How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
May 3, 2011
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
The Green Hornet
News of Seth Rogen’s involvement in The Green Hornet - not just as star, but as a writer, too - was sandwiched between the releases of Knocked Up and Superbad in summer 2007. If there ever were a time when Rogen was viewed as a hot commodity, it would have been then. It was like: “Bam! Knocked Up opens to $30 million. Bam! Seth Rogen attaches to The Green Hornet. Bam! Superbad opens to $33 million.”
Through two R-rated comedies, Rogen netted $270 million in domestic box office dollars in a matter of months. So, scripting a superhero adaptation was practically nothing. Seth coulda said he wanted to claymate a version of Birth of a Nation, and Universal would have been like: “All right. How much money you need?”
But in the three and a half years that passed between Rogen signing on with buddy Evan Goldberg and the release of the movie, anticipation for The Green Hornet seemed to fizzle some. And that release date - January 14th of this year - certainly didn’t help any. Green Hornet was to open summer 2010 before getting bumped into the new year for 3D-conversion purposes.
So to scoff at The Green Hornet’s $33 million opening probably seems in poor taste, since that kind of number would seat The GH at fifth best January weekend of all time if Avatar weren’t eating up four slots of its own. (Avatar included, The GH is #9). But a superhero movie failing to break $100 million - or even break even, GH reportedly cost $110 million to produce - seems unfortunate.
As well, I figured more would go for Christoph Waltz in his second villainous role. And now that he’s currently appearing as the big bad in Water for Elephants, I think Waltz has discovered a niche.
Disc includes: Audio commentary, animated storyboards, gag reel, deleted scenes, Writing The Green Hornet featurette, Finding Kato featurette, The Green Hornet Cutting Room featurette, The Black Beauty: Rebirth of Cool featurette, Trust Me: Director Michel Gondry featurette, The Stunt Family Armstrong featurette, The Art of Destruction featurette
The Dilemma
I don’t know that Kevin James has gotten enough credit for what he’s done on the silver screen post-King of Queens. He totally could have made like most every other television star by taking a year or so away from the biz after his successful TV series ended before toplining a new series the ensuing fall. Or, maybe, he could have rode typecasting coattails on film for the rest of his life - never again to attain equal footing in the industry.
Kevin James didn’t, though.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry blew up just a few months after The King of Queens ended, and then Paul Blart: Mall Cop made an absurd amount of money about a year and a half later. He beat Seth Rogen to the punch on shopping security, too, and the proof is in the box office. Paul Blart’s $146 million gross was about six times that of Observe and Report.
I liken Kevin James’ career to that of Jason Bateman. Both have done very well for themselves in the movies after starring in hit TV shows - King of Queens stuck around for nine seasons; Arrested Development was a critical darling - and their transition to film has been rather seamless. Both have starred in movies that have done well and not so well, but they’re just so likable that a bad egg or two doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be making movies again.
The Dilemma would be one of those “not so well” movies. Like The Green Hornet, The Dilemma didn’t make back its budget ($48 million against a reported $70 million). As well, GLAAD stuck it to The Dilemma fairly early when the media monitoring organization didn’t like the way Vince Vaughn’s character used the word “gay” in the movie’s first-cut trailer. So that wasn’t good.
But The Dilemma is probably just a blip in the radar for James. His next movie, which seems to be A Night at the Museum knockoff at the zoo, will probably make bank.
Disc includes: Alternate ending, deleted scenes, gag reel, This is the Dilemma featurette, Featurettes Tour Chicago and On Ice
Being Human: Season Three
Does anybody else love the traditional size of UK TV series? They’re just so freakin’ cute! Two of my favorites - The Office and Extras - were six episodes apiece, and each of Being Human’s three seasons has hovered between six and eight episodes. The third series, which ended March of this year, hits stores today. Apparently the Brits are quick at adapting their shows to boxed sets, too.
Airing on BBC Three, whose target audience is persons aged 16 to 34 years, Being Human is about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who try as best they can to live a “normal” life with humans around them. A North American remake - which gets play in Canada and on SyFy in the States - got renewed for a second season in March.
Disc includes: Cast interviews, deleted scenes, Sinead’s Set Tour featurette
May 3, 2011
Blu-ray
All The Right Moves
Being Human: Season Three
Bruce Springsteen: The Promise
The Crow: City Of Angels
The Dilemma
Fat Girl (Criterion Collection)
From Dusk Till Dawn
From Prada to Nada
The Green Hornet
Halloween: H2O
Kung Fu Dunk
Murdoch Mysteries: Series 3
My Own Love Song
Smiles Of A Summer Night (Criterion Collection)
Taps
Twelve O'Clock High
Waiting for Forever
What Dreams May Come
X-Men
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men: The Last Stand
X2: X-Men United
The Yards
DVD
8213: Gacy House (Special Edition)
According to Jim: The Complete Third Season
All The Right Moves
Being Human: Season Three
Boy Meets World: The Complete Fifth Season
Bruce Springsteen: The Promise
The Dilemma
Discoveries America: Magic of Flight (Special Edition)
Drop Dead Diva: The Complete Second Season
The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill...
Fat Girl (Criterion Collection)
From Prada to Nada
The Green Hornet
Halloween: H2O
Kung Fu Dunk
Make It Or Break It: Season Two, Volume Three
Melrose Place: Sixth Season, Volume 1
My Own Love Song
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Seasons 1-8 (Censored)
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! The Complete 8th Season (Censored)
Smiles Of A Summer Night (Criterion Collection)
Tennessee's Partner (Special Edition)
The Virginian: The Complete Fourth Season (Collectible Tin Box)
Wagon Train: The Complete Third Season
Waiting for Forever
The Yards (Widescreen)