Dragonlord's 2015 Movie Guide

[HenryFlower]

HenryFlower Review of Victor Frankenstein

It was really really stupid.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

MOCKINGJAY PART 2 Wins Thanksgiving Weekend with $75.8M

As expected, holdover The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 dominated overall in its second outing, earning $75.8 million for the Wednesday-Sunday holiday stretch. Mockingjay 2 also dominated overseas, grossing another $62 million for a foreign tally of $242.4 million and global total of $440.7 million through Sunday. Coming in second offshore was Ridley Scott's The Martian, thanks to a late run in China, where the space epic opened to $50.1 million for a global total of $545.1 million.

The Good Dinosaur and Rocky reboot Creed played a big part in fueling the holiday box-office boom in North America, even if Good Dinosaur marks one of the lowest starts for a Pixar title. The only turkey was Victor Frankenstein, which quickly bombed. The trio of new films opened Wednesday, with overall revenue for the five-day stretch hitting an estimated $256 million, up 12 percent from last year.

The Good Dinosaur debuted to $56 million from 3,749 locations for the five days, the fourth best Thanksgiving launch of all time. The Pixar/Disney release, boasting an A CinemaScore, earned $39.2 million for the three-day weekend. Overseas, Good Dinosaur opened to a promising $28.7 million from 39 markets for a global bow of $84 million. Costing between $175 million and $200 million to produce, Good Dinosaur marks the first time Pixar has ever released two films in the same year.

MGM and New Line's Creed, boasting rave reviews and an A CinemaScore, outperformed expectations in opening to an estimated $42.6 million from 3,284 theaters for the five days, including a three-day weekend gross of $30.1 million. The $35 million movie is a needed win for Warner Bros., parent company of New Line.

The holiday's third new movie, Paul McGuigan's Victor Frankenstein, couldn't even crack the top 10 after receiving a C CinemaScore. Revisiting the classic story from the perspective of Igor (Daniel Radcliffe), the $40 million Fox movie placed No. 12 with a dismal five-day gross of $3.4 million from 2,797 theaters, including a three-day take of $2.4 million. It's the latest 2015 title to post one of the worst openings of all time for a major studio release.


'Mockingjay' Wins Thanksgiving With $75.8M; 'Good Dinosaur,' 'Creed' Solid Seconds

 

[Tebowned]

Just got out of In The Heart of the Sea.

I'll give it a good 7/10. Everything you'd expect from a Ron Howard film.
Not as good as Rush but I rated Rush 9/10.

Not really spoilers but what I thought of the cast.

Spoiler

Hemsworth did well but it wasn't a spectacular performance.

Disappointed Cillian Murphy did not have more screen time.

Benjamin walker who plays the captain of the Essex had a great performance but resembled Bendict Cumberbatch to the point of distraction.

I'm okay with Tom holland being Peter Parker. He did not take me out of the film by his acting which most younger actors tend to do.

TLDR: liked not loved.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Thanks Tebowned. Critics reviews for In the Heart of the Sea seems lukewarm as of now. Was going to see this in theaters but might pass.

 

[PEB]

DragonLord may like this new apparently I cannot tell why but Yvonne Strahovski is very much in the running for Captain Marvel as well as Ronda Rousey. They maybe be front runners for the part apparently. I don't agree with Ronda but Yvonna is built for the part and Blunt.

The one topping the running go figure Jennifer Lawrence. Here is her response when asked the question if she has been asked. Apparently Marvel views X-Men universe as completely different then Avengers Universe and see no problems with Jennifer Lawrence casting possibility. Olivia Wilde wants the part but its not like she is leading the talk.

http://www.themarysue.com/j-law-captain-marvel/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maX-ObiJB3o

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

KRAMPUS

Release Date: Dec. 4 (Wide Release)

Genre: Christmas Horror Fantasy Comedy

Director: Michael Dougherty (Trick r' Treat)

Cast: Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, and Alison Tolman

Synopsis: When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max (Emjay Anthony) is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers. All hell breaks loose as beloved holiday icons take on a monstrous life of their own, laying siege to the fractured family's home and forcing them to fight for each other if they hope to survive.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 63% Approval Rating (34 out of 54 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Krampus is gory good fun for fans of non-traditional holiday horror with a fondness for Joe Dante's B- movie classics, even if it doesn't have quite the savage bite its concept calls for.
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CHI-RAQ

