Answering your question before you ask it, this is not some thriller about a seductive temptress who ruins a man's marriage. This is an emotional drama about that woman, and how she isn't some evil tramp that's destroying a family. There are a few things that this film reminds me of, the first being Rabbit Hole, which I have yet to see. I doubt that it will reach up to the same sort of emotional feeling as that one, but Natalie Portman is just coming off of an Oscar caliber performance. That pretty much gives her free reign to go ahead and do what she wants, even if that's a typical comedy with Ashton Kutcher. To be honest, The Other Woman looks like it'll fare better than No Strings Attached. Take a look after the jump!
Showing posts with label The Other Guys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Other Guys. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Positively Schlocking: Worst Films of 2010
It was a pretty depraved year at the movies in 2010, and so it was relatively easier to fill out this list than the list of the best films of the year. We had so many colossal disappointments this year, I didn't even get the chance to see them all. Sure, I did have the anything-but-unique opportunity to see Alice in Wonderland and Nightmare on Elm Street, but I missed out on Jonah Hex, Marmaduke, and most recently, Yogi Bear. I'm not about to say that I've suffered most, but I have suffered. So, to get it all out of the way, here is my list of the worst films of 2010!
5. The Other Guys
For most of the films on this list, there was 
never any reason to believe that they would be the slightest bit good, mostly due to their reputation or director. The Other Guys didn't really have any of that bad blood going against it. I've liked everything Adam McKay has put out so far, so I'm dismayed that this film ended up being so bad. On the way back home from seeing this one, the dread filled in of how disappointing this project was. One of the most important things to holding a film together is a coherent narrative, and I wasn't able to understand any of what happened in this film. If you asked me to give you a quick recap of the plot, I honestly would fail miserably. Mark Wahlberg gives one of the most irritatingly self-explanatory performances of his career, the screenplay is so poorly made with the run-on gags that take up most of the time and just aren't funny. I wish Will Ferrell's performance could redeem it, but this was quite simply a train wreck.
never any reason to believe that they would be the slightest bit good, mostly due to their reputation or director. The Other Guys didn't really have any of that bad blood going against it. I've liked everything Adam McKay has put out so far, so I'm dismayed that this film ended up being so bad. On the way back home from seeing this one, the dread filled in of how disappointing this project was. One of the most important things to holding a film together is a coherent narrative, and I wasn't able to understand any of what happened in this film. If you asked me to give you a quick recap of the plot, I honestly would fail miserably. Mark Wahlberg gives one of the most irritatingly self-explanatory performances of his career, the screenplay is so poorly made with the run-on gags that take up most of the time and just aren't funny. I wish Will Ferrell's performance could redeem it, but this was quite simply a train wreck.4. The Wolfman
You can be forgiven for not remembering this
film, as it feels like so long ago since it was released. Or maybe you forgot because it's just so forgettable. This horror remake had mixed responses when it came out, with some despising it with a passion for the same reasons I did, and some liking, or even more amazingly loving it for the simple reason that it's a gothic horror film. I for one hated it, because it was so damn corny and trashy. With a score by Danny Elfman and a powerful cast behind it, I still don't quite know how it failed so badly. They had Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving, but none of them managed to impress. The makeup job they did on the Wolfman made him look like Chewbacca. It's hard to believe in a tragedy when the lead character is so dull and wooden. This is the main reason why I'm so worried about the Captain America film, because Joe Johnston is directing it just like he directed this. I actually believe Thor is going to end up being the solid view of the two.
film, as it feels like so long ago since it was released. Or maybe you forgot because it's just so forgettable. This horror remake had mixed responses when it came out, with some despising it with a passion for the same reasons I did, and some liking, or even more amazingly loving it for the simple reason that it's a gothic horror film. I for one hated it, because it was so damn corny and trashy. With a score by Danny Elfman and a powerful cast behind it, I still don't quite know how it failed so badly. They had Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving, but none of them managed to impress. The makeup job they did on the Wolfman made him look like Chewbacca. It's hard to believe in a tragedy when the lead character is so dull and wooden. This is the main reason why I'm so worried about the Captain America film, because Joe Johnston is directing it just like he directed this. I actually believe Thor is going to end up being the solid view of the two.3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Unless Bill Condon turns out to be some sort of 
God who is able to turn something rapidly unappealing into something enjoyable, there will always be a Twilight film on this list until the series ends. I do try my best to avoid films that have a likelihood of sucking, but I manage to make an exception for this series. So what's to hate about this chapter of the series? The characters, to start with, are two-dimensional figures who could only find a happy home as cardboard cutouts. If I found one for an affordable price, I would snatch up a Taylor Lautner cutout in a heartbeat. The story is a simple rehash of New Moon, which is a simple rehash of Twilight, so if you've seen either of those films, you've seen this film already, only better. The thing that frustrates me the most about this film is that it doesn't care about what we care about. Towards the end of the film, there is a 10 year old girl who was just turned into a vampire. And "our heroes" stand aside as her short life is brutally ended for no reason. Nobody cares about the leads if they're so quick to sacrifice the lives of the weaker. This is a series about sad things happening to pretty people, and I just couldn't care less about it. And how does the film end? Well I honestly can't tell you, because I left the theater enraged before the final scene.
