I sold Hangover Part II a little short in my box office predictions. I assumed Jack Sparrow would sail his way to number one for a second week, but Alan and company took offense to that and easily coasted to number one. The Hangover crew made $137 million over the five day weekend according to the AP. That represents a terrific opening weekend for the R rated comedy and assures the studio will be hoping the crew comes back for The Hangover Part III. Kung Fu Panda 2 made $62 million over the holiday weekend to come in second place. This is less than the original Kung Fu Panda made but is the biggest opening weekend for an animated film this year, which is saying quite a bit considering Rio and Rango both did very well. In third place was my predicted winner Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The film made $50 million over the holiday weekend and is annihilating the box office overseas. The fourth Pirates film is already at half a billion across the globe in only its second week. Bridesmaids and Thor rounded out the top 5 as both continue to do very well. By next weekend Bridesmaids should be across the century mark, and Thor is creeping ever closer to $200 million domestically.
Next week only one new movie opens but its a big one in X-Men: First Class. Previous X-Men films have opened to high totals and this one should be no exception. I would imagine X-Men finishes first, followed by The Hangover Part II, Kung Fu Panda 2, Pirates 4, and Bridesmaids. Predicting the box office is much easier when only one new movie is opening.
-Maximus
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Opening This Weekend - 5/27/11
After a short hiatus I am back and ready to let you know what's coming to the theater this weekend. I may also include my opinion after giving some of the storyline...sorry but I can't help myself when it comes to jusging movies. Anyways let's see what we have to preview this week. It looks like we have two sequels, one for the adult audience and one for the little ones with The Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2. We also have The Tree of Life opening as well. So let's do this!
The Hangover Part II
The crew is back and ready to party. Stu is getting married to a Chinese woman so they are having the wedding out in Bangkok. Now you can't have a wedding without having a bachelor party right? But this time they are all going to take it easy...or so they thought. No need to describe this any further because if you have seen the first one it should follow the same guidelines of trying to piece the crazy night back together and finding someone they have lost. Just to let you all know, the word on the street is that we are in for a lot more male genitalia in this one than in the last. Besides that point it looks awesome! I can't say that it will be better than the first but if they make me laugh half as much they did during the first movie, it will count as a win in my book. On the Viewability Scale I would give it 8 Ninja Stars out of 10.
Check out the trailer at:
http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/
Kung Fu Panda 2
Jack Black is back voicing the ever "furocious" panda named Po. Po is now the Dragon Warrior of kung fu and the leader of his friends from the first movie. As a mischievous enemy gets his hands on a weapon that has the potential to conquer China and destroy kung fu, the group unites to face-off against the evil master mind behind this plot. If you liked the first one you might like this one as well. The first one wasn't a bad animated movie but it wasn't as good as I thought it could be. I give this movie 4 Ninja Stars out of 10 on the Viewability Scale.
Check out the trailer at:
http://www.kungfupanda.com/
The Tree of Life
This movie has Sean Penn as a grown man looking back and reflecting on the difficult relationship he had with his father, played by Brad Pitt, when he was a boy. It looks like a movie that will be slow moving and more lifelike than having anything out of the ordinary happening. It looks like a Revolutionary Road type movie minus the ending. So I don't want to say it will be boring but if you see it just don't be disappointed if there is no jaw dropping moment and the movie is just a depiction of an averages man's memories of his childhood. On the Viewability Scale I would give it 5 Ninja Stars out of 10.
Check out the trailer at:
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thetreeoflife/
So to recap we have:
The Hangover Part II - 8 Ninja Stars
Kung Fu Panda 2 - 4 Ninja Stars
The Tree of Life - 5 Ninja Stars
Next week we have X-Men: First Class which is my most anticipated movie of the summer. I have a feeling it's going to be really well done and enjoyable to watch. If you see any of the movies above, please comment in a way that doesn't ruin it for others.
