Box Office Breakdown: Jessica Alba Can’t Keep Audiences Awake
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, MGM, Paramount, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
There’s nothing like a good snub to restore your faith in moviegoers.
Although Awake was the only new wide release this past weekend, discerning audiences kept it from succeeding by default. (NOTE: Cute squirrels will always trump Jessica Alba.) The movie, also co-starring Star Wars’ Hayden Christensen, opened with a dismal $6 million - less than half of what Alba’s last stellar film, Good Luck Chuck, did. (The latter opened at $13.7 million.) I wonder if this currently makes Jessica Biel the most successful Jessica out there.
Aside from Awake’s entry, the rest of the Top Ten changed very little from last week. Enchanted refused to budge from its perch and earned another $16 million over the past three days. Meanwhile, Beowulf surged back up a notch, trading spots with holiday flick, This Christmas.
Although the box office numbers were unspectacular overall, we can expect big changes in just a few days; that’s when New Line’s The Golden Compass makes its debut.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Jessica Alba Can’t Keep Audiences Awake
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New Line Explores Animation With ‘Planet 51’
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: New Line, Animation, Filmmaking, Upcoming Releases,
For the first time since the company’s inception, New Line Cinema is gearing up to release an animated film. The $60 million Planet 51 was created by Ilion Animation Studios and written by Joe Stillman (of Shrek fame).
In case you couldn’t tell from the title, this film’s about a planet. The inhabitants therein are plagued with fear of alien invasion, a horror that is realized when Chuck Baker (an astronaut) enters their galaxy. As he tries to evade capture and return to his home planet, he makes friends with a young alien living on Planet 51. I found every part of the plot believable until I found out the astronaut’s supposed to be from Earth. Not buying it.
The movie and complementing video game are scheduled for a 2009 release.
Yahoo! News
Box Office Breakdown: Audiences Enchanted With Disney
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, MGM, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Romance, Comedy, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Throw comedy, drama, animation, romance, sci-fi, hunky actors, pretty actresses, singing, dancing, kids and cute animals all into one film and you’ll get Enchanted. You’ll also have Disney’s latest holiday success.
The film, starring Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams, grossed nearly $50 million over the 5-day weekend ($34 million from Friday-Sunday). Enchanted’s take places it behind 1999’s Toy Story 2 - the film with the largest Thanksgiving debut ever ($80.1 million).
Last week’s champion, Beowulf, fell into 3rd place right behind another holiday opener, This Christmas. The movies took in $23.3 and $26.3 million, respectively, during the long stretch.
Although the sappy August Rush opened in a disappointing 7th place, the DVD release of Waitress this week should make actress Keri Russell - and her fans - feel a bit better.
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E! Online
In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (11/21)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, MGM, Sony, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Yari Film Group Releasing, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Foreign, Horror, Music, Period, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,
Here are some possible suggestions for your holiday enjoyment:
- August Rush (PG): starring Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard (directed by Kirsten Sheridan)
- Enchanted (PG): starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon (directed by Kevin Lima)
- Hitman (R): starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko (directed by Xavier Gens)
- No Country for Old Men (R): starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin (directed by Joel Coen)
- Stephen King’s The Mist (R): starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden (directed by Frank Darabont)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (11/21)
2007 Holiday Movie Guide
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks, Disney, Yari Film Group Releasing, Animation, Drama, Family, Romance, Comedy, Box Office, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
The music, the décor, the treats…the weather. The holidays are drawing near, and that can only mean one thing: lots of sappy heart-wrenchers are going to start appearing in our movie theaters. Even the films couched as comedies are sure to evoke a deeper meaning, all in an effort to open our holiday hearts.
Whether you want tears, laughter, or good old-fashioned family entertainment, this year Hollywood is running the gamut on movies designed to tempt you away from the malls and into the theaters. But will you actually see any of them? Get the scoop on all the upcoming movies being released this holiday season.
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
I saw the trailer and immediately dismissed this movie out of hand. Never mind that it has Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman (a big star cast if ever there was one); this is a movie about a magic toy shop. HUH? Who actually got Hoffman and Portman to agree to this? Designed especially for kids and family, Magorium is about an inventor (Hoffman) and his manager’s (Portman) attempts to keep the shop open, despite intervention from an accountant (Jason Bateman).
This one’s for the little tykes, people. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium comes to theaters November 16.
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AOL Movies
Box Office Breakdown: Fred Claus No Match for Jerry Seinfeld
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, New Line, Sony, Touchstone, Universal, Warner Bros, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Political, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
In a shocking turn of events, Bee Movie came buzzing back to life this weekend stealing the #1 spot from recent victor, American Gangster. Bee’s $25 million take also embarrassed the newest comedic entry, Fred Claus.
