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It certainly is exciting trying to calculate if Tropic Thunder will hold on to its #1 slot this weekend minus the Beijing Olympics competition, or whether Jason Statham's Death Race, which no one with a smidgen of taste, education or discernment cares about seeing, might nudge ahead by a million or so.
Followed, almost certainly, by The Dark Knight in third place with $9 or $10 million, with the $500 million mark now in sight. The Ana Faris comedy The House Bunny -- why is there a "The" in that tile? -- will probably be fourth with $7 or $8 million. The pink being used in the one-sheets and trailers is a signal to shallow under-25s females who are jones-ing for another Legally Blonde-type experience. Life is all about blondness, charm, heart, empathy, being loved and desired and going "oop-boop-bee-doop."
Fox's The Rocker, getting little traction despite (or because of?) Office star Rainn Wilson, will be fifth.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 20, 2008 at 7:02 AM
comment #1
cjKennedy says ...
A day or two after Dark Knight opened (why is ''The' ok in that title but not House Bunny?), someone on these boards said the film would hit $500 million and I chuckled inwardly at the person's foolishness.
I don't remember who it was, but it looks like I was the fool, huh?
Posted by cjKennedy at August 20, 2008 7:44 AM
comment #2
JHRussell says ...
Word of mouth seems to be growing on Tropic Thunder - it had a very slow start, but picked up steam over the weekend...other than the Olympics, it has been Topic A around the water cooler, and many of my "4 movies a year" friends and co-workers are saying they intend to see TT this weekend...
Posted by JHRussell at August 20, 2008 8:00 AM
comment #3
MikeSchaeferSF says ...
"oop-bop-dee-do"?
It wasn't until the 3rd or 4th time I saw the trailer for Death Race that I realized the woman was Joan Allen! Damn, lady, you've been nominated for how many Oscars? Hope it was a big paycheck.
Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at August 20, 2008 8:02 AM
comment #4
The Winchester says ...
I have a smidgen of taste, education, and discernment, and I can't wait for Death Race.
It's a Statham thing. He makes the greatest loud, stupid end of the summer movies I want to see. And granted, while this is no Crank 2 (or even another Transporter movie) I'll still be there.
Posted by The Winchester at August 20, 2008 8:06 AM
comment #5
erniesouchak says ...
What's the word on "Mirrors"?
Posted by erniesouchak at August 20, 2008 8:12 AM
comment #6
vansmith says ...
I SAW THE DARK KNIGHT!!! IT WAS good...alot of jump cuts when he was on the bike and the bike was hot, my friend said it was CGI, the showdown with the joker was anti climatic-that should have been last. two boats of people blowing each other up - meh a bit contrived. two face- killing bad guys was easy didnt really cross to the dark side. opening was great, china sets were great. bottom line sometimes less is more but over all good.. ps, i'd never seen heath in a film he was good, no he was great and he had all the great lines...
Posted by vansmith at August 20, 2008 8:16 AM
comment #7
T. S. Idiot says ...
How can someone who considers GONE IN 60 SECONDS a guilty pleasure dismiss DEATH RACE sight unseen?
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 20, 2008 8:26 AM
comment #8
corey3rd says ...
any film reviewer that refers to "Death Race" as a remake needs to be fired.
Posted by corey3rd at August 20, 2008 8:31 AM
comment #9
Bocephus says ...
Any movie with awesome cars getting smashed and blown up is at least worth catching on Netflix.
Posted by Bocephus at August 20, 2008 8:32 AM
comment #10
Jean says ...
I hearing that same thing: "Why is Joan Allen in it?" "She's a better actress than that!"
She's in it because she plays the heavy. Actors LOVE playing villains because they get to stretch a bit & go over the top. And, yeah, she probably got a pretty big paycheck...
Posted by Jean at August 20, 2008 8:32 AM
comment #11
T. S. Idiot says ...
Our Joanie is 52 today, an age at which few American actresses still get big roles in any movies. She's obviously begun saving up for the inevitable.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 20, 2008 8:34 AM
comment #12
Rob says ...
Is this based on tracking? I have a feeling House Bunny is going to pop a little bit. The trailer gets a reaction, and teen girls will buy anything.
Posted by Rob at August 20, 2008 8:54 AM
comment #13
D.Z. says ...
"It certainly is exciting trying to calculate if Tropic Thunder will hold on to its #1 slot this weekend minus the Beijing Olympics competition, or whether Jason Statham's Death Race, which no one with a smidgen of taste, education or discernment cares about seeing, might nudge ahead by a million or so."
I was going to see the test screening, but they canceled it at the last minute.
ernie: I hear it's one of the few decent Asian horror remakes, actually. It's probably the Keifer factor.
Idiot: "How can someone who considers GONE IN 60 SECONDS a guilty pleasure dismiss DEATH RACE sight unseen?"
Because Anderson's movies are rarely pleasurable?
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 8:58 AM
comment #14
D.Z. says ...
Addendum:
I was going to see the test screening, but they canceled it at the last minute. Since they burned that bridge, I'll just look for Tropic Thunder.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 8:59 AM
comment #15
jesse says ...
ernie, I saw Mirrors to file a review for filmcritic.com, since it didn't screen... I liked Aja's Hills Have Eyes remake, but Mirrors was pretty bad -- tedious, not scary, not tense, and featuring a laughably intense performance from Sutherland. Amy Smart shows her ass. It's really that kind of movie (where you're trying to think of good things about it and that's the bes toyu can do).
corey, what am I missing about Death Race that makes it not a remake? Is it because it's a bastardization of the original or something? I'm not sure why you're calling for critics to be fired; I'm guessing half or more of the people who review it will refer to it as such, since, you know, the movie's credits basically say so.
