABC.

"It is owned by us, so we can extend the brand in the off-air space in the ways that we want to," said Keith Hindle, FremantleMedia's licensing vice president. "We don't see this in any way as a NewsCorp. vs. Disney debate. That's never been part of the discussion, and it's not something that's relevant to us. It's just part of 'American Idol.'"

The attraction's details are still being worked out, but it will probably operate something like this: Theme park guests ages 14 and up will be able to audition for a Disney casting producer. Those who pass the test will be selected to appear in one of the park's "Idol" stage shows. Rasulo anticipates six to eight such shows a day.

Backstage, the performers will receive hair and makeup touchups from a stylist and singing tips from a vocal coach. Then, the guests will perform on an "Idol"-like set in front of a live audience and three judges.

Top audience vote-getters will compete in a grand finale show at the end of each day. Overall daily champs will win a special front-of-the-line pass at a regional audition for the actual "American Idol" show. Hindle says Disney winners won't be given any special treatment during the real audition, just the ability to skip ahead.

Because of eligibility differences — namely, the TV show's 16- to 28-year-old age limit — winners may be offered the option of transferring their pass to a friend or family member, but they won't be allowed to sell it. Daily champs too young to audition for the real deal could save the pass until they're old enough to compete, according to Hindle.

But will there be enough Fantasias and Sanyayas to keep theme park audiences captivated?

"I know that there's enough talent on any given day in our theme parks to keep people entertained," said Rasulo.

Beyond the attraction, Hindle says actual "Idol" stars may make appearances throughout the year and merchandise designed by both FremantleMedia and Disney's product divisions especially for the attraction would be available for sale.

"It's a very collaborative process," Hindle said. "Disney knows more about live stage productions that we ever will. We know more about our TV show that Disney ever will. Exactly how this will manifest it is something that will be mutually approved by all parties. We're looking to Disney to see how their guests like to be entertained."

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"(Disney) is engaged in on-going discussion with the HK Government, the majority shareholder of HKDL, on the expansion of the park. It expects that such financing likely would include additional investment by the Company (TWDC)," Park sources in Hong Kong said.

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Immediately after Sunday night’s game, the Super Bowl MVP recorded two television commercials — “I’m going to Disneyland” for West Coast audiences and “I’m going to Disney World” for the East Coast. Contractually, Manning needs to show up at only one of the two theme parks, according to Disney officials.

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"I'm sorry, but boys my age are sometimes so immature. They give me headaches!" she said, her voice ringing with exasperation. "But I don't need a boy right now anyway. I'm too busy for that. All I want for now are half-crushes."

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Discounted Prices (including tax):
$46.81 adult/$40.42 child - Advance purchase
$40.42 adult/$34.03 child - Passholder and DVC discount

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As a reminder, all guests of all ages must provide proper citizenship documentation in order to sail on a Disney cruise.

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Disney MMO Child-Friendly Games 

MMORPG - Disney went against the grain of the conventional MMO game genre when it introduced Disney's Toontown Online in 2003. This wholesome online game caters to the younger audiences and offers them a violence-free and fun atmosphere to interact with other players as they explore the world through a variety of mini-games and kid-friendly dialogue options.

Mike Goslin, the vice president of Disney Online's VR Studio, recently talked about the merits of the game and how the company means to follow through with its success with its newer MMORPG title Pirates of the Caribbean Online.

The biggest challenge was to present to younger gamers a persistent world that's both safe yet compelling at the same time. To do this, the developers patterned the world of Toontown on existing theme parks designed by Walt Disney Imagineering. The objective was to give online gamers the feel of living through a virtual reality theme park that would translate well for the Disney audience.

There were a lot of child safety features put in the game, including slapstick humor "combat" instead of real fighting, as well as pre-set menu of chat options to avoid any unnecessary PG-13 language in front of the kids.

Surprisingly enough, the game had a strong following during its release and some reports estimated that Toontown had almost 1.2 million subscribed players.

Goslin ended by mentioning that they wanted to follow through with this kind of compelling gameplay for younger gamers. With the recent success of the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films, he hopes that this may spell another chance for Disney to ride the wave towards another successful MMO property.

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United Vacations' America, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and Ski programs are operated by The Mark Travel Corporation in Milwaukee, one of the largest vacation companies and operators of private-label brands in the United States.

