Warrior

CHICAGO – In much the same way that current movie goers are surprised to learn that a film as beloved as “The Shawshank Redemption” only made $28 million on its initial run in theaters or that a drama that everyone can quote like “Fight Club” only made $37 million, the box office gross for Gavin O’Connor’s incredible “Warrior” will shock future generations. It pulled in a measly $14 million domestically (and only about $9 more worldwide), meaning that most of you haven’t seen it. You must. You will eventually. And you’ll be stunned that Lionsgate couldn’t get it to more people. This is a great film, one of my choices for the best of 2011, and it was recently released on Blu-ray and DVD.

CHICAGO – We could tell, very early on, that 2011 would be a stellar year for film. As the year opened, great genre product like “Source Code,” “Hanna,” and “The Adjustment Bureau” entertained viewers and critics alike, while art houses unspooled gems like “Certified Copy” and “Meek’s Cutoff.”

CHICAGO – It may have had a controversial journey to the big screen, but the Chicago Film Critics Association thought that Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” was worth the wait, nominating it today for a leading seven awards, including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain), Director, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, and Promising Performer (Hunter McCracken).

CHICAGO – Somebody better get Doc Brown on the phone because I think we have gone back to 1994. For the first time in 17 years, “The Lion King” is the title that won the weekend box office. The new release, which, of course, must be in 3D, raked in enough dough to beat out last week’s winner “Contagion” as well as the new releases “Drive,” “Straw Dogs” and “I Don’t Know How She Does It”.

CHICAGO – Steven Soderbergh’s new Sci-Fi/Thriller “Contagion” hit the box office with a bang this past weekend, knocking out the three-week champ “The Help,” which finished a distant second place in box office totals.

CHICAGO – In our latest sport/action edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes (increased from 25 admit-twos!) up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Warrior” starring Nick Nolte and rising stars Tom Hardy (Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises”) and Joel Edgerton!

CHICAGO – Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior” is such a powerful, unusual film that we’re doing something we don’t typically do at HollywoodChicago.com – giving you an early warning that an incredible piece of filmmaking hits theaters in a few weeks on September 9th, 2011.