The Box Office Contest and Discussion

Oh thanks Ty. I just love Kong. That's why it put me to

I was just giving you a hard time, Moleman. I know how much you "love" Jackson?s "Kong" picture.

I also forgot to mention The Inheritance Trilogy beginning this Christmas, "Eragon, Eldest and Empire"

It is way too soon to be making predictions as to the eventual box-office fate of those films, so I will have to decline at this particular juncture. The director, Stefen Fangmeier, is a former ILM visual effects supervisor, and "Eragon" ? the first of the three movies ? is his feature directorial debut. Let?s hope that this isn?t another "Dungeons and Dragons" (incidentally, both that film and the upcoming "Eragon" feature Jeremy Irons).

This just in.... Harry Potter has reached the $600 mill international mark....AGAIN for the third time.

Is that a good sign, or a bad one?

True, that I haven't considered. It'll be interesting to see what our breakout movies will be this summer.

Todd Phillips, the man responsible for the raunchy breakout hits "Old School" and "Road Trip," has a new comedy on the horizon entitled "School for Scoundrels," starring Billy Bob Thornton and the ubiquitous Jon Heder. If this new film is more or less "on par" with the aforementioned pictures, then it could be quite successful. "The Break-Up," a romantic-comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, also has blockbuster potential.

I'm kinda in the same boat as you are. I think it'd be great if Narnia reached $300 million, but I really don't see that happening. It would need a sprint to the finish in order to top $300 million, and right now it looks to have the legs of an old man.

"Narnia" has exceeded most expectations, but at this point, it would be fortunate to pass the $295 million mark. $300 million is a possibility, though increasingly unlikely, especially with the impending release of the DVD.

I have fairly high expectations for Dead Man's Chest. If it's a good movie and has fairly good legs like it's predecessor did, $300 million will certainly be within reach.

It more or less goes without saying that the film will have a gargantuan opening weekend; what is uncertain is whether or not the picture will satisfy the expectations of the core audience. I?m sure that "Dead Man?s Chest" will be entertaining (just as the first picture was, due in large part to the wonderful performances by Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, though the film as a whole could have benefited from some more judicious editing), but to what degree exactly remains to be seen.

To be perfectly honest, I was not at all that impressed with Batman Begins and King Kong, Kong especially. I consider both movies to be worth a single admission ticket at the theater, but beyond that, I heavily doubt either of them will get anymore money from me. Kong just bored me in too many places, and I just feel like there isn't enough there to warrant me giving it anymore attention.

I respect your opinion, Shackleton. I loved both "Kong" and "Begins," though neither is perfect; additionally, while I look forward to the feature-laden DVD of "Kong," I think I speak for most people when I say that we really don?t need an ?extended edition? of the film (already 20 minutes too long in its three-hour-plus theatrical incarnation). However, the indication is that Universal and director Peter Jackson are planning to release an EE sometime this fall, likely in either November or December.

ROTS and Potter, however, I both consider to be better films than Narnia.

On that we can agree.

Ty's been freaking awsome.

Thanks, dookie. It?s just luck, I think, and sooner or later it will run out.

Like a freaking machine.

Uhhhh...

but........Revenge of the Dookie is coming.

I thought that Box-Office Contestants did not seek revenge.

So be afraid........ be very afraid.

What the...Brundlefly?!?!

 

Can I quote on that. Wait I already did. I'm trying to get my good friend missy to come back, but he's still pretty busy...and lazy Saturday mornings to get up and screw y'out of a win.

 

I loved both "Kong" and "Begins," though neither is perfect; additionally, while I look forward to the feature-laden DVD of "Kong," I think I speak for most people when I say that we really donâ??t need an â??extended editionâ?? of the film (already 20 minutes too long in its three-hour-plus theatrical incarnation). However, the indication is that Universal and director Peter Jackson are planning to release an EE sometime this fall, likely in either November or December.

A feature-laden DVD edition of Kong would be kind of cool, and I guess I was a bit premature to pass judgement on the film. I don't know, maybe my expectations were a little too high for Kong and Batman. I just feel like if PJ was able to hack off a half hour of Kong, then it would've been a little more enjoyable.

