Sunday, December 25, 2011

Sherlock Holmes 2 Settling The Score Before X'Mas For Box-Office Dec.16 - Dec.18



          Last weekend. three big Hollywood sequels led the North American box office pumping in some badly needed new content but that didn't stop the overall marketplace from suffering double digit losses over last year and the year before. Studios are hoping that audiences are just busy right now with holiday shopping and end-of-year activities and that their films will be well-positioned to take advantage of the extra free time people will soon have in the days ahead.
         Doing what its predecessor couldn't, Sherlock Holmes​: A Game of Shadows debuted at number one with $39.6M from 3,703 theaters for a solid $10,704 average, according to final studio figures. The $145M-budgeted Warner Bros​. sequel debuted 36% below the $62.3M of the first Holmes which launched in second place behind Avatar on the Christmas frame two years ago over what was the largest weekend in box office history. Since audiences are historically less available in mid-December, the follow-up was never expected to open at the same heights. Shadows earned good reviews from critics and an encouraging A- grade from moviegoers polled by CinemaScore. Sales on Saturday, however, showed virtually no growth over Friday's opening day. The marketplace for adults will get crowded very quickly in the days ahead so early positive buzz will be crucial as audiences start making up their decisions for what to see over the upcoming holiday break.
          Sherlock entered only six international markets day and date with domestic and grossed an estimated $14.7M from 2,113 screens including $5.8M in the United Kingdom where it ranked number one by a wide margin. Italy was close behind with $5M while Korea and Germany open later this week.
Opening in second place was Fox's kidpic threequel Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked which took in $23.2M from 3,723 locations for a $6,244 average. It was well below the debuts of its two predecessors as the first Alvin gave families something new and fresh on the same weekend of 2007 with a $44.3M debut while the second installment launched over the lucrative Christmas frame with $48.9M in 2009. Chipwrecked opened while kids were still in school and parents were busy with holiday shopping so it was expected to have a softer bow. And aside from a cruise ship storyline, Chipwrecked offered almost nothing new to the table. Last year this weekend Yogi Bear​ bowed to $16.4M and finished with over six times that amount after playing through the holidays.
         But while the start was slower, the road ahead looks promising since most films rolling into theaters this holiday season are aimed at adults and there are no new G-rated films for kids opening for the rest of the year. Fox is hoping to capture the family crowd as more children get out of school and more parents get time off to take trips to the multiplexes for some holiday fun. PG-rated competitors will include Steven Spielberg​'s The Adventures of Tintin​ which is based on a brand that is less familiar to American kids and Matt Damon​'s We Bought a Zoo which is less zany for kids looking for laughs. Studio research showed that females made up 54% of the crowd and the film earned a good B+ overall grade from CinemaScore.
        Chipwrecked opened overseas on 3,800 screens in 38 markets and grossed an estimated $14.5M with only a handful of the major markets debuting like the United Kingdom, Korea, and Spain.
        Paramount found itself in third place with a unique limited release of its action tentpole Mission: Impossible​ - Ghost Protocol which grossed $12.8M from only 425 locations which included about 300 IMAX venues plus other large-format sites. The $145M-budgeted Tom Cruise​ spy flick averaged a sensational $30,083 per location helped by the higher ticket prices. Including the first shows on Thursday evening starting at 6:00pm, the total was $13.4M. It was a sensational start for an unorthodox move designed to showcase the action film with limited availability in only the biggest possible screens in hopes of sparking strong word-of-mouth that would fuel interest for the film's regular nationwide run which begins this Wednesday. Adding to the grosses was the special prologue for the Warner Bros. tentpole The Dark Knight Rises which played on selected full large-screen IMAX sites.
        The tactic was needed for three reasons. First, the franchise is old having been around for over 15 years with the last installment underperforming in 2006. This helps to eventize the film adding to the excitement. Second, Cruise has suffered from serious popularity issues over the last several years with many moviegoers being repelled just by his name alone. He is not the box office draw that he used to be and this special IMAX release allows action fans to focus on the high-octane entertainment and thrills they get and shifts attention away from the star. Indeed, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol earned the best reviews of any action film this year. And third, the marketplace for grown-up fare will be super-competitive this holiday season so this release aims to get buzz going so audiences choose it first instead of other franchise offerings flooding theaters.
