FilmCrave Movie Blog 08/2015

Weekend Box Office: Compton Continues Winning Streak; War Room a Strong Second

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/30/15 at 10:09 PM CT

As the last weekend in August hits, it continues to be Straight Outta Compton that wins the box office titles. However, a strong second-place showing from the faith-based War Room proves that genre still has a lot of pull with audiences. Even so, it was a blah weekend as the $68.8 million weekend was not only down 22% compared to the same weekend last year, but now currently holds the title for …

New in Theaters August 28: No Escape, We Are Your Friends

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/27/15 at 07:47 AM CT

It turns out the one August weekend that managed to beat the same period in 2014 is probably going to be the only week to do so this year. Last week a trio of films could barely manage to break into the top three. We have two new entries this week - a politically-themed action thriller and the EDM-based romance/drama We Are Your Friends. I have a feeling neither are going to make that big of …

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Steve Jobs and More in Today's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/26/15 at 01:02 PM CT

Starting this week, I will be supplementing the weekly New DVD Release, New Movies in Theaters and Box Office Report blogs with a new Ratings Blog. For the past many years I have relied on Rope of Silicone (run by Brad Brevet) to supply me with the many movie ratings. The site has been very useful for supplementing both ratings and new release information. But Mr. Brevet has decided to move on - …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 25-August 31

Harley Lond - wrote on 08/24/15 at 07:11 PM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
"Citizenfour" (2014): You don't have to be a card-carrying liberal to be appalled at the revelations of indiscriminate criminality on the part of the U.S. Government (in particular the National Security Agency and the Obama administration) in its (successful) efforts to spy on American citizens. Do you have a debit card? Is it linked (via your checking account) …

Weekend Box Office: Compton Crushes Competition in Second Week Win

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/23/15 at 09:51 PM CT

There were three diverse movies opening this weekend, but it turns out audiences just weren't in the mood for change as Straight Outta Compton and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation both topped all the newcomers. Because of the weak openings, August once again fell behind last year's record run, coming in behind about 10.5% compared to the same weekend in 2014. It's a disappointing result …

New in Theaters August 21: Sinister 2, Hitman: Agent 47, American Ultra

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/20/15 at 07:40 AM CT

So close to the end of August - it turns out I was wrong to assume nothing this month would match up to the fantastic August of last year. Because of Straight Outta Compton (which had an even bigger weekend than first reported - $60.2 million total - and also making it the 5th best August opening on record) last week was actually up over 6% compared to last year. I have a feeling Straight Outta …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 18-August 24

Harley Lond - wrote on 08/18/15 at 08:04 PM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
"La Grande Bouffe" (1973 -- France/Italy) is the most famous film by Italian director Marco Ferreri ("Dillinger is Dead"): it was reviled on its release for being decadent, self-loathing, cynical and frequently obscene -- yet it won the prestigious FIPRESCI prize after its controversial screening at the Cannes Film Festival. Though on its release it was amazingly …

Weekend Box Office: Compton Knocks It Straight Outta the Park

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/16/15 at 11:25 PM CT

Expectations for Straight Outta Compton continued to improve as it approached the weekend, but even the most rosy of forecasts paled in comparison to the actual results. Because of the big wind for the NWA biopic, the weekend was up 4% compared to last year - I wasn't expecting any weekend to approach the record-setting August of last year, so this is nice bonus for Hollywood. Man from …

New in Theaters August 14: Straight Outta Compton, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/13/15 at 07:39 AM CT

We are probably going to see the last hurrah of the summer movie season, as a music biopic with some strong tracking and another spy caper hit theaters to cap off a (mostly) positive summer. Of course, August is still likely going to be down quite a bit from last year, as there is no Guardians of the Galaxy-sized hit to be seen - but the year overall continues to go strong and should be topped …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 11-August 17

Harley Lond - wrote on 08/11/15 at 05:41 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
The highlight this week is a Criterion Collection anthology of films by one of the unsung mistresses of film, Agnes Varda, who was a leading force in the French New Wave with her astounding real-time drama "Cleo from 5 to 7" (1962). Varda , whose remarkable career began in the 1950s and has continued into the 21st century, produced some of her most provocative works while …

Weekend Box Office: It's a Fantastic Bore as Rogue Nation Takes Top Spot

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/10/15 at 12:08 AM CT

The weekend was a big disappointment in many ways. None of the new movies did particularly well (only one performed above expectations, while others suffered) and the result led to a 30% decrease compared to last year - the only August on record to break $1 billion. That isn't likely to be repeated any time soon - and certainly not this year. It was the holdovers that really had the best luck - …

New in Theaters Aug. 07: Fantastic Four, The Gift, Shaun the Sheep, Ricki and the Flash

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/06/15 at 07:44 AM CT

As we enter August, we also enter the end of the summer blockbuster season. Last year, August was dominated by Guardians of the Galaxy - the surprise Marvel movie that led Chris Pratt to new heights (and likely his role in Jurassic World). This year we're no likely to see anything quite like that film breakout this month - which is likely to be only the second month of the year to lag behind …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of August 4-August 10

Harley Lond - wrote on 08/04/15 at 03:17 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:

Just in time for the August 14 theatrical release of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Hugh Grant and Alicia Vikander, Warner Home Video is releasing a remastered edition of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete First Season" (1964-65), an 11-disc set with 29 episodes for $24.98. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." captured the hearts of viewers when …

Weekend Box Office: Mission: Possible - Rogue Nation Easily Tops Competition

Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/02/15 at 10:42 PM CT

There was little doubt that Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation was going to win the weekend but the question remained whether Tom Cruise would be as big a draw as before or whether we were going to get another result ala Terminator Genisys. Luckily, it looks like audiences were in the mood for action as Rogue Nation didn't just top the box office, it did so in pretty spectacular fashion. It …



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