[Phil Hinton]

AVForums Movies Podcast : 21st December 2008

In our bumper Christmas and New year edition, we look at the latest Blu-ray news, what's coming to cinemas, the best of 2008 films and discs, plus, the rise in prices for importing discs and Christmas messages from the review team.

(you may need to right-click and save).

0:01:40 Blu-ray News
0:21:00 Cinema News
0:32:00 The best of 2008 on disc and at the cinema
1:20:00 The credit crunch and buying imported Blu-ray discs
1:26:20 Reviews coming soon at AVForums.com/movies
1:29:40 Christmas messages from Chris, Simon, Cas and Stuart Wright

Time: 1:34:11 Size: 86.2MB

Please reply to this thread with your feedback.

[Basil Plumley]

I actually missed this poddy due to rechnical problems with my laptop...but I would like to wish all our readers and listeners and very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

My tip for the festive season? Not to festive I know - but I'll be taking my youngest daughter to see Twilight this afternoon and will report back on it a little later - though it's getting great press. Also I've read that you could do a lot worse than take the family to see Adam Sandlers new film, Bedtime Stories - in cinemas on Boxing Day.

My favourite disc of 2008 has to be the new Casablanca boxset from Warner - I'm in the process of reviewing it now and it should be up in time for Christmas - so look out for that one...

One disc to look forward to in 2009 from me would be Clint Eastwoods Changeling. Saw this at the cinema and it is absolutly superb - if this isn't weighed down by Oscars come March, then there's something wrong - Angelina Jolie is superb.

Have a great Crimbo and enjoy your films while you've got some downtime.

Brian

[Simon Crust]

Superb editing Phil; amazing how you've got the over three hour recording time down to a managable listen. Top Stuff

Simon

[Nelviticus]

I listened to it on the way to work this morning (and on the way home - it's very long!) and my fellow commuters must have wondered why I kept on burting out laughing. As ever it's an excellent podcast and I was especially impressed with the bathing section. I hope Kaz is now clean.

[namuk]

Very funny podcast loved it, will not be changing my HD-dvd films over the new realesed ones , the only one is that king kong extended i will be looking into that Indeed..(but here that it is just long winded 20 min added addition) look forward to reveiw i realy did like it the T-rex fight was the key not one but 3 class

And nicole kidman OH yes , Walking like John Wayne if i had my way

Anyway thanks for spending all my money People (only joking),

Also have a good Christmas and new year

We may be in the credit crunch or prices up for blu-ray/dvd, But they will never Take my Freedom. (Braveheart)

[max222]

Phil and the guys - excellent podcast as usual. Thoroughly enjoyed it and the "be safe in the bath" made me laugh out loud. May I add one comment re increasing blu ray disc prices - this may well be true for US discs but I am finding UK discs increasingly cheaper - maybe £10 to £15 for most (as long as you shop online of course - I'm sure many high street retailers have just silly prices still). Anyway just a small comment on an excellent podcast and I look forward to the next. By the way my vote for disc of the year would be Zulu - outstanding improvement over the SD DVD - best I have ever seen it look.
Enjoy Las Vegas and many thanks for all the hard work.

[metalhead72]

Phil/Guys, Again another fantastic podcast. I would like to thank you all of all of your hard work and keep up the great work.

[benmbe]

To all of the team,

Have been visiting this site to check all of the daily Video footage of the CES and am very grateful to all of the team, and their enthusiasm in bringing the members the most up to date information as it comes.

All you your hard work is much appreciated guys,

Genuine and honest regards

Mark

[PioRow]

I would like to comment on the irregularity of the podcasts from AV forums. I am a huge fan of this site so I am only moaning because I love this site!
I really think AVF are underestimating the power and popularity of podcasts. They allow people to keep in touch with their chosen topic and allows people to establish a relationship with the personalities from the podcast. I feel like I understand Phil Hintons point of view on a number of topics because he is the front man for all AVF content. But we really need more podcast content from AVF so we can get to know the people who make this site brilliant.
I listen to a lot of podcasts on a lot of topics, one of those being movies. There is more than enough content to produce a weekly movie podcast so I don't see why the AVF guys cant do a bi-monthly movies podcast. They post a lot of blu-ray reviews so there is no shortage of content to talk about.
I understand that there may not be enough AV content to do more than a monthly podcast but if it is to be monthly it needs to be a set date every month without fail. This would create a greater sense of community around the podcasts.

I understand that these podcasts take a lot of time and effort to record and in post production but there are loads of podcasts that are produced weekly with very high production standards. I think you need to stop worrying so much about the audio standard and just get some content out on a regular basis. I also understand that you guys aren't getting paid to do this but neither are the majority of podcasters who produce a weekly show. You do it for the love of what you podcasting about.

