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SATURDAY PM / SUNDAY AM: Hollywood planned a 2nd straight weekend friendly for family filmgoers who have pent-up demand, and it was a wild success with the two top family films placing #1 and #2. With 20% of K-through-12 kids out of school Friday, Pixar/Disney's 10th pic and first 3-D movie, Up, was able to get a jump on the domestic box office with busy matinees from 1,534 3-D theaters -- a record -- and a total of 3,766 theatres total. So the unusual toon starring the voice of Ed Asner and receiving rave revenues opened to around $21.4 million Friday and $26.5M Saturday for a $68.2M weekend with Sunday estimates of $20.3M. Hollywood estimates for its Fri-Sat-Sun grosses started at $55M, went up to $60M based on matinees, but didn't expect it to top 2008 Wall-E's $63M. Instead, Up finished as Pixar's 3rd highest grossing film, close to the $70M opening weekends of the brand's top 2 computer animation movies, 2004 The Incredibles and 2003 Finding Nemo. (Not adjusted for inflation or ticket prices or the 3-D premium prices.) Up also bested DreamWorks' first 3-D film Monsters v Aliens which opened at $59.3M over 2009 Spring Break. Disney has been marketing Up as a four-quadrant movie that hits all bases -- from comedy to adventure. It was the first film of 2009 to snag an A+ CinemaScore, and Disney considered it Pixar’s most emotional film thus far. It worked, although some parents are emailing me it's too dark for young children. Exit polls showed 31% of the audience were kids aged 2 to 11, and the other 69% spread equally to all demos.
The other newcomer should come in 3rd: Universal's subtly titled PG-13 horror pic Drag Me To Hell from Sam Raimi's devilish direction debuted at $6.4M Friday and $5.7M Saturday for a $16.6M weekend from 2,508 venues. Despite its counter programming, the pic's box office potential fell short of The Strangers which Uni opened to $20M last year on this date.
But 2nd place went to 20th Century Fox's Night Of The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian which held well because of Friday's big matinees and its still huge release into 4,101 theaters. It finished down only 53% from its #1 opening last weekend. The sequel starring Ben Stiller made $7.4M Friday and $10.5M Saturday plus a $7.5M Sunday estimate for a $25.5M weekend and a $105.2M cume.
Warner Bros' disappointing Terminator 4: Salvation keeps sinking: it was #4 with $5.1M (-64%) and $6.5M Saturday from 3,602 dates for a $15.2M weekend (-64%) when analysts were expecting $20M.
Followed by Paramount's Star Trek in No. 5 with $3.6M Friday and $5.3M Saturday from 3,507 plays for another $12.8M weekend. The JJ Abrams' franchise reboot Friday night became the first movie of 2009 to pass $200M domestic. Its cume is now $209.5M.
Imagine/Sony's Angels & Demons placed 6th with $3.4M Friday and $5M Saturday from 3,464 runs for another $11.2M weekend and a new domestic cume of $104.7M.
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“Up” will do better than $55 mil; not only are the reviews universally positive, but WOM is across-the-board fantastic, and the protagonist’s age will appeal to demos that would normally stay away from animated films. Legs for days, this one.
Just got back from seeing UP with my wife and 3.5 year-old and I am really disappointed in Pixar. Not that UP was a bad movie, it isn’t, but it is hardly on par for family viewing as other Pixar flicks. This has got to be the first time I’ve seen blood in a Pixar film, and my daughter was scared beyond belief of the dog chase scenes and the “antagonist” (won’t give any spoilers). Sad to say this won’t be making it into our home collection until my daughter gets to second or third grade. If you have a little one (under 7) that loves Woody, Buzz, Lighting McQueen, Nemo, et al, you might want to wait this one out.
Hmmm… $55 mil for “Up” doesn’t sound like what Pixar and Disney would want hear for opening weekend, especially for a film costing close to $200 mil. I guess “Transformers” is still 3 weeks away…
Watched Drag Me To Hell with my girlfriend and we both agreed it was one of the scariest movies we’ve seen in a long time. Great great date movie!
Really appreciate the fast info. Thanks!
Saw Up in 3D this afternoon. Fantastic movie but not really for little kids. The little ones behind me spend a good portion of the movie asking what was going on. And with about 15 minutes left in the movie one announced that he was ready to go. It’s definitely not your typical animated fare. It’s emotional and heartwarming and has more character development in the first 10 minutes than most movies have in two hours.
Peace.
I liked Drag Me to Hell ALOT! Very simple but “affective” flick.
funny yet scary in just the right doses. Haven’t seen this type of horror flick IN A WHILE.
I would not be surprised if DRAG ME TO HELL easily trumps that early estimate. Terrific movie and both showings tonight were jammed at my theater — the 7 show with teenagers (which was getting out when we got there), and the 10 show mostly with adults. Could also overhear people saying how much they enjoyed it on the way out.
Great to see a real throwback movie made “they used to”. I knew it was going to rock when Raimi opened up with the 1970s Universal logo as well! My only gripe — the climax was so predictable it kind of left a bad taste…but otherwise, good stuff!
I am sbsolutely excited to see DMTH. I hope WOM helps it make some money.
cant wait to see DMTH.
