Another week has passed and with it comes another late issue of Reel 2 Reel. A far cry from my goal of publishing on thursday. Oh well, I hope you find it better late than never.

Howdy Adventureland Friends:

Welcome back to Reel 2 Reel. We have roughly 150 subscribers. This newsletter is available at both Topica and Zinester. Or read it on our blog.

The Celeb Spotlight this week is shining on Walt Disney. That lovable uncle that almost every child has grown up with, one way or another.

There are several chip dip recipes for your holiday parties. I also share my general tip for heating dips and keeping them warm.

With Christmas coming, our Gift Guide offers gadget ideas for moms, dads, babies, kids and teens. They come from various online retailers.
    
Blingo is another great program. The Blingo Search
is powered by Google. Users are picked at random
to win great prizes. This is a PCH web site.      

http://www.blingo.com/friends?ref=LJt9EIXsXBaBuP-fW5DaMrkkYSk
     
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Find your showtimes @ Adventureland
http://advland.bravehost.com
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'ENCHANTED' CONTINUES 2 CHARM

 
The fairy-tale romance "Enchanted" maintained its magic at the box office, pulling in $17 million to remain the top movie at theaters.

Disney's "Enchanted," starring Amy Adams as a cartoon princess banished by her fiance's wicked stepmother (Susan Sarandon) to live-action Manhattan, raised its total to $70.6 million, according to studio estimates.

After a solid Thanksgiving holiday weekend, business sank back into a box-office funk that has persisted most of the fall.

The top-12 movies took in $76.6 million, down 6% from the same weekend last year, when "Happy Feet" led the box office with $17.5 million and "Casino Royale" was No. 2 with $15.1 million.
 
Because of a record summer, box office business for the year is up, with Hollywood taking in $8.7 billion domestically so far, up 4.7% from 2006. Factoring in higher ticket prices, actual movie attendance is just a fraction ahead of last year's.

"After the strength of the summer, we expected the fall would follow suit, and it just hasn't done that," said Paul Dergarabedian of Media By Numbers.
"It's a good crop of films, but the marketplace just has not been able to rise above the levels we were hitting last year at this time."

The weekend's only new wide release, Weinstein and MGM thriller "Awake," opened in fourth-place with $6 million. "Awake" stars Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba and Terrence Howard.

In limited release, "The Savages" debuted strongly with $153,121 in 4 New York City and Los Angeles theaters, averaging $38,280 a cinema, compared to a $3,002 average in 2,002 theaters for "Awake."

Released by Fox Searchlight, "The Savages" stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney as siblings forced back together to care for their ailing father. The film expands to more cities Dec. 21.

Another solid opening was Miramax's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," taking in $75,300 in 3 theaters
for a $25,100 average. The film stars Mathieu Amalric in the real-life story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who had a stroke and wrote a memoir of his experiences by dictating the book with blinks of his eye.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday @ U.S. & Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers.

01) "Enchanted" @ $17 million.

02) "This Christmas" @ $8.4 million.

03) "Beowulf" @ $7.9 million.

04) "Awake" @ $6 million.

05) "Hitman" @ $5.8 million.

06) "Fred Claus" @ $5.6 million.

07) "August Rush" @ $5.2 million.

0 "No Country for Old Men" @ $4.5 million.

09) "Bee Movie" @ $4.47 million.

10) "American Gangster" @ $4.3 million.

 

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/
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Expected on video in October 2008.

THIS CHRISTMAS

This year, Christmas with the Whitfield's promises to be one they will never forget. All the siblings have come home and they've brought plenty of baggage with them. As the Christmas tree is trimmed and the lights are hung, secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they discover the true meaning of family.

Rated PG-13 for comic sexual content and some violence.

"...a satisfying package lovingly wrapped with warm-hearted spirit." - Chicago Tribune,
Geoff Berkshire

"It's a cut above the standard heartwarming fare that fills theaters this time of year..." - USA Today,
Claudia Puig         

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thischristmas/
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Opening December 12, 2007

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY

A young girl asks a department store Santa Claus for just one Christmas wish--the perfect new husband for her divorced mother.

Rated PG for brief language and some suggestive humor.

http://www.theperfectholidaymovie.com/

Opening December 14, 2007

THE KITE RUNNER

In Afghanistan, one boy's fearful act of betrayal changes two childhood friends' lives forever. Based on the bestselling novel.

