Weekly Film Column: Under-Performing Box Office, Ron Howard, and “Trainwreck” on Redbox

Upcoming Articles:

Film Reviews: In the Heart of the Sea, Trumbo

Indie Double Feature: Legend and Macbeth

Star Wars Coverage!

OPENING THIS WEEK:

Wide: In the Heart of the Sea,

Limited: The Big Short, The Ridiculous Six (Netflix), Don Verdean, and Bleeding Heart

Expansions to Watch: Legend, Macbeth, Carol, The Danish Girl

We all know that this is the small week before Star Wars hits this Thursday, but it’s an exciting catch-up week for me, as I’m ready to see Trumbo after skipping it last week due to lack of time. The nominations it got helped solidify my decision to make a special trip. While I still wait on the expansions of films like Carol and The Danish Girl, I am excited to see Tom Hardy, one of my favorite actors, in Legend and ‘Macbeth,’ my favorite Shakespeare, in theaters as well as an Indie treat.
In the Heart of the Sea opened to pretty ‘meh’ reviews this week, and although I’ll see it because it was one of my most anticipated films of the year, it’s very disappointing to see it fall like that. The Big Short will be awesome to see when it comes my way, as economics and Christian Bale are both passions of mine. I probably will watch The Ridiculous Six as well, first for the convenience of it on Netflix, but also to see Taylor Lautner. I’m a completest for him, you ever see Abduction? No? Don’t.

BOX OFFICE RECAP AND PROJECTIONS:

While ‘The Hunger Games’ series has come to an end, the box office run continues going, now at the top for its third straight week. Its gross, like Spectre, is under studio projections despite performing decently well, and that is entirely attributed to quality. Both got okay reviews, but not the great reviews that Skyfall or Catching Fire got, so the steady decline in box office over the two Mockingjay films isn’t much of a surprise.
The Good Dinosaur will cause Disney another big financial loss, as its mixed reviews and lack of really good kid-friendly substance in it was pretty infuriating. No complaints from me over this movie not performing. How could you make a Pixar movie about Dinosaurs and not put enough Dinosaurs in it? The hell is that?
The good producers really are Krampus, bowing to a strong 16 million opening weekend, Creed which has great word of mouth and long-term plausibility, and the two indie films of Spotlight and Brooklyn which are hanging around at the bottom.

Projected Top Five: 1. In the Heart of the Sea…2. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2…3. Creed…4. The Good Dinosaur…5. Krampus

***THE NEWS SECTION WILL BE SUBSTITUTED WITH A GOLDEN GLOBES AND SAG AWARDS RECAP IN ANOTHER ARTICLE***

DIRECTOR IN FOCUS: BEST AND WORST OF…RON HOWARD!

Best: Apollo 13

Honorable Mentions: Frost/Nixon, Cocoon, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, and yes, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Apollo 13 is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the 90s, and Ron Howard has always been good at mixing blockbuster cinema with good storytelling. It’s one of the principle space films. As for the others, Frost/Nixon is an acclaimed political thriller, and the Russell Crowe 1-2 punch of A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man are both very good. My surprise pick is Jim Carrey’s Grinch, because even though its reviews are mixed, watching it again as an adult really shed light into how funny and well-written it is. I think the hate is completely unwarranted, and it’s actually my favorite Christmas film.

Worst: The Dilemma

Honorable Mentions: Angels & Demons, Gung-Ho

Nothing really to be said here, a bad Kevin James vehicle is the only true disaster Howard has ever directed, but Hanks in Angels & Demons isn’t good either.

REDBOX RENTALS:

Top Ten in Sales Currently: