April 2013 Preview: Boyle, Bay and a Raimi Remake

The good news about April is that we are slowly moving away from the dumping pile of crap movies known as January, February and March. But, the bad news is that we still aren't getting that many great options either. Still, April offers some interesting films worth keeping and eye out for, and a few that'll probably make decent rentals or matinees. So, without further ado, here is your preview for what's in store this month and what you can expect me to review.

Worth making the trip:

The film I'm most interested in seeing this April is Danny Boyle's Trance (April 5th in limited release), which is my fifth most anticipated film of the year (sixth if you count David O. Russell's Abscam film, which wasn't included as it was not dated for 2013 at the time). Early reviews suggest the film is an exercise in style over substance, which is a bit disappointing given that it's coming from a great filmmaker, but still could make for an interesting movie. Boyle is a very stylish filmmaker who's movies are always gorgeous, so I'm sure this film will still deliver on some level. The big issue with seeing this is whether or not it will play in a theater near me. As of right now, it's opening in four theaters on it's opening night and will expand throughout the nation depending on how it does financially. I plan on seeing it as quickly as possible (though that won't be during its opening weekend, unfortunately) and

am currently organizing a trip to New York so that I can definitely check it out. Hopefully it will all work out!

But one film I definitely plan on seeing is the highly anticipated remake of Evil Dead (April 5). I'm not very critical when it comes to the idea of making horror remakes, but there's no denying that many of them have failed to live up to the standard set by their original. In fact, most of them weren't very good at all. So, with this one getting largely positive reviews from a variety of critics, I'm planning on checking it out and hopeful that it will live up to the hype. Not to mention, this definitely looks like the sort of film to check out in theaters with a large, excited crowd. The amount of violence and gore evident in the trailer (which is apparently tame compared to the film itself) is bound to get some enthusiastic reactions.

Finally, a film that I was at first dreading but has won me over just this week is Michael Bay's Pain and Gain (April 26). With its new red band trailer, Pain and Gain looks like it could be an incredibly entertaining comedy, sort of like a Spring Breakers for gym dwelling jerks. Or, it could be annoying as hell. But I'm willing to take the risk and check it out. The red band trailer made me laugh quite a bit (mostly thanks to Rebel Wilson, who looks like a real scene stealer here) and looks crazy enough to work. On top of that, I'm curious to see Michael Bay direct a film that isn't driven by CGI or massive explosions. Good or bad, this will certainly be an interesting experience at the movies.

On top of all those, I plan on seeing Jurassic Park in 3D (and writing a very cool article during the week of its release), and would like to see Spring Breakers and The Place Beyond the Pines if they ever expand to a theater near me.

Rentals and Matinees:
There are also a few films coming out next year that I think look great, but I don't think they look like Oblivion (April 19), which looks like a lot of fun ad the special effects are incredible. I'm also in the growing minority of people that think Tom Cruise is actually a great actor. That being said, I don't think Oblivion looks all that interesting, and I don't have much faith in director Joseph Kosinski. If reviews are better than I expect, I'll reconsider. But as of right now, I don't think I'll be seeing it. The same can be said for 42 (April 11)- it looks decent, and the story is quite interesting. But, I'm not a big baseball fan and the fact that a film that sounds like Oscar bait is being released in April doesn't instill much confidence. So, I'll wait for reviews, but will most likely see it on DVD.

it's worth a trip to theater for. The biggest of these films is

On the independent side of the spectrum, both At Any Price (April 19) and Upstream Color (April 5) look good, but I'm not sold on it being good enough to warrant a trip to the theater. At Any Price looks like a solid drama, but it doesn't look like anything I'd regret missing in theaters. As for Upstream Color, I haven't seen Primer so I'm not necessarily anticipating Shane Carruth's next film. But, I'll probably check it out eventually.

I'm not interested:

And, as with most months, April has a few releases that just look awful to me. One which I've heard good things about but can't get excited for is Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem (April 19). Zombie's directing style is certainly hit-or-miss, but it just isn't for me. But, on the mainstream side of things, The Big Wedding and Scary Movie 5 both look almost completely unwatchable. For a film with so many terrific actors, The Big Wedding has a premise that looks completely unbelievable and jokes that, judging from the trailer, fall flat. Meanwhile, Scary Movie 5 is the latest installment in a franchise I just don't enjoy and probably never will. Scary Movie 5 looks particularly uninspired and boring, with way too much crude humor. There is no way I'll see any of them.

Along with the reviews, you can expect an interesting article about 3D conversions, a Shame List entry, a new essay, as well as daily news updates and weekly box office results. So get ready for an entertaining month!

Box Office Breakdown: GI Joe On Top, Stephanie Meyers Flops

Despite following a less than popular first installment, G.I. Joe: Retaliation topped the weekend with a surprisingly high $41 million, plus an additional $10 million from Thursday shows. That's a great result for a film with such a troubled production and a nine month delay, not to mention the poor reviews the original received in theaters. The advertising campaign was quite strong for this film, with some eye-catching action set pieces on display, and the focus squarely on the film's charismatic leads- Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis. So, the fact that the film surpassed its modest expectations is pretty great. With an A- Cinemascore, the film could show great legs over the next few weeks, making for a solid success.

