Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
I am Mike-lovin!
I finally saw Superbad. With a title like Superbad, one is inclined to rely on a pun involving the title. For example, if I was Gene Shalit or someone, I would say, "Superbad is Super-GREAT!". Or, "Superbad? More like SuperbadASS!!" Because I'm here to tell you something. It is that good. Superbadass, indeed.
This movie is amazing. I can't believe how damn funny this is, and it never slows down. What Bourne Ultimatum did with action, this movie does with comedy. No, that's putting it too far. My claim that The Simpsons Movie was the funniest of the summer has just been challenged. And in a battle between Homer and McLovin, you best believe that McLovin is gonna win.
Superbad is the story of Seth and Evan (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera), two outcast best friends at the close of their high school careers. They talk like boys talk, mostly about sex. And porn. And wangs. Prepare yourself for a lot of wang-speak in this picture. It's all the boys ever talk about.
So the movie is about the boys on their quest to procure booze for a party. If they bring the booze, they believe they'll impress the chicks they have crushes on but never have the cajones to actually say anything to. (Aside from some awkward, embarassing conversations that will forever taint your understanding of the phrase "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours).
The guys are perfect. Michael Cera has been doing the understated, awkward thing to perfection with his performance as George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development (Funniest show ever), and he takes it to even greater lengths here. And his rapport with Jonah Hill is brilliant. You get the feeling these guys are the best of friends and that no one else can truly accept them. (Something that leads to a bit of unchecked rage in Seth, but that's neither here nor there). Regardless, to hear their smutty rapport for almost two hours is just pure gold.
Naturally, the entire movie is stolen by McLovin. McLovin is the false name on the ID of Fogell, the even nerdier friend of the bunch. He's played by Chrisopher Mintz-Plasse. It's his first role, and I doubt he'll ever get a role as good as this ever again. The kid is unbelievable. He truly IS McLovin. There's some stuff with him and two cops, played by Seth Rogen and Bill Hader, that is outright genius. Many people have complained that the stuff with them slows the movie down, but it's some of the best parts. While Seth and Evan have the heart and sentimentality to go with their phallic fixations, McLovin has the greatest night of his young life and invites us all to join for the ride.
Superbad is pretty damn terrific. It's full of laughs that never stop. I could have watched another hour of this movie, to be honest with you. It's that entertaining. It's good to know that Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow are trying to bring us comedies that are truly hilarious, but not stupid. They've assembled great teams and actors (Greg Mottola, director of Superbad, has also directed episodes of Undeclared, and Arrested Development) and have done something great for the world. They brought us McLovin. And a notebook full of wang drawings.
Superbad kicks ass.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Check this out!
Return of mini tweeners!
Ok, I've been kind of lazy lately. I have been neglecting my duties in reporting what movies out there are worth your while. (I already told you, Once is. And forever shall be). And I haven't had a chance to see anything big and early because the site hasn't been sending me to things. And the screenings I get on my own all screen in the afternoon when I'm working, or on my bowling night, which I can't miss.
I'm team captain after all.
Point is, I'm way behind on my movies and my reviews, so I'm gonna give you the ultimate tweener rundown of the films I've seen in the past month. If any of them require more discussion, perhaps it will come. And no, I haven't seen Superbad yet. I was thinking today might be a go to Target/see Superbad kinda day, but we'll see. Here goes, in the order that I remember seeing them:
Live Free or Die Hard: I wish I had a transcript of the text message conversation I had with Dave Hyde, whose advice I should have heeded, while watching this. I hated this movie. A lot. About fifteen minutes in, I wanted to punch everyone involved in the making of this movie. (Except Willis, because he's still pretty badass). It's just full of nonsense. And what's even worse, it's nonsense you've all seen before, in other movies. This movie was not fun. There were parts that were kind of cool, actually, which makes this movie that much more painful to watch. Very disappointing, and I don't get anyone out there who gives this movie a pass saying "It was entertaining."
The movie's pants, and you know it.
Evan Almighty: Viewed after Live Free or Die Hard, anything would seem better, and this was the case. I fully prepared to hate this movie based on the trailer alone. And you know what? It's not THAT bad. The jokes are kind of stale and weird, and poo-centric at times, but Carell is always worth watching, and he has his moments. And some of the supporting cast has it's moments too, but it's very clear they all wish they could be in another movie together. (Most likely involving Apatow in some way). As the movie goes along, it gets a little preachy and goofy, but I sort of liked the overall message. And Morgan Freeman's in it, and he's good in anything. So while this movie is not good, it's not bad. Perfectly servicable, and in no way inspiring wrath and venom.
The Bourne Ultimatum: This movie kicked my ass so hard, I'm still peeing blood. This is how you make an action movie right, Live Free or Die Hard. Take note. The movie starts and never stops. Every scene is intense as hell. Paul Greengrass is a fantastic director, and he orchestrates every scene perfectly. Well worth seeing, and it's definitely the best of the big budget sequels (and three-quels) the summer had to offer.
But Rob was right. Nowhere in the film is an ultimatum issued by Bourne. Nor anyone, really.
