Monday Morning Quarterback Part II
By BOP Staff
October 26, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Kim Hollis: Hereafter platformed to wide release, earning $12 million, with a per location average of $5,504. We've already discussed Hereafter once, but what do you think about its expansion?
Josh Spiegel: I think the expansion provided a decent number, but that Warner Bros. shouldn't expect a higher performance in the weeks to come. I found the film pretty lacking, but I wonder if the film's marketing is going to turn people off once they realize that the movie isn't a big action movie (the admittedly impressive tsunami sequence is the film's opening), that Matt Damon's only in about half of the film, and that - gasp! - there are a lot of subtitles. The movie's not bad, but I'm not sure it's going to draw in a lot more people in future weeks.
Brett Beach: This is only marginally higher than what I thought it might pull (by about 2-3 million), and still sets it on course for where I think it will finish (somewhere between Changeling and Invictus.) To follow up on Josh's comment - and having not seen it but read some reviews - I wonder if those who were hoping for some religiosity might be less than satisfied that it takes a secular approach to the subject matter. (Having typed that, I feel like Dan on Sports Night, post-Hilary Clinton meeting, and hope that I have used the word correctly!)
Bruce Hall: I might have to revisit my $45-ish million prediction, but this result seems about right to me. Eastwood is making the films he wants to make now, and at this point his name might resonate with intellectuals and movie snobs first, mainstream audiences second.
Kim Hollis: I think it's a fairly so-so number given the amount of marketing they did for the film. I couldn't turn on a TV without seeing five commercials for the film. I suppose that the subject matter of the film is a little off-putting, but I also think that the combination of Eastwood's name and Damon's star power should have been worth more. I know I could have said the same thing about Invictus, but at least that was a movie about rugby in South Africa.
Reagen Sulewski: It's an adequate number, but Oscars are rarely handed out to films with adequate as a primary descriptor of them. I'm glad Clint's in the place where he's clearly just making whatever the hell film he wants to (leaving out the two Iwo Jima films, try and find a common thread through his last six years - I dare you) and that he's getting audiences to stretch their legs a bit. It's probably time to stop assuming that everything he's making is going to be nominated for an Oscar, though.
David Mumpower: This performance is significantly better than Changeling and Invictus, but I don't see this as indicative of anything special over the long haul. Bruce's estimate of $45 million is probably a bit low, but it's a good ballpark figure for what we should expect. Hereafter seems to be experiencing the same fate as Seven Pounds wherein selling the mystery and the quality of the people in the film doesn't seem to be enough. I thought this one may break out. That has proven to be overly optimistic.
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Kim Hollis: Sunday is Halloween. Do you have any costume suggestions?
Josh Spiegel: I'm not a big Halloween person, so off the top of my head, I would love to see a group of people attempt to re-enact the various shots from Inception where - spoiler alert for the three of you who haven't seen the film or heard about it - Leonardo DiCaprio and company are floating in slow-motion while the van they're in plummets into a river. I have no idea who could pull it off, or how, but someone out there must have something up his or her sleeve, right?
Tim Briody: Either the Chilean miners or the Rent is Too Damn High guy, provided you've got the facial hair for it.
Brett Beach: I never had any fond memories of Halloween as a child which kept me from ever wanting to take part in it as an adult. That said, back in 2004 I tied for first at my office party by going as a member of Devo (they actually have a Devo kit with cheap plastic flowerpot and yellow haz-mat suit) and two years ago, I finally ventured out on Halloween night for the first time, dressed as Waldo (my girlfriend at the time went not as Wanda, but one of the Waldo almost-but-not-quite lookalikes.) It was a night of much fun and good drinking. So either of those would be good and timeless. This year, Jodi and I are taking Finn out in a bumblebee outfit for his first taste of the insanity.
Bruce Hall: I will never be able to top my Sophomore year in college, when I dressed as James T Kirk, and my ex wife and her best friend went with the Uhura outfit and the beehive haircuts. We had a Shatner wig, phasers, tricorders, and stayed in character for 48 hours straight.
I even had a death scene. Rumor has it people on campus still talk about it.
First star to the right, straight on till morning. my work here is done.
Kim Hollis: The "duh" answer here is Ramona Flowers, of course. Who wouldn't want to be her? I also think some of the new Toy Story characters would be fun - Lotso, Mr. Pricklepants, Ken.
David Mumpower: There are so many options for these things, but the best answer fell in our laps overnight. Get a date, walk into the party, shove her in the closet and have her start screaming. Then, pretend to sniff anything you can get your hands on and wait until the person dressed up as a cop says, "That's enough, Mr. Sheen. I'm going to have to read you your rights." Alternately, put your arm in a sling and go as Tony Romo. Is it retro yet to jump on someone's couch and claim that you're stomping the Xenu out of their furniture?