MusicMonday: Free Downloads to Kick Off 2011

Happy 2011! Here are the first free downloads of the New Year -- which are actually some leftovers from late in 2010:

• Head over to Facebook here to download "What the Hell" from Avril Lavigne.
• Click here for 10 live tracks from Trey Anastasio and the Scorchio Quartet. The set from the Phish frontman was recorded last November in Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University.
• Compliments of NPR comes The Best New Music of 2010. Download the 12 songs via iTunes here. Free offer expires February 28.
• The Winter 2011 edition of the Landmark Digital Sampler is now out. Download 11 tunes here.
• And sure, Christmas is over and you're so over the music. But if you like Country, you may want to download 8 holiday tunes from People Magazine -- and save for NEXT Christmas. Top stars Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts are included in the mix. Download here via iTunes. Offer expires this Friday.
  

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
• eMusic
• Fuse.tv
• Guvera
  
• KickKickSnare
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
• YNot Radio
  
• Walmart

Complete Rules for Farewell Contest

Here are the complete rules for EntertainmentBlogger's Farewell Contest announced on June 2, 2011:

1. No purchase necessary to enter or claim a Prize. No skill is necessary to enter or win.

2. Sponsor: The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is EntertainmentBlogger located in Philadelphia, PA (”Sponsor”).

3. Eligibility: EntertainmentBlogger's Farewell Contest (the “Sweepstakes”) is offered to any U.S. resident with a Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) account who is at least 13 years of age. Employees and agents of Sponsor and/or its affiliates, agencies and distributors (”Associated Persons”), members of such Associated Persons’ families, and individuals living in the same household with such Associated Persons are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes begins at 10:45 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on June 2, 2011 and ends at 11:59pm ET on June 29, 2011 (the "Promotion Period"). To enter, you must issue the stated status update from your Twitter account. Limit one (1) entry per person / per day. Sponsor’s decisions will be final in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes and winner eligibility. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified. The potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the account associated with the winning entry in order to be awarded a prize.

5. Prize Drawing and Entry Period: Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing after the entry period. An official entry will only be counted if the Twitter service displays the entry from their public search stream (http://search.twitter.com/). Sponsor is not responsible for entries undelivered to the public search stream. If any potential winner cannot be contacted, or if prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.

6. Odds: There will be a total of one (1) Prize winner. Odds of winning the random drawing will depend on the total number of entries received during the entry period.

7. Prizes and Approximate Retail Value: There will be two (2) Prizes with a total ARV of $164 awarded to one (1) Prize winner -- one (1) Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th generation; newest model; ARV of $149.00) and one (1) Apple iTunes gift card in the amount of $15 (ARV of $15.00).

8. Release: By receipt of any prize, winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Apple, and any promotional partners, each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliate and related companies, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively the “Released Parties”) from and against any losses, damages, rights, claim or cause of action of any kind arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or resulting directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize awarded in connection with the Sweepstakes, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage, as well as claims based on publicity rights, defamation, and/or invasion of privacy.

9. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize or while traveling to or from any prize-related activity. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, abbreviate or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof for any reason without further obligation or advance notice. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by Sponsor, notice will be posted on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. In the event that the Sweepstakes is abbreviated for any reason, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, but is under no obligation, to award prizes from among all valid and eligible entries received up to the time of termination. By entering, entrants agree to comply with these rules. Any entrant who attempts to tamper with the Sweepstakes, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, shall be disqualified. In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an entry, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” means the natural person who is in control of the email address associated with the entering Twitter account. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANTS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. If any portion of these rules is determined to be invalid or illegal, the remaining portions of these rules will remain in effect and be construed with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

10. Notification: Winners will be contacted directly via a direct message from Sponsor's Twitter account (@Entertainment2u) and posted directly on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. It is the Entrant's sole responsibility to contact Sponsor to collect Prize.