        Overseas results were spectacular with the new Mission: Impossible ruling the international box office with an opening of an estimated $68.2M from 6,079 theaters across 36 markets with many seeing the IMAX version open a few days ahead of conventional screens. Leading the way was Korea with a stellar $11.1M, Japan with $9M, Russia with $6.1M, and India with $4M. Cruise and company have been on a worldwide tour hosting premieres and generating plenty of publicity to help drive in business. Much of Latin America will see openings this coming week including Mexico and Brazil.
         With box office down once again versus last year, 3D became a much smaller part of the picture this year. Last year, four of the top five films this weekend enjoyed 3D surcharges. But this frame, the top seven films were all presented in 2D only and just one new opener for the rest of the year will be a 3D one - Tintin.
Dropping from first place was the star-packed holiday comedy New Year's Eve which fell a reasonable 44% to $7.3M giving Warner Bros. a mere $24.7M in ten days. A final gross near the $50M mark seems likely.     
         Fellow underperforming sophomore comedy The Sitter tumbled 53% to $4.6M bumping its ten-day take to only $17.9M. Look for Fox to end its run with the Jonah Hill​ pic at $30M. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 followed with $4.2M, off 46%, putting Summit's total at $266.3M.
         Paramount's acclaimed Martin Scorsese​ film Hugo, which earned three Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture and Best Director, dropped 39% to $3.7M giving the pricey train station saga $39.2M to date.
        With chipmunks stealing away kids, Arthur Christmas fell by its largest amount yet falling 45% to $3.6M giving Sony only $38.5M so far. The 3D toon grossed an additional $9.7M overseas this weekend to raise the international sum to $72.8M and global tally to $111.3M. Next was Disney's The Muppets​ with $3.5M, down 50%, for a $71M total.
         In tenth place was the Charlize Theron​ film Young Adult with $3.4M while expanding nationwide from eight to 986 theaters in its second weekend. Averaging a dull $3,451 per site, the $12M-budgeted Paramount release fell below the wide breaks of past end-of-year expansions for director Jason Reitman​. His last film Up in the Air, also released by Paramount, fared much better with $11.3M and $5,947 average from 1,895 theaters over the Christmas holiday frame in 2009 while 2007's Juno did $10.6M and a $10,436 average on the session in between Christmas and New Year's. Both widened later in their runs in their fourth round. Total stands at $3.8M including the limited run and a wider release is planned for January 13.
         With moviegoers about to get extended breaks from work and school this week, the marketplace is about to get awful crowded, awful fast. Studios are hoping to mine the riches as weekday sales will soon start to get stronger with an assortment of high-profile films hitting theaters in the coming days. Wednesday will see Sony release The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo​ in 2,800 locations while Paramount debuts Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin in 3,000 houses and expands Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol into a full wide release in 3,400 total sites. On Friday, Fox opens the Matt Damon starrer We Bought a Zoo in 3,000 theaters which will be followed on Sunday by the Christmas Day bows of Spielberg's other offering War Horse from Disney in 2,300 and Summit's suspense thriller The Darkest Hour in 2,200 locations. Plus, many awards contenders will open or expand throughout the next two weeks.
         Opening to good but not stellar results in platform release was the Sony Classics release Carnage with $79,795 from five houses for a $15,959 average. Based on the hit play about two sets of parents dealing with trouble between their kids, the Roman Polanski​ film starring Jodie Foster​, Kate Winslet​, John C. Reilly, and Christoph Waltz earned good reviews but has not been a major player during awards season outside of its recent double Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress - Comedy or Musical for Foster and Winslet.
         Other indie films continued to expand. The Focus thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy widened from four to 16 theaters and grossed $456,777 for a strong $28,549 average and $879,548 cume. The Artist, which led all films with six Globe nods, expanded slightly from 16 to 17 sites and collected $287,367 with a $16,904 average. The Weinstein Co​. has taken in $1.3M so far.

