Movies

Microsoft is readying an Xbox set-top box focused on casual gaming and streaming video, The Verge reported today.

According to the report, several sources told The Verge that Microsoft is planning on releasing the new device next year as an inexpensive alternative to its longstanding hit console, the Xbox 360. The set-top box is expected to offer the ability to play casual games and stream videos, and would be sold alongside the existing Xbox.

"The device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games typically found on a … Read more

When "Star Wars" first came out in 1977, block-long lines were common outside theaters everywhere.

People were entranced by George Lucas' space opera, his tale of the struggle between a rebel alliance and an evil empire bent on domination of the galaxy at all costs. But how much did fans of the film -- and its sequels -- know about Lucas' inspirations?

Did they know, for example, that the film was full of allusions to the Vietnam War? Or that nuclear weapons were a model for the power of the Death Star? Or that the resistance of Princess … Read more

Ever since Disney bought Lucasfilm, the rumors surrounding a new "Star Wars" film have been flying around like a whole herd of speeder bikes through the forest of Endor. One of the latest is that Disney is looking to bring Darth Vader back from the very final-looking death he had in "Return of the Jedi."

As far as rumors go, it's harder to get more unsubstantiated than this one. The source is from British tabloid site Express.co.uk. The article quotes "industry insiders" as saying Disney plans to have Darth Vader return to play a significant role in a new trilogy.… Read more

There are at least a couple of different ways to motivate people into doing what you want them to do. You can offer consequences for bad behavior or rewards for good behavior. When it comes to cell phone use during movies, Cinemark is testing out a system that offers carrots rather than sticks.

CineMode is a new component to Cinemark's smartphone app for iPhone and Android. You open the app, select CineMode, follow the reminder to silence your phone, and then activate CineMode. It automatically darkens your screen. Leave it on for the duration of the film and Cinemark will send you a coupon as a reward.… Read more

Sean Connery first rocked the iconic James Bond Aston Martin DB5 in 1964's "Goldfinger." That vehicle made a reappearance in this year's blockbuster "Skyfall" with Daniel Craig at the wheel.

Spoiler alert: Craig's DB5 meets an untimely end involving flames. You can't just take a priceless real DB5 and blow it up on film, so the filmmakers turned to a high-tech prop solution: 3D printing.… Read more

It looks like the next "Star Wars" movie might get completed faster than it took to construct the second Death Star.

Disney and Lucasfilm have chosen Michael Arndt to write the screenplay for "Star Wars: Episode VII," the long-awaited follow-up to the 1983 epic "Return of the Jedi." … Read more

Some would consider Disney's announcement of acquiring Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) for a little over $4 billion epic enough as is. Disney stunned sci-fi fans further with the additional announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII would arrive in 2015, causing many to wonder who would direct the movie, and more importantly, who would star in it.

It might take awhile to find out who the actors in "Episode VII" will be, but at least we know that the most cantankerous of the bunch, Harrison Ford, is onboard with participating in the highly anticipated follow-up to "Return of the Jedi," according to Entertainment Weekly. … Read more

If you love being on the edge of your seat in a movie, get down to the Dominican Republic.

A theater in Santo Domingo is the world's first venue with Tremor FX movie seats, which apparently supply your posterior with "a more immersive theater experience," according to makers Red Seat Entertainment and Seating Concepts.

The Tremor FX system was shown off earlier this year at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. It has three vibrating actuators -- two in the back and one in the bottom -- that shake in response to sounds from the movie. … Read more

Steve Jobs has been memorialized on film studio Pixar's campus.

The Pixar Times, a site dedicated to the film studio, reported yesterday that the Pixar main building is now known as "The Steve Jobs Building." Junn Lee, a Pixar employee, yesterday tweeted a picture of the building with its new name atop the entranceway.

Pixar likely wouldn't be the company it is today without Steve Jobs. In the mid-1980s, the company was having trouble staying afloat under the leadership of famed director George Lucas. After his ouster from Apple, Steve Jobs paid Lucas $5 million for … Read more