Juneteenth is about liberation. On June 19, 1865, two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops announced to nearly 250,000 previously unaware African Americans in Texas that they were free. Over a century and a half later in 2021, the day was officially recognized as a Federal holiday.

The African American experience showcases what it means to have freedom in many ways  — in our hairstyles, our language, our music, our food, our fashion, and especially in our cherished films and TV shows. Cinematic representation has allowed Black individuals to see themselves within beloved characters that feel familiar, and through these characters, we give ourselves permission to feel empowered and embrace the ebb and flow of our own individuality, taking freedom by a new narrative into our own hands.

As our nation observes Juneteenth, we offer a list of 10 movies and TV series highlighting Black characters and stories that unapologetically embrace what it means to live freely.

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Moonlight (2016)

Set amid circumstances frequently characterized by violence and aggression, Barry Jenkins’ critically acclaimed Moonlight explores the development of a reserved and mild-mannered Chiron. In three chapters — titled Little (in which Chiron is played by Alex R. Hibbert), Chiron (Ashton Sanders), and Black (Trevante Rhodes) — audiences witness the intersection of queer identity and the Black experience through the lens of an African American male. Chiron balances the pressures of conforming to “manly” stereotypes with simply existing, dissecting the hypermasculinity pushed onto Black men and boys, a conversation that is often considered taboo within the culture. The Oscar-winning film explores Chiron’s coming of age in a profound way, pushing LGBTQIA+ media forward in the Black community.

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Lean on Me (1989)

(Photo by ©Warner Brothers)

Based on the true story of Joe Louis Clark, the former principal of Paterson, New Jersey’s Eastside High School, Lean on Me stars Morgan Freeman as the inspirational, iron-fisted educator who touched the hearts of many. Freeman’s portrayal presses firmly into a heartfelt passion for restructuring the lives of underfunded youth of color, as Clark acts as a figure of discipline and upstanding character to students, staff, and parents alike. The film sheds light on the plight of institutionalized education in Black neighborhoods, and with lines like, “They used to call me Crazy Joe. Now they call me Batman!”, Principal Clark is a provocative figure that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

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Pose (2018-2021)

In New York’s 1980s ballroom scene, an all-encompassing and endearing house mother whose love knows no bounds takes shape in the form of Blanca Evangelista (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez) in Ryan Murphy’s Pose. A trans woman living with HIV, Blanca decides not to let her diagnosis be a death sentence, instead taking fate into her own hands by housing impoverished, queer youth to begin a chosen family of her own and secure her legacy. Rodriguez’s portrayal of Blanca is as selfless as it is fearless, with the character pictured uplifting her community, succeeding professionally, and living unapologetically despite the odds stacked against her. For her stellar work in this role, Rodriguez became the first transgender actress to be nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the first to win a Golden Globe (Best Actress – Television Series Drama).

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Insecure (2016-2021)

From motivational mirror raps to making money moves, Issa Dee of Issa Rae’s Insecure shows us exactly what it means to be authentically ourselves, no matter how unconventional or eccentric we may be. Issa’s bubbly, no-filter personality shines in almost any situation encountered on the show, including run-of-the-mill HR meetings, heated romance scenes, and friendship break-ups. Throughout the progression of the series, Issa’s character is increasingly multi-layered, with hues of seriousness, humor, sensuality, and awkwardness that accurately reflect the experiences of Black women, who have historically been portrayed as one-note. Rae dispels all the outside noise and delivers a performance that is removed from Hollywood’s typical conventions of African American womanhood, creating space and visibility for a wide range of Black individuals.

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The Color Purple (1985)

(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)

The story of The Color Purple’s Celie (Whoopi Goldberg) is about finding one’s voice. Set in the deep South at the turn of the century, and based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the story explores Celie’s journey of gaining the wisdom, knowledge, and confidence to stand up for herself, blossoming before the viewer’s eyes. In her first major film, Goldberg expertly carries the emotional weight of the character by supplying a delicate patience in the beginning that transforms into powerful ownership over her God-given rights. “I’m here!” — a statement echoed in Fantasia Barrino’s portrayal in The Color Purple (2024) — perfectly sums up Celie’s liberation from the shackles of generational trauma.

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The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Chris Gardner is a homeless, recently divorced father struggling in the heart of San Francisco who, in spite of the challenges before him, is persistent in his will to provide for his son and himself. Based on the memoir of the real-life Chris Gardner, who battled homelessness in the early 1980s before becoming an executive stockbroker, The Pursuit of Happyness finds Will Smith playing the clever and resourceful salesman, who experiences turmoil as he searches for a steady income. In the midst of financial ruin with all odds against him, Gardner is portrayed as someone who leverages his creativity and optimism to his advantage, highlighting the belief that the state of your mindset can eventually manifest into a better reality.

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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

Set in the 1920s at the peak of the women’s liberation movement, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom recounts the tale of the late Mother of Blues, Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). A renowned recording artist known for her powerful voice, Rainey is aware of the commodity she provides to the white record executives who “don’t care nothing about me.” Using this to her advantage, the singer establishes firm boundaries for how she will and won’t conduct business on her own terms. The film, co-starring Colman Domingo and the late Chadwick Boseman, is pulled directly from August Wilson’s 1982 stage play of the same name, inspired by the real life of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey. Exploring themes of sexuality and female empowerment, the Netflix exclusive celebrates Black individuality from a historical lens.

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The Jeffersons (1975-1985)

(Photo by Mario Casilli/©CBS)

In the early 1970s, it wasn’t common to hear about many African American entrepreneurs who were millionaires. Enter George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), the wise-cracking, tell-it-like-it-is co-founder of Jefferson Cleaners, a largely successful laundromat chain in the city of Harlem, NY. George’s spunky attitude made him unafraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone, including his white counterparts. Audiences took a profound liking to the comedic wittiness displayed by George Jefferson, who wielded the same assertiveness of powerful, typically white men of the time. A Black man speaking freely, flaunting wealth, and not giving a damn about who did or didn’t approve was a revolutionary sight to see for audiences in the 1970s that still holds weight even today.

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Nappily Ever After (2018)

Violet Jones (Sanaa Lathan) has never been better. She’s a successful businesswoman — she has the job, she has the man, and she has the hair, which she has been straightening ever since her mother Paulette (Lynn Whitfield) convinced her that her natural naps were unappealing. Things seem to be working for Violet until an incident leaves her spiraling into a cycle of mishaps, ultimately prompting her to shave her precious hair bald. In this story of restarting, Violet is challenged to separate her self image from the way she looks and find the woman within, outside of the things she can hide behind. Nappily Ever After chronicles her self acceptance and a pivot from the constrictions placed on Black women and their hair.

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Black Barbie (2023)

(Photo by ©Netflix)

Greta Gerwig’s massively successful Barbie told the story of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed “Stereotypical Barbie” (Margot Robbie) finding meaning. But what’s the story of Barbie’s Black counterpart? Netflix’s Black Barbie, directed by Lagueria Davis, documents the cultural and socioeconomic impact of Mattel’s introduction of African American Barbie dolls. In a time when white features were considered the standard of beauty, the introduction of Black Barbie marked a significant shift towards visibility and progression for children who didn’t have any toys that looked like them. Hear from the creators who helped make the idea a reality, alongside notable actresses, comedians, and executives who reflect on the effects their Black dolls had on them while coming of age when the film premieres on Netflix on Juneteenth.

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Thumbnail images by Netflix, Everett Collection, Michael Parmalee/©FX

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The continuation of season 4, volume 2 of Stranger Things and the film premiere of action-thriller The Gray Man starring Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, and Ana de Armas lead Netflix’s July 2022 offerings.

Stranger Things returns with the extra-long final two episodes of the season; the first part is nearly 80 minutes long, with the second lasting about two-and-a-half hours. Picking up from the cliffhanger that Vol. 1 left us with, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is still causing havoc across Hawkins, while Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Eddie (Joseph Quinn), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Steve (Joe Keery), Will (Noah Schnapp), Robin (Maya Hawke), Max (Sadie Sink), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Erica (Priah Ferguson) race against the clock to stop the supernatural threat. Can the heroes of Hawkins save the world — again? And will everyone make it out of things alive? Those are two of the many burning questions heading into this season’s high stakes finale.

Chris Evans has reunited once more with Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo on the big-budget actioner, The Gray Man. Ryan Gosling and Evans’ Knives Out castmate Ana de Armas join him in the riveting adaptation of Mark Greaney’s debut novel. When Court Gentry (Gosling), a highly-skilled CIA officer, uncovers incriminating secrets about the agency, a global manhunt is set into motion, led by his former CIA cohort Lloyd Hansen (Evans) — and Gentry is the unfortunate the target.

