Monday Morning Quarterback Part I
By BOP Staff
February 4, 2014
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Edwin Davies: It felt like a very confused film on a number of levels. It seemed to be pushing itself as simultaneously a romantic comedy that would appeal to women and a raunchy comedy for young men who would unironically refer to themselves as "bros". It might have been able to overcome that disparity if the ads were uproariously funny, but they seemed more obnoxious than anything else, and the toxic reviews and weak word-of-mouth only seemed to confirm that there was nothing new there for people to check out.
It also didn't help that while Teller and Jordan are supremely talented up and comers, they are hardly household names, while Efron's star has waned a little since the heights of the High School Musical days. I also don't think people were quite ready to see someone associated with squeaky clean comedies and romances trying to be dirty. Throw a film with so much working against it on one of the worst weekends of the year and you have a result like this.
Having said all that, this is not a horrible result since the film's budget was only $8 million, but I think they'll struggle to cover the marketing costs since it'll be all but forgotten by Valentine's Day, which would have been its last, best chance of getting a decent final total.
Felix Quinonez: I think this opening is pretty much what should have been expected. Not only did the ads look terribly unfunny, it got horrible reviews as well. The marketing seemed completely clueless as to who this movie was trying to target. It seemed like they were trying to court and simultaneously turn off as many viewers as possible. But in the end it will be saved from being a disaster by its low budget. Even with its low opening weekend, the movie's gross has already surpassed the amount spent to make it. After you factor in the marketing costs, the movie probably won't be very profitable but it won't be a huge loss. No one's careers should be too hurt by this. But at the same time no one will really benefit from it either.
Jason Barney: This was about what I expected. I didn't think this film had much of a chance to break out. It was a small film, designed to capitalize on counter-programming. It did well enough against its budget. A lot of studios would like a film to be approaching the break-even point after a week and a half of release, and that is what Awkward Moment will accomplish. This is a pretty small opening, and it will be gone soon, but it will make money. Not much, but it will make a profit.
Reagen Sulewski: Straight-forward relationship romantic comedies are a bit of a lost art these days. I'm hard pressed to think of one that's been a hit that hasn't been some sort of giant ensemble cast, in large part because they don't feel special enough to go to the theater for. They've been epic-ed out of the market. When you add in that two of the three male leads aren't that well known *and* that you're pitching a romantic comedy at dudes, who are the least likely demo to go one, and you've got a lot of problem spots for trying to sell this movie.
David Mumpower: I agree with Edwin in that if I described this movie, it would be Friends with Benefits meets 21 and Over. Obviously, the meme of That Awkward Moment possesses a high level of awareness. Looking at a funny picture is entirely different from paying $10 to watch a motion picture, though. While the behind the scenes struggles of That Awkward Moment (three titles and counting!) in no way impact its opening weekend, they aptly reflect the difficulty in providing an identity to the project. This situation is similar to The Monuments Men, an upcoming Clooney film that has suffered through a similar identity crisis with regards to marketing. Being a one trick pony seems to be an easier sell for cinema. In trying to fill two niches, That Awkward Moment failed to differentiate itself with either one. Also, it is a terrible movie. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Kim Hollis: What were your favorite and least favorite Super Bowl ads? What did you think of the halftime performance?
Edwin Davies: The one I found the most entertaining was the one with Terry Crews and The Muppets, because I love them hugely, though I'm not sure if it was the BEST ad, just because I can't actually remember what it was advertising (I'm going to guess...the concept of joy?). I was just really entertained and delighted by it. I also thought that the Coca-Cola ad with people singing "America The Beautiful" in different languages was sweet and affecting in a way that didn't feel cloying or cynical.
Least favorite was probably the Axe ad that seemed to suggest that the ills of the world and the crimes of dictators can be forgiven thanks to love. Kind of felt that was sickening.
Max Braden: Dogs won the ads. Doberuaua was disturbing but funny, the cowboy kid riding his dog to get the Doritos from the groceries was great (as was Doritos' fake time machine trick), and Bud's puppy and horse romance was adorable.
But Bud's Don Cheadle/Arnold mashup seemed like a perplexing waste. Radio Shack's quick assembly of '80s icons was much more fun. Star Trek's use just seemed like blatant name-dropping. Rade Serbedzija is always a welcome appearance, and Stephen Colbert wins for just being himself (Wonderful Pistachios).
The ads for 24's return to TV were almost like a first-person-shooter console game ad, but were too vague. The trailer for Transformers seemed pretty...flashy. I'll see it for Wahlberg.
I'm a car guy, so hell yeah on the Need For Speed trailer, but with the complete failure of Getaway, and the firmly established F&F franchise, it will need to deliver something more impressive than a few clips. I'm a fan of Maserati, but that ad tried too hard to be deep and impressive and it just wasn't. The Jaguar "it's good to be bad" theme with the Brit actors was very cool. In fact, I'd say that's the type of ad Don Draper would have come up with if he were in his prime today.
