Filmmakers announce the official online debut of Blues by the Beach, a film documenting the Mikes Place bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel in April of 2003. Set to coincide with the fifth memorial of the tragic event, and the 60^th Anniversary of Israel, the film is available via a new video streaming pay per view technology.

Fate brought filmmakers together in Israel in April of 2003. Setting out to make a documentary film about a popular international blues bar by the beach in Tel Aviv called Mikes Place, the filmmakers peaceful good time was abruptly interrupted when harsh reality struck Mikes Place. On April 30, 2003, two British Nationals executed a suicide bombing right next door to the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv at Mikes Place, while an American producer and his crew were filming what was intended as a lighthearted documentary about the bar staff and their multi-ethnic patrons. The film crew was on the scene and captured the before, during and the aftermath of the incident; this gripping footage has since aired around the world. In remembrance of the victims, survivors and heroes of Mike’s Place, on the five-year memorial of the bombing, Blues by the Beach, has its official online premiere.The award-winning documentary is not distributed on DVD or broadcast on television. It is available online exclusively through new streaming video technology from VIVIDAS in a pay-per-view format that entitles viewers to three screenings for a one month period.  Once purchased, any of the screenings may then be emailed to friends and family as gifts. Screenings can be viewed on computer in vibrant full-screen mode, and can also connect to television by using a cable.

Why distribute in this manner? American Jack Baxter, the film’s producer, who was seriously injured in the attack, has this to say: Everybody should see this film. With this new video streaming technology, anyone online anywhere, with any connection speed, can see a film that is truly unique in the history of documentary filmmaking. There are no downloads, no installation of programs and no waiting. Within seconds Blues is ready to play. And you don’t have to be a computer whiz. Listen,” says Baxter, nobody expects that swords will turn into plowshares overnight in the Middle East, but maybe, just maybe Blues by the Beach can help jump-start the process a bit. That’s why we made the film in the first place, and that’s why this is the way to get it seen around the world everywhere online.

The online premiere of the award-winning documentary film coincides with both the fifth memorial of the tragic bombing depicted in the film and the60th Anniversary Celebration of Israel Film festivals in the U.S., Canada and Europe have lauded Blues by the Beach.” Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and movie director David Mametcallsi a very, very important film. It ranks along with One Day In September as an actual, undeniable presentation of the unmitigated horror of terrorism.

For more information about the film and how to purchase viewings at the film’s website and online cinema, visit “Blues by the Beach.”

About Blues by the Beach:

Blues by the Beach, directed by Joshua Faudem and produced by Jack Baxter and Fran Strauss-Baxter, is a documentary film offering unprecedented and up-close views of the effects of a terrorist attack. The film crew captured the moments before, during, and immediately after the Mikes Place bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel on April 30, 2003. The resulting film has won awards at numerous film festivals.

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Check out Brendan James debut album by going to the widget below.  Take the music wherever you go!  With this Brendan James widget from Nabbr, you can watch videos of Brendan performing live as well as view pictures.  Even get the embed code and add it to your personal site! You can get the widget here:  Brendan James

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Do you ever find yourself wishing you can turn on the TV and find shows like Miami Vice and A-Team staring back at you?  Now it’s as easy as walking to your computer and logging onto NBC.com every Wednesday for Way Back Wednesdays, and stream shows such as Battlestar Galactica, Night Gallery, Kojack, Miami Vice and A-Team!

Guess what?! Today is Wednesday. Check it out at Way Back Wednesdays!

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After reading the news, I might have to renew my cable subscription! The Independent Film Channel announced that they will be launching a video on demand channel, Festival Direct, beginning February 29.  This will be great news for those who want see the kind of films that aren’t always guaranteed theatrical runs, even in major cities.  The talent involved with the initial films includes two very respected names in film, Cannes Festival winner Ken Loach with his film, “It’s a Free World . . .”, and Nicolas Roeg with the horror film “Puffball”, with Kelly Reilly seen in the above still.  Roeg is reunited with his “Don’t Look Now” star, Donald Sutherland.   The film “Beautiful Ohio” stars William Hurt, and was written by novelist Ethan Canin, with Chad Lowe in the director’s chair.  Another actor turned director is James Franco.  The Spiderman nemesis also stars in the film “Good Time Max”.  And for those who are intrigued by the films considered for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, especially those that never make the final five, there is “Jar City”, this year’s official entry from Iceland. The films will be shown one to two months prior to availability on DVD for $5.99.  Festival Direct is to be carried by Time Warner, Comcast and other major carriers to 30 million homes.

