While by no means a flop, Robin Hood does bear the scent of an under-performer this morning. The latest Ridley Scott | Russell Crowe collaboration only managed to steal $37.1M in its debut, placing a distant second to the mighty Iron Man 2 ($53M | $212M). Female counter-programming didn't exactly work for Letters to Juliet which only garnered $13.8M in its opening frame. Romantic "comedy" Just Wright was even worse at $8.5M, while powerhouse How to Train Your Dragon continued to print money ($5.1M | $208M). more ›

There was never any doubt that Ironman 2 would dominate the box office this weekend. The only question was whether it would top The Dark Knight for the largest opening ever. Nope! Despite the largest theater booking in history, Ironman 2 only (only?) managed to bring in $133.6M. That tally squashed the awful A Nightmare on Elm Street ($9.1M | $48.5M) and the resilient How To Train Your Dragon ($6.7M | $201M). The sturdy Date Night continued to print money ($5.3M | $80.8M) as did the nauseating The Back-up Plan ($4.3M | $29.4M). more ›

The natural inclination amongst civilized folk is to resist the bloated blockbusters that trample into theaters every summer. Surprisingly, that sentiment hasn't really applied to Iron Man 2. I imagine that's because of the tremendous good will accorded to Robert Downey Jr. I didn't love Iron Man 2 as much as Iron Man (click here), but it's still a solid piece of popcorn entertainment. There probably won't be a more adorable film this year than Babies. That will either bring you into the theater or keep you away (it will bring me in). more ›

Now that all the publicity and hype have passed, isn't it obvious that there is no way in hell Sandra Bullock should have won an Oscar instead of the divine Carey Mulligan in An Education? I had serious doubts about Sherlock Holmes when it was originally announced, but I found it to be much better than I expected. Sure, it was your typical, bloated, over-done studio film, but it was actually a pretty good one. Baader Meinhof Complex was the best foreign movie you didn't see last year. If you couldn't get onto the incredibly exclusive guest list at UCB, at least now you can see the star-studded A Night of 140 Tweets on DVD. Cheers to Paul Scheer for organizing this charity bonanza. Spankers and Horat released in the same week? Amazing! more ›

For the second week in a row, Avatar blew away the competition to easily capture the box-office crown ($75M | $212.2M). It's presumed challenger, Sherlock Holmes was a distant second ($65.3M) while Dumb Fucking Chipmunk Movie made an obscene amount of money ($50.2M) (presumably, from moronic families trying to keep their bratty kids quiet for a few hours). Adult "comedy" (e.g. not funny) It's Complicated had a decent weekend ($22.1M) while the superb Up in the Air surged in its first weekend of wide release ($11.7M | $24.5M). more ›

In a just world families would be heading out to the multiplex this afternoon to see Terry Gilliam's latest (and Heath Ledger's last) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Of course, we don't live in such a world so Sherlock Holmes will be getting all of the business. If you want to try something thought-provoking and serious (yeah, I know you don't), check out Police, Adjective. I respect everything about Nancy Meyers other than the actual movies she makes. Her latest is It's Complicated. I will, of course, pass. Apparently, there is some kiddie flick opening today called Dumb Fucking Chipmunks Movie. Probably gonna miss that one, too. more ›

Season Two of Flight of the Conchords wasn't quite as inventive as the amazing Season One, but it was still excellent television. If you don't have HBO, do yourself a favor and pick up this DVD today. Not only are Jemaine and Bret hilarious, but Murray may be the funniest character on television not named Dwight Schrute. This is the Steven Soderbergh I want to see. Not Oceans Steven Soderbergh but dense, four-hour movie about Latin American revolutionary Steven Soderbergh (The Limey is still his best film, though). I had such high hopes for The Soloist, but it was far too maudlin to ever fully succeed. I had no hopes for the Witch Mountain re-boot so there was nothing to be dashed. America, what are we going to do about Dwayne Johnson? Want to see a great film that you almost certainly missed at the theater? Try Gomorrah; don't try Mysteries of Pittsburgh. more ›

For a certain generation (I'll call them the "Mike Tyson Punch Out!" generation), there has always been a strange fascination with the now-humbled pugilist. It's those people -- myself included -- who will be lining up to see James Toback's very well-reviewed documentary, Tyson. Those in need of a gooey validation of the human spirit, on the other hand, will be seeing The Soloist. Downey is obviously a huge draw these days (see Kiss Kiss Bang Bang if you haven't already), but I agree with Ken Turan that Joe Wright should have dialed back the sentimentality. Fighting looks terrible. Probably only suitable for those obsessed with Channing Tatum's abs. more ›

While 2008 was no 1999 in terms of truly amazing films, it was better than most may think. Last year, I went with a top 10 that was headed by the wondrous and magical . Accordingly, I've put them at the very top of my list. The rest are in alphabetical order. See each one of them and I promise you will have lived a better life once you're done. more ›

