"Step Up" Surprise

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The surprise-heat movie of the weekend is Disney's Step Up, a teen dance-romancer that got a failing grade on Metacritic (50%) and a much worse number on Rotten Tomatoes (19%). But it was the #1 movie yesterday, doing $8,499,000 and beating out the #2 Talladega Nights and #3 World Trade Center . The final weekend tally for Will Ferrell's NASCAR flick is expected to nudge it into first place, although Step Up is expected to finish with a higher-than-projected $21,240,000.

Step Up's Channing Tatum

The Step Up surprise was mainly about ace-in-the-hole Channing Tatum, the 26 year-old hunky male lead from Alabama who's very hot now with teenage girls. (His previous punch-throughs happened in Coach Carter and She's The Man -- he had an uncredited bit part in War of the Worlds.) My son Jett, 18, said "the girls in the audience were gasping" whenever Tatum was on-screen during a She's The Man show he went to last March in Boston.

I can smell piece-of-shit teen flicks like this a mile off, which is why I didn't catch the press screening. But magnetism that works is always worth checking out, which is why I'll probably pay $11 bucks plus parking , popcorn and a coke to sit through this thing (well, part of it) sometime later today or tonight. $20 bucks to watch Channing Tatum! Maybe I'll learn something.

My favorite review blurb is from Chicago Reader's J.R. Jones, who wrote that "this teen chick flick is so perfectly calculated I wouldn't be surprised if every i in the screenplay were dotted with a little heart. Any guy who sits through this date movie deserves to get to third base at least."

If you go by MCN's predictions chart, everybody was way, way off on this one. Coming Soon foresaw Step Up earning $11.1 million this weekend, Box-Office Guru said $8 million, Hollywood Reporter $13, Poland predicted $9, EW $11 and Box Office Mojo said $10.5. Thursday's tracking indicated a late surge and a figure between $12 and $15 million, but that was still a short call. Nobody saw this one coming. Those tracking-survey guys had better figure some way to get to younger types on their cell phones and not just depend on land-line surveys.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 12, 2006 at 8:04 AM

comment #1

travis b. says ...

the step up? what the hell is that? i seriously have not seen a single ad for this flick....

Posted by travis b. at August 12, 2006 9:09 AM

comment #2

NYCBusybody says ...

$20 bucks to watch Channing Tatum, indeed.

Jeffrey, you've never had my respect more than you do at this moment. You know this will be awful; you know you'll leave part-way through - and yet...and yet, on the off-chance that you'll find a glimmer of a spark of a mote of a gleam of a prayer of something special in a new actor, you'd go see it.

You love the movies with more of a fervent passion than most, my man, and your (possible) sacrifice today shows it.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 12, 2006 9:15 AM

comment #3

lac says ...

Looks like the "My Space" promotion worked.

Posted by lac at August 12, 2006 9:18 AM

comment #4

T. H. says ...

NYCBB, Jeff isn't going to "watch," he's going for research to "learn something" about stepping up and hooking in, sounds like a Nightmare.

Posted by T. H. at August 12, 2006 9:27 AM

comment #5

Pedro says ...

What could possibly be the reason for Jeff watching this movie other than a pathetic need to kneel and bow before the status quo? A serious film lover watching a movie like this is absolutely pointless by any standard, which only confirms that Jeffrey isn't interested in art so much as commerce.

Posted by Pedro at August 12, 2006 9:33 AM

comment #6

akabob says ...

I saw the trailer for this and I kept waiting for a cell phone to go off onscreen. It looked just like one of those fake trailer/cell phone ads they run right before the movie starts. Now, it's looks to gross $20M in the first weekend!?!? Why make anything good when this and "John Tucker Must Die" rake in the cash. Amazing.

Posted by akabob at August 12, 2006 9:36 AM

comment #7

NYCBusybody says ...

Pedro, I think Jeff said it's about the new guy, not the movie. It's his job to report on films, trends, actors, etc., and if there's a big, new, magnetic actor possibly in the offing, he's going to check it out. I mean, hell, most of the Great-with-a-capital-G Icons of the 20th century started off as teen-girl fads (Sinatra, Elvis, Beatles). It's not about the piece-of-shit, paint-by-numbers movie, but the chance to perhaps see a magnetic new film presence. And perhaps not. Perhaps the kid's a blank asshole.

