The Watercooler: Serious Zombie Activity
Box office totals don’t mean much at LiC (and you’ll never see predictions around these parts), but I like to root for good films to succeed and I like seeing filmmakers and studios rewarded for taking chances. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the winners this weekend.
A Serious Man, one of the best movies of the year (read my initial thoughts here) pulled in an estimated $42,000 per screen on 6 screens this weekend – the 4th highest opening per screen average of the year behind Defiance ($61,757 on 1/2), Capitalism: A Love Story ($57,991 on 9/25) and Sunshine Cleaning ($54,798 on 3/13). What does that mean? Well it means there was plenty of interest in the movie in NY, LA and Minneapolis, but that’s no guarantee it’ll crossover to wider success.
Without the big stars of Burn After Reading ($60 million), A Serious Man will likely have to get some Oscar action like No Country for Old Men ($74 million) in order to do much more than make back it’s estimated $7 million production budget. Without having seen a number of movies yet to be released, it ought to be a contender for best screenplay. Roger Deakins should never be counted out for a nomination and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the great Carter Burwell get some attention of his score. Michael Stuhlbarg is deserving of a best actor nomination, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get one. Best picture? I’m still not feeling it. It’s not that it isn’t deserving, it just seems like too much of a niche film.
A Serious Man wasn’t the only winner at the box office this weekend. With an estimated $25 million in ticket sales, the horror comedy Zombieland starring Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson made back its production budget in one weekend. From here on in, it’s all gravy.
More interestingly, the microbudgeted Paranormal Activity continues to do well in midnight screenings. It expanded from 12 to 33 screens in its second weekend and ran up its total to an estimated $780K. That’s more than 70 times it’s $11K budget for those of you keeping score at home. I haven’t gone to see the film myself yet, but it’s an interesting story.
After getting an excellent response at Screamfest in 2007 and Slamdance in 2008, the Blair Witch-like film about a couple spending the night in a haunted house was picked up by DreamWorks which appeared intent on consigning it to DVD in favor of a higher budgeted remake. However, when DreamWorks split from Paramount recently, Paranormal Activity was one of the films to which Paramount kept the rights. Inspired by the film’s positive buzz and fanboy support, the studio opted to dust the film off with an unusual release strategy that saw it play only midnight screenings in towns where fans demanded to see it. Apparently the bean counters liked what they’ve seen the last two weekends because Paranormal Activity is now getting a traditional release in 40 cities on 10/8.
Not too shabby.
Now it’s your turn. Did any of these three films get your money this weekend or did you see anything else?
Filed under: Watercooler
Tags: A Serious Man, Ethan Coen, Jesse Eisenberg, Joel Coen, Michael Stuhlbarg, Paranormal Activity, The Coen Brothers, Woody Harrelson, Zombieland
Nope, none of those movies got my money. I watched 2 DVD’s that I had from Netflix: Renoir’s terrific La Règle du Jeu and Bergman’s very powerful and moving The Virgin Spring.
I’ll probably try to get to a theater this week. I still have yet to see Bright Star.
On a personal level, I had the busiest weekend of moviegoing since 2002, seeing eight (8) new films theatrically over the three days, and one reviewing. It was not only an unforgettable weekend in a prolific sense, but a few of the films were truly outstanding, including a five-star stud, and another at four-and-a-half. Of course the down side of seeing this many movies theatrically is that my serious case of OCD has kicked in big-time. (I have fascist cousin who always reminds me of this trait.)
The Invention of Lying *** (Friday noontime; Edgewater multplex)
Whip It *** 1/2 (Friday afternoon; Paramus multiplex)
Zombieland **** 1/2 (Friday afternoon; Paramus multiplex)
A Serious Man ***** (Friday night at 11:45 P.M.; Sunshine Cinemas)
Capitalism: A Love Story *** 1/2 (Saturday afternoon; Edgewater multiplex)
The Burning Plain *** (Saturday night; Tenafly Cinemas)
Amreeka **** (Sunday afternoon; Montclair Claridge Cinemas)
Paris *** 1/2 (Sunday afternoon; Montclair Claridge Cinemas)
I also saw last week’s five star movie “Bright Star” again as part of Sat. night’s double feature in same theatre, as some friends hadn’t yet seen it. The second viewing was just as glorious as the first.
