Classic

Here are my Top 10 Movies to watch on Dish Network’s America’s Everything Package from now until Sunday night!

#1 Lady in the Water at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-12

Directed by M. Night Shayamalan and starring Paul Giamatti, this film is a sure win and it is rated PG-13. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Don’t expect horror or sci-fi as it is meant to be a drama/fantasy. Watch it with a friend or loved and look at the deeper meaning of the film because you’ll want to discuss it later.

2. Nights in Rodanthe at 9 pm on HBO Signature 11-13

If you like Richard Gere and/or Diane Lane, then you will absolutely fall in love again for the first time when you watch this dramatic hit. These two make the most believable film couple that I have probably ever seen and the acting is phenomenal. George C. Wolfe who also filmed The Devil Wears Prada directed this movie.

3. Slumdog Millionaire at 9 pm on HBO2 11-12

I know many of you have heard how great this movie is and about the awards it has received. This film received Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing- that was just at the Oscar’s. Those of you who have seen this film can watch it a second time. Those of you who haven’t seen this drama, here is your chance! See what all of the buzz is about and you will be pleasantly surprised when you find out just how unique this film really is!

4. This Boy’s Life at 8 pm on Encore Drama 11-12

Robert De Niro fans, this movie is a must to add to your collection. If you haven’t seen it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. This drama also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Barkin. De Niro is so aggravating in this film that you will want to jump at him through the TV screen! He plays an abusive stepfather to DiCaprio so if you have children be sure that they are tucked soundly to sleep before show time then enjoy the ride.

5. Cop Land at 4:20 pm on Encore Mystery 11-15

Though this film is not the most action-packed it is a great drama with an awesome cast. The actors include Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. I will say no more.

6. The Kite Runner at 7:30 pm on The Movie Channel Extra 11-13

This movie is adapted from the book of the same title written by Khaled Hosseini. It centers around a boy in Afghanistan who is living in troubled times and witnesses the rape of his friend but does nothing to stop it. He lives with the regret throughout his life. The movie depicts Afghanistan as citizens are beginning to seek refuge in Pakistan and the U.S. to avoid terror as the Taliban begins to grow.

7. The Bucket List at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-15

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman make a very entertaining pair in this Rob Reiner film. The story focuses on two friends with very different perspectives in life that are faced with their own mortality and, in their own bizarre way, help each other discover the things in life that truly matter.

8. The Way of the Gun at 5:45 pm on Showtime Extreme 11-12

This blast of a movie will have you entertained from opening to closing credits. It stars Ryan Phillipe, Benicio Del Toro, Juliette Lewis and Taye Diggs. This is a non-stop dark comedy/drama/action flick that takes place mostly in Mexico and it’s a non-stop thrill ride. If you want one-of-a-kind entertainment like no other then you will love this flick!

9. Burn After Reading at 9:30 am on Cinemax 11-15

The Coen Brothers are so reliable when it comes to making movies that are off the beaten cuff. You will crack up when you see Brad Pitt as a gum-chewing gym worker with tight pants who acts like a little boy paired up with his coworker Frances McDormand. They come across a very valuable memoir that was left behind by a gym member and they hold it for ransom. Will the writer of the memoir pay the ransom or will these two have to go through heck first? Find out Sunday!

10. The Neverending Story at 8:20 am on Starz Kids & Family 11-14

This movie is great for children and adults who are kids at heart. It’s an old time favorite of mine since it was one of the first movies I saw in the theater. This fantasy movie will make your children excited to read and embark on new adventures as it makes a story come to life! It includes a beautiful white flying dragon, a rock biter, a troll, a snail that travels as fast as lightening and more!

Who is your favorite actress? I know it is very difficult to choose who you like the best since there are so many variations of talented women to choose from. I know that I cannot decide on just one but can certainly state that Kathy Bates would be in the top five. She is probably one of the most versatile and consistent actresses around and has proven her talent with her many characters in movies of every genre.

Bates has starred in over 60 movies since she made her big-screen acting debut in the film Taking Off released in 1971. Her stage performance in the play ‘night Mother earned her a Tony award nomination in 1983 and she was just getting warmed up. She also starred in the Off-Broadway hit Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. The play lasted through 533 performances. The reason why this may sound familiar is because it was adapted into the movie Frankie & Johnny starring Michelle Pfeifer and Al Pacino. Bates was a huge hit on stage and her career in film was about to explode when she starred in the classic horror smash Misery (1990) as the psycho Annie Wilkes! This performance landed her the Academy Award for Best Actress that year.

Kathy Bates went from one hit film to the next when she took the role of Evelyn Couch, an unhappy housewife, in Fried Green Tomatoes. She was able to make audiences everywhere put aside their fear and, alongside Jessica Tandy, melted the hearts of all her fans. She went from a horror film to a drama and came back to Stephen King once again for Dolores Claiborne. This film was very slow moving and certainly did not have as many followers as Misery, but as far as character studies are concerned, they couldn’t have picked a better actress for the role because without Bates, the film would not be half as good.

