LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Dozens of excited 'Twilight' fans set up tents in Los Angeles on Thursday ahead of next week's world premiere of the last film in the vampire romance franchise.
Some 2,200 people from all over the world have registered to camp on a concrete plaza outside a downtown Los Angeles movie theater, movie studio Summit Entertainment said.
The fans - most of them young women - will get guaranteed spots to see stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner walk the red carpet for the November 12 premiere of 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.'
Summit has laid on special activities during the five day wait, including a marathon screening of the four other films in the blockbuster franchise, surprise appearances from some cast members, and a 'Twilight'-themed workout.
'We figured it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of us. This is the last movie. We're never going to get to do it again and we wanted to hang out with some of our friends for the last one,' Bri-Anne Glover told Reuters Television as she settled in at the camp on Thursday.
'I love 'Breaking Dawn' because that's kind of where I am in my life. I've got the husband, I've got my children, and we're getting on with our lives and having a happy life and the same with Edward and Jacob and Bella,' said fan Eryka Bradford.
The 'Twilight' books by author Stephenie Meyer have been a publishing sensation and the four movies have made more than $2.5 billion combined at box offices worldwide.
The final film sees the bliss of newlyweds Bella (Stewart) and Edward (Pattinson) and their daughter threatened by an ancient vampire coven.
'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2' opens in several European countries on November 14 and arrives in U.S. movie theaters on November 16.
(Reporting by Lindsay Claiborn, editing by Jill Serjeant)
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Thursday, November 8, 2012
James Bond returns: 007 things to know before seeing "Skyfall'
NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Fifty years after Sean Connery traveled to Jamaica in 'Dr. No,' James Bond is back for the 23rd time in 'Skyfall,' an instant classic in the Bond canon and a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Bond has been on hiatus for close to four years, leaving some with the sour taste of 'Quantum of Solace' - a bloated, action-heavy film many would rather forget. Daniel Craig as Bond seemed so promising in 'Casino Royale,' his first film as the trigger-happy secret agent, where we found him playing cards, swilling martinis and bedding Eva Green.
Now Bond returns Thursday in Sam Mendes' 'Skyfall,' joining forces with some old allies (Judi Dench as M) and new friends (Ben Whishaw as Q and Ralph Fiennes as a government official).
For a franchise celebrating its golden anniversary, it's hard to imagine 007 could still surprise, but Mendes has issued a full-blown reboot, and TheWrap is here to help you catch up with seven things even the biggest Bond fan should know before seeing 'Skyfall.'
Who got rid of the Bond girls?
When you think of Bond, you think of scantily clad women and passionate sex scenes - Ursula Andress traipsing out of the water in her bikini. Denise Richards in a midriff-baring tank top. Green and Craig in a hotel in Montenegro.
This time around, Bond girls are left on the sidelines. Berenice Marlohe appears briefly for instant salivation. But aside from Naomie Harris, the Bond girls play smaller roles, and, to everyone's surprise, are mostly clothed - no bikinis, no lingerie. Just one shower scene in the shadows.
Craig spends more time with his shirt off than all of the women put together. Eat your heart out ladies.
Where are the exploding pens?
Every Bond fan alive has gadget-envy. From the jet pack in 'Thunderball' to the stun-gun cell phone in 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' 007 always has an array of toys at his disposal.
No more. The more modern society gets, the less Bond has to work with. Facing the most dangerous cyber terrorist in the world, Q outfits the secret agent with little more than a gun (indeed, a special gun) and a radio.
Radio? Yes, radio.
Is James Bond too old for the job?
When we first see 007, he seems the same chiseled, debonair exemplar of British fortitude. Yet we soon discover much has changed in the world of the 00s. It appears Bond dies a few minutes into the movie, but he resurfaces as a scruffy drunk, taking shots of booze at a bar on a tropical island. This Bond would rather fall asleep drunk at a bar than go home to his gorgeous mate.
When Bond is subjected to a full physical and mental evaluation, his fitness is failing, his aim askew and his mental state muddled.
The government questions his return as a 00, leaving his future up in the air.
When did the villains stop caring about money?
MI6, the legendary British intelligence outfit, appears in even worse shape. It has long been home to some of the world's best agents, willing to go undercover at a moment's notice in service to queen and country.
Yet on Bond's 50th anniversary, its strategies are antiquated, and its field agents, ready as ever to engage in fire fights, appear defeated. Long gone are villains like Goldfinger ('Goldfinger') and crime syndicates like Janus ('Goldeneye'). Cyber-crime is the new danger, and its perpetrators don't want money, they want chaos.
What's a secret agent to do when nerds rule the world?
Is this a Bond villain to remember?
