We Ask The Big Movie Questions & Seek Film Insight For The Third Half Of 2013
By: Matt Cummings
With Quarter 3 in the books, we look back at some movie questions and make bold new predictions.
After a terrible Quarter 1 and much improved Q2, we move into an odd period: the Fall season starts the day after Labor Day, but continues through the first Friday in November. That's quite a haul in terms of studying box office numbers, but if we look at things from a quarterly perspective, things get a little clearer. As part of our ongoing series, we look back at several big movie questions we posed in January, and postulate on the Holiday/Oscar season that starts next month. In addition, we've re-posted links to our Quarter 1 and Q2 Report, in case you want to berate us. Enjoy.
- Did audiences stand in line to see Arnold and Stallone? No - although we loved Escape Plan for its 80's action and twisty plot, audiences have largely stayed away. Weekend box office numbers for 10/18-10/20 report that the film made a paltry $9.8 million, which ranked it fourth behind Gravity, Captain Phillips, and Carrie. Even with a well-made action like Escape Plan, It's clear that our former heroes are no longer the draws, signalling that it might be time for them to hang it up.
- Were horror films actually good this year? So far, the answer is 'THANK GOD, yes!' Mama was an early financial hit, The Conjuring was just plain scary, and Insidious: Chapter 2 was a pleasant follow up. Although The Purge had an interesting concept but was poorly executed, it proved that Hollywood was willing to invest the their money into something other than torture porn. With Paranormal Activity 5 thankfully cancelled, this left us with an impressive list of new classics and a seemingly new breath of optimism for the genre. Hopefully, Hollywood's return to classic creepy is back.
- How much more money will Sci-Fi films make than other genres in 2013? The numbers last season were disappointing, and then a little movie called Gravity came out. At a domestic gross of $170 million, it's quickly outpaced Oblivion and After Earth combined, demonstrating that great Science Fiction movies are still waiting to be told (yes, there is a difference between Science Fiction/Sci-Fi). We're also excited for Ender's Game but recent bad press from Author Orson Scott Card have left us a little worried that audiences might reject it.
- Did the risky The Wolverine step up? No. While it made good on its $110m budget, domestic audiences largely stayed away. Its saving grace came overseas, where it nearly doubled the US haul. That is probably a win for the studio and a lose for the moviegoer, ensuring another poorly-planned effort from Fox that will divide comic book fans but excite the ladies who like to see a shirtless Hugh Jackman.
- Did a Quarter 3 challenger stand up? Again, Gravity has surpassed everyone's expectations, making it the highest grossing Q3 movie in the past four years (Hotel Transylvania, Puss in Boots, and Jack-Ass 3D respectively). In fact, it was the highest grossing flick for this period since 2007's I Am Legend at $256m and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets at $219m. It doesn't have enough time to beat Legend, but it could eclipse Treasure. What about last year's Skyfall? It wasn't released until November 1st, and that technically falls within Hollywood's Holiday season. Congratulations to Gravity for kicking everyone's ass and single-handedly saving Q3.
With the Holiday Season (first week of November through New Year's Week or Weekend) on the horizon, we look forward to completing our Big Movie Questions:
- 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.
- What about the similarly-risky Hunger Games: Catching Fire? 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 4 arrival that's not filled with many sure-fire hits, Fire might hold the box office for weeks, but its late release date says much about the studio's high faith in it. The problem at this point is entirely box office: it only has a few weeks to make its money before people like us slap a 'Winner' or 'Loser' medal on its lapel. At this point, a stunning success or a moderate one is anyone's guess.
- We've weighed in our questions, now it's your turn. Did any Q3 movies surprise you? Are you looking forward to Hunger Games, Thor: The Dark World, or Desolation of Smaug? 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 and HiDefNinja. Follow him on Twitter at @mfc90125.
Please Leave A Comment-
Comments