Film weekend seattle in religulous review

With a scorching $27,204 per-theatre-average, Saul Dibb’s “The
Duchess” found 2008’s second highest specialty average (behind
arguable inclusion “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl”) and gave the
competitive fall season a royal beginning. In 7 locations, the
Paramount Vantage release grossed $190,426. A slew of other, lower-
profile films also found decent numbers, including a Texas screening
of Chris Eska’s “August Evening,” the debut of Stuart Townsend’s
“Battle in Seattle” and the second weekend of yoga doc “Enlighten Up!”

After a generally favorable screening at the Toronto International
Film Festival, Saul Dibb’s “The Duchess” found itself high atop the iW
BOT this weekend. The Keira Knightley-Ralph Fiennes starrer, a
dramatized chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana,
Duchess of Devonshire, scored the second-highest iW BOT debut in 2008
(after Patricia Rozema’s “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl”). The film
grossed $190,426 on 7 screens for a whopping average of $27,204.

The film found itself only moderately under the opening averages of
two of the most successful recent royal accounts, Stephen Frears’ 2006
“The Queen,” which averaged $40,671 on 3 runs in its debut weekend,
and Shekhar Kapur’s 1998 “Elizabeth,” which averaged $30,570 on 9
runs. It far surpassed Kapur’s 2008 follow-up, “Elizabeth: The Golden
Age,” which averaged $3,075 last October on a perhaps incomparable
2,001 theaters.

“We were very pleased with the grosses from this past weekend,” said
“Duchess” distributor Paramount Vantage’s Senior Vice-President Kevin
Grayson in an interview with indieWIRE. “The film showed very good
success at our core theatres on both coasts with strong per screen
averages at all our locations.” The film played particularly well with
women, as Grayson had expected, and will slowly find more theaters in
the coming weeks. “We are expanding our initial runs [in New York, Los
Angeles and Toronto] as well as introducing the film into the top 20
markets in a limited fashion,” he said. “That combined with Keira’s
strong cross over ability, good word of mouth and solid reviews we
feel we are on the right road to reach and exceed our goals.”

However, it might increasingly become a rocky road for “The Duchess”
to maintain this weekend’s success. The next two weekends alone see
the openings of potential specialty powerhouses like Jonathan Demme’s
“Rachel Getting Married,” Larry Charles’ “Religulous” and Fernando
Meirelles’s “Blindness.”

Though without the backing of a “Duchess”-like studio subsidiary, a
wealth of other films crowded the iW BOT’s top slots with less-
dramatic but certainly promising numbers. Redwood Palms release of
“Battle in Seattle” opened on 8 screens and found a decent $46,903
gross. Stuart Townsend’s fictionalized account of the 1999 riots to
stop a World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle averaged $5,863,
from a $9,718 high at New York’s Angelika Film Center to a $2,188 low
at Minneapolis’ Uptown Theatre. “Seattle” will battle the box office
at 11 additional theaters this upcoming weekend, including in Chicago,
Boston and Detroit.

“Seattle” ranked behind two iW BOT underdogs. Maya Releasing’s “August
Evening,” which opened to a disappointing $3,296 at New York’s Village
East Cinema two weekends ago, managed $11,033 from its debut weekend
at San Antonio’s Santikos Bijou Theatre. Directed by Texas native
Chris Eska, “Evening” won the John Cassavetes Award at the 2007 Gotham
Awards, and now has a cumulative gross of $15,576. It opens in Los
Angeles this Friday.
Just behind “Evening” was the surprising second weekend of Kate
Churchill’s yoga documentary, “Enlighten Up!,” which grossed an
impressive $8,598 in its sole run at the Kendall Square Cinema in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. That takes “Enlighten”‘s total up to $20,397
after two weekends. And while one must consider that the screenings
did include actual free yoga classes led before select screenings,
there is still something to be said for such grassroots marketing.

Finally, in what might be one of the year’s biggest – and most
expected – specialty disasters, Empire Film Group opened long-shelved
2007 Sundance entry “Hounddog,” best known for its Dakota Fanning rape
scene, on 11 screens. It averaged $1,249.

The religulous bill maher pg-13 nick mark

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is hard to do when she (Kristen Bell)
shows up with her new boyfriend at the same Hawaiian resort as the man
she dumped (Jason Segel).

Tuesday: Folk icon Pete Seeger is still at it; his new CD, “At 89,”
includes 32 tracks of songs and spoken word; rapper T.I. unveils his
“Paper Trail”; singer-songwriter Ben Folds is back with “To Normal”
and hip-hop’s T-Pain uncorks “Thr33 Ringz.”

