Archive for May, 2011
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – $90.1M
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Flamboyant seafarer Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) lands himself in a bit of a bind after being lured onto Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) ship by enigmatic siren Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and forced to seek out the Fountain of Youth. Trapped on the Queen Anne's Revenge with the most nefarious pirate in history, Captain Jack reflects on his past with the elusive Angelica while embarking on his wildest adventure to date. With shambling zombies on deck and gorgeous mermaids beckoning sailors into the icy waters below, this time Jack Sparrow has his work cut out for him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Tom Hardy’s Bane Takes His Place Among the Toughest Comic-Book-Movie Bad Guys
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
In case you happened to have missed it, The Dark Knight Rises hype kicked off this past Friday with an interactive viral-marketing game that revealed the first photo of Tom Hardy as Bane. Freakier than his goofy Batman & Robin counterpart, Hardy's Bane looks to be the most jacked-up villain to date in Christopher Nolan's Bat universe. While many comic-book-movie super-villains tend to be of the scrawny, brainy variety (Joker, Lex Luthor), there are a few costumed baddies who would be equally at home in a wrestling ring. Let's take a look at some of the toughest brawlers in comic-book movies.
Bane, Batman & Robin and The Dark Knight Rises
In comics, Bane is known as the villain who broke Batman's back. In Batman & Robin, his first big-screen outing, he was reduced to wearing a ridiculous trench-coat disguise as Poison Ivy's lackey. Though we've yet to see him in action, Tom Hardy's Bane is already scarier than the late wrestler Robert Swenson (pictured). The Inception star clearly hit the gym for the role and sports a mask that is more muzzle and less luchador. (The teeth make him look a bit like Killer Croc.) Could the new mask be a delivery system for venom, the chemical that gives Bane his superstrength?
Bone Saw McGraw, Spider-Man
In honor of the late, great Randy "Macho Man" Savage, who died in a car crash on Friday, let's take a moment to remember his role as wrestler Bone Saw McGraw in Spider-Man. With his killer body slams, entourage of babes, and signature catchphrase ("Booooone Saw is readddddy!"), Bonesaw is the king of the ring. He also puts some serious hurting on a masked Peter Parker, smacking him with a chair and throwing him around the steel cage to the delight of his crazed fans. But when he comes after Peter with a crowbar, that's when the Spider strength kicks in. R.I.P., Macho Man. R.I.P., Bone Saw.
Sabretooth, X-Men
Also in the wrestler-turned-comic-book-movie-star category is Tyler Mane as Sabretooth. While Liev Schreiber's Sabretooth from X-Men Origins: Wolverine was more erudite, Mane wins in the pectorals department. Sabretooth's role in the Brotherhood of Mutants is sheer brute force, as evidenced by his one major scene, where he tangles with Rogue and Wolverine in the snow. (Thankfully, Mane doesn't have to tangle with too much dialogue.) Fun fact: Mane's wrestling partner, Kevin Nash, was originally supposed to play Sabretooth. Though he missed out on X-Men, Nash did star as...
Super Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
After Vanilla Ice's immortal "Ninja Rap," the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles outing is notable for the moment when the Turtles' nemesis Shredder uses the titular ooze to transform into a bigger version of Shredder. All bulky muscles and sharp spikes, Super Shredder is a menacing presence. Sadly, he's also fairly ineffectual. (He basically just throws a tantrum and causes a building to fall on his head.) Thankfully, he doesn't join the Turtles and Vanilla Ice for a rousing round of "Go, ninja! Go, ninja! Go!"
Non, Superman II
A Kryptonian of few words, Non is easily the strongest bad guy in the Superman franchise. (Though, considering his competition is Lex Luthor and that weaselly CEO Robert Vaughn plays in Superman III, that's not saying much.) Strong enough to lift a space capsule with one hand, Non trashes the White House and brings Superman to his knees. (Technically, Supes knelt before him as well. Zod just takes all the credit.) He's not too bright, falling to his death while trying to fly without his powers in the Fortress of Solitude. With Michael Shannon playing Zod in the Superman reboot, perhaps Non can return to smash Metropolis.
Emil Blonsky, The Incredible Hulk
Hopped-up on a cocktail of super-soldier serum and gamma radiation, Emil Blonsky goes toe-to-toe with the Hulk in New York City. Though he starts out as scrawny Tim Roth, Blonsky morphs into a massive, gruesome monster capable of slamming the Hulk around. Sure, he's not exactly easy on the eyes. But what he lacks in looks, Blonsky makes up for in smashing ability. (He's basically a cross between the Hulk and Godzilla.) Considering that the Hulk usually goes up against tanks, Blonsky more than holds his own in a fight.
Goon, Batman
You remember Lawrence, Joker's thug who carries the boom box in the Flugelheim Museum, right? ("Gentlemen! Let's broaden our minds. Lawrence?") That guy was huge. And he doesn't just carry around a jam box that only plays Prince songs (for some reason). While Bob the Goon got all lines, Lawrence did go toe-to-toe with Batman in the cathedral scene. And, as he proves while blasting "Party Man" at the Flugelheim, Lawrence is also quite the dancer.
Bane, Batman & Robin and The Dark Knight RisesIn comics, Bane is known as the villain who broke Batman's back. In Batman & Robin, his first big-screen outing, he was reduced to wearing a ridiculous trench-coat disguise as Poison Ivy's lackey. Though we've yet to see him in action, Tom Hardy's Bane is already scarier than the late wrestler Robert Swenson (pictured). The Inception star clearly hit the gym for the role and sports a mask that is more muzzle and less luchador. (The teeth make him look a bit like Killer Croc.) Could the new mask be a delivery system for venom, the chemical that gives Bane his superstrength?
Bone Saw McGraw, Spider-ManIn honor of the late, great Randy "Macho Man" Savage, who died in a car crash on Friday, let's take a moment to remember his role as wrestler Bone Saw McGraw in Spider-Man. With his killer body slams, entourage of babes, and signature catchphrase ("Booooone Saw is readddddy!"), Bonesaw is the king of the ring. He also puts some serious hurting on a masked Peter Parker, smacking him with a chair and throwing him around the steel cage to the delight of his crazed fans. But when he comes after Peter with a crowbar, that's when the Spider strength kicks in. R.I.P., Macho Man. R.I.P., Bone Saw.
Sabretooth, X-MenAlso in the wrestler-turned-comic-book-movie-star category is Tyler Mane as Sabretooth. While Liev Schreiber's Sabretooth from X-Men Origins: Wolverine was more erudite, Mane wins in the pectorals department. Sabretooth's role in the Brotherhood of Mutants is sheer brute force, as evidenced by his one major scene, where he tangles with Rogue and Wolverine in the snow. (Thankfully, Mane doesn't have to tangle with too much dialogue.) Fun fact: Mane's wrestling partner, Kevin Nash, was originally supposed to play Sabretooth. Though he missed out on X-Men, Nash did star as...
Super Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the OozeAfter Vanilla Ice's immortal "Ninja Rap," the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles outing is notable for the moment when the Turtles' nemesis Shredder uses the titular ooze to transform into a bigger version of Shredder. All bulky muscles and sharp spikes, Super Shredder is a menacing presence. Sadly, he's also fairly ineffectual. (He basically just throws a tantrum and causes a building to fall on his head.) Thankfully, he doesn't join the Turtles and Vanilla Ice for a rousing round of "Go, ninja! Go, ninja! Go!"
Non, Superman IIA Kryptonian of few words, Non is easily the strongest bad guy in the Superman franchise. (Though, considering his competition is Lex Luthor and that weaselly CEO Robert Vaughn plays in Superman III, that's not saying much.) Strong enough to lift a space capsule with one hand, Non trashes the White House and brings Superman to his knees. (Technically, Supes knelt before him as well. Zod just takes all the credit.) He's not too bright, falling to his death while trying to fly without his powers in the Fortress of Solitude. With Michael Shannon playing Zod in the Superman reboot, perhaps Non can return to smash Metropolis.