Rickie Gervais, a multi-talented and appealing thesbian again was the dominant force in “The Invention of Lying”, as he was in “Ghost Town” but despite some funny set pieces, the entire premise here is rather anemic. It’s more like mind-control than the advertised “lying” anyway.
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut with “Whip It” is solid enough, despite the formulaic premise and execution. Still, it’s reasonably entertaining and Ellen Pasge is wonderful playing the reluctant roller-skater among a rough female crowd.
“Zombieland”, despite admittedly very impressive reviews, was the week’s big surprise, as I usually find most of this genre tired and redundant. But this was a witty, satirical and utterly winning (and just the right length too at 81 minutes) confection that pushed all the right buttons and made for a deliriously entertaining movie experience. I hope to have a review on this but I am still working on long-overdue Brit Noir feature.
The Coen brothers have again broached some vital philosophical concerns (Ethan has been at work in this regard with off-Broadway theatre in Manhattan as of late, and I did manage to see both those plays and see some subtle parallels here) in their new masterpiece “A Serious Man”, which certainly makes a strong challenge as their greatest film. (although I won’t declare that just yet). A man is told by his wife that she’s leaving him, his family is in rebellion, and he goes to rabbis for advice. Replete with the Coens incomparable blend of comedy and angst, and more than that. Again I hope to get a review up of this.
Michael Moore’s new documentary “Capitalism: A Love Story” features a good deal of hypocricy as Moore is a thriving capitalist himself. There are some aspects of the film I enjoyed, including Moore’s crime scene tape episode at the end, and some passages involving theological figures and FDR (as well as the usual trashing of GWB) but it’s message is compromised.
“The Burning Plain” is a train wreck of a movie, a pretentious tale of displacement, that strives for profundity but draws a big blank. Directed by Guillermo Arriaga, who did write an outstanding script for Amoros Perros, but this new film was mainly torturous to sit through.
“Amreeka” is an endearing tale of immigrants moving in with relatives in Illinois from the West Bank, and of the propblems obtaining work and fending off anti-Arab hysteria at the time Saddam Hussein was toppled. Some acute insights into social psychology, pride and the need to succeed. It’s a slice-of-life with humor, pain and compassion, impressively director by a female newcomer, spoken in English and Arabic.
Cedric Klapitsch’s “Paris” does have its moments, but the tales here are mainly unresolved, and it ’s wide canvas doesn’t provide for the depth or emotional resonance that this material is mainly known for. It’s bittersweet but perhaps too tame comically.
I had some work over the weekend so I didn’t get to see a lot of films but I’m happy with the quality of the ones I saw or at least most of them.
Spread – yup, it was very unfortunate Friday night for me. Tried to see Inglourious Basterds again with a couple of friends and we missed the screening. This Ashton Kutcher piece was supposed to be a comedy/drama but it was neither. The funniest things were the comments from the poor guys and girls in the seats.
400 Blows – Recently I realized just how many French films I’m yet to see and decided to get started. Trauffaut is not really my favourite director or anywhere near but this film was actually very engaging and felt real even in black and white.
Drag me to Hell – Saturday evening started kind of slow. The film was not bad but I guess the expectations were higher. It had suspence and on some places Raimi’s direction worked really well but I will never get all the gross parts they put in horror films recently. Seeing someone throw up in someone else’s mouth is not my idea of entertainment.
Land of the Lost – This had the benefit of low expectations and for me was a very entertaining and maybe kind of silly film. Still, I liked it a lot. Would have never seen it if it wasn’t for Craig, so thank you. I’m actually not a huge fan of Ferrell’s recent work. Didn’t like Step Brothers, Semi-pro or Blades of Glory but this one was funny and I’m kinda sad it didn’t do so great at the box office. Recently we have guy comedies and chick flicks. Rarely something different than a few guys getting stonned or a couple falling in love.
