Robert Capron, center left, and Zachary Gordon, center right, stand out in "Diary." (Rob Mcewan)

Although Greg (Zachary Gordon) is the story’s protagonist and the film is told from his point of view, he’s far from perfect. Greg makes lots of mistakes through the course of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” as he tries to fit in and not look wimpy, not easy to do when he’s pinned on the gym floor’s wrestling mat by his longtime nemesis, pigtailed Patty Ferrell (Laine MacNeil). Yes, a girl! Tormented by his older brother, Rodrick (Devon Bostick), Greg is concerned about what the other kids will think of him and, of course, some of their remarks can be brutal.

He has a love-hate relationship with his best friend, Rowley Jefferson (Robert Capron of Scituate), trying to make him over into the kind of kid Greg thinks his best friend should be like. Rowley might arrive in class wearing the Mexican serape that his parents brought back from a trip south of the border. He rides a pink bike with pink plastic streamers flaring from its handlebars. Rowley has no sense that some of the things he wears or does might seem very uncool to his classmates, or that despite being Greg’s age, he is not quite as socially advanced. Greg cringes when Rowley asks him in front of the other boys to come over to “play” after school, rather than “hang out.”

Both boys think they are going to become school heroes by enlisting in the Safety Patrol, only to discover that the other kids think this is the bottom of the heap on the school’s pecking order. The Safety Patrol duty will figure into the film’s life-changing moment, one in which Greg goes from being a nice kid to a jerk, when he places the blame for one of his own disastrously wrong decisions on Rowley and lets him hang.

While many of the things that happen in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” are larger and bolder than real life — a school stage set for “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” looks like it was designed in Hollywood rather than banged together in shop class — they all have a solid basis in the real world. These include the worries of not fitting in, of facing down bullies, of being jealous of your friends, of parents (Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn) who just don’t quite understand you. Kinney understood all these things in his books and, thankfully, so do Freudenthal and Jeff and Jackie Filgo who wrote the screenplay.

Michael Janusonis

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We are excited to announce the First Annual Open Air Cinema Photo Contest! We think outdoor cinema is a beautiful global tradition, and we want to see how you are using your Open Air Cinema equipment to promote your businesses and galvanize your communities.

The contest is simple.  Send in the best photographs of your outdoor cinema events to be entered for a chance to win one of three Open Air Cinema screens! The prizes are as follows:

1st place = 16′ Pro Screen
2nd Place = 16′ Home Screen
3rd place = 12′ Home Screen

Further, a special one time discount of 10% off any product will be given to every customer who enters the contest. See the contest rules at the bottom of this post for a detailed description of how to enter.

Because we know many of you have just begun screening outdoor movies this year, we are accepting submissions through June 18th, 2010.

We look forward to seeing all of your photos, and the great things you are doing with outdoor cinema, because we love outdoor movies, and we appreciate all of our wonderful customers!

CONTEST RULES

Each contestant must submit the following in order to be officially entered into the First Annual Open Air Photo Contest:

1. At least one digital photograph of one of your outdoor cinema events using Open Air Cinema equipment. Photographs must be in jpg, tiff, png, or gif format.

2. A description of the event, including how long you have been holding the event, a little about your city, and who the key players are that make stuff happen! (don’t be modest – brag about yourself!)

3. Send the above to contest@openaircinema.us.  We’ll send a confirmation email back to you, along with the full contest rules and instructions on how to redeem your 10% promotional discount!

*There is no limit to the amount of photos you may submit, although we discourage too many photos that are similar.

As the drive-in movie theater soared in popularity in the middle of the last century it did not just offer a fresh way of watching movies, it also spawned entirely new types of movie to watch. The rise of the drive-in theater signalled the arrival of creature features and teen pictures specifically targeted at the younger audience who were the most frequent attendees of those emporiums. And film-watching was not the sole attraction of the drive-in. By the 1950s the sexual revolution was already in its nascent stages and a pair of back-row seats in a cramped, darkened theater could no longer offer adequate staging space for all that adolescent fumbling. The Atomic Age teenage couple now required an entire automobile in order to have sufficient room in which to conduct all their amatory explorations. The 50s of course was the decade in which the drive-in phenomenon reached its zenith, with thousands of screens dotted all across North America, and other countries following suit as they attempted to attract the business of the youthful movie-goer. Alas, times change and trends turn and the latter part of the 20th century saw the numbers of drive-in theaters dwindling dramatically. Yet many survive and thrive to this day, continuing to offer al fresco cinema to those movie-lovers desiring of a slightly different viewing experience. So here are five of the best such venues…

Shankweiler’s Drive-In, Orefield, Pennsylvania, USA

Remember that bit in Twister when one of those naughty tornados pulverises a drive-in movie theater, just as the assembled punters are enjoying a bit of Jack Nicholson freak-out in Kubrick’s The Shining? Well that scene had a true-to-life precursor from forty years previous, when Shankweiler’s Drive-In felt the full force of Hurricane Diane back in August 1955. However a meteorological pummelling is nowhere near enough to keep a good Pennsylvania outdoor picture palace down, and Shankweiler’s not only subsequently reopened, but remains open to this day (technically it’s closed at the moment for the winter break, but you know what I mean). Founded by Wilson Shankweiler in 1934 as only the second drive-in in the United States, the first screen at the theater was simply a white sheet hung between two telephone poles, while past features also included a landing strip for small aircraft. Shankweiler’s is the oldest drive-in still to be doing business, and film fans regularly make the pilgrimage out there during the April-thru-September season for some double-feature action.

