Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
UK box office is weak, says James Cameron-Wilson, with only 1 new film in the top 10 ahead of the new Downton Abbey film. At #7 is the highly meta 'The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent' with Nicolas Cage playing himself. It is, says, James, a massive waste of time. He also looks at Judd Apatow's comedy 'The Bubble' on Netflix, with Karen Gillan and David Duchnovy the funniest and at the thriller 'All The Old Knives' on Amazon with Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton, which James found implausible.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson looks at the latest UK box office, with adventure-comedy 'The Lost City', starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum & Brad Pitt, the new #1. Highly-acclaimed 'The Northman' is #3 but, while visually impressive, James found it hard to digest and unintentionally funny at times. His film of the week is Operation Mincemeat, the WW2 true story, opening at #5, directed by John Madden and with a starry cast.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' enters the UK b.o. chart at #1, the 3rd highest opening of the year. James Cameron-Wilson found it long, slow and lacking magic, though he enjoyed Dreamworks' 'The Bad Guys' at #3. 'The Outfit' with Mark Rylance at #7 has been well reviewed but is not extensively released. James strongly recommends F.W. Murnau's massively influential 1922 vampire classic 'Nosferatu' out on an extras-laden Blu-Ray but also coming to cinemas and available online from Eureka.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson celebrates a whopping 180% increase in UK box office. #1 is 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' ("a rushed job") while Marvel's 'Morbius' is #2. Dreamworks animation 'The Bad Guys' is #3. Norwegian Oscar- and BAFTA-nominee 'The Worst Person in the World' is the best holdover at #7. James also looks at 'Master' on Amazon Prime, intrigued by the young age of its woman director.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
Hit by better weather and worries about the cost of living, cinema takings are down by 40%, says James Cameron-Wilson. New British box office entries are Catherine Tate's 'Nan' and real-life sporting drama Phantom of the Open, with Mark Rylance, which James found less than believable. Away from the sparsely-attended cinemas however, he was impressed by Fresh on Disney+, a beautifully-made genre piece about the dating scene and by Deep Water, Adrian (Fatal Attraction) Lyne's first movie in 20 years, out on Amazon Prime.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
With 'The Batman' still dominating cinema screens with a total take of £26m, James Cameron-Wilson looks at 'Red Rocket' from Sean Baker, in at #12. Pixar's animated 'Turning Red', about female puberty, has bypassed cinemas and gone straight to Disney+. James admired it, despite it going OTT at the end. He also much enjoyed the self-knowing time-travel adventure 'The Adam Project' with Ryan Reynolds on Netflix.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
Most films are suffering the onslaught of The Batman, says James Cameron-Wilson, looking at the UK box office. This dark version of the Dark Knight, almost 3 long hours long, took £13.5m over the weekend, the 3rd highest since the pandemic. British indie comedy Ali & Ava made #9. James had reservations about Netflix's true-life survival drama Against The Ice, a Danish-Icelandic co-production. But he loved Portuguese The Metamorphosis of Birds, almost a new cinematic art form in itself, out in selected cinemas and on various streaming platforms.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson looks at the UK box office just before 'The Batman' erupts onto cinema screens. With Uncharted still #1, the quirky true tale of 'The Duke' arrives at #3 with Jim Broadbent & Helen Mirren, the last film from Roger Michell. James gives it a thumbs up. He's less keen on musical 'Cyrano' at #7 with Peter Dinklage which never feels real. At #10 is 'The Godfather', still fresh after 50 years. James also recommends 'The Justice of Bunny King', a New Zealand drama available to rent on various platforms.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
With Uncharted still riding high, James Cameron-Wilson reviews last weekend's UK box office. The only big new film is Channing Tatum's directorial debut, Dog, at #4 in which he also stars, oddly marketed as a family film. Resorting to streamed movies, James reviews box-ticking tornado disaster movie Thirteen Minutes with Thora Birch and Anne Heche and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the 9th in the franchise, which he found a cut above the average modern horror, though not for the faint-hearted.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
With box office up 12%, James Cameron-Wilson highlights new #1 'Uncharted' with Tom Holland, based on a video game which he enjoyed and hopes is the first of a franchise. At #3 is Kenneth Branagh's remake of 'Death on the Nile' which James found pretty but dull. Only making the #6 spot is 'Marry Me', a romcom with Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson which, to his surprise, he found both romantic and highly witty.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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