Category: Movie & entertainment

Train Movies

One of the most magical movies featuring at train is the Polar Express. It brings back the joy we felt as children waiting for Santa Claus. This makes it a remarkable movie that appeals to people of all ages. Even though it is a Christmas time movie, many people enjoy watching it anytime they want to feel carefree and happy. The movie is computer animated which gives it a very unique design.

The film Polar Express features one of the best actors around, Tom Hanks who plays five different characters. This film tells the story of only those who truly believe in Santa Clause can help save his ability to bring presents to children all over the world. The boy is asked to go to the North Pole with Santa Claus in an effort to show him what really exists there.

A great deal of the movie takes place on the Polar Express, the name of the locomotive that magically takes Santa Claus to and from the North Pole. The steam engine featured in the movie is based on a real one that is in a train museum known as the 1225.

Tom Cruise has been well known for various movies over the years, but none of them compare with the popularity of Mission Impossible. In fact, it has two very successful sequels under its belt. There is plenty of action in all of them, but the most memorable takes place in the first Mission Impossible movie. Cruise is seen in some tough stunts that he makes look realistic on the top of a speeding train.

Many of the early westerns feature amazing scenes with various types of trains in them. It isn’t uncommon for gunfights to be taking place on top of these moving trains. In fact, it is very possible that the scenes for that popular Mission Impossible movie were developed from this core idea that had been in the movies so many years ago.

Some movies don’t feature the train in them for very long, but the train still plays an important role in the movie. The Harry Potter series is very popular and you will find the children ride the train to and from Hogwarts at the beginning and the end of every movie. In many ways this train has become a trademark of the shows. It also signifies their movement from the normal world to the world of magic.

By the title, you may think the movie Derailed featuring Jennifer Aniston is going to be about a train disaster. Yet this is a very intriguing movie that details the delicate webs of lies and deceptions that can take place for money. Her character plays a manipulative woman who pretends to fall for married men on the commuter train. When they meet at a hotel room and intruder rapes her.

Later in the movie you find out the rapist is really her husband. Everything is a set up to make the men she meets on the trains feel sorry for her. They are also willing to give her money not to tell anyone about their affair, especially their wives. You will be on the edge of your seat watching the story unfold as it has many twists and turns.

Of course we can’t talk about train movies without including Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. This is a hilarious comedy with Steve Martin and John Candy. The story is about a businessman who is desperately trying to get home to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

There are plenty of movies out there featuring trains. Some people enjoy the entire movie and others place it on their favorites list simply for the action involving the trains itself. Trains are such an important part of our society and our global economy that it is only fitting they find their way onto the big screen to offer us quality entertainment.

