Press Release and Trailer: Superman: the Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) to Blu Ray on June 7th.

Yes, I will be picking this one up, unless Warner is kind enough to send it to be prior to June 7th. It was a great set in standard def, so hopefully it will fare no poorer in Blu Ray. I guess the only question is whether the Fleischer cartoons will be in high-def. That might be worth the purchase all by itself. Not much to add (glad to see the documentaries will be in HD), but the rather lengthy press release is after the jump.

Scott Mendelson

SUPERMAN: THE MOTION PICTURE ANTHOLOGY (1978-2006)

DEBUTS ON BLU-RAY™ JUNE 7 FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO

Collection Includes All Five Films in the Theatrical Franchise, Two Alternate Versions and 20 Hours of Bonus Features

Burbank, Calif. March 31, 2011 –Superman, the cultural icon and quintessential superhero, is back in a big way. In a powerhouse year marked by the theatrical releases of several major superhero films including Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern, his arrival couldn’t be more perfectly timed. Warner Home Video (WHV) is celebrating the year of the superhero with the June 7 release of Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) on Blu-ray. For the first time, fans will be able to own one super-entertaining Blu-ray collection with all four original theatricalSuperman films starring Christopher Reeve (available for the first time in high def),Superman Returns, and the two alternate versions of Superman I and Superman II.

Available now in superb hi-def, with new digital/hi-def film masters, the must-own comprehensive Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) on Blu-ray includes all six versions of the films in the original Superman theatrical franchise -- Superman: The Movie – Original Theatrical, Superman: The Movie – Expanded Edition, Superman II – Original Theatrical, Superman II – The Richard Donner Cut, Superman III – Original Theatrical, Superman IV – Original Theatrical, plusSuperman Returns. The Collection also boasts 20 hours of bonus features including the never-before-seen original opening to Superman Returns. Also included are two documentaries in hi-def, Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman and The Science of Superman, as well as You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman, deleted scenes, and much more. Fan-boys and technophiles will especially appreciate that all of the Superman films are being released with English DTS-HD-MA soundtrack for superior sound quality. Also included is Movie Cash good up to $8 off one admission ticket to see the newest Warner Bros. superhero film, Green Lantern, at participating theaters betweenJune 17, 2011 and July 3, 2011^[i]. The eight-disc collection will be available for $129.95 SRP. Orders are due May 3, 2011.

Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology is also available On Demand and for download through online retailers including iTunes and Amazon on Demand.

The new trailer for Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) on Blu-ray can be seen at http://raincloud.warnerbros.com/wbol/us/whv/med/superman/supermancollection/tvspots/203_Brace_Yourself_WVSUP_A2071-720p178.mov

About The Films

Superman: The Original Theatrical Movie (1978) and Expanded Edition (2001)

A box-office smash, an Academy AwardÒ winner and a fan favorite since it first flew into theatres in December 1978, Superman: The Movie assembles a cast and creative contingent as only a big movie can. At its heart (just as in three sequels) is Christopher Reeve’s intelligent, affectionate portrayal of a most human Man of Steel.

Variety called Superman “a wonderful, chuckling, preposterously exciting fantasy.”

The movie’s legacy soared even higher when director Richard Donner revisited this beloved adventure 22 years later and integrated eight additional minutes into the film. Enjoy more footage of the Krypton Council, a glimpse of stars of prior Supermanincarnations, more of Jor-El underscoring his son’s purpose on Earth and an extended sequence inside Lex Luthor’s gauntlet of doom. Reeve, Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Luthor) and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) give indelible performances that fuel the film’s aura of legend.