Inglourious Basterds – YES! Sunday evening. A group of friends went on a mission and after visiting 4 theatres found a suitable screening and entered the world of Quentin Tarantino. Enjoyed the film a lot, maybe the best QT film so far. Even though I’ve read half the script and had a spoiler that Hitler dies it still managed to deliver to my huge expectations. I will watch it again soon but I doubt things will change.
This was my weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing A Serious Man but it doesn’t have a distributor in Bulgaria yet. Some of the advantages of living in such a small country. On the other hand we talked with the owner of the theatre where we watched Inglourious Basterds ( a nice and small place, mainly art films and rarely more than 20-30 people at a screening) and it turned out my friends hadn’t seen Che. So he promised to arrange a special screening next week. I’m looking forward to that :)
Wow, you folks were ambitious this weekend. I got to two new releases and some older stuff with mixed results. Congrats to Sam for a very busy weekend.
Bright Star: I liked this one quite a bit although I didn’t really get into it until near the end, but the cinematography and costumes are amazing and the performances were all strong. I was a teeny bit disappointed that it was pretty much exactly what I expected in a period piece romantic tragedy though. Still recommended.
Invention of Lying was a real clunker for me. I chuckled a couple times but this felt like a Sat Night Live skit stretched into a feature length movie, with quite possibly the shoddiest direction of anything I’ve seen all year.
Revisited Coppola’s Dracula on Sat night, which was a perfect tonic to the overdone 2012 CGI porn clip I viewed Friday afternoon. Kind of amazing how well this film holds up considering all the effects are practical, but short of a couple of woefully miscast roles it’s still a very entertaining take on Bram Stoker’s famous book. I love the fact that Coppola decided to subvert all the Dracula cliches with an art film. Just simply beautiful to watch.
I also watched Vanishing Point for the first time with mixed results. On one hand I can see the appeal, on the other I wasn’t all that impressed with the stunt work or the story. My response is mixed.
Also saw Derailed, which was a complete mess of a movie. Decent acting from Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston, but the script was very contrived and predictable.
Oh one other thing: a friend of mine who is a huge horror fan had the wits scared out of him by Paranormal Activity this weekend, but whether that’s just him or a good indicator of the film’s potential is another matter entirely.
Thanks Joel! Of course I’m expecting the men in the white coats to appear at my door anytime now.
Wow, I hate to rob Sam of a justly deserved Watercooler prize, but I’m going to have to go with PiroHunter for not only taking my advice on Land of the Lost, but also kind of liking it!
For the record, I’m with you on Farrell’s recent stuff and my expectations going into this one were zero, but damn it if it didn’t tickle me. Number 1 rule of comedy: make me laugh. LotL did where so many others (coughcoughHangovercough) didn’t.
Sam you deserve some kind of prize though for a crazy weekend of movie going. The amazing thing is it sounds like Burning Plain was as close as you came to a dud, but even that one you gave 3 stars.
Alison gets bonus points for shifting gears from the terrific TCM to the equally terrific Criterion Collection. Two of my favorite companes that have anything to do with movies.
It sounds like from Joel and Sam’s response that I didn’t miss much by skipping Invention of Lying. Phillips and Scott got into an engaging disagreement over it on At The Movies last night. Those guys are shaping up pretty well. They’re nerdy as hell, but I’m a nerd so that’s no big deal
Joel, I’ve been inspired to revisit Dracula from some comments others have made around these parts. I haven’t seen it for years, but I still have fond memories of it. As much as I’ve always disliked Keanu, my memory of the film is that he kind of works. Jonathan Harker is such an ineffectual dope anyway. I had such a crush on Winona at the time, I can’t see beyond it now. It might be interesting to see the movie now that I’m over her.
Maybe she would’ve been no better in Godfather 3 than Sofia Coppola was.
