Harry Potter has just earned $44.8 million in its first day of release- a record for a Wednesday release.
I am so not surprised. As is pointed out in every article I've read, it is really a marketing coup to be able to open the movie just before the last book comes out. Get yourself caught up reading and watching movies for the book-release of the year.
I've seen a few clips from this movie (I won't be able to go see it until tomorrow) and so far, it looks impressive. It appears to have captured another level of the magic that occurs in the book. I'll give a full review tomorrow.
It will also be interesting to see what David Yates does with the next movie in steering the franchise towards it's conclusion. This will be the first 2-movie director since Chris Columbus. I will be interested tomorrow in Mr. Yates' perspective, and in speculating how that's going to affect the last 2 movies.
Until then!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Transformers Roll...
I finally got to see Transformers this evening- one week after I thought I'd get over there.
It was totally sweet!
I love the corny-ness. It was just enough without being too much. The actors were great- not too corny, but just enough- and the plot was good, especially considering this is a pop-corn movie based on a line of toys. That in itself would be enough to make it pretty lame, but it held up admirably.
There were some incredibly funny lines; and most of them belong to Sam's mother and father, who should be found in the dictionary if you wanted to look up "mildly eccentric". The writers threw in a bunch of lines from the cartoons ("You have failed me again, Starscream!") and it had some great action scenes that didn't really overwhelm the movie. In fact, they were well-played and incorporated some awesome angles.
Shia LeBouef was great, a lovably neurotic teenager. I am really looking forward to seeing him in Indy 4 now. Megan Fox was a bit flat, but as the obligatory female lead, I guess that is alright in a film like this. But the real acting kudos go to John Toturro, who played the wacky agent from the secret government agency Seven. I haven't seen a character that silly in a supporting role since Brent Spiner's role in Independence Day. He was fabulous!
This movie has rekindled my slight girlhood crush on Optimus Prime. I was a bit worried, though, they might pull a 1986 on us and kill him off. Fortunately, he was not. It was nostalgic to hear his voice narrating at the beginning of the movie; for a moment I was 12 years old and putting on the newest cartoon available at the local VHS rental shop.
Definitely good entertainment.
Tomorrow, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
It was totally sweet!
I love the corny-ness. It was just enough without being too much. The actors were great- not too corny, but just enough- and the plot was good, especially considering this is a pop-corn movie based on a line of toys. That in itself would be enough to make it pretty lame, but it held up admirably.
There were some incredibly funny lines; and most of them belong to Sam's mother and father, who should be found in the dictionary if you wanted to look up "mildly eccentric". The writers threw in a bunch of lines from the cartoons ("You have failed me again, Starscream!") and it had some great action scenes that didn't really overwhelm the movie. In fact, they were well-played and incorporated some awesome angles.
Shia LeBouef was great, a lovably neurotic teenager. I am really looking forward to seeing him in Indy 4 now. Megan Fox was a bit flat, but as the obligatory female lead, I guess that is alright in a film like this. But the real acting kudos go to John Toturro, who played the wacky agent from the secret government agency Seven. I haven't seen a character that silly in a supporting role since Brent Spiner's role in Independence Day. He was fabulous!
This movie has rekindled my slight girlhood crush on Optimus Prime. I was a bit worried, though, they might pull a 1986 on us and kill him off. Fortunately, he was not. It was nostalgic to hear his voice narrating at the beginning of the movie; for a moment I was 12 years old and putting on the newest cartoon available at the local VHS rental shop.
Definitely good entertainment.
Tomorrow, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Transformers is a hit!
It looks like Michael Bay has made it work!
Transformers has taken in $65 million in its first 2 days of release, breaking records for Tuesday openings and July 4th ticket sales.
The feedback I've heard from people who have seen it is this movie is great! My brother, who was a huge Transformers fan growing up, said that it was the best pop-corn movie he had seen, and he was planning to go see it again. The movie hit a good balance of nostalgia, and the FX were great.
This is a good recommendation as far as I'm concerned; my brother hates popcorn flicks.
I will be going to see this movie over the weekend, so I will be able to give my review later this week!
Transformers has taken in $65 million in its first 2 days of release, breaking records for Tuesday openings and July 4th ticket sales.
The feedback I've heard from people who have seen it is this movie is great! My brother, who was a huge Transformers fan growing up, said that it was the best pop-corn movie he had seen, and he was planning to go see it again. The movie hit a good balance of nostalgia, and the FX were great.
This is a good recommendation as far as I'm concerned; my brother hates popcorn flicks.
I will be going to see this movie over the weekend, so I will be able to give my review later this week!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
The things they blame...
I have not seen Ratatouille. Yet. One of my friends mentioned it was a movie we need to see together. I expect I will be seeing it in the near future.
However, I was amused today at the excuse the pundits were using for the movie's so-called "low" opening- apparently it isn't a blockbuster compared to other Pixar releases because it ONLY pulled in a measley $47.2 million (you'd think they were talking monopoly money the way they throw out numbers like that). And they are blaming it on sanitization issues the film brings up with a rat in the kitchen! I do hope it was tongue-in-cheek- but I fear it wasn't . These people have a problem with taking themselves way too seriously.
Ok, maybe there are other reasons the movie brought in only $47.2 million. Perhaps because it opened with other strong movies? The grapevine here has it that Evan Almighty (though termed a box-office fizzle) is quite funny and worth seeing, and Live Free or Die Hard has quite a big following. There could just be too much movie pie for people to sink their teeth into. Or perhaps everyone is saving their movie dollar for Transformers or the Harry Potter juggernaut that hits theaters next week. After all, most people cannot just head off to the movies every day, it would cost a small fortune.
Sanitization could be the issue. Or maybe the rat just wasn't all that likeable to the public (kitchen involved or not). Or there may be some other reason.
Still, it is funny to read articles about a movie apparently lagging because it's plot revolves around a rat in the kitchen!
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However, I was amused today at the excuse the pundits were using for the movie's so-called "low" opening- apparently it isn't a blockbuster compared to other Pixar releases because it ONLY pulled in a measley $47.2 million (you'd think they were talking monopoly money the way they throw out numbers like that). And they are blaming it on sanitization issues the film brings up with a rat in the kitchen! I do hope it was tongue-in-cheek- but I fear it wasn't . These people have a problem with taking themselves way too seriously.
Ok, maybe there are other reasons the movie brought in only $47.2 million. Perhaps because it opened with other strong movies? The grapevine here has it that Evan Almighty (though termed a box-office fizzle) is quite funny and worth seeing, and Live Free or Die Hard has quite a big following. There could just be too much movie pie for people to sink their teeth into. Or perhaps everyone is saving their movie dollar for Transformers or the Harry Potter juggernaut that hits theaters next week. After all, most people cannot just head off to the movies every day, it would cost a small fortune.
Sanitization could be the issue. Or maybe the rat just wasn't all that likeable to the public (kitchen involved or not). Or there may be some other reason.
Still, it is funny to read articles about a movie apparently lagging because it's plot revolves around a rat in the kitchen!
">Link
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