New on DVD & Blu-ray: 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug', 'August: Osage County', 'Grudge Match'

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - The saga continues as the dwarves and Bilbo Baggins continue through their journey to reclaim the lost dwarf mountain. Along the way, they come across the elves and familiar faces to Lord of the Rings fans. New characters are introduces and the stakes get higher for the dwarves while Bilbo is being tempted by the power of the ring. The film stars Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, William Kircher, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, Peter Hambleton, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, and Evangeline Lilly. 

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August: Osage County - The Oscar-nominated movie, based on the successful play of the same name is finally on DVD and Blu-ray. Never was there a family reunion (if you can call it that since they're all there for their father's funeral) that was as filled with drama and long-kept family secrets like this one. The star-studded cast brings their A-game and delivers great performances that includes a tension-filled dinner scene that is the highlight of the film. The movie stars Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson, and Dermot Mulroney. 

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Grudge Match - Two boxers and ultimate rivals are about to go head to head with each other after a career of facing off against one another. Only problem is, one of them bails on the match after finding out what happened between his girlfriend and said rival. Twenty years later, both boxers have moved on, or so it seems, until an agent suggests a rematch, pitting them against each other one more time. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal, and Kevin Hart.

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Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones - After the death of his neighbor, Jesse starts to experience a bout of strange happenings. Curious and afraid, he investigates what's happening to him, only to discover that he's been marked for possession by a demon. The film stars Andrew Jacobs, Jorge Diaz, and Gabrielle Walsh. 

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A Touch of Sin - Jia Zhangke's film follows the story of four different people, all unrelated and from different provinces, in contemporary China. The story is based on shocking true events and begs the question: what drives someone to violence? The film stars Jian Wu, Luo Lanshan, Meng Li, and Zhao Tao. 

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Best Night Ever - About to get married, Claire grabs her friends and her sister and jets off to Las Vegas for one hell of a bachelorette party, only to get stuck in a situation where things quickly begin to spiral out of control. The film stars Desiree Hall, Samantha Colburn, Eddie Ritchard, and Crista Flanagan. 

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Black Coffee - Robert's life isn't exactly going according to plan. His father fires him from the family business and things seem to being to crap, until he meets Morgan. But just as things start to get heated between them, both of their exes show up and try to get Robert and Morgan back, which makes things a little complicated. The film stars Gabrielle Dennis, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Erica Hubbard, Lamman Rucker, and Christian Keyes. 

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Holy Ghost People - After her sister disappears mysteriously in the Appalachian Mountains, Charlotte enlists the help of an alcoholic ex-marine in order to find her. This psychological thriller unfolds as the characters discover things about themselves and what's really behind Charlotte's sister's disappearance. The film stars Emma Greenwell, Joe Egender, and Brendan McCarthy. 

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Box Office: 'The Hobbit', 'Frozen' Fend Off 'The Wolf of Wall Street'

1. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug- $29.8M/$190.3M
2. Frozen- $28.8M/$248.3M
After six weeks, Frozen continues to show remarkable strength, gaining a whopping 47% from last week. The total is the 2nd-highest ever for a sixth weekend, surpassing Titanic and just behind Avatar. That's pretty good company Disney is happy to be associated with.
3. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues- $20.1M/$83.6M
Slipping only 20% from last week is Anchorman 2, which at $83M is just a nudge under the entire domestic haul of the first film.
4. American Hustle- $19.5M/$60M
5. The Wolf of Wall Street- $18.5M/$34.3M
The biggest debut of the week was Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's The Wolf of Wall Street, which opened big on Christmas Day ($10M) and lost steam afterwards. This one's going to be interesting to follow over the next few weeks, because it's a potential Oscar contender and will likely see some sort of bump from that. But at the same time the subject matter, which features DiCaprio indulging in unheard of levels of greed, excess, and sex, may turn off large portions of the audience. The film cost about $90M and there's no real danger of it not making any money, but it may not be as big of a hit as some may have predicted, especially with audiences only giving it a 'C' Cinemascore.
6. Saving Mr. Banks- $14M/$37.8M
As expected, Disney's Saving Mr. Banks is playing extremely well this holiday season, up 50% from last week.
7. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty- $13M/$25.5M
The only real feel-good movie of the new releases is Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but it may be feeling the effects of Frozen's continued strength. The film has been getting battered like a post by critics, but audiences have taken to it with a 'B+' Cinemascore. Costing around $90M it will need some help to get in the black, but the globe-hopping film should play well overseas. I'm also predicting this will have longer legs domestically than it seems right now.
8. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire- $10.2M/$391.1M
9. 47 Ronin- $9.8M/$20.5M
Well, the stench of failure has been all over Universal's inexplicable $200M 47 Ronin for a couple of years, and this soft opening solidifies it. Keanu Reeves leads the big-budget, special effects-heavy samurai epic, and it's largely due to him that it even did this well because the marketing has been pretty terrible. Critics have crushed it, although audiences seemed to love it enough to grant it at 'B+' Cinemascore, and maybe there will be greater returns on Blu-Ray. However you know things aren't going well when a time-honored tale such as the 47 Ronin can't even do well overseas, where it's only earned $6M.
10. Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas- $7.4M/$43.7M