Pixar continues its phenomenal string of delivering fantastic films with would have benefited from more Blake Lively and changing the setting to a Swiss nudist colony. Werner Herzog may not be the best director around, but he's on the short list of most interesting. How can anyone not already own all of these Monty Python masterpieces? more ›

For the 86 people who didn't see , I once lived underground for 3 years harrassing innocent women from below. more ›

Normally we're not starstruck but when Robert Downey Jr. joined Jon Favreau for the commentary edition of the Iron Man screening at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica last Saturday, we couldn't help but squeal with delight. He emerged from the shadows in the back of the theater and took the stage to a standing ovation. Eeeee! We were in the same room with the guy who stole the movie from Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder, the actor who made Tony Stark of Iron Man a lovable (and sexy) war monger…and he was in Weird Science! more ›

After four weeks at the top of the box-office world, had a less than stellar debut ($15.5M) as fans continue to reject George Lucas' new vision of the historic saga. more ›

Racism has never been so hilarious! | Photo courtesy of DreamWorks more ›

Most people have probably pegged Adam Carolla as little more than a snarky morning DJ, but . more ›

Despite a striking visualization of comic-book style, Ang Lee's endured swarms of criticism from fans of the character when it landed in 2003. Fast-forward five years later and it's as if that film never happened as Marvel re-boots the character with The Incredible Hulk. The film went through one of those so-called "troubled" post-production periods (e.g. Ed Norton=dicky). Recent word of mouth, though, has been strong. more ›

On Friday I surmised that to fall to an embarrassing third. more ›

No one doubted that adventures well into the next decade. more ›

If you absolutely can't wait until 12:01 am on May 2nd to see what's looking to be the summer's first big blockbuster, the Aero Theater in Santa Monica is holding a charity screening of on May 1st at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20 and proceeds go the Aero Building Fund Donation. If seeing the movie early with a group of passionate fans isn't encouragement enough, director Jon Favreau will also be there for a Q & A following the screening (don't tell Don Murphy). There are also strong rumors that other members of the cast will show as well. Sound good so far? There is one catch. You need to buy your tickets at the Aero box office. They will not be available on-line at Fandango. More details about the movie here. more ›

it failed as a film because it ultimately made some narrative decisions that crippled it. more ›

Hollywood's latest exercise in Justin Chang providing some choice barbs. more ›

If any film cried out for a comprehensive DVD this year it was . more ›

I've managed to avoid watching NFL playoffs and college bowl games but I'm getting worn down, I'm tellin' ya. If I got the Fox Movie Channel I would watch Less Than Zero tonight at 7pm because I'm just about as strung out as Robert Downey Jr.was in that flick. I'm not begging for the writers to capitulate, I want them to win, I'm just begging the networks to send me some shite to write about. Didn't you guys put stuff out on DVDs for the holidays? I'm sure that there's plenty of folks walking around with unused balances on their gift cards that would drop some cash on some of your repackaged programming. more ›

If you are done with traditional theatre with stage/actor, seats/audience, tonight is a good night to break that mold. The Farm is an ongoing series of evenings of new, short plays written and directed by local writers and performed in unusual, site-specific settings. This installment includes pieces specifically written for the loft spaces at Bedlam on 6th Street by some of Los Angeles' edgiest writers; an original dance piece created especially for the space by Collective Static; and a live soundtrack by the ground-breaking musical duo Brain Garden. more ›

Staggering in the footsteps of several other celebrities who found themselves in similar situations after consuming too much and saying or doing inappropriate things (Rush Limbaugh, Martin Lawrence, Courtney Love, Charlie Sheen, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Dick, and of course Robert Downey Jr.,) today Mel Gibson entered rehab for his drinking problem. David Mamet, yes that David Mamet, makes a funny at Mad Max's plight. In other bad news, Beck's new video and song is... more ›

One of the best perks of living in LA is access to movies in limited release. After all, they help counteract the proverbial blockbuster fizz. Here are a few movies opening in limited release right now.

• American Zion - Western starring Sam Hennings and Brenda Strong. In 1833 Missouri, the Steed family witnesses the persecution of a community of Mormons, which eventually spurs a massive migration to the West. [local showtimes]
• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang - Comedy starring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. A petty thief (Downey Jr.) lands a high-profile acting gig. He enlists a detective (Kilmer) to show him the ropes. The two get involved in a real murder case that may involve the theif's high-school crush (Monaghan). [local showtimes]
• Protocols of Zion - Documentary by Marc Levin. "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is a century-old [forged] document claiming to document a Jewish master plan to take over the world. This documentary explores anti-Semitism, hate, bigotry and religious intolerance in America. [local showtimes]