I remember sitting down to watch Vanishing Point many years ago after not having seen it since seeing it with my father and brothers at the Drive-in….I’m thinking it must’ve been some kind of revival because otherwise I would’ve been 2 years old when it came out….anyway, as much as I liked Barry Newman, the movie itself wasn’t what I expected or remembered. Much fruitier. In fact, my disappointment with it was similar to my first go-round with another existential action flick: Point Blank. I wonder if subsequent Vanishing Point viewings would elevate it. Maybe I should give it a try.
I say revisit both Dracula and Vanishing Point. Neither movie is perfect but there’s enough going on in each that your mileage may vary. The blu-ray/DVD SE has some great making of docs for Dracula that helped me appreciate just how creative the production was. I thought they used a lot more CGI and green screen but lo and behold, everything is either a practical effect or done in-camera, which is truly amazing considering how solid the effects are.
As for Keanu, Harker is intended to be a lame fuddy duddy, but he also has to offer some romantic competition to Dracula and I just didn’t see it in Keanu’s Harker at all. I like Winona too, but she’s uneven in this and never really sells it to me the way most of the rest of the cast does. But in retrospect, I’m not sure who else Coppola could have cast from 1992.
Hey Piro!
So you liked INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, and LAND OF THE LOST, eh? And nice country Bulgaria. Special screenings by request!
I bet you’re a big SPEED RACER fan too, no? Ha!
As I sadly predicted, I only made it to one movie this weekend, that being the one celebrated already on this thread. And to take nothing away from PiroHunter’s prize, Sam would receive a tip of the hat from me for that marathon weekend!
I don’t know what people are expecting from ASM by the trailer or what they’ve read or what they are hoping for, but for the people it catches in the right mindset at the right time, yes, it should be considered the best of the year. That sounds like a lot of qualifying, but as Craig says this really isn’t a film made for the masses. At the same time, not getting a nod in an expanded Best Picture field must be considered blasphemy with what we’ve seen so far in 2009.
All of this is to say that I loved it – in a sneaky way. As Sam says, I found it much more philosophical/personal than anything they’ve done probably since Barton Fink, which is another way of saying that this one might only reach the “true” Coen fans, whomever they might be considered.
I’ll read your thoughts when I finish my own, Craig – definitely lots to chew on.
Caught up over the weekend with a bunch of films on DVD and saw one new one.
Revanche – excellent, well directed, nice sustained tension and sense of noirish doom (though stylistically it probably doesn’t qualify as film noir). Recommended
Female Agents – merely solid, reminded me just how good Black Book was, the one highlight was the vintage sets, props.
The Reader – everything top-notch but somehow it didn’t add up to the sum of its parts for me, I would have liked the male lead’s reason for staying quiet about Hanna’s illiteracy better unpacked (I can identify reasons for it but they weren’t made compellingly enough for me), the film raised interesting issues and covered emotionally powerful events but I wasn’t overly drawn in by either (can’t put my finger on why). The cast was superb.
Vicky Christina Barcelona – sadly this worked less well for me than did it for many others. I can find Woody annoying. And this film pushed enough of those buttons that on balance it disappointed. I have no problem with narration as a device but its use here added nothing for me other than a source of groan aloud irritation. I struggle with the American tourists being such banal caricatures. This was amplified by Woody’s leaden unnaturalistic “intellectual” dialogue in which characters essentially express all the motivations for their actions and any subtext that might underpin them aloud (it’s like they’re only reading the brief descriptions of their character’s motivations penciled next the dialogue in most scripts, reminds me of Rand’s ridiculous declarative dialogue in the Fountainhead). Scarlett J’s character was under-written and her sexiness alone simply isn’t that engaging. Rebecca H seemed to be channeling the Mia Farrow characters of past Woody films and she was just too broadly drawn for me to find any interest in her. Poor Javier B was saddled with a different kind of caricature (free thinking European libertine and artist – who wasn’t as comfortable in his own skin as he liked to think) but he made the character interesting and charismatic nonetheless. But the film’s saving grace was Penelope C – superb, it became almost a different film when she was in it, no caricature just a convincingly brilliant, funny, passionate, and volatile woman. I want to see the movie with just Javier and Penelope’s characters in it sans RH, SJ, and possibly Woody himself. The film also got high grades for showing off Barcelona – we had stood in many of the locations (one of my very favorite cities – not least for Gaudi and Miro).
