In a few hours 2012 will be over (in my timezone at least). So I thought it would be appropriate to reflect a little on the past year, as well as look ahead to some of the great things coming in 2013.
2012: the year of superheroes, archers, and box office records.
Six hundred fifty-five films were released and reported grosses during 2012, ranging from the miniscule $117 earned by The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (no I did not make that up), to the mammoth $623 million earned by The Avengers. The domestic box office as a whole earned around $10.8 billion, easily stealing the record for highest grossing year of all time from 2009 ($10.595 billion). The year also takes the record for the most films to reach $1 billion worldwide (if you go ahead and include The Hobbit). Those four films are The Avengers with $1.511 billion, The Dark Knight Rises with $1.081 billion, Skyfall with $1.0002 billion (so far), and The Hobbit with $686 million (so far, but it just has to reach a billion eventually.)
I saw twenty-two of this year's new releases in the theater (some more than once), and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every film I saw in theaters. I obviously enjoyed some more than others, and in different ways for different reasons, but there weren't any films this year that I wish I hadn't paid to see in the theater. The films I saw this year (ordered by domestic box office grosses) were:
The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hunger Games, Skyfall, The Amazing Spider-Man, Brave, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Wreck-It Ralph, Prometheus, The Bourne Legacy, Argo, Rise of the Guardians, Dark Shadows, John Carter, Les Miserables, Looper, ParaNorman, This Means War, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D, Finding Nemo 3D, Frankenweenie,and Premium Rush.
Twenty-two out of six hundred fifty-five. Not such a great record, especially since there are around thirty films that I wanted to see this year but just never got around to seeing them.
2013: Star Trek, (more) superheroes, and the return of Smaug the Terrible
Though 2013 probably won't surpass 2012's record yearly gross, I do think the box office is going to fare quite nicely. There isn't going to be another Avengersesque mammoth haul, but there should be at least eleven films that gross over $200 million domestically, which is the same as 2012. Those films are (ordered by my predictions for their final grosses):
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Fast & Furious 6, The Hangover Part 3, Thor: The Dark World, Man of Steel, World War Z, Monsters University, and The Lone Ranger. I think that's eleven...I might have lost count.
There's obviously going to be much more to see in the theater between now and a year from now, but this post is already long enough without me listing all one hundred fifty-two films currently scheduled for release in 2013.
I want to see forty-seven of them, so you might get to hear about those (or at least the ones I actually end up seeing).
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
January 2013 Preview!
In the same way that September is the Box Office's post-summer nap, January is Hollywood's response to the crazy hooplah of the holiday season. That is, at least concerning new releases. For most of January, the city is preparing for its biggest night of the year (which yours truly will be enjoying from the comfort of his own living room and blogging about both here and at roblovesmovies.tumblr.com.)
So here is the short list of films I plan to see in January:
The Impossible (Nationwide: 1/4/13)
Yes, I'm starting off the list with a 2012 release. In my defense, Ewan McGregor's English-language Spanish film about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has only been shown in sixteen theaters, so I haven't really had any opportunities to see it yet. The Impossible has already generated a fair amount of awards season buzz for both McGregor and co-star Naomi Watts, and was given a perfect four-star rating from film critic Roger Ebert.
Zero Dark Thirty (Nationwide: 1/11/13)
It's another 2012 release going nationwide in early January (the day after Oscar nominations) that has been generating massive amounts of awards season buzz, as well as praise (and controversy) from critics. I would be surprised if Thirty's nationwide expansion doesn't follow on the heels of several Oscar noms, including Kathryn Bigelow's directing and lead actress Jessica Chastain (who just happens to be my favorite for that award.) Who says a little torture is a bad thing?
Quartet (1/11/13)
Here's the first new release of 2013 that I'm interested in seeing, although the films I'm most interested in seeing are the afore-mentioned 2012 releases. Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut is a quirky comedy about a retirement home for former opera singers whose annual Verdi tribute concert gets disrupted by the arrival of Jean, a new resident and old diva. Starring Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, and Billy Connolly. Quartet won't be getting much of a release (or make much of a splash at the box office), but it looks to be an enjoyable outing to the theater for those interested. And as an added bonus, you'll get to hear Professor McGonagall drop an f-bomb.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (1/25/13)
The last of the month's reduced slate of films is the newest re-imagining of the classic tale about the brother and sister who get tricked into a witch's ginger bread house and almost wind up on her dinner table. This time, Hansel and Gretel give the old witch a taste of her own medicine and then devote their lives to ridding the world of pesky evil witches. This should be funny, action-y, dark, and very violent (times ten if you see it in IMAX.) I also predict that at least half an hour of the film will be comprised of low-angle butt shots, and hopefully not just of Jeremy Renner.
Are you going to see any of the month's new releases? Or will you be catching up on the last of 2012's releases? Let me know which movies you plan to see!
So here is the short list of films I plan to see in January:
The Impossible (Nationwide: 1/4/13)
Yes, I'm starting off the list with a 2012 release. In my defense, Ewan McGregor's English-language Spanish film about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has only been shown in sixteen theaters, so I haven't really had any opportunities to see it yet. The Impossible has already generated a fair amount of awards season buzz for both McGregor and co-star Naomi Watts, and was given a perfect four-star rating from film critic Roger Ebert.
Zero Dark Thirty (Nationwide: 1/11/13)
It's another 2012 release going nationwide in early January (the day after Oscar nominations) that has been generating massive amounts of awards season buzz, as well as praise (and controversy) from critics. I would be surprised if Thirty's nationwide expansion doesn't follow on the heels of several Oscar noms, including Kathryn Bigelow's directing and lead actress Jessica Chastain (who just happens to be my favorite for that award.) Who says a little torture is a bad thing?
Quartet (1/11/13)
Here's the first new release of 2013 that I'm interested in seeing, although the films I'm most interested in seeing are the afore-mentioned 2012 releases. Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut is a quirky comedy about a retirement home for former opera singers whose annual Verdi tribute concert gets disrupted by the arrival of Jean, a new resident and old diva. Starring Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, and Billy Connolly. Quartet won't be getting much of a release (or make much of a splash at the box office), but it looks to be an enjoyable outing to the theater for those interested. And as an added bonus, you'll get to hear Professor McGonagall drop an f-bomb.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (1/25/13)
The last of the month's reduced slate of films is the newest re-imagining of the classic tale about the brother and sister who get tricked into a witch's ginger bread house and almost wind up on her dinner table. This time, Hansel and Gretel give the old witch a taste of her own medicine and then devote their lives to ridding the world of pesky evil witches. This should be funny, action-y, dark, and very violent (times ten if you see it in IMAX.) I also predict that at least half an hour of the film will be comprised of low-angle butt shots, and hopefully not just of Jeremy Renner.
Are you going to see any of the month's new releases? Or will you be catching up on the last of 2012's releases? Let me know which movies you plan to see!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
December 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in December:
Hyde Park on Hudson
Bill Murray is FDR during the weekend in 1939 when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth become the first King and Queen of England to visit America.
Les Miserables
Tom Hooper looks to repeat the formula that won him a few Oscars in 2011. Am I totally ok with that and excited to see this one? YES.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
XD
Give me a minute to calm down....
Do I think the 48 fps is an issue? I would stand in line for days to see this even if Jackson had shot it using his iphone (or whatever he has). So he decides to split the book into three movies? Please take my money, Peter. TAKE ALL OF THE MONEY. And it comes out on my girlfriend's 21st birthday, so we'll definitely be at the midnight premier in IMAX 3D.
Django Unchained
It's Tarantino. And Christoph Waltz is back as a good guy? Yesplz.
Which December releases are you most excited about? Let me know!
Hyde Park on Hudson
Bill Murray is FDR during the weekend in 1939 when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth become the first King and Queen of England to visit America.
Les Miserables
Tom Hooper looks to repeat the formula that won him a few Oscars in 2011. Am I totally ok with that and excited to see this one? YES.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
XD
Give me a minute to calm down....
Do I think the 48 fps is an issue? I would stand in line for days to see this even if Jackson had shot it using his iphone (or whatever he has). So he decides to split the book into three movies? Please take my money, Peter. TAKE ALL OF THE MONEY. And it comes out on my girlfriend's 21st birthday, so we'll definitely be at the midnight premier in IMAX 3D.
Django Unchained
It's Tarantino. And Christoph Waltz is back as a good guy? Yesplz.
Which December releases are you most excited about? Let me know!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
November 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of films I plan to see in November:
Flight (November 2, 2012)
Denzel Washington is an alcoholic pilot who saves a commercial airliner from crashing by flipping the plane upside down. Also starring John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, and Melissa Leo. Directed by Robert Zemekis of Back to the Future, Cast Away, and Forrest Gump fame.
This Must Be the Place (November 2, 2012)
Sean Penn sure does like to play a diverse array of roles. This time he is a former rockstar (with crazy hair) who sets out to avenge his father's death by finding the Nazi criminal who persecuted him. The film will definitely be quirky, though I'm most intrigued by Penn's and co-star Frances McDormand's performances and the film's visual style.
Lincoln (November 9, 2012)
If Daniel Day-Lewis' rendition of the beloved president doesn't give you chills, then you must be a republican. Or heartless. Added bonus: JGL. Less exciting: another cookie-cutter score by Williams. (Don't send me hate mail about that one...he has written some of the most beautiful film scores of all time, but lately his scores have sounded uninspired and repetitive.)
Skyfall (November 9, 2012)
Bond. Daniel Craig. Judi Dench. Ralph Fiennes. Sam Mendes. *awesomegasm*
Life of Pi (November 21, 2012)
The son of a zookeeper struggles to survive on a lifeboat with a tiger after the ship he was traveling on sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. From the trailers, Ang Lee's first 3D film looks visually breathtaking and equally emotional.
Rust and Bone (November 23, 2012)
Here's more proof that Marion Cotillard is as good of an actress as she is beautiful, as if anyone needed it. Cotillard stars as a killer whale trainer who looses her legs in a tragic accident. The film was well received at Cannes, especially Cotillard's performance, though it didn't pick up any awards there.
Hitchcock (November 23, 2012)
Hopkins steps into the role (and the face prosthetic) so perfectly that you might forget that you're not watching the real Hitchcock. And you can never go wrong with leading ladies Helen Mirren and ScarJo.
What November films are you looking forward to the most? Did I forget about anything or include something I shouldn't have? Share your thoughts below!
Flight (November 2, 2012)
Denzel Washington is an alcoholic pilot who saves a commercial airliner from crashing by flipping the plane upside down. Also starring John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, and Melissa Leo. Directed by Robert Zemekis of Back to the Future, Cast Away, and Forrest Gump fame.
This Must Be the Place (November 2, 2012)
Sean Penn sure does like to play a diverse array of roles. This time he is a former rockstar (with crazy hair) who sets out to avenge his father's death by finding the Nazi criminal who persecuted him. The film will definitely be quirky, though I'm most intrigued by Penn's and co-star Frances McDormand's performances and the film's visual style.
Lincoln (November 9, 2012)
If Daniel Day-Lewis' rendition of the beloved president doesn't give you chills, then you must be a republican. Or heartless. Added bonus: JGL. Less exciting: another cookie-cutter score by Williams. (Don't send me hate mail about that one...he has written some of the most beautiful film scores of all time, but lately his scores have sounded uninspired and repetitive.)
Skyfall (November 9, 2012)
Bond. Daniel Craig. Judi Dench. Ralph Fiennes. Sam Mendes. *awesomegasm*
Life of Pi (November 21, 2012)
The son of a zookeeper struggles to survive on a lifeboat with a tiger after the ship he was traveling on sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. From the trailers, Ang Lee's first 3D film looks visually breathtaking and equally emotional.
Rust and Bone (November 23, 2012)
Here's more proof that Marion Cotillard is as good of an actress as she is beautiful, as if anyone needed it. Cotillard stars as a killer whale trainer who looses her legs in a tragic accident. The film was well received at Cannes, especially Cotillard's performance, though it didn't pick up any awards there.
Hitchcock (November 23, 2012)
Hopkins steps into the role (and the face prosthetic) so perfectly that you might forget that you're not watching the real Hitchcock. And you can never go wrong with leading ladies Helen Mirren and ScarJo.
What November films are you looking forward to the most? Did I forget about anything or include something I shouldn't have? Share your thoughts below!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Finding Nemo 3D
Finding Nemo 3D (2012)
Directed by Andrew Stanton.
I don't remember if I saw Nemo in its original theatrical release back in 2003, so it was a no-brainer that I had to see the 3D re-release in its opening weekend. I do however remember watching it on DVD so many times that that it stopped working (or maybe it just got scratched...)
Anyway, I was very excited to see my favorite Pixar film in a theater for the first time. I'm still not a big fan of 3D and probably never will be, but this was worth seeing with the extra dimension. Unlike most conversions, especially on live-action films, the extra dimension didn't feel awkward and annoying. The conversion actually achieved the primary goal of 3D: it gave extra depth that the original lacked, and made the already striking seascapes even more beautiful.
I know you've seen Nemo in at least two of the D's, if not all three, so instead of doing more review-ish stuff, I'd like to hear your opinion. Yes this is for a grade, and it's due on Friday.
How do you feel about 3D? (I know, it's an old question, but it's still valid.)
Should Disney continue converting its vast collection of animated films? If so, which should be next?
Finding Nemo 2?
5 out of 5 Stars
Viewed September 14, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX.
Directed by Andrew Stanton.
I don't remember if I saw Nemo in its original theatrical release back in 2003, so it was a no-brainer that I had to see the 3D re-release in its opening weekend. I do however remember watching it on DVD so many times that that it stopped working (or maybe it just got scratched...)
Anyway, I was very excited to see my favorite Pixar film in a theater for the first time. I'm still not a big fan of 3D and probably never will be, but this was worth seeing with the extra dimension. Unlike most conversions, especially on live-action films, the extra dimension didn't feel awkward and annoying. The conversion actually achieved the primary goal of 3D: it gave extra depth that the original lacked, and made the already striking seascapes even more beautiful.I know you've seen Nemo in at least two of the D's, if not all three, so instead of doing more review-ish stuff, I'd like to hear your opinion. Yes this is for a grade, and it's due on Friday.
How do you feel about 3D? (I know, it's an old question, but it's still valid.)
Should Disney continue converting its vast collection of animated films? If so, which should be next?
Finding Nemo 2?
5 out of 5 Stars
Viewed September 14, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Box Office Review: September 2012
As expected, September was a very boring month (and not just for me personally...) Even though 2012 had the second highest grossing September of all time with a domestic total of $571 million, it still lagged behind July (2012's highest grossing month) by a staggering $745 million.
Ironically, in the final weekend of the month Hotel Transylvania set a new record for the highest grossing opening weekend in September, beating former champ Sweet Home Alabama by almost $7 million.
What worked:
Hotel Transylvania
Though only in theaters for the last three days of September, Adam Sandler's Dracula and his merry band of ghouls earned $42.5 million domestically. Not only did that break the record mentioned above, it also made Hotel the highest grossing film of the month. It's even currently tracking ahead of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs which earned a domestic gross of $125 million back in 2009, though I doubt Hotel will hold out that well. Look for this to finish up around $90 - $100 million domestically, which more than covers its $85 million production budget.
The Possession
Sam Raimi's most recent horror flick, though he only produced it, lurked into theaters on the last day of August and still managed to claim second place for September with $41 million domestically ($47.5 million including its opening day.) That isn't much compared to the perennial Paranormal Activity franchise, but it is still quite an accomplishment for a $14 million film.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The coming-of-age tale featuring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller opened in four theaters to an impressive per-theater average of $57,090 (fifth highest of the year.) In its second weekend, Wallflower expanded to 102 theaters and grossed just over $1 million. Considering its popular cast, universal appeal, and positive reception from critics and audiences, Wallflower should continue to expand in the coming weeks and could end up around $30 million domestically.
What didn't:
Won't Back Down
Hotel Transylvania wasn't the only film to set an opening weekend record this month. With a domestic opening weekend gross of $2.6 million, Won't Back Down claimed the title of lowest grossing opening weekend of all time for a film released in more than 2500 theaters.
Dredd
Hollywood's second attempt to turn the popular British graphic novel into a successful franchise seems to have stalled on the first floor. With Karl Urban's masked superhero only confiscating $11 million domestically for the month, I don't expect it to reach its $50 million production budget or a final gross high enough for Lionsgate to greenlight a sequel.
Honorable Mentions:
Most of this month's releases were neither blockbusters nor flops. Finding Nemo 3D ended the month in fourth place with $36 million domestically, but is tracking behind the rest of this year's 3D re-releases. End of Watch, House at the End of the Street, and Looper all earned modest domestic grosses between $20 and $25 million. The Master opened to $736,311 in limited release to claim the highest per theater average of the year, but stalled in its nationwide release and ended the month just short of $10 million.
October is definitely going to fare better than September, with likely blockbusters Taken 2, Argo, and Paranormal Activity 4. What do you think will be the highest grossing film of the month?
Ironically, in the final weekend of the month Hotel Transylvania set a new record for the highest grossing opening weekend in September, beating former champ Sweet Home Alabama by almost $7 million.
What worked:
Hotel Transylvania
Though only in theaters for the last three days of September, Adam Sandler's Dracula and his merry band of ghouls earned $42.5 million domestically. Not only did that break the record mentioned above, it also made Hotel the highest grossing film of the month. It's even currently tracking ahead of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs which earned a domestic gross of $125 million back in 2009, though I doubt Hotel will hold out that well. Look for this to finish up around $90 - $100 million domestically, which more than covers its $85 million production budget.
The Possession
Sam Raimi's most recent horror flick, though he only produced it, lurked into theaters on the last day of August and still managed to claim second place for September with $41 million domestically ($47.5 million including its opening day.) That isn't much compared to the perennial Paranormal Activity franchise, but it is still quite an accomplishment for a $14 million film.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The coming-of-age tale featuring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller opened in four theaters to an impressive per-theater average of $57,090 (fifth highest of the year.) In its second weekend, Wallflower expanded to 102 theaters and grossed just over $1 million. Considering its popular cast, universal appeal, and positive reception from critics and audiences, Wallflower should continue to expand in the coming weeks and could end up around $30 million domestically.
What didn't:
Won't Back Down
Hotel Transylvania wasn't the only film to set an opening weekend record this month. With a domestic opening weekend gross of $2.6 million, Won't Back Down claimed the title of lowest grossing opening weekend of all time for a film released in more than 2500 theaters.
Dredd
Hollywood's second attempt to turn the popular British graphic novel into a successful franchise seems to have stalled on the first floor. With Karl Urban's masked superhero only confiscating $11 million domestically for the month, I don't expect it to reach its $50 million production budget or a final gross high enough for Lionsgate to greenlight a sequel.
Honorable Mentions:
Most of this month's releases were neither blockbusters nor flops. Finding Nemo 3D ended the month in fourth place with $36 million domestically, but is tracking behind the rest of this year's 3D re-releases. End of Watch, House at the End of the Street, and Looper all earned modest domestic grosses between $20 and $25 million. The Master opened to $736,311 in limited release to claim the highest per theater average of the year, but stalled in its nationwide release and ended the month just short of $10 million.
October is definitely going to fare better than September, with likely blockbusters Taken 2, Argo, and Paranormal Activity 4. What do you think will be the highest grossing film of the month?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
October 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in October:
Frankenweenie
Can't say no to a Tim Burton film, even if you have no clue what the plot of the film really is!
Butter
Jennifer Garner competes in a butter carving contest, and Olivia Wilde is a hooker. What more could you want?
Argo
Ben Affleck's directorial follow up to The Town, based on the 2007 Wired article "How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran".
Alex Cross
Matthew Fox is bald, cray, and somehow sober. Tyler Perry is the detective hunting him down for murdering his wife. Sounds interesting, but I'm not so sure about Perry trying to become an action hero...
Cloud Atlas
Sci-Fi epic starring Tom Hanks, a seven-Oscar cast and crew, and the power of love through time and space. Early reviews from the Toronto Film Festival have been very polarized, but the newest film from the Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer (of Run Lola Run fame) isn't something to miss.
What films are you most excited about seeing this month?
Frankenweenie
Can't say no to a Tim Burton film, even if you have no clue what the plot of the film really is!
Butter
Jennifer Garner competes in a butter carving contest, and Olivia Wilde is a hooker. What more could you want?
Argo
Ben Affleck's directorial follow up to The Town, based on the 2007 Wired article "How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran".
Alex Cross
Matthew Fox is bald, cray, and somehow sober. Tyler Perry is the detective hunting him down for murdering his wife. Sounds interesting, but I'm not so sure about Perry trying to become an action hero...
Cloud Atlas
Sci-Fi epic starring Tom Hanks, a seven-Oscar cast and crew, and the power of love through time and space. Early reviews from the Toronto Film Festival have been very polarized, but the newest film from the Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer (of Run Lola Run fame) isn't something to miss.
What films are you most excited about seeing this month?
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element (1997)
Directed by Luc Besson
If I had seen this sometime during the nineties, I am positive that it would have been one of my favorite movies ever.
Unfortunately I didn't see it until 2012.
To say whether I liked or didn't like the film would be a grossly oversimplified explanation of how I felt while watching it. So instead of doing that, I'll make a list of the things I did like, and another of what I did not like.
Likes:
Milla Jovovich (And not just for that reason, you perverts...)
Fight sequences
Editing
Anti-likes:
Most of the dialogue
Creature design
Music
Costumes
90% of the CG
Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman's hair
Gary Oldman's accent
Apparently I disliked more about this film than I liked about it. However, it was still an entertaining film to watch.
So it's not my favorite movie ever. But is it yours? Share why (or why not) below!
2.5 out of 5 Stars
Viewed September 7, 2012 on DVD.
Directed by Luc Besson
If I had seen this sometime during the nineties, I am positive that it would have been one of my favorite movies ever.
Unfortunately I didn't see it until 2012.
To say whether I liked or didn't like the film would be a grossly oversimplified explanation of how I felt while watching it. So instead of doing that, I'll make a list of the things I did like, and another of what I did not like.
Likes:
Milla Jovovich (And not just for that reason, you perverts...)
Fight sequences
Editing
Anti-likes:
Most of the dialogue
Creature design
Music
Costumes
90% of the CG
Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman's hair
Gary Oldman's accent
Apparently I disliked more about this film than I liked about it. However, it was still an entertaining film to watch.
So it's not my favorite movie ever. But is it yours? Share why (or why not) below!
2.5 out of 5 Stars
Viewed September 7, 2012 on DVD.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Brave
Brave (2012)
Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and Steve Purcell
Late reviews, part deux!
This time I'm writing almost a week in advance! So it's like I'm talking to your future self! O.o What are things like next week? I'm getting a headache now...let's not think about this ever again.
I bet y'all are taking bets on whether I can recover and write a decent review...Thanks guys.
Anyways...Hello! Happy Saturday!
Like Spider-Man, I saw Brave about two months ago but things came up and I never sat down and wrote a review.
I think that Brave is one of Pixar's best films ever, which is really saying something. Rather than obsessing with sequels and remakes like the rest of the industry, Pixar consistently tells original and heartfelt stories that resonate with audience members of all ages. Brave is no exception to the rule that Pixar rocks.
Box office wise, Brave has been a little below average for a Pixar film. It has grossed $232 million domestically and $470 million worldwide. Those numbers are nothing for Pixar to be ashamed of, especially since Brave had to follow Cars 2, which was a disappointment both critically and at the box office (the only Pixar film it outgrossed was A Bug's Life), and made some people question whether Pixar was beginning to run low on originality.
Luckily they were wrong.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed July 6, 2012 at Cinema 6 in Mt. Pleasant, TX
PS - My favorite Pixar movie is Finding Nemo. What's yours?
Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and Steve Purcell
Late reviews, part deux!
This time I'm writing almost a week in advance! So it's like I'm talking to your future self! O.o What are things like next week? I'm getting a headache now...let's not think about this ever again.
I bet y'all are taking bets on whether I can recover and write a decent review...Thanks guys.
Anyways...Hello! Happy Saturday!
I think that Brave is one of Pixar's best films ever, which is really saying something. Rather than obsessing with sequels and remakes like the rest of the industry, Pixar consistently tells original and heartfelt stories that resonate with audience members of all ages. Brave is no exception to the rule that Pixar rocks.
Box office wise, Brave has been a little below average for a Pixar film. It has grossed $232 million domestically and $470 million worldwide. Those numbers are nothing for Pixar to be ashamed of, especially since Brave had to follow Cars 2, which was a disappointment both critically and at the box office (the only Pixar film it outgrossed was A Bug's Life), and made some people question whether Pixar was beginning to run low on originality.
Luckily they were wrong.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed July 6, 2012 at Cinema 6 in Mt. Pleasant, TX
PS - My favorite Pixar movie is Finding Nemo. What's yours?
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man #1
The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (2012)
Directed by Marc Webb
So I thought I should probably try to get caught up on some overdue reviews...starting with the oldest. (I saw Spider-Man during its opening weekend... :/ ) So this review may not be totally coherent, but I'm going to give it a try. This is also the beginning of my attempt to stick to a regular schedule! I'm writing this on Monday, but y'all won't be reading it until Wednesday... O.O So happy Wednesday!
Anyway...Spider-Man.
As I've said before, I'm really glad that Andrew Garfield was chosen to replace That Other Guy for the reboot. From my understanding of the comics (I haven't read any of the comics) Garfield's goofy Peter Parker is much closer to the original character than That Other Guy's was. I also loved the onscreen chemistry between Garfield and Emma Stone. Imagine how adorable it would be if they were together in real life!
*dies in a suffocating pile of adorableness (which is a lot like getting smothered by tribbles. Literally.)*
What I disliked the most about the film would be The Lizard. Rhys Ifans did a great job providing a Dr. Connors that the audience could sympathize for, but I just don't feel like The Lizard was a big enough villain for the reboot of the franchise.(since I know so much about the comics...) I do however know that The Lizard was one of the worst creature designs I've seen in a long time from a major studio's summer tentpole blockbuster. Next time, just hire Neville Page. Even if you have to pay him a zillion dollars. It is worth it. Neville Page + a zillion dollars =! The Lizard.
So yeah. A little rambly (rambly isn't a word? :( oh well.) but keep in mind I'm writing a review for a movie I saw about two months ago. If you find the rambling annoying, let me know and I'll try to keep it to a minimum.
Did you enjoy The Amazing Spider-Man #1? And what are your thoughts/predictions/psychic foreknowledges for #2?
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed July 4, 2012 at Cinema 6 in Mt. Pleasant, TX
Directed by Marc Webb
So I thought I should probably try to get caught up on some overdue reviews...starting with the oldest. (I saw Spider-Man during its opening weekend... :/ ) So this review may not be totally coherent, but I'm going to give it a try. This is also the beginning of my attempt to stick to a regular schedule! I'm writing this on Monday, but y'all won't be reading it until Wednesday... O.O So happy Wednesday!
Anyway...Spider-Man.As I've said before, I'm really glad that Andrew Garfield was chosen to replace That Other Guy for the reboot. From my understanding of the comics (I haven't read any of the comics) Garfield's goofy Peter Parker is much closer to the original character than That Other Guy's was. I also loved the onscreen chemistry between Garfield and Emma Stone. Imagine how adorable it would be if they were together in real life!
*dies in a suffocating pile of adorableness (which is a lot like getting smothered by tribbles. Literally.)*
What I disliked the most about the film would be The Lizard. Rhys Ifans did a great job providing a Dr. Connors that the audience could sympathize for, but I just don't feel like The Lizard was a big enough villain for the reboot of the franchise.
So yeah. A little rambly (rambly isn't a word? :( oh well.) but keep in mind I'm writing a review for a movie I saw about two months ago. If you find the rambling annoying, let me know and I'll try to keep it to a minimum.
Did you enjoy The Amazing Spider-Man #1? And what are your thoughts/predictions/psychic foreknowledges for #2?
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed July 4, 2012 at Cinema 6 in Mt. Pleasant, TX
Saturday, September 8, 2012
ParaNorman
ParaNorman (2012)
Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell
I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw its trailer. Especially this part:
What's not to love about a nerdy kid who can see ghosts and has a healthy obsession with zombies?
The best thing about the film, though, is its message. The film isn't really about fighting zombies, curses, and a scary witch, it is about acceptance and the importance of respecting everybody, no matter how different they are from you. If Norman could save his town from certain destruction by showing that kind of acceptance, just imagine how much of a difference we could make in real life if we did the same.
(Sorry for such a short review... This one was difficult for me to write and I don't know why. As always, if you any thoughts you'd like to discuss, leave a comment below!)
4 out of 5 Stars
Viewed August, 23, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, Texas
Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell
I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw its trailer. Especially this part:
What's not to love about a nerdy kid who can see ghosts and has a healthy obsession with zombies?
The best thing about the film, though, is its message. The film isn't really about fighting zombies, curses, and a scary witch, it is about acceptance and the importance of respecting everybody, no matter how different they are from you. If Norman could save his town from certain destruction by showing that kind of acceptance, just imagine how much of a difference we could make in real life if we did the same.
(Sorry for such a short review... This one was difficult for me to write and I don't know why. As always, if you any thoughts you'd like to discuss, leave a comment below!)
4 out of 5 Stars
Viewed August, 23, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, Texas
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Premium Rush
Premium Rush (2012)
Directed by David Koepp
I would like to start by saying how disappointed I am with how poorly Premium Rush has been performing at the box office. As of 9/3, Rush has only grossed about $13.5 million.
Though I really enjoyed Rush and I would see almost any movie with JGL in it, I will admit that it isn't perfect. I had a little trouble following the chronology after the first jump in time. When the first slate popped up showing the time, it made me think that the story was going to play out in real time. So that first jump was unexpected and felt out of place. It didn't take me long to figure out what was happening (since I'm such a genius) but it did take me out of the story for a few minutes. However, I did like how the time jumps later in the film gave us insights and different viewpoints (figuratively and literally) of events that happened earlier in the film.
My biggest complaint about the film would have to be the villain: Michael Shannon's Detective Monday. The telling of his backstory felt way too rushed and unrelatable for him to be a good villain. I didn't really care that he was a dirty cop with a gambling problem, and I never felt any sympathy towards him. This is an action thriller. I should be afraid of what the bad guy is capable of doing to the protagonist, yet I should feel at least a little sympathy towards him. I felt neither of those things. In fact, the only thing I felt toward him was annoyance.
What I like most about Rush, other than getting to watch JGL be awesome on a bike for ninety minutes, is that it promised an hour and a half of fast-paced and death defying bike riding through the streets of New York City, and that's exactly what it delivered. You have to give the marketing team points for honesty, even if they didn't do so great with volume or title recognition.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 25, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX
Directed by David Koepp
I would like to start by saying how disappointed I am with how poorly Premium Rush has been performing at the box office. As of 9/3, Rush has only grossed about $13.5 million.
My biggest complaint about the film would have to be the villain: Michael Shannon's Detective Monday. The telling of his backstory felt way too rushed and unrelatable for him to be a good villain. I didn't really care that he was a dirty cop with a gambling problem, and I never felt any sympathy towards him. This is an action thriller. I should be afraid of what the bad guy is capable of doing to the protagonist, yet I should feel at least a little sympathy towards him. I felt neither of those things. In fact, the only thing I felt toward him was annoyance.
What I like most about Rush, other than getting to watch JGL be awesome on a bike for ninety minutes, is that it promised an hour and a half of fast-paced and death defying bike riding through the streets of New York City, and that's exactly what it delivered. You have to give the marketing team points for honesty, even if they didn't do so great with volume or title recognition.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 25, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Formats!
So we've been here together for...four months. Four months! That makes this my longest functioning relationship with another human being! Yay!
:(
Anyways....I think things are going pretty well here, but I've had a brilliant idea: give the blog some format! XD
It's not really that exciting...
So far I've just been watching movies and posting reviews (which is ok) but for our relationship (relationship?) to really flourish, it should probably have some formatting. So...
1. I'm going to start posting on a REGULAR SCHEDULE!! I'm thinking Saturdays and Wednesdays? (If that doesn't work I might try out different days.) But...
2. I'll still post important reviews (ie. Skyfall, The Hobbit, etc.) immediately after seeing the films,
3. AND I'll keep posting monthly previews (on the 2nd to last day of the month) and box office reviews (on the 2nd of the month).
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY: I really really really want this blog to be about discussing films, rather than me just shouting my opinions into the void of teh interwebseven though I really love the sound of my own voice. I hate film reviews that solely try to convince the reader to adopt the critics viewpoint. I know I'm not always right, and I know that your opinions are just as important as mine are. So don't be shy, let me know what you think!
I hope y'all like the new formats...(if you don't please let me know!)
Thank you to all my readers in America, Russia, Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Vietnam, Australia, and France! (Sorry if I left off your country... Blogger only shows me the ten top countries by number of views.)
Thank you thank you!
<3
(If you have any format suggestions let me know! :D)
:(
Anyways....I think things are going pretty well here, but I've had a brilliant idea: give the blog some format! XD
So far I've just been watching movies and posting reviews (which is ok) but for our relationship (relationship?) to really flourish, it should probably have some formatting. So...
1. I'm going to start posting on a REGULAR SCHEDULE!! I'm thinking Saturdays and Wednesdays? (If that doesn't work I might try out different days.) But...
2. I'll still post important reviews (ie. Skyfall, The Hobbit, etc.) immediately after seeing the films,
3. AND I'll keep posting monthly previews (on the 2nd to last day of the month) and box office reviews (on the 2nd of the month).
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY: I really really really want this blog to be about discussing films, rather than me just shouting my opinions into the void of teh interwebs
I hope y'all like the new formats...(if you don't please let me know!)
Thank you to all my readers in America, Russia, Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Vietnam, Australia, and France! (Sorry if I left off your country... Blogger only shows me the ten top countries by number of views.)
Thank you thank you!
<3
(If you have any format suggestions let me know! :D)
Box Office Review: August 2012
August is a very transitional month. Summer changes into fall. Lazy days out in the sun turn into hours of torture (aka learning) at the hands of teachers. And the box office goes from its highest grossing month: July (record of $1.395 billion in 2011); to its lowest grossing month: September (record of $603 million in 2011). The beginning of August historically sees the studios' last attempts to make a buck with B action flicks, but by the end of the month it's clear that the box office frenzy of summer is over.
August 2012 is no different, with an unimpressive total gross of $803 million.
Here is a quick look at the movies that succeeded in spite of the end-of-summer doldrums, and those that didn't.
What worked:
The Dark Knight Rises
The year's number two grossing film is once again the highest grossing film of the month. TDKR grossed $122 million in August for a domestic total thus far of $431 million. It is now the ninth highest domestic grossing film of all time.
The Bourne Legacy
Though the sequel/reboot is the highest grossing film released in August, it is currently the lowest grossing film in its franchise. So far the introduction to Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross has grossed $90 million domestically, compared to $121 million, $176 million, and $227 million, the final grosses of Identity, Supremacy, and Ultimatum respectively. Fortunately this doesn't yet seem to be hurting the outlook for The Bourne (fill in the blank with a word more intense than Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum, and Legacy). I was a little disappointed with Legacy, but I'm very excited to see JRen and Matt Damon working together.
2016 Obama's America
Most political documentaries don't play very well at the box office, especially ones with a conservative viewpoint. 2016 is the film that has broken that mold. During the film's six weeks in limited release it grossed an impressive $2.8 million. It expanded nationwide to 1091 theaters in its seventh weekend and grossed $6.5 million, making it the seventh highest grossing film for the weekend, above all three new releases (Premium Rush, Hit and Run, and The Apparition).
What didn't:
Total Recall
The Colin Farrell reboot of the classic Schwarzenegger film from 1990 was supposed to easily fill the void of the late summer wilderness. Instead it turned out to be another case of reboot-itis, and will be lucky to gross half of its $125 million production budget.
Premium Rush
This one makes me a little sad. I very much enjoyed Premium Rush, so I'm going to blame the film's performance on its mediocre marketing job. After a week in theaters, the JGL bike chase/thriller has grossed a mere $9.3 million. Considering its production budget of $35 million, there's no way this can't be considered a flop.
The Apparition
Warner Brothers did a wonderful job of sabotaging this film's release. After a practically nonexistent marketing push, the horror flick opened in only 810 theaters to an opening weekend gross of $2.8 million. So far the film has grossed $3.8 million, and has no chance of getting anywhere close to its $17 million production budget.
How do you think the box office will fare in September? There's potential for some big releases, such as Finding Nemo 3D, Resident Evil: Retribution, The Master, Trouble with the Curve, and Looper. Will they be enough to overcome the black hole that is September? Share your thoughts below!
August 2012 is no different, with an unimpressive total gross of $803 million.
Here is a quick look at the movies that succeeded in spite of the end-of-summer doldrums, and those that didn't.
What worked:
The Dark Knight Rises
The year's number two grossing film is once again the highest grossing film of the month. TDKR grossed $122 million in August for a domestic total thus far of $431 million. It is now the ninth highest domestic grossing film of all time.
The Bourne Legacy
Though the sequel/reboot is the highest grossing film released in August, it is currently the lowest grossing film in its franchise. So far the introduction to Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross has grossed $90 million domestically, compared to $121 million, $176 million, and $227 million, the final grosses of Identity, Supremacy, and Ultimatum respectively. Fortunately this doesn't yet seem to be hurting the outlook for The Bourne (fill in the blank with a word more intense than Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum, and Legacy). I was a little disappointed with Legacy, but I'm very excited to see JRen and Matt Damon working together.
2016 Obama's America
Most political documentaries don't play very well at the box office, especially ones with a conservative viewpoint. 2016 is the film that has broken that mold. During the film's six weeks in limited release it grossed an impressive $2.8 million. It expanded nationwide to 1091 theaters in its seventh weekend and grossed $6.5 million, making it the seventh highest grossing film for the weekend, above all three new releases (Premium Rush, Hit and Run, and The Apparition).
What didn't:
Total Recall
The Colin Farrell reboot of the classic Schwarzenegger film from 1990 was supposed to easily fill the void of the late summer wilderness. Instead it turned out to be another case of reboot-itis, and will be lucky to gross half of its $125 million production budget.
Premium Rush
This one makes me a little sad. I very much enjoyed Premium Rush, so I'm going to blame the film's performance on its mediocre marketing job. After a week in theaters, the JGL bike chase/thriller has grossed a mere $9.3 million. Considering its production budget of $35 million, there's no way this can't be considered a flop.
The Apparition
Warner Brothers did a wonderful job of sabotaging this film's release. After a practically nonexistent marketing push, the horror flick opened in only 810 theaters to an opening weekend gross of $2.8 million. So far the film has grossed $3.8 million, and has no chance of getting anywhere close to its $17 million production budget.
How do you think the box office will fare in September? There's potential for some big releases, such as Finding Nemo 3D, Resident Evil: Retribution, The Master, Trouble with the Curve, and Looper. Will they be enough to overcome the black hole that is September? Share your thoughts below!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The Bourne Legacy
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
Directed by Tony Gilroy
How can you have a Bourne film without Jason Bourne? That was my main concern before seeing Legacy. Luckily the film did a good job of establishing how Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross fits into the Bourne mythos.
Unfortunately, that is one of the few things that the film did well. I think JRen did a good job bringing Cross to life and Rachel Weisz portrayed Dr. Shearing's emotional state quite beautifully, but the rest of the characters felt stiff and underdeveloped. The most disappointing character for me was Edward Norton's Eric Byer. Almost every word that came out of Norton's mouth made me cringe, and I couldn't tell if it was due to bad writing, bad delivery, or both.
I'm not even going to try to explain how I feel about the worst part of the film: the end. The overall structure of the film was acceptable, but the ending was nonexistent. Perhaps it is meant to suggest that Cross and Shearing (and Bourne by extension) are doomed to live forever on the run? Or perhaps the writers just couldn't think of an ending that would cement the transition into the next Bourne film.
I have an idea! What if after Cross and Shearing made their escape on the boat, they discovered that they were being followed by another boat. As it approaches, Cross ninja jumps onto its deck, only to be attacked by.....Jason Bourne! They fight for a moment, until Bourne easily knocks Cross unconscious.
Cut to black.
Roll credits.
Even though Legacy wasn't everything I hoped it would be, I'm still very excited to see JRen and Matt Damon on screen together. How excited are you for the continuation of the Bourne franchise? Or are you secretly hoping Legacy will be a big enough bomb to sink the ship? Share your thoughts below!
3 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 27, 2012 at Denton Movie Tavern in Denton, TX
Directed by Tony Gilroy
How can you have a Bourne film without Jason Bourne? That was my main concern before seeing Legacy. Luckily the film did a good job of establishing how Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross fits into the Bourne mythos.
Unfortunately, that is one of the few things that the film did well. I think JRen did a good job bringing Cross to life and Rachel Weisz portrayed Dr. Shearing's emotional state quite beautifully, but the rest of the characters felt stiff and underdeveloped. The most disappointing character for me was Edward Norton's Eric Byer. Almost every word that came out of Norton's mouth made me cringe, and I couldn't tell if it was due to bad writing, bad delivery, or both.I'm not even going to try to explain how I feel about the worst part of the film: the end. The overall structure of the film was acceptable, but the ending was nonexistent. Perhaps it is meant to suggest that Cross and Shearing (and Bourne by extension) are doomed to live forever on the run? Or perhaps the writers just couldn't think of an ending that would cement the transition into the next Bourne film.
I have an idea! What if after Cross and Shearing made their escape on the boat, they discovered that they were being followed by another boat. As it approaches, Cross ninja jumps onto its deck, only to be attacked by.....Jason Bourne! They fight for a moment, until Bourne easily knocks Cross unconscious.
Cut to black.
Roll credits.
Even though Legacy wasn't everything I hoped it would be, I'm still very excited to see JRen and Matt Damon on screen together. How excited are you for the continuation of the Bourne franchise? Or are you secretly hoping Legacy will be a big enough bomb to sink the ship? Share your thoughts below!
3 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 27, 2012 at Denton Movie Tavern in Denton, TX
September 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in September:
Finding Nemo 3D (9/14/12)
Before helming the massive flop John Carter, Andrew Stanton directed a little film for Pixar called Finding Nemo. I'm not the hugest fan of 3D, but come on, everybody is going to see this one.
Dredd (9/21/12)
I'm not as excited about this one as I am about the other three (or as much as the girlfriend is), but I know that I'm going to see it. The premise still seems a little weak to me, but Karl Urban is awesome enough to give the movie a chance.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (limited 9/21/12)
Emma Watson's first post-Harry Potter film tells the story of an introvert freshman (Logan Lerman) trying to deal with life (and high school) under the tutelage of two seniors (Watson and Ezra Miller). Also starring Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, Mae Whitman, and Kate Walsh.
Looper (9/28/12)
JGL stars as a hit-man who kills for the mob of the future. That doesn't make much sense. Lemme try again... In the future, the mob will have the ability to send people back in time to be killed by JGL. Wouldn't it just be simpler to kill them in the present (future)? Oh, and JGL is Bruce Willis in the past (present). Will it be confusing? Most definitely. Will it be awesome? YES.
Are there films that you're excited about that I've overlooked? Please share below!
Finding Nemo 3D (9/14/12)
Before helming the massive flop John Carter, Andrew Stanton directed a little film for Pixar called Finding Nemo. I'm not the hugest fan of 3D, but come on, everybody is going to see this one.
Dredd (9/21/12)
I'm not as excited about this one as I am about the other three (or as much as the girlfriend is), but I know that I'm going to see it. The premise still seems a little weak to me, but Karl Urban is awesome enough to give the movie a chance.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (limited 9/21/12)
Emma Watson's first post-Harry Potter film tells the story of an introvert freshman (Logan Lerman) trying to deal with life (and high school) under the tutelage of two seniors (Watson and Ezra Miller). Also starring Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, Mae Whitman, and Kate Walsh.
Looper (9/28/12)
JGL stars as a hit-man who kills for the mob of the future. That doesn't make much sense. Lemme try again... In the future, the mob will have the ability to send people back in time to be killed by JGL. Wouldn't it just be simpler to kill them in the present (future)? Oh, and JGL is Bruce Willis in the past (present). Will it be confusing? Most definitely. Will it be awesome? YES.
Are there films that you're excited about that I've overlooked? Please share below!
Monday, August 20, 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Well we finally got around to seeing The Dark Knight Rises, although unfortunately not in IMAX... :(
Since I'm a little late to the discussion party, I'll just list off a few specific reactions and then y'all can let me know if you agree.
First off, I loved TDKR. I definitely think it's a fitting end to one of the greatest trilogies of all time.
TDKR is the fourth fastest film to reach $400 million domestically. It reached that benchmark after 29 days in theaters, eleven days slower than The Dark Knight. I initially predicted that TDKR would track ahead of (or at least pretty close to) TDK and end up with a final domestic gross around $550 million. That was an overly optimistic prediction, but I do still think it should end up close to $500 million.
I motion for TDKR to be renamed Michael Caine Punches the Audience in the Feels. There are very few actors who can make me tear up just by crying themselves, and he just joined that list.
Tom Hardy: aka one scary owl monday to friday.
Twist I didn't see coming: Marion Cotillard revealing herself as Talia al Ghul and the real villain of the film when she stabs Batman in the back.
Twist I did see coming: JGL revealed as Robin/Nightwing. Please please please let this mean we will get to see a Nolan Robin/Nightwing film.
Were you satisfied with Nolan's farewell to Batman? Share your thoughts below!
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 17, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX
Since I'm a little late to the discussion party, I'll just list off a few specific reactions and then y'all can let me know if you agree.
First off, I loved TDKR. I definitely think it's a fitting end to one of the greatest trilogies of all time.TDKR is the fourth fastest film to reach $400 million domestically. It reached that benchmark after 29 days in theaters, eleven days slower than The Dark Knight. I initially predicted that TDKR would track ahead of (or at least pretty close to) TDK and end up with a final domestic gross around $550 million. That was an overly optimistic prediction, but I do still think it should end up close to $500 million.
I motion for TDKR to be renamed Michael Caine Punches the Audience in the Feels. There are very few actors who can make me tear up just by crying themselves, and he just joined that list.
Tom Hardy: aka one scary owl monday to friday.
Twist I didn't see coming: Marion Cotillard revealing herself as Talia al Ghul and the real villain of the film when she stabs Batman in the back.
Twist I did see coming: JGL revealed as Robin/Nightwing. Please please please let this mean we will get to see a Nolan Robin/Nightwing film.
Were you satisfied with Nolan's farewell to Batman? Share your thoughts below!
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed August 17, 2012 at Cinemark 14 in Denton, TX
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Box Office Review: July 2012
It is very difficult to discuss the past month's performance at the box office in light of the tragic event that occurred on July 20 in Aurora, Colorado. Now more than ever, the film community must band together to condemn this and other senseless acts of violence. Film has always been the greatest medium for spreading new ideas and influencing ways of thinking around the world. As a filmmaker one must recognize the power inherent in the medium. I recognize that that the audience will always find varied meanings within the film, many that were unintended by the filmmakers, but there is no place in our society for films that actively promote or even condone this type of violence. Now I haven't yet seen The Dark Knight Rises (so don't send me any spoilers...) but I know from Nolan's other works that he would never condone actions of violence against the innocent.
< / soapbox>
This post is supposed to be about numbers, right? I like numbers. No wibbly wobbly emotional stuff...
What worked:
The Dark Knight Rises
Though it hasn't broken any records and is still lagging behind its predecessor, TDKR has still been quite a successful summer blockbuster. Batman flew past his production budget after only nine days and just passed $300 million domestically, $550 million worldwide. Will it outgross The Dark Knight? I think so. But I doubt it has any chance of getting close to The Avengers' mammoth haul.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Like TDKR, Spidey is having a hard time living up to the box office successes of his previous incarnation. With only $244 million domestically, The Amazing Spider-Man is the lowest grossing film in the franchise by around $80 million. Hopefully these lower returns won't give Sony cold feet about The Amazing Spider-Man #2, because I really enjoyed Andrew Garfield's interpretation of the character (and even preferred it to Tobey Maquire's.)
Ted
If anyone doubted that Seth MacFarlane's crude and usually hilarious brand of humor would translate well from TV to the big screen, they were definitely mistaken. The $50 million comedy starring Marky Mark and Meg from Family Guy has already reached $195 million domestically, which may be enough for it to hold onto its title of highest grossing R rated comedy of 2012.
What didn't:
People Like Us
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci's attempt to break into the world of heartfelt dramas has unfortunately fallen flat. People Like Us grossed a depressing $9 million in July, bringing its total domestic haul to a mere $12 million, $4 million short of its production budget. Will the goodwill from the Transformers franchise continue to give Bob and Alex chances to pursue pet projects or will they be forever doomed to churn out mindless action drivel with robots in 3D?
The Watch
Here is a classic case of potential break-out R rated comedy gets mixed up in a PR nightmare, has its title and release date changed, and then barely makes more in its opening weekend than Let's watch a fourth movie about people who wish they could dance good so they can be famous like Channing Tatum.
< / soapbox>
This post is supposed to be about numbers, right? I like numbers. No wibbly wobbly emotional stuff...
What worked:
The Dark Knight Rises
Though it hasn't broken any records and is still lagging behind its predecessor, TDKR has still been quite a successful summer blockbuster. Batman flew past his production budget after only nine days and just passed $300 million domestically, $550 million worldwide. Will it outgross The Dark Knight? I think so. But I doubt it has any chance of getting close to The Avengers' mammoth haul.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Like TDKR, Spidey is having a hard time living up to the box office successes of his previous incarnation. With only $244 million domestically, The Amazing Spider-Man is the lowest grossing film in the franchise by around $80 million. Hopefully these lower returns won't give Sony cold feet about The Amazing Spider-Man #2, because I really enjoyed Andrew Garfield's interpretation of the character (and even preferred it to Tobey Maquire's.)
Ted
If anyone doubted that Seth MacFarlane's crude and usually hilarious brand of humor would translate well from TV to the big screen, they were definitely mistaken. The $50 million comedy starring Marky Mark and Meg from Family Guy has already reached $195 million domestically, which may be enough for it to hold onto its title of highest grossing R rated comedy of 2012.
What didn't:
People Like Us
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci's attempt to break into the world of heartfelt dramas has unfortunately fallen flat. People Like Us grossed a depressing $9 million in July, bringing its total domestic haul to a mere $12 million, $4 million short of its production budget. Will the goodwill from the Transformers franchise continue to give Bob and Alex chances to pursue pet projects or will they be forever doomed to churn out mindless action drivel with robots in 3D?
The Watch
Here is a classic case of potential break-out R rated comedy gets mixed up in a PR nightmare, has its title and release date changed, and then barely makes more in its opening weekend than Let's watch a fourth movie about people who wish they could dance good so they can be famous like Channing Tatum.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
August 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in August:
The Bourne Legacy/Total Recall
Two action remakes/reboots coming to theaters within seven days of each other. Both of which I'm currently on the fence about and will probably wait a few weeks before going to a matinee showing.
ParaNorman
The film I am most excited about from the August lineup. A quirky clay-mation film about a boy who can see ghosts and has to save his town from an ancient curse. And he has a zombie toothbrush. XD
Premium Rush
One of the two vehicles this year for JGL's leap into lead roles in action films. 50/50 proved that he could carry a film, and his supporting roles in Inception and The Dark Knight Rises proved he knows his way around an action flick. (Let's forget that he was in the first G.I. Joe film...) Add in writer/director David Koepp who wrote the screenplays for Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Lost World, and Spider-Man, and this looks pretty promising.
Lawless (previously titled The Wettest County)
Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pierce, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, and unfortunately, Shia LaBeouf star in a prohibition era film about a bootlegging gang and the authorities who want a cut in their profits. The trailer looks intense, and this should be a one-stop-shop for awesome period action and violence. Directed by John Hillcoat of The Road and Proposition fame.
What films are you most excited about seeing in August?
The Bourne Legacy/Total Recall
Two action remakes/reboots coming to theaters within seven days of each other. Both of which I'm currently on the fence about and will probably wait a few weeks before going to a matinee showing.
ParaNorman
The film I am most excited about from the August lineup. A quirky clay-mation film about a boy who can see ghosts and has to save his town from an ancient curse. And he has a zombie toothbrush. XD
Premium Rush
One of the two vehicles this year for JGL's leap into lead roles in action films. 50/50 proved that he could carry a film, and his supporting roles in Inception and The Dark Knight Rises proved he knows his way around an action flick. (Let's forget that he was in the first G.I. Joe film...) Add in writer/director David Koepp who wrote the screenplays for Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Lost World, and Spider-Man, and this looks pretty promising.
Lawless (previously titled The Wettest County)
Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pierce, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, and unfortunately, Shia LaBeouf star in a prohibition era film about a bootlegging gang and the authorities who want a cut in their profits. The trailer looks intense, and this should be a one-stop-shop for awesome period action and violence. Directed by John Hillcoat of The Road and Proposition fame.
What films are you most excited about seeing in August?
Monday, July 9, 2012
Coming Soon
I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend!
You've probably notice my current leave of absence...along with having to work through some personal and medical issues, I've been stuck with a bad internet connection. But that should all be over soon, and I'll have a few reviews to share with y'all, including: Independence Day, Brave, and The Amazing Spiderman. Go ahead and share your thoughts on them, and as always, let me know if you have any suggestions for films for me to review.
Thanks for your continued support!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Box Office Review: June 2012
June is essentially over, but the box office is about to heat up as July looks to beat last July's $1.395 billion to replace it as the highest grossing month of all time.
It is still too early to call this weekend's releases hits or misses, although Ted and Magic Mike, which both look to open around $50 million, will definitely be better off than Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection and People Like Us. However, their success really depends on how well they hold up against two of the biggest films of the year: Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises.
But anyway, here's my box office scorecard for the month of June.
What worked:
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
With $170 million already in the bank domestically, the third outing of everybody's favorite group of talking former zoo animals is definitely going to outgross the first two installments' $193 and $180 million domestic grosses. I'm sure y'all are just as excited to find out where they'll end up in the next sequel...
Brave
Pixar's thirteenth film looks to continue the studio's remarkable $200 million track record. After this weekend the film should have a gross of $130 million domestically. It should continue to play well throughout the summer, considering that Merida's only family friendly, animated competitors are Madagascar 3, Ice Age 4 and ParaNorman. Madagascar 3 has a few weeks' head start, but Brave has a good chance of outgrossing it and The Lorax to become the highest grossing animated film of the year.
The Avengers
Joss Whedon sure is greedy these days. Breaking all of the records wasn't enough, so now he has to go and beat Titanic's original run of $600.8 million. Whedon's behemoth grossed $70 million this month, making him the second ever director of a $600 million domestic grossing film. Jim Cameron's response? Avatar 2, 3, and 4.
Moonrise Kingdom
Though released in May, Moonrise Kingdom didn't receive wide distribution until the last weekend of June. After an amazing opening weekend, Anderson's most recent film has continued on an impressive incline, and looks to finish out the month above its $16 million production budget.
What didn't:
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Steve Carell might be able to weather the end of days (I don't really know because I haven't seen it yet...) but he didn't do such a great job weathering the summer box office. Of all the films released in June in more than 1000 theaters, Seeking had the worst domestic opening weekend with almost $4 million. It will probably get close to its $10 million production budget, but has no chance of doing any better than that. Is Steve's star fading? I hope not, because he is one of my favorite comedic actors.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I normally don't have complaints about films involving Tim Burton, but 2012 has been a tough year for him so far. From the reviews I have read about Lincoln, the biggest problem for the film was the decision to play it straight rather than going campy. (Ironically, I remember criticizing Burton's Dark Shadows for going too far in the opposite direction.) The result? A $70 million should-be blockbuster with a tiny $25 million domestic gross.
Rock of Ages & That's My Boy
Same release date, both recalling the 1980s, both with production budgets around $70 million, and both have currently grossed $30 million domestically. Bad investments? Probably. Worth discussing further? Not in my opinion.
Honorable Mention:
Prometheus
If you've read my reviews you know how much I liked Prometheus, so it makes me sad that it hasn't quite reached the blockbuster proportions that I feel it deserves. A domestic gross of $115 million is respectable, except for the fact that the film is Ridley Scott's return to the Alien universe and the science fiction genre. Adjusted for ticket price inflation, Prometheus currently has the third highest domestic gross of the franchise, behind Alien and Aliens, with $249 million and $181 million respectively. It's a little better knowing that the film's $260 million worldwide gross is double its production budget, and hopefully that will be enough to convince Fox to invest in a sequel.
It is still too early to call this weekend's releases hits or misses, although Ted and Magic Mike, which both look to open around $50 million, will definitely be better off than Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection and People Like Us. However, their success really depends on how well they hold up against two of the biggest films of the year: Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises.
But anyway, here's my box office scorecard for the month of June.
What worked:
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
With $170 million already in the bank domestically, the third outing of everybody's favorite group of talking former zoo animals is definitely going to outgross the first two installments' $193 and $180 million domestic grosses. I'm sure y'all are just as excited to find out where they'll end up in the next sequel...
Brave
Pixar's thirteenth film looks to continue the studio's remarkable $200 million track record. After this weekend the film should have a gross of $130 million domestically. It should continue to play well throughout the summer, considering that Merida's only family friendly, animated competitors are Madagascar 3, Ice Age 4 and ParaNorman. Madagascar 3 has a few weeks' head start, but Brave has a good chance of outgrossing it and The Lorax to become the highest grossing animated film of the year.
The Avengers
Joss Whedon sure is greedy these days. Breaking all of the records wasn't enough, so now he has to go and beat Titanic's original run of $600.8 million. Whedon's behemoth grossed $70 million this month, making him the second ever director of a $600 million domestic grossing film. Jim Cameron's response? Avatar 2, 3, and 4.
Moonrise Kingdom
Though released in May, Moonrise Kingdom didn't receive wide distribution until the last weekend of June. After an amazing opening weekend, Anderson's most recent film has continued on an impressive incline, and looks to finish out the month above its $16 million production budget.
What didn't:
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Steve Carell might be able to weather the end of days (I don't really know because I haven't seen it yet...) but he didn't do such a great job weathering the summer box office. Of all the films released in June in more than 1000 theaters, Seeking had the worst domestic opening weekend with almost $4 million. It will probably get close to its $10 million production budget, but has no chance of doing any better than that. Is Steve's star fading? I hope not, because he is one of my favorite comedic actors.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I normally don't have complaints about films involving Tim Burton, but 2012 has been a tough year for him so far. From the reviews I have read about Lincoln, the biggest problem for the film was the decision to play it straight rather than going campy. (Ironically, I remember criticizing Burton's Dark Shadows for going too far in the opposite direction.) The result? A $70 million should-be blockbuster with a tiny $25 million domestic gross.
Rock of Ages & That's My Boy
Same release date, both recalling the 1980s, both with production budgets around $70 million, and both have currently grossed $30 million domestically. Bad investments? Probably. Worth discussing further? Not in my opinion.
Honorable Mention:
Prometheus
If you've read my reviews you know how much I liked Prometheus, so it makes me sad that it hasn't quite reached the blockbuster proportions that I feel it deserves. A domestic gross of $115 million is respectable, except for the fact that the film is Ridley Scott's return to the Alien universe and the science fiction genre. Adjusted for ticket price inflation, Prometheus currently has the third highest domestic gross of the franchise, behind Alien and Aliens, with $249 million and $181 million respectively. It's a little better knowing that the film's $260 million worldwide gross is double its production budget, and hopefully that will be enough to convince Fox to invest in a sequel.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
July 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick look at the new releases I plan to see in July:
The Amazing Spider-Man
July starts with a bang as Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield reboot the beloved franchise. I'm excited about the darker vibe and the changes in the origin story from Raimi's trilogy. And considering how bad Maguire's third installment was, bringing some new blood into the franchise should help the reboot, and its already scheduled sequel, return to the huge domestic gross of the first film.
The Dark Knight Rises
Definitely worth standing in line for days to see the midnight premiere in IMAX 3D (if you can find a screening that isn't already sold out...) I originally considered this the no-brainer highest grossing film of the year, but Avengers threw a wrench in that prediction. It will definitely end up with one of the highest grosses of the year, but outgrossing Avengers' mammoth $600 million haul is unlikely.
Ruby Sparks
Another film from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine. Starring Paul Dano as a struggling writer whose ideal, yet fictional, woman comes to life. This will be one of the rare instances where I'm excited about seeing a romantic comedy.
What excites you the most about July's slate?
The Amazing Spider-Man
July starts with a bang as Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield reboot the beloved franchise. I'm excited about the darker vibe and the changes in the origin story from Raimi's trilogy. And considering how bad Maguire's third installment was, bringing some new blood into the franchise should help the reboot, and its already scheduled sequel, return to the huge domestic gross of the first film.
The Dark Knight Rises
Definitely worth standing in line for days to see the midnight premiere in IMAX 3D (if you can find a screening that isn't already sold out...) I originally considered this the no-brainer highest grossing film of the year, but Avengers threw a wrench in that prediction. It will definitely end up with one of the highest grosses of the year, but outgrossing Avengers' mammoth $600 million haul is unlikely.
Ruby Sparks
Another film from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine. Starring Paul Dano as a struggling writer whose ideal, yet fictional, woman comes to life. This will be one of the rare instances where I'm excited about seeing a romantic comedy.
What excites you the most about July's slate?
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Prometheus
Prometheus (2012)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Sorry about this being a week late...I would have posted this sooner but I've been a little busy with work and moving into a new apartment (which doesn't have internet yet... )
So eight of my friends and I went to see the midnight release of Prometheus in IMAX 3D. We arrived at the theater around 10 pm and received our awesome, exclusive, limited edition, 12:01 showing posters. They are cool.
I've read a few reviews that claim Prometheus didn't live up to the reputation of Alien. True, it's not as groundbreaking, but to be fair you have to acknowledge that Alien was something that had never been seen before. All the mysteries and questions of Prometheus are old, but the film still approaches them in a fresh new way.
The film did have some faults though. I quickly grew tired of the overused helmet cams, especially after witnessing such exquisite cinematography in the prologue. And while I love Damon Lindelof, a good portion of Noomi's dialogue was too on-the-head. Rather than using subtext to move the plot, Damon had Dr. Elizabeth Shaw just say exactly what she meant. Perhaps it was a combination of bad dialogue and a stiff performance. Maybe Damon was just trying too hard to define Shaw and overdid it. I don't know what exactly went wrong there.
But I do know that David was perfectly written and performed.
And I do know that majority of the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking (especially in IMAX.)
And I do know that the set pieces and special effects were gorgeous.
And I know that Prometheus was one hell of an enjoyable movie, and if Ridley Scott had kept his mouth shut about it being an Alien-quasi-prequel-sequel-whatever nobody would be complaining about it.
Even though I had to look away during a certain scene, this is definitely my favorite film of the year so far.
The Final Word: Build a time machine, go back to June 7, 2012, and go to the midnight premier in IMAX 3D. Wash, rinse, repeat.
4.99 out of 5 stars
Viewed 12:01 am June 8, 2012 at Cinemark 17 & IMAX in Dallas, TX
Directed by Ridley Scott
Sorry about this being a week late...I would have posted this sooner but I've been a little busy with work and moving into a new apartment (which doesn't have internet yet... )
I've read a few reviews that claim Prometheus didn't live up to the reputation of Alien. True, it's not as groundbreaking, but to be fair you have to acknowledge that Alien was something that had never been seen before. All the mysteries and questions of Prometheus are old, but the film still approaches them in a fresh new way.
The film did have some faults though. I quickly grew tired of the overused helmet cams, especially after witnessing such exquisite cinematography in the prologue. And while I love Damon Lindelof, a good portion of Noomi's dialogue was too on-the-head. Rather than using subtext to move the plot, Damon had Dr. Elizabeth Shaw just say exactly what she meant. Perhaps it was a combination of bad dialogue and a stiff performance. Maybe Damon was just trying too hard to define Shaw and overdid it. I don't know what exactly went wrong there.
But I do know that David was perfectly written and performed.
And I do know that majority of the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking (especially in IMAX.)
And I do know that the set pieces and special effects were gorgeous.
And I know that Prometheus was one hell of an enjoyable movie, and if Ridley Scott had kept his mouth shut about it being an Alien-quasi-prequel-sequel-whatever nobody would be complaining about it.
Even though I had to look away during a certain scene, this is definitely my favorite film of the year so far.
The Final Word: Build a time machine, go back to June 7, 2012, and go to the midnight premier in IMAX 3D. Wash, rinse, repeat.
4.99 out of 5 stars
Viewed 12:01 am June 8, 2012 at Cinemark 17 & IMAX in Dallas, TX
Monday, June 11, 2012
Darling the Short Film
This post isn't actually a review...it is more of a shameless plug for another of my creative ventures.
For the past six months I've had the pleasure of working with countless talented artists of all types while producing Darling as my senior film project at the University of North Texas.
And now the film is finished, but this isn't the end of its life.
We are now embarking on the long and arduous journey of taking Darling to festivals, and there is a way for you to be part of that journey.
In order to take Darling to as many festivals as we would like to, we have started a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, which you can find here:
Darling Goes to Festivals
If you're not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a funding platform for independent creative projects.
Check out our project, share it with a friend, or donate a dollar, and join us in this continuing adventure!
For the past six months I've had the pleasure of working with countless talented artists of all types while producing Darling as my senior film project at the University of North Texas.
And now the film is finished, but this isn't the end of its life.
We are now embarking on the long and arduous journey of taking Darling to festivals, and there is a way for you to be part of that journey.
In order to take Darling to as many festivals as we would like to, we have started a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, which you can find here:
Darling Goes to Festivals
If you're not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a funding platform for independent creative projects.
Check out our project, share it with a friend, or donate a dollar, and join us in this continuing adventure!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Box Office Review: May 2012
This summer's blockbuster season definitely started out with a series of hits and misses. However, the total domestic box office gross for the month will end up just north of $1 billion, potentially passing May 2009 to become the second highest grossing May of all time.
What worked:
The Avengers.
With a domestic gross of $527 million and a worldwide total of $1.3 billion, this is easily the biggest success story of the month, and also the year so far. Avengers' gross has made 2012 the first year to possibly out-gross 2009, currently the highest grossing year of all time. Also thrown in are a handful of all time records and the potential to dethrone Titanic as the second-highest domestic gross of all time.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The perfect counterprogramming to Avengers. This quirky geriatric British comedy dominated in limited release, making $10 million in three weeks. Factor in the recent nationwide expansion, which has already brought the film to $20 million, and this could potentially reach $40 million or more before its run ends.
Moonrise Kingdom.
Wes Anderson's newest film broke the record for best limited indie opening by grossing over half a million dollars. Will that be enough of a push to help this become Anderson's highest grossing film? I think so, but we won't know for sure until its currently unscheduled nationwide release.
What didn't:
Battleship.
The second $200 million flop of the year. It is somewhat redeemed by its foreign haul, but domestically it just couldn't compete with fellow alien action films Avengers and MIB3.
Dark Shadows.
Burton and Depp's most recent collaboration made nowhere near as much Alice in Wonderland's impressive domestic haul of $334 million and has only passed its $150 million budget thanks to a decent foreign gross. However, it could have done much worse considering that it opened in the shadow of Avengers.
Honorable mentions:
Men in Black 3.
Although MIB3 had the highest opening weekend of its franchise, it should have made much more than $69 million due to the combination of being Will Smith's first film in four years, the third film of a successful franchise (the first two films grossed a total $440 million domestically), and the film with the widest release during the four day holiday weekend. What's most impressive is the film's foreign opening weekend of $130 million.
Think Like A Man.
Think was released in April, but the $12 million dollar film grossed $27 million in May, outgrossing Wrath of the Titans while approaching a final gross of $90 million.
What worked:
The Avengers.
With a domestic gross of $527 million and a worldwide total of $1.3 billion, this is easily the biggest success story of the month, and also the year so far. Avengers' gross has made 2012 the first year to possibly out-gross 2009, currently the highest grossing year of all time. Also thrown in are a handful of all time records and the potential to dethrone Titanic as the second-highest domestic gross of all time.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The perfect counterprogramming to Avengers. This quirky geriatric British comedy dominated in limited release, making $10 million in three weeks. Factor in the recent nationwide expansion, which has already brought the film to $20 million, and this could potentially reach $40 million or more before its run ends.
Moonrise Kingdom.
Wes Anderson's newest film broke the record for best limited indie opening by grossing over half a million dollars. Will that be enough of a push to help this become Anderson's highest grossing film? I think so, but we won't know for sure until its currently unscheduled nationwide release.
What didn't:
Battleship.
The second $200 million flop of the year. It is somewhat redeemed by its foreign haul, but domestically it just couldn't compete with fellow alien action films Avengers and MIB3.
Dark Shadows.
Burton and Depp's most recent collaboration made nowhere near as much Alice in Wonderland's impressive domestic haul of $334 million and has only passed its $150 million budget thanks to a decent foreign gross. However, it could have done much worse considering that it opened in the shadow of Avengers.
Honorable mentions:
Men in Black 3.
Although MIB3 had the highest opening weekend of its franchise, it should have made much more than $69 million due to the combination of being Will Smith's first film in four years, the third film of a successful franchise (the first two films grossed a total $440 million domestically), and the film with the widest release during the four day holiday weekend. What's most impressive is the film's foreign opening weekend of $130 million.
Think Like A Man.
Think was released in April, but the $12 million dollar film grossed $27 million in May, outgrossing Wrath of the Titans while approaching a final gross of $90 million.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Män som hatar kvinnor
Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) (2009)
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev
Having read the book and watched both the American and Swedish versions of the film, I can now say that I prefer Fincher's. Both films did a good job of adapting an incredibly dense and detail packed book, and neither were perfect. There are several details that Oplev included yet Fincher left out, and vice versa. And there are many aspects that I like more about each film than the other.
So why don't I prefer the Swedish film?
Actors.
Physically, I think Michael Nyqvist is a better match for the Blomkvist of the book. In his defense, Nyqvist did a good job of portraying a complex character. However, I don't feel that he brought the fullness of Kalle's ferocious determination to life on screen as well as Daniel Craig did.
Noomi Rapace.
She is a wonderful actress, and it must be acknowledged that she was willing to take on, three times, what will probably be the most disturbing role of her career. My problem with Rapace is that I've seen Rooney Mara. Both actresses took on the insanely difficult task of portraying Lisbeth, and both have been praised for their performances by critics and the public. Rapace was nominated for a BAFTA and many other awards for her performance. Mara was nominated for an Oscar for hers. For me, Mara's performance is better for two reasons. First, the Swedish film wants the story to be about Blomkvist, which technically it is, but the American film is equally about Lisbeth. I find Lisbeth's backstory and personality infinitely more interesting than Blomkvist, and Fincher uses her time on screen to develop that without the spoilery flashbacks. Secondly, Rapace's performance felt like a performance. I know she spent a good amount of time studying the character, getting the piercings, learning Lisbeth's quirks. But the whole time I was watching the film, I couldn't stop feeling like something was missing, like I was watching a performance. When I watched the American film, I didn't see Mara performing. I saw Lisbeth Salander, brought to life straight from page to screen. I'm not going to say that she was perfect, but after the never ending audition process with Fincher and the year she spent in Sweden preparing for the role, Mara's performance felt nothing like a performance. I was very disappointed when she didn't win the Oscar.
There are other things that factor into my preference, such as changes in and omissions of details, other performances (Lena Endre's Erika Berger), and general artisticness. (just can't compete with David Fincher...)
The Final Word: Neither version is for the faint of heart. Both are dark, sick, full of nudity and foul language, and very well made. I would definitely advise against watching either before reading the book, solely so you know what you're getting into for the next 150 minutes.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 27, 2012 on Netflix Instant Streaming
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev
So why don't I prefer the Swedish film?
Actors.
Physically, I think Michael Nyqvist is a better match for the Blomkvist of the book. In his defense, Nyqvist did a good job of portraying a complex character. However, I don't feel that he brought the fullness of Kalle's ferocious determination to life on screen as well as Daniel Craig did.
Noomi Rapace.
She is a wonderful actress, and it must be acknowledged that she was willing to take on, three times, what will probably be the most disturbing role of her career. My problem with Rapace is that I've seen Rooney Mara. Both actresses took on the insanely difficult task of portraying Lisbeth, and both have been praised for their performances by critics and the public. Rapace was nominated for a BAFTA and many other awards for her performance. Mara was nominated for an Oscar for hers. For me, Mara's performance is better for two reasons. First, the Swedish film wants the story to be about Blomkvist, which technically it is, but the American film is equally about Lisbeth. I find Lisbeth's backstory and personality infinitely more interesting than Blomkvist, and Fincher uses her time on screen to develop that without the spoilery flashbacks. Secondly, Rapace's performance felt like a performance. I know she spent a good amount of time studying the character, getting the piercings, learning Lisbeth's quirks. But the whole time I was watching the film, I couldn't stop feeling like something was missing, like I was watching a performance. When I watched the American film, I didn't see Mara performing. I saw Lisbeth Salander, brought to life straight from page to screen. I'm not going to say that she was perfect, but after the never ending audition process with Fincher and the year she spent in Sweden preparing for the role, Mara's performance felt nothing like a performance. I was very disappointed when she didn't win the Oscar.
There are other things that factor into my preference, such as changes in and omissions of details, other performances (Lena Endre's Erika Berger), and general artisticness. (just can't compete with David Fincher...)
The Final Word: Neither version is for the faint of heart. Both are dark, sick, full of nudity and foul language, and very well made. I would definitely advise against watching either before reading the book, solely so you know what you're getting into for the next 150 minutes.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 27, 2012 on Netflix Instant Streaming
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
June 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in June:
Prometheus
Ridley Scott's return to science fiction and the Alien universe. Written by Damon Lindelof. Staring Noomi Rapace. Charlize Theron. And Michael Fassbender as a robot. Definitely worth standing in line for hours and hours to see in IMAX 3D at the midnight premier.
Safety Not Guaranteed
From the producers of Little Miss Sunshine comes another quirky indie comedy, this time about a reporter (Julie from Scott Pilgrim) investigating a man who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I'm not totally sold on this one yet, and it's opening against Brave, so I will probably wait to see it until the following weekend since I won't be lining up to see Yet Another Bad Sequel Based On A Toy Brand (which has now been pushed back to March 2013 so it can be 3D-ified) or Steven Soderbergh Wishes He Was A Stripper. The title is pretty self explanatory, and the trailers released so far look interesting.
Brave
In a competition against Lincoln (above) and Seeking (below), Brave is the clear winner in my opinion. Pixar has only ever released one film that hasn't been universally loved, and I doubt that will ever happen again.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Don't you just love it when the title is longer than the movie itself? This would be a no-brainer for seeing opening weekend if it weren't for the lead actress. Steve is always hilarious, but I'm most interested in how they end the film.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
If you haven't seen the trailer or director Benh Zeitlin's short Glory at Sea, go watch them RIGHT NOW. Zeitlin's visual storytelling style is so unique and beautiful that I can't do it justice with words. It's only getting a limited release from Fox Searchlight, but it will definitely be worth the time and effort to find a theater showing it. Did I mention that it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the Camera d'Or at Cannes?
Prometheus
Ridley Scott's return to science fiction and the Alien universe. Written by Damon Lindelof. Staring Noomi Rapace. Charlize Theron. And Michael Fassbender as a robot. Definitely worth standing in line for hours and hours to see in IMAX 3D at the midnight premier.
Safety Not Guaranteed
From the producers of Little Miss Sunshine comes another quirky indie comedy, this time about a reporter (Julie from Scott Pilgrim) investigating a man who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I'm not totally sold on this one yet, and it's opening against Brave, so I will probably wait to see it until the following weekend since I won't be lining up to see Yet Another Bad Sequel Based On A Toy Brand (which has now been pushed back to March 2013 so it can be 3D-ified) or Steven Soderbergh Wishes He Was A Stripper. The title is pretty self explanatory, and the trailers released so far look interesting.
Brave
In a competition against Lincoln (above) and Seeking (below), Brave is the clear winner in my opinion. Pixar has only ever released one film that hasn't been universally loved, and I doubt that will ever happen again.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Don't you just love it when the title is longer than the movie itself? This would be a no-brainer for seeing opening weekend if it weren't for the lead actress. Steve is always hilarious, but I'm most interested in how they end the film.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
If you haven't seen the trailer or director Benh Zeitlin's short Glory at Sea, go watch them RIGHT NOW. Zeitlin's visual storytelling style is so unique and beautiful that I can't do it justice with words. It's only getting a limited release from Fox Searchlight, but it will definitely be worth the time and effort to find a theater showing it. Did I mention that it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the Camera d'Or at Cannes?
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Super 8
Super 8 (2011)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
I have probably seen Super 8 at least ten times already, in big theaters, small theaters, in IMAX, and on cable, but I just recently got my own copy of the film on DVD. What better way to spend a lazy saturday than by rewatching great movies?
One of my favorite things about Super 8 is how much I can personally relate to the film. My mother is alive and the small town I grew up in doesn't have any aliens, but I grew up making films with my friends, admiring Spielberg and Abrams, and I definitely get turned on by girls in zombie makeup. Although my experiences were much different than Joe Lamb's and Abrams', the film still elicits some great memories from my childhood.
And I think that is the greatest strength of the film. Yes it tells an intriguing story of a group of kids, a small town, and a lonely alien; yes it tells a painfully beautiful story of loss and acceptance; and yes it has the most amazing special effects ever seen in a $50 million film, but it's greatest strength is its ability to connect people of all backgrounds, generations, nationalities, and socio-economic status through common childhood experiences.
Let's call it a modern Goonies. Amirite?
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 19, 2012.
Directed by J.J. Abrams
I have probably seen Super 8 at least ten times already, in big theaters, small theaters, in IMAX, and on cable, but I just recently got my own copy of the film on DVD. What better way to spend a lazy saturday than by rewatching great movies?
One of my favorite things about Super 8 is how much I can personally relate to the film. My mother is alive and the small town I grew up in doesn't have any aliens, but I grew up making films with my friends, admiring Spielberg and Abrams, and I definitely get turned on by girls in zombie makeup. Although my experiences were much different than Joe Lamb's and Abrams', the film still elicits some great memories from my childhood.And I think that is the greatest strength of the film. Yes it tells an intriguing story of a group of kids, a small town, and a lonely alien; yes it tells a painfully beautiful story of loss and acceptance; and yes it has the most amazing special effects ever seen in a $50 million film, but it's greatest strength is its ability to connect people of all backgrounds, generations, nationalities, and socio-economic status through common childhood experiences.
Let's call it a modern Goonies. Amirite?
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 19, 2012.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows (2012)
Directed by Tim Burton
In its opening weekend, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's eighth collaboration made only $29 million, which makes it the eleventh biggest opening weekend of 2012. In its defense, not even a Norse god can stand up to the Avengers. Any chance of Shadows making a profit on its $150 million budget was swallowed up by Disney's fifth billion dollar film.
I haven't seen its source material, but Burton's film, especially the performances in it, does a good job of evoking the style of a 70's cult classic. The film is cheesy, over the top, and funny. Depp expertly channels the essence of the vampire-out-of-water, yet is able to maintain his humanity through his onscreen chemistry with all of the adult female characters. That man is a ladykiller, even after being dead for 196 years. How does he do it?
However, I found part of the performances to be quite distracting. I will preface this by saying that I adore Helena and Eva, but their American accents left much to be desired. Beyond this fact, the performances were spot on, even though the camp was so thick you could smell it.
The final word: If you're a big fan of Tim Burton you've probably already seen it. If you aren't you should be, so catch a matinee showing for a fun time and some good laughs.
3 out of 5 stars.
Viewed May 15, 2012 at Mt. Pleasant Cinema 6.
Directed by Tim Burton
I haven't seen its source material, but Burton's film, especially the performances in it, does a good job of evoking the style of a 70's cult classic. The film is cheesy, over the top, and funny. Depp expertly channels the essence of the vampire-out-of-water, yet is able to maintain his humanity through his onscreen chemistry with all of the adult female characters. That man is a ladykiller, even after being dead for 196 years. How does he do it?
However, I found part of the performances to be quite distracting. I will preface this by saying that I adore Helena and Eva, but their American accents left much to be desired. Beyond this fact, the performances were spot on, even though the camp was so thick you could smell it.
The final word: If you're a big fan of Tim Burton you've probably already seen it. If you aren't you should be, so catch a matinee showing for a fun time and some good laughs.
3 out of 5 stars.
Viewed May 15, 2012 at Mt. Pleasant Cinema 6.
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Avengers, Part 2
The Avengers (2012)
Directed by Joss Whedon
So I just got home from seeing The Avengers with the girlfriend. Don't worry, I won't be posting any spoilers in my review.
We arrived at the theater around 9 pm. We waited in line outside the theater for an hour while Lockout finished its last show of the night before being seated. The next two hours passed quickly as the theater filled to capacity. Then the commercials and trailers began, only three of which are worth mentioning. First was the final Dark Knight Rises trailer, which commanded the most silence I have ever witnessed while watching a trailer in the theater. Second was one of the original trailers for Prometheus, not quite as interesting as the most recent international trailer, but still amazing. Lastly was an Amazing Spiderman trailer which I had not seen before. And then the Avengers assembled.
To be honest, I was less than excited about this film to begin with. I was skeptical of how well Joss would meld all of the previous films, all of the characters, and all of the mythologies into one cohesive and engaging story. While the film was by no means perfect, I am definitely convinced that my doubts were unfounded.
So what did I like the most about it, you ask?
The effects were awesome, there was enough action to fill ten blog posts, and ScarJo is HOT (and luckily not Jossed, but I'm not saying who is). But my absolute favorite part of the film is something that Joss is know best for: character interactions. Not the times when everybody is together delivering exposition to the audience though. The moments that, in my opinion, make the movie more than just a summer tentpole actiony popcorn flick are the small moments, the one-liners between characters at the most random and unexpected times which truly reveal the characters' identities, even as the end of the world is potentially swirling around them. The moments are quirky, original, and last only a few seconds each, but they make the characters immensely relateable, which is quite an accomplishment when the characters are superheros battling aliens who have come to enslave the earth.
I have to be a little nitpicky though.
Ironically, since my favorite part of the film was some of its dialogue, the part that disappointed me the most was also some of the dialogue. Without going into specifics, majority of the dialogue in the beginning of the film is overly expository. Granted, there is a lot of information and backstory to be assimilated, but I feel that it could have been worked in to be less obvious. Also, a few of the actors seemed to do less-than-stellar line readings for parts of the film. Overall the dialogue was well delivered, but there were a few times where the line readings were distractingly stiff. Lastly, the 3D conversion didn't do much for me. I don't know if it was just me, the projector, or just a bad conversion, but at times the images didn't fully line up, especially on the sides of the frame. It didn't ruin the film for me, but it pulled me out of the moment. The main point of 3D is to enhance the experience, but all too often it becomes yet another distraction.
The Final Word:
Go see it. It is a fun, action packed film, perfect for viewing in a crowded theater, although if you didn't see it tonight you definitely missed out on a good experience.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed 12:01 am, May 4, 2012
Directed by Joss Whedon
So I just got home from seeing The Avengers with the girlfriend. Don't worry, I won't be posting any spoilers in my review.
To be honest, I was less than excited about this film to begin with. I was skeptical of how well Joss would meld all of the previous films, all of the characters, and all of the mythologies into one cohesive and engaging story. While the film was by no means perfect, I am definitely convinced that my doubts were unfounded.
So what did I like the most about it, you ask?
The effects were awesome, there was enough action to fill ten blog posts, and ScarJo is HOT (and luckily not Jossed, but I'm not saying who is). But my absolute favorite part of the film is something that Joss is know best for: character interactions. Not the times when everybody is together delivering exposition to the audience though. The moments that, in my opinion, make the movie more than just a summer tentpole actiony popcorn flick are the small moments, the one-liners between characters at the most random and unexpected times which truly reveal the characters' identities, even as the end of the world is potentially swirling around them. The moments are quirky, original, and last only a few seconds each, but they make the characters immensely relateable, which is quite an accomplishment when the characters are superheros battling aliens who have come to enslave the earth.
I have to be a little nitpicky though.
Ironically, since my favorite part of the film was some of its dialogue, the part that disappointed me the most was also some of the dialogue. Without going into specifics, majority of the dialogue in the beginning of the film is overly expository. Granted, there is a lot of information and backstory to be assimilated, but I feel that it could have been worked in to be less obvious. Also, a few of the actors seemed to do less-than-stellar line readings for parts of the film. Overall the dialogue was well delivered, but there were a few times where the line readings were distractingly stiff. Lastly, the 3D conversion didn't do much for me. I don't know if it was just me, the projector, or just a bad conversion, but at times the images didn't fully line up, especially on the sides of the frame. It didn't ruin the film for me, but it pulled me out of the moment. The main point of 3D is to enhance the experience, but all too often it becomes yet another distraction.
The Final Word:
Go see it. It is a fun, action packed film, perfect for viewing in a crowded theater, although if you didn't see it tonight you definitely missed out on a good experience.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed 12:01 am, May 4, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Restrepo
Restrepo (2010)
Directed by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington
Restrepo tells the story of a platoon's fifteen month deployment in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, which was considered at the time to be the deadliest place on earth.
The film begins with footage shot by one of the soldier's as they were getting ready for deployment. The soldier is PFC Restrepo, a field medic who is killed in a firefight in the first fifteen minutes of the film. The platoon later captures a Taliban strategic point and builds an observation post named OP Restrepo in his memory. The film then expertly shows the dichotomy of the battle against the Taliban. The platoon would spend days doing nothing, and then insurgents would appear and the would be engaged in deadly firefights.
Aided by regularly interspersed interviews with the soldiers, the film gives a very raw and emotional look into the platoon's daily battle against the Taliban, both militarily and culturally. Through Junger and Hetherington's skilled filming, the experience of watching the film is transcended into becoming part of the film.
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 2, 2012
Directed by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington
The film begins with footage shot by one of the soldier's as they were getting ready for deployment. The soldier is PFC Restrepo, a field medic who is killed in a firefight in the first fifteen minutes of the film. The platoon later captures a Taliban strategic point and builds an observation post named OP Restrepo in his memory. The film then expertly shows the dichotomy of the battle against the Taliban. The platoon would spend days doing nothing, and then insurgents would appear and the would be engaged in deadly firefights.
Aided by regularly interspersed interviews with the soldiers, the film gives a very raw and emotional look into the platoon's daily battle against the Taliban, both militarily and culturally. Through Junger and Hetherington's skilled filming, the experience of watching the film is transcended into becoming part of the film.
5 out of 5 stars
Viewed May 2, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
May 2012 Preview!
Here is a quick list of the films I plan to see in the month of May:
The Avengers
Duh. We already have tickets to see the midnight release.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Sounds a little odd, but check out the trailer. Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and the kid from Slumdog Millionaire star in a quirky British comedy. What more could you want?
Dark Shadows
Burton + Depp = almost every good film ever made. Amiright?
Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson. Need I say more?
Fish Tank and Melancholia
Two films I missed out on during their theatrical releases which are now on Netflix.
One tells the story of an angry teenaged Londoner who treats the world the same way it treats her. Co-starring Michael Fassbender and a horse (insert inappropriate joke here).
The other tells the story of an angry woman whose wedding day gets overshadowed by the end of days. Not your typical angry bride film though, as it is directed by the previously mentioned Lars von Trier.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Yes I saw it in the theater, but I've been needing to practice being patient. And Gary Oldman should win the Best Badass in Glasses Oscar every year.
That's about all that I can think of for now.
Have a suggestion of a film for me to watch? Please share below!
The Avengers
Duh. We already have tickets to see the midnight release.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Sounds a little odd, but check out the trailer. Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and the kid from Slumdog Millionaire star in a quirky British comedy. What more could you want?
Dark Shadows
Burton + Depp = almost every good film ever made. Amiright?
Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson. Need I say more?
Fish Tank and Melancholia
Two films I missed out on during their theatrical releases which are now on Netflix.
One tells the story of an angry teenaged Londoner who treats the world the same way it treats her. Co-starring Michael Fassbender and a horse (insert inappropriate joke here).
The other tells the story of an angry woman whose wedding day gets overshadowed by the end of days. Not your typical angry bride film though, as it is directed by the previously mentioned Lars von Trier.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Yes I saw it in the theater, but I've been needing to practice being patient. And Gary Oldman should win the Best Badass in Glasses Oscar every year.
That's about all that I can think of for now.
Have a suggestion of a film for me to watch? Please share below!
The Avengers
The Avengers (2012)
Directed by Joss Whedon
Waiting (not as) anxiously (as my girlfriend) for the midnight premier.
We bought tickets about a year ago.
Will it be awesome?
Will it be another $250 million flop?
Will ScarJo get Jossed?
Will Loki look less ridiculous?
Will I fall asleep 2/3 of the way through?
Only time will tell!
What about The Avengers excites you the most?
Sound off below!
To be viewed May 4, 2012.
Directed by Joss Whedon
We bought tickets about a year ago.
Will it be awesome?
Will it be another $250 million flop?
Will ScarJo get Jossed?
Will Loki look less ridiculous?
Will I fall asleep 2/3 of the way through?
Only time will tell!
What about The Avengers excites you the most?
Sound off below!
To be viewed May 4, 2012.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games (2012)
Directed by: Gary Ross
I must admit that when I first heard that this film was going into production, I was less than excited about it. Having not read the book, the thought of children being forced to fight to the death brought back too many memories of Battle Royale. My opinion at the time was that an Americanized, PG-13 version of Battle Royale was most definitely in poor taste. Fortunately, a good friend of mine convinced me to read the book. I was still worried that the film might have trouble communicating the book's theme of the struggle against political and socio-economic oppression to a teenaged audience, but I knew it was present and expressed clearly in the book.
My biggest critique of the film is a stylistic one. Especially at the beginning, I felt that the film couldn't decide if it wanted to be an indie art film or a major studio blockbuster. The cinematography in the opening scenes invoked a feeling of chaos and distress, which was appropriate for District 12, yet didn't match at all with the rest of the film. It almost felt to me like the film had two DPs, one for the first half our and another for the rest. The film did have a cyclical progression from chaos to order, which occurs twice, but the cinematography of the return to chaos during the Games was too different from the beginning to maintain continuity.
Obviously the non film school brats of the world weren't bothered by this, which is evidenced by its current worldwide gross of over $600 million. Did I mention that the production budget was a mere $78 million?
You probably think the above critique was me just picking nits. Its true. That's what I do, especially to the films I enjoy watching. If I hadn't liked the film then I would have just said so and saved myself the trouble of typing out this review.
Lionsgate took a deep and complicated novel and created a deep and complicated film, with brilliant acting (Katpee anyone?), better special effects than John Carter, and even some social commentary. Oh and then there are the other two books.
The odds are definitely in Lionsgate's favor.
Who's ready for Catching Fire?
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed March 23, 2012
Directed by: Gary Ross
My biggest critique of the film is a stylistic one. Especially at the beginning, I felt that the film couldn't decide if it wanted to be an indie art film or a major studio blockbuster. The cinematography in the opening scenes invoked a feeling of chaos and distress, which was appropriate for District 12, yet didn't match at all with the rest of the film. It almost felt to me like the film had two DPs, one for the first half our and another for the rest. The film did have a cyclical progression from chaos to order, which occurs twice, but the cinematography of the return to chaos during the Games was too different from the beginning to maintain continuity.
Obviously the non film school brats of the world weren't bothered by this, which is evidenced by its current worldwide gross of over $600 million. Did I mention that the production budget was a mere $78 million?
You probably think the above critique was me just picking nits. Its true. That's what I do, especially to the films I enjoy watching. If I hadn't liked the film then I would have just said so and saved myself the trouble of typing out this review.
Lionsgate took a deep and complicated novel and created a deep and complicated film, with brilliant acting (Katpee anyone?), better special effects than John Carter, and even some social commentary. Oh and then there are the other two books.
The odds are definitely in Lionsgate's favor.
Who's ready for Catching Fire?
4.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed March 23, 2012
John Carter
John Carter (2012)
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Let's begin with how huge of a box office bomb John Carter turned out to be. For a film produced on a $250 million budget, with at least $100 million spent on P&A, and countless millions on distribution, to have not yet reached $70 million domestically after seven weeks is just sad. Even when accounting for its $200 million overseas gross, Disney expects to lose at least $200 million. I enjoyed most of the film, but as a filmmaker I can't comprehend how so many people could let something go so wrong. Rich Ross is definitely partially to blame, but he probably shouldn't have been the only person forced to resign.
To me, the scariest thing about this film is the fact that mistakes like this are allowed to happen. How can an industry survive that produces John Carter, Mars Needs Moms, Green Lantern, Hugo (which I absolutely love, but still lost almost $100 million), and many more big budget films that flop? Yes the industry is buoyed by the Harry Potters and the Hunger Games, as well as low budget and modestly profitable films, DVD sales, rentals, merchandizing, licensing, etc., but the primary function of films has been, and in my opinion should always be, its theatrical release. Yes that viewpoint is archaic and unrealistic, but the cinema is a place for dreaming, whether that be of faraway lands, wizards, figurative chess matches, or the human condition.
</rant>
On a different note, as soon as my girlfriend figured out and whispered to me that Willem Dafoe was voicing Tars Tarkas, all I could think about was the terrible, awful, sickening, yet beautifully made film from Lars von Trier. If you don't know what I'm talking about, DO NOT go look it up. Please. I'm begging you. It's for your own good.
2.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed March 15, 2012
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Let's begin with how huge of a box office bomb John Carter turned out to be. For a film produced on a $250 million budget, with at least $100 million spent on P&A, and countless millions on distribution, to have not yet reached $70 million domestically after seven weeks is just sad. Even when accounting for its $200 million overseas gross, Disney expects to lose at least $200 million. I enjoyed most of the film, but as a filmmaker I can't comprehend how so many people could let something go so wrong. Rich Ross is definitely partially to blame, but he probably shouldn't have been the only person forced to resign.To me, the scariest thing about this film is the fact that mistakes like this are allowed to happen. How can an industry survive that produces John Carter, Mars Needs Moms, Green Lantern, Hugo (which I absolutely love, but still lost almost $100 million), and many more big budget films that flop? Yes the industry is buoyed by the Harry Potters and the Hunger Games, as well as low budget and modestly profitable films, DVD sales, rentals, merchandizing, licensing, etc., but the primary function of films has been, and in my opinion should always be, its theatrical release. Yes that viewpoint is archaic and unrealistic, but the cinema is a place for dreaming, whether that be of faraway lands, wizards, figurative chess matches, or the human condition.
</rant>
On a different note, as soon as my girlfriend figured out and whispered to me that Willem Dafoe was voicing Tars Tarkas, all I could think about was the terrible, awful, sickening, yet beautifully made film from Lars von Trier. If you don't know what I'm talking about, DO NOT go look it up. Please. I'm begging you. It's for your own good.
2.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed March 15, 2012
This Means War
This Means War (2012)
Directed by: McG
I usually don't like the glossy, plastic emotion, fake explosion feel of the films of McG et al, so This Means War was a pleasant surprise. The explosions still looked fake and the premise of a woman falling in love with two best friends isn't exactly my cup of tea, but the film works due to the great onscreen chemistry between all three of the leads.
War begins with Chris Pine and Tom Hardy's characters, FDR and Tuck, on a mission in Hong Kong to prevent a stereotypical baddie from getting his hands on some super powerful weapon. The mission goes awry and the baddie escapes, but his little brother gets killed. The baddie vows to avenge his brother's death. This inciting action gets FDR and Tuck benched, forcing them to reflect upon their lives. FDR the perennial one-night-stand womanizer convinces straight laced divorcee Tuck to join a dating website where he meets the beautiful yet boring Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). Their first date goes well and they decide to have another. However, Lauren coincidentally runs into FDR at the video store right after leaving her date with Tuck. Lauren is put off by FDR's flirting style, but she agrees to go on a date with him to get him to stop causing havoc at her job. Lauren is morally opposed to dating two men at once, but she quickly gets past that with help from the sage advise from her sex-crazy and soaked in alcohol friend Trish (Chelsea Handler). Surprisingly (or not), FDR and Tuck quickly realize that they are dating the same woman. Rather than fight over her, they agree to not tell her that they know each other and to let her decide who to continue to date. This works for a little while, but they begin to use their spy skills to try to influence Lauren's decision. This part of the film is my favorite, as the competition lets the chemistry between the actors shine. But the second act is almost over, which means the baddie has to reappear with his evil plot to kill FDR and Tuck. Tuck is on a date with Lauren at the time, and FDR has to warn them that the baddie is after them. Unfortunately this requires informing Lauren that they are best friends (and spies), which is understandingly a surprise for her. She leaves as FDR and Tuck have an epic fight that destroys the inside of the restaurant while the baddie conveniently kidnaps Lauren and Trish. FDR and Tuck must now work together to save Lauren, which they do, and narrowly avoid driving over the edge of an unfinished stack interchange (look it up on wikipedia). Lauren chooses FDR, FDR and Tuck make amends, Tuck's ex-wife discovers that he was distant during their marriage because he was a spy, they get remarried, and the baddie dies in a massively fake-looking explosion.
Unlike its fellow recently released spy film cousin Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, War has zero aspirations of receiving a golden statuette. If Tinker is an infinitely layered cake of complex tastes that have to be appreciated slowly with the entirety of the palette, then War is a box of Twinkies. I like Twinkies, but I start to get sick after downing the first few.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 18, 2012
Directed by: McG
Unlike its fellow recently released spy film cousin Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, War has zero aspirations of receiving a golden statuette. If Tinker is an infinitely layered cake of complex tastes that have to be appreciated slowly with the entirety of the palette, then War is a box of Twinkies. I like Twinkies, but I start to get sick after downing the first few.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 18, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace in 3D
Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace in 3D (2012)
Directed by: George Lucas
Phantom Menace was first released on May 19, 1999, three days after my ninth birthday. Obviously I had a Star Wars themed birthday that year, the main event of which was seeing Phantom Menace on opening night (my hometown theater didn't do midnight showings at the time, plus I was nine...) I don't remember anything about the film from that first viewing, but I do remember the wondrous feeling of sitting in the crowded theater, waiting to experience something magical. Of course at the time we didn't know that Lucas was actually playing a terribly evil prank on the world... But the point is that I have a fond memory of seeing the film, which happens to be my earliest memory of seeing a film in the theater. Thus in honor of this memory I attended the midnight showing of the 3D re-release. Once again I was disappointed by Lucas' abomination, and since everyone knows how terrible Phantom Menace is, I won't repeat every review ever written about the film.
We did get pretty cool custom Star Wars 3D glasses. So that was neat.
1 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 10, 2012
Directed by: George Lucas
We did get pretty cool custom Star Wars 3D glasses. So that was neat.
1 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963)
Produced by: Robert Drew
Crisis brings Drew Associates and the cinema verite audience back to a family featured in two of their earlier films: the Kennedy family. The focus however is on Attorney General Robert
Kennedy as he faces off against Governor George Wallace of Alabama over the issue of university integration. A federal court order required Governor Wallace to permit black students to enroll at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, but Wallace has no intention of letting them enroll. Wallace sees the court order as a violation of states' rights and threatens to physically block the students from enrolling. The situation is volatile and Kennedy seeks the advice of his brother the President. A plan is devised to attempt to reason with Wallace, but when that fails President Kennedy must send in the National Guard to convince Wallace to leave the campus. President Kennedy's decision is a difficult one, because fully backing integration could further alienate the conservative south, but he makes it anyway and ends the film with a rousing speech about civil rights and equality.
Crisis provides an intriguing and intimate look into the life of President Kennedy and his brother Robert in a circumstance much different from that of Primary. The pressures of his office show on President Kennedy's face, especially during one of the most surprising scenes: a meeting between President Kennedy and his top advisers in the oval office. Another interesting and equally talked about scene is when Robert's daughter speaks on the phone with one of the Assistant Attorney Generals who had been sent to Alabama. By pure luck, the filmmakers were present at both locations and filmed both sides of the conversation, which turned into the first phone conversation in a documentary to be parallel edited.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 1, 2012
Produced by: Robert Drew
Crisis brings Drew Associates and the cinema verite audience back to a family featured in two of their earlier films: the Kennedy family. The focus however is on Attorney General Robert
Kennedy as he faces off against Governor George Wallace of Alabama over the issue of university integration. A federal court order required Governor Wallace to permit black students to enroll at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, but Wallace has no intention of letting them enroll. Wallace sees the court order as a violation of states' rights and threatens to physically block the students from enrolling. The situation is volatile and Kennedy seeks the advice of his brother the President. A plan is devised to attempt to reason with Wallace, but when that fails President Kennedy must send in the National Guard to convince Wallace to leave the campus. President Kennedy's decision is a difficult one, because fully backing integration could further alienate the conservative south, but he makes it anyway and ends the film with a rousing speech about civil rights and equality.Crisis provides an intriguing and intimate look into the life of President Kennedy and his brother Robert in a circumstance much different from that of Primary. The pressures of his office show on President Kennedy's face, especially during one of the most surprising scenes: a meeting between President Kennedy and his top advisers in the oval office. Another interesting and equally talked about scene is when Robert's daughter speaks on the phone with one of the Assistant Attorney Generals who had been sent to Alabama. By pure luck, the filmmakers were present at both locations and filmed both sides of the conversation, which turned into the first phone conversation in a documentary to be parallel edited.
4 out of 5 stars
Viewed February 1, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Star Trek: Voyager Season 5
Star Trek: Voyager Season 5 (1998-1999)
Created by: Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor
I know it's not a movie, by my girlfriend and I just finished watching season five of Star Trek: Voyager on Netflix and I felt the need to discuss it a little. How can a show with such depth, great characters, and intriguing plotlines have so many problems? My biggest complaint about Voyager is that many of the most interesting plotlines and character developments are undone by some convenient time traveling. Were the writers worried that if they changed Janeway et al too much over the seven year series that the fans would be outraged and stop watching? The writers did allow for some change: B'Ellanna learns to trust Janeway, Tom begins to settle down, the Doctor becomes a real member of the crew, and Harry gains some command experience, but over the five seasons I've seen so far there has been no major change in any of the main characters. It has long been believed that the way to have a successful and long lived television show is to keep the main characters relatively static. However, I know that a television show can have dynamic characters be successful and long lived because of one of my favorite shows of all time: Lost. I'm not going to tangent too far from Voyager, except to say that Lost taught its audience to appreciate very dynamic character arcs, and allowed all of the main characters to turn into much different characters then they began as in season one. But I have digressed long enough... In general I like Voyager. I just wish it would do less stuff that I don't like. :/
3.5 / 5 stars
Created by: Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor
I know it's not a movie, by my girlfriend and I just finished watching season five of Star Trek: Voyager on Netflix and I felt the need to discuss it a little. How can a show with such depth, great characters, and intriguing plotlines have so many problems? My biggest complaint about Voyager is that many of the most interesting plotlines and character developments are undone by some convenient time traveling. Were the writers worried that if they changed Janeway et al too much over the seven year series that the fans would be outraged and stop watching? The writers did allow for some change: B'Ellanna learns to trust Janeway, Tom begins to settle down, the Doctor becomes a real member of the crew, and Harry gains some command experience, but over the five seasons I've seen so far there has been no major change in any of the main characters. It has long been believed that the way to have a successful and long lived television show is to keep the main characters relatively static. However, I know that a television show can have dynamic characters be successful and long lived because of one of my favorite shows of all time: Lost. I'm not going to tangent too far from Voyager, except to say that Lost taught its audience to appreciate very dynamic character arcs, and allowed all of the main characters to turn into much different characters then they began as in season one. But I have digressed long enough... In general I like Voyager. I just wish it would do less stuff that I don't like. :/3.5 / 5 stars
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Welcome!
Welcome to Rob Loves Movies!
An important part of being a filmmaker/lover is to not only watch films, but to also engage in thought provoking discussions of said films with fellow filmmakers/lovers.
This is my goal:
Post critical as well as personal reviews for every film I watch.
Too ambitious?
I hope not, and I hope you'll find my reviews enjoyable, and possibly even discover some films you've never heard of!
To start off, here's a review of the most recent film I've seen: Primary.
Primary (1960)
Written and Directed by Robert Drew.
Primary is a documentary that follows presidential hopefuls John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey during Wisconsin's Democratic primary. The most striking aspects of the film, to its original audiences at least, are the uninhibited camera movements and the genuine capturing of intimate moments. Both of these aspects are direct results of the then-emerging cinema verite style and technological advancements that produced hand-held and mostly quiet film cameras.
The most intriguing scenes in the film include Humphrey taking a nap during a car ride between cities, a long take of Kennedy walking through a crowd before giving a campaign speech, and both candidates waiting for the results with their friends and family. Unfortunately the hour long film becomes arduous to watch in several places, especially a montage of feet seen under voting booths.
To an audience unfamiliar with the cinema verite style of documentary filmmaking Primary was most definitely an exhilarating and unique window into the lives of presidential hopefuls. Along with the rest of Robert Drew's documentaries from this time, Primary was a groundbreaking film and has impacted filmmaking, both documentary and narrative, ever since.
An important part of being a filmmaker/lover is to not only watch films, but to also engage in thought provoking discussions of said films with fellow filmmakers/lovers.
This is my goal:
Post critical as well as personal reviews for every film I watch.
Too ambitious?
I hope not, and I hope you'll find my reviews enjoyable, and possibly even discover some films you've never heard of!
To start off, here's a review of the most recent film I've seen: Primary.
Primary (1960)
Written and Directed by Robert Drew.
Primary is a documentary that follows presidential hopefuls John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey during Wisconsin's Democratic primary. The most striking aspects of the film, to its original audiences at least, are the uninhibited camera movements and the genuine capturing of intimate moments. Both of these aspects are direct results of the then-emerging cinema verite style and technological advancements that produced hand-held and mostly quiet film cameras.The most intriguing scenes in the film include Humphrey taking a nap during a car ride between cities, a long take of Kennedy walking through a crowd before giving a campaign speech, and both candidates waiting for the results with their friends and family. Unfortunately the hour long film becomes arduous to watch in several places, especially a montage of feet seen under voting booths.
To an audience unfamiliar with the cinema verite style of documentary filmmaking Primary was most definitely an exhilarating and unique window into the lives of presidential hopefuls. Along with the rest of Robert Drew's documentaries from this time, Primary was a groundbreaking film and has impacted filmmaking, both documentary and narrative, ever since.
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