UP was excellent! Saw it at a packed theater filled with people of all ages, and everyone was riveted the whole time. Kids were well into it laughing their hearts out and crying in scenes such as Kevin being dragged off by the dogs and such. My 3, 5, and 8 year olds thoroughly loved it and can’t stop talking about it on the way home. Many adults were openly sobbing at the heartbreaking opening and the uplifting ending. It was excellent indeed. Kudos to Pixar
Up will do 20mil easily today.Tomorrow will be it’s biggest day, and will gross 60mil+ for the 3-day weekend. It’s opening earlier than recent Pixar films,Wall-E and Ratatouille, both of which opened late in late June. Since most schools nationwide are still in session today (fri), tomorrow’s gross will jump quite a bit, and Sunday will be pretty strong too.
As for the movie, my 2 and 4 year old daughters are already bugging me and the wife for a 2nd viewing.
I haven’t seen the film as yet, probably see it next week, but it seems like many parents are disappointed. DON’T TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SEE IT IS WHAT MANY ARE SAYING. It seems the parents are thinking this is a feel good movie for kids and are finding “UP” is a dark film filled with child cruelty, depression, greed, death and just too confusing for young children. Seems while the critics were patting themselves on the back when backing the film they forget it is an adult cartoon not a children Pixar movie that parents have come to know. Anyway, it will be interested to see if the current not so friendly WOM from parents override the hype from the critics who also went overboard on the overhyped environmental WallE.
I was dragged kicking and grumbling to Star Trek reboot. Sigh. I went to see Wolverine with some enthusiasm and was pleasantly vindicated. Went to see Terminator 4 and I don’t know what the fuss is about. Its a decent movie. It fills in gaps. It squares the circle. I’m glad this was made.
For those trek fans that went ga-ga over the reboot version, giving it great reviews, and then there are the fans of terminator that gave the movie a 3 tomato review, I’ve got to ask: WTF?
Terminator was a much better movie then Star Trek reboot version for dummies.
Yes, this is just in my opinion but at $9.75 a pop, I want some meat with the potatoes and Terminator gave it to us.
Admittedly, they used up a LOT of used junk cars to blow up to make their point, but that was the action scenes. Christian Bale was good. Everyone else was good (I’ll leave out Michael Ironsides because I like him, hate to ding him, but he’s getting to be a one note wonder).
Now I hear that they’re getting ready to do a remake of West World.
Oy vey.
I am now boycotting anything Stephen Speilberg. Please sir, move aside and let someone like Sam Rami, tell an original tale that hopefully has Bruce Campbell somewhere in it, maybe as a bartender or a delivery man (cameo appearances).
Stop making movies Speilberg! Go ride your horse at your ranch and be happy.
I’d like to see his 2008 tax returns and how much that guy gave to charity, how much he claimed to make vs. reality, and what his tax bill came to.
I somehow think that there are people in Hollywood that are not paying their fair share of taxes.
Death, depression, cruelty, and the like has always been a staple of animated films. Bambi, Mufasa falling to his death in the Lion King and little Simba desperately trying to wake his lifeless body, Finding Nemo wherein the barracuda kills/eats the mom and all but one of the fish eggs, and so on. (Granted, most of the tragic elements happen offscreen, but it is still there and resonated strongly with viewers). The current overwhelming positive word of mouth for UP will not be overcome by negatives from the minority.
The parents and their children in the sold out show we caught earlier were all cheerful, giddy, and smiling from ear to ear as they filtered out of the auditorium
While there were mature themes in the film, it was still far more kid-friendly than Wall-E imho. My kids reacted to it much more favorably and were by far more into UP than Wall-E (Though they liked Wall-E too). For the most part, the film will entertain the young and the old. Though it is animated, it’s a more human story than recent animated films for it reflects real life themes, which we have seen to varying degrees in previous films (Lion King, Nemo, etc…). The film is both hilarious, endearing, and melancholy, but ends on a most happy and uplifting note, that the majority of viewers should leave theaters with a smile and spring to their step.
Drag Me To Hell was pretty cool. Definitely a BOO rollercoaster ride in the vein of his earlier Evil Dead films. Its the type of movie where you have to see it with a sizable audience to feel its impact. Happy about Trek. Finally a reboot that deserves all of its success.
Saw Up with 2.5 year old daughter – some things were over her head, some scenes scared her but she loved the movie over all. Parents project way too much on their children and our generation is raising a crop of children way too sheltered. Our parents let us watch much worse and we made it through. Our cartoons were violent, sadistic and happy go lucky all at the same time. Up is a great film for both adults and young children. If your little one is scared during the film take time and talk to them. See it in a theater to increase the separation from reality.
James
Watched ‘Drag Me To Hell’ last night and it’s fantastic! The movie’s good, scary, and gross-out, campy fun. Sam Raimi’s directorial talents are in great display here. The audience was loving it–lots of people jumping, shrieking, swearing out loud and a lot of laughter. I think this one’s going to do well.
Poor Stephen Speilberg… I agree, what a hack!
