“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” stays just ahead of “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”

“Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” beat “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” on its opening day last Wednesday, but for the weekend it came up a little short of upsetting last week’s number one. The holiday weekend’s other new movie “Public Enemies” was a strong 3rd.

“Transformers 2″ is quickly closing in on $300 million in just 12 days.  Overall, the entire box office was down 20% from last weekend, but its hard tocompare to the opening weekend of a blockbuster and a holiday weekend that keeps many people out of theaters.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” - $42.32 million ($293.35 million total)
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 61% from last week)

2. “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” – $41.69 million (1st week)

3. “Public Enemies” – $25.27 million (1st week)

4. “The Proposal”  – $12.86 million
(3rd week, was #2 last week, lost 31% from last week)

5. “The Hangover” - $11.27 million ($205.04 million total)
(5th week, was #3 last week, lost 34% of audience from last week)

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“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” beats everyone at the weekend box office

There wasn’t really any doubt which movie would be number one during the weekend… it was just a matter of by how much… “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” pulled in $112 million for the weekend and $201 million since its Wednesday opening. “Transformers 2″ set a new high for a June weekend, its also the highest-grossing non-holiday, highest grossing non-Friday opening weekend and becomes the seventh opening weekend overall.   “The Dark Knight” is still the biggest 5-day opening all time ($203.8 million).

“Transformers 2″ boosted the entire box office 35% more than last weekend and at $194.97 million, it marks the biggest weekend of the year.  “Up” has passed “Star Trek” as the biggest movie of 2009 with $250 million so far.

 TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (estimated results):
1. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” - $112.00 million ($201 million total) (1st week)

2. “The Proposal”  – $18.47 million
(2nd week, was #1 last week, lost 45% from last week)

3. “The Hangover” - $17.22 million
(4th week, was #2 last week, lost 36% of audience from last week)

4. “Up” – $13.05 million  ($250 million total)
(5th week, was #3 last week, lost 45% from last week)

5. “My Sister’s Keeper” – $12.03 million (1st week)

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New at Theaters (Friday): “Away We Go”, “My Sister’s Keeper”, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”  (Wednesday)

Best Bet(s): 3 very different movie ths weekend: the sci-fi action blockbuster “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, the romantic comedy “Away We Go”, and the heartbreaking drama “My Siser’s Keeper”… so depending on what your in the mood for… this weekend is wide-open.

New on DVD (Tuesday): “Confessions of A Shopaholic”, “Inkheart”, “Pink Panther 2″, “Waltz With Bashir”

Best Bet(s): “Waltz With Bashir” was an Oscar nominated foreign animated drama, the other three had mixed success and reviews

 CLICK HERE TO FIND A MOVIE SHOWTIME

Next Week at Theaters: “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” (Wednesday), “Public Enemies” (Wednesday), “Whatever Works” (might play in Grand Rapids & Lansing)

Next Week on DVD: “12 Rounds”, “The Betrayed”, “The Education of Charlie Banks”, “The Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Experience”, “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li”, “Two Lovers”

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

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“Transformers Revenge of the Fallen” is an explosive sci-fi blockbuster with non-stop action… and is visually stunning.

There is a lot to like about the sequel to the 2007 hit… and I can see what some people wouldn’t like about it… but those people probably don’t like this kind of movie to begin with.   As I’ve said before, considering what this movie is, reviewing it for what it is: a sci-fi action adventure, its great… sure its not the best movie ever, or even an Oscar contender for best picture…. but it is a great summer blockbuster.

(spoiler free)

“Transformers Revenge of the Fallen” may not be better overall than its predecessor, but it does very well to keep up with tons of action, lots of transforming, stuff blowing up, high tech gadgets, lots of comic relief, and a battle of good versus evil that stretches across the globe.

The transformers themselves look really good, this isn’t the early CGI that looks a little fake, these CGI characters are believable and not overdone… and its nice to have Peter Cullen back as the voice of Optimus Prime, the same guy who voiced the leader of the autobots in the original cartoon series in the 1980’s and in 2007’s “Transformers”… he is Optimus.  The other voice work for the other characters is mostly very good, like Hugo Weaving as bad guy Megatron… but some of the transformer characters are a little over-the-top.

While the transformers look good and their “acting” is really good… the acting of the humans, other than Shia LaBeouf and John Turturro is just average and nothing special.  LaBeouf works well within the story and really develops and advances his character.  Turturro’s return is fun and neurotic and he pulls it off with his dead pan and goofiness as usual.  The rest of the on screen cast do okay, but are nothing special.

The soundtrack rocks this movie and fits perfectly into the picture… unlike other movies that try to get modern music into their movie and its awkward or jarring.

I also liked the homage to LaBeouf starring in the Indiana Jones movies when he, like Indy, fills up an item with a handful of “dirt”… the scene is a nice tip of the cap to the fact that LaBeouf may keep that series moving forward.

A few things I didn’t like include flashbacks to previous transformer battles that looked like a rip-off of “Lord of the Rings”, some of the transformer characters were over-the-top with too much goofiness that erodes their “coolness” factor, and the movies’ clear decision to make a spectacle of Megan Fox instead of making her character a co-star and strong female lead… which she shows some signs of being able to pull off.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

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Movies and Super Bowl 35

I know its all about the football, but many people will be watching Sunday for the commercials… and some of those commercials will be for upcoming movies: “Monsters vs. Aliens”, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”, “Land of the Lost”, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, “Star Trek”, “Angels & Demons”, “Fast & Furious”, ”Up”, and “Race to Witch Mountain”.

So here is reportedly (I have not been able to confirm all of the exact promotions independently) what to look for from studios promoting movies on Sunday (in no particular order)….

 3D trailer for “Monsters vs. Aliens” (DreamWorks):

The promotion: One of this Spring’s bigger family movies gets the big treatment with a 3D trailer promotion and product tie-ins that include a episode of NBC’s “Chuck”. 
Click here to find out how to get free 3D glasses for promotion.

The movie: When a meteorite from outer space hits a young girl and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.

Cast includes: Seth Rogen (voice), Hugh Laurie (voice), Paul Rudd (voice), Kiefer Sutherland (voice), Reese Witherspoon (voice), Rainn Wilson (voice), Will Arnett (voice), Stephen Colbert (voice).

Release date*: March 27, 2009

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 First look at “Transformers 2″ (Paramount Pictures):

The promotion: This isn’t just the first trailer for one of this summer’s biggest blockbusters, it will be the first images for the movie.. period.

The movie: Actually titled ”Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”… Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. Joining the mission to protect humankind is Optimus Prime, who forms an alliance with international armies for a second epic battle.

Cast includes: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Rainn Wilson, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Isabel Lucas, Tyrese Gibson

Release Date*: June 26, 2009

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 First trailer for “G.I. Joe” (Paramount Pictures):

The promotion: Last year, Paramount released a bunch of photos of individual characters and “character” posters (like this one of Snake Eyes” played by Ray Park – the actor who dazzled Star Wars fans as “Darth Maul” and popped as “Toad” in “X-Men”)… so Sunday will be the first footage from the summer blockbuster.  Joe fans, prepare to have your collective appetite whet.

The movie: Actually titled ”G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”, this is one of the bigger movies of the summer that could be setting up for my biggest disappointment of 2009… if not done with all the care in the world.

Based on the cartoons of the 1980s – An elite military unit comprised of special operatives known as G.I. Joe, operating out of The Pit, takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer.

Cast includes:  (more…)