SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
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SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:50 am
Special thanks to silversurfer for taking the burden of analyzing the weekly limited-release features off my shoulders. It’s really not that I didn’t enjoy including what was previously talked about so professionally by Chien, but it really is a relief not having to carry all the water. And now that I don’t have to worry about spreading myself too thin any more, I can go back to what I was doing before. Now… what was that again? (Grin.)
The weekend of October 2nd kicks off the final round of leagues to fall entirely within 2009. It also marks the beginning of the final rounds of all four Super Leagues. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that you make the correct choices all the way down the line. Will any of the three films I’ll be discussing today get you off to a rip-roaring start? Well… the short answer is probably “no”, but that doesn’t mean they can’t break out.
The first movie on my slate is Zombieland, the first big directorial project for Ruben Fleisher. It is a horror/comedy, which looks on its face to be much like 2004’s cult-hit Shaun of the Dead. Zombieland, too, takes place in a post-apocalyptic-type society; or, to be more specific, an America that has been ravaged by a “zombie plague”, where the affected are not so much undead as infected (much like in 28 Time Units Later), which means that they have far greater mobility than George Romero’s bread and butter.
The film centers on a lone band of survivors, who are crossing the country in search of a safe haven, dispatching the zombies they encounter in ever-more-creative ways as they go. In an amusing twist, the characters are known by (I’m guessing) their hometowns. The leader of the group is Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a good ol’ boy who seems to have finally found his calling in life; there’s also Columbus (Adventureland’s Jesse Eisenberg, who’s looking more like Andy Samberg’s kid brother every year), Wichita (Superbad’s Emma Stone) and Little Rock (13-year-old Hollywood “it” girl Abigail Breslin).
It’s fairly obvious that this film’s comedic touch and likeable cast make it much more appealing than this fall’s only other horredy (yes, I just made that word up), Jennifer’s Body. And given that Zombieland will get the largest release platform of any new film this weekend (nearly 3,000 theaters), it should beat that turd’s total output in its sleep.
However, keep in mind that Shaun of the Dead failed to make even $15 million in American theaters. It became a cult-classic, true, but that was long after it had left the big screens. Zombieland should fare better, but the film’s R rating may deter big numbers. Those of you who have been playing this game for a while don’t need me to tell you that R-rated horror films tend to do quite poorly when compared to PG-13-rated ones – just look at the drubbing Halloween II took at the hands of The Final Destination at the end of August.
And then there are the reviews: good ones won’t hurt it, but bad ones may indeed kill it. I don’t think it will affect the diehard horror buffs from seeing it, but all their money put together probably won’t put Zombieland much over $35 million. It’s not a total wash, however: for only $11 in Ultimate, you’re likely to get a goodly amount of Top 5 points. I predict $17 million in its first three days, which should be enough to be #1 (plus, the trim 81-minute running time will lead to multiple showings).
Given that there is only one big film scheduled for release the following week (Couples Retreat), it should pick up no less than nine Top 5 points in its first two weeks (unless Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs continues to hold like a mother). It may pick up a couple of PTA points as well, and the User Rating probably won’t hurt you (high 6’s/low 7’s seem likely). It won’t be a world-beater in dollars earned, but it’s a good strategic pick for Top 5 points. In Box Office, however, it will run you $9, and I just can’t quite recommend it. Not quite.
I’ve always loved Drew Barrymore. Despite her tragically storied childhood and her questionable taste in soulmates, I still think she is an adorable person and quite a decent actress with the right material. And now, what do you know, the little moppet from E.T. is now a card-carrying director, and her first major project, Whip It, is ready to slingshot into theaters.
Though the title might indicate that the film is a biopic or rockumentary about new-wave musical pioneers Devo (though how cool would that be?), Whip It actually refers to a maneuver in roller derby. For that is the backdrop of this film; hard-nosed women on skates clothes-lining, body-checking and skull-thumping each other for the pleasure of a viewing audience.
