new in town Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 5/26
Filed under: New Releases », DVD Reviews », New on DVD », Home Entertainment »
Killshot
Sometimes a film comes with big names and notable filmmakers, but just can't get more than a barely-there release on the big screen. This is one of those films. An adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel about a couple embroiled in a mess with some sketchy types, this puppy comes from Shakespeare in Love director John Madden, and stars the likes of Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Johnny Knoxville, and Rosario Dawson. EFilmCritic calls it "messy and unfocused." Skip it.
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Powder Blue
Now Jessica Biel might be lamenting her beauty and how that affects her career, but not so long ago she was taking it off for her work. This is that Christmas drama with the stripper (Biel), an ex-priest, an ex-con, and a mortician. It is, however, also (slightly) notable for being the film where Patrick Swayze plays the gentleman's club head "Velvet Larry." Skip it.
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New in Town
There's not much to perk up the last two "Skip It" picks, just another Renee Zellweger romcom -- this time, with Harry Connick Jr. She's an executive who winds up in a small town and discovers the charms of rural life. William Goss said it didn't have "even one iota of charm or humor," so Skip it on DVD and Blu-ray.
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Fan Rant: Shopaholics Having Sex in the City With Men Not Into You
Filed under: Comedy », Romance », New Releases », Fan Rant »
Seriously, Hollywood. Enough already. I feel like I'm drowning in some frothy pink hell made of Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Dancy, and lip gloss. I know I'm not alone, particularly among our Cinematical crew, nor among film chicks in general. All week, sites like Jezebel have been ranting about the New in Towns and Confessions of a Shopaholics.
Look, I'm a girl. I'm a girl who likes boys and runs up massive bills at Sephora. There are chick flicks on my DVD shelves. I own Kate and Leopold, and I have watched it more than once.* I can see why you think women like these movies ... many of them do, and there's nothing horribly wrong with that. Fluff is fun. I don't hate the women who watch them, just as I don't hate you for making them. I'd overlook He's Just Not That Into You if you weren't trying to bury me alive in your pink-and-purple demographic. You just aren't stopping -- and half of them seem to star Jennifer Aniston, who I might just assign all the blame to. As she laughs off that tabloid image of her as some kind of man-hungry, crazy cat lady done wrong by Brangelina, she makes dozens of films that suggest American women are all precisely that. Thanks for that, Jennifer -- as I try to get the plot description and title of The Baster out of my head, could you go do some Shakespeare? Didn't you ever want to play Lady Macbeth?
All I can say is that there's going to be a backlash, and it's starting already. The blogosphere is full of it, and while you may put us down to a bunch of psycho feminist hippies, the box office is proving otherwise. Gran Torino beat out Bride Wars. Taken tromped New in Town ... and on Super Bowl Sunday! Maybe Coraline will beat out He's Just Not That Into You, and really show you executives!
Weekend Box Office: 'Taken' Takes Off, 'Paul Blart' and 'The Uninvited' on Its Heels
Filed under: New Releases », Box Office »
It's awesome, somehow, that Liam Neeson (along with some nifty marketing, it's true) can open an action movie to the tune of $24.6 million. Maybe it's the fact that Taken's debut at #1 comes after two depressing weeks when Paul Blart: Mall Cop inexplicably dominated the charts (and indeed, Paul Blart continues to rake in big bucks, falling off only 35% to second place). Taken opened in just about every other part of the world in 2008 and has already grossed nearly $70 million worldwide; put this one into the win column for Luc Besson and his production team. The Uninvited's third-place, $10.5 million bow is a disappointment -- to Dreamworks, but also to me, since I think it's superior to most of the PG-13 horror that's been doing so well lately. (Certainly it kicks The Unborn's ass six ways from Sunday.) I think the advertising was a bit too stately, emphasizing Elizabeth Banks in creepy mode rather than the shock effects that tend to draw the crowds. Not a tragedy for the relatively inexpensive film, but perhaps a missed opportunity.
New in Town was defeated by a beatdown of scathing reviews, a wimpy, girly-man 1900-screen release, and a marketing effort that wasn't up to the task of capitalizing on Renee Zellweger's star power. Zellweger eats $6.75 million for breakfast.
For the first time since January 9th, Slumdog Millionare made less than it did the previous weekend, but it's up to a not-too-shabby $67 million cume. I wouldn't rule out $100 million before it leaves theaters.
The full top 10 after the jump.
Review: New in Town
Filed under: Comedy », Romance », Lionsgate Films », Theatrical Reviews »
If that reliable mecca of information that is Wikipedia is to be believed, the earliest surviving motion picture is dated to the year of 1888. Mathematically speaking, and disregarding any other media of storytelling, it should come as no surprise that someone might construct and release a film in 2009 that features not a single unique aspect to it. New in Town wouldn't be the first film to appear wholly recycled from many that came before it, and I severely doubt it'll be the last, and if it boasted even one iota of charm or humor between its first frames and its last ones, I probably wouldn't mind.