Counter the Effects of Media Violence on Children

Despite the fact that their own ratings systems found the material appropriate only for adults, the motion picture, music, and video game industries practice “pervasive and aggressive marketing” of violent movies, music, and electronic games to children. – Federal Trade Commission finding regarding child entertainment
The values depicted on TV and movie screens are a far cry from the values you want your children exposed to in their formative years. For example, the average American child will have watched 100,000 acts of televised violence, including 8,000 depictions of murder, by the time he or she finishes the sixth grade. In a typical American home, the TV set is on for over seven hours each day, and the average child spends more time watching that TV than they do in school, or doing any other activity besides sleeping. And, while your children are glued to the tube watching so-called child entertainment, they will see between 1,000 and 2,000 television ads promoting alcohol every year.
It’s difficult to control parental outrage in the midst of that kind of media influence. How do you teach your child the concepts and character traits that translate into better learning habits at school, better behavior at home, and better citizenship in the world? How do you define loyalty to a five-year-old? How to you teach a four-year-old about bravery and respect? And how do you explain love?
These aren’t simple words that can be taught to your child by rote. They’re complex concepts that your child needs to know, understand, and adopt at an early age if they’re to succeed in life.
The key to teaching children sophisticated character traits – such as courage, loyalty, justice, respect, hope, honesty and love – is character-based education. The heart of character-based education is guiding your children toward TV shows, kid movie, and books that reflect positive values. While you may not be able to give your child the words that explain diversity, you can exert and control parental influence by giving him or her any Winnie the Pooh book, which demonstrates that theme in ways a child can easily understand. Pooh Bear also interprets the concept of family and the value of friendship.
Thomas the Tank Engine teaches lessons about cooperation, sharing, and the value of hard work. Your child may not realize that they’re being taught a lesson while reading about or watching Thomas and his friends, but by the end of the book or TV show, they will have learned a complex concept – and been entertained in the process.
For older readers, The Wizard of Oz follows a similar theme. When the Scarecrow complains of his lack of a brain, the Cowardly Lion discusses his lack of bravery, or the Tin Man wishes he had a heart, your child learns what intelligence, bravery, and love are, and why they’re so important. Dorothy tirelessly tries to find her way home, and in doing so surrounds herself with new friends who work together to overcome their weaknesses and harness their strengths. Even though your child is engrossed in the story, the concepts of family, courage, cooperation, home, and love are made clear.
When you look at the values presented in the media, it becomes clear that positive character traits are poorly defined for children. What one child learns about bravery and loyalty from watching two bank robbers in a kid movie is much different than what another child learns about bravery and loyalty through reading about or watching Winnie the Pooh helping a friend out of a jam.
As parents, combating the negative influence of media by filtering the content to which our children are exposed – such as looking at a movie rental review – may not be enough. Even if our children are an exception to the national average – over six hours of daily exposure to the media – it’s safe to assume that their peers have internalized negative media messages and will influence our children. To counteract negative media and peer influences, we must take charge of our children’s character education. That’s not easy, given that our active lives and hectic schedules leave little time for reviewing and selecting appropriate reading and viewing material for our children.
Still, you should do what you can to guide your family toward materials that reinforce values that you hold dear. Evaluate the content of each children’s book, television show, and movie rental review for positive and negative examples of the following ten traits: self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship, work, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, and faith. Also, look for negative behavioral influences, such as violence, profanity, nudity, sexual content, scary elements, and the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Then, make your selections according to the messages that each book, television show, or movie sends your children.

Give A Piece Of The Picture

Know someone who loves the movies? Most people do. Almost everyone sees a movie or two every couple of months, but movie lovers are something else. They are the ones who go to the theater 2 hours early on opening night just to be one of the first to see a particular film. Extreme cases, like Star Wars fans, will camp in front of the theater for a few days or dress like the characters in the movie. People like that are fun to know because it’s easy to buy them gifts. Some movie mementoes can be high priced items. An 8 inch Han Solo Marquette costs $80.00. There are some inexpensive things you can buy for the movie lover in your life.

Press Kits

Press Kits are elaborate folders of information about a film created to be given to theater owners, movie reviewers, and promoters prior to a film’s release. They often contain cast lists, trivia, and stills or reproduced pictures from the film, and extra little gifts or design features. The press kit for X-Men 2 is designed to unfold like the doors in the danger room of the X-mansion. Some press kits even contain DVDs with trailers for the film and star interviews. The bigger the blockbuster, the more elaborate the press kit. Eventually people who get a plethora of information end up selling their press kits or giving them away. Ask a journalism teacher or friend in media for a press kit for a certain film or purchase it on EBay. To the person who loves that film, it will be a prize.

Stills

It’s a funny concept when you think about it, but people take pictures while actors are making pictures. Movie stills or stills of a particular star, once framed, make a great gift to any fan creating a homage in their spare bed-room. Stills can be acquired through entertainment stores like Hollywood And Vine or any number of online retailers who purchase prints from the company releasing the film. Many stars have websites or management offices where you can write or send away for an autographed still and many signed stills can be bought through charity auctions. With a scene from their favorite movie or person on their wall, your friend will never have to wait in line to see them again.

Posters

The ultimate sign of allegiance to a film is to have a 40 x 27 likeness of the poster hanging above your dresser. Some people love film so much they decorate their whole house in movie posters. Famous movies generate lots of posters for stores to sell. These posters tend to be a standard 36 x 24 size and fit easily into a poster frame. For a better gift, go to the theater or video retailer and ask for their display when they are finished with it. They tend to give those away to the first customer to ask. Theater posters are much larger, usually 40 x 27, and require a special frame which you can get at a craft store or online. They are larger than life and a true collectable masterpiece for any film enthusiast.

The whole point of any gift is to show people you love and support them. With these great memorabilia presents your friendship will stay the main attraction.

