Around-the-World Roundup: 'Smurfs' Passes $500 Million Worldwide

by Ray Subers

The Smurfs

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September 27, 2011

The Smurfs led for the seventh-straight frame on one of the slowest foreign weekends in recent memory. The movie added $12.9 million from 69 markets, around half of which came from phenomenal holds in Italy (down 6 percent to $3.8 million) and Australia (off 3 percent to $2.57 million). That brings its foreign total to $364.4 million, and on Sunday it eclipsed $500 million worldwide (domestic plus foreign). That makes The Smurfs the first non-sequel in 2011 to reach the half-billion-dollar milestone.

Friends with Benefits held steady with $9.6 million from 45 markets for a total of $55.5 million. It opened in first place in Spain with $1.98 million, and was down just 35 percent to $1.2 million in Germany. On a worldwide basis, the Justin Timberlake-Mila Kunis romantic comedy has so far earned over $111 million.

Johnny English Reborn added a few smaller territories and was off 33 percent to $8.1 million. The spoof sequel grossed $1.96 million in Australia and $1.13 million in Russia, and its early foreign total reached $24.3 million. The movie expands in to Spain, Hong Kong and Norway next weekend before reaching Rowan Atkinson's native United Kingdom on Oct. 7.

Abduction opened to an estimated $6.9 million in 28 territories this weekend, with top debuts coming in Brazil ($1.5 million), Australia ($1.3 million) and Russia ($1.2 million).

Final Destination 5 continued its strong foreign run with $6.7 million from 53 markets. It opened to $1.5 million in Brazil and $768,000 in Mexico, both of which were improvements over The Final Destination. The movie's overseas total is now at $98.6 million, and it should be able to come close to matching its predecessor's $119.7 million foreign figure.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes eased 29 percent to $6.2 million for a total of $229.4 million. The prequel has now made over $400 million worldwide.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. had its best foreign weekend yet, earning $6.15 million for a total of $35.4 million. It debuted in second place in the U.K. with $1.3 million, and it's scheduled to expand in to Australia next weekend.

Killer Elite opened to approximately $4.6 million from six territories. That includes a solid $2.66 million start in Russia and an unimpressive $750,000 debut in the U.K.

My Week with Marilyn

Add Comment on October 10, 2011 by Vadim Rizov

My Week With Marilyn is a minimally thought-through Oscar nomination campaign for Michelle Williams' showy and impressive performance/impersonation of Marilyn Monroe, the core of a film that barely exists. Based on two memoirs by Colin Clark about the tortured production of the 1957 Laurence Olivier-directed comedy The Prince and the Showgirl, this might more accurately be titled My Week Of Seriously

Feature: Disneynature's Oceans (Blu-ray Review)

by Brian Orndorf

At this point, there are as many oceanic documentaries as there are stars in the sky, or perhaps fish in the sea. ?Oceans? is the latest entry in the big bottomless blue sweepstakes and while it doesn?t necessarily redefine the genre, this Disneynature release is more artful and considered than its competition, permitting viewers a far more meditative take on the mysteries of the deep than the average educational film would allow.

Last Earth Day, Disneynature rolled out ?Earth,? a pleasant enough compilation of frolicking animals and their rituals, but the footage was noticeably reheated from cable broadcasts, leaving the final product lacking a needed pulse of awe to help push the wonders of planetary life. Perhaps sensing fatigue (or finding better nature film producers), Disneynature tries again with ?Oceans,? which, to the untrained eye, assumes a far more consistent depiction of the titular habitat. At least this one doesn?t feel like I just happened upon it flipping from the Food Network on my way to an episode of ?Ninja Warrior.?

