"In the Dark" is a weekly e-zine (that's a fancy word for "e-mail") featuring Eric's movie reviews, box office scores and other film-related merriment, all delivered straight to your e-mailbox.
And it's FREE! And, since it's supported by advertisers (who buy small text ads in the e-zine), it will always be free! None of that outrageous "charging you for services rendered" that some capitalist pig dogs try to pull.
A sample issue is below, but in a nutshell, here's what you'll get every Friday:
- A full-length review of that week's best and/or highest-profile release.
- Capsule reviews of the other new releases, with links to Eric's full reviews.
- A heads-up on what was released on DVD that week.
- Recommendations on what else is worth seeing that weekend, aside from the new releases.
- Links to reviews of films that you should NOT see, but whose reviews may amuse you.
- "5 Good Movies," a brief list of movies worth renting on DVD, all connected by a theme.
- The box office scores from the previous weekend.
- Sass. Plenty of pure, unfiltered sass.
Eric's reviews are still available at www.EricDSnider.com, of course. "In the Dark" is simply a way for you to get them more conveniently, and with a little more specialized content than is currently available on the site.
We'll never sell or give your address to anyone. And we'll never spam you, either: You'll get the weekly e-zine (in pure text form, no HTML), and that's it.
So sign up today! It's like getting a weekly e-mail from a friend who only talks about movies who you don't have to write back to!
ERIC D. SNIDER'S
I N T H E D A R K
MOVIE REVIEWS FOR AUGUST 17, 2007
(#122 - Volume 3, Issue 16)
CONTENTS:
1. OUR TOP STORY
2. OTHER NEW RELEASES
3. ERIC RECOMMENDS
4. ERIC RECOMMENDS YOU AVOID
5. RECENTLY REVIEWED
6. DVD RELEASES
7. 5 GOOD MOVIES...
8. BOX OFFICE
Don't forget the "In the Dark" PODCAST, posted every Friday! You can subscribe to it here:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/blog/?feed=rss2&cat=24
Or visit Eric's blog and listen to it:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/blog/
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OUR TOP STORY
The week's best and/or highest-profile release.
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"SUPERBAD"
Grade: A-
Rated R for pervasive harsh profanity and vulgarity, abundant crude sexual dialogue, brief sexuality, some nude drawings and photographs
1 hr., 54 min.
PERMALINK:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/superbad
BUY THE SUPER-FUNKY SOUNDTRACK:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000SM7R9W/thelandoferic
PRE-ORDER "KNOCKED UP":
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000TZJBQ0/thelandoferic
With "Knocked Up" at the beginning and now "Superbad" at the end, we can officially declare this to have been the Summer of Judd Apatow.
Apatow, who wrote and directed "Knocked Up," only produced "Superbad." But he's a mentor to the guys who wrote it, and a friend to many of the cast members -- some of whom you'll recognize from his films -- and his influence can be felt in its humor. It's raunchy, it's vulgar, it's hilarious ... and it's endearingly real.
The writers, Seth Rogen (the star of "Knocked Up") and Evan Goldberg, have created an quasi-autobiographical 1980s-style teenage sex comedy with laughs and heart and, merciful heavens, more laughs. The jokes are often sexual, with references both highbrow and silly. You can dismiss the screenplay as having been written by juveniles, but there's no denying they were smart juveniles.
The heroes, named for the writers, are Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), both high school seniors with two weeks left until graduation. They dwell in the middle section of the teen social hierarchy, neither popular nor noticeably unpopular, picked on by a few jerks but mostly just ignored. They have a third friend, a hanger-on named Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who is a source of embarrassment for being dorky. Seth and Evan are kind of dorky, too, but at least they know it. Fogell (or Faggell, as Seth inevitably calls him), his baby face contrasting with his hilariously delusional sexual ambitions, is blissfully unaware of just how awkward he is.
Seth is less responsible and more generally aggrieved by life than Evan; Evan is worried and earnest most of the time. Seth has the hots for a girl named Jules (Emma Stone) and wants to sleep with her before it's too late. Evan likes Becca (Martha MacIsaac) and has similar aims, though he's more subdued about it, maybe even respectful. Seth insists a party being thrown by Jules is their chance to get the girls drunk and take advantage of the opportunity. He reminds Evan what girls are always saying after wild parties, about getting wasted and sleeping with guys they shouldn't have. "We could be that mistake!" he declares.
