Monthly Archives: March 2011
The Wednesday Run – March 30, 2011
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
Strange Tales II
Written by: Various
Illustrated by: Various
Published by: Marvel Comics
I must have been blind. I must not have been paying attention.
Our lovable Editor-In-Chief, Andy B and I get into these conversations all the time: Marvel is better than DC at this and that or DC is better than Marvel at that and this. He’s a whole lotta Marvel, you know, and I’m a whole lotta DC. (I bet he privately pronounces “tomato” “tomatoe” too!)
All the while, amidst the verbal rationalizations of our favourite comic book universes, so intent was I on DC Comics and their Batman, Green Lantern and Flash franchises, I missed that Marvel had been publishing a second instalment mini-series of amazing sequential art from some of comicdom’s unsung indie heroes and rising stars.
So it’s time to ‘fess up and eat a little crow. Marvel knocked this new Stange Tales hardcover collection out of the park. They gave up the keys to the Marvel Universe and handed over heroes like Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Wolverine and the Hulk to a great cast of highly acclaimed if somewhat under-the-radar, writers and artists. And the best part is: Marvel editorial told them not to change their styles.
So, we get creators like Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez (Love and Rockets), Dean Haspiel (The Quitter), Harvey Pekar (American Splendor), Rafael Grampa (5), and Canadians Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant) as well as ever-present Ty Templeton (Bigg Time) along with a host of other astounding creative folk, working in the most mainstream of comics in the most artistic way they know how.
It makes for great comic book storytelling.
Ok. So I missed both of Marvel’s Strange Tales I and II the first time around. Really, I should have known about them but truth be told, Andy B, resident Marvel fan, didn’t point this new collection out to me either. Maybe he lost a DC vs. Marvel argument and this omission was a form of revenge.
I’ve heard that revenge is a dish best served cold. Well, how about revenge served as a dish of a great hardcover comic book?
Enjoy your indie-flavoured Wednesday run. Revenge is indeed tasty this week.
DVD Tuesday with Scotty G
Black Swan – This Academy Award nominated film for Best Picture and Academy Award winner for Best Actress stars Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer who is given the leading role in an upcoming production of “Swan Lake”. Her director thinks she has the part of the White Swan nailed, but is not impressed with her take on the Black Swan role. As Portman’s character does her best to deal with the dual roles, her take on reality loosens, and soon she is lost between the worlds of fantasy and reality (much like the viewer, is as you will be questioning everything you see on screen). A surprise hit at the box office this winter, Black Swan is a psychological thriller that definitely demands repeat viewings.
Tangled – Disney tackles Rapunzel in this take on the classic story. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi are the lead voices of the film. When an elderly woman who helps the queen give birth to Rapunzel realizes that Rapunzel’s hair has magical healing powers, she takes her away to a tower so she can continue to use the magic properties of her hair. The disappearance of the young girl causes great panic in the kingdom, and every year on her birthday, the kingdom unleashes lanterns in the sky in the hopes that she’ll return. This film did well at the box office this winter, and is Walt Disney Pictures 50th animated release.
Fair Game – This film stars Naomi Watts and Sean Penn and is directed by Doug Liman. The film is based on the true story of a CIA agent who is outed as an agent by the CIA in retaliation for an article that her husband wrote against the Bush-Cheney administration saying that the intelligence they had on weapons of mass destruction was manipulated. The film did not last long in theatres, but should find an audience on DVD thanks to the talent involved on the film.
Made in Dagenham – This acclaimed film stars Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson and Rosamund Pike. The film is based on the true story of a group of women in 1960′s England who helped get women equality at the work place by going on strike at factory. I should warn you that the main character did not exist, but that should not lesson the enjoyment of the film.
TV ON DVD
Mad Men: Season Four
Treme: The Complete First Season
Xena – Warrior Princess: Season Two
Until Next Tuesday!