Anyway, I saw Death Race last night... it's definitely trash, but not as boring as last year's late-summer Statham picture, War. It would be good drive-in fodder, if you live near one of those.
To be honest, P.W.S. Anderson doesn't really bother me as much as Brett Ratner or Rob Cohen... he's a hack, but a harmless one. It's not like the Mortal Kombat movie or the Alien vs. Predator movie would be awesome in other hands (though that last Resident Evil movie was a lot more fun than the one he directed himself).
Posted by jesse at August 20, 2008 9:09 AM
comment #16
MickTravis says ...
Why isn't there a "The" in "Death Race" ? Also, we have too many states. We should eliminate two.
I can't believe a P.W.S. Anderson film roped in not just Statham, not just Joan Allen but also Al Swearingen. What the hell is Ian McShayne doing in this? I know he's a working actor but, man, isn't David Mamet hiring?
Posted by MickTravis at August 20, 2008 9:26 AM
comment #17
Rodrigo says ...
I see numbers much closer to "Legally Blonde" for "The House Bunny," which looks quite stupid -- a prerequisite for a huge chunk of the American public -- but has been marketed very broadly, and a long time out, with Sony pushing TV spots in all the right places (starting with MTV, E!, et al) more than two months ago and steadily widening their scope ever since. Furthermore, while "Mamma Mia!" certainly skews older and strikes non-giggling types as the kind of chick flick they might allow themselves to be coerced into seeing, it has been a solid month since Meryl's song-and-dance charade opened big despite "The Dark Knight." Its slim weekend-to-weekend declines since then owe at least as much to a lack of femme-catering comedic competition as to word-of-mouth buzz about the film's quality. "Sisterhood...2" had a built-in audience of weepy young women and girls, all of whom showed up with a few new recruits, and the three-hanky BFF sequel was a modest hit within a week of opening, after which it began a fast, hard fall that it should see continue this weekend in the face of "The House Bunny" and its wider appeal. Anna Faris is poised for a breakout, not unlike Reese Witherspoon on the eve of "Legally Blonde," which was written by the same pair of lady scribes and opened to $20 million and change on the strength of ditsy appeal and the unfailing dependability of American audiences to show up big for pop-trash. Unless "Death Race" has convinced enough delusional dudes that it's enough of "a Statham thing" to really open big (which wouldn't be much of a shock given said reliability of cheap-and-easy nothings in the marketplace), or "Tropic Thunder" manages a better-than-expected hold, I would be surprised not to see "The House Bunny" on top this weekend. Time and time again, box office pundits (mostly out-of-touch geeks, and geeks are mostly men) underestimate the tendency for female audiences to show up with friends, open their purses, and shell out the cash. "Sex and the City" was always going to be an event, but the B.O. prediction consensus of "Devil Wears Prada" numbers cemented a complete lack of insight concerning the commercial potential for films aimed at women, not to mention the tastes and spending habits of American female consumers, which are -- surprise, surprise -- just as voracious and easily manipulated as their male counterparts.
Posted by Rodrigo at August 20, 2008 9:37 AM
comment #18
corey3rd says ...
corey, what am I missing about Death Race that makes it not a remake? Is it because it's a bastardization of the original or something? I'm not sure why you're calling for critics to be fired; I'm guessing half or more of the people who review it will refer to it as such, since, you know, the movie's credits basically say so.
------------
Have you seen the original film? Cause if you saw the remake, then you have no concept of what the original was about. It's about as much of a "remake" as Cheaper By the Dozen and Ocean's 11.
Posted by corey3rd at August 20, 2008 9:38 AM
comment #19
BurmaShave says ...
Speaking of dumb, can we talk about DOOMSDAY, which I just watched last night? So stupid, but I thought it was a lot of fun. Unjustly maligned.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 20, 2008 9:39 AM
comment #20
jesse says ...
corey, I haven't seen the original, but I don't think anyone looking at a remake ever assumes "well, the original was probably EXACTLY THE SAME" and implies such by calling it a remake... which it is. You take a title and a loose concept and you bastardize or improve or whatever (depending on the movie). Getting all high and mighty about how no one of any intelligence would call it a remake is ridiculous. It's based on another movie's script, however loosely. The other movies you mentioned... also remakes. I don't really see the problem.
What bugs me more is when a movie is made based on the same book as another movie and it gets called a remake of the previous movie (e.g., Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not a remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). But unless I also missed the classic novel DEATH RACE, I think the term applies. ;)
Can I say, I'm actually looking forward to The House Bunny, entirely becuase of Anna Faris, who Jeff obviously hates, but who is really damn funny. She's had this odd career where she does scene-stealing bit parts in indies (Lost in Translation, Brokeback Mountain, May) and then bigger roles in mainstream crapola (the Scary Movies, etc.). But watch her in Just Friends, a thoroughly mediocre movie... she's kind of brilliantly insane in it. And the one movie so far to merge the two sensibilities (the broad indie comedy Smiley Face) is delightful.
