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Weekend Box Office Preview: Dec. 4 and Dec. 11
December 4
For those looking for some gritty action, Armored is for you. A group of armored truck guards plan a heist to steal $42 million, but their plan quickly goes awry. The movie promises lots of car chases and gun fights, but not much else (not even any female characters). Probably a good bet for teen guys looking for something other than Twilight.
Everybody’s Fine features Robert DeNiro as a widower trying to reconnect with his adult children. Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell also star in this dramedy, a remake of an Italian film. It doesn’t have much teen appeal, but it’s the only other PG-13 film opening this weekend.
It was only a matter of time before someone spoofed vampire movies. Transylmania (Rated R), technically the third Dorm Daze movie, follows a group of college kids who study abroad at Razvan University in Transylvania. The curriculum includes crucifix-wielding and sexy vampires lurk at every corner. It looks like a typical spoof movie, full of wacky adventures, gross-out humor, and sex comedy, but it could provide a welcome respite for Twilight-haters.
December 11
The Princess and the Frog marks Disney’s return to its signature 2-D animation style, its first since 2004′s lackluster Home on the Range. It’s Disney’s first ever African-American lead character and also the first “princess” movie since Mulan in 1998. Loosely based on E.D. Baker’s novel The Frog Princess and the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale “The Frog Prince,” The Princess and the Frog tells the story of Prince Naveen, who was turned into a frog by a voodoo magician, and the girl he mistakes for a princess, Tiana, as they journey through the Louisiana bayou and the New Orleans French Quarter. Like the classic Disney animated features, this also features Broadway-style songs and humorous sidekicks, a fun-loving alligator and a love-sick firefly. It’s refreshing to see Disney return to its roots and this will appeal to a new generation of kids as well as those nostalgic for the Disney movies of their youth. It’s already opened in a few theaters and early reviews are positive.
Invictus, which is based on the true events surrounding Nelson Mandela and the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, also opens this weekend. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon star as Mandela and the South African team captain, respectively, and Clint Eastwood directs, so this movie has a fantastic pedigree and is likely headed for an Oscar nomination.While a movie based on historical events may not appeal to a lot of teens, it’s centered around a compelling sports story and can provide insight into the issues of apartheid and racial injustice.
Best bets: The Princess and the Frog or Invictus
Coming up: Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker-fronted Did You Hear About the Morgans?, James Cameron’s epic Avatar, star-studded musical Nine, It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, Sherlock Holmes, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones (whew!)
December 2nd, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ 1 Comment »
Weekend Box Office Preview: Nov. 20 and Nov. 27
The Weekend Box Office Preview features movies with teen and tween appeal opening in the next two weeks. For the most part I won’t feature R-rated films, but occasionally there will be R-rated movies on teens’ radar and the rating will be noted. Limited release movies will be featured the week they get a wide release.
November 20
It’s finally time for The Twilight Saga: New Moon. I probably don’t need to say much about the plot, but this is based on the second book in the Twilight series. It’s the one where Edward leaves Forks to protect Bella and Jacob and the other Quileutes play a much bigger role in Bella’s life. If the fan turnout at the Monday night premiere is any indication, people will turn up in droves for the midnight and opening day showings. Many theaters are also screening the first movie on Thursday before the midnight showing of New Moon.
Based on a true story, The Blind Side follows the high school years of professional football player Michael Oher. As a junior, he was taken in by the Touhy family and given a chance to turn around his life and play for the school’s football team. The film follows the relationship between Oher and Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, and Oher’s transformation into one of the nation’s top football prospects. It looks like a predictable, feel-good sports movie, but it should appeal to a broad audience. The book on which the movie was based, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis, won an Alex Award for adult books with YA appeal.
For the younger set this weekend, we have Planet 51. This computer-animated movie tells the story of an astronaut, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who lands on Planet 51, only to find it’s already inhabited by aliens living a sort of 1950s, all-American life. Antics ensue as he tries to escape before becoming a permanent exhibit in an alien museum. This is the only kid’s movie coming out this week, so it might be a draw for those who’ve already seen A Christmas Carol, even though it looks bland.
