Caffeinated Clint
The mop-haired Yankee protagonist “Man of Steel” has flown back into U.S cinemas, and in doing so has managed to already poke into his cherry undies (wait, this new guy hasn’t got the undies, has he!? Oh, screw it.. just go with it) a mass of chafing paper treasure to the value of some forty-something million!
Warner Bros, who failed to attract much of a fiscal pot on their last ‘Superman’ film 2006’s “Superman Returns” (though, personally, I enjoyed the film – I found it poignant, romantic, emotional, and deeper than so many comic-book transfers) are doing cartwheels atop of the Burbank tower today. With the studio’s only real bonafide Superhero franchise being Chris Nolan’s ‘Batman’ trilogy (which has now come to an end), “Man of Steel”‘s success is music to Robinov’s ears. With the film’s impending success, the studio now get going on its Marvel-combating line of superhero movies – said to include more “Man of Steel” movies, a “Justice League” movie, and the long-gestating “Wonder Woman”.
Astonishingly, those mixed reviews for “Man of Steel” (seems you either passionately love it or snidely hate it; funnily enough, near the exact same split as Bryan Singer’s ‘Super’ film encountered) or the terrible weather they’re currently experiencing in New York City, haven’t deterred people from checking out director Zack Snyder’s reinterpretation of DC’s most illustrious character.
The film faces worthwhile competition in the form of Seth Rogen starrer “This is the End” and that fierce bitch, Candy Crush this weekend but looks to still noose the trophy. It earned somewhere between $42.5M to $47.5M on Friday, and is expected to earn as much as $132 over the next four days, putting it significantly ahead of the last Man of Steel celluloid transfer.
The film, starring Brit boy Henry Cavill as the last son of Krypton, has been running in its own race since Thursday night, when it premiered at midnight. In terms of night-before screenings, it’s toppled 2012′ s “Hunger Games”‘ , as well as fellow superhero pics “Dark Knight” and “The Avengers”. Another cartwheel, Warner?
The only question at this stage seems to be whether the movie, which is playing in some 4,207 theaters and is the biggest wide-release ever for a non-sequel (850 theaters are playing the movie in 2D, while the rest screen the film in 3D), can top “Iron Man 3”? At this stage, it hasn’t.
Sony’s counter-programmer “This is the End”, from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, looks to earn about $18.2M over the next couple of days. Don’t let that film’s lack of superhero biffo and Kevin Costner sermons put you off though, it’s a brilliant movie – and at this stage, seems to have won over the critics even more than “Man of Steel” has.
While I can’t release my review of “This is the End” yet, because there’s an embargo on the film until mid July in Australia (sorry, overseas readers! You have permission to check out the reviews of the film on the other sites that are carrying their reviews), I can truly say it’s as much a ‘must-see’ as “Man of Steel” is.
Based on a short film starring Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel (made years before they were famous – well, before Rogen was famous), the film’s by and large just an excuse for then TV stars cum movie hit makers Rogen and Baruchel to round-up their now equally famous buddies so they can muck up on camera together. And in between all the mucking up and piss taking of each other, some Emmerich-sized special effects rub up against the funny.
There’s not much of a premise – the apocalypse hits while everyone is partying at actor James Franco’s house, and the survivors have to hole up in the house together – but where the gold lies is within the brilliant bouncings off of the cast, which includes – again, all playing exaggerated versions of themselves.
With their self-depreciating gags and juvenile digs at one another, Rogen & Goldberg’s screenplay totally lets it all hang out.. and the audience is in stitches as a result. I promise you American viewers, you’ll love it. And I can’t wait to release my review, so we can work the rest of you into an excited lather for it (because, someone once told me, my reviews work people into lathers. Thanks Grandma!).
Good luck to both “Man of Steel” and “This is the End” at the U.S Box-Office this weekend!