Rated PG-13 for strong thematic material including the rape of a child, violence and brief strong language.

http://www.kiterunnermovie.com/

Opening December 21, 2007

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Johnny Depp stars as a killer barber out for grisly revenge in Tim Burton's adaptation of the dark Stephen Sondheim musical.

Rated R for graphic bloody violence.

http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com/
 
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WALTER ELIAS DISNEY

 
DOB: December 5, 1901, Chicago, IL 
DOD: December 15, 1966, Los Angeles, CA (lung cancer)
 
At age 16, during World War I, he lied about his age to join the American Red Cross. He soon returned home, where he won a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute. There, he met a fellow animator, Ub Iwerks. The two soon set up their own company. In the early 20s, they made a series of animated shorts for the Newman theater chain, entitled "Newman's Laugh-O-Grams". Their company soon went bankrupt, however. The two then went to Hollywood in 1923. They started work on a new series, about a live-action little girl who journeys to a world of animated characters. Entitled the "Alice Comedies", they were distributed by Margaret Winkler. Walt was backed up financially only by Winkler and his brother Roy, who would remain his business partner for the rest of his life. Hundreds of "Alice Comedies" were produced between 1923 and 1927, before they lost popularity. Walt then started work on a series around a new animated character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. This series was successful, but in 1928, Walt discovered that Margaret Winkler and her husband, Charles Mintz, had stolen the rights to the character away from him. They'd also stolen all his animators, except for Ub Iwerks. While taking the train home, Walt started doddling on a piece of paper. The result of these doddles was a mouse named Mickey. With only Walt and Ub to animate, and Walt's wife Lilly and Roy's wife Edna to ink in the animation cells, three Mickey Mouse cartoons were quickly produced. The first two didn't sell, so Walt added synchronized sound to the last one, Steamboat Willie (192 , and it was immediately picked up. It became the first cartoon to use synchronize sound. With Walt as the voice of Mickey, it premiered to great success. Many more cartoons followed. Walt was now in the big time, but he didn't stop creating new ideas. In 1929, he created the 'Silly Symphonies', a cartoon series that didn't have a continuous character. They were another success. One of them, Flowers and Trees (1932), was the first cartoon to be produced in color and the first cartoon to win an Oscar; another, _Three Little Pigs, The (1933)_, was so popular it was often billed above the feature films it accompanied. The Silly Symphonies stopped coming out in 1939, but Mickey and friends, (including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and plenty more), were still going strong and still very popular. In 1934, Walt started work on another new idea: a cartoon that ran the length of a feature film. Everyone in Hollywood was calling it "Disney's Folly", but Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was anything but, winning critical raves, the adoration of the public, and one big and seven little special Oscars for Walt. Now Walt listed animated features among his ever-growing list of accomplishments. While continuing to produce cartoon shorts, he also started producing more of the animated features. _Pinnochio (1940)_, Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942) were all successes; not even a flop like Fantasia (1940) and a studio animators' strike in 1941 could stop Disney now. In the mid- 40s, he began producing "packaged features", essentially a group of shorts put together to run feature length, but by 1950 he was back with animated features that stuck to one story, with Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). In 1950, he also started producing live-action films, with Treasure Island (1950). These began taking on greater importance throughout the 50s and 60s, but Walt continued to produce aniamted features, including Lady and the Tramp (1955), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). In 1955, he even opened a theme park in southern California: Disneyland. It was a place where children and their parents could take rides, just explore, and meet the familiar animated characters, all in a clean, safe environment. It was another great success.

Walt also became one of the first producers of films to venture into telvision, with his series "Disneyland" (1954) which he began in 1954 to promote his theme park. He also produced "The Mickey Mouse Club" (1955) and "Zorro" (1957). To top it all off, Walt came out with the lavish musical fantasy Mary Poppins (1964), which mixed live-action with animation. It is considered by many to be his magnum opus. Even after that, Walt continued to forge onward, with plans to build a new theme park and an experimental prototype city in Florida. He never did finish those plans, however; in 1966, he contracted lung cancer. He died in December at age 65. But not even his death, it seemed, could stop him. Roy carried on plans to build the Florida theme park, and it premiered in 1971 under the name Walt Disney World. What's more, his company continues to flourish, still producing animated and live-action films and overseeing the still- growing empire started by one man: Walt Disney, who will never be forgotten.

