The Weekend Blend

By Joshua Tyler: 2005-12-14 00:00:00

12/16 – 12/18 Peter Jackson is getting the jump on Christmas by opening Kong this Wednesday. Probably a smart move, it’ll do a huge initial opening and then get it’s second wind with merry folks out to see a movie after getting presents from St. Nick. It’ll work. Here’s a look at everything opening new in theaters this week:

Expanding
Two really big Oscar contenders go a little wider this weekend… but not wide enough that anyone will notice. Both Brokeback Mountain and Memoirs of a Geisha expand from one or two theaters to play in a bit over 50 theaters around the country. Don’t get excited and go looking for them. Wait a week and it’ll get easier to find them. Next weekend they open in more than 1000 theaters. There’s your chance to see gay cowboys and fancy Chinese hookers.

Misc. Limited Releases (Opening in fewer than 500 theaters.)

The Weinstein Company rolls out their first animated film this weekend, in a single Los Angeles theater so they can qualify it for an Oscar. I’m not sure what the point is, could it really be nominated for anything? The animation category is pretty weak this year, you never know. The movie’s called Hoodwinked and it’s an “aren’t we clever” take on the world of fairytales and Little Red Riding Hood in particular. It’ll expand wider eventually, so don’t worry you’ll get your chance. Also opening is the year’s other big musical, The Producers. The idea behind it is confusing, and we’ve been over it enough on this site that I’m not going to try explain it again. Let’s just say that yes this has already been a movie before and no this isn’t a remake. Not directly anyway. Remake of a remake? Right. So The Producers opens in 6 cinemas, safe to assume they’re all in New York or something. The movie’s getting great buzz, keep it in mind to check out as it goes into wide release later.

The Family Stone (Opens in 2,250 theaters.)

Lexi gave this a terrible review for us, and I believe her when she says it’s bad. But as I told her earlier, I’ll watch anything with Rachel Adams in it, even if it’s crap. It’s kind of like watching a Shatner movie. No matter how bad the movie is, you can still sit back and enjoy the hell out of it just because he’s in it. I don’t care what the movie’s about, I don’t care how unfunny it is. Rachel McAdams is in it, and that means I’m going to buy a ticket. Crazy? Maybe. It’s not like she’s done enough to really warrant that kind of loyalty. By this time next year I may be totally out on her. But right now McAdams is up there with Scarlett Johansson as one of the most talented actresses working in Hollywood. Also, I have this horrible crush on her. I cannot in good conscience recommend The Family Stone, even though it’s pretty funny that they’ve inexplicably dressed Sarah Jessica Parker up as a witch in it. When you look like that, even vaguely witchy attire should be avoided Sarah. I can’t in good conscience recommend it, but I can tell you that I’ll be seeing it. I probably need a brain transplant.

King Kong (Opens in 3,567 theaters on Wed.)

For those of you living in a hole, let’s make it official. King Kong is the movie to see this weekend. It’s a piece of art. I’m not going to waste this space talking about its little flaws, instead I want to stress just how grand this movie is. It’s alive and full of heart. Kong himself stands with Gollum as one of the very best CGI creations in movie history. Look into his eyes and you’ll believe he has a soul. Kong’s not the best movie of the year, but it is one of them and it does contain what may be the best scene of the year. There’s a moment towards the end where Kong and Anne romp on an ice rink in Central Park that’s just beautiful. Happiness tinged with inevitable, crushing sadness. It’s bound to get a few tears. Peter Jackson was wasting his time with those splatter-fest Indies. I’ve heard a few people put forward the idea that the PJ making Kong is more like the real PJ of Meet the Feebles. I don’t see it. This is just a natural extension of the same, more grown-up filmmaker that made Lord of the Rings, one of cinema’s greatest adventures. This isn’t as good as LOTR, but doing that would be like George Lucas trying to top his original three Star Wars. That’s not going to happen. Lord of the Rings will endure as Peter Jackson’s greatest contribution to cinema. But in Tolkien’s shadow he’s got a lot of truly fantastic movies still in him. King Kong is one of them.

Still In Theaters And Worth Your Time: Walk the Line, The Chronicles of Narnia

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