Weekly Box Office and Film Discussion Thread

[jvcarroll]

I could have guess that. Don't know why these anemic renditions of not that good tweenage drama stories are still so popular. Especially since the level of writing is always just so... I mean, it's like whoever wrote this came up with the title "The Scorch Trials" because it sounded cool somehow, and when it was decided what the Scorch actually is, it just sounds...idiotic. It's not the "deadlands" it's not the "wastes." No... it's "The Scorch" which sounds just like such a lame attempt to sound all mysterious and brooding.

Anyway, anyone see these Pan trailers?

Wow.

Just... wow. I get that making Tigerlilly a Native American stereotype is unacceptable these days, but did they really need to make her Queen Amedalla from Phantom Menace?

The first Maze Runner was surprisingly good. I'll check out the second one.

 

[Drtooth]

I'll take your word for it, but I still don't want to bother. Even with Ferb in the cast. These YA novels all seem to blend in, and it's obvious why. I understand that younger readers will always be drawn to books about characters their age. But everything that's trying to be Hunger Games winds up turning out like some bad KND fanfic where they're teenagers for some reason. The whole "there's a massive conspiracy but it's only focused on 16-18 year olds for some reason" trope. Plus the "let's take the most brooding sounding words we can find so everything sounds mystical, but it comes off like a guy using a thesaurus to sound smarter" bit. They even managed to re-purpose older novels to turn into these kinds of movies, like Ender's Game (no discussions on how big of a d-bag the writer is) and The Giver.

The thing is, even if there are ones that are legitimately good, stuff like Vampire Academy and The Mortal Instruments (or whatever that stupid thing was called) and other fanfics with names crossed out will always corrupt the batch. I say this a lot, but you have all these complaints about "UGH! How come there's so many Super Hero films" or "How come everything's a gritty reboot," but you never hear "Young Adult novel movies? UGH! Can't you just read them?" Still, nice to know one of the monkeys on typewriters managed to get out Hamlet instead of " This is Not Harry Potter 16: NO. Really. These AREN'T Harry Potter characters. Nope. No way! Can't Sue me. Plus they have PG-13 level relationships. That wasn't in the books."

 

[mr3urious]

So, how 'bout that Goosebumps movie? It's something that's been planned since at least 1998 (around the time the TV series ended), and is being directed by the same guy as 2010 adaptation of Gulliver's Travels, and will also star Jack Black. So I can't say it will be that great.

 

[Drtooth]

To be honest, I never cared much for those books or the television series. I'm sure those who grew up watching and reading Goosebumps will have a beef with this movie essentially being some sort of odd anniversary parody movie. But I don't have the perspective to grasp.

Anyway, I saw the other kid-friendly horror film released this season, Hotel Transylvania 2. I have to admit, I enjoyed it (at least storywise) more than the original. Free of the parodies and subversion jokes and Groovey Ghoolies humor (which I actually like), they were able to get a more deep and emotional plot line this time. While I miss the countless whimsically designed monsters, the lack of them jumping all over the screen for 90% of the movie this time made the film a little more coherent and stronger as a result. And they had some more layered, subtle humor in this film as well. The human's parents were of the perfect not racist, but completely ignorant and almost overcompinsatingly supportive variety. Drac not really being as cool with the fact that monsters and humans adore each other when it comes to his Grandson (especially since that saved his life and Mavis in the first one). Yet the other monsters were, and were quite happy about it.

By all means a pretty good film, a freaking Magnum Opus for Sony animation. Though there are a couple things I took slight issue with.

First off, I know it was probably a timing thing and it would have ruined the movie's flow, but I would have liked to have seen a little more humans getting accustomed to the monster hotel and the monsters trying their best to be comfortable with the human guests. That would have been more Groovie Ghoolie style humor, obviously. Maybe there's stuff on the Blu-Ray once it hits home video.

Secondly...

Spoiler

The villain comes barely out of anywhere near the last 20 minutes of the movie. Mel Brooks's Vlad also comes out about the half hour before the end mark, but at least he's been built up as being "old school" and not down with the humans. The battle at the end was fun, but it didn't feel as built up as it should, and almost seems pasted in if it weren't for the fact that the battle...well... Dennisovich (the grandson) basically turns into a vampire at the end ala Gohan discovering his Sayan powers. I mean EXACTLY! Which I guess was the best way to do so? Seemed a little cheesey, but this is a kid's movie and one that didn't take itself too seriously.

But overall, it's sad that Adam Sandler, who's movies are now just paid vacations, actually puts more time and effort into a cartoon kid's movie about vampires than anything else he's done in the past 10 years. This film could have just been an easy cashgrab, but it seems like he actually put some effort into it.

 

[DARTH MUPPET]

I am really impressed with what Jurassic World is doing at the box office,

Jurassic World joins Avatar and Titanic in exclusive club

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2015 - 14:32 (Eastern)


A long list of accomplishments for Jurassic World just got a little longer as the film on Wednesday crossed the $650 million mark at the domestic box office according to 'The Numbers'. Jurassic World's domestic total currently stands at $650,010,785.

By hitting $650 million, it becomes only the 3rd film all-time joining Avatar and Titanic to do so unadjusted. It is also the second fastest film to hit this mark, doing so in 104 days. Avatar is the fastest, doing so in 58 days.

Also as of Wednesday, the international total stands at $1,011,445,564 and the worldwide total is $1,661,456,349.

 

[Drtooth]

SoHotel Transylvania 2 broke its franchise's own record

Guess that's good. These have been Sony's best animated movies so far (which is a low bar set by the likes of Open Season), and perhaps the only decent thing Adam Sandler has done recently. And unlike last time, it's not going to damage the potential of other kid friendly horror cartoons. Seems it could be a big competitor for Goosebumps. I really hope it blows Pan out of the water (holy crap does that movie look stupid). Somehow it's not getting that second movie merchandising boom, outside of a Kid's Cuisine tie-in and McDonald's Happy Meal premiums.

Great to hear about Jurassic World. I really wish that it would have edged out Titanic (the most overrated film of all time), but that's great to see that a long time in production sequel to an over a decade's old film actually get some positive reception for a change. It owes that to not taking itself too seriously.

 

[MuppetSpot]

I think I help contribute money to JW, I saw at second run in 3D.

 

[mr3urious]

Ridley Scott's The Martian took the top spot last week, while Hotel Transylvania 2 is still holding strong in 2nd place.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

 

[Drtooth]

They're planning another Dennis the Menace film

Sigh...

Too bad it can't be this Dennis.

I'd love someone to make a movie about that.

 

[mr3urious]

The Peter Pan prequel, cleverly titled Pan, just isn't doing it with audiences and critics. It only managed to hit #3 at about $15 mil. this weekend, with a 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, The Martian and Hotel Transylvania 2 are kicking its butt.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2015&wknd=41&p=.htm