2009 had an amazing Summer at the box office, and that was due in part to some amazing action flicks. Surprisingly, they weren't all blockbusters, and they weren't all about just blowing stuff up. What was your favorite action flick of the year?
Don't forget to vote on all of my Best of 2009 polls!
It's Tuesday, so you know what that means — new DVD releases just in time for the Thanksgiving break! I've already shared some fresh music picks, but here are three movies to add to your Netflix queue for the weekend.
Adam Sandler plays a comedian who tries to turn his life around and befriend a past love (Leslie Mann) after being diagnosed with a blood disorder; Seth Rogen steps in as his idealistic assistant. Both men turn in solid performances in Funny People, and there are laughs, even though this is way more serious than director Judd Apatow's previous work. One of my complaints in the theater was that it was much too long, but that's the good thing about DVDs — you can always hit pause and go back later.
The single disc version includes a gag reel and a feature commentary with Apatow, Rogen, and Sandler. (Normally I don't watch with the commentary on, but in this case, I might just tune in for their wise cracks.) The special two-disc collector's version is loaded with extras, including a 13-year old Seth Rogen doing stand-up!
Two more DVD releases to check out when you read more
Ben Stiller's Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian blew Terminator Salvation out of the water over Memorial Day weekend, earning an estimated $70 million.
However, despite coming in second place, McG's effort to revive the popular sci-fi franchise is still a success, earning a solid $53.8 million. That's impressive considering Terminator's less-than-glowing reviews, as well as competition in the action-adventure genre from Star Trek, which came in third place.
Angels & Demons came in at No. 4 followed by Dance Flick which debuted at No. 5.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
The film adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling novel, Angels and Demons starring Tom Hanks, is a global sensation after earning an estimated $104.3 million at the international box office over the weekend.
Here in the US the holy thriller swiped the top spot from Star Trek, which still performed strongly, coming in at No. 2 with an estimated $43 million domestically. According to Variety, positive word-of-mouth thanks to stellar reviews is probably the reason Star Trek continues to be quite the box office powerhouse.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and Obsessed rounded out the rest of the box office top five coming in third, fourth, and fifth respectively.
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
Angels and Demons: Information Overload The Da Vinci Code received awful reviews when it debuted, mostly due to its excruciatingly slow pace. It then went on to earn a gazillion dollars, proving there's an appetite for escapist movies involving Vatican conspiracy theories. But while the pacing is much improved in Angels and Demons, the mindless entertainment part is basically ruined thanks to an enormous amount of expository dialogue. . In other words, it's a buzzkill.
Angels and Demons reunites Tom Hanks and Ron Howard for another Dan Brown adaptation. While Brown's book was a prequel to the author's best-selling The Da Vinci Code, this installment in the movie franchise is set up as a sequel.
The Da Vinci Code received awful reviews when it debuted, mostly due to its excruciatingly slow pace. It then went on to earn a gazillion dollars, proving there's an appetite for escapist movies involving Vatican conspiracy theories. But while the pacing is much improved in Angels and Demons, the mindless entertainment part is basically ruined thanks to an enormous amount of expository dialogue. Every time the action starts to click along, every time the mystery deepens, Hanks's professor character shows up with another long-winded history lesson that's completely pointless in terms of understanding the plot. In other words, it's a buzzkill.
To see why this would be a much better experience if the professor were muzzled, read more
Tom Hanks's new movie, Angels and Demons, hits theaters today. Every time I see that guy on the big screen these days, I can't help but marvel at his career. The man has been making blockbusters for decades, and he's one of the most powerful, not to mention beloved, forces in Hollywood.
His career has involved acting both on big screens and small, and he's worked with so many talented actors and directors along the way. I get a kick out of Tom Hanks trivia and thought you might have fun testing your knowledge as well. Ready? Good luck!
Take the Quiz
Though Dan Brown's book Angels and Demons is a prequel to his bestseller The Da Vinci Code, the film adaptation was developed as a sequel. In the movie, which opens this Friday, Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon who "discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati" whose most despised enemy is the Catholic Church. Together with an Italian scientist named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), Langdon "will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival."
Do you plan on seeking out this mysterious thriller in the theaters, on DVD, or when it happens to be on TV someday? Or maybe never?
One-sheet courtesy of Sony Pictures
Soon, vamps will not only be trendy on the screen. I'm anticipating gothic jewels in the form of rosaries, crosses, and shark teeth, apparently, to start warding off delicious evil. Twilight's Robert Pattinson recently went gaga over Finn jewelry's pavé diamond shark’s tooth necklace at a photo shoot. The stylist on set was wearing said necklace and Pattinson ended up buying an 18-karat gold version on a leather cord. Other manly men who dig Finn's sharky bling: Liev Schreiber and Brad Pitt.
On the Angels and Demons side of the Hellmouth, Italian jewelry brand Damiani merged with costume designer Daniel Orlandi to create the jewelry for the action film. The special collection of crosses and rosary beads inspired by the film will be crafted with gold, diamonds, onyx, and black enamel. The line, aptly named Angels & Demons, will make an appearance at the upcoming Couture trade show in Las Vegas. Don't get too excited; prices range from $3,440-$8,540. Nobody said it was cheap being Buffy . . .
To get in early on this trend, read more
We got a taste of Ron Howard's followup to his 2006 film The DaVinci Code a few months ago, and a longer peek aired during the Super Bowl. Now, a full-length trailer for Angels and Demons, in all its dramatic mysteriousness, has hit the web. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, this time working to "solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican." Joining him in the film is Ayelet Zurer as Langdon's new female cohort and Ewan McGregor as the Camerlengo. Oh, Ewan. He looks so handsome, even in priestly garb.
Though Dan Brown's book is a prequel to The DaVinci Code, this film adaptation is a sequel. Angels and Demons opens May 15. To check out the full-length trailer, read more