God who is able to turn something rapidly unappealing into something enjoyable, there will always be a Twilight film on this list until the series ends. I do try my best to avoid films that have a likelihood of sucking, but I manage to make an exception for this series. So what's to hate about this chapter of the series? The characters, to start with, are two-dimensional figures who could only find a happy home as cardboard cutouts. If I found one for an affordable price, I would snatch up a Taylor Lautner cutout in a heartbeat. The story is a simple rehash of New Moon, which is a simple rehash of Twilight, so if you've seen either of those films, you've seen this film already, only better. The thing that frustrates me the most about this film is that it doesn't care about what we care about. Towards the end of the film, there is a 10 year old girl who was just turned into a vampire. And "our heroes" stand aside as her short life is brutally ended for no reason. Nobody cares about the leads if they're so quick to sacrifice the lives of the weaker. This is a series about sad things happening to pretty people, and I just couldn't care less about it. And how does the film end? Well I honestly can't tell you, because I left the theater enraged before the final scene.2. Saw 3D
The Saw films have had a standard going on 
for a while, and it's a standard that I've been more than alright with. Don't expect any narrative quality. Don't expect any quality acting. Don't expect any supreme technical advantages. All you're ever going to get is blood and gore delivered in style (kind of). The latest, and apparently last, Saw film didn't deliver any of that, and so it made all the faults of the film shine through so much more. The cinematography is quite literally the worst cinematography of any film made this year. I can't really comment on the music, because it was utterly forgettable. The acting was stale as a cracker, the direction was a non-factor, and the screenplay was dumb as all hell. Even the traps managed to disappoint. One of the traps was just a bunch of foot tall spikes with a good two feet in between each other, and a man tangling just a few feet above them. Instead of just landing, he flails around like an idiot, which is pretty much what this film does.
for a while, and it's a standard that I've been more than alright with. Don't expect any narrative quality. Don't expect any quality acting. Don't expect any supreme technical advantages. All you're ever going to get is blood and gore delivered in style (kind of). The latest, and apparently last, Saw film didn't deliver any of that, and so it made all the faults of the film shine through so much more. The cinematography is quite literally the worst cinematography of any film made this year. I can't really comment on the music, because it was utterly forgettable. The acting was stale as a cracker, the direction was a non-factor, and the screenplay was dumb as all hell. Even the traps managed to disappoint. One of the traps was just a bunch of foot tall spikes with a good two feet in between each other, and a man tangling just a few feet above them. Instead of just landing, he flails around like an idiot, which is pretty much what this film does.1. The Last Airbender
You can sit through endless pointless schlock
and never reach the level of disappointment or dread that this film instilled in me. Never before has a film with so much potential failed in such a disastrous fashion. M. Night Shyamalan already had one foot in the grave before he made this film, but if studios allow this man to continue making films, they're only hurting themselves. Personally, I was so excited to see a feature film made out of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the anime television show that I devoted a good amount of my childhood to. I was never able to quite understand why people were so aggressive against the new Star Wars trilogy and the fourth Indiana Jones, though I can't deny that The Phantom Menace was painful to sit through. However, now I truly know what those men in their forties meant when they said that George Lucas raped their childhoods, because Shyamalan just raped mine.
and never reach the level of disappointment or dread that this film instilled in me. Never before has a film with so much potential failed in such a disastrous fashion. M. Night Shyamalan already had one foot in the grave before he made this film, but if studios allow this man to continue making films, they're only hurting themselves. Personally, I was so excited to see a feature film made out of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the anime television show that I devoted a good amount of my childhood to. I was never able to quite understand why people were so aggressive against the new Star Wars trilogy and the fourth Indiana Jones, though I can't deny that The Phantom Menace was painful to sit through. However, now I truly know what those men in their forties meant when they said that George Lucas raped their childhoods, because Shyamalan just raped mine.This film failed in almost every aspect possible. The cinematography, which was simple and uninviting to begin with, had been glossed over with poor color conversion, to the point where it looked like they just put blue cellophane on the camera. The visual effects felt unrealistic and like a ripoff of D-War, which is just a new low. The action actually managed to make my adrenaline plummet, because it was just plain boring and stupid. The acting is perhaps the worst in any film I've ever seen, even from the Slumdog Millionaire kid. The direction was aimless and almost bent on making this the most difficult film to ever sit through. The script took any important and emotional moments of the first season of the show, and either threw them out or gave them two minutes of screen time with the most cliche dialogue you'll ever hear. They somehow even managed to mispronounce every single name in the series, especially the name of the main character. I must beg you never to subject yourself to this, because it will literally make your brain cells die within seconds. This is the worst of the worst, and gives the audience nothing in return for their time and money.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Power and Control: Best Performances in Otherwise Awful Films of 2010
5. Will Ferrell as Allen Gamble (The Other Guys)
I often have double takes about exactly what I 
thought of Will Ferrell's performance in The Other Guys, because even though a lot of people enjoyed it, I just ended up hating it. So, as is the case with many an awful film, it's difficult to pick out somebody and say they did well. I've never been a fan of Will Ferrell, but the fact of the matter is that he steps up his game for this one. He's not the same sort of child in an adult's body. He was actually a pretty decent guy, and his character felt closer to what a real person would be like in those situations. Wildly and ignorantly out of control, but close to realistic. The script just doesn't serve him well enough, as it should. Luckily, he had Megamind to turn his year around.
