WTF: Bruno Takes 73% Plunge On 2nd Weekend?!

This is a bit of an interesting news item.

Over at The Movie Blog, the geniuses who pen that site noted the following:

It’s considered normal for a movie to take between a 45%-50% drop off in ticket sales between their first and second weekend out. If it only drops by like 30% you’re doing REALLY well. Borat was one of the VERY few films that actually took a jump UP on its second weekend in release.

Bruno however took a massive dive and dropped over 73% only managing to make about $8 million on it’s second weekend. I’m not surprised. I have not seen the movie myself, but even thout the film holds a very respectable 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, most of my friends who have seen the movie haven’t been impressed and usually say it’s “ok”.

So, as they point out, Sacha Baren Cohen's earlier film with Larry Charles, Borat, not only didn't decrease in it's second week, but INCREASED actually. However, after an opening week gross of right around $30 Million, which already was $20 Million below market expectations, to only gross $8 Million on it's second week is quite lackluster.

So why do you think this happened? I have a plan on blaming a certain young wizard and his newest film, but even there, the demographics for the two films are so VASTLY different, that it's hard to pin down. I personally lay blame on really really poor marketing and a lack of an opening weekend boom, which leads to a lower word of mouth which is really what Borat's mindblowingly retarded gross was based on, but what do YOU think?

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FIRST LOOK (Kinda): Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2...

This is just kind of a first look.

Late last week, Entertainment Weekly threw up a few photos, al beit low quality, from the set of the upcoming Iron Man 2 film. While the film has just finished principal photography, not much has come from the set outside of the director, Jon Favreau, and his tweets, until now. Marvel Studios has released a new photo of Scarlett Johansson from the set of IM2.

Johansson plays Russian superspy Natasha Romanoff (aka the Black Widow), who is hired as Stark’s assistant which inevitably sparks romantic tension between Stark and former assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), who’s been promoted to CEO of Stark Industries. Iron Man 2 hits theaters on May 7th 2010. It's not much to look at, but outside of some ComiCon '09 schedule updates, it's all we really got.

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CASTING: De Niro in Machete?

This is beyond amazing news. It appears that, in the early stages of casting for his upcoming slash fest, Machete, Robert Rodriguez is looking to one up Stallone's The Expendables by building an epic cast full of action star/cult figures, and apparently one legendary actor.

Early this week, it was leaked to the web, via BloodyDisgusting, that Rodriguez is ironing out a huge list of dream actors for his upcoming camp-fest. The biggest surprise being Robert DeNiro. Here is what /Film has to say about the story:

Robert Rodriguez is finally getting around to direct a feature film adaptation of the infamous Grindhouse faux movie trailer Machete, with he will co-direct with his longtime editor Ethan Maniquis. Last we heard, production was scheduled to begin before the end of July. BloodyDisgusting obviously has spies in the Rodriguez camp as they’ve broken a bunch of stories on the Rodriguez-produced Predators, and now has a crazy list of actors/actresses who will be featured in the film.

The biggest shocker is Rober De Niro, who has apparently taken the role of Senator McLaughlin. Rodriguez has ties to Tarantino, who definitely has ties to De Niro, so its not impossible. Other cast includes Danny Trejo (obviously), Michelle Rodriguez of Fast and the Furious and Lost fame who will be playing Luz, and Jonah Hill of Superbad fame, who will be playing Julio.

The script is a few years old now, and was brought to light by the brilliant trailer that was before Grindhouse. It has been taking a beating with financing problems but it looks like it will be getting made, at least hopefully. I personally would be more excited for a DON'T film, but that could just be me. I also HATE the Jonah Hill casting, as not only is he possibly the least funny comedian out right now, but I'm just over his whole schtick. The great thing about Rodriguez and his cohort Tarantino (much more so Tarantino), is the two have a great eye for bringing great talent back to form. John Travolta owes the last 20 years to Tarantino, and Danny Trejo owes his whole life to Rodriguez. This cast, while interesting, and including STEVEN SEGAL, is very weird mix of actors. What do YOU think?



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FIRST LOOK: Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox...

So, a few days ago, Fox Searchlight released the very first photo from the upcoming Wes Anderson directed adaptation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox. However, the photo was of pretty low quality, and while it was pretty mindblowing, it left more to be desired, at least in quality. However, that has all changed with the recent release of a higher quality photo, along with a brand new pic, showing the look and feel of the film. These pics look phenominal and really really creepy. When I first thought of this project as a Wes Anderson film, this is basically what I imagined. Check out the pics below!





