FilmChat

Robotic hands, air to breathe, and Titanic.

2012-04-09T21:49:00.005-07:00

Three years ago, I went on something of a James Cameron binge. First I saw all of the Terminator movies, including the two that he directed, in anticipation of the then-new Terminator Salvation. Then I made a point of watching all of his other films prior to the release of Avatar -- all, that is, except Titanic (1997).

I'm not sure entirely why I skipped that particular film, which I hadn't seen since its original theatrical release. But I finally got around to seeing it today -- in 3D, of course -- and I was struck by two small elements that touch, however briefly, on themes that you can find across Cameron's work as a whole.

First, the prologue includes a bit where one of Bill Paxton's assistants guides a remote underwater probe, using hand-held controls that look remarkably like the hand-held controls that have guided other mechanical extensions to the human body in Cameron films going all the way back to Xenogenesis (1978).

Second, when Leonardo DiCaprio's character is asked whether he likes his "rootless" existence, he replies:

Yes, ma'am, I do. I mean, I've got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs and a few blank sheets of paper. I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's going to happen or who I'm gonna meet or where I'm going to wind up.

And I find the "air in my lungs" bit particularly striking in light of the fact that the ability to breathe, and the importance thereof, is a recurring theme throughout Cameron's films, especially his sci-fi efforts, as I have noted earlier.

There are other bits and pieces in Titanic that hark back to Cameron's earlier films too, of course -- the man who is distrusted by the authorities but gives up his life for the woman he just met is reminiscent of the original Terminator, and the woman who descends in an elevator to save someone who is trapped deep inside a doomed structure is reminiscent of Aliens -- but these were the two that surprised me most.

I am also struck by the fact that the crewmembers in the crow's nest are distracted by the sight of Kate and Leo kissing on the deck immediately before they, the crewmembers, spot the iceberg -- and of course, by the time they actually look up and spot the iceberg, it is too late to save the ship. It is almost as though the film blames Kate and Leo's reckless passion for the accident that sends 1,500 people, including Leo himself, to their doom. But it's such a minor, easily overlooked detail, and there are so many other ways in which the film affirms their passion, that I wouldn't make too much of this.

Flashback: Eugene Levy, Down to Earth and American Pie.

2012-04-05T22:39:00.007-07:00

The release of American Reunion this weekend prompted me to look up a few of my articles on the earlier American Pie films (1999-2003). My favorite of these articles, by far, is actually not about this franchise, per se, but about another film directed by the brothers who made the first film in this series -- and the reason I like this article is because I got to interview Eugene Levy, who plays Jim's Dad in the American Pie movies and went on to play a bumbling angel in Down to Earth (2001). Here's the article I wrote at the time for the Vancouver Courier:

- - -

by Peter T. Chattaway

From the brilliant sketch comedy of the SCTV series to his more recent work in feature films, Eugene Levy has made a career out of playing lovable losers. This weekend, he takes his familiar comic persona to new heights -- as a bumbling angel in Down to Earth, a remake of the 1978 Warren Beatty vehicle Heaven Can Wait, which was itself a remake of the 1941 classic Here Comes Mr. Jordan. In all three films, a man is accidentally taken to heaven years before he is supposed to die. When the angels realize their mistake, they send him back to Earth and give him the body of a millionaire who died so recently that no one knows he's dead -- no one, that is, except for the wife and business partner who just drowned him.

In past versions of this story, the reincarnated fellow was a boxer or a football quarterback, but in the new version, which stars Chris Rock (who has come back from the dead before, in Kevin Smith's Dogma), he's a stand-up comic. Levy, who describes himself as "a huge Chris Rock fan," says he signed on to do this film partly just so he could work with the charismatic comedian. "I think Bigger and Blacker, his HBO special, is one of the greatest hours of comedy," says Levy. "It's really, really hysterical. Chris is very funny, but off-camera, he's kind of quiet, unassuming, and just unbelievably professional. It certainly wasn't like you were on the set with a stand-up comic. It was like just being on the set with one of the other actors. That's the vibe that he gives off."

Down to Earth is directed by the multi-talented brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, who recently co-starred in the stalker comedy Chuck & Buck and, before that, co-wrote the animated film Antz. Levy first met the Weitz brothers a couple of years ago when they offered him a supporting role as a flustered parent in the raunchy teen sex comedy American Pie, which Chris produced and Paul directed. Levy had some qualms about that role, which he says was "too crass" at first, but the Weitzes allowed him to fix the character to make him more sympathetic.

After that, Levy says he developed a lot of respect for the Weitz brothers, and he was eager to work in their next film, no matter how small the role -- and it's a decidedly tamer affair. Chris Rock has reportedly said that he made this film so he could take his grandmother to at least one of his movies, but Levy thinks the film, with its cheerfully subversive take on racial politics, will appeal to a younger audience, too. "Heaven Can Wait is one of my favorite films -- I think it's a classic film," says Levy, "and when I heard about the facelift that Chris Rock and his team of writers had put on it, I thought it was a fabulous version of this story, that would really kind of kick in with this generation."

Levy's role in Down to Earth did not require much improvisation, though he does take credit for one of the film's funnier lines, concerning Sinatra and the respect he commands even from the chief angel, who is played by Chazz Palminteri. In addition to developing his characters in rehearsal, Levy sometimes takes an active role in writing original movie scripts, and this month, he and Christopher Guest were nominated by the Writers Guild of America for their work on Best in Show, the hilarious dog-show mockumentary that was shot in Vancouver. The film also received a Golden Globe nomination, and it appeared on a number of top ten lists, and Levy and Guest, who also collaborated on Waiting for Guffman, are already talking about getting together later this spring to work on another script.

"When we start these things, we call them 'little films,'" says Levy. "They're relatively small-budget, the studio leaves us alone, and you try and come up with a movie that's funny. All we want to do is put a movie together where you watch it in the theatre and you hear more laughs than you ever thought you'd hear in a theatre. That's kind of the goal. So it brings new meaning to 'icing on the cake.' It boggles the mind, how strongly people have reacted to the movie. It's the kind of recognition we absolutely don't anticipate."

Over the phone and out of character, Levy sounds like a straightforward guy, and not that much like his comic persona. Asked if he would ever pursue more dramatic roles, he cites an ultra-obscure film he made a few years ago called Silver Man (which is not to be confused with Saving Silverman, the current comedy starring Levy's American Pie co-star Jason Biggs), in which he played a pious Jew who gets caught up in the drug trade. "There was something kind of funny about that," he concedes, "but I got a chance to smack some people around, and you know what? It was actually kind of fun. It was okay, and I didn't embarrass myself. These will come up every now and then, but comedy's my thing. I've been doing it all my life, and I get the most fun out of doing it."

- - -

Looking at my article now, over a decade later, I'm surprised to see how briefly I touched on the American Pie part of the interview, since I have always loved what Levy brought to that film and I was quite happy to have a chance to talk to him about that. Here, then, for the first time ever, is the full quote from that part of the interview:

- - -

"Well, again, this is why I had a great time working with Paul and Chris Weitz. At the beginning, I wasn't tickled with the way the character was, as written. The character of the father, when they approached me about doing it, I said to them, 'I can't commit to this, we have to talk about the character, because I don't like the character the way he's written. I think the character is a little too crass. I'd like to make this guy-- I'd like to have him mean well, I want him to be a real kind of do-gooder, I want him to care about helping his son, I don't want him to fall into the kind of sexual, sophomoric humour that everybody else is into. I want him to really care about what he's doing with his son, and care about how his son ends up, and that kind of thing.' And they were great. They allowed me to change the character. We went in, we improvised all the scenes in rehearsal that I was in, we changed a lot of it, and I think it really helped."

2012 Film Journal

2012-01-04T22:33:00.042-08:00

As per my 2011 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items.