Please could you make an effort get at least 2 podcasts (1 movie, 1 AV) out every month on set dates. I miss My movie reviews team and their banter!!

Love the site, love the podcasts (when I get them!)

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by PioRow

I would like to comment on the irregularity of the podcasts from AV forums. I am a huge fan of this site so I am only moaning because I love this site!
I really think AVF are underestimating the power and popularity of podcasts. They allow people to keep in touch with their chosen topic and allows people to establish a relationship with the personalities from the podcast. I feel like I understand Phil Hintons point of view on a number of topics because he is the front man for all AVF content. But we really need more podcast content from AVF so we can get to know the people who make this site brilliant.
I listen to a lot of podcasts on a lot of topics, one of those being movies. There is more than enough content to produce a weekly movie podcast so I don't see why the AVF guys cant do a bi-monthly movies podcast. They post a lot of blu-ray reviews so there is no shortage of content to talk about.
I understand that there may not be enough AV content to do more than a monthly podcast but if it is to be monthly it needs to be a set date every month without fail. This would create a greater sense of community around the podcasts.

I understand that these podcasts take a lot of time and effort to record and in post production but there are loads of podcasts that are produced weekly with very high production standards. I think you need to stop worrying so much about the audio standard and just get some content out on a regular basis. I also understand that you guys aren't getting paid to do this but neither are the majority of podcasters who produce a weekly show. You do it for the love of what you podcasting about.

Please could you make an effort get at least 2 podcasts (1 movie, 1 AV) out every month on set dates. I miss My movie reviews team and their banter!!

Love the site, love the podcasts (when I get them!)

Thanks for your feedback and I am with you in wanting to produce more podcasts and content.
However, the problem we have at this moment in time is exactly that...time. You quite rightly state that the guys do publish a lot of BD reviews and that they are volunteers. This is something they do in their spare time as they are all family guys. It is this lack of time and getting everyone together that impacts on when we can record the podcasts. We were lined up to record on Sunday past, but alas family issues impacted on that - and that is understandable, family and normal life always take over from what we can do here.
We are trying hard to get the podcasts recorded on a regular basis and hopefully we can do that in the months ahead.

Thanks for listening and feedback is always welcomed.

[tdtm82]

Another source of alternative listening for my commute to work. I found your focus on importing blu-ray discs interesting. I myself collect Asian cinema. Some of the discs are easily £25 from Yes Asia. Wong Kar Wai for instance is a magnificent director, should be up there with the greats yet his films are available on import until they are out here on Blu-rays.

A focus on how long some films take to get over the UK is a big concern. This is a really frustrating issue as a lot of the rights are not picked up by UK companies. I am an avid cinema fan yet how can one warrant the original price when so many films are so hard to get? I think more domestic uk stores need to focus on outsourcing harder to find foreign films as there are many fantastic directors out there just waiting to be written about.

[John_Gateshead]

I've really enjoyed past Podcasts but, like Piorow, am disappointed that there's been nothing this year. I appreciate the effort that goes into them but had the impression they were meant to be at least monthly. If time is so short then a token (shorter) podcast would be better than nothing.

[PioRow]

Completely agree. Phil + 1 guest is better than no podcast at all. 30 minutes with 2 guys and then the big 1 hour + podcast when people are available is fine by me.

[Phil Hinton]

Movies podcast recorded for March. Will be edited and live soon.

[Simon Crust]

Originally Posted by Phil Hinton

Movies podcast recorded for March. Will be edited and live soon.

What he said

[max222]

Phil and the guys
Can I say I love both your audio and video podcasts. I understand your time constraints completely. And thank you all for devoting the time and giving us something wonderful for free. As I normally listen to your podcasts when walking etc for me given a choice with your limited time I would really prefer more audio ones and less video ones. Obviously for the video ones I have to be sitting down or at least otherwise inactive to take them in which is a rarer scenario for me. I would guess there must be many others - car driving commuters for example - in the same boat as me. So Phil is it possible? - can we have more audio at the expense of less video? (I know the video is probably more exciting to record though).
Once again many thanks for all the hard work. Really appreciated.