Thursday-Friday: Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner team up for two
concerts benefitting the Richard deLone Special Housing Project, at
the Great American Music Hall.

Friday: The San Francisco Jazz Festival kicks off tonight at Davies
Symphony Hall with “Miles From India,” a concert pairing Indian
classical musicians with American jazz artists that have a Miles Davis
connection. Go to for the complete festival schedule and other
information. Meanwhile, Icelandic art-rock band Sigur Ros brings its
unique sound to UC Berkeley’s Greek Theatre.

The following movies are scheduled to open Friday in the Bay Area:
“APPALOOSA” (R): Directed by Ed Harris and based on Robert B. Parker’s
novel, this film follows a pair of
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lawmen (Harris and Viggo Mortensen) who must unite over their town’s
crisis as they’re divided over their mutual love of a woman (Renee
Zellweger).
“BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA” (PG): In this Disney comedy, a pampered
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (voice of Drew Barrymore) finds herself lost
in the mean streets of Mexico without a day spa or Rodeo Drive
boutique in sight.
“BLINDNESS” (R): When a sudden plague of blindness devastates a city,
a small group of the afflicted band together to triumphantly overcome
the horrific conditions of their imposed quarantine. Julianne Moore,
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mark Ruffalo, Sandra Oh and Danny Glover star.
Directed by Academy Award nominee Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”).
“THE DUCHESS” (PG-13): Long before the concept existed, the Duchess of
Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley), was the original “It
Girl.” Like her direct descendent Princess Diana, she was ravishing,
glamorous and adored by an entire country. Determined to be a player
in the wider affairs of the world, she proved that she could out-
gamble, outdrink and outwit most of the aristocratic men who
surrounded her.
“FLASH OF GENIUS” (PG-13): Greg Kinnear stars as Robert Kearns, a man
whose 1960s invention became standard in every car on the road. But
the automobile industry refused to acknowledge his contribution, and
Kearns embarked on a quest for recognition.
“HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE” (R): An adaptation of Toby
Young’s biting memoir about his struggles as a Vanity Fair employee.
Simon Pegg stars as Young’s alter ego, while Jeff Bridges is a Graydon
Carter-esque magazine editor.
“NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST” (PG-13): A comedy about two
people thrust together for one hilarious, sleepless night of adventure
in a world of mix tapes; late-night living; and, live, loud music.
Nick (Michael Cera) frequents New York’s indie rock scene nursing a
broken heart and a vague ability to play the bass. Norah (Kat
Dennings) is questioning pretty much all of her assumptions about the
world.
“RELIGULOUS” (NR): No religion is safe from the sharp aim — and still
sharper wit — of comedian Bill Maher in this comic look at organized
belief systems around the world.
“SAVE ME” (NR): Mark (Chad Allen), a lost young gay man, leads a wild
life of drugs and meaningless sex, searching desperately to fill the
emptiness in his soul. When Mark finally hits bottom, his brother
checks him into Genesis House, a 12-step, Christian, “ex-gay” ministry
specializing in healing sexual brokenness.

The tim brown ideo star up family

Fall checked in on Monday, and movie theaters are obliging by opening
eight films today. Yes, it’s getting serious.

Nearly 70 films will open during the final three months of 2008. Not
all of them will be Oscar contenders, but a lot of them will be.
Here’s a look ahead. Dates are subject to change.

An American Carol – A cynical American filmmaker who wants to abolish
the July 4 holiday is visited by three spirits who try to give him a
patriotic makeover.

Appaloosa – Ed Harris directed this western about hired guns (Harris,
Viggo Mortensen) whose job of cleaning up a dangerous town is
complicated further when they fall for the same woman (Renee
Zellweger).

Beverly Hills Chihuahua – A fast-talking Chihuahua (voice of George
Lopez) heads south of the border to rescue the lost pampered pooch he
loves.

Blindness – A woman (Julianne Moore) pretends she’s blind to stay with
her husband (Mark Ruffalo) when he’s quarantined with other victims of
a terrifying blindness epidemic.

The Duchess – A smart, popular and beautiful English aristocrat (Keira
Knightley) gets involved in the politics of her day, but her husband
(Ralph Fiennes) isn’t amused.

Flash of Genius – An inventor (Greg Kinnear) obsessively sues Ford for
stealing his device – the intermittent windshield wiper – putting his
health and his family life at risk.