thought of Will Ferrell's performance in The Other Guys, because even though a lot of people enjoyed it, I just ended up hating it. So, as is the case with many an awful film, it's difficult to pick out somebody and say they did well. I've never been a fan of Will Ferrell, but the fact of the matter is that he steps up his game for this one. He's not the same sort of child in an adult's body. He was actually a pretty decent guy, and his character felt closer to what a real person would be like in those situations. Wildly and ignorantly out of control, but close to realistic. The script just doesn't serve him well enough, as it should. Luckily, he had Megamind to turn his year around.4. Taylor Swift as Veronica (Valentines Day)
This is probably the best cameo appearance of the 
year, and it's in a film that I didn't even end up paying to see. Valentines Day is the traditional romantic comedy that uses all the pathetic jokes that have been used in the genre before, as well as the same cliches. The one aspect of the film that I was ever on board with was the Taylor/Taylor cameo, featuring Lautner and Swift as a high school couple. Lautner does a pretty traditional job, but you'd have to have a cold heart of stone not to like Taylor Swift. She's always put forward that adorable and bubbly persona that put everyone on her side when Kanye West ruined her VMA moment. Here, she just displays a pure sense of joy that the rest of the film is surprisingly lacking. Feel free to rail against my choice, because I expect. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one who feels this way.
year, and it's in a film that I didn't even end up paying to see. Valentines Day is the traditional romantic comedy that uses all the pathetic jokes that have been used in the genre before, as well as the same cliches. The one aspect of the film that I was ever on board with was the Taylor/Taylor cameo, featuring Lautner and Swift as a high school couple. Lautner does a pretty traditional job, but you'd have to have a cold heart of stone not to like Taylor Swift. She's always put forward that adorable and bubbly persona that put everyone on her side when Kanye West ruined her VMA moment. Here, she just displays a pure sense of joy that the rest of the film is surprisingly lacking. Feel free to rail against my choice, because I expect. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one who feels this way.3. Alfred Molina as Maxim Horvath (The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
I both hate and love that my impatience to see 
Inception eventually pushed me to see this film. I knew long before the trailer came out that this film was prematurely busted and broken. There is no dignity in remaking the beloved musical short of the same name, and then reformatting it as a live-action adventure. Nicholas Cage doesn't help credibility either. The one thing that this film had going for it was Alfred Molina, the patron saint of fantastic actors in bad films. The man is always placed into these truly awful films, and he's usually the most likable actor of the group. He's got a deceptive charisma about him, and that fits most of the villains he plays. Horvath isn't exactly a well written character, but Molina's personality just clicks with relish, and we too relish every moment he's onscreen, because for that moment, The Sorcerer's Apprentice isn't painful to sit through.
Inception eventually pushed me to see this film. I knew long before the trailer came out that this film was prematurely busted and broken. There is no dignity in remaking the beloved musical short of the same name, and then reformatting it as a live-action adventure. Nicholas Cage doesn't help credibility either. The one thing that this film had going for it was Alfred Molina, the patron saint of fantastic actors in bad films. The man is always placed into these truly awful films, and he's usually the most likable actor of the group. He's got a deceptive charisma about him, and that fits most of the villains he plays. Horvath isn't exactly a well written character, but Molina's personality just clicks with relish, and we too relish every moment he's onscreen, because for that moment, The Sorcerer's Apprentice isn't painful to sit through.2. Carey Mulligan as Cathy H. (Never Let Me Go)
Never Let Me Go was the ultimate love-it-or-hate-it 
film of 2010, and I unfortunately ended up in that second group of people. I know that the film must have been impeccably crafted, but it just didn't rub off on me the way it should have. Kiera Knightly and Andrew Garfield's performances began to grate on my about halfway through the film, because they both had an expiration date. Carey Mulligan, on the other hand, proved that her spectacular performance in An Education wasn't just a fluke. She doesn't have to carry this film on her shoulders, but she does, and she does it with a rich sentimentality and deep sorrow. Her character has never had hope, but she'd like to believe that it exists. It's a sweet performance tucked into a cold narrative.
film of 2010, and I unfortunately ended up in that second group of people. I know that the film must have been impeccably crafted, but it just didn't rub off on me the way it should have. Kiera Knightly and Andrew Garfield's performances began to grate on my about halfway through the film, because they both had an expiration date. Carey Mulligan, on the other hand, proved that her spectacular performance in An Education wasn't just a fluke. She doesn't have to carry this film on her shoulders, but she does, and she does it with a rich sentimentality and deep sorrow. Her character has never had hope, but she'd like to believe that it exists. It's a sweet performance tucked into a cold narrative.1. Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn (TRON: Legacy)
You've already heard me attest to everything that is
wrong with TRON: Legacy. It's derivatively plotted, it trucks along rather aimlessly at some points, and it's just a simple plot stretched out illogically to make it seem complex. It's all but saved by the music, the visuals, and most importantly, Jeff "The Dude" Bridges. I put an emphasis on "The Dude", because that's basically who the character of Kevin Flynn has become. He's been in this tripped out land of cyberspace for what must have been centuries, with his only real companion being an extremely hot higher being with stunning black hair. At the same time, he's got a major slice of God in him, with his unprecedented desire to do the right thing, no matter the cost. It's an especially poignant work that Bridges pulls off with flawless grace. Very few things in this film could have been said to be perfect. Bridges is one of them.