Juno star Ellen Page stars as Bliss Cavendar, a bored 17-year-old completely fed up with the constant pressure put upon her by her mother (Marcia Gay Harden), who has had her on the Texas beauty-pageant circuit since she was a child. Then, one day, on a lark, she attends a contest of the local roller derby, and she is instantly hooked. Lying to her parents, she throws herself into her new-found passion, deciding to, for the first time in her life, “become her own hero”.
Barrymore has assembled a pretty radical group of women to strap ‘em on, and their roller-personas should be more than enough to make you want to buy a ticket. Drew herself plays “Smashly Simpson”; other teammates include “Malice in Wonderland” (Kristen Wiig), Rosa Sparks (Eve), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell) and Eva Destruction (Ari Graynor). Daniel Stern, Jimmy Fallon and Juliette Lewis (“Iron Maven”) co-star.
The reviews for Whip It over at RT range from semi-enthusiastic thumbs-ups to a marginal thumbs-down. Most extol Ellen Page’s performance, further evidence that this girl is going to be around for a long, long time. Though they call the film “kitschy”, “goofy”, “offbeat and amusing”, and most agree that it is more than worth the price of admission. And though it might drop some, its current IMDb User Rating is quite encouraging (7.9/215).
It’s only scheduled for release in about 2,100 theaters, but it looks like a good date movie, and the PG-13 rating won’t hurt it. It will wrestle with Cloudy for that #2 spot, but even if it falls short, look at what you could get for only $6: five to seven Top 5 points, $30 million and a decent User Rating. Looking at the other similarly-priced fare in the October season, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a title with as much punch (literally) as this one. $7 in Box Office is a slightly larger gamble, however.
The third-largest film opening this week is The Invention of Lying, and it has gone through a lot to finally get to theaters… numerous postponements, a name change (from The Other Side of the Truth), and what’s looking like a great deal of marketing indifference. And that, honestly, is a shame, because this film looks like the kind of comedy that surprises you with just how funny and thought-provoking it is.
Lying stars British funnyman Ricky Gervais, who truly surprised me last year with his little-seen outing Ghost Town, which was truly an engaging film despite an unoriginal premise and the soul-killing presence of Tea Leoni. That film was only able to manage $13 million in total receipts, and I wish I could predict much larger numbers for Lying, but if I did, I’d be… well, you know.
The plot: imagine an alternate-reality version of Earth where no one has the ability to tell an untruth. About anything. Ever. 100% honesty, 24/7. Can you imagine such a place? (My God, do politicians and user-car dealers even exist there? The advertisements must be hysterical…”we’re not as good as the other guys, but come in anyway, because we need the money!”) Gervais (who also co-directed and co-wrote the script) stars as Mark Bellison, an actor whose career is not in the best of shape – how can you pretend to be someone else if you can’t lie? – and, being middle-aged and on the pudgy side, is regularly subjected to the blatant candor of the opposite sex, most recently with a girl named Anna (Jennifer Garner).
Quite by accident, Mark’s brain discovers the key to happiness, when he is able to concoct the world’s very first fabrication. And then, suddenly, the world is his oyster, when he realizes that in a society where people believe anything you say, you can pretty much GET AWAY with anything. What would YOU do? Well, the possibilities are simply endless…
If you are a fan of Gervais’s work on the English version of The Office or seen his stand-up comedy, you’ll understand why he is simply perfect for this role. His feckless charm and rapier wit are tailor-made for Bellison, who now has the opportunity to right all the wrongs in his life. But if you think that the rest of the movie deals with simply that, you’d be wrong.
There are six reviews for Lying over at RT, and they are all positive. Partner that with the current User Rating of 8.9 over at IMDb (with 280 votes), and you’ll realize that this film may be more of a must-see than you previously thought. For you see, Lying is not simply about truth and untruth as mere black-and-white concepts, but it explores every nuance of it. (From what I’ve read, the scene between Mark and his terminally-ill mother, where he uses his newfound powers of obfuscation to give her comfort in her final moments, is worth the price of admission...and one critic called it “Oscar-worthy”.) This is the kind of film that should be seen, not merely for its entertainment value, but as an exploration of the human condition. And the supporting cast is simply phenomenal: Tina Fey, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Louis C.K., Fionnula Flanagan and even Nathan Corddry.
