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January 14, 2018
‘Paddington 2’ Is Giving ‘Lady Bird’ a Run for Its Money on Rotten Tomatoes
For a few weeks last year, “Lady Bird” set a record. Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama maintained its 100% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 196 positive reviews, making it the best-reviewed movie in the website’s history; when a lone dissenter finally came along, that record reverted back to “Toy Story 2.” With 149 reviews, all of them positive, the animated “Paddington 2” is now closing in on that same mark.
“Toy Story 2” has 163 reviews to its name, meaning Paul King’s sequel will surpass it if 15 more positive notices come along. That isn’t too unlikely, as nearly everyone who’s seen the movie echoes IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, who calls “Paddington 2” “the rare sequel that improves upon the original, and in turn makes the still rarer case for a franchise to continue on as long as it possibly can.”
Ben Whishaw once again voices the beloved bear, a staple of children’s literature for more than half a century; Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Waters, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Grant all co-star in the film.
Source: IndieWire film
January 14, 2018
Oscar Contenders Dominate Robust Specialty Box Office
Led by an expansion of “The Post” (20th Century Fox), Oscar contenders grossed a combined $40 million-plus this weekend. This continues to be a high-end year for awards hopefuls, as six have already topped $10 million and four have passed the $20-million mark.
This compares well to recent years when titles like “Whiplash,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Danish Girl” and “Room” never reached those highs despite their strong awards presence. This year Amazon’s Sundance buy “The Big Sick” followed “Manchester by the Sea” as a robust awards contender, which could yield elevated acquisitions bidding at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.
With such a crowded field of established titles, new openings faced intense competition. Lebanese Oscar contender “The Insult” (Cohen) led the field of openers, which all grossed under $10,000 per theater in initial dates.
Opening
The Insult (Cohen) – Metacritic: 71; Festivals include: Venice, Telluride, Toronto, AFI 2017
$24,957 in 3 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $8,319
This Lebanese courtroom drama is one of the nine shortlisted Oscar Foreign Language submissions, and the last of the group to open. Its date was advanced in order to land an opening at soon-to-shutter Lincoln Plaza Theater, which is usually the top New York theater for similar subtitled films. Its initial dates also included Los Angeles, with the usual muted response for subtitled films these days (but more than double the numbers for German contender “In the Fade” two weeks ago).
What comes next: Irrespective of whether it makes the final five, this is expected to expand to top cities over the next few weeks.
“Lover for a Day”
Mubi
Lover for a Day (MUBI) – Metacritic: 68; Festivals include: Cannes, New York 2017
$(est.) 7,500 in 1 theater; PTA: $(est.) 7,500
Veteran French director Philippe Garrell’s black-and-white romantic drama about an older man dealing with a 23-year-old girlfriend who is the same age as his a daughter. The film opened with an exclusive date at New York’s Film Society of Lincoln Center with a respectable initial response.
What comes next: Los Angeles opens on Jan. 26 with other big city dates to follow.
Vazante (Music Box) – Metacritic: 64; Festivals include: Berlin 2017
$3,511 in 1 theater; PTA: $3,511
This black-and-white drama set in the early 19th-century slave era in Brazil opened in one Manhattan theater to minor initial results.
What comes next: Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington open by the end of the month.
Also available on Video on Demand:
Saturday Church (Goldwyn/Tribeca 2017) – $(est.) 7,000 in 2 theaters
Freak Show (IFC/Berlin 2017) – $6,024 in 1 theater
“The Post”
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Ongoing/expanding (grosses over $50,000)
The Post (20th Century Fox) Week 4
$18,600,000 in 2,819 theaters (+2,793); Cumulative: $23,089,000
While it hardly feels like a specialty film, Steven Spielberg’s newspaper drama “The Post” is acting like one with its adult appeal, initial platform dates and awards pursuit. Its gross is about $4 million less than the successful “Hidden Figures” last year when it expanded post-Christmas, though much below similar patterns for earlier-year openings “American Sniper” and “The Revenant.” The movie scored #2 overall this weekend, the best of the new wide-release titles despite heavy competition from similar adult titles. It performed $3 million better than Spielberg’s last historical drama, “Bridge of Spies” which went wide from the start, boasting a nearly five times multiple as a fall release. This could get a welcome push from Oscar nominations, boosting its its business at a crucial time.
