film criticism by maryann johanson | since 1997
Not much this week, but what there is is cherce. green light (definitely check it out): Revolutionary Road: Suburban angst with Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicapio. Fun! [Amazon U.S.] [preorder at Amazon U.K.] Defiance: Daniel Craig is not James Bond going up against Nazis. But he kicks their asses just the same. [Amazon U.S.] [now … more…
Aliens rule, superheroes drool: 1. Race to Witch Mountain: $24.4 million 2. Watchmen: $17.8 million (2nd week; drops 68%) 3. The Last House on the Left: $14 million (NEW) 4. Taken: $6.6 million 5. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail: $5.1 million (4th week; drops 40%) actual numbers, not estimates Ouch, but that drop for … more…
I had a little email exchange this week with a representative of the UK Film Council, who explained to me why the U.K. box office numbers aren’t made public till midweek (as I discussed last week). Turns out it’s a matter of paying customers getting first crack at the numbers on Monday. I am not, … more…
If it’s January, it must be time for the platforming awards bait to start making a splash in wide release: 1. Gran Torino: $29.5 million (NEW in wide release) 2. Bride Wars: $21.1 million (NEW) 3. The Unborn: $19.8 million (NEW) 4. Marley & Me: $11.4 million (3rd week; drops 53%) 5. The Curious Case … more…
Just when you think that surely, by now — especially after this year of nonstop Nazi movies! — we’ve heard every story to come out of the Holocaust, along comes yet another new one.
We had another five-day weekend this past week, what with New Year’s Eve falling on a Wednesday, but the ranking remains the same whether we look at the five-day or the three-day weekend, so for sanity’s sake, I’m gonna stick with the three-day figures… that is, Friday, January 2, through Sunday, January 4: 1. Marley … more…
No official “press” screenings for me this week — it’s all FYC screenings. That is, “for your consideration.” These are specialty screenings that the studios hold for members of critics’ organizations, AMPAS (the “Academy” that awards the Oscars), and other industry guilds who will be voting on their year-end acclaims in the early weeks of … more…
Take a break from work: watch a movie trailer… Nazis! I hate these guys. Oh, wait… some of them were good people caught up in a situation they didn’t realize would get so bad? Hmm. It looks like Viggo Mortensen may be playing the Most Lovable Nazi ever here, just a nice guy, a smart … more…
Take a break from work: watch a movie trailer… It’s the other Daniel Craig movie this fall — the not-James Bond one. He gets to be all heroic in this one, it seems. Not sure what the Bond movie will be having him do… Also: Craig with both Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell? It’s like … more…