Unfortunately, even on a part of the schedule as wide-open as this, I cannot recommend Invention of Lying for your slate. It is fairly cheap ($6 Ultimate, $7 Box Office), but despite it’s terrific User Rating, it probably won’t pull more than one Top 5 point at the most (and no PTA at all), and I doubt it’s got much more than $18 million in its tank. So don’t pick it. Just go SEE it.
Final note: Capitalism: A Love Story, which scored big with five PTA points this past weekend, will expand to roughly 1,000 theaters this week. It’s entirely possible that it will squeeze out a few more PTA (though I fully expect A Serious Man and More Than a Game will be 1-2 this week in that category), but I don’t think it will have quite enough juice to crack the Top 5. Sicko never made more than $4.5 million on any weekend, though, to be fair, its release platform was much more staggered than Capitalism will be.
My predictions for the weekend of October 2-4, 2009:
1. Zombieland - $17 million
2. Whip It - $14 million
3. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - $13 million
4. Surrogates - $8 million
5. The Invention of Lying - $7 million
Well, that will do it for me for another week. Next week, I’ll be talking about the wide-release films of October 9th, including: Couples Retreat, an adult comedy starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau; not to mention… erm… uh… well, that’s it, actually. Well, DARN. However shall I fill the empty space? Oh, I know! I’ll count down my ten most anticipated films between next week and New Years’. It should be interesting!
Later!
The weekend of October 2nd kicks off the final round of leagues to fall entirely within 2009. It also marks the beginning of the final rounds of all four Super Leagues. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that you make the correct choices all the way down the line. Will any of the three films I’ll be discussing today get you off to a rip-roaring start? Well… the short answer is probably “no”, but that doesn’t mean they can’t break out.
The first movie on my slate is Zombieland, the first big directorial project for Ruben Fleisher. It is a horror/comedy, which looks on its face to be much like 2004’s cult-hit Shaun of the Dead. Zombieland, too, takes place in a post-apocalyptic-type society; or, to be more specific, an America that has been ravaged by a “zombie plague”, where the affected are not so much undead as infected (much like in 28 Time Units Later), which means that they have far greater mobility than George Romero’s bread and butter.
The film centers on a lone band of survivors, who are crossing the country in search of a safe haven, dispatching the zombies they encounter in ever-more-creative ways as they go. In an amusing twist, the characters are known by (I’m guessing) their hometowns. The leader of the group is Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a good ol’ boy who seems to have finally found his calling in life; there’s also Columbus (Adventureland’s Jesse Eisenberg, who’s looking more like Andy Samberg’s kid brother every year), Wichita (Superbad’s Emma Stone) and Little Rock (13-year-old Hollywood “it” girl Abigail Breslin).
It’s fairly obvious that this film’s comedic touch and likeable cast make it much more appealing than this fall’s only other horredy (yes, I just made that word up), Jennifer’s Body. And given that Zombieland will get the largest release platform of any new film this weekend (nearly 3,000 theaters), it should beat that turd’s total output in its sleep.
However, keep in mind that Shaun of the Dead failed to make even $15 million in American theaters. It became a cult-classic, true, but that was long after it had left the big screens. Zombieland should fare better, but the film’s R rating may deter big numbers. Those of you who have been playing this game for a while don’t need me to tell you that R-rated horror films tend to do quite poorly when compared to PG-13-rated ones – just look at the drubbing Halloween II took at the hands of The Final Destination at the end of August.
And then there are the reviews: good ones won’t hurt it, but bad ones may indeed kill it. I don’t think it will affect the diehard horror buffs from seeing it, but all their money put together probably won’t put Zombieland much over $35 million. It’s not a total wash, however: for only $11 in Ultimate, you’re likely to get a goodly amount of Top 5 points. I predict $17 million in its first three days, which should be enough to be #1 (plus, the trim 81-minute running time will lead to multiple showings).