Darkest Hour (Focus) Week 8
$4,525,000 in 1,693 theaters (-40); Cumulative: $35,738,000
Still flying high, this Churchill 1940 historical drama has hit its marks at every step of its release so far. It dropped only 25 per cent this weekend, and it’s set to compete with “The Shape of Water” and “Lady Bird” at the high end of specialized non-studio awards releases.
Molly’s Game (STX) Week 3
$3,885,000 in 1,708 theaters (+100); Cumulative: $20,715,000
Aaron Sorkin’s retelling of a ski Olympian who found herself running high stakes poker games didn’t have the hold that many other recent adult-aimed films are finding. It dropped 43 per cent this weekend; its quick wider run has already pushed it past $20 million. Its future in a very competitive market will be effected by how well it fares with nominations.
Courtesy of NEON
I, Tonya (Neon) Week 6
$3,302,000 in 517 theaters (+261); Cumulative: $10,001,000
Neon’s first major hit is still early in its run and looks positioned to place among the better awards-enhanced titles. Its wider break is timed for January 23 nominations, with signs of significant crossover interest. This has already grossed more than all Neon’s previous releases combined — not bad for a film they acquired less than five months ago.
The Shape of Water (Fox Searchlight) Week 7
$2,700,000 in 723 theaters (-81); Cumulative: $26,421,000
Holding very well (this PTA is actually about the same as last week), Guillermo del Toro’s 1960s science-fiction romance has yet to get to over 1,000 theaters. That comes soon, with a terrific total so far suggesting that its total might as much as double with expected Oscar attention.
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight) Week 10
$2,300,000 in 1,022 theaters (+712); Cumulative: $28,509,000
Searchlight is balancing two films competing for many of the same screens, and in this case returning again to over 1,000 theaters (it had been over 1,600 earlier) after recent awards wins. And that’s before the nominations arrive to boost it more.
Lady Bird (A24) Week 11
$1,686,000 in 652 theaters (+90); Cumulative: $36,902,000
Not quite back up to its likely wider break when the Oscar nominations come, Greta Gerwig’s breakout hit shows every sign of getting to $50 million or more.
Phantom Thread (Focus) Week 3
$1,145,000 in 62 theaters (+56); Cumulative: $2,227,000
In its first expansion, Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1950s London set fashion story has a good PTA of over $18,000. That’s not that far below what “The Shape of Water” grossed when it first added new cities. Anderson has a strong base of support, so these numbers aren’t surprising with reviews in new cities still propelling this ahead of most other recent releases. This will have a measured expansion ahead parallel to expected Oscar attention.
“Call Me By Your Name”
Sony Pictures Classics
Call Me By Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 8
$715,559 in 174 theaters (+57); Cumulative: $7,231,000
Luca Guadagnino’s highly acclaimed 1980s romance scored decent numbers as it readies for wider release starting this Friday. This is already SPC’s biggest-grossing film in two years, and looks likely to top any of their films since “Blue Jasmine” in 2013.
The Disaster Artist (A24) Week 7
$448,475 in 371 theaters (-107); Cumulative: $20,312,000
James Franco’s award-winning portrayal is still in play, with most of its gross in after an aggressive early push.
Hostiles (Entertainment Studios) Week 4
$276,000 in 42 theaters (-4); Cumulative: $821,468
Continued support for this Christian Bale western pays off as grosses remain consistent if not high end in advance of its national break this Friday.
The Florida Project (A24) Week 14
$51,100 in 51 theaters (+14); Cumulative: $5,499,000
Sean Baker’s Orlando childs’ world drama continues to add to its total later in the run.
