Entertainment Weekly

[ebnpresident]

I will be posting (fake) articles from Entertainment Weekly.

"Summer's like one big disaster" - EW

Summer is one big disaster, and no we're not talking about big budget disaster films like Brad Pitt's Tornado Alley (Opening in theaters everywhere this Friday) or Halle Berry's The Warming (Opening this July). Tornado Alley and The Warming look to be this summer's only sure bets, for a disastrous summer so far. So far the number of blockbusters adds up to zero. The Christian Bale-Penelope Cruz film version of The Odyssey made by Spotlight Productions already has people saying that the film will bomb. It was originally set to open summer with a bang, but was moved back with just weeks until the release. The film's current May 30th release date would be great, were it not for no ads.

Hollywood Production's big budget action film Shadows of the Night is already be proclaimed a bomb. The film's release date has been moved many times (count em 6 times!) since it's original pre-summer release date of March. First it was moved to early April then late April then May then June 13, now with less than a month until release it is moved earlier to June 6th. The film's advertising has been lacking and the buzz has become quite negative. Yet for both Shadows and Odyssey there are no reviews, meaning perhaps the studios want the projects to be surrounded by mystery.

So far this summer has had good returns for the ensemble colorful musical Bye Bye Birdie, the medieval thriller Medieval, and Nicole Kidman's new film Victoria Woodhull beat all odds and managed a strong weekend thanks to great reviews. But the lack of blockbusters and buzz is disturbing. Let's hope this weekend can be big with aruably Summer's most awaited film Tornado Alley and the indie film True Colors. At least Tornado's a sure bet.

[DTN / Burrard Street]

haha this is a sweet idea. I enjoy reading your articles.

[ebnpresident]

"Summer's Disasters not so disastrous"

Just weeks ago critics and analysts were buzzing about what a disastrous summer it had been so far, but as we've learned many times before all it takes is a couple of weeks to clear things up. Summer officially had it's first big hit "Tornado Alley" which smashed box office records. The Brad Pitt disaster film made a whopping 94 million dollars over the weekend and 15 more on Monday. The indie rom-com "True Colors" also got 20 million+ over 4 days, beating all expectations. The following week the Jennifer Garner thriller "Circle of Friends" (not to be confused with the 1995 Minnie Driver film) opened to 19 million dollars, beating all odds. In it's second weekend of release, "Tornado Alley" had a wonderful hold, very opposite of most blockbusters opening recently where the first weekend makes it or breaks it.

All of summer's releases have had pretty good holds so far. "Bye Bye Birdie" has held well, and despite a dreadful opening weekend "Dueling Dragons" may lose less money than expected, yet remains a miss. "Medieval" and "Bye Bye Birdie" are both on track to make between 85 and 95 million dollars, while "Victoria Woodhull" has received acclaim and could top 65 million dollars.

This weekend there are 4 new and very different releases. Spotlight's long-awaited adaptation of "The Odyssey" starring Christian Bale finally received positive press after months of nothing but negativity surrounding the film. The film's limited release on May 30th may not have been advertised or even known, but the few people and critics who did see it had mostly positive reactions. Meanwhile Hollywood's "Shadows of the Night" has kicked advertising into full gear and looks to pull in decent numbers for it's budget size. Now that "The Odyssey" and "Shadows of the Night" are looking to actually be good not bombs as some were saying, the real question remains around "Bullet Park" and "A Nation Divided" both of which are getting lower predictions than wanted by the studios. It's sure to be another crowded and surprising weekend, and with "Gypsy Eyes 2", "Lockdown", "Blackout" and "The Romance House" coming soon summer movie season is in full swing, FINALLY!

[ebnpresident]

Hollywood's New A-List:

On the Cover: Rachel McAdams, Shia LaBeouff and Mandy Moore

The List
- Neve Campbell

Hits: Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Wild Things (1998) The Company (2003), Growing Up James (2006), Like Mother Like Daughters (2006), Persuasion (2007), Natural Selection (2007)

Upcoming: Pistol (2008), Book of Shadows (2008)

- Rachel McAdams

Hits: Mean Girls (2004), The Notebook (2004), Wedding Crashers (2005), Red Eye (2005), The Family Stone (2005), Bringing Up Baby (2006), The Queen of Egypt (2006), Gypsy Woman (2007), Double Cover 2 (2007), Fashionistas (2007)

Upcoming: Double Cover 3 (2008), Shadows: Origins (2009) [rumored]

- Shia LaBeouff

Hits: Holes (2003), The Future War (2007)

Upcoming: Slasher 3 (2008)

- Mandy Moore

Hits: The Princess Diaries (2001), A Walk to Remember (2002), Persuasion (2007)

Upcoming: The Romance House (2008), Happy Endings (2009), Secret Agent Man (2009) [rumored]

- Ryan Gosling

Hits: The Notebook (2005), The Invisible Man (2007), Persuasion (2007)

Upcoming: The Invisible Man 2 (2009)

- Scarlett Johanssen

Hits: Lost in Translation (2003), In Good Company (2004), Match Point (2005), Life to Louisiana Fights (2006), Just my Therapist & Me (2008)

Upcoming: Summer of '39 (2008)

- Benjamin McKenzie

Hits: Junebug (2005), The Catcher in the Rye (2006), Prime Candidate (2007), The After Killer (2007)

Upcoming: The Warming (2008), The After Killer 2 (2009), Eye Witness (2009)

- Topher Grace

Hits: In Good Company (2004), Just my Therapist & Me (2008), The Rule of Four (2008)

Upcoming: ?

- Amy Adams
Hits: Junebug (2005), Wicked (2008)

Upcoming: ?

- Rachel Bilson

Hits: Life Mother Like Daughters (2006), California Girl (2007), Prisoners of War (2007)

Upcoming: Summer of '39 (2008)

Bubling Outside A-List, waiting for their big Hit:
- Emily Blunt
- The Rock
- Anne Hathaway
- Ellen Page
- Jennifer Hudson
- Jim Sturgess
- James McAvoy
- Katherine Heigl
- Chris Evans
- Sophia Bush
- Keira Knightley