Weekend Looks
I don’t have a lot to say about the movies opening this weekend, so I won’t, but…
Pirate Radio is one of those movies that should have been an easy home run, but ends up being safe at first base on an error. Cast is amazing, including turns by Emma Thompson and January Jones, who allows herself to play the sexy girl here, which is usually something she shies away from outside of magazines. Hoffman is not the star, but he is very good. You can see what appealed to him about the role. Bill Nighy, who I profoundly adore on screen, is not great… because his role is really just the same joke told 17 times. He does that well, but he is completely wasted.
The two big problems are Richard Curtis. First, the screenplay is not really focused. It may be The Truth, but it’s bad drama. There is a range of events from banal to almost unbelievable, but the screenplay seems to lurch forward, stall out, get rolling, stall, lurch, etc, etc, etc. And Curtis is still a not very good director. He’s obviously greatly talented… and he’s gotten good performances… but he doesn’t know what the hell he is doing with that camera. And here, where we are on a boat for most of the movie, it shows more than ever.
A good DVD rental or cable/satellite watch… but a really disappointing movie, even during the movie, where it feels like it’s about to get great and then isn’t… and that happens a few times.
(Note: I saw the movie on Virgin Atlantic, not in a theater.)
The Fantastic Mr Fox is a good movie. If you like Wes Anderson, you will like it. forget about “the animation looks weird.” That’s silly. The animation is beautiful and unique and completely watchable. The real issue is the storytelling and it works. It’s a fable about a manfox who is confronted with challenges to who he thinks he is. Great side characters. Funny moments. Very Wes. For me, it was better than anything since Tenenbaums.
Would I walk seven miles in the snow without shows to see it? Unlikely. But if you are going to spend a couple of hours with your family and they are game to think and be silly, you would do well to spend the time with Mr Fox and his family, friends, and human enemies.
I’m really excited about “The Messenger.” Trailer looks great, and a 90 on RT….
Woody Harrelson is in his 3rd and 4th movies of the year on the same weekend with 2012…
Joseph-Gordon Levitt one-ups him and gets his 4th and 5th theatrical releases on the same weekend with “Uncertainty” and “Women in Trouble.” Any comment on either???
LexG I’m sure would go gaga for “Women in Trouble.”
Even if “2012” opens between 50 and 60 million, on its way to $140 million domestically, it still should find its way to profitability, with at least $350 million worldwide before DVD. All of Emmerich’s movies have relied on between 61-67% of their gross to come overseas other than “The Patriot” for obvious reasons. So “2012” should do no less than $350 million…assuming it opens at thaat 50-60 million level.
You saw Pirate Radio on Virgin Atlantic? Was it the UK cut — because you know there’s a 20-minute difference, right?
If it was the UK cut (also called “The Boat That Rocked”) I wonder if you thought the third act was too long and could use a trim.
If the U.S. version, was it clear that a chunk had been excised?
Honestly, I have no idea. And am intrigued by this notion.
One of the flaws is that ideas repeat over and over. So maybe it’s a bit better.
And The Messenger is terrific. I didn’t have it on the release schedule.
Had anyone other than Richard Curtis written the script, I am certain Working Title would have passed. It is flaccid from the get go and was such a flop worldwide ($28m from a budget of $50m) I reckon only the soundtrack will make any sort of dent in the costs. But lord knows the rights to all those songs must have cost them a helluva lot $50m budget… unless of course, they belong in Universal’s library.
I haven’t seen it, but most of the reviews it was getting were dreadful so I wasn’t surprised to hear they were cutting it apart.
Early numbers indicate “2012” killed on Friday and will finish north of 60 mil for the weekend.
Precious might be looking at $35,000 per screen at 174 theatres…wow.
It makes me sad that a movie set (apparently) almost completely on a boat and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kenneth Branagh could cost $50 million dollars. That’s just wrong, especially given the subject matter.
“Pirate Radio” is a non-starter even by going arthouse/upmarket at the last moment. Just look at the trailer:
Name-checking a 90’s romcom. Strike 1.
Mandatory use of “Academy Award Winner”. Strike 2.
60’s-based movie employing music recorded in 1971. Strike 3 — yerrrrrr OUT!
Chucky:
…So?
Chucky, would you prefer films to not be made or exhibited…or both?