Methinks you doth protest too much.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 12, 2006 9:39 AM

comment #8

Scott Mendelson says ...

Once again proving that girls will see a movie purely because the male lead is cute. This, in my opinion, is why it's so hard for actresses to make it as big as actors. Men, overall, will not see a movie just because they lust for the female lead (see - anything Angelina Jolie has made besides Tomb Raider and the gossip-driven Mr. and Mrs. Smith). The classic example was in Spring 1999, with the one-two punch of Varisty Blues and She's All That (Vander Beek and Prinze Jr), which opened purely on the matinee-idol status of their male leads. Yet, Sarah Michelle Geller was lusted to an equal degree by men (if not more so, since she actually had a cult TV show AND a hit slasher film on her resume), yet she flopped hard with Simply Irrestistable, dissapointed in Cruel Intentions, and now has her stuff often going directly to video.

It seems that in order to break in as a male, all you have to be is percieved as hot by females of a certain demographic, while women have to be beloved and/or 'respected' by other women to make it (re - why Jennifer Anistan and Resse Witherspoon are openers and Uma Thurman is not). It's weird and a little sad, but it's a trend I've noticed for over a decade, both in the movies and their results, and the opinions of my male and female friends at a given time.

Scott Mendelson

Posted by Scott Mendelson at August 12, 2006 9:39 AM

comment #9

NYCBusybody says ...

Scott, good point, and something I used to always talk about with my little sister. When we'd talk about bands she was into, she'd always talk about the lead singer, and I'd say "do you like this song, or that song, etc", and it was much more about the looks and/or personality of the band members than the actual music.

I think to men, crushes on women are usually much more physical. We like how Jessica Simpson looks, but like hell we'd buy her music or go to her movies because of it. To women, it's more about the physical/personality combination.

And for gay men, I think. More like women with their interests in the personalities and attitudes of pop-culture figures.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 12, 2006 9:44 AM

comment #10

Andrew says ...

Jen Gibgot and Adam Shankman are the new big-dog producers on the Disney lot. Everything they produce makes money -- lots of it.

Of course, none of their flicks are really any good but the studio doesn't care about that.

Posted by Andrew at August 12, 2006 10:03 AM

comment #11

Patrick says ...

"I think to men, crushes on women are usually much more physical" HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a sexist remark! WAKE UP, BUDDY!

Now, I didn't see 'She's the Man' nor will I see
'Step Up' because we (Channing Tatum fans) can
see BETTER shots of him (buck naked by the way) on
the net. But I'm speaking for gay men here, I'm
sure all these teen girls still want to see him
up on the big screen. I bet a huge % of the audience
last night was made up of gay men too. I can't tell
you how HUGE Mr. Tatum is in our community due to
his modeling career and gay-friendly attitude. Some
say he's bisexual too! That never hurts! HA!

Anyway, good for young, hot, stud Tatum, but he
isn't much of an actor at this point, which is why
I won't see any of his films. Even if he's in
very tight tights in this one and shirtless for
most of 'She's the Man.' He looked a little too
thin in 'She's the Man,' but looks more normal in
this latest opus.

Posted by Patrick at August 12, 2006 10:08 AM

comment #12

Nick says ...

lac is right - this was all over MySpace, as was "John Tucker Must Die" (no surprise, it being a fellow Murdoch product and all). Plus, R&B singer Mario (who co-stars in "Step Up") played a concert last night in Illinois that I reviewed and when he asked how many people went to see "Step Up" that day, the response was pretty strong.

Posted by Nick at August 12, 2006 10:11 AM

comment #13

Dixon Steele says ...

If this doesn't prove the folly of tracking, nothing does.

Now this is where JoJo chimes in saying we didn't interpret it right...uh-huh.

Posted by Dixon Steele at August 12, 2006 10:19 AM

comment #14

JM says ...

Scott & NYBusybody, I agree wholeheartedly. Since the 80's, it has definitely become much worse for most legitimate actresses to hit it big in the movies. Hollywood doesn't have the "Studio System" anymore-a system that developed and nutured female talent.The best film period for actresses were during the 40's & 50's- with more memorable roles & better female-driven films. Now, more than ever, actresses( and women) in general, are over-scrutinized, and don't have that solid Hollywood support system.

Posted by JM at August 12, 2006 10:35 AM

comment #15

D.R. Atkinson says ...

I live in Canada and I'm over 50, but I must admit I was aware that "Step Out"was coming to theatres this month. That's because I saw the smart television ad and thought to myself,boy that will get to the teenbopper dating crowd, I bet. Oh, to be young again! Thank God, us old folks have Blockbuster and Turner Classic Movies.
Or some of us, can sneak in during some matinee and pretend to be 14 or 15 again.And I guess the Toronto Film Festival next month will underline some of the more serious stuff still being made.

Posted by D.R. Atkinson at August 12, 2006 10:42 AM

comment #16

Anonymous says ...

Well, I hope that at least Jeffrey will be able to get to third base with himself.

Posted by Anonymous at August 12, 2006 10:49 AM

comment #17

BL says ...

I don't follow TV ratings - but it is possible that a big part of the audience for this was drummed up from the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" which has been flogging this moive.

I don't know how worthwhile it should be a try and analyze why some actors/actresses are 'hot' and some aren't. For all anybody knows, the success of "Step Up" might relate to high gas prices and its a good 'concensus movie' for a bunch of teenage girls to share a ride to.

I will say this about actresses' popularity though: when people like Barbara Stanwyck and Bette Davis were 30ish stars, men & women of all ages were flocking to movie theaters. Now - a much higher percentage of people stay home and pursue whatever for entertainment.

These days, movies whose aim is to bring in big bucks have to catch onto the zeitgeist - something NOBODY still understands or can predict (thank god).

Posted by BL at August 12, 2006 11:00 AM

comment #18

Mike Schaefer says ...

"I can't tell you how HUGE Mr. Tatum is in our community due to his modeling career and gay-friendly attitude. Some say he's bisexual too! That never hurts! HA!"

A male model who's gay-friendly and possibly bi? No, really? LOL! Tatum looks to me like another Santa Monica Blvd rentboy who got lucky.

Interestingly, one plot point in "Step Up" (per the theatrical trailer I saw; no desire to see the film despite how hot-looking I find Mr Tatum) is that the female lead wants to dance with him because he's straight and macho and reckless -- all the male dancers in her class, or troupe, or whatever, are gay and a tad too nelly.

Posted by Mike Schaefer at August 12, 2006 11:18 AM

comment #19

Anonymous says ...

>>The Step Up surprise was mainly about ace-in-the-hole Channing Tatum, the 26 year-old hunky male lead from Alabama who's very hot now with teenage girls.

Question: What is it about vacant, talentless, poofy boys (not men) that drives women crazy?
I've been seeing this happen at least since 1998 and (as a straight, sexually active male) I don't get it.

Posted by Anonymous at August 12, 2006 11:32 AM

comment #20

nemo says ...

Maybe Channing Tatum is a good actor. Who knows? Who even heard of him before 5 minutes ago?

But my first reaction looking at that photo is that teenage white girls sure have bland bland bland bland taste. Maybe he makes a different impression on screen, but that guy looks as bland as Josh Hairnet or Hartnett or whatever is name is.

Tatum and Hairnet together make Mr. Lord of the Bland Orlando Bloom look positively edgy. Things sure haven't changed much from the days of Troy Donahue and Tab Hunter. Let's have a scoop of vanilla ice cream with that teen heartthrob. Or maybe some yummy cottage cheese.

Posted by nemo at August 12, 2006 11:32 AM

comment #21

Bl says ...

"Question: What is it about vacant, talentless, poofy boys (not men) that drives women crazy?"

And MEN are not 'driven wild' by vacant, talentless, poofy girls (not women)?

Indeed, it is impossible to 'make it' in the porn industry without an incredible degree of substance and talent, right?

Posted by Bl at August 12, 2006 11:54 AM

comment #22

judy says ...

