SPIN FACTOR^® - The HSX Blog

An unhappily married NYC couple is put in the witness protection program and sent to far away Wyoming where predictably culture clash hilarity will ensue and love will rekindle.  Did You Hear the One About the Morgans? [MRGNS] is yet another comedy about how the fast-living city slickers from a Blue State learn valuable life lessons from the slower-paced country bumpkins of a Red State.  Who better to play the city girl than Carrie Bradshaw herself, Sarah Jessica Parker [SJPAR], while Hugh...

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With the big-budgeted blockbusters all out of the way, the studios are now hoping for breakout hits from their more modest offerings. Sony’s sci-fi film District 9 [DIST9] was shot in secrecy with no stars, marketed with a viral campaign, produced by a famous director, and features alien creatures shot documentary style.  That also described Cloverfield, which opened to $40 million last year. The R-rating will likely prevent District 9 from reaching that mark despite its advance buzz. ...

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What would the Saw films look like if it had a higher budget and bigger stars?  Perhaps Law Abiding Citizen [LACTZ], with additional cribbing from Se7en.  When the killers of his family get off, Gerard Butler [GBUTL] takes matters into his own hands against all those responsible, inculding the criminal justice system.  Jamie Foxx [JFOXX] is unable to stop his madness even when his vigilante is already locked behind bars.  Wouldn't be awesome if Butler utters "Madness? THIS IS  MAGNA...

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Contact with extra-terrestrials is known as an encounter of the third kind, like the Steven Spielberg movie.  Alien abuction is called The Fourth Kind [4KIND], the title of the following film starring Milla Jovovich [MJOVO].  An UFO sighting is the first kind while evidence left behind is the second kind.  Taking a step further from recent horror films based on real-life events, the trailer shows footage from the movie side by side with the supposedly videotape sessions of actual abduction...

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Even though it featured the last performance by Heath Ledger, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus [IMDRP] had a hard time finding distribution since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival back in May.  Now, Sony is in talks to release the film through Sony Pictures Classics by the end of the year.  Johnny Depp [JDEPP], Colin Ferrell [CFERR] and Jude Law [JLAW] filled in for the late Ledger in various fantasy scenes. While visually extravagant, director Terry Gilliam's [TGILL] recent films...

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This weekend sees the release of many anticipated films. District 9 [DIST9], the stylized science-fictioner from director Neil Blomkamp, has had an effective advertising campaign which has whetted audience appetites. Then Rachel McAdams [RMCAD] and Eric Bana [EBANA] star in the adaptation of the bestseller The Time Traveler’s Wife [TTRWF]. This film didn’t really reach out to me, but I am a fan of Ms. McAdams who adds to any film with her graceful presence. The high school crowd is targeted...

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Myspace has debute the first trailer for Sony Screen Gem's Legion [LEGIN].  Paul Bettany [PBETT] plays arcangel Michael who has come down from heaven to protect an unborn child from an army of angels sent by God to destroy mankind.  Lucas Haas [LHAAS], Dennis Quaid [DQUAI] and Charles Dutton [CDUTT] play people caught in a desert diner where the Armageddon will take place.  The long redband trailer practically gives away the whole movie, but it's likely you have already seen it with...

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After decades of being just a critical darling, Meryl Streep [MSTRE] has suddenly become a big box office attraction over the last couple of years.  Even more surprising, she is achieving super stardom at an age when Hollwyood typically considers actresses to be well past their prime. This year, Streep is starring in two films from the two most successful female directors.  Julie & Julia [JULIE] directed by Nora Ephron [NEPHR] is already a summer hit, while It's Complicated [CMPLC] directed...

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Based on the1980s cartoon action figures, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra [GIJOE] stormed the box office with an estimated $56.2 million weekend.  Directed by Stephen Sommers [SSOMM], the action packed adventure overcame bad buzz to become the fourth highest opener of August ever. Channing Tatum [CTATU] led the Joes against an evil weapons supplier played by Christopher Eccleston [CECCL].

Sony’s Julie & Julia [JULIE] booked $20.1 million to open in second place.  Meryl Streep [MSTRE] starred as...

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The feature adaptation of the beloved children book Where The Wild Things Are [WILD] has been beset with delays and reshoots.  Warner Bros. is afraid that director Spike Jonze [SJONZ] made a family film too adult and scary for kids.   Judging by trailer reactions however, they are aiming for the wrong demographic.  It's the Gen-X hipsters, not families, who can turn Where The Wild Things Are into a breakout hit.

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