FilmCrave Movie Blog 09/2011

New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Get Mooned by Transformers or Make a Ben-Hur Upgrade

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/27/11 at 08:02 PM CT

After a rush last week, it seems all other new releases cower in fear of the summer blockbuster titan that is Transformers.

1) As the only major (new) film getting released, hopefully you like lots of eye candy and action, because that's pretty much all you're going to get with Transformers: Dark of the Moon. While I do think this is an improvement over the second entry, this movie is still …

Weekend Box Office: Lion King Still Has Bite, Moneyball & Dolphin Tale Fight for Runner-Up

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/26/11 at 12:50 AM CT

It was in with the old once again this weekend as a record-breaking September weekend ($116 million total) was boosted by two family films.

Taking the top spot for the second weekend in a row, The Lion King added an extra $22.1 million to its total. In two weekends it has brought in nearly $62 million and boosted its total to $390.2 million (12th on the all-time movie list). Should Disney …

New Movies to Crave: Should You Take In Abduction or Catch the Moneyball?

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/23/11 at 02:03 PM CT

It looks like it's going to be a crowded weekend. With five relatively decent releases to choose from, will The Lion King roar again or can one of the new entries claim the top spot?

1) With the names involved, Moneyball looks to be the best choice for discerning movie watchers. Brad Pitt teams up with Jonah Hill for the true story of the Oakland A's manager who harnesses the power of …

New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Always a Bridesmaid, Only Occasionally a Dumbo

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/20/11 at 11:50 AM CT

One of the year's most surprising hits makes its debut and Disney opens its vault for business once again.

1) No doubt that Hollywood was happy that Bridesmaids did so well. While Hangover: Part 2 may have had the bigger final gross, Bridesmaids got all the glory. It was a female-driven R-rated comedy - almost unheard of - but week after week audiences showed up (much like current box office …

Weekend Box Office: 17-Year Old Lion King Mauls Competition

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/19/11 at 12:40 AM CT

It's not like Disney needs even more money to their name, but it looks like they've stumbled onto a lucrative new strategy.

Despite having last graced theaters 17 years ago, the re-release of The Lion King in 3D made more than all three new films combined. With a $29.3 million total, The Lion King the first re-release to claim the top spot since 1997 when Return of the Jedi managed the same …

A Selection from My Collection: A Tale of Two Sisters

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/17/11 at 01:05 PM CT

I’m a big fan of atmospheric horror – sure, I also like zombies and blood and gore, but sometimes I need something that works on a deeper level. A Tale of Two Sisters is a Korean film that really digs in psychologically. It has some intense moments that will make you jump, but overall, it has that creeping sense of dread that permeates the entire film.

**I won’t spoil the film this …

New Movies to Crave: Take a Restless Drive with Straw Dogs? I Don't Know How She Does It

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/16/11 at 02:41 PM CT

A week after one of the slowest on record, can any new films help boost a sagging box office?

1) Ryan Gosling is hoping you'll take a Drive with him. A stuntman/wheelman finds himself in over his head after a heist gone wrong. Boasting a cast including Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman this is an action flick with the heart of an …

New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Thor Swings His Hammer; Star Wars Gets a High-Def Overhaul

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/13/11 at 06:32 PM CT

While the brand new offerings are a little slim this week, new Blu-Ray releases of old favorites more than make up for the lackluster lineup.

1) Leading the way is Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston giving Norse mythology a comic-book twist in Thor. While I didn't find Thor to be anything too special in the grande scheme of The Avengers lineup, it is …

Weekend Box Office: Contagion Coughs Up a Win, Warrior Packs Little Punch

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/12/11 at 02:10 AM CT

In one of the slowest weekends of the year, Contagion managed to finally break The Helps three week reign over the box office.

With an estimated $23.1 million, Contagion took the top spot. While the numbers were solid, they weren't spectacular numbers. The $60 million film will probably earn back its money, but considering the level of talent involved both in front of and behind the camera, …

Do You Dare Rank Your Top Movies by Language?

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/10/11 at 03:10 PM CT

I admit, my own top movie list looks a bit bland when it comes to languages. Out of my top 20 films, only three are not in English, and two of those are anime films.

Yet I think I have a pretty broad range when it comes to foreign films - at least compared to the typical American. Thanks to anime and horror - not to mention my respect of Akira Kurosawa, I have a healthy selection of Japanese …

New Movies to Crave: Can Contagion Bring Down The Help?

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

After three weeks of box office doldrums, I'm finally going to say the The Help will not be the #1 film for the weekend.

1) One of Steven Soderbergh's final films, Contagion looks to get under your skin by presenting a pandemic of global proportions and following different people and how they react: from a grieving father to CDC and WHO officials to a vindictive blogger - it doesn't look like …

A Selection from My Collection: The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/08/11 at 10:07 AM CT

Amidst the Cold War John Frankenheimer crafted on of the most chilling political thrillers of its day and, despite the passage of time, it remains as powerful today as when it first premiered.

**The Queen of Diamonds compels me to tell you there may be spoilers ahead.**

The idea that a foreign power could “plant” an agent isn’t a novel concept. Many films have used the same idea to …

New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Go to the Head of the First Class or Set Hanna in Your Sights

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/06/11 at 11:46 AM CT

After a few rather bland weeks in my opinion, there are finally some new releases that have me excited. I was always more of an action fan, myself anyway.

1) While it may not have been the most popular super hero film of the year, I think it was one of the better executed: X-Men: First Class shows us how Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr met up and ultimately broke apart due to ideological …

Holiday Weekend Box Office: The Help Manages Top Spot for Third Straight Weekend

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/05/11 at 03:31 PM CT

You have to go back a full year to find another film that has accomplished the same feat as The Help. Inception was the last film before The Help to take 1st place three weeks in a row.

Emma Stone and co. must be very pleased with themselves right about now. The drama took in $19 million over the holiday weekend and its total gross now stands at $123.4 million. Plus, the film had staying …

New Movies to Crave: Apollo 18 Lands, Sharks Attack (in 3D!) and The Debt is Owed

Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/02/11 at 11:39 AM CT

You could say Labor Day weekend is truly summer's last gasp - one final weekend to have fun. Unfortunately for Hollywood, this doesn't usually involve sitting in a theater but rather one last day at the beach or camping or other activity. After two soft weeks, I don't think this weekend will see much of an improvement.

1) Apollo 18 continues the trend of "found footage" by taking us on the …



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