“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”
Also noted:
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (Sony Pictures Classics) – $33,322 in 9 theaters; Cumulative: $130,438
Happy End (Sony Pictures Classics) – $24,590 in 11 theaters; Cumulative: $118,085
In the Fade (Magnolia) – (est.) 16,000 in 9 theaters; Cumulative: $(est.) 66,000
Jane (Abramorama) – $19,239 in 18 theaters; Cumulative: $1,588,000
Faces Places (Cohen) – $9,327 in 8 theaters; Cumulative: $670,448
Source: IndieWire film
January 14, 2018
‘Early Man’ Review: Nick Park’s Stop-Motion Marvel Is More Advanced Than Its Primitive Protagonists
With all due respect to Pixar and Studio Ghibli, can we start acknowledging Nick Park and Aardman Animations as the innovators they are? Those who’ve seen the “Wallace & Gromit” shorts and 2005 movie tend to love them, but the studio responsible for that iconic duo doesn’t get a fraction of the acclaim. Maybe it’s because the British studio has never been especially prolific, but with “Early Man,” its first feature film since 2015’s delightful “Shaun the Sheep Movie,” Aardman once again reminds viewers that its stop-motion creations are consistently joyous spectacles.
Beginning, as it must, with a primordial prologue about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs — just as it strikes, two dinos who were fighting moments before embrace in fear — the film concerns a tribe of well-meaning cavemen whose happy existence is disrupted by the arrival of civilization: Bronze Age intruders show up one day, there to turn their communal cave into a mine so that Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) can maintain his lavish lifestyle.
Park, a four-time Oscar winner who created Wallace & Gromit 30 years ago, is stepping into the director’s chair for the first time since 2008’s “A Matter of Loaf and Death” short. He hasn’t lost his step, with his latest fictional world being both a departure from, and continuation of, his usual settings. At the center of it is Dug (Eddie Redmayne), Park’s latest affable protagonist whose good nature can’t stop him from getting into increasingly ridiculous situations.
He and his cohort live in the crater left by the asteroid’s impact, which has grown lush and verdant in the centuries since it struck; the human price of progress was steep even then, as stone gave way to bronze and left the primitives in its wake.
Park fashions this inevitability something akin to Mordor encroaching on the Shire: industry subsuming an old idyllic world. If that setup sounds too Luddite-friendly, it’s also quite funny: Dug is among the smartest of his tribe, which is led by the very old (read: 31) Chief Bobnar (Timothy Spall), includes a rock with a face painted on it and a pig named Hognob (voiced by Park himself). He feels like a Gromit stand-in and, though not as memorable a companion, is still good for some laughs.
Under Nooth’s yoke, warring tribes settle their differences on the soccer pitch rather than the battlefield; England’s national team may be underachievers in the 21st century, but their predecessors in Real Bronzio were a dominant force to be reckoned with. And so it is that “Early Man” turns into a sports comedy of sorts, one in which the motley crew of good guys must somehow overcome an imposing squad that is in every way their better.
That’s especially difficult when Dug’s tribe is exiled to the Badlands, where they’re besieged by giant mallards, harsh conditions, and a paucity of the rabbits they used to depend on. Their temporary home proves the ideal training ground, however, its cruel landscape and craggy formations making formidable obstacles that do a right proper job of preparing the underdogs for their big match.
As ever with Aardman, the cleverest moments are also the most fleeting. Lord Nooth can be spotted reading a newspaper called the Prehistoric Times; a woman seeing sliced bread for the first time exclaims, “Wow! That’s the greatest thing since, well, ever.” The narrative as a whole is familiar, if not overly so, and after the Silent Era gags of “Shaun the Sheep Movie” it sometimes feels like “Early Man” could have gone further and been similarly ambitious.
What really gives our heroes a potential upper hand can be best described by a scene from, of all things, Carlos Reygadas’ “Post Tenebras Lux.” Assembled on a rainy field, a rugby team huddles as their leader explains the key to victory: “They’ve got individuals; we’ve got a team.” That isn’t an uncommon message in an animated movie aimed toward kids, but it is a worthy thematic bedrock.
Grade: B
“Early Man” opens in wide release on February 16.
Source: IndieWire film
January 14, 2018
Need to Get Some Overhead Shots? Here’s a DIY Rig That Is Simple and Adjustable
Overhead rigs can be kind of complicated to set up, but this one only requires a couple of things you probably have in your studio.
One of my favorite shots is the overhead. It’s stylish and fun and offers a unique point of view if you want to add a little flair to your cinematography. However, putting together a rig that lets you get these types of shots can be a bit of a pain, especially since most of the time you’re trying to find tools around your house or studio that can somehow fit together to accommodate your camera. But if you’ve got a C-stand, a spigot, and a tripod head lying around you can very quickly put one of these rigs together, and filmmaker Peter McKinnon shows you how to do it in the tutorial below.
