(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)
It happens every so often: two Hollywood movies come out around the same time, with a shockingly similar premise. There was "Top Gun" and "Iron Eagle" in 1986, "Dante's Peak" and "Volcano" in 1997, and in more recent times, "Hercules" and "The Legend of Hercules" in 2014. But the most infamous of these twin films battles took place in the summer of '98, when "Deep Impact" went up against "Armageddon" as the two asteroid disaster flicks battled it out for box office supremacy. Ultimately, Michael Bay's "Armageddon" came out on top.
It's not as though director Mimi Leder's "Deep Impact" was a failure — in fact, by many metrics, it was a gigantic success. It's just that it wasn't quite as big as Bay's bombastic spectacle starring Bruce Willis,...
It happens every so often: two Hollywood movies come out around the same time, with a shockingly similar premise. There was "Top Gun" and "Iron Eagle" in 1986, "Dante's Peak" and "Volcano" in 1997, and in more recent times, "Hercules" and "The Legend of Hercules" in 2014. But the most infamous of these twin films battles took place in the summer of '98, when "Deep Impact" went up against "Armageddon" as the two asteroid disaster flicks battled it out for box office supremacy. Ultimately, Michael Bay's "Armageddon" came out on top.
It's not as though director Mimi Leder's "Deep Impact" was a failure — in fact, by many metrics, it was a gigantic success. It's just that it wasn't quite as big as Bay's bombastic spectacle starring Bruce Willis,...
- 5/13/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
When former Shaw Brothers executive Raymond Chow founded rival studio Golden Harvest in 1970, he quickly teamed up with “Jimmy” Wang Yu – Hong Kong’s first kung fu superstar and formerly Shaw’s biggest box office draw. Bringing over his peerless talent for taking on all foes with one hand tied behind his back, Wang wrote, directed, and played the title role in one of his most unmissable kickass classics. From the legendary star of “One-Armed Swordsman” and “The Chinese Boxer” comes… “One-Armed Boxer!”
Yu Tian Long (Wang) is the best fighter to come out of his local martial arts school, but when he crosses the ruthless leader of a local crime syndicate, the big boss’ brutal bevy of deadly killers makes mincemeat out of the school and everyone inside. Now the only survivor of the massacre, and short of one appendage, Yu is gifted a powerful elixir that promises to...
Yu Tian Long (Wang) is the best fighter to come out of his local martial arts school, but when he crosses the ruthless leader of a local crime syndicate, the big boss’ brutal bevy of deadly killers makes mincemeat out of the school and everyone inside. Now the only survivor of the massacre, and short of one appendage, Yu is gifted a powerful elixir that promises to...
- 8/6/2022
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Jimmy Wang Yu broke his contract and left Shaw Brothers in 1970 and his last movie with them was “The Chinese Boxer” which he both directed and acted in. It was about a Chinese martial arts student who took revenge on the Japanese karate practitioners who bullied his school. Seven years later, he is back with “Return of the Chinese Boxer”, an in-name only sequel with a totally new protagonist. The villains are still the Japanese but this time there is an added historical element.
on Amazon
Scripted by Gu Lung, in the story the Japanese are planning to invade China and after forming an alliance with the corrupted General Tao, a group of heavily armed troops is on its way to China. Consequently, this prompts some royal Generals and the locals into action to fight against the foreigners and “Rapid Fist” Tsao Pai Leung (Jimmy Wang Yu) is one such rebel.
on Amazon
Scripted by Gu Lung, in the story the Japanese are planning to invade China and after forming an alliance with the corrupted General Tao, a group of heavily armed troops is on its way to China. Consequently, this prompts some royal Generals and the locals into action to fight against the foreigners and “Rapid Fist” Tsao Pai Leung (Jimmy Wang Yu) is one such rebel.
- 4/16/2022
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
In the climax of Shigehiro Ozawa’s The Street Fighter (1974), “hero” Terry Tsurugi (Shin’ichi “Sonny” Chiba) attempts to rescue a kidnapped heiress by boarding the enemy’s ship and fighting his way through a mob of henchmen. Within the ensuing smorgasbord of pain and grievous injury, two moments stand out. After vaulting over a railing and sticking a crunchy landing on a guy’s back, Terry blocks an incoming swing and plows his fist into the assailant’s stomach. A grimace or yell are to be expected, but the film gives us much more: in slow motion and close-up, we watch as the poor man’s mouth flops open and white-orange bile streams out, still chunky with foodstuffs reversing their prior course. A second thug lunges in, but this reckless charge leads to his ensnarement in an armlock. As Terry snaps the man’s limb not once but three times,...