November 25 (Thanksgiving)
Fantastic Mr. Fox has been out in limited release since Nov. 13, but it finally opens for everyone this week. Based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, the movie centers on Mr. Fox, his family, and various other animal friends. Mr. Fox is a chicken thief who attracts the ire of a trio of farmers and must band together with his friends to outwit them. Indie film auteur Wes Anderson directed this stop-animation film, which features the voicework of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray among others. It’s been getting rave reviews so far and did well in its first weekend in New York and LA, so this will likely be a top choice for families and other film fans over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Old Dogs is the other family movie opening for the holiday. It stars John Travolta and Robin Williams as two bachelors who suddenly become caretakers for Williams’ seven-year-old twins. Undoubtedly, the two realize what’s important in life after a period of wacky shenanigans with the kids. I have some strong negative feelings about movies in this vein, so let’s just say that I hope more inventive fare like Fantastic Mr. Fox does better at the box office.
For something completely different, there’s The Road, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel. This is a bleak story about a father and son’s journey to survive in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The book is critically acclaimed (it won the Pulitzer) and a bestseller thanks to Oprah’s book club, so it already has an audience. The movie has had a long journey to release — it was originally supposed to come out last year — but it’s gotten favorable reviews by critics so far. It’s certainly not warm, holiday fare, but it’s been generating some buzz as an Oscar contender. (Rated R)
Ninja Assassin, a martial arts movie about a trained assassin, may appeal to an older, largely male, teen audience. It’s produced by the Wachowski Brothers and stars Korean superstar Rain, as a ninja who goes rogue against the clan who trained him. (Rated R)
Best bets: I’m most looking forward to Fantastic Mr. Fox
Coming up: Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, the action-packed heist movie Armored, Hugh Grant/Sarah Jessica Parker rom-com Did You Hear About the Morgans?, and horror spoof Transylmania
November 18th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: Nov. 6 and Nov. 13
November 6
It seems a bit early for holiday movies, but A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey opens this weekend. This version sticks to the original story and is set in its original Victorian England, but comes with a bit of a twist. Adapted and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the movie employs the performance capture technique he also used in Polar Express and Beowulf and is in 3-D, so expect some visual stunts. It’s the only real family-friendly movie opening in the next two weeks, so it should draw in some crowds despite being a little ahead of season.
The Fourth Kind is a sci-fi thriller starring Milla Jovovich. The film purports to be based on documentary footage of alien abductions (the fourth kind of alien encounters) and includes actual videotape footage of the events. While it’s clearly fiction, the use of the faux-doc style tries to capitalize on the success of Blair Witch Project and the recent Paranormal Activity by playing into the audience’s fear of the unknown. The film might find an audience, but it’s going up against another paranormal thriller with more star power.
And that movie is The Box. Richard Kelly, the director of Donnie Darko, wrote and directed this film, based on the 1970 short story “Button, Button” by author Richard Matheson. A married couple, Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, receive a box — if they push the button, they will receive a million dollars, but someone, somewhere will die. The plot is certainly intriguing and Kelly has a penchant for creepy, cerebral stories, so it might be worth a look. Perhaps even more interesting for music fans is the score, penned and performed by celebrated indie rockers Arcade Fire. It’ll be the first new music from the band since 2007.
November 13
It’s been a while since we’ve had a big disaster movie and 2012 opens this weekend to fill that void. Based on the Mayan Calendar-based theory that the world will end in 2012, this movie follows the series of cataclysmic events that take place on December 21, 2012 and the resulting survivors. Roland Emmerich, the creator of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, wrote and directed the film, so it has a good pedigree, and large-scale disaster movies tend to do well regardless of poor reviews. I don’t know why it’s coming out in 2009, though, except that it will give everyone something to worry about for three years.
Keep an eye out for: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (yes, that’s the movie’s official title). Sixteen-year-old Precious lives with her abusive family and is pregnant with her second child, but gets a chance to turn her life around with support from teachers at her alternative high school. Its been making the festival circuit and won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for best drama at Sundance. It’s only in New York and LA this week, but look for it at your local arthouse theater in the next month or two.
Coming up: There might as well be only one movie opening on Nov. 21, New Moon, but there’s also the animated Planet 51, and Sandra Bullock-fronted tearjerker The Blind Side. Nov. 27 brings family comedy Old Dogs with John Travolta and Robin Williams and The Road, based on the Cormac McCarthy book.