At least Steven Spielberg can keep making movies:)
I’m a parent and my 3, 5, and 9 yr olds loved the film UP. Death, Loss, and peril has always been a part of animation. I recall that when the Lion King opened, some parents complained and argued that it was way to intense, perilous, and dark. I can see their point being the movie had murder, a wildebeast stampede that is pretty intense, and the very tragic death of the father and Simba tending to the dead body afterwards. However, I personally have no problem with it. I’d much rather them watch a movie like that and UP rather than the typical animation wherein all the characters just club each other over the head repeatedly, fart and vomit all over the place, and the like.
jdls08,
You haven’t seen the film UP yet, but you feel qualified to say that UP is “filled” with “child cruelty, depression, greed, death and just too confusing for young children”. I saw UP, and I agree the dogs are too intense for the youngest of children, but to say that the film is filled with child cruelty, depression, greed, death and is too confusing is so far off base that I have you question your motives for the posting. The movie is wonderful as was Ratatouille and the “overhyped” Wall-E. It is human nature for us to take jabs at Pixar because they are better filmmakers than all of us, but at least see a film before you start slandering it.
PAul
HaHa, Angels & Demons continues to make more than Trek worldwide! Since they mocked and ridiculed the Ron Howard Da Vinci sequel as a bomb, this must sting more than a little for the girlfriend-less Trekkie nerds who continue to glorify the financial success of the overrated, lens flare-riddled reboot as if it were the second coming of Titanic. Whenever you state the obvious about why the new Trek wasn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread, the fans who’ve deluded themselves into thinking it’s brilliant take offense on a level usually reserved for an attack against their faith or family. It’s actually kind of disturbing.
Also, I saw Drag Me to Hell and I thought it was a lot of fun. There’s lots of grossout moments that make you laugh while recoiling in terror. Definitely a great movie for crowded theatres. Sam Raimi’s still got it; I forgive him for Spider-man 3.
P.S. Hasta la vista, McG!
Not really sure why people think Up! is too intense for children… The kids in my showing absolutely loved it. Definitely no more ‘intense’ than half the crap that fills up the TV shows aimed at children these days. Then again, I remember people saying the rats in Ratatouille scared children, so perhaps another breed…
“HaHa, Angels & Demons continues to make more than Trek worldwide!”
JT.
Angels and Demon’s WW take SO FAR
$199,020,465
Star Trek’s WW take SO FAR
$292,365,069
Oh..Wait..You meant the fact that A/D is only up by 10 million over seas over Star Trek, didn’t you? Hmm….well..Let me know when A/D bridges the domestic gap with Star Trek of 100 million. And, it only opened ONE.WEEK.LATER.
Star Trek is a hit. Bigger than A/D. Critically acclaimed instead of critically panned.
I could go on, but I think I made my point.
For Paul.
You need to learn to comprehend what you read. I only commented on what I have read from critics and those parents that have seen the film so if you feel you need to come on here and be an idiot of sorts based on your digressive comments….go for it. On the other hand if you have seen the film and didn’t see these attributes…well..maybe you are the one who is truly confused.
Looking forward to seeing both “Up” and “Drag Me to Hell.” Quality films have returned to the multiplex!
Nikki, are you going to be writing a special post regarding the summer movie season and what’s tracking well and what’s not?
I agree with everyone about “Drag Me To Hell.” It was a fun movie– not overly scary, but what is nowadays? I loved every minute of it and would recommend it to everyone. I also liked how it was PG-13 and avoided the torture porn of the average modern horror film.
@Steve & J.T.:
What separates ST from AD (besides what will be a final difference of $150-200 mil in WW gross) is that ST will actually be profitable on domestic gross alone; AD probably won’t break even at the American BO.
AD is a successful film, but its domestic gross is disappointing.
UP was terrific! The matinee I took my 3 daughters (ages 2-7) to was packed by a family audience, and everyone was clearly into it, laughing, sobbing at the sad moments, scared and cheering for the heroes, and the like. It was a movie that kids can definitely enjoy for the laughs and hi-jinks, bu it also had a great moral story that one could discuss with their children. Yes, it had it’s intense and and dark moments, but, what isn’t nowadays whether it be film, tv, comics, and other forms of entertainment. The film ended in a joyous note and it drew a crescendo of applause from everyone, and you could see how happy and upbeat everyone is as we exited into the lobby
I brought my 2.5 year old to UP today and was taken back by the movie. It was not what I was expecting at all, especially after bring my son to his first ever movie Monsters vs. aliens which captivated him the entire time. Up had several moments that made him jump out of his seat and move uncomfortably. Much of it was probably way over his head. I was really enjoying it, however, but had to leave about an hour and twenty minutes into it because he was not really engaged. I cannot wait to see the rest on DVD though!
Is this a ripoff of “The Twenty One Balloons”? I read that in elementary school. I adored it.
I have to agree with the others here; unless you have smart kids, I don’t think they would enjoy Up.
For those warning parents not to take young kids to see Up, keep in mind it’s rated PG. Take this opportunity to talk to your kids about the important subjects. You’ll be surprised at how much the little ones are capable of grasping. This movie is great!
I still laugh everytime I read about how “great” the latest Star Trek movie was…God…it’s like the cast came from Beverly Hills 90210….wonder how hard it was to tax the script writer to come up with the scence where Kirk is rockets from the Enterprise – and crashes within a few hundred yards of the original Spock…man! what writing!….I had a LOL at that moment at the moment!…
We just came from Up! 3D with a 3 1/2 year old. It was charming. However, I think it’s more for the 8yr+ crowd. It wasn’t as dark to me as some are making it out, but just really more of an adult movie with the emotional themes and drama vs action.
Boy, am I tired of hearing how Up is not for little kids. Do any of these idiot parents see the rating? It’s PG – not G. Best popular film of the year by far – if you love movies Pixar seems to be the only studio that faces summer with an original idea.