Horror fans and gamers rejoice, Resident Evil is finally coming to television. With Lance Reddick playing Albert Wesker and Ella Balinska, his daughter Jade, the series aim to breathe new life in the long-running zombie franchise.

For romance fans, Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, and Henry Golding star in the feature film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, about missed love and second chances. And Laura Condor (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) is back in Boo, Bitch, a new teen comedy about the enduring high school struggle to fit in and stand out.

Find out what else is joining them on Netflix and what’s leaving the service below.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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FULL LIST OF SHOWS AND MOVIES COMING TO NETFLIX THIS MONTH

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New Collection

“Summer Break ” – Now available

Summer fun has begun! Dive into these kids and family movies and shows to beat the heat, sing along and get the vacation vibes going! View the collection here.

Coming Soon

Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi*
Masaba Masaba: Season 2*

* NETFLIX ORIGINALS

Available 7/1

70% A Call to Spy (2019)

39% Big Daddy (1999)

90% Blue Jasmine (2013)

91% Boogie Nights (1997)

96% Catch Me if You Can (2002)

90% Deliverance (1972)

100% Falls Around Her (2018)

71% Final Score (2018)

93% Goodfellas (1990)

68% I Am Legend (2007)

66% Insidious (2010)

14% LOL (2012)

84% Mean Girls (2004)

15% Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)

52% Natural Born Killers (1994)

60% Old School (2003)

58% Police Academy (1984)

23% Semi-Pro (2008)

84% Seven (1995)

74% Snatch (2000)

87% The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

82% The Dirty Dozen (1967)

67% The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

85% The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

61% The Terminal (2004)

- - Vampires (2010)

31% Wyatt Earp (1994)

91% Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

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Available 7/3

38% Blair Witch (2016)

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Available 7/4

83% Leave No Trace (2022)

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Available 7/6

- - Control Z Season 3*

96% Girl in the Picture (2022) *

32% Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2022) *

King of Stonks*
Uncle from Another World*

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Available 7/7

- - The Flash: Season 8 (2021)

- - Karma's World: Season 3 (2022) *

- - Vinland Saga: Season 1 (2019)

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Available 7/8

- - Capitani Season 2*

0% Dangerous Liaisons (2022) *

How To Build a Sex Room*
Incantation*
Jewel*
The Longest Night*
Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls*

94% The Sea Beast (2022) *

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Available 7/10

50% 12 Strong (2018)

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Available 7/11

For Jojo*
Valley of the Dead*

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Available 7/12

Bill Burr: Live at Red Rocks*
How to Change Your Mind*
My Daughter’s Killer*

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Available 7/13

- - Big Timber: Season 2 (2021) *

D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!*
Hurts Like Hell*
Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres*

- - Sintonia Season 3*

Under the Amalfi Sun*

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Available 7/14

Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight*

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Available 7/15

Alba*
Country Queen*
Farzar*
Love Goals (Jaadugar)*
Mom, Don’t Do That!*
Remarriage & Desires*

41% Uncharted (2022)

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Available 7/16

32% Umma (2022)

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Available 7/18

- - Live is Life (2021) *

92% My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021) : Sing-Along*

- - StoryBots: Laugh, Learn, Sing : Collection 2: Learn to Read*

Too Old for Fairy Tales*

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Available 7/19

David A. Arnold: It Ain’t For the Weak*

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Available 7/20

Bad Exorcist: Seasons 1-2*

82% Virgin River : Season 4*

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Available 7/21

- - Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Season 5 (2022) *

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Available 7/22

- - Blown Away : Season 3*

- - One Piece

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Available 7/25

- - Gabby's Dollhouse : Season 5*

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Available 7/26

67% August: Osage County (2013)

DI4RIES*
Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl*
Street Food: USA*

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Available 7/27

- - Car Masters: Rust to Riches : Season 4*

- - Dream Home Makeover: Season 3 (2022) *

The Most Hated Man on the Internet*
Pipa*

100% Rebelde : Season 2*

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Available 7/28

A Cut Above*
Another Self*
Keep Breathing*
Oggy and the Cockroaches: Next Generation*

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Available 7/29

- - The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem : Season 2*

- - Case Closed : Zero’s Tea Time*

The Entitled*
Fanático*

32% Purple Hearts (2022)

Rebel Cheer Squad: A Get Even Series*
Uncoupled*

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Available 7/31

74% The Wretched (2019)

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TV SHOWS AND MOVIES LEAVING NETFLIX THIS MONTH

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Leaving 7/1

96% The Social Network (2010)

91% Star Trek: Deep Space Nine : Seasons 1-7

84% We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)

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Leaving 7/6

25% Brick Mansions (2014)

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Leaving 7/7

33% Home Again (2017)

21% Midnight Sun (2018)

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Leaving 7/11

40% The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)

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Leaving 7/14

33% The Brave (1997)

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Leaving 7/15

74% Radium Girls (2018)

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Leaving 7/19

70% Annabelle: Creation (2017)

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Leaving 7/21

- - Chicago Med : Seasons 1-5

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Leaving 7/23

87% Django Unchained (2012)

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Leaving 7/25

89% Banana Split (2018)

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Leaving 7/31

36% 21 (2008)

78% 30 Rock : Seasons 1-7

94% The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

68% Friday the 13th (1980)

19% The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013)

71% Lean on Me (1989)

95% Little Women (2019)

65% Love Actually (2003)

57% My Girl (1991)

36% Poms (2019)

20% Texas Chainsaw (2013)

69% You've Got Mail (1998)

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On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.

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Thumbnail images: Netflix

(Photo by Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection)

All Will Smith Movies Ranked

It’s now 20 years into the Willennium, and how has our reigning Fresh Prince fared since the 1990s? On the Oscars front, Will Smith notched two Best Actor nominations for 2001’s Ali, and then for The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006. He’s adapted two genre literary classics into blockbusters (I Am Legend and I, Robot), and he was there during the 2008’s summer of superheroes with Hancock, which released one month after Iron Man and one before The Dark Knight and Hellboy II.

Of course, that’s not to say Smith was slacking in the ’90s (though if he was, certainly no one would have noticed), which saw a diversified pop culture portfolio that includes a beloved TV show at the beginning of the decade, and a slew of hip-hop crossover hits at the end. Sandwiched in between were films like Independence Day, which at the time felt like the biggest movie event ever, and Men in Black, which got its first Smith-less sequel in 2019.

But on the subject of sequels that didn’t disappoint, and even surprised: Bad Boys For Life, which reunited Smith with Martin Lawrence for some Certified Fresh throwback buddy action. Next, you can see him in the inspirational family drama King Richard. Now, we’re ranking the best Will Smith movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo

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The latest movies, new Netflix series, and other new releases coming to the streaming giant this month include critically-acclaimed series — including Peaky Blinders, Schitt’s Creek, The Kominsky Method, and Big Mouth, for example — returning this month.

Plus, El Camino: The Breaking Bad Movie arrives. The film is the highly-anticipated followup to the award-winning TV series that has all five seasons Certified Fresh and was recently voted the TV show that defined the 2000s by Rotten Tomatoes readers.