How is it that only the Coen Brothers and Mendes recognize Javier Bardem's talent as a villain? After his chilling portrayal of Anton Chiguhr in 'No Country for Old Men,' the Coen Brother's Oscar-winning Western, Bardem returns to his evil ways as Raoul Silva, a former MI6 agent hell bent on revenge.
His hair is blonde, his accent is spine-tingling and his plan pure evil. He doesn't fit the typical Bond stereotype. He's not Russian, he's not wealthy and he's not affiliated with a larger organization. He's a lone wolf.
He's also the best Bond villain in years, leaving us to wonder: who will they recruit next?
Does the song remain the same?
For those living under a rock, Adele sings the 'Skyfall' theme song, bringing a little extra cultural cache and British bluster to the film. It's been years since a Bond movie used the classic opening, replete with fake blood, gunshots and a roving spotlight, but 'Skyfall' takes us into new territory - underwater.
While plenty of Bond openings have featured fire and sexy silhouettes, Mendes chooses aquatic optics and a submerged graveyard. Though the scene will divide critics, the song itself shows off Adele's powerful voice. Considering some of the recent entries - remember Madonna's 'Die Another Day'? - this is progress.
Did Christopher Nolan inspire Mendes?
James Bond is one of the most famous characters in film history, but 'Skyfall' appears heavily influenced by Nolan's Batman films. In keeping with the Craig-led Bonds (which began one year after 'Batman Begins'), 'Skyfall' is darker than earlier films, both literally (a night scene in Shanghai) and thematically (the constant fear of an attack at home).
When M makes a speech to Parliament, she proclaims the world scarier than ever because our enemies are now in the shadows - a choice Nolanism. The villains' yearning for chaos rather than financial reward echoes Liam Neeson's League of Shadows, Heath Ledger's Joker and Tom Hardy's Bane.
The new Bond also resembles the new Batman, a man struggling with his role in a changed world, an outcast who only wants to serve his country.
Believed dead, he only returns to England because of an attack on British soil.
Upon his return, Bond is now a lone vigilante a la the caped crusader, standing on a roof waiting for his next move - or perhaps the bat signal.
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
Bond has been on hiatus for close to four years, leaving some with the sour taste of 'Quantum of Solace' - a bloated, action-heavy film many would rather forget. Daniel Craig as Bond seemed so promising in 'Casino Royale,' his first film as the trigger-happy secret agent, where we found him playing cards, swilling martinis and bedding Eva Green.
Now Bond returns Thursday in Sam Mendes' 'Skyfall,' joining forces with some old allies (Judi Dench as M) and new friends (Ben Whishaw as Q and Ralph Fiennes as a government official).
For a franchise celebrating its golden anniversary, it's hard to imagine 007 could still surprise, but Mendes has issued a full-blown reboot, and TheWrap is here to help you catch up with seven things even the biggest Bond fan should know before seeing 'Skyfall.'
Who got rid of the Bond girls?
When you think of Bond, you think of scantily clad women and passionate sex scenes - Ursula Andress traipsing out of the water in her bikini. Denise Richards in a midriff-baring tank top. Green and Craig in a hotel in Montenegro.
This time around, Bond girls are left on the sidelines. Berenice Marlohe appears briefly for instant salivation. But aside from Naomie Harris, the Bond girls play smaller roles, and, to everyone's surprise, are mostly clothed - no bikinis, no lingerie. Just one shower scene in the shadows.
Craig spends more time with his shirt off than all of the women put together. Eat your heart out ladies.
Where are the exploding pens?
Every Bond fan alive has gadget-envy. From the jet pack in 'Thunderball' to the stun-gun cell phone in 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' 007 always has an array of toys at his disposal.
No more. The more modern society gets, the less Bond has to work with. Facing the most dangerous cyber terrorist in the world, Q outfits the secret agent with little more than a gun (indeed, a special gun) and a radio.
Radio? Yes, radio.
Is James Bond too old for the job?
When we first see 007, he seems the same chiseled, debonair exemplar of British fortitude. Yet we soon discover much has changed in the world of the 00s. It appears Bond dies a few minutes into the movie, but he resurfaces as a scruffy drunk, taking shots of booze at a bar on a tropical island. This Bond would rather fall asleep drunk at a bar than go home to his gorgeous mate.
When Bond is subjected to a full physical and mental evaluation, his fitness is failing, his aim askew and his mental state muddled.
The government questions his return as a 00, leaving his future up in the air.
When did the villains stop caring about money?
MI6, the legendary British intelligence outfit, appears in even worse shape. It has long been home to some of the world's best agents, willing to go undercover at a moment's notice in service to queen and country.
