WEEKEND PREVIEW

American Pie 2, Osmosis Jones and The Others are the three wide openers this weekend… all three have screened back in L.A. while I have been here in Miami.  Funny writing that… it’s seems like it’s been something I couldn’t talk about for so long.  And now, it is real.  I am soooo looking forward to the programming part of this gig. 

In the art world, The Deep End arrives.  And yes, it is one of the best films of the year so far.  Some will find it a little slow or not always 100% realistic.  My advice?  Chill out and get some perspective.  This is a terrific piece of work.  I haven’t seen Session 9, but I am a Brad Anderson fan and we are due for another David Caruso surprise.  It opens on 30 screens.  If you miss Afterschool Specials, check out An American Rhapsody on one if its 7 screens.  I would prefer you wait for The Man Who Cried to come to your town or your video store.  (On a side note, The Man Who Cried is directed by Sally Potter, who introduced most of us to Tilda Swinton with Orlando.)  You’re on your own with 2 screen opener The Turandot Project and one-screeners All Over The Guy and Audition.

For the bigger box office race, check out Box Office Extra.

THE GOOD:  Interesting story on the current state of the box office by Variety’s Carl DiOrio.  It includes the line, “But with super-saturation film releasing now front-loading audience numbers, exhibitors complain movies no longer play well long enough to give them the richest splits.”  Hmmm… sound familiar?  (Read the whole story here)

THE BAD:  Lots of mail came in on Wednesday and Thursday congratulating me on the job in Miami and mourning the loss of The Hot Button… a little premature.  The fact is, The Hot Button has already had a few lives within its four years and now, it will have one more.  The fact is, I’m not sure what it is.  I’m feeling my way.  But I hope to be able to bring a regular column to the site that still services your wishes.  Heck, maybe less will be more.  Or maybe less will be less.  (I’m beginning to sound like Rosie Perez.)

THE UGLY:  I am fresh out of anything worth writing.  This, surprisingly enough, is a greater concern to me than whether I am kissing the appropriate amount on butt.  The Hollywood myopia that has driven this column is hard to come by when you’re not in L.A.  I can tell you a lot about Miami and Miami Beach.  You want to know where to get the best spinach salad on Ocean Drive… I’m your man.  You want to know how many theaters are still operating in Miami and what kind of business they’re doing?  I know that now.  And I can rarely mention a name to anyone without getting a story about that person’s personal life that I wasn’t expecting.  (Makes me wonder what they are saying about me.)  Did you know that Todd Oldham designed my hotel room?  You probably didn’t.  But you shouldn’t care anyway.

BAD AD WATCH:  So I’m looking at the ad for The Deep End and I‘m thinking, “Where is Peter Travers’ quote?  Where is Maria Salas’ quote?  Why isn’t Launch represented?”  And then I realized… it’s a good movie!  Oh…

READER OF THE DAY:  The Lip writes:  “My movie nirvana is the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival at which I attended a dozen movies in a single week this year. Last year it was fifteen movies in one week.

Even though most of those who are going to movies there have Spanish as their first language, this festival makes it a point to provide movies which are subtitled and translations for the discussions afterwards with audiences. I had a ball attending it.”

E ME:  Tell me about the new releases so I can tell everyone else…