Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Are 'microbudget films' the future for Hollywood?
Lionsgate has announced plans to produce three films with budgets under $2 million each. That's usually the catering bill for most Hollywood productions.
LIONSGATE ANNOUNCES INITIAL SLATE OF MICROBUDGET FILMS
LIONSGATE ANNOUNCES INITIAL SLATE OF MICROBUDGET FILMS
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
'Wimpy Kid' delivers blow to 'Sucker Punch'
"Sucker Punch," the much-anticipated new film from Zack Snyder, director of "300" and "Watchmen," got its clock cleaned at the box office this past weekend by a real underdog.
From Brandon Gray's analysis at BoxOfficeMojo.com:
"Sucker Punch" may not have seen it coming, but "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" packed more wallop than the hyped action movie in their debuts. Overall business was down six percent from the same weekend last year, when "How to Train Your Dragon" led.
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" bagged $23.8 million on close to 4,000 screens at 3,167 locations, boasting a brawnier start than its predecessor. The first "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" drew $22.1 million on around 3,400 screens at 3,077 locations in its first weekend last March, which led to a $64 million final gross. Striking while the iron was hot seems to have helped the sequel, which was all the more impressive considering the historic difficulty in maintaining momentum for kids franchises. Distributor 20th Century Fox's exit polling indicated that 51 percent of Rodrick Rules' audience was male and 59 percent was under 25 years old, which was nearly the same as the first movie.
Striking approximately 3,900 screens at 3,033 locations, "Sucker Punch" mustered $19.1 million, which included around $4 million at 229 IMAX venues (representing a record share for regular IMAX at 21 percent). That was a tad behind "Kick-Ass's" opening last Spring but much greater than the debuts of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and "Jennifer's Body." However, it was no match for the "Kill Bill" and "Resident Evil" movies among other comparable titles, and, for all its hype, it was barely average for an action heroine movie. It was also director Zack Snyder's worst live-action start yet, following "300," "Watchmen" and "Dawn of the Dead."
"Sucker Punch" succumbed to style and spectacle over substance: it was marketed as a video-game-like blur of random fantastical action bordering on sensory overload. One of the few clear things in the ads was that all the action was going on inside the head of an institutionalized girl, so it was yet another wannabe mindbender. Divorced from reality, it seemed to have low dramatic stakes. A lack of characterization (posters don't cut it) was further reason for people not to care. Considering this was largely a fanboy affair, business could have been worse. Distributor Warner Bros.' research showed that 64 percent of the audience was male and 74 percent was under 35 years old.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Cleaner version of 'King's Speech' to be released
Something of a rarity in Hollywood. A film that initially earned an "R" rating is being re-edited to fit a "PG-13" rating.
Cleaner version of 'King's Speech' to be released - pottsmerc.com
Cleaner version of 'King's Speech' to be released - pottsmerc.com
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tribute to a Hollywood Legend
Randy Bish, who I consider to be the best editorial cartoonist in Pennsylvania, does a wonderful job with this tribute to Elizabeth Taylor, from today's edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Check out more of Bish's cartoons at the newspaper's website.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
'Why do Muslim Women Cover' - A Film and Discussion Coming to Albright College
Albright College in Reading, Pa., will present "Why do Muslim Women Cover" on Monday, March 28, 2011, at 4 p.m. The event will feature two short films followed by a discussion, and will be held in the Campus Center Main Lounge. It is free and open to the public.
Albright College - 'Why do Muslim Women Cover': A Film and Discussion
Albright College - 'Why do Muslim Women Cover': A Film and Discussion
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
16,000 Visitors to Film Fanatic
My site counter has recorded 16,000 unique visitors since last September. Thanks for checking out Film Fanatic ... and come back again.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Disney's 'Mars Needs Moms' tanks at box office
When a movie that cost $150 million to make earns less than $7 million in its opening weekend, heads usually roll. From Brandon Gray's analysis at BoxOfficeMojo.com:
"Mars Needs Moms" was an utter disaster, eking out just $6.9 million on around 4,400 screens at 3,117 locations (including 2,440 3D venues that accounted for over two thirds of business) or just over a quarter of "Gnomeo and Juliet's" opening last month. That was the third least-attended launch for a Disney animated movie on record (only "Ponyo" and "Teacher's Pet" were less popular) and the lowest debut yet for a broadly-released modern 3D-animated movie, replacing "Alpha and Omega" for the dishonor. Sci-fi animation can be a tough sell, yet Mars still had one of the sub-genre's weakest launches ever, selling fewer tickets than even "Planet 51," "Space Chimps" and "Astro Boy." "Mars" was severely limited by its premise, which was better suited to a television cartoon, and its execution looked awkward, incoherent and creepy in the marketing. Mom appreciation was presumably the movie's point, but mom was minimized in the ads in favor of a random wild ride, featuring Three Dog Night's "Mama Told Me Not to Come" in a feeble attempt to connect with older adults.Read more about the weekend's box office here.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
8,000 Visitors
My site counter has recorded 8,000 unique visitors to Film Fanatic. Thanks for visiting ... and come back again.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
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