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May

Jan 1 -- Margaret [2011] *
Jan 2 -- Born Free [1966]
Jan 4 -- Copie conforme [aka Certified Copy] *
Jan 6 -- Daydream Nation *
Jan 7 -- Beauty and the Beast [1991; 3D version]
Jan 7 -- i am a good person/i am a bad person *
Jan 7 -- A Dangerous Method *
Jan 7 -- People of a Feather *
Jan 8 -- The Devil Inside [2012] *
Jan 8 -- The Way [2010] *

Jan 11 -- The Bridge on the River Kwai
Jan 13 -- The Grey [2012] *
Jan 13 -- Contraband [2012] *
Jan 13 -- The Amazing Spider-Man [1977; pilot episode] *
Jan 21 -- Underworld: Awakening [3D version] *
Jan 21 -- Red Tails *
Jan 22 -- The Devil and Daniel Webster [1941]
Jan 23 -- POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold *
Jan 26 -- One for the Money [2012] *
Jan 27 -- Joseph, King of Dreams

Jan 28 -- Margin Call *
Feb 4 -- Albert Nobbs *
Feb 4 -- Monsieur Lazhar *
Feb 4 -- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close *
Feb 4 -- RoboCop 2
Feb 5 -- Chronicle *
Feb 7 -- Une vie de chat [aka A Cat in Paris] *
Feb 8 -- Holy Flying Circus *
Feb 8 -- The Vow [2012] *
Feb 10 - - Chico & Rita *

Feb 11 -- The Woman in Black [2012] *
Feb 11 -- Journey 2: The Mysterious Island [3D version] *
Feb 12 -- Safe House [2012] *
Feb 12 -- Man on a Ledge *
Feb 14 -- Undefeated [2011] *
Feb 15 -- Kari-gurashi no Arietti [aka The Secret World of Arrietty] *
Feb 16 -- Dinosaurs Alive [Omnimax version] *
Feb 16 -- Goon [2011] *
Feb 18 -- Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance [3D version] *
Feb 18 -- This Means War [2012] *

Feb 19 -- The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2012: Animation *
Feb 22 -- Star Wars Begins: A Fan Documentary *
Feb 22 -- The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2012: Live Action *
Feb 25 -- Dr. Seuss' The Lorax [2012; 3D version] *
Feb 25 -- A Better Life *
Feb 25 -- W.E. *
Feb 27 -- Gone [2012] *
Feb 27 -- Wanderlust [2012] *
Feb 29 -- Pope Michael *
Feb 29 -- Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace [3D version]

Mar 1 -- Frankenweenie [1984] *
Mar 2 -- Sophie Scholl: Die letzten Tage [aka Sophie Scholl: The Last Days]
Mar 3 -- Act of Valor [2012] *
Mar 3 -- Project X [2012] *
Mar 7 -- Building Empire: A Fan Documentary *
Mar 7 -- 21 Jump Street [2012] *
Mar 9 -- John Carter [3D version] *
Mar 12 -- Game Change *
Mar 14 -- Jeff, Who Lives at Home *
Mar 17 -- Silent House [2011] *

Mar 19 -- Futurama [season 3, episodes 1-3] *
Mar 22 -- The Sweatbox [2002] *
Mar 22 -- American Reunion [2012] *
Mar 22 -- Friends with Kids *
Mar 22 -- The Hunger Games *
Mar 28 -- Wrath of the Titans [2012; 3D version] *
Mar 31 -- Mirror Mirror [2012] *
Mar 31 -- Salmon Fishing in the Yemen *
Mar 31 -- The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) *
Apr 4 -- The Parent Trap [1998] *

Apr 9 -- Titanic [1997; 3D version]
Apr 14 -- Chimpanzee *
Apr 15 -- The Cabin in the Woods *
Apr 18 -- The Lucky One [2012] *
Apr 21 -- The Pirates! Band of Misfits [3D version] *
Apr 26 -- Lockout [2012] *
Apr 27 -- The Five-Year Engagement *
Apr 28 -- Damsels in Distress [2011] *
Apr 29 -- Girls [season 1, episode 1] *
Apr 30 -- Veep [season 1, episode 1] *

May 2 -- The Avengers [2012; 3D version] *
May 5 -- Safe [2012] *
May 7 -- The Raven [2012] *
May 11 -- Dark Shadows [2012] *
May 13 -- Futurama [season 3, episodes 4-6] *
May 16 -- Battleship [2012] *
May 18 -- The Samaritan [2012] *
May 18 -- The Dictator [2012] *
May 21 -- Haywire [2011] *
May 21 -- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey *

2011 Film Journal

2011-01-01T18:51:00.110-08:00

As per my 2010 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items.

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

Jan 1 -- Amazon Falls *
Jan 1 -- Trigger [2010] *
Jan 1 -- Winds of Heaven: Emily Carr, Carvers and the Spirits of the Forest *
Jan 2 -- Last Train Home [2009] *
Jan 2 -- Exit through the Gift Shop *
Jan 3 -- Mighty Jerome *
Jan 6 -- Winter's Bone *
Jan 8 -- The Trotsky *
Jan 8 -- Season of the Witch [2011] *
Jan 8 -- The Fighter [2010] *

Jan 11 -- Assault on Precinct 13 [1976] *
Jan 15 -- The Green Hornet [2011; 3D version] *
Jan 15 -- The Dilemma [2011] *
Jan 19 -- No Strings Attached [2011] *
Jan 21 -- Country Strong *
Jan 23 -- Lifeforce [1985]
Jan 24 -- The Runaways [2010] *
Jan 26 -- The Rite [2011] *
Jan 26 -- Blue Valentine [2010] *
Jan 29 -- Incendies *

Feb 5 -- The Mechanic [2011] *
Feb 5 -- Sanctum [2011; 3D version] *
Feb 5 -- The Roommate [2011] *
Feb 6 -- Animal Kingdom [2010] *
Feb 9 -- You Only Live Twice
Feb 10 -- The Adjustment Bureau *
Feb 11 -- Daniel Amos: Instruction Through Film *
Feb 12 -- Rabbit Hole [2010] *
Feb 12 -- The Way Back [2010] *
Feb 14 -- Just Go with It *

Feb 14 -- The Eagle [2011] *
Feb 19 -- I Am Number Four *
Feb 19 -- Unknown [2011] *
Feb 20 -- Salt [2010; theatrical version]
Feb 21 -- Fallen Angel: The Outlaw Larry Norman [2011 version]
Feb 21 -- Tomorrow Never Dies
Feb 23 -- Hall Pass [2011] *
Feb 25 -- Centurion [2010] *
Feb 26 -- Rango [2011] *
Feb 26 -- Black Death [2010] *

Mar 2 -- Drive Angry [3D version] *
Mar 2 -- Gnomeo & Juliet [3D version] *
Mar 3 -- Nanny McPhee Returns *
Mar 3 -- Moonraker [1979]
Mar 5 -- Mars Needs Moms [3D version] *
Mar 9 -- Red Riding Hood [2011] *
Mar 11 -- The World Is Not Enough
Mar 12 -- The Living Daylights
Mar 13 -- Battle: Los Angeles *
Mar 16 -- Beastly *

Mar 17 -- West Is West [2010] *
Mar 18 -- Limitless [2011] *
Mar 18 -- Paul [2011] *
Mar 18 -- Diamonds Are Forever [1971]
Mar 21 -- The Man with the Golden Gun
Mar 23 -- Sucker Punch [2011] *
Mar 26 -- Hobo with a Shotgun *
Mar 29 -- The Assignment [1997] *
Mar 30 -- The Lincoln Lawyer *
Mar 30 -- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules *

Apr 2 -- Born to Be Wild [2011; 3D version] *
Apr 2 -- Source Code *
Apr 2 -- Hop [2011] *
Apr 4 -- Insidious [2010] *
Apr 6 -- Arthur [2011] *
Apr 8 -- Your Highness *
Apr 8 -- Hanna [2011] *
Apr 10 -- Wholly Moses! *
Apr 11 -- Soul Surfer *
Apr 14 -- Green for Danger *