[Figment]

Originally Posted by PioRow

I would like to comment on the irregularity of the podcasts from AV forums. I am a huge fan of this site so I am only moaning because I love this site!
I really think AVF are underestimating the power and popularity of podcasts. They allow people to keep in touch with their chosen topic and allows people to establish a relationship with the personalities from the podcast. I feel like I understand Phil Hintons point of view on a number of topics because he is the front man for all AVF content. But we really need more podcast content from AVF so we can get to know the people who make this site brilliant.
I listen to a lot of podcasts on a lot of topics, one of those being movies. There is more than enough content to produce a weekly movie podcast so I don't see why the AVF guys cant do a bi-monthly movies podcast. They post a lot of blu-ray reviews so there is no shortage of content to talk about.
I understand that there may not be enough AV content to do more than a monthly podcast but if it is to be monthly it needs to be a set date every month without fail. This would create a greater sense of community around the podcasts.

I understand that these podcasts take a lot of time and effort to record and in post production but there are loads of podcasts that are produced weekly with very high production standards. I think you need to stop worrying so much about the audio standard and just get some content out on a regular basis. I also understand that you guys aren't getting paid to do this but neither are the majority of podcasters who produce a weekly show. You do it for the love of what you podcasting about.

Please could you make an effort get at least 2 podcasts (1 movie, 1 AV) out every month on set dates. I miss My movie reviews team and their banter!!

Love the site, love the podcasts (when I get them!)

I wholeheartedly agree with the above and have stated so on many occasions in the past reaching right back to a couple of years ago when the podcasts ceased to be regular. Each time I have comented the same reason was given as now and yet we now have Phil and the new guy working full time paid on the job if I understand correctly and I was one of those who suggested that should happen for the very reason of getting more podcast content available. Well it did happen but the more content did not, instead it has gone off at a tangent into video that I and I suspect many others have no time to view when at home unlike the podcast which is the perfect take-away to listen to while driving, working and any other time when an mp3 player is useable.
Yes the cinema podcast takes more guys and their freetime but the same is not true of the AV show. I find nowadays that I use the forum less and less when my interest is not being stimulated by hearing the news via podcast and on the very rare occassion we do get one the news is more like history it is that stale.
As with Pio it is only my love of the podcast and the quality we used to get that makes me complain, asking for more is the best kind of flattery surely.
For a long time now I have had to find alternative sources of AV podcasts and frankly they are not a patch on the AVforums ones but one thing they are is regular and not when we can be bothered kind of attitude.

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by Figment

I wholeheartedly agree with the above and have stated so on many occasions in the past reaching right back to a couple of years ago when the podcasts ceased to be regular. Each time I have comented the same reason was given as now and yet we now have Phil and the new guy working full time paid on the job if I understand correctly and I was one of those who suggested that should happen for the very reason of getting more podcast content available. Well it did happen but the more content did not, instead it has gone off at a tangent into video that I and I suspect many others have no time to view when at home unlike the podcast which is the perfect take-away to listen to while driving, working and any other time when an mp3 player is useable.
Yes the cinema podcast takes more guys and their freetime but the same is not true of the AV show. I find nowadays that I use the forum less and less when my interest is not being stimulated by hearing the news via podcast and on the very rare occassion we do get one the news is more like history it is that stale.
As with Pio it is only my love of the podcast and the quality we used to get that makes me complain, asking for more is the best kind of flattery surely.
For a long time now I have had to find alternative sources of AV podcasts and frankly they are not a patch on the AVforums ones but one thing they are is regular and not when we can be bothered kind of attitude.

Sorry that you feel so let down. Let me correct some things in case people get the wrong idea. I am full time, nobody else is, they are volunteers. My job does include podcast production, but it also includes, video production, reviews, attending press events and speaking with manufacturers along with lots of admin work. I am doing the work of an entire publications workforce, and yes I know its a chosen job and I get paid, but I just wanted to let you know how much time it takes to sometimes get the content together. Today was my birthday and I spent it at a press launch and then until now, writing up a piece for the front page and editing together a video to go out in a few hours from that event. We try very hard to make all these things happen quickly and on a regular basis, but it still requires others to help out and be there when needed, and that cannot always be the case, even for the AV podcast.
We are working hard to get some kind of regular podcast output together so all I can do is ask people to be patient, I'm even getting told off for not reviewing things quickly enough as well. Looks like even though its 14 hour days, I just can't keep everyone happy.

