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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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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: September 29, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Magnolia, Lionsgate, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Comedy, Thrillers, Home Entertainment, Lists, New Releases

Monsters vs. Aliens DVDHere are some of the options available this Tuesday:

  • Away We Go: DVD, Blu-ray
  • The Dark Crystal: Blu-ray
  • Filth and Wisdom: Blu-ray
  • Fireproof: Blu-ray
  • The Girlfriend Experience: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: Blu-ray
  • Labyrinth: Blu-ray
  • Management: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Monsters vs. Aliens: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Shrink: DVD
  • Snakes on a Plane: Blu-ray
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003): Blu-ray
  • The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Edition): DVD, Blu-ray

Make sure to also check out the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

Read More | Amazon

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Box Office Breakdown: Final Destination Has Last Laugh

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Disney, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

The Final Destination

Theatergoers made the destination this weekend.

Even though it had no A-list names and was pitted against another horror film, the fourth Destination installment gave the franchise its best opening to date. The movie, which was boosted by 3D venues and pricing, grossed approximately $27.4 million since its Friday debut. Up until now, the series only saw openings under $20 million.

Warner Bros.’ win meant a loss for . Rob Zombie’s latest splatter-flick scared up nearly $14 million less than 2007’s Halloween grossed. (This could be part of the reason why the director is being replaced for Halloween 3D.) Unfortunately, the $16.3 million take wasn’t even good enough for 2nd place. The sequel was actually topped by a different Weinstein Company film: Inglourious Basterds.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Final Destination Has Last Laugh

Read More | Variety

Box Office Breakdown: Glorious Outing for Inglourious Basterds

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists

Inglourious Basterds

, Inglorious Bastards. However you spell it, it was still a hit.

The WWII-era tale about a band of Jewish-American soldiers hit the mark this weekend with a $38 million debut. Basterds, which more than doubled its nearest competitor, gave his biggest premiere ever. (Kill Bill, Vol. 2 grossed only $25.1 million in 2004.) The director also raked in his best international turnout to date.

Finding himself even further down the list was Tarantino buddy Robert Rodriguez. The director followed up Planet Terror with a $6.4 million outing for the PG-rated . That was enough to give the Warner Bros. feature a 6th place finish.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Glorious Outing for Inglourious Basterds

Read More | Variety

Box Office Breakdown: Number 1 for District 9

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists

District 9

may not have have any big name stars and it may not be based on a story everyone knows, but it does have something no other film has this Monday: a first place finish.

Over the weekend, the R-rated actioner landed on Earth safely with over $37 million in ticket sales. The sci-fi entry also raked in one of the best per screen averages ($12,251) of any film currently in in theaters. (Sony Pictures Classics’ averaged $13,240 while in limited release.)

In the non-alien department, cornered the romantic genre with an $18.6 million total. Meanwhile, Vanessa Hudgens proved she’s nothing without her better half. The Disney star’s new film, Bandslam, failed to even crack the Top Ten. The teen comedy barely managed to gross over $2 million.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Number 1 for District 9

Read More | Box Office Mojo

Box Office Breakdown: Audiences Drawn to Funny People

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

Funny People

When you combine the talents of , Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow, a 1st place finish shouldn’t shock you. A $22.7 million haul? That is surprising.

Despite earning enough to displace G-Force for the weekend’s top spot, failed to bring the movie house down. The 144-minute length dramedy pulled in the lowest gross for any #1 entry this summer. While the film did better than any of Sandler’s dramatic efforts, it didn’t fall line with his comedic outings.

On the other hand, Rogen and Apatow had more reason to be pleased with the box office results. The Universal pic gave Seth his best debut since 2007’s Superbad. Meanwhile, Funny fell right in between The 40-Year-Old Virgin ($21.4 million) and ($30.7 million) for Judd.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Audiences Drawn to Funny People

Read More | Variety

Box Office Breakdown: G-Force Teams Up on Harry Potter

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

G-Force

Let’s face it: Daniel Radcliffe may be cute, but guinea pigs are cuter.

Despite earning $78 million last weekend, could not keep up the magic. The sequel fell to second place after earning a still impressive $29.5 million take over the past three days. Overall, the film has raked in $220 million to date and a delayed opening in IMAX theaters this Wednesday - Transformers 2 had been taking up room - should give the film another boost.

So what could possibly scoot the wizards out of first place? Rodents. Disney, which has already seen The Proposal and Up premiere on top this summer, earned another victory with the debut of . The comedy about a bunch of whiskered CIA operatives roped in $31.6 million over the weekend, just enough for a close win.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: G-Force Teams Up on Harry Potter

Read More | Variety

In Theaters This Weekend: July 24, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Columbia Pictures, Disney, IFC Films, Magnolia, Sony, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Horror, Political, Romance, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

The Ugly Truth

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

  • G-Force (PG): starring Zach Galifianakis, Will Arnett, Bill Nighy (directed by Hoyt Yeatman)
  • Orphan (R): starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman (directed by Jaume Collet-Serra)
  • The Ugly Truth (R): starring Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler, Cheryl Hines (directed by Robert Luketic)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: July 24, 2009


Box Office Breakdown:  Yuma Ropes Up The Win

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Lionsgate, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Yuma

Audiences went old-school this weekend helping 3:10 to Yuma corral the box office crown.  The well-received film, starring and , marked the second week in a row a classic movie remake landed at #1.  (Previous winner, Halloween slid down a notch this week).

Question now is:  Will the success of Yuma spur an onslaught of Westerns?  Given the lack of any real competition this weekend, it still may be too soon to say.  But any speculation will probably be confirmed when ‘s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford opens on September 21.

A trend that probably won’t be coming back anytime soon?  Brothers-desperately-trying-to-make-a-baby-to-make-their-father-happy-before-he-dies films.  The Brothers Solomon delivered a pathetic $525,000 in its debut weekend.  Granted, it didn’t show in many theaters (only 700)—but I’m guessing there was a reason for that.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Yuma Ropes Up The Win


In Theaters This Weekend (9/7)

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Lionsgate, New Line, Action, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Independent, Period, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

Brothers SolomonIf you need a little help planning your weekend, here are a few possible suggestions:

3:10 to Yuma:  starring Russell Crowe, Christian Bale (click here to read our early review)
Shoot ‘Em Up:  starring Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci (directed by Michael Davis)
The Brothers Solomon:  starring Will Forte, Will Arnett (directed by Jeff Garlin Bob Odenkirk)

I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With*:  starring Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt (directed by Jeff Garlin)
The Bubble*:  Ohad Knoller, Yousef ‘Joe’ Sweid, Daniela Virtzer (directed by Eytan Fox)
In the Shadow of the Moon*:  documentary (directed by David Singleton)
Fierce People*:  starring Donald Sutherland, Diane Lane (directed by Griffin Dunne)
Hatchet*:  starring Kane Hodder, Joel Moore, Deon Richmond (directed by Adam Green)
Romance & Cigarettes*: starring James Gandolfini , Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet (directed by John Turturro)
Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint*:  starring Jamyang Lodro, Kelsang (directed by Neten Chokling)

*limited and/or gradual release


FilmCrunch 064: Blades of Glory Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Comedy, Sports, DVD Reviews, Short FilmCrunch, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep take a look at Blades of Glory in this episode of FilmCrunch.

When the macho, swaggering Chazz Michael Michaels takes to the rink, he is the rock star of the arena, leaving a trail of thrashed ice and shrieking female fans in his wake. The only competitor who can match Michaels’ scores is the driven former child prodigy, Jimmy MacElroy. Spotted as a youth executing triple lutzes on the frozen pond of an orphanage, MacElroy was whisked away to days of endless training, and now stands as the picture of poise, the personification of the highest ideals of the men’s sport. Michaels and MacElroy have met in finals rounds before, but their latest head-to-head at the World Championships—when they tie for first—is more than either one can bear, and their longstanding rivalry erupts into a no-holds-barred fight. The ensuing brawl not only sets fire to the World Championship’s helpless mascot, but lands both athletes in hot water: Chazz and Jimmy are called before the sport’s governing board, stripped of their gold medals and banned from the sport for life. Now, three-and-a-half years later, both men are still trying to find their way in a world without competitive skating. To skate again, all Chazz and Jimmy have to do is set aside their long festering hatred of one another and join forces—as the first male/male figure skating pair to compete in the history of the sport.

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.


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