No Assembly Required: Andy Burns on Marvel’s Greatest Animated Series
When it comes to animated tv shows, the last twenty ears have really spoiled comic book fans. Along the time that Batman: The Animated Series made its debut on FOX (back in 1992 if my memory serves me well), the majority of shows rooted in comic lore have managed to combine the best stories from their histories alongside some great animation. The animated X-Men series was the first series to bring our favourite mutants to life (I am consciously discounting the failed X-Men pilot from the 80′s, Pryde of The X-Men) and did an admirable job of capturing decades worth of lore. The mid-90′s Spider-Man series, also on FOX, was, at the time, the most faithful to Spidey’s roots, giving Peter Parker a fairly tortured soul that was always trying to do the right thing. As a Marvel Zombie, I was a pretty happy camper back in the day watching those series.
However, it’s the DC fans who I think have been really well-served over the past two decades when it comes to classic animated series. Besides the aforementioned Batman: The Animated Series, not only a classic animated series but an all around brilliant episodic television show, the same creators gave fans Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and the beloved Justice League and it’s follow-up, Justice League Unlimited, which featured almost every character from the League’s roster at one time or another. Now, neither of the latter two shows ever quite resonated with me the way it did with my friends and DC fanatics, but I can tell you us Marvel fans never got as quality a show as Justice League. We never had a series that left our mouths open or craving the next episode. I’d suggest the closest we ever got was the recent Wolverine and The X-Men, with it’s season long storyline and gorgeous animation. However, some fans had a hard time buying into Wolverine as the leader of the group, which is a fair enough criticism. So really, though both companies have had strong animated showings, the general consensus has been no Marvel series has matched the acclaim that so many offerings from the Distinguished Competition have received.
Until now. Well, make that a few months ago, but I’m playing catch-up.
Over the last few days I’ve been watching Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which airs in the U.S. on Disney XD and in Canada on Teletoon. It’s the first series to feature one of comicdom’s most beloved teams, with the majority of heavy hitters accounted for in the first two episodes, including Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, The Wasp, Giant Man, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and Maria Hill (the newest character on the series, having made her debut in the Brian Michael Bendis series New Avengers, which demonstrates her popularity and why Jose Whedon is featuring her in the upcoming Avengers film). As for the characters MIA, most notably Captain America, you know he’s coming in a future episode.
For those of you who have been watching the series since its debut last fall, I’m not telling you anything new. You already know how entertaining it is. But, if like me, you’ve never caught an episode of the series and you love the Avengers, I think you’ll be blown away by what’s made it onto the show. The animation and the voice work are both solid, but the real selling point of the series is the brilliant storytelling. The season begins with a two-part episode, Breakout, that finds many of the Marvel U’s biggest baddies breaking out of 4 select prisons overseen by S.H.I.E.L.D. This leads to a team-up by our illustrious group of heroes and then the promise of working together in the future. It also leaves us with the question of who masterminded the breakout and a task for The Avengers – recapture all of the escaped prisoners.
However, rather jump immediately into villain recovery mode with episode three, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes instead goes into a series of backstory episodes on Iron Man, Thor and Hulk, tracing their experiences almost up to the moment that the first episode begins. By doing this, we get a deeper look into the psyche of each character, while also receiving answers to some of the questions the first two episodes left us with (just why was Bruce Banner imprisoned in The Cube?). I really wasn’t expecting this level of character development or attention to story detail, so all credit to show creator Joshua Fine and writer Christopher Yost for running a series that carefully honours its source material.
I still have a ways to go with Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I’m only 5 episodes in, 19 have been broadcast and more are on the way in April. But unlike all the DC animated series, I’m totally invested in the characters I’m watching. That’s not meant to be a slight – I just grew up with more of a love for Marvel and the Avengers than I did for the Justice League. And I want to see what happens next.
You can catch up on Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes online at Marvel’s official website or in Canada at Teletoon or Rogers On Demand Online.
Now get assembling!
Casting News: Snyder Score His Lois Lane
So we’ve got our Superman, we’ve got our Ma and Pa Kent, and word just came out that Amy Adams is going to be Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, set to start filming this August. Well, she’s certainly an improvement over Kate Bosworth, who didn’t do a bad job in Superman Returns, but was just far too young to play a believable Lois. Amy has the age and credibility to stand next to Henry Cavill’s Superman, and can no doubt hold her own with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. I wonder if this announcement was timed to combat the lackluster gross for Snyder’s Sucker Punch, which totally underperformed at the box office this weekend.