wrong with TRON: Legacy. It's derivatively plotted, it trucks along rather aimlessly at some points, and it's just a simple plot stretched out illogically to make it seem complex. It's all but saved by the music, the visuals, and most importantly, Jeff "The Dude" Bridges. I put an emphasis on "The Dude", because that's basically who the character of Kevin Flynn has become. He's been in this tripped out land of cyberspace for what must have been centuries, with his only real companion being an extremely hot higher being with stunning black hair. At the same time, he's got a major slice of God in him, with his unprecedented desire to do the right thing, no matter the cost. It's an especially poignant work that Bridges pulls off with flawless grace. Very few things in this film could have been said to be perfect. Bridges is one of them.Sunday, September 19, 2010
Box Office Update: "The Town" Steals Top Spot; "Easy A" Passes!
10. Eat Pray Love (Sixth Weekend; $1.7 million): On my way to see Easy A yesterday, me and my friends were shocked to see this film was still playing. I trust this will be the last week this film tastes the top ten.
9. The Other Guys (Seventh Weekend; $2 million): Will Ferrell and Marky Mark continue to inexplicably make a living with this film. It's success is quite simply an abomination, but one that I'll live with.
8. Inception (Tenth Weekend; $2.1 million): Ten weeks into it's run, and this film still won't go down. I'd say it has a chance of climbing to $300 million, but I seriously doubt that will happen. However, I'm going to take a guess that when we're back here next weekend, Inception will be able to hold onto the top ten for one more week.
7. The American (Third Weekend; $2.7 million): George Clooney's drama continues to take a dive, and at this point I don't think I'll end up seeing it at all. Currently at $32 million, expect just a little more before it checks out.
6. Takers (Fourth Weekend; $3 million): What more can I say about this movie? It's made a profit, so lets leave it at that.
5. Alpha and Omega (First Weekend; $9.2 million): Just when you thought 3D couldn't descend any lower, this Lionsgate train-wreck comes in to prove us wrong.
4. Resident Evil: Afterlife (Second Weekend; $10.1 million): This film did suffer from another 3D film swooping in and taking away a share of it's theatres, but I blame the 61% drop on the fact that the film just wasn't worth it.
3. Devil (First Weekend; $12.5 million): You can try to defend this film all you want. I still have no interest in seeing anything even remotely related to M. Night Shyamalan anymore. Still, the horror film made a decent earning in a small tangent of film-goers.
2. Easy A (First Weekend; $18.2 million): Emma Stone's comedy made second place this weekend, as predicted, but I foresee this film to do better in the coming weeks through positive word-of-mouth.
1. The Town (First Weekend; $23.8 million): In just one weekend, Ben Affleck's new film made more than Gone Baby Gone made in it's entire run. You may chalk that up to it's more action-oriented premise, but I feel this film was more accessible to audiences, and it'll probably be the film Affleck gets a greater reputation for.
9. The Other Guys (Seventh Weekend; $2 million): Will Ferrell and Marky Mark continue to inexplicably make a living with this film. It's success is quite simply an abomination, but one that I'll live with.
8. Inception (Tenth Weekend; $2.1 million): Ten weeks into it's run, and this film still won't go down. I'd say it has a chance of climbing to $300 million, but I seriously doubt that will happen. However, I'm going to take a guess that when we're back here next weekend, Inception will be able to hold onto the top ten for one more week.
7. The American (Third Weekend; $2.7 million): George Clooney's drama continues to take a dive, and at this point I don't think I'll end up seeing it at all. Currently at $32 million, expect just a little more before it checks out.
6. Takers (Fourth Weekend; $3 million): What more can I say about this movie? It's made a profit, so lets leave it at that.
5. Alpha and Omega (First Weekend; $9.2 million): Just when you thought 3D couldn't descend any lower, this Lionsgate train-wreck comes in to prove us wrong.
4. Resident Evil: Afterlife (Second Weekend; $10.1 million): This film did suffer from another 3D film swooping in and taking away a share of it's theatres, but I blame the 61% drop on the fact that the film just wasn't worth it.
3. Devil (First Weekend; $12.5 million): You can try to defend this film all you want. I still have no interest in seeing anything even remotely related to M. Night Shyamalan anymore. Still, the horror film made a decent earning in a small tangent of film-goers.
2. Easy A (First Weekend; $18.2 million): Emma Stone's comedy made second place this weekend, as predicted, but I foresee this film to do better in the coming weeks through positive word-of-mouth.
1. The Town (First Weekend; $23.8 million): In just one weekend, Ben Affleck's new film made more than Gone Baby Gone made in it's entire run. You may chalk that up to it's more action-oriented premise, but I feel this film was more accessible to audiences, and it'll probably be the film Affleck gets a greater reputation for.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Box Office Update: "Evil" Rules A Weak Weekend
10. Eat Pray Love (Fifth Weekend; $2.9 million): The Julia Robert drama looks to be settling on a total gross of $80 million.
9. Inception (Ninth Weekend; $3 million): Christopher Nolan's first film to be nominated for Best Picture, as it undoubtedly will be, takes one more week in the top ten.
8. The Expendables (Fifth Weekend; $3.2 million): Stallone's action pic continues falling down the charts as it gets closer $100 million.
7. The Last Exorcism (Third Weekend; $3.4 million): The documentary style horror film has received a rather startling backlash from audiences, mostly due to its disappointing ending.
6. The Other Guys (Sixth Weekend; $3.6 million): How this film is still earning money, I don't at all understand.
5. Going the Distance (Second Weekend; $3.8 million): It's a romantic comedy starring the Mac guy. What can you expect?
4. Machete (Second Weekend; $4.2 million): Robert Rodriguez's exploitation-action film continues performing at a similar pace as the film that contained its origin, Grindhouse.
3. The American (Second Weekend; $5.9 million): George Clooney just doesn't have the star-power that he used to, but it would help if this film were remotely interesting.
2. Takers (Third Weekend; $6.1 million): It's a heist film that isn't Inception. Why on earth should I remotely care?
1. Resident Evil: Afterlife (First Weekend; $27.7 million): On the weakest weekend in nearly two years, the fourth film in the video game franchise manages to edge out a win with the help of added 3D ticket prices.
9. Inception (Ninth Weekend; $3 million): Christopher Nolan's first film to be nominated for Best Picture, as it undoubtedly will be, takes one more week in the top ten.
8. The Expendables (Fifth Weekend; $3.2 million): Stallone's action pic continues falling down the charts as it gets closer $100 million.
7. The Last Exorcism (Third Weekend; $3.4 million): The documentary style horror film has received a rather startling backlash from audiences, mostly due to its disappointing ending.
6. The Other Guys (Sixth Weekend; $3.6 million): How this film is still earning money, I don't at all understand.
5. Going the Distance (Second Weekend; $3.8 million): It's a romantic comedy starring the Mac guy. What can you expect?
4. Machete (Second Weekend; $4.2 million): Robert Rodriguez's exploitation-action film continues performing at a similar pace as the film that contained its origin, Grindhouse.
3. The American (Second Weekend; $5.9 million): George Clooney just doesn't have the star-power that he used to, but it would help if this film were remotely interesting.
2. Takers (Third Weekend; $6.1 million): It's a heist film that isn't Inception. Why on earth should I remotely care?
1. Resident Evil: Afterlife (First Weekend; $27.7 million): On the weakest weekend in nearly two years, the fourth film in the video game franchise manages to edge out a win with the help of added 3D ticket prices.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Box Office Update: "The American" Comes Out On Top!
This weekend was kind of pathetic, as most Labor Day weekends are. It'd be nice if people released films that deserve the four day weekend. I'm not going to wait until tomorrow for the final tally, because it probably doesn't make much of a difference. The most I can say is that there's a strong chance this'll be the last weekend with Inception in the top ten. They've had a good run, and now it's truly time to leave the Summer behind, and look forward.
10. Nanny McPhee Returns (Third Weekend; $3.5 million)
9. Inception (Eighth Weekend; $4.5 million)
8. Eat Pray Love (Fourth Weekend; $4.8 million)
7. The Other Guys (Fifth Weekend; $5.4 million)
6. The Expendables (Fourth Weekend; $6.6 million)
5. Going the Distance (First Weekend; $6.8 million)
4. The Last Exorcism (Second Weekend; $7.6 million)
3. Machete (First Weekend; $11.3 million)
2. Takers (Second Weekend; $11.4 million)
1. The American (First Weekend; $12.9 million)
10. Nanny McPhee Returns (Third Weekend; $3.5 million)
9. Inception (Eighth Weekend; $4.5 million)
8. Eat Pray Love (Fourth Weekend; $4.8 million)
7. The Other Guys (Fifth Weekend; $5.4 million)
6. The Expendables (Fourth Weekend; $6.6 million)
5. Going the Distance (First Weekend; $6.8 million)
4. The Last Exorcism (Second Weekend; $7.6 million)
3. Machete (First Weekend; $11.3 million)
2. Takers (Second Weekend; $11.4 million)
1. The American (First Weekend; $12.9 million)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Box Office Update: Well Aint That Just Dandy?
10. Piranha 3D (Second Weekend; $4.3 million): The Weinstein Company continues to prove themselves utterly incompetent, so far as not knowing that it's a better idea not to greenlight a sequel to a film that's been performing poorly.
9. The Switch (Second Weekend; $4.6 million): Add another Jason Bateman comedy to the list of films that disappointed at the box-office, because this movie's a dud.
8. Nanny McPhee Returns (Second Weekend; $4.7 million): For that matter, put it on record that people don't have the same soft spot they do for candy colored kids films.
7. Inception (Seventh Weekend; $5.1 million): It appears that people do enjoy the Christopher Nolan brand of challenging cinema, leading this film to gargantuan sales.