Bruce Hall: I was happy to see Kurt Russell, and then endured a game more horrific than anything I could possibly have imagined, even in the midst of a hellacious malaria induced fever-dream.
Also, the sound wasn't very good where I was, so I SAW a lot of commercials but I couldn't hear much. Keep this in mind as I ramble. My mind was literally seared black for a time by the unprecedented psychological violation that was the Broncos' play tonight.
I suppose I liked the Radio Shack commercial a lot, because with the game going the way it was, a heaping helping of nostalgia totally hit the spot.
I am fairly sure I saw a Transformers commercial where a robot's face literally turned into a gun. Thank God it's PG-13.
I saw my first Maserati ad. I didn't know Maserati ads were even a thing.
I liked that there was a Seinfeld related ad. I don't remember what it was pushing - some kind of web series? And I couldn't hear what was being said, but it sure LOOKED funny.
I don't even know why Budweiser bothers advertising any more. People will still be drinking the stuff the day the sun explodes if they never spend another dime on ads again. That said, when you're as ubiquitous a product as they are, a commercial that more or less says FLAG FLAG TROOPS FLAG TROOPS AMERICA FLAG actually does feel cynical and cloying, at least to me. Four million dollars a minute and you go for the low hanging fruit? Nice try, Budweiser.
The Jack Bauer ad was interesting. I too thought it was a new Call of Duty spot, and when I saw the Keifster I was more or less sold. I have no idea what the project is going to be about, but London exploding Jack Bauer scream pretty girl shoot shoot kapow....so I guess I can't wait.
British Supervillains, check. That should be a movie. Kurt Russell should be in it, as well. I wish to donate any future royalty checks directly to BOP, because I am a team player.
Need for Speed did what it was supposed to do, but when you're based on a video game series known for stupid stories and you're an obvious knockoff of an already uniquely successful franchise, there's really nowhere to go but up. So, cheers.
So....that last movie didn't rape the franchise enough; we also needed Mr Spock to pitch for Xfinity? TWICE?!? Shame on you, Legion of Suits Who Now Control Star Trek. From hell's heart I stabbeth thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.
Bruno Mars is obviously a very talented person, but he's not really for me. The Chili Peppers, however, are awesome. Unfortunately, random pop stars cranking out lukewarm Super Bowl halftime medleys at 130 percent speed feels like just another dispassionate, morbidly efficient creation of the soulless, unabashedly corporate affair that is today's NFL.
Now, I'm going to wander into the cold, unforgiving Mile High Night and walk until I can walk no more. Tell the world my story, and don't try to follow me.
David Mumpower: With the recent advertiser behavior of "leaking" commercials, the specialness (if such a word is applicable here) of Super Bowl commercials is diminishing. I tried not to watch any prior to the night of the event for the same reason that I avoid television spoilers until after I watched a program (stop trying to spoil me on Survivor, Jim Van Nest!). This time, I wish I had watched early to taper my disappointment. I have felt that last couple of years have been lackluster, but they are the Apple 1984 commercial compared to this year's batch.
Yes, the dog and horse spot is cute right up until we realize that the people refuse to keep the cute puppy, instead banishing it from the farm. A decisive horse is required to negate their ruthless choice. It's nice-ish rather than heartfelt. I also felt that Budweiser and Coke were manipulative to the point of cloying with their Hero's Welcome and America the Beautiful spots. I have watched Andy Griffith episodes with more emotional resonance.
I did absolutely love the Radio Shack ad. I probably haven't not been in that particular store in the 2000s, so the commercial felt like a clever acknowledgement that there are a lot of people like me in the world. I was less of a fan of the pointless 80s nostalgia involving the Full House gang although I did enjoy the "she's not right for us" gag.
My other favorites were the afore-mentioned Terry Crews/Muppets commercial, the British Villains ad and the Angel Wings spot. Terry Crews is all that is man; he is also extremely funny so his presence with the Muppets is appointment television. I quite enjoyed that the British Villains were so polite to others as they detailed their strengths as professional movie heels. And the Angel Wings commercial was unexpectedly subversive. The next time it is on -- and let's be honest that will get sick of every commercial shown during the Super Bowl over the next three months -- notice the bathroom sequence. Some of the angels sprout *ahem* larger wings. Sublime.
Kim Hollis: I wonder if my feelings for the overall experience of watching commercials and so forth wasn't tempered by the fact that the game itself was just awful from the start. From that point on, nothing was much fun anymore. I guess that the most damning thing I can say about the entire batch of commercials is that I really can't remember most of them. The puppy/horse one was sweet, and I actually found myself wishing that Budweiser had drawn out the Average Joe thing for two or three more commercials rather than just ending it abruptly at two. But then again that's a hell of a lot of money to spend to tell the story.
I thought Bruno Mars was a great showman with absolutely forgettable music. I couldn't hum any of his music for you if you asked me to. I was happy to see the Chili Peppers, but it was almost like they just put them onstage to make the 40-something segment of the audience happy. It was a lackluster night that followed a pretty depressing day in the aftermath of the Philip Seymour Hoffman news.