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I should know better. And yet I'm still left feeling grossed out...and annoyed.

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Playhouse Disney is a commercial-free, multiplex channel offered to Family Channel subscribers across Canada. Visit www.playhousedisneycanada.ca for more information.

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But Dick Vitale couldn't. Tears welled up in his eyes as he imagined his beloved career crashing to an end.

Then the doctor suggested he count to 10. And with the simplest of words, Vitale heard his own voice again for the first time in weeks.

ESPN's hyperkinetic college basketball announcer will call his first game in more than two months Wednesday after recovering from throat surgery. It was the cruelest of ailments for the man who yelled his way to becoming a household name. His treatment? A ban on speaking.

"There was a moment there I thought I'd never be behind a microphone again," Vitale said Monday on a conference call, sounding a bit subdued but very much like himself.

Told he could return to the air in early February, Vitale checked the schedule and found some serendipitous timing: He could make his comeback on the biggest of stages, the Duke-North Carolina game.

Vitale wasn't allowed to utter a word between his Dec. 18 surgery and a Jan. 13 doctor's appointment. And when he got the long-awaited go-ahead, he opened his mouth and nothing came out.

"I guess I was afraid of what I was going to sound like," he said. "I'd heard rumors that your voice may not sound similar."

Viewers might not have noticed anything the last few years, but the 68-year-old Vitale conceded he was "bluffing" his way through games.

"I'm going to tell you, every game I was a worried, nervous wreck about what was coming out of my throat," he said.

He was always hoarse; his throat was constantly sore. After many a game, he was on the phone with his boss at ESPN, Dan Steir, crying. ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

"That's how really down I was," Vitale said. "I can't go to the game and just enjoy doing the game and be excited about doing the game and not worried about my damn throat."

He went to several physicians, who said his problem was caused by acid reflux. Vitale finally got an appointment with Dr. Steven Zeitels of Massachusetts General Hospital, a specialist who has treated Julie Andrews and Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler.

Zeitels found ulcers on his left vocal cord and said there was a chance they were cancerous.

"That word scares the life out of anyone," Vitale said.

The news was good: No cancer. Not speaking wasn't so hard, Vitale insisted, which becomes more believable considering complications from the surgery resulted in bladder problems that distracted him from his original ailment.

Vitale communicated by scribbling notes to his wife, who had to try to decipher his "horrendous" handwriting.

"I went through so many pens, it was unbelievable," he said.

Doctors told him it wasn't a coincidence that somebody who puts so much strain on his vocal cords developed problems. Vitale is working with a voice coach to learn to speak more from his diaphragm. ESPN will adjust his schedule so he won't call doubleheaders or games on back-to-back days.

Vitale is conscious of avoiding traps like talking loudly to try to be heard over the din at a noisy restaurant. His doctors will attend Saturday's Georgetown-Louisville game so they can use a device that measures exactly how much of a strain Vitale is putting on his vocal cords.

But what's going to happen Wednesday if a player goes soaring in for a dunk in the final seconds to send the game to overtime?

"I'm going to be myself," Vitale said.

Himself with the volume turned down slightly.

"I think I'm going to try to let the microphone do more work," he said.

For anybody wondering how Vitale will sound Wednesday, he noted he never was as smooth as a play-by-play guy to begin with.

"I've always been raspy," he said. "Heck, Rod Stewart's raspy, and he makes millions of dollars."

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Wednesday February 6, 2008

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"Personally, I think the manner that the upfront or the schedule is presented with the bells and whistles on a big stage and a fair amount of hors d'oeuvres feels like a bit of an anachronism to me,'' he said. "But those decisions will be ultimately made by [ABC] in what they feel is right in terms of the best approach of marketing their schedule to advertisers and the press."

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"Educating homeowners about the simple steps they can take to create a safer and stronger home is what this attraction is all about," said Terry Kingsfather, president of co-sponsor Simpson Strong-Tie. "We're proud to be a part of an effort that can help reduce damage to homes all across America."

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How cool will Disney be if it can swing two hit animated features a year, the way that DreamWorks Animation (NYSE: DWA) has done from time to time? Especially knowing how lucrative a hot franchise can be in Disney's proven moneymaking hands?

