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SUNDAY AM, 6TH UPDATE: Still on vacation in a different time zone. That’s why I’m overdue on some autopsy reports I promised and haven’t yet delivered. I’ll release them Sunday. My sincerest apologies. (Unfortunately, I can’t get used to a definition of ‘time off’ that still makes me toil almost 24/7.) That said, the newest numbers have changed the Top 10 order yet again. (It was another confused weekend like the last one!) This crop of four freshmen failed to make much of an impression with moviegoers because holdovers still ruled the North American box office. But overall the weekend is up +10% from last year:
1. Dolphin Tale (Alcon, Warner Bros) Week 2 [3,515 Theaters]
Friday $3.4M, Saturday $6.5M, Weekend $14.2M (-26%), Estimated Cume $37.5M
Terrific hold as Alcon uncorks another feel good favorite. Dolphin Tale was up 88% from Friday night thanks to the saturday matinee bump. Now it’s placing above both films it trailed last week. But the cume is still lagging. And DreamWorks Animation/Paramount just pushed up the release of Puss ‘N’ Boots to October 28th — which will deprive Dolphin Tale of an extra week of alone time with families.
2. Moneyball (Sony) Week 2 [2,993 Theaters]
Friday $3.8M, Saturday $5.5M, Weekend $12.5M (-36%), Estimated Cume $38.4M
Excellent hold especially for a 2-quadrant pic. But Moneyball‘s cume needs more beer and peanuts to fatten.
3. Lion King 3D (Disney) Week 3 [2,340 Theaters]
Friday $3.3M, Saturday $4.4M, Weekend $11M, Estimated Cume $79.6M
Very impressive, still, for this juiced up toon as all releases pass Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo to become the 4th highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide. Snarked a rival studio exec, “I could have told them about that 2-weeks-only crap…” By the way, remind me to tell you about the months of meetings which Disney’s Frankeneisner led over the story problems posed by ‘lion cub incest’ for the sequel was released. Only on Dopey Drive…
4. 50/50 (Summit/Mandate) NEW [2,458 Theaters]
Friday $2.9M, Saturday $3.6M, Weekend $8.8M
The first thing to ponder about this male Terms Of Endearment is that James McAvoy was supposed to play the guy with cancer. Instead, Joseph Gordon-Levitt came in at the last minute. Now it’s hard to imagine this truthful dramedy starring anyone else. Levitt is really becoming one of the most interesting young actors around even if he’s not box office — yet. Summit Entertainment and Mandate Pictures gave 50/50 a surprisingly wide release this weekend: in the old days this pic would have been platformed so audiences could “find” it. But these days, with the skyrocketing costs of marketing, there’s simply no time or purpose to doing that anymore. (“It was always envisioned as a wide release picture as opposed to platform because of its playability,” an insider tells me.) Problem is, Summit thought the film would open around the low double-digits. Nope, despite an ‘A-’ CinemaScore from audiences. Summit says audience ratings & definite recommends were about 20 points above the norm, one of the
highest ever in the studio’s exit polling. More females (54%) came than males (46%). In terms of age demos: 83% were between the target audience of 18-49, 35% under 25, 57% under 30, 43% over 30. Studio sources claim the film’s negative cost is only $8 million. The question now is whether strong word of mouth will allow this pic to play for several weeks and end up with a decent cume.
As you must know by now, the screenwriter Will Reiser based the story in part on his own life, and filmmaker Jonathan Levine promoted not only the film and but also cancer awareness. Pre-release, 50/50 was tracking well with both male and females and with older and younger audiences showing interest. But the really downer disease just kept audiences away despite partnerships with national support groups like Stand Up To Cancer and Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong as well as regional orgs. Marketing-wise, the film at first was positioned as a broad Seth Rogen comedy (not another one!). But then the studio imbued it with the feel of a specialty film. TV buys focused on younger movie-goers first and then expanded to older males and females based on the evolved positioning. Summit began an extensive word-of-mouth screening program in early August and premiered it at the Toronto Film Festival to a standing ovation. Hey, don’t complain about Hollywood’s crappy movies if you won’t support the quality ones. I’m truly disappointed that this pic didn’t do better. It deserves to be seen.
5. Courageous (Sony) NEW [1,161 Theaters]
Friday $3.1M, Saturday $3.2M, Weekend $8.8M
This movie was Fireproof 2 — only substitute fatherhood problems for marriage woes, and law enforcement officers for firefighters. Like most of these faith-based films, Sherwood Pictures’ Courageous was front-loaded because of pre-sales and church groups bussed to theaters. But Sony initially expected a better opening weekend even though it was playing in only half as many locations as the other major studio releases. Still, it made the best per-screen average and rated a rare ‘A+’ CinemaScore across the board with men and women of all ages. Opening weekend exits show the audience was fairly balanced in gender (53% was female) and the reach had a slightly older skew (77% were aged 25+). These pics cost next-to-nuthin’ — Courageous made back its $2 million production budget in its first day of release. Sherwood Pictures is based in Albany, Georgia, where moviemaking ministry Sherwood Baptist Church churns out these inspirational films aimed at Christians. Sony Pictures’s secular TV media was concentrated in outlets like Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Hallmark Channel, TLC, Lifetime, and TV Land as well as more conservative-leaning outlets ranging from Fox News, CMT to Christian Broadcasting Network and Gospel Music Channel. The marketing budget was “modest and grassroots’. Like Fireproof (2008), Facing The Giants (2006), Flywheel (2003), the co-writers were Stephen Kendrick, who also produced, and Alex Kendrick, who also directed. They, along with producers Michael Catt and Jim McBride together make every movie decision at Sherwood where the four-man team also serve as pastors of the church. Fireproof opened as the No. 4 film in the nation this same time of year, eventually grossing $33 million theatrically. But it also starred former TV teen hearthrob Kirk Cameron, and Courageous was cast with unknowns.
6. Dream House (Morgan Creek/Universal) NEW [2,661 Theaters]
Friday $2.9M, Saturday $3.5M, Weekend $8.2M
Jim Robinson’s Morgan Creek shows yet again that it can’t make or market a movie to save its life. It can’t even handle publicity: MC’s morons apparently can’t find my email address because I’ve received nada from them about this opener. Then again the pic wasn’t screened in advance for critics — always an indicator of a stinker. Don’t blame Universal: it was just distributing Dream House. Morgan Creek paid for and did everything else. Badly. Directed by 6-time Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Weisz, they all must have needed the payday because they’re way too major to do this critically-panned drivel from a script credited to David Loucka. Sheridan lived to regret it because he and the producers fought over final cut. No wonder none of the major stars publicized the pic. (FYI, Craig and Weisz met on location and later married…) Seriously, this derivative haunted house tale gives new meaning to the definition of derivative. Worst were those TV ads that stole scenes from The Shining. I think it’s high time that the distrusted and disliked Robinson switches professions and starts selling used cars instead of used movies.
7. Abduction (Lionsgate) Week 2 [3,118 Theaters]
Friday $1.7M, Saturday $2.5M, Weekend $5.6M (-48%), Estimated Cume $19.1M
You’ll be reading my mea culpa Sunday when I release my long autopsy report on this domestic bomb. (Though it’s foreign rollout is better so far.)
8. What’s Your Number? (Fox) NEW [3,002 Theaters]
Friday $2M, Saturday $2.1M, Weekend $5.6M
Anna Faris is the modern-day Goldie Hawn: it’s impossible not to like her. Unless you put her in a really lousy R-rated New Regency fully-financed movie like this that Fox surrounded with a muddled marketing campaign vascillating between a female-empowerment pic and a run-of-the-mill rom-com. Problem is, daters haven’t talked about their “number” since the mid-1980s when sexually-transmitted diseases were scaring the bejesus out of singles. Audiences gave What’s Your Number? a ‘B’ CinemaScore. Pic cost only $20M. Its cost to Anna’s career may be more. (I’d like to see Faris in that remake of Hawn’s Private Benjamin she was supposed to do for New Line. It earned Goldie a Best Actress Oscar nom.) Directed by Mark Mylod and produced by Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson with screenplay credit given to Gabrielle Allan & Jennifer Crittenden, based on the book 20 Times A Lady by Karyn Bosnak.
9. Contagion (Warner Bros) Week 4 [2,744 Theaters]
Friday $1.4M, Saturday $2.3M, Weekend $5M, Estimated Cume $64.6M
Let’s just say I spent my first day of vacation getting three kinds of flu shots after seeing this movie.
10. Killer Elite (Open Road) Week 2 [2,986 Theaters]
Friday $1.5M (-57%), Saturday $2.1M, Weekend $4.8M, Estimated Cume $17.4M
I’m not letting Open Road off the hook on this dead fish, either. Autopsy report coming Sunday, too.
FRIDAY 1 PM: These are very early numbers based on matinees. Therefore the order could change dramatically by tonight. My sources say that according to noon averages, this is simply a snapshot of where the North American box office is right now:
1. The #1 film at this time is Sony’s Courageous which is running 55% ahead of where Fireproof was at this time of day. (Fireproof went on to gross $6.8m for its first weekend. Estimates are for Courageous to earn $5M Friday and a weekend in the mid-teens. Not surprising that it’s trending in front right now because faith-based movies engender a lot of pre-sales as church groups bus to the theaters.
2. Right now it’s too close to call for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place as Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dolphin Tale, Sony Pictures’ Moneyball, and Disney’s Lion King 3 are all ranking close together.
5. Summit’s 50/50 is estimated at $3M for Friday with a weekend of $9M. Note that this film is R-rated so matinees are not a good barometer of its strength at the box office.
6. Based on noon averages, Universal’s Dream House is trending toward a Friday estimated gross of $4M with a weekend of $11M if the box office picks up significantly tonight as predicted.
7. Fox’s What’s Your Number is a tough call this early. It could go to $3M today and $9M this weekend.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Fox should stick to Avatar and Apes.
I don’t get it — adult comedies and dramas should be doing well in the fall — not family fare — since kids are in school — isn’t this a change of the norm? I’m shocked what’s your number is number 7 — every preview people laughed and it’s got two likeable stars.
Jake to answer your question about “What’s Your Number” and the lack of audience for this movie?
7 words come to mind: This movie is a piece of shit.
It’s a good movie, i actually liked it better than bridesmaids but I realize that i’m in the minority on that one. It’s a fun movie — chris evans and anna faris make it a fun movie to watch. Wish they didn’t make it rated R — because there is some nudity but nothing raunchy and the language is not bad — it could have done a pg-13.
Isn’t this concept rather inherently R-rated?
It also suffers from a bland, vague and uninspiring title. You look up at the theatre listings and think, WTF is that?
Who are those two stars?
What’s your number is good, sad it is not doing well. Guess Dream House is another Donna Langley success story.
So many bombs-away right now. Maybe something studios will finally accept they’ve know nothing and let some geniunely creative people have a shot behind the camera? Wouldn’t that be crazy?
Meanwhile:
“Let’s just say I spent my first day of vacation getting three kinds of flu shots after seeing this movie.”
Good for Big Pharma, not good for your health, Nikki.
Thought you’d be savvier about a con.
One of the worst marketing campaigns I’ve ever seen. “If you liked Anna Farris in ‘Scary Movie’, you love her in this!” The trailers didn’t even try to market around Chris Evans even though Captain America was a big hit.
Don’t blame the film’s absurd premise for its failure – your basic Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy has an equally idiotic plot but they make money.
I second this, about the awful marketing campaign. The posters and the trailer I saw looked like the movie was made and marketed in 1991. The trailer was especially dire – totally uninspired, full of flat jokes and desperation. Even the title has that insipid, generic, factory-made Hollywood feel. I’m not judging the film – which I haven’t seen – just the marketing, which, as this commenter says, is almost aggressively subpar.
Very good call.
Wow. A movie made by a church and marketed to the church is currently #1 in the country. Who would have thunk?
Are Christians flocking to it because they’ve heard it’s well-made or has good word of mouth, or are they just going because that segment of the population is underserved?
When I hear about Black communities converging on Tyler Perry movies, I wonder if his movies ARE really that entertaining, or if the audience feels obligated to support a film that’s made for them. (I’m not criticizing here, just wondering)
It’s a bit of both. Christians are going to see it since it has such spot on Christian content and a very encouraging message for the church. There is tremendous word of mouth in the Christian community around this movie. Part of that comes from the fact that it was made BY the Christian community and not some Hollywood scribe who does get its beliefs and nuances. That builds a great trust between the production and the audience and enhances the brand. Much like Tyler Perry who has built a reputation in the black community and puts butts in seats because he understands his audience to a tee, Sherwood movies resonate with the church audience in a big way. It also doesn’t hurt that these guys are master storytellers (again, for this audience).
I would recommend that you see the movie and judge for yourself. I know it torques off some in Hollywood that a movie like this can be made outside the system and beat the like of Brad Pitt and Simba, but it really has a strong message that can literally change the world. No amount of Sabermetrics can say that.
While I agree with the message that father hood is very important, I do not agree with the way women are portrayed in this film and their version of ‘biblical feminity’.
Most America’s are Christian’s what’s the big deal. We know hollywood does’nt care for most of the country.
I grew up around a lot fundamentalist christians. They do tend feel under represented, even persecuted. Some of the more extreme feel that all Hollywood movies or TV shows should be boycotted, regardless of the content, because Hollywood is evil. They also tend to judge movies as good or bad based on how Christian it is. Not all fundamentalist are this narrowly focused, but I imagine a good percentage a flocking to it because it’s their duty to support christian entertainment.
Hence, why they are persecuted.
Hey, hey, hey, that’s my father you’re talkin’ about there!
Kidding aside, nobody likes to feel left out. But religion is so divisive I totally understand why filmmakers would shy away from depicting it in their work.
Christians persecuted in America? Please. Every single facet of our culture is designed to bend over backwards and pander to Christianity. And our culture is worse for it.
You wanna talk about persecution? How about when the “Moral Majority” used undue influence on the Office of the President to get Reagan to expressly forbid that any public monies be spent to alert people to the major risk factors in the spread of HIV/AIDS. We knew EXACTLY what it was and how it spread in less than 1 year, but there was a written policy against alerting the populace for fear of ‘endorsing’ gay ‘lifestyle choices’ and intravenous drug use. Tens of millions of people have died as a result of that ONE act of pandering to Christian so-called morality.
The first time Reagan was ever seen at a public event that so much as mentioned AIDS was in 1986 when Bob Hope told the following joke: “The Statue of Liberty just came out today, admitting that she has contracted AIDS. But she’s not sure if she got it from the mouth of the Hudson or the Staten Island ferry.” There’s video of Reagan laughing heartily… Rock Hudson had been a friend of his. But then, maybe Reagan just forgot.
Call me the next time a gang of Atheist Supremacists hides outside of a bible study group waiting to shove a gun in someone’s mouth for being Christian.
Reagan did not want to add another financial burden to public school budgets by adding AIDS awareness to the already overstretched budgets. But his PSA from 1990, directed by Paul Michael Glaser (who lost his wife to AIDS) was very well received and did a lot to promote AIDS awareness. Maybe you are too young or too influenced by the pervasive Reagan hating sites on the internet that mischaracterize the facts but in the mid 1980s we knew very little about AIDS – for Reagan to promote awareness even in 1990 was a big step.
2. I dont know if Christians are persecuted in the US but they are persecuted around the world and in Hollywood. Very few night time dramas, with Law and Order shows being the mail offender, go out of their way to take a swipe at Christianity.
3. As for “Courageous” – there is no attempt to analyze why people are going to a movie unless it is a faith-based film – then everyone tries to explain the money away as a fluke. If I were in Hollywood when I saw “Fireproof” made for 1/2 million earning 35 million domestic I would have sat up and taken notice. “The Passion” made for 25 million earning 600 million? Any smart business person would make it his or her business to figure out how to get that return on that investment instead of taking one more opportunity to slam Christianity. Making films is about making money – spending some money wisely for a larger return. If I saw people doing this consistently I would not try to explain them away, I would probably hire them.