Biography By: Tommy Peter 
 
NOTABLES:

Spouse, Lillian, died on December 16, 1997. She reportedly chose the name "Mickey" for Walt's mouse and even helped color the animation cells.

Disney's death spawned 2 rumors. The first is that he had his body cryogenically frozen. The second held that he was buried at Disneyland.

Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA. Facing the Freedom Mausoleum, to your left are two small private gardens. His is the one farthest back.

Holds the record of winning the most Academy Awards (32).

Became interested in personalizing animals' characters after killing a small owl as a boy. He felt guilty and vowed never to kill a living creature.

Shortly after his death, Disney executives were shown a film Disney had made, where he addressed the board members by name, telling each what was expected of them. Walt closed with, "I'll be seeing you."

Mickey Mouse's birthday is November 18, 1928, the date when Steamboat Willie (192 was released.

Donald Duck's birthday is June 9, 1934, the date when The Wise Little Hen (1934) was released.

Pictured on a 6¢ US commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor, September 11, 1968. Generally, this honor requires a person to be dead 10 years.

A major contributor to 1964-65 New York World's Fair. He designed the "Carousel of Progress" for General Electric, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" for State of Illinois, and "It's a Small World" for Pepsi Cola. The latter has since become a crowd-pleaser at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

It is Hollywood legend that, lying on his deathbed at St. Jospeh's Hospital (across from Disney Studios) his
last words were about how shabby the studio's water tower looked. In adherance with what they believed were their founder's last wishes, studio executives make sure the water tower is regularly repainted.

He was a chain smoker but avoided smoking when he was in public view, especially where he might be seen by children. His smokers' cough heralded his arrival in a particular wing of the studio, allowing off-task employees time to get on task.

His father, Elias, was a professional carpenter by trade who, among other things, worked on the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the prototype for all world's fairs to follow. When Walt and his brother Roy were boys, their father would tell them of the wonders of the fair, such as the first ferris wheel, inspiring the dreams that would make them both successful.

According to former Disney animators, the whispered code that Walt Disney was in a particular wing of the studio was "Man is in the forest." A sly reference to the film Bambi (1942).

Although he has been called conservative, he actually voted mainly for Democrats throughout his life. His illness prevented him from actively supporting Ronald Reagan's run for Governor of California in 1966.

QUOTABLES:

"I don't make pictures just to make money. I make money to make more pictures.

"I'd rather entertain and hope that people learn, than teach and hope that people are entertained."

"I'm not interested in pleasing the critics. I'll take my chances pleasing the audiences."

"I hope we'll never lose sight of one thing that it was all started by a mouse."

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=284

http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/

http://www.time.com/time/time100/builder/profile/disney.html

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/D/htmlD/disneywalt/disneywalt.htm

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TACO DIP

8 Ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
8 Ounces sour cream
1 Packet taco seasoning
2-3 Tomatoes (diced)
1/2 Head lettuce (chopped)
2 Cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

Beat cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning until smooth. Pat into a 9X13 pan. Layer the lettuce, tomatoes and cheese on top of the cream cheese mixture. Serve with chips. -Cheryl

PEPPERONI PIZZA DIP

8 Ounces cream cheese (soft)
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Teaspoon oregano
1/8 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 Teaspoon red pepper (optional)
1/2 Cup pizza sauce
1/2 Cup pepperoni (chopped)
1/4 Cup green onion (chopped)
1/4 Cup green pepper
1/2 Cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, oregano, garlic powder and red pepper. Spread evenly in a pie plate. Spread pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle with pepperoni, green onion and green pepper. Bake @ 350F for 10 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through. Makes 1-1/2 cups.  -Krista

QUICK & EASY SALSA DIP

2 Packages cream cheese (softened)
1 Can Hormel chili no-bean
Shredded co-jack cheese
1 Jar salsa
More cheese

Layer in a microwave bowl in order given. Microwave for 5 minutes. Serve with chips.  -CaraLee

CHILI CHEESE DIP

1 Small box Velveeta Mexican Cheese
1 Can Hormel chili no-bean

Cube cheese and combine with chili and melt in the microwave. Stir together and serve with chips.
-Dana

recipes to inspire your own culinary brainstorming. I prefer bread sticks over chips. -Paul>
   
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MNS 2007 HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

MOMS love to show-off photos. And the traditional brag books are being replaced by digital photos.

