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2003-09-19
ree wide releases, all of them getting positive reviews. This week we have an absurd five wide releases and all of them are getting negative reviews.
Underworld has the best chance to get ahead of the pack and take top spot. The Vampires vs. Werewolves movies should take top spot with about $21 million, which is nearly the same as its production budget of $23 million. On the down side, reviews are bad currently at only 31%, so its legs at the box office are in question.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico has already beaten the combined gross of the previous two movies in the El Mariachi Trilogy series in just 6 days. And one day later it topped its own production budget, so to say Robert Rodriguez's movie is a success is an understatement. This week it will drop to second place with $14 million, but at this point it's all gravy anyway.
This time last year Barbershop surprised box office analysts by opening with $20 million in only 1,600 theatres. This year The Fighting Temptations hope to do the same. Unfortunately its reviews are much weaker, (45% compared to Babershop's 85%) and Cuba Gooding Jr. doesn't have the same appeal in the urban market as Ice Cube, (it's been said that in 10 years when Bringing Down the House is remade Cuba Gooding Jr. will be playing Steve Martin's part.) An opening weekend of $12 million and a third place finish should be in line with the studio's expectations.
Seconhand Lions is the only movie opening wide this week that even flirted with positive reviews. During the week it had 62% positive, but has since dropped to 56% positive. Still, that is the best numbers of any wide release this week, and it will be playing in just over 3,000 theatres. However, this is a movie that will have to rely on long legs to get anywhere. $11 million opening will leave the studio hoping for enough legs to get some Oscar attention.
Fifth place will be close with both Matchstick Men and Cold Creek Manor coming up with $9 million. Cold Creek Manor has the slight edge in the race, but it also has the weakest reviews of the week and a genre that usually spells poor legs at the box office. So even if it wins the close race this weekend, it will drop much farther next weekend.
The last movie opening wide this week is Anything Else, but at only 1,033 theatres it is stretching the definition of, 'wide release.' Woody Allen has been consistent, with many of his recent movies opening in just enough theatres to be considered wide, barely making the top ten and before disappearing from theatres a few weeks later. This movie should play a similar role at the box office, but with Woody Allen only playing a supporting role to younger stars we might see a stronger than expected performance at the box office. Reviews are mixed, currently at exactly 50%, so $3.5 million this week is expected, but whether it follows the rest of the script is unknown.
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2003-09-16
the-numbers.com/movies/2003/LSTNT.php>Lost in Translation did huge business the past weekend taking in nearly $1 million in less than 2 dozen theatres. Its $40,221 per theatre average was not only head and shoulders above its nearest rival; it's the highest in the past several months. If this is any indicator, then Lost in Translation should do very well when it opens wide in two weeks.
Next on the charts was Touchez Pas au Grisbi in its second week of re-release. It's average rose to $12,158, but this was due to a cut in its theatre count. Also appearing on the charts were all three major releases this week in 4th (Once Upon a Time in Mexico), 7th (Matchstick Men) and 10th (Cabin Fever.)
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2003-09-16
disastrous performance, this week we have three movies that can all be described as a success to one degree or another. This led to a huge increase of 28% from last weekend, and a more modest increase of 2.6% from last year, all of which can be explained with increased ticket prices.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico cost just $30 million to make, half the average cost of a Hollywood movie but more than four times the combines production budgets of the first two movies in the El Mariachi trilogy. So it would be difficult for it to be as profitable at the box office. However, in just one weekend Once Upon a Time in Mexico earned nearly as much as the first two movies earned in their entire run. $23.4 million compared to $27.5 million. With solid reviews it will easily pay for its production costs domestically, and make a profit internationally.
Almost perfectly matching predictions was Matchstick Men with $13.1 million. With a stronger internal multiplier than the other movies opening this week, and stronger reviews, Matchstick Men should have better legs at the box office as well. This could lead to a final tally near or even north of $50 million.
Also performing close to expectations was Cabin Fever, which made $8.6 million during its opening weekend. Reviews started out strong, but as the weekend went on they started to drop, however, they managed to hold on to the 60% positive needed for an overall positive result. It will be interesting to see how it performs over the coming weeks, but it is safe to say the studio is already impressed.
So far, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star has had an interesting run. It started with an opening weekend win, albeit by the narrowest of margins, but then dropped to seventh place by Tuesday before finishing the week in sixth place. Normally, this will spell doom for a movie's chances in its second weekend. However, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star climbed nearly 400% from Thursday to Friday and lost less than 25% in its second weekend with $5.0 million. Now I don't have the demographics for this movie, but the numbers suggest the average movie goer seeing Dickie Roberts is going to identify less with David Spade, and more with his adoptive brother and sister. Such a young audience is surprising but could be the saving grace for the movie.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl did make $4.5 million at the box office, more than predicted, but finished one spot lower in fifth place. It is now in 18th on the All Time chart and should make it to 17th place after next weekend, overtaking The Empire Strikes Back.
Freaky Friday may not have made it into the top five, but it did earn $4 million this weekend to break the $100 million barrier. A very surprising result, especially when compared to its budget.
Submitted by: C.
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2003-09-12
ks since Open Range opened to positive reviews. At that was just one movie in an otherwise bad week. To find more than one movie opening wide to positive reviews you would have to go as far back as May 30th when Finding Nemo and The Italian Job were released. This week, all three wide releases are getting favorable reviews (and so are many limited releases, but more on that later.)
As for the actual box office predictions for the weekend, that's a little more confusing. During the past week four different movies finished first in the dailies.
The final installment in Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, has the widest opening this week and should finish first at the box office. The movie has a production budget more than four times the first two combined, but that's only $30 million (half what the average Hollywood movie costs.) Robert Rodriguez is a master of getting the most bang for his buck and a $20 million opening will be his reward. And with overall positive reviews it will easily have the legs to make a healthy profit for the studio.
From 1996 - 1997 Nicolas Cage had 3 $100 million dollar movies in a row, since then only one of his next 10 releases was able to cross that barrier. It's doubtful that Matchstick Men will be able to do that, but is should open to the tune of $13 million. And with it's reviews, which are overwhelmingly positive, should help him regain some his box office and critical clout lost in recent years.
The third wide release should open in third place. Cabin Fever, which opens in only a little more than 2000 theatres, should have similar box office results as 28 Days Later. Cabin Fever has a wider release, but weaker reviews and is opening at a weaker time of the year. An opening of $8 million and better legs than the genre usually allows will spell profit for the studio on this release.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl spent the mid-week in first or second place and looks to translate that into another top five finish this weekend. Another $4 million will take its domestic total past Home Alone and into 18th place on the all time chart.
In fifth place will be another Disney release with legs, Freaky Friday. With $3 million this weekend, it will be the 21st movie to make $100 million this year. However, unless Once Upon a Time in Mexico surprises it will be the last movie to do so till November when The Matrix Revolutions is released.
One movie you didn't see in the top five was Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Despite finishing first last weekend, it had dropped to seventh by Tuesday and with three wide releases this week it's chances of sticking around the top five this week are minimal. And with even more movies opening next weekend, it should drop out of the top ten and that would tie a record.
There are also several limited releases opening this week: Lost in Translation, Dummy, Millennium Actress, Warrior of Light, So Close and all are getting positive reviews. Also, long time Per Theatre Average charter American Splendor expands into nearly 200 more theatres this weekend.
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2003-09-10
k promotional websites for several movies were launched and some older ones added additional content. Here’s a list of highlights, plus one last look at websites for films opening this week. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.
Cabin Fever
Current Content: There is more information on the non-flash site. It has the synopsis, trailer, cast and crew, among other features. The flash site has … atmosphere. It's still as confusing as the day it launched.
Cold Creek Manor
Current Content: Flash site launched this week, and it has the usual features, (synopsis, cast and crew bios, etc.) and a lot of multimedia content. It has the trailer, of course, four movie clips and a making of video that weights in at nearly 4 minutes. That is quite impressive for a website. There are more features like an image gallery, e-cards, wallpaper and the poster, and one feature, The House, is marked coming soon. Combined with interesting segues and good background music it wins this week's enlightened Weekly Website Awards.