Things didn't look good for The Host, the latest young adult adaptation to flop at the box office. With only $11 million, there is no way the sci-fi romance will make it to $100 million. The film received incredibly negative reviews and, on top of that, had a terrible marketing campaign that failed to develop the story and came off as an overdramatic mess. YA adaptations seem to not be successful unless they become true pop culture phenomenons- like Twilight or The Hunger Games- so The Host wasn't expected to gross much in the first place, but $11 million is particularly embarrassing.

Back to the positive side of the spectrum, Tyler Perry has come back from his disastrous flop, Alex Cross, with Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, otherwise known as the movie with the longest title ever. The film opened with $22 million, a fantastic number for the film, especially since Tyler Perry's dramas have a history of opening low. The film marketing was quite strong for a female driven flick, with the premise displayed well and in an enticing way, focusing on the steamy sex scenes and dramatic moments. Perry's films don't have the best legs, but his films are almost always cheap so this should be deemed a success.

Anyway, here is your Top 10 list. Check below the jump for a preview of next week-

1. G.I. Joe: Retaliation-$41 million for weekend, $51 million for 4 day weekend (debut)
2. The Croods- $26.5 million ($88 million in 2 weeks)
3. Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor- $22 million (debut)
4. Olympus Has Fallen- $14 million ($54 million in 2 weeks)
5. Oz the Great and Powerful- $11.6 million ($198 million in 4 weeks)
6. The Host- $11 million (debut)
7. The Call- $4 million ($39 million in 3 weeks)
8. Admission- $3 million ($11 million in 2 weeks)
9. Spring Breakers- $2 million ($10 million in 3 weeks)
10. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone- $1 million ($20 million in 3 weeks) 

Our Top Story Tonight: Denzel & Marky Mark Team Up in "2 Guns"

As always, Friday has proven to be the least exciting news day. But all hope is not lost: the trailer for 2 Guns, the new action/buddy comedy film starring Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington, has arrived. It follows a DEA agent and Naval Intelligence officer who team up to take down a mob organization that they have been working against. To be honest, I originally didn't expect much from this movie but the trailer has really surprised me. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, with some nice banter between its leads and some very exciting action. I'm hoping that this film, which hits theaters August 2, will be a solid, end of summer film.

Check out the trailer above. You can expect the weekend box office coverage and a preview for April at the movies on Sunday. Have a good weekend.

Our Top Story Tonight: Will You Watch the "Before Midnight" Trailer?

The trailer for the highly anticipated finale to the Before trilogy has arrived. The film, which premiered at Sundance to rave reviews, follows another day in the life of on and off lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). Many fans of the franchise are avoiding the trailer at all costs, hoping to go into the film without having anything spoiled. Will you check it out? The film hits theaters on May 24, and I plan on watching both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset before it's released, as I've yet to check out them out.

Without much knowledge about the franchise I don't have much commentary to supply, so I'll just say to check out the news after the jump, which includes some early Oscar talk, Christopher Nolan and a new horror film.

Ranking the Work of a Master: Happy Birthday Mr. Tarantino

I've always loved film, but there were many different factors that lead to my passion for cinema. One of those contributing forces is Quentin Tarantino, a man who showed me just how great films can be. I still remember the first time I saw Kill Bill. I was sitting on the floor in my brother's room (the only room in my house that had a DVD player where my parents wouldn't be able to see what I was watching), and I was completely enamored with what was going on in the film. Sure, it was violent, action packed, beautiful looking and all around badass. But my 14 year-old self knew that there was something more to it than that- I knew that I was watching a truly great, well made film. It wasn't long before I tracked down the rest of Tarantino's filmography, and went through a brief obsession with almost everyone of his films. Sure, I probably annoyed the crap out of my family and friends, but I was living in paradise. I finally had films that were fun to watch and respected by the film community I wanted so desperately to be a part of. I'd quote his films, re-watch my favorite scenes on Youtube, and go on long winded rants about what made him so great to anybody that'd listen. Hell, I even tried to write a screenplay mimicking his style. Trust me, that was a mistake.

Fast forward a few years and you'll find a somewhat different, more mature film geek who has moved out of his Tarantino phase and into a variety of new ones. From Charlie Kauffman to Paul Thomas Anderson and even to Billy Wilder, I've had obsessions with numerous directions since ending my love affair with Tarantino films. But I haven't forgotten where I came from. Tarantino remains one of my favorite directors, and a director I will always consider a true master. Without his works, I wouldn't have gotten as passionate about film as I am today, and I certainly wouldn't have been introduced to many of the films I love. In my eyes, Tarantino is unlike most directors as he wears his love for making movies on his sleeve- a quality that has lead to a few, rare missteps but, in general, has delivered many of the best films of the past twenty years. So, in honor of this great man's 50th birthday, here is my ranking of Mr. Quentin Tarantino's filmography- 

I must give credit where credit is due, however: the idea for this article came from an article on Rope of Silicon, one of my favorite film sites. You can even see my comment near the bottom of the page!