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2003-12-12
It's a two-way race for top spot this weekend with Something's Gotta Give targeting a mature audience while Stuck on You goes for the decidedly immature. A third movie, Love Don't Cost a Thing is also opening wide but it might have trouble just making the top five.
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2003-11-18
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/MTRX3.php>The Matrix Revolutions broke records, both internationally and worldwide, (the final figure for last week's worldwide box office did beat out Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.) This week it was able to maintain the number one spot at the box office with $42.0 million, but like the domestic side, its international run was marred by fast drops in many markets. In Australia it was down 66%, France 62%, Russia and Taiwan 60%. In some holdover markets the decline was less dramatic, like China at just 36% and Japan and 39%. International totals are just shy of $200 million and worldwide the film broke $300 million.
While $7.3 million may not seem like a lot for Finding Nemo, especially compared to the number one film this week. It was the result of two or three animation records. It clearly set records in Sweden ($2 million) and Norway ($1 million.) However, in Denmark it isn't so clear, it failed to top Tarzan in Kroner but the box office in American was a record. The international total is now up to $162.9 (115th overall) and its worldwide total topped $500 million, only the 29th film and only the fourth animated film to do so.
Intolerable Cruelty dropped another spot to third. This week it took in another $5.0 million to raise its international total past $50 million. Worldwide it should cross $100 million before its run is finished.
Kill Bill: Volume 1 international take rose slightly this weekend to $3.6 million. However, that wasn't enough to keep it in third place.
Opening its international run in just two markets, Love Actually managed a spot in the top five with $2.6 million. It took top spot in Italy with $2.2 million, which pushed The Matrix Revolutions into second spot. In Portugal it finished second to Revolutions with an impressive $330,000 on just 50 screens. These results have the film tracking ahead of Richard Curtis' most recent film, Bridget Jones's Diary, which went on to earn more than $200 million internationally.
Submitted by: C.
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2003-11-12
story internationally this week, and that was the performance of The Matrix Revolutions. Not surprisingly, it was tops on the international box office. Its international take was $117.6 million since Wednesday, just ahead of the previous record of $113.2 million The Matrix Reloaded took in its second weekend of international release. However, Revolutions was shown on more than 1000 addition screens, so its per screen average was lower. Worldwide, The Matrix Revolutions took in $201.4 million, just shy of the $201.8 million Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers earned in its first five days of release. In a country by country comparison, The Matrix Revolution's performance was mixed compared to Reloaded's. However, even in countries where it was weaker, it held up much better than it did domestically.
After two weeks on top Intolerable Cruelty drop to second with $6.5 million. The film has only earned a disappointing $33.5 million domestically, but has already beat that internationally already with a few more significant opening in the coming weeks.
Kill Bill: Volume 1 was killed at the box office dropping from $8.9 million to just $3.3 million. It should recover this weekend when it opens in South Korea.
This should be the last slow weekend for Finding Nemo. It hasn't had an international opening since it debuted in the U.K. more than a month ago, so the fact that its still in the top five with $3.1 million is quite a feat. However, this week Finding Nemo opens in four mid-ranged European markets before major openings in Germany, France, Italy and then Japan in quick succession. So it should be making waves at the international box office very soon.
With just $2.9 million, Bad Boys II has probably had its last weekend on the top five. At least till it opens in Japan on the last weekend of November.
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2003-11-07
e opening wide this weekend each with their own target audience. The Matrix, which opened on Wednesday, counter programming in the form of Elf and pushing the envelope of the definition wide is Love Actually.
The Matrix Revolutions opened worldwide on Wednesday, and while the box office numbers are huge they are not the record breakers hoped for by the studio. Domestically, it opened with $24.3 million in 3,502 theatres, nearly $7000 per theatre. However, even with that figure it only came in 3rd for biggest Wednesday opening after Star Wars: Phantom Menace and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Combined with the sharp drop-off for Thursday and the less than impressive reviews and suddenly The Matrix Revolution's weekend doesn't look as strong as it did earlier in week. $65 million and crossing the $100 mark by Sunday. That would normally be great, but expectations for the final two installments for The Matrix Trilogy were just too great.
Also opening in more than 3000 theatres is the Christmas comedy Elf. Before I go into my prediction I have to say something. Christmas is in December, late December. This tread of extending Christmas earlier and earlier has to stop. This year when I went to pick up a party platter for my birthday party and I saw Christmas decorations … My birthday's in August! It's no wonder that by the time Christmas finally arrives I want nothing to do with the holidays anymore. Now that that's off my chest, back to the prediction. Will Ferrell is quickly becoming on of Hollywood's most in demand comic actors, but he's never been asked to carry a movie like this before. He had a very important part in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and was one of three leading men in Old School, but Elf is his movie. And if the reviews are correct, he's more than up to the job. Look for $24 million this weekend with $100 million run not out of the question.
It looks like Brother Bear's second weekend won't top the first, despite having one extra day to do it. Look for just $17 million, a very disappointing result for Disney.
Scary Movie 3 will continue its quick drop at the box office again losing more than 50% at the box office. Earning just $9 million during its third week will leave it one more week away from hitting $100 million.
Holding on to its audience will be a much easier task for Radio. But even so, it will have a tough time sticking in the top five with $6 million.
The last film to open in more than a handful of cities is the romantic comedy Love Actually. This is the first time directing effort from screenwriter Richard Curtis. Richard Curtis has had a lot of success writing comedies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones Diary. This success has been greater internationally where the previous films I mentioned have earned an average of $200 million. Love Actually isn't getting the quite the same warm reception by the critics as those films, but 68% positive is still quite good. Look for an opening week per theatre average of about $10,000 for a total box office just shy of $6 million. And over the next few weeks it should expand into many more theatres.
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2003-09-19
nd, I will not be talking like a Pirate for the entire story. Instead, I'll just point you to the official homepage of International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But before we got on with the real story, I will give you two pieces of advice. First, it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day and not International Dress Like a Pirate Day, if you show up to work wearing an eye-patch you are on your own. Second, despite how it sounds, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey' is not a dirty saying, however, that won't stop you from getting into trouble if you use it.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl has plenty to celebrate easily winning last weekend's international box office race with $29.7 million. That figure was earned partial through strong openings in markets like Greece and Australia. And partially through strong holdovers in markets like Germany and Italy. Worldwide total for the movie crossed $500 million and into 25th place on the all time chart.
Well back was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with $6.6 million. Results can only be described as solid, and while the international run will top its domestic performance, the price tag for the movie is too high for it to be called a success.
American Pie: The Wedding finished in a virtual tie with Bruce Almighty with $5.1 million. The last in the American Pie Trilogy will finish somewhere in between the first two movies domestically, but much closer to the first. Internationally it has been fairing better in many markets and could top the second's $131 million.
Meanwhile, Bruce Almighty's second first place finish in France propelled the movie to $5.1 million internationally for the weekend. Its international total is $212 million, and it has yet to open in Japan. It's already the highest grossing Jim Carrey movie of all time and its worldwide total could hit $500 million.
After a one week exclusive showing in London, Calendar Girls opened wide in the U.K. and pulled in most of its $2.7 million international haul there. It won't open stateside till December 19th.
In other news, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers passed Jurassic Park into fourth place on the all-time worldwide box office. Combined with the massive rental and sales in the home market and the outlook for Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is very impressive with $1 billion worldwide box office not out of the question.
Submitted by: The Dread Pirate C.S.Strowbridge
For to find out your own pirate name take the
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2003-08-22
to set the hearts of hobbit fans aflutter,
New Line has announced plans for theatrical releases of the extended editions of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers in the days leading up to the December 17 debut of The Return of the King.
According to Variety, the release will be be limited to 100-150 screens and the top 10 markets in the U.S. and Canada.