- Diomedes
The Hangover Part II
The crew is back and ready to party. Stu is getting married to a Chinese woman so they are having the wedding out in Bangkok. Now you can't have a wedding without having a bachelor party right? But this time they are all going to take it easy...or so they thought. No need to describe this any further because if you have seen the first one it should follow the same guidelines of trying to piece the crazy night back together and finding someone they have lost. Just to let you all know, the word on the street is that we are in for a lot more male genitalia in this one than in the last. Besides that point it looks awesome! I can't say that it will be better than the first but if they make me laugh half as much they did during the first movie, it will count as a win in my book. On the Viewability Scale I would give it 8 Ninja Stars out of 10.
Check out the trailer at:
http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/
Kung Fu Panda 2
Jack Black is back voicing the ever "furocious" panda named Po. Po is now the Dragon Warrior of kung fu and the leader of his friends from the first movie. As a mischievous enemy gets his hands on a weapon that has the potential to conquer China and destroy kung fu, the group unites to face-off against the evil master mind behind this plot. If you liked the first one you might like this one as well. The first one wasn't a bad animated movie but it wasn't as good as I thought it could be. I give this movie 4 Ninja Stars out of 10 on the Viewability Scale.
Check out the trailer at:
http://www.kungfupanda.com/
The Tree of Life
This movie has Sean Penn as a grown man looking back and reflecting on the difficult relationship he had with his father, played by Brad Pitt, when he was a boy. It looks like a movie that will be slow moving and more lifelike than having anything out of the ordinary happening. It looks like a Revolutionary Road type movie minus the ending. So I don't want to say it will be boring but if you see it just don't be disappointed if there is no jaw dropping moment and the movie is just a depiction of an averages man's memories of his childhood. On the Viewability Scale I would give it 5 Ninja Stars out of 10.
Check out the trailer at:
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thetreeoflife/
So to recap we have:
The Hangover Part II - 8 Ninja Stars
Kung Fu Panda 2 - 4 Ninja Stars
The Tree of Life - 5 Ninja Stars
Next week we have X-Men: First Class which is my most anticipated movie of the summer. I have a feeling it's going to be really well done and enjoyable to watch. If you see any of the movies above, please comment in a way that doesn't ruin it for others.
- Diomedes
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Movie Review-Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Many fans complained about how bogged down the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie felt trying to tie up all its lose ends while still adding new characters and plot lines, so the studio went back to the single minded approach that made the original Pirates so successful. On Stranger Tides is a stand alone Pirates film that only brings back a handful of characters from the previous films......and leaves much to be desired. The film has all the requisite Jack Sparrow one liners as well as kinetic action sequences, but beyond that tried formula, everything else falls dead. Penelope Cruz has a difficult time being anyone other than Penelope Cruz, and while Geoffrey Rush is back as Barbosa, his character feels out of place and wasted here. Ian McShane was inspired casting as ruthless pirate Blackbeard, but isn't given very much to do. Johnny Depp brings back the familiar running style and over used mouth of Sparrow, but many of his jokes fall flat. The film also feels much longer than its already long 141 minute run time. There are a few positives in the film including the return of Sparrow's right hand man Gibbs and the sparring back and forth between them. The quest to the fountain of youth is also a great choice for a Pirates movie, however the end of that quest is lackluster. Also the film takes a turn towards darkness when Blackbeard decides its time to catch a mermaid, however the darkness and creepiness that is initially there dissipates quickly into silliness. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is worth watching on a Saturday afternoon in the comfort of your living room, but is no longer the must see series that it started out being. I give it 5 Ninja Stars out of 10.
