Dec. 27, 2006
ENTERTAINMENT
Weekend First at HNN: Weekly Movie Comings and Goings
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Columnist
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Unless you live in major cities, particularly
New
York or Los Angeles, the Friday between Christmas Day and New Year’s
Day
generally sees few, if any, changes at cinemas, as the deluge of
Christmas
product continues to jockey for audiences. In fact, you might conclude
that
Hollywood traditionally tosses out an abundance of its best product the
Friday before Santa’s arrival knowing that the films have two weekends
to
draw crowds.
Of course, in the two larger cities, so-called “limited” and “art
house”
films open, particularly those that may be establishing a one-week run
so
they can be considered for award nominations.
Most theatres have only tweaked their schedules, which bodes well for
hometown favorite “We Are Marshall.” The film about the air crash will
have
another week to benefit from a rush of late favorable reviews and
favorable
word of mouth. Although the studio anticipated that exit polls would be
strong for “WAM” at least one quoted source suggested that “Rocky
Balboa’s”
strong opening has cut into the initial nationwide gross of the
Marshall
movie which finished 7th based on nationwide weekend box office derby
estimates and 5th based on nationwide per screen averages.
Under the hoped for scenario, the nationwide charts this weekend will
see
major dips from such flicks as “Charlotte’s Web,” “Rocky Balboa,” and
“Pursuit of Happyness,” while “WAM” either holds steady or increases
its per
screen average.
Speaking of “Happyness,” the Will Smith film about a homeless man
determined
to win a stockbroker’s position and take care of his son has similar
“feel
good” initiatives as “WAM.”
“Happyness” depicts a family that gambles their savings on the purchase
of a
product to make a fortune. Unhappily, Smith, the salesman, has brought
a
medical device for which the hype sounded exceptional but the reality
coincided with redundancy or luxury. Thus, the upfront purchase of the
gear
has his wife working double shifts while he trudges the pavement daily
in
search of sales that do not materialize.
As the cash crunch grows, Smith’s wife says ‘see you later’ and
eventually
rent payments go months in arrears leaving him and his son on the
streets.
One of the most poignant moments of the film comes when his son asks,
“Where
are we going to sleep tonight?”
Smith establishes himself as a strong dramatic actor, after many
comedic
roles, in this story of long shots and risk taking. Admirable though
his
character’s ambition to move out of poverty, the cinematic road depicts
study, sell, class, sell, sleep, eat, and where do we sleep? It’s
overpowering that any man could physically or emotionally retain
composure
and confidence against such odds.
“Happyness” has its lighter moments, too, such as when a booted car
lands
him in jail on the night before his internship interview. He faces the
choice of not showing up, begging for a later date, or arriving on time
wearing inappropriate attire. Smith has a magic moment when explaining
the
truth to the uppity committee which eventually identifies with the
unpaid
parking ticket plight.
OTHER HOLD OVERS
Rocky Balboa: After considering a low-profile return to the ring, Rocky
Balboa (Stallone) is granted a shot at the title held by heavyweight
champ
Mason "The Line" Dixon (Tarver).
The Good Shepherd: The history and evolution of the CIA, seen through
the
eyes of James Wilson (Damon), one of its founding officers, and the
toll his
spy games took on his home life.
Night at Museum: A dim-witted guy (Stiller) gains employment at the
Museum
of Natural History as the nighttime security guard. Tipped off by a
pair of
day shift old-timers (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney), his first night on
the
job is full of danger and surprises, as the humans and other animals on
display come to life, looking for trouble
Black Christmas: Sorority sisters cooped up in their house during
Christmas
break are terrorized by a stranger's threatening
The Holiday: An American and an English professional with “men
troubles”
agree to swap houses and lives during the holidays. Cameron Diaz heads
for a
quiet villa outside of London; Kate Winslet gets the fancy house and
pool
near the stars in Beverly Hills. Neither want to find a MAN, but …
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, a family friendly tale of Wilbur , a pet pig, who
hatches a
plot with a spider to ensure that he does not end up on the kitchen
ERAGON, a "Dungeons and Dragons" type of fantasy in which a farm boy
finds a
dragon's egg which leads him to defend his home against an evil king