Bates stole our hearts again as “Molly” Brown in Titanic (1997). I’ve talked to plenty people about this film because it was such a huge success. Everyone I’ve spoken with seems to have similar opinions of the movie in that the topic was suspenseful and breathtaking but that DiCaprio’s and Winslet’s performances were completely overacted and almost laughable at times, but we like their characters so it was enough to make it work. Bates, on the other hand, played her part to the tee. You would swear she wasn’t acting since she was so comfortable and her lines just rolled off her tongue as if she was completely improvising. She made us laugh and cheer with her astounding performance. I am shocked that Winslet was nominated and Bates was not. Winslet is now a decent actress (most notably in the film Little Children) but she was simply getting her feet wet when she made her mediocre debut in Titanic.

Kathy Bates displayed her confidence and agreed to appear naked in the film About Schmidt (2002), also starring Jack Nicholson. The scene consisted of Bates undressing and entering the bathtub. I’m not quite sure why everyone claims how disgusting this part was. Perhaps it’s because many young people may see her as a mother figure. As a grown woman all I could think was, Go, girl! Bates’ body was obviously not stick thin, but if my skin looks like that with no spider veins or cellulite when I am 55 years old, I certainly will not be wearing a moo-moo at the beach!

Kathy Bates has earned every award that has come her way and deserved so much more. She is one of the most accomplished actresses of our time. Not only has she proven her perseverance in the world of film she has also made a huge personal achievement. Bates was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2003 but has since beaten the disease. She kept her disease a secret from the press and went to chemotherapy appointments on her own. She said that she needed to deal with the disease without any distractions. Bates is grateful that she was diagnosed right at the beginning stages and wants others to know that early detection is the best step toward fighting cancer. Bates has now joined the Ovarian Cancer Foundation to speak out for early detection and cancer treatment.

Look out Directv, the good old satellite television provider known as Dish Network is thriving in today’s difficult economy. The new Dish motto “Why Pay More?” has drawn the attention of satellite TV customers across the nation. Many people ordered Directv because they were told that it offers the most high definition and delivers a better signal but the truth is both services a very much alike. Customers decide to switch their service to Dish for many reasons, the most important one being price.

It is ridiculous during a time when every dollar counts to spend more money on one provider when you can get the same thing for less through another. That’s like asking someone which Snickers bar they want to buy- the one that costs $1.00 or the one that costs $1.25. There is just no doubt that people who are educated about their television service would not switch to another service of the same quality for less money. This is a no win situation for Directv unless they cut their monthly cost, upfront deposits, receiver charges and give more advanced equipment, if not dual receivers, to first time customers.

Directv has lost the Versus channel even though they’ve spent years talking about how Dish is the provider that doesn’t want to spend extra money to carry great networks. Dish Network has Versus and it also has more premium channels for the money including Showtime Beyond (horror and sci-fi movies), 5StarMax (Cinemax channel dedicated to award winning films only), Starz Comedy, Starz Kids & Family and HBO Comedy, HBO Zone (all movies in HD). Directv requires customers to pay extra for the Encore premium channels but Dish offers them in the package below America’s Everything Package.

Dish Network does not have the NFL Sunday Ticket but football fans will still have access to Red Zone for $5.99 per month. Directv requires customers to subscribe to the Ticket before they can order Superfan on top of it, then customers are able to get Red Zone $400.00 later. Football fans that are mostly interested in game-only content available in HD will be more than satisfied with Red Zone.

Dish is being humble in their approach when they ask you why you would pay more for the same service because they have so much more to offer than Directv including International channels. As a previous Directv customer with the Premier Package, 1 HD receiver and 2 standard receivers, I can attest to the fact that Dish Network is better. I switched and was able to change my boring existing equipment to 1 HD-DVR that records and plays on 2 different TVs (1 standard-def TV and 1 HD TV) as well as 1 HD only receiver. I had no upfront cost. I have America’s Everything Package and will save a total of $1,044 in the next two years because I have finally made an educated decision.

If my testimony is not enough, let’s look at the facts. The CEO of Dish Network has just announced a dividend of $2.00 on each of the company’s shares. The 3Q09 report also reflected that Dish has exceeded expectations with its gain of 241,000 new subscribers. Dish closed the market day with 5.17% at $20.14- Not too shabby.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM), basic cable's only classic movienetwork offering movies uncut and commercial free, is packing its 2008programming slate with some of Hollywood's favorite talents. Oscar- andEmmy-winning actress Sally Field is among the many high-profile talentsjoining TCM host Robert Osborne for the monthly GUEST PROGRAMMERseries. And Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) andGolden Globe nominee Chris O'Donnell (Scent of a Woman) are teaming upto host the new movie showcase TCM ESSENTIALS JR.

