Hello everyone,
This post is dedicated to actor David Hekili Kenui Bell who was one of the stars of the recent “Lilo and Stitch” movie. It was announced today that he just passed away.
BOX OFFICE: Live action movies did very well this weekend taking the top 2 spots. The live action “How To Train Your Dragon” soared to #1 with $84.6 million which is a better opening than any of the animated movies in the franchise. #2 was the live action “Lilo and Stitch” which is still doing pretty well with $15.7 million on its 4th weekend. Its total domestic box office is now over $365 million. #3 was the new romantic comedy “The Materialists” with $12 million. “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning” came in 4th with $10.5 million. Its domestic total is now $166.5 million. Last week’s new movie “Ballerina” beat “Mission Impossible” last week but not this week. It sank 60% to $9.7 million for 5th place.
Overall the total domestic box office rose approx. 36.5% to $154 million, mostly thanks to “How To Train Your Dragon” which was more than 50% of that total.
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: “How To Train Your Dragon” also did well internationally – including taking the #1 spot in China – making almost $200 million worldwide. That’s double the amount of the “Ballerina” worldwide total of $91.5 after it’s 2nd weekend. “Lilo and Stitch” is still going strong with a worldwide total of $858 million. “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning just past $500 million worldwide box office.
OTHER NEWS:
Although it reportedly hasn’t started shooting yet, I’m guessing that there’s a possibility that “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” – the sequel or spinoff movie to “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher – might be released at the end of this year. I see a news item about this movie every few days. The latest is casting news that Carla Gugino, Elizabeth Debicki and Scott Caan (among others) were cast in the movie.
In more layoff news, Paramount announced last week that it will be cutting another 3.5% from its domestic workforce reporting that it’s due to the “..continued industry-wide linear declines and dynamic macro-economic environment”
LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR:
Click on the picture above for the full “censored for television” video.
They can show Marvel characters killing or injuring people on network television WITHOUT CENSORS but several TV networks will censor or cut any time a movie says certain words such as this somewhat famous scene from “Planes Trains and Automobiles”.
LOS ANGELES FILM REVIEW 