From French filmmakers Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, ?Oceans? doesn?t feature the added scale of IMAX or the cheap boost of 3-D, instead taking enormous cinematographic care to present the waters of the world as sharply and heavenly as a regular old 2-D presentation will allow. There are some breathtaking shots here worth the price of a Blu-ray, plunging viewers into these abyssal underwater kingdoms to spy sea life engaged in the daily business of being. What?s fantastic about ?Oceans? is that it?s less behavior-centered and more fixated on floating grandeur, allowing the graceful movement of whales, dolphins, sea lions, and various fish buffets (oh, those poor sardines) to do most of the talking for the immaculate footage (the gaps are filled in with contemplative narration from Pierce Brosnan).

?Oceans? takes to the air as well, highlighting the birds that prowl the waters waiting for an opportunity to seize the perfect bite. Matters get downright Hitchcockian during one sequence, where a nest of baby sea turtles hatches in broad daylight, allowing nearby birds a chance to zoom in and snatch up dinner as the turtles scramble for the safety of the ocean. It?s an astonishing sequence of suspense, while also pumping some needed circle-of-life reminders into the proceedings to wake up more impressionable viewers.

THE BLU-RAY

Video:

The AVC encoded image (2.40:1 aspect ratio) presentation on ?Ocean? is intended to wow viewers and it accomplishes this task with a confident, clear journey into the deep blue waters. Captured with HD cameras, the viewing experience remains remarkably reliable, remaining fresh and vibrant as various creatures swim by for full living room inspection. Detail is strong, with textures a major component of the viewing experience, with a fine grain element to provide a rich theatrical feel. Colors are varied and consistent, pushing blues and yellows, making the beaches and abysses alive with communicative hues. Darker elements of pollution are equally as vivid, sustaining the picture?s sporadically somber tone. Shadow detail is generally stable, with a few sequences that reach into the deepest depths showing some muddiness that obscures visual information.

Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD sound mix feels tailored to home audiences, plunging into the wet with a vigorous surround feel that maintains a cool submerged feeling. The soundtrack has already been sweetened by the filmmakers, with every last gurgle, bubble, and crunch agreeably pronounced on the track, with special attention paid to closer encounters. Brosnan?s narration is warmly sustained and pronounced, with frontal activity that blends into the mood of the film superbly. Scoring cues also feel relaxed, creating a cinematic smoothness. Much of the listening experience is spent with a heavy, pressurized aural sensation, which registers marvelously on the track. French and Spanish tracks are also offered.

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles are included.

Extras:

?Oceans? includes a ?Living Menu? system that allows viewers to click on certain parts of an animated globe. While most of the information is text-based, a few making-of featurettes are hidden, making it worth the effort to click around a bit and find a few surprises.

?Disney & Nature: Caring for the World We Share? (7:54) is a corporate pat on the back, covering Disney?s effort to protect the Earth with help from ticket buyers, who fund some of these conservation efforts. The featurette moves on to Disney?s global protection and education endeavors, taking this thing even further into self-promotion.

?Make a Wave? (1:50) is a music video featuring Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato.

A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The footage here hits all the mystery and miracles of the oceans, illustrating routines and the natural splendor of the aquatic stars. Nevertheless, the real significance is one of environmental responsibility, with focus moving over to manmade pollution and how catastrophe is imminent if habits don?t change. This message is critical, implemented well by the filmmakers, who embrace the power that comes from visual evidence, which is far more effective than simplistic preaching. The patience lends ?Oceans? a more challenging tone, putting the burden of change on the viewer, not just passing it off to humankind in general.

link directly to this feature at http://efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=3111
originally posted: 10/20/10 23:54:35
last updated: 10/20/10 23:55:08
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Review: Saw 3D

Awesome: 12.5%
Worth A Look: 0%
Average: 0%
Pretty Bad: 87.5%
Total Crap: 0%

1 review, 2 user ratings

by brianorndorf

"It's finally over...hopefully."