Fantastic Mr. Fox features George Clooney and Cate Blanchett as the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Fox (seen holding the lantern above), Bill Murray as Mr. Badger, plus Meryl Streep and Anjelica Huston as well as Jason Schwartzman. If you're looking for some extra details, Brandon put together a full-length article back in March about the book and the movie. The film is now a Fox Searchlight release and these two photos are all that we've seen so far, though I've heard that we'll see a trailer attached to Aliens in the Attic at the end of this month. Let us know if you're still looking forward to this or are just going to wait to see a trailer first.

REVIEW: Bruno....

One of the most polarizing films of the past decade happens to be one of the most oft quoted films ever. Borat hit the states like a moustached sledgehammer to the proverbial Bible Belt of the American conciseness in what is not only an insightful look into the American idea of immigrants, but also one of the most overrated and over hyped films I've had the chance to see.

However, then there was last years Religulous, whose director, Larry Charles also helmed the afformentioned Borat. In place of Sacha Baren Cohen is Bill Maher, and in place of a turd of a film, we get a brilliant take on religion and what it's place is in the world. It's a vastly superior film, and was the second best documentary, and best comedy, of last year.

Now we have Bruno. Cohen has returned, as has Larry Charles, and so has the offensive comedy that ran rampant in Borat. However, instead of immigrants, we get homosexuality, and we also get a film that rests firmly in between the two butt cheeks that are Borat and Religulous.

Bruno features Sacha Baron Cohen who returns to the big screen to offer yet another stinging dose of sociopolitical satire. We now find him assuming the persona of gay fashion monger Bruno, the self-proclaimed "voice of Austrian youth TV." Originally conceived as part of Cohen's cult television series Da Ali G Show, the character of Bruno offered a cleverly costumed Cohen the opportunity to highlight the absurdities of the fashion industry by interviewing unsuspecting fashion icons and other haute couture hangers-on. It also now gives him a chance to repent for his past transgressions brought on by Borat.

When walking into Bruno, I honestly had an idea of what to expect. Offensive humor, full frontal male nudity, and a lot of laughs. However, while that was all there, I totally underestimated just how much of these three things there would be. Well, at least the first two.

The biggest complaint that this film will pull from me is something that plagued Charles' other two previous forays into docu-comedy. The film, instead of taking a look at level headed people and the inner demons that plague even the smartest of people, they take to the gutters of aptitude, and go to places which, while making for great comedy, really doesn't express any new points. Sure, the final scene, involving a masked UFC fight which goes into basically a gay romp taking place in the deep south, but it doesn't give us any intellectual insight into America and our fear of homosexuality. There are a few points where this isn't true, but those are so few and far between that it left quite a sour taste in my mouth.

Also, while the film is quite jarring and shocking, the shocks really mean nothing. There is a scene in particular, involving a group of hunters, that ends in a long period of silence, that was the most comedic thing during the entire film. However, instead of mining these situations, Cohen and crew resort to things that not only would more homophobic members of society would freak out during, but even the most level headed of us would feel awkward, most apparent during a scene involving a television test audience. It's not insightful, and while it may be funny, doesn't really make for multiple viewings.

However, the film isn't necessarily a comedy. The film, while being a documentary in look and feel, plays out much more like a candid camera version of a cinematic comedy. So, when evaluating a comedy, one major factor is heads above the rest. Laughs.

And boy did this film have some in spades. The film does tend to lag during the second act, and at the start of the third, but when the film is running at full steam, it's easily the funniest film so far this year. Sure, that's not saying much as this year has been quite low on comedic value, but it's still a feat. There are some really great satirical moments, but really, the film is about shock, and it works on that level. Other levels, not so much. The film is a bit long, a bit bloated, a bit one note, and a bit visually uninteresting.

All in all, the film is steps above Borat, which really isn't saying much. If the film looked at people who could actually bring up interesting issues, this would be something that would be looked at as a masterpiece. However, it's simply the film that came after Borat and improved upon it. Go see Religulous for a better look at American demons.

BRUNO - 6/10

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NEWS: Joe Shuster Fetish Art Book To Be Film?

So hear this out for a minute.

Arguably the most influential comic book character in the history of pop culture was created by a dynamic duo of writers. One of these people was Joe Shuster. However, not all of what Shuster did had to do with the man from Krypton. Actually, in the '50's he published a series of fetish art books, called Nights Of Horror.

