Box Office Breakdown: Juno Makes An Impressive Surge
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Musicals, Period, Political, Romance, Satire, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Come Wednesday morning, the box office chart saw very few changes at the top. That’s not to say the five-day holiday weekend didn’t have any notable moments at all:
- Strong word of mouth helped boost last week’s #10, Juno, up five whole spaces. The movie - already in it’s 4th week - continues to soar despite its fairly limited release. It’s $15,788 per screen average even topped National Treasure’s $14,232.
- Golden Globes buzz also contributed to the success of seven-time nominee Atonement. Although it only placed 14th overall, the romantic weeper scored a $15,764 average.
- Alvin and the Chipmunks outmuscled last week’s #2, I Am Legend. The family-friendly flick traded spots with the Will Smith blockbuster thanks to its $2.5 million edge.
- The Debaters narrowly missed a place in the Top Ten despite its connection to both Denzel Washington and Oprah. You heard it right - the talk show host’s touch does not always mean gold.
- Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story followed up its disappointing debut with another out of tune performance. The musical satire plummeted five spots all the way down to #13.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Juno Makes An Impressive Surge
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Box Office Breakdown: Book of Secrets a National Hit
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, New Line, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Musicals, Period, Political, Romance, Satire, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
This holiday weekend introduced a slew of big-ticket features in our cineplexes. It also brought us a wide cast of former Oscar-winners competing for our theater dollars. By Monday, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Johnny Depp, Hilary Swank and Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly had all made entries into the Top Ten - but it was Nicolas Cage who wound up striking gold.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets earned $45 million, an increase of $10 million over the 2004 original. This was the second hit for Cage this year, following the critically-panned Ghost Rider. In addition to having the weekend’s best gross, Secrets also had the best average of any movie over those three days. Although Charlie Wilson’s War‘s fourth place was respectable (especially for a politically-based film these days), its $3760 per screen take clearly set it apart from this week’s champ. In contrast, Juno earned an $11,184 average for an impressive 10th place finish.
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‘Borat’ Schtick Officially Put to Rest
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Universal, Comedy, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases,
Recognizing that its often best to get out early, Sacha Baron Cohen has decided to put two of his famous characters to rest. Both Ali G and Borat Sagdiyev - personas created almost 10 years ago - will now only be remembered in their prime.
Thanks to the exposure on HBO’s Da Ali G Show and last year’s Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, the actor/comedian understands that he can no longer keep up the element of surprise. Fortunately for fans, this will allow Sacha, 36, to now focus his attention on new roles. In addition to his flashy cameo in the currently released Sweeney Todd, Cohen will later be seen in Bruno - a film revolving around the Austrian fashion reporter often featured on his former cable show.
E! Online
Review: ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’
Posted by David Onda Categories: DreamWorks, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Classics, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Thrillers, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
I just got back from the midnight showing of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Previously, I had seen the original Broadway cast perform this show via video cassette tape in my “History of Theater” class. I also saw a very stripped down version of the show performed by a national touring cast without sets or costumes. This film was every bit as good visually, musically and narratively as either one of those shows. For those of you who are unaware of the plot, let me catch you up.
Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is a happily married man with a beautiful yellow-haired wife and a bouncing bay girl living in ye olde London. A man by the name of Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) takes a liking to Barker’s wife and frames him for a crime which he is convicted and exiled for. Upon Barker’s return to London years later, he finds that his wife is dead and his little girl is being held hostage by the evil Turpin. Hell bent on revenge, and now going by the name Sweeney Todd, Barker takes up residence above Mrs. Lovett’s (Helena Bonham Carter) Meat Pie shop. There, the trained barber kills his customers in hopes that one day it will be the Judge’s turn for a shave.
Oh yeah, and the bodies get baked into the pies.
Click to continue reading Review: ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’
In Theaters This Weekend (12/21)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- Charlie Wilson’s War (R): starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman (directed by Mike Nichols)
- National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG): starring Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren (directed by Jon Turteltaub)
- P.S. I Love You (PG-13): starring Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow (directed by Richard LaGravanese)
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (R): starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen (directed by Tim Burton)
- Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (R): starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig (directed by Jake Kasdan)
- Steep* (PG): starring Ingrid Backstrom, Doug Coombs, Shane McConkey (directed by Mark Obenhaus)
*limited and/or gradual release
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan…Review (phew!)
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: 20th Century Fox, Comedy, Celebrity Controversy, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
Borat Sagdiyev is a journalist from Kazakhstan sent to the United States to learn the ways of American culture. Upon arriving in New York, Borat and his producer begin setting up interviews with various experts in an effort to take back to their country all they have learned, and to improve the Kazakh way of life. Plans change, however, when Borat discovers a late night rerun of Baywatch, falls in love with Pamela Anderson, and becomes determined to travel across the country to make her his wife. Borat: Cultural Learnings For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan will push the moral limits of even the most unscrupulous person, but cannot be ignored for its brilliant social satire and outrageous humor.
Does Possible ‘Borat’ Inspiration Seek Reparation, or Just Fame?
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Controversy,
Mahir Cagri, a Turkish man and freelance journalist, is claiming to be the inspiration for Borat, the fictional Kazakh journalist and main character in the new eponymous film. Created by Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat first officially appeared on Da Ali G Show in 2003 – Cohen had been toying with the character for years in Britain, where he began exposing hidden stereotypes, offending innocent bystanders, and making us laugh. Cagri first became known to the public when he started a personal website to make new friends. The site quickly gained popularity due to the unintentionally humorous photos of Cagri playing ping pong and wearing a Speedo, and poorly written text, including an invitation for any women wishing to visit his home in Turkey. This quickly launched Cagri into instant internet celebrity. However, Cagri claims, “(Cohen) is making money by using me” and seeks an “acknowledgment or an apology.”
Doesn’t this always happen when someone starts to get really famous? People start coming out of the woodwork, claiming that they’ve been wronged somehow and demanding recognition or payment. Granted, there are a few coincidences here, but Cohen could’ve culled his inspiration from many different facets of Central Asian and Muslim culture. It seems Cagri could simply be riding the coattails of a famous character who happens to look and speak similarly. And even if he is Cohen’s inspiration, should Cagri have the right to call him out publicly? Should Cohen feel it necessary to apologize? We don’t think so. Borat is hilarious – sometimes, satirically brilliant - no matter where he came from, and, despite this accusation, Cohen has molded him into his own unique character. Cagri should be content in his own celebrity and feel flattered at the possibility of his own grand influence. So, leave Borat alone; if he not successful in US and A, he will be execute!
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