The Sylvester Stallone vs. Robert De Niro boxing comedy Grudge Match opened to a measly $7.3M weekend and $13.4M for the holiday week.  It's another in a string of duds for Stallone, but perhaps not as big of a deal since it only cost $40M.

Opening in limited release was August: Osage County, hitting five sites to earn $179K. Peter Berg's military drama Lone Survivor opened in two sites for $92K, and Ralph Fiennes The Invisible Woman earned $37K in three locations.

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Cinema Royale #45- The Wolf of Wall Street; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

On the final episode of 2013, Cinema Royale goes out with a bang taking a look at Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's insane The Wolf of Wall Street! Plus, some have been mentioning Academy Awards and Ben Stiller in the same breath for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but is it really that good? Plus, big news on Fast & Furious 7, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-men: Days of Future Past and more!

You can find Cinema Royale every single week on Blogtalkradio, Itunes, Libsyn, Stitcher, Podomatic, and as part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network.  Listen to the latest episode below...

Discover Movies Internet Radio with Cinema Royale on BlogTalkRadio

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Review: 'Grudge Match' Starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro

There's something that feels so right about Sylvester Stallone and a boxing movie. Seriously, the Rocky star has always been at his absolute best when starring in films where the squared circle features prominently, even when he wasn't in tip-top fighting shape. And that streak continues with Grudge Match, which puts Stallone in the ring with fellow boxing warhorse Robert De Niro, honoring and stripping away at their pugilist pasts.

One can't blame the studio for hyping this as some sort of Rocky vs. Raging Bull showdown, but there's an actual plot to be found beneath all the obvious Ben-Gay jokes. Stallone is Henry "Razor" Sharp with De Niro as his longtime rival Billy "The Kid" McDonnen, who fought in two epic matches 30 years earlier, each winning one. But the rubber match never happened as Razor suddenly up and quit the fight game, choosing to live a quiet life in blue collar anonymity. Kid has hated him for it ever since, even as he's moved on to own a successful chain of businesses cashing in on his name. When the obnoxious Dante (a game Kevin Hart), the son of Razor's old promoter, shows up with a plan to make some quick helping out on a boxing video game, the ensuing brawl between Razor and Kid is captured on YouTube and goes viral. There's money to be wrung from these old pros yet, and after some arm-twisting Razor is convinced to come back and battle Kid one last time.

Stallone and De Niro, on the other hand? It's doubtful they put up much of a fight agreeing to this film. Let's be honest, neither has been all that choosey over the years but they both find something in these characters worth investing in. Stallone seems to be channeling the same beleaguered pride he brought to those later Rocky flicks, while De Niro is having fun as a hopeless braggart looking to prove his alpha male status hasn't been dulled by old age. Speaking of old age, can we call a moratorium on grouchy supporting turns by Alan Arkin? Here he plays Razor's Burgess Meredith-style trainer (all he needs is the cock-eye and appropriate snarl) in dire economic straits.
Fortunately it's not all road work and punching the heavy bag, there are plenty of secrets that emerge to complicate matters. Kim Basinger, still gorgeous as ever, shows up as the woman both men fell in love with, and Jon Bernthal plays Kid's adult son who only recently learned his father's identity.

