Moviefone Editorial

Tag: kevin-james

  • ‘Guns Up’ Exclusive Interview: Luis Guzman

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    Out now in theaters is ‘Guns Up,’ directed by Edward Drake and starring Kevin James, Christina Ricci, Luis Guzman, Timothy V. Murphy, Francis Cronin, and Melissa Leo.

    In ‘Guns Up,’ Luis Guzman plays Ignatius, the right hand man of a mob boss and friend to Ray Hayes (Kevin James), a former cop who works as an enforcer for the organization and is looking to get out.

    Guzman’s ability to move effortlessly from the serious to the comedic has landed him roles in dozens of films and TV shows, and he’s worked with directors like Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson multiple times. In addition to ‘Guns Up’ and the recent thriller ‘Havoc,’ Guzman will return this fall in Season 2 of the blockbuster Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ as Gomez, patriarch of the Addams family and father to the title character (Jenna Ortega).

    Related Article: Jenna Ortega Looks Suitably Spooky in the First Image from ‘Wednesday’ Season 2

    (Left) Luis Guzmán in 'Guns Up'. Photo: Vertical.
    (Left) Luis Guzmán in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.

    Moviefone had the pleasure of speaking exclusively with this versatile actor about getting the role in ‘Guns Up,’ working with Kevin James and Christina Ricci, and what we can expect next from ‘Wednesday.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    (L to R) Kevin James, Christina Ricci and Luis Guzmán in 'Guns Up'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Kevin James, Christina Ricci and Luis Guzmán in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.

    Moviefone: Let’s start with ‘Guns Up.’ What struck you about this script and character?

    Luis Guzmán: Well, it was funny. They called me on a Monday. They offered me the part on Monday and they said, “Can you fly in tomorrow to start shooting Wednesday?” I go, “Okay, guys, maybe it’d be a good idea that I read the script because you offered me the part. I have not read the script.” So I got the script later that day. I read it that night. I thought it was really cool and different. I liked the whole genre of action/comedy and the fact that I was going to have an opportunity to work with Kevin James and Christina Ricci and to do a scene with Melissa Leo. I was like, “Oh, wow, this is great.” But it also a lot also had to do with the writer/director, Edward Drake. I just dug his vibe, his flow. That got me really interested. I dug the character because initially in the beginning, there’s a mystery to this guy. Is he a bad guy? Because he seems like a bad guy. But as the movie progresses it’s like, oh, okay, it’s shifting. It’s shifting…So yeah, that kind of drew me in.

    MF: Ignatius seems like he’s there to facilitate whoever’s in charge at the moment, but at the same time it feels like he’s also got the big picture in mind.

    LG: Absolutely. So like I said, for me in that sense, it was quite fun. It was a good shoot. It was a really good crew of people, considering all the action that was going on, the shooting and all that stuff. Nobody got hurt. We had great, great stunt coordinators on the show who kept everybody safe. For me that made it really cool. I just really dug how organic it was because I don’t like to be predictable, and this film, again, just gave me the opportunity to just do my thing and have fun.

    Kevin James in 'Guns Up'. Photo: Vertical.
    Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Kevin is mainly known for comedy. Is it interesting to play opposite a guy like him and watch him do something that he’s not known for, and also to play off that yourself and see how he’s trying to stretch himself?

    LG: See, I never think about those things because then again, for me, it becomes a little predictable. I, personally, like to be organic. Even though I know Kevin is maybe a comedic actor, I’m not thinking about him as a comedic actor. I’m thinking about him in that moment, in that role, and what’s going on, what’s happening, what are we doing?

    MF: What’s the first thing you do when you get to set on the first day? How do you prepare?

    LG: I just show up. For me, always, the first day is the hardest day because you are just trying to find the vibe. Because again, I always find that on my first day, I’m discovering things. Once I start working and whoever else I’m working with, and I get the flow back from them, then that really triggers me into what I’m going to do, how I’m going to approach all this stuff. So that’s how basically it works for me.

    (L to R) Christina Ricci and Kevin James in 'Guns Up'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Christina Ricci and Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Any particular days on this shoot that you remember as being especially challenging, or when something funny and unexpected happened?

