|
|
 
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
|
|
|
2004-02-02
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. There is an excellent selection this week as a number of Oscar contenders were released to take advantage of last week's nominations. Both American Splendor - (Buy from Amazon) and Lost in Translation - ( Buy from Amazon) are on my must buy list. As are box sets for The Office and Red Dwarf). Don't forget Labyrinth (Collector's Edition Boxed Set) - (Buy from Amazon.) I guess I don't need to buy food this week.
|
|
|
2003-10-07
e for top spot was not as close as initially thought. However, even with two movies doing well we saw a decrease of 2% from last weekend. And without a record breaker like last year's Red Dragon there was a substantial 17.5% drop from last year.
Jack Black is best known for supporting work in films like High Fidelity, even in his first staring role he was a secondary draw to Gwyneth Paltrow. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that School of Rock won this weekend's box office race with $19.6 million. It comes as a much bigger surprise than it won over so many film critics; its 91% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes is the second best for a wide release this year. Given its reviews and target audience, it may have an outside shot at $100 million.
While Out of Time failed to meet expectations this weekend, $16.2 million for an October opening weekend is still in the top ten all time. Overall the reviews are just above the level needed to be overall positive, however, its cream of the crop score is much better at 79% positive. Its legs won't be as strong as School of Rock, but $70 million or more should be attainable.
There was a little bit of good news for The Rundown this weekend, it fell less than 50% at the box office to $9.7 million. But that's too little, too late for a movie with a reported production budget of $85 million.
While Under the Tuscan Sun fell just over 20% to $7.7 million at the box office this week, that was mainly due to an increase in theatre count. On a per theatre count it was more than a 40% drop.
Secondhand Lions just beat expectations with $5.2 million this weekend. And its total box office is now just ahead of its reported production budget of $30 million.
Lost in Translation climbed three places into 7th this week with $4.2 million. Unfortunately, most analysts agree that its per theatre take is dropping too fast for it to be a serious Oscar contender.
Submitted by:
|
2003-10-03
o movies open wide and to good reviews. And for the first time in nearly a month, there could be a battle for top spot.
I'm a fan of Jack Black, so much so that I own I Still Know What You Did Last Summer cause he's in it. But I never thought I'd see the day when he'd star in such a critically acclaimed movie. School of Rock is currently sitting at 90% positive over on Rotten Tomatoes and even more for the Cream of the Crop. That's one of the best wide scores for a wide release this year. Still, surprisingly high reviews didn't help The Rundown last weekend so look for $19 million this week with good legs in the coming weeks.
Denzel Washington has made a career with movies released at this time of the year. In 2001 it was Training Day, the year before that it was Remember the Titans, next year it's The Manchurian Candidate. His movies generally open well, if unspectacularly, and rely on strong legs to become hits. Expect Out of Time to be no exception. While the reviews are not as strong as some of his previous work, at 65% positive they are not going to be a liability either. $18 million opening weekend and similar legs to School of Rock.
Despite good reviews, The Rundown wasn't able to match predictions last week. And the mid-week numbers have not been kind to the action movie. Look for it to lose a little more than 50% in its second weekend dropping to $9 million.
Unlike the previous movie, Under the Tuscan Sun beat expectations and was rewarded this week by adding nearly 500 more theatres to its count. This increase will counter most of the drop in its per theatre average leaving it with just under $9 million for the weekend.
With the novelty of the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King trailer gone, Secondhand Lions will drop more this weekend than last weekend. It will still be left with $5 million and a fifth place finish.
Lost in Translation adds almost 400 theatres this week and will again finish in the top ten with $4 million.
Submitted by: C.
|
2003-09-29
increases at the box office, the box office stumbled this week. And while two of the three new movie beat expectations, the overall box office dropped by 11.8% from last week and 9.1% from last year.
No one was predicting The Rundown would break the record for biggest September weekend, but some predictions had it coming close. However, in the end its $18.6 million was barely half what Sweet Home Alabama made last year. Even with good reviews and few blockbusters as competition, The Rundown won't have the legs needed to save this movie from its $100+ million total budget.
Opening in the fewest theatres of the three wide releases didn't hurt Under the Tuscan Sun, which earned $9.8 million, almost $2 million more than predicted. Reviews were mixed with most of the praise going to Diane Lane rather than the film itself. Look for an expanded release next weekend with lots of legs at the box office.
Underworld dropped just a little more than predicted finishing with $9.4 million this weekend. Its box office is just one weekend away from topping its total production cost of $45 million.
Buoyed by the trailer for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Secondhand Lions made $8.3 million this weekend. How much of that was due to the trailer will be known by its performance next weekend.
Finishing out the top five was The Fighting Temptations with $6.4 million. That's a larger second week drop-off than expected and doesn't bode well for the film's legs.
The last new release for the week, Duplex, actually did a fraction better than expected. But $4.6 million will still be looked upon as a disappointment regardless of expectations. Even more bad news, reviews weakened over the weekend from 41% positive to 33%.
Lost in Translation did stay in the top ten for the second week in a row. However, its per theatre average was not the best in the top ten, as expected. That honor went to Under the Tuscan Sun.
Submitted by: C.
|
|
2003-09-26
er three new movies are released. Two of the three movies are getting positive reviews, but it might be bit of a shock which movie is getting the best reviews.