November 4th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: Oct. 23 and Oct. 30
October 23
The studios are packing in the releases this weekend to get their movies out before Halloween with three movies opening on over 2,500 screens and one on 800. The most obvious choice for the teen audience is Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the first three books of Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak series. The movie stars newcomer Chris Massoglia as Darren Shan, a teenager who unwittingly gets drawn into a war between rival vampire factions and joins the Cirque du Freak, a traveling sideshow of various creatures. The release got pushed up from summer 2010, no doubt to draw in a Halloween audience and ride on the success of the Twilight franchise. It will likely be popular with fans of the series and a general teen audience, but most kids and adults have more appealing options to choose from this weekend.
The big kid’s release of the week is a reimagining of classic anime series Astro Boy. This sleek, computer-animated version tells the origin story of Astro Boy, who was created by scientist Dr. Tenma in the image of his dead son. While it looks like they’re trying to appeal to a new generation of Astro Boy viewers by marketing to kids, the movie will certainly attract anime aficionados and longtime fans of the 50-year-old series.
For older teens and 20-somethings, Saw VI is the clear winner this weekend. The franchise follows the exploits of the Jigsaw Killer, who tortures his victims in a series of “games.” But for torture horror movies like this, the plot is really secondary to the thrills. Despite increasingly poor reviews for each film, the series has consistently opened with a big $30 million on its traditional weekend before Halloween release.
For a bit of counter-programming, Fox Searchlight is putting out its Amelia Earhart biopic Amelia with a moderate release. Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) and starring Hilary Swank, the film focuses on Earhart’s relationship with her husband and her rise to fame. Based on the movie’s pedigree, it certainly has Oscar aspirations. It will probably appeal to an older audience, but with a PG-rating it might be suitable as a family film.
October 30
Studios are avoiding this weekend, since Halloween falls on Saturday this year. The only release of note actually opens on Wednesday, October 28. This Is It documents Michael Jackson’s rehearsals of what would have been his concert series of the same name. With a limited two-week engagement, this will certainly draw in huge crowds of Jackson fans.
Best Bets: If you want something scary for the season, I’d still say Zombieland is the best sure thing.
Coming Up: The Box from Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko), A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey, thriller The Fourth Kind, and disaster film 2012
October 21st, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: Oct. 9 and Oct. 16
I’m bringing back my box office preview feature on a biweekly basis. I’ll be giving you a look at new release movies with teen and tween appeal. For the most part I won’t feature R-rated films, but occasionally there will be ones that will certainly be on teens’ radar (see: last week’s Zombieland).
October 9
After a big weekend for movies last weekend, the new releases for Oct. 9 are pretty meager. The only major release is Couples Retreat starring Vince Vaughn. It’s about four dissatisfied couples who go to a tropical resort to resolve their marriage issues. Hijinks ensue. While it’s rated PG-13, it doesn’t look particularly exciting for anyone, especially teens. That said, it’s a broad comedy with a couple recognizable faces (Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Jon Favreau) so it will draw in reasonable crowds looking for a diversion.
We’ve also got a Corbin Bleu-fronted drama, Free Style, about an aspiring motorcross racer who has to juggle his dreams with his family life. The trailer makes the movie look like a higher-production-value Disney Channel movie — it has lots of heart and hints of happy endings. I think it could be good for tweens who don’t have many other options this weekend. It’s getting a limited release (no word on theater count), though, and for movies like this, that usually means a quick theatrical run before getting dumped to DVD.
A British movie set in the ’60s certainly doesn’t appeal to all teens, but An Education is probably on the radar for some older teenagers. With a screenplay written by Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, Slam), the film follows the life of a schoolgirl in 1960s London torn between a spot at Oxford and an affair with an older man. It’s been making the rounds on the film festival circuit, garnering the Audience Choice Award at Sundance. This one’s also a limited release, though, so it may be a while before it makes it’s way out of New York and LA.
October 16
It’s the weekend we’ve all been waiting for, folks! The much ballyhooed Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers-backed Where the Wild Things Are finally opens. The trailers are still beautiful and the soundtrack by Karen O. and the Kids is gorgeous. But who’s going to see it? It’s based on a kid’s book and I’ve seen displays in the Borders children’s section. The book’s been around since 1963, so it has nostalgia value for a big segment of the population, many of whom have kids of their own. And then there’s the hipster appeal with Jonze, Eggers, Karen O., et al. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how this release plays out in the long run. If you want a peek at the movie’s plot, read screenwriter Dave Eggers’ short story Max at Sea in the New Yorker.
