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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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2004-03-01
Every week films get a second chance at success from the home market; or, in some cases, a first chance at success. Here is a list of wide releases, limited releases and a few from the growing TV on DVD section. A bit of a slow week, which means I was able to reduce my choices for DVD pick of the week to just one: School of Rock - (Buy from Amazon.) I'm not counting Father Ted - The Holy Trilogy, because it was one of my Picks of the Week when it was originally supposed to be released.
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2003-11-21
ss, I was going to do the whole column in rhyme, but I decided it might irritate some long-time readers. That and I can't find my rhyming dictionary anywhere.
The Cat in the Hat will easily finish first at the box office; thereby confirming quality doesn't mean everything at the box office. The reviews for this movie are absolutely horrible, currently sitting at just 11% positive. Compared that to The Grinch, which got 53% positive. No film currently in the top 10 comes close to that score; the last film to open with such a low score was Cold Creek Manor. Compounding problems is the strong competition from last week's winner Elf. The Cat in the hat will win this weekend, and will top Elf's opening as well with $34 million. But it's legs at the box office will be far shorter than Elf's.
Even with the increased competition, Elf should take second place with a very strong drop-off. Granted, it will be sharper than last weekend's 15%, but a third weekend drop-of a little more than 25% is excellent. That will give Elf a weekend total of just below $20 million and $100 million either late next week, or early next weekend.
Also holding up well, but for different reasons, will be Master and Commander: Far Side of the World. As with most movies with an older demographic, strong legs will be the saving grace of this film. A second week drop of just one third at the box office and a $17 million weekend will help recoup some of that $150 million budget.
Reviews for Gothika are only slightly better than the Cat in the Hat's, but its box office standing is significantly worse. Halle Berry hasn't had success carrying a movie, all her hits have either been ensemble pieces (X-Men) or supporting roles to already established characters (Die Another Day.) Her box office appeal will have a hard time overcoming the poor reviews leading to a $15 million opening weekend. Looks like she'll have to wait for Catwoman before she has a hit of her own.
There are three movies battling for the final place in the top five: Brother Bear, Love Actually and The Matrix Revolutions. All three should be within $1 million of each other.
Love Actually has the best shot at fifth place as it is adding another 500 theatres this weekend. This should offset most, if not all, or its drop in per theatre average. With almost no week to week drop-off, it will finish at $8.5 million and fifth place.
It seems every week Brother Bear has more competition for that coveted kids' demographic. And every week it holds up well, not great, but not poorly either. This week is no different with a slightly greater than one third drop to $8.0 million.
Unlike Love Actually, The Matrix Revolutions is shedding theatres, fast. It will suffer another greater than 50% loss to end at $7.5 million and seventh place. $150 million total box office is becoming less and less likely.
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2003-09-22
top three movies at the box office were new releases and four of the five new releases placed in the top five. The boost to the box office was very noticeable, 18.8% from last week and just shy of 30% from last year.
Underworld took top spot this week with just a shade ahead of the predicted value. With $21.8 million the $23 million Sony spent to make the movie seems like an absolute bargain. Poor reviews will probably hurt the movie's legs, but no matter how it performs from now on it will make a profit by the home market at the latest.
Also out performing expectations was Seconhand Lions, also by a very small margin. $12.1 million was just 10% more than expected, but reviews were weaker with only 57% positive. And its too early for any serious Oscar buzz to help so its final box office will probably disappoint the studio.
Essentially matching predictions was The Fighting Temptations. The movie finished in third place with $11.8 million, less than one quarter of a million dollars below predictions. Probably not enough to see any serious expansion in its theatre counts in the coming weeks, and with medicore reviews it won't be in the top five for long.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico dropped farther than expected finishing fourth with $11.0 million. This is still a good result and profitability is just around the corner.
Coming in fifth place was Cold Creek Manor with $8.2 million. This was just a little lower than predictions, and with bad reviews and a plot twist worthy more of Scooby Doo than a film aimed at adults, expect a large drop next weekend.
It seems that moviegoers were not interesting in seeing Woody Allen's words spoken by younger actors as Anything Else failed to make the top 10. Reviews didn't help and with only $1.7 million in its opening weekend, this is arguably the worst performance for one of Wood Allen's movies ever.
One film that did make the top ten was Lost in Translation. This movie's $2.6 million take was even more impressive since its theatre count is only 183. That's by far the smallest theatre count in the top ten and only one move (Mambo Italiano) had a smaller theatre count in the top 20. Lost in Translation continues to expand into more theatres next weekend and should more than double its theatre count.
