Free Refills

The one that got away (temporarily)

We usually start out by telling you what new movies are coming on Friday. We'll get to that, but first we want to tell you about a good movie that is not coming this Friday, and urge you to be patient and see it locally when it gets here in a bit.

Astronaut Farmer, starring Billy Bob Thornton, is just the type of gentle comedy we like at the Eagle. It has gotten great reviews, and we're looking forward to showing it. But not this week...

Why?

The studio is Warner Independent, an arm of Warner Brothers, which also brought you Music and Lyrics, a very fine romantic comedy that is currently at the Eagle. (Hint, hint: Go see it.) Word we get is that Warner is terrified that Thornton is box office poison, and his last two mainstream movies, School for Scoundrels ($17.8 million box office) and Bad News Bears ($32.9 million) make that case.

When the studio doesn't have faith in the movie or the star, they pull back on print distribution, a familiar song that we have played before. This time there is an additional twist... Word we get is that the studio is afraid that if they had provided enough prints to serve the smaller markets, Music and Lyrics would have gotten bumped off, which means Warner would have been trading dollars.

We think the surprise this weekend will be how well Astronaut Farmer does, and we are looking for a place to slot it when prints become available. This reminds us of last year's dust-up with Nanny McPhee, which took off because of Emma Thompson's charm. It took us a few weeks to get that movie, too.

Be patient, and remember the Eagle motto: "Friends don't let friends cross the Wabash to see a movie."

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We have a glut of quality movies returning this week, including not only Music and Lyrics, but also the hit Ghost Rider and the wonderful family film, Bridge to Terabithia. Norbit is also completing its run this week.

The newcomer is Reno 911: Miami. It is based on the Comedy Central television series of the same name, which has a devoted following. It's an R-rated comedy, and while it won't be everyone's cup of chowder, it should do well at the Eagle.

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We were happily surprised this week when an email telling you about our new Eagle Choice film club resulted in nearly 146 people signing up to get their FREE club card within two days. For a full description about the club, look at the top of the blog and read about it, and then send us an email at eaglechoice@eagletheater.net. We need the name, address and email of each person who would like a card, which we will mail to you promptly.

An Eagle Choice film is a critically acclaimed, plot driven movie that is not a blockbuster, but a very solid movie that comes highly recommended. Club members will get matinee pricing for a year on the films and will receive periodic goodies from us and our friends at BackPorch Smokehouse and Monical's.

First Eagle Choice film is slated to be Children of Men on March 9. Club members get advance emails about the films, too.

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Jo Wachtel was last week's trivia contest winner, correctly noting that Nicholas Cage is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola. She wins a free pass. If you want to play, send us an email at trivia@eagletheater.net with your answer in the subject line. If you are the 20th correct entrant, you win. By the way, if you have other matters you want us to read about in your email, put a "*" by your answer so we have the good sense to click through and read the whole thing. One entry per email address.

Ready for the question? It's a tougher one this week.

Zooey Deschanel has an important secondary role in the wonderful family film, Bridge to Terabithia, where she plays music teach Ms. Edmonds, who befriends fifth grader Jesse.  This talented 27-year-old actress played Jovi in Elf, as well as Kit in Failure to Launch. She was named by her Hollywood parents for Zooey in the novel "Franny and Zooey," which is a classic late teen/young adult novel of angst and intellectual insecurity. Who wrote "Franny and Zooey?"

Free pass winners

The weekend of Feb. 9, we had a whole bunch of folks stop by for some free cake to celebrate our third birthday. More than 255,000 guests later, Eagle Theater is still here.

Amazing.

More than 110 signed up for our email newsletter and entered a drawing to win one of 10 free courtesy passes.

And the winners are...

1. Chris Wakefield

2. Kelsey Maus

3. Nancy Wyant

4. Staci Harrington

5. Marie Hurst

6. Justin Lassen

7. Dory Noble

8. Carrington Pool

9. Dallas Daugherty

10. Cynthia Lawrence

These free passes are good for admission to most movies at the Eagle. Because of studio policies, we occasionally restrict pass usage (e.g. Ghost Rider has a current 'no pass' policy).

Congratulations to the winners!

'Ghost Rider' wins weekend box

Following are the box office estimates of the top movies for the Feb. 16 weekend. Movies in bold played at the Eagle, dollars are national box office, and the numbers in parenthesis are the number of local patrons who saw the show through Sunday.

1. Ghost Riders-- $44.5 million (749)

2. Bridge to Terabithia--$22.1 millon (370)

3. Norbit--$16.8 million (208)

4. Music and Lyrics--$14.0 million (188)

5. Daddy's Little Girls--$12.1 million

6. Breach--$10.4 million

7. Hannibal Rising--$5.5 million (76)

Notice how the local box office tracked the national numbers, right down to Bridge to Terrabithia being almost exactly half the national AND local gross of Ghost Rider.

Sometimes it is downright eerie.

Three new movies this week

Family film alert! Family film alert!

Disney's Bridge to Terabithia opens Friday, and the reviews have been off the chart. The Associated Press loved it, as did Josh Tyler of CinemaBlend.

We haven't been impressed with the television ads. One critic opined that the publicity makes the movie look like a third-rate Narnia, but it is really an adaptation of a much-beloved book.

This could be the sleeper of the season. A year ago this week, Disney opened Eight Below, which did big business the first week. Bridge to Terabithia may not have been as cleverly marketed, but it looks like it might be an even better movie for the entire family.

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Nicholas Cage stars in Ghost Rider, an adaption from the Marvel comic series. You might want to check out this interview with Cage.

We expect to see Don Corn at the theater this weekend. The Oblong art teacher grew up with Spiderman, Daredevil, Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider and other Marvel icons. Cage's star power should give the movie good crossover appeal beyond the sci-fi, comic audience. Ghost Rider is a love story at the heart of it.

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Music and Lyrics got off to a fast start at the Eagle on Wednesday, with more than 100 people braving the cold to see Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore meet and act cute (and we say that in a good way).

This is the strongest lineup of new movies at the Eagle since Christmas, so shake off the winter doldrums and come and visit us.

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Steve Hall can come on out for free. Steve won last week's trivia contest--he was the 11th correct entrant to know that Drew Barrymore's big screen break came in E.T. We never claimed the questions were tough--just fun.

Want to win a free pass? Be the 16th person to send us an email at trivia@eagletheater.net with the correct answer in the subject line. This week's question is a tad tougher. Ready?

Nicholas Cage (Ghost Rider) has played many outstanding roles, but this week we are interested in his real-life role of nephew. "Cage" was not his birth name, but was based upon comic book hero "Luke Cage." Cage has an uncle who is well-known in the industry as a producer and director, including director credits for much of the Godfather series, The Cotton Club, Apocalypse Now, and The Rainmaker. Who is Cage's famous uncle?

'Norbit' number one this weekend

Following are the box office estimates of the top movies for the Feb. 9 weekend. Movies in bold played at the Eagle, dollars are national box office, and the numbers in parenthesis are the number of local patrons who saw the show through Sunday. Box office numbers are courtesy of Yahoo.

1. Norbit--$33.7 million (431)

2. Hannibal Rising--$13.4 millon (185)

3. Because I Said So--$9.0 million (206)

4. The Messengers--$7.2 million

5. Night at the Museum--$5.8 million

6. Epic Movie--$4.5 million (25)

Stomp the Yard, which also played at the Eagle, came in 11th nationally, with a weak $2.4 million box office. Locally, 63 people came out over the weekend to see the film.

Join the 'Eagle Choice' film club

Do you like movies like The Devil Wears Prada, Inside Man, The Departed, The Prestige, Prairie Home Companion, Flags of our Fathers, Little Miss Sunshine and Dreamgirls?

If you do, we invite you to join Eagle Choice Film Club.

Each year, we will select about 10-12 Eagle Choice films. As a member, here is what you will get when you present your member card at the box office:

1. Save money--You will be charged the matinee admission price, no matter when you go to see the movie. That could save you up to a buck-and-a-half.

2. Be rewarded--Your membership card is good for 12 months. Each time you attend an Eagle Choice movie, we will punch a hole in your card. Sometimes you will get a free popcorn. On your eighth movie, you will get a free pass for any future movie. Sometimes you will get discounts at sponsoring partners.

3. Get advance notice--When we book an Eagle Choice film, you will get an advance email with information about the film, links to critical reviews, and an explanation of why we chose it. Many of these films will only be at the theater for a week, so we want to make sure you don't miss it.

What is an Eagle Choice film? It is a movie selected by us that has certain characteristics:

1. An Eagle Choice film is plot-driven, rather than concept-driven. Talladega Nights, while a fine film, is a concept movie.

2. An Eagle Choice film gets nearly unanimous praise from a wide spectrum of critics. We're looking for films that have a 70 percent rating or above from www.rottentomatoes.com, the website that tracks critical reviews.

3. An Eagle Choice film is NOT a franchise film (Harry Potter), an animated film (Ant Bully), or a sequel (Rocky Balboa).

4. An Eagle Choice film is not an obscure, highly acclaimed art film (Volver), but it could be a film that was initially in limited release (Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen). It is aimed at mainstream audiences, albeit for more adult tastes.

Here is how to get your Eagle Choice Film Club membership card. Either sign-up at the box office or send an email to eaglechoice@eagletheater.net and include the following information for each person in the household who would like a card:

1. Name

2. Address (including city and zip)

3. Email address (if different than the one you sent us the email)

Within seven days, we will mail your card to you. The card expires 12 months from the date it was sent, but don't worry, if you use the card at least once during that year, we will mail you a new card when your old one expires.

Along with the card, we'll send you a handy refrigerator magnet with our hotline number on it. You can keep your Eagle Choice card on the refrigerator, where you won't forget it when it is time to see a great movie!

Children of Men

We are planning to book Children of Men at the Eagle, and the date is tentatively the week of March 9.

This R-rated thriller has been in release since Christmas, and our friends at www.rottentomatoes.com neatly summarize the critical concensus:

Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live. This taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre, but you won't care one bit after the story kicks in, about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity's survival. It will have you riveted.

Super Eagle Joe Davis has been relentless in pushing this movie, and he already has put together an audience of 60 or so people who have pledged to attend.

On Monday in this space, we will announce a new film club that will help bring more movies of this caliber to the Eagle. The club won't cost anything to join and there are no secret handshakes or ritual hazings. However, you WILL save money, you WILL be rewarded, and you WILL be the first to know when a choice movie is coming to the Eagle.

Watch this space!

Let us eat cake

If you come out to the theater Friday night, we have some birthday cake for you.

We're marking our third year this week, and our two new presents for you are Norbit and Hannibal Rising. One shows the fat side side of Eddie Murphy, while the other explores the human side of Hannibal Lecter.

Comedy and horror. What better way to describe the human condition--perfect to mark our third birthday. Three years and nearly 256,000 admissions have passed since we opened the doors. Our bankers remain paid on time, our stockholders are patient, and life is good.

While we hope these two new films help break the mini-slump the box office has been in since late December, we are saving the big gun for next week. Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore star in the rom-com Music and Lyrics, which opens on Wednesday. (Note to the calendar-impaired: It is Valentine's Day.) Men, wouldn't your beloved prefer a fun night at the movies and some buttery popcorn instead of that big box of chocolates?

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Joe Davis continues his crusade to find fifty people willing to commit to seeing Children of Men (and bringing a friend). Super Eagle Joe thinks this critically-acclaimed film is one that you would enjoy, and we've challenged him to find us an audience! If you want to see this movie, drop me a line at eric@eagletheater.net and we will add your name to the list. You can also scroll down the page to the "Joe the Super Eagle..." posting and add your comments there.

Joe's support for this highly-acclaimed film highlights a problem we have here in our small market--good films often do not do good box office. Here is a list of stunning films from 2006 that under-performed locally: The Departed, Inside Man, Prairie Home Companion, Flags of Our Fathers, Catch a Fire, Stranger than Fiction, and Borat.

Joe's advocacy for Children of Men has got our wheels spinning on an idea to support great fillms--and reward the people who support those films. Stay tuned.

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Becky Lyles was last week's trivia winner, and she gets a free pass for knowing that The Family Stone. She was the 18th person to correctly note that this was the movie that Diane Keaton starred in a few year's back. If you want to win a free pass, be the 11th person this week to send your correct answer to trivia@eagletheater.net. Put your answer in the subject line. One entry per email address. Ready?

Drew Barrymore (Music and Lyrics) is all growed up. The 31-year-old actress made her big screen splash in a 1982 film that was out of this world. She played Gertie, a young girl with a magical touch. What was this familiar movie?

Happy birthday to us

Today is our birthday. Eagle Theater opened February 6, 2004. The first movie, appropriately enough, was Miracle.

After three years, we have served 255,965 customers, or about 85,322 a year. Last night, only 20 of you braved the bitter near-zero cold to see a movie. It wasn't a record for lowest attendance, but it was close!

Come on back this Friday and we will serve cake to mark our birthday.

Weekend box office

In the Monday news, you can usually find a report about the weekend box office. with the number one movie earning x million and being in y place. According to Box Office Guru, here are the top films over this weekend. If the film is in bold, it is currently playing at the Eagle.

1. Messengers $14.5 million

2. Because I Said So $13.0 million

3. Epic Movie $8.2 million

4. Night at the Museum $6.8 million

5. Smokin' Aces $6.3 million

6. Stomp the Yard $4.2 million

7. Dreamgirls $4.0 million

Out of the top ten was The Hitcher, which played locally and did a dismal $1.2 million.

These are pretty weak box office numbers, typical of a Super Bowl weekend, when Sunday business drops out of sight. Locally, the number of people who saw our lineup over the weekend was:

1. Because I Said So  (239)

2. Stomp the Yard (125)

3. EPIC Movie (103)

4. The Hitcher (62)

5. Dreamgirls (53)

Night at the Museum, which completed its run at the Eagle on Feb. 1, had 3,654 people see it since it started its run on December 22. Until last Friday, Night had been the top grossing movie nationally for seven weeks in a row. This was the first time that had happened since Passion of the Christ in 2004.