I can't wait to see this. The new full trailer for Crimson Peak makes it look beautiful and gothic, probably worth seeing for the sets and costumes alone. Hopefully it will be a great original horror movie, since we rarely get those (last year's The Babadook was the first in a long while). If I had one complaint it's that Charlie Hunnam is a terrible actor and I don't understand what del Toro sees in him, but I'll try to overlook that bit- maybe he's got a tiny part.
Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "Make Way For Tomorrow" (1937)
Out this week is this heartbreaking Depression-era film that served as the basis for 1953's classic Tokyo Story, but is just as moving and sad in its own way. It's the 1930's and an older married couple can no longer afford to stay in their home, and so they must separate and go live with their grown children. Today it may not be as easy to accept the fact that they couldn't find a way to keep the parents together, but it's more believable in a film from this era, maybe because the Depression really did affect poor families in tragic ways like this. The acting is sensitive and mature, and the movie holds up all these years later and will break your heart in the same way it did for audiences at the time. Give this one a chance and see how well you hold up against the powerful emotion of the story.
Original 1937 Trailer:
Movie of the Day: "Stella Dallas" (1937)
The great Barbara Stanwyck stars in this classic weepie about a mother who does anything to preserve her daughter's future, even if it means sacrificing herself in the worst way imaginable. Stella is a lower class girl who marries a rich man and has a daughter named Laurel, but when the marriage goes south she realizes that she's just not fancy enough to give Laurel everything she needs for the better life she wanted her to have. So Stella does the "right" thing and gives Laurel up to her father and his new, classier wife. The sensibilities of the movie are a little old-fashioned (is it really in Laurel's best interest to think her own mother, who she loves, never wants to see her again just because she doesn't fit in with the upper class?), but it rips the tears out of you as hard as possible, and Stanwyck carries the movie as she always does, with spunky ferocity and humor that showed you just what a tough gal she really was. She is the movie, and that's what makes it a great pick for Mother's Day.
TCM Clip:
BOX OFFICE 5/08-5/10: 'Avengers' Takes First Again; 'Hot Pursuit' Disappoints
To the surprise of no one, Avengers: Age of Ultron took first place once again, earning $77 million to take the record for the highest grossing second weekend of all time, which is of course held by the original Avengers, which took $103 million in week two, back in 2012. That's actually a pretty steep drop when you look at that number, though, isn't it? It's true, and even though the movie opened strong, there's real evidence in the numbers that there is less interest in this film than the last one, and by a significant amount. Its legs are not holding up to a similar standard. But worldwide the damage is massive of course, as the movie has already made over $875 million, and it still has to open in China and Japan. That means it's crossing the billion mark for sure, the question now is how well it can compete against Furious 7 (something I never thought would be asked of any movie).
In second place, Hot Pursuit was the only new wide release this week, and it targeted the female demographic and opened with a middling $13 million- reviews didn't help, as the movie got destroyed by critics and is sitting at an embarrassing 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. It also got a C+ Cinemascore, so it can probably be expected to disappear just as fast. The Age of Adaline, Furious 7 and Paul Blart rounded out the top five.
Top 5:
- Avengers: Age of Ultron- $77.2 million
- Hot Pursuit- $13.3 million
- The Age of Adaline- $5.6 million
- Furious 7- $5.3 million
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2- $5.2 million
Meanwhile, Ex Machina continues to do well as it sits at number six, just outside the top five and will probably finish with at least $20 million (pretty good for a specialty release at this time of year), and Far From the Madding Crowd is also doing well, as it expanded for about $630k this weekend. Next up it's some actual competition for Avengers, as Mad Max: Fury Road and Pitch Perfect 2 try to see if either of them can take town the superheroes. My money is on Pitch Perfect 2, believe it or not. The tiny movie became huge on DVD a couple years ago, and the new one is primed to capitalize on it with a female audience that actually wants to see it- I think there's a strong chance it'll open in first place next week.
Movie of the Day: "The Incredibles" (2004)
Our next Mother's Day film is really a celebration of both parents, but I'm recommending this as a tribute to the awesome Elastigirl, one of the coolest movie moms and superheroes, who's a part of one of the best original superhero movies ever made. Brad Bird's The Incredibles is one of Pixar's classics, and an early tribute to the glory of the superhero, but centered on the real human emotions in a family of them. Bob and Helen Paar are retired former "supers," who must take out the old cape and cowl when a new villain comes into town. The Incredibles is a sly social commentary that has fun with superhero mythology, and the standard family problems of mid-life crisis, marital and career trouble, and raising rebellious kids. That may not sound like entirely kid friendly material, and that's exactly what makes this movie so funny, and so great. It really is for everyone. And the mom, voiced by the inimitable Holly Hunter, really is one the toughest and most awesome mothers in the movies.
Trailer:
Movie of the Day: "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1945)
Our next Mother's Day movie is Elia Kazan's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, from 1945, one of the very few adaptations that's actually better than the novel it's based on. It tells the story of a family at the turn of the century, through the eyes of the 12 year old daughter (Peggy Ann Garner), who idolizes her cheerful but alcoholic father, and eventually learns to appreciate her hard working, determined mother. This film actually focuses quite a bit at first on the father character (James Dunn, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this), but Dorothy McGuire plays the long suffering, world weary mother with grit and steel that show the family's survival has depended on her all along. It's she who carries the family's burdens on her shoulders, and she who helps them to overcome them. It's one of Kazan's best films, and a tearjerker if ever there was one.
3 Scenes from the film:
Ed Helms Takes Over From Chevy Chase in the New 'Vacation'
So, I do love the original Vacation, but isn't it striking how this trailer is basically trading entirely on the memory of jokes and clips from the original movie? I know they make the self-conscious references to what they're doing in the movie (ala 21 Jump Street), but does that really make it any better? Eh- maybe it'll be good for a couple of funny moments, but probably the only reason this is coming out is due to the success of We're the Millers a couple years ago.
Movie of the Day: "Mother" (2009)
So, it's Mother's Day this weekend, and with it comes our countdown of movies to celebrate the occasion, and we begin with this South Korean gem from 2009, about a mother who will do literally anything to get her beloved son out of prison. It's a twisted mystery noir from Bong Joon-Ho (director of The Host and Snowpiercer), and a Hitchock-ian thriller that remains completely unpredictable from beginning to end. You will never see any of the twists coming and you will very likely be baffled as to where the movie's going at times, but the payoff is worth every little bit of it, and by the time it's over you won't be able to imagine how it could have wound up any other way. Having a mother this devoted could well be a boon for some people, especially if you happen to be criminally inclined.
Trailer:
Channing Tatum and Pals Return for 'Magic Mike XXL'
The new trailer for the Magic Mike sequel puts the focus squarely on the guys, which is as it should be, I guess. I mean, what is there really to say about this movie, except that, as Tatum confirmed in an interview, it's about giving the fans what they want this time? That means lots of guys on stage stripping and dancing, and probably much less of the drug subplots that inhabited the first movie.
Meryl Streep Steps Up to the Mic in 'Ricki and the Flash'
So, Meryl Streep returns to singing in this new movie (she did that back in Postcards from the Edge, if anyone remembers), but to be honest, this doesn't look all that great, in my opinion. Diablo Cody has kind of proven herself a one hit wonder after Juno, and the last family drama Jonathan Demme directed was Rachel Getting Married, which I'm not really the biggest fan of. But maybe the actors can bring something to it, who knows. It's coming out in August as total counter programming for summer blockbusters.
Laura Linney Shows Up in New Trailer for 'Mr. Holmes'
Yet another trailer for the Ian McKellen Sherlock Holmes movie unsurprisingly makes it look more eventful (this is the U.S. trailer, so even though the film is clearly aimed at an older audience, we have to make it look like it has at least some action in it, right?). Laura Linney also shows up here, so after the announcement the other day that she's joining the cast of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, she'll get a chance to preserve some dignity by having this come out first.
Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "Mr. Turner" (2014)
Timothy Spall was criminally overlooked for a Best Actor nomination for this, one of Mike Leigh's finest films. An intimate portrait of British painter JMW Turner, this is a detailed, brave, entirely lived in performance like no other from last year, and as usual with Leigh's films, Spall is surrounded by a supporting cast that gives every bit character specific life, no matter how few scenes any one person is in. This is a movie that makes you feel as though you're transported back to this time and living and struggling its inhabitants. An emotional, moving experience that pays tribute to one of the world's greatest artists with a piece of art itself that honors him in every way.
Trailer:
