Eagerly anticipating this week ... (14-24)

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (14-24)
Ali Abassi's The Apprentice (2024)

11/29/2022

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - Disney's tentpole franchise implodes


Johnny Depp in his Captain Jack getup single-handedly sells tickets on this poster for Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Well-known pirates must band together and find Captain Jack Sparrow in a new quest across dangerous waters towards one final, huge battle.


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is written by Ted Elliott (Small Soldiers (1998)) and Terry Rossio (Shrek (2001)) and directed by Gore Verbinski (Mousehunt (1997)). It is the third film in the Pirates franchise started with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), with all the first 3 films being by Verbinski.

After two terrific, super-entertaining swashbuckler adventures, the third movie is a fantastically long, empty shell of a film. Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands (1990)) is back and self-satisfied as the at this point nauseating, 'charming' Jack Sparrow character. The plot almost completely went over my pirate's hat for the almost three hour runtime, but it is something about a strange, multi-ethnic, screaming pirate brotherhood. I failed to find the excitement in this, or rather the film failed.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End has impressive effects, which wins the film its sole heart here.

 

Related posts:

Pirates franchise:Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - Verbinski's sprawling Disney swashbuckler is a prime summer spectacle
Gore Verbinski: Rango (2011) - Verbinski's amusing family western animation

Top 10: Best first-of-franchise movies 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - Verbinski's sprawling Disney swashbuckler is a prime summer spectacle 

 




 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 300 mil. $

Box office: 960.9 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 3.20 times its cost)

[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End premiered 19 May (California) and runs 169 minutes. It was the most expensive film ever made at the time. Depp was reportedly paid 50 mil. $ + profit participation that reportedly netted him another 40 mil. $, making his total take from the film an incredible 90 mil. $. Orlando Bloom was paid 11.9 mil. $; Keira Knightley 5 mil. $. Star producer Jerry Bruckheimer was paid 5 mil. $ + an unknown profit participation deal. Shooting took place from in August 2005 and from March - December 2006 in Singapore, Utah, New York, Hawaii, the Bahamas and California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #1 to a 114.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it remained #1 for another weekend and then stayed in the top 5 for another 2 weekends (#2-#4), grossing 309.4 mil. $ (32.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 91.1 mil. $ (9.5 %) and the UK with 81.4 mil. $ (8.5 %). It was the year's highest-grossing film but only the 3rd highest-grossing in the Pirates franchise. It was the year's 4th highest-grossing in North America, behind Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third and Transformers. The film was released with 10 minutes censored out in China, where the cut scenes were of Chow Yun-fat's character, apparently thought to be offensive to the Chinese, (the film grossed just 16.9 mil. $ (1.8 %, or not even double the gross in Denmark) according to the official numbers from China.) The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Makeup, lost to La Vie en Rose, and Visual Effects, lost to The Golden Compass. It was also nominated for a BAFTA, among many other honors. The film sold DVDs alone in North America for more than 296 mil. $. The franchise returned with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). Verbinski returned with Rango (2011). Depp returned first in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007); Bloom in New York, I Love You (2008); and Knightley in Atonement (2007). Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is rotten at 44 % with a 5.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]


What do you think of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End?

11/28/2022

Brotherhood of the Wolf/Le Pacte des Loups (2001) - Impressive elements in ludicrous French period monster actioner

 

Some very curious, face-covering coats on this poster for Christophe Gans' Brotherhood of the Wolf may provoke involuntary smiles and laughs

In 18th century France a nobleman and a native American are sent by the king to a bleak countryside to investigate the mysterious killings of hundreds by a beast there...

 

Brotherhood of the Wolf is written by Stéphane Cabel (Le Concile de Pierre (2006)) and co-writer/director Christophe Gans (Crying Freeman (1995)). It is loosely based on a series of actual 18th century killings and the legend of the beast of Gévaudan. The original French title translates to 'the pact of the wolves'.

Monica Bellucci (Under Suspicion (2000)) looks enticing in black, and adds quality on her own here, and the film also has a good-looking monster and generally handsome production values. The rest is a round of very pompous nonsense and to me, more detrimentally, a hugely dull waste of resources. 

Brotherhood of the Wolf vacillates between historical melodrama and state-of-the-art, fast-edited action scenes. It is an overlong mess.