On the new film front I watched Un Prophete.
I thought it was brilliant. I doubt I’ll see a better performance this year than Tahar Rahim’s. He has something of Al Pacino’s early quiet intensity. I love Audiard, I love European art cinema (and I’m not sure the French variety has ever before been so outstanding in a single release year). Audiard’s narratives are so strong (2 ½ hours fly by) and his central characters are always complex individuals with convincing arcs. Like so many current European art house films the directorial style is assured yet not consistently flashy – which makes their more visually poetic moments or cinematic flourishes all the more powerful. And the stories tend to be more naturalistic and organic in ways that make it harder to predict where they are going.
Wow, lots to comment on. Y’all saw some fine films there.
Not sure how it happened, but when I scanned back over my weekend, it turns out I didn’t actually watch any movies. I felt like I did, but…no. None.
Well, at least you don’t have to find time to comment on mine. I’ll have to come back and start Watercooler commenting later.
Ok, nevermind. Let this be a testament to the kind of Monday I’ve had, that I forgot this. I did watch one film over the weekend, a little number called Citizen Kane, lol. First time to see it.
Was swell.
That’s funny, jen — it must’ve been quite a Monday to have temporarily mislaid Orson’s masterpiece. You’re not alone — when I reached my locker at the Y today, I realized I’d carried in my grocery bag instead of my gym shoes. That kind of day.
Looks like people here kicked it up a notch over the weekend — I’m exhausted just reading about the filmgoing activities of joel, Sam, PiroHunter and sartre. Naturally, I’ve expressed my sentiments privately to the latter over his less than warm reaction to The Greatest Film of All . . . oops, I mean Vicky Christina Barthelona.
My biggest accomplishment was seeing A Serious Man, which I really liked — even loved — though I suspect Craig and others are onto something in that it doesn’t seem like a sweeping crowd pleaser. However, as Daniel seems to suggest, an expanded best picture field might have room for this film. After the darkness and violent nature of NCfOM, as well as what I’ll call “clinicality” of Burn After Reading (though I liked that film), A Serious Man is a film I find myself revisiting — more than 24 hours later — with a sort of wonderment and warmth — words I don’t associate with the Coens, at least not in a primary way. (If veteran performer Fyvush Finkel were to receive a best supporting actor nomination, my jaw would not only drop to the floor but into the fruit cellar — but stranger things have happened in Hollyrock as we know.)
Aside from ASM, I caught up with Doctor Zhivago on TCM, a film I haven’t seen since 1971. Despite its shortcomings, I enjoyed it more this time ’round — especially the acting of Rod Steiger and Julie Christie. However, that damned Lara’s Theme still creeps me out a bit as just a tad too sentimental for my taste.
Friends of mine saw the Michael Moore film and issued moderate praise. Although I’ve yet to see it, I’ve encountered critical remarks about Moore’s supposed “love” for socialism vis a vis his own capitalistic activities. From what I can tell, Moore is advocating for a brand of capitalism with more integrity than what we have now. Moore seems to favor a system that’s more democratic as opposed to the satanic love child that has devolved in recent decades to the top-heavy socioeconomic structure we have now.
Craig, I can’t say that I share your sentiments regarding The Hangover but LotL was funny and no one can’t take that away from it.
Sam, sorry to disappoint but I haven’t seen Speed Racer yet. Ari was promoting it really hard a while back but I never got to see it… Hm, that might be an idea for the weekend though…
sartre, I have to agree with you on The Reader. There was something missing in this film and I’m not even sure what it was. When I watched it (a while back) I expected a lot more. I’m pretty sure that a lot of people would like to see just a bit less Holoucast films and I’m saying that in the most innocent way possible. Filmmakers these days seem to have exactly the same perception on these events (Tarantino excluded) and all the stories have been told. A bit like the Westerns I’d prefer to wait for some kind of a different perception on the genre.