It’s October, so horror movies are a sure thing. This week’s other major release with teen appeal is The Stepfather starring Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley. Badgley plays Michael, who has returned from military school to his mother’s new live-in boyfriend. He acts nice, but Michael becomes increasingly suspicious of his odd behavior. This one’s being aggressively marketed to the teen market and it’s a no-brainer for horror movies close to Halloween, so expect a lot of interest from teens and 20-somethings.
Best bets: I’m looking forward to An Education and Where the Wild Things Are, but there are lots of good movies still in theaters: Whip It, Zombieland (note: rated R), Invention of Lying, Toy Story/Toy Story 2 in 3D, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
Coming up: The Amelia Earhart biopic Amelia, Astro Boy based on the classic anime, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant based on the popular YA series, another entry in the Saw franchise Saw VI, and a reissue of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D
October 7th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: June 26
It’s a big weekend for the box office with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the sequel to 2007′s surprise summer hit, Transformers. I don’t know if anyone ever expected a live-action remake of an ’80s cartoon to do as well as it did, but director Michael Bay somehow crafted the perfect mix of action, humor, and hot girls to bring the crowds in droves. The plot in this kind of movie is mostly irrelevant, but it’s basically a bunch of robots who can disguise themselves as other machines (cars, usually) using Earth as a battlefield for their long-standing feuds. In the last movie, Shia LaBeouf and friends thought they destroyed the evil Decepticons once and for all, but that’s clearly not the case. So, the humans and the good Transformers, the Autobots, team up again for another super-action-packed summer thrill ride. The film opened on Wednesday to a $60 million box office haul, the second largest opening of all time, so people aren’t ignoring it despite critics calling it overly long, plot-less and lacking heart.
For a bit of counter-programming, we’ve also got My Sister’s Keeper based on the novel by Jodi Picoult. The film follows Anna (Abigail Breslin), who was conceived through in-vitro fertilization to be a genetic match for her sick older sister and to provide her with a kidney when needed. At age 13, Anna sues her parents with the help of an attorney (Alec Baldwin) to have control over her own body. I haven’t read the book, but from Wikipedia it looks like the ending is significantly different in the movie version. It will be interesting to see how this holds up in the competition against Transformers, but the movies look to be opposites in just about every way, including the audiences they will draw. A lot of teen girls will certainly be drawn to this story. The book was an Alex Award winner (books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults) in 2005.
Special mention: Away We Go, a cute little indie directed by Sam Mendes, co-written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, and starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, finally opens in more theaters this weekend. It’s not really a teen movie — it’s rated R and about starting a family — but it’s charming and worth a look. Great soundtrack, too.
Best bet this weekend: Personal preference, really. I’m not rushing out to see either of the big releases.
Coming up: 1930s gangster drama Public Enemies with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and the third Ice Age movie, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Both open on Wednesday, July 1 to prep for the July 4 crowds.
June 25th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: June 19
Summer is prime time for wacky comedies and Year One with Jack Black and Michael Cera looks to take wacky to, ahem, biblical proportions. As a pair of lazy hunter-gatherers, the two are banished from their village and set off on a journey through a not-at-all historically accurate ancient world. They encounter figures like Cain and Abel (David Cross and Paul Rudd), Abraham (Hank Azaria) and Isaac (McLovin nee Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Directed and co-written by Harold Ramis, the guy behind movies like Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters and Caddyshack, and filled with popular comedic actors, Year One has the promise of being a great summer diversion and will likely bring in younger audiences this weekend.
It’s been awhile since a romantic comedy hit theaters and even longer since Sandra Bullock has starred in one. With The Proposal, we get both, as Bullock returns to the chick flick genre, this time with Ryan Reynolds. She plays a high-strung, selfish book editor with a problem: she’s about to lose her visa and get sent back to Canada. Enter Reynolds, her All-American assistant, who she cons into marrying her so she doesn’t lose her job. Both Bullock and Reynolds have the chops to pull this off &em; audiences loved her in While You Were Sleeping and Miss Congeniality and he surprised critics with his rom-com turn in Definitely, Maybe. But the premise seems a bit cliched and could easily be forgettable.
Bottom line: Pick your poison. Both movies look amusing for their genres and could be a pleasant diversion, if nothing else.
Coming up: Get ready for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opening on Wednesday and My Sister’s Keeper based on the book of the same name.
