Since my inclusion to the SRN team coincided with the end of the year, I did not get to do too many reviews for 2012. With the 2012 film year now behind us, I figured a multi-part article giving my two cents on the new release titles I got to see over the last 12 months might help fill the gap. What 2012 films are worth seeing and which ones should you skip? My 2012 films in review pt. 1 awaits you, after the jump.
For those unaware, the immortal cult classic ‘Evil Dead‘ is receiving a reboot this Spring. In the event that you didn’t check out the initial teaser, the full length red band trailer is now up for your viewing pleasure. Allow me to warn you: this footage is gross! But then, we shouldn’t expect less from the franchise that birthed “the ultimate experience in grueling terror.” Rest easy, as Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell have stuck around as producers to oversee the film, and even Diablo Cody did a dialogue polish on the script (whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you. I personally loved Juno but hated Jennifer’s Body). After the jump, the gory Evil Dead trailer awaits you.
Sony Pictures and other movie studios have something to cheer about. UltraViolet, the movies to the cloud-based digital locker service has topped 7 million accounts with 50% of the consumers being aware or at least have heard of the service. This comes just months after the service announced 3 million accounts in June. Lexine Wong, SVP of worldwide marketing with SPHE said;
“Awareness has really risen over the past year”
Further helping the format is its inclusion on DVD and Blu-ray titles. Studios behind the format include Sony Pictures, Warner, Fox, Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate and DreamWorks Animation which have all amped their marketing of UltraViolet as a means to battle iTunes and to some extend, piracy. Wong went on;
Foreword from Sohrab Osati:
Chances are, either you or a great many of those around you have already seen Skyfall, the latest entry into the world of James Bond. With a gross of nearly $1 billion ($978 million for those playing at home), the latest 007 entry seems to have hit tall the right chords with audiences. Still, there are always the crowds who hold out, be it on principle that they don’t like some of the changes to a well established franchise or they have a problem with mega blockbusters that everyone is talking about. Having hovered in both groups though I never miss a midnight launch, our Skyfall review looks to answer that. Should you finally see the latest James Bond film before it disappears from theaters? Our Skyfall review after the jump.
According to the PR News Wire, Sony Pictures Television (Breaking Bad, Justified, Community) has sold the cable syndication rights to Rules of Engagement, the CBS hit comedy series, to TBS. The deal was finalized by John Weiser, President of U.S. Distribution for Sony Pictures Television. In recent years, TBS has scored other big shows like The Big Bang Theory and host Conan O’Brian who now commands his own show against other late night shows like David Letterman and Jay Leno. Weiser said:
“We recently shot the 100th episode, which speaks to the ongoing appeal of this series and its cast….”This show consistently outperforms its competition in adult demos and households and we’re very excited to be partnering with our friends at Turner Broadcasting.”
Skylanders Giants is a game where you physically place action figures into a platform to transport them into the colorful world in your television screen. While a unique and neat concept that warrants a review, let’s forgo that and take an in-depth look at the game’s soundtrack. I believe the soundtrack to a game can be an important part of the experience and its success. We’ve come a long way from the monophonic 8-bit synthesized sounds to using full blown orchestras all in order to help make games that much more exciting.
Skylanders Giants’ soundtrack is composed by Mr. Lorne Balfe, whose mastery of music composition was seen in another big title, Assassin’s Creed 3. Now that we’ve seen Mr. Balfe’s compositions in a very serious game setting, how will his music be on a completely different game with a different drive and a different audience? Our Skylanders Giants soundtrack review, after the jump.
It might not need an introduction, but here it is. The Dark Knight Rises is the conclusion to the Batman trilogy by director Christopher Nolan. What started as a reboot of a beloved character has turned into a re-imagination of how comic-book characters can be portrayed on the big screen. After an eight-year absence, Batman (Christian Bale) is forced out of retirement when a masked mercenary named Bane (Tom Hardy) threatens to destroy Gotham City. Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) is featured, as well as love interest Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) and newcomer Detective Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman all return in their respective roles. After the jump, The Dark Knight Rises Blu-ray review.
Released in late September by Sony Pictures Animation, Hotel Transylvania turned into a smashing success, coming in at number five in this weekend’ s box office, seven weeks after its release. The animated film which features Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, and Kevin James has so far grossed more than $253 million worldwide since opening. With only an $85 million budget, Sony’s been quick to discuss Hotel Transylvania 2, and it’s no surprise why.
Late last week, rumors began to spread that Sony was looking to offload their studio business and sell Sony Pictures. Though rumors like these pop up from time to time, they don’t tend to get the traction as they come from anonymous insiders. This time however, the rumor began from the CBS CEO, Les Moonves which maid the whole thing more credible. Since then, Sony CEO, Kaz Hirai has came out and dismissed it, stating that,
“There is absolutely no truth to rumors that Sony’s entertainment businesses are for sale,”
Mr. Hirai went on to explain that Sony Pictures in fact played a crucial role under his turnaround strategy.