Emil Blonsky, The Incredible HulkHopped-up on a cocktail of super-soldier serum and gamma radiation, Emil Blonsky goes toe-to-toe with the Hulk in New York City. Though he starts out as scrawny Tim Roth, Blonsky morphs into a massive, gruesome monster capable of slamming the Hulk around. Sure, he's not exactly easy on the eyes. But what he lacks in looks, Blonsky makes up for in smashing ability. (He's basically a cross between the Hulk and Godzilla.) Considering that the Hulk usually goes up against tanks, Blonsky more than holds his own in a fight.
Goon, BatmanYou remember Lawrence, Joker's thug who carries the boom box in the Flugelheim Museum, right? ("Gentlemen! Let's broaden our minds. Lawrence?") That guy was huge. And he doesn't just carry around a jam box that only plays Prince songs (for some reason). While Bob the Goon got all lines, Lawrence did go toe-to-toe with Batman in the cathedral scene. And, as he proves while blasting "Party Man" at the Flugelheim, Lawrence is also quite the dancer.
New on DVD – May 24, 2011 – I Am Number Four and Gnomeo & Juliet
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Alien teenagers and weird Shakespeare: a young and hunky blond alien tries to avoid being the last of his kind to be knocked off in I Am Number Four, while in Gnomeo & Juliet garden gnomes play out an animated version of Romeo and Juliet. These and other films -- such as rereleases of classics like Solaris and The Great Dictator -- are coming this week to Blu-ray and DVD, like it or not.
I Am Number Four
This adaptation of the young-adult novel by Pittacus Lore (not a real person) features an alien come to the Earth in the form of a blond Adonis-like teenager who is on the run from another race of aliens who want to kill him (as they've done his three companions) and essentially dominate the universe. While running for his life, he falls in love with a pretty blonde of the female persuasion (Glee's Dianna Agron). Our critic thought it was all much ado about nothing, with "hideous CGI" and a mess of "distracting" subplots producing an "often-disastrous mess of hormonal rage and faux testosterone."
Gnomeo & Juliet
So what have all those different versions of Romeo and Juliet been missing throughout the years? Clearly, it was animation, warring clans of garden gnomes, and a hits-packed soundtrack by Elton John. That essentially sums up this curious suburban-England backyard-set variation on the Bard's timeless romance, which our critic says is "like watching an overextended sketch" that initially entertains while the "rest of the time you are silent, the joke and the accompanying freshness having long gone stale."
Solaris
This 1972 science-fiction classic by Andrei Tarkovsky (remade by Steven Soderbergh in 2002) follows a psychologist sent to investigate mysterious happenings on a distant space station, where he discovers that a nearby alien planet is turning people's thoughts into physical manifestations, meaning ghosts. Our critic called it an "addictive, serenely maddening masterpiece of love and obsession." Now available in a two-disc Criterion Collection release with deleted scenes and a beautiful new high-definition digital transfer.
The Great Dictator
Charlie Chaplin's decision to play both a Hitler-like dictator and a hapless Jewish barber who is mistaken for him was controversial upon this comedy's release, in 1940, just before America entered the war. But though our critic found the resulting film "not always as funny as it could be and frequently too innocent for its own good," it still stands today as "better than just about anything else the Tramp ever made." Now available in a two-disc Criterion Collection release with a documentary about the controversy and a booklet containing an essay by Chaplin defending the film's satire.
I Am Number Four
This adaptation of the young-adult novel by Pittacus Lore (not a real person) features an alien come to the Earth in the form of a blond Adonis-like teenager who is on the run from another race of aliens who want to kill him (as they've done his three companions) and essentially dominate the universe. While running for his life, he falls in love with a pretty blonde of the female persuasion (Glee's Dianna Agron). Our critic thought it was all much ado about nothing, with "hideous CGI" and a mess of "distracting" subplots producing an "often-disastrous mess of hormonal rage and faux testosterone."
