Everybody's a Critic, Part III: Another Year at the Movies, Honorable Mentions and Docs

Most years, I’m good for seeing about 75–100 new releases in the theater, with a handful of revival/repertory screenings and another dozen or so on DVD. This year, try as I might, I only saw 50 new features on the big screen.

Not even averaging one film per week represents an all-time low for me as an adult. While I certainly could have forced myself to engage more, the year was oddly uninspiring for long stretches, although there were some really compelling movies released this year, as well as some highly encouraging commercial success stories.

As for the movies themselves...

HONORABLE MENTIONS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

(500) Days of Summer: Romantic comedies can be deadly, but this one avoided just about all of the genre pitfalls and delivered a sweet three-act tale of the arc of a relationship (highlighted by some beautiful downtown Los Angeles photography), with affecting performances by indie icons Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

The Hangover: Call me biased (I work on the TV side of the studio that released it), but The Hangover is the perfect summer buddy flick. Bradley Cooper established himself as a star, Ken Jeong added to his string of priceless high-energy comedy cameos, and Zach Galifianakis walks off with the picture. Oh, I almost forgot: Mike Tyson sings Phil Collins. Seriously.

The Informant!: Steven Soderbergh is probably one of the most talented artists on the planet, writing, producing, shooting and editing more than 20 films since his stunning arrival with Sex, Lies and Videotape back in 1989. As iconoclastic as they come, Soderbergh seems equally at home crafting crowd-pleasing major-studio fare, experimenting with no-budget digital productions and also trying to find that elusive middle: making films within the studio system that challenge audiences and bear the distinctive stamp of a substantive artist at work. I don't always find myself loving what he delivers, but I never want to miss one of his effots. The Informant! is, at once, many things: a biting satire about corporate greed, a dark comedy about human nature, and -- in Soderbergh's hands -- a whopper of a bizarre tale about a quasi-whistleblower at agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland. I'm still not convinced this movie works on all levels, and the story is so bizarre as to be completely unbelievable (although most of it, apparently, is true) at times, but Matt Damon is priceless as ADM crook/hero/villain Mark Whitacre. Not everyone will care for this, and if you're expecting a straightforward take akin to Michael Mann's incredible The Insider, look elsewhere. But if offbeat and lacerating is your taste, this might be for you.

The International: Clive Owen stars in this globe-trotting thriller as an Interpol agent who teams up with Naomi Watts’ New York assistant district attorney to investigate an all-powerful international bank that is mixed up in arms dealing, laundering money and overthrowing politically inconvenient governments. Armin Mueller-Stahl is in it, too. If that’s not enough, it’s got one of the all-time great shootout scenes, set in New York’s Guggenheim Museum, painstakingly recreated on a sound stage so as not to, you know, damage up the masterpieces and such. Great fun.

Public Enemies: I regard Michael Mann as one of the best filmmakers of the last 30 years, so the release of any new picture of his takes on event status in my mind. As I wrote last summer when I saw the first trailer for the film: “Michael Mann directing Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in a period drama about John Dillinger? Fughedaboudit. Expectations couldn't be higher.” I think my hopes for the film may have been elevated in such a way that they exceeded the grasp of any mortal’s artistry, but the movie is still very very strong, with a rugged star turn by Depp and strong supporting work by Marion Cotillard as the object of Dillinger’s affection and Stephen Lang as a lawman on his trail.

Up: I confess to seeing only half of Pixar’s theatrical output over the years, even though I fully understand the argument that while the movies are kid- and family-friendly, they also offer rich rewards for adults. I’m not philosophically opposed to animated features – trust me, I’ve been waiting in vain for more than 20 years for Warner Bros., Disney, Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis to make a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit – but they aren’t normally top of my list. That said, I finally saw Up in its third or fourth week of release and it was wonderful. Now, did I completely love all of it? No. But that opening half-hour was truly heartbreaking, as was the ending. Damn you, Pixar!

Whatever Works: Larry David is great in the Woody Allen role in this comic farce also starring Evan Rachel Wood and Patricia Clarkson. This continues a nice run of form by writer/director Allen, including Vicki Cristina Barcelona, my favorite movie of 2008; Cassandra’s Dream, a highly underrated 2007 thriller; and Match Point, from 2005. (Feel free to overlook 2006’s Scoop.)

DOCUMENTARIES

Art & Copy: A more inspiring movie about creativity and expression (with not just a little dollop of message manipulation and image manufacturing thrown in) you will not find. If you work in media or communications – in any fashion – this is a must-see film.

It Might Get Loud: Jack White, U2’s the Edge and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page give witness to why all we might really need in life are three chords and the truth.

The Way We Get By: A group of citizens in Maine gather at all hours of the day and night at Bangor International Airport to make sure that members of our armed services who are either (1) flying out to duty overseas or are (2) returning to the United States from serving abroad always have someone there to wish them good luck or welcome them home. Selfless, beautiful stuff.

Next up … my 10 favorites… to be continued...

Springsteen on "Spectacle"

As everyone knows by now, I'm a lifelong Bruce Springsteen fan, and one of my current favorite television shows is "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With..." a sort of "Inside the Actors Studio" for the music-obsessed, featuring discussion of the art and craft of songwriting and musicianship, enhanced by live performances.

Sadly, Costello has stated that he won't be continuing the show after the conclusion of this, the second season.

