Eugene Novikov
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Eugene Novikov
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Filed under: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Remakes and Sequels

Filed under: New Releases, Box Office
It took a Nicholas Sparks adaptation starring Channing Tatum to finally knock Avatar from the perch it held for seven weeks. Dear John grossed an estimated $32.4 million to Avatar's $23.6 -- but Sparks/Tatum is such a potent combination that I wonder if the movie wouldn't have done non-trivially better had it not opened against the Superbowl. As it stands, it still has by far the best opening weekend for a Nicholas Sparks flick, though it's not clear what kind of legs it's going to have -- it will get some stiff competition from Garry Marshall's Valentine's Day next weekend. Filed under: Action, Casting, Deals, Newsstand
It's gotten to the point where I look forward to the next Fast/Furious movie -- or at least the announcement -- just to see what they'll call it. Every title since the first one has had something to offer: nonsensical wordplay (2 Fast 2 Furious), a wonderfully goofy subtitle (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), bizarre and confusing minimalism (Fast & Furious). The current title of the fifth entry (which we speculated about last month, and is now official) into the now-venerable franchise combines at least the first and the third of those: the movie is currently known as Fast Five, which I guess means we have to start referring to this series as Fast and/or Furious.Filed under: Action, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips
If you haven't seen Ong Bak 2, you should. Not just because of Tony Jaa's undeniable mixed-martial-arts awesomeness, though certainly for that reason, too. If you're at all interested in genre film mechanics, you should watch it for the way it dodges the usual complaints about the clunky plotting of martial arts flicks by turning its story into a barely-there abstraction. Its plot doesn't even rise to the level of a clothesline on which Jaa hangs his spectacular set pieces of kickassery, which is what would usually happen. Rather, it's the absolute minimum necessary to make the movie more than a music video. This isn't a criticism. No one else is doing quite what Jaa is doing, and I'm grateful for it.Filed under: New Releases, Box Office
Filed under: Exhibition
Last year's Aziz Ansari-initiated uproar over digital IMAX versus "real" IMAX did little to stop the spread of the "poor man"'s large format. More and more theaters are charging extra for converted theaters with slightly larger screens and high-end digital projection and sound. As you may know, IMAX is no longer the only player in the game: over the past few months, Cinemark has been rolling out something it calls "XD" or "Extreme Digital Cinema" at theaters across the country. (IMAX and Cinemark have since hit each other with patent and breach of contract lawsuits.) It promises "extra large, extreme entertainment" and an "intense experience in every seat." But intense sensory experiences don't come cheap: a ticket to an XD showing will run you $3 dollars extra. Here in San Francisco, seeing a movie at the only XD theater costs $14.Filed under: New Releases, Box Office
Filed under: New Releases, Box Office
Filed under: Horror, New Releases

Filed under: New Releases, Box Office
Dog Saves Family, Gets Second Chance
Household of 10 makes room for hero Doberman who rescues them from blaze