New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 27-September 2
Harley Lond - wrote on 08/26/13 at 07:32 PM CT
THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
The highlight of the week is definitely "The Great Gatsby," Baz Luhrmann's brilliant take on the novel that most everyone (from literary critics to Hollywood scions) said couldn't be made into a film (two abortive attempts preceded this one: 1974's version with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, and a 1949 version with Alan Ladd and Betty Field). But Luhrmann …
Weekend Box Office: The Butler Repeats, Three Newcomes Fail to Crack $10 Million
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/25/13 at 09:10 PM CT
It may not have been a shining crown for any of the three new wide-release films this weekend, but overall the box office posted a nice 10% increase from the same weekend last year. It really comes as no surprise as the three new films all targeted a pretty specific audience (two of which are fickle and one of which is very specialized). Don't look for the coming weeks to be much different as …
New in Theaters August 23: The World's End, You're Next, Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/22/13 at 06:54 AM CT
Last week although we had another onslaught of new films at the box office, pretty much everything other than the dramatic, historic Butler fueled much interest in audiences. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the next few weeks are going to bring more of the same. This is the time of year where a lot of the films either appeal only to a niche audience or are simply dumped off because the studio …
New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 20-26
Harley Lond - wrote on 08/20/13 at 01:02 PM CT
THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Amour: This startlingly warm, honest, loving and eventually heart-wrenching drama by Michael Haneke ("The Piano Teacher," "Cache" and "The White Ribbon") stars Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva as octogenarians Georges and Anne, retired music teachers whose daughter (Isabelle Huppert) lives abroad with her family. When Anne suffers a stroke and is left …
Weekend Box Office: The Butler Serves Up a Win; Kick-Ass 2 Has Little Punch
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/18/13 at 10:16 PM CT
After a long string of box office wins, this weekend finally failed to outperform its 2012 predecessor. The top 12 films brought in $120.5 million, which translates to about a 5% decline compared to the same weekend last year. With only two out of the four new wide releases able to crack the top 10 (and one of those new films failing to even crack the top 12), it was a case of too much product, …
New in Theaters August 16: Kick-Ass 2, The Butler, Jobs, Paranoia
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/15/13 at 06:58 AM CT
Just like last weekend, this weekend features another onslaught of films that will attempt to sway movie-going audiences. An action-packed sequel, a dramatic historic biography, a saavy thriller and an... interestingly-cast biopic - last week didn't deliver that exciting of numbers and I have a feeling we might be experiencing deja vu all over again. Still, audiences can always surprise, so …
5 Films Where the Director's Cut Is Inferior to the Original
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/14/13 at 12:36 PM CT
I know film directors have every right to go back and meddle in their own affairs. Often, all that tinkering gives us a better product: more well-rounded characters, plot points better explained or just more of what we love. However, not every film benefits from this process. From unnecessary additions to bloated, over-long "epics" sometimes you're best left watching the original. Here are my …
New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 13-19
Harley Lond - wrote on 08/12/13 at 08:58 PM CT
THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
"Olympus Has Fallen":
This is the way 21st century action-adventure-thrillers should be made -- with real flesh and blood heroes who go above and beyond the call of duty to save the day -- no G.I. Jerks or Marble-headed Avengers here -- aided and abetted by great special effects, fast-paced editing and story line, and a lot of blood. Gritty action director …
Weekend Box Office: Elysium Tops Weekend, We're the Millers Strikes Comedy Gold
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/11/13 at 09:52 PM CT
Even though August is usually considered a quieter month, the box office continued to show surprising success. All four major releases took the top four spots, helping the top twelve films gain an 8% increase from the same period as last year. It turns out there is room for four major releases, even if that meant the spread of wealth wasn't exactly equal. When the competition is this fierce, …
New in Theaters August 09: Elysium, Planes, We're the Millers, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/08/13 at 06:53 AM CT
Last week was another "up" week for the box office, but it was also one of the slowest weeks so far. This week should hopefully provide a few more sparks as two family titles, a comedy and a sci-fi film with a message all square off. That makes for a pretty crowded weekend, but with each film aiming for a different audience, there should hopefully be something for everyone out there. I know what …
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