-Maximus
-Maximus
New DVD Review-Fair Game
Fair Game is a political film from Bourne Identity director Doug Lyman. The film stars Naomi Watts as Valerie Plume-Wilson and Sean Penn as her husband Ambassador Joseph Wilson. The film is inspired by the true story of Plume-Wilson who was a covert CIA operative whose identity was released by the White House after her husband wrote a column disagreeing with the White House's claims that Iraq held WMD's. The true story is very compelling and is what led to the conviction of Scooter Libby. The movie however lacks that interest, while the base is interesting and the actors sell their characters well, there is just not a lot going on in this film. Plume-Wilson's identity is not released until over an hour into the film and even once it is, nothing really happens. Lyman does a great job with kinetic action films like The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, however he can't quite keep this movie as interesting as those previous two. Fair Game is worth a watch just to hear the interesting story that it tells, however if your looking for a compelling, edge of your seat political thriller, this doesn't quite fit the bill. I give Fair Game 4 Ninja Stars out of 10.
-Maximus
-Maximus
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Box Office Recap-May 22nd, 2011
After an early lull last weekend, the summer got back into swing this weekend, with Pirates Of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides grossing over $90 million according to the AP. The film took in an even larger haul globally making it a truly massive hit. While Thor and Fast Five did admirably in their opening weekends, Pirates really brought the first monster haul this year. In second place behind Pirates was Bridesmaids, which made another $21 million according to ew.com. That is a very small decrease from last weekend and indicates the movie is garnering strong word of mouth. In 3rd and 4th place were the aforementioned Thor and Fast Five respectively. Thor took in over $15 million and Fast Five garnered another $10 million. Fast Five will likely break $200 million domestically by the end of next weekend. In fifth place was the animated film Rio with just under $5 million, and in 6th place in its second week was the complete flop Priest.
Next week we get two more huge openings, The Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2. How will the sequels perform? I personally think both of the films as well as Pirates will fight for the top spot with between $50 and $60 million. The total box office should be huge next weekend. I predict that with Rio being toward the end of its run, children and parents will flock to Kung Fu Panda 2, and it will win the weekend. Followed closely by The Hangover Part II and Pirates. Bridesmaids and Thor will round out the top five.
-Maximus
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Movie Review - Thor
Thor is yet another character from the Marvel Universe that has made his debut on the big screen. Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, is the god of thunder from the realm of Asgard. He is the son of the ruling god Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins, who has grown old and is ready to pass the throne to his son. The frost giants mess up this plan and in a rage Thor goes to face them defying his father's wishes to keep the peace. When back in Asgard, Thor is cast from the heavens for his defiance and loses his powers when he comes to earth.
On earth he meets a scientist, Natalie Portman, who has been studying the phenomenons that happen in the sky when the Asgardians use the Bifrost which is a gateway used to travel from realm to realm. Thor has a lot of soul searching to do, helped by his new human friends, while he thinks back on his impulsive actions. Meanwhile his brother Loki inherits his place as heir to the throne and things go haywire up in Asgard.
I thought this was a solid movie overall. I think Kenneth Branagh did a great job building all the high level characters and the story line which drifted between two different worlds. I think now that the character and back story are in place, Thor will have a very action packed group of movies if they decide to make more which is the common theme now a days. I do know that we will see Thor again shortly as one of the four Avengers in the movie The Avengers which is due to hit the theaters next year. I would definitely recommend seeing this one and I give it 8 Ninja Stars out of 10. This is the first good blockbuster of the summer in my opinion. Let's hope the summer keeps on this trend.
-Diomedes
Second Opinion-Thor
The summer started off with a thunderstorm with Thor being it's first big movie. Thor is one of the less popular Marvel heroes as his story has always been the least grounded. After all, Thor is a God, and its hard for people to identify with a God as they can't be defeated. However in the film interpretation of Thor, Kenneth Branagh tweaks the Thor mythology to a more "realistic" back story. Diomedes broke down the basis to Thor above in detail so I won't do it again, but suffice to say that I really enjoyed Thor. I felt it was the right combination between realism, fantasy, and not taking itself too seriously. The special effects are stellar and the acting is top notch, the film is also surprisingly funny. Chris Hemsworth could not be a better fit for Thor, and Tom Hiddleston does an amazing job as the film's identifiable villain Loki, also known as the God of mischief. Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, and Stellan Skarsgard all give terrific supporting performances as well. I highly recommend Thor and hope that the summer has more films like it to follow. There are too few smart blockbusters out there. I give Thor 8 Ninja Stars out of 10.
