Suggestions Noted, Movies Graded.

Grading is highly subjective, dizzying, lip-biting stressful.Just a reminder that I listen to you. You may have noticed a bit more tv coverage as per your requests. Plus, I'd heard a few complaints that the new version of the site (no longer a newborn, now a crawling gurgling six month-old) didn't have a sidebar with current grades of recent movies. I've added that in now, just in case you miss a review or need that damn letter.

I hate grading! I feel for you professors out there. I often find one piece of a movie a total A and the rest lacking. Take  that multi-graded X-Men Report Card that's usually the way it goes. Or, perfect and subject appropriate example: Easy A in which Emma Stone is performing in an all time high school movie comedy classic and the rest of the movie... uh... isn't. Perhaps all movies should get multi-layered report cards? Nah, too much work.

You can also check the review section in the top navigation bar whenever you need want a quick rundown of what I'm seeing or how I've been grading it.

Curio: Get Your Mutant On

Alexa here.  As far as Marvel superhero gangs go, I find the Avengers more interesting than the X-Men (although this may just be my inner Whedon fangirl panting in anticipation).  But mutants do have their outsider charm, and the 60s period mutants of X-Men: First Class are looking pretty slick (especially the "sullen, bosomy" January Jones). So in honor of mutant week, here is a collection of mutant goodies to satisfy your inner nerd.

Mike Sapienza is selling some sweet X-Men:First Class posters at his shop, in your choice of color.

Vandaleyez has created Women of Marvel-inspired eyeshadow sets! Here is Mystique.

Click for more, including Emma Frost art and Magneto headbands...

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80s flashback!

Box Office: Mutant Powers Revealed!

It's "Mutant Week" -- I'm into weekly themes this summer (any requests?) so deal with it! --  so this post will be illustrated by the previously unrevealed superpowers of famous people.

Like...

The Box Office (Actuals)
Class was in session for select homosuperiors and their homosapien fans this weekend in Westchester New York as Charles Xavier finally opened his School For Gifted Youngsters. But what people were talking about as they left the theater was Michael Fassbender as Magneto. And/or his chemistry with James McAvoy which is quite something. We'll call them "Double Thespian" Their mutant power --wonder twins activate --  is to make you believe that the movie you're watching is twice as good as it actually is!

We're feeling a bit stingy about having to share Fassy with the world now but happy for his success. It will all be worth it if this means he can make as many Fish Tanks and Hungers and Jane Eyres as he wants to, and maybe a few more people will show up to them, now.

01 X-MEN FIRST CLASS new $55.1 [review]
02 THE HANGOVER PT. 2  $31.3 (cumulative $185.8)
03 KUNG FU PANDA 2 $23.8 (cumulative $100)
04 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES $17.9 (cumulative $190.2) [review]
05 BRIDESMAIDS $12 (cumulative $107.1)
06 THOR $4.2 (cumulative $169.1) [review]
07 FAST FIVE  $3.1 (cumulative $201.9)
08 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS $2.7 (cumulative $6.7)

other new(ish) stuff
13 TREE OF LIFE $618,000 (on 20 screens cumulative $1.2 million)
27 BEGINNERS $135,000 (on 5 screens) [review]
-- SUBMARINE $41,800 (on 4 screens)
-- BEAUTIFUL BOY $16,100 (on 4 screens)

The Talking Points: Woody Allen and Terrence Malick continue to have high per screen averages courtesy of their devoted fanbases and the critically-driven curiousity factor; Bridesmaids, which just crossed the magic $100 million mark, continues to hold steady, while the movies around it plummet 50% or more in attendance each week; Fast Five will lose its #1 movie of '11 bragging rights this week when Pirates surpasses it; Thor recently surpassed the original X-Men (2000) in grosses but it's no longer mighty (losing theaters now) which might leave it stranded ignobly on the Marvel superhero charts as "less" popular than a movie almost everyone hates (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

What did YOU see over the weekend? Which mutant powers do you think the movie stars currently in theaters have?



First and Last. Season 5 Cometh.

Am currently brainstorming ways to keep "First and Last" fresh but it remains a popular item so season 5 is right around the corner. Here's a bonus episode before we start again.

first and last images, dialogue or _____ from a motion picture. The first image (without a giveaway title)...

...and the last line of dialogue

Completely incurable and, even worse, highly contagious.

Can you guess the movie? check your guess after the jump

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