Sicko: A really good movie, made in the typical Michael Moore fashion of pathos and humor, ably weaved together to make a convincing argument. This time, it's on the American health care system, which is pretty messed up. The movie is good in that inspires a reaction out of you, and in my case it was of disgust at our government. But I listen to Air America radio, and am one of those hippy liberals. (aka Commies). Still, it's a well made film and worth checking out.
Becoming Jane: Yeah I saw it. So what? It's just alright. Anne Hathaway is fine, but a little out of her element in this movie as a young Jane Austen falls in love and uses the experiences of the world around her to craft her first major work, Pride and Prejudice. I was expecting it to be more of a Shakespeare in Love reinterpretation of an author's life and work, but this was not it. Instead, you get a bunch of things you've seen before. It is well acted, but the story is off, and there are some odd technical choices involved as well that distracted me. Still, it has a really good group ballroom dancing scene, which I'm sort of a sucker for. Wanna fight about it? I'll shiv you!
Stardust: Another perfectly servicable film. Pretty solid, actually. The story of a young man who travels into an enchanted world to catch a fallen star for a shallow woman, Stardust has a lot more wit and humour going for it than most of the recent glut of fantasy films. A lot of people have been comparing it to The Princess Bride, and it's sort of apt, being that they're both fairy tales with a slightly more irreverent point of view, but they are worlds apart. It was a lot of fun, though. But I couldn't help but think that this movie would have been AMAZING if Terry Gilliam directed it. There are parts where it almost reaches those levels (the ghost brothers and the Robert DeNiro flying pirate ship stuff come to mind), but it still would have been insane in the hands of Mr. Gilliam.
Hot Rod: Movie funny. Very funny. Will Arnett is genius in any scene he's in. Ditto Bill Hader. And Andy Samburg is pretty good as the lead, although there are times when you just want to smack him upside the head. This movie felt a lot like Happy Gilmore, and whenever it tries to stick to the plot, it slows down to annoying levels. But they bounce back quick with outright hilarity. Definitely worth the time to check it out. It also has the greatest falling off a mountain gag since Homer fell out of the ambulance at Springfield gorge.
Rush Hour 3: I didn't see it. But Dan (of DanSpeak) did. Dan really likes the Rush Hour movies. And in a shock to us all, he did not care for this one. Called it "Lazy". He almost felt insulted. So if Dan doesn't like Rush Hour 3, you know you're in for trouble. Although, he did see The Invasion, and said he kind of enjoyed it. So there you go. And I have so little respect for the latest "film by brett Ratner" that I'm not gonna run a picture of the movie on my blog. Instead, I'll run a picture of Lobot, from Empire Strikes Back. Because that's a good movie.
And there you have it. Mini Tweeners! I promise I'll be a bit more regular again. Work's been kicking my ass and I'm working on that top secret script that almost all of you readers who know me know exactly what it is. But there has been some interest on it, more on that later. Once the check clears. In the meantime, I gotta buy a lotto ticket. Because my luck's gotta turn around again soon, right?
I'm team captain after all.
Point is, I'm way behind on my movies and my reviews, so I'm gonna give you the ultimate tweener rundown of the films I've seen in the past month. If any of them require more discussion, perhaps it will come. And no, I haven't seen Superbad yet. I was thinking today might be a go to Target/see Superbad kinda day, but we'll see. Here goes, in the order that I remember seeing them:
Live Free or Die Hard: I wish I had a transcript of the text message conversation I had with Dave Hyde, whose advice I should have heeded, while watching this. I hated this movie. A lot. About fifteen minutes in, I wanted to punch everyone involved in the making of this movie. (Except Willis, because he's still pretty badass). It's just full of nonsense. And what's even worse, it's nonsense you've all seen before, in other movies. This movie was not fun. There were parts that were kind of cool, actually, which makes this movie that much more painful to watch. Very disappointing, and I don't get anyone out there who gives this movie a pass saying "It was entertaining."
The movie's pants, and you know it.
Evan Almighty: Viewed after Live Free or Die Hard, anything would seem better, and this was the case. I fully prepared to hate this movie based on the trailer alone. And you know what? It's not THAT bad. The jokes are kind of stale and weird, and poo-centric at times, but Carell is always worth watching, and he has his moments. And some of the supporting cast has it's moments too, but it's very clear they all wish they could be in another movie together. (Most likely involving Apatow in some way). As the movie goes along, it gets a little preachy and goofy, but I sort of liked the overall message. And Morgan Freeman's in it, and he's good in anything. So while this movie is not good, it's not bad. Perfectly servicable, and in no way inspiring wrath and venom.
The Bourne Ultimatum: This movie kicked my ass so hard, I'm still peeing blood. This is how you make an action movie right, Live Free or Die Hard. Take note. The movie starts and never stops. Every scene is intense as hell. Paul Greengrass is a fantastic director, and he orchestrates every scene perfectly. Well worth seeing, and it's definitely the best of the big budget sequels (and three-quels) the summer had to offer.
But Rob was right. Nowhere in the film is an ultimatum issued by Bourne. Nor anyone, really.
