The Calm Before the Storm

Silence before thunder...

Ok, let's talk film. Well its the calm before the storm. YES! Calm before the storm. Let's look at Iron Man, the film that kicked off the summer season. It grossed 98 million in its first weekend. It began the summer season with a bang. Boom! Or a boom! Yes! Well let's look at the weekend before Iron Man opened. Baby Momma, the "the let's look for another reason to pat Tina Fey on the back movie, only because she has a hot body, wears glasses and can write a sentance without backspacing", grossed 17 mil on it's opening weekend. The weekend before Iron Man. She scored a number one because of her ovaires and the fact that she wears smart glasses. I prefer Diablo anyday. My kind of woman. Even though she stole an Oscar from the super, super talented Tony Gilroy. Still my kind of woman. Just when you think I don't have a point, here goes...

It's all about quality...

Calm before the storm. So 17 million before Iron Man's 96 million. Let's also go back to last year. Shia, we all love Shia, his starring role in DJ Caruso's Disturbia spent three weeks at number one. It's box office tally 9 mil compared to Spider Man 3 a week after, to a tune of 151 million. So, my savvy Hollywood player, I note you detect a trend here. What is the trend? It is the calm before the storm. Hellboy only took in 35 mil. Compared to the recent openings of 55 mil or more with The Hulk, Indiana Jones, and even Caspian. I do not know why there is a lull like this, like the waning tide before a tsunami. All I can say is that it happens. The previous weekend before a blockbuster opens, the Box Office takes a lull. Well here we are in middle of summer and we are on the verge of the biggest film of the summer, heck, the biggest film in a long time.

I mean look at the reviews on this thing! Four separate reviews have said that this film is akin to Brian De Palma's The Untouchables. They say it is more like a crime drama than a comic book movie. This excites me! This is what I have been talking about. I have been asking the writers of these comic movies to make the super hero-ness incedental to a great story. Well, this film will happily set the bar for Comic Movies.

This poster is cool...

Don't think this doesn't scare Marvel Comics to death. I can tell you right now that Marvel, the supposed Comic Book movie giant, is quivering in their boots right now. They had their horn tooting for so long with Iron Man, Spider Man, and The Hulk for so long now. Well, they are about to get handed their lunch on a silver platter next week. They are looking at the directors of these films and wondering why their directors can't be like Christopher Nolan. "Why can't you be like Nolan", they are saying! I can bet the execs are furious!

I think it's hilarious to think of Marvel worrying this week. They are supposed to be the BIG GRAND DADDY of comic movies. Yet, they are worried cause of the quality of The Dark Knight. It's a masterpeice! The top reviewers are foaming at the mouth at this film. Marvel is furious. They are bewildered that a comic book movie has reached masterpiece status. That's why I wrote last week and the week before that Marvel is trying to be the big bully in this battle and DC is sitting back laughing. They allowed Marvel to have their fun in the beginning of summer. Because they knew they were gonna prevail. It's all comes down to quality. Quality is everything. I keep saying. We as audiences demand it. Marvel is getting its wake up call with it. Iron Man and Spider Man were good, but nothing like this. And Marvel is scared. I think also and I will say this again, DC has something up its sleeve in a way of cross pollination. Will we see Superman? I think there will be a hint.

News of a full digital Godfather restoration thanks to Coppola and Steven. Read that here. I am excited for this. I enjoy the Godfather. Sure there have been more restorations of this than Lucas's Star Wars thing. You can't really blame only Lucas for multiple restorations. A lot of director's do it. Coppola is saying that they really redid the whole film in essence. That would be exciting to watch. Maybe it will be like the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. That was cool.

Lots of other news, but nothing you smart players didn't see coming. Eddie Murphy dies at the Box Office with Meet Dave. Thank God he still has Shrek. Brendon Frasier has a great interview in the LA times. I can't wait for the Mummy 3. I just really want to get that Mamma Mia song out of my head. I never really liked Abba. It is contagous though. Until tomorrow, let's talk film!