Producers claim ?Saw 3D? is intended to be very last theatrical installment of the franchise. If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in purchasing. While the promotional hyperbole is expected, it seems the men in charge might actually mean it this time, shaping the film in a fashion that brings the events full circle, enticing back fans who jumped ship last Halloween to swim in the fresh waters of ?Paranormal Activity.? Final installment or not, the big sendoff constructed here isn?t so big. In fact, ?Saw 3D? doesn?t alter the formula one little bit, assembling another round of sharp traps, shrieks, blood sprays, and cartoon retribution, with this sequel shot in 3D to spice up the box office take.

Having survived a horrible facial trap in the last chapter, dastardly Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) is on the hunt for revenge, targeting Jigsaw?s wife Jill (Betsy Russell), who?s been taken into police custody under the protection of Gibson (Chad Donella, giving a spectacularly atrocious performance). Also on the prowl is Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flannery) a self-proclaimed survivor of Jigsaw?s wrath who?s made a mint sharing his horror story with the public. Confronted with a second round of Jigsaw?s steel might, Bobby is placed into an elaborate maze of traps, with each bloody test of endurance revealing his deceptions. Observing from afar is Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes, blessedly handed very little dialogue), who?s returned from the dark for reasons not immediately made clear.

Since 2004, the ?Saw? films have continually disappointed me, with each installment robotically moving on to the next, without the forward progression of storytelling and nightmarish imagery that typically accompanies an eager horror sequel. I guess ?Saw? was never about taking real artistic chances, it was about building a dependable Halloween thrill ride, with slapdash, semi-humorous retconning filling in the plot holes as one sequel grew to six in a hurry.

Now we?ve hit part seven and nothing?s changed in the ?Saw? universe. There are still ornately designed traps ready to spring on hapless souls unable to reclaim their morality, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell appears in a cameo) is still around to stir up trouble, and the music score eternally blasts away at top volume. ?Saw 3D? had a real opportunity to kick down the doors and close this series with a majestic killing blow, skipping formula to take fans on a wild ride of finality. Instead, we get 3D. It?s not exactly the type of creative risk-taking I was hoping for and feel the hardcore fanbase deserves.

Director Kevin Greutert returns from his work on ?Saw V? to guide the latest adventure, and I haven?t encountered a director so baffled by the possibilities of 3D in a very long time. The extra dimension is practically left to rot in ?Saw 3D,? with only the occasional blast of entrails or limb tossed toward the camera for effect. It remains a hopelessly flat film befitting a flaccid story, never bothering to sniff out the limits of the exhibition possibilities. Greutert appears more consumed with keeping the rickety narrative intact than sliding forward a specialized, memorable visual experience. With all these traps and dying people, the potential to create a funhouse environment of 3D immersion was right there for the taking. Greutert barely pays attention.

Hoffman? Dr. Gordon? Jigsaw? Is there really a mystery left to be solved at this point? The only question mark that remains is how the bad guys manage to erect such elaborate traps for their whimpering victims without outsiders catching on. That?s a ?Saw? I want to see at this point. Let?s watch Jigsaw shop at Home Depot for giant flesh-ripping hooks, rent all these warehouses and public spaces, or perfect the science of his kill toys (one trap here is triggered by decibel levels). I want to see the welding, the down payments, the customer service calls. I want to know how a madman has the time to manufacture all these robot puppets on tricycles and still make room for his nightly Hot Pocket and DVRed episode of ?Two and a Half Men.? The mundane details of this operation have to be more interesting than the same old dance of dumb cops, screaming victims, and endless taped taunting. The traps themselves are losing their edge in the new film too, with the screenplay basically recycling macabre challenges for Dagen just to fill time.

I?d like to believe that ?Saw? is finally over. The producers squeezed out six opportunities to make pure genre magic and they never found the nerve, lazily rehashing the formula to its current soupy state. Let Jigsaw die. Horror needs a new direction.

link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=19999&reviewer=404
originally posted: 10/30/10 02:50:02
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USA
29-Oct-2010 (R)

UK
N/A

Australia
29-Oct-2010

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