Sicko: A really good movie, made in the typical Michael Moore fashion of pathos and humor, ably weaved together to make a convincing argument. This time, it's on the American health care system, which is pretty messed up. The movie is good in that inspires a reaction out of you, and in my case it was of disgust at our government. But I listen to Air America radio, and am one of those hippy liberals. (aka Commies). Still, it's a well made film and worth checking out.
Becoming Jane: Yeah I saw it. So what? It's just alright. Anne Hathaway is fine, but a little out of her element in this movie as a young Jane Austen falls in love and uses the experiences of the world around her to craft her first major work, Pride and Prejudice. I was expecting it to be more of a Shakespeare in Love reinterpretation of an author's life and work, but this was not it. Instead, you get a bunch of things you've seen before. It is well acted, but the story is off, and there are some odd technical choices involved as well that distracted me. Still, it has a really good group ballroom dancing scene, which I'm sort of a sucker for. Wanna fight about it? I'll shiv you!
Stardust: Another perfectly servicable film. Pretty solid, actually. The story of a young man who travels into an enchanted world to catch a fallen star for a shallow woman, Stardust has a lot more wit and humour going for it than most of the recent glut of fantasy films. A lot of people have been comparing it to The Princess Bride, and it's sort of apt, being that they're both fairy tales with a slightly more irreverent point of view, but they are worlds apart. It was a lot of fun, though. But I couldn't help but think that this movie would have been AMAZING if Terry Gilliam directed it. There are parts where it almost reaches those levels (the ghost brothers and the Robert DeNiro flying pirate ship stuff come to mind), but it still would have been insane in the hands of Mr. Gilliam.
Hot Rod: Movie funny. Very funny. Will Arnett is genius in any scene he's in. Ditto Bill Hader. And Andy Samburg is pretty good as the lead, although there are times when you just want to smack him upside the head. This movie felt a lot like Happy Gilmore, and whenever it tries to stick to the plot, it slows down to annoying levels. But they bounce back quick with outright hilarity. Definitely worth the time to check it out. It also has the greatest falling off a mountain gag since Homer fell out of the ambulance at Springfield gorge.
Rush Hour 3: I didn't see it. But Dan (of DanSpeak) did. Dan really likes the Rush Hour movies. And in a shock to us all, he did not care for this one. Called it "Lazy". He almost felt insulted. So if Dan doesn't like Rush Hour 3, you know you're in for trouble. Although, he did see The Invasion, and said he kind of enjoyed it. So there you go. And I have so little respect for the latest "film by brett Ratner" that I'm not gonna run a picture of the movie on my blog. Instead, I'll run a picture of Lobot, from Empire Strikes Back. Because that's a good movie.
And there you have it. Mini Tweeners! I promise I'll be a bit more regular again. Work's been kicking my ass and I'm working on that top secret script that almost all of you readers who know me know exactly what it is. But there has been some interest on it, more on that later. Once the check clears. In the meantime, I gotta buy a lotto ticket. Because my luck's gotta turn around again soon, right?
Box Office Report: 8-26-07
Dude here again. Still not fully recovered from my trip last week. Sleep hasn't exactly been a good friend lately. It's disheartening and a little scary. But who cares when there are box office results to report?!!?
This weekend, a trio of newcomers tried to steal the crown from Superbad, and all three failed miserably. That's the way the cookie crumbles, I suppose. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Superbad (Sony) - $18.0, 2948 screens, week 2, $68.5 total
2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $12.36, 3679 screens, week 4, $185.1 total
3. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $12.25, 3408 screens, week 3, $109.0 total
4. Mr. Bean's Holiday (Uni)- $10.1, 1714 screens, week 1, $10.1 total
5. War (LGF) - $10.0, 2277 screens, week 1, $10.0 total
6. The Nanny Diaries (MGM/Wein Co) - $7.8, 2629 screens, week 1, $7.8 total
7. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $4.4, 2600 screens, week 5, $173.4 total
8. Stardust (Par) - $3.9, 2339 screens, week 3, $26.4 total
9. Hairspray (NL) - $3.4, 2016 screens, week 6, $107.4 total
10. The Invasion (WB) - $3.1, 2776 screens, week 2, $11.5 total
So those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, if you're Superbad, you kicked a lot of arse once again. Newcomers be damned, McLovin and the crew took in another $18 million and number one spot (Curiously, Knocked Up never even made it to the top spot once, no less TWICE!). This, coupled with the success of other Apatow projects, have brought analysts clamoring the familiar claim "The return of the R-Rated comedy", which has never gone away, really. It just hasn't been as profitable. (See Idiocracy, Clerks 2, Reno 911: Miami, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, etc). Anyway, it's possible Superbad might take the top spot next week as well, and that would be fantastic.
Of the newcomers this week, Mr. Bean took in slightly more than Jason Statham and Jet Li, but watch these numbers flip flop when the actuals are reported. While low for openings, Mr. Bean actually has nothing to worry about, being that the film has opened up all over the world already and has taken in close to $200 million. People like their Bean. War, however, did not perform so well, and given that August is the time when Jason Statham movies flourish (Cellular, Transporter 2, Crank) this comes as a bit of a shock. Plus, when you have action movies going against Bourne, it's fairly obvious that Bourne is gonna win.