So with almost all the big characters cast, we’re just waiting to find out who will be our villain. Who do you think it will be?
Scotty G’s Box Office Wrap-Up Report
The battle for first place was a tight one this weekend as two new releases were vying for the top spot, but after the smoke cleared Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules was the #1 film over the Zach Snyder sci-fi epic Sucker Punch. The result is great news for 20th Century Fox and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise, and extremely disappointing for Warner Bros. and Zach Snyder. Although the fact that Diary of Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is the #1 film is the big story of the weekend, what should also be noted is the strong holds for the films Limitless and The Lincoln Lawyer. I had a terrible weekend of predictions, mainly due to the fact that I was way off on my prediction of Sucker Punch. I correctly had all five films in the top five, but only had one film finishing in its correct spot. There were no major stories of the films that opened in limited release this weekend, but a couple of films in limited release that expanded did very well. Here’s how the weekend broke down:
Debuting in 1st place with a gross of $24.4 million is the comedy Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (I predicted a 2nd place finish and a gross of $24 million). Diary of a Wimpy Kid had a per theatre average of $7,704, which was the highest per theatre average of any film in the top ten. The sequel had a better opening weekend than the original (Diary of a Wimpy Kid grossed $22.1 million on its opening weekend back in 2010), so its always a good sign when a sequel grosses more on its opening weekend than the previous installment. What’s also good news for the film is it really is the only live-action film geared towards kids that will be in release for the next little bit (Hop is a hybrid live-action//animated film so that’s why I’m making the above statement). 20th Century Fox is thrilled with the opening weekend as Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules has already made back its budget of $21 million, so anything the film makes from this point on is gravy. Its new goal will be to try and surpass the original’s gross of $64 million, so we’ll see if Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules accomplishes that in the coming weeks.
Debuting in 2nd place to disappointing results is the Zach Snyder sci-fi epic Sucker Punch with a gross of $19 million (I predicted a 1st place finish and a gross of $43 million). Sucker Punch had a per theatre average of $6,269. I should have listened to the statistics and not gone with my gut this weekend, because the statistics showed that I would have been a lot closer in my prediction. Here are the films I used on Friday for my prediction and you’ll see why it is always not the best idea to listen to your gut:
2002 – Resident Evil – $17.7 million opening weekend
2003 – Underworld – $21.7 million opening weekend
2004 – Resident Evil: Apocalypse – $23 million opening weekend
2005 – Elektra – $12.8 million opening weekend
2005 – Aeon Flux – $12.6 million opening weekend
2006 – Underworld: Evolution – $26.8 million opening weekend
2006 – Ultraviolet – $9 million opening weekend
2007 – 300 – $70.8 million opening weekend
2007 – Resident Evil: Extinction – $23.6 million opening weekend
2009 – Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – $20.8 million opening weekend
2009 – Watchmen – $55.2 million opening weekend
2010 – Resident Evil: Afterlife – $26.6 million opening weekend
Average Opening Weekend – $26.7 million
Average Opening Weekend without Zack Snyder films in the list – $19.46 million
The long term prospects for Sucker Punch are not strong, as I would expect a heavy drop next weekend, because of the fact that the film is in the sci-fi genre. The film is definitely a disappointment because there was a fair bit of hype surrounding it and it shows that not everything Zach Snyder touches turns to gold (as the film took a beating from critics as well). Sucker Punch cost around $82 million to make, and Warner Bros. knows that after this weekend’s gross, it will not be making a profit from it’s domestic gross.
Dropping from 1st place to 3rd place is the Bradley Cooper//Robert De Niro thriller Limitless with a gross of $15.2 million (I predicted a 3rd place finish and a gross of $10.2 million). Limitless had a per theatre average of $5,428 and was down 19.5% from last weekend. It’s amazing to see that a film in the top five, with a hold as strong as it has, did not have the best hold of the films in the top ten or even the top five. What is good news is that the hold shows that audiences like the film and it should do well until the major releases of summer begin to be released in May. After ten days, Limitless has grossed $41.2 million from a budget of $27 million, so the film is making money for Relativity.
