FilmCrave Movie Blog 01/2016

New in Theaters January 29: The Finest Hours, Fifty Shades of Black, Kung Fu Panda 3

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/28/16 at 07:42 AM CT

Now that we can all breath a sign of relief that we can't blame low box office results on a major winter storm, let's see if The Revenant can continue its winning streak. This week it faces competition in the form of a comedy spoof (of a movie that was already hilariously bad to begin with), an animated sequel and a gripping rescue drama taking place during a brutal storm off Cape Cod. I think …

A Bigger Splash, The Program and More in This Week's MPAA Rating Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/27/16 at 12:23 PM CT

If last week was a veritable cornucopia of new ratings, this week is more like a desert. Not one, single wide release is getting rated this week. Instead, you'll have to be satisfied with a few limited release films (that could go wide... maybe) and that's it. Oh well, not every week can be exciting, this is just one of those times we'll have to be happy with what we get and hope that next week …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 26-February 1

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/26/16 at 05:09 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
Nikkatsu, the oldest film studio in Japan, inaugurated a star system in the late 1950s, finding talent and contracting to their Diamond Line for a series of wild genre pictures. "Nikkatsu Diamond Guys - Vol 1" (1958/59) celebrates these "Diamond Guys" with three classic films from directors Seijun Suzuki ("Branded to Kill"), Toshio Masuda ("Rusty Knife") and Buichi Saito …

Weekend Box Office: The Revenant Freezes Competition. Dirty Grandpa Tops New Releases

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/24/16 at 09:22 PM CT

While the Eastern United States weathered a brutal storm, the box office was graced by a film that featured likewise brutal conditions (albeit, 1800s brutal - no ice melt or snow plows to be seen). In fact, all three of the top films were holdovers and you have to go down to the fourth spot to find one of the new releases. So despite having comedy, horror and teen-centric post-apocalyptic …

New in Theaters January 22: Dirty Grandpa, The 5th Wave, The Boy

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/21/16 at 07:55 AM CT

With Star Wars: The Force Awakens finally taking a back seat, the race for the box office crown once again becomes wide open. Kevin Hart and Ice Cube managed to keep Ride Along 2 on top last weekend, but face some serious competition with a summer/winter comedic punch, another YA adaptation and a January horror title looking to make a name for itself. While Ride Along 2 was good, I don't know if …

Deadpool, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, More in The Week's MPAA Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/20/16 at 11:25 AM CT

If you thought the first update after the break was a bit lacking, have no fear, for this week brings us a wide range of new ratings, from a superhero to horror to comedy to fantasy and even some faith. This is the update we deserve each and every week, but we'll take what we can get, right? Hopefully the hits keep coming in 2016, but for now these will have to tide you over until we can once …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 19-25

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/19/16 at 05:03 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:

"Straight Outta Compton" tells the true story of how five young cultural rebels -- armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent -- stood up to the powers-that-be and formed the "world's most dangerous music group," N.W.A., along the way igniting a musical and social revolution. The five young men from Compton took the slang of the streets and …

Weekend Box Office: Ride Along 2 Opens On Top, Revenant Holds Strong, Star Wars Dethroned

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/17/16 at 08:46 PM CT

It was going to be the weekend Star Wars fell, the only question remaining was which film was going to manage the feat? It was two movies - Ride Along 2, as expected, took the top spot and, thanks to a load of Academy Award nominations, The Revenant also topped the space epic. Michael Bay didn't find an American Sniper audience with 13 Hours while the poorly-reviewed Norm of the North still …

New in Theaters January 15: Ride Along 2, 13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Norm of the North

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/14/16 at 07:37 AM CT

It has been a good run for Star Wars: The Force Awakens (what am I saying, it has been the best run) but this should finally be the weekend it loses its top spot to another challenger. The most likely new winner should be a comedic sequel to a well-received original, but don't count out Michael Bay's attempt to direct a more serious film. There is also a new animated film on the block, though I …

31, Green Room and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/13/16 at 12:35 PM CT

Glad to see you all again - it turns out even the people who rate movies get a week off for the Christmas/New Years holidays. But if you thought that extra week would mean a bit first update of the new year, well, I'm sorry to crush your hopes and dreams. In fact, there isn't a single major release receiving a rating this week, so I'm going to cover the two films I'm most interested in, and …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 12-18

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/12/16 at 03:53 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
The Golden Globe-winning "The Martian," about an astronaut (Matt Damon) presumed dead on a mission to Mars but who nevertheless survives his ordeal and uses his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive, touches down this week from Fox. Unfortunately, the film was unavailable for review. For the family there's the …

Weekend Box Office: Star Wars on Top for Fourth Straight Weekend, The Revenant Powers Into Second

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/10/16 at 09:30 PM CT

The weekend might have once again belonged to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the four-time champion had a close call with Leonardo DiCaprio and the strength of The Revenant. Meanwhile, it was another good showing for January horror as The Forest opened solidly in fourth place. Next weekend will likely see Star Wars finally being knocked from its perch - but from here on out it will only …

New in Theaters January 08: The Forest, The Revenant and The Masked Saint

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/07/16 at 07:45 AM CT

The biggest news this weekend may not even come from the domestic box office. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which has been collecting records left and right, will open in China and how it does in this market will go a long way to determine if it can take the worldwide record as it recently broke the domestic record. But on the home front we have a January horror film (which has been a pretty …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 5-11

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/06/16 at 05:43 PM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
"Sicario": Beautifully photographed if ultimately empty thriller about an idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt), who is enlisted by an elite government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Kate Macer is a tough, no-holds-barred agent in the Phoenix area whose team inadvertently comes across a Mexican drug cartel house of …

Weekend Box Office: Star Wars Rings in New Year with Records, Hateful Eight Opens Solid

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/03/16 at 10:49 PM CT

With only one major new release to contend with, it was really no contest for Star Wars: The Force Awakens as it once again took the box office crown with more records to add to its collection. But Quentin Tarantino wasn't about to back down and although The Hateful Eight may not have opened to the numbers of Djano Unchained or Inglourious Basterds, it was another solid debut for the director. …



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