edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

Upcoming

July 2

Hancock

July 3

The Whackness

July 4

Diminished Capacity

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

Holding Trevor

Kabluey

We are Together

July 9

Full Battle Rattle

July 11

A Man Named Pearl

August

Eight Miles High

Garden Party

Harold

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Meet Dave

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

The Stone Angel

July 18

A Very British Gangster

Before I Forget

The Dark Knight

The Doorman

Felon

Lou Reed's Berlin

Transsiberian

July 22

Two Tickets to Paradise

July 23

Boy A

Friday numbers

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I meant to run Thursday's tracking summaries yesterday, but nothing had changed very much since my last report so I kind of lost interest. Ratatouille is assured of a commanding #1 status (never in question), but it's probably going to end up with a Sunday-night total of $50 million, give or take. In some quarters that will be seen as underperforming by Pixar standards. I was estimating Live Free or Die Hard to earn a weekend figure in the mid 20s and the high 30s for the five days. Sicko will do pretty well ($10 million, perhaps a touch higher), but it will also finally begin to generate the word-of-mouth (i.e., it's selectively but fundamentally true and very touching at the end) that should keep it rolling for a good while.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 29, 2007 at 07:29 AM

comment #1

arch451 says ...

Is Live Free or Die Hard any good?

Posted by arch451 at June 29, 2007 08:10 AM

comment #2

rupertpupkin says ...

It's totally over-the-top and completely ridiculous, but fun. Nice to see Willis back where he belongs, not in crap like "Perfect Stranger". And yes he gets to say "Yippe-kay-yay, mother fucker", but they cheat it a bit to get the PG-13.

Posted by rupertpupkin at June 29, 2007 08:36 AM

comment #3

breadlymoore says ...

CHEAT IT A BIT????

What, do you for Fox?

The "motherfucker" line is ruined, the film is nearly bloodless or features "black" blood, and the language they did shoot with has been dubbed over by a technician who is clearly Helen Keller.

It's a mediocre action film and a terrible DIE HARD film.

Posted by breadlymoore at June 29, 2007 08:51 AM

comment #4

Mike Binder says ...

Wrong. It's pretty damn good. The jet sequence is over the top, but it's a good action film. The best big summer sequel this year by far.

Posted by Mike Binder at June 29, 2007 09:16 AM

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

It's not in the same league as the original, but what is? It's definitely the best sequel I've seen this year. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Posted by Josh Massey at June 29, 2007 10:09 AM

comment #6

Jay T. says ...

Live Free or Die Hard is going to tank hard... it may have a decent opening weekend, but will drop-off very quickly. Fans of the series are typically fans of R-rated action films - HUGE MISTAKE. Ironic that a decision made over money will end up costing the film in the end.

Posted by Jay T. at June 29, 2007 10:20 AM

comment #7

Michael says ...

Maybe...fans of the series (like me) also have children nowadays. And a PG-13, fairly violent, good-time summer action film is a perfect thing to watch with a 12 year old. Yes, I wish they had made it an 'R'. But introducing my kid to the film series that made me a true movie fan, while Bruce gives a wink and a nod to the old days (Agent Johnson, et al.) is pretty good, too.

Posted by Michael at June 29, 2007 11:16 AM

comment #8

The Winchester says ...

I was 9 when my dad took me to see the original Die Hard on opening night. You don't need a PG-13 rating to introduce your son to brave new world of good movies that are about plot and character, and not an obscenely ridonkulous jet chase on a freeway.

And Mike Binder, have you seen Ocean's 13 or 28 Weeks Later? Far better sequels.

(And on a personal note, I constantly tell my friend that his super secret indian name is... thundering cloud. for like 13 years now we've been saying that)

Posted by The Winchester at June 29, 2007 11:45 AM

comment #9

NYCBusybody says ...

I don't understand. Why should "Live Free or Die Hard" be rated R?