Yet on Bond's 50th anniversary, its strategies are antiquated, and its field agents, ready as ever to engage in fire fights, appear defeated. Long gone are villains like Goldfinger ('Goldfinger') and crime syndicates like Janus ('Goldeneye'). Cyber-crime is the new danger, and its perpetrators don't want money, they want chaos.
What's a secret agent to do when nerds rule the world?
Is this a Bond villain to remember?
How is it that only the Coen Brothers and Mendes recognize Javier Bardem's talent as a villain? After his chilling portrayal of Anton Chiguhr in 'No Country for Old Men,' the Coen Brother's Oscar-winning Western, Bardem returns to his evil ways as Raoul Silva, a former MI6 agent hell bent on revenge.
His hair is blonde, his accent is spine-tingling and his plan pure evil. He doesn't fit the typical Bond stereotype. He's not Russian, he's not wealthy and he's not affiliated with a larger organization. He's a lone wolf.
He's also the best Bond villain in years, leaving us to wonder: who will they recruit next?
Does the song remain the same?
For those living under a rock, Adele sings the 'Skyfall' theme song, bringing a little extra cultural cache and British bluster to the film. It's been years since a Bond movie used the classic opening, replete with fake blood, gunshots and a roving spotlight, but 'Skyfall' takes us into new territory - underwater.
While plenty of Bond openings have featured fire and sexy silhouettes, Mendes chooses aquatic optics and a submerged graveyard. Though the scene will divide critics, the song itself shows off Adele's powerful voice. Considering some of the recent entries - remember Madonna's 'Die Another Day'? - this is progress.
Did Christopher Nolan inspire Mendes?
James Bond is one of the most famous characters in film history, but 'Skyfall' appears heavily influenced by Nolan's Batman films. In keeping with the Craig-led Bonds (which began one year after 'Batman Begins'), 'Skyfall' is darker than earlier films, both literally (a night scene in Shanghai) and thematically (the constant fear of an attack at home).
When M makes a speech to Parliament, she proclaims the world scarier than ever because our enemies are now in the shadows - a choice Nolanism. The villains' yearning for chaos rather than financial reward echoes Liam Neeson's League of Shadows, Heath Ledger's Joker and Tom Hardy's Bane.
The new Bond also resembles the new Batman, a man struggling with his role in a changed world, an outcast who only wants to serve his country.
Believed dead, he only returns to England because of an attack on British soil.
Upon his return, Bond is now a lone vigilante a la the caped crusader, standing on a roof waiting for his next move - or perhaps the bat signal.
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Why "Skyfall" Will Be Biggest Bond Ever at the Box Office
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The sky isn't falling! The sky isn't falling!
In fact, releasing 'Skyfall' to foreign audiences 10 days ahead of its domestic release is a ploy that will pay off nicely: It will help make the first Bond film in four years the biggest 007 ever at the box office, the first to score over $600 million worldwide.
Daniel Craig's Bond already has been extremely consistent as 2008's 'Quantum of Solace' grossed $586 million worldwide while 'Casino Royale' topped out at $594 million in 2006. But with foreign grosses for 'Skyfall' alone already closing in on $300 million, the sky does indeed seem the limit.
'The huge overseas numbers for 'Skyfall' have trumped all box-office news in the U.S. the last two weekends, and that buzz can only help punch up the grosses Stateside,' Exhibitor Relations senior analysts Jeff Bock told TheWrap Monday.
As the only new film in wide release, 'Skyfall' will also benefit from no direct competition. The current No. 1, Disney's family film 'Wreck-It Ralph,' targets an entirely different demographic than the PG-13-rated Bond. A similar setup helped 'Quantum of Solace' debut with $67 million, the highest opening the franchise has ever seen.
Bock and other analysts see 'Skyfall' taking in more than $70 million and finishing its North American run with around $230 million.
As for Sony, it's confident that 'Skyfall,' will bow big, based on very positive reviews for the film, strong pre-sale figures and broad social media awareness.
And it had better. The film's first week in the U.S. will be crucial, as the following weekend will see the debut of 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2.' Summit's finale of the 'Twilight' series has topped the pre-sales charts since tickets became available online more than a month ago, and it is projected to open in the $150 million range.
While the foreign bows weren't intentionally set up to boost the U.S. release, Sony knew they could help. 'The idea was to build worldwide momentum out of the U.K. and Western Europe,' Sony spokesman Steve Elzer told TheWrap. 'We employed a similar pattern on 'Quantum of Solace.''
That film opened in the U.S. after rolling up $147 million from 47 countries in the previous two weeks. It wound up making $168 million domestically.
