Going Up or Draggin' Down? Canadian, North American & UK Box Office May 29, 2009 Weekend

No surprize this week with Up taking the cake in Canada & North America charts and also has been received well so far (currently sitting at 88 on Metacritic, 98% Rotten Tomatoes and #12 on IMDb top 250). Our friends in the UK have to wait until October 16, 2009 for the films release - yikes! But, UK fans were out in droves to see the latest Sam Raimi horror film Drag Me To Hell and it debuted #2 on the UK charts, #4 in North America, #6 in Canada and also has been received rather well sitting at 88 on Metacritic and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. I haven't seen either (yet! I will.. soon, hopefully) but did get out to see the fantastic film Every Little Step, a documentary on the casting for the revival of a A Chorus Line.

Top 20 Movies in Canada for the May 29, 2009 weekend
1. Up *
2. Terminator Salvation
3. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
4. Angels & Demons
5. Star Trek
6. Drag Me to Hell *
7. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
8. Millenium *
9. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
10. Dance Flick
11. Under the Sea 3D
12. 17 Again
13. Munde UK De
14. The Soloist
15. The Brothers Bloom
16. Obsessed
17. Monsters vs. Aliens
18. Observe and Report
19. Fighting
20. State of Play

Top 20 Movies in North America for the May 29, 2009 weekend
1. Up *
2. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
3. Terminator Salvation
4. Drag Me to Hell *
5. Star Trek
6. Angels & Demons
7. Dance Flick
8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
9. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
10. Obsessed
11. The Brothers Bloom
12. The Soloist
13. Hannah Montana: The Movie
14. 17 Again
15. Race to Witch Mountain
16. Monsters vs. Aliens
17. earth
18. Fast & Furious
19. Under the Sea 3D
20. Next Day Air

Top 10 Movies in the UK for the May 29, 2009 weekend
1. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
2. Drag Me to Hell *
3. Angels & Demons
4. Star Trek
5. 12 Rounds *
6. Coraline
7. Hannah Montana: The Movie
8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
9. Obsessed *
10. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience *

* indicates opening weekend in noted location, red text indicates Canadian film release

Source: Canada & North America info, UK info

Reel Thoughts: Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Damion Dietz’ emotionally powerful drama Dog Tags (now available on DVDfrom TLA Releasing) tells the intersecting stories of Nate (the sexy and soulful Paul Preiss), a handsome and good-hearted young man who is joining the Marines at his fiancée’s urging, and Andy (the cute and sweet Bart Fletcher), an aimless young gay man who is looking to escape his life any way he can.

Nate’s never been given much faith, even from his well-meaning single mother (American Graffiti’s Candy Clark, in a subtle, nuanced performance), and he’s aching to meet the father who abandoned him as a child before he goes to war. Andy has left his infant son with his loopy mother, a faded former actress who gives the child cough syrup to quiet him down. Andy meets Nate when both guys are unwittingly set up to perform in a porno film, which neither of them are prepared to do. Andy’s car dies and Nate gets it running again, and the two head off together, Nate to surprise his fiancée and Andy to see his mother in Hollywood before “hitting the open road.” Fate throws the two different men together, and Dog Tags becomes a surprising love story.


Dietz directs his actors very well, and gets genuine, smart and sexy performances from his two stars, particularly Preiss. The relationships throughout the film, from Andy’s creepy friendship with his pal Chris, who takes him to what appears like a hustler’s buffet, to Nate’s strained bond with his mother, are handled with a mature complexity that you don’t always see in gay-themed films. The chemistry between Preiss and Fletcher creates a smoldering tension (as seen in this clip), and part of the pleasure of Dog Tags is in watching the two characters expose their vulnerability and unexpected desire for each other. At first, Nate is joining the Marines for all the wrong reasons, but it takes Andy’s probing and help to get him to face his decision with maturity and a dedication he was never allowed to have.

While it is a crime that nothing has been done to dismantle “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” while good soldiers are being discharged indiscriminately, Dog Tags respects and honors our troops while showing that sexual orientation is not always easy to pin down.

Review by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.

Summer Reading, Having A Blast

Even though it was a chilly 9C this morning it is also June so what better time to welcome in summer and browse through some upcoming book-to-film adaptations. We can dream on warm days ahead to enjoy these titles under the sun.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Film Release Date - Wednesday July 15, 2009

You'd have to be a muggle under a rock not to know about the film adaptation of this book! It's the 6th book in the 7 book series by J.K. Rowling which follows the wizard Harry Potter & friends through adventures at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the books and the films, but I'm avoiding all info on the upcoming film even though trailers have been out for ages. The film is directed by David Yates, who also directed the 5th film Order of the Phoenix and will be directing Part 1 & 2 of the 7th book The Deathly Hallows. I re-read the book recently and enjoyed it much more than the first time round so I'm even more pumped to see the film in July!

Book on Amazon.ca: Paperback Version, Mass Market (Adult Cover) Version
Book on Amazon.com: Paperback Verion
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Official Film Site, Trailer, IMDb Page

Julie & Julia
Film Release Date: Friday August 7, 2009

Based on the book by Julie Powell, a woman challenges herself to create every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cuisine in 1 years time, blogging all the way. I read this book a while back and quite enjoyed it, as a fan of blogging, challenges and well... food (who isn't?), it certainly captures the adventures of such a mammoth quest-like challenge. I've seen the films trailer, which indicates it takes some liberties in the book-to-film adaptation but I'm crossing my fingers that it keeps the spirit of the book alive. The film is directed by Nora Ephron (Bewitched, Sleepless in Seattle) and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia Child.

