“Spiderman” is Pretty Great but not totally “Amazing” at the Box Office

While it missed the lofty box office heights of its predecessors, the latest comic book reboot, The Amazing Spiderman, still did pretty darn good at the box office in its opening weekend. Spiderman took in $65 million over the weekend and a total of $140 million since opening on Tuesday for the 4th of July holiday. That’s good for a rebirth of the saga, along the lines of the grosses for Batman Begins and X-Men First Class, as Box Office Mojo notes. However, it was below the last trilogy’s opening numbers. The new film stars Golden Globe nominees Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone along with Oscar winner Sally Field, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen and Emmy nominee Denis Leary in some fantastic performances in a very solid film. I gave Spiderman an A- grade and I think it could hold up very well in the weeks ahead…. As for the other new films, Oliver Stone’s Savages took in a lackluster $16 million (continuing Taylor Kitsch‘s 2012 losing streak) while Katy Perry‘s concert film Katy Perry: Part of Me was a disappointment with only $7 million and $10 million total since Thursday. Also tumbling this week was Magic Mike which took an expected giant drop of 60%. However, that film is already massively profitable… For more on all the numbers, head to Box Office Mojo here and check out the new top ten below.

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week #
1 N The Amazing Spider-Man Sony $65,000,000 – 4,318 – $15,053 $140,000,000 $230 1
2 1 Ted Uni. $32,593,000 -40.1% 3,256 +17 $10,010 $120,240,000 $50 2
3 3 Brave BV $20,162,000 -40.9% 3,891 -273 $5,182 $174,519,000 $185 3
4 N Savages (2012) Uni. $16,162,000 – 2,628 – $6,150 $16,162,000 $45 1
5 2 Magic Mike WB $15,610,000 -60.1% 3,120 +190 $5,003 $72,797,000 $7 2
6 4 Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection LGF $10,200,000 -59.8% 2,161 – $4,720 $45,846,000 $20 2
7 5 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted P/DW $7,700,000 -35.0% 2,861 -854 $2,691 $196,020,000 $145 5
8 N Katy Perry: Part of Me Par. $7,150,000 – 2,730 – $2,619 $10,250,000 $12 1
9 7 Moonrise Kingdom Focus $4,642,000 -5.8% 884 +30 $5,251 $26,893,000 $16 7
10 17 To Rome with Love SPC $3,502,000 +405.9% 806 +777 $4,345 $5,621,000 – 3

Check out the new Superman, Spiderman and Catwoman!

While this summer of superheroes is finally coming to an end with a couple of successes (Thor, Captain America), a decent extension of a franchise (X Men: First Class) and a big ole bomb (The Green Lantern), Hollywood is setting its sights on next summer. Three of the biggest superheroes are heading back to the big screen with the most anticipated film being The Dark Knight Rises, the third film from Oscar winner Christopher Nolan in his trilogy which brings us a new battle between Batman (Christian Bale) and baddie Bane (Tom Hardy), but we will also see the return of Catwoman in the form of Oscar winner Anne Hathaway. And Entertainment Weekly just published the first pic of her from set. Check it out below.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises

EW has also been sharing pics of the other exciting superheroe’s returning next year with the reboots of the Superman series starring Henry Cavill (The Tudors, The Immortals) and Spiderman starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network). Take a look at both new crime fighters below…. Then, let me know which one you think will live up to the title best and which film you’re most excited to see.

Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel

Andrew Garfield as Spiderman in The Amazing Spider Man

First Look~ The Amazing Spiderman!

With the annual geekfest Comic Con in full effect in San Diego this week, the entertainment industry has swarmed over the city to pimp their newest and most prized projects. Along with panels for summer movies like Cowboys & Aliens and Fright Night, you’ll get confabs on TV shows like Glee, Dexter, Terra Nova and Fringe. But what may be most exciting is a glimpse at big movies heading our way over the next year and arguably the most anticipated is the rebooted Spiderman franchise pic, The Amazing Spiderman. The first in the new series features Golden Globe nominee Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) taking over from Tobey Maguire as the titular character alongside a great cast including two-time Oscar winner Sally Field (Places in the Heart, Norma Rae) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen (The West Wing) as his Aunt and Uncle, Golden Globe nominee Emma Stone (Easy A) as his first love Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) as the villain. They all work under the direction of Mark Webb who is best known for the fantastic indie romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, and judging from the first trailer that leaked at Comic Con, it looks pretty good. (However, the CGI scenes look a little too video-gamey for me). Take a peak for yourself below and watch as Spidey flies back into theatres July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spiderman trailer

The First Pic of the new Spider-Man!

It’s here, the first picture of Golden Globe nominee Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) as the new Spider-man in the upcoming reboot of the popular comic series. What do ya think?? How will he stand up to Toby Maguire and will fellow Golden Globe nominee Emma Stone (who plays one of his two love interests) steal the movie from him? Find out when the film opens next year.

Facebook rocks and Horror bombs at the Box Office

This weekend Facebook hit the top of the box office as the best movie of the year thus far, The Social Network hit # 1 taking in an impressive $23 million. The buzzy Oscar worthy critically lauded picture starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake played quite well in the cities and should have a strong shelf life due to good word of mouth and a likely strong awards run. While moviegoers were clearly interested in social networking, they weren’t interested in being scared as two new horror titles bombed in their debuts. Renee Zellweger’s long shelved Case 39 just barely beat the English remake of Let Me In with 5.35 mill to 5.3 mill. Both should disappear quickly as a number of other horror films (My Soul to Take, the latest Saw, etc) flood the marketplace in the upcoming weeks. On the other hand, watch for The Town and Easy A to continue to hold well as they have become audience favorites. For all your box office needs, click BoxOfficeMojo here and check out the top ten below.

