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Latest Video: FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, and Premonition in this episode of FilmCrunch.
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Will Ferrell: Hollywood’s Most Overpaid Star

Step Brothers

has topped a list of the Most Overpaid Stars. The actor and comedian topped the annual list by Forbes magazine, which calculated how much moviemakers earn per dollar paid to their lead actor.

After the last couple of funnyman Will’s films - Semi-Pro and - bombed at the box office, his rate of return has dropped to $3.29 for every dollar of Will’s fee. This contrasts greatly with the other end of the scale, which saw Shia LaBeouf named as the Best Actor for the Buck in August, earning studios an average of $160 for every dollar he was paid.

Behind Will on list was actor , while Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson all made the Top Ten. Only one female (Drew Barrymore) had the unfortunate luck of being included.

Click to continue reading Will Ferrell: Hollywood’s Most Overpaid Star

Read More | Forbes Magazine

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Box Office Breakdown: Christmas Carol Wins, Precious Soars

Disney's A Christmas Carol

We’re still weeks away from Thanksgiving, but theatergoers already have Christmas on their minds.

, the umpteenth version of the Charles Dickens tale, brought the story back to life with a visual rendition. Robert Zemeckis’ latest holiday creation earned over $30 million, surpassing Polar Express’ open by $7 million. Although the Jim Carrey film didn’t come close to its reported $180 million budget, Carol still has weeks to go before Avatar takes over 3D screens.

Meanwhile, a film with no bells or whistles made an impact just outside the Top 10. , Sundance’s Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize winner, broke a record while in limited release. The 12th place entry averaged a whopping $104,025 this weekend over only 18 theaters. That’s the largest per screen average for any film opening in more than 10 locations.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Christmas Carol Wins, Precious Soars

Read More | Variety

In Theaters This Weekend: November 6, 2009

Precious

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

  • The Box (PG-13): starring James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella (directed by Richard Kelly)
  • Disney’s A Christmas Carol (PG): starring Jim Carrey, John Cleese, Gary Oldman (directed by Robert Zemeckis)
  • The Fourth Kind (PG-13): starring Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton (directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi)
  • The Men Who Stare at Goats (R): starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges (directed by Grant Heslov)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: November 6, 2009


Box Office Breakdown: That Was It for Paranormal Activity

Michael Jackson's This Is It

Based on the numbers from the past week, it looks like This Is It should remain in theaters longer than two weeks. Oh wait - it will.

Since opening late Tuesday night, the concert film has generated a total of $34.4 million domestically - $23.2 million just over the weekend - and approximately $101 worldwide. Although Michael Jackson technically didn’t beat the opener for Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (that entry earned more over 5 days), had the best international debut ever for any concert film.

Sony’s win meant a short victory for . After a steady climb, and only 1 week at the top, the horror film slipped down to second place. Of course, the word-of-mouth hit has nothing to complain about. Not only has the movie grossed $84.6 million to date, it also had the best per screen average of any Top 10 charter.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: That Was It for Paranormal Activity

Read More | Variety

Ewan McGregor’s Bond with a Goat

The Men Who Stare at Goats had a magical connection with the goat who starred in his latest movie. The Scottish actor had to work alongside the animal in upcoming film The Men Who Stare Goats and admits they became very close.

“There was a scene when George [Clooney] and I are lost, and we are sleeping in the desert. I am supposed to be awakened when a goat with a little bell walks by. I follow the goat and it leads us to water. It saves our lives. We did the first take and the goat just ran through,” Ewan said. “But in the second take, the goat looked at me and it stopped perfectly in the frame. It stood there looking at me for almost 30 seconds. I looked at the goat and the goat looked at me, then it was almost as if he nodded and just carried on. It was absolutely perfect.”

Ewan is not the only star of the movie to have praised the goat. George recently joked he wanted the Velvet Goldmine star to take acting lessons from the goat because it was more talented. “I’m now working with goats, we spent a lot of time together. The goat I had to stare out was a great actor - if you told him to do something he would. Now if I only I had got Ewan to take lessons from him we’d be onto a winner!” he quipped. “But although they were good, I don’t think I want to be working with animals again in the near future!”

opens Friday, November 6.


In Theaters This Weekend: October 23, 2009

Amelia

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

  • Amelia (PG): starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor (directed by Mira Nair)
  • Astro Boy (PG): starring Nicolas Cage, Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell (directed by David Bowers)
  • Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (PG-13): starring John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson (directed by Paul Weitz)
  • Saw VI (R): starring Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith (directed by Kevin Greutert)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: October 23, 2009


First Look: Clooney and Bridges Staring at Goats


Considering George Clooney‘s upcoming film, The Men Who Stare at Goats, centers around cloud-busting, flying, Jedi-trained psychic killers hired by the government, I’m shocked that I haven’t heard about this film sooner.

With Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, and J.K. Simmons rounding off the cast, I can’t say that I disagree with E! as they dub this movie the “Greatest Film Ever Made.” The goats drop when the eccentric comedy hits theaters November 6.

Read More | E! Online

Box Office Breakdown: Hangover Hangs on for Another Win

The Hangover's Ed Helms and Heather Graham

This is one hangover that’s taking a while to recover from.

For the second week in a row, the must-see comedy of the summer has taken the top spot at the charts. The Hangover, which already had a greenlighted sequel prior to its debut, raked in another $32.7 million over the weekend. The film has now earned over $100 million and given Bradley Cooper his second #1 entry of the year. (His first was February’s He’s Just Not That Into You.)

Sitting in third place this week (right behind Up), was , a remake of a 1974 version starring starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. The action thriller, which had Denzel Washington working with director Tony Scott for the fourth time, pulled in a respectable $23.3 million. Meanwhile, Imagine That, Eddie Murphy’s latest stinker, earned $5.5 million in wide release. That gross bests the premiere of Meet Dave by approximately $200,000.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Hangover Hangs on for Another Win

Read More | Variety

Box Office Breakdown: The Hangover Rises Above Up

The Hangover

Unlike most Mike Tyson fights, ‘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. , 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

Box Office Breakdown: Disney/Pixar Flying High with Up

Up

The word “Pixar” always seems to generate smiles, and that’s exactly what did for Disney.

Over the weekend, the Cannes Film Festival opener generated $68.1 million, over $40 million more than its nearest competitor. The movie - which was also offered in 3D - also bested last year’s Wall-E (by $5 million) and had Pixar’s 3rd-best debut. (The Incredibles opened to $70.5 million in 2004; Finding Nemo grossed $70.3 million in 2003.)

Friday’s other new wide release, , scared up only $15.8 million for a 4th place finish. Although it originally looked as if the horror film would surpass Terminator Salvation, the final numbers were $8 million below Sunday’s projections.

Another noteworthy mention: officially crossed the $200 million mark after only four weeks in release. The Paramount feature is now the first movie of the year to reach that achievement.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Disney/Pixar Flying High with Up

Read More | Variety

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