# Title Dec 16 - 18


Weeks
Cumulative Distributor










1 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows $ 39,637,079


1
$ 39,637,079 Warner Bros.
2 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked 23,244,744


1
23,244,744 Fox
3 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (lg scrn) 12,785,204


1
13,385,204 Paramount
4 New Year's Eve 7,310,413


2
24,716,167 Warner Bros.
5 The Sitter 4,608,681


2
17,929,987 Fox
6 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 4,197,893


5
266,327,974 Summit
7 Hugo 3,707,848


4
39,155,709 Paramount
8 Arthur Christmas 3,554,286


4
38,501,631 Sony
9 The Muppets 3,520,926


4
70,994,571 Disney
10 Young Adult 3,403,159


2
3,843,083 Paramount










11 The Descendants 3,268,357


5
28,645,909 Fox Searchlight
12 Jack and Jill 1,228,843


6
70,506,629 Sony
13 Happy Feet Two 1,077,329


5
58,909,873 Warner Bros.
14 Tower Heist 901,025


7
75,788,740 Universal
15 Immortals 851,371


6
81,889,376 Relativity
16 My Week With Marilyn 591,385


4
6,087,130 Weinstein Co.
17 Puss in Boots 465,209


8
142,775,402 Paramount
18 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy 456,777


2
879,548 Focus
19 J. Edgar 386,494


6
35,718,897 Warner Bros.
20 Shame 307,254


3
1,231,295 Fox Searchlight
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Blu-ray 13th December Release

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Two-Disc Edition Blu Ray + DVD/Digital Copy Combo) [Blu-ray]

20th Century Fox / 2011 / 105 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: December 13, 2011

Overall Grade 4.5 out of 5 A must have. Period!




Genres: Action, sci-fi

Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Rupert Wyatt

Plot Synopsis: A galaxy's worth of nihilism buried under a '70s Velveeta topping, the Planet of the Apes series stands today as a dark marvel of pop cinema, a group of wildly variable films that combine to form a giant inescapable kiss-off to the human race. (That said message was able to withstand such distractions as ever-cheapening makeup and Charlton Heston loudly pounding sand makes its achievements even more impressive, really.) Boasting a keen awareness of its predecessors' particular charms and a gem of a central CGI performance by Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes makes for a rather miraculous summer movie: a big-budget special effects extravaganza that also delivers a killer backhand. Sort of redoing 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the film follows the events set in motion when a bereaved scientist (James Franco) attempts to create a cure for Alzheimer's, resulting in a supernaturally intelligent chimp named Caesar. The old bit about science tampering in God's domain quickly applies. Director Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist) displays an admirable sense of pacing, deftly levying the escalating action scenes with small character moments from the likes of John Lithgow and Brian Cox. That said, the film belongs to Caesar, whose path from wide-eyed innocent to reluctant revolutionary generates the ironic pulp empathy that gave the original series such a kick. Watching the climactic confrontation on the Golden Gate Bridge, it's distressingly easy to figure out which side to root for. Chuck Heston would no doubt grit his teeth in approval. Note: Those skeptical that this revamp could wholly retain the original's doomy backbeat would do well to stick around during the end credits.

Disc Features:

  • 11 Deleted Scenes(HD, 12 mins) -- Some interesting, but redundant scenes. The real treat is seeing Andy Serkis on the set.
  • The Genius of Andy Serkis (HD, 8 mins) -- Everyone loves Andy Serkis. And they should, because he's a remarkable performer. This is a montage of that performance with the cast and crew talking about how wonderful he is. There's also a breakdown of how scenes were filmed using multiple plates.
  • Scene Breakdown (HD, 2 mins) -- Toggle between the final scene with a picture-in-picture of the human performers in mo-cap suit (default, red button), the mo-cap only performance footage (yellow button), and early animation (green button).
  • A New Generation of Apes (HD, 10 mins) -- Weta and the filmmakers talk about how they decided not to use real live apes, and in their place created CGI apes with a cast of human performers and digital wizards. Follow them through "Ape School" to final composites.
  • Breaking Motion Capture Boundaries (HD, 2 mins) -- the Golden Gate bridge is the largest mo-cap set ever constructed, and the first one ever set up outside during the day. Pretty cool stuff for anyone interested in VFX.
  • The Great Apes (HD, 23 mins) -- A combination of a few parts. There's a tour through the 3D models of chimps, gorillas, orangutans while facts scroll up on the side. There's also three mini nature documentaries about them.
  • Mythology of the Apes (HD, 7 mins) -- The filmmakers talk about their love of the original film, and what ideas and themes went into creating the seed of what would eventually become Charlton Heston's world.
  • Composing the Score with Patrick Doyle (HD, 8 mins) -- Patrick Doyle has been one of my favorite composers since I first heard his work on Kenneth Branagh​'s 'Henry V'. Mr. Doyle chats here about the movies themes and what choices went into his musical sound design.
  • Audio Commentaries 
  • Character Concept Art Gallery (HD) -- A quick look at all the characters, showing their sketches versus photos of real ape species.
  • Theatrical Trailers(HD via download, 7 mins). 4 different trailers in 5.1 Dolby Digital. Do yourself a favor, if you blind buy this disc, do not watch any of these first.
HD Bonus Content: Any Exclusive Goodies in There?

