Grossed Out: New Christian Slater Film ‘Playback’ Makes $264 in 2012

January 1, 2013

By Tom Blunt

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Christian Slater in 'Playback'/Image © 2012 Magnolia Pictures

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Based purely on timing, Christian Slater’s new movie “Playback” was the lowest-grossing film of 2012, making just $264 during its one week on one screen at a single lonely theater. Of course, it’s likely to go on to make at least three times that much in the new year! My snark comes from a place of love, Christian. As in, I’ve loved you ever since “Heathers” in 1988, and was even a fan of “Very Bad Things.” I promise to check out this “Playback” thing on Netflix — in about two weeks! All right, I’ll stop.

We’ve talked in the past about the possibility of Prince or Lady Gaga creating a song for Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” but here’s a real game-changer: Jay-Z is helping out with the score itself. There’s no telling whether “Gatsby” will truly be one of 2013′s top films, but its soundtrack is pretty much guaranteed at this point to be one of the year’s top albums.

If you liked the arty 1992 documentary “Baraka,” then you’ll be happy to know that a similarly spiritual sequel has been released, “Saṃsāra” (trailer below). If you’ve never heard of either film, then boy is your year about to start off on a beautifully strange note. Definitely best seen on the big screen, so be sure to look for it in your local indie cinema.

It might be easy to shrug off the new “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3-D” as just further diminishing returns from an already wheezing franchise, but here’s a great think-piece looking back at why the original 1974 film’s title alone still gives us shivers. If you must turn up your nose at the newest version, perhaps you ought to point it back toward the old one and see why people are still buzzing.

Tags: Baraka, Christian Slater, Playback, Samsara, The Great Gatsby, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre