Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) or, Museum Night: Sequel Time

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Lots of colorful characters and adventure elements are promised on this stuffed poster for Shawn Levy's Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Daley the night guard from the first film now has a successful but unsatisfying company, but when an old Egyptian tablet threatens to awaken all of the Smithsonian in Washington, so Daley heads out - with help from sonny!

 

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon (Night at the Museum (2006), both) and directed by Shawn Levy (Address Unknown (1997)), who also directed the preceding, first film.

The followup to the lively family adventure is an uneven affair, which doesn't have much luck trying to occupy an abundance of positions: Giddy children's humor, adult comedy, and stabs at Indiana Jones-like excitement and action - which is never delivered.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is handsome, with an impressive cast, but deeply forgettable, poorly written, a scrap product.

 

Related posts:

Shawn Levy: 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

Date Night (2010) - Carell and Fey bring out the big laugh guns 

Night at the Museum (2006) - Levy and Stiller bring the family fun 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 150 mil. $

Box office: 413.1 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.75 times its cost)

[Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian premiered 14 May (Washington, DC) and runs 105 minutes. Shooting took place from April 2008 - ? in Washington, DC, New York, Montreal, Quebec and in British Columbia, including in Vancouver. The film opened #1 to a 54.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4-#4), grossing 177.2 mil. $ (42.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 32.8 mil. $ (7.9 %) and Japan with 21.4 mil. $ (5.2 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 1½/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. The film also made in excess of 63.1 mil. $ on the North-American home video market. Levy and stars returned for the third Night at the Museum; Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). Levy first returned with Date Night (2010). Ben Stiller (The Suburbans (1999)) returned first in The Marc Pease Experience (2009). Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is rotten at 44 % with a 5.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian?

Notes on a Scandal (2006) - Great performances in Eyre's layered drama-thriller

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+ Best Drama-Thriller of the Year + Best Erotic Movie of the Year + Best London Movie of the Year + Best UK Movie of the Year 

 

Gold and shadow-filled red is used on the stars' faces of this poster for Richard Eyre's Notes on a Scandal

A younger woman, Sheba, begins teaching at an ordinary London school, where she attracts a clingy friend in the aging spinster Barbara.

 

Notes on a Scandal is written by Patrick Marber (Asylum (2005)), adapting the same-titled 2003 novel by Zoë Heller (The Believers (2008)), and directed by great English filmmaker Richard Eyre (The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)).

Judi Dench (Four in the Morning (1965)) is formidable as the dried-up, scheming, selfish older woman, and Cate Blanchett (The Aviator (2004)) is just as perfect as the younger Sheba, who lets her life take a free-fall. Their acting in the same dramatic minefield issued by Sheba's affair with an underage student is the film's great attraction. Bill Nighy (Guest House Paradiso (1999)) is also outstanding as Sheba's cuckolded husband, and Eyre gets seductive scenes out of the young Andrew Simpson (Road Games (2015)).

Notes on a Scandal is an intriguing, a bit literary but nevertheless excellent film about the gossipy and self-serving in us all.

 

Related posts:

 

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

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

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 15 mil. $

Box office: 49.8 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 3.32 times its cost)

[Notes on a Scandal was released 25 December (USA) and runs 91 minutes. Shooting took place from August - October 2005 in England, including in London. The film opened #66 to a 6k $ first weekend in 1 theater in North America, where it peaked at #13 and in 682 theaters (different weeks), grossing 17.5 mil. $ (35.1 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 11.5 mil. $ (23.1 %) and Australia with 4.9 mil. $ (9.8 %). The film was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Actress (Dench) to Helen Mirren in The Queen, Supporting Actress (Blanchett) to Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls, Adapted Screenplay to William Monahan for The Departed, and Score (Philip Glass (Elena (2011)) to Gustavo Santaolalla for Babel. It was also nominated for 3 BAFTAs, won 2/4 British Independent Film awards, was nominated for a David di Donatello award, 3 Golden Globes and won a National Board of Review award, among many other honors. Eyre returned with The Other Man (2008). Dench returned in Quantum of Solace (2008); and Blanchett in Hot Fuzz (2007) for an uncredited cameo and as a starring actor in I'm Not There (2007). Notes on a Scandal is certified fresh at 87 % with a 7.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Notes on a Scandal?

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) - Murphy brings down the house

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Star Eddie Murphy as five laugh-inducing Klump characters on the poster for Peter Segal's Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

Sherman has fallen in love with another professor, but he is still haunted by the uncouth, harassing voice of Buddy Love. To gain momentum in his endeavor to score, he invents an elixir for rejuvenation.

 

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is written by Barry W. Blaustein (Coming 2 America (2021)), David Sheffield (Boomerang (1992)), and Paul and Chris Weitz (Antz (1998), both), with Steve Oederkerk (Smart Alex (1987)) contributing story elements, and directed by Peter Segal (Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)). It is the sequel to The Nutty Professor (1996), itself a remake of The Nutty Professor (1963) with Jerry Lewis.

There are many loosely connected and barely comprehensible plot elements here in this colorful sequel, but the main thing is that it results in many laughs and a once again very enjoyable time in the company of Eddie Murphy's (Metro (1997)) wacky-vulgar Klump family. His multiple performances here are incredible; Janet Jackson (Poetic Justice (1993)) is sweet; and the film is a genuine shot of low-brow great spirits.

The buffet scene is priceless. There seem to possibly be less (but still funny) fart jokes here than in the predecessor, as well as some good fantasy sequences. This is for the silly-minded comedy fans.

Related posts:

 

Peter Segal: Get Smart (2008) - Segal presents another commercially mandated rehash

The Longest Yard (2005) - A few laughs register in shallow, overlong MTV-produced sports comedy remake

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 84 mil. $

Box office: 166.3 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.97 times its cost)

[Nutty Professor II: The Klumps premiered 24 July (USA) and runs 109 minutes. Murphy was paid 20 mil. $ + reportedly 20 % of the gross for his performance in the film; Jackson 5 mil. $. Murphy's deal may have made it the most profitable film for him in his career, possibly netting him more than 60 mil. $. Shooting took place from October 1999 - February 2000 in California, including Los Angeles. It opened #1 to a 42.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#5), grossing 123.3 mil. $ (74.1 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Segal returned with Anger Management (2003). Murphy returned with a voice performance in Shrek (2000) and physically in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001). Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is rotten at 26 % with a 4.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps?

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) - Weitz's YA smash will bore your pants off

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There's no shortage of sexual promise and weird-looking youths on this foggy poster for Chris Weitz's The Twilight Saga: New Moon

 

Bella and Edward are very enthralled in their love of each other, but then he wants her to live a normal life (without a vampire lover) and disappears, and she begins a new intense, platonic love relationship with Indian wolf boy Jacob.

 

The Twilight Saga: New Moon is written by Melissa Rosenberg (Step Up (2006)), adapting Stephenie Meyer's (The Host (2008)) New Moon (2006), and directed by Chris Weitz (Down to Earth (2001)).

Nothing much new under the sun here in the second chapter of the Twilight franchise, which in its long love dialog scenes metaphorically play the strings, boil the sugar and glaze in fat - all at the same time!

Mostly contrary to its predecessor, Catherine Hardwicke's Twilight (2008), New Moon bores tremendously: No one performs well in the unexciting and at times incomprehensible story. Michael Sheen (Dolittle (2020)) is strange as an eagerly staring vampire leader, and the werewolves look about as natural as 1950s sci-fi b-movie monsters. SPOILER The final cliffhanger; Ed wants to get wed! Gasp! 

 

Related posts:

 

The Twilight franchise: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) - Slade brings the popular teen franchise a thin cup of more, slightly better the same

Chris Weitz: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) or, Ginny's Fate: A Star Wars Calculation (co-writer)

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

American Pie (1999) or, Losing It Before Prom (producer/uncredited co-director) 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 50 mil. $

Box office: 711 mil. $

=  Mega-hit (returned 14.22 times its cost)

[The Twilight Saga: New Moon premiered 16 November (California) and runs 130 minutes. Production was green-lit and announced the day after Twilight's sensational opening in 2008. Robert Pattinson (Water for Elephants (2011)) was reportedly paid 12 mil. $ for his performance, while Taylor Lautner (Abduction (2011)) was paid 4 mil. $. Shooting took place from March - May 2009 in British Columbia, including in Vancouver, and in Italy. The film opened #1 to a 142.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed #1 another 3 weekends and then stayed in the top 5 for another 3 weekends (#2-#4-#5), grossing 296.6 mil. $ (41.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 43.4 mil. $ (6.1 %) and France with 39.2 mil. $ (5.5 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 1/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. The film sold more than 8.8 mil. home video units in North America alone, totaling 185.1 mil. $ in additional sales. The franchise and stars returned in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010). Weitz returned with A Better Life (2011). Pattinson returned in Remember Me (2010); Kristen Stewart (Seberg (2019)) in Welcome to the Rileys (2010). The Twilight Saga: New Moon is rotten at 28 % with a 4.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Twilight Saga: New Moon? 