Then again, Reese Witherspoon can be hilarious and I didn't think much of Legally Blonde. And Fred Wolf is by all accounts a terrible filmmaker. But I'm hoping at very least, Faris will have a chance to shine outside of the Scary Movie franchise.
Posted by jesse at August 20, 2008 9:46 AM
comment #21
BurmaShave says ...
Rodrigo can we stop acting like stupidity is unique to Americans when our blockbusters play like gangbusters in every major country in the world, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL is a primetime sensation in Italy, and CSI: MIAMI is the biggest show on the planet? Since BAYWATCH, that is.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 20, 2008 9:49 AM
comment #22
Brock Landers says ...
Ernie: I really liked Aja's 'Hills Have Eyes' remake (the rare remake that improves on the original) and 'High Tension'...but 'Mirrors' is a dud, despite the aforementioned Amy Smart nudity (it's quick).
There's little to 'Mirrors' other than the occasional jump scare or gory moment. The plot is unfocused and bordering on silly, and it feels like a long, dull sit at nearly 2 hours.
At best, any '24' watchers will get some chuckles out of Kiefer's extremely Jack Bauer-like line readings. Seriously, get this guy a good comedy script, stat - or put him in a ridiculous costume a la Michael Chiklis in 'Fantastic Four.'
Posted by Brock Landers at August 20, 2008 9:55 AM
comment #23
Rodrigo says ...
I don't contend that stupidity is unique to Americans, BurmaShave, but the branding thereof and subsequent distribution abroad certainly a red-white-and-blue trademark.
Posted by Rodrigo at August 20, 2008 10:08 AM
comment #24
BurmaShave says ...
Fair enough.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 20, 2008 10:16 AM
comment #25
Yves says ...
I agree with Rodrigo that The House Bunny could be Anna Faris's breakthrough role, and it's much deserved after paying her dues in all the Scary Movies. I remember one PR piece about her in Scary Movie 4 claiming that she was the best thing in it. I see it on top this weekend.
And for some reason, Mirrors reminds me too much of What Lies Beneath, or at least the marketing, so I'll watch it on DVD, if at all.
Posted by Yves at August 20, 2008 10:21 AM
comment #26
T. S. Idiot says ...
"Because Anderson's movies are rarely pleasurable?"
Last I heard, rarely is not the same as never.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 20, 2008 10:45 AM
comment #27
Richardson says ...
Jesse - I'm totally with you on Faris. But, keep in mind, Jeff has TERRIBLE taste in comedy. So much so that he celebrates Dane Cook and hates Seth Rogen. So Faris is in good company. She's extremely funny, she just does mostly stupid movies because, surprise surprise, nobody is writing good roles for women to be *just* funny.
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 10:46 AM
comment #28
Chapman Carruthers says ...
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0553798/
God, I hope this isn't true. Russell Crowe as Bill Hicks? Is nothing sacred anymore?
Posted by Chapman Carruthers at August 20, 2008 10:55 AM
comment #29
C-PhreekII says ...
I saw the first TV advert for The Rocker last night, didn't realize the opening was so soon. Were there ads on MTV for the last couple of weeks? If not, looks like Fox is just dumping it.
cjKennedy - that would be me. I also said it wouldn't get near $600M the second weekend and it looks like it will just limp past $500M.
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 20, 2008 10:55 AM
comment #30
Aladdin Sane says ...
Burma, I'm in agreement about Doomsday. It's quite the eclectic film but I wasn't bored by it. I can see it gaining a healthy cult audience in the future.
Posted by Aladdin Sane at August 20, 2008 10:57 AM
comment #31
C-PhreekII says ...
Talk about your cry for help:
I was going to see the test screening, but they canceled it at the last minute. Since they burned that bridge, I'll just look for Tropic Thunder.
"They" burned that bridge? Just how the hell old are you? Last time I heard a declaration like that my little brother was stamping his foot and telling the family that because he didn't get the Chewbacca glass from Burger King he didn't want his Whopper.
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 20, 2008 11:07 AM
comment #32
D.Z. says ...
Rodrigo: Anna Faris had her chance with "Smiley Face". She's done. She should just retire on her Scary Movie money, because that's as far as she's gonna get. Also, Sex and the City and Prada had a pre-established audience[I.E. fans of the show and fans of Streep and Hathaway.], while no one knows who Faris is, because they see those comedies for the awful movie parodies they could easily shoot better on Youtube.
Phreek: If you spent thirty minutes in rush hour Hollywood traffic, only to be told they canceled a few days ago, even though they never sent you an e-mail, you'd know what I was talking about; so don't act superior.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 12:22 PM
comment #33
Supernetuser says ...
Is it so wrong to want to see Deathrace? It could be as much a guilty pleasure as other guilty pleasures. I am going to see Tropic Thunder next weekend... I can guarantee that one. I want to see what everybody's so mad at, why people can't get a good laugh and how much comedians are made to suffer in a world obsessed with political correctness.
Posted by Supernetuser at August 20, 2008 12:25 PM
comment #34
T. S. Idiot says ...
"so don't act superior" DZ didn't really say this, did he?
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 20, 2008 12:41 PM
comment #35
Legowombat says ...
'Death Race' looks no worse than the Grindhouse Dreck that influenced Tarantino, and that retroactively seems to gets a critical pass now, which just proves how easily manipulated critics are by the catchet of 'cool'.
