ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Friday, March 14, 2008

Weekend Box Office #75

I've been working a lot, so I haven't been writing -- or blogging -- much. I need to do more of both.

I was going to go out to the movies with the wife tonight, but looking at the options, we were both rather underwhelmed.

Today's new wide releases:

HORTON HEARS A WHO (3954 theaters). That's a lot of theaters, and I guess kids will go see this. But honestly, despite a talented cast, this just looks sort of dumb, and today's LA Times review says that all the sarcasm pretty much undercuts all the themes of the story. Someday they'll make a good movie out of a Dr. Seuss tale; at least they didn't try to do this live-action, like Cat In The Hat or The Grinch, so that's an improvement right there. Prediction: $46.7 million for the weekend.

NEVER BACK DOWN (2729 theaters). They are advertising this a lot, though it looks like a pretty generic guy-fighting movie. Maybe it'll do $10.1 million.

DOOMSDAY (1936 theaters). I'm not entirely sure what this is, other than a apocalyptic future kind of thing; is it a videogame? It wasn't shown to critics, which is generally a bad sign, while it's going to lose a big chunk of its young male audience to Never Back Down. $3.4 million.

16 Comments:

At 1:32 PM, Blogger deepstructure said...

i have to disagree with the numbers for 'never back down' and 'doomsday'. i think at the very least those should be reversed.

wow - all this time i thought it was kate beckinsale in doomsday doing her underworld thang. who the heck is rhona mitra?

 
At 5:50 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Scott, glad to hear you job has picked up. My-my how things change in a month, eh?

Huge Steve Carell fan, but that's not going to be enough in this circumstance to bring me into the theatre to see "Horton Hears a Who."

One bit of news that really caught me off guard this week was coming home, turning on the local news, and hearing a segment about how Aaron Eckhart was in Pike Place Market to film the movie, "Traveling." Fans came out in droves hoping to see Jennifer Aniston, Aaron's co-star in the movie, but Jennifer was a no show, as much of "Traveling" is being filmed in Vancouver, BC.

Tavis, thanks for the pub, lol.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 6:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tavis

I like this site enormously.

Scott provides an excellent education in what is being called upon in the professional world of the screenwriter.

From one of the idiots who co-wrote an idiotic flick called Dead Mary, I'm thinking some of you aren't professionals considering the manner in which you treat other writers (professional or aspiring).

And that's sad.

Keep up the good work, Scott- it's inspiring...

Peter

 
At 7:21 PM, Blogger Tavis said...

Peter--

Thank you for putting me in my place. I guess you never know who is reading this blog. I realize my thoughts and opinions are not wanted here. It was fun while it lasted-- well, to some of us it was (i.e. myself).

 
At 10:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just watched Horton Hears A Who and it's great. Definitely check it out when you get the chance.

 
At 10:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

peter -- ever been to artfulwriter? professionals dont treat professionals professionally. is it grown up? maybe not. does it happen everywhere? yeah. get over it.

as for the numbers, ill say doomsday is going to rake in some chedda -- ten mil. never back down will bank a cool seven. horton will clean up with some big number im sure.

rez

 
At 12:53 AM, Blogger deepstructure said...

did i miss something? what the heck did tavis say that was so bad?

 
At 1:17 AM, Blogger Recovering Booth Rat said...

I didn't think there was anything wrong with what Tavis said. Geez, are we all just a bunch of pussies these days?

 
At 9:44 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Writers are pussies and unpleasant people for the most part. Peter getting all butt-hurt over some offhand remark is typical.

Can't wait to see Dead Mary 2!

 
At 1:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon:

If you really believe that, you'll never get a job.

 
At 1:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

not that i agree with what he said but who said anon1 wanted a job writing or in the film biz at all?

rez

 
At 2:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

never back down was awesome-- karate kid for the new generation!

-- Chris

 
At 4:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Rez:

I also visit The Artful Writer- great site. And yes, there is discord. However, from my experience, it seems to mainly come from one writer and his followers.

And taking into account the amount of traffic the site receives, the "poison pills" are a pathetically slim minority.

It is one thing to discuss, debate, agree and disagree, fight, blame, yell, knit-pick within our craft- quite another to establish a "mob rules mentality" and go after one person.

That's just simply being a thug.

Anon 1:

As far as Dead Mary 2, fortunately, not with my name attached.

Peace,

Peter

 
At 5:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I for one applaud Peter and his movement to cleanse this scribosphere of any disparaging remarks of "mob mentality" against any single person. Where would we all be if it weren't for Peter sticking up for us?

 
At 5:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

has anyone else noticed the increase of anonymous postings on this site. just saying...

 
At 12:19 PM, Blogger Scott the Reader said...

The final weekend numbers were:

Horton Hears a Who $45.0 million
Never Back Down $8.6 million
Doomsday $4.9 million

So I was ballpark, for once.

10,000 BC dropped 53%, while The Bank Job only dropped 14%. Love that word-of-mouth.

 

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