Wednesday, November 1, 2000

De Niro Film Throws 'Book' at Limp Horror Sequel

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In a truly shocking development at the North American box office, the sequel to last year's horror hit ``The Blair Witch Project'' had to settle for a No. 2 opening as the Robert De Niro comedy ``Meet the Parents'' logged its fourth week on top.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, ``Parents'' grossed $15.1 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period, taking its 24-day total to $100 million. The last film to rule this long was ``The Sixth Sense,'' which began its five-week reign in August 1999. ''Parents,'' released by Seagram Co. Ltd.'s (Toronto:VO.TO - news) Universal Pictures, lost just 6 percent of its audience, easily the best hold in the top 10. Its per-theater average of $5,705 was also the best in the top 10.

Meanwhile ``Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,'' which most observers had expected to open at No. 1, pulled in $13.1 million, a figure at the low end of expectations.

The film, released by privately held Artisan Entertainment, received withering reviews and failed to capture the same buzz that ``The Blair Witch Project'' did. In its first wide weekend of release last July, ``Blair Witch'' grossed $29 million on its way to $140.5 million in the United States and Canada. It cost $30,000 to make.

With a new cast and new director (Joe Berlinger), the new film served up conventional horror themes as it offered a wry look at the success of the first ``Blair.''

Artisan Entertainment spokesman Paul Pflug predicted ``Book of Shadows'' would be a financial success since its production budget was just $15 million, and the company had pre-sold foreign rights for what sources said was about $20 million.

Going into the weekend, various tracking firms had predicted ``Book of Shadows'' would open with anywhere between $13 million and $25 million, Pflug said. He did not have exit polling information, but an executive at a rival studio said the data were ``horrendous.''

The studio is still on track to make a third ``Blair Witch'' film, which will be a prequel to the first two. Its initial public offering is also on track, with documents set to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Pflug said ''any smart investor'' would be impressed by the ``Book of Shadows'' numbers.

Two other movies debuted in the top 10, with less-than-impressive figures. The children's movie, ``The Little Vampire'' (New Line Cinema), starring Jonathan Lipnicki, opened at No. 6 with $5.5 million, one spot ahead of the John Travolta-Lisa Kudrow comedy ``Lucky Numbers'' (Paramount Pictures) with $4.6 million.

Directed by Nora Ephron, ``Numbers'' featured Travolta and ''Friends'' star Kudrow in a tale about two people who conspire to rig the Pennsylvania state lottery.

``It's obviously a dark comedy concept that the audience didn't embrace,'' said Paramount vice-chairman Rob Friedman.

However the Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA - news)-owned studio funded only about one-third of the approximately $60 million budget, with the rest being handled by French pay-TV giant Canal Plus (CNLP.PA), he said.

Rounding out the top five this weekend were ``Remember the Titans'' (Touchstone Pictures), which held steady at No. 3 with $8.0 million (31-day total $87.7 million); ``Bedazzled'' at No. 4 with $7.7 million; and ``Pay it Forward'' at No. 5 with $6.9 million.

Among the trio of films that opened last weekend, the critically lambasted ``Pay It Forward'' enjoyed the best hold, losing just 29 percent of its audience as its 10-day total rose to $19.1 million.

Warner Bros. distribution president Dan Fellman predicted the Kevin Spacey-Helen Hunt tearjerker would end up with $35 million to $40 million.

The Brendan Fraser/Elizabeth Hurley Faustian comedy ''Bedazzled'' eroded by 41 percent. Its 10-day haul stands at $24 million, and it should reach $40 million, said Bruce Snyder, president of domestic distribution at Twentieth Century Fox.

In its second weekend, Jackie Chan's ``The Legend of Drunken Master'' (Miramax Films) fell four places and 40 percent to No. 9 with $2.3 million, taking the 10-day haul for the chopsocky comedy to $7.3 million.

Tracking firm Exhibitor Relations reported ticket sales for the top 12 films were $70.6 million, off about 2 percent from last weekend, but up 29 percent from the year-ago period, when ''House on Haunted Hill'' opened at No. 1 with $15.9 million. New releases next weekend include the distaff crimefighter romp ''Charlie's Angels'' and director Robert Redford's period golf movie ``The Legend of Bagger Vance.''

Touchstone and Miramax are units of Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS - news). Fox is a unit of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. (NYSE:FOX - news). Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX - news).

The top 10 movies at the box office

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the Oct. 27-29 weekend, according to studio estimates collected Sunday by Reuters. Final data will be issued Monday.