Disc #1

· Superman: The Movie, Original Theatrical

· Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler (Original Theatrical Version)

· The Making of Superman: The Movie [1978 TV special]

· Superman and the Mole-Men [1951 feature]

· Warner Bros. Cartoons

o Super-Rabbit [1943 WB cartoon]

o Snafuperman [1944 WB cartoon]

o Stupor Duck [1956 WB cartoon]

· Trailers

Disc #2

• Superman: The Movie, Expanded Edition
• Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz (Extended Version)
• Taking Flight: The Development of Superman
• Making Superman: Filming the Legend
• The Magic Behind the Cape
• Screen Tests
• Superman
• Lois Lane with Optional Commentary
• Ursa
• A Selection of Restored Scenes
• Additional Music Cues
• Main Titles
• Alternate Main Titles
• The Council’s Decision
• The Krypton Quake
• More Mugger/Introducing Otis
• Air Force One
• Can You Read My Mind (Pop Version)
• Music Only Track (Donner Cut)

Superman II (1980 and The Richard Donner Cut)

“I thought the original Superman was terrific entertainment,” the Chicago Sun-Times’Roger Ebert wrote, “and so I was a little startled to discover that I liked Superman IIeven more.” Unwittingly released from Phantom Zone imprisonment, three super-powered Kryptonian criminals (Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas and Jack O’Halloran) plan to enslave Earth – just when Superman (Christopher Reeve) decides to show a more romantic side to Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Gene Hackman (as Lex Luthor) also returns from the first film and with a top supporting cast, witty Richard Lester direction and visuals that astound and delight.

Superman II -The Richard Donner Cut delighted fans who, for years, had been imploring Warner Home Video to release the Donner cut. In fact, the director had already shot most of the Superman II footage during Superman: The Movie. But as production on the sequel continued, creative differences between the director and the film’s producers became irreconcilable and Donner left the project. Although Richard Lester was hired to finish production, he chose to make major changes to the film, leaving only vestiges of Donner’s original vision and concepts in the version ofSuperman II that was ultimately released to theaters.

Nearly thirty years later, Warner Home Video was delighted to grant the wishes of countless Superman fans. With this DVD release, Richard Donner had become the first director in history to be able to complete a film he left during production with nearly all his footage “in the can.” Adding back a substantial amount of that unused footage, the director has seen his original vision restored and brought to fruition.

Most notably, the “Donner cut” restores the Marlon Brando role, filmed for, but not included in the final theatrical release version of Superman II. The legendary Brando’s performance as Jor-El has finally been restored in key scenes that amplify the Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son.

With so many other changes, large and small, including a variety of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman, this Superman IIproved to be an eye-opening experience and an important addition to film history.

Disc #3

· Superman II, Original Theatrical

· Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler (Original Theatrical Version)

· The Making of Superman II [1980 TV special]

· Deleted Scene

· First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series

· Fleischer Studios’ Superman

o Superman

o The Mechanical Monsters

o Billion Dollar Limited

o The Arctic Giant

o The Bulleteers

o The Magnetic Telescope

o Electric Earthquake

o Volcano

o Terror on the Midway

· Theatrical Trailer

Disc #4

• Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut
• Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz (Donner Cut)
• Introduction by Richard Donner
• Superman II: Restoring the Vision
• Deleted Scenes
• Famous Studios’ Superman
• Japoteurs
• Showdown
• Eleventh Hour
• Destruction, Inc
• The Mummy Strikes
• Jungle Drums
• The Underground World
• Secret Agent

Superman III Theatrical Version (1983)

After Superman: The Movie’s epic storytelling and Superman II’s awesome battles, how could the first two hits be topped? In Superman III, meet Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor), a half-witted computer programming natural. For him a keyboard is a weapon – and Superman faces the microelectronic menace of his life. Christopher Reeve reprises his most beloved role, deepening his character’s human side asClark Kent reunites with old flame Lana Lang (Annette O’Toole) at a Smallville High class reunion. And when Superman becomes his own worst enemy after Kryptonite exposure, Reeve pulls off both roles with dazzling skill. Incredible visual effects abound – but above all it has heart, heroism and high-flying humor. All in superabundance.