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Long running soap opera “Days of Our Lives” is heading to iTunes starting Tuesday. Episodes cost (gulp) $1.99 but most people will probably opt to pay $9.99 for a pass that will get you 20 episodes of the popular show. Sony hopes that this will help ramp up viewers to the show that has been losing viewers the past few years.

Being an owner of Apple TV, on demand shows are great. Will a soap work on iTunes? Not having commercials is worth a premium price but I see people will shy away from something that they can record on their own. Just a guess, but I think “Days of Our Lives” is going to be a bust on iTunes.

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This week, Turner Classic Movies announced the June 1st launch of “Media Room”, TCM’s new online outlet for classic movie viewing. Media Room will feature more than 3,000 short form videos, including classic trailers, short films, classic movie clips and interstitials, as well as the occassional feature film. Media Room’s first featured full-length movie will be “Living on Love”, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Media Room represents the online world’s first major destination devoted exclusively to classic film and widescreen cinema. All Media Room content is free of charge, and can be watched online from the comfort of your own home, office, or cubicle. The new portal expands on TCM’s already large online collection of information and pictures from over 130,000 moviles.

Other movies slated to be uploaded in their entirety include 1938’s Double Harness and 1933’s Rafter Romance. Visitors to the site can search for movies and clips by movie title, directory, or actor. You can also create your own play list of favorite videos, as well as recreate your own movie theater experience with short preview animals. Another great feature is the ability to link to the videos, as well as embed them in websites, blogs, and social networks to share with friends. To check it out, visit TCM.com.

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“The Sopranos” is finally coming to an end, after a long and drawn out death that will finally culminate on June 10th. But before you give up on HBO, tune in again on Monday night for the bizarrely interesting “Big Love” which comes back for its second season.

I admit that I got into Big Love long after the first season aired. In fact, I thought it was kind of a weird concept.. you know, the whole Mormon polygamy thing.. but when the DVDs came out I picked them up. Much to my surprise, the show was great! If you thought having one spouse was hard enough, try having three plus a few kids to boot.

Season one was aired on Sunday nights, after The Sopranos, but this year HBO has decided to switch them up. Big Love will now be shown on Monday nights. Season 2 will kick off on June 11th, but for those of you who can’t wait HBO is showing three mini-episodes that will only be available on HBO On-Demand.

In the show, the alluded to the fact the character Margene was the family’s babysitter before she became a sister-wife (what they call one of the wives in a polygamous marriage). The mini-episodes will apparently show how she came to be a part of the family, and will be available starting May 28th on HBO On-Demand. Don’t have On-Demand? Well, if you don’t mind not seeing them the second they come out, they’ll also be available on HBO.com shortly after premiering on On-Demand.

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Surely you’ve heard of the new online TV option called Joost by now, but if you haven’t, here’s a quick update. Joost is the new pet project of the founds of Kazaa and Skype, which offers free on-demand TV. Right now, there about 24 channels, but the founders are expecting to add more to it soon.

You can watch everything from Comedy Central to MTV to Live @ Much. Whatever your interest is, you’re likely to find something there you’d enjoy watching. The interface is simple and uncluttered, which makes it easy for anyone to navigate.

Joost is, however, not yet fully publicly available. They’re rolling it out much in the same fashion that Google got Gmail started, by making it an invite-only service (at least for now). So to check out this cool new service, you’ll need a friend to invite you. Well look no further - we’re armed and ready with loads of invites, so if you’re hoping to snag one all you have to do is let us know in the comments, and we’ll send one your way. Enjoy!

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