Brad Pitt: His 5 Worst Movies Ever
10.22.2013 | By Mariana Dussan |
Brad Pitt hasn’t always been a solid actor. He’s had some doozies along the way, and in this article, we list the five worst of what can be deemed a successful career. Read More
10.22.2013 | By Mariana Dussan |
Brad Pitt hasn’t always been a solid actor. He’s had some doozies along the way, and in this article, we list the five worst of what can be deemed a successful career. Read More
08.27.2013 | By Jenny Karakaya |
During a recent one-on-one interview we had with superstar Selena Gomez, she revealed a tidbit of information that I had never heard before… Mexican pop icon Paulina Rubio is Selena Gomez’s favorite singer! Who would have thunk it!? For those who don’t know who Ms. Rubio is, she’s an original member of the super successful Mexican pop group called Timbiriche from the mid-80s, has sold more than 20 million records around the world as a solo artist, and has released 10 studio albums. Oh, she’s also the new judge on this Fall’s The X-Factor with Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, and Kelly Rowland. Read More
01.1.2012 | By Jack Rico |
Happy 2012! A whole year has gone by and with it all of last year’s memorable and very forgettable movies. But now we enter the televised film award season recognizing the best of the best for your personal viewing enjoyment. But forget the Oscars, the Golden Globes or any other film organization.
I have compiled the Best 11 movies of 2011 (a mix of the finest commercial and independent fare), so that you can buy that movie ticket without having to clutch it to dear life, or, watch that movie on your streaming or DVD player without feeling you wasted your 2 hours of your existence. Why 11? Just to piss off the rest of the people who create Top 10’s and to give a nod to the year that just left us.
So trust me on this. Relax and have some peace of mind that these films will either change you or just remind you why going to the movies can be a soul-satisfying experience.
11. The Help
And we begin with #11. Authentic, visceral, funny, melancholic, disturbing and powerful is how I would describe Tate Taylor’s ‘The Help’. An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid’s point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis. What you need to know is that a best actress award will come out of this film at the Oscar’s and it’ll be between Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer who bring home the gold. The cast ensemble is the second best of the year and it’s ardent, sensitive subject matter of racism is sure to trigger emotions you didn’t think could rise from you in a movie theater.
Talk about a film that came out of nowhere to leave me dumbfounded at how crazy good it was. This crime thriller, full of twist and turns, brought back Matthew McConaughey to a place of respectability again amongst the garbage he’s been starring in since ‘Fool’s Gold’. The Lincoln Lawyer’s plot which is about Mick Haller (McConaughey), a bad-ass, but sleazy defense lawyer who works out of his Lincoln towncar. When a wealthy Realtor (Ryan Phillippe) is accused of raping a prostitute, Haller is asked to defend him. But his client has a foolproof plan to beat the system. It’s up to our protagonist to get over his crisis of conscience and see if he can see the difference of right and wrong in his profession. The reason this film comes in at number 10 is because compared to most movies this year, you can’t seem to unglue your eyes from this engrossing “did he or didn’t he do it?” storyline. It is so well paced and acted that the flaws are almost non-existent. There’s enough action, tension and mystery here to satisfy even the most stubborn of spectators. PS: Look for one of the best scenes in the film with scene-stealing star Michael Peña who goes toe to toe with McConaughey. It’s a memorable one.
9. The Beaver
I have some major beef with those people who have knocked on this film simply for Mel Gibson’s off-camera deeds. If one would just judge the work, one can see that ‘The Beaver’, is by far, the most underrated movie of 2011. The Beaver is a powerful dark dramedy about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life. Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black (Gibson) was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track…until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. Gibson delivers what I can only describe as one of the most visceral and compelling performances of his career. It is my belief that his performance was as equivalent, if not better, than Michael Fassbender’s in ‘Shame’. This to me is at least worthy of a nomination. Jodie Foster is also on her directing A game too. Her choice of a story is outside of the box weaving it in with a tragic sense of farce that somehow connects with anyone searching for who they truly are inside. If you like first-rate acting and the antithesis of the banal Hollywood fare, then this film must be placed high on your choices to watch.
8. The Artist
Without question, one of the most hyped films of the year is ‘The Artist’. It deserves its label for reviving the obsolete format of silent films with a retro-fresh perspective, and by possessing the most charming performance of any actor this year by Jean Dujardin. But even though a film like this was given the greenlight for cinephiles to indulge in, after the first half hour the novelty begins to wear off exposing the screenplay to a story we’ve seen before. Similarities linger from ‘All About Eve’, ’42nd Street’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, ‘Veronika Voss’, and most recently, ‘Burlesque’ amongst others – a veteran star sees their success flutter away while the new kid in town embarks their march into stardom. Nevertheless, ‘The Artist’ provides an experience that is unique and unlike anything you’ll pay to see in a theater this year. Will it win Best Picture at the Oscars? Most likely. Does it deserve it? No. Novelty is king this year.
7. War Horse
Yeah, maybe Steven Spielberg lost some of that magic touch since he won an Oscar for ‘Saving Private Ryan’ 14 years ago, but that doesn’t mean he forgot how to make an Oscar worthy film. Enter ‘War Horse’, the closest thing to a dramatic masterpiece we’re going to see from a director all year. The story of a horse and his young owner, which has hues of ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’, doesn’t possess the most stellar acting or dazzling dialogue, but darnit, it does possess beautiful cinematography and one hell of a feel good, tearjerker story that will squeeze those tear ducts to oblivion. It starts slow, fleshing out the characters, and builds up to an emotionally rousing crescendo, like a Beethoven symphony. I mean even Whoopi Goldberg (an Oscar winner mind you), said: “Someone needs to give that movie an Oscar”, on her way out of the screening in New York I attended. What must be witnessed here is how Spileberg made that horse seem human!
You’re really going to enjoy ‘The Ides of March’. It’s such a satisfying political thriller, that it will from now on be discussed in the same breath as ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘The Firm’ and ‘All the President’s Men’. You’ll see an all-star cast in George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Phillip Seymour Hoffman giving us first-class performances that will leave a lasting impression on you long after you leave the theater. This is arguably the best ensemble of actors of any movie this year, and boy, do they deliver the goods. The characters they inhabit are placed during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate’s (Clooney) shot at the presidency. This movie is all about skillful acting, astute plot twists (this one had three!), cerebrally stimulating dialogue and an enthralling story. Clooney, who directs it, is now officially a bonafide helmer with a reputation of creating artistically-crowd-pleasing movies. All in all, you will not be dissapointed with ‘The Ides of March’, a piece of cinema that is a must see for anyone looking to see the best of the best films this year.
5. Hugo
Martin Scorsese’s ‘Hugo’ is probably the sleeper surprise hit of the year because you expect one thing and end up getting something better. How often does that happen for the price of your ticket? It also somehow manages to linger in the crevices of your mind for days. The more you think about it, the more you end up loving it. The catch here is that ‘Hugo’ is a fairytale for adults, but one that doesn’t ignore the kiddies. The 3D experience is absolutely sick and one of the year’s best. You only have to see the opening sequence to understand how masterful Scorsese truly is. If you’re a film fanatic, one who appreciates silent films and the importance of film preservation, then you are in for a treat that you’ll cherish for a long time.
4. Rango
Just when I thought animated films couldn’t get any better, ‘Rango’ had to go out and prove me wrong. This odd and eccentric project, led by the voice of Johnny Depp, was challenging to be, arguably, the best film of the year upon its release in March. The opening sequence, where Rango performs a brilliant and audacious acting monologue, a la Sanford Meisner, instantly set it apart from any other computer generated movie ever created in its genre. It began to play above the level of any Pixar before it. Here is its plot – after a car accident, the chameleon Rango winds up in an old western town called Dirt. What this town needs the most is water, but they also need a hero and a sheriff. The thirsty Rango instantly takes on the role of both and selfishly agrees to take on the case of their missing water. Also credit to the writers for injecting a Latino flavor that was palpable right from the beginning. ‘Rango’ is not for kids, it is really adult fare with a nod to children. With a script that is cerebral, original, accompanied by highbrow humor, and splendid voice performances from a top notch cast, this movie is one of the best animated films I have ever seen.
And you thought he had lost it. If ‘Matchpoint,’ ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ and the underrated ‘Cassandra’s Dream,’ weren’t enough to get you to believe in him again, then perhaps ‘Midnight in Paris’ will. Allen is in rare form, back to the man that created the seminal films ‘Annie Hall’ and ‘Hannah and her Sisters’. This is one of his finest works, an ode to the most romantic city in the world, Paris, where Allen seems re-inspired. He stupefies us with an ingenious and simple plot full of love, nostalgia, and of course, wit. There are no outstanding performances, or awe-inspiring directing, just actors who are able to breathe life into the words of Allen’s brilliant script. This tale centers around Gil (Owen Wilson), a successful Hollywood writer who is struggling on his first novel. While in Paris with his demanding wife Inez (Rachel McAdams), his obsession of 1920’s Paris comes to life every night at midnight where he befriends the greatest writers, artists and legendary figures of the 20th century. This is a beautiful film that will capture your imagination, seize you in its philosophical message and have you buying a ticket to Paris as soon as possible!
2. Drive
I have to go back to Louis Malle’s ‘Elevator to the Gallows’ from 1958 to know what it feels like to experience the coolest movie I have ever seen. ‘Drive’ is not just cool, it’s uber-cool. It’s a sophisticated action movie drenched in sexiness and artistic violence. Have you seen a man get sliced up to classical music or a protagonist without a name? The hardcore boys will love it and so will the sassy girls that will beg to go see ‘It’ man of the moment – Ryan Gosling. After a slew of fantastic performances this year (Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Ides of March), this film consecrates him as the new Brad Pitt in Hollywood, and, director Nicolas Winding Refn as the new Quentin Tarantino. Also watch for Albert Brooks’ (Broadcast Network), supporting performance, as it should strongly compete with Nick Nolte for the honors at the Oscars. The plot revolves around a Hollywood stunt performer (Gosling) moonlighting as a wheelman who discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. I would catalog this film as an instant cult classic you’ll be talking about for years.
1. Warrior
Since no one has the balls to say it, then I will. ‘Warrior’ is the best film of 2011, with ‘Drive’ right on its heels. It possesses the best combination of drama, humor, plot intrigue, superb acting and relentless fight action for your movie ticket. I swear I almost broke down in tears THREE times! No other movie has the privilege of boasting that this year. It’s the mounting, rousing crescendo towards the end that gets to you. Nick Nolte should get a nod for Best Supporting actor at the Oscars and win it. The movie is about the youngest son (Tom Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nick Nolte) who returns home, where he’s trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament — a path that puts the fighter on a collision against his older brother (Joel Edgerton). Mark Wahlberg’s ‘The Fighter’ has nothing on this film. Don’t believe other critics who say that this movie isn’t all that. It’s a crowd pleaser. If you’re looking for strong acting, a gritty drama, a good dose of movie violence and desire to shed a tear or two, then get ready to titillate your senses.
05.16.2011 | By Mack Chico |
The film about the comic Norse god “Thor” continued to top the box office in its second weekend, followed by the comedy “Bridesmaids”.
The adventures of the son of King Odin, from the Marvel comics, raised $34.5 million in theaters in the United States and Canada and has a cumulative total of $120 million and counting.
“Bridesmaids“, which features a battle between two women to arrange the marriage of their friend, comes in second with $24.4 million.
“Fast and Furious 5“, starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, was in third place with $19.5 million in its third week at the box office.
The horror movie of a priest hunting vampires, “Priest“, came in fourth, with 14.5 million in its first week in theaters.
The familiar “Rio” maintained its number five after five weeks in theaters, with $ 8 million RECAD this weekend and 125 million dollars since its release.
“Jumpig the Broom” about two African American families who are for a wedding, came in sixth place with $ 7.3 million.
Another romantic comedy, “Something Borrowed”, came in seventh place with $ 7 million, followed by “Water for Elephants” with 4.1 million dollars.
Close the box office this week, “Madea’s Big Happy Family”, with 2.2 million, and “Soul Surfer” with $ 1.8 million.
05.2.2011 | By Mack Chico |
The action film ‘Fast Five‘ sped to the top of the box office this weekend, grossing $83.6 million in North America and raising movie studios’ hopes for a profitable summer after a lackluster spring.
The Fast and Furious saga just beat its own record in the United States. ‘Fast Five’ takes no less than $83.6 billion in its U.S. debut in theaters. The biggest success so far this year for any production in its first week.
“Fast Five“ also set a record as the best debut ever for a month in April, surpassing its predecessor “Fast and Furious 4“, which debuted with $71 million at the box office two years ago.
In second place is the second highest grossing film of 2011 “Rio“ with $39.2 million. “Rio“ slipped to No. 2 this weekend, with $14.4 million.
In third place was the comedy “Tyler Perry‘s Madea‘s Big Happy Family“, with $10.1 million.
Here are the 10 highest grossing films of this past weekend.
1. “Fast Five“, 83.6 million.
2. “Rio“, 14.4 million.
3. “Tyler Perry‘s Madea‘s Big Happy Family“, 10.1 million.
4. “Water for Elephants“, 9.1 million.
5. “Prom“, 5 million.
6. “Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil“, 4.1 million.
7. “Soul Surfer, “ 3.3 million.
8. “Insidious“, 2.7 million.
9. “Hop“, 2.6 million.
10. “Source Code“, 2.5 million.
03.7.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Since leaving his post as governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has said publicly that he is interested in returning to the profession he loves – no, not bodybuilding – movies. Hollywood has heard the call of the ex Mr. Olympia and he is already considering one of three scripts. During his competitive bodybuilding he organizes every year, the Arnold Classic, Schwarzenegger was asked to give an update on the projects he is viewing.
“Well, first of all it’s more like 15 films, obvious ones from ‘The Terminator’ to remakes of ‘Predator’ and ‘The Running Man’ and all of those things,” he said.
Schwarzenegger added that there’s “also a lot of original stuff too. But I am also packaging a comic book character right now. I’m going to announce that sometime by the end of March or the beginning of April.”
Surprisingly, McG won’t be involved in any other Terminator films after his big flop with ‘Terminator: Salvation’. Justin Lin and screenwriter Chris Morgan, who are currently working on ‘Fast Five’ are now in talks for a fifth ‘Terminator ‘ with or without A-R-N-O-L-D!
12.26.2010 | By Mack Chico |
A flesh eating zombie film is being produced in Cuba with a budget that is huge by Cuban standards but quite modest almost everyplace else. Juan de los Muertos — “Juan of the Dead” , is the only zombie flick to have ever been produced in Cuba since the 1959 revolution in that country. The film flirts in a comical way with sensitive topics in Cuban life such as private enterprise and Cuban exiles. The film is due to be released in spring or summer of 2011.
In the film, zombies have taken over Havana. The response of the state controlled media is to blame their presence on Cuban exiles backed by the US government. In addition to the politically sensitive issue of Cuban expatriates, “Juan de los Muertos” touches on the issue of Cubans who work in private enterprise to make ends meet. Yahoo News reports as follows.
“State-run media blames the whole thing on government opponents backed by Cuba’s archenemies in Washington, but Juan knows better — and comes up with a plan.
Together with his sidekick, Lazaro — described by the filmmakers as “just as lazy, but twice as stupid” — Juan puts out the word that he is open for business.
Has your grandmother been turned into a zombie? Is your uncle stumbling about with blood coming out of his mouth?
Juan and Lazaro promise to get rid of your undead loved ones for just 15 Cuban convertible pesos ($16) a pop, and to clean up the mess for an extra 20 ($21).”
The film, which is a joint production of Spain’s La Zanfona Producciones, two Spanish television channels, the government of Spain’s Andalucia region and the state-run Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematography, is going into production this week, with shooting scheduled for October. It will be promoted in Spanish speaking markets abroad, as well as Europe and the United States.
The film shows a desire in Cuba to tolerate a wider range of artistic and political expression. Cuban music, art and other forms of entertainment have long had the potential to be marketable commodities abroad. There is an overlap in Cuban musical tastes with some American markets as well as a fanatic devotion to baseball in Cuba that could make for some interesting business possibilities.
Will Cuba evolve in a pragmatic manner towards a market economy? Perhaps freedom will come to Cuba through evolution rather than revolution. “Juan of the Dead” may be a movie about zombies, but it could be very interesting to those who are interested in taking the pulse of contemporary Cuba.
Check out the trailer and poster below:
06.7.2010 | By Pau Brunet |
This week come to the screen four strong releases but none with options to reach the first position, a position he has held comfortably Shrek Forever After. In the third week introduced the lowest down top10, 41%, and totals $ 25M and a total of $ 183M. The film has surprised this week to present a slight decrease just as a kind of negative weekend in general. This track has been negative for the other two options segment, Prince of Persia and Marmaduke. Now Shrek has just enough time to take advantage of the stretch, because in some great competitor will Toy Story 3. Word of mouth from the Dreamworks movie not made of steel and therefore it is easy to think that will be very weak before the Disney film.
On their own, Prince of Persia falls more than expected, 53% to $ 13.9 M and even below the 60M in the U.S., while Marmaduke has raised only $ 11.3 M despite leaving with more than 3,200 cinemas . The film has lacked some bad data matching The spy next door or Furry Vengeance. The promotion was colorful but not spectacular and this may translate into a little hold up the $ 25-27M.
Of the premieres this week, more strongly shining were the two comedies, Get him to the Greek and Killers, and both are what have been the best results. The first complies with the long awaited, $ 17.4 M in 2.697 theaters with an average of $ 6.400, the second is placed in the $ 16.1 M, slightly higher than previously thought and much better than expected with Friday’s data . With 2.859 copies, his average is placed in a room right $ 5,600.
Get him to the Greek achieves a success because it has been successful to be a decent offer from sector 20 to 35 years pro-comedies like thugs as Role Models or Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The film of “colleagues” did not have much competition in this bulletin and this has become strong, based on a correct positive review. On their own, Killers has positioned itself as clearly feminine and comedy for all ages, but with a radically different aroma Sex and the city 2. The Lionsgate film is raised as an option similar to Date Night, and sought the memory of his previous films lead actress, Katherine Heigl, The Ugly truth and 27 dresses.
The comedy star last week, Sex and the city in February, has fallen hard as expected. What makes an exaggerated 60% to $ 12.6 M and puts his total at $ 73m, 26 less than the previous film by now. Warner is unlikely to repeat the success of the previous movie, concerned by a terrible word of mouth and fierce competition. The film arouses the interest deducted from their followers and this suggests that jumps to $ 100M but little further.
The fourth release of the week has been the ill-fated Splice, independently of gender production fully dimensioned by Warner. The tape came out with 2.450 cinemas and surrounded by a positive review of some enthusiasm from the most fan of the genre. After its limited release on Friday, the upside is that does not sink during the Saturday, probably indicating an interesting response from the adult sector concerned by the proposal. Now the question is in the pull of recommendation, the element which should keep alive.
| # | TITULO | Recaudación | Descenso | # Salas | Prom/Salas | Acmdo. |
| 1 | Shrek Forever After | 25M$ | -41% | 4.386 | $5.760 | 183M$ |
| 2 | Get Him to the Greek |
17,4M$ |
– |
2.696 | $6.400 | 17,4M$ |
| 3 | Killers |
16,1M$ | – | 2.859 | $5.300 | 16,1M$ |
| 4 | Prince of Persia | 13,9M$ | -53% | 3.646 | $4.168 | 59,5M$ |
| 5 | Sex and the City 2 | 12,6M$ | -60% | 3.445 | $3.775 | 73,4M$ |
11.11.2008 | By Mack Chico |
Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Studios, better known as MGM, will be the first major movie studio to post full-length feature films on YouTube, the company announced Sunday.
CNET News reported on Thursday that YouTube was preparing to launch a feature-film service after spending months smoothing over fractured relationships in Hollywood.
MGM will likely not be the last studio to post full-length feature films on YouTube, according to an industry source. Last summer, Lionsgate announced a partnership with YouTube, but that deal calls for the studio to offer only short clips from films and TV shows. MGM will also post TV shows on YouTube, according to multiple reports published on Sunday.
For Google, YouTube’s parent company, the deal is a turning point in its relationship with Hollywood. There was lots of distrust and bitter feelings in entertainment circles after the way Google dealt with copyright infringement on its site. But that was when Google was in the driver’s seat. Back then, thousands of YouTube’s users would post clips from TV shows and films on the site and YouTube executives told the studios they were powerless to prevent it–all the while YouTube amassed an enormous following.
The law, according to YouTube, didn’t hold them responsible for crimes committed by their users. Hollywood was further frustrated when Google required copyright owners to send written requests when they wanted a clip removed from the site.
The studios have Hulu to thank for forcing Google to soften its approach. Hulu, the video portal formed by NBC Universal and News Corp., has become the top outlet for watching full-length films and TV shows on the Web. The site is generating as many ad dollars in only its first year in business as the three-year-old YouTube, according to reports.
If Google wanted to duplicate Hulu’s success, it needed to make nice with film studios. So it did. YouTube has developed systems that help keep pirated clips off the site and is developing video players that present clearer images than the site’s standard player. When it comes to financial terms, Google has proven much more flexible than in the past, according to three studio sources.
The typical splits right now call for the studios to pocket 70 percent of the profits and Google gets the rest, say the sources. What MGM and Google negotiated hasn’t been disclosed.
The only obstacles to Google and YouTube getting more studios to post full-length movies is Google’s insistence on a particular ad format, say the sources. They declined to say which ad unit Google prefers. The other hurdle is that some studios are skeptical that users will accept all the ads that need to accompany a feature film in order to make it profitable.
10.19.2008 | By Mack Chico |
Trilogies are no longer the big thing in Hollywood. Universal is moving forward with a fourth Jason Bourne movie, tentatively titled Bourne 4. Although this news was first confirmed back in June, Variety announces today that Universal has hired a writer and is giving full support to the production in hopes of having it ready by 2010. Interestingly, Universal really did intend to end the series with The Bourne Ultimatum (as we saw with the ending of the film), but after it made $227 million at the box office, they decided to go ahead and make another. Ultimatum writer George Nolfi has been hired to pen the sequel.
As we outlined in the previous article, the fourth book in the Bourne series was written instead by Eric Van Lustbader, not Robert Ludlum, and thus the studio has decided to go down their own path choosing a story this time. Producer Frank Marshall said they’ll probably take Bourne “down south” to South America in the fourth film, but story details aren’t fully finalized. Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass, who directed both Supremacy and Ultimatum, will return again for Bourne 4. Considering The Bourne Ultimatum is still one of my favorite movies from last year, I’m very glad to hear that they’re continuing on. Especially because it’s the closest thing to becoming a new James Bond style franchise that could go on endlessly.
