The big story of the weekend was the success enjoyed by Under the Same Moon (Fox Searchlight / The Weinstein Co.), which earned $8,910 per screen playing on 266 screens, according to estimates compiled by Leonard Klady at Movie City News. Our own Jette Kernion described it as "essentially an old-fashioned family melodrama." She pointed out that the film has an "overt agenda" in its message about U.S. undocumented workers, but concluded: "Despite its flaws, Under the Same Moon is an entertaining film that knows how to charm an audience."Playing at one theater in New York and one in Los Angeles, Planet B-Boy (Elephant Eye Films) made $14,500 per screen, giving it the highest per-screen average. Benson Lee directed the documentary, "which weaves the stories of numerous crews from 18 nations vying in the Battle of the Year championship in Braunschweig, Germany," in the words of Ed Gonzalez in The Village Voice. "What most sticks is Planet B-Boy's aesthetic, which feels jocked from the school of Michael Moore."
Boarding Gate (Magnet Releasing) is the latest provocation from French director Olivier Assayas, starring the ever-sexy Asia Argento. The film grossed $11,400 at one theater in New York. Cinematical's James Rocchi was not terribly impressed with the star's performance when he saw it at Cannes last year, though: "Not to be crass, but if Argento's line readings and character were as well-developed and fully-rounded as her breasts, I've no doubt Boarding Gate would have been a better film."
Christophe Honoré is another French director who tends to divide audiences. His latest, the unconventional musical Love Songs (IFC), has, perhaps surprisingly, received generally favorable reviews, though our own Christopher Campbell came to a different conclusion: "Ultimately, though, and somewhat ironically, it's the strength of the film's story that left me so frustrated." The film drew $8,750 per screen at two Manhattan locations.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-27-2008 @ 6:48PM
LonewackoDotCom said...
You forgot to mention that the movie was financed by the Mexican government:
http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/007578.html
Yes, that's right: the same government that profits from illegal activity has now funded a movie designed to make that illegal activity acceptable.
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3-28-2008 @ 4:09PM
Karen said...
Under the Same Moon is an excellent movie about the bond between a mother and son that you can watch with your whole family. I highly recommend it!
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4-02-2008 @ 6:29PM
Frida said...
Lonewackodotcom:
Is this what you go around doing all day?
The Mexican government finances most movies made in Mexico.
this has nothing to do with the movie itself.
Stop fishing for trouble.
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