Rock of Ages and That's My Boy disappoint this weekend

The two new releases "That's my Boy and "Rock of Ages" failed to enlighten the box office this weekend dissappointing regardless of their star studded casts. Instead  Madagscar 3 and Prometheus continued to succeed at the Box office.Moonrise Kingdom and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel continued their outstanding runs in the arthouse area. For more click here.

Films I recently saw on DVD!

This weekend I had the chance to catch up with some of this year's earlier releases.

The Woman in Black (2012) starring Daniel Radcliffe is about a young lawyer traveling to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman terrorizing the locals. The film features a fine performance by Radcliffe legitimizing his acting career after Harry Potter. The filmmakers do a great job giving atmosphere with its lighting, and art direction and as a result they are easily able to create terrifying sequences with lots of urgency. However the script lacks depth and a coherent ending that ultimately disappoints.
Conclusion:The Woman in Black is an enjoyable ride that lacks depth and a coherent ending that will leave audiences unsatisfied. B-

Mirror Mirror (2012) starring Julia Roberts retells the story of Snow White and her adventure to gain the love of the Prince. Tarsem's adaptation lacks a coherent script which gives no new insight to the story and lacks any character development. The acting is uneven and the dialogue is laughable. In the visual department the film feels claustrophobic as the action takes place in four sets and the visual effects are cartoonish. The only redeemable aspects of the film are the beautiful costumes and the colorful set decoration.

Conclusion:Mirror Mirror's lack of  story and subpar acting makes for one of the worst movie experiences I have ever encountered. F   

---Francisco Salazar

Prometheus succeeds at the box office

After everyone suggested that both Prometheus and Madagascar would debut modestly both succeeded scoring 60 million and 50 million openings. Continue reading

Snow White wins the box office with $56 million

After many predicted the film would flop, Snow White and the Huntsman proved to be a huge hit scoring the fourth highest opening of the year. Moonrise Kingdom continued to succeed in the art house forum. Continuing reading 

PIFF Day 2 Impressions and Favorite Film Selections

In case you missed our recap for Day 1, click here.

Day two of PIFF had some stronger showing than Day 1. More importantly, "Messenger" screened at the festival and we had a Q & A session.

The day was capped by a successful award ceremony which awarded three films: Best Feature Film, Best Animated Film,  and Best Short Film.

The awards went to:

Best Feature Film: "Ecstasy"

Best Animated Film: "The Game"
Best Short Film: "The Couch"

Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival Day 1 Impressions

Day 1 of PIFF was a strong opening for the festival's first ever opening day. The Hollywood Theater is a gorgeous venue that seats about 300 people. We had the opportunity to attend four separate blocks and saw some very strong pieces. I will write about my favorite films on this block only. In total we saw 13 films, 2 features, and 11 shorts. In no particularly order here are the favorites of Day 1.

Snow White leads a soft weekend

After a disappointing Memorial day  Weekend, Snow White hopes to overtake Men in Black 3 and The Avengers. Along with Snow White, For Greater Glory opens in a limited wide release while Piranha 3DD opens in both theaters and Video on Demand. Click here to continue reading.