This week’s new dvd and blu-ray releases are highlighted by the release of the controversial Season 6 of LOST. Why is it controversial? To those who haven’t seen this series, it’s not. But to those who followed the series from day one (like me), there was a lot of debate as to whether or not the conclusion of this great show was a worthy one. I enjoyed this final season, and I really enjoyed the final show. Could the ending have been better? Possibly. But it definitely could have been much worse. The writers wrapped most of the questions up in the final episode, although one major complaint was that so many ‘detailed’ questions went unanswered. If you have not watched this series, I would highly recommend getting the collectors edition which features all 6 seasons – and blu-ray is a must. The visuals alone from the island itself are enough to warrant a blu-ray purchase. Visit www.amazon.com and type in Lost collection. You can get all of the seasons at a decent price. Season 6 is also available for rent/purchase today as a stand alone set. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Where has Andy Garcia been? Well, it has been awhile since he’s been in any film that has as much buzz as this little indie pic. Garcia and Julianna Margulies star in City Island. The film is about the Rizzos, a family who doesn’t share their habits, aspirations, and careers with one another, and find their delicate web of lies disturbed by the arrival of a young ex-con brought home by Vince (Garcia), the patriarch of the family, who is a corrections officer in real life, and a hopeful actor in private. I intend on picking this one up today. Reviews have been very good and most say this is one of, if not, Garcia’s best role to date.
Jennifer Lopez has done decent work as an actress and her latest effort is more proof of that. The Back-Up Plan stars J-Lo as a woman who conceives twins through artificial insemination, only to meet the man of her dreams on the very same day. That guy is portrayed by Alex O’Loughlin. The film itself gets a bit tired by the end, possibly because it’s hard to imagine a woman as beautiful as Jennifer Lopez having a hard time finding a man. But Jennifer gives a decent performance nonetheless. Her fans will be pleased with this effort.
Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson’s new thriller The Killer Inside Me also hits shelves this week. Affleck plays a West Texas deputy sheriff who is slowly unmasked as a psychotic killer. This film did not get a wide release here in the States, so it’s hoping to gain a fanbase on dvd. I’ll watching anything with Jessica Alba in it. More Alba news below!
____BOX OFFICE RESULTS____
This past weekend at the box office was one of the weakest since April, signaling the end of the summer movie season. Several new films debuted from pathetic to mediocre grosses and nothing really opened beyond expectations. The Expendables showed its muscle yet again by remaining at the top spot even if it did drop by a little more than 50% from it’s opening frame. Jennifer Aniston had yet another stinker, the return of Nanny McPhee didn’t create too much interest, and Scott Pilgrim still couldn’t find any love despite great reviews (mine included). The totals for the weekend:
1. The Expendables $ 16.9 million
2. Vampires Suck 12.2 million
3. Eat Pray Love 12.1 million
4. Lottery Ticket 10.6 million
5. The Other Guys 10.16 million
6. Piranha 3D 10.10 million
7. The Switch 8.43 million
8. Nanny McPhee 2 8.40 million
9. Inception 7.8 million
10. Scott Pilgrim 5.2 million
____OTHER MOVIE NEWS_____
Spy Kids bound
Jessica Alba is reteaming with director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City and the upcoming Machete) for Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World. Alba will play a retired spy who has been reactivated. Her character is the mother of a baby and two preteen stepchildren. The actors cast in the preteen roles will be the new “Spy Kids.” Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara played the Spy Kids in the first three films, that also starred Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino as their superspy parents. Banderas, Vega and Sabara are expected to return in supporting roles. Shooting is scheduled to start on the 3D film next month.
Yes! Bernie Focker is back!
Despite completely being shut out of the teaser trailer, Dustin Hoffman will be reprising his role in Little Fockers, reports Entertainment Weekly. His scenes will come from a series of pickup shots that Universal Pictures is adding to the film, including some opposite onscreen wife Barbra Streisand. This is good news…that trailer seemed to be missing something…Bernie Focker! It opens in theaters on December 22.
That was fast...here comes the sequel!
Dimension films announced that they will be making a sequel to Piranha 3D. The film only made $10 million this weekend, but it has been getting a lot of buzz since its release. Critics also gave the film high marks. Films like this are cheap to make, so there isn’t much risk for the studio. Here is part of the press release.
After earning rave reviews from top critics, wild cheers from audiences around the country, and $10 million in its opening weekend boxoffice, Dimension Films is pleased to announce that PIRANHA 3D – THE SEQUEL is in the works.
PIRANHA 3D producer Mark Canton stated, “We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving PIRANHA 3D, but cheering for it. And it’s fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can’t wait to get to work on the sequel.”
PIRANHA 3D opened with fantastic reviews from top critics like the ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTERS, enjoying a very FRESH rating of 80-82% favorable reviews on the popular movie review site ROTTEN TOMATOES throughout it’s opening weekend. The movie has captured the attention of movie fans as well as elite media outlets like The Wall St. Journal, The Daily Beast and The Huffington Post. And taking Hollywood by surprise, PIRANHA 3D – via a partnership with Funny Or Die – is the subject of a much-talked about campaign to be named Best Picture of the year. Funny Or Die’s “For Your Consideration” video for PIRANHA 3D took the nation by storm last week. And, as announced over the weekend, Academy Award ® nominee and Piranha 3D heroine Elisabeth Shue will debut a brand new video in the coming days on Funny Or Die.
Directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors), produced by Mark Canton (300, upcoming Immortals) and starring Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl), Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries and grandson of the legendary actor), Eli Roth, Adam Scott, Kelly Brook (current cover of Playboy), Riley Steele, Paul Scheer, Ving Rhames, Ricardo Chavira, Richard Dreyfuss and Christopher Lloyd, PIRANHA 3D opened to rave reviews from the Associated Press and other top critics.
Every year the population of sleepy Lake Victoria explodes from 5,000 to 50,000 for Spring Break — a riot of sun and drunken fun. But this year, there’s something more to worry about than hangovers and complaints from local old timers. A new type of terror is about to be cut loose on Lake Victoria. After a sudden underwater tremor sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating piranhas, an unlikely group of strangers must band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food for the area’s new razor-toothed residents.
PIRANHA 3D is a Dimension Films release and presentation of a Mark Canton / IPW production in association with Aja/Levasseur Prods; produced by Mark Canton, Marc Toberoff, Alexandre Aja, Gregory Levasseur. Executive producers are Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Alix Taylor, Louis G. Friedman, J. Todd Harris, Chako van Leeuwen. Screenplay is by Peter Goldfinger, Josh Stolberg.
Below is the trailer for Danny Boyle’s (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) new film 127 Hours. The film stars James Franco. The November 5 release is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCpqWLC3imU
Avatar was astounding in 3D. I really advocate you see it if you have not yet. I watched it 4 times!