Given that there is only one big film scheduled for release the following week (Couples Retreat), it should pick up no less than nine Top 5 points in its first two weeks (unless Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs continues to hold like a mother). It may pick up a couple of PTA points as well, and the User Rating probably won’t hurt you (high 6’s/low 7’s seem likely). It won’t be a world-beater in dollars earned, but it’s a good strategic pick for Top 5 points. In Box Office, however, it will run you $9, and I just can’t quite recommend it. Not quite.
I’ve always loved Drew Barrymore. Despite her tragically storied childhood and her questionable taste in soulmates, I still think she is an adorable person and quite a decent actress with the right material. And now, what do you know, the little moppet from E.T. is now a card-carrying director, and her first major project, Whip It, is ready to slingshot into theaters.
Though the title might indicate that the film is a biopic or rockumentary about new-wave musical pioneers Devo (though how cool would that be?), Whip It actually refers to a maneuver in roller derby. For that is the backdrop of this film; hard-nosed women on skates clothes-lining, body-checking and skull-thumping each other for the pleasure of a viewing audience.
Juno star Ellen Page stars as Bliss Cavendar, a bored 17-year-old completely fed up with the constant pressure put upon her by her mother (Marcia Gay Harden), who has had her on the Texas beauty-pageant circuit since she was a child. Then, one day, on a lark, she attends a contest of the local roller derby, and she is instantly hooked. Lying to her parents, she throws herself into her new-found passion, deciding to, for the first time in her life, “become her own hero”.
Barrymore has assembled a pretty radical group of women to strap ‘em on, and their roller-personas should be more than enough to make you want to buy a ticket. Drew herself plays “Smashly Simpson”; other teammates include “Malice in Wonderland” (Kristen Wiig), Rosa Sparks (Eve), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell) and Eva Destruction (Ari Graynor). Daniel Stern, Jimmy Fallon and Juliette Lewis (“Iron Maven”) co-star.
The reviews for Whip It over at RT range from semi-enthusiastic thumbs-ups to a marginal thumbs-down. Most extol Ellen Page’s performance, further evidence that this girl is going to be around for a long, long time. Though they call the film “kitschy”, “goofy”, “offbeat and amusing”, and most agree that it is more than worth the price of admission. And though it might drop some, its current IMDb User Rating is quite encouraging (7.9/215).
It’s only scheduled for release in about 2,100 theaters, but it looks like a good date movie, and the PG-13 rating won’t hurt it. It will wrestle with Cloudy for that #2 spot, but even if it falls short, look at what you could get for only $6: five to seven Top 5 points, $30 million and a decent User Rating. Looking at the other similarly-priced fare in the October season, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a title with as much punch (literally) as this one. $7 in Box Office is a slightly larger gamble, however.
The third-largest film opening this week is The Invention of Lying, and it has gone through a lot to finally get to theaters… numerous postponements, a name change (from The Other Side of the Truth), and what’s looking like a great deal of marketing indifference. And that, honestly, is a shame, because this film looks like the kind of comedy that surprises you with just how funny and thought-provoking it is.
Lying stars British funnyman Ricky Gervais, who truly surprised me last year with his little-seen outing Ghost Town, which was truly an engaging film despite an unoriginal premise and the soul-killing presence of Tea Leoni. That film was only able to manage $13 million in total receipts, and I wish I could predict much larger numbers for Lying, but if I did, I’d be… well, you know.
The plot: imagine an alternate-reality version of Earth where no one has the ability to tell an untruth. About anything. Ever. 100% honesty, 24/7. Can you imagine such a place? (My God, do politicians and user-car dealers even exist there? The advertisements must be hysterical…”we’re not as good as the other guys, but come in anyway, because we need the money!”) Gervais (who also co-directed and co-wrote the script) stars as Mark Bellison, an actor whose career is not in the best of shape – how can you pretend to be someone else if you can’t lie? – and, being middle-aged and on the pudgy side, is regularly subjected to the blatant candor of the opposite sex, most recently with a girl named Anna (Jennifer Garner).