Just throwing this out there... Channing will be in another movie coming out next month.."A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints". This movie came out at Sundance and got mixed reviews but won a few awards there. I would have to think that Dito Montiel and company are very elated that Channing has a hit movie out now. Perhaps this will carry over and help Saints at the box office. Saints has a large cast with up and coming stars and also already established stars. I saw the trailer on Youtube a few weeks ago and it looked very interesting.

Posted by judy at August 12, 2006 11:56 AM

comment #23

Patrick says ...

Nemo, Mike Schaefer and others, Now boys...come
on! Look up his modeling pics and his nude shots
and you'll see why just about every gay man I
know and just about every teen girl (white or blk
or latino) want a piece of him in bed!

Posted by Patrick at August 12, 2006 11:57 AM

comment #24

Hank Scorpio says ...

So does this success count as yet more vindication for the departed Nina Jacobson? This kind of teen girl empowerment movie (I'm sure the phrase "aspirational character" was thrown around liberally in development meetings) was her specialty, after all.

Posted by Hank Scorpio at August 12, 2006 12:06 PM

comment #25

bachelorcool says ...

Is NYCBusybody Jeffrey in disguise?

Posted by bachelorcool at August 12, 2006 12:51 PM

comment #26

hell-a watcher says ...

"Those tracking-survey guys had better figure some way to get to younger types on their cell phones and not just depend on land-line surveys."

a recent hell-a times article pointed out that the moneyhaired corporate slobs running the studio tracking syndicate are looking even deeper and trying to suss out these people via the 'new fads' like texting but in actuality its good old networking and word of mouth face to face that is driving their decisions........ and once again they dont give a damn frankly about the moneyhair outreach programs........

Posted by hell-a watcher at August 12, 2006 1:05 PM

comment #27

L.B. says ...

Reading Jeffrey's post and the comments in Will Ferrell's Mugatu voice from Zoolander is probably the most entertainment this movie will ever give me. Myt thanks to those responsible.

Posted by L.B. at August 12, 2006 2:30 PM

comment #28

NYCBusybody says ...

"Is NYCBusybody Jeffrey in disguise?"

Bachelorcool, I'm sure Jeffrey would be deeply offended by your insinuation.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 12, 2006 4:00 PM

comment #29

BMac says ...

The radio ads for this turd proclaim that "once every ten years a film comes along that defines a generation." In all seriouness. I'm dying to know what the other "every ten years" movies are to these clowns. My guesses: THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY, FLASHDANCE, PRETTY WOMAN. Empty-ass hits, the lot of them.

Posted by BMac at August 12, 2006 7:25 PM

comment #30

thatmovieguy says ...

Why should anyone be surprised STEP UP did business? We all went to see FAME, FLASHDANCE and FOOTLOOSE back in the day, and none of us knew who Irene Cara, Jennifer Beals or Kevin Bacon were. The HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL connection brought up by an earlier post is right on the mark: This kind of story will always have a certain appeal to an audience. Basically, if you like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing you'll like. Even people who've told me they know STEP UP is going to be dumb have admitted they will see it anyway because the kids look sexy and the dancing will probably be fun to watch. As for Channing Tatum, he does just fine in the film (no dance double either) and a publicist friend who is always happy to dish the dirt on which celebrities are nasty did a tour with Mr. Tatum last month and said he was delightful, very courteous, funny and charming. No "star attitude" at all.

Posted by thatmovieguy at August 13, 2006 9:02 AM

comment #31

MagillaOrangutang says ...

Of course there was no "star attitutde". He is far froma star. Enjoy this hit while you have it, Channing. To quote Kathy Griffin "Your fortune is in gay porn!"

Posted by MagillaOrangutang at August 13, 2006 10:24 PM

comment #32

nemo says ...

"Look up his modeling pics and his nude shots
and you'll see why just about every gay man I
know and just about every teen girl (white or blk
or latino) want a piece of him in bed!"

Reminds me of the line from Mamet's Sexual Perversion in Chicago (the original corrosive play, not the watered-down movie version). The two male leads are at the beach checking out the foxes, and they notice one babe with a particularly nice rack and butt. One of them remarks: "You can see she is a very sensitive young lady."

Posted by nemo at August 14, 2006 11:27 AM

comment #33