The Week That Was and the Week That Will Be

This was a SLOOOOOOWWWW weekend for movie news, my friends...

Check out Cinema Blend's link to "Star Wars Uncut", a fan-made project that compiles 15-second clips together to re-enact the whole of A New Hope. Won't say I've watched it all but what I did watch was really, really cool. I'd embed it here but I'm afraid of SOPA. 

The annual Sundance Film Festival is in full swing right now. For coverage of the films shown at Sundance, check out the constant updates from /Film. 

The Artist picked up yet another Best Picture award, this one from the Producer's Guild. *Sigh

Check out these alternative universe movie posters which are pretty sweet. Steve McQueen as The Terminator sounds awesome. 

NPR discusses the modern movie trailer.

Weekend Box Office Results

I’m not surprised that the newest installment from the Underworld franchise leads the pack this week. I am surprised, however, that Haywire had such a poor showing. I wasn’t very excited about it (looks like a renter to me) but the reviews were good and it had the look of a movie lots of people would be into, especially given the cinematic landscape in January. (If nothing else the burgeoning MMA crowd should have been behind that movie, right?) Regardless, it wasn’t a bad weekend for Hollywood considering the total haul. My money went to the ridiculously frustrating Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (review to come) but I imagine I’ll catch a few more of these films at one point or another.

1. Underworld: Awakening - $25.4M

2. Red Tails - $19.1M

3. Contraband - $12.2M ($46.1M)

4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - $10.54M ($11.23M)

5. Haywire - $9M

6. Beauty and the Beast - $8.55M ($33.36M)

7. Joyful Noise - $6.07M ($21.9M)

8. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - $5.5M ($197.34M)

9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - $4.8M ($178.61M)

10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - $3.75M ($94.77M)

Oscar Nomination Predictions

We’re going to cover the Academy Awards extensively both here and at I Eat Films as the ceremony gets closer. With the nominations due to be announced tomorrow, I thought it might be prudent to offer up my predictions for the chosen films and performances now and save all opinions (good and bad) for later next month. My predictions (in no particular order) for the major awards are as follows:

Best Actor

George Clooney, The Descendants

Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Michael Fassbender, Shame

Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar

Best Actress

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Viola Davis, The Help

Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Albert Brooks, Drive

Jonah Hill, Moneyball

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn

Nick Nolte, Warrior

(NOTE: As Oscar Guru Mark Harris noted in his Grantland column, this is the category that is most likely to deliver some sort of major shock. Someone like Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter), Brad Pitt (Tree of Life), or even Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) will end up in the nominated five and it will be well deserved.)

Best Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer, The Help

Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Jessica Chastain, The Help

Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Best Director

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Terrence Malick, Tree of Life

Best Picture

The Artist

The Descendants

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Help

Moneyball

Tree of Life

War Horse

(NOTE: We don’t know how many films will be nominated for Best Picture. There’s a complicated formula in place now which determines how many films (if any) will be nominated past the first five. I’m guessing eight but the truth is, the list could definitely end at five and there’s virtually no chance ten movies make the final cut.)

DVD Roundup

What I’ll Be Renting This Week

Real Steel (2011) - Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo

Notice I didn’t write, “What I’ll Be Renting This Week Because I Think It Will Be Good.” I can’t tell you why, exactly, I intend to watch this in the relatively near future, I just know I’m kind-of-sort-of-a-little-bit excited about a true throw-away action movie to distract from me from work, weather, and the fact that Dirk Nowitzki is hurt right now. Bring on Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots on Steroids!

What I’ve Seen and You Should See, Too

50/50 (2011) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick

The third best movie I saw in 2011 and one that is destined to find a spot on my “Favorite Movies of All-Time” list. In my review I implored my readers to, “just see this movie.” I continue my plea here. This film contains some of the best authentic-but-comedic acting I’ve seen in quite some time. Absolutely in love with this film.

Also New

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) - Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Christopher Nicholas Smith (Please stop seeing these movies, people. Please.)

The Whitleblower (2011) - Rachel Weisz, Monica Bellucci, Vanessa Redgrave

The Lie (2011) - Joshua Leonard, Jess Weixler

New to Blu

Stripes (1981) - Bill Murray, John Candy, Harold Ramis

Annie Hall (1977) - Woody Allen, Diane Keaton

Manhattan (1979) - Woody Allen, Diane Keaton

Notorious (1949) - Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman

Rebecca (1940) - Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine

Spellbound (1945) - Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck

Stir Crazy (1980) - Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor

See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) - Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor

The Toy (1982) - Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason

The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986) - Dudley Moore

Coming to a Theater Near You

Last week’s Rotten Tomatoes predictions were spot on for Underworld (26% prediction, 27% actual) a bit off for Haywire (72% to 83%), and well off for Redtails (52% to 33%) though I’m betting George Lucas wishes I had been right. I’m doing pretty well this year if I do say so myself.

The Grey - Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo

I have so much to say about The Grey but it all basically boils down to this: Liam Neeson is awesome and everyone likes to see him beat the spit out of humans so why wouldn’t they want to see him beat the spit out of wolves? Regardless of what the critics end up saying, this is very likely to be an absolute blast. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 51%

Man on Ledge - Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris

I feel bad for Ledge. It looks to be a perfectly reasonable off-season action movie with a decent cast and solid plot hook. But it’s going to be completely overshadowed by all the other off-season action movies that dominate the first two months of the year. If it had released this time last year, I’m probably there on opening weekend if for no other reason than I’m addicted to movies and there was nothing else worth even looking at. Same goes for September of last year. But this year? Between Contraband, Haywire, and maybe especially The Grey, there’s no room for it. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 45%

One for the Money - Katherine Heigl, Jason O’Mara, John Leguizamo

I would rather eat glass than watch this movie. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 28%

Also look for wider expansions for We Need to Talk About Kevin (Tilda Swinton) and Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close), both of which will hope to bank off of the hypothetical Oscar nominations for their respective leading ladies.