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Tuesday February 5, 2008

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For the quarter ended Dec. 29, Burbank, Calif.-based Disney reported net income of $1.25 billion, or 63 cents per share, compared with $1.701 billion, or 79 cents per share, in the prior-year period.

Excluding one-time items, earnings grew 29 percent to 63 cents per share from 49 cents in the prior-year period.

Revenue grew to $10.452 billion compared to $9.581 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected earnings of 52 cents per share on revenue of $10.043 billion.

"We've started off 2008 with another outstanding quarter, marked by strong creative and operational performances," Robert Iger, Disney's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

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Disney shares traded at a ratio of 13.2 times estimated fiscal 2009 earnings, compared with 14.2 times earnings for Time Warner Inc and 13.5 for News Corp.

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Each evening, Flower Power concerts rock the park with live entertainment from top acts of the 1960s and '70s. Acts include The Guess Who, Davy Jones, Jose Feliciano, Petula Clark, Paul Revere and the Raiders and other crowd pleasers.

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``They can weather a parks downturn and skate thorough if everything goes right,'' Bazinet said. ``But all the macro indicators say things don't look all right.''

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The family pet, Perry, a platypus, also leads a double-life as a secret agent who foils the evil plots of a mad scientist.

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There is a brand new virtual kitten game, a fun learning activity, plus a nostalgic behind-the-scenes featurette that showcases the music of the immortal Sherman brothers as well as other entertaining bonus features, The Aristocats Special Edition is the purr-fect treat for the whole family! The Aristocats Special Edition is priced at $29.99 in the U.S., and $36.99 in Canada.

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An unauthorized detour onto an ice cream truck lands the five Buddies on the next plane to Alaska in this all new adventure! Stranded in the small Arctic town of Ferntiuktuk, the pups are befriended by Shasta, a husky pup, and his owner, a young boy named Adam. The boy has big dreams of becoming a sled dog racer and even his dad's fears can't stop him from entering the big race. If the Buddies can get him to the finish line they will be on their way home, so they turn to the wise old Husky hermit Talon for mentorship. Sure they can win with the former champion sled dog in their corner, the pups go into intensive training. But on the day of the race, they unexpectedly find themselves on their own. Unfamiliar terrain, harsh weather conditions and dirty tricks from a rival musher teach the Buddies some valuable lessons about heart, friendship and following your dreams. It's not the size of the individual dogs in the race but the heart of the team that counts.

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STOCK PERFORMANCE: In early October, Disney shares rose to $35.69 before falling back to $30.68 in late November. The shares rebounded somewhat to close the year above $32. The stock closed Friday at $30.66.

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To celebrate the launch of Disney Channel on its network, Melita is also providing kids with the opportunity to have their photo taken against a High School Musical backdrop throughout the Carnival festivities at our stand in Valletta. All those taking their photo will also be eligible to win the Disneyland Resort Paris grand prize. For more information please visit www.melitadigital.com.

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Visitors may also enter to win free ski passes and tickets to “High School Musical: The Ice Tour.” There will also be a fundraising raffle for more prizes to benefit the Lynn Rugrats Special Olympics basketball team. Everyone is invited.

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Disney will continue to license special-occasion sweets such as ice cream and seasonal confectionery as part of its licensed product range but will limit the number of indulgence items in its portfolio to 15% by 2010.  In addition, most special-occasion sweets will be available in single-serving packs

The new Tesco/Disney kids range includes:
Mickey Mouse and Friends fun-size bananas
Winnie the Pooh easy peeler citrus fruits
Winnie the Pooh fun-size apples
Winnie the Pooh fun-size pears
Mickey Mouse and Friends prepared meals with Mickey ears packaging, including pasta bolognese and cottage pie
Tropical juice with added calcium featuring Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Toy Story Disney Pixar Characters
Apple juice with added calcium featuring Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Toy Story Disney Pixar Characters
Winnie the Pooh and Friends wholegrain porridge
Winnie the Pooh and Friends multigrain stars cereal
Winnie the Pooh and Friends seedless raisins
Finding Nemo still mountain water multipack
Mickey Mouse and Friends organic fun size bananas
Winnie the Pooh and Friends fromage frais pots
Mickey Mouse and Friends fromage frais tubes
The Incredibles strawberry fromage frais pouches
The Incredibles strawberry probiotic yogurt drink
Mickey Mouse mini mild cheddar sticks
Winnie the Pooh and Friends cheddar cheese farm animal shapes
Mickey Mouse smiley face cheese slices
Winnie the Pooh and Friends organic yogurts
Mickey Mouse and Friends cheese & tomato pizza

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Tiscali TV costs £19.99 per month for TV, broadband, a free wireless router, set-top box and free evening and weekend phone calls.  Tiscali is currently expanding its service footprint from London to other parts of the UK.

