Movies opening this Week

**Colin** · 06-11-2001, 03:55 PM

This week looks like we got two strong contenders for top dibs in the box office... The Video game gone movie: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie and Disney's summer outing: Atlantis: The Lost Empire. I suspect to see a definite shuffle in next weekend's box office. Swordfish will probably remain in the top five... Pearl Harbor may start sinking quickly, but only time will tell on that one. Shrek's gonna have some competition with Disney's animated feature, and I can see it dropping a couple spots... But I most likely see Tomb Raider taking the top spot this week, with Atlantis being second thanks to all the drooling fanboys who have been waiting anxiously for Tomb Raider...

...Soooo, whatta ya'll think?

This Week's Releases:

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
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Kids/Family, Action/Adventure and Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Rated PG for action violence.

Starring: Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Claudia Christian, Jim Varney and John Mahoney.
Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.
Produced by Don Hahn and Kendra Halland.
Written by Tab Murphy.

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures More Credits

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Release Date: June 15, 2001 Nationwide

Synopsis

Explorer Milo Thather gets a hold of a map to the lost city of Atlantis. Along with Captain Rourke, he and his crew set forth on a mission to locate the mysterious city aboard a submarine. Along the way, they encounter many dangerous obstacles that not only make it difficult to reach the city, but their way back to civilization as well.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
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Action/Adventure.
Rated PG-13 for action violence and some sensuality.

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Daniel Craig, Iain Glen and Leslie Phillips.
Directed by Simon West.
Produced by Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin and Colin Wilson.
Written by John Zinman, Michael Colleary, Michael Werb and Patrick Massett.

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

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Release Date: June 15, 2001 Nationwide

Synopsis

Based on the popular video game of the same name, this film stars Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, a tough, sexy, armed adventurer. Shot in exotic locations like Iceland and Cambodia, TOMB RAIDER is an action-packed fantasy film that will please thrill-seekers of every ilk.

**robert** · 06-12-2001, 10:19 AM

I certainly agree with who will be No.1 The popularity of the video game and the factor of the many drooling fanboys that could probably give Craig and some others here a run for their money will make Tomb Raider tops this week. Although it will be more interesting to see how much business Atlantis does. D*sney is actually doing something different this time, creating a purely action/adventure animated film for the first time{not counting last year's computer animated Dinosaur}Plus we finally have a regular WBA actor being given a major role in a big animated film, that would be Cree Summer as the princess of Atlantis with Mr Spock...I mean Leonard Nimoy as her father the King. But then again, last year I praised Titan A.E for being an action/adventure animated film and that turned out to be a dud that killed FOX animated films. And reviews were mixed during it's premire in New York and Los Angeles{Beat L.A!}, though the good reviews were very positive. Finally, comparisions will be heavily made between this and Shrek since so much has been made of the war between Dreamworks and D*sney and this is D*sney's response to Shrek. It will be interesing to see, and so will the next three weeks as films like Dr Doolittle 2, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes remake, Steven Speilburg's{and to an extent Stanley Kubrick's} A.I, Cats and Dogs, and Scary Movie 2 are released. But then again, time will tell if that's a good thing.

**Nftnat** · 06-12-2001, 10:51 AM

I still think it'd be a good idea for Don Bluth to hook up with Dreamworks. It'd be a union of animation titans with a grudge against D*sn*y. Imagine what they could accomplish together.

**The Mad Hatter** · 06-12-2001, 01:44 PM

Ah, Tomb Raider. From radio ads I've heard, some deep-voiced presence goes on and on about how "evil will reign," or something like that. I'll pass, thank you.

I'm really interested to see how Atlantis does, considering that many americans think that animation needs to be nice n' harmless for kids.

**Sharklady** · 06-12-2001, 02:13 PM

> I still think it'd be a good idea for Don Bluth to hook up with Dreamworks. It'd be a union of animation titans with a grudge against D*sn*y. Imagine what they could accomplish together. <

Grudges alone won't produce quality work.

Admittedly, I was amused by all the digs at Disney in 'Shrek', but I probably wouldn't have been, if they'd come across as truly vindictive.

