FilmCrave Movie Blog 03/2016

New in Theaters April 01: God's Not Dead 2, Meet the Blacks

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/31/16 at 07:45 AM CT

It's fitting that the release date for the new movies is April 1st - because you'll truly have to fool yourself to think either are going to come anywhere close to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Even if the superhero film takes a big tumble due to withering reviews, I have no doubt it is going to win the weekend yet again. The only new films are a sequel to the worst kind of religious-based …

Keanu, Legend of Tarzan, Birth of a Nation, Criminal and more in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/30/16 at 09:55 AM CT

After several weeks of crumbs and a smattering of ratings it looks like this is the week the board let the dam loose. There are several high-profile films getting their due including a crime comedy featuring a kidnapped kitten, a reboot of everyone's favorite swinging jungle-dweller, a dramatic rebellion, a mind-swapping action film and a vacation filled with memories... and horror! That's a lot …

New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of March 29-April 4

Harley Lond - wrote on 03/29/16 at 05:56 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN THIS WEEK:

In "The Hateful Eight," Quentin Tarantino takes his well-worn tropes -- despicable characters, ultra-violence, greed, treachery, deceit -- and mixes up a heady brew that ends up being greater than the sum of its parts. The at-first slow-moving, talkative Western -- revolving around a pair of bounty hunters (Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson) and a prisoner …

Weekend Box Office: Batman v Superman Smashes Records

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/27/16 at 09:55 PM CT

The year of the superhero continues. If Deadpool proved there is room for R-rated superheroes, Batman v. Superman proves not even the withering words of critics can sink a superhero ship. Having one of the biggest opening of all time, the superhero mashup might not have been a hit with critics, but it certainly scored with audiences. Even the Big Fat Greek Wedding sequel had a pretty good …

New in Theaters March 25: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/24/16 at 08:05 AM CT

Zootopia has been the king of the roost for most of March but that's all about to chance. The arrival of Batman v Superman (which is looking to capture the March opening record ahead of some strong advanced ticket sales) should spell the end to the animated film's dominance. There is only one other film going up against the superhero smackdown and it's a romantic comedy sequel 14 years in the …

The Secret Life of Pets and More in This Week's MPAA Rating's Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/23/16 at 11:34 AM CT

While the list is long this week, the sad truth is there is just the one major wide release in this week's update. The good news is it looks like one of the more enjoyable films coming out this year. Disney has already graced us with Zootopia and Pixar has Finding Dory coming up - but I really like the look of The Secret Lives of Pets. It's hard to say if Universal Pictures will have the same …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 03/22/16 at 04:33 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN THIS WEEK:
"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2": The film version of the second half of Suzanne Collins' final "Hunger Games" book tidies up all the loose ends engendered by Part 1 as the 13 districts of the dystopian future America (Panem) go to war against the power of the Capitol. As the rebels move on the government, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) -- now taking on …

Weekend Box Office: Zootopia Stampedes Over Allegiant, Miracles Debuts Strong

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/20/16 at 08:15 PM CT

The big question going in to this weekend was how the third film in the Divergent series was going to play out. Turns out that fan support is quickly eroding, which meant clear sailing for Zootopia which had little problem in taking the first place spot for the third straight weekend. All in all, the grosses were just slightly down from this weekend last year, but thanks in most part to …

New in Theaters March 18: The Divergent Series: Allegiant, Miracles from Heaven

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/17/16 at 07:49 AM CT

March keeps marching on and thus far Zootopia has been the big story as the Disney animated film has dominated the month. Some contenders have tried to step up, but to no avail. This weekend brings us the next film in the Divergent series as well as another uplifting film targeting the Christian crowd. While the Divergent film is probably the biggest threat to its box office crown yet, Zootopia …

Angry Birds Movie, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and More in This Week's MPAA Ratings Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/16/16 at 11:17 AM CT

