Entertainment Today and Beyond

Never Met a Zombi I Didn’t Like…

Weekend BOX-OFFICE expectations, a few TV shows in potential trouble and look for coming attraction trailers during the ACADEMY AWARDS telecast!

According to Hollywood-elsewhere.com, Ridley Scott’s new CIA thriller, BODY OF LIES, starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Russell Crowe is expected to open in the $17 million range – that according to advance tracking. Not good for a film that cost a reported $90+ mill to produce. The fact is very few stars can really open a film any more and the movie going public buys concept first; star power is becoming more and more irrelevant!

It will be interesting to see how THE EXPRESS will perform this weekend as sports films can be very hit or miss. The film, based on the life of ERNIE DAVIS, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, is getting good reviews but turnout for this one is hard to predict. Last year’s WE ARE MARSHALL turned out to be a so-so performer, despite the fact that it was a really good film featuring the best performance in the career of Matthew McConaughey, and proof that McG could direct drama. That one was just outside my all time favorite Top Ten sports films!

I have a feeling that the critic-proof horror flick, QUARANTINE, will have a solid opening since it should appeal to the teen crowd. I must admit I really enjoy these throwaway type B-flicks – especially at this time of year!

Some TV news of interest:  I would put NBC’s LIPSTICK JUNGLE and ABC’s PUSHING DAISIES on cancellation watch as ratings this week for these shows were 4.7 mill viewers and 5.5 mill viewers respectively! In the TV business that’s considered ‘life support’ – specifically for major network programming!

It appears that, at least for now, Fox is behind its TERMINATOR: The Sarah Conner Chronicles series as they have pumped up advertising  for the show including an online sweepstakes campaign. This program deserves an audience. It’s not only well done but highly respectful of the Terminator movie franchise.

For the first time ever the Academy Awards will feature movie ads throughout the telecast. I like the idea as it gives the broadcast a Super Bowl feel!  LINK

October 10, 2008 Posted by | And Beyond - Trailers & News | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Thoughts on BOSTON LEGAL, 90210, SMALLVILLE and RAISING THE BAR!

ABC’s BOSTON LEGAL continues to be a solid ratings grabber and the show consistently pulls in 9 million viewers a week. I’m not a big fan though.  Despite the fact that it has received numerous Emmy nominations, I never got into the show’s offbeat tone. While I was a huge fan of David E. Kelly’s, THE PRACTICE, I find Boston Legal’s mixture of both drama and wacky comedy hard to accept. I actually believe David E. Kelly’s finest hour was the last season of The Practice when JAMES SPADER and WILLIAM SHATNER were mixing it up with that cast before it spun off into Boston Legal with only Spader and Shatner going along for the ride. 

The CW network’s new 90210 has based at around 3 million viewers a week. After viewing the first five episodes, it’s safe to say they should have built on that viewership. While not as good as the original series, Beverly Hills 90201, that inspired it the show is good enough to call successful for the audience it’s geared to.

Speaking of the CW, word has it the network would like SMALLVILLE to stick around beyond its current season which is now in year eight. With a new creative team and ratings over 4 million viewers per week, that’s a strong possibility.  

TNT’s RAISING THE BAR is a program that’s starting to find its groove after its first five episodes. While nothing groundbreaking, the show about public defenders in Brooklyn NY is extremely watchable and has stepped it up a notch with the addition of actress NATALIA CIGLIUTI (All My Children). She plays Roberta, a twenty-something legal aid with a shaky marriage, who has been assigned to the public defending legal team. Series star MARK PAUL GOSSELAAR and her have a really nice chemistry and that alone will keep me watching!

October 10, 2008 Posted by | And Beyond - Trailers & News | , , | Leave a Comment

   

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