Open up your mind and say, ahh...

Netflix has started to restrict its users from streaming more than one movie at a time as part of its price hike. The change could have a major effect on how families use Netflix. No longer can one person watch a movie from the iPad while the rest of the family watches another film on the Xbox, for example.

As website Stop the Cap points out, Netflix has always had a policy that limited streaming, with those on a single DVD or streaming-only plan limited to streaming one film at a time.

But it appears as if Netflix just started enforcing this rule on Sept. 1. The changes seem to coincide with Netflix’s price hike, which took effect on Sept. 1 as well. Now, if you attempt to launch two movie streams, Netflix will block it and tell you that your membership plan doesn’t support multiple movie streams.

We received the error message in our tests, confirming other reports. However, we also learned that television shows seem to be exempt from the movie streaming rules. For example, we were able to stream a movie and a TV show simultaneously, but unable to stream two movies at the same time.

The move is sure to upset some customers as Netflix continues to deal with a number of setbacks. Its talks with Starz recently broke down and customers are not happy with the recent price hikes. Netflix’s revenues are at record highs, but without Starz, it loses some of its best content. It’s unclear how customers will react to this latest change.

It’s been reported that director Ridley Scott has signed on to direct and produce a new installment of Blade Runner for Alcon Entertainment. Although nothing is set in stone, rumors are already swirling that Scott will use 3D to revisit the dystopian universe.

Loosely based on Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner remains a seminal film in the annals of science fiction and modern film noir. Scott’s original film, which was released in 1982, stars Harrison Ford as a man tasked with hunting down robot replicants in a dystopian Los Angeles set in 2019.

Deadline, which broke the story about Scott’s plans to revisit the film Thursday, notes that while the original film wasn’t a big hit at the box office, it has gained a loyal following amongst film historians and science fiction fans.

On Friday, The L.A. Times revealed more information about the project and how it came together. According to Alcon Entertainment’s Andrew Kosove, getting Scott on-board was a big part of the studio’s vision for the film. Speaking to the Times, Kosove said “I believe he sees an opportunity to create something that’s wholly original from the first Blade Runner. ”

Scott, who also directed 2000′s Gladiator, is no stranger to taking a new approach to existing content. The director is finishing work on Prometheus, a film that revisits the world inhabited by Scott’s 1979 class, Alien. Scott took a 3D approach with Prometheus, which Fox will release next summer. Although the studio says that Prometheus is its own title, it started life off as a prequel to the original Alien and reportedly still shares many similarities with the first film.

As for Blade Runner, it’s not clear if the film will be directly related to the original film or just inspired by it. Still, as Kosove told the Times, fans shouldn’t expect to see Harrison Ford return, telling the paper:

“In no way do I speak for Ridley Scott, but if you’re asking me will this movie have anything to do with Harrison Ford, the answer is no. This is a total reinvention, and in my mind that means doing everything fresh, including casting.”

Blade Runner fans will likely need to wait until 2014 to see the results in theaters. First, the film will need a screenwriter and a plan of attack.

If Scott does decide to shoot in 3D, as he did with Prometheus, it will be part of a growing trend of directors taking a 3D approach to either revive or enhance existing franchises.

James Cameron broke new ground with Avatar and is reportedly working on two follow-up films. He’s also working on a 3D version of Titanic. Rather than shooting a new version of the second-highest grossing film of all time, Cameron will be retroactively adding 3D to the 1997 film using post-production techniques.

Although American audiences have softened a bit on 3D films since Avatar broke box office records in 2009 and 2010, the technology is still driving the global film business.

Films like this summer’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon had tremendous overseas performances, driven in large part by 3D ticket sales.

In terms of cinematic history, Blade Runner, along with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, largely defined the science fiction film. Many modern tech films owe at least some of their existence to Blade Runner. Although we’re not convinced that the original film needs a remake or a prequel, we can’t help but love the idea of Scott revisiting that world, especially using modern technology and filmmaking techniques.

Let us know your thoughts about a Blade Runner revival in the comments.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 not only set a box office record for midnight showings, it absolutely shattered opening day box office records.

The film grossed a jaw-dropping $92.1 million in the U.S. on Friday. That’s not only the biggest opening-day draw of all time, it’s the highest-grossing single day in U.S. box office history.

Worldwide, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is also breaking box office records. The film has already grossed more than $157.5 million internationally, breaking opening-day records in the UK and Mexico.

Box Office Mojo puts the figures in perspective:

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 took in 50% more on its first day than the previous Potter film, Deathly Hallows Part 1, back in November. At the time, the $61.7 million opening day was a franchise high. With 1.5x the gross, Deathly Hallows Part 2 clearly sets the record.
• Deathly Hallows Part 2 also outstripped past films in terms of estimated attendance.
• When you subtract the record braking $43.5 million midnight gross from the total day figures, you’re still left with $48.6 million for the rest of the day. This, in and of itself, beats the midnight free gross for every other film, with the exception of The Dark Knight (which took in $48.7 million sans midnight totals).
• The first day ticket receipts alone beat every other weekend opening for 2011, with the exception of Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

SEE ALSO: Harry Potter and the Social Media Surge

The eight and final Harry Potter film is expected to easily best The Dark Knight as the biggest opening weekend of all time. In 2008, The Dark Knight took in $158.4 million in its opening weekend.

