Three new movies have opened nationwide earlier this week on Christmas Day:
Topping the box office on Christmas Day was the movie musical Les Miserables directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Eddie Redmayne, Colm Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Universal Republic has released a soundtrack album featuring the film’s songs composed by Claude-Michel Schonberg, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and produced and arranged by Anne Dudley. Also included is the new original song Suddenly composed by Schonberg and featuring lyrics by Alain Boublil. To find out more about the soundtrack and film, check out our previous article.
Also performing well in wide release is the western Django Unchained written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. Loma Vista Recording has released a soundtrack album featuring a couple of new original tracks, including 100 Black Coffins by Rick Ross and produced by and featuring Jamie Foxx, Who Did That To You? by John Legend, Ancora Qui by Ennio Morricone and Elisa, and the duet Freedom performed by Anthony Hamilton and Elayna Boynton. Also included are other tracks from classic soundtracks by such composers as Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith, Luis Bacalov and Riz Ortolani. For the full track list, check out our soundtrack announcement.
The third wide release of the week is the family comedy Parental Guidance directed by Andy Fickman and starring Billy Crystal, Bette Middler, Marisa Tomei, Bailey Madison and Tom Everett Scott. The film’s original score is composed by Marc Shaiman (Hairspray, A Few Good Men, The Bucket List). No soundtrack album has been announced. The movie about two grandparents who struggle with their grandkids’ modern ways and soon resort to an old-school style of parenting is being released by 20th Century Fox. To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, visit the official movie website.
Opening in limited release is the drama Promised Land directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, Titus Welliver and Frances McDormand. Danny Elfman has composed the film’s original score. No soundtrack album has been released yet, but Elfman’s score, as well as the original song, Snake Eyes, written by Kenneth A. Pattengale and Joseph Edward Ryan can be checked out on Focus Features’ For Your Consideration website. For more information about the drama, visit the official movie website.
Also opening in select cities is the documentary West of Memphis directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil) and produced by Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh (The Lord of the Rings), Lorri Davis and Damien Echols. The film’s score is composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Sony Legacy will release a soundtrack album featuring a score suite, as well as other music from and inspired by the film, including a cover of Pink Floyd’s Mother performed by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, Satellite by Eddie Vedder and songs by artists including Lucinda Williams, Band of Horses, Patti Smith, Citizen Cope, Tonto’s Giant Nuts featuring Johnny Depp. For the full album details and to listen to audio clips, check out our previous article.