Apr 15 -- Rio [2011] *
Apr 15 -- Scream 4 [2011] *
Apr 18 -- African Cats *
Apr 19 -- So Dear to My Heart *
Apr 22 -- Water for Elephants *
Apr 27 -- Hævnen [aka In a Better World] *
Apr 28 -- Fast Five *
May 4 -- Thor [2011; 3D version] *
May 5 -- Hoodwinked Too! Hood Vs. Evil [3D version] *
May 5 -- Prom [2011] *

May 6 -- Swamp Thing [1982] *
May 7 -- Something Borrowed [2011] *
May 8 -- The Kid from Brooklyn
May 14 -- Bridesmaids [2011] *
May 19 -- American Grindhouse *
May 21 -- Big Love [season 4, disc 1] *
May 22 -- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [3D version] *
May 23 -- The Court Jester [1955]
May 23 -- Priest [2011; 3D version] *
May 24 -- Kung Fu Panda 2 [3D version] *

May 25 -- The Hangover Part II *
May 27 -- Big Love [season 4, disc 2] *
May 28 -- The Beaver [2011] *
May 28 -- Big Love [season 4, disc 3] *
May 29 -- Modern Family [season 1, disc 1] *
May 30 -- Modern Family [season 1, disc 2] *
Jun 1 -- Win Win [2011] *
Jun 3 -- X-Men: First Class *
Jun 6 -- Midnight in Paris [2011] *
Jun 6 -- Meek's Cutoff *

Jun 8 -- Super 8 [2011] *
Jun 15 -- Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer *
Jun 16 -- Submarine [2010] *
Jun 17 -- Green Lantern [3D version] *
Jun 17 -- The Tree of Life [2011] *
Jun 22 -- Mr. Popper's Penguins *
Jun 24 -- Bad Teacher *
Jun 25 -- The Art of Getting by *
Jun 26 -- Cars 2 [3D version] *
Jun 29 -- Transformers: Dark of the Moon [3D version] *

Jul 1 -- Monte Carlo [2011] *
Jul 4 -- Modern Family [season 1, disc 3] *
Jul 4 -- Larry Crowne *
Jul 5 -- Modern Family [season 1, disc 4] *
Jul 7 -- Conan O'Brien Can't Stop *
Jul 8 -- Horrible Bosses *
Jul 9 -- Winnie the Pooh [2011] *
Jul 10 -- Inside Job [2010] *
Jul 11 -- Page One: Inside the New York Times *
Jul 11 -- Beginners [2010] *

Jul 13 -- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 [3D version] *
Jul 14 -- Small Town Murder Songs *
Jul 15 -- Zookeeper [2010] *
Jul 20 -- Captain America: The First Avenger [3D version] *
Jul 23 -- The Smurfs [2011; 3D version] *
Jul 23 -- Friends with Benefits [2011] *
Jul 27 -- Crazy, Stupid, Love. *
Jul 29 -- Cowboys & Aliens *
Jul 31 -- Cave of Forgotten Dreams [3D version] *
Jul 31 -- Project Nim *

Aug 4 -- 30 Minutes or Less *
Aug 4 -- The Trip [2010] *
Aug 5 -- Walking with Monsters *
Aug 5 -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes *
Aug 6 -- The Change-Up [2011] *
Aug 8 -- The Help [2011] *
Aug 10 -- Final Destination 5 [3D version] *
Aug 11 -- The Tempest [2010] *
Aug 15 -- Another Earth *
Aug 15 -- The Whistleblower [2010] *

Aug 17 -- The Devil's Double [2011] *
Aug 19 -- One Day [2011] *
Aug 20 -- Conan the Barbarian [2011; 3D version] *
Aug 20 -- Fright Night [2011; 3D version] *
Aug 21 -- Iron Man 2
Aug 24 -- Spy Kids: All the Time in the World [2D version] *
Aug 26 -- Colombiana *
Aug 26 -- Our Idiot Brother *
Aug 29 -- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark [2010] *
Aug 31 -- The Debt [2010] *

Sep 2 -- Shark Night 3D [2011; 3D version] *
Sep 5 -- The Blue Lagoon [1980] *
Sep 9 -- Contagion [2011] *
Sep 9 -- Warrior [2011] *
Sep 14 -- Apollo 18 *
Sep 16 -- Drive [2011] *
Sep 17 -- Dolphin Tale [3D version] *
Sep 17 -- Straw Dogs [2011] *
Sep 17 -- I Don't Know How She Does It *
Sep 23 -- Abduction [2011] *

Sep 23 -- Moneyball *
Sep 26 -- Killer Elite [2011] *
Sep 28 -- Real Steel *
Sep 29 -- Like Crazy *
Sep 29 -- Tyrannosaur *
Sep 30 -- Courageous [2011] *
Sep 30 -- Take This Waltz [2011] *
Sep 30 -- Circumstance [2011] *
Oct 1 -- The Mill and the Cross *
Oct 1 -- Go-ji-jeon [aka The Front Line] *

Oct 1 -- Ish lelo selolari [aka Man without a Cell Phone] *
Oct 2 -- Without [2011] *
Oct 3 -- Pina [3D version] *
Oct 4 -- Dream House [2011] *
Oct 4 -- Boker tov adon Fidelman [aka Restoration] *
Oct 4 -- Hearat Shulayim [aka Footnote] *
Oct 4 -- Miss Bala *
Oct 5 -- In Darkness [2011] *
Oct 5 -- Jodaeiye Nader az Simin [aka A Separation] *
Oct 5 -- Sisters & Brothers [2011] *

Oct 6 -- Rundskop [aka Bullhead] *
Oct 6 -- Bir zamanlar Anadolu'da [aka Once Upon a Time in Anatolia] *
Oct 6 -- Higher Ground [2011] *
Oct 6 -- The Guard [2011] *
Oct 7 -- What's Your Number? *
Oct 7 -- The Ides of March [2011] *
Oct 7 -- Starbuck *
Oct 7 -- Sleeping Beauty [2011] *
Oct 8 -- A Torinói ló [aka The Turin Horse] *
Oct 8 -- Le Havre [2011] *

Oct 8 -- Elena [2011] *
Oct 9 -- The Lion King [3D version]
Oct 10 -- 50/50 [2011] *
Oct 11 -- Martha Marcy May Marlene *
Oct 13 -- The Artist [2011] *
Oct 13 -- Alpeis [aka Alps] *
Oct 14 -- Le gamin au vélo [aka The Kid with a Bike] *
Oct 15 -- The Thing [2011] *
Oct 15 -- The Big Year *
Oct 16 -- Footloose [1984] *

Oct 17 -- Breakaway [2011] *
Oct 21 -- Paranormal Activity 3 *
Oct 21 -- Johnny English Reborn *
Oct 22 -- Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope [2011 version]
Oct 23 -- The Three Musketeers [2011; 3D version] *
Oct 23 -- Footloose [2011] *
Oct 26 -- Anonymous [2011] *
Oct 28 -- Puss in Boots [2011; 3D version] *
Oct 29 -- Machine Gun Preacher *
Oct 29 -- Take Shelter *

Oct 30 -- In Time [2011] *
Nov 2 -- A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas [3D version] *
Nov 5 -- Tower Heist *
Nov 5 -- The Rum Diary *
Nov 7 -- Metropolis [1927; 1984 version]
Nov 8 -- Melancholia [2011] *
Nov 10 -- Jack and Jill [2011] *
Nov 11 -- J. Edgar [2011] *
Nov 11 -- Immortals [2011; 3D version] *
Nov 17 -- The Muppets [2011] *

Nov 18 -- Happy Feet Two [3D version] *
Nov 20 -- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 *
Nov 21 -- Hugo [2011; 3D version] *
Nov 22 -- The Muppets Take Manhattan *
Nov 25 -- Arthur Christmas [3D version] *
Nov 26 -- We Bought a Zoo *
Nov 29 -- Amore, piombo e furore [aka China 9, Liberty 37] *
Nov 30 -- Young Adult [2011] *
Dec 1 -- War Horse [2011] *
Dec 2 -- Sigur Rós: Inni *

