'Hugo' review - A marvelous film about the magic of cinema

Hugo is a marvelous film about the magic of cinema.

If you’re skeptical, you’re forgiven, as this is a jarring departure from Director Martin Scorsese’s usual material. But what it lacks in gangsters and bullets it makes up for in passion and spectacle. Though billed as a movie for children (and certainly entertaining enough for them), Hugo is a labour of love, and an homage to the visual pleasures of cinema that will delight audiences of all ages and tastes.

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Casting: Zooey Deschanel is the first programmer and Sacha Baron Cohen to lead a secret life

Zooey Deschanel and Sacha Baron Cohen are both heading into the past. I wrote up a couple pieces for Filmonic (one of my favorite film blogs) today. Time permitting, I'll do this more often. Check them out below.

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MEN IN BLACK 3 may star Jemaine Clement or Sacha Baron Cohen

We can't have both, unfortunately. Jemaine Clement (from New Zealand's 4th most popular folk-comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Bruno, Borat, Ali G) are both in the running to play a character named "Yaz" in the upcoming Men in Black 3 film. Why anyone is interested in making a third Men in Black when the second one could hardly fill an hour and a half, who knows, but it's happening.

This news comes from Bloody Disgusting (thanks to my friends at Filmonic for the link). Will Smith is still in talks to reprise his role as Agent J, but there's no word from Tommy Lee Jones. The script, penned by Tropic Thunder co-writer Etan Cohen, takes Smith back in time to meet a younger version of Agent K. Josh Brolin is rumored to play the younger version of Tommy Lee Jones. 

I cast my vote for Jemaine. It seems we have a situation where both gentlemen are in love with the same sexy lady...that lady being...Men in Black.  

Bruno opens strong, but unlike Borat, trends down (number breakdown)

Bruno hit the box office in dominant fashion, taking in $30.4 million dollars over the weekend, about $4 million more than Sacha Baron Cohen’s last film, Borat. However, the two films are trending very differently. Bruno opened with a strong Friday showing of $14 million (which includes the midnight shows on Thursday), but slid to $8.8 million Saturday, then again to $7.2 million on Sunday. Usually Saturday numbers top Friday’s. It opened in 2,656 theaters across the country.

Borat, which also opened on a Friday (11/3/2006) made less, $26.4 million, in its first weekend, but built momentum through the weekend. It grossed $9.2 million Friday, $10.1 million Saturday, and $7 million Sunday. By the way, it grossed this in only 837 theaters—1,819 less than Bruno.

Borat jumped to 2,566 theaters in its second weekend and made $28.2 million. Few movies manage to grow their box office over the second weekend. Usually a film will lose 25-60% of its first weekend numbers during week two.

Bruno, having already opened in $2,556 theaters, has nowhere to trend but down. I can’t see this film topping Borat’s $128.5 million domestic box office total. It may not even crack $100 million.

My review of Bruno can be found here.

For those who hate paragraphs, here are the two films in list form.

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Bruno does the Top 10 on David Letterman

Sacha Baron Cohen gave the Top 10 Reasons to See Bruno on David Letterman last night. Not too bad. I like the one-sided sassy smirk he gives inbetween each reason. It reminds me of a friend of mine, who gives a great shit-eating grin. Check it out. My review of Bruno can be found here.

Review - Bruno ***

Like Borat before it, Bruno is filled with some very funny confrontational humor. Those who liked the extended nude chase/wrestling and Rodeo scene in Borat will like this movie. It’s full of gay sex, celebrity baby, and Hitler jokes.  It’s much more shocking, but not as fun as Borat.

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