Of course, up next, Toy Story 3!
Just back from an enjoyable double feature.
DRAG was fun, not great, but good enough. A must for horror and Raimi fans, of course.
And maybe because my expectations were lowered, but I enjoyed THE BROTHERS BLOOM. Yes, a little too Wessy but stylish and Ms. Rachel W has never looked better. Gorgeous!
Saw UP today and really liked it. The first 5 minutes of this movie does a better job in creatively telling a story you can connect with than any movie I’ve seen in a long time (and they did it without using any words!). While some of the themes were a bit over our 6 and 4 year old’s heads, they thoroughly enjoyed it as well.
jdls08:
Sorry we’re not seeing what you want us to see. Try watching it yourself, first. Death, Greed, and everything else you mentioned are parts of life, and kids have to live through that. Relax.
My two kids loved UP. I’ll have to get a copy, seeing as how my local Movie Theater was using a projector from Edison’s workshop.
Talk about scary! No, not a movie. We have nukes and kooks in both North Korea and Iran, and a teleprompter for the leader of the free world. Somebody should make a movie about THAT scary situation and let me know how it turns out. In the meantime, I’m going to go hide in a theatre for a few hours. This may be our last summer of movies. Tick tock, tick tock.
Saw Up with the kids earlier, and they were completely immersed with it. It definitely caught their attention and kept it all through out. Even my 2 yr old didn’t get queasy at the rather perilous moments. My 5 and 6 yr olds were equally into it as well. Wall-E couldn’t hold their attention for the entire movie, but UP sure did.
I saw UP today with the family, and with my two children, ages 12 and 10. UP definitely had its mature moments, but as some have already mentioned, no more disturbing or frightening than Bambi, Cinderella, Snow White, etc., of old, or cartoons like the more “recent” Nemo, etc. As is usual in cartoons, there was stuff for the young kids, older kids, and adults. It was a wonderfully crafted film, and I (along with the family) absolutely adored it. The other Pixar films are so cute and entertaining, but this one was so meaningful.
It is a bit on the mature side, but I think there is enough for smaller kids, too.
The primarily family audience in the sold-out show of UP I caught this evening applauded at film’s end. They were silent and sad at the melancholy parts, but everyone was laughing like crazy at the action, the dogs, kevin, and the classic comedic exchanges between Carl and Russell. My 3yr old niece was somewhat scared at the mean dogs, but she loved it and couldn’t contain her laughter for the most part. She was more terrified whenever we watch the Finding Nemo DVD of the opening scene when the barracuda attacked Marlin, his wife, and the fish eggs.
Sheesh. You cannot shelter your kids from the realities of life forever people. I guess for some parents, they want nothing but animation with animals vomiting all over the place and running their heads through a wall over and over. But when an animated film comes that tries to convey the realities of life as well as a worthy message, they are up in arms.
I took my kids and their cousins, ages range from 2.5-9yrs old, and they all had a blast. Some were even touched to tears over the melancholy parts. However, they were laughing like crazy at the comedic action and gags. They were bouncing off the wall and giddy as we left the theater asking to see it again.
“Up” is doing pretty weak business compared to its predecessor Pixar movies. It’s pretty remarkable that it hasn’t matched the Friday gross for Wall-E even though 40% of Up’s screens are 3D with its premium pricing. Writing from Manhattan, EVERY single screen in the borough is 3D and the asking price is $16.50 versus a regular $12.50. With that kind of price inflation, Up still can’t build on past grosses? No doubt Disney will put a positive spin on it but if the pattern holds through the weekend, it’s gonna be pretty disappointing.
Up was amazing. The entire family saw it earlier along with the grandparents, and we all had a tremendous time. It was touching that it drove many of us and the others in the theater to tears, but when the laughs and adventure came, boy, it was nonstop. The audience greeted it with a strong round of applause afterwards.
As for the darkness that some complain about? It was no more darker/intense than what was in Nemo, Lion King, Bambi, Wall-E, and other animation of present time and yesteryear. The film had a great message that we don’t usually get from animated films from other studios.
UP was an endearing film that my family enjoyed, including my 2 and 4 yr old son and daughter. I don’t think it’s as dark as some are saying, I mean, it really is no different from most animation. The thing is, UP dealt with rather heavy themes, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. Some parents just don’t give their kids the benefit of the doubt so they try and shelter them as long as they can from the realities of life.
Overall, the film has it all for both the young and the old. It has action, comedy, heart, and a poignant message that everyone should take to heart. Hats of to Pixar for daring to do things that others nowadays won’t even think of.
My 10 and 8 year old granddaughters and I, 74, went to see UP Saturday afternoon. I am not a movie goer nor do I generally like animated movies, but I love talking dogs even if they are not real live animals. The movie was great, the girls loved it, the 10 year old cried all the way home because she was strongly affected by the emotional content of the story. Whoever wrote the story is really talented. The points about the reality of life, unfulfilled dreams, not giving up on dreams and such are very cleverly woven into the movie. My 8 year old granddaughter, as we were exiting the theater, said that on a scale of 1-10 she would give the movie a 9. We agreed.
“I have to agree with the others here; unless you have smart kids, I don’t think they would enjoy Up.”