Unless you're already punch drunk from blows to the head it's probably obvious that broad-minded director Peter Segal isn't going to focus too much on anything other than getting his two stars in the ring. The subplots don't really click, Basinger lacks chemistry with both actors, and the rapid fire jokes range from comments on De Niro's jiggling man boobs to Arkin's wildly offensive racial comments towards Hart. More of these hit than miss, though, and one can't deny the twinkle in the eye of Stallone and De Niro, especially when they finally start throwing blows. Ok, so the fight itself is slower than cold molasses and lacks energy but were we expecting Rocky II? All that matters is that we give a care about who gets their hand raised in victory. Grudge Match may not have the goods to be a champion, but it's certainly a worthy contender.

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*CLOSED* 'Grudge Match' Advance Screening

Get ready to lace up the gloves and step into the ring for Grudge Match, the boxing comedy that Rocky's Sylvester Stallone vs. the Raging Bull Robert De Niro! The two screen legends play longtime boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one last fight to settle an old feud. We want to give you front row seats this epic showdown by attending a free advance screening, held at Regal Gallery Place on Monday December 16th at 7pm.

To qualify, you MUST be a fan of Punch Drunk Critics on Facebook,so if you haven't "Liked" us yet please go there and do so now. To enter, simply send an email to punchdrunkcritics@yahoo.com with your name, email address, and favorite movie starring either Stallone or De Niro. Winners will be selected on Saturday December 14th.

Enjoy the fight! Grudge Match opens Christmas Day.


Grudge Match - Official Trailer [HD] by Teaser-Trailer.com

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Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone Duke It Out in First 'Grudge Match' Trailer

A case can probably be made for baseball, but in general it's boxing dramas that are the gold standard for sports movies. Rocky, Raging Bull, The Fighter, Million Dollar Baby, Cinderella Man...not only are these great movies about the "sweet science", they're classic movies in their own right. Boxing comedies on the other hand...well, that's an entire different story. So what are the prospects for a film like Grudge Match, a boxing comedy that takes its cues from two of the best boxing dramas of all-time? Pretty good, as it turns out.

The first trailer for Grudge Match has been released, and despite starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as aging fighters, the Rocky and Raging Bull references are few. Directed by Peter Segal and co-starring Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart, the film follows Razor (Stallone) and Kid (De Niro) whose rivalry in the ring was legendary. Now thirty years after a missed championship opportunity, the two are reunited by a shady promoter who wants them for one more fight, only to find the media spectacle get a little out of control. Of course there are plenty of "old" jokes, and the motion-capture gags are great. Jon Bernthal and Kim Basinger co-star in what look like attempts to add a bit of dramatic heft.

Grudge Match laces up the gloves on Christmas Day.


Grudge Match - Official Trailer [HD] by Teaser-Trailer.com

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First Official Look at 'The Expendables 3', Plus New 'Grudge Match' Image

Whether he'll be dodging bullets or right hooks, Sylvester Stallone is going to be right in the thick of the action in The Expendables 3 and Grudge Match. Like most of what Sly has been up to for the last few years, both films trade on his glory days and status as an action icon, and now we've got new looks at both.

The first official still from The Expendables 3 has arrived and it looks like Stallone has been through Hell. Once again he's surrounded himself with like-minded action heroes, bringing in old war horses like Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, and Antonio Banderas to join newer names like Kellan Lutz and Ronda Rousey. The film also boasts another megalomaniacal turn by Mel Gibson as the villain, Conrad Stonebanks, an arms dealer who long ago helped found The Expendables.