-Maximus
On earth he meets a scientist, Natalie Portman, who has been studying the phenomenons that happen in the sky when the Asgardians use the Bifrost which is a gateway used to travel from realm to realm. Thor has a lot of soul searching to do, helped by his new human friends, while he thinks back on his impulsive actions. Meanwhile his brother Loki inherits his place as heir to the throne and things go haywire up in Asgard.
I thought this was a solid movie overall. I think Kenneth Branagh did a great job building all the high level characters and the story line which drifted between two different worlds. I think now that the character and back story are in place, Thor will have a very action packed group of movies if they decide to make more which is the common theme now a days. I do know that we will see Thor again shortly as one of the four Avengers in the movie The Avengers which is due to hit the theaters next year. I would definitely recommend seeing this one and I give it 8 Ninja Stars out of 10. This is the first good blockbuster of the summer in my opinion. Let's hope the summer keeps on this trend.
-Diomedes
Second Opinion-Thor
The summer started off with a thunderstorm with Thor being it's first big movie. Thor is one of the less popular Marvel heroes as his story has always been the least grounded. After all, Thor is a God, and its hard for people to identify with a God as they can't be defeated. However in the film interpretation of Thor, Kenneth Branagh tweaks the Thor mythology to a more "realistic" back story. Diomedes broke down the basis to Thor above in detail so I won't do it again, but suffice to say that I really enjoyed Thor. I felt it was the right combination between realism, fantasy, and not taking itself too seriously. The special effects are stellar and the acting is top notch, the film is also surprisingly funny. Chris Hemsworth could not be a better fit for Thor, and Tom Hiddleston does an amazing job as the film's identifiable villain Loki, also known as the God of mischief. Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, and Stellan Skarsgard all give terrific supporting performances as well. I highly recommend Thor and hope that the summer has more films like it to follow. There are too few smart blockbusters out there. I give Thor 8 Ninja Stars out of 10.
-Maximus
Box Office Recap-May 11th. 2011
No huge surprises in the box office this weekend, but there was a wicked battle for 3rd place between two romantic comedies. But first the big guns, Thor hammered the competition making $66 million according to the AP. Thor started the summer movie kick with a bang. While Thor is not one of the most well known Marvel heroes, $66 million is a huge number. In second place was holdover Fast Five which made $32.5 million in it's second weekend according to the AP. Strong numbers for Fast Five and it's already the years biggest movie. It may hold that title until Pirates of the Caribbean 4 comes out in two weeks. The big battle this weekend came from Something Borrowed and Jumping the Broom. When two wedding themed romantic comedies open up on the same weekend, we knew it was going to be close, but we didn't know how close. Jumping the Broom won the war with $13.7 million according to the AP, followed by Something Borrowed with $13.2 million. Both numbers represent successes for the films, and considering Thor and Fast Five took home a lot of money again, this just means a lot of people went to the movies this weekend. Rio took the fifth spot with another $8.2 million. Rio has been on the charts for 4 weeks and is still making money, it shows how few children's movies are coming out currently.
Next week we get Priest and Bridesmaids. Its hard to predict the box office because Bridesmaids is a wild card. But my best guess is Thor holds on for week 2, followed by Fast Five again, then Priest, Bridesmaids, and Jumping the Broom. Both Priest and Bridesmaids could be huge successes or bomb completely, its very difficult to predict. Check back later today for our review of Thor!
-Maximus
Next week we get Priest and Bridesmaids. Its hard to predict the box office because Bridesmaids is a wild card. But my best guess is Thor holds on for week 2, followed by Fast Five again, then Priest, Bridesmaids, and Jumping the Broom. Both Priest and Bridesmaids could be huge successes or bomb completely, its very difficult to predict. Check back later today for our review of Thor!
