Box Office Breakdown: The Hangover Rises Above Up

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Unlike most Mike Tyson fights, The Hangover‘s win was no knockout.

After a back-and-forth battle with Up, Todd Phillips’ film about an eventful bachelor party edged out the animated pic by less than $1 million. Hangover - which features no major stars (unless you count the boxer) - grossed nearly $45 million on its opening weekend. That’s the third best debut for an R-rated comedy ever. (Only Sex and the City and American Pie 2 have done better.)

Meanwhile, a project actually featuring an A-lister became the summer’s first stinker. Land of the Lost, starring Will Ferrell, Anna Friel and Danny McBride, earned a sad $18.8 million over the past three days. Although that amount was good enough for third place, the film cost an estimated $100 million to make.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: The Hangover Rises Above Up

Read More | Yahoo! Movies

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

Box Office Breakdown: Ben Stiller Defeats Christian Bale

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Was it a result of Christian Bale’s rant? The presence of that other science fiction movie? Or the lack of family-friendly fare?

When the dust from the weekend settled, a surprising entry emerged as the winner. Despite the country’s current love for action sequels/prequels, a much calmer feature - Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - was the choice for entertainment this holiday. Ben Stiller’s comedy follow-up raked in $70 million giving the actor his best live-action debut ever. Smithsonian also became the best PG-rated opener for Memorial Day.

Museum‘s victory meant a disappointing 2nd place finish for Terminator Salvation. Although the saga’s fourth installment earned more than T3‘s debut, its $51.9 million gross ($65.3 million since Thursday) put it nowhere near the estimated $200 million budget. The numbers did give director McG, though, his best premiere since 2000’s Charlie’s Angels.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Ben Stiller Defeats Christian Bale

Read More | Variety

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

In Theaters This Weekend: May 22, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Magnolia, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Independent, Music, Mystery, Political, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Dance Flick (PG-13): starring Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, Shoshana Bush (directed by Damien Dante Wayans)
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG): starring Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria (directed by Shawn Levy)
• Terminator Salvation (PG-13): starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin (directed by McG)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: May 22, 2009

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

Don’t Worry: Demons Practically Has Papal Sanction

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Columbia Pictures, Adaptation, Drama, Religious, Sequels, Upcoming Releases

Writers for the Vatican’s newspapers have reviewed Angels & Demons…and (perhaps surprisingly) they aren’t denouncing the flick.

The Church has deemed that Angels & Demons isn’t a threat, concluding that the movie is “harmless” even if inaccurate.

The movie celebrated its world premiere this week in Rome, and though it was pretty soundly thrashed in the Vatican paper is isn’t being called heretical. The critique finds fault in the movie’s “stereotyped characters” and “commercial” nature, but it praises Ron Howard’s direction. Since filming around the Vatican was stymied, many of the movie’s sets are created.

The movie, starring Tom Hanks, focus on the mysteries of the Illuminati and involves many action-packed sequences. The film’s predecessor, The Da Vinci Code, was very poorly received by the Catholic Church.

Read More | Yahoo News

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Forum Discussion
• Email this story

In Theaters This Weekend: May 8, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Magnolia, Paramount, Sony, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Period, Political, Religious, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Next Day Air (R): starring Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris (directed by Benny Boom)
• Star Trek (PG-13): starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana (directed by J.J. Abrams)
• Adoration* (R): starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman, Katie Boland (directed by Atom Egoyan)
• Julia* (R): starring Tilda Swinton, Ezra Buzzington, Kate Del Castillo (directed by Erick Zonca)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: May 8, 2009



• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

In Theaters This Weekend: April 3, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: IFC Films, Miramax, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Foreign Language, Period, Religious, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Adventureland (R): starring Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart (directed by Greg Mottola)
• Fast & Furious (PG-13): starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez (directed by Justin Lin)
• Alien Trespass* (PG): starring Eric McCormack, Jenni Baird, Robert Patrick (directed by Steven Fisher)
• Bart Got a Room* (PG-13): starring William H. Macy, Cheryl Hines, Alia Shawkat (directed by Brian Hecker)
• C Me Dance* (PG): starring Christina DeMarco, Greg Robbins, Peter H. Kent (directed by Greg Robbins)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: April 3, 2009



• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

In Theaters This Weekend: March 27, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Period, Religious, Romance, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• 12 Rounds (PG-13): starring John Cena, Steve Harris, Ashley Scott (directed by Renny Harlin)
• The Haunting in Connecticut (PG-13): starring Virginia Madsen, Brooklynn Proulx, Elias Koteas (directed by Peter Cornwall)
• Monsters vs Aliens (PG): starring Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie (directed by Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: March 27, 2009



• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: February 17, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Music, Period, Religious, Sequels, Comedy, Home Entertainment, Lists

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

• 21 Grams: Blu-ray
• Body of Lies: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Butterfly Effect: Blu-ray
• Changeling: DVD, Blu-ray
• Choke: DVD
• Cold Mountain: Blu-ray
• The Constant Gardener: Blu-ray
• Flash of Genius: DVD
• Freddy vs. Jason: Blu-ray
• Good Will Hunting: Blu-ray
• High School Musical 3: DVD, Blu-ray
• Hounddog: DVD, Blu-ray

Click to continue reading This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: February 17, 2009

Read More | Amazon


• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: January 27, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, MGM, Lionsgate, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Religious, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Home Entertainment, Lists

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

• Any Given Sunday: Blu-ray
• College: DVD
• Dead & Buried: Blu-ray
• Drumline: Blu-ray
• Fireproof: DVD
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips: DVD
• Groundhog Day: Blu-ray
• In Bruges: Blu-ray
• Lakeview Terrace: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Lucky Ones: DVD
• Open Season 2: DVD, Blu-ray
• The Pink Panther: Blu-ray

Click to continue reading This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: January 27, 2009

Read More | Amazon


• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

Oprah Reveals She Was Turned Down for Doubt

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Miramax, Adaptation, Drama, Religious, Casting, Celeb News

In the first few weeks of 2009, Oprah Winfrey has revealed a great deal to her audience. Not only is mad at herself for falling off the weight wagon (again), she was once recently told “No.”

On Tuesday’s episode of her talk show, Winfrey told recent Golden Globe nominee Meryl Streep some surprising news. She asked director John Patrick Shanley to audition for Meryl’s film, Doubt.

Click to continue reading Oprah Reveals She Was Turned Down for Doubt

Read More | Us Magazine

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story