Staying in 4th place for the 2nd weekend in a row is the Matthew McConaughey thriller The Lincoln Lawyer with a gross of $11 million (I predicted a 5th place finish and a gross of $9.1 million). The Lincoln Lawyer had a per theatre average of $4,064 and was down 16.7% from last weekend. The percentage hold was the best of any film in the top ten. This weekend is great news for The Lincoln Lawyer as a drop that low shows that word-of-mouth on the film is very strong and it should continue to play well over the coming weeks. The Lincoln Lawyer cost $40 million to make and after ten days, it has grossed $28.9 million, so it should be making back its money in the coming weeks.
Dropping from 2nd place to 5th place is the Johnny Depp animated film Rango with a gross of $9.8 million (I predicted a 4th place finish and a gross of $9.75 million). The animated adventure had a per theatre average of $2,689 and dropped 35% from last weekend’s gross. The hold for Rango continues to be strong each weekend (it has had a drop below 40% the past three weekends), so audiences like the film. After four weekends, Rango has grossed $106.3 million from a budget of $135 million.
Battle: Los Angeles dropped from 3rd place to 6th place with a gross of $7.6 million (I predicted a 6th place finish and a gross of $6.2 million). Battle: Los Angeles had a per theatre average of $2,437 and was down 47.7% from last weekend. Battle: Los Angeles help up better this weekend than last weekend, but it is not the hit film that Sony Pictures was hoping it would be. After three weeks, the sci-fi adventure has grossed $72.5 million from a budget of $70 million, so it is making money for Sony Pictures.
Dropping from 5th place to 7th place is the Simon Pegg//Nick Frost//Seth Rogen sci-fi comedy Paul with a gross of $7.5 million (I predicted a 7th place finish and a gross of $5.5 million). Paul had a per theatre average of $2,575 and was down 42.5% from last weekend. The hold is better than you would expect for a sci-fi comedy, as I definitely thought the drop would be higher, but it seems to have found its audience and should be a film that comes close to making back its budget. The budget for Paul is $40 million, and after two weeks, Paul has grossed $24.6 million.
Dropping from 6th place to 8th place is the Amanda Seyfried//Gary Oldman thriller Red Riding Hood with a gross of $4.3 million (I predicted an 8th place finish and a gross of $3.3 million). Red Riding Hood had a per theatre average of $1,599 and was down 39.6% from its opening weekend gross. After three weeks, Red Riding Hood has grossed $32.4 million from a budget of $42 million, so it should finish up its time in theatres grossing around what it cost to make.
Dropping from 7th place to 9th place is the Matt Damon//Emily Blunt thriller The Adjustment Bureau with a gross of $4.2 million (I predicted a 9th place finish and a gross of $2.8 million). The Adjustment Bureau had a per theatre average of $1,860 and was down 26.5% from last weekend. After four weeks, The Adjustment Bureau has grossed $54.8 million from a budget of $62 million, so it should be able to finish its run around what its budget is.
Dropping from 8th place to 10th place is the animated sci-fi adventure Mars Needs Moms with a gross of $2.186 million (I predicted a 10th place finish and a gross of $2.75 million). Mars Needs Moms narrowly got the 10th place spot as Beastly finished in 11th place with a gross of $2.185 million. Mars Needs Moms had a per theatre average $1,007 and was down 58.9 % from last weekend (the per theatre average and percentage drop were the worst of any film in the top ten). After three weeks, Mars Needs Moms has grossed $19.1 million from a budget of $150 million.
In other news, the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It crossed the $100 million mark, and the film has now grossed $100.2 million.
Win Win was the best performing film of the weekend as it saw its box office gross rise 213.2% from last weekend as it grossed $471,000. It has now grossed $679,000 in two weeks.