Fortunately, he managed to snag Mr. Springsteen for a marathon four-hour taping that will air as the show's two-part, two-hour series finale, this Wednesday and next, January 20 and 27, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the Sundance Channel.

Sundance has made three clips available in advance. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble embedding them, so click here to view them at the "Spectacle" site.

Everybody's a Critic, Part II: Favorite Music (Albums) of 2009

2009 was a slightly confounding yet still exciting time for me when it came to music. First off, four of my favorite artists of all time – Bruce Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam and Bob Dylan – put out new records this year (Dylan even released two!), and while they all contain thrilling elements that remind me of why I’ve been obsessed with them for the better part of my life, only one of them managed to rank among my top favorites as I look back at the last 12 months.

On the other hand, one of the records I listened to most this year was issued by a band whose previous work I’d been aware of but hadn’t really heard, and three – count ’em, three – of the releases that had the most impact for me were from artists I had never even heard of back in January, so that rush of being overwhelmed by something new was truly a welcome surprise.

On that topic of discovery, just a quick note here to thank those many people who have given me the priceless gift of their recommendations of music, films, books, art, TV series and more over the years.

I still firmly believe in the old-fashioned notion that a transcendent artistic achievement has the power to change a person’s life, and what could be more generous than sharing something that may do just that?

So, with that out of the way, here is the brief list of my favorite albums of 2009 – the furious five.

* The House That Dirt Built by The Heavy: A couple of friends – both from the Philadelphia area, coincidentally – tipped me off to this record at some point in December, and of this writing, I don’t think a day has gone by where I haven’t played it multiple times. Like last year’s Furr, by Blitzen Trapper, but even more so, The Heavy’s The House That Dirt Built is a dazzling assortment of tracks that easily jump from one musical genre to another yet are wholly of a piece and fit together snugly in a tight, 38-minute package that – for me – is the best complete record I heard all year.

Of course, before the kids in Philly mentioned it, I’d never even heard of this powerful UK band: Now, I can’t stop talking about them and this infectious collection.

The album proper starts with a bang, with the punky garage rocker “Oh No! Not You Again!” – featuring sexy backing vocals (“Baby, baby, want to play?” indeed!) – leading into the funky and blistering “How You Like Me Now?,” which sets its lead character’s attempts to reclaim a lost love (“Does that make you love me, baby?”) against a swaggering beat.

The jaunty “Sixteen” comes next, followed by the soulful “Short Change Hero,” which somehow seems to borrow from both Ennio Morricone and Groove Armada’s “Hands of Time” all at once, with vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place on a new Gnarls Barkley single. Undeniable.

“No Time” essentially sounds kinda like Soundgarden, with a horn section that wanders in halfway through (hint: a good thing), while “Long Way From Home” could be the most beautiful thing on the record.

Sure, maybe the reggae-infused “Cause for Alarm” was a bridge too far, but I give ’em credit for wearing their influences on their sleeves, and the fuzzy, propulsive“What You Want Me to Do?” more than makes up for it.

The House That Dirt Built closes with the plaintive “Stuck,” revisiting one of the album’s themes with the narrator once again trying to find emotional connection and a little human touch with someone just out of reach: “I don’t know if I can do it by myself … I’m stuck, ’til you make your mind up.”

All in all, a great album by a band from which I can’t wait to hear more.

* Tell 'Em What Your Name Is by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears: At some point in early 2009, I started seeing posts on music blogs talking about a forthcoming debut record from an Austin, Texas–based group called Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. The name struck me as funny and cool, but I didn’t really pay too much attention until one day, out of the blue, someone sent me the MP3 to the album’s second track, “Sugarfoot.” As will be evident by the end of these ramblings, I’m a sucker for a good horn part, and on this song, the horns had me at hello.

The album is just a joy to listen to, basically from start to finish, full of James Brown–esque old-school R&B–style grooves mashed up with a shambolic punk spirit. Imagine Sam Cooke being accompanied by Chuck Berry on guitar, the Funk Brothers and a garage band.

And the titles of some of the songs – “Big Booty Woman,” “Humpin’” and “Bobby Booshay” – just make me laugh by looking at them.

“Get Yo Sh*t” might be my favorite track, a shaggy dog tale if ever there was one, about Joe coming home to find all his possessions thrown on the front lawn by his rightfully scorned woman, whose name he can’t even bother to remember. Despite his protestations that “I love you baby!,” she isn’t having it.

These guys put on a fantastic live show, too. If they come to your town, don’t miss ’em.

* Animals in the Dark by William Elliott Whitmore: One day, out of the blue, a friend brought me a copy of this record, suggesting it might be something I might like. As usual, she was right, and I’ve been thanking her in my mind every day since.

If I told you that one of the best releases of 2009 was a contemporary folk disc which blended the populist topicality of Steve Earle with Billy Bragg’s fiery indignation and Bruce Springsteen’s humanity, sung by a guy that sounds like the Midwestern spawn of Tom Waits and Keb ’Mo (hat tip to another friend for the latter comparison), would that be something that would interest you? I would hope so.

I could write all day about Animals in the Dark, but I’ll spare you that except to note a few things.

