Box Office Bloodbath: The Help Cleans Up.
Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 7:30PM This weekend was a bloodbath for new releases, and not because Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night's Jerry the vampire were spilling so much of it. Both of them bombed. Though I enjoyed Fright Night, can we at least hope that the combined failure here makes Hollywood question the need to remake every 80s hit? Maybe not. With The Smurfs chuggling along nicely despite virtually no one enjoying it, we'll still get name brand regurgitation until all of them start bombing.
Box Office U.S. Top Ten (estimates)
01 THE HELP [review] $20 (cum $71.3)
02 RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES [articles] $16.1 (cumulative $133.5)
03 SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD $11.6
04 CONAN THE BARBARIAN $10
05 THE SMURFS $7.8 (cum $117.5)
06 FRIGHT NIGHT [review] $7.7
07 FINAL DESTINATION 5 $7.7 (cum $32.3)
08 30 MINUTES OR LESS $6.3 (cum $25.8)
09 ONE DAY $5.0
10 CRAZY STUPID LOVE [articles] $4.7 (cum $64.2)
Three Talking Points:
Emma Stone hits are bookending the top ten this week, her star shines ever brighter.
In fact, though one can hardly name Emma the reason for its success, The Help barely dropped at all, doing a rare climb to the number one spot after its debut week (a rarity). In other words, it's shaping up to be a long legged big hit. And people are still definitely talking about it, even if it's mostly to call each other names (such as: this article which has upset some people.)
The biggest news though occured outside the top ten as Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris crossed the $50 million mark this week. To celebrate, Sony Pictures Classics announced that the comeback hit will be going wide AGAIN (even more of a rarity) next weekend.
Shall we celebrate?
If so, how?
If you haven't yet seen it, here's your last (theatrical) chance essentially. Movies don't generally lose hundreds of theaters and then return to them but the film has had such great legs that SPC is obviously bullish about its Oscar chances at this point. If you don't adjust for inflation this is Woody's biggest US hit ever and if you don't adjust for inflation it will soon be his second biggest hit ever worldwide where it has grossed $84 million; any second now it will pass Match Point though surpassing Vicky Cristina Barcelona's nearly $100 million take might still be a considerable challenge.
What did you see this weekend? Are you also bullish on Midnight's Oscar chances at this point?
Conan, Fright Night, Midnight in Paris, box office, remakes
Reader Comments (23)
Glad to see The Help staying strong. I'm even happier that the surge in viewership seems to be responding back to all the misguided charges made against the film.
And yay Woody! I actually saw Manhattan Murder Mystery today, as a revue theatre in town is doing a 'Woody Allen Festival' to coincide with Midnight in Paris. (Loved it.)
Woody for Oscar!
I love the response for Midnight in Paris. I think, with "The Help", are the two first biggest Oscar contenders for Best Picture. Lock? Maybe not, Very likely at this point? Oh yes!
Potential Oscar noms for Midnight in Paris:
-Picture
-Supporting Actor - Corey Stoll
-Supporting Actress - Marion Cotillard (She really deserved at least another nom since 2009)
-Original Screenplay
-Art Direction
Too bad for Fright Night, especially for Colin Farrell. Seven years ago I expected a bright and succesful career as leading man and Oscar nom/win at this point, but now, it seems his career is becoming dry and uninspired and I fear the possible failure for Total Recall remake. What would happened to Colin's career if that film bomb hard (Critically and box office)?... At least he won a Golden Globe.
If Gangster Squad is a true fact, expect an Oscar nom for Emma Stone. The girl is on rise and in interviews, she looks down-to-earth and funny.
Bummed about Fright Night. I had hoped against hope that that one would do OK.
I'm seeing Fright Night tomorrow. Why? Because I was waiting for someone to offer to buy tickets. It's only playing in 3D around here. I didn't even know it was a 3D film.
Midnight in Paris is looking good right now. We have to see how it does on the wide re-release. That could be telling.
I really want to see Fright Night, mainly for Toni ;) but also because it looks like a lot of fun. I saw "30 Minutes or Less" which was enjoyable, but really only thanks to its two really great stars (Eisenberg and Ansari). I'm so happy for "Midnight in Paris", it deserves the love!
Midnight in Paris has passed the $90 million mark worldwide and will sail effortlessly past $100 million. It has surpassed VCB's gross in every country it's opened in and there are plenty more to come; by my reckoning, a total of at least $125 million is guranteed.
This weekend I saw One Day and The Help, both of which were poignant in ways I didn't quite anticipate. (On a side note, it's now two in a row for Anne Hathaway; i.e. better than the co-star -- and film -- around her.)
I just saw ATTACK THE BLOCK and holy shit! I loved that movie and don't understand why it hasn't caught fire with public. The screenplay is great, everyone in it the film is wonderful, and it's amazingly entertaining. Do yourself a favor and check this out!
"Marion Cotillard (She really deserved at least another nom since 2009)"
Can I get an "AMEN"? Lol.
But seriously...especially when she gave the best performance in Nine, and both supporting actress and leading actress had weak links she could've knocked out. If they hadn't screwed up her campaign, she'd have been set. Could've (and should've) knocked out Helen Mirren in Lead Actress, who was obviously that random "oh, I've gotta vote for one more" nominee. The whole supporting actress category was weak because no one really mattered but Mo'Nique, but Maggie was obviously there because that spot was SO open. Penelope got nominated...Marion was better than her, but Penelope's campaign was easier since she was clearly supporting and had automatic momentum from the previous years' win. Anyway, lol, didn't mean to go on a tangent, but I agree with you.
I saw "The Names of Love" and found it lighter than light, predictable and boring.
Another film with a naked 20-something woman who gets it on with man old enough to be her father--- yawn. I get so sick of this sexism. I"m sure there are plenty of young hot french men -- can we please employ them to star in movies in which they walk around the metro STARK naked showing off their pubes when they "accidentally" forget to put any clothes on in their rush to get going on their daily errands?
jesus.
and they could have at least given the liberal "hooker" (that's the point of the movie, btw) something a little biting politcally to say??
out of any actress out there right now Marion must have the biggest, black dick because there are too many people on her for her not to. seriously, you guys aren't nominating her performances anymore, you're actually nominating her, marion cotillard herself. chill. Everybody is so in love with everything she does, but I guess that says a lot about her and her tslent at the same tme also. honestly, tho, with all these lovers her occupation is resemblng one of a whore.
Woody Allen films take *forever* to get here (New Zealand). By the time MIDNIGHT IN PARIS gets a theatrical release, I will be able to order it from the States on DVD! Still - I'd rather add to the film's Worldwide gross, so I'll try hold on a little longer...
poppy,
agreed. "public enemies", "nine", "inception", now "midnight in paris".
in the years of each of those films there was the same talk about marion.
and if you look at the characters she portrays, she isn't exactly streching herself. but i guess it can be argued that she should be nominated at least this time for delivering the same charming performance over and over again. (i would want her to try and play a role where it isn't required for the viewer to fall for her 'ideal woman' type.)
I watched Senna, and it's my favourite film of the year so far. Loved every minute of it. I'm not at all in to racing, but I knew the ending of the story and I wasn't how it could make an impact on me, but it's so thrilling and so poignant.
Take it, take it up the ass to all those who dismiss MIP. Adjust for inflation...why? Yes a dollar was worth more over 30 years ago...you say that to say?
I prefer Rachel McAdams over the rest of the female cast. Yes she's playing a bitch but she's playing a human one and not a caricature. Woody for Original Screenplay for the win!
Saw "eCupid" this weekend as apart of a LGBT film festival. Enjoyable and not too corny. Plus the lead actor was so freaking hot throughout the whole movie.
Fielding -- I'm using the statistics at Box Office Mojo which clearly say that Midnight in Paris is at $84 while Vicky Cristina Barcelona earned $96. We shall see. I suppose it depends on whether there are countries it's going to that it hasn't opened in as of yet, to see if it earns another $12 million plus. It's earning about a million a week in the US right now (we'll see about next week when it gets more theaters again... that will be a big test) and has never fallen out of the top 20 despite dwindling theater counts which is really cool. Yes, It's got long legs.
/3rtfull -- i don't understand the arguments of people who dismiss "adjusted for inflation" except for the one that Glenn stated a few weeks back about different times calling for different measuring sticks and it's a different world to convince people to come out to the movie theater than it used to be (in other words, only a tiny percentage of movies these days have as many viewers as the movies once had). BUT what I find laughable about it, even as i understand that times do change is that each and every year we are supposed to drink the koolaid that Movie A in 2011 broke the record of Movie B in 2010 which broke the record of Movie C in 2009 which would suggest that each and every year the movie industry has bigger and bigger hits rather than alarming bumps in ticket prices, you know? And that makes no sense at all. Should a chart about movie success only have one arrow shooting straight up?
But i suppose people will focus on what they'd like to focus on. which is all a long way of saying "No, I'm not going to 'take it up the ass' just because you're pretending that Woody Allen is a blockbuster director rather than an arthouse giant" ;)
I'm not knocking the success of Midnight in Paris -- i 've written about it's increasingly bi hit status a few times now, haven't I? -- which I enjoyed. I'm just saying that I'm finding it a bit disingenous that people are trying to pretend it's bigger than Annie Hall.
I saw Sarah's Key, which was fine. Some very affecting moments, though in general I thought the "mystery" structure did it no favors. Nor did Aidan Quinn's bizarre over-emoting late in the movie. His horrified - HORRIFIED - expressions had me on the verge of laughing during scenes that should not have brought me anywhere near the point of laughter. Unfortunate!
Re: adjusted grosses, I find it problematic because the adjusted figures are based on estimated average ticket prices for a given year. The inflation adjusted numbers might be in the ball park, but they're not factually accurate, strictly speaking. So you're comparing a hard number (the film's actual gross) to a made up one (however close it might actually be). I do think it's worth pointing out that Annie Hall making $40-something million in 1977 is different than MiP making $50m in 2011, but I'd much rather it be reported that way - putting box office numbers in context rather than throwing out an estimated number to make an easy (but reductive, since inflating ticket prices are far from the only factor in changing revenue patterns in the movie industry) comparison.
I apologize for the "take it up the ass" very juvenile of me.
"Midnight in Paris" -- a very good Woody, but I fear the Best Picture rule change may preclude it from getting nominated. I think it would've be very likely under the old Top 10 system. Corey Stoll as Hemingway was best in show.
"Fright Night" -- upset that this didn't find a bigger audience. It was scary in the right parts, top-notch production values, very game cast.
"The Help" -- Nothing special, but always nice to see a non-comic book movie/sequel top the box office charts. I am also enjoying this "Summer of Stone."
I already commented on "Poetry" on the blog entry on the South Korean Oscar candidates.
Since I had Friday off, I was able to see two films that day: "Senna" was quite interesting, especially with all the vintage footage they were able to round up. However, I didn't feel that I got any real understanding of what made Senna tick.
"The Kate Logan Affair" is an indie film, the second feature by a French director who lives in Québec...and it wasn't very good. The plot is the story of a young female cop with "daddy issues who meets a visiting Frenchman, strikes up a relationship with him, and then takes him hostage. Bizarre to say the least.
Then...the Festival des Films du Monde de Montréal opened on Thursday, so I was able to see two films there on Sunday.
"Noordzee, Texas" is a Belgian film, first feature by director Bavo Defeurne...a coming-of-age story for a young gay man in a seaside town in Belgium around the end of the Sixties. It was quite well done, with good acting. This was the first showing of the film outside Belgium; it will likely show up at various LGBT film festivals, and I'd recommend it.
Then...I was able to be the first kid on my block to see "The Artist," which had its North American première at the Festival. (The showing I went to was sold out, so it's a good thing that I'd bought my ticket on Friday.) I enjoyed it immensely, though it took me a little while to get used to the lack of spoken dialogue. (The intertitles are few and far between.) I'll be curious to see what the reaction is when it goes into general release.
As for its Oscar chances...I don't know about a Best Picture nomination, but if there's any justice, Jean Dujardin should get a Best Actor nomination. And...the dog here is much better than Arthur was in "Beginners."
I saw 30 Minutes Or Less. It was really funny :)
I wish they just counted tickets sold instead of gross.