This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: May 12, 2009
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Home Entertainment, Lists
Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:
- Big: Blu-ray
- Black Sheep: Blu-ray
- Fargo: Blu-ray
- Force 10 from Navaraone: Blu-ray
- Galaxy Quest (Deluxe Edition): DVD
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Blu-ray
- The Grudge: Blu-ray
- Licence to Kill: Blu-ray
- The Man with the Golden Gun: Blu-ray
- The Pianist: Blu-ray
- S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale: DVD, Blu-ray
- Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy: DVD, Blu-ray
Click to continue reading This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: May 12, 2009
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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: April 21, 2009
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Music, Period, Home Entertainment
Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:
- Arctic Tale: Blu-ray
- Frost/Nixon: DVD, Blu-ray
- Hellraiser: Blu-ray
- Notorious: DVD, Blu-ray
- Sin City: Blu-ray
- The Wrestler: DVD, Blu-ray
- X-Men: Blu-ray
- X2: X-Men United: Blu-ray
- X-Men: The Last Stand: Blu-ray
Click here to see the TV-on-DVD options for this week.
Read More | Amazon
Frost/Nixon Star Joins Cast of New Moon
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Sequels, Casting, Celeb News
British actor Michael Sheen will be taking a brief break from political dramas for a theme he’s become familiar with: vampires.
Although his name has become more familiar due to high-profile roles in Frost/Nixon and 2006’s The Queen (he played Prime Minister Tony Blair), Sheen will be heading back into more commercial fare. The 40-year-old is now the latest addition to The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Sheen, a veteran of the Underworld films, has been cast to play Aro, the leader of the Volturi, the clan of Italian vampires. (Dakota Fanning has already been chosen to play Jane, a member of that same group.)
Director Chris Weitz stressed the importance of Michael’s role to the Daily Mail. “Aro is, on the surface, a very gracious and friendly vampire, but beneath that he is a tremendous threat,” he explained.
New Moon is scheduled for a November 20 release.
Read More | Daily Mail
Box Office Breakdown: Audiences are Taken with Liam Neeson
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists
While it would seem logical to find a female-oriented movie on top after Super Bowl Sunday, an action thriller proved there was more than enough testosterone to go around. Taken, starring Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson, took in $24.7 million making it the second best opener ever during the same football period. (Last year’s Hannah Montana concert film grossed $31.1 million.)
Meanwhile, a romantic comedy starring an actual Oscar winner, failed to do what counterprogramming options are meant to do: score a touchdown. New in Town, starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr., earned $6.7 million and a disappointing 8th place. (Apparently Academy Awards don’t guarantee future success.) The romantic comedy raked in about 1/2 as much as Zellweger’s Leatherheads did…and that’s saying a lot.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Audiences are Taken with Liam Neeson
Read More | Variety
Box Office Breakdown: New Life for Oscar Contenders
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers
Nominations? Clint Eastwood doesn’t need any stinkin’ nominations…
Although the 78-year-old was recently overlooked by the Academy, the actor/director still got some respect from the paying public. This past weekend, Gran Torino landed softly into third place and, most importantly, topped the actual Best Picture contenders.
But that’s not to say a nomination is pointless. Last week’s #10, Slumdog Millionaire, jumped 5 positions this week after nabbing 10 nods on Thursday. (It also bested Torino’s per screen average.) Meanwhile, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - thanks to 13 nominations - found itself reentering the Top Ten.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: New Life for Oscar Contenders
Read More | Variety
In Theaters This Weekend: January 23, 2009
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Fox Searchlight, New Line, Universal, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Horror, Independent, Science Fiction, Sequels, Sports, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- Inkheart (PG): starring Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent (directed by Iain Softley)
- Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (R): starring Rhona Mitra, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy (directed by Patrick Tatopoulos)
- California Dreamin’* (NR): starring Jamie Elman, Armand Assante, Razvan Vasilescu (directed by Cristian Nemescu)
- Crips and Bloods: Made in America* (NR): starring Forest Whitaker, Skipp, Kumasi (directed by Stacy Peralta)
- The Dark Knight* (PG-13): starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart (directed by Christopher Nolan)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: January 23, 2009
In Theaters This Weekend: December 5, 2008
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Action, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Music, Period, Political, Comedy, Lists, New Releases
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- Cadillac Records (R): starring Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles, Jeffrey Wright (directed by Darnell Martin)
- Punisher: War Zone (R): starring Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Wayne Knight (directed by Lexi Alexander)
- The Black Balloon* (PG-13): starring Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Gemma Ward (directed by Elissa Down)
- Ciao* (R): starring Charles W. Blaum, Adam Neal Smith, John S. Boles (directed by Yen Tan)
- Frost/Nixon* (R): starring Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Rebecca Hall (directed by Ron Howard)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: December 5, 2008
Getting Into Character: Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter?
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Adaptation, Family, Casting, Rumors
Given all the characters we’ve seen Johnny Depp take on, is the Mad Hatter really a stretch?
Although the circumstances behind this image have not yet been confirmed, it’s believed this picture is of the 45-year-old on the Alice in Wonderland set. Since the Tim Burton film will be incorporating live action and performance-capture technology a la Beowulf, it’s not clear how this costume may fit into the Lewis Carroll update.
The 2010 release also features Mia Wasikowska (Alice), Helena Bonham Carter (the Red Queen), Anne Hathaway (the White Queen), Michael Sheen (the Cheshire Cat) and Crispin Glover (the Knave of Hearts).
Read More | Daily Mail
FilmCrunch 049: The Queen DVD Review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Miramax, Drama, Foreign, DVD Reviews, Short FilmCrunch, Videocasts
Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review the DVD release of The Queen in this episode of FilmCrunch:
A revealing, witty portrait of the British royal family in crisis immediately following the death of Princess Diana. The setting for this fictional account of real events is no less than the private chambers of the Royal Family and the British government in the wake of the sudden death of Princess Diana in August of 1997. In the immediate aftermath of the Princess’s passing, the tightly contained, tradition-bound world of the Queen of England clashes with the slick modernity of the country’s brand new, image-conscious Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The result is an intimate, yet thematically epic, battle between private and public, responsibility and emotion, custom and action - as a grieving nation waits to see what its leaders will do.
Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.
The Queen DVD Review
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Miramax, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Political, Home Entertainment, DVD Reviews
When Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a tragic car accident in Paris, the Royal Family is forced to decide between tradition and moral obligation in this quiet, conversational drama. Recently elected Tony Blair is insistent upon public statements from Queen Elizabeth II, as well as a public funeral for the beloved princess, but royal custom mixed with feelings of distaste and apprehension only drag the issue into weeks of stagnation. As the British people begin to react to the Royal Family’s seeming indifference, The Queen struggles internally with how to handle the situation, while being forced to retain a strong, unaffected composure.
The Queen is written by Peter Morgan, directed by Stephen Frears, and stars Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, and James Cromwell. Rated PG–13. The film received a slew of nominations and awards – most notably an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Helen Mirren’s eerily perfect performance. Be sure to check out FilmCrunch’s The Queen Video Review.
The features on the DVD tend to follow the film into quiet and conversational territory:
- English and Spanish Subtitles
- English and Spanish Audio Tracks
- Commentary by Writer Peter Morgan and Director Stephen Frears
- Commentary by British Historian and Royal Expert Robert Lacey
- The Making of The Queen
- Trailers
Although the in-depth commentary from Robert Lacey is an unique tack-on – the like of which you aren’t going to see on any other DVD – the features are a bit disappointing considering the buzz surrounding this film. Even the making-of segment is basic, consisting mostly of interviews without much behind-the-scenes footage. This isn’t to say that hearing the actors discuss their methods and inspiration is boring in any way – least of all the modest ramblings of a disheveled Stephen Frears – but even an contemplative movie like The Queen can give the home audience a little more. Let’s hope for a special edition sometime in the near future.
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