You can get the fun & games on Wi-Fi.
First the coming attractions:
"More than just football fans will likely be tuning in to ESPN to watch halftime on Monday Night Football this week. A new trailer for ‘‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’’ will debut during halftime of the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles game, Lucasfilm announced Sunday. Tickets will also go on sale for the film, opening Dec. 18, after the trailer plays. ‘‘The Force Awakens,’’ the seventh film in the franchise, is one of the most anticipated movies of the year."
Not by me, and I'm a huge fan.
"‘War Room’ surprisingly takes hold of top spot at box office" by Lindsey Bahr Associated Press September 07, 2015
LOS ANGELES — Summer blockbusters gave way to the small and highly targeted over a sleepy Labor Day weekend at the box office, with a notable performance from the faith-based ‘‘War Room.’’
Sony’s ‘‘War Room’’ fought its way to first place in its second weekend in release, earning $12.6 million across the four-day holiday weekend, according to Rentrak estimates on Monday. The micro-budget family drama, which cost only $3.5 million to produce, has grossed $27.9 million to date.
Financial success for faith-based films is not exactly a surprise at this point, but the impressive hold by “War Room” from its opening weekend is significant.
Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak’s senior media analyst, attributes the film’s second weekend success to heightened awareness after it nearly usurped ‘‘Straight Outta Compton’’ last weekend.
Related: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ versus ‘The War Room’
Also, word of mouth is strong for ‘‘War Room.’’ Dergarabedian said according to exit polling, 75 percent of the audience said they would definitely recommend the movie — a substantial and interesting contrast to the dismal critical reception for the film.
‘‘It’s just a great story of a film that really filled a void in the marketplace, with a message that the audience could really get behind,’’ he said.
New release ‘‘A Walk in the Woods,’’ debuted in third place, behind previous champ ‘‘Straight Outta Compton,’’ with $10.5 million from 1,960 screens. The buddy dramedy based on Bill Bryson’s memoir starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte cost a reported $8 million to make and has taken in $12.2 million since its Wednesday opening.
The action pic ‘‘The Transporter Refueled,’’ meanwhile, opened in fifth with a lackluster $9 million from over 3,400 screens.
Costing only $21 million to produce, this franchise outing subbed in a relatively unknown actor, Ed Skrein, for star Jason Statham, who had helped the previous three films succeed.
When the printed Globe walked out.
Dergarabedian said while both films will likely perform decently in theaters, their VOD earning potential is great.
‘‘Both of those movies will end up being profitable on the small screen down the road,’’ he said.
But, it was Pantelion’s Spanish-language animated film ‘‘Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos,’’ that truly stood out among the pack, taking in $4.4 million from just 395 locations over the four-day weekend. Although it doesn’t come close to the sensational $10.4 million Labor Day weekend debut of Pantelion’s 2013 film ‘‘Instructions Not Included,’’ it does still illustrate the significant power of an underserved audience.
‘‘Latinos represent 17 percent of the population and buy 24 percent of movie tickets. They go to the movies all the time and they go to movies as families. If we can create a film that resonates with families over a holiday weekend, it tends to do well,’’ said Paul Presburger, chief executive of Pantelion.
‘‘Where Hollywood releases big movies that appeal to everyone, we release movies that specifically and culturally appeal to the Latino audience,’’ he added.
They relied on grassroots marketing to get the word out about the film and plan to expand to more than 580 locations next weekend.
‘‘It’s the highest per-theater average of any film in national release, that film, like ‘War Room,’ filled a void in the marketplace,’’ said Dergarabedian. ‘‘Hollywood is creating a lot of diverse product. It’s all about people relating to what’s going on on-screen.’’
I'm not.
--more--"
So what else is playing?
Theater 1:
‘‘The Perfect Guy’’ and ‘‘The Visit’’ sailed past modest opening weekend expectations — and budgets — locking in debuts in the mid-$20 million range thanks in part to good timing and robust female turnout on a weekend that often goes unnoticed on the release calendar. In third place, faith-based ‘‘War Room’’ continues to prove mightily powerful with $7.4 million, while ‘‘90 Minutes in Heaven,’’ a Christian film starring Kate Bosworth, opened in ninth place to only $2.2 million from 878 locations."
Theater 2:
"Ridley Scott’s 3-D space epic ‘‘The Martian’’ touched down in theaters with a robust $55 million at the weekend box office. The 20th Century Fox release, starring Matt Damon as an astronaut left for dead on Mars, proved moviegoers remain drawn by the gravitational pull of space adventures. The estimated North American opening of ‘‘The Martian’’ surpassed that of Christopher Nolan’s ‘‘Interstellar’’ and virtually equaled the debut of Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘‘Gravity.’’ Last week’s box-office champ, ‘‘Hotel Transylvania 2,’’ slid to second with $33 million. Denis Villeneuve’s drug war thriller ‘‘Sicario,’’ starring Emily Blunt, shot up to third with $12.1 million. Ahead of a wider opening, Robert Zemeckis’s 3-D ‘‘The Walk’’ opened on 448 Imax screens but took in only $1.5 million."
Initially I didn't like seeing ads for the film, viewing it as just another mind-manipulating flogging; however, I soon changed my mind.
Did 'BACK TO THE FUTURE' Really Predict 9/11?
What's with the wire? You make the connection.
Also see:
Matt Damon criticized for comments in Guardian story
Matt Damon says ‘it’s stupid’ that some called him homophobic
Matt Damon is right
I'm thirsting for his new movie.
Theater 3:
‘‘Pan,’’ the PG-rated Peter Pan origin story starring Hugh Jackman and Garrett Hedlund, earned $15.5 million in its opening weekend to finish in third place, according to Rentrak estimates Sunday. Ridley Scott’s space adventure ‘‘The Martian,’’ starring Matt Damon, earned $37 million in its second week in theaters, keeping the top spot. ‘‘Hotel Transylvania 2’’ took second place in its third weekend with $20.3 million. Nancy Meyers’s workplace comedy ‘‘The Intern’’ earned $8.7 million, and the border thriller ‘‘Sicario’’ brought in $7.4 million, rounding out the top five. Sony’s high-wire spectacle, ‘‘The Walk,” also stumbled in its first weekend in wide release, after debuting on IMAX screens last week, earning $3.7 million."
Theater 4:
"Scare-seeking audiences preferred the family-friendly ‘‘Goosebumps’’ over the gothic horror of Guillermo del Toro’s haunted-house movie ‘‘Crimson Peak’’ two weekends out from Halloween. Sony’s ‘‘Goosebumps,’’ based on the popular book series, earned $23.5 million out of the gates to take first place at the box office, while del Toro’s ‘‘Crimson Peak’’ languished at fourth with $12.8 million. ‘‘Goosebumps’’ also managed to beat ‘‘The Martian’’ by a hair, pushing Ridley Scott’s space adventure to second place for the first time in its three-week run with $21.5 million. Starring Jack Black as author R.L. Stine, ‘‘Goosebumps’’ cost a reported $58 million to produce. Steven Spielberg’s Cold War thriller ‘‘Bridge of Spies,’’ starring Tom Hanks, debuted in third place with $15.4 million."
Did you see the review on that?
Steve Jobs movie wrong on details, but right in spirit
Molly Ringwald marks ‘Breakfast Club’ anniversary
"Prosecutors declined to charge Caitlyn Jenner on Wednesday in a California car crash that killed another driver, citing insufficient evidence to support a case. Authorities said Jenner was towing an off-road vehicle on a trailer behind a Cadillac Escalade on Feb. 7 when she crashed into two cars, pushing one into oncoming traffic. Driver Kim Howe died when her Lexus was hit by a Hummer in Malibu. ‘‘We believed from the start that a thorough and objective investigation would clear Caitlyn of any criminal wrongdoing,’’ said Blair Berk, Jenner’s attorney. ‘‘We are heartened the district attorney has agreed that even a misdemeanor charge would be inappropriate.” (AP)"
Related: Jenner Bender
What a switch!
"A day after Sox slugger David Ortiz revealed on The Players Tribune that being a porn star would be his “dream job” if he didn’t play baseball, porn peddler Steve Hirsch of Vivid Entertainment has offered Big Papi $100,000 to star in an adult film. Hirsch told TMZ the movie would feature Papi with multiple women because “his personality is too big for just one.” Our guess is that Papi’s wife, Tiffany, would not look kindly at the idea. Also, Ortiz is making $16 million with the Sox this season, so $100,000 for a porn flick is paltry."
Then I will do it!
Another well-hung athlete:
Alleged Hernandez juror said case was discussed
Jan. 19 set as start date for latest Aaron Hernandez trial
Judge dismisses latest Aaron Hernandez bid for new trial
Aaron Hernandez’s lawyers want evidence in Boston killings tossed
I know how he feels. I have the same reaction reading the Globe every morning.
Ellie Goulding set to perform for NFL’s kickoff
I thought the NFL was opposed to domestic violence.
Huddling up for a good cause
Think they are overinflated?
You going to tell her about it?
NDU: For Comcast, Wi-Fi is key to wireless foray
Did you see the trailer?