4. I agree with the articles praise of Gordon-Levitt. A major talent. I also cannot imagine James McAvoy or any other young actor in the role.
Theresa, sometimes “christians” turn out for evangelical friendly films. Sometimes they don’t because one actor said something they didn’t like and Fox news makes it the story of the month (the latest Narnia movie) or an actress gets pregnant out of wedlock and they just can’t support that (The Nativity movie– these hypocrites never made the connection to how ironic that was), so I don’t know that it’s a no brainer to make movies specifically tailored to them when it will not reach a wider audience. If someone’s going to do it, they better be prepared to not step out of line up until the release day.
We knew exactly what the risk factors for AIDS were in 1981. The reason that NO federal money was spent on AIDS awareness for years and years was specifically because it was a ‘gay’ disease. The implication is tantamount to genocide, not necessarily from Reagan, but certainly from the so-called “Moral Majority”.
And even if your ridiculous premise that it was a ‘budget issue’ that prevented the government from crafting PSAs or doing, you know, literally anything. Wouldn’t the preventable death of tens of millions of people and a horrible new plague unleashed on the world be a pretty damn good argument against Milton Freeman and Neo-Liberal Economics? Just sayin’.
I understand that you are pointing out a feeling rather than confirming or agreeing with it, but I get so confused when people pigeonhole “Hollywood” as being anti-christian.
Is Lion King or Moneyball or 50/50 anti-christian?
Are people so insecure about their own faith that they need all life-affirming messages told from the perspective of their own belief system to consider those messages valid?
I think 50/50 makes reference to pre marital sex so that would be objectionable. Some people have a “you’re 100% with me or you’re against me” view of the world. This isn’t limited to conservative christians and not all christians feel this way. For those that feel this way, anything that doesn’t affirm their beliefs is an attack. I know someone who felt persecuted (he used the word persecuted) by Neil Patrick Harris appearing in public with his husband. It also doesn’t help that there are a lot of high profile Jews in the entertainment industry.
Not at all. It’s not insecurity to see something that shares your worldview. Why wouldn’t someone want that? In the fifties, the big biblical epics (Ben-Hur anyone?) did exactly the samme thing and some were truly great films. Most Evangelicals are very culturally aware. Studies show most Christians have pretty much the same movie diet as their non-Christian neighbors, but they are happy to add to that films, music etc. that connect with their beliefs. Most Christian films do not do nearly as well as the Sherwood movies, because they are not as well made. People still want quality. The Grace Card didn’t do that well despite a national advertizing campaign, and Hollywood actors. I think Sherwood has more credibility with his previous efforts Facing the Giants and especially Fireproof. They are not great films, but they are not horrible either, and they do touch a chord with current issues regarding the decline of family life. They encourage people to overcome their problems. Nothing wrong with that.
I would point out that Jesus hung out with thieves and hookers, but Mary Magdalen wasn’t the same woman who Jesus purified with a foot bath, so I guess the point is moot.
Well me, actually.
1. Regardless of faith, if you tell a good story well (and they seem to have), ANYONE will come. It’s like music. It’s a great equalizer.
2. You call it “Christian” and Christians show up. *shrug* Regardless.
But, back to #1, I’m an atheist and I’m interested in seeing it because it just sounds good.
And I wonder when Hollywood will realize that #1 is the cardinal rule of both movie making and how to make a ton of money.
well said, Ma’at
Nikki -
Sherwood Baptist has created four movies in eight years. That is hardly churning them out!
While it’s # 1 among wide releases in per screen average, I think it’s actually # 5 in total box office. It’s nice to see that community being served, but I don’t think drink sales are great in the 21 and Over screening locations.
GO Christians GO!
I tried that. They never leave.
Haven’t seen one ad or trailer for Courageous. Is this only being advertised to churches and houses of worship?
Guess this one ain’t in 3D.
I’ve also seen ads in the local daily paper for it.
Christian fundamentalists are going to be waaaay over-represented at matinees. As with elders so that could explain the lowish numbers for 50-50 and the relatively high numbers for Moneyball & Courageous.
Courageous was hyped here as the expected #1 film this week, it is now a distant 4th and will fade fast. The reviews are just as bad as you would think for a heavy-handed fundamentalist film. Jesus and war go together about as well as a chicken and scrambled eggs.
Bunraku and Margaret should have been released years ago and it is a disgrace that not only have they been needlessly delayed but they are both only getting a limited release. They both have stellar casts (Bunraku – Josh Hartnett, Ron Perlman, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson) (Margaret – Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Allison Janney, Jean Reno) and shouldn’t go unnoticed by the public when they finally come out.
I am fed up with the gorgeous and talented Bryce Dallas Howard always playing villains now and being typecast after her roles in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Help and 50/50.
May I politely dispute your assertion that Hartnett, Perlman, Moore and Harrelson are as “stellar” a cast as Paquin, Damon, Ruffalo, Broderick, Janney and Reno? I mean, I love the HELLBOY movies, but still…
Uh… Bunraku had its world premiere at TIFF last year. Can’t exactly release an unfinished film “years ago.” In both Bunraku and Margaret’s case, their “talented” cast doesn’t stop the fact that both films kind of suck.
No…no, it’s about Cancer, yes, but it’s lighthearted and funny and shit too. Why can’t people see that???!
I saw a sneak preview of ’50/50′ two weeks ago and was surprised by how good it was. The marketing really mis-represented it…
Really wish a writer was capable of writing something other than toilet humor. Does anyone know to write a joke? Anyone at all besides Sorkin?