And we also have a new image from the boxing comedy Grudge Match, in which Stallone laces up the gloves Rocky-style to face Robert "Raging Bull" De Niro. They play two retired Pittsburgh fighters whose rivalry is the stuff of legend. Now decades after their first brawl, a shady promoter played by Kevin Hart wants to throw them back in the ring one more time, and it becomes more of a media spectacle than anybody intended.  The photo also gives us a glimpse at Alan Arkin, colorfully named "Lightning", as well as Jon Bernthal who plays De Niro's son.

The Expendables 3 is directed by Patrick Hughes and opens August 15th 2014. Grudge Match steps into the ring on Christmas Day.  [Peli]

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New Images from 'Oldboy', 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues', 'Prisoners', and 'Grudge Match'

Yesterday we saw a number of images released for the upcoming TIFF slate, and practically all of them looked very promising in one way or another. Out of today's batch of photos, only one film is getting any festival love, but they all come varying degrees of expectations.

The first up is Spike Lee's Oldboy remake, which has the misfortune of trying to follow-up Park Chan-Wook's unquestioned classic. The red band trailer showed that Lee is trying to make a film to call his own and not necessarily aping Chan-Wook's, which is probably the wisest course of action. The latest images don't give away much, other than a glimpse at a very haggard Josh Brolin, who plays a man held captive for twenty years for unknown reasons. We also see him after he's mysteriously released, looking quite pissed off, and a shot of a very nervous Elizabeth Olsen. Oldboy opens on October 25th.

So beyond the hot new threads being sported by Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) in Anchorman: The Legend Continues,  the fictional news anchor is also coming out with a "classy" tell-all book, LET ME OFF AT THE TOP!: My Classy Life and Other Musings. No, seriously. It's being published on November 19th, so pre-order it now, America! As for these photos, they show Burgundy making the most of his move to NYC, at least in the fashion department, and reuniting with Brick (Steve Carell), Brian (Paul Rudd), and Champ (David Koechner) in their new home at GNN. Anchorman: The Legend Continues goes on-air December 20th.

One of two TIFF pairings between Jake Gyllenhaal and director Denis Villeneuve (the other is Enemy), Prisoners has the actor as a hot shot cop stuck in the middle of a case involving two missing kids, with Hugh Jackman as a parent who takes the law into his own hands with tragic consequences. Co-starring Paul Dano, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Viola Davis and Maria Bello, Prisoners opens on September 20th and I think it's going to be a sleeper this awards season.

And finally there's Grudge Match, which has Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro channeling their iconic boxing characters Rocky and Jake LaMotta, as aging fighters who agree to one last match. Peter Segal is directing, and the cast includes Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart, so it should at least be decent fun to watch these old guys slug it out one more time. And who knows? Perhaps when all is said and done Stallone can invite De Niro in for The Expendables 4? Grudge Match hits the ring on Christmas Day.

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Jon Bernthal enters the ring with Stallone and De Niro in 'Grudge Match'

Jon Bernthal's been off The Walking Dead for awhile now, but we still think of him as Shane on AMC's hit zombie show. That goes to show the impact he had on it, and just as I just finished saying about Alicia Vikander's future prospects, sometimes it's about being in the right place at the right time. The show has certainly had an impact on Bernthal's big screen career, as we'll see him soon in the Dwayne Johnson-led crime flick, Snitch, and then in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.

Next up he'll join screen legends Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as they recall two of their greatest roles in the boxing comedy, Grudge Match. The Rocky and Raging Bull vets will play two aging fighters who agree to step into the ring one more time to settle an old score. The film has been in development for a couple of years, but has been moving full steam ahead with Peter Segal behind the camera, and Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger, and Alan Arkin signing on recently. Bernthal will play De Niro's son, who is conflicted about training his old man for the fight.

Bernthal will be seen in Frank Darabont's upcoming TNT series, L.A. Noir, so he's also sticking close to his TV roots. [Variety]

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Alan Arkin to slug it out with Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro in 'Grudge Match'

Always a welcome addition to any cast, Alan Arkin is probably still basking in the rave reviews for Ben Affleck's Argo. I think people are also going to respond well to his bittersweet performance opposite Christopher Walken and Al Pacino in Stand Up Guys once it opens in February(review to come shortly). But he's far from done hanging out with screen legends, as now he's entered talks to join Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone in the boxing comedy Grudge Match.