Posted by Legowombat at August 20, 2008 12:57 PM
comment #36
Richardson says ...
"Anna Faris had her chance with "Smiley Face"."
A comedic actress's "chance" is starring in a mid-level budget comedy like 'House Bunny', not a no-budget indie movie with no distributor, a director who's popularity can charitably be described as "cult" stretching out to comedy, and a drug theme which inherently limits the gross.
Jeff - how can you read things written by DZ and still insist that the right-wing has the monopoly on stupid shit?
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 1:01 PM
comment #37
Terry McCarty says ...
Re DEATH RACE: From seeing the trailer, it looks like the premise of the original is there only in vestigial form--augmented by lots of borrowing from THE RUNNING MAN and THE LONGEST YARD.
Posted by Terry McCarty at August 20, 2008 1:27 PM
comment #38
lesterg says ...
"Anna Faris had her chance with "Smiley Face". She's done"
Wrong and ridiculous for all the reasons mentioned by Richardson. But I wanted to add that Smiley Face is still one of the funniest films I've seen this year, Anna carried the entire thing on her back.
Posted by lesterg at August 20, 2008 1:46 PM
comment #39
lesterg says ...
Jason Statham had his chance with Chaos. He's done.
Posted by lesterg at August 20, 2008 1:48 PM
comment #40
dixiedugan says ...
I've only seen bits and pieces of Statham films on the various cable channels - didn't necessarily turn me on, but they didn't turn me completely off. Then a couple of weeks ago I rented The Bank Job...and loved it. I might not see Death Race in the theatres but it'll be a must rent.
Posted by dixiedugan at August 20, 2008 1:55 PM
comment #41
iamwhoiam says ...
Anyone who support the freedom of art, the freedom of satire, and is smart enough to appreciate a really good comedy with one Oscar-worthy performance - should go see Tropic Thunder. It's shameful that a movie so funny and so good, gets so much bullshit flack.
Posted by iamwhoiam at August 20, 2008 2:18 PM
comment #42
Richardson says ...
Sorry, iamwhoiam. Downey had his chance with 'Two Girls and A Guy'. He's done.
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 2:52 PM
comment #43
Krazy Eyes says ...
Judging from the trailer, DEATH RACE looks more like a remake of THE LONGEST YARD, but with death racing.
Posted by Krazy Eyes at August 20, 2008 2:59 PM
comment #44
actionman says ...
Statham needs to make more films like The Bank Job and less like Deathrace. At best, Deathrace is a Netflix rental. It looks like action-movie ass-cream.
Posted by actionman at August 20, 2008 4:43 PM
comment #45
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: "A comedic actress's "chance" is starring in a mid-level budget comedy like 'House Bunny', not a no-budget indie movie with no distributor, a director who's popularity can charitably be described as "cult" stretching out to comedy, and a drug theme which inherently limits the gross."
They're both comedies which cater to the same demographic; and Smiley Face is as much a "cult" film as Pineapple Express and Harold and Kumar. [It even featured John Cho, too.] House Bunny, though, is a PG-13 National Lampoon movie for chicks, which limits its appeal even further.
lester: I think you mean he had his chance with Dungeon Siege.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 5:13 PM
comment #46
D.Z. says ...
Sorry, I meant age demographic.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 5:13 PM
comment #47
BurmaShave says ...
DZ, despite what you might think, cult films are not watched by people en masse wearing robes, but rather films who at first fail to find an audience but then later achieve some level of reverence and success with a small group of people.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 20, 2008 5:25 PM
comment #48
Jay T. says ...
"Death Race, which no one with a smidgen of taste, education or discernment cares about seeing"
Of course, anyone with a smidgen of taste or education would never make such a statement...
Posted by Jay T. at August 20, 2008 5:58 PM
comment #49
Richardson says ...
"They're both comedies which cater to the same demographic"
Potentially so, but that's why I compared the two on the levels of their director, their distributor, and their plot instead.
An R-rated drug comedy has a built-in low ceiling. A PG-13 sex comedy with appeal to girls as well as boys.
One is directed by a director who doesn't make movies with any significant appeal and has never made a comedy. The other is directed by one of SNL's main long-term writers.
One of them has a real distributor with an actual marketing budget. Nobody with any sense would judge somebody's box office appeal based on a movie which had essentially no release and no marketing budget. Which is why i leave it to you to explain further why it's a reasonable position, ensuring I will get one more good laugh today.
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 6:23 PM
comment #50
D.Z. says ...
Burma: Then by that definition, none of the Apatow and H+K stuff would have made money without the help of the cult audience for "Freaks and Geeks" and "Better Luck Tomorrow". Meanwhile, "Smiley Face" was clearly banking on the "cult" audience for "Brick" and "Doom Generation", just as Sony is hoping people who saw Scary Movie and those other parodies will go for House Bunny.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 6:25 PM
comment #51
Rob says ...
Why are you dragging Brick into this twisted morass of anti-logic? Don't you mean Mysterious Skin?
PS Downey's shot at the big time was clearly blown after Hugo Pool.
Posted by Rob at August 20, 2008 6:37 PM
comment #52
D.Z. says ...
Downey blew it when he did drugs after being on Ally McBeal. That's probably the most recognition you could get at the time, and he was damn lucky someone at the non-indie level still wanted him after that.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 6:58 PM
comment #53
Rodrigo says ...