1 (1) Meet the Parents ................ $15.1 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $100,014,250

2 (+) Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 .. $13.1 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $13,223,887

3 (3) Remember the Titans ............. $8.0 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $87,767,175

4 (2) Bedazzled ....................... $7.7 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $24,146,411

5 (4) Pay It Forward .................. $6.9 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $19,035,222

6 (+) The Little Vampire .............. $5.5 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $5,719,627

7 (+) Lucky Numbers ................... $4.6 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $4,536,625

8 (6) The Contender ................... $2.5 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $13,986,191

9 (5) The Legend of Drunken Master .... $2.3 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $7,379,757

10(11) Best in Show .................... $1.8 million

BOX OFFICE SO FAR:  $9,239,552

NOTE: Last weekend's position in parenthesis. ``+'' - new release.

``Meet the Parents'' is released by Universal Pictures, a unit of Seagram Co. Ltd.

``Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2'' is released by Artisan Entertainment, which is privately held.

``Remember the Titans'' is released by Touchstone Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co. ``The Legend of Drunken Master'' is released by Miramax Films, also a unit of Disney.

``Bedazzled'' is released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group Inc.

``Pay It Forward'' and ``Best in Show'' are released by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. ``The Little Vampire'' is released by New Line Cinema, also a unit of Time Warner.

``Lucky Numbers'' is released by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc.

``The Contender'' is released by DreamWorks SKG, which is privately held. REUTERS  

JOHN L.:  We have a very interesting box office top ten this week.  Meet the Parents is the first movie of 2000 to be number one for 4 straight weeks, Book of Shadows opened with less money than the first Blair Witch did a year ago on fewer screens, and Jonathan Lipnicki has more fans than John Travolta.  A whole lot to write about this week with full reviews of Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 and a special video nose pick of the week of 1999's Best Picture, "American Beauty."  

BOOK OF SHADOWS:  BLAIR WITCH 2 - FULL REVIEW

The Summer of 1999 had 2 movies that caught the imagination of the public, The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project.  These two movies were 2 of the main reasons I started writing this website.  I liked Sixth Sense enough, but the furor over The Blair Witch Project never made sense to me.  Everything that was used to promote the first movie like the web site and the Sci Fi Channel special were much more interesting than the actually "found footage."  But the original's originality made it intriguing.  It did look like a real group of people got lost and possibly killed in the woods.  It was not particularly scary, but it did have its disturbing moments like the end and that whole camera up the nose confession by Heather.  When the movie became a success, the creators said that they planned to eventually make a movie that told the origin of Ellie Kedward, the witch that started it all.   Many people thought that the first movie was real as well as the legend of this woman who was banished into the Burkittsville Maryland woods and left for dead, but her spirit lives on to kidnap children and possess the easily susceptible to her influences.  Blair Witch the movie had 3 film students researching the legend get lost and killed in the woods by some force that followed them for 3 days.  The last shot of part one left up in the air their actual fate, but it was pretty obvious they were taken out to pasture.  Book of Shadows tries to be an anti-sequel.  The sequel takes place in a world that realizes The Blair Witch Project was a movie, but the legend and the history it exposed was based on real events.  Heather, Mike, and Josh are just actors who looked convincing screaming and crying.  So, this movie is about a guy who is a recovering insane asylum patient who sets up a Blair Witch tour of the famous locations mentioned in the movie.  His travel mates are a Wiccan follower, a goth chick, and a couple researching the witch for their own book, a book of shadows you might say.  However, when they hit the woods, everything starts to go wrong.  It looks like the ghost of the Blair Witch may be real and may be re-enacting the first movie on these five people.  Like the first movie, video tape of what goes on is a major factor of the plot.  This movie is not all hand held film like part one, but it is used as a plot device to show that what they perceive as real may not necessarily be true.  The movie is full of flashes of very graphic violence.  It is not clear until way later whether what these images are.  Are they the past or the future or something that may never happen.  Unlike the first movie which was pretty non violent, this one shows a throat being cut, a knife disemboweling someone, and a hanging.  Some people have criticized the movie for being so graphic, but in the context of this story it did make sense to show it and it is not dwelt on for too long.  The movie is told in flashback as various characters are being interrogated by the police about what happen up in the woods and whether they had anything to do with a new set of murders.  When I first heard about this sequel I was very skeptical.  I had problems with the first one, and this one being just some weird continuation of the first and not an origin of the Blair Witch herself made me want to avoid seeing it.  When I learned that it would acknowledge the first film as a movie and not real events, that concerned me that this was going to be another teen slasher flick like the Urban Legend and Scream movies.  It is like those movies, but that is not its problem.  The problem is the blatant attempt to cash in on a movie that was overhyped with a plot that begs for answers but if ones are provided will just lessen the original story.  Book of Shadows acts like it may solve the case, but when it is over no real insight is given to the legend.  These 5 people just end up being used by either the witch or the thought of a witch who causes people to do horrible things.  Also, on screen scares fully shown in modern horror seem to not impress anymore.  The suggestion or hint of an attack, the suspense of the boo is more effective than the visceral assault Book of Shadows has.  The first movie showed nothing but something that looked like a tongue and a chicken bone in a pile of leaves.  You get to see intestines sticking out of people in this movie.  Ooo, gross, but not really scary.  The fear comes when the five people wake up and realize their camp is trashed and they cannot remember the last 5 hours of their lives.  They find the video tapes of their missing time, but their seem to be gaps that are missing.  As the truth is revealed, you realize there is more to this than meets the eye.  I waited until Halloween night to see this movie not because of the holiday but it took me an extra 2 days to decide to go see it.  After much thought, I have to say I liked it.  The whole debate about what was real and what was perception is still being discussed in my head.  The ending is decisive about the truth, but it does leave things up for interpretation.  There is an explanation for the occurrences. but it might not be the whole truth.  I will recommend the movie for those who saw the first one and enjoyed it or watched the specials.  BOS makes no sense for those who never saw the first since the background is never made clear.  The acting is not the greatest, but when you get first time actors in a movie like this, the acting style tends to match the script they are given.  Also, bad acting is expected in movies like this and preferred.  Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 is not a great or good movie, just okay.  It surprised me that it was more interesting than many are giving credit for so I have to say I enjoyed it.  Final Review: 2 stars out of 5; 5 out of 10; C; thumbs up.  Technically better than the first, but not as intriguing.  