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The Rock plays quarterback Joe Kingman, a player who likes to play hard on and off the field. A superstar who more often then not gets lost in his own ego, so as he gets ready to take a run for the big championship game, something shows up to get in his way, fatherhood. An 8 year old daughter arrives at his doorstep to ruin his bachelor world and change his life forever.

So goes the family comedy that Disney knows how to do so well. The Rock does a surprisingly good job on a familiar formula that we’ve all seen before. Hell, Tom Cruise use to play these characters movie after movie. With that said, it’s an amusing movie that is fun for the whole family. The Rock keeps the charm going that is only matched by the adorable Peyton Kelly, played by Madison Pettis. Oh and the beautiful Roselyn Sanchez is easy on the eyes as well, playing the love interest/ballet instructor.

Now available on DVD, The Game Plan is geared for the whole family. The movie comes out strategically during the end of football season, with enough bonus features to make it worth the price. It’s a move that has paid off and the DVD was the top spot for national DVD sales and crushed its closest competitor, Saw IV.

So if you want to watch a fun family film, then The Game Plan might be the right play. The Superbowl may be over for another year but The Game Plan is out complete with bloopers hosted by Marv Albert.

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Bakshi said: “We are aiming to provide Disney fun at affordable prices.”

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The application process closed Jan. 27. Applicants sent videos in response to a national search from Disney Parks and CareerBuilder.com. It is a part-time, hourly positionopenfrom May 2008 to May 2009. The position is offered concurrently with the "Year Of A Million Dreams."

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Chambers, 37, voluntarily checked himself into UCLA Medical Center "to get help with a pre-existing sleeping disorder," his publicist, Danica Smith, said.

He entered the center Monday and checked out Wednesday. Other details weren't provided.

Chambers "asks that the press respect his privacy and that of his family," according to a statement issued Friday.

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Monday February 4, 2008

The pronouncement, captured on tape at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., just moments after the Giants' dramatic 17-14 upset victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, became the latest episode of the "I'm going to Disneyland/I'm going to Disney World" commercial produced over a 22-year span.

Manning led his team on an improbable, 83-yard drive where he scrambled, broke tackles and completed clutch passes before tossing a 13-yard touchdown pass to receiver Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left in the game.

When the first of the series appeared in 1987 (featuring New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms following his team's triumph in Super Bowl XXI), the commercial was instantly regarded as a groundbreaking concept – a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks hours after the event. Since then, the commercial has created a national catchphrase, shouted by people of all ages following moments of great accomplishment.

With Manning's appearance, the commercial that started with a member of the New York Giants has come full-circle, featuring the latest New York Giants Super Bowl hero.

This latest installment – the 38th in the long-running series – continues in the tradition of airing only hours after the conclusion of Super Bowl XLII.

On Monday, Manning is scheduled to live out another dream – heading to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., for a celebratory parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park. It's all part of Disney Parks' Year of A Million Dreams celebration.

Manning's visit to Disneyland will include a dream-come-true meeting with young football players from the Tustin (Calif.) Pop Warner football team. The Tustin team also will be part of the gala parade down Main Street, U.S.A.

Manning joins a star-studded lineup of sports heroes such as Tom Brady, Emmitt Smith, Michael Jordan, Kurt Warner, Coach Jon Gruden, Joe Montana, John Elway, Jerry Rice, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Doug Williams, Magic Johnson, and Super Bowl XLI winning coach Tony Dungy, who have been featured during the two decades of "I'm going to Disneyland/I'm going to Disney World" commercials.

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"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert," the 3-D film chronicling her recent tour, was the biggest debut ever over Super Bowl weekend, pulling in $29 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Distributor Disney planned to have the movie out for only a week but now has decided to keep it in theaters until it runs its course.