The Nanny Diaries also opened up this weekend, and I can tell you the only reason I had any interest in seeing it is because the directors were the ones responsible for bringing us American Splendor, one of the greatest films of this decade. This one, however, is apparently nowhere near as good, as it treads a line between wanting to be Devil Wears Prada and something else entirely. Plus it features Scarlett Johanson, whom most people think is "hawt", but I think she can't act her way out of paper bag. (And yes, I am including Match Point in that argument.)
Below the radar, the latest Sam Jackson as a homeless prodigy _____ (fill in the blank), Resurrecting The Champ, opened up to $1.8 million on 1600 screens. Guess the snakes need to come back.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Death at a Funeral took in $1,083,000 on 261 screens, bringing it's grand total to $2,939,000 in 2 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, the return of the PG-13 Rated comedy full of jokes about balls! And Kevin Bacon doing the Charles Bronson thing! And, oh yeah, Rob Zombie's Halloween, which pretty much obliterates my earlier prediction that Superbad could take the top spot again next week. However, I still think it's very foolish to release a movie called Halloween at the end of August. That just seems silly to me. It will probably make obscene amounts of money.
Until next weekend....
This weekend, a trio of newcomers tried to steal the crown from Superbad, and all three failed miserably. That's the way the cookie crumbles, I suppose. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Superbad (Sony) - $18.0, 2948 screens, week 2, $68.5 total
2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $12.36, 3679 screens, week 4, $185.1 total
3. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $12.25, 3408 screens, week 3, $109.0 total
4. Mr. Bean's Holiday (Uni)- $10.1, 1714 screens, week 1, $10.1 total
5. War (LGF) - $10.0, 2277 screens, week 1, $10.0 total
6. The Nanny Diaries (MGM/Wein Co) - $7.8, 2629 screens, week 1, $7.8 total
7. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $4.4, 2600 screens, week 5, $173.4 total
8. Stardust (Par) - $3.9, 2339 screens, week 3, $26.4 total
9. Hairspray (NL) - $3.4, 2016 screens, week 6, $107.4 total
10. The Invasion (WB) - $3.1, 2776 screens, week 2, $11.5 total
So those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, if you're Superbad, you kicked a lot of arse once again. Newcomers be damned, McLovin and the crew took in another $18 million and number one spot (Curiously, Knocked Up never even made it to the top spot once, no less TWICE!). This, coupled with the success of other Apatow projects, have brought analysts clamoring the familiar claim "The return of the R-Rated comedy", which has never gone away, really. It just hasn't been as profitable. (See Idiocracy, Clerks 2, Reno 911: Miami, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, etc). Anyway, it's possible Superbad might take the top spot next week as well, and that would be fantastic.
Of the newcomers this week, Mr. Bean took in slightly more than Jason Statham and Jet Li, but watch these numbers flip flop when the actuals are reported. While low for openings, Mr. Bean actually has nothing to worry about, being that the film has opened up all over the world already and has taken in close to $200 million. People like their Bean. War, however, did not perform so well, and given that August is the time when Jason Statham movies flourish (Cellular, Transporter 2, Crank) this comes as a bit of a shock. Plus, when you have action movies going against Bourne, it's fairly obvious that Bourne is gonna win.
The Nanny Diaries also opened up this weekend, and I can tell you the only reason I had any interest in seeing it is because the directors were the ones responsible for bringing us American Splendor, one of the greatest films of this decade. This one, however, is apparently nowhere near as good, as it treads a line between wanting to be Devil Wears Prada and something else entirely. Plus it features Scarlett Johanson, whom most people think is "hawt", but I think she can't act her way out of paper bag. (And yes, I am including Match Point in that argument.)
Below the radar, the latest Sam Jackson as a homeless prodigy _____ (fill in the blank), Resurrecting The Champ, opened up to $1.8 million on 1600 screens. Guess the snakes need to come back.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Death at a Funeral took in $1,083,000 on 261 screens, bringing it's grand total to $2,939,000 in 2 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, the return of the PG-13 Rated comedy full of jokes about balls! And Kevin Bacon doing the Charles Bronson thing! And, oh yeah, Rob Zombie's Halloween, which pretty much obliterates my earlier prediction that Superbad could take the top spot again next week. However, I still think it's very foolish to release a movie called Halloween at the end of August. That just seems silly to me. It will probably make obscene amounts of money.
Until next weekend....
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
I already heart Teeter, now you should as well.
I've made mention of her a few times around these parts. Teeter is the bees knees, and helped me survive through the treks of Utah.
And I mentioned the driving around in the van solving mysteries part, as well as the family forming the mountain band.
But today, her "record drops", as they like to say in the business. Actually, I don't know if anybody likes saying that, but I'll be damned if I don't enjoying saying it.
Record drops. Sounds like an unpleasant cough drop.
Anyway, Teeter's record is released to the general public as of today. I can't find out how to actually purchase it, however. General wisdom would conclude that you could pick it up in a store, or perhaps over the internet.
And wouldn't you know it? That produced the results I was looking for over at Amazon.com! I'm sure there are other ways (perhaps by supporting your local music store that would carry such items as compact discs), or you could bug Teeter yourself and try to finagle a free copy. I'll tell you this much, that method has yet to work for me.