    LG: Well, my first night of shooting actually, we shot underneath the Bayonne Bridge. We’re on the water, and it’s night, and [it was] just beautiful. You saw the Manhattan skyline in the background and it was just a beautiful shot. You appreciate that because there’s a certain artistry to that. Also, it was dark. I’m making this whole speech to all these bad guys, wannabes, and stuff like that, and I’m owning it. I’m owning that moment. But like I said, it was just such a beautiful setting.

    MF: You are an actor who is constantly working. Is it a satisfying feeling for you to have such a long career and be as busy as you are?

    LG: Oh, man, it is 100% satisfying. It kind of blows me away because I always tell my friends and family, it’s nice to be wanted, but it’s also the fact that I have established myself and I get phone calls to do this and to do that. I mean, Jesus Christ, man, just for me right now, I’m just playing this iconic role of Gomez on ‘Wednesday.’ The great John Astin did it, the wonderful Raul Julia did it. Here I am doing it. I’m just honored and blown away. Listen, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I pinch myself every day. I’m like, wow. So again, it’s nice to be wanted but, and I’ve said this many times, I’ll say it again. I guess the biggest asset that I have about myself is being humble, and that’s why I keep getting called back to do stuff. I show up not only to be an artist, but to complement other artists, whether they’re a director, actors, producers, makeup, hair, wardrobe. It’s all a beautiful artistic collaboration and I’m just honored to be a part of all that.

    Luis Guzmán on the set of 'Wednesday' season 1. Photo: Netflix.
    Luis Guzmán on the set of ‘Wednesday’ season 1. Photo: Netflix.

    MF: You and Christina didn’t get to interact on Season 1 of ‘Wednesday,’ but was it fun to work with her on ‘Guns Up’ and also maybe talk about that connection?

    LG: Well, it was great working with her on ‘Guns Up.’ I think we just mentioned [‘Wednesday’] on the first day. But I got to tell you, man, Christina was so laser-focused on this. I love her character. I love the reveal of her character. She was really spot on, 100% committed to what she was doing. So for me, again, it was fun working with her.

    MF: You mentioned John Astin and Raul Julia playing the part of Gomez. What do you do to make the role your own?

    LG: Well, my approach is quite simple. I am a loving husband, a loving father. I love my family. Being an outcast is something that I’m proud of. I use the word organic a lot, but that’s how I approach it. Listen, you get to work with Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Isaac Ordenez who plays my son, and we really click so well together. It’s a beautiful family. So for me, like I said, because you see how Raul and Anjelica Huston did their roles, you saw how John Astin did his role, and it’s just a continuation of love.

    (L to R) Luis Guzmán and Isaac Ordonez in season 1 of 'Wednesday'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Luis Guzmán and Isaac Ordonez in season 1 of ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.

    MF: What can we expect in Season 2 of ‘Wednesday’?

    LG: They blew the lid off it. The first season was pretty spectacular. I told the writers, “How are you guys going to outdo this?” Believe me, they went beyond it. I was blown away. Audiences are going to be so, so happy to see the show come back. Tim Burton, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar and their team of writers really outdid themselves. Just the best cast, the best crew. It’s a real collaboration of artists and it’s beautiful.

    MF: Finally, you’ve worked multiple times with great directors — Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson, Brian De Palma. Do you see a similarity between the way they work or the vision that they have, and do you see that in some of the newer directors that you work with these days?

    LG: I think they’re all different because they approach their artistry differently. All their visions are different. What they have in common is that they’re all artists, but they all do their thing differently and the outcome is wonderful.

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    What is the plot of ‘Guns Up’?

    When a job goes horribly wrong, an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman has one night to get his family out of the city.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Guns Up’?

    • Kevin James as Ray Hayes
    • Christina Ricci as Alice Hayes
    • Luis Guzmán as Ignatius Locke
    • Melissa Leo as Michael Temple
    • Timothy V. Murphy as Lonny Castigan
    • Joey Diaz as Charlie Brooks
    • Francis Cronin as Danny Clogan
    • Leo Easton Kelly as Henry Hayes
    • Keana Marie as Siohbán Hayes
    • Maximilian Osinski as Antonio Castigan
    Luis Guzmán in season 1 of 'Wednesday'. Photo: Netflix.
    Luis Guzmán in season 1 of ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.

