Box office roundup

[stray]

Three new releases in the top ten this week. One is a hit, one is a disappointment, and one is an unmitigated flop. All numbers from Mojo as per usual, so here we go.

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#1 - Silent Hill, Week 1
Weekend gross: $20.1m
Screen count: 2926
Production budget: $50m

I hadn't been paying much attention to this one previously, since it looked like either another cheap craptastic horror flick, or something by Uwe Boll. This weekend, though, I had a couple people tell me they had gone to see it, and that it was genuinely entertaining. Lo and behold, I see today that it's come back with a respectable twenty million dollar opening. If it has decent legs, it'll do pretty well in the final accounting.

Decent legs or not, it made that much money because the studio didn't let reviewers screen it for the weekend.

[edit] Eh, at least that's part of it. It probably could have pulled in 14 million even with prescreenings, simply because of hype and genre.

[edit] Anyways, this thread is a strange idea.

[WayAbvPar]

Perhaps the Robin Williams flick RV will be my next project, as the commercials I've seen for it look utterly devoid of humor.

Oh, that is gonna suck. I mean SUCK.  Robin Williams hasn't been funny since before he quit cocaine back in the 80s. Someone needs to lock him up and keep him from headlining any comedy movies EVAR AGAIN. He can get a day pass to film supporting roles in dramas ala Good Will Hunting.

[stray]

Robin Williams hasn't been funny since before he quit cocaine back in the 80s.

I was almost going to disagree with you (for some reason), but you are, in fact, right. Well, at least pretty close.


Robots (2005) (voice) .... Fender
Death to Smoochy (2002) .... 'Rainbow' Randolph Smiley
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001) (voice) .... Dr. Know
Flubber (1997) .... Professor Philip Brainard
Jack (1996) .... Jack Charles Powell
The Birdcage (1996) .... Armand Goldman
Jumanji (1995) .... Alan Parrish
Aladdin on Ice (1995) (TV) (voice) (uncredited) .... Genie
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) .... Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire
Toys (1992) .... Leslie Zevo
Aladdin (1992) (voice) .... Genie

Shakes the Clown (1992) (as Marty Fromage) .... Mime Class Instructor - Last funny movie

[Samwise]

I thought he was good in Death to Smoochy.  I also liked him in Aladdin, but I was a lot younger then so my judgement is suspect.   

[stray]

I thought he was good in Death to Smoochy.  I also liked him in Aladdin, but I was a lot younger then so my judgement is suspect.   

OK, since you're shedding tears, I'll give you Aladdin. But no Death to Smoochy (and no Aladdin On Ice....Which I haven't seen actually).

[Paelos]

You have to give some credit to him in Mrs. Doubtfire. That movie did pretty well, and in fact took home an Oscar for the makeup job they did on Williams. It also won a lot of other comedic awards. Hell, IMBD says it grossed $219M in the US.

I think that one delivered.

[HaemishM]

I like Jack, Flubber and The Birdcage FOR WHAT THEY WERE. But they certainly weren't great movies by any stretch of the imagination.

RV, however, looks like someone shat National Lampoon's Vacation through a redneck's colon.

[WindupAtheist]

Flubber was an okay kids movie, Mrs. Doubtfire had it's moments, but this RV thing...  That commercial where he's talking to the kids playing basketball was just excruciating.  Made me feel embarrassed for Williams.

[Samwise]

I thought he was good in Death to Smoochy.  I also liked him in Aladdin, but I was a lot younger then so my judgement is suspect.   

OK, since you're shedding tears, I'll give you Aladdin. But no Death to Smoochy (and no Aladdin On Ice....Which I haven't seen actually).

That's blushing, not tears.  Unless they're tears of blood.  But I'm not THAT broken up about it.

[stray]

Oops, sorry about that 

[Ironwood]

You have to give some credit to him in Mrs. Doubtfire. That movie did pretty well, and in fact took home an Oscar for the makeup job they did on Williams. It also won a lot of other comedic awards. Hell, IMBD says it grossed $219M in the US.

I think that one delivered.

That one an Oscar ?  Hell, Robin Williams was almost a Scottish Woman before the makeup job.  Not much work needed.

[Arthur_Parker]

Robin Williams hasn't been funny since before he quit cocaine back in the 80s.

He used to ring Games Workshop UK mail order department quite often (around that time) using a sqeaky voice saying stuff like "I'm Nurgle, I'm Nurgle! & Blood for the Blood God!".  Or so I was told, they thought he was funny but a bit strange.

[Morfiend]

I love The Birdcage, not a wonderful movie, but one that you can watch just about any time you catch it on TV and be entertained.

[Abagadro]

His last HBO special was surprisingly good (especially compared to the crapfests that the last two Carlin ones have been). His cunnilingus gag pretty much made me forgive anything bad he has done in the last decade.

[Yegolev]

Not funny.  Ever.  I watched too much Mork & Mindy.  I might see RV if I can be guaranteed at least one groin kick for Robin.

[Hoax]

I played soccer versus his kid, he was a dick of a parent on the sidelines.  Oh and I was kicked out of a party at his house, or actually I think it was his wife's (ex?) house.  But anyways we got kicked out and almost went back and beat the shit out of his kid (I was too drunk to notice if it was the one I had played soccer with but I assume so).

Anyways, I think his stand-up is pretty damn funny he was really great on Inside the Actor's Studio too.  I dislike Mrs. Doubtfire, the Birdcage is a classic, he was awesome in Alladin and I thought Death to Smoochy was great but more due to Norton then Williams.

[shiznitz]

His last HBO special was surprisingly good (especially compared to the crapfests that the last two Carlin ones have been). His cunnilingus gag pretty much made me forgive anything bad he has done in the last decade.

My wife and I had sore abs from that bit the morning after. I haven't laughed that hard since (saw it on DVD last fall).

[Paelos]

I played soccer versus his kid, he was a dick of a parent on the sidelines.  Oh and I was kicked out of a party at his house, or actually I think it was his wife's (ex?) house.  But anyways we got kicked out and almost went back and beat the shit out of his kid (I was too drunk to notice if it was the one I had played soccer with but I assume so).

Is this anecdote supposed to reflect badly on him or you? I'm confused.

[Velorath]

I played soccer versus his kid, he was a dick of a parent on the sidelines.  Oh and I was kicked out of a party at his house, or actually I think it was his wife's (ex?) house.  But anyways we got kicked out and almost went back and beat the shit out of his kid (I was too drunk to notice if it was the one I had played soccer with but I assume so).

I assume almost beating the shit out of someone simply entails talking about doing it for years after the incident.  Next time you tell that story to someone you might want to leave that part out as it makes you and your friends sound like bitches.

[WindupAtheist]

One time I almost considered thinking about beating the shit out of some guy's son who was a total dick on the badminton court, but then I decided against it.

[stray]

I assume almost beating the shit out of someone simply entails talking about doing it for years after the incident.  Next time you tell that story to someone you might want to leave that part out as it makes you and your friends sound like bitches.

Years ago, I almost kicked the entire lineup of Slipknot's ass (OK, I'm not that egotistical. I probably would have just hurt some of them).

IF I'd known it was Slipknot at the time though, I'd probably have a better story to tell you now.

[WindupAtheist]

Ok, so I had to get up at 3am today.  But it's only 1pm now, and I'm caffinated all to hell!  So let's get to it!  I took a week off, and now I'm ready to go.  Numbers from Mojo as per usual.

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#1 - Mission Impossible, Week 1
Weekend Gross: $48m
Screen count: 4054
Budget: $150m

Given the hype, and the ASTRONOMICAL screen count, one tends to expect more from this movie.  MI2 opened with $9m more despite being on about 400 fewer screens.  And while MI1 opened a little lower at $45m, it did so on about 1000 fewer screens than this one.  It's doing okay, but... meh.  Let's see how the dropoff goes next week.