Although fellow ‘Frat Packer’ Will Ferrell rang bells with November 2003’s Elf, Vince Vaughn couldn’t come close to matching his friend’s $31.1 million debut. The news was especially surprising given Vaughn and director David Dobkin’s recent collaboration on 2005’s Wedding Crashers. Could this mean Vaughn’s only appealing when he’s part of a larger comedic team?
Also noteworthy this weekend was the disappointing performance of Lions for Lambs. Lions wasn’t expected to take in Mission Impossible-esque numbers, but the film did still boast Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and actor/director Robert Redford. As it was, the movie grossed less than any other Cruise-attached wide release in more than 20 years. At least Streep can say this topical film debuted higher than her last attempt (Rendition).
P2, the only other new Top Ten entry, racked up ninth place.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Fred Claus No Match for Jerry Seinfeld
Oscar Buzz for Animated Films
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Animation, Family, Awards,
The official nominees for the 80th Annual Academy Awards haven’t yet been selected, but twelve animated feature films are already up for consideration. Only three films out of the twelve submitted will receive actual nominations, and only then if submission procedures are correctly followed.
No more than sixteen movies may be considered in any one category, but films submitted to the Animated category may qualify for other nominations as well. The year’s potential contenders include Bee Movie, Beowulf, Meet the Robinsons, Ratatouille, Shrek the Third and The Simpsons Movie.
The Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday, January 22.
LA Times
Box Office Breakdown: A Gangbusters Weekend for Washington, Crowe
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Miramax, Lionsgate, New Line, Sony, Touchstone, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Combine Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington’s star-wattage and you’re bound to get a hit. But did anyone expect a $43 million debut for American Gangster? Why did these Oscar-winners do so well when others have only done okay? How did an R-rated film beat out an animated PG flick? Why didn’t the movie’s long running-time (157 minutes) turn people away?
Gangster’s #1 spot was just one of the film’s many weekend achievements. The movie also marked the biggest opening weekend for both lead actors (Russell’s Gladiator earned $35 million; Washington’s Inside Man grossed $29 million). It also had the 2nd best debut for a drama in November (right behind 2002’s 8 Mile).
Unfortunately, all this good news was lost on comedian Jerry Seinfeld—the hardest working self-promoter of 2007. Even though NBC spent countless hours of airtime sucking up to its former Golden Boy, Seinfeld’s Bee Movie was stung with a 2nd place finish. Although $38 million take is nothing to complain about, I expect next week’s Fred Claus will slide right in to become the week’s best-grossing comedy.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: A Gangbusters Weekend for Washington, Crowe
In Theaters This Weekend (11/2)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, MGM, New Line, Universal, Warner Independant Films, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Comedy, Lists, New Releases,
- American Gangster (R): starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe (directed by Ridley Scott)
- Bee Movie (PG): starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger (directed by Steve Hickner, Simon Smith)
- Martian Child (PG): starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet (directed by Menno Meyjes)
- Wristcutters: A Love Story (R): starring Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon (directed by Goran Dukic)
- Darfur Now* (PG): starring Don Cheadle, George Clooney (directed by Ted Braun)
*limited or gradual release
‘Thundercats’ Movie Finds a Director in O’Flaherty
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Science Fiction, Scripts, Upcoming Releases,
Last month, FilmCrunch told you about some up-and-coming movies based on classic cartoons; one of the more exciting endeavors just edged closer to fruition. H-O-O-O-O!
Seasoned videogame art director Jerry O’Flaherty—best known for his work on such games as Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3 and Command and Conquer—will cut his directing teeth on the big-screen, computer-animated adaptation of the classic 80s cartoon Thundercats. O’Flaherty recently told Variety why he has what it takes to bring the idiosyncratic cartoon to the silver screen:
“It feels like a natural thing for me to step into. Games have come so far now. The last four years of my life have been about bringing the energy of filmmaking into the videogame experience”The creative but often repetitive (everything’s fine; bad guy lures good guy into trap; good guys save the day, thwarting bad guys; it all ends with a moral and a good laugh) television show followed a group of feline/human hybrids fleeing from their destroyed home planet Thundera. Upon their arrival on Third Earth, the Thundercats are met with unclear opposition from the immortal Mumm-Ra and his gang of other … animals resembling humans.
The script, penned by Paul Sopocy, will focus on the leader of the Thundercats, Lion-O, as he grows, trains and comes to lead the crew. IMDB has the project listed with a 2010 release, but at this point no further information has officially been released.
I may be crazy, but I’m really looking forward to this movie. I was a big fan back in the day and gave the series a second glance after its DVD release—a move that ultimately caused my inner child to cry as I asked him, “What the hell were you thinking?!” But the cat-campy animated series will likely share success with the other recent 80s revival Transformers, which relied on a fan base of twenty- and thirty-somethings with heretofore disillusionment and low expectations.
Mediocrity, H-O-O-O-O!
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| Variety
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