I just don't understand fanboy mindsets. Are they really excited by hearing the word "fuck", as if they were 9 year olds hearing their first bad word? Do they bemoan the lack of sexual tension because they don't have any in their own lives? Blood? Why is it necessary to see blood?

The movie works or doesn't work as an action comedy. Action. Comedy. Reading AICN and HE recently, it seems usage of the word "fuck" is the actual criterium for judgement.

That being said, it really is lame to take the "motherfucker" out of Yippie-ki-yay. Either say it, or don't do the line in the first place.

Sending the car into the chopper was wicked.

Posted by NYCBusybody at June 29, 2007 11:50 AM

comment #10

D.Z. says ...

breadly: "It's a mediocre action film and a terrible DIE HARD film."

But how does it compare to part 2?

NYC: "I just don't understand fanboy mindsets. Are they really excited by hearing the word "fuck", as if they were 9 year olds hearing their first bad word? Do they bemoan the lack of sexual tension because they don't have any in their own lives? Blood? Why is it necessary to see blood?"

You're the one bitching about political correctness, so you should have more sympathy.

"The movie works or doesn't work as an action comedy."

It's not really a comedy, though. It's an action film with comedy. An action-comedy would be like Roadhouse.

Posted by D.Z. at June 29, 2007 12:03 PM

comment #11

The Winchester says ...

DZ- Even Roadhouse has no idea how ridiculous it is. Seriously, there is not a single scene in that film that has a basis in reality. That's waht makes it so brilliant. Like Krull.

NYC- It's not the word "fuck" as to what it implies. Die Hard movies show a violence and profanity fueled world. By watering it down to the PG-13 standards, you're taking away a large factor as to what makes the Die Hard movies so appealing. By not allowing MacClane to say what he truly feels, it feels like a cop out, and then you have fanboys bitching and moaning about how watered down the movie is.

(A lot of these fanboys also bitched and moaned about the watering down of an Alien Vs Predator movie, but the bitching quickly turned to how crappy a movie it was instead).

It's also not a blood lust thing, so much as the Die Hard movies showed you the consequences of the violence (The glass shard in the foot, Ellis bloody corpse being dragged out of the room, the scene in the second one where MacClane shoves an icicle in the dude's eye). PG-13 gunfights show lots of bang, but no consequence, almost as if to say "It's alright". Kind of like an A-Team episode.

Posted by The Winchester at June 29, 2007 12:26 PM

comment #12

Mike Binder says ...

Winchester, you're super secret Indian name is.... Thundering Cloud. Sorry. It's the only one we got.

Live Clean or Die Hard.

Posted by Mike Binder at June 29, 2007 12:34 PM

comment #13

The Winchester says ...

Thank you, Mike Binder! That made my day.

Posted by The Winchester at June 29, 2007 12:36 PM

comment #14

Mike Binder says ...

P.S. I agree with Michael. My wife took the kids and even though we could have gotten them into an R and they can handle it, it was nice to not worry all that much about it and they loved it. They loved Justin Long and now they're at home watching the other Die Hard sequels having only seen the original.

The PG13 thing was not an issue and I think this movie could have nice legs.

Then again, look at my track record. I have no idea.

Live Clean

Posted by Mike Binder at June 29, 2007 12:38 PM

comment #15

cjKennedy says ...

See, that's the thing. There are certain movies I don't want to be safe enough that a guy and his wife can feel comfortable bringing their kids. Nothing at all against said Guy or Mrs. Guy or the adorable little Guy-spawn, but I want danger. A sense that bad shit could happen and we might have to see it and it's best if children not be present.

Some movies are PG or PG-13 movies. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc. Fine. Love 'em. But Die Hard should be R. Anything else seems deballed.

I admit it's an extremely shallow principle, but I don't have many of the goddamn things so I have to cling to what I've got.

Posted by cjKennedy at June 29, 2007 01:33 PM

comment #16