Directed by Peter Segal, the film puts the Rocky and Raging Bull stars into the ring as old fighters who decide to step into the ring one last time to settle their rivalry. With Kevin Hart and Kim Basinger co-starring, Arkin would step in as  "Lightning" Louis Epstein, Stallone's old trainer who resumes his old position after he's rescued from a nursing home. It should be noted that Arkin is also rescued from a nursing home in Stand Up Guys. Typecast?

Doug Ellin(Entourage) wrote the latest draft of the script, with production set to begin early next year. [Variety]

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Sure Shots: Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck; Kevin Hart

* Jennifer Connelly has been out of the spotlight for awhile, even though she's continued to have strong performances in films like The Dilemma and Virginia. But with Darren Aronofsky's Noah on the way, she's definitely stepping back into roles that people will actually have a chance to see. She'll next join the cast of Winter's Tale, the directorial debut of superstar scribe/producer Akiva Goldsman. Based on Mark Helprin's acclaimed fantasy novel, the story follows a petty thief(Colin Farrell) who falls in love with the terminally ill daughter(Jessica Brown Findlay) of a millionaire(William Hurt) while breaking into their home. Connelly will play the girl's mother, with Matt Bomer, Lucy Griffiths, and Eva Marie Saint co-starring. Russell Crowe and Will Smith are in line for cameos. [Deadline]

* Ben Affleck and the gritty, hard-scrabble crime novels of Dennis Lehane have proven to be a successful mix in the past with Gone Baby Gone, so it's no surprise the director is looking to go to the well one more time. Affleck is in talks to write, produce, direct, and star in the author's latest book, Live By Night. You might recall that Leonardo DiCaprio was attached to it back in April, but he'll instead produce through his Appian Way shingle. Set in Prohibition-era Boston, the story follows Joe Coughlin, the son of a police officer who embarks on career in organized crime that takes him from his hometown to Tampa to Cuba. Affleck has a ton of projects on the backburner, so it's hard to tell where exactly this one will fit in, but it sounds great already and certainly right in his wheelhouse. [Deadline]

* In the works since freaking 2010, Warner Bros. has finally given the green light to Grudge Match, the boxing comedy that will star Sylvester "Rocky" Stallone and Robert "Raging Bull"De Niro as two aging fighters who plan one final fight to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first epic clash. But since somebody has to under the age of 100 in this thing, Kevin Hart has been added as the fight's promoter. Directed by Peter Segal(The Longest Yard) and written by Entourage creator Doug Ellin, I'm getting a Great White Hype vibe off of this one. That's a good thing, by the way. Think of how awesome the marketing for this film will be! [Deadline]

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Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro to square off in boxing comedy, 'Grudge Match'

If boxing heavyweights Rocky Balboa and and "Raging Bull" Jake LaMotta were to meet in their prime, who would win? Obviously, that's a question we could never know the answer to since one is completely fictional, but the thought of the men who embodied those characters on screen duking it out in a film was one that had me and plenty of others very excited two years ago. It was back in 2010 when we first learned about Grudge Match, which was rumored to have Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as two aging boxers who plan one final fight against each other, 50 years after their first epic clash. It's Raging Bull vs. Rocky. What's not to love? Unfortunately we didn't hear much about it since, but now it looks like Stallone and De Niro are finally ready to step into the squared circle.

The Wrap reports that both actors are in negotiations to star, with production to kick off early next year. Peter Segal(Get Smart) will direct, with Entourage co-creator Doug Ellin providing the latest version of the script.  Segal doesn't inspire much confidence behind the camera, but Ellin is a smart writer who knows the comical ins and outs of celebrity, so if he can weave some of that into this story it could be a major win.

One thing that's new to me is that this is being billed as a comedy, which makes me even more excited for it. Some of my favorite comedies have been centered on the sweet science of boxing, such as The Great White Hype and Play It To the Bone. With Stallone and De Niro obviously playing off their most iconic roles, this could possibly be better than both.

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