You Kill Me Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Michael Moore is not as popular a magician as Harry Potter, but he can still draw a crowd. Sicko made an estimated $2.6 million over the weekend, according to Variety, reflecting a downturn of just 26% from the previous weekend. In view of the expansion by distributor The Weinstein Co. to 756 screens, the relatively small percentage drop-off in box office indicates that word of mouth is good. So far, Sicko has earned $15.8 million, which puts it on pace to overtake Moore's earlier Bowling for Columbine and last year's Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

My Best Friend, the latest from French director Patrice Leconte, had the highest per-screen average among indie releases, chalking up $15,508 each at three screens. Not far behind was Talk to Me, which had an average take of $11,841 from 33 screens in its opening weekend. Also in its first weekend of release on six screens, Interview made an estimated $41,620, while Rescue Dawn averaged more than $9,000 on 38 screens. Introducing the Dwights sank to $2,600 per screen. The weekend's financial stars include You Kill Me ($620,288; cumulative total $1.5 million), La Vie en Rose ($545,693; $6.9 million) and Once ($325,000; $5.0 million). All of these films -- except one -- have been covered at Cinematical, either with reviews or an interview, and I've linked to our coverage so you can have a look at what our critics had to say.

More on Sicko: Kim Voynar just posted her Film Clips column this morning, in which she puts the earnings of Sicko in broader perspective, among other things. As a further point for discussion, Variety notes that The Weinstein Co. avoids box office comparisons to Fahrenheit 9/11 -- and rightly so, as that film was a phenomenon not likely to be repeated -- but then adds its own opinion that Fahrenheit had a topic "much broader in appeal." Is that true for you? Did you see Fahrenheit 9/11 but decide to skip Sicko because its topic isn't as appealing?

Back when Pulp Fiction came out, Quentin Tarantino began publishing lists of his favorite movies in various interviews. To a film buff, these were something of a small revelation. Tarantino had not been so much influenced by the usual Citizen Kane or Hitchcock as he was by a plethora of semi-forgotten, underappreciated trash movies. Suddenly movies like Brian De Palma's Blow Out (1981), Jack Hill's Coffy (1973) and Jim McBride's remake of Breathless (1983) gained in respectability; they had influenced a new American classic, and so there must be hidden greatness within their second-rate frames. Likewise, Tarantino helped breathe new life into already established classics like Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday (1940) and Jean-Luc Godard's Band of Outsiders (1964). He created a film-buff smorgasbord.

Flash forward 13 years to 2007. Tarantino has a new movie out, the bottom half of Grindhouse, in which he sings the praises of a cult road movie called Vanishing Point (1971) among other titles. And yet, for some reason, I had absolutely no urge to rent that movie when Grindhouse had finished up. Perhaps it's because Tarantino's passion had turned into something a little more dutiful. Rather, my cinematic slaverings had turned elsewhere, to a relative newcomer that had been recently initiated into the Tarantino camp with the inclusion of his Grindhouse trailer: Edgar Wright. His exciting, hilarious, and enthusiastic Hot Fuzz (164 screens) had got me thinking about the veiled merits of its buddy cop double bill: Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break (1991) and Michael Bay's Bad Boys II (2003).

Having never seen the Thomas Jane's incarnation of The Punisher, you can't blame me for failing to gather much enthusiasm for Marvel's vigilante after what Dolph Lundgren did with the character. Back in May, Scott had brought us the news that John Dahl could be taking over directing duties for The Punisher 2. Well, here we are almost a month later and Dahl is no longer interested in going ahead with the film, despite some early enthusiasm for the project. In an interview with UGO with Dahl while he was out promoting his latest film, You Kill Me with Ben Kingsley, the topic of Punisher 2 came up. Dahl said: "I actually thought I could make a better movie. But then when I really started thinking about what it was and the fact that the studio kind of didn't want to spend a whole lot of money, it was like "Do I want to do an action movie in 40 days? With a massive second unit?" Dahl goes on to state that the script "was not that good" -- Which is probably bad news for fans that were worried the studio was toying with the idea of turning the film into a straight to DVD cash grab.

