This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: November 23, 2010

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Magnolia, Miramax, Lionsgate, Sony, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Biopics, Classics, Drama, Family, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Thrillers, Home Entertainment, Lists, New Releases,

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this week:

• Beauty and the Beast (Two-Disc Diamond Edition): DVD
• Diary of a Mad Black Woman: Blu-ray
• The Disappearance of Alice Creed: DVD, Blu-ray
• Eat Pray Love: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Expendables: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Family that Preys: Blu-ray
• The Hunting Party: Blu-ray
• I'm Still Here: DVD, Blu-ray
• Metropolis: Blu-ray
• Strictly Ballroom (Special Edition): DVD
• Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion: Blu-ray
• Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail: Blu-ray
• Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married: Blu-ray
• The Winning Season: DVD

Make sure to also check out the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

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Box Office Breakdown: Harry Potter Breaks Franchise Record

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Biopics, Drama, Family, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 set a new record for the franchise this weekend – without the help of any 3-D prices.

The penultimate film in the series took in a magical $125 million, beating the previous mark set by 2005’s Goblet of Fire (which debuted to $102.7 million). The movie, which more than doubled what the other Top 10 entries did combined, also found itself ranked sixth on the all-time openers list.

In comparison, Paul Haggis’ The Next Three Days did about 5% of what Harry Potter accomplished. That’s the smallest open for Russell Crowe since 2006’s A Good Year.

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Box Office Breakdown: Megamind is Unstoppable

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Lionsgate, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,

Denzel Washington and Chris Pine could do nothing but watch Megamind speed past them at the box office.

Despite an early lead for the action film, Unstoppable lost a bit of steam. The movie, which opened to $8.1 million on Friday, slowed to a $22.7 million take and second place-finish by Monday. Of the five films Tony Scott has directed Washington in, this movie – also starring Chris Pine – debuted in the middle of the pack.

Two other wide releases found themselves perched in the Top 10 this weekend. Universal’s sci-fi entry, Skyline, dialed up $11.7 million for fourth place. Meanwhile, Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton, produced $9.2 million ($11.8 million since Wednesday) – enough for fifth place.

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Box Office Breakdown: Megamind Opens Large with $46 Million

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Biopics, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,

Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis and Tyler Perry contributed to one of the largest November weekends in box office history.

Megamind – starring Ferrell, Tina Fey and Brad Pitt – topped the competition this weekend with a $46 million take. The animated comedy opened bigger than How to Train Your Dragon – another Paramount/Dreamworks collaboration – did in March ($43.7 million), but smaller than Despicable Me ($56.4 million) did in July.

Todd Phillips’ Due Date, featuring Galifianakis and Robert Downey Jr., also had an impressive open despite landing into second place. The movie, which grossed $32.7 million, had the largest premiere for any R-rated flick in November. (The movie bested the record set by Borat’s $26.4 million in 2006.) The film, though, fell behind The Hangover’s $45 million open in 2009.

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In Theaters This Weekend: November 5, 2010

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, IFC Films, Magnolia, Lionsgate, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Biopics, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Horror, Independent, Musicals, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases, Trailers,

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

• Due Date (R): starring Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan (directed by Todd Phillips)
• For Colored Girls (R): starring nika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson (directed by Tyler Perry)
• Megamind (PG): starring Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey (directed by Tom McGrath)
• 127 Hours* (R): starring James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Kate Mara (directed by Danny Boyle)
• Beneath the Dark* (NR): starring Josh Stewart, Jamie-Lynn Sigler (directed by Chad Feehan)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: November 5, 2010

This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: August 31, 2010

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, IFC Films, Lionsgate, Sony, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Horror, Satire, Science Fiction, Comedy, Home Entertainment, Lists, New Releases,

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:

• 9th Company: DVD, Blu-ray
• Apache Rifles: DVD
• Beatdown: DVD, Blu-ray
• Brainjacked: DVD
• Carnivorous: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Evil Dead (Limited Edition): Blu-ray
• Harry Brown: DVD, Blu-ray
• Marmaduke: DVD, Blu-ray
• Oss 117: Lost in Rio: DVD
• Red Riding Trilogy: DVD, Blu-ray
• Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?: DVD, Blu-ray

Make sure to also check out the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

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Box Office Breakdown: Kick-Ass Saves Its Ass

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Remakes, Science Fiction, Comedy, Box Office, Lists,

Kick-Ass had a hard time living up to its name this weekend.

Despite high expectations for the R-rated superhero entry, Matthew Vaughn’s film barely won the box office battle. In fact, it looked on Sunday like Lionsgate’s actioner would place second overall. Fortunately, the final numbers worked in Kick-Ass’ favor…but not by much. Less than $200,000 separated How to Train Your Dragon from this week’s chart topper.

Meanwhile, attendance at Death at a Funeral‘s services was good enough to get the comedy a fourth place debut. Neil LaBute’s remake of the 2007 British film recovered most of its budget - it cost approximately $21 million to make - with its $16.2 million gross.

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Box Office Breakdown: Titans Disappoints Date Night

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Independent, Religious, Remakes, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists,

Looks like Sunday wasn’t a great day for a Date Night.

Despite early predictions that the Steve Carell/Tina Fey laugher would end the weekend with a $27.1 million take and a first place finish, the movie wound up falling slightly short. When the final numbers were turned in, the Shawn Levy-directed comedy had raked in just $25.2 million in ticket sales - positioning it right between Clash of the Titans and How to Train Your Dragon.

Although Date Night did not come close to surpassing Carell’s personal best (Get Smart opened to $38.7 million in 2008), it did top Fey’s previous high (Baby Mama‘s $17.4 million from 2008).

Meanwhile, the only other entry in this weekend’s Top 10 was a movie that only opened in 897 theaters. Letters to God - which only grossed $1.1 million and a $1,228 per screen average - helped push Shutter Island and She’s Out of My League off the charts.

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Box Office Breakdown: Titans Rules Over Competition

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Remakes, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,

Clash of the Titans’ use of 3D may not have been favorably reviewed, but that didn’t keep the remake from conquering the box office.

The Warner Bros. film, which was delayed for a last-minute technology upgrade, officially became the biggest Easter weekend opener to date. Titans’ $61.2 million topped previous holiday champ Scary Movie 4 and bested 1999’s The Matrix to become the best April release ever. (That 1999 film debuted to $27.8 million.)

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In Theaters This Weekend: April 2, 2010

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, IFC Films, Magnolia, Lionsgate, Touchstone, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Remakes, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

• Clash of the Titans (PG-13): starring Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson (directed by Louis Letterier)
• The Last Song (PG): starring Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, Liam Hemsworth (directed by Julie Anne Robinson)
• Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? (PG-13): starring Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott (directed by Tyler Perry)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: April 2, 2010