Book on Amazon.ca: Regular Version, Movie-Tie-In Version (Available June 30/09)
Book on Amazon.com: Paperback Movie-Tie-In Version (Available June 30/09)
Julie & Julia Trailer, IMDb Page

The Time Travellers Wife
Film release date: Friday August 14, 2009

Based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger, we have a rare breed genre coming to screens this summer: a science fiction/romance story! This is the only book of the set I've not yet read but the master plan is to complete that challenge in the days ahead. The book has received critical acclaim and is one of the most anticipated (and long awaited) film adaptations we've had for a while. The film is directed by Robert Schwentke ("Lie to Me" pilot, Flightplan) and stars Rachel McAdams as Clare and Eric Bana as Henry.

Book on Amazon.ca: Paperback Version
Book on Amazon.com: Paperback Version
The Time Traveller's Wife IMDb Page

Planning on reading any books for Upcoming 2009 films? Any adaptations that are looking forward to? What is on your radar?

New Moon Monday: 24 Hour Rewind & Replay

I know, I know.... there has already been so much Twilight and New Moon news in the past 24 hours, what more could there be? We've had Twilight Sweeping the MTV Movie Awards with New Moon Trailer (HD version over at Twilight Lexicon) and today the latest episode of Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast is up.

Peter Facinelli on Nurse Jackie and social networks galore!
Peter Facinelli has lots of news recently! He'll be on TV show Nurse Jackie starring Edie Falco which starts Next Monday June 8, 2009 and airs here in Canada on TMN Mondays at 10PM. Also, his website www.peter-facinelli.com has launched (and looks pretty slick), he definitely has the social neworks down and is on youtube, myspace and my fave social site twitter where his followers are currently over 10,000! Wow!

Goin' Retro - New Moon on Monday at New Moon Mondays
I get a fair amount of folks landing on these New Moon Monday posts looking for Duran Duran's New Moon on Monday and far be it from me to deny anyone from reaching there goal. From one Durany to another, here's a video I've not seen for over 20 years "I light my torch and wave it for a ...." New Moon on Monday by Duran Duran at MTV.ca. Ah, when videos had intros, plots and ... well.. lots of 80's-ness. I'm more of a Planet Earth & Hungry Like the Snake fan but to each their own.

Toon Talk: Up Lifting

Towards the beginning of Up, Pixar’s tenth feature film and their first to be screened in 3-D, there is a sequence that will surely stand as a triumph of cinematic storytelling — animated or otherwise — for years to come.

We have been introduced to the young Carl Fredricksen, a boy whose quietness masks a soul yearning for adventures (like those of his idol, ace explorer Charles Muntz). Carl has met his polar opposite in Ellie, a chatty tomboy who shares his dreams of a life of thrill seeking and excitement. Time goes on and, as young adults, we see the two wed and plan for their future, one that will hopefully, some day, include a home-sweet-home in some exotic locale. But, as life would have it, mundane obstacles along the way delay their plans to another day … a day that, alas, never arrives for Carl’s beloved Ellie.

Alone and embittered, the now elderly Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) feels that the world has passed him by — literally, as a bustling city has sprung up around him, including a pending skyscraper that threatens to engulf his very home (à la the 1952 Disney short The Little House). Yet, when push comes to shove, Carl takes a bold action to finally fulfill his promise to his dear Ellie. And here is where Up really takes off ...

UPDATE: Up is now available on DVD and Blu-rayfrom Amazon.com.

Click here to continue reading my Toon Talk review of Up at LaughingPlace.com.

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast - Episode 06: Edward Knows Best

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast - Episode 06 is up!

Need a Twilight fix? Head on over to Before the Dawn to check out this weeks discussion on Edward Knows Best. Marina & I discuss the ins & outs of the Edward/Bella relationship with and emphasis on their age difference, and if it is creepy that Edward is so much older than Bella? Does Edward know best? Have a listen and find out.

We discuss themes & events throughout the four of the books as well as "Midnight Sun" (unfinished version of Twilight from Edwards perspective available here on Stephenie Meyer site) therefore I'd recommend having had read them all before listening if you are wanting to be spoiler free.

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast is a weekly 1/2 hour podcast meeting all your audio Twilight needs!

Cinematic Crush: Jared Padalecki

Crush object: Jared Padalecki, actor.

- As Dean Forester on Gilmore Girls, he captured the hearts of Rory Gilmore and audiences alike.

- During his time on Gilmore, he also starred in several made-for-TV movies, as well as an unsuccessful pilot for a MacGyver spin-off titled Young MacGyver.

- On film, he appeared in Cheaper by the Dozen, New York Minute, Flight of the Phoenix and the horror movies House of Wax and Cry Wolf.

- He is best known for his performance as Sam Winchester on Supernatural, opposite fellow Cinematic Crush Jensen Ackles.

- Most recently, he starred in yet another horror remake, this year's Friday the 13th reboot, which debuts on DVD and Blu-raynext week.