Release: Dec. 4 (Limited Release)

Genre: Drama

Director: Spike Lee (Oldboy, Do the Right Thing)

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Hudson, Wesley Snipes, Nick Cannon, Angela Bassett, John Cusack, Dave Chappelle, Teyonah Parris, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, and Steve Harris

Synopsis: Chi-Raq is a modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes. After the murder of a child by a stray bullet, a group of women led by Lysistrata organize against the on-going violence in Chicago’s Southside creating a movement that challenges the nature of race, sex and violence in America and around the world.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 79% Approval Rating (58 out of 73 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Chi-Raq is as urgently topical and satisfyingly ambitious as it is wildly uneven -- and it contains some of Spike Lee's smartest, sharpest, and all-around entertaining late-period work.
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THE LADY IN THE VAN

Release: Dec. 4 (Limited Release)

Genre: Biographical Comedy Drama

Director: Nicholas Hytner (The Crucible, The History Boys)

Cast: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Deborah Findlay, Dominic Cooper, Jim Broadbent

Synopsis: A big screen adaptation of writer Alan Bennett’s iconic and celebrated memoir, directed by long-standing Bennett collaborator Nicholas Hytner. The film tells the true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) and the singular Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith), a woman of uncertain origins who 'temporarily' parked her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years. Their unique story is funny, poignant and life-affirming.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Approval Rating (42 out of 45 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Led by a marvelous performance from Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van wrings poignant, often hilarious insight from its fact-based source material.
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MACBETH

Release: Dec. 4 (Limited Release)

Genre: War Drama

Director: Justin Kurzel (Assassin's Creed, The Snowtown Murders)

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Sean Harris, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Elizabeth Debicki

Synopsis: Macbeth is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of literature's most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition set in war torn Scotland.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 83% Approval Rating (72 out of 87 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Faithful to the source material without sacrificing its own cinematic flair, Justin Kurzel's Macbeth rises on the strength of a mesmerizing Michael Fassbender performance to join the upper echelon of big-screen Shakespeare adaptations.
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YOUTH

Release: Dec. 4 (Limited Release)

Genre: Comedy Drama

Director: Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty)

Cast: Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano and Jane Fonda

Synopsis: From Paolo Sorrentino, the director of Italy’s Oscar foreign language winner The Great Beauty comes Youth, about two longtime friends vacationing in the Swiss Alps. Oscar winning actor Michael Caine plays Fred, an acclaimed composer and conductor, who brings along his daughter (Rachel Weisz) and best friend Mick (Harvey Keitel), a renowned filmmaker. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. The two men reflect on their past, each finding that some of the most important experiences can come later in life.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 75% Approval Rating (47 out of 63 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Gorgeously filmed and beautifully acted, Youth offers an enticing -- albeit flawed -- opportunity to witness an impressive array of seasoned veterans combining their cinematic might.
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LIFE

Release: Dec. 4 (Limited Release)

Genre: Biographical Drama

Director: Anton Corbijn (The American, A Most Wanted Man)

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Dane DeHaan, Ben Kingsley, Joel Edgerton, and Alessandra Mastronardi

Synopsis: Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson) was only 26 when he was commissioned to photograph James Dean (Dane DeHaan), Hollywood’s rebellious free spirit on the verge of superstardom, for LIFE Magazine in 1955. In the months leading up to the premiere of Dean’s infamous role in East of Eden and filming Rebel Without a Cause, Stock and Dean took a photographic journey across the United States, from Los Angeles to New York and finally to Dean’s childhood farmhouse in Indiana. And while Stock thought he was capturing a young actor in the instant before he became a household name, in fact he documented the last moments of intimacy and simplicity that James Dean ever knew.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 59% Approval Rating (26 out of 44 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Life may frustrate viewers seeking a James Dean biopic with its subject's intensity, but it remains a diverting, well-acted effort assembled with admirable craft and ambition.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

KRAMPUS Beats THE GOOD DINOSAUR With $16 Million

Holiday horror-comedy Krampus outperformed expectations in its debut at the North American box office, grossing $16 million from 2,902 theaters to come in No. 2 behind The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2.

Mockingjay 2 stayed No. 1 for the third consecutive weekend with $18.6 million from 4,086 locations. The final installment in Lionsgate's YA film franchise raced past the $500 million mark globally over the weekend, finishing Sunday with a worldwide cume of $523.9 million. Overseas, it also dominated with $32.4 million, putting its foreign total at $296.8 million.

