“Meet the Mormons,” the documentary produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had a terrific Monday at the box office after an expected slow Sunday. It brought in $681,363 from 317 theaters on Monday, for a per-screen average of $2,191. That was better than any film in release, and nearly double the average of “Gone Girl,” which topped the day with $3.8 million from 3,284 theaters. “Meet the Mormons” also cracked the list of top ten films nationally for the day, beating out the sexy thriller “Addicted” for the No. 9 spot. “Meet the Mormons,” directed by Blair Treu,...
- 10/14/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Intense music drama Whiplash, already a big winner at Sundance and the Deauville American Film Festival earlier this year, should drum up plenty of audience interest in its debut this weekend, even though it faces a crowded specialty market that also features several other notable newcomers, including the Bill Murray comedy St. Vincent, Hilary Swank‘s You’re Not You and Jeremy Renner‘s Kill the Messenger. All are what I’d call “big” specialty releases, with big names attached that should attract big attention.
The weekend also includes what I’d call some “small” releases, including documentaries The Overnighters (another Sundance winner) and I Am Ali, about the former heavyweight boxing champion, alongside the Mormon Church-backed Meet the Mormons. All will be clawing for attention in a market that’s seen more than 30 films debut in the past three weeks.
That said, Whiplash should be a real career turner...
The weekend also includes what I’d call some “small” releases, including documentaries The Overnighters (another Sundance winner) and I Am Ali, about the former heavyweight boxing champion, alongside the Mormon Church-backed Meet the Mormons. All will be clawing for attention in a market that’s seen more than 30 films debut in the past three weeks.
That said, Whiplash should be a real career turner...
- 10/10/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
Only good thoughts! Katherine Heigl isn't letting some criticism get her down. Just one week after The Hollywood Reporter published a scathing article claiming that the former Grey's Anatomy star is "difficult" to work with, the 34-year-old actress shared a cute throwback picture from the set of her 1996 TV movie Wish Upon a Star. "Back to 1996! On the set of the movie Wish Upon A Star with director Blair Treu #tbt #throwbackthursday," the blonde beauty tweeted on Thursday, Sept. 19. The photo -- taken 17 [...]...
- 9/20/2013
- Us Weekly
While family films of any sort are to be encouraged in this day and age, it's unfortunate that the current crop seems to veer between vulgarized big-screen versions of television cartoons and low-budget efforts that seem far better suited to the Hallmark Channel. "Little Secrets", a sweet, innocuous and utterly bland family drama, is a prime example of the latter, and its theatrical release should receive some attention only because of the performance by Evan Rachel Wood in the starring role. This talented young actress also appears in the Al Pacino starrer "Simone", also opening today.
Wood, so impressive in the recently canceled ABC series "Once and Again", is a luminous screen presence. Unfortunately, both she and the filmmakers here seem acutely aware of it, with lengthy and intense close-ups lavished on her at every opportunity. She plays Emily, a violin whiz who sacrifices the pleasures of summer camp in order to stay home and practice for an upcoming competition.
Emily also considers herself good at keeping secrets so, aping Lucy in the "Peanuts" comics, she opens up a booth in the back yard where the neighboring children can come and confess their transgressions. At first the practice is both fun and profitable, but Emily soon finds that keeping secrets is not as easy as she thought. Complicating matters even further is her burgeoning attraction to the cute older brother of a boy who has moved in next door.
A lot of things happen during the course of the film, but the intricate plot developments are conveyed in such perfunctory and undramatic fashion that maintaining interest is a difficult chore. The cast of young performers has been directed to perform in as cutesy a fashion as possible, and the adults -- with the exception of the always lively Vivica A. Fox as a neighbor with troubles of her own -- aren't much better.
Yes, the film delivers wholesome messages about the importance of friendship, family, honesty, etc. But, as demonstrated here, good intentions don't necessarily make for compelling storytelling.
LITTLE SECRETS
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Credits:
Director: Blair Treu
Screenwriter: Jessica Barondes
Producers: Blair Treu, Don Schain, Jessica Barondes
Director of photography: Brian Sullivan
Composer: Sam Cardon
Editor: Jerry Stayner
Production designer: Gary Griffin Constable
Cast:
Emily: Evan Rachel Wood
Philip: Michael Angarano
David: David Gallagher
Pauline: Vivica A. Fox
Running time -- 107 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Wood, so impressive in the recently canceled ABC series "Once and Again", is a luminous screen presence. Unfortunately, both she and the filmmakers here seem acutely aware of it, with lengthy and intense close-ups lavished on her at every opportunity. She plays Emily, a violin whiz who sacrifices the pleasures of summer camp in order to stay home and practice for an upcoming competition.
Emily also considers herself good at keeping secrets so, aping Lucy in the "Peanuts" comics, she opens up a booth in the back yard where the neighboring children can come and confess their transgressions. At first the practice is both fun and profitable, but Emily soon finds that keeping secrets is not as easy as she thought. Complicating matters even further is her burgeoning attraction to the cute older brother of a boy who has moved in next door.
A lot of things happen during the course of the film, but the intricate plot developments are conveyed in such perfunctory and undramatic fashion that maintaining interest is a difficult chore. The cast of young performers has been directed to perform in as cutesy a fashion as possible, and the adults -- with the exception of the always lively Vivica A. Fox as a neighbor with troubles of her own -- aren't much better.
Yes, the film delivers wholesome messages about the importance of friendship, family, honesty, etc. But, as demonstrated here, good intentions don't necessarily make for compelling storytelling.
LITTLE SECRETS
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Credits:
Director: Blair Treu
Screenwriter: Jessica Barondes
Producers: Blair Treu, Don Schain, Jessica Barondes
Director of photography: Brian Sullivan
Composer: Sam Cardon
Editor: Jerry Stayner
Production designer: Gary Griffin Constable
Cast:
Emily: Evan Rachel Wood
Philip: Michael Angarano
David: David Gallagher
Pauline: Vivica A. Fox
Running time -- 107 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 8/23/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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