-Maximus
Monday, May 2, 2011
Summer Movie Season is Upon Us!!
What says summer like sun, swimming, and the outdoors? Big summer blockbusters of course! Its that time of year again when the studio's bring out their big guns to get people to the theaters. This summer looks to be a huge one with several sequels, comic book films, and proven money makers. Here we are going to go over some of the biggies and what to expect from the summer.
May 6th: Thor- This Marvel comic adaptation is about the exiled God Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his return to glory. This film is directed by Kenneth Branaugh and also stars Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman.
May 13th: Priest- Solid premise with some solid actors like Paul Bettany and Karl Urban, however the special effects look cheesy and the film could end up being I am Legend 2, which is not a good thing.
May 20th: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides- The 4th in the popular series returns Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow and ditches Will and Elizabeth for Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter (Penelope Cruz). Geoffrey Rush returns as Barbosa and Rob Marshall directs. Marshall's big credits before include Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Nine, so not the most Pirates friendly pedigree.
May 26th: The Hangover 2- Following the Hangover's huge box office, you knew there would be a sequel, and this one follows all the original cast members when travel to Thailand to take part in the usual shenanigans.
June 3rd: X Men First Class- This film hopefully will be the first good mark in the franchise since X2. It is the prequel of how Erik (Michael Fassbender) becomes Magneto and how Charles (James McAvoy) becomes Professor X.
June 10th: Super 8- JJ Abrams is back behind the camera for this sci fi movie that is one part Stand by Me and one part War of the Worlds. If the preview is any indicator, this will be epic.
June 17th: Green Lantern- Ryan Reynolds finally gets his own super hero movie as the DC comic hero Green Lantern. Yes, we have finally reached the bottom of the super hero barrel, up next, Ant Man. I wish I was kidding....
July 1st: Transformers: Dark of the Moon- The third and final(?) installment in the Transformers franchise promises lots of explosions, and lots of Shia LeBeouf running.
July 15th: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2- The final in the epic series, this one promises a huge and devastating ending. And if you have read the books, you know no one is safe....
July 22nd: Captain America: The First Avenger- The third super hero movie this summer stars Chris Evans as Captain America. Captain was always one of my favorite heroes, but I have always felt he was the toughest to make a movie out of, we'll see how the auteur of such amazing films as The Wolfman and Jurassic Park 3 does.....
July 29th: Cowboys & Aliens- After Robert Downey Jr exited, they brought in Daniel Craig to replace him, looks like a good choice from the preview. The film's trailers look great and it costars Olivia Wilde and Harrison Ford.
August 5th: Rise of the Planet of the Apes-This was once titled Rise of the Apes, which flows much better. The first preview was cool, and James Franco is usually reliable, we'll see how this prequel goes.
August 19th: Conan The Barbarian- We now are remaking Arnold films, which is probably a bad sign. This new take stars Jason Mamoa, who doesn't have to speak in his role on Game of Thrones and appears to have gotten the part based on his large frame, and not on his acting ability.
May 6th: Thor- This Marvel comic adaptation is about the exiled God Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his return to glory. This film is directed by Kenneth Branaugh and also stars Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman.
May 13th: Priest- Solid premise with some solid actors like Paul Bettany and Karl Urban, however the special effects look cheesy and the film could end up being I am Legend 2, which is not a good thing.
May 20th: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides- The 4th in the popular series returns Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow and ditches Will and Elizabeth for Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter (Penelope Cruz). Geoffrey Rush returns as Barbosa and Rob Marshall directs. Marshall's big credits before include Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Nine, so not the most Pirates friendly pedigree.
May 26th: The Hangover 2- Following the Hangover's huge box office, you knew there would be a sequel, and this one follows all the original cast members when travel to Thailand to take part in the usual shenanigans.