'The dating strategy for 'Skyfall' - here and abroad - was designed to take advantage of the very best play periods no matter where the film opens,' Elzer said. So timing it to align with European holidays - and avoid Halloween here - was a dollars decision.
The U.K. rollout - where Bond is one of the foremost cultural icons - coincided with the Half Term holiday, when students are on break. The debut in Catholic countries like Spain and France was timed to the long All-Saints Day weekend.
As a result, 'Skyfall' has taken in a record-breaking $85.8 million from the U.K. in just 10 days. During that same period, it has already out-grossed 'Quantum of Solace' and 'Casino Royale' in France with $30 million.
Of course foreign success doesn't necessarily translate with American audiences. Consider 'Battleship,' the pricey aliens-at-sea saga from Universal that built a $230 million foreign cushion before it opened in the U.S. Unfortunately, it ran aground here, bowing to $25 million and topping out at $65 million.
This news article is brought to you by TECHNOLOGY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
In fact, releasing 'Skyfall' to foreign audiences 10 days ahead of its domestic release is a ploy that will pay off nicely: It will help make the first Bond film in four years the biggest 007 ever at the box office, the first to score over $600 million worldwide.
Daniel Craig's Bond already has been extremely consistent as 2008's 'Quantum of Solace' grossed $586 million worldwide while 'Casino Royale' topped out at $594 million in 2006. But with foreign grosses for 'Skyfall' alone already closing in on $300 million, the sky does indeed seem the limit.
'The huge overseas numbers for 'Skyfall' have trumped all box-office news in the U.S. the last two weekends, and that buzz can only help punch up the grosses Stateside,' Exhibitor Relations senior analysts Jeff Bock told TheWrap Monday.
As the only new film in wide release, 'Skyfall' will also benefit from no direct competition. The current No. 1, Disney's family film 'Wreck-It Ralph,' targets an entirely different demographic than the PG-13-rated Bond. A similar setup helped 'Quantum of Solace' debut with $67 million, the highest opening the franchise has ever seen.
Bock and other analysts see 'Skyfall' taking in more than $70 million and finishing its North American run with around $230 million.
As for Sony, it's confident that 'Skyfall,' will bow big, based on very positive reviews for the film, strong pre-sale figures and broad social media awareness.
And it had better. The film's first week in the U.S. will be crucial, as the following weekend will see the debut of 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2.' Summit's finale of the 'Twilight' series has topped the pre-sales charts since tickets became available online more than a month ago, and it is projected to open in the $150 million range.
While the foreign bows weren't intentionally set up to boost the U.S. release, Sony knew they could help. 'The idea was to build worldwide momentum out of the U.K. and Western Europe,' Sony spokesman Steve Elzer told TheWrap. 'We employed a similar pattern on 'Quantum of Solace.''
That film opened in the U.S. after rolling up $147 million from 47 countries in the previous two weeks. It wound up making $168 million domestically.
'The dating strategy for 'Skyfall' - here and abroad - was designed to take advantage of the very best play periods no matter where the film opens,' Elzer said. So timing it to align with European holidays - and avoid Halloween here - was a dollars decision.
The U.K. rollout - where Bond is one of the foremost cultural icons - coincided with the Half Term holiday, when students are on break. The debut in Catholic countries like Spain and France was timed to the long All-Saints Day weekend.
As a result, 'Skyfall' has taken in a record-breaking $85.8 million from the U.K. in just 10 days. During that same period, it has already out-grossed 'Quantum of Solace' and 'Casino Royale' in France with $30 million.
Of course foreign success doesn't necessarily translate with American audiences. Consider 'Battleship,' the pricey aliens-at-sea saga from Universal that built a $230 million foreign cushion before it opened in the U.S. Unfortunately, it ran aground here, bowing to $25 million and topping out at $65 million.
This news article is brought to you by TECHNOLOGY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
"Wreck-It Ralph" hammers box office, sails over "Flight"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - 'Wreck-It Ralph,' Disney's animated film about a videogame character who destroys everything in his path, scored the highest-grossing opening weekend in Disney animation history with $49.1 million, as box office attendance picked up in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy.
The tally for 'Wreck-It Ralph,' which features the voices of John C. Reilly and Jane Lynch, hammered the Denzel Washington film 'Flight,' which generated ticket sales of $25 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
After a quiet box office last weekend with the U.S. East Coast preparing for superstorm Sandy, there was a jump in movie attendance this week in areas hit by the storm.
Dave Hollis, executive vice president of film distribution at Walt Disney Studios, told Reuters that movie attendance in affected areas was 'very healthy,' boosted by school closures on Friday, which saw a bounce in matinee showings.