“As I said at our strategy meeting in April, Sony is comprised of electronics, entertainment and financial services businesses, and our entertainment companies have a stable business foundation and are poised for future growth. There is no reason to sell these industry-leading businesses and no consideration is being given to the idea.”
Of course, just because Sony has Sony Pictures and envisions them as part of their future strategy does not mean that the company hasn’t fancied the idea of selling the studio, nor does it mean that the sale will take place. In reality, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle with the fact that despite owning a large film studio for 20 years, Sony has never been able to leverage them beyond product placement in movies.
Sony Pictures, the studio behind recent hits like The Amazing Spider-Man and Men in Black 3, could have a new owner if CBS were to have their way. When talking to The Wall Street Journal, CBS CEO, Les Moonves said,
“We love our current portfolio, but as a content company, we would want to look at them,”
While Moonves (pictured above) was quick to point out that the company does not have any specific plans at the moment for Sony, it still is interesting that Sony Pictures was specifically brought up. Sony Pictures also has a television division with shows like Community, Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, and Wheel of Fortune. Sony Pictures is set to release the highly anticipated James Bond film, Skyfall on November 9th in the United States.
After cheeky appearance at the 2012, London Olympics opening ceremony, 007 is back again, thanks to a new trailer released by Sony Pictures for the upcoming James Bond movie, Skyfall. Once again starring Daniel Craig, the trailer helps take you through the new dangers that Bond faces this time around like the new baddy played by Javier Bardem while also introducing Ben Whishaw as the new Q, Bond’s helpful gadget maker. Directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition), Skyfall hits theaters in the UK on October 26 in Europe and November 9 in the U.S. The new trailer can be seen after the jump.
In this week’s box office results, The Dark Knight Rises retains its top spot in its second week, despite the tragedy that occurred last week in Aurora, Colorado. The film still pales in comparison to its record-breaking predecessor, though last week’s tragedy and the competition from the 2012 Olympic games have kept box office numbers in check. However, while The Dark Knight Rises has found success, the rest of the box office hasn’t fared quite as well. Numbers across the board are down from last year, and newly debuting films did poorly amidst the competition and controversy.
Hit the jump to see how well these films did in a full rundown of this past weekend’s box office results.
There is no doubt that rebooting any series can be a hard task and even harder if you take into account the popularity of Spider-Man, the most recognized hero in the world. Marc Webb (pictured left), best known for directing 500 Days of Summer, was not only tasked with such a monumental project, but had to do it with the consideration that Spider-Man was only brought to the big screen 10 years ago, with the most recent installment having been outed in 2007 by the talented Sam Raimi. With nearly two weeks having elapsed since the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, the superhero reboot has already cashed in $530 million at the worldwide box office with $210 million coming from the US alone. Though the movie has yet to do the business of the previous three Spider-Man movies which were released under different circumstances which included far less superhero flicks, all eyes are now on Sony with their next plan for what was supposed to be the beginning of a new and revitalized franchise.
When speaking to THR, Doug Belgrad, chief of Columbia Pictures revealed that the indie director (Marc Webb) might not be back for the next installment of Spidy.
Where can a saber-toothed tiger, a mammoth, a sloth, and a squirrel defeat a spider? In this weekend’s box office results of course, as the fourth movie in the Ice Age franchise bested Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man for the top spot. Ice Age: Continental Drift is another of many animated number one films this year, joining the likes of Brave, Madagascar 3, and The Lorax. However, while the top finish may seem promising at first, Continental Drift debuted noticeably lower than all of the aforementioned films and all of the previous films in the Ice Age franchise.
Hit the jump to check out a full rundown of this weekend’s box office results.
In this special midweek edition of the box office report, everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has had huge success in its midweek debut, which means another box office hit for Sony Pictures film studios this year. The Amazing Spider-Man debuted this past Tuesday with an estimated $7.5 million coming in from midnight release showings.The film should pick up even more steam from the July 4th holiday and will easily finish above the $150 million mark by the end of its first weekend.
While The Amazing Spider-Man has had the lowest opening day compared to the previous three films in the franchise, the $35 million opening was the highest ever for a Tuesday release, besting 2007’s Transformers. The Amazing Spider-Man has also found huge foreign success, grossing over $51 million across multiple foreign markets, even outpacing this summer’s other superhero blockbuster The Avengers in certain countries. If the movie finishes on top of this week’s domestic box office, it will mark the sixth time this year that Sony has had a number one film.
Hit the jump to check out a rundown of this past weekend’s box office results.
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