FilmCrave Movie Blog 09/2015

The Revenant, Love the Coopers and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/30/15 at 11:37 AM CT

Another busy week but still just a couple of really big reveals going on (and a handful of limited release offerings). Oh, and the Trailers Parks boys latest offering gets a rare NC-17, for those who follow the antics of the ribald comedy troupe. The biggest news is The Revenant, the latest from Alejandro González Iñárritu, who apparently has little trouble with brutal filming conditions. …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of September 29-October 5

Harley Lond - wrote on 09/29/15 at 04:26 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
Composer and first-time filmmaker Leonard Kastle was tapped by friend and roommate Warren Steibel to write and direct a low-budget film in 1969 about "The Lonely Hearts Killers," Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, a pair of serial killers who murdered as many as 20 women between 1947 and 1949 ... after fleecing them of their money, jewels and other possessions. The …

Weekend Box Office: Hotel Transylvania 2 Opens to September Record

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/28/15 at 12:30 AM CT

It was a good weekend for Hollywood as both new films and expanding films made a big splash at the box office. All told, the final weekend in September was up nearly 30% compared to the same weekend last year - and a lot of that has to do with a record-setting animated sequel. But it wasn't just animated monsters who were a hit, as The Intern and Sicario also both hit solid numbers while Eli …

New in Theaters September 25: The Intern, Sicario, Green Inferno, Hotel Transylvania 2

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/24/15 at 07:45 AM CT

As if last week didn't introduce enough new films - we get another influx of titles, as well as the expansion of a film that had the best limited opening of the year already. The good news is spread around as the films look to target a wide range of audiences: families, horror aficionados and women. Granted, fracturing your audience like that tends to mean the grosses are spread a bit thin - but …

Spectre, Truth and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/23/15 at 12:57 PM CT

There are a lot of films on the list this week - it's just a bit too bad most of them aren't exactly major films. At least there is one guaranteed blockbuster - that would be the next outing from everyone's favorite spy, Mr. James Bond. Otherwise it's kind of slim pickings - and a couple of limited release films that may or may not thrill audiences with their subject matter. I'm still waiting …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of September 22-September 28

Harley Lond - wrote on 09/22/15 at 03:12 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASE:
"Pitch Perfect 2": It's been three years since 2012's early Fall sleeper hit "Pitch Perfect" stormed the box office barricades, starting out with a sleepy $5 million in its first weekend and then building during the course of the next three months -- via word of mouth and repeat viewings -- to a respectable $64 million theatrical (U.S.) and, later, a whopping …

Weekend Box Office: Scorch Trials Buries Black Mass While Everest Scores on IMAX

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/20/15 at 10:36 PM CT

It was an upward trend this weekend compared to last year - but the biggest news wasn't necessarily who came out on top, but the impressive debut of a couple of limited-release films. It bodes well for the coming weeks as awards season ramps up to full speed before transitioning into some huge winter titles. As for this weekend, it was the YA sequel that topped Johnny Depp's welcome return to …

New in Theaters September 18: Black Mass, Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, Captive, Everest

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/17/15 at 07:46 AM CT

A rather wide range of films is opening up this weekend - one that should finally give a shot in the arm to a so-far sleeping September. Things are going to be led by a sequel to a popular YA series, along with a welcome return to form by Johnny Depp. We also have two films making a much more limited splash, but should still be on the radar. It should all add up to a much more exiting weekend …

The Accountant, Extraction and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/16/15 at 05:12 PM CT

It's going to be short and sweet this week, as there is only two releases of note - and both of them aren't going to be in theaters until 2016 (one may or may not actually make it to the theaters, but I digress). One is most likely going to be an award-season contender, the other is going to be decidedly not. This week we're looking ahead- a bit farther forward this time around, but, hey, at …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of September 15-September 21

Harley Lond - wrote on 09/16/15 at 03:32 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:

"Furious 7": What can you say about the last installment in the gigantic "Fast and Furious" franchise? Returning to what they know best -- fast cars -- the crew battle two enemies this time round: Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), brother to the international terrorist the gang put to rest in the last adventure, who is revenging his sibling's demise by attempting …

Weekend Box Office: Perfect Guy Tops The Visit in Close Finish

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/13/15 at 10:03 PM CT

It was really going to come down to a battle between two new films over the weekend and we may not know who actually won until Monday - but as of now, even if the winners switch, it's good new for both M. Night Shyamalan and African-American-led thrillers. Both films crushed it at the box office and both had relatively low production costs. Even if both will only be able to enjoy one week of …

New in Theaters September 11: The Visit, The Perfect Guy, 90 Minutes in Heaven

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/10/15 at 07:46 AM CT

Coming off two of the slowest weekends of the year, is there any hope that September can buck the trend and present us with some solid films? If the three new films opening up have anything to say... maybe. We have the one time king of twist endings presenting us with a comedic horror involving grandparents, a thriller with an all-star African-American cast and a faith-based drama looking to …

The Martian, The Last Witch Hunter and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/09/15 at 11:10 AM CT

Another rather light update today as we have a serious Oscar contender enter the fray as well as a totally-not-serious Oscar contender, but really kick-ass fantasy film where Vin Diesel takes on the worst witches in history film. The first is Matt Damon's nearly one-man show that is The Martian and the other is Diesel's The Last Witch Hunter. The Martian may finally be the movie that breaks the …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of September 8-September 14

Harley Lond - wrote on 09/07/15 at 07:42 PM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
"The Age of Adaline": This romantic melodrama opened on the cusp of the May summer releases and was soon buried by "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Pitch Perfect 2," yet the moderately budgeted film did surprisingly well at the boxoffice. The story, assisted by an omnipotent narrator, revolves around Adaline (Blake Lively), a 29-year-old …

Labor Day Weekend Box Office: Gotta Have Faith - War Room Knocks Off Straight Outta Compton

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/07/15 at 01:19 PM CT

For once you could say the weekend was both a win and a loss for Hollywood. Labor Day Weekend is pretty much a write-off, as it tends to be one of the slower weekend (certainly one of the worst holiday weekends) of the year. Compared to last Labor Day Weekend (which came much earlier, at the end of August), the weekend was down 25.4%. However, compared to the same weekend last year (that is …

New in Theaters September 04: The Transporter Refueled, A Walk in the Woods

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/03/15 at 07:45 AM CT

With August going out with somewhat of a whimper, with only the faith-based War Room showing any promise, I have a feeling the opening of September isn't going to be much better. Granted, the Labor Day holiday is typically a slow one for Hollywood, but this year might be particularly slow. We have the attempted relaunch of a successful action franchise with a brand-new face along with a …

The 33, Pan and More in Today's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/02/15 at 11:27 AM CT

It's not the most exciting update of the year, but at least a couple big films are getting their ratings - The 33, the film based on the true-life story of a group of Chilean miners who become trapped for 69 following a collapse in their mine and Pan - a prequel of sorts that shows how an orphan boy who finds himself in the magical land known as Neverland turns into the classic hero and boy who …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of September 1-September 7

Harley Lond - wrote on 09/01/15 at 12:10 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:
"Mad Max: Fury Road": Thirty-four years after ex-Aussie cop Max Rockatansky wandered into the Wasteland at the end of "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior," the iconic hero returns to the big screen -- but not as you remember him. Dragging his shattered leg into the end credits, Max was a hero. Now, he's all-too human and guilt ridden about the people he left behind. …



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