So I guess dumb kids won’t get it and enjoy the movie LOL! All kidding aside, my 2 and 3.5 yr old completely loved the film, and so did I and my wife. It was no more darker and intense than most of the things you see in theaters, as well as in TV whether it’s the Cartoon Network and what not. The movie had a ton of laughs, a ton of heart, and a great message that given the benefit of the doubt, kids today CAN grasp.
On the contrary, Up is doing fine at the B.O. You can’t make a direct comparison to Wall-E because that film was released in Late June wherein all schools k-12 were out, so the opening Friday was huge. UP opened a month earlier, wherein 80% of schools nationwide were still in session. UP’s opening day is 2nd only to Wall-E, and actually beat Nemo and The Incredibles opening day. Granted, prices have increased, but you can’t do anything about inflation, 3D upcharge, and keep in mind the increased box office traffic and competition during the summer. Up will surpass Wall-E’s opening weekend (63mil) and domestic gross (223mil), it is far more kid friendly than Wall-E (which was a superb film if I might add). I won’t be surprised if it even surpasses The Incredible’s opening weekend record for Pixar. What really matters is longevity. As we’ve seen so far this summer, films that had atrocious word of mouth have plummeted in ensuing weeks, and those with glowing word of mouth have prospered (ie..Star Trek). Up will stay strong in the coming weeks and finish in the top 5 grossing films of the summer.
Jesus Christ don’t be such sheep…Have your kid fly a kite or read(look) at a book…All you stupid parents rushing out for the latest Pixar release…My god Wall-e ??? what a joke…If you folks at Pixar want to promote your people hating agenda(walmart is evil/all americans are fat and lazy/only a frigging plant can save us)…make documentaries,but please spare us from your psuedo-intellectualism new age bullshit wrapped in cute characters…I grew up in the 70’s and my parents didn’t care how popular/trendy something was the answer was no !! and don’t ask again…You parents are afraid to say no to your little bastards and this is why there are more and more idiots in the world…Discipline your kids ,instead of trying to win their love, they will thank you for it someday…
UP is doing solid at the box office. The predicted range was 60-70mil going into the weekend, and it will land within that range, and if it continues to follow Finding Nemo’s trajectory (which it what it seems to be doing), will hit 70+ mil. Nevertheless, it will remain a player in the coming weeks thanks to great word of mouth pretty much across the board, and easily finish way north of 200mil. Legs is what’s important, especially during the summer wherein a new blockbuster comes every week. Up will display longevity much like Star Trek has.
Movie attendance has actually been in a downward trend ever since the record year in 2002. The downturn has been alleviated for the most part by higher ticket prices. Even though Wall-E holds the record for highest opening day gross for Pixar, if you break it down to actual tickets sold, more people watched Finding Nemo in it’s opening day. High ticket prices skews everything.
TO ANYBODY UPSET BECAUSE UP WAS A BIT DARK: Animation is a MEDIUM, not a genre or an age target. Animation is not solely meant for young children, and should not be assumed as such. It was rated PG, and if people are bringing young children to the theater without examining a PG rating first, that is their problem.
Pixar is NOT a children’s movie group. It is a group that makes great animated movies for everybody. That is all. While Disney likes to advertise every film they help with as light-hearted fun, advertising is a separate area from creating, and Pixar has nothing to do with how the film is portrayed in ads.
So, I’m sorry, but if you are upset at Pixar for making a movie that isn’t sanitized for toddlers, then you need to learn what animation is really about. It is an ARTFORM.
-Netbug
Animation Major
Up was great. Pixar always has something for adults, which I appreciate.
Drag me to Hell was ok, should have been harder with less comedy. These pg-13 movies are the reason dvd sales have dropped. Not a lot of re-watch value.
I can understand why t4 isn’t doing so well. It was like looking at a ‘decepticon only’ movie. Everything that made the terminator franchise special was ruined by the second season of sara connor (first season was top notch) & T4. Put a fork in it.
My first opinion coming out of the theater was Up is not a movie for kids. Pixar is the best at doing a movie for kids and adults-some appeal more to one audience group or the other-this one is more for adults.
As I read the posts I tend to agree there had always been violence in cartoons and mature themes. Parents today like me however, have raised our kids on the sugary Nik and Disney networks with cute programs.
In the end, I think it just an ok movie from Pixar. Not their best but fun to watch. And for the poster who flamed the parent for stating their opinon of Up and said they were wrong-it’s their opinion-now everyone has to drool over Up.
We saw UP! in 3D this weekend with our 6 year old son. There were scenes where he would say “cover my ears while I cover my eyes!”. (The 3 year old next to us wanted to go home barely into the movie.) Definitely some anxious scenes for a young one. However, he still liked the movie. We all loved the ending! He did not like watching in 3D because the glasses bothered his eyes. The regular show would have been fine. To this day he won’t watch Nemo. WALL-E is by far his favorite. We really liked UP! – Great story for the older audience, too. Night at the Museum 2, we saw last weekend and enjoyed it. So nice to go to the movies as a family. By the way, PIXAR certainly does have a say in how the film is advertised.
Excuses, excuses. Up’s 3D price inflation isn’t the normal price inflation that happens to all goods and services. On the contrary, it’s a huge jump in an short period of time. In Manhattan, the $4 premium represents a 32% increase over the regular price. 32% price inflation is less than a year and Up STILL can’t beat the grosses of Wall-E, which was released less than a year ago? If you estimate that 30-40% of the tickets sold for Up were of the 3D kind and then calculate what the grosses would have been had those tickets been for regular screenings, Up’s grosses would probably have been in the mid-50 million range. That’s disappointing.