11. Prize Shipment: Prizes will be sent to winner via USPS. EntertainmentBlogger is NOT responsible for lost or damaged prizes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

Notes:

• Little Fockers grossed an estimated $26.3 million over the holiday weekend to top the box office and jump the $100 million mark. The film now has a cume of $103.2 million. However, it is pacing well behind previous sequel Meet the Fockers, which earned $162.5 million during the same frame in 2004.
• Paramount's True Grit finished at #2 -- earning another $24.5 million -- and raising its domestic cume to $86.8 million, the best ever gross for the Coen brothers.
• Except for True Grit and other top awards contenders, the Christmas season has been a disappointment for Hollywood studios. Business over New Year's weekend was down a hefty 27% from last year, when Avatar and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, both from 20th Century Fox, did big business.
• Big losers for the 2010 holidays include Fox's 3D family adventure Gulliver's Travels, which grossed an estimated $9.1 million to come in #8 for New Year's weekend and raise its cume to only $27.2 million. Sony also stumbled with Christmas romantic comedy How Do You Know, which fell out of the top 10 already and has a cume of just $25.1 million.
• While it didn't become the breakout hit that Disney had hoped for, the studio's 3D Tron: Legacy was still the biggest grosser of the two-week holiday stretch. The film finished #3 over New Year's weekend at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $18.3 million for a cume of $130.9 million.
• All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
• Reviews of True Grit, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Gulliver's Travels, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter
  

Complete Rules for 1500 Twitter Contest

Here are the complete rules for EntertainmentBlogger's "1500 Twitter Contest -- Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway" contest announced on February 12, 2011:

1. No purchase necessary to enter or claim a Prize. No skill is necessary to enter or win.

2. Sponsor: The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is EntertainmentBlogger located in Philadelphia, PA 19103 (”Sponsor”).

3. Eligibility: EntertainmentBlogger's "1500 Twitter Contest -- Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway" contest (the “Sweepstakes”) is offered to any U.S. resident with a Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) account who is at least 13 years of age. Employees and agents of Sponsor and/or its affiliates, agencies and distributors (”Associated Persons”), members of such Associated Persons’ families, and individuals living in the same household with such Associated Persons are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes begins at 10:00 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on February 12, 2011 and ends when @Entertainment2u hits 1450 followers on Twitter (the "Promotion Period"). To enter, you must issue the stated status update from your Twitter account. Limit one (1) entry per person / per day. Sponsor’s decisions will be final in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes and winner eligibility. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified. The potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the account associated with the winning entry in order to be awarded a prize.

5. Prize Drawing and Entry Periods: Prize winners will be selected in a random drawings at the specified intervals: 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400 and 1450 @Entertainment follower thresholds. An official entry will only be counted if the Twitter service displays the entry from their public search stream (http://search.twitter.com/). Sponsor is not responsible for entries undelivered to the public search stream. If any potential winner cannot be contacted, or if prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.

6. Odds: There will be a total of five (5) Prize winners. Odds of winning the random drawing will depend on the total number of entries received during the entry period.

7. Prize and Approximate Retail Value: There will be five (5) Prizes awarded with a total retail value ("ARV") of $25 USD (five $5 Amazon.com e-gift card codes equaling $25 in total).


8. Release: By receipt of any prize, winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Amazon.com, and any promotional partners, each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliate and related companies, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively the “Released Parties”) from and against any losses, damages, rights, claim or cause of action of any kind arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or resulting directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize awarded in connection with the Sweepstakes, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage, as well as claims based on publicity rights, defamation, and/or invasion of privacy.

9. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize or while traveling to or from any prize-related activity. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, abbreviate or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof for any reason without further obligation or advance notice. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by Sponsor, notice will be posted on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. In the event that the Sweepstakes is abbreviated for any reason, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, but is under no obligation, to award prizes from among all valid and eligible entries received up to the time of termination. By entering, entrants agree to comply with these rules. Any entrant who attempts to tamper with the Sweepstakes, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, shall be disqualified. In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an entry, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” means the natural person who is in control of the email address associated with the entering Twitter account. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANTS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. If any portion of these rules is determined to be invalid or illegal, the remaining portions of these rules will remain in effect and be construed with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

10. Notification: Winners will be contacted directly via a direct message from Sponsor's Twitter account (@Entertainment2u) and posted directly on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. It is the Entrant's sole responsibility to contact Sponsor to collect Prize.

11. Prize Shipment: Amazon.com e-gift card codes will be sent to winner via direct messages on Twitter or via email address if supplied by winner.

Movie Reviews: An Alphabetical Listing

Below is an alphabetical listing of movies released in 2009 and 2010 that I reviewed. The full review for each can be found by clicking on the film's title.