 

Related post:

 

Christophe GansSilent Hill (2006) - Gans' senseless, unfrightening adaptation




 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 29 mil. $

Box office: 70.7 mil. $

= Minor flop (returned 2.43 times its cost)

[Brotherhood of the Wolf was released 31 January (Switzerland, France) and runs 142 minutes. Shooting took place in France around March 2000. The film opened #28 to a 100k $ first weekend in 37 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #16 and in 404 theaters (different weeks), grossing 11.2 mil. $ (15.8 % of the total gross), becoming the 6th highest-grossing French film there ever at the time. The marketing disguised the fact that it was not an English language film in order to attract bigger (young) crowds - with success. The film's biggest market was France with 24 mil. $ (33.9 %). It was also #1 for 2 weeks in Italy. The film won 1/4 César award nominations, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Gans returned with Silent Hill (2006). Samuel Le Bihan (La Place d'un Autre (1993)) returned in La Niut de Noces (2001, short), Pourquoi t'as Fait ça? (2001, short) and theatrically in He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not/À la Folie... Pas du Tout (2002); Mark Dacascos (Sanctuary (1998)) in Instinct to Kill (2001); and Bellucci in Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra/Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre (2002). Brotherhood of the Wolf is fresh at 73 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]


What do you think of Brotherhood of the Wolf?

11/26/2022

Planet Terror (2007) - Rodriguez's awesome blast from the past

 

Star Rose McGowan looks sensational with a machine gun leg prosthesis on this blood-red poster for Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror
 

An experimental bio-weapon accidentally releases and creates a zombie outbreak, which a small group of survivors fight to exterminate.

 

Planet Terror is written, co-produced, directed, photographed , co-edited and composed by great Texan filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi (1992)) and is part of Rodriguez and co-producer Quentin Tarantino's double feature project Grindhouse (2007), which also comprises Tarantino's car thriller Death Proof (2007).

The film is a total blast and perhaps the year's coolest movie. In terms of the intention of resurrecting the exploitation grindhouse tradition in American cinema of the 1970s and 1980s for a great show, a respectful, enthusiastic and very humorous venture, Rodriguez's contribution wins over Tarantino's more farcical and idiosyncratic Tarantino film.

With Planet Terror Rodriguez really walks the ten miles with a 'bad' story, (understood in the way that it is so flat and obvious, which is just perfect for what this is), a great gallery of characters, rad special effects, a super and very 1980s retro score (by Rodriguez himself) and a terrific cast: Michael Biehn's (Clockstoppers (2002)) comeback as Sheriff Hague and Rose McGowan (Encino Man (1992)) and Freddy Rodriguez (CBGB (2013)) deserve highlighting. There are some hilarious scenes (some involving Biehn and some BBQ 'expert' brothers), and the film is an overall irreverent fun ride for B movie fans.

Rodriguez doesn't have Tarantino's knack (or indulgence) for dialog, but it matters not here in Planet Terror, which is arguably the man's best and coolest film to date.

 

Related posts

The other Grindhouse feature: Death Proof (2007) - Tarantino's awesome, rubber-burning Grindhouse homage
Robert RodriguezOnce Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) - Rodriguez goes digital and blows up his trilogy  

The Faculty (1998) or, Teacher Encounters of the Third Kind

1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) - Tarantino, Rodriguez and chums' enjoyable Mexico vampire extravaganza
Desperado (1995) - Rodriguez' second Mexico actioner is a sexy, latino fireball 

Four Rooms (1995) - Rodriguez, Tarantino & Co. fail with LA hotel anthology comedy (segment)

 




Listen to the title track from Rodriguez's score for the film here


Cost: 23 mil. $

Box office: 24.1 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 1.04 times its cost)

[Planet Terror was released 6 April (USA) and runs 105 minutes (in the Grindhouse double feature version only 91 minutes). Rodriguez had wanted to make a zombie movie since The Faculty (1997). McGowan was Rodriguez's girlfriend at the time and was cast despite being on Harvey Weinstein's blacklist, because he had sexually assaulted her in the past: Dimension Films was, however, controlled by Bob Weinstein, who let the casting take place, but his brother Harvey Weinstein succeeded in axing the film's ad budget and thereby limiting its chances of success. Shooting took place from February - July 2005 in Texas and Mexico, with re-shoots in October 2005. Co-star Marley Shelton has stated that she felt that Tarantino co-directed Planet Terror, as he was on set for a lot of filming and gave notes, adjustments and line changes. Grindhouse opened #4, behind holdover hits Blades of Glory and Meet the Robinsons and fellow new release Are We Done Yet?, to a 11.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 25 mil. $, with half attributed here to Planet Terror (51.9 % of the total gross). The film released as an individual feature in most other markets with the 2nd and 3rd biggest being Spain with 1.9 mil. $ (7.9 %) and Germany with 1.4 mil. $ (5.8 %). Roger Ebert gave the double feature a 2.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. The fake trailer for Machete in the film since spun the actual Machete (2010) by Rodriguez, which to date also has one sequel (Machete Kills (2013)). Rodriguez returned with Shorts (2008). McGowan returned in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008); Freddy Rodriguez in Bottle Shock (2008)). Planet Terror is fresh at 76 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]


What do you think of Planet Terror?