Quite by accident, Mark’s brain discovers the key to happiness, when he is able to concoct the world’s very first fabrication. And then, suddenly, the world is his oyster, when he realizes that in a society where people believe anything you say, you can pretty much GET AWAY with anything. What would YOU do? Well, the possibilities are simply endless…
If you are a fan of Gervais’s work on the English version of The Office or seen his stand-up comedy, you’ll understand why he is simply perfect for this role. His feckless charm and rapier wit are tailor-made for Bellison, who now has the opportunity to right all the wrongs in his life. But if you think that the rest of the movie deals with simply that, you’d be wrong.
There are six reviews for Lying over at RT, and they are all positive. Partner that with the current User Rating of 8.9 over at IMDb (with 280 votes), and you’ll realize that this film may be more of a must-see than you previously thought. For you see, Lying is not simply about truth and untruth as mere black-and-white concepts, but it explores every nuance of it. (From what I’ve read, the scene between Mark and his terminally-ill mother, where he uses his newfound powers of obfuscation to give her comfort in her final moments, is worth the price of admission...and one critic called it “Oscar-worthy”.) This is the kind of film that should be seen, not merely for its entertainment value, but as an exploration of the human condition. And the supporting cast is simply phenomenal: Tina Fey, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Louis C.K., Fionnula Flanagan and even Nathan Corddry.
Unfortunately, even on a part of the schedule as wide-open as this, I cannot recommend Invention of Lying for your slate. It is fairly cheap ($6 Ultimate, $7 Box Office), but despite it’s terrific User Rating, it probably won’t pull more than one Top 5 point at the most (and no PTA at all), and I doubt it’s got much more than $18 million in its tank. So don’t pick it. Just go SEE it.
Final note: Capitalism: A Love Story, which scored big with five PTA points this past weekend, will expand to roughly 1,000 theaters this week. It’s entirely possible that it will squeeze out a few more PTA (though I fully expect A Serious Man and More Than a Game will be 1-2 this week in that category), but I don’t think it will have quite enough juice to crack the Top 5. Sicko never made more than $4.5 million on any weekend, though, to be fair, its release platform was much more staggered than Capitalism will be.
My predictions for the weekend of October 2-4, 2009:
1. Zombieland - $17 million
2. Whip It - $14 million
3. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - $13 million
4. Surrogates - $8 million
5. The Invention of Lying - $7 million
Well, that will do it for me for another week. Next week, I’ll be talking about the wide-release films of October 9th, including: Couples Retreat, an adult comedy starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau; not to mention… erm… uh… well, that’s it, actually. Well, DARN. However shall I fill the empty space? Oh, I know! I’ll count down my ten most anticipated films between next week and New Years’. It should be interesting!
Later!
Shrykespeare- Peter Gibbons
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Buscemi Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:58 am
I'm surprised that Woody Harrelson does not play a Texas-based character. It would have been fitting though, since Harrelson is a Texas native and his character seems like a parody of stereotypical Texans.
Also, what's your opinion on the Toy Story Double Feature?
Also, what's your opinion on the Toy Story Double Feature?
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Tue Sep 29, 2009 12:15 pm
Don't really have one. I'm sure 3D will attract a few, but so many people already own both on DVD...
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by BanksIsDaFuture Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:27 pm
Sorry to be a stickler, but Kristen Wiig plays Maggie Mayhem in Whip It!, not Malice In Wonderland.
And The Final Destination was rated R.
Another great column though, Shryke. I don't know how you're consistently in top form...
I think Cloudy will hold better than that though, and Surrogates will fall harder.
And The Final Destination was rated R.
Another great column though, Shryke. I don't know how you're consistently in top form...
I think Cloudy will hold better than that though, and Surrogates will fall harder.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Tue Sep 29, 2009 6:27 pm
Just keeping you guys on your toes! 
And thanks for the compliment. As to how: Vodka and Red Bull.
And thanks for the compliment. As to how: Vodka and Red Bull.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Donte77 Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:47 pm
That is a pretty good motivator. LOL
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:59 am
Is anyone out there planning on seeing Zombieland on either Friday or Saturday. And if so, could you send me a review?
I've already gotten one for A Serious Man, Capitalism and Whip It. I'm planning on seeing Invention of Lying, so all I need is one for Zombieland and I'm covered for the weekend.
I've already gotten one for A Serious Man, Capitalism and Whip It. I'm planning on seeing Invention of Lying, so all I need is one for Zombieland and I'm covered for the weekend.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Buscemi Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:12 am
I might see the Toy Story Double Feature and either Whip It or Fame.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:17 am
In other news, Harry Potter 6 finally hit $300M, only the second in the series to do so. Only took 77 days!!
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by geezer9687 Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:35 am
I wish I was seeing it on Friday Shryke, but probably won't get to it til Monday.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by BanksIsDaFuture Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:53 am
Shryke, more than likely, I'll be watching Zombieland Thursday night. I could get a review of that and The Invention of Lying by Friday afternoon.
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:06 am
Some predictions for this weekend.
Lee's Movie Info:
1. Zombieland - $20.2M
2. Cloudy With a Chance - $16.8M
Toy Storys - $12.8M (won't count in game play)
3. Surrogates - $7.7M
4. Fame - $6.2M
5. Capitalism - $6.0M
6. Whip It - $5.9M
7. Invention of Lying - $4.8M
Box Office Guru:
1. Cloudy With a Chance - $19M (three-peat?!)
2. Zombieland - $17M
3. Whip It - $9M
Toy Storys - $9M
4. Surrogates - $8M
5. Invention of Lying - $7M
6. Capitalism - $6M
7. Fame - $5M
Lee's Movie Info:
1. Zombieland - $20.2M
2. Cloudy With a Chance - $16.8M
Toy Storys - $12.8M (won't count in game play)
3. Surrogates - $7.7M
4. Fame - $6.2M
5. Capitalism - $6.0M
6. Whip It - $5.9M
7. Invention of Lying - $4.8M
Box Office Guru:
1. Cloudy With a Chance - $19M (three-peat?!)
2. Zombieland - $17M
3. Whip It - $9M
Toy Storys - $9M
4. Surrogates - $8M
5. Invention of Lying - $7M
6. Capitalism - $6M
7. Fame - $5M
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Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by Shrykespeare Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:21 am
Steve Mason's Friday post:
Sony to finish the weekend 1-2 with ZOMBIELAND & MEATBALLS; Michael Moore's CAPITALISM tanks!
Sony Pictures is box office king this weekend with the top 2 spots among moviegoers. The comedy/horror pic Zombieland has opened with an exceedingly strong $8.5M on opening day, and it will likely reach $21.3M or so by Monday morning. Meanwhile, the strong-holding Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs survived the loss of many of its 3D screens, yet still scored a bountiful $3.5M on its third Friday and, with it's family matinee boost on Saturday and Sunday, it seems headed for about $16M and a solid #2 finish.
Disney's re-release of Toy Story/Toy Story 2 as a 3D double feature managed a decent $3.7M on Friday, and it will finish with an in-line-with-expectations $13.7M for the frame. Surrogates, also from Disney, will limp to a fourth-place second-weekend finish as a $2.3M Friday will translate to about $7.5M for 3 days. Ricky Gervais has launched his second consecutive box office bomb as The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros) only mustered $2.2M or so to start the 3-day. The comedy should finish #5 with approximately $6.5M for the weekend.
Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It (Fox Searchlight) starring Ellen Page is a disappointment with about $1.7M on opening day and a likely $4.4M opening 3-day, but the biggest disappointment of the weekend is Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture). After a $57K per theatre average on 4 screens last weekend, the picture broke to a wider 962 locations with terrible results. The "documentary" only sold an estimated $1.3M in tickets to start the weekend, and it will finish at about $3.9M for a PTA of less than $4,000. That soft opening will almost certainly make Capitalism Moore's weakest-grossing movie since 2002's Bowling for Columbine ($21.5M domestic gross).