Other 2008 projects for TCM include a new interview serieshosted by film critic and interviewer Elvis Mitchell, entitled TCMPRESENTS ELVIS MITCHELL: UNDER THE INFLUENCE; a tribute to FrankSinatra, presented in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of hisdeath in May; an October documentary featuring renowned animator ChuckJones discussing memories from his storied childhood; and a new editionof PRIVATE SCREENINGS, featuring a conversation between Osborne andveteran movie producer Walter Mirisch. In June, TCM devotes the monthto examining Asian images in film, the third installment in itsexploration of race in Hollywood.

"Our 2008 slate takes TCM to a whole new level, both in termsof the caliber of talent featured and the depth with which we are goingto examine the art of filmmaking and the social issues influencing andinfluenced by cinema," said Charles Tabesh, senior vice president ofprogramming for TCM. "We look forward to bringing these excitingprojects to classic movie fans of all ages."

Watch Turner Classic Movies on Satellite TV channel 256.

By the second quarter of this year, Satellite TV will have its own version of On-Demand service. This is a good thing for those who love to spontaneously choose their programming and who don’t want to be limited to what happens to be playing at a particular time. Programming for Satellite TV’s On-Demand service will initially include 3,000 titles, with the number increasing over time.

Think of the variety that Satellite TV already has, and then add more. There will be movies, tv programs, specials and more. Do you want to see a hit movie? Or a classic? All of these will be available with On-Demand’s new and promising collection. You won’t have to subscribe to Netflix or any other additional service. You can turn to Satellite TV for all of your programming needs. On-Demand will work by combining satellite technology and internet technology while making use of the Satellite TV DVR. Note that it does not work in the same way as Comcast’s On-Demand service.

Many people have already chosen Satellite TV because it offers reliable satellite signals and 100% digital quality. Now there’s yet another reason to choose Satellite TV -- On-Demand, coming soon! This new service is sure to make Satellite TV even more competitive in today’s market and fulfill customers' need for impulsive tv-watching.

There are some definite advantages to choosing a tv provider that is both a national company and very established. Satellite TV has a definite presence in the satellite tv market and is able to offer its customers more because of it. As soon as you subscribe to Satellite TV, benefits and special deals become yours. FIrst off, don’t worry about having to pay for your HD or DVR Receiver, as you’ll get an instant online rebate! You’ll see this deal up on the website. You’ll still have to pay the low monthly fee for HD, DVR or HD/DVR service, but equipment won’t cost you a thing. And you can also know that you’re getting a good quality receiver that has received favorable reviews from customers and offers the latest in advanced features. Other companies often charge for their equipment and may charge for installation. This isn’t true with Satellite TV.Right now you can lock in savings for an entire year, after a mail-in-redemption, with the offer ending February 26, 2008. You can save $10 per month on qualifying packages and receive 4 premium networks -- HBO, SHOWTIME, Starz and Cinemax -- free for a full three months! This gives you tons of entertainment and movies of every genre.Too often, smaller companies are so strapped financially that they can’t even consider offering these special deals. They simply don’t have the financial backing. With Satellite TV it seems like the only thing that doesn’t change are the special offers. The promotions, deals and instant rebates are all just par for the course.

Satellite TV Digital Video Recording (DVR) is yours for a low monthly fee of $5.99 and is included with the Plus DVR and Plus HD DVR packages! Equipment is free after an instant online rebate! Compare this to the cost of taking the family out to the movies and a light bulb might go off! This is just one of the ways Satellite TV saves you money. If you sign up with a cable company such as Time Warner, Comcast or Charter the situation is more bleak. In this case, it might indeed be cheaper to take the family out to the movies! Cable companies often offer movie options like Video on Demand, but at a higher cost. What’s more, these are usually add-on packages and not included with the basic package tiers. So although you may get premium networks with cable, it’s bound to cost you more.Satellite TV’s PREMIER package includes premium channels like HBO, Cinemax, SHOWTIME and Starz Network, a whole slew of options for movie buffs. From Hollywood classics to mysteries and comedies, Satellite TV doesn’t skimp when it comes to movies. In addition, since Satellite TV now has nearly 100 channels in High Definition (HD), you might even want to get HD Access for only $9.99/month (included with the Premier package). Note that cable doesn’t have nearly as many channels in HD.Satellite TV is riding the new wave of interactive tv. The Satellite TV DVR’s advanced features are a perfect fit for the modern, busy lifestyle. You can watch tv on your time, pause and rewind live tv, record a total of 100 hours of Satellite TV programming and even record two shows at once. So why not save money, make your own popcorn and tune in to one of the many movie channels in the comfort of your own home? The advantages are simply too good to pass up! You won’t even be limited to the handful of titles that happen to be playing at your local theater!