But it didn't, and so I do.
Box Office: On Being Taken to the Uninvited Town
Filed under: Comedy », Horror », Thrillers », Box Office », Box Office Predictions »
Two weeks in a row with Paul Blart at number one, dropping a mere 32%? Did NOT see that coming. Of last week's two new releases, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans did the best, taking the number two spot. Inkheart only took in $7.6 million, placing it in seventh for its first week. Here's the top five:
1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop: $21.6 million
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans: $20.8 million
3. Gran Torino: $16.2 million
4. Hotel for Dogs: $12.8 million
5. Slumdog Millionaire: $10.6 million
We've got three new releases this week covering laughs, thrills and scares.
New in Town
What's It All About: Renee Zellweger plays a Florida executive who finds herself transferred to Minnesota in the middle of winter where she finds tons of snow and perhaps the love of her life in Harry Connick Jr.
Why It Might Do Well: The film has two likable leads and I'm sure this will be huge in Minnesota.
Why It Might Not Do Well: As of this writing the film is getting a devastating 0% rating on Rottentomatoes.com.
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $7 million
Taken
What's It All About: Liam Neeson stars in this thriller about an ex-soldier on the trail of the slave traders who have taken his daughter.
Why It Might Do Well: Lots of people are probably as curious as I am to see how a Jedi Knight handles conventional weapons, and I think this will be the one to knock Paul Blart out of number one.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 52% at Rottentomatoes.com is a bit underwhelming.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $15 million
1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop: $21.6 million
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans: $20.8 million
3. Gran Torino: $16.2 million
4. Hotel for Dogs: $12.8 million
5. Slumdog Millionaire: $10.6 million
We've got three new releases this week covering laughs, thrills and scares.
New in TownWhat's It All About: Renee Zellweger plays a Florida executive who finds herself transferred to Minnesota in the middle of winter where she finds tons of snow and perhaps the love of her life in Harry Connick Jr.
Why It Might Do Well: The film has two likable leads and I'm sure this will be huge in Minnesota.
Why It Might Not Do Well: As of this writing the film is getting a devastating 0% rating on Rottentomatoes.com.
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $7 million
TakenWhat's It All About: Liam Neeson stars in this thriller about an ex-soldier on the trail of the slave traders who have taken his daughter.
Why It Might Do Well: Lots of people are probably as curious as I am to see how a Jedi Knight handles conventional weapons, and I think this will be the one to knock Paul Blart out of number one.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 52% at Rottentomatoes.com is a bit underwhelming.
Number of Theaters: 3,000
Prediction: $15 million
Weekend Box Office: 'Paul Blart' Keeps Raking It In
Filed under: New Releases », Box Office »
If I seemed distressed about Paul Blart: Mall Cop handily winning its debut weekend, imagine how I feel about it spending two weeks at #1. Its family film bona fides helped it edge out Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (at least in the estimates), despite the latter winning Friday. Underworld's $20.70 million opening is the weakest of the franchise, dipping just below the first film's $21 million and change; it's a good thing they saved money by ditching Kate Beckinsale in favor of Rhona Mitra, though I sense that the fourth film may go straight to DVD. The other new wide release this weekend was Inkheart, and it's the year's first genuine flop. Kid-friendly, pervasively marketed fantasy based on a popular book seemed like a recipe for success, but it didn't take, with the film opening to $7.7 million in a not-terribly-crowded marketplace. Possibly not enough whole-family appeal.
Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday; that, combined with a screen count boost, combined with already steamrolling word-of-mouth rocketed Slumdog Millionare to its first double-digit weekend and an 80% gain over last week. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -- the nomination leader -- managed to hold the line from last week without the benefit of a screen count increase, which is good news.
Trailer Park: Things Get Ugly
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Drama », Romance », Trailer Trash »
Time to kick back, have a turkey sandwich and dig into some post-Thanksgiving movie trailer goodness.
The Ugly Truth
Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler star in this romantic comedy. Butler is an abrasive, chauvinistic TV personality and Heigl is his romantically challenged producer. The story looks fairly predictable and this one is going to have to rely heavily on the charisma of the cast. The release date is April 3.
What Doesn't Kill You
Crime drama starring Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke as childhood friends from Boston whose life of crime puts a strain on their personal lives. This looks reminiscent of other Boston-based crime flicks like The Departed and Gone Baby Gone, but looks like it has a passion all its own. This will be one to watch for and it goes into limited release on December 12.
New in Town
A fish-out-of-water comedy starring Renee Zellweger as a Miami businesswoman who relocates to Minnesota in the middle of the Winter. Having witnessed a Minnesota Winter firsthand, I can sympathize. Harry Connick Jr. plays the flannel-garbed, rough-around-the-edges hunk she falls for. This could be fun, and it comes out sometime in 2009.
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