Well, a new book chronicling these pieces of fetish art, entitled "Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-creator Joe Shuster" by Craig Yoe has been optioned as a feature film. Here is what /Film had to say about the story:

According to Craig Yoe’s book Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-creator Joe Shuster, Shuster was the man behind a series of fetish comics called Nights of Horror, produced while he was in dire financial straits due to lawsuits over Superman copyrights. Now, Variety says, The Gotham Group has optioned the book and is sending it out to writers to create a feature film.

Because the project is in early stages, we don’t know if it will be a straight adaptation of the non-fiction book, or if names and events will be changed. The story itself is certainly lurid enough, as Nights of Terror was cited in 1954 by four boys dubbed the Brooklyn Thrill Killers (they were neo-Nazi jews!) as inspiration for their two murders and other crimes. So you’ve got a bunch of ’50s drive-in movie angles: juvenile delinquincy, sex, violence, anti-comic book paranoia and (supposedly) the mob, which published the books and distributed them to shops in Times Square. (There has been a film made about the Brooklyn Thrill Killers, featuring Dan Fogler of Fanboys.)

This is a piece of news that really has me intrigued. I think learning about this important pop culture figure could not only be interesting, but if done well, really amazing. Just throw David Fincher in the mix, and you have easily one of the most anticipated films I'll be waiting for. What about YOU?

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SHORT: Treevenge...

This is what happens when those christmas trees we all cut down, take revenge on us. Directed by Jason Eisner, Treevenge is possibly the greatest horror short film ever made. It's definitley NSFW, so watch somewhere secluded. It's well worth the viewing.



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NEWS: I'm Back Bitches...

Computer is healthy, so look out for a return to form for yours truly after a long ass delay. Lots of stuff has happened, and instead of reporting on it all, you can head over to all of the sites on the side bar to check out full coverage. I know it's lazy, but it's been over a week, and my pool is looking mighty fine right now. That said, look for a ton of new posts in the coming hours.

Peace and you all better go see something good!

BLOG UPDATE

Hey, it's your faitful film blogger here to attempt to apologize for the lack of updates over the last week/ week and a half. My computer, even as we speak, is going haywire. It's insanely infected, and will hopefully be getting looked at monday. I apologize for all of the huge news stories I've missed, particularly the recent news of Ryan Reynolds getting cast as the Green Lantern. Kind of huge, right?

Well, hopefully on Monday or Tuesday, I will be back in full force, bringing you up to the second film news as it breaks.

Again, I am beyond sorry for my shitty computer and the lack of updates it has caused. Continue to read, as the technical difficulties will hopefully end this weekend.

Stay tuned and as always,

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NEWS: Finally, It Looks Like HBO Is Getting A Comic Book Series...Maybe...

So, every so often, a comic book series will be adapted into a feature length film, and besides talking about the quality of the said film, one thing is always the same. Everyone begins to ponder, at least at the outset, why the film simply couldn't become a television series, with the most talked about channel being the bastions of brilliant television (minus Entourage), HBO.

Well, we finally may have that show, and it will come in the form of the Eisner Award winning book, 100 Bullets. Here's the story's premise:

The Eisner and Havey Award-winning comic book hinges on the question of whether people would take the chance to get away with revenge. It’s a Twilight Zone-like morality decision, where a mysterious Agent named Graves approaches people who have been the victim of some kind of terrible injustice or wrong, and gives them the chance to set things right in the form of a nondescript attaché case containing a handgun, 100 untraceable bullets, and a photograph of a person, along with incontrovertible evidence that target presented is primarily and personally responsible for recipient’s woes. The bullets are completely untraceable and that any law enforcement investigation that uncovers one of them will immediately stop.

Amazing premise, right? Right. Well this not only sounds like a great idea, but in a recent interview with MTV, Brian Azzarello had this to say...

Television — there’s an idea!” Before continuing “That’s all I’ll say. Television… or maybe something that’s not just TV.

While I've never read the book series, I do love the art style to the book, and the premise is beyond interesting, and it allows for a lot of interesting ideas to be mined. Oh, and for those who know about HBO, you know that if it's not TV, it's HBO, so who knows exactly what Azzarello was saying. Heres to hoping.

Go see something good!

NEWS: So, The Facebook Movie Could Actually Be Amazing?

According to early script reviews, this may just be so.