Picks to click are the leadoff track, “Mutiny,” a fiery (and not safe for all workplaces) indictment of our leaders and their reckless stewardship of the country; “Johnny Law,” a rollicking tale of an encounter gone bad with the po-lice; and “Old Devils,” another examination of how the more things change, the more they stay the same (“They tell me there’s a war without no end, the old devils are at it again”). Hey HBO, "Old Devils" is the perfect theme song for your upcoming “Boardwalk Empire” series. Trust me.

Other standout tracks are “Hell or High Water” and “There’s Hope for You.”

But the outright gem is “Who Stole the Soul.” Now, it’s a running joke that I can’t go a day without somehow referencing Bruce Springsteen. Hell, I’ve already done it a few times in this post, and I’m going to do it again right here. In its earnest questioning, “Who Stole the Soul” confronts unchecked imperialism and directly criticizes the Constitution-bending we’ve witnessed over the last eight years in this country. When Whitmore sings that he won’t let go of “these things beyond value that we cherish so dear,” I was reminded of Springsteen’s “Long Walk Home” from the 2007 Magic album, specifically the line about the flag flying over the courthouse meaning that certain things were set in stone, like (1) who we are as a country and (2) what we’ll do in the name of the land in which we live, but (3) more importantly, standing for the things we won’t do in its name – immoral torture, illegal occupation, unjustified military intervention, etc.

At the end of “Who Stole the Soul,” the narrator has seemingly had a breakthrough, happy to proclaim that he’s “got back the spark from inside of me” and urging listeners to hear the shuffle of his dancin’ feet. That determination to meet challenges head-on reminded me of that simple verse in “Racing in the Street” from Darkness on the Edge of Town, about how some guys give up living and start dying little by little, piece by piece, while others come home from work, wash up and go racing in the street. Inspiration comes from mysterious places sometimes.

Anyway, Animals in the Dark by William Elliott Whitmore – highly recommended.

* 1372 Overton Park by Lucero: For years, many of my friends have tried to impress upon me how fantastic a band Lucero is. The testimony came from pals everywhere, whether it was D.C. (yes, Anderson and Company, I’m looking at you), New York, the great state of New Jersey or the locals here in L.A.

Try as I might, I found myself basically appreciating their previous work, but never falling head over heels for it until the day back in August when a friend, Jack, sent along a link to stream the audio of their new single, “The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo.” I think it took about 30 seconds for me to determine this was my favorite track of the year: those horns, that jagged voice, the infectious rock and soul vibe!

I waited – exceedingly impatiently – for the complete album to arrive, and when it did, it was chock full of unexpected treasures, from “Smoke” to “What Are You Willing to Lose,” “Sounds of the City,” “Sixes and Sevens” and more.

Having stupidly missed seeing them not once but twice in two different tiny Southern California venues last year, I hope against hope that they’ll swing back through here again this year.

So, Lucero, my apologies for not having been on the train earlier, but late to the party is better than not showing up at all, right?

* Backspacer by Pearl Jam: The fellas come out swinging on their latest record, with three crushing, guitar-driven rockers – “Gonna See My Friend,” “Got Some” and “The Fixer” – right out of the gate that reminded me of why they’re one of the best bands on the planet.

Now, the record admittedly doesn’t keep that pace throughout, and the collection of songs doesn’t rise to the level of the band’s seminal efforts of years past, but – to me – Backspacer is still a standout piece of musical work for 2009, relative to other releases of the past 12 months.

“When something’s loooooost, I want to fight to get it back again.”

To be continued ... with favorite individual songs of 2009, featuring some of the above plus The Airborne Toxic Event, The Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band, The Dead Weather, Doves, Elvis Costello, Girls, Glasvegas, Green Day, Justin Townes Earle, M. Ward, Muse, My Chemical Romance, Rhett Miller, Ryan Bingham, She & Him, U2, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wilco and The XX.

Until then...

Everybody's a Critic, Part I: Favorite TV Shows of the Decade

It’s been quite a while since I’ve updated this blog, but I resolve to post more often in 2010. So, since everyone else I know is posting best-of the year and/or decade lists, what better way to start off the new year than with one of my own.

Proving that everybody’s a critic, here is one TV flack’s list of favorite television shows of 2000–2009. (Note: I admit to not having watched Battlestar Galactica, which I hope to remedy via Netflix some day, so it will not appear on this list.)

10C. Extras: Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant’s brilliant satire of the television business lasted a mere two short seasons, but what a glorious two seasons they were. The series finale, a movie-length episode in which Gervais’s Andy Millman – by now a successful television actor who has compromised his integrity for fame and fortune – appears on a celebrity edition of Big Brother is an absolute classic, and a stinging indictment of the wasteland that current popular culture has become.

10B. The Big Bang Theory: Sure, it’s only in its third season (and I’ll take the knock for studio bias), but I think this is much funnier than the uneven 30 Rock and The Office, with Jim Parsons’ work here every bit the equal of Alec Baldwin’s while eclipsing Steve Carell.

10A. Lost: Ambitious network TV at its finest. At a certain point, I gave up trying to figure out the overarching mythology and just watched the show like you would watch the Law & Order or CSI series, or any other non-serialized show, by just sitting back and enjoying the ride of that particular hour. Some characters can be annoying, and the producers’ seeming insistence on simply adding more mystery can be a bit tough to deal with when we just want answers!, but I cannot wait for the final season upcoming.

9. Freaks and Geeks: Two-thirds of its 18 episodes aired in 2000, so I deem this eligible. What a perfect gem of a show. Judd Apatow and company were years ahead of their time.

8. Brotherhood: Showtime’s criminally underrated drama about a Rhode Island state assemblyman, his family and his mobbed-up brother lasted only three seasons, but it combined some of the best elements of The Sopranos with the political elements of The Wire and provided a weekly showcase for powerhouse performances by Australian Jason Clarke and Englishman Jason Isaacs as two Irish brothers in Providence.

7. Sons of Anarchy: Another relative youngster, with just two seasons under its belt, this action-drama about an outlaw motorcycle club became can’t-miss TV in its just-concluded second year on the air. Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal turn in career-defining work on a weekly basis as the patriarch and matriarch of the SAMCRO club; Maggie Siff (Mad Men) is brilliant as a conflicted doctor; and Charlie Hunnam (of Judd Apatow’s brilliant but canceled Undeclared and the UK version of Queer as Folk), as the headstrong heir-apparent has firmly established himself as one of the best actors working on TV today.

6. The West Wing: Aaron Sorkin and his collaborators proved that TV could not only entertain but could also inspire and enlighten … and, in fact, should do those things. Sure, it may have played as a bit of liberal fantasy and the idealism was unabashed, but so was the drama.

5. Mad Men: One of the great things about film, TV, music, books and all forms of art is that they take you places you might never have been. Watching this singular drama is like opening up a time capsule from the 1960s, but the show’s style is only exceeded by its substance, a finely crafted piece of entertainment, family and workplace drama, social commentary and more, with an iconic performance for the ages by Jon Hamm as ad man Don Draper.

4. The Sopranos: After Homicide: Life on the Street, it looked like drama might be dead. But no! David Chase and his writers gave James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and the rest the tremendous cast the opportunity of their lifetimes, and the assembled company of artists delivered one of the most influential programs in the history of the medium. Marred by some inconsistency in the middle seasons, the show still stands tall in the pantheon of dramatic television, the signature series by which all future entrants in the genre are judged.

3. The Shield: Not many people could reliably say that when they heard that Michael Chiklis (then late of Daddio and previously The Commish) would be starring as the head of an elite L.A.P.D. strike team in a new drama on a then-middling cable network, that the program would eventually turn television upside down, winning the first-ever acting Emmy for a basic cable show and redefining the cop genre for the decade. But it all happened.

2. Deadwood: Ian McShane turned Sunday nights into his own personal master class in acting for three sublime seasons, inhabiting the character of Al Swearengen in a way unrivaled by anyone on TV not named James Gandolfini or Andre Braugher. The fact that he never won an Emmy® for this peerless work – or the absurdity that he was only nominated once! – constitutes a crime against creativity. And any show that has the good grace to end its run with Bruce Springsteen's O Mary, Don't You Weep playing over the closing credits is OK by me.

1. The Wire: I’m not sure I’ll be able to articulate anything here that hasn’t already been said by hundreds of professional television writers and critics far more eloquent than I, but allow me to assure you that they all speak the truth. For five seasons, this show chronicled the decline of an American industrial city, as seen through the prism of the impact the war on drugs, the diminution of the value of work, political dysfunction, the failed school system and an indifferent media had on the denizens of Baltimore, Maryland. This claim may strike some as outlandish, but I think the five chapters of this cinematic story represent the most accomplished scripted achievement in the history of American television. Season four, which addressed the role public schools play in the life of a community and focused on the disparate lives of four young boys, simply represents the best thing I’ve ever seen, epic in scope, heartbreaking in the telling, and unforgettable. I cannot wait to see Treme, the upcoming new HBO series from The Wire creator David Simon and company.

Box Office Contest Update: Nothing New to Report Edition

Stu’s victory lap continues, as “Inglourious Basterds” scalped another $20 million to bring its 10-day cume to just under $74 million, according to estimates from Box Office Mojo.

Next week marks the official end date of the contest, with results through the Monday of Labor Day weekend.

In addition to issuing the final tallies next Monday, we’ll also be taking a “coulda,” “shoulda,” “woulda” look at our game, in which we revisit the draft with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight and see how things would have worked out had we correctly drafted the 32 highest-grossing films of the summer in the proper order.

In the meantime, here are the totals through August 30:

Stu (eight films): $1.28 billion
John (eight films): $829 million
Robert (eight films): $758 million
Dave (eight films): $682 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Basterds Edition

With this week’s release of “Inglourious Basterds” and “Shorts,” all four of the competitors in this summer’s box office contest have all eight of their movies in play.

Quentin Tarantino’s return to form grossed $37 million this weekend: The basterds were quite glorious and just added icing to the cake of Stu’s runaway victory.

“Shorts” came up … yes … short for John, but he’ll finish second for the summer.

Totals through August 23:

Stu (eight films): $1.24 billion
John (eight films): $800.8 million
Robert (eight films): $743.3 million
Dave (eight films): $677.8 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Got My Computer Back Edition

Before we get started, consider this a public service announcement and a plea: If it is playing in your town, please go see the indie film “In the Loop,” which is an absolute must-see for anyone interested in smart comedy … but especially so if you like the intersection between politics and the media.

