Shares of Disney (DIS) haven't strayed too far from where they were when the latest earnings report was released. It would have been nice if the numbers had acted as a catalyst for the stock (which I own), pushing it above the $40 mark. Didn't happen. Hey, we move on, right?

But Disney has another chance to prove to its investors that it's a great long-term holding. The Mouse's latest cartoon, Tangled, opened on Wednesday. The idea is to capture some value from the crowds that will be out at the multiplex during the Thanksgiving weekend. I sort of have a good feeling about this film.

Lionsgate (LGF) needed The Expendables to be a hit, as I noted last week. And management scored on that count. According to early estimates for domestic theatrical performance at Box Office Mojo, the movie nabbed first place with $35 million over the three-day weekend.

Coming in a strong second was Sony's (SNE) Eat Pray Love, which had a ton of buzz surrounding it going into its debut, capturing $23 million. Not bad.

Shareholders of Disney (DIS) are looking forward to a little boost this

Yet, I have a thought to propose to the media industry: Should Disney charge viewers to see the finale?

I haven't been bullish on Disney's (DIS) stock for quite a while. I own a long-term position, but I haven't added to it for years (I do, however, allow the annual dividend payout, too small that it is, to be reinvested). I'm waiting for the day when the shares finally break through $40. Disney hasn't seen $40 since, well, I don't even want to think how far back that price level goes.

This past week has been fascinating for the Mouse's investors. The media business was upgraded. There's been interesting activity going on in the company's options, as Schaeffer's Investment Research indicates. And the stock hit a fresh 52-week high of $33.22 on Friday; in fact, it closed at the 52-week high, right before the weekend, no less.

I love the media sector, so Tuesday, February 9, will be an exciting day for me. After the market finishes its trading activities, we'll get reports from two entertainment companies: one's a big player in Hollywood, while the other would like to be just as big someday.

Let's start with the big gun. The Walt Disney Corporation (DIS) has first-quarter numbers all set to go, and investors are hoping for an unambiguous beat on the bottom line. The call is for net income to fall somewhere around 39 cents per share, according to Earnings.com. Kind of lousy, considering the Mouse made 41 cents per share in last year's Q1.

The video game industry, as we are all aware, has taken a sharp turn from momentum growth. The various stocks in the sector, from my standpoint at least, are now becoming value-oriented plays. When this happens, the concept of consolidation comes into focus.

Trying to pick a stock that will experience a pop on a buyout is not for the faint of heart, or the impatient. And depending on the stocks you own, you might be hoping that you don't become involuntarily involved in an arbitrage scenario. That's why I was pleasantly relieved when I read an article stating that The Walt Disney Company (DIS) CEO Bob Iger may not be interested in purchasing a software publisher.

I read a piece over at the Los Angeles Times about the rapidity of changes going on within Disney's (DIS) studio system. As a shareholder, I'm hoping for the best, but I'm not expecting much. Sometimes it's better that way when it comes to the Mouse. Those who have owned the stock as long as I have know what I'm talking about.

The cited article discusses the moves being made by the new studio head, Rich Ross. He replaced the well-respected Dick Cook. Well-respected or not, Cook had to go. I concurred with CEO Bob Iger's perception that a change in leadership was necessary for the celluloid portion of the Disney business model.

Disney (DIS), the media company behind Mickey Mouse and Buzz Lightyear, and whose colleagues in the industry include CBS (CBS), General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, News Corp. (NWS), Sony Corporation (SNE), Time Warner (TWX), and Viacom (VIA), reported results for Q4 and the full fiscal year on Thursday after the bell. While the bottom line came in ahead of expectations, I have to say that the release was disappointing to this shareholder.

Earnings on an adjusted basis for the quarter came in at 46 cents per share, higher than the number predicted by analysts. Unfortunately, as I go through the data, I don't think I'm too comforted by such income performance.

Disney (DIS), a media business that competes with Viacom (VIA), CBS (CBS), News Corp. (NWS), and General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, will be talking up its fourth-quarter numbers on Thursday after the bell. Are you a shareholder? If so, are you excited? Well, don't get too excited, because we might not be getting any growth, even if the Mouse beats on the bottom line. According to Earnings.com, the call is for 40 cents per share versus the 43 cents per share made in the comparable period.

You know what, though? For the most part, I'm not so concerned with exactly how much Disney makes this quarter. I'm a shareholder, and I want to see management at least come in at the estimate, of course, but I'll be more interested in the conference call. Way more interested this time around, in fact.

Disney (NYSE: DIS) desperately wants to get its movie business back in some kind of order. Look no further than the recent departure of Dick Cook. According to the Los Angeles Times, the studio head was forced to resign by CEO Bob Iger because of poor performance (Iger was right to do this, but I'm not sure he's any smarter than Cook, to be honest . . .). Unfortunately, Disney's latest project, Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis, might not do much to help the cause.

According to Boxofficemojo, Surrogates came in second over the weekend at domestic theaters, behind Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The Disney film captured an estimated $15 million versus Meatballs' $24.6 million (final numbers are due later).