Hollywood – From Its Very Beginning To What It Is Today

History
On January 22, 1947, the first commercial TV station west of the Mississippi River, KTLA, began operating in Hollywood. In December of that year, the first Hollywood movie production was made for TV, The Public Prosecutor. In addition, in the 1950s, music recording studios and offices began moving into Hollywood. Other businesses, however, continued to migrate to different parts of Los Angeles, primarily to Burbank, California. A lot of the movie industry remained in the area, although the district’s outward appearance changed.
The famous Capitol Records building on Vine Street just north of Hollywood Boulevard was built in 1956. It is a recording studio not open to the public, but its unique circular design looks like a stack of old 45rpm vinyl records.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame was created in 1958 and the first star was placed in 1960 as a tribute to artists working in the entertainment industry. Honorees receive a star based on career and lifetime achievements in motion pictures, live theatre, radio, television, and/or music, as well as their charitable and civic contributions.
Progress
In 1985, the Hollywood Boulevard commercial and entertainment district was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places protecting important buildings and seeing to it that the significance of Hollywood’s past would always be a part of its future.
In June 1999, the long-awaited Hollywood extension of the Metro Red Line subway opened, running from Downtown Los Angeles to the Valley, with stops on Hollywood Boulevard at Western Avenue, at Vine Street and at Highland Avenue.
The Kodak Theatre, which opened in 2001 on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, where the historic Hollywood Hotel once stood, has become the new home of the Oscars.
In 2002, a number of Hollywood citizens began a campaign for the district to secede from Los Angeles and become its own incorporated city. Secession supporters argued that the leaders of Los Angeles were ignoring the needs of their community. In June, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors placed secession referendums for both Hollywood and the Valley on the ballots for a “citywide election.” To pass, they required the approval of a majority of voters from all over Los Angeles. In the November election, the referendums failed to receive the required percentage of votes by a wide margin.
Modern day Hollywood is a diverse, vital, and active community striving to preserve the elegant buildings from its past.

27. General Festivities and Entertainment at Christmas

Christmas is described as a festive season therefore we should all engage
in activities during the season that provide entertainment, merriment and which
give pleasure. Because Christmas is about celebration, many types of festivities
can be found to suit all preferences to make the season a joyful one.
A readily available option is watching Christmas movies. This can be done
from the comfort of home or by spending a few hours out at the theater. A
wonderful option now available for obtaining movies is to rent them via the
Internet. It’s an option that allows you to get any movie you want to see –
whether traditional, popular or a remake of an original title. There’s also
fairly easy access to obscure movie titles, as well as movies with holiday or
Christmas themes.
Although Christmas movies embody the spirit of the season, you can also
take time out during Christmas to enjoy new releases that may or may not have a
holiday theme. Christmas is a good time to catch notable new releases because
they are timed to be shown in theaters before the end of the year to be
considered for prestigious Oscar nominations.
Performances of Christmas plays that depict the Nativity scene are also
another popular entertainment during Christmas. Although these performances are
done year after year, they never grow old because of creative difference in
interpreting the story, and also in how each role is acted by different actors
every year.
The dramatization of the Nativity demonstrates the meaning of Christmas and can
also simplify the meaning of Christmas for children. Participation in the
Nativity is also an important activity for children in drama groups at schools
and church groups.
Along with depicting the meaning of Christmas, the Nativity play also portrays
moral lessons that can serve as an inspiration for the way to become a more
spiritual person and to live a better life. Watching or taking part in the
Nativity play at Christmas time can therefore affect your attitude and outlook
on life.
Musical entertainment at Christmas can come from pausing during shopping to
listen to a choral group at the mall or downtown. It can also be entertaining to
simply hum along to a Christmas carol or song being played on the radio. Carols
as a tradition at Christmas is said to originate in England and France in the
Middle Ages. At the time, carols were dances accompanied by singing. The
tradition that Anglo-Saxons preferred was to have small choirs gather on the
village green and sing carols and Christmas songs to passersby. Over time, the
meaning of the word changed to refer to only certain types of songs.
The tradition of carols is also believed to evolve from the angels, shepherds
and Wise Men who bowed down to sing praises and to worship Baby Jesus.
For those who are really lovers of the arts, professional groups like
Orchestras, Symphonies, Conservatories and Choirs also offer splendid concerts
during Christmas. They will also sing Christmas carols and songs. But the
harmony of their voices accompanied by a full compliment of instruments provides
a richer and more melodious rendition of the carols that is unlikely to be heard
anywhere else.
Probably the most popular festivities at Christmas are parties, which seem to
happen everywhere all the time at Christmas. There are parties at work, home,
with friends and class parties at school. Even social hubs such as bars may have
special nights with different food and lower-priced drinks during Christmas.
It seems there is no end to the festivities during Christmas. It’s always
important however to have a good time, to remember the unfortunate and to reach
out to them and to have fun but in a responsible manner.

