This comedy seems that it borrowed a lot of cheesy one-liners from a multitude of other funny films. The film is directed by David Gordon Gr...
The Sitter deserves a 'sitting' ovation
The Sitter stars teen comedy star actor, producer and screenwriter Jonah Hill famous for Superbad and 21 Jump Street. So in comparison to Superbad this is a major disappointment. To star with the pros: the kids acted superbly. Their roles were distinct from each other so you expect some comic genius after the 1st half hour. New flash - you don't get it. The story is cliched and it seems Jonah Hill could've written it better even though he is 28 years old. Landry Bender acted the best of the three little musketeers and Sam Rockwell's role as a drug dealer was worth noting. Both roles outshined Hill's.
Now for more cons: only some parts make you laugh - a great minority. Most of the film borrowed ingredients from other teen coms but ended up with damaging the formula. Seriously, in some parts you can't figure out whether to smile or frown. Limited released ones have done it better.
The films also gets super predictable after the first half hour. Veteran comedy viewers won't like this although it will be OK for newer watchers. Still, it's just a time-pass film as nothing more. The film made just above $34m on a budget of $25m and deserving such The screenplay by Brain Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka is too weak. Hope for more originality from both the writer, and a better choice of films to direct for Green. Micheal De Luca also produced one of the worst comedies ever The Love Guru 2009 and one of the modern greats Fright Night 2011. Here, he has produced a combination of the two.
1.5/4...
Rotten Tomatoes 22%.
IMDB 5.6/10.
Willem Dafoe is probably best known to international audiences for playing the comic book villain Green Goblin in the Spider-man series of f...
A film to Hunt for
The film is Australian. It's been filmed entirely in Tasmania. The story follows hunter Martin (Dafoe) assigned to find the seemingly extinct Tasmanian Tiger for a company. This eco-thriller would've been done better with a stronger screenplay. The directing on the other hand is top notch and many will be distracted by the scenery captured in most scenes. Still, it does not distract viewers from the slowness of the plot. Character development is strong but worthless as there is so less thrill and more drama. Adventure is not even strongly felt for the audiences that want it.
The Hunter fills in the non-suspense modes with mountain footage instead of progressing the plot further. Dramatic scenes bring a feel-good atmosphere but more emphasis should've been made on the hunter's search. The Grey relied on thrill over drama and rightfully so.
Dafoe is great as always but not as Oscar worthy as Liam Neeson's in The Grey. Sam Neil has a strong screen presence. Seems he likes to star in films with a fossilised history (starred in all 3 Jurassic Parks). The beautiful Frances O'Connor stars as the female lead. But I think her role was not that necessary,
The film was released to the Aussie public on 29 Sept 2011. It is directed by Daniel Neitheim with a screenplay by Alice Addison adapting the novel of Julia Leigh with the same title.
A 2.5/5 from me.
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%.
IMDB: 6.7/19.
Action dramas don't always stand out in the mainstream. They either have too little action or too much drama. An exception is Drive (201...
A movie that makes you feel Driven
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.
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 The Hunger Games...
Weekend US box office March 30 - April 1, 012.
TW | LW | Title (click to view) | Studio | Weekend Gross | % Change | Theater Count /Change | Average | Total Gross | Budget* | Week # | |
1 | 1 | The Hunger Games | LGF | $58,551,063 | -61.6% | 4,137 | - | $14,153 | $248,483,901 | $78 | 2 |
2 | N | Wrath of the Titans | WB | $33,457,188 | - | 3,545 | - | $9,438 | $33,457,188 | $150 | 1 |
3 | N | Mirror Mirror | Rela. | $18,132,085 | - | 3,603 | - | $5,032 | $18,132,085 | $85 | 1 |
4 | 2 | 21 Jump Street | Sony | $14,830,066 | -27.6% | 3,148 | +27 | $4,711 | $92,882,690 | $42 | 3 |
5 | 3 | Dr. Seuss' The Lorax | Uni. | $7,784,645 | -40.9% | 3,264 | -413 | $2,385 | $189,332,445 | $70 | 5 |
6 | 4 | John Carter | BV | $2,029,500 | -60.0% | 2,397 | -815 | $847 | $66,233,839 | $250 | 4 |
7 | 16 | Salmon Fishing in the Yemen | CBS | $1,272,643 | +81.1% | 483 | +359 | $2,635 | $3,169,623 | - | 4 |
8 | 5 | Act of Valor | Rela. | $1,001,906 | -50.9% | 1,239 | -977 | $809 | $67,745,400 | $12 | 6 |
9 | 6 | A Thousand Words | P/DW | $902,587 | -53.7% | 1,007 | -780 | $896 | $16,508,068 | $40 | 4 |
10 | 10 | Journey 2: The Mysterious Island | WB | $810,388 | -40.3% | 908 | -432 | $892 | $98,455,595 | $79 | 8 |
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.
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N The Hunger Games...
Weekend US box office March 23-25
TW | LW | Title (click to view) | Studio | Weekend Gross | % Change | Theater Count /Change | Average | Total Gross | Budget* | Week # | |
1 | N | The Hunger Games | LGF | $155,000,000 | - | 4,137 | - | $37,467 | $155,000,000 | $78 | 1 |
2 | 1 | 21 Jump Street | Sony | $21,300,000 | -41.3% | 3,121 | - | $6,825 | $71,051,000 | $42 | 2 |
3 | 2 | Dr. Seuss' The Lorax | Uni. | $13,100,000 | -42.5% | 3,677 | -92 | $3,563 | $177,300,000 | $70 | 4 |
4 | 3 | John Carter | BV | $5,014,000 | -63.1% | 3,212 | -537 | $1,561 | $62,347,000 | $250 | 3 |
5 | 5 | Act of Valor | Rela. | $2,062,000 | -44.8% | 2,216 | -549 | $931 | $65,942,000 | $12 | 5 |
6 | 4 | Project X | WB | $1,950,000 | -51.8% | 2,065 | -857 | $944 | $51,752,000 | - | 4 |
7 | 6 | A Thousand Words | P/DW | $1,925,000 | -47.0% | 1,787 | -108 | $1,077 | $14,926,000 | $40 | 3 |
8 | N | October Baby (2012) | Gold. | $1,718,000 | - | 390 | - | $4,405 | $1,718,000 | - | 1 |
9 | 7 | Safe House | Uni. | $1,400,000 | -48.5% | 1,330 | -590 | $1,053 | $122,600,000 | $85 | 7 |
10 | 8 | Journey 2: The Mysterious Island | WB | $1,373,000 | -42.5% | 1,340 | -595 | $1,025 | $97,155,000 | $79 | 7 |
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.
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...
This will not scare you from visiting the local ATM.
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.
Director Steven Soderbergh's specialty is including an all-star cast in his films. This time he employs the star power of Michael Dougla...
Haywire not up to the director's standards
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.