Top 10 Anticipated Movies of 2012 (Part I)

Two quick primers on the list you're about to read/flip through absentmindedly:

1.) Last year I started breaking this list into two parts: January through June and July through December. That allows me to highlight ten more films, of course, but it also gives me more time to have a feel for what in the world I can expect from the year's later releases.

2.) This is FAR from a science. I pride myself on my ability to pick out bad movies and avoid them but my foresight has limits. I'm lucky if I've even seen a teaser trailer for anything scheduled for release later than mid-February, let alone the titles you'll see below that debut in the summer. This is a crapshoot. I looked back at last year's Part I and was embarrassed to see a couple of truly awful films made the list. But hey, that's how things go sometimes and I'm more than willing to stick my neck out one more time.

I firmly believe 2012 will be a great year for film but it is extremely bottom heavy. That is to say, most of its value will be found in the back half of the year while the front half is somewhat lackluster. So please bear that in mind as we delve into my Top 10 Anticipated Movies of 2012 (Part I).

Honorable Mention: Jeff Who Lives at Home - Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer
The only reason this film, about a thirtysomething who still lives in his mother's basement, didn't make the list is that it will receive a limited release (the bane of my moviegoing existence). That means I probably won't end up seeing it until it hits DVD shelves and if I'm not going to see it in theaters, then I don't feel good about giving it a spot here. That's too bad because I think this is going to be stinking funny.

10. Men in Black 3 - Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin
I'm well aware that the trailer for MIB 3 is, shall we say, less than promising. I admit I'm nervous, especially taking into consideration the whole time-travel thing which is usually a bad sign. But here's the thing: I love Will Smith. Always have, always will. I wish the guy would take on more challenging roles from time to time (Django Unchained would have been PERFECT) but I almost always enjoy his movies and often times, I enjoy them quite a bit. Smith hasn't been in a movie in 3 years and as a result I've been looking forward to this one for a long time. I'll take my chances with a haphazard plot. Also, the idea of Josh Brolin playing Tommy Lee Jones sounds uber-appealing.

9. Dr. Suess' The Lorax - Zac Efron, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms
It is always smart to be at least somewhat suspicious of any animated film that isn't related to Pixar and Dr. Suess books haven't translated well the screen overall. But the visuals on The Lorax looks fantastic, this is one of my very favorite Suess books, and the studio busted out a Polyphonic Spree song for the trailer which is ALWAYS a smart move. So consider my interest piqued.



8. Chronicle - Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell
There will always be a spot for a low-budget sci-fi film on my list. Deal with it. This one, about three friends who are mysteriously given super powers, looks extra appealing even if it will, undoubtedly, touch on teenage angst a little more than I'd like. Looks like we'll be treated to solid special effects and what could be a compelling, if unoriginal, storyline. I'm also on the lookout for a quality performance from Jordan (of Parenthood and Friday Night Lights fame) who has the chops to be a hot name in Hollywood over the next couple of years.

7. M.S. One: Maximum Security - Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare
If you enjoyed Taken and are excited about Taken 2 (which will open later this year), then you will certainly appreciate MS One which is basically Taken 1.5. It centers on a falsely-convicted criminal who is given his freedom in exchange for rescuing the president's daughter from a prison colony on the moon and it is produced by Luc Besson. I can't tell you, dear readers, that this will be a "good" movie but I can tell you it will be a "ridiculously fun" movie that I will be in attendance for on opening weekend. I honestly can't wait. Also, I think it's high time that the world recognizes how boss Pearce really is and maybe his subbing in for Liam Neeson will make that happen.

6. The Five-Year Engagement - Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, A Whole Lot of Really Funny People
This R-rated comedy (title should be explanatory as far as the plot goes) reunites director Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel who previously collaborrated on both The Muppets and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Stoller's other work, Get Him to the Greek, is one that grows on me every time I run across it on cable. These are just genuinely funny guys. Add in the Bridesmaids feel and the RIDICULOUS supporting cast (Chris Pratt, Mindy Kaling, and Chris Parnell to name a few) and you've got a potential smash hit.

5. Moonrise Kingdom - Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray
One of my simple rules for picking good movies is this: if Wes Anderson directed it, it's good. Like I said, simple. Anderson's unique style is irresistible for me and I don't think the guy has ever made a bad movie. His last venture, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, MIGHT be his best (heresy, I know). Moonrise, about two pre-teens who run away together, sounded appealing enough sight unseen. Then the first trailer hit last week and I'm now completely on board. What a great cast! Really, really excited for this one.



4. Prometheus - Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace
Ridley Scott's "it's not an Alien prequel but yeah, it's an Alien prequel" sci-fi extravaganza will have been garnering serious Internet attention for the better part of two years by the time it actually opens in theaters.   With an incredible cast and an established fan base, I think we can bet on Prometheus bringing in a haul at the box office this summer. And that's good because, in all honesty, Scott could really use a hit. Since Gladiator brought him a Best Picture Oscar, he's been at the helm for Hannibal (awful), Black Hawk Down (critical success but not a huge winner at the box office), Matchstick Men (good, not great), Kingdom of Heaven (I love this movie, most people do not), A Good Year (beating), American Gangster (not the success it aspired to be), Body of Lies (bombed), and Robin Hood (one of the most disappointing movies of 2010). "Needs" a hit would be strong terminology but his return to space could provide a major boost.

