Curio: Happy Birthday Max von Sydow

Alexa here.  Max von Sydow turns 83 today, and I plan on celebrating by watching a recently-gifted Criterion copy of The Magician. His presence always makes me happy, in everything from heavy fare (Pelle The Conqueror) to silly (Needful Things is a guilty pleasure).  Even he couldn't save Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close for me, though.  Here are some fan creations I've spied that celebrate some highlights from his oeuvre.

The Magician by Petur Nagy and Miklos Foldi.As Frederick in Hannah and Her Sisters, drawn by Peter Mack.

Click for Max-centric posters for The Exorcist and The Seventh Seal...

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Mad Men @ the Movies: Charlton Heston Starkers and "A Star is Born"

In "Mad Men @ the Movies" we look at the best show on television through the lens of its movie-loving ways. Obviously there are spoilers.

5.3 "Tea Leaves"
In the third episode of the season Betty Draper Francis (January Jones) returns and there's more of her to love to hate! She's been packing on the pounds. At first there's a thyroid scare but it turns out Betty is just depressed and fat. The episode ends with Betty helping herself to a second ice cream sundae (to the tune of The Sound of Music's "I Am Sixteen"). Why not? 

One of the themes of the new season is aging and the rise of youth culture is evident. Betty is referred to as middle-aged by her doctor. Don, previously an icon of cool, is now 'so square he's got corners' to both his younger wife (she's 20, he's 40) and the young teenagers he meets at a Rolling Stones concert (he's there with Harry Crane on business). When the teens hear that the men are in advertising they instantly think of Bewitched. "You're Derwood and He's Mr. Cravitz."

Later after smoking a joint Harry is trying to impress the teens with celebrity stories. 

Charlton Heston and Esther Blodgett after the jump

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Captain the Second (and Hugo Awards. No, Not That Hugo)

The Hugo Awards for science fiction were announced over the weekend. While they mostly focus on literature, they do have one film prize. And the nominees are...

Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)
Captain America: The First Avenger, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephan McFeely, directed by Joe Johnston (Marvel)
Game of Thrones (Season 1), created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss; written by David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, and George R. R. Martin; directed by Brian Kirk, Daniel Minahan, Tim van Patten, and Alan Taylor (HBO)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, screenplay by Steve Kloves; directed by David Yates (Warner Bros.)
Hugo, screenplay by John Logan; directed by Martin Scorsese (Paramount)
Source Code, screenplay by Ben Ripley; directed by Duncan Jones (Vendome Pictures)

Here's a full list of the nominees if you're looking for reading suggestions. 

The Captain America nomination reminded me that another Captain America film was announced for April 4th, 2014 in case you plan two years in advance for your ticket purchases. Titling this one could be challenging. Imagine it: Captain America: The First Avenger... Two!  Captain America: The Second Avenger? I kid. Obviously they'll just go with Captain America 2... because the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn't get all Batman/DC creative with their titles.

What excuse will they come up with to get the good Captain's shirt off this time? He doesn't have to do any more super serum transformation. Pity. Bonus points to whoever comes up with the best plot point for disrobal in the comments.

Summer 2013 believes in the intricate body suit

While we're on the future blockbuster topic, after the jump is the summer calendar for 2013 and beyond...

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All This, and Linking Too

Matt Patches gives us the best news of the day for New Yorkers. The Alamo Drafthouse is coming.
Lists of Note Preston Sturges "11 rules of box office appeal" Tee hee.
Cinema Blend new details on Matt Damon's Promised Land. It involves fracking.
Scanners a wonderful interview with Bette Davis circa 1988. She would have turned 104 this weekend.

Pajiba the highest grossing female led action films (not adjusted for inflation)
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The Awl unanswered questions about teen movies. Here's a sample:

Say Anything…: How many times did Lloyd use the boombox trick in future relationships, and was his song selection always “In Your Eyes,” or did it change to reflect the current hits?

Tom Shone on the Titanic 3D conversion. I love Tom Shone.

Finally Boy Culture reminded me of this  year old interview with one of my favorite character actresses (and incidentally one of my favorite lesbians) Miriam Margolyes. I love her in everything -- remember how fun she was lusting after The Bening in Being Julia?. She is hilarious and she was totally dissing the Oscars for their big stars in supporting categories problem.

It was a very good film called The Age of Innocence and I was marvelous in it. I was! The reason I wasn't nominated was because of WINONA RYDER AND I DON'T LIKE HER! What happened was she was nominated as a supporting actress instead being nominated as a leading actress. If she'd jolly well kept herself to herself and been a leading actress, they would have nominated me as supporting. I was livid."

Box Office, Happy Easter Nostalgia

Did you end up moviegoing this weekend? I actually stayed home. Quiet weekend which is sometimes what ya need. The Hunger Games continues to devour the nation's entertainment budget with a bigger third weekend than most films can muster on their first. Otherwise it was a nostalgia weekend, especially for the 27-34 year-old set with 1999's American Pie cast reunited and the Titanic (1997) rerelease.

If you're part of that demo, were you feeling the nostalgia? Don't lie. You've quoted "one time at band camp..." before.

TOP TEN (Estimates)
01 THE HUNGER GAMES  $33.5 (cum $302.8) Reviewed
02 AMERICAN REUNION  $21.5 new in wide release
03 TITANIC 3D  $17.3 rerelease (cum. $25.7)
04 WRATH OF THE TITANS $15 (cum. $58.8)
05 MIRROR MIRROR  $11  (cum $36.4) Reviewed 
06 21 JUMP STREET  $10.2 (cum. $109.5) Reviewed
07 THE LORAX  $5 (cum. $198.2)
08 SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN $.9 (cum. $4.6)
09 JOHN CARTER  $.8 (cum. $67.9) Reviewed
10 SAFE HOUSE $.5 (cum. $124.7)

The cast of Damsels in Distress

Talking Points
• Damsels in Distress, Whit Stillman's long awaited return debuted in limited release with a decent $16,000 per screen average on 4 screens.
• 21 Jump Street is rapidly approaching the impressive gross of The Vow. So, go Chan. 
• Despite working so hard for media attention Bully only added one screen this weekend. Bizarre.