Of course, a big factor in Deathly Hallows Part 2‘s boffo ticket sales are the fact that the film was released in 3D. Although 3D tickets only accounted for 45% of the box office gross (as compared to 60% for Transformers: Dark of the Moon), the number of 3D screens available is unmatched by any other new film. Moreover, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 opened in 4,375 locations and on 11,000 screens.

Warner Bros. embraced social media in a big way in the promotion of Deathly Hallows Part 2. In addition to running significant campaigns on Facebook and Twitter, the studio also reached out to fan sites and created YouTube videos to promote the film.

What did you think of Deathly Hallows Part 2? Let us know in the comments.

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Product: Polaroid 300 Classic Instant Camera

Price: $99.99 (but it can be found online for less — Amazon is currently offering it for $84.95). Available in red, blue and black. Film is sold in packs of ten, for $9.99, but you can find bulk discounts.

What It’s Good For: The cost of the 10-packs of film force you to think more carefully about taking a picture — you consider the light, composition and shooting angle in a way that you never do with casual digital snaps.

Who It’s Good For: Anyone who loves the unpredictable and often beautiful results you get with the “toy camera” category of snappers, as well as lovers of all things vintage, Lomography fans and hipsters.

Limitations: Shooting at night with the automatic flash created harsh, flat images with bleached out areas. Similarly, shooting in strong sunshine also led to bleached out photos. There is a middle ground, but with just four scene settings and no other way to adjust the camera’s settings, it’s not easy to find. Finally, the cost of the camera and the film leaves the 300 in an expensive niche market position — photos are a buck a snap.

Bottom Line: Tons of fun for vintage photography fans, but unlikely to inspire the next generation.

A Look at the Polaroid 300

The 300 is a rebadged version of Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 7, so sadly there are no design nods to the classic Polaroid snappers of the past. It’s a chunky plastic camera offering simple settings, even simpler operation, and business-card size instant photos. The sheer bulk of the camera — it doesn’t fit into a pocket or some handbags — means you’ve got to commit to taking the Polaroid 300 out with you.

The Polaroid 300 is fun — hold-your-breath-waiting-for-the-photo-to-develop fun. It’s easy to use and is sure to delight younger children with its cute business card-sized pics revealed before your eyes just seconds after the shutter has snapped. The Polaroid 300 turns the photograph back from a disposable digital file to a tangible thing, an object to be treasured, to be carefully placed in a wallet, on a pinboard or in an album.

Google has unveiled Google Movies for Android, a new app that allows users to rent and play movies on their tablets or phones.

The news is an extension of Monday’s announcement that YouTube is offering 3,000 additional movies for its on-demand rental service. Google revealed that it struck deals with Sony Pictures, NBC Universal and Warner Brothers for the rights to their movies.

That vast movie library has now made its way to Android. Movie rentals will start at $1.99 and be available directly from the Android Market. Once users rent a movie, they have 30 days to start watching the film and get 24 hours to watch it once it starts. The films can either be streamed or temporarily downloaded to Android phones so they can be watched offline.

The rental service will become available later today for all Android devices.

By Justin Hyde, Jalopnik

In typical New York fashion, the Dodge Charger from Fast Five got the high-attention spot on the main floor of the New York Auto Show to flaunt its matte-black paint and automatic transmission. The far cooler supercharged flame-throwing car had to park in the basement.

The Medusa was built by filmmaker-engineer Evan Glodell for his move Bellflower, an indie film that will be released in August. Described as a post-apocalyptic love story, the movie’s centerpiece is the junkyard transformation of a 1972 Buick Skylark into a fire-breathing tarmac terror.

Vince Grashaw, one of the film’s producers and actors, has been promoting the movie by driving Medusa to colleges around the country. What started as a $2,600 Skylark bought off Craigslist evolved as the producers added mods as they shot their independent movie, combining two of the most money-thirsty hobbies known to man.

The Skylark’s major modifications are the rear flamethrowers, which feature a 30,000-volt ignition system. The 350-cubic inch V8 has been bolstered with a supercharger; Fast Five-quality smoke comes from a bleach-spraying system on its rear wheels. There’s also spy cameras built into the front and rear, a hydraulic rear suspension, roll cage and, because it’s a post-apocalyptic world, a sawed-off shotgun in the trunk.

The rear seats also fold down, in case the driver needs to carry extra cases of whoopass.

Bellflower hits theaters August 5; you can see some hot action here.

Photos: Jalopnik