Dec 6 -- My Week with Marilyn *
Dec 7 -- New Year's Eve [2011] *
Dec 10 -- The Adventures of Tintin [2011; 3D version] *
Dec 10 -- The Descendants [2011] *
Dec 12 -- Shame [2011] *
Dec 14 -- Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol [IMAX version] *
Dec 14 -- The Sitter [2011] *
Dec 15 -- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows *
Dec 16 -- Persuasion [2007] *
Dec 17 -- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked *

Dec 18 -- Star Trek: The Motion Picture [theatrical version]
Dec 19 -- The Iron Lady *
Dec 22 -- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [2011] *
Dec 27 -- The Darkest Hour [2011] *
Dec 28 -- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy [2011] *
Dec 28 -- Carnage [2011] *
Dec 28 -- Buck [2011] *
Dec 29 -- Tabloid [2010] *
Dec 31 -- Coriolanus [2011] *

Canadian box-office stats -- December 19 & 26

2010-12-28T08:57:00.001-08:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The King's Speech -- CDN $1,330,000 -- N.AM $8,343,435 -- 15.9%
The Tourist -- CDN $4,430,000 -- N.AM $40,878,000 -- 10.8%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $27,220,000 -- N.AM $272,972,000 -- 9.9%
Yogi Bear -- CDN $3,160,000 -- N.AM $35,820,000 -- 8.8%
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- CDN $5,480,000 -- N.AM $62,597,030 -- 8.8%
Tangled -- CDN $11,360,000 -- N.AM $143,695,323 -- 7.9%
The Fighter -- CDN $2,100,000 -- N.AM $26,679,000 -- 7.9%
Tron Legacy -- CDN $6,660,000 -- N.AM $87,373,703 -- 7.6%
Little Fockers -- CDN $2,480,000 -- N.AM $45,083,800 -- 5.5%
True Grit -- CDN $1,520,000 -- N.AM $36,068,000 -- 4.2%

A couple of discrepancies: The King's Speech and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I were #6 and #10 on the Canadian chart, respectively (they were #11 and #13 in North America as a whole), while Gulliver's Travels and Black Swan were #8 and #9 on the North American chart, respectively (they were #12 and #11 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Tourist -- CDN $3,200,000 -- N.AM $30,613,520 -- 10.5%
Burlesque -- CDN $3,670,000 -- N.AM $35,537,765 -- 10.3%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $25,990,000 -- N.AM $265,723,618 -- 9.8%
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- CDN $3,630,000 -- N.AM $42,752,237 -- 8.5%
Black Swan -- CDN $1,230,000 -- N.AM $15,791,753 -- 7.8%
Yogi Bear -- CDN $1,270,000 -- N.AM $16,411,322 -- 7.7%
Tangled -- CDN $9,800,000 -- N.AM $127,918,276 -- 7.7%
How Do You Know -- CDN $533,589 -- N.AM $7,484,696 -- 7.1%
The Fighter -- CDN $889,391 -- N.AM $12,569,403 -- 7.1%
Tron Legacy -- CDN $2,980,000 -- N.AM $44,026,211 -- 6.8%

A couple of discrepancies: Burlesque was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #11 in North America as a whole), while Unstoppable was #10 on the North American chart (it was #18 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- November 28 & December 5 & 12

2010-12-14T07:10:00.001-08:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Due Date -- CDN $9,520,000 -- N.AM $94,919,650 -- 10.0%
Burlesque -- CDN $3,250,000 -- N.AM $32,540,780 -- 10.0%
Faster -- CDN $2,050,000 -- N.AM $21,336,961 -- 9.6%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $24,620,000 -- N.AM $257,672,721 -- 9.6%
The Tourist -- CDN $1,540,000 -- N.AM $16,472,458 -- 9.3%
Megamind -- CDN $12,290,000 -- N.AM $140,218,962 -- 8.8%
Love and Other Drugs -- CDN $2,350,000 -- N.AM $27,629,936 -- 8.5%
Black Swan -- CDN $416,650 -- N.AM $5,584,542 -- 7.5%
Tangled -- CDN $8,480,000 -- N.AM $115,395,560 -- 7.3%
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- CDN $1,730,000 -- N.AM $24,005,069 -- 7.2%

A couple of discrepancies: Faster was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #11 in North America as a whole), while Unstoppable was #5 on the North American chart (it was #12 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Lance et compte: le film -- CDN $1,430,000 -- N.AM $1,430,000 -- 100%
Due Date -- CDN $9,050,000 -- N.AM $90,882,138 -- 9.9%
Burlesque -- CDN $2,530,000 -- N.AM $26,986,656 -- 9.4%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $22,580,000 -- N.AM $244,519,116 -- 9.2%
Faster -- CDN $1,610,000 -- N.AM $18,217,730 -- 8.8%
Megamind -- CDN $11,890,000 -- N.AM $136,611,161 -- 8.7%
The Next Three Days -- CDN $1,480,000 -- N.AM $18,301,917 -- 8.1%
Love and Other Drugs -- CDN $1,780,000 -- N.AM $22,574,887 -- 7.9%
Tangled -- CDN $6,510,000 -- N.AM $96,570,812 -- 6.7%
Unstoppable -- CDN $4,100,000 -- N.AM $68,762,864 -- 6.0%

A couple of discrepancies: Lance et compte: le film was #8 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #18), while The Warrior's Way was #9 on the North American chart (it wasn't released at all in Canada).

And here are the figures for the weekend before that, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Lance et compte: le film -- CDN $687,700 -- N.AM $687,700 -- 100%
Due Date -- CDN $8,340,000 -- N.AM $84,861,008 -- 9.8%
Megamind -- CDN $11,130,000 -- N.AM $130,218,934 -- 8.5%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $18,380,000 -- N.AM $219,056,129 -- 8.4%
Burlesque -- CDN $1,300,000 -- N.AM $17,300,213 -- 7.5%
The Next Three Days -- CDN $1,030,000 -- N.AM $14,392,072 -- 7.2%
Faster -- CDN $798,689 -- N.AM $12,002,840 -- 6.7%
Love and Other Drugs -- CDN $860,823 -- N.AM $13,901,532 -- 6.2%
Unstoppable -- CDN $3,550,000 -- N.AM $60,442,621 -- 5.9%
Tangled -- CDN $3,490,000 -- N.AM $68,706,298 -- 5.1%

A couple of discrepancies: Lance et compte: le film was #6 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #17), while Morning Glory was #10 on the North American chart (it was #11 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- November 14 & 21

2010-11-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Social Network -- CDN $10,740,000 -- N.AM $89,244,464 -- 12.0%
Fair Game -- CDN $446,914 -- N.AM $3,724,546 -- 12.0%
Due Date -- CDN $7,380,000 -- N.AM $72,431,594 -- 10.2%
RED -- CDN $8,510,000 -- N.AM $83,589,965 -- 10.2%
Morning Glory -- CDN $1,950,000 -- N.AM $19,823,136 -- 9.8%
Megamind -- CDN $9,930,000 -- N.AM $109,313,429 -- 9.1%
Skyline -- CDN $1,600,000 -- N.AM $17,772,760 -- 9.0%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I -- CDN $10,240,000 -- N.AM $125,017,372 -- 8.2%
The Next Three Days -- CDN $480,350 -- N.AM $6,542,779 -- 7.3%
Unstoppable -- CDN $2,770,000 -- N.AM $41,867,769 -- 6.6%

A couple of discrepancies: The Social Network was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #13 in North America as a whole), while For Colored Girls was #9 on the North American chart, respectively (it was #17 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Social Network -- CDN $10,550,000 -- N.AM $87,807,502 -- 12.0%
Jackass 3D -- CDN $12,080,000 -- N.AM $114,643,266 -- 10.5%
RED -- CDN $8,070,000 -- N.AM $79,677,396 -- 10.1%
Saw 3D -- CDN $4,330,000 -- N.AM $43,580,310 -- 9.9%
Due Date -- CDN $5,760,000 -- N.AM $58,897,308 -- 9.8%
Morning Glory -- CDN $1,110,000 -- N.AM $11,809,321 -- 9.4%
Megamind -- CDN $7,660,000 -- N.AM $88,822,635 -- 8.6%
Paranormal Activity 2 -- CDN $6,900,000 -- N.AM $81,930,657 -- 8.4%
Skyline -- CDN $983,474 -- N.AM $11,692,415 -- 8.4%
Unstoppable -- CDN $1,350,000 -- N.AM $22,688,457 -- 5.9%

