Wilmington on DVDs. Pick of the Week: Blu-ray. The Adventures of Tintin

All three of them (four, counting the dauntless Snowy), are constantly hurled into perilous exploits involving galleons aflame, crashing airplanes, scorching desert sand dunes filled with camels, sheiks and villainy, plus one of the most spectacular one-take car and motorcycle chases ever (a dam bursts just as the chase gets underway), and a climactic industrial crane battle (done, like the other action scenes, in what look like super-crane shots).

Wilmington on DVDs. Co-Picks of the Week: New. The Descendants, Melancholia

This is a perfect Clooney role and movie, just as The Hustler or Hud or The Verdict were perfect for Paul Newman, The Sting or The Way We Were or the Sundance Kid were perfect for Robert Redford. Everything that makes Clooney attractive on screen — likeability, smarts, vulnerability, earnestness in the face of chaos, that wry sense of being at the center of things but not letting it carry him away, and the ability to kid himself — is present in the character he‘s playing here.

Wilmington on Movies: Silent House

It’s a contemporary variation on the “Old Dark House” lady-in-distress thriller, based on the Uruguayan suspense film La Casa Muda and it stars the very pretty and convincing Elizabeth Olsen as Sarah, a sensitive and troubled young lady whose somewhat obnoxious father John and somewhat enigmatic Uncle Peter have joined her at the family’s summer home, to clean it up and prepare it for sale.

The Weekend Report: March 11, 2012

Like a hideous car accident all eyes were on John Carter. Or, at the very least there was the prospect of the anticipated catastrophe that a calculated franchise title would come crashing down to earth (or Mars).

The film proved to be somewhat of a split decision. Its opening estimated gross of $30.1 million ranked it second to Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’s second weekend of $39 million. So, while the hero of the pulps and pecs was not a flame out neither did he flex the sort of commercial heft that would anticipate sequels.

Wilmington on Movies: John Carter

John Carter, the new live action Disney epic — based on the popular early 20th century pulp series of science fiction novels (“A Princess of Mars,“ etc.) by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs — reportedly cost all of that and more, and it still looks like as if it’s missing something. But maybe it’s missing something money can’t buy.

The Gronvall Files: JENNIFER WESTFELDT ON FRIENDS WITH KIDS

What’s a gifted actress to do when Hollywood continues to bypass projects featuring strong roles for women, in favor of cookie-cutter productions kowtowing to that coveted 18-35 male demographic? In the case of Jennifer Westfeldt, you fight back, writing and producing indie vehicles to star in.

Friday Estimates: March 10, 2012

It’s a decent opening for John Carter, but Disney needed more than decent for this one. Silent House’s open isn’t very exciting… but should be profitable for this very inexpensive pick-up from Sundance 2011. And the long waiting to be dumped Eddie Murphy bomb, A Thousand Words, fulfills its destiny.

Review: John Carter

And then we have what’s perhaps the most interesting element of the story (or it is to me at least): the role of the Therns, messengers from “the Goddess” whose role seems to be to stir up trouble, violence, death and destruction while they whisper words of influence and sit back and watch the mayhem, apparently to alleviate the boredom of immortality (kind of like Q on ST:TNG, only without Q’s snarky sense of humor). If one of the evil Therns had revealed himself at the end to be John Carter’s long-lost father, it would have been practically perfect pulp.

DP/30: Footnote, director Joseph Cedar

Footnote is Joseph Cedar’s second straight feature to be an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, representing Israel. Meet the filmmaker.

The Gronvall Files: PAUL WEITZ ON BEING FLYNN

“Something that I sometimes worry is a flaw in myself is that I can’t really extricate some sense of humor from a sense of tragedy. Anton Chekhov would write at the front of his plays “a comedy in four acts,” and then Stanislavski would direct them as flat-out tragedies, and Chekhov would be furious that he’s not getting laughs.”

Wilmington on DVDs. Anatomy of a Murder, To Catch a Thief

Why has it lasted? Improved with age? Actually, surprisingly, when the shock elements of the movie began to seem tamer, its excellence as a realistic film drama became far more apparent.

The DVD Wrapup: Footloose, 54, Vanya on 42nd Street… More

What’s missing from the Blu-ray edition of “54” is the 45 minutes of deleted material, compiled by Christopher and shown at New York’s Outfest in 2008. It expands on the promiscuity and cocaine-fueled depravity that made Studio 54 the attraction it was, while amplifying on Phillippe’s bisexuality, which was only alluded to in finished product.

Wilmington on DVDs. Jack and Jill, Footloose, Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Among Jill’s more unfortunate traits: a habit of leaping into Jack’s bed and spooning (She calls it part of “twin time“), starting arguments at dinnertime, saying everything in a loud, squeaky Bronx screech of a voice, diarrheic reactions to chimichangas and a tendency to leave huge dark sweat stains on her bed sheets.

Wilmington on Movies: Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie

… a hellhole inhabited by more idiots and a wolf or two, including the uncredited John C. Reilly as the affably deranged halfwit Taquito, the uncredited Will Ferrell as the stomach-churning con guy Damien Weebs, the uncredited Zach Galifianakis as the rustic simpleton Jim Joe Kelly (at least I think he was a rustic simpleton), Jeff Goldblum as “Chef” Goldblum …

The Weekend Report: March 4, 2012

Clearly no one saw The Lorax coming with so much force though pundits predicted a sizeable opening pegged between $45 million and $50 million. It was the highest opening for an original animated picture ever and ranked third best all-time March opener. But just 52% of ticket buyers opted for 3D engagements suggesting that audiences still have a recession attitude toward stereoscopic films.

Not surprisingly the audience was 68% families though its gross clearly indicated considerable business beyond matinees. There was also a 60% tilt toward female viewers.

Project X also hit a bull’s eye with its targeted young male crowd. Its exit demos identified a 58% swing toward the boys and 67% of viewers aged 25 years and younger. Generally positive reviews helped the picture exceed high end projections of $18 million.

Wilmington on Movies: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

It isn’t as if this show were a bomb. It’s made by intelligent guys.

They know how to shoot. They think Seuss is a toot, They love trees and they love cracking wise.

Cinco Paul, and Ken Daurio, and Chris Renau-rio, the gang from Despicable Me

Well, maybe their flick is too big and too cheery-o: a Slightly Disposable Spree.

Friday Estimates: March 2, 2012

Universal’s The Lorax lands, threatening to open bigger than U’s previous top-animated opener, Despicable Me. Project X targets $20m+ for the weekend. And The Artist adds 800 screens for am 87% increase and almost a million dollar Friday.

Wilmington on Movies: In Darkness

This picture is an extraordinary work, a glowing link to the past. You feel it in your heart and soul and senses. And the movie demonstrates something we sometimes forget: Agnieszka Holland, whose themes often involve moral struggle, can be one of the world’s finest filmmakers.