- 2/15/2021
- MUBI
Quentin Tarantino‘s brand of fetishism — the non-foot kind, I mean — is, in some part, an exploration of the cinema on a genre-by-genre basis, and so his filmography has, to my mind, been missing a certain something without a documentary. While he’ll claim there are (maybe) only two features left in him, there’s a chance that one will take that path — or at least have a documentary-like reserve of research behind it.
The subject? 1970. No, not the cinema of the 1970s, a medium-specific topic that’s been covered as much as any, but 1970, a time Quentin Tarantino considers the takeover point for New Hollywood — and it’s fascinated him so much that he’s been poring over and pondering material for four years. So he revealed during a recent masterclass held at Lyon’s Lumière Festival, where the “work in progress” was given this noncommital classification: “Am I going to write a book?...
The subject? 1970. No, not the cinema of the 1970s, a medium-specific topic that’s been covered as much as any, but 1970, a time Quentin Tarantino considers the takeover point for New Hollywood — and it’s fascinated him so much that he’s been poring over and pondering material for four years. So he revealed during a recent masterclass held at Lyon’s Lumière Festival, where the “work in progress” was given this noncommital classification: “Am I going to write a book?...
- 10/14/2016
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Lovelace | Elysium | Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones | Jurassic Park 3D | What Maisie Knew | We're The Millers | Morrissey 25: Live | The Kings Of Summer | The Dyatlov Pass Incident
Lovelace (18)
(Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, 2013, Us) Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Hank Azaria, Chloë Sevigny, Adam Brody. 93 mins
Kitsch 70s larks are averted thanks to the determination of directors Epstein and Friedman (who made the Allen Ginsberg film Howl) to tell the story of porn star Linda Lovelace in all its grimness and complexity. Seyfried is the victimised performer, who later claimed her appearance in the 1972 phenomenon Deep Throat amounted to filmed rape; the strong supporting cast represents a Who's Who of Us indie character actors.
Elysium (15)
(Neill Blomkamp, 2013, Us) Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Alice Braga. 109 mins
Smart dystopian sci-fi for the Occupy Wall Street generation, with Damon as an ex-crook who breaks into the privileged off-world colony of Elysium to...
Lovelace (18)
(Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, 2013, Us) Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Hank Azaria, Chloë Sevigny, Adam Brody. 93 mins
Kitsch 70s larks are averted thanks to the determination of directors Epstein and Friedman (who made the Allen Ginsberg film Howl) to tell the story of porn star Linda Lovelace in all its grimness and complexity. Seyfried is the victimised performer, who later claimed her appearance in the 1972 phenomenon Deep Throat amounted to filmed rape; the strong supporting cast represents a Who's Who of Us indie character actors.
Elysium (15)
(Neill Blomkamp, 2013, Us) Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Alice Braga. 109 mins
Smart dystopian sci-fi for the Occupy Wall Street generation, with Damon as an ex-crook who breaks into the privileged off-world colony of Elysium to...
- 8/24/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Nothing to do with Arthur C. Clarke's The Hammer Of God, in which a giant asteroid smashes into Earth, or Hammer Of The Gods, a rock bio in which Led Zeppelin do pretty much the same thing, Vertigo Films' Hammer Of The Gods takes us back to the middle-ages for a good, old-fashioned bout of Viking carnage. If you were to look at this new poster and think that there was just a hint of 300 and Valhalla Rising about it, you'd not find any disagreement in these parts.Valhalla, another Vertigo joint, had Mads Mikkelsen as a one-eyed norseman on an existential journey. In this case it's Charlie Bewley, Demetri of Twilight fame, who's on a Viking mission in 871 Ad Britain as Steinar, the angry-looking dude on the poster.His father, King Bagsecg (James Cosmo, Braveheart), sends him on a quest to find his exiled brother; a plot with Shakespearean undertones and,...
- 11/27/2012
- EmpireOnline
When movies aren’t being watched at the Cannes Film Festival, they’re being purchased, and we’ve got news of a couple that have been picked up for North American distribution.
