We’ve heard talks about plans to try offering big Hollywood movies on demand not too long after they’re released in theaters for a while now, and it looks like those who support the idea are ready to test the waters.

According to the LA Times, Universal Pictures will offer up Brett Ratner‘s new movie, Tower Heist, three weeks after its November 4, 2011 theatrical release through Universal parent company Comcast’s on demand services. The movie will only be available to 500,000 customers in the Atlanta and Portland, Oregon areas to test the waters of this new option, and those of you who have this option will only have to throw down $59.99 to check the movie out.

Universal and Comcast will pay close attention to how well the movie does released this early and at this price, while firm eyes will also be focused on how offering a movie three weeks after theatrical release affects box office numbers.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Bueller…Bueller…Blu-ray Edition
Directed by John Hughes
Starring Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck
Release date: April 3, 2009

Back in the 1980’s, John Hughes was the king of teen comedies. Anything the writer/director created was basically a license to print money and mostly stood the test of time. One such movie is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which is released now for the first time on Blu-Ray.

Ferris Bueller follows an atypical day in the life high school senior and “righteous dude” Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick). Deciding early on that the day is too gorgeous to be trapped in school, he fakes a sickness and decides to play hooky. With his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloan (Mia Sara) by his side, he embarks on the single most exciting cut day ever. He’d better be quick on his toes though, as his sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey ) and the Dean of Students are on to him and would like nothing but to catch him red-handed.

Now 23-years-old, Ferris Bueller is still the gold-standard when it comes to movies on Senior cut day. I have not seen any made since this movie and there is a reason why. The writing by Hughes is pretty great and while not timeless, is entertaining and realistic to that time period. The movie is quite tame compared to the teen movies that are out in the market now, but I think that is part of its charm. Hughes never insert anything shocking into the script for a laugh but rather write scenes that are funny with dialogue that is funny, a novel concept now in teen movies. The movie also has such a likable lead in Broderick.