The Fellowship of the Ring will open on December 5, followed by The Two Towers on December 12.
The plan is to complete the party with a back-to-back showings of all three movies on December 16, culminating in an 11pm showing of Return of the King.
Tickets will go on sale online in late September or early October.
Bruce Nash
bruce@
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2003-04-25
y released what is in
my opinion, the first movie to ever successfully marry computer effects with
live action scenes and actors. The saga
pitted Jeff Bridges,
a computer gaming programmer gone rogue against an evil electronic A.I. that
abducts him into a cyber world and places him in combat scenarios against
hordes of battle vehicles and humanoid programs. This movie - Tron - was in essence the Matrix of its
time. Since then, Visual Effects
technology has been used to create character enhancements and action scenes
that previously would have cost production companies millions of dollars in
time and materials. A technology so
advanced, that we now have CGI characters playing important roles in
movies. A technology that is so well
received and relatively economical that the advent of completely digitally
animated features are common place. A technology which has trickled down to
every day use in video games and small screen productions.
And a technology that is so excessively used
in film, and at times so poorly rendered, that it smacks of the campy falseness
that was a Godzilla costumed, Japanese actor, stomping through a miniature of
1960’s Tokyo.
T M I?
Not to offend die-hard Godzilla
fans mind you, or you aspiring computer
visual effects specialist, because for one, I am a Godzilla fan from
way back and I am annually parked in-front of the Sci-Fi channel during their
October Godzilla marathon. Believe me,
campy, cheesy over sized lizards are my passion.
Two, I am a die hard
technologist, and Generation X-er who not only appreciates the hard work and
effort behind the 3D-modeling, rendering programming, CGI, and various other
skills involved, but I regularly pray at the alter of Bill Gates while back
flipping, high kicking, and round house punching my way through a well designed
game using a half naked, bouncy, digitally rendered babe named Divinity on my
X-Box. Believe me, I salute you
computer artists, and subsequently so do the good people of Kleenex Tissues and
Saint Ive’s Hand Lotions.
But... (and you knew the "but" was coming)
There are some movies that did it right, and others, that
just plain did it wrong. Instead of
treading through the murky depths of what can be a very categorized field
encompassing a wide array of technologies and techniques, I will instead look
at specific movies and scenes that were impressively done and I will look at
other movies that weren’t so impressively done. In the interests of server space and tired fingers (there are
so many movies using and/or abusing digital effects these days I could
write a book) I will concentrate on the top-earning visual effects movies of all
time, and some particular movies that I feel need to be pointed out for one
reason or another.
[Author's Note: The original top 10 list that inspired this article was compiled by www.digitalmediafx.com, a group that
provides content and information mainly for people who are in the industry.]
Top 16
Visual Effects Movies of All Time
The following is a list of
the highest grossing FX movies of all time.
Note: "Visual Effects Movie"
refers to a film that heavily relied on special effects in the telling of its
story. Visual Effects can be
model-based or computer generated.
Results are based on how much money the movie made in the U.S./Canada
Domestic box office and may include money made in re-releases (depending
on circumstances). In addition, the list
does not allow for inflation or higher ticket prices. The original list is at http://www.digitalmediafx.com/specialreports/topfxmovies.html
Men in Black
Starting from low to high
in terms of box office numbers on this list and working our way up, we have Men
in Black. A feature which I felt
crossed the line regularly with their use of digital visual effects, only to be
saved thanks to the on screen chemistry of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.
Frank the Talking Dog was
well done, and so were many of the scenes involving various space aliens and
technology. But it’s always easier to
animate something that doesn’t exist in real life, because no one can really
say what an alien with an exploding head looks like when growing a new noggin,
or what worm aliens should look like when drinking coffee. Still, these effects-laden films have to
remember that digital effects, computer rendering, and modeling, is far from
perfect, mostly because it looks too perfect on screen! The clarity and smoothness of CGI
characters, slightly off color and shading, and almost too fluid motion, makes
for glaring examples that can overpower a scene with its blatancy. Occasionally, MIB did the smart thing
balancing a mix of CGI, Special effects robots, make up, and live models for
this film. Because it could have been a
lot worse and because the acting and story helped pull my attention away from
all of the CGI, it is in my personal "Did It Right" category.
Batman and The Grinch
The next two films on our
list were surprises to me but welcome ones nonetheless. I group these two films together because
more traditional effects magic were used in the making. Computer animation was held to a minimum and
modeling and make up specialists took the lead.
More movies should do it this way; at least until the computer VE (Visual
Effects) side of the house is perfected.
Not
much to say on The Grinch. There wasn’t
a chance in the world that any type of visual effects would have been able to
direct the audience away from Jim Carrey's
acting. Mostly make up effects here,
and I believe that if you can’t notice the effects, if it doesn’t pull you
away from the story, then it "Did It Right!".
Batman,
which used a lot of green or blue screen shots (Placing an actor in front of
a blue or green screen and then inserting the back round later) and city
modeling, played well in the dark comic book world that was Gotham City. It might not have been so in another
film. However, the fight scenes were
tight, realistic, used simple camera shots, and great martial arts
choreography, really making this movie memorable. A more recent visual effects movie similar to Batman that isn’t
on this list, but I feel really shows an important contrast, is the Blade series
starring Wesley Snipes. The first Blade being well done, and the
fight scenes being just as impressive as the first Batman movie. However, Blade II, which I
still found to be thoroughly enjoyable, made the mistake of using CGI for their
vampire on vampire fight scenes.
Particularly noticeable were the acrobatics preformed by Wesley Snipes
character Blade and the Leonor Varela character Nyssa during the GOD
lights fight sequence. Also of
particular note was the end fight scene between Blade and Luke Goss character
Nomak. Again, production companies
using any type of visual effects have to remember that new technology and
methods doesn’t always mean better or more entertaining. I would personally prefer not to see digital
effects in action sequences. If you
need to make for a more stunning sequence, The Matrix style wirework plays well
and is visually stunning in most respects.
My call on all of these films, Batman, The Grinch, and Blade "Did It Right!". Blade II, in most vampire on
vampire scenes, "Did It Wrong!"
Star Wars: All Of Them
No big surprise here in regards to Star Wars. Currently holding 5 of the top 16 spots,
this is again a perfect example of how it was done right the first time, and on
the second go around, just didn’t quite make it. George Lucas pioneered some impressive modeling techniques and
make up work during the original production of Star Wars. Ground breaking work to which my words just
can’t do justice (Note: Death star scenes where X-wing
fighters were making strafing attacks on the surface, used miniatures and drive
by camera work off the back of a pickup!). On its recent re-release, the George Lucas studio and George
Lucas himself, decided to add some upgrades via CGI. In my opinion, all of these scenes are obvious and not worthy of
the original visual effects craftsmanship.
The Star Wars opening scene with the chasing Imperial Destroyer is still
one of the most realistic and awesome scenes I have seen to date and it was
done in 1977. In regards to Star Wars
Episode 1, just three words: Jar Jar Binks!
My call for the Star Wars series, great movies, awesome story lines,
great acting and the first time around, "Did It Right!". On re-release
and on the newer series, "Did It Wrong!".
Independence Day
The visual effects in this film were stunning. The shots of the alien saucers floating
above various US monuments and in orbit were amazing and I couldn’t tell just
by looking at it that they were all digitally inserted. Some of the F-15/alien ship dog fight scenes
were suspect, but overall, an amazing job.
Animatronics/puppeteering type technology was used for close up shots
involving the aliens and the blue/green screen shots were flawless. Fox did it right in this film and coupled
with a fantastic cast and script, the only surprise here is that it isn’t
closer to the number 1 spot. Simply put
"Did It Right!"
Jurassic Park
I was going to duo this film with Independence Day, but it was so well
done, and the technology used to create the dinosaurs so groundbreaking, it
needed its own line. One of the first
to use CGI on such a large scale, Jurassic Park really demonstrated to other
production companies and film makers that the sky is the limit in terms to what
you can do with effects, as long as your budget is sky high as well. I can still pick out the CGI, but only
because I know dinosaurs have long been extinct. Close up shots of the dinos were animatronics and it was all
superbly done. Hey, we have all seen
clips of the old stop motion dinosaurs from the movies past, and the scenes in
movies where nothing but animatronics (Skins and artist created sub-dermals
stretched over remote control robots) were used. Anyone remember Baby - Legend
of the Lost Dinosaur? By the end of
this movie, I was hoping that Baby would just die. Jurassic Park, "Did It Right!".
Spider-Man
I don’t know where to start with this film. A big Marvel
Fan, and Spider-Man fan myself, I was happy to see a live action Spider-Man film
being released into the theaters. The acting was fantastic and I really loved
how they brought the character to life on the big screen; not many characters
can make such a successful transition. But I was really not impressed with any
scene involving Spiderman climbing, jumping, and web slinging through the city
streets. I was down right disappointed in the fight scenes between Spider-Man
and the Green Goblin. The movement of CGI characters just doesn’t look right.
No, I have never seen a crime fighting spandex clad human with the powers of a
spider making his way through a city, so no I don’t have a point of reference
to which I make that comment; But I do know what looks real and natural and
proportioned and Spider-Man CGI was not. As unfortunate as it is because I
really loved the movie, the CGI in the film in almost every action scene, "Did
It Wrong".
Titanic
When I first saw this film on the list, I was very surprised, only
because the visual effects weren’t of long extinct animals, super natural
beings, or aliens and alien technology. The technology wasn’t as a character in
the movie like the others. Titanic was a movie that used visual effects to
recreate an era and an environment and strikingly so. How appropriate that it resides in the number 1 spot, because it
is number 1 in my personal list of movies that flawlessly utilized digital
effects to help present the story. This
movie was shot on a partial mock-up of the boat in a huge water tank. The background was digitally inserted, as was
the vast ocean. The sinking of the ship
and violent collision with the Iceberg was digitally rendered then inserted. Titanic went completely over budget and was
a huge risk for everyone involved.
Hands downed, "Did It Right!".
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE RINGS MAN... THE RINGS AND THE POTTER??
Because I would prefer not to be hunted down in the
streets and flogged by a crowd of readers lead by Bruce Nash for not mentioning
it, lets take a look at Lord of The Rings: The
Fellowship of The Ring, The Two Towers,
and the Harry Potter movies. Bruce actually updated the Digitalmediafx chart to include the newer movies which is why it's a top 16 as opposed to a top 10. Afterall, as my
editor so keenly pointed out, Lord of The Rings raked in $313 million and The
Two Towers over $337 million. Harry
Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone brought in over $317 million with the
sequel, Chambers of
Secrets only bringing in a modest $261 million; (That was sarcasm by the
way). Sorry Grinch, MIB and Batman, time to move over, here comes
something with bigger box office takes. The first movie in both of these franchises are
without a doubt in the "Did it Right!" realm. However, I wasn’t
necessarily impressed by everything I saw. It looks like the cave troll that
attacked both Harry Potter and the Fellowship graduated from the same
University of crappy CGI. (Would that be CCGIU then?) Other then that, both prequels were
brilliant. Harry deserving particular mention for the Broom flying scenes during the Quibbage Event, and The
Fellowship for the scaling effects used to make the hobbits (played by full
size actors) appear smaller then their co-stars. And then we have the
sequels!!! What is it with these two movies anyway? They must be sharing visual
effects companies because the house elf in the Chambers of Secret looks just as
crappy as Gollum did in the Two Towers. And good thing for Harry that the Mr.