How To Lose Friends and Alienate People – A British celebrity
journalist (Simon Pegg) hired to write for an upscale magazine in New
York doesn’t play well with others; Kirsten Dunst and Megan Fox co-
star in the comedy.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – Two strangers (Michael Cera, Kat
Dennings) with mutual friends and bad dating histories bond during a
night of misadventures and musical pursuits.

Billy: The Early Years – This biopic about the young Billy Graham
(Armie Hammer) covers the decade in which he committed himself to his
calling.

Body of Lies – America’s best intelligence agent (Leonardo DiCaprio)
and his controller (Russell Crowe) hunt a rising terrorist leader.

City of Ember – An underground city is losing its power, and it’s up
to two teenagers to find the clues that will save their civilization;
Bill Murray, Tim Robbins and Saoirse Ronan star.

The Express – College running back Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) shows his
coach (Dennis Quaid) and the country the meaning of courage during the
racially divided 1960s.

Quarantine – A TV reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman
(Steve Harris) ride along with an L.A. Fire Department crew one night
and find themselves trapped in an apartment house beset by strange and
gory happenings.

Max Payne – A DEA agent (Mark Wahlberg) and an assassin (Mila Kunis)
join forces to solve a series of murders in New York in this film
based on a video game.

Moving Midway – A New York-based film critic documents his cousin’s
plan to move the family plantation away from commercial development,
with untold family history surfacing in the process.

The Secret Life of Bees – A 14-year-old (Dakota Fanning) flees to her
late mother’s South Carolina hometown with her nanny (Jennifer Hudson)
and finds refuge with sisters (Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, Alicia
Keys) who keep bees.

SexDrive – An 18-year-old Chicagoan sets out on a road trip with his
two best friends, heading to Knoxville order to lose his virginity to
an Internet girlfriend before he starts college.

W. – Director Oliver Stone follows George W. Bush (Josh Brolin) as he
rises to the White House.

Changeling – In director Clint Eastwood’s 1928-set thriller, a
working-class mother (Angelina Jolie) protests that the boy returned
to her is not her kidnapped son.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year – The Wildcats hit all the high
notes of senior year and look toward the future in their big-screen
debut.

Passengers – A therapist (Anne Hathaway) counsels plane-crash
survivors who contest the official account of the crash and gets
personally involved, especially when the survivors start disappearing.

Pride and Glory – Edward Norton and Colin Farrell star in a drama
about a New York police family torn apart by suspicion.

Saw V – Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) has to do some dirty work to keep
the Jigsaw legacy intact; with Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith.

Happy-Go-Lucky – A teacher (Sally Hawkins) famous for her optimism
finds her upbeat attitude tested during a week of negative encounters
in this comedy from director Mike Leigh.

RocknRolla – Director Guy Ritchie returns to his roots for a tale of
London gangsters vying for riches in the real-estate market; Gerard
Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson star.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno – Good friends (Seth Rogen, Elizabeth
Banks) decide to solve their financial crises by making an adult film,
but their efforts have unexpected results in this comedy from writer-
director Kevin Smith.

I Served the King of England – In 1930s Prague, a waiter at the
swankest hotel gets a good look at wealth and corruption and tries to
learn to play the game.

Rachel Getting Married – A recovering drug addict (Anne Hathaway)
who’s been in and out of rehab returns home for her sister’s wedding
and turns a celebratory weekend into a family-drama wallow.

Religulous – Political humorist Bill Maher travels the world asking
people their thoughts on God and religion in this documentary.

Killshot – A couple (Diane Lane, Thomas Jane) placed in the witness
protection program think they’re safe, but they’re not.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa – The New York zoo animals make it to the
African continent, where they encounter other members of their species
for the first time.

Repo! The Genetic Opera – This horror-musical imagines that by 2056,
people are forced to buy organs after a massive epidemic, but woe to
them if they can’t make their payments!

Role Models – Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott play energy-drink reps
who get into trouble and are forced to mentor kids, which may or may
not help the irresponsible adults grow up.

Soul Men – Estranged singing legends swallow their pride to do a
reunion show with their old band leader; with Samuel L. Jackson,
Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.

Quantum of Solace – James Bond (Daniel Craig) digs to expose the
organization that had the woman he loved in its grip and finds a
ruthless businessman (Mathieu Almaric) who must be toppled.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – Vera Farmiga and David Thewlis star
in a tale about two boys, one a concentration-camp prisoner and the
other the son of the Nazi commandant, who become unlikely friends.

The Soloist – A journalist (Robert Downey Jr.) forms a friendship with
a homeless man (Jamie Foxx) when he tries to help the former
classical-music prodigy get off the street.

The Road – A father (Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee)
travel across a post-apocalyptic America on foot in this adaptation of
Cormac McCarthy’s novel.

