11/18/10

Tops at the Box: DreamWorks’ new animated future classic, Megamind, voiced by Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, Tiny Fey and Ben Stiller, continues to roll, bringing in another $30 million last weekend, upping its 10-day total to $90 million. Not a bad start for a flick that supposedly only cost $130 million to produce. (Only?!) From what we’ve heard, Mega is a solid children’s movie with a decent amount of laffs and adult appeal. I read a bit of the screenplay and, for once, am almost kind of happy to see a non-Pixar animated feature do well.  

More From the Box: Tony Scott’s new Denzel Washington-fronted action flick, Unstoppable, took last weekend’s No. 2 spot, bringing in $24 million over its first three days, proving that Denzel is still a leading man with some serious draw (even when the movie looks oh-so-skippable). Due Date, last weekend’s No. 3 film, continues to roll steadily, upping its 10-day total to $59 million - just $6 below its production cost (but hardly the huge hit the studio expected it to be). The weekend’s No. 4 movie, the poorly reviewed end-of-the-world thriller from the tech-savvy Strause Brothers, Skyline, took in $12 million over its first three days. I can’t say whether or not the Strauses made a good movie or not, but I can say that, judging from the trailer, they used their $10 million very well, carefully crafting a movie with the scope and production value of a Roland Emmerich blockbuster or even, dare we say it, Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds. And finally we have last weekend’s No. 5 film, director Roger Michell’s newsroom dramedy Morning Glory, starring Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Rachel McAdams. Michell makes good movies that are usually both serious and incredibly watchable. Glory looks like a mix of Mike Nichols’ Working Girl and David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada, but with the sometimes awesome energy of Rachel McAdams.

Still Not Playing This Weekend: Before I get into the details of this week’s new releases, I feel it my duty to continue complaining about the handling of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle’s new film, 127 Hours, an action-drama hybrid about the arm-cutting saga of mountain climber Aron Ralston. Thus far the film, which cost a solid $20 to produce and features the year’s most-talked-about actor, James Franco, as its lead, played in two theaters its first week and 22 its second, so far selling nearly every ticket available. How does that make sense? If there was a plan for a wide expansion I’d shush it on up, but there’s not. Hey Fox Searchlight - why get the guy who directed one of the most successful  indie-appeal flicks ever (as well as the it-boy actor) to direct your big awards season release and then not even attempt to make it widely available? Thus far the movie, which boasts an amazing trailer, is getting some of the best reviews of the year. We’ve read that the arm-cutting scene has been causing audience members to vomit and have panic attacks; surely that can’t be the reasoning for the strange treatment? Our guess? Probably some disheartening Hollywood politics that will inspire a future “Entourage” storyline. Ugh.

Opening This Weekend: Well duh, the new Harry Potter flick, Harry Potter and Probably the Awesomest Hollywood Flick of the Year, is out this week. Finally! Featuring the best trailer and early buzz of any of the Potter flicks, we at the ScreenTime offices are beyond stoked. It probably won’t win awards or get the most pretentious section of the cinephile crowd too excited, but it will sell some serious tickets. Don’t be surprised if next week’s column is all about the Potter franchise. Oh, and if for some reason you’re laughing right now, telling yourself that a guy who loves the Harry Potter movies probably shouldn’t be writing about cinema, then go ahead and turn the page. Chances are you probably don’t know enough about movies to read this column or are just flat out too pretentious and joyless to enjoy the rare PCPF (Perfectly Crafted Popcorn Flick).

New to Home Video: Out last Tuesday, November 16: The Last Airbender; Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore; The Extra Man; the incredibly overrated (but still pretty good) The Kids Are All Right; Lottery Ticket; Best Worst Movie; a three-disc version of (gag!) Avatar; Criterion editions of Modern Times (awesome!) andThe Night Hunter; season six of “Gangland;” the complete “Heroes;” “The Office: Digital Short Collection;” and “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia: Sunny Christmas.” Out this coming Tuesday, Novemeber 23: The Expendables; I’m Still Here (sooo good); Eat Pray Love; Countdown to Zero; Flipped; a huge number of Blu-ray first editions; “The Pillars of the Earth;” the complete “Tudors” collection; the complete “7th Heaven” collection; and season 12 of “Murder She Wrote.”