Box Office Breakdown: Audiences Escape to Couples Retreat

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Fox Searchlight, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Family, Independent, Music, Political, Remakes, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Sports, Box Office, Lists

Depending on how you look at the numbers, the winner this weekend was either Couples Retreat or Paranormal Activity.

In the comedy corner, we have a Peter Billingsley-directed film that earned $35.3 million and a first-place finish. The movie - which combined the efforts of Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman - pulled in the best numbers for any Columbus Day weekend entry ever. It also gave Vaughn his 2nd best opening behind The Break-Up.

Meanwhile, on the horror front, Paranormal Activity made a huge splash despite being in limited release. The Blair Witch-esque movie scared up a shocking $49,000 per screen average. It also raked in nearly 500 times more than its budget. (It only cost less than $16,000 to produce.)

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Audiences Escape to Couples Retreat

Read More | Variety

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Original Fame Director Speaks Out Against Remake

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: MGM, Music, Musicals, Remakes, New Releases, Trailers, Videos

Maybe Fame does live forever. Though the remake has premiered, some are still nostalgically looking to the past. One of the contributors to the original film project, Sir Alan Parker, has gone on record to speak out against the newly-remade movie.

Fame, which was released in 1980 and quickly became a classic, recently arrived in the UK. It was originally directed by Parker, who said that seeing the remake was “a bit like being mugged.” You see, apparently he was never consulted about the new version of the film, which Sir Alan sees as something of a slight. Calling the project “dreadful,” he says of the situation, “such are the realities of Hollywood manners and American copyright law.”

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Read More | The Telegraph

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Box Office Breakdown: No Sluggish Start for Zombieland

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Fox Searchlight, MGM, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Independent, Music, Political, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists

Watch out, vampires…there’s still life in the other undead.

Although he was previously known as a director for Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ruben Fleischer now has a new title: box office champ. This past weekend, Ruben saw his first major feature, Zombieland, attack the competition with a $24.7 million debut. The movie - which only cost approximately $24 million to make - had the highest open for any zombie-themed flick since Dawn of the Dead in 2004.

Meanwhile, another director had an entirely different result with her debut feature. Whip It, a roller derby comedy helmed by Drew Barrymore, rolled into 6th place finish with only $4.7 million. (When your film’s been topped by Pixar entries from 10+ years ago, there might have a problem.) Hopefully in a few more weeks, the Ellen Page vehicle will at least cover its $15 million production tab.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: No Sluggish Start for Zombieland

Read More | Variety

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In Theaters This Weekend: September 25, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: IFC Films, MGM, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Touchstone, Biopics, Documentary, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Political, Remakes, Science Fiction, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

• Fame (PG): starring Megan Mullally, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth (directed by Kevin Tancharoen)
• Pandorum (R): starring Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet (directed by Christian Alvert)
• Surrogates (PG-13): starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike (directed by Jonathan Mostow)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: September 25, 2009

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Casting Corner: Anton Yelchin, Michelle Monaghan and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, MGM, New Line, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Drama, Family, Musicals, Remakes, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Michelle Monaghan: The Made of Honor actress is going to be kept waiting in Due Date, a Todd Phillips-directed comedy. Michelle has been cast as the pregnant wife eager for her husband (Robert Downey Jr.) to make it home. Unfortunately, the dad-to-be is accompanied by Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) during his hurried journey home. The film is still in pre-production.

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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: September 15, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Magnolia, MGM, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Sequels, Comedy, Home Entertainment, Lists, New Releases

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:

• The 13th Warrior: DVD
• Amadeus (Director’s Cut): Blu-ray
• An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition): DVD, Blu-ray
• Army of Darkness (Screwhead Edition): Blu-ray
• Child’s Play: Blu-ray
• Deadgirl: DVD
• Deep Impact: Blu-ray
• Easy Virtue: DVD, Blu-ray
• Fame: DVD
• Friday the 13th, Part VII: The New Blood: DVD
• Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan: DVD
• Grace: DVD, Blu-ray
• Hero: Blu-ray

Click to continue reading This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: September 15, 2009

Read More | Amazon

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Remake News: Yellow Submarine, Poltergeist, Gunsmoke and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Remakes, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Thrillers, Filmmaking, Scripts, Technology, Upcoming Releases

Yellow Submarine: Robert Zemeckis’ experience using 3-D performance-capture technology (The Polar Express, Beowulf) will soon come in handy on his remake of Yellow Submarine. Disney is reportedly working to get clearance on a list of Beatles songs for the project. (The 1968 animated film followed “Old Fred” and the Beatles as they traveled in their yellow submersible to Pepperland.) The goal is to have the film produced in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Click to continue reading Remake News: Yellow Submarine, Poltergeist, Gunsmoke and More

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Casting Corner: Zach Galifianakis, Connor Cruise and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, MGM, Paramount, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Remakes, Sequels, Comedy, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Zach Galifianakis: The Hangover scene stealer has been invited to have Dinner for Schmucks. The comedy focuses on the “most pathetic” person to ever be included in a weekly dinner. Galifianakis will sit alongside Steve Carell and Paul Rudd in this Jay Roach-directed film.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Zach Galifianakis, Connor Cruise and More

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Casting Corner: Paul Giamatti, Frank Langella, and More

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: 20th Century Fox, MGM, Biopics, Drama, Comedy, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Paul Giamatti: The Farrelly Brothers’ Three Stooges film took a huge blow when they lost Sean Penn; however, Peter Farrelly has recently revealed that John Adams star Paul Giamatti will be taking his place to fill in Larry’s shoes. Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro also star as Curly and Moe.

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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: June 28, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, MGM, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Action, Adventure, Music, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Home Entertainment

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:

• 2 Fast 2 Furious: Blu-ray
• 12 Monkeys: Blu-ray
• Bad Lieutenant: DVD
• Bart Got a Room: DVD
• Dragonball: Evolution: DVD, Blu-ray
• Fast & Furious: DVD, Blu-ray
• Repulsion: DVD, Blu-ray
• A River Runs Through It: Blu-ray
• The Fast and the Furious: Blu-ray
• The Inglorious Bastards (1977): Blu-ray
• This is Spinal Tap: Blu-ray

Click here to see the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

Read More | Amazon

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