6. Vampires Suck (Second Weekend; $5.3 million): People came and saw, and now they're done with this film. Enough said.
5. The Other Guys (Fourth Weekend; $6.6 million):How this film has been a staying power for weeks, I have no idea. Leave it to an Adam McKay film to completely ignore logic.
4. Eat Pray Love (Third Weekend; $7 million): Well into it's third weekend, the romantic-drama continues to draw female-oriented audiences.
3. The Expendables (Third Weekend; $9.5 million): Sometimes, people just want to see a decent action pic, and though I can't attest for that, it seems that most audience members will.
2. Takers (First Weekend; $21 million): A heist movie, because we haven't had a really good one of those for almost a month now. The action flick is currently neck and neck with one other film for the top spot on this list, and we won't know until tomorrow who came out on top.
1. The Last Exorcism (First Weekend $21.3 million): Currently the top grossing film of this weekend, the horror film may be edged out by Takers when Sunday's grosses are taken into account.
9. The Switch (Second Weekend; $4.6 million): Add another Jason Bateman comedy to the list of films that disappointed at the box-office, because this movie's a dud.
8. Nanny McPhee Returns (Second Weekend; $4.7 million): For that matter, put it on record that people don't have the same soft spot they do for candy colored kids films.
7. Inception (Seventh Weekend; $5.1 million): It appears that people do enjoy the Christopher Nolan brand of challenging cinema, leading this film to gargantuan sales.
6. Vampires Suck (Second Weekend; $5.3 million): People came and saw, and now they're done with this film. Enough said.
5. The Other Guys (Fourth Weekend; $6.6 million):How this film has been a staying power for weeks, I have no idea. Leave it to an Adam McKay film to completely ignore logic.
4. Eat Pray Love (Third Weekend; $7 million): Well into it's third weekend, the romantic-drama continues to draw female-oriented audiences.
3. The Expendables (Third Weekend; $9.5 million): Sometimes, people just want to see a decent action pic, and though I can't attest for that, it seems that most audience members will.
2. Takers (First Weekend; $21 million): A heist movie, because we haven't had a really good one of those for almost a month now. The action flick is currently neck and neck with one other film for the top spot on this list, and we won't know until tomorrow who came out on top.
1. The Last Exorcism (First Weekend $21.3 million): Currently the top grossing film of this weekend, the horror film may be edged out by Takers when Sunday's grosses are taken into account.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Box Office Report: "Expendables" Holds Strong
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Second Weekend; $5.2 million): The modern movie going audience rarely rewards originality, and Edgar Wright's comedic action romance continues to suffer as a result.
9. Inception (Sixth Weekend; $7.8 million): Then again, when originality is rewarded, it does give the more critically minded some satisfaction, as Christopher Nolan's masterpiece continues to ensnare audiences, now rising to $262 million.
8. Nanny McPhee Returns (First Weekend; $8.4 million): In a world where kids movies do spectacularly, this summer hasn't been too friendly to them. The children's sequel failed to draw audiences this weekend.
7. The Switch (First Weekend; $8.4 million): Another genre that's been butchered for the most part this summer is romantic comedies, which Jason Bateman's film opening this weekend had the misfortune of being.
6. Piranha 3D (First Weekend; $10.1 million): See critics! This is what you get for selling out on your beliefs! The 3D horror film with blood and boobs, didn't do very well this weekend. Odd, isn't it?
5. The Other Guys (Third Weekend; $10.1 million): Adam McKay's action-comedy-whatever keeps earning more money than it should be, now at $88.2 million.
4. The Lottery Ticket (First Weekend; $10.6 million): The black comedy (as in comedy with black people in it) made a decent, but barely noticeable opening.
3. Eat Pray Love (Second Weekend; $12.1 million): Ryan Murphy's drama adaptation continues to do well by its own standards, taking a 47.6% drop and adding to a total gross of $47.2 million.
2. Vampires Suck (First Weekend; $12.2 million): I'm glad that this film didn't open at number one, but I'm still disappointed that people actually spent money on this movie at all.
1. The Expendable (Second Weekend; $17 million): The Sylvester Stallone directed action fest (starring Sylvester Stallone) held onto the top spot in a slow weekend, echoing the dying desperation of the end of summer 2008.
9. Inception (Sixth Weekend; $7.8 million): Then again, when originality is rewarded, it does give the more critically minded some satisfaction, as Christopher Nolan's masterpiece continues to ensnare audiences, now rising to $262 million.
8. Nanny McPhee Returns (First Weekend; $8.4 million): In a world where kids movies do spectacularly, this summer hasn't been too friendly to them. The children's sequel failed to draw audiences this weekend.
7. The Switch (First Weekend; $8.4 million): Another genre that's been butchered for the most part this summer is romantic comedies, which Jason Bateman's film opening this weekend had the misfortune of being.
6. Piranha 3D (First Weekend; $10.1 million): See critics! This is what you get for selling out on your beliefs! The 3D horror film with blood and boobs, didn't do very well this weekend. Odd, isn't it?
5. The Other Guys (Third Weekend; $10.1 million): Adam McKay's action-comedy-whatever keeps earning more money than it should be, now at $88.2 million.
4. The Lottery Ticket (First Weekend; $10.6 million): The black comedy (as in comedy with black people in it) made a decent, but barely noticeable opening.
