Weekend Box Office: January 4-6

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D:  $23 million

2.  Django Unchained:  $20 million

3.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:  $17.5 million

4.  Les Miserables - $16.1 million

5.  Parental Guidance - $10.1 million

6.  Jack Reacher - $9.3 million

7.  This Is 40 - $8.5 million

8.  Lincoln - $5.2 million

9.  The Guilt Trip - $4.5 million

10.  Promised Land - $4.3 million

The Christmas decorations came down and the mass murderers arrived at the multiplexes this weekend as the latest remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (this time in 3D!) took first place with a surprisingly strong $23 million.  No doubt the the 3D helped boost those numbers, as the film earned nearly half of that $23 million on Friday and only mustered a C+ rating from audiences, according to Cinemascore.  But since Lionsgate spends next to nothing making these films, it really won't matter if the movie bottoms out from here.  God help us, with that kind of weekend, we'll probably get a sequel.

Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained continued to dominate, crossing the $100 million mark with an estimated $20 million, and is well on its way to become Tarantino's most successful film at the box office.  Also crossing $100 million faster than any other movie musical was Les Miserables, which finished in fourth place with $16.1 million.  The musical has earned another $67 million overseas, and that box office should get another boost when Les Mis finally opens in the UK (home of the original stage production) next weekend. 

It seems you just can't keep a good Hobbit down, as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey gets that much closer to $300 million stateside, earning $17.5 million in its fourth weekend.  The prequel has fared even better overseas, where it has earned an additional $561 million.  After surviving horrid reviews to be a hit with families over the holiday week, Parental Guidance also continues to do well, earning $10.3 million for the weekend.

Next weekend finally brings the release of Gangster Squad, which was delayed after the Aurora shootings last summer.  Joining it will be the horror spoof A Haunted House.  Better yet, since the Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, Oscar favorite Zero Dark Thirty (which earned $2.75 million in just 60 theaters this weekend) finally goes into wide release on Friday.  Let awards season officially begin!

This Year's Oscars Will Feature a Tribute to James Bond

I've always wondered why there has never been some type of 'assemblance' of all the actors who have played James Bond.  I mean they've all had a hand in building what has become the longest-running franchise is cinematic history.  Why not do something both cool and interesting for the fans?

Looks like the team behind this year's Academy Awards might be up to the task.

Producers of the 85th Oscars (Craig Zadan and Neil Meron) have announced there will be a special sequence during the show celebrating the franchise's 50th year in Hollywood.  Who's to say they won't have all six actors come out on stage to a standing ovation (though I've read Connery - for whatever reason - would have no interest in doing it).

Hopefully they can figure something out because I can all but guarantee ratings will go up on what has become an all but painful-to-watch show in recent years.

85TH OSCARS^® TO FEATURE SPECIAL CELEBRATION OF JAMES BOND

The 85th Academy Awards^® will include a tribute to the James Bond movie franchise which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the telecast’s producers announced today.

“We are very happy to include a special sequence on our show saluting the Bond films on their 50th birthday,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “Starting with ‘Dr. No’ back in 1962, the 007 movies have become the longest-running motion picture franchise in history and a beloved global phenomenon.”

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m., PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar^® Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre^™ at Hollywood & Highland Center^®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Way to "Twilight" Superman There, Fellas!

Nobody can relate to Superman. He's an alien from a dead planet and an all-powerful god. Neither characteristics Joe Sixpack, with his daily woes of paying the bills or getting his wife in the mood, sympathize with Kal-El over.

Change it up, they say. Throw around buzz-terminology like "dark," "edgy" and "different," like it means something and wait for the oohs and ahhs. Showcase a Superman that is different, but still traditional. The presentation of Henry Cavill as the newest twenty-first century Man of Steel, for err... The Man of Steel, has been bang-up so far. Until this USA Today photo.

The muted colors on the suit, that pale skin, those set of dead, lifeless eyes. Not that Superman requires a smile for every publicity picture (Pretty sure he will at the end – spoilers?). Not hyperboling when I say he looks like one of the Cullens. Do a side-by-side of Cavill here to Robert Pattinson and tell me I'm wrong.

Have a feeling that isn't an accident.

"Flight" On Blu-ray, DVD, Digital & On Demand Feb. 5

Paramount Home Media Distribution announced today that Robert Zemeckis' Flight, starring Denzel Washington, will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand on February 5th.