You can try to rationalize away the diminishing returns of Pixar movies because you’re a fan of them but the numbers don’t lie. It’s a fact; Pixar movies have steadily been getting less and less popular. Up does nothing to buck that trend.
Saw UP w/my 5 yr old daughter.
The first 15-minutes were some of the best storytelling i’ve seen in a movie in a while.
Theatre was packed SAT EVENING at 5:30.
Only regret did not see in 3D.
Well done and OSCAR worthy.
I want to know why all the theaters here in Lincoln, Nebraska aren’t carrying “The Brothers Bloom.” I was curious if it actually got it’s wide release or not. It was supposed to be May 29th, and Rotten Tomatoes had it as an ‘opening’ film all week, until Friday… I thought it looked like a fun light film to enjoy.
Anyone have any idea about it?
I saw UP last night in Pasadena at a 9:30 show with a friend. We’re both adults and loved it! I can’t imagine any age group not enjoying this film. Absolutely a wonderful voice performance by Ed Asner.
We saw the standard 2-D version and didn’t miss the 3-D version at all. Some say that the glasses change the color palate somewhat.
We go to one movie a year…and Pixar wins hands down because I never have to concern myself with it’s movies content. “Up” was fantastic, a movie that is better at story telling in its first 5 minutes than most movies can do in two hours. A work of art, my children were mesmerized—even dad had a sniffle or two…4 stars.
To mr. Steve above. He should recheck the figures, A/D surpassed ST in worlwide gross as of last week:
Angels & Demons: 286M
Star Trek: 278M
(those are figures from the weekend of May 25th, mind)
Not that I think that Star Trek isn’t the better film, but gotta admit that A/D is performing better overall. However, I can’t find the information on how many territories both films have remaining, so that might change.
jdls08,
I can comprehend what I read, and that is why your comments still make you a hypocrite. Obviously you can’t: “if you have seen the film and didn’t see these attributes…well..maybe you are the one who is truly confused.” Thanks, as I wrote before (and you clearly didn’t comprehend) I HAVE seen the film. It is great, and I am not and “Idiot” or “confused”. I love that being called out for your hypocrisy has prompted you to go straight to ad hominem to defend yourself. It is typical of a person who would attack a film he hasn’t seen.
Paul
AS far as UP being a “Not for kids” movie, I think it depends on the kid. Our soon to be 4 year old was really into the movie. A few scary parts, but they all resolved themselves. I would say that if your kid was able to handle the intense scenes in “Kung Fu Panda,” “Incredibles,” or the hyenas and stampede scene in “Lion King,” (where the father is trampled TO DEATH) then “UP” would be just fine. Otherwise, you should probably wait a couple years.
There is also a PG rating for the movie, which should have been a clue for those going to the film that they needed to do a bit of RESEARCH before blindly entering the theater. There are several websites out there that do a great job of letting parents know the possibly objectionable/intense content of movies. I say look it up and decide for yourself, every kid is different.
As for the quality of the film, it’s top notch, and WELL worth seeing if you feel that your kid can handle it. Great message, and it’s good to see an elderly protagonist.
Regarding “Star Trek:”
We are now in an era of reboots, remakes, regurgitation and outright thievery.
Corporations have taken this business and are squeezing it for higher quarterly profits by killing competition and forcing customers to choose from fewer titles.
This is basic economics and business practice. People will eat shit when there’s only shit to eat.
Abrams is a product of this thought. He is a nice guy but he doesn’t have an original thought in his head. But this is his talent, really because the business of the day is not originality but copycat banality with GCI flourishes.
We didn’t need another Star Trek but Paramount needed a franchise to ram down our throats. So, they spent the budget of 20 film to make one and then it had to succeed. To insure this the powers that be make sure it opens with $70 P&A and no competition.
Hollywood went through a similar period right before its last Golden Age. Lets hope another one is coming.
Surprised at some of the “negatives” on UP here. There are adult themes in almost every “kids” movie I’ve seen to keep the adults content. From Shrek’s adult humor to death in several Disney movies, kids have seen it before.
UP is wonderful. I don’t normally like cartoons but I loved the story and character development in UP.
I think some of the “negative” with the movie comes from our people always looking for something critical to say.
jdls08 – actually, i think you are the one confused, as the only bad WOM i have heard on UP has been in this thread, and you are one of them and you havent even seen the movie! LOL! what a joke you are.
To those discussing how this should be making more money due to the 3-D premium, i think that argument could easily work against it too. Many parents are staying away from it due to the cost. For me to take my wife and kids (to the 3-D version), it cost me $70 for the tickets alone. many people arent willing to pay that (with good reason). so, if anything, i am impressed with the intake this weekend!
regarding the movie itself, my family LOVED it. i honestly feel bad for the kids that have parents that are so protective that they think a frigging PG rated cartoon movie is “too dark” LOL… are you kidding me?!? LOL! omigosh, how are these kids going to make it through life?
i grew up watching woody woodpecker getting chased by a fox with a frigging hatchet! get a life people! i think that this PC, overly sensative, sanitized world we now live in is a detriment to society.
there were a couple of scenes that had my 3 yr old covering his eyes, but ovewrall he loved it and i was shocked that it kept his attention as well as WALL-E did (he has told me that he wants to marry EVE when he gets older – lol), and my 5 yr old daughter wants to see it again already! my wife cried, which says a lot because she typically doesnt get emotional at the movies. overall, i thought it was excellent.