11/25/2022

Planet of the Apes (2001) - Some entertaining fun in Burton's mixed bag sci-fi actioner

 

Star Mark Wahlberg fronts a group of human/simian characters looking our way on this gloomy and crowded poster for Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes

In 2029 an astronaut crash-lands on a planet where apes are the dominant race and humans are their subordinates.

 

Planet of the Apes is written by William Broyles Jr. (Cast Away (2000)), Lawrence Konner (The Many Saints of Newark (2021)) and Mark Rosenthal (Mighty Joe Young (1998)), adapting Pierre Boulle's (The Bridge Over the River Kwai (1952)) same-titled 1963 novel, previously adapted for the same-titled 1968 masterpiece by Franklin J. Shaffner and its 4 sequels. The film is directed by Californian master filmmaker Tim Burton (Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)), whose 9th feature it is.

It is an atypical venture for Burton, who fails to make a really good new interpretation of the fascinating source material. 

Mark Wahlberg (All the Money in the World (2017)) as Captain Leo Davidson, this version's human on the ape planet, doesn't muster what it takes to make his character anywhere near interesting. The fight scenes lack dynamic energy and don't bring anything new, which is a big problem for an action movie.

An important quality, however, are the good-looking ape costumes, prosthetics and makeup, which helps us to accept the simian supremacy surprisingly fast. Especially Tim Roth (Broken (2012)) and Paul Giamatti's (Win Win (2011)) ape performances are fun. The reversed world, where apes are in control (over us), is also still thrilling, and especially the film's first half is quite good.

 

Related posts:

The Apes franchise: War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) - Reeves and Co. astonish with truly spectacular film that finishes the Ape circle 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) or, Ape 3.1: Mad Apes!
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) or, The Final Ape!  
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) or, The Ape Uprising   

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) - The enjoyable if farfetched second Apes sequel
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) - Decent follow-up to the SF milestone  

Tim Burton: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) - Burton and a fine cast bond with auspicious material 

Dark Shadows (2012) - Fun, flamboyant vampire romp is a celebration of culture
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Alice in Wonderland (2010) - Wasikowska is the perfect lead for Burton's visual wonderland 
2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) or, Tim Burton's Bloody Theatrics 
Corpse Bride (2005) - Impressive, loud, hollow, dark doll fairytale 
Ed Wood (1994) - Burton's sticky biopic with strenuous Depp 

Top 10: Best fantasy movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
Batman Returns (1992) - Burton gives us the ultimate, Gothic spin on Gotham City and its sinister characters

Top 10: The best action movies and TV-series reviewed by Film Excess to date

Batman (1989) - A huge, glitzy, empty joker
Beetle Juice (1988) - Burton and team serve one of the best horror comedies ever   

 





 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 100 mil. $

Box office: 362.2 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 3.62 times its cost)

[Planet of the Apes was released 26 July (Hong Kong, Puerto Rico) and runs 120 minutes. Development of a new Apes movie had been ongoing since the late 1980s with a long list of talent involved including Adam Rifkin, Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, Peter Jackson, Sam Raimi, Oliver Stone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Phillip Noyce, James Cameron, Roland Emmerich, Michael Bay and the Hughes brothers, - before Burton was finally hired. Wahlberg was paid 8 mil. $ for his performance. Production was rushed with shooting taking place from November 2000 - April 2001 in Australia, Arizona, Utah, California, including in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and in Hawaii. Burton insisted that the apes be created with practical effects and not CGI. The film opened #1 to a 68.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#5), grossing 180 mil. $ (49.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 24.7 mil. $ (6.8 %) and France with 20.2 mil. $ (5.6 %). It was the 10th highest-grossing film of the year in North America, and the 9th highest-grossing in the world overall of the year. The film was nominated for 2 BAFTAs and a Grammy, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 2.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The film earned an additional 40.8 mil. $ on video rentals in North America in 2001 alone. Plans for a sequel never came to fruition, - and Burton stated that he "would rather jump out a window" than direct a sequel to the film, - as the franchise was instead rebooted for a new trilogy starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Burton returned with The World of Stainboy (2000-01) and theatrically with Big Fish (2003). Wahlberg returned in Rock Star (2001). Planet of the Apes is rotten at 44 % with a 5.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]


What do you think of Planet of the Apes?

