I promised I get the fresh Box Office Top Ten list as soon as I could, so here I am. Not a very surprising Christmas weekend. A film about a dog was tops, Frank Miller’s The Spirit was a dud both with critics and the box office, while The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Valkyrie both did notably well for slightly heavier films over a holiday weekend when crap normally dominates.
Last Week’s Top Ten:
1. Marley and Me
2. Bedtime Stories
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Valkyrie
5. Yes Man
6. Seven Pounds
7. The Tale of Despereaux
8. The Day the Earth Stood Still
9. The Spirit
10. Four Christmases
There is oddly only one film getting a release this week. So, I guess it would have to be my pick of the week. …
Defiance (12/31 - limited)
dir. Edward Zwick
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell
What was at one time considered a serious Oscar contender seems to have been largely forgotten at this point. The cost-cutting Paramount has pushed this back quite aways, it’s getting a limited release, and they have pretty much completely cut promotion funding. The film is even being released on a notoriously bad week for films (thus only one picture is being release). Currently clocking 33% on the tomatometer, the films seems somewhat doomed. But the solid cast is said to have put in some noteworthy performances and certainly isn’t out of the running for awards season. There may still be hope for Defiance.
Last Week’s Top 10:
(this will be adjusted on Monday to reflect the current week - just thought I’d throw this in since I missed last week)
1. Yes Man
2. Seven Pounds
3. The Tale of Despereaux
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still
5. Four Christmases
6. Twilight
7. Bolt
8. Slumdog Millionaire
9. Australia
10. Quantum of Solace
Hello reader. I’ve been missing for all of Decemeber, haven’t I? Well, there was no warning, but I took some time off for a film premiere I had, for visiting family, and for many other things which took priority over here. But I am back. You can expect to see The Cinematic Fakebook debuting soon, and the usual updates coming regularly again.
Until that time I’ll offer you some good places to look at in case the unimaginable edges of the interwebs are not interwebbing enough for you.
InDigest Magazine has their anniversary issue up online. It features new fiction from Meakin Armstrong, Lech Harris and J. Albin Larson; new poetry from Stephen Burt, Ada Limon, Erica Wright, Brad Liening, Meggie Elder and Jess Grover; interviews with John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats) and Ted Hearne, and lots of other stuff.
In that same vein they have the Nobel Prize for Literature speech by Harold Pinter at their blog.
I have recently been reading FOU Magazine. It’s a great place to get some fresh poetry.
And of course there are lots of great film sites that you probably know about, which you should read, and, of course, No Narrative (which will begin updating again very soon).