• 9 - already on DVD
• 17 Again - already on DVD
• 127 Hours - DVD release on March 1
  
• (500) Days of Summer - already on DVD
• 2012 - already on DVD
• Adam - already on DVD
• Adventureland - already on DVD
• Amelia - already on DVD
• Another Year - DVD release on June 7
  
• Angels & Demons - already on DVD
• Animal Kingdom - already on DVD
• Avatar - already on DVD
• Away We Go - already on DVD
• Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - already on DVD
• Biutiful - DVD release on May 31
• Black Dynamite - already on DVD
• Black Swan - DVD release on March 29
  
• The Blind Side - already on DVD
• Blue Valentine - DVD release on May 10
  
• The Boys are Back - already on DVD
• Bright Star - already on DVD
• Brooklyn's Finest - already on DVD
• Brothers - already on DVD
• The Burning Plain - already on DVD
• Catfish - DVD release on January 4
  
• Capitalism: A Love Story - already on DVD
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  - DVD release on April 8
  
• Cold Souls - already on DVD
• Conviction - DVD release on February 1
  
• Countdown to Zero - already on DVD
• Crazy Heart - already on DVD
• Cyrus - already on DVD
• Despicable Me - already on DVD
• Dinner for Schmucks - DVD release on January 4
• District 9 - already on DVD
• Eat Pray Love - already on DVD
• Edge of Darkness - already on DVD
• An Education - already on DVD
• Everybody's Fine - already on DVD
• Extract - already on DVD
• Extraordinary Measures - already on DVD
• Fantastic Mr. Fox - already on DVD
• The Fighter - DVD release on March 15
  
• Fighting - already on DVD
• Funny People - already on DVD
• The Ghost Writer - already on DVD
• Going the Distance - already on DVD
• Gommorah - already on DVD
• The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard - already on DVD
• Green Zone - already on DVD
• Grown Ups - already on DVD
• Gulliver's Travels - DVD release on April 19
  
• The Hangover - already on DVD
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - already on DVD
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
  - DVD release on April 15
  
• Hereafter - DVD release on March 15
• How to Train Your Dragon - already on DVD
• Hubble 3D - DVD release on March 29
  
• Humpday - already on DVD
• The Hurt Locker - already on DVD
• I am Love - already on DVD
• I Love You, Man - already on DVD
• The Illusionist - DVD release on May 10
  
• In the Loop - already on DVD
• Inglourious Basterds - already on DVD
• The Informant! - already on DVD
• Inception - already on DVD
  
• Invictus - already on DVD
• It's Complicated - already on DVD
• Jack Goes Boating - DVD release on January 18
  
• Julie & Julia - already on DVD
• The Kids Are Alright - already on DVD
• The King's Speech - DVD release on April 19
• Knowing - already on DVD
• The Last Station - already on DVD
• The Lovely Bones - already on DVD
• Lymelife - already on DVD
• Megamind - DVD release on February 25
  
• Monsters vs. Aliens - already on DVD
• The Messenger - already on DVD
• My Sister's Keeper - already on DVD
• Never Let Me Go - DVD release on February 1
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - already on DVD
• Nine - already on DVD
• Observe and Report - already on DVD
• Oceans - already on DVD
• The Other Guys - already on DVD
• A Perfect Getaway - already on DVD
• Ponyo - already on DVD
• Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - already on DVD
• The Proposal - already on DVD
• Rabbit Hole - DVD release on April 19
  
• RED - DVD release on January 25
  
• A Serious Man - already on DVD
• Sex and the City 2 - already on DVD
• Sherlock Holmes - already on DVD
• Sin Nombre - already on DVD
• A Single Man - already on DVD
• The Social Network - DVD release on January 11
  
• The Soloist - already on DVD
• Star Trek - already on DVD
• The Stoning of Soraya M. - already on DVD
• Sunshine Cleaning - already on DVD
• The Switch - DVD release on March 15
  
• The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 - already on DVD
• Taking Woodstock - already on DVD
• Terminator Salvation - already on DVD
• Tetro - already on DVD
• The Time Traveler's Wife - already on DVD
• The Town - already on DVD
• Toy Story 3 - already on DVD
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - already on DVD
• True Grit - DVD release on June 7
  
• The Ugly Truth - already on DVD
• Up - already on DVD
• Up in the Air - already on DVD
• Where the Wild Things Are - already on DVD
• Whip It - already on DVD
• Whiteout - already on DVD
• Winter's Bone - already on DVD
• World's Greatest Dad - already on DVD
• The Young Victoria - already on DVD
• Zombieland - already on DVD

Notes:

• Those films issued on DVD before 2011 are marked with "already on DVD."
  