I know..I’m going to go see 50/50.. I think this type of movie makes you laugh and cry like a baby at the same time.
I saw it, and that’s exactly what happened to me at the end of the movie: the proverbial laugh and cry. Took my by surprise. Especially as the first 10 minutes, I was afraid I was watching Funny People 2 with Seth Rogen playing the same character and the same pottty humor. But no, it took a turn for the better, and I wish the movie to do well.
I really enjoyed the movie, but I think it’s tainted a bit by Seth Rogen’s involvement. And I LOVE Rogen, a know a lot of folks don’t (he can’t help the awful laugh people), but he is a brilliant writer. Unfortunately, it just has the Apatow-lite feel to the movie, and it doesn’t help when he says in interviews that before cancer, his friend Will Reiser was not the greatest guy, and hard to be around.
What??? Maybe Will Reiser is a nasty SOB, but you can’t your friend/cancer survivor under the bus like that!!!!!
what good writing has Rogen done, praytell? Because I sure as heck didn’t see any in Superbad, Pineapple Express, Drillbit Taylor or The Green Hornet.
I thought he created “Freaks and Geeks” at like 19?
Those are some bad movies. And two of the funniest parts of SUPERBAD were ad-libbed by Cera and Hill.
He was indeed a staff writer on Freaks and Geeks at a very young age, though Apatow and Feig were the creators, not Rogen. Imdb says that he wrote my favorite episode of Undeclared, which is pretty much the only show to ever get college right (in spite of the fact that Rogen never went, oddly enough), so I guess you’ve got me there. But does anyone know how much of his credited episodes were actually his? How much of it was reworked by Apatow?
All I can say is that Rogen has used the exact same formula on four consecutive movies and I didn’t like it the first time.
I’m not a Rogen hater, per se. In fact, I think I’ve seen every movie he’s ever been in, including You, Me and Dupree and Fanboys, I just don’t think he is talented as a writer. Furthermore, I’d wager that he is far more appealing as a supporting character than as a leading man. He was the best part of The 40-Year old Virgin for me and I’ll even admit to enjoying him in Knocked Up, but I can’t think of any other films where it wouldn’t have been better with someone else in the lead. I’m holding out hope for 50/50, however, since I really like Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Reviews for 50/50 are good but it’s probably overrated. I haven’t seen any of Rogen’s film that I’ve liked so far and I am not impressed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt either. I find him very boring to watch. But I rarely watch dramas on a big screen anyway unless it’s something epic. So most likely I’ll see 50/50 when it comes out on DVD or on line if I get too impatient.
I’m blown away about Courageous. I’ve seen one TV spot, and my friend asked if it’s “a Canadian flick.” I’m a cynical bastard, but I thought it looked cheap and overwrought.
It probably made its budget back already.
Saw Courageous and now I see why it’s #1. Wow! Very uplifting and well done.
If you haven’t seen ads for Courageous, it’s because they aren’t marketing it where you live. I’ve seen ads for it nonstop.
You must live in Alabama then.
I live in Los Angeles. I saw the trailer for Courageous in front of The Help.
I live in NYC and have NO idea what that movie is about. When I saw the headline I said “What the F**ck”? I have not been to the movies in a month (and I certainly wouldn’t be going to see “the help”), but I watch TV, surf the web but have not heard one thing about “Courageous”. I thought it was about a British war ship in the 1800′s.
There’s your problem. Couldn’t you just say, “what is this movie about” vs “wtf”? Why wouldn’t you go see “The Help”, a great movie with superb acting? Some of the best movies don’t get the best publicity in the early going (The King’s Speech). Show a little class, lose the expletives in your conversation and go out on a limb to see “Courageous”.
Fuck that – don’t ever let anyone tell you how to talk, what to say, what to think – that’s the job of religion.
I was right, Courageous was a British warship, but in the 1940′s. It was sunk during the first week of WWII. See now if I made a pro atheism movie in my backyard for $1.50 and named it “Moses”, and it was #1 at the box office you Christians would be going “WTF?” too!
You must live in Hollywood then.
“Some of the best movies don’t get the best publicity in the early going (The King’s Speech). Show a little class, lose the expletives”
Because God knows, there were no bad words in The King’s Speech…
“Dream House” was so bad because of its producer James G. Robinson, who is clearly one of the worst producers in Hollywood.
What’s Your Number has one of the worst trailers I’ve ever seen, and I like Anna Faris. Predictable, gives away a huge chunk of the plot, it was utterly repellent. I saw it several times in cinemas and nobody laughed. It made me think of the scene in South Park where all the characters in movie trailers are replaced with excrement. I hope it’s like the trailer for Stardust (lame trailer, surprisingly good movie) but audiences stayed away from that one in droves as well…
Anna Faris is NOT a star. She is a marginal talent with one of the most annoying voices ever – just behind Salma Hayek. In fact, her blonde hair only hides how completely average-looking she is – wouldn’t register as a Hooter waitress.
u mad bro?
I don’t think What’s Your Number? will succeed, if only because it severely misunderstands a huge portion of the core audience. When I found out that it hinges on the idea that a never-married 30-year old woman has slept with 19 guys, I thought, “So what?”
I mean, if a girl at my age (22) told me she’d been with 19 guys, and I didn’t think she was lowballing it, it might give me pause. But even then, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker in and of itself. And by 30…so what? It doesn’t sound noteworthy to me. At all. It seems, you know, normal.