And so the movie unfolds over the course of 24 hours, with Evan, Seth, and Fogell attempting to procure liquor for Jules' party, with things going wrong and Fogell winding up in the custody of two easy-going, affable cops (played by Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) for a while, and with Evan and Seth's friendship being tested as they struggle to attend the party, find the girls, and advance their plans. The boys' relationship is already strained by the news that they'll be attending different colleges in the fall, and this fateful night is when their differences with one another -- Evan's timidity, Seth's recklessness -- come to a head.
The reason this and "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (Apatow's previous film) strike such a chord with viewers is that the movies' basic premises are plausible and the characters are believable -- and yet they're hysterically funny, too. Most movie characters who make us laugh don't bear more than a passing resemblance to anyone we actually know. Often, it's being larger-than-life that makes them so funny. But the people in Apatow's movies seem just like our friends, only funnier. Evan and Seth talk the way my friends talked in high school, although perhaps with more swearing. (I tended to hang out with goody-goodies.)
That friendship between Seth and Evan, the heart of the movie, is brilliantly played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera. Fans of "Arrested Development" will recall how good Michael Cera is at conveying awkward uncertainty, and it's great to see him getting a major role in a major film. Likewise, this could be Hill's breakout performance after being a consistently witty presence in smaller roles in other pictures. Some comedians are best in small doses, but Hill proves himself worthy of leading-man status, able to shoulder the bulk of "Superbad" without making us tired of him.
And yet somehow, I think nearly everything I've said so far will be irrelevant compared to what might be the film's single greatest contribution: a fellow by the name of McLovin.
McLovin is Fogell, the third-wheel dweeb who is Evan and Seth's friend without really being their equal. He's the only one with a fake ID, though, so he's the one recruited to buy the booze for Jules' party. The problem? When he got the ID, he stupidly chose "McLovin" as his fake name. No first name; just McLovin. He is McLovin.
McLovin is what the cops call him, and it's what everyone else winds up calling him, and it's what the movie's viewers will be calling themselves and each other for a long time to come. Irresistibly played by newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Fogell/McLovin doesn't look like a movie star; he looks like a high school doofus, with a huge dopey grin and very little sense of propriety. He speaks with a slight lisp, and his voice cracks constantly. He believes he is smooth and smart despite being gawky and idiotic. He is a composite of about 20 percent of the boys you knew in school, and he immediately joins the pantheon of iconic teen-movie characters: There's Jeff Spicoli, Duckie, Stifler, Booger, and now McLovin.
Guided by TV director Greg Mottola (Apatow's "Undeclared," "Arrested Development," "The Comeback"), the film could be trimmed by a few minutes, probably in the side plot with the police officers. Yes, I realize that to cut any of that would mean to reduce McLovin's screen time, and surely that is not desirable. But while most of the film is grounded in teenage reality, that tangent is madcap and far-fetched. You see that sort of nonsense in the cheesy teen movies, not the good ones.
Then again, maybe the point of "Superbad" is to recapture every aspect of the '80s teen sex comedy, including the cheesy parts. Either way, the high-spirited adventures of Seth, Evan, and McLovin make this a truly exuberant, deliriously funny comedy. I've seen a few movies that were a little funnier, but I don't think I've ever seen so many individual performances that brought more laughs than these three do.
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ADVERTISEMENT:
"Dr Pepper is a fine beverage, and is already flavored with a hint of black cherry, as well as a laxative or two. Yet still they felt compelled to introduce Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, a soda so overloaded with flavors that drinking it makes your mouth angry, like you've swallowed a handful of bees." -- "Snide Remarks," 5/22/06. "Snide Remarks" appears every Monday at http://www.ericdsnider.com, completely free of charge and devoid of all humor.
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OTHER NEW RELEASES
Films opening today or that have been reviewed since we last spoke.
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HOLLYWOOD'S SHAMEFUL SECRETS
(Movies the studios refused to screen for critics -- which almost always means they're ashamed of them and want to avoid negative opening-day reviews.)
"THE LAST LEGION" (1 hr., 50 min.; rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence) is about the last emperor of ancient Rome, and something about a special sword and a young boy and a wizard played by Ben Kingsley. It's a prequel to the King Arthur/sword in the stone story, I think. It stars Colin Firth. I know: Colin Firth? Doesn't seem right to me, either. Review to come this weekend.