DIGITAL PHOTO WALLET
 
Our new handsome leather wallet includes a removable digital photo viewer that stores 55 color images. USB photo transfer. 1.4" screen. Better yet, the viewer is rechargeable — no batteries to buy!  Under $50

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/

DADS love gadgets. And GUYS are known for asking others for help. This keychain could be the answer.

BODYGUARD 7-IN-1 EMERGENCY TOOL
 
BodyGard has the tools you need and attaches to your key ring. Include glass breaker, seat belt cutter, alarm, flashlight, flasher, digital tire gauge and thermometer. Battery included. Under $40.

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/

A BABY was the first gift of Christmas. Welcome them with a traditional gift pack of childhood favorites.

RADIO FLYER GIFT SET

Originally designed in 1917, Radio Flyer is an icon.
Mini version arrives with essentials in tow. Cargo includes a teddy bear, ball, rattle, baby cap and matching bodysuit. Red Envelope Exclusive. $65.

http://www.redenvelope.com

KIDS are the reason for the season. Well, one child in particular. Here are choices for BOYS and GIRLS.

PLUG 'N PLAY BASEBALL

Includes an interactive bat, high-resolution graphics and digital sound effects. Control center plugs into your TV. Batteries needed. Ages 5 and up. Under $15.

http://www.jcpenney.com/

TWISTER DANCE DVD GAME

This cool and contemporary game gives kids the ultimate Twister experience. With DVD instruction, you'll know just where to go. Twister Dance Edition teaches you the moves. Includes 4 mats. Under $30.

http://www.target.com/

ABC CHALK TALK CHALKBOARD

Talking "chalkboard" hangs on a wall and features games for learning the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes and spelling. Chalkboard slips onto front for writing. Includes hand pointer, eraser and chalk. Batteries not included. Ages 3-7. Under $40.

http://www.kbtoys.com/

TEENS usually want computers, gaming consoles and MP3 players. Here are some ideas for the GUYS and GALS.

PAC-MAN TABLETOP ARCADE GAME
 
25th Anniversary Pac-Man Arcade Game in space-saving tabletop version. Relive all the fun, even if your space is limited. Built with the same arcade-tested electronics as full-size models. Also includes Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. Under $2,000.

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/

X-ROCKER SOUND FLOOR CHAIR
 
This chair is perfect for video gaming, TV watching or music listening. Chair can blast 100 watts through its stereo speakers and subwoofer. Or plug in your headphones. Folds for easy storage. Under $140.

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/

IHOME ALARM CLOCK RADIO IPOD DOCK
 
Simply dock your iPod and wake, sleep or relax to your favorite tunes or radio station. This will also charge your iPod! Programmable sleep timer. Features Gradual Wake and Gradual Sleep. Comes with a remote. Even supports older ipods too. Under $100.
 
http://www.brookstone.com/shop/

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FREE 2008 HOME THEATER CATALOG

Hot off the printing press! Order your 4 color brand new Home Theater 2008 catalog featuring 200 of the hottest home theater products and accessories. The catalog is designed to help a home theater enthusiast add to or build a home theater in their home.

http://order.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/wg-request-catalog?htmarket
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OSBOURNE CLEANS HOUSE

 
Heavy metal fans aren't usually at high-end auctions, but they turned out in numbers to snatch up items put up for sale by Ozzy Osbourne. The auction brought in $800,000 - more than twice the amount predicted. All proceeds from the sale go to Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

http://www.juliensauctions.com

 ANNIVERSARY OF 'LOU GRANT'
 
When everyone but anchorman Ted Baxter was fired from WJM News in 1977, Mary Richards and fellow casualties were reeling. It was a classic bittersweet finale for
"Mary Tyler Moore" after 7 seasons. Then Mary's boss, news director Lou Grant, snagged a job in Los Angeles as editor of The Tribune. In 1982, CBS announced "Lou Grant" would end.

http://www.goodtv.com
http://www.lougrant.net

GROWING VIDEO GAME VIOLENCE

Scenes of gunshot victims spurting blood are included among 10 video games that should be avoided by kids and teens under 17. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, the National Institute on Media and Family presented its 12th video game report card to help parents decide what games are appropriate.

http://www.mediafamily.org

QUAID SUES DRUG COMPANY

 
Dennis Quaid and his wife sued the makers of heparin after their newborns were inadvertently given massive doses at a hospital. The product liability lawsuit claims Baxter Healthcare Corp. should have recalled the large-dosage vials last year.

