Romantic comedy “It Ends With Us” is headed for a relatively big cinema premiere Friday, helped by buzz from its star-laden premiere. “It Ends,” whose star Blake Lively was catalyst for extensive media coverage of its premiere, is a PG-13 rom-com from Sony Pictures Releasing. The film is based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. The gala Aug. 6 premiere at the … [Read more...] about Premiere Press Coverage Propels ‘It Ends’
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Lightning Strikes Indie Hit ‘Freedom’
Child trafficking drama “Sound of Freedom” emerged as a surprise independent-caliber blockbuster, and is unwittingly a lightning rod for culture wars/political buzz. The $15 million production has grossed $66 In domestic boxoffice as of July 14 (10 days in release) and is rated PG-13. Most indie films would be happy with half that for final U.S./Canada boxoffice, and “Sound … [Read more...] about Lightning Strikes Indie Hit ‘Freedom’
Viewing ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Via Politics
The Netflix movie "Hillbilly Elegy" is a lightning rod for attention as film critics and pundits find a stealth political undertone that irritates them. The searing family drama starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams is based on a 2016 memoir nonfiction book about growing up poor in economically backward America. The political buzz for the book and now Netflix movie directed by … [Read more...] about Viewing ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Via Politics
Five Movie Ads Pop in Super Bowl Broadcast
Domestic theatrical movie releases accounted for five of the 62 expensive TV commercials in the Fox Broadcasting telecast of the Super Bowl football game yesterday. That's in line with the four-to-eight slots in the past. Movies were joined by some relatively-new media cousins: TV services such as the Disney+ streaming service, which accounted or another four paid … [Read more...] about Five Movie Ads Pop in Super Bowl Broadcast
Disney Battles ‘Captain Marvel’ Trolls
"Captain Marvel" opens this weekend to blockbuster box office, but Walt Disney Studios didn't take any chances: the studio blunted anticipated bashing by online trolls. The online provocateurs were expected to knock star Brie Larson for her politics and also framing of a super-hero movie with a female hue. A Bloomberg News article by Anousha Sakoui says that "Larson faced … [Read more...] about Disney Battles ‘Captain Marvel’ Trolls
Movie Ads Down In Super Bowl, But TV Streamers Rise
TV’s premiere advertising event, the Super Bowl received just four-and-a-half theatrical motion picture commercials -- at the low end of the 4-8 spots range by historical standards. In last year's telecast of pro football's championship game, movie studios bought eight commercials for films. However, this year Hollywood was also conspicuous with acting and music celebrities … [Read more...] about Movie Ads Down In Super Bowl, But TV Streamers Rise
Netflix, Other Streamers Walk Tightrope on Theatrical Runs
The great unresolved issue of this era of cinema is how video streamers like Netflix will alter theatrical release. The answer unfolds slowly with Netflix, which is the streamer least committed to theatrical -- inching back to cinema. Streamers originating and acquiring theatrical films for their online services pursue different strategies for the cinema window. Amazon … [Read more...] about Netflix, Other Streamers Walk Tightrope on Theatrical Runs
Crackdown on Fest Reviews Amid Digital Leakage
Leakage from digital media is shutting down the long-standing practice of allowing critics to post reviews on films in festivals long before the same films go into general release. Back in the day, those reviews were published in trade publications seen only by in-the-business professionals. Now, trade-press reviews online get picked up by others and so Italy's venerable … [Read more...] about Crackdown on Fest Reviews Amid Digital Leakage
‘Deadpool 2’ Gets Good Buzz From Screenings
It's rare for Hollywood studios to reveal anything about test screenings but a Hollywood Reporter story provides upbeat information about "Deadpool 2," the 20th Century Fox comic-book caper set for May 18 premiere. The story suggests its information is unauthorized but it's all good news. So perhaps Fox assisted to try to create a good buzz from reactions from "Deadpool 2ís" … [Read more...] about ‘Deadpool 2’ Gets Good Buzz From Screenings
Late-stage ‘Kong’ Surge Salvages BO Premiere
"Kong: Skull Island” opened to a so-so $61 million in domestic box office for its premiere three-day weekend, which trade publication Deadline says is a triumph. The $185 million-budget yarn was trending as a flop just a few weeks earlier. The Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures film was headed a mid-40s million dollars opening when it first landed in pre-release … [Read more...] about Late-stage ‘Kong’ Surge Salvages BO Premiere