Variety's review of "The House Bunny" was posted this evening, and if their box office intuitions are correct, it looks like "Bunny" is, in fact, Anna Faris' chance at the kind of stardom into which Reese Witherspoon was catapulted in the wake of "Legally Blonde," and she's taking it like a pro. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117938028.html?categoryid=1263&cs=1
Posted by Rodrigo at August 20, 2008 7:25 PM
comment #54
D.Z. says ...
Reese was a respectable actress with youth appeal. Faris is just gonna be forgotten like Jenny McCarthy.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 8:51 PM
comment #55
D.Z. says ...
Oh, yeah, and thanks for the correction, Rob.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 8:54 PM
comment #56
Richardson says ...
"Meanwhile, "Smiley Face" was clearly banking on the "cult" audience for "Brick" and "Doom Generation""
And yet somehow, their brilliant strategy to capitalize on the 'Brick' audience by releasing the movie in one theater for one week failed to capture the audience they were "banking" on by releasing it to one theater for one week. How could that have failed to make money? It MUST be Anna Faris's lack of box office appeal.
"Then by that definition, none of the Apatow and H+K stuff would have made money without the help of the cult audience for "Freaks and Geeks" and "Better Luck Tomorrow". "
oh, DZ, just SHUT THE FUCK UP. Are you mentally retarded? I am seriously and sincerely asking you if you are mentally retarded. I want to stress, I am not mocking the mentally retarded when I ask that. On the contrary, the more I talk to you, the more I worry that I am inadvertantly and unknowingly mocking somebody with severe mental disabilities. If you are not retarded, is there a knife or knives stuck in the side of you head? Maybe around the back, where you can't see it?
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 9:54 PM
comment #57
Richardson says ...
"Reese was a respectable actress with youth appeal"
Actually, 'Election' was her chance, but she blew it.
Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 9:58 PM
comment #58
C-PhreekII says ...
D.Z. apparently with you it's not an act.
If my little brother wasn't totally uninterested in film, I might actually think you were him with a statement like that because lord knows I heard it enough growing up. Especially considering your inability not to answer each and every point you see in every thread - you must have been the ripest target of "last licks!' growing up.
What are the prescribing for OCD these days? Can we take up a collection to buy him some, folks?
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 20, 2008 10:58 PM
comment #59
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: "And yet somehow, their brilliant strategy to capitalize on the 'Brick' audience by releasing the movie in one theater for one week failed to capture the audience they were "banking" on by releasing it to one theater for one week. How could that have failed to make money? It MUST be Anna Faris's lack of box office appeal."
Probably. Especially since it played in L.A., and is based in L.A., so it should do better. Even H+K 1 made more money, and White Castle's probably more of a regional thing than L.A.
"Actually, 'Election' was her chance, but she blew it."
I said she has youth appeal. Election was for adults who hadn't outgrown high school.
Posted by D.Z. at August 20, 2008 11:54 PM
comment #60
Richardson says ...
"Even H+K 1 made more money, and White Castle's probably more of a regional thing than L.A."
I'm going to translate my next point into DZ language:
It made more per screen than 'Harold and Kumar'. See, I know you like stupid meaningless shit points like that.
Of course, since 'Harold and Kumar' was on THOUSANDS of screens, it made more money.
"White Castle's probably more of a regional thing than L.A."
Yeah, I'm sure it's difficult for LA potheads to relate to getting the munchies and buying fast food hamburgers.
"I said she has youth appeal."
She never had a movie gross more than $40 mil before 'Legally Blonde'. Even putting aside the fact that Anna Faris is the star of what is possibly (shudder) the most successful comedy franchise of all time, certainly the most successful to star a female, she has also been in several films which passed that mark, and appeared in two movies nominated for Best Picture.
Here's hoping the Olympics will add an event, competitive wrongness, so that all your practice won't have been for nothing.
Posted by Richardson at August 21, 2008 12:04 AM
comment #61
Doug says ...
Jeff,
Anything you can do about canceling DZ's Typekey account?
Anna Faris is a wonderful comic actress and "The House Bunny" will make Hollywood more aware of that.
Posted by Doug at August 21, 2008 12:15 AM
comment #62
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: "It made more per screen than 'Harold and Kumar'. See, I know you like stupid meaningless shit points like that."
True, but H+K had lower expectations and lesser known talent, so Smiley Face still has the more disappointing gross.
"Yeah, I'm sure it's difficult for LA potheads to relate to getting the munchies and buying fast food hamburgers."
Actually, I'm referring to the fact that the stoners in H+K are overachievers and have professional jobs.
"She never had a movie gross more than $40 mil before 'Legally Blonde'. "
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pleasantville.htm
"Even putting aside the fact that Anna Faris is the star of what is possibly (shudder) the most successful comedy franchise of all time, certainly the most successful to star a female, she has also been in several films which passed that mark,"
I don't exactly see "several" non-Scary Movie films which made $40+ million here:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=annafaris.htm
.
"and appeared in two movies nominated for Best Picture."
But not for her. And those were bit parts to boot.
Doug: Why would Jeff cancel my account when he agrees with me on House Bunny's marketability?
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 12:33 AM
comment #63
D.Z. says ...
Missed some previous comments from Richardson.
