Sony is offering a free viewing of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs."

Movie exhibitors don’t like Sony’s decision to release Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs digitally on Dec. 8, or less than three months after its theatrical opening. (See earlier post below.) According to a story by The Hollywood Reporter, Sony also tried this in 2008 with the action flick Hancock. The standard period between theatrical release and DVD is four months. Sources say at least four major theater chains were poised to pull the animated film from theaters in protest. Read more.

PREVIOUS POST: Looking for a new TV? Want to see a movie before anyone else? We’ve got a deal for you. Sony Corp. is offering the movie Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs free to U.S. buyers of its Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Buyers of that equipment will be able to watch the movie in any 24-hour window from Dec. 8 until it is released on DVD and Blu-ray disc on Jan. 5. Sony’s move is another example of how movies are increasingly becoming available on TVs that connect directly to the Internet.

Interested in the deal? Check out Sony Bravia TVs and Blu-ray players at ListenUp online. Or call one of our stores to learn more about how it works.