A couple of discrepancies: The Social Network was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #12 in North America as a whole), while For Colored Girls was #6 on the North American chart, respectively (it was #16 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- October 31 & November 7

2010-11-09T07:20:00.002-08:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Life as We Know It -- CDN $5,910,000 -- N.AM $48,506,252 -- 12.2%
Conviction -- CDN $581,289 -- N.AM $4,794,930 -- 12.1%
The Social Network -- CDN $10,160,000 -- N.AM $84,871,492 -- 11.9%
Jackass 3D -- CDN $11,460,000 -- N.AM $110,668,357 -- 10.4%
RED -- CDN $7,120,000 -- N.AM $71,664,962 -- 9.9%
Hereafter -- CDN $2,820,000 -- N.AM $28,721,066 -- 9.8%
Saw 3D -- CDN $3,580,000 -- N.AM $38,331,783 -- 9.3%
Due Date -- CDN $2,680,000 -- N.AM $32,689,406 -- 8.2%
Paranormal Activity 2 -- CDN $6,220,000 -- N.AM $76,959,864 -- 8.0%
Megamind -- CDN $3,410,000 -- N.AM $46,016,833 -- 7.4%

A couple of discrepancies: Life as We Know It and Conviction were #8 and #10 on the Canadian chart, respectively (they were #11 and #12 in North America as a whole), while For Colored Girls and Secretariat were #3 and #8 on the North American chart, respectively (they were #14 and #11 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Social Network -- CDN $9,520,000 -- N.AM $79,520,984 -- 11.9%
Life as We Know It -- CDN $5,210,000 -- N.AM $43,533,312 -- 11.9%
Conviction -- CDN $254,116 -- N.AM $2,383,725 -- 10.7%
The Town -- CDN $9,080,000 -- N.AM $87,626,867 -- 10.4%
Jackass 3D -- CDN $10,250,000 -- N.AM $101,657,558 -- 10.0%
RED -- CDN $5,800,000 -- N.AM $58,823,430 -- 9.9%
Hereafter -- CDN $2,100,000 -- N.AM $22,263,797 -- 9.4%
Paranormal Activity 2 -- CDN $4,920,000 -- N.AM $65,665,972 -- 7.5%
Saw 3D -- CDN $1,800,000 -- N.AM $24,230,123 -- 7.4%
Secretariat -- CDN $2,940,000 -- N.AM $44,708,804 -- 6.6%

Canadian box-office stats -- October 10 & 17 & 24

2010-10-25T10:29:00.002-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Easy A -- CDN $7,110,000 -- N.AM $54,785,000 -- 13.0%
The Social Network -- CDN $8,680,000 -- N.AM $72,931,000 -- 11.9%
Life as We Know It -- CDN $4,400,000 -- N.AM $37,615,000 -- 11.7%
The Town -- CDN $8,680,000 -- N.AM $84,653,000 -- 10.3%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole -- CDN $4,860,000 -- N.AM $50,172,000 -- 9.7%
RED -- CDN $4,170,000 -- N.AM $43,483,000 -- 9.6%
Jackass 3D -- CDN $8,260,000 -- N.AM $87,147,000 -- 9.5%
Hereafter -- CDN $1,060,000 -- N.AM $12,320,000 -- 8.6%
Secretariat -- CDN $2,460,000 -- N.AM $37,360,000 -- 6.6%
Paranormal Activity 2 -- CDN $2,460,000 -- N.AM $41,500,000 -- 5.9%

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Easy A -- CDN $6,790,000 -- N.AM $52,317,481 -- 13.0%
The Social Network -- CDN $7,330,000 -- N.AM $62,436,364 -- 11.7%
Life as We Know It -- CDN $3,170,000 -- N.AM $28,620,147 -- 11.1%
The Town -- CDN $8,120,000 -- N.AM $80,510,629 -- 10.1%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole -- CDN $4,370,000 -- N.AM $45,994,776 -- 9.5%
RED -- CDN $1,930,000 -- N.AM $21,761,408 -- 8.9%
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps -- CDN $4,120,000 -- N.AM $47,894,896 -- 8.6%
Jackass 3D -- CDN $3,850,000 -- N.AM $50,353,641 -- 7.6%
My Soul to Take -- CDN $804,629 -- N.AM $11,915,595 -- 6.8%
Secretariat -- CDN $1,750,000 -- N.AM $27,332,941 -- 6.4%

And here are the figures for the weekend before that, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

StreetDance 3D -- CDN $736,718 -- N.AM $736,718 -- 100%
Easy A -- CDN $6,180,000 -- N.AM $48,228,201 -- 12.8%
The Social Network -- CDN $5,100,000 -- N.AM $46,021,161 -- 11.1%
You Again -- CDN $2,030,000 -- N.AM $20,769,995 -- 9.8%
The Town -- CDN $7,160,000 -- N.AM $73,847,527 -- 9.7%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole -- CDN $3,610,000 -- N.AM $39,273,984 -- 9.2%
Life as We Know It -- CDN $1,310,000 -- N.AM $14,506,464 -- 9.0%
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps -- CDN $3,670,000 -- N.AM $43,644,701 -- 8.4%
My Soul to Take -- CDN $385,355 -- N.AM $6,842,220 -- 5.6%
Secretariat -- CDN $687,489 -- N.AM $12,694,770 -- 5.4%

A couple of discrepancies: StreetDance 3D was #9 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #24), while Case 39 was #9 on the North American chart (it was #13 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- October 3

2010-10-04T13:33:00.002-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

StreetDance 3D -- CDN $359,620 -- N.AM $359,620 -- 100%
Easy A -- CDN $5,350,000 -- N.AM $42,176,967 -- 12.7%
Alpha and Omega -- CDN $1,950,000 -- N.AM $18,949,437 -- 10.3%
The Social Network -- CDN $2,220,000 -- N.AM $22,445,653 -- 9.9%
You Again -- CDN $1,570,000 -- N.AM $16,607,633 -- 9.5%
The Town -- CDN $6,000,000 -- N.AM $64,056,752 -- 9.4%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole -- CDN $2,700,000 -- N.AM $30,079,298 -- 9.0%
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps -- CDN $2,950,000 -- N.AM $35,778,429 -- 8.2%
Let Me in -- CDN $385,414 -- N.AM $5,147,479 -- 7.5%
Case 39 -- CDN $375,605 -- N.AM $5,350,570 -- 7.0%

A couple of discrepancies: StreetDance 3D was #9 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #18), while Devil was #9 on the North American chart (it was #14 in Canada).

Tony Curtis and voting with coloured beads.

2010-10-01T13:23:00.006-07:00

New Testament scholar Marcus Borg once observed that no public speaker ever uses a good line only once. (Actually, Borg has probably observed this more than once -- that's kind of his point!)

Borg made this comment while discussing the fact that there are different versions of some of Jesus' sayings spread across the gospels. Scholars tend to assume that the differences are due to changes that were put there by one or more of the people who wrote these gospels, and they tend to want to trace these sayings back to some sort of "original" version that was spoken by Jesus himself; but, as Borg hinted, it stands to reason that Jesus spoke many original versions of these sayings as he traveled from town to town, and even that he modified these sayings on occasion to reflect some local or recent circumstance. So, some of the differences may indeed be due to editorial tweaks made by the evangelists, but some of them may also go back to Jesus himself.

I was reminded of that this week when some journalists began digging up their old interviews with Tony Curtis, who died two days ago at the age of 85.

Over on his Facebook page, Roger Ebert pointed readers to this 1985 interview, which he said was his favorite of the ones he did with Curtis. And near the end of that article, there is this bit:

" . . . Let me tell you a story, sort of a parable. One day in 1948 I went to Hollywood. My name was Bernie Schwartz. I signed a contract at Universal, and I bought a house in the hills. It had a swimming pool. Unheated, but it had water in it. One night I came home late, I jumped in the pool, I swam a few laps, I got out, I dried myself off, I put on my clothes, and I walked directly into this room and sat down and started to talk to you. Do you see what I'm saying? Thirty-eight years, I don't know where they went. Gone like that."