Twilight – A teenage girl (Kristen Stewart) falls in love with a
vampire (Robert Pattinson), who wants to protect her from him in this
film based on the Stephenie Meyer novel.

Australia – An English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) travels Down Under
to save the land she has inherited and gets involved with a local
(Hugh Jackman) as World War II revs up.

Bolt – A dog (voice of John Travolta) who doesn’t realize he’s the
star of a TV adventure show crosses the country to rescue his owner
and co-star (voice of Miley Cyrus).

Four Christmases – An unmarried couple (Vince Vaughn, Reese
Witherspoon) who always avoid family at the holidays by taking an
exotic vacation are forced to spend Christmas with relatives at four
different celebrations after fog grounds all flights at their airport.

Crossing Over – Harrison Ford, Sean Penn, Summer Bishil and Cliff
Curtis star in a drama about immigrants in Los Angeles trying to
attain legal status.

Punisher: War Zone – Zealous vigilante Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson)
makes an enemy out of a mob boss (Dominic West), who comes after
Frank.

The Day the Earth Stood Still – Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly
star in a remake of the 1951 classic about an alien who visits Earth
and gets an unfavorable impression of the planet.

Defiance – After escaping from the Nazis in Eastern Europe in 1941,
three brothers (Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell) take refuge
in a dense forest and start taking vengeance on the Nazi oppressors.

Milk – Gus Van Sant directs the story of gay activist and politician
Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his murder; with Emile Hirsch, James
Franco, Josh Brolin.

Nothing Like the Holidays – The scattered Rodriguez siblings come home
to their parents’ house in Chicago for the holidays and have to absorb
some unexpected news; with John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Jay
Hernandez and Debra Messing.

Seven Pounds – A man (Will Smith) tries to make amends for his
mistakes by helping seven strangers; with Rosario Dawson, Woody
Harrelson.

The Tale of Despereaux – A mouse who doesn’t fit in with his own kind
sets out to rescue a princess and bring light back to a kingdom.

Yes Man – A guy (Jim Carrey) with a negative attitude turns it around
through a self-help program that threatens to go a little bit too far.

Bedtime Stories – A hotel handyman (Adam Sandler) tells his niece and
nephew outlandish stories that start to come true.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Brad Pitt plays a man who is
born in his 80s and ages backward in this adaptation of an F. Scott
Fitzgerald story.

Doubt – The principal (Meryl Streep) of a Catholic parochial school
believes a teacher (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is molesting a young male
student, but a novice (Amy Adams) thinks the truth may lie elsewhere.

Frost/Nixon – Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) agrees to an interview
with British TV personality David Frost (Michael Sheen), hoping to
regain America’s good opinion without owning up to his role in the
Watergate scandal.

Marley & Me – A mischievous dog teaches his human family important
life lessons; with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

The Spirit – A rookie cop (Gabriel Macht) returns from the dead as the
Spirit and clashes with his archenemy, the Octopus (Samuel L.
Jackson), while juggling beautiful women with a mix of motives.

Revolutionary Road – A couple (Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet)
determined not to fall into the routine of 1950s suburbia does just
that and then endangers the marriage by making radical plans for
change.

Valkyrie – Tom Cruise plays a high-ranking German officer who
conspires to assassinate Adolf Hitler and end the war.

Gran Torino – A Korean War veteran (Clint Eastwood, who also directed)
tries to reform a young immigrant neighbor but is forced to look at
his own prejudices.

Slumdog Millionaire – An orphan from the slums of Mumbai is about to
win the top prize on India’s “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” when
he’s arrested on suspicion of cheating.

The Wrestler – A retired professional wrestler (Mickey Rourke) tries
to get back in the game so he can have a showdown with his longtime
rival; with Marisa Tomei.

Klatuu Barada Nikto! I don’t know how they’ll make Keanu Reeves look
tall enough to play Gort, but it’s a perfect role for him.

Thanks, Hollywood! With the exception of Quantam of Solace, I can stay
home for the forseeable future and keep my money.

At least I’m not the only one who remembers this movie. I hope they
have given it the proper remake it deserves, without all the sex and
foul language.

Wonder why out of 50 or so movies, KNS and/or AP decided to highlight
“W”, guess it was just a toss of the dice. Do any of these anonymous
writers ever,ever consider their bias??? Probably not, they are
protected by the first amendment shield……..

Hope some of these films pay off. Not much going on filmwise lately
since Dark Knight. Then again depends on your pov.

I don’t think that journalists need to invoke the 1st ammendment to
know that they can be biased if they want…

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