Night at the Museum (2006) - Levy and Stiller bring the family fun

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+ Best Family Movie of the Year + Best Fantasy Movie of the Year

 

The Smithsonian comes to life on this wild adventure-teasing poster for Shawn Levy's Night at the Museum

A divorced father with big dreams that haven't materialized, needs to take a job quick, if his life isn't to fall to shambles, and so he takes a night guard job at the Museum of Natural History, where, however, the exhibits come to life at night!

 

Night at the Museum is written by Robert Ben Garant (Hell Baby (2013)) and Thomas Lennon (Balls of Fury (2007)), adapting the 1993 children's book The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc (Another Night at the Museum (2013)), and directed by Shawn Levy (Address Unknown (1997)).

Ben Stiller (If Lucy Fell (1996)) is in enthusiastic family mode, as he leads this silly family comedy assuredly, a film that boasts handsome effects and a good batch of fun actors: Mickey Rooney (A Yank at Eton (1942)) as one of the oldtimer, mean security guards is hilarious; mini versions of Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris (2011)) and Steve Coogan (What Goes Up (2009)) are also a hoot, and Robin Williams (Cadillac Man (1990)) is good as Theodore Roosevelt. Carla Gugino (Hide (2011, TV movie)) lights up matters as a museum docent.

The plot is a bit here, a bit there, and it tires a bit that Stiller's character here is so lukewarm about his new, actually super-cool job. But Night at the Museum still wins on its fun and entertaining ruckus.

 

Related posts:

Shawn Levy: 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

Date Night (2010) - Carell and Fey bring out the big laugh guns 

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

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

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 110 mil. $

Box office: 574.4 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 5.22 times its cost)

[Night at the Museum premiered 17 December (New York) and runs 104 minutes. Rooney was paid 250k $ for his performance. Shooting took place from January - July 2006 in British Columbia, New York and California. The film opened #1 to a 42.2 mil. $ long Christmas weekend, stayed #2 for another 2 weekends and then remained another 5 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#2-#3-#4-#5), grossing 250.8 mil. $ (43.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 40.8 mil. $ (7.1 %) and Japan with 30 mil. $ (5.2 %). The-Numbers.com reports that the film sold in excess of 9.1 mil. DVDs in North America alone, grossing another 153.5 mil. $ there. Stiller, Levy and Co. returned for sequels Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). Levy's return was Battle of the Smithsonian. Stiller first returned in Family Guy (2007, TV-series)) and theatrically in The Heartbreak Kid (2007). Night at the Museum is rotten at 43 % with a 5.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Night at the Museum?

Nacho Libre (2006) - Black and Hess triumph with underrated comedy bullion

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+ Best Farce of the Year + Best Poster of the Year

 

Jack Black looks utterly hilarious with blown-up hair and a blown-out red cape on this fantastic poster for Jared Hess' Nacho Libre

Ignacio is a Catholic friar brother in an orphanage with dreams of wrestling greatness, when a new female nun catches his attention, and he begins to tempt fate by doing underground luchero [Mexican-style wrestling] fights.

 

Nacho Libre is written by Mike White (Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)), Jerusha Hess and great Arizonian filmmaker, co-writer/director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite (2004), both).

Impassioned Nacho may be Jack Black's (The Office (2009, TV-series)) best balls-out comical performance of all. Nacho Libre is an enthusiastic film in every way. Héctor Jiménez (Cómo Filmar Una XXX (2017)) is also hilarious as his sidekick, saying rip-roaring lines such as, "I hate all the orphans of the world!"

There are many entertaining fights.

Some of Nacho Libre's perceived 'innocence' as a film really stems from under-addressed Catholic problems: Jiménez's character's homosexuality, and the impossibility of Ignacio's flirt with the nun are never directly addressed. But the overwhelming amount of laughs are unmistakable. Nacho Libre is a riot.

 

Related posts:

 

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

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

2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - You'll wanna visit Preston, Idaho! 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 35 mil. $

Box office: 99.2 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.83 times its cost)

[Nacho Libre was released 16 June (North America) and runs 92 minutes. Shooting took place around September 2005 in Mexico and California. Hess had a falling out with studio backer Paramount, because the latter would not accept Beck's score for the film and instead hired Danny Elfman to compose a new score. The film opened #2, behind holdover hit Cars, to a 28.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#5-#5), grossing 80.1 mil. $ (80.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 7.3 mil. $ (7.4 %) and Mexico with 4.4 mil. $ (4.4 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 1.5/4 star review, translating to 4 notches under this one. Hess returned with Gentlemen Broncos (2009). Black returned in Eagles of Death Metal: I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News) (2006, music video) and theatrically in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006). Nacho Libre is rotten at 40 % with a 5.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nacho Libre?