📀 Free tool: HandBrake is open-source software that converts videos from one format into nearly any other. It’s an easy way to turn DVDs and Blu-Ray discs into digital video files, like an MP4. Then, you can create a free, private YouTube channel and upload your videos to share your home movies. Sweet.
Make a movie in a minute
OpenAI Sora
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, AI is changing everything. And now it’s coming for video. This is the future, and it’s so fun to play around with these new tools.
Forget editing software, green screens or even a camera. Now your keyboard is the director, the producer and creative partner. All you need to do is type what you want to see, and AI will turn it into a slick, high-def video.
Right now, two big players are Sora from OpenAI and Veo from Google, and yes, you can try them both today. Don’t miss watching my video test at the end.
Sora: OpenAI’s text-to-video powerhouse
Sora is now live inside ChatGPT, and it’s jaw-dropping. You type in a description like, “a golden retriever puppy playing at the beach with a tennis ball,” and Sora spits out a crisp, AI-generated video in seconds. No need for footage, no need for editing.
Here’s the breakdown:
- If you’re on ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), you can generate up to 10-second clips in 720p.
- If you upgrade to ChatGPT Pro ($200/month), you get 20-second videos in 1080p, watermark-free, with faster generation times.
- Bing just announced that Sora is being integrated into their new Bing Video Creator (details here).
Veo: Google’s take on AI filmmaking
Google’s Veo lets you create cinematic 1080p videos up to 60 seconds long with realistic movement, lighting and transitions, just from a sentence. Want your cat running across a rooftop in Paris at sunset? Done.
You can get access through Google’s Gemini plans:
- Pro plan is free for the first month, then $19.99/month. You’ll get limited access to Veo and the Flow video tool.
- Ultra plan is $124.99/month for the first three months (normally $249.99). That unlocks full access to Veo, higher quality outputs and extra features like “ingredients to video” controls.
The test
1,000 pieces of content
Available on each Delta flight. That includes 300 movies. A six-person team swaps 20% to 25% of the lineup every 30 days, so frequent fliers don’t get bored. Honestly, I don’t think airplane jokes are funny; they’re just really Boeing.
🎬 Not sure what to watch? Try FlixPatrol. It shows daily top 10 charts of what’s trending worldwide, from Netflix movies to HBO shows. Already have something in mind? Use JustWatch to find out where it’s streaming and go straight to the site. Saves time and all that endless scrolling.
Your Echo knows movies: Planning your next movie night? Just say, “Alexa, tell me about the movie [title].” She’ll give you a quick rundown on the plot, director and cast without spoiling anything. It’s an easy way to help decide what to watch.
Watch TV for $0: You can watch shows and movies for free — no credit card required. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.
☁️ Your cloud library: Ever rented a movie digitally, only to find the DVD buried in your closet? Libib helps you catalog all your physical media like movies, music, books and games. Just scan the barcode and the app (iOS, Android) fills in the info. Their free plan lets you track up to 5,000 items in the cloud.
Don’t know what to watch? Hit up moviewiser.com. Type in the mood you’re going for in their AI tab. It’ll spit out a list of movies that fit the bill. I searched for “summer love story,” and the winners include The Notebook and About Time.
Netflix is updating its home screen: Well, they should for what we pay them every month. Live events like NFL games will be easier to spot so you don’t miss them. You’ll start seeing labels like “Emmy Winner” right on show images. And they’re adding AI to search, so you can type stuff like “something scary but also funny,” and it’ll suggest movies and shows that actually fit. Neat.
🌎 A whole new world: Bored with Netflix? Change your language to find new shows and movies. Open the Netflix app, tap My Netflix > Menu (three lines) > Manage Profiles. Select your profile and hit Display Language. You can switch back to English anytime. Bravo!
🎶 Binge-worthy tunes: Stream music from your favorite shows on Spotify and Apple Music’s hubs for Netflix, Disney+, Max and more. Just tap Search > TV & Movies (Spotify) or Film, TV & Stage (Apple Music) for playlists filled with hits from those iconic moments.
🎬 Keeping it reel: Gen Z is ditching big-budget TV and movies for social media content. They say it feels more real, more relevant and they trust creators over celebrities. Barry helped produce a feature film over a decade ago (Frontera — Watch it!), and it was tough then. Today? Getting a movie made is like climbing Everest in flip-flops.
Your time matters: Before you start a book, show or movie, see how many hours you’re locking yourself in for. For books, use How Long to Read. It has millions of books. For movies, try Bingeclock, and for TV show times, head to Tiii.me.
▶️ Annoyed by Netflix autoplay? You’re not alone. To turn off autoplay previews or the next episode, log into Netflix on a browser. Go to Account > Manage Profiles > Playback Settings > Autoplay controls. Bonus: To hide certain shows or movies, go to Manage Profiles > Viewing Restrictions. Type in what you want to hide and save.
Share apps on your iPhone and iPad: Yay, finally! Apple made it so you can move all your apps, songs and movies to one account. Make sure you’re logged into your main iCloud account. Now, under your secondary ID, go to Settings > [your name] > Media & Purchases > View Account. Tap Migrate Purchases and follow the steps on your screen. Once you see Purchases Have Been Migrated, sign in with your main account. Btw, don’t buy an iPad right now.
40 and older
Is totally hot right now. New movies like Nicole Kidman’s “Babygirl” and Anne Hathaway’s “The Idea of You” celebrate middle-aged women. Hollywood finally agrees that, yeah, older women are hot!
📺 For your weekend binge: Check the time commitment before you let someone lure you into the extended-cut “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Bingeclock is great for movies. Tiii.me has TV show times. Btw, 11 hours and 22 minutes for LOTR.