Weekend @ the Box Office
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies continues to make a dragon’s lair full of box office draws with $41,420,000 and continues to inflate Peter Jackson’s ego. Will Unbroken be the movie that finally turns Angelina Jolie into a global superstar? That’s unlikely with an opening of $47,341,000. I guess we’ll never hear about that Jolie ever again (that was sarcasm). Into the Woods stars Anna Kendrick and Emily Blunt, who haven’t returned my phone calls. It also made just under Unbroken numbers with $31,031,000. Even after reporting the BO numbers last week, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb continues to be one of those movies that I forgot existed, making a decent $20,600,000 with a 20.5% increase in intake. Annie also continues to exist but only raised 4.7% in BO draw to reach $16,600,000.
The Interview finally got released and worked up some hearty millions at the box office as well. To anybody who still thinks this whole shebang was a marketing ploy: It still lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
News Roundup
Since it was Christmas, nobody wanted to break any stories. Except for these guys. While Star Trek fans around the world fear for the sanctity of our beloved franchise, we can now rest easy with Roberto Orci being kicked out of both the director’s chair and the writer’s room. God bless America. Instead, Justin Lin will course correct the franchise from the hands of a 9/11 truther (seriously). Lin is known for his contributions to revitalizing the Fast & Furious films. The F&F franchise is dumb fun, but Lin has an eye for action and actually gets some decent themes involved in the plot (Vin Diesel mumbling “family” counts as themes kinda). He’s exploring different avenues in film by dipping his toes in the first episodes of True Detective season 2. Fingers crossed he can handle the reigns of a science fiction franchise.
Star Trek 3 officially has a date! July 8, 2016. That’s it. That’s literally all the news.
Trailer of the Week
I have a confession to make. I like Entourage. I mean, I really, really like Entourage. Abercrombie & Fitch smells like what Entourage looks like, but it’s essentially the male version of Sex and the City. Seasons 1-5 are some of the most vicarious pornographic material to ever air on television, and I can’t help but enjoy them. I’m not even sorry. I’m fully aware of how terrible some of it is. (Season 7 was on another level of shitty.) Watching this trailer, I’m reminded of my favorite parts of the show. It’s like a giant episode of Entourage. If anything, I will sit back and enjoy Jeremy Piven playing the role he was born to play.
Tweets of the Week
“Strange but not a stranger” – Talking Heads pic.twitter.com/30lPiwfGhk
— Scott Derrickson (@scottderrickson) December 22, 2014
I hate aliens coming over here taking our jobs. pic.twitter.com/pGB54QRjzn
— You had one job (@_youhadonejob) December 28, 2014
Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton have separated. I guess she was pissed there was no role for her in BIG EYES…
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) December 23, 2014
I hope this isn’t the moment we find out Helena Bonham Carter’s been directing Tim Burton’s films for 13 years while he’s taken the credit.
— Guy Lodge (@GuyLodge) December 23, 2014
“journalists” live tweeting THE INTERVIEW pic.twitter.com/3TtjRv6qZw
— BenDavid Grabinski (@bdgrabinski) December 24, 2014
If you think this whole INTERVIEW brouhaha was just a marketing ploy, you are giving Sony way too much credit.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) December 24, 2014
I wonder if 9/11 happened in Disney’s Planes universe
— JAPSPEPORJ FENWAY (@SidizenKane) December 25, 2014
I don’t trust people who like the Big Bang theory.
— Tamara Lynn Chambers (@TamaraLChambers) December 26, 2014
Kathy Bates does such a good job playing the Internet in MISERY.
— Russ Fischer (@russfischer) December 26, 2014
wow peter jackson took some real risks with this third hobbit movie wait this is into the woods
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) December 27, 2014
This New Years think of Michael J Fox, who is about to have the same lame Back to the Future II jokes made at him for a whole year
— Eli Matthewson (@elicalebm) December 27, 2014
Every worst of the year list: 1. Genuinely Awful Movie 2. Indie w/ Good Intentions 3. Not-That-Bad Flop 4. Cheap Shot 5. Contrarian Choice
— Benjamin Kramer (@benjaminkramer) December 27, 2014