11/24/2022

Offscreen (2006) - Anxiety, disintegration and violence in a self-mediating reality

 

+ Worst Dollar Return of the Year: 0.05 Times its Cost

 

Conflicting signals of happy comedy and strong violence are indicated on this stylish poster for Christoffer Boe's Offscreen

Actor Nicolas Bro's (Talenttyven (2012)) marriage falls apart, when he starts to document his life at all times on camera.

 

Offscreen is written by Knud Romer Jørgensen (The Idiots/Idioterne (1998, actor)) and co-writer/director Christoffer Boe (Reconstruction (2003)).

It is a daring and unusual meta/mockumentary film in which Bro plays a version of himself, who borrows the camera from Boe also playing a fictionalized version of himself, a distracted, high-minded (douchebag) young film director. Bro is authentic and frightening as a man in disintegration, SPOILER culminating with his becoming a killer of women, who rolls in their blood!

Before things get that far, however, the married couple scenes play out somewhat like theater exercises, where the conflict is meant to always escalate, which at times seems less than natural and a bit aggravating at the same time, lacking nuances. Still, Offscreen is an edgy, fairly unpleasant, modern type of film.

 

Related posts:

Christoffer BoeWhen Animals Dream/Når Dyrene Drømmer (2014) - Artsy, ineffectual Danish horror debut (contributing writer) 

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Allegro (2005) or, His Past Was Lost in a Copenhagen Zone!

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Reconstruction (2003) - Luminous Bonnevie in Boe's striking Copenhagen love/mystery debut 

 

 

Here is a casting tape Nicolas Bro has made available from his casting in Boe's Reconstruction (2003)

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Approximately 50k $

= Some uncertainty but likely a box office disaster (projected return of 0.05 times its cost)

[Offscreen was released 18 August (Denmark) and runs 93 minutes. Shooting took place in Denmark, including in Copenhagen. The film sold 4,783 tickets in Denmark, its only general release market, coming to approximately 50k $. If made on a realistic low budget of 1 mil. $, the film would rank as a box office disaster. It won 1/6 Robert awards (Denmark's Oscar) and was nominated for the Nordic Council's film prize, among other honors. Boe returned with Avantgardekapitalisten (2008, documentary short) and theatrically with Everything Will Be Fine/Alting Bliver Godt Igen (2010). Bro returned in Skymaster/Der Var Engang en Dreng - Som Fik en Lillesøster med Vinger (2006). 696 IMDb users have given Offscreen a 6.4/10 average rating.]


What do you think of Offscreen?

11/23/2022

About Endlessness/Om det Oändliga (2019) - Andersson retires with so-so trademark work

 

A couple are floating away under grey clouds on this grey-toned poster for Roy Andersson's About Endlessness

The priest who has lost his faith, - and who doesn't find much care or comfort at the psychologist's office, - is the through-line motif.

 

About Endlessness is written and directed by great Swedish filmmaker Roy Andersson (Lördagen den 5.10 (1969)).

Andersson's latest, and likely his last feature, repeats his familiar style with a long row of more or less poignant tableaus. But the Swedish reality outside of Andersson's creative universe unfortunately seems to have changed more at this point, than the auteur is able to reflect (and likely understand.) And About Endlessness feels somewhat ritualistic.

 

Related posts:

 

Roy Andersson: 2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence/En Duva Satt på en Gren och Funderade på Tillvaron (2014) - Perhaps Andersson's best film yet

 



 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Reportedly 4.558 mil. €, approximately 4.68 mil. $

Box office: In excess of 434k $

= Some uncertainty but likely a box office disaster (projected return of 0.16 times its cost)

[About Endlessness premiered 3 September (Venice Film Festival) and runs 78 minutes. Shooting took place in Stockholm, Sweden. The film opened #31 to an 8k $ first weekend in 17 theaters in North America, where it did not achieve a higher position and grossed 51k $. The film's Box Office Mojo site regrettably is missing its likely most important market (Sweden), with Germany the biggest one recorded there with 193k $. A projected final gross with Sweden and a small (also unlisted) contribution from Denmark also, is 750k $. The film won a European Film award, 1/4 Guldbagge awards and the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, among other honors. Andersson, who was 76 at the time of the film's release, has not returned with a film since and has likely retired. About Endlessness is certified fresh at 94 % with an 8.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of About Endlessness

11/22/2022

Old (2021) - Utter failure

 

An attractive woman's legs turn old, wrinkled and into bones on a beach on this poster for M. Night Shyamalan's Old
 

A beautiful family of four, who are, however, threatened by imminent break-up due to a still unannounced divorce, arrive at a strange vacation resort. A guide soon drives them to a remote, picturesque beach, where they and other vacationers start to age with record speed.