3. The Avengers - Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo
I have conflicting feelings about this one. The nerd in me is absolutely freaking out about seeing this many superheroes together at one time. (Add in the fact that Nerd King Joss Whedon is at the helm and it becomes almost too much to handle.) At the same time, however, I haven't been quite as enamored by the trailers as my fellow nerds have. I don't think there's any way this movie will be bad; I'm just nervous that it isn't going to be the world beater it needs to be in order to justify the unique way Marvel has built its programming toward this release. The task of blending all of these actors together is another hurdle in my mind. This isn't the same as the standard ensemble film. It's one thing to take a back seat to another actor when you're a part of a big cast working for a great director; it's another entirely to do so while also playing a character for which you are famous. Obviously I'm STOKED to see this movie but I've got a bit of anxiety regarding whether or not the idea of this movie is better than the movie itself.

2. The Hunger Games - Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson
Three things about my experience with this franchise:
1.) I love the first book in the Hunger Games series (on which this movie is based);
2.) I think the two that follow are shoddily put together and repetitive;
3.) I have NO IDEA how well the book will translate to the screen. While reading I kept wondering how in the world Gary Ross would be able to maintain the book's harsh reality and keep it PG-13. I'm still not sure if it's possible.
The trailer for The Hunger Games, though, is outstanding. I love the look of the film and I am thoroughly excited to see Lawrence take on a role I believe she will excel in. And lest we forget, American Treasure Woody Harrelson is going to be GREAT in this movie. Expect this movie to make a RIDICULOUS sum of money this Spring.

1. Brave - Kelly Mcdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd
I debated what order this top three should end up in and settled on Brave at number one for two reasons:
1.) Pixar is the best film studio. Ever.
2.) Coming off of Cars 2, the studio's only miss in its 16 year history, I think Pixar is going to bring the thunder even more than usual. That is to say, I expect they've gone even further above and beyond to ensure that Brave is incredible.
This will be Pixar's first film that centers on a female character. I'm genuinely excited to see what they can do with that concept in mind and while the trailer doesn't give away much as to the plot, I think it looks amazing. Plus, can we all agree that it's just cool when a movie is based in Scotland? I mean, who doesn't love it when we have an excuse for Billy Connolly to show up? By the end of June, I imagine no one will even remember that Cars 2 was a thing.

Movie News Today

According to Chuck Norris, The Expendables 2 will be rated PG-13 due to Norris' request that all the "hardcore language" be erased from the script. Good for Norris, a man of principal. Not necessarily good for anyone over the age of 17 who intends to see this movie as your theater will certainly be JAM PACKED with young teenagers who have no idea who Sylvester Stallone is.

George Lucas did an interview with the New York Times in which he discussed Red Tails and says that he is planning to retire from blockbusters. I love Lucas and I believe I owe him a debt of gratitude for all the joy his (early) films have brought me. But it must be said: is anyone disappointed that he apparently won't be making big movies anymore? No and that's quite sad.

Note to Hollywood: Kristen Wiig does not want to write or star in a Bridesmaids sequel (probably because she saw The Hangover Part II) so please stop trying to make that movie. Let it be.

Joel Edgerton continues his run of success and has sold his first script, One Night Stand, to New Regency. In other scripting news, Cormac McCarthy, author of No Country For Old Men and The Road, has turned in his first screenplay which will focus on a lawyer who embraces a life of crime. Exciting new things for two very talented individuals.

I don't think I linked to this last week so make sure you check out Movie Muse's 2011 Year in Review. An excellent look back.

Make sure you check out the Focused Filmographer's Red Web Awards and cast your vote. Awesome stuff, T!

Review: "Contraband"

When I posted my Weekend Movie Guide last week, I wrote that Contraband had three things going for it: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, and a general look of “fun.” I figured the combination of a quality leading action actor, an exceptionally attractive lead actress, and a heist-related, energetic plot would make Contraband a “decent enough” flick. In the end, I guess I can say I was right about Wahlberg. The rest? Not so much.

At one time, Chris Farraday (Wahlberg) was a well-known second generation smuggler who made a hefty living bringing just about anything (except for drugs) into the country through the port of New Orleans.  Farraday got out of the game, however, in order to become a family man and he pulled his best friend and former partner, Sebastian (Ben Foster), out with him. But when Chris’ brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), gets tangled up with Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), a vicious drug dealer, Chris finds himself taking on a major job in order to clear Andy of his debt and keep his family safe. Unfortunately for Chris, things don’t go quite according to plans.

Contraband is a remake of an Icelandic film that actually starred director Baltasar Kormakur. Kormakur has made a name for himself overseas but that potential has yet to manifest itself on these shores. This film is no exception as there are several moments that stand out as respectable action movie sequences which are lost in a sea of bad plot points and slow pacing. Too often Contraband attempts to make itself a “thinking man’s action movie” when it really lacks the narrative or script to be anything more than a throw away popcorn action romp. I think Contraband wants to be an unofficial sequel to The Italian Job when it would be better off as an over-the-top action flick. The goal of a film like Taken (the ultimate example of how to make a January action movie) is to have a riotous good time in the form of a movie. No one involved with that movie intended it to be a serious piece of cinematic art and therefore, it was easy to suspend reality and enjoy the ride. That’s what we all want from an early-in-the-year movie like this.