The Halloween motif continues as the box office is attacked by Jonathan Lipnicki in The Little Vampire.  JL is a cute kid who may have Webster disease since he has not grown in the last 4 years since debuting in "Jerry Maguire."  Last time we saw him, he was taking care of a mouse in "Stuart Little," a great movie that lead to Geena Davis getting her own television show and Michael J. Fox leaving his show, and Mouthnicholas getting his first big starring role.  This movie has been made for kids to enjoy and not be a violent portrayal of bloodsucking.  That is good since the government is watching movies like this very closely to see if they are inappropriate for children.  The movie has done pretty well this week because it is a kid's film and it is a mild horror movie that parents can take their little ones to without the disturbing images a Book of Shadows has.  This film also stars Richard E. Grant and Alice Krige.  Grant is the poor man's Hugh Grant and is still looking for something that makes him famous. He is still recovering from Warlock and Hudson Hawk.  Krige is one of my favorite unknown actresses.  She is most famous now as the Borg queen from the Star Trek movies, but true movie fans know her as the girl in Ghost Story.  She is a strange looking woman who is a very good actress who should get more work.  I weep for both of them that they have to do Little Vampire movies to keep food on the table.  Grant should be getting the Notting Hill roles and Krige should be getting the Cruella DeVille 102 Dalmation type movies at the very least.  But, it is hard to make a kiddy horror film nowadays since you really can't show anything truly scary.  Children know this and tend to avoid movies like Little Vampire.  They are sneaking into Book of Shadows.  LV may be in the top 10 for another week or two but it will disappear like a vampire at sunrise.

Back in May or June of this year the movie studio that made Lucky Numbers with John Travolta decided to push back LN so as not to get caught in the stink that Battlefield Earth left on the public.  It was hoped that releasing Lucky Numbers in late October, the audience would judge the film on its own merits and not that of failed L. Ron Hubbard movie projects.  Well, the public's verdict is in and they have decided that Lucky Numbers is not something they are going to bet on as being an enjoyable movie going experience.  It did not matter when this movie was released, it was not going to succeed.  It all starts with the premise and then the previews.  Neither one was captivating for the public.  Travolta and his friend played by Lisa Kudrow to rig the state lottery, but they involve too many people in the scam and everything goes wrong.   Sounds like a television sitcom plot to me not a movie I am willing to pay $7.25 for.  The trailers focused on the basic plot and the happy go lucky "aint it cool" acting style Travolta has with his having to do some sort of dance in every movie now regardless of how contrived it is.  Tim Roth and Ed O'Neil show up as being guys in on the scam and wanting their cut, but no one cares about them anymore.  Michael "GM Sucks" Moore  I guess plays the guy that buys the ticket that will have the rigged numbers on it and is also an idiot of some sort.  I have liked the work of everyone in the movie, except maybe Kudrow's, but I just did not get a good feeling about what the movie would present as entertainment and neither did most of the public.  The previews should have probably shown a bit more of the process of the actual rigging because from what I have seen, it makes no sense.  I am amazed that some lottery commission did not protest the film's plot because it might give people ideas.  Fortunately for them, not many people will be following the scientology of weighing down lottery balls to come up with certain sides so you know what the numbers would be.  Here is a tip to all would be criminals.  Never involve more than 2 people including yourself in a con artist plot or scam.  It is preferable that you are the only one privy to any shenanigans going on.  Splitting the cash 2 ways, 3 ways, 4 ways, etc. is not very practical.  Travolta is very close to looking up Quentin Tarantino's phone number in his rolodex.  Pulp Fiction 2 is looking very good to him now.  