'In a nice way, 'Wreck-It Ralph,' in areas affected by the storm, ended up actually becoming an opportunity to relieve yourself from the reality that might be going on around you, we saw the theater business around areas affected by the storm very healthy,' Hollis said.
'The storm and its impact - I don't know if it was a function of cabin fever or just escaping by getting into a movie theater, but there was definitely a gravitating-towards-the- theater phenomenon.'
Disney had developed 'Wreck-It Ralph' for more than a decade and spent an estimated $165 million to produce the film, which featured cameo appearances by a Pac-Man ghost and Mentos candy.
The film was produced by the same team behind Disney's animated film 'Tangled,' which earned the previous highest opening weekend gross with $48.8 million in 2010. 'Wreck-It Ralph' was forecast to generate sales in the mid-$40 million range, according to Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division of Hollywood.com.
New release 'Flight,' in which Washington stars as an airline captain who saves his plane from crashing but is accused of drinking before the flight, beat industry analysts' $13 million forecast. The film, produced by Viacom's Paramount Pictures unit, was made on a $31 million budget.
STORM BOOST
Unlike 'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Flight' did not experience the same benefit from school closures in parts of the East Coast, according to Don Harris, president of distribution at Paramount Pictures.
'The Disney movie would benefit from school being out in a large number of big urban and suburban eastern markets, they were always going to have a very good opening, I think they got a little help on Friday,' Harris told Reuters.
He also said that the target adult audience for 'Flight' would have probably been occupied with Tuesday's presidential election and being 'more active in helping people in their neighborhood' in the aftermath of Sandy, and not necessarily attending theaters this weekend.
'We did about what we expected to do but we certainly didn't get a bump. I don't think it hurt us very much either,' Harris said.
Critically acclaimed Iran hostage thriller 'Argo,' last week's box office leader, came in third this weekend after generating $10.2 million in sales.
Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, 'Argo,' produced by Warner Bros. and GK Films for $44 million, is based on the true story of a mission to rescue U.S. government employees held hostage in Iran in 1979. It has totaled $75.9 million in three weeks at movie theaters and earned Oscar buzz after stellar reviews from critics.
New release 'The Man With The Iron Fists' was unable to beat 'Argo's' momentum this weekend and came in fourth with ticket sales of $8.2 million.
Starring Russell Crowe and hip hop artist RZA, the film, produced on a budget of $15 million, follows a blacksmith in 19th-century China trying to defend his village from warriors and assassins searching for gold.
In fifth place, 'Taken 2,' an action-thriller starring Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul, earned $6 million this weekend. It has generated a total of $125.7 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office since its release last month.
Overseas, the new James Bond film, 'Skyfall,' enjoyed a stellar second weekend, earning $156 million in ticket sales at the international box office. The film will be released in North American theaters on November 9.
Walt Disney Co released 'Wreck-It Ralph.' 'Flight' was distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. Warner Bros., a division of Time Warner Inc, distributed 'Argo.' Universal Studios released 'Man with the Iron Fists.' 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy and Ronald Grover; Editing by Eric Beech)
This article is brought to you by FREE PERSONALS.
The tally for 'Wreck-It Ralph,' which features the voices of John C. Reilly and Jane Lynch, hammered the Denzel Washington film 'Flight,' which generated ticket sales of $25 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
After a quiet box office last weekend with the U.S. East Coast preparing for superstorm Sandy, there was a jump in movie attendance this week in areas hit by the storm.
Dave Hollis, executive vice president of film distribution at Walt Disney Studios, told Reuters that movie attendance in affected areas was 'very healthy,' boosted by school closures on Friday, which saw a bounce in matinee showings.
'In a nice way, 'Wreck-It Ralph,' in areas affected by the storm, ended up actually becoming an opportunity to relieve yourself from the reality that might be going on around you, we saw the theater business around areas affected by the storm very healthy,' Hollis said.
'The storm and its impact - I don't know if it was a function of cabin fever or just escaping by getting into a movie theater, but there was definitely a gravitating-towards-the- theater phenomenon.'
Disney had developed 'Wreck-It Ralph' for more than a decade and spent an estimated $165 million to produce the film, which featured cameo appearances by a Pac-Man ghost and Mentos candy.
The film was produced by the same team behind Disney's animated film 'Tangled,' which earned the previous highest opening weekend gross with $48.8 million in 2010. 'Wreck-It Ralph' was forecast to generate sales in the mid-$40 million range, according to Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division of Hollywood.com.
New release 'Flight,' in which Washington stars as an airline captain who saves his plane from crashing but is accused of drinking before the flight, beat industry analysts' $13 million forecast. The film, produced by Viacom's Paramount Pictures unit, was made on a $31 million budget.