The remake of Jane Eyre also performed well as it was up 110.8% from last weekend as it grossed $983,000. Jane Eyre has now grossed $1.898 million in three weeks.
In limited release:
The 5th Quarter – This drama stars Aidan Quinn and Andie MacDowell and is about the true story of Jon Abbate, who overcame his younger brother’s tragic death to lead the Wake Forest Demon football team. The 5th Quarter grossed $219,000 from 123 theatres giving the film a per theatre average of $1,780.
Potiche – This comedy stars Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu and is about a trophy housewife who is given the opportunity to run an umbrella factory after her husband loses the respect of his workers. To everyone’s surprise, she is a good boss, which doesn’t sit well with her husband. Potiche grossed $85,000 from 7 theatres giving the film a per theatre average of $12,143.
Miral – This film is from acclaimed director Julian Schnabel and is about the lives of four women who fight for human rights despite the savagery of war that surrounds them. Miral grossed $65,000 from 4 theatres giving it a per theatre average of $16,250.
Mia and the Migoo – This animated film is about a girl named Mia and a group of forest spirits who team up to save the Earth, the Tree of Life and Mia’s father from an evil group of developers. Mia and the Migoo grossed $17,200 from 1 theatre giving it the same per theatre average.
White Irish Drinkers, Peep World, and Illegal have not reported their grosses as of this writing.
So to recap, here were my predictions:
Sucker Punch – $43 million
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules – $24 million
Limitless – $10.2 million
Rango – $9.75 million
The Lincoln Lawyer – $9.1 million
And here are the actual numbers:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules – $24.4 million
Sucker Punch – $19 million
Limitless – $15.2 million
The Lincoln Lawyer – $11 million
Rango – $9.8 million
My predictions were off by $31.55 million.
Next weekend, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules looks to be the #1 film for a second weekend in a row against three new films: the animated//live-action Easter comedy Hop, the sci-fi thriller Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal and the horror film Insidious starring Patrick Wilson. Check out Biff Bam Pop next Friday to read my predictions!
Scotty G’s Box Office Predictions – Weekend of March 25th, 2011
Two new releases hit cineplexes this weekend and both films have the potential to be the #1 and #2 films at the box office this weekend. We have the Zach Snyder sci-fi epic Sucker Punch and we have the children’s film Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. Both films will be going after different audiences, so it will be interesting to see what film comes out on top. In limited release, there are a fair amount of new releases, but none are generating a ton of buzz. Here’s how I see the weekend breaking down:
Zach Snyder brings us the sci-fi adventure Sucker Punch. The film stars Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Abbie Cornish, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm and Vanessa Hudgens and is about a girl who is locked away in an asylum. Her only way to stay sane is to imagine an alternate world which will help her and some of her fellow inmates go free. The advertising for this film is slick and I think that Sucker Punch will be the first major blockbuster of 2011. It can get by with an unknown cast because of how different the film looks in the promotional campaign. The only negative is that the advertising campaign makes the film “too weird”, and that might turn off mainstream audiences. When I was coming up with my prediction for Sucker Punch, I took a look at recent Zach Snyder live-action films (didn’t include Dawn of the Dead as it was a horror film) and other action films that have ladies in the leading role. Here’s what I came up with:
2002 – Resident Evil – $17.7 million opening weekend
2003 – Underworld – $21.7 million opening weekend
2004 – Resident Evil: Apocalypse – $23 million opening weekend
2005 – Elektra – $12.8 million opening weekend
2005 – Aeon Flux – $12.6 million opening weekend
2006 – Underworld: Evolution – $26.8 million opening weekend
2006 – Ultraviolet – $9 million opening weekend
2007 – 300 – $70.8 million opening weekend
2007 – Resident Evil: Extinction – $23.6 million opening weekend
2009 – Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – $20.8 million opening weekend
2009 – Watchmen – $55.2 million opening weekend
2010 – Resident Evil: Afterlife – $26.6 million opening weekend
Average Opening Weekend – $26.7 million
Average Opening Weekend without Zack Snyder films in the list – $19.46 million
I think that Sucker Punch should surpass both averages as my prediction would give it the best opening weekend of any film in 2011. Critics have the film listed at 29% at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, so it will be interesting to see if that has much of an impact on audiences. Sucker Punch is being released in 3,033 theatres and with the strong marketing campaign the film has received, I’m predicting that Sucker Punch will finish in 1st place with a gross of $43 million.