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Wells re-posted part of this 2000 interview, which ends with this bit:

'Can I tell you a story, Jeffrey?' he said, about halfway through our talk. 'In 1948, when I was 23 or 24, when I first came out here I lived in a house on Fountain Avenue. I rented a room there. And they had a swimming pool. I had an appointment and I got on a trolley car...they were running right down the middle of the freeway back then.

'Then I got back, I jumped into the pool, I took a shower, got dressed and got into the car, and drove up here to meet you. That's how quick these 50-fucking-two years have gone...quick as that.'

It's fascinating to see how these two versions of the story begin and end on such similar notes, and how they vary quite a bit in the middle.

It's also interesting to see how they contradict each other: in one, Curtis tells Ebert he bought the house with the swimming pool, whereas in the other, he tells Wells that he rented the house -- or, rather, that he rented a room in that house. (Of course, this assumes that both Ebert and Wells transcribed their respective interviews accurately.)

In any case, I can't help imagining that, somewhere, a scholar like John Dominic Crossan might some day compile a book called The Essential Tony Curtis that will feature an ur-version of this story that lends itself to multiple formulations without committing itself to any of them.

Canadian box-office stats -- September 26

2010-09-28T13:06:00.002-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Incendies -- CDN $548,073 -- N.AM $548,073 -- 100%
Easy A -- CDN $4,030,000 -- N.AM $32,714,215 -- 12.3%
Inception -- CDN $32,520,000 -- N.AM $287,053,292 -- 11.3%
Resident Evil: Afterlife -- CDN $5,860,000 -- N.AM $52,073,588 -- 11.3%
Alpha and Omega -- CDN $1,540,000 -- N.AM $15,164,944 -- 10.2%
The Town -- CDN $4,370,000 -- N.AM $48,692,072 -- 9.0%
You Again -- CDN $741,316 -- N.AM $8,407,513 -- 8.8%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole -- CDN $1,340,000 -- N.AM $16,112,211 -- 8.3%
Devil -- CDN $1,770,000 -- N.AM $21,859,425 -- 8.1%
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps -- CDN $1,470,000 -- N.AM $19,011,188 -- 7.7%

A couple of discrepancies: Incendies was #9 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #27), while Takers was #9 on the North American chart (it was #16 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- September 19

2010-09-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Eat Pray Love -- CDN $10,850,000 -- N.AM $77,600,235 -- 14.0%
The Expendables -- CDN $12,850,000 -- N.AM $101,020,533 -- 12.7%
Inception -- CDN $32,120,000 -- N.AM $285,129,855 -- 11.3%
Easy A -- CDN $1,970,000 -- N.AM $17,734,040 -- 11.1%
Resident Evil: Afterlife -- CDN $4,780,000 -- N.AM $43,893,958 -- 10.9%
The American -- CDN $3,520,000 -- N.AM $32,772,475 -- 10.7%
The Other Guys -- CDN $11,080,000 -- N.AM $115,403,440 -- 9.6%
Alpha and Omega -- CDN $768,986 -- N.AM $9,106,906 -- 8.4%
The Town -- CDN $1,910,000 -- N.AM $23,808,032 -- 8.0%
Devil -- CDN $894,049 -- N.AM $12,289,375 -- 7.3%

A couple of discrepancies: Eat Pray Love and The Expendables were #8 and #9 on the Canadian chart, respectively (they were #11 and #12 in North America as a whole), while Takers and Machete were #6 and #10 on the North American chart, respectively (they were #14 and #16 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- September 12

2010-09-15T10:58:00.002-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Switch -- CDN $3,560,000 -- N.AM $25,005,832 -- 14.2%
Eat Pray Love -- CDN $10,230,000 -- N.AM $74,660,964 -- 13.7%
The Expendables -- CDN $12,410,000 -- N.AM $98,466,264 -- 12.6%
Going the Distance -- CDN $1,600,000 -- N.AM $13,952,322 -- 11.5%
Inception -- CDN $31,580,000 -- N.AM $282,211,978 -- 11.2%
The American -- CDN $2,930,000 -- N.AM $28,111,358 -- 10.4%
Resident Evil: Afterlife -- CDN $2,560,000 -- N.AM $26,650,264 -- 9.6%
The Other Guys -- CDN $10,730,000 -- N.AM $112,442,408 -- 9.5%
Machete -- CDN $1,750,000 -- N.AM $20,916,709 -- 8.4%
Takers -- CDN $2,730,000 -- N.AM $47,680,783 -- 5.7%

A couple of discrepancies: The Switch was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #12 in North America as a whole), while The Last Exorcism was #7 on the North American chart (it was #12 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- September 5

2010-09-07T22:26:00.001-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Eat Pray Love -- CDN $9,180,000 -- N.AM $68,904,792 -- 13.3%
The Expendables -- CDN $11,460,000 -- N.AM $92,187,903 -- 12.4%
Nanny McPhee Returns -- CDN $2,700,000 -- N.AM $22,399,900 -- 12.1%
Inception -- CDN $30,740,000 -- N.AM $277,145,503 -- 11.1%
Going the Distance -- CDN $691,357 -- N.AM $6,884,964 -- 10.0%
The American -- CDN $1,620,000 -- N.AM $16,321,575 -- 9.9%
The Other Guys -- CDN $10,110,000 -- N.AM $106,754,100 -- 9.5%
The Last Exorcism -- CDN $2,580,000 -- N.AM $32,114,360 -- 8.0%
Machete -- CDN $814,240 -- N.AM $11,416,164 -- 7.1%
Takers -- CDN $2,010,000 -- N.AM $37,327,557 -- 5.4%

Canadian box-office stats -- August 15 & 22 & 29

2010-08-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Piranha 3D -- CDN $2,650,000 -- N.AM $18,266,889 -- 14.5%
The Switch -- CDN $2,130,000 -- N.AM $16,410,009 -- 12.9%
Eat Pray Love -- CDN $7,610,000 -- N.AM $60,531,326 -- 12.6%
The Expendables -- CDN $9,720,000 -- N.AM $82,040,183 -- 11.8%
Nanny McPhee Returns -- CDN $1,860,000 -- N.AM $16,991,285 -- 10.9%
Inception -- CDN $29,570,000 -- N.AM $270,519,920 -- 10.9%
Vampires Suck -- CDN $2,760,000 -- N.AM $27,834,256 -- 9.9%
The Other Guys -- CDN $9,090,000 -- N.AM $99,018,172 -- 9.2%
The Last Exorcism -- CDN $1,210,000 -- N.AM $20,366,613 -- 5.9%
Takers -- CDN $829,748 -- N.AM $20,512,304 -- 4.0%

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Step Up 3D -- CDN $6,230,000 -- N.AM $36,868,951 -- 16.9%
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World -- CDN $2,550,000 -- N.AM $20,898,255 -- 12.2%
Piranha 3D -- CDN $1,230,000 -- N.AM $10,106,872 -- 12.2%
Eat Pray Love -- CDN $5,480,000 -- N.AM $47,214,078 -- 11.6%
The Expendables -- CDN $7,270,000 -- N.AM $65,357,117 -- 11.1%
Inception -- CDN $28,290,000 -- N.AM $262,031,594 -- 10.8%
The Switch -- CDN $910,475 -- N.AM $8,436,713 -- 10.8%
Nanny McPhee Returns -- CDN $794,544 -- N.AM $8,407,685 -- 9.5%
The Other Guys -- CDN $7,770,000 -- N.AM $88,253,482 -- 8.8%
Vampires Suck -- CDN $1,470,000 -- N.AM $18,566,733 -- 7.9%

