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Borat, biggest movie star of 2006
Monday December 18th 2006TORONTO (CP) _ A year ago he was a relatively unknown fake Kazakh journalist, touring the United States in a smelly grey suit and frequently meeting up with Americans who disturbingly shared his cheerful brand of bigotry and sexism. Today, Borat Sagdiyev is arguably the biggest movie star of the year, having skyrocketed to superstardom after spending years as one of three characters on Britain’s "Da Ali G. Show," popular among teenagers when it airs on North American cable channels.
Not only is Borat now a household name gracing the covers of countless magazines, his creator, Sacha Baron Cohen, has even been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a comedy or musical. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" is also up for best picture in the comedy and musical category, and has made a surprising $122 million US at the box office so far.
Irony of ironies? Mel Gibson, who went on the very type of anti-Semitic rant that Borat engages in so giddily, only got one nomination _ best foreign language film _ for "Apocalypto," his followup to the mega-successful "The Passion of the Christ." Gibson’s drunken slurs against Jews this summer are thought to have turned audiences and critics off the gory film, which fell steeply at the box office after a promising opening weekend.
The lacklustre box office seemed to be getting to Gibson, who railed against his critics in a recent USA Today interview.
"How many people do you know get a DUI (driving under the influence) and are kicked around for six months?" Gibson said. "It’s out of proportion … I’ve apologized, done the right thing, now get the hell over it. I’m a work in progress."
It was a year of the unexpected in 2006, with truly good movies, many of them from independent producers, getting accolades while others with big names and high hopes, including Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded "The Good German" and Oliver Stone’s "World Trade Center," falling flat.
And while the sniping about craggy-faced Daniel Craig as the new James Bond was loud and vicious, "Casino Royale" was a commercial and critical hit. It was almost universally lauded as one of the best Bond films ever made and landed on dozens of Top 10 lists for the year.
"Little Miss Sunshine," starring Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as troubled parents who embark upon a riotous road trip to get their little girl to a kiddie beauty contest, was also adored by critics, as was Canadian Jason Reitman’s "Thank You For Smoking," a film about a ruthless tobacco company lobbyist played brilliantly by Aaron Eckhart.
Other critical darlings included "The Queen," "United 93," the "Borat" film, "The Departed," "Little Children," "Babel," "Flags of our Fathers," "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Shut Up and Sing."
And there were some surprise hits in addition to "Borat." "The Devil Wears Prada," released in mid-summer and thought to be a "chick movie," ended up appealing to a much broader audience than expected. It grossed $124 million US at the box office.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" was the year’s top-grossing film _ and the sixth most successful film of all time, bringing in a whopping $423 million at the box office, although most critics preferred the first "Pirates." The animated "Cars" was the No. 2 film of the year at the box office.
The biggest duds of 2006 included "Basic Instinct 2," "Poseidon," and the animated "The Ant Bully." Terry Gilliam’s "Tideland," financed in part by Telefilm Canada, received some of the most scathing reviews of the year, with most critics calling it gruesome and unwatchable.
In Canada, almost 13 million people took in "Bon Cop, Bad Cop," a bilingual cop action film that is now one of the top-grossing Canadian films of all time. "Trailer Park Boys: The Movie," was also a hit, both financially and critically.
What are the big Hollywood movies to come in 2007?
"Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," another "Pirates of the Caribbean" adventure, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and "Ratatouille," the latest animated tale from Pixar, maker of "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles."
There are two big Canadian films with aspirations for success beyond Canada’s borders in 2007.
Sarah Polley’s "Away From Her" will have its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January before going into general release in May. With top-notch performances by iconic British actress Julie Christie and Canadian veteran Gordon Pinsent, hopes are high that the film could make a splash south of the border.
"Fido," a rollicking zombie movie starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Scottish comic Billy Connolly, opens in March and also has plenty of cross-border appeal.
Headline, Industry News
Borat, biggest movie star of 2006
Monday December 18th 2006TORONTO (CP) _ A year ago he was a relatively unknown fake Kazakh journalist, touring the United States in a smelly grey suit and frequently meeting up with Americans who disturbingly shared his cheerful brand of bigotry and sexism. Today, Borat Sagdiyev is arguably the biggest movie star of the year, having skyrocketed to superstardom after spending years as one of three characters on Britain’s "Da Ali G. Show," popular among teenagers when it airs on North American cable channels.
Not only is Borat now a household name gracing the covers of countless magazines, his creator, Sacha Baron Cohen, has even been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a comedy or musical. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" is also up for best picture in the comedy and musical category, and has made a surprising $122 million US at the box office so far.
Irony of ironies? Mel Gibson, who went on the very type of anti-Semitic rant that Borat engages in so giddily, only got one nomination _ best foreign language film _ for "Apocalypto," his followup to the mega-successful "The Passion of the Christ." Gibson’s drunken slurs against Jews this summer are thought to have turned audiences and critics off the gory film, which fell steeply at the box office after a promising opening weekend.
The lacklustre box office seemed to be getting to Gibson, who railed against his critics in a recent USA Today interview.
"How many people do you know get a DUI (driving under the influence) and are kicked around for six months?" Gibson said. "It’s out of proportion … I’ve apologized, done the right thing, now get the hell over it. I’m a work in progress."
It was a year of the unexpected in 2006, with truly good movies, many of them from independent producers, getting accolades while others with big names and high hopes, including Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded "The Good German" and Oliver Stone’s "World Trade Center," falling flat.
And while the sniping about craggy-faced Daniel Craig as the new James Bond was loud and vicious, "Casino Royale" was a commercial and critical hit. It was almost universally lauded as one of the best Bond films ever made and landed on dozens of Top 10 lists for the year.
"Little Miss Sunshine," starring Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as troubled parents who embark upon a riotous road trip to get their little girl to a kiddie beauty contest, was also adored by critics, as was Canadian Jason Reitman’s "Thank You For Smoking," a film about a ruthless tobacco company lobbyist played brilliantly by Aaron Eckhart.
Other critical darlings included "The Queen," "United 93," the "Borat" film, "The Departed," "Little Children," "Babel," "Flags of our Fathers," "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Shut Up and Sing."
And there were some surprise hits in addition to "Borat." "The Devil Wears Prada," released in mid-summer and thought to be a "chick movie," ended up appealing to a much broader audience than expected. It grossed $124 million US at the box office.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" was the year’s top-grossing film _ and the sixth most successful film of all time, bringing in a whopping $423 million at the box office, although most critics preferred the first "Pirates." The animated "Cars" was the No. 2 film of the year at the box office.
The biggest duds of 2006 included "Basic Instinct 2," "Poseidon," and the animated "The Ant Bully." Terry Gilliam’s "Tideland," financed in part by Telefilm Canada, received some of the most scathing reviews of the year, with most critics calling it gruesome and unwatchable.
In Canada, almost 13 million people took in "Bon Cop, Bad Cop," a bilingual cop action film that is now one of the top-grossing Canadian films of all time. "Trailer Park Boys: The Movie," was also a hit, both financially and critically.
What are the big Hollywood movies to come in 2007?
"Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," another "Pirates of the Caribbean" adventure, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and "Ratatouille," the latest animated tale from Pixar, maker of "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles."
There are two big Canadian films with aspirations for success beyond Canada’s borders in 2007.
Sarah Polley’s "Away From Her" will have its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January before going into general release in May. With top-notch performances by iconic British actress Julie Christie and Canadian veteran Gordon Pinsent, hopes are high that the film could make a splash south of the border.
"Fido," a rollicking zombie movie starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Scottish comic Billy Connolly, opens in March and also has plenty of cross-border appeal.
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Headline, Industry News
Borat, biggest movie star of 2006
Monday December 18th 2006TORONTO (CP) _ A year ago he was a relatively unknown fake Kazakh journalist, touring the United States in a smelly grey suit and frequently meeting up with Americans who disturbingly shared his cheerful brand of bigotry and sexism. Today, Borat Sagdiyev is arguably the biggest movie star of the year, having skyrocketed to superstardom after spending years as one of three characters on Britain’s "Da Ali G. Show," popular among teenagers when it airs on North American cable channels.
Not only is Borat now a household name gracing the covers of countless magazines, his creator, Sacha Baron Cohen, has even been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a comedy or musical. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" is also up for best picture in the comedy and musical category, and has made a surprising $122 million US at the box office so far.
Irony of ironies? Mel Gibson, who went on the very type of anti-Semitic rant that Borat engages in so giddily, only got one nomination _ best foreign language film _ for "Apocalypto," his followup to the mega-successful "The Passion of the Christ." Gibson’s drunken slurs against Jews this summer are thought to have turned audiences and critics off the gory film, which fell steeply at the box office after a promising opening weekend.
The lacklustre box office seemed to be getting to Gibson, who railed against his critics in a recent USA Today interview.
"How many people do you know get a DUI (driving under the influence) and are kicked around for six months?" Gibson said. "It’s out of proportion … I’ve apologized, done the right thing, now get the hell over it. I’m a work in progress."
It was a year of the unexpected in 2006, with truly good movies, many of them from independent producers, getting accolades while others with big names and high hopes, including Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded "The Good German" and Oliver Stone’s "World Trade Center," falling flat.
And while the sniping about craggy-faced Daniel Craig as the new James Bond was loud and vicious, "Casino Royale" was a commercial and critical hit. It was almost universally lauded as one of the best Bond films ever made and landed on dozens of Top 10 lists for the year.
"Little Miss Sunshine," starring Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as troubled parents who embark upon a riotous road trip to get their little girl to a kiddie beauty contest, was also adored by critics, as was Canadian Jason Reitman’s "Thank You For Smoking," a film about a ruthless tobacco company lobbyist played brilliantly by Aaron Eckhart.
Other critical darlings included "The Queen," "United 93," the "Borat" film, "The Departed," "Little Children," "Babel," "Flags of our Fathers," "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Shut Up and Sing."
And there were some surprise hits in addition to "Borat." "The Devil Wears Prada," released in mid-summer and thought to be a "chick movie," ended up appealing to a much broader audience than expected. It grossed $124 million US at the box office.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" was the year’s top-grossing film _ and the sixth most successful film of all time, bringing in a whopping $423 million at the box office, although most critics preferred the first "Pirates." The animated "Cars" was the No. 2 film of the year at the box office.
The biggest duds of 2006 included "Basic Instinct 2," "Poseidon," and the animated "The Ant Bully." Terry Gilliam’s "Tideland," financed in part by Telefilm Canada, received some of the most scathing reviews of the year, with most critics calling it gruesome and unwatchable.
In Canada, almost 13 million people took in "Bon Cop, Bad Cop," a bilingual cop action film that is now one of the top-grossing Canadian films of all time. "Trailer Park Boys: The Movie," was also a hit, both financially and critically.
What are the big Hollywood movies to come in 2007?
"Spider-Man 3," "Shrek the Third," another "Pirates of the Caribbean" adventure, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and "Ratatouille," the latest animated tale from Pixar, maker of "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles."
There are two big Canadian films with aspirations for success beyond Canada’s borders in 2007.
Sarah Polley’s "Away From Her" will have its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January before going into general release in May. With top-notch performances by iconic British actress Julie Christie and Canadian veteran Gordon Pinsent, hopes are high that the film could make a splash south of the border.
"Fido," a rollicking zombie movie starring Carrie-Anne Moss and Scottish comic Billy Connolly, opens in March and also has plenty of cross-border appeal.
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