Imagine a comic version of “The West Wing,” albeit with completely venal characters, boasting an absolute live-wire performance by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi as a beautifully profane, irascible and manipulative head of communications for an unseen Prime Minister as Britain and the U.S. contemplate joining together to go to war.

Trust me, it’s brilliant.

OK, back to the box office.

Due to a computer issue befalling the Bellingham View (new hard drive needed for the laptop), we haven’t had a box office update in a while.

Which is probably for the best, considering the pathetic “performance” that John, Dave and I have turned in.

None of us has passed the $700 million mark yet with our combined releases, while Stu is closing in on $1.2 billion with yet another film – “Inglourious Basterds” – still to be released.

So, this isn’t really an update, per se, but more of a simple acknowledgement that the contest continues … although our hopes don’t.

Totals through August 9:

Stu (seven films): $1.18 billion
Robert (eight films): $693 million
John (seven films): $687 million
Dave (seven films): $660 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Hogwarts Edition

To John’s delight (and that of Warner Bros. employees), “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” opened huge this week, setting a box-office record with more than $22 million from midnight showings on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and then adding another $79.5 million over the weekend for a five-day cume of $159.7 million, according to estimates from Box Office Mojo.

His “Ice Age” is holding up strong, adding another $17.7 million this weekend for a total of $152 million.

John is convinced this means that the game is still on and that he has a chance to stop Stu’s inevitable march to victory. I disagree, but since he has three more movies still to be released, we’ll wait patiently.

“Bruno” plunged -73% from last weekend for a three-day take of $8.4 million and a total of $49.6 million=unhappy numbers for me.

Stu continues to ride high, with “Transformers,” “The Hangover” and “The Proposal” still in the top six this week.

“Public Enemies” has snatched up $79 million, making it Michael Mann’s second-highest-grossing film ever, behind only “Collateral.” That’s good news for Mann and Universal, but not good enough for Dave in this summer’s contest.

Next week: John’s hopes ride on Jerry Bruckheimer’s “G Force,” while Dave plays out the string with the release of “The Ugly Truth,” starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler.

Totals through July 19:

Stu (seven films): $1.1 billion
Robert (six films): $613 million
Dave (seven films): $563 million
John (five films): $389 million

Reminder: If it’s playing in your town, go see “The Hurt Locker.”

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Movie I Wish You Would See Edition

Before we get to this week’s results, please allow me this one public service announcement: Go see “The Hurt Locker,” one of the best and most intense movies of 2009.

OK, with that out of the way, this week brought the release of “Bruno” for me and “I Love You, Beth Cooper” for John.

“Bruno” opened strong with a $14 million Friday, according to estimates compiled by Box Office Mojo, but then dropped -39% for a weak Saturday of $8.8 million leading to an opening frame of $30.2 million.

No one loved “Beth Cooper,” with the Fox comedy matriculating only to $5 million in its opening weekend. In better news for John, “Ice Age” froze another $28.5 million in box office cash this weekend, leading to a 12-day cume of $120.6 million.

Dave’s “Public Enemies” held up OK, grifting another $14 million this weekend for a total of $66.5 million.

But all this is largely irrelevant, given that Stu has run away with this summer’s contest. His “Transformers” is now up to $339 million, “The Hangover” is at $222 million, and three of his other picks have passed the $100 million mark, including "The Proposal," which continues to earn. He has over $1 billion in the can.

As a noted basketball announcer used to say, this one’s in the refrigerator. The door’s closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter’s getting hard and the jello’s jiggling.

John holds out hope because next Wednesday marks the arrival of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” but it’ll take more wizardry than Hogwarts could ever conjure up to stop the Levine express.

Totals through July 12:

Stu (seven films): $1 billion
Robert (six films): $587 million
Dave (seven films): $541 million
John (three films): $192 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Independence Day Edition

“Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” and “Public Enemies” opened on Wednesday of last week, joining holdover “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” to light up the July 4 weekend box office, according to estimates reported by Box Office Mojo.

For John, the “Ice Age” five-day debut of $67.5 million is a solid, if unspectacular, opening, putting it slightly behind the three-day total for “Up” and a few million behind the five-day for the second “Ice Age” film.

John will need the dinosaurs to roam far and wide if he has any chance of catching Stu, whose “Transformers” twisted up another $42.5 million in its second weekend for a 12-day cume of $293.5 million.

Dave’s “Public Enemies” shook down the box office to the tune of $41 million over five days. Sure, this is nothing compared to the dollars thrown off by Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies or Christian Bale’s “Batman” pictures, but this has to be considered good commercial news, given the Michael Mann film’s decidedly mixed reviews, R rating and period setting.

Next week: “Bruno” is unleashed for me, and “I Love You, Beth Cooper” tests John’s theory that a legion of guys (pubescent and otherwise) are believing the tease that star Hayden Panettiere drops trou and that will translate into box office gold. We’ll see!

Totals through July 5:

Stu (seven films): $952.8 million
Robert (five films): $546.2 million
Dave (seven films): $500 million
John (three films): $130.9 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: Twisting Cars Edition

As expected, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” has dominated the U.S. box office and our summer contest since its debut on Wednesday, according to information provided by Box Office Mojo.

After five days, the monstrosity has assaulted audiences to the tune of $201.2 million for Stu, who claimed the top three films this week, with “The Proposal” finding another $18.5 million (off only -45%) for a total of $69 million, and “The Hangover” going for the hair of the dog and adding another $17.2 million for a cume of $183 million to date.