First up is Pablo Larrain’s “No,” which has been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. Larrain’s most notable feature to date was probably his “Saturday Night Fever”-inspired serial killer flick “Tony Manero,” but thanks to having Gael Garcia Bernal in the lead role (and a strong Cannes reception) “No” may be about to eclipse his previous efforts. The film, which has been screening in Director’s Fortnight, is based on the true story of a brash, young advertising exec (Bernal) who in 1988 launched an audacious plan to win over Chilean voters in a referendum on the presidency of their military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet. That immediately sounds like a fascinating premise to us, our reviewer on the Croisette loved it,...
First up is Pablo Larrain’s “No,” which has been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. Larrain’s most notable feature to date was probably his “Saturday Night Fever”-inspired serial killer flick “Tony Manero,” but thanks to having Gael Garcia Bernal in the lead role (and a strong Cannes reception) “No” may be about to eclipse his previous efforts. The film, which has been screening in Director’s Fortnight, is based on the true story of a brash, young advertising exec (Bernal) who in 1988 launched an audacious plan to win over Chilean voters in a referendum on the presidency of their military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet. That immediately sounds like a fascinating premise to us, our reviewer on the Croisette loved it,...
- 5/23/2012
- by Joe Cunningham
- The Playlist
Filming it just getting started for the ever lovable Charlie Bewley as he tackles his latest project, Hammer of the Gods. Charlie will star in the role of Steiner, a Viking warrior off on a quest to find his estranged brother. Read more below:
Shooting is underway in London on Vertigo Films’ Viking story Hammer of the Gods, the debut from Farren Blackburn.
Set in Viking Britain in 871 Ad, Hammer of the Gods is described as “a visceral, intense tale set in a world whose only language is violence”. The film will follow a young Viking warrior, Steinar (Charlie Bewley), sent by his father the King on a quest to find his estranged brother.
Charlie Bewley (Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn part 2, Like Crazy) stars as Steiner, aslongside Ivan Kaye (Layer Cake, Dark Shadows) and James Cosmo (Braveheart, Game Of Thrones). Matthew Read has written the script.
Producer Rupert Preston said of the project: “This will be an exciting, barbaric, stylish and heroic film that will entertain genre fans around the world.”
The six week shoot will take place in London and Wales.
Read the full story at Screen Daily here.
Thanks Noor!
I’m trying to picture Charlie as a Viking, this could be good!
What do you think of Charlie’s new role?...
Shooting is underway in London on Vertigo Films’ Viking story Hammer of the Gods, the debut from Farren Blackburn.
Set in Viking Britain in 871 Ad, Hammer of the Gods is described as “a visceral, intense tale set in a world whose only language is violence”. The film will follow a young Viking warrior, Steinar (Charlie Bewley), sent by his father the King on a quest to find his estranged brother.
Charlie Bewley (Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn part 2, Like Crazy) stars as Steiner, aslongside Ivan Kaye (Layer Cake, Dark Shadows) and James Cosmo (Braveheart, Game Of Thrones). Matthew Read has written the script.
Producer Rupert Preston said of the project: “This will be an exciting, barbaric, stylish and heroic film that will entertain genre fans around the world.”
The six week shoot will take place in London and Wales.
Read the full story at Screen Daily here.
Thanks Noor!
I’m trying to picture Charlie as a Viking, this could be good!
What do you think of Charlie’s new role?...
- 5/16/2012
- by Evie
- twilightersanonymous.com
Another week, another Monday. So it’s time for the rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s another packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, April 16th 2012.
Pick Of The Week
Recoil (DVD/Blu-ray)
A cop turns vigilante after his family is murdered, exacting vengeance on the killers – and then on all criminals who have slipped through the system. Recoil Review
And the rest…
The Ledge (DVD/Blu-ray)
An affair with a neighbour’s wife (Liv Tyler) ends badly when Gavin (Charlie Hunnam) is forced onto a high rise ledge and given one hour to jump by a jealous husband (Patrick Wilson). A cop (Terrence Howard) is looking to save both their lives but will he have enough time?...