Disc #5

· Superman III Theatrical Version

· Commentary by Iilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler

· The Making of Superman III (1983 TV Special)

· Deleted Scenes

· Theatrical Trailer

Superman IV The Quest For Peace Theatrical Version (1987)

Christopher Reeve not only dons the cape for the fourth time but also helped develop the movie’s provocative theme: nuclear disarmament. “For me, it’s the most personal of the entire series,” Reeve said. “It directly reflects what Superman should be, and should be doing.” Superman does a lot this time around. To make the world safe for nuclear arms merchants, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) creates a new being to challenge the Man of Steel: the radiation-charged Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow). The two foes clash in an explosive extravaganza that sees Superman save the Statue of Liberty, plug a volcanic eruption of Mount Etna and rebuild the demolished Great Wall of China.

Disc #6

· Superman IV The Quest For Peace Theatrical Version

· Commentary by Mark Rosenthal

· Superman 50th Anniversary Special (1988 TV Special)

· Deleted Scenes

· Theatrical Trailer

Superman Returns (2006)

He's back. A hero for our millennium. And not a moment too soon, because during the five years (much longer in movie-fan years!) Superman sought his home planet, things changed on his adopted planet. Nations moved on without him. Lois Lane now has a son, a fiancé and a Pulitzer for "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." And Lex Luthor has a plan that will destroy millions - no, billions - of lives.

Filmmaker Bryan Singer (X-Men) gives the world the Superman it needs, honoring the legend everyone loves while taking it in a powerful new direction. Brandon Routh proves a perfect choice to wear the hero's cape, leading a top cast that includes Kate Bosworth as Lois and Kevin Spacey as Lex. And the thrills - from a sky-grapple with a tumbling jumbo jet to a continent-convulsing showdown - redefine Wow.

Disc #7

· Superman Returns

· Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns

o Pt. 1 Secret Origins and First Issues: Crystallizing Superman

o Pt. 2 The Crystal Method: Designing Superman

o Pt. 3 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman- Superman on the Farm

o Pt. 4 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman- Superman in the City

o Pt. 5 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman- Superman in Peril

o Pt. 6 The Joy of Lex: Menacing Superman

o Pt. 7 He’s Always Around: Wrapping Superman

· Resurrecting Jor-El

· Deleted Scenes including the never-before-seen original opening toSuperman Returns

· Bryan Singer’s Journals – Video production journals

· Trailers

Disc #8 Additional Bonus Material

· Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman [Hi-Def]

· You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman

o Pt. 1- Origin

o Pt. 2- Vision

o Pt. 3- Ascent

o Pt. 4- Crisis

o Pt. 5- Redemption

· The Science of Superman [Hi-Def]

· The Mythology of Superman

· The Heart of a Hero: A Tribute to Christopher Reeve

· The Adventures of Superpup [1958 TV pilot]

SUPERMAN: THE MOTION PICTURE ANTHOLOGY

ON BLU-RAY

Street Date: June 7, 2011

Order Due Date: May 3, 2011

Catalog/UPC #: 1000202043 / 883929189014

Pricing: $129.95 SRP

Running Time: 906 Mins. (Features only; combined)

Rating: PG-13

For more information: http://warnerblu.warnerbros.com/

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

The Shot Heard Round the Industry... Studios announce pre-DVD Video on Demand for major theatrical releases, and why it's doomed..

Fox, Warner Bros, Sony, and Universal have announced today that they will begin offering 'first-run' theatrical features on Video On Demand through DirectTV just sixty days after their theatrical release. Other outlets, such as Comcast and Vudo, will eventually join the fray in a limited capacity, but for now the first shot has been fired. Ironically, the two studios which will likely have the heartiest summer, Disney and Paramount, have for the moment abstained. Disney has Cars 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides just at the start of the summer. Paramount has an uber-strong slate the entire season, with Thor, Kung Fu Panda 2, Super 8, Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, and Captain America. Point being, they'll be counting money from May to August, so there really was no incentive to piss off the exhibitors. And the theater chains are indeed mighty pissed.

