The Report – March 8, 2010

Proving once again that if you make a movie that sounds like it’s family oriented, people will (probably) come. Make it in 3-D and, well, the rest is history.

So far, the biggest grossing movie released in 2010 is Disney’s “Alice In Wonderland”, directed by Tim Burton. With an estimated $116.3 M weekend, It seems to have surpassed lots of expectations! Overture’s “Brooklyn’s Finest” makes its debut at #2 with a comparatively distant $13.5M, moving “Shutter Island” to #3.

Here’s the rest of the box-office story for the weekend period of March 5 through March 7, 2010*:

1 Alice In Wonderland Disney $116,300,000

2 Brooklyn’s Finest Overture Films $13,500,000

3 Shutter Island Paramount $13,300,000

4 Cop Out Warner Bros. $9,145,000

5 Avatar 20th Century Fox $7,700,000

6 The Crazies Overture Films $7,016,000

7 Percy Jackson 20th Century Fox $5,100,000

8 Valentine’s Day Warner Bros. $4,270,000

9 Crazy Heart Fox Searchlight $3,350,000

10 Dear John Sony $2,850,000

Read our reviews of the top 5!:

Alice In Wonderland

Brooklyn’s Finest

Shutter Island

Cop Out

Avatar

82nd Academy Award Winners!

There weren’t a LOT of surprises, but there were some great moments, including Mo’Nique’s acceptance speech. She’s now the 5th Black actress to win the award.

The night also saw the first Black screenwriter win an award. Geoffrey Fletcher made history last night with his adaptation of Sapphire’s “Push”.

Here’s a list of the night’s big winners:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Jeremy Renner, Brian Geraghty, and Anthony Mackie celebrate The Hurt Locker's Best Picture win

Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Actress in a Leading Role: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Actress in a Supporting Role: Mo’Nique, Precious

Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal

Adapted Screenplay: Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher

Animated Film: Up

Foreign Language Film: The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina)

Original Score: Michael Giacchino, Up

Original Song: “The Weary Kind,” Music and Lyrics by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (Crazy Heart)

Art Direction: Avatar

Cinematography: Avatar, Mauro Fiore

Costume Design: The Young Victoria, Sandy Powell

Makeup: Star Trek

Film Editing: The Hurt Locker, Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Documentary Feature: The Cove

Documentary Short Subject: Music by Prudence

Animated Short Film: Logorama

Live Action Short Film: The New Tenants

Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker

Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker

Visual Effects: Avatar

Governors Award: Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman and Gordon Willis

movies opening on Friday!

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Green Zone (R for violence and profanity) Paul Greengrass directs this Iraq War thriller about a rogue Army Officer (Matt Damon) who relies on faulty intelligence while searching for Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction all across the desert. With Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and Brendan Gleeson.

Our Family Wedding (PG-13 for brief profanity and sexuality) Cross-cultural comedy about a couple of feuding family patriarchs, one black (Forest Whitaker), one Mexican-American (Carlos Mencia), pressured to put aside their differences after two of their kids (Lance Gross and America Ferrara) announce their engagement. Ensemble cast includes Charlie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Lupe Ontiveros, Taye Diggs and Warren Sapp.

Remember Me (PG-13 for violence, sexuality, profanity and smoking) Romance drama about a grieving young rebel’s (Robert Pattinson), struggling to recover from his brother’s suicide, who finds himself falling for the supportive beauty (Emilie de Ravin) whose shoulder he leans on. With Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin and Martha Plimpton.

She’s Out of My League (R for profanity and sexuality) Romantic comedy about an Average Joe (Jay Baruchel) working as an airport security guard whose own insecurities threaten to doom his new relationship with the gorgeous girl of his dreams (Alice Eve) even before it has a chance to blossom.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Children of Invention (Unrated) Dysfunctional family drama abut a couple of abandoned siblings (Michael Chen and Crystal Chiu) who are forced to fend for themselves as squatters in an unfinished apartment complex when their overworked, single-mom (Cindy Cheung) disappears after falling victim to a pyramid scheme. (In English, Cantonese and Mandarin)

Delta (Unrated) Atmospheric adventure revolving around the forbidden love which evolves between a Prodigal Son (Felix Lajko) and the sister (Orsolya Toth) he never knew when he returns home to live in their late father’s dilapidated beach house located along the Danube River. (In Hungarian with subtitles)

The Exploding Girl (Unrated) Romance drama about an epileptic college freshman (Zoe Kazan) who broods about her inexplicably-distant boyfriend while hanging out in Manhattan with a platonic pal (Mark Rendall) over Spring Break.

Mother (R for profanity, violence, drug use and some sexuality) Moody crime thriller, set in Seoul, about an acupuncturist (Kim Hye-ja) determined to track down the killer who framed her 28 year-old son (Weon Bin) for the murder of a young woman. (In Korean with subtitles)

Severe Clear (Unrated) Boots on the ground documentary, shot on a mini-DV camera by Marine Lieutenant Mike Scotti, chronicling his unit’s experiences on the front lines in the 21-day battle for Baghdad during the first wave of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Stolen (R for sexuality) Crime thriller about a detective (Josh Lucas) who has to deal with the loss of his own son while attempting to identify the mummified remains of a boy buried in a box for 50 years. With James Van der Beek, Rhona Mitra and Beth Grant.

Tales from the Script (Unrated) Leading Hollywood screenwriters share the secrets of their success in this documentary featuring revealing interviews with Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), John Carpenter (Halloween), Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) and dozens of their colleagues.

White on Rice (PG-13 for sexuality and violent images) Asian-American comedy about a 40 year-old slacker (Hiroshi Watanabe) living with his married sister’s (Nae) family who lands in hot water for trying to woo his disapproving brother-in-law’s (Mio Takada) beautiful young niece (Lynn Chen).

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If you know anybody in India, or if you live near a Reliance Big Theater, and happen to be a woman, you can see any Bollywood release for free, in celebration of Womens’ Day 2010.

That’s it. You’re now all caught up.

(*according to Rentrak’s Box Office Essentials™ theatrical box office data collection and analytical service.)