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Entries in The Tale of Despereaux (5)

Tuesday
07Apr2009

New DVD and Blu-ray releases - April 7, 2009

Here's what we've got on DVD and Blu-ray this week: "Doubt" with Meryl Streep; "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler; "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey; "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with Keanu Reeves; "The Tale of Despereaux" and "No Country For Old Men."

DOUBT

John Patrick Shanley's big-screen adaptation of "Doubt" was one of my 10 favorite films of 2008, and I highly recommend adding this intriguing, passionate drama to your DVD collection. The cinematography of "Doubt" is not the film's strongest aspect, but excellent performances by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis are definitely worth the investment. Plus, you can get a good deal on the standard version right here.

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Sunday
21Dec2008

Box Office: 'Yes Man' outruns 'Seven Pounds'

By Franck Tabouring
Weekend of December 19 -21, 2008

Jim Carrey’s latest comedy “Yes Man” topped the North American box office this weekend with $18.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

In the Peyton Reed-directed film, Carrey stars as a bitter man who decides to change his life and say yes to everything and anything. For a mainstream Carrey comedy, however, “Man” delivered an unusually low performance at the box office.

Contrary to his recent films, Will Smith’s latest drama “Seven Pounds” also failed to score a big opening, debuting with only $16 million at No. 2. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film follows a desperate IRS agent who embarks on a quest to forever change the lives of seven strangers.

New entry “The Tale of Despereaux” collected $10.5 million in third place. Based on the beloved book by Kate DiCamillo, the computer-animated family film tells the adventures of a brave mouse who rescues a princess from the claws of hungry rats.

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Saturday
20Dec2008

'Yes Man' tops 'Seven Pounds' at box office

Jim Carrey's "Yes Man" beat Will Smith's "Seven Pounds" at the North American box office Friday with $6.4 million in ticket sales. That's an unusually low performance for a Carrey comedy.

Meanwhile, "Pounds" debuted at No. 2 with only $5.2 million, a rather disappointing result for Smith, whose films usually picked up a lot more on opening day. Following in third place was new entry "The Tale of Despereaux," which collected $3.5 million.

Down to No. 4, last week's winner "The Day the Earth Stood Still" earned $2.8 million, lifting its domestic gross to $41.3 million after a strong one-week run. Seth Gordon's holiday comedy "Four Christmases" followed at No. 5 with $2.2 million, reaching a total haul of $94.6 million.

Other results: "Twilight" ranked sixth with a daily gross of $1.6 million; "Bolt" pulled in $1 million; "Slumdog Millionaire" took home $755,000 from only 589 locations; and "Australia" finished with $625,000.

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)

Friday
19Dec2008

Review: “The Tale of Despereaux”

Seen on: December 19, 2008

The players: Directors: Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen, Writers: Gary Ross, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi, Voice cast: Matthew Broderick, Tracey Ullman, Emma Watson, Tony Hale, Frances Conroy

Facts of interest: Based on the book by Kate DiCamillo.

The plot: Despereaux is a coureagous little mouse who is ordered to enter the scary Ratland, where he embarks on an adventure to save an entire kingdom.

Our thoughts: I found it nearly impossible to sit through “The Tale of Despereaux” without repeatedly checking the time. The big-screen adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s beloved book could and should have been an energetic and touching family adventure, but instead, it’s nothing but a lifeless, simplistic bore that falls flat both in terms of story and characters.

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Friday
19Dec2008

'The Tale of Despereaux' web reviews

The little mouse with the big ears comes to life in Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen's "The Tale of Despereaux," an animated family adventure about a mouse who befriends a human princess and likes to read books. How much do the Web's critics like Despereaux? Let's find out:

• Brian Orndorf at Collider: "It's frustrating to watch 'Tale' flounder as much as it does, but when the filmmakers don't seem particularly comfortable with the source material, it doesn't invite the viewer inside to experience any potential magic."

Joblo's JimmyO: "I for one find more joy in the cute little white mice that you can find at your local pet store."

• George Roush at LatinoReview: "I would go on but the cartoon was so boring, that just writing about it is putting me to sleep. Nobody in the theater seemed to be enjoying it, and I noticed a lot of kids getting restless."

Click to read more ...