But that’s not the case with Contraband. Instead of being able to revel in the ridiculousness of a middle-aged man single handedly bringing an end to the entire population of Serbia or a group of misfits attempting to “fly” a tank, the audience is asked to pay attention to a litany of plot points that just don’t make any sense. At times this movie actually becomes boring as Farraday and his team try to put his plan into action, a plan which, by the way, would require everyone else in the world to be complete morons in order for it to succeed. Ocean’s 11 this is not. For long stretches of runtime, basically nothing happens, stalling and ultimately killing any momentum the film tries to create for itself. And when things actually do pick up, too many of the twists and turns can be seen from a mile away, making all the buildup seem even more tedious. In addition, the cuts back and forth between Farraday and his team out on their mission and Briggs stalking Farraday’s family back home distracts from the overall direction of the film. I applaud Kormakur’s attempts to make Beckinsale’s character more important than the standard “damsel in distress” that often plagues this sort of movie but it doesn’t work and these jumps in the narrative just serve to make Contraband overly long. 

I wouldn’t say this movie is a complete loss. Wahlberg is a favorite of mine and he does an admirable job of providing entertainment here even if he is sleepwalking through his role a bit. And when the action does pick up it is mostly satisfying. I just needed more action, more excitement, and more fun in order to truly enjoy Contraband.

Review: "The Adventures of Tintin"

I’d like to believe that everyone agrees in the following sentiment: the fourth Indiana Jones film is terrible. (Well, everyone except George Lucas.) Even Steven Spielberg seems to understand the train wreck he put on screen in 2008, though he won’t come out and say that in order to protect Lucas. That movie stands as one of the worst experiences of my cinematic life, a slap in the face of Phantom Menace proportions. But after having seen The Adventures of Tintin, I feel a little bit better. And I move that we officially strike Kingdom of the Crystal Skull from the record and name Tintin the fourth Indy film. Seconded?

Tintin (voice by Jamie Bell) is a young journalist with a knack for breaking major stories. When he comes across a model of a man-o-war ship known as The Unicorn, he senses a story and begins digging around into the history of the ship and its cargo. Soon he finds himself caught up in the midst of a generations-old battle between two seafaring families, the Haddocks and the Rackhams. After joining forces with Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), the last of his line who keeps an important secret buried beneath years of alcoholism, Tintin and his dog Snowy undertake a globetrotting trek to foil the plans of Sakharine (Daniel Craig), who wants to steal the Haddock birthright.

There aren’t a lot of animated movies that qualify as true adventure flicks but Tintin is one of them. From the dynamic opening credits until the conclusion, the film runs at full sprint, rarely stopping to take a breath. It is the very definition of a thrill ride as Tintin and his pals find themselves in one dangerous situation after another. At times it plays out like a video game, jumping from one level (as it were) to the next but in this case, I think that fits the story well. This is sheer fun and exhilaration and the quick shifts in setting and plot should make it easy for kiddos to follow along while parents dig into the Spielbergian adventure.

The characters within Tintin are strong if somewhat limited. Tintin himself is kind of a baby-faced Jack Bauer, a master of all trades from shooting guns to flying planes who always manages to stay one step ahead of his opponents. Haddock provides outstanding comedic relief and a touch of brute force to back Tintin’s brains. In fact, I think the film takes off when Haddock shows up. His presence provides a second gear to Tintin and his relative buffoonery allows for fun and outlandish plot points that keep the ball rolling. All of this begs the question: has any actor ever had a better year without actually appearing in person on camera than Andy Serkis has this year? He’s THE reason why Rise of the Planet of the Apes worked and he is easily the best part of this film in my book. If Tintin doesn’t quite measure up to Indy, Haddock is a better Sallah than John Rhys Davies ever was (heretical statement, I know). And while Sakharine isn’t exactly a pre-war Nazi, his power grows throughout the movie and he becomes a suitable villain.

The only real complaint I might voice about Tintin is the paper-thin plot. While the video game-like feel works overall, there are times when I might have preferred some exposition. There are a few interconnecting storylines that serve to advance the narrative and that’s good because there isn’t a whole lot of time devoted to character or plot development. Even still, at times it comes across as if the plot was picked out of a list of creative writing prompts, though the way Spielberg dives into said prompt is often deliciously entertaining. In addition, Tintin is to motion capture animation what Avatar was to 3D: it is the exception not the rule, the example of what the technology is capable of delivering in the right hands. Robert Zemeckis bankrupted a company trying to master the art of motion capture but in my mind, he never came close to achieving what Spielberg does here. Tintin is an absolutely gorgeous film that thrives on beautiful landscapes and exquisite details. Tintin may be light one plot but it is heavy on excitement and the visuals serve to deepen the experience, making this one of the more enjoyable films of the year.

Grade: A-

The Week That Was and the Week That Will Be

The Golden Globes were last night. For a full list of the winners, check our our post over at IEF. Only real problem I had with the night (beyond the issues with who was and who was not nominated) was Meryl Streep taking home Best Actress for The Iron Lady over Viola Davis for The Help. Sorry Meryl, I'm sure you were great in a movie pretty much everyone agrees is lackluster, but Davis turned in one of the best performances by a female lead in years, maybe a decade. Absolutely ridiculous that she didn't take home this award.