SUTHERLAND STARTS HIS JAIL TERM

Kiefer Sutherland was sentenced to 48 days in jail and was ordered to complete the sentence by March 30.
He could have waited as late as Feb. 12. "Kiefer made the decision to surrender to custody immediately," his attorney, Blair Berk, told The Associated Press.

 
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Buy your favorite DVDs @ Adventureland
http://psgoods.bravehost.com 
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PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END

In the follow-up to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, we find our heroes allied with Captain Barbossa in a quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.

"A whirl of excitement, adventure and, best of all, Johnny Depp." - Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

"Tedious epic has plenty of action but the story is lost at sea." - Seattle Post-Intelligencer,
William Arnold

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/atworldsend/         
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To be released on video December 11, 2007.

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

With Harry Potter as their leader, "Dumbledore's Army" meets secretly in a hidden room at Hogwarts to hone their wizarding skills in preparation for battle with the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.

Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.

"...there is no denying that Order of the Phoenix is a well-crafted entry in the Potter series." - Chicago Sun-Times,
Roger Ebert

"Addicts of the J. K. Rowling books will eat it up and even non-fans will find it engrossing and entertaining." - Seattle Post-Intelligencer,
William Arnold

http://www.harrypotterorderofthephoenix.com/

To be released on video January 15, 2008.

MR. WOODCOCK

John Farley returns to his hometown. While there, John learns his mother is engaged to Mr. Woodcock, the gym teacher whose sadistic exploits were the bane of John's youth. Abetted by his pal, John plots to break-up them up. But their well-laid plans go awry.

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, thematic material, language, and a mild drug reference.

"The thing about Thornton is, he makes no compromises and takes no prisoners..." - Chicago Sun-Times,
Roger Ebert        

"The movie never finds much of a way to build on its male rivalry premise." - San Francisco Chronicle,
Steven Winn

http://www.woodcockmovie.com/
http://www.myspace.com/woodcock        
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'LYRICS BY STING' BOOK

First Edition. Signed twice by the artist. Not only do you get all the lyrics to all the songs he has written, but you get the back stories on how, where, when, and why he wrote them. His inspiration to write them, and his aspirations in having written them. This book was signed by Sting on October 20th, 2007 @ Herrods Department Store - his only London signing. Only 200 people were given passes to have their book signed, and that pass is included.

Item number: 140187868338

http://www.ebay.com
          
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TAKE A BITE OUT OF STEEP DVD PRICES!

Buy one DVD get one free! Save on Top A&E Titles. With television series and documentaries for history buffs and sports fans all on sale, there's something for everyone. Enter code BUYONEGETONEANE at checkout to save! Offer ends 10/16. Discount applies to the lower priced items.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/DVD---A-E-Buy-One-Get-One-Free_stcVVcatId479941VVviewcat.htm?promoCode=BUYONEGETONEANE

A UNIQUE GIFT IDEA 4 MOVIE BUFFS

MovieTexts are a totally new way to send greetings or
just keep in touch. Tap in your message and we turn
your words into their own little movie. Each has been
crafted by an experienced filmmaker. We'll deliver it
for you by e-mail or mobile phone. We can send it at
any time - up to one year in the future.

http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75497

HOME THEATER, GAME ROOM & SNACK BAR

Shop our Pre Holiday Sale and Save Big! We carry products for your bar, kitchen, rec room, patio and more. Save 5%-10% on your order by entering the corresponding code during checkout.
On orders up to $99.99; save 5% with code A5
$100-499.99; save 7.5% with code A75
$500+; save 10% with code A10.

http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75500

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BRAD PITCHES NEW ORLEANS REBUILD

 
Brad Pitt and friends raised money for 6. Now he wants
you to put up for the rest. Pitt, surrounded by hot pink tents where environmentally sound houses should be, called on politicians, foundations, companies and individuals to donate. Program calls for 150 homes in the Lower 9th Ward. Each costs $150,000 to build, Pitt
said. He pledged to match $5 million. Pink was chosen,
Pitt said, because "It says people are coming back." To be eligible, applicants must have owned property there and are expected to contribute.

http://www.makeitrightnola.org
http://www.globalgreen.org

CROWE PINCH-HITS 4 BRAD

Russell Crowe has taken over the lead role Brad Pitt backed out of, a political thriller co-starring Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman. Pitt (43) who dropped out, wanted to make the movie but wasn't pleased with the script, trade paper Variety reported. Crowe (43) will play a former political consultant turned journalist investigating a murder linked to a congressman whose campaign he once ran. Directed by Kevin Macdonald, "State of Play" begins filming this month.

