The Monica Edwards Weblog

In Theaters This Weekend (5/16)

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Disney, Miramax, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Foreign, Independent, Sequels, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG): starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley (directed by Andrew Adamson)
• How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer* (R): starring American Ferrera, Elizabeth Peña, Lucy Gallardo (directed by Georgina Garcia Riedel)
• Reprise* (R): starring Espen Klouman-Hoiner, Anders Danielsen Lie, Odd Magnus Williamson (directed by Joachim Trier)
• Sangre de mi sangre* (NR): starring Paola Mendoza, Jorge Adrian Espindola, Armando Hernandez (directed by Christopher Zalla)

*limited and/or gradual release

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See Josh Brolin as George W. Bush

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Drama, Political, Casting, Upcoming Releases

As we have reported, director Oliver Stone is currently filming his third piece about a U.S. Commander-in-Chief.  This movie, though, will be his first about a living president, and his first about one still in office.

In this week’s edition of Entertainment Weekly, we get our first glimpses of W‘s George and Laura Bush: Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) and Elizabeth Banks (The 40-Year-Old Virgin).

Although Stone denies he is any way trying to influence the upcoming election, many believe the timing of the film’s release is quite suspect.  (It could be released sometime this fall.) You can read more of the magazine’s interview here and judge for yourself.

Read More | Entertainment Weekly

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In Theaters This Weekend (5/9)

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: 20th Century Fox, Magnolia, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Noir, Political, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Speed Racer (PG): starring Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman (directed by Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski)
• What Happens in Vegas (PG-13): starring Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, Rob Corddry (directed by Tom Vaughan)

• America the Beautiful* (R): starring Gerren Taylor, Ted Casablanca, Eve Ensler (directed by Darryl Roberts)
• Before the Rains* (PG-13): starring Linus Roache, Nandita Das, Rahul Bose (directed by Santosh Sivan)
• Bloodline* (NR): (directed by Bruce Burgess)
• The Fall* (R): starring Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, Justine Waddell (directed by Tarsem Singh)

  Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend (5/9)

  
  
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Box Office Breakdown: Iron Man Strikes Gold

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Where exactly can the summer box office go from here?

This past weekend, Iron Man blasted into theaters in a big way.  The comic book adaptation raked in a whopping $102 million putting an $87 million difference between itself and its nearest competitor.  The PG-13 film officially became the 10th best opener of all time and had the second best premiere for any non-sequel.  (Spider-Man grossed $114.8 million back in 2002.)

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Iron Man Strikes Gold

Read More | Variety

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Paramount Titles Going Blu-ray

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Paramount, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Science Fiction, Comedy, Technology

After declaring loyalty to HD DVD last year, Paramount has unfortunately been forced to switch gears thanks to the format’s demise.  Here are a few Blu-ray titles the studio now plans to release in the upcoming months:

May 20

• Bee Movie, Face/Off, Next

June 3

• Cloverfield, There Will Be Blood

June 24

• The Spiderwick Chronicles

Read More | Reuters

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Mel Gibson Plans Acting Return

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases

After spending some time under the radar, Mel Gibson is apparently ready to make a return to acting.

Although Gibson has definitely been busy over the last several years, his primary focus has been on directorial work (Apocalypto, The Passion of the Christ).  It’s actually been some time since Mel has placed himself in front of the camera.  His last major motion pictures hit theaters back in 2002 (Signs, We Were Soldiers).

I’m sure the calculated time off also had something to do with the actor’s brush with the law.  If he could manage to keep out of the limelight, people would eventually forget those anti-Semitic remarks.  Right?

Click to continue reading Mel Gibson Plans Acting Return

Read More | Variety

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Box Office Breakdown: Women Rule with Baby Mama

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Although 30 Rock still struggles to compete on Thursdays, Tina Fey’s Baby Mama had no problem topping the competition.  The film, co-starring Amy Poehler, earned $17.4 million and made a showing for women everywhere.  When’s the last time a movie with two female leads debuted at #1?

Interestingly enough, Mama‘s screen average ($6845) was outdone by another female-centric movie: The She Found Me.  The movie that was directed and written by star Helen Hunt earned $8066 per screen this weekend.  Fairly impressive considering Found, also featuring Bette Midler, opened in 44th place.

Friday’s other big entry - Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay - came in second place with a $14.9 million take.  Surprisingly, that gross nearly equals what the original film raked in during it’s total run.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Women Rule with Baby Mama

Read More | Variety

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Will Smith’s Nepotism Streak Continues

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Columbia Pictures, Drama, Casting, Upcoming Releases

First, he introduced son Jaden to theatergoers in The Pursuit of Happyness.  Then he let daughter Willow take on a much smaller role in last year’s I Am Legend.  Now another kid will be participating in a Will Smith movie: Connor Cruise.

Yes, I know.  Connor is not exactly related to Will.  (He’s actually Tom Cruise‘s adopted son.) But that doesn’t make the whole situation smell any less nepotistic to me.

In Seven Pounds, Will Smith stars as a man who affects the lives of seven strangers.  Connor, in a minor part, will play a younger version of the main character.

Click to continue reading Will Smith’s Nepotism Streak Continues

Read More | People

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In Theaters This Weekend (4/25)

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: 20th Century Fox, MGM, New Line, Sony, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Baby Mama (PG-13): starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear (directed by Michael McCullers)
• Deception (R): starring Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams (directed by Marcel Langenegger)
• Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanemo Bay (R): starring John Cho, Kal Penn Rob Corddry (directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg)

• Deal* (PG-13): starring Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison, Shannon Elizabeth (directed by Gil Cates Jr.)
• Rogue* (R): starring Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington (directed by Greg Mclean)

  Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend (4/25)

  
  
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Box Office Breakdown: Forbidden Kingdom Kicks Past Forgetting Sarah

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Independent, Period, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Favorable reviews and Judd Apatow’s association helped Forgetting Sarah Marshall nab a second place finish this past weekend.  While some may have expected the adult comedy to debut at #1, the movie was unfortunately inaccessible to large segment of ticket buyers.

Meanwhile, Marshall‘s R-rated raunch allowed fellow new entry The Forbidden Kingdom to edge right past it.  The action film, which brought martial artists Jackie Chan and Jet Li together for the first time, earned $21.4 million—just enough for the win.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Forbidden Kingdom Kicks Past Forgetting Sarah

Read More | Variety

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