Gnomeo & Juliet
So what have all those different versions of Romeo and Juliet been missing throughout the years? Clearly, it was animation, warring clans of garden gnomes, and a hits-packed soundtrack by Elton John. That essentially sums up this curious suburban-England backyard-set variation on the Bard's timeless romance, which our critic says is "like watching an overextended sketch" that initially entertains while the "rest of the time you are silent, the joke and the accompanying freshness having long gone stale."
Solaris
This 1972 science-fiction classic by Andrei Tarkovsky (remade by Steven Soderbergh in 2002) follows a psychologist sent to investigate mysterious happenings on a distant space station, where he discovers that a nearby alien planet is turning people's thoughts into physical manifestations, meaning ghosts. Our critic called it an "addictive, serenely maddening masterpiece of love and obsession." Now available in a two-disc Criterion Collection release with deleted scenes and a beautiful new high-definition digital transfer.
The Great Dictator
Charlie Chaplin's decision to play both a Hitler-like dictator and a hapless Jewish barber who is mistaken for him was controversial upon this comedy's release, in 1940, just before America entered the war. But though our critic found the resulting film "not always as funny as it could be and frequently too innocent for its own good," it still stands today as "better than just about anything else the Tramp ever made." Now available in a two-disc Criterion Collection release with a documentary about the controversy and a booklet containing an essay by Chaplin defending the film's satire.
Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Posts Global Record Opening Weekend in IMAX(R) Theatres
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) and The Walt Disney Studios announced today that the action fantasy adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides posted global opening weekend record results for IMAX of $16.5 million on 394 IMAX screens. Domestically, IMAX screens generated approximately $8.2 million of the film's $90.1 million, for a per-screen average of $32,000. Internationally, the film grossed approximately $8.3 million on 138 IMAX screens, or roughly $60,100 a screen.
Projection woes: The follow-up
Monday, May 23rd, 2011It's gratifying to see my Sunday P1 article on the multiplex chains' digital-projection shell game get a reaction of healthy outrage from readers, commenters, and the webcloud. The issue is very simply that consumers -- you can call us moviegoers -- are paying for a base level of film projection quality that we're not even close to getting and that the top dogs at AMC, Regal, and National Amusements truly do not care so long as we keep buying the tubs of popcorn and vats of soda that keep them in the black.
Some readers have asked me if there's any way to find out ahead of time whether they're going into a theater using one of the transgressive Sony 4Ks as opposed to a 35mm print or one of the other digital projectors, like a Christie, Barco, or NEC. It's a good question, and the answer is that your local multiplex wants to confuse you as much as possible. You can tell you're buying a ticket for a digital print by looking at the marquee -- it should have a "D" or "Digital" after the title -- but the marquee won't tell you what theater the movie's playing in, let alone what kind of projector they're using. And I can pretty much guarantee that the kid punching the ticket machine has no idea. Update: As Phoenix writer Brett Michel informs me, the self-service ticket kiosks in the lobby list the theater nuimber along with the film's title. That should be your first stop.
If the movie's playing in the multiplex's biggest theater, it's a good bet the projector's not a Sony but one of the others. Why? Because Sony digital projectors can only throw a beam of light big enough to effectively illuminate up to a 44-foot screen width, or so AMC's Dan Huerta told me. Screens larger than that have to go with a Christie, as in Theater 14 at the Loews Boston Common, or a Barco, like Theaters 12 and 13 at the Regal Fenway.
