FilmCrave Movie Blog 11/2016

Fences, Why Him? and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/30/16 at 10:25 AM CT

I'm pretty certain this is the shortest MPAA Ratings Bulletin I have had the pleasure to process yet. Luckily, out of the entire four, whole movies receiving their ratings, two are big enough to warrant further discussion. One, directed and starring Denzel Washington, is a probable Oscar contender, the other, with Bryan Cranston, James Franco and Zoey Deutch isn't going to win any awards, but …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of November 29-December 5

Harley Lond - wrote on 11/29/16 at 03:35 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Pete's Dragon," Disney's remake of its 1977 animated family film about the adventures of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, who just so happens to be a dragon; "The BFG," Steven Spielberg's live-action/motion-capture remake of the 1989 animated film (based on Roald Dahl's book) about a courageous little girl named Sophie and a gentle and charming Big …

Weekend Box Office: Moana Sails to Thanksgiving Win, Allied, Bad Santa 2, Rules All Disappoint

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/27/16 at 08:32 PM CT

If there was one winner over the long Thanksgiving weekend, it was Disney. Doctor Strange crossed a major milestone while the animated Moana had one of the best Thanksgiving weekends on record. Too bad the rest of the wide release failed to drum up much interest. Even with Moana's big win, the box office was still down $1.2 million compared to Thanksgiving weekend last year, though the $257 …

New in Theaters November 23: Moana, Allied, Bad Santa 2, Rules Don't Apply

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/23/16 at 06:22 PM CT

It's that time of year again - to give thanks, food, family and, of course, an extended box office weekend to enjoy. Whose going to enjoy it the most? My guess is Disney, who has their next animated feature, Moana, set to dominate the long holiday time frame. If animation isn't your thing, Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard team up for a spy drama/romance, you have Billy Bob Thonrton returning as …

Rogue One, Office Christmas Party, Resurrection of Gavin Stone in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/23/16 at 10:53 AM CT

There's a lot to give thanks for this week - because the MPAA isn't taking any vacation. Thus, I'm most happy to report the newest Star Wars film is getting its rating. We also have one for an unforgettable office party and a feel-good faith-based film brought to you by... the WWE? Didn't see that one coming. In any case, I'm glad I don't have to stretch to find something to talk about this week …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 11/22/16 at 03:13 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Hell or High Water" is a modern Western about two brothers who turn to crime in order to save their family farm from the clutches of the bank. When a desperate young man (Chris Pine) learns that the bank is going to take his family's land, he and his ex-con brother (Ben Foster) decide to rob the bank's branches, putting themselves in the crosshairs of an aging Texas Ranger …

Weekend Box Office: Fantastic Beasts Slays Competition As Bleed For This, Edge of Seventeen Struggle

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/20/16 at 09:03 PM CT

It was a fantastic weekend... for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. If you happened to be any of the other wide-opening (or expanding) films, well, let's just agree it was a weekend to forget. Bleed for This, Edge of Seventeen and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk all came in well under expectations - and it led to a 10% decline compared to the same weekend last year (when The Hunger Games: …

New in Theaters November 18: Fantastic Beasts, Edge of Seventeen, Bleed for This, Billy Lynn

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/17/16 at 07:44 AM CT

So many films with impressively-long titles this week, hopefully adding up to an impressive box office weekend. The big draw, of course, it the return to J.K. Rowling's magical world with Eddie Redmayne. We also have a super-realistic high frame half-time walk (and war story) along with a true coming-of-age film and a true-life story about a boxer who wouldn't give up. It's going to get a bit …

A United Kingdom and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/16/16 at 10:45 AM CT

Well, it's another case of feast or famine and this week, I'm feeling hungry for a lot more. Once again I'm going to have to use my powers of stretching my interest to find a movie that I want to talk about. Thus, I turn my attention toward a biography drama about an unconventional relationship in the 1940s that rocked a nation and opened many eyes. I mean, it looks like an excellent film (it …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 11/15/16 at 02:33 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Finding Dory": Those creative geniuses over at Pixar just keep plugging away with the hits. Thirteen years after the amazing smash hit "Finding Nemo," director-writer Andrew Stanton and the rest of the crew have brought us a sequel that is the equal of the original in terms of sentiment, humor, and downright endearing story-telling. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is a wide-eyed, …