So sorry you didn’t understand anything in Wall-E Neil.
Swissik,
I find it hard to believe a 74 year old grandmother who doesn’t go to films regularly found “Deadline Hollywood” and on top of that decided to leave a comment. I love this blog. I visit it at least twice a week. I’m glad Up is doing well and that Star Trek has succeeded, just felt I should add that so no one thinks I’m a hater. But there are so many plants here it’s pathetic. Seriously.
Up is rated PG. That means it’s not appropriate for the youngest movie goers. Please don’t slam the movie because you took your babies to a movie that wasn’t G.
“UP” was a gorgeous film and should be nominated for the “Best Picture” Oscar. The film is a beautiful, touching love story, an anthem for life, as well as a lot of fun and so endearing. These parents who complain about it being dark and scary, and inappropriate for children – frankly, I find those complaints absurd. I think your toddlers (who shouldn’t be at the movies anyway) probably misbehave no matter what is on the screen. It is just that this time, you were actually drawn into the movie yourselves and became irritated when your kids would not sit still (join the crowd.) Any thoughtful parent hoping to raise thoughtful children will rush to the theater to see this film (again, leave the toddlers at home, this time and always) and will also not hesitate to buy the DVD. I think every married couple ought to make this a date night movie, too, especially if you both feel a bit blase and worn-out. “UP” will inspire you. Great classic film, the best by Pixar so far, the best animated film I have ever enjoyed.
UP in 3D was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long, long time. Everyone should go see it. I’ve got to watch it again real soon. Such a clever movie! Kudos to the writer and producers and everyone who made such a great film!! Let’s have more of these clean, family watchable movies!!
Yeah, I’m sure when a studio tries to plant reviews they ask them to self-identify as 74-year-old grandmothers.that’s the ultimate target audience for Pixar movies, 74-year old grandmas who bring their 2 year-old grandchildren. Talk about a great demographic…
LMAO
Personally, I don’t believe in taking 2-year-olds to movies, period. Most don’t have their patience, and those that do scare me a bit. But there’s no reason for parents to be scared of taking their young ones to UP in particular; they just have to make judgments based on their kids in particular, not their age. If their 2-year old was fine with Snow White, then they’ll probably be fine with Up.
to the Village Idiot (unreal):
why did you post false movie sales data as if it were true?
check these links out and then try posting again:
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=startrek11.htm
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=angelsanddemons.htm
sadly, for those keeping score:
Star Trek Worldwide: $301,515,063
Angels & Demons Worldwide: $206,820,465
sheesh…I just cant stand these bullshit comparisons based on bias & hearsay… LOOK THEM UP!!!
I don’t get why WALL*E didn’t do better than it did (it made more money than “King Fu Panda”, but only just). It was the best Pixar movie since “Toy Story 2.” Also, it wasn’t any darker than “E.T.”, and it’s message was about love, not Al Gore for kids.
To the jaded person who states that it’s a “fact” that Pixars popularity is getting lesser and lesser with each successive movie. You are conveniently ignoring what’s in front of you.
Up performed better with lesser screens than Wall-E did. And not everybody forked over the extra bucks to see it in 3D.
Also, to say that UP continues this “downward trend” is preposterous and clearly shows you have an axe to grind. First off, check the weekend opening compared to Wall-E, Ratatouille, and Cars, it pretty much proved you wrong. The opening weekend was a success, and the coming weeks will solidify it. Then, check back around late august when the Summer movie season ends and you’ll see that the actual final grosses will have emphatically flushed your “fact” down the toilet.
OMG.. to that dad and daughter team that thought UP was non-family friendly.. C’MON.. BLOOD.. hmm.. a red spot on the guys head after getting bopped.
Oh that’s right, the world is not full of evil, there are no nuclear weapons, candy grows on trees and bad things never, ever happen.
Its this stupid kinda sheltering that leaves kids useless to deal with the real world in a mature fashion. Let me guess, she’s home schooled right? Is she going to graduate with honors? LOL!
Moron. Dumb kids, STUPID parents. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, with parents that teach what was right and wrong, what was real and not.. guess that’s too much to ask for these days huh.
Get real. UP was a great, GREAT movie and you know what, you see tons of worse stuff on TV, at school, from other kids you name it..
so the family movies dominated first weekend. i want to see who stands the test of time (the next few weeks); Museum 2, UP, or Raimi’s return to horror. (Evil Dead/AoD trilogy are STILL considered a timeless classics)
UP is rated PG for a reason, parents. PG films aren’t generally geared toward preschoolers, so don’t complain when you take your 3 year old anyway and see that there are parts that a he or she can’t comprehend or is afraid of.
UP is an absolutely brilliant film, but, yes, it’s for older children and grown ups. Keep the very young ones at home.