• ** NOTE: 2011 release dates are in GREEN.
• Curious when the other movies will be available at your local video store or on Netflix? Check this best source for DVD release dates: http://videoeta.com/.
• And don't forget to check out this earlier post on how you can obtain free advance screening passes, too: click here.

Movie Review: Big Laughs? Or Just Big?

Gulliver's Travels

We all know the 18th-century story of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, where the main character finds himself a giant amongst the tiny people of a mysterious faraway land, Lilliput. In this modern-day retelling, Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda) plays the title role as a Manhattan mail room clerk. He's smitten by an editor at the office, but Darcy (2012's Amanda Peet) is clearly out of his league. To get her attention, Gulliver tricks her into believing that he's actually a writer -- so she sends him on assignment to the Bermuda Triangle to cover a story.

After a fierce storm, Gulliver is shipwrecked and awakens in Lilliput -- where at first he is held captive, but then rises to hero status. Along the way, he helps another unlikely duo get together -- the island's princess (The Young Victoria's Emily Blunt) and an adoring commoner (Jason Segel from Despicable Me). Helping his new friends get together gives Gulliver much insight as to how he could win over Darcy. Now if only he could find a way to be back on the same ground with her again.

The comic-adventure film relies a bit too much on crude humor and special effects (although the 3D enhancement is once again unnecessary). It may not be that funny or adventurous, but there's some mild entertainment here thanks to a talented cast that rises above a silly script. It's not the best family film out this year, but it's certainly not the worst either. Directed and co-written by Rob Letterman (Monsters vs. Aliens). [Rated PG; opens Christmas Day]


Grade: B-


Notes:

• The minor recommendation is helped along by a fun new animated short that precedes the film. Scrat’s Continental Crack-Up is a great sneak peek at what lies ahead for the Ice Age series -- as Ice Age: Continental Drift is expected to hit theaters on July 13, 2012.
• Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews -- including Rabbit Hole, which opens wider on Christmas Day.

Movie Review: The Coen Brothers Tackle a Western Remake

True Grit

Joel and Ethan Coen (A Serious Man, No Country for Old Men) have created their most mainstream film in True Grit, an adaptation of the 1968 Western novel by Charles Portis. The story, set in 1800s Arkansas, was previously adapted in a 1969 film starring John Wayne -- in his only Oscar-winning role.

Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross, a 14-year-old girl who undertakes a quest to avenge her father's death at the hands of a drifter named Tom Chaney (Milk's Josh Brolin). Ross persuades an alcoholic U.S. marshal known as Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to join her in tracking Chaney down. He wants to go solo, but feisty Ross insists she go along. They are also joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who wants to take in Chaney for other crimes. The trio face danger and surprises on the journey -- truly testing their "grit."

Bridges proves that his Oscar win last year for Crazy Heart was no fluke -- he nails the gruff, but lovable Cogburn. And Damon (Hereafter) also successfully showcases his great range -- he really can do both comedy and drama. But it's Steinfeld who steals the movie in a perfect casting coup. The Academy will surely recognize her talents when the Oscar nominations are announced next month.

Although I never read the novel -- and don't recall seeing the original film -- this newer version may be less of a straight remake than some would think. Ethan Coen has been quoted as saying the film is a more faithful adaptation of the novel than the 1969 version: "It's partly a question of point-of-view. The book is entirely in the voice of the 14-year-old girl. I think [the book is] much funnier than the movie. They lost a lot of humour in both the situations and in her voice. It also ends differently than the movie did. Another way in which it's a little bit different from the movie — and maybe this is just because of the time the movie was made — is that it's a lot tougher and more violent than the [original] movie reflects." (Source: IGN)

To sum up -- even if you're not usually a fan of Westerns, this film should not be missed. And if you've had trouble with the Coen Brothers' quirky writing and directing in past films, no worries here. There's no confusion as to what happens -- from start to finish. It's just a great American story -- dramatic, funny, touching and adventurous. And you'll witness the making of a new star in Steinfeld. [Rated PG-13; opens later today]


Grade: A-


Notes:

• Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.
• Coming soon: a review of Gulliver's Travel.