3. Eat Pray Love (Second Weekend; $12.1 million): Ryan Murphy's drama adaptation continues to do well by its own standards, taking a 47.6% drop and adding to a total gross of $47.2 million.
2. Vampires Suck (First Weekend; $12.2 million): I'm glad that this film didn't open at number one, but I'm still disappointed that people actually spent money on this movie at all.
1. The Expendable (Second Weekend; $17 million): The Sylvester Stallone directed action fest (starring Sylvester Stallone) held onto the top spot in a slow weekend, echoing the dying desperation of the end of summer 2008.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Box Office Report: "The Expendables" K.O.'s "Scott Pilgrim"
This is one of those successful weekends where the wrong films are successful. I am of course talking about The Expendables taking the weekend with $35 million, and Eat Pray Love coming in second with $23.7 million, while Scott Pilgrim vs. The World opened disappointingly with $10.5 million. Hopefully those estimates will change when Pilgrim's Sunday total is confirmed, but things definitely aren't what could've been hoped for. Even worse, The Other Guys took in another $17 million this weekend, which will likely lead to it being the third worst movie of the summer to make it past the $100 million mark.
On the flip side of things, Inception took in another $11 million this weekend, after a 38% drop from last weekend. The film currently stands just outside of $250 million. On top of that, Toy Story 3 made quite a milestone this weekend, not only becoming the highest grossing animated film of all time, but also becoming just the eleventh film to pass the $400 million mark domestically. Oddly enough, this weekend was up from the same weekend last year when District 9 opened in the number one spot.
On the flip side of things, Inception took in another $11 million this weekend, after a 38% drop from last weekend. The film currently stands just outside of $250 million. On top of that, Toy Story 3 made quite a milestone this weekend, not only becoming the highest grossing animated film of all time, but also becoming just the eleventh film to pass the $400 million mark domestically. Oddly enough, this weekend was up from the same weekend last year when District 9 opened in the number one spot.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Quick Critiques: August 8-14
Lady and the Tramp
1st Viewing
A-
I know that it's a Disney animation classic that I probably should have seen at some point as a child, but this is honestly the first time I've seen the film. Given that, it's still a pretty great film for the time it came out. I think that people can agree by now that dogs are cute, and this is the ultimate cute dog movie. There's also that perfect romance at the core of the film and that's what has made this film resonate for years. If I have one complaint for the film, it's the climax. There isn't any real sense of urgency, and the Lady doesn't really do anything. Is it poor screenwriting or is it just sexist? Other than that, I didn't have a whole lot of problems with the film.
1st Viewing
A-
I know that it's a Disney animation classic that I probably should have seen at some point as a child, but this is honestly the first time I've seen the film. Given that, it's still a pretty great film for the time it came out. I think that people can agree by now that dogs are cute, and this is the ultimate cute dog movie. There's also that perfect romance at the core of the film and that's what has made this film resonate for years. If I have one complaint for the film, it's the climax. There isn't any real sense of urgency, and the Lady doesn't really do anything. Is it poor screenwriting or is it just sexist? Other than that, I didn't have a whole lot of problems with the film.The Other Guys
1st Viewing
D-
I teased earlier on this week at how much I hated this film, and since then I've gone from thinking it's the worst film of the year, to just thinking it's one of the worst films of the year. There is at least one thing good about this movie, and that's Will Ferrell's performance in the first forty-five minutes of this movie. It's something a little more than we usually get from him. Where The Other Guys fails miserably is in the story and the jokes. Most of the jokes that dominated the film are not actually funny, and that's a big problem for a comedy. As for the plot, I couldn't really understand it at all. They never took enough time to explain what the hell was going on, or to put together a coherent plot. That's why the film fails so badly. Shame on you Adam McKay. You've done better.
1st Viewing
D-
I teased earlier on this week at how much I hated this film, and since then I've gone from thinking it's the worst film of the year, to just thinking it's one of the worst films of the year. There is at least one thing good about this movie, and that's Will Ferrell's performance in the first forty-five minutes of this movie. It's something a little more than we usually get from him. Where The Other Guys fails miserably is in the story and the jokes. Most of the jokes that dominated the film are not actually funny, and that's a big problem for a comedy. As for the plot, I couldn't really understand it at all. They never took enough time to explain what the hell was going on, or to put together a coherent plot. That's why the film fails so badly. Shame on you Adam McKay. You've done better.Speed Racer
4+ Viewing
B-
This is one of my guilty pleasures, as it really isn't much a good movie, and yet I keep watching it and enjoying myself. I'm not going to waste time saying that the reason the movie succeeds is because it remains reverential to the style of the source material, because that isn't true. The reason this movie succeeds is because it takes something that I usually hate (racecar driving), and they make something fun and thrilling and visually stimulating. I'm willing to sit through the kid and the monkey, who get way too much screen time, to get to those races, which just keep getting better as the film progresses.