Written by John Gatins, the film tells the story of Whip Whitaker (Washington), a commercial airline pilot who miraculously lands a plummeting airplane during a breathtaking sequence. But despite his heroics, Whip comes under investigation and begins what may be an even more harrowing personal descent.

Flight also stars John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo and Brian Geraghty.

The film will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ and special features that take audiences behind-the-scenes to learn about the film's journey to the screen, how the filmmakers created the terrifying plane crash, and more. In addition, the two-disc set includes highlights from a Q&A panel. The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD.

All Blu-ray releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

The Flight Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray
· Feature film in high definition
· Origins of Flight
· The Making of Flight
· Anatomy of a Plane Crash
· Q&A Highlights

DVD
· Feature film in standard definition

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

"Wreck-It Ralph": Digitally Feb. 12 & DVD/Blu-ray March 5

Walt Disney Animation Studios announced today the debut of the hit arcade-game-hopping adventure Wreck It Raph marking a Disney first with the early release of the HD Digital and HD Digital 3D on February 12, followed by the 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, SD Digital and On-Demand release on March 5.

Wreck It Raph takes viewers on a hilarious journey. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman). The film is directed by Emmy-winner Rich Moore.

The Wreck It Raph Digital and Blu-ray Combo Pack have over an hour of all-new bonus features, including deleted and alternate scenes, the theatrical short “Paperman,” plus much more.

Here is the overview of the various available products:

HD Digital
SD Digital
4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray +DVD + Digital Copy)
2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray +DVD)

Includes:
* Bit by Bit: Creating the Worlds of “Wreck-It Ralph” – Fans of the film will get a look at five new worlds created for “Wreck-It Ralph.” The short takes viewers into Game Central Station with the artists who brought Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Jr. to life.
* Alternate & Deleted Scenes – Four separate scenes are highlighted with an introduction and optional audio commentary from director Rich Moore.
* Video Game Commercials – Viewers can check out the commercials created for the video games featured in the film - Fix It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Hammer.
* “Paperman” – This animated short film played in theaters before “Wreck It Ralph.” It tells the story of a young man in an office who sees the girl of his dreams in a skyscraper window across the street. But how can he get her attention?
Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials

Includes:
* Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide to “Wreck-It-Ralph” – When the film is paused, host Chris Hardwick appears on screen to guide viewers through a series of 10 video segments offering an inside look at the many video game references, Disney references and other hidden surprises featured in the film.

"John Dies At The End" Alternate Poster Design

In JOHN DIES AT THE END, it’s all about the Soy Sauce, a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John (Rob Mayes) and David (Chase Williamson), a pair of collegedropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't.

Adapted from David Wong’s audacious trans-genre horror novel, JOHN DIES AT THE END is written and directed by Don Coscarelli (BUBBA HO-TEP) and also stars Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman and Paul Giamatti.

ShockTillYouDrop

New Evil Dead Trailer Is Sick, Vile & Awesome

Boy is that red band earned.

The second trailer for the Evil Dead remake never lets up. It's promising an old-school freight-fest full of blood (and more blood... and even more blood!), vomit, human dismemberment and some disturbing images. All good things.

Final 'Live Free or Die Hard' Trailer

Honestly, I can't tell if this will  be a venture back to the old Die Hard films (R-rating, Bruce Willis actually acting like John McClane) or if they're making it seem like it will be (using 'Ode to Joy' is a nice touch).

Whatever the case may be, I plan on seeing this sucker in theaters opening weekend (releasing it in IMAX is a nice touch too) and can only hope it'll be at least more Die Hard-ish than the last one, in which you could have taken any Bruce Willis character on film in the past decade, stuck him in that movie, and it would have been exactly the same.

Here's the final trailer:

First Look At Crystal McCahill In "Sin City: A Dame to Kill"

I think I might be in the minority but I haven't felt any interest in the Sin City sequel, that is, up until now. The scorching hot Crystal McCahill posted two photos of herself via her Instagram account. One candid shot of her wearing a fairly revealing sequins tanktop and another shot that looks like it might be a portion of a poster.

Bleeding Cool via ComingSoon.Net

"Beautiful Creatures" TV Spot

Written and directed by Richard LaGravenese, the February 13 release tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers: Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich), a young man longing to escape his small town, and Lena (Alice Englert), a mysterious new girl. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town.

ComingSoon.Net