Dave’s two new entries were “My Sister’s Keeper” and “Cheri.” The former opened at $12 million, while the latter picked up $408,000 in limited release. I think we can safely say that Dave will not win the pool this year. It’s the end of an era.

John’s “Year One” and “Dance Flick” have combined for $57 million. He’s waiting impatiently for his big dogs – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” – to start hunting.

“Up” added another $13 million this weekend for me, bringing its cume to $250 million. I’m going to need huge numbers from all my remaining movies to have any shot at even being close.

Next week brings “Ice Age” for John and Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” – a must-see film in the Bellingham View household – for Dave.

Totals through June 28:

Stu (seven films): $606.6 million
Robert (five films): $530.2 million
Dave (six films): $434.9 million
John (two films): $57.4 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Contest Update: The Return of Sandra Bullock

“The Proposal” debuted this week at #1 for Stu, with the Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds–starring comedy romancing its way to $34.1 million after three days, according to information from Box Office Mojo. This marks the biggest opening weekend ever for a Sandra Bullock film.

John’s second film to open, the Jack Black/Michael Cera–starring “Year One,” debuted at $20.1 million.

“The Hangover” party continues unabated, with the film dropping only -18% this week to add another $26.9 million for a cume of $153 million. Stu and Warner Bros. employees rejoice.

Disney/Pixar’s “Up” continues to fly, adding another $21.3 million toward my cause this weekend for a cume of $224 million.

The “Pelham” remake was off -52% for a second-frame haul of $11.3 million and a 10-day cume of $43.3 million. Probably not what Dave was looking for.

Next week, Stu appears poised to unleash hell on this year’s contest with Paramount’s release of DreamWorks Pictures’ “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

Dave took the counter-programming route with Warner Bros. Pictures’ “My Sister’s Keeper” and the Miramax release “Cheri,” directed by the criminally underrated Stephen Frears and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

Totals to date:

Stu (six films): $526.1 million
Robert (five films): $501.6 million
David (four films): $403.2 million
John (two films): $44.9 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Beautiful Game Turns Ugly

The Confederations Cup rolled into its second weekend today with stunning results.

But before we get to that, let’s salute Spain and its 2-0 victory over South Africa yesterday, in which La Selección set a FIFA record for 15 consecutive wins in official competitions and tied Brazil’s streak of 35 matches in a row without a loss.

Now, for today’s positively absurd results.

Italy went into today’s match vs. Brazil needing to beat the South American giants and then get some help to advance to the semifinals. If they beat Brazil outright, a U.S. win over Egypt would likely put them through, depending on the goal situation. Failing that, they needed to hold Brazil to a draw and then hope that the U.S. beat Egypt 1-0.

Egpyt could advance by beating the U.S.

The only possible way the U.S. could advance would be by destroying Egpyt and having Italy be trounced by Brazil.

You know where this is headed.

After an initial 10 or 15 minutes in which they had a few scoring chances and looked aggressive, Italy then proceeded to fall apart completely, in a debacle reminiscent of the fast-breaking counter-attack whipping they suffered at the hands of The Netherlands in last summer’s Euro 08.

Brazil ran rampant toward the end of the first half, sprinting up and down the pitch to earn three goals in a 10-minute span, including two by now-ubiquitous striker Luis Fabiano and an own-goal by Andrea Dossena that, to be fair, would’ve easily been converted by Brazil for the third had the defender not accidentally pushed it past keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Neither side could score in the second half, with Brazil coasting to a 3-0 victory and nine points from three wins to take Group B.

Now, Italy would have to hope the hapless U.S. -- which had lost to Italy and then been eviscerated by Brazil -- could somehow find some heart and beat Egypt in a low-scoring match.

But, no, Egypt went right into the tank, improbably losing 3-0 to the Stars and Stripes, leaving Italy, Egpyt and the U.S. all tied with three points.

Both Italy and the U.S. had goal differentials of -2, eliminating Egypt (-3) in the first tiebreaker.

The second tiebreaker – goals scored – favored the U.S., who’d managed to net four vs. Italy’s three, sending the Italians home and the U.S. into the semifinals where they’ll face Spain on Wednesday.

Good luck with that.

Día de los Padres

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, incluing my own, the original Robert G. Pietranton, aka "Piet."

Best to all!

The Beautiful Game

A year from now, the world’s attention will shift to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup 2010 Finals, the quadrennial assemblage of global soccer’s best national teams.

A year in advance, a smaller group of international squads have gathered there to compete in the Confederations Cup, a precursor to the big dance. Europe 2008 champions Spain, defending World Cup champions Italy, global soccer powerhouse Brazil and the United States have joined Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand and host country South Africa for the two-week tournament that began yesterday.

And what a tournament it has been so far! Spain picked up right where they left off in dominating Euro 08 with a 5-0 thrashing of New Zealand yesterday, behind a hat trick within the first 15 minutes of play by striker Fernando Torres.

Today brought a barn-burner between Brazil and Egpyt, a seven-goal seesaw thriller that the South American giants were fortunate to win 4-3 on an injury time penalty kick by former world footballer of the year Kaka, he of the recent enormous transfer from Bellingham View faves AC Milan to the mercenary Real Madrid.

