Weekly Box Office and Film Discussion Thread

[mr3urious]

It took Minions to dethrone the T. rex last weekend. Its opening was also bigger than the previous Despicable Me movies, too.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2015&wknd=28&p=.htm

 

[Drtooth]

Props to Universal for having 2 of the biggest openings of the year within a month of each other. Both films opened up larger than any movie last year. Between those two, Avengers, Inside Out, and Fast and Furious, we've definitely came out of the box office slump of last year. The Minion and Jurassic World merchandising alone probably made back the budgets of their respective films.

But considering that JW is still a distant number 2 and Inside Out is still in third, that's one heck of a pecking order. Minions is dominant as heck, but even that didn't sink the highest performing films of the past month from continuing on their streak.

Same, fortunately, can't be said for "The Gallows." And I say, good freaking riddance to that rubbish! That stupid movie got at least 3 TV spots per commercial break with that terrible cover of "Smells like Teen Spirit" (by all means, the parody Muppet version from TM was more respectful and hard core), and I got incredibly sick of seeing essentially a bad Five Nights at Freddy's fan film. I can't say I'm an excellent judge of horror films by any means. But there's a difference between a thriving franchise like Friday the 13th, Saw, and Nightmare on Elm Street and some cheap little jump scare throwaway like The Gallows. Sure, at some point the "heroes" are so flat and stupid we actually want to see them brutally destroyed by the more interesting and outlandish "villains." This looks like a mix between bad revenge porn and a poor understanding of every bad horror movie cliche, all played straight. Probably still going to be a sequel, though.

Also, while Self/less doesn't look outright horrible, I feel bad for Ryan Reynolds. Seems that in recent years he just took to roles in bad movies. I mean, talking snail that wants to be an Indy-car was his least embarrassing role. I really hope this doesn't negatively affect Deadpool. I'm rooting for him in that, especially since he actually hated how Green Lantern turned out and was massively disappointed in the Executive Meddling that cut his appearance as Deadpool in Wolverine:Origins short.

 

[mr3urious]

Same, fortunately, can't be said for "The Gallows." And I say, good freaking riddance to that rubbish! That stupid movie got at least 3 TV spots per commercial break with that terrible cover of "Smells like Teen Spirit" (by all means, the parody Muppet version from TM was more respectful and hard core), and I got incredibly sick of seeing essentially a bad Five Nights at Freddy's fan film. I can't say I'm an excellent judge of horror films by any means. But there's a difference between a thriving franchise like Friday the 13th, Saw, and Nightmare on Elm Street and some cheap little jump scare throwaway like The Gallows. Sure, at some point the "heroes" are so flat and stupid we actually want to see them brutally destroyed by the more interesting and outlandish "villains." This looks like a mix between bad revenge porn and a poor understanding of every bad horror movie cliche, all played straight. Probably still going to be a sequel, though.

It's yet another one of those cheap throwaway horrors that gets sequels regardless of its success because it's so cheap to make.

 

[Drtooth]

Considering it only made a pathetic 10 mill at 5th place, hopefully it will be DTV. By no means is there anything exceptional enough in that film's endless TV spots to even give it a cult viewing once it hits home video. Disposable horror movies like this are essentially made for the stereotypical audience of dumb jocks taking their cheerleader girlfriends to. There's just so much better that the genre and its multiple subgenres can offer. Tacky jump scares aren't one of them.

 

[JJandJanice]

I enjoyed Minions quite a bit. It was a cute movie and I usually NEVER describe a movie with that title. It seems to have pretty mixed reviews, but I feel it deserves a little more love from critics. But at the end of the day, that doesn't matter much since it's getting love at the box office, which is more important.

 

[Drtooth]

Sometimes critics want to show how far their heads are up their butts because all kid's movies should be as emotionally charged as something from Pixar and as deep as a Studio Ghibli film. And yes, often times both examples are better written and executed than even the snottiest of indie films they claim to love. And yes, there are a lot of kid's films that are abhorrent crap. Usually involving a franchise the target audience never heard of or dogs with CGI lips with nothing but poo and butt sniffing jokes coming out of them. And we even get stuff like Dorothy's Return to Oz (but it seems the entire planet rejected that one). But the critics are grade A elitist poseurs on this one. It's easy to say "they forgot what it's like to be a kid," but this is clearly the case of it.

Minions is by no means a very deep movie. DM1 was, due to the deconstruction route it took that delivered an emotional punch without being manipulative. The second one wasn't quite, but that didn't mean it wasn't a fun, enjoyable movie. Definitely the case here. This is a movie for kids and those who just can't stay away from those little crazy guys. Sure, it has a TV cartoon show type plotline, but it owned it. The movie wasn't an intelligent romp through every stage of emotion and it didn't need be. By all means, a movie featuring the breakout stars of the franchise could have failed spectacularly. Like every Scooby-Doo series that's just Shaggy and Scooby. It wasn't 100% fan service (you know... that kind of fan service not the...ehem...other kind). Heck, I don't even like Sandra Bullock. I haven't seen a single movie starring her that I enjoyed. Until now. Just overall a fun movie, though I really think they could have done more with the weird family that picked them up. My only complaint.

Seriously. We can overlook some of the dumbest adult movies and call them popcorn entertainment and they're still relatively good and fun without needing to bludgeon in a moral or show the human experience. Can't kid's get fun movies that are well done too?