Riddles snake wasn’t in more of this movie or I would have really went off the film. Conversely the ying to their yangs, came in the form of the amazingly
created flying car sequences and again with another awesome broom flying Quibbage game for Harry Potter. In Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, the CGI tower modeling and
environmental inserts were equally brilliant. Those particular CGI marvels,
along with excellent acting, fantastic story lines, and superb cast chemistry
help propel both into the "Did it Right!" category.
A Constantly Changing List
To be honest, this list will probably be defunct by the time this year
is out. With the exception of Titanic
and the first Star Wars, we can expect the rest of this directory to be updated
annually. Digital effects in movies have made for great movie magic and will
continue to do so for years to come.
This year alone we will see The Hulk, X-Men 2, Terminator 3: Rise of
The Machines, and the Matrix: Reloaded
hit the screen and the production of big budget movies with big budget effects
isn’t showing signs of slowing.
Digital effects can be a great thing if done so in a subdued manner, or when the movie
using them is pioneering, but when main characters and huge scenes rely on the
technology, watch out because it is going to distract. With the exception of the Matrix (I wish it was on this list, because it should be a bible of how action computer visual effects should be done), some of the most visually appealing and
realistic movies I’ve seen are early 80’s and 90’s films that relied on make up
and sweat as opposed to numbers and processors. Movies are fun because they pull you into a whole new world with
whole new characters and scenarios, but the illusion is easy to break when hit
with "in your face" CGI and technology. Just remember, if you watch a movie and
it looks like Intel and Microsoft will appear in the credits, then someone has
just committed digital overkill.
(Author End Note: The field is growing and changing on a regular basis.
Especially by movies who aren’t afraid to do something new and exciting for a
first time. Wired
Online Magazine has a great article on The Matrix: Reloaded which is a nice
read)
Additional source: ww
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2003-04-15
m about Asian-American students, Better Luck Tomorrow grabbed $360,000 in just 13 theatres to lead the Per Theatre Average with $27,751. With a cost of only $250,000 and a per Theatre Average that suggests at least some main stream success is in order, this could be the year’s independent darling.
The last movie to carry the hopes, Bend it Like Beckham, is still hanging in the top ten on the Per Theatre chart in its 5th week of release. And it is slowly moving up the total box office charts with its expanding release.
This week’s Box Office Champ, Anger Management was the first movie to open wide with more than $10,000 per theatre since Bringing Down the House. And it was the best Per Theatre Average for a wide release since The Two Towers.
Submitted by: C.
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2003-03-23
h 23rd, 2002) the 75th Annual Academy Awards were handed out in a star-studded gala event hosted by Steve Martin. The big winner of the night was Chicago with 6 awards.
And now on to the awards …
Best Picture: Chicago
Best Director: Roman Polanksi for The Pianist
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Nicole Kidman as “Virginia Woolf” in The Hours
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Adrien Brody as "Wladyslaw Szpilman" in The Pianist
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Chris Cooper as "John Laroche" in Adaptation
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Catherine Zeta-Jones as "Velma Kelly" in Chicago
Best Animated Feature Film: Spirited Away
Foreign Language Film: Nowhere in Africa (Germany)
Documentary - Feature: Bowling for Columbine
Documentary - Short Subject: Twin Towers
Short Film - Animated: The Chubbchubbs
Short Film - Live Action: This Charming Man
Art Direction: John Myhre and Gordon Sim for Chicago
Cinematography: Conrad L. Hall for Road to Perdition
Costume Design: Colleen Atwood for Chicago
Film Editing: Martin Walsh for Chicago
Makeup: Beatrice De Alba and John E. Jackson for Frida
Music - Original Score: Elliot Goldenthal for Frida
Music - Original Song: "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Sound: David Lee, Michael Minkler and Dominic Tavella for Chicago
Sound Editing: Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Visual Effects: Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook and Alex Funke for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Screenplay - Adaptation: Ronald Harwood for The Pianist
Screenplay - Original: Pedro Almodóvar for Talk to Her
Also presented was a special award to Peter O’Toole for a lifetime of work. And despite his earlier objections he did show up and accept the award.
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Monday, November 23, 2009
