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Demons rule at the multiplex

June 13th, 2008, 12:14 pm · 2 Comments · posted by Barry Koltnow

night

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that my reference to demons is a reference to the demons being fought by Dr. Bruce Banner in “The Incredible Hulk.”

Well, you’re not wrong. But you’re not right, either.

Of course, Dr. Banner is fighting the green demon inside him, so you’re not wrong. But you are wrong in assuming that he is the only one fighting demons this weekend at the box office.

In fact, there are some serious demons being fought, and they’re not a figment of anyone’s imagination.

“Incredible Hulk” director Louis Leterrier is fighting the demon that was left behind by Ang Lee’s disappointing 2003 movie “Hulk.” So many people turned off to the franchise after that film that Leterrier has to wonder whether anyone will want to see his movie.

His main competition this weekend - besides the ghost of “Hulk” - is M. Night Shymalan’s first “R” rated thriller “The Happening,” which stars Mark Wahlberg (both men are shown above).

The demon that Shymalan is battling is his last movie - “Lady in the Water.”

The director, who struck box-office gold with “The Sixth Sense” and “Signs,” hopes to recover from last summer’s disaster, although reviews have been mixed and “The Incredible Hulk” is considered the bigger movie.

Once the money has been collected, the directors will have to decide whether they have excised their demons.

Fascinating column here

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Posted in: Behind the scenes
 
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 2 Comments

  • Jaqui says:
    June 13, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    I am always intrigued to see what is coming next from M. Night but his movies go nowhere. Who is paying for these movies?

  • Papa Bob says:
    June 16, 2008 at 11:53 am

    Greetings Mr. Koltnow,

    Normally, I don’t like to tear down anyone or any film for that matter. I am a huge fan of Shymalan’s work and although I didn’t think Lady In The Water wasn’t his best work, it certainly wasn’t his worst either.

    His worst film, CLEARLY, was Signs. This deserves a tirade.

    First, it’s typical sci-fi fare. Superior alien race attacks from outer space. Their big weakness? Water?!?!. Did these superior braniacs not see the big blue parts of the planet when they were parking the mother ship? Who can say? Then, for some inexplicable reason they attack us naked. I would have loved to have been at that strategy meeting.

    The end was the worst part of all. Trapped inside their house and how do they defend themselves? They put boards over the doors and windows. They might have just as well turned off the lights and pretended that they weren’t at home. Apparently these superior beings mastered space travel but not the technical subtlties of the crow bar.

    You’ll notice they never show us the alien’s spaceship. Why? Simple! In keeping with the continuity of the rest of the film, the alien’s ship would have to be nothing more than a souped up-galaxy class short bus.

    I should say that I think Shymalan is an extremely gifted film maker and Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix are truly gifted and talented.

    This screenplay, however, should have never made it from the hard drive to the printer. Good marketing made this a box office hit. Nothing more.

    Just a thought…

    Papa Bob

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