A couple of discrepancies: Step Up 3D was #10 on the Canadian chart (it was #14 in North America as a whole), while Lottery Ticket was #4 on the North American chart (it was #17 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the weekend before that, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Step Up 3D -- CDN $4,540,000 -- N.AM $29,844,422 -- 15.2%
Salt -- CDN $12,210,000 -- N.AM $103,438,273 -- 11.8%
Inception -- CDN $26,340,000 -- N.AM $248,469,482 -- 10.6%
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore -- CDN $3,710,000 -- N.AM $35,218,937 -- 10.5%
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World -- CDN $1,050,000 -- N.AM $10,609,795 -- 9.9%
Dinner for Schmucks -- CDN $5,800,000 -- N.AM $58,785,547 -- 9.9%
Eat Pray Love -- CDN $2,140,000 -- N.AM $23,104,523 -- 9.3%
The Expendables -- CDN $3,140,000 -- N.AM $34,825,135 -- 9.0%
The Other Guys -- CDN $5,760,000 -- N.AM $69,951,822 -- 8.2%
Despicable Me -- CDN $18,120,000 -- N.AM $222,197,390 -- 8.2%

Canadian box-office stats -- August 8

2010-08-11T09:24:00.002-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Filière 13 -- CDN $623,187 -- N.AM $623,187 -- 100%
Step Up 3D -- CDN $1,910,000 -- N.AM $15,812,311 -- 12.1%
Salt -- CDN $10,570,000 -- N.AM $91,788,345 -- 11.5%
Inception -- CDN $23,610,000 -- N.AM $227,637,569 -- 10.4%
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore -- CDN $2,680,000 -- N.AM $26,428,266 -- 10.1%
Charlie St. Cloud -- CDN $2,340,000 -- N.AM $23,496,620 -- 9.9%
Dinner for Schmucks -- CDN $4,420,000 -- N.AM $46,620,949 -- 9.5%
Despicable Me -- CDN $16,750,000 -- N.AM $209,287,345 -- 8.0%
Toy Story 3 -- CDN $31,410,000 -- N.AM $396,387,342 -- 7.9%
The Other Guys -- CDN $2,570,000 -- N.AM $35,543,162 -- 7.2%

A couple of discrepancies: Filière 13 was #9 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #20), while The Kids Are All Right was #10 on the North American chart (it was #14 in Canada).

Canadian box-office stats -- July 25 & August 1

2010-08-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Salt -- CDN $7,520,000 -- N.AM $71,033,711 -- 10.6%
The Sorcerer's Apprentice -- CDN $5,270,000 -- N.AM $52,026,528 -- 10.1%
Inception -- CDN $18,890,000 -- N.AM $193,313,741 -- 9.8%
Grown Ups -- CDN $14,400,000 -- N.AM $150,761,385 -- 9.6%
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse -- CDN $25,410,000 -- N.AM $288,199,907 -- 8.8%
Charlie St. Cloud -- CDN $983,277 -- N.AM $12,381,585 -- 7.9%
Toy Story 3 -- CDN $30,440,000 -- N.AM $389,761,491 -- 7.8%
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore -- CDN $939,984 -- N.AM $12,279,363 -- 7.7%
Despicable Me -- CDN $14,550,000 -- N.AM $190,330,425 -- 7.6%
Dinner for Schmucks -- CDN $1,780,000 -- N.AM $23,527,839 -- 7.6%

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice -- CDN $4,110,000 -- N.AM $42,609,020 -- 9.6%
Grown Ups -- CDN $13,290,000 -- N.AM $142,240,828 -- 9.3%
Inception -- CDN $13,120,000 -- N.AM $142,883,424 -- 9.2%
Salt -- CDN $3,240,000 -- N.AM $36,011,243 -- 9.0%
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse -- CDN $24,210,000 -- N.AM $279,827,262 -- 8.7%
Predators -- CDN $3,900,000 -- N.AM $46,839,081 -- 8.3%
Toy Story 3 -- CDN $29,140,000 -- N.AM $379,416,551 -- 7.7%
Despicable Me -- CDN $11,870,000 -- N.AM $161,289,905 -- 7.4%
The Last Airbender -- CDN $8,310,000 -- N.AM $123,308,790 -- 6.7%
Ramona and Beezus -- CDN $466,420 -- N.AM $7,810,481 -- 6.0%

Canadian box-office stats -- July 18

2010-07-19T22:37:00.002-07:00

The Voldemort gallery -- a quick update.

2010-07-17T21:19:00.004-07:00

Just a quick note to say that I finally picked up a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) the other day, and I have now updated my earlier post with the pictures of all the actors who have played Tom Marvolo Riddle, AKA the Dark Lord Voldemort, in the various Harry Potter movies.

The Arts & Faith Top 100 -- a couple of blurbs

2010-07-17T14:08:00.006-07:00

As some of you know, I've been an active member of the Arts & Faith discussion board since it was created seven years ago -- and I happened to start this blog during a period of some, uh, political upheaval there about five years ago.

Last year, however, the board was sold to the good folks at Image magazine, and they've been doing some great things with the site -- the most notable of which is that they brought back the Arts & Faith Top 100, a list of favorite films that the A&F community votes on from time to time.

This year's selection is a bit artier than previous versions of the list, but there's still a lot to appreciate, and on a design level, the webpages dedicated to each film are a definite step up from what we had before.

Among other things, each entry has its own special blurb, written by a member of the A&F community -- and yes, I wrote two of them myself, namely the ones for Jesus of Montreal and Crimes and Misdemeanors. (The fact that both films came out in 1989 is purely coincidental, I swear.)

Check 'em out, and while you're at it, feel free to join the board itself and take part in the conversation there.

The Brave Little Toy-ster?

2010-07-13T10:42:00.006-07:00

Tim Jones, one of the bloggers at JimmyAkin.org, notes that there are several striking parallels between Toy Story 3 and The Brave Little Toaster, a children's story that was first published in 1980 and then became an animated film in 1987.

The most interesting thing about Jones's observation is that Pixar chief John Lasseter, who personally directed the first two Toy Storys (1995-1999), actually pitched a computer-animated version of The Brave Little Toaster to the powers-that-be at Disney when he was an animator there in the early 1980s -- and he was promptly fired for his efforts. Lasseter himself describes the experience in the following clip from The Pixar Story (2007), starting at the 1:38 mark:

Of course, as Jim Hill noted a few years ago, if Lasseter hadn't been fired, he might have missed his chance to join Pixar in its early days, and he might not have gotten around to revolutionizing the industry so thoroughly that Disney ended up buying Pixar outright and putting Lasseter in charge of its animation division. (Add to this the Oscar that Lasseter won for 1988's Tin Toy, and the nominations he got for a few other computer-animated films, and his story brings to mind a great line from Francis Ford Coppola to the effect that "the things you're fired for when young are often the same things you're given awards for later in life.")

So it's striking that Toy Story 3 -- the first Pixar film that was conceived after the company's merger with Disney -- might be an homage of sorts to the story that caused the original rift between Lasseter and Disney nearly 30 years ago. The animator and the studio have come full circle, as it were.

Of course, this also raises, once again, the question of whether Pixar movies, despite their reputation for originality, tend to recycle the plots of other movies, especially those produced in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Canadian box-office stats -- July 4 & 11

2010-07-12T10:55:00.001-07:00

Here are the figures for the past weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Piché: Entre ciel et terre -- CDN $854,313 -- N.AM $854,313 -- 100%
The A-Team -- CDN $6,950,000 -- N.AM $73,971,000 -- 9.4%
Knight and Day -- CDN $5,570,000 -- N.AM $61,939,000 -- 9.0%
Grown Ups -- CDN $9,680,000 -- N.AM $111,315,000 -- 8.7%
The Karate Kid -- CDN $13,200,000 -- N.AM $164,600,000 -- 8.0%
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse -- CDN $18,440,000 -- N.AM $237,000,000 -- 7.8%
Toy Story 3 -- CDN $24,360,000 -- N.AM $340,200,000 -- 7.2%
Predators -- CDN $1,730,000 -- N.AM $25,300,000 -- 6.8%
The Last Airbender -- CDN $6,080,000 -- N.AM $100,227,000 -- 6.1%
Despicable Me -- CDN $3,010,000 -- N.AM $60,117,000 -- 5.0%

A couple of discrepancies: Piché: Entre ciel et terre was #8 on the Canadian chart (it wasn't on the North American chart at all, though if it were, it would be #13), while Cyrus was #10 on the North American chart (it was #16 in Canada).

