Variety pulling critical review for ad money?

What made the review something of a cause celebre is that Variety mysteriously yanked the review from its website without offering any explanation for the sudden move. This has led to a host of snarky Web speculation that the venerable trade paper spiked the review after receiving a blistering complaint from Joshua Newton, the film’s director, who was furious that he’s spent $400,000 in Variety advertising on an Oscar campaign for the film, only to see the picture dismissed as mediocre by one of Variety’s critics. As a Defamer headline put it: “Variety Will Kill a Bad Review of Your ‘Mediocre’ Movie for Just $400,000.”   LA Times

Chips are down for US casinos as revenues slide

US casinos have run into a string of bad luck as the recession and other factors cut into gambling revenues, even as more states move to get a piece of the action.  Gaming revenues in the 12 US states authorizing casinos fell 5.7 percent in 2009 to 30.7 billion dollars, according to a preliminary estimate by the American Gaming Association, a trade group.

This followed a 4.6 percent drop in 2008 gross gaming receipts, the figures showed.  Gaming industry analysts say the recession has hit gambling along with all other consumer and leisure activities.  Breitbart

Latest monetization model is based on prestige or achievement.

Prestige as it applies to social gaming is pretty simple: You play a game, advance levels in that game or accumulate goods, and then broadcast the advancement your social network (Facebook, Twitter, Hi5). Prestige turns into real money in any one of several ways. Game players are granted some amount of free virtual currency at the start of play. That currency is used to purchase virtual goods or services that allow the player to advance levels. When the user runs out of currency, he/she can replenish it by paying for more currency with a credit card or PayPal account; by taking a survey; by taking a lead-generation offer like a Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX) trial subscription; or by watching videos (gWallet offers this).

Video game awards shows are few and usually unnoticed

The billion-dollar industry has not generated honors shows like movies and TV have.

Game sales, at more than $45 billion a year globally, have far eclipsed movie box office receipts, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. But when it comes to awards, there’s just no contest. The industry counts at least four key annual award shows — two of them televised. Most people, however, have never heard of them. And though retailers make polite note of these awards, many don’t build marketing campaigns around them the way they do for the Grammys or the Oscars.

Hand-held TV not ready for prime time

Qualcomm’s Flo just doesn’t deliver on content or picture quality.  It’s a classy-looking, easy-to-use gadget with buttons worked nicely into the edges. Particularly clever is a little kick stand that folds down to hold the TV upright.  If only its function were as good as its looks.

Flo’s programming is broadcast from towers in metropolitan and other well-populated areas. In Southern California it’s available in most flatland areas, according to a coverage map on its site, while reception is spotty to nonexistent in mountainous areas.  L A Times

Do the Oscars Undermine Artistry?

The Academy Awards, to be presented on Sunday night, have always been an occasion to flaunt the glitz and pageantry of the American movie business. But do the Oscars promote artistry and experimentation in filmmaking or do they undermine innovation by rewarding tried-and-true approaches? Has the impact of the awards on the film industry changed in the last 40 years?  NY Times

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