EXCLUSIVE STEVE MASON EARLY FRIDAY & 3-DAY ESTIMATES FOR OCTOBER 2-4
1. NEW - Zombieland (Sony) - $8.5M Fri - $21.3M 3-day - $21.3M cume
2. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Sony) - $3.5M Fri - $15.9M 3-day - $81.6M cume
3. NEW - Toy Story/Toy Story 2 (Disney) -$3.7M Fri - $13.7M 3-day - $13.7M cume
4. Surrogates (Disney) - $2.3M Fri - $7.5M 3-day - $26.5M cume
5. NEW - The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros) - $2.2M Fri - $6.5M 3-day - $6.5M cume
6. Fame (MGM) - $1.5M Fri - $4.7M 3-day - $16.6M cume
*NEW - Whip It (Fox Searchlight) - $1.7M Fri - $4.4M 3-day - $4.4M cume
*NEW - Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture) - $1.3M Fri - $3.9M 3-day - $3.9M cume
Wow, I seriously overestimated Whip It. Yikes.
Sony to finish the weekend 1-2 with ZOMBIELAND & MEATBALLS; Michael Moore's CAPITALISM tanks!
Sony Pictures is box office king this weekend with the top 2 spots among moviegoers. The comedy/horror pic Zombieland has opened with an exceedingly strong $8.5M on opening day, and it will likely reach $21.3M or so by Monday morning. Meanwhile, the strong-holding Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs survived the loss of many of its 3D screens, yet still scored a bountiful $3.5M on its third Friday and, with it's family matinee boost on Saturday and Sunday, it seems headed for about $16M and a solid #2 finish.
Disney's re-release of Toy Story/Toy Story 2 as a 3D double feature managed a decent $3.7M on Friday, and it will finish with an in-line-with-expectations $13.7M for the frame. Surrogates, also from Disney, will limp to a fourth-place second-weekend finish as a $2.3M Friday will translate to about $7.5M for 3 days. Ricky Gervais has launched his second consecutive box office bomb as The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros) only mustered $2.2M or so to start the 3-day. The comedy should finish #5 with approximately $6.5M for the weekend.
Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It (Fox Searchlight) starring Ellen Page is a disappointment with about $1.7M on opening day and a likely $4.4M opening 3-day, but the biggest disappointment of the weekend is Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture). After a $57K per theatre average on 4 screens last weekend, the picture broke to a wider 962 locations with terrible results. The "documentary" only sold an estimated $1.3M in tickets to start the weekend, and it will finish at about $3.9M for a PTA of less than $4,000. That soft opening will almost certainly make Capitalism Moore's weakest-grossing movie since 2002's Bowling for Columbine ($21.5M domestic gross).
EXCLUSIVE STEVE MASON EARLY FRIDAY & 3-DAY ESTIMATES FOR OCTOBER 2-4
1. NEW - Zombieland (Sony) - $8.5M Fri - $21.3M 3-day - $21.3M cume
2. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Sony) - $3.5M Fri - $15.9M 3-day - $81.6M cume
3. NEW - Toy Story/Toy Story 2 (Disney) -$3.7M Fri - $13.7M 3-day - $13.7M cume
4. Surrogates (Disney) - $2.3M Fri - $7.5M 3-day - $26.5M cume
5. NEW - The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros) - $2.2M Fri - $6.5M 3-day - $6.5M cume
6. Fame (MGM) - $1.5M Fri - $4.7M 3-day - $16.6M cume
*NEW - Whip It (Fox Searchlight) - $1.7M Fri - $4.4M 3-day - $4.4M cume
*NEW - Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture) - $1.3M Fri - $3.9M 3-day - $3.9M cume
Wow, I seriously overestimated Whip It. Yikes.
Shrykespeare- Peter Gibbons
- Posts : 1455
Join date : 2008-11-26
Age : 54
Location : Glendale, AZ -
Re: SPEARE'S TIPS: THE FILMS OF 10/2 - Zombieland, Whip It, Invention of Lying
by W Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:19 pm
Pretty much what I figured... Too bad I forgot to do the over/under this week.
W- Walter Sobchack
- Posts : 2131
Join date : 2008-11-25
Age : 40
Location : Terre Haute, IN
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