Thompson on Hollywood

Weekend Preview: 'Moonrise Kingdom' Rules; The Audacious 'Oslo, August 31st' & France's 'Intouchables'

Features

"Moonrise Kingdom" is the obvious must-see this holiday weekend, following its warm reception as the Cannes opening night film and the slew of delighted reviews that followed. Fans of director Wes Anderson won't be disappointed; this is a film that only he could make...

By Sophia Savage
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May 24, 2012 1:03 PM
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China's Wanda Group to Acquire Theater Chain AMC Entertainment to Form Largest Global Cinema Giant

News

It's a small world after all. The dateline on the press release reads "BEIJING, China and KANSAS CITY, Mo." That tells you everything you need to know about the transformative news that Chinese conglomerate Wanda, which runs China's largest theater chain, will acquire AMC Entertainment, America's second-largest theater chain.

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2012 7:49 AM
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Arthouse Audit: Who Needs Festivals? Ongoing 'Marigold' Trumps Cannes & Toronto Standouts

Box Office

While the US indie acquisition world hunts for new hits at Cannes, a film that bypassed festivals is the standout among recent releases. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" in its third weekend also continues to parallel same-day opener "The Avengers" in looking good in an otherwise underperforming market, and then some.

By Tom Brueggemann
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May 20, 2012 1:46 PM
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Weekend Box Office: 'Avengers' Annihilates 'Battleship,' Which Opens Lower than 'John Carter'

Box Office

Marking its third consecutive weekend in the top spot, Disney’s “The Avengers” continued to annihilate the competition and dominate at North American box office. The Marvel Studio’s production racked up an estimated $55 million, advancing its cume to a stellar $457.1 million.

By Brian Fuson
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May 20, 2012 1:30 PM
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Dear Reggae Fans: You Can Host a Screening of 'Marley'

Box Office

Gathr, a pioneer company in movies on demand programming, announced that they will allow fans to bring the critically-acclaimed documentary "Marley" to their local movie venue. "Marley" explores the rich life of Bob Marley, a towering influence in music history. The film was made with unprecedented support from the Marley family.

By Maggie Lange
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May 19, 2012 7:39 AM
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Magnolia's on a Roll, from 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' and 'Marley' to Twisty Stylish Thriller 'Headhunters'

Features

"Headhunters" is a smart pick-up. It's basically the most commercial movie Norway has to offer, based on Joe Nesbo's global detective bestseller, starring rising star Aksel Hennie ("Max Manus") and Danish "Game of Thrones" baddie Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and directed with style by top commercial director Morten Tyldum.

By Anne Thompson
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May 13, 2012 10:41 PM
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Arthouse Audit: 'Marigold Hotel' Still Torrid Amid Weak Specialty Field

Box Office

The strong expansion for "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" was marked by a dramatic jump from 27 to 178 theaters, with an estimated PSA (per screen average) of $13,000 or better (likely) for the weekend. Quick expansions for a film like this aren't typical, and the configuration here doesn't offer easy comparisons.

By Tom Brueggemann
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May 13, 2012 3:55 PM
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Weekend Box Office: 'Avengers' Joins $1 Billion Club After 19 Days UPDATED

Box Office

Disney’s “The Avengers” boasted the biggest second weekend in box office history with a stunning $103.2 million, down a mild 50% from its debut and bringing the 10 day cume for the Marvel Studios film to an unprecedented $373.2 million domestic and $628.9 million internationally.

By Brian Fuson
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May 13, 2012 12:33 PM
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Trailer Watch: Pixar's 'Brave' Will Be One of the Summer's Top Performers

Video

Why isn't "Brave" showing at Cannes? Because it's set to open the Edinburgh Film Festival instead just after its June 22 stateside release. Pixar's 13th film and first fairy tale, "Brave," is sure to be yet another top box office performer by summer's end,

By Anne Thompson
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May 12, 2012 2:03 PM
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Arthouse Audit: 'Marigold' Is 'Avengers' for Seniors, 'First Position' and 'Bernie' Score

Box Office

While it didn't have 24-hour shows at some locations, and didn't set any records, just as "The Avengers" raised the bar for 2012 wide-release films, Fox Searchlight's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is showing the best results for specialized/older audience films since 2011's late-year openings.