June 3rd: X Men First Class- This film hopefully will be the first good mark in the franchise since X2. It is the prequel of how Erik (Michael Fassbender) becomes Magneto and how Charles (James McAvoy) becomes Professor X.
June 10th: Super 8- JJ Abrams is back behind the camera for this sci fi movie that is one part Stand by Me and one part War of the Worlds. If the preview is any indicator, this will be epic.
June 17th: Green Lantern- Ryan Reynolds finally gets his own super hero movie as the DC comic hero Green Lantern. Yes, we have finally reached the bottom of the super hero barrel, up next, Ant Man. I wish I was kidding....
July 1st: Transformers: Dark of the Moon- The third and final(?) installment in the Transformers franchise promises lots of explosions, and lots of Shia LeBeouf running.
July 15th: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2- The final in the epic series, this one promises a huge and devastating ending. And if you have read the books, you know no one is safe....
July 22nd: Captain America: The First Avenger- The third super hero movie this summer stars Chris Evans as Captain America. Captain was always one of my favorite heroes, but I have always felt he was the toughest to make a movie out of, we'll see how the auteur of such amazing films as The Wolfman and Jurassic Park 3 does.....
July 29th: Cowboys & Aliens- After Robert Downey Jr exited, they brought in Daniel Craig to replace him, looks like a good choice from the preview. The film's trailers look great and it costars Olivia Wilde and Harrison Ford.
August 5th: Rise of the Planet of the Apes-This was once titled Rise of the Apes, which flows much better. The first preview was cool, and James Franco is usually reliable, we'll see how this prequel goes.
August 19th: Conan The Barbarian- We now are remaking Arnold films, which is probably a bad sign. This new take stars Jason Mamoa, who doesn't have to speak in his role on Game of Thrones and appears to have gotten the part based on his large frame, and not on his acting ability.
Box Office Recap-May 1st, 2011
To no ones surprise, Fast Five absolutely annihilated the rest of the box office this weekend according to the AP and ew.com. The film made almost $84 million and broke all kinds of April records as usually the big box office starts in May. No doubt we will see further Fast and Furious installments, especially if they keep creeping towards $100 million dollar opening weekends like this one did. Rio held strong with another $14.5 million dollars and crossed the $100 million dollar mark. Rio was followed by Madea's Big Happy Family and Water for Elephants which made $10 million and $9.5 million respectively to land in 3rd and 4th place. Prom rounded out the top five with a disappointing $5 million. The other wide new release, Hoodwinked Too, disappointed even more with just under $5 million for 6th place. As Hoodwinked Too and Mars Needs Moms have shown, you no longer can just throw out an animated film and expect $100 million.
Next week officially starts the summer's blockbuster stretch with Thor opening. We also get Jumping the Broom, Something Borrowed, and The Beaver. Out of the four new releases, Thor is the only one that has had any marketing, so its the only one I expect to do well. The Beaver is a wild card but many people will avoid it due to dislike for Mel Gibson, so I can't see it performing that well. My prediction for next week is Thor in the number one spot, followed by Fast Five, Rio, The Beaver, and Something Borrowed. I actually expect Fast Five to hold up well and challenge Thor for the number one spot. I could easily see Thor opening at less next weekend than Fast Five did this weekend, but with the summer movie season, expect the unexpected.
-Maximus
Next week officially starts the summer's blockbuster stretch with Thor opening. We also get Jumping the Broom, Something Borrowed, and The Beaver. Out of the four new releases, Thor is the only one that has had any marketing, so its the only one I expect to do well. The Beaver is a wild card but many people will avoid it due to dislike for Mel Gibson, so I can't see it performing that well. My prediction for next week is Thor in the number one spot, followed by Fast Five, Rio, The Beaver, and Something Borrowed. I actually expect Fast Five to hold up well and challenge Thor for the number one spot. I could easily see Thor opening at less next weekend than Fast Five did this weekend, but with the summer movie season, expect the unexpected.
-Maximus
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