* * * * * * * *
"THE INVASION"
(1 hr., 35 min.; rated PG-13 for a little profanity, moderate violence, some gross stuff)
Grade: C
The latest remake of the classic sci-fi thriller "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" -- this time just called "The Invasion" -- takes a genuinely creepy premise and renders it almost ineffective through weak, factory-issued dialogue and a disappointing finale. Nicole Kidman plays a Washington D.C. psychiatrist trying to protect herself and her young son from an alien virus that turns people into emotionless, drone-like versions of themselves. A few scenes are mildly suspenseful; quite a few others are laden with extremely helpful coincidences: Hey, there's a useful disguise in the train's bathroom! Look, a cop car we can use! That's not to mention clunky characters like the Russian guy who summarizes, in a bizarrely lengthy speech at a dinner party, all of the film's supposedly deep themes. Silly stuff like that detracts from the movie's tone, which is otherwise completely straight-faced and deadly serious. Kidman, with her kittenish whisper and seeming frailty, isn't quite believable as a butt-kicking action heroine, and the climax is uninspired and watered-down. It's typical late-summer fare: not bad, exactly, but liable to make you say, "Is that it?" when it's over.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-invasion
BUY THE 1956 ORIGINAL FILM:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0782009980/thelandoferic
* * * * * * * *
"BECOMING JANE"
(1 hr., 52 min.; rated PG for some mild innuendo, some brief skinny-dipping rear nudity)
Grade: B-
The premise behind "Becoming Jane," the sumptuous-looking quasi-biopic about the beloved Ms. Austen, is that Jane Austen's life often resembled a Jane Austen novel. How cute! But it does bring this question to mind: Why make a movie that so closely resembles "Pride & Prejudice" when that story has already been filmed a number of times? Making it about the author's life gives it a certain charm, I'll grant you, the way "Shakespeare in Love" was deemed clever for combining elements of the Bard's plays with his personal life. But take Jane out of the equation -- replace her with any of your basic period-piece-romantic-costume-drama heroines -- and you're left with mere trifle. It's not bad trifle, though. Anne Hathaway makes for a lively Jane, and James McAvoy ("The Last King of Scotland") is good as the Mr. Darcy figure, a roguish lawyer named Tom Lefroy. It's nothing you haven't seen before, but kind of fun to see it again. Kind of. Really, though, we did just have a "Pride & Prejudice" in 2005. Keira Knightley was in it. She was really good! I'm just sayin'.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/becoming-jane
BUY THE QUINTESSENTIAL "PRIDE & PREJUDICE" (i.e., THE COLIN FIRTH ONE):
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005MP58/thelandoferic
* * * * * * * *
"NO END IN SIGHT" (limited release)
(1 hr., 49 min.; not rated; probably R for three F-words, some grisly war-related images)
Grade: A-
"No End in Sight" is a calm, scathing documentary about the U.S. presence in Iraq, but it does not focus on whether the war was the "right" thing to do in the first place. Its real focus is on the immediate aftermath, those critical few months after Saddam was deposed in 2003. And that is where a clear, well nigh irrefutable point emerges: Right or wrong, when we did go into Iraq, we ought to have done a better job of it. The film uses interviews with key participants and footage from Baghdad to lay out the facts of America's occupation of Iraq, methodically and without sensationalism. Charles Ferguson, the producer and director, is a political scientist, not a filmmaker. He doesn't use the cinematic tricks and techniques that a more accomplished showman like Michael Moore would use -- and that's good. It would detract from his message, which he presents unadorned. It comes across as something of a horror story: This happened, it was a fiasco, it didn't have to be -- and now there might not be any way of fixing it.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/no-end-in-sight
PRE-ORDER THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000U6YJMO/thelandoferic
* * * * * * * *
"LA VIE EN ROSE" (limited release)
(2 hrs., 10 min.; rated PG-13 for a little partial nudity, a little sexuality, some mild profanity; French with subtitles)
Grade: B+
After so many other biopics about drug-addicted popular singers, it is refreshing to see "La Vie en Rose." It follows the same template as all the others but produces better-than-usual results, thanks to a shattering central performance. It's the story of French singer Edith Piaf, who rose to fame in the 1930s and died in 1963 after battles with alcoholism, morphine addiction, and liver cancer. She is played by Marion Cotillard in what is unquestionably the best performance by an actress so far this year. You don't need to be familiar with the real Piaf to see how fully Cotillard inhabits her, nor do you need to have seen Cotillard in other roles to understand what a stretch this performance is. It's all there on the screen: her commitment to the character in all her moods and stages of life, her passionate re-creations of Piaf's concerts, her unselfconsciousness at appearing buffoonish when Piaf is older, stooped over, frail, her hands clawed, her face ridiculous with too much makeup. There isn't much flair in the film's direction, but that doesn't matter. Cotillard never ceases to be captivating in her portrayal of the tortured, mercurial Piaf. She brings the singer to life in a way few actors have managed.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/la-vie-en-rose