The Fragrance Foundation to Ring The NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
ADVISORY, May 23, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
A Little Help – Trailer
Monday, May 23rd, 2011 |
A Little Help - Trailer A LITTLE HELP is the story - funny, touching, sad, and real - of an ordinary person, engulfed by ordinary events, making an extraordinary emotional journey. Directed by: Michael J. Weithorn Starring: Jenna Fischer, Chris O’Donnell, Rob Benedict, Daniel Yelsky, Kim Coates, Brooke Smith, Lesley Ann Warren, Ron Leibman , Zach Page, Arden Myrin, Aida Turturro, Michelle Hurst , Michael J. Weithorn, Dena Hysell, Joe Gressis |
Green With Envy – Trailer
Monday, May 23rd, 2011 |
Green With Envy - Trailer Love struck meets star struck when a small town couple (Amy Adams, Jason Segel) head to Hollywood and discover their dreams of hitting the big time may cost them the one thing that matters most - each other. Directed by: James Bobin Starring: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper |
Box Office top 10
Monday, May 23rd, 2011-
There’s a scene midway through Fast Five where Dom Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, and Brian O’Conner, played by Paul Walker, need a fast car and they need one now, so they go to the side of town where the street racers hang out and challenge a guy to a drag. Dom and Brian win — but director Justin Lin doesn’t even bother to show us the race. Five films into the Fast and the Furious series, the producers apparently remember that the first movie had something to do with street racing, but ten years later that’s not the point anymore. Fast Five isn’t about racing, but about guys chasing one another, folks shooting guns left and right, and action scenes that are cut so fast and frantic it doesn’t even matter who is beating up who anymore. From the start, this has been a string of movies made for adrenaline junkies, but Fast Five doesn’t offer much of a buzz — it’s just a maintenance dose that will keep you from crashing out without offering much thrill.Fast Five picks up literally where 2009’s Fast and Furious left off — Dom has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, and Brian…
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In a world ravaged by wars between humans and vampires, a renegade priest fights to rescue his niece from the legions of bloodsuckers who seek to transform the young girl into one of them. A battle-weary veteran of the last vampire war, warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) now resides in a heavily fortified city where the ruling Church is a greater menace than any creature of the night. When a pack of vampires abduct Priest’s niece (Lily Collins), the vengeful holy man breaks his vows and promises to save the young innocent from a fate worse than death. He can’t do it alone, but with a powerful warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) and his niece’s boyfriend, a sharp-shooting sheriff (Cam Gigandet), on his side, Priest may have a fighting chance. Stephen Moyer, Karl Urban, and Brad Dourif co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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Exiled to Earth after his arrogance fans the flames of an ancient conflict, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) of Asgard discovers the meaning of humility when a powerful old foe dispatches a destructive force to crush humanity. Only when the banished prince has defeated an opponent capable of crushing him in battle will he learn what it takes to be a true leader. Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, and Tadanobu Asano co-star in a comic-book adventure from acclaimed director Kenneth Branagh. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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A handsome veterinary student falls for a married circus performer in this romantic drama adapted from author Sara Gruen’s best-selling novel, and directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend). When Jacob (Robert Pattinson) meets Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), it’s love at first sight — their shared affections for an extraordinary elephant stirring profound feelings of compassion within both of them. Theirs is a love that could span lifetimes, though the wrath of Marlena’s dangerously domineering husband, August (Christoph Waltz), threatens to spell tragedy for all involved. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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Director Paul Fieg and producer Judd Apatow team-up again for this comedy that stars Kristen Wiig as Annie, a romantically unattached failed bakery owner who fears she’s losing her BFF, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), the best thing in her life, when Lillian announces she’s gotten engaged. Annie’s anxieties deepen as Lillian grows close to Helen (Rose Byrne), a wealthy and beautiful new friend who quickly assumes control of planning all the pre-wedding festivities. On top of the main storyline of a female friendship being torn apart, the movie adds a romantic storyline for Annie, who starts the film answering a booty call from the casually cruel yet undeniably handsome Ted (Jon Hamm), but develops a lovely flirtation with an Irish cop named Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd) after he pulls Annie over one night thinking she’s driving drunk. As the low-self-esteem Annie sabotages this new possibility for love, she also feels the most important friendship in her life slipping away. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
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Flamboyant seafarer Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) lands himself in a bit of a bind after being lured onto Blackbeard’s (Ian McShane) ship by enigmatic siren Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and forced to seek out the Fountain of Youth. Trapped on the Queen Anne’s Revenge with the most nefarious pirate in history, Captain Jack reflects on his past with the elusive Angelica while embarking on his wildest adventure to date. With shambling zombies on deck and gorgeous mermaids beckoning sailors into the icy waters below, this time Jack Sparrow has his work cut out for him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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Angela Bassett and Paula Patton headline this comedy about two vastly divergent African-American families who clash during a lavish weekend wedding at Martha’s Vineyard. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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Original: Movies.com Top 10 Box Office
Q&A – Bradley Cooper Talks Thailand, Tattoos, and His Hopes for a Hangover Trilogy
Sunday, May 22nd, 2011The wolf pack is back. And if you thought losing their best friend days before his wedding created a stressful situation, you haven't seen anything yet. With The Hangover Part II, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and director Todd Phillips face the enormous pressure of following up the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in history. When Cooper sat down with FilmCritic.com, he talked openly about moving the story to Bangkok, choosing to go dark with the humor, and his hope for a Hangover trilogy.