GIBSON VISITS COSTA RICA

 
Mel Gibson met with several Costa Rican government ministers to discuss setting up a film production company. The actor/director met with ministers of commerce, tourism and economy in San Jose. "I'm here exploring opportunities to establish my film business in Costa Rica," Gibson told Channel 13. Gibson said of Costa Rica "it's a beautiful country, very stable."
Gibson owns a house in Guanacaste on the country's Pacific coast. In July, he met with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias to discuss a donation to the nation's Indians.

LIOTTA PLEADS 2 CRASH CHARGE

 
Ray Liotta pleads no contest to reckless driving after driving into 2 parked cars. Liotta had been charged with driving under the influence and could have faced 6 months in jail. "Ray had some unexpected drowsiness from the interaction of some medications prescribed by his doctor," said his attorney, Blair Berk. Under the plea, Liotta was placed on 3 years' probation and ordered to enter an alcohol education program. Liotta will pay $1,328 in restitution and fines and pay the owners of the damaged vehicles.

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AOL USES AMAZON UNBOX 4 VIDEO
 
AOL scrapped its pay-for-download service in favor of Amazon. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Amazon
will share revenue with AOL. Fred McIntyre, senior VP of AOL Video, owned by Time Warner, would not say whether the pay-to-download business met or missed their expectations. AOL started selling video online last October, but on Friday, promoted Amazon's Unbox. Unbox, launched in 2006, offers shows and movies from 30+ studios and networks. Google had already stopped selling and renting video to focus on YouTube.

http://video.aol.com
 
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KENNEDY CENTER HONORS
 
Brian Wilson, Martin Scorsese, Steve Martin, Diana Ross & Leon Fleisher. Their contributions to culture won them a visit to the White House and recognition by President Bush, followed by a celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The event will air Dec. 26 on CBS.

http://www.kennedycenter.org/programs/specialevents/honors/

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PS3 OUTSELLS WII IN JAPAN
 
Monthly sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 in Japan topped Nintendo Wii for the first time since the consoles debuted late last year. In the 4 weeks ending Nov. 25, Sony sold 183,217 PS3s in Japan, while Nintendo sold 159,193 Wii consoles. The improved sales follow price cuts. By October, Nintendo, shipped 13.2 million
units worldwide of the Wii. They expect to sell 17.5 million by March 31. Sony sold 5.6 million PS3s worldwide as of the end of September. Microsoft sold 13.4 million Xbox 360 consoles over the last 2 years.

 VIVENDI-ACTIVISION DEAL
 
Vivendi's acquisition of Activision blends strengths. Activision is strong in consoles with "Guitar Hero" &
"Call of Duty." Blizzard leads in subscription games with "World of Warcraft." Paris-based Vivendi & Santa Monica-based Activision said their boards approved combining Activision with Vivendi, including Blizzard and 3 other divisions. Blizzard said the deal will not
affect "Wrath of the Lich King" or "StarCraft 2." Activision plans new versions of "Guitar Hero" and
"Call of Duty." Activision Chief Bobby Kotick would be the president and CEO of the new company.

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December 2, 1997 - Anat Elimelech was killed by her boyfriend David Afuta, who then killed himself.

December 3, 1997 - Pierce Brosnan received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

December 5, 1901 - Walt Disney was born in Chicago. He created his first Mickey Mouse cartoon at age 27.
 
December 7, 1925 - Johnny Weissmuller set a world record in the 150-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 25 and 2/5 seconds. He went on to play
"Tarzan" in several movies.
      
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Sorry, I have to get around to the web sites. There just has not been enough time. With this and the lack of traffic, I am questioning their usefulness. The blog or another could replace atleast one of them.

Winter has moved in to stay. Bringing with it about 6" of the snow this week. With any luck, our rainy weekend will wash it away. One can always hope.

Thanks for reading and see you next week.
     
Rewind,
Paul @ Reel 2 Reel

mailto:advland@iwon.com?subject=Reel_2_Reel

My goal has been to help you choose a movie for the weekend. Be it at the theater or on home video. This is hardly easy with you getting it on saturdays.

With roughly 150 subscribers, I am doing something right. I really appreciate your vote of confidence. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

- Paul