Old is written and directed by Indian-born American master filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan (Praying with Anger (1992)), whose 14th feature it is. It is an adaptation of graphic novel Sandcastle (2011) by Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters.

An attempt at a thought-provoking concept here instead results in 105 minutes of characters who cannot grasp the wild physical changes they are going through, which only register with reactive groans and yawns for the viewer, who is 0% invested in them. Old is a streaming-friendly, speedy narrative of the Lost (2004-10) type mystery genre, where a batch of insufferable, yelling, screaming, crying characters leave you apathetic and thirsting for the end credit roll.

22 year-old (at the time of shooting) Alex Wolff (Patriots Day (2016)) portraying a 6 year-old is also an experience I could have been without. Old makes you wonder if the once fantastic Shyamalan will ever again hit the nail on the head with a film.

 

Related posts:

 

M. Night Shyamalan: Glass (2019) - Shyamalan buries past effort in ominous superhero nonsense 

2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]

The Visit (2015) - Shyamalan's creepy mini-comeback

Top 10: Best Twentieth Century Fox titles 

The Happening (2008) - Shyamalan's out-there, unsettling, undervalued sci-fi horror 

 





 

Watch a trailer for the film here


Cost: 18 mil. $

Box office: 90.1 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 5.00 times its cost)

[Old was released 21 July (Belgium and 6 other European markets) and runs 108 minutes. Shyamalan received Sandcastle for Father's Day in 2017 and decided to adapt it. Shooting took place from September - November 2020 in the Dominican Republic. The film opened #1 to a 16.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2, #3) and grossed 48.2 mil. $ (53.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Russia with 6.2 mil. $ (6.9 %) and Spain with 5.6 mil. $ (6.5 %). Shyamalan returned with Servant (2019-22) and theatrically will return with Knock at the Cabin (2023). Gael García Bernal (No (2012)) returned in Maya and the Three (2021, miniseries) and theatrically in Z (2021, unreleased); Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread (2017)) in Frida (2021, short) and theatrically in Beckett (2021, VoD). Old is rotten at 50 % with a 5.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Old?

11/21/2022

The Old Man & the Gun (2018) - Lowery's lackluster caper career cap for Redford

 

Only an impeccably dressed star Robert Redford with his face covered appears on this minimalist poster for David Lowery's The Old Man & the Gun

Forrest Tucker is a veteran career criminal specialized in bank robbery, who in a situation of escape takes interest in a gracious older lady with engine failure, who turns out to become important for him. Almost as important as the bank robberies.

 

The Old Man & the Gun is written and directed by David Lowery (Deadroom (2005)), based on David Grann's (The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009)) 2003 article The Old Man and the Gun from The New Yorker, which concerned the real-life story of Forrest Tucker.

Robert Redford's (War Hunt (1962)) star persona as a gentleman outlaw gets a classy ribbon tied around it in the shape of this quietly mulling true-crime picture, with an unimpressed working-man Casey Affleck (Committed (2000)) after him and Sissy Spacek (Badlands (1973)) as the sweet, unexpected new romantic partner.

It is all very sweet but also dull in its virtuous cinematic nature, ('a last show for the old champ' sort of thing), a film that drifts ahead nice and easy without much thematic ground to it. Well-produced but slow going.

 

Related post:

 

David LoweryPete's Dragon (2016) - Lowery plays Disney remake safe

 


 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 15.8 mil. $

Box office: 17.8 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.12 times its cost)

[The Old Man & the Gun premiered 31 August (Telluride Film Festival) and runs 93 minutes. Shooting took place around April 2017 in Ohio, Michigan, Texas and Kentucky. The film opened #32 to a 142k $ first weekend in 5 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #10 and in 1,042 theaters (different weeks), grossing 11.2 mil. $ (62.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Italy with 1.4 mil. $ (7.9 %) and the UK with 791k $ (4.4 %). The film was nominated for a Golden Globe and won a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Lowery returned with a TV-series, a segment and a short prior to his theatrical return The Green Knight (2021). Redford returned with a voice performance in Buttons, A New Musical Film (2018) and physically in Avengers: Endgame (2019); Affleck in Light of My Life (2019); and Spacek in 3 TV-series and a music video prior to her theatrical return in Sam & Kate (2022). The Old Man & the Gun is certified fresh at 93 % with a 7.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Old Man & the Gun

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (13-24)

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (13-24)
Jason Reitman's Saturday Night (2024)