There's also a fun little interview that popped up while I was tracking down the album. (I wanted to say that I googled Teeter, but that sounds kinda rude. And a little downright silly on a sonic level).
So go and pick yourself up a Ladybirds CD today, why dontcha? You'll like it, and the more she sells, the easier it will be to finance that van.
(Updates coming, including tons of reviews. Work's been kicking my ass a lot lately)
And I mentioned the driving around in the van solving mysteries part, as well as the family forming the mountain band.
But today, her "record drops", as they like to say in the business. Actually, I don't know if anybody likes saying that, but I'll be damned if I don't enjoying saying it.
Record drops. Sounds like an unpleasant cough drop.
Anyway, Teeter's record is released to the general public as of today. I can't find out how to actually purchase it, however. General wisdom would conclude that you could pick it up in a store, or perhaps over the internet.
And wouldn't you know it? That produced the results I was looking for over at Amazon.com! I'm sure there are other ways (perhaps by supporting your local music store that would carry such items as compact discs), or you could bug Teeter yourself and try to finagle a free copy. I'll tell you this much, that method has yet to work for me.
There's also a fun little interview that popped up while I was tracking down the album. (I wanted to say that I googled Teeter, but that sounds kinda rude. And a little downright silly on a sonic level).
So go and pick yourself up a Ladybirds CD today, why dontcha? You'll like it, and the more she sells, the easier it will be to finance that van.
(Updates coming, including tons of reviews. Work's been kicking my ass a lot lately)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Box Office Report: I'm really tired
Dude here again. Mostly based on a dare (and an ever growing need to get the hell out of L.A. for a bit), I drove from L.A. on Friday night to catch a play in Seattle on Saturday night. Then after the play was done, I hopped back in the car and made my way back down to L.A. in time for work on Monday. I'm a little loopy, and I'm kind of amazed I'm still alive, but I'm gonna have to give a truncated Box Office Report for this week.
This weekend, Superbad kicked ass and The Invasion faltered miserably. Way to go, McLovin! Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Superbad (Sony) - $31.2, 2948 screens, week 1, $31.2 total
2. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $21.8, 3778 screens, week 2, $88.1 total
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $18.9, 3701 screens, week 3, $163.8 total
4. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $6.6, 3162 screens, week 4, $165.1 total
5.The Invasion (WB) - $6.0, 2776 screens, week 1, $6.0 total
6. Stardust (Par) - $5.2, 2565 screens, week 2, $19.0 total
7. Hairspray (NL) - $4.2, 2389 screens, week 5, $100.5 total
8. Underdog (BV)- $3.6, 2551 screens, week 3, $31.6 total
9. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $3.5, 1955 screens, week 6, $278.6 total
10. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $3.5, 2258 screens, week 5, $110.3 total
And in the "Because It's There" series (And to keep things Rogen-centric at all times): Knocked Up took in $290,000 on 297 screens, bringing it's grand total to $147,299,000 in 12 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, I hopefully catch up on some much needed rest. And on oil change for my car.
Until next weekend....
This weekend, Superbad kicked ass and The Invasion faltered miserably. Way to go, McLovin! Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Superbad (Sony) - $31.2, 2948 screens, week 1, $31.2 total
2. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $21.8, 3778 screens, week 2, $88.1 total
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $18.9, 3701 screens, week 3, $163.8 total
4. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $6.6, 3162 screens, week 4, $165.1 total
5.The Invasion (WB) - $6.0, 2776 screens, week 1, $6.0 total
6. Stardust (Par) - $5.2, 2565 screens, week 2, $19.0 total
7. Hairspray (NL) - $4.2, 2389 screens, week 5, $100.5 total
8. Underdog (BV)- $3.6, 2551 screens, week 3, $31.6 total
9. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $3.5, 1955 screens, week 6, $278.6 total
10. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $3.5, 2258 screens, week 5, $110.3 total
And in the "Because It's There" series (And to keep things Rogen-centric at all times): Knocked Up took in $290,000 on 297 screens, bringing it's grand total to $147,299,000 in 12 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, I hopefully catch up on some much needed rest. And on oil change for my car.
Until next weekend....
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
SHOW ME... SHOW YOU...
It's been a while since I've shared this, but it puts a smile on my face.
And why not two for the price of one!?!
And why not two for the price of one!?!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Box Office Report: End of the Three-quel edition
Dude here again. The air conditioner in my apartment is busted. It's very hot. Disgustingly hot. Hot like a curry. Hot like that girl you always admire from afar but have no confidence to actually talk to. That's how hot it is in my apartment. It's so hot, it's cooler to step outside and stand directly in the sun. Of course, if I step outside, I miss the Nathan Fillion marathon that Cinemax has graciously displayed before me. (Serenity followed directly by Slither!)
This weekend, our "summer of three-quels" comes to an end. Unless you're waiting for Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and consider it summer, although technically it opens on the first day of fall. So let's just enjoy and look back on the summer of retreads, of broken box office records, and of lowered expectations. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $50.2, 3778 screens, week 1, $50.2 total
2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $33.67, 3686 screens, week 2, $132.3 total
3. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $11.1, 3552 screens, week 3, $152.2 total
4. Stardust (Par) - $9.0, 2540 screens, week 1, $9.0 total
5. Underdog (BV)- $6.45, 3013 screens, week 2, $24.7 total
6. Hairspray (NL) - $6.37, 2805 screens, week 4, $92.1 total
7. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $5.9, 2799 screens, week 4, $103.8 total
8. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $5.38, 2585 screens, week 5, $272.0 total
9. No Reservations (WB) - $3.9, 2053 screens, week 3, $32.09 total
10. Daddy Day Camp (Sony) - $3.55, 2332 screens, week 1, $5.0 total (Wed. open)
Ok, those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, Rush Hour 3 failed to perform as well as Rush Hour 2, as it received some pretty terrible reviews, but audiences didn't seem to care. Perhaps this time around, Chris Tucker finally understood the words coming out of Jackie Chan's mouth. Otherwise, we'll have Rush Hour 4 to look forward to in another 7 years, during which Chris Tucker will not make any other movies at all.
It's interesting to note that most of the big "Three-quels" this summer were directed by the original directors. Rather rare in this day and age. (Shrek and Bourne are the exceptions, but Bourne carried on with the director of the second one). Just some food for thought.
Stardust opened up and didn't perform all that well, which is a shame. It was marred by a horrible trailer that gives no inclination as to what a fun film it truly is. But the glut of fantasy films based on books not a lot of people have heard is beginning, and is evident in the previews before the fantasy films that are out now. Far too many, and they're all starting to look the same.
Far too much bile has been spewed at Daddy Day Camp, so I'm just gonna leave it alone. Instead, I'll point out that Transformers became the fourth film to cross $300 million dollars this summer. Because that's happy news to those that made Transformers.
Below the radar, After Dark Films released Skinwalkers on 737 screens and took in $565,000. And a movie Rocket Science opened up on 6 screens and took in $56,900. I bring it up because it was shot in New Jersey, and New Jersey is the greatest place on Earth. Try to deny it.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Sunshine took in $181,000 on 116 screens, bringing it's grand total to $3,167,000 in 4 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, prepare thyself for McLovin. It sounds like a sexy hamburger.
Until next weekend...
This weekend, our "summer of three-quels" comes to an end. Unless you're waiting for Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and consider it summer, although technically it opens on the first day of fall. So let's just enjoy and look back on the summer of retreads, of broken box office records, and of lowered expectations. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. Rush Hour 3 (NL) - $50.2, 3778 screens, week 1, $50.2 total
2. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $33.67, 3686 screens, week 2, $132.3 total
3. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $11.1, 3552 screens, week 3, $152.2 total
4. Stardust (Par) - $9.0, 2540 screens, week 1, $9.0 total
5. Underdog (BV)- $6.45, 3013 screens, week 2, $24.7 total
6. Hairspray (NL) - $6.37, 2805 screens, week 4, $92.1 total
7. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $5.9, 2799 screens, week 4, $103.8 total
8. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $5.38, 2585 screens, week 5, $272.0 total
9. No Reservations (WB) - $3.9, 2053 screens, week 3, $32.09 total
10. Daddy Day Camp (Sony) - $3.55, 2332 screens, week 1, $5.0 total (Wed. open)
Ok, those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, Rush Hour 3 failed to perform as well as Rush Hour 2, as it received some pretty terrible reviews, but audiences didn't seem to care. Perhaps this time around, Chris Tucker finally understood the words coming out of Jackie Chan's mouth. Otherwise, we'll have Rush Hour 4 to look forward to in another 7 years, during which Chris Tucker will not make any other movies at all.
It's interesting to note that most of the big "Three-quels" this summer were directed by the original directors. Rather rare in this day and age. (Shrek and Bourne are the exceptions, but Bourne carried on with the director of the second one). Just some food for thought.
Stardust opened up and didn't perform all that well, which is a shame. It was marred by a horrible trailer that gives no inclination as to what a fun film it truly is. But the glut of fantasy films based on books not a lot of people have heard is beginning, and is evident in the previews before the fantasy films that are out now. Far too many, and they're all starting to look the same.
Far too much bile has been spewed at Daddy Day Camp, so I'm just gonna leave it alone. Instead, I'll point out that Transformers became the fourth film to cross $300 million dollars this summer. Because that's happy news to those that made Transformers.
Below the radar, After Dark Films released Skinwalkers on 737 screens and took in $565,000. And a movie Rocket Science opened up on 6 screens and took in $56,900. I bring it up because it was shot in New Jersey, and New Jersey is the greatest place on Earth. Try to deny it.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Sunshine took in $181,000 on 116 screens, bringing it's grand total to $3,167,000 in 4 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, prepare thyself for McLovin. It sounds like a sexy hamburger.
Until next weekend...
Thursday, August 09, 2007
I know I love Once to death
But this movie might give Once a run for its money (in my heart, at least) by the time it comes out.
Holy crap does this look awesome!
Holy crap does this look awesome!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
The distant future...
Don't worry, once Flight of the Conchords is over, I'll stop posting their brilliant videos. Until then, however...
Flight of the Conchords - Robot Future
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Flight of the Conchords - Robot Future
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Box Office Report: 8-5-07
Dude here again. I hope you all watched Masters Of Science FIction last night. I did. Then I threw a bottle at my television upon discovering that for all my hard work I did for them, they didn't see fit enough to give me a damn credit. So I say, eff that show. Don't watch it. They can't even spend a lousy second to put my name in there, then the show deserves to only have four episodes. Oh, and way to go marketing wizards, using most of the footage from the two episodes that aren't gonna air. Buncha jerks.
This weekend, Who's Your Caddy did not surprise everybody and take the number one spot. Again. Seriously, what's wrong with the world today? No credits. Who's Your Caddy being ignored. Shenanigans. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $70.18, 3660 screens, week 1, $70.18 total
2. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $25.6, 3926 screens, week 2, $128.55 total
3. Underdog (BV)- $12.0, 3013 screens, week 1, $12.0 total
4. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $10.5, 3289 screens, week 3, $91.69 total
5. Hairspray (NL) - $9.3, 3115 screens, week 3, $78.9 total
6. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $9.29, 3125 screens, week 4, $260.79 total
7. No Reservations (WB) - $6.57, 2425 screens, week 2, $24.15 total
8. Transformers (Par/DW) - $5.95, 2419 screens, week 5, $296.3 total
9. Hot Rod (Par) - $5.0, 2607 screens, week 1, $5.0 total
10. BRATZ (LGF) - $4.3, 1509 screens, week 1, $4.3 total
Ok, those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, if you're Bourne, you know that you kick an obscene amount of arse on screen and off. Yet another record is broken as Bourne claims the biggest August opening OF ALL TIME!!!! (Until next week, maybe). Besting the previous installments, and receiving almost unanimous praise, Bourne has proven that the "Summer of Three-quels" was not for nothing. That there can still be quality made out of familiarity.
Underdog came out. But it wasn't animated. It was a talking dog that sounded like the guy who calls himself Earl. If they made it animated, I totally would have seen it. The old animation from the cartoon, I mean. Anyway, it made some cash, it'll probably hold on a little bit, but who knows.
Hot Rod, starring SNL's Andy Samberg as a daredevil took in a middling $5 million dollars, but I'm willing to bet the movie's pretty hilarious regardless. It will find it's audience on video. BRATZ, the SECOND movie this summer based on a toy, failed to live up to the fighting robot legacy. Just goes to show, you can only make movies out of the COOL toys. (Although, a Malibu Barbie Dreamhouse movie could prove to be interesting. Look for it next summer). Curiously enough, Jon Voight appeared in both films. What's going on with that guy?
Below the radar, El Cantante, starring J Lo and her husband Marc Antony, opened on 542 screens and took in just over $3 million, but it received horrible reviews. Becoming Jane, which I assumed (wrongly) to be about a transgender operation, took in just over $1 million on 100 screens, giving it the second best per theater average of the weekend. (Wild guess what was first). And David Wain's The Ten opened up on 25 screens to take in $117,000.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Sicko took in $510,000 on 349 screens, bringing it's grand total to $22,647,000 in 7 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, Chris Tucker continues to try and understand the words that are coming out of Jackie Chan's mouth. And he probably says it very loud. Also, this Stardust movie opens, and that looks interesting.
Until next weekend....
This weekend, Who's Your Caddy did not surprise everybody and take the number one spot. Again. Seriously, what's wrong with the world today? No credits. Who's Your Caddy being ignored. Shenanigans. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday. Just to prove me wrong).
1. The Bourne Ultimatum (Uni) - $70.18, 3660 screens, week 1, $70.18 total
2. The Simpsons Movie (Fox) - $25.6, 3926 screens, week 2, $128.55 total
3. Underdog (BV)- $12.0, 3013 screens, week 1, $12.0 total
4. I Now... Chuck and Larry (Uni) - $10.5, 3289 screens, week 3, $91.69 total
5. Hairspray (NL) - $9.3, 3115 screens, week 3, $78.9 total
6. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix (WB) - $9.29, 3125 screens, week 4, $260.79 total
7. No Reservations (WB) - $6.57, 2425 screens, week 2, $24.15 total
8. Transformers (Par/DW) - $5.95, 2419 screens, week 5, $296.3 total
9. Hot Rod (Par) - $5.0, 2607 screens, week 1, $5.0 total
10. BRATZ (LGF) - $4.3, 1509 screens, week 1, $4.3 total
Ok, those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, if you're Bourne, you know that you kick an obscene amount of arse on screen and off. Yet another record is broken as Bourne claims the biggest August opening OF ALL TIME!!!! (Until next week, maybe). Besting the previous installments, and receiving almost unanimous praise, Bourne has proven that the "Summer of Three-quels" was not for nothing. That there can still be quality made out of familiarity.
Underdog came out. But it wasn't animated. It was a talking dog that sounded like the guy who calls himself Earl. If they made it animated, I totally would have seen it. The old animation from the cartoon, I mean. Anyway, it made some cash, it'll probably hold on a little bit, but who knows.
