Last weekend, Pixar’s Inside Out 2 ended the box office woes that have plagued movie theaters since mid-spring. With a $155 million domestic opening, which is the second-highest animated film opening ever, Disney’s Pixar is now back at the top of the box office heap. With very little in the way of competition this weekend, its continued run at number one is all but assured. But how much will it make on its second weekend, and how steep will the week 2 drop be? If you look back at The Incredibles 2, which is the highest-grossing animated opening ever, it fell off about 56% in week two, although I think Inside Out 2 may have a better hold.
Despite its blockbuster opening, I remember the audience’s reaction to The Incredibles 2 being relatively cool. Audiences seem to be absolutely loving Inside Out 2, with many finding the introduction of Maya Hawke’s Anxiety a rather universal theme that’s bringing out the adult audience that might not otherwise go for an animated film. That’s why I think Inside Out 2 will only fall off about 45%, meaning it should have a strong $85 million second weekend.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is also likely hold onto second place. It’s proven to be enough of a summer blockbuster that it’s effectively catapulted Will Smith back to the top of the box office heap, with him just signing on to another big-budget action movie with Sony. It seems set for a $16 million weekend; although word of mouth has been good, and it could go as high as $18 million.
New releases this weekend aren’t expected to make too much of a dent, with Focus Features’ The Bikeriders the only major release. With its star-studded cast, including Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer, the studio is giving the movie a wide release, and it should post decent numbers. I’d expect around $8 million, although it could go a little higher and break eight figures, which would be a great result for this well-reviewed Jeff Nichols film.
Meanwhile, the Russell Crowe horror film, The Exorcism, doesn’t seem to have much of a prayer this weekend, with early reviews (such as our own) saying that it’s far from the crowd-pleasing horror flick Crowe’s last demonic outing, The Pope’s Exorcist was. It seems highly unlikely to crack the top 5.
Here are my predictions:
Inside Out 2: $85 million
Bad Boys: Ride or Die: $16 million
The Bikeriders: $8 million
The Garfield Movie: $4 million
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: $3 million
Are you taking a chance on The Bikeriders this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Years before Bethesda released Fallout 3 in 2008, another version of the game existed. Codenamed Van Buren, the original Fallout 3 was in development at Black Isle Studios, the developer of Fallout 2, as well as the acclaimed Planescape: Torment. The project was canceled in 2003, leading to the closure of the storied…
Years before Bethesda released Fallout 3 in 2008, another version of the game existed. Codenamed Van Buren, the original Fallout 3 was in development at Black Isle Studios, the developer of Fallout 2, as well as the acclaimed Planescape: Torment. The project was canceled in 2003, leading to the closure of the storied…
A while back, we heard that the physical media release of the MazeRunner trilogy director Wes Ball’s addition to the Planet of the Apes franchise, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (read our review HERE), would feature a version of the film that would allow viewers to see the motion-capture performances of the actors, before the CGI magicians turned them into their ape characters. Now 20th Century Studios has announced a date for the 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: August 27th. And well before we reach that date, the movie will be receiving a digital release on July 9th.
A press release confirms that there will be a version of the film on the 4K UHD that will allow viewers to see the actors’ performances with unfinished effects: “Fans can delve deeper into the franchise on 4K UHD editions with Inside the Lens: The Raw Cut, a full-length alternative cut with a split-screen comparison between the final cut of the film and a version with unfinished VFX with optional audio commentary by director Wes Ball, editor Dan Zimmerman and VFX supervisor Erik Winquist. The never-before-seen alternate cut gives fans a unique opportunity to see the actors’ performances before the visual effects were completed.“
There will also be a collectible limited edition SteelBook release of the 4K UHD, with custom artwork by artist Dylan Cole. And a special Planet of the Apes 10 film bundle will be available through digital retailers for $100 SRP.
The story of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set many years after the conclusion of War for the Planet of the Apes. Many apes societies have grown from when the Moses-like Caesar brought his people to an oasis, while humans have been reduced to a feral-like existence. Some groups have never heard of Caesar, while others have contorted his teaching to build burgeoning empires. In this setting, one ape leader begins to enslave other groups to find human technology, while another ape, who watched his clan be taken, embarks on a journey to find freedom. A young human woman becomes key to latter’s quest, although she has plans of her own.
Here’s the official synopsis: Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
The film stars Owen Teague (IT), Freya Allan (The Witcher), Kevin Durand (Locke & Key), Peter Macon (Shameless), William H. Macy (Fargo), Eka Darville (Jessica Jones), Travis Jeffery (Unbroken), Sara Wiseman (One Of Us Is Lying), Neil Sandilands (Sweet Tooth), Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi (The Clearing), Dichen Lachman (Jurassic World: Dominion), and Lydia Peckham (Cowboy Bebop).