"A PG-13 sex comedy with appeal to girls as well as boys."
I'm not sure why girls would want to see intelligent women dress like Paris Hilton; and guys would probably want the girls to get naked.
"One is directed by a director who doesn't make movies with any significant appeal and has never made a comedy."
He's still able to get actors with significant appeal, so he must be doing something right. And you can interpret some of his films as comedies.
"The other is directed by one of SNL's main long-term writers."
Yes, because we all know SNL-related movies are automatically box office gold. I remember when Superstar and Night at the Roxbury were the hits of their respective years.
"One of them has a real distributor with an actual marketing budget."
Budget's not everything.
"Nobody with any sense would judge somebody's box office appeal based on a movie which had essentially no release and no marketing budget."
It's no worse than judging a movie's box office appeal, based on an actress with limited acting chops.
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 12:49 AM
comment #64
C-PhreekII says ...
"Missed some previous comments from Richardson."
Is that a record?
Any chance Faris will next do a movie with Tarantino and really send him off the deep end?
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 21, 2008 2:07 AM
comment #65
Richardson says ...
"Missed some previous comments from Richardson. "
DZ - you have responded to many facts that I stated with dubious nonsense, and avoided the only question I genuinely wanted you to answer. In light of your flagrant stupidity, I ask again, ARE YOU MENTALLY CHALLENGED?
"Harold and Kumar 1 had lower expectations than Smiley Face"
What the FUCK are you talking about?
Re: Pleasantville - sorry, I meant $41 mil. Of course, that movie was also significantly more expensive than any movie Anna Faris has ever been in.
"And those were bit parts to boot."
The point is that two directors made movies which were among the cream of the crop in Hollywood and both of them wanted her in their movies. That says a lot. Meanwhile, the closest Reese came was working for Robert Benton 20 years after the fact.
"I'm not sure why girls would want to see intelligent women dress like Paris Hilton; and guys would probably want the girls to get naked."
Girls will see it because this is the sort of person a lot of stupid teenage girls look up to, and teenage boys will see it because they're also stupid and fool themselves into thinking there will be some skin in it even though it's PG-13. The whole marketing campaign emphasizes two things -- for the girls, she's like Elle Woods, and for the boys, she's a playboy bunny.
"He's still able to get actors with significant appeal"
Try to remember, you're arguing the side that Anna Faris does NOT have significant appeal. What is especially weird about the above statement is that Anna Faris is the only actor he has ever cast who does have significant appeal -- Levitt was largely dismissed as a washed up sitcom kid before 'Mysterious Skin' and is now a hot indie actor.
"And you can interpret some of his films as comedies. "
You know, your posts have all of the coherence of a Gregg Araki movie.
"because we all know SNL-related movies are automatically box office gold."
It's a lot more experience with writing and directing comedy than Gregg Araki has.
"Budget's not everything. "
Putting aside how ridiculous the statement is that marketing budget has nothing to do with gross, I want to point out that you're ALWAYS the person who brings marketing budget into it. "Oh, that movie didn't make any money, because they spent too much on marketing." What the FUCK do you think marketing is? You seem to think that spending money on marketing hurts the gross, and that not spending money on marketing does not hurt the gross. You should go to the hospital, I'm pretty sure you've had a stroke.
"It's no worse than judging a movie's box office appeal, based on an actress with limited acting chops. "
You're just a stupid fucking piece of shit. You need to stab yourself in the ear.
Posted by Richardson at August 21, 2008 8:12 AM
comment #66
Yves says ...
Reading the Variety review convinces me even more that this is going to be a weekend hit. The Girls Next Door has had 4 seasons, and is popular with men as well as women. If they successfully satirize this show, House Bunny may be a sleeper...
Posted by Yves at August 21, 2008 8:22 AM
comment #67
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: "What the FUCK are you talking about?"
No one thought any movie with two Asian-American leads would even make even that much money, in spite of its general youth appeal. What with them not being Aryan and all. http://www.timeout.com/chicago/articles/film/28873/escape-artist
http://www.comicscommunity.com/boards/pop/?frames=n;read=26252&expand=1
Richardson: "Re: Pleasantville - sorry, I meant $41 mil. Of course, that movie was also significantly more expensive than any movie Anna Faris has ever been in."
It was only about $15 million bucks more than most of the Scary Movies and "My Super Ex-Girlfriend".
"The point is that two directors made movies which were among the cream of the crop in Hollywood and both of them wanted her in their movies. That says a lot."
Not really, since: 1) S. Coppola was on a budget, and 2) Ang Lee couldn't get much backing for BBM in the first place, and had to take who he could get.
"Meanwhile, the closest Reese came was working for Robert Benton 20 years after the fact."
So you've obviously chosen to ignore her lead role in "Walk the Line".
"Girls will see it because this is the sort of person a lot of stupid teenage girls look up to,"
That's weird. Last time I checked, no girl saw "The Hottie and the Nottie", since they were more interested in "Hannah Montana".
"and teenage boys will see it because they're also stupid and fool themselves into thinking there will be some skin in it even though it's PG-13."
They can see skin for free online.
"What is especially weird about the above statement is that Anna Faris is the only actor he has ever cast who does have significant appeal -- Levitt was largely dismissed as a washed up sitcom kid before 'Mysterious Skin' and is now a hot indie actor."