Hot Rod, starring SNL's Andy Samberg as a daredevil took in a middling $5 million dollars, but I'm willing to bet the movie's pretty hilarious regardless. It will find it's audience on video. BRATZ, the SECOND movie this summer based on a toy, failed to live up to the fighting robot legacy. Just goes to show, you can only make movies out of the COOL toys. (Although, a Malibu Barbie Dreamhouse movie could prove to be interesting. Look for it next summer). Curiously enough, Jon Voight appeared in both films. What's going on with that guy?
Below the radar, El Cantante, starring J Lo and her husband Marc Antony, opened on 542 screens and took in just over $3 million, but it received horrible reviews. Becoming Jane, which I assumed (wrongly) to be about a transgender operation, took in just over $1 million on 100 screens, giving it the second best per theater average of the weekend. (Wild guess what was first). And David Wain's The Ten opened up on 25 screens to take in $117,000.
And in the "Because It's There" series: Sicko took in $510,000 on 349 screens, bringing it's grand total to $22,647,000 in 7 weeks.
There you have my break down. Next week, Chris Tucker continues to try and understand the words that are coming out of Jackie Chan's mouth. And he probably says it very loud. Also, this Stardust movie opens, and that looks interesting.
Until next weekend....
Saturday, August 04, 2007
And the best movie I've seen all year is...
Once is a beautiful motion picture. It left me speechless for about an hour afterwards. It's that good. Seriously. This easily passes Hot Fuzz as my favorite movie of the year. It's just so damn good, I can't stress this enough.
Once is the story of a guy (Glen Hansard) who plays a beat up guitar in the streets of Dublin. During the day, he plays tunes most folks recognize, but at night, when the crowds are scarce, he plays his own songs. Songs written out of heartbreak and despair over a woman. (Naturally). This attracts the attention of the Girl. (Marketa Irglova), a Czech immigrant who sells roses in the street. She recognizes that the songs aren't just mopey, but that this guy has some actual talent.
Girl plays piano. They go to a music store with a piano and play one of his songs together. She is in love with the music, and plays her heart out with him. She encourages him to work more on his songs. He asks for her collaboration. Together they make beautiful music together. And slowly begin to fall in love.
Sounds typical, right? Boy meets girl, they fall in love, etc. Once is far from typical, though. Like with music, it's the singer, not the song, that makes us connect with it. Writer/Director John Carney and his actors do everything they can to make this as far from typical and run of the mill as possible. Yes, the story may be simple, but there are no story contrivances, only the reality of the situations. What happens between Guy and Girl I will not divulge, for that is a journey you have to make yourself. Because you owe it to yourself to see this movie.
Try not to fall in love with Guy and Girl. Just try. It can't happen. Neither are actors (Hansard is the guitarist in the band The Frames, the members of which also appear in the film, and Irglova I've not been able to find anything about, but this is her first and only film credit) and what comes through them is so honest and true that I couldn't look away. Take aforementioned scene where they first play the song together. First off, Girl is following Guy and his musical lead, not some preconceived script notion of how to act when playing a song. (As much as I enjoyed Music and Lyrics, I never bought they knew how to play the instruments or write music that matters). The motions these go through, the feelings they share and keep inside, all are present and done in such a naturalistic way. Damn I loved this movie.
I haven't even gotten to the music yet. It's gorgeous! Not only is Once the best film I've seen all year, the soundtrack is one of the best records I've heard all year too. The music comes from a real place, a raw, emotional place, but is never precocious or obnoxious about how friggin' good it is. And it's use in the film almost qualifies it as a musical, as the songs are used to express the feelings of the characters as they sing to each other. Not stopping the diagetic nature, but creating a world where these characters would sing to each other.
And if none of these songs win the Academy Award next year, then there truly is something wrong with this world.
I was fortunate enough to bear witness to Guy and Girl performing these songs live, after the screening I attended, and to hear the words escape from their mouths is almost transcendent. Okay, maybe that's going a bit overboard, as one is wont to do, but being in a room and hearing the songs and watching them sing them with all their heart (I could've sworn Girl was staring right at me while she sang) was absolutely wonderful. The passion is not just contained to celluloid. It transcends. (See? I knew I could make it work). Many thanks to Fox Searchlight for putting the shindig together. As for how you can top this, I have no idea. This night alone was just perfect.
(Two handsome devils with red beards, enjoying some Guiness in a tiny glass, after the live performance!)Dag, yo. the more I think about this movie, the more I believe, all hyperbole aside, that Once is a perfect movie. I'll say that again, should anyone want to pull a quote from a guy that calls himself "The Dude". ONCE IS A PERFECT MOVIE! There isn't a frame wasted, there isn't a false note in the whole thing. It's no frills, but 'tis a glorious time. I seriously have to restrain myself from going out and seeing it again right now. I'm not exaggerating, that's how much I loved this movie. I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!
There you have it. Once. A simple, no frills movie that tells us about all kinds of love, and their place in the world and how it can be expressed through the beauty of music. So drink the Kool Aid, take the plunge, and let yourself fall in love with Once. You'll be grateful you did.
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