Marvel is rebooting the Fantastic Four franchise and is considering Josh Trank for director. I'd like to see how Trank's upcoming film Chronicle turns out first but regardless, smart move for Marvel to start over on this series. The first two Fantastic Four movies were just horrible.

AMC has announced their schedule for the spring season which includes a two hour season premiere for Mad Men and a full 16 episode run for The Walking Dead. This will be my first live season of Mad Men as I just caught up on the previous episodes. Looking forward to it.

American Treasure Woody Harrelson spoke with the LA Times about The Hunger Games and discussed his character, Haymitch, who serves as a mentor for the main characters. For me, Haymitch is the most interesting character in the books and I can't wait to see Harrelson in that role.

Darren Lemke, who wrote the scripts for Shrek Forever After and the upcoming Jack the Giant Killer, has been brought on to pen a movie based on the Goosebumps book series. Pretty much everyone in my generation read RL Stine's "horror for kiddos" series growing up so while I'm probably not headed to a theater to see any of these movies, I'm hopeful that they can find a nice stride.

Steven Spielberg did a short interview with Collider and discussed his plans for his upcoming projects including the Tintin sequels, Jurassic Park 4, and Robopocalypse. The guy just never rests.

Weekend Box Office Results
The heavy marketing campaign for Contraband paid off in spades as the Marky Mark project brought in far more than expected, even reaching profitability in its first week of release (on a meager $25 million budget). I would not have expected that though I did chip in to its full take (review to come). Beauty and the Beast underperformed, however, making one wonder what to expect from the year's numerous 3D re-releases. And Mission Impossible continues its impressive run and solidifies itself as the year's best example of of the value of word-of-mouth.

1. Contraband - $24.1M
2. Beauty and the Beast 3D - $18.49M
3. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - $11.5M ($186.74M)
4. Joyful Noise - $11.34M
5. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - $8.41M ($170M)
6. The Devil Inside - $7.9M ($46.24M)
7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - $6.8M ($87.98M)
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked - $5.8M ($118.78M)
9. War Horse - $5.6M ($65.77M)
10. The Iron Lady - $5.38M ($5.97M)

New to DVD
What I've Seen and You Should, Too
Unguarded (2011) - Chris Herren
This is an extension of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series which is an amazing collection of films. This one centers on Chris Herrern, a top flight high school point guard from New England whose college and NBA career was derailed by drugs and alcohol. Herren has a remarkable story and his complete honesty makes Unguarded a heart-wrenching viewing. Check it out.

What I've Seen and I Guess You Might Want to See, Too
The Ides of March (2011) - Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman
March was a player at the Golden Globes this weekend and has an outside shot at scoring a little Oscar love. And that's fine because it is a good movie. It's just not the spectacular film that it could have been. There's nothing new here and nothing of serious substance. All of the performances are good, Gosling's in particular, but it isn't one of Clooney's best portrayals and even Gosling was better in Drive and Crazy Stupid Love. Worth seeing, not worth fawning over.

Also New
Courageous (2011) - Alex Kendrick, Ken Bevel, Kevin Downes
Abduction (2011) - Taylor Lautner, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver
Dead Poets Society (1989) - Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke (Blu-Ray) (Haven't seen this movie in years and years so I'm interested to watch it again and see how it stands up.)
The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) - Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow (Blu-Ray)
Good Morning Vietnam (1987) - Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker (Blu-Ray)
Traffic: The Criterion Collection (2000) - Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Benicio Del Toro (Incredible film. Seriously. Incredible.)
Dirty Girl (2011) - Juno Temple, Jeremy Dozier
Project X (1987) - Matthew Broderick, Helen Hunt (Blu-Ray)
Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star (2011) - Nick Swardson, Don Johnson, Christina Ricci
The Color Purple (1985) - Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey (Blu-Ray)
Bad Girls (1994) - Madeline Stowe, Andie McDowell, Drew Barrymore (Blu-Ray)
Drive Me Crazy (1999) - Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier (Blu-Ray)

Coming to a Theater Near You
I don't want to brag but I'm totally going to. Last week I tagged Contraband at 46% on Rotten Tomatoes and Joyful Noise at 35%. As of this writing, Contraband stands at 45% and Joyful is at 35%. BOOM. That's why you should tell your friends about my work.

Underworld: Awakening - Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy, Stephen Rea
The Underworld series is like the big brother to the Resident Evil series: they're both awful but Underworld is slightly less awful (and yet I've seen all of the movies from each of these franchises). Expect some decent stunts and special effects mixed up in a worthless plot. Also, my favorite thing about this movie is this poster, which clearly tells you all you need to know about the flick itself; that being, Kate Beckinsale is in it. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 26%

Haywire - Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender
I have no idea what to expect from this. Steven Soderbergh is a whiz behind the camera but he's also a guy who has been known to bite off a little more than he can chew from time to time. This year he seems hell bent on making non-actors (like MMA star Carano) and bad actors (he's got Channing Tatum in multiple films this year) into stars. Not sure it can work, though he has brought on a great cast. I just have to believe that if Haywire were any good, it wouldn't be getting released in January but early reviews have been good. I just don't know. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 72%

Red Tails - Nate Parker, Terrence Howard, Ne-Yo, Bryan Cranston
I wish I had faith that this would be good. But unfortunately, knowing that it's coming from George Lucas makes me less than optimistic. That statement in turn makes me quite sad. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 52%

In addition to these features, we'll also be treated to three 2011 films that will receive wider releases: the super-disappointing-but-still-intriguing-to-me Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut Coriolanus, and Christian Bale's controversial Chinese film The Flowers of War.