From the very outset of this project, there has been an insanely large amount of skepticism about it. From the self proclaimed computer ignorant screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, to the weird mash up of styles with David Fincher still in talks to direct. However, ScriptShadow has a review of the 162 page script up, and based on the yet to be released book, The Accidental Billionaires, The Social Network actually sounds quite stellar.

Here is /Films sum up of the overall story:

The story is about two friends at Harvard, the tech guy and the business whiz, how they created the internet’s fastest-growing phenomenon and the conflict that went along with it. You’ve got Mark Zuckerberg, an ADD coding machine who creates sort of Harvard-exclusive ‘hot or not’ website in an hour after being dumped. That leads to a deal with rich brothers Cameron and Tyler, who want Mark to code their Harvard-only MySpace ripoff. Mark agrees, but at the same time is creating what will quickly become FaceBook with his best friend Eduardo, the business whiz. Then Sean Parker, Napster co-founder, comes into the picture, and conflict explodes.

The script review points out that the story and screenplay have a ton of “a lot more humor than I expected - to the point where I wondered if it should be classified as a comedy,” and that even things like the weird Facebook arguments that erupt between friends and lovers about relationship status listings are in there, but that they work because it’s the guys who created that infrastructure, not just some schmo. The review is also taken with Sean Parker as a character, saying that the egomaniac tech star could be ‘iconic’.

However, the script also is flawed. It's very long at 162 pages, doesn't have an overall conflict or structure to it, and with David Fincher involved, it seems a lot more conventional than any of his past projects, something that is probably the biggest flaw for yours truly. I know Sorkin didn't have Fincher's involvement in mind, but I hope following drafts are a bit more out there, or at least allowing for more of Fincher's style to seep out.

What do YOU think about this news? You can read the full, spoiler filled script review HERE.

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FIRST LOOKS: Eminem Gets Funny and Dakota Fanning is a Runaway...

Over the past couple of weeks, a ton of new photos for highly anticipated films have been released, and two of the most interesting or buzzed about online come to us from two quite different films.

About a month ago, rapper Eminem told sources at MTV that he had filmed a role for the upcoming Judd Apatow directed cancer comedy, Funny People. No one really knows about what exactly his role will be, but those who have read the script have looked at two possibilites. During the film, Adam Sandler's character goes to many of his A-list celebrity friends to let them know that he has a terminal illness. Marshall Mathers is either one of these buddies, or will be taking over for Bruce Springsteen as a celebrity who drops some knowledge for our hero to think about.

Well, the first photo of him from the film has been released, and while it's nothing special for the most part, it is interesting to see him in an Apatow film. I think he is a fine actor, and should fit perfectly in what will be a comedy right up his alley. Raunchy as all hell.



Another photo was released yesturday, that not only brought a lot of buzz to the interwebs, but brought a lot of joy to my heart. This photo comes to us from the set of The Runaways, a feature film about the legendary all girl punk band, starring Dakota Fanning, who this is the first photo of in costume, and Kristen Stewart, who plays Joan Jett. I love this photo, and the story behind this film is truly interesting. What do YOU think?



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NEWS: Headlines - 7/02

I've had a pretty hectic couple of days, so instead of bringing you guys a ton of shorter news posts, I will bring you one giant post, with some important headlines that you should know about.

- Rapper The Game is the newest "actor" to be at the top of the running for the role of B.A. Barakas in the upcoming A-Team film...

- Universal is set to make a cinematic version of the classic arcade game, Asteroids...

- Michel Gondry's "Green Hornet" has been delayed two weeks, and will now be released on July 9th, 2010...

- Megan Fox's upcoming film, Jennifer's Body, penned by Diablo Cody, has been rated R...

- Nimrod Anatal, director of Vacancy, is set to helm the upcoming Predators reboot...

- Steven Soderbergh is rumored to be off the adaptation of Moneyball, as the film is still waiting for Major League Baseball approval...

- Sony has officially announced that Resident Evil 4 is set to be released to theatres in 2010...

- First Showing has the newest poster for Sundance hit Precious, and it looks beyond gorgeous...

- Finally, Bill Nighy has joined the cast of Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows...

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TRAILER: RoboGeisha...

Thanks to this trailer, we all know now exactly just how powerful a geisha truly can be, especially ones equipped with mouth based chainsaws. Just watch the video and enjoy the awesomeness that is RoboGeisha.



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VIDEO: 3 Brilliant Questions About Transformers 2...

And THIS is why I love The Movie Blog. Seriously, try to answer these questions with any defense of the film. IMPOSSIBLE.

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