Image from Flickr.

Whether Facebook, Twitter or MySpace is your favorite social network of choice, you have without a doubt seen more than one post or tweet about “Avatar” this morning. “Avatar” was first in box office earnings over the weekend, and people are raving about the 3-D experience. The only other wide release over the weekend was “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” which came  in fourth place for box office earnings with $7 million.

“Avatar” at the box office made $73 million, well above the next-highest-grossing film, “The Princess and the Frog,” which expanded over the weekend. “The Princess and the Frog” made $12.2 million. That’s a pretty big gap between the “Avatar” box office earnings and the Number Two movie, $61 million. That’s a lot more than you could get with a low rate personal loan.

Surprises at the box office

“The Blind Side,” which opened a month ago, is still pulling in the big bucks. It was third in box office earnings with $10 million. It’s a little bit surprising for a film to be beating out other, newer movies at the box office a month after it opens, but I’m sure “The Blind Side” experienced a bump in popularity thanks to its Golden Globe nominations.

However, it is less easy to explain why another movie that has been out for a month showed up in the Top 5  box office earners. “Twilight Saga: New Moon” came in fifth, making $4 million. That’s not a lot of money, but “New Moon” had fallen off the box office earnings radar for a couple of weeks, despite its initial huge rush of popularity. There’s not much of an explanation for why “New Moon” suddenly is selling a whole bunch of tickets again, except that perhaps there simply aren’t other movies that people want to see.

‘Avatar’ box office breakdown

On the “Avatar” opening box office night, it made $27 million, which is a solid first day but by no means a record breaker. With all of the hype, now, surrounding “Avatar,” it will likely have a few more big money-making days at the box office.

“Avatar” will be up against some stiff competition Friday when Golden-Globe-nominated “It’s Complicated” and much-anticipated “Sherlock Holmes” come out. “Up in the Air,” which came in eighth in box office earnings over the weekend, expands again Wednesday.

Sandra Bullock stars in "The Blind Side." Image from Wikimedia.

It is rare that the film with the best movie reviews makes the most money over the weekend at the box office, but that’s what happened this weekend. “The Blind Side” got better reviews than any other movie in the top 10 earners over the weekend, and it managed to do the unthinkable: knock the latest “Twilight” movie, “New Moon,” out of the top-earning spot.

“The Blind Side” made more than $20 million in ticket sales, and “Twilight Saga: New Moon” sold nearly $16 million worth of tickets. These films managed to beat out the new releases even though they’ve both been in theaters for three weeks. “New Moon” made $15.7 million, far cry from its record-breaking opening weekend, but I think most people are trying to figure out how to afford holiday shopping without needing payroll loans rather than buying movie tickets.

‘Brothers’ movie reviews

I thought for sure that brand-new release “Brothers” would make more than $9.7 million, but that is more than any other new release. “Brothers” movie reviews were mixed, but I figured any film starring Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire would make some serious cash.

Still, it did beat out all of the other films in theaters besides the two already mentioned. Perhaps it would have done better if The Boston Globe hadn’t printed “This is a corny tale, told with both generous helpings of deli-sliced cheese and a brief stretch of chilling tumultuousness.” Or maybe it was the weather. More than half of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked “Brothers.” Steven Rea from The Philadelphia Inquirer said “Brothers is a heartbreaking film that speaks to the lifelong aftershocks of war, and to the powerful bonds of family and of love.”

‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’ movie reviews

“Disney’s A Christmas Carol” has managed to stay in the top 10 box office earners since it was released a month ago. This weekend “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” made $7.5 million and came in fourth among box office earnings. “Disney’s  A Christmas Carol” movie reviews were mixed.

Joe Morgenstern from the Wall Street Journal calls “Disney’s a Christmas Carol” a calamity. Ken Hanke of Mountain Xpress compares the film to an obnoxious child. However, The Dallas Morning News said “A Christmas Carol is a worthy stab at mixing old and new, a vintage tale done with some fresh dazzle and a reminder that the movies can still bring the wow.”