Pick Of The Week
Recoil (DVD/Blu-ray)
A cop turns vigilante after his family is murdered, exacting vengeance on the killers – and then on all criminals who have slipped through the system. Recoil Review
And the rest…
The Ledge (DVD/Blu-ray)
An affair with a neighbour’s wife (Liv Tyler) ends badly when Gavin (Charlie Hunnam) is forced onto a high rise ledge and given one hour to jump by a jealous husband (Patrick Wilson). A cop (Terrence Howard) is looking to save both their lives but will he have enough time?...
- 4/16/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
To mark the release of Dark Relic on DVD and Blu-ray April 16th, Koch Media have given us three copies of the movie to give away on DVD.
Thor (Zachary Ty Bryan – The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) and his companions set out on a journey to discover foreign coasts, striving for fame and honor. But when a scout goes missing on a strange island, the search party meet the terrified inhabitants of the land, terrorised by wild beasts.
Thor begins to have recurring dreams, telling him to start a quest for the Hammer of the Gods – a mighty weapon that can save the island.
To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply click next to be taken to the entry form and question….
Thor (Zachary Ty Bryan – The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) and his companions set out on a journey to discover foreign coasts, striving for fame and honor. But when a scout goes missing on a strange island, the search party meet the terrified inhabitants of the land, terrorised by wild beasts.
Thor begins to have recurring dreams, telling him to start a quest for the Hammer of the Gods – a mighty weapon that can save the island.
To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply click next to be taken to the entry form and question….
- 4/4/2012
- by Competitons
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Hammer of the Gods! Marvel’s sequel to last summer’s hit, “Thor,” suddenly finds itself in search of a new director after “Monster” helmer Patty Jenkins bailed over “creative differences.”
Jenkins was set to replace original “Thor” director Kenneth Branagh, who left to focus on smaller, more intimate fare. In a THR issue due to hit stands on Thursday, Jenkins – who was set to be the first female director of a Marvel Studios film – admitted, “I have a long love of superhero films and I’d been saying over and over again to my agents at CAA that I’d like to do one. That’s the real revolution. The Marvel guys are so brave in terms of who they choose overall, and I don’t think they had any pause about me being a woman.
“I met with all the actors and to my surprise,...
Hollywoodnews.com: Hammer of the Gods! Marvel’s sequel to last summer’s hit, “Thor,” suddenly finds itself in search of a new director after “Monster” helmer Patty Jenkins bailed over “creative differences.”
Jenkins was set to replace original “Thor” director Kenneth Branagh, who left to focus on smaller, more intimate fare. In a THR issue due to hit stands on Thursday, Jenkins – who was set to be the first female director of a Marvel Studios film – admitted, “I have a long love of superhero films and I’d been saying over and over again to my agents at CAA that I’d like to do one. That’s the real revolution. The Marvel guys are so brave in terms of who they choose overall, and I don’t think they had any pause about me being a woman.
“I met with all the actors and to my surprise,...
- 12/7/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
Accusations will always follow Sonisphere festival – usually aimed from those most preposterously pretentious metal fans who frequent supposedly non-mainstream festivals like Bloodstock – that Sonisphere is little more than a sell-out event, aimed at watered-down metal fans of pop-edged bands who have long since let go their grip on creative integrity in favour of the almighty dollar.
But 2011′s fest boasted one of the most impressive line-ups rock festivals have seen for a good long while, thanks largely to the promise of the Big Four playing together on one stage in one glorious night, as well as talent from across almost every sub-genre of rock from pop-punk (Weezer, YouMeAtSix), to comedy-tinged re-imaginings (Hayseed Dixie, Richard Cheese) and the bona-fide megastars of Slipknot, Biffy Clyro
And no matter what pigeon-hole those bands might fall into, a festival experience that includes so much breadth, and so much inclusive passion for music in general...
But 2011′s fest boasted one of the most impressive line-ups rock festivals have seen for a good long while, thanks largely to the promise of the Big Four playing together on one stage in one glorious night, as well as talent from across almost every sub-genre of rock from pop-punk (Weezer, YouMeAtSix), to comedy-tinged re-imaginings (Hayseed Dixie, Richard Cheese) and the bona-fide megastars of Slipknot, Biffy Clyro
And no matter what pigeon-hole those bands might fall into, a festival experience that includes so much breadth, and so much inclusive passion for music in general...
- 7/22/2011
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.