    List of Luis Guzman Movies and TV Shows

    Buy Tickets: ‘Guns Up’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Luis Guzman Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Monster Summer’ Interview: Mel Gibson and Mason Thames

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    Opening in theaters on October 4th is the new spooky family adventure film ‘Monster Summer’, which was directed by actor David Henrie (‘Reagan’).

    The film stars Mason Thames (‘The Black Phone’), Kevin James (‘Grown Ups’), Lorraine Bracco (‘Goodfellas’), and Oscar-winner Mel Gibson (‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Braveheart’).

    Related Article: Ethan Hawke Talks New Horror Film ‘The Black Phone’

    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in 'Monster Summer'.
    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in ‘Monster Summer’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Mel Gibson and Mason Thames to talk about their work on ‘Monster Summer’, Thames’ first reaction to the screenplay, Noah’s friendship with Gene, Gibson’s approach to his character, and his experience working with the young cast and actor-turned-director David Henrie.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Mason, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and joining this spooky family adventure?

    Mason Thames: Yeah, the way you just described it is so perfect, but it was just something that you don’t really see very often, and especially getting to work with Mel. I was like, “Oh, this is just a no-brainer,” so I just jumped at it. Especially, David, the director, he was the nicest person I think I’ve ever met in my life, and he had a vision for it, and getting to be a part of that was a lot of fun.

    MF: Mel, can you talk about your approach to playing Gene, the great loss he has suffered and the friendship he forms with Noah?

    Mel Gibson: Well, he’s lived life and he’s in the third act. So, he’s retired, and he’s obviously got a lot of stuff behind him, pain and stories and experience, and some of the experiences he’s had, he’s forgotten. I think meeting this kid fills a gap that was missing in his life. He was just some old guy with a hat that lived alone. Everyone thinks he buried his wife in the garden, and a lot of stories going around about the guy. Then, of course, he gets to do what he’s good at. He has a talent because he’s an old detective, and so there’s a mystery and they solve this mystery together, and it’s really a buddy movie.

    (L to R) Mel Gibson and Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    (L to R) Mel Gibson and Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Mason, how would you describe the friendship Noah forms with Gene?

    MT: Noah’s father, he died, and he was a journalist. He was missing that father figure, and in a weird way, I don’t think he was seeking it, but he found one with Gene and solving this mystery, and the weird adventure they went on. I really love that dynamic they have. It was fun to do.

    MF: What was your experience like working with Mel and creating that relationship with him?

    MT: It was a lot of fun. It was easy, especially working with him. We didn’t have much time, but we clicked easily, so it was a lot of fun.

    Mel Gibson in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mel Gibson in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Mel, in addition to being an actor you are also an Oscar-winning director. What was it like working with David Henrie, who is also an actor-turned-director?

    MG: I had a lot of empathy, and ditto what Mason said. David’s the nicest guy in the world, honestly. He truly is. So, it was so good to work with him. He’s humble, so that if I had a suggestion, he was like, “Oh yeah, let’s hear that,” or whatever. It’s a no-brainer, also. I had coffee with the guy, and I said, “Let’s go to work, man.” That’s usually what it takes, and then if there’s wrinkles in the script or story points or any of that stuff, you say, “Well, we’re going to be able to take care of that because you and I are on the same page.”

    MF: Were there any changes you needed made to the script to play the character?

    MG: I don’t know. I’m sure I had a say in what was happening. I even invented a whole backstory for the guy, and then spat it out on camera and it seemed to work. We’ll see.

    Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Finally, what was it like working with Mason and the younger cast members?

    MG: It’s great. It’s fantastic. I love working with young actors because I think that they’ve got this raw material, this diamond in the rough kind of thing, and you just watch them do it, and there’s a sense of truth in it that you can’t pretend really. It comes from a youthful innocence and exuberance and everything. It’s like, “Hey, that makes me feel younger,” when I work with young people.

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    What is the plot of ‘Monster Summer’?

    When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends, team up with a retired police detective (Mel Gibson) to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Monster Summer’?

    'Monster Summer' opens in theaters on October 4th. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    ‘Monster Summer’ opens in theaters on October 4th. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    List of Mel Gibson Movies:

    Buy Mel Gibson Movies on Amazon

  • CBS Renews ‘Elementary,’ Cancels ‘Kevin Can Wait’: Kevin James Reacts

    Justice for Erinn Hayes?