Talk of a sequel to the 2004 film began to heat up back in December, with promises of a new direction for the movie that was going to correct the mistakes of the past. But the loss of Dahl is the second hit the project has taken since Jane dropped out back in May. Dahl seems happy to be off the hook for the film and instead is going to focus on independent projects. For now, it looks like The Punisher 2 is not only in the market for a new star and director, but they might have to go back to the drawing board all together.

Just a few days ago we shared a rumor that filmmaker John Dahl might be in the running to direct the Thomas Jane-less Punisher 2 ... but I'll believe that when I see it. Until then (well, on June 22, anyway) we can focus on a movie that Dahl definitely DID direct. It's a dark comedy called You Kill Me and you can check out the new trailer right here. (I'd say the trailer probably gives too much of the story away, but I guess that's how they sell movies these days.)

The flick stars Ben Kingsley as an alcoholic assassin from Buffalo who's forced to take a job at a San Francisco funeral home and somehow gets romantic with Tea Leoni. Also on board are Philip Baker Hall, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina and Bill Pullman. Heck, forget the trailer. I'd go see this movie based only on the cast and the director. Oddly enough, You Kill Me was written by the team that penned both of the Narnia adaptations. Interesting. And for those who don't understand why I hold John Dahl in such high regard, I recommend you check out Red Rock West, The Last Seduction or Joy Ride. (Yes, I said Joy Ride. It's good.) Plus he did Rounders, and who doesn't love that movie?

Odds and ends from Monday:

• Looks like someone is tired of his boring office job. John Krasinski (The Office) has signed on to write and direct an adaptation of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, written by David Foster Wallace. The book itself (which you either love or despise with a passion) consists of twenty-two stories which revolve around -- you got it -- a bunch of hideous men. Pic begins its principal photography this November and, with the exception of Krasinski himself, there have been no other cast announcements.
• IFC Films is looking to dance with the big boys, as they've committed to release four to six films a year with budgets ranging between $4-10 million. As part of the announcement, IFC Films has picked up all North American rights to the dark comedy You Kill Me, directed by John Dahl. Starring Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni and Luke Wilson, pic revolves around an alcoholic hitman who, while taking a break from the killing, decides to become a mortician. Darkish hilarity ensues.
• Man, I love it when these "unnamed sources" decide to stir up crap on the internet. I swear, in my next life, I want to come back as an "unnamed source." Ya know, this way I can make up a ton of stuff and see who actually buys into it. Back on topic, an "unnamed source" told the U.K.'s Life Style Extra that, despite the fact their film sort of bombed with critics, as well as at the box office, Jaime Foxx and Colin Farrell both feel there's enough story present for a Miami Vice sequel. Eh, I can't see Michael Mann or Universal feeling the same way ... then again, stranger sequels have happened. (Ahem, Break'n Revolution?)

Odds and ends for Wednesday:

• For some reason, I love words that feature the letter 'T' followed by the letter 'Z.' Not sure what it is, but don't be surprised if I wake up hungover one Sunday and you see the name Tzerik Davis next to one of these posts. Now that things are a bit awkward, director Géla Babluani announced he will remake his award-winning film 13Tzameti in English. Even after finding a ton of success at Sundance and Venice, Babluani probably realized if Americans are going to watch this film, it will have to come in color, with a side dish of (Insert hot A-List actor here.) Oh, and hold the subtitles.

• Not in a million years had I ever considered placing the words Sarah Jessica Parker and "snuff film" within the same sentence. Wow, that was strange. The Sex in the City star has signed on to topline the thriller Vacancy for Screen Gems. Parker will play one half of a couple who check into a motel unaware that, not only are they being recorded, but they're also about to become participants in a snuff film. Please don't have her star opposite Matthew Broderick. That would be too, um, weird for me.

• Phew! Tea Leoni is still working. And here I was formulating some sort of protest (Save Tea? Free Tea? Tea Who?) to help combat those keeping her off the screen. The actress, along with Ben Kingsley and Luke Wilson, has signed on to star in the mob-ish comedy You Kill Me for Code Entertainment. Pic will revolve around a hitman from Buffalo who is sent west to "dry out" and attend AA meetings. While there, he finds a job in a mortuary and befriends the relative of one of his victims. Also on-board are Dennis Farina and Bill Pullman. If Farina can churn out a Midnight Run-esque performance, then I'm on line for a ticket as we speak.