Welcome back to another exciting weekly update - well, maybe that's overstating things. There are a couple of big films, a couple of limited release films and... the rest. Even though I think Angry Birds peaked about four years ago, we're still getting a movie based on everyone's favorite mobile (well, it once was anyway). Then we've got a the latest parody from Andy Samberg, which has the …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 03/15/16 at 04:52 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN THIS WEEK:
"Carol": This adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's ("The Talented Mr. Ripley," "Strangers on a Train") seminal novel "The Price of Salt" follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of …

Weekend Box Office: Zootopia Holds Top Spot, 10 Cloverfield Lane Bows Strong, Brothers Grimsby Flops

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/13/16 at 11:44 PM CT

The animals have spoken... again and Zootopia had no problem holding off all the newcomers to once again claim the top spot at the box office. In fact, the competition wasn't even that spectacular with only one out of the four new films even able to break in to the top five. The out-of-left field 10 Cloverfield Lane was the only real winner among the new films while The Brothers Grimsby was the …

New in Theaters March 11: 10 Cloverfield Lane, Brothers Grimsby, Young Messiah, The Perfect Match

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/10/16 at 07:48 AM CT

This year has really gotten off to a great start thanks to the one-two punch of Deadpool and Zootopia. Both films made waves and broke records when they opened. Now we have four new challengers looking to knock the current Disney animation champ off its perch, though I fear they are facing an uphill battle against the well-received film. We have one horror spinoff/sequel, an action comedy a …

10 Cloverfield Lane, Huntsman Winter's War, Hardcore Henry and More in This Week's MPAA Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/09/16 at 12:33 PM CT

While the overall update this week is light on quantity, it is certainly looking better on quality. There are some anticipated ratings on my part at least, including another film that got in by the skin of its teeth. We have a movie short entirely in the first-persona perspective, a horror spinoff/ maybe sequel in a confined space, another horror title that has been in production for seemingly …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 03/08/16 at 05:36 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
"Jane B. Par Agnes V. and Kung-Fu Master!": Agnes Varda is the unsung heroine of cinema, a masterful auteur and feminist director who shook up the world of cinema with her "Cleo From 5 to 7" in 1962 and has continued to shake the branches of filmdom with documentaries, fictions, biodramas and autobiographies that focus on women's issues, social criticism, and the art of …

Weekend Box Office: Zootopia Claims Top Spot in Record-Breaking Fashion

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/06/16 at 09:19 PM CT

There was pretty much no question which film was going to open on top this weekend, once again the big question was how good it was going to open. Disney has to be very happy - with Star Wars breaking all kinds of records, now their animation studio is showing they still have muscles to flex as they continue to challenge Pixar as the leader of animated features. Aside from the monster opening of …

New in Theaters March 04: Zootopia, London Has Fallen, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/03/16 at 07:45 AM CT

Let it be known that the first weekend in March will be the weekend that Deadpool finally dethroned. A betting man would put his money on the new animated feature from Disney - with an action-packed sequel and a war time comedy coming in a distant second and third. It's not even going to be close - Deadpool has had a great (and unexpectedly-strong) run, but the Merc with a Mouth is no match for …

London Has Fallen, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and More in This Week's MPAA Bulletin

Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/02/16 at 12:14 PM CT

The ratings business seems to follow not pattern that I can discern. Some movies are rated months ahead of time and others seems to sneak in at the last minute before their release date. Both of the major films this week are of the latter - both coming in just days before they hit theaters. That seems like a bit of challenge, but I'm guessing both were pretty much hedging on the ratings they …

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

Harley Lond - wrote on 03/01/16 at 05:06 AM CT

THIS WEEK'S THEATRICAL RELEASES:

"The Danish Girl": Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne give tour-de-force performances in this quietly enthralling love story inspired by the lives of married artists Einar and Gerda Wegener. Set in 1920s Copenhagen and Paris, the film follows the transformation of successful landscape artist Einar into Lili Elbe -- a woman inside him that he has had difficulty …



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