    Kevin James’ comedy “Kevin Can Wait” was canceled after two seasons, including one with Erinn Hayes and one with Leah Remini. According to Entertainment Weekly, if you include DVR playback, “Kevin Can Wait” averaged 7.7 million viewers and a 1.6 rating among the advertiser-loving 18-49 demo.

    On the other hand, “Elementary” was renewed for Season 7, which was something of a pleasant surprise. The Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu show was said to average only 4.7 million and a .6 demo rating.

    CBS also renewed “Criminal Minds,” “Instinct,” “Life in Pieces,” “Celebrity Big Brother,” and “Man With a Plan.”

    The network also officially axed “9JKL,” “Wisdom of the Crowd,” “Me, Myself and I,” “Superior Donuts,” “Scorpion,” and “Living Biblically.”

    Kevin James and Leah Remini responded to the “Kevin Can Wait” cancellation:

    In happier news, Lucy Liu reacted to the renewal of “Elementary”:

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  • ‘Kevin Can Wait’ Producer Defends Killing Off Erinn Hayes’s Character as ‘Right and Fair’

    Earlier this summer, actress Kevin Can Wait” after star Kevin James’s former “King of Queens” costar, Leah Remini, joined the cast for its upcoming second season. Now, one of the show’s producers is defending that turn of events, as well as the shocking decision to have Hayes’s character, Donna, killed off, rather than just written out of the show.

    In an interview with TVLine, “Kevin” executive producer Rob Long explained that killing off Donna was meant as a show of respect to Hayes, who played the titular character’s wife. According to Long, Donna’s death will drive the plot for season two of the sitcom, and there way no way around that sad storyline with the new vision for the show.

    “The goal was to give Kevin’s character a real drive and a real predicament [involving] how a family comes back together [after tragedy],” Long told TVLine. “Also, out of respect for the character of Donna — and certainly the way that Erinn Hayes portrayed her — it seemed like the only right and fair way to treat her character.”

    We’re not entirely sure Hayes would agree with calling the situation “right” or “fair.” But the actress has so far stayed relatively mum on the subject, tweeting her thanks to fans for their support back in June. She’s since booked the lead on an upcoming Amazon series, “The Dangerous Book for Boys.”

    CBS execs confirmed Donna’s upcoming demise during a panel at the Television Critics Association summer press tour earlier this month, noting that the event would be handled “with dignity and respect.” Season two of “Kevin Can Wait” debuts on September 25.

    [via: TVLine]

  • ‘Kevin Can Wait’ Is Killing Off Erinn Hayes’s Character

    In early June, “Kevin Can Wait” fans learned the shocking news that leading lady Erinn Hayes had been let go from the CBS comedy, with Leah Remini taking her place opposite her former “King of Queens” co-star Kevin James.

    Now comes another shocker: Hayes’ character, Donna, will be killed off! CBS executives revealed that info at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour.

    “The character will have passed away and we will be moving forward in time catching up at a later date,” CBS exec Thom Sherman said.

    Remini guest starred in May’s Season 1 finale as an undercover cop and former partner of James’ retired officer. She and James acted side by side for nine years on “King of Queens,” also a CBS comedy.

    Nine or 10 months will have passed when Season 2 premieres, giving James’ character and their on-screen children time to grieve and move on.

    When asked if the sitcom would make Donna’s death funny, CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl said there were no plans to do that.

    “I’m not sure we can make that hilarious,” he said. It will be treated with dignity and respect and the show will move forward. It’s something that will have taken place in the past. I don’t want to address it until we see eventually what’s on tape in the first episode.”

  • Veteran Scene-Stealer Erinn Hayes Finally Gets Her Spotlight in ‘Kevin Can Wait’

    Premiere Of The Weinstein Company's "No Escape" - ArrivalsErinn Hayes has definitely paid her dues as that actress whose name you might not have known but you noticed appearing on dozens of your favorite TV series and stealing scenes from the stars. And now she’s got a hit of her own.

