Weekend Movie Guide: The Intern, Hotel Transylvania 2
Ryan
The Intern, Hotel Transylvania 2 and The Green Inferno are among the movies opening in theaters this weekend around St. Louis. Grandma also makes its way to St. Louis in a limited engagement. See Everest this weekend at MX Movies in downtown St. Louis in 2D and 3D.
Don’t pay regular price for a ticket to see one of these new releases in the theater. Sign up now for MoviePass at MoviePass.com.
Recapping Last Weekend
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, which I saw and really enjoyed, topped the weekend box office with $30.3 million in its debut. Black Mass finished a distant second with $22.6 million in its first weekend of release. The Visit rounded out the top three with $11.56 million in its second weekend of release. The M. Night Shyamalan film has now made $51 million in 11 days in theaters on a budget of just $5 million.
I saw The Perfect Guy earlier this week and was not a fan. It finished fourth over the weekend with $9.6 million in its second weekend of release. Everest, which gets a wide release this weekend, made $7.2 million on only 545 IMAX screen last weekend to take the fifth spot.
The Intern
Since writing the screenplay for Private Benjamin back in 1980, writer/director Nancy Meyers has carved out quite the niche for herself in Hollywood. Movies she has written have grossed a combined $707.5 million at the box office. The majority of that total, $550 million, comes from the five movies she has also directed.
Meyers’s reputation has earned her the respect of actors and actresses throughout the town. Anne Hathaway is the female lead in her latest film, The Intern, after previously audtioning for the lead roles in two other Nancy Meyers films, The Holiday and What Women Want. Hathaway told People “I just wanted to be in a Nancy Meyers movie.” In case you were wondering, you can no longer bet on Hathaway to play Mary Poppins via BoyleSports. Hathaway previously played the lovable nanny in a sketch on Saturday Night Live back in 2008.
Robert De Niro plays a widowed man who takes an internship with Hathaway’s booming startup. He becomes the latest big name to sign on to a Meyers film late in their career, joining the ranks of jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. As you can see from the trailer for The Intern below, De Niro and Hathaway’s characters develop a relationship that makes for a great story.
Some reviews, like this one from A.V. Club, reek of a critic that is just tired of Nancy Meyers movies.Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune says “Hathaway, De Niro work it” in his review of The Intern.
Variety predicts The Intern will earn $15 million at the box office this weekend.
Hotel Transylvania 2
The original Hotel Transylvania opened to $42.5 million back in 2012 and went on to earn $148 million at the domestic box office. Made for $85 million, it became a huge financial success by making another $210 million on screens overseas.
Hotel Transylvania 2 and its budget of slightly less at $80 million will attempt to replicate that success when it opens this weekend. Stars like Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez and Kevin James again lend their voices to the monsters and crew. Sandler gets a screenwriting credit, which is bound to taint a few reviews. Genndy Tartakovsky, who Cartoon Brew calls “a cartoon visionary“, directs.
The Fresno Bee says of Hotel Transylvania 2, “eerily enough, the sequel is funnier“. Michael Rechtshaffen of the Associated Press calls the sequel “scarily unfunny“.
No matter what these reviews say, or how much some people hate anything Adam Sandler is involved with, Hotel Transylvania 2 is expected to open big at the box office. Sara Hamedy of the Los Angeles Times reports that the film could open as high as $45.5 million across the county.
Hotel Transylvania 2 trailer
The Green Inferno
The Green Inferno is a “jungle cannibal movie” from director Eli Roth. Brett Arnold of Business Insider says the film “plays more like a knock-off version of its influences than a worthy update“. Green Inferno was originally scheduled to be released last year but fell victim to troubles at Worldview Entertainment.
Roth revealed in a recent Ask Me Anything Session on Reddit that actress Lorenza Izzo almost died while filming The Green Inferno. Roth also talked in that AMA about showing the villagers their first movie ever and how those same villagers tried giving his production designer a baby as a gift.
The Green Inferno is expected to make in the $3 million to $4 million range this weekend. While the film is only opening in 1,539 theaters, it’s playing at quite a few place around St. Louis.
Catch It Before It’s Gone
American Ultra and The Transporter Refueled make their way to Keller 8 Cinema in South County this weekend.
American Ultra was a decent film. It’s one that would be a good Redbox pick, but Transporter Refueled seems like one you should take the chance to see in theaters.
Make It A Redbox Night
Mad Max: Fury Road and Boulevard are now available on Redbox.
I saw Mad Max shortly after it came out in movie theaters back in May. I still don’t understand what I saw.
Boulevard stars Robin Williams in what was his final lead role. Williams stars as a husband living a lonely life in the suburbs. His marriage is falling apart and he is dealing with the realization that he is gay.
Movie News
John Wick 2 To Begin Filming This Fall
Keanu Reeves will return as the unretired hitman in John Wick 2. The film will begin filming this fall and will be directed by Chad Stahelski with David Leitch serving as Executive Producer. The original made $78 million worldwide on a budget of $20 million in 2014.
Samuel L. Jackson Gets Out Of Jury Duty
Samuel L. Jackson was recently called to jury duty in Los Angeles. He was let out of duty after writing a letter to the judge. In the letter, Jackson said that he is working of a new film, which he didn’t name, into October and him missing work to serve on the jury would not only keep him from work, but also many others working on the film.
Universal Wants To Make Furious 8 But Can’t Find A Director
Is there nothing sacred in Hollywood? Universal Pictures is planning on making one and possibly two more Fast & Furious movies. Furious 7, which of course star Paul Walker died halfway through filming, was a massive success at the box office and featured an ending very fitting for the franchise. It also sold 2.5 million copies in its first week of release on dvd.
Anyways, according to reporter from The Hollywood Reporter, Universal can’t find a director for the new film. James Wan, who directed Furious 7, has decided to make a sequel to The Conjuring. Justin Lin, who directed movies 3-6 in the franchise, is making a new Star Trek movie.
The Big Short Trailer
The Big Short starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt, hits theaters on Christmas Day later this year.
Goodfellas Producer Taking Warner Bros. To Court
It’s pretty laughable to see that Warner Bros. is claiming Goodfellas lost money. Irvin Winkler is taking the company to court to the tune of $18 million in damages based on breach of contract and fraud. Warner Bros. reportedly admitted to only reporting 30% of home video income.
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Ryan
Ryan is a weird dude. He doesn't cook, yet owns a plethora of kitchen gadgets. He rationalized buying a SodaStream while unemployed. He counts Step Up 2: The Streets as one of his favorite movies along with Footloose, Rent, Grease and Paul Blart: Mall Cop. He loves Mizzou but only wants them in the SEC so he can tailgate in Nashville. He owns a ShakeWeight and AbLounger, but still loves him some John Donut and Billie's Fine Foods. You can get more of Ryan at iLoveSoulard.com or just check the stool on the far end of the bar at iTap in Soulard.
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