Film Squirrel

The first promotional photos from Tim Burton’s 3D Alice in Wonderland have hit the nets. The Squirrel says they look pretty rad; especially Johnny Depp’s whacked-out Mad Hatter. I’m more than ready to venture down the rabbit hole. Check out more intriguing photos (including Tweedledee and Tweedledum) after the jump… (continue reading…)

Here’s the new spot for Quentin Tarantino’s spelling-challenged Inglourious Basterds. Looks pretty damn good, a marked improvement over the first trailer released. It seems like everyone and their mother’s mother has read the script, but my eager eyes have somehow managed to hold off. Here’s hoping I’m rewarded.

Inglourious Basterds scalps audiences August 21.

The Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds rom-com The Proposal opened at the top of the box office with a stellar $34.1 million based on weekend estimates. It’s Bullock’s biggest opener yet and her first film to the top the box office in a decade. Not surprisingly, chicks made up 63 percent of audiences.

Faring less well was the Jack Black-Michael Cera laffer Year One. It earned $20.2 million to place 4th for the weekend. Expect the $60 million budgeted film to suffer a second week collapse and struggle to cross the $50 million mark domestically. Blame bad reviews, lame trailers, and the lack of a known female lead.

The Hangover continues to be the story of the summer as it racked up another $26.9 million, an amazing drop of only 18 percent from last weekend. It’s already delivered $152.9 million in seventeen days and with legs like these is a cinch to cross $200 million and most likely move into even more hallowed territory surpassing Beverly Hills Cop as the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all-time. You can bet Bradley Cooper’s asking price just tripled for the sequel.

Disney/Pixar’s Up moved past last summer’s Pixar entry Wall-E as it pocketed another $21.3 million. It’s new cume stands at $224.1 million and it should top Star Trek by the end of next weekend as the year’s number one movie.

Rounding out the top 5 was The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 which dropped a staggering 50 percent to finish with just $11.3 million.

Overall, the box-office was up 3 percent over the same weekend last year when Get Smart opened to $38.7 million.

Year One hits theaters this Friday and I’m torn. The trailers aren’t doing it for me. Those NBA Finals promo stops with Michael Cera and Jack Black were irritating to put it nicely. And while I like the premise and find wigs hilarious, the thing looks a little thin plot-wise.

But… it’s Harold Ramis, people, the man responsible for directing two of my favorite comedies Groundhog Day and Caddyshack . And did I mention dude’s a Ghostbuster ? Come on, I’m there.

But I don’t love its box-office prospects and expect repeat Hangover business to soften its bow even further. It opens in the low 20s and struggles to hit triple digits domestically.