‘Old Dogs’ movie reviews

Coming in at number five in box office earnings, “Old Dogs” managed to pull in $6.9 million even though critics lambasted the film. “Old Dogs” likely can attribute its profitability to John Travolta and Robin Williams. Perhaps it’s the family-friendly factor that brought in money for this film, but either way, critics would tell you to steer clear.

David Germain of the Associated Press wrote “Old Dogs is no fun whatsoever, just a collection of stale kibble.” And that was one of the nicer ones. John Anderson from the Washington Post says “We have reached a point in our moviegoing life where the two most horrifying words a studio can mutter are ‘Robin’ and ‘Williams’.” Still, those words appear to still have money-making power, whether critics like it or not.

Image from Flickr.

Not surprisingly, “New Moon,” which broke all kinds of box office records in its opening days, was the top earner at theaters this weekend with more than $42 million. However, Sandra Bullock’s latest, “The Blind Side” is creeping up on the werewolf/vampire/love triangle story. It pulled in more than $40 million over the weekend.

“New Moon” earnings were nothing compared to its opening weekend, when it made more than $140 million in the U.S. Critics have been hard on “New Moon,” but fans haven’t been swayed in the slightest by their scalding reviews. After all, it’s isn’t every day a film that chronicle’s a young woman’s difficult decision between the love of a vampire and that of a werewolf hits the screen. While I was talking to my family about where to get the cheapest personal loans, plenty of teenage girls were getting their “Twilight” fix.

More box office action

So what about the films that actually came out last week, “Old Dogs” and “Ninja Assassin”? Both films came out Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and both cracked the top ten for box office earners, but neither reported a stellar opening weekend performance. Besides being beat out by “New Moon” and “The Blind Side,” end-of-the-world flick “2012″ proved more popular than the newer films, raking in $17.7 million.

“Old Dogs” did squeak into fourth place, making just less than $17 million, despite being lambasted by critics. Only 6 percent of critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Old Dogs” a positive review. I believe that puts “Old Dogs” officially in the “worst movies ever” category.

Bringing in the bacon

Number five at the box office over the weekend after Thanksgiving was “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” I would have been pretty surprised if that hadn’t shown up on the list, even though it has been out for nearly a month. I saw a lot of Christmas lights up over the weekend and Facebook reports about putting up trees, so it appears that the Christmas season is indeed upon us.”Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” starring about six versions of Jim Carrey, made almost $16 million.

Coming in at number six with $13.3 million, “Ninja Assassin” made its appearance on the box office charts. Critics weren’t too keen on this film about an orphan who is trained to be a ninja.

The final four

Number seven in box office earnings over the weekend was “Planet 51,” the film that debuted the same weekend as “New Moon” and “The Blind Side.” “Planet 51″ managed to pull in more than $10 million over the weekend.

Expanding films “Precious” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” both made about $7 million. Finally, No. 1o at the box office, with $1.7 million, was “The Road.” This is pretty surprising considering the small number of theaters where “The Road” was shown. “The Road,” like “No Country for Old Men,” is based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy.

… And beyond!

Coming out Friday, the much-anticipated film “Brothers” stars Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. If you’d rather see a comedy starring Robert DeNiro instead of a war and romance drama, check out “Everybody’s Fine.” Also coming out Friday are the horror movie spoof “Transylmania” and the thirller “Armored.”

Sandra Bullock image from Flickr.

“The Blind Side” has some really tough competition at the box office this weekend, thanks to the ravenous “Twilight” fan base. However, anyone looking for a more grown-up movie can skip “New Moon” and take  your instant cash loans over to “The Blind Side.”

Pete Hammond from Boxoffice Magazine goes so far as to say that Sandra Bullock delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as main character Leigh Anne Touhy. Hammond compares Bullock to Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich.

‘The Blind Side’ movie reviews

“The Blind Side” tells the story of Michael Oher, who was a first round draft pick this year for the Baltimore Ravens. However, a few years ago, he was a homeless, uneducated boy from a broken home. The wealthy, white Touhys took in the “oversized” African-American, says IMDB, and “groomed (him) into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.”

Joe Leydon from Variety says “The Blind Side” is “Another uplifting and entertaining feel-good, fact-based sports drama.” Heaping more praise on the star of the show, Emanuel Levy says “Sandra Bullock renders a strong performance as the feisty Southern belle in this inspirational sports saga.”

Breakouts and books

In his first lead role, Quinton Aaron plays the other main character, Michael Oher. Leydon says:

“Aaron gracefully treads a fine line, playing Michael as neither dullard nor idiot savant, but making him emotionally vulnerable, painfully self-aware and surprisingly resilient. Better still, Aaron more than holds his own opposite Bullock.”

The film is based on the book “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game,” and “The Blind Side” movie reviews are typical of films based on books. Many critics comment that the film doesn’t have much depth or subtext. “What you see is what you get,” says Levy. Critics consider it a fault when movies don’t contain the complexity and layering that books do, but most movie theater audiences would likely walk out of a film that contained all of the elements of a book complaining that it was long and slow.

Can’t win ‘em all

Of course, not every film critic gave “The Blind Side” a good review. Mark Palermmo from Coast, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says the film doesn’t contain “understanding or identification, just white self-congratulation.” Even reveiws that were positive overall, such as Michael Rechtshaffen’s, said that the movie contained “missed opportunities and surface gestures.”

While several reviewers criticize “The Blind Side” for not delving deeper into the complex racial and class themes present in the film, critics such as Ann Hornaday from the Washington Post, see this as a plus: “Viewers get the sense that this isn’t a story about race or redemption or the complexities of class and culture. It’s a story about a person who witnesses need and responds, simply and honestly, with unfussy compassion and authenticity. It’s a story about family.”

Blind predictions

I think this film will be intriguing for American audiences, who are living in a race-obsessed culture. Much like in the film, racial issues are certainly presents everywhere. However, this lack of focus on race that many critics cite will likely be a refreshing aspect for viewers who understand that race is an issue but are tired of having it in the spotlight all the time.

I think obsessive teenagers will drive “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” into the top-earning spot at the box office this weekend. However, I think “The Blind Side” will hold its own by continuing to draw audiences long after  “Twilight” lovers have spent their allowance.

Not a still from the film, and Halloween was weeks ago. Grow up, people. From Wikimedia Commons

That’s right, teenie-boppers and anyone else really into this whole vampire thing New Moon comes out Nov. 20th, and the New Moon reviews are starting to pour in.  The consensus among critics is that the film – you’ll have to pardon the pun – really BITES.  (Oh how am I NOT supposed to make that joke?) Rotten Tomatoes along some of the really big reviewers have decided that the novelty has worn off, and are giving the film a hiding.  Maybe payday loans for camping gear to await the premiere won’t be worth it.

Rotten Tomatoes

Even though some feel that Rotten Tomatoes is hit and miss at best, it’s one of most popular review sites for film on the internet.  RT gives New Moon a 30% score.  That is unflattering, to say the least.  Some comments from the New Moon page at RT describe the film as “toothless,” “the second bite was stale,” and one of my personal favorites, “if the first installment…was a celebration of teen sulkiness, this film positively drowns in it.” For some reason, I’m waiting for a two word review to come out saying something like…”Lame Moon.”  (Hello Cleveland!)

Roger Ebert and others

Roger Ebert, though he is at times far too kind to some films, didn’t spare the rod, or anything else when it came to this film.  He gave it one star from four, and one and zero star films are the ones that he pulls no punches with, and those are frankly the most entertaining of his reviews.  From his own website:

“New Moon…takes the tepid achievement of Twilight, guts it, and leaves it for undead.”

“The characters in this movie should be arrested for loitering with intent to moan…Their charisma is by Madame Toussad.”

In case you wondered, Madame Toussad’s is a famous museum, or to the point, perhaps the most famous wax museum in the world.

“…sitting through this experience is like driving a pickup in low gear through a sullen sea of Brylcreem.”