First off, the launch will begin in April, with Unknown (Warner Bros), Just Go With It (Sony), and Cedar Rapids (Fox) being available to rent (?) for $30. The short version is that theatrical releases, apparently on a pick-and-choose basis, will be available on this service just 60 days after theatrical release. As of now, Fox claims that all of its Fox Searchlight films (of which Cedar Rapids is one) will go VoD sixty days after wide release, which is interesting considering how few of them actually end up going wide (Cedar Rapids has yet to top 600 screens and is already bleeding auditoriums). It's no secret that most mainstream theatrical films do the majority of their business in the first seventeen days or so. All studios onboard are claiming that any film that is still playing strongly in theatrical will not-so-quickly end up as a home rental option, and said policy will not apply to the would-be mega franchise pictures. Of course, that puts theaters in even more of a pickle, as they have no way of knowing if a given film will end up as a Video On Demand option until after the film opens in theaters. But the real question is how exhibitors will treat the theatrical runs of films that, in all likelihood, will end up as a at-home rental option in just two months anyway.

Since two of the majors and (at this point) all of the mini-majors (think Lionsgate, Weinstein Company, and Summit Entertainment) are abstaining, will theaters give preferential treatment to the studios who don't yet take part in this program? Will Lionsgate's Madea's Family Reunion get more and bigger theaters on April 22nd than Fox's Water For Elephants? And the weekend after that, will the theater chains conspire (for lack of a better word) to slightly level the playing field for Weinstein Company's Hoodwinked Too and Disney's Prom against Universal's Fast Five? Will The Hangover 2 end up in just 1,500 screens while Kung Fu Panda 2 gets 4,000 a day prior? Will, as David Poland suggested, the theaters limit the opening weekend potential for major franchise pictures like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II by simply not running the film on as many screens? And just what will happen when a studio's major theatrical release gets kneecapped because everyone is staying at home watching their previous theatrical release from 60 days ago? This is going to get very interesting, and possibly quite a bit bloody.

But all of this speculation presumes that audiences are even interested in 'premium pricing' On-Demand rental services. And the system as set up seems doomed to fail for one very specific reason: the very people who can wait 60 days to watch a movie at home are generally the kind of people who can wait 90-120 days to watch that same movie at home. The 'wait for Netflix' crowd are willing to wait precisely because they don't need to see a movie right when it comes out. They can wait and see it in a three-to-four months when it becomes available in their queue. And, generally speaking, these casual moviegoers are damn-sure not going to pay $30 a pop to watch a movie in their home when they can wait and see it for basically $1.

I'm a movie nerd, and I've said before that I'd gladly pay a premium price to watch a new release at my home... over opening weekend. When you toss in two tickets plus babysitting for a few hours, you're already over the $30 threshold, so paying $30 to watch Water For Elephants at home would be a great deal for me... if it were right when the movie came out. But if I've already decided to wait for a specific film, either because my wife wants to see it and getting a babysitter isn't possible right away, or I just don't need to see it in theaters, I'm probably not going to pay $30 just to see that movie thirty days earlier than I otherwise would for basically nothing (I rent my films through Blockbuster Online, which is a flat monthly fee). And if I'm going to pay $30 to see a movie long after its theatrical premiere, I am generally going to wait for the Blu Ray and pay to own said movie for all time.

But let's pretend that I'm willing to pay $30 to see Water For Elephants in mid-June (after all, it's no secret that I have a new baby due right then). After all, my maybe my wife wants to see it and I, as a film nerd, have a certain disposition to seeing movies as quickly as convenient. Maybe some of you who read this blog feel the same way. But would your friends, neighbors, or family give a crap about seeing a film 30-60 days earlier than they would on DVD for a 30x up-charge? The studios are always babbling about 'more options' when it comes to entertainment, which is how we end up with same-day releases on DVD, Blu Ray, OnDemand, iTunes, etc. But this new system doesn't give audiences more options. It merely ends one option earlier than normal and forces audiences to choose between paying $30 for a secondary viewing option now or $1-5 for that same viewing option a month or two later.