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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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2003-09-17
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.
Alien: The Director's Cut
Current Content: Just the intro and the trailer but hopefully more will be added before its release.
Anything Else
Current Content: The movie is being released this week, but there's nothing new to report since the site was last reviewed. There's still plenty of multimedia, but with quite a lot of redundancy and overlap.
Brother Bear
Current Content: The placeholder had been up for a long time, but the flash site finally launched this week. As with the preview two characters from the movie, Rutt and Tuke act as guides of sorts to the site. They pop up every once and a while a talk about practically everything but the website. Also on the site joining more traditional features like synopsis and trailer are character bios, games and image gallery and several clips.
Bubba Ho-Tep
Current Content: Opening this week in limited release the site was a disappointment to me. It's not that it's a bad site, but with such an original premise to the movie I was hoping that the site would be more original. There is a lot of news, reviews and previews as well as the synopsis and trailer, but the site screams for audio clips and animated intros.
Cold Creek Manor
Current Content: Last week's winning website had one last update before being released this Friday. The House is a single image you can explore and clicking on certain parts brings up short clips from the movie. It's intriguing without giving away too much information.
Fighting Tempations
Current Content: The site is an excellent mix of regular and unusual features. Like almost all sites it has the synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios and production notes. Some less usual features include a music mixer, musical beginnings (information on music stars that got their start in gospel choirs) and Winamp player skins. But at central feature of the site is the music. Too many sites have no music at all, those that do usually only have a short clip that loops in the background, The Fighting Temptations has clips from the entire soundtrack on their site and six full songs. The music alone almost puts it ahead of the rest of the sites this week, and the overall site win the sentimental Weekly Website Award.
Godsend
Current Content: Still a placeholder site, but it’s a different placeholder site.
Good Boy
Current Content: The last two sections were added, almost. The Scoop will have all the cast and crew bios plus the production notes, but right now it just has the introduction. Playtime has a memory game with audio clips from the movie. Unfortunately, to hear all the clips you must play for all long time.
Honey
Current Content: Yet another release date on the site, this time December 5th, 2003. It's probably not the last release date we'll see.
Hypnotic
Current Content: It's been a while since this site first launched and since then there have been no updates. Where used, the background music is good. Unfortunately it is only used in one section.
Mambo Italiano
Current Content: No changes since the site was last reviewed. Still an effective but simple site in need of some more flash.
Run Away Jury
Current Content: Another flash site that launched this week, and with a movie like this mood is of the utmost importance. And the video clips do a good job setting the mood, but the music seems to counter it. Which is a shame as the background music is otherwise very well done. In addition to the video clips, there's the synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios, image gallery and sections of the four main characters. So far only two are currently up, Rankin Fitch which has details on the jurors (just #3, #4 and #9 so far) and Wendall Rohr (3 video clips.) The last two characters are marked coming soon, as is the section for clips.
The Run Down
Current Content: Dangers of the Amazon, a series of humorous warning signs, was added to the site.
Second Hand Lions
Current Content: There were no new format changes since the site was last reviewed, but there was a learning guide added for parents and teachers.
School of Rock
Current Content: I've got a bone to pick with this site. Why is Prince listed under Funk? Prince? Come on. But I won't hold that against the site. This site has a fun atmosphere with little touches like being able to doodle in the notebook where most of the content is presented. It has a short synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios, production notes, image gallery and news. There are also a few sections marked coming soon, the Music (hopefully they'll explain why they put Prince under Funk), video clips and games and download. Combined with the sound effects and segues, this should be an award winning site. But Prince isn't Funk so they're disqualified.
Underworld
Current Content: Another site that has previously won the weekly website award, there's been very little in the way of updates since then. Plenty more user sightings have been added as has more usual features like cast and crew bios.
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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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2003-08-13
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 Splendor
Current Content: This site takes full advantage of the movie's comic book origins. All the content is presented in comic book form complete with panels and pages you can turn. This includes a lot of the regular features but the coolest is getting to read stuff that Harvey Pekar wrote in his own handwriting. Page after page has been simply scanned in for you to read. Gives a little more insight that most sites allow. If only it had some sound. Even without sound this is the best site of the week and the winner of the pragmatic Weekly Website Award.
Cold Creek Manor
Current Content: The site hasn't launched yet, but at least there's a placeholder site instead of just a redirect. Just the trailer and the poster are available for now.
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Current Content: The flash site opened this week and while it has the usual features (synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios, production notes) it's the extras that I really liked including two games. One is a 'Where are they now?' Video Poker game and the other is an obstacle course Slip 'n' Slide. Having something interactive on a site is really big plus.
Freddy vs. Jason
Current Content: Two clips and the TV spot were added to the site since last time, as was an extensive Behind the Bloodbath section. This brings the total content on this site to impressive levels. The format is also well done with mood setting background music, animated segues and audio clips from the movie. Too bad it's so bright, the previous darker look fitted the film better.
Grind
Current Content: The movie opens this week, but nothing much has changed with this site since I reviewed it last.
Luther
Current Content: There's an impressive amount of animation. Unfortunately, outside the trailer there is no sound. And while all of the usual features are there, even more are marked coming soon including lots of historical information.
My Life Without Me
Current Content: This site has good content, good animated segues, the only thing it's missing is sound. No effects, no background music, in fact no sound outside the trailer. The Spanish language version of the site has an animated intro with sound, so you might want to check that out before returning to the English version.
Open Range
Current Content: Almost all of the content marked coming soon last time has been added. The majority of this new content is the director's commentary, which is more of a behind the scenes look since many more people speak than just Kevin Costner.
Passionada
Current Content: This is a relatively simple site animated segues or background music, in fact the only sound outside the trailer is a short clip of Fado, which is the style of music featured in the movie. However, there is enough content both usual and unusual to keep the surfer interested. I especially liked the seafood recipes. I also like how nearly every image is a link it makes the simple design more intriguing.
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Current Content: A clip from Hollywood Access was added to the site.
Second Hand Lions
Current Content: This is the third format for this website. It has mostly the same content as before, just with more animations and sound effects. Each version is more elaborate than the next and at this rate by the time the movie is released it will be more complex than The Matrix website.
Uptown Girls
Current Content: The background music is too short. I can't emphasize that enough. It gets repetitive before the intro is finished. There's also very little of the regular content, just the synopsis, trailer and a few images. The only other content is a few slideshows that introduce the characters.
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2003-08-07
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. Felt like a slow week, I don't know if that's cause it is a slow week, or that fact that I moved this week meant I didn't have time to really research website updates. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.
Beyond Borders
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Paramount's movie page.
Calendar Girls
Current Content: The movie is still months away but there is considerable content on the site already. Synopsis, trailer, poster and cast and crew (no bios.) There's are background music and a few audio clips, but they don't repeat so you only hear them once.
Cabin Fever
Current Content: New design, new URL. Right now there are only two clips and without any context they make no sense. There are two other clips coming soon so hopefully they will help explain things.
Cheaper By the Dozen
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Fox's movie page.
Cold Creek Manor
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Touchstone's movie page
Envy
Current Content: The VaPOOrizer site was removed last week and now we know why. Its theatrical release has been pushed back to 2004, or perhaps never. Word is it could go direct to video at this stage.
Freaky Friday
Current Content: Just in time for its release the last few features were added. These include the bios and party planner and lots of clips, (a few scenes, some behind the scenes and two music videos.) Overall, this site has a good format and good content to match. The only thing its missing is background music, but it has plenty of sound to make up for that. It's this week's winner of the inescapable Weekly Website Award.
Le Divorce
Current Content: While lacking any really unusual features, this site does present the usual features in a good fashion. Also, the background music fits well with the theme of the movie and avoids becoming repetitive.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Current Content: You can now submit questions for the cast interviews that will be part of the site when it launches later on.
Passionade
Current Content: The seafood recipes are finally up. A bit beyond my cooking expertise, but they look good.
The Princess Blade
Current Content: This site has quite a bit of features, but none that are really unique. However, the way they all come together helps. Sound effects, a bit of animation for the segues and good background music are all pluses.
S.W.A.T.
Current Content: I can't give a review of this site since some features do not work with my browser, and some actually cause it to crash.
School of Rock
Current Content: Just a placeholder site with no actual content.
Step into Liquid
Current Content: Because this is a documentary some of the regular features aren't here, like synopsis. But they do have the trailer and cast bios of sorts. (There's bios in the surfers shown in the movie.) Besides the trailer there is a clip of behind the scenes shoots. Definitely a plus is the background music, it's long enough and loops well enough to not become repetitive and is effective without being overwhelming.
Thirteen
Current Content: The old placeholder site is gone and now it redirects you to the trailer on Apple.com.
Timeline
Current Content: Right now there is just the trailer and several audio clips. But their presentation is very cool and hopefully as new content is added this site it will only get better.
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