Michael Lown
BartoThe Jew Hunter vs. The Wishing Rock: Box Office Predictions for 8/21/'09
August 18th 2009 20:31
After Peter Jackson's District 9 won the hearts of the both critics and audiences around the country, it will now go up against the laster WWII epic from Quentin Tarantino, and the lastest kiddies flick from Robert Rodriguez this week. Who will beat it or will it reign supreme for a second week in a row.
Inglourious Basterds
Back when he made his sophmore effort, Pulp Fiction, writer/director/film buff Quentin Tarantino was able to break into the decade's zeitgeist and transformed into a pop culture phenemonon. He reignited the flagging careers of John Travolta and Bruce Willis, made Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman houshold names, and created a new style of screenwriting (hip scenarios with an array of obsure film references). Overnight, Tarantino became the biggest director of our generations... back in 1994. Since then, it's all kinda been downhill for him. His next effort, 1997's Jackie Brown, was larger ignored by the mainstream audiences, despite a career comaback by blaxplotaition icon Pam Grier and an Oscar Nominated performance by Robert Forster. Later Kill Bill (split into two parts much to the un-delight of the public) was mostly a success at the box office and with critics, several believed that the over-the-top action flick had been worn down and jaded with too many film references and lack of original ideas. He's real slump came with his opus, Grindhouse. A collaborations with Robert Rodriguez, the film became a massive flop at the box office, with even most of his die-hard fans saying his segment, Death Proof, a talky mess.
Tarantino hopes to be shot back to the top with his latest, Inglourious Basterds, a in-name-only remake of a popular B-Movie War Movie from the 70s. With a screenplay, which took ten years to write, forums were alway buzzing on the destiny for the project, some (including this blogger) never thinking it'd be made, much like several of Tarantino's other dream project (remember that Vega Brothers film that went nowhere). Suddenly, the film was launched into production, with megastar Brad Pitt in tow.
The film made its much-hyped debut at Cannes back in May. There the response ranged from mixed to so-so. The general consesues being much like Tarantino's Death Proof: too much talking, not enough action. Since then, the response has been far-more positive. Sure, several flood the internet boards with many credible complaints: Tarantino's casting choices (casting BFF/fellow director Eli Roth in a major supporting role, cameos by Mike Myers and Clorish Leachman [?!]), radical changing of history which will be sure to piss off an array of war buffs one way or another, and misleading marketing (despited his major presence in the trailers and tv spots, Pitt's role is mostly supporting). Not helping is the film's distributor, The Weinstein Company, which is in desperate need for a hit (they barely had enough money to even fund the project, giving the DVD rights and Foreign Distribution to Universal Pictures). Basterds seems to be its last hope.
While it probably won't be the masterpiece Taratino wants it to be, theres enough buzz for the movie to make sure that it pulls in some major dough its opening weekend. With strong competition from District 9, which continues to go strong, the film could still makeup a decent sum of $30,000,000 in its late summer release.
Shorts
Strange, who'd ever thought that a Quentin Tarantino film would ever compete against a Robert Rodriguez film? Mere coincidence or genious marketing? You decide.
Probably made to eat up time before Sin City 2 can go into production, the films seems to be in the vein of Rodriguez's previous kid film efforts, his body of work includes his Spy Kids trilogy and the classic The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D. Like all those films, Shorts seems to be a mix of a goofy plot (apparently a bunch of kids are in possession of a magical device) plus an array of bright colors and CGI, along with a cast of semi-popular adult cast (Leslie Mann, Jon Cryer, James Spader, William H. Macy) including his son Rebel.
Being the first strictly-for-kids film since G-Force, the film could pull in decent $20,000,000 intake this weekend.
Post Grad
Ever wondred what happened to Alexis Bieldel after Gilmore Girls got canceled (besides those godawful Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films). Well, it seems she churned out this forgettable teen flick, that also stars Michael Keaton, whose career seems to be free-falling since Batman Returns.
With a bland and forgetable marketing campaign behind it, this film will be lucky to makeout a measly $7,500,000 at the BO.
Next Week:Hippies vs. Michael Myers
See ya,
Supreme Film Geek
Inglourious Basterds
Tarantino hopes to be shot back to the top with his latest, Inglourious Basterds, a in-name-only remake of a popular B-Movie War Movie from the 70s. With a screenplay, which took ten years to write, forums were alway buzzing on the destiny for the project, some (including this blogger) never thinking it'd be made, much like several of Tarantino's other dream project (remember that Vega Brothers film that went nowhere). Suddenly, the film was launched into production, with megastar Brad Pitt in tow.
The film made its much-hyped debut at Cannes back in May. There the response ranged from mixed to so-so. The general consesues being much like Tarantino's Death Proof: too much talking, not enough action. Since then, the response has been far-more positive. Sure, several flood the internet boards with many credible complaints: Tarantino's casting choices (casting BFF/fellow director Eli Roth in a major supporting role, cameos by Mike Myers and Clorish Leachman [?!]), radical changing of history which will be sure to piss off an array of war buffs one way or another, and misleading marketing (despited his major presence in the trailers and tv spots, Pitt's role is mostly supporting). Not helping is the film's distributor, The Weinstein Company, which is in desperate need for a hit (they barely had enough money to even fund the project, giving the DVD rights and Foreign Distribution to Universal Pictures). Basterds seems to be its last hope.
While it probably won't be the masterpiece Taratino wants it to be, theres enough buzz for the movie to make sure that it pulls in some major dough its opening weekend. With strong competition from District 9, which continues to go strong, the film could still makeup a decent sum of $30,000,000 in its late summer release.
Shorts
Strange, who'd ever thought that a Quentin Tarantino film would ever compete against a Robert Rodriguez film? Mere coincidence or genious marketing? You decide.
Probably made to eat up time before Sin City 2 can go into production, the films seems to be in the vein of Rodriguez's previous kid film efforts, his body of work includes his Spy Kids trilogy and the classic The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D. Like all those films, Shorts seems to be a mix of a goofy plot (apparently a bunch of kids are in possession of a magical device) plus an array of bright colors and CGI, along with a cast of semi-popular adult cast (Leslie Mann, Jon Cryer, James Spader, William H. Macy) including his son Rebel.
Being the first strictly-for-kids film since G-Force, the film could pull in decent $20,000,000 intake this weekend.
Post Grad
Ever wondred what happened to Alexis Bieldel after Gilmore Girls got canceled (besides those godawful Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films). Well, it seems she churned out this forgettable teen flick, that also stars Michael Keaton, whose career seems to be free-falling since Batman Returns.
With a bland and forgetable marketing campaign behind it, this film will be lucky to makeout a measly $7,500,000 at the BO.
Next Week:Hippies vs. Michael Myers
See ya,
Supreme Film Geek
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