 

[mr3urious]

Sometimes critics want to show how far their heads are up their butts because all kid's movies should be as emotionally charged as something from Pixar and as deep as a Studio Ghibli film. And yes, often times both examples are better written and executed than even the snottiest of indie films they claim to love. And yes, there are a lot of kid's films that are abhorrent crap. Usually involving a franchise the target audience never heard of or dogs with CGI lips with nothing but poo and butt sniffing jokes coming out of them. And we even get stuff like Dorothy's Return to Oz (but it seems the entire planet rejected that one). But the critics are grade A elitist poseurs on this one. It's easy to say "they forgot what it's like to be a kid," but this is clearly the case of it.

As long as doesn't contain characters unironically spouting outdated hip-hop slang, out-of-context pop culture references, and/or making tons of poorly executed toilet jokes, then it shouldn't deserve scorn. Minions doesn't seem to be one of those movies, as far as I know.

 

[Drtooth]

There was a huge glut of fifth and sixth party CGI films up until last year's exact failure of the Wizard of Oz bazturdization. It seems now that there's less of them theatrically released, and they're hitting the DTV market. Strange Magic was the only theatrical CGI film not done by staples like Pixar, Dreamworks, Universal, Sony, or Blue Sky. Even then, it was released by Touchstone. And even even them, only Pixar's releasing more than one (due to the delays with Good Dinosaur).

There is nothing about the Minions that screams low common denominator or "only funny to slow witted 5 year olds." Is it a bit more juvenile in focus than most CGI kid's movies that deal with heavier subject matter? Sure. But at least it wasn't preachy and ham fisted in its message.

I would point out, however, as far as original film to sequel ratios, Illumitoons kinda has one worse than Blue Sky due to sheer number. There's only been 4 movies, 3 are DM and a fourth one is on the way. The other film being Lorax which got flack all over. That film was their poorest received, though I have to admit it's meh at worst. The main story about the Lorax and Onceler was actually quite good, but that wrap-a-round sequence was garbage. It was padding, it wasn't that good, and it took the environmental message of the story and ratcheted it up to almost Captain Planet levels of anviliciousness that turned off both sides of the political spectrum. It's clear they didn't have enough film to work with to get to the 90 minute mark, and they ruined a decent enough story with lousy wraparounds. But yeah, point is, they have 4 DM movies (spinoff and one in the works included) and one not DM movie. Are they still going through with the other Dr. Seuss movies? I haven't heard anything past the announcement stage.

 

[mr3urious]

There is nothing about the Minions that screams low common denominator or "only funny to slow witted 5 year olds." Is it a bit more juvenile in focus than most CGI kid's movies that deal with heavier subject matter? Sure. But at least it wasn't preachy and ham fisted in its message.

Reminds me of the sequel to An American Tail. The first one was a strong commentary on the immigration experience during late 19th-early 20th century America. The 2nd one was a pure adrenaline-fueled western that didn't have anything to say, but was a high quality film nonetheless. I credit Spielberg's Amblimation studio for not making it as sucky as other Don Bluth-less Don Bluth sequels.

 

[Muppet Master]

There was a huge glut of fifth and sixth party CGI films up until last year's exact failure of the Wizard of Oz bazturdization. It seems now that there's less of them theatrically released, and they're hitting the DTV market. Strange Magic was the only theatrical CGI film not done by staples like Pixar, Dreamworks, Universal, Sony, or Blue Sky. Even then, it was released by Touchstone. And even even them, only Pixar's releasing more than one (due to the delays with Good Dinosaur).

There is nothing about the Minions that screams low common denominator or "only funny to slow witted 5 year olds." Is it a bit more juvenile in focus than most CGI kid's movies that deal with heavier subject matter? Sure. But at least it wasn't preachy and ham fisted in its message.

I would point out, however, as far as original film to sequel ratios, Illumitoons kinda has one worse than Blue Sky due to sheer number. There's only been 4 movies, 3 are DM and a fourth one is on the way. The other film being Lorax which got flack all over. That film was their poorest received, though I have to admit it's meh at worst. The main story about the Lorax and Onceler was actually quite good, but that wrap-a-round sequence was garbage. It was padding, it wasn't that good, and it took the environmental message of the story and ratcheted it up to almost Captain Planet levels of anviliciousness that turned off both sides of the political spectrum. It's clear they didn't have enough film to work with to get to the 90 minute mark, and they ruined a decent enough story with lousy wraparounds. But yeah, point is, they have 4 DM movies (spinoff and one in the works included) and one not DM movie. Are they still going through with the other Dr. Seuss movies? I haven't heard anything past the announcement stage.

Well they are releasing The Secret Life of Pets next year while will be their first original movie since Despicable Me. Honestly while Illumination Entertainment is doing really good with their Despicable Me movies producing pixar and dreamworks level success, that success is covering the fact that you need more. Their other two movies have not been huge successes. The Lorax was pretty big with a $214 million tota domestically though was weak in the foriegn markets making like $350 million, and critics were not that happy. Hop was neither a CG film or a success, getting little praise, and barely making $108 million domestically though still fine though. They will also be making a How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie which might do well, but we can not really know if this company will succed besides the Despicable Me franchise and the Dr. Seuss movies. The other similar company Blue Sky Studios has done well, but not Pixar or Dreamworks well, and besides the Ice Age franchise, their biggest success was Rio making $485 million worldwide, and Horton making $154 million domestically. They really only have had a few none Ice Age movies, and they are still going to make mre of them.