Inside Film

Inside Film http://if.com.au/ Inside Film - Australia en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss info@if.com.au (The Editor) Michael Wrenn joins Arclight http://if.com.au/2012/05/25/article/Michael-Wrenn-joins-Arclight/MBFASEREGN.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/25/article/Michael-Wrenn-joins-Arclight/MBFASEREGN.html Sandy George Michael Wrenn is to join the Sydney office of Arclight Films, the company established by LA-based Australian Gary Hamilton. Wrenn recently produced, with Karen Radzyner, director/writer Miro Bilbrough’s debut feature Being Venice but has spent most of his film career in sales, distribution and exhibition. Wrenn brings several films with him to Arclight’s library according to the statement announcing the appointment. These include Ivan Sen’s Mystery Road, which goes into production in July with David Jowsey producing, Zoe LaBand’s Pinky Pinky produced by Jeremy Nathan, and The World Made Me Straight, an adaptation of the Ron Rash novel of the same name to be directed by David Burris and produced by Todd Labarowsky. Wrenn has worked in financing and world sales for such companies as Celluloid Dreams and Maximum Films and has held very senior roles at several distribution companies including Electric Pictures and Alliance Atlantis (now Momentum). “Michael is the perfect addition to the Arclight Films family and his distinct knowledge of the Australian territories, from all angles, is an invaluable asset, ” said Hamilton. “His reputation and work speaks for itself and we’re all excited about what’s to come.” Wrenn was UK based before moving into a creative and marketing role at the New Zealand Film Commission in 2000. More recently he spent time working with script guru Stephen Cleary and his company Arista, and helped set up Curious Distribution. The statement ended on an unusually personal note: it said Wrenn and Kylie de Fresne, one of the producers of the out-of-competition official selection musical The Sapphires, were “having a great Cannes together” with their newborn baby. Arclight has handled sales on more than 130 films including Crash, which won the Academy Award for best picture in 2004 and Bobby, which was nominated for the best picture Golden Globe in 2007. The company has the genre-driven division Darclight Films, which has Wolf Creek and shark action thriller Bait on its list of films, and the Asian film division Easternlight, which has two films in official selection, Dangerous Liaisons and The Assassins. Fri, 25 May 2012 00:06:46 +1000 Shoreline is selling John Winter's debut http://if.com.au/2012/05/21/article/Shoreline-is-selling-John-Winters-debut/MNAEUHGZEV.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/21/article/Shoreline-is-selling-John-Winters-debut/MNAEUHGZEV.html Sandy George Shoreline Entertainment has acquired all international rights to producer John Winter’s self-financed directorial debut Black & White & Sex. Eight actors play one sex worker being interviewed by a filmmaker in the drama, which has also just been selected along with eleven other films in the new talent competition of next month's Taipei Film Festival. Black & White & Sex producer Melissa Beauford and distributor Titan View took an usual approach to the film’s Sydney theatrical release: they screened it only on Friday evenings at Hoyts Paris. That said, there is a final Sydney screening at 7pm tonight, being May 21, before it moves to other venues including the NFSA Arc Cinema in Canberra (July 6 and 7) and the Deckchair Cinema in Darwin (July 23 and 28). Black & White & Sex challenges audience members to leave their preconceptions about the kind of women who are sex workers at the door of the cinema, and has had a lot of support from companies who provide products to the “adult entertainment” industry. The black and white film had its world premiere in theŒ Rotterdam International Film Festival. Winter’s producing credits include Rabbit-Proof Fence, Doing Time with Patsy Cline and Paperback Hero. Beauford produced Puppy and Feed. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:16:25 +1000 The Dictator overthrows The Avengers http://if.com.au/2012/05/21/article/The-Dictator-overthrows-The-Avengers/KJFWOWDPXD.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/21/article/The-Dictator-overthrows-The-Avengers/KJFWOWDPXD.html Amanda Diaz It took four weeks but The Avengers has finally been overthrown at the box office - defeated, somewhat fittingly, by The Dictator. Unusually, the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy opened in cinemas on Wednesday. During the next four days it took $5.1 million from 346 screens, giving it a very healthy screen average of $14,724. The Paramount Pictures film follows the story of Haffaz Alladeen (Cohen), the eccentric dictator of an oil-rich African nation who is summoned to the United Nations to address its concerns about his nuclear program. Disney's The Avengers dropped to second on the charts, earning a further $3.5 million from 607 screens. Roadshow's Dark Shadows dropped 41 per cent ($2,189,935), while Universal's The Five-Year Engagement fell 45 per cent ($748,656). The last entry in the top five, Roadshow's The Woman in Black, took $375,587 across 166 screens in its opening fpur-day weekend. The haunted house flick, which stars Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe, had a screen average of $2,263. Hoyts-distributed sci-fi comedy Iron Sky dropped 46 per cent following its disappointing opening. The space Nazi film took just $63,190 over the weekend. Meanwhile, Hopscotch Films' Wish You Were Here crossed the $1 million mark in its fourth weekend of release. The psychological drama added another $124,438 to its gross, bringing its total box office takings to $1,055,796. Œ Australian films at the box office in 2012 <img alt="" height="317" src="/image/BoxofficeMay21.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 21 May 2012 16:12:15 +1000 Gothic Symphony gets limited cinema release http://if.com.au/2012/05/17/article/Gothic-Symphony-gets-limited-cinema-release/RSXWQVGQSP.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/17/article/Gothic-Symphony-gets-limited-cinema-release/RSXWQVGQSP.html Sandy George The Curse of the Gothic Symphony is the next Australian documentary to get a theatrical release, albeit only at Event Cinemas in Brisbane, Newcastle and Canberra at this stage. Director Randall Wood’s feature-length film is about the effort required to stage the biggest symphony ever composed – and, yes, this is officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records – and it will be on the big screen from this Thursday May 24. The Gothic Symphony, written by English composer Havergal Brian in 1919, has only been played rarely in the world and the film entertainingly plays on the notion that performances are always beset by problems. Making the film was a seven-year effort and producer Veronica Fury’s enthusiasm for being part of this momentous feat lead to Wood talking her into being a key on-screen character. The film culminates with more than 500 musicians coming together in Brisbane in December 2010. The Curse of the Gothic Symphony got some of its funding from the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Premiere Fund and had its world premiere at the festival last year. Conductor John Curro wields the baton and musicians Paul Grabowsky and Deborah Conway and Opera Australian choir master Michael Black are among the many featured. Fury is liaising directly with Event Cinemas on the theatrical release and the film is represented internationally by Film Transit. It is due to screen on ABC TV at some stage. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:28:18 +1000 BVI buys UK/Irish rights to A Few Best Men http://if.com.au/2012/05/17/article/BVI-buys-UKIrish-rights-to-A-Few-Best-Men/REWIXOEJAR.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/17/article/BVI-buys-UKIrish-rights-to-A-Few-Best-Men/REWIXOEJAR.html Sandy George Four months after being released in Australia, Buena Vista International has bought UK and Irish rights to director Stephan Elliot’s comedy A Few Best. The film grossed $5.3 million for Icon after being released on Australia Day in this country; it will be in cinemas in the UK and Ireland in late August. The Australian/UK co-production opens with the dopey young men at the heart of the film arriving in Australia from the UK. It has already opened in Italy – a sheep walked the red carpet at the Rome Film Festival – Iceland and Vietnam, where it has been in the top five films for a month according to sales agent Arclight Films. It will open in Russia, Argentina, Georgia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Singapore, Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland in coming months. From before cameras rolled, the film was billed as being from “the writers and producers of Death At A Funeral”: it was written by Dean Craig and produced by Share Stallings and Laurence Malkin – alongside Australia’s Antonia Barnard and Arclight principal Gary Hamilton. Among the Australian stars are Xavier Samuel playing a groom-to-be, Olivia Newton John as the bride’s mother and Rebel Wilson as the bride’s sister. Thu, 17 May 2012 12:40:09 +1000 Sci-fi comedy Iron Sky posts $116k opening http://if.com.au/2012/05/14/article/Sci-fi-comedy-Iron-Sky-posts-116k-opening/BHNHBYVOXV.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/14/article/Sci-fi-comedy-Iron-Sky-posts-116k-opening/BHNHBYVOXV.html Amanda Diaz Space Nazi comedy Iron Sky opened over the weekend, taking $116,319 from 45 screens. The Hoyts-distributed film, which follows a group of Nazis from the dark side of the moon as they attempt to invade New York, posted a screen average of $2,585. Iron Sky opened in Europe last month, grossing more than $3 million from Finland, Norway and Germany on its opening weekend and debuting at number one in Finland. Australian production company New Holland Pictures came on board the partcrowdfunded film in 2010, with portions of the film shot in Queensland in early 2011. Unsurprisingly, The Avengers remains at the top of the charts for the third weekend in a row. The Disney picture earned a further $5.2 million from 617 screens, bringing its total gross to $39 million. The film has crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide just 19 days after it began rolling out in cinemas. Dark Shadows, Tim Burton's latest collaboration with Johnny Depp, ranked second at the box office in its opening weekend. The Roadshow film, which stars Australian actors Bella Heathcote and Gulliver McGrath alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green and Helena Bonham Carter, brought in $3,728,805 across 369 screens. The Five-Year Engagement ($1,367,347), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($482,224) and Safe ($442,840) completed the top five. Œ Australian films at the box office in 2012 <img alt="" height="317" src="/image/BoxofficeMay14.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 14 May 2012 16:35:45 +1000 Paul Fenech's Housos vs Authority out in November http://if.com.au/2012/05/14/article/Paul-Fenechs-Housos-vs-Authority-out-in-November/QONSQTYWJM.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/14/article/Paul-Fenechs-Housos-vs-Authority-out-in-November/QONSQTYWJM.html Sandy George Australian audiences that rush in to see the Paramount Pictures film The Dictator when it opens this week in cinemas will get their first taste of Housos vs Authority, the new feature based on the TV series Housos. That’s because a teaser trailer for Paul Fenech’s latest local comedy will be shown before the latest, similarly politically incorrect feature starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Housos broadcaster SBS has described the series as doing to bogans what Kath and Kim did to lower, middle-class Australia. In the big-screen version a bunch of bludgers go on a trip to Uluru to scatter Shazza’s mum’s ashes on top of Australia’s most famous icon. Housos vs Authority is being ushered into cinemas in early November by Transmission Films, which channels all its films through Paramount’s booking system. The film does not have a sales agent. “Paul Fenech is a comic genius and we know audiences who appreciate the out-there humour of Sacha Baron Cohen and The Dictator, will also get Paul’s unflinching but hilarious take on Australian suburban life in Housos vs Authority,” said Richard Payten and Andrew Mackie in a statement released Friday and attributed to both Transmissions’s joint managing directors. “It’s politically incorrect, it’s mayhem and it’s very, very funny,” Fenech wrote, directed and produced the new film -- and stars as Franky -- which was made on location in Western Sydney, the north coast of NSW and in central Australia. His co-stars are Jason (Jabba) Davis, Elle Dawe (Shazza) and Kevin Taumata. Paul Fenech is best known for his television although Fat Pizza, based on his longest-running SBS series Pizza, graced cinemas in 2003. Larry Charles, who directed the other Cohen films Borat, Religulous and Bruno, and is known for his writing on Seinfield, directed The Dictator, which opens on a Wednesday instead of the usual Thursday. Mon, 14 May 2012 09:54:07 +1000 Odin's Eye will need more films after Warners deal http://if.com.au/2012/05/10/article/Odins-Eye-will-need-more-films-after-Warners-deal/YMHKVIRUTX.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/10/article/Odins-Eye-will-need-more-films-after-Warners-deal/YMHKVIRUTX.html Sandy George Sydney-based Michael Favelle will be acquiring more films for his sales agency Odin’s Eye Entertainment (OEE) as a result of his new deal with Warner Bros Digital Distribution. “We have been acquiring eight to 12 films per year for the core international business and will now probably pick up 12 to 18 more, many of which will be documentaries,” Favelle told IF Magazine. The Warner deal is for electronic sell through and video on demand distribution of films via cable, satellite and broadband platforms in North America – and this will be front-of-mind when Favelle is considering films because it may suit certain niche titles to be distributed in this way. All sales agents are watching the changing way people consume films and are also very aware of how quickly a big advance can be quickly whittled away as a result of the distributor subtracting marketing and other expenses. Favelle sees this deal as giving him flexibility within the potentially lucrative but complicated US market: he is splitting the rights for internet, pay and free-to-air television, DVD and distribution between many partners in an attempt to get better returns than if he were to sell them all to one US distributor. “I’ve turned down a lot of distributor deals lately because I felt the property was undervalued and this way I’m ensuring good returns in the short term and right through the life of the film,” he said. “We are not handing it over for many years or cashing it out. In essence, with this deal, we are cutting out the middleman. Many mid-tier US distributors go through a studio distributor for sell through and VOD.” Warner is not obliged to take all OEE’s titles and OEE does not have to use Warners but the Australian company expects 20 films to go through the deal per year. OEE is the only significant sales agent headquartered in Australia – although Arclight has a local office and there are some very minor players – and Favelle strongly believes that this has created a skills and knowledge gap, particularly among younger producers. Over the last two years ScreenWest paid for several emerging producers to be at Cannes with OEE to better learn how the market operates in practical terms, and to improve their packaging and pitching skills. In the past, the main federal funding agency has supported the establishment of sales agents in this territory. OEE picks up films from across the world but its most successful is the Australian film Damned By Dawn. But, says Favelle: “Forbidden Ground, which is still in post, is performing exceptionally well and will undoubtedly become our highest earner.” Thu, 10 May 2012 18:46:29 +1000 The Avengers continues to dominate with a whopping $8m weekend gross http://if.com.au/2012/05/07/article/The-Avengers-continues-to-dominate-with-a-whopping-8m-weekend-gross/MTWXPFCTOL.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/07/article/The-Avengers-continues-to-dominate-with-a-whopping-8m-weekend-gross/MTWXPFCTOL.html Amanda Diaz Walt Disney's The Avengers continued to dominate the box office in its second weekend. The film dropped 38 per cent compared to its previous weekend outing despite gaining an extra six screens, but still grossed a whopping $8,232,502 million, bringing its total to date to more than $31 million. The movie opened in the US on Friday and broke opening weekend records with a gross of $200 million. The previous weekend record holder in America was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($169.2 million) Universal's The Five-Year Engagement opened in second place, taking $1.9 million across 276 screens. The romantic comedy stars Emily Blunt and Jason Segel and features Jacki Weaver in her first Hollywood role since being nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Animal Kingdom. “I just thought it was so charming with such a great sense of humour that I couldn’t have thought of a better way to start working in America,” Weaver told IF Magazine of the film.Œ Scott Hicks's The Lucky One dropped to third place ($617,444), with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($505,147) and Roadshow's Act of Valour rounding out the top five ($432,795).Œ Hopscotch/EOne's film Wish You Were Here remains number one of the limited release list (films that have only ever screened on less than 50 screens), but lost 24 per cent, dropping from ninth to tenth place on the overall chart. The film took a further $211,596 over the weekend, bringing its total gross to $644,743. Australian films at the box office in 2012 <img alt="" height="283" src="/image/BoxOfficeMay7.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 07 May 2012 16:06:22 +1000 Salute to get a UK cinema release http://if.com.au/2012/05/07/article/Salute-to-get-a-UK-cinema-release/NJFQMZFNKO.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/07/article/Salute-to-get-a-UK-cinema-release/NJFQMZFNKO.html Sandy George It’s a 2008 documentary but Salute has been sold to Arrow Films for an imminent UK theatrical release because of its relevance to the Olympic Games, which kick off in London on July 27. Salute is about a very symbolic event in the history of African-America civil rights and the part played in that event by champion Australian sprinter Peter Norman. It was in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City that Tommie Smith won the 200 metres, Norman came second and John Carlos came third – and all hell broke loose in sporting circles when the two Americans raised their fists in support of black power after accepting their medals. What happened on the podium that day was highly controversial because many saw it as politicising the Olympics and all three sprinters paid the price, including Norman, who made it clear he supported his fellow runners. Norman died in 2006 and never ran for his country again. It is understood that Smith will be in London to support the release of the film, the world rights of which are owned by Sydney-based sales agent Odin’s Eye Entertainment. Salute was written and directed by Norman’s nephew Matt Norman, who has a strong interest in documentaries about social justice. One of the projects he has in development is about Schapelle Corby, who has been imprisoned in Bali since being found guilty of drug charges. Norman says he would stake his career on the fact that she is innocent. Mon, 07 May 2012 13:29:04 +1000 Exhibitors told 35mm prints may disappear from Australia within 18 months http://if.com.au/2012/05/04/article/Exhibitors-told-35mm-prints-may-disappear-from-Australia-within-18-months/XPAIHQKPLN.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/04/article/Exhibitors-told-35mm-prints-may-disappear-from-Australia-within-18-months/XPAIHQKPLN.html Sandy George The 152 delegates who attended the annual conference of the Independent Cinemas Association of Australia (ICAA) this week were told to expect that there will be no more 35mm prints available for their screens from the end of next year. But they were also assured by ICAA that every major distributor operating in Australia would be putting their names to a virtual print fee (VPF) deal for independents, which will have the affect of offsetting some of the capital costs of the transition to digital at a standard acceptable to the US studio distributors. “It is difficult to put a date on when it will be finalised,” said Adrianne Pecotic, who has been in the role of ICAA chief executive for eight weeks. “In part, that’s because there are a limited number of lawyers in the studios who can sit down with Cinedigm and finalise the paperwork.” Cinedigm and Christie are key partners in ICAA’s VPF deal and are playing a big part in setting up ICAA’s Melbourne-based Network Operations Centre, which is being financed by membership levies and being fitted out over the next two months. This centre will also be available to single screen operators that don’t qualify for the VPF -- ICCA represents Dendy and Palace and other big circuits but 25 per cent of members only have one screen – and non ICAA members who wish to take advantage of it. “The core objective of the conference was to get as much information across as we could, and we did that,” said Pecotic. Delegates met over three days for a series of presentations and panel sessions at the Dendy Opera Quays in Sydney. ICAA has 91 members in Australia, representing 509 screens, and 46 associate members in New Zealand, representing 153 screens. Independents own more than 250 digital screens in Australia but not all of them are ICAA members. Fri, 04 May 2012 14:08:43 +1000 Becker picks up Naomi Watts film for Australia http://if.com.au/2012/05/04/article/Becker-picks-up-Naomi-Watts-film-for-Australia/OAITFMYAJT.html http://if.com.au/2012/05/04/article/Becker-picks-up-Naomi-Watts-film-for-Australia/OAITFMYAJT.html Sandy George The Becker Film Group has just acquired Australian and New Zealand rights to Caught in Flight, the film in which Naomi Watts is to play Princess Diana. The UK film is scheduled to go into production in July and is the first to be represented internationally by sales and financing company Embankment Films, which has already made sales to more than 40 territories. “From my perspective, Princess Diana is one of the great stories of our time, and Naomi Watts has a great profile in Australia and I hope she will come out and support the release,” said Richard Becker. The film is a love story between Princess Diana and heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan to be directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, who made Downfall. The producers are Robert Bernstein and Douglas Rae of Ecosse Films, and the script has been written by Stephen Jeffreys. Becker said Caught in Flight and his other two most recent pick-ups – The Words, about a writer (Bradley Cooper) at the peak of his success who must pay the price of plagiarism, and Writers, about a novelist (Greg Kinnear), his ex wife (Jennifer Connelly) and their children – are the execution of a new strategy: he wants to continue to target a mature audience but with quality films that are on a bigger scale, with good stories, strong characters and better-known cast. “I don’t see a lot of really strong character-driven films that target the mature AB demographic from Australian producers and I’m not interested in genre films or films for young adults.” Becker is releasing David Pulbrook's Australian drama Last Dance, which tells of a holocaust survivor (Julia Blake) held hostage by a terrorist (Firass Dirani). Margin Call, The Last Station, Female Agents and The Reluctant Infidel are among the Becker Group’s most recent releases. Fri, 04 May 2012 13:54:05 +1000 The Avengers takes $13.3m on record opening weekend http://if.com.au/2012/04/30/article/The-Avengers-takes-13-3m-on-record-opening-weekend/SQYHKDYGGT.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/30/article/The-Avengers-takes-13-3m-on-record-opening-weekend/SQYHKDYGGT.html Amanda Diaz After setting an <a href="http://if.com.au/2012/04/26/article/The-Avengers-posts-record-opening-day-at-box-office/CUIJMKDWAJ.html" target="_blank">opening day record </a>last Wednesday, Disney's The Avengers has gone on to post the eighth biggest opening weekend of all time. The film now ranks behindŒ both installments of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, The Two Towers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Star Wars: Episode III on the list of the Australian box office's most successful opening weekends. The Avengers took $13,288,146 across 621 screens, equating to a screen average of $21,398, placing it in front of The Simpsons Movie ($13,230,894) and Shrek 2 ($13,158,161) and just behind Star Wars prequel Revenge of the Sith ($13,350,781). Written and directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers features an ensemble of superheroes (including Aussie Chris Hemsworth as the god Thor) teaming up to save the Earth from the threat of an invading alien army. The film's total gross now stands at $19.3 million. After topping the charts on its opening weekend, Adelaide-based director Scott Hick's new film The Lucky One dropped 47 per cent to $1.2 million. It was one of two offerings from Roadshow in the top five. Dystopian thriller The Hunger Games saw a drop of 54 per cent in its sixth weekend of release. The film has now grossed $29.8 million in total. Fox's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($792,979) dropped 33 per cent, while Universal's American Pie: Reunion ($679,206) lost 55 per cent. Kieran Darcy-Smith's directorial debut Wish You Were Here ranked ninth at the box office on its debut weekend. The Aquarius Films production, which is distributed by Hopscotch, opened on 38 screens and took $279,538, resulting in a healthy screen average of $7,356 - a figure only beaten by The Avengers. Œ Australian films at the box office in 2012 <img alt="" height="283" src="/image/BoxofficeApril30.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:32:14 +1000 The Avengers posts record opening day at box office http://if.com.au/2012/04/26/article/The-Avengers-posts-record-opening-day-at-box-office/CUIJMKDWAJ.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/26/article/The-Avengers-posts-record-opening-day-at-box-office/CUIJMKDWAJ.html Brendan Swift Disney's The Avengers has posted the second biggest opening day at the Australian box office in history. The film, which brings together several Marvel characters featured in recent blockbusters including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans) and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), grossed $6,003,882. That result places it second only to the final film in the Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The film is only released in the US on May 4 but other overseas territories are already <a href="http://www.deadline.com/2012/04/marvels-the-avengers-breaking-records-overseas-already-after-todays-early-release/" target="_blank">reporting</a> strong box office results such as France ($US3 million), Philippines ($US1.3 million), Taiwan ($US1.2 million) and New Zealand ($US800,000). The Avengers is the first Marvel film to be released by Disney after the end of its previous distribution relationship with Paramount. <img alt="" height="343" src="/image/Top Ten Avengers(1).jpg" width="500" /> Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:44:50 +1000 Scott Hicks' new film tops the charts http://if.com.au/2012/04/23/article/Scott-Hicks-new-film-tops-the-charts/GXDFAXKEEY.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/23/article/Scott-Hicks-new-film-tops-the-charts/GXDFAXKEEY.html Sandy George It was probably young women swooning over Zac Efron, rather than good luck, that saw The Lucky One top the charts on the weekend, grossing $2.28 million from 242 screens over the four days up to and including Sunday. This result for Adelaide-based director Scott Hicks’ latest drama about a US Marine who seeks out a woman whose photograph he found on the battlefield, equated to a highly impressive $9,424 screen average. Distributor Roadshow was quick to issue a media release pointing out that none of the the many other films (The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John, A Walk to Remember, Message in a Bottle, The Last Song) adapted from the novels of Nicholas Sparks had done nearly so well. After topping the charts last weekend – it’s first in cinemas -- the Universal film Battleship’s weekend gross dropped 45 per cent to $2.16 million but it was still the second most popular film in cinemas. Two other Universal films lost traction by more than 40 per cent: American Pie: Reunion, in third position ($1,516,242 in its third week) and Dr Seuss’ The Lorax in fifth position ($1,448,939 in its fourth week). This pair of films was separated by Roadshow’s The Hunger Games ($1,469,485 in its fifth week), which managed to hold on to the same spot in the chart as last week. The Fox film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($1,174,892), a good example of content that suits the older cinemagoer, fell only 23 per cent compared to the previous weekend. It was its fifth weekend in cinemas. The next most popular film was also from Fox: Titanic 3D ($976,260), now in its third week in cinemas. Australian films at the box office 2012 <img alt="" height="266" src="/image/Boxofficeapril23.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:08:32 +1000 High Court rules in favour of iiNet http://if.com.au/2012/04/20/article/High-Court-rules-in-favour-of-iiNet/MUNAFKPXCQ.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/20/article/High-Court-rules-in-favour-of-iiNet/MUNAFKPXCQ.html Amanda Diaz The High Court has ruled in favour of internet service provider iiNet in a landmark copyright infringement case. The case began in November 2008 when 34 film and television companies from both Australia and the United States filed an action in the Federal Court of Australia which alleged that the internet service provider had authorised the peer-to-peer file sharing activities of its users. The court dismissed the appeal today, ruling that iiNet held no responsibility for the copyright infringement carried out by its customers and declaring that the internet service provider had no technical power to prevent customers from using the BitTorrent system. The extent of iiNet's power, the court ruled, was limited to terminating contractual relationships with customers engaging in file sharing and piracy. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:24:17 +1000 Battleship sinks competition at the box office http://if.com.au/2012/04/16/article/Battleship-sinks-competition-at-the-box-office/PYIKCHRMBC.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/16/article/Battleship-sinks-competition-at-the-box-office/PYIKCHRMBC.html Amanda Diaz This weekend may have marked a century since the sinking of the Titanic, but it was a different kind of ship that dominated the box office. Universal film Battleship, based on the board game of the same name, grossed $3,940,610 across 368 screens in its opening weekend. The film, which focuses on a fleet of ships forced to defend the earth against an alien armada, recorded a screen average of $10,679. Titanic, the other ship-themed film at the box office, came in at sixth place. Fox's 3D re-release of the 1997 James Cameron film has now boosted total earnings to $2 billion worldwide. In China, it made $58 million on its second-time-around debut: the country's biggest opening in history. Takings on local shores were more modest. The film made $1,464,737 on 166 screens. American Pie dropped to second place in its second weekend ($2,678,211), while the first school holiday weekend without a public holiday saw a boost of 40 per cent for Dr Seuss' The Lorax ($2,605,958). The Hunger Games ($2,261,877) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($1,520,699) rounded out the top five. Documentary Life in Movement from South Australian collective Closer Productions was also released this weekend, but earnings have not yet been reported to the MPDAA. Australian films at the box office 2012 <img alt="" height="249" src="/image/BoxofficeApril16.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:29:57 +1000 NAB Show: Satellite distribution - 'welcome to the wild, wild west' http://if.com.au/2012/04/15/article/NAB-Show-Satellite-distribution---welcome-to-the-wild-wild-west/HUTFPSBOED.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/15/article/NAB-Show-Satellite-distribution---welcome-to-the-wild-wild-west/HUTFPSBOED.html Brendan Swift The rollout of satellite and terrestrial distribution still has much in common with the “wild, wild west” as players continue to explore ways to make the model economically viable, according to Deluxe Digital Cinema’s Joe Hart. While the technology behind electronic distribution is stable, competing with cost-efficient hard-drive distribution remains a challenge, he told an audience at this year’s NAB Show. “We’re still at the infancy stages of electronic distribution,” Hart said. “I think we’re going to look for people to come up with creative solutions to be able to service those and bring everyone into an economic model that works... we’re still a little bit in the wild, wild west here.” Hart, an industry veteran, joined Deluxe Digital Cinema as senior vice president of digital cinema in 2011 after establishing the largest digital cinema satellite network operation in North America, which delivered feature and trailer content. The industry still hopes to capture a wide enough market to lower the cost of distribution, but it is a challenge. The largest exhibitors around the world, including in Asia, are putting in their own satellite or terrestrial networks – a strategy which is making it difficult to achieve a wide enough footprint to make the model economical. “The challenge for any one of the content owners, with day and date release, is managing these multiple vendors,” he said. Other cost factors the industry is battling include subtitling of 3D content, which requires a second transmission (rather than being bundled on the same hard drive) and the ongoing need for hard drive backups if there is a fault with the satellite transmission. Contact this reporter at <a href="mailto:bswift@if.com.au" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">bswift@if.com.au</a> or on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/bcswift" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" target="_blank">@bcswift</a>. Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:03:39 +1000 The Hunger Games remains in top spot, Titans opens poorly at box office http://if.com.au/2012/04/02/article/The-Hunger-Games-remains-in-top-spot-Titans-opens-poorly-at-box-office/LETSKLKVNS.html http://if.com.au/2012/04/02/article/The-Hunger-Games-remains-in-top-spot-Titans-opens-poorly-at-box-office/LETSKLKVNS.html Amanda Diaz Post-apocalyptic action thriller The Hunger Games has taken the top spot at the local box office for the second weekend in a row, despite facing competition from blockbusters Wrath of the Titans and Dr Seuss' The Lorax The film, which is based on the best selling novel by Suzanne Collins, grossed $4,838,114 across 471 screens, giving it a screen average of $10,272. This is a drop of 47 per cent from the Roadshow-distributed picture's opening weekend. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel remained in second place for the second weekend in a row. The British dramedy about a group of pensioners took a further $2,626,403 across 269 screens. Children's animation Dr. Seuss' The Lorax debuted in third place. The Universal film, which features the voices of Taylor Swift and Zac Efron, opened on an ambitious 507 screens over the weekend, making an average of $4172 per screen and grossing $2,115,452. Wrath of the Titans, which stars Aussie actor Sam Worthington, had a poor opening in comparison to its 2010 predecessor. TheŒ Warner Bros film, which ranked fourth at the box office, took $1,976,808 across 337 screens. By comparison, Clash of the Titans made $6.4 million on its opening weekend. Sony Pictures film 21 Jump Street dropped from third to fifth place in its third week of release, taking $1,633,438, while Mirror Mirror - the first of two Snow White adaptations to hit screens this year, came in sixth ($879,550). Australian films at the box office 2012 <img alt="" height="249" src="/image/BoxofficeApril2.bmp" width="623" /> Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:43:26 +1000 The Hunger Games takes $9m on opening weekend http://if.com.au/2012/03/26/article/The-Hunger-Games-takes-9m-on-opening-weekend/VRBFDYRKLT.html http://if.com.au/2012/03/26/article/The-Hunger-Games-takes-9m-on-opening-weekend/VRBFDYRKLT.html Amanda Diaz Hotly anticipated blockbuster The Hunger Games topped the box office in its opening weekend, grossing $9,051,868 across 471 screens. The film, which is based on the first installment of a successful trilogy by Suzanne Collins and distributed by Roadshow, had a screen average of $19,218. On its opening day last Thursday, the film took $1.75 million - the biggest opening day of 2012 so far. The Hunger Games tells the story of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen (Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence), a poverty stricken girl in a post-apocalyptic version of America, who volunteers to take the place of her sister in a Government-sanctioned televised fight-to-the-death against 23 other teens known as 'tributes.' In the US, The Hunger Games had the third highest opening weekend of all time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and The Dark Knight. Estimates from studio insiders predicted that the film had the potential to earn up to $130 million in its first weekend in the US, but the movie surpassed this - going on to post $155 million at the North American box office. Second at the local box office was British pensioner comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The Fox-distributed film, which features an all-star cast including Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy, earned $3,404,936 across 258 screens, giving it a screen average of $13,197. Sony Pictues comedy 21 Jump Street came in third, dropping 36 per cent from its successful opening weekend. The Jonah Hill/Channing Tatum buddy comedy took $2,622,044 on 300 screens. Disney sci-fi film John Carter and Ghostrider: Spirit of Vengeance rounded out the top fve, grossing $633,006 (a 60 per cent drop from last week) and $339,472 respectively. Œ Australian films at the box office 2012 <img alt="" height="249" src="/image/BoxofficeMarch25.bmp" width="623" /> Œ Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:13:38 +1100 Disney says John Carter likely to lose $US200m http://if.com.au/2012/03/20/article/Disney-says-John-Carter-likely-to-lose-US200m/DBFPISYIOE.html http://if.com.au/2012/03/20/article/Disney-says-John-Carter-likely-to-lose-US200m/DBFPISYIOE.html Brendan Swift Walt Disney says its big-budget Martian adventure John Carter will lose up to $US200 million in the current quarter. It will be one of the biggest single film losses in history after the CGI-heavy film, based on an obscure Edgar Rice Burroughs book published almost 100 years ago, failed to win over a big enough audience to cover an estimated $US250 million production budget plus marketing costs. “In light of the theatrical performance of John Carter ($US184 million global box office), we expect the film to generate an operating loss of approximately $US200 million during our second fiscal quarter ending March 31," Disney said in a statement. "As a result, our current expectation is that the studio segment will have an operating loss of between $US80 and $US120 million for the second quarter. As we look forward to the second half of the year, we are excited about the upcoming releases of The Avengers and Brave, which we believe have tremendous potential to drive value for the studio and the rest of the company.” The film endured much criticism before its release because of its hefty budget and a lacklustre marketing campaign. However, the film has posted a relatively solid performance at the Australian box office, grossing $4.16 million since its March 8 release. Contact this reporter at <a href="mailto:bswift@if.com.au" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">bswift@if.com.au</a> or on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/bcswift" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" target="_blank">@bcswift</a>. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:39:01 +1100 John Carter takes $3m on opening weekend http://if.com.au/2012/03/12/article/John-Carter-takes-3m-on-opening-weekend/KJBHYGDIVG.html http://if.com.au/2012/03/12/article/John-Carter-takes-3m-on-opening-weekend/KJBHYGDIVG.html Amanda Diaz Science fiction epic John Carter has opened strongly in its first weekend, taking $3,092,526 across 246 screens. The Disney-distributed film, which tells the story of a civil war veteran transported to Mars, had a healthy screen average of $12,571. The critical reception for John Carter has been poor and the months leading up to its release were filled with speculation as to whether it would flop, particularly after <a href="http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/john-carter-early-tracking-shockingly-soft-could-be-biggest-writeoff-of-all-time/">audience tracking revealed</a> that the $250 million-plus film held no appeal to women in any age group. The film was also released in 3749 locations across the US over the weekend, but failed to unseat Dr Seuss adaptation The Lorax from the number one spot. It opened with an estimated $US30.6 million, according to <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3391&p=.htm" target="_blank">Box Office Mojo</a> - a result far lower than the opening weekends achieved by similar films such as Watchmen ($US55.2 million) and 300 ($US70.9 million). Back in Australia, Project X dropped to second place in its second week of release, earning a screen average of $5751 over 191 screens. This brings its total gross to $2,920,967. Contraband ($727,100), This Means War ($673,397) and The Vow ($550,206) round out the top five. Meanwhile, SeeSaw Pictures film Shame took in $18,505 - a 52 per cent drop from last weekend. It has now made $576,026 since its February release. Œ <img alt="" src="/image/BoxofficeMarch12.bmp" /> Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:54:27 +1100 Paramount Insurge launches On Demand campaign for The Loved Ones http://if.com.au/2012/03/12/article/Paramount-Insurge-launches-On-Demand-campaign-for-The-Loved-Ones/WXVSKCYLHP.html http://if.com.au/2012/03/12/article/Paramount-Insurge-launches-On-Demand-campaign-for-The-Loved-Ones/WXVSKCYLHP.html Amanda Diaz Paramount will be releasing Australian horror film The Loved Ones in the US in June through its microbudget division, Insurge Pictures, it was announced at the SXSW festival over the weekend. The film, which was written and directed by Sean Byrne, will be part of a campaign which will allow fans to sign up online to bring the movie to their local cinema. Insurge has collaborated with collective action web platform Tugg which enables moviegoers to choose the films played at their local theatre by signing up at the film's website to book a screening. Once signed up, individuals will be informed when they can begin to organise their screening. Users are encouraged to spread the details of their particular screenings via social media. "Those who have seen and heard about The Loved Ones have been clamouring for its theatrical release," said Insurge Pictures president Amy Powell in a statement. "This is a truly terrifying film that brings new meaning to the horrors of dating and we're excited to give fans the unprecedented opportunity to personalise their movie going experience." The Loved Ones, which stars Xavier Samuel (A Few Best Men, Anonymous) and Robin McLeavy (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) was released in Australia by Madman in late-2010. It posted a disappointing opening of just over $141,000 in its first weekend across 89 screens and went on to gross just $300,124 in total. On a panel at the 2011 SPAA conference, the film's producer Mark Lazarus revealed that numerous pirated versions of the movie available online had initially meant trouble for the film's chances of securing theatrical distribution overseas. Œ Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:28:32 +1100 Killer Elite, starring Robert De Niro, continues poor performance at box office http://if.com.au/2012/03/05/article/Killer-Elite-starring-Robert-De-Niro-continues-poor-performance-at-box-office/VNGZNFUFHC.html http://if.com.au/2012/03/05/article/Killer-Elite-starring-Robert-De-Niro-continues-poor-performance-at-box-office/VNGZNFUFHC.html Sam Dallas Omnilab-financed action film Killer Elite continued its soft run at the local box office over the weekend, taking just $140,774 from 102 screens. This is a 50 per cent slip on its <a href="http://if.com.au/2012/02/27/article/Killer-Elite-starring-Robert-De-Niro-posts-disappointing-opening-at-box-office/VLYEOFHKIJ.html" target="_blank">opening weekend</a> – a typical second-week box office drop. The film has grossed $526,008 in total, however it was made on a $80 million budget and stars icon Robert De Niro and British actors Clive Owen and Jason Statham. Based on Sir Ranulph Fiennes' non-fiction novel The Feather Men, the film was shot in cities including Melbourne, Paris and London. It also had a disappointing run in North America, grossing just $US25 million last year, according to Box Office Mojo. Also in the US, Snowtown (known across the Pacific as The Snowtown Murders) opened on just one screen over the weekend, however box office figures aren’t yet available. New Zealand hit film Boy also opened in North America – it grossed $US23,400 on two screens. Australia's favourite movie of 2011 – Red Dog – travelled to the UK and opened on February 24. Box office figures are now available – it took in a low £24,727 ($36,538) from 56 screens, giving it a screen average of just £442 ($653). After grossing $21 million in Australia and based on a book by London author Louis de Bernières, it was expected to open on more screens by distributor G2. Back on local shores, comedy-thriller Project X shot to the top of the box office with $1.3 million from 222 screens. Distributed by Warner Bros, the film's returns outpaced Universal’s Contraband ($1.2 million) and Fox’s This Means War ($1 million). After four weeks at the box office, romantic drama The Vow placed fourth with $894,606 (229 screens, Sony), while The Devil Inside made $736,658 in its first weekend (229 screens, Paramount). After receiving five Oscars last Monday, Hugo was up 27 per cent after eight weeks at the box office, grossing $412,630 across 140 screens, while The Artist, which netted five shiny trophies including Best Picture, rose 61 per cent to gross $559,589. Critically-acclaimed Iranian film A Separation took $185,538 for distributor eOne in its first weekend (21 screens, $8835 screen average), while controversial film Shame, produced by Sydney’s Emile Sherman, added $38,908 from 24 screens to bring its total tally to $541,433 after four weeks. Films opening this week include: 50/50 (Roadshow), Africa United (eOne/Hopscotch), Coriolanus (Icon), Headhunters (Rialto), John Carter (Walt Disney), The Source (Madman) and Kahaani (Mind Blowing Films). Australian films at the 2012 box office <img alt="" height="247" src="/image/boxofficemar5.JPG" width="622" /> Œ Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:55:38 +1100 Mel Gibson's Get the Gringo set for local theatrical release http://if.com.au/2012/02/28/article/Mel-Gibsons-Get-the-Gringo-set-for-local-theatrical-release/TFZWZBRJES.html http://if.com.au/2012/02/28/article/Mel-Gibsons-Get-the-Gringo-set-for-local-theatrical-release/TFZWZBRJES.html Brendan Swift Icon Film Distribution Australia is planning a traditional theatrical release for Mel Gibson’s Get the Gringo despite North American plans to launch an exclusive video-on-demand (VOD) offer. The US deal will result in the action-thriller being distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment from May 1 on DirecTV, which will charge $10.99 per home viewing, according to <a href="http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/mel-gibson-get-the-gringo-directtv-vod-fox-video-on-demand-release/ " target="_blank">Deadline.com</a>. A wider release on Blu-ray, VOD, and digital download will be rolled out after one month. Fox and DirecTV and Icon will do a national marketing campaign for the movie following a one-off theatrical screening event in Austin, Texas. While Gibson’s star has been tarnished in recent years (his recent drama The Beaver also failed at the box office), the DirecTV deal is being positioned as a potentially more lucrative distribution channel than a straight-to-DVD release. In a statement, Fox Home Entertainment president Mike Dunn said: “As digital distribution evolves, we are constantly looking at new ways to bring the consumer greater access than ever before to our movies. Reaching nearly 20 million households on the DirecTV premium platform offers us an opportunity to explore innovative approaches like this one for Get The Gringo.” Icon Film Distribution will release the film in Australia on May 12. The US has a sophisticated VOD market and smaller distributors such as Magnolia and IFC regularly mix up the traditional distribution windows with arthouse titles. However, the Australian VOD market is constrained by slower download speeds and an uncompromising stance by local exhibitors, who refuse to budge on the four-month DVD window, even for smaller arthouse fare. Financial drama Margin Call stands out as another recent US success, where it was distributed by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions simultaneously in cinemas and on VOD. While it grossed more than $US5.3 million in the US, it also took another $US5 million via VOD, according to press <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-2012-margin-call-video-on-demand-zach-quinto-283033" target="_blank">reports</a>. The film will be distributed in Australian cinemas by Becker Film Group from March 15. Contact this reporter atŒ<a href="mailto:bswift@if.com.au" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; letter-spacing: normal; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">bswift@if.com.au</a>Œor on Twitter atŒ<a href="http://twitter.com/bcswift" style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; letter-spacing: normal; color: rgb(232,0,0); word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" target="_blank">@bcswift</a>. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:14:53 +1100 Killer Elite, starring Robert De Niro, posts disappointing opening at box office http://if.com.au/2012/02/27/article/Killer-Elite-starring-Robert-De-Niro-posts-disappointing-opening-at-box-office/VLYEOFHKIJ.html http://if.com.au/2012/02/27/article/Killer-Elite-starring-Robert-De-Niro-posts-disappointing-opening-at-box-office/VLYEOFHKIJ.html Sam Dallas Big-budget Australian action film Killer Elite has posted a disappointing opening over the weekend. The $80 million Omnilab-financed flick with a high-profile cast took in just $284,226 across 108 screens, generating a poor screen average of $2632. Based on Sir Ranulph Fiennes' non-fiction novel The Feather Men, the film stars renowned actor Robert De Niro alongside British talent Clive Owen and Jason Statham. The Australian opening mirrored its first weekend across the Pacific in the US last September, where it grossed $US9.35 million across 2986 theatres ($US3132 screen average). Ranking fifth, it lost out to such titles as The Lion King (3D), Moneyball and Dolphin Tale. After eight weekends at cinemas in the US, it took in $US25 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Shot in various global cities including Melbourne, Paris and London, Killer Elite follows special-ops agent Danny (Statham), who is lured out of self-imposed exile to execute a feat of retribution and personal salvation. He reassembles his old team of operatives to help rescue his former mentor (De Niro), and to infiltrate the British Special Air Service (SAS). Facing off against a covert group of ex-SAS soldiers known as “The Feather Men”, who, under their leader Spike (Owen), provide a deadly cloak of security around all SAS members, Danny and his team must take down a rogue cell of solider assassins before their actions result in a global political meltdown. The trailer can be seen <a href="http://if.com.au/2011/06/23/article/SUDYLPFQQR.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Roadshow’s latest local comedy Any Questions For Ben? had a 66 per cent fall on last weekend, grossing $103,030 from 146 screens. After opening on February 9, it has taken $1.4 million – a less-than-expected result from the creators of Australian favourites The Castle and The Dish (Working Dog). UK limited release film Shame, which also opened on February 9 and was produced by Sydney’s Emile Sherman, grossed $70,711 from 30 screens on the weekend, taking its total to $472,323. Aussie comedy A Few Best Men, directed by Priscilla’s Stephan Elliott, has now grossed $5.17 million since opening on Australia Day. 3D animated flick Happy Feet Two, directed by George Miller, has now finished screening – it ended up grossing $10.7 million. Universal took number one spot at the local box office on the weekend with Contraband, starring “Marky Mark” (Mark Wahlberg), raking in $1.6 million from 219 screens. This Means War, distributed by Fox, placed second with $1.4 million, while Sony’s The Vow netted third position with $1.3 million. <a href="http://if.com.au/2012/02/27/article/Safe-House-Exclusive-5-Minute-Scene-Sponsored-Video/LUHXWGCLBU.html" target="_blank">Safe House</a>, also distributed by Universal, grossed $928,514 in its third weekend for fourth position, while Liam Neeson action film The Grey, released by Icon, rounded off the top five with $494,380 in its second weekend. As for Oscar-winning films, Hugo – which cleaned up earlier today in Los Angeles netting five gongs – has made $8.9 million in Australia, while The Descendants – which won a Best Writing award earlier today – has now taken $14.3 million in Australia. Best Picture winner The Artist, which opened in limited screens across the country on February 2, has taken $1.9 million. Last year's biggest Australian film Red Dog opened in the UK last Friday, however box office figures aren't yet available. Films opening this week include: A Little Bit of Heaven (Hoyts), A Separation (eOne), Carnage (Sony), Like Crazy (Paramount), Project X (Warner Bros), Sea Rex 3D (IMAX), Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business (Pinnacle Films) and The Devil Inside (Paramount). Australian films at the box office 2012 <img alt="" height="248" src="/image/boxofficefeb27.JPG" width="623" /> Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:52:10 +1100