Read on if you’re looking for a worthy binge, starting with a few titles to look out for at the top.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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Available 10/1

Carmen Sandiego: Season 2 () - -
Nikki Glaser: Bangin' (2019) - -
93 days
A.M.I.
Along Came a Spider (2001) 32%
Bad Boys (1995) 46%
Bad Boys II (2003) 23%
Blow (2001) 56%
Let's Fight Ghost: Season 1 () - -
Charlie's Angels (2000) 68%
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) 41%
Cheese in the Trap: Season 1
Chicago Typewriter: Season 1 () - -
Crash (2004) 73%
Exit Wounds (2001) 35%
Good Burger (1997) 33%
Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2008) 53%
Honey 2 (2011) 10%
House of the Witch (2017) - -
Lagos Real Fake Life
Men in Black II (2002) 38%
Moms at War
No Reservations (2007) 42%
Ocean's Thirteen (2007) 70%
Ocean's Twelve (2004) 55%
One Direction: This Is Us (2013) 64%
Payday (2018) - - – not sure if right ‘Payday’
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000) 76%
Scream 2 (1997) 83%
Senna (2010) 93%
Signal: Season 1
Sin City (2005) 76%
Sinister Circle (Cementerio General 2) (2016) - -
Supergirl (1984) 19%
Superman Returns (2006) 72%
Surf's Up (2007) 78%
The Bucket List (2007) 40%
The Flintstones (1994) 23%
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) 25%
()
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) 67%
The Rugrats Movie (1998) 60%
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) 38%
Tomorrow With You: Season 1 () - -
Trainspotting (1996) 90%
Troy (2004) 53%
The Tunnel: Season 1 () 83%
Unaccompanied Minors (2006) 30%
Walking Out (2017) 92%

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Available 10/2

Living Undocumented
Read to Mingle (Solteras)
Rotten: Season 2 () - -

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Available 10/3

Seis Manos: Season 1 () 100%

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Available 10/4

Big Mouth: Season 3 () 97%
Creeped Out: Season 2 () - -
In the Tall Grass (2019) 36%
Peaky Blinders: Season 5 () 86%
Raising Dion: Season 1 () 83%
Super Monsters () - - : Season 3
Super Monsters: Vida’s First Halloween

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Available 10/5

Legend Quest: Masters of Myth

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Available 10/7

Match! Tennis Juniors
The Water Diviner (2014) 63%

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Available 10/8

Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (2019) - -
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween

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Available 10/9

After (2019) 18%
Rhythm + Flow: Season 1 () 95%

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Available 10/10

Schitt's Creek: Season 5 () 100%
Ultramarine Magmell

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Available 10/11

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) 92%
The Forest of Love
Fractured (2019) 56%
Haunted () - - : Season 2
Insatiable: Season 2 () - -
The Influence (La influencia) (2019) - -
Plan Coeur: Season 2
Wolkenbruchs wunderliche Reise in die Arme einer Schickse (2018) 71%
YooHoo to the Rescue () - - : Season 2

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Available 10/12

Banlieusards

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Available 10/15

Dark Crimes (2016) 0%

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Available 10/16

Ghosts of Sugar Land
Sinister 2 (2015) 14%

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Available 10/17

The Karate Kid (1984) 81%
The Unlisted

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Available 10/18

The Yard (Avlu)
Baby: Season 2 () - -
Eli (2019) 52%
Interior Design Masters: Season 1 () 40%
()
The Laundromat (2019) 42%
Living With Yourself: Season 1 () 79%
MeatEater: Season 8 () - -
Mighty Little Bheem: Diwali
Seventeen (1983) - -
Spirit Riding Free: Pony Tales () - - : Season 2
Tell Me Who I Am (2019) 97%
Toon: Seasons 1-2
Unnatural Selection
Upstarts (2019) - -

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Available 10/19

Men in Black (1997) 91%

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Available 10/21

Echo in the Canyon (2018) 89%
Free Fire (2016) 69%

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Available 10/22

Jenny Slate: Stage Fright (2019) 100%

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Available 10/23

()
Dancing with the Birds
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018) 92%

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Available 10/24

Daybreak: Season 1 () 68%
Revenge of the Pontianak (2019) - -

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Available 10/25

A Tale of Love and Darkness (2015) 72%
Assimilate (2019) 57%
Drug Squad: Costa del Sol: Season 1 () - -
Brotherhood: Season 1 () - -
Dolemite Is My Name (2019) 97%
Greenhouse Academy () - - : Season 3
The Kominsky Method: Season 2 () 100%
()
Nailed It! France (C’est du gâteau!)
Nailed It! Spain (Niquelao!)
Prank Encounters: Season 1 () 40%
Rattlesnake (2019) 32%
It Takes a Lunatic (2019) - -

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Available 10/28

A 3 Minute Hug
Little Miss Sumo
Shine On with Reese: Season 1

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Available 10/29

Arsenio Hall: Smart & Classy (2019) - -

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Available 10/30

Flavorful Origins () - - : Yunnan Cuisine

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Available 10/31

Kengan Ashura () - - : Season 2
()
Raging Bull (1980) 92%

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TV SHOWS AND MOVIES LEAVING NETFLIX IN October

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Leaving 10/1

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) 76%
All the President's Men (1976) 94%
Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 91%
Bring It On: In It to Win It (2007) - -
Cabaret (1972) 92%
Casper (1995) 59%
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) 97%
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) 83%
Cloverfield (2008) 78%
Deliverance (1972) 90%
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) 43%
Empire Records (1995) 35%
Evolution (2001) 44%
Forks Over Knives (2011) 61%
Frances Ha (2012) 92%
Free State of Jones (2016) 48%
Get Carter (2000) 11%
Gremlins (1984) 86%
Hoosiers (1986) 92%
Impractical Jokers: Season 1 () 100%
In Bruges (2008) 84%
Julie & Julia (2009) 76%
Lakeview Terrace (2008) 44%
Midsomer Murders () - -
Obsessed (2009) 19%
Pineapple Express (2008) 68%
Platoon (1986) 89%
Quiz Show (1994) 97%
She's Out of My League (2010) 57%
The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) 14%
The Nightmare (2015) 67%
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) 82%
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) 66%
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) 96%

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Leaving 10/5

Despicable Me 3 (2017) 58%

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Leaving 10/7

David Blaine: What Is Magic?
Scream 4 (2011) 61%

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Leaving 10/9

Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade
Sword Art Online: Season 2 () - -

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Leaving 10/15

The Boarding School () - -

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Leaving 10/20

Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) 78%

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Leaving 10/25

The Carrie Diaries () 84%

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Leaving 10/29

The Fall: Season 1 () 96%
The Imitation Game (2014) 90%

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There’s plenty going on at your local cineplex right now, but the second season premiere of Westworld might be the most highly anticipated viewing event of the weekend. In honor of the HBO hit’s return, we decided to pay tribute to one of the show’s stars, so we’re taking a look back at some of the brightest critical highlights from Thandie Newton‘s filmography while inviting you to rank your own favorites. It’s time for Total Recall!

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Use the arrows to rank the movies, or click here to see them ranked by Tomatometer!

We know how difficult it can be to find something worth watching when you’re scrolling through all of Netflix’s endless choices, so we’ve narrowed down the selection for you. Read on for the full list of Netflix original movies and series, as well as everything Fresh on the Tomatometer, coming to Netflix this month.

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November 1 – November 5

 

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November 6 – November 12

 

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November 13 – November 19

 

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November 20 – November 26

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November 27 – November 30

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Other Netflix Originals Coming in November:

• Fate/Apocrypha: Part 1 – Available Now
• Project Mc2: Part 6 – Available Now
• A Christmas Prince – Available Now
• Blazing Transfer Students, Season 1 – Available on 11/10
• Dinotrux Supercharged, Season 1 – Available on 11/10
• Glitter Force Doki Doki, Season 2 – Available on 11/10
• The Killer – Available on 11/10
• Mea Culpa – Available on 11/10
• Luna Petunia, Season 3 – Available on 11/17
• Shot in the Dark, Season 1 – Available on 11/17
• Stretch Armstrong & The Flex Fighters, Season 1 – Available on 11/17
• Brian Regan: Nunchucks and Flamethrowers – Available on 11/21
• Good Morning Call, Season 2 – Available on 11/28

There are a number of recent seasons for notable TV series — including a couple of Netflix originals, a Western in its final year, and a UK drama on Amazon — new to streaming services this week, plus a couple of Certified Fresh new releases. Read on for the full list.

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New on Amazon Prime

 

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Available to Purchase

 

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This Week’s Ketchup includes new roles for Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Robert Redford, Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hailee Steinfeld, Will Smith and Jaden Smith, as well as news about a possible Time Bandits remake and Peter Jackson’s upcoming Adventures of Tintin movie.

For more Weekly Ketchup columns by Greg Dean Schmitz, check out the WK archive, and you can contact GDS via Facebook or a RT forum message.

With critical success for Slumdog Millionaire last week (94%), we have more award-friendly fare in the UK cinemas this Friday in Darren Aronofsky‘s spandex-tastic The Wrestler. Also out this week is Will Smith‘s latest, the emotional drama, Seven Pounds, with kids-flick Beverley Hills Chihauhau yapping at its heel. Plus My Bloody Valentine 3D splatters onto and out of our screens via some nifty technology and ropey looking specs. But what did the UK critics have to say?