REST OF THE TOP 10 IN 10:

1.    Meet the Parents can almost be considered a sleeper hit, but I think too many people knew about it to really say it came out of nowhere.

2.    Look for Ben Stiller to hit that $15 million range for his next film.

3.    Remember the Titans is taking forever to hit that $100 million mark.

4.    Denzel Washington movies always seem to have trouble reaching their final box office total.

5.    Pay if Forward is still hanging in there, but the movement has still not been televised.

6.    It was hoped by the filmmakers that people would start doing good deeds for people like the ones in the movie do.

7.    Unfortunately they are telling people to stay away from the movie as their forward paying choice.

8.    The Contender continues the trend of well received Jeff Bridges movies that fail to make any money at the box ofice.

9.    The final chapter in the Legend of Drunken Master is that 7 year old Jackie Chan movies should stay in China and American video realeases.

10.    The Best in Show is still the highest grossing in art house comedy entertainment.

VIDEO NOSE PICK OF THE WEEK

AMERICAN BEAUTY - FULL REVIEW

It took me over a year to see this movie, but this past weekend I bought sight unseen the DVD of Sam Mendes' Oscar winning film for best picture and actor, American Beauty.  I figured, how bad could it be and the store had it for a good price and there was commentary and a making of featurette for me to check out.  I saw the movie and was not really all that impressed.  Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham who becomes bored with his everyday life especially his job and his annoying wife played by Annette Beatty.  One day he meets his daughter's friend played by Mena Suvari and falls in love.  He dedicates his life to becoming ideal man for her.  While this is going on he is unaware that his life is still completely falling apart.  His wife is having an affair and his daughter is in love with a peeping tom.  This movie was praised for showing a real side to suburban life.  Spacey was applauded for his funny and touching portrayal of a doomed soul who eventually is redeemed.  This movie in no way represents real life and to say it does is just sad.  It is just a movie that tries to be a satire of the underlying gripes suburbanites and even the regular city and country folks have about life.  It is a movie that you laugh at because these characters are always complaining about not having this or not having that while the whole time they are in their fancy cars, their fancy homes, eating their fancy dinners, and going to work everyday.  The material things are there and don't seem to be going away anytime soon. It is the emotional and personal exchanges that seem to affect these people the most and they do not know how to deal with them.  I guess that is drama.  That is fine, but it is hard to care when they have all the things to make their lives happy and they can do anything they want.  I did not feel sorry for these people and did not care what happened since they were all annoying especially the daughter, played by Thora Birch and her boyfriend/next- door- neighbor played by Wes Bently.  They are outcasts  in their communities but they bond over his video tapes of litter and dead animals.  Bently has this overwritten speech about the hidden beauty in things that are not obviously pretty on the outside.  Nice idea, but people do not talk like that in real life off the cuff.  When scenes like that happen in these dramas, it just takes away from the reality they are trying to do.  The movie is told in flashback, Sunset Boulevard style with Spacey speaking from the grave.  His character is less than a year from death at the beginning so the whole film you are trying to figure out how he is going to die.  Will it be a murder, a heart attack, a suicide?  You are given the answer, but his eventual death is handled so artsy that it will make you sick and feel like you wasted your time.  Suvari as the object of Spacey's affection is underused until the last part of the movie, but overall I did not dig her performance.  It may not be her fault, but a 40 year old man lusting after a 16 year old girl is not my type of entertainment.  I will say that the resolution to Spacey's obsession is done pretty well and almost a little unexpectedly.  From the previews, I would have said that Annette Bennig would be my leas favorite character because her acting style was so over the top and obvious sort of like when Meryl Streep does comedy.  However, I must say, even though her character is crazy and pitiful, I enjoyed Bennig's role in the movie.  She was funny and truly the type of wife you would do everything in your power to avoid as much as possible.  Her style still bugged me, within the context of the film, it was acceptable.  The director's commentary for the film has Mendes talk about all of the symbolism especially the color red like with the roses coming out of Suvari's chest in fantasy sequences and the character looking through windows all of the time much like them looking through the bars of a cage or a jail cell.  They are imprisoned in their world and are constantly trying ways to escape.  I hate symbolism in movies.  I wish symbolism existed in real life then it would help explain why certain things happen the way they do.  In real life if you look through a window, you are looking through a window.  Any symbolism is cleaned off with a rag and some cleaning fluid.  American Beauty is okay, but it is not the deserving of best picture.   There had to have been better ones than this.  Final Review:  2 1/2 stars out of 5; 5 1/2 out of 10; C+; thumbs down.  Very overrated film.

Next week starts the pre holiday blockbuster flicks like Charlie's Angels.  I plan to see this well hyped extravaganza and have a full review.  The chances of it being good are very slim.  Bye for now.