"A DOLPHIN TALE" SWIMS TO THE TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from A Dolphin Tale

A Dolphin Tale swims to the top with $14.2 million of a wide-open weekend at the Box Office against many other Films just making their debuts. In two weeks it has earned $37.5 million for Warner Bros. after opening in second last weekend.

Holding-on in second spot again this weekend is Sony Pictures' Moneyball with $12.5 million, just-ahead of the Movie the beat it last week Disney's The Lion King 3-D, with $11.1 million.

50/50 despite strong reviews could only muster a debut in fourth spot with $8.9 million, making back its $8 million in production costs and good enough to edge-out Christian-themed Film Courageous, which only opened in 1,611 theatres. Honor begins at home its Tagline suggests.

Dream House, the Toronto-filmed Horror starring Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz wasn't a hit among Critics and despite being made for $60 million, it earned only $8.2 million in its debut in sixth.

What's Your Number? starring Anna Faris opens in 3,002 theatres with $5.6 million for 20th Century Fox in eighth, out-finishing former Champion, Contagion in ninth with $5 million.

CONTAGION - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Contagion

As always, Steven Soderbergh aims high and his latest $60 million Sci-Fi/Thriller imagines a World at the mercy of a mysterious Airborne Killer Disease. It is portrait of what life would be like for us if we were reduced to our most primal need to fight for survival. The Story centers around an international team of Doctors who are called upon with a daunting assignment from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, while the number of victims impacted quickly multiplies into the millions.

Contagion follows the interweaving stories of people around the World impacted by the Disease. Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to the U.S. after a visit to Macau, falling gravely ill within days. Her death then is linked to a number of other mysterious deaths around the World and soon we see the implications of this Disease as it spreads, whether it be her Husband Thomas (Matt Damon) who  never gets an opportunity to grieve her passing as he too is forced to worry about his own health. We also see Erin (Kate Winslet) step-up as a Doctor to face the challenge of dealing with the Outbreak, risking her own life to save others.   

Meanwhile, Ellis (Laurence Fishburne), struggles to suppress his own fears on a personal level to ensure both he and his Wife (Sanaa Lathan) survive, while at once having to maintain order on a public surface as access to an effective Vaccine is extremely limited. We also see Alan (Jude Law), a Medical Blogger out to expose corruption in the treatment of the Disease. Leonora (Marion Cotillard) is sent to China to study the Disease, but soon finds herself also caught amidst the corruption.

"CONTAGION" INSTALLATION AT 409 QUEEN ST. WEST

Contagion Installation at 409 Queen St. West

So basically our Friends at Warner Bros. are trying to gross the living heck out of us!  Earlier this week they had installed this Exhibit at an abandoned Storefront at 409 Queen St. West in Toronto, celebrating the release of Steven Soderbergh's latest, Contagion.  

Two jumbo-sized Petri dishes were filled with green/blue mould and red/pink bacteria and they will continue to grow over the course of the week culminating in a true revelation of disgustingness, in-time for the September 9, 2011 release of the Film.  You can visit the Storefront over the course of the week to see its progress or monitor it all here.  Nasty!

Although I was crossing fingers that we would've gotten a TIFF 2011 Premiere for this one, I'm still happy to be reviewing in next Wednesday right before the onslaught of Madness to ensue thereafter.

Click here to visit the official website for Contagion, which stars Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law and more!

(Photo credit: Warner Bros. Canada)

NEW TRAILER FOR "HAYWIRE"

Still from Haywire

"You better run.".

Move over Angelina - there's a new Girl in town.  Mixed Martial Arts star Gina Carano looks super-convincing in Steven Soderbergh's new Action Thriller Haywire, in theatres January 2012.  She stars as a Secret Agent who gets betrayed ...and she looks rather pissed about it.

The Film which did the rounds at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend looks rather promising with an A+-list Cast which includes Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas and Ewan McGregor.

Haywire isn't the only anticipated Film inspired by Mixed Martial Arts as Warrior starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, gets a release this September.  And possibly a TIFF Premiere in September too after doing the rounds at Comic-Con?  Soderbergh last was represented at TIFF with  The Informant! in 2009, although his Contagion looks more likely to surface at TIFF with its forthcoming September release. Relativity Media will be distributing Haywire in the U.S.

Check out the Trailer in full below:

KATE WINSLET POSSIBLE FOR TIFF 2011?

Kate Winslet for St. John

If I could get my Photo with any one Actress and one Actress only, it would definitely be Kate Winslet.  The Academy Award winner time and time again has melted my heart with astounding work and after just receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination last week for her work on Mildred Pierce, she now is some TIFF buzz for two possible titles which may be premiering here in September.  Both Steven Soderbergh's Contagion and Roman Polanski's Carnage in which she stars, could begin their Oscars campaign trail here in Toronto before the most discerning of Critics.

The Actress follows Angelina Jolie's lead and now appears as the face of Fashion House St. John's Fall 2011 Collection, while Jolie now is the face of Louis Vuitton.  Please, Kate!

(Photo credit: St. John)

TIFF CANDIDATE - "CONTAGION" TRAILER

Still from Contagion

"On day one there were two people.  And then four.  And then 16.  In three months there'll be a billion - that's where we're heading." - Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law)

An international team of Doctors are sent out to deal with the outbreak of a deadly disease.  Contagion opens in theatres via Warner Bros. on September 9, 2011.  Damon, Law, Paltrow, Cotillard, Cranston, Fishburne, Winslet.  Soderbergh.  Bring it!

 

Watch the terrifying Trailer below:

POSSIBLE 2011 TIFF TITLES? (UPDATED)

Still from Like Crazy

Although the Toronto International Film Festival is only a little over two months away, there already is wide speculation about which major Oscars Keyplayers will be getting a Toronto Premiere here come September.  Although these are based purely on rumour, the below v. possibly could be screening in the City - meaning you just might be seeing these Stars here!

Here are a few Candidates:

We Need to Talk About Kevin – starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly; about a Mother recounting the series of events leading up to her Son’s massacring of students and teachers at his High School.

Sleeping Beauty – Australian film starring Emily Browning about a Girl who enters a secret underground Prostitution Ring, taking a sleep-inducing Drug which then allows her Clientele to have their way with her without any recollection.

The Ides of March – starring George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Evan Rachel Wood. A Staff Member to a new Presidential Candidate is given a quick, dirty Crash Course on Politics during his Campaign Trail.