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week #
1 N The Social Network Sony $23,000,000 – 2,771 – $8,300 $23,000,000 $50 1
2 2 Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole WB $10,855,000 -32.6% 3,575 – $3,036 $30,047,000 $80 2
3 1 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Fox $10,100,000 -46.9% 3,597 +32 $2,808 $35,876,000 $70 2
4 3 The Town WB $10,000,000 -35.9% 2,935 +50 $3,407 $64,307,000 $37 3
5 4 Easy A SGem $7,000,000 -34.0% 2,974 +118 $2,354 $42,428,000 $8 3
6 5 You Again BV $5,552,000 -34.0% 2,548 – $2,179 $16,437,000 $20 2
7 N Case 39 ParV $5,350,000 – 2,211 – $2,420 $5,350,000 $26 1
8 N Let Me In Over. $5,300,000 – 2,020 – $2,624 $5,300,000 $20 1
9 6 Devil Uni. $3,672,000 -44.4% 2,392 -419 $1,535 $27,399,000 – 3
10 8 Alpha and Omega LGF $3,000,000 -36.6% 2,303 -322 $1,303 $19,025,000 – 3

“The Social Network” is Brilliant and the Best Movie of the Year!

David Fincher’s The Social Network is the film moviegoers have been waiting for all year. Yes, Inception was fantastic and mind-bending. Yes, Toy Story 3 was incredibly moving and wonderfully animated. Yes, The Kids are Alright was hilarious and heartfelt. However, those three films (the best so far this year) all have to take a back seat to The Social Network which is darn near perfect. The film is relevant, important, thrilling, smart, funny, and a fascinating discourse on a generation. Under the incisive and brilliant direction of Oscar nominee Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Zodiac), the movie explores the beginnings of the social networking site Facebook and its creator Mark Zuckerberg winningly played by Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland). Zuckerberg is a Harvard student and computer genius with a giant ego, no social graces and big ambition who creates the website along with funding from his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). Along the way, Zuckerberg gets hit with two law suits, falls under the business tutelage and pointed charisma of Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), and becomes a billionaire and internet rock star. It’s an incredible film with the most brilliant dialogue I’ve heard in ages written by Emmy winning scribe Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) who is a shoo-in for the Adapted Screenplay Oscar. And it’s a very “talky” film, but it doesn’t feel like it. Fincher keeps the pace fast and furious and the film draws you in tight and won’t let you go. It also keeps you thinking long after the film. The Social Network is a modern masterpiece that discusses a generation’s obsession with instant and constant communication, plus the power of the internet and themes of greed, fame, friendship and loyalty. It also features powerhouse award worthy performance from Eisenberg who does so much with the slightest glance and arrogant word and Garfield (Never Let Me Go, the new Spiderman) who is the heart of the film. In fact, the whole cast is flawless includes breakout performances from Armie Hammer as the entitled wronged Winklevoss twins, Rooney Mara (just cast as the lead in the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo) as Zuckerberg’s ex girlfriend and Justin Timberlake who is both a charmer and a douchebag in his strongest performance to date. It’s such an impressive piece of work that I think it will become a movie for the ages and should be the front-runner in the Oscar race. It’s a must see on all levels. Simply put, like the protagonist of the film Zuckerberg, The Social Network is brilliant.

Grade: A+

Look for these Oscar nominations as well.

Best Picture
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg
Best Supporting Actor: Andrew Garfield
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Score: Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails!) & Atticus Ross

And depending on how well it’s received it will be competitive with these possible nods as well.

Best Sound
Best Visual Effects (the Winklevoss twins digital super-imposing is flawless)
Best Supporting Actor: Justin Timberlake
Best Supporting Actor: Armie Hammer

For more on the film, click here. And check out the trailer for the Best movie of the year so far The Social Network.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SocialNetworkMovie?v=53OUHupfqws&feature=pyv&ad=6836107426&kw=the%20social%20network%20trailer

Today’s Oscar Contender: Never Let Me Go

One of the most anticipated films of the fall, at least for me, is the Oscar contender Never Let Me Go. Directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo), the film stars Oscar nominees Carey Mulligan (An Education) and Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice) along with newcomer Andrew Garfiled (soon to be seen in The Social Network and also as the new Spiderman) in a tale about three friends who grew up in a boarding school in England designed for one specific purpose that culminates in a dark impending fate. The emotional thriller is based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro in a story of love, loss, truth and the meaning of humanity. I don’t really want to say anymore and just let the trailer below give you a hint of what’s in store. It looks fantastic and could be a contender for Best Picture, Director, Actress (Mulligan), Actor (Garfield), Supporting Actress (Knightley and Charlotte Rampling), Adapted Screenplay and more. It’s currently doing the festival circuit and hits select theatres on Sept. 15. For more on the film, click here and let me know if you can’t wait to go see Never Let Me Go.

Justin Timberlake, Facebook and Oscar?

Could Justin Timberlake go from Disney star to teen pop star to Grammy and Emmy award winner and finally Oscar winner? Well, I don’t see why it’s not possible. He’s already done all of the above except won an Oscar and now, with the release of his first awards bait film, The Social Network, this October he may get some consideration. However, he could get overshadowed by his costars, Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield (just announced as the new Spiderman), though in the movie about the founding of Facebook. Directed by Oscar nominee David Fincher, The Social Network looks at the origins of the social networking site and how a young college student (Eisenberg) became a billionaire in just 5 years and the personal and legal complications that followed. Looking at the trailer, Columbia pictures could very well have an awards contender on their hands. And how awesome would JT be at the Oscars? For more on the film, click here. And check out the trailer below.

The Social Network