Lionsgate and Alcon also saw solid results offshore with Point Break, which debuted to $14.1 million in six Asian markets, including $12.1 million in China. The remake opens Christmas Day in North America.

In a surprise upset, Legendary and Universal's Krampus beat animated family tentpole The Good Dinosaur, which tumbled 60 percent in its second weekend domestically, tying with Cars 2 to mark the steepest drop ever for a Pixar title (some rival studios show Dinosaur falling 61 percent).

Good Dinosaur tied with Warner Bros.' Rocky reboot Creed for the No. 3 spot, with both films estimating weekend earnings of $15.5 million. The exact order will be determined Monday when final weekend numbers are released. Overseas, Good Dinosaur earned $19.4 million from 45 markets for an early foreign total of $55.4 million. The domestic tally is $76 million for a worldwide cume of $131.4 million through Sunday.

From director Ryan Coogler, Creed continued to deliver a strong punch in its second weekend, falling just 48 percent for a domestic total of $65 million through Sunday.


Box Office: 'Krampus' Beats 'Good Dinosaur' With $16M; 'Hunger Games' Stays No. 1

 

[Tebowned]

I have a screening to hateful 8 today but I cannot make it.

 

[Tebowned]

I have a screening to hateful 8 today but I cannot make it.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

Release Date: Dec. 11 (Wide Release)

Genre: True Story Adventure Drama

Director: Ron Howard (Rush, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind)

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brendan Gleeson, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Jordi Molla, Michelle Fairley, Gary Beadle, Frank Dillane, Charlotte Riley and Donald Sumpter

Synopsis: In 1820, crewmen (Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy) aboard the New England vessel Essex face a harrowing battle for survival when a whale of mammoth size and strength attacks with force, crippling their ship and leaving them adrift in the ocean. Pushed to their limits and facing storms, starvation, panic and despair, the survivors must resort to the unthinkable to stay alive. Their incredible tale ultimately inspires author Herman Melville to write "Moby-Dick."

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Rotten Tomatoes: 44% Approval Rating (59 out of 134 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: The admirably old-fashioned In the Heart of the Sea boasts thoughtful storytelling to match its visual panache, even if it can't claim the depth or epic sweep to which it so clearly aspires.
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THE BIG SHORT

Release: Dec. 11 (Limited Release)

Genre: True Story Drama

Director: Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, The Other Guys)

Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo, Marisa Tomei, Karen Gillan, Max Greenfield, Rafe Spall, Tracy Letts, Finn Wittrock, Selena Gomez, Byron Mann and Hamish Linklater

Synopsis: When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers).

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Rotten Tomatoes: 86% Approval Rating (70 out of 81 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: The Big Short approaches a serious, complicated subject with an impressive attention to detail -- and manages to deliver a well-acted, scathingly funny indictment of its real-life villains in the bargain.
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DON VERDEAN

Release: Dec. 11 (Limited Release)

Genre: Comedy

Director: Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre)

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Amy Ryan, Jemaine Clement, Danny McBride, Will Forte and Leslie Bibb

Synopsis: Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels a comic conspiracy from the filmmaking team behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 37% Approval Rating (11 out of 30 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: A joyless celebration of well-trod stereotypes in an even more joyless madcap lampoon.
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THE RIDICULOUS 6

Release: Dec. 11 (Limited Release)

Genre: Western Comedy

Director: Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, Waterboy)

Cast: Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Will Forte, Nick Swardson, Blake Shelton, Jon Lovitz, Vanilla Ice, Whitney Cummings, Steve Zahn, Danny Trejo, Chris Parnell, and Lavell Crawford

Synopsis: White Knife (Adam Sandler), an orphan raised by Native Americans, discovers that five outlaws (Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson) are actually his half-brothers. Together, they set out to save their wayward father.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 0% Approval Rating (0 out of 5 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: The Ridiculous Six looks to revive the spirit of Blazing Saddles, but Sandler's instincts are far too dulled at this point, adding another crude misfire to a growing list of career disappointments.
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AMERICAN HERO

Release: Dec. 11 (Limited Release)

Genre: Superhero Comedy Drama

Director: Nick Love (The Sweeney, The Firm)

Cast: Stephen Dorff, Eddie Griffin, Raeden Greer, Bill Billions, and Yohance Myles

Synopsis: Melvin (Stephen Dorff), a reluctant hero who is far from super, has been suppressing his telekinetic powers for years with booze, drugs, and women. In the process, he has failed at practically everything, most of all as a parent to his son. After a brush with death, Melvin decides to use his powers for good and clean up the streets of New Orleans with the help of his best friend/definitely-not-a-sidekick, Lucille (Eddie Griffin). For a man who can do the impossible, it might be a fight even he can't win.