Harsh! MTV’s Kurt Loder seemed to like it, saying the film was an improvement over Twilight BUT that “It’s a very silly picture, of course: Given the source material – Stephanie Meyer’s blathery teen novels – how could it not be?” and that lead actress Kirsten Stewart was a good actress in a “wooden role.”

Of course some critics did like it, but heaping praise on a movie that’s already popular and getting huge box office gates is too easy, and not nearly as fun as trashing it.  That said, movie critics are hit and miss at best, and some seem to be bought by studios outright.  (The movie critic in my hometown paper, for instance – oh, you know who you are, and an adult who only gives 4 star reviews only to Disney films is obviously in need of psychological evaluation.)  I wasn’t planning on putting any quick cash towards New Moon tickets so the New Moon reviews make little difference to me, and it looks like you might want to think twice yourself if you listen to critics.

OK guys, let's be honest. Do you REALLY want to be a brooding vampire this Halloween? Oh, how original… (Photo: flickr.com)

For young children who love dress up and candy and kids at heart who will be attending Halloween parties in 2009, the race is on for the perfect costume. With some of these Halloween costume ideas for 2009 in mind, you’re sure to be a hit. In some cases, payroll loans may not even be necessary to fund your costume venture, although the reality is that if you want to go all-out on Halloween, you’ll typically need to spend some money.

Vamp it up

These are popular Halloween costume ideas (in 2009 or any other year). Taking a look at what’s popular, you’ll surely find devotees of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” vampire series roaming the streets and parties near you. Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) are bound to be popular choices, even though Jacob is a werewolf and Bella doesn’t become a vampire until “Breaking Dawn,” which is far from the movie theaters at this point.

But the vampire madness doesn’t stop with “Twilight.” Popular cable TV series like “True Blood” and network TV offerings like “The Vampire Diaries” will definitely have an impact on the vampire scene (and inspire lots of Halloween costume ideas in 2009). Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) will be popular choices from “True Blood,” as will Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) from “The Vampire Diaries.”

Michael and Farrah for tricks and treats

Celebrities have always been popular fodder for Halloween costume ideas, and 2009 will be no exception. Some might consider it to be of questionable taste to sport the “Thriller” getup of Michael Jackson or the golden tresses of Farrah Fawcett, but these pop culture icons are gold when it comes to dressing up teens and adults for Halloween. Personally, I’d be more entertained by a Halloween Billy Mays hawking a product, but tastes vary. Unfortunately, Kate Gosselin (tusk of blonde hair in front and uneven, fuzzy stuff with a sense of entitlement in back), Octomom (kids and Dr. Phil not included) will be out there, too.

Political bedfellows for a Halloween romp

This is an easy category here. Considering that America elected the first black president in its history, Barack Obama will be an easy choice. For women looking to sport smart fashions, Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin are strong choices (although Palin can be played with a rifle and waders, if you prefer). On the more controversial side, world political leaders like Kim Jong Il (who already looks like a cartoon character) and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (don’t wander into Muslim neighborhoods or apply for payroll loans with this mask on) can be an interesting choice. If you prefer American controversy, go for Rod Blagojevich and the big boy hair, Mark Sanford with hiking shoes and Appalachian Trail map, Dick Cheney with shotgun and executioner’s hood, or the “You Lie” guy (does he deserve to have his name be remembered?)

But what about the kids?

Children are what this holiday is truly about, so no Halloween costume ideas for 2009 roundup would be complete without a nod to youth. For little ones, Disney is a safe choice (from Hannah Montana to Mr. Incredible). For older kids, popular films like “G.I. Joe” and “Transformers” may be popular for those kids who don’t buy into the whole vampire thing. Personally, I’d rather be Optimus Prime, Harry Potter, Snakes Eyes (or even the Baroness for that matter) before I did the Pattinson. You’d have to literally make me undead before I’d ride the emo-angst-glowing bloodsucker wave.

I’m thankful that superheroes are back in vogue, thanks to Hollywood. I dressed as Spider Man when I was a preschooler, and would be proud to do the same again. Batman and the Joker are other options, although dressing your youngster as a sociopath (either of them) might not be the path I’d choose. I suppose it’s a matter how deeply you want to look at the legend. And whether or not you want to have to take out payroll loans to pay for the most lavish costumes available.

