Movie Release :

Monday, April 28, 2014

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone


A Couple Turned Their Home Into the 'Up' House, and the Neighbors Aren't Happy (VIDEO)

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up house controversy
A California couple who repainted their Victorian home to look just like the one from the Pixar movie "Up" have delighted their children -- and have also unwittingly inspired some pretty cartoonish reactions from their neighbors.

NBC Bay Area reports that Hosam Haggog and Fatima Rahman spent two years remodeling their Santa Clara home, painstakingly recreating the colorful palette of the house owned -- and sailed -- by Carl Fredricksen in "Up." And while the couple have done an impressive job matching their real-life home to the computer-animated one, their neighbors are less than impressed, and have complained that the house no longer fits into the historic neighborhood's aesthetic.

One of those neighbors, Lou Faria, a member of the Old Quad Residents Association, had some especially curmudgeonly things to say about Haggog and Rahman's home.

"It really, in my opinion, is atrocious that this Victorian is a gracious old lady and it's being painted up to look like a clown," Faria told NBC.

Despite the controversy (and accusations from some neighbors), the couple say that they haven't broken any codes, and are happy with the way their home has been transformed -- and especially pleased with the joy it's brought their family and other children.

"[Our daughters] love the movie 'Up' and we just thought we'd give them something fun to be proud of and actually all the kids in the neighborhood really love the colors," Haggog said.

"We're not trying to create controversy," added Rahman. "We're trying to build a home for our daughters and our family. And that's what our intention was."

NBC reports that once renovations are complete, the mayor of Santa Clara has promised to throw a block party for the neighborhood. We're guessing there will be plenty of balloons -- and hopefully a change of heart for some neighbors.

[via: NBC Bay Area, h/t Cinema Blend]

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The New 'The Fault in Our Stars' Trailer Will Turn Your Eyes Into Waterfalls (VIDEO)

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fault in our stars trailer
A new, extended trailer for "The Fault in Our Stars" gives us a closer glimpse at heroine Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a teen with cancer who's falling head over heels in love with her fellow support group member, August (Ansel Elgort), despite her better judgement.

Hazel rolls her eyes at her group leader's attempts to get her to engage about her diagnosis, instead finding herself drawn to August, who sucks on an unlit cigarette in a defiant gesture that he explains "never give(s) it the power to kill you." That's heady stuff for a teenager, and Hazel is immediately swept up in his unfiltered take on life, though she does try to push away his romantic advances.

"I'm a grenade," she protests.

"I know that love is just to shout into the void, and oblivion is inevitable," he says. "And I am in love with you."

August's grand speech is some not-so-subtle foreshadowing to the heartbreak that's no doubt waiting for both "Fault"'s protagonists and viewers alike. We'd recommend keeping a bunch of Kleenex handy.

"The Fault in Our Stars," based on the novel by John Green and co-starring Laura Dern, Nat Wolff, and Mike Birbiglia, hits theaters on June 6.

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Did the Latest 'Godzilla' Featurette Accidentally Reveal a New Monster? (VIDEO)

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godzilla 2014 monster reveal
Though filmmakers behind the upcoming "Godzilla" reboot have been mum on the subject of the beast's new adversaries, it seems that they may have inadvertently revealed an extended look at one of the creature's foes in an unrelated promotional video.

The clip in question is a featurette about Godzilla's iconic roar, and how the classic sound effect has been faithfully recreated and updated for the new film. But at the :45 mark, as director Gareth Edwards discusses the roar, sitting in plain view behind him is a model of a mysterious creature.

Based on previous internet sleuthing about the character, who's already believed to have been revealed in the new "Godzilla" toy line, it seems that the creature behind Edwards is indeed the same one that makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the movie's trailer. As for what exactly it is, there's been no word from filmmakers, though we can't help but wonder if this sudden reveal in the featurette was planned, since it seems like a pretty big piece of information to miss.

The model certainly looks cooler than its plastic counterpart. Let's hope it's equally impressive on the big screen.

"Godzilla" roars into theaters on May 16.

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Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford Spotted in London, Just in Time for 'Star Wars' Filming

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mark hamill carrie fisher harrison ford london
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford's inevitable return to the "Star Wars" universe for "Episode VII" is one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood, and the trio of stars haven't been doing much to quell still-officially-unconfirmed rumors of a reunion between Luke, Leia, and Han.

The latest clue that they'll all be back for the upcoming first chapter of a new "Wars" trilogy is their not-so-coincidental simultaneous appearances in London recently (the site of shooting location Pinewood Studios), evidence of which has been trickling in through social media. British actor Peter Serafinowicz (who voiced Darth Maul in "The Phantom Menance") posted a photo of him posing with Hamill on Twitter; Fisher mused on the microblogging site about her dog being spotted in London without her; and a picture of Ford chatting with Air Ambulance pilots also made the rounds online.

Serafinowicz added the cheeky caption, "I wonder why he's here," to his photo with Hamill, and it seems both he and the rest of the world already know the answer. We're just hoping that Disney will end the charade and officially announce the stars' return -- and perhaps reveal a bit of their story lines -- soon. (Disney CEO Alan Horn promised as much last week.)

"Star Wars: Episode VII," directed by J.J. Abrams, has already started some preliminary shooting in London and Abu Dhabi. It's set to hit theaters on December 18, 2015.

[via Screen Rant]

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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Steven Spielberg Is Directing Roald Dahl's Beloved 'The BFG'

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steven spielberg the bfg raold dahl"The BFG" is the latest Roald Dahl book to get the big-screen treatment, and it's enlisted an impressive director: Steven Spielberg.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that Spielberg will take the reins of the project, about a young orphan girl who befriends the titular Big Friendly Giant. Studio DreamWorks has been trying to get a movie adaptation of Dahl's 1982 book (illustrated by Quentin Blake) off the ground since it first acquired the rights in 2011, with directors including John Madden and Chris Columbus attached at one time.

But now, according to THR, Spielberg is "officially committed" to the project, and wants to get it off the ground soon, aiming to start production in early 2015. It helps that "The BFG" has a stable of filmmakers with whom Spielberg has worked before, including longtime collaborator Frank Marshall, who is producing, and screenwriter Melissa Mathison, who also penned the screenplay for "E.T."

Spielberg has added a bunch of new films to his slate in recent months, signing on to helm an adaptation of the novel "The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara," as well as an untitled Cold War project with star Tom Hanks. He may try to fit in one of those before he begins "The BFG," according to THR.

"The BFG" -- which will be live-action -- is expected to land in theaters sometime in 2016.

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

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'Grease Live' TV Special to Air on Fox in 2015

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grease musical fox tv"Grease" is the word over at Fox: The network just announced that it will air a live version of the hit musical sometime in 2015.

Taking a cue from NBC's successful live staging of "The Sound of Music" in December, Fox revealed Monday that it, too, is jumping into the live musical game, scooping up the production that made John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John household names. In a notable deviation from NBC's choice to adapt the Broadway version of "Music," not the more well-known movie version, Fox will stage the version of "Grease" presented in the hit 1978 film, which includes some songs not found in the 1971 stage production.

"From Broadway to film, and across generations, 'Grease' is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told -- and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," said Shana C. Waterman, Senior Vice President of Event Series for FOX, in a statement. "Its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for FOX, and we're going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along."

Paramount TV president Amy Powell said in a statement that Fox's reputation "for engaging audiences with bold storytelling and live musical format" -- through its hit series like "Glee" and "American Idol" -- made it a great fit for "Grease Live."

The production will air in a three-hour block on the network sometime during the 2015 TV season, and will feature an as-yet-unnamed "young ensemble cast." We're betting Fox will call on past and present performers from the above shows to fill out the "Grease Live" ranks.

In the meantime, we're going to dust off our Pink Lady jackets and practice the "Hand Jive."

[via HitFix]

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Chelsea Handler on Netflix? Host Is Close to Signing a Deal

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chelsea handler netflixAfter making waves for publicly criticizing her soon-to-be-ex-employer, E!, Chelsea Handler may have already found herself a new home.

The New York Post reports that Handler is close to signing a deal with Netflix. But just what that deal would entail is unclear, since Handler is known for her late night talk show, and Netflix is more geared toward serialized shows (and currently premieres all of its new, original content -- like "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black" -- in one big, simultaneous batch).

"Handler has a deal with Netflix, but the format is to be decided," a source told the Post.

Whatever the streaming service has up its sleeve for the comedienne, Handler is clearly interested, since she hinted at a partnership with Netflix earlier this year, before she'd even officially announced she was leaving E!. During an appearance on the Howard Stern show, Handler told the host that she would consider moving to Netflix; in that same interview, she called E! "a sad, sad place to live," adding that the network "don't know what they're doing. They have no ideas. It's a failure."

Handler then confirmed late last month that she would depart the network -- and end her show, "Chelsea Lately" -- when her contract expires at the end of this year.

At the time of Handler's Stern appearance, Netflix denied that it was in talks with Handler. The streaming giant declined to comment on the Post's latest report.

Photo by Colin Young-Wolff /Invision/AP

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Here's the First Full Trailer for Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers' (VIDEO)

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leftovers trailer
It's been ten years since "Lost" debuted on ABC and changed the landscape of the medium.

And, since the show's end in 2010, co-creator Damon Lindelof has dabbled in a number of projects: he's a producer on ABC's "Once Upon a Time," co-produced J.J. Abrams's two "Star Trek" movies (co-writing the second one), wrote the ambitious "Alien" quasi-prequel "Prometheus" for Ridley Scott and was one of the many cooks in the kitchen for Jon Favreau's "Cowboys & Aliens." But he has yet to create a follow-up TV series. Until now.

This summer, Lindelof brings Tom Perotta's best-selling and critically acclaimed novel "The Leftovers" to HBO for a ten-part series, with the first full trailer (below) airing last night right before "Game of Thrones" (and right alongside the equally-impressive trailer for Steven Soderbergh's Cinemax series "The Knick"). It looks pretty rapturous.

Set to the tune of James Blake's lovely electro-ballad "Retrograde," the clip starts with a mom getting into a car with her baby. Seconds later, the baby is gone. The trailer then cuts around to various people and their involvement in an event that most are describing as The Rapture -- when 2% of the world's population simply vanishes. "The Leftovers" is set some time after this event, following a group of characters in a small New York town, led by Justin Theroux's troubled police chief. Other members of the cast include Christopher Eccleston and Liv Tyler.

The show looks absolutely bonkers in all the right, Lindelofian ways (yes, that is some kind of weird cult that has developed since the Rapture), and full of the HBO hallmarks of hardcore sex and violence. Quite frankly, we can't wait.

"The Leftovers" premieres on June 29.

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Canadian Film Day: On April 29, Celebrate Canuck Movies

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canadian film day, reel canada

Oh, Canada, our cinematic home and native land!

April 29, 2014 is National Canadian Film Day, a day for all Canadians to celebrate Canada through our nation's rich cinema history.

The day follows a month-long campaign to raise awareness of the achievements of Canadian filmmakers. It encourages Canadians across the country to rise above our national aversion to self-aggrandizement and actually watch a great Canadian film.

National Canadian Film Day is an initiative of Reel Canada, an organization that has put on over 800 festivals of Canadian films for over 200,000 high school students and new Canadians across the country since 2005.

To celebrate the day, Toronto's Royal Cinema movie theatre is putting on two separate showings on April 29:

"Highway 61" (7:00 p.m. ET)
Inspired by Bob Dylan's classic song and the fact that Highway 61 actually starts in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Bruce McDonald and Don McKellar combined forces to create this acclaimed rock 'n roll road movie. When naive barber Pokey Jones (McKellar) meets Jackie Bangs, a flamboyant roadie on the run, it doesn't take her long to persuade him to leave Thunder Bay for New Orleans. Jones finds himself taking not only Jackie, but also a frozen corpse he found in his backyard that she claims is her brother. In hot pursuit of the fleeing couple is Mr. Skin, a bizarre and deluded character who thinks of himself as the Devil. As the three travel south, sparks fly and romance blooms between Pokey and Jackie.

"Last Night" (9:15 p.m. ET)
As the year 2000 grew near, paranoia around "Y2K" was rampant. Don McKellar responded to the anxiety around potential computer meltdowns with "Last Night," a witty film that ended up receiving 13 Genie nominations and won Best Actress (Sandra Oh), Best Supporting Actor (Callum Keith Rennie) and the Jutra Award for Best Directorial Debut (Don McKellar). It also won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival.

As the film begins, the last day of 1999 has truly become the "last night." The apocalypse is here. Humanity will die at midnight. As rioting and looting begin to take place in Toronto, disparate groups of people prepare to meet their fate. A young architect (McKellar) plans to go out solo while his best friend (Rennie) attempts to have as many sexual conquests as possible. When the architect meets a stranded young woman (Oh) who can't find her husband (David Cronenberg), a strange and intense relationship quickly develops.

For more information visit the Canadian Film Day website or follow the organizaton on Twitter.

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The First Teaser for Steven Soderbergh's 'The Knick' Is Bloody Good (VIDEO)

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the knick steven soderbergh
When director Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's Eleven," "Magic Mike") announced that he fully intended on following through with his long-discussed retirement, film fanatics everywhere mourned, crying deeply into their Criterion Blu-ray box set of "Che" and wondering what would become of modern cinema.

But he hasn't exactly been resting on his laurels (if that were even possible) -- several of his older films have either been reissued in HD (like "King of the Hill") or are currently being worked on ("Kafka," finally), he's just directed an off-Broadway play in New York ("The Library," written by his frequent collaborator Scott Z. Burns) and, over on his website, he does continually weird stuff like re-editing "Psycho" and "Heaven's Gate."

But the biggest, most ambitious, and most hotly anticipated post-retirement Soderbergh joint is happening this summer: "The Knick," a limited-run Cinemax series that stars Clive Owen as a doctor working at the Knickerbocker Hospital in turn-of-the-century New York. And the first full teaser aired last night before "Game of Thrones," which we handily have for your viewing pleasure below.

The teaser features this weirdly dissonant music (no clue on who provides the score for the series, although you can bet it'll be one of Soderbergh's regulars) over flashes of super gross surgeries and unhygienic practices. "We live in a time of endless possibility," Owen narrates. And the series looks like one of endless possibilities too: this is going to be great.

While a premiere date has yet to be set, it's still supposed to be coming this summer. And we can't wait.

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What We Know About the 'Justice League' Movie Right Now

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justice league movie zack snyder
In the past few weeks, we've been bombarded with news of actors set to appear in the upcoming, still-as-yet-untitled superhero sequel that pits Batman (newly caped Ben Affleck) against Superman (Henry Cavill, back from "Man of Steel") -- and includes characters like Cyborg and Wonder Woman. These characters would seemingly form a bridge to a future, as-yet-undisclosed "Justice League" movie. Although that movie is getting a whole lot closer (and more concrete), thanks to an announcement in the Wall Street Journal that "Man of Steel"/"Batman vs. Superman" director Zack Snyder will helm the "Justice League" movie...

And much sooner than you'd expect, too.

The announcement that the Batman/Superman movie would be pushed from its place in the summer 2015 death arena to a more comfortable 2016 release date struck many as odd, especially given the unprecedented level of anticipation for the project. But Borys Kit from the Hollywood Reporter is speculating that the bump could have been used to design a concurrent project. That's right, folks, according to him, the Batman/Superman movie and "Justice League" are being filmed concurrently, with "Justice League" coming out the following summer (2017). So these casting announcements could just be for "Justice League" and have very little to do with the Batman/Superman project at all.

Supposedly, the announcement of the Batman/Superman/"Justice League" cluster fudge could come as soon as Comic Con this summer. And The Wrap has an interesting rumor about who the studio is seeking out for Aquaman. According to the site, they're looking to re-team Affleck (who will reprise his role of Batman for the "Justice League" movie) with his buddy and frequent creative collaborator Matt Damon. How ya like them apples?

While this seems pretty unlikely, so did Affleck, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, signing on to play a dude who dresses like a bat, for a nakedly commercial Hollywood superhero project. (Also something to think about: How does this affect Affleck's next directorial project, "Live by Night"?)

More announcements will likely drop soon. The Batman/Superman movie, which costars Jesse Eisenberg, Holly Hunter, Diane Lane, Amy Adams and Jeremy Irons, will be released May 6, 2016, while the "Justice League" movie should be out very soon after...

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images

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Hot Docs 2014: 'Advanced Style' Review

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advanced style, hot docs, hot docs 2014, advanced style hot docs

First there was the blog, and then there was the book, now there's the film. Ari Cohen's wildly popular photo collection of older women who push fashion to the limit in New York City has been given the big screen treatment, and is one of the most talked-about films at this year's Hot Docs Festival.

"Advanced Style" sashays into Toronto for four stylish screenings, and it isn't an easy ticket to come by. Word on this film has spread like wildfire over the last few months as major magazines and television programs have profiled the women featured in the doc, as well as Cohen himself and filmmaker Lina Plioplyte. With all the hype, it would seem there is a serious push to better represent mature women in the modern age of fashion.

The film begins the same way the blog did, with Ari Cohen walking up to elegant-looking older women who are subconsciously using the city streets at their runway, and asking to take a few pictures. Call it confidence, or call it vanity, but most of the women he asks seem to take him up on it.

At the perfect length of 72 minutes, "Advanced Style" starts out as a gleeful fashion show. Within the first few minutes, you meet half a dozen women who range in age from about 60 to 100. After your mind adjusts to the visual roller-coaster of angular hats, bright red woolens and 3-inch lashes, this doc starts to do its real work: understanding the motivation behind its subjects. One woman owns a vintage clothing store, but money and love don't come easily. Another in her 90s only "came of age" in terms of art and fashion about 15 years ago! The owner of the long standing Off Broadway Boutique is never short on advice and outfits, and is going strong at 80. And a legally blind former dancer isn't ruling out her chance at meeting Mr. Right.

What's striking during this film is how confident these older women are in their resolve to dress the way they like. By the same token, they can be vulnerable and forthcoming about their position in life while the camera rolls. It's this mix of imagery and storytelling that makes the documentary version of "Advanced Style" a different experience than the blog. Ari Cohen's images are dazzling, but it's Plioplyte's filmmaking skill that coaxes out the thoughtful and even painful back stories from these women.

More important than any fashion triumph or faux-pas you may judge while watching, this doc reminds everyone that there is no point in giving up. Your health will fail you. Friends and family will come and go. Age happens, but style remains. The women of Ari Cohen's genius idea for a blog make getting older seem way better than not getting the opportunity.

"Advanced Style" is a real charmer. Don't miss it.

SCREENINGS
Hart House Theatre, Tues., Apr. 29, 10:00 p.m.
Isabel Bader Theatre, Thurs., May 1, 1:00 p.m.
Regent Theatre, Sat, May 3, 1:30 p.m.
Isabel Bader Theatre, Sun., May 4, 1:30 p.m.


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The 10 Best Movies of 2014 (So Far)

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Best Movies of 2014
Well, a good chunk of 2014 is already done and gone. And while we're sad to see it go, it seems like the perfect opportunity to stop and reflect on the movies that have been released thus far this year. While last year was championed as affording a standout collection of cinematic treasures, from the looks of it, 2014 could be even better -- and way weirder.

Some of the best movies have involved Scarlet Johansson as a lifeforce-sucking space alien, a pair of groovy vampires in love, and a superhero movie where a talking computer delivers large chunks of important exposition. Yes, 2014 is very awesome and very weird.

Here's our list of the top 10 movies of the year (thus far). What have you seen of our list? What did we miss? And what do you think the chances are for 2014 topping 2013 in terms of pure excellence?

Article photo courtesy Warner Bros.

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Jim Carrey Poses With Fans at Peterborough, Ontario Airport

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US-POLITICS-EASTER-OBAMA


After seeing these pictures, you can never accuse Jim Carrey of being snobbish.

The Canadian A-list actor was spotted at the Peterborough, Ontario Airport in Canada on Friday. Carrey reportedly has a cottage in the nearby Bancroft area, and was flying out to spend the week there.

Twitter user Zach Premate posted two pictures to the social media site, one this selfie:


The other was a group pic, and as you can see, the actor was happy to oblige:


It always warms the cockles of our hearts to see a celebrity so eager to make their fans' day. Kudos to you, Jim Carrey!

Information provided by PTBOCanada.com

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Box Office: What's the Secret to 'The Other Woman''s Surprise Success?

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box office the other woman
Who'd have thought that skinny Cameron Diaz could kick Captain America to the curb so decisively? Not the box office pundit class, that's for sure.

Predictions for Diaz's new comedy, "The Other Woman," were modest, with some experts foreseeing a debut as low as $13 million, or maybe $18 to $20 million at best. Instead, the film opened with an estimated $24.7 million, enough to dethrone "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" after three weeks on top (it earned an estimated $16.0 million).