Weekend Box Office: Doctor Strange Continues Magical Run, Arrival Lands Strong

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/13/16 at 08:51 PM CT

It was another great weekend at the box office as Doctor Strange easily topped the box office for a second straight weekend. Trolls likewise had a great hold while Arrival was the top among the newcomers and Almost Christmas had a solid opening as well. Only Shut In, the new horror/thriller missed the mark. All told, the box office was up an impressive 56% compared to the same weekend last year, …

Weekend Box Office: Doctor Strange Magical Run Continues, Arrival Lands Strong

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/13/16 at 08:50 PM CT

It was another great weekend at the box office as Doctor Strange easily topped the box office for a second straight weekend. Trolls likewise had a great hold while Arrival was the top among the newcomers and Almost Christmas had a solid opening as well. Only Shut In, the new horror/thriller missed the mark. All told, the box office was up an impressive 56% compared to the same weekend last year, …

New in Theaters November 11: Arrival, Shut In, Almost Christmas

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/10/16 at 07:38 AM CT

With Doctor Strange finally bringing life back in to the box office, Hollywood was finally able to put a dreary fall behind them and get things going back in the right direction. I have a feeling things are going to be strange for awhile (and not just because of the result of the election) as the newcomers, led by sci-fi Arrival along with the horror Shut-In and comedy Almost Christmas, don't …

Allied, Fifty Shades Darker, Gold and More in This Week's MPAA Rating Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/09/16 at 10:23 AM CT

The week's MPAA Bulletin certainly shows more promise than the letdown last week (in which I had to struggle to find anything that interested me). In this case there are three major movies receiving their due: the film that (according so some probably not-too-reliable sources) may have played a factor in the split of Brangelina, a sequel to a trashy novel that was made into a trashy movie and …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 11/08/16 at 02:30 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Indignation" is filmic storytelling at its best. It doesn't hurt that the film is based on a 2008 novel of the same name by Phillip Roth ("Goodbye, Columbus"), or that the director and screenwriter is James Schamus, who wrote the screenplays for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Ice Storm," "Eat Drink Man Woman" and "The Wedding Banquet." "Indignation" takes place in …

Weekend Box Office: Doctor Strange Spells Box Office Success, Trolls, Hacksaw Ridge Open Strong

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/06/16 at 07:31 PM CT

It was a one-two-three finish for the three new movies opening over the weekend and what a punch they delivered. Opening at or above expectations, Doctor Strange, Trolls and Hacksaw Ridge helped the top 12 films to a $182 million total - up 20.4% compared to last year and an amazing 133.6 % compared to last weekend. With that kind of magic, Hollywood is looking at a late fall/early winter run …

New in Theaters November 04: Doctor Strange, Trolls, Hacksaw Ridge

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/03/16 at 07:39 AM CT

A Madea Halloween has done a good job of scaring off some decent competition, but Tyler Perry is no match for the might of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Having already made a big splash overseas, it's time to see how Dr. Strange will open to American audiences. Along with the latest hero, we have Mel Gibson's war drama Hacksaw Ridge and the family-friendly Trolls. It should be another up …

The Lost City of Z and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/02/16 at 11:14 AM CT

It's going to be a very light update this week as there are no major announcements coming from the MPAA Ratings Board this week. In fact, I found it a bit of a stretch to even come up with a movie I was interested in talking about at all. But, after all, I need something to talk about so I picked out the one film that has a decent cast and interesting story even if it's only hitting limited …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 11/01/16 at 03:08 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
"Bad Moms" is one of the better comedies of the year, a film that doesn't take itself, or its topic -- overworked moms rebelling against the constraints of modern "helicopter" parenthood -- too seriously. Instead it takes its characters and situations and pushes them to the extremes of comedic silliness. Mila Kunis takes the lead here as an over-worked, over-committed and …



View Archive

Are you sure you want to delete this comment?