Hell, I’m average looking, have no real money and have never owned a car and I’ve been with 19 women. And I’m neither ashamed nor proud of that. It just seems normal.
It’s not like I’m some horndog, either. I have lots of rules for myself. I won’t sleep with a girl if I don’t respect her intellectually or if she believes in Astrology (it’s indicative of a much larger pattern of irrational beliefs that will make us incompatible). I don’t do one night stands. I don’t have drunken sex. During college I would walk girls home from parties and ask for their number so I call them the next day. Hell, I tend to ask permission before kissing a girl. If anything, I’m a bit old fashioned.
So, while I like Anna Ferris, I just don’t buy the premise, and thus have no interest in seeing the film.
There’s an old joke that a woman defines a slut is someone who’s slept with one more man than she has. The premise of this film invited every audience member to prejudge the character and the tone of the film based on their own personal views and experience and I don’t think that’s the wisest way to sell a broad rom-com.
But that’s the thing, I don’t think it’s at ALL absurd for Ferris to have had 19 lovers. I don’t think most people in my age range would find it out of the ordinary for someone who was never married by 30 to have racked up that many notches on her bedpost. Now, if a girl had unprotected sex with 19 guys, it would give me pause, for health reasons. But if she used the pill and a condom and got regular std checks…so what?
I think you are missing the point of the movie, which was based on a book by the way, that she feels that she may have missed the one and going back to see if something could still happen with one of the guys she missed. Anna and chris evans make this movie work and it’s worth watching.
I get that part, I think Ben Affleck basically made the same movie with “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” didn’t he? It’s not a terrible premise. Lord knows I’ve spent some time facebooking my significant exes to see how they are doing and wondering what might happen if we were to meet again, but this was positioned as a bawdy, rule-breaking comedy and the ‘number’ in question isn’t outrageous enough. Were it something really impressive/shocking/out there like 100 lovers, then it might catch my attention. Not only would it be actually edgy, there would be a lot more meat to the conflict and a lot more to explore with the protagonist’s neurosis. But by picking a number that induces a shrug, the filmmakers signal loud and clear that the film isn’t actually going to push any boundaries. As a result, I just don’t care.
I’m generally inclined to watch Anna Ferris movies. I really like her. I find her incredibly attractive (and I don’t even go for blondes as a rule of thumb) and has great comic timing. She seems alive on screen and I get the vibe that she’s the kind of girl I would get along with in real life. But everything about this film seems like they took the easy road instead of challenging themselves or the audience.
You’ve been with 19 chicks and you’re only 22?!?!?!?!?!
I fucking HATE pretty people.
Heh–I suspect WYN was targeted at the wrong audience.
When I saw THE HELP, the audience was predominantly senior citizens and they found the WYN trailer hi-larious. It was clear they were laughing at the “little slut is trying to make up for all those guys she banged, ho-ho” element. But for anyone else who doesn’t find that funny, this movie has no appeal whatsoever.
Poor Daniel craig.I bet this is making sony very worried about dragon tattoo chances at the box office since every craig film outside of 007 bombs.I remember lainey gossip claiming he will be the next big movie star this year along with Ryan gosling and shes always right on the money,right? lmfao
Nor does he have to worry about Tintin either. That worry goes to Jamie Bell, one of a long line of young british actors who are set to be the next big thing.
It’s not craig who has to worry if the girl with the dragon tattoo
bombs.It’s Rooney mara since shes being hype as the next big thing without proving herself and i feel shes overrated as it is.Shes like the Robert pattinson of actresses,All hype no substances from what ive seen and don”t use the social network as an excuse for her being a good actress because Timberlake was good in that as well.I think the role of salander should of went to carey mulligan.
I’ve seen the 8 minutes of DRAGON TATTOO footage Sony’s been showing around, and based on that, Mara’s going to kick ass in the role–she’s unrecognizable and completely disappears into the part. And what the hell does Timberlake being good in SOCIAL NETWORK have to do with anything? Mara made her small role in that film shine, Fincher hired her for DRAGON TATTOO based on that performance and it looks like it paid off. Back to your cave, hater.
The chances of ‘Dragon Tattoo’ bombing are non-existent – has absolutely nothing to do with either Craig or Mara. Their performances are crucial but neither will be the reason it slays – it’s the book. Most obvious post ever.
GWTDT will open because the book is a huge best-seller, not because Daniel “Not a Star” Craig or Rooney “Who?” Mara are in it. Mara will definitely get an exposure from the movie but whether that will turn into an opening power for movies that aren`t pre-sold on a famous brand name remains to be seen. Craig didn`t aquire such power from Bond exposure despite what his PR wants you to believe.
That said, Mara looks great in the trailer.
Mara was in TSN? Who did she play?
Oh puhhlleease! I saw the 8 minutes trailer and Rooney’s performance was wonderful. Her moment in TSN was very memorable and I think she makes a great team with Fincher. Can’t wait for that movie.
I guess all those acting classes the little heiress took while so many others were working to pay the bills really paid dividends for her. One has a serious advantage when they are filthy rich and can devote 100% of their time to their pursuit of fame.
As a man who’s made his own way in the world just fine, I won’t spend a dime to patronize the ascent of some entitled starlet.
So you plan to never see a single movie again?
I don’t like blind nepotism or rich entitled brats any more than the next person and of course she is in a very fortunate position, but if a person works hard for something and has genuine talent, does it matter if they come from money or not? Better this than another Paris Hilton.
If Rooney mara had it easy because of where she came from than why hasn’t Kate mara(whos been acting forever and shown genuine talent and has the more obvious beauty)gotten the same opportunities as Rooney?don’t get me wrong,kate has done some good work like brokeback mountain and 127 hours but she was a back up character in those films.Shes yet to get the the star making kinda of roles like her sister.Daniel craig on the other hand has had so many opportunities to show he can open a film outside bond and hes failed each time.Even pierce brosnan had hits outside his role as james bond.So To say mara is the one who has to watch her career rather than craig is bullshit because she is a nobody right now.Her job is just to convince the audience she is lisbeth salander and if they are sold on her as the character,she wins.By the look of the trailer shes gonna do great.If the film bombs at the bo,thats another mark on craig record.
LOLz that acting in multiple Oscar-nominated movies constitutes “not getting opportunities.”
At this point I just assume that all famous people have parents who are either stars themselves, or super rich. Hell, I just found out Anderson Cooper is a Vanderbilt.
So John Drew Barrymore, Drew Barrymoore, Lon Cheny Jr., Nic Cage, Angelina Jolie, Elvis Perkins, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Sheen, Sophia Coppolla, Alan Alda, George Clooney, Ben Stiller, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges and many, many more great talents are completely worthless because they came from nepotism?
Oh, and Spike Jonze sucks too because his parents are billionaires.
Michael Sheen, really? I don’t think so…
Yes, a lot of those people are pretty worthless. There are talented people out there who could act rings around Casey Affleck, Nic Cage, Drew Barrymore, and Jolie. What have Affleck and Drew Barrymore ever done that is on par with the great talents, of, just an example, DeNiro in his prime? Or Pacino in his? Charlie’s Angels? And who cares about Beau Bridges?
If you make that a criteria of your film diet, how many films are you planning to boycott? Anyway, did Mara’s advantages somehow stop you from achieving what you’ve wanted? If not, what do you care how she made it in the business as long as she’s talented?
Leave Rob Pattinosn out of this, I prefer the original GWTDT films than a hollywood remake.
I agree that Pattinson shouldn’t be included in comparison because that is an insult to Rooney Mara’s talent.
Pattinson is so popular he has become omnipresent. He’s always on people’s minds and mentioned whether he’s relevant to the topic or not. Amazing.
Rooney mara has talent?..Thats news to me.whats even more baffling is the fact that she was invited to the ampas with a hardly credible resume..uh wtf is going on with this picture?
The social network isn’t credible? Rooney’s not the first to be invited to the ampas with a short resume.she has the potential to be the next big thing in hollywood with one of the greatest working directors today backing her..david fincher(whos film will no doubt be ten times better than that made for tv movie).
The thing that sickens me about these Sherewood Films snakes is how they get most of the crew as free volunteers.
Volunteering. Sickening. What is the world coming to?
In Hollywood they call them “interns”…
Let me guess you’re a Union Man, just cant bare the idea of a production finding willing ppl who are more than happy to volunteer their time to get experience, cause your precious union wont allow them to even join the union in the first place, cause you wanna hog all the work yourself.
technically speaking it’s not real “work” if you do it for free. There are laws about that, right?
most ignorant post ever. yeah, let’s all start working for free so we can really stick it to the unions.
What about Abduction?
Were naysayers wrong wrong wrong?
Um, it’s number 8 in week 2. It will struggle to make 30 mil in an era where it takes 50 mil in distribution costs to open a film wide and a 20 mil opening isn’t that great. What exactly is your point?
Bill, read nikki’s b.o. post last weekend. She was cheerleading Lautner and was certain Abduction would be a massive hit (even as late as Friday night). Anyone who thought different was “wrong, wrong, wrong”. I think Rex is having a little fun at her expense.
Nikki is noticeably quiet about that one. Guess he can’t open an envelope after all.
Exactly everyone is quite or highly embarrased for being able to be bullshit by PR/Marketing team. 7,5 a movie then down 5 mill when his movie was tanking.
Abduction went down only 48%, beat Killer Elite two weekends in a row, beat the Anna Faris movie by a lot. This is all with a rotten tomatoes score of 5%. You bitter Robert Pattinson fans can continue trashing him later tonight when Nikki creates her article about the movie. Nothing better than a bunch of horny middle-aged women beating up on a 19 year old boy because they think he might do better than their 25 year old pretend ‘boyfriend’ who doesn’t know they are alive
Pls Taylor, your movie bombed , tank , sink whatever stop trying to spin it into another headline and focus on your own career ?? rather bringing your co star in it.
Why can’t Lautner’s cougars admit their dream boy has nothing to offer Hollywood? And WTF Pattinson has to do with Abduction? Is he in this movie too?
I am a comPlete athiest and i took my kids to see dolphin tale because there r no family movies out there. The movie was just ok but it was a pleasure to see something that wasnt filled with kids who talked back to the adults in their lives and caring about more than clothes and getting laid. It had a nice message. Hope hollywood wakes up.
Have you heard of this family film called Lion King? Its pretty good. Much better than Dolphin Tale.
Many people got the idea that LK’s 2 week run was already over. Naturally people thought the only option for families was Dolphin Tale and went with that.
