Box Office Top 20 - Fall 2014

[Geezer]

People research that thing? I just wait til its my turn and then wing it

[Chienfantome]

Well last year I was in Korea when the draft took place, so I had to list 150 films ordered from #1 to #150 (more or less) and send it to a couple of B Division players so they could draft for me, so not researching was not an option. And even when I'm in Paris, I do some research to find the films without release dates that have a good shot at getting released in the game window.

[Spectre]

I don't order films but I tier them. Pretty much whatever I think might make $300+/$200+/$100+ and so on. Then as the draft comes I'll just choose from a tier and try to make sure my slate is balanced so that I'm not taking on a preposterous amount of risk.

[Chienfantome]

That's usually what I do, exactly like that, Spectre.

[BanksIsDaFuture]

I usually just research some TBAs a couple of days before, but for the first 8-10 rounds, I just go off what's left on the board.

I haven't won since 2011-12, but I've been so damn close since ...

[JohnErle]

I'd be lost without some kind of cheat sheet I've prepared in advance. It's not like my list is set in stone before the draft, but I do roughly rank most titles, and once I remove what's already been picked I'm left with 5-10 movies to choose from instead of page after page of options on BOM or HSX. There are dozens of movies already scheduled where I have literally no idea who's in them or what they're about, and those are the ones I need to research. I finally started my research today as I was like "WTF is Zootopia?"

People research that thing? I just wait til its my turn and then wing it

That's why the rest of us are always sitting around, waiting for you to make your picks.

[Geezer]

Nope, that's because I have a job and a life. Once I'm actually aware it is my turn, I generally pick within ten minutes.

[empire13]

Nope, that's because I have a job and a life.

That's a little harsh, Geez. I can't speak for everyone else, but I just like the competition and take it seriously because I want to do well... and have bragging rights. And, I think most of us are pretty busy people, so there's no need to demean with comments like this, is there? Or, am I just too thin-skinned?

[Geezer]

If it's harsh, I'm sorry, I just think it's absolutely ridiculous that I am constantly criticized about this for not picking the instant I am on the clock, when I never miss the window I am given within the rules. I know attention spans are minute in today's world, but fuck, if people can't wait a few hours, they need to lighten up. It's not the end of the world.

[JohnErle]

Now that the yearly draft's over and we're entering the crucial summer season, it's time to plug in some numbers for an update on the standings.



Spectre currently sits in first place according to average per film, but he shouldn't get his hopes up because it's definitely not going to last. Spectre has lost Pan, Monster Trucks, and B.O.O. to date changes, which means he'll end up with only 19 films on his slate, as opposed to the 20 the rest of us should have, barring any more date changes. It doesn't really matter what his average is, with only 19 films on his slate that'll be a hole he probably won't climb out of.

Chien, Shaan, and Surfer are all currently tied in second place, and even though there were no identical slates at the start of the game, date changes to Pan and B.O.O. activated two films off Shaan's bench, making his slate identical to Chien's. Surfer's summer slate is slightly different, with Spy instead of Mad Max, but if Chien and Shaan wind up tied for first place we'll end up having to use a tie-breaker for the first time ever. And if Minions outgrosses The Hobbit, Shaan will walk away the winner.

The current cellar dweller is Banks, thanks in large part to being the only player to pick Horrible Bosses 2, but he's also the only player to pick Pitch Perfect 2, so he might have a chance to redeem himself before the summer's over.

[Chienfantome]

Thanks for the update John ! It's gonna be a close race, just as welove it !

[BanksIsDaFuture]

According to those numbers, Six is in first place...

[JohnErle]

At this early stage I rank people according to average per film because I think that gives a better indiciation of who's off to a good start.

Six is first in terms of box office because he has 13 films out while a lot of others only have 11. His frontloaded slate includes two movies that not everyone picked, Into The Woods and Home, so if someone has two summer movies Six didn't pick that outgross those two, they've probably got him beat.

Either that or I won't give him the satisfaction of being in first.

[BanksIsDaFuture]

Pitch Perfect is gonna give me a huge step up on everyone, $180M will make up for me skipping 50 Shades and/or Ant-Man

[JohnErle]

I'll try to do an update this week to how Pitch Perfect shook things up.