The other new release of the weekend is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. This film continues to follow the adventures of teenager Greg Heffley, who is now dealing with the pressures of starting the 7th grade. On top of that, his older brother Rodrick keeps picking on him. The parents try to have the brothers be friends, but that only leads to disastrous results. I don’t know much about the books, except that they are quite popular. I underestimated the opening of Diary of a Wimpy Kid last year (For the record, Diary of a Wimpy Kid grossed $22.1 million on its opening weekend back in 2010), so I will not be making a low ball guess this time around. Rotten Tomatoes has the film listed at 41% positive as of this writing, but I think this film is critic proof and will bring in families regardless of what the critics think. Sequels tend to have better opening weekends, so I’ll be taking that into account. Opening in 3,167 theatres, I’m predicting that Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules will debut in 2nd place with a gross of $24 million.
With Sucker Punch and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules entering the top five, I’m predicting that Paul and Battle: Los Angeles will be leaving the top five. Here is how I see the rest of the films breaking down:
Limitless was a little bit of a surprise #1 film last weekend, but the Bradley Cooper//Robert De Niro film looks to suffer a sizeable drop this weekend with Sucker Punch opening in theatres. I’m predicting that Limitless will drop 46% giving the film a gross of $10.2 million and a 3rd place finish.
Ranog continues to post strong holds and despite some competition from Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, I think Rango should be able to hold its own this weekend. I’m predicting that Rango will fall 35% from last weekend, giving the film a gross of $9.75 million and a 4th place finish.
The Lincoln Lawyer had a decent debut last weekend and I think that the Matthew McConaughey film will post the best hold in the top ten this weekend because lawyer films tend to hold up well and The Lincoln Lawyer is the one film that I don’t see the two new releases affecting much in terms of stealing audience. I’m predicting that The Lincoln Lawyer will drop 31% giving the film a gross of $9.1 million and a 5th place finish.
Battle: Los Angeles suffered a massive decline last weekend, and I think that this weekend will be a repeat of that trend, especially with another science-fiction film in the marketplace. I’m predicting that Battle: Los Angeles will drop 57% giving Battle: Los Angeles a gross of $6.2 million and a 6th place finish.
Paul had a decent debut last weekend, but it is yet another sci-fi film that is in the marketplace (even though it has the unique angle of being a sci-fi comedy). Sci-fi films will take a hit this weekend because of Sucker Punch, and because of that I see a big decline for Paul. I’m predicting that Paul will drop 58%, giving the film a gross of $5.5 million
Red Riding Hood will continue to fade at the box office as I’m predicting that the update on the classic tale will drop 54% giving the film a gross of $3.3 million and an 8th place finish.
The Adjustment Bureau is not holding up as well as people had hoped, and because of that I’m predicting that The Adjustment Bureau will drop 51% giving the film a gross of $2.8 million and a 9th place finish.
Mars Needs Moms will round out the top ten as it will be hurt by the release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. I’m predicting that Mars Needs Moms will fall 48% from last weekend, giving the film a gross of $2.75 million and a 10th place finish.