Weekend Movie Guide

Joyful Noise - Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer
A church choir adds a touch of pop to their act in order to make an impact at a national competition. Look, if you see this movie and you enjoy it, more power to you. I get why Glee (and every other imitator) is popular. But man, this looks absolutely dreadful to me. You can bet on painful dialogue and a menial plot that is covered up by energetic musical numbers. Even that I could possibly get over. But add in Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton and I'm 100% out.

Contraband - Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckingsale, Giovanni Ribisi, Ben Foster
A retired smuggler (Wahlberg) jumps back in the game when his brother-in-law gets in trouble with a nasty criminal (Ribisi). Here's what Contraband has going against it: 1.) The release date. Very rarely does a January release turn out well and action movies that find themselves stuck in the mix this early in the year are usually not so great. 2.) The director. Baltasar Kormakur has made several foreign films that most critics like. His English films, however, have been sub-par at best. This is a remake of an Icelandic film that Kormakur starred in and that's not usually a good thing. But here's what it has going for it: 1.) Marky Mark. Whatever you feel toward Wahlberg as an actor (put me in the camp that thinks he's pretty stinking good), he makes movies that are enjoyable. He'll throw out a stinker on you from time to time (Max Payne) but overall, I'll take Wahlberg's body of work over many other action stars. 2.) Kate Beckinsale. I'm not sure what she'll be doing in the movie but her presence can't hurt, right? 3.) It looks fun. Never underestimate the value of, "yes it was stupid but it was fun" in January. Our standards are so low that we as moviegoers will accept just about anything this month (example: The Devil Inside) if it engages our "fun" neurons. So count me in as cautiously optimistic that Contraband will be decent enough. Also, we need more movies about smugglers. Smugglers are cool. Case in point: Han Solo. BOOM.

Beauty and the Beast 3D - Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White
A Disney classic that will serve as an indicator on what to expect from the future of 3D re-releases. The Lion King brought in close to $100 million and stayed atop the charts for a couple of weeks during its release last fall. But is that the exception or the rule? We should know better after Beauty and the Beast debuts. I've never really loved this movie but you can't deny its overall value and impact.

The Divide - Michael Biehn, Lauren German, Milo Ventimiglia
A group of neighbors hole up in their apartment's basement after a nuclear attack. Director Xavier Gens has had only one American release and that is the esteemed 2007 action flick Hitman (heavy sarcasm). So... I will say, I'm sort-of rooting for this in a way because I think the world needs Michael Biehn to be a semi-relevant actor. Love that guy.

ALSO NEW: A pickpocket has his life choices called into question in Loosies (Peter Facinelli, Michael Madsen)...a new friendship is threatened by an affair in Albatross (Felicity Jones, Jessica Brown Findlay, Julia Ormond)...Vincent D'Onofrio brings us yet another horror movie set in the forest with Don't Go in the Woods (Bo Biddie, Eric Bogosian)...and both The Iron Lady (Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent) and We Need to Talk About Kevin (Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly) both expand into wider release.

Review: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a prime example of why you should pay attention to the messages a given movie is trying to send before heading willy-nilly into a theater. This is a film that is based upon a deeply disturbing series of books that spawned a deeply disturbing series of foreign films and which features the tagline, “The feel bad movie of Christmas.” If you read between the lines here, I believe you should be able to make an educated guess as to the kind of movie this really is.

Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a journalist whose career appears to be over. After publishing a scathing expose on a powerful Swedish businessman, Blomkvist is sued for libel and is found guilty, a finding that will cost him his life savings, his reputation, and a short prison sentence. At a loss for what to do next, Blomkvist takes a meeting with Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), an aging but prominent corporate leader. Blomkvist is presented with a proposition that turns out to be more tempting that he could have ever imagined. Vanger promises to give Blomkvist the evidence he needs to clear his name and in exchange, Blomkvist will attempt to solve a mystery that has vexed the old man for 40 years: the murder of Harriet, Vanger’s niece and favorite family member who went missing at the age of 16. With the help of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a socially stunted but immensely valuable private investigator, Blomkvist soon finds himself embroiled in a vast and complex cover up that threatens to consume every aspect of his life.

To describe Dragon Tattoo as “rough” would require that you change the definition of the word. More like “exceptionally brutal” and “not at all something you’d want to see with your parents.” I feel sorry for anyone who made the mistake of taking a post-Santa trip to the theater with the family without knowing for sure what they were getting themselves into. I was 14 when Titanic debuted and I had a number of friends who had their Christmas Day movie with the family ruined by the unexpected awkwardness of Kate Winslet’s breast popping up on the screen. Dragon Tattoo is approximately one hundred thousand times worse. Even the opening credits are a bit demented (though visually stunning) and that’s just a sample of the brutality that follows. Dragon Tattoo is about as raw as it gets for a mainstream movie and despite the fact that I had read the book and knew what to expect, it still made me squirm more than once.

If you can get past the cringe factor, Dragon Tattoo is a quality but ultimately flawed film. Director David Fincher put together a fantastic cast filled with actors who fit their roles perfectly. Led by Craig’s usual calm and understated demeanor, the performances within this film are strong to quite strong, though none compare to the work of Rooney. I don’t think this is an Oscar-caliber portrayal but it is certainly one that will move her to the top of the list for a number of high profile roles over the next few years. And as always with a Fincher film, the technical aspects of Dragon Tattoo are exquisite. From the score to the shot selection, this is barely a step down from The Social Network, which was nearly perfect from a behind-the-camera standpoint. Fincher uses every element like it belongs to his directorial Swiss army knife, heightening the intensity here, providing subtle detail there. Fincher is the master of creating imperceptible tension within each audience member, building it until you suddenly realize that you’re sitting on the edge of your seat and your heart is pounding. In this regard, Dragon Tattoo provides the perfect subject matter.

