The new face of the Box Office

[mruzick3]

So I know it's the inbetween month, or so, past the dreges of late summer releases and the flood of Oscar hopefuls, but has anyone else checked out the top box office list?

Other than the family fluff of 'Good Boy!' (which is itself directed by a fist-timer), you have two films directed by women, two films from pioneering directors of the nineties indie boost, one film from the director/producer team that popularized the indie genre, a blood-and-guts horror movie, and a off-kilter action flick with an indie actor turned director. I'd say I just woke up in a parallel universe if it weren't so damn cool!

Hopefully, this kind of mix of talents and tastes could be a norm in the top box results. Say whatever you want about the individual films themselves but, personally, I'm just glad to know that they can be and have been made.

Thanks to everyone who shelled out their dough to get these risk-taking films to the top.

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Mike Ruzicka

[cinemaeye]

I agree with you. It seems like I've seen a lot of good (or at least interesting) movies at the theater lately. It's almost enough to wash away the taste of the summer crap. It seems like a few of these movies snuck in under the radar. Of course I think we only have a brief window of interesting films before the onslaught of self-important Hollywood oscar contenders start hitting theaters.

[mruzick3]

Agreed, I may have spoken too soon concerning certain video-game remakes and there is the ambivelant presense of a Denzel Washington noir-light thriller that I can't tell might be good or not. I just still have to marvel at two female directors being up there though. That's a pretty wecome accomplishment for the sausage-fest that is the box office. Haven't seen 'Lost in Translation' yet but I'm itching to go soon. With Sofia Coppola as the newest and better talents out there (better than her husband in my humble opinion) and Murray, the world's greatest underrated comic genius, I figure the movie is an experience to savour.


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Mike Ruzicka.

[cinemaeye]

Yeah, LOST IN TRANSLATION is great. Totally worth seeking out in the theater if you have the chance. The closest comparison to it that I can think of is probably Wong Kar-wai's IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. But it's done with a lighter touch and a lot more humor. A very nice film. You're right, she's better than Spike Jonze.

I was also really surprised by SCHOOL OF ROCK. A great combination of talents on that one. And while it's pretty light weight, I can't think of a movie that was more fun to watch.

[Sandcat2003]

The Station Agent, a little film festival gem, is also worthy of checking out along with Lost in Translation. Any fans of Patricia Clarkson should not miss this film. Flower of Evil, a French film by Claude Chabrol, is also interesting. Many of the smaller films out now are far superior to the critically hyped Kill Bill and Mystic River. Dirty Pretty Things is also still playing in some markets and is a great Frears film. 21 Grams, the next film by Inarritu (Amores Perros), is a great intimate story of guilt and loss (much more effective than Eastwood's Mystic River).

[Furious D]

Everybody wastes their time on the Summer Blockbusters and the Winter Oscar Contenders, which makes Fall the perfect time for that odd, edgy and eccentric film to find an audience.

I've always loved Fall movies because I don't have to spend time in a theater packed with whiny pimply-faced teenagers looking for the next big explosion, and it's free of the long-winded 'gimme a trophy' Oscar whoring that ruins the winter season.

Thank God for Fall.