March 28th, 2016
The Hunger Games franchise has come to a close. The four films earned a combined $1.45 billion domestically and $2.90 billion worldwide. The final two chapters of the film franchise didn't live up to the first two in terms of quality and box office numbers. Did it collapse so much in quality that the franchise isn't worth owning? If not, is it worth picking up, even with the double-dips?
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November 5th, 2014
Christmas shopping season is definitely here. This week there is a flood of Christmas releases, as well as full-series TV on DVD Megasets. On the other hand, there isn't a flood of contenders for Pick of the Week. The biggest release of the week is Maleficent and I really liked the movie more than the average critic, but I don't think the DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack is Pick of the Week material. A Most Wanted Man is a better movie, but the DVD or Blu-ray release is weak. The same is true of Land Ho! on Blu-ray Combo Pack and The One I Love on DVD or Blu-ray. I haven't seen White Collar: Season 5 yet, but given the previous seasons, the DVD is Pick of the Week contender. I'm going with that selection and hopefully when the DVD arrives I won't regret that decision.
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November 4th, 2014
A Most Wanted Man is famous for a really negative reason. It is one of the last films starring Philip Seymour Hoffman released after his untimely death. It earned incredible reviews and did really well at the box office for a limited release, but it wasn't able to break into truly wide releases. Is the movie as good as its reviews? Or were critics quick to praise the film for its significance in Philip Seymour Hoffman's life?
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September 9th, 2014
The Christmas shopping season has begun in full force. Even if Captain America: The Winter Soldier were the only new release this week, it would be a great release, as the Combo Packs are clearly pick of the week contenders. It's not the only Pick of the Week contender. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 1 is also a prime contender, although I'm still waiting for the screener for that release. At the moment, I'm giving the win to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but when I get a chance to review the screener, that might change.
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July 25th, 2014
There are not a lot of great limited releases on this week's list. There are a few films that are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews; however, there are just as many films on this list that have no reviews. The best film is arguably A Most Wanted Man, but its high theater count might hurt its changes on the per theater chart. Happy Christmas is earning better than average buzz, but it is also playing on Video on Demand, so its theatrical numbers are less important. Also... Christmas in July?
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May 9th, 2014
There are a number of limited releases coming out this week that are earning strong buzz and good reviews. Some of the films that have reviews that are strong enough to suggest box office success are Palo Alto and The Double, as well as two documentaries, Fed Up and Llyn Foulkes One Man Band. However, the film with the best combination of buzz and reviews is Chef.
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March 7th, 2014
The Hunger Games came out in 2012 with high expectations. Many thought it was going to be a good movie and do very well, especially for a spring time release. Instead, it broke records, including best mid-night screening for a non-sequel, biggest March weekend, biggest weekend for a non-sequel, etc. And thanks to its high quality, it had better than expected legs. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire came out last fall and earned even more money at the box office. Is it as good as its predecessor? Or can it be even better?
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February 21st, 2013
With our annual Oscar Prediction contest underway, now is the best time to look at the nominees and try and figure out who the favorites are and which films should just feel honored to be nominated. This week we will look at the four acting categories, continuing with Best Supporting Actor. This category is more competitive than Best Supporting Actress, but even so, it is mostly a two horse race.
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February 14th, 2013
A Late Quartet opened last November and it earned good reviews, but not great reviews. It also did well in limited release, but never expanding significantly. Is it worth checking out for those who missed out on the film in theaters? Are there enough extras to make it worth picking up?
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January 10th, 2013
The Oscar nominations were announced this morning, and there's certainly a lot to talk about. There are some nominations that should surprise no one. For instance, Lincoln led the way with twelve nominations, and it has been seen as the major contender for a long time. However, there were also a few surprise nominations and some major snubs. Here are the list of nominations, and some reactions.
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December 13th, 2012
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced their nominations and the same list of films that have been mentioned since the beginning of Awards Season were rewarded today. Lincoln led the way with seven nods, while Argo and Django Unchained were close behind with five.
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December 12th, 2012
SAG nominations were announced and there were only a few surprises to deal with. Leading the way for total nominations was The Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, and Les Miserables, all of which earned nominations in four of the six categories.
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