    As Donna Gable, the infinitely forgiving wife of a newly retired-but-not-exactly cop (Kevin Can Wait,” Hayes has the biggest spotlight of her career to date, even after an Emmy nomination for her regular role on the beloved medical drama satire “Childrens Hospital” and guest shots on seemingly every great show of the past 15 years. Hayes joined Moviefone to help her new legions of fans get even better acquainted with her.

    Moviefone: As a comedienne, what were the quirks that you want to bring to Donna when you started figuring out who she’d be?

    Erinn Hayes: We wanted her to be a fully fleshed-out person with flaws, and she’s interesting, and not just the stereotypical sitcom mom. That path has been tread, so we wanted to do something a little bit different … if you look at any marriage — and you really look at a marriage, or even just really look at a human being – people are weird.

    Most people are really weird when you get to know them. I’m a weird person, and I think there is room for that. I want her to have some strange interests. I want her to, I don’t know, I just want her to be multifaceted and interesting and weird.

    To come in and work with Kevin, who has such a specific comedy persona, what’s been the treat of playing off of him and finding out how the two of you fit together?

    It’s interesting because working with somebody who is such a well-known entity — and he’s a real force — he has a real point of view, and he’s real comfortable in his comedy. I don’t think I could have come at this the same way at a different point in my career.

    But meeting him now, and where I am comfortable on a set — I’ve worked on multi-cam sets — that’s not a new world to me, I love that world, I was very nervous/excited about, how are we going to work together? Are we going to be able to kind of craft a scene together? Or does he, as an executive producer, have his vision of it and I kind of need to fall in line?

    And it was very pleasantly surprising to see that he is in it. He wants to find the funniest thing for any given scene, and is up for suggestions and workshopping it and just figuring it out. So it’s been really fun.

    Yeah, people love Kevin James. I had those friends coming out of the woodwork that you wouldn’t think would be Kevin James fans, and be like “I would have watched this show even if you weren’t on it — I love Kevin James!” I had never watched a ton of stuff with him, but he’s such a pro, and so smart, and so kind, and really takes care of everybody, and wants us all to be having a good experience, and to make the best product possible.

    And as you say, it’s multi-camera format, which is the format of “I Love Lucy,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Cheers …”

    Yeah, it’s what we all grew up watching. To be able to do it with somebody who the audiences are already on his side, and hopefully on our side, you don’t have to work as hard. They already like it, so that if you can just do a real good job, you’re not kind of fighting it at all, if that makes sense.

    And you like that traditional way?

    I do. I came from theater. It’s tricky, but so rewarding. You can see some sitcoms at times when they will play to the audience, and then things get a little too big, a little too broad, in my opinion. So for me, it’s finding my own balance between playing to the audience, and remembering the audience, that you’re really there for the cameras.

    This give-and-take gives you energy on the night without pushing on the second take because they’re not laughing as hard as the first take. Then you get a reminder … It’s an exercise. It’s fun.

    Looking at your resume, you’ve played such a great diversity of parts on TV. You’ve popped into so many different kinds of shows. I imagine, sure, the weekly sitcom paycheck is great, but those opportunities to pop into a show and see how you can fit in and make a mark must be really great as an actor.

    It’s very exciting, and it’s very rewarding. I like comedy, I like drama. I like the mainstream stuff, and I love weird indie, or alt comedy. And I really enjoy television, that’s the thing. I like watching things and figuring out the tone of it and how you might fit into something like that.

    And I’ve been very lucky to be able to jump into a bunch of good stuff. To jump in from like a “Parenthood,” to doing “Childrens Hospital,” to a “New Girl” — just all these different shows that vary tonally.

    A favorite character of mine was your recurring “Parks and Recreation” role, lifestyle guru Annabel Porter.

    That “Parks and Rec” one was so fun. The character is so ludicrous. You start with Gwyneth Paltrow and you blow her up times a million.

    Then “New Girl” was also really fun. It was pretty, like, just slutty nurse on the page, and then there was just the one word in there. I was like, “Why is she saying freakin’?” I was like, “Well, that’s it!” Just to jump into this kind of trashy, somebody who that’s their crutch, is saying “freakin’.” I think those two of the last couple years have been the most fun in terms of those recurring roles.

    You’ve said that “Childrens Hospital” was the job of your career — and it earned you an Emmy nomination. Tell me a little bit more about why that was the right show, and that was the right part for you.