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#2 - RV, Week 2
Weekend Gross: $11.1m (-32.4%)
Screen count: 3651 (+12)
Total gross: $31m
Budget: $50m

Am I the only one surprised to see this flick doing this well?  The advertisements I've seen looked about as funny as skin cancer.  Then again, I guess "Robin Williams in anything" has a chance to sell after a glut of shitty horror flicks and a movie about 9/11.

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#3 - An American Haunting, Week 1
Weekend Gross: $6.3m
Screen count: 1668
Budget: $14m

Blah, blah, blah.  Speaking of shitty horror flicks...  Donald Sutherland is a better actor than a movie like this deserves, someone please put him in something good.

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#4 - Stick It, Week 2
Weekend Gross: $5.5m (-48.9%)
Screen count: 2044 (+6)
Total gross: $18m
Budget: Unknown

Gymnastics comedy starring Jeff Bridges.  I never thought anything would make me miss writing about that Antonio Banderas ballroom-dancing flick.  Hope they didn't spend much on this, because it's taking a serious dropoff on top of an unimpressive gross.

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#5 - United 93, Week 2
Weekend Gross: $5.2m (-54.6%)
Screen count: 1819 (+24)
Total gross: $20m
Budget: $15m

Betcha they could have kept the dropoff below 50% if they had just added some snakes.  Then again, it's not like they spent much.

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#6 - Ice Age: The Meltdown, Week 4097 (aka week 6)
Weekend gross:  More than everything below it ($4m)
Screen count: Still too many (2426)
Total gross: A shitload ($183m)
Budget: Way less than they're making ($80m)

GO AWAY!  I AM TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT YOU, ICE AGE!

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#7 - Silent Hill, Week 3
Weekend Gross: $3.9m (-58.2%)
Screen count: 2556 (-376)
Total gross: $40.8m
Budget: $50m

Fifty million dollars was too much to spend on this movie.  I won't bag on it, I just think they overbudgeted.

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#8 - Scary Movie 4, Week 4
Weekend Gross: $3.7m (-51.8%)
Screen count: 2537 (-881)
Total gross: $83.7m
Budget: $45m

Will creep up to double it's production budget by the time the fat lady sings, respectable by any standard.  Expect Scary Movie 5 two years from now, complete with tired spoofs of everything else on this list.

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#9 - Akeelah and the Bee, Week 2
Weekend Gross: $3.4m (-43.4%)
Screen count: 2195 (+0)
Total gross: $10.6m
Budget: Unknown

NASONEX!  Anyway, there's some question as to whether this or Hoot actually scored the #9 spot, but I don't give enough of a shit to look into it.  Neither do you.

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#10 - Hoot, Week 1
Weekend Gross: $3.4m
Screen count: 3018
Budget: $15m

I don't care if it IS just some happy animal kiddie-book adaptation, if it's on 3k screens it should make more than this.  Now, to go off on the mandatory weekly tangent, you know what I'd like to see?  More Star Wars movies!  No wait, really.  What GL ought to do is take some interesting directors, hand them a bag of money, and let them make Star Wars movies that have nothing to do with the existing ones.  Set them somewhere else within the continuity entirely, KOTOR style, and just let them run amuck.  Would never happen in a billion years, but what the hell.  It's my thread.

[Velorath]

Now, to go off on the mandatory weekly tangent, you know what I'd like to see?  More Star Wars movies!  No wait, really.  What GL ought to do is take some interesting directors, hand them a bag of money, and let them make Star Wars movies that have nothing to do with the existing ones.  Set them somewhere else within the continuity entirely, KOTOR style, and just let them run amuck.  Would never happen in a billion years, but what the hell.  It's my thread.

I've heard that same idea before and really... it's shit.  The last thing the movie industry needs is to take talented directors and get them to churn out fucking Star Wars movies.  I can barely even sit through the original SW movies these days.

[Margalis]

I've heard that same idea before and reallly... it's shit.  The last thing the movie industry needs is to take talented directors and get them to churn out fucking Star Wars movies.  I can barely even sit through the original SW movies these days.

Amen.

Star Wars is 1.5 pretty good movies with 4.5 shitty ones mixed in. I don't get it. It's Knights in Shining Armor with glowsticks. I understand the appeal somewhat but enough is enough, it's not like the world of Star Wars is really super-interesting and needs to be riffed on for all eternity.