Really, after such comedy hits as "Bridesmaids," "The Heat," and Diaz's own "Bad Teacher," it's time for the experts to stop being surprised every time one of these risqué, female-driven comedies is a smash. They're not standard romantic-comedy (or romantic-weepie) chick flicks, but they're not flukes either. It's a growing and evolving genre. And as the success of "Other Woman" -- despite its lackluster reviews -- suggests, it's a genre with an ever lowering bar for entry into the hit movie club.

Of course, "The Other Woman" also had a few things going for it that helped it exceed expectations. Such as...

Timing. Not only did it open on a weekend that "Captain America" was finally on the wane, but it also opened opposite weak competition. The two other new movies were "Brick Mansions," a small-scale action movie that looks like an afterthought or footnote in the late Paul Walker's career (it opened in fifth place, with an estimated $9.6 million) and "The Quiet Ones," a horror movie in a month already oversaturated with scary flicks (it opened in seventh place, with an estimated $4.0 million). Overall, this was a weak weekend at the box office, with revenue down about 14 percent from a week ago, so it didn't take much for "The Other Woman" to step in and claim the top spot. A week later and the movie would have been flattened by "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

It also didn't hurt that Thursday marked the TV debut of the sitcom version of "Bad Teacher," which Diaz produces. Star Ari Graynor is a gifted comic actress, but she's no Diaz, and seeing a retelling of the recent Diaz hit comedy without Diaz herself as its star may have whetted moviegoer appetites for the real thing.

Rating. Most of the recent successful raunchy comedies have come with a hard R rating for extremes of profanity, vulgarity, and sexually-themed material. (Oddly enough, however, they've included very little nudity.) The makers of "The Other Woman" apparently realized that you could do more or less the same thing with no nudity and very little profanity, get a PG-13 rating, and open their film up to a much wider audience. Not that the movie's premise had a whole lot of appeal to younger audiences, but it at least had the benefit of attracting those older women who are squeamish about all the raunch that an R-rating implies.

Directing. Nick Cassavetes knows chick flicks, having directed Diaz in "My Sister's Keeper" and having also directed a little cult film called "The Notebook." Though he was largely unproven as a comedy director, he clearly knows how to bring women into theaters.

Casting. Diaz is the main draw here, with her ability to be sexy, vulgar, pathetic, vulnerable, and funny all at once. And having Sports Illustrated supermodel Kate Upton (in her first major role in a movie) as one of the protagonists may be bringing in some men who might otherwise have bristled at having to see a chick flick. There is eye-candy for the ladies, too, in the form of "Game of Thrones" star Nicholaj Coster-Waldau (as the cad cheating on all three women) and "Chicago Fire" star Taylor Kinney. And there's even a cameo by pop star Nicki Minaj, whose ability to bring the crazy may have attracted rubbernecking viewers from all sexes and planets.

But the movie's secret weapon is apparently Leslie Mann, as the woman who discovers her husband is cheating with both Diaz and Upton's characters. She's done fine work as brittle, high-strung wives and girlfriends in various movies made by her husband, Judd Apatow (particularly "Knocked Up" and "This is 40,") but even in this ensemble, audiences are singling her out for her movie-stealing performance.

Bonding. The movie's premise is familiar to anyone who's seen the 1996 film "The First Wives Club," with three women teaming up and taking revenge on their faithless exes. Here, they're all taking revenge on one guy, but what's noteworthy isn't the vengeance plot but the fact that there are three female protagonists. When's the last time you saw a movie with three female protagonists? (Yes, there were six women in "Bridesmaids," but the focus was almost entirely on Kristen Wiig's character.) You might have to go all the way back to "The First Wives Club" -- 18 years ago. The bonding on-screen is reflected in the audience, since "The Other Woman" is less a date-night movie than a girls-night-out movie. Instead of couples, the movie's audience was larger groups.

"The Other Woman" may not be anyone's idea of an innovative film, but it does suggest an evolution is in progress for the raunchy, actress-driven comedy. Making it a little less raunchy and gearing it toward groups instead of couples are developments that clearly paid off here, so watch for other movies in the genre to follow suit.

After all, revenge is apparently a dish best served in family-size portions.

Photo courtesy Fox

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