Fresh from winning two Golden Globes (Best Actor, Best Original Song), bathed in critical acclaim from the festival season, and surrounded by pre-Oscar hype, The Wrestler finally body-slams into the UK cinema screens, but does it live up to expectations. With seven 5-Star ratings tallied from respected UK sources including Empire, Channel 4, Total Film and The Daily Mail, it seems like The Wrestler is destined for glory at 98% on The Tomatometer. Plaudits have not just been reserved for Mickey Rourke who puts in his best performance for years as past-it pro-wrestler Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, but praise has rightly been heaped on director Darren Aronofsky for his own comeback of sorts after the critical kicking of his last film The Fountain (51%). Chris Hicks of Total Film summed up the critical response to The Wrestler:

“Aronofsky’s most authentic film refuses to ridicule the amateur wrestling circuit, while Rourke’s portrait of a has-been will surely be the comeback of the year.”

Will Smith returns to our screens this week following the decidedly iffy Hancock (39%), reteaming with the director of The Pursuit Of Happyness, Gabriele Muccino, for the emotional drama Seven Pounds. Plot details have been kept tightly under wraps due to a twist ending, but the critics weren’t too impressed despite being kept in the dark. Seven Pounds currently stands at a Rotten 27% on The Tomatometer, with the main criticisms being aimed at the film’s illogical and convoluted plotting, mis-handling of a heavyweight subject, and at Smith himself, with Matthew Turner of View London calling it “a career worst performance”. Don’t waste your £7 on Seven Pounds.

Beverley Hills Chihuahua, from Disney, is as silly as it sounds, and features pampered pooches who talk, naturally. It currently stands at a Rotten 40% on the Tomatometer, with most critics dismissing the film as made-for-kids fodder. The critics agreed that it’s probably suitable for youngsters, with the canines putting in better performances than most of the humans involved. The critics wouldn’t write it off completely though, with the traditionally hard-to-please Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian saying:

“This piece of egregious silliness from Disney – featuring live-action canines with CGI moving mouths – isn’t quite as awful as it sounds.”

My Bloody Valentine 3D is a remake/sequel to the 1981 slasher-film original. Utilising the latest 3D technology and making the most of its 18 certificate, My Bloody Valentine 3D promises horror thrills never seen before on the UK screens. With early reviews counted, the film currently stands at a healthy 71% on the Tomatometer, with Nigel Floyd of Time Out gushing “This is why 3D was invented”. Most of the critics were wowed with the polished and impressive use of 3D technology, despite the film itself never really transcending its clichéd slasher roots. Anton Bitel of Channel 4 said:

“It is a vacuous trawl through horror’s more sensationalist tropes… but that is just another way of saying that this is popcorn cinema at its most unapologetic and unpretentious, guaranteed to delight gorehounds and to bring young lovers closer together.”

Quote Of The Week

“Not that anybody would expect perfection from a film called Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but the chewed bone of a story makes it all mutts ado about nothing.”

Beverley Hills Chihuahua. Elliot Noble, Sky Movies.

It may not have been quite the box-office phenomenon that its predecessors were — and critics may have disliked it enough to keep it down at 20 percent on the Tomatometer — but that didn’t stop Rush Hour 3 from emerging as the top DVD rental of 2007.

The third Rush Hour racked up over $70 million in rental revenue, roughly half of what it took in at the box office, and besting another third installment, The Bourne Ultimatum. Count down the rest of last year’s DVD-rental top 25 below!

1. $71.2 Rush Hour 3 ($140.1M box office)
2. $69.7 The Bourne Ultimatum ($227.5 box office)
3. $66.4 The Kingdom ($47.5 box office)
4. $64.3 Superbad ($121.5 box office)
5. $57.2 Live Free or Die Hard ($134.5 box office)
6. $56.7 The Simpsons Movie ($183.1 box office)
7. $55.3 Night at the Museum ($250.86 box office)
8. $54.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ($292 box office)
9. $51.8 Shrek the Third ($322.7 box office)
10. $51.2 The Heartbreak Kid ($36.8 box office)
11. $50.6 The Pursuit of Happyness ($163.57 box office)
12. $49.0 The Departed ($132.38 box office)
13. $47.5 Borat ($128.51 box office)
14. $47.5 Transformers ($319.3 box office)
15. $45.0 Blood Diamond ($57.38 box office)
16. $43.8 Spider-Man 3 ($336.5 box office)
17. $43.7 300 ($210.6 box office)
18. $43.0 I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ($120 box office)
19. $42.9 Casino Royale ($167.45 box office)
20. $42.7 Disturbia ($80.21 box office)
21. $42.6 The Holiday ($63.22 box office)
22. $41.8 Knocked Up ($148.8 box office)
23. $40.8 Deja Vu ($64.04 box office)
24. $40.5 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer ($131.9 box office)
25. $40.5 The Good Shepherd ($59.95 box office)

Source: End of Boredom

His participation in a new Karate Kid is still only the stuff of rumors, but Jaden Smith has officially joined the cast of another remake.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith has signed on to star in Fox’s Scott Derrickson-directed update on The Day the Earth Stood Still. From the article:

Smith will play the rebellious Jacob, the 8-year-old stepson of scientist Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) who first makes contact with the humanoid alien Klaatu (Keanu Reeves). Kathy Bates and Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm also star.

The new Earth‘s screenplay, written by David Scarpa, follows the “global upheaval” caused by Klaatu’s arrival, particularly the experiences of Smith and Connelly, who “[come] to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described ‘friend to the Earth.'”

The Day the Earth Stood Still, scheduled for a December 12 release, will be Smith’s first screen appearance since his critically acclaimed performance in The Pursuit of Happyness.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

For the first time in three weeks, studios will pack a Friday with plenty of new releases as four films open or expand nationwide giving the box office chart a major shakeup. Leading in the polls and getting the widest release is The Bucket List starring Oscar winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Challenging Hollywood’s old guard are three younger agents of change. Ice Cube campaigns for a spot in the top five with the comedy First Sunday, Jason Statham heads up the adventure tale In the Name of the King, and some cartoon vegetables headline the kidpic The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. Hoping to play the spoiler is the indie smash Juno which once again expands into wider release. The films should each play to different audiences which will help the overall marketplace expand.

After spending the last decade directing flops, Rob Reiner hopes to score his first number one hit in over fifteen years with The Bucket List which features the Academy Award-winning actors Nicholson and Freeman on screen together for the first time. The PG-13 pic tells the story of two dying old men who set out to fulfill their last wishes before taking the big trip upstairs. Financing a major film anchored by two men who celebrated their 70th birthdays last year is not something Hollywood studios typically do. It’s usually seen as a risky endeavor. But Warner Bros. is counting on mature adults, men and women alike, to take interest and come out to see two legends on the big screen together.

Hurting Bucket‘s chances are the mixed reviews it’s been getting from critics. The target audience for this particular movie will definitely be affected by what reviewers have to say. Also, the picture has come up almost empty-handed during awards seasons so it has less marketing tools in its arsenal than the handful of acclaimed adult dramas touting their awards and nominations. In limited release, Bucket scored muscular per-theater numbers over the last two frames averaging $20,989 and $20,424 from only 16 locations. Co-star drawing power will not shoot this film up to the opening weekend levels of recent Jack flicks like The Departed or Anger Management. But even his less flashy films generate solid debut numbers due to his loyal fan following. Kicking its way into 2,911 theaters, The Bucket List could debut with about $15M.

Nicholson and Freeman in The Bucket List
Two petty criminals plot to rob their neighborhood church in the new comedy First Sunday. The PG-13 film stars Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, and Katt Williams and will find a large portion of its ticket sales coming from African American moviegoers. Cube has seen much success in the past with early-year comedies like Next Friday which opened to $14.5M in January 2000 and Barbershop 2 which debuted to $24.2M in February 2004. But both of those were sequels that took advantage of built-in audiences that wanted to see popular characters return to the big screen for new shenanigans. The rapper-actor is back with another laugher at the start of a presidential election season, but this time winning the job of commander-in-chief of the box office will probably be out of his reach.

First Sunday comes a week before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday frame which historically has been a good time for films led by black casts. Cube’s pictures usually are dependable when it comes to drawing a crowd. However his last two releases, the Sony sequels Are We Done Yet? and XXX: State of the Union, were not exactly major hits. Plus the story of stealing from church may not go down well with some folks. Breaking into roughly 2,000 theaters, First Sunday might open with around $12M.