The concert film - featuring 15-year-old Cyrus both as herself backstage and as her Disney Channel character, pop sensation Hannah - filled the void for fans unable to catch one of the live shows on the Hannah Montana 54-date tour.

The digital 3-D technology also gave fans the illusion of practically being at a live show, said Mark Zoradi, president of Disney's motion-picture group, who visited several packed theaters where the movie played over the weekend.

"The screaming level was unbelievable. It almost plays like a concert. At the end of a song, you have audiences clapping like you do at a concert," Zoradi said. "Parents who weren't able to get concert tickets, now they were able to take their kids and satisfy that demand, and kids were in a way able to be up close and personal, with the best seats in the house."

The film surpassed the previous Super Bowl record of $21.6 million set by "When a Stranger Calls," which opened over the same weekend two years ago.

Lionsgate's "The Eye," a remake of the Japanese horror hit, opened at No. 2 with $13 million. "The Eye" stars Jessica Alba as a blind concert violinist whose vision is restored by a corneal transplant that also results in terrifying visions.

"Desperate Housewives" co-star Eva Longoria Parker delivered a dud with her first top-billed movie, "Over Her Dead Body," which opened with a weak $4.6 million to finish at No. 11. Distributed by New Line, the movie stars Longoria Parker as a dead woman whose ghost tries to break up a romance between her fiance (Paul Rudd) and his new girlfriend.

Playing in just 683 theaters, "Hannah Montana" broke another record: never before has a movie in so few cinemas premiered at the top of the box office chart.

The movie averaged a whopping $42,460 a theater, compared to an average of $5,337 in each of 2,436 cinemas for "The Eye" and about $2,327 in each of 1,977 theaters for "Over Her Dead Body."

The grosses for "Hannah Montana" were boosted by higher admission prices many theaters charged because of the 3-D format. Tickets for "Hannah Montana" ran as high as $15, roughly 50 percent more than the top price for other movies.

The success of "Hannah Montana" showcased the commercial prospects for an upcoming wave of 3-D releases, both new movies such as this summer's adaptation of Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and rereleases such as the first two "Toy Story" films in 3-D versions.

Digital projection allows sharper and more realistic images than old-fashioned film 3-D, a 1950s fad revived only occasionally over the decades. Now, many big studio films come out in 3-D versions.

Those releases typically do three times more business than 2-D versions, said Michael Lewis, chairman and co-founder of Real D, whose digital-projection 3-D technology was used in most theaters showing "Hannah Montana" and will be used in an upcoming wide release of another concert film, "U2 3D," now playing in limited release.

The 3-D technology eventually could expand turn theaters into venues showing live concerts and sporting events, Lewis said.

"There are a lot of places, a lot of small towns where we have Real D in place where U2's not going to go, Hannah Montana's not going to play there," Lewis said. "They'll be able to see it in theaters, and in my view maybe with a better seat and better experience than if they were actually there live."

Hollywood's box-office roll continued, with the top-12 movies taking in $101.5 million, up 43 percent from Super Bowl weekend a year ago. Movie attendance so far this year is up nearly 11 percent, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert," $29 million.

2. "The Eye," $13 million.

3. "27 Dresses," $8.4 million.

4. "Juno," $7.5 million.

5. "Meet the Spartans," $7.1 million.

6. "Rambo," $7 million.

7. "The Bucket List," $6.9 million.

8. "Untraceable," $5.4 million.

9. "Cloverfield," $4.9 million.

10. "There Will Be Blood," $4.8 million.

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“I’m not necessarily the biggest tennis fan in the world, but it’s turning me into one because I’ve been able to follow all the matches.”

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During her performance, Parker roamed the stage, clapped her hands and even got the host to jump on stage with her. She went on to win second place.

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If nothing else, it could provide a starting point for a new hobby — something that will keep the kids busy should any more snow days come about.

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UMP's biggest production, Jodha Akbar, starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, two of Bollywood's biggest names, is set for release next month.

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Sunday February 3, 2008

"It's fun at the end," Allan said. "There's a lot of pressure, but there's a certain amount of excitement to get into a crowd of people, all trying to do their job, and fight your way through and get the line. There's a lot of pride involved."

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That may happen by the time the cruise line has taken delivery of the two new ships it has had on order for the past year. The vessels, both about a third larger than Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, are due to be added to the fleet in 2011 and 2012.

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