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Angels & Demons Wins Weekend At Box Office

Joelle Tomlinson — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:10:49 +0000

Ron Howard’s Angels & Demons soared to a $48 million opening this weekend, narrowly edging out a stellar $43 million second-week performance by Star Trek , according to estimates by Hollywood.com Box Office.

According to EW.com, Angels‘ solid bow is the second-best opening of Tom Hanks’ career, behind The Da Vinci Code’s $77.1 million debut in 2006. Despite receiving better reviews than its predecessor, Angels was widely expected to fly lower than Da Vinci on account of the cooled-off controversy over the religious subject matter in Dan Brown’s novels. Still, the books’ worldwide infamy should guarantee returns of biblical proportions; Da Vinci grossed $758.2 million globally, and Angels has already racked up an additional $104.3 million from foreign territories.

Angels may also have had its wings clipped slightly by J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek, which dropped a slim 46% in its second weekend—presumably thanks to good word of mouth about the well-reviewed film. A $43 million weekend haul means that the space saga has already reaped $147.6 million, making it the year’s fourth highest-grossing movie after just eleven days in theaters.

Movie Review: Angels & Demons

Ilan Mester — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:30:09 +0000

“Angels & Demons” is worth seeing, even for those who haven’t read the Dan Brown novel of the same title. It has thrill moments, chill moments and surprising revelations. Who would have ever thought Ewan McGregor could pull off playing a church official?

In the second movie of the “Da Vinci Code” franchise, Tom Hanks returns as Harvard professor Robert Langdon, a cheeky historic symbolist. After the sudden death of the Pope and the threat of the Illuminati (a secret society that in the film, seeks vengeance on the Church) destroying the Vatican with an antimatter bomb, Langdon is asked to follow a historic trail dating back 400 years that will hopefully lead to the deadly bomb.

Now that I think of it, the plot sounds sort of ridiculous and as usual, features some loop holes. For example, why would anyone go out of their way to capture four cardinals and murder them separately if they were eventually planning on destroying the entire Vatican? Then again, it does make for a thrilling movie.

For those who haven’t seen the 2006 hit “The Da Vinci Code,” don’t worry, you can walk into “Angels & Demons” without knowing a single thing about the Mona Lisa. The film is based on the novel that was published before “The Da Vinci Code” and takes place before as well.

And if you did see “The Da Vinci Code” and liked the film, odds are you’ll enjoy this movie as well, but it won’t be due to plot similarities (the story-line in “Angels & Demons” is completely different). But it might be because both films have the same “feel” to them. This makes sense since both films share the same director (Ron Howard) and protagonist (Tom Hanks).

Howard does a fantastic job in terms of cinematography. Just like “The Da Vinci Code,” you get an artistic showing of the city, which for “Angel & Demons,” the focus is on Rome and the Vatican. Watching this film is like watching a movie through paintings: every detail is accounted for. And the detailed shots in this movie are very impressive, especially for a film that was denied shooting scenes inside the Vatican (where a majority of the movie takes place). Everything looks legitimate and real.

As for Tom Hanks, well it’s Tom Hanks, you can always expect a lot from the guy. This role doesn’t require an Academy Award Winning performance from Hanks, but as the lead it requires him to carry this movie — and he carries it well.

Although Audrey Tautou does not return in “Angel and Demons” (the character she plays isn’t in the book), Ayelet Zurer plays Vittoria Vetra, pretty much the only female in the movie. Vittoria is a tough-minded Italian physicist (which Zurer pulls off) who accompanies Langdon in the quest to find the antimatter bomb.

But the standout performance by far is Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (although Armin Mueller-Stahl comes close with his Yoda-like voice). McGregor’s character is extremely interesting and at times, also carries the movie.

“Angel & Demons” vaguely touches on the science vs. religion and mind vs. body themes but at the end of the day, it’s just a cool adventure movie. It will have your attention from the beginning to the end, and most importantly, doesn’t feature the slow pace of “The Da Vinci Code” (or the 10 different scenes where it could have ended).

Meg Ryan Playing Mom To Hanks’ Son

andPOP Staff — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:29:30 +0000

In a twist of casting fate, Meg Ryan will play the mother of Colin Hanks. Yes, the real life son of Tom Hanks, Ryan’s “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle” soul mate.

Fittingly, the movie title is “My Mom’s New Boyfriend.” In the flick, Ryan begins dating an art thief, played by Antonio Banderas. Young Hanks, an FBI agent tracing Banderas, is forced to bug them and listen to their dates.

Also co-starring Selma Blair, the film should be released in February.

Da Vinci Code Prequel in the Works

andPOP Staff — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:07:32 +0000

Tom Hanks and Ron Howard will team up again for the prequel to The Da Vinci Code.

The 2006 film, based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown, made a whopping $540 million worldwide.

Angels And Demons, Brown’s prequel to The Da Vinci Code, was also an international bestseller. The film adaptation will see Hanks reprise his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon.

In Angels And Demons, Langdon delves into the world of a secret society that threatens the existence of the Catholic Church.

Filming is set to start in mid-February in Rome with a release date around December 2008.

Hanks Inducted into U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame

andPOP Staff — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 16:40:44 +0000

Tom Hanks has been inducted as an honouree into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame as an honoury member, E! Online reports.

“The DaVinci Code” star was inducted on Thursday was one of only two civilian inductees this year. There were 17 inductees in total this year.

Hanks did not attend the ceremony in Fort Bennings, Georgia. He was inducted for his commitment to U.S. veterans both on screen and off.

Hanks has starred in big screen movies such as “Saving Private Ryan,” as well as small screen mini-series about veterans (”Band of Brothers”) and has served as the spokesman for the WWII memorial campaign, as well as many other causes that promote and service veterans.

Hanks to Star as Scandalous Politician

Eva Lam — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 02:51:26 +0000

Sex, drugs ?n? ? Forrest Gump?

Tom Hanks will have to drop his Nicest Guy In Hollywood reputation for his new role as an unruly U.S. politician. Variety reports that the two-time Oscar-winner has been cast as the titular character in ?Charlie Wilson?s War.?

Based on a book by George Crile, the movie tells the story of real-life Texas congressman Wilson, dubbed ?Good Time Charlie? due to his penchant for booze and women. His political career almost caved in the early 1980s when he was caught in a hot tub tryst with two cocaine-sniffing showgirls in Las Vegas.

He survived the scandal and went on to oversee the largest and most successful CIA operation in history, one which covertly funded Afghan resistance fighters in their war again Russia. Wilson?s efforts in collaborating with rogue CIA agent Gust Avrakotos are credited with hastening the fall of the Iron Curtain.

The political drama was scripted by ?West Wing? creator Aaron Sorkin and will be produced by Hanks and Gary Goetzman under their Universal-based Playtone banner.

A director has not yet been named.

The film is scheduled to begin shooting next spring after Hanks completes ?The Da Vinci Code,? which he is currently filming in Paris with director Ron Howard.

Hanks, 49, won back-to-back Best Actor Oscars in the mid-?90s for his work in ?Philadelphia? and ?Forrest Gump.? He more recently starred in ?The Terminal? and lent his voice to ?The Polar Express.?