But where the film struggles is in the way Fincher tries to tell a convoluted, web-like story. In the book, author Stieg Larsson weaves together several stories that don’t initially seem to connect in the beginning and he does so in excruciating detail. It is a slowburn of a read but one that I found compelling. In order to present every concept within the book, however, Fincher makes the mistake of jamming almost every ounce of story from the source material into the film. The first third of the movie, then, moves at a rapid pace that doesn’t fit the story, the characters, or even the actors. There’s a hint of Aaron Sorkin in the dialogue but it doesn’t contain the expert craftsmanship that usually accompanies a Sorkin script and it doesn’t fit Craig’s brand of subdued acting. Moreover, Fincher tries to pack an excessive amount of information into the first act and none of it connects very well. As a result, we get a number of short, choppy scenes that don’t flow together and make it quite difficult to settle in. I’m a big fan of Fincher overall but I think Dragon Tattoo displays his limitations, or at least his weaknesses. Far from Fincher’s master work, it is nonetheless an intriguing and worthwhile film that you may not want to take in on a full stomach.

Grade: B+

In Home Viewings Review: "Kung Fu Panda 2"

Kung Fu Panda 2 reunites the audience with Po Ping (Jack Black), the tubby and somewhat lazy panda bear who has been named the fabled Dragon Warrior. He still has much to learn, however, and Po’s teacher Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) spends most of his time trying to make Po understand the concept of inner peace. Things take a bad turn when Shen (Gary Oldman), an evil and power hungry peacock who was banished from the country long ago, returns to his former kingdom in the possession of a diabolical weapon. Po and his team are tasked with ending Shen’s reign of terror before he can take over the whole of China but as their battle unfolds, Po is faced with the realization that this is a much more personal fight than he ever could have imagined.

I didn’t see the first Kung Fu Panda until a couple of years after it was released. Looking back, I’m not sure why I chose to stay away because I really enjoyed it. It isn’t up to the level of Pixar, of course, but then again, that is an unfair standard to hold any film up against, let alone a kid’s movie. KFP is pure, unadulterated fun and contains just enough brains to make the storyline run smoothly. This sequel picks up right where the original left off and the two films work together in almost perfect harmony. KFP2 jumps directly into the action and it doesn’t let off the gas very often, exactly what you need to keep the attention of the kiddos while simultaneously preventing adults from finding issues to nitpick at. It’s one of those films that would become tiresome if it was even ten minutes longer but at 91 minutes, there’s nothing to complain about. This is a very lively film and (I would imagine purposefully) a bit reminiscent of the better elements of a Bruce Lee flick, only if Bruce Lee was funny and a bit overweight.

KFP2 has an outstanding collection of talented voice actors, ranging from Angelina Jolie to Seth Rogen to Jackie Chan and director Jennifer Yuh uses them well. I’ve said this before but one of my pet peeves in an animated film is when a character (or characters) is relegated to second fiddle behind the actor providing the voice. I don’t want a constant reminder that “actor X” is the face behind the drawing. I never had that issue here. In the back of my mind, I knew that the praying mantis is actually Seth Rogen but it wasn’t constantly shoved in my face. And then there’s Gary Oldman, of course, who brings a brilliant, villainous tone to the role of Shen. I’ve often said that if you want to make your film better, just add Gary Oldman and you’re done. Shen is a more intimidating baddie than you could reasonably expect from this movie and an improvement over the villain in the first Kung Fu Panda.

The area in which KFP2 sets itself apart from the average kiddie movie is in the sheer beauty of its animation. This is a gorgeous film that mixes sweeping landscapes with exquisitely detailed characters and powerful action sequences. For my money, the Kung Fu Panda franchise is the most visually compelling of the Dreamworks properties and I almost (almost) think it might have been worth seeing in 3D. All told, this is a highly enjoyable and funny movie that should please viewers of all ages. And in a year that is devoid of a strong Pixar entry, I would make the case that this is the best animated film of the year.

Grade: B+

The Week That Was and the Week That Will Be

Now that all the Holiday craziness is behind us, it's time to get back to normal around here. That means returning to this column, the Weekend Movie Guide, and maybe some Movie News Today here and there when we get the chance. But before we move full throttle into 2012, make sure you get your 2011 fix in by checking out this year's Worst 15 Movies I Didn't See, Top 10 Performances, and Full Movie Rankings.

A few things to look for in the upcoming weeks here at The Soap Box Office:
1.) I'm in the process of revamping the look of the page just a bit. So forgive any moments of sloppiness as I try to figure out what works and what doesn't.
2.) Sometime this week I'll run a list of my 10 Most Anticipated Films of the Year (Part 1). Be on the lookout for that feature.
3.) Since there are almost no new films worth seeing this month, I expect to play some serious catchup on the important 2011 movies I missed out on. Expect a heavy dose of In Home Viewings in the upcoming month.
4.) And lastly, I'm changing my grading system. I've always gone with the letter grade system and I like it the best. But since IEF grades on a 5 reel/star scale, it's become too much nuisance to translate the score. So, beginning with 2012 releases, I'm moving to the 5 star grading system. (Any 2011 films I review will remain on the letter grade system in keeping with the rest of the films from that year.) I know this is a big deal to no one but me but still...