If 'premium' theatrical Video On Demand is going to work, regardless of whether it SHOULD work, it has to be within the first ten days of opening weekend, if not right on opening weekend. If you're a sports fan, ask yourself: would you pay $60 to watch a prize fight or NFL playoff game even 48 hours after it happened? But studios are loathe to commit to basically cutting off their primary distribution source, and they know that the theater chains would eventually just stop booking those films anyway. In the end, and this applies to the current pricing system as announced today as well, the films that will get hurt are the smaller pictures, the genre thrillers and character dramas that are so difficult to get funded anyway. So I'll end this by asking you, the reader: what do you think of the new Video On Demand system? What would you be willing to pay when for alternatives to theatrical viewing of a given film? How do you think the theaters should respond? Is this the beginning of the end, or merely the end of the beginning?

Scott Mendelson

Review: Rubber (2011)

Rubber
2011
83 minutes
rated R

by Scott Mendelson

Yes yes, we get it. Movies aren't real and it is foolish to become emotionally invested in fictional events where there are no real rules. That was one of the many subtexts found in Chris Nolan's Inception, but here it is front-and-center as text. Those expecting a goofy horror film about a killer tire are in for a disappointment. In actuality, writer/director Quentin Dupieux uses this outlandish premise to comment on the seemingly passive nature of (American?) film audiences to willfully accept outlandish scenarios and arbitrary silliness while questioning the very nature of our active involvement in fictional worlds. It's all quite smart and clever, but did it have to be so bloody boring as well?

The film's plot, if you can call it that, concerns a random tire that comes to life and starts rolling down the road. No reason is ever given for this fantastical development. The fourth wall-smashing narration mocks this random story progression, although I'm not sure audiences should have been forced to endure a first-act origin story either. Anyway, the tire rolls along in the California desert, occasionally stopping to use his telepathic powers to blow stuff up, progressing from beer bottles to any human unlucky enough to enter his zone of doom. He eventually becomes fixated on a young woman who catches his fancy, so he spends the rest of the time stalking her as his blood-drenched killing spree continues. That's about it.

The actual narrative contains almost no dialogue from the get-go. It is the secondary story, involving about a dozen random citizens armed with binoculars who watch the story unfold and comment on it, that lends the film its postmodern snark, as well as the majority of the dialogue. Needless to say, the would-be bystanders slowly become unwilling participants in the unfolding narrative, which provides opportunities for 'woah, this is deep!' monologuing and more exploding heads. The picture isn't the least bit scary, and there is only so much comic mileage to be earned from random plot developments (at one point, a turkey just magically appears in a character's hotel room... cue offscreen slaughter and dinner for all!). Pardon my ignorance, but I may have missed the brilliant satire of the kind of filmschool pretentiousness that seems on constant display, but the movie absolutely fails to entertain on a level that would justify the artier inspirations.

Rubber is not a stupid film, but it lacks a forward momentum of any kind. The few actors with lines have inside-joke fun (Stephen Spinella makes the most of his fourth-wall intrusions). The project reeks of a certain 'make sure they get the joke' obviousness that kills any subtle enjoyment while robbing the picture of any tension or audience involvement. Of course, when you tell the audience right upfront that it's silly for us to become emotionally involved in a piece of art that we know is fake, it's a little tough for us to justify sitting through your feature-length dissertation on just that. At a seemingly-endless 83 minutes, Rubber burns, as does our patience.

Grade: C-

Must-Watch: Aaron Sorkin on 30 Rock

I don't know what it is about fifth seasons, but getting to season five often seems to creatively recharge long-running shows (Homicide: Life on the Street, Gilmore Girls, Law and Order, 30 Rock, 24, etc). Point being, 30 Rock is having one of its strongest seasons yet.

Scott Mendelson

More thoughts in defense of Sucker Punch.

The following is a re-edited form of a couple mini-essays that I wrote elsewhere over the weekend. I figured my readers might care to read them here as well. The actual review is here.

It is more than a little ironic that Sucker Punch is taking a critical beating for merely being an example of the very things that it's actually most critical of. At heart, it's a critical deconstruction of the casual sexualization of young women in pop culture, the inexplicable acceptance of institutional sexism and lechery, and whether or not images of empowered females on film can be disassociated with the sexual undercurrent of those same images. It’s an angry feminist screed, and a genuinely disconcerting little myth, without the ‘it’s all okay’ feel-good elements that would have made it more palatable to mainstream audiences. I wish it were a better movie overall (the plot is needlessly confusing in the first 25 minutes, and the characters are more game-board pieces than actual characters), but this is genuinely challenging movie-making and should be acknowledged as such.