Dummy
Current Content: Opening in limited release this week, the site consists of just the trailer and the poster. However, on another page there are some additional clips and on yet another page, there's the synopsis. Sort of a build it yourself website.
Fighting Tempations
Current Content: The features previously marked coming soon, Music Mixer, E-cards and Media Player Skins were added. As were pop-up facts about singers who got their start singing in their church choir.
In the Cut
Current Content: The redirect was replaced by a placeholder site. Typical of Sony placeholders, this one has just the trailer so far.
Lost in Translation
Current Content: Opening in limited release this week, the website has changed very little since its launch. There's a new clip added, but the video clips for each section are still marked coming soon.
Matchstick Men
Current Content: Nothing has changed since the site was first reviewed. There is still a lot of information, and a disappointing lack of sound.
Millennium Actress
Current Content: The website launched last week, and the movie opens this week. It appears that nothing has changed, but it's still worth checking out.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Current Content: Nothing has changed since the flash site was first launched, but it's a very well done site so nothing really needed changing.
Out of Time
Current Content: The flash site launched this week, and it includes almost everything a movie site needs. Synopsis, trailer, cast, crew and character bios, image gallery, film clips, background music and even some animation and audio clips between sections. There are also some downloads, but right now it's just some wallpaper and the official poster with the rest marked coming soon.
So Close
Current Content: An excellent site with good content present in an entertaining way. There's the usual features, cast and crew bios, trailer and images, wallpaper, screensaver, buddy icons. There is also a detailed synopsis, perhaps a little too detailed as there are some potential spoilers there. There are some wallpapers that you can grab from the downloads section, others appear intermittently while surfing the site. It's a cool feature.
Stuck on You
Current Content: The final trailer was added, which includes one of the most disturbing bedroom scenes I have seen. Perfect for a Farrelly brother's movie.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Current Content: Another movie that had its flash site launch this week. Not much new content was added, it was mostly just a format change. Synopsis, cast and crew bios, trailer and TV spots, images, screensavers, AIM icons are all still there, but the background music was removed. Hopefully it will return later on.
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2003-07-16
k promotional websites for several movies were launched and some older ones added additional content. Here’s a list of highlights, plus one last look at websites for films opening this week. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.
American Wedding
Current Content: The flash site launched this week, and while there is a few sections marked coming soon, most of the site is up. The starting section has good background music, which is not too short and loops well. It also has bubble rising up the left side and when you move the mouse over these bubbles they show clips of the movie. A lot of this site is interactive, a lot more than most sites. Trivia game, Stiffler's Learn to Boogie, Save the Cake, and more. Most of what's marked coming soon is the usual features. The trailer and synopsis is there, but cast and crew bios, production notes and clips are all marked coming soon.
The Anarchists Cookbook
Current Content: This site spends most of its time on character bios. The only other content is the trailer, a few reviews, cast and crew (no bios) and the poster that you can buy.
Bad Boys II
Current Content: Issue 5 launched with the usual four sections. Story contains bios and interviews with the cast and crew. Video has three clips from the movie, most of which has already been seen in the trailers and TV spots. There are six more images in the gallery and one wallpaper and one screensaver in Downloads. There's also a create your own Photo Album, but you have to be a member of Screenblasts to do so. There's a lot of content, and still one more issue to go. And so, it truly deserving the willy-nilly Weekly Website Award.
The Chosen One
Current Content: I found this site while trying to research upcoming traditional animation. Far from being traditional, this film will be done in flash animation. So far the site has a synopsis, character bios, crew bios, and under the news section a teaser trailer. Note: In the teaser is says the movie would be released in 2002. That obviously didn't happen. They are now aiming for a 2004 release date, and I'll keep you informed on how that progresses.
Civil Brand
Current Content: Just a placeholder site till the regular site launches. So far just the trailer is available.
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Current Content: Another placeholder site launched this week. This time it has just the synopsis and a surprisingly funny trailer.