[namuk]

Happy birthday Phil


Now get your finger out and get the poscast posted Only jokeing

Any way can not see a probelm on the podcast Delay, there has been allot of coverage on the Bristol Sound and Vision show,Panasonic convention and just seen the Onkyo Product Launch .. Enough to get the wallet on Stand bye

[Figment]

Originally Posted by Phil Hinton

Sorry that you feel so let down. Let me correct some things in case people get the wrong idea. I am full time, nobody else is, they are volunteers. My job does include podcast production, but it also includes, video production, reviews, attending press events and speaking with manufacturers along with lots of admin work. I am doing the work of an entire publications workforce, and yes I know its a chosen job and I get paid, but I just wanted to let you know how much time it takes to sometimes get the content together. Today was my birthday and I spent it at a press launch and then until now, writing up a piece for the front page and editing together a video to go out in a few hours from that event. We try very hard to make all these things happen quickly and on a regular basis, but it still requires others to help out and be there when needed, and that cannot always be the case, even for the AV podcast.
We are working hard to get some kind of regular podcast output together so all I can do is ask people to be patient, I'm even getting told off for not reviewing things quickly enough as well. Looks like even though its 14 hour days, I just can't keep everyone happy.

Phil I dont think that anybody doubts that you work hard at your job just as the majority of us do and happy birthday to you, but sadly most of us have to work on our birthdays. The issue from me and I believe a lot of others is not the quantity or quality of work you and others do for us rather it is the medium you are choosing to present that work. As has been mentioned through this thread a lot of people prefer the podcast to video. Personally I have had no chance at all to view hardly any vidoe since it started replacing the podcast yet I have listened to evey single podcast since #1.
As a result we are missing all the great news and information that you are spending so much time gathering. I know that I for one was looking forward to hearing all about the bristol show like we used to and the same goes for all the other events but we just get continuous video.
As for the other contributors like the movie reviewers, it must take an age to write up the reviews, so why not let them do do some audio reviews on the movies for a change. At least a trial of things like this has to be worth a shot.
MP3 players are so poular nowadays for entertainment on the move, yet other than ones own music collection or the dross put out on radio content is sparse which is what makes the podcast such a welcome change.
I am sure that with the right choice of content and a bit of advertising our podcast would be number 1 in the uk podcast chart which would also swell forum membership. Your work blows away the likes of the frequencycast podcast and yet they are moving up in the ratings and increasing the number of podcasts they do due to high demand and Mark Kermodes film review podcast from the BBC is frankly pants yet top rated of the genre.
Anyway thats my twopenuth.

[max222]

Phil - I feel very similarly to Figment. For me I often have the opportunity to listen to an audio podcast but rarely have the chance to watch a video podcast - I work, have 2 young children, a dog that needs walking etc etc. I simply don't have the window of opportunity - and on my one chance of a weekend night I'm going to be watching a movie that hopefully I'll have heard you guys discuss on equipment I've heard you discuss. So please can we have more audio and less video - I really miss your 2 audio podcasts and have now gone over to the PC Pro (audio) podcast as an alternative - which is also excellent and funny like yours. I hope this does not sound ungrateful - I really appreaciate I pay nothing for all your hard work which again I thank you for.

[staxdoobie]

Just to add my two penn'orth to this one. Couldn't agree more with previous posters, in that audio is by far the more preferable medium for any sort of regular podcast that may be in the planning. My daily slogs in and out of Leeds become a veritable pleasure when there are new and up-to-date home cinema and movies podcasts to listen to! I'm quite happy to sit motionless on the M1 on such occasions. In the absence of any new content, I've even taken to relistening to the older ones to get my fix!

It's always a shame, therefore, when I click the 'Podcasts' tab on the site, only to be repeatedly greeted by the 21st December podcast. Like other posters, I appreciate that these things take a great deal of time and no small amount of commitment from those involved, but it must surely be possible that the free time of the contributors coincides at least once a month? Was this required level of commitment not recognised when the podcasts began on a regular basis? Maybe you all underestimated how popular they'd be!

Anyway, here's hoping for a return to regular audio podcasts in the near future.

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by staxdoobie

Just to add my two penn'orth to this one. Couldn't agree more with previous posters, in that audio is by far the more preferable medium for any sort of regular podcast that may be in the planning. My daily slogs in and out of Leeds become a veritable pleasure when there are new and up-to-date home cinema and movies podcasts to listen to! I'm quite happy to sit motionless on the M1 on such occasions. In the absence of any new content, I've even taken to relistening to the older ones to get my fix!

It's always a shame, therefore, when I click the 'Podcasts' tab on the site, only to be repeatedly greeted by the 21st December podcast. Like other posters, I appreciate that these things take a great deal of time and no small amount of commitment from those involved, but it must surely be possible that the free time of the contributors coincides at least once a month? Was this required level of commitment not recognised when the podcasts began on a regular basis? Maybe you all underestimated how popular they'd be!

Anyway, here's hoping for a return to regular audio podcasts in the near future.

New podcast due today!

[staxdoobie]

That's right, make me look an idiot why don't you!

I like to think you've thrown the whole thing together in the last hour and a half since my post.