if i stay
#BOXOFFICE: “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY” RULES THE BOX OFFICE UNIVERSE
In its fifth week out, Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy remains triumphant atop the Box Office with $16 million from 3,462 theatres. The Blockbuster edges its way closer to that $300 million-mark domestically and is expected to make its way there later this week.
Like last weekend, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finds itself in second spot with $11.4 million from 3,543 theatres for Paramount Pictures. To date the Film has made $165 million in North America.
Found-Footage Horror As Above/So Below debuts in third spot for Universal Pictures with $9.2 million. Audiences gave it a C- CinemaScore and Critics also didn’t have much to say about it with a 31% score on the Tomatometer.
Young Adult Adaptation If I Stay slips to fourth spot with$9 million for Warner Bros., a two week cumulative of $32 million.
Former Champ Let’s Be Cops slips to fifth spot for 20th Century Fox with $7.9 million in its third week.
The November Man from Relativity Media/eOne Films, debuts in sixth spot with $7.7 million from 2,776 theatres. The Action Flick starring Pierce Brosnan opened on Wednesday and has grossed $11 million thus far. Critics gave it a low 36% on the Tomatometer, although Audiences responded with a much better B+ CinemaScore.
The Expendables 3 rounds-out the Top Ten with $3.5 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films. In three weeks it has grossed $34 million.
#BOXOFFICE: “GUARDIANS” ALIVE AND WELL AT BOX OFFICE
It was a tight match for number one this weekend at the Box Office across North America as Guardians of the Galaxy finds itself in atop the Box Office with $17.6 million for Marvel in its fourth week out, just surpassing the $250 million-mark domestically.
In second spot is another former Champ in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Paramount Pictures with $16.8 million from 3,864 theatres. To date in three weeks it has grossed $145 million.
Young Adult Adaptation If I Stay after putting-up a fight, settles for third for Warner Bros. The Drama starring Chloë Moretz earns $16.4 million from 3,371 theatres, while earning an A- CinemaScore from Audiences and a 42% on the Tomatometer from Critics.
In fourth is last week’s Champ Let’s Be Cops, pulling-in $10 million for 20th Century Fox, with a cumulative $45 million in two weeks.
When the Game Stands Tall debuts in fifth with $9 million for Sony Pictures. The Football Drama opens in 2,673 theatres and gets an A- CinemaScore, but a much worse 18% rating on the Tomatometer.
Frank Miller’s SIN CITY: A Dame to Kill For opens in sixth spot for The Weinstein Co./eOne Films with $7 million from 2,894 theatres. By comparison, its Predecessor brought in $29 million in its debut back in 2005. The long-awaited Sequel gets only a B- CinemaScore from Audiences and 43% on the Tomatometer.
Warner Bros.’ Into the Storm rounds-out the Top Ten with $3.6 million in its third week.
#INTERVIEW: CHLOË GRACE MORETZ ON “IF I STAY”
Chloë Grace Moretz certainly is no stranger to Toronto having filmed and promoted her on multiple occasions. More recently, she filmed back-to-back the Carrie Remake and Kick-Ass 2 here – the latter which had per reprising the role which won the hearts of Fanboys abound, Hit-Girl. The brilliant 17-year-old Actress in nine years has built-up an impressive Résumé working from just about everyone from Martin Scorcese to Denzel Washington. Moretz recently made a visit to the City in tandem with the 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards and we had the pleasure of chatting with the Star in Yorkville about her latest effort, If I Stay.
Based on Gayle Forman‘s popular Young Adult Novel, the Vancouver-made Film directed by R.J. Cutler (The September Issue, Nashville) certainly tugs at the heartstrings. Moretz plays a talented young Cellist named Mia whose world is torn apart after her and her Family are impacted by deep tragedy. She spends much of the Story in a Coma, caught between life and death and must ultimately decide her own future and fate. The Male Lead Adam is played by promising young Actor Jamie Blackley. Aspirations and devastation separate them, but is their bond strong enough to keep them together?
Moretz, giddy after meeting Hilary Clinton at an Autograph Signing earlier in the day, enters the room casual-chic. An Urban Outfitters Tee, J Brand Jeans and Kurt Geiger Shoes are appropriate for the low-key chat. “I tend to dress down in every day life. As I’m growing-up I’m trying to figure out what I like most and Fashion is an outlet.”. She reflects on her meeting Clinton beforehand, feeling incredibly validated, “She knew If I Stay, had seen it in a newspaper and was excited it was coming out.”. “So yeah, she knows me”, the Georgia-born Star jokes.
What is it exactly that makes Moretz stand-out from the remarkable pool of talent in Young Hollywood, we wonder. “I wanted to take on a Female Empowerment Character” she says, “Mia at the of the day knows her first love is the Cello which she found when she was five years old. And that’s how I am with acting. I want to portray that to young girls as someone to look up to.”. Despite being attracted to Mia‘s innocence, she reveals “I’m not one to be a Damsel – the Woman calling on a Man to save her.”.
The Actress admits that getting into Mia‘s psyche certainly was no breeze. “Every day was a tough acting day. It was worth it. Mia was worth going the emotion for” she recalls. “Music helps me a lot to stay in-character and shoot it out. We were shooting in an old Asylum, so the atmosphere was really heavy and that helped.”.
One of the things most remarkable about If I Stay is how completely believable Moretz is as a Cellist. An audition scene late in the Film is rather compelling and a mark of her true commitment to her craft. She describes the musical preparation for her role explaining, “I did five months of intensive training with a Cello Coach and she was amazing. We’d Skype three hours a day. It was difficult, but I did the most I could and did the best I could”. “At the end of the day though, you have amazing Doubles who make you look good.”. In her estimation she thinks that one would need at least 15 years of training to play at the level which her Character Mia performed.
I ask Moretz about her experiences filming in Canada, having seen the Country from two coasts. “In Canada, my favourite City is Toronto because the food is amazing first of all”. She names Little Italy‘s Vivoli and also Duff’s Wings among her favourite spots. Not to be outdone though she admits, “Vancouver was great with a really large Music scene. It’s very Seattle, very Portland. It’s very epic. I tend to enjoy the East Coast a bit more for the City vibe.”.
Make no mistake – despite her youthful effervescence, Moretz is a bit of an Old Soul. Dare I say she’s actually an Introvert? She answers each question with a wisdom beyond her years and in a nutshell understands exactly what she’s here to sell. She is asked what it is that draws people to “sappy” Movies. She explains, “I think that nowadays people really want to feel something when they go into Movies. I think it’s because we have less interaction because we’re all living our lives, so we’re not feeling as much.”. “Movies are becoming more and more sappy and tear-jerky.”. “Movies like this and The Fault in our Stars you walk-in and know you will get hit in the chest with a couple heavy-hitters”, says Moretz. “It’s worth it because they’re really good Movies.”.
Moretz gets candid with me when I ask her about her experience filming with some of her talented Co-Stars including the likes of Mireille Enos, Liana Liberato, Stacey Keach and of course her romantic interest in the Film, Blackley. She has the highest praise for the latter, stating “Jamie was such a great guy. It’s easy to fake a love relationship when you like someone was a Friend.”. Liberato plays Mia‘s Best Friend Kim and says, “Liana is a good friend of mine. We had sleepovers like every weekend!”. Enos, who has seen a significant boost in profile of late with Films like World War Z, we learn is a Nurturer. “She is like the ultimate Mother”, says Moretz. Jakob Davies plays her little Brother Teddy. ” He was like a little Munchkin you can’t help but fall in love with. He is his Character.”. “It wasn’t hard to get along with them. There wasn’t a person I didn’t like on this Movie which was weird… and great. I got lucky!”.
Our Snap:
Moretz even shared her prized Clinton Autograph with us:
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release IF I STAY on Friday, August 22, 2014.
You’ve been warned to bring some a box of Tissue.
(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros./Mr. Will Wong)
#SPOTTED: CHLOË MORETZ IN TORONTO FOR “IF I STAY”
We had the pleasure of chatting with the amazing Chloë Moretz today, following her appearance at the 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards. Although the talented 17-year-old Actress known best for her work in KICK-ASS, Hugo and Carrie has been in Toronto many a time before to film, she actually got to go out and enjoy the City this time in addition to her Press Day.
Moretz made sure to stop-by at Hillary Clinton‘s Book Signing today at Indigo Manulife Centre. One of the perks of being a Celebrity is bypassing queues and the Actress and her Brother Trevor were lucky enough to be able to meet the former First Lady, Secretary of State and Senator as she signed copies of her Book, Hard Choices.
See her Autograph below:
Moretz truly was giddy about the encounter when I met her today before heading upstairs at her Hotel to chat about her latest Film, If I Stay.
Although that piece won’t be up till August, we will tell you to watch the Trailer below for the Vancouver-filmed Romantic Drama:
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