No, she doesn't have significant appeal, since she's only been typecast in ditzy blonde roles, while Mr. "Washed Up" had a sitcom which lasted five years and which even managed to make dvd back when selling tv shows was still a new phenomenon.
"It's a lot more experience with writing and directing comedy than Gregg Araki has."
That's weird, cus Araki's IMDB writing and producing credits go back at least eight years earlier than those of Wolf.
"Putting aside how ridiculous the statement is that marketing budget has nothing to do with gross,"
You're right. Serenity, Battlefield Earth, and that Herbie movie made some huge bank.
"I want to point out that you're ALWAYS the person who brings marketing budget into it. "Oh, that movie didn't make any money, because they spent too much on marketing." What the FUCK do you think marketing is? You seem to think that spending money on marketing hurts the gross, and that not spending money on marketing does not hurt the gross."
Marketing can hurt the gross, if it's a niche genre film, or if it's over-budget. Sometimes, it helps to be more effective with your marketing budget-like how DW would simply put out those prop tapes to promote "The Ring" remake.
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 11:37 AM
comment #68
D.Z. says ...
Correction. "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" *grossed* $60 million. Not sure how much it cost, though.
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 11:47 AM
comment #69
Richardson says ...
DZ - I dare you to try and explain what coherent point you're trying to make by dwelling on 'Harold and Kumar'. I honestly have no idea what you're even trying to prove any more. Explain that or SHUT THE FUCK UP.
If you're going to say that neither Ang Lee nor Sofia Coppola wanted Anna Faris in the movie, offer some proof, or SHUT THE FUCK UP.
"So you've obviously chosen to ignore her lead role in "Walk the Line"."
Yes, since the point in her career that we're talking about pre-dates 'Walk the Line' by five years, it didn't seem to have anything to do with the conversation. Try and KEEP THE FUCK UP.
"Last time I checked, no girl saw "The Hottie and the Nottie""
You have to understand that a movie which is released for less than a week on a hundred screens and had no marketing budget just can't be compared to a movie which is released on 2000 screens. Their box office grosses will be wildly different by definition. So, seriously, SHUT THE FUCK UP.
"while Mr. "Washed Up" had a sitcom which lasted five years"
No, Levitt *was on* a sitcom which lasted five years. It was Lithgow's show. Or are you prepared to argue next that French Stewart and Kristen Johnson are bigger stars than Anna Faris? I bet you will. That'll be fun.
[And, by the way, unlike you, I actually have a source for what I'm saying -- Levitt himself says that people completely dismissed him as an actor after '3rd Rock'. See, for instance, this interview: http://www.avclub.com/content/interview/joseph_gordon_levitt/2 ]
"That's weird, cus Araki's IMDB writing and producing credits go back at least eight years earlier than those of Wolf."
They sure do! That's why I said "writing/directing" [where did you get producing?] comedy, which is a key point, since Araki is not funny at all and no studio would have reason to expect he could make a good comedy.
"Sometimes, it helps to be more effective with your marketing budget-like how DW would simply put out those prop tapes to promote "The Ring" remake."
I have two things to say to that. One, you're a FUCKING idiot if you think that 'The Ring' didn't spend a massive amount of money on all those trailers that played before movies for three months before it came out, or all the TV spots. Two, you're also a MOTHERFUCKING idiot if you don't think that the prop tapes cost money. Three, you're still ignoring the fact that, in order to be effective with a marketing budget, you have to HAVE a marketing budget, which 'Smiley Face' clearly did not. It also helps grosses if your movie gets released -- 'Smiley Face' played ONE theater.
So, after all that, I just want to say -- put a number on it. What's 'House Bunny' going to gross? Remember, I will rub your face in it, because you will be wrong, but I want you to give us a number so that we can better measure, scientifically, how wrong you are.
Posted by Richardson at August 21, 2008 1:44 PM
comment #70
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: "I dare you to try and explain what coherent point you're trying to make by dwelling on 'Harold and Kumar'. I honestly have no idea what you're even trying to prove any more."
My point is that Harold and Kumar was more successful with two no-name actors than Smiley Face was with an actress who'd been in four major comedies.
"Yes, since the point in her career that we're talking about pre-dates 'Walk the Line' by five years,"
Five years before Walk the Line was American Psycho, which, if I recall, got the same generally positive reviews as Lost in Translation.
"You have to understand that a movie which is released for less than a week on a hundred screens and had no marketing budget just can't be compared to a movie which is released on 2000 screens."
I think I saw more ads for Hottie than I did for CTHD and Lust, Caution.
"Their box office grosses will be wildly different by definition. "
True, but if there's enough demand for the film in smaller release, then it can easily catch up down the road.
"No, Levitt *was on* a sitcom which lasted five years. It was Lithgow's show. Or are you prepared to argue next that French Stewart and Kristen Johnson are bigger stars than Anna Faris? I bet you will. That'll be fun."
Technically, the show belonged to the cast, not just one character-especially since Lithgow wasn't exactly known for any major roles before he did the series.
And Stewart and Johnson got their own deals after the series, thus proving my point.
"And, by the way, unlike you, I actually have a source for what I'm saying -- Levitt himself says that people completely dismissed him as an actor after '3rd Rock'. See, for instance, this interview:"
I don't deny that, but he still managed to get work after the show.