Dirty Pretty Things
Current Content: Nothing new since last week's review, so here it is. This site doesn't treat the movie like a movie. So while there's a synopsis and character bios, there's not mention of cast or crew or behind the scenes, etc. There is a trailer, but even that's is off-site. There's not much in the way of sound or animation, which is a shame.
Freaky Friday
Current Content: Fitting in with the theme of the movie, this site has two sides. The Tess side, with trailer, synopsis, crew (bios coming soon) and more. The Anna side has trailer, synopsis, cast (bios coming soon) photos, downloads and more. You can also press the Get Freaky button to have the two switch bodies. The site has good sound effects and some audio clips, but could use some background music. There's plenty of content still marked coming soon, so that could be added later on.
Garage Days
Current Content: This site as twice the content most sites do. From text like the synopsis, production note, cast, crew and character bios to more multimedia oriented sections. There are dozens of images spread throughout the site. Pre-production, behind the scenes, and even a massive crew shot. There are 360-degree virtual tours of some of the film sets. Videos include the trailer and several interviews with cast and crew. And while there are sound effects (guitar cords), there is no music, which is strange for a movie based around a garage band.
Gigli
Current Content: The trailer was added to the site.
Honey
Current Content: This is the first site I looked at for the Weekly column. And in all that time it's always just been the synopsis, cast and crew (no bios) and two images. Now they have all that, and a release date. Of course, since I checked the site out last, the release date has changed. So it's more of a theoretical release date, as opposed to something you should make plans around.
How to Deal
Current Content: It took me just a few seconds at this site to realize I'm not in its target audience, so writing a review for it is a little more difficult. There's a trailer, synopsis, cast and crew bios, quite a few clips from the movie, photo gallery, etc. There are also personality quizzes, relationship report cards, dating advice and other stuff that proves my feelings about the target audience and me. There are two whole songs that play in the background, but they are compressed enough to reduce the sound quality too much.
Johnny English
Current Content: No chances since the last time I reviewed the site. But the last time I reviewed the site it won the Weekly Website Award, so no changes were needed.
Madame Satã
Current Content: A simple design that would have benefited with some more formatting. For instance, the Press book section is just one long page filled with the synopsis, introduction, cast and crew bios, director's statement, etc. It would have been best if these were separated into their own pages, at the very least. In addition to the information found on that page, there is the trailer and an interview with writer director Karim Aïnouz.
Matchstick Men
Current Content: This would be a great site, if there were any sound. It has a lot of information, especially in the Production Notes section. Synopsis, cast and crew bios, screensaver, wallpapers, buddy icons, poster. There's even animated segues. So why there's no sounds is beyond me. However, there is a section for the soundtrack marked, coming soon. So there's hope sounds will be added later on.
The Medallion
Current Content: One of the features I like the most is background music. This site has background music, but the clip is less that four seconds long, so it becomes repetitive way too quickly. There's not much content overall, synopsis, trailer, character bios (cast bios are marked coming soon) images, wallpapers and e-cards. The best part is the game simply called, The Mission. Reminds me of a Double Dragon type game.
Spy Kids 3D - Game Over
Current Content: Another site that's been reviewed before where the flash site was just launched. So far just to first two levels are in place (Arena of Misfortune and Megarace.) As you explore these areas you unlock additional content for the main menu, (Synopsis, character bios, images, clips and build your own wallpaper.) So far this site is only half-way complete and it already looks great.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Current Content: So far just the trailer, the poster and nine images are on this site. But it's three months till the latest release date, and I expect at least one more delay from there.
This Thing of Ours
Current Content: The most unique feature of this site is the TV footage. Not TV spots, but footage of shows such as eXtra and Court TV talking about the movie. Most of which seems to talk about Danny Provenzano alleged mob connections. Besides this, the rest of the content is pretty sparse. Trailer, cast and crew (no bios), image gallery, etc. There's no sound effects and only two short music clips from the soundtrack.
Submitted by: C.
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Thursday, November 26, 2009