Following Brazil’s great escape was Italy vs. the United States. The Americans took a 1-0 lead on a penalty conversion by Landon Donovan, but playing with 10 men after an early red card proved to be too high a mountain to climb for the U.S. They were ultimately outlasted and outclassed by the Azzurri, who won 3-1 behind two terrific goals by the young Giuseppe Rossi who, ironically, was born in the U.S. (“In Clifton, New Jersey, which wasn’t a crime at that time”) to Italian immigrant parents and later chose to play for Italy over his birth country.

Can't wait for more great matches.

Side note to Italy: Immediately burn those hideous alternate kits worn in today's match. Unless there's something I've missed completely, with the U.S. in all white, Italy could easily have worn its blue shirt-blue shorts-blue socks ensemble and not clashed with their opponents. Today's disaster -- think a duller version of Carolina blue for the shirts and a duller version of a Cleveland Browns football jersey color for the shorts and socks -- was atrocious.

Return of The Lake Show

The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA championship tonight in Orlando, beating the Magic 99-86 to win the series 4-1.

It's the 15th championship for the Lakers franchise, 10th overall for Coach Phil Jackson and fourth for Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and clutch point guard Derek Fisher.

Of course, some L.A. fans haven't figured out how to deal with prosperity.

Box Office Contest Update: NYC Subway Edition

This week brought the release of “The Taking of Pelham 123” for Dave and “Imagine That” for Stu.

The “Pelham” remake, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, made off with $25 million in its opening frame for Dave, according to estimates from Box Office Mojo.

Eddie Murphy’s second consecutive disaster, “Imagine That,” opened to $5.7 million for Stu, shades of last summer’s “Meet Dave” fiasco that I endured.

Of the holdovers, “The Hangover” continues to party, dropping only -26% in its second weekend for a 10-day cume of $105.4 million, which is great news for Stu in our contest and for Warner Bros. Pictures in general (and, by extension as a Warner Bros. Entertainment employee, for me!).

“Up” is also holding strong, down only -31% in its third weekend for a rising cume of $187 million, putting it within reach of becoming Pixar’s second-highest domestic grosser ever, behind only “Finding Nemo.” For my sake in this contest, let’s hope so.

“Star Trek” crossed the $230 million mark for Dave.

John’s only movie in theaters, “Dance Flick,” has waltzed slowly to $24 million to date.

Next week, Stu’s hopes ride on the Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy “The Proposal,” while John finally has a second horse to ride: Jack Black and Michael Cera starring in the ultimate origin story, “Year One.” Good luck with that!

Totals to date:

Robert (five films): $457 million
Stu (five films): $412.8 million
David (four films): $371.7 million
John (one film): $24.2 million

Click here for our complete picks and release dates.

Box Office Update: "Hangover" Edition

This weekend marked the release of two films for Stu and one for me.

Mr. Levine's fourth pick, the "Land of the Lost" remake starring Will Ferrell, limped home with $19.5 million since Friday, while his fifth selection -- Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Hangover" -- looks like the sleeper hit of the summer, road-tripping its way to a three-day opening frame of $43.3 million and placing second for the weekend.

However, both releases were "Up"-staged by my Disney-Pixar toon, which flew to a $44 million weekend and saw its cume balloon to $137 million after 10 days.

My eighth pick, the counter-programmer "My Life in Ruins," proved ruinous indeed, grossing a measly $3.2 million.

Of other holdovers, Stu's "Angels & Demons" is up to $116 million while the "Night at the Museum" sequel has raised $127 million.

My "Wolverine" is at $174 million, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" is just shy of $54 million, and "Drag Me to Hell" is at $28.5 million.

For Dave, "Star Trek" has gone to $223 million, "Terminator Salvation" is at $105 million, and "Management" is at $834,000, give or take a few pennies.

John still has only had one movie open, and "Dance Flick" is resting at $22.7 million.

Next week: Eddie Murphy tries to persuade audiences to "Imagine That" for Stu, while Dave rests his hopes on the remake of "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.

Totals through June 7:

* Robert (five films): $392 million

* Dave (three films): $329 million

* Stu (four films): $306 million

* John (one film): $22.7 million

Click here for a complete list of our films and release dates.

The New Math: 24 = 40 + 8 + 8 = 1-0

Kobe Bryant goes for 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers blew out the Orlando Magic 100-75 in game one of the 2009 NBA Finals.

Game two on Sunday night.

Drag Me Up to Hell: Movie Box Office Contest Update

For those of you following the 2009 Summer Movie Box Office Contest, this weekend brought the release of Disney/Pixar's "Up" and Sam Raimi's "Drag Me to Hell," which happened to be my second and seventh picks, respectively.

"Up" soared to $68.2 million, according to estimates provided by Box Office Mojo, which makes it the third-highest Pixar opening ever, behind "The Incredibles," which opened at $70.5 million in November 2004 and fought on to gross $261 million, and "Finding Nemo," which opened at $70.3 million in May 2003 and swam all the way to a domestic catch of $340 million.

In order for me to have any chance to win, I need "Up" to take on a decidedly "Nemo" trajectory, floating to north of $300 million.

"Drag Me to Hell" bowed with $16.6 million, which has to be viewed as a slight disappointment. A great trailer and some incredibly positive reviews had me hoping this one would crack the $20 million mark and be a nice, summer sleeper that would benefit from positive word of mouth and scare up close to $100 million before the end of its run. It still might prove to be leggy, but it could've used a bit of a better start.