STORM BOOST
Unlike 'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Flight' did not experience the same benefit from school closures in parts of the East Coast, according to Don Harris, president of distribution at Paramount Pictures.
'The Disney movie would benefit from school being out in a large number of big urban and suburban eastern markets, they were always going to have a very good opening, I think they got a little help on Friday,' Harris told Reuters.
He also said that the target adult audience for 'Flight' would have probably been occupied with Tuesday's presidential election and being 'more active in helping people in their neighborhood' in the aftermath of Sandy, and not necessarily attending theaters this weekend.
'We did about what we expected to do but we certainly didn't get a bump. I don't think it hurt us very much either,' Harris said.
Critically acclaimed Iran hostage thriller 'Argo,' last week's box office leader, came in third this weekend after generating $10.2 million in sales.
Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, 'Argo,' produced by Warner Bros. and GK Films for $44 million, is based on the true story of a mission to rescue U.S. government employees held hostage in Iran in 1979. It has totaled $75.9 million in three weeks at movie theaters and earned Oscar buzz after stellar reviews from critics.
New release 'The Man With The Iron Fists' was unable to beat 'Argo's' momentum this weekend and came in fourth with ticket sales of $8.2 million.
Starring Russell Crowe and hip hop artist RZA, the film, produced on a budget of $15 million, follows a blacksmith in 19th-century China trying to defend his village from warriors and assassins searching for gold.
In fifth place, 'Taken 2,' an action-thriller starring Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul, earned $6 million this weekend. It has generated a total of $125.7 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office since its release last month.
Overseas, the new James Bond film, 'Skyfall,' enjoyed a stellar second weekend, earning $156 million in ticket sales at the international box office. The film will be released in North American theaters on November 9.
Walt Disney Co released 'Wreck-It Ralph.' 'Flight' was distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. Warner Bros., a division of Time Warner Inc, distributed 'Argo.' Universal Studios released 'Man with the Iron Fists.' 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy and Ronald Grover; Editing by Eric Beech)
This article is brought to you by FREE PERSONALS.
Friday, November 2, 2012
"The Man with the Iron Fists" review: RZA serves up half-baked chop-socky
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Homage is a tricky thing - you can be full of love for the object of your tribute, and recreate its trappings with accuracy and sincerity, but that doesn't mean your results will match the original.
Take 'The Man with the Iron Fists,' the first film directed by RZA, founding father of legendary hip-hop combo the Wu-Tang Clan. From the name of his group to the look of his movie, this is a guy who has clearly watched a whole lot of vintage martial-arts movies. If I were on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' and my multiple-choice answers were down to 'Five Deadly Venoms' and 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,' this is the guy I'd want for my lifeline.
I'd even hire him to create one of those fake trailers in 'Grindhouse,' since he clearly appreciates the pacing and the acting style of the Shaw Brothers kung fu classics of the 1970s. Instead, RZA hooked up with 'Grindhouse'-meisters Eli Roth (who co-wrote 'Fists') and Quentin Tarantino (who 'presents' this new film) to create this full-on, feature-length homage.
The blood spurts, the knives shoot out, and the fists fly - but 'The Man with the Iron Fists' never takes off. As the old saying goes, RZA knows the words, but he doesn't know the music.
He's also not actor enough to tackle the pivotal role he's given himself, as Blacksmith in Jungle Village, a tiny hamlet beset by various warring clans. Blacksmith just wants to liberate his lover Lady Silk (Jamie Chung) from the brothel owned by Madam Blossom (Lucy Liu), but instead he must forge weapons for members of the Lion and Fox clans.
The Lions have problems of their own - engaged by the emperor to protect a shipment of gold, second-in-command Silver Lion (Byron Mann) assassinates Gold Lion (Kuan Tai Chen) with the intent of stealing the gold. Word of his treachery reaches Gold Lion's son Zen Yi (Rick Yune), who returns to Jungle Village seeking vengeance.
Meanwhile, mysterious Englishman Jack Knife (Russell Crowe) shows up at Madam Blossom's with a vast array of appetites - and an even more varied collection of weapons.
Word is that RZA originally had a four-hour cut that he hoped to release in two parts, 'Kill Bill'-style, but instead was forced to slash his vision down to 90 minutes. That might excuse the choppiness of the plot and exposition, but it doesn't explain why the fighting scenes are so listless and the acting (with the notable exception of Liu and Crowe, who were smart enough to create their own amusement) so stiff.
Regarding the latter, the performances aren't even bad in an homage-to-the-bad-acting-of-the-original way; they're just dull and not ironically so. As for the action sequences, the choreography and camera movements suggest 1970s chop-socky, but they are simulacra under glass - it's like watching a bad high school production of 'West Side Story,' where the Jets and the Sharks are clearly never going to hurt each other.