4+ Viewing
B-
This is one of my guilty pleasures, as it really isn't much a good movie, and yet I keep watching it and enjoying myself. I'm not going to waste time saying that the reason the movie succeeds is because it remains reverential to the style of the source material, because that isn't true. The reason this movie succeeds is because it takes something that I usually hate (racecar driving), and they make something fun and thrilling and visually stimulating. I'm willing to sit through the kid and the monkey, who get way too much screen time, to get to those races, which just keep getting better as the film progresses. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3rd Viewing
A-
A film that wasn't quite appreciated during the time of its release, David Finchers fantasy-drama just keeps getting better with age. Much like the lead character, the film feels fresher as the years go by. It's a long movie, but it doesn't feel so long when watching it at home. The premise is what hooks you, but the quality of the performances and of what's happening is what keeps you in your seat. It still remains one of the saddest movies ever made outside of Pixar. The movie spends enough time with the characters to make you care when they meet their inevitable ends. The film has a bit of a dark comic spirit to it, and it handles the deaths realistically, instead of melodramatically. And yes, everybody dies in this movie. Everybody dies sooner or later.
3rd Viewing
A-
A film that wasn't quite appreciated during the time of its release, David Finchers fantasy-drama just keeps getting better with age. Much like the lead character, the film feels fresher as the years go by. It's a long movie, but it doesn't feel so long when watching it at home. The premise is what hooks you, but the quality of the performances and of what's happening is what keeps you in your seat. It still remains one of the saddest movies ever made outside of Pixar. The movie spends enough time with the characters to make you care when they meet their inevitable ends. The film has a bit of a dark comic spirit to it, and it handles the deaths realistically, instead of melodramatically. And yes, everybody dies in this movie. Everybody dies sooner or later.Man On Wire
1st Viewing
A
1st Viewing
A
When this film came out, it was all the rage. People were praising it as one of the greatest films of all time, and it really is. What struck me from the beginning is that this would have worked amazingly if it wasn't in documentary format (not to say that it didn't work perfectly the way it was). I could envision it in my head as an amazing and emotionally poignant heist thriller. It's a group of men trying to pull the ultimate artistic crime of the century. The scenes in Notre Dame and Sydney give you an idea of what Phillipe is capable of, and when you see the details of how they achieve their end goal, you really appreciate the scale of what they're doing. It's a near perfect film fully deserving of the Oscar it achieved.Tuesday, July 27, 2010
3 to See in August!
As the summer comes to a close, we begin to enter Oscar film season. In the first seven months of the year, we have three or four films that could be nominated, and I don't think we're likely to get many more out of August. We don't have the comfort of Neill Blomkamp or Quentin Tarantino. On a side note, when is Quentin going to get back to making movies. He's had a solid year off. It's time to get back to work. As for August, it's really hard to find three films I might be looking forward to seeing, but I'll do my best.
3. Eat Pray Love
3. Eat Pray Love
In a Summer this bad, this film somehow finds its way onto this list. The film focuses on a woman who goes on a journey of self discovery in some other country, I think somewhere in Africa. The film stars Julia Roberts, so it should have little trouble getting women to see it, and they'll probably drag their man friends to see it. I wasn't planning to see this film at all, and it's very likely I still won't. However, I did learn that Ryan Murphy, co-creator of Glee has written and directed the film, so maybe it won't be all that bad. It has Javier Bardem in it, so how bad can it be?
2. The Other Guys
This has the potential to be the rare Will Ferrell or Mark Wahlberg film that I don't aggresively hate. Adam McKay is directing, which opens up some obvious opportunities for great, or at least good comedy. I don't see this film being spectacular, but I can see it being fun. It has Samuel L. Jackson in a comedic role, rather than a serious one. Lose Dwayne Johnson, and I'd be there opening weekend. As it stands, I'll probably be there opening weekend anyway, but what's the alternative? Step Up 3D? Go see Inception for the seventh time?
1. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Usually the most anticipated film of the month has a lot going for it, but in a Summer that's mostly bummer, there's no guarantees, certainly not for Michael Cera. Cera is one of those actors who plays the exact same guy in every movie, which works because he's good at it. Still, this is kind of an action movie, so it's got something more than just comedy fueling it. It's written and directed by such a great director as Edgar Wright, so there will definitely be some great comedy. Whether it will resonate emotionally is unsure. This film is still very up in the air, but it's got more of a shot than most films in August.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Comic Con 2010: Day 2 Panels!
Sorry if today isn't as eventful as yesterday. Nobody can expect any other major studio to pull what Disney pulled yesterday with their TRON Legacy panel. Today's panels were pretty standard, and we haven't really gotten anything special out of it. My source for Comic Con panel details yesterday, Kris Tapley from In Contention, hasn't done many posts today, but I thank him for the detailed look into the panels he saw yesterday. If you want to follow his twitter feed, you'll get a few more by the minute bits from Comic Con as they happen.
For the dish on today's panels, we turn to ComingSoon.net, who have given detailed descriptions of the goings on at Comic Con today. Today's panels included the Guillermo Del Toro produced Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, James Gunn's Super, Skyline, Green Hornet, The Other Guys, and Battle: Los Angeles. So check out the link provided above to find out more about the anticipated films.
For the dish on today's panels, we turn to ComingSoon.net, who have given detailed descriptions of the goings on at Comic Con today. Today's panels included the Guillermo Del Toro produced Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, James Gunn's Super, Skyline, Green Hornet, The Other Guys, and Battle: Los Angeles. So check out the link provided above to find out more about the anticipated films.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)