Weekly Box Office and Film Discussion Thread

[Muppet Master]

What are we talking about here, The Boxtrolls was like TM'11 of all the stop motion animation films. This is the biggest stop motion hit since Chicken Run, plus it has more than doubled itself already in the foreign markets. MMW was a whole different ballgame compared to this, it does not seem fair comparing it to this, but this film is doing great.

 

[jvcarroll]

What are we talking about here, The Boxtrolls was like TM'11 of all the stop motion animation films. This is the biggest stop motion hit since Chicken Run, plus it has more than doubled itself already in the foreign markets. MMW was a whole different ballgame compared to this, it does not seem fair comparing it to this, but this film is doing great.

Both MMW and Boxtrolls had similar budgets (MMW actually cost less) and similar openings and courted similar audiences so YES the comparison is appropriate. Sometimes I think folk on here try to be argumentative without many facts to back things up. It's just tiresome.

 

[Drtooth]

I really hate those microtransactions that are infecting the game industry. Those iPhone fanatics aren't willing to spend money on movie tickets, but they're A-OK being nickeled and dimed into bankruptcy over Candy Crush?

I really don't get it either. I sometimes think those are just so some kid playing it will accidentally hit "buy" on the premium currency and the charges will be buried deep in the phone bill. Yeah, 10 bucks per person for a movie is somehow outrageous, but 10 bucks per play to keep playing "we stole Bejeweled which stole it from something else?" I'm sure there's a laziness issue as well.

The Boxtrolls $17.2 million projection actually marks Laika's biggest domestic opening. Coraline opened at $16.8 million, ParaNorman at $14 million. And while stop motion is a time consuming, painstaking process, these films cost about $60 million to make compared to CG films that more than double or triple that pricetag. I wish people would appreciate these films more than they do, but the sky isn't falling! This is actually a modest win. Factoring in global receipts, they've recouped over half the budget in the first three days. The Boxtrolls is a success!

That's...uh... good, I guess? It really is a shame these movies are so niche. Especially since they actually marketed the heck out of this movie on kid's television. While relatively successful due to their low budget and international appeal (I'm sure BT already got it's budget back in the UK, considering the celebrity voice actors they used), stop motion needs to get more respect than it does. Not by any means saying CGI is a cheap, lazy, any idiot can do it medium. Look at Last Flight of the Champion! But there's something beautiful about what BoxTrolls did. But yeah, glad to see that it made slightly more money. Seriously disappointing that none of them managed to open over 20 mil. They really demanded a bigger audience. All of them.

As far as MMW goes, I really hope Disney is looking at the overall picture as far as family movies are concerned this year. They've been down since Lego, which was the last big surprise (monetarily) of the year as far. I'm sure that horrible Alexander movie's not going to do too well (it better not). As far as low key, low budget family films, they might as well do Muppet films. There's enough wacky families struggling and stumbling on television.

 

[Drtooth]

DERP! I completely forgot to add this...

Anyone else wind up having to sit through the Paddington Bear movie trailer? Anyone else think it looked like garbage? Considering who's releasing it (TWC), I'm not surprised by it's suckiness. Really?!?! Shoves his head into a toilet?

On the plus side, I think not having him talk was a pretty good idea. At least he's not running around making dated pop culture references from 10+ years ago. You know... to be hip to for the kiddies.

 

[mr3urious]

Anyone else wind up having to sit through the Paddington Bear movie trailer? Anyone else think it looked like garbage? Considering who's releasing it (TWC), I'm not surprised by it's suckiness. Really?!?! Shoves his head into a toilet?

Weinstein is just the U.S. distributor. I don't think they had any involvement in the writing.

On the plus side, I think not having him talk was a pretty good idea. At least he's not running around making dated pop culture references from 10+ years ago. You know... to be hip to for the kiddies.

Colin Firth was supposed to voice the bear, but was replaced as his voice was somehow unfitting.

 

[jvcarroll]

DERP! I completely forgot to add this...

Anyone else wind up having to sit through the Paddington Bear movie trailer? Anyone else think it looked like garbage? Considering who's releasing it (TWC), I'm not surprised by it's suckiness. Really?!?! Shoves his head into a toilet?

On the plus side, I think not having him talk was a pretty good idea. At least he's not running around making dated pop culture references from 10+ years ago. You know... to be hip to for the kiddies.

I liked the dog carrying bit. And I adore Ben Wishaw who will voice him (after Colin Firth stepped down). But the whole film seems unnecessary and kind of gross.

 

[Drtooth]

But the whole film seems unnecessary and kind of gross.

In other words, another one of those kid's movies. It would come off as a sweet little film if they didn't have to do the obviously tacked on "kids like a the potty" jokes. I'm sure it's better than the standard kid's movie. Paddington at least looks like some decent CGI, compared to others of its ilk. But over all, it's almost indistinguishable from anything else.

Weinstein is just the U.S. distributor. I don't think they had any involvement in the writing.

I'm sure they probably don't if that's the case, but I've heard stories about what they do with movies. Yeah, we know what went down with Fraggles, some may be in the know of what happened with Hoodwinked Too... but for an "indie" film company, they executive meddle like it's nobody's business. They've been known to purchase the rights to foreign films so they never get distributed in the US.

 

[mr3urious]

I'm sure they probably don't if that's the case, but I've heard stories about what they do with movies. Yeah, we know what went down with Fraggles, some may be in the know of what happened with Hoodwinked Too... but for an "indie" film company, they executive meddle like it's nobody's business. They've been known to purchase the rights to foreign films so they never get distributed in the US.

I remember the U.S. release of the wuxia movie Hero was delayed for nearly 2 years by the Weinsteins when they ran Miramax, but Quentin Tarantino came to the rescue to put it out there. Miyazaki also put his foot down when they were about to edit Princess Mononoke to make it more "financially viable".

 

[Drtooth]

I honestly wish they did go bankrupt. All I'm saying. They're...they're awful.

Anyway, Boxtrolls. What I really loved about the film besides the visuals was the fact that the trolls themselves and one of the white hats were voiced by actual cartoon voice actors. Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, Maurice LaMarche and Pat Fraley. I'm actually kinda disappointed Pat's troll wasn't on screen much. He's the one who's teeth keep falling out. Even with the actual celebrity voice actors, minus Tracy Jordan, they used mostly Brits. And best of all, they didn't market the film as "Starring Ben Kingsley and Simon Pegg." I love hearing cartoon voice actors in major movies. Too bad they're usually designated to minor, nameless character in crowd scene. But Dee Bradley was Fish, the head Boxtroll (or at least the most prominently featured one). I swear that he's the number 2 go to guy after Frank Welker for animalistic growling and grumbling. After all, he's Perry the Platypuss's tchchchchchccchh sound effect.

 

[mimitchi33]

Last weekend, I went to see My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks. I found it much better than the original film, and loved it so much that I'm seeing it again tonight! I also dressed as Fluttershy for the occasion and every kid there recognized me more than my sister's cosplay (due to it being a spoiler of the first movie, I'm not saying what it is). One parent even asked me to have their picture taken with me!