[WindupAtheist]

Meanwhile, on my other forum...

Now, to go off on the mandatory weekly tangent, you know what I'd like to see? More Star Wars movies!

You should be set on fire.

They gave me a more F13 reception than F13 did.  You guys are slipping.  :-D

[schild]

Why isn't there a thread about Terry Gilliam doing the new Harry Potter Movie? Afterall, Harry Potter is the new Star Wars. Or something. Overrated, overblown sci-fi/fantasy with a giant ego and no sense of soul.

[WindupAtheist]

HAY WHO WUD WIN IN A FIGHT BETWEEN VOLDEMORT AND THE EMPORER??//?

LOL I THINK IT WUOLD BE TEH EMPORER!  UNLIMITED POWAR!!!

[Murgos]

Why isn't there a thread about Terry Gilliam doing the new Harry Potter Movie? Afterall, Harry Potter is the new Star Wars. Or something. Overrated, overblown sci-fi/fantasy with a giant ego and no sense of soul.

I saw the first Harry Potter movie and read the book because of all the hype, the movie was OK, nothing too stimulating - a pretty good childrens/young teens movie but very little there for an adult.  The book was something that if you are an adult and you use any word other than childish to decribe it you should have your license to present opinions to the public revoked, I'm not sure there was more than 3 words with more than two syllables in the whole thing.  That said, I will go watch a Terry Gilliam directed Harry Potter movie opening weekend.

[schild]

The books are meant to be childish according to the majority of people I know. Most of the adults who talk about it says the books make them feel like an imaginative kid again.

But when I think of imaginative kid, I tend to think of retarded toddler. I don't know, I've only read portions of the Harry Potter series, but I just can't bring myself to read them at length. I was reading more complicated books by 4th grade. The world hath gotten stupider since those days.

[Murgos]

Frankly, So You Want to be a Wizard? by Diane Duane was the same story but better - still targeted at kids but much more nuanced and absolutely much better written.

Maybe I think that because I read it when I was 12 or 13 and I haven't revisted the books to reevaluate my opinion but I think even the young me would have scoffed at Harry Potter.  I had read the Lord of the Rings and The Shining by the time I was 11 and I am pretty sure Harry Potter wouldn't have held my attention even then.

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

Harry Potter and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts both are just hype (though people tend to throw money at hype).

[HaemishM]

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts both are just hype (though people tend to throw money at hype).

You shut your damn whore mouth.

#1 - Mission Impossible, Week 1
Weekend Gross: $48m
Screen count: 4054
Budget: $150m

Given the hype, and the ASTRONOMICAL screen count, one tends to expect more from this movie.  MI2 opened with $9m more despite being on about 400 fewer screens.  And while MI1 opened a little lower at $45m, it did so on about 1000 fewer screens than this one.  It's doing okay, but... meh.  Let's see how the dropoff goes next week.

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#2 - RV, Week 2
Weekend Gross: $11.1m (-32.4%)
Screen count: 3651 (+12)
Total gross: $31m
Budget: $50m

Am I the only one surprised to see this flick doing this well?  The advertisements I've seen looked about as funny as skin cancer.  Then again, I guess "Robin Williams in anything" has a chance to sell after a glut of shitty horror flicks and a movie about 9/11.

I'd think this opening weekend was a disaster for MI3. As for RV, I can't imagine what the fuck anyone would see in this movie. I LIKE Robin Williams, and I just felt bad for him having to appear in it.

[Murgos]

Anecdotaly, my brother saw MI:III last weekend and said it was much better than he expected.

[WindupAtheist]

Can't really call $48m a disaster, since MI2 opened at $57m and MI1 opened at $45m.

[Nebu]

Ok...

I went to the video store last night after checking the theaters.  There is literally nothing worth watching.  I'm not sure if this is a blessing or a curse... but deciding that going for a run was a better option than going to or renting a movie just shocked me.

If someone can recommend anything released in the past 2 years, I'd be grateful.  I found absolutely nothing that interested me.