    Well, I realized I’ve kind of just been playing by the rules. I’m, like, slowly climbing the ladder. I started as a guest star, I got another guest star. It started as extra work. It was just kind of waiting for roles to come to me, and then you realize there is that little bit of luck.

    And my luck was a failed sitcom with Rob Corddry, and then, this job made me realize that the brilliance of creating a show with friends and people that you trust and you admire, and it all came together so well, and it opened all these doors of me. The doors that my past hadn’t been opening.

    The interesting comedy stuff that I so desperately wanted to do, but was not being considered for because I hadn’t done it yet. But getting to know Rob and having him get to know me, and just like going, “Come with me on to this show,” was, I don’t know — I feel really cheesy, but it feels like a very beautiful gift.

    Who were the biggest influencers on what you consider your style of comedy?

    I mean, there’s the classics: there’s the Lucille Balls and the Carol Burnetts, and then my personal favorite is Madeline Kahn. I mean, she’s the greatest. She’s so subtle with huge choices. I rewatched “Clue” the other day. “Clue!” — I love that movie. When she’s talking about the … just her face and everything she did.

    And of the current day, I am the biggest Kristen Wiig fan. We did this tiny movie that will never be seen — thank God! — together years and years ago, and I immediately like turned to each other and was like, “You’re the funniest person I’ve ever met in my life!” I’ve been so excited to see all of her success. She’s brilliant.

    As a person, what surprised you most about Kevin? What was the fun thing to learn about him?

    He’s like a sweet shy guy. He’s got his persona, but he’s actually a little shy. But that makes sense to me, because often standup is an act, and it’s a put-on persona, and that’s a part of who you are. But then there’s this other part that’s a little more real and hanging out all the time. Those are all different parts of him who we all are. So that was the surprising part of that.

    People take little swipes at Kevin having the hot wife. Tell me why Kevin James should of course have a hot wife.

    Kevin James, number one, does have a hot wife. Yeah — smokin’ hot wife! He is funny, he is kind, he is a caregiver, he is just a stand-up guy. There’s nothing not to like about Kevin James. He’s super cute.

    I get it: There is that trope on TV of chubby guy with a hot wife. But I’m not going to begrudge my job or belittle it — when we started working together, it was a chemistry that worked, and they saw a bunch of people, and this particular relationship works. So I don’t want to diminish it to just this stereotype.

    “Kevin Can Wait” airs Mondays on CBS.

  • U.S. Box Office Twiddles Its Thumbs, Waits for ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’

    avengers age of ultronNothing happened at the domestic box office this weekend. Well, almost nothing. The biggest news came from overseas, where “Avengers: Age of Ultron” opened almost everywhere except here.

    At home, the box office seemed to be biding its time until the “Avengers” sequel opens this Friday. Meantime, “Furious 7” remained on top for the fourth straight weekend, as if no studio could be bothered to mount a serious challenge to it. “Age of Adaline” opened in third place, and “Little Boy,” the weekend’s other new wide release, opened way down at No. 13. Overall, the domestic box office declined for the third straight weekend, selling not even $100 million worth of tickets from Friday to Sunday.

    Nonetheless, there were a few spots of good news:

    • With its estimated $18.3 million take representing nearly a fifth of all ticket sales this weekend, “Furious 7” is the first film since the original “Hunger Games” in 2012 to hold the top spot at the box office for four consecutive weeks.

    • “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” fell just 34 percent to an estimated $15.5 million and second place, a very modest drop for a film with terrible reviews and lackluster word-of-mouth. There aren’t any other PG-rated comedies out there, so the Kevin James movie had the field to itself.

    • “Age of Adaline” opened with an estimated $13.4 million, which was at the upper end of predictions. That’s very good for a film with an unproven box office draw as the lead (Blake Lively), and a female-driven romantic drama opening on 2,991 screens while a Nicholas Sparks movie (“The Longest Ride”) is still in 3,140 theaters.

    • “Ex Machina” expanded big, from 39 screens to 1,255, and did very well, coming in seventh with an estimated $5.4 million, for a total to date of $6.9 million. That’s a strong showing for a brainy, philosophical sci-fi drama with no star power. It’s also indie distributor A24’s biggest release, year to date, having earned more in three weeks than “A Most Violent Year” has since January or “While We’re Young” has earned in five weeks.