Dave's "Star Trek" passed the $200 million mark, while "Terminator Salvation" is at $90.7 million.

Stu's sequels -- "Angels & Demons" and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" -- both reached the $100 million mark.

John's lone entry so far, "Dance Flick," has earned just $19.2 million to date, after a $5 million weekend.

As for my earlier entries, "Wolverine" grossed an anemic $3.9 million (wow) in its fifth weekend, for a total of $170.9 million. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" has romanced its way past the $50 million threshold with a $1.9 million weekend, but it doesn't look like that date will bear more fruit.

Next week brings Stu's fourth and fifth picks -- "Land of the Lost" and Warner Bros.' "The Hangover" -- and my eighth pick, the Nia Vardalos-starrer "My Life in Ruins."

(Full disclosure: I chose it with my last selection, hoping to scoop up some counter-programming dollars from women dying to see anything but the other two male-skewing comedies being released. In my dreams, I told myself I'd be thrilled if it grossed a third of Vardalos' "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which would be $80 million or so. Then, I saw the trailer. Fat chance of that happening. I'll settle for $30 million at this point.)

Totals through May 31:

* Rob (four films): $305.7 million

* Dave (three films): $300.9 million

* Stu (two films): $209.5 million

* John (one film): $19.2 million

Click here for our complete list of picks and release dates.

Back to the Museum

Ben Stiller and director Shawn Levy rounded up a bunch of friends and $150 million or so of 20th Century Fox's money and delivered "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" to an apparently eagerly waiting marketplace, grossing $53.5 million through Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, according to estimates from Box Office Mojo, giving Stu a nice opening for his second pick in this summer's box office contest.

Stu's "Angels & Demons" also picked up another $21 million, for a cume of $81.5 million.

Dave's second pick of the summer was "Terminator Salvation," and director McG's teamup with Christian Bale has grossed an estimated $56.4 million through Sunday, after opening on Thursday (with Wednesday midnight previews).

Dave's "Star Trek" added another $22 million this weekend, for a cume of $183.6 million. The less said about "Management" the better.

John's eighth pick -- "Dance Flick" -- failed to find an audience, opening at a stillborn $11.1 million through Sunday.

For my part, "Wolverine" has $163 million in the bank, and "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" is now up to $45.9 million.

Next week brings Pixar's "Up" and Sam Raimi's "Drag Me to Hell," both of which are my picks. So, I look forward to a nice weekend ahead.

Totals through May 24:

Dave (three films): $240.5 million

Robert (two films): $208.9 million

Stu (two films): $135 million

John (one film): $11 million

Click here for our complete list of picks and release dates.

Memorial Day

"I wish we could dedicate Memorial Day, not to the memory of those who have died at war, but to the idea of saving the lives of the young people who are going to die in the future if we don’t find some new way -- some new religion maybe -- that takes war out of our lives.

"That would be a Memorial Day worth celebrating." -- Andy Rooney

Watch the complete video here or read the full text here.

Bring 'em home.

Sick

LeBron James nails the game-winning three to even the Eastern Conference Finals series at 1-1 vs. the Orlando Magic.

Sick.

The Camerlengo Cometh: Summer Movie Box Office Contest Update

Director Ron Howard and Tom Hanks returned to the scene of Biblical European crimes this weekend with Ewan McGregor along for the ride as Il Camerlengo (chamberlain to the Pope) in "Angels and Demons," grossing $48 million, topping the U.S. box office and -- most importantly -- getting Stu on the board in this summer's box office contest.

"Star Trek" continues to live long and prosper for Dave, holding up admirably to add another $43 to its already impressive haul for a 10-day cume of $147.6 million.

Unfortunately for Mr. Shaw, his eighth pick, the Jennifer Aniston/Steve Zahn-starrer "Management," opened on just over 200 screens for an anemic $378,000. If Dave's going to win for the third year in a row, he'll be doing it without the help of "Management."

As far as my selections are concerned, "Wolverine" clawed together another nearly $15 million for a total of $151 million, while "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" added nearly $7 million for a cume of $40 million.

Next week brings the highly anticipated "Terminator Salvation" for Dave and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" for Stu, while John gets off the schneid and into the game with the release of his eighth choice, "Dance Flick."

Totals thru May 17:

Robert (two films): $191 million
Dave (two films): $148 million
Stu (one film): $48 million
John: N/A

Check here for our complete picks and release dates.

"Trek" Beams Up Cash

In the second weekend of this summer's box office contest, Dave's first pick, "Star Trek," went where no release in the franchise had ever gone, grossing an estimated $76.5 million for the frame, including Thursday night previews, according to Box Office Mojo.

"Wolverine" dropped a ghastly -68% but still added an estimated $27 million to bring its cume to $129.6 million for me.

And my sixth pick, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," punched $10.5 million worth of tickets -- off -32% -- for a two-weekend total of $30.2 million.

Next week will belong to Stu with the opening of "Angels & Demons," while Dave hopes for a few million bucks from the indie romantic comedy "Management," starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson.

Totals through May 10:

Robert (two films): $159.9 million
Dave (one film): $72.5 million
John: N/A
Stu: N/A

Check here for a list of our picks and release dates.