It is a tricky thing that Zach Snyder was trying to do, making a genuinely bleak and depressing film about sexualization of women in pop culture as well as real life, while using some of those cliches to tell that story. But beneath the outfits and the very idea that attractive women with guns can qualify as titillating, here is next to no actual sexual material, and really Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is the only female character who is overly fetishized (the rest of the girls are basically attractive young women dressed in battle gear). The critics who complaint about empowerment missed the point – it’s not supposed to be empowering. You’re SUPPOSED to notice the creepy undertones, the fact that these action scenes are basically a mental distraction for Baby Doll as she is sexually exploited. My first thought coming out of the movie was (pardon the crudeness): “Zach Snyder just made While he raped me, I closed my eyes and imagined myself somewhere else: The Movie.” Pointing out that the film is not empowering is not a criticism, merely an objective statement regarding the film's overall tone. Films involving females do not have to be empowering. Feminism does not have to be empowering. It can exist merely to expose a problem involving gender relations.

Is it a great movie? Absolutely not. I cannot say how much of its flaws are due to MPAA and studio interference, but it is a severely compromised and messy picture. But it earns points for being about something genuinely interesting. Snyder could have just taken the same characters and action beats and made a guilt-free, live action version of The Powerpuff Girls, but he actually tried to make a real film. But even if you don’t care about the film’s messages (or don’t think the film successfully imparts said messages), it’s an incredible feat of action filmmaking. The second major set-piece is an all-time classic action scene, and just the kind of HUGE superhero action that we all claim we want in superhero films. I guarantee that set-piece (and the fourth major action scene) is why he got Superman.

All due respect to respected colleagues who just didn’t care for the movie, the majority of the pans are the sort of ‘can’t see past the glitzy special effects and sensationalist elements’ and then accusing the film of having no story/substance (see – Speed Racer, Beowulf, etc). Sucker Punch is not a great film, but it’s a dynamite piece of action filmmaking that has quite a bit of thoughtful subtext that partially makes up for the sloppy structure and relatively un-engaging characters. But I cannot fault anyone who saw what Snyder was trying to do and simply believe that he failed. It’s the critics and audience members who didn’t even try to look under the surface or couldn't see past the surface level elements being satirized that deserve our scorn.

Rarely have I spent so much time and effort defending a film that I merely liked. But the seemingly willful misinterpretation of the film merits mention and acknowledgement. You can't complain about the lack of challenging and socially-relevant mainstream movies and then fail to see the relevance of this challenging movie. It is no coincidence that Universal chose today to announce that it is finally moving ahead with a movie about... um... Candy Land. Reap what you sow, moviegoers.

Scott Mendelson

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II gets a somewhat familiar (cough-Enemy Mine-cough) poster.

Weekend Box Office (03/27/11): Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 knocks out Sucker Punch.

In a somewhat surprising result, the heavily-advertised action-fantasy Sucker Punch (teaser/trailer) did not top the box office this weekend, losing a close race to the lower-profile but popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules was number one for the weekend, with $24.4 million. The second film in the series comes just over a year after 20th Century Fox released the premiere entry (titled simply Diary of a Wimpy Kid) took the number-two slot with $22 million. With no massive Alice in Wonderland standing it is way this time, the further adventures of Zachery Gordon promoted itself to the top slot. The original film cost $15 million and ended up with $65 million in domestic sales. The sequel cost just $21 million and will theoretically end up in the same $60-70 million ballpark. This is certainly not a strong overseas franchise (the original grossed just $11 million in foreign markets), but 20th Century Fox has no reason not to keep pumping out adaptations of the long-running (five books so far) kid-lit series as long as the price is right. So, coming March 2012: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw.