Viva Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada really is a remarkable accomplishment if you think about it. This fabulous vacation location was literally created from nothing right out of the middle of the desert. But it has become such a notorious place whose reputation for fun and excitement is legendary.

To say it isn’t a historic site would be a mistake. Many of our great cultural icons had important times in Las Vegas. And some really great movies were filmed with Las Vegas as their backdrop. Consider the exciting song we used for the title of this article, Viva Las Vegas. Elvis Presley, one of the great figures of pop culture, loved this town and extolled the excitement that could be found there in song. Many other great movie and music stars made Las Vegas the site of some of their greatest performances. One such striking entertainment moment was when Frank Sinatra and hit “rat pack” made the wonderful movie Oceans Eleven in Last Vegas, a movie that has spawned a whole series of movies in modern times staring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and a host of other big stars.

To say that big stars are commonplace in Las Vegas would be an understatement. And if we are looking for great sites to see, the availability of shows by some of the brightest and the best of Hollywood, Rock and Roll and Broadway are all available in Las Vegas. For very reasonable prices, you can take time away from your whirlwind schedule of fun and excitement to see some of the best performances you will ever see right there in the casinos along the Las Vegas strip.

Las Vegas has also become synonymous with fast living and “adult” type entertainment. It’s an outstanding location for a honeymoon or that little get away with your spouse where you might want to enjoy some grown up entertainment without the little ones along. Don’t feel guilty as you pack the kids off to grandma’s house and you treat you and your wife to a few fun filled days of casino action, luxurious rooms, great food and a nightlife that cannot be beat. This is the kind of grown up excitement that Las Vegas is known for and you deserve the fun you will have in this town that some have called in jest, “Sin City”.

This is not to say that your stay in Las Vegas won’t be fun or that you have to leave the kids home. There is plenty to do even if it is just lounging around the pool and relaxing in the Jacuzzi. The casinos know that many of us want our families to enjoy vacation as much as we do so there is plenty for the kids to do and things you can do as a family together. Some of the shows like the amazing animal and circus acts can amaze and entertain young and old alike.

You can also take a day and get a tour of this wonderful town and some of the surrounding attractions. The desert itself can be of great interest to the kids and maybe mom and dad too if you have never visited this kind of natural setting. There are plenty of tours to surrounding sites but one of the most enjoyable is a tour of the Hoover Dam not far from town. You can see one of the wonders of modern engineering in how this dam is used to create energy and control the mighty Colorado River.

Las Vegas is just one of so many great sightseeing and vacation sites that are available in this country of such rich diversity. If the adults enjoy some gambling, the casinos offer many games and entertaining diversions to give you that fun. And it isn’t true that you will always lose or come out of there a pauper. It is entirely possible to have great fun at the tables of Las Vegas and still have your vacation travel budget in good shape. And who knows, you might win a round of Black Jack and be able to treat the family to a steak dinner from your winnings. 694

Bungy Jumping As Stunts

While we may never know for certain which is actually stronger– the media’s influence on the public, or the public’s influence on the media– but there is no way to discount the fact that the influence in both directions is very strong indeed. The general population, especially the younger people, are greatly influenced by what they see on on the movie screen, and they wish to emulate their favorite stars. The actions which the celebrities take part in, American youth wants to take part in also. And bungy jumping is no exception!

On the other hand, what is presented in the media often clearly mirrors the behaviors and the lifestyles of the American public. For better or for worse, a large part of American entertainment is based on mimicking their audiences. If it is popular amongst “regular folks,” presenting it on the movie screen tends to make it even more popular.