First Sunday
Targeting young males (and older dudes who spent their childhoods playing Dungeons & Dragons), Freestyle Releasing offers up Jason Statham in the adventure tale In the Name of the King. The PG-13 actioner will try to play to the fantasy crowd although most will probably wait for this one on DVD. The distributor tried to make this genre work in the fall with Dragon Wars. which bowed to just $5M and a poor $2,214 average. Fox also failed with its fantasy clunker The Seeker the following month which opened to only $3.7M and an embarrassing $1,192 average. Though aging, heavyweight holdovers National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I Am Legend are set to steal a combined $20M this weekend from the same audience that might be interested in Statham flicks so there will be distractions for younger guys. Of course the NFL playoffs on both Saturday and Sunday will be factors too. Debuting in an estimated 2,500 locations, In the Name of the King may collect about $6M this weekend.

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale

The year’s first new toon comes in the form of The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything from the VeggieTales franchise. Universal’s G-rated pic about a squash, cucumber, and grape that go on high seas adventures will play to younger tots and their parents. The 2002 film Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie enjoyed a solid bow opening to $6.2M and a $6,597 average during an October weekend when all other films in the top ten were catering to adults. Those kids are all five years older and have probably outgrown the produce-based characters so it will be a new generation taking interest this time. Plus Pirates will face more competition since Alvin and the Chipmunks continues to do killer biz from the family audience and even National Treasure and The Water Horse are pulling dollars from that sector. The studio’s marketing efforts have been aimed at its target audience only so crossover business is not likely. Opening in 1,336 theaters, look for The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything to gross about $5M this weekend.

Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything
Holdovers will finally get some competition to deal with which will certainly shake up the chart rankings. Fox Searchlight’s Juno has been patiently building up buzz and momentum and was rewarded on Monday and Tuesday by seizing control of the number one spot at the North American box office. The distributor will add another 500 theaters to the run climbing to 2,447 playdates which will lead to a solid hold.in its sixth frame. The pregnant teen will duke it out with a pair of grumpy old men for the top spot. It’s girl vs. geezers. Making the contest even more interesting is Juno‘s new televisions spot which features a clip of star Ellen Page mentioning Morgan Freeman by name in one of the film’s more memorable jokes. A scant dip would give Juno about $15M for the weekend and boost the cume up to a remarkable $72M.

After enjoying the second three-week box office reign of his career (the first being his other turn as Ben Gates), Nicolas Cage will see National Treasure: Book of Secrets drop down a couple of spots in the standings. The Buena Vista smash could fall by 40% to about $12M boosting the overall total to $187M which would make it one of the top ten blockbusters of 2007. Also hopping into that list will be fellow PG-rated holiday hit Alvin and the Chipmunks. Fox’s family comedy looks to slide by 35% this weekend to roughly $10M giving the singing chipmunks a robust $189M to date.

Scary movies from last weekend’s top five should witness larger declines. Will Smith‘s I Am Legend which is the highest grossing zombie movie of all-time may fall by 45% to about $8.5M for a $240M cume. The supernatural thriller One Missed Call should depreciate faster and fall 50% to around $6M giving Warner Bros. a respectable $21M after ten days.

LAST YEAR: The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend was ruled by the urban dance drama Stomp the Yard which generated a powerful $25.9M debut over the four-day extended frame. The Sony hit went on to finish with a solid $61.4M. Holdovers filled up the rest of the top five led by three-time champ Night at the Museum with $21.8M over the long weekend. Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness followed with $10.7M with Dreamgirls in fourth with $10.3M and Hilary Swank‘s Freedom Writers ranking fifth with $8.8M over four days. Three new releases opened lower on the charts. Universal’s action drama Alpha Dog bowed to $7.4M on its way to $15.2M. Debuting in more theaters but with smaller grosses were Buena Vista’s horror pic Primeval with $6M and MGM’s kidpic Arthur and the Invisibles with $5.7M. Final grosses reached $10.6M and $15.1M, respectively.

Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com

Almost as soon as it started, talk of a rumored Chinese ban on foreign films has been quieted.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Will Smith‘s The Pursuit of Happyness will reach Chinese screens in January, despite what was supposed to have been a three-month blackout on film imports. The Reporter quotes Yuan Wenqiang, deputy manager of China Film Group Import Export Co., as saying Happyness “is coming in January…We are planning what day to release it.”

The article goes on to address some of the Chinese-American squabbles — such as rampant Chinese film piracy — that are thought to have contributed to talk of the ban, as well as the advantage of starting rumors versus pursuing legal channels:

“In China, litigation means loss of face,” Teng Jimeng, professor of film and American studies at Beijing’s Foreign Studies University, said in an interview. “No brothers or partners would go to court to settle disputes. Litigation is the last resort, and they break relationship if litigation occurs. With China unable to break its trade relationship with the U.S. in reality, an unannounced ban is the choice, because it does not cost anything to return to the ‘business as usual’ state of affairs, say three months later.”

Happyness‘ arrival is welcome news for Chinese theater owners, who rely on imported films for a significant percentage of their receipts. Wayne Zhang, owner of a Beijing theater, tells the Reporter that “Hollywood films have done really well this year, so a lot of theater owners will be happy,” qualifying with “Chinese or foreign, we’re happy if the movies are good.”

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Moviegoers are in for a feast as studios will unleash a wide menu of new options on Friday trying to reach holiday patrons on the weekend before Santa comes to town. Disney leads the way with its adventure sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets which is getting the widest launch by far of the five new films. The Nicolas Cage actioner will face off against other star-driven movies like Charlie Wilson’s War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and Johnny Depp‘s Sweeney Todd. Comedy comes in the form of Walk Hard while romance pops up in P.S. I Love You. With so many choices, there should be something for everyone allowing the overall box office to remain healthy. Plus with Christmas Eve falling on a Monday, Sunday sales will be stronger than usual giving the weekend numbers an added boost.

Nicolas Cage hit a career high in 2004 with National Treasure which bowed to $35.1M on its way to $173M, his highest gross ever. Now Disney and superproducer Jerry Bruckheimer reteam for the PG-rated sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets which aims to target the same broad audience that made the first such a big hit. The rating and the studio’s name help to attract families and younger kids while Cage and the action element bring in teens and young adults. Competition from I Am Legend‘s second weekend will cut into some of the action business, but history has shown that two high-profile action movies can indeed survive at the same time. Secrets delivers the entertainment that the target audience is looking for and the marketing push has been strong. The built-in fan base knows what it’s getting so expect a big opening. Reviews will be mostly irrelevant. Invading over 3,500 theaters, National Treasure: Book of Secrets might take in about $44M this weekend.

Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger in National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Capping off a landmark year that saw his films Knocked Up and Superbad gross a combined $270M, Judd Apatow ends 2007 by waving his producing and writing wands around Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Like the two previous hits, this Sony title carries the R rating thanks to envelope-pushing humor that audiences crave. John C. Reilly headlines the pic as a rock star who lives an up and down life. Normally a Reilly-led film would fail miserably at the box office since he has no track record of anchoring successful films. However, it is the Apatow name that provides the starpower here and so older teens and young adults should come out in solid numbers. There are no other comedies for that demographic right now plus a trim running time of 96 minutes will ensure plenty of showtimes.
Positive reviews will help too. Some may find the film through word-of-mouth so a prolonged run looks to be in order. Opening in over 2,500 theaters, Walk Hard may gross around $15M this weekend.

John C. Reilly and Jenna Fischer in Walk Hard
Universal will find out this weekend what means more at the box office, starpower or subject matter. The studio opens Charlie Wilson’s War, a new comedy-drama starring Oscar winners Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman about a covert U.S. operation that supplied weapons and training to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets in the 1980s. The topic is just about the last thing audiences want to pay to see on the big screen right now as evidenced by the horrendous grosses for other politically-themed dramas dealing with the Middle East.

To find success, the studio is using two tactics. It is pushing the comedy element to show ticket buyers that they will not be in for a serious lecture, and it is promoting the A-list stars heavily. Hanks and Roberts have sold billions of dollars worth of tickets worldwide and this is their first pairing. The R-rated film will appeal mostly to older adults which means there will still be plenty of potential over the next two weeks. The final gross will not rely entirely on the opening weekend results. With Roberts delivering a very flattering line about the Golden Globes in the film, it was no surprise that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association returned the favor by honoring War with five Globe nods including Best Picture – Comedy or Musical. Those nominations have become a key element in the marketing. Reviews have been strong too. Launching in roughly 2,500 theaters, Charlie Wilson’s War could collect about $14M over the weekend.

Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson’s War
Setting a new record for most throats sliced open in a Hollywood musical, Paramount and DreamWorks give a moderate national roll-out to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Directed by Tim Burton, the R-rated film stars Johnny Depp in the title role along with new mom Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Musicals are often tough sells at the box office but Depp-Burton concoctions almost always score big bucks. Like most song-and-dance pics, Sweeney Todd should skew slightly more female but appeal seems broader across many age groups.