'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is equipped with a few BD-Live exclusive features, including "What's New" to fill you in on all Fox theatrical and home entertainment products. We also have:
  • LIVE LOOKUP Fox's .
  • Ape School (HD via download, 2 mins) -- Exclusive to BD-Live, this is an extension of the mo-cap documentary above . Watch this if you want to learn how to move like an ape. Fun for all.
  • Theatrical Trailer(HD via download, 2 mins).
  • Blu-ray Highlight: The Genius of Andy Serkis

 

Kung Fu Panda 2 / Secrets of the Masters (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

DreamWorks / 2011 / 91 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: December 13, 2011 

Overall Grade 4 out of 5 Strongly recommended

 

 

 

Genres: Animation, family, comedy

Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Craig Gillespie

Plot Synopsis: Kung Fu Panda 2 is a sequel that definitely lives up to its predecessor, thanks to excellent animation and a great mix of action, comedy, and important life lessons. Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black) has matured and mastered many new challenges since learning the art of kung fu and defeating the snow leopard Tai Lung, but he hasn't lost his penchant for steamed buns, nor has he achieved what his teacher Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) describes as true inner peace. Before he can settle into the arduous task of self-discovery, word arrives that a nearby town of musicians has been attacked and their leader Master Thundering Rhino (Victor Garber) killed by a newly invented weapon that breathes fire and spits out metal--a weapon that is a harbinger of the end of kung fu and the domination of all of China by Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). Po and the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, and Lucy Liu) set out to destroy the mysterious weapon and save kung fu, encountering the imprisoned and very dispirited kung fu legends Master Oxen (Dennis Haysbert) and Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme) along the way, but the group quickly discovers that their task is far from simple. Even as Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh) adamantly foretells Lord Shen's defeat at the hands of a warrior of black and white, Po struggles with the realization that he must come to terms with his adoption in order to let go of the past and become who he chooses to be. Only then can he achieve the inner peace that will empower him to triumph over his personal insecurities and Lord Shen. Kung Fu Panda 2 offers excellent animation and 3-D effects, nice brisk pacing, great voice talent, life lessons that ring true, and a healthy dose of comedy that includes everything from wisecracks to a dragon that eats unsuspecting villagers and then poops them out, and a radish trained in the art of kung fu. 

Disc Features:

  • Audio Commentary – Nelson is joined by Producer Melissa Cobb, Production Designer Raymond Zibach, and Supervising Animator Rodolphe Guenoden to offer up the commentary for 'Kung Fu Panda 2.' The important thing here is that even though it covers much of the same material as the picture-in-picture Animator's Corner special features discussed below in the Blu-ray exclusives, it isn't the exact same. Here the filmmakers talk technically about creating a 3D/2D hybrid film. Nelson also discusses the script and story. It's origins, characters, and purpose.
  • 'Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters' (HD, 23 min.) – This short film, done mostly in 2D animation (although there is some 3D too) is about the masters from Gongmen City. We learn the backstory of Masters Storming Ox, Master Croc, and Thundering Rhino. True to Dreamworks' short movie form it does tend to be a bit cornier than it really should be, but it may be a good distraction for the little ones.
  • 'Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness' (HD, 24 min.) – This is a single episode from the Nickelodeon series. The episode is entitled "Has Been Hero" and is obviously a sneak peek in order to get you to start watching the show.
  • Kickin' It with the Cast (HD, 13 min.) – The standard look behind the scenes at the famous voices having fun recording their lines in the sound booth.
  • Deleted Scenes (HD, 4 min.) – Not much here, except for a few test scenes that never made it into the final cut. Director introductions are included with each of the three scenes: Fight Club: Bartender Scene, Po Chasing the Crow, and Po in Gongmen City.
  • Panda Stories (HD, 8 min.) – This is a short look at the real-life plight of endangered pandas.
  • Kung Fu Shuffle (HD) – There are two versions of the classic shell game here. One with Po and his crates and the other with barrels and bunnies.
  • Ni Hao (HD) – A beginner's course in writing and speaking Mandarin.
 