Also, somewhere over the Christmas vacation, The Soap Box Office topped 25,000 hits. The vast majority of those hits came in the year 2011 and I just wanted to thank all of you for making this a worthwhile endeavor. I've had a lot of fun posting here but my fun would be seriously dampened without, you know, some readers. So thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll all keep it up!

George Clooney will direct and star in The Monuments Men about US operatives who tracked down art stolen by the Nazis.

Emma Stone has taken on the comedy Little White Corvette. All Stone did in 2011 was solidify herself into "I Will See Anything You're Involved With" territory. Absolutely love her.

I missed this last week unfortunately. After Benicio Del Toro turned down the role of the villain in next year's Star Trek 2, JJ Abrams turned to the suddenly SUPER popular, Benedict Cumberbatch, who just killed it in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and a BBC production of Sherlock Holmes. Well done, JJ.

My man Terrence (formerly known as the ScarletSp1der) has changed up his website and the new look is dope. Check it out!

And another IEF contributor, Matt, posted his worst films of 2011 over at Cinema Slants. Great picks!

Weekend Box Office Results
I'm back to being disappointed in you, America. Given the HUGE take The Devil Inside Me brought in this week and its miniscule budget ($1 million), we can expect a slew of Paranormal Activity-like sequels in the coming years. Which is definitely what we all need. Boo.

1. The Devil Inside Me - $34.5M
2. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - $20.5M ($170.2M)
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - $14.05M ($157.41M)
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - $11.3M ($76.83M)
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked - $9.5M ($111.58M)
6. War Horse - $8.6M ($56.82M)
7. We Bought a Zoo - $8.45M ($56.54M)
8. The Adventures of Tintin - $6.6M ($61.88M)
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - $5.76M ($10.41M)
10. New Year's Eve - $3.26M ($52.02M)

New to DVD
In celebration of their 100th anniversary this year, Universal has re-released a litany of films on Blu-Ray this week (and will release more throughout the year). This list includes films like American Graffiti, Apollo 13, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In this space I generally focus on films that are being released on DVD or Blu-Ray for the first time so I won't cover them all but it may be worth your while to browse through all the selections that Amazon has to offer.

What I'll Be Renting This Week
Higher Ground (2010) - Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, John Hawkes
Farmiga's directorial debut centers on a member of a conservative religious group who begins to question her faith. Higher Ground was available in my area for about three days last fall and I was unable to get to it. A pity, because I've heard outstanding things from viewers/critics I respect. Farmiga is always brilliant and I'm extremely interested to see how she works in the director's chair.

What I'll Be Buying This Week
When Harry Met Sally (1989) - Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Bruno Kirby, Carrie Fisher (New to Blu)
My all-time favorite chick flick and it's not even close. Class Billy Crystal, classic Meg Ryan, and classic Rob Reiner. It is the perfect romantic comedy. That's not up for debate. (BTW, my second favorite chick flick, Serendipity, came to Blu-Ray last week.)

What You ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE If You Haven't Seen It Already
Schindler's List (1993) - Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes (New to Blu)
Hands down, the greatest movie I'll probably never watch again. I've never had to work so hard to fight through a great film like I did with Schindler's List. It is ROUGH SLEDDING but totally and completely worth it. This makes the short list of films that every human MUST see before they die.

What I've Seen and I Guess You Might Want to See, Too
Moneyball (2011) - Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Boardwalk Empire: Season 1 (2010) - Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald
It's not that I didn't like these endeavors; I did (Boardwalk more than Moneyball). It's that I'm just not completely sure how good they are. I feel that Moneyball is a good film that everyone wants to make into a great film. In five years, I think we look back on this one and wonder why we were all so sold on it. But hey, it's definitely worth seeing and it'll certainly be a player during Award Season. Boardwalk is an enigma for me. It is undoubtedly an exquistely crafted show filled with amazing performances. And yet, I've watched every episode and I'm still not sure if I really and truly like it or not. I don't know what to say beyond that.

Also New
What's Your Number (2011) - Anna Faris, Chris Evans
Killer Elite (2011) - Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro
There Be Dragons (2011) - Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott
Never Been Kissed (1999) - Drew Barrymore, David Arquette
Billy Elliot (2000) - Jamie Bell, Julie Walters
Shallow Hal (2001) - Jack Black, Gwyneth Paltrow
Legally Blonde (2001) - Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson
Just My Luck (2006) - Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine
John Tucker Must Die (2006) - Jesse Metcalfe, Ashanit, Brittany Snow
Just Married (2003) - Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy

Coming to a Theater Near You
If you'd like to join me in pretending the January Movie Calendar doesn't exist, I support your decision.

Contraband - Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi
Action movies that debut in January are almost always a bad bet. (And this year we get three or four of them!) But I guess we could do worse than Marky Mark and Kate Beckinsale. Contraband isn't going to be good but I'm thinking it won't be a complete waste of life. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 45%

Joyful Noise - Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer
A friend of mine offered me $50 to see this movie and review it. I decline. Rotten Tomatoes prediction: 35%

Beyond bad action movies and appalling horror flicks, January also brings with it a number of limited release films that expand into more theaters. Last week we got Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (go see that one, people) and this week brings us the polarizing We Need to Talk About Kevin (starring Tilda Swinton) and The Iron Lady, which has been disappointing. We'll also get a 3D cut of Beauty and the Beast.