We ask the big movie questions and seek film insight for the second half of 2013.
By: Matt Cummings
As Quarter 2 comes to a close, we look back at some movie questions and make bold new predictions.
The year has certainly been an interesting one for Hollywood: a terrible Quarter 1 gave rise to a much-improved Quarter 2. In January, we postulated several questions that are beginning to bear fruit. If you didn't read our Quarter 1 Report, we'll forgive you...this time. We've added those and updated our thoughts on Quarter 2. Enjoy.
- Did audiences stand in line to see Arnold and Stallone? No - If October 18th's The Tomb or The Plan (or whatever it's called now) also fails to attract success, it should be evidence that both heroes might need to hang it up.
- Did Q1 produce the same limited amount of quality films, just as it has since....forever? Luckily, NO. We got high-quality efforts than in the last three Winters COMBINED. Gangster Squad and Snitch were top shelf, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and Beautiful Creatures were wickedly fun, and Warm Bodies brought in audiences out of the cold for a bit of zombie humor.
- Did 2012's feeble box office continue into 2013? Sadly, yes. Combined losses exceeded 30%, until the biggest June ever came around and sliced that down to 9%.
- Was a Nolan Man of Steel as good as a Nolan Dark Knight? We loved the Superman origin story, although many critics did not. There's usually a difference between moviegoers and the critical opinion, but to see Man of Steel obliterate the box office, and now stand perched at #2 overall, tells me that films draw people (or not) regardless of their hype.
- Did Star Trek: Into Darkness live up to what fans needed and deserved? Yes and no. We absolutely loved the film, as it returned us to heady days of The Original Series. Strong character development, excellent casting - including the arrival of Benedict Cumberbatch - and expert direction from JJ Abrams restored our faith. Unfortunately, moviegoers didn't agree and the film could be considered a disappointment by Labor Day. When a film released in March is still beating your big Summer flick, something is definitely wrong.
- Will horror films actually be good this year? Sure, Mama was an early financial surprise, but can the genre actually be inventive again? We're so obsessed with the Torture Porn of Saw that Hollywood has seemingly forgotten how to make scary/creepy without bimbos, boobs, and bondage. Under normal circumstances that combination works in the privacy of my home or dive motel, but horror has been perverted into an unappealing and predictable version of itself. Things don't look promising: Dark Skies saw an early exit, and yet another Paranormal Activity flick is due out this year. However, The Conjuring looks plain frightening and could surprise many. Can we ever return to classic creepy without the ultra-violence of Torture Porn?
- How much more money will Sci-Fi films make than other genres in 2013? The early answer is not as much as we thought. Oblivion failed. After Earth was pathetic. Star Trek disappointed. That leaves Pacific Rim and Elysium to make up the difference. Honestly, we can't see that happening, given their tightly-specific genres. There's also the underrated Ender's Game and the George Clooney space survival film Gravity. I'm still excited about all of these, but it's clear that moviegoers have had their fill of Science Fiction/Sci-Fi (yes, there is a difference).
- Can Thor: The Dark Worlds match up quality- and receipts-wise to Iron Man 3 and the gargantuan The Avengers? Nothing matched the perfection of 2012's superhero BBQ get-together. When your film strikes billion-dollar gold, it's nearly impossible to expect a repeat performance, especially if what's coming isn't mega-superhero-mashup. "Phase Two" has already seen the mega-hit Iron Man 3, although opinion is decidedly mixed as to its outcome. Thor might be able to meet Man of Steel numbers, but we're not sure if it can approach Iron Man 3. Still, it's clear that Marvel is surrounding these films with creative teams and competent people; Hemsworth and Downey Jr are perfect as Thor and Stark respectively, so we're cautiously optimistic that Mjolnir will soar once again.
- Did risky films like Oz The Great and Powerful, GI Joe: Retaliation, and World War Z endear themselves to audiences? Again, the answer was mixed. Oz and WWZ absolutely brought audiences - each has remained on the top 10 through the Summer, with Oz holding down a surprising #3. Retaliation, while a marked improvement over Rise of Cobra, failed to keep its #10 hold past June 30. Bad press, a 9-month delay, and the death of Duke didn't help. While not the Battleship/John Carter-like domestic bombs of last summer, I wonder whether Hollywood will complete a follow-up to Retaliation, or let this thing die as it probably should.
- And what about the similarly-risky Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Lone Ranger, and The Wolverine? I use the word 'risky' with Fire because of its release date. The original made over $400 million because it was an uncontested release in March. With a Quarter 3 arrival that's not filled with many sure-fire hits, Fire could have held the box office for weeks had it seen a proper release. And while we liked Ranger, it's well-known that westerns don't attract moviegoers, regardless of who's in it. As for The Wolverine, we're concerned about the lack of interest and its stand-alone nature to the rest of Fox's Marvel series. This could be the bomb we've been waiting for, but with Actor Hugh Jackman promising to have shirt torn off by Scene 3, ladies could single-handedly keep it afloat. At this point, it's anyone's guess.
- Will the Quarter 3 challenger please stand up? Honestly, there are few titles between July-September that seem ready to command the market. Will we see another rapid decline for the industry during that time, only to be rescued in the last one by Fire and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug?
With box office numbers way down from 2012, and these huge questions lingering for some of the most anticipated and well-financed films of the year, we could see yet another decline for Hollywood that will depend on a strong fourth quarter to rescue it once again. How this and our other big questions pan out depends on many factors Either way, we'll be here to report the results.
What are your big movie questions for the rest of the year? Comment below and get involved in the conversation!
Author Matt Cummings is a Film and Blu-ray Critic for SandwichJohnFilms, HiDefNinja, and OnePerCase. Follow him on Twitter at @mfc90125.
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