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Subject: Box Office Prediction: The Time Traveler's Life
Time: 6:15:00 AM EST
Author: summermovieblog
Hey guys, Patricia here once again. I'm writing this week's box office prediction on a plane bound for San Francisco, where I plan to engage in the time-honored ritual of stuffing my face, followed by the equally time-honored ritual of losing all my money at poker. Hey, the Aztecs had human sacrifice; we've got Thanksgiving. Sounds like progress to me.
Last week, mrheenster and crzydcguy84 both proved far smarter than I, correctly predicting that while Bond may excel at rising out of the sea in his swimsuit, he's no match for the 'Happy Feet' penguins, who can rise out of the sea with their tuxes still on. Gee, if only there were some way to go back in time and undo my picks. There must be someone out there in movieland who can help me ... but who?
'Deja
Vu': Denzel
Washington is a federal agent who, while investigating a ferry
bombing, is recruited by a bunch of guys who spend all their time watching TV -- or rather, using a quantum physics loophole to spy on past events as if they're happening now. After catching a
riveting show called 'When Beautiful Women Take Their Clothes
Off' that stars the doomed Claire Kuchever (Paula
Patton), Denzel gets himself sent back in time so that he can stop the
bombing AND save Claire's life. Now, time
travel movies make my head hurt -- don't get me started on 'The Terminator' --
but four factors here trump anything so silly as a logical plot: a) Denzel, b)
director Tony
Scott ('Top
Gun,' 'Crimson
Tide'), producer Jerry
Bruckheimer ('Pirates
of the Caribbean,' every action movie ever made) and d) lots of very
loud explosions. Let's just say that Bruckheimer & Co.
know how to give the people what they want. Besides, any movie that makes a
"more cowbell" joke is all right in my book.
'The Fountain': Time travel seems to be all the rage this week, although this film trades in questions of quantum physics for questions of metaphysics. No, I don't know the difference. Don't e-mail me. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz are the star-crossed hero and heroine who fall in love over and over again through the course of 1,000 years, meaning that somebody owes somebody one hell of an anniversary present. Directed by Weisz's husband Darren Aronofsky ('Requiem for a Dream'), 'The Fountain' -- which had Brad Pitt attached as the lead until he withdrew to make 'Troy' -- is an ambitious epic love story steeped in fantasy, and that could work either for or against it. In the end, sci-fi romance is kind of a tough sell unless it involves light sabers and Lake Naboo.
'Deck the Halls': The season's second Christmas movie pits Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito against each other as neighbors determined to outdo each other's festive holiday decorations. In a surprise casting move, DeVito plays the uptight optometrist with conservative taste, and Broderick's the loudmouth car salesman who wants his twinkly lights to be seen from outer space. Gotcha! Or as Borat would say, NOT. Man, who would've guessed that someday Ferris Bueller would be playing nothing but prudes? Even if he does do it brilliantly. As for the movie, it's no critics' darling (San Francisco Chronicle: "Belongs in the holiday hall of shame"), but at this time of year, you could probably slap a Santa's hat on Michael Richards and still haul in some box-office dough. (Too soon?)
'Bobby': Last but not least, expanding this week is Emilio Estevez's ensemble film that has so many stars in it (Lindsay Lohan, Elijah Wood, Sharon Stone, Laurence Fishburne, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, to name just a few), you wonder whether they got paid in cheeseburgers and spare quarters for the parking meter. The movie focuses on the lives of ordinary people who passed in and out of the Ambassador Hotel on the day of RFK's assassination, and it's wistful and earnest, with a tremendously moving finale. But despite its marquee names, I think this indie may be too uneven, and perhaps too political, to break out beyond its festival-hit status.
Eek! So many movies, so little time! My picks follow. Take your best shot at it, and have a happy and safe long weekend, everyone. I'll leave you with this tip: Go easy on the appetizers. You'll thank me later.
NOTE: Prediction entries must be
submitted by midnight (Pacific time)
on Saturday, and you may only post one prediction. In other words, gobble gobble gobble, gobble GOBBLE gobble gobble.
POST: What's your weekend top five prediction?
POST: What do you think of these movies?
Deja Vu: Showtimes, tix, trailer & more | Behind-the-scenes gallery
The Fountain: Showtimes, tix, trailer & more | Weisz/Aronofsky Unscripted Q&A
Deck the Halls: Showtimes, tix, trailer & more | Behind-the-scenes video
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny: Showtimes, tix, trailer & more | Movie photos
Bobby: Showtimes, tix, trailer & more | Ashton & Demi at the premiere
Tags:
Casino Royale, Happy Feet, Deja Vu, The Fountain, Deck the Halls,Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Bobby, movies, box office, prediction
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After seeing Casino Royale this weekend its easuy to see why Pierce was put out to pasture..this guy craig is unreal, and in fact truer to the original Bond character. Cold, ruthless and those eyes, wow.
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We finally found the BOND that I.F. had in mind (except more muscle bulk than any Scottish or English writter could dream up)...no gimmicks (almost none anyway)..just a cold blooded killer with a little heart; and he discovers what the latter got him. He'll be back soon and I'll be in line early.
Dr.J -
1. Deja Vu
2. Casino Royale
3. Happy Feet
4. The Fountain
5. Borat -
Happy Feet
Casino Royale
Borat
Dejavu
Tenacious D
12/4/06 4:39 AM