Neither The Rock nor Seann William Scott has a reputation for staring in critically acclaimed movies. In fact, between them only the first American Pie has earned better than the 60% needed for an overall fresh rating needed at Rotten Tomatoes. So it comes as bit of a shock that The Rundown is getting the good reviews that it is. 74% is well above the other two releases for the weekend, and the best for either star. And its box office will be even farther ahead of the nearest rival with $25 million this weekend.
Underworld will drop just over 50% to $10 million, something that would have been seen as a disaster earlier in the year but is now seen as par for the course. There is already talk of a second, and possibly third film being made.
In third place will be the trailer for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Anticipation for the last of the trilogy is so high that the trailer will pull in $9 million this weekend. Also showing is Secondhand Lions.
Despite opening in only 1,226 theatres, Under the Tuscan Sun will land $8 million for fourth place. Reviews are mixed, but on the positive side and a good performance this week should lead to an increased theatre count in the coming weeks.
The gospel comedy The Fighting Temptations will land in fifth place with will with just over $7 million. Probably not what Paramount was hoping for, and closes out a poor year in which the studio had only two hits in nine tries.
The latest dark comedy from director Danny Devito, Duplex, also opens this weekend. Danny Devito's directorial debut was Throw Mamma from the Train and he followed that up with War of the Roses. Both were dark comedies and both were hits. However, his last movie was the dark comedy Death to Smoochy, which failed to connect with an audience despite the almost Oscar worthy performance by Jon Stewart. Unfortunately, it looks like Duplex will resemble Death to Smoochy more than the other two. It is opening in nearly identical theatre counts (2,189 to 2,164) and nearly identical reviews (41% to 40%) and should get nearly identical opening weekends ($4.5 million to $4.3 million.)
Also of note, Lost in Translation is expected to stay in the top ten, perhaps even climb a spot.
Submitted by: C.
|
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.
Submitted by:
|
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.
Submitted by:
|
|
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.
Submitted by:
|
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.
Submitted by:
|
2003-07-24
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: Cast and crew bios and production notes are up, TV Spots and clips are still marked coming soon, however.
Buffalo Soldiers
Current Content: One word: Miramax. This is a Miramax site. Small image of the poster. Trailer. Showtimes. Cast and crew, (no bios.) Synopsis. Just like every other Miramax site.
Civil Brand
Current Content: The placeholder site was removed and replaced with the standard Lions Gate Films under construction warning. Eventually it redirects you to the Lions Gates Films index page. This might be due the 'Caged Heat' vibe the images used on original site was giving off. Or was I the only one that felt that way?
Fighting Tempations
Current Content: Just a placeholder site with a synopsis, trailer and nine images.
Gigli
Current Content: A flipbook was added with about half a dozen images. I also heard Jennifer Lopez's 'booty' was trimmed down for the poster. But I can neither confirm nor deny that.
Hotel
Current Content: Another movie being released this week whose site that hasn't been updated since the last review. Which is a shame, as this site's only purpose seems to be to try to shock. It uses foul language, nudity and violence in a most unappealing way. Maybe if they talked more about the plot and characters it would be more engaging. Then again, if what some people are saying is true Hotel doesn't have a plot.
Intolerable Cruelty
Current Content: None, the URL just redirects you to Universal Pictures movie index.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life
Current Content: Major new look right before its release. It's mostly the same content with a better format. Animated segues, sound effects, background music. In fact, there are clips of nine songs. Impressive. In addition to the usual suspects there is also information about some of the mythology in the movie, lots of images and video clips. Also, there was something called iPIX but that wouldn't work with my browser.
Masked and Anonymous
Current Content: It appears that nothing has changed since this site was last reviewed in the beginning of the month. So the review again before it opens this week: This movie has a huge cast of very famous people, and the site wisely focuses a lot of attention on them. There’s page after page of information: Cast and crew bios, production notes, two essays, etc. The amount of multimedia is limited to the trailer and a couple of songs. But the text is so well written that no more is needed.
Mondays in the Sun
Current Content: As far as I can tell, nothing has changed on this site since it opened three months ago. More time is still spent on the director and producer than the rest of the movie.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Current Content: Sony's typical placeholder site. Synopsis, cast and crew (no bios), trailer and a few images. Expect a flash site within a few weeks.
The Run Down
Current Content: Another placeholder site. This time with a synopsis, cast and crew (no bios) and 9 images in the image gallery.
Seabiscuit
Current Content: The rest of the content has filtered in, but the overall continuity failed come together. Too bad, because it is an otherwise great site.
Second Hand Lions
Current Content: This movie site received a bit of a rework this week. It has the same content as before, just a different format. Now each section is linked by a picture with some animation and sound.
Spider-Man 2
Current Content: Would it be too early to call this the biggest movie of 2004? So far it's just a placeholder site with a synopsis and wallpaper.
Spy Kids 3D - Game Over
Current Content: The last two levels were added, theoretically. You see, you have to beat each level to progress to the next. And since I'm old and my reflexes are no longer as sharp as they once were, I'm unable to beat Platforms, the third level game. (Several hours pass) Woohoo! I finally beat Platforms. Never say I'm not willing to waste my time to bring you the information you desire. Moving on ... Level 4 (Lava Mountain) was much easier and allowed me to take on play the Unwinnable Level. If you can win here all hidden secrets can become unlocked, (with a little searching.) Even before the bonuses are unlocked this site is excellent, with them it easily wins the surreal Weekly Website Award.
Submitted by: C.
|
|
|