And here are the figures for the previous weekend, arranged from those that owe the highest percentage of their take to the Canadian box office to those that owe the lowest.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time -- CDN $9,790,000 -- N.AM $88,144,671 -- 11.1%
Get Him to the Greek -- CDN $6,380,000 -- N.AM $57,474,815 -- 11.1%
Shrek Forever After -- CDN $23,240,000 -- N.AM $232,278,641 -- 10.0%
The A-Team -- CDN $6,500,000 -- N.AM $69,280,974 -- 9.4%
Knight and Day -- CDN $4,220,000 -- N.AM $45,751,847 -- 9.2%
Grown Ups -- CDN $6,920,000 -- N.AM $77,631,117 -- 8.9%
The Karate Kid -- CDN $12,090,000 -- N.AM $151,523,517 -- 8.0%
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse -- CDN $11,190,000 -- N.AM $157,577,169 -- 7.1%
Toy Story 3 -- CDN $20,380,000 -- N.AM $289,106,193 -- 7.0%
The Last Airbender -- CDN $3,370,000 -- N.AM $57,836,116 -- 5.8%

A couple of discrepancies: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was #9 on the Canadian chart (it was #12 in North America as a whole), while Letters to Juliet was #10 on the North American chart (it was #11 in Canada).

Star Trek sequel -- please, no Khan!

2010-06-29T21:47:00.009-07:00

Anthony Pascale at TrekMovie.com notes that we are now exactly two years away from June 29, 2012 -- the intended release date for the next Star Trek movie. This is kind of remarkable, when you think about it, because the last Star Trek movie came out over a year ago, and gaps of three years or more are almost unheard of in this franchise; indeed, the only longer gaps on record are the four years between Insurrection (1998) and Nemesis (2002) and the six and a half years between Nemesis and last year's reboot.

Anyway. Along the way, Pascale once again floats the possibility that the sequel might bring back Khan Noonien Singh, the villain who was played oh-so-memorably by Ricardo Montalban in an episode of the original TV series and then again, 15 years later, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). And this, I think, would be a bad idea, for several reasons.

First: The new movies are taking place on an alternate timeline that branches off from shortly before the birth of James T. Kirk. And when Khan was first introduced in the original series, he was drifting in space in suspended animation and had been doing so for over two centuries. So that means Khan, in this new timeline, would have to be drifting in space in suspended animation right now, and Kirk-Pine would have to find Khan in pretty much the exact same condition that Kirk-Shatner found him in. Among other things, this means that Khan will not be the vengeful Captain Ahab that he was in Wrath of Khan; he simply doesn't have any of that history yet, i.e. the history of being resuscitated by Kirk, seducing one of Kirk's crewmembers, trying to take over the Enterprise, being left on Ceti Alpha V by Kirk, witnessing the death of his wife and many other followers when Ceti Alpha VI explodes, and nursing his hatred of Kirk for years afterwards. The Khan of the original series may have been a noteworthy villain on some level, but he was not yet what most people think of nowadays when they think of "Khaaaaaaan!" -- so anyone who goes to the next movie expecting a remake of Wrath of Khan will be sorely disappointed. Or at least, they should be -- and if they aren't, it will almost certainly be because the filmmakers have ignored the continuity issues that they themselves wrote into the reboot, and thus, some other group will end up being disappointed.

Second: Spock-Nimoy actually died because of Khan. (And then he was brought back to life by the Genesis Wave.) Spock-Nimoy has now come back in time and knows where all these future threats lie (and not just Khan, but V'Ger, the Whale Probe, the Borg, etc.). So if Spock-Nimoy doesn't warn Starfleet or Spock-Quinto about all these various threats, then that, in a nutshell, would be lame. Very, very lame. At any rate, there is no reason why anybody should be "surprised" when they come across Khan on this new timeline, the way they were when they came across him on the original timeline. There would be no need to get acquainted with the man, to figure out whether he really is the Khan of history, to take time sussing out whether he really is a villain like the history books seem to indicate and, if so, what he is capable of; instead, thanks to Spock-Nimoy's encounters with Khan, the people of this timeline should know in advance exactly who he is and just how careful they ought to be around him.

Third: The whole point of Khan, originally, was that he came from the 20th century. I repeat: He came from the 20th century. Not the 21st century, which is where we are now, but the 20th century. Back in the 1960s, when the character was invented, it was established that Khan had been a genetically-engineered super-human who ruled a vast swath of the Earth's population for several years in the 1990s ... and then, when he and his followers were deposed, they fled our planet in one of those large "sleeper" ships that we use to get from planet to planet within our solar system. ...Oh, wait, what's that? We didn't use sleeper ships in the 1990s, and we didn't use them in the 2000s either, and now that we're in the 2010s we still don't have any plans to use them in the immediate future? Oops. Now, of course, no one expected the Star Trek franchise to last this long, and to keep on churning out new stories nearly 50 years after the series first began. And back in the 1960s, the 1990s must have sounded pretty futuristic (but without being too futuristic; like I say, the whole point of Khan, originally, was that he came from the 20th century, i.e. our century). So I don't hold any of this against the original episode. But details like these have created anomalies that the other Star Trek shows have had to steer around (e.g., when the cast of Star Trek: Voyager was sent back in time to North America in 1996, they never mentioned that Khan is supposed to be ruling a huge section of Asia at that time). Do the makers of the new movie actually want to open this can of worms, either by acknowledging the continuity problems or by ignoring the existing continuity altogether?

Fourth: Does the new movie series want to be its own thing, or is it forever going to be aping the original series? Granted, this is a problem that has plagued other branches of this franchise; when Star Trek: The Next Generation made the jump to the big screen, its first two movies were tied to the original series and used time-travel to make this connection (Generations featured Kirk, Scotty and Chekov, as played by the original actors; while First Contact featured Zefram Cochrane, as played by a brand-new actor), but its next two movies were not connected to the original series, and they are generally regarded as two of the weakest and least successful Star Trek movies ever made. So keeping the new movies tethered to the original series makes a certain sense, on that level; it keeps things within a certain "safety zone". But then, if all Abrams and company are doing is a sort of karaoke version of the original series, can we really say the series is boldly going anywhere any more?

Fifth, and on a related note: The J.J. Abrams movie has already borrowed several elements from Wrath of Khan, from the Centaurian slugs (which look and function a lot like Ceti eels) to the vengeful-widower villain to the Kobayashi Maru subplot to the closing Leonard Nimoy voice-over. The next movie should probably find a new well to drink from.

Anyway. There are probably other reasons I could mention, but these are the first that come to mind. Can you think of any others? Or, conversely, can you think of any reasons why adding Khan to the mix would be a good thing?

Twilight -- bad for wives, good for dads?

2010-06-29T13:44:00.015-07:00

Another year, another Twilight movie -- and with that movie, another round of articles on the franchise and its merits (or the lack thereof). Consider the following two items, which I came across almost simultaneously yesterday -- and which seem to pull in opposite directions, regarding the effect this franchise is having on family life:

When 'Twilight' fandom becomes addiction
Chrystal Johnson didn't think there was anything unhealthy about her all-consuming fixation with "The Twilight Saga" — until she discovered it was sucking the life out of her marriage.
Los Angeles Times, June 27

Twi-Dads: Hooked on Twilight, but don’t tell their friends
They may be the film franchise’s most unlikely fan base, but they say the rewards are worth it for the father-daughter bonding
Globe and Mail, June 28

Just for the record, as for me and my house, my daughter is still learning how to read and won't be going anywhere near these books for years, while my wife has zero interest in the franchise whatsoever.

I, on the other hand, must admit that I am looking forward to seeing The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which opens at midnight tonight, if only because the following trailer had me weeping with laughter when it first came out a couple months ago: