New on DVD (Tuesday):  “Marley & Me”, “The Other End of the Line”, “Seven Pounds”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Bedtime Stories”  (BluRay on Sunday, DVD next Tuesday), “Tell No One”, “The Butterfly Effect 3″

BEST BETs: Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire” should be your first choice to rent if you haven’t yet seen it… “Marley & Me” is a good drama, but I’ll warn pet lovers again: YOU WILL CRY… the Will Smith drama “Seven Pounds” got snubbed by critics and the Oscars – but its first on my list here… “Tell No One” is a foreign thriller that got great reviews, but I haven’t had the chance to see myself… “Bedtime Stories” is a fun family movie if you have BluRay, otherwise it comes out on DVD next Tuesday.

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New at Theaters (Friday):  ”Adventureland”, “Fast and Furious”, “Sunshine Cleaning” (new to Grand Rapids market)

BEST BETs: “Sunshine Cleaning” is new to the Grand Rapids market, but has been gaining momentum in the first 3 weeks of release and this drama may be our first Oscar worthy movie of the year.  “Adventureland” is an R-rated romantic comedy.  “Fast and Furious” is a sequel with the return of original actors Paul Walker and Vin Diesel.

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Next Week at Theaters: “Dragonball Evolution”, “Hannah Montana The Movie”, “Observe and Report”

Next Week on DVD: “Bedtime Stories”, “The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)”, “Donkey Punch”, “Doubt”, “Not Easily Broken”, “The Tale of Despereaux”, “Yes Man”

MY REVIEWS OF OTHER MOVIES CURRENTLY PLAYING IN THEATERS OR AVAILABLE TO RENT/BUY: 

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“Marley & Me” holds on to number one, “Doubt” moves into 8th place, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” moves down one spot to 9th place, and one of my favorite movies of the year: “Slumdog Millionaire” moves into to the top 10 for the first time.  

“The Spirit” followed up its poor opening weekend by dropping to 13th (losing 49% of its audience) during a weekend with no wide releases (that’s a red flag movie go-ers !!!).

There were 27% fewer people ($130 million) at the movies over the New Year’s weekend compared to the big Christmas weekend ($179 million).

TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated): 
1. “Marley & Me” – $24.05 million
(2nd week at #1, lost 34% of audience from last week)

2. “Bedtime Stories” – $20.32 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 26% of audience from last week)

3. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” - $18.40 million
(2nd week, was #3 last week, lost 32% of audience from last week)

4. “Valkyrie” – $14.04 million
(2nd week, was #4 last week, lost 33% of audience from last week)

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4 new movies top the box office… but “The Spirit” was almost invisible in its opening weekend.

The life story of a dog “Marley & Me” and the life story of a man who ages backwards “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” take first and third place, while Adam Sandler’s family movie was second and Tom Cruise’s nazi-era drama was fourth.

TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: 
1. “Marley & Me” – $37.00 million  (1st week)

2. “Bedtime Stories” – $28.07 million  (1st week)

3. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” - $27.00 million  (1st week)

4. “Valkyrie” – $21.53 million  (1st week)

5. “Yes Man” – $16.45 million  
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 10% of audience from last week)

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You’ve probably heard the phrase “you’ll laugh, you’ll cry”… well, in the case of Marley & Me, its totally true!

This suprisingly touching movie might not be what you think from the previews – it is not a feel good cheery Christmas flick - this is a movie that relentlessly goes after your emotions to get you to cry, anyone who’s had a pet will be touched and moved, no matter how much you fight it, you’ll get teary eyed.
 “Marley & Me”

(2008) (rated: PG for thematic material, some suggestive content and language) (2 hrs)

Starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin, Nathan Gamble

Director: David Frankel

Genre: Romance/Drama/Comedy

The Plot: A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog.

MY TAKE (minor spoilers): This movie centers around a couple through the years as Marley grows up and the couple John (Wilson) and Jen (Aniston) has three kids that become very close with Marley.

But Marley isn’t a great dog… several times in the movie he’s referred to as “the world’s worst dog”.

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Well, Merry Christmas… there are a sleigh load of options at theaters this week and one very good option out on DVD…. but if you’re like me and the weather has you behind the times, then there are a ton of options out there!!! 

If you can’t get to the theaters during this week, there’s always next week, so with no new movies in wide release, we can all try to catch up…

New on DVD: “Burn After Reading” (Sunday), “Savage Grace”, “Pulse 3″, “Beethoven’s Big Break”

MY TAKE ON WHAT’S NEW ON DVD: There’s only one movie to recommend here, UNLESS your rental audience includes kids, then “Burn After Reading” - one of my favorite comedies of the year – is NOT for you, otherwise, I highly recommend this quirky Comedy/Drama from the Coen Brothers with a great cast of characters.

There are nearly a dozen movies out new in theaters this week, including 3 with possible Academy Award chances for Best Picture, so be sure to read the releases for both Thursday (12/25) and Friday (12/26)…

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