Related Video:

It wouldn't be Comic Con without the costumes!

Where were you 40 years ago? I wasn’t born yet, but in San Diego in 1970, the most avid of avid comic book fans were attending Comic Con 1969, the first International Comic Con.
Comic Con 2009 marks the 40th celebration of all things comic books — and then some. It starts today, unless  you count preview night yesterday, and goes through July 26. That’s Sunday, by the way.

Tantalized by ‘Twilight’

Comic Con 2009 isn’t just for comic book lovers. It’s for fans of the video games, movies and television shows that have resulted from them as well. This year, it’s all about vampires, specifically the vampires in “New Moon,” the upcoming film and next installment in the “Twilight” series. No doubt the producers will be able to pay of their loan lenders in no time.

Buddy TV reports:

It’s the definition of mania. Twi-hard fans from across the globe began gathering days ago at the San Diego Convention Center, camping out for a chance to hear New Moon stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner discuss the upcoming film.

Taking the ‘comic’ out of Comic Con 2009

So, Comic Con 2009 is all about “Twilight.” However, “Twilight” has never been a comic book series. It was originally a series of novels. Not graphic novels, just regular ones. So what is “Twilight” doing at Comic Con 2009?  Perhaps it’s the possibility that it will someday be comic books? Your guess is as good as mine, but Casey Saijas from MTV has some interesting insight:

At a recent “TwilightLive” event, MTV’s resident “Twilight” authority Larry Carroll was asked by a fan if there would be graphic novels based on the vampire love story anytime soon.

Given the fact that we’ve seen comics and graphic novels based on everything from Barack Obama to “The Ghost Whisperer,” it’s not only a valid question, but one that seems like the next obvious step in “Twilight” mania. After all, a marriage of Stephenie Meyer’s wildly popular series and comic books — arguably one of the hottest storytelling mediums going today — seems like a match made in vampire heaven, right? (Read some of our own ideas for a “Twilight” comic series in the Splash Page blog.)

Naturally, one would assume that comic book publishers would be lining up for the chance to give “Twilight” the four-color treatment, but surprisingly, when asked directly if they’d made any attempt to obtain the rights for a series of “Twilight” comics or graphic novels, nearly all the comic book publishers MTV News contacted gave the same response: “No comment.” Exactly why they chose to remain silent varied for each publisher, but if you’re looking for a similar situation in terms of popular books that never made it to the comic shops, look no further than “Harry Potter.”

Something for every nerd

Here is a report from the Chicago Tribune on the goings-on at Comic Con 2009 tonight:

3:00pm to 4:00pm “Robot Chicken with Titan Maximum” The series delivers irreverent comedy that sucker punches the fan boy and nostalgic in all of us. It is no doubt that they will be promoting their latest DVD, Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II. They announced a show exclusive that allowed attendees who purchase a DVD with an early entry voucher to an all ages Skate Party in National City. Vouchers will allow attendees to enter the party an hour earlier than the general public, where I am sure it will be no problem to get that DVD autographed (hint-hint). I will be walking Comic-Con with friend, co-writer, and Autograph Collector columnist, Josh Board. This will be a must attend. (Room 6A)

4:30pm to 5:00pm “Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” — Heath Ledger’s untimely and tragic death happened during the filming for this Terry Gilliam movie starring Christopher Plummer as Dr. Parnassus, who taps into the dreams of others with the help of the devil (Tom Waits). A theatre troupe, joined by a mysterious con man named Tony, set out to rescue the Doctor Parnassus’s daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole). Due to Ledger’s death, Gilliam honors the work of Ledger by allowing a rewrite of the script to allow the character of Tony to be played by Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys, Brazil, The Brothers Grimm, Fisher King), who started with the British comedy troupe “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, has many film and directorial credits under his belt that have successfully been able to blend science fiction and fantasy together to form new worlds where strange and wonderful characters are brought to life.