Sunset Drive-In Cinema, Ahmedabad, India

Considering that Asia constitutes almost a third of the total land surface of the entire world, any drive-in cinema which can boast the largest outdoor screen on that entire mammoth continent must surely find itself as the biggest game in a decidedly massive town. That is precisely the status enjoyed by the Sunset Drive-In in Ahmedabad in northwest India, which has the space to play to 6000 audience members at a single time. Primarily screening home grown fare from the febrile Bollywood industry, the Sunset is also one of the more democratic drive-ins around, seeing as you do not actually need a car to check out the films. Pedestrians can stand under a special covered area, but with temperatures climbing as high as 30 degrees Celsius even in the depths of winter, an automobile with a fully-functioning air-con probably offers the most comfortable spot to watch the movie from.

DRV-IN, New York, USA

Manhattan’s only drive-in movie theater, and the smallest the world has ever known. Six people can enjoy a classic film from a 1965 Ford Falcon convertible accompanied by an artificial starry sky and a “live” oak tree.

Menlyn Park, Pretoria, South Africa

The perfect booking for the drive-in theater at Menlyn Park would surely have to be Dawn of the Dead. For not only is George A. Romero’s second ‘Living Dead’ flick a splendid example of the kind of low-budget horror that is such a classic staple of the drive-in movie, but the shopping mall setting provides a particularly apt fit for the outdoor picture facility at Menlyn Park – their drive-in theater being the first in the world to be constructed on the roof of a retail complex. Located in the city of Pretoria in north-eastern South Africa, Menlyn Park offers screenings seven days a week and also gives its customers the opportunity to book one of six restored ‘veteran’ automobiles from which to enjoy their drive-in experience. And if that isn’t novel enough then Tuesdays are pay-once cram-in night, where one entry fee will gain admittance for you and however many you can squeeze into your vehicle.

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, UK

Famed around the world as a film production site – in particular for its historical links to the James Bond series – this autumn also sees Britain’s Pinewood Studios offering a drive-in programme of screenings, with the movies on show all having shot at either Pinewood itself or sister facility Shepperton. More normally used for outdoor water filming, Pinewood’s Paddock Lot is set to play host to the world’s largest cinema screen, on which Richard Donner’s The Omen will be the first feature available for view. Amongst the movies due to be screened between now and early December are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Batman Begins, and Dr. Strangelove, but most unusual of all has to be a promised double-bill of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Full Metal Jacket. And what the latter’s Gunner Sergeant Hartman would make of the former’s Augustus Gloop is probably a damn sight scarier than anything The Omen can deliver.

Paul Martin

source-http://www.movie-moron.com/?p=9874

(NAPSI)-There’s good news for those in the market for a digital projector. There are more choices and higher-quality technology than ever before, whether you are installing the projector in your family room, living room or home theater.

The latest high-definition (HD) 1080p digital projectors are designed for homeowners who want to re-create an authentic and professional digital movie theater experience.

Fans of the technology say that with projectors, you’re not just watching the big game, playing video games or watching movies-you’re part of the action. Call plays like you’re in the game, race through the streets as if you’re on a course in Daytona, and enjoy movies like you’re at the cinema on a Saturday night.

Fortunately, no matter what your needs are when it comes to setting up a home entertainment system, it’s likely that you can find a projector that fits the bill.

That’s because while there are basically two popular types of projectors available-LCD and DLP-they both have qualities and features that make each one a good choice. The question then is, which projector offers the best fit for your needs?

LCD projectors

In general, LCD projectors are said to provide richer colors for true-to-life images in movies. Fans say they also have excellent contrast, making dark scenes show better details and making outdoor scenes brighter. LCD projectors tend to operate cooler and have quieter fans, so you can enjoy the movie with less hum from the projector.

DLP projectors

Fans of DLP projectors describe incomparably rich and deep contrast levels that create striking images, even in a well-lit room. Plus, fast-action scenes tend to transition more smoothly. DLP projectors are often smaller, making them easier to set up and appear less conspicuous in a room. These projectors are also built without an air filter so their optic engines are less susceptible to dust problems, and maintenance can be simpler.

Selecting a manufacturer

When it comes to selecting a projector, one often finds that one company makes only DLP and another company makes only LCD, leaving your brand choice somewhat limited. But that’s no longer the case because you can buy a projector from a familiar, trustworthy manufacturer, since Mitsubishi Electric makes both types.

The company is considered by many to be an industry leader in home theater and big-screen-projection technology, recognized worldwide for innovation, high quality, impeccable performance and durability.

source-http://www.napsnet.com/articles/62811.html