Coming in at second place was Zach Snyder's ambitious action-fantasy Sucker Punch (review). The $85 million female-led adventure grossed just $19 million in its debut weekend. While Warner Bros. sold the film as a bubble-gum female empowerment epic, the film was actually a messy and dark examination of the sexualization of women in geek culture and the overall acceptance of institutional sexism. Stymied by the difficult-to-explain narrative and reviews that just couldn't see past the fishnets and colorful visuals, the film is another example of geek excitement not translating into mainstream interest. By itself, a $19 million opening weekend isn't all that troubling, the film had a mediocre 2.3x weekend multiplier, so legs are unlikely. The picture scored a mere B- from Cinemascore, meaning that audiences were as caught off-guard as critics. The one possible saving grace will be the overseas markets, which may well respond to the potent visuals and genuinely subversive undertones. This is a prime example of 'why we can't have nice things'. We all complain about mainstream entertainment lacking a point of view or challenging and imaginative material and when one comes along, the critics at large take a collective dump on it (it wasn't SUPPOSED to be traditionally empowering!!!) while audiences choose not to flock to it. Enjoy your Chutes and Ladders: the Movie.

As expected, the film played 64% male and 74% under-35. It will be interesting to see how this affects Zach Snyder's relationship with Warner Bros. This is his first purely original film, and he did bring it in at $85 million and at the request PG-13, the latter to the detriment of the film's quality it would seem. But this is his third-straight money loser for the company in a row, following Watchmen and Legend of the Guardians. Ironically, his one unqualified smash-hit 300, was his least engaging and least intellectually accomplished film so far. Go figure. Anyway, Warner Bros. successfully did damage control today by announcing that Amy Adams will be playing Lois Lane in Snyder's Superman picture, and we're sure to hear in the next few weeks just how deeply involved Chris Nolan is, as opposed to the now 'damaged goods' Zach Snyder. Still, this is yet another classic example of a filmmaker trying and (somewhat) failing and being ridiculed for it, while other filmmakers who fail to even try escape scrutiny. I'd rather have the Zach Snyders of the world swinging for the fences and merely scoring a ground-rule double.

Anyway, in holdover news, The Lincoln Lawyer (review) and Limitless both scored sensational holds, with the films having second weekend drops of just 16.7% and 19.5% respectively. As I've said a billion times, older audiences do like having films pitched at them once in awhile and the rock-solid business of these two star-driven adult thrillers are prime examples. Limitless sits at $41 million while The Lincoln Lawyer sits with $28 million. Limitless is a one-and-done, but Lincoln Lawyer's Mick Haller has several other literary adventures in print, so Lionsgate and Matthew McConaughey may have a franchise on their hands (god willing...). The best film of 2011, Rango (review) became one of the two first films of the year to cross $100 million, as it now sits with $103 million. Also joining the century club this weekend was the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston rom-com Just Go With It. Gnomeo and Juliet ($95 million) and The Green Hornet (review) with $97 million may join them if screen-bleeding and/or a lack of second-run theaters don't prevent that.

Battle: Los Angeles (review) sits at $72 million in seventeen days, making $100 million domestic less-than-likely. Paul dropped 43% in weekend two ($24 million thus far), but the film is running about even with Hot Tub Time Machine, meaning that the spiritualistic-atheism comedy has a shot at $40 million, which will make it by far the most successful of the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost vehicles thus far. In limited release, Win Win ($679,000) and Jane Eyre ($1.8 million) continue to burn up the arthouse chart, and Cedar Rapids ($6.1 million) again proves that it should have been a wide releaser. Oh, and mazel tov to CBS Films' Beastly, which surpassed my expectations and crossed the $25 million mark this weekend. I was wrong, as this one has something approaching legs.

That's it for this weekend. Join us next time for a stupidly crowded weekend, with three wide releases (Hop, Insidious, and Source Code), a PG-13 re-release of The King's Speech (f*ck no, do not go!), and a handful of noteworthy limited debuts (Super, Wrecked, Trust, and Rubber). Spread the wealth people... spread the wealth.

Scott Mendelson