As far as Batman Begins goes, I really liked Liam Neeson and the job he did. I guess I kinda balked because the film was different from the classic Batman movies, like Batman Forever. It really wasn't that bad of a movie, it was just way different than what I expected.

 

Can I quote on that.

No.



A feature-laden DVD edition of Kong would be kind of cool, and I guess I was a bit premature to pass judgement on the film.

"Kong" has the usual list of deficiencies directed towards this sort of extravagant SFX picture, such as some routine acting (Adrien Brody, a deep and gifted actor, was terrible; Jamie Bell wasn?t great either), standard-issue dialogue, narrative and storytelling flaws, etc. It?s also a terrific action picture, as well as a stirring emotional epic, and it succeeds overall, even if some of its isolated moments are problematic.

I don't know, maybe my expectations were a little too high for Kong and Batman. I just feel like if PJ was able to hack off a half hour of Kong, then it would've been a little more enjoyable.

"Kong" was a great spectacle, in addition to being a vigorous and enthralling piece of escapist entertainment, so that makes it easier for me to overlook some of its excessive passages.

As far as Batman Begins goes, I really liked Liam Neeson and the job he did.

He was good, although that performance was well within his range as an actor. I was rather more intrigued by the work of Christian Bale (as Batman/Wayne), and Michael Caine (as Alfred Pennyworth).

I guess I kinda balked because the film was different from the classic Batman movies, like Batman Forever.

I haven?t really enjoyed any of the "Batman" pictures prior to "Begins," although I have appreciated aspects of each of them (save for "Batman and Robin"). Tim Burton?s 1989 film, "Batman," and its immediate sequel, 1992?s "Batman Returns," were dazzling technical achievements, but emotionally remote; while it was easy to admire the cinematography, art direction, set design, etc., it was considerably more difficult to care about any of the characters, most notably Bruce Wayne, who was upstaged by his arch nemeses in each of the first two installments. Additionally, the Burton films seemed to wallow in lugubrious excess, rather than fully exploiting the noir-infused pulp grandeur that characterized the source material.

Schumacher?s pictures, beginning with 1995?s "Batman Forever," tapped into a campy exuberance and used aggressively gaudy set pieces to stage a series of increasingly overproduced action sequences. The principal characters, including Batman, were stock (which would have been fine had Schumacher actually done something with their flatness), and the dialogue was comprised of hammy one-liners and banal colloquialisms. This film, and its sequel, "Batman and Robin," came uncomfortably close to mirroring some of the turgid potboilers of the 1950?s and 60?s. It?s one thing to employ clichéd ideas in a film, as long as those conceits are infused with a certain degree of energy and then manipulated in a colorful fashion; however, Schumacher?s pictures began to buckle and then collapse under the solemn weight of their hackneyed constructs.

It really wasn't that bad of a movie, it was just way different than what I expected.

The thing is, "Batman Begins" was able to explore the psychology of Bruce Wayne in a cogent and dramatically intriguing fashion; the previous films appeared to treat Wayne as more of a vessel for exploring the surrounding world, rather than bothering to impart his character with much depth. In this new picture, Wayne is presented as a complex, multi-dimensional figure, and the investigation of his psychology is infinitely more fascinating than any action set piece (and that?s probably a good thing, as director Christopher Nolan exhibits some difficulty in composing inventive fight/chase sequences). While "Batman Begins" has too many characters and too much plot by about 1/3, the film is nonetheless a powerful and absorbing popular entertainment, and one of the best superhero pictures to have been produced in the last 20 years.

 

Okay May 07 has just gotten larger.

Spider-Man 3 5/4
Shrek 3 5/18
Pirates 3 5/25
and
Order of the Phoenix 6/1

They need to do some shuffling because in under one month you have 4 out of the top 5 films of next year. We'll be seeing the top 12 pass 200 million at least twice maybe three times in the five week period.

 

i bet Harry moves back to November release.

 

I can't wait another year and half let alone another year.

 

You can and you will.

lol you seen the pics of Hermione Granger getting her drink on at a party? she has good taste in beer at least.

 

On the flip side, maybe they can get it out by this Thanksgiving. It doesn't seem feasible since they're just started filming a month ago.