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Rotten Tomatoes: 38% Approval Rating (3 out of 8 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: American Hero starts off seeming as if it is going to be a fresh take on superheroes, but writer-director Nick Love turns out to have nowhere to go with his intriguing premise.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA Capsizes with $11 Million US Debut

Ron Howard's In the Heart of the Sea capsized at the North American box office, opening to $11 million from 3,103 theaters. The big-budget seafaring epic cost roughly $100 million to make, excluding marketing costs, so that's a dismal start. And next weekend, things will only get more difficult when Star Wars: The Force Awakens rolls out.

The news isn't much better overseas, where Heart of the Sea expanded into a total of 52 markets, grossing $12.6 million for a 12-day foreign total of $39.4 million and muted global cume of $50.4 million.

In North America, Heart of the Sea came in second to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, which took in $11.3 million for a domestic haul of $244.5 million. Overseas, the final installment in Lionsgate's YA film franchise took the top spot with $15.4 million for a foreign cume of $320.1 million and worldwide total of $564.6 million.

Heart of the Sea heaps on more bad news for Warner Bros., although the studio's financial exposure is somewhat mitigated by several co-financing partners, including Village Roadshow Pictures. And Warners is hopeful the movie will make up ground overseas, where it began rolling out last weekend.

Critics, whom older adults rely on in making their moviegoing decisions, ravaged Howard's latest outing with a 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes; audiences were more impressed, giving it a B+ CinemaScore.


Box Office: 'Mockingjay Part 2' No. 1 for Fourth Time; 'In the Heart of the Sea' Sinks

 

[ufcfan4]

UFCFAN4's Review of Spotlight

Spotlight is the type of film that seeks more than audience interest. It seeks audience outrage. Indeed, the film dares any viewer to sit through its 130 minute running time without being fazed, angered, or shaken by the statement that it makes. If the film does not pack quite the emotional wallop that some of the most impacting films based on true events have in part due to its clinical, research-oriented narrative and execution- it still certainly hits home with its utterly disturbing subject matter.

The film centers on the work of Spotlight, a four-person investigative team for The Boston Globe that is known for its assiduous research and commitment to uncovering scandal and corruption. When the paper gets a new editor-in-chief, the Spotlight journalists are intrigued to see that he has a desire to advise the group on the selection of their next project. Namely, he is concerned with the work of a local lawyer who is claiming that he has proof that Cardinal Law of the Boston Archdiocese knew that a priest was a sexual predator when he reassigned him to different parishes.

The team starts with this fallen priest but uncovers plenty of even more disconcerting facts about the archdiocese. Receiving information from a man who founded a support group for adults who experienced abuse at the hands of priests as children and other members, as well as a former Catholic priest and psychologist who spent his career researching the issue, the researchers learn that the issue is far more wider-reaching and appalling than they might have initially suspected.

Spotlight raises many questions about culpability. It often draws attention to the ways in which people will neglect evidence of wrongdoing when it is convenient to do so. There are lawyers who defended abusers or those who worked for the plaintiffs but steered them toward clandestine deals in which smalls sums of money and meetings with the bishop were exchanged for silence. There are newspeople who did not see the writing on the wall even though there were signs everywhere. There are school alumni who do not want the image of faculties and institutions tarnished for any reason.

Since the film is heavily enmeshed in research and investigation, there is not a lot in the way of character development. We get some insight into Ruffalo being a workaholic and Keaton being a down-to-earth guy with friends in high places, but for the most part these characters mainly serve as relentless pursuers of the truth. The argument could be made, of course, that the film is not groundbreaking. I could see certain critics saying that it is utterly competent in every facet but not exceptional. Good direction, good score, strong performances, but nothing in all those technical aspects that might make an indelible impression. Still, a film that does everything well is not something to be dismissed, especially when it deals with a narrative that is both striking and depressing.
The performances are across the board good. Where the cast really succeeds in a uniform manner is in the subtleties of the performances. Characters hesitate in their speech- their are “ums” and hesitations as characters reflect and search for the right words. The actors interact in a convincing manner that immediately conveys their characters know and understand one another as longtime co-workers. This may seem to be a rather mundane thing to praise, but I think it was one of the aspects of the cast’s work that really stood out to me. At no time did any actor, many of whom are quite recognizable from other roles, transcend the role they were playing.