Q: When you heard they were planning a sequel, were you worried about living up to the first film?
A: Sure, yeah, no doubt about it. But the only reason why I wasn't so trepidatious is that the conversation started before the first movie came out. We didn't realize how big that movie was going to be, and it was only when we got to the moment of actually filming the sequel in Thailand where we definitely started getting excited about this whole process. That early scene in the IHOP was the first scene that we shot. And I remember thinking, "As a fan of The Hangover, I'm just psyched to see Stu and Doug and Phil together and talking." Do you know what I mean? There was this great part about sequels when we were kids, and you wanted to see the characters you love live on. So when we arrived in Bangkok a month later, we finally thought, "God, we really have to live up to the first one and not disappoint." There are a lot of people who love that movie, and there is going to be a lot of scrutiny.
Q: Do you get a hard time about Phil mostly avoiding physical alterations? Zach shaved his head and Ed has that facial tattoo, but Phil's pretty much no worse for wear.
A: Well, unfortunately -- because I would have loved to do all of that stuff -- that's not the function of Phil in the movie. He's that archetype. That stuff doesn't happen to him. But he does get shot. And he got scratched in the first one by the tiger. And also, in the first one, Mr. Chow goes crazy on him. But his thing is getting shot in this one.
Q: You guys didn't shy away from structuring the sequel the same way as the original.
A: No, in fact, we sprinted toward that and embraced it. And I was so happy about that. There were different scenarios tossed around, but we eventually landed on that and I thought, "For sure, it needs to be the same structure." These three guys, as much as you loved them in the first one, they don't have enough weight to take them away from the structure and still have it be an enjoyable movie. Now, I think after this movie, if there's a third one, there's no more "missed night." I don't think you need it anymore. There's so much that happens between these three guys in this movie. It's not about what happened the night before, really. The characters become more dynamic. You watch Phil be vulnerable with Alan. That's crazy! And yet he's still very much Phil. We also watch Phil try to make Stu feel better [in a scene], and that's a guy who he never much cared for. And we learn a lot more about Alan's very warped sense of brotherhood, in a darker way than just the lyrics of, "We're the three best friends that anyone ever had." You realize the ramifications of that song.
Q: Right. That's an example of you making the decision to go much darker with this film. Talk to me about that choice. You let the audience know right off the bat that this is a different story.
A: It's so astute, what you are saying. You are absolutely right. There's a danger to our new setting, to Bangkok, and we say pretty early on, "Guys, this is the way that it's going to go down, so get ready." But it had to go there. Will we alienate people? Will grandmothers who found it charming that Alan was simulating jerking off the baby find the same pleasure in what happens to our young friend Stu? [Laughs] You know, I don't know; I don't know the answer to that question. It would be so wonderful if we could cut to six months from now, and someone walking down the street said to me, "I loved the scene where that prostitute talks to Stu about what she does to him." That would just be the greatest.
Q: And, I guess, if we're following the pattern of the National Lampoon's Vacation films, we've had a domestic and an international adventure, so Christmas Hangover must be next.
A: I think it's going to be something completely different, to be honest. It will be a little trilogy, and that will be it.