**DR. BELCH** · 06-12-2001, 02:50 PM

I was perusing TV Guide online reviews a couple of hours ago, and the mixed review of Atlantis struck me. Basically it says that although there's some good writing and slick animation, several of the characters come off as badly-animated one-dimensional stereotypes a la Recess--geeky maladjusted nerd, fast-talking Hispanic, etc.
As for Tomb Raider, I know virtually nil about video games. I don't think I've picked up a joystick since SeaQuest and Dig Dug. Come to think of it, they don't even have joysticks anymore, huh? (8x>>>>>>> (the Methuselah smiley)
Still, if adult animated fare takes off, maybe Disney doing a faithful version of Dante's Inferno can be more than a pipe dream (there was a devil in Fantasia, so why not go a step further with suffering, mutilated souls?).

**Leaping Larry Jojo** · 06-12-2001, 06:58 PM

Originally posted by DR. BELCH
I was perusing TV Guide online reviews a couple of hours ago, and the mixed review of Atlantis struck me. Basically it says that although there's some good writing and slick animation, several of the characters come off as badly-animated one-dimensional stereotypes a la Recess--geeky maladjusted nerd, fast-talking Hispanic, etc.

Hmm. It has slick animation, but has badly-animated one-dimensional stererotypes. Ah-ha.

Disney has been spoiling critics and audiences with their overinflated budgets, and from what I hear, them cutting down the budgets for some of their future projects isn't going to please many people. I, however, am looking forward to cartoons without the latest CGI/Deep Canvas/Superbobulated 3D Califrigeration technology always zooming by my eye screaming, "Look at me! Look at me! I'm so pretty and advanced!"

**Sharklady** · 06-12-2001, 11:05 PM

> Still, if adult animated fare takes off, maybe Disney doing a faithful version of Dante's Inferno can be more than a pipe dream (there was a devil in Fantasia, so why not go a step further with suffering, mutilated souls?) <

I doubt that would attract much of an audience. People who enjoy viewing "suffering, mutilated souls" can already get it from Jerry Springer and his ilk.

**DR. BELCH** · 06-13-2001, 11:16 AM

L.L. JOJO:
Hmm. It has slick animation, but has badly-animated one-dimensional stererotypes. Ah-ha.

I'd post a link if I had one on hand...I may be paraphrasing badly, but I took the critic to mean that the backgrounds and scriptwriting were top-drawer, but the characters needed work. Then again, if not for their well-paying jobs, a critic would just be that loud s.o.b. at the edge of the bar who annoys all with his loud grousing. They're like tantrummy children--there's no pleasing them sometimes.

One of the characters in Atlantis is voiced by Don Novello ("I just built a bridge...and it only took me, like, ten seconds.")--best known as Father Guido Sarducci and the voice of Leonardo Da Vinci on Histeria. That alone is worth a look from me.

SHARKLADY:
I doubt that would attract much of an audience. People who enjoy viewing "suffering, mutilated souls" can already get it from Jerry Springer and his ilk.

It might be interesting to see how Disney would animate the texture of the spirits in hell--humanlike? translucent? clothed, or naked but sans genitalia? See the quiet deprivation in circle one, the tattered spirits whirled about in a tornado in circle two, or the heretics burning in coffins of fire in circle six. Really, all the disgusting stuff doesn't happen untiil Malebolge, in circle eight--that's when the d***ed are hacked to pieces, bloated with disease, submerged in feces, and such. That may push the movie into PG-13, even R ratings.

**Sharklady** · 06-13-2001, 02:08 PM

But the problem is; who would watch it?

Not me, nor anybody in my circle of aquaintances. (I don't know anybody who watches talk shows, either.)

**Leaping Larry Jojo** · 06-13-2001, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by DR. BELCH

It might be interesting to see how Disney would animate the texture of the spirits in hell--humanlike? translucent? clothed, or naked but sans genitalia? See the quiet deprivation in circle one, the tattered spirits whirled about in a tornado in circle two, or the heretics burning in coffins of fire in circle six. Really, all the disgusting stuff doesn't happen untiil Malebolge, in circle eight--that's when the d***ed are hacked to pieces, bloated with disease, submerged in feces, and such. That may push the movie into PG-13, even R ratings. [/B]

I'm pretty sure there are anime movies out there with similar takes on hell.