One of the most well-known recent movie stunts showed James Bond jumping over the edge of a dam in “GoldenEye.” Bond’s bungy jump stunt was for real, not merely a movie effect. Bungy jumping has become an interesting stunt in modern movies, as evidenced by the growing number of bungy jumping companies which offer special training to those who plan to do similar stunts in films. On the Hollywood scene there have always been actors who specialized in movie stunts in general, but seeing more doing bungy jumping stunts shows how popular this sport has become.

The James Bond character, stunt-doubled by Wayne Michaels, may have performed one of the most recently popular bungy jump stunts, but is far from being unique. Even thought it was voted as the best stunt ever filmed did not distract others from attempting the same feat; perhaps it even assisted others in wanting to meet or even outdo what Wayne Michaels did.

Bungee America, which offers great bungy jumping experiences to all who wish to try the sport, is also Hollywood’s number one bungy stunt company. Since 1996, they have assisted in the bungy jump stunts for no less than forty-five Hollywood films. The first, made in February, 1996, starred Arnold Schwarzenegger in his movie “Eraser.” In this movie, which involved falling sixty-five feet and doing a back-flip, Schwarzenegger did not use a double, but performed the stunt himself. This is quite impressive, and surely a positive influence on the fans, because most stars do use doubles in their place for such dangerous stunts. It undoubtedly has prodded his already-large number of fans to have an even deeper respect for this actor.

Bungy jumping is clearly a sport which is here to stay, and its appeal in the media proves it. The more that Hollywood presents it as stunts in their films the more the general public will want to take part; and the wider the public interest and involvement in bungy jumping, the more commonplace it will continue to be on the movie screen– for daily life mirrors the media, and the media mirrors daily life.

Home theater furniture, for a homey movie theater

Home theater system may be best for you if you want entertainment and relaxation after a long day of work. If you are one of those busy executives who want to relax after a long day of work by watching movies but hate traffic jams, setting up a home theater may be what is best for you. Home theater is a luxury for some. This is because not many people can afford it however, knowing the basic components of a home theater may help you enjoy this modern entertainment. Know the basic components you need for your home theater system including home theater furniture to acquire the theatrical experience right in your own living room.

Basic home theater furniture such as home theater chairs and television cabinet may be good for your home theater set up. Other furniture that will enhance the home theater set up may be necessary but the home theater chairs and television cabinet are two of the basic home theater furniture that you may need. Other home theater furniture may be added dependent on the size of your living room. Apart from the home theater furniture required, the most important component of the home theater system, after considering the size of the room, are the three basic gadgets.

The three basic components of the home theater system like the television set, the speakers and the DVD player. Even for a small living room, the size of the television set should not be less than 27 inches. You may not want to watch a movie in a very small screen. Twenty-seven inches and above is necessary to acquire the big screen experience for a small room. Concerning the speakers, you may need at least three speakers for a small size living room. If you have a bigger room for the home theater set up, you may add up to six speakers. For extremely big room, a subwoofer may need to compliment the six speakers to arrive at the surround sound for your home theater. The DVD player is also important aspect to consider. A DVD Player with progressive scan will prove to be beneficial because of its sharp images and flicker-free performance. You may consider adding other equipments like home theater projectors, and for bigger rooms, you may add home theater projector screen. For the home theater furniture, the seating is a major consideration. The television cabinet is a secondary consideration of a home theater furniture. Adding other home theater furniture will give more life to your home theater system. However, we leave the recommendation to home theater experts especially concerning home theater furniture.

You may consider acquiring their services if you have bigger room for your home theater system. They will be able to advice you more particularly to the power rating requirements and speaker requirements like if you need an amplifier or other home theater furniture. Hiring the services of a home theater designer will add to the possibility of acquiring the most entertaining home theater system with complete home theater furniture.

A well-designed home theater system will be beneficial for the busy executive who needs to relax after a long day of work. If the home theater is not properly set up, the home theater experience will not be relaxing and entertaining. The surround sound will help you forget you are inside your own living room and not in a movie theater, but if the speakers are not of high quality, the sound may be irritating in the ears. Avoid having to suffer this, and enhance the possibility of a real-life movie theater experience with your home theater and the inclusion of home theater furniture by ensuring that a home theater designer will design it for your enjoyment.

