FilmCrave Movie Blog 01/2017

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 31-February 6

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/31/17 at 01:53 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Gimme Danger": American filmmaker Jim Jarmusch's documentary love letter to punk icons Iggy Pop and his band, The Stooges. Michigan-born Iggy's youthful music career wavered, until he found his Stooges soulmates in Dave Alexander (bass), and brothers Ron (guitar) and Scott Asheton (drums). Emerging from Ann Arbor amidst a countercultural revolution, The Stooges' powerful …

Weekend Box Office: Split Delivers Big Second Weekend to top A Dog's Purpose, Resident Evil

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/29/17 at 08:23 PM CT

As if last week couldn't convince people that M. Night Shyamalan was once again a force to be reckoned with, the second week performance of Split should silence any critics still out there. A Dog's Purpose managed to overcome any controversy and deliver a solid second-place performance while the Oscar buzz helped both La La Land and Hidden Figures to new heights. The same couldn't be said of …

New in Theaters January 27: A Dog's Purpose, Gold, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/26/17 at 07:37 AM CT

While 2017 hasn't had the most glamorous of openings, last week truly gave us a win thanks to the performance of M. Night Shyamalan's Split. This week brings us three new films to add to the mix - the emotional A Dog's Purpose - which faces controversy that could affect its outcome, the purported final film in the Resident Evil franchise and another people you love-to-hate drama in Gold. In …

Logan, John Wick 2, Girls Trip, Smurfs: Lost Village and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/25/17 at 11:18 AM CT

Someone must have finally listened as this week is finally a worthy update with plenty of films to cover. One of my more anticipated movies of this year is Hugh Jackman's final appearance (barring cameos or some such) as everyone's favorite mutant, Wolverine in Logan. We also have the return of Keanu Reeves in full action mode in John Wick 2. We also have to deal with the return of the Smurfs …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 24-January 30

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/24/17 at 02:21 PM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"The Handmaiden": From Park Chan-wook, the celebrated director of "Oldboy," "Lady Vengeance," "Thirst" and "Stoker" comes a ravishing new drama inspired by the novel "Fingersmith" by British author Sarah Waters. Having transposed the story to 1930s-era colonial Korea and Japan, Park presents a gripping and sensual tale of a young Japanese Lady living on a secluded estate, …

Weekend Box Office: Split Has Top Five January Opening, Xander Cage's Mediocre Return

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/22/17 at 07:30 PM CT

With so many films being released, it's nice to finally have a success story to talk about rather than a bunch of let-downs (even though there are some of those too). It seems that the M. Night Shyamalan revival is still in full effect. Following the decent debut of The Visit, the director has another, better result with Split. The rest of the pack didn't figure nearly as well with Vin Diesel's …

New in Theaters January 20: xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, Split, The Founder, Gavin Stone

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/19/17 at 07:44 AM CT

Once again, so many new films, so little title space. In any case 20th Century Women is also expanding this week, along with the story behind McDonald's and Ray Kroc in The Founder, we see the return of Vin Diesel in an action sequel that is a long time coming, the latest twisted tale from the master of twists M. Night Shyamalan and another feel-good, faith-based film. I have a feeling this week …

Sleight, T2 Trainspotting and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/18/17 at 11:02 AM CT

A couple of weeks in to this New Year and the board hasn't given me a decent week of ratings yet. Ah, two for the win - including a sequel to Danny Boyle's classic Trainspotting - a rare long-time sequel that will actually be worth watching, along with an inner-city drama/sci-fi mix that turns street magic and smarts into a new kind of superhero. In any case, it's another short list but I will …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 17-January 23

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/17/17 at 02:30 PM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"The Girl on the Train": Sophisticated, middle-of-the-road mystery thriller based on USA TODAY's 2015 Book of the Year and the #1 New York Times Bestseller by Paula Hawkins. It's the story of Rachel Watson's (Emily Blunt) life post-divorce. Every day, she takes the train in to work in New York, and every day the train passes by her old house; the house she lived in with her …

Weekend Box Office: Hidden Figures Tops MLK Weekend, Newcomers Disappoint

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/15/17 at 07:52 PM CT

It was a slam dunk for Hidden Figures, which easily took the box office crown over the extended MLK weekend. In fact, almost all the good news was for holdovers, including an important milestone for Rogue One and La La Land's impressive jump following its big Golden Globes wins. Amidst a heavy dose of new and expanding films, almost every one disappointed, with the exception of yet another …

New in Theaters January 13: Bye Bye Man, Sleepless, Patriots Day, Live by Night, Monster Trucks

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/12/17 at 07:49 AM CT

There are so many movies coming out this weekend that once again, I couldn't fit them all in the title! Granted three are expanding, three are new - but that is still six, new wide-release films hitting at the same time. Silence is also expanding (and the one I couldn't fit above) but is also hitting the least amount of theaters at just 750. In any case, horror fans, action fans, patriotic drama …

Get Out and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/11/17 at 10:26 AM CT

The ratings boards must still be recovering from New Y ears as the update this week is on the light side - in fact, just one wide release is receiving a rating. That one is Get Out - a horror film directed by Jordan Peele (of Key and Peele fame) and thus should be amazing. It also might be either comedy/satire and/or both - along with horror. In any case, hopefully that is enough to sate your …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 10-January 16

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/10/17 at 03:47 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"The Accountant": Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department's Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian …

Weekend Box Office: Rogue One Battles Hidden Figures for the Top Spot, Underworld Falters

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/08/17 at 08:37 PM CT

It's going to be a nail-biter of a finish for the weekend. While the Star Wars spinoff Rogue One holds a sliver of a lead, don't be surprised if Monday figures push the feel-good true-story Hidden Figures in to the top spot. As it stands, less than $200,000 separate the two films. In other news, Sing continued to do well while the opening of Underworld: Blood Wars was by far the worst opening in …

New in Theaters January 06: Underworld: Blood Wars, Hidden Figures, A Monster Calls

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/05/17 at 07:44 AM CT

Welcome to the first full weekend of 2017, where Rogue One should still be able to rule the roost over the one new film and two wide expansions muscling their way in to theaters. The best of the bunch looks to be Hidden Figures, which hit a home run in its limited debut, as it focuses on three African-American women who had a major part in shaping the early missions of NASA. We also get a new …

Rings, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/04/17 at 11:25 AM CT

Golly, that darn MPAA board gets an entire week off for once and it looks like they're still slacking on their first week in 2017. So what if it's not the biggest update ever? Eh, I guess I can take it easy too. The only movies of note are a new chapter in a once-successful horror franchise that came over from Japan, along with a sequel to a rather mediocre action film that somehow racked up an …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of January 3-January 9

Harley Lond - wrote on 01/03/17 at 04:15 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
The new year takes off inauspiciously with "Blair Witch," a sequel of sorts to the genre-bending "Blair Witch Project." After discovering a video showing what he believes to be his vanished sister Heather, James and a group of friends head to the forest believed to be inhabited by the Blair Witch. At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals offer to act …

Weekend Box Office: Rogue One Rings in the New Year With Style; Sing Sounds Off

Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/01/17 at 09:53 PM CT

Welcome to the new year everyone! While the box office may look a lot like it did last year (that is, last weekend) there were some surprises in store after the crowded Christmas box office had a chance to breath. Most notably Fences muscled its way in to the top five while Assassin's Creed crumbled. Even if there were no new wide releases over the weekend, limited release films still managed to …



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