    • “Little Boy”… uh, can’t really think of any good news for the faith-based World War II homefront drama that opened with just an estimated $2.8 million on 1,045 screens. Except that “Paul Blart” star Kevin James has a small, uncharacteristically dramatic role in the film, so he’s in two top-15 movies at once. Woo-hoo!

    Of course, all this sounds like small potatoes contrasted with “Avengers,” which opened at No. 1 in 44 countries and earned an estimated $201.2 million. That’s a healthy percentage above the $185.1 million that the first “Avengers” earned during its overseas opening three years ago.

    The worldwide-but-not-yet-in-America smash reflects a strategy that Disney and other studios have been pursuing for a few years now of releasing some potential blockbusters abroad before releasing them here. It help builds hype for the American release, it gets the movie out ahead of the May Day holiday in many countries, and it helps recoup the studio’s investment before a single American ticket is sold.

    With numbers like those that “Avengers” is already racking up, it’s no wonder that Hollywood now considers domestic box office an afterthought.
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  • ​Why Can’t Any Movie Beat ‘Furious 7’?

    furious 7 box officeEveryone knew “Furious 7” would be big. But $300 million in less than three weeks big?

    This weekend, the car-chase sequel earned an estimated $29.1 million, with a comfortable lead of $5.1 million over its closest rival, new comedy “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.” New horror film “Unfriended” was third, with an estimated $16.0 million. And Disney’s annual Earth Day-timed nature documentary, “Monkey Kingdom,” opened in seventh place with an estimated $4.7 million. So, again, the seventh installment of an action franchise, in its third week in theaters, still earned nearly $30 million, enough to beat all competitors new and old. After 17 days of release, it’s earned $294.4 million, so it should break $300 million in the next couple of days.

    How does that happen?

    Part of it is a testimony to the strengths of the franchise, and of this installment in particular, as was clear when the film opened two weekends ago. Indeed, this weekend, it slipped just 50 percent from last week, a modest decline for a film in its third weekend. The movie seems to deliver what it promises, and its word-of-mouth remains strong enough to draw sizable crowds.

    But part of it also demonstrates how weak the competition is. Indeed, the entire film industry, including “Furious 7’s” own studio seems to have ceded the month of April to Vin Diesel & Co., putting nothing but sacrificial lambs up against it.

    That seems an unfair way to describe “Paul Blart 2,” the sequel to an enormously popular comedy. In fact, most weekends, a $24.0 million debut would have been good for first place and would have given distributor Sony reason to rejoice. It’s certainly better than any Kevin James movie that doesn’t also star Adam Sandler has done in recent years.

    But maybe Sony sensed some weakness in the film. After all, it’s been six years since the original; that’s a long time between installments for a comedy series that primarily appeals to young viewers who may have outgrown the franchise. And the film got poor reviews, so older viewers aren’t going to see it. Even those who’ve seen “Blart 2” have provided only middling word-of-mouth recommendations, as indicated by the weak B- grade at CinemaScore. Initial predictions for the film ran as low as $19 million.

    “Unfriended” got even worse word-of-mouth, with a C grade at CinemaScore. Reviews were OK, not that the young women who drive the horror market care about reviews. The movie’s gimmicky cyber-bullying premise could have come off as desperate to be trendy. The film had no star power, though that hasn’t stopped other low-budget entries from the Blumhouse horror-film production house from becoming hits. Its R rating may have kept younger potential viewers from seeing it. Given that the film probably cost less than $10 million to make, it didn’t have to do very well to break even, and expectations were accordingly modest. Its distributor was Universal, same as “Furious 7,” a cash cow the studio wasn’t about to jeopardize by mounting any serious competition, even on 2,739 screens. So its $16.0 million debut is very respectable but no threat to the onrushing “Furious 7.”

    As for “Monkey Kingdom,” that, too, opened in line with the lower end of expectations. Some Disney nature docs in recent years, notably, “Chimpanzee,” have done better (it opened at $10.7 million three Aprils ago), but most have opened with $6 million or less. Last year’s “Bears” debuted just $51,000 higher than “Monkey Kingdom.” It scored a very high A- grade at CinemaScore, it raised a lot of money for conservation projects (as all the recent Disney nature films have done), and it opened in line with expectations. So Disney should be pleased, even with the movie’s seventh-place premiere.

