This Week in Australian Cinemas

This week is an intriguing one. We get one big blockbuster that is being released at the same time as the US, but on the fringes we get a bunch of arthouse titles that are premiering here much earlier than America, which is rare. This week features one title that I can't wait to see (hopefully seeing it tomorrow).


Click, (2006, dir. Coraci)
YAWN. Another high-concept-low-laughs (I'm assuming) comedy starring Adam Sandler. To make matter worse this one also stars Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken and David Hasslehoff (who was funny for about a week last year). Oh and Henry Winkler! And Sophie Monk! And Sean Astin! Wow, this just keeps sounding better and better.

Brasileirnho, (2005, dir. Kaurismäki)
The first of this week's releases that isn't out in America yet. Mika Kaurismäki's documentary on Brazilian dance (a style called "choro") comes after his documentary about Brazilian music Moro no Brasil. Obviously similar in style to Wim Wenders Beuna Vista Social Club. It's been getting great reviews. I had a free pass to this movie but I couldn't go, I would've liked to see this. Oh well.

Factotum, (2005, dir. Hamer)
Charles Bukowski. If you're a fan then you're going to want to see this movie. I personally am not knowledgable of his works unfortunately, but apparently this movie is quite good. Matt Dillon gives a great performance I've heard, as to Lili Taylor and Marisa Tomei. The second release this week to not have an American release yet. Go us.


Renaissance, (2006, dir. Volckman)
I'd never heard of this movie before today but I cannot wait to see it. It looks bloody unreal. If you're like me and don't have a clue as to what this movie is, it is apparently a mix between Blade Runner, Sin City and, er, The Polar Express. If that doesn't get you excited (don't worry), then just check out the official French site. I salivated over that site. It looks to die for. I loved the look of Sin City so imposing that on a Blade Runner-esque version of future France using the same filming technique as The Polar Express just sounds irrisistable. If the images on the site are anything to go by, then this is going to the best-looking film of the year. It "stars" Daniel Craig, Catherine McCormack, Ian Holm and Jonathan Pryce in the english version (it's French, but I believe it has been redubbed.) This is the third film not yet released in America.

Wah-Wah, (2005, dir. Grant)
This movie has a great cast (Emily Watson, Miranda Richardson and one of my favourites Julie Walters) alongside Gabriel Byrne (an actor I've never liked), directed by Richard E Grant. I just wish the story interested me more. Oh well.

BOX-OFFICE
1. Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (1)
2. Cars (2)
3. The Break-Up (2)
4. The DaVinci Code (5)
5. Stick It (1)
6. Over the Hedge (p/v)
7. X-Men 3: The Last Stand (4)
8. Take the Lead (4)
9. Poseidon (3)
10. The Omen (2)

The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift slides easily into #1, pushing similarly-themed Cars to #2. Cars was down 45% from last week, grossing $2.4mil for a total of $8.7mil. The Break-Up is performing very closely to it's American release, but The DaVinci Code continues to be stronger here than America (just like every other country on the planet).

Stick It (review to come) makes a splash at #5, with the third (JUST missed having the second) highest per screen average. Over the Hedge is doing well in preview screenings and the rest of the chart follows suit. The Omen is down a whopping 67%. It made $5000 more than Just My Luck did to debut (DEBUT!!) at #11 with $319,309.

Outside of the Top 10, The Caterpillar Wish continues to pull in decent crowds at #15, while at #19 Hidden just misses the $1mil mark (it sits at $993,809). Qualifying as an unmitigated flop is Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist which debuts at #19 with $50,860 for an average of $1,240. LOL