(The midnight audience that watched the film with me didn't whoop or laugh a single time during these gory but bloodless melees.)
The one fresh idea that 'The Man with the Iron Fists' has - namely, to contrast the 18th century settings with contemporary hip-hop music - is quickly abandoned; after the first one or two fight scenes, we're back to very generic scoring. The film also might have scored points for allowing the African-American Blacksmith character to exist in feudal China without explaining how he got there.but no, they explain it, in a tedious flashback that adds little except an all-too-brief cameo by an exploitation legend.
If RZA wanted to host a retrospective of kung fu classics, I'd be first in line. But his admiration for the genre doesn't translate into capably executing it himself.
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Take 'The Man with the Iron Fists,' the first film directed by RZA, founding father of legendary hip-hop combo the Wu-Tang Clan. From the name of his group to the look of his movie, this is a guy who has clearly watched a whole lot of vintage martial-arts movies. If I were on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' and my multiple-choice answers were down to 'Five Deadly Venoms' and 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,' this is the guy I'd want for my lifeline.
I'd even hire him to create one of those fake trailers in 'Grindhouse,' since he clearly appreciates the pacing and the acting style of the Shaw Brothers kung fu classics of the 1970s. Instead, RZA hooked up with 'Grindhouse'-meisters Eli Roth (who co-wrote 'Fists') and Quentin Tarantino (who 'presents' this new film) to create this full-on, feature-length homage.
The blood spurts, the knives shoot out, and the fists fly - but 'The Man with the Iron Fists' never takes off. As the old saying goes, RZA knows the words, but he doesn't know the music.
He's also not actor enough to tackle the pivotal role he's given himself, as Blacksmith in Jungle Village, a tiny hamlet beset by various warring clans. Blacksmith just wants to liberate his lover Lady Silk (Jamie Chung) from the brothel owned by Madam Blossom (Lucy Liu), but instead he must forge weapons for members of the Lion and Fox clans.
The Lions have problems of their own - engaged by the emperor to protect a shipment of gold, second-in-command Silver Lion (Byron Mann) assassinates Gold Lion (Kuan Tai Chen) with the intent of stealing the gold. Word of his treachery reaches Gold Lion's son Zen Yi (Rick Yune), who returns to Jungle Village seeking vengeance.
Meanwhile, mysterious Englishman Jack Knife (Russell Crowe) shows up at Madam Blossom's with a vast array of appetites - and an even more varied collection of weapons.
Word is that RZA originally had a four-hour cut that he hoped to release in two parts, 'Kill Bill'-style, but instead was forced to slash his vision down to 90 minutes. That might excuse the choppiness of the plot and exposition, but it doesn't explain why the fighting scenes are so listless and the acting (with the notable exception of Liu and Crowe, who were smart enough to create their own amusement) so stiff.
Regarding the latter, the performances aren't even bad in an homage-to-the-bad-acting-of-the-original way; they're just dull and not ironically so. As for the action sequences, the choreography and camera movements suggest 1970s chop-socky, but they are simulacra under glass - it's like watching a bad high school production of 'West Side Story,' where the Jets and the Sharks are clearly never going to hurt each other.
(The midnight audience that watched the film with me didn't whoop or laugh a single time during these gory but bloodless melees.)
The one fresh idea that 'The Man with the Iron Fists' has - namely, to contrast the 18th century settings with contemporary hip-hop music - is quickly abandoned; after the first one or two fight scenes, we're back to very generic scoring. The film also might have scored points for allowing the African-American Blacksmith character to exist in feudal China without explaining how he got there.but no, they explain it, in a tedious flashback that adds little except an all-too-brief cameo by an exploitation legend.
If RZA wanted to host a retrospective of kung fu classics, I'd be first in line. But his admiration for the genre doesn't translate into capably executing it himself.
This news article is brought to you by WOMEN'S BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Jodie Foster to get lifetime achievement award at Golden Globes
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Double-Oscar winner Jodie Foster will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes ceremony in January, recognizing her 40-year career as an actress, director and movie producer, organizers said on Thursday.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which organizes the annual Golden Globe awards, said Foster will join the likes of past winners Lucille Ball, Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Morgan Freeman and Judy Garland, and become the 2013 recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille award.
'Jodie is a multifaceted woman that has achieved immeasurable amounts of success and will continue to do so in her career,' HFPA president Aida Takla-O'Reilly said in a statement.
'Her ambition, exuberance and grace have helped pave the way for budding artists in this business. She's truly one of a kind,' she added.