In limited release:
The 5th Quarter – This drama stars Aidan Quinn and Andie MacDowell and is about the true story of Jon Abbate, who overcame his younger brother’s tragic death to lead the Wake Forest Demon football team. The 5th Quarter is being released in 123 theatres and does not have a rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Potiche – This comedy stars Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu and is about a trophy housewife who is given the opportunity to run an umbrella factory after her husband loses the respect of his workers. To everyone’s surprise, she is a good boss, which doesn’t sit well with her husband. Potiche is being released in 7 theatres and has a 79% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
White Irish Drinkers – This drama is about a young boy who is put in charge of promoting the fact that the Rolling Stones are doing a special show in a small rundown movie theatre in Brooklyn. White Irish Drinkers is being released in 5 theatres and has a 40% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Miral – This film is from acclaimed director Julian Schnabel and is about the lives of four women who fight for human rights despite the savagery of war that surrounds them. Miral is being released in 4 theatres and has a 13% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Peep World – This comedy is about a rich family dealing with the fallout when one of the members writes a tell-all book that exposes the family’s secrets. The film stars Michael C. Hall, Sarah Silverman and Rainn Wilson. Peep World is being released in 3 theatres and has a 25% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Illegal – This drama is about a Russian woman who lives in Belgium illegally with her young son. When she gets arrested, her life with her son in Belgium is threatened and she does everything she can to avoid being deported back to Russia. Illegal is being released in 1 theatre and does not have a rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Mia and the Migoo – This animated film is about a girl named Mia and a group of forest spirits who team up to save the Earth, the Tree of Life and Mia’s father from an evil group of developers. Mia and the Migoo is being released in 1 theatre and does not have a rating at Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
So to recap, here are my predictions:
Sucker Punch – $43 million
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules – $24 million
Limitless – $10.2 million
Rango – $9.75 million
The Lincoln Lawyer – $9.1 million
Remember to check back on Sunday to see how I did!
Trailer Time: Captain America: The First Avenger
A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well in the case of of the trailer for Captain America: The First Avenger, I think the word I’m left with is:
Hopeful.
There’s lots of doubters about the Cap film. Maybe it’s based on director Joe Johnston. Can the director of Jurrasic Park 3 pull of a period piece about Marvel’s star-spangled hero? How about the fact that the story of Cap takes place during World War 2? Will audience’s by into it? Does Chris Evans, the former Johnny Storm, have the skills to carry this tentpole film and bring one of the past century’s most iconic figures to life?
The trailer below sure makes me hopeful. Bucky is there. So is Howard Stark (Tony’s father, doncha know). A hint of the Red Skull. And a confident looking Captain America. I love what I see in this trailer and I’m hopeful that we’ll be getting a spectacular film when The First Avenger hits theatres July 22nd.
Check it out and let us know how you feel!
The Wednesday Run – March 23, 2011
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
Neonomicon #4
Written by: Alan Moore
Illustrated by: Jacen Burrows
Published by: Avatar Press
Run!
RUN NOW!
Don’t even read to the end of this column! Run to your local comic book shop and pick up the long-waited-for last issue of Alan Moore and Jacen Burrow’s four-issue mini series, Neonomicon. If you don’t go now, the comic will most assuredly sell out and you’ll be hard pressed to find a remaining copy. Instead, you’ll spend hours, days, weeks (months?) praying to some ancient mythological, squid-like deity for a second printing or some kind of series compilation. And yes, those prayers will eventually be answered by your old gods but in the here and now….you won’t know how this crazed, horrific story ends. Can you stand that?
No. You’ll hate yourself for it. Absolutely despise the very core of your being.
Unbeknownst to yourself, you may very well commit depraved acts of bodily violence in some sort of unconscious psychological state – perhaps to yourself, perhaps to others around you. You may lash out, involuntarily, at government agencies, religious institutions – even paradigms of existence! And I won’t speak on the sorts of monsters that dwell deep down in the cellars of your id, ego and superego. Hell, the feelings of sexual perversion you’ll surely feel at not having this book would certainly overwhelm those grotesque, maniacal creatures.
Still, perhaps experiencing all of these emotions, deliberations and situations will bring you one step closer to understanding the sheer madness that is Neonomicon.
And in that, Alan Moore, great writer that he is, and Jacen Burrows, brilliant artist, have conjured their grand supernatural trap: whether you get your hands on a copy today or venomously seek one out tomorrow, they’ve made you the subject of their abhorrent story.
At once reviled and exalted, abhorred and glorified, deliberated and dismissed over the past year, Neonomicon is a horror story like no other horror story published – a tale that can only succeed in the visual medium of comic books. How magical is that?
NOW RUN!
And while you’re running, make peace with your gods!
