BIG MIRACLE
Starring: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen
Bell,
Dermot Mulroney, Tim Blake Nelson & Ted Danson
Directed by Ken Kwapis for distribution by Universal
The
Plot: A small town reporter and a his Greenpeace volunteer
ex-girlfriend are thrust together when they become a part of a nationally
covered mission to save a family of grey whales trapped under ice in the Arctic
circle.
The
Final Word: Based on actual events “Big Miracle” looks to be in a strong
position to succeed at the box office given its family friendly plot and strong
cast, which should act as a nice buffer for people looking to escape Super Bowl
madness. Although it will only have a one week window before “Journey 2” and
“Star Wars: Episode I: 3D” swoop into theaters looking to capitalize on the
President’s Day weekend.
CHRONICLE
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan,
Alex Russell & Michael Kelly
Directed by Joshua Trank for distribution by 20th
Century Fox
The
Plot: Three teens begin to develop superpowers, but realize their
newfound abilities may also lead them down a dark path as their lives begin to
spiral out of control.
The
Final Word: By now you’ve probably seen the clever trailers for the film,
which really doesn’t portray it as your usual run of the mill movie. While it’s
not a “found-footage” situation, it looks to be very close to that ballpark.
With that said, it also won’t be the only horror film out this week as CBS
Films will release “The Woman In Black.” Still you have to question the release
date for both films as the target audience is going to be focused on the big
game, not the big new Cineplex openings.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Liz White,
Janet McTeer,
Alisa Khazanova,Tim McMullan & Roger Allam,
Directed by James Watkins for distribution by CBS
Films
The
Plot: A lawyer is sent to a remote location to sort out the final will
of a recently deceased client, only to find himself haunted by a mysterious
woman in black, whose presence has even the locals spooked.
The Final Word:
CBS Films doesn’t have the most amazing box office track record, which is
surprisingly given the company’s strategy of producing low-cost movies with
notable talent attached. Here, the company has Daniel Radcliffe in his first
on-screen post “Harry Potter” role, but despite the actor’s strong appeal,
“Black’s” release date is a question mark, given that its being placed in the
same period as this year’s Super Bowl. Traditionally, films in that window
don’t do particularly well.
Previewed next week: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Safe House, Star Wars: Episode I 3D, The Vow
Previewed next week: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Safe House, Star Wars: Episode I 3D, The Vow