Source: NoFilmSchool
January 13, 2018
Watch: Tips on Shooting in Tight Spaces to Get Creative Shots
Want to capture a unique angle or perspective? Then you’ll have to get creative with camera placement.
In filmmaking, coverage is pretty straightforward. You’ve got your standard shots, like wides, mids, and close-ups, your over-the-shoulders, two-shots, and dollies, but occasionally it necessary to throw in something creative to give your audience something new and interesting to look at. You can do this a number of ways, but one that is definitely worth mentioning is by shooting these kinds of shots from a unique perspective.
In this video, Jay P. Morgan from The Slanted Lens goes over some tips on how to approach camera placement more creatively, how to set up shots in weird, often small or tight spaces, as well as how to go about lighting these peculiar shots. Check it out below:
Source: NoFilmSchool
January 13, 2018
Stunt Coordinator Joel Kramer Denies Molesting Eliza Dushku: ‘These Are Absolute Lies’
Joel Kramer denies that he sexually assaulted Eliza Dushku. Speaking to TheWrap, the stunt coordinator — whom Dushku accused of molesting her during the filming of “True Lies,” when she was 12 and he was 36 — said, “Wow. That’s news to me. I never sexually assaulted her. She’s a sweet girl. We all looked out for her, that’s surprising.”
“I’m just shocked,” he added. “I don’t know why she would say that. We took her out to dinner and we took her to our hotel for a swim at the pool.” In a Facebook post published this morning, Dushku wrote that Kramer “laid me down on the bed, wrapped me with his gigantic writhing body, and rubbed all over me” in a hotel room.
“These are absolute lies,” Kramer said of her allegations. “She said I took her home in a cab? I was the one who was driving the car. There were four or five of us in the car. I’m absolutely floored,” he said. “I don’t know what to say. I Never took her to my hotel room. I never took off her clothes.”
Kramer has been active in the film industry for decades, most recently working on films like “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Conjuring 2,” and “Fast 7.”
Source: IndieWire film
January 13, 2018
The big PC trends from CES: Intel befriends AMD, monitors get massive, and more
The trends we saw from the show floor at CES 2018 have us both curious and excited about the future of computing. Some will undoubtedly end up in dead ends — and others will probably become the new status quo in just a few years.
The post The big PC trends from CES: Intel befriends AMD, monitors get massive, and more appeared first on Digital Trends.
Source: Digital Trends VR
January 13, 2018
‘You gotta be patient.’ Why HTC keeps pushing VR forward, and what’s next
We sit down with an executive from HTC to talk all things Vive Pro — the controllers, the headphones, and taking VR to the next level. We even touched on the future of the stand-alone Vive Focus, which hasn’t been released in North America yet.
The post ‘You gotta be patient.’ Why HTC keeps pushing VR forward, and what’s next appeared first on Digital Trends.
Source: Digital Trends VR
January 13, 2018
Bad Weather Ruining Your Shot? Here’s How to Fix It in Post
You can’t control the weather, but you can control the way it looks in your image if you know a few tricks in post.
As filmmakers, we try to prepare for anything and everything that can go wrong during a shoot, including checking the weather conditions if we’re shooting outdoors. We read forecasts, watch the news, or use mobile apps that tell us days in advance what to expect from the skies, but no matter how diligently we plan, the weather has a way of sneaking up on us and threatening to ruin our most important shots.
Most of the time, you just call for a reshoot, reschedule, or just kind of do the best you can with what you’ve got, but sometimes you can actually fix bad weather conditions in post. In this Premiere Pro tutorial, Tom Antos shows you how to perform a sky replacement, effectively turning a dreary, overcast sky into one that looks vibrant, dynamic, and best of all, realistic.
Source: NoFilmSchool
January 13, 2018
Merge Blaster Hands-on Review
Here’s our Merge Blaster Hands-on review, one of the most fun AR experiences we had at CES 2018 that didn’t require a headset.
The post Merge Blaster Hands-on Review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Source: Digital Trends VR