Although Paramount is marketing the revenge flick like a 3,000-theater bow, it is only going into about 1,000 locations this weekend. That should lead to sold out
shows and a very high average. Plus with so many other films releasing at the same time, getting second and third screens within multiplexes will be difficult. The gruesome pic should bring out hard-core fans first and then reach a more mainstream crowd after Christmas when seeing blood and gore will not be as bad of a thing. Positive reviews and four Globe nominations will also help to convince audiences, but the starpower of Depp and Burton is the film’s biggest asset. Look for a debut of around $10M this weekend followed by good legs in the coming weeks.

Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd
Following his career-making turn in one of the year’s most memorable hits 300, Gerard Butler turns to the world of flimsy grosses in the romantic drama P.S. I Love You starring opposite two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank. The weekend’s only new PG-13 film will play to an adult female audience which may be a bit tough to reach this weekend. Holiday activities will provide a distraction as will Tom, Julia, and Johnny who will steal away much of the potential of P.S. Negative reviews will only help keep ticket buyers away. Overall excitement is not too high and starpower is certainly low. Most fans who bought tickets for the Spartan actioner will be elsewhere this weekend. P.S. I Love You opens in about 2,200 locations and could gross about $5M this weekend.

Hilary Swank in P.S. I Love You
Will Smith has dominated the box office since last Friday’s explosive launch for his sci-fi thriller I Am Legend. However, the sophomore frame is likely to see a steep fall for a number of reasons. Competition will be a big factor with the freshman class stealing away different audience segments. The Batman factor will also be gone since fans of the Caped Crusader either have already seen the trailer for The Dark Knight with Legend last week, or are watching it online whenever they want. Plus sci-fi films typically attract the bulk of the business upfront leading to a large sophomore drop. A 60% tumble for I Am Legend could result giving the Warner Bros. pic about $31M for the weekend and $133M after ten days.

Alvin and the Chipmunks is in a much better position since all kids will be out of school for the rest of the year. Business this week, all next week, and the session before New Year’s will be sizzling. National Treasure will take away some ticket sales, but with so many R-rated films filling up screens, parents will keep looking at the Chipmunks as the only game in town for small children. Alvin and the Chipmunks could decline by 40% and collect around $27M over the weekend pushing the ten-day total to a sensational $80M.

LAST YEAR: Ben Stiller and Robin Williams rocked the box office with the action comedy Night at the Museum which debuted powerfully in first place with $42.2M over the four-day holiday frame with Christmas Day falling on a Monday. Fox found itself with a megahit as the effects-driven pic topped the charts for
three straight weeks, ended up with a mammoth $250.9M domestically, and even conquered overseas multiplexes with an eye-popping $574M worldwide haul. Will Smith‘s uplifting drama The Pursuit of Happyness dropped a spot to second with a strong $22.6M over four days. Opening with muscle in third was Sylvester Stallone‘s Rocky Balboa with $17M over the four-day weekend and a potent $26.7M across its six-day debut period. The MGM release became a solid hit for the franchise earning great reviews plus an impressive $70.3M. Universal followed with its new CIA thriller The Good Shepherd starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, and Robert De Niro which launched with $14.1M on its way to $59.9M. The kidpic Charlotte’s Web ranked fifth with $9.6M in its sophomore session. Opening in eighth place with mild results was the football drama We Are Marshall with $8.6M over four days for Warner Bros. The Matthew McConaughey flick ended up scoring $43.5M.

Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com

A wave of new product hits the marketplace at a time when exciting films are desperately needed to end the current box office funk. The science fiction thriller I Am Legend leads the way but will be joined by the family comedy Alvin and the Chipmunks and the romantic comedy The Perfect Holiday. For only the second time all year, just two films managed grosses of more than $5M last weekend. Hollywood critically needs this weekend to turn things around if it wants to end the year on a happy note.

Gunning for his seventh consecutive number one opening, Will Smith headlines the sci-fi thriller I Am Legend, the latest Hollywood film based on the classic 1954 novel of the same name. The PG-13 entry finds the superstar playing the last man alive on Earth after a virus wipes out the entire human population in the not-so-distant future. Legend could prove to be Smith’s greatest box office challenge to date since there are no famous co-stars, no big director, and the novel it is based on is not exactly a hot item in today’s era. This film is Will’s to make or break.

But for millions of movie fans, the former Fresh Prince plus action equals a definite trip to the local multiplex. The actor is right at the top of the current A list and is arguably the most bankable star alive consistently drawing in audiences that cut across all race, gender, and age barriers. Will Smith can bring out paying audiences for sci-fi (I, Robot), comedy (Hitch), drama (The Pursuit of Happyness), action (Bad Boys II), and animation (Shark Tale). With Legend he now flirts with the boundaries of horror as battling killer zombies that attack at night is a far cry from being a date doctor.

Warner Bros. has good timing for I Am Legend. The marketplace has been about as dead as the world depicted in the film and audiences are hungry for an event film to get them back into the habit of moviegoing. Competition will not be much of a factor and business will be coming in from many directions with teens and young adults leading the way and fans of sci-fi and action delivering a big bang too. The studio’s massive marketing push will do the trick and adding more bite will be the simultaneous Imax release where higher ticket prices ($16 in New York City) will give the grosses a boost. Plus the strategic move of playing the new prologue for next summer’s much-anticipated Batman flick The Dark Knight with the Imax release of I Am Legend just fuels more excitement and guarantees more asses in the seats.

Will Smith is looking to score one of the biggest December openings ever for a non-Peter Jackson flick. A big drop next weekend is likely, but for now consumers are keeping all eyes on I Am Legend which attacks 3,606 theaters on Friday. An opening weekend gross of about $50M could result.

Will Smith and friend in I Am Legend
Some younger moviegoers may not be in the mood for flesh-eating mutants. Luckily, Fox had the bright idea of getting jiggy with its new kidpic Alvin and the Chipmunks which will give parents and smaller children some harmless fun for the holidays. The PG-rated film is the latest big-screen treatment of a popular kids property from yesterday that gets a makeover for today’s sensibilities. When done right, ticket sales pour in from multiple generations. But when done wrong, you get disasters like The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Competition should not be too bad since Enchanted which is going into its fourth session is the only family film generating any decent dough right now. Instead, holiday shopping may be the real threat as many parents will wait until a little later before heading to the cinemas for this one. The property is not popular enough to create any true sense of urgency. But this is common in mid December. Last year, Charlotte’s Web got off to a slow start with a $11.5M bow but went on to make seven times that amount with a final tally of $82.6M. Fox’s marketing push has been aggressively targeting young kids and the studio knows that little success lies with teens and young adults. Going very wide with 3,476 playdates on Friday, Alvin and the Chipmunks could gross about $15M this weekend but hold on well over the holidays.

Alvin, Simon and Theodore
Christmas fun hits the multiplexes in another package with The Perfect Holiday from Yari Film Group. Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union star as single folks whose love lives cross while Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard play naughty and nice spirits along for the ride. The PG-rated film will play primarily to an African American audience which will make it a tricky sell at this moment in time. Though a very different film, Legend will steal away many in the target demographic and others who just saw This Christmas may not be looking for another story from the same category so soon. Poor reviews will also cause some box office headaches. Opening Wednesday in 1,306 locations, The Perfect Holiday could bow to about $7M over three days and $9M over five days.

The Perfect Holiday
Adding to the end-of-year frenzy that arthouse films find themselves in during awards season, Paramount Vantage’s The Kite Runner opens in 35 theaters in selected cities on Friday hoping to appeal to fans of the best-selling novel. The R-rated film in English and Dari tells of two young boys in Afghanistan whose lives take two very different paths after a violent incident right before the Soviet invasion of the country. Kite Runner has been included on some recent ten-best lists and scored two Golden Globe nominations. Reviews have been generally positive.

The Kite Runner
Following its not-so-explosive debut, The Golden Compass will have tough work cut out for it during the sophomore frame. The New Line adventure will see the sci-fi audience abandon ship and line up for Will Smith while parents looking for some fun for their kids will have some talking chipmunks to consider. A 50% drop could be in order for Compass which would give it about $13M for the weekend and a ten-day tally of $45M.