    Back when studio programmers initially scheduled these films to open in the wake of “Furious 7,” they may have considered them to be credible counterprogramming to the testosterone-fueled action spectacle. After all, “Blart 2” was a broad comedy, “Unfriended” a horror film (and only about the fourth one so far this year) that targeted female audiences, and “Monkey Kingdom” was a family movie with cute, real animals.

    But as box office results have proved throughout the spring, counterprogramming doesn’t really work anymore, especially not against a movie with as universal appeal as “Furious 7.” The young men targeted by “Blart 2” were also the target for “Furious 7.” But so were the young female horror fans “Unfriended” tried to befriend, since the women on-screen in “Furious 7” give as good as the men. (And many of those young women couldn’t go see “Unfriended” because of its R rating, while they were not barred from the PG-13 “Furious 7.”) As for “Monkey Kingdom,” Disney polling found that 51 percent of the audience was over 25. So much for trying to draw young viewers. But while little kids weren’t going to be lured away by the drag racers, that wasn’t true for their parents and the other grown-ups who turned out to be a significant fraction of “Monkey Kingdom’s” audience.

    A hit as huge as “Furious 7” is supposed to entice people off their couches and get them to go to the multiplex, where those who can’t get tickets to sold-out showings will go see something else that’s playing. And maybe that’s true; maybe “Blart 2,” “Unfriended,” and “Monkey Kingdom” would have done worse if “Furious 7” hadn’t been playing as well. But no one, apparently, went to see these movies just because “Furious 7” didn’t appeal to them and they wanted to see something else. If “Furious 7” drew infrequent moviegoers to the multiplex, it also sucked out almost all the oxygen and didn’t leave much for any other movie.

    Next week will close out the month of April with period romantic fantasy “The Age of Adaline” and wartime family drama “Little Boy” (starring Kevin James, of all people). Does anyone really think either of those is going to dethrone “Furious 7”? Not until “Avengers: Age of Ultron” opens on May 1 is “Furious 7” likely to run out of gas.

  • The 27 Best Las Vegas Movies

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    If you thought the only thing that could have made 2009’s “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” better was if it took place in Las Vegas instead of West Orange, New Jersey, then you’re in luck. “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” opening April 17, does indeed bring Kevin James’s gung-ho security guard to Vegas, where his misadventures continue. The film stakes a place in Las Vegas history by being the first production that casino mogul Steve Wynn allowed to shoot at his Wynn Las Vegas resort.

    Movie Vegas, like the real Vegas, is a place where everything seems more fun and more dangerous. It’s a playground for the id, where money can buy pretty much anything, and where sex, stimulants, and sirloin steaks abound. It’s also a location for morality tales, which are a little hard to swallow with all that licensed fun going on.

    Vegas movies also often rip away the curtain and offer a backstage view of how the town really operates — or at least how it operates in the popular imagination. That’s why even movies about Vegas that aren’t that great — and some of the movies on the following list aren’t that great — are still fascinating. Put together, they show the evolution of the city and how it came to loom so large in our collective fantasy life.best las vegas movies

  • ‘Pixels’ Posits Gamers Will Save the World (VIDEO)

    Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) and Eddie Plant (Peter Dinklage) in Columbia Pictures' PIXELS.Remember when time capsules were all the rage? The ’80s were weird! In “Pixels,” some geniuses decided to drop their favorite arcade games into a time capsule that was launched into space. Unfortunately, the aliens that encountered the capsule misinterpreted things and assumed this was just the beginning of an intergalactic war. So, they turned Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and other beloved characters into giant weapons that attack and pixelate whatever comes across their path.

    Who’re you gonna call? Well, if you’re the President, you give your old crew from the arcade a call to help fight the baddies. Kevin James plays the prez, and Adam Sandler co-stars as his best friend and ace gamer. They recruit their old arcade enemies, played by Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage, and enlist a weapons expert played by Michelle Monaghan to help them save the world from Pac-Man’s bottomless hunger.

    “Pixels” chomps into theaters July 24, 2015.

    [Via The Hollywood Reporter]

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