The other bonus features that will be included with home video versions of the film are a documentary called Inside the Forbidden Zone: Making Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Join director Wes Ball, cast and crew as they expand the Planet of the Apes legacy for a new generation. Travel to the outdoor production in Australia, train at Ape School, and discover the practical and motion capture techniques in building a breathtaking Kingdom and 14 Deleted/Extended Scenes, with optional audio commentary by Ball.
Are you glad to hear that the digital release and the 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes are coming soon? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Director M. Night Shyamalan has earned quite a reputation as both a visionary filmmaker and the king of twist endings, and oh- how could I forget that he also makes some very whack movies? It’s interesting to think that the same genius who made The Sixth Sense also made The Happening. However, one thing that cannot be debated is that this man has also made some extremely awesome movies. One of those movies has been begging for a breakdown of this show since the very beginning. An unmistakable classic that unknowingly started a trilogy and uprooted comic book cinema in a very unexpected way. Today, we’re talking about Unbreakable.
After surviving a freakish train crash- David (played by the great Bruce Willis) seems to be the only person who wasn’t killed. In fact, he wasn’t even hurt in this horrendous wreck. Now, David is a pretty normal guy. A quiet, blue-collar townie who married his high school sweetheart- they were literally the high school quarterback and cheerleader couple. Over the course of the movie, David discovers that he has a sort of superpower. He’s impossibly strong, seemingly invincible, and as tragic and morally driven as the best of them. But every hero has his villain and his kryptonite. The story guides us through David’s struggle to understand his power while he’s also being harassed by the comic-book-obsessed Elijah (played by Samuel L. Jackson), who aims to make himself a proper foil to the world’s first Superhero.
Now, suppose this movie is among your favorites in the Shyamalan collection (like it is for me). In that case, you’re in for a real treat in today’s episode, where we put this movie under the microscope and try to extract as much meaning as possible from this incredibly fun film. I want to know what makes it tick, ya know? Is it the shlubby, relatable hero that Willis is so great at playing? Is it the dark yet colorful world this film is set in? Or is it a combination of a million elements? I don’t know- but today we’re going to figure out- what is Unbreakable REALLY about?
PLOT: A trilogy of darkly comedic tales surrounding a businessman who can’t make decisions for himself, a police officer who thinks his wife has been replaced by someone else, and a pair of cult members on the lookout for the next messiah.
REVIEW: Is Yorgos Lanthimos messing with us? That was the inescapable thought roaming around my head as I watched Kinds of Kindness, the Poor Things director’s latest morbid take on love, personal freedom, and those bizarre creatures known as human beings.. The answer to the question is… probably. And even if he isn’t messing with us, he knows it seems like he is.
If that doesn’t make much sense right off the bat, well, neither does Kinds of Kindness, at least not after only one viewing. Cheeky and uninterested in supplying an orthodox moviegoing experience, the film finds Lanthimos in the same mood he was in when he made The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, meaning he’s happily injecting a twisted sense of humor into uncomfortable stories revolving around some very unusual relationships. It will not be the most satisfying 165 minutes you’ve ever spent at the movies (yes, it’s that long and feels it), but you can’t say it’s the same old thing.
More than anything, it’s a movie about conformity; the importance of being accepted and the lengths some people are willing to go to earn the love of another. But through the crafty, creepy lens of Yorgos, it’s also a pitch black satire, a non-love story where control and obedience take precedence over affection and forgiveness.
Beyond those themes, the stories aren’t connected in any concrete way save for one character who plays a minor role in each one, and his importance is questionable at best. In the first tale, a businessman (Jesse Plemons) has dedicated his life to doing whatever his boss (Willem Dafoe) tells him to, but when the latter’s latest request seems like a bridge too far, his life begins to rapidly unravel. In the second, a police officer (Plemons again) is initially pleased when his long-missing wife (Emma Stone) is rescued, but his relief soon turns to suspicion when she starts acting like a completely different person. In the finale, two members of a cult (Stone and Plemons) attempt to track down a person who can allegedly bring the dead back to life.
Each chapter has a set-up that wouldn’t be out of place in a more conventional anthology of psychological thrillers; Alfred Hitchcock Presents comes to mind. But in Yorgos’ hands, the narratives churn and escalate in highly unconventional ways. He’s having a great deal of fun at the expense of his characters – and, in turn, the audience – provoking more questions than he cares to answer. You shouldn’t expect the director to wrap up his stories with clever little twists or revelations, because he’s not interested in tidy resolutions. This is likely to frustrate those who feel like they’ve invested too much time in trying to unwrap a riddle, but for Yorgos the journey is the point; creating an atmosphere of almost comical dread is why he’s here – and he’s certainly good at it.