I have to strongly disagree with your comments for VCB though. I take it that you were kind of offended by a certain stereotype but I don’t believe that to be the purpose the characters were serving. I really enjoyed the film and even though I’m not really the biggest Woody Allen fan on the planet I have to say that this was one of the top 5 films of last year. I’m saying that without a shadow of a doubt.
Piro, I realize I’m on an island when it comes to Hangover. All I can say is that it wasn’t the movie I wanted it to be.
Much as I’d love to say you’ll really like Speed Racer…I can’t promise that, but as Sam notes I loved that one as well.
Sartre, I’m steeled to the cool reception VCB has gotten from many quarters so yours doesn’t surprise me. I still don’t get how so few people saw the terrifically charming movie I saw three times, but the fact I’m pretty much in my own weird little world when it comes to movie loves and hates should be pretty clear by now (see Land of the Lost, Speed Racer and Hangover). Suffice it to say I liked all the things you liked and liked all the things you hated. Risky artistic territory for Allen? Not at all. He made a movie in Barcelona because it was Spaniards who came up with most of the money and the rest was a frivolity couched in a little romantic realism. Its goals were modest and I think it exceded them as talented artists often do when they’re not trying too hard.
I don’t think the American characters were meant to be especially likable, but I found them very relatable. I could feel honest pieces of my self and people I know in all their irritating flaws.
Daniel, I don’t know about you, but I continue to struggle with what to say exactly about ASM.
Pierre, I’m kind of a sucker for Lara’s Theme, but then I have sentimental tendencies.
Jennyee, was CK about what you expected or was it something else?
“kind of offended by a certain stereotype”
Piro, I don’t mind stereotypes and unnaturalistic dialogue as deliberate devices for achieving an effect, communicating fresh ideas, amusement, or helping us look at the familiar in different ways through exaggeration. But none of this happened for me with VBC. I’m not saying it was a bad film (there was plenty I really liked), and I respect that others loved it. Just not a film that worked as well for me. I wish it had.
sartre, it seems that we saw two completely different films. I guess that this is part of the magic of cinema. For me those characters were stereotypes only for a few minutes in the film and then slowly started becoming more and more real and humane. As I said before I’m not really familiar with Woody Allen’s work. He always seemed to me like “the little weirdo that hangs around Hollywood” (in a good and funny way) but I enjoyed that film a lot and I’m actually planning on getting to know the rest of his work in detail based on this one piece. It’s not often that I do that, so for me VCB is a pretty great film.
As you say Piro that is part of the magic of cinema, and art in general. I’ve enjoyed many Woody Allen films over the years. Among my favorites are Manhattan, Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Bullets Over Broadway, Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Match Point. You’re bound to find plenty to enjoy among his back catalogue.
Getting back to VCB, I agree that the characters became more filled out as the story advanced. The American tourists as characters and their self discovery just didn’t hold any interest or humor for me. But the Spaniards were great.
Craig, I’m as far as I was yesterday at this time with a review on ASM, which is to say nowhere, but I plan to explore how ASM helps explain all of their other movies. Or I should say, it explains their childhood surroundings, which explains the influences that have shaped their filmmaking. Obviously lots of focus on culture, but also on lonely, tragic antiheroes. Those common threads flow through all of their movies, but are most clear to me here, especially as it relates to the “autobiographical” nature of ASM.
I also agree with Pierre that I was almost comforted by the movie. Bizarre, really.
Every time Daniel is about to start typing up the review his eyes drift away from the keyboard to find the sunbathing beauty picture-postcard idyll on his wall…
In this case Sartre, it’s a woman next door sunbathing nekkid.
Or he has to stop and fix the wallpaper, which is peeling off the wall in the heat and humidity. Then he hears a grown man bawling next door, then suddenly a door slams and there’s a knock at the front door…
“I will show you the life of the mind, Daniel.”
lol, sartre and Joel, I never put myself in Fink’s shoes with the writer’s block until you mentioned that!
A clever movie blogger would title a blog after that line and that movie…
Believe it or not Daniel, I actually toyed with that idea.
I toyed with blogging. I had no good ideas, so that was about the end of that.