As we expect for most of the series throughout May, this week's edition of Defamer Attractions comes down to about five words: Iron Man, and everything else. Nevertheless, join our weekly survey of new releases for a guess at just how soundly the superhero will beat the competition down, as well as a look at the dog that never stood a chance, our favorite (OK, the only) Harmony Korine film of the last decade, and a run through the week's must-think-about-seeing DVD releases. As always, our opinions are our own, but they're also right. Blockbuster season makes it easy!
WHAT'S NEW: Having achieved deafening critical and civilian buzz over the last week, the only remaining question about Iron Man is not if it will kill this weekend, but how it will kill. A close read of the historical record suggests the latest Marvel hero is in for at least an $80 million weekend (including last night's late screenings), but we think that's conservative — accounting for neither repeat viewings nor the Robert Downey Jr. Factor making this as much of an adult treat as a teen/fanboy orgy. We'd be surprised if it didn't break $60 million by Sunday and maybe even $90 million when the dust clears Monday.
Also opening (for what it's worth): Made of Yawner — ahem, Honor, starring Patrick... whoever. Indies of note include the Toronto '07 opener Fugitive Pieces, the coming- of- age- via- sweding- Stallone film Son of Rambow, and the Argentinian teen hermaphrodite drama XXY.
THE BIG LOSER: As long as he's wishing critics dead, we might as well get our money's worth: David Mamet's Jiu-jitsu saga Redbelt isn't so bad, but we expect Iron Man to vanquish its testosterrific charms in the weekend's qualifying rounds before moving on to the more saccharine, sinewy Dr. McDreamy and Co. Come to think of it, the Sony conglomerate as a whole will be missing Spider-Man right... about... now.
THE UNDERDOG: We'll be hearing a bit more from the filmmaker later today, but writer-director Harmony Korine's comeback Mister Lonely is a maverick wack-job of the highest order: A Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) runs off with Marilyn Monroe (Samantha Morton) to a Scottish colony of other celebrity impersonators, while a drunken priest (Werner Herzog) exhorts a troupe of flying nuns a hemisphere away. Infinitely warmer than Korine's previous directing efforts Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy (what isn't?), it's no less hypnotic, funny and confounding.
FOR SHUT-INS: New DVD's this week include The Golden Compass, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, 27 Dresses, the reissued Sarah Jessica Parker/Helen Hunt masterpiece of 1985, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and the nifty microbudget drama from director Todd Rohal, The Guatemalan Handshake.
Are we overestimating Iron Man? Underestimating it? Will anyone but our mothers consider seeing Made of Honor in the next three days, if ever? Stake your claim to bragging rights by placing your bets below.













Comments
"The Guatemalan Handshake" Sounds like a title out of the gay porn section at Pleasure Chest. I'm just sayin'.
90 Mil is a lot for a "2nd tier" superhero, even a summer tentpole. I'm guessing it's going to come in at about 81 or 82.
I sold all my HSX $80 call derivatives for it at something over $9, so...wait, why did I tell you all that?
Thanks for Girls Just Wanna Have Fun tip. I now have my Mother's Day present.
@Juancho: I keep thinking people, will see this because it's 'summer', and apparently we're supposed to like seeing superhero movies in the summer. Not because anyone actually knows who the hell Iron Man was/is.
I'm gonna go with $110 mil for rust bucket.
@femstix: Which is what StarterBoyfriend said yesterday when we were trying to get our tickets for Iron Man this weekend at the Arclight.
Well, there it is. Confirmation it's summer. All shows are sold out for three days of a movie's opening.
Scratch that. 3 Trillion Dollars.
I'm not sold on this. The first Spidey did just short of $115mil*. There was so much pent-up fanboy demand for that film, and nobody's been screaming for an Iron Man film for 20 years. (Well, aside from Nic Cage.)
*in looking this up at the IMDb, I couldn't help but notice under "keywords" on the Spidey page that there is a tag for "nipples visible through clothing". I'm touched someone put the time in to document this.
That Robert Downey redemption thing is tailor made for journos. Rustbucket is getting a lot of good reviewage despite the fact that he is a second-tier hero. Put me in for a $71 mil weekend altogether.
Any movie that uses that god-awful Sara Bareilles song deserves to be beaten to a pulp by Robert Downey, Jr.
Slight correction, Stu: The Guatemalan Handshake is actually a comedy, and since when is six figures considered microbudget? It's shot on 35mm...
[www.bentenfilms.com]
Well I went and saw the movie this here morning, and looking over the fact that it's a wee bit predictable (by wee I mean the wee gets larger when you pay attention to it), the movie was fun, with good affects and damn-it I like any movie that starts off with AC/DC.
I would pay to see Iron Man kick McDreamy ass, as will occur metaphorically this weekend. Of course, I'd pay to see them make out, too.
@Itsjustcatnip: AC/DC? No Sabbath?
@Mel Gibstein: sabbath plays over the end credits (which you should stay through to see the hidden scene)
I'm all for patrick getting a littled bloodied, as long as they don't mess his coif.
@Gyrus: Aw, hell no! Now I have to go see it again...aw, well...I thought it rocked...despite The Gwyneth.
Hurray for RDJ! They must have wrote this role with him in mind!
(Patrick Dempsey is all hair; take away that dry pompadour and you've got a day player on an unfunded indie.)
@cinephiliac: I dunno, Aaron, I thought Handshake was more drama? But I stand corrected on the budget. Sorry.
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