"They sure do! That's why I said "writing/directing" [where did you get producing?] comedy, which is a key point, since Araki is not funny at all and no studio would have reason to expect he could make a good comedy."
They let Tom Green make a comedy, and he was never good.
"One, you're a FUCKING idiot if you think that 'The Ring' didn't spend a massive amount of money on all those trailers that played before movies for three months before it came out, or all the TV spots."
I don't doubt they spent marketing money on the film. I just said that they didn't blow it all on trailers, and hope it would stick.
"Two, you're also a MOTHERFUCKING idiot if you don't think that the prop tapes cost money."
It costs a fortune for some cardboard and paint?
"Three, you're still ignoring the fact that, in order to be effective with a marketing budget, you have to HAVE a marketing budget, which 'Smiley Face' clearly did not."
They advertised it in the city it was playing in, and it didn't attract enough interest.
"What's 'House Bunny' going to gross? Remember, I will rub your face in it, because you will be wrong, but I want you to give us a number so that we can better measure, scientifically, how wrong you are."
Probably $10 million, since people will end up seeing Death Race, Tropic Thunder, and TDK instead.
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 8:46 PM
comment #71
Richardson says ...
"My point is that Harold and Kumar was more successful with two no-name actors than Smiley Face was with an actress who'd been in four major comedies."
A point which we have already moved significantly past, because the situations are completely incomprable.
"I think I saw more ads for Hottie than I did for CTHD and Lust, Caution."
That's another head-scratching non-point, thanks.
"And Stewart and Johnson got their own deals after the series, thus proving my point."
No, it proves that you're a fucking idiot. That was *my* point, not yours. (Although, it is "yours" in the sense that you are consistently proving it.)
"I don't doubt they spent marketing money on the film. I just said that they didn't blow it all on trailers, and hope it would stick."
Ah, I see. So, wait, did 'Smiley Face' not make money because they blew "all" (snicker) their money on trailers or because Anna Faris isn't a star? And are you really *sure* that the reason isn't because it got dumped into one theater without any marketing to back it?
"It costs a fortune for some cardboard and paint?"
It costs money to be on good enough terms with a theater to put them in.
"Probably $10 million, since people will end up seeing Death Race, Tropic Thunder, and TDK instead."
My prediction is that it will gross more than that in its opening weekend, and your response will be that everybody bought tickets to it and then snuck into rated-R movies.
Posted by Richardson at August 21, 2008 9:13 PM
comment #72
Yves says ...
I think tweens and the geek crowd will see Bunny. 23.5. But it could be higher. It's going to be a date movie for the hs kids before they go back to school. Anna Faris will be the new funny it girl. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the other girls got a boost out of it too. Death Race will make 10MM.
Posted by Yves at August 21, 2008 10:18 PM
comment #73
D.Z. says ...
"So, wait, did 'Smiley Face' not make money because they blew "all" (snicker) their money on trailers or because Anna Faris isn't a star?"
Probably the latter, since Faris was more established by then than Watts.
"It costs money to be on good enough terms with a theater to put them in."
Theaters are going to let a mini-major like Dreamworks do whatever it wants, if it helps attract customers. They make their money from ticket and concession sales.
"My prediction is that it will gross more than that in its opening weekend, and your response will be that everybody bought tickets to it and then snuck into rated-R movies."
If it grosses more than that, my response will be that most people saw it for the reality show-type makeovers and still not know who Faris is by the end of the movie.
Posted by D.Z. at August 21, 2008 11:24 PM
comment #74
Richardson says ...
"Theaters are going to let a mini-major like Dreamworks do whatever it wants, if it helps attract customers."
Right. And since 'Smiley Face' didn't have a mini-major distributing it, they don't have the automatic in with theater owners. Thank you for helping me prove that point.
"my response will be that most people saw it for the reality show-type makeovers and still not know who Faris is by the end of the movie."
And yet, as you pointed out, *nobody* saw 'The Hottie and the Nottie' which was all about makeovers, so you're a FUCKING idiot.
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 8:48 AM
comment #75
C-PhreekII says ...
Perhaps if we keep D.Z distracted here...
From today's Studio Briefing round up of HOUSE BUNNY reviews:
Critics haven't much good to say about the plot of The House Bunny, but they do have much praise to heap on its star, Anna Faris. Nathan Lee begins his review in the New York Times by proclaiming: "All hail Anna Faris, fake bimbo par excellence, master of the birdbrained double take, our reigning queen of intelligent stupidity." Lou Lumenick in the New York Post begins his by observing: "Perhaps only Anna Faris could make a female-empowerment comedy produced by Adam Sandler tolerable." And in the Toronto Star, Linda Barnard starts off: "The House Bunny pulls a rabbit out of a hat with Anna Faris, whose comic charms -- to say nothing of her physical ones -- work some magic on this otherwise weak effort."
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 22, 2008 11:36 AM
comment #76
D.Z. says ...
Phreek: I'm sure she's not awful, but she needs to get out of Typecast Hell soon, or it's over for her.
Posted by D.Z. at August 22, 2008 12:19 PM
comment #77
Richardson says ...
"I'm sure she's not awful"
And yet you compared her to Jenny McCarthy...
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 12:41 PM
comment #78
D.Z. says ...
Richardson: Well, in terms of personality, they're similar. In terms of talent, Faris obviously ranks higher.
Posted by D.Z. at August 22, 2008 4:34 PM
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