Action dramas don't always stand out in the mainstream. They either have too little action or too much drama. An exception is Drive (2011).
The film has already gained cult status. The plot follows as the unnamed Driver (Ryan Gosling) moonlighting as a getaway driver and how his relationship with his next door neighbour Irene played by Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan affects his dual life.
Gosling is elegantly bad-boyish in the lead. It seems that he was destined for this role. Mulligan also suited the unhappy wife with one son act but there's no sizzling chemistry between the two stars. The driving scenes stand out from most car films. This could give Fast and Furious a run for their money. The story seems cliched in the first half hour but boils into a superb mystery afterwards. The story is carried out greatly. Ron Perlman's role may be the best he has had ever since his debut. Although, it does get too slow in some parts, action lovers still get a taste of what they want.
The movie has made a total of just a little over $75m on a budget of only $15m. Great work by Danish director (who is famous in Europe for his Pusher films) and screenwriter Hossein Amini who adapts the novel by James Sallis not only for the screen but as a work of art. It achieved a standing ovation at Cannes as well.The film also stars Albert Brooks, Oscar Isaac and Christina Hendricks.
3 stars out of 4.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%.
IMDB: 8.0/10.
April 03, 2012
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 The Hunger Games...
New releases Wrath of the Titans and Mirror Mirror no match for The Hunger Games. Seem it's really making moviegoers hungry since its initial release.
I knew Wrath would end up at no.2 or 3 for the 1st weekend. The trailer didn't show a first place film to start with. But I'm surprised Mirror Mirror directed by Immortal's Tarsem Singh, and starring veteran julia Roberts beat 21 Jump Street which was 2 last week. Didn't expect that though Jump Street will definitely cross the $100m mark in the US at a budget of $42m, impressive!
Safe House has finally made an exit. Can't wait to see it. John Carter continues its flop reign. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a new romantic drama that opened last weekend. It stars one of my favs Ewan Mcgregor and Emily Blunt in the leads. Act of Valor will surely exit the next weekend but will finish off with above $70m in the US. Eddie Murphy's A Thousand Words has only made its weekend run in thousands so it may end up at 10 or leave the next weekend. Journey 2 still at 10 but will surely end its top 10 run with $100m in the US.
March 26, 2012
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N The Hunger Games...
I couldn't believe at first the weekend gross of The Hunger Games. Based on the best-selling young adult novel by Suzanne Collins. Although I agree the book has been super popular and profitable from its initial release, my expectations were that the adaption would just cover the budget. The film star Jennifer Lawrence best-known for starring as Mystique in the overrated X-Men: First Class, along with Miley Cyrus' boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, and the skinny-sexy Elizabeth Banks.
It has grossed $155m off $78m. Last week's first 21 Jump Street seems not so colossal against The Hunger Games but has been declared both a critical and commercial success worldwide. The Lorax is also impressive in its 4th week but John Carter continues its commercial unpopularity. Big loss for Disney as they themselves have announced losing $200m at the end of March. Lead actor Taylor Kitsch may consider early retirement although he was good as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Maybe they could've starred him in X-men Origins: Gambit...
October Baby 2012 new entry at 8. A drama film winnings a couple of Best Picture awards at the Red Rock Film Festival. The weekend proves lucky as it outgrosses its budget of $1m. And it's lucky as the competition was against The Hunger Games as teenage girls were expecting to gather for both. Safe House is at 9 and Journey 2 is at 10. The former making an estimated $190m and the latter making just a little over $304m worldwide.
March 24, 2012
To begin with, ATM is ridiculous. The plot is rather absurd: Three co-workers stop off at an ATM late at night and soon find themselves co...
To begin with, ATM is ridiculous. The plot is rather absurd: Three co-workers stop off at an ATM late at night and soon find themselves confined to an enclosed area made up of an ATM booth and car park by an unknown hooded killer lurking outside. Newer horror fans might take this in but for veterans like myself it would be hard not to be judgmental.
The horror film star Brian Geraghty, Josh Peck (pictured), and Alice Eve. Peck is best known for starring in the Nickelodeon teen comedy series Drake & Josh. He's a good actor as also seen in the film. Geraghty acted the best of the trio. Eve was disappointing. It seemed as if she were laughing when crying and vice versa. So do not expect a future scream queen. As the title suggests most of the film takes place in the ATM long past midnight. The only creepy thing is the background - it's a cold frosty night. Apart from that the film is not even scary. No wonder they tossed the blonde (Eve) in.