BUY THE SOUNDTRACK:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MEYIBG/thelandoferic
* * * * * * * *
"PARIS, JE T'AIME" (limited release)
(1 hr., 56 min.; rated R for a lot of harsh profanity; mostly in French with subtitles)
Grade: B+
Even for someone such as myself who has never been to the City of Light, "Paris, Je T'aime" is a masterful achievement, both as a film and as a heartfelt love letter to one of the world's most romantic cities. A total of 21 directors made 18 short films, each set in a different section of Paris, with nothing in common other than the locale and the general theme of "love." A few clunkers stand out, but what's surprising is how well these vastly different stories -- everything from goofy comedy to poignant drama, fantasy to stark realism -- fit together. (For movie buffs, there's the additional geeky pleasure of seeing short films by the Coen Brothers, Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant, Tom Tykwer, Alfonso Cuaron, and Alexander Payne, among others.) As a whole, the movie takes us on a satisfying journey through all sorts of stories and emotions. It will send you out of the theater smiling, and maybe thinking that even if you've never been there, you love Paris a little bit, too.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/paris-je-taime
BUY THE SOUNDTRACK:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000K2RD5S/thelandoferic
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ADVERTISEMENT:
A big stack of copies of Eric D. Snider's second "Snide Remarks" compilation, "Snide Remarks II: Electric Boogaloo," is taking up space in Eric's apartment, and all those memories of BYU from 1997-99 are going to waste. Hence, the price has been reduced to just $5, and you ought to buy a copy or two. Go to http://www.ericdsnider.com/shop.php .
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ERIC RECOMMENDS
Of the 28,473 movies currently playing, these are the ones that Eric rated as B+ or better. Some are in limited release and may not be playing where you live. If so, you should move.
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"1408" (B+)
John Cusack spends the night in a haunted hotel room. Pants-wetting ensues.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/1408
"28 WEEKS LATER" (B+)
Grim, scary, claustrophobic sequel to the frenetic 2003 zombie flick.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/28-weeks-later
"THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM" (B+)
Do not try to kill Jason Bourne! It only makes him angrier.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-bourne-ultimatum
"CRAZY LOVE" (A-)
Endlessly fascinating documentary about a New York couple's truly insane, yet somehow functional relationship.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/crazy-love
"THE GOLDEN DOOR" (B+)
Contemplative, beautifully shot story of an Italian family emigrating to the U.S. circa 1900.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-golden-door
"HAIRSPRAY" (A-)
Deliriously happy musical about a girl getting on a teen dance show in the '60s.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/hairspray
"HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX" (B+)
Adolescence can be a real beeyotch, even for wizards.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix
"KNOCKED UP" (A-)
From the man who gave us "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" comes this raucous comedy about a one-night stand that leads to pregnancy.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/knocked-up
"ONCE" (B+)
Sweet-natured modern Irish musical about two young musicians who meet on the street.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/once
"RATATOUILLE" (A-)
The latest from Pixar, about a rat who wants to be a chef. Delightful from appetizer to dessert.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/ratatouille
"RESCUE DAWN" (B+)
Compelling real-life story about a U.S. pilot shot down over Laos in 1966.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/rescue-dawn
"THE SIMPSONS MOVIE" (B+)
Almost as funny as the TV show was in its prime. Mmm... prime....
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-simpsons-movie
"STARDUST" (B+)
Darkly comedic and imaginative fairy tale for grown-ups.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/stardust
"SUNSHINE" (B+)
Tense, enjoyable sci-fi story about a plan to re-ignite the dying sun.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/sunshine
"WAITRESS" (A)
Tart, sweet, uplifting comedy/drama about a diner waitress saddled with a lout husband and an unwanted pregnancy -- and an affair with her OB-GYN. It's funny, trust me.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/waitress
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HEY 'IN THE DARK' READERS:
What else would you like to see in Eric D. Snider's "In the Dark"? What should we do differently? What should we do more betterly? What are we already doing really awesomely at? We want your feedback! E-mail Eric at -- follow closely here -- Eric@EricDSnider.com. Or you can just reply to this e-mail. Or you can stop by his house.