Why people like J.T. have so much problem with Star Trek being a success? Even the international grosses of the movie can be considered a success simply because Star Trek never had that big of appeal in many countries. In my country, Angel & Demons has more appeal just because it is related to the book and to “Da Vinci Code”, while Star Trek is almost something new for the avarage audience, not to mention publicity was really poor. For that reason alone it’s easy to forsee A&D having bigger grosses here, what doesn’t mean that the movie is good or even that the audience liked it, they just are more curious about it. It’s just not as simple to compare international grosses as it is in your domestic market, since you don’t know what the inicial appeal and potential of each movie are like in other countries.
When it’s all said and done. UP will end with 250-275 domestic, which will be a bonafide success. That’s not counting the Overseas grosses since the film is being strategically released between this weekend and up to DEC, to coincide with holidays/peak times across the world.
Dutch,
This Deadline Hollywood post is linked to by Drudge Report. That’s how I found it. Is it surprising to have a 74-year-old grandmother to get here the same way? This is also my first comment on this blog, something I felt compelled to make after reading your comment.
I think it’s pathetic for some people to question the honesty of other posters just based on their age. Oh, I’m also a grandmother, and I loved UP which I saw on Saturday. I’m planning to watch it again with the grandkids. (Well, now I guess that makes me a plant or something.)
Saw Up! … amazing. Deserves to be in BEST PIC, not best animated pic running. Touching tale of love, loss, adventure, parenthood, and commitment. This touches on all of those feelings and does it without being weighed down. Asner turns in a sensational performance, and there are some truly great set pieces here. This is a film that has a lot of different levels for parents & kids. The greatest moments in film are those that fifteen years later you will want to go back and say “that still gets me every time.” This film has that quality. Nothing else this year is even close.
I find it hard to believe a 74 year old grandmother who doesn’t go to films regularly found “Deadline Hollywood” and on top of that decided to leave a comment.
It is posted on Drudge, so I am sure that is where she found it…it is where I found it
A huge animation fan for years, I was impressed with the quality of UP but agree that the movie itself may not be suitable for all kids who are able to grasp the basic concepts of evil and death but who may not understand them. My two year old would love the film but my wife and I agree that we would not take him if he were four or five. With that said, there were plenty of laughs for everyone in the theater on Friday and to me, the best judge of the movies effectiveness was that the kids all around me were enjoying the film. Even the darker moments were short lived and usually bracketed by bouts of humor.
Saw UP! yesterday and it was great, but not better than Ratatouille (still Pixar’s best IMHO). One of the best parts of seeing the movie was when I was standing in line to get tickets. In front of me was an older guy who looked like an axe murderer from a horror film. He walks up to the ticket window and says, “Drag me to hell!” That was almost funnier than UP!
“so the family movies dominated first weekend. i want to see who stands the test of time (the next few weeks); Museum 2, UP, or Raimi’s return to horror. (Evil Dead/AoD trilogy are STILL considered a timeless classics)”
The movies that will display longevity in the box office will be Up and Drag me to Hell. Both got widespread critical acclaim, and most of all, the raves of the great majority of fanboys, casual moviegoers, and family audiences. So far this summer, good word of mouth has been the key (just check Trek) to standing up week after week. Bad word of mouth has curtailed the other blockbusters (Terminator Salvation, Wolverine, Angels and Demons, and the rest). Night at the Museum 2’s best chance really was to do atmospheric numbers on Memorial weekend and it failed to do so. Now, Up has pretty much chopped off whatever legs it hoped to have (it also didn’t help that it was a bad movie. my kids didn’t like it at all and said it was the same stuff. On the other hand, they totally loved UP). UP and Drag me to Hell will be raking it in week after week from this point on.
Up was an exemplary film that elicits genuine hilarity and genuine tears, all wrapped into a film for the ages. It will break your heart but will turn around and reinforce the human spirit within you and leave you with on an uplifting note. My 3 and 5yr old kids really were into it. My 5yr old even surprised us with his thoughts afterwards on the drive home, when he pretty much said something along the lines of Carl really loving his wife and misses her so much that he wants to keep the house. My wife and I were amazed he got to see past the surface and gain a degree of comprehension of what was going on. It is a magnificent film that we will definitely see again before it leaves theaters. Needless to say, the blu-ray dvd of it can’t come soon enough.
My 3 and 4 yr old daughters were actually more terrified of the peril in Finding Nemo, the Lion King, and Sleeping Beauty, than that of UP! The film held their attention until the very end, even up to the credits/scrapbook sequence. To this day they are more scared of the opening sequence Nemo, the Lion King stampede, and the whenever Maleficent is onscreen in Sleeping Beauty
Up was so sweet and wonderful. Had a big family night out to see it with the kids and the grandparents, and it wowed us all from beginning to end. We teared up and laughed and in the end, we all left smiling and with a bounce in our step. My kids can’t stop quoting Dug the dog and Russell now. I’ve never seen the Grandparents get touched like that by a movie.
I also find it hard to believe that a 74 year old grandmother was able to find the “Drudge Report” let alone owns a computer. Come on. And if you don’t think these talkbacks are full of plants making up bios and stories about who they took to see whichever film they’re trying to sell this weekend and how much they loved it then you’re a plant. Plant.
Saw UP this evening with two friends. Enjoyed the stork/cloud short before the feature. Took me back to my childhood when cartoons would play before a feature film.
My friends and I are in our early 50’s. Stereo sniffles on both sides of me! While I laughed much too loudly at the truly hilarious parts! Don’t care – loved the film.
The sequence in the beginning of the film – a lifetime love story was just priceless.
Well done Pixar/Disney.