But sometimes Lanthimos allows his indulgences to get the best of him. A primary example: the director and his composer Jerskin Fendrix frequently employ heavily over-the-top music cues to underline the dire nature of the proceedings, a gregorian chant pops up every now and then to accompany scenes already brimming with tension. No doubt there’s a tongue planted firmly in cheek throughout these heavy-handed moments, but it gets a little tiresome by the fourth or fifth time. The film in general has the self-satisfied atmosphere of an elaborate prank, and it’s clear Yorgos is all too pleased with his own wickedness, as if he’s waiting to see if you’ll laugh at an inside joke you don’t get. Your enjoyment of the film will depend on how much unsubtle prodding you can take.
There’s no question the director is good with actors, and here he’s assembled a cast that’s ready to do his dirty work. While past collaborator Emma Stone is the headliner, this turns out to be Jesse Plemons’ movie. Plemons is just the right actor for Yorgos, with his innate ability to shift from amiable to intimidating without warning. There isn’t really another actor out there so simultaneously approachable and threatening, and Plemons shows off the entirety of his range with three very intense performances.
Stone is, obviously, the filmmaker’s willing muse, and there’s little doubt he’s focused on making his actress bare all, literally and figuratively. The relationship is turning into one of the more fascinating director-actor collaborations in recent memory, gaining Stone two oscar nominations and one win in movies where she’s made to expose herself physically and emotionally in show-stopping ways. Speaking of actors who can play approachable and threatening with ease, Willem Dafoe can always be counted on, and in all three tales he gives off that very special quality of compelling the audience’s eye no matter what he’s doing. (I especially liked his bizarre but pragmatic character in the first story.)
Kinds of Kindness ends up being more intriguing when you’re experiencing it rather than when you’re remembering it. Its unpredictability is absolutely its biggest asset, but when the smoke clears you wonder what, if anything, it was all for. Super fans of the director will surely be enamored with the film’s lurid quirks, while the casual moviegoer might wonder what the hell just happened during that almost three hour sideshow. It’s not exactly rewarding, but it’s also difficult to look away from.
Kevin Costner‘s Horizon is just over the…well, horizon. After films like Dances with Wolves, Wyatt Earp, Open Range, and even doing a little stint on the show Hatfields & McCoys, Costner has demonstrated his love for the genre and the American West. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter One debuted at Cannes, and the reactions have been hitting similar points, which are that Costner had made an engaging film, but the length can get taxing on the viewer. The word “sprawling” would come up in a number of reviews, and Costner’s grand ol’ fashion of introducing a multitude of characters was a factor.
The first chapter of the historical epic releases next week and Costner is currently doing the rounds for promotion. According to ScreenRant, the former Yellowstone star appeared on Jake’s Takes, where he outlines why he thinks the Western genre isn’t as prevalent as it once was. Costner explained, “I think it’s hard to make a good Western. And I think that when people are lazy in their approach, that it’s just dirty. Or somebody gets killed in the first minute so the hero gets to kill someone the rest of the movie. I guess if that’s done really well, it could be entertaining, but too often that’s just in a lot of people’s hands, what happens. So it’s no wonder that people rejected Westerns. Because they don’t see themselves in it.”
Horizon‘s trailers give off a more old-fashioned vibe with less modern flash to it. The writer, director and star also expounded on how Horizon differs from other Westerns, “But, you know, the strength in Horizon is the women. I have seven women operating in Horizon that you just can’t believe their experience.
And the acting that’s going on. And how hard it was on women. And so, I have the gunfights, I have all the action, I have the stuff. But it comes up, it just comes up in a way that’s genuine. A way that it feels authentic. But in the meantime, I’m dealing with issues like a woman bathing. Just because she just feels so dirty from being where she’s at, and there’s not a woman in the audience that won’t relate to how that water is making her feel. And suddenly, the stage picture changes and something else happens. And so, that’s the kind of thing that I like to infuse a Western with. Is scenes that aren’t normally associated with Westerns.”
The first part of Horizon: An America Saga will be released in theaters on June 28th, followed by the second part on August 16th.
With a new Nintendo console looming over 2025, the Switch is in its twilight year. It looks like it’s going to have a pretty great send-off, but it’s always bittersweet leaving an old system behind for the next new thing. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will likely be one of the last big games Nintendo puts out for the…
With a new Nintendo console looming over 2025, the Switch is in its twilight year. It looks like it’s going to have a pretty great send-off, but it’s always bittersweet leaving an old system behind for the next new thing. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will likely be one of the last big games Nintendo puts out for the…
Some Star Wars fans are upset, again. Imagine that. The latest freak-out turns on a minor bit of canon that was just scrambled in episode 4 of Star Wars: The Acolyte. It has to do with the prequel movies and the lifespans of one particular race of aliens that really doesn’t factor into anything important. The response…