Ruffalo and Keaton have the most to do and really deliver. McAdams conveys a compassionate and empathetic presence, particularly in her scenes interacting with one of the abuse victims. Tucci, meanwhile, steals every scene he is in and leaves you wanting more of him.

Some might question certain choices the film makes. One seemingly critical confrontation goes nowhere, never being referred to again, despite the fact that it seems so significant. Additionally, Brian D’Arcy James is given a rather thankless, underdeveloped subplot that seems shoehorned in just to give him more to do. And while we certainly see examples of the Church’s power to stifle investigations into transgressions, the film continually implies that Keaton and co. will face extreme resistance and threats while doing their work. Ultimately, we see little to none of that and instead watch as their disturbing work eats away at them more than any external pressure that they face.

That said, Spotlight is a well-made and challenging film that will assuredly be a contender during awards season.

 

[BryanIam]

Last post was September? RIP

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Last post was September? RIP

The migration screwed up the old threads. The posts are now scrambled and are not arranged chronologically. Check out the first 5 posts of the thread and their timeline to see what I mean.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Eureka!

I solved the 'scrambled posts' problem. The admins are currently busy with other more pressing concerns, so I decided to do some tinkering and found the solution myself.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Update: December 16, 2015

Dragonlord's Review of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (No Spoilers)

Entertaining and a nostalgic blast from the past to see old characters, references and iconic spaceships from the original Star Wars trilogy but it's not the masterpiece we were all hoping for.

J.J. Abrams was criticized from Trekkies for making Star Trek into Star Wars. But the most ironic thing is that he is making The Force Awakens like his first Star Trek film. The first half of The Force Awakens is a spiritual carbon copy of the 2009 Star Trek where the pacing is very rushed and frenetic with lots of running around, and key characters meet conveniently for the first time and bonding instantaneously. There's even a space monster chasing our heroes during the middle.

When others copy something from another movie, it can be considered either a homage or a ripoff. But The Force Awakens copying specific plot points from its own library, down to its narrative structure, is just lazy. Almost everything from A New Hope is getting a polished makeover - from a young protagonist in a desert planet being chased by an evil empire led by a mysterious, powerful figure, down to the heroes trying to destroy a planet killer base by exploiting a key structural weakness.

Newcomer Daisy Ridley as Rey was fantastic. Rey's spunk, beauty and resourcefulness immediately endears her to the audience. Oscar Isaac's dashing Poe Cameron was great but wished he had more screen time. Adam Driver, looking the best he has ever been in his adult life thanks to movie magic, was pretty decent as the film's big bad Kylo Ren but his pivotal scenes with ______ lacks any emotional weight. John Boyega as Finn was okay but he had some embarrassing lines, an overacting "Nooooooo" scene, and subtle romance angle seemed forced.

The FX was top-notch and beautifully blended with the practical effects. The CGI on Maz Kanata (played by Lupita Nyong'o) was incredible, felt like it was played by an actor in heavy makeup. If I didn't know Lupita was playing Maz Kanata, I would have sworn it was Linda Hunt. The scenery and landscape were stunning, as well as some striking images like the crashed Star Destroyer.

The first half of the film we got some exciting space escape sequence, a goosebump-inducing Millennium Falon dogfight and some fun, chaotic action involving a monster and bounty hunters (played by The Raid cast). The 3rd act seems uninspired and a blatant rehash of A New Hope. Kinda makes me appreciate some of the action from the panned second Star Wars trilogy. Hopefully, the creative team can come up with something more bolder and original for the next two sequels.

Preliminary Rating: 7/10 or 7.5/10

Note: I'll add some more later when I have some time to think about it.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

7... oh boy. Now I'm nervous.



Saw MacBeth last week. Stunning cinematography. The acting was great, but the pace left something to desired. I haven't seen any iteration of MacBeth in 20+ years, so perhaps my memory of liking it be a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?