  • Animation Inspiration (HD) – This interactive map, which is introduced by Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, shows us the fact-finding mission that the movie's creative team went on to China in 2008. The options on the map, which you can select to learn more about are: "Panda Village," "Musicians Village," "Valley of Peace," "Journey Across China," "Gongmen City," "Tower of the Sacred Flame," "Valley of Peace Town," and "The Harbor."
  • The Animators' Corner (HD) – This is a great picture-in-picture commentary that plays along with the movie. This is where you're going to learn about all the behind-the-scenes stuff that is worth learning about. You'll get to know how some of the cool 2D animation was produced (especially the movie's neat looking prologue). You'll get to see some of the cast and crew as they explain various things about the filming, characters, animation, and story. This is definitely a must-see if you're a fan of the movie or animation in general.


Fright Night (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Disney/Buena Vista / 2011 / 106 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: December 13, 2011 

 

 

 

 

 

Genres: Suspense, thriller. horror

Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Craig Gillespie

Plot Synopsis:  Arriving amid a flurry of dopey sequels and dudes with power tools, 1985's Fright Night came as a welcome blast of fetid air for the horror genre: an affectionate spoof of classic monster movies that also managed to deliver some genuine scares, as well as a pair of top-notch performances by Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall. The 2011 revamp (apologies for the pun) can't boast the same novelty factor, but it does a surprisingly good job at speaking for itself, just the same. Director Craig Gillespie's film follows the same basic blueprint as the original--high-school kid (Anton Yelchin) suspects that his next-door neighbor (Colin Farrell) may be a Creature of the Night, enlists celebrity (David Tennant) for help--but with a number of smart alterations, particularly the decision to move the setting to the desolate outskirts of Vegas, where unexplained disappearances and nocturnal lifestyles are par for the course. (Kudos to cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe, who gives the nighttime scenes a musty, tangible vibe.) Writer Marti Noxon, a Buffy vet, keeps the dialogue light, while also delivering some sharp insights about the state of today's Twilight-savvy teen. (In perhaps the biggest switch from the original, the barely veiled gay subtext has been replaced with a cautionary tale about outgrowing your friends.) On the debit side, Gillespie and Co. can't always replicate their source material's atomic-clock timing, with a few promising scares undone by miscued comic relief. Still, a horror movie ultimately lives or dies by its villain, and Farrell delivers a beaut, as a hilariously type-A vampire who'd rather chug a beer than pose languorously. At a time when the undead are notable mainly for their romanticism and supernatural hair-care prowess, Fright Night does its best to bring the fangs back into the equation.


Disc Features:

  • Peter Vincent: Come Swim in my Blood (HD, 2 min) - In character teasing. Silly stuff.
  • The Official "How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie" Guide (HD, 8 min) - A funny little feature that quickly hits on a number of themes, introducing would be watchers to the film. Really don't see the value in this feature if you watch it after the film. Before? Could be fun, a great advertisement.
  • Squid Man: Extended & Uncut (HD, 3 min) - Some insane stuff, somewhat reminiscent of something Kenny Powers would make.
  • Bloopers (HD, 3 min) - Unrated bloopers, flubs, laughs, fubars, and other mistakes.
  • Music Video (HD, 5 min) - For Kid Cudi's No One Believes Me. A bizarre track, for sure.

 

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