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ERIC RECOMMENDS YOU AVOID
These movies are very bad and should not be watched by anyone other than trained professionals. However, Eric's reviews of them may be of some amusement if you enjoy seeing a bad movie get what it deserves.
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"BRATZ" (F)
There are no words. There are just ... no words.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/bratz
"I KNOW WHO KILLED ME" (D)
I know who bored me.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/i-know-who-killed-me
"LICENSE TO WED" (F)
How bad is it? Robin Williams is in it ... and he's not even the worst thing about it.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/license-to-wed
"UNDERDOG" (D+)
Remember those old cartoons? No? Well, either way, this movie blows.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/underdog
"WHO'S YOUR CADDY?" (D-)
It turns out white people are different from black people in comical ways!
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/whos-your-caddy
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ADVERTISEMENT:
Pre-order Macintosh OS 10.5 Leopard NOW at Amazon.com for only $129.00, and have it delivered when it's released in October! Click here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FK88JK?tag=thelandoferic
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RECENTLY REVIEWED
Movies that are neither strongly recommended nor strongly discouraged but that have been reviewed within the past month. For an even more complete list of movies both past and present, go to http://www.ericdsnider.com/movie.php .
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"ANGEL-A" (B-)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/angel-a
"BROKEN ENGLISH" (B-)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/broken-english
"DADDY DAY CAMP" (F)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/daddy-day-camp
"EL CANTANTE" (C-)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/el-cantante
"HOT ROD" (B)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/hot-rod
"I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY" (C+)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/i-now-pronounce-you-chuck-larry
"INTERVIEW" (C)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/interview
"INTRODUCING THE DWIGHTS" (C+)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/introducing-the-dwights
"JOSHUA" (B)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/joshua-1
"NO RESERVATIONS" (C)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/no-reservations
"RUSH HOUR 3" (C)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/rush-hour-3
"SKINWALKERS" (C-)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/skinwalkers
"TALK TO ME" (B)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/talk-to-me
"THE TEN" (B)
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-ten
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ADVERTISEMENT:
Eric personally recommends Netflix for all your DVD-renting needs. Try it for free, and then pay only $9.99 a month! Click here: http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=5f9NLp9EpHI&offerid=78684.10000073&type=3&subid=0
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DVD RELEASES
These films were released on DVD this past Tuesday. Who knows, maybe they're on VHS, too. Reviews are of the original theatrical release.
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"AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE COLON MOVIE FILM FOR THEATERS" (C-)
So take a 10-minute animated show that's renowned for being about nothing, stretch it to eight times that length ... and you still got nothing.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/aqua-teen-hunger-force-colon-movie-film-for-theaters
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JPP2/thelandoferic
"FRACTURE" (B)
Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling star in this sharp legal thriller about a man who kills his wife, admits it, and then tries to get away with it in court.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/fracture
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000R4SMCW/thelandoferic
"THE LOOKOUT" (A-)
Quiet, contemplative drama about a man with memory damage who becomes involved in a bank heist.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-lookout
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QFCD8Q/thelandoferic
"VACANCY" (B)
Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale stop at a cheap roadside motel; death and mayhem ensue.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/vacancy
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000RGN2JI/thelandoferic
"WILD HOGS" (F)
If William H. Macy died today, the obituaries would mention that he never won an Oscar, and that his last film was "Wild Hogs." So sad.
ERIC'S COMPLETE REVIEW:
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/wild-hogs
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QFCD7W/thelandoferic
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ALSO NEW THIS WEEK:
"DYNASTY" (Season 2): This show was so popular in its day that it became very trendy in real life for people to slap family members in the face.
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QUEQ68/thelandoferic
"THE FUGITIVE" (Season 1, Vol. 1): The first 15 episodes, in which the one-armed man is not found, and the fugitive is not caught. (Not to spoil it or anything.)
BUY THE DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000Q6GUSE/thelandoferic
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ADVERTISEMENT:
"I debated whether to read 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand. This is a massive, heavy book with a lot of words and very, very few cartoon illustrations. It is not a pop-up book, nor does it contain a great deal of rhyming. It has been recommended to me by friends. But I thought: Do I want to be the sort of person who reads 'Atlas Shrugged'? Next thing you know, I'm growing a goatee and hanging out in coffee shops and, worse, telling people how great 'Atlas Shrugged' is." -- "Snide Remarks," 10/6/02. "Snide Remarks" appears every Monday at http://www.ericdsnider.com, completely free of charge and devoid of all humor.