7/10

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Release Date: Dec. 18 (Wide Release)

Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy Action Adventure

Director: J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III, Super 8)

Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow

Synopsis: Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights.



Dragonlord's Review: Entertaining and a nostalgic blast from the past but Star Wars fan deserve something better than a polished makeover of A New Hope. In an ironic twist, J.J. Abrams has turned Star Wars into Star Trek (click the link to read more). 7.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Approval Rating (250 out of 263 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.
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SISTERS

Release: Dec. 18 (Wide Release)

Genre: Comedy

Director: Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect)

Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, John Leguizamo, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, James Brolin and Dianne Wiest

Synopsis: SNL alumni Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-star in this Universal Studios comedy about a pair of 30-something sisters who learn that their parents' house has been put on the market, and who decide to spend one last rowdy weekend in the home where they grew up.



Rotten Tomatoes: 63% Approval Rating (61 out of 97 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Sisters' sharp blend of pathos and vulgarity, along with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's effervescent chemistry, are more than enough to make up for the handful of laughs this coming-of-age comedy leaves on the table.
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ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

Release: Dec. 18 (Wide Release)

Genre: Family Comedy Adventure

Director: Walt Becker (National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Old Dogs)

Cast: Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Josh Green, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Kaley Cuoco, Anna Faris, and Christina Applegate

Synopsis: Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami...and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.



Rotten Tomatoes: 14% Approval Rating (5 out of 35 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: In some respects, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a marginal improvement over prior installments, although this in no way qualifies as a recommendation.
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EXTRACTION

Release: Dec. 18 (Limited Release)

Genre: Action Thriller

Director: Steven C. Miller (Silent Night, Under the Bed)

Cast: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano, D.B. Sweeney, and Summer Altice

Synopsis: When a terrorist group kidnaps retired CIA field operative Leonard Turner (Bruce Willis), his son Harry Turner (Kellan Lutz), a government analyst who has been repeatedly turned down for field service, launches his own unsanctioned rescue operation. While evading highly skilled operatives, deadly assassins, and international terrorists, Harry finally puts his combat training to the test in a high stakes mission to find his father and to stop a terrorist plot.



Rotten Tomatoes: 0% Approval Rating (0 out of 10 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Extraction is an exhaustively paint-by-numbers affair, and nobody is more bored with it than Willis.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report:

THE FORCE AWAKENS Opens with Record Breaking $57 Million Thursday Previews

J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens remains in hyperdrive at the North American box office, where it's headed for the biggest Friday of all time with at least $120 million-$125 million in ticket sales for a record weekend opening north of $215 million — and that's a conservative estimate.

Box office observers say there's no telling how high Force Awakens will ultimately open, only that it's destined to make history and eclipse the $208.8 million domestic debut of Jurassic World this summer. Some industry sources are suggesting as high as $240 million to $250 million. However, they stress it's difficult to project, since nothing has ever been so big. Ultimately, it all depends upon how Saturday plays out.

Friday's haul will include a record-breaking $57 million in Thursday night previews at the North American box office.

The previous Thursday-night champ was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Part 2, the final film in the franchise, which earned $43.5 million in Thursday previews in July 2011. Deathly Hallows 2 also held the record for the biggest Friday until now ($91 million).

The Force Awakens, directed by Abrams, began showing at 7 p.m. Thursday, with 3D making up a big 47 percent of the night. IMAX screenings were also a new record, earning $5.7 million from 391 screens, nearly doubling the previous record of $3 million. Abrams' film is also smashing records overseas, where it has amassed a stunning $72.7 million in its first two days.


Box Office Report: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Eyes Record $120 Million-Plus Friday

 

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Box Office Report:

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Blazes to Record $120.5 Million on Friday

J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens is making history at the worldwide box office, landing the biggest Friday of all time in North America with $120.5 million and crossing $250 million globally in just three days.

Box office observers say Force Awakens, graced with an A CinemaScore and rave reviews, could climb as high as $240 million-$245 million. Either way, it's destined to eclipse the $208.8 million domestic debut of Jurassic World this summer and set a new record.

Force Awakens also has a shot at claiming the top global bow of all time, besting Jurassic World's $524.9 million, although Jurassic World had the benefit of opening day and date in China (Force Awakens doesn't launch in the world's second-biggest moviegoing market until Jan. 9).


Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blazes to Record $120.5M Friday, Crosses $250M Globally