June 18th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: June 12
We’ve got two new movies hitting the theaters this week. One’s an action thriller and the other’s a feel-good family film. Neither look particularly appealing (and are getting terrible reviews so far), but they feature some big names that could draw in audiences.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is based on a 1973 novel of the same name. The book was previously adapted for film in 1974 and for TV in 1998. The story chronicles a hostage situation aboard a New York Subway train, with Denzel Washington as the subway dispatcher and John Travolta as the criminal mastermind. It’s rated R, so probably not going to be big with most teens.
Eddie Murphy’s back in another family film called Imagine That. Murphy plays the stereotypical workaholic father, who’s career is headed on a downward spiral. But when he starts listening to his daughter and her imaginary friends, his life changes. The movie looks sweet, and this role is definitely a step up for Murphy (Norbit, anyone?), but it’s probably a forgettable summer lark.
Best bet this weekend: Stay home.
Coming up: Romantic comedy The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds and the wacky Year One with teen faves Michael Cera and Jack Black
June 11th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: June 5
The biggest release this weekend and the one with the broadest appeal is Land of the Lost starring Will Ferrell. Based on the 1970s children’s series by Sid and Marty Krofft, the movie spoofs the original and takes liberties with characters and plot points. Instead of a father and his children, this time around paleontogist Dr. Rick Marshall (Ferrell), his assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and redneck survivalist Will (Danny McBride) slip into a time vortex. Trying to find their way home, the threesome encounter a bizarre world inhabited by a primate named Chaka (Jorma Taccone), dinosaurs and weird reptile creatures called Sleestaks. While the original show and the 1991 remake were for kids, it seems that the movie, rated PG-13, is aimed at an older audience looking for nostalgia or a Ferrell/McBride laugh-fest. From the looks of the promo materials, it’s walking a fine line between a wacky, fun parody or a tacky, over-the-top snoozer. Can the starpower of Ferrell draw in crowds?
The Hangover, the newest raunchy guy comedy from Old School director Todd Phillips, is rated R, but sure to be one that teens will try to sneak into. Starring Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper, the story follows the three friends as they retrace their steps the morning after a wild night in Vegas to find their soon-to-be-married best friend. As is the trend with this brand of comedy, the movie pushes the limits of its R rating, so tread carefully.
For a bit of counterprogramming, Nia Vardalos goes back to her Greek roots with My Life in Ruins. As a tour director, Vardalos leads a group of tourists around Greece and learns about life and love in the process. While it likely won’t be the success that My Big Fat Greek Wedding was, the movie looks like a sweet diversion.
Best bet this weekend: Go see Up if you haven’t already.
Coming up: Family movie Imagine That with Eddie Murphy
June 4th, 2009 ♥ Box Office Preview, Movies ♥ No Comments »
Weekend Box Office Preview: May 29
Following a big Memorial Day weekend at the box office, we see two new major releases this weekend. Both have youth appeal and look to take down the big winners from last week, Night at the Museum and Terminator Salvation.
Animation powerhouse Pixar hopes to once again enthrall audiences with Up. The story follows retired curmudgeon Carl, who ties thousands of balloons onto his house to escape being shipped off to a nursing home and fulfill his departed wife’s lifelong dream of adventure. With eight-year-old stowaway Russell in tow, Carl encounters a world of unexpected wonders in the Venezuelan jungle. Pixar and early reviewers are intentionally vague with regard to the bulk of the plot, but I don’t think we should expect anything less than amazing storytelling from the filmmakers who brought us Wall-E, Toy Story, and The Incredibles. This is the first Pixar movie to be filmed in Disney Digital 3-D and will be presented as such at many theaters (for a premium), but regular 2-D showings are also available. It’s also the first animated film to open the Cannes Film Festival.
After helming the successful Spiderman series, Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots with Drag Me To Hell. In a coincidentally current-events-relevant plot, Allison Lohman’s Christine rejects an old woman’s mortgage extension to secure a promotion at her bank. But, uh-oh, the old woman puts a crazy curse on Christine and all hell breaks loose (literally). I saw some early clips at Comic-con last year, and they were creepy and campy. I don’t do horror movies, but early reviewers seem to agree that this is a thrilling ride that highlights Raimi’s skills as a horror director.
Best bet this weekend: Up, Up, Up. Unless you’re a horror fan, then Drag Me To Hell looks promising.
Coming up: A wacky big screen interpretation of cult ’70s TV show Land of the Lost, My Life in Ruins, another Nia Vardalos helmed rom-com, and the R-Rated, raunchy comedy The Hangover.
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