Isn’t the problem here just that there are too many movies out there? There have been four wide releases each week for the last three weekends, so yes that’s 12 new movies in three weeks. It’s been a bloodbath out there. Couldn’t any of this stuff have been released in the summer? In June the X-Men movie was the only wide release out that weekend, couldn’t What’s my number or Dream House have fared better then? Or what about Killer Elite as counterprogramming on that kids only July weekend where Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh opened? Straw Dogs and I don’t know how she does it have already been yanked from theatres, Warrior and Drive are dying on the vine despite being two of the year’s best; there’s just no room for anything to breathe out there.
Totally agree. They always do this late-September early-October. It’s annoying. Back when Courageous’s predecessor Fireproof came out, there was also Body of Lies, Nick & Norah, The Express, City of Ember, An American Carol, and a few others disappointing or outright tanking. A year later Surrogates, Fame, The Informant, Pandorum, Love Happens, Jennifer’s Body, 9, all weak…I completely forgot about some of these.
Problem is, I thought 50/50 looked really good.
The bigger problem is that too many movies released this year are really bad movies.
I’m not a fundamentalist Christian, and I’m embarrassed by a lot of my peers. But I am deeply religious, and I will see any sort of movie where Christianity is featured, as long as we’re not laughed at.
gssh. movies aren’t making any money at all. Hollywood needs a drastic makeover because these so-called stars couldn’t sell a movie if their life’s depended on it. Salaries have to come way down (unless your that select handful of guys who put butt’s in the seats) cause this here ain’t workin’. Budget’s have to be lowered and P/A has to come down, marketing, everything. We’re not an actor driven town anymore. It’s project driven. Honestly it’s always been project driven, but that have sucked so much lately that we had to turn to actors to sell a movie. bad move. It’s time to adjust. time to reevaluate. Plus we have to get rid of the big budget crap that’s just breaking even. And not the comedies that feel like TV shows with all of the snarky obnoxious unlikable characters with witty and cheesy asshole comebacks. C Nolan is a great example with Inception. Take a chance on something good, but risky. not crappy and safe.
I’m not liking this sinking ship. we have to do better
it does feel like a sinking ship, doesn’t it? i’m definitely worried about the industry.
Why would the industry be immune from the sorry state of the rest of the nation?
Just took the family to see Dolphin Tale. 2D was sold out so we saw it in 3D….$71 for two adults and three kids. Of course the movie going experience is going to die out for average families. They can’t afford that price — along with concessions it easily tops $100 for the family. And there was absolutely no reason for that film to be in 3D –it did not enhance the experience one iota. Mostly it just made the film very dark. I have never seen such a dark print. Even when people are in the sun it is dark. 3D is just a money grab for studios and it will help drive the audience away; especially families. Having said all that..Dolphin Tale is good,
When good movies get made – something showing a little passion for the meta-industry we should be talking about here; “show business” – audiences do turn out, or eventually catch up with them on video.
What is really killing the movie-going experience is this steady stream of lazy, derivative, cynically-targeted, TV-redux “product.” Not why I go out of my way to see a new movie.
By the Name of the Lord… GO AND SEE MY MOVIE! CHRIST COMMANDS YOU!
A positive note, Abduction is a flop! Good luck working for Starbucks, Tay-Tay!
It’s number 3
Courageous is a great film. It has a great heart because it aspires you to great things….like being a great dad. How can you go wrong there, when 24 million kids are going to bed tonight without one living in the home. How many of us wished our dads got it. Not too many films I have seen aspire me to be better at something…I think my kids will be glad that I saw this.
@Courageousmovie:
It’s true that “Courageous” has kicked Brad Pitt’s ass, but it is not realistic to say it has beaten “Lion King”. LK is a re-release, albeit in 3D, and most people have already seen it several times AND own it on DVD! BP’s movie is a new release; its lukewarm reception at the box office, particularly in the face of such unglamorous competition, indicates that his movie star days are over.
Err Django maybe you should have waited until the true box office numbers were in on Saturday afternoon, LOL. Pitt’s Moneyball was #1 Friday. Ms Nikki said to wait until the REAL info was in and you ignored her wise counsel and jumped the gun with your foolishness. Courageous actually came in #4 on Friday. Only a fool ignores the freely given advice from a supremely wise person. Pitt’s baseball film has already had the best opening ever for a baseball themed film and is attracting adult audiences. Lion King and Dolphin Tale, true family films, will both do quite well box office wise on the weekends.
Eeer Indie, even Nikke admits that Moneyball’s cume needs more beer and peanuts. Especially when you consider the endless, endless, endless marketing. God knows how much they spent on that. For the last month, everywhere I go and every website link I clicked on had an ad for Moneyball. And feel free to cling to that “it had the highest opening of any baseball film” line the studio and critics who wet themselves over this film keep serving up, but that’s only true if you don’t account for inflation or higher ticket prices. If you account for those I believe Charlie Sheen’s “The Rookie” is still the highest opening for any baseball movie.
Maybe “Moneyball” will hold over through awards season, but it’s so early in awards season and so many more pictures will come out between now and December I just don’t see this film getting anywhere near a $100 million, where and A-list name like Pitt should be. It’ll be lucky to make $75 million after all is said and done. Again, with that aggressive marketing campaign it should be closer to $45-50 million at this point and $19 million opening for a Pitt film is very lukewarm, sorry. But who knows? Perhaps all those people under 50 and Brad’s fangirls who stayed away in droves will somehow materialize over the next few weeks but I doubt it.
It’s a movie about baseball and statistics. Why on earth wouldn’t people be interested?