 

In this new picture, Wayne is presented as a complex, multi-dimensional figure, and the investigation of his psychology is infinitely more fascinating than any action set piece (and that probably a good thing, as director Christopher Nolan exhibits some difficulty in composing inventive fight/chase sequences).

I guess that's true, and I certainly see where you're coming from. I don't know, maybe with time the movie will grow on me. I doubt I'll be able to say the same about King Kong, though.

lol you seen the pics of Hermione Granger getting her drink on at a party? she has good taste in beer at least.

I did see that. collegehumor.com captioned that picture as saying she'd be on the cover of Maxim once she turns 18.

 

hello guys anyone still alive?

 

Hey Dookie. I'm still here. ...like I'd go anywhere.

I think this weekend is the moment of truth GOF and Narnia are only seperated by 350,000 and Narnia has just hit dollar theaters. So this is it.

 

Narnia will do it bro lol it's all but guaranteed.

 

I think it all depends on this weekend. Narnia did like .2 .3 last weekend

If it does a .3 and above this weekend it's a lock.

Kong hit dollar theaters and increased by 5% if that from weekend to weekend.

GOF is still making 20,000 during weekdays. Narnia is not being tracked.

 

After this weekend Harry can say bye,bye to the #2 boxoffice office domestic crown of '05. Alsan ate up the boy wizard.

 

#20 The Chronicles of Narnia
$289,808,000

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
$289,546,416

Sorry Mole

 

I know I know. Let's see how OOTP does against Prince Caspian in another year and a half.

OOTP 305
Caspian 275

 

Anybody around? Just a few stats for the week.

-Moleman won the Box Office Contest for a second week in a row.

-Narnia has just passed not only Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but The Empire Strikes Back as well.

-Goblet of Fire is roughly 116,000 from 290 million domestically.

 

ONLY 3 MORE WEEKS TILL THE SUMMER MOVIE SEASON KICKS OFF WITH MI3 WOOOOO!

 

Can't believe the summer season's almost here. It's like ROTS and BB just came and were dominating. But I think it'll be a bigger bang to open this year since KOH did 19m. MI3 will do triple or quadruple OW.

 

Yeah this summer will open bigger and make more for the whole season then last year.

MI3 $85m opening
The boat film should at least top $50m opening

 

Yeah, I'm soooo looking forward to this summer. There's just so many promising movies coming out that it's almost unreal. It'll be interesting to see how they do and whether or not this summer will be more profitable than last summer was.

Also, I was pretty suprised at how well Ice Age 2 did. I was kinda expecting a gross some where around 50 million or so. Looks like this year is shaping up to be much better than I really gave it credit for.

 

Hey Shackleton, long time no see. Don't forget to come by and play like old times.

MI-3 has a definite plus with Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman. That will definitely bring in the elite crowd who prefer the artistic movies to see if Capote can pull off a bad guy.

I really haven't seen much on Poseidon so I can't judge. But I can say this May is booked like it was in 03.

May 06

MI:3 (OW - 72m , TOTAL - 242m)
Poseidon (OW - 46m, TOTAL - 142m)
Da Vinci Code (OW - 63m, TOTAL - 233m)
Over the Hedge (OW - 43m, TOTAL - 176m)
X-Men 3 (OW - 95m, TOTAL - 262m)

May 03

X2 (OW - 85 m, TOTAL - 214m)
Matrix 2 (OW - 91m, TOTAL - 281m)
Bruce Almighty (OW - 68m, TOTAL - 242m)
Finding Nemo (OW - 70m, TOTAL - 339m)

 

I'll see what I can do. Hopefully I can get a couple weekends in before the school year is over.

Oh, and I'm gonna have to agree with May being booked with huge movies. Those numbers you have there look similar to what I'd put down if I were to throw out May '06 predictions right now. I haven't seen much about Poseidon either. It looks like it'd be on okay movie, but I'll most likely end up waiting on good word-of-mouth in order to go see it.

 

I honestly see it doing Troy's numbers. Maybe a little higher because it's not up against a Shrek 2 monster. The only bad thing is it's caught between MI:3 and Over the Hedge/Da Vinci Code.