Disney’s Enchanted, which earned a pair of Golden Globe nominations, is slowly but surely making its way towards the $100M mark. Another moderate 35% decline would give the fairy tale pic around $7M which would push the sum up to $93M. Sony’s This Christmas will face direct competition from The Perfect Holiday so a 40% dip may result giving the pic $3M and $47M to date.

LAST YEAR: The man in black beat out some tough competition to conquer the box office. Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness led a wave of new releases with its top spot debut grossing $26.5M for Sony. The feel-good smash played well over the holiday season surging to $162.6M domestically and $294M worldwide – an impressive sum for a Smith vehicle not driven by guns or special effects. Fox’s fantasy actioner Eragon bowed close behind in second with $23.2M on its way to $75M from North America representing only 30% of the global take. Overseas the numbers were much stronger with $175M in ticket sales for a powerful $250M tally worldwide. Third place also featured a new release. Paramount’s family film Charlotte’s Web debuted to the tune of $11.5M but reached a solid $82.6M by the end of the run. Rounding out the top five were the penguin toon Happy Feet with $8.4M and the romantic comedy The Holiday with $8M.

Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com

Sure, Jaden Smith can act — we all saw the proof in The Pursuit of Happyness. But can he do a crane kick?

If a rumor posted at IGN Movies yesterday is accurate, we’ll soon be finding out — according to “a reliable source,” Sony is prepping a Karate Kid remake, and Smith is attached to star in it. According to the source, Jerry Weintraub — who produced the original trilogy — is co-producing the remake with Will Smith‘s Overbrook Entertainment.

In a word: AWESOME. Who cares if every third movie coming out of Hollywood is a remake, and Jaden Smith is only nine years old? As long as he can do the crane kick, he’s all set. Like Mr. Miyagi said, “if do right, no can defense.” Make this happen, Sony! We’ll be there opening night, with a big bottle of Wild Turkey and our game faces on!

Source: IGN Movies

A few years back the heaviest Hollywood hitters (actor-wise) were Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Mel Gibson. Nowadays it’s guys called Ben Stiller and Johnny Depp — both of whom are trying to catch up with the $4.4 billion dollar man: Will Smith.

Seems that, according to MSNBC, Mr. Smith is in a class completely by himself. (They say his movies make more than Adam Sandler‘s and Will Ferrell‘s combined … and that’s pretty damn amazing.) Crossing demographics is what Will Smith seems to do best: "He’s the black Jimmy Stewart," says an industry insider. "He invites the white community in, yet he’s credible with the black community."

Unlike many of his high-profile and mega-bankable colleagues, Smith crosses genres as easily as he demolishes the box office. Comedies, action flicks, sci-fi adventures, dramatic films… The guy gets his finger in a lot of different pies. And he’s consistent, too. (He hasn’t had a real bomb since "Wild Wild West" — and even that flick managed to gross over $220 million worldwide.

For the record, here are the worldwide numbers for Will Smith’s last several movies:

"The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006) — $302m
"Hitch" (2005) — $368m
"Shark Tale" (2004) — $363m
"I, Robot" (2004) — $347m
"Bad Boys 2" (2003) — $273m
"Men in Black 2" (2002) — $441m
"Ali" (2001) — $87m
"The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000) — $39m
"Wild Wild West" (1999) — $222m
"Enemy of the State" (1998) — $250m
"Men in Black" (1997) — $589m
"Independence Day" (1996) — $816m
"Bad Boys" — (1995) $141m

Not bad for a kid from Philadelphia.

Sources: MSNBC.com, Box Office Mojo

Eddie Murphy scored the 14th number one hit of his career this weekend by playing three eccentric characters in the new comedy "Norbit," which generated the largest opening of any film this year by far.

Debuting far back in second place with less than half the ticket sales was the revenge thriller "Hannibal Rising." With the Academy Awards just two weeks away, many moviegoers caught up on the major nominees which all displayed fantastic holds. The explosive "Norbit" bow, however, was not enough to keep the box office from dipping below year-ago levels for the sixth consecutive weekend.

Returning to the type of crude comedy that launched his career over a quarter-century ago, Eddie Murphy proved once again how strong of a box office draw he still is with "Norbit" which opened in the top spot with a very strong $33.7M, according to estimates. The PG-13 film, which was written by the comedian and his older brother Charlie Murphy, averaged a sizzling $10,759 from 3,136 theaters. Eddie Murphy also saw his Oscar-nominated turn in "Dreamgirls" sit in the top ten at the number nine spot. Both films were produced by DreamWorks and distributed by its new owner Paramount.

"Norbit," which finds the former "Saturday Night Live" star playing a skinny timid man as well as his outrageous and overweight wife, gave Murphy his biggest opening for a live-action film since 2000’s "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" which bowed to $42.5M in July of that year. That comedy also found the star putting on latex fat suits to play other characters. For DreamWorks, "Norbit" represented the studio’s third biggest live action opening ever and second largest for a non-sequel following the $34.8M of 2000’s "Gladiator."

Critics trashed "Norbit," but then again the target audience for this kind of comedy would never care about reviews anyway. The Murphy brand name plus effective marketing sold this movie and a broad audience turned out. Plus the actor has not been seen in these kinds of comedies in many years prompting a healthy appetite from fans. African Americans and Latinos were especially responsible for the stellar business. Budgeted in the vicinity of $65M, the battered husband pic should utilize the upcoming Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day holidays to help keep the tickets selling. That would allow "Norbit" to join "Dreamgirls" as the 12th and 13th $100M blockbusters of Eddie Murphy’s career with this May’s "Shrek the Third" set to become number fourteen after its first few days of release.

The return of screen villain Hannibal Lecter was not met with as much enthusiam. The prequel story "Hannibal Rising" debuted in second place with an estimated $13.4M from 3,003 theaters. Averaging a decent $4,446 per venue, the R-rated thriller about Lecter’s younger years and the revenge he sought upon those who killed his sister was marketed by The Weinstein Co. and distributed by MGM. The gross was less than half the $36.5M bow of the last film in the series, 2002’s "Red Dragon" which starred Anthony Hopkins in his final turn as the famed cannibal. "Hannibal Rising" may have opened on the exact same day of the year as 2001’s blockbuster "Hannibal," but the grosses could not have been more different. That Hopkins starrer shattered the February opening weekend record with a summer-like $58M launch. Reviews were mostly negative for the new installment.

Despite atrocious reviews, Diane Keaton‘s mother-daughter comedy "Because I Said So" held up very well in its second weekend slipping only 31% to an estimated $9M. That gave the Universal release a decent $25.6M in ten days and could put the film on track to reach about $50M. Fellow sophomore "The Messengers" dropped from first to fourth place in its second scare grossing an estimated $7.2M. Falling a steep 51%, the $16M thriller has banked $24.7M in ten days and should conclude in the neighborhood of $35M.

Ben Stiller‘s "Night at the Museum" enjoyed its eighth consecutive weekend in the top five and grossed an estimated $5.8M slipping a mere 10%. Despite the new star-driven comedy on the block, audiences still made time for the adventure pic which this weekend joined the list of the top 50 domestic blockbusters of all-time. "Museum" saw its cume rise to $232.1M putting it at number 50 just behind the $233.6M of another Fox holiday blockbuster, 2000’s "Cast Away."

Fox’s spoof comedy "Epic Movie" dropped 47% to an estimated $4.5M and bumped its cume up to $35.5M. Universal’s crime thriller "Smokin’ Aces" ranked seventh with an estimated $3.8M, down 38%, for a $30.9M total.

A trio of Oscar contenders rounded out the top ten. "Pan’s Labyrinth," the fairy tale for adults, continued showing superb legs and dipped just 4% to an estimated $3.5M. With $26.6M in sales thus far, the Picturehouse release has more than doubled its gross since earning six Academy Award nominations and is still expanding into more markets as solid word-of-mouth spreads.

Eddie Murphy’s second film in the top ten was "Dreamgirls" which slipped 23% to an estimated $3.1M. Paramount has collected $97.1M to date and is a week away from joining the century club. American subjects were still flocking to "The Queen" which eased only 5% to an estimated $2.5M lifting the cume to a stellar $49M.

A pair of Sony hits fell out of the top ten over the weekend. The Will Smith blockbuster "The Pursuit of Happyness" grossed an estimated $2.4M, down only 19%, and pushed its sum to $160.5M. The homelessness drama is Smith’s sixth consecutive $100M+ hit and tenth career blockbuster overall. His last six smashes together have grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide. "Pursuit," which earned its star an Oscar nod for best actor, could end its domestic run with close to $170M.

