The Interview

[M1ke]

So, do we still really know who did this to Sony?

I've heard conflicting reports of a former employee working with current employees, as well as North Korea hiring a group of hackers.

Maybe this former employee took a contract with North Korea to pull it off together?

This whole situations still seems extremely bizarre.

[DigitalChaos]

no
"person of interest" != person who did it.

[Jinsai]

And that's only on about 300 screens (as opposed to around 3,000, which was the original plan before all the hacking stuff happened). So it basically got the indie treatment. That is a huge amount of money for so few screens.


Edit: Oh, I see, those are online rentals. Well, that's pretty decent, considering. 3 million on screens alone, which is pretty fantastic considering how few screens it was playing on.

I mean, if this movie ended up being a wide release and if this whole hacking thing had never happened, I imagine it would have done ok. I don't think it would have been huge, but it would have done decent business, opened in the top three, probably, and made its money back. We'll never know for sure, of course.

Yeah, but the thing is, the marketing campaign for this movie was HUGE. That one site estimated that the total budget (advertising included) neared 100 million. They will never get close to recouping that cost without a huge theater roll out, which is not going to happen now.

I'm still puzzled by the way that they're doing the home rental thing. They're doing it through avenues that, for the most part, nobody is already using to buy/rent movies. My local company's video on demand, amazon streaming, Redbox... not even the Playstation Network or Playstation TV. I don't understand that part. Why are they avoiding the most popular avenues for digital rental distribution? I didn't even know it was possible to pay to rent a movie on Youtube.

Finally, they've brought it out on iTunes, but I don't have an Apple TV device or a thunderbolt->HDMI cable handy, and I'd prefer to watch the movie on a screen larger than my laptop's.

[theruiner]

Yeah, but the thing is, the marketing campaign for this movie was HUGE. That one site estimated that the total budget (advertising included) neared 100 million. They will never get close to recouping that cost without a huge theater roll out, which is not going to happen now.

Oh, gotcha. Yeah, I think at this point they're just trying to cut their losses as much as possible. Whatever they make on this, they're not even going to recoup their costs. But better than nothing, I guess.

I'm still puzzled by the way that they're doing the home rental thing. They're doing it through avenues that, for the most part, nobody is already using to buy/rent movies. My local company's video on demand, amazon streaming, Redbox... not even the Playstation Network or Playstation TV. I don't understand that part. Why are they avoiding the most popular avenues for digital rental distribution? I didn't even know it was possible to pay to rent a movie on Youtube.

I have seen some movies that were only available on, like, Google Play but they were tiny little indie movies that barely anyone had heard of.

[Magtig]

So I watched the movie last night. The fact that it has created an international incident is truly hilarious. Probably more hilarious than the movie itself, and certainly more intriguing. That said, if you like Rogen and Franco's other movies you'll get some enjoyment out of it. Plus it's your patriotic blah blah blah.

[Jinsai]

So I watched the movie last night. The fact that it has created an international incident is truly hilarious. Probably more hilarious than the movie itself, and certainly more intriguing. That said, if you like Rogen and Franco's other movies you'll get some enjoyment out of it. Plus it's your patriotic blah blah blah.

Pretty much. It's dumb. The full circle irony that anyone in North Korea actually attacked it is kind of hilarious, but the movie itself? If you extract the occasional unfortunate racism, it's actually pretty fun. Maybe it's fun due in part to the sloppy racism. I can't even tell anymore. The final package is pretty sloppy, and occasionally entertaining.

There's actually some pretty brilliant moments in it. The Eminem gag was hilarious.

The biggest flaw is the idea that seeing a clothed erect dick is somehow funny. I guess I missed the punchline.

[DigitalChaos]

[Jinsai]

I have seen some movies that were only available on, like, Google Play but they were tiny little indie movies that barely anyone had heard of.

After actually watching the movie on my computer, I think I've figured out why they're releasing it this way. Google Play, Youtube, iTunes.... these are methods of releasing it which prevent 99% of people from casually viewing it on their home theater set up. They don't want you to watch it on your big screen TV.

They want to have their cake and eat it too. They want the theatrical version to still have an obvious appeal over the home rental version. The online launch of this movie was intended to gauge the effectiveness of simultaneously releasing a nerfed home-experience alongside a theatrical run. I suddenly feel like an asshole for giving them money.

[Conan The Barbarian]

After actually watching the movie on my computer, I think I've figured out why they're releasing it this way. Google Play, Youtube, iTunes.... these are methods of releasing it which prevent 99% of people from casually viewing it on their home theater set up. They don't want you to watch it on your big screen TV.