Movie Downloads on Your iPod

Are you one of those iPod fanatics who think the device is their best buddy? It is not surprising. The music playing gadget is revolutionary and simply phenomenal. What is more interesting is that iPods are more than just your typical music player. They could also do several other tasks like downloading and saving files like movies so you could always retrieve entertainment wherever you are, whenever. If you do not know how to put movie downloads in an iPod, here is the information you need.

Downloading any movie on your iPod could be a breeze. You have just to make sure that your device is movie compatible. Be aware that several models or versions of the iPod, particularly the older types, are not made to be compatible with movie downloads and players. Test your iPod to make sure. Plug the gadget into the USB port of your PC. Click the iPod menu bar and look for the ‘video’ tab. If it is missing, your device is not compatible and functional for downloading and playing movies. The only option you have is to buy a new one or ask the nearest iPod center.

As soon as you determine the compatibility of your iPod in downloading and playing movies, it is time you gear towards downloading movie files. You should know that iPod is particularly using MP4 format, which is an advantage because it could help make sure files are compressed and you could transfer and download numerous files.

Find a software that could facilitate downloading of movie on your iPod. There are lots of them. What’s more? Many of those programs are offering free services. You just have to install them to your computer and you are set. The most popular is Videora, which is a known iPod converter in the Internet. The software could help you convert and transfer movies, DVDs, video files, and YouTube materials into downloadable files. Particularly, such converters are able to transform DIVX, AVI, X264, Mpeg, XVID, and FLV formats into useful and accessible Mpeg-4 files, which could be instantly downloaded and played in your own iPod.

Then, follow specific iTunes instructions, which would be provided on your screen. There are variances in versions of iTunes available for specific iPods. Choose those that are specifically for movie downloading. You could also find such information through your favorite search engine. Return to the iPod checklist. Choose an iPod movie download list or library. There would be specific sites for finding and downloading available movies.

iPod has its own site, so be resourceful to find out about it. Other useful Websites you could use include iPod blender, Feed my iPod, MP3 Rocket, and iMusic. Again, the list could be unending. You just have to be patient and resourceful in finding and using them. You could download any movie you like, as long as it is available and is downloadable. The speed would depend on the source site and your device. You also have the option about how many movies you want to download.

Now you know that movie downloads is easy in iPods. If you want to make your device more useful and more entertaining, it would be advisable if you would download movies right now. iPods usually come in powerful memories and as mentioned, files are in compressed MP4 formats, so for sure, you would not have much trouble.

Movies You Can Watch On Your PC

One of my favorite things to do is watch movies either at the movie theater or on my computer. There are software programs that let you watch all kind of movies from around the world including the latest blockbuster titles on your PC all for free once you have the software.

Lots of the programs also have access to music, sports, children’s channels actually thousands of channels. The last movie I watched on my computer was Million Dollar Baby, which I really enjoyed. Watching it on my computer is so simple with the correct software. What I do is put it on full screen sit back about 3 metres away from the computer and enjoy the movie. I can watch movies on my PC with family and friends.

When choosing satellite TV programs so you can watch your favorite movies make sure you do not have to purchase anything else there is no need to buy extra hardware equipment or a PC TV card because the TV channels are streamed through your Internet connection. You just need an Internet connection (the faster your internet speed the better picture you will get). It even works with a 56k connection. (A Broadband connection will deliver superior audio and video quality).

The choices of movies you can watch should range from the very latest blockbuster titles from all around the world for free from the comfort of your own home. Plus all your old favorite movies so when deciding on a program make sure of these facts. The price ranges for satellite TV programs are normally one off lifetime fee of around $30 to $99. The price is not always the indicator so do some research. Some families pay up to $100 per month on satellite subscription packages which I believe becomes a major household expense that most of us could do without having to pay.

As well make sure you get lifetime updates at no cost and it is completely legal and that is something else you have to research if you are ever going to consider purchasing this kind of software program is it legal. There are imitations of the satellite TV programs so look up for the software feedback on the net just to make sure before committing your money.

If you are watching a movie either at the movie theater, dvd player, your computer, your television plus other ways the main thing is you enjoyed the entertainment and it touched you in some way. Watching a movie with family and friends is one of my favorite things to do.