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5 GOOD MOVIES...
A random list of quality films, all available on DVD, for you to consider when you're at the video store or updating your Netflix queue.
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5 GOOD COMEDIES (THEY MADE ME LAUGH, ANYWAY) THAT DID POORLY AT THE BOX OFFICE:
"SUPERBAD" opens today and will soon be filling the mouths of our nation's youth with laughter and repeatable catchphrases. ("I am McLovin!") It will probably be a hit. Meanwhile, here are five others that were also very funny but that did not connect at the box office. Enjoy them in their obscurity, won't you?
"WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!"
Like "Bring It On" before it, this one subtly twists the teen romantic-comedy genre while indulging in many of its conventions. It's smart, in other words.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton
"TEACHER'S PET"
Disney's overlooked Warner Bros.-style cartoon, full of frenetic, loose-limbed anarchy and Nathan Lane as the voice of a very funny dog.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/teachers-pet
"THE MEXICAN"
Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts in a wry, silly South-of-the-Border caper.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-mexican
"ME, MYSELF & IRENE"
Jim Carrey plays a quiet loser and his Mr. Hyde alter ego in this vulgar gross-out comedy from back when the Farrelly Bros. were funny.
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/me-myself-irene
"GET OVER IT"
Witty, clever teen comedy about a boy trying to win back his girlfriend by getting involved in the school play: a musical version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/get-over-it
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BOX OFFICE
What topped last weekend's (Aug. 10-12) box office, with links to Eric's reviews.
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It turns out six years between sequels probably isn't a good idea. "RUSH HOUR 3" opened to $49.1 million last weekend -- a great debut by normal standards, but far below the $67.4 million (about $80 million in today's dollars) that "Rush Hour 2" made when it opened in 2001.
"THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM" and "THE SIMPSONS MOVIE" both held strong for 2nd and 3rd place, while newcomer "STARDUST" opened in 4th with just $9.2 million -- not a good start for a film that cost $70 million to make.
"DADDY DAY CAMP," which had opened midweek, scored 10th place and will hopefully soon be forgotten altogether.
And the other new release? "SKINWALKERS" opened in 17th place with just $753,000. So it turns out that delaying a film's release date several times, then paring it down from an R rating to a PG-13, then not screening it for critics, is probably not the best marketing strategy. Good to know.
Finally, in the milestone department: "TRANSFORMERS" (#11) became the fourth film of 2007 (and the 26th of all time) to cross the $300 million mark. You will bow down before the mightiness of Michael Bay and his robots-that-all-look-alike-that-fight-each-other movie!
1. "RUSH HOUR 3" (C) - $49,100,158 - opening weekend - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/rush-hour-3
2. "THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM" (B+) - $32,879,125 - $131,552,425 total (opened Aug. 3) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-bourne-ultimatum
3. "THE SIMPSONS MOVIE" (B+) - $11,269,651 - $152,381,993 total (opened July 27) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/the-simpsons-movie
4. "STARDUST" (B+) - $9,169,779 - opening weekend - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/stardust
5. "HAIRSPRAY" (A-) - $6,396,666 - $92,139,670 total (opened July 20) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/hairspray
6. "UNDERDOG" (D+) - $6,352,377 - $24,643,289 total (opened Aug. 3) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/underdog
7. "I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY" (C+) - $5,877,915 - $103,777,170 total (opened July 20) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/i-now-pronounce-you-chuck-larry
8. "HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX" (B+) - $5,432,130 - $272,047,388 total (opened July 11) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix
9. "NO RESERVATIONS" (C) - $3,855,029 - $32,025,018 total (opened July 27) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/no-reservations
10. "DADDY DAY CAMP" (F) - $3,402,678 - $4,887,285 total (opened Aug. 8) - http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/daddy-day-camp
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Copyright (c) 2007 by Eric D. Snider. Feel free to forward this to people you think will appreciate it (without spamming anyone, please), but please keep it reasonably intact (i.e., with all the links and attribution and stuff). Support our advertisers by clicking on the links and doing a little shopping now and then. Box office data courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com. Send Eric comments or suggestions at Eric@EricDSnider.com, or simply by replying to this e-mail.
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