Monday Morning Quarterback

By BOP Staff

November 27, 2007

I don't get paid nearly enough for this.

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Don't forget Go

Kim Hollis: With Live Free or Die Hard and Hitman, where does Timothy Olyphant stand among Hollywood's up and comers?

Pete Kilmer: I thought that with him after The Girl Next Door. He's one breakout film from being a star. Live Free or Die Hard was a stepping stone for him, and while Hitman did okay, he wasn't recognizable as "him" in it.

Max Braden: I thought he was great in Girl Next Door and perfectly cast for Deadwood. He gives off a lot of intensity at the expense of approachability. That could hurt him for big lead roles. But I'd continue to go to his movies to see him perform.

Kim Hollis: He was totally ideal in Deadwood. Surprisingly, he was extremely charming in Catch and Release. I'm not sure that people will recognize him as "the guy from Hitman", however, because his appearance is so totally altered. I think he might just be looking at a career full of memorable small roles.

David Mumpower: He is one of the finest actors in the world, but I am afraid he's the Ric Flair of Hollywood. Audiences prefer him as the bad guy, which vastly reduces his box office pull. I would like to be wrong about this, though. With Catch and Release, Live Free Or Die Hard and this, he'll done exceptional work in 2007 and deserves to be rewarded for it. I can't imagine anyone else doing a better job with the Die Hard sequel than he did.




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Lesson learned: Avoid the taint of Robin Williams

Kim Hollis: August Rush, a tender tale of an orphaned pre-pubescent musician trying to find his real parents, made $13.3 million over five days. Is this good or bad?

Marty Doskins: I think this is about what was expected. The commercials seemed pretty generic and nothing really stood out for me. I wonder if it would've done better if they had made it look like Robin Williams played a bigger role in the film.

Max Braden: I think there's an interesting subtle contrast between it and Enchanted, which may seem different because of the fantasy and comedic elements, but they're both family/date films. Enchanted didn't take itself too seriously, whereas you could just sense that the marketing for August Rush was pushing for really earnest emotions with less comedy. August Rush had a boyant feel, but just tried too hard, and I think that was reflected at the box office.

Kim Hollis: Since this movie always felt like a small studio film to me, I think this is a stellar weekend total. Any other weekend besides Thanksgiving, it would have tanked.

David Mumpower: I would describe this result as sensational. Projects don't ever look slighter in tone than August Rush. It screams indie film with under $10 million in total domestic box office. So, $13.3 million in its first week is well beyond best case scenario.


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