The director couldn't even save this one. It had bad written all over it from the moment the three co-workers entered the booth. This movie falls in line with the failed slashers that occurred mostly in the aftermath of the original Halloween. Same amount of gore or even more but lacking the charisma that makes viewers scream inside out. The film is directed by David Brooks and not doubt this is his first feature venture. Hope he improves drastically in his next ones. The writer Chris Sparling globally famous for Buried 2007 which is a must-watch thriller if you haven't seen it and a better alternate to the overrated 127 hours, fails to show the same talent in ATM. I'm so shocked that he wrote this. Trust me, it's better to watch I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel this slasher.
My score: 0.5/4.
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A.
IMDB: 5.2/10.
March 24, 2012
Director Steven Soderbergh's specialty is including an all-star cast in his films. This time he employs the star power of Michael Dougla...
Director Steven Soderbergh's specialty is including an all-star cast in his films. This time he employs the star power of Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan Mcregor (one of my favourites), Michael Fassbender and Channing Tatum with new face Gina Carano as the lead. It was better to include an all-star cast without the latter.
Haywire has a super cliched plot. A govt. agent gets betrayed by her own agency so she seeks revenge. The story of main-leading female agents has increased a lot in the past decade. Films like Naked Weapon and Salt are examples of this. Also, the TV series Nikita starring NW's Maggie Q. I've seen a lot of the repetitive tale and expected less from Haywire. But the film had its good points.
The action scenes are old school and reminiscent of class Chuck Norris movies. To be sincere Gina Canaro can pack a punch. She was formerly the 3rd ranked female fighter in the world according to Unified Women's MMA rankings. But she can't act. Although we have plenty of other 'actors' who can correct this. But the main problem here is that Soderbergh directed Haywire showcasing only Carano's role. He did not go with the Ocean's formula. And that's what was expected. The feature film is 1 hour and 28 minutes long so it won't waste most of your time. And the directing is at its best. But these two features cannot hide the boring plot and dialogues. The film is too predictable after the first 60 mins. Hell, anybody whose seen his fair deal of spy flicks could guess the ending there.
S. Soderbergh is a multiple Academy Award-winning American director best known for his Ocean's trilogy of films which garnered not only critical acclaim but over $1 billion global box office receipts. Soderbergh has lately directed more drama-oriented films such as The Girlfriend Experience starring pornstar Sasha Grey and the historical biopic Che. Haywire is Soderbergh's latest action sequence after Che 2008. Haywire proves Soderbergh has not lost his directing touch. But Lem Dobbs' screenplay could've been better. Hope Soderbergh makes better choices selecting screenplays in the future.
Haywire opened at no.2 at the UK box office on a budget of $23m earning a little over $29m worldwide. Although a return of $50m would be deserving.
My score: 2.5/4.
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%.
IMDB: 6.3/10.
March 19, 2012
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N 21 Jump Street S...
21 Jump Street written by one of the two main leads Jonah Hill along with screenwriter Michael Bacall (whose co-written Project X is on 4th) has topped the US box office. The movie is based on the 1987 TV series of the same name, Its worldwide total is $42m which is the equivalent of the film's budget. The Lorax continues its financial brilliance by collecting over $22m bringing it to a worldwide total of just a little bit over $172m off $70m.
On the other hand, John Carter proves its disappointing States venture. It has a global consummate of a little bit above $179 million off a colossus budget of 250 million dollars. The Vow has left the top ten. The Rock's Journey 2 has reached blockbuster status grossing above the previous part. It is just a few points away from scoring a triple hundred. This Means War is at no. 10 although it has done better globally reaching over $119 million for its complete net. We see another new entry along with 21 Jump Street and that is Casa De Mi Padre (Home Of My Father) - a Spanish language American comedy film starring comedy veteran Will Ferrell in the lead. The film has opened at no.9 with a reported $6m budget. The figure of over $2m is impressive as the film has only played in 382 locations!
March 15, 2012
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 Dr. Seuss' T...
Info. from Box Office Mojo. The Lorax still going great with a previous weekend over $70m opening. And now outgrossing John Carter which was expected to top the weekend. The film stars model Taylor Kitsch who is remembered for playing Gambit in X-men Origins: Wolverine. The movie's set-up and the hero's get-up are reminiscent of Disney's 2010 feature Prince of Persia. But in the same period it has earned a little over $70 mil. worldwide for a total catch of $101.2 million.
Safe House which has been stirring waves on horror webpages opens at 5 which is quite impressive for a low-budget thriller. Elizabeth Olsen is gonna get her sister's' palms sweating. Journey 2's overall worldwide gross is over $291m off 79 million dollars. The Rock is also set to deliver with G.I. Joe 2 as per my prediction.
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