Foster, 49, began her career filming commercials at the age of three and won international fame with her role as a streetwise teen in the 1976 film 'Taxi Driver.'
She has since appeared in more than 40 movies, winning best actress Oscars for her role as a rape victim in 'The Accused' and as the FBI agent in 1991 thriller 'The Silence of The Lambs.'
Foster also branched out into directing ('Little Man Tate') and producing for both film and television through her production company Egg Pictures.
Foster will be presented with her award at the Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills on January 13, where the HFPA will also announce its picks for the best films and performances in film and television of 2012.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by David Gregorio)
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which organizes the annual Golden Globe awards, said Foster will join the likes of past winners Lucille Ball, Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Morgan Freeman and Judy Garland, and become the 2013 recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille award.
'Jodie is a multifaceted woman that has achieved immeasurable amounts of success and will continue to do so in her career,' HFPA president Aida Takla-O'Reilly said in a statement.
'Her ambition, exuberance and grace have helped pave the way for budding artists in this business. She's truly one of a kind,' she added.
Foster, 49, began her career filming commercials at the age of three and won international fame with her role as a streetwise teen in the 1976 film 'Taxi Driver.'
She has since appeared in more than 40 movies, winning best actress Oscars for her role as a rape victim in 'The Accused' and as the FBI agent in 1991 thriller 'The Silence of The Lambs.'
Foster also branched out into directing ('Little Man Tate') and producing for both film and television through her production company Egg Pictures.
Foster will be presented with her award at the Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills on January 13, where the HFPA will also announce its picks for the best films and performances in film and television of 2012.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by David Gregorio)
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
George Clooney is distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Aunt Rosemary was not George Clooney's only famous relative. You can add a certain Civil War American president to the Oscar-winning actor's family tree.
Politics has apparently run in the activist actor's blood for centuries, as website Ancestry.com on Thursday revealed that the 'Ocean's 11' star is distantly related to President Abraham Lincoln.
According to Ancestry.com, Clooney is the half-first cousin five times removed from Lincoln, the 16th president. The genealogy website breaks down the connection, explaining the 'half' means that two of their ancestors were half-siblings - Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks was the half-sister of Clooney's 4th great-grandmother Mary Ann Sparrow.
Hanks and Sparrow shared the same mother, Lucy Hanks, but had different fathers. Lucy Hanks was Lincoln's maternal grandmother as well as the 5th great-grandmother of Clooney.
Clooney's aunt was singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, who died in 2002.
Clooney, long noted for his political activism, is a major Hollywood backer of President Barack Obama. He hosted a Democratic Party fundraiser at his Los Angeles home in March that raised $15 million.
Lincoln, a Republican, is considered one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and is credited with the abolition of slavery, which officially became law in 1865 after his assassination.
He is the subject of an upcoming Steven Spielberg film 'Lincoln,' starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, which is to open in the United States next week.
Ancestry.com is offering free access to more than 20,000 documents showcasing Lincoln's life, his family tree and the most pivotal moments of his presidential career. The details can be found at www.ancestry.com/lincoln.
(Reporting by Zorianna Kit; Editing by Chris Michaud and Jackie Frank)
This article is brought to you by MATCHMAKING.
Politics has apparently run in the activist actor's blood for centuries, as website Ancestry.com on Thursday revealed that the 'Ocean's 11' star is distantly related to President Abraham Lincoln.
According to Ancestry.com, Clooney is the half-first cousin five times removed from Lincoln, the 16th president. The genealogy website breaks down the connection, explaining the 'half' means that two of their ancestors were half-siblings - Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks was the half-sister of Clooney's 4th great-grandmother Mary Ann Sparrow.
Hanks and Sparrow shared the same mother, Lucy Hanks, but had different fathers. Lucy Hanks was Lincoln's maternal grandmother as well as the 5th great-grandmother of Clooney.
Clooney's aunt was singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, who died in 2002.
Clooney, long noted for his political activism, is a major Hollywood backer of President Barack Obama. He hosted a Democratic Party fundraiser at his Los Angeles home in March that raised $15 million.
Lincoln, a Republican, is considered one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and is credited with the abolition of slavery, which officially became law in 1865 after his assassination.
He is the subject of an upcoming Steven Spielberg film 'Lincoln,' starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, which is to open in the United States next week.
Ancestry.com is offering free access to more than 20,000 documents showcasing Lincoln's life, his family tree and the most pivotal moments of his presidential career. The details can be found at www.ancestry.com/lincoln.
(Reporting by Zorianna Kit; Editing by Chris Michaud and Jackie Frank)
This article is brought to you by MATCHMAKING.
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