They want to have their cake and eat it too. They want the theatrical version to still have an obvious appeal over the home rental version. The online launch of this movie was intended to gauge the effectiveness of simultaneously releasing a nerfed home-experience alongside a theatrical run. I suddenly feel like an asshole for giving them money.

You could hook up your device via HDMI. If you have a home theater setup, you obviously have access to do so. Chromecast, apple TV. All support HD playback.

I dont see where you were going with that thought.

[Jinsai]

You could hook up your device via HDMI. If you have a home theater setup, you obviously have access to do so. Chromecast, apple TV. All support HD playback.

I dont see where you were going with that thought.

"methods of releasing it which prevent 99% of people from CASUALLY viewing it on their home theater set up "

I don't usually have my laptop plugged into my television. It's the obvious reason they didn't put this out on Amazon or video-on-demand services. Do you have a better explanation?

Also, Apple TV is undoubtably a large part of the reason they delayed the release onto iTunes

Also, while I do have a thunderbolt->HDMI converter for my macbook, they don't come in the box. This is a 40 dollar cable.

[Baphomette]

Also, while I do have a thunderbolt->HDMI converter for my macbook, they don't come in the box. This is a 40 dollar cable.

I'd say at least a quarter of people on this board have that cable and connect to their TV on a a regular basis. It's just as casual as turning on your PC.

[Jinsai]

I'd say at least a quarter of people on this board have that cable and connect to their TV on a a regular basis. It's just as casual as turning on your PC.

Maybe? What would be the reason they aren't putting it on services like Red Box, Video On Demand, and Amazon then?

[Baphomette]

Maybe? What would be the reason they aren't putting it on services like Red Box, Video On Demand, and Amazon then?

I thought Red Box was strictly a DVD rental service. Are they now offering streaming plans?

Most Smart TVs come with a YouTube and/or Chromecast app. And according to this, Netflix (also on Smart TVs) will be offering it soon which is probably why Amazon doesn't have it.

[Jinsai]

I thought Red Box was strictly a DVD rental service. Are they now offering streaming plans?

Yeah, there's a red box streaming service.

Most Smart TVs come with a YouTube and/or Chromecast app.

From what I was reading, they made it so you couldn't do this with the youtube app on PS4 and PS3 without a workaround of some sort... as in, you had to rent the film on your computer, then link the account with your Playstation and watch it there. It can be done, but they made it annoying.

And according to this, Netflix (also on Smart TVs) will be offering it soon which is probably why Amazon doesn't have it.

But just because something is on Netflix doesn't exclude it from the Amazon marketplace. Almost every movie on Netflix can be purchased or rented on Amazon.

It's not a huge deal, but if I'm right, the concept is obnoxious. Obviously they were trying to salvage as much as they could from this situation, and analysts were already discussing how this was the first time a major theatrical release would launch in theaters and streaming services simultaneously. They're testing the waters, and I like the idea of it becoming more commonplace to do this sort of thing. Just use common means to do it... It's not like I'm asking they go with one specific option I prefer...

Apparently the majority of the views of the film were made via Youtube, and I would bet the majority of people watched it the same way they watch most of their youtube videos. And really, Google Play? People watch movies on their phones?

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

Yeah, there's a red box streaming service.

There WAS a red box streaming service. It got shut down a while back. :\ And yeah, the youtube to TV connection was NOT easy for us, heh. My little brother had to rent it on his laptop, change the settings on that for TV input, then when that didn't work, he had to access it on his tablet and hook THAT up to the TV. It was just kind of a hassle.

[Jinsai]

There WAS a red box streaming service. It got shut down a while back. :\

Wow... that was short lived.

[Deepvoid]

Finally saw it tonight. Franco had me laughing out loud quite a lot. It's cheap and immature jokes after another. You have to be into that kind of humor, which I kinda am. I thought the movie lost steam midway through. Still a solid 7 out of 10 popcorn for me.

"The tiger has night vision goggles?!"

[GulDukat]

I enjoyed it, although it was a tad too long and I could have done without the Katy Perry shit.

[Tiz]

Shit sandwich

[binaryhermit]

I... umm... acquired it and watched it. I wasn't impressed.

[Jinsai]

I... umm... acquired it and watched it. I wasn't impressed.

Well, of course, the movie isn't that great. It's got some great moments though. The part with Eminem is hilarious.

[GulDukat]

I think that the somewhat happy, upbeat ending was weak. They should have gone the Dr. Strangelove ​route and given it a really dark, cynical finale--it would have made for a better, more powerful film.

[Fixer808]

Well, of course, the movie isn't that great. It's got some great moments though. The part with Eminem is hilarious.

This is true. And Joseph Gordon Levitt with the puppies. It has its moments, but on the whole it's forgettable.

[DigitalChaos]

North Korean soju.
The things that cross my desk....