Sony’s $14M step dancing drama "Stomp the Yard" also took in an estimated $2.4M this weekend and boosted its incredible tally to $59.1M. Off 41%, a $65M final seems likely.

The top ten films grossed an estimated $86.5M which was off 12% from last year when "The Pink Panther" opened at number one with $20.2M; and down 12% from 2005 as well when "Hitch" debuted on top with $43.1M.

Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com

With the Super Bowl taking males out of the picture, mothers and daughters squared off at the North American box office this weekend with the younger set earning a slim victory. The spooky thriller "The Messengers" opened at number one driven by teenage girls and young women while the Diane Keaton comedy "Because I Said So" bowed close behind in the runnerup position drawing upon older women.

The overall box office picture was bleak as the top ten slumped below the $70M mark for the second time in three weekends.

Sony scored its seventh consecutive victory over Super Bowl weekend with the haunted house spookfest "The Messengers," which grossed an estimated $14.5M in its debut frame. The PG-13 pic averaged a solid $5,736 from 2,528 locations but was weaker than the studio’s previous three hits that ruled this particular weekend. Last year, the horror pic "When a Stranger Calls" topped the charts with a $21.6M opening and $7,205 average, in 2005 "Boogeyman" led with a $19M bow and $6,232 average, and in 2004 "You Got Served" hit number one with $16.1M and a $8,341 average. "Messengers" did however post the best opening for a horror film since October’s "Saw III." A long string of terror flops were tossed into the marketplace in between with disappointing results.

Budgeted at only $16M, "The Messengers" skewed to a young female audience. According to studio research, 53% of the crowd was female and an equal percentage was under the age of 21. The studio is already planning for next year’s Super Bowl frame when it will release the horror remake "Prom Night," which will again cater to the same crowd. Teenage girls and young women historically have been the group least interested in football’s big championship game making them an attractive audience to target on this weekend. Creepy PG-13 films with strong female characters coupled with saavy marketing have led to many number one hits for Sony and its Screen Gems unit. But with the grosses getting smaller, movie fans could be telling Hollywood that it is dipping into this well too often.

Opening in second place with respectable results was "Because I Said So" with an estimated $13M from 2,526 theaters. Averaging $5,155 per location, the PG-13 film stars Diane Keaton as a meddlesome mother trying to find love for her unmarried daughter played by Mandy Moore. Men showed practically zero interest in the Universal release. Studio research showed that a whopping 82% of the audience was female. The film also played more to Keaton fans than to the Moore crowd as 55% of the turnout was 35 or older. 83% was Caucasian. Critics trashed "Because" and "Messengers" may have eaten into its potential with younger women.

Last weekend’s number one film "Epic Movie" dropped a sizable 56% in its second weekend and ranked third with an estimated $8.2M. With $29.4M in ten days, the spoof comedy looks on course to finish with $40-44M making it a bit smaller than Fox’s spoof from last February "Date Movie." That spin on romantic comedies grossed a somewhat stronger $33.8M in its first ten days, had a slightly lower 53% sophomore drop, and found its way to $48.5M.

Fox’s runaway smash "Night at the Museum" slipped only 29% and placed fourth with an estimated $6.8M pushing its tally to $225.4M. The durable Ben Stiller blockbuster became the first film to spend seven weekends in the top five since 2004’s "The Passion of the Christ."

Universal’s mob thriller "Smokin’ Aces" dropped 57% to an estimated $6.3M in its second weekend and put its cume at $25M after ten days. The step dancing hit "Stomp the Yard" followed with an estimated $4.2M, off 45%, for a total of $56M. The Oscar-nominated musical "Dreamgirls" saw the worst decline of its run dropping 40% to an estimated $4M. Cume stands at $92.8M.

Picturehouse added 259 theaters to the run of the fantasy pic "Pan’s Labyrinth" and stayed put at number eight with an estimated $3.7M. With six Academy Award nominations, the R-rated film upped its cume to $21.7M while its average of $3,383 was the third best in the top ten. Will Smith‘s tenth career $100M blockbuster "The Pursuit of Happyness" took in an estimated $3.1M, down 38%, for a $157.4M total to date.

Tied for tenth place with an estimated $2.7M in ticket sales each were the Helen Mirren Oscar nominated pic "The Queen" and the Jennifer Garner dramedy "Catch and Release." The Miramax contender for Best Picture slipped 33% raising its cume to $45.5M while the Sony flick tumbled 65% in its second weekend thanks to its female audience shifting over to the frame’s two new releases. The ten-day total stands at a weak $12M.

The horror remake "The Hitcher" also saw sales nosedive and dropped out of the top ten. The Focus release slumped 68% to an estimated $1.2M giving the R-rated scarefest only $15.6M overall. A final gross of $17M seems likely.

MGM and The Weinstein Co. saw a solid start for its indie drama "Factory Girl," starring media darling Sienna Miller grossing an estimated $95,000 from only three theaters for a stellar $31,764 average per site. Bowing in just New York and Los Angeles, the R-rated film tells of the rise of Edie Sedgwick and her mentor Andy Warhol. Reviews were mostly negative.

The top ten films grossed an estimated $66.5M which was off 13% from last year when "When A Stranger Calls" opened at number one with $21.6M; and down 19% from 2005 when "Boogeyman" debuted on top with $19M.

Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com

Known as a big predictor of what’ll go down Oscar night, the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony took place last Sunday to a rapturous Hollywood crowd without a hitch (or surprises or upsets). Check out the full winners list below, along with analysis on how the SAG results affect the Oscar nominees’ chances.

The SAG Awards frequently mirror Oscar nominations and wins. And this year, they’re more similar than in recent memory. Of the 25 Acting and Best Picture nominations, the SAG and Oscar disagree only twice: the SAG reserved a Supporting Actor nom spot for Leonardo DiCaprio, while the Academy has eyes for Mark Wahlberg (both for "The Departed"). And in the Best Picture category, the SAG had "Bobby" whereas the Oscars have "Letters from Iwo Jima."

"There appears to be a developing unanimity about the year’s best actors," writes Hollywood Reporter’s Gregg Kilday. Indeed, who doubted that Forest Whitaker (Male Actor winner for "The Last King of Scotland"), Jennifer Hudson (the Supporting Female Actor winner for "Dreamgirls"), or Helen Mirren (Outstanding Female Actor for "The Queen") wouldn’t be going home empty-handed? They’ve dominated all the other awards shows prior to the SAG Awards.

"The Queen": Helen Mirren phones it in.

However, it’s hard to say that "Dreamgirls‘" Eddie Murphy, who took home the Outstanding Supporting Male Actor award, is guaranteed the same Oscar reward. According to OscarWatch, every actor nominated for the Supporting Actor Oscar have won roughly the same number of awards as he has.

The same can be said for the Best Picture Oscar. "Little Miss Sunshine" won Best Ensemble Acting (the SAG’s Best Picture equivalent), but the other Best Picture Oscar nominees have just about the same number of accolades. And "Little Miss Sunshine’s" directors snub from the Academy can be another problem. Risky Biz Blog points out that only twice has a Best Picture winner not also have its director(s) nominated (1932’s "Grand Hotel" and 1989’s "Driving Miss Daisy").

Eddie Murphy is SAGacious in "Dreamgirls."

Kilday also notes that "no one film has dominated the best picture race this awards season." Oscar nominess "The Departed," "Babel," "Little Miss Sunshine," and "The Queen" have all been accumulating accolades at about the same rate. "Letters From Iwo Jima", however, lags far behind.

The cast surveys the scene in "Little Miss Sunshine."

And in the case of "Little Miss Sunshine," it can also be said that comedies almost never win the Best Picture. Then again, stranger things have happened. Remember when a neurotic little dude single-handedly took down the Death Star?

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

"Babel"
"Bobby"
"The Departed"
"The Queen"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Leonardo DiCaprio for "Blood Diamond"
Ryan Gosling for "Half-Nelson"
Peter O’Toole for "Venus"
Will Smith for "Pursuit of Happyness"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Penelope Cruz for "Volver"
Judi Dench for "Notes on a Scandal"
Meryl Streep for "The Devil Wears Prada"
Kate Winslet for "Little Children"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Alan Arkin for "Little Miss Sunshine"
Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Departed"
Jackie Earle Haley for "Little Children"
Djimon Hounsou for "Blood Diamond"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Adriana Barraza for "Babel"
Cate Blanchett for "Notes on a Scandal"
Abigail Breslin for "Little Miss Sunshine"
Rinko Kikuchi for "Babel"